Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-12


tween them was widening hourly.
while Wagram was real personality
to be reckoned with His flowers. his
candy, his books. were all pleasures she
must take into account. and now she
must either decide TO go on with a
shadow or cast it aside and confess
that she was mistaken in the strength
of her affection for Jim.
Prgter came home with her after the
matinee and stayed until Cousin Kate
felt obliged to ask him to remain and
dine. He accepted. and in the even
ing Wagram called. PratArs intuition
told him that this was Jim's most for
midable rival. and he was hostile In
consequence.
When Margery went up to her room
she had come to the conclusion to write
to Jim at once and break of her en-
gagement. Fearing lest her resolve
might weaken IN the morning. she sat
up till after midnight trying to word
her letter so that IL should not sound
too cruel and yet to show that her
decision was final. When she sealed
the envelope she was not satisfied, and
it was a white faced. fearful eyed Mar
gerry who crept into bed and sobbed
herself to sleep. She had not dreamed
the actual break would hurt so much.
Wagram came in the morning to es-
cort her TO church, and she kept him
waiting beyond the traditional half
hour, and it took her so long to dress
that she forgot to mail the letter lying
on her desk. The day was a busy one.
e. .fnIr E,rr$
when Wagram tried to draw her away
from the others. suggesting that he
had something Of Importance TO tell
her, she put him of.
Not tonight" she urged.
NThen tomorrow. Will you listen to
me tomorrow. little girl?"
She nodded, not daring to trust her.
self to reply. In the morning she
would post the letter to Jim. and in
the afternoon she would tell Wagram
what she had done. Nevertheless. in
spite of the fact that she had stihed
all regrets. her sleep was broken, and
when she awoke her head ached so
frightfully that she could not raise it
from the pillow.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon she
crept downstairs for a cup of tea. Her
cousins had gone to a musicale. and
the house was very quiet. The tea re-
freshed her, and she curled up on the
sofa in the library and rested cozily
among the cushions. She awoke with
a start to find a tall. clean shaver man
looking down at her. a heart full or
love and longing in his honest eyes.
She stared up at him, wide eyed.
culprit.
''Margery. my darling. have fright
ened you? / wanted to take you by
surprise. sweetheart. so l told Prater
not to tell you L was on my way home.
But now. Margery. speak. Aren't you
glad to see me?'
He was terrified at her continued ST.
lence. This was scarcely the girl
whose memory had never left him day
or night. whom he had loved during
the long dreary months he had spent
In the tropics. She had changed; she
was no longer a dainty child; she was
a woman. And then he grew tender.
Women were made of softer stuff
than men, She knew what his COM
ing portended. and she was a bit
afraid. In a little while she would
forget and give herself up only TO the
Joy of their reunion. He had been too
impetuous. He should have let the
maid announce him. But as he had
been as sure of her as himself he
had insisted upon going in alone.
At the sound of his voice Margery
felt her heart stir painfully. and as
she kept on staring at him his dear
face gradually blotted out all memory
of that other till when he paused and
the silence between them grew en-
barrassing. a rush Of feeling swamp
ed all other emotion. and she put up
her arms suddenly.
"Jim. oh. Jim! I am so glad" she
cried. and the rest was lost as he
gathered her close TO his breast.
About an ho1g later. when Jim's
ring was again on her finger and they
sat side by side on the sofa. her hand
In his. he spoke Of Prater.
"He is a fine fellow. and I'm sure
you got on famously together" he
said
Yes" Margery admitted Then
with burst of confidence. she added.
Nevertheless. Jim. think. after all
1 don't care for substitutes" She
blushed as she said IT. and Jim in
terpreted it in his own fashion.
"Still. with Prater. darling. you were
perfectly safe. You were in no dan
ger of falling in love with him. no
matter how re felt about YOU
mo. dear"-Margery snuggIed a lit
tie closer-'T wasn't in any danger of
forgetting you for Mr.. Prater' But
had she been perfectly honest she
would have said that Prater was not
the substitute Of whom she was think
ing.
Never hesitate about giving Cham
berlain's Cough Remedy to children.