Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-15

till through I side window he saw her
leave her htDuSe. then he opened the
door and re? ched the gate just as she
passed it
Miss Thorae drove an automobile.
played tennis-there was a tennis
court in the rear Of her residence-aud
was quite expert at gole One morn
ing Mr.. Trema saw her go out in
her automobile. II was raining. and
the streets We're muddy. Leonard took
an umbrellas and started down the
street to make some purchases Miss
Thorne's auto was a white one, and.
looking ahead. he saw II coming.
Thinking that by making a crossing
he would let its driver. he started
from the curb and stood waiting for
her to pass in front Of him. She did
so. guiding her auto so near him as
to send muddy water from her autos
wheels all over him.
by Jove." he exclaimed. "she did
that on purpose! And now know she
turned the hose on me on purpose too.
I'll make her pay for this"
He finished the crossing and stood
swabbing the mud off his face, his
hands. his clothes. with his handker-
chief till II was dirtier than the rest.
Then he turned and went home to get
into another suit. On the whole. his
efforts to make he acquaintance OF
his next door neighbor were not at
tended with success. He made up his
mind that since his fair enemy could
not be reduced by an attack In the
open he must work from behind de-
lenses.
Had Leonard not understood the
idiosyncrasies OF the opposite sex he
would have abandoned his efforts
either in a hurfr or in despair. AS it
was, he prepared to lombard the lady's
heart as well as her person. He would
not pour water or mud upon her. He
had scheme worth two of that He
hunted the town for toy mortar to
/ send out ammunition by means Of a
/ spring. Not finding anything large
enough TO suit his purpose, he had one
made. After fixing it once he could
pull back the spring till 1t was caught
! In q notch, drop in new ammunition
/ and fire it again. Having seen that II
was good. he brought 1t home and pre-
pared for action.
From Mr.. Tremaine's window he
could look down on to the Thornes'
rear porch. the latter fronting eastward.
Miss Thorne was accustomed to come
out on to the porch about 4 o'clock In
the afternoon. Sometimes she walked
in the garden: sometimes she sat on
the porch reading Early one after
noon Mr.. Tremaine gathered his am
munition In his room and, planting his
mortar at his window, awaited his
enemy's coming. At the usual time
she appeared, strolled for awhile over
the rear grounds. then. returning to
the porch, sank in cushioned wicker
chair. took a book from a table beside
her and began to read.
Tremaine, who had his weapon
charged and sighted. let loose the
spring. He had practiced after night
fall and got the range. Suddenly Miss
Tremaine found herself deluged with
pansies. She had not recovered from
her surprise before another charge
, reached her, this time lilies of the val
ley. She glanced up at Tremalne's
: window just In time to see couple OF
dozen fuchsias leave 1t and descend
upon her. Then her fair face broke
into smile. The last and more eff
fective charge consisted of roses. Then
Leonard put his head out of the win
) dow and. smile for smile, addressed
his enemy:
, Pardon me. but thought l would
3 like to make your acquaintance"
Every happy, assure you. Won't
3 you come DOWN.
h. 'Delighted."
: In a few minutes Mr.. Tremaine was
4 seated beside his new friend. chatting
}. with her as Familiarity as II he had
r known her for years. He told he that
D he knew the first wetting she had
e given him was Intentional For
S awhile she denied II. but since he was
e disposed to take 1t good naturally she
e finally confessed, adding that she turn
ed the stream over the hedge at ram
Q dom and happened to strike him. She
t seemed to regret scattering mud on
0 him, but said she was unable to resist
the temptation.
n This was the beginning OF an ac-
e quaintance between Mr.. Tremalne and
= Miss Thorne which continued during
D that summer on the tennis court, In
e the garden, anywhere. everywhere on
a the lady's premises and sometimes at
$ the Tremaines. What the rest of this
n story will be or whether there will be
t any more of It is not yet known
y Nevertheless its beginning shows con-
r clusively that II a man and maid
live next door TO each other the man
d IL no more likely to be observing the
s maid than the maid Is TO be observing
Y the man And in this instance the
o sterner sex appears to be the gentler
e 1t would never have done for the man
e to dreDch the maid with water. though
n it was perfectly proper for the maid
II TO drench the man But observe the
7 masculine retaliation. instead of wa
IS ter be fires posies.