Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-05


Alex was blank to her radiatine
friendliness. 4 wish you would lei
me-" he repeated, then fell doggedly
| silent. Presently, to Chloe's dismay
he rose.
81 am off for two or three weeks,
he told them both. 81 am going to
try committing; a man l know wants
me to stay with him down on Long Is
land while his family is away. Chloe
I'll bring you back some lilacs." He
shook hands as any acquaintance
might. apparently not noticing that
Chloe did not answer. Good night.
There was no glance back, no hint
of a hope that she would at least walk
to the corner with MIN. The hand
that dropped hers went promptly to
a pocket for his pipe.
Now that was very nice Of Alex,
Mrs. Gage began, but Chloe slipped
away.
The sun had become burden and
the moon an insult, food was an un-
swallowable dryness in the mouth, and
conversation drummed on raw nerves.
Chloe, overwhelmed in disaster, did
not seek causes or explanations; the
grim truth that love does not necessar-
lily come running to meet love was all
she could master. In three days her
uptilted, secular-angel face had grown
woefully pointed, and her erect slim.
ness dropped. When her mother gave
suggestions for following up her good
beginning and completing the fund,
Chloe looked at her remotely. took the
lists Of names, then went UP to her
room and lay on her bed all the morn
ing, staring at the wall.
"Chloe isn't WE'LL Mrs. Gage said
eXcusingly. as she tramped off for the
days campaign. "She must have a
change" And so she spread the tale
of her daughters need, quite simply
and openly, that some one might not
miss the chance to do a kind act
And presently she came home shining
with news good news.
"Chloe, dear!" She had to sit down
for breath. 1.-THE incest thing! The
Commodore is planning to take ou,
the yacht in June for months cruise
and If he does, you are to be asked to
go. Isn't that splendid
A breath of salt GOODNESS seemed to
touch Chloe's heavy head. At the
thought of getting away, of motion,
and change, she Strengthened. "Oh,
mother! Who are going?"
Mrs. Gage famed the spark of ami
nation with happy enthusiasm. There
would be young people, and dancing,
and white gowns for southern waters;
she had Chloe hunting for her bathing
suit before she had finished.
The cruise depends on the stock
market; but times are getting better"
she said. II shall be ordering the
fence for your father before long. The
fund is more than half raised"
Chloe laid her hand on her moth
er's. 'You must be tired. You are so
splendid mother"
Mrs. Gage liked 1t enormously. IT
wish you were as strong as your old
mother. Toto she said, patting the
little hand.
For twenty-four hours the stimulus
lasted and Chloe went about with a
new step: then came the sweet,
heavy dusk, made for lovers only, and
the respite was over. Not moonlit
seas nor gay company nor white
I dresses on white decks could avail if
Alex did not love her. Nothing less
could fill her empty, empty life. After
dinner she went to her room and put
away the gowns and the boarded treas
ures Of finery, dragging out the task
to it's utmost length in terror of the
hours that still lay between her and
sleep. All her life long the evenings
must loom like this. dark wastes from
which only sleep could rescue her.
When at last she came out, Ralston
called to her from his room. He was
uncovering an old typewriter.
Look here, Chloe he said. now
that you haven't Billy"
Chloe burst into laughter. wild
| gasping mirth that ended in Sob and
fed Behind her closed door she had
to fight bodily for self control. twist.
! ing her hands together, hurting her
self. till the stormy rebellion died
down. 1t left, her spent, passive. too
weary to face the others. She hated
the steps now. but she opened the
front door and stole out for breath
of freshness.
A dim mass at her feet stirred, took
human outline. Then. as her eyes. ad.
justed to the darkness, she found her
self looking into Alexis upturned face.
He sat heavily as though he had been
there long time.
well, Chloe!" he said
She could not answer at once. She
sat down above him. weakly, waiting
for him to begin Her one clear
thought was that she must hide the
outrageous Joy that would have risen
! to shout.
II thought you were never coming
Alex said irritably The week had
changed him: his color was dimmed.
his shoulders had dropped away from
| their fighting squareness. Even his
clothes seemed to have lost some quail
ity of vigorous freshness: and he was
evidently far from good tempered
Chloe suddenly regained her power.
Il thought you were in the coun
! try" she said with cheerful ease.
81 couldn't stand committing" Alex
spoke through set teeth. 1T drove
me wild. And Gordon is such an ass
| never was SO hideously bored in my
life. / had TO come back"
Chloe's heart was lifting. 'Yor
didn't bring me any lilacs.'
"They weren't out he said hastily