Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-18
The Argus Daily Story
Darina and the Agents-By Mildred Stevens
COpyrIghted. 1911. by Associated Literary Rureau

cape and drew on thick wooden nit
tens.
"Darina"' she called shrilly, and
when u girls slender form had APP
peared in the kitchen doorway she
continued: I'm going now. Hsnnibars
been waiting for ten minutes, and
expect that old horses hoofs are most
froze of. know it's cruelty to ami
mails TO keep 'em standing around in
the snow like this, but l had to get
ready, aud l couldn't find my spec
tacles, and then l lost my handker-
chief. and l found it and lost it, and
haven't found it again yet Why,
there it is on the almanac. 1 was ZOOS
ing to see what the weather is going
To be tomorrow
The girl laughed softly as she push
I'd the older woman gently toward
The door. There. Aunt Charity; if you
stop and talk much longer the horses
hoofs will freeze off. and Hannibal is
looking so impatiently at the door.
won't forget to put the bread in the
oven at IL o'clock. and I'll water the
plants and put Toby in the woodsbed
before l go over to Cousin Sarah's TO
sleep. And I'll expect you home on
the o'clock train tomorrow afternoon
without fail-there.'
Miss Charity was on the porch by
this time and waving mittened hand
to Hannibal Jones, the stage driver.
I'll be there in a jiffy, Hannibal. I've
got TO say something more to Da-
rina'-
Darina laughed merrily as she
waved a farewell to Miss Charity's
gesticulatinC mittens. and she went
back into the house and closed and
locked the door. Miss Charity's de-
parture for Greenville. the next viii
lage. was an event that had been
talked about for a fortnight. ever
since her brothers wife had invited
her over TO the Baptist donation party
and TO spend one night She had left
a dozen different commands for her
grandniece to carry ont, and the last
and the greatest Of these was the one
concerning agents of any description.
Charity Decker detested agents. She
was scarcely polite when members OF
that honorable calling knocked insinu-
atingly at her kitchen door. Her strict
orders for the reception of any that
might call during her absence had been
thoroughly drilled into Darina's under
standing and out of the tenderness Of
her heart the girl hoped that the agents
would stay away.
"They are not so plentiful in snowy
weather" thought Darina as she rolled
out some ginger cookies. Il hope none
of them will call, but somehow it does
seem rs if Little River harbored more
canvassers. and-there is one now
She popped a pan of cookies in the
oven and pushed back her fair hair
with n 6oury hand, leaving n dab OF
white on the rose of her cheek. She
opened the door to find n Syrian rug
dealer squatted on the doorstep. Miss
Charitys admonitions still rang in her
ears.
''No-no-nor said Darina emphati-
caIly in response to his appealing Ges
lures as he displayed his wares. She
closed the door and watched him
shamble down the path. Her heart
leaped with fright as she saw him
pause ut the gate and make some sort
of mark on the white post with bit
Of red chalk. Then. with a sly look
over his shoulder at the house. he went /
on his way.
How dreadful thought Darina as
she returned to her baking. Perhaps .
he has marked the house so he can ,
return tonight and rob us-or perhaps .
murder"
There was another knock a the door,
and Darina took her cookies out of the .
oven before she tiptoed over to the ,
entrance and peered through the crack .
in the door curtain. \ man with "a
long handled patent mop impatiently
waited OH the doorstep.
Darina opened the door.
Good morning." said the agent .
courteously. Are you the lady of the
house?'
Yes" said Darina. But I do not
wish to- buy anything today. We have
a mop we bought from you last year"
Very good. ma'am: you cannot need
another one now, and you will never
unless yours is stolen, for. as l tOld
you last year. when l sold IT 10 you,
our mop is practically iudestrucfibie.
now. let Iie SHOW you Aut DfSt tibtufS- .
brush you ever saw-there, ma'am-
look at that,'
When Darina had finally added a
firmly voiced "No. no"' to his mono
Iogue he gathered up his wares. dis
posed them about his person and with
a bob of his head was gone.
Il hope he doesn't mark the house."
Darina as she watched his
hurried departure. But the brush man
seemed glad 10 get away from such
an unpromising vicinity and paused to
look neither 10 the right nor left as
be FASTENED down the road. Presently
Darina saw him open Cousin Sarah's
green gate and enter the yard.
She went back 70 her cookies. and an
hour passed rapidly. Just as she had
placed the last painful OF crisp daihfies
On the table another knock came-lond
and imperative.
This time the agent was n young
snTg ted 20