Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-22

advertisement to marry her for his
living. Perhaps she was unfortunate
in some such way as I was, thought,
or in some pressing distress that only
marriage could solve. Perhaps but
the, portieres parted and she stood
hesitating in the doorway.
I stood wideeyed and trembling in
my place by the window. could see
her quite plainly in the better light
and she was the most beautiful woman
I had ever seen. She was small, but
straight and fair, with wonderful
blue eyes that turned to me wistfully.
I thought saw in them something Of
relief. A fierce hatred Of myself and Of
my little. sordid speculations swept
over me. I wanted to go to her, and
beg the grace Of her forgiveness upon
my knees. but, for the first time in my
life, I was desperately afraid, 80 that
could only look at her and tremble
"My uncle sent me down." she said
at last; ri am Nancy Bond"
Then, God be thanked, some flicker
of manliness came back to me, and
went over to her, and stretched out my
gloved hand do you know why I am
here?" I asked.
Eyes You are the man who has
been chosen for me to marry"
"Yes.' said gravely II am that
more. am the man who has come, to
marry you, If you WILL but to help
you to the best Of his poor power in
any way that you may DESIRE"
She looked at me in sudden sur
prise and flushed painfully.
"You will be giving me more than
have the right to ask in fulfilling my
uncle's wish" she said and in some
way the formal little sentence seemed
to me all of tragedy.
''But can you wish 1t too?" I per-
sisted, as gently as could Forgive
me, but how can woman such as you
are dare trust man she has never
seen? Do you know that came in
answer to a newspaper advertisement,
that came. a common fortune hunter
at your uncle's promise Of money!
EYES," she said, II know that. Let
us not talk of 1t any longer. You are
gentleman, as my uncle promised;
that is all that I need to know for the
present. dare not tell you every
thing now: I trust you: that Is
enough. Come, my uncle will be grow.
ing impatient"
She held her head bravely, but tears
had crept into her eyes. and her
cheeks were red with modification
It was more than I could bear.
Surely" I said. II can help you in
some other way in your trouble
But she shook her head.
N va, oh Ic9
asked.
Eyes, something"
"But you must know more" would
rather have stood naked in the street
than have shown her my dreadful
hands. but shakingly took off my
gloves, and held my hands in the light.
She drew back with something like
a sob. 1T was very like Uncle
Ephraim," she said at last.
bowed my head in silence. My
heart was choking me- Then I felt her
hand softly upon mine, and looked up
to see pity in her eyes and the tears
now flowing freely down her cheeks.
"You are very brave" she whispered
softly. "a very brave gentleman. Help
me to be brave too for I am afraid
and l need your help"
looked beyond her with new-found
courage, with new grace to meet the
world, and eyes that looked yearning-
ly into the future. Then my thoughts
came back to earth again with a rush;
for I saw that the portieres at the
door were gently moving, and the
CLEAN Of an eye showed flickeringly
at their parting.
strobe over to them suddenly, and
my hand grasped through them the
solid arm Of man. With a wrench 1t
was torn away from me- l slid the cur
tains back with jerk, and stepped
into the hall. glimpsed a moving
shape at the dim farther end; then
a door opened and shut, and I was
alone in the hall. No. not alone. for
behind me stood Nancy Bond, her
hand to her heart and all the flush
of color fled from her face.
turned to her and put a steadying
arm about her shoulders. For mo-
ment, she leaned weakly against me,
shuddering in a voiceless terror; then
she mastered herself somewhat, and
stood erect, while my arm fell back
again to my side
"Did you see him." she whispered.
did you see his face?"
"No," said. "There was some one,
but be got away too quickly. It was
probably your uncle, come to hear how
well he might trust us. There is moth
ing to be afraid off, Indeed, now
thought of It, it could be none other,
and vet his arm had felt more muscu-
lar than I should have expected. He
seemed to be very tricky old gen
tleman.
But Nancy Bond shook her head.
mo it was not my uncle, do not
think it was. at least. Yet it couldn't
have been"
Nancy" Ephraim Bonds voice
sounded softly from the head of the
stairs If he had run up by the back
way he certainly showed a surprising
activity for his age. Still, who could
1t have been, who was it that had so
driven the color from Nancy's cheeks
Had she just stopped short Of another
name that, as yet, knew nothing Of?
thought all these things. as slowly
followed the woman l was going to
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