Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-03-19

gossiped. and gossiped and rocked. All
the old women in the world seem to
gather at summer hotels. And, oh
the cruel mouths the fleet had-just
thin lines of mouths used to look al
them and wonder If any one had ever
kissed them"
The girls eyes were very large ana
tender in the freight.
"And | saw some poor little ghosts
weeping in corner" she went on; "a
few that the fleet had run down and
sunk in the sea of gossip. little
ghost whose mother had not been all
/ she should have been, and the fleet
found it out, and rocked, and whispered
and she went away. And few who
were poor--the most terrible of sins
to them the fleet showed no mercy.
And fine proud girl, Myra Thornhill,
who was engaged to a man named
Kendrick, and who never dared come
here again after Kendrick suddenly
disappeared, because of the whispered
dishonors the fleet heaped upon his
| head"
What wicked women!" said Magee.
"The wickedest women in the
world" answered the girl. "But every
summer resort must have it's fleet. |
doubt if any other ever had it's ad'
miral though-and that makes Bald
pate supreme"
Its admiral?"
! Eyes. He isn't really that, I mag
! ine-sort of vice, or an assistant, or
whatever it is. long ago retired from
the navy. Every summer he comes
here. and the place revolves about
him. It's all so funny. l wonder II
any other crowd attains such heights
Of snobbishness as that at summer
resort? It's the admiral this, and the
admiral that, from the moment he
enters the door Nearly every day the
manager of Baldpate has new pic
! ture of the admiral taken and hangs
| it here in the hotel. I'll show them to
you when it's light. There's one over
there by the desk, of the admiral and
the manager together, and the man.
ager has thrown his arm carelessly
over the admirars shoulder with See
how we'll know him written all over
his stupid face. Oh, what snobs they
are!"
"And the feet?" asked Mr.. Magee.
"Worships him. They fish all day
for smile from him. They keep
track of his goings and comings. and
when he is in the card-room playing
his silly old game of solitaire, they
run down their victims in subdued
tones 50 as not to disturb him.
What an interesting place said
Mr.. Magee. 81 must visit Baldpate
next summer Shall-shall you be
here?"
IT'S so amusing" she smiled, ignor-
ing the question. You'll enjoy it. And
it isn't all feet and admiral. There
happiness, and romance, and whisper
ing on the stairs. At night when the
lights are all blazing. and the band is
playing valves in the casino, and
somebody is giving a dinner in the
grill-room, and the girls fit about IN
the shadows looking too sweet for
words-well, Baldpate Inn is rather
enhancing spot. | remember those
nights very often now" .
Mr.. Magee leaned closer. The flicker
of the freight on her delicate face, he
decided, was an excellent effect
Il can we'll believe you do remem'
Der them," he said And it's no Ell.
| fort at all to me to picture you as one
of those who fitted through the shad-
ows-too sweet for words. | can see
you the heroine of whispering scenes
| on the stair. l can see you walking
with dazzled happy man on the
mountain in the moonlight. Many
men have loved YOU"
Are you reading my palm?' she
asked, laughing.
! "No-your face" answered Mr.. Ma,
gee. MANY men have loved you, for
! very few men are blind. I am sorry
I was not the man on the stair, or on
the mountain in the moonlight. Who
kncws-I might have been the favored
one for my single summer of joy
THE autumn always came" smiled
the girl
1T would never have come for me. y
! he answered. Wont you believe me
when say that have no part in TINS
strange drama that is going on at
Baldpate? Won't you credit 1t when
| I say that | have no idea why you
and the professor and Mr.. Bland are
here-nor why the Mayor of Reuton
has the fifth key? Won't you tell me
what it all means?"
"T mustn't she replied, shaking heI
head. Il can trust no oIo INV o'0h
you. / mustn't believe that you don't
know-it's preposterous. | must say
over and over-even he is simply-W1l
you pardon me-flirting, trying tc
learn what he can learn. I must
you can't even tell me why you
wept in the station?"
"For a simple silly reason. was
afraid. 7 had taken up task too big
for me by far-taken it up bravery
when I was out in the sunlight OF
Reuton. But when saw Upper AS
quewan Falls, and the dark came, anc
that dingy station swallowed me up
something gave way inside me and
felt I was going to fail. Sol cried
A woman's way
eff | were only permitted to help
Mr. Magee pleaded
! Mo- must go forward alone.
can trust no one, now. Perhaps Things
will change. I hope they WILL
Listen" said Mr.. Magee. Il an
telling you the truth. Perhaps yot
read a novel called The Lost Lin
CUISINE" He resolved to claim It's
authorship, tell her of his real purpose