Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-13
The Daily
Short Story
LOVES REWARD.

his soul. gratitude and hope The
former because his worldly pros
pects had been at the lowest ebb.
houefuI because the possession Of
means seemed to him a passport 70
the realization OF the dearest wish
OF his heart.
The announcement Just made had
fairly staggered the young man. He
had lived with Robert Drury until
the latter had gone away In search
of health. The old man had been
very kind to him, and Mervis had
been patient and considerate in all
his duties to his uncle. The son Of
the latter had gone 10 South Amer
lea. and, according to report. had
died there OF a malignant fever
When Mr.. Drury left. he started
Meryin in a small business way
Kind hearted. sympathetic Mervin
had been induced to endorse for
friend and had lost his entire bus
mess investment. Then he had Sc
cured a god position but had in
fuenced one as well for false
friend who undermined hiM and
left poor Meryin in the lurch II
seemed as though the latter was
fated to have ingrates and rascals
rob him Of what he acquired. but he
struggled on. He fell in love with
-Olive Warren. He did not tell her
Of the fact, but he hoped that his
affection was reciprocated. He be
gan to save, feeling that he mad no
right to confess his love until he
rad acquired a fair competency.
And now he could hardly compre-
bend that he was a rich man.
| Wealth. The one surging Joy Of his
soul was the satisfaction OF know
ing that the barriers of poverty and
struggle were removed. He no
longer hesitated concerning Olive
Warren when he left the lawyer 4
was to devote many hours 10 the
composition OF letter TO her. He
told her how he had subdued eX-
preston OF his affection because OF
his misfortunes and poverty. He
asked her TO make him happy by
sharing with him the fortune so
unexpectedly come to him, as his
| wife.
The next day he mailed the let
tier. Then he wandered about an
| xiously. unable 10 rest until he
knew his fate. He was passing the
Warren home that evening. when
he saw Olive come out accompanied
{ by a handsome young man who
, carried her satchel. They stepped
? into an automobile at the curb and
were whirled away.
! His heart almost stood still. He
2 had not seen Olive for over a week;
] he had no pledged claim upon her.
{ The direst gloom settled down over
! his crushed spirit. When he re-
, ceived no reply to his letter the
. next day, Mervin decided that the
: fond hopes he had entertained were
: baseless. He waited for two days
{ longer. Still no response 10 his
: missive. Then came a further as
founding blow 10 his hopes The
| lawyer informed himthat word had
been received that Nate Drury, was
. not dead after all. but had written
, from a point in Chilli, making in
= quiries as 10 his father and explain
> ing that for long time he had been
operating a mine far from ctyiliza-
ton, i'll and unable TO get word
: home until now. Mervin sought Sc
clusion in distant part OF the city.
He adjudged himself shut out from
all of happiness or peace.
, Never to his dying day did he
forget the light, the joy. the glory
that came to his famished soul
, when one day he received a note
by mail that had found him in a
roundabout way. IL was from
Olive. and il told him that she had
been away for a month at the home
, of her married sister, whose hus-
band had come for her the day the
letter from Mervin had arrived. Her
, mother, never dreaming of its i'm
. portance, had put ii aside and had
forgotten it, Olive. just returning
, home. had seen it for the first time.
"Will you kindly come and see me-
ran. the brief reply. II shall be
happy TO see you" Mervin was at
her home within the hour. How
his heart fiuttered as he sat facing
her in the little parlor of her home.
, Her conscious ways, her flushed
, face told that she was under
strain of vivid emotion, but he did
not analyze the situation Only
gravely and earnestly he said:
Miss Warren my letter has
spoken for itself. but the situation
: has changed since then" and his
manner and his words caused the
lovely eyes 10 shadow When ]
asked you to become my wife, went
on Mervin gravely, I had been
given reason 10 believe that I was
! rich man. whereas now ! am poor
! and"
Impulslvely Olive reached out a
gentle trembling hand He could
not mistake the true l0velight IN
; her shining eyes
; How could you misjudge me or
/ think that would make any differ
ence with me?" she fiuttered
He understood at last Yes he
was poor. but she would gladly
/ share that poverty and as their
T. souls drew closer one 10 the other,
he felt the inspiration or a hero
In his resolve to make his way anew
. in the world,
And while they were patiently
awaiting the outcome OF work and
courage and patience from far
away Nate Drurv there came 20 the
lawyer word that the wanderer was
rich I'm his own right. aud direct
ing that the fortune left by MS
father be given TO the faithful Mer-
yin Trask.
and second after he had started
in pursuit he saw the door snus
D 81 a a, s.