Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-08
CHAPTER |.
The Dawnins of Tender Passion,

A COAL wagon, naturally choos-
ing the rush hour for the per-
~ formance, broke down in front
of an extra crowded car, and
traffic was promptly knotted for three
blocks. A shining big automobile. fol-
lowing up the hill. came SO close be-
hind that the glare Of the street car
shOne with unpleasant brightness on
the occupants-a smiling red checked
girl at the wheel; by her side gray
rsndyked man with sinister lines run
ming sharply downward from his down
pointed nose: in the tOnneau a plainly
dressed and modestly pretty black hair
ed girl with large and rather timid
eyes and Il slender golden haired girl
whose chief mission in life, from her
expression. would have been taken TO
be mischievous fun.
Hello, Bert" called the girl at the
wheel. Can you uncrush yourself?'
The rather large young man i'll the
neatly fitting blue suit who had been
platform had already begun to worm
MS way out Of the i'll humored throng
on the street car.
III try it" lie laughed, although
cont expect to have Il button left
The crowd. its clothing still clammy
from the recent rain. made way for
MIN reluctantly, even though it needed
tne space he occupied. for the pOmpous
looking, vandyked man in the car was
Frank Marley. by all odds GJe most
Unpopular man in the city. He was
the president Of the street car com
pany
The young man IN the neat blue suit,
whose cheeks were fiawlsssly pink and
whose luxuriant black mustache was
curled in two amazingly perfect ring
iets, picked his way daintily through
The slush.
Bert, this is the treat / promised
SOU said the girl at the wheel.
Miss Fern Burbank, he guessed,
Gasping the blond visitors hand, and
s ~ the same time he .s.ye h. !e.s baud
Welcome to our muddy city
Thank you" smiled the golden hair
% young lady. "Of course this Is
handsome Bert Glider"
'Molly's been telling on me-" he
lightly answered as he took the folding
seat just behind Mr. Marley. sitting
aoewise 20 that he could address the
TWO girls 10 the tonneau and still en-
Joy the clean cut profile Of Ethelyn
marley, known TO her intimates as
Molly, for no better reason than that
twas handler name.
HE lights in the car ahead suddenly
vent nut, and a groan arose from the
miserable passengers on that sutfocat-
Tug vehicle A roughly breathed man,
VINO had been resting his elbow in the
'ishbone OF gray whiskered little Hen
" Peters, reached the point Of heroic
defiance.
de cursed the street ear company
khd demanded, "Why don't they put
On more carsr'
Little Henry Peters. who admitted
ae was stakeholder. took the com
Mny's part.
HE conductor crowded back through
Tue solidly packed aisle and the
s9uirming platform to Jerk hopefully
al the trolley rope. and little Henry
refers, squeezed between his oppo-
aeht and the fat butcher Until bones
'uld stand no more. popped from Dc
'seen their peripheries like the inside
:" a grape, landing in the solar plexus
VI tired Hibernian. who had endured
'Aofe than enough.
Get out Of my stomach, stockhold-
81 ne gru1tiy ordered and pushed Ut
~ denry's derby tightly down over
4is ears just as another machine Ore"
:" OF the fretting rearward line anu'
opped by the ragged gutter, rested