Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-07
THE
MAN ON THE. BOX
By HAROLD MacGRATH
Author of The Grey Puppe
N.
By HAROLD MacGRATH
Copyright. 1903. The Bobbs-Morrill Company.
Author Of THE Grey Cloak THE puppet Crown

ike so many hreh1eS on wet lawn IN
July, and drew her irresistibly
AS the courses came and passed, so
the conversation became less and less
general; and by the time the ices
were served the colonel had engaged
his host, and the others divided into
twos. Then coffee, liGueurs and cigars,
when the ladies rose and trailed into
the little Turkish room, where the
Neutrality-suspicious. butler" sup
piled them with the amber juice
A dinner is function where every
body talks and nobody eats Some
have eaten before they come, some
wish they had, and others dare not eat
for fear Of losing some of the gossip.
After the liqueurs my butler con-
cluded that his labor was done and he
offered a short prayer of thankful
ness and relief. Heavens, what mad,
fantastic impulses had seized him
while he was passing the soup. Sup
posing he had spilled the hot liquid
down Karloff's back, or poured out a
glass of burgundy for himself and
drained it before them all, or slapped
his late colonel on the back and asked
him the state of his liver? It was
maddening and he nnrvelled at his es-
cape. There hadn't been real mis-
hap. The colonel had only scowled at
him; he was safe. He passed secretly
from the house and hung around the
bow-window which let out on the low
balcony The window was open, and
occasionally he could hear a voice from
beyond the room, which was dark.
1t was one of those nights, those mild
November nights, to which the novel
lists of the old regime used to devote
a whole page; the silvery pallor on
the landscape, the moonmists, the
round, white inevitable moon, the stir
ring breezes the murmur of the few
remaining leaves, and all that. But
these busy days we have not the time
to read nor the inclination to describe.
Suddenly upon the stiffness of the
night the splendor of human voice
broke forth; the prima-donna was
trying her voice. A violin walled
note. A hand ran UP and down the
keys of the piano Warburton held
his breath and waited. He had heard
Tostis Ave Maria many times, but
he never will forget the manner in
which it was sung that night. The
songstress was care-free and among
persons she knew and liked. and she
put her soul into that magnificent and
mysterious throat of hers. And throb-
bling all through the song was the
vibrant, loving voice of the violin.
And when the human tones died away
and the instrument ceased to speak,
Warburton felt himself swallowing
rapidly Then came Schumann's Trau-
merei on the strings, Handels Largo,
Grieg's Papillen, and a ballade by
Chaminade. Then again sang the
prima donna; old <folksy songs,
sketches from the operas, grand and
light, Faust, The Barber of Seville,
La File de Madame Angot In all his
days Warburton had never heard such
music. Doubtless he had-even better;
only at this period he was in love-
The imagination of loves young dream
is the most stretchable thing | know
of. Seriously, however, he was a
very good Judge of music, and I am
convinced that what he heard was out
of the ordinary.
But must guide my story into the
channel proper.
During the music Karloff and Col
onel Annesley drifted into the latters
study. What passed between them I
gather from bits recently dropped
by Warburton
Good God, Karlotr, what a net you
have sprung about met" said the
colonel, despairingly.
"My dear Colonel, you have only to
step out of it. 1t is the eleventh hour;
it Is mot too late" But Karloff
watched the colonel eagerly.
GLOW in Gods name can I step out
of it?"
Simply reimburse me for that $40 900
l advanced to you in good faith, and
nothing more need be said" The
counts Slavonic eyes were half-lidded.
'To give you back that amount will
leave me beggar, an absolute beggar,
without roof to shelter me. am too
old for service, and besides, am
physically incapacitated If you should
force me, l could not meet my note
save by selling the house my child was
born in. Have you discounted it,"
mo. Why should present it at the
bank? 1t does not mature till next
Monday, and I am in no need of
money"
What wretch ANIL
Karloff raised his shoulders resign
eddy.
My daughter"
COR my ducats," whimiscally quoted.
the count. Come, Colonel: do not
waste time in useless retrospect. He
stNmbles who looks back. have been
thinking Of your daughter. love her,
deeply, eternally,'
you love herr"
Eyes. l love her because she appeals
to all that is young and good in me;