Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-01-11
. CHAPTER XII.
A Fathers Homecoming.


thought it was mere faint. the re-
suit of some bad news. But the
heavy. lifeless drop Of the limbs of
the left side, the open staring eyes.
the slight drawing OF the muscles Of
the face, soon convinced him of
something more serious.
Then they thought of the carriage,
and Gregson Junior (who denied hav
ing seen It though he mad passed that
very Way ran to make sure. But tine
coachman, obeying instructions, had
gone home If Mr.. Romer did not re-
turn before certain time 1T was I'M
derstood that the carriage should pro-
coed home coming back to take him
UP at certain hour in the afternoon.
Mr.. Romer gave his servants no
scope for thought.
Don't think! Obey orders and
will take the risk, That had been
his motto in dealing with them. I'm
fortunately on this occasion the
coachman had taken him at his word.
| There remained Grindling's chest
nut mare, hut second glance at the
sick man told them both that this was
as impossible as the other. A
| A thought came to Phil. He and
Vida had code book of signals
Commercial and Universal"-in the
use Of which either Of her interim
fathers down below we're proud and
anxious to initiate her. Without be-
ing precisely an adept. she could spell
out Phil's bunting message. which Of
course was also seen from the lantern
platform of the new ighthouse-Billy
and Dick keeping at all times bright
lookout.
"Man iniured-shall bring him
down . Phil signalled as near as he
could make out the CODE always most
complicated when one is In hurry
Certainly. all ready" came back.
the new staff
(. And Vida started up the hill with
what of bandages and liniments she
thought of course of an accident in the
colliery. She knew what the deer
darkness down there, the crushing un
certainty, felt like, and she made
haste.
| Little haste could be made ur
above Gregson Junior fwho had
never mounted horse) CALAMITY pro
posed to ride for the doctor. The sug
Phil turned to Walter Grinding. He
stood mournfuI and silent looking. as
If be left himself responsible for the
harm his news had brought
"Do you ride for my father" sale
Phil: "vou will likely find him on the
North Round that by Inchgormack-
anyone will show you how far he ha:
got Tell him to come to the cottage
| thoro-ot oh Tcl M
cove. near the new lighthouse"
Put -" began Grinding. uncer
tainlv. He was going to suggest 9th
er plans, but Phil was now in com
mand.
Co he ordered, as became a doc
tors son: at is a partial paralysis, q!
err he is in bed the better. His daugh
ter will take care of him"
Grinding being gone the Erores
sion was soeedilv formed, Phil Gale,
out a double shift of his pitman--a
skilled in carving the wounded. H
had also a stretcher which had neve
boan used with an adjustable '.L' i,
front go fhat in descending a sion
the pa+iont might he carried fairl
level They met Vida halfway III
which grirped the paper fell heav
and faced from the hearing pole$
Vida said not word. She asked n
questions. Phil. as he replaced |,
told her in low voice all that h
knew
Ellis room is ready" she salt
simply. 81 took all the things out"
And somehow he knew that tn
room was her own. and that it ha
been ready as soon as his signal ha
been read For his poorest pitman
would have been the same as for NJ
Jacob Romer of CORN Castle-and he
own proper father
The relays Of four marched steadil
down the very track by which. on
former occasion. Vida had gone up I
advise with Phil as to the domesti
affections. They crossed the moo
leaving the pit and growing t Don" b,
hind them. wound through the pine
and after that the light-sown birche
with their small, coined leaves pc
mitted the men on the lighthouse I
see them by glimpses.
oh 81 ,