The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-03-29
! COSTIGAN THE
~ RENEGADE
BY Ewan Macpherson
COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY
EVAN MACPHERSON

"Oh, you don't know what you're
talking about, man." CoStigaa retorted.
jamming his foot hard against the
edge Of the window sill and using the
leverage Of it to tilt his chair back on
its hind legs. Just you wait"
Costigan was really taking the call
ing down" of his friend very patiently
for a man with the reputation of a
quick temper. You might account for
this patience. if you chose. by the in
timacy between the two that had
grown up in nearly three years of COM
mon detestation Of tie average board
ing house. in dining together seven
days every week at restaurants chosen
by common consent. and in the occu-
patton of furnished rooms in the same
house, where they cOntended with the
landlord as one man.
Lastly-here was the most important
bond of union between CoStigan and
Muller-they had long since talked
over together the great question OF
woman's proper place in the order of
it was nowhere. Naturally, Muller
felt aggrieved when he caught COSti-
gan twice strolling in shady places
with blooming. brown haired young
member Of the reprohated sex, whose
eyes had dangerous way of smiling
at one without losing q certain sug-
geStiOn Of sadness.
Muller waited a minute to ruminate
on the possible hidden meanings Of his
friends last saying. Then lie vecred
around and with more asperity of tone
and manner said: If | don't know
what I'm talking about. why in thun-
der don't You put me right? Is She a
typewriterY
II regret to notice III you of late,
Muller, an unpleasant use of vulgar
slang. No. you did not get it from me.
| avoid all-all such marks of-of
toushness."
THAT is, you have been trying to for
the last three weeks-since YOU got
stuck on this typewriter"
Typewriter is not a description of
any class of woman. 1t is the name
of Il machine. The lady you refer to
is a typester. ! met her-found her in
large insurance Office down town"
and after all you have said about
! women and marrying and all that sort
Of thing you went and fell in love with
her, and Oh, Costigan.'
Il repeat Muller, that you don't
know what you are talking about.
Fate brought us together"
"Whew" Muller whiStled aloud in
CONSERVATION at these last words as
| if to say, us it as bad as that" And
then picking up the evening paper he
had brought into Costigan's room, he
| retreated to his own.
But man is at best a plaything of
| fate Muller, the morning after this
| conversation. was troubled and dis
| trait. His fellow clerk at the office
| remarked that he looked 'dopy." The
I senior office boy and factotum, who
| had his own way Of interpreting signs
| grnned and whispered that Mr.. Muller
must have fallen in love, and he ever
| succeeded in spreading that view OF
| the situation. And when Muller went
| out to get a bite" he picked things VI
| from the lunch counter in an indis
criminate way that made the attend
| ants stare at him. At last he turned
| away from the counter blindly anC
ran into the person who happened tC
| be standing next behind him; and, 10
| 1t was a woman,
IL beg your pardon" he began, in
expresslbly humiliated by the necessity
of apologizing to one of that sex. Ht
took refuge in STOPPING attitude, col
lecting sandwiches from off the tilet
! floor.
The inopportune female was dow
| there Just as fast as he was. only she
was laughing. Don't mention it
laugh-"accidents can't always be-
more laughing-''I believe you've taker
my sandwich by mistake. Mine wa:
bee-bee''- The rest was lost in +,
hopeless outburst.
With about fifteen people waiting Il
get at that particular part of the coun
ter which they were obstruCting. ant
several dozens more watching am
thoroughly enjoying the proceedings
Muller felt that he could not bear t.
remain on that tiled spot crawlin:
about in search of demOr1liZed sand
wiches. He got up and faced TIL
enemy. He recognized her She wa
"the woman"-she who had entrappet
Costigan-COstigan's "typester."
Really, I'm extremely sorry for hav
ing got in your way, Mr.. Muller"
She had his name pat. That renegad
Costigan must have told her all abOu
him. 1t was a splendid opportunit.
for Muller to display the courage 0
his convictions. The convictions wer
there, but the courage was not to b
found. He could only stammer:
"Oh, not at all. All my fault. YO
must let me get you some more beef
was it beef sandwiches you said
Then he said within his heart that h
was a liar and hypocrite and tha
his moral degradation had begun a
soon as he had run into this woman.
For her part. she actually seemed t
enjoy the adventure, which struc
Muller as downright braZen. "Yo
see. | happen to be in a laughing moo
today" she had the impudence to sa,
and she went on to ask him a doZe
questions about bis acquaintance wit
Costigan-how long it had lasted. an
whether they had ever met before NJ
Costigan came to New York.
"No," he said; I'VE only met b