Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-05-29

a serious charge to Make" went on
the hammer thrower, "but what was
l to do? ! never was put in more
painful position"
Painful, indeed replied Miss Ger
aid sympathetically. "Of course it
was a joke"
! Il am glad you take that view of
it," he replied. "You can see that
naturally | found it deucedly awk-
ward Things have been disappearing
in so many country houses, don't you
know. 1t wouldn't have been joke
for me if l hadn't fortunately discov-
cred it as l did. Under the circum-
stances. | don't really appreciate Miss
Dolly's jokes"
But mightn't 1t have been some
one else?" suggested Gwendoline.
Il danced only with you and Miss
Dolly" :.
well naturally, it wouldn't be L.
said Gwendoline with smile.
There's Dolly now talking with Mr..
Bennett and Lord Stanfeld. Suppose
we speak to her. But wouldn't have
any one else know for the world. I'm
really very sorry Dolly's heedlessness
should have caused one of my guests
any embarrassment Miss Gerald
was graciousness itself.
In spite of the thrill of the moment,
the hammer thrower couldn't prevent
an expression of honest approval
cleaning from his eyes. You are
very kind" he said In low tone.
"You will never know all this visit
has meant to me. I, too, regret ex-
ceedingly that what you regard as one
of Miss Dolly's pranks-and we all
know how prone she is to do the un-
Observation-Disclosures have involved
me in a little episode that. perhaps,
isn't so agreeable as It should be.
trust, though, you don't blame me for
coming to you at once about the mat
ter?"
"Why should blame you?" The
violet eyes full on the serious ones.
IT suppose I might just have plac-
ed it somewhere, on the mantle, for
example, and not said anything about
Miss Dolly's part in the affair."" he
observed musingly. 1T might have
been more chivalrous. One doesn't
like to complain of woman, you
know, and a fellow guest at that"
With regret that sounded genuine.
IT think you took the only course
conscientious man could said Gwen
doline Gerald. Indeed, | can appre-
ciate your position. You did what
any honest man would feel impelled
to do"
Again that gracious smile! Again
slight cleaning in the hammer mans
eyes! At the moment she seemed to
realize in every way the poets pic
ture of regal young womanhood-
"divinely tall" and most divinely fash
toned. she appeared, as she stood with
the light from a great chandelier full
upon her.
"Your approval is very dear to me, !"
the hammer thrower murmured. 81
think | have your friendship. That is
much-much, indeed. But" For
moment he seemed about to say more.
His strong honest-looking face surely
wore an expression of some feeling
deeper than friendship.
Would Gwendoline Gerald have
shrunk from a verbal expression OF
what his look seemed to imply? The
violet eyes never appeared deeper,
more nigmatic-receptive. The ham
mer thrswer did not go on, however.
He reverted to that other topic.
PERHAPS it would be as we'll to drop
the matter altogether" he remarked.
II am quite satisfied to do so, II you
are"
THAT is nice of you," she said in a
oh OIL onnrNVp0
of him. But I think shall speak
to Dolly. Or at least, let her see the
ring is on my finger"
81 can't understand why she should
have done it, he observed in puzzled
accents as they crossed the room. y
can't quite see how it can be classed
as a joke"
Dolly has the widest idea Of hui
NOR returned Gwendoline. "As a
little girl she was always doing the
maddest things. Perhaps, too she has
been reading about those sensational
robberies and wished to perpetrate a
hoax"
81 say. that would have been rather
rough on fellow, wouldn't IT.?
"And then, after creating little ex-
citement. she would have come for
ward and said she did it. Maybe she
read about that escapade Of young
men and girls at an English mouse
party. They carried off valuables IN
an automobile and returned the same,
piece-meal, by parcel post. l don't
say my explanation Of Dolly's prank
is correct one" said Miss Gerald,
tentatively lifting long lashes to re-
gard her companion, "but 1t may IN
some measure throw light upon It."