Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-07-13

anne individual.
searched gently among the leaves for
the giant parent stem, heard a little.
half-suppressed cough. had come
moment too soon.
1t had grown so dark that could
not see the Waterman, who was APP
preaching me. save only where his
face was made lighter blur In the
darkness, and the white line Of his
collar showed more distinctly beneath
1t. turned up the collar of my coat
to hide my own, and, with my head
bowed, backed close to the wall into
the cool, soft mass of long-stemmed
Ivy leaves. do not know whether he
heard anything or not, but he stopped
just in front OF me, and could dis
tinctly smell the hot lacquer of his
closed bull's-eye lantern, and hear his
breathing even above the pounding of
my heart. Then fate was good to both
of US; he saved his neck and con
tinued on s rounds.
When was sure that he must have
turned the corner, slowly and eau
tfously began my climb. feeling along
the mighty stem and It's looped and
twisted branches, as holding myself
tight against the wall, climbed in the
darkness with cropping hand and foot.
must have mounted ten feet, when
came upon false window, blank
niche set into the wall after the pur-
poseles fashion Of those days of arcri-
tectural atrocity. AS pulled myself
up into It the night stillnes was sud-
denly shattered by the frightened
shrilling of innumerable sparrows.
shrank back into the niche, holding
myself close. and az much behind the
vines as possible; for heard the soft
whistle of the man on the roof, and
the thudding footsteps Of the returning
Waterman.
What is IT." said the man on the
ground.
Don't know" the one above answered,
"but something has frightened the
birds, Listen to them
The man on the ground grunted
That's right. Something's troubling
them. eBtter have a look" And, as he
spoke. q long pencil of light streamed
from his unshuttered lantern and be-
gan to waver rapidly over the base Of
the wall.
The ivy leaves were densely thick
over the depression in which stood,
but very much doubted II could re-
main concealed. and thought that at
best could only fight for It, and get
away perhaps with my face unknown.
The lantern light was picking out
vivid patches of ivy leaves, sweeping
from side to side along the length of
the building. and with every sweep
mounting a little higher. Suddenly the
Waterman started forward, striking
out with his stick, which moved half
an arnful Of leaves from the wall; and
into the vivid circle OF the lanterns
light leaped great black cat with
blazing eyes. a very devil OF cat
that, yet. must surely have been
Heaven sent.
What is it?" called the voice from
the roof.
The man below me laughed and shut
his lantern slide.
Cookies cat on a sti1l hunt he re-
piled, "but his eyes looked out at me
as II some of them really had gone
loony."
Careful" said the man on the root.
The birds were still circling around
me In the darkness, lighting and fly
ALB OLA 1CCSlCcoiy again, oSOAuAhe5, IAdI.
tering and screaming as sparrows will.
and as knew that must disturb still
more Of them. / climbed quickly Under
cover Of the present disturbance. In
minute more of climbing I came to q
window. open, save for the bars be-
fore 1t. and green drawn curtain In
side which scarcely stirred In the soft
May air. Very cautiously stretched
my hand out and pushed the shade
aside the fraction of an inch, until I
could see the room within. It was
bare as room In hospital; de-
jected looking young man sat on the
edge Of the bed, reading tattered
paper novel, and he was all alone.
released the curtain, and edged along
sideways to the next lighted window.
In this room middle-aged woman
paced the floor nervously, and, after
a glance, I went along still farther,
peering in window after window, as
came to them; and with each glimpse
into the barren brightness, my anger
rose.
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