Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-17

myself and vivace and the bag in a
car different from any | had seen yet.
1t had no nice easy chairs and plate
glass mirrors and wire MEETINGS in the
windows, like the one in which I'd
travelled to Newport, but there We're
two rows of seats. and when the train
moved a cloud of coal smoke poured
Babies squalled. children whined and
their faces grew black and damp with
mingled dirt and heat while grownup
people scolded, but dear old lady got
into my seat before long. and just be-
cause l helped her with bandbox.
she made me a present of huge peach.
l was thankful to have it, for by this
time 1 was collapsing with hunger,
having been up all night without any
thing to eat.
The peach made me think of Mr..
Brett and the little basket he had sent
me on the docks. Then this thought
suggested another. He had said he
would do anything for me that was in
his power, and If he were still in New
York it was in his power to help me a
good DEAL He could tell me how much
it would cost to so to Chicago, and he
could show me how to get there.
/ really believe that at first l hadn't
had thought of seeing him, but once
it had got into my head l welcomed it,
begged it to sit down and make itself
at home.
could have clapped my hands with
| Joy when saw the Grand Central sta
| ton and the delightful cafe au lait
porters with their red caps. 1t looked
as familiar and comforting as if I'd
passed through a hundred times In
stead of once, and I had the nice feel
ing that now something pleasant was
sure to happen, which one has when
one first arrives in Paris.
| Vivace frightened up, too, and he
! took me out, rather than l him. l was
| in such hurry to get away, for fear
| Potter might have come after me by 4
| quick train and be looking somewhere,
! that | flew along with my bag and
| Vivace without waiting for a porter.
l followed other people out of the sta
|
cab and driving to the club where Mr..
| Brett was employed; but, though there
| were dozens of hansoms drawn up by
the pavement, they had the air of being
private ones 1t did seem queer that SC
many people should have private han
| SONS waiting for them at this particu.
lar hour Git was half past 12), but the
drivers, with their tall shiny hats.
smart coats and bright, clever faces,
| the glitter of the harness, the newness
of the cab Innings and appointments all
forbade any other thought. l wan
dered wistfully along the line, wonder
ing if there We're no public conveyances
of any kind at the Grand Central be-
sides the trans, which were as appall-
ing as a procession of African lions
When l came to the end l caught the
eye of well groomed young man in q
pale gray topcoat, looking down from
his high seat at the back of q dark
green hanson with great round port
holes knocked in the sides, and il
struck me that there was pity kindlinc
in his glance. l snatched at the ray as
if it had been that everlasting straw
which always seems to be bobbing
about when an author is drowning one
of his characters.
DO you think there is anybody who
could drive me-" l inquired meekly.
You bet, miss" said he. I'm ell
gagged myself or I'd be only too pleased
but you just speak to that other gen
| tleman there" with an encouraging
jerk of his sleek head toward the mex
vehicle. He'll take you anywhere yor
want to 60"
"Are you sure it isn't private han
som?' l breathed up to him in n low
confidential voice, for the cab he indi
Gated was even finer than his. and StaI
doesn't look as smart ON his coach OF
a coaching parade day in the park rs
did the gentleman I was recommended
to address.
'Sure pop" said my friend, grinning
but not in a way to hurt nv feelings