Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-13
EVENING STORY
FOR SELF AND WIFE.
BY lzola Forester.

Fl
BY Izola Forester.
Copyrighted, 1911. by Associated Lit
erary Press)
'I'm positive it's Ralph" Vera
leaned forward in her steamer chair
to get a good look at the man who
had Just passed. He has marched
around about forty times so far this
morning, Phil, and I do wish you'd
find out for me-"
II didn't know you were so keen
on digging UP Ralph" Phil's tone
was mere grunt Of disgust, from
the depths of his rug Didn't that
die out at Pinehurst last fall?"
Didn't what die out " Vera
looked meditatively and innocently
out to sea.
Weren't you engaged?"
''Not exactly"
"Not exactly? Upon my word, Vera,
you girls get on my nerves. You
think loves polo game. When q
chap comes cropper, you lift your
eyebrows, and say it's too bad he
can't play right. You know Ralph
was awfully cut up after you left,
and-when did you see him last?"
f. Vera rose, smiling mysteriously.
phil, it wouldn't be right for me
to tell you. It's bad enough to en-
courage those er-polo players, but
it's worse to give description Of
how they took the tumble. Go and
find out from the ships list If it is
Ralph; there's dear. And If 1t is,
look him up, and be NICE"
Most unwillingly, Phil obeyed in
structions. There was over six years
between Vera and himself, and an
elder sister has rights which even q
fellow of 10 has to recognize. Care
fully he went over the list of first
cabin passengers, but found no such
name as Ralph Maynard.
He's in stateroom d, promenade
deck because asked steward" Phil
protested. who's got that room
can you tell?"
Somerset Lane, for self and WIFE,"
the purser told him. II think they're
just married, and on theirs honey
moon"
81 don't believe It," Vera said
calmly, when Phil brought back the
news. ut is Ralph. know, now,
because bowed to him as he went
by the forty-frst time, while you
were gone, and he knew me. Why
should he ship under an assumed
manner"
Maybe it's a secret marriage"
suggested Phillips archly. Hes
wise old dog, anyway"
"He is not, Phil. If ever there
was an Observation-Disclosures straight
forward boy, it's Ralph Maynard. Did
it give the wife's name?"
Phil shook his head.
"Just said for self and wife?"
"But where's the wife? If he were
on his honeymoon, would he be
tramping the deck madly hour after
hour?"
l.'Maybe she's seasick?" Phil sug-
gested brightly II saw him talking
to that old chap from Virginia in
the smoker this morning, so on the
way back up the companionway. I
ran into him and asked If he knew
Somerset Lane. He said he did. that
he was a bully young chap, and it
was a shame his wife was so deli
cate that she had to keep to her
stateroom all through the passage
over"
Vera's face was a study. She
frowned and pursed her pretty lips
tensely. Some way, she could not
picture Ralph's wife at all. She could
only remember the last night at Pine
hurst. It had been in September
and the Carolina beach looked won
derfully fair in the rich, golden
moonlight. Hatless, they had mount
ed horses, and gone for a can
ter at low tide along the wet sands,
far, far out, to what they called
Lovers Leap. It was jutting head
land of rock that cut of the beach.
And it was here that Ralph had
taken his chance with Fate. She
could see him still, bending toward
her from his saddle, his face bit
hard and tense in the cool moonlight,
his eyes full of yearning. She had
said no, of course-every girl does
the first time she Is asked by a man
and If he had been older he would
have understood the challenge in her
eyes and words, and fought the game
out with her to its winning. She had
wished him to win, but the next
morning when she had risen she got
the news of his departure for New
York on the first train out.
And now he was on board, under
an assumed name. in a stateroom
sfor self and wife,"
4 say, Vera, here he comes" Phi
said suddenly. I'm going" Good
luck, sis. You might offer my con
gratulations with. your own. They
say lemons are good for seasickness.'
The next moment Ralph Maynard
stood in front of her, cap of, very
erect, and on the defensive, but with
the same splendid brown eyes thai
could plead a cause better than al
t the lips in the world, she had once
Thought.
II would have spoken before, bu'
you didn't seem to remember me
Miss Chalmers"
We've only been out one day.
She looked up with a smile. but i
was not an encouraging smile.
girl does not feel sunny and sweet
tempered toward a man who takes
unto himself wife six months aftel
Iha has made love to her. II hat