Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-11

came. II am to stay with you to-
night and keep off the nightmares"
he said coed naturally.
Things began to look serious-very
serious indeed. 1t was nearly O'Clock,
the trains through the county seat
made no connection with those through
Bclltown and Layton. and it was forty
miles overland to the latter. Twelve
hours more and the wedding guests
would begin to arrive.
They were to be married at 8 and
take a fast train for Colorado for the
honeymoon. He had the passes in his
pocket
They went down TO supper. The
deputy stayed close at his side. evil
IDENTIFY intending that he should have
no temptation to run. Despair thick
and black was rapidly settling down
upon the desperate bridegroom when
travelling theatrical company came into
| the dining room. 1t was the same
troupe that had been at Beltown the
previous week. Mason caught the eye
of the leading man. with whom he had
| become acquainted, and they nodded
cordially.
| An old friend of mine l used to
know In the SOUTH" said Mason to the
deputy. IF you do not object would
like to speak to him after SUPPER
Sure" said the officer obligingly.
When they arose from the table Ma
son went across and gripped the ac-
tors hand. They had long, confiden-
| tial chat which soon became so merry
that the deputy sheriff wished that he
could hear some of it. After the actor
had gone to get ready for the perform
ance Mason said to his guard:
He would like to come up to my
room and have little visit after the
tplay," said Mason to the deputy. Il
suppose you don't object? =
Certainly not"
The actor came in at 100. and the
obliging deputy locked them in, asked
the landlord to keep an eye on them
and then went across the street to a
barroom whence he could easily watch
the outside window.
If he had looked through the keyhole
instead of looking upward at non
committal lighted window thirty feet
from the ground he would have saved
himself much subsequent trouble.
The actor was laughing and doing
something very queer for man who
had merely dropped in for a social
visit He was daubing and smearing
Mason up generally with grease paints
You could break into any pesthouse
in the country-if 1t wasn't too light
and they didn't feel your pulse"
Mason rang for a porter and had the
landlord called.
Mr. Curry" called he through the
door. "they locked me up because they
thought | did not want to testify
against the railroad. but don't give {
hang for the railroad. The reason
tried to get away is that | was ex
posed to the smallpox two weeks ago
some dagoes working on our road
and / was trying to get away to see
a specialist when the sheriff rabbe(
| me- Since supper | feel like I an
| breaking out. | wish you would see
| "The dichens," exclaimed the land
| lord. seeing a years business killed b!
! a quarantine. Keep still till | get
, key I've had the smallpox myscl
and Wen see.
= "WcH, | should guess!' said tn
: landlord when he unlocked the door
: few minutes later. The lamp wa
, turned low. and the actor was undo
, the bed. You stay where you are I'll
+ I get a team for you. then you scoot!"
4 He scooted. At quarter before
; next morning he drove into Layton.
. When court convened at 9 o'cloc
the judge received telegram:
1 Married and on my way west for N
: health Wire forgiveness and blessing
/ to Denver. MASON.