Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-08

z T.
above the first zero in so,,,,a = yust
1t was on Sunday that TulIy spens =, :
first wakefuI night. uH
He had leaped into bed with
sigh. expecting the usual hurr,sa Eau
proaeh OF Morpheus. but Mr.. No.
was visiting In Chicago. and AZ 4.
the morning the New Yorker S,..-
parked and spent the remainder ~ -
night reading a novel under a caye,r'
ly shaded oil lamp.
On Tuesday night Tully was on -.
fourth reading Of the same novaI.srs
had begun to weary. The fifth MICS.
he simply sat still with his chin IN -
palms and fought off a strong das,r.
to weep.
During the daytime he walked "a.
and wide, listening with extended oar,
for sound-any sound The exerc,ss
tired him out, but sleep refused !,
come. He began to paw over the
thought of hurting a hitching nos,
through the meat shop window to SEQ
If anything in the way of audibilitv
would result.
IL 5OiH5 uohy' ue maze 1ndC.
ment when be found himself kicking
an empty salmon can along a deserted
lane and gloating over the sounds Il
made.
Far away each night-milllons Of
miles in the distance-he could hear
the faint whistle of the night freight
train. 1t passed through East Waldo.
boro at 4 in the morning. bound for
Bath, Brunswick, Portland, Bosto.
and New York.
On sleepless nights his greatest, So
premest joy was to lean out of thu
broad window under the oak tres,
waiting for the faroff foot. II was AZ
2 o'clock Thursday morning that =
sat motionless and considered hasry
thought. For five minutes the details
of the thought rushed about In hss
head
Then he began to remove his pats.
mas with great speed. and. disregard.
ing all consequences. he turned up the
oil lamp and hastily packed his dress
ing case. A new light shone In BIS
eyes, and he was smiling gloriously.
His head felt light, as ones head does
after three glasses of champagne o.
an empty interior. He felt fine.
Dear Mrs. Knight" he wrote on the
sheet Of paper. which he pinned on bis
pillow, my stay with you and your
niece has done me universe of good
am the healthiest man in the world
But am going away from you. thank
ing you over and over for your kind
ness and your thoughtful acts. ! am
going away because it is so quiet here
that If I stay two more hours l will
commit some desperate deed. haven't
the courage to face you and tell yoa
this, and, besides, the night freight
rain is coming. and I will be in the
,aboose or death will end It ALL"
Mr.. Tully let himself out of the
Knight home on feet Of velvet and
lined at the station. The night freight
stopped there to turn a switch, and
when the caboose slowed down a
strange young man, carrying a. suit
,ase. climbed the steps and shook
lands with the sleepy conductor.
Tully sat up the entire trip to Port
and and enjoyed himself beyond hu-
nan understanding. The clatter of the
wheels over rail joints, the creaking.
roaming of the brake beams and the
of the metal shoes were
weet sounds in his long famished ears.
The yells out of the night from yard
men and station agents assaied him
ike q pleasant opiate. The roar OF
passing trains threw him into an &C.
tasy. of delight. He decided that be
would spend the remainder Of life nd
nc in a freight caboose with greasy i
brakeman.
When he struck Broadway and Twen-
y-third street Tully was q mass Oh
loose flesh, and each member OF the
aid goose flesh was unit of Joy. he
ound his apartment and entered IL Sc
enely.
He drank large glass Of water, IN
ressed In three minutes. surged INTO
ed and for the first time in two weeks
e went to sleep-such sleep as cyins
ictims of insomnia picture in their ie-
erish rawlings.
WIS dhcHcu ny a eNf 90. II
lue overalled figure sitting on Tue emu
! a steel girder outside his WINDOW.
The man was staring down at nlm
nazement and envy written over Dis
-imy countenance.
In his hand he held machine gun
.tached to a pneumatic hose. WHICH
, waved at the surprised Tully 10 eur
lasize his remarks.
You're some sleeper, young iehei'
e riveting man said amiably.
whats the matter with your iui'
quired, wondering at this steer en
roned ones proximity. n
1--WE been rivetin' bolts into TINS 81
II for the last hour and watcnin WV
lmber / wish l could do that. n'S
r. envy you"
'Oh, shut up and let me alone
lily growled.
He turned over. punched the pi''0'
d returned to deep sleep at once.
The man on the steel beam rene"es
) clamorous attack upon the ms'a
pport with fresh energy. shaking ~
ad and wondering.