Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-09


bon-like road. In the perfect night
silence 1t was like a scene of panto
mine.
That's all right" cried Cooke
Come along! Well cut into that
road at the bungalow
! They swung their horses away from
the ridge and back into the bride
path, which once more dipped sharply
down into heavy timber, Cooke lead.
ing the way, and three of the best
hunters known to the Ardsley stables
flew down the clear but winding path
The incident which the trio had wit,
messed required no Interpretation: the
girls blow and flight had translated 1t
into language explicit enough.
Ardmore thanked his German for.
ester thousand times for the admir-
able bridle-path over which they gal
loped, with its certain footing beneath
and clean sweep from the boughs
above. The blood surged holly through
his heart, and he was angry for the
first time in his life; but his head was
cool, and the damp air of the forest
flowing by tranquilized him into new
! citation of spirit. Jerry Dangerfield
was the dearest and noblest and BRAY.
est girl in the world-he knew that:
and she was clever and resourceful
enough to devise means for preserving
her fathers official and private honor;
and not less quick to defend herself
from insult from titled scoundrel
She was the most inexplicable of girls /;
but at the same time she was beyond
any question the wiSest. The thought
| that he should now see her soon, after
all the years that had passed since he
had introduced her to his sister at
Raleigh, filled him with wild delight,
and he prayed that in her mad flight
from the Duke of Ballywinkle no harm
might come to her.
The three men rode out into the
broad highway at the red bungalow
and paused to listen.
He hasn't got here yet. Only one
person has passed and these must be
the tracks of the girls horse" said
Cooke, who had dismounted and struck
matches. the better to observe the
faint footprints in the hard shell
road.
Hell be along in minute. Let us
| get into the shadow of the bungalow,
and when he comes we'll ride out and
nail him. The bungalows a sort Of
way house. I often stop here when
I'm out on the estate and want to rest.
have the key in my pocket"
AS Ardmore's keys jingled in the
lock Cooke cried out softly. Their
quarry was riding swiftly toward them,
! and he drew rein before the bungalow
as Cooke and Collins rode out to meet
him.
81 say" painted the duke.
"You are our prisoner. Dismount
and come into this house,
Prisoner, you fool! I'm a guest at
Ardsley and I'm looking for a lady
That's a very unlikely story. Col
Inns, help the gentleman down." and
the reporter obeyed instructions with
SO much zeal that the noble gentleman
fell prone, and was assisted to his
feet with a fine mockery of helpful
ness.
81 tell you I'm looking for a lady
the Duke of Ballywinllle and brother
in-law to Mr.. Ardmore. I'll have you
sent to Jail if you stop me here
Come along, Duke, and we'll see
what you look like" said Cooke, lead
ing the way to the bungalow veranda.
Within Ardmore was lighting lamps.
There was long room finished in
black oak, with a fireplace at one end,
and table in the center. The floors
were covered with handsome rugs and
the walls hung with photographs and
etchings. Ardmore sat on the back OF
a leather settee in pose assumed
at the moment of the dukes entrance.
1t was pose of entire nonchalance,
and Ardmore's cap, perched on the
back of his head, and his brown hair
rumpled boyishly, added to the gen.
eral effect of comfort and ease.
The duke blinked for moment in
the lamplight, then he reared out JOY
ously:
"Ardy, old mani" and advanced
toward his brother-in-law with out
stretched hand.
Keep him off; he's undoubtedly
quite mad" said Ardmore, staring
coldly, and bending his riding crop
across his knees. collins, please
ride on after the lady and bring her
back this way
Cooke has seated the prisoner rather
rudely in chair, and the noble duke,
having lost the power of speech in
amazement and fright, rubbed his eyes
and them fastened them incredulously
on Ardmore; but there was no ques-
ton about it, he had been seized with
violence; he had been repudiated by
his own brother-in-law-the useless,
stupid Tommy Ardmore, who, at bests
had only child's mind for pirate
stories and who was individually the
most negligible Of negligible figures in
the drama of life as the duke knew it.
Cooke" began Ardmore, addressing
his lieutenant gravely from his perch
on the settee, what is the charge
against this persona"
He says he's duke" grinned
Cooke taking his cue from Aroinore's
manner And he says he's visiting
at Ardsley.''
That" said Ardmore with decision,
''is creditable only to the gentleman's
romantic Imagination. His face is
anything but dukely, and there's red
streak across it which points clearly
to the recent sharp blow Of a weapon;
and no one would ever strike duke.
It's utterly jncredible" and Ardmore