Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-27
8he Hrgus Daily Short Story
lust Postal. BY Lester Rose.
copyrighted, 1907, by Homer Sprague)

thrust the idea from her. and in the !
end he had flung away from her. de
claring that she did not love him. else
she would see that he had greater
rights than her father, for whom SheN
had worked all the best years of her
life.
He had not written after that, not
even to tell of his success. This was
the first time he had seen her, hand,
writing since he had left Arlington.
and his eyes grew soft as he studied
the chirography. Then his chief en-
tered the office, and Jimmy had to
bend to his work.
But thoughts of Arlington We're
strangely mixed with the details of ac-
counts, ard when the noon hour came
he sought an interview with the head
of his room. The latter was looking
for an opening for a cousin and was
glad enough to let Jimmy go without
the usual two weeks wait. Three days
later Jimmy was in Arlington.
His first call was on the Brewsters,
but the tiny maid told him that Miss
Bessie had gone to town for n shop
ping tour and wbuld not be back until
| evening. When the evening train
rolled up to the little platform and
| Bessie descended from the car steps,
her arms loaded with bundles. it was
| Jimmy who stepped forward to relieve
| her of her burden and who guided her
| through the little knot of station
| loungerS.
You are back for q visit?" asked
| Bessie when they had cleared the
| crowd. Jimmy shook his head
Il came because of your postal" he
explained. 1T made me homesick, and
l just had to come
I'm sorry she began, but Jimmy
stopped her.
| I'm not" he declared. I'm glad.
never was so glad about anything be-
| fore. 1t was like message that / had
| to answer"
| But now it may make you only
dissatisfied to go back" cried the girl.
| That's just the beauty of it ALL"
explained Jimmy. I'm not going
back. guess Arlington's a big
enough place for me to stay in, espe-
cially''-
"Especially?" she repeated as JIM
my paused.
Look here he said, speaking rap
idly and with voice that betrayed the
| intensity of his feelings Il know l
don't deserve to be permitted to speak
to you after the way l acted about
your staying here when l wanted you
| TO marry me and go TO town. I've for
feited all right even to see you, but II
you could only know the time I've put
in since l got that card you'd be sorry
for me, even if 1 did act like a brute
You were right. Bess, in staying
with your father. l was all wrong
perhaps some time we might be
friends-good friends-once more:"
I'VE are friends now" said Bessie
softly, 'else you would not be walk.
ing with me"
Il don't mean that objected jim
my. Its not just friendship 1 ask
1t is something more. 1 want q chance
to regain your love. Do you thins
that there would be a chance for mt
| III llule.
Something in his tones told the CIR
of his sincerity and his loneliness. H,
had hurt her cruelty in those old days
but she had felt sure that he would
come back to her. Her face grew
softer as she laid hand upon his arm
'Why wait, Jim?" she asked. "Yol
have learned your lesson
The bundles fell to the hard packed
snow as Jimmy rapturously caugh
her in his arms. AS he recovered thu
bundles one crushed under his grasp
and there was the tinkle of broker
glass.
Bess gave a cry of dismay.
, you've broken the lamp l bough
for the parlor," she reproached.
/ Jimmy laughed happily. III buy
dozen lamps for the parlor-our par
lor," he promised recklessly.