Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-02
The Argus Daily Short Story
An Eiopement-By A. B. Searle.
Copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary PresA

ponds and your jewels under this
bridge. No one viii know where they
are but US and this gentleman. I'm
sure we can trust him with the Sc
cret"
ITO be sure we can. l never saw a
more honest countenance," the girl re-
joined. But. Edgar, darling / can't
bear to leave my jewels have here in
my bag. Mother gave them to me on
her deathbed. I'd rather keep them
with me. Once on the train, think
can conceal them"
While this brief dialogue was in
progress the man dashed down under
the bridge and thrust his valise be
tween an abutment and the flooring;
then, rejoining us, we all went on
through the wood.
81 should think" said to him, chat
If they are after you they would head
you off at the station"
IT never thought of that" he re-
piled. coming to q halt, then after a
pause:
what do you adviser"
please help u.s." pleaded the girl.
"Do something to save me from that
awful madhouse. You are so much
cooler than either of US. So much de-
ponds on our getting away that we are
In no condition to think"
/ became very much interested, not
only from sympathy. but from the
brain work involved in assisting this
poor girl in making her escape. 1 al
ways loved intricate problems and
especially quick decisions.
81 am living" l said "at a farm
house near by. l think you had better
come there with me and keep dark till
you are supposed to have got away.
j think can fix # so that your iden-
t1tv will not be known there. and to.
night, under cU,,r or the darkness,
you can walk to =. and take train.
Possibly may furnish you with dis
guises.'
''If you will DO this said the man,
"TIl bless you forever"
The girl seemed to be too much af-
fected to speak, She impulsively seized
my hand and kissed it.
Fortunately for our concealment, the
wood we were in extended to within a
hundred yards of the farmhouse where
to this rear point, and from there we
passed through a long arbor covered
with grapevines and entered the
house. introduced them to the fam
lily as friends of mine who had come
TO the country and were looking for a
boarding place. ! took them both up
to my room. where they would not be
seen If any one should call to look for
them.
After a brief conversation apart be-
tween the lovers the man came to me
and said that the girl. felt the delieacy
of her position and thought they should
be married. / concurred in this, for
thought that marriage under the
law would give him authority over his
wife in precedence to her guardian.
But on talking the matter over we all
concluded that to bring in a clergy
man at so critical a period might give
the couple away. Indeed. they trem-
bled during the day lest the family in
the house, knowing of their presence.
might reveal it to their pursuers.
/ kept them in my room. and only
once did they get a scare. A man
drove by in a buggy, stopped. and ]
heard him ask the farmer if he had
seen anything of two old men whom
be described. The farmer said he had
not, and the man in the buggy drove
on.
When night came and the family in
the house had gone to bed, looked
about the house and. returning. In
formed the couple that the coast was
clear. Before leaving they both ex-
l--->~.-1 thAiS GratituS@ Ia naA with