Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-13

personally carrying the war into the
Appleweight country must be main
tanned. and shall step to the railway
station and wire the Columbia newspa-
per in his name that he is in Mingo
county on the trail of the outlaws"
| The messages were composed by
their joint efforts at the station, with
not so much haste but that an associ-
ate professor of admiralty, twenty-nine
years old, could defer in the most tri-
fling matters to the superior literary
taste of girl Of twenty whose brown
eyes were very pleasant to meet in
moments Of uncertainty and appeal
He signed the messages Charles o.
borne, Governor, with a flourish indica-
tive of the increased confidence and
daring which Miss Osbornes arrival
had brought to the situation.
"And now" said Griswold as they
rode through the meager streets of
Turner's, I'VE will go to Mount Nebo
church and see what we can learn of
Appleweight's disappearance"
THE North Carolina papers are
making a great deal of Governor Dan
gerfeld's activity in trying to put down
outlawry on the border" said Barbara.
, Marked copies Of the newspapers are
pouring into papa's Office I can but
hold Mr.. Bosworth responsible for
that. We may count upon 1t that he
will do all in his power to annoy us"
and then, as Griswold looked at her
quickly, he was aware that she had
colored and averted her eyes; and
while, as a lawyer, he was aware that
words Of two letters might be provoca-
tive of endless litigation of the bitter
est sort. he had never known that us,
in itself the homeliest Of words, could
cause so sweet a distress. 1t seemed
that an interval of several years had
passed before either spoke again.
eve are quite near the estate of
your friend, Mr.. Ardmore, aren't we?"
asked Barbara presently.
Il fancy we are" replied Griswold,
but with a tone so coldly at variance
with his previous cordial references
to the master Of Ardsley that Barbara
looked at him inquiringly.
I'm sorry that should have given
you the impression, Miss Osborne, that
Mr.. Ardmore and I are friends. as l
undoubtedly did at Columbia. He has,
for some unaccountable reason, cut my
acquaintance in manner so unlike
him that do not pretend to explain
it; nor, may add, is it of the least i'm
portance."
Il was little surprised" returned
Barbara, with truly feminine instinct
for mingling in the balm of consola-
ton the bitterest and most poisonous
herbs. that you should have had for
a friend man who frankly follows
girls whose appearance he fancies.
Even Mr. Ardmore's democratic enthu-
siasm for the down-trodden laundry
girl does not wholly mitigate the wink
ing episode.
He had, only a few days ago, invit-
ed me to visit him, though I had been
to his home so often that was prisi
legged even beyond the members of
Mr.. Ardmore's own family in my free
dom of the place. When l saw that his
house would be convenient point
from which to study the Appleweight
situation, wired him that was on
the way and to my utter amazement
he replied that he could not entertain
me-that scarlet fever was epidemic
on the estate-on those almost I'M
counted acres"
And with gulp and mist in his
eyes, Griswold drew rein and pointed,
from hill that had now borne them
to a considerable height, toward Ards
ley itself, dreamily basking In the
bright morning sunlight within its
cincture of hills, meadows and for
est.
81 never saw the place before! It's
M IN,aI
forgetting that Griswold must be gaz-
ing upon it with the eyes of an exile
viewing grim, forbidding battlements
that once hailed him in welcome.
tits one of the most interesting
houses in America" observed Girls
void, who strove at all times to be
just
There's flag fying-I can't make
out what it is" said Barbara.
ITS probably to give warning of
the scarlet fever; it would be like
Ardy to do that But we must hurry
on to Mount Nebo"
He knew the ways of Ardsley thor
oughly; better, in fact, than its own
er ever had in the old times; but in
his anger at Ardmore he would not
set foot on the estate if he could pos
sibly avoid doing so in reaching the
scene of the nights contretemps He
found without difficulty the trail taken
by Habershams men, and in due
course of time they left their horses
a short distance from the church and
proceeded on foot.
1T seems all the stupider in broad
daylight" said Griswold, after he had
explained just what had occurred, and
how the captors in their superstitious
awe of Appleweight had been afraid
to carry him off the moment they
were sure of him, but had slipped
back among their fellows to wait until
the coast was perfectly clear To ease
his deep chagrin Barbara laughed a
good deal at the occurrence as they
tramped over the scene discussing it.
They went into the woods back of
the church, where Griswold began to
exercise his reasoning powers.
Some one must have come in from
this direction and freed the man and
taken him away" he declared
He knelt and marked the footprints
where ApDlawaiohf n AL hoor, left tied