Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-06-01
The Argus Daily Story
A Broken Scent Bottle-By Clarissa Macke.
Copyrighted. 1911 by Associated Literary Bureau

rage passed me driving rapidly toward
the city. l glanced curiously at 1t.
only to glimpse the beautiful face of
the girl who had dropped the scent bot
tie.
"Of course I haunted the shops the
rest OF the afternoon hoping for a
glimpse of the Jack rose beauty. My
patience was rewarded at length, for
as l fingered in a silk shop the door
opened and in she came. She was pos
itively the most beautiful girl l ever
saw of that dark type"
A significant smile ran around the
friendly little group. but Clayton,
whose eyes were fixed on the sunlit
water over the ships rail. did not see
II. 1t was several moments before he
resumed his narrative, and then be
pulled himself together as If with
drawing his thoughts reluctantly from
some pleasant recollection.
Il was standing near the door when
the senorita entered the shop, and
when she saw me | was gratifed 10
notice that she recognized me at once.
She hesitated, smiled and then ad-
dressed me rather haltingIy in her own
tongue.
MY guide book Spanish vanished
from my mind as snow before the sun.
but chung desperately to one phrase
that I was positive meant Permit me
to apologize and repeated it as I
held out the handkerchief full of bro
ken glass.
ITO my amaZement she began to
laugh deliciously and could scarcely
articulate few sentences in reply. OF
course l could not make head or tail
OF what she meant to say, so l only
nodded and grinned and held out the
handkerchief while she continued to
laugh"
DO tell US what you were saying
all the time, Mr.. Clayton" broke in
Mrs. Hanford curiously. Did you find
out what the sentence really meant?"
why, yes" returned Arthur Clay
| ton, with visible chagrin mingled with
amusement at his own expense: 81
looked it up after I returned to the
ship. And what do you suppose l was
saying to her all the time?"
I'VE cannot imagine"
bring me a cup of coffee No
wonder she laughed. AS l held out
the broken scent bottle so persistently
she brought forth her silver meshed
purse and opened it wide. Moved by
impulse, picked out the glass stopper
and tucked it away in my vest pocket
and emptied the remainder of the bro
ken glass into her purse.
"She thanked me prettily in Span
fish that l could understand, and as [
went out OF the door l heard her re-
mark to the mystifed shopkeeper in
perfect English:
Poor fellow. He is quite de-
mented.'
Mortified and quite angry at my
own idiocy in not inQuiring whether
the senorita could speak English or
not, FASTENED back to the ship and
hunted out my Spanish dictionary only
! to discover that | had been pleading
with her to bring me some coffee"
"Well, do go on with your story, Ar
thur cried his aunt
, THAT is all. Aunt Emeline- My
story is ended"
, 1T is too tame an ending. Perhaps
there may be sequel" suggested Mrs.
. Hanford.
} 81 am afraid 1t must wait until l re-
, turn to Spain," sighed Arthur Clayton.
J But she certainly was the lOveliest
girl | ever saw"
J Where is Madeline?" asked Profess
sor Trayle, looking around for his
daughter.
"She went below to speak to Miss
Drake What a pity Miss Drake has
been i'll ever since we sailed from Ca
dr." remarked Mrs. Hanford
Emily brakes a beauty If You
, want to see one. Mr. Clayton" said
, Professor Trayle, with enthusiasm
pure American and perfectly be-
witching She's been abroad for sew
l eral months and ran across Madeline
: by the merest chance in Cadiz. She
, made arrangements to return with us
on the Neptune, took leave of her
friends and came aboard, only to suffer
from seasickness for day or so. Now
, she is quite recovered. and l am hop
{ ing she will come on deck with Made
line and make your acquaintance. All.
3 there they come now"
He arose and went to meet bis
daughter, who was accompanied by a
: tall, graceful girl with an exquisitely
beautiful face. lighted by glorious dark
eyes.
Arthur Clayton uttered startled ex-
5 clamation and stumbled to his feet.
: and as his eyes met those of Emily
Brake they exchanged glances of de-
lighted surprise.
D Emily Drake, the American girl, was
I none other than the beautiful senorita
: who had accidentally dropped her scent
I bottle at his feet
When the voyage was over and the
] tourists caught the first glimpse Of the
t statue of Liberty in New York bay
: Mrs. Hanford nodded her head toward
D Emily Drake and Arthur Clayton,
standing together at the rail.
] Mr.. Clayton said his story was tin-
2 ished." she said. with a smile. "bnt
l am quite sure there will be an inter-
D esting sequel to that romance"
t "And 1T was all brought about by a
| Mica