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

lerck A. Stokes Conpany.l
Miss Murdoch, after the first shock
OF surprise, had drawn up her grace
full figure to it's full height, and stood
| looking at the young man with undis-
| guised contempt in her flashing eyes.
Chatham paused as if expecting q
| reply; and then:
"Shall explain the object of my
visit before your servant?" he asked,
bitterly.
"You may leave, Mary, until ring
for you," said the young girl, turning
| to the maid.
The woman reluctantly left the
| room, casting curious glances upon
her young mistress and her unwel-
| come guest as she went.
Chatham made a motion as if to
take chair; but Agnes remained sig
niicantly standing.
Perhaps" she said, coldly, ''you
will be good enough to explain as
briefly as possible your object in fore
ing your presence upon me in this I'M
gentlemanly way?"
81 suppose my conduct does strike
you as ungentlemanly," said the
young man, piteously; "but what could
do? love you devotedly, madly.
| and you will not allow me even to
tell you so. You instruct your serv-
ants to turn me away from the door
like a beggar. Is it crime to love
you?"
mo, Mr.. Chatham" said the girl,
more gently, sit is not crime to love
q woman; but it is at least serious
blunder to adopt the method you have
selected of showing your affection,
and it is certainly not generous to
force it upon her as you are doing"
what else can do?" he repeated.
doggedly. Here am / suddenly
! obliged to leave New York for a long
time-perhaps forever-and unable to
get single word with you. ] called
yesterday morning and was informed
/ that you We're at that artist fellows
studio. Then I wrote you a letter,
asking for an interview. and left it
/ there for you myself The only notice
| you took of it was to give instructions
! to your butler not to admit me if I
called again. I cannot go away like
that, without ray of hope to tighten
my exile, and to leave you here sur
rounded by lot of men who are
anxious to marry you"
The tender-hearted girl felt grow
| ing pity for the awkward and vulgar
young man in whom she began vague
| ly to discern a genuine suffering.
II am sorry, Mr.. Chatham" she
said, more sorry than / can say.
But what can / do? / do not care
for you in the way you wish, and af-
lection is not to be coerced. l have
done the best I could to discourage
you, because"
Il know you have" interrupted
Chatham; you have avoided me, and
snubbed me, and taken every way you
could to show that you do not like
me-"
"It would have been mistaken kind
ness to do otherwise" said Agnes,
gently.
mo, it wouldn't" exclaimed the ac-
countant; Il don't ask you to love
me; not at once, at any rate. But
| give me a show; give me time; give
me a little hope"
| 81 cannot do that said the girl, in
q low tone.
"Why can't your" urged the young
man excitedly 81 have sacrificed ev-
erything for you; have given up all
had; l have lost my position; have
risked my life"
II don't understand you," said Miss
Murdoch, looking at him in astonish-
ment.
your father would" he replied,
huskily; sit was he egged me on to
this; he promised me that you would
have me-"
| MY father promised"
| "Yes, your father; and, by G."
Chatham, who was growing more and
more excited, brought down his
clenched fist upon table near which he
stood, and with an evident effort re-
pressed the oath which rose to his lips.
Miss Murdoch. startled and bewildered.
observed him in speechless amazement.
J After momentary struggle the ac-
countant suddenly broke forth in pite-
| GUS pleading:
| II don't ask much now. Tell me only
one thing and shall go away content
| for the present. Say that no other man
has any better chance with you than 1
have. Say that you do not love anyone
| else"
The young girl tried hard to avoid
his ardent gaze.
Say It'll" he commanded, in sudden
sternness.
| Agnes drew herself up proudly then.
Il don't know by what right you pre-
sumo to catechise or to command me-"
she said, coldly, at the same time maxi
ing motion as if to touch the button
OF the electric bell.
Chatham saw the motion and sprang
before her to intercept it.
"Ah! that is the way of it, is it 2" he
exclaimed, with passionate jealousy.
NYo1r a love-