Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-28

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That's just it. I've been a con-
founded idiot. Rolfe warned me only
the other day that the fellow was in
London, but l said l wouldn't believe
him until I saw the man with my own
eyes. Today l have actually seen him
and there can be no mistake. He's
the man that-that l."
His sentence remained unfinished,
for he sank into his chair and groaned
covered his face again with his hands
in an attitude of deep remorse, while
Levi stood by watching in deep. ST.
lence
"Rolfe could help you in this mat
ter" the man exclaimed at last.
Where is he?"
81 don't know. sent him yesterday
/ to Belgrade. but last night he tele-
phoned me that he had lost his train"
Then he may have left at nine
O'Clock this morning"
"Most probably
"Then you must recall him by
wire"
'No telegram can reach him till he
gets to Servia, for I don't know
whether he's gone from Ostend or
Paris"
They'd know in the City. Why not
ask them?"
mo; they wouldn't know"
"Why?"
Because Rolfe had with him a big
sum in German notes and quantity
of securities belonging to the National
Bank Of Servia. In that case he would
not let anyone know his route, for
fear of thieves. 1t is one of my strict
est orders to him. Why he lost the
train last night l can't tell"
well. it's thousand pities we
can't get at him, for he's the only
man to help you out of this diff
Guilty"
eyes; quite agree That shabby,
down-at-heel man standing outside is
my master, Leyi-that master of
Statham Brothers. My future is in his
hands,"
He had raised his hand and stood
staring at the beautiful Venus upon
the wall before him, the picture with
its wonderful flesh tints which had
been copied in a hundred different
forms. His countenance was haggard
and drawn, and in his eyes was look
of unspeakable terror as though he
was peering into his own grave, as in
deed at that moment he really was.
The sombre. melan choly-looking
Levi stood watching for moment
and then. crossing to the window,
looked out again into the sunshine of
Park Lane.
1 Yes. The ragged tramp was still
there. idling against the ratings and
smoking a short dirty pine quite I'M
concernedly He was watching for the
temperance of that white startled
face at the window-the face of the
great Samuel Statham.
Still outside. 7 suppose?" queried
the man at the other end of the room
Levi replied in the affirmative
wbereat old Samuel clenched his
teeth and muttered something that
j sounded like an inlprecation. He was
condemnin9 himself for his disbelief
! in his secretary's warnings.
. Had listened to him I could have
easily saved myself-or-or could
have prevented him from coming
here he added in meaning voice
eyes, it would not have been diff
cult to have prevented him. After
what has occurred that BLACKBOARD
has no right to be alive"
"Ah! then you believe me Levi
cried the wretched man. "You do not
blame me?" he asked anxiously.
''He was to blame-not you"
'Tben | was right in acting as
did you think-right to defend my
interests?'
"You were right in your self de-
fence" the man answered, his face
gray. sphinx-like, for Levi was mar
whose thoughts one could never read
from his thin, gray expressionless
face. "But Won were injudicous wher
you disregarded RoIfe's warming"
81 thought he had his own interests
to serve" was Statham's reply.
Frankly, you believed it to he ar
: ATTEMPT at blackmail. quite follow
you. But do YOU think Rolfe would be
guilty of such thing?"
"My dear Levi, when a poor man is
in love. as Rolfe is. it is sore tenn
tation to obtain by any means fail
or foul. sufficient to marry and SUD
port a wife. You and I were both
young one-eh? And we thought thai
our love would last ALWAYS. Where is
yours today and"-he sighed
where is mine?"
"You are right" replied the Ole
servant slowly. with a slight sigh
"You refer to little Marie All, car
see her now. as plainly as she was
then. forty years ago How beautiful
she was. how dainty. how perfect. ant
i-ah.-how well YOU loved her Ant
what tragedv-the tragedy Of YOU
life-the tragedy that has been hid
den from the worlG-the-"
mo. Enough. Levi" cried the mas
ter hoarsely. staring STRAIGHT before
him. edo not recall that to me. espec
tally at this moment It was the grea
tragedy of nv life. until-until thi!
present one which--which threaten!
to end it."
Put you are aoing to face the mu
sic You have said,"
~ may-and may not"
Levi was silent again Only the low
ticking Of the clock broke the quiet
and was followed by the rumble of ;
motor bus and the consequent trem
or in the room
AT any rate Samuel Statham will
never act the coward" the million
aire remarked at last in a soft but dis
tinof