Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-11-10
The Woman i'm the Above
BY
ANNA CATHERINE GREEN
Copyright, 1906. The Bobbs Merrill Company

self in connection with the evenings
elaborate function. But though en-
titled by my old Dutch blood to GER
tain social consideration which | am
happy to say never failed me, l, even
In this hour of supreme satisfaction,
attracted very little attention and
aWoke small comment. There was
another woman present better calcu-
lated to do this. A fair woman, large
and OF bountlful presence, accus-
toned to conquest, and gifted with the
power OF carrying off her victories
with a certain lazy grace irresistibly
fascinating to the ordinary man; q
gorgeously appareled woman, with a
diamond on her breast too vivid for
most women, almost too vivid for her.
l noticed this diamond early in the
evening, and then noticed her. She
was not as fine as the diamond, but
she was very fine, and, had been in
a less ecstatic frame of mind, might
have envied the homage she received
from all the men, not excepting him
upon whose arm leaned. Later, there
was no one In the world envied less.
The ball was private and very Gle.
giant one. There were some notable
guests. One gentleman in particular
was pointed out to me as an English
man Of great distinction and political
Importance. ! thought him very in
teresting man for his years, but oda
and a trifle selfcentered. Though
greatly courted, he seemed strangely
restless under the fire of eyes to
which he was constantly subjected
and only happy when free to use his
own in contemplation of the scene
about him. Had l been less absorbed
in my own happiness l might have
noted sooner than did that this con-
temptation was confined to such
groups as gathered about the lady
with the diamond. But this failed
to observe at the time, and conse-
quently was much surprised to come
upon him, at the end of one of the
dances, talking with this lady in an
animated and courtly manner totally
opposed to the apathy, amounting to
boredom, with which he had hitherto
met all advances.
Yet it was not admiration for her
person which he openly displayed
During the whole time he stood there
his eyes'seldom rose to her face; they
fingered mainly-and this was what
aroused my curiosity-on the great
fan of ostrich plumes which this opu-
lent beauty held against her breast.
Was he DESTROYS of seeing the great
diamond she thus unconsciously Tor
was it consciously shielded from his
lsaze 1t was possible, for, as con-
tinued to note him, he suddenly .bent
toward her and as quickly raised him
self again with a look which was quite
inexplicable to me. The lady had
shifted her fan moment and his eyes
had fallen on the gem.
The next thing recall with any
deiniteness was tete-a-tete CONVEX
sation which held with my lover
on a certain yellow divan at the end
Of one of the halls.
To the right Of this divan rose a
curtained recess, highly suggestive Of
romance. called 'the alcove." AS this
alcove figures prominently in my
story, will pause here to describe It.
It was originally intended to con-
tain large group of statuary which
our host, Mr.. Ramsdell, had ordered
from Italy to adorn his new house.
He is man of original ideas in re-
gard to such matters, and in this in
stance had gone SO far as to have
this end Of the house constructed with
a special view to an advantageous
display of this promised work of art.
Fearing the ponderous effect Of a
pedestal large enough to hold such
q considerable group, he had planned
to raise it to the level of the eye by
having the alcove floor built a few
feet higher than the main one. A
flight Of low, wide steps connected
the two, which, following the curve
of the wall. added much to the beauty
Of this portion Of the hall.
The group was failure and was
never shipped; but the alcove re-
manned, and, possessing as 1t did all
the advantages of room in the way
Of heat and light, had been turned in
to a miniature retreat of exceptional
beauty.
The seclusion It offered extended.
or so we were happy to think, to the
solitary divan at its base on which
Mr.. Durand and were seated. With
possibly an undue confidence in the
advantage of our position, we were
discussing subject interesting only
to ourselves, when Mr.. Durand inter-
rupted himself to declare: "You are
the woman l want, you and you only.
And I want you soon. When do you
think you can marry me? Within a
week-if-if-"
Did my look stop him? was
startled. / had heard no incoherent
phrase from him before.
"a week." / demonstrated. I'VE
take more time than that to fit our
selves for journey Or some transient
pleasure. hardly realize my engage
ment yet"
you have not been thinking of it
for these last two months as have"
NO." I replied demurely, forgetting
everything else in my delight at this
admission.
"Nor are you nomad among clubs
and restaurants"
mo, I have home"
Nor do you love me as deeply as
do you"
"This thought open to argument.
"The home you speak of is a luxur-
ious one" he continued. II can not
offer you Its equal. Do you expect
me to-"