Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-30


releasing herself from Toms arms aud
essaying to laugh. You are waiting for
me after all. amt you: ] was afeared
you'd gone home. 50 Tom Strickland
here was goin' with me instead
An ugly Sneer was on STAN Tuck
er's face. $50 / see. he'replied. glanc-
ing venomously from one to the other.
And you seem TO be having good
time. both of you
oh. Shucks. now. STAN. it's uethin
but foolin'. that's allr' cried the girl
q note of pleading in her voice. Il
was teasin' Tom for bein' baShful. and
dared him TO kiss me. and he would
NOT take a dare-and that's the whole
truth"
Il reckon it's all the truth you in
tend to tell" replied STAN. But I'll
tell you what it looks like TO me. 1t
looks like
stop right there. Stam!" interrupt
ed Tom Strickland. IF you've seen
anything you don't ike I'm the re-
sponsible party. Say whatever you've
got to say to me. not to a woman
Il don't ask anything better. Tom
Strickland" instantly retorted Siam.
turning swiftly from the Girls And
! won't mince any words saying it Ell
Their You're a.
'Stam"' cried LottieM May. running to
the speaker and placing a restraining
hand on mis- that had suddenly been
thrust back TO his hip pocket. You
shan't do it. You mustn't do it. STAN.
! It'd ruin me in Nineveh forever and
everw
Let him alone. Lottie-May," said
Tom Strickland. He won't shoot
Just you stand aside ana let him crack
his whip"
STAN Tucker made a movement to
throw Lottie-May off. but the girl chung
to him desperately. Tom StrickIand's
eyes hardened as they watched STAN
Tucker with an ominOus alertness
A farm horse drawing a ramshackle
spring wagon emerged into view around
bend in the road some distance away
and came numbering along toward the
three
Good Lord. it's granddaddy" cried
LOttie-May DoCgett For my sake.
please-please. STAN. you and Tom both
don't let him see there's been any
troubler'
Old RRfe Doggett. white haired and
stern of viSage. scowled suspiciously
at LOttie-May and her companions as
be brought his horse to halt
Where in the world have you been
till this hour Of the night. Luttie- May p
be asked. Il WAS on my way TO town
after you. What haye'you been doin'.
girl?",
IOttieMay stood shamefaced Why.
granddaddy." she replied nervously. -
just stayed to the political meetin'
that's all There was to be brass
band there and speakin' and all that.
and ! Just couldn't come away till il
was over
The Old man kept his accusing eyes
on the girls face for moment Then
he turned and looked Se&rchingly first
at STAIN Tucker and then at Tom
Strickland Tom felt a sudden and
overwhelming sense of shame and sell
reproach and nity for the good old man
whose dread. harried eyes were 50 som.
berry bent on him.
There was moment Of silence
We'll. seem all there was TO see" old
Rafe DogSett resumed then. what die
you do after that. girl: How comes i.
that you're here on the road with STAN
Tucker. facin' Tom Strickland like
there'd been a quarrel: Tell me the
truth"
Lottie-May Do-gett flashed a quicE
appeal of her eyes ut Tom Strickland
1t was plainly Il mute and desperate
entreaty for his forhearance with what
ever She was about Ia Say
Then. Why. granddaddv." she mace
answer. STAN offered to escort N.
home. ana We met Tom on the way
and we just all three stopped to tail
for d minute-thats ali Quarrelin'
STAN and Tom wasn't thinkin' of sucl
a thing; that's the truth. l cross ny
heart please. SIR
The girls voice trembled with fea
of her grim old grandfather, to whom
her mothers memory remained bat al
meaning q lifelong disgrace and humil
iatiOn. The old man seemed not en-
tirely satisfied with her explanation
ne sat siiehl, sun studying the STpGl
confronting him. Then he sighed
We'll, Lottie-May." he spoke at last
''since STAN wants to escort you hom,
he can still do it. / reckon But yoI
y both better come along with me in tn,
wagon. There amt no sense in you
walkin' now"
Lottie Mays frightened eyes wer
pleading with STAN and Tom to abid,
by her story and comply with he
grandfather's wishes.
"All right, Mr.. Doggett," spoke Stan
finally. I'll be specially glad for Lot
ue-May TO ride. / reckon she's prett,
tired by now, so I'll just see her hom
that way, along with you
Tom Strickland stood silent as Lot
tie-Aay was lifted into the wagon b,
Siam Tucker, who mounted TO the sea
beside her Old Rafe Doggett clucke,
to his horse.
Good night, Tom cried the girl.
Good night, LOttie-Mayt" reptile.
Tom. Good night. Mr.. Doggett,"
The next moment they were gone.
And Tom Strickland, shamed to tn
soul at thought of what he had seen il
old Rafe Doggetts worn and waste