Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-28

| to keep an eye on the premises. IL
duty, ma'am; I've got my report to
make"
THE house." said Mrs. Hallam, with
the long-suffering patience of one
calculating a perfectly plain PROPOSE
ton to a being of lower order of in
telligence, lis the property of my son,
Arthur Frederick Burgoyne Hallam of
Cornwall. This is"
beg pardon, ma'am, but was told
Colonel George Burgoyne, of Corn
wall"
Colonel Burgoyne died some time
ago, My son is his heir. This is my
son. He came to the house this even.
ing to get some property he desired,
and--it seems--tripped on the stairs
and fell unconscious. | became wor-
ried about him and drove over, accom-
panied by my friend, Mr.. Kirkwood.
The policeman looked his troubled
state of mind, and wagged a doubtful
head over the case. There was his
duty, and there was, opposed to 1t. the
fact that all three were garbed in the
| livery Of the well-to-do.
At length, turning to the driver, he
demanded, received and noted in his
I1SIQUIduuulu pOOh, luS iiCShSC huii
Der Of the equipage.
Its very unusual case, ma'am, .
he apologized; II hopes you won't old
1t against me- I'm only trying to dc
my duty
"And safeguard our property. You
are perfectly justified, officer
Thank you, ma'am. And would yo'1
mind giving me your cards, please, all
Of you F."
Certainly not" Without hesitation
the woman took little handbag from
the seat of the carriage and produced
q card; her son likewise found his case
and handed the officer an oblong slip
"Ive no cards with me-" the Ameri
can told the policeman; my name
however, is Philip Kirkwood, and I'm
staying at the Pless,"
Every good, sir; thank you The
man penciled the information in his
little book. Thank you, ma'am, and
Mr.. Hallam, sir. Sorry to have de-
tanned you. Good morning
Kirkwood helped young Hallam into
the carriage, gave Mrs. Hallam his
hand, and followed her. The man &c.
Giles shut the door, mounting the box
|
were in motion.
The American got final glimpse
| of the bobby, standing in front of Num-
Der 8, Frognall street, and watching
them with an air of profound uncer-
tainty. He had Kirkwood's sympathy
therein; but he had little time to feel
with him, for Mrs. Hallam turned up
on him very suddenly.
t'Mr. Kirkwood, will you be good
enough to tell me who and what you
are?"
| The young man smiled his homely
candid smile. 'I'll be only too glad
Mrs. Hallam, when l feel sure you'll
do as much for yourself"
She gave him no answer; it was II
she were choosing words Kirkwood
braced himself to meet the storm; but
none ensued. There was rather lull
which strung itself out indefinitely, &c
the monotonous music of hoofs and
rubber tires.
| Young Hallam was resting his empty
blond head against the cushions anf
had closed his eyes. He seemed t.
doze, but as the carriage rolled pas
the frequent street-lights, Kirkwooc
could see that the eyes of Mrs. Hallalr
were steadily directed to his face.
His outward composure was temper
ed by some amusement, by more ad
miration; the woman's eyes were very
handsome, even when hardest ani
most cold. 1t was not easy to conceive
| of her as being the mother OF a son 81
immaturely mature. Why she mus
have been at least thirty-eight or nine
One wondered she did not look it.
The carriage stopped before hous
with lighted windows. Eccles jumps
down from the box and scurried t
open the front door. The radiance @
hall-lamp was streaming out into tn
misty night when he returned to re
lease his employers
They were returned to Crave
street! "One more lap round tn
track" unused Kirkwood. 'Wonde
) will the next take me back to Be
mondsey Old Stairs
> At Mrs. Hallam's direction, Eccle
ushered him into the smoking room
on the ground floor in the rear of tn
l dwelling, there to wait while she hell
: ed her son upstairs and to bed. Fl
, sighed with pleasure at first glimps
! of its luxurious but informal comfort
: and threw himself earnestly into
heavily padded lounging-chair, dro
> ping one knee over the other an
: lighting the last of his expensive c
;. CARS with sensation of undilute
! gratitude; as one coming to rest in tt
: shadow of great rock in wear
y land
: Over his shoulder a home-like illur
ination was cast by an electric Ian
;, shaded with red silk. At his fe
6 brass fire-dogs winked sleepily in II
= f1uttering blaze of well tended stow
l. The walls were hung with deep re
Z the doors and divans upholstered
the same restful shade. In one corn
= an old clock licked soberly. The g
: mosphere would have proved a p
tent invitation to reverie, if not
sleep-he was very sleepy-but for Il
confusion in the house.
In it's chambers, through the hall
on the stairs, there were hurryin
and scurryings of feet and skirts, co
fused with murmuring voices. Pre-
emily, in an adjoining room, Phil
o,,t