Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-09

Z. and y. deal, but 1 gathered that
you'd gone in rather steep"
yes admitted the Cherub more
soberly, II have. In fact, it's the big
gest thing / ever tackled"
Nick Walloway gazed at him incred-
ulously. "And right in the middle of
1t you take day of to feed the swans
at Hewington Acresp'
I'D take year off if it was neces-
sary."
Young Mr.. Walloway paled little.
'Devine," he began hesitatingly, "it's
its the countess, isn't it?''
The pink in the Cherub's chubby
cheeks flashed up behind his ears.
1.-The countessv' he exclaimed.
''why, she's way out of my class,
Nicki Oh, she's about a hundred per
cent too good for me-aristocratic, re-
fined, old family and all that. Why.
she wouldn't look at me, Nick! You
know she wouldn't"
81 know that you've been looking at
her and-and"- Something was in
terfering with the speech of young Mr.
| Walloway. However, he mastered the
difficulty. Suddenly reaching out, he
grasped the Cherub's right hand and
gave it a crushing grip. IL wish
you luck, old man."
| Perhaps Mr.. Devine was a little sur
prised by this unexpected display Of
emotion from the usually reserved
young man. If he was he brushed it
aside.
Luck nothing, Nick! Much obliged
for your good wishes, my boy, but ]
haven't the ghost of a show. Now, if
1 was chap like you there'd be some
hope for me. Say, Nick, wonder you
never took a.
BEG pardon, Devine, but let's stick
| to the point. / should not presume to
intrude my advice on personal mat
tiers, but II were you L would drop
p. y. and n. until you can give your
whole time and thought to the bust
ness. Why don't you pull out?"
The Cherub ceased to stare dreamily.
''Nick," he said abruptly, I'll tell you
something I've changed my plans.
I'm going to do something besides
speculate in that stock. I'm going to
buy that road and I've got to get
control before next Friday noon"
''Cherub, you're crazy It's impossi-
BILE! Why, the -Rimmer crowd
scooped in two-fifths OF the stock yes
that means-they'n wreck it, wrint; It
dry. The small outside holders lave
been tumbllng over each other to ur
load. See here"-and he pointed to
newspaper on his knee-'fifty lots Of
fered during the first half hour today
and the quotations dropping by quar-
ter points. Why, you can't stop 'em,
man. They've got you on the rum"
Eyes, yes, it looks like it, 1 know.
But wait until I've had a chance at
them. Let me think this thing oyer"
Mr.. Nicholas Walloway withdrew
into his corner of the smoking COM
partment to stare absentmindedly out
of the window. The Cherub was soon
apparently engaged in a profound con-
temptation of the end of his cigar.
You would not have guessed, to look
at him, that he was considering any
thing more serious than the favor of
the tobacco. Not until they were on
the ferry diG he break the silence
Then, briefly and crisply. he outlined
Lis RlGA VI dGtAOn+ NACA w ANYWAY
heard him through with glow of adj
miration in his eyes.
IF you can do that, Cherub you'll
win" he declared; ''but If the scheme
slips up
Then I'm down and out. But it's
got to go through" and Mr.. Devine's
mouth lost some Of its cherubic curves.
You'll do your part, Nick Oh, it
viii be easier than you think! They'll
never suspect you're in It, And don't
try to report until IL tonight. Then
you know where to come-private din
ing room, tenth floor. I'll have 'em all
there at H."
When Cherub Devine appeared on
the floor q half hour before closing
time the rumors OF his defeat were
passing from mouth to mouth. The
Bates-Rimmer retainers were indulg-
ing In war dance Of victory.
Silently the Cherub passed to his ac-
customed corner and began tearing
pieces of paper into small bits with
the same calm, unhurried air OF abb
straction as usual Many chances were
bestowed on him, most OF them Gu
rious. a few sympathetic, some trI-
umphantly vindictive. Everywhere he
was regarded as a beaten man. Now
and then gray uniformed door bog
handed him messages. which he read
ieisurely and as leisuroly reduced TO
fragments Just as the session closed
Pop Rimmer passed near him and
turned to favor him with an apelike
leer. The Cherub blinked unrespond-
fngiy. He seemed too dazed by mis-
fortune even TO disguise his chagrin.
A somewhat different Cherub De-
vine It was. however. who met his