Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
MAKING A REPUTATION.
lOrisinal.l
"Why.AAIr. PeekSH
'Uponj my word, Miss Writer"

daredevil. Mr. Peeks had DO especial
desire to%break his neck or XII any one
for Miss tWinter, though he loved her.
Now theyshadNmet at the seasalore. He
Joined herr and walked. beside her.
Fate seems inclined to throw us to-
gether." hesremarked. After all, fate
knows what's best for us"
II know ybetter than fabe," she re-
piled.
"In respect, to who shall!be your hujs-
banda"
II will marry no man who will not
dare and doSfor me before 1 consent TO
be his wife If.he WILLING before.mar-
rage. cannot expectfit of him. after
ward"
''Will you put him4to n testY5
Possibly
You say that you will only marry
a man who Will dare tand do for you;
that you will test himsand findi out for
yourself if he is that kind of a man.
1t all seems verYplain, but yOumay be
deceived after adj"
az don't meantthat I will not marry
any except one who would swim in
dangerous water to pluck me n pond
lily My fancy is one who has that
cool assurance we so often see in
heroes in the. theater, Onewho can look
down the muZZle of n revolver and
crack jokes with thetenemy who1pointS
it-a man of assurance"
Such situations are not to betcalled
up at will. except in plays"
ooh, L can tell the' kind Of a man 1
mean very easily
They Were stT0lling on an avenue
lined on either side with cottages. The
sun shone down upon these homes by
the sea, glistening from their roofs and
the vines which in many cases Gov
cred them. Miss Winter was without
parasoI, without hat. She loved the
sunshine and would not interfere with
its kissing her cheek.
What a dainty little cottage" she
exclaimed as they approached one of
the residences, "and what a pleasant
outlook there most be from that Win
dow. with its pretty white curtains.
in the peak of the roof. See the,vase
of roses standing on the sill"
Would you like one of those roses"
Miss Winter cast Il quick side, glance
at her companion.
az rather think 1 would" she, said.
"Very WILL you shall have it if it
costs me my life TO get it,
Mr. Peeks pushed on to the gate
walked rapidly up the walk to the
piazza and. boldly opening the door,
walked into the house. Miss Winter
stood still, lost in admiration at the
mans assurance. In a few minutes
PeekS appeared at the window and
was about to grasp a rose from the
vase when he was suddenly drawn
back violently. Then there was an
occasional appearance within the room
of Mr.. Peeks sparring with a young
man. The enemy looked younger and
smaller than Peells. who was evidently
getting the best of him. At last Pee@ls
dragged him to the window, where. he
held him with one arm around his
chest while he carefully removed the
vase with the other, then forced the
man out of the window and held
him suspended above the turf far be
low.
"Shall drop him?' he called to. Miss
Winter.
"I'll do it. for your sake
For my sake stop. Come back
here
Just Is you wish
He pulled the young man in the win
dow, then seized rose, and Miss Win
ter could hear the door slam. In an
other minute he came out OF the front
door and. joining Miss Winter. offered
her the flower. The young man in the
room, frantic with rage. came to the
window and shook his fist, muttering
maledictions.
''Well, upon my word" said Miss
Winter. aghast, that's the most i'm
pudent thing l ever saw done. What
will the people in the house think of
you? And that poor boy! You ought
to be ashamed of yourself. He was no
match for you whatever. Do you think
they'll have you arrested?''
What care 1? Have 1 not made a
test for myself and won?'
Miss Winter turned her face away
and shifted the rose. No more marked
test of assurance could have been de-
vised nor carried out more success
fully.
DO you lHluh ne VIII IOllOW you
she asked. referring to the young man
who had incurred such hard treatment.
NO. He's nothing but a boy. take
no credit for having worsted him. Ee
doesn't want any more of it,
They walked on till they reached
Miss Winters hotel.
81 suppose 1 may call this EVENING"
said Peeks.
Certainly.
Mr.. Peeks called. He was really a
very acceptable person, and now that he
had fulfilled the conditions Miss Win
tiers romance had imposed there was
no reason why she should not accept
him. and she did so before he left her
Mr.. Peeks informed his fancee that
his mother was with him at the sea
shore. He would announce his en-
gagement to her. and she would call |
-hn