Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-11


But hurry. dear love, and come for
me, for love you and am afraid. Be
very careful; for, by its very nature,
this place IL under the most careful
guard. You are in all my thoughts and
prayers.
Nancy Ellsworth"
read and re-read the note until l
had it by heart and then, carefully I
burned It; for was no longer 80 con-
fident OF the security of my pockets;
burned it, that is, all but the last line
and the signature. risked nothing by
keeping them, and I could not find 1t
in my heart to destroy this wonderful
mystic union of Nancy's written name
and my own. Nancy Ellsworth" had
never even dared to say it to myself.
The name Winford l knew we'll, or
at least the name Of the town which
am here calling Winford. Times have
changed since then, and, wrong as
everything was, have no wish to cast
stigma on place that has been swept
clean. So Winford Is as different a
name from the real one as anything /
can contrive. say that knew the
name we'll, and yet that was about all
that I did know about the town, save
that 1t was somewhere in the northern
part of New York state. 1t was, be-
lieved, little more than village /
could reach it In less than day. 50
that, although q perverse fate still
held the name of the man in the brown
derby from me, 1t would not be many
hours before had it from him him
SELF Nancy, of course, thought that
already knew It, was -ure that Mrs.
Lathrop had given me her note, the
note which may have ended with his
name It was name evidently so ia
miliar, and so distasteful, that the
caution OF repeating 1t had not oc-
Cured to her. It would have made
things easier, but, after all, had the
essential fact, and knew where she
was. Surely there must be train that
night and, at any rate, 1t would not
take me long to find out; but when
l had given my number and stood walt
ing for the railroad information
bureaus answer, realized that was
beginning to learn very thoroughly OF
late what fear was. Perhaps there was
only one train day, and that did not
leave until some time in the morning.
think I must have startled that Inn
personal human timetable who
answered my call by replying quite
unconsciously, THANK God" when he
told me that could go on to SYRIA
cuse that night and connect with the
train for Winford In the morning; but
suppore a human timetable must
hear many queer things.
My train did not leave until nine,
~, "a
whatever prepare tionsI wished; twice
as much time as needed and five
times as much time as l desired. But
I had barely hung up the receiver be-
fore the telephone bell rang. The
clerks voice answered my impatient
"What is it?'
There's lady down here" he said,
"who's mourning for you. Do you wish
to see herr"
"What is her name" I asked.
Another of your mysterious
friends" he said. "She Just wants to
know II you are here, and II she can
see you. She says her name doesn't
matter. but I'll admit she's quite
respectable have her waiting In the
parlor."
"All right" replied; I'll be down
in a minute"
She was SO bonneted and shawled
that at first I did not recognize her.
tWell. Mr. Ellsworth" she said, II
must say, you're a poor correspond
ent"
"Why, it's Mrs. Lathrop!" I cried.
what on earth brings you here
Then in sudden, silly hope, "Have you
heard any news?'
II should say not That's why
came in. l couldn't sleep wink for
thinking about you and that young
lady. and looked all this morning for
telegram or something from you.
Then I Just locked up the house and
started for New York It's kind OF been
borne in on my mind that ! was
pretty big fool to let those rascals fool
me. It's bad enough for woman to
fool woman, but when a man can do
it. too, it is time she was doing some
thing about It, argued 1t out to my
self that IL they were slick enough to
fool me. you'd be baby to them. Oh,
know, all you men think you're
awfully clever and all that, and sup
pose you feel hurt at my speaking so
plainly; but you all we're babies once,
you know, and you never seem to get
over it the way the girl babies do.
Why, Adam would have never found
the spunk to get out Of that baby
kindergarten Eden place to real in
teresting world where something, was
going on and folks wore clothes like
grown-ups, unless Eve had put him
up to it. So here am. and here stay
until we find out something. Has any
thing happened already"
Eyes," / said, "a good deal has hap
pened. Just few minutes ago I got
a letter from my wife; so that now I
know where she is, and am going to
start there tonight"
Mrs. Lathrop took off her shawl and
tossed it into chair.
Cali right she said. what time do
we have to START"
''We" l repeated.
eyes, we. When said was here to
stay I didn't mean at this hotel. II
meant here, right on this job"
'But, Mrs. Lathrop,' protested. II
don't see how that is possible. In the
first place it is dangerous: in the