Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-27


was going into his trousers as ne snox.
He pu led out coins, mostly nickel.
amount ng to fifty cents. The clerk -
looking dubiously at the envelope. Il WA.
addressed to Harlem. "Dey amt no an
swer. and here's de money" Ninethirteen
said. The clerks suspicion went down
He gave the boy check, and he dartsd
off
Not to Harlem. but straight down to the
Equitable building did he 60 as fast as the
train would carry him. He gazed with
lofty scorn at the buttoned office boy. 81
amt dom bizness wild you," he said, and
pushing him aside strobe into the inner
office, where he saw Mr.. Frederic Brown
Romayne sitting at big desk.
DE oPman's on ter yerp' cried Nine.
thirteen, breaking in upon him; "yer mes
sage come inter de station an de blame foo,
read it out loud, an or Wright wuz in dere
an heere1 it, an he TUX it off wild him. an
he'll give Miss Mabel help
Nine-tlirteen couldn't stop to choose b;s
words, and he had lost all fear of the
slender, we'll dressed young fellow who sat
before him.
say That over again and say it SLOWLY -
said rown-Romayne quietly, and Nine.
thirteen went over it a:Min. But she
amt dere," he finished; shes went away
early wid her ant"
Young Brown-Romayne sat for a min
ute. How have you come to know all
this and why have you come to me powr,'
he asked
Nine-thirteen looked sheepish. az
watched yer till knew bout yer. Iknowed
de OF man warn't in it, kase you never
coined round wen he was dere, an wen he
come inter de offs an seen he was on ter
yer, come down ter tell yer dat de game
wuz up, an l done it 'cause-'cause''-
Nine-thirteen paused; he wasn't used to
psychological subtleties. Miss Mabel.
she's corker," he added. And the remark
was neither irreverent nor irrelevant.
Young Brown-Romayne saw the whole
thing in flash. He was a big, manly fell
low, and ne did just what he would have
done II Nine-thirteen had been big and
wore patent feathers and twice around
tie. he reached out and shook Nine-thir-
teens griny paw fervently Then he said
four woros that bathed the soul of Nine
thirteen n bliss, what shall we dop" he
asked.
IF l wuz youze," answered Nine-thir-
teen, judicially and Brown-Romayne
never smiled-"Fd git de bulge on de old
jay. I'd ind Miss Mabel and get married
fore seen him agin"
A sudden light broke into the young
mans eyes. "You say she went away with
her aunti'
y amt dead sure, but / fought it must
bin de ant. She looked like Mrs.
Wright" answered Nine-thirteen, care
fully.
Brown-Romayne pulled out his watch.
ITS 2:3o," he said; "her aunt lives in
Brick Church. l fancy Mabel has gone to
spend the day with her. It's worth trying
anyway. I'll do it. You're brick, Nine
thirteen. won't forget you" His hand
moved toward his pocket. NO" he said
suddenly, rising and closing his desk,
come along; / may want you"
So down they went and pushed their
way throu Oh Barclay streets fruit stalls
and trucks and children and boarded the
stuffy ferryboat, with its smell of the
stable. Brown Romayne looked straight
ahead Of him without a word. Hes dom
de heavy tninkin act" said Nine-thirteen
to himself And he was. When they had
got safely INTO the train on the New Jersey
side be turned to Nine-thirteen, "If | find
her." he said, you shall be best man, Nine
thirteen" Nine-thirteen looked sheepish-
ly delighted He didn't know what a best
man was.
1t was s O'Clock when Nine thirteen went
quietly into station 81 that night, and sit
ting down, swung his feet nonchalantly.
Here, you Nine-thirteen, give an &C
count Of YOURSELF" growled the clerk.
You've been away since o'clock. Where
in - have you beenY'
Been balm bes' man to Miss Mabel
Wright's vTeddin," answered Nine-thirteen
coolly, ian couldn't git back no sooner,
cause de bss' man has to see de bridal
couple of on DER weddin journey. Mine
went to de Isle Of Shoals" he volunteered
nanimously.-New York Evening Sun.