Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-21


CHAPTER III. Continued
Guy reflected that this fellow meant
to talk. And he had such a nice pair
Of eyes that one couldn't with any
decency snub him. Also, he seemed
intelligent, an observer in his way,
possibly a bit Of a thinker. Guy
wondered what he did for a living
and hazarded a mental guess. Was he
clerk, ste~nographer, journalist or
tradesman? From an infection in his
voice which denoted a sense of indie
pendence Guy made certain that he
padded his own canoe. He asked a
question:
do you dine here often?"
"Alvays, when I'm in town. l trav-
81 for a big house"
So he was a bagman; hence the
gift of CAB, and the slightly cock-a-
whoop but not offensive air of as
trance. The waiter brought SOM
fish. Guy was helping himself, when
the other said abruptly:
"I should like to have your opinion
on this divorce case."
He laid a slight emphasis or tie
t'your."
my opinion?"
WSll, Sill, yOu DSlOH6 w CuooC ooi1
of people, and I dare say you think
Stir. | make no doubt half the intelli-
gent men in this big room are talking
about it now. 1t would really interest
me to hear what you think of that
BLACKBOARD Charteris.'
HE pronounces his name Char
ters."
Does he?" replied the other dis
gustedly. I'm not a bit surprised.
""You don't?"
So much surprise underlay the ques-
They amt ever labelled SO that an
ordinary man can know who they
are. Much obliged to you, sir, for
putting me straight. Charters-eh?
Now, I'm a Rad, a red hot un, and
I'm pretty well sure that you're of
the opposite way of thinking, but I
hope you'll agree with me that sud-
den extinction Is too easy a death for
Mister Guy Charteris?'
"Lethal chamber, Ell? You got
that out of the Daily Mercury?"
mo; here" He tapped a remark
ably well shaped forehead. Then per
ceiving an odd expression on Guys
face compounded of amusement and
chagrfn, he added hastily: Lord!
you may be a friend of his, although
you don't look It,"
Thanks"
do you know him?"
yes; we were at school and col
lege together"
IF he is a friend, L"
BE quite easy! I think I'm justi-
fed in calling Guy Charters an en-
envy. All the same He paused,
trifed with his bread, and laughed.
What were you going to say, sir?'
Guy hesitated, curious to arrive at
the others point of view, yet uneasy
at the prospect of being stoned. Still
to see himself as others saw him, as
his fellow countrymen sawshim, might
be a salutary experience.
81 don't quite understand why he
has excited this public %rancour."
tion that Guy felt himself flushing
With an effort he said quietly: LET
us grant that he has broken one OF
the commandments. How many Others
have done the same? Why should he
be specially picked out as a scape
goat?"
DO yc,u ktiow Mrs. Tempest, sir?"
Yes
81 saw he- in court: I heard hel
give her evidence. | think she was
the sweetest lady, the most innocent
looking creature, I eve clapped eyes
on. The jury thought so, too"
Even his lordship was visihly i'm
pressed said Guy sententiously.
"a baby in arms" continued thu
bagmap, warming to his work, "migh'
have known that she was more sinnet
against than SHINING. Why do yot
smile, Bir?"
81 beg your pardon" said Guy; "bu
the phrase has been used so often
hasn't it? And. of course, even F.
baby in arms may make mistake!
sometimes. Pray go on"
IF he had anything to say for him
self, why didn't he say it?"
Il don't know"
depend upon it, that, when a mai
says nothing, 1t means that he hal
for fear of making matters worse"
II give you my word that had no
occurred to me-"
SIN right. 1t was his silence a.
damned him. That and being tn
friend of the shusband-friend ant
guest! Good Lord" The honest fel
low wiped the p~erspiration from hi
forehead. Guy saw that he had had
pint Of sherry with his dinner, an
sherry is nearly as heating as right
eous moral indignation. Replacing hi
handkerchief gorgeous red sill
bandana-so that it would shoy
against his blue-serge coat, the bag
man continued:
81 hope l amt treading on corns
sir; but from a hard working man
viewpoint the fact that this Charter!
never did a days work in his life j
not in his favor"
aYou don't mean that?"
II do
Surely there is some virtue in al
stention. Why should a rich ma
work, when there are SO many star
ing unemployed? Why should he tax
bread from another's mouth?'
The bagman opened his eyes.
There's something in that h
agreed reluctantly. But, bless 70,
there are jobs, heaps oof 'em, unpa
jobs, which the rich ought to tackle
Parliament, and all that. And VIII;