Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-12-20
DAN WALKERS HEART.
BY Stacy {. Baker.

airy Prer y
After twenty years of harsh bat
/ Ting in the marts of the world, Dan
Y. aller was out to return to the
simple people Of his early years.
Wa-.-yille held out no all,lrements. He
did not want to- go back. Neverthe-
less his valet was, even then. packing
the careful selection Of clothes that
he had decided to take with him. All
this was in answer to the imperious
demand Of a frank-spoken physician.
\ go back the specialist had told
him. IF you care to live forget that
such q place as Wall street exists,
and go pack to the village" 6
Dan Waller was thirty-eight years
old. but his face was the hard. mex
pressive face of the professional stock
gambler. He looked older.
Save for pallor Dan Waller did
not, have the appearance of sick
man. His every movement was preg-
nant with vitality, and his broad
shoulders were carried proudly thrown
back as became the shoulders of one
whofhad conquered in his every tilt
with the world.
1t was the heart of the man that
had at last rebelled-but before this
Waller had accumulated over mill.
jon dollars.
:: An orphan, brought up with a
frugal farmer. who had taken him
|out of an orphans home with "a cal
culating eye on the stocky frame Of
the boy, Waller couldn't look back
over the experiences of his youth In
Wayville with thrifty little quivers
of joy. Martin. his master, had been
a master in every sense of the word.
He had given the lad whatever the
lay had compelled him to give In the
way of clothes and education, but he
had always striven to impress upon
Dan with each gift-if gifts they
could be called-that. whatever, came
from Observation-Disclosures charity
All this could result in one thing.
There came q tine when the boy be-
came young man-and the young
man was con3picuously absent from
the Martin house one morning when
the misery farmer attempted to call
his chattel from his attic room.
Dan Waller. his belongings OH his
bac-: nd in cotton handkerchief,
fingers of the city.
And now he wondered how Way
vile would receive him. He wonder
ed what Martin, his old taskmaster,
would say. Responsive to sudden
vags-y. he went cross to the massive
writing desk in the corner of this
l,ixuriant library, and sprawled one
line across sheet Of the heavy linen
paper bearing his monogram.
cam coming back. Meet me at
afternoon train tomorrow. want
to talk with You"
The bell brought the valet. Here
came from the man at the desk, Email
this. and, by the way. you are not to
go with M to Wayville. You will re-
main here, subject to my orders"
''As the Honorable Waller wishes, .
came in stilted English from the
Japanese He bowed low and silently
left the room
The only afternoon train from the
east came to an impatient stop at
Wayville Just long enough to allow
it's passenger for. this point to alight.
Waller, dressed in unassuming black.
pushed back the broad hat from his
brow, and stared about him for the
well remembered figure of Martin. A
trim, daintily clad girl tripped toward
him.
"You don't know me-" came in a
soft voice.
"You do have the advantage of me, :"
ackno wledged the broker politely,
Withal, there was something about
the sunny hair, the great blue eyes
that touched some dim chord of mem
DRY.
And yet" laughed the girl, 81
knew you, but, of course, your note
told us that you would come, and, as
you were the only passenger, can't
claim much credit
You are not-Ethel queried Wal
Ter, in amazement.
Just SOL"
In Walters pleasureless years with
the Martins. Ethel. the daughter Of
his master, was the one menber of
the family who, in all his futile re-
volts, won him clemency from her
wrathful father, and gave him cause
to believe in such a thing as human
ity. He had not forgotten.