Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-09
The Argus Daily Story
The Face at the Window-By Joel Washburne.
CopyriEhtsd. Is1z by Assoe.atedkLiterary Bureau

that she might be afforded In some
way as glimpse of the man she would
marry She was now twenty and con-
sidered herself altogether too old for
such kSlperstitions. Indeed, they had
given ,place to something more real,
something that had remained with her
ever since its occurrence.
II happened at the time OF her aunt's
death. Late at night a telegram had
come announcing that she could not
livest1l morning. Mabel Hinckley and
her mother had thrown a few things
into a. suit case. locked the doors and
started on foot to the station. but a
short distance from the house. to catch
absence they had returned and found
bit OF paper on the mantel over the
frepace on which had been written.
''Soue day Tn going to buy this house
and marry the girl whose portrait
hangs on the wall in this room" A
due bill for a dollar to pay for what
had been appropriated accompanied
the U,aper.
AI,Ebers mother had been impressed
fromsher home and leaving 1t to take
care of itself. The occasion Of their
departure and the hurry involved had
caused them TO leave a window I'M
locked, and they had not even taken
time4 to put out the fire burning In the
CRATE. 1t was a wonder, she said. the
house had not been ransacked.
With Mabel It was different. A girl
must be devoid not only Of romance.
but an interest in her personal appear
ance, who would not be moved by such
a note as she had found on her re-
turn. It was now three years since
1t had been received. and she had not
ceased to wonder II the writer would
keep his word. Evidently he had not
thus far kept it as TO buying the house.
for having received an offer for more
than it was WORKMAN offer they could
not afford to decline-they had sold
1t and to a man with a wife and q
family Of children. The property had
passed out of their hands, but they
were to occupy 1t till the following
spring. AS for the man who had made
himself at home in II, he had not yet
come a-wooing. Indeed, not . word
had ever been heard from him.
Mabel Hinckley sat before the FIRE
place on Halloween night wondering
what had become of the person who
had been charmed with her picture. It
hung where 1t had hung when he
entered the house. and as she looked at
1t she unused:
when that picture was taken was
barely sixteen. l am now twenty and
much changed. If he comes and
proves to be a gentleman and attrac-
tive, and all that, when he sees me he
will probably not be so much pleased
with me as with my likeness taken
four years ago. Twenty is quite old
for a girl Heighoi II he's coming
wish he would come"
The clock on the mantel struck II.
and. arising, she started to go upstairs
to bed. mirror hung on the wall,
! and she paused to have a look at her
face to see IL she was really very
much changed. The mirror faced the
fireplace and window beside it. Sud-
denly she saw reflected In the mirror
the face of man at the window.
If 1t had not been Halloween and
II the face at the window had been
reImlsive Miss Mabel Hinckley would
have screamed. AS 1t was she stood
perfectly still. The eyes of the stran-
ger were darting here and there, FINAL
ly resting on the face in the glass,
which was as plain to him as the face
a%. ~ka lnx
two pairs Of eyes met there was
munentary recoil ON the part of the
man; then a half dubious, half implor-
ing smile came over his face. 1t was
answered by the lips reflected In the
mirror, which gave it more confidence.
And why not? Surely 1t was Hal
loEween, and what girl on that even
ing on seeing face reflected in q
mirror would doubt that she was look
ing upon her future husband?
There was more in the face in the
window than this. Something told the
girl that she was looking upon the
man who had written her that he
wonld some day come to marry her.
Furthermore, she saw a frank. ingenu-
oas face, and the smile II wore was
very winning.
The girl turned. advanced to the
window. threw up the sash and ex-
tended hand to admit the visitor.
When he stood in the room before her
he began:
81 am
She lowered her eyes to the floor.
Il am the man who three years ago,
fancying that the world was intended
to be seen rather than for workshop,
made a tramp of myself / came iii
here one night, saw your picture, and
It made great change in me. prom
Used myself that would go to work
and make the money to buy this house.
That have done through another per-
sen. I promised myself that I, would
come and marry you. cannot do so
without your consent"
He was stranger to her. But she
trrd been waiting for him for three
years. IT was Halloween. and he stood
looking down upon her with that pleas
ant smile She said nothing hut s.a