Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-10-23

~ 6oSSiA LII. IL uS WcES p0ilLlClhI
he'd be senator. But" and she
folded her hands and eyed his search
ingly-"here's lot Of kilograms from
the sheriff Of Dilwell county abou,
that jug. How on earth did you come
to get it?'
Lied, of course. | allowed them to
think was intimately associated In
business with the governor. and they
began passing me jugs. Then the
man who gave the jug with that mes.
sage in the cork got suspicious and |
dropped the buttermilk Jug back to
him"
You traded buttermilk for moon
sinner"
Il shouldn't exactly call it moon
shine. It's more like dynamite than
anything else. I've written a reply to
the note and put it back In the cork,
and I'm going to return it to Kildare"
What answer did you make to that
infamous effort to intinidate my
father?' demanded Miss Dangerfield.
Il told the Appleweight gang that
| they are lot Of towards, and that the
governor will have them all In Jail or
hanged within ten days."
Splendid! Perfectly splendid! Did
you really say that?''
What else could / do?sI knew that
that's what the governor would say
he'd have to say it-so thought I'd
save him the trouble"
Where's the jug now, Mr.. Ard
more?"
In my room at the hotel. The gang
must have somebody on guard here.
A gentleman who seemed to be one
of them called on me this morning,
demanding the jug; and If he's the
man think he Is, he's stolen the lit
tie brown jug from my room in the ho-
tel by this time"
Miss Dangerfield had picked up a
spool of red tape and was unwinding
1t slowly in her fingers and rewinding
It, They were such nice little hands.
and so peaceful in their aimless tri-
fling with the tape that he was sure
his eyes had betrayed him into imag.
lining she had clenched them In the
quiet drawing-room at the mansion.
This office. now that it's atmosphere
enveloped him, was almost as domes-
tic as the house in which she lived.
The secretary had vanished, and
Sabbath quiet was on the place. The
white inner shutters swung open, az
fording charming prospect Of the
trees, the lawn and the monument in
the park outside. And, pleasantest OF
ALL the most soothing to his weary
senses, she was tolerating him now:
she had even expressed approval Of
something he had done. and he had
never hoped for this. She had not
even pressed him to disclose his real
purpose in visiting Raleigh, and he
prayed that she would not return to
this subject for he had utterly lost
the conceit of his own lying gift. Miss
5Dangerfield threw down the spool OF
tape and bent toward him gravely.
Mr.. Ardmore, can you keep a Sc.
cret?"
Nobody ever tried me with one,
but think I can, Miss Dangerfield,"
he murmured humbly.
Then please stand up"
And Ardmore rose a little sheepisf-
ly like schoolboy who fears blame
and praise alike. Miss Dangerfield
lifted one of the adorable hands SOL
emily.
81, acting governor of North Caro-.
lima, hereby appoint you my private
secretary, and may God have mercy
on your soul You may now sit down,
Mr.. Secretary"
But thought there was a score
tary already. And besides, DOM
write very good hand" Ardmore
stammered
81 am just sending Mr.. Bassford to
Atlanta to find papa. He's already
gone, or will be pretty soon."
But thought your father would be
home tonight
Miss Dangerfield looked out of the
open window upon the park, then into
the silent outer hall, to be sure she
was not overheard
Papa will not be home tonight, or
probably tomorrow night, or the night
afterward. I'm not sure we'll wait next
Christmas dinner for papa"
But of course you know where he
is! 1t isn't possible" and Ardmore
stared in establishment into Miss
Dangerfield's tranquil blue eyes.
1T is possible. Papa is ducking his
official responsibilities That's what's
the matter with papa! And guess
they're enough to drive any man into
the woods. Just look at all this!''
Miss Dangerfield rested one Of those
diminutive hands of hers on the pile
OF documents, letters and kilograms
the secretary had left behind him;
with nod of the head she indicated
the governors desk in the inner room,
and it, too, was piled high with docu-
ments.
81 supposed" faltered Ardmore,
that in the absence of the governor
the lieutenant governor would act.
think read that once"
You must have read it wrong, Mr..
Ardmore. In North Carolina, in the abb
sence of the governor, am the gov.
ernor! Don't look SO shocked when l
say |, | mean I--me! Do you under
stand what l said?"
Il heard what you said, Miss Dan
gerf1eld."
Il mean what said, Mr.. Ardmore.
have taken you into my confidence
because don't know you. I don't
know anything about you. I'd be
ashamed to ask anybody | know to
help me. The people Of North Carolina
must never know that the governor Is
absent during times of great public
neTil And if Won ara afraid nv Ara