Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-20
CHAPTER I.
line MEsIc.
a story.

The words came in a gentle
whisper from the woman's
Ia lips one white. thin hand
lifted itself weakly TO the rough face
Of the man who was kneeling beside
her bed. aud the great dark eyes from
which be had hidden his own grew
LUMINOSITY bright for moment as she
whispered again:
John. / hear music"
A sigh nuttcred from her lips. The
mans head dropped until II rested very
near 20 her bosom. He felt the CULVER
OF her hand against his cheek. and in
its touch there was something which
told John Cummius that the end OF all
life had come for him and for her In
this world Of snow and ice aud for
est very near TO the dome OF the earth.
His heart beat dercely, and his great
shoulders shook with the agony that
was eating M his soul
Yes. 1t Is the pretty music. my Me
lisse." he murmured softly, choking
back his sohs ut is the pretty music
In the skies"
The hand pressed more tightly
against his face.
Its not the music in the skies. John.
1t is real-reli music that hear"
Its the sky music. my sweet Me
lisse. Shall | open the door so that
we can hear It better?"
when be looked again at the wo.
man her eyes were open. aud there
Plowed In them still the feeble fire OF
great love. Her lips, too. pleaded
with him in their Old. sweet way
which always meant that he was "a
kiss them and stroke her hair and tell
her again that she was the most beau,
tiful thing In the whole world.
ANY Melissa
He crushed his face 10 her. his sob
bling breath smothering itself in tbs
soft masses OF her hair. while her arms
rose weakly and fell around his neck
lie heard the quick. gasping struggle
for breath within her bosom, and
family again. the words:
"It-is-the-muSiC- or-my-peopler
1T is the music OF the angels In tn,
skies. my sweet Melissa. II is our mu
S!c Will open the door"
The arms had slipped from hi
shoulders Gently he ran his rougl
fingers through the loose glory of tn,
woman's hair and stroked her face a
softly as he might have caressed tn,
cheek OF n sleeping child.
II will open the door. Melisse"
His moccasiucd feet made no SCUM,
rs he moved across the little room
which was their home. At the doc
he paused and listened. Then he open
cd Il. and the floods OF the white nigh
poured I'm upon him as he stood wit
his eyes turned 10 where the cold. pal
flashes Of tee aurora were playin
over the pole.
Il was an hour past midnight at tn
post. which had the barren lands a
its back door Il was the hour OF dee
slumbcr FOR It's people. But tonigh
there was no sleep for any OF then
Lights burned dimly IN the few rouC
log homes. The companys store wa
aglow. and the factors office. q have
OF the men Of the wilderness. shot on
cleaning yellow eve out into the whit
gloom. The post was awake. It wa
waiting. II was listening. II wa
watching.
As the woman'S door opened. wild
aud brimfnl OF light. a door Of one c
the log houses opened and then suotl
or. and out into the night. like dir
shadows, trod the moccasined me
from the factors office and stoo
there waiting for the word OF life q
death from John Cummius. In the
own fashion these men. who withou
knowing u lived very near TO IN
ways OF God. sent mute prayers int
the starry heavens that the most beat
tifui thing In the world might yet /
spared TO them.
IL was Just two summers before tn;
this beautIfu, thing had come int
Cummins' life and into the life OF n
post Cummlns. red headed. 1.-THE as
Get. big souled as the eternal mOu
tain OF the Crees and the best OF Il
company's hunters. mad brought NJ
lisse thither as his bride. SeVente
rough hearts had welcomed her. Th
hcd assenbled about that htfle@cab
in vh.gh the Light was shining no
.. yprhleSS IN their alteration Of Il
woman who had come among the
tnrir caps in their bands. their fac
- ming. their eyes shifting before I
eiu-ious ones that hooked at them a.