Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-12
The Daily Story
SPELL BRoKEN-BY MARJORIE cLoUGH.
c,opyrighted. i91s. by Associatea iiterary B1reau

d 49,.
| it. He had named the condltions ~, s-
der which 1 might inherit his waa' ~
but he made No effort to impress - =.
With the Importance of my fgiau,-S
them. DOUBTLESS be argued. ~ ts-
settled the matter SO far as I Ar, -.
cerned. II the boy chooses tn t.
away fortune and at the sanna ~.
take serpent to his bosom. he il 80
come to do So"
Agatha was well born and well trss
but she was at the wrong end ~ !.
period OF prosperity IN her f.r,ts
When she became old enough IN ch<,-s'
career for herself she decidaa 49,
being a trained nurse She knev -
conditions of my fathers win 80
would not for the world stand -
tween me and a fortune. Her 49,
in the matter alone saved me fron
giving it up, for begged her 10 ma
ry me. Yot. looking backward. do,.,
see how l would have supportea -.
for, being brought up as | was n q
herit great wealth. was not practice
strange coincidence Happened
frequently visited my mother and st.r
ed as long as | pleased. When usr.
my father never asked me how Inn,
intended to remain away. and when
returned never complained that bsd
been gone too long. though I am ou,ts
sure he missed me. While / was aw.r
he never communicated with me. Tba
house might have fallen on his bess
and I would never have known n ~
less by report
On one of my visits to nv motbsr
1 stayed two weeks. wrote 70 NV
father every few days. though | dla
not expect him to write to me. When
I returned was informed that be had
been taken i'll few days after nv
departure and had been under the care
of several doctors ever since. nan
upstairs and was met on the landing
by a woman in a nurses uniform.
"Agathar' 1 exclaimed. What arc
you doing here:"
Nursing your father. A nurse was
called suddenly; 1 responded and did
not know where was coming till ar
rived"
what a dispensationr'
1 went in to see my father and found
him still quite i'll. though his doctors
had pronounced him improving. He
seemed much relieved at my return,
but said that he had had every care,
having been fortunate in his nurse.
He had asked for man, but his doc
tors had dissuaded him. my nurse Is
a treasure" he said. That's one thing
women can do well; they can take
care of sick persons"
And persons sick at heart. too"
added. But he did not seem to heed
the remark, for he closed his eyes, and.
knowing how weak he was. left him.
He was Ill for several months.
months as full of bliss mingled with
bitterness for me as of suffering to
him. Agatha remained at her post oil
this while. and when he became con
yalescent and she wished TO be re-
lieved, that she might get rest. be
begged her to rest where she was
turning over his care temporarily to
me. 1t is needless to say she con
scented.
One morning she came out Of ths
sickroom with a joyous look on her
face.
what is it," I asked eagerly.
what do you suppose l have sue
ceeded in doing?"
WHAT"
II am the bearer to you Of your IS
theirs request that you go to your
mother and ask her to return to her
home
was thunderstruck.
But gasped.
But the conditions? There are no
conditions except that the past. Or
rather. its cause. is not to be men
toned"
"And you have accomplished thisT
Not ] alone. Invalids are noncom-
batants. Your father has been i'm
pressed with what have done for him,
though ! have been paid for doing IL
This morning he asked me what ne
could do for me besides paying me.
and I replied that if he would take
steps for a reconciliation with his wiis
would feel amply repaid. ! have
done my part. 1t is now for you 70
do yours. Persuade your mother %
come back"
clasped Agatha in my arms, tnea
ran downstairs three steps at time.
into the street. called pass
ing cab and bid him drive as fast as
his horse could 90 to my mothers
home. 1t was some time before per
suaded her to return with me. Da.
when | pictured how near father naa
been TO death she decided to 80 !,
him and, having once decided. ceuA
not go quickly enough TO satisfy ne'
mpatience.
The spell which hung over my q
Their had been broken by the SinuV
feminine attentions of good woinap
and IL never returned TO him.
Frank" he said 10 me on the day "
our reunion. If you don't marry As"'
tha I'll disinherit you"
That's pleasant" I replied
years I've been living under the expes
tation that you would disinherit me y
did"