Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-31

predicted, not one Of them had WEI +
foot. with the exception Of the ~ IS
who had been left aboard through an. f
own carelessness.
The reaction following a sleeua... Z
night of anxiety had replaced the A.. &
feeling of thankfulness at deliverane. +
and it was not happy cargo Of A. 4
mainly which the rescuing boat H..
with her as the sun peeped over Il. B
hills.
Many OF the ships passengers v.,.
but half dressed, all were exhaus.sE
and hungry. each one had lost sora.
thing In the catastrophe. The M.
were silent, the women hysterical n.
children fretful.
1t was ONeil's turn to corfort r.,
tain Johnny Brennan, who had viela.,
to the blacklist despair once his =,
sponsibility was over.
Its kind Of you to cheer me NM !,
said Brennan, especially after 49,
way I abandoned you to drown hr.
the missus won't allow me In n.
house at all when she hears left Won
in pickle. Thank God the girl did,,
die anyway. I've got that IN \.
thankful for. Curtis Gordon vous
( have broken me-
Gordon"
Sure! Man dear, don't you know
who you went bathing with? She's
the daughter of that widow Gerard
and the most prominent passenYe,
aboard, outside Of your blessed sol,
Amt that luck? II was a jap I'd
/ split myself open with bread knife"
But fortunately you're sensibls
harp of old Ireland. III see that the
/ papers get the right story, so buck up'
A south bound steamer was due ths
next afternoon, it was learned, and
plans were made for her to pick m
the castaways and return them to Seat,
! tie.
At the same time O'Neil discoy.
cred that freighter for the west
ward was expected some time tina,
night, and as she did not call at thi,
port he arranged for launch to takt
him out to the channel where be could
intercept her. The loss Of his horses
had been serious blow. 1t was all
the more imperative now that ht
should go on, since he would have Ia
hire men to do horses work.
During the afternoon Miss Gerard
sent for him, and he went to the HOUSE
Of the cannery superintendent, wher,
she had been received. The superin
tendent's wife had clothed her, and sh
seemed to have recovered her poise 0
body and mind. O'Neil was surprise
to find her quite a different perso
from the frightened and disheveled I'll
he had seen in the yellow lamplight q
his stateroom on the night before. Sd
was attractive, certainly, despite Il
disadvantage of the borrowed ga
mentS, and though she struck him {
being possibly a little proud and col
there was no lack of warmth in b,
greeting.
For her part she beheld a man
perhaps forty, of commanding heigl
and heavy build. He was gray abo1
the temples; his eyes were gray too.
She was vaguely disappointed, ha
ing pictured him as being in the FIR
flush Of vigorous youth, but the feelir
soon disappeared under the charm
his manner. The ideal figure she hs
imagined began to seem silly ar
schoolgirlish. unworthy of the ms
himself. She was pleased, too. by b
faint though manifest embarrassmel
at her thanks, for she had feared
lack of tact.
Il was terribly frightened" she col
fded, but felt that could rely upo
you. That's what every one does, ism
it? You see. you have a reputation
They told me how you refused to b
taken into the boat for fear of capsi1
ing it. That was fine"
oh, there was nothing brave aboy
that. l wanted to get in badly enoug
but there wasn't room Jove. 1t vi
cold. wasn't it," His ready smile pla
ed whimsieally about his lips. and d
girl felt herself curiously drawn
him.
Since he chose to make light
himself. she determined to allow not
ing of the sort.
They have told me how you bong
out this whole funny little place" s.
said. land turned it over TO US. Is
because you have such royal way
dispensing favors that they call y
the Irish prince"
That's only silly nickname"
Il don't think so. You give peor
food and clothes with a careless wa
of the hand: you give me my life wi
a shrug and smile: you offer to s.
up your own to boatful Of strange
without a moments hesitation. l.
think Won are a remarkable person
Continued Next SATURDAY.