Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-20
CHAPTER I.
Husbands and Wife.

Husbands and Wife.
N ROCK was breakfasting out Of
doors in the cheerful little gar
- den OF the Hotel Chatham. The
sun strcamed warmly upon the
concrete lOOr Of the court just beyond
the row Of palms and oleanders that
fringed the rail against which his Her
aid rested, that II ,pight read as he
ran, so TO speak. LIE was the only per.
son having dcjeuner on the terrace"
as he named 1t 70 the obsequious wait
er who always attended him. Charles
was the magnet that drew Brock 70
the Chatham. that excellent French ho-
tel with the excellent English name.
Charles was standing. alert but pen
Siye. quite near at hand. ready TO re-
pleaish the bowl with honey. Brock
was especially fond Of IL. Brock
had gone 20 the Chatham FOR years just
because Charles was n fixture there
Charles spoke the most execrably pic
turesque English. served with a puncQ-
liousuess that savored almost of the
overbearing. and boosted that he had
acquired thc art Of making American
cocktails during a FIVE weeks residence
in the United States.
II was q lazy morning. Brock was
happy. He was even interested when
porter came forth and uuraveled Il
long roll OF garden hose. with which
he abruptly began 10 splash water
upon tie concrete surface OF the court
without regard for distance or direc-
ton. Moreover. he proceeded 10 water
the palms, operating from NJ spot no
less than twenty feet away. until the
faithful Charles restored him 10 earth
by means of certain subdued iniunc-
tons and less moderate Cnsticulations,
from which it'could be readily gntlIer-
ed that IN sieur was eating. not bath
ing" Whereupon the utterly uncrush.
ed porter splashed water at right an.
giles. 20 Brooks relief. "M'sieur will
pardon the boy" apologized Charles In
deepest humility. taking much for
granted 1t will be very warm today
fOur Scrviette. m'sicur-it is damp.
Pardon" He Jew away and back with
another napkin. "Of course. m'sieur,
the Chatham is not the Waldorf" he
announced deprecatingly. "Parbleu,"
beating himself on the forehead ~
forgot! Msieur does not like the Wal
don't Eli. bien. Paris Is not New York.
no" Having sufficiently BUNDLED
Paris lie withdrew into the back
ground. rubbing his hands as II he
were cleansing them OF something TN
slightly. Brock spread one Of the but
tered biscuits with honey and inwardly
admitted that Paris was not New York.
He WIS "a good looking chap Of thir-
~ or thercabouts, an American TO the
core. bright eyed. keen witted. smooth
faced. viri'e From boyhOad's earliest
days he had spent a portion OF his
summers in Europe. Two or three
years OF his life had been employed in
the beaux arts, fruitful years. for
Brock had not wasted his opportuni-
ties. He had gone in for architecture
and building. Today be stood high
among the younger men in New York.
prosperous, successful and a MENACE TO
the Oh cry that son of the rich can
not thrive in his fathers domain
Nowadays ne came TO the old world
for his breathing spells. He was able
u combine dawdling and development
without sacrificing one for the other.
wherein lies the proof that his vaca-
tions were not akin 10 those taken by
most OF US.
Tho fortnight in Paris was TO be
followed by a week in St Petersburg
and 4 brief tour OF Sweden and Nor.
way. His stay in the gay city was
drawing TO "A close. That very morn
Ing he expected TO book for St Peters
burg, leaving In three days
Suddenly his glance fell upon a name
IN the society column before him,
"Roxbury Aiedcroft" His face lighted
up with genuine pleasure. An old
friend. n boon companion In bygone
days was this same Medcroft. a broad
minded. broad gagged young English
nan-who had profted BY 4 STAY of