Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-25
mo, thank you; it is all right" she
said. Good night, Waldo, dear"
But when she went in she sat long
alone in the dark.
CHAPTER Xxx.

CHAPTER Xxx.
| WALDO GOES OUT TO TASTE LIFE, AND
EN- STAYS AT HOME AND TASTES 1T.
| At 8 o'clock in the evening, packing
his bundles for the next mornings
start, Waldo looked up and was sur
prised to see Ems yellow head peep
ing in at his door. 1t was many q
month since she had been there. She
said she had made him sandwiches for
his journey, and she staid awhile to
help him put his goods into the saddle.
bags.
"You can leave the old things lying
about" she said. II will lock the room
and keep it waiting for you to come
back some day"
To come back some day! Would the
bird ever return to it's cage? But he
thanked her. When she went away, he
stood on the doorstep holding the cam
| die till she had almost reached the
house. But En- was that evening in
no hurry to enter and. instead of going
| in at the back door. walked with lag
| cling footsteps round the low brick
| wall that ran before the house. Oppo-
site the open window of the parlor she
stopped. The little room, kept careful
ly closed in Tant Sannie's time. was
well lighted by a paratiin lamp: books
and work lay strewn about it. and it
wore a bright, habitable aspect. Be-
| side the lamp at the table In the corner
sat Lyndall, the open letters and pa
pers of the days post lying scattered
before her, while she perused the col
umns of Il newspaper. at the center
table, with his arms folded on an open
paper, which there was not light
enough to read, sat Gregory He was
looking at her. The light from the
open window fell ON Ems face under
its white "kapje" as she looked in, but
no one glanced that way,
go and fetch me glass of water"
Lyndall said at last.
Gregory went out to flndsit When he
| put it down at her SIDE she merely
moved her head in recognition. and he
went back to his seat and his old occu-
patton. Then En- moved slowly away
from the window. and through it came
in spotted. hard winged insects. to play
round the lamp till. one by one. they
stuck to its glass and fell to the foot
dead.
Ten o'clock struck. Then Lyndall
rose, gathered UP her papers and let
tiers and wished Gregory good night
Some time after En- entered. She had
been sitting all the while on the loft
ladder, and had drawn her s.kap5e.
j down very much over her face. NJ
/ Gregory was piecing together the bits
4 of an envelope when she came in.
Il thought you were never coming"
he, said, turning round quickly and
throwing the fragments on to the floor.
you know | have been shearing all
day, and it is 10 o'clock already"
sI'm sorry. did not think you
would be going SO soon." she, said in q
low voice.
81 can't, hear what you say. What
makes you humble so? Well, good
night, En-"
i He stopped down hastily to kiss her.
~ want to talk to you, Gregory
! "Well, make haste he said pettish-
ly. I'm awfully tired. I've been
sitting here all the evening. Why
couldn't you come and talk before?"
II will not keep you long" she an
swered very steadily now. Il think.
I Gregory, it would be better If you and
We're never to be married
Good heavens! EN-. what do you
mean? l thought you were so fond Of
me? You always professed to be.
What on earth have you taken into
your head now?"
81 think it would be better" she said,
4 folding her hands over each other. very
much as though she We're praying.
"Better. EN-. What do you mean?
Even woman can't take freak all
about nothing. You must have some
reason for it, and I'm sure I've done
nothing to offend you. wrote only to-
day to my sister to tell her TO come up
next month to our wedding. and I've
been as affectionate and happy as pos
sible. Come, what's the matter!'
He put his arm half round her Shout
| der very loosely.
II think 1t would be better" she am
swered slowly.
ooh, well,' he said, drawing himself
up, "if you won't enter into eSplana-
to beg and pray-not to any woman.
and you know that! If you don't want
to marry me can't oblige you to. OF
course"
She stood quite still before him.
"You women never do know your
4 own minds two days together, and Of
course you know the state Of your
own feelings best, but It's very strange.
Have you really made up your mind,
Emp"
"Yes."
"Well, Pm very sorry. I'm sure i've
not been in anything to blame. A man
can't always be billing and cooling;
but, as you say, if your feeling for me
has changed, it's much better you
shouldn't marry me. There's nothing
SO foolish as to marry some one you
don't love, and 1 only wish for your
l r. d<..