Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-19

m not sure, sir, IL you'll please
step in
Kirkwood hesitated briefly, then &C.
coded The maid closed the door
What name shall | say, sir?'
'Mr. Kirkwood.'
If you will please wait one moment,
sir"
He was left in the entry hall. the
servant hurrying to the staircase and
up. Three minutes elapsed; he wes
on the point of returning to the girl,
when the maid reappeared.
Mrs. Hallam says, will, you kindly
step upstairs, sir"
Disgruntled, he followed her: at the
head of the stairs she bowed him into
the drawing room and again left him
to his own resources.
Nervous, annoyed, he paced the
floor from wall to wall, his footballs
silenced by heavy rugs. AS the delay
was prolonged he began to fume with
Impotence, wondering, half regretting
that he had left the girl outside, def
nitely sorry that he had failed to
name his errand more explicitly to
the maio. At another time. in an
other mood. he might have accorded
more appreciation to the charm IF
the apartment, which, betraying the
feminine touch in every detail of ar
rangement and furnishing, was very
handsome in an unconventional way.
But he was quite needless of eXteI-
nails.
Wearied, he deposited himself sulk-
lily in an armchair by the hearth.
From boudoir on the same floor
a mans and woman's. The latter
laughed prettily.
ooh, any time!" snorted the Ameri
can. ANY time you're through with
your COMPOUNDED Irritation, Mr.. George
B. Calendar"
The voices rose, approaching. Good
night" said the woman gaily: fare.
we'll and-good luck go with you"
Thank you. Good night" replied
the man more conservatively.
| Kirkwood rose, eXpectant.
There was a swish of draperies and
a moment later he was acknowledging
the totally unlooked-for entrance Of
the mistress of the house. He had
thought to see Mr.. Calendar, presunl-
ing him to be the man closeted with
Mrs. Hallam but, whoever that had
been, he did not accompany the wo-
man. Indeed, as she advanced from
the doorway, Kirkwood could hear the
mans footsteps on the stairs.
| This is Mr.. KirkWood?" The note
of inquiry in the well-trained voice--a
very alluring voice and one pleasant
to listen to, he tbought-made 1t seem
as though she had asked, point-blank,
who is Mr. Kirl1wood ?"
| He bowed, discovering himself in
the presence of an extraordinarily
handsome and interesting woman; .
woman of years which as yet had no.
told upon her, of experience that han
not availed to harden her, at least IN
in so far as her exterior charm of per
sonality was involved; a woman, N
brief. who bore close inspection we'll
despite an elusive effect Of maturity
not without It's attraction for men
Kirkwood was impressed that ii would
be very easy to learn to like Mrs Hal
lam more than well--with her ap,
prevail
Although he had not anticipated t.
he was not at all surprised to rec
ognize in her the woman who, IL he
were not mistaken, had slipped to Cal
endar that warning in the dining room,
Of the Pless. Kirkwood s state of mind
had come to be such. through his eX
periences Of the past few hours. that
he would have accepted anything
however preposterous, as common
place happening. But for that matter
there was nothing particularly aston
ishing in this rencontre
Il am Mrs. Hallam. You were ask
ing for Mr. Calendar?'
He was to have been here at this
4 hour, | believe" said Kirkwood.
"Yes?" There was just the right
infection Of surprise in her carefully
controlled tone.
He became aware of an undercur
rent of feeling; that the woman was
estimating him shrewdly with he'
fine direct eyes. He returned her re
gard with admiring interest; they
We're gray-green eyes, deep-set but
large, little shallow, a little change
able, calling to mind the sea on {
windy, cloudy day.
, II am not detective, Mrs. Hallam,
announced the young man suddenly
MI Calendar required a service o
me this evening; am here In natura
consequence. If it was Mr.. Calenfa,
who left this house Just now, an
wasting time"
1T was not Mr. Calendar The
fine-lined brows arched in surprise
real or pretended at his first blurtet
, words, and relaxed; amused, the wo
man laughed deliciously. But ! an
expecting him any moment; he wa
to have been here half an hour since
I. Won't you waltz"
, She indicated with d gracious ges
ture, a chair, and took for herself on
end of a davenport Tim sure h
. won't be long, now
THANK you, will return, if may.
!. kirkwood moved toward the door.
But there's no necessity" Sh,
seemed incistent on OBTAINING him
? possibly because she questioned hi
. motive. possibly for her own diver
tisement.
Kirkwood deprecated his refusa
A with a smile. The truth is, Mis-
/ Calendar is waiting In a cab outsid;
/"
Dorothy Calendar" Mrs. Hallar