Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-17
By
REX
BEACH

found ii out sooner or later. and there's
some satisfaction In knowing that the
~orst is over"
Never before had his callous cynicism
been so frankly displayed. 1t chilled
her and made the plea she was about
to voice seem doubly difficult.
Il wish looked upon the matter as
you do she said slowly. But other
| people haven't the same social ideas as
We Tm-crushed, and She Poor
, child, l don't know how she had the
| courage to face it. Now that she has
| heard the truth from my own lips I'm
afraid it will kill her."
Gordon laughed. Nonsense. Ma
talie is sensible girl. Disillusion-
ment is always painful, but never ia
tai. Sooner or later the young must
! confront the bald facts of life. and l
venture to say she will soon forget her
schoolgirl morality. Let me explain
| my views Of
| Never" cried the woman, aghast
/ IF you do shall She checked her
self and buried her face in her hands.
Il feel no regrets for myself-for !
| drifted with my eyes open-but this
this is different. Don't you understand?
l am mother. Or are you dead to
| all decent feelingT
My dear, | am the most tender
hearted of men. OF course / shall say
nothing, IL you prefer, for l am SUBJ
servient to your commands in all
things. But calm yourself. What is
done cannot be undone."
| In more even tones Mrs. Gerard said:
You seem TO think the matter is end
ed, but it isn't Natalie will never al
low US to continue this way, and 1t
!, isn't just to her that We should We
can't so on, Curtis"
You mean / must marry you?"
! She nodded.
He rose and paced the room before
answering. Il always supposed you
understood my views on that subject
Believe me, they are unalterab bic and
in no way the result of pose"
Nevertheless, for my sake and Ma
tales. you will do it. I can't lose the
one thing I love best in the world"
1t would seem that Natalie has
filled your head with silly notions"
/ he exclaimed impatiently.
She has awakened me. | have her
life to consider as well as my own
We are all individuals, supreme in
ourselves, responsible only to ourselves.
We must all live our own lives. She
cannot live yours nor you hers"
Il am familiar with your argu-
ments." Mrs. Gerard said YEARLY,
but | have thought this all out, and
there is no other way"
He frowned in his most impressive
manner, and his chest swelled omi-
nously
Il will not be coerced. You know |
can't be bullied into thing. | deny
mat You have any right to demand
! I'm not demanding anything. | mere
ly ask this-this favor, the first one
have ever asked. You see. nv pride is
| crumbiing. Don't answer now; let's
| wait until We are both calmer. The
subject came up-at least she approach
ed it by asking about the coal claims.
! She is worried about them
"lndeed?'
She was told by friend in the land
Office that our rights had been forfeit
ed. assured her
Il refused to heed the absurd rul-
ings Of the department if that is what
! she refers to-
Then we-have LOST" Mrs. Gerard's
I pallor increased
I Technically, yes! In reality l shall
show that our titles were good and
that our patents should issue"
"But'-the womans bloodless fingers
were tightly interlaced-"all | have,
all Natalie has. is in those claims"
Yes. And it would require another
fortune the size of both to comply with
the senseless vagaries of the interior
department and to protect your inter
ests. grew weary of forever sending
good hard earned dollars after bad ones
merely because of the shifting within
of some theorist 5000 miles away"
Then l am afraid Mrs. Gerard's
voice trailed out miserably. ut is all
| we have and you told me-
Gordon broke in irritably: my dear
Gloria, spare me this painful fault
finding. If can win for you | Shall
do so, and then you will agree that l
acted wisely. If lose-it will merely
be the luck of the average investor.
We played for big returns and, of
course, the risks were great
But Mr.. O'Neil told her his claims
Gordon's blazing eyes warned her,
''O'Neil, eh? So he is the friend in
the land office" No doubt he also gave
Natalie the suggestion that led TO her
scene with you. Tell her to occupy
herself less with affairs which do not
concern her and more with her own
conduct. Her actions with that up
start have been outrageous"
What about your own actions with |
the Golden woman?" cried Mrs Ge- |
rard, reverting with feminine insist |
ence to the subject Of their first diff !
ference What are you going to do |
about her"
Nothing"
Remember, | refuse to share the
same roof with her. You wouldn't ask !
1t of your wife"
Now this second reference to a dis |
agreeable subject was unfortunate. |
Gordon was given TO the widest vaga- |
ries Of temper. and this interview had |
exasperated him beyond measure, for !