The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-02-21
The Daily Short Story


ing Teddy and his missing coat.
That he knew just where to come
was quite evident. There are many
interesting books written on the
subject of mental telepathy, and
Mr.. Winters was quite a reader.
Teddy took like q duck to the
water and Mr.. Winters watched
him and the ruin Of his coat as the
mischiev0us young scamp put in
creasing distance between himself
and his victim. never stopping to
remove the coat Half way out Mr..
Winters, raging at the water'ss edge,
saw the boy stop swimming, and
with a peculiar upward movement
of his hands, turn half over in the
water and begin slowly to disap-
pear from sight.
J. Ethelbert Winters knew every
inch of that pond, where he had
often swan as a boy, and could
have named the very spring that
was sucking poor Teddy in, ham
pered as he was by the coat about
him. Hastily Winters shed suit S.
A" and went to the succor Of his
adversary.
! 1t was hours later that Teddy
opened his eyes. At first he
thought he was. in heaven, for he
smelled perfume and there was
music in his ears. AS his vision be-
! came clearer, however, he saw his
sister standing by the window, her
eyes red with weeping, and the
Bean Pole" was just about to give
her a comforting embrace. Then
Teddy knew it wasn't heaven and
that the perfume came from the
fact that he was lying in his sis
ter's bedroom and the music was
nothing but a curious sort of ring
ing against his ear drums.
Memory suddenly returned to
him with a rush, and he shuddered
and closed his eyes again. Once
more there came over him the feel
ing Of that dreadful, relentless
sucking sensation at his feet and
legs.
Who pulled me out ?" he asked
weakly.
At the sound of the voice both Of
the occupants of the room fastened
to the bed and Winters leaned over
him and smiled cheerfully into his
eyes.
so we're all right, son." he re-
marked. Teddy had never before
noticed how very blue and SMILEY
the Bean Poles" eyes were.
! He nodded weakly in answer to
the question and took the hand
held out to him gratefully.
1T was you, wasn't it?"he said
languidly. Then in q slightly
stronger and more magnanimoua
tone: you're a good scout, If you
do buy ON credit"
Winters and his sister both
laughed, and the former proceeded
to explain to Teddy just why he did
not deserve Teddy's condemnations
In that respect. A wave Of shame
and remorse stole over Teddy q
he listened, and at the finish h<
was sitting up rather wildly in
bed.
"But-but-" he stammered. 81
told those kids about it and i,
wasn't true!"
Winters pushed him back gently
on the pillqw. Its all right, Ted,
he said in great amusement. '.yor
icant hurt my reputation, beside,
lyour sister explained to them"
| Some time later, coming In Il
say goodbye to Teddy, Winter,
found him staring thoughtfully q
the ceiling. He turned ct the mani
entrance and pfoppsd himself nj
on the pillow with his elbow. sur
vsytng the form Of his rescuefs d..
lpratsingly.
k-"You'rs = prstty good swimmer
he said meditativoIy, sand you pay
cash, % ! gness you can have sii,'
Then. leaning . little nearer, hi
voice pitched to the coafdentia
tone Of man 10 man:
Bay. help me ont OF this girly.
'girly' room. viii youf"