Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-08-27
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Judges Romance.

My pOsitionIwas thus when the courts
were closed for the summer season of
a certain year and l retired to my usual
resort on the Seashore.
1t may not strike you ias quite con-
sistent when l. say that aIfew days aft
er my arrival a woman appeared who
caught my attention. She was regis
tered as Mrs" and 1t was understood
that her husband would appear later.
She was handsome, well formed, re-
1ined-in all outward respects a lady.
l did not have speech with her, but l
admitted to myself that but for my dig
nifty and position / might have at
tempted what is legally known as
mild Irritation.
People seemed to understand intui-
lively that n judge of special sessions
did not care ito hear about trifles. and
so no gossip was poured into my ears.
However, 1 learned later on seven or
eight rooms We're robbed inside of
week. The robberies occurred by day,
and generally at meal times and the
plumber was money and jewelry. In
one case the loss amounted to $500, in
another to $500, in a third to over ST.
0OO
After the first complaint had been
made the landlord set II watch, but in
the face of that three more rooms were
pIundered and n confding guest who
kept several hundred dollars In his
trunk instead of the hotel safe found 1t
missing one day after luncheon. Then
two detectives were employed, and all
the $50 guests felt themselves under
espionage. If not suspicion-all but I.
How could landlord, detective or any
one else suspect the integrity of Judge
Coke?
The robberieS ceased as suddenly as
they had begun. but for reasons known
to themselves the detectives decided
to search the baggage OF certain guests.
one of whom was the handsome Mrs.
Blank. heard nothing of this at the
time, but as left my room on the day
OF the search l encountered the lady
with a small package in her hand and
she frankly said to me:
Judge Coke. 1 have not had the
honor OF an introduction, but l wish to
beg a favor of you. As the clerks are
busy this morning, and as the porter
does not look like man to be trusted.
you would put me under many Obliga-
tons by taking this package to the eX
press office 1t is directed to my hus-
band. as you see, and contains papers
that he must have soon. l am sorry
to thus impose upon your good nature,
but
Say no more, madam interrupted.
as 1 took the package from her; Il
shall be only too happy to be of service
TO you"
l may have smiled as l lifted my
hat and bowed. but l contend that l
lost none Of my dignity, and OF course
1 did not make it an excuse for any
extended conversation.
met her on the street, q full block
from the hotel, upon my return, but
as 1 handed her over the receipt 1
merely raised my hat again and spoke
OF the. weather.
The search was made quietly and
with the consent of the guests, but IT
proved futile.
The next three days passed without
excitement, and took 1t into my head
to order a carriage and be driven out.
1t has always been my opinion that
judge looks well as he rides out In
q landau with head erect and arms
folded.
was being bowled along the boule-
ward connecting my resort with one
five miles away, with my driver fully
conscious of my dignity and impOr
lance, when a parasOl was waved at
me from the sidewalk. and l made out
a lady at the end of it. More than
that, l made out Mrs. Blank. who said
to me as my carriage halted at the
curb:
Judge Coke, were you going to drive
over to Surf City?'
81 am on my way there, madam" l
replied as my hat came Off at the
proper angle.
''Then-then"-
what is 1t, MADAME
al have q friend over there who is
| i'll, and there is no train for two hours.
1 know 1t is presumption on my part,
but
Not at all, madam. Let me assist
you In. will have you there in three
quarters of an hour, and the obligation
will be mine"
There were no languishing smiles,
no gOogOO eyes on my part Indeed,
think that most of our conversation
uutlilS the uTlNe TeLeETeQ 10 JUe law OIL
rectly or indirectly. 1 was a bit sur
prised that she should ask to be set
| down on the public square instead Of
at her friends house, but dignity for
babe me even to raise my eyebrows
She bowed and returned thanks;
raised my hat and murmured, Don't
mention it," and we parted
My position demanded that 1 should
forget her as soon as possible or until
l met her at breakfast next morning
and l had fairly succeeded when l re-
turned to the hotel two hours later
Then she rushed back into my memory
| Mt bound. The landlord and the de-
tectives were looking for her. 1t had
become known that she was an adj
ventures whose photograph adorned
more than one rogues' gallery and who
had even done time for theft. 1t
WINS she who had pls-nad ont tho rooms