Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-23

been so incessant."
They reached Lady Elizabeth. Hen.
RVS look quickly told her that he wish
ed to be alone. She came to his assist. |
ance as she said:
Don't you believe him, Sir John
He really thinks of nothing else. But
won't you join the dancers? I'm sure
Diana will need you"
Henry quickly added DO, and for.
get the Fund for moment" AS Sir
John disappeared he muttered, and |
let me forget it."
Lady Elizabeth heard the last words
and wondered. The ugly horns on his
brows showed the irritable state Of
his mind.
WELL" he quietly said, what did
Jim say to the American widow? 1t
isn't often that man without a title
gets chance like that" There was
moments silence. Lady Elizabeth
would have preferred to have this con
versation at another time; her mind
was anxious about Henry's recent
words-what did they forbode? But
Henry settled himself in big chair
and she saw that he was anxious .oI
learn the result of her interview with
jim.
HE declines positively" she ans
wered.
Then the passion he had been fight.
ing to keep under broke loose. He ros
and began pacing the walk.
"Not an atom of consideration for
| mech? In the hopeless struggle I
make to live up to the traditions If
my racer" Henry could always work
himself up into great burst of self
pity.
Jim is an anarchist in his talk, but
an angel at heart. He always ends
by doing the right thing"
This defence of Jim caused Henry
to stop in his walk. That his mother
should advocate the goodness of jim
was new victory for his cousin
"Jfm likes to play the saint con-
found him." he parked, "but waking
or sleeping, he never takes off his
halo
Lady Elizabeth crossed to him. "Ha
says he has no desire to marry at
present
That's the sickly sentimental pose
yond his reach" Henry answered.
Lake a flame Of illumination the IN.
nuendo of his words brought their
meaning, to Lady Elizabeth. She re-
membered 80 much and yet SO little in
Jin1's actiops of late, but all tended
towards horrible suspicion She
could still see Jim's face as he watch
ed Diana earlier In the evening. 1t
was the face of a lover in the usual
sense. 1t was a face glorified by an
unconscious devotion to a great ideal
All she could stammer was:
"You mean"
But Henry who had blurted out in
a heat of temper more than he felt
he had reason for, tried to ignore the
Question and the look of sudden be.
wilderment in her eyes. He moved
restlessly in his chair as he replied:
i Never mind, mother; 1t doesn't
matter"
But Lady Elizabeth went to him
and, with he rarms a ',out him, whls-
! pered, my son, you are nervous, pale
distract You have been so for some
time. I haven't spoken of 1t for fear
of annoying you, but others are be.
ginning to speak Of It, What is it?''
She drew his head back until it rested
against her breast. Cant you trust
your mother?"
i Instead of FESTIVE withdrawal from
j her embrace, he let her soothe his
head with her half-trembling hands
Why not tell her what he suspected?
"Have you seen Jim and Diana much
together"
J. "Not more than always" was her
reassuring reply.
"But mother, have you observed
them when they are together?"
i Lady Elizabeth slipped down on the
seat beside him
my boy, your suspicious are morbid
and unjust You ought to be ashamed
Of Them" she gently urged. In her
heart she feared for him and his hap
piness with Diana. She had seen
the girl gradually sicken and turn
away from her life with Henry. Great
provocation, she knew had been given
Diana, but at present it was wiser not
to discuss this with him, but to calm
him.
Suddenly he leaned forward and bur.
led his face on his arms.
Mother, l love Diana. have my
faults, but that is the best Of ME. |
love her desperately. Oh, know
you're. going to say that at times
!, haven't proved by my actions that
cared for her, but it's because knew
from the beginning that never could
reach her. Does she love me? No,
can't deceive myself She was devil
led into marrying me for the damned
title. | know that now. The best ]
can hope for is that she should not
utterly despise me, and l want a
chance to win her love-my God, how
want it! Everything that Jim does
,, pleases her. She admires him; can
.. see it clearly" He paused as the
: whirlwind of words swept from him;
he rose, and lowered over his moth
or. "That admiration belongs to me
You've spoiled me. mother. I've al
ways had what | wanted, and now I'm
the victim of 1t. Pm the selfish mon
ster that takes everything while st
James stands modestly in the back.
grounds. Oh, don't you see you have
made him her hero, not me?"
He began to move restlessly about
the rose paths, Lady Elizabeth follow
2 Ing. Indulgently she linked her arm
through his. Although fear was he