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

III were without cares it would
not be necessary to seek diver sion OF
this equivocal character" She crossed
her arms. The magic of old Venice
seemed at that moment to eneoid her.
you are, then, seeking diver
sion?"
Nothing more or less. Do not fatter
yourself that there is anything person
al or romantic on my side. am
bored"
81 am wholly in your hands," he
said; land they are very beautiful
hands,
SIS there anything more beautiful!
than cats paw, when the claws are
hidden? Never Judge woman by her
hands" Nevertheless she buried her
hands in the depths of down-Dillow.
She had forgotten her rings. She
slipped them off and managed TO hide
them.
81 promise to remember. Yoar let
ters-" he began diffidently. Where
the deuce was his tongue. Was he to
be tongue-tied all the evening before
this Columbine, who, with the aid OF
her mask, was covertly laughing al
his awkwardness?
"My letters? A woman often writes
what she will not say, and says what
she will not write. Did you not ask
me to disillusion your"
Eyes, but softly, softly. begin to
believe one thing: you brought me
here to teach me lesson. Gentlemen
should never use the personal col
umn"
Nor should ladies read it, am not
saving any mercy for myself with
laughter.
Shall I begin with my past?'
Something less horrifying, If you
please
II object to the word nice he said,
seeking a new channel, for he was
not steering very we'll in those ne
had so far selected.
"The word was employed negligent
ly. Your friends used the word"
II should have preferred milksop!"
He was growing impatient. "1Iadn't
you better try some new kind of tor
ture?'
"This is only a skirmish; yoir real
torture hasn't even begun yet. But this
will give you an appetite I 10 not
drink champagne, but the chambertin
will do nicely. Oh. I propose that you
shall pay for this dinner, Mr.. Hlllard;
pay for the privilege of sharing It
with me-
Bring on the check. should like
to settle the bill at once, and have 1t
Off my mind
"You may take off your gloves" she
countered. IT know that you must feel
r%oL o1oc
ones own hands is kind Of personal
sympathy. Try It,"
He drew them off, not ungracefully.
and tucked them away. He spread his
thin brown muscular fingers few
times, then folded his arms.
"You look quite Napoleonic IN that
pose"
"If this were only Elba and not st
Helena! | should be coming back to
you some day"
81 shall credit that against the par
tridees."
This time her laughter was relaxed
and joyful. And somehow he FELT more
at ease. He was growing more accus-
toned to the mask He stretched his
legs and fingered his neither lip.
Have you not somewhere an in
visible cloak?''
ri had one that night, which nature
lent me- she answered readily. "T
was so invisible to you that I heard
the policeman call out your name. I
thank you for insisting that was
not a chorus-lady."
Here was a revelation which ac-
counted for many things. 81 haven't
10 Co ~, ic
adventure"
THAT is rank ingratitude I am of
the opinion that fortune has highly
favored you
But the mask. the mask, If you
heard the policeman call my name you
must have heard him speak of one
Leddy Lightfnger."
II did indeed. And is it not possible
that ] am that very person."
Hillard dropped his hand toward his
watch why do you hate Italvo'
She sat straight, and what little he
could see Of her mouth had hardened
There will be no retrospection this
evening If you please, her voice rath.
er metallic
The mystery lifted it's head again.
One does not hate country wlthour
a strong and vital reason. Was Clio
vanni partly right after all? Was this
kind of trap. play to gain his in
terest? Was her singing under his
| window purely accidental? She hated
likely the State. And what had the
likely the State. Aid what had the
State done to her or she to the State
A conspirator. in need of funds and
men? If this was the case, she was
not goiig about her cause scientifical
ly. Italy had no hold upon anything
of his save his love Of beauty Perhaps
her reason for hating italy was indi
vidual and singular: as she would
have hated any other country, had her
unhappiness originated there
(To be Continued.)