Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-23
~~-~-~~~-~~OOOO~C~~~0~ 49, : :
DAILY SHORT STORY
A FEUD SETTLED.
[Original.l


frequent of all disturbers of mems
-woman-brought about
GOODNESS between them. Nevertheless
they were joint owners in their boats,
nets and other fishing paraphernaAa
and still fshed together.
One afternoon they We're out on the
ocean in a small fishing boat, Il yawl.
when a black cloud rising against the
wind admonished them to pull for the
shore Each had been thinking during
the day that the other was trying TO
supplant him in the affections of Gcor-
gia ConIey. and they pulled along IN
sullen silence.
What v goin' TO do tonight" asked
Bowline presently of his companion.
Coin to see Georgia"
you've chosen an unfortunit time.
She and l agreedt that l was to come
round this evenin' and take her over to
Sarah Robbins
I've got note from her in my peck
ct appOintin' for me TO call this even
in" replied Hunter. The tone in which
they spoke had become more acrid.
The only other sounds about chem
were the oars III the rOwloCks and Il
light swish of following waves against
the stern of the boat. Presently Bow
line again broke silence.
II tell you what, Jack, il isn't fair TO
Georgia for us two to be pcSterin' her
at once. 1t might end in her marryin'
nobody. She needs to marry, for her
father is gettin' old, and the loss of the
Pelican took his Savin'S for whole
lifetime 1t would be better for her if
one of us left the other out here in the
ocean some time. That would settle
her"
Tonight is as good a time as any
Reckon since y're so clipper about
it you expect I'm the one TO be left"
Reckon you'll be if you mean what
you say"
IF you expect anything unfair from
me you're mistaken. III take no ad-
vantage of you"
Il won't let you. Besides, you're in
the stern with your back TO me. |
could brain you with my oar before
you could say Jack Robinson"
''You wouldn't do that. You amt
mean enough. Besides, you'd likely
come to grief when my body was found
with my skull stove in
We'll. since you've made the PROPOSE
ton. why don't you stand up. turn
about and the one that can knock the
other overheard pulls in and has free
field"
Hunter spoke with such manifest in
ability to conceal his rising chOler that
Bovine feared to remain longer as he
was. He rose. and that called Hunter
to- his feet. The two stood glaring,
each threatening the other with an up
lifted oar; then. moved by Il mutual i'm
pulse they began to fence with their
improvised lanCes. But they had fought
only Il few minutes when the wind
struck them on the quarter. and, had
| they not instantly sat down, they
would have been obliged To continue
the struggle. if at all. in the water.
| There was enough in the common dan
| ger to induce them to drop their quar-
rel TIL they could get ashore. Selling
their oars, they pulled Justify. drifting
nearly parallel with the beach. The
shore curved toward them, and after
awhile they came near enough 10 make
an attempt to beach their boat. Watch
| ing their opportunity, they pulled in on
the crest of Il wfVC, jumped into the
| water and succeeded in running the
boat up out of reach of the next wave.
There is something uniting in danger
past and there is something destructive
Of hot blood in cold wster. As soon as
they We're safe apd had rested from the
struggle BOwline said:
We've made asset of ourselves,
Jack"
so we have"
at would be much more sensible to
leave Georgia to make her own deci-
SION
"Of course it would"
Suppose we walk back up the beach
to her house, so in and submit our
| case to her"
a good idea"
With one accord they started TO walk
three miles to the cottage where the
bone of contention lived.
I'm treating you fair. Jack" said
| Bovine. Il tell you as friend YOU
amt got q ghost of q chance. She had
her picture taken the other day, and
this morning she gave me one"
He opened his pocketbook and took
out photograph.
Hunter produced its duplicate.
HIN" said Bowline. That's singu-
lar.'
| 1t was growing dark when they start
| ed. and il was soon dark as pitch.
They marched on in silence till they
| came upon a cottage Nesting from the
wind and the waves behind dune
| Had they not been familiar with the
| locality they would not have seen their
| way TO it. Suddenly it was revealed
| 10 them as distinctly as Mt midday by
n vivid flash of lightning.
There was another revelation-one
| that neither had looked fora revela-
| ton that neither ever forgot. There
| on the little porch in hammock
| swung from opposite corners sat two
| beings so close together that even the
| light OF electricity could show no in
terval. They were Georgia COnley and