Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-03
and I am going to ask her to be my
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VI.
WHOM GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER LEI
NO MAN PUT AsUNDER.''
He had come directly to his subject,
feeling that it was best so. Mrs. PEN
rose looked at him in the greatest as,
constituent.
"You = love = Dorothy?" she said
slowly.
"Yes," replied Malcolm Kirk simply.
81 have loved her for four years. Ever
since entered the seminary, in fact
Mrs. Penrose sat still and looked
more keenly at the awkward, homely
figure in her reception room. She was
woman Of great quickness of percep-
ton. TO do her Justice she had pre<
eminently a large fund of fairness and
a sense Of Justice which came to her
through long line Of pilgrim ances>
tors. She saw in the man who had
just declared his love for her niece SO
abruptly something more than COM
mon average man. There was look
In his eye that spoke of limitless en-
durance, and his voice was of an un-
usual quality, very nearly if not quite
equal to rare gift of music or art.
She rose and walked over to the win.
dow and looked far down the beach.
Then she turned toward Malcolm Kirk
and said with-some emphasis:
"What you have SO suddenly told
me, Mr.. Kirk, is, need not say, COM
plete surprise to me. suppose you
know that Mr.. Raleigh is a lover OF
Dorothy?"
mo more than am" said Malcolm
Kirk quickly.
Il suppose you know he is an old
friend of the family and that Mr.. Gill
bert favored his suit?"
THAT has nothing to do with my
| love for her." said Malcolm Kirk softly.
Mrs. Penrose smiled slightly. Then
she frowned and looked somewhat anx,
| iously at him.
what do you expect to do?' she
asked somewhat vaguely.
81 am going to ask Dorothy Gilbert
to be my WIFE,"
"If she loves you?" said Mrs. PEN
rose, a little grimly.
"Of course, if she loves me-" replied
! Malcolm Kirk simply.
There was silence in the room. A
servant came in quietly and lighted
| two long candles on the mantel. The
dusk and the candlelight blended to-
gether softly, and Malcom Kirk looked
out of his side Of the room at Dor
othy's aunt with a somewhat pale
| face, calm, however, and fully self
| possessed. Even Francis Raleigh, with
all his inherited instincts toward gem
tlemanly habits, was not equal to Nal
com Kirk during q supreme crisis.
| Mrs. Penrose went over to the win
dow again. Then she returned and took
seat nearer Malcolm Kirk.
"Of course after what you have told
| me, Mr.. Kirk, it will be-you see the
awkwardness Of the situation-it will
be embarrassing for you and Mr..
Raleigh to meet"
"Why?" asked Malcolm Kirk.
"Wells it will. won't it?" she asked
in some slight irritation.
81 don't think so. have nothing to
be embarrassed about"
/ L
! the lapse Of a few moments she said:
II have not asked you what your
prospects are. Mr.. Kirk. Pardon me
If seem abrupt, but you have set me
the example. am the nearest rela-
tive Dorothy has now since my broth
er's death. She has been accustomed
all her life to the comforts Of wealth.
To such comforts as these" Her glance
swept the room carelessly, but with
| studied meaning. MAY I ask what
you can offer Dorothy in case"-
"In case she becomes my wife?" said
Malcom Kirk, completing the sentence.
eyes, in case she becomes your wife"
His face had grown a little paler.
| and the muscles around his mouth had
| stffened while Mrs. Penrose was
speaking. But he observed her calmly
enough.
| ITO be Continued.)