Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-19
Copyright by A. H. Hawkins.)
CHAPTER XXIx.-(Continued.)

again. The soup would be good one
but 1t would not beat him. He would
walk to Mingham and get bed there
He was quite clear that he would not
sleep alone at Blent. He glanced at
the clock again. Must start at 10
and so with him. Stay, though, she
might go to Merrion. Nina would give
her shelter.
At last he got up very deliberately
and went into the hall. 1t was a quar-
ter to 10: the soup and the claret
were there. Harry stood looking at
them moment, but could not answer
his question. With an impatient shrug
of his shoulders he walked out into
the garden. And there his first
thought was not of Cecily.
It was of Blent. Blent his own
again, come back to him enriched by
the experience OF it's loss, now no more
all his life, but the background of
that new life he had begun to make
for himself He was no longer pulled
up by the possession of 1.-THE new
experiences had taught, him a lesson
there-sbuf he was infinitely satisfied
Blent for his own, in his own way, on
his own terms-that was what he
wanted. See how fair it was in the
till night. He was glad and exultant
hat it Yves his again Was he, too, a
urmudseon. then? Harry did not per-
,eive How any reasonable person
COULD say such a thing. A man may
value what rs his own without being
a nstset or a shurl.
Nobody aas tosbe seen in the garden
neither Nee!d, nor Nina, nor Cecily
n stfru1dse he walked the length and
readth of It Without finding any Of
hem. He weat on the bfiage and
,eered ABOUT, and them n to the
DAD; he LOCKED even In the river in
4 curiosity that forgot the impossible.
He was alone. With a quick step he
came back. and STROBE round the house
to the stables. His f'y was gone. He
searched for man to question; there
was none; they had all gone to sup
per or to bed And the fly was gone.
He returned to the bridge with
an uncomfortable feeling Of loneli.
ness.
Something came upon him. an i'm
pulse or an distinct. There was still
chance. She was not in the house,
she was not in the garden. There was
one other place where she still might
be-if indeed. she had not fed and
left him desolute. Where? The ans
wer seemed SO easy to him, her
choice Of spot so Obvious. II he
found her anywhere that night he
wGlld find her by the Pool, walking
on the Margin of its waters-where
he had seen her ffst, and started at
the thought that she was His mothers
fantom. He walked quickly up the
valley. not thinking, his whole being
strung to wait for and to meet
the answer to his one great ques.
ton.
On what things mans life may
seem to hanE A fiutter of white
Though the darkness! That was all
Harry saw ~ With 9 great leap OF the
heart. His Spiek pace dropped to a
leisufely saAntar as he strolled on
She was walkfhg toward him. Pres
emily she stopped, and, turning to
ward the Water, stead looking down
into 1t. The pqM was eery black thai
night, thS clouds thick overhead. But
for her WhAte r9ek be might never
have seen Ker at all. He came W
to her AND spoke In a careless voice.
Where's Neg1d?" he asked. %
can't find him anywhere"
He's code beck to Fairhoime, Har
ry. 1t Was late. l was to say good
night to YOU for him"
And what have you done with
Mina?" His voice was level, even and
restrained.
"Mina,s gone to Merton" She
paused before she added: She was
tired. so put her in your fly to go ut
the hill"
There was silence for moment
Then he asked:
Did you tell the fly to come back
AGAIN."
Silence again, and then a voice OF
deceptive meekness, OF hidden mirth,
answered him: No harry.
j knew you'd be here, If any
where.
Well. l was sure you'd come here
to look for me, before you'd give me
up. She put out her hands and he
took them in his. 1T was all true
that you said about me, all abomin-
ably true.
He did not contradict her.
That's why I'm here, she went
on. When you've feelings like that,
it's your duty not to run away from
the place that excltes them. but to