Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-02

Then he went to his own room and
smoked another pipe on 1t. and after
that lie wrote a letter.
And In three days came letter to
Perceval. Dear boy" it began. II
must come to you at once. Things at
home are in dreadful state. will
tell you when reach you. know you
haven't much for us to live on. but /
have. little money in the bank that !
have saved from my allowance. and j
shall follow this note at once. Expect
me on the 1890 a. m Friday
.'ANNABEL."
"And this" said Perceval desperate
" as he showed the note to Randolph.
SIS Thursday What am going to do
with her when she gets here, Ran
dolph?''
Randolph smiled inscrutably. Find
some rooms in a cheap quarter and set
up housekeeping"
Percevars face frightened. "And go
out every morning and make her think
I've gone to work? You are genius,
Randolph
1t took the two men several hours to
find little furnished apartment that
would seem suitable for a young cou-
pie with little money. Perceval grum-
bled disconsolately. 81 hate to put my
jewel in such setting" he said.
"Tell her the truth" Randolph again
| advised, land you won't have to put
up with such cheap things"
! But Perceval refused. The next
| morning he met Annabel at the sta
| ton. and together they went to the lit
| tie cheap apartment, and here Annabel
| wept on his shoulder.
| Her account Of the trouble at home
was somewhat vague. but she was en-
| thusiastic over the thought Of her
| housekeeping 1T will be lovely to
! work for YOU" she said.
| But Perceval found it anything but
| lovely. He hated to see her soft white
hands in the dishwater. 1t made him
| vince to see her bending over the
flaming stove, and even the joy of her
| presence could not take away his sense
Of infinite guilt.
| And so he grew thin and pale and
worn.
"You are working too hard" Anna
bel said one night. And when he shook
his head drearily his little wife crept
out to the janitor's room and tele-
phoned to some one.
He is punished enough" was her
queer message. Cant you have him
go TO his old quarters tonight and have
IL over?'
The next night Perceval said to An.
Randolph. You won't mind If l leave
you will you. dear?"
of course not" she acquieSccd. q
can get along just this one time"
Randolph told him that lie wished II
borrow some Of Percevars books 80
knew they were in your rooms. and
thought you wouldn't mind comm.
over" said he. 80 took the liberty o.
asking you to desert your wife for ont
! evening"
i As the two men entered the luxuri
, Gus quarters Perceval sighed. ITO thinl
of my condemning Annabel to sucl
hideousness as that apartment we ar
, living in!'' he said. leaning down t,
turn on the low electric lamp on hi
study table.
The light flared up end showed tn
: coy room, the little fire already light
ed in the open crate, the blue fam
, burning under the brass teakettle.
"Why, what:" Perceval demanded
, like the big bear in the fairy tale
! "Who has been living in my room?"
From behind a tall screen came
> little figure in white.
=, "Oh, Perceval." cried Annabel an
;, threw herself in his arms.
And when Randolph had explaine
that he had taken chances and ha
written the truth TO Perceval's littl
wife and Annabel had explained tina
!. she had known lie was going to schot
and not to work ever since she ha
, come to him. and, oh. didn't he kno'
!. that she would love him If he wa
. rich. Perceval drew long breath &
. happiness.
Il don't deserve it." he confessed
with his eyes shining. land we can
:. live in these rooms. Annabel But
am going to take my chances wit
dad. and when he sees what a des
. :. little. queer little thing you are he wi
- give in, and If he doesn't l can ear
my living like man now that I al
y square with you. sweetheart"