Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-08
The Argus Daily Short Story
William L. Chew.
8. by $ 4
Copyrighted, 1911, b,

In the central part OF the Grow val
ley was one of those villages that
spring up mushroom-like upon the dis
covery of gold. Newcomers were ar
irving from the east and from the
west. Among those from the west was
q man who seemed to have stamped
on his countenance 81 have expert
enced a grief" He had no sooner en-
tered the town than he walked through
the street-there was only one street
looking at every one be met as though
he were searching for some one. He
kept this up until he seemed to be sat
tsfied that he had seen every one in
he town, then discontinued it.
He was a very uncommunicative
man and made no friends. His name
was not forthcoming. so he soon &C.
quired the soubriquet of Stranger. He
entered a claim and went to work with
pick and shovel like the rest of the
men in the town. When the daily
coach arrived from the east he was al
ways on hand. He scrutinized every
person who alighted. and when the
coach had been emptied walked away.
who is he and who's he lookin'
for?" asked one of a knot of men one
evening as Stranger walked away from
the coach with his usual look of disap-
pointment.
Want { know who he is and who
he's lookin' for, do W" said Bill
Stubs. well, I'll tell Y. He's one
o. them fellers who's life has been
wrecked by a woman and another man.
He's been married and another Teller
has taken his wife from him. It's my
opinion that Strangers expectin' the
Teller that robbed him OF his wife, and
when he comes you'll see shootin'
match"
II don't think much of that expla-
nation" put I'm Andy Jones. Il reckon
Strangers been dom somep'n to git
himself wanted somewheres. When
he fust come yere tuk notice he salts
fed himself afore he settled down that
there wasn't no one yeTe as knowed
him; then he entered his claim an
went to work. He amt teilin' nothin'
about himself. He amt a-goin' to fur
nish nobody who's huntin' him with
information about where he Isl
These are but few of the reasons
conJured up for Strangers presence in
the town and his singular actions. The
only person who was not interested
IN them was Stranger himself, but he
was the only person who didn't hear
any Of them He pursued the even
tenor OF his way. digging in his hole
IN the ground and going every evening
to the coach to inspect the incoming
passengers.
One day Stranger was missing from
his hole. His absence at once set ev-
cry tongue wagging with accelerated
vigor. Every one wondered where he
had gone and IL he would ever rome
back
Where has he -goneP' exclaimed BIN
Stubbs. why, he's got wind of the
teller he's lookin' for. As to his COM
In back, that depends which man gifts
the drop on tether one. II Stranger
gifts ft-and 1 hope ne Wilhelm come
back, I reckon, and he'll feel better
satisfied with himself Like enough,
he may take another holt-on matrimo-
ny"
"oh, rats, Bill StubbsF'- exclaimed
Andy Jones. when you git notion
into your head you make everything
1T it. Stranger has got wind Of an
enemy, shore enough, but not the enc
my you mean Hes heered that sher-
III has got wind of him, and Strangers
list lit out to give him the slip. That's
the most reasonable view to take of it"
Seems to me-" suggested Enoch
Nudge, ''that both you fellers is fittin'
Strangers goin' away to your explana-
lions. I've aIlus tux notice that when
q man gifts an idee into his head he
makes all his other idees run that
way. .Dtd-you eFer -heax.ef a. out ana