Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-04

| terlaken ln-Why, in August, Mr.
Neeld!" An amicable surprise ap-
peared on her face where was he
between?" she asked. II suppose
he staid in Berlin"
20, perhaps. No-look here. He
says, 81 had not previously met Sir
Silas -Minting, as l left Berlin before
he arrived in the beginning of June"
The Imp laid down the Journal, leant
back in her chair and regarded Neeld
steadily. you told me right" she
added:: II don't find any mention Of
my mother, nor of Heidelberg. It's
rather funny that he don't mention
Heidelberg. She poured out a sec
ond cup of tea and waited. The first
part of her work was done. She had
made Neeld very uncomfortable BE
cause she added, after she had given
her previous remarks time to soak
in, between May and August, 1875,
is just about the time l remember him
at Heidelberg-the time when he met
! Mrs. Fitzhubert, you know" Nina was
keenly excited now. Had the Journal
told Neeld anything? Was that the
meaning of his asterisks?
There was something about his Wis
it to Heidelberg, but it contained
nothing of public interest, Nine Ia
briska, and in my discretion / omit
ted it."
why didn't you tell me that the
other day? You gave me to under
; stand that he only mentioned Heidel-
berg casually
Il may have expressed myself"
"And did he mention us?"
,Neeld rose to his feet and took a
turn UP and down the room.
in my discretion l left the passage
out. | can answer no questions about
it. Please don't press me, Nine.
Zabriska.
| II will know" she said excitedly,
/ almost angrily.
Neeld came to a stand opposite her
deep perplexity expressing itself in
his look and manner. did he talk
about us? Did he talk about Lady
Tristram"
Il am speaking to you and to you
only, Nine. Zabriska."
"Yes-yes, to me only"
"He did not mention you and he
did speak of Lady Tristram."
That's why you weren't surprised
when l told you he called me the
Imp" She smiled moment, and
Neeld smiled, too. But in an instant
she was eager again. "And about
Lady Tristram?"
st was no use reprinting poor Lady
Tristrams story" There was long
pause; Nina rose, took the Journal,
put it in the cupboard and turned the
key on it. She came back and stood
over him.
"You know" she said. "It was in
the Journal? I'm sure you know"
"Know what?" Mr.. Neeld was
| fighting in the last ditch.
"But l don't want to tell you unless
you know. No, I'm sure you know!"
| "And do you know?"
| "Yes, l know, my mother told me-"
| They understood one another now.
Neeld made no further pretense.
"You mean about Harry Tristram?"
he asked, simply, but in low voice.
Eyes. At first l didn't know what
it meant to him. But know now"
Neeld made no reply, but there was
another moment of silence.
"And you know what it would mean
to- him." she asked.
Neeld nodded OF course he knew
that. What are you going to do?"
He raised his hands and let them drop
again in a confession that he did not
know. 81 knew, and told" she said.
He started little. Eyes, l told be.
cause was sDiteful. l was the Imp.
I've never been happy since l told.
J Mr.. Tristram knows I've told, though
| he denies there's anything in it. But
he knows I've told And still he's
been kind to me-" Her voice shook.
you told; whom did you tell?"
Never mind-or guess if you can.
shan't tell him any more. l shan't
help him any more. I'm for Mr.. Trist-
ram. Thick and thin. I'm for Mr.
Tristram now" She came a step
nearer to him. "The man l told may
try, but l don't think he can do much
without us. Why should we tell? Is
1t nur business? You suppressed it
in the Journal Can't you suppress it
now?'
! "The Ivers?" he stammered.
"The Ivers?! What is it to the
Ivers compared to what it is to him ?
| And isn't it right? Isn't it justice?
He's her son. This things just hor-
rible accident. Off you'd heard him
speak of Blent!" She paused a NOM
| ent, rubbing her hands across her
eyes. Then she threw herself back
into her chair, asking again, what
are you going to do?"
He sat silent, thinking hard. 1t was
not his business, Right and justice
seemed, in some sense at least, on
Harry's side. But the law is the law
And there were his friends, the Ivers.
In him there was no motive of self
interest such as had swayed Major
Duplay, and made his action seem
rather ugly even to himself. Neeld
owed loyalty and friendship; that was
all. Was it loyal, was it friendly to
utter no word while friends were de-
ceived? With what face could he
greet liver il the thing did come out
afterwards? On the other hand was
| the strong sympathy which that story
in the Journal had created in him
since first he read it and realized it's
preverse little tragedy; and there was
the thought of Lady Tristram dying
down at Blent.
The long silence was broken by
neither of them. Neeld was weighing
his question; Nina had made an ap-
peal and waited for an answer. The
pIiiat nf tho hool-lipa5 ,oo,o (+bo,o