Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-13
Evening Story
NUN Der "
BY Anna Doubleday

NUMBER n
BY Anna Doubleday
Copyright, 1915, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Arthur Raymond closed his desk,
and, locking the door of his law office,
/ went slowly down the street. His
brisk step had lost its elasticity and
there were white threads in his dark
hair.
At the white gate of Hiram
Tweedy's house, Arthur turned in
and went up the path between the
stiff rows of box. From the garden
came the sickly-sweet smell of day
lilies standing like white sentinels
among their patches of bright green
leaves.
Hiram Tweedy was sitting on the
narrow front porch, smoking his
evening pipe.
How are you, Arthur" he asked
cordially.
Good evening"" responded Arthur,
sitting down on the steps. II don't
suppose you've heard anything?"
Hiram removed the pipe from be-
tween the thin line of his hard lips.
Nope" not word. I was telling
Ella this morning that Amy was an
ungrateful mink! I'm really ashamed
! to own she's my niece"
"She hasn't done anything except
go away to earn her own living" re-
ltorted Arthur; land you tainted her
into that Hiram. You admitted it
yourself"
Hiram laughed raspingly.
"Well, Amy's such little spitfire
I just couldn't help it, nohow," he
admitted. Lord! didn't expect the
girl would flare up and run away
Why, she might run away from me
and her Aunt Ella, but I'll be hanged
lie it shows much sense in her to run
away from her best fellow
Arthur arose. well, If there's no
news from her, I'll go on. | suppose
you're making every effort you can
to find out where she went" he
added.
"Of course am, Arthur. She's my
own niece, even if she amt treated
me right" returned Hiram in an in
jured tone. Nobody knows what
! I've done for that girl
Amy has only lived with you two
years." observed Arthur coldly
"since her fathers death, it was al
ways been understood that Amy's
help here has more than paid for her
board"
"I'm the one who ought to know!"
Iretorted Hiram lrascibly.
Arthur turned without another
word and went down the street, his
head bent little thoughtfully.
Hiram smoked on unconcernedly
until thin, sallow woman appeared
behind the screen door that led into
the rouse.
"Was that Arthur Raymond" she
asked curiously.
Eyes asking about Amy"
"He's goose to bother about her,
remarked Mrs. Tweedy, sourly. "She
didn't care enough about him to stay
here"
Hiram stilled her voice with a
wave Of his pipe.
"You better keep still, Ella; I
heard what you said to Amy that
night - heard you telling her that
Arthur Raymond was tired of her
and that he was sweet on that little
Weeks girl! expect it was that that
drove her away-more than any Of
my teasings."
"The very ideal" quavered Mrs.
Tweedy tearfully eff that isn't just
like a man always blaming every
thing on his wife!"
81 know what you said, and know
what said, and know that the girl
packed a few clothes and went away
before we was up the next morning.
Is supper ready?"
Arthur Raymond went toward his
boarding place with the ever-present
vague hope that in the gathering of
good gossips around the hospitable
board of Miss Mile Brown he might
hear some news about Amy He was
|conscious that the Tweedy's enter
tanned a hostile feeling toward him.
Why he did not know; only he was
aware of 1t.
His hopes were verified.
| It appeared that Miss Milly Browns
sister was the wife Of the station
agent, and that afternoon Miss Brown
Ihad made a long-deferred call upon
lher relative. She came home primed
with bit Of news that Arthur Ray
|mond seized upon eagerly.
'sThe TWeedys are SO clOse-mouthed