Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-19
Fancy Sir Galahad going off in 4
pet like that" t !, |

Bobby did not stay long, dear,
observed the rector as they sat dowr
at dinner. He was mild-eyed mild
hammered man, and he quite ap
proved of Bobby Ortlepp.
| Mrs. Carey looked concerned.
| II suppose he had to be at the hos
pital on ume," she said.
| "Hospital?" asked Antoinette, going
quite pale for no apparent reason.
"Yes-he told you, dear. 81 course.
"No-o-o," said Antoinette. HE
didn't stay long. Is he ill?"
The rector shook his head mo
child, but you know young Henry
Blair, the foreman in Bobby's fac
tory, is at deaths door with anaemia
AS a last resort, they are going To
try TRANSACTION Of blood. Bobby Of
fered himself and was accepted. He
came in and told us and then said
he was looking for you. He wanted
to tell you about It,"
HE didn't say word" said An
toinette, family. "Is-is-there any
danger, father"
II hardly think so, dear. Bobby
q big, strong chap, but of course
there's always a risk. Bobby isn't
the sort to let that frighten him."
he ended heartily.
"Is it to be tonight" asked An.
toinette timidly.
1T was to be at 5 O'clock must
telephone the hospital and find out
the result" said her father. finish
ing his coffee.
Antoinette, sick with fear, followed
her mother into the library. She
heard her fathers voice at the tsle-
phone.
Il am very glad to hear It, doctor"
he ended, hanging up the receiver
1T was very successfully. Blair Is
doing finely and Bobby Is clamoring
to be released. rm-Pm proud Of
the lad, Antoinette,' he said huskily.
Yes, father" she said mechanic
ally, and then left the room abruptly
Mr.. Carey sat down in his favorite
chair and picked up the evening pa
per. His wife dropped her knitting
and laid plump hand on his arm.
Il think Antoinette and Bobby have
quarreled," she said quietly.
my dear!" he cried. astonished.
She nodded wisely. He only stayed
q few minutes and she Is not wear
ing his ring. She-she-looks worried
and she didn't know about the op-
Grafton"
Antoinette haunted the garden
paths that evening. 1t seemed to her
that no matter which way she went
she saw Bobby's white, unhappy face
as he left her in anger. It was all
SO unnecessary, too, for she had brok-
on her troth only in moment Of
caprice.
AS for knights how could she COM
pare her Bobby, who had risked his
own life to save that of fellow man,
with Lady Betty's lover who had
gone forth to slay his enemies? What
knightlier deed than that Of plain
Bobby Ortlepp?
Antoinette wrung her ringless fin-
gers in impotent despair.
At last, standing disconsolate b.
side the fountain, 1t occurred to her
suddenly to make an attempt to re-
cover her ring. She plunged her arm
to the shoulder in the icy water, and
her fingers barely touched the sand
and pebbles of the bottom. Some
moving object brushed her hand. She
at the contact, but 1t was
only a goldfish disturbed by the in.
trusion
She CROPPED wildly for the jewel
until the sleeve of her white gown
was drenched.
At that moment there seemed to
her to be only one desirable thing in
the world to be accomplished-to re-
cover the ring and restore 1t to her
finger.
With this thought racing dizzily
her head, it was small won
der that Antoinette lost her balance
and went plump into the wide basin.
"Girlie!' shouted blessedly famil-
lar voice, and then strong arm
grasped her scarcely submerged form
and drew her from the basin. And
Bobby's one serviceable arm man.
aged to hold her tightly to his breast.
'I've-got it, she sobbed 'hysteric-
ally, her cheek against his.
Got what, grille 2"
"This!" She held up her left hand
and the moonlight fell on the spark
ling stone of her engagement ring.
You came here after that?" he
gasped.
q couldn't be happy without It,
DEAR
II was a fool. Antoinette," he
I'm afraid I don't I'M
lerstand the ways of girls"
Nor the ways of knightly me-
The confessed joyously- y.