Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-19
R ~ !! I'll G j? : ;! ! q !!
t n ~ By the Author of
sS0 HE COMES UP SMILING,
@MaMV7 THE MYSTERIOUS
- - CHARLES SHERMAN"
'---E-A3f&8kNk-- merrill compan,
CHAPTER XIX (Continued.)
Copyright. The Bobb.- Merrill Company.

The operator read the. messages tna'
Algernon wrote and pushed across the
scratched and dirty counter toward
him. One was to the shipping office IL
Montreal, ordering a stateroom to be
reserved on the Mary Edwards, leav
ing Montreal in two days, for Algernon
Todd, who had been hastily called to
England and would meet the ship In
the gulf. The other was to his law
yers. to telegraph him thousand dol.
lars as soon as possible. He did
not make the amount any larger
for he judged there was not bank
in town. that could raise. larger sum
within a week. The operator counted
the words, looked up New York in his
book. calculated the price and an
nounced it. glancing at Algernon.
1.-TWO dollars"
"send them c. o. d. said Algernon
carelessly, wiping his streaming fore'
head and turning to leave the place.
"Who are your" asked the youth be-
yond the counter, regarding Algernon
coldly. 49,.
"Todd," said Algernon, with slight
flush Of anger at the faint suspicion ne
saw in the others eyes. Algernon
Van Rensselaer, Todd, from North
Brockton, you know. The Crags IS my
place" He explained more and more
desperately as he saw the growing IN
credulity in the grim young face op'
Todd amt here" said the boy.
Hasn't been all summer. I've seen
Won before. You're the chauffeur
Algernon flushed deep crimson and
his utter helplessness to prove MIS-
own identity rushed over him. for d
month he had masqueraded as MS
-noiher's chauffeur. Even Molly would
hardly conceive it possible that he was
TODD a self-swindler. No one would
believe It. could believe it. Algernon1
thrust his hands into his pockets ana
regard ed the cool imperturbable youth
m the other side of the counter with
an exasperated sheer. To claim 10 De
Todd was not only impossible Tor the
time but foolish. He would nave 10
continue as his chauffeur.
"send those c. o. d." he ordered
s+ernlv with a hopeless attempt at In
timidation or hypnotism., ~
Cant do It." said the boy. you
amt Todd"
"Certainly not" said Algernon,
.corninp to be Todd. II am his chauf-
feur He wants those sent at once.
He is responsible for them.
when did he conner
Gomez" :,
"I1e amt here, amt been here all
summer. a.
"No. but Mrs. Todd is and she wants
those sent at once. -,
az she wanted them sent, why DID
nj she write them herself?" asked the
boy. go, 4,
gernon DULY.
The boy nodded. "You wrote them
when you came in"
"She told me what to say" explained
Alsernon, with sickening feeling at
the pit of his stomach that his tones
were not 50 convincing as they should
he the more he strove to make them
"All right" said the boy. But it's
inst possible you didn't say 1t. You
rive me the money and l will send
these. or else get Mrs. Todd's sigma
ture. can't send them unless you
do"
"Ye gods" snapped Algernon, save
mo from the asinine stupidity of the
country"
"And me from the goositen stupidity
of the city," said the boy cheerfuily.
Algernon felt helplessly in all OF his
pockets. He knew that there was not
a coin in any of them, but hoped with
the senseless hope of desperation and
despair to find one. The terrible op-
preston of absolute and complete PEN
niless was awful, maddening, unbear-
able.
Then he smiled with relief. Lend
me the money" said he to the boy with
the confidence and assurance of one
who had but to ask to receive. What
a fool he had been not to have asked
to borrow it before!
"Oh, sure!" said the boy with thin
" yelled sarcasm. Come around Sat-
urday and I will give you my pay en-
velope Don't talk about lending be-
tween friends"
II shall leave you the car as Sc
curly" pleaded Algernon.
The boy glanced out Of the dingy
door at the big throbbing car in the
narrow dusty street, already an OBJ
1ect of pleasurable scrutiny to the vii
tage contingency of small boys, and
grunted THE car amt yours said
he briefly
Mrs. Todd will pay YOU"
Then why didn't she send the mon
ey in the first placer"
Algernon looked at the youth mo.
ment in silence, wondering how Ions
he could restrain himself from laying
violent hands on this servant of the
public Then his eye caught sight OF
the telephone and he waved toward it
YEARLY.
Telephone Mrs. Todd said he.
"Tell her that Joe is here and that you
refuse to send the kilograms she want
ed me to send this morning. Telephone
her. Why man, these dispatches are
important"
For one moment it seemed to AL
gernon that the bluff would work. The
boy looked at him sharply, half be-
liev!ng, hesitated, reread the kilograms
he walked to the telephone, to Alger-
mons sickening dismay, and rang up
and glanced again at Algernon. Then
North Brockton. Algernon strove to
appear perfectly at ease and lounged