The Spectator. (Ozark, Ark.) 1911-1916, 1914-08-14
"All right. I am" Courtlandt

laughed. Come on over to the Souf-
flet and have drink with me-"
I'm not drinking today" tersely.
There's too much ahead for me to
do"
Going to start out to find her? Oh,
Sir Galahad!" ironically. ABBY, you
used to be sport. I'll wager a hun
dred against bottle of pop that to-
morrow or next day she'll turn up
serenely. with a statement that she
was indisposed. sorry not to have mott.
fed the directors. and all that. They
do 1t repeatedly every season"
But an errand of mercy, the
strange automobile which cannot be
found? The engagement to dine with
the baron? Celeste Fournier's state
ment? You can't get around these
things. | tell you, Nora isn't that
kind. She's too big in heart and mind
to stoop to any such devices" vehe-
mently.
Nora That looks pretty serious.
Abby. You haven't gone and made
fool of yourself, have your"
What do you call making a fool OF
myself" truculently.
You aren't sutton, are you? An
accepted suitor?" unruffied. rather
kindly.
No, but ! would to heaven that
were!" Abbott damned the newspa-
per into his pocket and slung the stool
over his arm. Come on over to the
studio until l get some money"
You are really going to start
SEARCH"
Il really am. I'd start one just as
quickly for you, II heard that you
had vanished under mysterious cir
cumstances."
Il believe you honestly would"
You are an old misanthrope. |
hope some woman puts the hook into
you some day. Where did you pick up
the crouch? Some Of your dusky
princesses give you the go-by?"
You. too, Abby?"
"Oh, rot! or course l never be-
lieved any Of that twaddle. Only. I've
got sore head today. If you knew
Nora as we'll as l do, you'd under
stand"
Courtlandt continued toward the
exit, his head forward, his gaze bent
on the path. He had the air OF a man
deep in thought. philosophic thought.
which leaves the brows unmarried by
those corrugations known as frowns.
Yet his thoughts were far from philo-
sophie. Indeed, his soul was in mad
turmoil. He could have thrown his
arms toward the blue sky and cursed
aloud the fates thai had set this new
tangle at his feet. He longed for the
jungles and some mad beast to vent
his wrath upon. But he gave no sign.
He had returned with a purpose as
hard and grim rs iron; and no OBJ
stacle, less powerful than death.
should divert or control him. Abduc-
ton? Let the public believe what it
might: he held the key to the mys.
terry. She was afraid. and had taken
fight. So be it.
Il say. Ted" called out the artist,
what did you mean by saying that
you were Dutchman?"
Courtlandt paused so that Abbott
might catch up to him. Il said that
was a Dutchman?"
Yes. And 1t has just occurred to
me that you meant something"
"Oh, yes. You were talking Of Da
Toscana? Let's call her Harrigan. 1t
will save time and no one will know
to whom We refer. You said she was
Irish. and that when she said thing
she meant 1t. My boy, the Irish are
notorious for claiming that They
often say it before they see clearly
Now. we Dutchmen-it takes a long
time for us to make up our minds.
but when we do. something has got to
bend or break"
You don't mean to say that you are
going to settle down and get mar.
ried?"
I'm not going to settle down and
get married. If that will ease your
mind any"
Man. l was hoping!"
Three meals a day in the same
house. with the same woman. never
appealed to me-"
What do you want. one for each
meal?"
CTO BE CONTINUEDD