Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-29

have believed it. would we? Such
scenery beats the roads we're used to,
what? II 1t were all like this--but Of
course 1t isn't. Well get to our owp
bailiwick presently, and wake up
Never mind: we're country gentle
men. Chummy. enroute to our estatel
No silly shuttle. now! Out with It'll
That's right, a sharp bark re
warded him-"thats the proper en-
thusiasm.' He wound his strons
fingers In choking grip in the scruf
OF the white neck, as a chipmunk chat
tered by on the low stone wall. ma
you don't, you cannibal! He's jolly
little beggar, and he doesn't deserve
being eaten!"
He filled his brier.wood pipe and
drew in great breaths Of the fragrant
incense. What pity you DOM
smoke, Chum; you miss such a lot! !
saw poodle once in circus that did.
But he'd been to college. Think how
you could think II you only smoked!
We may have to do a lot Of thinking
where we're bound to. Wonder what
we'll find? oh, that's right, leave /,
all to me, Of course, and wash your
ness!" '.~.'
After time he shook himself and
knocked the red core from the pipe
start" he confessed, half to the dos
and half to himself. ITO leave any
thing so sheerly beautiful as this
However, on with the dance! BY thu
road map the village can't be far now
So long, Mr.. Bull" ....<...
He clutched the self.starter. But
there was only protestant wheeze
the car declined to bulge. Climbing
down, he cranked vigorously The-
motor turned over with a surly grun,
OF remonstrance and after tentative
throb-throb, coughed and stopped dead
Something was wrong. With sigh
he flung off his tweed jacket. donned
ia smudgy Jumper" opened his tool
box, and. with glance at his wrist
watch which told him 1t was three
o'clock, threw up the monsters hood
and went bitterly to work.
At half past three the investigation
hod got as far as the lubricator. AT
four o'clock the bulldog had given II
up and gone nosing afield. At halt
past four John Valiant lay fiat on his
back like some disreputable stevadore,
alternately tinkering with refractory
valves and cursing the obdurate me-
chanism. Over his right eye an ooze
Of orange.colored oil glowered and
glistened and indefatigably drip-drip
ped into his shrinking collar. A sharp
stone gnawed frenziedly into the
small OF his back and just as he made
a final vicious lunge. something gave
way and a prickling red-hot stab OF
pain shot zigzagging from his smit
ten crazy-bone through every tortured
crevice of his impatient frame. Like
steel from flint 1t struck out crisp
oath that brought an answering
bovine snort from the fence-corner.
Worming like lizard to freedom,
his eyes puckered shut with the
wretched pang, John Valiant sat up
and shook his grimy fist In the air.
"You silly loafing idiot!' he cried
"Thrump your own crazy-bone and see
how you like 1t! You-oh, lord"
His arm dropped, and a flush spread
over his face to the brow. For his
eyes had opened. He was gesturing
not at the bull but girl. who fronted
him beside the road, haughtiness In
the very hue Of her gray-blue linen
walking suit and, In the clear-cut
cameo face under her felt cavalry hat.
!myrtle-blue eyes that held smolder
of mingled establishment and indigna-
ton. The long ragged stems Of two
|crimson roses we're thrust through
her belt. splash of blood-red against
the pallid weave. An instant he gazed
all the muscles Of his face frightened
with chagrin.
II beg your pardon" he STAN
|mered. IT didn't see you. really
didn't was-I was talking to the
BULL
The girl had been glancing from the
flushed face to the thistly fence-corner,
while the startled dignity Of her fea-
lures warred with an unmistakable
tendency to mirth. He could see the
little rebellious witch Of the vivid
lips, the tell-tale flutter Of the eyelids.
and the tremor Of the gauntleted hand
as 1t drew the hat firmly down over
her curling masses Of ared-bronze.
what hair!" he was saying to himself
"It's red, but what red! It has the
burnish Of hot copper! I never saw
such hair!" ..-
He had struggled to his feet. nursing
his bruised elbow, irritably conscious
of his resemblance to an emerging
chimney-sweep. "T don't habitual!y
swear" he said, 'but I'd got to the
point when something had to explode"
"Oh," she said, don't mind mel"
Then mirth conquered and she broke
forth suddenly into laugh that
seemed to set the whole place aquiver
with musical contagion. They both
laughed in concert, while the bull
paved the ground and sent forth .
rumbling below Of affront and chal
lenge. ~.
She was the first to recover. "You
did look 80 funny!" she gasped.
IT can believe it," he agreed, making
a vicious dab at his smudged brow.
1.-THE possibilities OF motor fol
comedy are simply stupendous."
She came closer and looked curious
ly at the quiescent monster-at the
steamer-trunk strapped on the carrier
and the bullying portmanteau peepina
over the side of the tonneau: "Is II