Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-14
Copyright, 1905 Tho Bobbs- Merrill Company.

Let's get out. Got a cigar in your
pocket? am positively dying for a.
smoke"
Suddenly brilliant idea came to me.
Did you know that Miss Annesley
the girl you saw on shipboard, is in
Washington and was at the embassy
last night?"
mo! You don't say!" He was too
clever for me. when get through
with this exploit, Nancy'll have to in
troduce me. Did you see herr"
eyes, and talked to her. You see
what you missed by not going last
night
Eyes, 1 missed a good nights rest
and cold bath in the morning."
Where shall say you were last
night?" l asked presently.
Mister James struck his chin dis
concertedly. II hadn't thought of that.
Say that l met some of the boys and
got mixed up in a little game of
poker
you left your hat on the rack and
your cane in the stand. You are sup
posed to have left the house without
any hat"
Hiatt" He jumped up from the cot
on which he had been sitting and
picked up the groom's tile. Didn't
you bring me hat?"-dismayed
You said nothing about it,"-and
I roared with laughter.
"How shall 1 get out Of here? /
can't wear this thing through the
streets"
I've mind to make you wear it,
And, by Jove, you shall! You'll wear
1t to the hatters or stay here. That's
final. l never back down. either"
"I'll wear it; only mark me, I'll get
even with you. always did,
Il am not boy any longer,"-with
an infection on the personal pronoun,
We'll, to continue about that excuse.
You left the house without hat, and
you met the boys and played poker
all night. That bitches wonderfully
You didn't feel well enough to go to
the embassy, but you could go and play
poker. That sounds as if you cared
lot for your sister. And you wanted
to stay at home the first night, because
you had almost forgotten how the in.
side of a private dwelling looked. Very
good; very coherent
Cut it, Chuck. What the deuce ex.
cuse can e?"-worriedly lighting
the cigar had given him.
MY boy, I'm not making up you,
excuses; you'll have to invent those
I'll be silent, but refuse to lie to Nan.
cy on your account. Poker is the only
excuse that would carry any weight
with it. You will have to let them be-
lleVe you're a heartless wretch; which
you are. if you persist in this idiotit
exploit"
you don't understand, Chuck.
wish | could tell you; honestly, 1 do
The girls will have to think NEAR
things of me till the farce is over.
couldn't escape if wanted to-"
rs it Miss Annesley, Bob? Was
| she whom you ran away with? Come
make clean breast of it. If it's sh
why, that altogether alters the face o
things"
He walked the length of the eel
and returned. Il give up. You've hi
it. You understand now. simpl
can't back away; couldn't if I tried
care you in love, with the grip
That's just what want to find out
| Chuck, I'm not sure. I've been think
| ing of her night and day. never ha
any affair; don't know what love il
But if it's shaking in your boots q
the sound of her name, if it's gettin
red in the face when you only jus
think of her, if it's having wild dc
sire to pick her UP and run away wit
her when you see her, then I've got
When she stepped out of that cor
founded carriage last night, you coul
have knocked me over with a paper
wad. Come, let's so out. Hang tn
hat! Let them laugh If they viii
It's only couple of blocks to the hat
ter's"
\ He braVely put the white hat on NJ
head, and together we marched out {
the police-office into the street. w
entered the nearest hatters togethe
He took what they call a drop-kick OF
of the hat, sending it far to the res
OF the establishment. l purchased
suitable derby for him, gave him tie
! dollars for emergencies, and we parte'
He proceeded to a telegraph office an
sent a dispatch to friend up nortl
asking him to telegraph him to con
; at once, taking his chances of gettin
| reply. After this he boarded nortl
going-car, and was rolled out to Chew
Chase. He had no difficulty in findir
, the house of which he was in scare
: 1t was fine example of colonial arch
lecture well back from the road, ar
fields beyond it. 1t was of red brio
and white stone, with a wide verant
supported by great white pillars. The
t was modern portico at one side.
2 fine lawn surrounded the whole an
> te-pebble walks wound in and GU