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

jealous, Oh JHe dleTI, SpTluSy ITtdu VI
her companion. You may be sure that
Vida never dreamed Of such thing |
Hardly had they rounded the cor
ner of the avenue, walking on per
feet couch OF pine needles, feet-thick, !
which Mr.. Romer would not allow 20
be disturbed than Phil Calmont was
at the cottage door He had ridden
over on his cycle from the Carron Pit.
He found the door shut but clear,
red fire was winling encouragingly
through the window lattices. This
told him that the nest had not long
been deserted His foot on the mat at
the door encountered something hard
the key, certainly. They had not
gone to the Pits to meet Dick, nor
yet to the village. In that case he
would have met them. Neither up
toward the hills. He would have seen
them miles away. There remained
only the direction of the Castle. Yet,
what in the world in twenty mil
lion worlds = could they be seeking
there?
At the same moment the necessity
Of calling at CORN Castle, with re-
quest to see the master on business
came upon Phil Calmont. Gregson
would deny him. of course. Still he
would be there = he would see. He
leaped on his cycle and sped castle.
ward. What was short to him proved
a long way to Miss Rose Nunsby.
There was that strain Of the knee
which she never remembered being
without. the pain in the small Of her
back! All. If only she could have
known what it was to be altogether
well for twenty-four hours, Rose was
sure that she would have been a diff
ferent girl.
Different certainly. Better-hard-
ly.
Phil first saw them long way
ahead, but the swift wheels shod with
air even on such an unconventional
track, soon caught the girls up. Rose
stared as Phil lighted down. Vida
hardly appeared to notice him. All
her thoughts were on what she would
say to her father.
. Going to call at the Castle, Phil?"
Rose demanded. tauntingly. old
man asked you to afternoon tea -
had lounge in the privet-hedge spec
tally arranged for your
But Phil looked anxiously at Vida.
He OWNED her mood. and with great
! good sense refrained from putting
]
| to Rose, save by wan smile.
| He indicated the direction Of the
, Castle, the grey porch Of which now
: appeared at the end of the avenue
cold and forbidding. Rose nodded back
! and then shook her head That meant
A that Vida had got an idea, and that
| for the present it was unsafe to med
| die. So much Phil knew already, but
1 he wheeled his cycle alongside o.
: them in the most businesslike way.
n Presently Vida took notice of his
S presence.
l. 81 don't want you, Phil" she said
e frowning upon him.
a 81 know said Phil modestly: "al
t the same you may need me, and be
It sides"
t besides what?" Vida demande,
It fiercely.
q az am here on urgent, private al
n fairs"
e Vida looked him up and down keer
4, ly, but he was pinching the front tir
n of his machine with ali unoccupie
e hand. and appeared utterly oblivious
n They were at the Castle porch. Vid
IL was pulling the ancient wrought 70
r. "seneshar' handle, which, In turr
m pressed an electric bell within tn
ar buffers pantry - combination rea
Of ly Gothic which had pleased Mr.. r,
to mer, who found joy in bullying hi
m architect = sensitive young mai
" under the impression that the charf
Of his life had come to him in II
20 building of CORN Castle Within tw
er weeks Mr.. Romer had taught hi
Nv different.
lie ,Gregson appeared.
81 wish to see Mr.. Romer," SO
ne Vida firmly.
~ 81 am not sure, miss = he is ofte
~ T., out" said that respectable apparitto1
", che goes without disturbing this sit
~. ~ of he house. But = but l shall sc
~ W What name shall say, miss?'
~ ~ Miss Romer"
The accurately black-and-whi
,se Gregson nearly fell over backward
an He knew Vida we'll enough by SCI
He had heard Miss Bryan's prais
da from Abraham Fyfe. the old gardens
He himself had strolled along by t
cottage = merely Ito have lock-
e" The wonder had found Mr.. Jam
Kahn had been threatened with
- kicking with dismissal. and so h
~ forsworn visiting which apparent
loiI was for his betters.
- And now to be informed by 1t
: little girl at the gate" that she W
loi Miss Romer Gregson had q shock
deed! But Vida was already in
an hall. Rose and Phil followed as m
en-: ter of course. Gregson tried to rene
md Der as he ushered them UP the sta
no If the revolver in the masters rot
go had been loaded the last time he h
squinted down the muzzle. Gregs
1ck was a fearful man. Perpetual terrt
the thickened about him He could !
the bear firearms, and therefore alws
're- made sure Of them. He had dou
UNI method of doing so. First, as afo
If said, he looked carefully and lc
ack down the barrel, striking match
the do so. Then he stirred the conte
de- with a hatpin. abandoned by hou
OF maid to whom in his long widow
the state Gregson had offered honora
matrimony Then he looked ags
law Now GreeSon ALWAYS held the arti