Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-12-11
CHAPTER XVI.-Continued


all, only the echo, become all at once
audible on a shallow woman's lips. of
a question that had always haunted
him. It had first come to him on the
heels of that duel when he had stood
somewhat later that hateful morning,
holding a saddled horse before the big
pillard porch. 1t had whispered itself
then from every moving leaf. "Sas-
soon or Valiant?" If she had loved
Sassoon, of what use the letter Vail
ant was so long penning in the H.
brary? Buff it were Valiant she
loved? The man who, having sworn
not to lift his hand against the other,
had broken his sacred word to her!
Who had stained the unwritten code
by facing an opponent maddened with
liquor! Yet, what was there woman
might not condone in the one man?
Would she read, forgive and send for
him?
The major laughed out suddenly,
harshly, in the quiet room, and looked
down as if he expected to see that let
ter still lying in his hand. But the
laugh could not still a regular pulsing
sound that was in his ears-elin like
the voices. but as distinct-the sound
of a horses hoofs going from Damory
Court
He had heard those hoof-beats echo
In his brain for thirty years!
CHAPTER XVII
The Trespasser.
Till the sun was high John Valiant
lay on his back in the fragrant grass,
meditatively watching a bucaneering
chicken-hawk draw widening circles
against the blue and listening to the
vibrant tattoo Of a 'peckerwood" on a
far-away tree, and the timorous wet
whistle Of bob-white. The sun
shone through the tracery Of the
foliage, making a Quivering mosaic of
light and shadow all about him. A
robin ran across the grass with his
breast pulled out as if he had been
stealing apples; now and then an in
quisitive yellow-hammer darted above
and in the bushes cardinals wove
slender sharp flashes of living crimson.
The whole place was very quiet now.
For just one thrilling moment it had
burgeoned into sound and movement;
when the sweaty horses had stood
snorting and stamping in the yard
with the hounds scampering between
their legs and the riding coats wink
ing like rubies in the early sunshine!
Had she recognized him as the
smudged tinkerer Of the stalled car,
"She saw me drop that wretched
brute through the window" he
chuckled II could take oath to that.
But she didn't give me away, true lit
tie sport that she was. And she won't.
can't think of any reason, but /
know" The chuckle broadened to an
appreciative grin. What an ass she
must have thought me! To risk a
nasty bite and rob her Of her brush
into the bargain! How she looked at
me. lust for minute, with that
thoroughbred face, out Of those sea-
deep eyes, under that whorling, mar
velous heaped-up hair Of hers! Was
she angry? wonder!'
At length he rose and went back to
the house. With bunch Of keys he
had found he went to the stables, after
some difficulty gained access, and
propped the crazy doors and windows
open to the sun. The building was airy
and well-lighted and contained a dozen
roomy box-stalls, a spacious loft and
"a carriagehouse. The straw bedding
had been unremoved, mice-gnawed
sacking and rotted hay lay in the
hangers, and the warper harness,
hanging on it's pegs. was smelly mass
of mildw nd decay. In the carriage
house were three vehicles-a coach
with rat-riddled upholstery and old
fashioned hoop-iron springs eaten
through with rust, a rockaway and a
surrey. The latter had collapsed
where it stood He found stick,
moved away the festooning cobwebs.
"There!" he said with satisfaction.
"There's a place for the motor-if
Uncle JEFFERSON ever gets it here"
1t was noon when he returned, after
a wash-up in the lake, to the meal
with which Aunt Daphne, in costume
dimly suggestive of bran-meal poul-
tice-with Bingham apron on. RECALLED
him. Fried chicken, corn-bread so soft
and fluffy that it had to be lifted from
the pan with spoon, Drowned pota-
toes. and to his surprise, fresh milk.
"Ah done druv ouah OIL COW ovah, sub"
explained Aunt Daphne. cease she
gotter be MIXED, err she run dry ez
de Red Sea TO- de chillon oh Izril."
Aunt Daphne" inquired Valiant
with his mouth full, what do you call
this green thing?"
dat? OATS jes' turnip-tops, sub,
wild err hunk er bacon in de pot Laws
ERNIE, ct cert'n'y do me good ter see
yo' git arter it dat way. sub. Reck'n
yo' got er appertite. Hyuh, Hyuh!''
II have. | never guessed it before,
and It's magnificent discovery. How
ever, it suggests unwelcome reflec-
lions. Aunt Daphne, how long do you
estimate a man can dine like this on
we'll, say on hundred dollars:"
t'Er hun'ed dollahs, sub? OATS er
right smart heap o money, deed ct
is! Well, sub. pens on whit yo'
raises. Eff yo' raises yo' own garden
sass. en- chick'ns en- aigs, All reckn
yo' kin live longah dan dat ar Metho-
osa lum, en- still hab mos of it In de
OF stockin'.'
"Ah, can grow all those things
myself, you think?''
"Yo' cert'n'y kim said Aunt Da-
pine. "Ev'y-body do. De chick'ns
done peck TO- deyselves en- de yuddah