Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-06-15

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,s-Merrill Company
He gave way with suddenness that
astonished me. "Just as you say. Mr..
Crosby, Just as you say. No difference
whatever to me. Glad to be relieved
OF the business. Better call this after
noon, and have it over with. Always
best to settle things at once. She'll
be in al day. Quickest way OF end
ing the whole trouble"
"Tu call this afternoon"
Right. Say about three-thirty. |
90 in here. Sorry to have brought you
80 far. Sorry to have had this to do at
all. Very unpleasant for both Of us,
but life's full of unpleasantness. Sorry
I shan't see you again. Cant be helped.
Good-by."
made the best Of my way back,
with an indistinct sense OF having
fought with small tornado, and won
dering whether l won minor victory
or sealed an irrevocable defeat True,
/ had gained the point Of receiving my
dismissal in person, but Reds very
readiness of acquiescenoe indicated
the completeness of his confidence In
my discontinue. l spent the interim
planning things to say which knew
| should miserably forget when the
time came to say them; and went to
keep my appointment with Miss Tauor
feeling illogically like a malefactor
goin,, up for trial, and remembering
with sickly lucidity every word Of the
skeptical common sense that H.
been fiouuing from the first.
She was sitting near the great Dutch
fireplace, and as I crossed the room
slid her book upon the table and stood
up. She Gid not offer me her hand,
nor did she notice mine.
Hoy do you do, Mr.. Crosby?" she
said.
There was an acid formality about
the meaningless little sentence that
took the color out of all I had intend
cept that / was very well; and the
hollow inanity of that under the cir
cumstances left me standing speech
less, defeated before the beginning.
She was standing very straight, and
her eyes looked beyond me blankly, as
they had on the Ainslies' veranda
Now she brought them to mine for an
instant, and motioned me to chair
that faced hers at little distance as
if it had been placed there beforehand
1--WE had better sit down." she said.
II want to talk quietly to you, Mr..
Crosby"
your brother told me that this
would be a good time for me to come"
said l unmeaningly.
For long time she was silent, turn
ing over and over with reflective fin
gers little ivory paper cutter. The
handle of It was carved to represent a
fish with its mouth open grasping the
blade. Somewhere in the room clock
licked twice to every three of my
heart-beats. Finally she looked up
decisively.
you wanted to see me, Mr.. Crosby.
suppose it is about something in
particular. Please tell me what 1t is"
You must know as, well as I do"
l answered trying to steady my tone.
II have been told that my attempt to
call Is an intrusion, and that you do
not wish to see me again. preferred
to be told that by you yourself"
Her eyes rested steadily upon mine.
'Well,'' she said, II tell you now that
it is perfectly true"
There was the same formality about
it all, the same sense of mechanical ar
rangement; not as If she were playing
a part, but as If she were going
through with an unpleasant purpose
according to q precOnceived plan. l
tried to shift the burden Of the situa-
ton.
"Why?" asked. 1T seems to me
that this part of intruder has been
made up and put upon me. Except for
crossing lines that need never have
been drawn, I don't understand what
l have DONE"
Perhaps not. If you think little,
you will remember that when | asked
you to go that night when-when you
brought me here, told you to forget
us-that you were not to ask ques-
lions, nor try to see me again. l
thought made it very clear at that
time. Are you the Judge of my right
to close my own door,"
For a moment | was too much be.
Wildered to answer. when we met
at Ainslies," blurted, you met me as
friend, as though nothing had brck-
en- what We began in the holidays. l
can't believe that you were only play
ing courteous part. You were your
own open self. Everything was all
right, l am very sure, until--until this
man. this-your brother came for
YOU"
She gave scornful little laugh,
leaning back indolently in her chair.
Really, Mr.. Crosby, aren't you
rather overstaiing the case? Have we
been such very great friends? l have
known you ten days-twelve days."
h | nodded dumbly.
I have no wish to hurt YOU" she
went on more gently, "but we have
really nothing like friendship to ap-
peal to. am not breaking anything,
because there is nothing to break.
When you left here-I thought that
you understood me. I don't know
what my family disliked in you, and
don't care to know. 1t has nothing to
do with me. But this is what dislike.
You called up my father the next
morning. and demanded reasons. You
went to the beach, where you knew
was invited. Was to cut you there?
Was to explain to mutual friends
that didn't want to meet you? l
don't think you have treated our &C.
workmanship particularly well, or