Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-12-31


For, on entering the hotel, Vic es-
pied behind the glazed portals Of the
little wall letter case. an envelope
daintily addressed in a small, widely
detached running hand. That is, the
letters and words We're small, but the
spaces between the words were wide
as in print - remarkable hand, and
no less remarkable was the letter
within
Vic had been telling himself that he
did not care. Why should he? OF
course he was long ago forgotten in
Kirktown. What were pair of blue
eyes to him, or he to pair of blue
eyes She was a plain girl anyway,
If she had got up to make breakfast
for him
He simply wanted to know about
Vida Bryan, and about her only be-
cause he had (like fooD put himself
in a position of considerable danger
to get her out of No. 2. Still, it was
all Of month ago since he had writ
ten to the Fowlers to Janet Fowler,
to be exact. Ana. if they owed him
nothing else, her father might have
acknowledges the money. Thus
growled Vic
But he had only proceeded no far
ther. when he noticed the date of the
letter. It had been lying in the hotel
for nearly three weeks. Vic made as
many bounds to the bureau. 1t was
empty. He surveyed the staircase,
seeking whom he might deyour. Pablo
with his duster, stood open-mouthed
on the land ing in sheer amazement.
Vic spake. Pablo had not believed
that the young Englishman could have
attained such fuency in the difficult
objurgation Of Andalucia. Why, a
muleteer from Leon or Artoga could
hardly have done better. But Pab]o's
admiration was mingled with self:
righteousness. He was thrice armed
Pablo's quarrel was of the most ex
cellently just 1t was not his place tc
interfere with the letters in the case
1t was, in fact, as much as his place
was worth. The manager? Why was
not Senior Vittorie himself manager
There was no other Thee was no or
der to send up the letters to Rio
Better not ever so much better
Many things were stolen en- route. Il
was much more satisfactory that the
senior should come here and claim
his own letters = see nothing hat
been touched = not the seal not the
stamp not the gum!"
Pablo was ordered lin mixture o
ten languages) to hold his tongue, ant
VIC. leaving the doctor laughing il
tae hall Ga man of experience, tn
Doctor Colin McPherson} bolted III
stairs to his own room, and finding
Pablo there before him engaged il
laying out his things he Kicked tina
long-suffering servitor out and locke'
the door.
Then he set down to read
At first he was dazed j so littl
was the letter what he had expected
Then he grew angry - because h
was a young man OF much persona
dienity. and (Which is to say the sam
thing) of little experience Of wome1
Young men, if they are to be liked b
their peers and seniors of the othe
sex, must not suffer from superfuou
dignity.
1t took Vic some time to read tn
letter three times. Then he thrust
fercelv into his pocket. envelope an
all. He passed the doctor in the hal
who called after him to know WIZ
time he wanted his dinner. AS he d1
not answer. the Doctor shrugged h
shoulders and explained TO Pablo tn;
h.. patient had had touch Of Il
sun. but was not really dangerou
Vic went down to the Huelva docl
and during the first hundred var
had stumbled over one sleeping l
chin three cables, heap of peaco
copper, set apart for specimens al
souvenirs, and yellow. elongate