Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-24
i i i i i i 4 T. 81 4 i.
Copyright 1eos-By Francis Lynde.

By FRANCIS LYNDE

condition reverses your decision, II I
am to fight with any hope of winning.
after what has transpired today, Mr..
Colbrith will have to be eliminated.
He had pulled the broncos down to
a walk. There was a soft thuddina of
| hoofs on the yielding earth behind
but neither OF them heard.
you are disappointing me- she
protested, and now the hesitation was
=, all gone. "a few minutes ago, before
this miserable thing happened, you
were telling me of your ideal
a woman may have an ideal, too, Mr..
Ford"
"Yes?" he said eagerly.
My ideal is the knight without
fear and without reproach- and also
without limitation. He will never say.
I can not He will say. 4 will and
not for my sake. but because his own
| sense Of justice and mercy and loving
kindness will go hand in hand with
| his ambition
"One word he broke in passionate
ly; and now the soft thudding OF
hoofs had drawn so near that the
presence Of the overtaking horseman
might have been felt MY little al
legory didn't deceive you: you are the
one woman, Alicia. dear. didn't mean
to tell you yet, though 7 think you
have known 1t all along; had an idea
that I wanted to do something worthy
---son1ething big enough to be worth
while before I spoke. Hut you have
given me leave: don't say you haven't
given me leave!'
You have taken it." she said softly
adding. And that is what a woman
likes, 7 think. But you mustn't spoil
my ideal, Stuart--indeed. you mustn't
You are young, strong, invincible, as
my knight. should be. But when you
strike you must also spare. You say
there is no way save the one YOU,
have Indicated; YOU must ind way
He smiled ruefully.
You give the cup Of water only to
take 1t away again. I'd rather build
ten railroads than to attempt to
smash North and his confederates
through your uncle You see, I'm
frishtfu11y handicapped right at the
start with this mine business hang
ing over me. But II you say it has to
be done, it shall be- III win Mr. Col.
BIRTH over, III spite of all that has
happened; and he shall fire North
and the MacMorroghs first and pros
ecute them afterward. I've said it,
It was Just here that the broncos
SHE'D inward toward the hill Ford
gathered the slack reins. and Miss
Adair looked UP and gave a little
shrek. Neis1ess1y. and SO close upon
the blackboard that he might have
touched either of the occupants with
his rawhide uuirt, rode the Mexican
When they discovered him he was
leaning forward, his half-closed eyes
mere Sits with pin-points Of black
fire to mark them, and his repulsive
face stolid mask. Ford's hand went
instin ctively to the whip: it was the
only available weapon. But the Mexi
can merely touched his Tapping som
, hero and rode on at the shutting
, fox-trot
That man, again. shivered Alicia.
when the nortent of evil had passed
) ont of sight around the next curve in
the grade.
: But Ford's concern was deeper
than her passing thrill of repulsion.
did you notice his horses hoofs as
: he went bv?" he asked soberiy.
NO" she said.
Il did. He dismounted somewhere
} behind us and covered them witf
sacking."
: What for? she asked. shlverina
: again with the nameless dread
tYou recall what was saying whe;
/ the broncos SHE'D: his object was &
, creep up behind and listen. He has
!. done it more than once since we lief
the end -of-track. and this time
Yes
This time he head what he wanted
t to hear
? Bevond the curve which had bidder
t. the Mexican. the wagon road left tht
3 Grade, descending abrurtlv unon the
= town. Ford looked back from the turI
, and saw that the other two vehicle:
9 were not yet in sight
A "Shall we wait for your aunt ant
t the others?' he asked.
Her smile was a suf7ic reward
y for the bit of tactful forethought.
: I'm sure We have left the conven
e tons far enough behind not to be I'm
4 duly terrified by them. I am no
e afraid to so in unchaperoned. Be
0 sides I heard Uncle Sidney telling Dr.
t Van Bruce that our rooms at the nc
s tel had been engaged for us
Ford drove carefully down tn
steep side street which was the ar
proach to the hotel. An excited throne
= blocked the sidewalk. and the lobb
Y seemed to be a miniature stock eS
h change. Slnsle-eyed. Ford fought
/, passage through the crowd wit
= Alicia on his arm. needing nothing liz
til he had seen her safely abov
Il stairs and in the sitting room Of th
!. presidents reservation. with cheer
S full fire in the 'l4g sheet-iron stow
r for her COMFORTING. Then he wen
n down and elbowed his way throug
y the clamorous lobby to the clerk
k desk
g Suppose you take a minute or tw
9 off and tell me what this town ha
T. gone crazy about, Fildreth,' he sale
d with a backward nod toward the lol
by pandemonium.
ie "Why, Great Scott Mr.. Ford--hav
b. you got this far into it without fint
% In tPo tho actouu6pd reioiT