Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-16

But I felt Linn following me when
made tracks. though of course l didn't
| turn round TO see
why not:"
MY dear Bunny, it's the very worst
! thing you can do. As long as you look
/ unsuspecting they'll keep their dis
| tance, and SO long as they keep their
| distance you stand a chance. Once
| show that you know you're being fol
lows, and it's flight or fight for all
! you're worth. I never even looked
round, and mind you never do in the
same hole. just hurried up to Black
| friars and booked for High street,
KensinGton, at the top OF my voice.
and rs the train was leaving Sloane
square out / hoped and up all those
stairs like n lamplighter and round to
the studio by the back streets. Well.
to be on the safe side lay low there
all the afternoon. hearing nothing in
the least suspicious and only wishing
had n window to look through in
stead of that beastIy skylight How
ever. the coast seemed clear enough,
and thus fer it was my mere idea that
lie would follow me. There was moth.
ing to show lie had. So at last l march
ell out in my proper rig-almOst
straight into. old Baird's arms
WHAT on earth did you do:'
walked past him as though l had
never set eyes on him in my life. and
didn't then; took hanson in the
Kings road and drove like the deuce
TO Clapham junction; rushed on 20 the
nearest platform without a ticket,
jumped into the first train ! saw. got
out ut Twickenham. walked full tilt
back to Richmond, took the District to
Charing Cross, and here l am. ready
for a tub and a change and the best
dinner the club can give us. / came
TO you first because l thought you
might be getting anxious. Come round
with me and won't keep you long"
You're certain you've given him the
slip?" l said as we put on our hats
Certain enough, but we can make
assurance doubly sure" said Raffies.
and went to my window, where he
stood for a minute or two looking
down into the street.
''All right" l asked him
"All right said he. and we went
downstairs forthwith and SO to the
Albany arm in arm.
But we were both rather silent OH
the way. /, for my part, was wonder
ing what Raffies would do about the
studio in Chelsea, whittier at all events
he had been successfully dogged. To
me the point seemed one of immediate
importance, but when | mentioned il
he said there was time enough TO think
about that. His one other remark was
made after we had nodded, i'll Bond
street. TO a young blood of our ac-
quaintance who happened to be get
ting himself bad name.
Poor Jack Rutter!" said Raffles
with Il sigh. "Nothing's sadder than
TO see a fellow going to the bad like
that. He's about mad with drink and
debt, poor devil, Did you see his eye?
Odd that we should have met him to-
night. by the way. It's old Baird who's
said TO have skinned him. BY God,
but I'd like TO skin old Baird
And his tone took a sudden low fury,
made the more noticeable by another
long silence, which lasted, indeed,
throughout an admirable dinner at the
club and for some time after we had
settled down in a quiet corner of the
smoking room with our coffee and
cigars. Then at last / saw Rallies look
ing at me with his lazy smile and l
knew that the morose fit was at an
end.
II dare say you wonder what I've
been thinking about all this timer said
he. 1--WE been thinking what rot it is
to go doing things by halves."
"Well," said /. returning his smile,
that's not 4 charge that you can
bring against yourself, is it,"
I'm not so sure" said Rafiies, blow
ing a meditative puff. LAS matter