Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-08-12

1
handed. there could be no doubt that
she had been murdered.
Indeed. there was no other alterna.
tive. II is seldom that the mystery Of
disappearance is so satisfactorily
solved. Baxter was obliged to be con.
tent with il. and the Alexanders. who
had come TO take a strong sympnthet.
ic interest in him. persuaded him to
divert his mind by making brief tour
with them. This. under the circum-
stances. was the best thing he could
do. Together they visited Florence.
Venice and the lakes of northern Italy.
These localities. new to Baxter. were
admirably calculated to withdraw his
mind from the horror under which he
suffered. The quaint, medieval town
Oh the Arno. with it's treasures Of art;
the city of water streets on the Adri-
attic. where under the moonlight hun
dreds of gondOlas filed with pleasure
seeking people congregate IN sight of
the doge's palace and the lion Of st.
Marks to listen to music. were surely
calculated to draw the poison OF sor-
row and restore u normal condition.
Usually a man who has lost a mate
ASCAo NAal SOLACNAibS has DCEh b@hCA
away which he is eager to replace. To
supply this need Baxter turned to
Alice Alexander. Drawn to him
through sympathy. a girl Of a kind
heart and high principle. she felt con-
strained by both to do all In her power
to cause him 10 forget the tragedy Of
his lost love.
Later one evening while seated In a
boat on Lake Maggiori Baxter asked
Miss Alexander to I'll the void that
had been made vacant and become his
wife. She accepted, and their be-
trothal was approved by the girls par
ents. Then after a fortnights ocean
trip together the couple reached home
and again took up the thread Of or
binary life.
Just three months after Helen White
had sailed for Europe Baxter, who
had but recently returned, received a
letter from her saying that she would
be due to arrive on the day he would
receive her letter.
1t would be impossible to describe
the sensation Of a man in his position.
After taking time to right himself
from the effect OF the squall that had
struck him he resolved to hear Helen's
story. then be guided by it in his fu-
ture course.
When Helen White reached port and
did not find Joe Baxter on the deck TO
receive her. her heart sank. She re-
membered that when she had accused
him in case of her loss of replacing
her within six months he had respond
ed banteringly. better make it three"
She, too. remembered that il was just
three months since her departure.
On the evening Of her arrival Joe
called. He did not exhibit the relief
to be expected in one who had lost
and regained a love; he did not take
her in his arms. bestowing caresses IN
place Of words checked by emotion.
He stood looking at her as If she had
returned from the spirit world.
'fOh, Joer' she exclaimed.
Explain"
Have you stood the testT'
what teSt?'
Joe, dear. what I went away for
was to test you.i You know L always
liked to be certain of everything and 1
W lSuCd especially W NC tain VI NAN
man l would marry. ! intended to
disappear that you might show your
constancy. o, Joe, do tell me that you
have been true"
Baxter continued to gaze at her, but
there was nothing in his expression
from which she could derive any com
fort. Presently he said:
what became of you after you were
last seen at FrascatiT'
st had a disguise with me which /
put on, and. returning TO Rome, took
train northward. 1 have since been in
a small village in Switzerland"
Suddenly the hard look he wore dis
and was replaced by one Of
sympathy.
"You have made an awful mistaken
She whitened and waited for him to
go on.
"You remember told you that while
waiting to find a secure place on
which to step some one would get
ahead of you?"
She sank in a chair and covered her
face with her hands. Then suddenly
starting up and facing him, she said:
Tell me air.
Baxter told her of his agony on
learning Of her disappearance. Know |
ing the reputation Of the Italians OF |
southern Italy. he believed she had |
met with foul play, but hoped she had |
been kidnapped rather than murdered. |
He told her Of his trip. the sympathy |
and kindness of the Alexander family. |
Of his hunt for traces of her, his con- |
his tour with his newly made |
friends. his engagement
"And nowT' she moaned.
And now l am placed as judge on |
the bench. / have no right to be |
moved by aught except justice. While |
you were supposed to be dead another
took your place. If were n chattel |
she could not make good her claim |
against yours. But a man Is not prop
erty. My decision is this: In order to
be certain you took risk and lost"
He walked away from her, but at |