Rock Island Argus., 1917-11-20
t h e Daily
Short Story
HOW TOM NEyINS SET A WATCH
ON HIS GIRL.
By Edward L. Stewart.


tween Tom and Phil Hathaway, but
when she decided for Tom she decided
for good. a9d he had nothing to fear
from his former rival.
But Tom did not have that conf
dence in her he should have had. ana.
although she gave him every reason
to trust her, he feared Hathaway.
Toms business called him away
good deal, and when soon after his
engagement he was about to depart on
I one of his trips he called on his best
friend, Ned Stevens, and said TO him:
Ned. I've got to go away for
month and leave Lena. l have little
doubt that during my absence her old
t flame, Hathaway, will make an effort
to cut me out and get her for himself.
You I know / can trust implicitly. |
wish you would go to see Lena occa-
gionally, and if you see OF hear that
Hathaway is trying to rob me do what
you can to circumvent him"
Stevens did not especially relish the
commission and tried 10 get out Of il.
but his friend was intent upon his act
| ing in his behalf. and Ned finally prom
ised that if he found Hathaway was
interfering, as Tom feared he might
be, Stevens would do what he could
to defeat him.
Tom went on his trip, and the first
time Stevens called on Lena he found
Hathaway there. When Stevens en-
| tered Hathaway gave place to him and
took his leave. Ned showed by his
manner that he did not approve OF the
others presence there, and Lena was
not slow in divining the cause. She
knew that Ned was an intimate friend
of her fianee.
Lena was displeased, first that Tom
should doubt her, and, secondly, that
Toms friend should pretend TO infu-
ence her to cut of any friend Of hers.
No one man is match for woman,
land two men are worse than one
Three are bound to make muddle Of
anything that concerns her in which
they may take an active part. Lena
was not long in seeing through the
plan. Whether Hathaway was intend
! ing to secure a reversal of her decision
against him during Toms absence or
/ t not did not interest her, for she had
4 given her heart and her promise TO
9 Tom, and she knew that no one could
4 change her mind AS to Stevens, his
r interference made little difference to
= her. She wished to show her betrothed
: how foolish he had been not to trust
a her and to set 8 mentor over her dur
r ing his absence.
L Tom. instead of being away month,
was absent two months. and Lena had
plenty Of time to work cut q little
n scheme she had up her sleeve. She
t encouraged Mr.. Stevens to visit her
n frequently, and, though Hathaway had
: no reason TO feel encouraged in any
except friendly way, he was always
! made welcome at her house
h When word was received that Ned
. would arrive on a certain evening
a Lena sent word to the watcher and the
= watched that she would be pleased to
), see each at o'clock Tom arrived at
! and found an invitation to dine with
his hance, During the dinner Lena
I; told him that she expected visitors in
!. the evening and suggested that he
= smoke in the library while she enter
;. tanned her friends. At o'clock there
= was a ring at the doorbelI, and some
one was admitted Tom was smoking
and reading the evening paper in the
i library. He only knew that some one
81 had come in. Presently there was an
u other ring at the doorbeu, and another
u Visitor came in. Both were shown I,
r the drawing room and left together til
10 the hostess should present herself tt
he them.
D-Ars6s4fF-- a.
u sounded familiar. He could not max
out what the person said, but It wa
spoken in cutting tone. Gould tina
B, be Ned Stevens in the drawing room
=. Then there was another voice which b
w had also heard before.
Ell You are contemplate, said ia
Mt first voice, ito show yourself in tht
no house during the absence Of the on
he who has the best right here
IL Not more TO be condemned than on
lie who constitutes himself his friend
he watchdog, with a view to appropriat
ing the guarded one to himself
You accuse me Of that?'
tn mo accusation is necessary: It is
lie self-eyident fact"
ce Something cracked against the wal
on Neyins rose from his chair.
nd Biff-the sound Of lnuckles strikin
10 q cheek.
RI Tom was about to enter the rool
is when Lena swooped down the staiI
nc, and caught him in the nick Of tim
preventing him from leaving the room
Stay where you are. Tom" she sal
m 4 don't wish you to be mixed up
ic- this matter; l merely wish you to 81
N. the folly of setting friend Of you
~ to watch one you fear will take II
.e6 away from you. I viii send the
"a "a away" IS
az ~ Going into the drawing room, Ler
- - saw the two men glaring at ea,
10 10 other, ready for a second encouute
..e Upon her entrance she said:
Gentlemen, after thus offending
dare say. you cannot expect to rena
here
70 They both started TO leave at t!
ine same time. but Hathaway got out frs
ae Lena detained Stevens and took hi
OIL back into the drawing room. Lat
/ she called Tom, and the three stot
lay tigether.
ma Toms serious face broke into a gri
son "Dearie," said Lena, don't ever q
Ia point any one TO watch me again"
mn
vas
1by through the efforts of Colonel Bui
un- Rock Island arsenal eomnandant.
wd Will be sent TO France as soon as pc