Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-27

SATURDAY, APR
afternoon like deaths head, till even
the general, Injured to boredom, had
yawned; and all the while she had
loved him-Chris had loved him!
Nothing could matter now, nothing
could hurt him. Chris loved him!
CHAPTER TX.
He had completely forgotten the
frockcoat person, he Of the silk hat,
and subdued masterfulness, who had
chung to his front wheel with agitated
pertinacity hardly three hours before,
Matt was reminded Of his existence by
finding him on Mrs. Sattane's front
porch, YEARLY blocking the road to
supper. BY all rights the stranger
should have been excessively annoyed
but Oh the contrary he was suavity It.
self, rising at Mats approach, and
greeting him with formidable polite
ness. ...... .y..,. L. s
Might he take the liberty Of repeat.
ing his request to see Mr.. Broughton
in private? Might he, without undue
insistence, remind Mr.. Broughton OF
the very serious issues at stake, and
the need-the very great need-of ex-
petition? The heavy-lidded eyes were
full Of insistence; the pointed grey
beard waggled like goat's-a tired
but pertinacious goat, with yellow
teeth and cavernous way Of talking
till you could see all the way down
his throat He brushed aside the in
vitation to supper, saying, in an injur'
ed tone, that he must beg Mr.. Brough-
toms consideration. After three hours
o. waiting was he not entitled to an
immediate interview-an immediate
interview in private. No, it need not
be long. In some aspects It was a
very simple affair-a proposal on the
part of certain principals-an accept
ance-er-it was to be hoped-on Mr..
Broughton's. fN-.. -..
Apologizing for having no better
place to offer. Matt led the stranger
upstairs to his bedroom, where, after
lighting the single gas jet, he offered
him a chair and himself took seat
on the bed.
"Now, what's your name?" asked
Matt, lighting his pipe and throwing
out his long legs.
The stranger, somewhat stammer'
ingly, replied that he might he called
Mr.. Kay. Though whether he meant
Kay or merely the letter X was LEFT
obscure.
"Well, Mr.. Kay" continued Matt,
Tets get one thing understood right
off. am not a kanaka king, and
haven't any isalnds, or money, or sub
jects, or fleets, or pearling beds, or
anything. If you have the least mis-
conception of that kind about me, the
sooner you get rid Of it the better"
"You refer doubtless to those news
paper accounts?" inquired the
stranger.
Matt nodded.
Yes, all that rot" he said.
I'm familiar with Them" observed
the stranger, drawing up close to the
bed. perhaps I'm also more familiar
with the actual facts than you will
c! edit. Circumstances have forced
me to acquaint myself with them
to separate the wheat from the chaff.
From vast deal of chaff," he added
unbendingly. well, we'll, now to
business" With that he produced
from his pocket a small, fiat object
wrapped in tissue paper. Divesting 1t
miniature to Matt. do you happen
to recognize that person." he asked.
Matt took it with surprise, for 1t
ed with gold like an unwieldly brooch
with surprise that changed to
CONSERVATION as he beheld the unmis-
taxable face Of John Mort. It was a
face younger by twenty years than
the John Mort he had known, smoother
and more rounded, and with the hair
altogether black; flattering picture,
much too pink and prettifled and youth
fully handsome for even the original
at the age 1t represented him. But
it was John Mort, just the same; he
could have picked 1t out Of roomful
of miniatures-a whole gallery; John
Mort, staring up at him from circlet
Of diamonds, with an imperious air
that somehow had been caught while
the rest was falsifled by the obsequious
artist.
Chills ran down MATHS back; 1t was
as though he were detected in crime !;
he was thankful for the poor light that
must have screened his expression OF
dismay. For all Morris warnings were
now upon him in torrent-and his
own promises, his own pledged word.
Here was what John Mort had feared
the wolves he had called them-in
voice he had lowered even there, ap-
prehensive still on that lost reef. in
those lost and lonely seas. The
heavy-lidded eyes took on new and
ominous significance, as Matt felt
their glance on him. What evil were
rthey meditating? What was their
sinister purpose In seeking him out to
betray his friend?
He returned the miniature, speak
ing as he did 80 with his pipe In his
mouth-a subterfuge he had found use.
full before, especially when under fire
real f1re-bullets. 1t is the mouth
that tells secrets, and that in other
ways than words. A pipe is a help.
1t hides agitation, and suggests un'
concern.
"Well, what about it," said Matt
through his teeth.
IT asked If you recognized him."
"Seen this person before, do you
mean? No. don't know who he Is.