Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-30

do you really mean Enat you Sdtu
over the telephone" he demanded
.'that you'll marry me. Antoinette?'
Antoinette nodded. I've been lit
tie goose. Dickie," she said briefly as
she let him Eold the tips of her fin
gers. "and now l want 10 talk about
CHAIRMAN
Two heads being better than one.
Antoinette emerged from the Interview
radiant.
"Your brains aren't chubby if your
body is" was the praise she bestowed
upon Dckic. land | never should have
thought of that way of bringing thnn
| together"
"FIe loves her desperately" Dickic
said, "bat he thinks she is welded to
her career He told ne once that he
wouldn't dare ask such woman to
| share his moderate income"
| "And she is longing to share it, Only,
of course. a woman has to wait until
man asks her oh. well''-and Antoi-
nette smiled on her chubby squire
ccstatically-"oh. well. Dickie. we shall
see what we sha!! see"
Two nights later Otis Singleton. com
| ing into the transformed den. with an
amused smile curying his lips. found Il
small, plump seeress il smoke colorcd
Grape. with Jade ornaments ut her neck
and on her wrists. presiding over the
crystal ball. which was mounted on
silver dragon.
$50 this Is the new fad he said as
he seated himself.
Antoinette shook her head at him.
ITS not fad" she said
Otis threw his head back ard laugh
ed heartily. "-Antoinette. you are glo-
rious little fraud lie said. but that
ball is wonderful" And he reached
out his hand to take il.
But Antoinctte's white hands waved
him back
J Let ne read what it says, she
murmured softly. land you will think
it still mere wonderful
Otis lounged in his big chair lazily.
Proceed he said, then teasingly,
Have you told Dickie's fortune"'
Antoinette nodded. "Dickie is to
marry plump blond on the Nth of
!, December, and he is to live happy ever
after"
Otis sat up and stared.
by Jove, you don't mean that you've
really said Yes at last" he gasped.
, Antoineite smiled. Il see that you
recognize the small, plump blond she
murmured
: Then for Il time she was silent, gaZ-
j ing into the depths of the crystal ball.
at last her voice came family. Il sec
a woman in white
Blond or brunette:" scientifically.
l "She is neither fair nor dark went
2 on the voice. Her hair is Il crown OF
red gold. and she is very tall. At her
!. feet is e wreath of laurel"
r All the Indifference had left Single
toms face Chairman" lie breathed.
q "Now the crystal is clouded." the
voice went ON, but In the dimness
$ can still see the shadowy figure in
D white. She tramples on. the laurel
wreath, but her hand is on her heart
+ She seems to say, L want not fame
4 but love-"
|, Otis hand came down heavily ovel
G the ball. ''Ycu are making it up" he
accused
u The little lady's eyes met his steadily
g Il am not making it up
e "You mean that it is true?"
). "As true as that Dickie and 1 are
J. going to be married, OTIS
Il So seriously Gid she say it that Sin
d gleton stood up with quick laugh o.
resolution. where is she?' he de
It nlanded.
e 'In the library" said Antoinette
"But, oh, Otis, if she should eve
" guess how l told your fortune"
"She shan't guess" he said. 'I'l
r tell her you saw money bags and ;
y rich widow
And with that he was gone, whit
r the seeress in smoke color flew dcwl
n the hall to hunt UP her chubby cEerub
o "And, oh, Dickie," she said as the.
took refuge in the breakfast room, g
e. expect she's saying Yes this yer.
e minute!'
"And all because Of the crystal ball.
r was Dickie's comment as he folded he
N his fond embrace.