Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-16


~why, certainly, since you are so
hind" answered Van Torp.
st feel responsible for your having
forgotten to dine" she laughed. i
mnst make 1t up to you. BY this time
Mrs. Rushmore is probably wondering
where I am"
Well" said the American, "if she
thinks I'm perfection, she knows that
you're safe with me, I suppose, even
II you do come home little late"
al shall say that we walked home
very slowly, in order to breathe the
an"
~Yes. We've walked home very
slowly"
II mean" said Margaret quickly.
''t.aat / shall not say we have been
out towards the fields, as far as the
gate
'I don't see any harm If we have"
observed Mr.. Van Torp indifferently.
Harm? No. Don't you under
stand? Mrs Rushmore is quite cap
able of thinking that have already
how shall I say?"-she stopped
Taken note of her good advice"
he said, completing the sentence for
her
Exactly! Whereas nothing could
be further from my intention, as you
know I'm very fond Of Mrs. Rush
more" Margaret continued quickly, in
order to get away from the danger
Gus subject she had felt obliged to
approach; she has been a mother to
me, and heaven knows I needed one,
and she has the best and kindeSt
heart in the world But she is so anx-
ious for my happiness that, whenever
she thinks 1t is at stake, she rushes
at conclusions without the slightest
reason, and then it's very hard to get
them out of her dear old head"
81 see If that's why she thinks me
perfection, I'll try not to disappoint
her"
They reached the hotel, went up
stairs and separated on the landing to
get ready for supper.
On his side of the landing Mr.. Van
Torp found Stemp waiting to dress
him, and the valet handed him a tele-
gram. 1t was from Capt. Brown, and
had been photographed from London.
Anchored of Saint Marks square
to-day, $3.50 p. m. Quick passage. No
stop. Coaling tomorrow. Ready for
sea next morning"
"Stemp," he asked, as he threw OFF
his coat and kicked of his dusty
shoes, were you ever sea-sick?"
Yes, SIR" answered the admirable
valet, but he offered no more informa-
ton on the subject
During the silence that followed.
neither wasted a second. 1t is no joke
to wash and get into evening dress in
six minutes, even with the help of a
body-servant trained to do his work
at high speed.
81 mean" said Van Torp. when he
was already fastening his collar, ARE
you sea-sick nowadays"
mo. SIR" replied Stemp, in precise
" the same tone as before
81 don't mean on a 20000-ton liner
Black cravat. Yes. / mean on a
yacht Fix it behind Right Would
you be sea-sick on q steam yacht?"
mo, SIR
"Sure?"
Yes, sir"
Then I'll take you. Tuxedo"
Thank you, SIR
Stemp held up the dinner-jacket;
van UlS SllpPG0
into the sleeves, he shook his sturdy
shoulders. and pulled the jacket down
in front while the valet settled" the
back. Then he faced round suddenly,
like a soldier at drill.
"All right?" he inquired.
Stemp looked him over carefully
from head to foot In the glare of the
electric light
Yes, sir"
Van Torp left the room at once. He
found Mrs. Rushmore slowly moving
about the supper-table, more imposing
than ever in a perfectly new black
tea-gown and an extremely smart wild
ow's cap. Mr.. Van Torp thought she
was a very fine old lady indeed. Mar
garet had not entered yet: a waiter
with smooth yellow hair stood by
portable sideboard on which there
were covered dishes. There were pop
pies and corn-dowers in a plain white
jar on the table. MIS-. Rushmore
smiled at the financier; it would hard
ly be an exaggeration to say that she
beamed upon him. They had not met
alone since his first visit on the
previous afternoon.
Miss Dome is a little late" she
said, as if the fact were very pleas
ing. You brought her back, of
course"
why, certainly" said Mr.. Van
Torp with an amiable smile.
You can hardly have come straight
from the theater." continued the lady,
for 1 heard the other people in the
hotel coming in fully 20 minutes be-
fore you did,
I'VE walked home very slowly"
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