Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-08-06

I'm glad came up. And you two
will help he smiled pleasantly, rub
bing his thin scholars hands to-
getheP.
I'VE shall do our duty; we have
never tried to dissociate ourselves
| from what we conceive to be our
duty"
1--WE must pay cur bills. Joy says
we've been taking things too easy.
say we have: our lines lie in pleasant
Places
He glanced at the salon in which
they were sitting: fine room, nobly
proportioned, and filled with very de-
lightful furniture and portraits Upon
everything rested sort of bloom
not of youth, but of age. Colours
which half "a century before may have
clashed, had now faded to a mellow
harmony of tint in which red predomi-
mated. The curtains were of genuine
Florentine brocade; the gilded wooden
frames of the pictures had assumed
a quiet and unobtrusive tone. In this
room George Vennable, then distin-
guished don at Oxford, had met his
Alicia. Nothing had changed since
then; not piece of furniture had been
moved; the tea equipage was the
same. But the people about the oc-
tagonal tea-table were five-and-twenty
years older. During that period the
parson had buried his wife and his
ambition; and now he had Joy, dear
child-dear, good child-and his col
lections. Poor old Giles had nobody.
Of his seven children, not one re-
NAMED to cheer his declining years.
Two were dead, three sons were out
in the world, the girls had married
neighbours: one was the wife of Col
onel Jallands eldest son, and the
other not without much consideration
of the rector of Hagley Marsh, who
had abundant private means. and was
quite likely to be made colonial
Bishop
Eyes. yes" said Sir Giles, thawing
under the geniality of George VIENNA
ble's manner "You are right, my
dear fellow: we have had much to be
grateful for and this confounded
plague must be fought tooth and nall.
We are lucky to have young Tisdale;
a very clever fellow, young Tisdale-
sound, very sound. l understand he
was sent for at Once?"
"Joy sent for him." said the parson,
smiling family. sensible of his own
limitations of those about him He
knew-none knew better!-that before
God and Man this inflated, stupid,
kindly, complacent egoist was the
murderer of little Nellie Mowland
And he, George. Vennable, had been
accessory before the fact. Had he
chosen to pit his powers of persuasion
against the others obstinacy, the sites
would have been swept away long
ago. The parson stroked his we'll
shaven chin and smiled, but in his
blue eyes lay shadows. Sir Giles was
absolutely assured that he, as land
lord, had done all that was possible.
George Vennable never wilfully de-
ceived anybody, not even himself!
''Dr. Snelgrove is our medical at
tendant," remarked Miss Priscilla.
I'VE have more confidence in man
of years and experience"
| George Vennable shook his head
my dear lady. parsons, doctors, and
schoolmasters ought to be young and
strong and keen" He pushed back
his chair Goodnight, Giles, good
night. Priscilla. We received the par
eel of linen, Lavinia. Many thanks
| He was escaping when Miss Pris-
ella called him back Such an oppor-
tunity for discussing matters of grave
domestic import might never occur
again.
"One moment, George"
Certainly"
He turned Miss Priscilla had risen,
but Lavinia remained seated, her mouth
open, her eyes protruding wrinkle
between her arched eyebrows, as if
she were wondering what her elder
sister was about to say, and doubtful
whether she could say it adequately
on the spur of impulse. Sir Giles had
crossed to the chimney-piece to ring
the bell. He, too, paused, standing
on the hearthrug, adjusting his pince-
nez, staring at his sister with uplifted
nose and shin, as if snuffing something
unexpected.
4 You know, of course, that Esme
Burgess has left the village?"
eve speeded his departure"
! is it indiscreet to ask if there is
any understanding between the young
people?"
4 George Vennable twisted his lips
into whimsical smile.
There is more true understanding
4 between those two than between all