Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-18

Tort her, DuJ II 1a1IeQ. GOOODy, Sne
said; you mustn't give up"
All the way back to her hotel her
mind dwelt bitterly upon his parting
words. "His sister! His sister, she
kept repeating. God! Can't he see"
Dusk was falling when the girl, with
set, defiant face, went to the telephone
to call up billiard at the Rainier club.
at have thought over your propo-
sftion, and have changed my mind"
she said. Eyes, you may send the
car for me at Z" Then, in reply
to some request, she laughed back
through white lips, VERY well, if you
wish 1t, the blue dress-yes, the blue
decollete dress" She hung up the re-
ceiver, then stood with hands clinched
while SILVER ran through her slender
body. She stepped to a closet and
flung open the door to stare at the ar
ray OF gowns.
$50 this is the end Of my good reso-
1utions," she laughed and snatched
garment recklessly from its hook.
Now for all the miserable tricks Of
the trade!"
George Bait, Clyde and Fraser
formed a glum trio as they sat in
nook of the hotel cafe, slipping mood
fly at their glasses, when on the
following afternoon Emerson Joined
them. But they sensed some untoward
happening even before he spoke, for
his face wore q look Of dazed incredu-
lily, and his manner was so extraOr-
binary that they questioned in chorus:
whats the matter? Are you sickT
NO" said he, but II must have
lost my mind"
What is itY'
1.-THE trick is turned"
1.-The trick
al have raised the money"
With shout that startled the other
occupants of the room Bait and Clyde
jumped to their feet and began to
caper about in frenzy. Even Fin
gerless"' Fraser's expressionless face
cracked In q wide grin of the blankest
amazement
About noon I was called on the
phone by billiard. He asked me to
come down TO the bank at once, and l
went He said he had reconsidered
and wanted to put up the money. It's
up. He'll back us. I've got it In writ
ing. It's all cinched-$100,OOO, and
more If we need it."
You must have made a great talk"
declared Clyde.
81 said nothing. He offered It him
self as a personal loan. 1t has nothing
to do with the bank. I'm going to tell
Cherry now
Alton Clyde Uttered. 81 told you she
could pull it on he said.
This was billiards. own notion"
Boyd returned coldly. He merely re-
considered his decision. and
Turn over! You're on your back"
ut was only yesterday afternoon
that talked with Cherry. 1 dare say
she hasn't seen him since"
We'll, l happen to know that she
has. AS I came home last night saw
them together. They came out Of that
French cafe across the street and got
into billiards. car. She was dressed
up like a pony"
whats that got to do with it?' de
manded "Fingerless" Fraser.
she pulled the old fellows leg
that's ALL explained Alton.
eff 1 thought she had done that"
said Emerson slowly, 81 wouldn't
touch penny Of the money"
II don't care where the money came
from or how it got there" rumbled
Bait. Its here; that's enough"
But Boyd chung to his point with
stubbornness which he himself found
it difficult to explain. The arguments
of the others only annoyed him. The
walk to Cherry's hotel afforded him
time for reflection, which, while it
{e
ed his impatience, and when he was
shown into her presence he did not be-
gin in the impetuous manner he had
designed.
What makes you think I had any
thing to do with it?' she asked after
he had spoken.
You were with billiard last night"
She nodded slightly. I'VE closed our
negotiations for the copper mine last
night"
How did you come out?"
HE takes it over and does the de-
velopment work." she answered.
THAT means that you are independ-
ent; that you can leave the north coun-
try and do all the things you want to
do?' This time her smile was puz-
zling. You don't seem very glad"
mo! Realization discounts anticipa-
ton about 90 per cent. But don't let's
talk about me- I'm unstrung to-
day"
I'm sorry you aren't going back to
Kalvik," he said, with genuine regret.
But 1 am" she declared quickly.
"1'm going back with you and George
II you will let me. 1 want to see the
finish of our enterprise"
See here. Cherry; hope you didn't
influence billiard In this affair"
why probe the matterT
Because 1 haven't lost all my man.
hood" he answered roughly. "Yester-
day you assumed the blame for this
trouble and spoke of sacrifices, and
well. don't know much about wom-
en-. but for all 1 know you may have
some ridiculous, quixotic strain in your