Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-23
i. i etss f. 4 i 4 i j
THE BLACK BAG
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE.
Copyright-By Bobbs, Merrill Co.
JIS JOSEPH VANCE.


tiiutu AlIhWOOd neTNOuSly. L RHoW
I've no right to Interfere, but"
yes, Mr.. Kirkwood?"
''But hasn't this gone far enough?"
he fioundered unhappily. Il can't like
the looks of things. Are you sure =
sure that it's all right = with you, |
mean?"
She did not answer at once; but
her eyes We're kind and sympathetic.
He plucled heart OF their tolerance.
ut isn't too late yet he urged.
LET me take you to Your friends
you must have friends in the city.
But this = this midnight flight down
the Thames, this atmosphere OF
stealth and suspicion, this"
But my place is with my father.
Mr.. Kirkwood," she interposed. 81
daren't doubt him-dare ~
81 suppose not"
$50 | must go with him "a
I'm glad = thank you for caring, dear
Mr.. Kirkwood. And again, good night"
Good luck attend you,'' he mutter
ed, following her to the boat.
Calendar helped her in and turned
back to Kirkwood with look of arch
triumph; Kirl1wood wondered if he
lldu ONSlHSdiu. "HSlISl Vi lIO, nc
could afford to be magnanimous. Seiz.
ing Kirkwood's hand, he pumped it
vigorously.
my dear hoy. you've been an ang !
in disguise! And guess you think me
a devil in masquerade" He chuclIled,
in high conceit of himself over the
turn of affairs. Good night and =
and fare thee Well" He dropped into
the boat. seating himself to face the
recalcitrant Mulready. Cast off,
there!"
The boat dropped away, the oars
lifting and falling. With weariful
sense of loneliness and disappoint-
ment Kirk"ood hung over the rail 20
watch them out of sight.
A dozen feet of water lay between
the stage and the boat. The girls
dress remained a spot of cheerful
color; her face was a blur. AS the
watermen swung the bows down
stream, she looked back lifting an
arm spectral in its white sheath.
Kirkwood raised his hat.
The boat gathered impetus. momen-
tarilv diminishing in the nights illus
DRY perspective; presently it was lit
tie more than a fugitive blot. gliding
swiftly in midstream. And then, 1t
was gone entirely, engulfed by the
obliterating darkness.
Somewhat YEARLY the young maj:
| released the railing and assembled the
stairs. "And this is the end!' he told
himself, struggling with an acute
sense of personal injury. He had been
hardly used For a few hours his life
| had been lightened by the ineffablc
| glamor Of romance; mystery and adj
venture had engaged him exercising
! for the time the Shade of Care: he
| had served y fair woman and been as
ISOLATED with men whose ways how
ever questionable. We're the ways OF
courage, hedged thicllly about with
perils.
| All that was at an end. Prosaic and
worlday tomorrows confronted him
| in endless and dreary perspective;
and he felt again upon his shoulde!
the bony hand of his familiar, Care
/ 4
He sighed: "Ah, well!'
Disconsolate and aggrieved, he
gained the street. He was miles from
st. Pancras, foot-weary, to all intents
and purposes lost.
In this extremity Chance smiled
upon him. The cabby who, at his in
/ itial instance. had travelled this
weary way from Quadrant News. aft
/ er the manner of his kind, ere turning
. back, had sought surcease of fatigue
at the nearest public: from afar Kirk
wood saw the four-wheeler at the curr
and made all haste toward it.
Entering the gin mill he found the
cabby, soothed him with bitter, and
instructing him for ST. Pancras witt
all speed, dropped, limp and listless
with fatigue, into the conveyance.
AS it moved he closed his eyes;
the face of Dorothy Calendar shone
out from the blank wall of his con
seriousness like an Illuminated picture
/ cast upon a screen. She smiled upoI
him. her head high, her eyes tendel
and trustful And he thought that he
scarlet lips were sweet with promise
and her glance a-brim with such {
light as he had never dreamed K
know.
And now that he knew it and desir
ed it. it was too late; an hour agt
he might, by nod of his head, have
cast his fortunes with hers for veal o
wee. But now
Alas and alackaday, that Romano
was no more.