Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-09
remained quiet and preoccupied. rim
ally losing patience she ask him blunt


remained quiet and preoccupied rim
ally losing patience she ask him blunt
ly:
Jefferson, what's the matter with
you tonight. You've been sulky as
a bear all evening""
Pleased to see she had not forgotten
their compact of the afternoon in 1e
gard to his name, Jefferson relaxed
somewhat and said apologetically:
Excuse me, I've been feeling a Bit
seedy lately. think I need anpthe,
sea voyage. That's the only time
when feel really 'st-class-wh6y
I'm on the water"
The mention of the sea startsa
Shirley to talk about her futus
plans. She wasn't going back q
America until September. She had
arranged to make a stay of three
weeks in Londor and then she would
be free. Some friends of hers from
nome, man and his wife who owned
steam yacht, were arranging trip
10 the Mediterranean, including run
over to Cairo. They has asked he1
and Mrs. Blake to go and she was
sure they would ask Jefferson, too
Would he go?
There was no way out of it. Jeffer.
son tried to work up some enthusiasm
Tor This yachting trip which he knew
very well could never come off, and
1T cut him to the heart to see this
poor girl joyously making all these
preparations and plans, little dream.
ing of the domestic calamity which at
that very moment was hanging over
her head.
1t was nearly ten o'clock when thew
had finished They sat a little
longer listening to the gypsy music
Welrdly end barbaric. Very pointedly
Shirley remarked
- for one preferred the music this
afternoon"
"Why?" inquired Jefferson, ignoring
the petulant note in her voice.
Because you were more amiable!'
she retorted rather Grossly.
4. This was their first misunderstood.
Ing, but Jefferson said nothing. He
could not tell her the thoughts and
fears that had been haunting him all
night. Soon afterward they re-entered
their cab and returned to the boule.
wards which were ablaze with light
and gaiety Jefferson suggested going
somewhere else, ,ut Mrs. Blake was
tireu and Shirley, now quite irritated
at what she considered Jefferson's un-
accountable unsociability, declined
somewhat abruptly But she could
never remain angry long, and when
they said goodnight she whispered de.
murely:
care you cross with me, jeff"
He turned his head away and she
saw that his face was singularly
drawn and grave.
"Cross-no. Goodnight. God bless
you!' he said, hoarsely gulping down
a lump that rose in his throat Then
grasping her hand he hurried away.
Completely mystified, Shirley and
companion turned to the office to get
the key of their room. AS the man
handed it to Shirley he passed her
also a cablegram which had just come
She changed colour. She did not like
kilograms. She always had dread
of them, for with her sudden news
was usually bad news Could this,
she thought, explain Jefferson's
/ strange behaviour. Trembling, she tore
/ open the envelope and read:
1 Come home at once
Mother.
CHAPTER v.
/ D OLLING, tumbling, splashing
IN foamingl water as far as the eye
could reach in every direction. A
desolate waste, full of life, movement
and colour, extending to the bleak
horizon and like vast ploughed field
cut up into long and high liquid
/ a IN,
serried ranks and with incredible
speed as if pursued by fearful and
unseen enemy. Serenely yet bolster.
ously, graceful yet resistlessly, the
endless waves passed on-some small
others monstrous, with fleecy white
combs rushing down their green sides
like toy Niagaras and with seething
boiling sound as when flame touches
water. They went by in a stately
never ending procession, going no
where, but full of dignity and i'm
i portance, their breasts heaving with
suppressed rage because there was
nothing in their path that they might
destroy The dancing, leaping water
reflected every shade and tint now
a rich green, then a deep blue and
again a dirty gray as the sun hid Tor
a moment behind cloud, and as a
gust of wind caught the top of the
combers decapitating them at one
mad rush, the spray was dashed high
in the air. flashing out all the pris
matte colours. Here and yonder, the
white caps rose, disappeared and came
again, and the waves grew and then
diminished in size. Then others rose
towering, became larger, majestic
terrible; the milk-like comb rose
proudly, scared brief moment, Their
fell ANONYMOUSLY, and the wave di
minished passed on Inundated. Over
head, few scattered cirrus clouds
i fitted lazily across the blue dome OF
heaven, while dozen Mother Carey
chickens screamed hoarsely as they
; circled in the air. The strong an6
[ steady westerly breeze bore on its
powerful pinions the sweet and eter
nal music of the wind and sea.
4 Shirley stood at the rail under the
bridge Of the ocean greyhound thai
Ipac COR inc hoy 70