Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-26

lies concerned.
The only difficulty was to be found
in Larga's attitude towards Tanker
lane, and Leonore made I'D her mind
to devote all her energies to gain her
friends consent to the marriage.
Her meditations were brought to an
abrupt conclusion by the sudden stop.
ping of the hanson. Her mind was
jerked back from abstract problems to
more material facts. She alighted. and
noticed that No. 81 was a particularly
dingy house in peculiarly ugly and
mean street. Then she paid the cab
man the eXorbitant fare he demanded
of her, and knocked on the dirty and
blistered door.
Mrs. Burton answered the summons
with almost instantaneous swiftness.
She had already inspected the han
som and its well-dressed occupant
from the ground floor window, and
had come to the conclusion that there
was possible solution of the rent DIFF
ticulty. Her fat face beamed pleasant
ly.
81 want to see Mrs. Tankerlane,"
said Leonore. "Is she at homer"
Mrs. Blurtons face fell.
There amt no SIGH name ERE" she
replied sullenly; there's a Mrs. Dan
by, and she's in trouble, poor thing,
wot with 'er baby so i'll, and amt
never seed baby so i'll since my lit
tie Jim died, and that was"
Take me up to Mrs. Dandy" inter
r r. ss Leo1s,e This is 81, is it
Her heart beat fast with expecta-
ton. Here was the solution of the
problem. Laura would have to marry
William Tankerlane for the sake of
her child.
"Yus, this is 37,' Mrs Burton re-
piled, as she led the way along the
dark and narrow passage. EYER a
friend Of Mrs. Danby's mebbe."
Leonore did not answer, but follow
ed the landlady up the creaky stairs.
Mrs. Burton knocked at a door = a
ceremony which she had not observed
tor some weeks = and then opened it
without waiting for reply.
Close the door, please" Leonore
said abruptly to Mrs Burton, who
stood behind her with a look of cur
iosity on her round face. The landlady
mumhled something and withdrew,
closing the door behind her.
Leonore," said a faint voice, it
was good of you to come so good of
you to come. would not have asked
you; but l was forced to do it, driven
to it, Leonore."
The actress moved quickly across
the room with outstreched hands. and
the next moment the two woman were
sobbing in each others arms, Laura
from sheer misery and exhaustion and
Leonore from the sympathy she felt
with another's sorrows
Leonore was the first to gain con
troll of her feelings.
Hush, Laura, DEAR" she whispered,
you must not give way like this. You
must be brave. l am here to HELM YOU.
Tell me what l can do. Tell me why
you are here like this; why you left
me in Paris without word 2"
She did not refer to the child. but
she looked at the little head stirring
uneasily on it's pillow, and there was
a mute questioning in her eyes as she
glanced UP at Laura's white face.
yes the mother replied, at is my
child Tankerlane's son. He Is very
i'll; he will die if oh, cannot say it
without shame, but | must say it, Leo.
more. We are penniless, starving. I am
a beggar, and l sent for you because
want to beg to ask for money -
from you, the wife Of the man who
She stopped, and covering her face
with her hands, burst again into a fit
Of weeping.
Leonore looked at her with pity in
her large bright eyes. This broken
down woman bore little resemblance
to the proud beauty who had held her
head so high in Paris. Leonore's
heart was full of loving sympathy, but
even in this moment of sorrow she
could not forget the new purpose that
had come into her life. The steel had
been softened and was ready for the
moulding. The selfish thought came
into her mind for an instant and was
gone.
Dear Laura" she said gently, "of
course you can have all the money
you want all I have, if you require
it. You must leave this place at once.
1t is not fit for dog. You shall go to
the seaside, abroad, anywhere you
like The child must get well at any
cost"
Il sometimes think it would be bet.
ter for him to die" Laura replied,
clasping her hands and looking at the
little white face. God forgive me the
thought, but it would be better for
the child to die"
Nonsense said Leonore sharply.
You are worn out and miserable or
you would not talk like that The
child must live; he must be rich, hap
Ply, well cared for. One day he must
be the owner Of the Tankerlane es-
tates. have heard they are not en-
tailed"
cob, no." cried Laura in horror
"He can never be that - never,
never"
Look here, Laura" said the ac-
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