Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-28


conversation, leaving Emerson to pro-
coed on his way.
He found Cherry at home and, fling
ing himself into one of her easy chairs,
relieved his mind of the days occur
rences-
Marsh is building those traps pure
" out of spite. she declared indig-
nantly when he had finished. HE
doesn't need any more fish-he has
plenty of traps farther up the river"
ITO be sureI 1t looks as if we might
have to depend upon the gill METERS"
1--WE will know before long. If the
fish strike in where George expects
Marsh will be out a pretty penny"
And if they don't strike in where
George expects we will be out all the
expense of building that trap"
Exactly It's a fascinating bust
ness, isn't it? It's business in which
the unexpected is forever happening.
But the stakes are high. and-I know
you will succeed By the way" she
continued, shave you heard the his
toric story about the pink salmon?
He shook his head.
"Well, there was a certain shrewd
old cannery man in Washington state
whose catch consisted almost wholly
of pink fish. AS you know, that varie-
ty does not bring as high a price as
red salmon, like these. Well, finding
that he could not sell his catch, owing
TO the popular prejudice about color,
this man printed lot of striking can
labels, which read, Best Grade Pink
Salmon, Warranted Not to Turn Red
N the Cam They tell me it worked
like a charm"
mo wonder" Boyd laughed.
at wish 1 were man." she went on.
"Td like to engage in a business of this
sort, something that would require in
genuity and daring I'd like to handle
big affairs
There is your copper mine. You
surely handled that very cleverly."
Cherry's expression altered. and she
shot a quick glance at him as he went
on.
"How is it coming along. by the
way? 1 haven't heard you mention it
lately"
VERY well, believe. The men were
down the other day and told me it
was a big thing"
I'm delighted. How does It seem
to be rich?"
I'll hardly know. Rich! That has
always been my dream, and yet
'"The wonderful feature about
Dreams" he took advantage of her
pause to say, "is that they come true"
Not ali of them-not the real, Won
derful dreams" she returned.
'Oh, yesI My dream is coming true.
and so is yours"
81 have given up hoping for that"
she said. without turning.
But you shouldn't give up. Remem-
Der that all the great things ever &C
complished were only dreams at first
and the greater the accomplishments
the more impossible they seemed to
begin with
Something in the girls attitude and
IN her silence made him feel that his
words rang hollow and commonplace.
While they had talked an unaccus-
toned excitement had been mounting
In his brain. and it held him now in a
kind OF delicious embarrassment 1t
was as If both had been suddenly en-
folded in a new and mysterious m
speech. He did not tell himself that
Cherry loved him, but he reused to
fresh perception of her beauty and felt
himself privileged in her nearness.
1t may have been the unusual ardor
of his gaze that warmed her cheeks
and brought her eyes back from the
world outside. At any rate, she turned,
flashing him a startled glance that
caused his pulse to leap anew. Rising
silently, she went past him to the
piano. Never before had she surprised
that look in his eyes and at the reali-
cation a wave of confusion surged over
her. She strove to calm herself
through her music, which shielded
while it gave expression to her mood.
and neither spoke as the evening
shadows crept inIupon them. But the
girls exaltation was short lived; the
thought came that Boyds feeling was
but transitory; he was not the sort to
burn lasting incense before more than
one shrine. Nevertheless, at this mo-
ment he was hers. and in the joy Of
that certainty she let the moments slip.
They heard n child crying some
where in the rear of the house and
NSsdhd "dId voice SOOIOnS, IDen In
moment the Indian girl appeared in
the doorway, saying something about
going out with Constantine. Cherry
acquiesced half consciously, impatient
of the intrusion. Boyd finally rose and,
going to the door. saw that the sky was
deeply overcast. rendering the night as
dark as in a far lower latitude.
I've overstayed my welcome" he
ventured and smiled at her answering
laugh
With a trace Of solicitude she said:
"Waitl I'll get you a raincoat" But
he reached out OBTAINING hand. In
the darkness it encountered the bare
flesh OF her arm.
please don't! You'd have to strike
q light to find it, and I don't want a
light now"
''It has been a pleasant evening"" she
said namely.