Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-12

for some kind of a meeting between
him and me that viii not bring my
wife into the affair"
''His thoughtfulness OF your wife's
reputation" replied Brown, els more
like Cranston than taking money from
her. I'm astonished at the latter act"
Cranston is poor as a church mouse,
but 1 always considered him honor
able and very proud"
"Such men are always nice about
the regulations of the women they
ruin"
Brown left his friend pacing the
floor and went of to md Cranston.
Winters spent half an hour alone, all
sorts of suggestions running through
his brain. At times it would fash
upon him that IL was all a gigantic
mistake. Then the figure of the young
man OF fashion would come up as he
had seen him in swallowtan coat and
low cut white vest. confessing his iden-
tity, and he would relapse into his for
mer condition, always running to the
horror of his wife having transferred
her affections to a society puppet who
was not worth kicking across the
street. Worse-had not Della declined
to go out that she might keep an APP
pointment with the fellow, and had
not Winters caught him sneaking
about his house in the middle Of the
night?
While he was thus engaged. his
mind saturated with his trouble, the
door was thrown open, and Brown
came in with a young man fashionahly
dressed and of a very aristocratic
mien, who stood staring at Winters.
Then the stranger said angrily:
what do you mean by accusing me
Of being in your house at midnightP
81 didn't. You're not the man"
"I'm Efhngham Cranston."
"See here" cried Winters with pas
sion, "if you're in collision with that
whelp to get him out Of scrape I'll
kill you and him too"
"But, Norman" interposed Brown,
"this is Cranston. You said it was
Cranston who was In your house last
night"
Winters stood looking from one to
the other wonderinglys
Hes not the man." he repeated.
"Who's been personating me-" ex-
claimed the real Cranston. eff I find
out I'll give him the worst thrashing
he ever got"
At this moment there was a ring at
the telephone. Brown received the
message, and the following dialogue
took place:
woman's voiee-Is that you, Mr..
Brown?
Brownies. who are you, please?
Woman's voice-Mrs. Winters.
Brown-Ah, yesi What can do for
you?
Mrs. winters-My husband didn't
come home last night at all. I'm
frightened to death about him. have
telephoned to his club, and they say
he left there about IL o'clock. Have
you seen or heard anything Of him?
Moves. Hold the wire"
Brown turned to Winters and re-
peated the conversation. Winters
brain was in such confusion that he
could make no suggestion as to what
to reply. Brown put his lips to the
speaking tube again.
"HelloI Is that you, Mrs. Winters?"
Mrs. Winters-Yes.
Brown-Your husband is here. he
stayed with me last night.
Mrs. Winters-Did he? oh, how re-
lieved am! Tell him to come home
at once. Last night the house was
robbed. All my jewelry and most of
the silver is gone.
Brown-All right. Mrs. Winters. III
send him right home.
Brown turned angrily to Winters
and said:
Norman, you've been sold by a
burglar. The fellow must be pretty
cool and have great inventive powers.
If you'll think over what he said to
you you'll see that It was just what
was required to induce you to let him
out rather than turn him over to the
police. While he was talking with
you his pals were doubtless getting the
swag out through the back door"
Winters stood looking at his friend,
relief and shame struggling In him for
the mastery. Presently he said to
Brown:
'Tell her not to mind the Jewels or
the silver. I'll make it all up"
"What excuse shall make for your
staying here"
Anything. Tell her 1 got boiling
drunk at the club and you had to bring
me home"