Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-03

I rneyd cut ner, even If she Is a cousin
! or whatever it is. I'd give a year or
/ two of my life to know positively
! whether Rodney intends taking those
shares or not" He said it In contem-
| plative delight in what he would do If
it .were definitely settled. II can't
! stand them much longer"
What great variety of Americans
there are!' she reflected. Mrs. Med
croft and her sister are Americans.
| Compare them with the Rodneys and
Mr.. Ulstervelt. No. Carney, III not
start a scandal The Rodneys would
not understand, as you say. They'd
tear her to shreds and Gloat over the
mutilation. No. we'll have her to see
us IN London. 1 like her"
"And by Jove, Agatha, like her sis
terri
MY dear. the baby is a darling"
But what an ass Medcroft tsp
And thus is it proved that Mrs.
Odell-Carney was not only a dutiful
wife in taking her husband into he-
confidence, but also that Jointly they
enjoyed a peculiarly rational outlook
upon the world as they had come to
know it and to feel for the people
thereof. 1t is Of small consequence
that they could not find it in their
power to be in tune with the virtuous
Rodneys-the Rodneys were conditions,
not effects.
However that may be, it was Kath-
crime Rodney. pretty. plump and spoil
ed, who pulled the first stone from the
foundation Of Medcroft's house o:
cards. Katherine had convinced her
self that she was deeply enamored of
the volatile Freddie. The more sle
thought that she loved him the greater
became the conviction that he did not
care as much for her as he protested.
She began to detect decided falling
|. off in his ardor. 1t was no use trying
to hide the fact from herself that Con-
stance was the most disturbing symp-
tom in evidence. Jealousy succeeded
speculation. katherine decided to be
hateful. She could not have helped it
if she had tried.
1t was very evident, to her at least.
that Freddie was not to blame. He
was being led on by the artful Miss
Fowler. There could be no doubt of
Rodney in the privacy of her own mis-
cradle reflections.
Just as she was on the point of car
rying her woes to her mother an
astounding revelation came to her out
of a clear sky; an entirely new condi-
ton came into the problem. 1t dawned
upon her suddenly. without warning.
that Roxbury Medcroft was in love
with his sister-in-law.
When she burst in upon her mother
half an hour later that excellent lady
started up from her couch alarmed by
the excitement in her daughters face
Mrs. Rodney. good soul. was one Of
the kind who always think the world
is coming TO an end, or the house is
on fire. or the king has been assassinat-
ed, II any one approaches with q look
OF distress in his face.
My dear. my dear" she cried as
Katherine stopped tragically IN the
doorway. What has happened to your
father? Speak!''
Mamma. it's worse than that. u
"Merciful heaven The good lady
blindly reached for her smelling salts.
I've made a dreadful discovery
went OF Katherine in suppressed tones.
ut came to me like a fash. l couldn't
: believe my own brain. So watched
|. them from my window. There's no
doubt about it, mamma. It's as plain
as the nose on your face. He
MY darling, what are you talking
about? Is my nose-what is the mat
ter with my nose?" She vaguely felt
, of her nose, in horror.
Hes in love with her There's no
mistake. And, will you believe me.
; mamma. she is encouraging him! Pos
itively! Why-why. it's utterly con-
temptible! Oh, dear, what are we
to do?'
Mrs Rodney looked blankly at her
daughter. who had thrown herself in
chair. She gasped and then gave
vent to tremendous squeak
I'm love! Your father? With whom
who is she?'
Father? Oh. Lord. mother didn't
say anything about father. Don't cry!
Its another man altogether"
Not Freddie Ulstervelt?" quavered
Mrs. Rodney. pulling herself together
After all he has said TO you
''So. no, mamma" cried her daugh.
ter iTritably. Freddie may be in love
with her. but he's not the only one
Mammaw She Strengthened up and
looked at her mother with wide, horror.
struck eyes. 'Roxbury Mederoft is
madly in love with Constance Fowler
Mrs. Rodney did not utter a sound
for fully minute and half She new
er took her eyes from her daughter
distressed face. The color was coming
back into her own. and her lips were
setting themselves into thin red lines
above her rigid chin.
I'm sorry, Katherine, that you have
seen it too. / have suspected IT for
several days. But / have not dared tc
speak-it seemed too improbable What
are we to dog: She sat down sudden.
IL. even weakly.
HHl.y- o-a- -,