Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-13
CHAPTER XIV.
TINE AID TIDE.

More than once in the course Of this
history il has been mentioned that the
,indws of the artists chambers looked
ont upon n river. In truth, it was almost
impossible 30 he anywhere in Maxey's
mons and escape its presence. He had
chosen his suit for the free, open pros
ne. it afforded. and he had sketched and
r3:nt,I landscape from this lofty stu
anon n dozen times. 1t mattercd not in
what part of the house one was, there
Va, always something to remind him Of
the river.
The sweeping curve made by the
stream just above the center of the city
rrud7nod the otherwise narrow belt Of
W.. into u lakolike expanse and opened
VISA of miles to the eye. Over this
wide surface the wind came and went
rndrpr~cd It was ever rafting mt the
windows of the artist rooms. To awake
ofa viu,cr's night and hear the uneasy
.lr- .appin- with his chill hand for
s!mi--ipH was to bo reminded of the lev
val = flowing steadily with the tide
down between tho great stone walls in
Oh dar,Hcss.
The tide rose and fell in the river for
nils above the city. In the dead of
winter il lifted the solid white surface,
ike Iaarble floor, through 10 feet
-wic, u day. After thaw, when the
lee hr1hc Up. even in Maxey's rooms,
could b. heard the great blocks grind
inc against the stones. These floating
MASSES dr!fted variously, as the tide ran
t.lS up the stream. to crowd the mar
rlU space between the banks above the
sweeping curve or down beneath the
bridges and between the hulls Of innu-
mcrab!c vessels out to sea. Only in the
SPACE contiguous to the house in Balla-
yJiue place they remained stationary,
trr Just here CONFORMATION in the wall
gave whirling motion to the water.
The floating block that drifted too near
this spot was inevitably drawn in, and
enc in there it staid, pounded up and
DOWN, up and down against the mason
y and the decaying piles till it was
melted quite away.
Il was dark and mysterious recess,
this little section of the river beneath
TN artists windows. Somehow the
building stood a5out it in such q way rs
to cat of the sunlight, except perchance
q. high noon 1t was always gloomy
close % the wall Even when the river
slHrSled brightest in the smiling sum-
msr days. Just in here there was u drea-
" spot Here the water swirled and did
MT dance i'll little waves. Here, too,
had once been the end of wharf or
wooden structure of some kind a few
O. the venerable timbers yet remained
lmbeid"d firmly in the rivers bottom.
The blackened ends, projecting above
the surface, deepened the somber and
f0rl1rn effect.
The house in which Maxey lived did
not rise directly from the river wall. 1t
stood back and left little space-a
mean and parsimonious space-utilized
only by housewives for the hanging out
0. CLOTHES. 4 high picketed fence pre-
veAted the contiguity Of the river from
being dangerous.
OCCASIONALLY the janitor of the build
M. who was supposed to have protect
hIs w." for al that appertained to it,
emerged from the basement where he
!l'ed INTO the yard to cast about hin q
r'J'Sdring glance. Ono morning III De-
''dl''", when he came, trifing altera-
'l'i III the familiar prospect caught his
attention and aroused his wonder. The
pnp"r cud' Of two pickets IL the high
fence we've broken snort OF near the top.
oi' oi tine several pieces iay i'll the snow
~ iu' bottom of the fence; the other
s'i't hung by q silver from its place. The
Jaalt1r shook the woodwork, and his
AF'u'i"ation was increased when he
i'und that the two broken pickets were
lose This was such III incxpiicable