Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-09-23

| while / could. Even as we spoke there
came a knock at the door. 1t was the
| telegram at last. and. after reading il
| himself. the QueenSlander handed il to
me.
called out OF town. he grumbled.
Sudden Illness OF near relative. What
| near relatives has he got:"
1 knew OF none. and for an instant l
| quailed before the peril of invention.
Then / replied that i had never met
any Of his people and again felt forti-
fed by my veracity.
Thought you We're bosom pals?" said
he, with (as l imagined a CLEAN or
suspicion in his crafty little eyes.
"Only in town." said l. I've never
been to his place"
.'Wen.'' he growled. u suppose ii
| can't be helped. Don't know why he
couldn't come and have his dinner first.
Like TO see the deathbed I'd 20 to with
out my dinner. It's full skin billet, IL
you ask me- Well, we must just dine
without him. and he'll have to buy his
pig in poke after all. Mind touching
that bell? Suppose you know what he
came to see me about? Sorry shant
see him again, for his own sake. J
liked Raffies-took to him amazingly
He's cynic. Like cynics. One my
self. Rank bad form of his mother or
his aunt. and l hope she will 60 and
kick the bucket
l connect these specimens of his con
versation, though they We're doubtless
detached at the time and interspersed
with remarks of mine here and there.
They filled the interval until dinner
was served, and they gave me an I'm
preston of the man which his every
subsequent utteraEce confirmed. 1t
was an impression which did away
with all remorse for my treacherous
presence at his table. He was that ter
rible type, the silly cynic, his aim Il
caustic commentary on all things and
all men, his achievement mere vulgar
irrevereHce and unintelligent Scorn.
Ill bred and i'll Informed. he had ton
his own showing) fiuked into fortune
on rise in land. Yet cunning he pos
sessed as well as malice, and he chuc-
kled till he choked over the misfortune
of less astute spectators in the same
boom. Even now l cannot feel much
conjunction for my behavior to the
hOI j. VI. trdSSS, VI. L. 7.
But never shall l forget the private
agonies of the situation, the listening
to my host with one ear and for
Raffies with the other, Once | heard
him. though the rooms were not di-
vided by the old fashioned folding
doors, and, though the door that did
divide them was not only shut, but
richly curtained, 1 could have sworn
l heard him once. / spilled my wine
and laughed at the top of my voice
ut some coarse sally of my hosts,
and l heard nothing more. though my
ears were on the strain. But later. to
my horror. when the waiter had final
~ withdrawn, Craggs himself sprang
up and rushed to his bedroom with
on. word. 1 sat like stone till he
returned.
Thought ! heard door 60" he
said. Must have been mistaken
imagination-Save me quite turn.
Rallies tell you priceless treasure |
got in thcre:"
1t was the picture at last. Up to
this point L had kept him to Queens
land and the making of his pile. l
tried to get him back there now, but
in vain. He was reminded of his
great, ill gotten possession. | said
that Ratfies had just mentioned it,
and that set him off. With the con
tidential garrulity of Il man who had
dined too well he plunged into his
darling topic, and l looked past him
at the clock. 1t was only d quarter
to 10.
In common decency l could not go
yet, SO there l sat I'VE were still at
port and learned what had originally
fired my hosts ambition to possess
what he was pleased TO call a real,
genuine. twin screw double funneled,
copper bottom old master" 1t was to
go one better" than some rival legis-
lator of pictorial proclivities. But even
an epitome of his monologue would
be so much WEAKNESS. Suffice it that
it ended inevitably in the invitation
L had dreaded all the evening
But you must see it. Next ROOM
This way"
Isn't it packed up?" 1 inquired has
tily.
Lock and key. That's ALL
Pray don't trouble / urged.
Trouble be hanged said be.
Come along
And all at once / saw that to re-
sist him further would be to heap sus-
picion upon myself against the mo-
ment of impending discovery. l there
fore followed him into his bedroom
without further protest and suffered
him first TO show me the iron map
case, which stood in one corner He
took crafty pride in this receptacle.
and / thought he would never cease
decanting on its innocent appearance
and its Chubb's lock. 1t seemed an
interminable age before the key was
in the latter. Then the ward clicked. |
and my pulse stood still
by Jove" / cried next instant.
The canvas was in its place among |
the maps,
Thought it would knock YOU" said |