Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-12

There seemed nothing for me but to
keep still and hope that this discus
sion between Cecilia Hollister and
Hartley Virgins would not he coutin-
ued within earshOt. TO my relief they
moved Il trifle further on. but | still
heard their voices.
Il cannot listen to you. Now that
I'm committed | cannot h0norably
cOuntenauce you at all. and | can eX-
plain nothing. l came here TO meet
you only to tell you this. You must go
please. And do not attempt to see
me in this way again
I was grateful that Virgins voice
sank so low in his reply that did not
hear it. but | knew that he was plead
ing hard Then motor flashed by.
and when the whir of its passing had
ceased the voices were inaudible. But
a moment later I heard light. quick
step beyond the wall. and Cecilia pass
ed hurriedly. her face turned toward
the house. The cape was drawn tiGhe
r about her shoulders, and she walk.
ed with her head bowed
| breathed a sigh of relief. and when
| felt safe from detection, climbed the
slope.
Pausing on the crest to survey the
landscape. | saw a man, wearing a der
by hat and light tOpcoat. leaning
against a fence that incloSed Il pasture.
AS / glanced in his direction he moved
away hastily toward the road below.
Tho fnnlinu ~ hointr watched il
agreeable. and | could not account for
him. As he passed out of sight still
another man appeared, emerging from
a strip of woodland farther on. Even
through the evening haze | should have
said that he was a gentleman. The
two men apparently bore no relation to
each other, though they We're walking
in the same direction, bound, | judged,
for the highway below. | had an un.
comfortable feeling that they had both
been observing me, though for what
purpose | could not imagine. Then
once more, just as | was about to en-
ter the Italian garden from "a faIlOw
field that hung slightly above it, a
third man appeared as mysteriOusly
as though he had sprung from the
ground, and ran at a sharp dog trot
along the fence, headed, like the 9th
ers, for the road. In the third instance
the stranger undoubtedly took pains to
hide his face, but he, too, was web
dressed and wore a topcoat and fe-
dora hat of current style.
/ did not know why these gentlemen
were ranging the neighborhood or what
object they had in view. but their sew
eral appearances had interested me,
and / went on into the house well sat
isfied that events of an unusual char
acter were likely TO mark my visit to
the home Of Miss Octavia HOLSTER
Cecilia sat reading alone when | en-
tered the library shortly before the din
ner hour. She put down her book and
We fell into fitful talk
Il took a walk after tea. always
feel that sunsets are best seen from
the fields. You can't quite do them
justice from windows" she began.
She seemed preOccupicd. Virgins
was in her recollection Of the glowing
landscape was confident of this. and
poor Virgins was even now wander
ing these hills. no doubt. brOOdin2 upon
his troubles under clear October stars.
Dinner was announced the moment
Miss HOLSTER entered. and | walked
/ out between them. Miss Octavia Hol
lister was a surprising person. but il
nothing was she 50 delightfully."- way
ward as III the gowns she wore. Ny
/ ignorance Of such matters is immeas
urable. but l fancy that she designed
I her own raimeHt and had her idea!
| were theTeUUcn carried out by tailor
OF skill. At the AsOlando. and when We