Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-08-22

+
| heavily:
THAT big cheque l gave you six
months ago has never been present
| ed''
Angela was frightened, because one
little corner of Johns mind had yet
remained unexplored by her, She
didn't know, as yet, what Johns final
! Judgment of Hugo might be. McAllis-
ter, K. c., had thrown dust in his eyes,
and the family solicitors had evoked
a sort of pea-soup fog. Lastly, she her
self, detesting both dust and fogs, had
created mirage. John had given her
this particular cheque because he had
been made to believe that Hugo was
one of those who love and run away
And now, if he discovered the facts
/ he would be very horrid.
| Angela prided herself upon telling
4, the truth, whenever a fib was sure to
be detected
Hugo Charters tore it up"
"Why?"
Because he insisted upon giving
me another. looked upon it as repar-
alton. After the decree had really no
right to accept money from you. But
newell he owed me something
He gave you cheque for three
thousand pounds?"
Eyes"
.'Um!"
Angela could not determine whether
or not he was angry with her. She laid
her hand upon his arm and said sweet
ly: 81 didn't tell you, because thought
1t would vex you. And of course he
was right, l ought to have refused that
cheque of yours
But you didn't"
He was beginning to grapple with
the problem in grim earnest. His fore
head became corrugated with the ef-
! fort of unaccustomed thought.
You were so NICE" she whispered.
Il shall, never forget your coming to
me-never!"
UNI" said John for the second
time. "When did he come--hey?"
Just after you went away-It was
rather odd, you might have met. And
You remember, don't you, that you
gave the cheque to Poppet. She
brought it to me when he was stand
ing in front of me. He guessed what
1t, was, made me hand it over, and
| tore 1t up"
And them"
There is nothing really so confus-
! ing (and witless) and brevity. Johns
curt question fell upon his wifes mind
with numbing violence.
"And then he went away-vanished
Ipromised him that wouldn't see him
and didn't. My dear old darling, I'm
so sleepy"
Hadn't he the decency to say
something about coming back?"
Il can't remember just what was
said.''
Did you ask him to come back?"
1 did | ask him to come back?" She
laughed lightly, but keener observer
4 than John might have detected qua
4 yer of fear" / don't ask men to come
to me, mon vieux.' Did l ask you? Nc
You came of your own accord"
/ Did you ask him?"
1 He seized her wrist, staring into her
eyes
"of course not'
| "You--liar''
Then he let himself go, brutally,
without restraint, having never acquir.
/ ed the habit of self-control. She sank
| back upon a chair, while he stood over
her. colossus, an ogre to whom she
was bound forever and ever, linked to
him by her own act, not his. His men
tai activity amazed her Holding him
too cheap, she had never suspected
that the stupidest person may develop
latent cleyerIess when personal issues
are at stake. The biggest fool that
ever worked for another never forgets
to draw his own wage. John had seen
] Hugo through the Judges spectacles,
seen him as the false friend, the abom.
niable guest. the deliberate seducer
who gratifies his desires regardless OF
! his victim. Hugo, as the snake in the
grass, poor Angela as the fascinated
futtering bird, this McA1lister's IA
yorite image had impressed itself
upon his inert brain.
Fooled him, and you fooled me-
| You let me think you were abandoned
and all the time you had wrung a
promise from him to come back and
/ marry you, the very moment the mar.
riage could become legal. 1t was a
| deyilish clever game, my girl, because
you knew that Hugo and would nev.
ler speak to each other on this earth
and that neither was likely to blab I'd
others. You wanted me because was
I
wink its eye if we came together
again. But you were not quite sure OF
lime. so you tied him up tight as wax
and then cut loose. when he did come
back. Not a word. Your own child
gave you away, the child you used as
a lure. Damn it, that was too thick
And now" he paused, glaring at her
She met his glance, conscious of an
abomniable Interrogation in it. He con
/ tinued thickly; "Poppet loves him. !
believe, l believe"
No, no. she cried shrilly ''Poppet
is yours, I swear it."
How do know? Why should I be.
lieve you? shall never believe word
you say again"
He turned from her, almost stagger.
! ing, and went out of the room. She
shudder relieved from the fear of per.
sonal violence, but knowing that for
the future he would always look at
Poppet with that terrible question in
his eyes. That would be his eternal
punishment. And henceforward he
! mr. 1o u,hof