Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-22
The Daily Story
On the Eve of Wedding-By j ohm Y Larned
Copyrighted. 1917 by Associated Literary Bureau

~. - a
| Mr.. and Mrs. Denton and made a ''a
breast Of what had occurred. II ~.
evident that both the father and ~.
er regarded the matter as a oons..a So
ton of their fears. MacKnIgtt -
informed that the wedding day n1..
be put off indefinitely. by yhics 3
understood that IL would not taLa -
Mt all with Mr.. and Mrs Denfou.s i.
sent. After further consultano, :
tween the lovers. they agreed tia, =.
wedding as arranged must be atand.-
ed. Leona was too distressed IN ~.
about the future, but she surely wor,,
not go back on her lover without 4.
best Of reasons.
The next morning MacKnight u.,,
to the office Of his lawyer ana y.
much surprised and disheartepA ],
learn that it would be difficult 10 INV.
that he was not the man be was en-,
posed to be. True, II be were -.
criminal, MacKnight must be accom-.
ed for. But might not MaeKnirbt 4.
both himself and the criminal? Per.
sons had been known to lead aesld.
lives before, and why not in this case,
At any rate. there must be a tr,I
which would attract a great deal J,
attention. and. even If the pYisons,
were acquitted, many persons would
believe him guilty.
Leona had an interview with her
parents, in which her father expressed
the opinion that there was sometime
wrong about her lover and that bis
arrest was fortunate In that Il had
saved her from union with a Grim
inal. The girl came from this inter.
view feeling that no matter what YER
dict jury might give with respect 10
the charge against her lover her father
would believe him guilty.
Such was the situation of this YONG
couple on the eve of the wedding day
that had been set, with all the attend
ant expected happiness. But three
days interviewed before the INTENDED
nuptials. \ compromise had been e.
fected between Leona and her parents
that the invitations should be recalled
the next day. The lovers went for A
final conference with the lawyer he
advised his client to jump his bail, 20
to foreign country under an assumed
name and begin life anew.
MacKnight, heartsick over the affair.
dreading a trial and his inability to
account for his past childhood, decided
to act on this advice. 1t therefore re-
manned with Leona whether she would
share his fate or endure a lifelong
separation from the man she loved.
1t was a question which suffered the
more, MacKnight or the girl. whose
life would be wrecked if she stood By
him and would be blighted If she gave
him up. A few hours of dellberation
were sufficient for decision. She
agreed to marry her lover secretly and
to go into oblivion with him.
MacKnight was leaving her home
after receiving this decision when he
met a man coming up the steps. The
conner said he was looking for one
Arthur MacKnight. II am Arthur Mac
Knight" 81 desire to confer with you
The two went back into the house, and
the man said:
81 am John EIdredge Of Barker,
Smith & Eldredge, attorneys. of your
city. a few years ago matter con
corning you was left with US, you not
to be informed of it till yOu came to be
twenty-five years old But this charge
against you which we have seen print
ed in the newspapers has seemed 10
our com municating with you
earlier. You were born in wedlocs,
but your father and mother are dead
Circumstances stood in the way Of
FOUR mother acknowledging you. Short
y before she died she left will In our
are leaving you her property. you TO
De paid a part on reaching the age OF
twenty-five and the rest at thirty. II
Tou need money for your defense OF
his charge against you think we can
enable you TO borrow on your pros
,ects."
Leona. who had heard her lover re
urn to the house, at this juncture en-
cred the room. curious TO know wnat
,rought him back MacKnight sprans
oward her, folded her in his arms ana
overed her with kisses.
1ue tue iS
vill vet come out as we wish Ins
entleman has solved the mystery Oh
" childhood"
1t appeared that MacKnight was tne
on of persons of refinement and tna'
e was heir TO an estate Of some Soo-
DO. The mystery of his birth hav'ns
cen solved, Mr. Denton's suspicious
ere allayed. and be sympathiZed SIN
,rely with the young couple. Consul
able money was spent on detectN@
,r the purpose of hunting down 'Ds
al criminal. and he was found peiV's
e date fixed for the trial.
But long before this the lovers "eis
arried, for the invitations TO tue W.
ng were not recalled, and it oecuriei
the day that had been fixed
After his marriage Macknignt 'VVN
ins to hunt up more minute inforha'
on of his parents and the reasoss
hy he had been abandoned. All ny
uld learn was that there was <
ct marriage. with circumstances 'nas
evented his Acknowledgement ua
ose nearest of kin 70 him were de=@
S Inheritance came from his motne''
10 lived under her maiden name.
III