Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-07-15

unhappy passengers had again raced
home. Coming and going In the
dark, nobody was tho wiSer- Billy
had plead business to his associates.
Marion's maid had given out that
she was suffering from violent head.
ache. Her heavy eyes, and pallor.
made good the assertion but che
knew. as Billy did, that II her father
got an inkling Of the truth, there
would be an end to freedom for her,
and much unhappiness In the home.
Therefore. Billy was honor bound
to keep silent. The doctors had given
them grewsome hope In year q
most the madwoman would be ct
peace. So Marion had really taken
Z last good-by- and gone home 20
heartstricken Ashley would have vept
had she known. Unknowing, she
was hard and furiously angry. Take
back your trinket," she said. tossing
the ring to Billy. 1T will look better
on Marion's finger-she will prize Il,
I dare say, for the giver's sake, even
though she has 20 many others"
Ashley, did you ever know mo
to lie?" Billy demanded. She an
swered him only with scornfsil
SMILE He went on, holding himself
hard: "You cant deny-l have the
name Of being truthful on my
honor"
Don't swear by m unknown
quantity" Ashley cried, darting away.
He strobe after her. but she
slammed the door to the garden IN
hts face. d
Plunging through . French win
dow. he leaped q low railing and CON-
fronted her. caught her hands. hard
but not urgently, and said. his voaco
tense: ss,s
III you send me away now II H. Tor
always. You know love you you
only. admit YOU have ground Of
complaint, but you might trust me
when say there was an imperative
reason for my neglect. You hold my
heart, my life. In your hands. Are you
going to crush them7"
"Good-by," was all Ashley could
trust herself to say. but she ran Oft
among the roses, her head high,
whistling In her best key: Come
haste TO the wedding" She knew
Billy hated to hear her whistle; being
very angry. very unhappy, she had .
mad wish to hurt him IN small things
az In great
A minute later she heard him gal.
loping headlong down the avenue.
But she did not hear the fall Of black
selim's small hoofs for another two
years. Even then but Fate plays
her dramas without regard TO stag.
Ing. She had gone at dusk into the
garden and stood upon the very spot
where she had flouted Billy. signing
and wishing, wishing with all her
sore heart, she had not been 30 cruel.
For now she knew-Marton had told
her, when her mother had been safely
buried-of the night journey, and all
that had followed It. She had been
Ill for weeks In her fever she had
revealed enough to send her father
into frozen rage When at last ake
was we'll enough to face him, he had
taxed her with deceit, she had ad-
mitted 1t and then the end had come.
He had fallen dead at her feet-heart
failure, said the doctors. She knew
1t was rather the shock to his pride
In her. Therefore she felt herself In
sort his murderess, therefore, also.
she was renouncing the world, going
into nursing sisterhood where her
money and her small strength might
be spent in helping those In sore need
Of help.
Billy had not been named, except
casually. But Ashley had felt
Marion's purpose 40 she felt also
her hopeless love for Billy He hal
gone away no doubt he had for
gotten them both, or recalled them
only as the shadows In dream. H0
had written to nobody save his ~
torneys even in Marion's heart
break he had given no sign OF sym
patty .. \,
Ashley felt she could not forgive
that-then, all in flood, she under.
stood he had been cruel because
only thus could he be kind. She
dropped her face in her hands.
shivering family though the night
was balmy. At last she said half
aloud: Il was blind, but now ! see
clearly"
Something stirred at the gate she
heard steps, and turned to hide. But
though love may be blind q yearning
lover is otherwise-the next minute
Billy had both her hands and was
bending to look In her eyes by the
light OF the moon. After minute
he dropped them, took something
from his pocket and held It toward
her, saying: II have still the prize,
package habit are you glad or
sorry?" .se
She caught the winking spark Of
F, the diamond, but put 1t away. @
"If you want q real prize package
how about a live one?" she
whispered, putting her hands over
his arm. Next minute she was IN
his arms next week happy though
meek and chastened wife.