Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-08
TRISTRAM OF BLENT &c
By 20 Being an Episode in the Story
HOPE ~S of an Ancient House
'e%*ffS'StS'$SS'$
Literally, if you can"

Literally, IL you can.
well, then" said Southend, 81 will
What we want is" After one
glance at Lady Evenswood he got it
out. what we want is viscounty."
For moment Mr.. Disney sat still.
Then again he arose slowly.
Have l tumbled into Bedlam?" he
asked.
ut was done in the Bearsdale case"
suggested Lady Evenswood. "Of
course, there was a doubt there"
Anyhow barony-but viscoun-
ty would be more convenient" MUIR
INJURED Southend.
Nina was puzzled. These myster-
les were beyond her. But she knew
that something was being urged that
might meet the difficulty, and she kept
eager eyes on MI. Disney. He lis
tened with a smile twas it not rather
a grin?) of sardonic ridicule.
you made me speak, you know"
said Southend. I'D rather have wait
ed until we got the thing in shape"
"And l should like you to see the
boy. Robert"
"Bedlam," said Mr.. Disney, with
savage conviction. 'Ill talk to you
about what I came to say another
day, cousin Sylvia. Really today"
With a vague, awkward wave of his
arm he started for the door,
you will try?" cried the Imp,
darting at him.
She heard him say. half under his
breath, Damned persistent little
woman" before he vanished through
the door. She turned to her compan-
ions, her face agast, her lips CULVER
ing, her eyes dim. The magician had
come and gone and worked no spell;
her disappointment was very better.
To her amazement, Southend was
radiant, and Lady Evenswood wore
an air of gratified contentment. She
stared at them.
at went off better than expected
said he.
st must be one of Roberts good
days." said she.
"But-but," gasped the Imp.
"He was very civil for him. He
must mean to think about it, about
something of the sort, anyhow
Southend explained. II shouldn't
wonder if it had been in his mind,'
he added to Lady Evenswood.
Neither should l. At any rate he
took it splendidly." Lady Evens-
wood did not seem able to getover the
prime minister's extraordinary affa.
bility.
We'll, if he treats you like that
great people like you-and you're
pleased, thank goodness l never met
him alone!" Nina was not shy with
the many more, she had suffered
worse.
They glanced at one another.
1T was you, my dear. He'd have
been more difficult with us" said
Lady Eyenswood.
"You interested him." Southend as
sured her.
YES, if anything's been done, you've
done it."
4 They seemed quite sincere. That
feeling of being on her head instead
of her heels came over Nina again.
81 shouldn't be bit surprised il
he sent for Harry"
mo, nor if he arranged to meet
Cecily Gainsborough-Cec Iris
tram, | mean
81 thought he looked-well, as il
he were hit-when you mentioned Ad
die
80, there's really no telling will
Robert 1t went off very well, in
deed. What a lucky thing he came.
Still bewildered, Nina began, al
the same, to assimilate this atmos
phere of contentment and congratu
lation.
DO you really think II had any
!. thing to do with it," she asked, ;
new pride swelling in her heart
Eyes, yes. you attracted his atten
ton"
He was amused at you, my dear.
Then I'm glad" She meant tina
her sufferings would perhaps not G,
unrecompensed.
"You must bring Lady Tristram t,
; see me-" said Lady Evenswood.
"Cecily? o, well, I'll try"
:, Lady Evenswood smiled and South
, end laughed outright. 1t was no
: iquite the way in which Lady Evens
woods invitations were generally re
ceived. But neither of them like
/, Nina less.
1t was something to go back to tn
tiny house between the Kings an
) Fulham roads with the record of sue
adventures is these. Cecily wa
3 there, languid and weary. She ha
3 spent the whole day in that hammoc
1 in the strip of garden in which Sloy
!. had found her once. Despondenc
: had succeeded to her excitement
this was all quite in the Tristan
!. way-and she had expected no fruit
/ from Mina's expedition. But Min
: came home, not. indeed. with an.
thing very definite, yet laden with
J, whole pack of possibilities. She pr
= that point about the viscounty, whic
y puzzled her, first of all. 1t alone wa
. enough to fire Cecily to animation
= Then she led up, through Lady Even
o wood, to Mr.. Disney himself, confes
ing, however, that she took the e.
f couragement which the great mia
given on faith from those who kne
e him better than she did. Her ow
S impression would have been that /
j. meant to dismiss the whole thing 6
J. impossible nonsense.
"Still, | can't help thinking we'I
done something" she ended in tt
Z, umph.
S "Mina, are you working for him {
for mes'
n Tt. question faced Nina with a