Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23

n "Engaged?"
OF course; we're engaged. I'm en-
gagged to Rutherford Gillingwater, the
adjutant general Of this state. You
couldn't be my private secretary If !
wasn't engaged; 1t wouldn't be pro
per-"
/ me earth was only flying clnder
on which he strove for a foothold.
She had announced her engagement
to be married with a cool finality that
took his breath away; and not real
izing the chaos into which she had
flung him, she returned demurely to
the matter Of the letter.
we can't change that letter, be-
cause it's signed close to the 'obedi.
ent servant and there's no room. But
I'm going to put 1t into the typewriter
and add postscript"
She had sat down before the ma
chine and inexpertly rolled the sheet
into place; then, with Ardmore help.
ing her to find the keys, she whote:
| | demand an mediate reply.
Demand and immediate are both
business words. Are you sure there's
only one m in immediate? All right,
II you know. reckon postscript like
that doesn't need to be signed. I'll
just put w. d. there with papa's stub
pen, so it will really look fierce. Now,
you're the secretary; you copy it in
the copying press and I'll address the
envelope"
Don't you have to put the state
seal on it?'' asked Ardmore.
"Of course not. You have to get
that from the secretary of state, and
I don't like him; he has such funny
whiskers, and calls me little girl Be-
sides, you never put the seal on a let
ter; it's only necessary for official
documents"
| She babe him give the letter plenty
of time to copy, and talked cheerfuliy
while he waited. She spoke of her
friends, as Southern people have a
way of doing, as though every one
must of course know them-a habit
that is illuminative Of that delightful
Southern neighborliness that knits
the elect of a commonwealth into
single family, that neither time and
tide nor sword and brand can destroy.
Ardmore's humility increased as the
names OF the great and good of North
Carolina fell from her lips; for they
were as strange to him as an Abysin-
MAN dynasty. 1t was perfectly clear
that he was not Of her world, and that
his own was insignificant and undis-
tlnguished compared with hers. His
spirit was stayed somewhat by the
knowledge that he, and not the execra-
BILE Gillingwater, had been chosen as
her coadjutor in the present crisis.
His very ignorance of the royal fam
WI, oh oh
cited so glibly and the fact that he
him official recognition, and it was for
him now to prove his worth. The po-
litical plot into which he had most
willingly been drawn pleased him
greatly; 1t was superior to his fondest
dream of adventure, and now, more.
over, he had what he had never had
before, definite purpose in life,
which was to be equal to the task to
which this intrepid girl assigned him.
well, that's DONE" said Miss Jerry
when the letter, still damp from the
copy-press, had been carefully sealed
and stamped. Governor Osborne will
get it in the morning. | think maybe
we'd better telegraph him that it's
coming"
Il don't see much use in that,
when he'll get the letter first thing
tomorrow, Ardmore suggested. st
costs money to telegraph and you
must have an economical administra.
ton"
"The good Of it would be to keep
him worried and make him very an.
CRY. And if he told Barbara Osborne
about 1t, it would make her angry,
too, and maybe she wouldn't sleep
any all night, the naughty thing! Hand
me one Of those telegraph blanks"
The message, slowly thumped out
on the typewriter and several times
altered and copied, finally read:
The Honorable Charles Osborne,
Governor of South Carolina,
Columbia, S. c.:
Have written by tonight's mail in
Appleweight matter. Your vacillating
course not understood.
William Dangerfield,
Governor of North Carolina.
II reckon that will make him take
notice" and Miss Jerry viewed her
work with approval. "And now, Mr..
Ardmore, here's telegram from Mr..
Billings which I don't understand. See
If you know what it means"
Ardmore chuckled delightedly as he
read:
Can not understand your outrag-
.eous conduct in bond matter. If pay
ment is not made June first your
states credit Is ruined. Where Is Eos
ter? Answer to Atlanta.
George P. Billings.
Il don't see what's so funny about
that. Mr. Bassford was walking the
floor with that message when 1 came
to the office. He said papa and the
state were both going to be ruined.
There's quarter of million dollars
to be paid on bonds that are coming
due June first, and there isn't any
money to pay them with. That's what
he said And Mr.. Foster is the state
treasurer, and he's gone fishing"
"Fishing?"
He left word he had gone fishing.
Mr.. Foster and papa don't. get along
together, and Mr.. Bassford says he's
run off just to let those bonds default
and bring disgrace on papa and the
state"
Ardmore's grin broadened. The Ap-