Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-28
ne feel a bit queer. But his long suit

querted Ancestor.
| "a cross between the Wandering
Jew and a college don. Every bit as
cocksure as a professor of mathemat-
les. But, I say--why have you gone
back on the idea? You were ever so
keen on it last night"
Last nights different. A mans an
idiot to go by the decisions he comes
to at midnight. No one is sound at
that time; his morals arc at their
very worst. admit thought it would
be amusing to see first-class mater
ialist in action-playing an unlimited
game with unlimited counters but
| Well, look he-e, Vandraler the truth
is, had beastly dream laSI night.
dreamt I'd been to funeral. AMI
afterwards-it was night, in the
streets of great city, and the streets
We're crowded with people, all point-
ing upwards. Tnat made me look up.
too, AID there, in the pitchy .llckn"ss
overn Hrl, saw What they were 10 t.
ing at. It was coffin floating in the
air. You could tell it was coffin, be-
cause every nail was picked out in
points of fire; so were the handles.
| 1t was travelling through space like ii
I
| then it began to fall All the people in
the street shrieked and ran, but
couldn't follow them, because by
boots had turned to lead-the way
your boot do, you know, in bad
| dreams l thought the flying coffin
was going to drop on my head. It
came down like a falling star, right
i at me, but it fell at my feet"
| Z,
the edge of the table. Now he came
over and gripped Vandraken by the
shoulder.
Il tell you, it fell, splash! at my
feet. and as the damned thing hit the
ground it burst into flames, and you
yes. you, Vandraken sat up in that
coffin, among the flames, and cursed
me. And your face was the face of a
drunken satyr; it was written al
over with vice and debauchery tho
kind of face you described at the club
last night, which puts you Off your
drink at the Bruterion bar. 1t was
your face as it would be after you
had carried out your plans, ana lie
scapegoat had shifted the results
back to where they came FROM
He let go of Vandraken', shoulder
and looked out of the window 1T
was horribly vivid dream. | don t
want any more of them"
Vandraken laughed mechanically.
$50 l cursed you, did l? Wonder
why
Because I had got you into it. You
reached out your hand-you wanted
me to pull you out; but just IL; was
going to do it, you turned into smoise
and a wind sprang up and blew the
smoke away in every direction all
over creation. 1 tell you, th.,t dream
has got on my nerves AMI J have 10
play for Ranelagh, against Hurliue-
ham, today. But you'll give up that
Won Tarsenheim business that | get
you into-eh? and I'll ne 7sr talk lot
at night again."
"Never eat lobster at night again
isn't that what you ought to have
said? ndigestion-that's all it was.
You'll be all right after five minutes
at polo. Anyway, I'm not going TO
throw away chance like this for the
sake of dream Why just think, An
cester!-I'll be able to do any blessed
thing I want, and no consequences!
can hardly wait to begin
There will be soma consequences.
Even if Won Tarsenheim finds scape-
goat for you, there will still be con-
sequences. The eternal purpose will
take vengeance. automatic and relenl-
less, for any attempt at interfere Ice. .
what an inconsistent chap you
are, Ancestor! l never thought you'd
take to preaching"
Consistency is the safeguard of
weaklings A man ought to be st"ong
enough to change his mind I had
tplanned to take a selfish pleasure in
seeing you make a beast of yourself.
or rather two beasts of yourself. I've
exhausted my own enthusiasm fc"
that sort of thing, but I thought !
would enjoy it as a spectator, spec
| tally when it was as well done as YOU
meant to do it. From selfish point
of view, feel that way still, but I'm
older than you. VaGdraA:,r and
have no right to use you in a psyche
/ logical experiment. So | ask you to
give I'D this uncanny project. Tell you
what I'll do if you will give it up. I'll
go over to Paris with you neXs week,
and we'll have bust together. Never
meant to do that sort of thing a2sir
but ! will if you'll do what ask
It'll think it over and let you know.
What a queer chap you are, Ancrs-
/ ter"
"Come down to Ranelagh and see
the polo. 1t will be a good match.
Here's ticket He went over 10 his
writing table. "And here's carl ror
Lady Donoyle's ball. She made me
promise to bring you You will come
won't you? It's not a big affair, 1iit
it will be we'll DONE
"Of course I'll come-to he dance
ard the polo, too. But III only soc YOU
in the distance at Nottingham. nc
turned back from the door. You're 4
good sort, Ancestor. I'll let you know
about Paris"
Like many highly emotional men
Vandraken protected himself from
prying eyes by an adopted reserve
} The fact that he had tried to laugh
off Lord Ancestors dream, with rs
, resultant change of mind, was nc
, guide to his real attitude in The mat
!, ter. His friends unexpected reques
: had disturbed him a good deal Ances
Tor 1,pdarctood him uall apourb tr