Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Face of Dignity.
IOriginal.1

spectacle, moral. dignified, honorable,
one is, he!is liable at some time to be
caught inIa shameful situation. Fred
Barnabee was the last man in the
world TO be laughed at A gentleman,
prominent in his set. courteous and
dignified, deferential to all, the very
mention of his name in a party of
young people was sufficient to excite
sentiments Of respect and admiration.
Barnabee was one of those men whom
no one expects to make any matrimo
NAL alliance except with a lady equal
ly refined and prominent as himself
Miss Alice Huntington was such a per
son, and when Barnabee began to pay
her marked attention the social world
said, That will be an excellent match"
Miss Huntington possessed every trait
calculated to make her asIprominent as
Barnabee save one-she was not as
particular as to her associates. At
dance she was rather inclined to fill
her card with names of young men
who were either strangers in town or
fellows who needed a bit of influence
TO render them acceptable in society
this, but endured it, since it was we'll
understood that Miss Huntington
might choose her associates always
from among the most eminent in soci-
ETY..
One evening Barnabee entered the
grounds of Mr.. Huntington, father of
the young lady in question, when he
saw the figure of Ellison Treat Just en-
tering the front door. Mr.. Treat was
a stranger who had been taken up by
Miss Huntington despite the fact that
he was somewhat brusque in his de-
pertinent and disposed to set aside
many of society's most cherished rules
He was in condition of probation, no
one-unleSs it was Miss Huntington
knowing exactly whether TO accept
him as one of the gilded set or not
Barnabee suspected that Treat had
the same object in view as himself
VIZ, Miss Huntington. If Treat was n
sutton in good standing with the lady
be (Barnabee) would retire No one
would ever think Of Barnabee running
a race with another man for the hand
OF any woman. The match he would
make must be unlque-that is. pair
others in their set. Treat was evidently
much at home with the HuntingtOns or
he would not be calling at so late an
hour. 1t was after 10 o'clock. Indeed
Barnabee made up his mind to discover
the situation before paying any fur
ther especial attention to Miss Hunt
ington. He noticed near the parIor
window, which was too high for him to
look into from the ground. splendid
apple tree, which was at the time full
of Tipcning fruit. If he could get n
glimpse of Treat and Miss Huntington
alone together he could form an opin-
ion Of their relationship. Fortune ia
vored him I'm Il short ladder which rest
ed against the tree and 10y which he
mounted TO the lower limbs without
tearing his kid gloves. 1t occurred to
him that the act was beneath what
would he expected of him. but it was
so easy of accomplishment that he
yielded.
The window shade was raised, and
the bright light revealed Mr.. Treat sit
ting in an easy chair very much at
home and Miss Huntington by a table
doing fancy work There was nothing
any especial relationship, and Barna-
bee, suddenly realizing that he would
better be engaged at other business,
was about to descend when Il rear door
opened. Mr.. Huntington came out and.
proceeding to n dog kennel, Embossed
mastiff Leading the dog to the tree. he
commanded him 10 lie down, then went
back into the house.
A cold sweat stood out on Barnabees
brow. Great heavens. was the dog to
be left there all night? Barnabee could
have stood flogging. keelhaulinS,
anything in the way of bodily suffer
ing. but to be caught in such position
as this would be maddening.
Treat was still in the house. How
would he get out of the grounds with
the dog unclaimed? Was he so init
mate with the Huntingtons that even
the dog considered him one of the fam
lily? In half an hour Treat appeared
at the front door, accompanied by Mr..
Huntington, who called the dog and
stood for a moment holding him by
the collar.
Its the only way to keep my ap-
PIES" Barnabee heard him say. ''The
boys would have them all in one night
il left them unguarded. Good night.
Come to dinner on Sunday"
As soon as Treat was out Of the
grounds the speaker Embossed his hold
on the dog and. pointing TO the tree.
sent the brute back to his post. Then
he went into the house.
II was midnight when Barnabee con-
Guided TO make an effort to ingratiate
himself with the dog. The effort was
failure. AS soon as the beast heard
a sound in the tree he set up vocifer-
Gus barking. nor would he desist. In
| half an hour Mr.. Huntington came out
| in a dressing gown.
What is il. BrIin:"