Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-18

ana earnest conversations oIe Ol IucAl
was about forty.five, tall and thin, with
high cheek-bones, and narrow, ugly,
Withered face, whose usual expression
was one of sardonic melancholy. But
, it was not commonplace face nor
weak one. The pale blue eyes We're
, masterful, the nose pronounced, and
the general air distinguished. What
ever else he had been in the past, John
Mort, as he called himself, was in
eradicably a cavalry officer, with an
underlying military harshness that on
occasions could flame up like vol
canO. d. s
, His companion was Matt Broughton,
now man Of thirty-one, sobered, hard
ened, and somewhat worn by eleven
years on the outposts of civilization.
!! If his boyish dreams were still I'M
realized, it had not been for lack OF
striving. He had thrown himself
vhole- heartedly into that life of dan
ger, daring and romance, and all he
had to show for it were a few scars,
smattering of half dozen outlandish
; dialects, and the memory of some
desperate chances, taken and lost.
At thirty-one he had achieved moth
| ing more tangible than hundred
dollars month and the command of
John Morris schooner-and even these
he was now abandoning, to begin again
with nothing.
! "But, my friend, is there anything
you complain of" Mort was asking,
his slight foreign accent more marked
than usual as the result of his con-
Germ. .
| oh, no. sir"
money? Shall I double your sal
ary-treble it? That is simple"
Matt shook his head.
| "It is here" he said, laying his
hand to his heart. II don't know
what's the matter with me; but I'm
tired of it all; homesick, perhaps, dis
satisfied, depressed" .
"And you are determined to leave
me?"
do not reproach me, sir told you
4. this before my last trip, not wishing to
take you unawares."
''I'm sorry" said John Mort with
emotion. Sorry for myself at losing
| one l like and admire, who for six
years has always been so faithful, so
loyal. Sorry, too,, for you, my friend,
that you should choose to go back
among strangers-back to that &C
cursed civilization where none fares
so we'll as the greedy and unprincipled
where, like lot OF worms in pot
all are struggling to save themselves
on the bodies of those below. What
will they do with you? Put a collar
on your neck, harness you to the shafts
and lash you till you drop 80, is II
that YOU prefer? So, Is it that for
which you will surrender this?" Mort
raised his hand to the tropic moon
what choice!" ne murmureu.
what a choice!"
| TT Is an impulse stronger than
am" returned Matt after a silence.
after all, am white man, and those
are my people. Have you never felt
that sudden longing to get back-that
overpowering, irresistible, unreason'
ing-longing?"
mo" retorted John Mort savagely
''No, no, no! To me it is hell have
left for ever"
sThere is not soul in the world
Prospect more, admire more-yes, love
than I do you. Yet am going
John Morris eyes glistened, and he
put out his hand, which the other
grasped.
"Well, so be it," he said.
"Then. may sail tonight with land
breeze?'
"Yes, you may SAIL"
"And my accounts, my vouchers, and
all that? You ought to pass them. sir
as we'll as arrange about the North
Stars return. Pardon my insistence
but you have put it off and Off"
sWhat amount have you in the ships
safe?"
NEARLY eight hundred pounds, sir
in French, English and American
gold, besides the chest of Chile silver
envy friend, it is yours, and the
schooner also, it\is yours. 1t is small
enough return for such loyal service
! ali. indeed, much too small, and | will
increase it with this" AS he spoke he
drew from his finger superb ruby
ring, and forced it on Matt, whose
jstammering words Of thanks were cut
brhskly short.
"There's another matter much more
pressing" he exclaimed, "a pledge tc
be given, and by you sacredly kept
and"
But, sir, how will you manage with
out vessel" expostulated Matt, al
together Powdered. "You can not
allow yourself to be marooned here
utterly cut off from all"
ooh, fear not that. We are self
sustaining now, and besides, in a cou
pie of years look forward confidently
for your return Isolation has nc
terrors for me-rather charm, pic
ituresqueness, and greater sense Of
.security" -...-
John Mort paused on the last word
peering strangely at his companion.
do you realize, Broughton," he con
tinued at last, that during our si1
years close association intimacy, yor
! have never asked me question; thai
4 YOU have never betrayed the least in
auisitiveness; that you have seen me
dlaw forth whole packets of bank o.
England notes, often thousands anC
thousands of pounds-and never once
have you disturbed me by even {
look?"
! "Your private affairs were none o.
L, - Gil