Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-06

| clutched systematically at his collar, a
wild light came into his eyes.
Agnes caught their mad glitter and
shrank back in sudden terror.
II have been duped!'' he shouted,
| frantically. 81 have been q cat's-paw,
and now that have done all that was
wanted of me l am to be turned off
like dog. with kick. The dirty work
| is done, is it? Well see about that;
| We'll see what your father has to say.
/ But, at any rate, you can be sure of one
thing"
His voice sank to a hoarse whisper
and the words fell with impressive dis
tinctness:
IF l don't marry you, no one ever
shalt"
AS he spoke he leaned forward upon
the table which stood near him, and
his fingers closed nervously upon the
handle of jeweled paper knife. There
was murder in his eye at that moment,
and the frightened girl quailed be-
fore it.
Suddenly her ear caught the sound Of
footsteps in the hallway. She opened
her lips to cal for help, but before she
could utter sound the door opened, re-
vealing the anxious face of the house,
maid, who had heard enough to realize
that it was time to interrupt the tete-
a-tete without further ceremony.
MIR. Sprague, miss" she an
/ nounced, with comforting nod at her
young mistress, whose pale face and
frightened eyes had not escaped her a t.
tention.
Sprague stood on the threshold in
| Agnes to Chatham, and uncertain how
/ to act.
II fear 1 am intruding, Miss Muir
dock" he said at last; "your maid
told me she thought you could re-
ceive me. Perhaps would better call
again"
NO, no, Mr.. sprague," replied the
young girl, effusively, coming toward
him with outstretched hands; 81 am
SO glad to see you" And then, observ-
ing his inquiring glance toward
Chatham, 81 think" she added, cold
ly, that this gentleman has said all
that he has to say to me"
Chatham's excitement had subsidized;
in the reaction, he seemed i'll and
weak and he nervously clenched his
tremulous right hand.
II will wait to see DR.. Murdoch"
he said, doggedly, in low voice.
"As you please" replied Agnes, aft
er slight hesitation. MARY, show
Mr.. Chatham to the DOCTORS study"
AS the accountant followed the seIv.
ant from the room, blank despair was
stamped in every feature, and it
seemed to Sprague, as the door closed,
that he heard something like con-
vulsive sob.
Unconsciously Agnes had clung to
Sprague's hand. Now, as the sense of
danger disappeared, she became
aware of what she was doing; and, in
! sudden embarrassment, she with
drew her hand from his reassuring
clasp.
! The artist, recalling the object of
his visit, at once became grave and
formal
Il am sorry to intrude upon you at
this unconventional hour, Miss Muir
dock, but l found this letter in my
studio to-day. 1t was evidently
dropped by you yesterday; and,
thinking it might be important, II
"a letter? What letter." asked
Agnes, puzzled.
Sprague held out the sealed enyel-
ope. The young girl tore it open and
cast hurried glance at its contents.
Then suddenly understanding. she
tore the paper to shreds and threw
these angrily into the fire which
burned brightly in the large open
fireplace.
"Oh, that!" she exclaimed, con-
temPtuously. And then after a pause:
DO you mean to say you thought"
She stopped short, seized by sud-
den shyness.
What else could 1 think?" said
Sprague, softly.
He was watching the fragments of
paper as they flared upon the hearth.
The flame which consumed them
seemed to shed radiant glow upon
his heart
"Then," he added, presently, and
still more softly, "if there is nothing
between you and-and him-perhaps-
perhaps | may hope-Miss Murdoch
Agnes"
His hand sought hers and found it.
But the reaction had come at last,
and the brave girl who had been able
to control herself in the presence of
threatening mailman now gave way
to a fit of hysterical weeping.
Sprague, not being a medical man,
could hardly have known what rene
dies to employ in an emergency of this
kind. All he die was to whisper sooth-
ing words in the young girls ear and
to kiss the tears from her eyes. But
apparently that was enough. Evident
~ for alayman he must have possessed
considerable medical intuition; for,
after sobbing awhile upon his shoul-
der, Agnes quieted down gradually and
remained contentedly nesting in his
arms, while the artist, doubtless fear
full of a relapse, continued, for per-