Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-02


they were to meet in town where
none of the college people could see
them. Madge was to spend the night
in town with friends, and he was to
return to college, perfectly happy.
The great day had come. and Burke
was sitting before his desk In a state
of blissful reflection on Madge's eyes,
and Madge's voice, and Madge's
amusing ways when some one stepped
timidly up to his desk.
prof. Langton!" 1t was indeed
Madge who was talking: she seemed
very grave and constrained. Prof.
Langton, Ill won't be able to.
meet you tonight"
"Why, Madge, why, Miss Walton"
he said, looking In vain for her usual
smile. "Of course you will. It's all
planned. can't let you off," He
looked intently into her face to dis
cover the cause of her sudden change
OF heart. What do you mean?" he
demanded.
She avoided his glance. I'll hoped
you would understand she said. Il
can't explain"
Prof. Langton would have insisted
upon a more complete explanation
had 1t not been for the inevitable
approach of other members OF the
class that ever-present class He
stumbled through his lecture some
how, experiencing all the fortunes OF
uncertainty. When he had finished
and had entered the sanctum of his
inner laboratory he felt as If he had
endured years Of aging. II hoped you
would understand" she had told
him. Il can't explain" He recalled
the words and saw again the look OF
anxiety on her face. Yes; she under
stood how he felt and only wanted
to save his feelings.
Then the vision of her as he had
last seen her came to his mind. She
had left the room with two or those
tall, 6verbearing, all-important seniors.
Just how he did not understand, but
somehow, he was sure, those seniors
were responsible for the change. She
had been with them continually, he
Remembered They we're making her
another Of that self-sufficient, tiresome
type OF college girl. And yet there
came back the certainty again and
again that Madge really and truly
liked him.
l. WHICH Luc dltSTIOOu hdu uAo6SOu
away and the monotony of dinner he
thought of the tickets In his pocket
and was inclined at first to invite
fellow professor to share the even
Iing's entertainment with him, but the
thought Of going without her was
impossible.
! So it was that Burke sought con-
ISOLATION in the laboratory, to so on
with an important experiment and
try to work himself into state OF
scientific Indifference, 1t was about
1880 when he reached the building
1T was, as usual closed for the day,
but with the use of his late key he
gained admission. He CROPPED his
way through the main hall, up the
stairway, along the corridor toward
the laboratory. Suddenly he stopped
short
"Great heavens!" he said aloud,
and then a sickening dread came
upon him as he realized that he had
stumbled in the dark upon something
soft and human In the deep shadow
The could see the graceful figure Of
girl, covered with black, lying notion
Hess upon the stone floor.
"It's one Of those poor, over-worked
students who's tainted from fatigue"
he thought with touch of annoyance
as he bent down over her, and then
realized that students couldn't be In
the building at this time Of night, as
their work there was over at SHUTDOWN
To call for assistance was useless,
az there was no one within call of his
voice. He hurriedly lifted the limp
~ y u
stairs into the laboratory. There ne
laid it down on the floor while he
reached to snap on the electric
flights.
! It was Madge-Madge enveloped in
an academic gown, with black cloth
drawn over her eyes. Almost faint
with dread, he felt her pulse and lis
tened for her. breathing. Everything
was perfectly normal, but still he
] could not rouse her. In a second he
had the bandage from her eyes and
was throwing water into her face,
when he preceived faint smile,
Still her eyes were closed and she
was apparently unconscious. "Madge!
Madge!" he said In voice that did
not sound like his own. Don't you
hear me?"
AS he clasped her hands frantically
in his he recalled having heard OF all
sorts Of curious manias brought on
by over work, and yet he had never
| thought of Madge as having studied
much. Certainly she didn't spend
much thought on chemistry. He
Ihurriedly reached to his experiment
table for some strong ammonia in the
lloc+ hopo of rnuSfnQ her. tsaz
He put the uncorked bottle before
lher and watched her anxiously. In a
second she had opened her eyes. sat
IN and pushed the bottle from her,
and then as she saw the anxious face
before her, look OF mystiflcation
came over her.
"Why, why, where am II" she
asked, rubbing her eyes and looking
about in alarm. my. but that's
strong. I just couldn't keep still an
other minute"
cts all right, Madge, little girl.
said the professor, lifting her to a
chair, You'll feel better in little
I-hua Than ho Stnod anYiOnR1y