Rock Island Argus., 1901-05-30
The Daily Short Story
A SAILORS MONEY.

"Well. Smith. for fear o. accidents
some one had better take your money.
Who'll you leave it withf"
A girl was leaning out OF a window
above. She looked down and smiled.
"Oh, 1 seer' exclaimed the skipper.
You're going to take it. miss. Well.
you know where to go. Old Tom Price
is the owner an the name of the vessel
the Saucy Lass. Come on. Smith. No
more hankyin. Your sweetheartn take
your money" And he seized the newly
shipped by the arm.
NO, no." she cried i'm confusion. 81
do not know the gentleman. II
But already Smith. with the hand of
the skipper on his arm. had been hur-
ried out of earshot. and before she
could reach the door the two had van
ished down the row.
Eight weeks later the sailor returned.
His money had been kept for him, but
the girl had gone.
On his homeward path he stopped to
buy a morning paper. Quite undis-
turbed. he began TO look il over. Sud-
denly he caught his breath. His gaze
was riveted on an advertisement that
read thus:
George Neal is earnestly requested
10 communicate with Mess1s. Furness
d Wapp, when he viii hear of some
thing TO his advantage"
Before noon that day John Smith
was on his way to the city. As he burst
into the office carefully dressed old
gentleman, wearing pair of gold rim
med glasses. stepped forward to greet
I. - !.
his arm of.
''Why, my dear George" he cried.
"how glad L am to see you, We have
been advertising for you all over the
country. How is il you haven't seen
our advertisement before?"
In few words the young man told
his tale. The old solicitor listened
with much interest; then his face grew
grave.
$50 you have not heard the news,
my boy:' he said. Your uncle is dead"
"Deadr repeated George Neal sadly.
"And we parted in anger merely be-
cause l refused TO follow the profess
sion he had chosen for me-"
IF we thought oftener of the king
of terrors, there would he fewer quar-
rels," said the lawyer kindly; but he.
too. was sorry, George, though when
you hear the rest you may think he
took an odd way of showing it. l was
called in to draw up Il fresh Will. Sub
ject to one condition lie made his prop
erty over to you"
And that condition."
Excuse me n moment" said Mr..
Furness. looking at his watch. II ex-
pect 4 lady here presently. Let us step
into my private room"
"And that condition." said George
Neal firmly.
Now, my dear boy" said the law
yer, don't fire up. You have had your
way; let the dead man have his. In
some little miserable seaport on the
east coast your uncle had, what nearly
every successful man has nowadays.
poor relative 1t came TO his knowl-
edge that this poor relative had died
and left a daughter. This was quite
enough for your uncle. and 'he made it
a requisite condition that you marry
her. The lady's name is
"Stopr With his face expressing all
the bitterness he felt the young man
rose.
Footsteps had been coming nearer
every moment, and involuntarily Meals
face turned to the door. The clerk
came first. Then the lawyer. with old
fashioned courtesy, FASTENED forward
to intercept the visitor.
Miss Kate Perry" he said, "and
this. my dear young lady, is MIR. George
Neal"
All the blood that was in Meals body
rushed to his face. He stood graspinS
at the back of his chair, unable to utter
a word.
Then the little hand that the lawyer
held started trembling so violently that
it attracted Mr.. Furness' attention, and
he hastily led her TO a chair
"It is possible" he said. that my in
PRODUCTION comes n trife late. Am
wrong in this surmiseT"
IL" stammered Kate. "Mr. Smith,
Then she stopped. blushing deeply.
At last George Meals tongue was un-
tied, and he fastened to the rescue. Il
have met this young lady before" he
said, under very singular circum-
stances. We now meet under circum-
stances stranger still. An explanation
is due to her. and IL you will give lit
tie time TO explain
ScildintNf Sdiu
ness. rubbing his hands. Take all the
time you require. ] am quite content
TO let Cupid take my place as media
tor" And with a beaming face he bow
ed himself out.
When ii seemed to the despairing
clerk that the best part of the day had
gone, Mr.. Furness went back to his
visitors.
May 1 hope" he said gently. that
the explanation has not been a tire
some one?"
NO." said George, with n glowing
face. "To me it hasn't. / have offered
my dear Kate the property without in
eumbrance. But she has refused to ac-
cept 1t on any such terms. What are
we TO do"
My advice" said the old lawyer, sis
10 90 into Dartnership and IL the wishes