Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-26

there was an unconYmce0 look IN Les
ter's eyes. and more than once as he
glanced .coverfly at his companion he
shook his head.
"a kink somewhere" he nuttered
once TO himself Margaret Carter isn't
that kind of girl wholly. Maybe she
encouraged Stevens some. but she
didn't me-not any more than she did
Jonesev and Bates. We did it all our
selves"
Another half hours fishing. with
scarcely word spoken. and they en-
tered a thicker growth of shrubbery
along the rivers bank. In back. among
some apple trees. was rather more
pretentious house than its neighbors.
IT had a hood veranda about it. and
there were fine clothes hanging on the
line in the yard.
"Wonder if a fellow could get any
thing to eat up there" said Lester
Don't know: looks as IL they kept
summer boarders."
"What makes you think 500"
Country girls don't wear lingerie.
But I'm surprised that man in your
fix should be hungry"
ct am, all the same"
"WeIl. so am 1, for that matter.
What do you say to going up there
and cooking these fish,
"Reckon a beefsteak would be more
satisfying than these tiny things.
without the scales and bones there
isn't much. Come along"
Meanwhile two girls in white dress
es emerged from rear door of the
A. hnd ranffaa6 and
screened by trees. had been coming to-
ward them. Suddenly Testers hand
dropped on his companions shoulder.
HUSH" he whispered. Somebody's
coming"
There was a soft cracking Of leaves.
as though under light footsteps; then
the cracking ceased. as If the owners
Of the footsteps had seated themselves
upon a stone or log or perhaps were
standing still gazing into the water.
Several minutes of silence. with the
fishermen waiting for the footsteps to
commence again and pass on, then:
what L can't understand. Margie. is
your being able to leave Richmond for
this abomination of desolation. Why.
there isn't an eligible man within
miles"
Amen to THAR ferventIy. ITS
worth unnumbered journeys from Rich
mond. But I'm sorry for you, poor
cousin, pining for the frivolities that
I'm happy to leave. | ought to have
been the country cousin and you the
city maid"
IF l were I wouldn't leave such a
quartet as Lester and company. Were
they signing about you as forlorniy as
when l visited you last Christmas?
oh, Margie.' ecstaticalIy, has either
One of them come to the point YETI"
proposing marriage. you mean? Les
ter and Jonesey and Bates asked me
Just before left"
"O-o-oh. And youT'
"Sent them about their business, of
course. But don't talk so foolish.
Lucy. I'm going back"
''Wait a minute. Did Ed Stevens
Come; I'm going back"
The two almost involuntary listen
ers. "hypnotized." as Lester afterward
expressed it. by paralyzing amaze
ment that the party of the third part
should have dropped down from a
clear sky at that particular trout
stream waited until the sounds of
the footsteps had died away.
Then they looked at each other.
Testers face had an odd grimace.
Sure about that dismissal, Stevens"'
he snapped.
About what? Mine? None OF your
business-or. well. what's the odds?
Yes; felt 90 sure of her that I had
words with her about you fellows be-
ing round so much. 1t didn't seem
fair to you'll mean to me-"
We'll" said Lester, with a visible
effort. at strikes me you are consid-
cradle of n fool. Stevens. / noticed
she didn't include your name with
ours just now and seemed averse to
having her cousin bring it up.
she didn't have any words with
the rest Of us-just looked amused
and seemed to take it rs n joke. It's
a pretty good sign when-oh. let so
my arm, confound you. ] won't say
another word 10 such n stupid idiot.
Follow her. If you want to. I'm going
down the river fishing"