Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-11-24
Ms Younger Set !
{
Copyright. 1907. by Robert w. Chambers
= = q = q &: Z: q

q 81 ~ 81 81 &: ~ egg
''Plus what you make at the Office"
"I'ye left Neergard."
"Whatr'
'"This morning; for good"
"The deuce!' he murmured, looking
at Selwyn; but the latter volunteered
no further. information, and Lansing.
having given him the chance, cheer
fully switched tot the other track.
"Shan l see whether the Air Line
has anything in your line, Phil? No?
Well, what are you going to do?"
81 don't exactly know what / shall
do If ! had capital-enough-I think
I'd start in making bulk and dense
powders-all sorts; gun cotton, nitro
powders
'You mean you'd like to go on with
your own invention-chaosite?'
I'D like TO keep on experimenting
with it if l could afford to. Perhaps +
will. But it's not yet commercial
possibility-if it ever is to be. l wish
could control it; the ignition is stimuli
taneous and absolutely complete. and
there is not q trace of ash. not an I'M
burned or partly burned particle But
it's net TO he trusted. and don't know
what happens to it after years stor-
age"
Anyway" said Lansing, you've
nothing to worry over"
NO. nothing" assented Selwyn list
lessly.
After silence Lansing added. But
you do Il lot of worrying all the same,
Phil"
Selwyn flushed up and denied it.
Yes. you do | don't believe you
realize how much of the time you are
out of spirits.''
Docs it impress you that way"
asked Seiwyn. mortified. because I'm
really all right?'
"Of course you are. Phil. know it,
but You don't seem to realize it.
You're morbid. I'm afraid"
you've been talking to my sister,
what of it? Besides. l knew there
was something the matter"
You know what it is too. And
isn't it enough TO subdue a mans spir-
its occasionally"
NO" said Lansing. "if you mean
your-mistake-two years ago. That
isn't enough to spoil life for a man.
I've wanted to tell you so for n long
time"
And as Selwyn said nothing: For
heavens sake. make up your mind to
enjoy your life! You are fitted to en-
joy it. Get that absurd notion out of
h0t hot
you've no home life in prospect, no
| family life, no children"
''Do you mean to say. Boots. that
| you think n man who has made the
| CHASTITY mess of his life that l have
ought TO feel free to marry?''
| Think it, Man. | know it. Ger
tainly you ought to marry If you wish
but, above all. you ought to feel free
to marry. That is the essential equip
| ment of a man. He isn't man if he
| feels that he isn't free to marry. He
| may not want to do it. he may not be
| in love. That's neither here nor there
The main thing is that he is free as q
man should be to take any good oppor-
| tunity, and marriage is included in the
! list of good opportunities"
Sitting there in the carpetless room
piled high with dusty. linen shrouded
furniture. Selwyn looked around. an
involuntary smile twitching his mouth
what about your marrying" he
said, "after this talk about minei
What about it. Boots? Is this new
house the first modest step toward the
matrimony you laud so loudly?"
Sure" said that gentleman airily
"That's what I'm here for"
Really"
"Well, of course, idiot. I've always
been in love-"
You mean you actually have some
body in view"
mo, son. I've always been in love
with-love. I'm a sentimental sentry
on the ramparts of reason. I'm prop
erly armed for trouble now. so if Tn
challenged l won't let my chance slir
by me-"
After a little while Selwyn went
away. first to look up book which he
was having bound for Eileen, then tt
call on his sister. who, with Eileen
had just returned from week at Sill
verside with the children preliminary
to moving the entire establishment
there for the coming summer.
"Silverside is too lovely for wordsv
exclaimed Nina as Selwyn entered tht
library. Nobody wanted to come
away. Eileen made straight for the
surf, but it was an Arctic sea, and as
soon as l found out what she was
doing I made her come out"
81 should think you would" he said
Nobody can do that and thrive"
"She seems to-" said Nina. "She was
simply glorious after the swim. and
, hated TO put a stop to it. And yor
should see her drying her hair an6
helping Plunket to roll the tennis
courts-that hair of hers blowing like
: gold flames and her sleeves rolled tt
! her armpits-and you should see bel
down in the dirt playing marbles witt
Billy and Drina shooting away ex
citedly and exclaiming Ten dubsr and
.Knuckle down. Billy! like any gamir
, you ever heard officially unspoiled
Phil, in spite of all the success of. hel