Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-09-18

weaving % deity, and yet so canti-
ously.
II hate even to mention IT," she said.
"'but I've been feelin' them comm on
today---my spells. know you said |
could have 'em In here alone with you,
but I haven't wanted to bother you. |
sensed the beginnin' Of one this after.
noon. beat II this time by workin'
hard an shuttin' my teeth. II 1t really
gets me--if I can't hold It of any
lonser-I'm likely to be in here most
any time"
Miss Estrilla, her face and her
emotions hidden from view by the eye
shade, answered In voice which be-
gan calmly, evenly:
II should be very glad-whenever
you wish" There was little break
on. the last word. Resale noted this
Something was evidently at work un.
der the calm surface. Could 1t be
eagerness
Rosalie did not return at once to the
dining room, although the rattle OF
dishes and OF voices invited. She
sought her own apartment, sat down
on, the bed, her chin in her hand-and
began talking family to herself.
liberalization was straight. all right.
It's them" A pause. Think OF
draggin' mother-love into such a
thing" A pause. well. amt you
faxed with this mother stuff all your
life? Looks to me like some Of that
lady business had sunk in" Another
pause. "But I never did It before to
turn trick like this" And she shud-
dered. I'm a softy-what will ever
say to Martini can't"
Twin steps sounded on the stairs;
through the half-open door came two
|voices-those Of Betsy Barbara and
Constance. Evidently, they had paused
at tho landing on their way down to
dinner
ssYou mustn't 90 to pieces now. dear.
You mustn't. You need to keep every
ounce Of your strength for the trial."
"But It's the suspense!" And Con-
stances voice, usually 30 soft and low,
was shrill with tension. "Oh. can't
20 down and face people. have to
hold myself In all the time to keep
from screaming! It's killing mel"
"It'll all 60 the moment you get
into the dining-room." Betsy Barbara
promised Come, dear. You must
eat!"
The voices drifted on. Resale raised
her face from her hands.
We'll, it's one or the other, amt
,,it?" she said to herself. But my
God. LIES awful-awful!"
She never faltered again. She for.
got that little crisis, as we all forget
SO many OF those momentary crises OF
the will upon which hang great ulti.
mate decisions. Neither she nor Con.
stance realized, when all was over,
! how much depended upon those few
words, caught by accident through q
half open door. Constance, indeed,
never knew; and Rosalie forgot.
CHAPTER XIII
Two days later and in the middle
| of the afternoon, Resale was again III
Miss Estrilla's room suffering from In
lcipient control" Her eyes stared
her limbs twitched.
Sorry" said Rosalie, on her en-
trance, but I've got 1T, again-an'
4 can't beat 1t. DO yott mind II loci
the door? wouldn't. be, disturbed fol
q farm-don't know what: 1t would dc
to mel" She plumpet down into q
chair, giving a yawn which shook hel
whole body. Gradually she relaxed
With one heaving sigh she settled
back. Her eyes closed; she fell as
/ into sleep. And presently she was
babbling first in the baritone Of Doc
tor Craver and then in the liquid &C
cents OF Laughing-Eyes.
] Let me omit the preliminaries
They dealt only with trivial things
such little affairs Of the house as oc
Cured to the mind Of Resale LIE
Grange, working in flashes under hel
sleeping exterior. She had growled
and babbled for Ave minutes before
Laughing Eyes announced suddenly:
"The lady Is sick-the pretty lady
Spirit wants to talk to the lady
/ Pretty spirit. feel like great biz
queen was f1ere-Vic-vic-V Victoria
The voice 81 Laughing Dyes stopped
This was q device of Rosalie's. She
wanted to listen. And the mfcroscop
ically minute thing which she heart
satisfied her. Miss Estrilla had beer
breathing regularly. Now, on the men
ton of that name, her breath caught
The voice Of Rosalie, her whole facia
expression, her manner-if one car
attribute manner to a woman who ap
pears to sleep-underwent an abrup
change. The voice deepened: the line'
Of the face fell; 1t was Doctor Carver
VITO spoke.
Victoria is not strong" said thu
voice: II sense that she brings con
ISOLATION. She says that things arr
bad; but they will be better by ant
! by. It is a mothers influence Mig
uel-" here Rosalie stopped: ant
again she noted the irregular breath
ing from the couch. 1t was an eterna
iauarter-minute before she spok'
again; this time the voice was
mans but lighter and higher than tina
iof Doctor Carver; and it spok'
Spanish.
II ami mate, hijita mia"i it said. ant
died away. A silence again. He i
gone" said the voice Of Doctor Cal
yer. "A spirit wants the young WON
| an who lives below this room TIL
seance drifted,taway into q series Q
j ina pinarv messages for Miss Hard