Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-11
The Daily
Short Story
AN EFFECTIVE TRAP.
By Richard Marklev

/ concluded to go TO Florida to get the
chill out of my bones. | reached Inc
land of flowers when they were most
beautiful and most fragrant The
transition from winter to early sum-
mer filled me with delicious languor
The morning after my arrival
basked on the Feranda of my hotel tiiI
midday when | bethought myself h
pay my respect to an aunt of nina
who had cottage in the place. | lef,
the hotel grounds by a side gate and
crossing vacant space came to
hedge In which found an opening ana
passed through to my aunts grounds
Directly in my path to the house was
a pagoda surrounded by magnoliss
and other trees and shrubs II was
very attractive looking place, and. an.
preaching it, I yielded to a desire ia
go into the pagoda and see what If
was like
| As soon as | reached a point where
could look between the boughs and
| flowers | caught most bewitehjng
sight. A young girl lay asleep In a
hammock. There was everything about
the picture to render it charming
Even the colors of the hammock blend
ed with those of the girls gauzy raj
ment and the surrounding flowers. As
to the girl herself, there was abont
her the relaxation of slumber; a faint
color in her cheeks; her lips were
Slightly parted; her breast was rising
and falling.
Now. consider a fellow in the first
freshness of youth transported within
"a hours from land OF ice and snow
TO one of tropical niidness, coming
suddenly upon a girl, robed in the
sheer apparel of the south, lying
asleep in a hammock, with pair Of
iundefended coral lips, and tell me is
| he to be blamed for yielding to de-
lsire to kiss them?
The only requisite is courage. had
not the courage, but I was drawn to
the girl despite my want of il. ! naus-
ed as soon as ] saw her, but presently
began snaiI-like advance. / put a
foot on the lowest of the three steps
:, leading up to the pagoda. | mounted
it, and since the girl did not open her
/ eyes, I stood on the second step, and
then on the third. There was no great
terror In me yet, because I had COM
mitted no overt act. slipped my feet
along the pagoda floor till I came
within reaching distance. Suddenly
it occurred to me that if the girl should
= awaken and see a strange man stand
= ing over her it would be very embas-
, RAISING to the man. Perhaps she
i=raf cTs M CHI fafy rt -
the thought.
But glance at those lips banished
fear. l bent over them, hesitating
{ bending lower, till at last | touched
them, with mine For a few seconds
was in heavens flower garden
> As I raised myself I looked for hel
: eyes to open and regard me with indig
/ nation or whitening contempt
il Marvelous-she slept on.
= l wondered If she would stand an
| other kiss without awakening. I re
g solved to risk it. This time l pressed
her lips more firmly and longer thai
before. Then ! Strengthened mysel
and tip-toed away. Looking back,
= saw that she was still sleeping.
+ My aunt received me cordially an
i asked me to dine with her the sam
. evening.
E Il have young lady friend fror
Y the north visiting me- she said
a wish YOU to meet her | have told he
n you are in every respect a fine fellow
a so put your best foot forward an
: don't do anything to disappoint hel
: She is at an age when a girl expect
Q a man to be the quintescence Of del
4 erence. Don't fail to practice all thos
little refinements expected Of thoI
oughbred."
J.. ] promised my aunt that I Foul
~ ~ mind my P's and Q's and left he
= wondering if the girl had kissed wa
= not the guest she had referred TO.
" That night, in evening dress. wei
= again to my aunt's. On the way
> plucked the most delicate flower
J; could find-if / remember rightly
= was a rose-for my button-hole.
found my aunt and the young lady
had kissed on the veranda, made n
imost courtly bow on being introduce
"a to the latter. and when she renlarke
lt the beauty of the rose / wore in II
al button-hole, handed it to her sayin
D. that it was & pity 10 mar her othe
O. wise perfect appearance With even
lt rose. / considered this at the time
e fine compliment; | now consider
u ful5ome and boyish.
rs She cast her eyes down saying TIL
le she had been dancing very late f
~ several nights in succession and vi
re sadly in need of sleep, She could n
d. look we'll under these circumstances.
Is This explained why she had not bel
u awakened by my kisses.
~ It had been said that the nature
- woman is especially adapted TO !
trigue. i can vouch for the fact til
she IS remarkable at deception. I q
IL married 10 the girl I kissed and 5
ig has made confession about the ks
oe ing Having heard about me and
ne fortune from my aunt. she resolY
IL wnen ] appeared to appropriate n
III From an upper window she saw
al leave the hotel the morning I call
IS on my aunt and ran down and out
IN her pagoda which she knew MT
ss- pass She succeeded in throwing hF
rs self into the hammock only 4
ne minutes before | reached her. )
ne was as wide awake when ! kissed b
p as she was on her wedding day,
BIT
RS, have prospects for sufficient nu