Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-22

good to get the name OF pushing girl
! who hasn't a cent in the world, even
| if she is my own niece"
Yes, Aunt Margaret" was the de-
! mure reply.
This homily was delivered toward
| the close of the summer season. But
| there was still from one to two months
| yachting in store for those who were
| enabled to enjoy this most expensive of
! Iuxurles. Mrs. Spencer, who proposed
TO do everything in her power to Ell
able her niece to make match during
the limited time that had been set
apart for the purpose, organized a
cruise in her yacht, the Alpha, fnvit-
ing the homeliest girls of her ac-
Quaintance and the most eligible young
men.
The party set sail late in Septem-
ber-after the equinOctial gales had
paSsed-for the waters OF the south
| Though the cruise was extended over
some six weeks, it was failure so
far as its main object was concerned.
Ethel Digby did not make match
Indeed, she did not appear to try to
make match. True, there were no
colossal fortunes among the bachelors
of the party. but Mrs. Spencer did not
aim for millions for her niece. She
would be contented with a beggarly
$500 600 or 5000 900.
Reaching the gulf of Mexico, the par
ty disbanded, some going to Florida,
some northward, while the owner Of
the Alpha, with her husband and niece,
made a trip to the canal before re-
A hA1v
found many persons who had come to
view the great engineering work,
few of whom had come in their own
yachts. Among these was young
Farnsworth Elliot, who had recently
come into fortune of $2,O00,0OO. He
was well known to the Spencers, since
they all moved in the same multimil-
liOnaire class. He invited them TO
dine on board his yacht. the Esper
ance, and they returned the civility by
a similar invitation.
Mrs. Spencer had given up trying to
marry her niece in her own set and
took no steps to inveigle Mr.. Elliot
However, he showed a disposition TO
go over the route OF the canal in their
company, and they went together
When they returned to Colon they
stayed. as before, on their respective
yachts until ready to make sail north
ward.
One evening Mr.. Elliot was dining
with the Spencers on their yacht when
the conversation turned TO marine sig
nails. Spencer, though q yachtsman.
left all sailing matters to his captain.
and knew nothing about them. But
Elliot was from choice his own sail
ing master. leaving navigation to his
captain only when he happened TO
feel like doing so. The ladies showing
an interest in the signal code, Mr.. FL
Hot gave them lecture on the in
terna tional system. Mrs. Spencer pre-
tended to understand what he was
saying. while Miss Digby listened with
out saying anything After making
his demonstration Mr.. Elliot asked the
former some questions about the code
which showed her ignorance of IL
He was proceeding to examine Etbet
when she interrupted him.
Send me a message by signal when
you return to your yacht" she said.
land L will return you an answer
that will show you that have under
stood it"
a good idea" exclaimed the young
man. Will you send your reply by
signaIf'
That will depend on the nature of
your message"
When the yachtsman had been pull
ed away in his dinghey Mrs. Spencer
said to her niece:
What did you mean, Ethel. by pre-
tending TO understand what Mr. Elliot
said about the marine signal code?
You didn't. did you:"
Not word of it,
VIII you get the captain TO inter