Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-10

I'LL hiAlP DiHoCL. Lie APi0AhNAi.
the man who Siould have adopted
your brother Jerry long ago had he not
deserted me. am still anxious 70
hear what became of him"
How do you know" she asked slow.
ly, that the boy was my brother?"
1.-The likeness" he replied. lis un-
mistakable."
ut is pitifu story she said. Ills
ten. and l will explain.
There were two little homeless ones
that night. Tom. the boy."-she smiled
involuntarily-'a Jerusha. his sister.
Girls did not seem 10 be desirable so
this little girl, whom nobody wanted.
sat screened by a curtain of vines. lis
tening breathlessly as a woman tried
to persuade a strange young man TO
find home for her among his people.
She has never forgotten his laughing
reply. though it was all very serious
then. and the child's heart went out
to the man, who was a lonely orphan
himself. The ever fortunate boy
might have been made useful about
the studio. he had said, and it was
then that little Jerry formed the
wild plan which seemed TO her a very
simple way out of a great difficulty"
clad in a shabby suit of her broth
er's. never dreaming Of failure, she
met you here In the twilight The
girls eyes shone. Then followed the
golden days at the farm. and later.
when she had been taught the sin Of
deceiving. Jerry reasoned that the
only reparation in her power would be
to relieve you of the burden which you
had not desired and 10 go back again
to the only place she had known"
She was silent for Il few moments
THE old housekeeper has been my
trusted friend she continued. land in
long letters we have rejoiced together
over the success of your remarkable
painting" She put out her hands i'm
pulsively. lit Is rather late TO beg
forgiveness" she said. land can
never hope to repay my great debt of
gratitude"
Eagerly he clasped the extended
hands. My dear girl" he said. when
you speak OF debt do you realize that
it is your face that has won for me
both fame and fortune?"
Then they walked side by side to the
WllLe gate OF the paESOndSe
Il shall stop over here for a time"
he said at parting. This is a splendid
place for making sketches"
So she found him often busily work
ing as she passed upon her bomeward
way. and they would finger to laugh
and talk in friendly fashion. 1t was
very natural to call him Philip. as lie
had taught her so long ago, and to
come to him again with her small per-
plexfties. And each day the man grew
more firm in his purpose-he would
take her back to the peaceful old home
stead. where the loneliness of their two
lives would be changed into happiness,
like the ending of fairy tale.
When he spoke of this great hope
she resolutely turned from his plead
ing. 1T is pity. not love. which |
prompts you to say this she said and |
ran swiftly up the pathway and into |
the house. Neither could be persuade |
her to listen TO him during the days /
which followed. while his many fervent |
notes were unanswered.
At length peremptory telegram !
summoned him to the city. and. pen
ming Il few words of farewell to the |
obdurate one, Philip Dryden assembled |
the hill leading up 10 the station in
much the same frame of mind that he
had departed upon like journey ten
years ago. he paused now, as then,
10 rest beneath the spreading tree, his
brows wrinkled in troubled thought.
''If you please" said a very meek
voice near by, II am ready to go
with you" And the moon, bursting
from beneath a cloud, shone
'ull upon "Jerry's" face.
The girl laughed a little unsteadily
I could clean the paint brushes" she
'epeated slowly, "and-and l will be
'ery good"
Jerry" the man cried sharply, what
Ices this mean?"
She looked at him with the elish
mile he so well remembered and raised
Ter arm in the moonlight to trace an
letter. Dear Philip" rshe
uoted softly. II love you"
And as the obliging old moon hid
eneath another cloud the little girl
7hom nobody wanted" had found her
wn at last.