Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-04

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kinsman to the life.
Its not easy to do the right thing,
said Hugo. There's something you
ought to do, Burgess.
"Eh?"
The sooner you strike camp the
BETTER
Leave Hernshaw."
Today, If possible
DO you think | am afraid of this
beastly disease?"
| Fear of it was inscribed in indelible
ink upon his excited face, quavered
1 In his voice, made his thin, finely
modelled hands shake with apprehen-
sion, but his voice rang out clearly
Hugo, feeling no fear, secure in the
conviction of constitution that had
escaped unscathed from Yellow Jack
and cholera, was none the less sen
sible of a curious sympathy and ad-
miration for the speaker.
IF you are not afraid" he said
CURLY, you onght to be. You came
here in search of health
/! "And I've got it, the Lord be
praised"
Are you positive about that?"
I'm twice the man was six weeks
ago"
+. Hugo got up, crossed to him and
took his hand, holding it lightly by
! the wrist. Burgess divining his object
wriggled uneasily.
I Pulse quick and jerky," said Hugo
in his quiet, Indifferent tone. loss
of sleep last night, Ell? No appetite
at breakfast, | noticed! Couldn't look
your egg in the face! Now, take my
tip. Pack up!" e.
"Are you going to bolt, Charters?'
mo, not yet
Nor am /. Better have cigarette;
keeps off germs
Hugo accepted the cigarette, re
flecting that an offer of one includes
the invitation to smoke it in the com
pany of the donor. While he lit it, he
wondered how he would submit his
case.
You health is vital to you, but il
you refuse to consider yourself, per
haps you will pay attention to some
one else"
"To whom?''
"To whom have you been jayins
4 attention !"
"Joy has been here?'
His quickness of perception did MOI
surprise Hugo.
4 Burgess continued:
"And she asked you to ask me tc
-bolt?"
We'll. yes"
Burgess laughed lightly, as if Hugo
were the boy and he the man.
z That's rather funny!"
"Funny?''
"She did her best to persuade me
last night. Does she think you will
succeed where she failed? And you,
he couldn't keep the disdain out o.
his voice "do you think would DE-
something for you which refused tt
] do for herr"
THAT depends"
\ "On what, please?'
con the point of view. I'm going tt
change your point of view. Miss Ven
:, nable urged you to leave Hernshav
!, on your own account; urge you tt
leave it on hers
:. "On hers? What do you mean?"
j tits not easy to say what meal
: but shall try"
He looked steadily at Burgess
mentally taking stock of him, apprais
: ing his value as the husband, tn
companion, the protector of Joy. 10.
, would not be easy to satisfy. And |
: she had fallen in love with boy
that would not prevent her from ex
, pecting him to grow to the full stat
ure of man.
Miss Vennable will want all o
her strength for this fight. It's goini
to be fight, Burgess. And she Ii
} so strong, so physically fit that he
risk is hardly worth considering"
Shed take it, whatever WI
thought"
Exactly. AS her fathers daughte
, she has no choice. But you, if you in
, sist on staying here, will imperil ser
iously her peace of mind, rob her a.
well as yourself of sleep"
How do you know that?"
"She admitted as much"
What did she say?"
Hugo hesitated; then, with a SLOW
! impressiveness he answered:
J "She said that she would go will
} with misery If anything happened t.
t you"
) Burgess's eyes were shining, hi
) cheeks flushed as he exclaimed
5 God bless her! She-cares."
"You didn't know that she cared +?
Burgess passed his hand across hi
, forehead. 81 was never quite sure,
he replied. "She is always so absolute
ly at her ease with me, always the
, the sister, you know. Go wild, woul
she? The darling! Charters, somehow
can show to you what l have trie
!, to hide from myself, l have neve
j been sure, never! And of course,
couldn't mean l wouldn't t. spea
! till my position was more assured
I've my fellowship and a small il
t come. But if they're going to put m
S into the house, or if ! should be offel
: ed the assistant editorship of our re
e view, which I have been promised
why then
"You would ask her to be you
e wife?"
: "In a fifty; particularly now, that
= say, would it be fair to make ba
i gain with her? Suppose | told he
that I'd run away, IL she'll let m
3 come back within six months to ma
| nS