Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-12-24

| ballad: Higgins and Locke were talk
ing earnestly. Locke, as usual. sat
| facing the entrance. his eyes watch
full. his countenance alert. TO n sober
eye it would have been patent that he
! was laboring under some strong eS-
| element. for every door that opened
! caused him to start. every stranger
that entered made him quake.
''Grandes' fellow I ever met" HiG-
| gins was saying for the hundredth
| time. Got two faults. Anthony; he's
modesht an he's lazy-he won't work .
You and he are good friends, chg
| BEST ever"
Would you like to play a joke on
him?"
Joke: Can't be done He's wises'
| guy ever. I've tried it an always get
| the wors' OF it,
I'll tell you how we can work it
| I've got ticket for Central America
in my pocket. The boat sails at 10.
| Let's send him down there"
"Wha' for?'
Locke kept his temper with an effort
ITO make a man of him. Well go
through his clothes. and when he lands
he'll be broke He'll have to work.
Don't you see:"
mo" Anthony's friend did not see
He don't want to go TO Central Amer
ica." he argued. He's got new au-
tom bile"
But suppose we got him soused,
went through his pockets and then put
him aboard the boat. He'd be Mt sea
by the time he woke up. He couldn't
get back. He'd have to work. Don't
you see? He'd be broke when he land
ed and have to rustic money to get
back with. think it's an awful funny
idea"
The undeniable humor of such a sit
uation finally dawned upon Higgins
mind.
I'll get him full IL you'll help man
age it." Locke went on. And here's
the ticket" He tapped his pocket.
'Where'd you get it?'
Bought it yesterday. It's first class
and better, and he'll fit my description.
We're about the same size. Wait"
Locke rose and went to the bar. where
be called loudly for the singer. Then
when the bartender had deserted the
piano he spoke TO Anthony: Keep it
up. old man. You're doing fine"
For some moments he talked earnest
~ to the man behind the bar. No one
observed the transfer of another of
those yellow bills OF which he seemed
to have an unlimited store
Strangely enough. Mr. jefferson
Locke's plan worked without a hitch
Within ten minutes after Kirk An
thony had taken the drink handed him
he declared himself sleepy and rose
from the piano. only to seek chair.
into which he flung himself heavily.
Its all right" Locke told his drunk
en- companion i've got n taxi wait
ing. Wen leave Ringold where he is
Twenty-four hours later AdeIbert
Higgins undertook to recall what had
happened 10 him after he left Muller's
place on East Fourteenth street but !
his memory was tricky. He recoIlected
a vaguely humorous discussion of some
sort with Il stranger. the details of
which were almost entirely missing
Unexpected and alarming occurrences
made IL imperative for him to ter
inmate his connection with his college,
as big Marty RinEold had done earlier
in the day. and begin 70 pack his be-
lonGings. Partly out of Difference to
the frantic appeals OF his widowed
mother, partly owing TO the teicphoned /
advice of Mr. Michael Padden OF Sixth /
avenue. who said the injured man had
recognized one OF his assailants. he
booked passage to Japan by the next |
steamer out of Vancouver.
Strictly speaking. Kirk Anthony did !
not awake TO a realization OF his sur
roundings. but became conscious OK !
them through n long process of duff |
dreamy speculation. lie said to him |
self:
Now, begin all over again. Kirk |
was very drunk. Good. Ev- !
erytbing is clear so far Next you /
were playing piano with yellow teeth 1
while somebody sang something about 1
a Little Brown Cot After that
Lord. you must have been drinking. /!
Well. let's run through it again"
But his efforts were vain. He could
recall nothing beyond the piano. so
fell TO wondering what hotel this
could be-
Some east side joint" be decided
and cheap one. too. from the size or
this stall" He noted another brass
bed close at hand and reasoned that
Ringold or Higgins must have risen |
early. leaving him to finish his sleep. /
That was considerable. OF course. but
Good heavens. IL must be late, And |
ne was due TO motor TO New Haven at
1OOnf He raised hfruself str1deptv