Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-04

|
coldly and skeptically. II test heem"
Warburton made one. Monsieur
slipped it slowly, making wry face,
for, true Gaul that he was, only tive
kinds of stimulants appealed to his
palate, liqueurs and wines. He found
it as good as any he had ever tasted.
ever good, "-softening. care ees
zen, one ting Eat all zee Americans can
make, zee cocktail? am educate;
learn. Now leaf me till eight. Keep
zee collect head, and Monsieur Pierre
turned his attention to his cartridges.
James went out Of doors to get a
breath of fresh aid and to collect his
thoughts, which were wool-gathering,
whatever that may mean. They
needed collecting, these thoughts of
his, and labelling, for they were at all
points of the compass, and he was at
a loss upon which to draw for support
Here he was, in devil of fix, and
no possible way of escaping except by
absolutely boiling; and he vowed that
he wouldn't bolt, not If he stood the
chance of being exposed 50 times over.
He had danced; he was going to pay
the fiddler like man. He had never
ran away from anything, and he wasn't
going to begin now.
At the worst, they could only laugh
at him; but his secret would be his no
longer. Ass that he had been! How
to tell this girl that he loved her? How
| to appear to her as his natural self?
| What a chance he had wilfully thrown
| away! He might have been guest
tonight; he might have sat next to
her, turned the pages of her music,
and perhaps sighed love in her ear, all
Of which would have been very proper
and conventional All, If he only knew
what was going on behind those Med
iterranean eyes of hers, those heavenly
sapphires. Had she any suspicion?
No, it could not se possible; she had
Inundated him too often, to suspect
the imposture. Alackadhy!
Had any one else applied the dis
reputable terms he applied to himself
there would have been battle royal
When he became out Of breath, he re-
entered the house to have a final look
at the table before the ordeal began
Covers had been laid for IL; immac-
ulate linen, beautiful silver, and spark
ling cut-glass. He wondered how much
the girl was worth, and thought of his
own miserable $4,000 the year. True,
his capital could at any time be con-
verified into cash, some $75, 1000, but it
would be no longer the goose with the
golden egg. A great bowl of roses
stood on glass center-p piece. AS he
leaned toward them to inhale theirper-
fume he heard sound He turned.
She stood framed in a doorway, q
picture such as artists conjure up to
fit in sunlit corners of gloomy studios;
beauty. youth, radiance, luster, happi-
ness. To his ardent eyes she was STU
premely beautiful. How wildly his
heart beat This was the first time he
had seen her in all her glory. His
emotion was so strong that he did not
observe that she was biting her neither
lip.
''Is everything well, James," she
asked meaning the possibilities of ser
vice and not the cardiac intranquility
of the servant.
VERY well, Miss Annesley, with a
sudden bold scrutiny.
Whatever it was she saw in his eyes
it had the effect OF making hers turn
aside. He grew vlsibly nervous
you haven't the hands of servant,
James, quietly
He started and knocked a fork to
the floor.
"They are too clumsy" she went on
maliciously.
II am not butler, Miss; I am q
groom. I promise to do the very best
can" Wrath mingled with the
shame on his face.
"a man who can do what you die
this morning ought not to be afraid Of
dinner table
There is some difference between g
|; dinner-taDle and a horse, Miss" He
stopped to recover the fork while she
touched her lips with her handker
chief. The situation was becoming
uncomfortable. He knew that, for some
reason, she was quietly laughing al
him.
Never put back on the table forl
or piece of silver that has fallen tt
the floor" she advised. Procure {
clean one"
Eyes, Miss" Why in heavens name
, didn't she go and leave him in peace
"And be very careful not to spill {
drop of the burgundy. 1t is '7S, ant
a particular favorite of my fathers"
Seventy eight! AS If he hadn't hat
many bottle Of that superb vintage
during the past ten months Tht
, glands in his teeth opened at the mem
) DRY of that taste.
james, we have been in the habi
Of paying off the servants on this da
of the month. Payday comes especial
| ly happy this time 1t will put goo
l feeling into all, and make the servic
: vastly more expeditions"