Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-02

I some, and yet here she rs quite olsen
gagged, if we except her affair will
Peabody, which Adney writes is quit,
rs tepid as any of AIMS other affairs.
"Well. now, I'll tell you. She's com,
to the right place to have men ride vi
and demand attention. If she doeSn'
have at least an offer week it will no
be my fault. I'm going to.inyite all the
young fellows home to dinner while
she's here. Now watch things bile
Barnett, nominally mining broker
was, in fact, president of the polo club
| secretary of the Sage Grass Golf asso
| ciation-in short, financial nurse to ev
cry collection of amiable sports in the
town. He knew all 1.-The best fellows
in the state and now became more pop
ular than ever. The young men accept
| ed his dinner invitations with graft
tude, and each and all paid prompt and
undisguised court to 1.-The proud eastern
! beauty as one young fellow called
| her. But they soon acknowledged fail
ure. Her reserve led to sense of in
| jury and was reported to be arrogance.
They were seldom fiattered by the
slightest unbending on her part.
However, several of these young fell
lows turned out ON acquaintance to be
socially related to some of her friends
in Boston and New York and in that
way won Il certain acceptance which
no mere civil engineer from Omaha or
professor from st. Louis could hope to
attain. They We're met on the conven-
tional plane, and they got no further
at any time.
Meanwhile Ann was really troubled
about Louis. He was eating less and
less each day, and his sleep was bro
ken, and at the end of the first week
he fell i'll state of collapse. The excite
mcnt, the late hours, the contact with
new types and, above all, the attempt
to understand the country and his re-
lationship with it had worn him out
Then Ann said in her decisive way: II
don't believe this altitude is good for
Louis. 1 think 1 will take him home
again"
"Oh, don't do that. 1t isn't the alti-
tude; it's the social whirl. Send him
down to my ranch. It's hole of
place, but it's just what he needs
nothing to see but coyotes and cow
boys. Wen put him under Rob Ray
NlHS- NOD
a good chap. He'll take to the boy like
anything. I'm sure of it,"
The plan as worked out by Barnett
involved trip on his automobile for
the four of them; but he delayed too
long. Mrs. Barnett entered upon one
of her poor SPELLS" and bonnelly,
faithful as n big dog, promptly told
Louis TO go ahead and not wait for the
party. Il must stay and nurse Jean
nette"
Ann was afraid to let Louis go alone.
but Barnett poohpoohed her Hell
get on all right In fact. he'll rejoice
to be free of us for a day or two. III
wire the mail carrier to meet him and
take him down, and I'll send Il letter
to Raymond to look out for him. He'll
be more than safe. He'll be happy, and
he won't miss us in the least
Ann insisted on going down herself
Il want TO see him properly settled"
she said
Barnett sIyly winked at his wife
He really wanted to see Ann 'jarred."
It'll do her good to rough it a little"
he said privately. Thereupon Louis, |
trembling with eagerness, began to |
rustic his outfit" He bought a pistol, |
a rifle. broad trimmed hat, some blan- |
kets and the most highly ornamental |
saddle in the Springs
What a child you are.'' Ann ex-
claimed as she watched him. her eyes
with love and pride. You're |
a dear boy.' she added as he came to
her side
He looked up at her tenderly You're
good to me, Hesper,' he said fervently. |
Ssh! Don't ever call me by that abb
surd name"
1T isn't absurd. 1 like it, he said.
Barnett, seated at his telephone,
made every arrangement for them.
You'll be met by old Jones, and when
Tou get there Mrs. Jones will look aft
ar you She's very good cook, so
ion't get nervous when you see her.
She's not pretty. Raymond will do his
pest to entertain you, and when you
.ome back you'd better ask Raymond
% put his own horses in the cart and
lrive you out. He'll be better company
han Jones'"