Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Mission Bride.
IOriginaL1

gangplank out of the ship was come
IL girl who looked about her expect
antly. \ young man stepped up 10 her
and, lifting his hat. asked:
Can l be of service TO you:''
81 have come here replied the girl
hesitatingly to meet my-my affi-
anced''-
Il see" said the young man, speak
ing in n very pleasant. sympathetic
tone. Yours is one of those cases
wherein the bishop does the counting
by proxy. You are assigned to one of
the workers here. Do you care to give
me his nameE'
Herbert Tingley."
"And yours?'
LENA Crawley."
Il don't envy you. This marrying a
man whom you'll suppose you have
never seen him."
No"
incOgnitO:"
Il would like it very much"
'Well. let me see. TO remain incogni-
TO you must lodge where no one is in
terested in mission work. There's 4
house up yOnder where l think they'll
take you i'll. Tomorrow I'll pass be-
fore your window with your afIianccd.
and in the evening I'll bring him to
call upon you. Does lie expect you?"
NO; there was no ship coming here
by which to notify him before the
Star of the East, in which | have
come
That's fortunate. Well, Id better
leave you here l shall be happy to
serve you in any way in my power.
Good evening"
The girl put out her hand and grasp
ed his warmly. He had spoken so
kindly, so soothingly. She had scarce
ly realized the distress of the position
in which she was to be placed until
she had stepped ashore. How fortu-
nate that she should have met this
man. Oh, that the person to whom
she had been assigned would be half
so winning,
She found 4 lodging in the house des-
ignatcd. Indeed, in that small com
munity of cXileS-for such they were
no one coming from civilized land
would be refused. 4 motherly woman
gave her a good room and saw that
she was comfortably settled in it.
Moreover. the girl was pleased that
her hostess rcfraincd from questioning
her.
The next day she noticed the man
who had met her walking back and
forth slowly before the house with an
other in clerical drcss-a short. thick
set, redheaded man. who wore glasses.
l., rs,-Tr.
Il can never do it she Gaspcd. I'm
going back on the Star of the East"
Then she remembered that her IA
Tiers lifelong friend. the bishop, had
told her that the man to whom lac had
assigned her was one of naturc's no
blemen. 1t must be in spirit" she
muttcrCd. 1t is certainly not in the
flesh"
That evening the two men called to-
gether, sending in cards on which
were printed Herbert Tingley" and
Walter I. Drohan."
This is the lady said the gentle
man who had befriended her. of
whom l was speaking to you. She
came in yesterday on the Star of the
East and proposes, ! believe. to make
her home with us. Knowing your
kindly interest in strangers, l proposed
to bring you to visit her. Then you
can send the ladies of the mission to
call upon her"
Pleased to meet you" said the cler-
zeal man. with the air of one who Won
dercd what business his friend had to
put him to so much trouble. Indeed
his manner in every respect was re
pellent. lie plunged in TO ask Il num-
Der of questions. fortunately without
giving the girl time to reply to them.
The man who had introduced him
sat listening without interrupting him.
The girl did not seem to hear Il word.
She made 4 resolution To go back home
on the Star of the East and was try
ing to remember what she had heard
as to the date of sailing. She wished
it was tomorrow. Finally. when the
man had tired of listening to himself
talk-for he had no other audicncc-hc
looked at his friend and half rose
from his seat, as much as to suggest n
departure.
Il think I'll remain a little longer"
said the other Il want to give the
young lady some information she
needs. But don't stay II you nave 9th
er matters. I'm very much obliged TO
you for coming with me-
Yes. I'm Il busy man. The superin-
tcndent has been loading me down
with work lately. He says I'm the
only man he can get to carry out his
plans. His plans! Why. I've planned
every move he has made But he
doesn't know it. He thinks he has
planned everything himself Well Ito
the girD. good night. Ta-ta. Tingley."
And with 4 puff and a snort he was
gone.
SO thoroughly appalled, was Miss !
Crawley at tho idea of passing her life |
with this boaster that she did not no |
uce the name by which he addressed |
his friend She sank on TO sofa and |