Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-28

4
started for Mrs. Chadwick's apart
ments.
Said Mrs. Chadwick in French:
"where, i'll the name Of uncommon
things, did you find such a handsome
gr9om?"
Il was rather lucky" replied Miss
Annesley III the same tongue. Don't
you see something familiar about
him."
Warburton shuddered.
"Faniliar? What do you mean?"
TT is the groom who ran away with
u.s.
Heavens, MOI" Mrs. Chadwick
raised her lorgnette. Whatever pos
sessed you?"
Mischief as much as anything"
But the risk"
81 am not afraid. There was some
thing about him that appeared very
much like mystery, and you know
how adore mysteries"
And this is the fellow we saw in
the pelice-court, sitting among those
light o loves?" Mrs. Chadwick could
not fully express her surprise.
Il can't analyze the impulse which
prompted me to pay his fine and en-
gage him"
"And after that affair at the
carriage-door! Where is your pride?"
ITO tell the truth, believe he did
make mistake. Maybe hired him
because liked his locks" Betty
glanced amusedly at the groom, whose
neck and ears were red. She laughed.
"You always were an extraordinary
child. l do not understand it in the
least, am even worried. He may be
a great criminal"
mo, not great criminal" said
Betty, recollecting the ride of that
morning; but a frst-class horseman,
willing and obedient ! have been
forced to make James serve as butler.
He has been under the hands of our
cook, and have been watching them.
How have laughed Of all droll
scenes!"
So she had laughed, Ell? Warbur-
toms jaws snapped. She had been
watching, too?
Il rode Pirate this morning"
you rode that horse?" interrupted
Mrs. Chadwick.
Yes. and he ran away with me in
fine style. If 1t hadn't been for the
new groom, shouldn't be here, and
the dinner would be a dismal failure,
with me in bed with an arm or leg
broken. Heavens! I never was so
frightened in all my life. We went
SO fast against the wind that l could
scarce breathe. And when it wGs all
over, tainted like ninny"
Tainted! should have thought
you would. l should have fallen off
the animal and been killed Betty,
you certainly have neither forethoughi
1or discretion. The very idea of your
attempting to ride that animal"
We'll, | am wiser, and none the
worse for the scare :. James, stop
step!' Betty cried suddenly.
When this command struck his
sense of hearing, James was pretty far
away in thought He was wondering
if all this were true. If it was, he
must make the best of it; but if ii
was dream, he wanted to wake UP
right away, because it was becoming
nightmarish.
"James!" The end of a paraso]
tickled him in the ribs and he drew uI
somewhat frightened. What was go.
ing to happen now? He was soon to
find out. For this was to be the real
climax of the day: or at least, the
incident was pregnant with the posi-.
bilities of climax
Colonel, surely you are not going
to pass us by in this fashion," CRIED
the girl. They were almost opposite
the Army and Navy club.
why, is that you, Miss Betty? Pas;
you by? Only when l grow blind!
roared lioE-like voice. Very glae
to see you, Mrs Chadwick"
That voice, of all the voices he hat
ever heard! A chill of indescribabl,
terror flew up and down my jehu
spine, and his pores closed up. HI
. looked around cautiously. 1t was he
, he of all men: his regimental colonel
who possessed the most remarkable
[ memory of any army man west of tn
Mississippi. and who had often vowe'
that he knew his subalterns SO vel
that he could always successful.
prescribe for their livers!
81 was just about to turn into tn
r club for my MAIL" declared the colonel
4 sit was very good of you to stop me
I'll wager you've been specializing il
I the shops, touching the bundles wit
e his cane.
! You win," laughed Betty. ''Bu
5 I'll give you a hundred guesses il
t which to find out what any one G
g these packages contains"
y Guessing is bad business. What
: ever these things are, they can ad
but little to the beauty of those VIII
:. will wear them; for l presume Mrs