Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-09

(CHAPTER IN.-COntinued)
There was no one In the head por-
ter's bureau; thus, unobserved and un-
embarrassed, he was free to inspect
the guest-list. Fortune Chedsoye. He
had never seen name quite like that.
It's quaintness did not suggest to him,
as it had done to Ryanne, the pastoral,
the bucolic. Rather it reminded him
of the old French courts, of rapiers
and buckles, of powdered wigs and fur.
bellows, masks, astrologers, love'intri'
CUES, of all those colorful, mutable
scenes so charmingly described by the
genial narrator of the exploits OF
D'Artagnan. And abruptly out Of this
age of Lebrun, Vatican, Moliere,
reached an ice-cold hand. If that ED
erly codger wasn't her father, who was
he and what?
The major,--for George had looked
him up also-was in excellent trim
for his age, something of military
dandy besides: but as the husband of
SO young and exquisite a creature!
Out upon the thought! He
might be her guardian, or at
most, her uncle, but never her hus'
band. Yet 60 poisonous doubtD at the
table she had ignored the major, both
his jests and his attentions. He had
seen many wives, joyf,llly from safe
distance, act toward their husbands
in this fashion. Oh, rot! If his name
was Callahan and hers >Chedsoye, they
could not possibly be tied in any legal
bonds He dismissed the ice-cold hand
and turned again to the comforting
warmth of his ardor.
hoI <0 ocr
women without presentation, and on
these rare occasions he had broached
the weather, suggested the possibili-
ties Of the weather, and concluded
with an apostrophe on. the weather at
large. 1t was usually valedictory.
For he was always positive that he
had acted like a fool and was afraid
to speak to the girl again. Never 1t
failed, ten minutes after the girl was
out Of sight, the brightest and clever
est things crowded upon his tongue,
to be but wasted on the desert air. He
was not particularly afraid of women
older than himself, more's the pity.
And yet, had he been as shy toward
them as toward the girls, there would
have been no stolen Yhiordes, no sad
eyed maiden, no such thing as the
United Romance and Adventure Co.,
Ltd, and he would have stepped the
even tenor of his way, unknown of
grand passions, swift adventure, life.
George was determined to meet For
tune Chedsoye, and this determination
the first OF its kind to take definite
form in his mind, gave him novel
sensation. He would find some way,
and he vowed to best his old enemy,
diffidence, if it was the last he ever
put up. He would maneuver to get in
the way Of the major. He never found
much trouble in talking to men. Once
he exchanged word or two with the
uncle or guardian, he would make it
a point to renew the acquaintance
when he saw the two together. 1t ap-
peared to him as bright idea, and
he was rather proud of it. Even now
he was conscious of clenching his
teeth strongly. It's an old saying that
he goes farthest who shuts his teeth
longest. He was going to test the pre-.
cept by immediate practice.
He had stood before the list fully
three minutes. He turned about face,
a singular elation tingling his blood.
Once he had set his mind upon q
thing, he went forward. He had lost
many pleasurable things in life be-
cause he had doubted and faltered,
not because he had reached out to-
ward them and had then drawn back.
He was going to meet Fortune Ched-
soye; when or how We're but details.
And as he had discovered the major
himself idling before the booth Of the
East Indian merchant, he saw in fancy
Il. ,,fr II