Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-03


give him greater pleasure than 10
stick his fist into the first bag OF yell
low-boys. There was something mys-
terious In the way he used to chuckle
over the thing when first sprung II
en- him. He saw joke somewhere.
Let's go into the smoke room TOT a
peg. 1t won't hurt either OF us. Anu
that poor girl! It's hell OF a worlo'
eh?" n.
The major admitted that it was; but
did not add that Fortunes welfare or
ill-fare was of little or no concern OF
his. The little spitfire had always
openly despised him.
They were drinking silently and
morosely, when Mrs. Chedsoye, pale
and anxious, appeared in the compan-
ionway. She beckoned them to follow
her down to the cabin. Had Fortune
arrived? Had Ryanne? She did not
answer. Arriving at her cabin she
pushed the two wondering men In
side and pointed at the floor. A large
steamer roll lay unstrapped, spread
out. 49, s
81 only just opened it," she said. u
never thought of looking into IL at
Cairo. Here, it looked so bulky that 1
was curious"
"Why, it's that damned Yhiordes!'
exclaimed the major Wrathfully'
what the devil is, 1t doing IN FOR
tunes steamer rolf"
"That is what should like to know.
If they have been kidnapped In ORDER
to recover the rug, whatever will be-
come of them?' And Mrs. Chedsoye
touched the rug with her foot, abb
sently. She was repeating In her MIND
that childish appeal: "You don't know
how loyal I should have been!"
They took the first sailing
out of Naples. Twelve days later they
landed at the foot of Fourteenth
street. There was some trifllng dlill'
Guilty over the rug. 1t had been de-
clared; but as Mrs. Chedsoye and her
brother always declared foreign resi-
ience there was question as 10
whether it was dutiable or not. Beng
q copy, it was not an original work OF
art, therefore not exempt, and SO
forth and so on. 1t was finally decided
that Mrs. Chedsoye must pay duty.
The major paid grumblingly, very
cleverly assuming an irritability well
known to the inspectors. The way the
United States government mulcted her
citizens for the benefit of the few was
a scandal Of the nations.
A smooth-faced young man ap'
preached them from out the crowd. 4
as this Major Callahan"
Eyes. This must be Mr.. Reynolds
the agent?"
eyes. Everything is ready for your
occupancy. Your butler and first man
have everything ship shape. I could
have turned over to you Mr.. Jones.
ssNot at all, not at ALL" said the
major "They would have been strang-
ers to us and we to them. Our own
servants are best"
"You must be very good friends OF
my client?"
~ have known him for years" said
Mrs. Chedsoye sweetly. 1T was at his
own suggestion that we take the house
over for the month. He really insisted
that we should pay him nothing; but.
of course such an arrangement could
not be thought Of. Oh. goodby, Mr..
Wallace" tolerantly. 1--WE hope to see
you again some day
Wallace, taking up his role once
more, tipped his hat and rushed away
for one of his favorite haunts.
"Bounder!" growled the major.
"Well we'll: a ships deck is always
Liberty Hail." .~
"You have turned your belongings
over to an expressman?' asked the
agent. These were charming people;
and any doubts he might have enter
tanned were dissipated. And why
should he have any doubts? Jones was
an eccentric young chap anyhow. An
explanatory letter written by tne
major in Jones careless hand), backed
up by cable, was enough authority
for any reasonable man.
Everything is out Of the way said
the major. .,
Then, if you wish, I can take you
right up to the house in my car. Your
butler said that he would have lunch
ready when you arrived"
Every kind of you. How noisy New
York is! You can take our handling
gage?" Mrs. Chedsoye would have
made st. Anthony uneasy of mind;
Reynolds, young, alive, metaphorically
fell at her feet.
"Plenty Of room for it,
81 am glad of that. You see, Mr..
Jones intrusted a fine old rug to lis
to bring home for him; and shouldn't
want anything to happen to 1t"
The major looked up at the roof OF
the dingy shed. He did not care to
have Reynolds note the flicker Of adj
miration in his eyes. The cleverest wo,
man of them all! The positive touch
10 the whole daredevil affair! And he
would not have thought of it had he
lived to be a thousand. Zone might as
we'll disembark in stable" he said
aloud "Ah! We are ready to go,
.hen?" a....
They entered the limousine and
vent off buzzing and zigzagging
among the numbering trucks. The
agent drove the car himself.
"Where is Jones now?" he asked of
he major. who sat at his left. Haven't
lad line from him for a month"
Gust before we sailed" said Mrs
Chedsoye through the window, over
he majors shoulder, che went into !
he desert for a fortnight or SO, with !
caravan. He had heard Of some |
,,1 arpof -