Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-02


curiosity, mingled with admiration. On
her face was sadness, indicating that
she had suffered; vindictiveness.
pointing to some injustice that had
been inflicted upon her, and there was
an air about her of Indifference to ey-
.erything and everybody.
But Melville's curiosity was especial
~ excited by an ornament the young
lady wore upon her bosom-a stlckpin,
the head Of which was n garnet heart.
1t was not in her neckwear, but stuck
in her dress directly over her real flesh
and blood heart.
Melville had intended to walk east
ward around the north bank of Lake
Leman, stopping frequently by the
way, but ON the morning of his de-
parture he saw the American family
leaving for the lake boat, and he yield
/ ed to n temptation to see more of the
! girl who had attracted his attention by
| making part of the journey himself
| by water So, going down to the land
/ ing, he took passage for Lausanne.
/ There is Il quick telegraphy between
}
very little time was required for the
/ girl to perceive that Melville had espe-
cially noticed her. He spoke some
English words with his American ac-
cent in her hearing, and this made her
aware that he was fellow country
/ man. He scraped an acquaintance
with her father, hoping that it might
/ lead to an Introduction to the daughter,
| but in this he was for the time disap-
| pointed When the boat reached Lau-
same, Melville dsembarked with re-
Gret that he must leave the object of
his curiosity unsolved.
The next day he walked to Mon
treux. and the first person he saw on
the piazza of the hotel as he mounted
the steps was the girl of the garnet
! heart. AS their eyes met it seemed TO
Melville that he saw in hers that re-
vengeful look he had noticed. though it
suddenly gave place to one which he
could only account for as an Invitation
for him to seek an acquaintance.
Such Impressions are usually vague
and readily give place to others. OF
the two mentioned Melville remember
ed only the latter. He was by no
means sure Of his Interpretation. but
he proposed to act upon 1t at, the first
opportunity. From the hotel register
Ea learned that the family name was
Huntington. Melville again addressed
the father and found bond Of fellow
ship in that they were graduates Of the
same university. Thus followed an in
PRODUCTION to the family.
Alma Huntington on learning that
Melville was fond OF walking sympa-
thized with him. telling him that she
was devoted 10 it herself. Throwing
aside conventionality. she accepted in,
vitations to go about with him freely,
unaccompanied By a chaperon. Mel
Vile found en- additional feature in the
puzzle in an evident dlsapproval on
the part of Mrs Huntington of his at
tentiOns to her daughter. This dis D
proval did not appear to result from
any antagonIsm to him personally. not
did the lady appear to blame him fol
the growing intimacy with her dangb
ter. 1t was plain from the mothers
treatment OF him that she was holding
Alma solely accountable for it.
1t was also plain that Alma was ben
on following her own inclinations
When she suggested a morning wall
with Melville 10 ViIIeneuve and hacl
or an excursion on the lake her moth
er would look panied rather than an
gered. and when her efforts to induce
her daughter 20 desist met with ii
success the good lady would sigh al
one much troubled.
What al this meant Melville was a
: a loss to discover. There was evident
+, ~ something back of 1t Of which b.
J. !. was unaware The young lady wa
evidently bent on an affair with him
and her mother was trying to dissuad