Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-08

| like the cutting arm of a giant mower
The party Of Americans Joined the
sparse crowd Of spectators at the edge
of the field, the better to see. Jane
Gerson found herself chatting with
Willy Kimball and Kitty Sherman \
| little apart from the others. A light
touch fell on her elbow. She turned
to find Almer, the hotel keeper, smil'
ing deferentially.
"Pardon-a thousand pardons for
the intrusion, lady. l am Almer, OF
the Hotel Splendide."
"You haven't remembered some
thing more l owe you," Jane challeng.
ed bruskly.
"Oh, no, LADY," Almer spread out
! his hands. II happened to see you
here watching the parade, and re-
imembered trivial duty have which,
if | may be so bold as to ask, you may
discharge much more quickly than T.
If you will"
'T discharge duty-for you?" The
girl did not conceal her puzzlement.
Almer's hand fumbled in pocket of
his tapping alpaca coat and produced
a plain silver cigarette case, unmono-
grammed. She looked at 1t wonder
lingly.
captain Woodhouse-you met him
at my hotel last night lady. He left
this lying on his dresser when he
quit his room to go to barracks today.
For ME it is difficult to send mes
senger with it to the barracks-war
time, lady--many restrictions inside
the lines. / came here hoping per-
haps to see the captain after the
parade. But you-''
"You wish me to give this to Cap
tain Woodhouse?' Jane finished, q
flicker of annoyance crossing her
face. "Why me?"
"You are at Government House.
lady. Captain Woodhouse comes to
tea-all newcomers to the garrison do
that. If you would be so good"
Jane took the cigarette case from
Almer's outstretched hand. Lady
Crandan had told her the captain
would be for tea that afternoon. 1t
was small matter, this accommoda-
ton, as long as Almer did not insinu-
ate-as he had not done-any import
|
her part to perform so minor a ser
vice for the officer. Almer bowed his
thanks and lost himself in the crowd.
Jane turned again to where Kitty and
Kimball were chatting.
"A dun for extra service the land
lord forgot last night, I'll wager the
youth greeted her.
ooh, no, just little present" Jane
laughed back at him, holding up the
silver case. with Almer's compli-
ments to Captain Woodhouse, who
forgot it when he gave up his room
today. I've promised to turn 1t over
to the captain and save the hotel man
a lot of trouble and red tape getting
a messenger through to the captains
quarters"
s'By Jove!" Kimball's tired eyes
lighted up with quick flash Of smok-
er's yearning. "A life saver! Came
away from my room without my pet
Egyptians-Mr. Sherman yelling at
me to hurry or we'd miss this slow
show and all that. I'm going to play
the panhandler and beg one Of your
captain friends smokes. He must be
a good sort or you wouldn't be doing
little favors for him, Miss Gerson.
Come, now; in your capacity as tenn
porary executrix will you invest one
of the captains cigarettes in a de-
mand of real charity" 49,
Keen desire was scarcely yelled un-
der Kimba1ls fiction Of light patter.
Smilingly the girl extended the case
to him.
"Just to make it businesslike, the
executrix demands your note forum
sixty days, say. For one cigarette
received, promise to pay"
"Given!" He pulled gold pencil
from his pocket and made a pretense
Of writing the form on his cuff. Then
he lit his borrowed cigarette and in.
hailed it gratefully.
your captain friends straight from
Egypt; don't have to be told that"
Willy Kimball mur1nured, in polite
ecstacy. cat Shepards, In Cairo,
you'll get such a cigarette as this,
and nowhere else In a barren world.
The breath of the acanthus blossom
If it really has a breath-never
heard"
Back in Kewanee the Ladies Aid
society will have you arrested Kitty
put in mischievously. They're ter
ribly wrought up over cigarettes-for
minors"
Kimball cast her galnce of deep
reproach. AS he lifted the cigarette
to his lips for second puff, James
eyes mechanically followed the move
ment. Something caught and held
them, wonder filled. s .
On the side of the white paper cyl
inder nearest her curious brown
streak appeared-by the merest freak
of chance her glance fell on it. As