Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-14
BigSnOWS
Author Of 1.-The
Danger TraI''

Are ven growing old. too. JAM
bantered Melissa as she dronDed few
steps behind Jean and his wife. "fon
come so slowly
Il think I'm twenty-nine"
He looked nj her steadily. the grief
which be was lighting 70 keep back
tightening the muscles about his
mouth.
Like the quick passing Of sunshine
the fun swept from her face. leaving
her blue eyes staring mp AT him. filed
with a pain which he had never seen
In them before In a moment be knew
that she had understood him. and he
could have cut ont his tongue. Her
hand reached his arm. and she stopped
him, her face lifted pleadinGly, the
tenrs slowly gathering in her eyes.
Forgive mer' she whispered. her
voice breaking into a sob. Dear,
dear Jan, forgive me! Today Is your
birthday, Jan-yours and mine. mine
and yours-and we will always have it
that way. always. won't we. JaD?
Jan was glad when the evening
came and was gone. Not until Jean
and Iowaka had said good night with
Croisset and his wife and both Cum
, minis and Melissa mad gone to their
rooms did he find himself relieved OF
the tension under which he had struC-
/ gled during all of his playing and that
nights merrvmakinG in the cabin.
/ From the first he knew that MS
/ nerves were strung by some strange
and indetinable sensation that was
/ growing within him something which
( he could hardly have explained at first.
! but which swiftly took form and mean
( ing and oppressed him more as the
hours few by.
( After the Others had gone Cummins
/ sat up 10 smoke Il pipe. When he had
! finished be went to his room. Jan
= was now sleeping In a room at the
/ company's store. and after a time he
rose silently to fake down his cap and
coat He opened the outer door quiet
/ IL so as nor 20 arouse Melissa. who
! had gone TO he'd half an hour before.
I AS he was about to 20 ON there
came sound. low. gentle. whisper
ed word:
Jan"
He turned Melissa stood in her
door She had not addressed. and her
hair was still done up in its soft coils.
with the crimson FnkneeSh shining in
it She came TO him h"SitHtinGly nm
I'll she stood with her two hands upon
his arm. gazing into his tense face
with that same question in her eyes.
Ian. yon we're not pleased with ne
tonight she whispered. Tell NE
why"
Il was pleased with You, Melissa"
ne replied.
He took one Of her hands that was
clinging 70 his arm and turned his
face to the open night Countless stars
cleaned IN the Skv. rs they had Shnne
on another night fifteen years ago
suddenly there Ieaped up from Jan
ThnreHu'S breast a breath that burst
from his lips in low cry:
Melissa, Melissa, II was inst III.
teen wears ago that came in through
that forest ont there. starved and dv
Ing and played my violin when your
mother died You were little hahN
then. and since that night Won have
never pleased me more than now"
re dropped her hand and turner
SquarPly To the door 10 hide what M
knew had come into his face H.
hcurd Il soft. heartbrokpn little sob be
hind him
Ian. dear Jam"
She i"ushed. happy and trembling
her lips held up to him
Il didn't please you today" she wbiS
pered. ~ will never do up my hat
again"
He kissed her. and his arms dropped
from her shoulders.
Never. never again-until you hav
: forgotten TO love me-" she repeated
Good night. Brother jan
; Across the open. through the thinne,
edge Of the black spruce. deeper an,
deeper into the cold. unquivering life
, ( leSsness Of the forest, Jan went from
; the door that closed between him ant
; Melissa. her last words still whisper
t ing in his ears. the warm touch Of he
hair on his cheeks and the knowledg
, OF what this day had meant for hin
swiftly surging upon him. bringing
B with IL a torment which racked him I
the soul.
, He went on until he came to wher
the beaten trail swept up and ava
: from a swamp. He plunged into ii
= picking his tangled way until he stoO
upon giant ridge. from which
looked out through the white night int
:, the limitless barrens 70 the north
She was no longer the little Melisst
: his sister, he thought. And yet
: He was almost saying her last word
i aloud:
Good night, Brother JAM"
! She had come to him that day To Ie
. him kiss her as she had come TO him
l thousand times before. but he had nc
kissed her in the old way. II was
u different love that his lips had GiveT
4 aud even now the hot blood surge
again into his face as he thought Z
what be had done. In that which ha
stirred his blood. thrilling him wit
! strange JOY as be held her in his arms
/. be saw more than The shadow Of sin
sa"rilege against Il thing which We
more precious 10 him than life.
l. ITO be Continued,