Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-04
there was no deriving of it--held the
center of the stage.

there was no DENYING OF 1t-held the
center of the stage.
The men, including the Duke of
BallywinlSle, hung upon her lightest
word, which often left them stagger-
ing; and she frequently flung the ball
of conversation into the blue ether
with careless ease that kept expect
ancy a-tiptoe in the minds and hearts
of all the company
Il hope" said Mrs. Atchison, putting
down her cup and gazing dreamily in.
to the west. that you have not given
Tommy any commission in which he is
likely to fail If it were matter of
finding fan you had left behind
somewhere, or even of producing an
extinct flower from the Andes, he
would undoubtedly be faithful to the
trust imposed on him; but in anything
that is really serious, really of i'm
portance one should never depend on
Tommy
This was, as the lady knew, almost
vulgarly leading; but Jerry folded he1
arms, and spoke out with charming
franlness.
81 have heard my father say" said
Jerry, that incapable men often rise
to great opportunities when they are
pushed. Mr. Ardmore has undertaken
to perform for me a service of the
greatest delicacy and not unattended
with danger. You have been kind to
me, Mrs. Atchison, and as you are my
chaperon and entitled to my fullest
confidence it is right for you to know
just how l CAME here, and why your
brother is absent in my service
For once curiosity bound Mrs. Atch
ison in chains Of steel.
Tell me nothing, dear, unless you
are quite free to do so,' she. muir
INJURED; but her heart skipped beat
as she waited
81 should not think of doing so ex
cept of my own free will" declared
Jerry, carelessly following the figh
of hawk that tapped close by TOWARD
the neighboring woods. ut may in
terest you to know that just now you
brother, Mr.. Thomas Ardmore, is thu
| governor of North Carolina. He doe
not exactly know it, for at Raleigh
myself was governor of North Caro-
lima at the time we met and onl.
made Mr. Ardmore my private secre
| ldEy, DuI WIGu II DSCdIlS hCSOoSol
| to take the field l placed him in full
charge, and he is now not only COVER
nor of the Old North State, but ais
| the commander-in-chief of her troop
in the field
With a nice feeling for climax Jerr,
paused, picked lump of sugar from
| the silver bowl on the tea-table, bit tn
edge of it daintily, and tossed it to tn
robins that hoped on the lawn be
meath.
Mrs. Atchison moved forward slight
ly, but evinced no other sign of sui
prise. The hour, the scene, the gil
were all to her liking. She woul
even prolong the delight of hearin
the further history of her brother
amazing elevation to supreme powe
in an American commonwealth
was so foreign to all experience, s.
heavy with possibilities, so deliciou
in that it had happened to Tommy o
all men of the world!
81 trust" She said, smiling little
chat Tommy will not prove unworth
of the confidence you have reposed il
him"
IF he does" said Jerry, slapping he
/ hands together to free them of a,
Imaginary sugar crumb II shall never
never marry him."
Then may | ask. Miss Dangerfeld
if you and he are engaged?"
mot at all. Mrs. Atchison! Not onl
are we not engaged, but he has neve
even proposed to me- Besides am Ell
gagged to Colonel Rutherford Gilline
water, our Acknowledgement
"Then If you are engaged to thi
military person, just wherein lies tn
significance of your threat never t
marry my brother
That" said Jerry, SIS perfect
easy of explanation. Your brother an
/ have met only few times, and
never become engaged to any ma
whom I have not known for a week a
least Marriage is a serious matte
and while the frequent breaking {
engagements is painful in the e,
IRENE, think one can not be too care
full in assuming the marriage bond"
Mrs. Atcnison wondered whether tn
girl was amusing herself at her e.
pense, but Jerry's tone was grave an
Jerry's. eyes were steady. Jerry wa
new species, and she had appeare
at a fortunate moment when Mr.
Atchison had almost concluded ths
the world is a squeezed lemon
'In view of the fact that you are Ell
gagged to Dillingwater-"began Mr.
Atchison, anxious for further di
closures touching Jerry's ideas on ma
rimony
:, Colonel Rutherford Gillingwate
please!' corrected Jerry.
& don't quite grasp this matte
of your attitude toward my brothe
Unless l misunderstood you, you r
marked moment ago that unless /
succeeded in his present undertaken
you would never marry him.
THAT is exactly what | said, and
: meant every word of it," declare
Jerry. 81 will not conceal from yo
Mrs. Atchison, my determination tn;
your brother shall be my second hu
band"
, There was no question of Mr.
Atchison's complete surprise now.
"Your second husband child?"
my second husband, Mrs. Atchiso
) Life is short at best, and | was told
my old nanny when !. was lit
child-she turned out afterward to
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