Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-08

Didn't you say you were poor, and
wasn't that what you were-were"-
"Blubbering about? Well. upon nv
word and honor! Yes, did say poor.
but wasn't talking about myself.
Ol--she-would never let me lack for
anything. She is as good as an OWL
daughter to me-"
'She?"
"M-mh.'
81 suppose you mean Olivia by
'she?''
THANK goodness, at last"
She looked at him radiantly and pock-
eted her big handkerchief with a tri-
umphant flourish. Tom looked per.
picked in his turn.
"Thank goodness for what?'
You will bear NE witness, Tom, you
did It'll didn't
"1'll bear you witness to anything"
said Tom, with great laugh, ..if you'll
only be little more lucid"
"Ollie said wasn't on any terms to
bring her na1ne into the conversation
unless you mentioned it first, and | be-
gan to think you never would do it."
A cloud settled on Toms bright face.
But why-wfy should we not men
ton her name? Does she suppose that
am going through life with bayonet
set to run amuck of any man or wo-
man who mentions Clarence West
overs wife in my presence? l have
accepted the inevitable
"Oh, my! Well just don't care
just must-I am dying to-Im going
| to-
While Miss Malvina held this spas
modic colloquy with conscience in
audible jerks Tom watched her anx-
iously. Was Mother Spillman's
'queerness" going to descend upon her
daughter?
"Tom, dear, if anything pleasanter
than the inevitable should be offered
for your acceptance, would you en-
brace it?"
| He knitted his brows comically.
How very mysterious you are, Miss
Viniew
Wouldn't you-don't you know Oh
lie is not Clarence Westover's wife?
Don't you know she's just been daft
ever since she heard you were hurt?'
He turned very pale, but seated him
self by her side before making any
sort of reply. He had perfect control
of himself when he answered.:
mo; had not heard anything. You
&c
from my old acquaintance out here.
Whe-e-is-she, then? You said you
did not leave her on the other side of
the water"
"She's down stairs"
"Down stairs?" He bounded to his
feet. then stopped irresolutely.
Miss Malvina laughed fretfully and
gave him little shove.
Mercy on me: What between YOU
and Olivia feel as if 1 was trying
to work two mechanical toys with all
their machinery out of order. It's a
jerk forward and jerk backward
Please go down stairs, Tom, and have
1t all out with Ollie one way or the
other. Take my word for it, she loves
you dearly"
| And there were no more backward
Jerks on his part to complain of. When
he entered the dark, stuffy parlor, he
could scarcely discern the slim figure
seated in its farthest corner. He still
limped slightly from his accident, but
his progress was reasonably rapid.
OLIVIA" He stretched out his
hands eagerly. "My little friend! Why,
thought you were on the other side
Of the ocean"
Her hands were in his, and she was
looking up at him with a light in her
eyes that fairly illuminated the OBJ
scurity for him.
Sand thought you were in sick
bed with broken legs and things, and
expected to kneel down by your bed
side and whisper all sorts Of contrite
and comforting things into your poor
ears, and here you are strong and well
and bigger than everD'
81 am very sorry" said Tom meekly,
and then they both laughed. Still hold
ing her hands in his, he drew her to a
sofa by window.
$50 am l." said Ollie, catching her
breath as one does when about to take
daring plunge, 'for it makes it hard
err for me to say what have come all
the way back from Nice to say. But