Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-20

II not striking, lndlVldIlEty. lsi3t
neither he nor she thought of her
death as the main thing; it no ma7a
than ushered in the great event tar
which they had spent years p epaT-
ing. And he was downright glad that
tshe could see no visitors: that fact
saved him added anyie,iesanl Sp2red
her the need of being told about
Nina Zabris,ia and warned to bear her
self warily toward the daughter of
/ Madame ZabIislia. Harry did not ask
his mother whether she remembered
! the name; the question was unaeces-
sary: nor did he tell his mother one
who had borne the name was al Mer-
rion lodge. He waited, vaguely OK
pecting that trouble would ccmc from
Merton, but entirely confident in his
ability to fight and worst the tricky
little woman whom he had not feared
to snub: and in his heart he thought
well of her and believed she had as
litLle inclination to hurt him as she
seemed to have power His only ac-
| tive step was to pursue his atten-
lions to jamie liver.
A new vexation had come upon him,
the work of his pet aversions, the
Gainsboroughs. He had seen Mr..
| Gainsborough once and retained a pic
ture of a small, Intellectual man with a
ragged hat, who had an air of being
very timid, rather pressed for money,
and endowed with kind heart. Now,
it seemed, Mr. Gainsborough was
again overlooking with family affec-
ton "a disposition not always welcom-
ed by it's obiects), and wanted to
shake poor Lady Tristram's hand, and
wanted poor Lady Tristram to kiss
his daughter-wanted, in fact, thor
ough going burying of hatchets and a
touching reconciliation. With that
justice of judgment of which neither
youth nor prejudice quite deprived
him, Harry liked the letter, but he
!; was certain that the writer would be
| immensely tiresome. And again-in
the end as in the beginning-he did
not want the Gainsboroughs at Blent;
above all, not just at the time when
!, Blent was about to pass into his
: hands.
) 81 hate heresay people" grumbled
Harry, as he threw the letter down
But the Gainsboroughs were soon tc
be driven out of his head by some
! thing more immediate and threaten
ing.
Blent pool is round basin some sc
or 60 feet in diameter. The banks
are steep and the depth great. The
scene is gloomy except in sunshine
and the place is little frequented. II
was a favorite haunt of Harry Iris
trans, and he lay on the grass one
evening, smoking and looking dowr
: on the black water. for the clouds
were heavy above and rain threaten
ed. His own mood was in harmony
gloomy and dark, in rebellion against
: the burden he carried, yet with nc
: thought of laying it down. He did mo-
notice man who came up the roat
and took his stand just behind him
} waiting there for moment in silence
and apparent irresolution.
"Mr. Tristram."
Harry turned his head and saw Ma
: jor Duplay. The major was grave, al
; most solemn, as he raised his hat {
trife in formal salute.
:. DO l interrupt you?"
"You couldn't have found a maj
more at leisure" Harry did not rise
5 but gathered his knees up, claspin,
his hands round them and looking III
: in Duplay's face. you want t.
speak to me?"
Yes: on a difficult matter" A Wis
ible embarrassment hung about tn,
. major; he seemed to have little likin.
for his task. I'm aware" he Wen
? on, that l may lay myself open t,
: some misunderstanding in what In
: about to say. I shall beg you to re
member that am in difficult posi-
!. ton, and that I am gentleman and
1 soldier"
;. Harry said nothing; he waited
I with unmoved face and no sign of per
q turbation.
4 Its best to be plain" Duplay pro
: ceeded. ''It's best to be open will
s you. have taken the liberty of fol
t lowing you here for that purpose.
4 He came step nearer and stood owe
4 Harry. Certain facts have come tt
my knowledge which concern 20,
+ very intimately"
A polite curiosity and slight skep
e ticism were expressed in Harry's "In
e deed!"
"And not you only, orr need hard
: ly say shouldn't feel it necessar,
to occupy myself with the matter.
t word about my own position you will
r perhaps, forgive"
/ Harry frowned a little; certainl,
Duplay was inclined to prolixity: h,
u round his tongue and making tn,
most of its flavor.
9 Since we came here we have mad,
/ many acquaintance, your own amons
the number; we are in sense you
i guests
Il mot in sence that puts you unde
any obligation" observed Harry.
!. I'm sincerely glad to hear you sa,
:, that; it relieves my position to some
S extent. But we have made friends
g too. In one house l myself q ma,
r leave my niece out of the question
have been received with a hearty
g cordial, warm friendship that seem
i already an old friendship. Now tina
/ does put one under obligation, MI
e Tristram.
you refer to our friends, tn,
h Ivers? Yes?"
r "In my view under a heavy obi
|, cation, l am, say, in my judgmen
r bound to serve them in all ways in m,
+ power, and to deal with them as
should wish and expect them to dea
y with me in similar case"
n Harry nodded careless assent, an,
e turned his eyes away toward the pool