Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-30
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Tempters Voice.


ton.
When Stuart stopped the tender at
the first blind. about 500 yards away.
Bivens protested.
Here. herei I'm no mollycoddle II
I have been sick. 1 can throw a stone
to this blind. This isn't the one l
want There it Is down yonder to-
ward the end Of that marsh. l saw
thousands of ducks circling around ii
yesterday. I've given in to you every
day we've been down here. I'm going
to have my way this time"
He turned to the sailor who was
running the tenders engine and spoke
sharply.
go to that other blindw
The sailor sprang to the wheel. and
the tender shot ahead. Stuart settled
back in his seat with angry disgust.
and Bivens laughed.
Cheer up; it's no use to give orders
for a funeral yet If we can't get
back to that yacht in fifteen minutes
against any wind that blows today I'll
eat my hat I'm feeling better than
| / have for months. I'm In for q good
time. Don't be piker."
Stuart determined to make the best
Of 1t.
"All right" he answered cheerfully.
Good Lord. man. / could walk back
| to the yacht at low water-it all goes
bare
Yes. unless the wind hauls In to
the northeast and rolls In a big tide
through that inlet"
! "All right: let her roll. The tender
will come back and pull us in
BY the time the decoys were out 1t
began to spit snow. and the wind had
| freshened.
AS the sailor was about to start
back Stuart spoke sharply:
Listen to me now. Niels. Keep a
sharp watch on this weather If you
see the wind haul to the north put u
compass in your tender. take your
bearing from the yacht to this blind
in case 1t should shut in thick and
come after us in double quick time
You understand"
"Yes, sir"
''If 1t looks bad don't wait too long. II
IT should be blowing a gale you'd bet
ter bring the cook along TO steer while
you watch your engine. Have him fix
light supper before he starts
Bivens was vastly amused at Stu
arts orders.
Stuart scanned the horizon. watch
ing flock of ducks working their way
northward.' The sign was ominous
Birds know which way the wind is
going to blow before 1t comes. and II q
gale is on the way they always work
into the teeth of It,
1t was useless to tell this to Bivens
He didn't have sense enough to under
stand IT. But Stuart quietly made up
his mind to take up the decoys and
10 two feet OF water.
In the meantime he would make the
best Of the situation. The ducks be-
gan to come in and decoy like chick
ems. He killed half a dozen and in the
excitement began to forget the fool
hardness of the trip.
Bivens shot a dozen times. missed.
got Disguised and began to fret and
complain. He said:
Jim, would you mind telling me the
mental process by which you rejected
my offer? You're the only man I've
struck on this earth that didn't have
his price"
Perhaps we have different ways of
fixing values. You are not yet fifty
years old and a wreck. What's the
user What can you do with your
money now?"
1T brings luxury, ease. indulgence,
power. admiration, wonder and the
envy Of the world"
whats the good Of luxury IL you
can't enjoy 1t. ease If you never take
It, indulgence when you have lost the
capacity to play. power If you're too
busy getting more to stop and WELD
itT'
Jim. you're the biggest fool / ever
knew, without q single exception"
Stuart glanced anxiousiy toward the
yacht. 1t was 3 o'clock. The tide had
ebbed half out and there was barely
enough water on the fats now for the
tender to cross. 1t was showing hard
er and the wind had begun to inch in
toward the north.
"No more ducks today. CAL" Stuart
said briskly, returning to his tone OF
friendly comrsdeship. We've got to
get away from here. It's getting colder
every minute. 1t viii be freezing be
fore night"
well, let It freeze" Biyens cried
peevishly. What do we carer Its
just ten minutes run when the tender
comes"
. To stuart's Joy he saw the men star
the tender.
: It's all right; they're coming nowr
} he exclaimed. We'll have another
crack or two before they get here
He crouched low in the blind for Nv,
, minutes without getting q shot. ros.
, and looked for the tender To bis hor
TOR he saw her drifting helpless befor,
, the wind. her engine stopped and boti
I men waving franticaIly their signals o
distress