Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-01
CHAPTER XIV.
A FaIsehood Under the Palms

| NOua puy Tic llChel- ne Solu "a
soon as learned how TO: pronounce the
name of this town. But / can't forget
I've tried. It's hopeless And he sat
there looking like n man whose best
friend had died owing him money.
won't go into his emotions. MT
Bland. up at the inn. is suffering them
at the present moment, I'm told. They
are unimportant; I'll hurry on to the
lie. l simply say he was sorrowful.
and it seemed to me a crime. what with
the sun so bright and the sea so blue
and the world so full Of a number of
things. Yes, it certainly was crime.
and decided he had to be cheered up
at any cost. How? / thought awhile,
gazing up at the sky. and then it came
TO me-the He-the great, glorious lie
and I told it."
The hermit looked In defiance round
the listening circle.
| You're chock full of sorrow now,
1 said to McMann. but it won't last
long He shook his head. Nonsense
1 told him. Look at me. Do you see
me doing a heart bowed down act I'M
der the palms, And he couldn't. the
lie unfolding itself in such splendor to
me. Your he asked. Me- l said.
| Ten years ago / was where you are
today. A woman had spoken to me
| as MabeI-or Marie-or what was it,
spoke to you
II could see had the boy interested.
unfolded my story as it occurred to
me at the moment. Yes said /. ten
years ago 1 saw her first. Dancing as
n butterfly dances from flower to flow
er. dancing on the stage-a fairy sprite
Il loved her. worshiped her. 1t could
never be. There in the dark of the
wings she told me so. And she shed
tear-a sweet tear OF sorrow at part
ing.
II went to my room / told Nc
Mann. with n lot of time tables and
steamship books-bright red books: the
color came off on my eager hands.
picked out country and sailed away.
Like you. l thought l could never be
happy. never even smile again. Look
at me-
He looked. guess my face radi-
ated bliss. The idea was so lovely
He was impressed could see II.
I'm supremacy happy 1 told him.
L am my own master. / wander
where ] will. No woman tells me my
hour for going out or my hour for
coming in. / wander. For company
1 have her picture-as l saw her last
with twinkling feet that never
touched earth. AS the spirit moves l
go. You can move the memory of a
woman in a fash. my boy, but it takes
two months to get the real article
started. and then, like as not, she's
forgot everything of Importance. Ever
thought OF that? You should. You're
going to be as happy as I am. Study
me Reflect / waved my carpet
slippered feet toward the palms.
had certainly made an impression on (
Alexander McMann.
LAS we walked back over the sands |
and grass grown streets to the hotel |
his heart got away from that cupid's |
lunch counter. and he was almost !
cheerful. l was gay to the last. but |
as l parted from him my own heart /
sank. I knew l had to go back to her 4
and that she would probably give me
a scolding about the carpet slippers. l
parted from McMann with n last word
of cheer. Then l went to the ship
to her. my wife. That was the lie.
you understand. She Travelled every
where with me. She never trusted
me.
We were due to sail that night.
over what I had done Suppose my
wife and Alexander McMann should
meet. An estimable woman. but
large. determined, but little suggest
ing the butterfly of the footlights l
married long before. We had bad
session over the carpet slippers. The
boat was ready to sail when McMann
zane aboard. He carried a bag and
MS face shone.
shes sent for me- he said. Ma
lie wants me. 1 got letter from my
brother. I'll blow into Kansas like a
,yclone and claim her
II was paralyzed- At that minute
| large black figure appeared on deck
t headed for me. Jake it says.
you've sat up long enough. Go below
low'
''McMann's face was terrible. / saw ,
was all up. I lied. McMann. 1 ex- !
'lained- The idea just came to me. [
fascinated me. and 1 lied. She did
urn me down-there in the wings !
md she shed that tear / spoke OF too. $
Gut when I was looking over the rail- /
Dad folders she sent for me- ! went
n the wings OF love. 1t was two i
locks. but / went on the wings OF
ove. We've been married twenty i
ears. Forgive me. McMannI' b
"McMann turned around. He picked
p the bag. i asked where he was go I
ne. Ashore he said. to think. Il
nay go back to Kansas City, may. d
tut I'll Just think a bit first And
e climbed into the ships boat. new =
r saw him again.
The hermit paused and gazed dream u
Y into space. "a
That" he said, "was my one great I.
e, my masterpiece. A year after d
ard 1 came up here on the mountain o
, be a hermit"
"As a result OF it?" asked Miss Nor \
IN.
Yes" answered Mr.. Peters, 81 told =.