Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-25

had come a baby girl, and, the mother
being in delicate health, Miss Snowden
had the entire care of the child. She
used to battle her and dress her, put
her to bed at night and lie with her
till she went to sleep. The girl baby
had grown to be girl when the young
husband and father, who was soldier
in the service of the United States,
sailed for the other side of the globe
with his regiment and remained away
a long while.
But the time came when he became
impatient that he heard nothing of his
wife and child. He sent a trusted
messenger, who in due time returned
with the news that they were both
dead. He mourned for them and
when he was ordered home with his
command naturally sought the place
where he had left them. 1t was
risky game Miss Snowden, who had
sent back the report that his wife and
child were dead, was playing. And
now she had come to the end of pass
able deception.
Some one was coming up the path.
A man,
He was opening the gate!
"Its her, gasped the girl, rising in
dismay.
She fed toward the house, leaving
Miss Snowden to face the enemy.
He came leisurely up the path, stop
ping now and then to caress a peony
in q reminiscent way.
'WelI, sir! How dare you como
here?" rang out the challenge from
the rocking chair and brought him to
a halt at the bonny brier.
81 am looking for the parent of
Miss Payson," he said quietly, lone Of
the young ladies who graduated from
the high school today. 1 am Colonel
Robert e. Payson. May ask whom 1
am addressing?"
Il refuse to answer, STRIP respond
ed the elderly Miss SnOwden hesitat-
ingly. Your presence is an intrusion
"a great intrusion"
He bent his head slightly and lis
tened to the voice rather than the
words.
81 know your voice." he said slowly.
at seems connected with something
very distastefuI. But 1 cannot place
you"
He stood in profound thought for a
moment.
"The reason 1 Called he said DELHI
erately, lis rather curious. Eleven
years ago 1 went to the Philippines,
leaving n wife and q four-year-old
girl. They were to follow when the
country became settled. News reach
ed me year later that they had died.
7
like my wife in her girlhood that it
it-weH, filed me with a wild. unrea-
sonable hope that perhaps there had
been some mistake"
Miss Snowden preserved a venomous
silence.
These peOnies, the hOneysuckle, the
wistaria,'' he murmured, moving about
the garden, all speak so strongly Of
my wife that it seems to me she must
be here"
Miss Snowden's niece came down the
walk from the house. Behind her,
clasping her hand, was a slender little
woman.
Miss SnC~ hearing the steps on
the path {. stared helplessly and
Strengthened l. ia her rocker
beSSle, AlNeu you any illOAC
pridef" she cried shrilly. Think, he
never wrote when you were nearly
dead. Think of the report his corporal
brought me. Think of his not coming
home for all these years! Think of
his never answering your letters!'
The colonel darted forward up the
path.
Miss Snowden flashed past, pale with
anger and venom and fear.
Inside the house she hurried to the
big old fashioned kitchen, locked the
doors and from the cupboard drew
forth a packet of letters and threw
them into the range.
They'll never know" she muttered,
staring at the packet, feeling vaguely
the shadows Of coming desolation and
isolation creeping upon her, while the
vicious jealousy of years burned and
famed in her heart.
There was a gentle knock on the
kitchen door after the knob had been
turned. She did not heed.
They've told each other" she NUT
tered, land now they know that did
it. He had no right to take her from
me. was so alone"
She sat in the kitchen chair and
stared into the future.
And what did she see? For herself
lonely old age imbittered by re-
morse. for her niece life for few
years with her reunited parents in the
army post, then love, then marriage
with a young officer and group Of
rosy checked, bright eyed children
springing up about her. Then she saw,
but it did not enable her to throw or
her selfish regret, that the others gain /
was her loss, for selfish nature cam
not become n generous one. Colonel
Payson and his wife left the cause Of
their enforced separation without re-
proach-indeed, without again seeing
her
ECZEMA DURABLE!