Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-17

Why, what do you mean?" he
gasped. Madam, there are no dead
bodies here"
Mrs. Goddard fared up and gave
him her eyes steadily.
"My husband has instructed you to
deceive me, too" she cried. Lucy
said you would agree with her. You
are all in the plot to worry me-to kill
me-"
She rose suddenly and dropped her
rug at her feet.
II am going to my stateroom and
try to sleep, but what does closing my
eyes amount tor can see them just
the same"
The captain was on his feet almost
as soon as she was and he walked
with her to the door of her room,
Then, with face much disturbed, he
came back to Mrs. Nolan. He put his
finger on his brow significantly.
Something is wrong with her." he
said, in the peremptory tone of SUI
perior to one beneath him; what 10
it?"
ut is not at all serious, SIR, stam-
mered Mrs. Nolan. "She doesn't talk
that way often"
Ibid you know her mind was-was so
when you left America with her?"
She told me she had strange feelings
observation-disclosures, but that the
ocean always cured, her"
Does her family know of her condi-
tion?"
Mrs. Nolan shook her head doubt
fully.
II think not, sir, it seems to me she
was leaving home to keep them from
finding out the TRUTH
"Ah!"he sat silent for moment, then
he rose. 'If she is not better soon YOU
must let me know, do you UNDER
stand?"
II will do so, sir; but am sure she
will give US no trouble. will go see if
she wants anything"
When Mrs. Nolan reached the state
room she found her companion on the
bed smiling from rigidly expectant
| face; her eyes were cleaning with half
amused fear. She drew Mrs. Nolan
down on the edge of the bed.
What did he'say after I left?"
Mrs. Nolan repeated the converse.
ton.
"Good!' exclaimed the recumbent
woman. That is quite enough for the
present. 1t will prepare him for the
climax-divest his mind from all possi-
bic suspicion of trickery in the chief
eveHt when it comes. / must not cause
hir ito set close watch on me. Tell
hill Iwhen you meet him next that I
haye. been to sleep and that am de-
cidedly better"
On the seventh day of their voyage,
on entering the state-room suddenly
Mrs. Nolan discovered Mrs. Goddard in
the act of placing little folding deck
STOOL into the closet.
What is that for?" she questioned.
You don't suppose l am going to
stand up in there all the time / am
locked in, do you?" smiled Mrs. God
dard. There is not room enough to.
lie down and an emergency might oc-
cur in which I'd have to stand till I'd
drop in sheer exhaustion. am awful
ly glad the air comes in at the top.
Now. just for experiment. I'll sit down
and then you must lock me in"
Mrs. Nolan consented readily. She
seemed better at rehearsals than at
performances.
Owing to the shallowness of the
closet Mrs. Goddard was obliged to sit
sidewise, but she looked very comforts
able as she leaned back against her
gowns and skirts.
Now. close the door," she said. And
when this was done no one entering
the room at that instant would have
imagined that the apartment con-
tanned more than one woman
There is plenty of air, too" cnuckled
the prisoner when she was liberated.
Now, for all you do; don't leave the
room while the stewardess is putting
it straight. The hints l have dropped
in her presence about keeping the
closet locked will make it appear thor.
oughly natural for it never to be open.
She knows we have both the keys
But, my Lord, after-after you dis
appear-what if they were to order the
door opened?"
"You must not cross a bridge be-
fore you come to it" quoted Mrs. Cod
dard. Now, SO far you have done
beautifully; don't make failure at
the very end. 1 tell you our plan is
going to run smoothly and without
single hitch. Then, if l get ashore
all right, shall be free; and we shall
have money enough to be free ON,
think of that-think of the money.
Lucy!"
II shalt DO my best" said Mrs. No
ial. borne into hopefulness by the
breezy confidence of her friend.
Taking up her rug and book, Mrs..
Goddard went to her chair in a sunny
spot on the deck. She saw the cap
tain approaching. A critical look lay
in his frank eyes, but she bent over
her book and allowed him to pass
without a word. 1t struck him that.
having recovered from her delusion,
she was embarrassed by the remem-
brance of her wild remarks { few