Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-27
cHApTER w (continued).

bOtherlng us all. MOI Que VI oe no
Seen her or knows her name. She
has not reheersed with us and will
not Til we reach Naples, where we
rest a week. When we speak OF her,
The manager smiles and says nothing;
and as none OF us has seen the BACK
sr. Mr.. Worth thinks that she herself
Is the prima donna and hacker in one
We think that she is some rich young
woman who wishes to exploit her
voice. There's lot Of them in the
world. I wish knew her am dy-
Ing of curiosity. The manager is not
a man 20 fool away his time. She
doubtless can act and sing. Little has
been said about the venture in the
papers. and I'm glad We may prove
a perfect fizzle. and the less said kthe
better AS we can't walk back, must
learn to swim. Lunch is ready
every one!"
The mummers and the outsiders
focked into the small dining room
There was plenty to eat-beer, soda,
whiskey, and two magnums of cham
pagne, Merrihew's contribution to the
feast. Hillard listened with increas-
Ing amusement to the shop-talk. Such
and such a person (absent) never
could act; such and such composer
(absent) was always giving the high
note to the wrong singer; such and
such a manager (absent) never stag
ed the opera right. 1t was after one
when they returned to the sitting
room, where the piano stood. The
wine was now opened and toasts were
drunk. O'Mally told inimitable stor-
les. There was something exceeding
~ droll in that expressive Irish face
of his and the way he fingered over
his wine.
There is nothing so good as a
glass of champagne, he observed,
unless 1t is another"
Worth did not drink, but Hillard
did not like his handsome face any
the more for this virtue. He sang
remarkably well, however, and with
a willingness Hillard had not believ-
ed he possessed. He wondered vag-
uely why he disliked the man. He
had never met him before, and knew
nothing at all about him. 1t was one
of those inexplicable things which can
not be answered Otherwise Hillard
enjoyed himself vastly. He found
these people full of hope, light-hearted,
generous, intelligent and generally
improvident-
"Mr. Merrihew has been telling me
all about you" said Kitty.
You mean, of course, my good
qualities replied Hillard.
ITO hear him talk, one would think
that you possessed nothing else But
/ am sure that you have glaring
faults, such as a man might pass over
and a woman go round"
II believed that Merrihew had a
serious fault till tonight he said;
and he made no attempt to disguise
the admiration in his eyes.
She looked at him quickly and col
pred. 1t was a good sign.
HAS the foolish boy been telling
you that / refused to marry him? Il
like him very much" she added
gravely; "but shall never marry any
man till l have ceased to love the
stage. Just now l can not wisely love
anything else"
II understand" he said.
81 am not a whit less extravagant
than he is. How could the two of us
live on an income which he himself
admits that he can not live within ?
But that isn't it; million would not
make any difference. l am like a
young colt; have no desire to be
harnessed yet. A month after I am
gone he will forget all about me; or,
at least, he will only recollect me
with sigh of relief. There will be
others; only hope they will treat
him as frankly as have done"
"Merrihew is the most loyal man
know" Hillard declared, bound to de-
fend his comrade against this shrewd
insight to his character.
"Of course he is loyal And he is
always in earnest-for the moment"
She laughed. But if he imarries any
one while am gone, shall hate
him"
And then they both laughed.
''I'll wager another magnum," cried
Merrihew from across the room,
sthat I'm the subject under discus
sion"
Another magnum!" murmured
O'Mally rapturously.
No more magnums," said Kitty
resolutely.
ION abstract principles, them" in.
! 6lSCCu luOiilHCW.
'sYou win Kitty replied merrily
1--WE have been saying only nice
things about you
1t was outrageeusly late. nearly
four, when the jewellers took leave Of
their hostess. Merrihew was happy
with that evanescent happiness
which goes hand in glove with late
suppers and magnums. In the morn.
ing he would have headache.
isn't she little wonder, Jack? Dc
you blame me?''
mot at all, Dan. 1t might be a
good thing for you to marry sens
ible little woman like that But she
won't have you
mo, she won't" Merrihew reached
for his watch. -Four a. m. Wonder
II we can't find another bottle some
where"
"You are going home, my boy
"All right, if you say so,"-good
humoredly. "Say, what do you thini
of that man WORTH"
Very good voice; but he's too
handsome. Being a plain duffer my
self 7 don't take kindly to handsome