Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-25

sEnaanGG
had consistently tried to avoid doing,
had been irretrievably done; IT, with
dawning comprehension, dismay flick
cred in her eyes-such dismay as such
confession can rouse only in one
who, like Dorothy Calendar, has
never known the want of a penny-it
was swiftly driven out to make place
for the truest and most gracious and
unselfish solicitude.
''Oh, poor Mr.. Kirkwood! And it's
all because of me! You've beggared
yourself"
ttNot precisely; was beggared to
begin with" He fastened to disclaim
the extravagant generosity of which
she accused him. ri had only three
or four pounds to my name that night
we met. haven't told you'll
you've told me nothing, nothing
whatever about yourself" she said re,
proachfully.
Il didn't want to bother you with my
troubles; l tried not to talk about
myself You knew I was an Amer
lean, but I'm worse than that; I'm a
Contamination San Francisco" He
tried unsuccessfully to make light Of
it. II told you was the Luckless
Wonder; if I'd ever had any luck
would have stored little money
away. AS It was, lived on my in
come, left my principal in Frisco;
and when the earthquake came. it
wiped me out completely"
E'And you were going home that
night we made you miss your steam
er!'
ut was my own fault, and I'm glad
this blessed minute that l did miss it.
Nice sort I'd have been to &c off and
leave 70 uat the mercy"
Please! I want to think, I'm trying
to remember how much you've gone
through"
Precisely what I don't want you to
do. Anyway, did nothing more than
any other fellow would've Please
don't give me credit that I don't de-
serve"
But she was not listening; and a
pause fell, while the train crawled
warily over the trestle, as if in fear of
the foul, muddy flood below,
"And there's no way can repay
you ~
There's nothing to be repaid" he
contended stoutly.
She clasped her hands and let them
fall gently in her lap. Eve not a
farthing in the world! Is never
dreamed I'm sorry, Mr.. Kirk
70 rih t6r A Il 4 4
But what can we do? can't consent
to be a burden"
"But you're not! You're the one
thing that =" He swerved sharply,
at an abrupt tangent. There's one
thing we can do, of course"
She looked up inquiringly.
Craven Street is just around the
corner
eyes ?"-wonderingly.
~ mean we must go to Mrs. Hal.
lam's house, first off It's late
| now--after five, else we could deposit
the jewels in some bank Since
since they are no longer yours, the
| only thing, and the proper thing to do
is to place them i'll safety or in the
hands of their owner If you take
them directly to young Hallam, your
hands will be clear And never
did such thing in my life, Miss Cal
endar; but if he's got spark of graf
| itude in hie makeup, I ought to be
able to--er---to borrow pound or sc
of him.
do you think so?'' She shook her
head in doubt. II don't know; I know
so little of such things. = *You are
right; we must take him the jewels
but ~ Her voice trailed off into
a sigh Of profound perturbation.
He dared not meet her look.
Beneath his wondering gaze Coun
ty Council steamboat darted swiftly
downstream from Charing Cross pier
in the shadow of the railway bridge
1t seemed curious to reflect that from
that very floating pier he had started
first upon his quest of the girl beside
him, only--he had to count--three
nights ago! Three days and three
nights! Altogether incredible seemed
the Transformation they had wrough
in the complexion of the world. Ye
nothing material was changed.
He lifted his eyes.
Beyond the river rose the Embark
ment, crawling with traffic, backed b,
the green of the gardens and tn,
shimmering walls Of glass and ston
of the great hotels, their Windows
glowing weirdly golden in the lat
sunlight. A little downstream Cleo
patra's Needle rose, sadly the wors
for London smoke, flanked by it
couchant sphinxes. wearing nimbu
of circling, sweeping, swooping whee
ing gulls Farther down, from tn
foot Of that magnificent pile, Somerse
House, Waterloo Bridge sprang ovel
stream in its graceful arch All a
Of yesterday; yet all changed Why
Because woman had entered into hi
life; because he had learned the les
son of love and had looked into tn
bright face of Romance.
With a jar the train started and be
gan to move more swiftly
Kirkwood lifted the travelling bag I
his knees.
Don't forget" he said with som
difficulty, you're to stick by me, wha1
| aver hannenS Won mustn't dasar