Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-13
CHAPTER v.

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CHAPTER v.
The Second Day in Court.
AS father and I crossed the lower
hall, do you believe all these stories
about the Spanish woman are true"
I asked.
He looked at me quickly. What
stories?"
why, heard them talking in court
today; and last night didn't mean to
~ overheard you and Mr.. Dingley as
you came out Of the study"
Father looked grim. ut Is with those
stories they will try to convict him."
He took few more strides before he
added, III they can prove that Mont
gomery wanted to cut out Rood they'll
have a bad case against him." He
didn't speak again until he put me in
the carriage. Then he SAT- Il hope
that you will get this matter out of
your mind hate to have you think
about 1t"
said would try. indeed, after that
last remark Of fathers about Mont
gomery. wanting to cut out Rood It
seemed to me that, If I didn't quickly
get something else into my mind, l
should go crazy. SO while the carriage
bounded over the cobblestones, was
busy planning-the menu for dinner to-
morrow, where to leave my earrings
to be mended, how to do over my blue
silk gown, and where had been the err
ror in the butchers bill. My thoughts
rushed from one little thing to another
afraid for an instant to let go.
Upon arriving home, Abby hanging
over the banisters, wanted to hear
about The court proceedings; but I
called her that my testimony
hadn't required-and would she
please get out the oricots, and after
luncheon would name that sauce she
had been after me to do for the last
week.
She seemed astonished, but gratified,
at my unwonted energy. had been
an absolutely useless creature about
the house for so long. Now hurried
through luncheon, and attacked the
apricots as If my life was staked on
getting them halved, stoned and
boiled.
"Good Heavens, child, how you
rush." Abby protested. There's no
such great haste" But she did not
know that | was trying to run away
from an idea.
In the intervals of preserving
dived into the cellar and brought up
my rose and lilac plants; and the att
ernoon was spent In running not-
checked from the stove to the garden,
digging, carefully sprinkling, Wn1ie
Abby lowered the roots;s then -pack
the earth and patting with all my
might; darling back to the kitchen
again, to ladle out the steaming stuff
into jars and strenuously to screw on
their covers.
But for all my wearing of myself out.
through the steam Of the cooking pots,
between the leaves Of the rose bushes,
the pursuing idea would lift It's head.
The picture Of the Spanish woman as
she stood in the witness room. the
golden glimmer of her hair. her won
derful white waxy face, and the way
her eyes had sparkled at me through
her lashes, returned to my memory,
powerful as the odor of her flower. !
compared her with that flower-lux-
urious and perfect looking, as If she
had grown in hot-house; and with
that strap~a over,, helming character
listic. which drew in spite of all dislik-
ing. It was useless to cry, Il do not
like YOU and will not believe in you.
There we're two things had to &C
knowled ge-her will and her power OF
seduction. Hadn't felt the light of it
as she had stood looking at me?
Finally, when wearied out. lay IN
he'd that night. the idea | had been
fleeing overlook me; and gave up and
looked il in the face. well. yes, and
suppose he does love her? Should that
surprise me so much? How should he
help it.? She Is so beautiful
Still that admission had been forced
out of me in moment OF weakness.
between my pillow and the dark; and
was determined it should not get
hold of me with it's swarm of attend
ant tormenting thoughts. was re-
solved to 20 into court. thinking OF
nothing but lust that small measure OF
evidence which was mine to give: and
to come away again turning my back
upon the whole matter. and taking up
again the round of my daily employ
ments.
This heroic resolution was Knocheu
on the head the next morning by IA
Tiers announcing that was not sum
moned for the opening Of the court
and he added parenthetically Lord
knew when-but might be called for
any time that afternoon, SO I was 10
hold myself in readiness. This left me
! in a miserable state Of uncertainty,
which was not improved by seeing my
name in the Alta. as witness, just
above an exhortation to the people OF
San Francisco to see that justice was
done, even il the law failed in it's wrok.
The best course seemed to be the
iimmolation of myself in the long neg
llected house work. A vigorous sweep
ling of my room, the preparation of an
elaborate luncheon salad, and the total
Encouragement of the parlor furniture
might help to get rid Of that heart.
lbeating expectations soothing, and bull
warking me with domesticity. But the
lexcitement Of the city kept invading
[ my retreat, as If it we're so full of that
great matter that it had to spill over
| even into houses where 1t wasn't
wanted. The first ripple had been the
| e;oht of NV name in the paper that