Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-02-19

one corner of the room lay pens and
paper and ink and in the waste bas-
ket beside it were several crumpled
little balls-notes he had begun and
then irritably destroyed, to begin all
over again.
He paused in front of the fickering
fire for moment and with his hands
behind his back stood staring fixedly
at the leaping flames, his brows fur
rowed in deep and evidently unpleas-
ant thought. Then, with a shrug Of
his shoulders, indicative, seemingly, Of
his determination to begin the most
unpleasant task, he caught up half
burned cigar from an ash-tray on the
table, flicked the ashes from it, lighted
it and turned slowly to that open desk
in the corner and it's waiting con-
tents.
But even as he took up the pen a
whir of wheels sounded on the pave
ments without He stepped to the
window just as carriage drew up to
the curb and smart footman, spring
ing from the box, held open the door,
while trim, fur-clad figure stepped
from within, crossed the curb and ran
lightly up the steps.
Waid followed that figure with
hungry eyes. Then a door opened and
closed; light footsteps battered up the
stairs in the hall; the carriage ratified
off through the gray dusk of the win
ter twilight, and Waid, with set teeth
and narrowed eyes, turned again to
the desk.
He drew up chair, picked up the
pen again and dipped it into the
bronze ink well; but after that he sat
for long time irresolute, staring fix
eddy at the desk
Then, upstairs, he heard a voice, a
low, pleasant modulated voice, talk
ing to one of the maids He shut his
teeth and resolutely pulled one of the
blank sheets of paper toward him.
My dear Ruth" he wrote.
"The crash has come. They have
wiped me out. Norcross and the crowd
he has with him has been too much
for me- Everything is gone.
Il don't care so much for myself.
am not yet an old man, and | have my
two hands, as clear head and as
much energy and enthusiasm as ever.
Indeed | believe in some ways l shall
welcome the struggle. They can en-
barrass me temporarily, but they can't
down me.
But I am frightfully sorry for you.
| ] know what position and power have
meant to You--that they were as the
very breath of life to you. l realized
how much happier you have been since
wealth and a certain amount of pres.
tige have come to us. I dread to think
what the curtaling of these must
mean to you.
Il have managed to save out Of the
ruin and leave to you in your name
the house here. the place at Cedar.
hurst and what will be, | fear, a pitt
| fully inadequate income for you. 1t
was the best / could do. You are to
keep up what semblance Of your hap
Ply days you can with it. BY the time
you read this shall be on my way
west to start afresh. I can't live here
on this money have managed to hold
back from the wreck, for that is not
my way. 1t would cause endless com.
ment. | should feel | was sheltering
behind your skirts. With you it will
be different. ] owe you this much at
least Yours always,
Bob
He read the brief note through, was
rather inclined to add to it few
things Of q bit more personal nature
but upon second thought decided to
let it stand as it was
He folded the note, placed it in an
envelope, addressed it to his wife and
rang bell on the table.
Edward he said, when the butler
answered his summons, give this