Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-28

venture.
The butler halted, thunderstruck.
"Ye.es, s-sir?"
Turn round, Eccles; 1 want
look at YOU
Eccles faced him unwillingly, with
a stolid front but shiftly eyes. Kirk
wood glanced him up and down, grin
ming.
Thank you, Eccles; I'll remember
you now You'll remember me, too,
won't you? You're bad actor, aren't
you, Eccles?"
Yes, sir; thank you, sir" mumbled
the man unhappily: and took instant
advantage of the implied permission
to go.
Intensely diverted by the recollec-
ton Of Eccles' abortive attempt to
stop him at the door of Number 8, and
wondering-now that he came to think
of it-why, precisely, young ,Hallam
had deemed 1t necessary to travel
with a body guard and adopt such fur
tive methods to enter into as well IS
to obtain what was asserted to be
his own property, Kirkwood turned ac-
tive attention to the lunch.
Thoughtfully he poured himself e
cup of coffee, swallowing it hot and
black as it came from the silver pot;
then munched the sandwiches
1t was kindly thought of, this early
morning repast; Mrs. Hallam seemed
more and more a remarkable woman
with each phase of her character that
she chose to disclose. At odds with
him, she yet took time to think of his
creature needs!
What could be her motive,-not in
feeding him, but in involving her name
and fortune in an affair so strangely
favored? This opened up a
desert waste of barren speculation.
whats anybody's motive, who figures
in this laundering dime novel?' de-
manded the American almost contemp-
tuously. And-for the hundredtn
time-gave it up; the day should de-
clare 1t, If so hap he lived to see that
day; a. distant one, he made no doubt.
The only clear fact in his befoggad
and bemused mentality was that he
was at once broke and in this business
up to his ears. Well, he'd see it
through; he'd nothing better to do,
and-there was the girl Dorothy,
whose eyes and lips he had but to close
as though she stood before him; Dor
othy, whose unspoiled sweetness stood
out in vivid relief against this MOL
and toll of conspiracy, like star of
evening shining clear in a stormy sky
Poetic smile: I'm going fast" cor
ceded Kirkwood; but he did not smile.
1t was becoming quite too serious
matter for laughter. For her sake, ne
was in the game "for keeps; espec-
tally in view of the fact that every
thing-his own hearts inclination in
cluded-seemed to conspire to keep
him in it. OF course he hoped for
nothing in return; a pauper who turns
sauire-of-dames with matrimonial in
tent is open to the designation, pen
niless adventurer." No; whatever ser
vice he might be to the girl would be
1 ample recompense to him for his "a
bors And afterwards, he'd go his
way in peace; she'd soon forget him
| if she hadn't already. Women Che
propounded gravely) are queer: there's
no telling anything about them!
One of the most unreliable speci-
mems of the sex on which he pro-
nounced this highly original dictum.
entered the room just then; and he
found himself at once out of his chair
and his dream, bowling.
Mrs. Hallam.'
The woman nodded and smiled gra-
ciously "Eccles has attended to your
needs, l hope? Please don't stop
smoking" She sank into an armchair
on the other side of the hearth and
probably by accident, out of the radius
of illumination from the lamp; sitting
sidewise, one knee above the other
her white arms Immaculate against
the somber background Of Swallowed
crimson.
She was very handsome indeed jus,
then; though keener light might
have proved less fattering
"Now, Mr.. Kirkwood?" she openef
briskly, with second intimate anG
friendly nod; and paused, her pose
: receptive.
Your son, Mrs. Hallam-?"
ooh, Freddies doing well enough
; Freddie" she explained, cha:
delicate constitution and has seei
/, little of the world Such melodram;
as tonight's is apt to shock him Sc
!, verely. We must make allowances
Mr.. Kirkwood."
Kirkwood grinned again, trac,
unsympathetically; he was unable &
simulate any enthusiasm on the subiec
, of poor Freddie, whom he sized up will
+ passable acumen as spoiled and cod
. died child completely under the thumb
of an extremely clever mother
Yes" he responded vaguely; "hel
n be quite fit after nights sleep, dar
: say"
:. The woman was watching him keen
J. ly beneath her lowered lashes. =
o think" she said deliberately, that ,
e is time we came to an understanding
Kirkwood agreed-"Yes?" affably.
5. 'I purpose being perfectly straight
$ forward. To begin with, don't plac
J. you, Mr. Kirkwood. You are an u,
). known quantity, a new factor. Won
n you please tell me what you are an
t Are you friend of Mr.. Ca
:. endar's?"
), Il think l may lay claim to tina
r honor, though'-to Kirkwood's way {
= seeing things some little frankness o
# hic own mart would he essential if the