Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-27
CHAPTER TX. (Continued.)

Mrs. Clarence, answered Bob, Wnere-
upon Clarence began to throw out his
chest" the way Dickie had done.
The commodore shifted uneasily,
seeming to find difficulty in continu-
Ing the conversation. He moved back
and forth once or twice, but realizing
he was making slight noise. stood
4 still again, and looked down at Bob. !,
Talk much with Mrs. DAM he at
length asked, nervously.
a did have little conversation
with Mrs. DAN" Bob was forced to
reply. "Or. should say, to be strictly
truthful rather a long conversation.
Won see | took her in to dinner
The commodore showed signs or
weakness. He seemed to have very
lndecisive legs all of sudden. iaih
,hont me?" he managed to calculate.
"Some. I'm not certain just how
much"
"What-what was satd?'
"1 can't remember ALL It's very
confused. I've had lot OF CONVEX
aations. you see, and most OF them
awfully unpleasant. remember
thonrh. that Mrs. Dan impressed me
al a very broad-minded LADY. Salu
~. had lived in Paris, and was not
bit Jealous .a
"Said she always wanted you 10
have the best kind Of time.
"Did she say that?" asked the com
modore. "And you believed It: 20
on.,' In a choked voice. Did you
tell her about that cabaret evening
Il believed it was mentioned, lnci-
d dentally" . c,,.noo
quickly. He was losing that cnestl-
ness ,e
"I-rather think did. what IS
that" Bob looked toward the VII
dow There was sound below at the
ecot ri the balcony. Some one turned
mt the light in the room and BOD
strobe to the window and looked our.
"Yt,s ! dog, he said Hes snumng
around at the foot"
eyes doing more than snufhng' oo-
served the commodore apprehenslVe,s
&c at that moment bark smote 'ne
air They stood motionless and silent.
The dog stopped barking, but went on
snnA'ng. Maybe it would 90 away
sStar ! moment, and they waited.
n;ckie and the commodore had thrash
~ ant that question Of dogs. With SO
MANY guests around, they had inquired
that az course. they would be dog.
safe Didn't they look like guests
4 How could a dog tell the difference
hatween them and a guest? It is true
thew hadn't been expecting so mucn
trouble as they had been put to, TO
and Bob. They had, in that little bal,
/ concentrating feat, rather exceeded
what thew had expected to be called
an do In their impatience. they
h.d acted somewhat impetuously. but
: It had looked just as easy. AFTER tns
servant had pointed out the room any
told them Bob was In. as certain
sounds from his bed indubltaoly lhul'
Gated. -.
They couldn't very well enter the
house as self-invited guests. though
thew OF course, would have been mace
welcome. They couldn't very Wen say
thew had ali changed their minds about
those original invitations which nae {,
naturally included husbands as Wen
a wives. After all three had declln'
"a ia come on account of business. II
vonld certainly look like COLLISION,
y. T. al three found they hadn't had ur-
rent business. at all, in town. If any.
3 thing untoward or disastrous had nap
named in the conversational line. Win
poh as the Demon Truth, their sudden
entrance upon the stage OF festivities
,vonld seem to partake of inner pertur'
hat,on. it might even appear to be a
united and concentrated case OF triple
guilty conscience. This, obviously,
,nnst ha avoided at any cost. How
thew had heard Bob was here at the
Ralston house, matters not Natural
Nv they had kept tab on his move
rnents where he went and what ne
did being of some moment TO them.
The dog barked again. Thereupon,
! window opened and they knew that
some one had been aroused.
Hes looking out. It's the monocle
chap" whispered Bob.
who's he?"
zone of Mrs. Ralston's importations.
Belonged to that Anglo-English colony
when she did that little emigration
act In dear old London
Hang it, we've got to get out.
whispered the commodore nervously-
No matter what had been said; no
matter what the Demon God OF truth
had done, it was incumbent on tnem
not to remain longer, with that dog
looking up toward Bob's window and
MAILING that spasmodic racket. Some
one might get up and go out and see
footprints. or disturbed trellis me
commodore forgot certain desperate
business proposition, apropos OF that
confounded wager, he had come to put
to Bob. That internal dog got on his
nerves and put that other matter
which would settle this truth-telling
stunt at once right out Of his mind.
It was all very well, however. to say
they "had to get out but 1t was an
other matter to tell how they were
going to do 1t. They couldn't descend
the way they had come. and meet dog
gle. Bob arose to the occasion.
Il can let you into the hall and show
Won downstairs, to that side door on
the other side of the house. You can
take one of my golf sticks just as a
safeguard. but think you'll be able
Il circumvent the jolly little barker
without being obliged to use 1t.