Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-16

name. These reflections were sud-
denly interrupted by the voice of Mrs.
Blake calling out:
Shirley, where have you been? We
los. sight Of you as we left the ship,
and we have been hunting for you
ever since"
Her aunt. escorted by Jefferson
Ryder, had gone direct to the Customs
desk and in the crush they had lost
trace of her. Shirley introduced
Stott.
Aunt Milly this is Judge Stott,
very old friend of fathers. Mrs.
Blake, my mothers sister. Mother
will be surprised to see her. They
haven't met for ten years"
This visit is going to be only a
brief one" said Mrs Blake 81 really
came over to chaperone Shirley more
than anything else"
"As if I needed chaperoning with
Mr.. Ryder for an ESCORT" retortsd
Shirley Then presenting Jefferson
to Stott she said:
"This is Mr.. jefferson Ryder-Judge
stott. Mr.. Ryder has been very kind
to me abroad"
The two men bowed and shook
hands.
amy relation to ]. b." asked
Stott good humouredly.
''His son-that's ALL" answered JEFF
ferson laconically.
Stott now looked at the young man
with more interest. Yes, there was
a resemblance, the same blue eyes,
the fighting jaw. But how on earth
did Judge Rossmore's daughter come
to be travelling in the company Of
John Burkett Ryder's son? The more
Il. thought of it the more it puzzled
and her companions wrestled with the
United States Customs, and We're I'M
dergoing al. the torl,Tes invented by
Uncle Sam to punish Americans for
going abroad.
Shirley and Mrs. Blake were
fortunate in securing an inspector who
was fairly reasonable. Of course, he
did not for moment believe tn sir
solemn statement, already made on
the ship, that they had nothing
dutiable, and he rummaged among the
nest intimate garments of their ward
robe in wholly indecent and unjusti-
fable manner, but he was polite and
they Jared no worse than all the
other women victims of this, the most
brutal custom house inspection sys-
TEN in the world.
Jefferson had the misfortune to he
allotted an inspector who was half
seas over the liquor and the man
was so insolent and threatening in
manner that it was only by great
self-restraint that Jefferson controlled
himself. He had no wish to create
scandal on the docN, nor to furnish
good copy for the keen-eyed, long
cared newspaper reporters who woull
be only too glad of such an oppor-
tunity for scare head" But when
tho fellow con PEELED him TO oper
every trunk and valise and then put
This grimy hands to the bottom and
l'by a quick upward movement jerked
the entire contents out on the dock
he interfered:
"You are exceeding your authority, .
he exclaimed holly. How dare you
treat my things in TITS manner?"
| The drunken uniformed brute raised
his blood shot, bleary eyes and took
Jefferson in from tip to toe. He
clenched his fist as if about to resort
| to violence, but ne was not so in
toxcatcd as to- be quit" blind to the
fact that this passenger had massive
square shoulders, determined jaw
and probably heavy arm. So con
tenting himself with sheer, he said:
'This amt no country for blooming
English docks. You're not in England
now you know. This is free country
See?"
II see this" replied Jefferson
furious, that you are drunken ruff
fan and a disgrace to the uniform
you wear. shall report your con
duct Immediately" with which he
proceeded to the Customs desk tt
lodge a complaint.
He might have spared himself the
trouble. The silver haired. distingu
ished looking old officer in charge
knew that Jefierson's complaint was
well founded. ne knew that this par
ticular inspector was drunkard ant
discredit to the government which
employed him. but at the same time
he also knew that political influence
had been behind his appointment ant
that it was unsafe to do more thar
mildly reprimand him. When, there
fore, he accompanied Jefferson to thu
spot where the contents of the trunk:
! lay scattered in confusion all owe
the dock, he merely expostulated viii
the officer, who made some. insolen
reply. Seeing that it was useless t,
lose further time, Jefferson repacke'
MS trunks as best he could and go
them on a cab. Then he hurried Owe
to Shirley, party and found then
already about to leave the pier.
Come and see us, jeff" Whispered
Shirley as their cab drove through
the gates.
j where he asked, Madison
Avenue?"
She hesitated for moment an
then replied quickly:
; "No, we are stopping down on Lou
: Island for the Summer-at cut
little place called Massapequa. Rul
down and see us"
!, He raised his hat and the cab drov
on.
There was greater activity in III
: OF a