Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-26
CHAPTER |.
The bolnrdofe,


CHAPTER !.
The eeardsrs.
Regarding the events Of that rainy
autumn evening at Mrs. Moore's board
ing house in the far West Twenties Of
New York. accounts differ somewhat
although not enough, after all, but
that we may piece together connect
ed story. Until the great event, they
were trivial. It was the reflected light
Of the tragedy which gave them their
Importance.
Most of the boarderS remained In.
doors, since It was too wet In the
early evening for faring out of doors
with comfort. After dinner, Miss Hard
Ing and Miss Jones, stenographers,
who shared . room-and.alcove on the
second floor, entertained company"
In the parlor on the ground floor -
two office mates who figure but dimly
in this tale. These callers came at 8
O'Clock. "A few minutes later Professor
Noll Joined them. Professor Noll was
O. diet delusionist. the assistant editor
Of health-food magazine. He lived on
the third floor, across the hall from
Captain Hanska, In q room furnished
les the captain himself remarked dur
ing one OF his genial moments) with
al the horrors of home. For Professor
Noll had travelled widely, gathering ex-
perience and Junk; and in every port
OF the world he had bought freely OF
gilt and trash curios. He was as proud
Of that bizarre apartment as though 1t
had been the Louvre. A charming old
man was Professor Noll when he dis
mounted from his hobby--and &C.
casionally when he rode 1t, too. A
thick tangle Of silver.silk hair and q
little pair OF china-blue eyes accented
personality all innocence. gaiety,
and old-age prattle.
Miss Harding and Miss Jones had
not arrived at that point with their
young men where they wanted to visit
alone. When Professor Noll entered
and suggested music, they welcomed
him. He sat down to the piano, there
fore, and they all sang the foolish
ephemeral songs of the picture shows.
Mrs. Moore stood In the hall for q
time, listening. Miss Jones spied her
and invited her In. She WAS land
lady Of the lugubrious type; she wept
silently over the sentimental passages
with rhymes on ''posey,' cosy ana
'proposey";; and eventually she
Joined her voice with the singing.
Once or twice she left momentarily to
look after towels, furnace heat and
other house-wifely cares. One OF
these tours took her to the top Of the
house. where Mss Estr,lia the lady
sick with weak eyes, nved IN q half.
darkened rear room. She was q new
conner. this Miss Estri1la, and not yet
well enough to take her meals In the
dining room. Miss Estrilla's brother, 9
slim, mercurial little Latin with an en-
PERTAINING trick Of the tongue, was
reading to her BY . shaded lamp, as
he often did of evenings. When MIS-.
Moore re ined the others, they were
singing full voice.
On the stairs Mrs. Moore met Cap
tain Hanska passing up from his late
and solitary dinner. He was little ir-
regular about meals; and this evening
he had come in, demanding dinner,
after everything was cleared away.
Half the boarding house liked Captain
Hanska, and half disliked him. Rather
(and more accurately all half liked
and half hated him. A large man OF
forty-five or so. he looked at first
sight rather bloated, and at second
only Gross and big through the accumu-
lation OF middle-aged muscle and the
thicker flow Of middle-aged blood. He
was bullnecked, broad, shouldered,
wide Of waist and heavy OF leg. Every
thing about him denoted old strength
gone stale. In face he showed the
traces Of what must have been great
youthful comeliness Even now, he had
an eye which could be both keen and
kind when his mood was gentle. Those
moods OF his puzzled everyone. No
man could be more irritable at times:
vet. none, as all the feminine part OF
the house testified, could be more
charming. more understanding OF
women. There was curious quality
beneath all that, a quality which none
Of Mrs. Moore's boarders had the dis
cernment to formulate. It was as
though some inner driving energy
sought an outlet, and found no way
through that accumulation Of flesh and
blood and muscle.
B0ICF0 ne DtdIL6u ,uP SAO 0S0aA =, AO
paused an instant at the parlof door
and looked upon the singers.
"Come on in-the waters fine"
called Miss Harding jocularly
Captain Hanska returned no answer.
Apparently one Of his sardonic gibes
was on his lips, but he let 1t die there.
And he turned away.
"He can certainly be crouch when
he wants too" said Miss Harding, as
though apologizing to the young men.
"Fierce!" exclaimed Miss Jones.
And they resumed their singing. AS
Captain Hanska passed Mrs. Moore on
the lower flight of stairs, his head was
bent and he gave no sign Of recogni-
ton
Mrs. Moore did not leave the parlor,
she, testified afterward, until Mr..
Lawrence Wade called, asking for
Captain Hanska. As on previous oc-
casions, he gave her his card, which
read: "Mr. Lawrence Wade, Curfew
Club" He had called. before; whether
two or three times, Mrs. Moore's mem
ory would never serve to tell But she
recognized him perfectly would
have known him anywhere, she said.
Gee, who's your swell friend he
oar H.1nlv4 r0r11d lead me- hlu9hfnE to