Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-09
MeMAN IL the..
DERBY
~,
Wells HASTINGS
.0o Asthor Of GEO
The Professors Mystery
(oYrdtlalty Bobb,l1etra CO
CHAPTER XVI.

For a moment was too surprised
to answer him, but the mild blue eyes
never wavered from NINE The
lined, old face presented such gentle
courtesy that nodded without furS\er
thought.
Yves, sir" replied. do you know
him, and can you tell me If he is the
owner Of that stable opposite?"
The old gentleman smiled. "1'll
have to make you Yankee answer.
I'm afraid" he said. Are you a
friend Of Ephriam Bonds and what do
you want of him."
hesitated l did not want to an
swer questions, and, even II | an
ewered this, hardly knew what reply
to make to the first half of his ques.
ton. II don't suppose I'm exactly a
friend,'.I said at length, "but I'm
very anxious to find him. ] have been
to his house and found 1t closed, and
had an idea that he owned that stable
over there"
HE doesn't said the old gentleman.
And the reply seemed by It's very
abruptness to end the conversation.
Nevertheless, sat still and waited.
The old gentleman had dropped his
eyes, and seemed to be centering all
his attention on little noteless tune
he was drumming with long, blunt I'm
gers on the marble tabletop. When.
a. or he finished particularly difficult
run he would glance up at me, for all
the world like shy little boy, and
then fall again to his drumming. At
last he folded his hands in front Of
him, and leaned across the table over
them.
HAS he hurt you in any way?" he
asked.
I stared at him in amazement. "Why
do you ask that?" said. do you
know who ann"
n am not sure" said the old gentle
man; II was only wondering"
I'm not sure that he has hurt me,
either replied; "but should very
much like to find him. Do you know
where he is at present"
The old gentleman raped sharply
with a coin on the tabletop. Our
checks, boy, our checks" he said. He
motioned away the money took from
my pocket. "No, no." he said, "let
me settle; 1t will save time You and
l need to have a long talk together,
and this is no place for it. Will you
do me the courtesy of visiting my
room?"
Gladly answered, and reached
for my hat
At the first corner I started uncon.
sciously to turn west, and my compan.
ion laid his hand on my arm.
"No," he said, east, If you please.
East, in fact some distance east Il
perhaps | should explain that I am a
SOCIOLOGICAL, student, you understand,
of mankind and society. There is moth
ing more interesting than mans rela.
tions with man, nothing more interest
ing and nothing more complex. 1t Is
pleasant, assure you, to be In close
touch with humanity; to rub elbows
with ones fellow beings: to be close
to the heart Of hurly-burly human ex.
istence. have no patience, sir,
with your hermit, your solitary, your
recluse. Cod knows, we're most OF US
enough alone in crowd, without dis
turbing our mental balance further by
withdrawal from It. Men, women and
children, trouble. Joy and sorrow, hui
man defeat and ultimate human vic
tory, these are the onlyfhings worth
watching in the world, the only things
OF Importance to thinking man. Your
recluse is only sort of coward who
dares not put his soul to the acid test
of life He would save his soul and
loses It: he draws away from others
to find the full development Of his
ego, and he ends by turning his ego
into a vague, shadowy thing, as soft
and cloudy-outlined as sponge. Think
what he misses: think what he
misses Love Is lost to him, and even
hate becomes a flabby thing. Man is
an emotional animal, contrived and
equipped for the great adventure Of
life. and If he refuses to enter the
lists he loses It's very essence and
meaning. Where live, sir, the world
CASTORIA ..slutants and caadnL
- NaA W. aD>..> l.a..~ 0Ase~kS