Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-04-13

! when Bob stepped up from behind the
bushes.
l. ooh, Mr. Bennett He had obvious
ly startled her.
! 1.-The same,' said Bob gloomily.
!. That's too bad Of YOU she chided
him, stepping back
WHAT"
why, Id just got it all figured out
in my mind how to do it,
Sorry said Bob. II didn't know
you were behind the bushes or would
not have come out on you like that.
But maybe you'll do better than you
were going to. Hope SO! Go ahead
with your drive. Don't mind me- His
tone was depressed, If not sepulchral.
But the lady, being at that sociable
lage, showed now perverse disposition
not to ''go ahead
Just get here?" she asked
! yes. Anything doing?"
mot much. It's been, in fact, rather
slow. Mrs. Ralston says so herself. So
am at liberty to make the same re-
mark. OF course we've done the usual
things, but somehow there seems to be
something lacking" ratified on the lady
Maybe we need few more convivfal
souls to stir things up. Perhaps we're
waiting for some one, real good and
lively. to appear upon the scene. Does
the description chance to fit you, Mr..
Bennett?" Archly.
! 81 think not" said gloomy Bob.
We'll, that isn't what Mrs. Ralston
says about you, anyway" observed the
commodore's spouse.
| what does she say?"
| "When Bob Benefits around things
begin to hum So you see you have
reputation to live UP to-"
81 dare say No doubt I'll live up to
| it, all right"
Its really up to you to stir things
lup.'
live begun Ominously.
Have you? How lovely!"
This didn't require an answer, for 1t
wasn't really a question. A white ball
went by them. very pretty snoop and
pretty soon another lady and caddy
doomed on their range of vision The
lady was thin and spirituelle and she
walked by with stride. You would
have said she had taken lessons of a
man. She looked neither to the right
nor the lett At the moment, she, at
any rate, was not socially inclined.
That walk meant business. She wasn't
one of those fussy beginners like the
lady Bob was talking with.
isn't that Mrs. Clarence Van Du-
zen?' asked Bob
Yes. She, too, poor dear, has had
to desert hubby. Exactions of business!
Clarence simply couldn't get away.
You see he's director of so many
things. And poor, dear old Dan. So
busy. Every day at the Office. So
pressed with business
Quite So" said Bob absently. 81
mean He stopped. He knew Dan
wasn't pressed for business and Bob
couldn't utter even the suspicion of an
untruth now Didn't exactly mean
that" he mumbled.
The lady regarded him quickly. His
But in moment she thought no more
about it.
"you didn't happen to see DAMP she
asked.
Yes"
cat his office, suppose?" Dan had
written he hadn't had time for his
club that it had been just work
work all the time.
mo"
Where, them"
."At the club and some other places .
Reluctantly.
"Other places?' Lightly OF course
she hadn't really believed quite all Dan
had written about that Office confine-
ment How dreadfully ambiguous"
| With laugh. What other places?"
Bob began to get uneasy. well, we
went to cabaret or two" No especial
harm about that answer.
"Of course" said the lady. why
not?'
Bob felt relieved He didn't want
to make trouble He was too miserable
himself He trusted that would end the
talk and now regarded the neglected
ball suggestively.
And then you went to still other
places?" went on the lady in that same
light. unoffended tone.
"Ye-es," Bob had to admit.
"One of those roof gardens, perhaps
where they have entertainments? she
suggested brightly
Bob acknowledged they had gone to
roof garden. And again, and more
suggestively, he eyed the little white
| ball. But Mrs. Dan seemed TO have
forgotten all about it.
Roof gardens she said II adore
roof gardens. They are such a boon
to the people. told dear Dan to be
sure not to miss them So nice to
think of him enjoying himself instead
OF moping away in stuffy old office
Bob gazed at her suspiciously. But
she had such an open face! One Of
those faces one can't help trusting.
Mrs. Dan was just the homely, plain
old fashioned type. At least SO she
seemed Anyhow, it didn't much mat
ter SO far as Bob was concerned. He
had to tell the truth. He hadn't sought