Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-16
Red Saunders
...By...
HENRY WALLACE PHILLIPS
COPYRIGHT 1902 MCCLURE T.
HENRY WALLACE PHILLIPS

valiant spirit which would rather en-
dure the fatigue and loneliness of old
age in her little house than to take
larger life from any but the man who
was ala commonplace in fiction, in
real life sometimes quite strain.
The sun distorted himself into Rug
by football and hurried down as though
to be through with Fairfield as soon
as possible. 1t was a most magnificent
sunset, flaming, gorgeous, wild-be-
yond the management of the women of
Fairfeld-and Miss Matte stared into
the heart Of it with a longing for some
thing to happen. Then the thought
came, what could happen?" She
sighed again. and. with eyes blinded
by heaven shine, glanced down the VII
lage street.
She thought she saw-she rubbed he.
eyes and looked again-she did see, and
surely never a stranger sight was be-
held on Fairfield's street! Had Roy
al Bengal tiger come slouching through
the dust 1t could not have been more
unusual. The spectacle was q man; q
very large and mighty shouidered man,
who looked about him with a bold. i'm
perious, keep the change regard. There
was something in the swing of him
| that suggested the Bengal tiger He
wore high heeled boots outside Of his
| trousers, flannel shirt with a yellow
silk kerchief around his neck, and on
| mis- head sat white hat which seemed
| TO Miss Matte to be at least a yard in
diameter. Under the hat was q re-
markable head of hair. 1t hung below
| the mans shoulders in silky mass of
| dark scarlet flecked with brown gold.
| Miss Matte had seen red hair, but she
/ remembered no such color as this, nor
| could she recall ever having seen hair
foot and a half long on q man. That
| hair would have made a fortune on the
| head of an actress. but Miss Matte
was ignorant of the possibilities of the
| profession.
| The face of the man was a fine tan,
against which eyes, teeth and mus
| tache came out in brisk relief The
| mustache avoided the tropical tint of
the upper hair and was content with
| modest brown. The owner came
right along, walking with stiff,
strong, straddling gait, like a man
not used to that way of travelling.
] Miss Matte eyed him in some fear.
He would be by her house directly,
and it was hardly modest to sit ag-
| greSsively on ones front porch while
a strange man went by. particularly
such very strange man as this. Yet
a thrill Of curiosity held her for the
moment, and then it was too late, for
the man stopped and asked little Ed
die Newell, who was playing placldly
in the dust-all the children played
placidly in Fairfeld-asked Eddie in
a voice which reached Miss Matte
plainly, although the owner evidently
made no attempt to raise 1t, if he knew
where Miss Matte Saunders lived?
Eddie had not noticed the large
mans approach and nearly fell Over
in a fright, but seeing. with child's
J intuition, that there was no danger
in this fierce looking person he pipet
, up instantly.
".Y-y-yessir. 1 kin tell yer where sh,
lives-yessir! She lives right dowI
there in that little house. I kin e
down with you jes' swell s not! Why
/
"ThanlSee, sonny" said the big voice
Here's for miggles," and Miss Matte
, caught the sparkle of a coin as
few into the grimy fists of Eddie.
Much obligedv yelled Eddie ant
, vanished up the street.
, Miss Matte sat transfixed. He
breath came in swallows. and he
, heart beat irregularly. Here was nov
, city with n vengeance! The big maj
!, turned and fastened his eyes upol
, her. There was no retreat. She no
ticed with some reinsurance that hi
q eyes were grave and kindly.
AS he advanced Miss Matte rose Il
!, agitation, unconsciously putting he
. hand on her throat. What could
mean?
9 The gate was opened and the strar
o ger strobe up the cinder walk to tn
porch. He stopped whole minut
!, and looked at her. At last!
well, Natter he said, don't 20
know me?"
A food of the widest hypothese
flashed through Miss Mattie's min
without enlightening her. Who wa
= this picturesque giant who steppe
. out of the past with SO familiar sa
!, utation? Although the porch was
foot high, and Miss Matte fairl
: tall woman, their eyes were almost o
level as she looked at him in woT
der
Then he laughed and showed hi
r white teeth. mo use to bother an
d worry you, Matte" said he. "Yo
e couldn't call it in ten years. Well, II
It your half uncle Fred's boy Bill, and
hope you're a quarter as glad to Sc
9 me as 1 am to see you"
e what" she cried. mot little Win
who ran away.
|. 'The same little Willy" he reptile
u in tone that made Miss Matte laug
d little, nervously, land what / wan
a to know is. are you glad to see me?'
a why. of course! But. WILL SUI
v pose should call you Will? I am S
flustered-not expecting you-and it
It been so warm today. Won't you com
3. In and take chair?" wound up Mis-
d Matte In desperation and fury at he
n Sqlf for ga WING thfnuo on diffarout fro,