Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-02-09

/ exposing its weights and the pendu-
/ lum swinging back ard forth God
dard knew fntuitively what she wish
/ ed him 10 do and with difficulty
| squeezed himself into it. Fortunate
! ~ he was slenderly made. for the
/ clock. though long. was narrow. Ruth
/ had no sooner closed the clock than
| the door Of the room was opened by
/ the negro servant ana Major Tarrant
entered
why, Mistress Grosvenor," he ex-
/ claimed. Where has that becoming
color OF yours gone? And you are
breathing as though you bad been run
ming a race"
| She made plea OF indisposition &c
| account for ner appearance and invit
ed the major to be seated.
| 81 have today received orders from
| General Howe" he said. ito march
my command to Trenton have
come for the last time before my de-
parture to ask you IL you cannot give
me a favorable answer to my suit.
| You know that l love you and that
when this cursed rebellion is over 1
would gladly take you back to Eng
| land with me as my wife. Come. Ruth,
be kind TO me-"
He attempted to take her hand. but
she drew it away.
! Goddard. almost smothered in the
clock. was forced to listen to this
avowal, though 1t troubled him to be
an eavesdropper. Indeed. cramped- as
he was and irritated at being placed
in such a position. he could not re-
strain a movement This swung a
weight against the side of the clock.
The major turned and looked at the
clock in surprise Ruth by a great
effort retained her eQuanimity.
Those horrid nicer she exclaimed.
'SThey are all over the house. They
| have gnawed a hole in the bottom OF
the clock and are making a home
there"
'I see-the clock has stopped"' the
major remarked thouGhtfully.
That is because don't dare to wind
it. confess have a woman's dread
of mouse"
Fortunately Major Tarrant was too
| intent on his suit to take an interest
in the clock. and Ruth was relieved
when he repeated his request TO give
him an answer, and a favorable one,
to his suit. For an hour young God
dard was obliged to maintain con-
strained position, listening to the Of
| fcers pleading. At times it seemed to
! him impossible TO represS another
movement. But both the weights and
the pendulum hung loose. He remem-
bered ho<F Ruth had saved him on his
first movement and dreaded that she
might not be able to do so again. On
his person were the memoranda in
Ruth's handwriting. If he were caught
with these he would swing from the end
of n rope and no one could tell what
punishment would be melted out to
the girl who had given him the in
formation.
But maintaining one position for
long while is well nigh impossible for
any person, and Goddard was of
nervous temperament Tired of bear
ing his weight on his right foot, he at
tempted to change it to his left. In
| doing so he joggied the pendulum.
There is certainly something wrong
with that clock" said the major I'm
going to see what 1T is
Ruth. considering her lover lost, fell
in n sSvoon. 1t was the best thing she
could have done. Tarrant forgot the
clock in her. Lifting her, he placed
her on a sofa and ran out OF the
room for water to sprinkle in her
face. Goddard, hearing the commo-
ton, opened the clock door, looked
out. saw his sweetheart lying uncon-
scious and was about to free himself
from his prison to go to her when he
heard footsteps and, closing the door,
remained where he was. TGrrant re-
turned and sprinkled water rs
face. But she had revir.
ately and did not need Il
less she remained inmCy
closed lids, TIL she had mad 90, .er
mind what TO do.
Leave me-" she said to Tarrant
when she opened her eyes. II should
have been In bed this evening. Call
the servant. then go away at once.
Come tomorrow and / will give you
my answer II am able to see you
| will give 1t verbally; If not / will
write it,
But this flInessr Tarrant exclaim-
ed anxiously.
otis nothing: merely a weak heart.
think that by tomorrow morning !
shall be as well as ever"
The major left her with hope beat
ing high IN his heart.
The next afternoon a farmer called
at Washington's headquarters and
asked to see the general. Captain
Hamilton was sent to see what he
wanted. Recognizing Goddard. he
took him into Washington's Office, and
the farmer gave him the memoranda
he had brought with him.
''This is very important" exclaimed
the general, becoming absorbed in the
paper; but, presently looking up, he
added, Captain Hamilton, see that
Lieutenant Goddard receives a com
mission az captain"
Major Tarrant's answer was mo"
for Ruth Grogvenor had been married
at midnight by a patriot dominic TO
Irdr-I-, Cnddard Leenra he stnla aurar