Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-06


and then heavy steps across the floor.
An enormously fat man clad in trou-
sers and waistcoat blinked sleepily at
him.
We'll" he snarled. who are you.
and what do you want?'
whats the troubie?" demanded
Follansbee
Trouble? There's no trouble that
know Of, except what you're making
yourself! Say. what are you doing
here anyway" he added suspiciously.
Follansbee glanced past him into the
room, where there was a glimpse Of
typewriting machine and scattered
sheets of manuscript.
81 occupy the adjoining room in the
next house." explained Follansbee at
last. "a few minutes ago was awak-
ened by what thought was a tele-
graph mesSage-sure | read the mes
sage right-calling for help"
The fat one threw back his head and
laughed noiselessly. Come in" he
chuckIed hoarsely. This is the best
ever" he added as he closed the door
and pushed a rocking chair toward his
midnight visitor "Sit down. Have a
smoker" He offered a cigar case. but
Follansbee shook his head impatiently.
Tell me about it." he said.
The mans face grew sober as he set
tied himself into a chair before the
battered machine. "I'll tell you a sto-
ry," he said grimly. his brooding eyes
fixed on Follansbee's face. I'm tel
I,
/ was stationed at little place called
Feneby. between Highly Crossing and
Placerville.
''The operator at Highly Crossing was
a girl. l was gone on her. and we
were engaged to be married. oh,
wasn't as fat as I am nowT' he said
plaintively. 81 was good looking and
some favorite with the girls.
AT Placerville there was another
operator, man named Follansbee-Ned
Follansbee. 1 never saw him, but he
fell in love with my girl. and l heard
him ask her over the wire. or course
she told him she was promised, and
! then he told her II she was ever in
| trouble. why, Just to call on him. Reg
ular popular price melodrama style.
eh?" He smiled unpleasantly, but a
spasm Of pain crossed his fat counte-
nance. Follansbee stared at him fasci-
mated.
"Follansbee went away-New York
or somewhere-droppe out of sight
My girl got gloomy and at the last
minute threw me over; said she liked
the other fellow best after all. She
went to Chicago, and I plugged there
| at Feneby till I nearly went crazy (;
then came to New York.
81 got to thinking about my troubles
up here in this room, and couldn't
get that Follansbee out Of my head.
wanted to show him up. He made a
lot of trouble. So 1 sat down and
wrote a story-a dandy good story
about the girl and Follansbee. and I
put his message into it-abOut her call
ing him If she needed him!
Then fixed it up so that she would
call the hero by wire, and l made up
message You heard me ticking it
off here on the machine just for fun"
Follansbee nodded. THAT the sto-
ry?" he asked. pointing to the scatter
ed sheets.
YES l End I've got quite a turn
for writing Might not have develop
cd If she hadn't turned me down. ebT'
''Then you are satisfied as things
have turned out with you?" asked Fol.
lansbee gravely.
ayes. Don't look as though ! were
grieving, do II" he laughed unctuously
"No. you do not" Follansbee smiled
wryly and got upon his feet. "In that
case, perhaps, you don't mind giving
me Miss Dunham's Chicago address"
"Eh?" asked the other biankly.
you see, I'm Ned Follansbee." ex
planned the visitor cooIly.
1.-The deuce you are! Well. yor
heard the message l was composing
for my story. Well, I'll be BANKED 1,
it isn't the funniest thing ever heard
of. Say" eagerly. do you mind IL
put all this in the story toO?"
Not a bit. Put everything in. onl.
give me her address"
The fat man fumbled in a notebook
give the desired address and picked
up fresh sheet Of paper. His fac,
was shining with excitement and an
ucipatiOn.
Talk about coincidencer' he grin
ned contentedly. Say. tell her abou
it when you see her, will you? Sh
won't forget me-my names Hender
son. I'll send you q copy OF the stor
when ii comes out"
I'VE will look for It." said Follans
bee PLEASANTLY.
81 may as well offer congratuia
TONS" grinned the happy author ca
tending plump hand
, Folansbee went back to his room
, packed a bag and wrote a letter to hi
paper.
Suddenly there clicked a messag
, from the next room.
, 'Goodby. Follansbee. Good luckr'
And Follansbee. with a tender smil
/ on his face, raped an answer on tn
r wall:
: "Goodby, Henderson. You're a goo