Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-18

Yes he said. II walked the floor.
thinking It all over. / knew IL would
/ happen. and Il has. The winters are
hard. and the sight OF you-it was too
much. The excitement the talk-it
I AID for me. did for my oath So I'm
rri '-' TO her-back to Brooklyn
mas"
$ one to you" Growled Car
{ -A.aybe." replied Mr.. Peters Every
I likely. II she's feeling that way.
/ hope so. / amt giving up the hermit
| Job aItosether-T1l come back in the
| summers to my postcard business.
| There's money IN It II it's handled
| right But I've spent my last winter
on that lonesome hill"
las author to author" asked Magee.
how about your bookT'
There won't be any mention OF
| that" the hermit predicted. I'm Brook
| lyn- I've packed 1t away Maybe !
| can work on II summers IL she doesn't
/ come up here with me and insist on
/ running my hermit business for ME. !
/ hope she won't. II would sort OF put
crimp in IL. but II she wants to l won't
refuse. And maybe that bOok'll never
get done. Sometimes rs I've sat IN
nv shack at night and read it's come
to me that all the greatest works since
the world began have been those that
never got Sn:shed."
The Reuton train roared up to them
through the gray morning and paused
impatientIy at Upper Asquewan Falls
Aboard it cIambered the hermits. ANA
teur and professional Mr.. MaSee
from the platform waved Eoodby TO
the agent standing forloru I'm the sta
tiOn door He watched the building
until IL was only a blur in the dawn.
4 kindly feeling for II was IL his
hehrt- After al. II naG been IN me |
waiting room Then he started for I
the smoker. On his way he paused /
at the seat occupied by the ex-hermit |
OF Baldpate and fXed his eyes on the /
pale blue necktie Mr.. Peters had resur- ]
rected for his return 10 the world OF I
men.
Pretty. amt itT' remarked the her /
NIT. seeing whittier Mr.. Masee's gaze
drifted. she picked II. ] didn't ex-
actIy like IL when she first gave IL TO
me. but / see my mistake now. I'm
wearing II home as a sort OF n white
udE ol d4ulOSA AlAt lVO
you know. Mr.. MaGee. I'm somewhat
nervous about what I'll say when /
come into her presence aEain-about
my inaugural address. you might put
f. What would be your conversation
on such an occasion: II you'd been
away from a wife for five years what
would you say when you drifted
backy'
THAT would depend" replied MaEee.
ION the amount of time she allowed
me for my speech"
You've hit the nail on the head" re-
Piled Mr. Peters admirinGly. shes
quick She's like lightning She won't
give me any time IL she can help IL.
That's why I'd like to have a wonder
full speech all ready-somethinG that
would hold her spellbound and tongue
led until ! finished 1t would take a
literary classic to do that"
what you want" laughed Magee,
is speech with the punch"
Exactly" agreed Mr.. Peters Il | I
yuess / won't go over to Brooklyn the
minute l hit New York l guess I'll I
Itudy the lights along the big street
Ind brush elbows with the world a bit 1
,efore reveal myself TO her. Maybe
Z L took in a few shows-but don't
hink 1 won't go to her. My mind is !
made up. And l guess she'll be glad .
o see me too, in her way. 1 got to
X II with her. though. to come back
o my postcard trade in the summers
wonder what she'll say to that May
'e she could stay at the inn under an
name while l was hermiting
Ip at the shack"
He laughed softly.
Then Mr.. Magee went forward into
he smoking car. Long rows OF red c
lush seats. unoccupied save for the .
mayor and Max, greeted his eye He a
trolled to where they sat, about half
way down the car, and lighted an after i
breakfast cigar.
Max slouched in the unresponsive
ompany OF cigarette on one side of
he car; across the aisle the mayor of
seuton leaned heavily above a card ,
able placed between two seats. He
Tas playing solitaire.
Magee looked on, only half interest !
d. Then suddenly his interest grew. ..
Re watched the mayor build in two =,
lies; he saw that the deck from which
g built was thick. A weird suspicion
hot across his mind.
ell me, ne asheu, u tulS tne au- d
liraTs game OF so.itaireT' 4
Exactly what I was going to ask"
lid q voice. Magee looked up. Ken &
rick had come I'm and stood now above b
lie table. His tired eyes were upon IT.
scInated: his lips twitched strangely. e
Yes" answered the mayor. this is
% admiraIs game. You'd hardly ex y
ct me 10 know II. would you! | u
mt hang out at the swell clubs
here the admiral does. They won't p
We me there. But once took the 81
miral on a public service board with %
-one time when ! wa PED lot OF y! ~
nifty and no brains PREY bad-nnd u
sort OF come back by teaching me
game in the long dun hours when ..
had nothing 90 DO bur serve the %
IIc The thing gets u bold on you =,