Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-09

garnet until he invented the sewing
machine and started the city on tn
industrious career. lnventing was
the great fad Of the early Connecti.
cut Yankee, ind the city IN that stats
which kept It's Yankees at home be.
came inevitably great
by the time they reached the street.
he had recovered his spirits 10 much
as to propose because the street was
go noisy, that they take crosstown
car and walk up Fifth avenue. The
car was crowded; they must stand: %
they did not approach the subject OF
the moment until they were treading
the street of the spenders.
"Well, what Is It? I'm dying to
know" said Betsy Barbara, the In
slant they reached the avenue.
1T may mean something or It may
not" said Tommy "Of course, on the
- - ,urder was-and last
night l Was R0MQ
| irrevocably entirely,
should say replied Betsy-Barbara.
with emphasis.
did / do anything strange Ia.
quired Tommy, when I first saw
your
"You nearly tumbled at my feet for
one thing" replied Betsy Barbara.
"What-what we're you wearing on
your feet?"
Betsy Barbara thought . second on
this peculiar question.
my velvet slippers with the rhine
stone buckles" she said.
Tommy nodded solemnly.
That was i'll was reaching for
| them last night-1ust a. was resch.
| Ing for something the night fell at
Captain Hanska's door. And it brought
everything back. 8
"Oh, what do you mean = begged
Betsy Barbara. 60 on! Please 60
on"
Il had got to the head Of the stairs
on the night ofSthe murder" sid
Tommy. ".rhe gas was lighted In the
hall was picked. You know how
your mind gets on one little thing
when you're pickled-"
81 DON'T put In Betsy-Barbara, IN
spite Of her interest in the story but
please go on"
"And saw something bright tn the
hallway, close to Captain Hanska,s
door. braced against post and
looked at it. was cluster OF dia-
monds the more think Of it, the
more 1t seems like that shoe-buckle Of
yours. was a. sure OF 1t - man
can be sure Of anything when he's
drunk reached out to get 1t. Then
tumbled and hit-the stun. The
/ tumble and the sticky feeling put dia-
monds out Of my mind Then It's cur.
tains for mine until I'm in my own
room-well, You know.
| "And the funny thing" concluded
Tommy. lis that never remembered
one thing about 1t, not even when the
police were combing my very soul, un-
til-what happened last night. You
can't be certain, of course. ! was
picked. But I'm sure, just the same,
that saw bunch Of diamonds or
something beside that door. You've
asked me to tell you anything miRht
find about the Hanska case. And I'm
telling that's all.
Betsy-Barbara considered.
1T may not mean anything" she
said, "and 1t may mean good deal"
She considered again. Even II the
diamonds were there, maybe It had
nothing to do with our Casa II any.
body had been robbed that night, IL
there had been any signs Of q burglar,
this evidence would be very important.
But the police say that the house
wasn't entered. Then again. what be.
came OF the diamonds? 1t seems no
one else noticed Them"
We'll" remarked Tommy North
cynically, there were great many
policemen in the house."
Betsy. Barbara walked on, still think
ing. Maybe. I'm afraid, though. that
1t might be only an alteration" she
said finally.
Perhaps" echoed Tommy North.
4 And now, having finished his irltroduc-
ton, he approached the subject near.
est his heart.
"Of course, that's ALL" he said Tex.
cept that owe You an apology for
for my condition last night"
1T is yourself" said Betsy Barbara,
"that You owe the apology. Mr.. North
4 why did you do it-again?"
/ Now 1t was In Tommy North's i'm.
pulses to tell exactly why he did it.
TO come out with the truth, accom-
panied by his opinion Of philandering
| Spaniards. But that would have
amounted to declaration: and to de-
clare his feelings for Betsy-Barbara
was leagues beyond his present co,r-
age.
"Oh," he said, carefessly. desper.
ately, II got a jolt. That's all. And
took It out in BOOZE"
You've told me-" said Betsy-Ba
bara. that you don't like the taste OF
4 the stun. That's why you drink, then
to console yourself when you're In
trouble? Doesn't that show rather
], poor courage?'
(To be Continued.l