Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-24

I'm sure you could do some real good
work there. It's needed bad enough.
The neighborhood is made up Of young
] ranchmen who nearly all drink. If you
can go, can send word by one Of the
men who are driving out there this aft
| ernoon."
"Tell him I'll go tomorrow said
Malcolm in low voice.
"All right. Oh, by me way, Mr..
Kirk"-the superintendent had started
on, but he turned around and came
back step-"it may encourage you q,
little to hear what overheard in front
of Valmer's place the other day! Val
mer was out in front Of his saloon,
and he said to one of his customers: I
don't care for all the other prohibition
cranks in Conrad except that preacher
Kirk. He has a way Of getting his
church members to believe as he docs,
and if they begin to vote that ways- !
didn't hear any more, but that bit of
| speech ought to be encouraging. W.
will never give up this fight, will we,
Mr.. KirkY
mo; we will never give it up" re-
piled Malcom, with the same feeling
at heart that he had when he said to
Mrs. Barton, ''No; will never give
him [Philip] up" ).
He walked slowly, and Dorothy
knew the moment he entered the room
that something unusual had happened.
| Malcom could never conceal his emoj
lions.
He took out the letter that Carver
had given back to him and held it out
to Dorothy.
at has not been mailed. I doubt il
it ever ought to be-" he said simply
but his face was pale, and his lip quiv-,
cred under his intense excitement, foH
he was stirred deeply by the events %
the day.
| what does it mean?" Dorothy asked
as she took the letter, looking at NAL
com and letting the letter fall from
her hand upon the table near which
she had been sitting
st means-I think-yes, am sure
it means that must stay here. Nei-l
Their my heart nor my mind has any
real joy in the thought Of leaving my
work here. Dorothy, l cannot leave.
without seeming to myself to my
church, to the citizens, to all my
friends here, to be guilty of running
away from my duty because of hard
ship. cannot persuade myself that
the Lord wants me to preach with my
pen. know as well as il he spoke to
10 T.,
} wants me to speak to living. men in
close contact with them, to bear their
burdens near by, to be one of the multi
, tude in the struggle for a better world.
Especially | do net dare to silence the
. conviction within me that / ought to
! stay by the temperance fight in Kansas
j just now. The Lord has seen fit to use
me to his glory in this great crisis for
the cause of home and native land.
/ Dorothy, if We're only rich! If only
had the means to give you what you
ought to havev'
The last two sentences were sudden
ly wrung from him as he sat there
watching Dorothy, who had listened in
silence, her hands clasped in her lap
and her face, Malcolm fancied, cold and
hard.
!. For the first and last time in his life
. he was deceived in Dorothy.
She suddenly lifted her head and
) smiled while her eyes filed with tears.
"Do you think, do you think, Malcom,
| that / could ever be proud Of you
again. ever feel satisfied if you acted
part that was not true to your convic-
tons? Do you think I married you for
your money!"
; II always knew you never married
. me for my good looks" replied NAL
com, with smile that revealed inward
joy, "and you certainly did not marry
me for my money. for told you at the
time that hadn't any. But oh, Doro-
J thy, you know how I long to do and be
everything to you, don't you?"
. eyes, I know it very WELL" Dorothy
answered. She had come over to her
!, husband and the anxious look on his
face had given way to one Of relief.
She had the letter to the Boston edi-
tor in her hand. Malcolm took it from
; her
IF we are. not going to mail this,
| y
it," he asked, looking at the stove sig
niticantly.
Save the stamp, Malcolm" said Dor
othy. "4ou may need it if we are not
going to live in Boston,
He tore off the corner of the envelope
where the stamp was and opened the
stove door and threw the letter into the
fire.
$50 that settles it, said Malcom
gravely. There was pause in the lit
tie room. 81 feel better" he added,
looking steadily at his wife.
"Do youT" said Dorothy gently She
kissed him, and they both seemed to
remember their promise made ia the
little church. Dorothy knew well
enough that for man like Malcolm to
do anything that in the smallest do.
gree contradicted his convictions
meant for him continual torture os
mind. The minute she saw thai hss
action in leaving Conrad meant shas