Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-01

lard ran into one of several gentle
men issuing,
Pardon me-" he said, stepping
aside.
mon imperial" said the stranger
with graceful wave of the hands.
Hillard looked quickly into the gen
tleman's face. Il am clumsy" he said
in Italian.
Then the other stared at him. and
smiled For a moment there was
brief tableau, in which each took the
others measure and noted the color,
of the eyes. The man was an eX-
ceedingly handsome Italian, for all
that a scar ran from his cheek to his
chin. 1t was all over in moment;
and Hillard and Merrihew proceeded
to the street.
Handsome duffer," was Merrihew's
comment. But you never can tell
man by his looks. Gaze on me, for
instance. I'm good example OF
handsome is as handsome does" He
was growing merry.
Go homel" Hillard slapped him
jovially on the shoulder.
Home? All, yes! But shall |
have home 10 go to when get back?
You have roped me in nicely. My poor
little twenty-five hundred! But Swiss
champagne at dollar-forty the quart!
Well, every cloud has its lining. Say,
Jack, how much brighter the world
looks after magnum!S And funny
story's twice as funny Good night
AS for the lady in the fog, take the
cash and let the credit go. That's my
motto"
AS Hillard never received any
answer to his personal he discon-
tinued it. Truly, she had returned to
the fog out of which she had come.
But it was no less difficult for him to
take I'D the daily affairs again; every
thing was so terribly Drosaic now;
the zest was gone from work and play.
Italy was the last resort; and the
business of giving Merrihew a per
sonally conducted tour would occupy
his mind. Always he was asking:
Who was she? What mystery yelled
her? Whittier had she gone? We
never can conjure up complete like
ness. Sometimes it is the eyes, again
the mouth and chin. or the turn of the
throat; there is never any ensemble
of features and adornments. And as
for Hillard, he really had nothing
definite to recall, unless it was the
striking color of her hair or the mel
low smoothness of her voice. And
could he really remember these? He
often wished that she had sung I'M
der any window but his.
Giovanni was delighted when he
heard the news He would go, too,
and act as valet to the signore and his
friend till they put out for Rome.
Then, of course, he would be obliged
to leave them. Occasionally Hlllard
would reason with him regarding his
deadly projects. But when a Latin
declares that, he has seen through
blood, perst .asions, arguments, en-
treaties, threats do not prevail. he
comforted, himself with the opinion,
however, that Giovanni's hunt would
come to no successful end
"You will surely fall into the hands
of the police
what God wills comes true. But
by this time they will have forgotten
me-"
But you have not forgotten
"Padre MIC, that is different. One
obeys the civil laws from habit. Be,
tween me and the carabinieri there is
nothing personal. Thus it is easy for
them to forget Still, shall not an
nounce my approach, that | am Clio
vanni rAguello, returned for arrest.
shall take good care to keep out OF
their way
''The eagle: that is good name fol
you
And once l was as tame as
dove"
.'But your man might be dead
He is not dead. If he were, some
thing would tell me-
1T is bad business, and wisf
you no luck"
Giovanni smiled easily Wishes sci
dom interfere with any one.
Il will double your wages" salt
Hillard, s'if you will go where go ant
return with me when l come back t.
America"
A deprecating movement Money
1t is nothing. 1 am rich, after M
kind"
Are you still in the church?"
81 confess regularly once a week
!, Oh, am good Catholic
Take yourself off. am displease
J with you"
: The few days before sailing foun
Merrihew in a flutter of intense e.
, element He carried his letter {
credit about in order to convince hin
self during he day that he was reall
and truly going to Italy. He forswor
the bottle and the illumined royalty
| the card-deck, and spent his evening
/. ''stuyding up the lay of the land. I
be sure, there was one grand Dime
the night before they sailed. SUI
! pose, Merrihew advanced, for the SAX
of argument, suppose the ship wei
: down or he never came back, or L
was i'll all the way over? Thel
, would be one good dinner to remer
: Der, anyhow
1 1t was drizzling, foggy mornir
. when they drove down to the boa
! There are seldom bright sailing da.
i in the forenart Of March. But the q
mospheris effects made no impre
5 sion on the volatile Merrihew. 1t W;
all very, interesting to him. And
e had an eye for all things from Il
baskets Of fruit and flowers, meSSe