Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-21
The Argus Daily Short Story
Finding of Hearts-By Marion Cholm ondeley.
Copyrighted. Associated Literary

she saw his fac: That face. with its
look OF haggard trouble. silenced her.
Without n word she swiftly followed
to her sitting room, and the door
closed behind them. y
What is it," she demanded breath
lessly. terror clutching her heart as
she locked at him.
Jack Weatherby had good stuff in
him and could dare much, but his
beauty. her fragileness, her costly ar
ray Helpless, sheltered-that was
what Marcia was. Then he spoke al
most curly.
I'll make 1t short" he said. Listen,
Marcia. and see if you can compre-
, bend. 1t doesn't seem possible man
could take n fortune the size of mine
and drop it into the middle of the
ocean, but that's what I've done.
Stocks. It's all gone We haven't a
penny to our name. Even this house
| is gone. Maybe the grocer II trust
us. but likely not! How many meals
| do your think your pearls would
buy"
| He flung himself into chair, with a
laugh bitter and hopeless, and waited.
| just what for he hardly knew-hyster-
| les probably.
The woman before him bent for
ward. with lips parted. 81 can't quite
realize"- she gasped. Then she
Strengthened out and walked to the
| window, gazing out over the lake.
| When she turned and came to him she
was smiling. Besides the smile, there
| was q look he had never seen on her
face before, an expression of interest,
of energy.
Jack" she said. Slipping down be-
side him. her arms about hir.. II don't
| know why but somehow the only
| thing can feel is relief believe I'm
glad. Why, 1t leaves us-only each
other. Do you see? I'm so deadly
tired of all this. of this life, Do you
| remember the Colorado ranch my ia
Their left me? How he held it when the
| crash came I'm sure | don't know, but
he did. Well, We'll go there"
Jack Weatherby laughed even as his
heart warmed with joy at the way
4
| cried, ION n ranch. and small, insig
| nificant one at that-in calico dress
possibly, and one servant, maybe none
and neichbors ten miles away. Oh
no, Marcia; you don't know what yot
are talking about! I'll begin again
| here"'
Marcia Weatherby got to her feet
with ali excited little laugh. 1t was
novel to have something to do. "Yor
will not" she declared. at is tn,
ranch for usr'
And, much to his surprise. Jacl
Weatherby found 1t was indeed the
Colorado ranch. Never had Marci:
been so animated. so busy. Her sym
pathiZing friends went away Indignant
4 because she had laughed at their con
dOlences.
"This is the happiest day Of m!
life" she told her husband when the
train pulled out of the Chicago station
and they We're bound for the ives
with only few hundred dollars t.
their names. but with life and heaHl
and work before them.
One year later Jack Weatherby, com
ing home at gallop. swung from hi
horse at the door TO the rough hu
comfortable house that was home. Hi
face was brown. his eye keen, hi
dress negligee.
On the porch stood a woman 1.-THE
graceful. in linen shirt waist sui
: that had the air Marcia's clothes coult
not avoid having. There was color fl
her cheeks, a sparkle in her eyes, ant
she laughed like a girl as she raj
down to meet him. Arms about on
another, they turned to watch the sun
set across the distant mountains ant
were silent before the glory Of it.
AS the chill of coming evening mad
itself felt they turned toward tn
house. peace enveloping them whicl
needed no words.
"And you thought" Marcia sat