Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-10

there. He wanted, and yet didn't want,
to see her. What had he to hope now?
Why, he didn't have sou, or not
enough of them to count. He was to
all practical intents and purposes
pauper. Dads going broke" had
changed his whole life. He had been
reared in the lap of luxury, pampered
son He had never dreamed Of being
otherwise. And considering himself q
favored child of fortune, he had even
dared entertain the delirous hope OF
winning her-her, the goddess OF MS
dreams.
But hope now was gone. Regrets
were useless. He could no longer con-
ceiye himself in the role Of sutton.
Why, there were few girls in the whole
land SO overburdened with "rocks"--
as Dickie called them! II only she
didn't have those rocks-or stocks!
Impecunious Gwendoline!" How well
that would go with "1mpecunious Bob"
If only her trustees would hit the to-
boggan, the way dad did! But trus-
tees don't 60 tobogganing. They
eschew the smooth and slippery. They
speculate in government bonds and
things that fiuctuate about point or
so century. No chance for quick 40
ton there! On the contrary, the trus.
tees were probably making those mill
lions grow. Bob heaved sigh. Then
he took something white from his
pocket and gazed at two words, ardent
ly yet obviously.
That "Will you?" Of hers on Mrs.
Ralstons card exhilarated and at the
same time depressed him. 1t implied
she. herself. did expect to be at her
aunt's country place. He attached no
other especial Importance to the "Will
your An imperious young person in
her exalted position could command as
she pleased She could say "Will you?"
or s'You will" to dozens Of more or less
callow youths, or young grown-ups.
with impunity, and none Of said dozens
would attach any undue dattering
meaning to her words. Miss Gerald
found safety in numbers. She was as
We: heart free.
Can you-aw!-teI me how far 1t
is to Tonkton?" voice behind here
his nominations.
Bob hastily returned the card to his
pocket. and glancing back, saw a mon
ocle. Matter OF ten miles or so," he
responded CURLY. He didn't like
'Aw!' said the man.
Bob picked up his newspaper that he
had laid down, and frowningly began
to glance over the headlines. The man
behind him glanced over them, too.
Another society robbery, see,' the
latter remarked. ''No function COM
plete without them nowadays, under.
stand. Wonderful country, America!
Guests here always expect--aw!- to
be robbed, I've been told"
"Have the paper" said Bob with cut.
ting accents.
Thanks awfully" The man with the
took the paper as a matter of
course, seeming totally unaware of the
sarcasm in Bob's tone. At first, Bob
felt like kicking HIMSELF the rustic of
the paper in those alien hands caused
him to shuttle his feet with mild irrita.
ton. Then he forgot all about the
paper and the monocle man. His
thoughts began once more to 60 over
and over the same old ground, until
'T'nk'n" The stentorian abbrevi.'
alton of the conductor made Bob get
up with start Grabbing his grip
hardly any weight at all for his muscu-
lar arm-in one hand, and his imple-
ments of the game in the other, he.
swung down the aisle and on to the
platform. A good many people got
of, for a small town nestled beneath
the high rolling lands OF the country
estates Of the affluent. There were
Of all kinds at the station
them a number Of cars, and
in one of the latter Bob recognized
Mrs. Ralston's chauffeur
A moment he hesitated He sup
posed he ought to step forward and
get in, for that was what he naturally
would do. But he wanted to think;
he didn't want to get to the house In
a hurry. Still he had to do what he
would do and he started to
do it when some other people Bob
didn't know-prospective guests, pre-
among them the man with
the monocle-got into the car and
fairly filled it. That let Bob out NICE
ly and naturally. 1t gave him anoth-
er breathing spell. He had got so he
was looking forward to- these little
breathing spells.
Hack, SIR! SalQ voice.
mot for me-" replied Bob. "But
you can tote this up the hill" indi.
eating the grip. "Ralston house."
Dollar and half, sir" said the
man. Same price If you 90 along,
too"
WHAT" 1t had just occurred to
Bob that he hadn't many dollars left,
and of course, tips would be expected
up there, at the big house. 1t behoov-
ed him, therefore, to be frugal. But
to argue about dollar and half
he, guest at the several million dol,
lar house? On the other hand, that
dollar looked large to Bob at this
Imagine If he had to earn
a dollar and half! He couldn't at the
moment tell how he would do it.
Hold on" Bob took the grip away
from the man. why, it's outrageous,
such tariff! Same price, with or
without me, indeed! I tell you"
Suddenly he stopped. He had an aw.
full realization that he was acting a
part. That forced indignation of his
was not the truth; that aloof kind of
m attitude wasn't the truth either