Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-23
Evening Story
CHECKING A SCANDAL.
By Frank n. Meloon.

Copyright, 1872, by the MCCLURE
Newspaper Syndicate.)
~ don't care, Robert" stormed
Elsie, looking ravishingly pretty In
her anger. "You know there are all
sorts of stories about you being seen
on the street with an actress-you,
the respected pastor Of our Potters-
Vile church! How long do you think
you'll remain respected If you can't
disprove this possibly malicious COS
sin? And If it is true, how long dc
you think ought, under the circum'
stances. to permit our engagement to
continued"
The Rev. Robert Bowden, youne
and decidedly good-looking, permitted
himself to smile composedly.
"Elsie. haven't always told you
that you are too emotional for your
| own peace of mind, that you give
wav too easily to first impulses?"
"1n this case you would appear to
he the emotional one. I don't see
how the criticism you so kindly offer
applies to me-" the girl persisted
poutingly "The stories about you
are all around town. Every ones Sc
stirred up about them. You seem to
be the only one who doesn't care
You don't deny them even now, SO
I've no alternative except to believe
them"
you think it logically follows that
because a thing isn't denied, 1t must
! perforce be true?" he asked quietly.
! She hesitated, toying with her
gloves.
eyes, I dol" she replied, explosively
"Think it over while, Elsie, and
am quiet certain you will come to q
different conclusion" urged the young
minister, his jaw setting firmly
Here comes old Mrs. Whitby. I ad
wise you to go and leave me to suffel
alone her usual trade against hel
Younger sisters husband. I'll see you
tomorrow, Elsie, and am quite
quite sure things will look different
to you by then"
| was it a promise? The girl STROBE
awav. tossing her dainty head angrily
| She felt that Robert had as good as
admitted his guilt. To think Of him
minister with first class prospects
endangering his whole career by fiirt
ing with a. silly actress! And he ar
engaged man, too!
It was fortunate, the girl reflected
that she had found out the possihili
ties of his duphcity before their mar
riage, which might now never take
place. She had heard that a mar
who would hirt before marriage
would do 80 after the nuptial kno
had been tied. you can never tel
anything about man." thought Elsie
Courtney. She had believed Rober
Bowden to be all that was good ant
honorable. Yet now positive-o
what seemed positive-evidence tina
he had been seen walking on tn
street with an actress had come tt
her ears from several sources.
Who was the actress? Elsie hadn'
Learned her name, but OF course sh'
was bad. To the untutored countr!
girl the possibility that virtue and
stage life might sometimes 90 to
leether had never occurred. She hat
never heard such thing suggested.
,"I was fool to believe in an!
man." said Elsie to herself bitterly
|"Yes, even If he was minister.
remember my poor mother when sh'
Twas alive used to tell me that few
men were to be trusted. thought
however, that I was needing he
advice when I accepted Robert. l
seemed to me that he was one Of tn
few"
:, Endeavoring to analyze her feelings
Elsie was surprised to find that sh
still loved her finance.
A petite miss of perhaps twenty
four years, with bewitching darl
, eyes, and lips that were continuall
curving into a smile, Adele Whitor
star of the "Witching Minutes" thee
trical company, was girl to admir-
for her beauty. And, better still. sh
was also to be admired for the NOR
sterling. more lasting qualities. He