Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-20

seeming frreeyance, do you Know
Charlie Dupont?'
"Why, yes. Why do you ask that?"
Gust curiosity, 1 suppose" with an
other laugh.
"Ben, what is the trouble between
you and Hilda?' in tone of exaspera
ton. "She isn't happy, and you are
tormenting. l do not believe she will
be at all happy out there. She hates
the west" Mrs. Stevens demonstrated
| rather incoherently.
"She'd hate any place with me. I'm
the difficult problem, Lottie," replied
| Ben calmly.
"You two are laying up an abun-
dance of unhappiness for yourselves"
was the grave reply.
Don't you fret over us little chill
dren. Lottie." said he. rubbing his
hand significantly over the very ap-
parent bald spot on the top Of his
head "Sit down here and let me talk
to you," he said, pointing to chair
beside his own.
For fully an hour they conversed In
| low tones, he persuading. she half re-
monstrating, occasionally both laugh
ing. until at last she said in a tone Of
! yielding. II suppose it is all right, but
it does look ridiculous for
"Sh-sh! Here comes Hilda," eau
toned he.
Her mother was sewing busily and
Ben was smoking very contentedly
when she entered. AS neither made a
remark of any kind, she seemed to feel
the urgent need of an explanation of
something within her own mind and
commenced in the most voluble man.
ner: did you think l was going to
stay all night, mother? We had such
lot of things to talk about. Nettie
and r.
"Who?" interrupted Ben. The tone
was so derisive that Hilda cried out
angrily:
perhaps you do not believe me.
You are always laughing at me, and
think it's awfu! mean of YOU"
Ben smoked placidly and made no
reply, which angered Hilda all the
more She looked toward her mother
as if craving support. but as she APP
peared absorbed I'm her occupation the
enraged girl fiounced out of the room,
slamming the door vigorously.
1t lacked only a week to the date set
for the wedding. The evening was
coldly clear. but gusty. and the few re-
manning leaves were blown from the
bushes and scurried down the street
like droves of frightened fairies. Hill
da stood in the embrasuFe of the win
dow drumming restlessly on the win
dow pane.
An automobile halted by the curb.
but well in the shadow of the trees
She turned, as if tired of her amuse
ment, and sauntered up to her room
1t was but very few minutes until a
!. soft frou-frou through the hall and the
, cautious opening and closing of the
| front door betrayed her departure.
| Ben came from an adjoining room
| laughing gleefully. Hurry up, Lottie
1 If they get there before us it will spoi
| all the fun
| You are sure that it is an elope
ment, Benz"
Certainly. l heard them plannin.
l. it. Come on, come on" he urged. tax
n ing her by the arm. They hurried on
by the rear entrance, and before tn
IL others were under way they were fly
V ing down a side street to the parson
o age.
e. When the clippers arrived they wer
10 conducted at once to the study by tn
e parson himself AS they placed them
4, selves in readiness for the marriag
1, ceremony the parson remarked: "io'
must excuse me, but the law require
d two witnesses. / suppose you do no
" object" And without waiting for
:" reply he opened side door and ad
mitted HiIdas mother and Ben.
N "Ohr breathed Hilda, frightened
n. But Ben said nothing. The ministe
IS went on with the ceremony. and Hilda
having caught sight of Ben's derisiv
lie smile, did not lift her eyes again I'll
the final words were spoken.
ID The ceremony concluded, her mothe
IN congratulated her calmly. Ben's eye
twinkled mockingly as he held out hi
"A hand to Hilda.
"a Receive my hearty congratulation:
Mrs. Dupont. You rushed things
"a bit, and vet we were ahead of you.
~ came here to marry. 1 thought yo
,t were to be my bride. but you were
), little cheat. I overheard you plannin
with the man who wore a better Goa
"a than 1, and. listening to your yer
re amusing comments on my person:
=, peculiarities, acknowledged to myse
that the union would not be very sa
, isfactory on either side. But the 81
uation was not as unpleasant as
- might have been. I had been mistake
- as well as YOU. and the more l sa'
of your mother the better satisfied
was with the way things were comm;
nc really wanted you to be hone:
.e enough to speak out. but when 70
~ wouldn't. why, we made first innin
LII and We're married less than five mil
utes before your arrival here"
es Hilda's look of establishment change
(ContinIed on Page Nine)