Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-31
CHAPTER XVII.-(Continued.)


now is to keep Bergash in a good hui
NOR I'm off below for cup of tea.
Come as soon as you're ready
Sir George got up and left the chart
J ouse. On the deck outside inquisitive
eyes stared at him but he spoke to no
one. He was distinctly ruffled, ana
hoped to find a more congenial at
mosphere below. In the companion
way he met his sister. She was white
faced and trembling. He took her
arm in a large firm hand and looked
at her curiously.
as he hurt?" she asked. "Oh,
George, how dreadful! I've only just
heard"
as who hurt?"
Captain Kettle"
HE is not. thought perhaps you
were inquiring about one of your dark
friends"
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Well several of them are hurt,
gather, pretty badly. Your little cap
tain must needs pick quarrel with
some local boatmen as to whether ne
should pay ten shillings or a pound
for some sheep. and then, when they
naturally objected, he proceeded to
shoot down about six of them
presumably he was risking his lie,
and suppose that's what 1t amounts
to-. in your interests?'
IF you call cheese-paring over ten
shillings at the risk of upsetting deal
for fifteen thousand pounds helping
my interests l suppose he was.
She was staring with round eyes
over his shoulder.
"You think only of your money. And
you know he might have been killed
killed. Oh, if he had been!"
Sir George frightened his grip and
shook his sisters arm gently.
II say, you know, Violet, you must
pull yourself together. I'm quite
aware it's only to me, but you're rath-
er giving the show away"
"And do you think I mind? ne
knows. There's truly no secret about
my caring for him. Emily knows,
for that matter"
Emily? Oh, you mean the steward
ess. gather she was engaged to MIN
at once"
81 believe she was. It's broken of
now. I don't know why, and didn't
inquire: | was grateful enough for the
bare fact. want him myself, George,
and I mean to have him."
"but I say, old lady, thatll hardly
do. YOU know. OF course, 1 tWigged
YOU were putting in a pretty hard
Irritation with the little man, but then,
of course, that's only your way. You
always did flirt with everything IN
trousers that came along ever since
Won we're a six year old. Still there
are limits to everything, and dash 1t
all when it comes to cutting out your
own maid with her young man, we'll
I call it bad form"
"rll admit what you please, 1nclud-
ing the flirting. 1t began with that l
suppose. But it's got past that now.
I'm hit I've never felt this way about
any man before, and It's the real
thing come at last, George
you mean you're really In love
with the chap"
That's the usual phrase
"But YOU can't marry him. He's an
awf1lly decent little fellow in his way,
7 know but, dash it all, Violet, do look
facts in the face. He isn't our clip.
r. YOU want husband, you absolutely
must get one out of your own class.
# you've really made up your mind
to marry, why don't you whistle up
Inpleborough again? He's a very de-
cent sort of chap, and I know he'd
have YOU like bird. II you married
this Kettle, you know perfectly we'll
everybody would cut you.'
She plucked away her arm, and fac
81 him defiantly And do you I'M
ap,ne I'd care? D'you think I'm not
heartily sick of the whole crew of
theme Anyway, you of all people
have a precious small right to give
advice on such subject. You ala
Yourself what you're advising me 10
do. You married woman IN your
own class. and benny mess you made
of it. You stuck to one another just
ak months If recollect my dates
Alright
"A year, you spitfire-"
"Call it that If you like, and for the
last three you haven't spent ten nights
under the same roof, and only those
bv accident of being asked to the same
house party. You married according
to rule. and l, with your fine example
before me, am going to marry to please
nvself That is, If he'll have me-"
ooh. dash it all, there can be no
question about the man swapping you
IN II you're fool enough to chuck
yourself away on him..
She laughed rather bitterly. "And
you've been boxed up in this Wretched
little steamer with him all these weeks
and know him no better than that?
NV dear boy, I'd be the happiest WON
an in the northern hemisphere II |
thought Owen would take me this min
ute. even if l had to go and ask him
myself But, as it is, know he's got
nothing but civil words for meat
nresent-and | believe I'm the most
miserable woman now on earth in con-
sequence. 1t will take something des-