Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-31
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Invincible Billy-By Agnes c. Brogan.
copyrighted 1910. by associated Literary Press

Tney- sat upon the pier together. the
girl whose eyes were as blue as the
sea, the little boy whose flaxen curls
framed the face of a cherub and the
man who looked askance at the boy
and frowned. The girl caressed the
child. Dear she asked tenderly,
''are you tired?"
Billy rested the curly head against
his aunt's shoulder and contidingiy
placed his damp boots upon the skirt
of her white linen dress. Nope" he
answered concisely.
Jack Winston sighed and shook his
head. when / see the amount of af-
lection you are wasting upon that
imp" he said, my soul Is filed with
wrath"
The boy scrambled to his feet sud-
denly and, collecting handful of small
sharp stones. began pelting them at
the two occupants of a small boat
which glided noiselessly along beside
the pier.
Billy" his aunt cried. Mortified
Billy. did you hit the little boy?"
You bet 1 did," her nephew re-
piled gleefully. THAT was Dicky
Smith. l hate Dicky Smith"
Miss Brereton's eyes looked unutter-
ably sad. THAT was very wrong"
she said reprovingly. land you must
not hate him. dear: you must love
everybody"
Her nephew laughed. "Everybodyr'
he exclaimed derisively.
Yes. indeed" his aunt reiterated
Billy considered.
do you love everybody, Aunt Bea-
trice?" he asked. do you love Mr.
Winston?" A rosy flush covered his
aunt's pretty face.
"Of course 1 do" she answered even
~.
Billy turned to seek an ally in the
man. do you love everybody, Mr.
Winston?" he persisted.
Not by good deal, BILL the man
responded warmly. 1T have much the
same feeling for Mr.. Fenway, for in
stance. that you have for Dicky
Smith
The girl laughed and caught her
small nephew by the hand. What
uonsenser' she said. And now don't
you think it is time to go back?"~
sandy beach. the boy skipping along
between them. The hotel guests had
assembled upon the wide verandas,
awaiting the sound of the gong which
would summon them to the evening
meal. They hailed the delinquents
merrily Last call for dinner in the
dining car" said Fenway. Billy,
come here and give an account OF
yourself" He caught up the boy and
perched him upon his knee. Beatrice
stood leaning against a white pillar.
smiling down at them. Winston sat
upon a lower step.
what have you been doing. Billy
boy?' Fenway questioned. The child
was always very amusing. so the
guests leaned forward, eagerly listen
ing for his replies.
Been down on the pier" Billy piped
in his shrill treble, with Aunt Bea-
trice and Mr. Winston" pause.
Aunt Beatrice says she loves Mr.. Win
ston," he repeated deliberately. For
moment there was silence. tense, dead
~ silence; then Jack Winston commit
ted the objectionable crime-he laugh
ed. No one joined him. That made 1t
worse. for all were fascinated in
watching the girls face. which changed
so suddenly from white to crimson.
She looked contemporary at Winston
for a moment because he could thus
enjoy Der discontinue.
Billy" she said desperately. you
remember. spoke of loving every
body-not Mr. Winston in particular;
he was merely included with the 9TH
ers"
1t seemed to the man on the lower
step that her eyes sought Fenway's
appealingly. Merely included with
the others" He arose suddenly. You i,
have sufficiently cleared yourself OF
the iinputation," he began in a low
tone. but Billy was speaking again.
Mr.. Winston says the cherub an
nounced distinctly. that sometimes he
would like to Delt stones at Mr.. Fem