Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-16

them days have gone by for you, Mat
tie" He reached down and, pulling |
out green roll, slapped it on the CEN
ter table. "Blow that in and Timber
up and remember that there's more
behind it."
Miss Mattie's pride rose at leap.
"Wiil,'' she said, Il hope you don't
think I've told you this to get money
from you"
He leaned forward. put his hand on
her shoulder and held her eyes with a
sudden access of sternness and au-
thority.
"And l hope, Matte" said he, that
you don't think thatI think anything
of the kind"
The cousins stared into each others
eyes for full minute; then Miss Mat
tie spoke. NO, WILL said she, Il
don't believe you do"
Il shouldn't think 1 did," retorted
Red. What in thunder would / do
with all that money? Why, good
Lord, girl, l could paper your house
with SO bills! Now you try to fly
them green kites. like tell you"
Miss Matte broke down. The not full
ly realized strain of fifteen years had
made itself felt when the cord snap
ped. Il don't know how to thank you.
l don't know what TO say. oh. VIII
liam, it seems too good to be true!'
What you crying about, Mattie"
said he, in sore distress Now hold
on! Listen to me n minute! There's
Something want you to do for me-
What is it?" she asked, drying htr
eyes.
For dinner tomorrow he replied.
Tets have roast of beef about that
size" Indicating wash.ub.
| The diversion was complete.
"Why. Will. What would we ever
do with it, said she.
do with it? Why. eat it!''
| But we couldn't eat all that"
"Thep throw what's left to the cats.
/ You amt going TO fall down on me-
the first favor l ask z" with mock seri-
BUSINESS.
You shall have the roast of beef.
Pears to me that you're fond CT your
stomach. WILL said Miss Matte, with
Il recovering smile.
81 have good stomach that's al
ways done the right thing by me when
I've done the right thing by it, said
Red. And, moreover. just look at the
constitution l have to support. But
say. old lady, look at thatw pointing
to the clock. 'Eleven-thirty; time de
cent people were putting up for the
night"
The words brought to an acute stage
q wandering fear which had passed
through Miss Mattie's mind at inter
walls during the evening. Where was
i she TO look for sleeping accommoda
lions for man? She revolted against
the convention that in her own mint
as we'll as the rest of Fairfield forbade
the use of her house for the purpose
= Long habit of thought had made these
niceties constitutional. 1t was almos
t, as difficult for Miss Matte to say "1'l
II fix up your bed right there on the
| sofa" as it would have been for Red t
pick mans pocket. yet when sht
/ thought of his instant and open gen
crosby and what a dismal return
therefor it would he to thrust him on
for reasons which she OWNED would
2 have no meaning for him, she heroical
t ly resolved to throw custom to tn
winds and speak.
L But the difficulty was cut In anothe
l fashion.
D There's a little barn in the back
Q yard that caught my eye" said Red
e sand If you'll lend me blanket II
0 roll it out there"
0 "Sleep III the barn! You'll not d
t any such thing cried Miss Matte
e you'll sleep right here on the sofa o
e upstairs in my bed, just as yo
: choose"
t IF it's all the same to you, I'd rattle
e not. So help me Bob. I'd smother 4
l. here. Had the darnedest time comm
y on that ever was-hotels. Little whit
n rooms with the walls coming in o
n you. Worse than rattlesnakes for keeT
L hospital. Horse fell on me once an
t smashed me up so that l had to b
l sent to get puttied up again, and
t never struck such a month as tha
l since I was born. The doc told me
mustn't move. but told him I'd chuc
"a him out of the window if he tried I
'e stop me, and up got. I'd have gon
u dead sure if they'd held me wee
Is more. l speak for the barn, Matte
and | speak real loud; that is, mea
u to say I'm going to sleep in the barr
unless there's somebody heap large
IL than you on the premises. Now. there
e. no use for you TO talk-I'm going to d
Is just as l say"
IL well, think that's Just dreadful
p said Miss Matte. I'D like to kno
10 what folks will think of me to hes
lie I turned my own cousin out in Il
8 barn" Her voice trailed off a lit
D. at the end as the gist of what the
III might say if he stayed in the house o
III Cured to her. "Well," she continue
ID ''if you're set suppose 1 can't object
Miss Matte was not good hand
ut playing a part.
to- I'm set said Red. Get me
10 blanket" AS she came in with til
s. he added. Say, Matte, could you i
IL me have loaf of bread? I've got
to habit of wanting something to eat