Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-23
The Dailv
T1
Short Story
~BLUR sky
By g. Van DE Veer Rlnola.

Pardon me, be sbote 'sa y.
/ phrase is so cOmprehenslve . u
ually used It, "'BlDe a.. ! ca
! Wayne, precisely expresses -. 'al'
that the two mining co-o .,ie .a'
named in the memoranda geI E1''s
/ submitted To me are stoct ~ ~, ~
propositions Of the most v ,yrI.
type" a -'si
Then the fifty thousand dill.
invested IN them Is lost" an Ia
ed Miss Barbara Wayne aavis,.s
Absolutely and irretrlevsSi =.
A veil OF sudden tesrfn J,,.
crossed her clear blue ewes q.
sighed and sat like one striv,,.S :. !
recover from a shock. v
4 hope you have not iBvs.,.,
all that money in this via.
stock" he now said. =
Not myself, but nv bais.,,.,
and guardian has" repUad NJ
Wayne. There is a mar Ia, .'.
Girard who has visited our ~
frequently for several montbs I
never liked him, but nv n,s.
seemed TO have some business ~
him and did not interfere ~
today ! saw something In q nav,
paper about the bankruptcy NJ :.
fining companies. Ny uncle N.Y.,
down, charging himself with ts,
ing lost my fortune, and confess,
how he had been HOODWINKED 1
see the futility OF hoping to al
cover anything from the vresi
| There is another matter Of bushes
wish TO refer TO you" and 4,
fair speaker removed from i,
handbag a roll Of bills.
There is fifty thousand dollsr
she said, which I wish to entr1tl
to you for legitimate investmsS
Except sufficient to house I'll
guardian, Mr. Wayne, and nyssl'
in modest way, that is alr there
left of the fortune I inherited fror
my father two years ago."
MY dear young lady" excla!ns
ThOrne in amaEement. Il camel
understand how you can unquall
fiedly trust to me, a stranger
You are not a stranger" 81
gently corrected. Among sors
papers Of my father | found ssT.l
eral where his attorney was nans
as Mr.. Gregory Thorne. | natuil
ally thought of placing my talga
affairs in his charge. From B.
quiries made I learned that he vii
dead, but that you had succeedg
to his business. Surely l can trlE
the son of a man in whom ny fata
er had the utmost confidence"
Il thank you" bowed the youly
man, greatly moved. Il will al
in your behalf as though you Was
an own sister," and then after q.
hours consultation, those two paFi
ed, she relieved and trustful, Be
feeling that a sweet, entranclagI
presence had come into his life
Barbara went home, full OF re.
solve to make Robert Wayne fee
that she could forgive the ruin b
had caused. He was her only III
ing relative, he was old and u
her father had loved and trusts
him. What little they had sl
would share with him 10 the last
To her surprise as she reache
home Barbara caught the echo
voices. The high-strained tones q
her uncle well raised to an echoll1
pitch.
You serpent! you scoundrel I
he shouted and Barbara discer1a
that his visitor was the sWindld
Girard. you dare, after robbiti
my niece Of her fortune, to pf'1
pose to marry her IL she will CIV
you to remnant left to work
some new nefarious scheme to 70
confiding investors" and the o'i
man ran TO the fireplace, seized
heavy pair OF tongs, started d
HE unwelcome guest, sudden,
threw up his hands and fell pro-
trate in a fit.
Girard fed the house pTecipla'g
Iy. Within the hour the afnic'H
girl knew that her uncle was II
critical condition, and that even
he recovered it would be mohI
before he would be able 70 DC aDo.'
as formerly. In a half-dazed col
dition Mr.. Wayne lay helpless
week after week. Barbara iols.
comfort and cooperation ID
visits OF young Thorne.
1t was five months later va
Robert Wayne felt his way SLOW.
back TO normal living. He lay
a couch in a room strange 70 W
The air was soft and balmy,
soothing odor OF flowers filea
house. Barbara, by his side guy
ed him as he burst forth - n.
accusations Of his part in Wastl'
her fortune. ,.4s
That's all past, Uncle Rooels
she said brightly. do you =.
where you are? In the ~
south, right on the ocean ana =
pretty bungalow is ours, ana
yond il acres and acres thsl
daily growing in value. A ~.
invested my little all in this pls .~
knowing OF its prospective ~ ~.
and we will never want. me q.
tor said you needed blue SKY -.
groaned and WINGED, on, =.
blue sky. and health and az ~
forgetuluess OF the past anu H''
for the future. See" s.AI
Barbara drew up the -
the open window ~
Robert Wayne viewed a panO' .
Of fair vernal beauty.
We" he questioned. ...sl
Eyes. On, so much has hap l-ssr'
the old lie. .s,s,
he is now" as a welcome 80 M
sounded. Uncle Robert-u'
band. Gerald Thorue.
with few exceptions, sue