Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-25
W @. Etheridge.


Then I took Off the epga0er,a.. used sa
he had given me and handed :, - i4s
He looked at me for few noe..- -.'l
with sorrowful expression, tben -, ..s,
me that l was making the mle,s.. ~
my life, and would prove the tr,, ,s Y
what he said. He wouldn't tres. y
woman badly unless she trestaf ~, -
or some one whom he loved bas,lv ~
then not for revenge, but for ,.e ene
ton OF just punishment. n -.
me and has never been to so -
since" ne
Ny hostess paused in her sto--
1 saw that what her lover had 80 sae
her was true. She, not he. had ma.
the mistake Of life. Doubtless So.
was something between him ana ~
girl he had broken with that he go =,
not speak Of without casting NJ
upon her. II both we're at FAINT g.
was/all the more reason that whs,--1.
1t was it should be kept secret. Tbos.
are many affairs Of little or much g.
portance that cannot be unra~aI-z
without regular trial. and even ths.
1t is often impossible to extract ~
truth.
But I said nothing of this 10 the eta
~ teller-at least. not then. ws.
curious to know what her lover rna,,.
by saying that he would prove that q,
was making a mistake in endeavo-ir,
to force him to make a clean breast !,
his relations with his first fancee G,
l asked her if there was no moro =
tell.
Yes" she continued, there is ops
very important matter to tell. Som
after Abner's parting with me | heard
that he had become attentive to Betas
Underwood. l inquired If Bette ar.
cepted his attentions and was inform.
ed that she was very much pleased
with them. Can it be- thought. that
she will engage herself to the man
against whom she had coyertly warned
me? l had not long TO wait for an
answer to my question. 1t was soon
generally understood that Abner and
Bette were engaged. One day met
Bet in the street and asked her IL the
report was true. She said It was and
fiounced away from me, evidently de-
S4A al ~ Il u4SLuSSlOn VI Hudr
she knew I had on my mind
Again the narrator paused, and I
asked her If she had finished her story. y
There is little more to tell" she 4
said. 1.-THE engagement between Alb
ner and Bette lasted just one month {
when it was broken off. Since Abner (
never came to see me after returned K
y;n No
Kim what it all meant. l suppose be 4
engaged himself to Bette TO show me
how silly I had been to permit her to +
make a breach between him and me-
and that she did it because she wanted &
him herself. 1 doubt If she was a girl
of much feeling, for she married some &
one else within a year after she broke
with Abner."
i asked Miss Wyman if Abner War
rem had married. and she said he had
not. He had since inherited the farm
on which he lived and kept house
alone. Before leaving l asked to be n
informed of its location, thinking that
| would like to meet him. 1t happened
that my route passed his house, and
made up my mind l would find an e.
,use to have a word with him. n
Ibid my hostess a sympathetic good
by, promising TO make her a visit on
another occasion, then started again on
nv travels When | reached the house
If Abner Warren l left my car at the
gate, and, seeing a man at work. asked (
him some questions as to the roads
vas TO traverse. In the course OF the
l gave him an opportunity
@ tell me his name and learned that
lie was the man l sought. Then !
Isked him for a glass of buttermnk +
md sat on the porch of his house while
lie got it for me.
While drinking the buttermilk toid
lin that | had been entertained py
Hiss EliZab beth Wyman, who hyed
ew miles down the road, and spoke
# her in very high terms. l told Run
hat l wondered that so lovely ana al
ractive a woman had not been appiV
riated and limited that l surmised sHe
ad experienced a disappointment. n
/ could not help being amused al tDe
lterest he took in the subject anu
then l added that Miss Nymah MAs
ne of those true women who Whe1
hey gave their hearts away Wou,.
ever withdraw them hoped ne "Oo.i
i've me his confidence, but ne y"
OF, proving himself TO be the Rlha !.
ian | supposed him TO be from 'ls
tory 1 had heard. However. though.
quite probable from the eject m
.ords produced on him that sometnLp-
ould come OF my effort leit n's
ithout having given him any reasV
suspect that / knew his secret
What l said TO him bore quick Ioa
IT, returning that way. l stopped VI
ISIS Wyman's and found sfs'
iange in her.
what do you think has happees
nee you were here:" she asked.
ce lighted by q radiant smile.
''What?" | asked. p
"Abner Warren has been to see n
'.You don't mean II? And al Is har'
-"
acrof n \