Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-09

0OS>~~~
tie again, and he must have made the
same mistake as before, for he was
interrupted by deep groan OF pain
from the next room.
mot feeling very weli?" he inquired
In a tone of dry jocu1ar1ty- Stomach
upset?'
"E sharp" screamed the wretched
pianist.
Van Torp could hear him dancing
with rage or pain.
"See here, whoever you are, don't
call names, / don't IKE It. See? I've
paid for this room ana I'm going on
whistling If like, and just as long as
like"
You say you make noises you
hke?" cried the infurTated musician.
"Oh, no, You shall not! There are
rulesl We are not In London, sir,
we are in Bayreuthi If you make
noises, you shall be thrown out of the
house"
Shall I? Well, now, that's funny
sort of rule for hotel, isn't it?'
'T go complain of you" retorted the
other, and Mr.. Van Torp heard door
opened and shut again.
In a few minutes he had done all
that the conditions would permit in
the way of making himself present
able, and just as he left the room he
was met by Stemp, the % minutes be-
ing just over.
Very good, sir. I'll do what can,
sir" said the excellent man, as Mr..
Van Torp pointed to the things that
lay about.
AS he went out, he recognized the
voice of his neighbor, who was talk
ing excitedly in voluble German. some
where at the back of the house.
Hes complaining now" thought
Mr.. Van Torp, with something like
smile.
He had already been to the best
hotel in the hope of obtaining rooms,
and he had no difficulty in finding It
again. He asked for Nine. da Cor
dova She was at home, for it was an
off-day; he sent in his card, and was
presently led to her sitting room.
Times had changed. Six months
earlier he would have been told that
there had been a mistake and that she
had gone out.
She was alone; a letter she had
been writing lay unfinished on the
queer little desk near the shaded
window, and her pen had fallen across
the paper On the round table N the
middle of the small bare room there
stood a plain white vase full of corn
flowers and peoples, and Margaret
was standing there, rearranging them,
or pretending to do so.
She was looking her very best, and
as she raised her eyes and greeted
him with a friendly smile, Mr.. Van
Torp thought she had never been so
handsome before.
Margaret held ont her hand and he
took it; and though its touch and her
friendly smile were like a taste of
heaven just then, he pressed her fin
gers neither too much nor too little,
and his face betrayed no emotion.
Its very kind of you to receive
me. Miss Donne," he said quietly
"I think it's very kind OF you to
come and see me-" Margaret an
swered. Come and sit down and tell
me how you got here-and WHY"
WELL" he answered slowly, as they
seated themselves side by side on the
hard green sofa. 'T don't suppose I
can explain, so that you'll understand,
but I'll try. Different kinds of things
brought me. / heard you were here
from Lady Maud, and 1 thought per-
haps l might have an opportunity for
a little talk. And then-oh, 1 don't
know. I've seen everything worth
seeing except a battle and 'Parsifal,'
and as it seemed so easy, and you
were here, l thought I'd have a look
at the opera, since | can't see the
fight"
Margaret laughed a little.
81 hope you will like it," she said.
Have you a good seat?'
II haven't got a ticket yet" an
swered Mr.. Van Torp. in blissful ig-
norance.
mo seat" The prima donna's sur
prise was almost dramatic. But how
in the world do you expect to get one
now? Don't you know that the seats
for 'Parsifar are all taken months be-
forehand?"
Are they really?" He was very
calm about it. Then 1 suppose
shall have to get ticket from a spec
ulator. I don't see anything hard
about that"
My dear friend. there are no spec
uiators here, and there are no tickets
to be had. You might as well ask for
the moon!"
81 can stand, then. I'm not afraid
of getting tired"
There are no standing places at
all, No one is allowed to go in who
has not a seat. A week ago you might
possibly have picked up one in Mum
ich, given up by some one at the last
moment, but such chances are jumped
at, 1 wonder that you even got a
place to sieep!-
We'll, It's not much of a place."
said Mr.. Van Torp, thoughtfully.
There's one room the size of horse
box, one bed, one basin, one pitcher
and one towel, and I've brought my
valet with me. I've concluded to let
him sleep while I'm at the opera, and
he'll sit up when / want to go to bed.
Box and Cox. / don't know what he'll