Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-06


minutes. Lost your power Of speech,
eh? Good for your
He leaned back witt closed eyes and
Immediately forgot all about the man
DARN and his strange conversation,
which he firmly believed to be the re-
suit of a short nap. In his fancy Paul
found an occupant for the other large
chair beside his hearth. 1t would be
somebody gowned in pale blue. with
fun Of golden hair and a pair Of for
getmenot eyes. Where had he seen
just such a face before?
Suddenly he leaned toward his desk
and opened a drawer. He fumbled
there for awhile. tossing aside papers
and pictures with furious zeal until he
brought forth a small photogravure OF
an ideal head He propped it against
the pedestal of the electrolier and stud
led it silently.
At last he drew a deep breath. mo
wonder her face seemed familiar" he
said in q low tone IF she didn't pose
for this picture I'm a sinner, and, fool
that i am, / never tried to find out the
artist 1 was Just satisfied to be in
love with her without discovering her
name. How in thunder can 1 get TO
know her? For 1 must even If 1 hold
old Mason at the revolver's mouth and
demand an Introduction" He stared
intently into the Goals of fire, and for
several moments there was dead ST.
lence in the room and without. Even
the shrin complaining OF the wind had
ceased for awhile.
Then there came a piercing scream
h. ,Ioy-v y %1-y ln1
cry for help. and there was the sound
of running feet across a floor.
1t was the work of an instant for
Hunting to open his doors and reach
the staircase. Afterward he remem-
bered that his slippered feet only
touched three stairs in descent. Then
ne pushed open the parlor door and
met an appalling sight.
One of the long lace curtains at the
windows was fercely blazing. while
the girl with the golden hair was try
ing to tear 1t down with the little
desperate. shrinking hands.
AS Hunting came through the door
the blazing curtain fell to the carpet,
and as the girl tried to stamp out the
charring remnants her own soft wolfe
gown ignited and the flames swept
upward.
1t was then that Paul Hunting
snatched up a white fur rug from the
floor and, throwing it around the girl,
crushed out the flames before they
reached her hands or face or even
burned much of her gown. At last
she lay in his arms, limp and white
as the rug that enveloped her.
I'm ell right now, thank you," she
said in a soft voice.
She released herself from Hunting's
arms, and the white rug dropped to the
floor, revealing the skirt of her pretty
gown scorched and charred.
She held out a hand to her reScuer
with a charming smile. This gentle
man has saved my life, Cousin Le-
ander. Will you and Cousin Sarah add
your thanks to mine"
"Bless me, child. it's Mr.. Hunting
from upstairs! l thought it was Pen
low. Your hand, Mr.. Huntingw The
mummy extended a dry brown paw.
and Paul's strong fingers closed around
it, while his head swan diZzily as the
old mans voice rambled on in n mo-
notonous speech of gratitude, for the
voice of Mr.. Leander Mason was like
the voice of the mandarin, high and
thin and piping in quality.
Cousin Sarah stopped screaming and
gave another dry hand into Hunting's
grasp and made a prim little speech.
Paul Hunting and the golden haired
girl looked at each other across the
width of the fireplace, and the forget
menot blue eyes fell before his be- |
traying~ glance With a sudden inn |
pulse he told her the story Of his little ,
nap and the whimsical dream he had |
had of the nodding mandarin who had |
found speech.
When he had concluded she laughed |
merrily. You were not asleep, after |
all, Mr. Hunting. Cousin Leander /
made a fire in the CRATE tonight TO /
please me, and he opened some little |
ventilator in the chimney that must |
communicate with your room. We were
talking, and you really heard Cousin
Lenders voice"
"Was he talking to you?" demanded .
Paul suddenly.
YES" she said, with embarra ssment.
"Did you hear what we said?"
II heard only one voice-his." ex-
planned Paul. with growing enlighten-
ment. "Who is named Paul down |
heref"
Il am" said the girl in a small voice.
Pauline Is my name. but they call me
Paul. But now, Mr.. Hunting. we are
to drink to your bravery. Here come
my cousins"
That night before he went to bed
Mr. Hunting patted his mandarin low
ingIy on the back. Good for you. Wa
Shing." he said softly. lyon made an
opening wedge for conversation. She's
the dearest girl I'm the world. and I'm
going TO win. her Wish me good luck.
old fellow
As he replaced the mandarin on the
shell the foolish head nodded c0ngrat-
ulations.
April g in American