Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-21

his dearest friend but brother of the
girl to whom he was so entirely DIR
voted and whom he intended to make
his wife.
He sighed with regret when he
thought Of her undergoing that shop
drudgery to which she had never been
accustomed The early rising, the
eternal drive of business, the calm,
smiling exterior towards those pettish,
swapping women customers, and those
hasty scrambles for meals. He had
seen her engaged in her business and
he had met her after shop hours, pale,
worn, and tagged out.
And yet he-the man who was to
be her husband-lived in that ease
and idleness which an income of
twelve thousand a year secured.
Had Petrovitch not told him that
Marion was dining at Cromwell Road
and going to concert with Maud
afterwards, he would have wired to
her to meet him. But he knew how de-
voted the two girls were to each other,
Notwithstanding the difference of their
stations, and how Maud welcomed
Marion's company at concerts or
theaters to which her father SO sell
dom cared to go.
Suddenly it occurred to him that if
he returned to the Doctors he would
meet Marion there later on, when she
came back from Queens Hail. and he
able to drive her home to that dull
street at the back of Oxford street
where the assistants Of Cunningham's
Limited, lived in"
This reflection aroused him, and,
o. OF hn Ill
he saw it wanted quarter to ten.
Two other men, friends of his, were
sitting near discussing motoring mat
tiers, and their eternal chatter upon
cylinders, tires, radiators, and electric
horns bored him. Therefore he rose,
put on his coat, and, hailing cab,
told the man to drive to Victoria,
where he took the underground rail-
way to Gloucester Road Station.
From there to the house of the ex-
| Minister was only very short walk.
The night was mild, bright, and star
| light, for the haze of shutdown which
had threatened rain had been succeed
ed by brilliant evening. Cromwell
Road is always deserted at that hour
before the cabs and carriages begin to
return from restaurants and theaters
and as he strolled along, knowing that
he was always welcome at the Doc
tors house to chat and smoke, his
was the only football to be heard in
the long open thoroughfare.
Ascending the steps beneath the
wide portico, he pressed the visitors
bell, but though he waited several min
utes, there was no response Again
and again he rang, but the bell was
apparently out of order, so he gave a
sounding rat-tat with the knocker.
Then he listened intently; but to
his surprise no one stirred.
Over the door was bright light. az
usual, revealing the number in great
white numerals, and though the chinks
of the venetian blinds of the dining
room he could see that the electric
lamps were on.
Again and again he rang and knock.
ed. 1t was surely curious, he thought
that all the servants should be OUT
even though the Doctor might be alb
sent. The failure to arouse anybody
caused him both surprise and appre
hension. Though the electric bell
might be out of order, yet his loud
knock must be heard even up to the
garrets London servants are often
neglectful in the absence of their mas
tiers, and more especially if there is
no mistress, yet it seemed hardly cred
table that they would go out and leave
the place unattended.
Seven or eight times he repeated his
summons, standing upon the door
steps with his ears strained to catch
the slightest sound
Once he thought he heard distinct
ly the noise OF stealthy footsteps ii
the hall, and he held his breath. They
were repeated. He was quite certain
that his ears had not deceived him
for in the street all was silent as the
grave. He heard someone moving as
though creeping slowly from the door
What could it mean? Were thieves
within?
He examined the door to see if the
lock had been tempered with, but, Sc
far as he could discern, it was u1l
touched. He was undecided how tt
act, though now positive certain tina
something unusual was in progress.
He glanced up and down the Ions
road, with it's rows Of gas lamps, bu
no one was visible. The only SOUND
was the far-distant rat-tat of the post
) man on his last round.
For the Doctor to be out of an even
ing was very unusual; and tina
stealthy footstep had alarmed him.
there were actually thieves, then the.
had probably entered by the area door
Max was by no means coward. There
was a mystery there-a mystery he III
tended to at once investigate.
Doctor Petrovitch was one of hi
dearest friends and he meant to &C
as friend should act.
What puzzled him most of all wa
: the absence of the servants. All o
them were apparently highly trust
, worthy, yet the foreigner in London
he remembered, often engages ser
| wants without sufficient inquiry int,
; their past.
, For few moments he stood motion
: less, his ears strained, at the door.
The movement was repeated. Some
one seemed to be leaving the dining
: ROOM for he distinctly heard the ligh
: football.