Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-11-13

| nnd cakes had no charm, perhaps De-
] cause she had poured the one and dis
pensed the other steadily for the past
hour.
! She leaned back in her chair behind
! the tea table absently watching the
little crowd of fashionably dressed
men and women that were moving
about the parlors. yet conscious never
theless that the man beside her was
observing her and enjoying her expe
rience from his own standpoint, which
was so different from her own that
she often wondered how he could hnu
anything in her to interest him.
In a low voice he wns telling her
about the people before her eyes-hoW
the woman in gray velvet had recently
come into a fortune and how the girl
in blue was sadly puzzled as to wheth-
er she would be happier with an Amer
lean because she loved him or with an
English eldest son because he was heir
to a title.
She listened careIessly, scarcely re-
plying. In reality her mind was busy
with its own affairs. She was merely
their hostess country cousin who pour
ed tea and to whom Hills Hubbard
was somewhat attentive.
you must be very nice to him"
Cousin Nell had advised the first day
Mildred was in the house.
"And why?" the girl had inquired.
Because he is a good match, as good
as there is to be had. That counts
very much in my world, Mildred. 1t
may be that you will charm him, being
a type that he is unacquainted with"
Certainly it seemed that she had
charmed him. Since the first day she
met him he had been attentive to her.
sending her flowers, taking her to ride
in his motor and to lunch at the best
places.
She had been quite frank with him
from the first in spite of Cousin Nell,
telling him that her father was only
poor country doctor and this was the
first time she bad been asked to visit
her cousin.
AS she leaned back in her chair she
was wondering how it would seem to
always have plenty of money, to buy
ones frocks at the best shops, to live
in a house where the work was done
as by magic, to go about in blue and
gold motor and be able to hear all the
best music.
Just that afternoon Cousin Nell had
said when she came in to inspect her
toilet:
You understand, Mildred, that Mr..
Hubbard viii have something to say to
you before you go home. There is but
one answer for you to make, and am
sure he expects that one"
Gov
him enough" Mildred had stammered. !,
Nell had stared at herr
my dear child! Do you think that |
any one in these days marries for love /
alone%
Il didn't know" the girl said hum
bly,. Then she thought of her cousins
elderly husband, who was seldom Wis |
ible save at breakfast time, and the |
concealed reason for NelPs
marriage was suddenly reveal
ed to her.
Mildred had indeed experienced
much since coming into her cousins
house None of the golden rules which
her parents had taught her We're ap-
plicable here. Other ideals were cher
ished. other aims kept in sight.
Her father and mother had married
for love. Money they knew to be
great good without which one could
yet be happy The poorest person
was as good as the wealthiest, provid-
I'd he was of moral character. Yet,
litter all, when one was constantly
meeting strangers how could one know
more about them than their appear
lnce revealed? Who cared whether
Mrs. Poynter's first husband was liv-
ng?
She was the wife of notable rich
nan and very agreeable. In Harlin
The would have been looked upon with
but here she was courted.
Yes money was a wonderful thing. 1t
brought one so much. Even if she did
lot love Mr.. Hubbard she could no
Ioubt be very happy with him. To be
BILE to wear dress like that gray vel
-et and black furS with long silver
airS in them. each one Of which rep
esented Il purseful of money. and ru-
lies like Mrs. Ogden'si
The girl drew n long breath and stir
ed uneasily. What would her father
nd mother say? What would Tom
hink? She bit her lip as the memory
f his brave yet tender face possessed
er. She could. almost hear him say
ng:
Now. look here. Daffy-Down- Dilly,
on are going up to town to visit your
ne cousin. and she'll have some fell
NV picked out for you. 1 know. He'll
c rich and-and different. and that
ill end my chance. which always was .
nightly poor. wasn't it. dear? If it
Touldn't feel so entirely down as .
ill be If you 90 without saying it" .
She had not said the word. and so
he was quite free as far as Tom was .
oncerned TO marry Hills Hubbard If .
he chose. With start she came back :
reality and the sound of his voice. !
You can understand that everybody d:
watching Miss Steuben with a great