Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-01
The Daily Story
MY Swimming Prize-By John Turnlee.
copyrighted. 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau

me that be had been discov.-,
covered, but not attained ~
drifting near me as one ship ma. s .s
near another In fog, Unseen = a'l''
only reported by others. ~
One evening at dance
received marked attention frorH ~
Howard Woodruff. / told ~ p.
there was young man foatlny :. az
social sea who wore a gold e,.. !. 'a !.
which I was interested. He q
much interested himself and 49,
what there was in the croxs tb.. %
cerned me, whereupon told H., ~ =
circumstances Of my rescue. Hs -,
ised me that he would keen b. -
open for the possessor Of the cro.. s .'.
IL he saw him wearing Il wants =. -
rogate him with regard TO n 49,
port TO me at once.
For the rest of the winter N, NJ
ruff was continually tantalizir. -
with reports Of this man vbo
wearing decoration for life s.-..-
He was always hearing of him =.
never getting near him. At ona -.
he told me that the man had 20. n.
decoration by saving some one nm !.
burning building; at another ba 81,
heard an entirely different storv-,s.
honor had been bestowed for b,v,-.
snatched n child from before . -
motive.
Either OF these stories world t...
settled my mind as to the matter I, :
could have depended on it But ma,
questioning my informer I drew fo-,.
the fact that what he had heard va,
the merest hearsay.
AS the winter was drawing 10 +,
close Mr.. Woodruff's attentions m N.
increased, and he began to dI,ul,-
some jealousy of this unknown uer.,,
in whom I took such an interest N
believe you are in love with him \.
said to me one day. an love win
him?" I replied. How can I Ia /,
love with one I have never seem
well, then, you are in love with !,
fancy picture you have created Of him
Ten to one ii is no decoration bs
wears, but has been given him bv
some girl with whom he is spoons
grew fond of my admirer-inde.d
so fond of him that when he asked ma
to be his wife 1 consented. He was
always quiZZing me. and the man VII,
was wearing the Maltese cross was
favorite subject with him. He askd
me when the spring came on whether
I would go TO the seaside resort, and
when 1 said that would, but should
not be so venturesome as before. bel
said he would spend his vacation WITH
me there.
Perhaps we will meet the man who
IS sporting your Cross he added ri
we do 1 shall get him out in the water
and drown him"
This display of Jealousy pleased me,
and / retorted l had a sentimental
fancy that the man who wore the cross
was the person who had saved my LII.
and If I should meet him was sure
1 should fall in love with him. Then
my fance looked grave. and laugh
ed him back to his former status.
When the summer came / went 10 {
my usual resort several weeks before
my lover Joined me. As soon as be +
came he asked me If had seen any.
thing of the fellow who had saved ne
or.the one who wore my prize and L I
they had turned out TO be one and De +
same person. 1 teased him for avEs
by limiting that 1 had met him an [
that he was an Adonis. Whether
believed me or not l didn't know. /
any rate, he pretended he did. LG
ers are never very certain about an /
thing concerning the loved one ana
are easily frightened.
The morning after my fianees u
rival we went TO the beach togetns &
for a bath We met on the sandS
each in bathing costume, and WIZ
did I see pinned to his bathing SUI
but my Maltese cross. / looked a
him with eyes big as saucers. ns
burst into a laugh. L
"You have been very stupid
said. Il
us that my cross ??
"Of course it is" III
"Where did you get it,? NJ
Last summer, when you COLLAPSE
in the water and I brought you ID,
some way or other it became delscns
from your bathing dress sna "
caught in mine" nj
1 was paralyZed.
az thought 1 would keep II
went on, "and fool my friends o' <. 81
ing them think il was decoraton
,ome sort. I've had no end OF fun W
{. At last 1 heard OF your inqup~
md concluded 1 had better mol "
t any more. In case Shouts ~
you you might claim your p'Vpe
from me-"
.Do YOU mean TO tell me tns.
ire the person who saved my INV
81 dragged you ashore; o'nei'
the life back into you. ,aE
And you have been foehns
his time?" 49,
was half angry. but the sns
rave me brought me round ana 80
.an 10 realize that my rescuer
before me. II we had not oeeh
midst of a throng would have 'A,s ~
myself into his arms; as It was
,ulsively grasped his hand IN WV
nine. .,,a
come" he said. Tets go ID"
lip" ~.Issl
Despite the onlookers- We ss,s
and IN hand to the brink ano