Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-16

money and thought to the perfection
OF her plans. She employed a corps
Of trained artists. took them TO her
home. told them what she wished and
they worked with enthusiasm to eclipse
in splendor New York's record Of lavish
entertainments-but always with the
reservation which she had imposed
that nothing be done that might violate
the canons of beauty and good taste.
The long dreamed night came. and
her guests had begun to arrive.
One was hurrying there to whom no
engraved invitation had been sent, and
yet his coming was the one big event
Of the evening. the one thing that
would make the night memorable.
The confession of love for Stuart
which Harriet had sobbed out In her
fathers arms had been the last straw
that broke the backbone of his 6ght
against Bivens. In a burst of gener-
Gus feeling he made up his mind to
eat his pride. drive from his mind
every bitter impulse and forget that
he had ever hated this man Or been
wronged by him. He could see now
that he had neglected his little girl
in the fight he had been making for
other people and that her very life
might be at stake In the struggle she
was making for the man she loved.
Blvens had once offered to buy his
business. He had afterward made
him a generous offer to compromise
his suit. he had never doubted for
moment that a compromise would be
accepted the moment he should see f1t
to give up.
He instructed his lawyer to with
draw the appeal before the day fixed
! for filing the papers. The lawyer
raved and pleaded in vain. The doctor
was firm. He wrote Bivens a gener-
Gus personal letter in which he asked
that the past be forgotten and that he
appoint a meeting at which they could
arrange Il terms of final friendly
settlement
! The act had lifted a load from his
heart. The sum he would receive, II
but half BIvens' original offer, would
be sufficient to keep him In comfort
complete his daughters course in
music and give him something with
which to continue his daily ministry
to the friendless and the lowly. 1t
was all he asked of the world now.
He wondered in his new enthusiasm
why he had kept up this bitter feud
for the enforcement of his rights by
law when there were so many more
urgent and important things in life
to do.
He waited four days for an answer
to his letter and receiving none wrote
again. In the meantime the day for
final action on his appeal had passed
and his suit was legally ended. On the
last day his lawyer pleaded with him
for an hour to file the appeal suit and
then compromise at his leisure. The
doctor merely smiled quietly and re-
peated his decision:
I'm done fighting. I've something
else TO do
When Bivens failed to reply to his
second letter he made up his mind to
see him personally. He was sure the
letter had been turned over to a lawyer
and the tinancier had never seen it.
He called at Rivens office three times
and always met the same answer:
Mr.. Bivens is engaged for every
hour today. YOn must call again"
On the fourth day. when he had
stayed until time for closing the office
secretary Informed him that MIR
Bivens was too busy with matters OF
great Importance to take up any new
business of any kind for month and
that he had given the most positive
orders TO that effect to all his men II
he would return the first of next
month he would see what could be-
done.
The doctor left in disgust. He deter
mined to break through this ceremonial
nonsense, see Bivens face to face ant
settle the affair at once.
When he should see him personally 1
would be but question of five min
utes friendly talk and the matte
would be ended Now that he recalled
little traits of Bivens' character b.
didn't seem such a scOundrel after all
just the average money mad man VIII
could see but one side of life. HI
would remind him in a friendly way o
their early association and the help h
had given him at an hour of his lif
when he needed it most He wOuldn'
cringe or plead. He would state tn
, whole situation frankly and truthful,
and with dignity propose settlement
1t was just at this moment that tn