Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-28

dining room alone smoking. The low
dome of rich glass threw warm
yellow light over the linen and silver
on the table.
He blew some smoke rings, which
floated lazily into the dark shadow
above him. Then he blew more, and
they, too. thinned and faded. Truro
was long time coming.
Truro was the faithful Jap he had
brought home with him when he was
war correspondent That was before
he married Elise. And now they were
alone again, he and the Jap, as they
used to be, and Elise-Elise was back
home as she used to be. H.. f
And Truro "valeted and butled and
chefed and chauffeured," as Mcclellan
told his envious friends, with equal
skill in all. ..r.
Truro bnd adored Elise, and much
as he was devoted to his master, he
had pinned since she left a month be-
fore to go back to her fathers home.
Mcclellan had sent Truro for a
paper. He must have gone some dis
lance to get It. he was so long away.
The man went into the living room. It
looked emptier tonight than usual.
The piano in the corner was closed
had been for a month. And he never
failed to notice the empty spot be-
side the book rack where Elise used
to lay her embroidery.
He Tipped dollar and watched
it settle on the hearth. Tails! He
would go to the opera. He had rather
hoped it would be heads, for he pre-
ferred the club. That was what had
started the troubie-but no use going
over the old story. Mcclellan shrugged
and stopped for the coin.
Something seemed to be wrong In
the street The apartment was on
the first floor above the ground and
he walked to the window.
A crowd stood around an automo-
bile In front of the building and NC
Kellar could make nothing out of the
confusion. Then the sharp clang OF
the ambulance bell rang out on the
night air and the crowd disappeared.
It was then he saw the PROSTATE
form on the asphalt near the car.
Suddenly the door Of the living
room was flung open behind him.
He turned and faced Elise, her face
pale with terror. She gave him no
time for word. Even as she spoke a
policeman appeared in the hall be-
side her and touched her arm
"Quick, Vivian, go down. l have
run over Truro with my car. They
want to take him to the hospital, but
make them bring him up here, won't
you?" Then turning to the officer
of the law she said simply, Il am
ready to 60 with you now
Vivian had to let her go alone. The
poor. crushed body of the little Jap
required all his attention. He laii
him tenderly on his own bed and sent
for the best doctors he knew. Until
they came he could not leave
At last he was at liberty to go,
But at the police station he was told
that Elise had been allowed to go.
Her father had signed the bond for
her temporary freedom and taken
her home.
Mcclellan turned YEARLY away,
The feeling of relief at finding her
free was overcome by the overWhelm'
ing sense of his uselessness to her,
He was not needed. He never had
been. Elise had home as good,
better than his, and her father was
an all sufficient protector 1t was
true. she did not need him.
He learned at the station that She
was driving her car alone when 1t
ran over the Jap. Why she was with.
out a chauffeur he did not know,
Then the feeling Of uneasiness re.
turned. What If Truro should die!
It would be unpleasant for her. The
old feeling OF responsibility, Of want
ing to protect her was strong in him.
He bowed to the inevitable, and
when he opened his own door again
he looked like an old man.
The doctors had gone. Truro lay
sleeping quietly. He was unconscious
of pain. Vivian sat near watching
him. He had refused to have a nurse.
The little fellow who had sat night
after night watching him while he
tossed with fever at Port Arthur and
nursed him back to life should know
what gratitude meant. He was going
to fight for his life. The battle had
already begun.
The night light was turned low
Mcclellan in dressing gown and slir-
DerS mao dllONeu HIS HdSdLIuc ~
slide to the floor unnoticed. He was
awake but dreaming. How he longe,l
for Elise Every fiber Of his BODY
cried out for her. Then the barbea
shaft sank into his heart for the
second time that night, She had
ceased to need him. ceased to care
for him. His head bowed as though
under a burden he could not bear.
It was time for the medicine! He
sprang up gutltily, brushing his hand
over his eyes to Danish the bitter
thoughts.
Was he mad? Had trouble turned
his brain, or had the dim light at.
tracted the world of spirits?N He
looked again Elise was standing be-
fore him all in white. Her fur cloak
had slipped to the floor and her hair
and the long white veil across her
shoulders sparkled with drops Of
melted snow But her eyes-her eyes
how they shone!
The man trembled. The sudden
shock weakened him. Why had she
come to mock him? 1t was hard
enough to bear without this. He
T.