Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-15

| America" continued Ken
! drick after a pause. There
- was no treaty OF extradition
l smoked cigarettes and drank what
| passed for rum on the balcony of an
impossible hotel, and otherwise CROPPED
! about for the path that leads to the
/ devil. After a year, 1 wrote to Hay
| den. He answered. urging me TO stay
away. He intimated that the thing we
/ had done was on my shoulders. 1 was
ashamed. frightfully unhappy. i didn't
! dare write to-her. l had disgraced
her. l asked Hayden about her. and
| he wrote back that she was shortly
to marry him. After that l didn't
want to come back to Reuton. 1 want
ed most-to die.
The years crept by on the balcony
Of that impossible b. eel. Six of them
At last. few months aSo,I wrote to
another college friend Of mine, bray
ton. and told him the whole story.
did not know that he had been elected
prosecutor in Reuton. He answered
with a kind, plying letter, and finally
| knew the horrible truth. Nothing
had ever happened. The thing we had
done had never been discovered. Hay
den had lied. He had even lied about
his engagement to Myra Thornhill.
There. he had made a reality out of
what was simply his great desire-I
came north. What happened after you
know as we'll as l."
q Yes. | think I do" agreed Mr.. Ma
gee softly.
Il have told you the whole story"
Kendrick replied. land yet it seems to
CT &c oil tnII
should Hayden have killed himself?
He had lied to me. it is true. but life
was always sweet to him. and it hard
~ seems TO me that he was the sort
TO die simply because his falsehood
was discovered. Was there some other
act of cruelty-some side to the story
OF which We are none of US aware?
wonder"
He was silent a moment
Anyhow. have told you all ]
know" he said. shall I tell It also
TO the coroner? Or shall we allow
Hayden's suicide to pass rs the result
of his implication in this attempt at
bribery? / ask your advice. Mr.. Ma
gee"
My advice" returned Magee, els
that you befuddIe no pompous little vii
lage doctor with the complication of
this unhappy tale. No. let the story
be that Hayden killed himself as the
tolls closed in on him-the tolls of the
law that Furnishes the bride giver-
now and then and occasionally. Mr..
Kendrick. you have my deepest SYM
patty. Is it too much for me to hope"
he glanced across the room to where |
Ayra Thornhill sat beside the profess |
sOr-"that the best OF your life is yet |
TO come. that out of the wreck this |
man made OF 1t you may yet be
happyT"
Kendrick smiled.
You are very kind" be said. "Yes.
Miss ThoElhill has waited for me gil
these years-waited, believing. 1t is
4 loyalty OF which 1 cannot speak
u 1erstand. She knows
why I went away-why I stayed away.
She is still ready TO marry me.
shall go again into the Suburban Of
ice and try TO lift the road from the
muck into which il has fallen. Yes.
I is not too much for me to hope
md for you in your kindness-that
,reat happiness is still for me-"
Believe me. I'm glad" replied Ma
zee with youthful enthusiasm. holding
ut his hand. I'm sorry j spoiled
our little game up here. but
'T understand" smiled Kendrick.
I think none the less OF you for what
on have done And who knows? 1t
lay turn out to have been the wisest
curse after ALL"
Alb. would it? Mr.. Magee walked to
he window. bordering on the odd tan
ie of events that had not yet been
ompletely strengthened out Certain
, her ewes were an honest blue as
ell as a beautiful-but who was she?
Where was she? The great figure OF
lrs. Norton stirred restlessly near at
and: the puffed lids OF her eyes
pened.
MIR. Magee." she said when she had
lade out his figure by the window.
you've been a true friend, as l might
~. 10 a couple of mad females who
ight TO have been at home by their
ivn hresides. and I'm going TO ask
ne more favor OF you. Find out
hen the next train goes TO Reuton.
nd see that I'm at the station an
our or two before IL pulls out"
I'm do that Mrs. Norton" smiled
aeee. by the way. is Norton the
amer
yes" answered the woman. that's
Y name. or course IL amt hers
nj tell that"
mo matter" said Mr.. Magee- shell
obabiy change IL soon. Can't you
II me something S-'Jut her-inst