Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-18

q RdOu anu "dlASo lO"dAu Tue NS-
scending elevator.
Going DOWN. called the operator,
and Jack slid along the corridor and
caught the car. AS the door crashed be
hind him and the car dropped down
an ascending car swooped upward and
Jack had a glimpse OF a familiar hat
A smart little hat 1t was OF black and
white. with a hint Of rose color some
where about 1t.
OF course Jack did not see all these
details as the car passed him. He was
recollecting the hat as he had last seen
It upon the small, haughtily poised
head OF Laura HaZen. He had excel
lent reason to remember that hat, for
she had nodded It at him as she dis
missed him forever. 1t had all been
about q very trivial matter. He had
almost forgotten the quarrel now. OF
course Laura was in the right. She had
a provoking way OF always proving
herself in the right. He imagined that
he was quite broken hearted over his
shattered romance. but so far he had
managed to retain a most excellent
appetite, although he avoided the op-
posite sex like a pestilence.
As to the quarrel, 1t came from a
mans not liking to have his iancee
dance modern dances with any one ex-
cept himself. Laura didn't see any
reason why she shouldn't dance them
II she wanted to. She intended to so
to a subscription ball. and he objected,
saying he feared the company, not TO
speak OF the dancing, might be very
indiscriminate. He could not approve
of the turkey trot, bunny hug or tango.
Laura had pouted and fretted to such
an extent that the result was quarrel.
She really cared very little about the
dance, but was determined to make
Jack bend to her will. Then, too, as
she told him, she felt her pride insult
ed by his assuming that she would
dance the modern dances in any except
proper form"
And now this COMPOUNDED hat had
/ flashed past him to remind him that
/ the girl under It was no longer his
sweetheart. He wondered II Laura had
was not sorry. Perhaps If he met her
casually-in the corridor Of this build
| ing, for instance-she might betray her
real feelings.
Lingering in the vestibule, staring
senselessly up at the directory on the
marble wall. the impulse came to him
suddenly. He would so up to the TWEEN
tieth floor again and perhaps meet her.
He would walk all the way downstairs
and perhaps see her in one of the cor
ridors Like many impulses, 1t was a
foolish one. Nevertheless he entered
an elevator and went Skyward.
At the top floor he got out, walked
down the long deserted corridor to its
end, came back and slowly descended
the stairs. The corridor Of the nine
teenth floor was equally deserted, and
he laughed at himself for his folly
She might have passed him in the ele
vator as he came up. She might be
going down in any one of the elevators
that glided up and down.
On the eighteenth floor he was re
warded for his folly. He had paced
to the farthest end of the corridor and
was coming back, approaching the ele
vators. when a door opened and the
smart little hat came out. Jack Della
field would know Laura's graceful fig
ure anywhere. She always wore some
shade of gray, and the tailor gown
she had on now fitted to perfection.
She walked rapidly ahead Of him. heI
heels tapping the polished floor, and
he FASTENED to overtake her The least
she could do would be to throw hin
another of her 6iIlingly naughty
glanCes. and as she had already broker
his heart once 1t was immune now.
He neared her and said eagerly
Laura
She stopped suddenly. half turned
slipped on the glittering floor and sa
down in an ignominious heap at hii
feet. She tilted back the alurinc ha
and turned a lovely, indignant counte
nance toward him-the face Of a per
feet stranger!
"I-beg- yOur-pardonw voCiferateC
Jack humbly. 81 really thought it wa
somebody else. Will you permit me T.
assist you"
mo: thank you" she said Jelly. "Yol
look like a gentleman" she added cut
tinGly.
Jack placed his hat on his head an,
damned It down. "Of course I'll go /
you want me to-" he said, "only as
am responsible for your being dow
there ! should like to he assured tina
you are not injured. PermitYme to re
peat my apologies"
He went on down the corridor. call
ing himself all sorts of names for hi
asinine behavior. He heard a sliding
slipping sound and an exclamation 0
pain and fastened back to where tn
girl sat on the floor. Her face wa
quite pale now.
II believe I twisted my ankle whe
! went down" she mUrmuTed.
Without a word Jack leaned owe
and lifted her to her feet. She sway
. ed and leaned against him.
, This is dreadful! It's the nigh
, foot. II you can assist me downstair
IN take car home"
, Take a cab you mean" correcte
, Jack in a repressed tone II wis
there were words enough to tell 70
how hadlv I feel q hOuf fhfs ~