Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-26
possibility of the mans awakening 20
find himself being searched and rob


find himself being searched and rob
bed
In the last place he sought, which
should Che realized) have been the
first, to-wit, the fob pocket of the
white waistcoaat. he found small
gold matchbox, packed tight with wax
vestas; and, berating himself for Grass
stupidity-he had saved deal of time
and trouble by thinking of this before
lighted the candle.
AS its golden fame shot up with
scarce tremor, preyed upon by
perfectly excusable concern, he bent
to examine the mans countenance.
- The arm which had partly hid
den it had fallen back into natural
position. 1t was a young face that
cleaned pallid in the candle light--a
face unlined, little vapid and insig-
nificant, with features regular ana
neat, betraying few characteristics
other than the purely negative attri-
butes of a character as yet uniformed,
possibly unformable; much the sort OF
face that he might have expected 10
see, remembering those thin and pout-
ing lips that before had impressed
him. It's owner was probably little
more than twenty. In his attire there
was suspicion of fop's preciseness,
aside from it's accidental disarray; the
cut of his waistcoat was the extreme
of the then fashion, the white tie
twisted beneath one ear)an exag-
gerated butterfly" his collar nearly
an inch too tall; and he was shod with
pumps suitable only for the dancing
tloor,-a whim of the young bloods OF
London of that year.
Il can't make him out at ALT de-
clared Kirkwood THE son of gen.
tleman too weak to believe that cubs
need licking into shape? Reared to
mans estate so sheltered from the
wicked world that he never grew
hark9 The sort that never
had a quarrel in his life, 'cept with
his tailor? -. Now what the
devil is this thing doing in this mid
night mischief? Damn!
II was most exasperating, the incon-
gruity of the boys appearance assert
ed with his double role of prosecutor
of distressed damsels and nocturnal
housebreaker!
Kirl1wood bent closer above the mo
tionless head, with puzzled eyes strly'
ing to pin down some elusive resemb'
lance that he thought to trace in those
vacuous features-a resemblance 10
some one he had seen, or known, at
some past time, somewhere, some
how.
81 give it up. Guess I'm mistaken.
Anyhow, Ave young Englishmen out Of
every ten Of his class are just as blond
and foolish. Now let's see how bad
he's hurt
With hands strong and gentle, he
turned the round, light head. Then,
"Ah!" he commented ia the accent OF
comprehension. For there was an
angry looking bump at the base of the
| skull: and, the skin having been
broken, possibly in collision with the
sharr-edged newel-post little blood
had stained and matted the straW-col-
ored hair.
Kirkwood let the head down and
| took thought. Recalling bathroom
on the floor above, thither he went, un'
selfshly forgetful. of his predicamen,
If discovered, and, turning on the wa
ter, sopped his handkerchief until L
dripped. Then, returning, he took the
bows head on his knees, washed the
wound, purloined another handker
chief (of silk, with a giddy bordeSl
l from the others pocket, and of this
| manufactured a rude but serviceable
bandage.
Toward the conclusion of his atten
tions, the sufferer began to show signs
of returning animation. He stirred
restlessly, whimpered little and sigh
ed. And Kirkwood, in CONSERVATION
got up.
"so," he commented ruefully. q
guess l am an ass, all right-tak1ng al
that trouble for you, my friend. Il
I've got grain of sense left, this is
my cue to leave you alone in your
glory'"
He was lingering only to restore tt
the boys pockets such articles as ne
had removed in the search fol
matches-the match box, few silver
coins, a bulky sovereign purse, hand
some. plain gold watch, and so forth
But ere he concluded he was aware
that the boy was conscious, that hi
eyes, open and blinking in the candle
light were upon him.
They were blue eyes, blue and shall
low as a dolls and edged with long
fine lashes Intelligence, of certain
degree, was rapidly informing them
Kirkwood returned their questioning
glance. transfxed N indecision. hi
primal impulse to cut-and-run for l
was gone; he had nothing to fear from
this child who could not prevent hi
going whenever he chose to go: while
by remaining he might perchanc'
worm from him something about tn
girl.
You're feeling better?" He was al
most surprised to hear his own voic'
put ,the query.
'I-I think so. Ow, my head!
say, you chap, whoever you are
, what's happened? -. want to ge
, up The boy added peevishly: "Heil
fellow, can't your"
You've had nasty fall kirkwoo'
: observed evenly, passing an arm be
, meath the boys shoulder and helpin
him to sitting position. do yo
; remember"
The other snuffled childishly an
, scrubbed across the floor to rest hi
! back against the wall.