Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-10
CHAPTER XLV.-Continued.)

He thought or this now as ne Saw
that arm about the child in that pro-
tective, almost motherly gesture. 1t
made his own heartache more unbear-
able Such little time ago he had
felt that arm about him!
He leaned his hot head against the
cool plastered wall, trying to keep his
mind on the solemn reading. But Shir-
ley's voice and laugh seemed to be
running eerily through the chanting
lines, and her face shut out pulpit and
lectern. It swept over him suddenly
that each abominable hour could but
make the situation more impossible
for them bothH had seen her as she
entered the church. had thought her
even paler than in the wood, the
blush shadows deeper under her eyes.
Those delicate charms were in eclipse.
And it was he who was to blame!
1t came to him with stab OF en-
lightenment. He had been thinking
only of himself all the while. But for
her it was his presence that had now
become the unbearable thing. A cold
sweat broke on his forehead. &c. E.
for 7 am a stranger with thee, and a
soiourner: as all my fathers were. o
spare me a little, that I may recover
my strength before l. go hence. y
The informing voice fell duly on his
ears
To 20 away. To pass out OF her
life, to a future empty Of her? How
could he do that? When he had
parted from her in the rain he had felt
a frenzy Of obstinacy. 1t had seemed
so clear that the barrier must in the
end yield before their love. He had
never thought of surrender. Now he
told himself that flight was all that
was Ieft him. She-her happiness
nothing else mattered. Damory Court
and its future-the plans he had made
the Valiant name-in that clarifying
instant he knew that all these, from
that May day On the Red Road, had
chung about her. She had been the
inspiration of all.
Lead, kindly light, amid the encirc-
ling gloom
The voices of the invested choir
rose clearly and some one at his side
whispered that this had been the
majors favorite hymn. But he scarce
ly heard. ...~ ~, &c.,
4 When the service was ended the
people filled the big yard while the
last reverent words were spoken at
the grave Valiant, standing with the
rest, saw Shirley, with her mother
and the doctor, pass out of the gate.
She was not looking toward him. A
mist was before his eyes as they
drove away, and the vision of her
remained wavering and indistinct-a
pale blurred face under shining hair
He realized after a time that the
ward was empty and the sexton was
locking the church door. He went
slowly to. the gate, and just outside
some one spoke to him. 1t was CHS
holm Lusk They had not met since
the night of the ball. Even in his own
preoccupation, Valiant noted that
Lusk's face seemed to have lost it's
exuberant youthfulness.I was worn as
if with sleeplessness, and had look
of suffering that touched him. And
all at once, while they stood looking
at each other, Valiant knew what the
other had waited to say.
81 won't beat about the bush,' said
Lusk stammering. 1--WE got to ask
you something. T. reckon you've
guessed that THAT Shirley"
Valiant touched the young fellows
arm. eyes," he said, II think |
know"
'It's no new thing, with me-" said
the other hoarsely. TITS been three
years. The night OF the ball, I
thought perhaps that don't mean
to ask what you might have right
to resent-but must find out. Is there
any reason why I shouldn't try my
luck?"
Valiant shook his head. "No," he
said heavily. there is no reason.
The boyish look sprang back to
Lusk's face. He drew a long breath.
"Why. then I will" he said. "1-1m
sorry If l hurt you. Heaven knows
didn't want TOT"
He grasped the others hand with
a mans heartlness and went up the
road with swinging stride; and Vail
ant stood watching him go. with his
hands tight-clenched at his side.
A little later Valiant climbed the
sloping driveway of Damory Court.
It seemed to stare at him from thous-
and reproa chful eyes. The bachelor
red squirrel from his tree-crotch
looked down at him askance. The
redbirds. flashing through the hedges,
futtered disconsolately. Fire-Cracker,
the peacock, was shrieking from the
upper lawn and the strident discord
seemed to mock his mood.
The great house had become home
to him: he told himself that he would
make no other. The few things he
had brought-his books and trophies
had grown to be part of It, and
they should remain. The ak should
not be laid to the walnut grove.As his
father had done, he would leave be-
hind him the life he had lived there,
and the old Court should be once more
closed and deserted. Uncle Jefferson
and Aunt Daphne might live on in the
cabin back Of the kitchens. There
was pasturage for the horse and the
cows and for old Sukey, and some
acres had already been cleared for
planting. And there would be the
swans. the ducks and chickens, the
peafowl and the fish.
A letter had come to him that
morning The CORPORATION had re-