Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-08

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wheato was abandoned. lie was too
busy endeavoring to hold his own bust
ness together to bother much about the
enemy.
1t was a rather discouraged Hugh
who came upon the girl for the second
time as he plowed through the deep
snow in his big car.
Arrayed as before, she was standing
Just inside the gate leading to her
home. The house where she and her
widowed mother lived was big affair.
half mile or SO down the road from
Hugh's home.
The girl actual ~miied as she saw
Hugh's disconsol2,u and haggard face
"Why, It's the breakfast food man."
she laughed. "Have you come to mar
ry me, Mr.. Food?" she asked gayly.
"Not yet" replied the man doggedly
| But I'm going to some day. Heavens.
how l love your he cried as he gaZed
hungrily at her flushed face. 81 never
knew what 1t was before to love. Now,
when can't have you right when
want you my whole being cries aloud
| for you"
The giyl, her face all aflame, laughed
! again, this time rather constralnedly.
REALLY you are a very original lover.
| Mr. Food" she said. "None of the 9TH
err men has ever said such things to
| me so unconcernedly."
"WhO are the other men" demanded
| Hugh fiercely. Then he laughed at
himself. I'm hardly In position now
to ask" he went on. But I'm going to
win out. I'm going to win at that fac
tory. and then I'll come and win your
He jerked the lever forward, and the
| great car shot away.
| However. despite Hugh's confident
prediction, he found it exceedingly diff
ticult TO win out in his fight against
wheato. In fact, the campaign went
so severely against him that In short
time he found himself facing failure.
1t was then that the girl rose upper
most in his thought to the exclusion
even of his business worries. Finally
dOggedly he went to see the girl her
self
She entered the room in her home,
where he awaited her, with smile on
her lips. She became serious instantly
though, when she saw his haggard
face and the new lines lately etched
in it,
Dear" said Hugh abruptly, eve
| come to you now in a different mood
For the first time IN my life face de-
feat in my business. and l know now
I realize that l cannot win you.
1T is to tell you that / still love you
and that some time, when / have be
gun life anew, I'm going to return and
try, as best can, to win you. l want
to apologize for the manner in which
have courted you heretofore
For a moment the girl looked at him
then, averting her eyes. she spoke
quickly:
II know exactly how you stand IL
your business" she said. am thu
cause of it. Don't interrupt me. JUS
before my father died he purchased ;
controlling interest in the wheato com
pany. and the fight which was waget
against you was at my instigation.
Il thought 1 hated you"
Hugh rose abruptly, but the girl bur
ried on.
You need lose but little, after all,
said the girl. 1.-THE demand for wheat
has increased, so that additional fac
tories are imperative. We will tax
over your factories for price tina
will let them out, or we will consoli
date with you"
Bother the business" cried Hugh
iy,v,, mt, 10 ,, SO lon,
hate me?'
"No." murmured the girl.
"Then Is it-can you possibly
The girl looked upward at him slyly
What Hugh saw there gave him coul
age.
well consolidate!' he cried, grea
Joy in his voice, and he ratified tn
consolidation with a kiss.