Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-22
CHAPTER XIV.

The funeral occurred on Monday. It
was an ostentatious affair, with long
list of honorary pallbearers, picked
corps of city flremen in uniform
ranged around the casket, and enough
money wasted in floral pillows and
sheaves of wheat tied with purple rib
bon, to have given all the hungry chill.
dren in town square meal.
Amid all this state Margery moved.
stricken and isolated. She went to the
cemetery with Edith, Miss Letitia hav-
ing sent message that, having never
broken her neck to see the man living,
she wasn't going to do it to see him
dead. The music was very fine, and the
eulogy spoke of this patriot who had
served his country so long and well.
t'Following the flag" Fred commented
under his breath, cas- long as there was
an appropriation attached to It,"
And when it was all over, we went
back to Freds until the Fleming house
could be put into order again. It was
the best place in the world for Mar
gerry. for, with the children demanding
her attention and applause every min
ute. she had no time to be blue.
Mrs. Butler arrived that day, which
made Fred suspicious that Edith's plan
to bring her far antedated his con-
sent. But she was there when we got
home from the funeral, and after one
glimpse at her thin face and hollow
eyes, begged Edith to keep her away
from Margery, for that day at least.
Fortunately, Mrs. Butler was ex-
hausted by her Journey, and retired to
her room almost Immediately.
watched her slender figure 60 up the
stairs, and, with her black trailing
gown and colorless face, she was an
embodiment of all that Is lonely and
helpless. Fred closed the door behind
her and stood looking at Edith and me.
II tell you, honey" he declared,
that brought into cheerful home Is
suffi cient cause for divorce. Isn't 1t,
Jack?"
"She is ill., Edith maintained va.
liantly. "She is my cousin, too, which
gives her some claim on me, and my
guest, which gives her more"
"Lady-love," Fred said solemnly, "if
you do not give me the key to the eel
larette, shall have a chill. And let me
beg this of you: If ever get tired
Of this life, and shuttle of my mortal
ity in lumber yard, or a political
club. and you go around like that,
shall haunt you. swear it,"
Shuttle off" dared him. II will see
that Edith is cheerful and happy"
From somewhere above, there came
a sudden crash. followed by the an
nouncement. made by scared house.
maid, that Mrs. Butler had tainted.
Fred shifted as Edith scurried up.
stairs.
"Hipped," he said shortly. "For two
cents I'd go up and give her a good
Whit of ammonia-not this aromatic
stuff, but the genuine article That
would make her sit up and take notice.
Upon my word, can't think what pos,
sessed Edith: these spineless, soft.
spoken. timid women are leeches on
/ ones sympathies."
But Mrs. Butler was really i'll, and
Margery insisted on looking after her,
1t was an odd coincidence. the widow
of one state treasurer and the orphaned
daughter of his successor; both men
had died violent deaths, in each case
when a boiling under the political
lid had threatened to blow 1t off.
The boys were allowed to have their
dinner with the family that evening,
in honor Of Mrs. Buffers arrival, and
it was a riotous meal. Margery got
back little of her color. AS sat
across from her, and watched her ex.
pressions change, from sadness to res
ignation, and even gradually to amuse-
ment at the boys antics, 1 wondered
just how much she knew, or suspected,
| that she refused to tell me.
| I remembered woman-a client OF
mine-who said that whenever she sat
near a railroad track and watched an
engine laundering toward her, she tor
ltured herself by picturing a child on