Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-30
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Blue Linen Gown-By Clarissa Mackie.
copyrighted.- by Associated Literary Presa

I not ana eager and FEELING very much
OF a fool in his obstinate quest His
afternoon was quite spoiled. There
would be no shore dinner at the yacht
club, no pleasant run through the Jer-
sey roads. When the car reached the
terminus be would take the subway
and make dash for home and a tub
and then search for bite to eat, for
be was ravenously hungry.
AT the Battery the green park lured
his tired eyes from the hot streets. and
he strolled for few moments. watch
ing the crowds hurrying to and from
the ferries. his glance alert for the
wearer of a blue linen gown. His com
mon sense told him that the flower
like face OF the girl he sought would
not be among these crowds, but rather
uptown.
Just then he saw her-unmistakabl
the one be sought. She was entering
the door Of the aquarium. and Field
ing-old New Yorker that he was
who had never been inside its doors.
was quickly after her.
Quietly. unobtrusively, he followed
her from case to case, now and then
catching a glimpse of her sweet face
and again seeing nothing save the
brim of her pretty hat. At last in the
upper gallery he stood close beside her
while they watched the darting golden
forms of tiny tropical fishes.
Apparently she had not noticed his
presence until he spoke in a low voice,
and then she started and flushed rostly.
81 hope you will pardon me-" he was
saying. hat in hand. but didn't you
drop this bag in front of the Biggs
building this afternoonT He drew
the bag from his pocket and held it
forth.
"Oh, yes, indeed. 1t is mine" she
said. with a joyful little laugh. 81
missed it after l had boarded my car,
and as didn't know just where had
lost it concluded not to bother about
It 1t contained nothing but my cards.
Thank you very much"
She turned away with a graceful lit
tie gesture that indicated the interview
was at an end. and Fielding. mentally
cursing himself for an idiot that he
had not investigated the bag and at
least discovered her name, moved
slowly in the opposite direction.
Absorbed in these melancholy
thoughts and with the excitement Of
his quest at an end. be was leaning
over the rail. gazing moodily at the
performing seals on the floor below.
when he heard the sound of familiar
laugh and his name uttered
Jack Where did you come from?
I'VE been waiting hours at the office
for you"
His sister Eleanor painted indignant
Iy toward him, her eyes wide with sur
prise. Where is Alice-I thought you
didn't know her"
81 don't know her-whoever she is"
he said bit GROSSLY. whats up.
Nell, and why were you waiting for
me at the officer"
"You know I've been expecting Alice
Evans to visit me. Don't say you have
forgotten, Jack Fielding! She came
this morning. and where do you think
the child wanted to go the first thing?
Why, the aquarium. Of all places, and
l had never been here myself! So
told her we'd go down to your Office
and you would take us to luncheon.
and then we three would go down to
the aquarium together
Exactly said Fielding impaciently.
"Well. we went to the Biggs building.
and we must have passed you when
we went up in the elevator, for they
said you'd just gone down, and as
they didn't know whether you had
gone for the day or not we decided
to wait Alice became tired after
awhile and said she couldn't stand the
heat another minute. so she agreed to
come down to the Battery and wait
for US. When an hour passed and you
hadn't returned 1 just came on! Now.
where is Alice and where did you
meet herT'
Ibid she have on a blue linen gown