Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-01-23
BY MARIA ALBANESl

with stubby grass, and only the coun-
try outlook remained.
Just before, for a brief while, the
world had worn soft, an almost rosy
tint; but as the sun vanished this
warmth went also, and now the land
scape stretched into the distance grey,
unsympatnetic and monotonous.
The speed Of the car lessened as the
ascent grew sleeper; thin mist be-
gan to gather ahead Of them To Mrs.
Landings imaginative eye this mist
took the form of flock Of feecy white
birds just towering before winging
flight.
Haverford pulled up here and, re-
linguishing his place to the chauffeur,
climbed into the body of the car.
Are you very cold?" he asked anx-
iously; do you know l am very much
afraid, Mrs. Lancing. that this road
will put us back an hour or so. 1t was
the country is new to me, and the road
is certainly about the worst we have
struck lately"
He occupied himself in tucking the
| big fur rug more securely about his
guest, despite her protestations that
she was quite warm enough, and quite
comfortable.
| The road was certainly very bad,
and though the car disposed of the
rough ground with an air Of superb
Indifference, certain amount of jolt.
| ing was inevitable.
Camilla Lancing only laughed, how
| ever, as she was tossed up and down
occasionally by the elastic movement
| of the springs.
1T is a matter of perfect indiffer-
ence to me what time we arrive
home" she said THAT Is the effect
motoring has on me! 1t engenders a
heavenly sensation of irresponsibility.
l simply don't care pin what hap
pens. My one conscious desire is to
go on, and on, and on
! Rupert Haverford sat down in the
other seat and looked at her with the
sincerest pleasure; she was so de-
! lightful to look at. The tone of her
garb was a rich brown; she had on a
long coat of some rough fur but round
her throat and shoulders she wore a
stole of the softest sables; there was
a small cap Of sables on her brown
hair, ana she had tied the brown
gauze veil she wore in a cunning
bow under her chin. knnt of white
flowers which rupert Haverford had
given her at luncheon was tucked in
among the fur at her breast, and was
the only break in the harmonious
whole. She turned to him as she
spoke lightly; she had a bird-like trick
of moving her small head that was
| ,1,o MIR ,.scfS
But Of course this sounds horribly
selfish. So like me! Shall we be very
late? am sorry if you are sorry,
otherwise don't think it matters.
Agnes said she would expect us when
she saw us. Fortunately Ian
cling laughe dinner is movable
| feast at Yelverton, or, indeed any
where where Agnes Brenton pre-
Sides"
Haverford answered this very
frankly.
81 am afraid l am not troubling in
the very least about Mrs. Brenton or
her dinner; am thinking entirely OF
you. This is the first time you have
entrusted yourself to my care, you
know, and want everything to go
smoothly"
Can anything go crookedly with
you?" asked Camilla Lancing; there
was the faintest tinge of impatience
in her voice.
Haverford laughed.
ooh! l suppose So" he said 81 have
certainly had more than my share Of
luck up to now, but one never knows
what is waiting for one round the cor
ner.' Then he half rose and looked
ahead. What a mist" he said. g
; hope we are not in for sea fog.
, cate fog Of any Sort
r! They drove on in silence for a few
moments, and the mist gathered in
creasingly about them; the flock o
{ birds had melted away, and the whit,
: velvety film floated about them like
| smoke. Everything became indistinct
/ even the broad outlines Of the chauf
: feur was yelled and vague.
! Camilla Lancing spoke first.
: Now, please don't worry about me,
she said. half petulantly, trans
< lating his silence adroitly Il am alb
3 solutely comfortable. Naturally"-sh
: added with a Taught know that if
! had done my duty should have insist
4 ed on driving back with Agnes, thougl
y she declared she did not want me
Y but it is so nice not to do ones dut
r now and then. Did you ever hear o
t the little boy who always asked to b
lalloWed some Wickedness on Sundays