Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-03-17
AN OLD
FL AM Is
rcoeynsh,. 1901. by ch.IIe. Senboer'. Sons.
No. 4 of the Series

III west from flccIullly Tue
cabman will eventually
INNM5NNA find il on his left, and
ISS9} he ought to thank you
for . shiliings. 1t is
not a fashionable square, but there
are few with a finer garden. while
the studios on the south side lend
distinction of another sort. The
houses. however, are small and dingy
and about the last to attract the
expert practitioner in search of n crib.
Heaven knows il was with no such
thought i trailed Raffies thither one
unlucky evening at the latter end of
that same season. when DIR. Theobald
had at last insisted upon the bath chair
which had foreseen in the beginning.
Trees whispered in the green garden
aforesaid. and the cool. smooth lawns
looked SO inviting that l wondered
whether some philanthropic resident
could not be induced to lend us the
key, but Raffies would not listen to the
suggestion when / stopped to make it.
and, what was worse, found him look
Ing wfstfuliy at the little houses in
stead
"Such balconies. Bunny, A leg up.
and there you would be-
expressed n conviction that there
would be nothing worth taking in the
square. but took care to have him I'M
der way again as 1 spoke.
81 dare say you're right" sighed
Raffies = rings and watches. l sup
pose, but 1t would be hard luck to take
them from people who live in houses
one with an extra story. Stop, Bunny.
If you don't stop I'll hold on to the
ratings. This is good house; look at
the knocker and the electric bell
They've had that put in. There's some
money here. my rabbit. / dare bet
there's silver table in the drawing
room, and the windows are wide open.
Electric light. too. by Jove.'
Since stop / must. L had done SO on
the other side Of the road. in the shad-
ow of the leafy palings. and as Rallies
spoke the ground floor windows oppo-
site had flown alight. showing as pref
ty a little dinner table as one could
wish to see. with a man at his wine
at the Tar end and the back of a lady
in evening dress toward us. 1t was
like lantern picture thrown upon a
screen. There were only the pair of
them, but the table was brilliant with
silver and gay with flowers, and the
maid waited with the indefinable air of
a good servant. 1t certainly seemed q
good house.
"She's going to let down the blndt'
whispered Rallies in high excitement
"No, confound them; they've told her
not to, Mark down her necklace. Bun
ny, and invoice his stud. What brute
he looks, But 1 like the table, and
that's her show. She has the taste, but
he must have money. See the festive
picture over the sideboard? Looks to
me like Jacques Saillard. But that sill
yer table would be good enough for
me-"
"Get onw said 1. You're in a bath
chair"
But the whole squares at dinner
We should have the ball at our feet
1t wouldn't take two twos,'
with those blinds up and the kitch-
en- underneath
He nodded, leaning forward in the
chair. his hands upon the wraps about
his legs.
You must be mad" said and got
back to my handles with the word, but
when 1 tugged the chair ran light.
Keep an eye on the rug" came in a
whisper from the middle OF the road,
and there stood my invalid, his pale
face in a culver of pure mischief, yet
set with his insane resolve. I'm only
going to see whether that woman has a
silver table
1--WE don't want it,
cit won't take a minute
Its madness, Madness
''Then don't you wait-'
1t was like him to leave me like that,
and this time 1 had taken him at his
last word had not my own given me
an idea. Mad / had called him, and
mad / could declare him upon oath if
necessary. 1t was not as though the
thing had happened far from home.
They could learn all about us at the
nearest mansions. i referred them TO
DIR. Theobald. This was Mr.. Matu-
rim, one of his patients. and / was his
keeper, and he had never given me the
slip before. / heard myself making
these explanations on the doorstep and
to the deserted bath chair as
the proof. while the pretty parlor maid
ran for the police 1t would be a more
serious matter for me than for my
charge. 1 should lose my place. No.
he had never done such a thing before, /
and would answer for it that he new
er should again.
1 saw myself conducting Rallies back
to his chair with a firm hand and
stern tongue. ! heard him thanking