Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-18

one SpOke very dlSC~OnSOiaCely, turn
ing large, troubled blue eyes from her
mother to Guy, who stood looking
down at her, Juggling at his mustache.
Yes; we are all going abroad; but
Uncle Guy is coming back, aren't
your"
Perhaps" said Guy gravely.
Mrs. Tempest gave vent to a tiny
cry Of protest.
How dare you tease the darling!"
She caught the child to her bosom,
flashing an indignant and piteous
glance at Guy. Then holding her up
to kiss him, she said, cooling: MAKE
him promise to come back as soon as
he can, Poppet. Make him swear
do you hear?"
you'll come back" said the child
earnestly.
Yes
con your SAM"
"On my Sam"
She kissed him and ran out of the
room. Guy waited a moment, and
then exploded. There was a leaven
in him of the old Squire.
"And one day"
"~Shush-h-h!" She placed her finger
upon his lips, her head upon his shout
der and dissolved deplorably. He
heard her broken, almost inarticulate
phrases: eff you should not come
back-It would be too cruel-I have
no n left but you and Poppet, and
she is to be taken away"
Il swore to Poppet that l would
come back"
And we'll begin life again, dear:
Wen be awfully good, but we won't
be lonesome-model members Of So
ciety, eh?"
Yes, yes,' Guy muttered nervous
ly. "Of course-certainly."
1T will be such fun drawing the
claws of the tabbies.'
Having accomplished her
she slipped back upon the sofa, curl
ing herself up among the big cushions
with a sigh Of relief; but Guy saw
tears sparkling upon her long lashes.
just then the door opened and the
child ran in.
Il quite forgot" she exclaimed
"Oh, mummie, I've a present for you.
| was to give it to you when we was
quite alone; but Uncle Guy doesn't
count. does hep
"Never did" said Guy.
The child held out a crumpled en-
velope.
Daddy gave it me this afternoon,
when he came up to the nursery to
say goodbye. He said you would
know what it was"
Mrs. Tempest took the envelope. A
faint blush-very faint-came ana
went upon her cheeks.
Why don't you oren it. mummie ?"
H HVacD coi1 C,,y- ,,,ip+Jr OWN,
don't you open it?'
it?"
Very" said Guy, with his eyes on
the vanishing blush.
90 course I know what's in the en-
velope-a postal order, perhaps for
ten shillings. Do open it, mummie!."
She was at bay, but she did not
lose either her head or her charming
manners. With a gesture to the man,
she led the child towards the door,
opened the envelope, showed her what
was in it, laughed, kissed the expect
ant lips, and gently pushed Poppet
from the room. Then, closing the
door, she turned to face Guy.
"a check said Guy grimly. There
was no Interrogation in his tone.
Eyes, a check"
"You-you fbbed Just now"
Eyes. l fbbed. I couldn't tell you
the truth. I'm in debt. I've nothing
of my own: I was too proud to ask
you, so I sent for John"
$50 you sent for John?"
"He's Poppet's father
~ see."
mot as clearly as I do"
"Quite clearly enough"
He walked to the window and look.
ed out. Angela shrugged her should.
held out her hands palm upwards
pretty gesture she had acquired in a
French finishing school, kept by a
marquise Of the vieille souche. A
stranger might have inferred that she
was empty-handed, with a heart toe
full for speech. When Guy reached
the window, she sank upon her knees
beside a stool between the sofa and
the door. The stool-a French tabour
et-was covered with a brocade of s
delicate pure color with weirC
splatches of purple upon it. Upor
this was bowed the fair head. so thai
the nape of the neck shone white
against the purple staining of the bro
cade. The kneeling figure suggested
a dethroned queen at the block, await
ing the stroke of the executioner. II
another woman such a pose nigh
have appeared STACEY; in her it was
natural. Guy felt this instinctively
And he knew that John Tempest
and how many others?-had strug
gled in vain against this supreme
manifestation of an unconscious 10
sub-conscious?) art. Always sh'
aroused pity when another woman
would have excited indignation, q
even disgust, AS Guy saw her now
the unprotesting victim, mee.ly knee
ing upon the scaffold, so she appeare'
to the Judge, to the special jury, t
the whole of England.
For a moment he watched her i
silence. Then he raised her gently
In her abandonment her fingers ha
remained tightly closed. Guy looseI