Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-02

not make me marry Hugo Forest
against my will / am of age. and even
If Cousin Fortescue did leave me 500.
coo with the understanding that | was
to marry the son of bis old friend
would forfeit the money rather than
marry a man whom INdo not love.'
bravo. my dear" smiled her father
approvingly. while 100000 is not to
be sneezed at in these mercenary days
still I'd rather have my girl marry a
man who. though penniless, has very
much the making of man in him
than a good for nothing gilded fool.
OF course Fortescue has limited that
which ever one of the two beneficiaries
under his singular will declines to
marry the other, according to his stip-
ulations. that one will forfeit his
| money"
81 am glad that my refusal to marry
Mr.. Forest will not affect his enjoy
ment of his 100000" Dell sighed re-
Iievedly.
Mr.. Pearson smiled dryIy. His fin
ger tapped an open letter under his
hand.
Your feelings are very creditable.
my dear. and / am sure that young
/ Forest would appreciate your position,
only He hesitated such a long time
that Dell became impatient and
prompted him.
"Only?"
"Only, you see, Hugo Forest refuses
to sell himself for 100000. He ex-
presses himself very delicateIy. You
may read his letter. my dear"
And 1 am glad that you are worth a
few millions yourself so that L am not
causing you any distress by going my
own sweet way
Mr.. Pearson looked at her keenly
And if I told you that my millions
had dwindled to bare hundred thou
sand in the last year, daughterf he
questioned gravely.
Dell gasped family.
Daddy Pearson-that changes the
matter entirely-if you need it in your
business She suddenly faltered and
blushed and hid her face on his Shout
der 'If you need it 1 could marry
him. father but not unless you do"
II wouldn't have you furnish me
with money in that manner" said
James Pearson. smoothing back the
fair hair from her broad forehead and
looking deep into her true, blue eyes.
1--WE can get along without the For
tescue money. And, besides, we for
get that Master Forest has declined the
honorr'
Della blushed scarlet
"Of course. How stupid of me!
Well. the incident is closed And If
evil times have fallen on the business, /!
daddy, please tell me how to econo- |
mize."
1--WE thought it over. We must lop |
off all the motorcars save the limousine |
and your runabout. We must close up |
the house and lease it for year, fur ;
nished. while 1 make that business |
trip abroad. When l return we will |
stop at a hotel until the year is up. (
Cousin Madeline will be glad to come /
on and chaperon you. I'd like to take |
you abroad with me, but I'll confess |
it would add nightly to my expenses
Don't mind; I've decided in an in
slant what to do with myself during !
your absence"
And what is that, Miss Independ
ence?" asked Pearson, kissing her pink
ear.
I'm going to Big Horn to pay a long
promised visit to the Appletons."
Big Horn was a large town in Al
berta, and the Appletons. who were
Canadians and old friends of the Pear
sons. welcomed Dell into the large
family with a cordiality that brought
tears to the girls eyes.
Now that winter is coming on you
will oil orr cnOvv Sno,-tS ,rou,-
ised Alice as she fingered in. Deils
room before going to bed that first
night. I'VE have a fine slide beyond
the pine forest. Father had it built.
It's a mile and a half to the bottom.
Wait until we have another heavy
snowfall and g good freeze after it,
Il can wait" laughed Dell. smuggling
under the eiderdown comfortables.
But when snow came the very next
day she could hardly wait for Alice to
finish her music lesson and give her
first lesson on walking with snow
shoes.
So Dell. who was adventurous. put
on the pretty white tobogganinS cos
tune of white angora which she had
provided. tossed white fox stole
about her throat and, swinging snow
shoes over her shoulder. set forth in
he midst of the snowStorm.
When she was ont of sight of the
house. where 10 one could observe her
ridiculous maneuvers. she slipped on
he broad shoes and made her way on /
he crust OF new snow among the
zine trees back of the house.
The sport was fascinating. Dell ,
mite forUOt n r,Sa an tina The [
ocation was strange. and she took no
iced. and presently she took wrong
urning, lost her bearings and came 10
m open tract OF unhrokcn snow Dor
erpd un three sides by forest. =
'.1ll cross this field TO the trees, and
hen I'll so home. Alice will be sur
'rised to find how well l have learned
" myself" thought Dell proudly as