Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-28


And If ever a human face spoke elo-
quently, 1t was hers at that moment /
I thought it sprang from personal in
terest, and it gave me courage tospur- 4
sue the intention which had taken
the place of every other feeling and
ambition by which had hitherto been
moved. II she could ignore the social
gulf between US, l felt free to take
the leap. Cowardice had never been
a fault Of mine. 1 realized that
must first let her see the manner OF
man I was and what life meant to
me and must mean to her if the union
l contemplated should become an ac-
tual fact. I wrote letters to her, but
/ did not give her my address or even
request reply. l was not ready for
any word from her. / am not like
other men and 1 could wait. And
did, for weeks, then suddenly ap-
peared at her hotel"
This was when?" put in DR.. Heath,
anxious to bridge the pause which
must have been very painful to the
listening father.
THE week after Thanksgiving I
did not see her the first day, and only
casually the second. But she knew l
was in the building, and when l came
upon her one evening at the very desk
in the mezzanire which we all have
such bitter cause to remember, l
could not forbear expressing myself in
a way she could not misunderstood
The result was of a kind TO drive a
man like myself to an extremity of
self-denunciation and rage. She rose
up as If insulted, and flung me one
sentence and one sentence only before
she hailed the elevator and left my
presence. A cur could not have been
dismissed with less ceremony"
That is not like my daughter.
What was the sentence you allude to?
Let me hear the very words" Mr.
Challoner had come forward and now
stood awaiting his reply, a dignifed
but pathetic figure, which all must
view with respect.
81 hate the memory of them, but
since you demand it, l will repeat
them just as they fell from her lips"
was Mr.. Brotherson's bitter retort
she said, You of all men should rec
OgniZe the unseemliness of these
proposals. Had your letters given
me any hint of the feelings you have
Just expressed. you would never have
had this opportunity of approaching
me- That was all; but her indigna-
ton was scathing. Ladies who have
supped exclusively off silver, show a
fine scorn for the common ware of
the cottager"
The assertive boldness-some would
call 1t bravado-with which he thus
finished the story of his relations
with the dead heiress, seemed to be
more than Mr.. ChaIloner could stand.
With look of extreme pain and per-
plexity he vanished from the doorway,
and it fell to Dr. Heath to inquire:
as this letter-a letter of threat
you will remember-the only commu-
nication which passed between you
and Miss Challoner after this unfor-
tunate passage of arms at the CIer-
mont?"
Yes. l had no wish to address her
again. / had exhausted in this one
Outburst whatever humiliation l felt"
And she? Did she give no sign,
make you no answer"
None whatever" Then, as if he
found it impossible to hide this hurt
to his pride, she did not even seem
10 consider me worthy the honor of
an added remark. Such arrogance is
no doubt, commendable in a Challon-
er"
This time his bitterness did not
pass unrebuked by the coroner: Re
member the gray hairs of the only
ChaEorer who can hear you, and re.
spG-t his grief"
Mr. Brotherson bowed.
Il have finished said he. 81 shall
have nothing more to say on the sub
3ect." AND he drew himself up IN ex
pectation OF the dismissal he evident
ly thought pending.
But the coroner was not done witt
him by any means. he had theory
in regard to this lamentable suicide
which he hoped to establish by thi:
mans testimony, and, in pursuit o.
this plan, he not only motioned TO Mr.
Brotherson to reseat himself, but be
gan at once to open fresh line Of ex
animation by saying:
You will pardon me. If press thii
matter. have been given TO under
stand that notwithstanding you
break with Miss Challoner. YOU
have kept up your visits TO TIT
CIermont and were even on the spo
at the time of her death"
"On the spot?"
in the hotel, mean"
There you are right; I was IN tn
hotel"
At the time OF her death?"
Very near the time. l remembe
hearing some disturbance in the lobb.
behind me. just es ! was passing OF
at the Broadway entrance"
You did. and did not return?"
why should ! return? l am not
man OF much curiosity. There was n
reason why l should connect a suddel
alarm In the lobby of the Clermon
with any cause Of special interest t
myself"
mis- was so true and the look whic
accompanied the words was so fran
that the coroner hesitated Z momen
before he said