Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-11-10
CHAPTER XIV.
JOE HIGGINS DISCOUESES ON THE ApyAN
TAGES OF NOT WORKING TOO HARD.


TAGEs OF NOT WORKING TOO HARD
For an hour Alec logged along. up
hill and down. only the rickety rattle
of the we'll worn light wagon breaking
the monoteny. He passed several farm
ers in similar rigs to his own and in
stlnctively fell TO comparing himself
with them. Already in o few weeks he
had been erubbing among these hills he
had become countryman. with all the
rustic's awkwardness, shyness and un-
calmly walk. His clothes seemed to de-
mand these things of him. His sur
roundings by sympathy drew him into
their own likeness. The city was one
life and the country was another, and
having chosen to live in the country he
did not find its limitations irritating,
and ne almost wondered at it. But he
perceived that he was drifting farther
and farther away from city customs and
manners.
About l O'Clock he stopped at a farm
house for dinner and to give his horse a
feed Of some oats he had with him.
When he took cut the oats. he saw the
luncheon bag and Immediately looked
TO see what was inside. There were two
sandwiches and several doughnuts and
some ginger cookies. Down among them
was little black thing that looked like
beetle. He put his hand in to pick IL
out and found it was his dollar bill.
Now 1t was his turn to be surprised and
embarrassed and reused. He could never
offer it to her again. He wondered il
a oil l..
way of showing it. For a moment he
was angry with her. Their he had an
impulse Of admiration. He ended with
q feeling of deep and uncomfortable
doubt. He asked himself II Maud could
by any possibility be in love with him.
But. no, it was preposterous. He dis.
missed it from his mind. but determin.
ed never again 10 see her. The charming
Sttle romance be bad spun about her
was spoiled.
But before he reached home he receiv.
ed still more disagreeable shock As
he drove slowly along not half q mile
from Ashton a carryall loaded with CAV
summer boarders whirled past him. He
looked up suddenly, and his eyes mes
those of young lady he had known in
New York. Whether she recognized hin.
or not lie could net tell, but evidently
she had come to spend few weeks in
the neighborhood. for the carryall was
the property of a farmer whose name
Alec knew and who came every day to
the store. Probably Miss Dora Thistle
had arrived the previous day. 1t was
impossible to suppose that she wouldn's
recognize him sooner or later. He bad
never contemplated this sort Of thing.
What would she think of him, working
in this garb among such people? And
what queer stories would she no: set
afioat among the people i'll New York
who had known him: He fairly hated
her. He wanted TO escape somewhere.
anywhere. He thought he had cut loose
from New York forever. That New
York should come to the retired little
village Of Ashton TO spend its holidays
he never contemplated. The calm sereni-
ty OF the place seemed broken. Half the
charm was gone.
He was almost surly rs he entered the
Kitchen after putting Up his hose and
found 'Lisbetb scrubbipg the floors. Is
was after 6. and supper YVES on the t.
bic. but there had been visitors at the