Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-28

so caImy'
I'm not. I'm as panicky as you are
And she. poor little thing. She
seems frightened to DEATH
''But-isn't she beautiful?"
Now and then her eyes strayed 10
Kirk with a look that made his blood
move quicker. 1t BODIED well for the
success of his plans and filed him with
n fierce. hot gladness. But how the
moments dragged
General Alfarez entered the room
amid buzz OF comment. Then. as he
greeted his rival. Garavel. with a smile
and n handshake a round of applause
broke forth. The members of the COM
mission sought them both out, and con-
gratulations were exchanged. At last
the Garavel boom was launched in
earnest.
Mrs. Cortlandt expressed a desire to
sit out the fourth dance
$50 your engagement to Miss Cara
vel is broken?" she began, when she
and Kirk had seated themselves in two
OF the big rockers that lined the porch.
"All smashed to pieces, running gear
broken. steering knuckle bent. gasoline
tank punctured. I need a tow"
mfr. Garavel told me not an hour
ago that as soon as he explained his
wishes she consented to marry Ramon
without a protest"
"a refusal would have meant the
death of the old mans chances, I pre-
sumo. She acted quite dutifully."
Yes. IL she had refused Ramon. 1
doubt If we could have saved her ia
ther. As It is. the general withdraws
and leaves the field clear. the two
young people are reunited, quite as IL
you had never appeared, and you
my dear Kirk, now what about your
"Oh, I don't count. 1 never have
counted anything, you know. Is 1t true
that Garavel is practically elected?"
General Alfarez couldn't very well
step in after he had publicly stepped
out, could he? That would be a trifie
too treacherous. He'd lose his sup
port. and our people could then have
an excuse to take n hand"
II think you worked it cleverly. Mrs.
Cortlandt," Kirk said. of course /
had no chance to win against a per-
son OF your diplomatic gifts. had my
nerve to try"
YES. You see. It meant more to me
than TO you or TO her. With you two
it is but a romance, forgotten in a
night"
Suppose don't choose to accept |
what it pleases people to hand meT'
my dear KIRK She smiled. you |
will have to in this case. There is |
nothing else TO do"
He shook his head. 81 hoped we !
could be friends. Mrs. Cortlandt. but 1t |
seems we can't be"
At this she broke out imperiously. I
her eyes flashing.
You can't afford to break with me-"
"Indeedl why do you think that?"
"Listeni I've shown you what can
DO in a few months. In a year you
,an be a great success. You want to
become a big man like your father.
Well. Runnels will be out of the way
soon. Blakeley amounts TO nothing.
You will be the superintendent"
so, That's not merely a rumor
about Blakeley? Runnels is fired, ehT'
"Yes."
aft 1 choose not to give up Chic
Hiss Garavel, then what? 1t means
he end OF me here. is that it?''
you CuOOSe. " you
'hoice whatever in the matter. 1t is
practically closed You can do moth
If You really intend to
make trouble, shall walk inside when
leave and inform the old gentle
nan. in which case he will probably
end the girl home at once. and take
cry good care to give you no further
pportunity. Ramon is only too anxi-
us to marry her. AS to this being the
nd of you here. well, really don't :
ee how IL could be otherwise"
"And II I don't agree you will tell
Ir. Gnravel that I'm going to make ,
She said nothing. so he !
-ent on cautiously. sparring for time.
well, inasmuch as this seems to be ,
plain business proposition. suppose
think It over. When it comes time ,
n our next dance. I'll say yes or no."
LAS you please"
VERY well. The music has stopped;
ed better go in
AS they rose she laid her hand upon
Is arm and he felt it tremble as she
tclaimed:
Believe me. Kirk. this isn't at all
lsy for me. butt can't bear to lose"
CHAPTER XXI.