Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-03

prised 70 receive letter from my |
uncle, who cordially invited me TO /
come and make as long a stay as l
could. He added that Dorinda would /
write. but was somewhat under the
weather. 1t occurred to me that my
cousins maidenly modesty had at the
prospect Of our meeting got the better
of her and that this was the real rea-
son for her silence.
My uncle lived in the country. and
was obliged to drive several miles TO
his house On turning an angle Of the
road saw coming young man and Il
young girl They were hurrying. and
when they reached me the young man
asked:
Did you come in on an up train"
Yes" l replied. drawing rein.
He turned to the girl with disap-
pointed look. There's not another
train for two hours. What shall we
do?"
She drew him away from me for
whispered conference. casting singular
glances at me as If had something to
do with their affairs. The young man
came to me and said:
All the world loves a lover"
Yes" I assented, thinking he re-
ferred to me.
I'VE are runaway couple. We have
missed our train There is a down
train In seven minutes Cooking at his
wa.ch). II you will lend me your rig
we can make 1t. If not our game Is
spoiled
Get right in here and I'll drive you
to the station"
They climbed up, and we all crowded
! together on one seat. I galioped the
horse to the station, but we had plen-
/ ty of time, since the train was late.
| The girl went into the station and on
! the back of a letter her lover gave her
wrote a few lines, putting an address
/ on also. Folding 1t, she handed 1t to
me.
/ "WiII you deliver that?" she asked
"I will"
Before you go anywhere elsef"
1T promise"
Give it to the person for whom It is
intended yourself"
The train came rafting up TO the
platform, the young man loaded me
with thanks, the girl looked at me with
that singular expression her face wore
whenever her eyes were upon me, we
all shook hands, and they climbed into
the train and were gone. Then / got
back into my buggy. Looking at the
/ address on the paper I was intrusted
with. I saw the name Edith Boynton.
I asked the station master where Miss
Boynton lived, and he described the
place. After a twenty minute drive
reached a handsome house and grounds
that fitted the description. l drove In
under a porte-cochere. A groom held
nv horse. | went in and sent up the
note with my card.
When Miss Boynton came in l was
paralyzed with establishment. She wa:
the original of the photograph of my
cousin. She was both blushing ant
smiling.
"Dorinda." l exclaimed.
= NO. Dorinda wrote this note" sh'
said. CHANGING at the paper l handed
her.
What does It all mean" I gasped.
BE seated" she replied, land vii
tell you. or. rather, l will confess"
sank into a seat and she. throwing
herself on a sofa, made her comics
sion.
"Dorinda and I are bosom friends
: For a year past she has been i'll low
with the man with whom you met her
Her father has been trying to persuad
her to fulfill the contract made for he
and you when you were born. Sh
concealed her love affair from him ant
called me In to help her out. 1t WA
my picture you received, and 1t was
who correspOnded with you"
h / was dumfOunded. l sat staring n
the girl till she put her handkerchie
10 her face for a screen.
rs it possible" l said at last, tina
all this deception has been practice
by the girl who wrote those letter
laden with such noble sentiments"
Il was helping my friend sh
pleaded.
But / Neither of you seems to hav
{ considered me"
j There was no reply to this.
= May / ask what my cousin said 4
L that note?'
E "She wrote It merely to send you I
me for an explanation before going I
. CONTINUED on Page Nine)