Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-20

paper. Very tenderly he unfolded it.
The treasure was a diamond pendant
worth at least thousand dollars.
II was to keep this simply till mad
anne chose to reclaim it. Nothing has
been advanced against it." A new
thought came into the managers mind
and he turned slightly pale. eff it is
not madame's-?'
.It is mine," said La Signorina She
was very angry, but her sense of JUS
tice admitted that Worth was perfect
ly right. "Once more ask you not to
make me miserable by forcing this
trinket back upon me. Will you do me
the honor to wait until tomorrow
morning?"
The three men involved exchanged
questioning looks.
Till tomorrow morning, then"
said Worth. "That will be ALL" he adj
ded to the manager, who was willing
J enough to make his escape.
''You will forgive us, won't your"
asked O'Maliy ut could not be. We
men have some ideas in our heads that
| you can't knock out with club. 1t
was fine of you. You have heart
as big as all outdoors. Well keep the
thought behind the deed Eth, boys? Do
not be angry with u.s."
II am only angry to have been
found out she answered, not I'M
graciously. Then she laughed. "You
are the strangest people! One would
think, to hear you talk, that was Civ
ing you all this, when 1 merely advanc-
ed security till your remittance come.
Well, we'll we shall say no more about
it. l have a plan to lay before you
that is vastly more interesting mat
| ter. It will be something of an adven-
ture to us all"
"Adventure?" o'Mally ran his
tongue across his lips like a thirsty
man coming unexpectedly upon a pool
of spring water.
Adventure? Let us be gone upon il
at once" said Worth, anxious to re
turn into the graces of this singular
woman
ANY place. SO long as there's board
and keep in it, Smith declared
Kitty tried to read La Signorina's
eyes. What madness this time?
La Signorina again raised her veil
From her girdle bag she took a letter
which she unfolded across her knees
LAS I have said, have friends in
Italy, and some of them are rich and
powerful. This letter is from a friend
| have always known Has any one Of
you ever heard Of the Principessa d
Monte Bianca?"
A thoughtful frown passed from one
face to another; and each strove tc
recall this name among half-forgotter
memories. Finally, one by one, they
shook their heads. The name had 6
familiar echo, but that was all. II
was quite possible that they had seer
it in the Paris edition of the Herald.
Let me read this letter to you. She
addresses me as Capricciosa, my
stage name"
Her audience leaned forward at
tentively.
My Dear-I was very glad indeed t.
hear from you, and shall be only TOT
happy to offer you the temporary as
sistance you desire. You will recollec
that | possess villa just outside o
Florence, mile or so north of Fiesole
/ have never been inside OF it but once
in my girlhood. The villa is Furnished
and kept in repair by an ancient gar
dener and his wife. You and you
friends are welcome to ocupy the Will
Ariadne as long as you please. Yo1
will find one annoyance: in the ravin
below the Eighth Corps has shootin
range, and it is noisy when the vim
: is in the east. OF course you will fin
all the chests, bureaus. sjdeboards an
closets under seal; for have not beel
there since the death of my fathe,
None of the seals may be removed til
occupy the villa legally However
the gardener and his wife have silve
and linen and china and with Ties
YOU will be able to get along nicely. TIL
fruits and roses and garden truck vii
be wholly yours, and if YOU are vege
tarians YOU can live without expens
0 for weeks. Take the villa, then, an
eniov yourselves. n is rather out c
r the beaten track, though at times
is invaded by tourists. Besides this lie
: ter am giving you one of official a,
thority, for there is always some fol