Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-05

you think because you have fooled and
cheated her and me and married her
that | will give her now to a caught
thief, common jailbird?'
In the thoughts that were darling
through Hugh's mind there was none
now of regret or of pity for Jessica.
His fear was the fear of the trapped
spoiler who discerns capture and its
consequent penalties in the patrolling
bullseye flashed upon him. He studied
his father with hunted. calculating
eyes as the old man turned to Harry
Sanderson.
"Sanderson," said David Stires once
more in his even. deadly voice, 'Jessi-
ca is waiting in the room above this.
She will not understand the delay.
viii you go to her? Make some ex-
cuse-any you can think of-till /
come"
shutting the door carefully behind
him. carrying with him the covering.
helpless look with which Hugh saw
himself left alone with his implacable
judge. What to say to her? How to
say it. He mounted the stair as if
pack swung from his shoulders. He
paused a moment at the door, then
knocked. turned the knob and entered.
There in the middle of the blue hung
room in her wedding dress. with her
bandaged eyes, and her bridal bouquet
| on the table. stood Jessica. Twilight
| was near, but even so all the shutters
were drawn save one, through which a
last glow of refracted sunlight sifted
| to fall upon his face. Her hands were
| clasped before her. He could hear her
| breathing-the full, hurried respiration
| Of expectancy.
Then, while his hand closed the door
| behind him, 4 thing unexpected, anom-
alous. happened-a thing that took him
as utterly by surprise as if the solid
| fingers tore away the broad encircling
bandage. She started forward Her
arms We're flung about his neck.
Hugh. Hugh." she cried. my hus-
bandr'
The paleness was stricken suddenly
from Harry's face. An odd, daZed
color, a flush of modification, of self
reproach, flooded it from chin to brow.
Despite himself he had felt his lips
molding to an answering kiss beneath
her own. He drew a gasping breath
his hand nervously caught the bandage
! replaced it over the eyes and tied il
} tightly. putting down her protesting
hands.
"Oh, Hugh" she pleaded. mot for {
moment-not when | am SO happy
Your face is what | dreamed it mus
be! Why did You make me wait s;
longI And | can see, Hugh! I cal
really sect Let it stay off, just for ont
little moment more"'
He held her hands by force. "Jes
sica, wait" he said in q broken whis
per. You must not take it off again
not nowr'
An incredible confusion envelope,
him. His tongue cleaved to the roo
of his mouth. Not only had the pain
e full contretemps nonplused and dis
mayed him; not only had it heightene
D and Mortified the realization of wha
she must presently be told-it ha
q laid n careless hand upon his ow
secret, touching it with an almost WI
gar mockery. 1t had overthrown in a
J instant the barricades he had been pi
ing. The pressure of those lips on hi
had sent coursing to the farthest II
u cesses of his nature a great wave whic
! bikes nor locks might ever again forbi,
What dear goose you arew sh
u said. 1.-The light didn't hurt them-il
deed, indeed! Only to think, Hugh
Il Your wife will have her sight. Do G
5 and tell your father. He will be wal
I ing to know"
Ii Harry made some incoherent repl
He was desperately anxious to g
away. His thought was a snarl of ia
y ters threaded by one lucid purpose
II spare her coming self abasement th
sardonic humiliation.
II He almost ran from the room ar
down the stair.
u @ess&assz