Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-10

it out" Marian exclaimed with a patient air that
maddened Lucie.
"Lucie-obstinatel" came the indignant echo
from the other side of the bed. Il guess there's
somebody else obstinate besides Lucie Nora"
well, now, I'll settle all that for you in
minute" declared the warm-hearted Irish girl
laying hold of the sheet, but she dropped it again
suddenly at sight of the unwonted fash in little
Miss Lucie's blue eyes.
Don't touch that, NoraT' she commanded. This
is between Miss Marian and me-"
eyes, go and leave us, Nora. "You may clear
with her mothers own 'FYou may clear
the table Well not be down to luncheon"
Bewidered and unwilling, but somehow
PEELED, Nora turned and went grumbling out of the
room. Silence fell again. A long silence. Lucie
was seized with an unconquerable desire to peep
under the bed and see what Marian might be doing.
Cautiously, without loosening her hold the sheet,
she lowered her head and looked. There
Marian doing the same thing at the same instant,
and. like fash, both girls jerked their heads up
and sat shaking in silent, exclusive mrth. Not for
worlds would either have let the other know tina:
she was laughing. That would have meant death
the dignity of the quarrel and, above all things,
dignity must be maintained.
Again the door opened, and the irnmovab1e face
of the trained thrust in. She looked like
advertisement of fine laundry work, with her
crisp blue and white stripes, and the snowy apron,
cuffs, collars, and cap
Little girls" she said in her strangers voice.
mora tells you won't come to luncheon because
you are having some kind of a quarrel. 1 should
think, if you loved your mother, you would try to
be good and help her to get well quickly. Don't
you know you'll trouble her if you act like this?"
"You haven't been and told her?" Marian de-
manded with shocked note in her voice.
"N-no; but I shall have to, if you keep this up"
said the severely, she closed the door.
There. Lucie," Marian remarked, lifting her
head to peer. the bed reprovngly. you
what you're doing. You may make mother great
deal worse. Why don't you give up?"
But Lucie crouched out of sight and kept silence.
Mother didn't know about it, and she certainly
could worry about thing she did not know.
A sense of power growing within Lucie. She
had never resisted Marian long in all her life,
and, the time on, the feeling grew stronger
and stronger that for she would hold
What joy to make Marian give up-just once! Even
in her widest imaginings, she never dreamed of
than
The telephone bell rang. long andt1oud.
Better that, Lucie,' Marian suggested
geniay. mora must be down in the laundry, and
probably the nurse is busy with mother"
Lucie did not bulge, and presently they heard
the nurses voice saying, "HelloF' in a slightly
impatient tone A few minutes later, she pushed
open the bedroom door again.
Little girls" she said, that your Uncle
Ben calling up, and told him exactly how you were
acting"
"Teltalel" Lucie whispered, letting the word go
safely under the bed instead of out into the room
where the nurse could hear
Hes coming out from town early; he'll be here
by four o'clock and he said to tell you that he'd
bring large box of candy for the one that gives
up first"
Dead silence the answer, and after waiting
full minutes, the nurse, in disgust, went back
to her patient.
Don't you want that candy. Lucies" low voice
asked.
mo, thank you; you're quite welcome to it"
And another hour passed.
Miss Lucie. dear, Nora's coaxing voice
through the door, your mother you to bring
her glass of water, right away"
Luce started, and almost let go the sheet but
Marian giggled, and Luce through the trick.
OF course the there get water for
mother. 1t was just to make Lucie give up.
After that Nora and pleaded long time,
in vain. It after three o'clock, now. Nora had
hardly gone away when the door opened again
sharply this time-and the trained nurse came inside
and closed it behind her.