Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-27

Phillip"
Like a fash he wheeled. tic add yet
another picture to his mental. gallery.
Perhaps two-score feet up the side
walk a gate stood open; just outside
it man of tall and slender figure,
rugged out in bizarre costume con-
sisting mainly OF Powered dressing
gown and slippers, was waiting In an
attitude Of singular impassivity; with
in it, pausing with a foot lifted to the
doorstep, bag in hand, her head turn
ed as she looked back, was Dorothy.
AS he comprehended these essential
details of the composition the man In
the Powered dressing-gown raised
hand, beckoning to him in manner as
imperative as his accompanying
words.
"Kirkwood!' he saluted the young
man in a clear and vibrant voice, put
up that revolver and stop this foolish.
ness And, with jerk of his head
towards the doorway, in which Doro-
thy now waited, hesitant: Come, SIT
quickly"
Kirkwood choked on a laugh that
was half a sob. "Brentwicki" he
cried, restoring the weapon to his
pocket anu toW al u liz IL AS"~~~'
"Of all happy accidents!"
"You may call it that retorted the
elder man with feeting smile as
Kirkwood slipped inside the dooryard
Come" he said; "let's get into the
| house"
"But you said-I thought you went
! to Munich" stammered Kirkwood;
and so thoroughly impregnated was
his mind with this understanding that
ii was hard for him to adjust his per-
ceptions to the truth.
81 was detained-by business" re-
sponded Brentwick briefly His gaze,
weary and wistful behind his glasses,
rested on the face of the girl on the
threshold of his home; and the faint,
sensitive flush of her face deepened
He stopped and honored her with
bow that, for all his fantastical attire,
would have graced beau of an earlier
decade. s'Will you be pleased to en-
ter?" he suggested punctiliously my
house such as it is, is quite at your
disposal. and he added, with
glance over his shoulder, - fancy that
a word or two may presently be pass
ed which you would hardly care to
hear"
Dorothy's hesitation was but tran
STORY; Kirkwood was reassuring her
with smile more like his wonted boy
ish grin than anything he had sue
ceeding in conjuring up throughout the
day. Her own smile answered 1t, and
with a murmured word of gratitude
and little, half timid, half distant
bow for Brentwick, she passed on into
} the hallway
| Kirkwood fingered with his friend
upon the doorstoop. Calendar, re
3 covered from his temporary conterna
5 ton, was already at the gate, bending
: over it, fat fingers fumbling with the
latch his round red face, lifted to the
y house, darkly working with chagrin.
From his threshold watching hin
e with slight contraction of the eyes
e Brentwick hailed him in tones of cloy
S ing courtsey.
It "Do you wish to see me, sir r"
g The fat adventurer faltered jus
within the gateway; then, with /
d truculent swagger. "I want my daugh
: ter he declared vociferously
Brentwick peered mildly over hi
t glasses, first at Calendar. then a
I! Kirkwood. His glance fingered me
ment on the young mans honest eyes
and swung back to Calendar.
'My good man. he said with sui
e lime tolerance, twill you be pleased t
n take yourself off-to the devil If 20
a. like? Or shall l take the trouble t
lie interest the police?"
le He removed one fine and fragil
se hand from pocket of the flowere
ID dressing-gown, long enough to jer
ar it significantly toward the neare
street-corner.
o. Thunderstruck, Calendar glance
IS hastily in the indicated direction.
II blue-coated bobby was to be seen a
r preaching with measured stride, di
~ fusing upon the still evening air a
a impression of ineffably capable sci
II contentment.
&c Calendars feshy lips parted ar
~ closed without sound They quivere
W Beneath them quivered his assortmel
~ of graduated chins. His heavy ar
~ pendulous cheeks quivered, slowly er
ae purpling with the dark tide of b
le apoplectic wrath. The close.clippe
IN thatch of his iron gray mustache, eve
1e seemed to bristle like hairs upon Il
uSCh VI d lAauQSACO uo5. D0l1SoIA ~
hs his fat legs trembled, and indeed b
az whole huge carcass shook visibly,
III the stress of his restrained wrath.
Suddenly, overwhelmed, he bang
et the gate behind him and waddled {
~ to join the captain; who already, wi
III praiseworthy native prudence, had Fl
Ye len back upon their cab.
l,s From his coign of strategic adva
~ tage, the comfortable elevation Of
box, Kirkwoods cabby, whose hu
- enjoyment Of the adventurers' d
~ comfiture had throughout been noisi
~ demonstrative, entreated Calend
~ with lifted forefnger, bland affabili
"a and expressions of heartfelt sympatl
led "Kebsir Ave kebsir, do! Try
he ride behind real 'orse, sir; do
his you go on wastin' time on i'm"
jerk of derisive thumb singled {
the other cabman ''E aren't ply
you fair, sir; knows 'im,--'e's ha
~ full g'y deceiver, e is Look at
a 'orse-w'ich it aren't; it's a shy