Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-02

DurAnt glanced up az the opening
and closing of the outer door to the
studio. 1t was a wretched day for
anybody to come calling. The Icy
sleet chung to the window pane. The
two catalpa trees down In the narrow
backyard were coated with Ice. Over
! head raced long gray clouds. and the
| wind shook the blinds outside against
the brick wall and ratified the dry Ivy
vines
J. ''Just a minute, JIM" said Durant,
deep in the middle of q wash. He
picked the water deftly with his
brush, dragging the color down neatly
into a duttering trail OF wind-blown
drapery before he turned around.
It was not Jim. She stood with her
back to the door and looked at him
with eyes full Of accusation, biting her
lip to keep back the betraying tears.
Great Caesars ghost, Mamie,
where did you drop from" exclaimed
Durant. "You poor little hddie. Come
here"
Nan flung her fur scarf point blank
ct him as he started for her.
IT hate you, Dickie Durant." she
stormed. "You left me down home
there at the mercy of Aunt PAMELA
and Bob. And hate Bob and I'd hate
Aunt PAMELA, too, only she's q relac
tive"
why discriminate" Durant res
pended. "You hate me, your best big
brother. Bob doesn't count. You can't
stay here, kiddie." He looked around
the studio.
"Why not?" Mamie set her suit
case down and proceeded to take on
her velvet tam and cloak. "Tll keep
house for you, Dicky. You may draw
I'm sure it's . whacking Improvement
on the awful things you've been do
ing, too, l can tell you that. I'll be
your chaperon when you have models
you do have them, suppose, poor
old Dick-and I'll do anything In the
world you tell me to except go back
home to Aunt Pam. That won't do"
Ny dear child" Dick drew her
down beside him on the couch. my
| dear misguided, exuberant, willful lit
tie sister, will you listen to old Dick
for half minute. You cant stay here
with me. Jim shares this whole
shack with me-
Jim? Jimmie Wethersell? I
thought he'd gone to the war" Sud
den dismay overspread Nannie's face.
"He said-he promised he'd go-I-I,
oh, Dick" Dick held her close as she
suddenly leaned over and put her head
/ on his shoulder, weeping tiredly.
There, there, kiddie, don't do that.
Hush, now" he urged. II didn't mean
! to be inhospitable. Why, I'm tichled
to death to have you here, and mighty
| proud you chose TO come up to me.
| ~ ~ Tn
PANS great old gorgon isn't she?
Froze me up many time. You just
be coy, we'll put old Jim out for a
few days and you may have my room
in yonder. A week or two Of vaca-
ton and you'll be all right. Why, you
don't look bit like my Mamie"
He held her away from him, and
looked long and anxiously at her.
Just lie down there while l make you
some~tea in jiffy."
But Nan curled over on the cush-
ions and sobbed softly, wretchedly.
II didn't know he was here" she
said brokenly. "Oh, Dick, Dick, you
don't know
"Know what?" said Dick sternly
Now look here, Nan. This is all fool
ishness, you know. Jim's my friend,
and we've both known him years. I
know Aunt PANS set against him be-
cause his grandfather came South af-
, ter the war and made money, buying
up our old tobacco plantation for a
song. That's not Jim's fault It's
grandfather's for being such chump
he couldn't see ahead. Jim's a bully
| chap. Why don't you like him."
| 81 do like him." came from the pill
lows, and just then Jim came leisurely
out Of the inner room, one hand in his
trousers pockets, the other holding his
pipe Dick motioned him to be silent.
Jim stared from him to the crushed,
forlorn little heap Of feminity on the
| couch, and squared his jaws.
| "You seemed pretty anxious to have
him in Bungalow SO, say, Trench num-
Der sixty"
"I did not. That's what made me
come away. Aunt Pam wouldn't let
me even speak his name, and had to
| find out where he was. Dick-can
tell you, please"
| Dick came over quickly to put his