Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-22

Lp1 HAA LIS AAEtS anu lON------
me over carefully with a twinkle in his
eye.
You are contributing those elementsl
You are Octsviaized-is that itT' Pep
perton laughed until the tears came.
Il prefer Hollisterized as the broader
term. Brother Bassford has it. too.
and there's always Hezekiahy'
All. Hezekiah the unpredictable,
knew there was a skirt iuttering some
where. I saw her wS~erday-stopped
to see BassfcE6. NhSSt good old chap.
Hezekiah OF the teasing eyes was
whitewashing the chicken coop. and
Nicheiangelo couldn't have done it bet
ter"
Pep" l said. lowering my voice. IF
you love me keep close TO Cecilia all
DAY. You're an engaged man and in
practice. Give an imitation of devo-
ton. Keep her out Of doors-keep
male human beings away from her.
Don't fail me in this. I've got to pull
of the greatest coup Of my life today.
There's q band of outlaws hanging
round here who will propose to Cecilia
must NOT. Wigs got to speak before
night or lose out forever. No-no6 a
word of explanation. You've got to
take my word for it,
I'll be the goat. Go ahead, but
build a fire under Virgins. I can't
stay here forever
Pepperton's engagement smoothed out
one wrinkle. and I felt sure that 1
could trust him as an ally. The groom
was holding my horse in the porte
cochere, and mounted and rode away
TO the Prescott Arms.
l found Ormsby, Shallenberger. Ar.
buthnot, Henderson, Hume and Gorss
glumly sitting in semicircle before
the hall fireplace. Deepest gloom per-
vaded the inn. I have rarely seen mel.
ancholy so darkly stamped upon the
human eountenance. They turned in
differently and glared as they recog-
nized me Shallenberger alone rose
and greeted me.
4 hope there is no bad news" he
said chokingly.
Bad news?'
81 mean Miss Hollister-Aiiss Cecilia.
We were all deeply grieved last night
TO hear Of her sudden illness. There's
always something so terrible in the
very name of diphtheria.
Ny wits had been so sharpened by
my late adventures that readily ac-
counted for these false tidingS. Dick
was absent Dick alone would have
been equal to this diaboical plot for
keeping his rival suitors away from
Hopefeld. The despair in those faces
taxed my gravity severely.
1t is extremely sad, but the first
diagnosis was erroneous" I answered.
Il think it more likely to prove to be
chicken pox when the truth is known"
Not diphtheria
"No immediate danger Of diphtheria.
assure you" | replied, though of
course with winter coming on and all
that. one must be prepared for the
worst"
While he repeated this TO the others
sought the clerk. who promptly hand
ed me- g. note which Virgins had left
late the previous afternoon. to he de-
livered in case / called. He had gone
to spend day or two with Orton. the
playwright. who was at his country
house. in the hills beyond Mount ks
go. rehearsiug = new piece in which a
friend Of Eartiey'S was to star. ! gain
ed the telephone booth in one jump.
and in five minutes l was bawling
wildly into Orton's ear. / had known
him we'll in the Hare and Tortoise. and
he answered my demand for Virgins
with the heart breaking news that
Hartley had ridden off with some 9TH
CT guests in the house. Orton didn't
know where
81 threw them out. I've got to re-
write my third act l don't care wheth-
er they ever come back" doomed Or
tors voice.
IF you don't send Virgins back 10
me Mt Hopefeld rs fast rs he can get
there. my third act is ruined"
What"
Tell Virgins tc come hack on the
ran Tell him tho worlds coming TO
IN cnd any minute"
"Ill he g'ad 20 ret rid Of him" snap
ped Grton. in the harried tone Of man
whose third act has wilted in re-
/ hearsai.