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

and Fred had been reading usSa poem
he had just finished, receiving Win
indifference my comment on 1t, ana
basking In Edith's rapture.
DO you know yourself what IT Is
about?" inquired caustfcally.
III It's about anything. 1t isn't
poetry, he replied. Poetry appeals
to the ear; it is primarily sensuous.
II 1t Is more than that 1t ceases to be
poetry and becomes verse"
Edith yawned.
"I'm afraid I'm getting old" she
said, I'm getting the nap habit after
dinner, Fred, run up, will you, and see
II Katie put blankets over the boys?'
Fred stuffed his poem in his pocket
and went resignedly upstairs. Edith
yawned again. and prepared to retire
to the den for forty winks.
IF Ellen decides to come down
stairs" she called back over her shout
der. please come and wake me. She
said she felt better and might come
down"
At the door she turned. behind
Margery's back, and made me sweep
ing and comprehensive signal. She
finished 1t of with a double wink.
Edith having never been able to wink
one eye alone, and crossing the hall,
closed the door Of the den with an
obtrusive bang.
Margery and were alone. The
girl looked at me, smiled a little. and
drew long breath.
"It's queer Edith" said;s II never
before knew her to get drowsy after
dinner. II she we're not beyond suspi..
cion, I would think 1t deep-laid
scheme, and she and Fred sitting and
holding hands in corner somewhere. :
Tut why-a scheme?" She had
folded her hands In her lap, and the
eternal ring sparkled Indignantly.
"They might think I wanted to talk
to you," suggested.
ITO me?" -
'To you The fact Is, I do
Perhaps was morbid about the
ring; it seemed to me she lifted her
hand and looked at it.
'It's drafty in here: don't you think
so?" she asked suddenly, looking back
Of her. Probably she had not meant
it, but got up and closed the door
into the hall When came back l
took the chair next to her, and for a
moment we said nothing. The log
threw out tiny red devil sparks, and
the clock chimed eight, very slowly.
Harry Wardrop was here last
night" l said. poking down the log
with my heel.
"Here?"
Eyes. suppose I was wrong, but
l did not say you were here"
She turned and looked at me closely,
out of the most beautiful eyes l ever
saw.
I'm not afraid to see him." she
said proudly, "and he ought not to be
afraid to see me-"
'T want to tell you something before
you see him. Last night. before ne
came, thought that-well, that at
least he knew something of-the
things we want to know"
"Yes?"
'In justice to him, and because
want to fight fair, / tell you tonight
that / don't believe he knows anything
about your fathers death, and that
believe he was robbed that night al
Bellwood."
what about the pearls he sold at
Plattsburg?" she asked suddenly. ~
II think when the proper time comes
he will tell about that too. Margery.'
l did not notice my use OF her name
until too late. If she heard. she
failed to resent It, after all, II you
love him, hardly anything else matters,
does it? How do we know but that
he was in trouble, and that Aunt Jane
herself gave them to him?
She looked at me with little per-
plexity.
"You plead his cause very well }" she
said. did he ask you to speak to
me?" u
II won't run race with a man who
Is lame." said quietly "Ethically,
ought to go. away and leave you TO
your dreams, but I am not going to do
it. If you love Wardrop as a woman
ought to love the man she smarriss,
then marry him and I hope you VIII
be happy. If you don't-no, let me
finish. I have made up my mind to
clear him If can: to bring him to you
with a clear slate. Then, know it Is
audacious, but am going to come
too, and-I'm going to plead for. my
self then. unless you send me away.
She sat with her head bent her
color coming and going nervously.
Now she looked UP at me with what
was the ghost of smile
ut sounds like threat" she said IN
a low voice. "And you'll wonder IL
you always get what you want?
Then, Of course, Fred came in, and
fell over hassock looking for match
es. Edith opened the door Of the den
and called him to her irritably, but
Fred declined to leave the wood fire,
and settled down in his easy chair.
After while Edith came over and
Joined us, but she snubbed Fred the
entire evening, to his, bewilderment'
And when conversation Jagged, during
the evening that followed tried to
remember what \ had said, and knew
I had done very badly. Only one thing
cheered me: she had not been angry,
and she had understood. Blessed be
the woman that understands.
We broke up for the night about
eleven. Mrs. Butler had come down
for while, and had even played lit
tie. something of Tschaikovsky's, a
oinoino n1aintiye theme that brought