Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-18
.Opp0rtunitD-
By EDGAR FRANKLIN
Copyright The Frank Munsey Co. West Fsvtisth
New York City.

I Anthony stayed the bitter word:
that were in his very throat
1--WE have been accused Of murder
ing David Prentiss!" he said.
Really"
i Every really indeed"
| Isn't that funny?" Mary laughed
isn't it perfectly ridiculous?''
"It's a scream!" said Johnson Boil
Ter. About the time we both gel
pinched it may be up to you to-
TELL the TRUTH" Mary said quickly
"Just that"
"I'll never do it!' the girl cried pas.
sionately. mo! Not even to save
both OF you I'm not here
through any fault Of my own. and
aQd-why, man who could suggest
such thing
He's not suggesting it; he's just
excited" Anthony said miserably.
Nov, suppose We try, just once more
to sit down sandy and devise the
way Of getting you safely home, Miss
Nary"
"And soon!' said the girl, some.
what feyerishly. III could have got.
ten home while it was dark Felice
could have struggled me in snd-and
lied about it, if necessary. But it
isn't night any longer; it's nine
O'Clock or past nine, and
She said no morn. Lips parted, and
eyes, al in an instant, thoroughly hor-
riied, she stood and listened; and
froom the door of Anthony's apart
ment noisy humping sounded once
mose and voice said:
Hurry up! Open that door"
Robert again!" Mary Easped.
lis that possible!' Anthony said
houncing to his feet.
: 1t was not only possible. 1t was the
solid fact, for wilkins. muttoring AZ
he fulnbled at tho latch, was mention
ing Mr.. Winnings name and bid
ding him be patient for an in.
stapt-and Mary, with little scream
had made another of her projectile
disappearanoas down the corridor
and into the room came Robert Vim
ing!
He was far from being the same
collected young man. His whole per-
son seemed to have been towsled BY
some overwhelming excitement. His
eyes belonged in the head Of mad
man. and his hands waved i11espon.
sibly as he rushed at Anthony Fry
and clutched his cost and painted:
FRY! You'll have to help me-"
Help you-how:"
you know more people than I--you
know people everywhere, Anthony!
You'll have to help by calling
them up and having them call their
friends. you know. That-thst they
may do some good. don't know!
don't know what I'm talking about
Anthony! l feel as H. I'd gone
crazy"
You oct very much that way" An
thony said quietly. what's wrons?"
Robert Vining gaoed ut him and
then laughed quite insanely.
"wrons!" he shouted. Wrong!
Mary's disappeared"
Mary
You don't know Mary-no. Of
course mott" young Mr.. viuins rushed
on. She's the girl I'm going to
marry. Anthony! Yes. I'm engaged
although 1t hasn't been annouonced
yet I've been engaged for week
now, and we-great Heaven! can't
think. I-why, Anthony. was talk
ing to her even at dinner last night
and there was never hint that she
even meant 10 30 out Of the house.
In fact when We parted she seemed
rather bored at the idea of staying at
home and-why, not q soul knows
when she left the house! She's gone
Fry! She's just gone!"
A coarse nature ever, johnson Boil
Ter winked at Anthony and turned
his back!
Mary! Why, my little Mary out
alone at night" young Robert
choked. She's Just twenty, Anthony
IA delicate, beautiful girl like that
disappearing from the most beautiful,
the happiest home in all New York!
Why, from the day she was born.
Dalton never spared penny to-"
"Eh? What Dalton?" Anthony asked
suddenly. -
What! Theodore Dalton, Of course.
He's her father-Dalton, the patent
medicine man, Anthony. You must
have met him? You know Theodore
Dalton?"
SUI1OuSly, lOItuuAlcly cHou6A, oACC'
nervous tension jerked him away
from Anthony Fry just then and set
him to pacing the floor, man dis
tracted, man unseeins, man who
rocked nothing of earth beyond his
terrible immediate grief.
And this was very we'll indeed, for
Anthony was certainly making him
self conspicuous!
Anthony took three backward steps
and looked at the unconscious Robert
much as if the young man had brand
ed himself leper. He looked at John
son Boiler. too. although his eyes
were blank-And then, one hand on
his head. Anthony staggered straight
out of the room and into the cor
ridor: and having gone that far he
turned and staggered down to the
window seat, where he collapsed
much as if the bones had been
whisked from his long, slender legs!
Here Johnson Boiler, following.