Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-04
CHAPTER x-Continued)

carefully planned his campaign. He
had talked by telephone with the pros
ecuting attorney of Mingo county, and
found that official politely responsive.
So much had gone well. Then the
juxtaposition of Ardmores estate to
the border, and the possible use of the
house as headquarters, struck in upon
him. He would, after ALL generously
take Ardmore into the game, and they
would uphold the honor and dignity
of the great commonwealth of South
Carolina together The keys of all
Ardmore's houses were, so to speak, in
GriswoId's pocket, and invitations
were unnecessary between them; yet,
at Atlanta Ardmore had made point
of asking Griswold down to help while
away the tedium of Mrs. Atchison's
house party, aud as a matter of form
Griswold had wired from Columbia, ad-
vising Ardmore of his unexpected
descent.
Even in case Ardmore should still
be abroad in pursuit Of the winking
be open to Griswold, who had entered
there so often as the owners familiar
friend. These things he pondered
deeply as he read and re-read Ard
more's reply to his message, a reply
which was plainly enough dated at
Ardsley but which, he could not know,
had really been written in caboose
0186 as it lay on siding in the south
eastern yards at Raleigh, and thence
despatched to the manager at Ardsley,
with instructions to forward it as
new message to Griswold at Columbia.
The chilling words thus flung at him
were:
Professor Henry Maine Griswold,
Saluda House, Columbia, S. c.,
am sorry, old man, but I can not
take you in just now. Scarlet fever
is epidemic among my tenants, and
could not think of exposing you to
danger. AS soon as the accursed
plague passes I want to have you
down. Ardmore.
An epidemic that closed the gates of
Ardsley would assume the proportions
of a national disaster; for even if the
great house itself were quarantined,
there were lodges and bungalows scat
tered over the domain, where host of
guests could be entertained in COM
fort Griswold reflected that the very
fact that he had wired from Columbia
must have intimated to Ardmore that
his friend was flying toward him, pur-
suant to the Atlanta invitation. Girls
void dismissed a thousand specula-
tions as unworthy. Ardmore had never
shown the remotest trace of snobbish-
ness, and as far as the threatend
house party was concerned, Griswold
knew Mrs. Atchison very well, and had
been entertained at her New York
house.
The patronizing tone Of the thing
caused Griswold to flush at every read
ing. If the Ardsley date-line had not
been so plainly written; if the phrase
ology were not so characteristic, there
might be room for doubt; but Ardmore
him in the face!
But, scarlet fever or no scarlet fever,
the pursuit of Appleweight had pre-
cedence of private grievances By the
time he reached Turner Court House
Griswold had dismissed the un-
graciousness Of Ardmore, and his jaws
were set with a determination to per-
/ form the mission intrusted to him by
Barbara Osborne, and to wait until
later for an accounting with his I'M
accountable friend.
Arrived at Turner's, Griswold strobe
at once toward the court house The
contemptuous rejection of his message
by the sheriff of Mingo had angered
Griswold, but he was destined to feel
even more poignant insolence when
entering the sheriff's Office, a deputy
languidly posed as letter "V'' in a
swivel-chair, with his feet on the
mantel, took a cob pipe from his
mouth and lazily answered Griswold's
importunate query with:
'The sheriff amt hyeh, sch. He's
a-visitin' his folks in Tennessy."
when will he be back?" demanded
Griswold, hot of heart, but maintain
ing the icy tone that had made him
so formidable in cross-eXamination.
81 reckon I don't know, seh."
DO you know your own name?" per-
sisted Griswold sweetly.
go to hell, seh,' replied the deputy.
He reached for match, relighted his
pipe, and carefully crossed his feet on
the mantel-shelf The moment Girls
wold's steps died away in the outer
corridor the deputy rose and busted
himself so industriously with the tele-
phone that within an hour all through
the Mingo hills, and even beyond the
state line, along lonely trails, across
hills and through valleys, and beside
CHEEKY creeks and brooks, it was
known that strange man from Co
lumbia was in Mingo county looking
for the sheriff, and Appleweight, alias
Poteet, and his men were everywhere
on guard.
Griswold liked the prosecuting attor'
ney on sight. His name was Haber
sham, and he was youngster with a
clear and steady gray eye. Instead
of the southern statesmans flowing
prince albert, he wore a sack-coat OF
gray jeans, and was otherwise dis
tinguished by shirt of white and blue
check. He grinned as Griswold bent
a puzzled look upon him.
''I took your course at the university
two years ago, professor, and re
member distinctly that you always
wore a red cravat to your Wednesday
lectures"
"You have done WELL" replied Girls
void, "for never expected to find ar
o1d ctudapf who ramemhered half as