Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-10-13
after the ring had been transferred from the
cbiptcjfs fi,crar. 70 la,. frr,,

1
simply told him he might leave, and he went,
wagging his coat tails as usual. I had no
alternative but to send word to Nelly
Stephens to see me next morning at the
Central In reality it was that she might
surrender her bail and take her trial, but l
had not the heart to say SO. At the same
time took care to summon also my noble
hero of the small cheeks and his devoted |
love, Miss Munro, as I thought something
might be made by bringing the three face to
face.
As was going home in the evening felt |
a light touch on my arm and looked around |
to find the melancholy visage of the tailor, |
John Jenkins, at my side.
''Have you heard the news7'' be said, with |
out the trace OF SMILE Nelly STEPHENS has
come into lot of money through the death
of en- uncle, vino never looked near her while
he was alive suppose she'll be able to buy
herself off nown
Not if Ravensberg insists on pressing the
charge"
HE won't when he hears she's got money"
was the gloomy response.
But we need not tell him that" sug-
gested
NO, but she will, he replied with an ex-
perienced air. She's mad about him,
though he's ready to clap her in jail on a
false charge. Now, I've looked after her
ever since her mother died. taught her the
machine and got her place, and kept her in
it, and have loved her night and day for five
years, and Yet she won't look at me. Now,
what more can fellow do to win girls
love"
BE selfish, or fool, or a knave, and then
you might succeed" l suggested. Il need
not tell you to be pretty, for you're plain as
a pikestaff, but you might try the other
plans, and if you could also get nice cane
with silver top, and keep nibbling at that,
there's no saying what effect it might have"
The faintest ghost of smile came to his
lips, and then he rehectively said, 81 must
say that she likes NE and always turns to me
in trouble"
"Ah, that's good"
"But then she loves him. be added, in
anguish.
"Ah, that's bad"
"Badf It's dcath-death to me- and he
slowly crawled off, shaking his head and
making me profoundly thankful that l could
never be young again, and SO have to endure
the tortures of love.
| Next morning Nelly Stephens appeared at
the Central, and shortly after Ravensberg
and Miss Munro came in arm in arm, John
jenkins, the tailor, also appeared, and had
not the heart to put him out.
do you insist on charging this girl with
the theft of the ringf l asked, point blank,
of the cane top nibbler.
Certainly" he answered, with the great
est promptitude. "She's wicked deceiver,
and deserves it for saying that l made love
to her and promised to marry her. and he
looked up sweetly into the face of Miss Munro,
who smiled approvingly.
But Oh, Horace!" and Nellie ran across
the room and button holed him in spite Of
his resistance, and undismayed by the stern
frown of Miss Munro, whispered rapidly and
eagerly in his ear.
She's telling him of the money left her by
her uncle groaned Jenkins in my ear, and
for once love was not at fault. Ravensberg
first started, then looked pleased, then took a
letter from her hand and read it rapidly. and
finally pressed her hand gently in his own
and turned to NE.
Il think-ah-it will be better-ah-to
withdraw the charge; and as for the ring,
| why, Miss Stephens is welcome to keep
that"
What" screamed the schoolmistress,
starting back in horror. You will give her
an engagement ringl Indeed, you shall notl
I will not allow that!n
You, madame'' replied the cane nibbIer
loftily. "You have nothing to do with it. l
have found you out, madame, and henceforth
decline to have any intercourse with you"
/ Gbr;a gb,.;,l +l1
moment or two Miss Munro was in a dead
faint Ravensberg took no more notice of
her than if she had been pair of old boots,
but rapturously offered his arm to Nelly
Stephens, and was thus about to leave the
room when another lady entered. She was
tall woman-fully six feet high, | think
and muscular in proportion, and she spoke
not word to any of Us, but simply advanced
on Raversberg with her glazing eyes boring
into his own.
GOOD God! What-ah-does-ah-t
woman want here3'' he exclaimed, and be
dropped the arm of Nelly Stephens and
hoped backwards rapidly and tried to shell
ter behind me- But the new conner was toe
quick for him, and got her great hand on his
arm and wrenched him round with whirl
that sent his beloved cane spinning TO the
other end of the room. Then she applied her
lovely toe to his person-sncased as it was In
large sized boot-with vigor which made
him howl like whipped cur, and thus they
progressed all round the ROOM she kicking
and be protesting and entreatilg until They
reached the wall against which she banged
his head till it swan. He did not tur1
round and give her in charge for assault, bn'
| CROPPED hazly for his hat and tried TO craw
towards the door when she again pouncet
upon him and sung him round towards me
Il give that man. John Gray, in chargt
for deserving Inc and leaving me and my
children char-eable to the parish, she said
towering above him like an avenging demon
and never for an instant relaxing her hold
Il got word that he was in Edinburgh, AMI
came through last week, and today founC
out his lodging and they sent me here.n
A scream interrupted her, but this time i
came from Nelly Stephens, who tainted ava,
as Imply as the schoolmistress had done
Miss Munro had just recovered, and was abb
TO understand the words of the massive wife
but she seemed TO have had enough of faint
ing for one day. and simply sat and stared
John Jenkins rushed to attend to Nell
Stephens, bur the pallid despair on his holloy
cheeks was gone, and in its place a flush O
joy and hope.
l asked the newcomer for proof Of he
charge, and she simply pointed to a hand bi
on the wall near me, in which John Ora
} was fully and infinitely proclaimed as havin
deserted his wife and children, and the SUI
J of one guinea was offered for such informa
ton as should lead to his apprehension an
| conviction. | had seen the bill there 70
months, yet never once thought of appaTin
the description to "Ravensbergn | fully ey
pected the accused to stoutly deny his ider
| tity, but he seemed so anxious to get out
his wife's clutches, and away from her THO
) toed boot, that he eagerly admitted every
} thing and asked to be locked in the farthes
= off cell we had to spare. When we had al
! commodated him and dismissed his wifi,
: Nelly Stephens and Miss Munro turned t
/ leave, each looking scornfuliy at the othel
and apparently wishing the gigantic wife 6
the bottom of the sea.
. Ravensberg was duly tried and sentence
to three months imprisonment for desertin
: his wife, and fully expected to be able I
3 add to it another for obtaining money undt
false pretenses. But Nelly persisted in NJ
: making the charge, though she admitted thu
he had acted the part of q scoundrel, and thi
: her dream was now over. / thought that
that state of mind she would turn to the d
, voted and unseltsh fellow who had stood b
her so long, but shortly after 1 CHANGED ,
: meet jenkins, and saw at glance that /
: was as melancholy and pallid as ever.
Il suppose you viii be marrying Nell
; Stephens one Of these days. l said,
cheerily as if his funeral face had not bee
before me.
s'No," he groaned ''that is all over Inev,