Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-26
CHAPTER XII.

SI LII a.
A Faisehood Under tho Palms.
MAKE me a willow cabin at you
gate quoted Mr.. Magee, looking a
the hermit's shack with interest.
"U-m-m,' replied Miss Norton. Ihu
beautiful sentiments frequently rare
even at the hands Of the most beauti
full. Mr.. Magee abandoned his pfoJec
OF completing the speech.
The door OF the hermit's ABODE
opened before Mr.. Maxs masterfu
knock, and the bearded little man ap
peared on the threshold. He was clae
in Q purple dressing.gown that sug
rested some woman had picked 1t
Surely no man could have fallen VIC
tim to that riot of colors.
Come in," said the hermit, IN
tone 40 colorless it called added at
tention 10 tho gown. Miss, you nave
the chair. You'll have to be contentec
with that soap,box davenport gentle
men. Well?" -,
He stood facing them in the mid
do Of his hermitage. With curious
eyes they examined it's architecture
Exiied hands have built II OF poles ane
clay and q reliable brand Of roofing
In tho largest room, where they sat
were chairs, a table and bookshelf
hammered together from stray boards
furniture midway between that IN
hut on a desert isle and that Of home
made happy from the back pages OF
woman's magazine. On the wall were
various posters that defined the her
mit's taste in art as inhammatory
bold. arraeting. Through one door
at tho rear they caught glimpse OF
tiny Kitchen; through another the
white covering Of ballroom cot could
be seen. m
"Weiiv repeated Mr.. Peters. ~
suppose you're 4 delegation SO to
spaakf"
"A cold unfeeling word" objected
Mr.. Magee. -,
eve have come to plead"-began
Miss Norton, turning her eyes at their
full candle,power on the hermlts
bearded face.
y beg pardon, MISS" INTERRUPTED
Mr.. Peters, "but it amt any use. I've
thought It all out-in the night watches
as the poet says. I came up here 10
he alone. can't be hermit and a
cook too. can't and be true to my
self. No, you'll have to accept my
resignation, to take effect at once,
He sat down on an uncertain chair
and regarded them sorroWfully. HIS
long well-shaped fingers clutched the
cord Of the purple gown.
TT isn't AZ though we were asking
you to give up the hermit business Tor
good" argued Magee. IT'S Just Tor a
short time-maybe only for a few
days. I should think you would well
come the diversion
Mr., Peters shook his head viaor'
ous,y. The brown curls waved flip
PANTY about his shoulders.
my Instincts" he replied. ARE
awav from the crowd. I explained
that to you when We first met, Mr..
Magee"
"Any man." commented Mr.. Max.
ought to be able to strange his in
stincts for good salary, payable IN
advance"
you come here" said the hermit
with annoyance, "and you bring with
YOU tho sentiments of the outside
world---the world have foresworn.
Don't do it. | ask YOU"
~ don't get YOU" reflected MI. Max.
mo, pal, I don't quite grab this her
nit game. It amt human nature,
say. Way up here miles from the
little brass rail and the sporting extra,
and other things that make life worth
living It's beyond me-"
I'm not asking your approval" re-
piled the hermit. "All I ask is to be
let alone"
"Let mo speak" said Miss Norton.
"Mr. Peters and have been friends,
you might say, for three years. 1t
was three years ago my awed eyes
first fell upon him. selling his post
cards 1t the inn. He was to me then
the true romabce-the man to whom
the world means nothing without a
certain woman at his side. That is
what he has meant to all the girls who
oame to Baldpate. He isn't going to
shatter my ideal Of him-he isn't 60
ing to refuse 4 lady Ia distress. You
will come for just a little while, won't
you, Mr., Peters,"
But Peters shook his head again.
~ dislike women as a sex" he said.
but I've always been gentle and easy
with isolated examples of EN-. 1t
amt my style to turn 'em down. But
this II asking too much. I'm sorry.
But I rot to be true to my OATH got
to Be = hermit"
Maybe" sneered Mr.. Max, "he's got
good reasons for being hermit. May
be there's brass buttons and blue uni
forms mixed up in it,"
"You come from the great world OF
suspicion" answered the hermit, turn
ing reproving eyes upon him. 'Your
talk IS natural--it goes with the life
you lead, But it isn't true
"And Mr.. Max is the last who should