Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-15

line. in that line-of converting them
into "trailers." Miss Gwendoline
though, never tried to attain this re.
suit Men became her trailers with
out any effort on her part, while the
little dark thing had to exert herself
but it was agreeable work. She made
Bob trailer now, temporarily. Miss
Gwendoline turned her head slightly,
with a CLEAN of surprise to watch him
trail She had noticed that Bob had
danced with irresistible and almost
pagan abandon. That argued enjoy.
ment.
l. The little dark thing would come
in ultimately for hundreds of belch.
ing chimneys and glowing furnaces
cacophonous legacy.-and Miss Gwen
doline had only that day heard ru-
mors that Bob's governor had fallen
down and hurt himself on the street"
She, Miss Gwendoline, had not attach
| ed much Importance to those rumors.
People were always having little mis-
haps in the street" and then bobbing
up richer than ever.
But now that rumor required to her
more wildly in the light OF Boh's trail.
! ing performance and the mad abandon
of his tangoing. OF course, all men
are gamblers, or fortune-hunters, or
something equally reprehensible, at
heart. Tendency of cynical, selfish
and money-grabbing age! Miss Gwen
doline was no moralist but she had
lived in a wise set. where people keep
their eyes open and weigh things for
lust what they are Naturally young
| man whose governor has gone on the
; rocks-though only temporarily. per-
haps). might think that belching Chin
news. though somewhat spotchy on the
| horizon and unpicturesque to the eye,
might be acceptable in first-aid-to-
| the-iniured sense But Bob as plain,
ordinary fortune hunter?-Somehow
the role did not fit him.
Besides. a fortune hunter would not
i bruskly and unceremoniously have re-
fused her invitation to ride in the trap.
And at the recollection of that al
front. Miss Gwendoline's violet eyes
again cleaned, until for sparkles they
out-matched those of the little dark
thing. However, she held herself too
high to be really resentful. 1t was
!! impossible she should resent anything
SO incomprehensible, she told herself.
That would lend dignity to the offense.
| Therefore she could only be mildly
abused by it, This was. no doubt,
properly lofty attitude. but was 1t
genuine onee Was she not actually
at heart deeply resentful and dread
fully offended? Pride being one OF
her marked characteristics, she de-
manded a great deal and would not
accept little.
The sparkles died from the hard vio-
let ewes. A more tentative expression
replaced that other look as her glance
now passed meditatively over the dark
little thing. The latter had certainly
piuuant bizarre attraction. She
looked as if she could be very intense,
though she was of that clinging vine
variety of young woman. She wore
one of those tango gowns which was
odd. outre and bit daring. 1t went
with her personality. At the same
time her innocent expression seemed
mute, almost pathetic little appeal
to you not to think it too daring.
AS Miss Gerald studied the young
lady, albeit without seeming to DO SO
and holding her own in sprlshtiy
tango kind of talk, another thought
flashed into her mind. Bob might be
genuinely and sentimentally smitten.
Why not? Men frequently fell in love
with the little dark thing and after
ward some of them said she had
good deal of temperament" Bob
might be on temperament investlgat-
ing quest. At any rate 1t was all one
to Miss Gerald Life was comedy.
N'est-ce-pas? What was 1t Balzac
called ito La Coincide Humane.
Meanwhile, other eyes than Miss
Gerald's were bent upon luckless BOD.
Mrs. Dan and Mrs. Clarence looked as
/ if they would like to have word with
him. Mrs Dan even Unanswered IN
his direction at the conclusion OF the
dance while Bob watched her with Ill
concealed apprehension. He detected
ALSO an uncanny interest in Mrs. Car
ences eyes as that masterful lady eyed
him and Mrs. Dan from distance
Mrs. Dan almost got him when-the
saints be praised Mrs. Ralston her
self, tripped blithely up and annexed
him. For the moment he was safe,
but only for the moment.
A reckless desire to end it. all surged
through Bob's inmost being. If only
his hostess would say something ue-
manding an answer that would incure
such disapprobation on her part ne
would feel impelled, in the natural or
der of events, to hasten his departure.
Maybe then land he thrilled at the
thought, she might even Intimate IN
her chilliest manner that his immedi-
ate departure would be the logical Sc
auence of some truthful spasm she,
herself, had forced from him? He
couldn't talk French to Mrs. Ralston
now; he was In honor bound not to.
He would have to speak right UP in
the Kings Engfish-or Uncle Sans
American.
Of course, such consummation-
Bobs being practically forced to take
| his departure--was extremely unpleas-
| ant and awful to contemplate, yet
worse things could happen than that
whole string Of them one right after
another!
However, he had no such luck as to
be ordered forthwith off the premises.
! He didn't offend Mrs. Ralston at all.