Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-05

uInDlldHL III SuITenQeflnS.
The thought flashed through her
mind, troubling her. and for the time
hindering her JOY in his confession.
She did not trust him yet.
I've had an offer made to me-" he
resumed, rcgaining his composure.
y sort of political post If | accept
it | shall have to leave England for a
considerable time almost Immediate
ly. That brought the thing to a
point Again he laughed. Its i'm
portant to you. TOO, because il YOU
say no to me tonight you'll be rid of
me for ever so long. Your life won't
be made impossible. | shouldn't come
to Blent again
"A post that would take you away?'
she murmured.
yes. You'd be left here in peace.
I've not come to blaclmai you into
loving me, Ceciiy. Yes you shall be
left in to peace to move the furniture
about CHANGING toward the table he
saw Mr.. Gainsborough's birthday gift.
He took it up, looked at for moment,
and then replaced it. His manner
was involuntarily expressive. Even
if she brought that sort of thing to
Blent-! He turned back at the
sound of little laugh from Cecily and
found her eyes sparkling.
Fathers birthday present, Harry,
said she.
Delighted with her mirth. he came
to her, holding out his hands. She
shook her head and leaned back, look
ing at him.
sit as my mother did. You know.
Yes, like that he cried.
She had obeyed him with a smile.
Not to be denied now. he seized the
hand that lay in her lap.
"a birthday. yes, of course. you're
FL Really mistress of it all now.
And you don't know what to do with
it, except spoil the arrangement Of
the furniture.
She laughed low and luxuriously.
What am to do with it," she asked.
We'll. won't you give it all to me?"
AS he spoke he laughed and kissed
her hand. I've come to ask you for
it. Here | am. I've come fortune
hunting tonight"
Its all mine. now, you say? Har-
ry, take it without me-
IF ! did I'd burn it to the ground
that it mightn't remind me of you
Yes, yes, that's what I've wanted to
do" she exclaimed drawing her hand
out of his and raising her arms a mo.
ment in the air Addie Tristram' S
pose was gone, but Harry did not miss
il now.
Take it without you indeed! It's
all for you and because of you
Really. Really" She grew grave
Harry dear, for PHYS sake tell me
if you love mel"
"HaventI told you?" he cried gay.
| ly. Where are the poets? o. for
some good quotations! I'm Internally
unpoetical. | know. Is this it-that
| you're always before my eyes, always
in my head, that you're terribly in the
way, that when I've got anything
worth thinking I think it to you, any.
thing worth doing | do it for you, any
thing good to say | say it to you? Is
this it-that | curse myself and curse
you? Is this it-that l know myself
only as your lover and that if I'm MOI
that then | seem nothing at all I've
never been in love before, but all thai
| sounds rather like it,
And you'll take Blent from me?'
Yes, as the climax of all. I'll TAX,
Blent from you"
Il
walk to and fro across the end of the
room. while he stood by the table
watching her.
| We'll, isn't it time you said some
thing to me- he suggested with {
smile.
/ Give me time Harry. give me time
/ The worlds all changed tonight. Yo,
yes, you came suddenly out of thu
| nn tlyn Of tl,n OH
| her hand toward the window '.ant
changed the world for me. How am
to believe it? Andsif l can believe it
what can | say? Let me alone for ;
minute, Harry dear"
He was well content to wait ant
watch. All time seemed before them
and how better could he fill it? HI
| seemed himself to suffer in this hou
a joyful transformation: to know bet
ter why men lived and loved to live
to reach out to the full strength ant
the full function of his being. TIL,
world changed for him as he changed
it for her
Twice and thrice she had paced the
! gallery before she came and stood OPP
posite to him. She put her hands VI
to her throat. saying, I'm stifled-
stified with happiness, Harry"
For answer he sprang forward ant
caught her in his arms. In the move
ment he brushed roughly against tn,
table; there was little crash. ant
poor Mr.. Gainsborough's birthda,
| gift lay smashed to bits on the floor
For the second time their love bore
hard on Mr.. Gainsboroughs crockery,
Startled, they turned to look, anG
then they both broke into merry
laughter. The trumpery thing hat
! seemed sign to them and now the
sign was broken. Their first kiss was
mirthful over it's destruction.
With a sigh of joy she disengaged
herself from him.
That's settled, them said Harry
He paused a moment you had ia
ME and Bob Broadley here tonight:
saw them as l lay hidden by the
road Does that kind of engagement
attract you, Cecily?"
| Ours won't be like that" she said
laughingly triumphantly
Don't let's have one at ALL" he
suggested, coming nearer to mel
again. Let's have no engagement
just wedding!"
'What?" she cried