Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-04


Of the real stuff would hurt me? It's
a pretty dry EARNING"
Zone glass;" growled the surgeon,
mo more"
Scotch highball. them voted Slade.
1.-The higher the better
The steward braught tall glass with
ice, in which the newcomer mixed his
drink. Then for quite a minute he sat
silent, staring at the table, his fingers
aimlessly rubbing into spots of wet
ness the water beads as they gathered
on the outside of his glass. Suddenly
he looked up.
81 don't know how to begin" he con-
fessed. IT'S too COMPOUNDED imprOba-
BILE. l hardly believe it myself, now
that I'm sitting here in human clothes,
surrounded by human beings. Old
Scrubs and the Niger and Handy
Solomon and the professor and the
chest and the-well, they were real
enough when l was caught in the
mess. But l warn You you are not go
ing to believe me, and hanged if l
blame you bit"
We've seen marvelS ourselves in the
last few days." encouraged Captain
Parkinson.
Fire ahead, man., advised Barnett
impatiently. Just begin at the begin
ming and let it go at that"
Slade slipped ut his glass reflectively.
"Well," said he at length, "the best
way to begin is to show you how
happened to be mixed up in it at all"
The officers upconsciOusly relaxed
into attitudes of greater ease Over
head the lamps swayed gently to the
swell. The dull throb of the screw pull
| stated. Stewards clad in white moved
| noiselessly, filling the glasses. defer
entially striking lights for the smok-
ers, clearing away the last dishes of
the repaSt.
I'm reporter by choice and a de
tective by instinct" began Slade. with
startling abruptness. Furthermore.
I'm pretty well off. I'm what they call
n free lance, for | have no regular
desk on any of the Journals. l gener-
ally turn my stuff in to the Star be-
! cause they treat me well. In return it
| is pretty well understood between us
! that I'm to use my judgment in regard
/ to stories and that they'll staad back
| of me for expenses. HOu see, I've
I been with them quite awhile"
| He looked around the circle rs
though in appeal to the comprehension
! of his audience. Some of the men
nodded. Others slipped from their
glasses or drew at their cigars.
II loaf around here and there in the
world, having a good time travelling,
visiting. footing around. Every once in
| awhile something interests me. The
! thing is a sort of instinct. | run ii
down. If it's a good story. l send it
in. That's all there is to it." He
laughed slightly. You see. I'm a sort
of magazine writer in method, but my
stuff is newspaper stuff; also the game
suits me. That's why l play it
| That's why I'm here. | have to tell
you about myself this way so you will
understand how l came to be mixed
up in this Laughing Lass matter"
Il remember" commented Barnett,
"that when you came aboard the
North Dakota you had a little trouble
making Captain Arnold see it, he
turned to the others with a laugh. He
had all kinds of papers of ancient date
but nothing modern-letter from the
Star dated five years back, recommen-
dations to everybody on earth except
Captain Arnold. certificate of bravery
in Apache campaign, bank identifica
tions and all the rest Maybe you're
the Stars correspondent and maybe
you're not said the captain, L dom
see anything here TO prove it. Slade
argued an hour. No go. Remembel
how you caught him?' he inquired OF
Slade.
The reporter grinned assent.
after the old man had turned hin
down good Slade fished down in his
: war bag and hauled out an old latter
= ed document from an oilskin case
Hold on a minute said he, you oil
sheIlback. I've proved to you that
Z can write and I've proved to you tina
/ have fought, and now here I'll prov,
to you that | can sail. If writing fight
ing and sailing don't fit me adeQuatel,
: to report any little disturbances you
dhIldudtcu "dSHDoilei may DiuHuc
! into I'll so to raising cabbages.' Witt
that he presented a masters certif
cate! Where did you get it anyway
= l never found out?"
Passed as fresh water on the grea
lakes" replied Slade briefly.
well, the spunk and the certificat
finished the captain. He was an oil
square rigger himself in the civil war.
$50 much for myself" Slade cor
tinued. "As for the Laughing Lass
7 CHAPTER VIII.