Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-12

tain. alert and signing. for Madam or
the Iilacs was only across the narrow
hail.
| A full fed. lazy cat purred in the |
corridor. descended the steps and |
yowied for companionship in the yard |
| below The captain shut his mouth |
tight and went back to learn of the |
banditti The Dutch windmill Of |
clock chimed o. The cry was repeated |
nearer.
Fire. Fire.
The captain bounded to the door, ar
rayed like rajah for glory. Miss
Inola almost telescoped him.
Where is it, she demanded.
The window disclosed fierce blaze
quite near THE Golden Rule ware
house." answered the captain. and they
both descended hurriedly.
A crowd had gathered. shouting ges-
ticulating. yet not venturing near the
burning warehouse.
"Why don't they put it out?" asked
Captain Grant.
Powder stored there-barrels and
barrels of it. volunteered some one.
Mrs. Appleby approached Miss Inola.
"Your cat Zenobia ,ost went In there"
Miss Inola moaned: Poor little Ze-
nObia. She'll he blown into the mooni'
Captain Grant started to speak and
checked himself. Then. coloring VIC
lently. he announced: Don't 20 on In
that way. Miss InOla. I'm going to
i rescue Zenoba."
Miss Inola stared. colored on her own
account and extended her hand. ''Wil
Ham," she called him for the first time.
you are good and brave and true"
The captain proudly raised his head.
..irted his fowery. high colored gown
bout him and waded into the zone of
Slimmerng light.
Hey. there, Danger! Powder.
Come back. mani" bawled the specta-
tors. But Captain Grant strobe grimly
on. The last words of the lilac lady
rang in his ears-"You are good and
brave and true
He heard the cat yowl frantically,
ard he charged like an Assyrian host.
William. William. William" her voice
kept calling to him. The door was fas,
tened with a rusted paddock. but the
captain easily broke through the rot.
| Ten tIIuS. brave anu true,
| true" he kept repeating.
The structure was doomed. but here
just within the door it was rather
dark and thick with smoke. He could
make out the barrels and tried to avoid
them. Kitty. kitty. kitty he called.
He stumbled over something. caught
at q barrel and plunged into its yawn.
ing top. His arms rammed into 4 soft
fleecy. choking mess. Scrambling up
he overturned two others and rolled
on the floor.
Finally he regained his feet. covered
from head to foot with the pulveriZed
clinging substance. A cat howled
somewhere, he turned toward tho
door. Zenobia sat upon her haunche:
: twenty feet in front of the warehouse
7 splitting and bowling like n feline de
mon. The captain stepped out into
the light. He was covered. plastered
buried. frescoed, coated with -four.
: The crowd stirred in the distance
Tompkins. proprietor Of the Colder
| Rule, had arrived. There's no pow
der" he exclaimed. Those barrel:
u contain -four. Come onr' The mol
e. GAME like Il
IL Look at Captain Grant they shout
d ed gleefully-"four all over his dress
ing gown and on his face and hair
c. Looks like ghost"
D. well, I'll be eternally jiggered!
n fumed the captain. He kicked at tn
ls screaming Zenobia and, missing, near
N ly fell upon his back. Particles o
lie dust adhered to the flour. giving hin
IN a glorious checkerbcard appearance
lie He turned and ran from the maddin:
crowd. white. gorgeous specter o
V, the night.
m AS he scaled the picket fence som
lg one called to him. but he paid no heed
rs He bounded down the little lane wit
n. Berscrker vim and fury The person
H. who had called ran through a gat
D. and stood in the road to check hin
The captain, wild. chagrined. unsee
ne ing, waved his arms. put on NOR
steam and growled deadly menace.
Ia "William. William!" called q sof
sweet voice.
I'd The captain. checking, tapped at tn
st flour in his eyes.
IS "Oh. you are brave and true, bu
a. you 10 Iooh like lEiSul. Saiu Mis-
50 Inola, and she broke down and sol
hit bed before the captain, taking alarI
I'D again, could bound away.
Tx There. there. don't cryv' he admoI
k ished. That spitfire Zenobia's a
right and will live to be ten tho,
p sand
lis Then he took her in his arms unit
'e- she became white with the dazzle {
III the -four.
en- l,...;....