Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-12

ried man. That solitary spirit cen
tered and immersed in self and con-
sciOuSly wallowing in its own solitude
and gloom. had forbidden such
thought the more easily since Tom had
himself abandoned every aspiration of
the kind. 4 twinge of jealousy sue
ceedcd his first surprise, but in another
moment his heart dilated with unself-
ish pleasure, and his congratulations
were no less sincere than vociferOus.
IF you knew her" said Daintree,
you would congratulate me even
more" And he proceeded to praise his
choice as he could have praised moth
ing that was not in some sense his.
and yet his passion was convincing.
His voice shook with it as his face
shOne.
"A sydney lady?" Tom ventured to
inquire.
Good heavens. no, If she only We're
as near as that. She is on her way
out to marry me. This letter was writ
ten a month before she sailed"
From England?"
"NeS"
lou will see her in another month"
perhaps before. You never know
how long or how short the voyage will
be. Mine was 1856 days. and that was
long. l kept a chart Of it-stop; I'm
going to fetch It! Clear away. I've
had dinner enough"
He rushed from the table, to return
presently with mariners chart of the
world, upon which he had neatly mark
ed ont the daily courses of his recent
voyage. 1t was a chain of many links
| from England to the Cape and Il chain
of longer links from the Cape to Aus
tralia.
| Now. them cried Daintree arrang-
ing the chart under the lamp and seat
ing himself delightedly at the table.
Now We'll see where they've got to.
| Hello! Where's my letter.
| 1t was on the floor. and Tom picked
| ii up. avertinc his eyes So that he
should see nothing while DaintrCe re-
| ferred to the contents.
| "Ha, Here we have It." and the let
ter was thrust into his pocket. '''They
were to sail on the 2@d OF June. How
many days ago is that? This Is Sep
TENDER the 10Th. Seven-thirty-One
thirty-one and twelve How much is
that
"Eighty-ore," said Tom.
"Only eighty-one! Then you're right"
sighed Daintree. land they won't he
here for another month. | was fifty
five days more"
"They may make a quicker voyage"
"They may. but | never have. The
one before was hundred and forty
days They We're both above the av'
erage. but not so very much"
Then all the more time to prepare
H." said Tom. entering thoroughly into
the situation. I'VE must get the place
to rights, you know, sir
That's true. 1t will help to pass the
: time"
Then we might pin up this chart"
what, and follow the courseF
"Suppose they came no quicker thar
you did and put drawing pin In The
place every day"
Daintree was delighted. He shOol
Toms hand, and up went the char
and in went the drawing pin.
you see," he said, they've not go
to the Cape yet. They're only just be
ginning to turn the corner and rul
their casting down"
That's assuming they came nj
quicker than you" said his consider.
"Well, we will assume 1t. Still whel
they're a hundred days out We'll hav
flag ready, and you shall begin 60
ing every morning to the point TO Sc
whether there's a ball at the sOut
yard arm, and after that will be tn
longest time of ALL"
Meanwhile there was much to dc
and Tom did most of Il with enOrmOu
Zest. He had never thought to he q
happy again. His enthusiasm was tn
one return that he could make to Dair
tree, and he permitted it no bounds.
was Tom who stuck the drawing pi
through a cork ship of cunning builC
| full rugged, with needles for masts an
paper sails. When Daintree saw |
they christened her the Rosamunt
after her real namesake, with fittin
libation. and from that day forth til
cork vessel plowed the white ocean {
: the chart and was good half inc
4 nearer Sydney every morning whe
:, the master of the house entered tt
i breakfast room.
You sympathetic fellow!' he woul
say to Tom, and sympathy bred syn
pathy as it always will. you mu
: marry yourself, Thomas" he wou
. add, "and you and your wife must liz
with me and mine. and we'll go in
, partnership together up the COUNT
somewhere and all four live hapI
ever after"
To all of which the servant wou
shake his head, but continue to emit
into the masters happiness with u
abated sympathy and enthusiasm
Nor was this conscious merit
= Tom; it made him think no better
himself. He knew how much was |
I spired by gratitude and how mu,
|, more by the selfish relief of sinkir
. his own woes in the hopes and fea
and raptures of his friend He W
. Of no toll a.,