Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-01
The Argus Daily Story
The Unknown-By lexander Hutchins
CopyrIEnte4 Isll. by Associated i-.te.a-y bureau.


vorahle for bathing, and as ~
could get into my bathing sui
down to join the crowd In te wat,
The wind was of the ocean and TIL,
surf nigh AS ! approached BE- beach
| saw a cOmmotion ?mong thtSe stand
ing about. most Of them pfriuS ont
on the water. There | saw that the
interest was conferred upon some one
beyond the ropes. The bathing mas
ter instead of plunging in Eas trying
to get a boat through thu breakers,
but without success.
| ran rs fast as | could to the verge
and. bounding over the crtSts OF the
first few waves. went under the next
and then, with a hand over hand
stroke, by which could swim the fast
est. made for the person who needed
assistance l soon saw that 1t was a
woman. and as drew near b. the red
fish tint on her head knew that it wasi
Miss Yardley. On reaching her | held
her up until the bathing master canstt
with the boat, and he pulled US TO
shore.
She was quite exhausted. but ncs 20
much so as TO forget 10 ask me TO
pick up her bathing cap. which had
fallen eff. She took ii from me and
put II on, though | could not see why.
because her hair was soaked.
On account OF this incident patu-
rally found favor with Miss Yardley,
though | think had l not been there
she still would have been saved. One
81, - tn,
timacy would cause my unknown to
avoid giving me any clew TO her iden-
tity. | was satisfied with Miss Yard
ley's companionship. but did not like
the idea of giving up my romance.
And between romance and reality ro-
nance will win every time. From
words let drop to my known charm
er she inferred that my mind was on
her unknown rival. Instead of endeav-
oring to Danish her from my mind
Miss Yardley joined me in Observing
the girls whose hair fulfilled the condi-
ton that would prove her the owner OF
the lock. Were we perambulating the
board walk or on the beach or the piaz-
"a Of her hotel, she would on the ap-
proach of blond girl ask me If her
hair was not the shade Of the lock /
had received Most OF them were quite
like 1t, but their number spoiled the
| clew.
While romance is more effective than
/ reality flesh and blood are more effec-
/ tive than fancy. was constantly
with my known and never with my I'M
! known. The consequence was that the
former had q great advantage. At any
rate, as the end of August drew near
my Constant dawdling OF evenings with
Miss Yardley tended TO obliterate my
unknown from my mind. One night
the night before Miss Yardley was to
leave for home-sitting on a protrud-
ing tock, the waves rolling in beside
We, 4rains OF music and laughter COM
ing from the hotel ,uGieK OF Us. rtSrgo
the girl with the lock of blond hair an'
asked her rival TO be my wife.
We parted the next day, engaged
I she TO 90 TO her home in one city, l Il
another. The autumn season was al
ways q busy one to me, and there wa
no probability of my seeing her again
till midwinter We arranged, howev
er, that should join her for the holi
days. Meanwhile we were to CORE
spond
The ink spilled during that interva
was enormous My fiancee often aske'
me II had heard anything about IN
unknown and If did not still cheris
tender thoughts of her. | replied tina
the only thing that remained of tina
: hn nf hui
this my love wrote me to save IL 70
, her. She had a fancy to keep it
! promised that l would bring it to he
when | Joined her in December.
All waits have an end. and the tim
came when threw aside the cares Q
business and took a train to rejoi
Miss Yardley. When | saw her o
: the evening OF my arrival in her draw
! ing room | met with the surprise G
| my life / saw the same girl | ha
parted with few months before q
the seashore, al! except the hair. Her
. was no longer red, but blond.
- Instead of advancing 10 clasp her I
my arms | stood gaping at her. Will
she remained. head bent. biushing. br
with an amused smile on her lips. A
looked a light was breaking in on1n
duh brain.
You are my unknown | exclaimed
There was no reply. In another M
% ment | had folded her in my arms.
( Her confession came later The M
ment she first saw me she realized il
% stinctively that she wished me. an
> me alone. To start a romance she ha
~ sent me q lock of her hair; but, frigh
ened ut what she had done. she dye
y her own. The introduction | bad r.
ceived was at her own request Whr
!" we had got her into the boat at IN
time she came near drowning her frs
= thought was that the salt water migt
y remove the dye. and she had snatche
her bathing cap from me to prevcr
u my seeing the real color Of her hni
But dye is not go easily removed Fc
10 over three months her hair had bee
d growing to its natural color. thong
' its ends stilI reta ned some Of the rPC
III Well" said after listening 10 III
u confession. the devices OF women ar
u '""rdeT to us men"