Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-06-23

something. You were reading over my
shoulder in the observation car
II was not" she exclaimed indig-
nantly. "How did you know that?"
she inconsistently went on.
"You forgot the mirror in the oppo-
site side of the carr
Zach! Now am offended!'
"With a poor old mirror? For shame!
Yet, in the name Of our American glass
industry, ask your forgiveness. 1t
shall not happen again. You will adj
NIT that you We're trying to read over
my shoulder. Thanks for that immuta-
BILE nod Well, am curious to. know
what you We're SO eager to read
"Since you presume to believe the
mirror instead of me, 1 will tell you.
There was dispatch on the first page
that interested me deeply"
81 believe thought as much at the
time. oh, confound this road" For
half mile or more the road had been
fairly level, but, as the ejaculation in
dicntes, rough place had been reach
ed. He was flung back In the corner
| violently, his head coming in contact
with sharp projection of some kind.
| The pain was almost unbearable, but it
! was eased by the fact that she had in
voluntarily thrown her arm across his
chest, her hand grasping his shoulder
| spasmodically.
| ooh, we shall be killedy' she half
| shrieked. "Can you not stop him? This
| is madness-madnessr
Pray be calm! I was to blame, for
had become careless. He is earning
his money; that's all. 1t was not stip-
ulated in the contract that he was to
consider the comfort Of his passen-
gers Grenfall could feel himself turn
pale as something warm began to trio
kle down his neck. Now, tell me
which dispatch it was. read all Of
them"
"You did? OF what interest could
they have been"
Curiosity does not recognize rea-
son."
you read every one Of them|
"Assuredly."
'Then shall grant you the right to
| guess which interested me the most.
You Americans delight in puzzles, /
am told"
"Now, that Is unfair"
$50 it is. Did you read the dispatch
from Constantinople?" Her arm fell
to her side suddenly as if she had just
realized its position.
"The one that told of the French am
bassador's visit to the sultan?"
Concerning the small matter of d
loan of some millions-yes. Well, that
was of interest to me inasmuch as the
loan, if made, will affect my country"
"Will you tell me what country you
are from?'
81 am from Graustark."
"Yes: but don't remember where
that Is"
SIS it possible that your American
| schools do not teach geography? Ours
tell us where the United States is To-
Gated" 81
81 confess Ignorance"
| f"Then shall insist that you study a
map. Graustark is small, but am as
proud Of it as you are Of this great
broad country that reaches from ocean
i
again see our dear crags and valleys,
our rivers and ever blue skies, our
plains and our towns. wonder If you
worship your country as love mine.'
"From the tenor of your remarks I
Judge that you have been away from
home for a long time" he volunteered.
1--WE have seen something of Asia,
Australia, Mexico and the United
States since we, left Edelweiss six
months ago. Now we are going home
homer She uttered the word SO low
ingly, SO iongingly, SO tenderly, that he
envied the homeland
There was q long break In the con-
versation, both evidently wrapped in
thought which could not be disturbed
by the whirl of the coach. He was
wondering how he could give her up,
now that she had been tossed into bis
keeping so strangely. She was asking
herself over and over again how SO
thrilling an adventure would end.
They were sore and fatigued with
the strain on nerve and flesh. 1t was
an experience never to be forgotten,
this romantic race over the wild noun
tain road, the result still In doubt. Ten
minutes ago-strangers; now-friends
at least, neither knowing the other.
Surely we must be almost at the
end of this awful ride" she moaned,
yielding completely to the long sup
pressed alarm. every bone in my
body aches. What shall we do if they
have not held the train"
"Send for an undertaken" he replied
gTimly, seeing policy In jest. They
were now ascending an incline, bump
ing over powders, hurtlipg through
treacherous ruts and water washed
holes, rolling, swinging, jerking, crash
ing. "You have been brave all along.
Don't give up now. It is almost over.
You'll soon be with your friends"
"How can l thank your she cried,
gripping his arm once more. Again his
hand dropped upon hers and closed
gently.
RI wish that I could do a thousand
times as much for you" he said thrill
ingly, her disheveled hair touching his
face, SO close We're his lips. "Ah, the
lights of the town. he cried an instant