Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-14


/ oh, DON'T SAY THAT" he PLEADED.
by his manner. A muffled How de
do?" from Angle and a half strangled
echo of the SALVATION from the other
were barely articulate. But, hearing
them, he bowed again, separately TO
each.
Good afternoon" he said and wait
ed in an inquiring pose.
"This-this is Mr.. Duncan. isn't it,"
inquired Josie, controlling herself.
Yes. and you are Miss Lockwood, if
I'm not mistaken
Renewed giggles prefaced her oh
how did you know"
Gould any one remain two weeks in
Radvile and not hear of Miss Lock
wood"
The shot told famously. How nice
of you, Mr.. Duncan. I want you to
meet my friend Miss Tuthill."
i've had the honor Of admiring Miss
Tuthll from distance" Duncan as
sured the younger woman. And she'll
burn up he feared secretly, watching
the confagration of bushes that she
displayed. Just think of getting
Harry was right after all. This is a
country town, all right"
'Aud-and are you working here,
Mr. Duncan:" Josie pursued.
I'm supposed to be. I'm afraid I
don't know the business very we'll as
yet"
"Oh. that's awfly nice" Angie
thought.
He thanked her humbIy.
/ we didn't expect to see you here"
/ Josie assured him. We just thought
we'd like some soda"
Soda he parroted. Mortified. He
cast a glance askance at the tawdry
/ fountain. Lets see. how d'you work
/ the Internal thing?" he asked himself
! utterly bewildered.
! Yes Angie chimed in. its so
warm this afternoon We
! I've got TO put it through some
/ how" he thought savagelv. and aloud.
Yes. certainly" he said and smiled
/ winningly. "WiH you be pleased to
( step this way?'
! Out of the corners of his eyes he
/ detected the amused look that passed
I between the girls. "Oh, very well!'
he said beneath his breath. You may
laugh. but you asked for soda. and
soda you shall have, my dears, if you
die of it." He put himself behind
/ the counter with an air of great deter
minatiOn and leaned upon it with
/ both hands Outspread until he realized
/ that this was the pose of a grocery
/ man. "What'H you have?" he de-
/ manded genialiy. "Er-that isl
J
/ ah-soda?'
/ a chant antiphonal answered him:
/ 81 hate vanilla"
"And so do l."
| ooh, don't say that" he pleaded. "Of
| course you know there's-ah-vanilla
! and vanilla. All, some vanilla 1 know
u detestable. but when you get a real
| ly fine age-ah-imported vanilla,
it's quite another matter-ah-partic-
ularIy at this season of the year.
His confusion was becoming painful.
"Oh. is it?" asked Josie helpfully. Her
eyes dwelt upon his with a confiding
expression which he later character
fzed as a baby stare, and be was
promptly reduced to babbling fdiocy.
Indeed it is; no doubt whatever.
Miss Lockwood. Especially Just now,
you know-ah-after the book season
all mean, when the weather ISIS
in a way-you might put it, vanilla
weather"
But 1 like chocolate best" Angie
pouted. And he hated her consumed
ly for the moment
every WELL" Josie told him sweetly,
"I'll have the vanilla"
He thanked her with unnecessary
effusion and turned to inspect the
glassware. There could be no mis-
take about the right jar. however;
there was nothing but vanilla, and,
selling it, he removed the metal cap
and placed it before the girls. With
less ease he discovered a whisky glass
and put 1t beside the bottle. with a
cordial wave Of the hand.
pause ensued Duncan was smil-
ing fatuously, serene in the belief that
he had solved the problem-the way to
serve soda was to make them help
themselves. 1t was very simple. only
they didn't With a start he became
sensible that they were eying him
strangely.
"You-ah-wanted vanilla. did you
not?"
Yes. thanks, vanilla" Josie agreed.
well. that's it." he said firmly, in
dicating the jar and the glass.
Josie giggled But don't want to
drink 1t clear. You put the strip in
the glass. you know, and then the so
da."