Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-29

to defend me, if we're on trial for my
life, than some manwith more ancestry
and less individual force"
bravo! bien dit" applauded Mrs.
| Lancaster, and she rose to accompany
Evelyn out on the lawn.
The dew lay as heavy as raindrcps on
the grass and hung like scintillating
gems from the gorgeous holly hooks, the
Indian chieftains, and the roses fared
like pillows of red on the silvery green
sward OF the sloping terraces. Mrs.
Lancaster was first to break the silence.
II need not tell you I'm glad that boy
was innocent" she began. II am espe-
cially glad because it emphasizes the
nobility of Mr.. Fanshaw's act. lam go
ing to drive over to his house in the pony
cart this morning. 1 have something to
say to him."
Evelyn raised her great eyes in aston
ishment, but she uttered no comment.
Mrs. Lancaster's voice shook per-
ceptibly as she went on:
Nothing has ever affected me so
powerfully as all this has. Last
night the imprisoned fervor of his
voice while he was speaking down
there brought back some of the ten
oerest and saddest recollections of my
young married life. 1t reminded me
of speech in favor of secession that
my husband made, just before the
war broke out. There seemed to be
ring il, Mr.. Fanshaws tones like my
husbands. 1t may have been only
my imagination, and the great dis
lance, but it drove me nearly wild
with the old pain. And last night
in thinking of Mr.. Fanshaw's danger,
it seemed to be my husband who was
in peril. Really, I did not sleep a
wink. went to the window a hun
dred times. I saw Mr.. Fanshaw re-
turning this morning, and then 1 drew
my first easy breath. Oh. Evelyn!"
(Mrs. Lancaster was gazing into the
girls eyes) what is the matter with
both of us?"
Evelyn shook her head; her rich,
abundant hair glistening like threads
of FURNISHED gold in the sun.
II know what's the matter with me"
she said, with little laugh. 81 hope
something else is wrong with you"
Mrs. Lancaster sighed. when get
back from his house may tell you
what am going for, but shall not
now-no. 1 shall not now"
Mrs. Lancaster had several times
taken short drives in the pony cart,
which was always at the disposal of
the guests of Carnleigh, and so, when
she ordered it out at ten o'clock, no
one made, any comment. AS she
drove up near the. dilapidated domi-
Gle of the Fanshaws she began to
shrink from her intentions. The place
certainly presented a. torn-down, for
| bidding aspect. In front, not twenty
yards from the porch, was decaying
rail fence and gate that sagged to
the earth. The roof of the porch was
low and fiat. dank and moss-grown,
and OMIT lay some pieces of ragged
cast-off clothing on which two or three
cats lay sleeping in the sun. The two
sisters half lay, half sat on the porch.
and Mrs. Fanshaw stood in the front
doorway, her dull gaze on the cart
and its inmate. The dogs sprang
from under the house and ran bark
ing furiously to the gate, and Mrs.
Fanshaw, thinking that the lady had
stopped to ask some question about
the road, as passers-by often did,
shambled down the steps and out to
| the cart. She succeeded in driving the
dogs back, and then leaned over the
gate expectantly.
Il called to see Mr.. Ronald Fan
! shaw" announced the visitor; sis he at
hcme?"
Eyes, ma'am," answered Mrs. Fan
shaw; she was up in his room jest
now. Won't you light an come in?"
The room into which the aristo-
cratic caller was ushered had worn
scrap of carpet from the door to the
big, socty fireplace. There were on
the walls several warped chromos and
crudely enlarged crayon portraits of
Fanshaw and his wife, also photo
graphs of every member of the fam
lily except Ronald. who had never
cared to have his picture taken. Mrs.
Fanshaw gave the visitor a turkey
wing fan, and brought in some fresh
water. Mrs. Lancaster was slipping
it from the edge of the big cracked
| tumbler when Ronald came down the
narrow creaking stairs and entered
| the room.
"You may not know who am"
began Mrs. Lancaster, as he stood
waiting for her to resume her chair,
after she had risen and given him her
hand.
You may rest assured, madam, that
everybody in this neighborhood knows
you, at least by sight. The poor and
needy have good cause for remember
ing you"
She started at the sound of his
voice and stared at him for FULLY a
minute; her eyes were expanded in
surprise, and she seemed unable to,re-
ply to his compliment. She put her
handkerchief to her quivering lips,
and when she finally spoke it was with
i s1~I