Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-29

about it! Go away and arrange your
life, and come back and tell me all |
about it. And if you're disconnected |
with life, remember that you. too,
will reach the stage of being just told |
about it some day"
Things will come home to man |
at last. strive he never so desperately |
against them-if the things are true
and the man ever honest with him
self. 1t was one night, little while
after this conversation, that the truth
came to Harry Tristram and found
acceptance. or at least surrender. His
mind had wandered back to that
scene in the long gallery, and he had
fallen to questioning about his own
action. There was new light on it.
and the light showed him truth Il
must face it; it's not Blent," he said
aloud. If it We're Blent. it was now
Blent only as a scene, frame, a back
ground. When he pictured Blent &C.
oily was there; if he thought of her
elsewhere the picture of Blent van
ished. He was in love with her then,
and what was the quality Lady Evens-
wood had praised in lover? Let
him cultivate it how he woodland
IliC SulGule WOulu NC IL
would not serve here. If he went to
Blent against Cecily's commands and
his own promise he could meet with
nothing but rebuff. Yes, he was in
love; and he recognized the impasse
as fully as Nina herself, although
with more self restraint. But he was
glad to know the truth; it strength
ened him, and it freed him from a
scorn of himself with which he had
become afflicted. 1t was not intoler-
able that a man should be lovesick
for house; it was some solace to
find that the house, in order to hold
his affections, must hold woman,
too.
Now | know where | am" said
Harry. He knew what he had to
meet now; he thought he knew how he
would treat himself
An unexpected ally came to his as
sistance. He received a sudden sum-
mons from Mr.. Disney. He found
him at work, rather weary and is
hevelled. He turned to Harry, and
said, without preface.
We're going to arbitrate this Bar
Inland question, on behalf of the COM
pany, you know, as well as ourselves.
Lord Murchisons going out for us.
Another instance of my weakness.
He starts in fortnight He asked
me to recommend him a secretary.
And | want to have one in whose let
tiers | can place some trust. Will
you go?"
Here was help in avoiding Cecily.
But what about Blinkhampton? Har-
ry hesitated a moment.
Il should like it, but I've contracted
certain obligations of a business kind
at home" he said.
We'll, if you're bound, keep you're
word, and do the work If you find
you're not, should advise you to
take this. It's a good beginning. This
is Tuesday. Tell me on Saturday.
Goodby." He rang a hand bell on
the table, and, as his secretary en-
tered, said, The Canadian papers,
please
I'm very grateful to you any.
how"
That's all right Tristram. Good.
| by"
There was no doubt what would be
| the practical way of showing graft
tude. Harry went out
He left Mr. Disney's presence de-
termined to accept the offer if liver
could spare his services for the time.
| He went home and wrote to liver.
| The latter weighed all considerations
save the one which really weighed
with him; he put himself fairly in w.
er's hands, but did not conceal his own
wish; he knew that if liver were
against the idea on solid business
grounds, he would not be affected by
Harry's personal preference. But the
i business reasons, when examined, did
not seem very serious, and Harry
thought that he would get leave to
go. He rose from his writing with a
long sigh. If he received the answer
ne expected he was at the parting of
the ways, and he had chosen the path
that led directly and finally away
/ from Blent
An evening paper was brought To
nm. A tremendous headline caught
his notice. Resignation of Lord
Hove! He will not arbitrate abou,
Bariiland. VIII the government
break up?' Probably not; thought
! Harry; and it was odd to reflect that
| II Lord Hove had got his ways. Har
ry would have lost his heroic rene
dy. So great things and small touch
and intersect one another
1t was his last struggle: he had nc
doubt that he could win. but the fight
was very fierce. Impatient of hi.
quiet rooms, he went out into the
crowded streets. AT first he fount
himself envying everybody he passed
the cabman on his box the rough
young fellows escaped from the fac
tory, the man who sold matches ant
had no cares beyond food and bed
But presently he forgot them all, an,
walked among shadows. He was a
Blent i'll spirit, sometimes with Add,
Trlstram, sometimes with Cecily
Half afraid of himself he turne,
around and made for home again; HI
could not be sure of his self control
, But again he mastered that an,
. again paced the streets, now in a grin
, resolution to tire out mind and bod
SO that these visions should hav
; nothing to work on, and finding blank
; unresponsive WEAKNESS. should g
, their ways and leave him in an il
sensible fatigue.
CHAPTER XXIV-Continued
, The ramady w6rl-ad r-o1I A