Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-06
CHAPTER Nv.
A Slioht Mistake.
Copyright, The Eobbs-Nerr;.l Company.

Inc udy udQ SIoWu val Luoi o'iu
over in the east across the sea, bank
of clouds came rolling In. The sea
looked dark and oily, and the waves
swept landward with an eery swing
that BODIED storm The leaves OF the
trees hung motionless and the peace
that precedes trouble was over all.
so Molly O'Toole preferred to be
the mistress instead OF the mousse
keeper" unused Algernon, walking
along the dust-covered grass by the
wayside, his hat on the back OF his
head. his long buster tapping around
his heels, the pup, with dropping tail
and hanging head, following dejectedly
in the rear. "We are unknown up here
and there isn't any reason but the
minor one Of honor, perhaps. why she
shouldn't be mistress as long as she
can. It's more satisfying than house
keeping and everybody pretends some
thing or other all their lives. that he's
smart. when he's not, that he's good,
when he's bad that she's young, when
she's old. Everythings pretense,
every one pretends. Jove! wish
Jimmy was here Mama might fail TO
see the Joke, but good old Jimmy
wouldn't
The partnership Of Worth and Todd
peddlers, had been dissolved the aay
before In the GOODNESS and reserve
that would stamp an angry we're de
We're. After two months OF more run
than profits they had arrived at
small town to the south and James
had settled down there apparently 1or
life. fascinated by the sweet gay eyes
and charming shyness of dainty lit
tie country maid. After p week OF
firmness, of urging, of vain pleading
to move on, Algernon had grown
angry. One hasty remark led 10
others. equally hasty, equally foolish,
and several times more irritating. Al
pernon accused James CT carrying on
an unkind Irritation with a girl unused
TO the game and wholly unprepared TO
hold her own. James made remarks
about people who lived in glass houses
and the inadvisability OF the Kettle
calling attention to the color OF the
not. Algerncn said under the clrcum-
stances he did not care to be called
friend. James said he preferred to be
strangers under any and all clrcum-
stances. Algernon said nothing pleased
him mora and James said that ne
would forget that he had ever had the
misfortune to know q Todd. They
went over their accounts. Algernon
took the Ave dollars due him, and IN
mutual silence they parted.
Algernon had lived that summer on
what he had made as peddler, and be-
sides the five dollars, had no ready
money. He decided to go to Brockton,
for which he found he had enough car
fare with little left over for meals,
and from there walk to North Brockton
and Castle Crags. Then he could
telegraph for money and settle down
to await his mothers return.
Algernon reached the top OF the hill
Elizabeth had taken with such vigor
that morning. and paused to look
around him in the gathering gloom.
He had started from the store late,
and the approaching storm made the
afternoon seem like twilight. This
view from the hilltop revealed nothing
but other rolling pine.covered nils.
The trees shut out the sight OF the sea,
but the dull boom OF the rising tide
pervaded the atmosphere like the deep
notes OF an organ, rising and falling.
Algernon contemplated the scene with
a weary sigh It was beautiful but In
expressibly sad. The first gust of the
coming storm gently swayed the tall
er trees and brushed past Algernon
az though in hurry to reach the
other side Of the world, while from
the coast came the mournful call OF
the bell-buoy.
"Cheerful?" questioned Algernon.
"Oh, yes!" t...
He leaned against the fence and
lighted his pipe.
"If didn't get lost among those
bally trees" he reasoned, 81 would get
there much quicker by cutting through
to the sea and making around by the
coast"
A mightier gust OF wind than usual
swept by, and far away to his right he
heard the low rumble Of distant
thunder.
III should get lost, don't believe
I would get wet. The trees are too
thick for that. Besides, I don't see
how, can get lost, if just keep going
toward the sound Of the sea. Well,
here's for the attempt"
he CLIMBED tue leuCo anu SlI uSh III
in the direction of the distant sobs OF
the bell-buoy. After a while, when
the sea was apparently as far away as
ever and the woods were as thick as
ever and the darkness was twice as
dark as ever Algernon arrived at the
conclusion that he was lost.
He wandered around aimlessly for
a time and finally settled himself and
the pup under big pine and decided
to wait until the storm blew over. 1t
was dry where he was and outside the
shelter Of the trees. even in the woods,
the rain fell with irritating persisten.
cy. Overhead, the thunder roared and
the lightning flashed away across the
tree-tops. Once tree off in the woods
somewhere fell with a crash The sea
pounded on the rocks as if trying tc
drown the noise of the thunder, and
the bell-buoy shrieked a shrill mourn
full protest to the fury of the storm
while the NANCY pup cuddled in the
shelter of the buster and whimperec
miserably.
When the storm had at last spent
it's fury and rumbled away to the west
twilight had fallen in earnest and II