Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-13
The Daily Story
Finding Out the Truth-By Donald Chamberlin
Copyrighted 1914 by Literary Bureau

station and, getting in, was wbisl,ed q
his home. When arrived I was tola
that he was not at home. but wac a.
pected soon. I was shown to rno,,,
where / made toilet, taking care ~
use some aromatic tooth powder bad
with me to destroy the odor of whiskv
and tobacco on my breath. I also =,
vested myself of my travelling sn,,
which was saturated with Tobacco
smoke. Having got as well rid az noe
sible Of these telltales, I went down
into the library, where I found an
evening paper.
/ was engrossed In the paper when
hearing a footstep, I looked IN ana
great was my establishment. nan
stood before me with a benign smile
on his face, and who should he BIO bn.
the person who had sought my ac.
quaintance on the train and whom
had relieved of SIC He offered his
hand and said:
I'm glad to see you. my dear boy.
1 can tell you at once that I heartily
approve Of you. We can't trust one an.
other In this world when we are warn.
ed, so / concluded to take you IN.
awares."
"B-b-b-ut I thought you were
were a.
80 1 am in business and among
women and children, but know what
p young man is, for I've been one nv
self So 1 concluded to go back to the
days of my wild oats and see you as
you are. not as you would pretend to
be. I'm very fond of my niece and
wish her to marry a man, not a SWIVEL
ing, driveling fellow who pretends TO
goodness while his inclinations are 9th
erwise. 1 have found you perfectly
honorable and you played fair game.
I'll say this, even il you did relieve me
of my money. Come in to dinner"
Mr.. Springer did not let me go for
several days. He was not the man he
had been on the train, but was no
prude. He was much engrossed in
business, and this did not give him
time for dissipation even IL he was
inclined that way, and he was not SO
inclined. / went back TO Edith with
a far better report of my status with
her uncle than she had given me Of her
status with my aunt.
I found that Aunt Kate had been
called away for a few days, and was
obliged to go to Edith TO be informed
as TO the situation. She told me that
my aunt had written her brief note,
saying that on her return and mine
she would be pleased to see us at her
house to spend an evening. 1 gave
Edith an account of my meeting with
her uncle. at which she was much sur
prised.
you men are very queer" she said.
A few days after my return ! receiy-
ed a telephone message from Aunt
Kate that l was to fetch Edith to her
house for dinner and to spend the
evening. On the evening in question
called for Edith, and she said that
she would try to undo the impression
she had made upon my aunt. told
her that she would better act herself
and not try to appear to be any one
else. Aunt Kate was very shrewd and
not to be fooled.
We found our hostess got up in her
finest costume, extremely decollete and
with plenty of adornment. She gave
Edith a smack and warmly pressed
my hand Curious to know why she
had been so different with Edith dur
ing her call, 1 entered upon the SUD
ject at once.
Edith told me she had shocked you
Aunt Kate."I said.
Shocked me, She was trying to fool
me. Do you suppose 1 don't know
woman of the world? Why, my dear'
you could never be bad even If you
tried ever so hard. Come in to din
ner'
What a relief, both TO me and 10
Edith And how happy we were al
having so successfully passed the or
deal required. But we had done notn-
ing to further the issue. Ediths uncle
and my aunt had taken pains 10 pre-
vent our imposing on them to see "
as we We're and not as we would nave
pretended.
Our dinner was a most enjoyaole
one. but Edith and / agreed thal y
would have been far more dehgnttulH
we could have had her uncle with Us.
NV aunt, who had the faculty u
adapting herself TO the person she was
with, behaved herself remarkably wei.
Indeed, so circumspect was she tnA'
Edith conceived the idea that we wefs
trying to impose upon her; that Aun,
Kate had maligned herself and nau
borne her out In the deception.
Another dinner we enjoyed quite y
well-that was with Edith Aucie. v"
threatened 10 make mar net"eeA
the two. but they had passed TOO 70.
into bachelorhood and spinsterhoou'
we were obliged 10 be content
the match between ourselves.
1t appeared later that Mt. speinse,
had double motive for taxing .D'
trouble to travel with me incosh.v
He was getting old and wished ~ W.
tire. Since he had no son 20 suce'
him and Edith was like daughtel
him he conceived the idea OF worN'-
me into the management OF ms ou
ness. The result was that IN un's
became its head.
- 10 - A r1efican