Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-10


development. The first rails were
strap iron on wooden beams. The first
car was a stagecoach, then several
/ stagecoaches together mounted On
wheels. Then came the passenger car
of the present day, only much smaller.
When these cars were pulled through
tunnel the passengers were left in
total darkness. Indeed, the lighting Of
railway cars passing through tunnels
is feature of recent years.
When Tom Arnold was about to re-
turn to college for his sophomore year
he was asked If he would escort a little
girl who was going in the same direc-
ton to boarding school. Tom didn't
like being burdened with the care Of
| little GIRL" but he couldn't very well
decline. When he saw his charge he
didn't mind taking care Of her so much
as he had thought he would. Lucy
| Atwood was fourteen years old, but
| tall enough for girl of sixteen. She
was very demure and appeared to be
utterly devoid of conversational pow
ers. Her protector, having reached the
! advanced age Ito herr of eighteen,
| probably filed her with such awe as to
| prevent conversation with him.
| But If Miss Atwood was tongue tied
she was very pretty. There is nothing
more delicate. to a young man espe-
cially. than a pair of pink coral lips.
Lucy's complexion was as soft and
downy as peach, and her lips were
combination of beautiful curves. Tom
~ off He
was young and a sophomore in college.
a combination that can occur but once
in a mans life. His thoughts. his ar
guments, therefore were sophomore:
II have been burdened with the care
of a tongue tied kid without recon-
pense. 1t behooves me to look out for
my own reward. 1 don't know any
payment that would suit me better
than just one kiss of those lips. In
half an hour We'll get to the tunnel. 1t
requires three minutes for train to
go through it, and one can do great
deal in three minutes
This was the basis Of a plan Tom
formed Before reaching the tunnel
he would go into another car, first
noting the exact position OF his charge.
AS soon as the train plunged into dark
ness he would re-enter, make his way
to where Lucy sat, take the kiss and
retire Some time after the train had |
emerged into thet light he would go |
back to his seat, yawn, take up a !
newspaper and begin to read as if !
unconscious of anything eventful hay
ing happened.
1t was a very pretty scheme, but /
more tempting to youngHter Of eight
cen than TO a full fledged man. There
was one thing about it, however, that
Tom didn't like. The kid had been
placed in his care, and he didn't con-
slider it quite honorable to avail him
self of the situation to take what didn't
belong to him. But the more criminal
the act, the more horror attached to
being found out, the more attractive
the scheme.
Tom sat looking sideways at those
lips, before which every vestige Of
honor faded. Nevertheless as the train
the tunnel his courage be-
gan to fail him. What an awful thing
for him to do. But how niceI Sup
pose the girl should scream and some
one should grab him! The very
thought gave him the shivers. But he
was at an age. when the greater the
risk the greater the temptation. He
fell, and great was the fall thereof.
He had often been through the tun-
mel and knew the approaches well.
Some ten minutes before the train
reached it he told his charge that he
would go into the smoking car for
while if she didn't mind sitting alone.
She said she didn't, and Tom, having
hot he hird
from the door on the right, left the
EAR. He didn't smoke, fearing that
The odor of tobacco would give him
away. He sat looking out through
Il prey to numerous emotions.
When the train entered the tunnel,
all his resolution. he hur-
led into the car he had left and count
I'd the Seats on the right by putting a
hand on each till he came to the seat
,equired. Folding Lucy in his arms.
lie took the desired kiss. There was a
;mothered cry, followed in few mo-
nents by the sound of an opening and
losing door, then no other than the
'attling of the train.
When daylight came again several
who sat near Lucy looked
n her direction for an explanation of
he cry they had heard. She gave no
of anything unusual. She
vas wiping the dust from her face
With her handkerchief. She would re-
move portion of it, look at the smudge
t had made on her handkerchief, then I
ub off some more. scrutinixing it also, {
specially in one corner.
Some twenty minutes after the train
lad left the tunnel Tom Arnold came I
'ack and sat down beside his charge.
lad Lucy looked him in the face she {
would surely have seen signs of guilt
which. despite his efforts, he was IN !
BILE to conceal. but she was looking s
mt through the window and did not I
i've him a glance. I
Tom was delighted with the success
4 his scheme. II was not the kiss
hat pleased him, for to have enjoyed