Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-27

! please! oh, wish / could make Won,
understand she continued helplessly.
| You yourself in Paris only q few
weeks ago were in terrible danger. 4
| girl who only gave, or meant to give
you, information about my brother and
me was murdered You, too, would
have been killed If you had found any.
| thing OUT
| He would have answered her lightly.
! but the memory of Mile. Flossie lying
dead upon the bed in that gloomy little
room suddenly rose up before him. and
| the words died away upon his lips. He
was silent for a moment and glanced
again at his watch 1t wanted only five
minutes to H. He came and leaned
over her chair.
phyllis" he said, what am to do
| about you? l cannot let you go out of
my life like this. No, you must listen
to me for a moment. When Pelham
sent for me after you had disappeared
he showed me your picture. am not
exactly the sort of man of whom
knight Grants are made. l have never
gone mile out of my way to meet
any woman in my life. My life here
has seemed of all things the best to me.
l am dull, unambitious sort of fellow.
you know, since l settled down here,
and l expected to- go on for the rest of
my days pretty much in the same way.
And yet when Pelham showed me your
picture it was different. / made him
give 1t up to me. l told him-liar that
l .was-that I could not carry the mem
ory of Your face in my mind when it
was already engraven in my heart
And l went off to Paris, Phyllis, like
the veriest Don Quixote. and | came
back very sad indeed when could not
find you. Then you came TO Runton
House and the trouble began. l did
not care who YOU were. Phyllis Poyn-
ton. Sibyl Fielding or anybody else. |
let the others dispute. You were your
self. and love you. dear Now do you
understand why 1 cannot let you so
away ike this?''
He had both her hands in his now.
but her face was turned away. Then.
without any warning. there came Il
soft rapping at the door which led into
the library
Duucombe reached it in Il couple of
strides. He opened it cautiously and
found Spencer standing there.
Il thought it best to let you know
he said. that carriage has stopped
in the lane. If l can be of any as
sistancc l shall be here-and ready"
Duncombe nodded and closed the
door. The girl was sitting upright in
her chair with the old look of fear in
her eyes.
"Who was that" she asked quietly.
Spencer" he answered. He dis
covered your presence here, but he is
perfectly discreet. He knocked TO tell
me that Il carriage has stopped in the
lane outside"
She was white with fear, but he
only laughed and, STOPPING down
would have taken her hands once more
But at that moment an unexpected
sound interviewed. The deep silence OF
the house was broker by the ringing
Of the front doorbell.
Duncombe started back. The CIR
half rose to her feet.
THE front door-" he exclaimed
"The servants will have gone to bed
l must answer it myself"
She chung to him with q suddel
abandon. She was white to the lips.
Il am afraid she moaned. Don
leave me alone"
He glanced toward the window.
by Jove. it may be 4 trap he eS
claimed. Let them ring. I'll sta.
here with you
They stood hand in hand listening
His head was turned toward the door
but the gentle pressure of her finger
drew him round. Her face was ur
turned to his. Something of the fea
had gone. There was an eager, almos
4 desperate light in her softened eye
t and a tinge of color in her cheeks II
G caught her into his arms and thei
lips met She disengaged herself a
l.. most Immediately.
Y II don't care" she said. with Il littl
t laugh. THAT is the first kiss I hav
0 ever given to a man, and very likely
Y will be the last You won't be able t
say that I have gone away withot
e paying my bill. Now go and open I'll
r front door, Sir George"
He hesitated for moment
+ "Say only the word, Phyllis. and n
one in the world shall ever take yo
I away"
t She did not even answer him. II
J. left her with little sigh.
n Spencer" he said, eff you hear IL
S slightest noise in that room go in an
shout for me-"
Spencer nodded. The front door be
g rang again.
(To be Continued.)