Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-16
THE LADY SMILED.

The Saturday afternoon train at Point
Tiburon was crowded as usual and paonle
were streaming through the cars in the hur-
ried search for vacant seats. Little Mr.. Tom
N. Oddly, who was just starting out ON his
two days vacation knew there would be this
rush and ~ was among the first 10 scamper
pr the boat, Chamber into the nearest coach,
and pre-cmpt the best middle seat on the shady
hide OF the car Then, after the miserable
fashion Of hi, kind, he proceeded 10 cover the
entire seat with himself, his overcoat. his cane
and bis yalise.
This exercise OF sehshness accomplished. he
drew an evening paper from his pocket and
pretended 10 be absorbed In the baseball re-
ports As he read, however, no could not
help being conscious OF a persistent shadow
that Tell upon the sheet Other shadows went
forward and backward like jostling silhou.
,ttss, but this one stayed. CHANGING out OF
the corner OF his right eve, he saw a small
black gloved hand resting upon the top Of the
seat just where his overcoat lay and then GU
rtosity leading him further afield he glanced
still more aud found that the hand belonged
20 one Of the most charming women IL had
ever been his undessrved good fortune 10 see
Her face was rather pale, almost sallow in
deed, but lit up by pair Of great black
eyes that were a. luminous ~ a child's and
~ gentle as does. The noss was short
straight, but rather too stout; the mouth
was full and rcd, with provoking little
droop to the lower lip; and the chin was
round and slightly double. The eyebrows
were heavy and the hair was black with a
coppery tint At the edges. The dress was
black, relieved by three great damask roses
at the bosom, and was 50 draped as TO show,
with some degree OF accuracy. a 1.-THE but
we'll rounded figure.
IL may boz repeated that little Mr. Tom n
Oddly felt that he had never before seen 80
bewitching creature, and when she looked
AZ him In pleading, timorous way and
asked In a low voice II 'this seat were en-.
gagged h. swept his things out OF the way
with single movement and declared him
self delighted to bs able o. say IL was not.
She thanked him with a little faltsring
smile and sat down
She was unprovided with current htera-
ture, and SO little Mr. Tom ~ Oddly, AS the
first advance toward his determined plan of
making himself agreeable, offered her part
OF his paper At this she stifened some
what, then prottily declined the offer, saying
that u hurt her eyes 10 read on the train
As she said 50 she turned those beautiful orhs
OF hers upon the young man, and Just To
show that he knew what was proper under
the circumstances, he replied that no book or
paper that had yet been written was worth
spelling those eyes over. She threw up the
lids a little moro at this, then smiled again
and lifted her shoulders Ia something very
near "A shrug
was very observing young man-and haz-
arded the remark that she was a foreigner.
mo" she replied, 81 was born in Cali
fornia.n
'Ah, indeed, said he, with fine spirit. $50
was so that we ars "A native son and
daughter OF the Golden West, and therefore
related"
That's quite ingenious" she remarked;
"are you lawyer"
NO. he answered. getting rather red in
the face; I'm connected with Messrs. Sock,
Tie & CO.
II have IA friend who deals there said
she sweetly; "are you one OF the partnersfr
No. he replied, feeling very warm about
the ears Il have charge OF the suspender de
partment"
"Oh, that must be very NICE said she;
such pleasant, clean business, isn't itrn
Yes, be replied, but without any very
great enthusiasm, for this was subject on |
which he did not particularly core 10 con- |
verss. He did not mind Il when he was with |
the Fellow who earned their living in the
same state Of life b.. Al 5-ssst. when he
80 ~ Pos''ss,ed OF the necessity x max
go ~, preston on this beautiful creatuse
A. = that The topic WINS one that ought 10 1
-"' changed ns speedily a. possible so
BrNplhg MS cane IN such a way a. 10 bring
uashlng ring within range Of those lovely
eyes ne asked their owner IL She was going
far. e'''s
To santa Rosa she said, ',aud your
"Oh, I'm going on back u Ciovcrdale Tor
little roughing it." he said with delightful
airiness, although he forgot 20 add that the
scene Of the roughing was his mother ranch.
docs u hurt you-tO rough itfn she asked,
with such gentle interest, that he thought he
had never met with anything qui;e - tender
and unsophisticnted
BLESS you, no" no cried why it's the
pleasantest kind Of life Fresh air fresl
milk, and an occasional bear
Bears she cried. but surely those
nasty hugging things must be dangsrousr'
"Of course they are said he, valiantly;
but 20 well prepared. / have revolver
In my valise and this cane Is a sword cane A"
''Is IL really, nowr she asked, with ready
interest chow does IL worki But perhaps
Il Is not right 20 display It here
II don't know but what you're right As
sented little Mr. Tom n. Oddly, especially
A. that fellow across the way has done moth
ing but stare ut us ever since the train
started. ! must say he's exceedingly imper-
tinsnt 10 60 looking like that at people he
don't know"
"Ah. but that's not all, ~ said she; would
you believe a., that man has followed mo ever
since ! left my house, got on the same boat,
and now here ho Is on tho same train. Oh, IL
only but there, don't lets notice him.
Tell mo about your bear hunts and how you
vuntIlH A. Lrttfa h.ar
10 hug me.n
Little M Tom n Oddly was trying hard
10 remember the most exciting bear adven-
ture he had ever read Of, when the engine
gave n shri foot.
"Oh, N.Y. cried she, laying her hand on
little Mr. Tom n. Oddys arm; II do believe
wore going through a tunnel"
There was mo- doubt about Il, and with nm
other toot the engine plunged into the long,
black hole. A Wild wicked hope leaped up
In little Mr. Tom y. Oddy's little mind, but |
II only lived moment, for there directly |
over the next seat was hung a lighted lamp |
IL only burned dimly and the light II gave |
out IN the backnoss Of the tunnel was very |
faint, but % was quite enough - stay little /
AR Tom y Oddly from doing the desperate
thinR h" had contemplated Tie could see the
pale outline of her face and two lustrous
49, "hiNh 'huNtd where her eyes were
cleaning but So too, he could see the oval
OF that fellows face across the way, and was
very sure that in the upper half Of that oval,
Just where u was cut hy the dark line Of the
hat brim there were two other eyes which
were liked very porsisteutly in his direction.
lhere was no us trying TO talk against the
roar OF the tunnel, but when they we're clear
o. II and in the light once more little Mr.
ION y. Oddly gave vent to his feelings by
snying.
Soniound that lnmpln
nHhyi Dos u smoker she asked. with
gentle snlicitude in both her look and tone.
=, NO he said; but il it had not been lit,
and them
Then, whatm
Wei one Is N much bolder in the dark"
ne replied, with Machiavellian evasiveness.
llont you think you are bold enough In
tue hghtP she asked, with captivating arch
ness
Sometimes" he answered