Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-25

What a beautiful dogr' she cried
sincere admiration in her eyes Il /
love a big dog. Ee is your best friend.
I'll wager"
Love me. love my dog is my mot
to-
The conversation was not prolonged
Penelope began TO find herself on rath-
er friendly terms with the enemy
Confusion came over her when she re-
membered that she WAS behavil., in s.
most unmaidenly manner. Doubtless
that was why she brought the meet
ing to close by Ealloping away.
The ways OF fortune are strange,
look at them from any point of view
Surprising as it may seem, ike en-
counter happened on the following day
and-aye, on the day after and every
day for a week or more. Occasions
there were when Penelope was COM
PEELED to equivocate shamefully In or
der TO escape the companionShip of the
duke, the count or others of their Tx
Once when the guardian Of the road
was late at his post she rode far into
the enemy's country, actually thrilled
by the Joy Of adventure. When be ap-
peared far down the road she turned
and fed with all the sensations of
culprit and he Numbered after her
with vindictiveness that deserved bet
ter results. Across the line she drew
rein and faced him defantly. her hair
blown awry. her cheeks red, her eyes
sparkling.
.An o,Jal hpIifny nv
her gloved hand He stopped short,
for that was one OF the terms Of truce.
The next day he again was missing,
but she was not TO be caught by his
stratagem. Instead of venturing into
the trap he had prepared for her, she
remained Oh her side Of the line. smil-
ing at the thought of him in hiding far
up the road. If any one had suggested
to her that she was developing too
great an interest in this stalwart gen
tleman she would have laughed him TO
scOrn 1t had not entered her mind to
question herself as 20 the pleasure she
found in being nea- him. She was
founding her actions on the basis that
he was a real man and that the little
comedy of adventure was quite worth
while
AT length an impatient line appeared
on her fair brow, a reSentfUl CLEAN
in her eyes. His remissness was an
imperunence! Il was the las, time
she would come-but a sudden thought
struck her like blow. She turned
white and red by turns. Had he tired
of the sport? Had the novelty worn
off? Was he laughing at her for a
silly coquette? The riding crop came
down sharply upon her horses flank.
and a very deeply agitated young wo-
man gallOped off toward Bazelhurst
Villa, hurTying as though afraid he
might catch sight Of her in fight
/ 4 quarter Of a mile brought a change
in her emotions. British stubbornness
arose TO combat an utter rout After
all, why should she run away from
him? With whimsical bravado she
turned off suddenly into the trail that
/ led to the river. her color deepening
with the consciousness that. after ALL
she was vaguely hoping she might see
him Somewhere before the morning
passed Through the leafy pathway
she rode at a snairS pace. brushing
the low hanging leaves and twigs from
about her head with something akin to
petuIance.
As she neared the river the nPighng
Of horse hard by caused her to sit
erect with burning ears. Then she
relapsed into a smile. Temem Dering
that it might have come from the
game warden'S horse. \ moment later
her searching eyes caught sight OF
Shaw's horse tied to n sapIing and on
BaZelhurst ground. many hundred feet
from his own domain. She drew rein
sharply and looked about in consider
able trepidation. of TO the right lay
the log that divided the lands. but
nowhere along the bank of the river
could she see the trespasSer. Careful
ly she resumed her way. ever on the
lookout. puzzled not a little by the
unusual state of affairs.
Near the river trail she came upOr
the man. hut he paid no heed TO hel
approach. He sat with his face in hi:
/, hands. and-she could not believe hel
, eyes and ears-he was sObbinG bitter
ly. For an instant her lips curled ii
the smile Of scornful triumph ant
then something like disgust came Owe
her There was mockery in her voice
MS she called out to him:
, Have you stubbed your toe. littI,
bow"
He looked up. dazed. Then h,