The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-10
THE AWAKENING.
By Mrs. Hazel C. Cummings.

! Copyright. 1921, by Wheeler Syn
dictate, Inc.)
Bob, you're Just a big, trusting
Z boy." Phil folded his arms and
leaned over his old friends Uttered
desk. You're deVoting SO much of
your life to your work these days
that you haven't time to sit back
and look around you. It's June,
boy; there's warm summer sun out
side and you're up here toiling
away, just to fulfill the selfish am
bition of a grill"
Now, Phil, leave Rita out of it,
if you've come up here to lecture.
She's my inspiration. Every bit of
success that 1 hope for here" in
uscript, will be due to her. Phil.
you can't appreciate her fine I'M
derstanding her accomplish
ment-"
Phil smiled. Her accomplish
ment? Yes, she's accomplished all
right. Bob-in many, many ways"
He led the six-foot chap over to a
window. There was a tennis court
away out in the broad sunlight, and
among the group Bob saw Rita, a
really beautiful girl of the radiant
brunei type. Someone was tying
the lacing of her tennis shoe.
That's Jack Gladdin, 'at-your-
service Bob. While you're up here,
preparing TO set the world afire
with your book, Rita is impressing
GIaddin more each day with her
accomplishment. Furthermore, his
car is an actual fact, while yours
is still a dream"
Bob laughed confidently. You're
all wrong, Phil, this time. l love
Rita, l trust her absolutely, and my
only desire in striving for success
is to make her happy"
Phil shrugged his shoulders. Bob
was his closest friend Rita was a
proud, ambitious girl who had
cleverly enlisted Bob's affections
while he was the last to suspect it
He was promising-a genius some
said, and Rita's one dream in life
was to marry such a man, for she
felt secretly that this would be the
key to social advancement.
There was a knock at the door
and one of the tennis players ent-
cred. She was tiny person with
a wealth of red gold hair and a pair
of wide blue eyes. There was a
childish freshness about her round
face she greeted the boys and
then glanced at Bob's desk, and an
expression crossed the deep blue
eyes that Bob did not see, but
which did not escape Phil. Pres !
entity she smiled brightly.
Come on, boys, and Join the
game! It's Just glorious out and
you haven't Joined US in SO long, |
do come along!" She |
touched the manuscript timidly and |
added: Tell me, how are you
1 know it will be |
wonderful. You deserve success, !
Bobbie," and the wistfuI eyes !
looked up at him with frank ad-
niration. I
Thanks, little Betty, I hope for !
it. And now I'm just going down |
with you two for an hour. Run |
along, Betty, and say the champ is
and he laughed lightly.
Betty went and Bob took a tennis
racket from the corner Phil laid
/ OBTAINING hand on his arm.
Bob, do you know what?"
"No-what?
"If Betty wasn't head over heels
n love with you, I'd marry her my
self"
Bob stared at his companion and
uproariously. Say, Phil.
think it's the heat with you" and
lie tapped his own forehead signifi-
:antly.
All right, I'm an outsider. but
tsten: I'll wager that if you turned
nut a fa1iure-1f this book of yours
ell through-it would be all over
or you with Rita! She's all self
Bob. Shed see you work yourself 4
ray. just to reap the harvest of
our honors."
Il accept your wager, my good
riend, returned Bob. bowling, and
hey passed out |,
One evening in late autumn found