Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-22
CHAPTER <I.
81 1 o,y@d kIar Ga ~

less you prefer a church wedding /
would suggest that you hunt up the
Justice Of the peace and get 1t over
with. / don't believe in long engage
ments myself" l was perfectly will
ing to tease this pedantic braggart-
We owed him something for that fast
ing article anyway.
but I don't want TO marry any one"
he cried. II must not sacrifice my ca
reer TO romance and sentiment. l be-
long to the world. There must be a
way out.
III you don't want to marry Miss
Dunm0re, why did you arouse the
spark Of passion in her innocent
breastf l demanded.
81 don't know" He writhed in men
tal anguish. II didn't dream that j
was even being agreeable to her"
Some women are more attracted by
Indifference than by attention" COM
forted. Others are fascinated by
downright brute violence"
90 suppose there must be some charm
about me that l did not dream Of" he
unused m0destly. Don't you think she
could forget me II she did not see me
for long while5"
Tm afraid" / sighed, that having
once met you, no girl could ever for
get you
Come now" he said sharply, trying
10 detect o smile on my face; ct isn't
as bad as that If / could get away
and write her a letter saying that !
had been taken down with some III
ness and could not as a dying man
hold her TO her promise, that would
solve the difficulty
Rather a nifty idea,' / commented
"but as q novelist you must know that
the heroine always flies to the bedside
Of the stricken hero aud nurses hin
back to life. There is no use. Miss
Dunmore would not allow you to die.
NO, ! suppose not" He abandoned
this scheme reluctantly. Another
thought frightened him. The getting
away part Of it IS all right. If | die
laar ! could get put in Jail or some
uiug like that where she couldn't pos
siUlg see me. While / was there
could write an article on prison re
forms"
I heartily Endorsed this scheme Tht
idea Of seeing him in prison appealed
to ne personally. The colossal blind
ness Of a conceited fathead like that
trying to get away from a charming
sweet young girl like Vida alienatet
him from human consideration.
he mused a moment. I'm do it,,
he exclaimed. If / don't show up
NUNS the word"
"Yon can't get away" / reminde'
him There's no boat"
u forgot to tell you that / am tn
champion swimmer Of the Brooklyl
Athletic club. / think I saw som
bathing suits hanging up in the shed
With one Of those on it will be child
play TO me-
Strangely cheered, he LET himself on
the back way and left me to the s.
lence Of my clans.
left the clans to their own device
for awhile and went back to the Twin
room. Vida was there idly taking in
pre'sions from my seal ring on som
soft kneaded rubber that lay on Ii
Giles desk. Lucille herself was not |
sight The captain and the best coo
Nvh TFNn I'd rttNa
sunk deep In the gloom which SUI
rounds the nonreadiIrg man when Gu
of from his kind and his employment
Well" said Vida when stood owe
her like an accusing judge, what hav
I done now2 Shouldn't I play wit
this rubber this wayT
You know what you've done"
said sternly. you trapped Upton
Clair into proposing to you
There's nothing wrong about that
Vida protested. How do you SUI
pose any man ever proposes? 70
have 10 trap them. Were you und'
the impression that adult males wei
around looking for chance TO pay fl
some one else's board and millinel
aud hosiery and all that sort of thins
No, sir; the masculine mind is vel
wary That's why we women have
be SO much brighter than the me
Its case Of self preservation"
Hes afraid you meant it. He's 6
Ing to try to swim to the mainland
order to get away"
What Swim to the mainiand?"
Yes, He's a woman hater."
Good heavens! He must not
that Vida was genuinely concerne
"fou might tell him that you a
engaged 70 some one else. That mig
reaSSure him"
Il will.' Vida got up determined
and went to the door. (which W
did he go2'
Right down TO the shore, thinl
| said. "He seemed a trifle dazt
though, and might have wandered.
Funny thing" INTERCEPTED Capta
Perkins. THE way feiler win wa
der sometimes. My brother, he Us
TO walk in lis sleeep. | was goin'
tell you where the zebra bit him Il
time"
Yes said Vida eagerly, tell
where the zebra bit him"
You'll have 10 hurry to catch hir
interrupted "or ii win be too late.
The telephone bell rang.