Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-26

she was still 1t reproach to Arson. It
was not the party itself that caused
bitter tears to rise to Emily's eyes; II
was the thought that she would not
be permitted TO move with freedom
here and there among the social af-
fairs of the village because OF THIS
old affair with Arson Cook. II people
would only forget all about the mis-
cradle affair.
Eight, nine, ten, the courthouse
clock rang the hours. Now and then
music drifteG up the street, setting her
all a-tingie. Her little slippered feet
beat softly to the dance tunes, and she
was lost in dreamy retrospectiOn Of an
other Halloween party years before.
when the shop door opened suddenly
and somebody entered.
"Anson Cookt' breathed Emily sharp
iy. She arose and stood poised as if
for fight.
He took off his soft hat and, leaning
against the closed door, looked down
at her from his six feet Of muscular
manhood with such a smile in his gray
eyes that Emily's heart fiuttered in her
breast.
Emily Paine" he said softly, ''why
aren't you at the partyP
81 wasn't invited. l belong to an
older generation" she laughed, with d
little catch of the breath.
"Ah, you belong to my generation,
Emily. 1 was afraid you might not be
there, and yet l hardly dared ask Flora
Lee. 1 thought 1 might come upon you
all of a sudden there, but I heard some
one say you did not come"
He moved away from the door and
sat down near Emily.
"I'm a fool, Emily, but not such a
one as left you in anger ten years ago
when you postponed our wedding be
cause of your duty to your father. l
wish 1 could tell you how bitterly l
have repented Of it-how I've tried to
make myself better, stronger, so that
some day l might come back to try to
win you once more if you were still
free. I've only been here a week, and
I've been hungry for a sight Of you.
I'm not worthy Of you now, Emily, but
1 will try TO be. Is it too late? IL
there anybody else!'
There never has been anybody else,
sobbed Emily into his convenient
shoulder.
A half hour before midnight the Hal
Ioween party was at the height of its
merriment. When the grandfather's
clock in the hall should strike Il then
Flora Lee, bewitching indeed in her
red cloak with pointed black hat atop
her sunny hair. would command the
dancers TO unmask.
She was watching couple who had
recently arrived and of whose identity
she was quite ignorant.
| Flora watched the newly arrived
couple dancing toward her. The man,
unusually tall, wore a dark suit OF
! clothes, g gray wig, and his face was
| quite hidden behind a black mask.
! His companion was small and slight,
gowned in bridal robes. faded and yei-
| lowed china silk, creased as If long
| laid aside A veil OF white illusion
foated all about her. and her face
was also concealed behind a mask Of
white.
The clock struck j. and the music
stopped.
"Unmaskr cried Flora sharply.
| And there was a rustic and then uni
| versal laughter as they recognized one
another. Flora's eyes were on the
/ bridal couple.
The man tossed aside his mask and
| wig and became-Anson Cook. He
| assisted the little bride to remove her
mask and then led her to Flora Lee,
! blushing like a rose.
Emily Paine"' laughed Flora rather
| loudly. THAT is n disguise. Emily.
! No one would have expected to see
| you in bridal robes"
! Arson Cook stiffened a little and
! Continued on Page Eighty