Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-17

VI THIS he Hau placed table winch
held promise of satisfactory break
fast. AS the three sat down, Mr. Bland
spoke:
II don't know about you, gentlemen,
but | could fall on Mr.. Peters neck
and call him blessed"
The gentleman thus referred to
served them genially. He brought to
Mr.. Magee, between whom and him
self he recognized the tie Of author
ship, a copy of New York paper that
he claimed to get each morning from
the station agent. and which helped
him greatly, he said, in his eternal
search for the woman. AS the meal
passed, Mr.. Magee glanced it through.
Twice he looked up from it to study
keenly his queer companions at Bald
pate Inn. Finally he handed it across
the table to the haberdasher. The
dull yellow sun of winter morning
drifted in from the white outdoors; the
fire sputtered gaily in the CRATE. Also,
Mr.. Peters failing for literature in.
terferred in no way with his talents
as cook. The three finished the re-
past in great good humor and Mr.. Ma
gee handed round cigars.
Gentlemen" he remarked, pushing
back his chair 1--WE find ourselves in
a peculiar position. Three lone men,
knowing nothing of one another, we
have sought the solitude of Baldpate
Inn at almost the same moment. Why t?
Last night, before you came, Profess
scr Bolton Mr.. Bland gave me as his
treason for being here the story of Ara
bella, which | afterward approached
as joke and gave as my own reason,
related to Mr.. Bland the fiction about
the artist and the besiging novelists.
We snapped stories when you came
it was our merry little method of
doubling each others word. Perhaps
it was bad taste. At any rate. looking
at it in the morning light, am in
clined to return Mr.. BANDS Arabella,
and no questions asked. He is again
the lovelorn haberdasher. | am in
clined to believe. implicitly, your
story That is my proposition. No
doubts of one another. We are here
for whatever reasons we say we are
The professor nodded gravey.
Last night" went on Mr.. Magee,
"there was some talk between Mr..
Bland and myself about one Of leav-
ing the inn. Mr.. Bland demanded it.
trust he sees the matter differently
this morning. I for one should be
sorry to see him 60.
Owe changed my mind, said Mr..
Bland The look on his thin face was
not a pleasant one.
Every good" went on Mr.. Magee.
II see no reason why we. should not
proceed on friendly terms. Mr. Peters
has agreed to cook for us. He can no
doubt be persuaded to attend to our
other wants For his services we
shall pay him generously. in view of
the circumstances. AS for Quimby-I
leave you to make your peace with
him.
81 have letter to Mr.. Quimby from
my old friend, John Bentley said the
professor. (which I am sure will win
me the caretaker's warm regard"
Mr.. Magee looked at Bland.
I'll get Andy Rutter on the wire y
said that gentleman. "Quimby will
listen to him, guess"
Maybe" remarked Magee care
lessly. ''Who is Rutter?''
Hes manager Of the inn when it's
open" answered Bland. He looked
suspiciously at Magee. 81 only know
him slightly he adde. ... -.
"Those matters you will arrange for
yourselves" Mr.. Magee went on. 81
shall be very glad Of your company if
you can fix it to stay. Believe it or
mott forgot. we agreed to believe,
didn't vel am here to do some
writing. I'm going up to my room
now to do a little work. All ask of
to- {6ot 70 RI
me, you refrain from shooting at each
other whileI am gone. You see, am
trying to keep crude melodrama out OF
my stuff" ..
II am sure" remarked Professor
Bolton that the use Of firearms as a
means of social diversion between Mr.
Bland and myself is unthought Of"
"I hope So" responded Magee
There, then. the matter rests. We
are here-that is ALL" He hesitated
as though in doubt. Then, with a de,
cisive motion, he drew toward him the
New York paper. With his eyes on the
headlines Of the first page, he con
tinued - shall demand no further eX.
plantations And except for this once
I shall make no reference to this story
in the newspaper, to the effect that
early yesterday morning, in labratory
at one of our leading universities, a
young assistant instructor was found
dead under peculiar circumstances.
He glanced keenly at the bald-headed
little man across from him. Nor shall
II make conversation Of the fact he
added, that the professor Of chemistry
at the university, man past middle
age, respected highly in the university
circle, Is missing.
An oppressive silence followed this
remark. Mr.. Blands sly eyes sought
quickly the professors face. The older
imam sat staring at his plate; then he
raised his head and the round specta
cles were turned full on Magee.
"You are very kind" said Professor
Bolton evenly. l..
"There is another story in this
paper" went on Mr.. Magee, CLAN cling
at the haberdasher, that, it seems to
me, I ought to taboo as table talk at
Baldpate Inn. 1t relates that a few
days ago the youthful cashier of a
bank in a small Pennsylvania town dis
appeared with thirty Thousand dollars
of the banks funds No. he con