Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-22


waiting for their new quarters to be |
hnishedb The packers had done their |
work, the man had come to cut off the |
gas and the moving vans were backed !
up to the door when a telephone mes
sage came to the effect that. owing to |
a strike of the painters, the new rooms |
We're not yet ready for occupancy.
From day to day the landlord had
promised that something would be
done at once, but now a full week had
passed, and hope had commenced to
fail until Bert decided to do the work
himself.
Vie made an early start and O'Clock
found him in n suit of jeans applying
the paint with as skillful a brush as
though painting were his regular occu-
patton. He worked rapidly and well
and the rooms had begun to assume a
habitable aspect when he heard the
hall door open and close and looked
up, expecting to see the landlord.
Instead he faced about to encounter
The gaze of pair of brown eyes
which seemed to pierce his paint STAIN
ed jacket and give him an oddly queer
sensation about the heart. The pos
SCISSOR of the eyes was Il fragile slip of
girl whose pure oval face was oddly
like q picture by some old master. The
slender form was wholly concealed by
brown holland pinafore, and this
was splashed with color. \ dab of
blue which had sought higher resting
place made a saucy beauty patch
against the dimpling chin.
$50 you have come" she said at
length. Il was beginning to think that
you would be out on strike al winter.
l was promised that my hooSs should
be shelacked first"
Yes. but began Bert
II want no answers" said the girl,
with stamp of her tiny foot Il am
| to have an exhibition day after to-
morrow, and the floors must be done
| by then, do you hear?''
"Yes, ma'am," said Bert meekly.
'Then pick up your pail and brush
and come along" was the quiet com
mand. IF had not smelIed the paint
in the hall you would have spent the
day here, when 1 need you so much
IloEe- 1olUe oL, IliedSe.
| She turned to lead the way as though
| there was no argument to be made
| and Bert, grinning over the ridiculous
ness of the affair, followed after. He
saw with pleasure that the other apart
ment was only across the hall from his
own. 1t was a much smaller place
and it did not take Bert long to paint
1 . rJ,l -, L., Il
way experimenting the work, and
Bert was sorry when at last he rose
from his knees and announced the
| completion of the job.
You will still have time to finish the
other apartment" said the girl severe
| ly. Next time do as you are told, and
you will have less trouble. You know
very we'll that the agent told you to do
this apartment first. He promised me
that he would
Hell promise anything" began Bert
grimly. but the tiny foot stamped a
warning. The girl did not care to ar
que the point with workman, and she
dismissed him with n nod.
Come in tomorrow and give it 4
second coat" she commanded. ''Wait
q moment" she added as Bert turned
to so. Buy yourself a good cigar
she finished as she handed him coin.
Bert dropped the dime in his pocket
with a murmurcd word of thanks and
backed out of the door. Once on the
other side, his embarrassment died
Pdown, and he paused long enough TO
ascertain from the card on the door
that it was Dorothy Remsen who oc-
cupied the apartment. That she was
q china decorator he already knew, and
vaguely he remembered having heard
of her skill.
He was tired when he sought his
home that night. but the thought that
he would see the girl again on the
morrow gave him feeling that the
day had been well spent. He carefully
slipped the dime in locllet which he
wore on his watch fob and smiled as
he thought of his tip
He painted the studio floors the
first thing next morning and then
turned his attention to his own apart
ment. 1t was late in the afternoon
when he had finished and was clean
ing up. There came ring ut the door
and he opened it to confront young
woman who radiated confusion and
penitence.
Il have come to apologize" she said
blushing redly. 81 stopped in to thanI
, the agent for sending me a painter
and he did not know that my floors
had been done. Then he recalled thai
you We're painting your own place ant
. explained my error"
t Its very natural one" he said
with a laugh. eff you were half as
desperate as my mother. 1 should no
blame you for kidnapping me with {
t full knowledge of the facts. am only
? glad that 1 have been of service tt
you"
you don't know how greatly yot
have aided me-" she cried st can new
er repay your kindness. / am so sorr!
that was abrupt yesterday VIII yol
pardon me?"
The long, slender hand was claspet
+ in Berts own, and he smiled dow
, into the brown eyes that dropped shyl,
1DEA H.