Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-07-22
Evening Story.
FROM TREeIzoNo.
BY CLARIssA MACKIE.

SAA~AA~S~Se~
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
Mary Bellew was eating her grape
fruit when Honora laid the morning
mail beside her plate. Her cousin
and chaperon, Mrs. Hunter-Hunt, In
differently scanned her own letters.
There were seven letters, most Of
them invitations. and one thin, for.
eign looking envelope bearing her
name and address In dashing black
characters. Mary wondered which
one Of her friends might be travelling
in the far east; the postmark was
Trebizond.
| She ate her breakfast in dreamy
abstraction. She had decided to marry
Blake Townsend Perhaps she didn't
love him In the romantic way she had
always dreamed about. but she was
very fond OF Blake, and Cousin Abigail
lHunter-Hunt ever held before Mary's
eyes the desirability or marriage into
the Townsend family. Said Mrs. Hun
ter-Hunt:
/ you've got to marry some one,
my dear, and whom do you like better
than Blake?" Mary had admitted
there was no one else. After break
fast she would write the note to
Blake.
She arose with an excuse that Mrs.
IHunter-Hunt did not hear.
Mary dropped into deep chair be.
fore the library table and pulled
writing materials toward her. 1t was
the work Of hve minutes to write the
dainty note and aflix the necessary
stamp.
| Mary held the strange letter from
Trebizond in her hand for moment
before inserting the thin ivory blade
under the flap.
What visions OF strange countries
the very name Of Trebizond aroused
in her mind. Far north in Turkey.
the white-walled city rested on the
lin OF the Black sea. She must tell
Blake that their honeymoon was to
be spent in Trebizond.
/ She opened the letter and drew
forth thin, folded sheet OF paper.
A few lines were dashed blackly
across the page and Mary stared at
them, her puzzled mind trying to in
terpret their meaning to her, for the
signature Of the writer was unknown
to her. ),
Dear Mary-Do not decide until l
come. Wait for me. am coming at
once Devotedly, John Gray"
Who was John Gray? Why should
he write to her from the other end
of the world? Why should his warn
ling words follow so closely upon her
decisive note to Blake Townsend?
Mary studied the envelope and
could find no error there, unless It
|lay In the omission Of the street and
number, which had been placed In
one corner by the postonhce depart
ment.
miss Mary Benew, New York.
N. Y, u. S. A."
she told herself repeatedly Of
: course II could not be for her ~ she
!, did not know John Gray.
There was something about the
. letter. the way 1t had reached her at
the moment OF IN important decision
that stirred her strangely. She felt a
vague interest In the unknown John
Gray.
Mary Bellew was young person
of impulse. She Immediately de-
stroyed the letter she had written to
Blake Townsend
| She dressed and went to the near.
est drug store and consulted the city
directory. From this volume she
compiled a list of all the Bellows In
the city and within the next twenty
four hours had managed to commu-
nicate with each and discover to
her entire satisfaction that not one
!, Mary Bellew was acquainted with
} John Gray OF Trebizond.
i. "Mary. Mary" bemoaned Abigail
i Hunter-Hunt, when she discovered
that Blake Townsend had gracefully
accepted her refusal and turned his
attentions to another maiden. TO
/ lose such an opportunity! Why, the
Townsends could place you in the
highest social niche in the land"
Nonsense" cried Mary, warmly,
"would you have me marry q nice
fellov like Blake Just in order to
i climb over his family and sit in a
niche!'
Mrs. Hunter-Hunt looked tragically
at her charge. Mary Bellew, there
ia another mani" she accused.
I Mary blushed beautifully and turn
ed her head away How could she
explain to practical Abigail Hunter
Hunt that her interest was centered
H., t,,ot mysterious letter from Ire
bizond.
.,ne scanned the passenger list OF
. every incoming steamship for the
Lname Of the traveller from Trebizond.
4 But not once did she read the simple
name OF John Gray" Weeks passed
and then months slipped by until
summer was upon the city and they
J went down to the Bellew country
4 home.
One July day Mary sat upon the
strip of private bathing beach drip.
ping from dip in the sea. A few
], little freckles puckered her pretty
nose.
i Foolish Mary Bellew was thinking
. about "Devotedly, John Gray.
i Suddenly, as If out OF the blue sky
4 there dropped bolt Of doubt. .
| Suppose there should be Mrs.
John Gray!" exclaimed Mary.
4 Horror" said calmly hooking
voice.
4 Mary jumped up and confronted a
stranger-a perfect stranger on the
~ ~ unnnot{YnnQ rl1ftnnA