Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-10-01


are condemning him"
She moved away from the window
and dropped into chair.
"Tll sit down minute" she muir.
INJURED. "I'm not very strong and I'm
easily tired
"Let me get you some tea" he beg
ged. II can do it quite quickly, even
though I'm alone here
mo, don't do that. I've only min
ute to stay. Perhaps shouldn't have
came at all. But | couldn't face =
what have to do next week-without
seeing you once again. shall feel
stronger now, and more resigned.
tits monstrous, Paula" Winship
broke out. bitterly. "You must not
throw away your life"
Roger, DEAR she said softly, don't
let us talk any more about it. Take
chair and sit near me- There-nDt
quite so near-there Now let me
look about this dear room; You know
/ haven't been in it since the day your
mother Joined our hands together
That's her chair" she continued, gaz-
Ing around the darkening room.
There's Marah's table with her
paints and brushes. There's your
easel, and the lay-fgures and the old
piano. All, how familiar it all is! l
was so happy during the weeks l
used to come here. You didn't know
what bliss it was to me to sit before
you, to hear you talk, and watch you
work | didn't know it myself then.
was anxious and fearful already.
wondering how it was to end. But now
as look back, ] can see that that
was the good time. Why couldn't |
have cen some girl-student like those
| see at the Art Club?-whom YOU
might have loved, who might have
! loved you, with no great vexed ques-
ton between us. How happy I should
have been If I'd been poor That's
| what nature meant for me. I've often
wondered why I should never feel as
II wealth were a matter of course to
me. like so many girls know, who
would think it strange if they didn't
have all the money they wanted to
spend. suppose It's because I'm like
the, people I'm descended from. I've
been reading about them in those
dreadful articles every one is quot
ing. Jennie O'Mara, my grandmother
was a servant. They say I resemble
her, that l have her eyes. You see,
I'm nothing but simple girl of the
people, without either the instincts
Of the antecedents of greatness; and
yet I'm to- be the richest woman in
the world How strange it island
how wrong! That's one reason why
I'm marrying the Duke, Roger. dear
AS his wife I shall be able to slip out
Of all this, without attracting any
notice to myself Even papa needn't
know it. so the Duke says
/ paula, don't say that again." Win
| ship pleaded. "You can't marry Wilt
shire. It's out of all reason and pos
sibility I'll go to your father. I'll
take anything"
She rose quietly and slipped to-
wards him through the dusk. She laid
her hands on his shoulders and look
ed down into his eyes.
II came, Roger, for help and
strength. You've given them to me.
Just to see you, to hear your voice,
land to know that you love me still,
has made me Drawer. But if stay
any longer you'll take your help away.
So | must go" y
"No, no." he protested. "Not yet
not yet"
| He seized her hands and pressed
them to his lips. When he released
them she stopped and kissed him.
| Goodbye. Goodbye" she muir
INJURED and glided towards the door.
Winship was wise enough to let her
pass out, and go her way alone.
CHAPTER XIV.
Lady Alice Holroyd, dressed still n
| her travelling gown, sat drinking tea
| and munching toast in Wiltshire's sit
ting room at the Hotel Bristol. Her
1 air was distracted, and, as she ate,
her gaze was fixed absently on one
1 spot In the carpet.
IT mustn't overdo it, she unused,
land, above all, must be sympa-
thetic It would spoil everything if
he thought I had objections on my
own account"
| So, when her brother entered, she
rose and kissed him cordially.
"You see I'VE come" she exclaimed.
II couldn't wait another day, after
getting such news as that"
!. Wiltshire threw his hat and over
coat on one armchair and sank wear
lily into another.
/ $50 you've come to congratulate
me-" he said, in a tone of which the
slightly suggested irony did not es-
cape her.
| We COME TO Wish LhaC you may De
very happy, Ludovic."
! "Ah!" Why the distinction?"
I'm not aware that make any dis
tinction. If do, it's because your
happiness is the first Of all consid-
erations to me-"
Give me some tea" he requested
with the air of man who is very
tired.
| your happiness is my first and
only consideration" she continued, as
she prepared the tea. tits very nat.
ural that i. should be- Of course,
you know as well as l do that | usad
to have other hopes for you; but
that's neither here nor there when
once you have made your choice
Your wife would be my sister, even
| If you picked her out of music
hall"
well, 1 heven't gone as far as
that"
4 I'm only IN old maid, Ludovic, .
she went on. passing him his cup
I'm an F,np1iShwoman oo,,,, tr,,1r,o,,,