Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-11

Had they only known 1t two Of them
were ripe to fall into loves basket
For months Billy Gillen had watched
the shapely brown head bent over the
typewriter desk without realizing that
his appreciation of brown hair with
glints of gold was merely ali indica-
ton of deeper feeling.
For as many moons Ida Paving
had assured herself that without the
kindly aid of that nice Mr. Gillen"
office life would be impossible. and she
had not recognized in this feeling any
thing but an appreciation of his court
esy.
Even the fact that Billy took TO go
ing to church-her church-regulaTly
sitting where he could catch the sama
glimpse of brown hair that was his to
enjoy in the office, did not open his
eyes, and this story might have ended
as it had begun-in polite nothings-
had it not been for those letters.
There were two of them. and the
Office boy. with an appreciation Of the
fitness of things, propped them up on
the desks Of their recipients Here
they were being admired by the early
birds of the Office staff when Billy
came in with his brisk Good morn
ing
His smile only broadened when he
saw upon his desk the red envelope
| with the huge black legend:
Are you going to be married?
Own your own home.
s0Too haI eo,,,o opo ,x-,c4ol n
two cent stamp to give me that ad-
vice." he cried 81 wonder what put
them up to it,"
knowledge of coming events" sug-
gested the head bookkeeper, and the
| rest laughed. for they were not blind.
| if Billy was. There is method in
| what he is doing" he added as he
| nodded in the direction OF Miss Paw
lings desk.
Billy caught glimpse of a red en-
| velope on the girls blotter and sprang
for it, but The booilkeeper Intercepted
| him.
| Its against the law to interfere
with the United States mall he re-
minded. You can't have letter adj
dressed to Miss Pawling."
| It's not letter. It's an outrage
shouted Billy as he struggled to reach
the desk. Before he could free him
| self Ida entered. and, with curious
glance at the little knot of struggling
men. she moved quietly to her desk
| She had seen the gaudy envelope In
Billy's hand, and when she found one
| hnt CHI Ia
cause of the confusion. The men had
stopped wrestling with Billy. and now
the glances of the entire Office were
| upon her.
| With Il woman's sixth sense she
could feel their interest. and will
slow movement she reached for the
glazing envelope, glanced at the bold
black type, tore it across without open
ing it and raised the lid of her desk.
As the flaming fragments fell into
the basket the spell was broken The
clerks moved to their desks and re
sumed their work. The incident was
forgotten by all save Billy, who de
termined to locate the man who hai
sent the letters or planned the rude
| jest stuQ " give ulIii the lHT6SulUG o.
his life. For himself he did not mind
but it was both unmanly and unjust
to subject the girl to such an indignity
All day long lie brooded over tn,
)! matter, and when the Office closed ht
was as far from solution of the
problem as ever, so he determined t.
ask Ida's assistance.
He fingered for a moment after sht
left, that the others might not suspec
his plan; then he slipped put. and, b,
taking a short cut through the alley
he managed to emerge on the mex
street, breathless, but successful, 70,
Ida had just turned the corner half /.
block beyond.
She was startled to find him waiting
for her.
"Why, you were in the hfice when
leftr she cried wonderiltgly. ssHav,
you some magic carpet that transport
your
| Billy glanced down at his rather nea
patent feathers.
II guess you could not exactly cal
these a carpet" he suggested. with !,
] laugh. Il cut through the alley an,