Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-12

some way, and apparently duplicating
me. Perhaps listened in self-defense.
Do you think I did, Mr.. Ford?"
you certainly had right to-" said
Ford, who would have sworn In her
behalf that the morally black was spot
lessly white. But how could you be
implicated"
THAT was what puzzled me then
and 1t is puzzling me still. They said
or rather Mr.. North said-that you
that you had bought mel"
Ford did not say that he would like
TO buy, beg, borrow or steal any kind
OF right to call her his own, but il his
lips did not form the words they were
lying at the bottom of the steady gray
eyes for her to Jake or leave as she
chose.
Il am sure you couldn't have heard
that part of it quite straight" he said,
almost regretfully.
But ! did because 1t was repeated.
Mr. North insisted that you had bought
me; and didn't like the way in which
he said it. either He called me "the
little Alicia
What said Ford; and then q
food of light burst in upon at least
one Of the dark places. 'It's only a
NINE" he said sheepishly. tAnd l
did buy it, or half of it,
She was regarding him accusingly
now
Did you-did you name it?' she
asked. and there was the merest
breath Of frost in the air
He was glad to be able to tell the
truth without fiinching.
mo; it is one of the earliest of the
Copah prospects, and I suppose the
discoverer named it. l am willing to
defend his choice, though. He couldn't
have found prettier name
She went back to the matter in
hand with womanly swiftness. "But
the mine: you had a right to buy 1t,
didn't your
81 should suppose so. I paid for it
with my own money, anyway"
s'Then why should Mr.. North use it
as an argument against you in speak
ing to Uncle Sidney? He did that
am sure he did that"
Nov the water has grown too deep
for me- said Ford. why, North
himself, IS interested in the Copan
openly. He owns half dozen claims. :"
Near yours?" she gueried.
Ford stopped to consider. "To tell
the truth, don't know where his mine
ts,'' he confessed. 81 bought it as the
school-boys trade t-knives-sio lit
unseen. You wouldn't believe 1t Of a
grown man. would you?"
What made you buy it at ALP"
Again he told the simple truth-and
tried not to finch.
you won't mind if I say that the
name attracted me? l thought mine,
or anything. that bore your name ought
to be good and-and desirable And
it is a good mine: or it will be- by and
by. Some morning | shall wake up
and find myself rich At least that is
what my partner Griggsby, assured
me; and believe him when | happen
to remember it,
She neither approved nor disap-
proved. When she spoke, it was Of
the present necessity. eve must 80
back to the others now" she said. Or
at least I must. Do you know what
is to be done today?"
Ford spread his hands.
Your uncle will set the pace l
"otloil L NCAtulc d SuSSS, dIIeT ldSL
night
He was handing her down from the
engine step and she went back in g
word to the former contention.
You haven't promised me yet that
you will not resign under fire--you
are under fire, you know"
''Am II"
Brother thinks you are
Once more he took the pessimist;c
view
Your brother isn't losing any sleep
over the Pacific Southwestern situa-
ton. You said he was in England.
didn't you?"
4 said he was in London when he
wrote
London is long way off: and what
do must be done today or tomorrow
Mr.. North will force the fighting, now
that your uncle is on the ground, and
your brother safely on the opposite
side Of the earth. And I can't afford
to fight this time, Miss Alicia"
why can't you?"
They were walking slowly back to.
ward the Nadia when he said: ''Be.
cause a victory would cost me more
tHt1i an Wiling W pay. ln6Te is no
longer any room in this service for
Mr.. North and me. If we come 10
blows one Of us will have to co.
Il can understand that she said
quietly.
And to obliterate Mr.. North
shall be obliged to efface-your uncle. -
She caught her breath.
MIR. Ford you have intimated that
MI North isn't an honest man Do
you ask me to believe that Uncle Sid.
ney is his accomplish"
He is not, knowingly. But he
will stand or fall with the man he has
made. I should have to ride him
down before I could get at North"
Her lip curled and the straight,
browed little frown came again,
There is no such thing as mercy in
business, is there, Mr.. Ford? Ny un.
Gle Is an old man and his presidency
means more to him
II understand that perfectly" said
Ford soberly. THAT is why I prefer
to step down and out and let some
other man have the glory Of finishing
the extension"