Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-07

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n fused TO see or speak TO Nan.
lie met Bivens as a matter Of
course. but always downtown
curing business hours or at one OF bis
clubs For the first year Nan had re-
scented his attitude In angry pride and
remained silent And then she began
10 do curious thing which had grown
TO be a part Of his Utmost life. For
the past eight years she bad written
brief daily diary recording her doings.
Thoughts and memories which she mall
ed 10 him every Sunday night. She
asked no reply and he gave none. No
names appeared In it, story and no
name WIS signed 10 the dainty sheets
az pnper which always bore the per-
fIme ~ wild strawberries But the
man who read them In silence knew
und understood.
The letter from her he held today
was not an unsigned sheet Of her diary.
j. was direct. personal appeal. tender
Hnd beautiful In its sincerity. She beg
cpd him 10 forget the past because she
needed his friendship and advice. and
asked that he come 10 see her at once.
THIS letter was his first temptation
10 break the resolution by which be
had lived for years
lie rose and paced the room with
fury ~ he hegan 10 realize how des
peratp was hts desire 20 go
HIVE ! fought all these years for
nothing he cried
The thing that drew him with all
but resistleSs power was the deeper
meaning between the lines. lie knew
That each day the incOmpletcnesS Of
her life had been borne In upon her
with crushing force And vet he felt
hy an instinct deeper than reason that
tine day he returned from his exile and
touched her hand would mark the be
ginning ~ tragedy for both
IN the past nine years he had thrown
his life AWAY only 90 find IL in greater
power The first year which he had
given Of uuseltsh devotion TO the serv
ire OF the people bad been failure
but ~ the end az four years he was
nominated for district attorney and
was swept into office by a large ma
jJrity The enforcement Of Justice
ceased 20 be Joke and became liv
eng faith
His work had stirred the state 20 =
nObler and cleaner civic life During
the past year he had become one OF
the foremost figures In American De
Wnrrury-thr best loved Iud the mos
hated and feared man In public life IL
New York lie asked no favOrs: h.
sought no prrferment
The work on which be had Just en-
tered was an Investigation before ~
unusually Intelligent grand jury or IN,
criminal acts Of group Of the mos
daring and powerful fiuaucicrs ~ III,
world when be realized the mHcni
tudc 81 the task he had undertak er
D. nj once uut his house IN order fOl
The suprese effort u was neceSsar,
that be give mp every outside iuteres
That might distract his attention froU
the greater task
The one matter OF grave importanC,
o. which he was giving his time on
side his Once was his position as ad
lviSUry counsel 60 DR. Woodman In hi.
suit for damages against the chPmica
trust. which bad been dragging q,
course through the courts for years
TT" his Amazement he bad lust ~
ceived an offer from Bivens attorney
90 compromise this suit for 100000
He would OF course advise the doctor
% accept IL Immediately. He haC
never believed be could win a penny.
What could be Bivens' motive II
making such an offer? IL was impOs
sibie that the shrewd little presiden
OF the American Chemical company
had anything 10 fear personally from
this attack. His fortune now coulC
not be less than $4,000 900. and tn,
Issue OF such a suit as the one Wood
man had brought and on which h,
had spent so much OF his tune anC
money was TO Bivens a mere bagatelle
IL might be Nsn-it must be! He
letter surely made the explanation rea
sonable. She knew this suit was Al
obstacle in the way OF their meeting.
During the past winter she had be
come the sensation OF the metropolis
Her wealth. her beauty. her palace