Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-07


YOU against one of my prime favorites."
sOh, indeed, Mrs. Morris" protested
Mrs. Brodie, II wouldn't think of such
thing. was just going to point out
to the colonel the very great difference
between what he might have been then
md what he has been ever since he Joined
the Eleventh"
But the point at issue seems to be
what he was then, as Mrs. Brodie puts
it," said Lawler.
But | wouldn't for the word nave
Won suppose l thought Mr. Hearn had
done anything that was ungentlem manly.
I'm only saying what rumor was, burst
in Mrs. Brodie again, who had at last
caught the signals on her husband face.
and now only sought to excuse her own
mpetuosity, even though in SC doing
she more deeply involved the young gem
tleman himself. 81 can't bear to hear
such things said of him without s.ny one
to defend him; but what can one do?"
This was getting simply unbe arabic.
While all at the other end of the table
were having a merry, laughing chat,
iere was this professional investi gator
an accidental and by no means welcome
guest-taking advantage of the circum-
stances and of the well known volubili-
syof Mrs. Brodie to start her on the sub
ject which called him to the post, and
striving at social party to ''pick up
points"
BY Jove!" muttered Capt. Cross,
hes as bad as Mr.. Abrams himself
What can we do to stop him? Nothing
short of divine providence will ever stop
Mrs Brodie."
But the desired interposition came.
Footsteps were heard on the piazza be-
gond the hall. The Chinalnan. answer
lS the summons TO the door, came
back, raising the portiere that hung
heavily over the entrance, and handed
Ills master card. Lane took it, ana
glanced quickly at Col. Lawler.
IF you will excuse me-" said the lat
ter, rising at once, ''these are gentlemen
whom L telegraphed to meet, and will
ave time by seeing them here. will
Just ask them into your parlor, Capt.
Lane" And quitting the room, he
passed through the hallway and met his
uEtimely callers at the door, Sam came
shuffling back an instant afte-', having
gone to turn up the parlor lights, and
Miss Marshall, glancing over her left
shoulder as the portiere was again raised,
saw that one of the men thus introduced
beneath the captains roof was the Ger
man Jew, Schonberg. Lane, busy in
striving to restore the tone Of general
chat, did not see them at all
1t was an hour later. The ladies had
risen and betaken themselves to the front
piazza; the men remained to smoke a
cigar with their host. The absence of
the legal luminary oddly enough had
diSpelled the atmosphere of gloom that
hung for few minutes about the lower
end of the table. He and his strange
visitors We're still closeted, so to speak,
IN the parlor, but now they came forth.
In some mysterious way every woman
had by this time learned that Mr.. Schon-
berg was there, and at the sound of the
opening parlor door and of the meIlif1u-
Gus accents Of that gentleman's voice
they instipctively huddled to the other
end of the piazza. Lawler walked with
the two men as far as the gate, and when
they finally disappeared in the direction
Of the store came sauntering back to join
the ladies'
''As l don't smoke" he said, 81 will
take my enjoyment here. Where shall
Isit:''
Take this chair, Col Lawler," said
Miss Marshall, noting the aversion with
which all the Others of the party had be-
come inspired. May l send for coffee
for your
Miss Marshall, have no small vices.
never drink anything stronger than
milk; never smoke, never chew, never
swear"
"Never even swear, colonel
Never. What is it you are smiling
att
Have you ever read the works of
Josh Billings, Col. Lawler?"
Il have no time to waste on nonsense,
Miss Marshall. And 1 never could see
anything funny or witty in such men as
Billings and Artemus Ward"
'Well, it wasn't his fun l was think
ing of quite so much just now as his in
sight into character" said the young
lady musingly, as she still gravely looked
him over with her big eyes.
Two young officers came strolling
along the walk at the moment, and pass
ing beneath the lamp raised their caps
in salutation to the ladies. Miss Mar
shall nodded and smiled with marked
cordiality.
"An wasted, Miss Marshall; they
could not see it.
"No, colonel, and particularly want
ed one of them at least to do so. Now,
that's a part of the army that decidedly
like"
"Who are they, may ask"
'Mr. Wallace and his especial friend
Mr.. Hearn.'
"And is it possible that you find such
young men to your taste? fgave you
credit for having rather higher stand
ard"
"But it is their standard that I so
much admire, Col. Lawler. don't sup
pose anything would tempt either of
those young men to say or do a mean OF