Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-20

ing on his knee, he was conscious Of a
sudden. Intangible feeling Of appr@-
hension. Diana was the tenderest
memory of his boyhood., Why did he
fear this marriage with Henry? Vain
~ he studied the picture. trying to
gain from the cheap illustration some
knowledge Of the woman into which
Diana had grown. He tried honestly
to face the truth of his great anxiety
concerning the marriage. He knew
that through his convalescence wnen
the longing to go home had over mas.
tered the soldier in him. the thought
of renewing his friendship with Diana
had been his happiest anticipation.
He sought to reassure himself that
his disappointment was selflsh-that
he feared to find Diana absorbed in
new interests, with his place complete
ly crowded out of her life. Then a
vision of Henry, sullen and defiant as
he had last seen him. flashed before
him. =. Yet might not Henry's charac-
ter have been redeemed by his love
for Diana? Jim knew that the nleagre
fortune of Sir Charles Majoribanks
should not be material factor in the
marriage. This proved his most re-
assuring thought Then his memory
reverted to Diana, and he recalled the
child d. who had chung to him on the
morning of his departure and begged
him to return. He remembered how
as a boy he had often played that he
was her knight, and fought the unseen
foes that were supposed to Turk in the
alleyways of the giant trees. Was it
a prophetic vision Of the future?
He rose from his chair. Sweeping
clouds were rolling over the pale
moon. The .desolation Of the place
grew more terrible.
Far out at sea he could see the
black phantom ship now appearing,
now disappearing. 1t seemed at the
mercy Of the heavy vapors that at
times touched its topmasts. The de-
sire to reach England again grew
strong in him. He felt he had pur.
pose to fulfill.
half-hour passed. Suddenly the
moon swept from under heavy cloud
shaped like the wing Of a monster
bird. Across the road he could see
struggling groups of travellers return.
ing from the festivities. Their tired
excited voices reached him, and he
was glad to escape from the hotel and
make his, way to the waiting dinghy
Dunlap and Singleton joined him, and
as he leaned back in the slkiff, strong
AMI incessant as the incoming tide
that beat against the boat grew the
strength Of his resolve. Diana should
obtain happiness If he could serve
her to that end.
N Three weeks later the Crocodile
swung into the harbor at Portsmouth
d A symphony in blues and greens greet
n ed Jim's eyes as they anchored within
4 sight of the victory. An English
June sky with riotous blues-from the
palest flaky azure to the deepest tur
quoise-hung in the heavens over q
vivid green sea- The very atmosphere
seemed floating about IN nebulous
clouds of pearly tinted indigo. To Jim
1t was like the beauty of no Other
land.
Towards evening Jim reached Lon
don. The town was alive with the roar
and rush of hansoms and crowded
buses carrying the days workers tt
their homes. His cab turned from st
James's Park into the Mall toward his
club. How he loved the gray, majestic
beauty of the place.
The expected arrival of the Croco
die had been duly noticed by the
papers, and his part in the brilliant
work Of his regiment warmly com
mended. At the club he found letters
of welcome awaiting him. Among
them was one from Diana, urging him
to come to them at once. 1t seemed
the letter of a woman calm in her es
tablished womanhcod Henry and L.
it said, twill be so Happy to see yor
tomorrow at luncheon at two o'clock
Do come" The letter further told hin
that Lady Elizabeth aid Mabel were
staying at the Towers. Henry want
ed a stoWn-house, SO we are settled a
Pont Street for the season."
Late that night Jim sat alone in hit
club, and wrote an answer to Diana's
letter. He spoke of his pleasure in be
ing able to go to them on the morrow
but its phrases gave no sign Of his in
tense feeling and his great desire fol
her happiness. He left the club anl
walked to the pillar-box opposite. HI
slipped the letter into the slit of The
box. and slowly retraced his steps.
slight haze was beginning to Greer
over the city and in the distance i
looked as though a gauze theatr.
the spectators
j LLoiiii WnS 1SctLil W iStlFS LILO SLTGSl6
\ There was an enchantment " him il
the snok3 atmosphere that intoxicat
ed him. The call of London was in hi!
blood. AS lie crossed the quiet Square
near the Mall he stretched out his
arms, and youth and the joy Of Life
rang out in one great cry-Oh, 1t was
n good to be- home
CHAPTER vi
Jim slept but little that night. Ii
the morning his first thought was t,
reach the War Office. which he di
almost before that dignified machin
was prepared to receive him. A rumo
n was af1oat that the Tenth Hussar
might have to start SHORTLY for Soutl
@ africa, but he found that the gossi
mad been greatly exaggerated. Eve
zlt troops were sent out. he was as
r"rod thar the Tenth Hussars wer
q '''''''''r'e from active service for
81 long period. He rejoiced at the news
81 Tor he was tired OF foreign servic
N -4to long nmess mad left him shaker