Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-04

Maybe ne QluD Z. she laughed / u
going TO give you privilege no mere
man has ever enjoyed in this house
before-I am going to show you my
own rooms"
When the tour Of inspection had been
completed she led him to her own suit.
which was located in the southwestern
corner, overlooking the magnificent
formal gardens with their artificial
lake, fountains, statuary and q wilder
ness of flowers, and farther on over
the beautiful valleys OF the savanna
noa and the French Broad rivers Be-
yond the river valleys rose range after
range of mountains.
The magniicence Of her bedroom
was stunning. Stuart rubbed his eyes
| In ama8ement. She had taken herself
seriously In the creation of this room.
and had spent 4 round million on its
| ivory bedstead, its purple and gold
velvet hangings, its wonderful carv-
| ings.
| The picture she made standing In
| this wonderful room was one that
never faded from his memory. The
| poise of her superb form; the fires
that smouldered in the depths of her
! eyes; the tenderness with which her
senses seemed to drink In the daring
luxury: the smile that played about
her lips. joyous, sensuous, cruel.
at seems all a dream, Man." he said
| I'll rub my eyes and wake up direct
ly. / thought your New York house a
miracle. This is fairyland."
perhaps 1t would be-" she said.
looking at him moment through half
closed eyes. IF only the prince
A look of pain unconsciously clouded
his face, and the sentence was not
finished.
On the fourth day Nan planned a
coaching party TO ascend Mount
Mitchell. the highest peak in the land
of the sky. the highest point of ground
that side the Rockies. She had taken
this trip with Stuart sixteen years be
fore. She was then but fifteen. and
he had just begun to dangle at her
heels. She did not tell him their des-
tination.
The party consisted of half dozen
boys and girls whom Nan was chap
|
coachman. The start was made al
sunrise The morning was glorious
the air rich with the full breath of q
southern spring.
At the foot of the first hill the
coach suddenly stopped beside the
banks of the Swannanoa river.
Nan leaped to the ground, drew
Stuart with her to the rear of the
coach. and raised her arms.
Lift me up" she cried. laughing.
He placed his hands under her arms
and with a leap and a cry of laughter
she was in the empty baggage rack.
!, Now up with you!" she cried.
In moment Stuart was seated SNUG
~ by her side and the big red coacl
was rolling along the old road.
"Now, sir" Nan whispered. do yo1
know where you are goinS~
Stuart nodded.
ITO a certain peak among the clouds
where you and l once went a thousan
years ago"
Nan nestled little closer, or ,perhap
it was the swaying of the coach tina
. made him think she did, and softl,
= said:
you remember this Toad"'
I've seen 1t a hundred times in m
. dreams since that wonderful day.
4 winds along the banks of the Swan
; nanOa for twenty miles, always CLINT
ing higher and higher until the rive
;, becomes a limpid trout stream. W
stop at the old roadhouse, stay a
| lin fa l-a hridl
a path with the funny pack horses an
, climb to the first mountain top. sti
n following the little stream"
= Fine. Jimmy, finer' she cried, wit
a girlish mockery. your geography lie:
= son was perfect. You can walk HON
4 with me after school,"
o Stuart looked at her and broke int
a laugh. Again they were boy and CIR
n and the only change he could see wa
V that she was more splendidly beautifr
at thirty-one than she had ever prom
r Used to be at fifteen.
n You remember how shocked 70
+ were in this same seat, Jim. that da
J. in the sweet long ago when the oil
coach threw me into your arms"
I Yes, felt that l was taking a mea
y advantage of you"
'. ~ thought you were an awful fo'
e not to accept more gracefully an
n thankfully the providence which thre'
e pretty girl your way"
8 The coach gave a sudden lurch an
IS threw her into Stuarts arms again.
n And now?'' he cried laughingly, q
d he held her firmly for moment
prevent her falling.
a She blushed furiously, threw the RIM
IS lets of dark hair from her face an
It drew back to her position.
n Now, of course, it's unlawful" sh
ri answered with sober playfulness.
Is The man watched her slyly for th
ID next half mile. She was very, yer
quiet.
a They spent the night at the sam
to old roadhouse and slept on featht
beds He hadn't felt the touch Of
e, feather bed in years. He dreame
Id that he was at school again. man {
Is thirty-fve. playing marbles with
:" crowd OF towheaded boys, and the
ri were beating him at the game viii
Nan was standing near. her long pla
II of black hair hanging down her bacl