Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-01

There were enough indictments against
his father to have kept him behind the
bars for life.
Elias broom had rooms in Eighth
avenue, not a great distance from
Herald square. He was quite proud
or his new quarters. They had many
or the unpleasant features of the old
ones In Wells street. but they were
less garish in their affront to an aes-
thetic eye. The incongruous pictures
We're there, and the oddly assorted
books, but the new geraniums had a
chance for life in the broader win
dows; the cook stove was in the rear
and there was venerable Chinaman
in charge of it; the bedroom was kept
SO neat and clean that broom quite
feared to upset it with his person
But. most strange of all, was the
change in broom himself.
I've retired from active work" he
informed Graydon one day when that
Young man stared in establishment at
him. What's the use, my boy, in
Elias broom dressing like dog of a
workingman when he is q gentleman
of leisure and affiuence? 1t surprises
you to see me in an evening suit. Ell?
Well. by Jove, my boy, I've got a din
ner jacket. Prince Albert and a silk
hat. There are four new suits of
clothes hanging up in that closet" he
said. adding, with a sarcastic laugh:
THAT ought to make perfect gentle
man of me. oughtn't it? What are
you laughing at?"
Il can't help it. Elias. Who would
have dreamed that you'd go in for
good clothes!''
"I-used to dream about it long ago
] Swore If | ever got back to New
York I'd dress as New Workers dress
even if | was a hundred years old.
I've got a servant too What dye
think of that? He can't understand
word say. nor can l understand
him. That's why he stays on with
me. He doesn't know when I'm dis
charging him. and | don't know when
he's threatening to leave. What do
you think of my rooms?"
1t was Graydon's first visit to the
place, weeks after their return TO New
York. He had not felt friendly to
broom since the day at the prison.
but now he was forgetting his resent
ment in the determination to wrest
from him the names of James father
} and mother. He was confident that
; the old man knew.
Better than Wells street. eh? Well
you see | was in trade then. Different
now. I'm getting to be quite fcp
|, Do you notice that l say BY Jove' oc-
casionally?" He gave his raucoIs
laugh of derisicn. "Dned at Sherry's
the other night, old chap" he went or
with raw mimicry. They thought
was a Christian and let me in. l used
to look like the devil. you know"
"By the Lord Harry, Elias" cried
Graydon. you look like the devil now
I've got these carpet slippers on be
cause my shoes hurt my feet ex
planned broom sourly. my collar
rubbed my neck. so / took it off, Other
wise I'm just as was when l got in a
Sherry's. Funny what a difference {
little thing like a collar makes, ism
it,"
thought until now. But, Elias, I wan
to ask a great favor of you. YOU
cam
my boy, If your father wouldn't tel
, you who her parents are, don't eXpec
. me to do so. He knows; l only sus
pect."
"You must be mind reader" gaspe1
. Graydon.
+ ut isn't hard to read your mind thes
A days. What do you hear from her?
!, Graydon went back to the subject afte
p a few moments. Il am morally certain
y that know who her father and mothe
were, but it won't do any good to tel
her. How's your father?"
G After this night Graydon saw tn
old man often. They dined togethe
;. occasionally in the small cafes on tn
q west side. broom could not. for som
> reason known only to himself, be in
n duced to go to Sherry's again.
when Jane comes back I'll give yo
2 both a quiet little supper there afte
the play maybe. It'll be my treat, m
n boy"
= The old man worked patiently an
+ fruitlessly over his inventions" The
o came to naught, but they lightened hi
+ otherwise barren existence. There wa
O not day or night in which his min
q was wholly free from thoughts o
James BanSemer.
4 He counted the weeks and days III
a til the man would be free, and his eye
narrowed with these furtive glance
into the future. He felt in his hear
that James Bansemer would come t
him at once and that the reckoning 70
his single hour of triumph would be
heavy one to pay. Sometimes he woul
, sit for hours with his eyes starin
: at the Napoleon above the bookcase
" something like dread in their depth:
Then again he would laugh with glet
= pound the table with his bony han(
much to the CONSERVATION of ChanI