Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-11

And we want you still. George Ven
nable wants you. Between ourselves
I'm worried about his heart There
! is nearly always cardiac weakness
after diphtheria. He must be kept
quiet and amused You can do it bet
ter than any man 1 know. Well,
do it.'
IF told Miss vennable?"
That's risky, too. You've seen
enough of her to know that she's not
Pharisee, but I'm afraid she would
judge you rather numerically. There
was case in this village"
81 heard about that"
"And the word divorce to a Motifs
font-oh, she's half Mottisfont, one
must face that's henbane I don't
suppose for an instant she read the
full report of the trial.
Let us assume that she did, for the
sake of argument. What them"
Tisdale made a significant gesture.
He was surprised that Charters took
things SO coolly almost with indiffer-
ence. A phrase or two of McAllister's
foated into his mind The correspond
ent throughout the trial had exhibited
brutal Indifference to witness in
highly civilized Christian country.
The learned Judge, too, had been
scathing on the same point.
you mustn't try her too high.
Why he laughed, "it's rather difficult
for me to reconcile what l know you
are with what l believed you to be.
They gibbetted you, didn't they?'
yes said Hugo Hannah hung
no nearer heaven"
"And how can you explain things
to her-eh?"
81 have no intention of explaining
"If you don't, Charters, I'm afraid
that Joy vennable will make it diff
cult for you to play bridge with her
father. He's very sharp. There would
be more or less of a scene; the one
thing I'm anxious to avoid
Il ought to have said mo- at once"
"You said 'Yes-with pleasure,'''
Then nothing is left but Important
business in town.
No, no; you take this too serious
w. He looked keenly at Hugo. "Am
l right in my conviction that this last
month has been worth something to
your"
Its been like bathing in Jordan"
Jordan? | see. If you feel that
sician, to tell you to keep on dipping
and NUNS the word for the pres
emit"
Finally, Hugo was persuaded.
The first evening at the Rectory
was very pleasant, so pleasant that
Hugo was beguiled insensibly into
pastures wherein he had not wan
/ dered for many months. He had the
gift Of being able to describe vividly
/ places he had visited; and an eager
light in the eyes of his listeners lured
him on and on, from country to coun-
tary, as if he were conducting a small
and select party of tourists, who had
never been out of England before.
/ When he stopped, George Vennable
/ supplied the spur of the right word
Joy said nothing, but she listened
even as Desdemona listened to the
adventurous Moor. Bridge was for
gotten. George Vennable sat by the
i wood fire in his bedroom, for as yet
he had not been allowed downstairs
and JOY sat in low stool beside him.
the ministering angel, within easy
reach of anything that might be re-
quired. Hugo sat opposite, on the
other side of the hearthrug. Once
the parson stretched thin white
hand, which rested lightly upon joys
head: and JOY took the hand and
kissed 1t. That she did so in Hugos
presence was the measure of the stride
he had taken in passing their TIRES
hold. George Vennable caught Hugo's
eye.
"Etre avec ceux quon aime, celia
suffit,' he murmured
1T does not quite SUFFICE" said JOY
looking up into her fathers face
unless we take for granted that those
whom we love, love u.s. And it would
not suffice, unless those we loved
were comfortable and happy. was
miserable when I was alone with you
and your rising temperature"
And then George Vennable had
smiled at Hugo, with a subtle derisive-
ness as much as to say: Joy, you ses,
loves me devotedly, and I, as you
know, take all that she can give and
give little in return"
Hugo reflected that the parson might
be Laodicean, and lamentably unpa.
rochial and Unfortunately interested in
lepidopteria and fungi, but with all
his failings he was human.
AS Hugo talked of Cashmir where
he happened to be wandering for the
moment, he looked steadily at JOY.
In the shaded light of the lamp, with
the ftful glow from the fire playing
upon her hair and face, she appeared
a girl rather that woman Her atti-
tude emphasized this. She was lean
ing against her father, her head upon
the level of his knees. For the mo-
ment one could hardly conceive her
to be self reliant, authoritative: the
'parson in petticoats!' The outward
masculine signs, of autocracy had van
1shed: the inward feminine graces
shone with soft radiance, with an
irresistible appeal.
(To be Continued)