Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-02
CHAPTER I.
-Srhere Are Heroisms All Around U.s.

- zR. HUNGERTON. her father.
N& really was the most tactless
person upon earth-a fluffy,
untidy cuckoo of a man. per
fcct,y good natured, but absolutely
centered upon his own silly SELF IL
anytAirE could have driven me from
Gladys il would have been the thought
Of such-a father-in-law.
For m hour or more that evening
listened 20 his mouotonous chirTup
about bad money driving out good, the
token value OF silver, the deprecis ton
of the rupee and the true standards OF
exchange.
But nc last l was alone with Gladys,
and the moment of Fate had come! All
that evening / had felt like the soldier
who awaits the signal which viii send
a.m On forloTn hope, hope Of victory
and Year OF repulse alternating in his
mind
She sat with that proud, delicate pro-
file OF hers outlined against the red
curtain. How beautiful she was. And
yet how aloof, We had been friends.
quite good friends. hut never could
Get beyond the same comradeshlp
which l might have established with
one of my fellow reporters upon the Ga
zette-perfectly frank, perfectly kindly
and perfectly unsexuaL
GLADYS was full of every womanly
quality Some judged her TO be cold
and hard. but such a thought was trea-
son. That delcately brOnzed skin, al
most oriental in its coloring; that ra-
ven hair. the large liquid eyes, the full
but exquisite liDs-all the stigmata OF
passion was there. But | was sadly
conscious that up to now l had never
found the secret of drawing it forth
However. come what might, l should
have done with suspense and bring
matters to a head tonight. She could
but refuse me. and better be a re
pulsed lover than an accepted brother.
So far my thoughts had carried me.
and l was about to break the long and
uneasy silence when two critical. dark
eyes looked round at me. and the proud
head was shaken in smiling reproof.
Il have n presentiment that you are
going to propose. Ned. l do wish you
wouldn't for things are so much nicer
as they are
l drew my chair n little nearer
"Now. how did you know that l was
going to propoSeE = I asked in genuine
wonder.
Don't women always know? Dc
you suppose my woman in the world
was ever taken unawares? Butch
Ned. our friendship has been so good
and so pleasant, What q pity to spoil
it Don't you feel how splendid it is
that a young man and a young woman
should be able TO talk face TO face as
we have talked
Il don't know, Gladys. You see, ]
can talk face to face-with the station
master" / can't image how that Off
cial came into the matter. but in he
trOtted and set US both laughing
That does not satisfy me in the least
want my arms round you and your
head on my breast, and-oh, Gladys,
want
She had sprung from her chair, as
she saw signs that I proposed to dem
onstrate some OF my wants. you've
spoiled everything Ned" she said
Its all so beautiful and natural unit
this kind of thing comes in! 1t i:
such a pity, Why can't you cOntro
yourself:'
Il didn't invent It pieaied- II
nature. It's love"
well, perhaps If both love it may bt
different. 1 have never felt it."
But you must-you. with you!
beauty. with your soul. Oh, Gladys
you were made FOR love! You mus.
love-"
zone must wait till It comes"
"But why can't you love me, Gladys
Is ii my appearance or what?"
She did unbend a little. She put for
ward a hand-such q gracious, stoop
ing attitude it was-and she pressed
back my head. Then she looked into
my upturned face with q very wistful
smile.
NO. It isn't that" she said at last
you're not a conceited boy by nature
and so I csu safely tell ycu that it is
not that. It's deeper"