Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-05

memory of his brave yet tender face /
possessed her. She could almost hear /
him saying:
"Now. look here. Daffy-Down-Dilly. |
you are going up to town to visit your |
fine cousin. and she'll have some fei-
low picked out for you. l know. He'll
be rich and-and different. and that
will end my chance. which always was
mighty poor. wasn't it. dear? II 1t
wasn't you'd say one word. and then
l wouldn't feel SO entirely down ard
out as l will he if You go without say
ing it,"
She had not said the word. and SO
she was quite free as far as Tom was
concerned to marry Hills Hubbard If
she chose With Il start she came
back to reality and the sound of his
voice.
You can understand that everybody
is watching Miss Steuben with great
deal of interest. But there is no doubt
In my mind that the Englishman will
win cut"
What makes you think 500" Mildred
asked
because. That's wOman's reason.
l know: but. as l say, it involves a
good deal. The American. you see. has
only his business prospects and for the
present an average living. The Eng
lishman has a fine old home. ancestry
Of the best. acres and tenants and
cororet about to descend upon his aris-
tocratic head"
Mildred sighed and looked again at
the girl in blue. She was very pretty
as she stood with her back to great
mass of daffodils particularly. but now
something about them set her heart to
beating quickly with memories of
home A month later there would be
a great showing of them in the little
garden she and her mother tended
The dear, dear things! Nell had or
dered them simply because they look
| ed well against the wall paper of her
| drawing room, but to Mildred's girlish
| fancy they were vital. appealing. They
meant home. the country, springtfme-
| yes. and Tom. walking toward her, his
! face full of joy at sight Of her.
Oh. they had no business to be here
In this hot, crowded room, jostled by
| furs and velvets. simple. open air bios
SONS that they We're! No one appar-
emily was aware of them save herself
and the girl in blue, who had drawn
one from the jar and was pulling it to
| pieces.
A woman came across the room, set
her cup down upon the table. smiled
ut Mildred and leaned toward Hills
Hubbard.
Il have something to tell you which
I just now heard on the best author
ity." she said. you have lost your
wager, my dear boy. Love wins. Miss
Bertha Steuben marries the American
after ALL"
Us that possible?" he exclaimed. 81
would not have believed it of her.
Nor I. Thank you. no more tea. my
dear Miss Verrel. ! am just leaving"
She made her adieus and passed on
gayly. Midred's eyes, with a new eX-
preston in them. were again on the
girl in blue.
He turned sharply.
| " GU would 90 lC yOurSeiIF
"Yes,' Mildred said.
He studied her moment.
"Yes, / believe you would" he said,
"but in your case there are no parallel
circumstances. May come tomorrow
when you are alone. dear. and explain
to you what / mean"
Mildred turned white. but she faced
him bravely.
NO" she gasped. mo. 1t would be
of no use. You see. l have just made
up my mind to go home tomorrow. It's
the best place for me, 1 think, and
they want me, father and my mother
and She stopped abruptly, with q
vivid blush.
"Ah, seev' Hills Hubbard said. He
looked very straight before him for an
instant
In Mildreds ears were ringing the
absurd old nursery rhyme with which
Tom had teased her before she set
forth to visit her cousin Nell:
Daffy- Down-Dilly has gone up to town
In her yellow petticoat and her green
gown.
But Daffy-Down-Dilly was going
home from town to be happy with her
own.
When Your Limits Are Stiff