Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-10-18
DAILY STORY.
HIS LoRosHiP.

1 an EuSllSu swell. AS lie WIS SaunteI-
ing across st. James park one day,
head up, glass in his eye and his cane
| held at the proper angle, some one ran
| against him and cried out:
| Dear, dear me, but what fortu-
| nate meeting. Why, my dear fellow,
| l was just on my way to your club to
| hunt you up"
The speaker was young man like
| Mr. Fletcher He was got up after
the same pattern.
Now, my lord, old boy. those curios
have arrived from Egypt. and my man
| is unpacking them. l want you to see
| the collection and give me your opin-
ion. Rather have it than any other
mans in England, We knaw.'
Mr.. Fletcher saw that the stranger
had made mistake, but he blushed
with pleasure. He had not only been
mistaken for an Englishman, but for
lord. Instead of explaining the situa-
ton he let the other go on with:
And you'll give me an hour of your
time and an opinion on my collection:
If you don't fancy it, I'll sell the whole
business at auction. Only step, We
knaw, but here's a cab :.
II think 1 should explain to you
began Mr.. Fletcher as the other seized
his arm. But before he could go fur
Their he was at the door of the cab.
The ride lasted only ten minutes,
and during that time the stranger did
all the talking and few from one sub
ject TO another so rapidly that Mr..
Fletcher had no show to explain
things. The cab ratified up to fine
mansion, which might have been the
town house of duke, and arm in arm
the two assembled the steps. An OBJ
sequious servant admitted them, they
passed upstairs, and two minutes later
Mr. Fletcher found himself menaced
by a pistol in the hands of the second
man, while the first was saying:
BE gentle with him. Billy. He's far
from his home and mamma. you know"
He was ordered to sit down. aud he
sat. His ankles were tied to the chair.
so that he couldn't get up again in a
hurry. A gag was laid on the table at
his elbow. A bottle of wine and n
glass were also placed there. Then the
man with the pistol. who seemed sorry
that there was no occasion to shoot
anybody. withdrew. and the other sat
down and observed:
MY lord, you may call me Jones'
I'm hanged If 1 do" shouted Mr..
Fletcher. who was beginning to wake
up at last.
Then call me Brown. It's all the
same. you know. Now, my lord
II am not a lord
There now Mr.. Fletcher | want TO
have a few minutes conversation with
you. Owing to certain stock invest
ments that were i'll advised / am at
this moment in want of what we Amer
leans call the needful. / shall be COM
PEELED to ask you for the loan of at
least $1,000. If you cut up nasty the
figures will be doubled
Then you brought me here in broad
daylight to rob me-
LAS you see. No game could be |
safer. Partly furnished house to rent, |
and after laying my plans 1 took 1t |
and paid one-quarter in advance. |
said laying my plans. 1t did not re- |
quire any great astuteness. / knew |
your weak point, you see-have heard |
1t discussed in New York many a time"
What do you mean by my weak |
point?' asked Mr.. Fletcher.
Wanting to be taken for an 1t. |
When ] called you my lord back there |
in the park you just glowed from head |
to heel. I've been following you around /
for week. and the plans you have taken /
to make an Englishman and a snob out /
of yourself have been highly amusing. H
You have convinced several hotel wait
ers that you are born ass
You contemplate scoundrel, I'll II
make this outrage cost you your liberty Il
for the next twenty years." exclaimed
Mr. Fletcher as he tried to rise up and
fell back. A man may be an ass and II
yet not coward.
Gently. my lord replied Jones'
Brown. "You may have the sense to
see that you are helpless. If YOU
should make a nuisance of yourself II
my man might take it personally. AS
was saying
I'll never give up cent?
LAS 1 wass saying, my lord, I have
pressing need of $4,000. The figures
have doubled, you see. AS l knew
you wouldn't have that sum in your
pocket had my man enter your room
at the hotel and get your check book.
Here it is. Will you kindly fill out a
check for the amount named:"
NO! You may murder me first"
"A check for $4,000, my lord.
Henry. you may come in with your
pistol. My lord is inclined to be a
nuisance. / will give him five minutes
10 fill out this check. If he still re-
mains obdurate you may begin firing
ID his fingers. Take them one by one.
Help yourself to the wine, my lord"
Mr.. Fletcher must be credited with ;
waiting four minutes before he began
iiling out the check, and he was some
what defiant and sarcastic in his re-
marks as he appended his signature