Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-27

GU " plluS tue ulllneT dill CuOkou lIOilt
the club. Two days went by without
a sign; then the blue letter came.
| surrender The most fatal thing
in life Is curiosity. 1t has the power
to lead us into all manner of trouble.
And have my share of curiosity. Re-
member, you never would have found
me. I may dwell in a garrett; may
be hideous; perhaps nothing remains
to me but my voice. Whatever you
have painted me in your imagination,
I tell you that / shall prove directly
the opposite. And now the terms
And If you do not follow them conf
IDENTIFY and blindIy, your dinner will
grow cold in the carriage. Dinner
will be at eight, February first. At
seven a carriage will call for you. The
messenger will blindfold you He will
then proceed to the club and take the
dinner, and bring you here. Be warn.
ed! If YOU so much as lift the cor
ner of the bandage, the romance VIII
end then and there 1t is necessary to
enforce these conditions, but 1t is not
necessary to explain why. realize
that I am doing something very fool
ish and unwise. But, as you say, l
am a woman who has seen much Of
the world. Thus have my worldly
side 1 shall use it as buffer.
.sBlindfolded!" Hillard scrubbed
his chin. All these precautions! Who
was she? What was she? An ordir,-
airy young woman, full of mischief, or
was she what he hoped, a real mys-
terry? He was well on the way 10
find out. Since there was no escape,
blindfolded he would go.
At half after six, on the night Of
the first of February, then, he began
to dress. It was some time since he
had taken such particular care.
1.-The signore seems in high spirits
tonight observed Giovanni, as he
laid out the linen.
Man, I'm happy and greatly ex-
cited. Do you recollect the lady who
sang under my window? I am going
to meet her tonight. The mystery
will be mystery no longer.
''Who is she?" asked Giovanni
sharply. It YVES rarely he asked 6
question with such directness.
But his master was too excited to
note it. "On my word, don't know
who she is, Giovanni She has writ
ten such charming letters! She may
be only singer; she may be a Rus
sian princess in exile; she may be an
adventures of the most formidable
type: she may be an American girl.
One thing, she is not English. Eng
lish women as have found them lack
the essential spirit of adventure"
"Ah!" Giovanni stroked his lips
s1 ~
more to plunge blindly into adven-
lures like this"
"The very word, blindly go
blindfolded, AMIGO. What do you
think of that?"
"Blindfolded?" Giovanni was horri-
fed. at IS a trap" he cried. They
will assassinate you! No. you shall
not go! In Rome, at the carnivals, it
is an old game. They will rob you"
"You are dreaming. This is Amer
lea. things are not done that way
here. And nothing now can turn me
aside" Hillard was all the while finish
ing his toilet.
Il suppose not But blindfolded!"
"Take the number of the cab as |
get in. If anything should happen
give the number to the police.
Giovannia, with sharp movement
of the hands, expressed his resignation
to the worst He know the futillty OF
arguing with his master. But he fol-
lowed him down to the hall and tied
on the bandage himself. He was hon.
est about it, too, for Hillard could see
nothing. Then the messenger boy took
him by the hand and led him to the
carriage. AS the two were climbing in
Giovanni spoke radpidly in his native
tongue.
"There is no number on the car
riage.'
"Too late to bother now"
The carriage rolled off toward the
club, where the dinner. hot and smok.
ing, was taken on.
"Joinin' the Elks?' asked the boy
when they were we'll under way once
more.
mo it's a sceance. They are goins
to call up my fate round table,
Huh? Aw, go-wan! Dey don't
call ND no ghosts wit French cider
and hot boids." The boy relapsed into
silence.
Hillard tried to follow the turns OF
the carriage, but these were too many
and so he resigned himself to become
totally lost. By and by the carriage
stopped.
IBIS is where we alights, me loid!'
the boy jeered. can no lookin,' mind.
Hillard found the carriage steps and
landed safely. He stood for :nomen;
listening. They were in quiet part
of the city; no elevated or surface
cars were near He was assured that
the location was exclusive. Carrots
are not to be found in quiet places.
Look out fer tn steps, said the
boy. again taking Hinard by the hand
"And you be careful of that basket
ct amt lettin' it drop any"
Winding steps, thought the blind
folded man He could recollect none
1t seemed to him that they stood there
five minutes before the door opened
When it did, the boy passed in tbs
basket and resolutely pushed Hlllart
into the hall The door closed gently
and the adventure was begun.
Take off the bandage, the signore
may now" said voice in broker
English.
Thanks" He tore the handker
1T tai,