Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-09
The Argus Daily Story
The Shadow-By Ethel B. HAYNES.
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau.

Your offer is satisfactory to me, hut
l hardly think you will want 1t after I
have told you about the shadow" As
she uttered the last word all the color
I forsook her cheeks, and she looked
years older.
You needn't say a word about it I'M
less you want TO relieve your mind.
I'll take il even If the shadow is
ghost" assured Mr.. Baker warmly.
1T isn't an ordinary ghost" protest
ed EStella I'm fact, it isn't ghost
anyway | tell myself 1 can't believe
in them and be a member OF the
. church at the same time. but It's very
queer that the shadow should be there.
just the same
show it TO me, please" requested
Mr.. Brooks. and in silence Estella led
the way down the front steps To the
gate that opened into the highroad.
Here she paused and turned. facing
/ the long farmhouse, with its low pitch
ed roof and many gabled windows.
Look there" she said simply, point
ing up at the roof of the house. The
sun is behind the clouds. yet what is
there 10 cast a shadow like that on
the roofY'
! Mr.. Thomas Baker scanned the red
stained shingles with a critical eye.
! He glanced up at the sky. a mass OF
gray leaden clouds; he looked at Estel
la standing beside him with every
/ muscle tensed, her wide brown eyes
staring at the roof.
II can't see anything. Miss Brooks"
he said gently.
Esteila turned a disappointed face
to his Il was afraid you couldn't see
anything. But it's there, right be-
tween the two chimneys, a great black
shadow as plain as can be on the roof.
l suppose it's only for the family to
see and remember
Tell me about it If you care to.
Miss Brooks. But l assure you that
II won't make any difference in my
decision I'll take Wistaria farm il
you viii accept my offer"
III tell you about the shadow first"
said Estella, leading the way back 10
the deep shaded veraDda. After
that. II you want to conclude the bar
gain. am quite ready. My father
was 4 very stern man, cold by nature.
but possessing a powerful magnetism
that bound his family to him by cords
of fear as well as love. My mother
died while | was a little girl and my
sister and l were brought up under
my fathers strict rule. As Barbara.
my sister. grew older she seemed TO
develop the same MAJ. nctism, and 50
il was that her will and my fathers
often cIashed over little matters and
at last over larger affairs.
About ten years ago Barbara was
twenty and / was twenty-five. My
. sister met and fell in love with
young man who wrote poems for Il
living. He was spending the summer
in Rivcrdale. and he wrote verses
about Barbaras beautiful eyes and
her lovely hair, and Of course he was
In love with her My father djscov-
cred the verses and forbade him the
house, arraigning him in the most
singing terms, accusing him of seek
ing to marry Barbara for the little
pItrimony that would one day be hers.
calling him It beegariy scribbler and
saying other terrible things although
he really was most manly fellow,
and ! liked him exceedingly. As for
my sister. poor Barbara was deeply in
l.,
when ny father sent her lover away.
tossing the dcspiSed verses after him.
Barbara defied father to bis face and
declared she would marry Allen in
spite of everything.
That night she babe me farewell
ana went away with Allen Scar'c ard
WIS married by hcr own minister here
in Rivcrdale. In the morning when
my father discovered her Eight and
read the letter she had left for his
rerusal he led me ont 10 the gate
Wonder and. pointing to the roof OF
the house, he said Spjcmnly.
'ISreilI. there is a shadow on our
house. Do YOU sec that grim. black
shadow OF disgrace staining its pure
roof: Look long AT IT. Your sisters
defiance Of NE and her elopcmcnt with
p"nniIcSs stranger has broken my
heart. Mark well The shadow on our
roof, for it viii never pass away not
in your lifetime or mine"
Il looked. and, Mr.. Baker I cav the
shadow. grim and black ana shap"-
less. lying there where no shadow had
ever rested before The day was
cloudy and forbiddng. oven As il is
now. and yet the shndow lay there.
and It has always lain there since
that day when NY sister went away.
Nearly every day my father would
take me oft 10 the gate and show ne
the shadow and repeat his denuuoia
ton 81 B3rba "a lie died five ycars
ago. and / have been left alone with
the shadow on the roof for beyond a
letter now and then 1 have rarely
heard from Barbara
Il see, said that gentleman. with
an air Of sudden enlightenment
Now. before 7 20 back TO town this
afternoon and before I pay the money
TO bind the bargain | would ike to
ask you question. Miss Brooks Now
mat you have hOnOred me with your
confidence. Will you tell me whether
you would change your mind about
Spllinp fBs4 farm fna n