Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-02

across the hodge, she seemed entirety
oblivious to the fact that there was
/ any other side to it than her own.
! Was there ever such duplIcity con-
cealed under so guileless an exterior?
When night came | at last was in
state of uncertainty. l could lay no
| plan by which to surely head her off.
! She had safe retreat from the bushes
over a straight path to her own back
| gate. The worst that could befall her
was to be seen entering her own
premises. But this would give me no
4 information | did not have, and it is
| questionable If she would care If II
were known that the decoyer lived
! there, since she might assume that 1t
would not be known which one of the
occupants had perpetrated the joke.
What 1 mainly relied on was my fleet
ness and that as well as she might
work under cover of the darkness.
1t is pretty dark at o'clock in the
evening on the 14th of February, and
in order that Miss Molly should know
that I had gone to the rendezvous ]
put on a light gray coat, carrying
black one in my hand. Having thus
arrayed myself, sailed forth. not
doubling that / was watched by the
girl next door. I had no sooner en-
tered the summer house than I took
of the light colored coat and put on
the black one. Then, getting down
fat on the ground. wriggled around
with a view to getting between the
girl and her home. 1 had gone a part
| of the distance when 1 saw a silhou-
cite against the sky running for the
clump of bushes. On reaching it
heard a loud ha-ha and saw the sill
| houette dash like the wind for the
gate. Quick as a fash I was on my
feet, running for the path, and a body
6f flesh and blood ran right into my
arms.
"Oho" I said.
"Let me gor'
"Not just yet. have a bone to pick
with you"
LET me go! 1 don't know you"
81 know you very we'll"
81 have not injured you"
Yes, you have. You are my enemy"
Let me go, 1 sayr And she made
a vigorous effort to release herself
from my grip.
do you know how the good book
tells us to treat our enemies?"
"No, and L don't care. L want to go
home"
1T tells US to love them"
She didn't struggle quite so hard aft
er 1 said this, but she pretended all
the same.
You must excuse me for being frank
with you. This is st. Valentines day,
oV,H oil 20 faII al
er our feelings. I've been watching
you from my side Of the hedge and
have noticed what a nice, pretty girl
you are. You haven't ever seen me in
our yard, have your
"No, and 1 don't want to see you.
Let me gor'
81 will of you'll tell me one thing. and
tell me truthfully. Who sent that val
entine to my brother with the bit of
paper in the pocket with Maud on it?''
There was no answer, bat a renewal
of the struggle to get away. 1 held
on tightly.
You must tell me that and tell me
who slipped the valentine in our letter
box decoying me to the summer house"
AS before. the only reply was more
struggling.
"Well, since you don't seem disposed
to buy your freedom with information
on these points I'll give you another
kind Of chance. You must admit that
a girl who deceitfully and with malice
aforethought induces a fellow to meet
an imaginary person in a summer
house and gets caught in her own trap
must expect to pay some sort of ran
&c
kiss"
Il supposed you were above such
mean things 9s that"
Il didn't know that you were aware
of my being your neighbor, much less
understanding the traits of character
POSSESS
There was a bit OF a giggle at this.
and 1 took courage.
"Beggars cannot be choosers," l said.
81 shall have to decide the penalty for
myself without asking you what you'd
rather do"
1 took kiss so quick that she had DO
time to defend herself. Then | opened
my arms and let her go. She walked
away to her home, and when she
reached the gate heard her say spite
fully.
RED headr
How did you happen to notice chat
1 had a red head?' / called. Its too
dark to see it here"
I'm going to college in the autr;nn,
and shall take her picture With me.
didn't steal 1t; she gave 1t to me.
Notice for Bids.
Notice is hereby given that bids Will
be received by the undersigned on the