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

kissed him before she knew what she
was going 10 do.
Down to the barn. through the soft
June evening, went Red. whistling a
Mexican love song most melodiouSly.
Miss Matte stood in the half opened
door and listened Without was balm
and starlight. ard the spirit of flowers
breathed out in odors The quaint and
pretty tune rose and fell, quavered,
lifted along as it listed without re-
gard for law and order. 1t struck Miss
Matte to the heart. Her girlhood, with
its misty dreams of happiness. came
back to her on the wings of music.
Isn't that Il sweet tunc:" she said
with Il lump in her throat.
She went up into her room and sat
down moment in confusion. trying TO
grasp the reality Of all that had hap
pened. In the middle of the belief
that these things were not so came the
regret of q sensitive mind for errors
committed. She remembered. with Il
sudden sinking, that she had not thank
| cd him for the necklace. And the mon
| ey lay even now Oh the parlor table
where he had cast it. This added the
physical fear of thieves. Down she
| went and got the money. counted ont,
| 10 her unmitigatnd establishment, 500
| and thrust it beneath her pillow. with
| 4 shiver. She wished she hal thought
to tell him TO take care of it. But sup
! pose the thieves were TO fail cn him
as he slept: Reds friends would have
| spent their sympathy on the thieves.
She rejoiced that the money was
where it was Then she tried to re-
| member what she had said throughout
the evening.
We'll, suppose l must have acted
| like a ninny," she concluded. "Eut
isn't he just splendid And as Cousin
| Wits handsome face with its daring.
kind eyes, came to her vision she felt
co.2forted. Il don't believe but what
he'll make every allowance for how
excited l was" said she. He seems
10 understand those things for all he's
such a large man. Well. it doesn't
seem as if it could be true" With a
half sigh. Miss Matte knelt and sent
Up her modest petition TO her Maker
and got into her little white bed.
In the meantime Reds actions would
have awakened suspicion. He hunted
around until he found a lin can, then
lit a match and rummaSed the barn
amid terror stricken squawks from the
inhabitants. the hens.
Ono. two. three. four" he counted
Reckon l can last ont till morning on
that. Matte. she's white people-just
, tie incest ! ever saw-but she amt
used to providing for a full grown
man"
, He stepped to the back OF the barn
and looked about him. Nobody can
see me from here" he said in salts
faction. Then he scraped together a
pile of chips and sticks and built n
fire. filled the tin can at the brook. sat
: it on two stones over the fire, rolled
t himself a cigarette and waited. A
| large. yellow tomcat came out of the
2 brush and threw his green headlights
D on him. meaowing tentatively.
E Hello. pussy" said Red. You hun
: CRY too? Well. just wait minute and
n We'll help that feeling. Like bread.
{ pussy?' The cat cObbled the morsel
i greedily. came closer and begged for
: more. The tin can boiled over. Red
9 popped the eggs in. puned his ciga-
rette to a bright coal and looked at his
r watch by the light. Gee, Ten min
utes more nowr' said he. Hardly
: seems to me as il / could wait" He
|, pulled the watch out several times.
II whats the matter with the d-n
thing? L believe its stopped" he
o growled. But at last Time" he
:. shouted gleefully, kicked the can over
r and gathered up its treasures in his
u handkerchief.
Now, Mr.. Cat. were going to do
II some real eating" said he. Just sit
right down and make yourself at
: home. This is kind of fun, by .Iinks"'
L Down went the eggs. and down went
IL the loaf of bread in generous slices.
J. never forgetting 4 fair share for the
e cat
u "Woosh. l feel better" cried Red
y And now for some sleep" He swung
up into the hayloft, spread the blan-
- ket Oh the still fragrant old hay and
>. rolled himself up in trice.
Il did good turn when came on
:" here" he unused. IF I have got only
=, one relation. she's a dandy-so pretty
= and quiet and nice. She's marker
= for all I've got. is Matte.
The cat came up, purring and max
y ing bread" He shifted feline fashion
- at Reds face.
Foo, Shoe, Go way. pussy! Set
!" tie yourself down and We'll pound oul
-, ear for another forty miles. like you
first rate when you don't walk on my
face" He stretched and yawned enor
II mously. Yes. sir, Mattie's all right"
,e said he. "A-a-a-ll RI And Chants
ie Seechee Red was in the land of dreams
> Here. back in Gods country. within
= :, twenty miles OF the place where he
w. l. was born. the wanderer laid him dowr
again. and in spite of raid and foray
a. whisky and poker cards. wear ant
tear, hard times and, hardest test Of
a all. sudden fortune, he was much thu
10 same impulsive. honest generous
Ct devil-may-care boy who had left ther'
a twenty-four years ago.
in