Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-03

'On. OF course. L We got plenty OF re- 7,
spect for the grand old rag. but one
can't throw a 1T every time it breaks
TO the breeze
Dash it all. Dick" exclaimed Mon
roe irritab!y, you're almost insuffera
BILE since you took that trip abroad. OF
course one doesn't want the eagle to
scream all the time, but no American
has got red blood in his veins if he
doesn't feel a thrill of patriotic love
every time he salutes his country's
flag Wait until you've knocked around
the world as much as have and you'll
find that flag the sweetest sight you
ever witnessed. It's the thing in your
college set TO make light of these
things-but wait!'
Five years afterward Dick Terry
found himself stranded in n remote
Chinese village, whose inhabitants
were excited over the reports Of the
impending revolution. Ignorant and
superstitious and hating all foreigners
of whatever nationality, they fell upon
| the luckless American and clapped
| him into a filthy lookup, to await what
ever punishment the local magistrate
! should infiict.
| 1t was quite useless for Dick to as
sert that he was q harmless American
citizen, who had attempted to shoot
| the rapids of the upper YangtZe river
in motorboat without guides or COM
panions and had met with disaster in
the attempt 1t was vain for him TO
protest that he meant no harm TO the
villagers and that he did not possess
the evil eye, nor did he wish to steal
their children for the dissecting room
of Shanghai hospital.
They merely listened politely, shook
their round heads and locked him up.
The prison cell was a small stone
room in the magistrates yamen. and.
after Dick had made Mortified exami-
nation of the dirty walls and floor and
4 the moldy built in bed he sat down on
the edge Of the latter and admitted it
was worse than he had expected.
Il don't believe those fellows under
stood a word l said" he muttered dis
consolately. IF they really knew that
I was an American and the son of q
banker in Shanghai they would let me
go. For all they know / may be Ger
man
Just then he thought Of his country
flag. What would it not mean if he
had carried, as many Americans did
when travelling abroad. a small silk
flag to toss in their yellow faces. But
Dick had never felt the real need of
| l. no
he was unprepared to call upon her.
He looked disconsolately at his cloth.
ing. If he had possessed the necessary
materials of the right colors he would
have hastily manufactured flag. His
tweed suit was gray, his shirt white
drill and his necktie brilliant red.
IF on.y had some Of the right kind
of blue, believe I'd try it," he NUT
tered. But, of course. there wasn't q
scrap. so he stared moodily at the rap
idly disappearing patch of sunlight on
the dirty floor.
Just as it vanished. leaving the cell
cold and gray, key grated in the lock
and the door was pushed timidly in
ward.
Dick looked up and saw a Chinese
maiden fitting toward him with a
small tray on which were set bowl of
steaming rice and pot of tea. .
He smiled as he got up and took 1t
from her hands. He bowed courteous
~ and said thank you" several times
until she understood what he meant
and giggled delightedly. She was a
pretty girl according to Asiatic stand
ards. and Dick was impressed by the
rich quality of her garments. She
wore a handsome coat of some rich
blue satin embroidered in dull silver
butterflies
The satin was the color Of the blue
field in the flag of the United States OF
America
Dick Terry had a daring thought.
With a charming smile he pointed to
her robe and lifted his eyebrows ques
tioningly. He pointed to himself. and
then drawing off a diamond ring thai
he wore he offered it to her in ex
change for her beautiful gown.
He had to repeat this pantomimt
several times before the girl under
3 stood his meaning. and, although she
'NphTA lObS4h6iJ lbt JN"Vi' oi'
9 shook her shining black hair and edged
timidly toward the door.
g Then Dick became muteiy eloquent
q He gesticulated and smiled and nod
I ded and pointed to his red necktie ant
I extended his hands in appeal for ;
piece of cloth of that color and repeat
ed the performance with a plea 70
. some blue material of the tint OF he
robe. with sewing implements.
!; At last she appeared to understand
and closed the door after her vanish
!: ing form.
For long. dark hours after that Dici
!: was alone. He was waiting for tn
temperance of the Chinese girl
q whom he suspected TO be a member o
the magistrates household. II sh
brought the required materials h
might ciumsily stitch a flag together
X and that would save his life on tn
s morrow Without the protection 0
G. the flag. whose stars and stripes woul'
explain 40 much 10 the hostile vii
layers. as well as favorably impress
the magistrate he would probably be