Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-15

cnce''
Blind Mrs. Ess Kay to pronounce
this man not gentleman just because
some strange circumstances had forced
him to travel in the Storage! / did
wish that, without his knowing it, 1
could have slipped into his pocket my
f30
''Oh. did nothing" l answered. at
was the other people who did every
thlng-the little that was done It's
| who have to thank you for taking
that person away. He and the other
who came just before were so rude"
They didn't mean to be rude" he
said. They wanted you to tell them
something which they could put into
their papers, ard they live by doing
that kind of thing. l did the best |
could with them, but l wish l could
/ have saved you from being annoyed
in the beginning. l hesitated at first
for fear you might misunderstood and
! think me as bad as they were, but !
wish | hadn't now
After what | saw you do at sea
, couldn't possibly have misunderstood,
j said
THANK You for saving that" he re-.
turned. though for what | did then
1 don't deserve any praise. 1t was
done on the impulse. and I'm used to
salt water AS child | lived close
to it for a time in California and swim
ming came almost as natural as walk
| ing. But I'm not here to talk about
4 IL III
grateful l was and am and shall con-
tinue to be for your kindness on the
ship. | couldn't go without speaking
of this, and there's something now I'd
like to ask. You won't be offended?"
"If it's something you want to tell
me, l know it isn't the sort of thing
| which could offend" l said, but
didn't say it as calmly as 1t looks
when written. | stammered little
and got the words tangled up. and
felt my face growing hotter than ever
81 thank you again. It's only this
| If. while you're over on this side the
water, there's ever any way in which
mana man who'd be as respectful
as your footman, and loyal as your
friend-could possibly serve you,
wish you would let me be that man
know it seems now as if such thinl
couldn't happen, but nothinG's quite
impossible in this queer world, and
and anyhow / shall always be ready
You could trust me-
81 know thatr' / couldn't resis
breaking in.
unemployed for the present at /;
club in New York. If you'd send wore
to Jim Brett at the Manhattan club
there's nothing under the sun that jim
Brett wouldn't do for you, from find
ing lost dog to taking a messag
across the world.'
"First | must catch my dog before
can lose him." | answered, laughing
;. But If l do, Cr-or there's anything
else, l shan't forget
THAT'S true promise, then, and
have to thank you for the third time
Now, I'm not going to trouble you an
longer. Goodby.'
Without stopping to think who il
was, or who l was. l held out m
hand. and his good looking brown fac
grew red. He took the hand, presse
it hard once, dropped it abruptly
turned on his heel and walked ava
without looking back.
/ was so interested in going over tn
conversation in my mind that l forge
J.. to feel like Beau Brummel with on
paw up in his glass case, and though
l dare say ten minutes had passed,
! hardly seemed two, when a wonderfl
little black image in the shape of Il DO
: came siding up to me, all rolling whit
: eyes and red grin, like a nice New
foundland puppy. He had some new
papers tucked under his arm, but
his hand was small basket
peaches almost too beautiful to be rea
part of my dream?
He grinned so much more that W;
afraid his round black face woul
break into two separate halves, al
l. looking at me with his woolly head {
}, one side, he thrust out the basket.
= Fur you, missy" said he, with
: funny little accent, for all the wor
, like Sally Woodburn's.
"They can't be for me. There mu
| Dt a Suld LII
C wasn't, for the peaches did look
% Iicious.. and there were two rosebu,
, -sng on top of the basket, one pin
: the other white. 81 don't know al
one who could have sent them"
!, "The gent knows you, you be-
- missy" replied the image. HE g,
me quarter and axed if know'd n
alphabet 'nuf to find letter b an to
n desc yere to the prettiest young lac
c. I'd ever seed. Most wife ladies d,
g looks all jes' alike to me, but you
different, missy, an 1 reckon de tin
- must be fur you"
Il 1 had horrible vision of this col
IN pliment proceeding from the Flas
W light or the Evening Bat. what W
w the gentleman like?" l asked.
XII Like mos any gent. missy, 'ce
w that he was powerful tall. an reck
W IL he keeps right on like he's dol
NJ now he'll get mos as brown as 1
Ks some day."
WI Then knew that I was safe in ia
W ing the present. so / did and gave t
w comical black image two or three