Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-26
CHAPTER II.

ampton before the fog cleared away.
On the afternoon Of the third day
Warburton curled up in his steamer
chair and lazily viewed the blue Octo-
Der seas as they met and merged with
the blue October skies. L do not recol-
lect the popular novel of that summer,
but at any rate 1t lay Tapping at the
side of his chair, forgotten,
At this particular moment this hero
Of mine was going over the monotony
OF the old days in Arizona, the sand
deserts, the unlovely landscapes, the
dull routine, the Indifferent skirmishes
with cattle-men and Indians; the pa
gan bullet which had plowed through
his leg. And now it was all over; he
had surrendered his straps; he was a
private citizen, with an income sufl-
cient for his needs: 1t will go long
way, $4,000 year, If one does not
attempt to cover the distance in a
$4,000 motor-car; and he hated all
locomotion that was not horse-fesh.
For nine months he had been wan
dering over Europe, If not happy, at
least in satisfied frame of mind
-Four of these months had been delight
fully passed in Paris; and as his no.
mad excursions had invariably termin-
ated In that queen of cities, make
Paris the starting point of his some
what remarkable adventures. Besides,
it was in Paris that he first saw her.
And now, here ne was at last, home
ward-bound. That phrase had a
mighty pleasant sound; it was to the
ear what honey is to the tongue STILL
he might yet have been in Paris but
for one thing: She was on board this
very boat.
Suddenly his eyes opened full wide,
bright with eagerness.
1T is shell" he murmured. He
closed his eyes again. the hypocrite!
Permit me to introduce you to my
heroine. Mind you, she is not my ere,
alton; only Heaven may produce her
like, and but once She is well worth
turning around to gaze at. Indeed l
know more than one fine gentleman
who forgot the time of day, the i'm
portant engagement, or the trend of
his thought, when she passed by.
She was coming forward. leaning
against the wind and inclining to the
uncertain roll Of the ship. A gray
raincoat fitted snugly the youthful,
rounded figure. Her hands were
plunged into the pockets. You may
be sure that Mr.. Robert noted through
his half-closed eyelids these inconse-
quent details. A tourist hat sat
jauntily on the fine light brown hair,
that color which has no appropriate
metaphor. Cat least. have never
found one, and am not in love with
her and never was.) Warburton has
described to me her eyes, so am pos
1tive that they were as heavenly blue
as rajah's sapphire. Her height is
OF no moment. What man ever trou-
bled himself about the height of a
woman SO long as he wasn't under
sized himself? What pleased War
burton was the exquisite skin. He
was always happy with his compari-
sons. and particularly when he likened
her skin to the bloomy olive pallor of
a young peach. The independent
stride was distinguishingly American
All, the charm of these women who
are my countrywomen! They come,
they go, alone. unattended, courageous
without being bold self-reliant without
being rude; inimitable. In what an
amiah1a frame ~ ro;oa nY.x,
have been on the day she cast these
molds! But proceed. The young
woman's chin was tilted, and Warbur-
ton could tell by the dilated nostrils
that she was breathing in the gale
with all the Joy of living, filling her
healthy lungs with it as that rare
daughter of the Cyprian Isle might
have done as she sprang that morn
from the jeweled Mediterranean spray.
that beggar's brooch of Neptunes.
Warburton's heart hadn't thrilled so
since the day when he first donned
cadet gray. There was scarce any
room for her to pass between his chair
and the rail; and this knowledge filled
the rascal with exultation. Nearer
and nearer she came. He drew in his
breath as the corner of his foot-rest
(aided by the SLY wind caught her
rain-coat
81 beg your pardon!" he said, sitting
up.
She quickly released her coat, smiled
family, and passed on.
Sometimes the most lasting impress
sions are those which are printed most
lightly on the memory Mr. Robert
says that he never will forget that
first smile. And he didn't even know
her name then.
was about to engage your atten-
ton with description Of the william,
but on second thought have decided
that it would be rather unfair. For
at that moment he was at disadvan-
tage- Nature was Furnishing him for