Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-10

surroundings and the costly simplicity
or her dress that she had made what
many women would have considered
good match. William Tankerlane
had splendid allowance from his
father, and, being himself a man of
simple tastes, and with no bent to-
wards any of the meaner vices Of life,
he was able to lavish his wealth on
his wife with an open hand.
1t was a glorious morning in May,
month in which Paris is seen at its
best. Outside the window the double
lines of trees looked green and cool
in the bright sunshine Easy going
flaneurs Of the boulevards loitered in
the shade, and chartered to one an
other with untiring vivacity. Streams
OF pedestrians, bent either on business
or pleasure, passed to and fro unceas
ingly. Everywhere there was life and
movement. and endless flow of good
humor and serene content
| Slowly and deliberately Laura took
up an envelope and addressed it to
Samuel Vane, Esq, Upper Leaze
Farm, Laverstone," and then she laid
down the pen, and again stared out
of the window 2f
|
of her husbands wishes, to write to
her father. From the day after she
| left Laverstone, and never arrived at
Mrs. Tolby's house, Sam vane had
not heard word of the daughter
that was lost to him. On the day fol-
4 lowing her departure he received two
letters, one from his sister asking
why Laura vane had not arrived, and
| ono PRO, !, rs,,J y, TIL,
as follows:
Dearest Fathcr-For reasons I can
not explain to you, I have not gone
to Aunt James, end shall not return
to Laverstone. Do not worry about
me- Be assured that have come and
shall come, to no harm. Forgive me
for this step, which has been forced
upon me. God bless you and guard
you, dearest, is ever the earnest pray
er of your loving daughter
Laurie
And this message, which was hard
ly calculated to allay fathers anxi-
ETY., was all that Sam Vane mad heard
| from his missing daughter.
But now, at last, she had resolved
to break the silence. Day after day
she had been tortured with the
thought of her fathers loneliness and
despair. She Lad pictured him to
herself in the home that had been
left unto him desoate. An old man,
broken-hearted, vainly crying out to
God for her return. Again and again
she had implored her husband to let
her write, and he had refused gently,
but with tirmness William Tanker
lane, in spite of all his sin, had been
very kind to her, and she wished to
obey him. But at last she had resolv-
ed to write, and could not frame the
sentences which meant so much to
her. Once more she dipped her pen
in the ink and wrote her name on a
slip of plotting paper.
Then she heard the soound of steps
and voices in the passage outside
She looked hurriedly at the clock,
tore the envelope in half, threw the
pieces into the waste paper basket I'M
der the table, and rose to her feet.
| moment later the door opened,
and William Tankerlane entered, ac-
companied by short, fair-haired
young man, eXquisitely dressed and
groomed
Laura" said her husband, as he
thrust forward his blushing compan.
ion, let me introduce you to Lord
Portlington. He IS the son of Lord
Crawcour, an old friend of our fam
ily."
Laura Tankerlane bowed, and then
extended her hand with a pleasant
smile. The name of Portlington had
conveyed nothing to her mind But
the name of Crawcour sent a flush to
| In ho1
agent to the Earl or Crawcour, and it
was possible that this young man
might be able to give her some news
of him.
"This is an old friend of mine,
said Tankerlane, as they sat down by
the open window. Piggy PORTING
ton, we used to call him, when he was
at Elton. He's straight as a die, and
won't split on us. I have told hin
the reasons for our secret marriage,
and he looked at his wife meaningly
She wondered what reasons he hat
given.
4 am very pleas ed to meet Lore
Portlington," she replied. ut is nice
to have found friend in Paris. We
have been a bit lonely"
A shade Of annoyance passed across
Iankerlane's face, but the young mar
chuckled genially.
"A very jolly sort of loneliness,
he replied. Il wouldn't mind chang
ing places with Tankerlane-I mean
wish I were on my honeymoon, 70,
know" and he blushed furiously, a!
though he had said something highl,
improper The other two laughed
and Mrs. Tankerlane looked at thu
handsome, boyish face with interest
He was a very pleasant young fellow
: this heir to the great earldom o
Crawcour. Candour and honesty wer'
, written on his countenance. He wa
, obviously fond Of outdoor exercise ant
[ sport. His clear, keen eyes and tan
, ned skin spoke of life spent in tn
open air His hands were muscula
and his movements indicated tn
f strength and suppleness OF the ath
+ lete.
AS she looked from this fine spec
: men of clean-living and open-minde
!, manhood to the dark, intellectual fac
of her husband, she wondered wha