Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-15
CHAPTER XVII Continued.

The telephone bell rang within and
from long habit at answering bells,
Molly rose and started toward the
door.
Algernon jumped up quickly. Let
me answer IT."
mo, I shall, thanks. 1t is surely
for me- 80 ~,
"Tell me, first, will you go with me?'
"The food"
Algernon made hopeless gesture,
and she laughed and went IN.
+ was warm and sweet on the ter
race. The air was heavy with the
scent OF the flowers and the fields:
Cav little butterflies fluttered here and
there and bees buzzed lazily among
the late flowers in the beds below the
terrace. Algernon amused himself by
nickine bunch of red and yellow
nasturtiums as he waited, humming
softly. In moment Molly came to
the door again, her eyes filed with
amusement
"1t's for you, Joe," she said. Whom
d. Won know that would call you up
this early?' \,
"Did he give his name?" asked AL
pernon husy with his flowers and not
looking up. , ..r,o
wouldn't give me his name. You nave
50 many secrets, you and your mys-
terious friends
ri have none from you, except those
YOU won't let me tell reproacheo Al
gernon. handing her the flowers.
His thoughts were too much oc'
cupied with Molly to receive the an
nouncement that he was wanted on
the telephone with surprise. He was
used to having people call him up on
the telephone at any hour OF the day
and he forgot that in this out-ot-the-
wav place there was no one who had
anv occasion to call him up. He TOOK
the receiver down indifferently.
"Hullo."
"Hullo. Is this the Todd's chauf-
feur?"
He recognized Patterson's voice and
began to have dim notion that all
was not we'll Had anything happened
that Patterson must leave town sud-
denly and wanted to say good-by! HIS
voice was cool enough, but there was
an underlying strain in 1t as that OF
man with tight hold on himself
and Algernon was not surprised that
Molly had not recognized 1t.
eyes," called Algernon.
81 am Patterson-Patterson. Do
you understand"
"Yes. Has anything happened"
"Some one has done damn sight
too much talking"
"How's that"
"The authorities know where am.
Somebody telegraphed to New York
where I was. Photographed yesterday.
Do you hear Telegraphed Some
enc telegraphed. Can't you hear?
Hullo?"
Telegraphed! Yesterday! Alger-
mons face turned slowly white and his
mild gray eyes darkened until they
looked almost black.
"Hullo! Are you there?"
"Hullo. Yes, I'm here" he an
swered. GO on. Tell me all"
"I got the tip this morning. The
last train has gone until the ten to-
night. MY car is still broken
eyes. Go on. Hullo Don't hang
up. What are you going to do? What
I can't hear"
"Im not going to hang up. asked
you what can I do? If any one is
listening"
"This is private line. No one can
hear. Go on
"A steamer leaves for England in a
day or two. If had fast motor
car, could make it. I'm not saying
anything but you are the only one to
whom told my troubles"
Hold on a minute. You said you
weren't saying anything and it's just
as wellnot to, understand? All right.
I have plan by which we can catch
that boat other than by a motor-car.
The roads will all be watched and it
will be hard for motor to get through.
Hullo-What say? I can't hear Oh,
thought you said something. Get up
here if you can in about an hour.
Come by the rocks and no one will see
you. Do you hear? have a plan
yes, plan. Get up here as soon as
you can. Good-by."
Molly stood in the doorway listen
ing with an expression Of amused toll
erance concealing the wonder and sur
prise and fear in her eyes.
what plan have you got?" she
asked.
Algernon mare no answer. He rang
up the stables.
"Hullo."
"Hullo," answered the second groom.
THAT you Bates?"
Eyes, sir" The 'sir" came out I'M
awares. Bates recognized the voice
of the chauffeur and under ordinary
circumstances would have scorned to
use such word in conversation with
a fellow-servant
"Do you know anything about sail
ing boat?'
Eyes, sir. I've run boat since
went into knee pants"
That's good. Come up to the
house on the jump, will you? have
a job for you"
YES, sir. Good-by.'
Molly looked angry and startled.
"Joe." she demanded, following AL
gernon into the hall What are you
going to do?"
Algernon rang for servant and be-