The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-02
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE
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eAA--A So hsa4 tdla ru o1t PRETTY mHcH Us
the cid nlin bad dreaasd- Indeed.
matters had come to this pass-how
long this induigent wife would con-
tinus TO keep her eyes shut to her
husband making ducks and brakes OF
her fortune and why she did it were
anestious which interested all who
knew this couple. but which Challoner
apparently thought wholly unneces-
sary TO ask himself
An automobile Mrs. Challoner's au-
tpnobile- WIS largely instrumental in
bringing matters TO climax As trou-
bic makers the machines rank high.
In fact. there are moments when it
would seem as ii the arch fend him
self were In them; otherwise how ac-
count for the mysterious influence that
makes people lose command Of them
selves once they are in command Of
them-that leads astray. as some one
has said the great and the good as
well as those Of lesser ciayl
But. be that as 1t may. in this partic-
MAR instance the devil was not lurking
IN. tampering with the improvements
and refnemeurs Of detail In the big
red body OF Mrs. Challoner's mastodon
model No. it Was not with the ma
chine that he was concerned. but with
the man himself. befuddling whatever
brains he had left. and the devil it was.
and no other. that melted Challoner to
leave a certain estR blishment-abo bout
which we shall hare something to say
later on-take the wheel from the
chauffeur and embark on g. sensational,
bacchfc career up the avenue at an
hour when the view of that fashion
able thoroughfare through the silken.
shimmerT curtains falling over win
dow In a corner house faeing the
park was too alluring not to be ire
sfstibIe.
And so it came about that the com
nents on the passing throng made by
two women taking afternoon tea In
Mrs. ChaIlcner's drawing room were
interrupted In a manner quite embar-
RAISING.
Look. Miriaml'' Shirley BIocdgood
YVES saying to her hostess apropos OF
a woman passing by whom they both
knew did you ever seen any thin 6
more atrocious than that gown y
The other smiled her appreciation.
and again the volubie Miss Bloodgood
went on.
And do look at the Heath girls In
those huge hats. What frightsr'
But. whatever were her thoughts on
the subject. Miriam ChaIloner did not
answer. for precisely at that moment
her attention was attracted by some
thing strangely familiar In an unusual
ly insolent and insistent honking OF a
motor horn which WAS causing wave
OF apprehension to sweep down the
long line of vehicles. And q moment
later they saw that chaufeurs were
rudely interrupting the purring of an
tomobiles lazing over their allotted
miles; that drivers were swerving
their horses into closer relations with
the curb; that hardly had these at
tanned a position OF comparative safe
ty than there flashed by them and
fetched up in front OF Mrs. Challoner's
house big machine, which a distin-
guIshed though dissipated looking man
had been recklessly forcing with utter
disregard of the right of way.
| Rising quickly. Shirley Bloodgood
put out her hand. "Goodby: thank yol
so much. Miriam." Her one thought
| was to escape what she wisely inter
preted as an oncoming scene between
husband and wife.
But. though there was mist before
her eyes. a surging In her ears, not s
muscle of Miriam Challoner's face
moved.
Surely. my dear. you're not going
What2 So soon::"
Conventional though they were. there
A could be no mistaking the tone OF sin
cerity In Mrs. Challoner's words a!
she took the girls hand In both of her:
With an affectionate movement. In
iced. for the barest fraction OF sec
ond it almost succeeded in convincin'
] Shirley that the distressing incident o
the motor had entirely escaped her. a
any rate. IL augmented the doub
4 whether the woman before her ha'
even an inkling of the stories In circu
lation concerning the doings OF he
husband. But. gratifying as was tn
thought of the wife's possible igne
rance. 1t by no means lessened the ne
cessity of a departure on Shirley
part, and somewhat confusedly. bu
affectionatcly, she kissed her hostes
goodby.
"Oh. my dear Miriam. but mus
Your tea is perfectly delicious. thougi
IIf only | had time Shirley stoppe
abruptly. Her endeayor to conceal he
anxiety 10 be gone was making her III
certain of her words
zones tea. like ones friends. &c
dear. should be Of the best, Mirlal
returned. With sweet smile
Mlriam's smile and manner touche
Shirley deeply. The inclination I
offer words of comfort was strong !
this tall. rangy girl. whose every NOV
rnent was as graceful as 1t was IL
pulsive. How sweet. how easy.
would be, she thought. II Miriam woul