Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-06

OF seals at one end Tom pocketed the
lot without conjunction and then pro-
duced his stump of lead pencil.
| Here you are"
| SCOT any paper"
| mot Il scrap"
"Well, well. then we must make this
do" And Blaydes produced a small
sheaf of blue paper tied with pink
tape. leaned upon the stile and, with
out untying the tape, wrote for little
on the outside sheet, moiStening the
pencil with his tongue.
"Sign that" said he and handed the
packet to Tom, who held it to the light
and read as follows:
Received from ]. Montgomery Blaydes.
| late captain Coldstream guards. his watch
| and chain, etc. in settlement of all
| claims. and in consideration of which
undertake to return pawn ticket for same
TO said ]. NJ. ElaydeS. Ivy cottage, West
End. within three days from this date.
Signed. -. April q. 1887.
Tom read this terse deed twice
through, looked again at the watch
and chain, weighed them in his hand,
took third look at the paper and sign
ed his name in the blank space with
out Il word.
Good said Blaydes. pocketing the
roll. "Now think you'll have no OBJ
lection to giving me back that worth
less check. Come, perhaps it wasn't
such n pure accident. after all, but
was cursedly hard up at the time
And | honestly regret i'll dc. indeed"
Still without word. Tom handed
him the check. whereupon RlaydeS
twisted it up, struck lucifer and ig
nited the paper at one end and as it
burned lie picked off and powdered the
charred bits between finger and
thumb, while the yellow flame made
his smooth face ye!lower than ever.
They parted. Tom going his way alone.
, Tom pushed on with a light step and
, a swimming brain. The sudden change
in his poor little fortunes seemed too
good to be true. Thirty-five pounds is
, not mint of money. but to Erickson
T it was something like one: at least il
, was his all. for he had no right I'll
another penny in the world. The sum
represented his full capital as wei as
e Ills ldSt ClldllCc III ne Anu I've Hdb II
safe in his pocket in, the shape of
l | Blaydes' watch and chain.
The moon was hidden now. Tom
: had difficulty n seeing and following
, the beaten path and was unduly star
1 tied by u fellow waif, who suddenly
+ stood before him in the darkness.
l Got the time about yer, guv'nor?"
t said Il high, hoarsc voice.
A NO. II don't possess watch
h stammered Tom. taken as much aback
: ~ the question as by the QUeStioner
a And he grasped the repeater in one
|, pocket and doubled the other fist.
o 'IIa. | see you don't" reioined the
t other as the moon shone forth at thai
II moment. NO arm done. l 'ope. We
e can't all he real swcls can WEI"
= And Tom was left shuddering from
$ single moonlight glimpse of a hor
rible face horribly diSfigured. Disease
|. had RACED the nose TO the level of the
@ stubby, shrunken checks; the very
eyes were more prominent, but wolf
ish. unsteady. and little better to see.
II His plans for the night were as We
l. unmade. Tom looked about him anC
|
PAGES from the path. And here. bein.
d tired out. he did actually lie down
d after first kneeing. as he had no
:. knelt for months, and thanking tn,
n Maker Of all good things for havin:
d made the world so kind and his love ST
II true and so forgiving.
Il But he never quite fell asleep. H
o was near it when a sound of slipShot
lie feet. running downhill through tn
lie grass. passed close by the thiCket ant
e left him wide awake and wondering
1t was hopeless after that And
l o'clock struck upon his ears with tn,
W sound of his own footsteps trudgin:
e down Haverstock hill to no immediate
lie goal.
b. Yet still the world was kind. A wag
on came creaking at his heels. slowl
III overhauling him and Unexpectedly
@. stopping when it did so. 1t was gree
-e mountains high with country vege
If tables smelling notably in the cleaI
le night air, and with this sweet whit
1 of home and the past there came
o. hearty, elderly voice evidently mailing
re Tom.
"Now, then, young man, If you wan
,e n lift, joomp oop!
:" Tom was not sure what he wanted
,k but his feet were sore. the voice like
I'd him. and up he jumped. And betwee
r darkness and dawn-the quiet foot G
ut the sleeping hill and the half awaken
III ed but already noisy purieus of To
ID tenham Court road-the lucky, attraC
ID tive fellow made another friend.
n, The wagner was red faced, re
er whiskered. freckle handed fellow. wit
a genial, broad. communicative tongu,
d. Jonathan Butterfield was his nam,
n and he was Yorkshireman only r,
Gently come south. as he said with
De sigh which left him silent Wherein
~ on Tom became communicative in h
a turn and remarked that he. too, med
en tated q move-to India.
". -. 4. \ \, z.,4s