Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-15

is justified. l have heard him speak.
The audience was completely carried
away. / found myself wondering that
| had ever dared to chaff him, but
afterwards when he was alone with
me, l began chatting him again. 1t is
as If the boy we knew SO we'll was
possessed with some extraordinary
spirit when he addresses the public"
At the end of the letter Joy men
toned, incidentally, that she was re-
turning to Hernshaw in the company
of Mrs. Giles Mottisfont. The fact
that the lady who had been MoIlie
Savernake might met him and recog-
Mise him was not source of disturb
ance. Hugo had made up his mind to
speak the whole truth to 10y her
self.
Upon the morning of the day when
Joy was expected, Hugo moved back
to Jordan Cottage. Mrs Owbridge
met him, waving telegram. Burgess,
1t seemed, was accompanying the
ladies. The inference was unmistak-
able. Burgess was returning as Joys
atf1anced husband Mrs Owbridge
limited as much, with sly look out
of her shrewd eyes at Hugo, wonder
ing how he would take this portentous
piece of news. Hugo said calmly:
II suppose we shall have a wedding
soon, Mrs. Owbridge."
''The sooner the better, say I, sir,
after young lady has passed one and
twenty. There's not enough men to go
round, and the best and prettiest ought
to take 'usband when they can get
i'm. A single life Is very monoton-
GUS"
Hugo went for long walk in the
Forest.
When he returned Burgess was
smoking in the snug sitting-room,
Hugo held out his hand with a ques-
tioning smile. The young fellow look
ed extraordinarily we'll and handsome,
having gained more assured bearing,
and with it-as Joy had saba look
of maturity.
Nevertheless, he burst into an &C.
count of himself and his doings with
out any reference to Joy. His star
he had always believed in his star
was in the ascendant. He had found
hackers: men with enthusiasm and
money.
"Only mem"
The women, he answered, had been
very kind. The New Brooms had
identified themselves with the women
He began to speak of the part women
might play in regenerated England
This sort Of talk bored Hugo, but he
listened attentively, with an ear
strained to catch the personal note.
Fluently as Burgess talked, the elder
man was sensible of the speakers
nervousness, of suppressed passion
and excitement. "He dosen't care a
hang for women rejected Hugo, "but
he is in hot pursuit of one"
They dined together Burgess said
that Joy had asked him to stop at the
Rectory. Having mentioned this, he
became rather silent, as if willing to
let Hugo draw certain deductions
But, as soon as Mrs. Owbridge had
cleared away, he plunged into confess
sion.
"I've come down here to ask her to
marry me. I couldn't do it in Lon
don. Didn't have chance! You look
incredulous. Well, perhaps funked
it. Perhaps I wanted the right set
ting. We are going to have a game
of golf tomorrow.
world
I've said that to myself again and
again I don't want to babble, but
she was as dear and sweet in London
as--Look here, it really is an idyll.
never cared for any other girl and
she-well, don't think she ever felt
her pulses beat faster for any man.
was obliged for your warning, but
Tisdale-! Poor old Tisdale, a capital
fellow. Joy always liked him, and re-
spected him.
The lover raved on, weaving fancies
light as the tobacco smoke that float
ed above his head. Ideals and en-
thusiasms flared revealing an igno-
rance and inexperience of women that
at any other time might have provok-
ed smiles from man of the world.
Hugo smoked his pipe. Again and
again he told himself hiatt this was the
real thing: admittedly so rare, and no
more to be confounded with the sexual
attraction of man for maid than the
loves of the angels with the matings
of animals. The greater thing, the SUI
preme spiritual affinity, included the
physical one, of course, purging 1t OF
dli SIOS6uSSS, anu SO 1HuoAliS, oo
transcendant is the power Of the spirit
over the flesh, that this glowing,
radiant youth was able to transport
his listener to that empyrean wherein
he seemed to float so serenely.
Finally this memorable evening
came to an end. The men went to
bed, but Hugo, within half an hour,
had occasion to speak to Burgess. He
found the hope of the New Brooms
fast asleep and smiling. Hugo did not
wake him, but watched him for more
than a minute, wondering if Joy were
also asleep and dreaming of her
lover. They were so sure of each
other!
The beauty of the face in repose
moved him profoundly. He found him
self wondering what it would feel like
| to have such a son. He had never
been sensible of paternal emotion be
fore. 1t exercised the demon OF
jealousy, substituting vague sadness
entirely impersonal, because ne re
membered that Burgess's mother was
dead She had adored him. How un
| willingly she must have left him. AnC