Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-22

this morning with note from Martin
Wall, saying I dropped it last night
in the scrap on the deck OF the
Lleth."
"Confound the thing" sighed Har
rowby, staring morosely at the dia
monds. "er&
my first impulse. said Minot, "is
to hand the necklace back to you and
gracefully withdraw. But Of course
I'm here to look after Jephson's in
terests-"
Naturally" put in narrowly quick
". "And let me tell you that should
this necklace be found before the
wedding, Jephson is practically GER
tain to pay that policy. think you'd
better keep 1t. They're not likely to
search you again. If l took it-dear
old chap-they search me every little
while"
"You didn't steal this, did your
Minot asked.
"Of course not" Harrowby flushed
a delicate pink. 1T belongs in our
family-has for years. Everybody
KNOWS ludl .... a..
well, what is the trouble?"
"Ill explain 1t all later. There's
really nothing dishonorable-as men
of the world look at such things.
give you my word that you can serve
Mr.. Jephson best by keeping the neck.
lace for the present-and seeing to 1t
that 1t does not fall into the hands
of the men who are looking for IT.
Minot sat staring gloomily ahead
of him. Then he reached out, took up
the necklace, and restored it to his
pocket.
ooh very WE'LL" he said. 1T I'm
sent to Jail, tell Thacker went sing
ing an epithalamium." He rose.
"By the way" narrowly remarked,
"I'm giving "a little dinner tonight
at the Manhattan club. May 1 count
on your" .,,
Surely" Minot smiled. I'll be
there, wearing our necklace"
"My dear fellow-ah, l see you
mean It pleasantly. Wear 1t, by all
means"
Minot passed from the eccentric
blooms of that dressing gown to the
more authentic flowers Of the Florl'
da outdoors. In the plaza he met
Cynthia Meyrick, rival candidate to
the morning in its glory.
"Matrimony,' she said, sis more
trouble than 1t seems on moonlight
night under the palms. I've never
been so busy in my life. BY the way
two of my bridesmaids arrived from
New York last night. Lovely girls
both Of them. But I forget"
Forget what?"
"Your young heart is already en-
shared, isn't it,"
eyes" replied Minot fervently ut
is. But no matter. Tell me about
your preparations for the wedding.
should like to enjoy the thrill OF it
by proxy" .
How like a man-Wants all the
thrill and none of the bother. It's
dreadfully hard staging wedding,
way down here thousand miles from
everything. But--my gown came
last night from Paris. Can you I'M
agine the thrill Of that"
"Only family"
"How stupid being man must be-.
"And how glorious being q GIRL with
man only an observation-disclosures at
wedding time"
"Poor narrowly! He keeps in the
1,me-light fairy we'll, however" They
walked along a moment in silence.
eve wondered she said at length
Burton writes that he will be here
Thursday" gea.4sS 4sfa
"That's tomorrow cried Aunt Su
san arising in flutter. 81 will have
Ching Ling clean the spare room at
once, and Dick do have Bob wash the
blackboard and mend the russell har
ness. It's a disgrace!" She hustled
out Of the room and Rose, slowly fold
ing her letter, was conscious OF the
half humorous scrutiny of her uncle.
"You don't seem overjoyed at the
prospect Of meeting your sweetheart,
said Uncle Dick.
"Why, Uncle Dick, I am; only :
only - somehow, after being out here
in the open, where the men are SO big
in every respect, big minded and warm
hearted, it does seem as though Bur
ton appeared pigmy by comparison.
"Tut! Tut!" chided the rancher seri
.ously. "You mustn't let romantic ideas
of the west run away with your com
mon sense. These cowpunchers are al
right my dear. They average up like
other men - they are no worse Fol
my part, I'm stated with the lonesome
.-friend?"
Eyes ?"-eagerly.
t"Why did you kidnap-Mr. Trimmer's
"Recause-"
Minot looked at her, and something
rose In his throat to choke him.