Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-30


per in the Memorial church basement
where she was helping to serve. Com
ing from the little kitchen with large
tray heavily loaded with "fry," she had
looked very pretty with her face franz
ed with little curling tendrils and flush
ed from exertion and he had gone to
her instantly.
He relieved her of the heavy tray
and masterfully took her over to eat
supper with him, and she did not serve
any more that evening. They were
never introduced because every one
thought from the look of recognition
that passed between them that they
had met before. He laughingly called
her attention to 1t, explained 1t to her
obvious satisfaction and demanded her
name In exchange for his.
All her life Electra Arnold had lived
in Rockville, and all during the grown.
up portion of her life she had been
waiting for the right man to come and
take her away. She had hoped he
would take her to New York She had
.spurned the tentative attentions of the
village SWANS that she might be fancy
free when he came. In her dreams
his name had always been Charles Al
gernon, nothing less, but when he
owned up to Arthur TaswelI Palmer,
she thought that even better,
He saw her every day and escorted
her to all the village social functions.
and she was much ,envied and more
quizzed by the neglected bellies Others
there were who loved Electra and they
warned her Of the dangers Of taking
up with man whose people no one
knew He might even be married. The
warnings fell on deaf ears.
He had told her of his work: he was
a writer. and one day he told her that
he had succeeded In landing in an ed
itorial chair at q salary that permit
ted him to marry and live in New York
She fever knew exactly what it was
he had said or what she had answered
but he had kissed her again and again
and slipped ring on her finger as he
left her that night. It was much more
wonderful than anything she had
dreamed and frightened her little.
The next morning she went In to
the city and browsed in the delights
Of chiffons and such, trying to decide
just what she would buy for the won
derful wedding. Her means were
small, and when late afternoon came
she had handbag comfortably filled
with samples and three style books
under her arm. She was very tired
having entirely forgotten to eat lunch.
con, and had to run to catch the 6
o'clock car out. She tumbled pell NELL
into her seat just as the car pulled out
dropping samples from the handbag
that had come open during the chase.
Presently her attention was drawn
to the two men in the seat ahead by
hearing the name "Artie Palmer"
mentioned. Electra leaned forward
and deliberately listened Whatever
concerned Arthur Palmer concerned
her.
Eyes, I'm glad he's tied up at last
The lady is quite all right, too, and
Artie needs the money"
But it does seem funny thing to
think Of Artie and the lady Of the
house hitting it off together, he's been
a free-lance so long"
wonder how he came out on that
trip to Rockville? Bet he hung
around some skirt there all the time
digging out ideas Of a village wom-
an for that blessed paper.
Well, so long old man. See you to-
morrow" and the speaker swung of
at the hotel.
Electra sat huddled back in her
seat. They were never talking about
her when they mentioned the lady Of
the house, for she had no money to
bring him. Was it possible that he had
merely been getting ideas for his paper
from her? He had told her he was a
writer and was looking for material.
Electra did some hard thinking and
many things seemed possible When
she left the car her mouth was settled
In a hard, straight line.
She slipped softly into the house
and up to her own room. The fashion
magazines she hid under the bureau
and the samples were consumed ruth
lessly in the open CRATE. Two red
spots burned in her cheeks and she
had forgotten that she was hungry.
Presently she heard the sound of
wheels on the hard road outside the
gate.
: I'll just drive on down to the cars
and wait for her there the grave.
tender voice foated UP to her, and
she threw herself on her bed in agony