Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-31

4 81 was passing the time before din
ner with my pleasant old companion
Montaigne. Mr.. Magee, have you ever
read his essay on liars?"
Never" said Magee. But do not
blame you for brushing UP on it at the
present time, Professor. I have come
to apologize Yesterday morning re.
|ferred in rather unpleasant way.to
a murder in the chemical laboratory
at one of our universities. ! said that
the professor of chemistry was miss.
ing This mornings paper, which
secured from Mr.. Peters, informs me
that he has been apprehended."
"You need not have troubled to tell
me-" said the old man. He smiled his
bleak smile.
81 did you an injustice" went on
Magee.
LET us say no more of it, pleaded
Professor Bolton.
Mr. Magee walked about the room.
Warily the professor turned so that
the other was at no instant at his
back He looked so helpless, so little,
so Intellectual, that Mr.. Magee aban.
doned his first plan of leaping upon
him there in the silence. BY more
subtle means than this must his pur-
pose be attained.
81 suppose" he said, your love of
fresh air accounts for the strolls on
the balcony at all hours of the night?'
The old man merely blinked at
him.
Il mustn't stop" Magee continued.
ct just wanted to make my apology,
that's all 1t was unjust Of me. Muir
der-that is hardly in your line. By
the way. were you by any chance in
my room this morning, Professor
Bolton?"
Silence
pardon me-" remarked the profess
sor at last, IF I do not answer. In
this very essay on-on liars, Montague
has expressed it so we'll. And how
much is false speech less sociable
than silence am sociable man."
"Of course" smiled Magee. He
stood looking down at the frail old
scholar before him, and considered
OF what avail scuffle there in that
chill room? The package was no
doubt safely hidden in corner he
could not quickly find. No, he must
wait, and watch.
ScOU-Dy, uHtll ulilNci, hc' odN-
"and may you find much in your wise
companions book to justify your con-
duet
He went out through the open win
dow, and in another moment stood
just outside Miss Norton's room. She
put startled head out at his knock
ooh, it's you" she said. 81 can't
invite you in. You might learn terri
BILE secrets of the dressing-table-
mamma is bedecking herself for din
ner. Has anything happened?'
Throw something over your head,
Juliet" smiled Magee, "the balcony
Is waiting for you
She was at his side in a moment,
and they walked briskly along the
shadowy white floor
81 know who has the money" said
Magee softly. Simply through turn
of luck, I know. I realize that my
protestations of what am going to do
have bored you. But it looks very
much to me that if that package would
be in your hands very soon."
She did not reply.
"And when I have got it, and have
given it to you-if I do" he continued,
what them"
'"Then," she answered, IT must go
away-very quickly. And no one
must know, or they will try to stop
me-"
"And after that?''
"The deluge," she laughed without
mirth.
Up above them the great trees Of
Baldpate Mountain waved their black
arms constantly as though sparring
with the storm. At the foot of the
buried roadway they could see the
lamps Of Upper Asquewan Falls; un'
der those lamps prosaic citizens were
hurrying home with the supper gro
ceries through the night. And not
one of those citizens was within miles
of guessing that up on the balcony OF
Baldpate Inn young man had seized
young woman's hand, and was say
ing wildly: Beautiful girl love
you"
Yet that was exactly what Billy Ma
gee was doing. The girl had turned
her face away.
you've known me just two days"
she said.
'.If can care this much in two
days." he said, "think-but that's old,
isn't it? Sometime soon I'm going to
say to you: Whose girl are your ind
you're going to look up at me with a
say to you: Whose girl are your and
say: I'm Billy Magee's girl So be-
fore We 60 any further l must confess
everything must tell you who this
Billy Magee is--this man you're going
to admit you belong to, my dear"
''You read the future gibly," she re-
Piled. "Are your prophecies true,
wonder?"
absolutely. Some time ago-on
my soul. it was only yesterday-1
asked if you had read a certain novel
called The Lost Limousine, and you
said you had, and that-it wasn't sim
cere. Well wrote it" .,.
"Oh." cried the girl.
yes" said Magee, ''and I've done
others like it. Oh, yes, my muse has
been a nouveau richie lady in Worth
gown, my ambition a big red motor
car, I've been scramble cent,
mister troubadour reckoning from
the book-stalls. It was good fun writ
ing those things and IT Wrought me-