Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-04
CHAPTER TX.
The Man In Possession

1
| In these days jamie liver would
have been lonely but for the majors
attentions. Her father had gone to
| London on misunderstanding, to Mr..
| Neelds relief, no disposition to take
! the Journal with him to read on the
way. (Neeld was absurdly nervous
| ;bout the Journal now. Her mother
was engrossed with a notable scheme
which Miss Swinkerton had started,
| sor the benefit of the poor of Blent-
mouth; Bible readings, savings
Jank. and cottage gardens were so
,nextricably mingled in it that the
beneficiary, if she liked one, had to
70 in for them al. Clearly, Mrs. Iver,
chief aide-de-camp, had no leisure.
Harry was at Blent; no word and no
sign came from him. Bob Broadley
never made advances The field was
clear for the major. jamie, grateful
or his attentions, yet felt vaguely
hat he was more amusing as one OF
Two attentive cavaliers than when he
Vas her only resource. A sense Of
1atness came over her sometimes.
n fact the center of interest had
shifted from her; she no longer held
he stage; it was occupied now, for
he few days she had still to live, by
lady Tristram. Moreover Duplay was
puzzling. Although not girl who
erected every attention or every indi-
cation Of liking into an obligation to
propose matrimony, jamie knew that
after certain point things of this
Kind We're supposed to go either for
wards or backwards, not to remain in
;tatu quo: if her own bearing toward
Bob contradicted this general rule
we'll, that was an exceptional case.
It is not very f1attering when a gen
leman takes too long over consider
ng such a matter; touch of impet-
losity is more becoming. She would
lave preferred that he should have
| needed to be put off, and failed TO I'M
lerstand why (if it may be so ex-
Dressed) he put himself off from day
o day.
But Duplays reasons were, in fact,
overwhelming. Lady Tristram lived
till, and he had the grace to count
hat the strongest motive for holding
lis hand. Harry's campaign was, for
he moment, at a standstill; Duplay
had no doubt that he would resume it
is soon as his mother was buried;
IN it's apparent progress the majors
| lotion would depend. 1t was just pos
sible that he could defeat his enemy
| without his secret weapon; in that
event he pictured himself writing a
etter to Harry, half sorrowful, half
| magnanimous, in which he would
leave the young man to settle mat
tiers with his conscience. and for his
own part wash his hands of the whole
affair. Among the reasons for mac
tivity which Duplay did not acknowl-
edge to himself, was the simple and
common one that he was in his heart
afraid to act. He meant to act, but
he shrank from it, and postponed the
| hour as long as he could. Defeat
| would be very ignominious; and he
could not deny that defeat was poss-
ible merely from want of means to
carry on the war. When the major
recognized this fact he was
filled with a somber indignation at
the inequalities of wealth. and at the
ways of a world wherein not even
truth shall triumph unless she com
mands big credit at the bank.
And Nina annoyed him intensely
assuming an aggrieved air and hint
ing severe moral condemnation in
every glance of her eye. She behaved
for all the world as though the major
had begun the whole thing, and en-
tirely ignored her own responsibility
| The general unreasonablenesS OF
women was his only refuge; but the
dogma could not bring understanding
much less consolation, with it.
| What did you tell me for them
he cried at last "You were hot on
it then! Now you say you won't help
me: you'll have nothing more to dc
with it,
81 only told it you as-as a remark
able circumstance" the Imp alleged
with a wanton disregard for truth.
| Nonsense, Nina. You were de
| lighted to have weapon against
young Tristram then
81 can't help it if you insist on mis-
understanding me, uncle. And any
how, suppose can change my MIND
if like. can't II"
mol" he declared. tits not fail
to me. | can't make you out at all
You're not in love with Harry Trist
ram, are you2"
with that boy?" asked Nina, at
tempting to be superb.
That's woman's old nonsense" OBJ
| SCI FSu Dupldy, lWlIlluS Ills MuSIdCuS
knowingly. They often fall in love
with young men, and always try tc
pass it off by calling them boys
"Of course, / haven't your expert
ence, uncle" she rejoined, passing
into the sarcastic vein.
"And if you are,'' he went on, re
verting to the special case, 81 don't
see why you make his path smooth
for jamie Iver."
Some people are capable of self
sacrifice in their love-"
yes, but | shouldn't think you'd be
one of Them" said the major, rather
rudely He looked at her curiously
Did his niece object to turning Harry
off his throne because she harbored {
hope of sharing it with him? If tina
were so, and the hope had any chance
of becoming reality, Duplay would
have to reconsider his game. But
what chance Of success could there
be? She would Che put it bluntly II
his thoughts) only be making a foo
of herself.
The Imp screwed UP her little, lear
face into a grimace, which served eff
fectually to cover any sign of hel