Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-08

IS
cerlty of time and place and associa-
tlon was beginning to get into her
blood.
IF it comes to that, there were
two of u.s., he reioined, matching her
frankness. and, as YOU remarked
while back, | was certainly the ag-
gressor. Shall we call it truce for
the present."
II you will be generous enough"
"Oh, | am generosity itself, under
ordinary conditions: but Just now I'll
admit that. am fearfully and wonder
fully inhospitable. ! can't help wish.
ing more fervently that something had
| happened to prevent your uncle's
coming
is it uacle who is in the way? -
or the pleasure party
Both
I'VE are negligible" she said,
meaning the pleasurers.
No, yo'l are not: and neither is
your Uncle Sydney"
"Is he still formidable TO your she
laughed
HE is, indeed But, worse than
that, he is likely to prove consider
able disturbing element if I can't
keep him from plunging in upon us.
She let half OF the remaining dis
| lance to the end of the steep grade
go underfoot, before she said: Il like
| to help people, sometimes; but I don't
| like to do il in the dark
He would have explained instantly
| TO man fer the sake Of gaining an
ally But he could not bring himself
TO the point of telling her the story OF
graft and misrule in which the Nc
Morroghs were the principals, and
| North and her uncle, by inlplica-
ton the hackers.
| So he said: ut is rather a long
story. and you would scarcely under
stand it. We have been having con-
slant trouble with the McMorroghs.
the contractors, and there Is bad
state of affairs in the grading camps.
1t has come to a point where 7 shalt
have TO fight the McMorroghs to some
sort of finish, and-well. 10 put it
very badly. don't want TO have to
fight the McMorroghs and the presi.
dent in the same round"
why should Uncle Sydney take
The part Of these men, if they are bad
men, Mr.. Ford?"
Because he has always distrusted
my judgment, and because he is loyal
to Mr.. North, whom he has made my
superior. MI North tells him that r
am to blame"
'Rut it must be a very dreadful
condition OF things. if what Mr. Fris-
bic said is all true"
''Frisbie spoke of only one little in.
cident. Trouble like this we're having
today is constantly arising. No mon
ey-Inaking graft is too petty Or too i'm
moral for the McMorroghs to connive
at. They rob and starve the laborers
and cheat the company. with bad
work. I've got to have a free hand in
dealing with them, Or.
He stopped abruptly, realizing that
he was talking to her as he might
have talked to specialist in his own
profession. Hence he was not disap.
pointed when she said
You go too fast for me- But
think l understand now why our com
ing IS inopportune And it's comfort.
ing to know that the reason is bust
ness reason.
He put shame to the wall and blurt-
ed out suddenly: 1T is only one of
Tie FedSOuS, hlSS AudlT. Iue--InS
camps are not fit place for party
with women. You-you'1l have to be
blind and deaf If your uncle persists
in taking you with him.
1t was said, and he was glad OF it
though he was wiping the perspira-
tion from MS face when the thing was
done She was silent until they we're
standing at the steps Of the side.
tracked private car
Thank YOU she said simply. "Os
course, III do what | can to keep
Uncle Sydrey from going and TAX,
ing us. What shall you say to him.
81 am going to tell him that our
track isn't safe for the Nadia which
is true enough
Very we'll. Ill tell Aunt Hetty and
Mrs. Van Bruce which may be more
TO the point. But don't be encouraged
by that have reason to believe that
Uncle Sydney will have his way in
spite of any or all of us.
CHAPTER XVII.
Ford pu. Miss Alicia up the steps
of the Nadia and followed her into the
L,,I, ;,,. t~