Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-12

| log broke in two, sending a shower OF
sparks up the chimney and starting
the feeble flames for last brave
| struggle. Then they, too, fickered
out, and only bed of Goals remained,
encircled by steadily-growing ring OF
ashes. Molly drew back a few steps,
one hand still resting on the back OF
the settee.
II am sorry, Joe she said simply,
She waited a moment but he did not
Hook up and she crossed the hall to the
stairs.
As she reached them he turned sud
ldenly and followed her. Molly he
lpleaded, my love you know, have
told you about 1t. have spoken first.
How do you know that Hancock cares
for you? Has he asked you to marry
him?"
She paused on the third step, one
hand on the banister, COOL impassive,
with not a culver Of the eyelids, not
tremcr of the sweet mouth to reveal
the storm of feelings in her breast.
He has asked me, joe said she
gently. "He asked me tonight"
Have you mentioned clipping YETI
II got sick over things last night,
Joe. 1t was all SO sordid and-rotten.
| couldn't stand things any longer and
when he came this morning and we
sat on the rocks, I told him that ! was
Molly O'Tcole, masquerading in my
mistress name"
what did he say?" asked Algernon
in dull surprise.
First he was-not shocked, prob
ably, but astonished, dumfeunded
But we talked long time and then
Them"
"Then he asked me to marry hip."
"You told him before he proposed?'
"Yes I had to do one thing de-
cent, anyway
"You are decent, dear all through
What, /, a piece of merchandise ?"
She asked with faint sheer in her
voice.
Molly" he protested,
Good night said she.
"Geod-night" he answered.
She went up the low wide stairs,
dimly lighted by the hall above. On
the first landing she turned and look
ed back. He was standing at the edge
of the stairs, still looking up after her
and with three bounds he was beside
her.
molly, Molly he whispered, his
arms around her. "Dont spoil my life
and yours and his, sweetheart |
love you so Look up, dear. All,
Molly. could you endure his arms
around you, his kisses on your hair,
your beautiful hair? You are happy,
dear, In my arms. Tell me, did that
lace dress of yours, that string OF
turquoses and the motor-ear ever fill
you with such content as just my arms
around you, holding you close. close?
Molly little sweetheart, you and to-
gether, dear, we can laugh at care and
trouble We can face the world and
conquer it, beloved, If we be to-
gether."
Once again she lay in his arms quiet
~, listening to his rush of words and
feeling his impassioned kisses on her
face and the tumbled mass of hair
Suddenly she pushed him from her
and backed against the wall, breathing
!! heavily. at bay. Then, catching her
breath in broken sob, she turned and
stumbled on up the stairs, one hand
clutching the banisters.
Molly" he pleaded.
"No, no, no." she sobbed.
The circle of light above received
her a moment The next she was
gone A door shut somewhere and
then silence settled on the house and
the great hall. dark now. save for the
dying embers on the ash-fllled hearth
CHAPTER XVII.
Suspicion.
|. The long swell of the ocean rose
and fell The waves pounded against
the rocks and rushed up the beach
with rafting splash of water, stones
and seaweed Overhead, the gulls
wheeled and floated, and in the lee of
the promontory the s]oop danced and
beckoned. Over the boundless blue
of the ocean, the sand-gray sweep of
the beach and the woods, with it's JOY
Gus inhabitants filling the air with
clamor, shone the warm rays Of the
morning sun. 1t was very early when
Algernon, blanket-shrouded, emerged
upon the beach.
The night before he had gone to
bed with the determination to leave
in the morning. returning in a few
udyS uHuCt LIS y" IL udluS anu PtCCVu7
ed by a telegram to the effect that he
was coming. He would give Molly
time enough to marry Hancock and
go, or wait and face him, as she
wished If she went and he found the
great place deserted, he could tele-
graph some ef the boys to come up
and they might be able to kill time
painlessly-to themselves. There was
no need of brooding on his disappoint-
ment.
The beach was empty. Only the
sea-gulls. wheeling and screaming in
the glorious morning air, and the bell
buoy, scolding softly to itself. broke
the endless song of the sea. Algernon
waited a while in the hope that Molly
might come for the last few swims
that would be possible before the
water grew too cold for pleasure or
comfort But she did not appear and
he finally threw off his blanket and
swan out to the sloop where it rode
at anchor.
It had not been used all summer
and everything was shut up, snug and
shipshape, as it was when brought up