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

dered. in the face OF 1t, how / was ever
going to drag my unwilling spirit up
into the witness box. The summons
might come at any moment-might
come now, while we sat talking with
our feet in the sun and the cypress
shadow cool upon our foreheads.
At four o'clock father came stepping
out Of the conservatory, calling out,
C'What young person will give. a tired
man cup of tea?" Them noticing my
questioning look, "No summons for us
today" he said; SO I ran in to fetch
the tea table.
Tea in the garden was a rare event.
The few warm spring days gave the
opportunity, and nothing was prettier
than the scarlet lacquer tray with the
Nankin cups set out under the hello
trope vines. asked whether this was
any special celebration, and father
said. yes; It was a farewell compli-
Il ary to him. He had to go out of town
tonight. He hated to be away over sun
day, he explained, but there was bust
ness at Alma which he must look into
sometime during the next five days;
and week days for the present would
be out Of the question-by which
knew he meant he must stay on &C.
count Of the trial. Then he stopped be-
ing sensible and leased Halle about
her latest beau He loves to do that,
because she takes 1t all SO seriously.
and never sees that he Is Joking her.
Just as she was protesting that she had
no serious intentions toward the per.
son in question. two young men came
around the path from the front of the
house, Hallie's beau and Jack Tracy,
who had fluttered my sentiment short
time before by asking me to marry
him. But now he was too bubbling over
with Importance to remember to look
sentimental.
Had we heard the latest sensation
they wanted to know? Montgomery
had tried to break Jail. Came mighty
near doing it, too!
had been holding cup and saucer
when he began speaking. and when ne
stopped it was on the brick path in a
hundred pieces.
|ts!O kid ;alkw Observation-Disclosures
"Poppycock," father said, "the town
is full of rumors."
But, no, they said. 1t was true enough
They had it from good authority. II
seemed that the sheriff had been
bribed. Just how and by whom
couldn't make cut, because every one
was talking at once. But the sheriff had
been removed pending trial. said
Jack Tracy, and the deputy was acting
in his place.
out said 'if it wasn't Mr.. Mont
gomery who bribed the sheriff, how car
you tell he really wanted to escape 2"
Then every one laughed, and
stopped over and began picking up the
pieces of the Nankin cup, so that nc
one should see how l was blushing
but my hands shook so that it was al
1 could do to hold the pieces. What II
the world was the matter with me late
ly? There was no reason in my behav
i ing like this, as II Johnny Montgomer!
had been an old friend. excused my
self on the pretext Of having fathers
bag to pack, and escaped into thu
house. "All the same" said to myself
II don't believe he tried to get out, o.
Ieven really wanted to. From the wa!
. he looked in the court am sure n
doesn't care what happens to him.
Z But, oh, did wish he cared littl'
more; how l wished that some on
could show, in his behalf, one contra
a dictory piece of evidence; so that al
the testimony wouldn't seem to be mar
rowing down to one point where there
would. be room for but one thing
could believe him to be.