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

and she found, as usual, a genuine
pleasure in the pursuit.
Il don't really know what I feel,''
she remarked the next moment. "But
you can read women, uncle, you've
often said SO, and l daresay you real
ly know more about what feel than
do myself A grossness of inno-
nocence was her new assumption.
Now, judging from what | do and
look-that's the way to judge, isn't it,
not from what | say?-what do you
think my real, Utmost feelings are
| about Mr.. Tristram?
If the major had been asked what
his real inmost feelings about his
niece were at the moment, he would
have been at some difficulty to ex-
press them decorously. She was back
at 15-a particularly eXasperating
child of Is. Her great eyes with their
mock gravity, were fixed on his irri-
tated face. He would have agreed
absolutely with Mr.. Cholderton's es-
innate of the evil in her, and it's pro-
per remedy.
Wherein Duplay was derided his
niece made very plain to him; where
| in his words had any effect was stud
iously concealed. Yet she repeated
the words, when he had, with mark
ed failure of temper. gone his way
and slammed the door behind him.
In love with Harry Tristram!" Nina
found the idea at once explanatory
and picturesque. Why otherwise was
she his champion? She paused Gas
they say for reply. BY being in
love with Harry she became part of
the drama: and she complicated the
drama most delightfully."-. jamie knew
nothing; she knew everything. jamie
hesitated; what if she did not hest
tate? A big role opened before her
eyes. What if it were very unlikely
that Harry should reciprocate her
proposed feelings? The Imp hesitat-
ed between a natural veXation and an
artistic pleasure. Such failure on
| his part would wound the woman, but
it would add pathos to the play She
became almost sure that she could
love Harry; she remained uncertain
whether he should return the compli-
ment. After ALTO be Lady Trist-
ram of Blent? The Imp looked down
on Blent with an access of interest.
Monsieur Zabriska had left her with
unexhausted resources of feeling.
| Moreover she could not be expected
to help her uncle if she was seriously
attached to Harry
| Some people are capable of self
sacrifice in their love-" That would
mean being his champion still-and
| letting him marry jamie liver. She did
not object much to her own part, but
she caviled suddenly at Janie-or at
| Harry's relation to jamie. Would it
be> better to share adversely with him
Perhaps But after all she did not
fancy him in adversely. The third
course recommended itself-victory
for him. but not JAMIE. Who then?
At this point Nina became sensible
Of no more than the vaguest visions
| not at all convincing to herself By a
sad deficiency of imagination she
| could give no definiteness to a pic
ture of Harry Tristram making love.
While full of these problems-re-
iuslng indeed to be anything else
| Nina was surprised by a visit from
Miss Swinkerton, who sought sub.
scription for the scheme of which an
adequate account has already been
given. Miss Swinkerton (for some
reason she was generally known as
| Miss s., vulgar style of description
possessing sometimes an inexplicable
| Appropriateness, was SIS, tall and
bony, the daughter of a rear admiral
| the sister of an archdeacon. She lived
for good works and for gossip Nina
| sovereign foreigners will not GRASP
the cheap additional handsomeness OF
guinea) duly disbursed, converse
ton became general; this is to say
| they talked about their neighbors.
"a hard young man." said Miss S
why be more genteel than hel
friends?) "And if jamie liver thinks
he's in love with her.
What do you mean by being in
love, Miss Swinkerton?''
You know enough English, my
dear"
It's not question of English" in
terrupted Nina, .but of human ma
ture, Miss Swinkerton."
when | was a girl there were nc
such questions"
What about Lady Tristram, then?
There was fattery in this, 10 or 1;
years OF tiattery. Miss S. was unmov
ed
II am happy to say that Lady iris
trim never called at Seaview." Miss
/ y. . uouSe Was CdlleQ SeaVleW- Sea
backview would have been a more
precise description.
Il call him in love with jamie liver
He must want to marry her, or"
"Tk9y do say that money isn't very
plentiful at Blent. And there'll b,
the death duties, you know"
What are they?" asked Nina.
Like stamps" explained Miss S
vaguely. For my part l think it.
lucky he is what he is. There's beef
enough of falling in love in the Iris
tram family. If you ask me who is il
love with her, of course it's poo
young Broadley. Well, you know
that, as you're always driving up t.
Mingham with her"
/ We've only been three or fou,
times, Miss Swinkerton"
six, | was told,' observed Miss s
with an air of preferring accuracy
| %, | should be very pleased to Sc,
him married to Janie-Mr. Tristram
mean, of course-but she mustn't ex
pect too much, my dear. Where.
your uncle?"
AT Fairholme," answered the INN
demurely. AS matter of fact thu
major had gone to Exeter on a bust