Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-26

Aoe iNIi'''dS NV os1Ia l11o ldIASA.
81 have favor to ask of you, Quincy.
1t is this. Lord Algernon Hastings, heir
to the earldom of Sussex and his sis
ter. Lady Elf IDA, are now in Boston
and bring letters from the Lord High
Chancellor, with whom l became &C
Guainted When | was in England two
years ago. J have invited them to Wis
it us here next week, and my wish is
that you viii spend as much Of your
time at home as possible and assist
me in entertaining them Il mean the
son, of course, particularly"
Qulccy;s thoughts flew quickly to
Nantucket and back. Had he foreseen
what was to happen on his coming Wis,
it he would have hesitated still longer,
but thinking that after all, next Sun
days journey might not end any more
conclusively than the previous one, he
swered:
81 will do SO. must go tomorrow
but 1 will return early on Monday. and
will stay at home the entire week.
IL thank you very much Quincy"
said the Hon. Nathaniel and he laid
his hand on his sons shoulder as af-
fectionately as he was capable of do
ing, when they entered the house.
Larry i1lfrida Hastings and her broth
err Lord Algernon. arrived in due sea-
son, and Quincy was there to assist
at their reception. The former was
tall and dark. and stately: her features
were cast in classic mold, but the
look in her eye was cold and distant,
and the face. though having all the re-
quirements of beauty, yet lacked it,.
To Mrs. Sawyer and her daughter
Florence, the Lady Elfrida was reve-
lation. and they yearned to acquire
that statuesque repose that comes so
natural to the daughter of an earl.
But Maude told her brother that even
ing that the Lady Elfrida was a
"prunes and prisms," and was sure
to die an old maid.
Lord Algernon was tall and finely
built; he had profusion of light
brown curly hair, and pair of large
blue eyes that SO reminded Quincy of
Alice that he took to the young lord at
once. They rode, played billiards,
bowled and smoked together.
One afternoon while they were en-
joying a sail in the bay. Quincy in
CURED of his guest how he liked Amer
ica.
Pom honor, my dear fellow, don't
know" replied Lord Algernon. $ came
here for certain purpose, and have
failed miserably. am going to sail
for home in a week. if my sister will
co.
Then you didn't come to enjoy the
pleasures of travel?" remarked Quincy
t'No. by Jove, didn't My sister did.
and she supposes did. I'm going to
tell you the truth. Mr.. Sawyer.
know you will respect my confidence"
Quincy nodded.
The fact is Lord Algernon contin-
ued, Il came over here to find a girl
that I'm in love with, but who ran
away from me as soon as told her of
it,
But Why" asked Quincy not know
ing what else to say.
That's the duece of it, replied
Lord Algernon; 81 sha'n't know till /
find her and ask her. / met her at
Nice. in France; she was with her
mother, a Mdme. Archimbault: the
daughters name was Celeste-Celeste
Archiml iult They said they were not
French, they were French Canadians
came from America. you know. l was
travelling as plain Algernon Hastings.
and / don't think she ever suspected
was the son of an earl. proposed one
evening. She said she must speak to
nor mother and if would come the
nc VI i,,p oh 81 yrI,- IA
give me her answer, and thought by
the look in her eye that she herself,
was willing to say Yes then. But
when l called the next evening they
had both gone, no one knew where"
You are sue she was not an adj.
venturess?" inquired Quincy. Excuse
the question, my lord, but you really
knew nothing about her?'
Il knew that | loved her." said Lord
Algernon bluntly. and l would give
half of my fortune to find her. l know
she was true, pure, beautiful girl, and
her mother was as honest an old lady
as you could find in the world
81 wish I could help YOU" remarked
Quincy.
THANK you," said Lord Algernon;
perhaps you may be able to some day.
Don't forget her name, Celeste Archim-
bault, she is slight in figure, graceful
in her carriage. ladylike in her man
ners. She has dark hair, large dreamy
black eyes, with hidden sorrow in
them; in fact, a very handsome bru-
nette. Here is my card, Mr.. Sawyer. l
will write my London address on it
and if you ever hear of her, cable me
at once and I'll take tho next, steamer
for America
Quincy said he would, and put the
card in his card-case.
He excused himself to Lord Alger-
non and his sister that evening; a pri-
or engagement made it necessary for
him to leave for Boston early next
morning, and the farewells were then
spoken. Lord Algernon's last words
to Quincy were whispered in his ear,
Don't forget her name-Celeste Ar
chimbault.'
The next Sunday morning Quincy
and Leopold. as they approached Mrs.
Gibson's house on the Cliff, found Rosa
Very standing at the little gate She
had on the dress that she mad worn
the Sunday before, but which Leopold
had not seen. Upon her head was a
wide-brimmed straw hat, decked with
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