Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-25
CHAPTER XVIII. Continued. J
.PETEY

CHAPTER XVIII. (COntlnued.)
Bob stared at it. He stood like one
frozen to the spot That hammer man
had done more than beat him at bill
lizards. While he Dob had extended
/ portion of his person over the table
10 execute diff cult shots the other
had found it an easy trick to slip Miss
Eerald's ring in the coat tail Of Bobs
garment Could you exceed that for
diabolical intention? Now what on
earth was Bob to do with Miss Ger
AIDS ring?
He couldn't keep it and yet he didn't
want to throw away her property. 1t
seemed as if he would be forced to,
though After an instant's hesitation
he made up his mind that he would
toss It out of the window and then
write her anonymously where 1t could
be found. The hammer man hadn't
calculated Bob would discover it on
his person so soon, or perhaps he had
told himself the odds were against
Bobs discovering it at all. He would
of course, have preferred that others
should discover it on Bob. The latter
now strobe to the window; the gilt
tering ring seemed fairly to burn his
fingers. He raised the curtain as soft
" as he could-the window was al
ready open-and then suddenly start
ed back. s
The light from within, shining on
the garden. revealed to him with dis
5concerting abruptness mans face.
The man sprang back with consider
able celebrity, but not before Bob had
recognized in him that confounded
s. T. %voo Al,
here, but not wishing to create scene
among Mrs. Ralston's guests, was no
doubt waiting outside with his assist
ants and the first time Bob stepped
out OF the house, he expected to nab
him. All the while Bob had been play
ing billiards. that miserable maniac
medico had probably been spying upon
him, peeping from under the curtain
Bob moved from the window, the
ring still in his fingers. and at this
inopportune moment, the monocle man
walked In. He seemed to have timed
his coming to nicely Perhaps ne
had noticed that little episode at the
window. Bob, in a panic, thrust the
ring hurriedly into his waistcoat peck
ct and tried to face the other without
showing undue agitation, but he feared
guilt was written all over his counter
ance. 81.
'Hot," muttered Bob Thought a
breath of fresh air would do me good
@"Quite SO. We English believe in
plenty Of fresh air." returned the mon !
ocle man, just as If he swallowed the
reason the other had given for going
to the window.
But after that Bob couldn't get rid
OF him. It was as if he knew some
watching. He began to fool with the
balls, telling how hard it was for him
to get accustomed to these small
American tables. The British game
was far better, he went on, all the
while keeping his eyes pretty closely
On Bob, until the latter got desperate
and went back to where people were.
But the ,monocle man went, too. BY
this time Bob was convinced the other
knew what was in his pocket.
"Caught with the goods!" That's the
way the yellow press would describe
his predicament
Aren't you the regular hermit
crab" It was the temperamental little
things reproachful voice that at this
point broke in upon his sorrowful
meditations, and Bob turned to her
quickly At the moment he was aW-
fully glad she had come up. What
have you been doing?" she went on.
"Oh, just rolling the balls. Will
you dance?" Eagerly
Cant! Engaged. You should have
asked me sooner and not run away
Then perhaps she saw how disappoint- /.
ed Bob looked or caught that desper. |
ate expression in his eyes, for she
added: Yes, will. Can say was |
engaged to you first and forgot Come
on"
4 Bob did. He was little afraid the
monocle man might not let him, but