Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-27
CHAPTER XIX

The inability Of Margery Fleming to
tell who had chloroformed her, and
Mrs Buffers white face and br0oding
eyes made very respectable mys-
terry out OF the affair. Only Fred,
Edith and I came down to breakfast
that morning. Fred's expression was
half amused, half puzzled. Edith
fiuttered uneasily over the coffee ma
chine, her cheeks as red as the bow OF
ribon at her throat. was preoccu.
pied, and, like Fred. propped the
morning paper in front OF me and pro-
ceeded to think in it's shelter.
did you find anything. Fred?"
Edith asked. Fred did not reply. 50
she repeated the question with some
emphasis.
"Eh-what?'' Fred inquired, peer
ing around the corner of the paper.
ou-flnd-any-clew
Eyes, dear-that is, no. Nothing to
amount to anything. Upon my soul.
Jack. II I wrote the editorials OF this
paper, I'd say something" He sub
sided into inarticulate growls behind
the paper, and everything was quiet.
Then I heard q sniffie. distinctly. I
looked up. Edith was crying pouring
cream into a coffee cup. and feeling
blindly for the sugar. with her pretty
face twisted and her pretty eyes OBJ
scured. In second was up, had
crumpled the newspapers, including
Fred's, into ball, and had lifted him
bodily out Of his chair.
"When am married" said hercely
Jerking him around to Edith and push
ing him into a chair beside her. III
ever read the paper at breakfast when
my wife is bursting for conversation.
NAV | have some good and faithful
friend who will bring me back to q
sense Of my duty" drew . chair to
Edith's other side. Nov, let's talk"
said.
She wiped her eyes shamelessly with
her table napkin. There isn't soul
in this house can talk to-" she
walled. "All kinds Of awful things
happening-and we had to send Tor
coffee this morning, Jack. You must
have used four pounds last highland
nobody will tell me thing. There's
no use asking Margery-she's sick at
her stomach from the choloform-and
Ellen never talks except about her.
self. and she's horribly Mountaineering
! And Fred and you make ba-barri-
cade out Of newspapers. and fre yes
at me when you mean no.
IT put the coffee back where ! got
LIT, Edith" protested stoutly. Il know
we're barbarians. but I'll swear to
that" And then stopped, for | had
sudden recollection Of going upstairs
with something fat and tiny in my
arms, Of finding 1t in my way, and OF
hastily thrusting it into the boys boot
closet under the nursery stair.
Fred had said nothing. He had
taken her hand and was patting It
gently, the while his eye sought the
headlines on the wad Of morning
paper.
"You burned that blue rug" she
sid to me disconsolately, with a threat
OF fresh tears. 1T took me ages to
and the right shade OF blue"
IT will buy you that shirvan you
wanted" FASTENED to assure her.
Eyes. to take away when you get
married. There is hint of the shrew
in all good women.
II will buy the shirvan and not get
married"
Here. regret to say. Edith suddenly
laughed. She threw her head back
and jeered at me.
| "You!" she chortled, and pointed
one slim finger at me mockingly.
you, who are 80 mad about one girl
that you love all women for her sake!
You, who go white instead OF red when
she comes into the room! You, who
have let your practice go to the dogs
to be near her, and then never speak
to her when she's around, but sit with
your mouth open like puppy begging
for candy, ready to snap up every word
she throws you and wiggle with 1oy!"
was terrified.
Honestly, Edith, do do that7" !
gasped. But she did not answer; she
only leaned over and kissed Fred.
Women like men to be awful fools
about Them" she said. That's why
Inn so crazy about Freddie" He
/ writhei. ===
III tell you something nice. Jack,
will you make 1t a room-size rug?
/ Room size 1t is.
"Then--Margery's engagement ring
was stolen last night and when COM
miserated her she said-dear me, the
lamps out and the coffee is cold!"