Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-05
Copyright. The Bob5s-A,erril, Company.

WORKING consciousness.
Sometimes they talked. sometimes
lapsed into silence, listening to the
huge ocean in it's everlasting unrest
like the unrest of the soul. and the
shrill protest of the bell-buoy like the
protest of ones reason against things
as they are and should not be. 1t was
perfect night, cool and fragrant. Far
overhead. the stars tWinkled radi
antly and from the trees whippoor'
will called and called.
Algernon drew the girl. unresisting,
down to the balustrade beside him. and
it was some time later before either
realized that Hancock had not come as
usual that night.
do you know. your voice in the
darkness makes me think Of some
one. joe said she. after long while.
Whom" asked Algernon.
She shook her head. 81 simply can't
place you, but it is familiar. and es-
pecially in the dark, on night so soft
and still"
She fell silent. trying to recall that
haunting recollection of another night.
Gradually her thoughts turned to her
present position and finally to the fact
that Hancock had not come. She
knew he was jealous and she knew,
with her woman's wisdom in such
things, that she could get him back in
time but would she have the time?
Patterson might remain a day or two
longer and hang around the place as
he had suggested he might; and Mrs.
Todd herself would be back in short
time now Would the last weeks all
go for nothing? The thought was in
tolerable and she rose quickly.
Il think l shall 60 in said she.
Algernon sank to sleep that night
filled with the first sweet hopes of
success. He would win her yet, not
by his money. but by his loye.
Molly tossed and tumbled in the
great canopied bed of the absent Mrs.
Todd. filed with the first bitter fore
bodings of failure: She would not
fail! AS Mrs. John Hancock all would
be forgiven her, if it could not be con-
cealed. While as Molly O'Toole, or
plain Mrs Holmes!
ooh, Joe, if didn't love you So"
she thought miserably, staring at the
summer star shining through the open
window. 1T wouldn't be so hard. I
wouldn't have acted as ] did the
other day. was fool. but Iwcrt
be again. II only have another
chance. just one more chance"
CHAPTER XIV.
A Woman's Reason.
Every morning Algernon and Molly
met in the tiny cove and swan for out
TO sea, leaving the old brown cloak
and the gaudy horse blanket. In the
evenings, if Hancock did not come,
Algernon would take the girl out in
the car and their souls would grow as
1ne in the swift fight through the
vast darkness of the night and the
total humiliation of all speed laws
and regulations.
But as the days passed, and Han
cock did not come at all to Castle
Crags, Molly grew morose and unap-
proachable. She took long rides in the
car, but insisted on sitting in the
tonneau and refused to exchange a
word with the harassed young chauf-
teur on the front seat
Late one evening, as they were re-
turning home from long lonely drive
far up the coast, he had persuaded
her to come and sit beside him as she
had been wont to do when she took
lessons in the art Of running a motor
car She was tired and worried, but
lighting against the ruin of all her
plans with certain grim strength AL
gernon could not but admire. He
knew that Patterson had come to the
house quite often during the week and
wondered why she stood the fellow II
be were keeping Hancock away. Han
cock was of a sensitive nature. He
had surely heard the gossip of the vii
age that the stranger was cutting
him out and with foolish pride pre-
'erred to remain away in naughty
aloofness. But why Molly did not get
rid of Patterson perplexed Algernon.
If she would, Hancock would come
back the sooner.
He helped her to the seat beside
him, and she thanked him with gen.
.leness born of her tired nerves. Her
mouth dropped pathetically and her
glorious eyes asked dumly for his
for she was woman and
,raved the help and support Of an
other with all of woman's nervous
onging.
They ran slowly for while, and Al
yernon, glancing at her now and then,
onged miserably to take her in his
arms and kiss away her troubles. In
Ter unhappiness she was thousand
lines more fascinating, gentler, sweet
srw. than when she laughed at him
boldly and sneered at love in brazen
Of her near success. To win
ler and relieve her anxiety by re-
vealing his identity was not for a
contemp lated by Algernon, did
lot even enter his head; sooner would
ne have surrendered at once and let
Hancock have her.
They came too a sheltered part of
he road and Molly had removed her
lat when Algernon, glancing at her
again, felt all his strength go with
.ush, and stopping, kissed the deli
,ate rose-pink cheek so near his
shoulder.
Molly blushed furiously. looked for
, moment as though she would become
angry and then suddenly, to Alger-
non's surprised CONSERVATION, burst
nto tears.
Molly, Molly he begged tenderly,