Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-18

the pendant into it. but did not speak.
Ten years ago." abstractedly.
What lot of things may happen in
ten years Deaths, births. marriages
he went on; "the snuffing out OF king
doms and republics; wars, panics, fam
inc: honor to some and dishonor to
others. 1t kind OF makes a fellow
grind his teeth, little girl; it kind OF
makes him shut his fists and long to
run amuck."
"Why should strong, intelligent
man, such as you are, think like that?
You are resourceful and unafraid. Why
should you talk like that? You are
young, too. Why?"
He stopped and looked full into her
eyes. DO you really wish to know
Had I better?" with wisdom be.
|yond her years.
mo. YOU had better not. I'm not
a good man, Fortune, as criterions CO.
I've slipped here and there; I've gam
blsd and drunk and squandered my
time. Why, in my youth | was as
model a boy as ever was Percival.
Where the divarication took place |
cant say There's always two forks
in the road, Fortune, and many or us
take the wrong one. It's easier 60.
ling. Fine excuse; Ell? Some persons
would call me scoundrel. blacK'leg;
in some ways, yes. But IN the days 10
come want you always to remember
the two untarnished spots upon my
shield of honor; have never cheated
a man at cards nor run away Win MS
wife. The devil must give me these
merits. however painful 1t may he to
him. Ten years ago, only decade;
good Lord! it's like hundred years
ago. sometimes"
Fortune breathed with difHcn]ty.
Never before had he taken her into his
confidence to such extent. She es.
sayed to speak; the old terror seemed
fairly to smother her It was not
what he had told her, but what she
wished to but dared not ask. She was
like Bluebeard's wife, only she had not
the moral courage to open the door OF
the grisly closet. Her mother.
her uncle: what Of them, ali. what OF
them? The crooked street vanished;
the roar dwindled away; she was
alone, all. all alone.
81 suppose I ought not to have told
you," he said troubled at the misery
he saw gathered in her eyes and
vaguely conscious of what had writ
ten it there. "Your mother and uncle
have been very kind to me. They
know less OF me than you do. | have
been to them a kind of errand-boy; a
happy-go-lucky fellow, who cheered
them when they had the doldrums.'
with forced cheerfulness he again took
her hand and Struggled it under his
arm, giving it friendly. reassuring
nat, "I'll not speak to you OF love,
child, but a hair OF your head Is more
precious to me than all Midas gold.
Whenever I've thought Of you, I've
tried to be good. Honestly
"And can't you go back to the be-
ginning and start anew" TREMENDOUSLY.
Can any one go back? The NOV
ing finger writes. An hour Is ter
rible thing when you look to see What
can happen in 1t. But, come; SER
mons I'd far rather see you SMILE
Won't you?" -...,.t
She tried to, but to him it was sad
der than her tears would have been
For an hour they walked through the
dim and musty streets. He exerted
himself to amuse her and fairly sue
ceeded. But never did the unaccoun-
table fear, that presage Of misfortune
sleep in her heart. And at last, when
he took her to her carriage and babe
her good-by till dinner, a half-formed
idea began to grow in her brain; to
save Mr.. Jones without betraying
Ryanne. s-.t
The Iatters carriage was at the
other end of the bazaars; so he strobe
sullenly through the press rudely ell
bowling those who got in his way. An
occasional curse was flung after him;
but his height, his breadth of should
ers, his lowering face, precluded any
thing more active. The Moslems had
a deal of faith in the efficacy Of curses;
so the jostled ones rested upon the
promise of these, satisfied that direct
". or in the near future, Allah would
blast the unbelieving dog in his
tracks.
What cleyerness the mother and
scallawag Of an uncle had shown to
have kept the child in ignorance all
these years! That she saw darkly, as
through a fog. he was perfectly sure.
Sooner or later the storm would burst
upon her innocent head, and then God
alone knew what would become OF her.
Oh. damn the selfish, sordid world! At
that instant a great longing rolled over
him to cut loose from all these evil
webs, to begin anew somewhere. even
if that somewhere were but a wilder
ness, clearing in forest. ~4v r.
This moment flashed and was gone.
Next, he reviewed with chagrin and ir-
ritation the folly of his ultimatum Of
the preceding night. He had had not
the slightest semblance of plan in his
head. Sifted down, he saw only his
savage and senseless humor and the
desire to stir up discord. Gioconda
was right. Fortune was above them
all. in feeling, in instinct, in loyalty.
What right had he, roisterer by night
that he was, predaceous outlaw, what
right had he to look upon Fortune az
his own? Harm her! He would have
Topped off his right hand first. ~ )
Well, he had but little time, and
Percival Algernon called for prompt
action. The young fool was smitten
with Fortune Any one could see that.
As he shouldered his pathway to the
carriage, his eyes seeing but not visual