Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-29
All Rights Reserved.

| girl walked slowly up the stairs, Rup-
ert Haverford followed close behind.
| He had hold of the child's small
fingers over katherine's shoulder;
every now and then she felt the warm
touch of his hand and wrist rest on
her shoulder
When the long corridor was reached
with babyish inconsequence, Rather
ines small burden elected to go to
his strong arms, and he carried her
right into the nursery
Can you manage quit alone?" he
asked, as this haven was reached so
cosy and quiet and warm. Wont
you have a maid or some one to help
you?"
But Miss Granger shook her head,
and so, with parting Ass to the
child, he turned away.
At the door he paused.
IF you see Camilla, will you say
that l entreat her not to come down
unless she is much better? | under
stand she sat up nearly all night with
Lady Pamela, and she is not strong
enough to do these sort of things.
She wants nursing herself"
Katherine froWned sharply, and
made no reply; indeed, she was SO
silent during the preparations for the
bath that Baby made loud complaint;
she wanted her story and her usual
lullaby songs. 1t was long before the
girls composure returned to her.
AS she sat rocking the sleepy child
in front of the fire, she took herself
to task a second time that day
This should be nothing to me; it
can be nothing" she said. But she
knew they were empty words, even as
she whispered them to herself Where
these two people were concerned, she
had passed far beyond the range of
Indifference.
CHAPTER XII.
With the new year the damp, wet
weather set in again, and it was gen
orally conseded that it was much bet
ter that the children should be kept
in the country.
THAT is such little poky house,
Agnes Brenton declared.
Nevertheless, Camilla chung to the
poky little house, although Haverford
urged her all the time to fix a definite
date for their marriage.
why should We waltz" he asked
very reasonably; I'VE have really or
one to consult or consider. | am just
longing for you to come into my great
empty house and turn it into home
Camilla chose to treat the matter
flippantly.
ooh, is that all you want me for:
Well, my dear Rupert, If you want 6
nice, comfortable, domesticated, house
keepery sort of woman, l know the
very person for you. am ornamental
you know-eXceedingly ornamental
but | am not the least bit Of good tt
look after the linen, or mend YOU
socks, and | couldn't boil an egg tt
save my life"
| Another time he said to her:
81 want to get you away from his
/ house. | want to take you out of al
, that belonged to old times and sor
rows Have you forgotten that we are
) to go to Italy? To all the places where
, you were SO happy with your father
Let us be married and start at once.
But Camilla always pleaded for tim,
81 tell you why she said to hin
once. II want you--us-to get though
ly used to one another Of course
you have known me a long time
=, is nearly two years since We met
but there are such heaps of things W.
ought to realise before We make ou
great start together. l have made F.;
little promise to myself" Camilla sait
; weightily that | will not marry you
; till have taught myself to be little
worthy of you"
Il wish you would no talk such rub
bish" the man answered. with a yer,
| n q hoI
Nov, you see," said Camilla, ant
she laughed-"you see have done
something to annoy you, and I an
sure I don't know what 1t is. l shall
be perpetually making these mistake
if we marry in haste" Then sh,
changed her tone Surely, dear Rur
ert, We should be much wiser to wal
another month Or two. II am no
really well enough to go aboart
just yet. After Easter it will b.
delightful. We will do Paris first, an,
then go on to the south of Italy
> Naples is enchanting In May" Sh
l gave a quick sigh. "And then l an
, making up my mind to be separates
t from the children" she said, land, a
Sammy Broxbourne would put it, 81
3 takes little doing" Oh by he way
:. did tell you that had quite charm
!: ing letter from Sir Samuel cor
4 graduating me. He has had a
t accident at Monte Carlo, and has In
0 iured his leg. Poor Sammy! H
n tells me he will not be able to wal
for another month or so, and canno
get back to England just yet"
''The longer he stays away the bel
ter for England" said Haverford; "h
is very Objectionable man."
ooh, see," answered Camella, a
most impatiently agnes has bee
prejudicing YOU
But Haverford made no reply t
this, and the subject was dropped
This was but specimen of the cor
versation which passed between Their
whenever they met. But, as a matte
of fast, they saw very little of one al
other.
Camilla got into the habit of rur
ming away from town to stay with on
friend or another; the greater part c
her time, however, was spent at Ye
verton.
When she said she was not well |
II | thaSa G9VS Sha tho actual