Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-29
CHAPTER X. Continued. J


truth pact made it necessary to an
swer, the most silly questions.
well, ! didn't know but you had,
murmured the temperamental young
thing. II heard dog barking and
that made me think you might have
them. You're sure you didn't let any
body into the house?"
II didn't"
Miss Dolly ,snuggled herself togeth
or more cozily. She seemed about to
ask some more questions. Perhaps
she would want to know If he had let
anybody out. and then he would have
10 tell her
LOOK here" said Bob desperately
Maybe it hasn't occurred to you, but
--this-this isn't exactly proper. Me
here, like this, and you
"Oh, I'm not afraid" answered Miss
Dolly with wonderful assurance. i
can quite take care of myself"
"But-but-" more desperately-"if
I should be discovered Cant you
zee, for your own sake"
"My own sake?" The big innocent
ewes opened wider. "In that case. OF
course, I'd tell them the truth"
"The truth" How he hated the
word. "You mean that -" Glanc-
Ing toward the brooch,
M "Of course!" TRANQUILITY.
Bob tried to consider. He could see
what would happen to- him. ii they
were interrupted. Ut certainly was a
most preposterous conversation. any
how. Besides. X wasn't the place or
the time for conversation of any
kind. He had just about made up his
mind that he would go, whether she
screamed or not, and take the con-
senuences however disagreeable they
might be. when
.sWell. trot along said Miss Dolly
graciously. Il suppose you've got a
lot OF work to do tonight and it's rath.
er unkind to detain you. Only PICK
up the brooch before you 60 He
obeyed. Now put it on the dresser
and leave it there. Hard to do that,
isn't IT."
.No. it isn't" savagely.
"Well, you can 60 now. BY the way
Mrs. vanderpool has big bronze.
colored diamond surrounded by Won
derful pink pearls. It's an antique
and-would adorn connoisseur's col
lection"
"But tell you am not
'My, How stupid, to keep on saying
that, But, of course. you must really
he very clever. Society highwaymen
always are. Good night So glad |
was thinking of something else and
forgot to lock the door,"
bob went to the door and she con-
siderately waited until he had reach.
ed IL: then she put out hand ana
5nushed a convenient button which
shut or the light. Bob opened the
door but closed it quickly again. He
fancied he saw some one out there
, IN the hall, shadowy form in the
distance. but was not absolutely sure.
aren't you gomez said the tenn.
peramental young thing.
SSH" SAID Bob.
For some moments there was ST.
lence. thrilling enough. even for her.
Then Bob gently opened the door once
more, though very slightly; and peer
ed out of the tiniest crack. but he fall
ed to see any one now, so concluded
he must have been mistaken. Inc
shadows were most deceptive. Any
how there was more danger In stay
ing than in going. SO he slid out and
closed the door. At the same moment
he heard a very faint click. 1t seem
cd to. come from the other side OF the
hall. He didn't like that. he told him.
self and waited to make sure no one
vas about. The ensuing silence re-
assured him somewhat; and the
"cIick," he argued, might have come
from the door he himself had closed.
The temperamental young thing,
holding her breath. heard him move
softly but swiftly away. She listened.
nothing happened. Then she stretch.
ed her young form luxuriously and
pondered on the delirious secret that
was all hers. A secret that made Bob
her slave! Abjectly her slave! Like
the servant of the lamp! She could
compel him to turn somersaults if she
wanted to.
Bob awoke with slight headache,
which, however, didn't surprise him
any. He only wondered his head
didn't ache more. People came down
to breakfast almost any time, and
sometimes they didn't come down at
all but slipped coffee in their rooms,
continental fashion. 1t was late when
Bob got up, SO goodly number Of the
Kuests-the exceptions including Mrs.
Dan and Mrs. Clarence-were down
by the time he sauntered into the big
sun-room, where breakfast was served
to all with American appetites.
The temperamental little thing man.
aged accidentally CD to encounter
him at the doorway before he got into
the room with the others. He shivered
slightly when he saw her, though she
looked most attractive in her rather
bizarre way. Bob gazed beyond her,
however, to vision in the window.
"Vision!" That just described what
Miss Gwendoline looked like. with the
sunlight on her and making an aureole
of her glorious fair hair. OF course
one could put an adjective or two be-
fore the vision as beautiful
or something even stronger-without
being accused of extravaganza.
The little dark thing, uttering some
platitude, followed Bob's look, but she
didn't appear jealous She hadn't
quite decided how much latitude to
give Bob That young gentleman no
ticed that the hammer-thrower, look