Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-16


exchange"
The ad. was duly answered. and
within forty-eight hours prompt re-
ply was received saying that the owner i
of the typewriter would call that even
ing to inspect the so called antique.
Ethel answered the doorbell of the |
little apartment that evening. for the
household boosted of no maid since /
the loss of their little fortune. A tall. |
smartly dressed man entered and was |
ushered into the sitting room, followed
by Ethel.
"Are you the young lady who wants
a typewriter he asked as he took in
the graceful lines of her well rounded
figure. her mass of red brown hair and
the even contour of her beautiful face.
Yes" she replied as she offered him
chair. 81 want to become an expert
typist, and was attracted by your ad.
Here is the melodeon. If you want to
look it over" and she walked across
the room and lighted another gas jet
to exhibit her heirloom to better adj
vantage. The man followed in silence.
''Its a really, truly antique" said
| Ethel I'm not fakir such as you
suggest in your ad."
The young man walked up to the
| beautiful old melodeon, priceless
| treasure to one who knew its value.
| For the moment he seemed lost in his
admiration of the delicate workman
ship. the beautifully tinted woods. and
he sat down before it. dreaming. The
| til ok ho
| figure in picture. The lights fell up
on him as he sat before the instrument.
and she wondered why he did not
speak. Maybe after all. the old thing
was worth nothing.
| Howard Philips. man of leisure and
collector of antiques, turned to his
companion. hardly knowing which he
admired most. the inanimate wooden
treasure or the beautiful girl.
'If acceptable to you. Miss Yorke.
will take the melodeon. giving you in
exchange the typewriter and a bonus
of $50" he finally said. 1.-The instru-
ment is beauty and very rare speci-
men," he added.
The final arrangements We're COM
pleted. and the next day found Ethel
in possession of a typewriter and Phil
Ups with the melodeon. Philips went
on with his search for antiques. but
somehow he felt that the greatest
: treasure on which his eyes had rested
In months-aye. even years-was the
girl whose face seemed to haunt his
= dreams.
II A terrific snow and hail storm kept
him indoors some weeks after the pur-
chase. and Philips sat down before the
instrument to see what sort of music
| it would produce. His fingers ran over
the keys. but no sound came forth.
: He peddled with greater force, yet ST.
lence was his only reward
Something was wrong within. and
his deft fingers went to work in the
mechanism. and after several minutes
search he was rewarded by finding a
/ package pressed against the keys.
/ The package was apparently a wad
2 of old papers; but. with the true in
' stinct of the collector, Philips began
t to undo the yards and yards of Irvine
Q about the long bundle. He was speech
2 less. Before him lay a pile of bills
o money that was not his by any Other
t right than possession. The girl
money!
!. He counted it carefully twice-S1 .3OC
t He must find the girl and return il
n Here~was the longed for excuse to Sc
n her again.
+ The storm had somewhat abateC
J. and in few minutes he started to th
Il little apartment in search of the cir
He was informed that the Yorkes ha
moved out three weeks ago. Where
! Nobody knew, The janitor though
they had moved to a smaller fat i
>, Harlem.
g Now that he could not find the gil
Philips realized the folly of not havin
g kept track of her. Perhaps it ha
- been, 1--we at first sight. Indeed, as h
" thought about it seriously he kne'
:, that he was very much in love. Bu
how could he tell her so if he coul
. not find her?
y A visit to the postoffice left him non
II the wiser. They furnished no a,
dresses. He drifted home to his ope
&c fire and the evening paper. He sat
= the twilight gazing in the embers. an
- 1t seemed that every flame carrie
~ with it shadow of the girl.
He read the advertisements fro
III force of habit and was about to thro'
g the paper down and refill his pip
u when his eye caught this ad.:
young lady will give French lessor
Il in exchange for lessons on the typ
writer. Apply after 6. e. T. Y,
II Broadway"
i, Philips sat up bit straighter in b
armchair. Could it be she? At lea!
| it was worth finding out.
| At 8 o'clock that evening PHILIP
rang the bell of the Harlem fat. to
admitted and made welcome by Ethe
| "You see, Miss Yorke, | am bel
| again." he said as he turned to Il
i crirl Sha