The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-19

the effort or was ne continuing MS
course as agreed upon? And would he
appear on Saturday, the 21st day of
December, at quarter before nine in
the evening, the very impersonatlon OF
exactness, on the threshold of the
saloon of the Reform Cluba
We must give up the effort to depict
the anxiety in which for three days all
of London society lived. They sent
dispatches to America, to Asia, to get
news of Phileas Fogg. They sent
morning and evening to watch the
house in Sayille row. Nothing there.
The police themselves did not know
what had become of the detective Fix,
who had so unfortunately thrown him.
self on false scent. This did not pre-
vent bets from being entered into anew
on large scale. Phileas Fogg, like
race horse, was coming to the last
turn He was quoted no longer at one
hundred, but at twenty, ten, five; and
the old paralytic, Lord Albemarse, bet
even in his favor
So that on Saturday evening there
was a crowd in Pail Mall and in the
neighboring streets, 1t might have
been supposed that there was an i'm
mense crowd of brokers permanently
established around the Reform Club.
Circulation was impeded. They dis
cussed, disputed, and cried the prices
of " Phileas Fogg," like they did those
of English Consols. The policemen
had much difficulty in keeping the
crowd back, and in proportion as the
hour approached at which Phileas Fogg
ought to arrive, the excitement took in
credible proportions.
This evening, the five colleagues of
the gentleman were assembled in the
grand saloon of the Reform Club. The
two bankers, John Sullivan and Samuel
Fallentin, the engineer Andrew Stuart,
Gauthier Ralph, the Directors OF the
Bank of England, and the brewer,
Thomas Flanagan, all waited with anx-
iety.
At the moment that the clock in the
grand saloon indicated twenty-five min
utes past eight, Andrew Stuart, rising.
said:
Gentlemen, IN twenty minutes the
time agreed upon between Mr.. Phileas
Fogg and ourselves win have expired. y
CAT what hour did the last train ar
rive from Liverpool" asked Thoma,
Flanagan.
AT twenty-three minutes after sew
en- replied Gauthier Ralph, land the
next train does not arrive until ten min.
| utes after twelve, midnight"
"Well, gentlemen continued An
drew Stuart, eff Phileas Fogg had ar
rived in the train at twenty-three min
utes after seven, he would already bt
here. We can then consider We have
won the bet"
"Let us wait before deciding" re
piled Samuel Fallentin. You know
that our colleague is an oddity of tht
first order. His exactness in every
thing is well known. He never arrives
too late or too soon, and he will appear
here at the very last minute, or | shall
be very much surprised
And |, ~ said Andrew Stewart, wh'
was, as always, very nervous, "woul,
not believe it was he if saw him"
"In fact" replied Thomas Flanagan
"Phileas Fogg's project wasa scnseles
one. However exact he might be, h
| could not prevent the occurrence of in
/ evitable delays. and delay of but tw,
or three days would be sufficient l.
compromise the tour"
/ you will notice besides, adde'
John Sullivan, THAT we have receive,
no news from our colleague, and We
telegraph lines were not wanting upo
his route"
Gentlemen, he has lost" replie
Andrew Stuart, she has lost hundre
times! You know, besides. that tn
China only steamer from NeN
York that he could take for Liverpool
to be of any use to him arrived yes
terday. Now. here is the list of passen
gers, published by the Shipping Gazette
and the name of Phileas Fogg is no
among them. Admitting the most ia
vorable chances, our colleague ha
scarcely reached America! / calculat
twenty days, at least, as the time tina
he will be behind, and old Lord Able
marie will be minus his five thousan
poundsn'
| 1T is evident" replied Gauthic
Ralph, land tomorrow we have onl
to present to Barring Brothers Mr., Fogg'
check"
At this moment, the clock in the 81
loon struck forty minutes after eight.
Five minutes yet" said Andrer
Stuart.
The five colleagues looked at eac
other. 1t may be believed that the
hearts beat little more rapidly, fol
even for good players, it was gres
risk But they did not betray then
selves, for at Samuel Fallentin's sue
gestion. they seated themselves at
card tsble
81 would not give my part of foU
, thousand pounds in the bet, said Al
drew Stuart, seating himself, seven if
was offered three thousand nine hundre
and ninety-niner'
At this moment the hands noted fol
ty-two minutes after eight.
The players took up their cards, br
their eyes were constantly fixed upo
} the clock. 1t may be asserted tina
Notwithstanding their security, til
minutes had never seemed SO long I
, theml
Il Forty three minutes after eight,
said Thomas Flanagan. cutting til
cards which Gauthier Ralph prescnte
to him.
Then there was a moments silence
The immense saloon of the club wa
quiet. But outside they heard the hui
bub of the crowd, above which wei
, sometimes heard loud cries. The PEI
dulum of the clock was beating I'll
seconds with mathematical regularity
, and every player counted them as the
struck his ear.
"Forty-four minutes after eight,
, said John Sullivan in voice in whic
was heard an involuntary emotion.
One more minute and the bet woul
| be won. Andrew Stuart and his co
leagues played no longer. They ha
abandoned their cards! They wen