Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-02-09


mendous power which was driving the
steel monster through the seas at the
prodigious speed of four hundred
miles in the twenty-four hours Like
a pulsating heart in some living thing,
the mammoth engines throbbed and
painted, and the great vessel groaned
and creaked as she rose and fell to
the heavy swell, and again lurched
forward in obedience to each fresh
propulsion from her fast spinning
screws. Out on deck, volumes OF
dense black smoke were pouring from
four gigantic smoke stacks and spread
out in the sky like some endless
cinder path peading back over the
course the ship had taken.
They We're four days out from port
Two days more and they would sight
Sandy Hook, and Shirley would know
the worst. She had caught the North
German Lloyd boat at Cherbourg two
days after receiving the cablegram
from New York. Mrs. Blake had. IN
sisted on coming along in spite of her
niece's protests. Shirley argued that
she had crossed alone when coming
she could go back the same way. Be.
sides, was not Mr. Ryder returning
home on the same ship? He would be
company and protection both. But
Mrs. Blake was bent on making the
voyage. She had not seen her sister
for many years and, moreover, this
sudden return to America had upset
her own plans. She was a poor sailor,
yet she loved the ocean and this was
good excuse for long trip. Shirley
was too exhausted with worry to offer
further resistance and by great good
luck the two women had been able
to secure at tine last moment a cabin
to themselves amidships. Jefferson
less fortunate, was compelled, to his
disgust, to share stateroom with an
other passenger, fat German brewer
who was returning to Cincinnati, and
who snored so loud at night that even
the humping of the engines was com
pletely drowned by his eccentric nasal
sounds.
The alarming summons home and
the terrible shock she had experience
ed the following morning when JEFF
ferson showed her the newspaper
article with it's astounding and heart
rending news about her father had al.
most Frustrated Shirley. The blow
was all the greater for being so en-
tirely unlocked for. That the story
was true she could not doubt Her
mother would not have. cabled except
under the gravest circumstances
What alarmed Shirley still more was
hot he hoI 80 \
father. For moment her heart
stood still-suppose the shock of this
Shameful accusation had killed him?
Her blood froze in her veins, she
clenched her fists and dug her nails
into her flesh as she thought of the
dread possibility that she had looked
upon him in life for the last time. She
remembered his last kind words when
he came to the steamer to see her
off, and his kiss when he said good.
bye and she had noticed a tear OF
which he appeared to be ashamed
The hot tears welled up in her own
eyes and coursed unhindered down
her cheeks.
What could these preposterous and
abominable charges mean? What
was this lie they had invented 10
ruin her father? That he had enemies
she well knew What strong man
had not? Indeed, his proverbial
honesty had made him feared by all
evil-doers and on one occasion they
had gare so far as to threaten his
life. This new attack was more dead,
ly than all to sap i I'D destroy his
character, to deliberately fabricate
lies and calumnles which had nc
foundation whatever. Of course, the
accusation was absurd, the Senate
would refuse to convict him, the en-
tirs press would espouse the cause
Of so worthy public servant. Ger
tainly, everything would be done TIC
clear his character. But what was
being done? She could do nothing but
wait ana wait. The suspense and an
xiety were awful
Suddenly she heard familiar step
behind her, and Jefferson joined hel
at the rail. The wind was due West
and blowing half gale, so where they
were standing-one of the most eX
posed parts of the ship it was diff
ficult to keep ones feet, to say moth
ing Of hearing anyone speak. There
was aheavy sea running, and each
approaching wave looked big enough
to engulf the vessel, but as the mass
of moving water reached the bow, the
ship rose on it, light and graceful as
bird, shook off the flying spray as
cat shakes her fur after an unwel
come bath, ana again drove forward
as steady and with as little percepti
Bile motion as a railway train Shirley
was fairly good sailor and this kind
of weather did not bother her in the
least, but when it got very rough she
could not bear the rolling and pitching
and then all she ives good for was &c
lie still in her steamer chair with hel
eyes closed until the water was calm
er and the pitching ceased.
Its pretty windy here, Shirley
shouted Jefferson, steadying himself
% IN ST ctonob ton ~ HlNor,t ,,1,,