Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-13

in the world she took it, and secondly,
because she had guessed that some
body might be surprised to see her
there. So she laid her plan even as
she had played her tricks in the days
when she was an odd little girl and
Mr.. Cholderton, not liking her, had
with some justice christened her the
Imp.
Major Duplay bowed Mr.. Sloyd to
the door with the understanding that
full details of MerrionSLodge were to
be furnished in day or two.
"And now, dear Nina" said he,
what has made. you set your mind
en- what seems distinctly the least de-
sirable of these houses?"
TITS the cheapest expect; and I
want to economize."
People always do as soon as
they've got any money" reflected Du-
play in puzzled tone. "If you were
on half pay as am you'd never want
TO do it."
We'll, I've another reason" This
was already saying more than she bad
meant to say,
Which you don't mean to tell me-"
Certainly not
cite case and handed it to her.
"You and your secrets" he exclaim-
ed, good humoredly. Really, Nina
more than earn my keep by the plea
sure give you in not telling me
things. And then you go and do it."
'Shan't this time" said Mr.. Chold-
erton's Imp, seeming not day more
than five, in spite of her smoking Gig
hnr NJ cf,tr,
Luckily I'm not curious-and I
can trust you to do nothing wrong"
"Well, l suppose so,' she agreed
with scornful composure. Did you
ever hear mother speak of a Mrs.
Fitzhubert?"
The major smiled under his heavy
mustache as he answered, Never"
well. I have" said Nina, with a
first through the door," she added
with candid smile. II was listen
ing"
You often were in those days"
20, | am still-but in the inside Of
about it afterwards of her own ac-
cord. But it wouldn't interest you,
uncle"
lNOI III llS III GSSul SId6S VI ISNSld-
ton, he agreed with little yawn.
THE funny old EnglishmGn-you
never saw him, did you?-Mr. Chold-
erton-he knew her, He rather add
mired her. too. He was there when
she rushed in and-neyer mind! Old
Cholderton hated me-he'd have liked
to box my ears, know. But | think
he was little in love with Mrs. Fitz-
hubert"
Major Duplay had resigned himself
to patient endurance of inadequate
hints. In time he would know all, sup
posing, that is, that there was really
anything to know Meanwhile he
was not curious about other people,
affairs, he minded his own business,
keeping young occupied much of his
time; and then there was always the
question of how it might prove pos
sible to supplement the half pay to
which his years of service in the
Swiss army entitled him; it was
scanty, and but for his nieces hos.
pitality, really insufficient He
thought that he was "a clever man, he
had remained an honest man, and
he saw no reason why fortune should
not some day make him comfort
able man; she had never done so yet
having sent him into the world as the
fifth son of Protestant minister in
a French-speaking canton, and never
having given him SO much as we'll
TODD relative (eyen Madame de
| KrieS' villa was on modest Scale)
until Nina married Adolph Zabriska
and kept that gentlemen's money, al
| though she had the misfortune to lose
4 his company. His death seemed tt
Duplay, at least, no great calamity
that he died childless did not appear
to have disappointed Nina, and was
certainly no ground of complaint or
her uncle's part
i. Presumably Mr.. Sloyd's inquiries
elected satisfactory information, per
haps Nina was not hard to please. A
all events, week later she and the
major got out at Blentmouth station
and found Sloyd himself waiting tt
/ drive with them to Merton Lodge. HI
sat with his back to the horses in thu
1 landau and pointed out the features
of interest on the road.
/ Five hundred people five year!
ago." he observed, waving his hanC
over Blentmouth in patronizing en-
couragement. 1.-TWO thousand win
ter, three five summer months now
largely due to William liver, Esq.
of Fairholme-we shall pass Fair
holme directly-a wealthy gentlemen
who takes great interest in the de
velopment of the town.
i 1t was all Greek to the major, bu
he nodded politely. Nina was look
ing about her with keen eyes.
That's Fairholme" Sloyd went on
as they came to large and rathe
new house, situated on the skirts o
Blentmouth. "Observe the glass
those houses cost thousands o
pounds-grown peaches all the year
they tell me. At this point, Madam,
Zabriska, we turn and pursue tn,
road by the river And so h
/, ceased not to play guide book till h,
landed them at the door of Merriol
i Lodge itself, after slow crawl of ;
i quarter of mile up hill. Below
J. them in the valley lay the little Bren
sparkling in the sunshine of the sum
mer afternoon, and beyond the river
!, facing them on the opposite bank. n,
more, perhaps, than 500 yards away
was Brent hall Nina ran to the par
apet of the leveled terrace on which