Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-07
pyrieht, Ior1, The Bobbs- Merrill Company

u HTIE Copyright. 1911. The
CHAPTER TX. (Continued).
'You know me, Jes Floyd, if any one
does You know my vile temper, my
rough tongue, and that am cross
grained brute at best. But think there
may be enough of the inherent gentle
man left In me to make me decent TO
a woman. If, in time, things fell OUT
50 that I'd asked for your sister, would
you be willing? Speak frankly, II you
do not think me fit to be trusted with
her, say So it will not break our
friendship"
"You have seen her once Floyd re-
called. as If to himself. He lisped, his
surest sign of excitement. Stanton had
never heard him use that soft, slur-
ring speech except on the race-tracks;
heard now in the quiet country sur
|roundings, It infected the listener with
O contagious agitation and emotion
II know,tI know" he deprecated.
"But, I might see her more, and seeing
no better men she might come to, bear
with me. Not that there is much In
me worth tt she probably never
would look at me. What l am asking
YOU now, is whether you want me TO
keen away from her Say yes, and we
will shake hands and drop the subject
forever"
Very slowly Floyd held out his slen-
der hand. ;,
"Jessica has the right to a chance,
he agreed. "I'm not goin' to NEEDLE
with things beyond my under
standin'. An I'd rather have her your
wife than have anything else in the
world. Only-you've seen her just once :,
you can't tell If you want her, yet.
Stanton shot him one straight, eA-
pressive glance.
"She is like you,' slipped from him
involuntarily; then, furious at his pc
trayal Of sentiment, he dropped the
Others hand. 1--WE had better go, or
we'll miss the train," he bruskly re-
minded.
"Oh. she is like me-" confirmed
Floyd: he turned to look again at the
factory. eve are pretty close chums'
Yes. YOU an 1 had better be gettin' to
the train
They walked back to the nearest troll
ley line, both silent.
The subject was not touched again.
until the following morning, when they
left the train in New York.
when shall l see you?" Stanton
questioned, as they exchanged rare.
wells in the noisy depot. Tomorrow?
"I'm going to be out of town for the
next two weeks, Mr.. Green tells me,
Floyd replied. "They want me at the
Mercury factory, and there are some
other trips. too, I believe. Jessica is
going to be rather deserted; it you
happen to look her up, no doubt she
would be glad to speak to some one be-
sides her nurse.
''Thank you" accepted Stanton as
carelessly. Take care OF yourself:
He had not reached the exit "nen
Floyd overlook him.
"Here are the entries for the Cup
race, he painted. thrusting folded
newspaper into Stanton's hand.
There are two Atalanta cars to run
against us. It's you who need to take
care of yourself, until afterward.'
"Floyd, wait! What do you mean?
Do YOU really think
But his mechanician evaded the
question. - ;, :.
"some people are hoodoos," he
laughed, Keep away from them
please. Goodby.'
He had not spoken Valerie Carlisle S
name, yet Stanton knew against whom
he warned. And the melodramatic alb
surdity of the idea did not prevent an
odd thrill of discomfort and insecurity,
from which he took his usual refuge
in roughness.
I'm not in the habit of hiding
from people. hoodoos or not. Goodby.'
2"Oh, very WE'LL" acauiesced Floyd.
oddly. "But if you won't take care OF
yourself. Stanton
well, what? %
"Never mind 't-s
CHAPTER X.
It was on the second day after his
arrival in New York that stanton
called upon Jessica Floyd. This time
he went more confidently up the stairs
of the quiet apartment house, sure OF
his right. $50
AS before, the little old Irishwoman
clad in black silk WAS waiting to adj
NIT him; as before. he could have
cried out in the wonder Of seeing this
girl who turned Floyd's candid face
to him and smiled with Floyd's gray
eyes. Only, this afternoon Jessica did
not rise from the piano seat to greet
him, but from a chair near window.
"Jes is away again" she regretted
giving him her, hand.
IT came to see you, by his permits
sion" Stanton returned.
The rich color flushed under her
marvellous skin, that was like no other
woman's he had even seen. Floyd diff
fered there. man from girl, his com
plexion being much darker and less
translucent.
at is too early to give you tea and
cake she told him, with playfulness
partly shy. "But if you will talk to me
for half an hour, it will be after four
o'clock and I can offer you hos
pitality."
.sWhat shall l talk to you about p
he doubted. II am better at listening,
think"
ooh, anything, everything. Suppose
I were Jes; l like what he likes, rae
ing factories, motor-cars."
Although the season was early, q
fire burned in the tiny hearth, on
o,tbar eide If which thew were seated