Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-03
Coming 20 often.

the past have | seen dis form no TEA
lures.
He IS very handsome. Barney. and
very tail and strong and clean nnbed.
wish that ] might meet sucn = man
in real life I know 1t Is a ridiculous
thing to say. but I can never love any
OF the pusillanimous weakhngs WHO
are forever falling IN love with ne
not after having walked hand ia hand
with such as ne and read the love in
his clear eyes.
And yet, Barney. / am afraid of
him. Is &c not odd?''
At this juncture they were Joined by
other memb e-s Of the party. SO that
no further reference 70 the subject was
made by either.
At the Claytons' they found that an
addition had been made TO the number
of guests by the unheraided advent OF
two khaki clad young men. one OF
whom rose and came forward TO meet
the returning hunters while they were
yet a hundred yards away
He was a tail, athletic appearing
man AS Victoria Custer recognized
his features she did not know whether
TO bs pleased or angry. Here was the
one man she had ever met who came
nearest TO the realization Of her dream
man. and this one Of all the others had
never spoken a word of love 70 her-
His companion. who bad now risen
from the cool shade Of the low yeran-
da. was also coming forward, but more
slowly, the set Of his shoulders and the
swing of his stride betokening his mill
itary vocation.
mfr. Curtiss"e exclaimed Victoria
and looking past him. And Lieuten-
ant Butzowi Where In the world did
you come fromY'
THE world left u.s." replied the off,
Ger, smiling, land we have followed
her TO the wilds of equatorial Africa"
we found Nebraska a very tame
place after you and Barney left" ex-
planned Mr.. Curtiss. land when / dis
covered that Butzow would accom-
pany me we lost no time in following
You. and here we are throwing our
selves upon the mercy and hospitality
OF Lady Greystoke"
81 have been trying TO convince
them" said that lady. who bad now
Joined the party at the foot Of the
veranda steps. that the obligation Is
all upon our side. 1t taxes our inge-
nuity and the generosity of our friends
to keep the house even half full or
congenial companions"
It was not until after dinner that
night that Mr. William Curtiss had an
opportunity TO draw Miss Victoria
Custer away from the others upon
some more or less hazy pretext that
he might explain for her ears alone
just why he had suddenly found Bea-
trice. Neb.. such a desoiate place
and had realized that it was impera-
tive to the salvation Of his life and
happiness that he travel halfway round
the world in search of a certain sIen-
der bit of feminfnity.
This usually self possessed young
man stammered and hesitated like a
bashful schoolboy speaking his Friday
afternoon piece. but finally be man.
aged 10 expel from his system more or
less cohereutly the fact that he was
very much in love with Victoria Gus.
ter and that he should never again eat
or sleep until she had promised to be
his wife.
There was strong appeal to the cir!
in the masterful thing the man had
done in searching her out in the EEiIds
of Africa to tell her Of his love, for Il
seemed that he and Butzow had forced
their way with but q handful Of car.
riers through a very savage section OF
the jungle because it was the shortest
route from the coast to the Greystoke
ranch.
Then there was that about him
which appealed to the same attribute
of her nature to which the young giant
of her dreams appealed-a primitive
strength and masterfulness that left
her both frightened and happily help
less in the presence Of both these
strong loves, for the love Of her dream
man was 20 Victoria Custer real and
living love.
Curtjss saw assent in the silence
which followed his outbreak, and. tax
ing advantage OF this tacit encourage
ment, he seized her hands in his and
drew her toward him.
''Oh. Victoria" he whispered, tell
me that thing wish TO hear from your
dear lips! Tell me that even Il tenth
part Of my love is returned and I
shall be happyy'
She looked up into his eyes. shining
down upon her in the moonlight, and
on her lips trembled an svowal of the
love she honestly believed 40 eouid
at last bestow upon the man Of her
choice
In the past few moments she mad |
thraahed out the question of that other
unreal and intangible lose that had |
held her chained 10 a dream for years.
and Ia the cold light Of twentieth cen
hurry American nationality she had
found it possible TO put her hallucina-
lions from her and find happiness In |
the love of this very real and very
earnest young man
Billy she said, 'sf~-
But she got no further.
Even as the words that would have |
bound her to him were forming upon /
ner tongue there came a low, suileu /
from the bowels OF the earth |
the ground rose and fell beneath