Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-28

living room overlooking wells street,
he watched with awe the master OF
the place at work on the finishing
touches of a new invention" the uses
of which he did not offer to explain.
He was without d coat, and his shirt
sleeves were rolled far above the Ell
bows, displaying long, sinewy arms,
hairy and not unlike those of the
orang outang Eddie had seen in Lin
coin park.
"I've got a new way Of inf1icting the
death penalty" the gaunt old man
said, slipping into a heavy, quilted
dressing gown. "These rascals don't
mind hanging or the penitentiary. But
if they thought their bodies would be
everlastingly destroyed by quicklime
they'd hesitate before killing their fell
low men,"
But they already bury them in
quicklime in England" said Eddie
loftily.
"Yes, but not until after they're
Dead" said broom, with a cackle.
He grinned broadly at the sight of the
youths horror struck face. go ahead
and smoke, my boy. I'll light my pipe.
Make yourself at home. l keep the
window closed to keep out the sound
of those Wells street cars. It's good
of you to come over here and cheer up
an old mans evenings. Hm-Pm not
used to it, he said, with wistful
touch which was lost to Eddie.
You ought to have wife and a lot
of children, Mr.. Droom," said Eddie,
with characteristic thoughtlessness
broom stirred the fire and scowled.
Were you ever married?'
mo. l don't believe in marriage"
said broom sullenly. Il saw the girl
today that young Graydon Bansemer
is to marry-Miss Cable"
Say, she's swell, isn't she?" said
Eddie. The old man skunk into his
chair.
"She's very pretty. Mr.. Graydon in
troduced me to her."
"Geer' was all Eddie could say.
"They were crossing Wells street
down below here on the way home
from a nickel plater's in Indiana street.
1 saw her years ago, but she didn't re-
member me. 1 didn't expect it, how
ever"
elbow could she have forgotten
you?"
"Oh. she'd have forgotten her moth
er at that age. She was but three
months old. 1 don't think she liked
me today. I'm not what you call a
ladies' man." grinned Elias, putting at
his pipe as he picked up the volumes
ON Napoleon. Eddie laughed politely,
but uncomfortably.
How old are you, Mr.. Droom?"
"Fm as old as Methuselah.'
saw, go way!''
when he was boy" laughed Elias,
enjoying his quip immensely. Miss
Gable seems to be very fond of Gray
don. That will last for a couple of
years, and then she'll probably be like
two-thirds of the rest of 'em. Other
men will be paying attention to her
and she looking for admiration every
where. You'd be surprised to know
how much of that is going on In Chi
cago. Women can't seem to be salts
fed with one husband. They must
have another one or two--usually some
body else's."
You talk like society man, Mr.
broom"
"Well, I've met few society men
professionally. And women, too, fol-
that matter. Look out for sensa
tional divorce case within the mex
few weeks. It's bound to come unless
things change a good deal. Terribly
nasty affair"
as Mr.. Bansemer interested?" asked
Eddie, holding tight to his chair
'Oh, no. We don't go in for that sor
Of thing"
II wonder if Mr. Bansemer know.
about the mistake that came near hap
pening to him a week or two ago.
got hold Of 1t through boy that works
III the United States marshars office,
said Eddie, cold as ice now that he wa
making the test. broom turned upol
him quickly.
what mistake? What do you mean ?
at would have been a rich joke OF
Mr.. Bansemer. Seems that some law
yer is likely to be charged with black
mail, and they got Mr.. Bansemer',
name mixed up in it some way. o
course nothing came of it, butt jus
wondered If anybody had told him o
the close call he'd had"
broom stared straight beyond tn
young liar and was silent for a full
minute. Then he deliberately opene,
the book on his knee and began to turl
the pages.
THAT would have been a joke on MI
Bansemer," he said indifferently.
81 don't think he would have enjoye,
it, do you?"
mo one enjoys jokes from the Unit
ed States marshals Office" said Droor
grimly. by the way, who is the law
yer that really was wanted?'
II never heard. 1 believe 1t wa
dropped The young fellow l know
said he couldn't talk about it, so
didn't ask Say, who was that swe
woman l saw coming out of your offic
this afternoon? 1 was up at Mr.. Horn
brooks"
broom hesitated moment. He seen
ed to be carefully weighing eyerythin