Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-30

thetically he sought to tell himself
that David in the old blue suit would
look quite like young man wearing
/ his own clothes-and with the ole
! blue suit over. his arm and pair Of
shoes in the other, he tiptoed back tt
David.
(, :.This is the next best thing to the
clothes you wore, and I'm sure you'll
find them quite all right" said he.
\ "Me get into those?" Mary muir
muerd with the same strange apathy
! Most certainly, and I've thought
out the rest of it-there while I was
locating this suit" Anthony pursued
with what was meant for reassur
ling smile and making his jerky way to
| the little desk in the corner of the
guest chamber. Il shall give you a
note, David, addressed to mythical
person and unsealed."
What for?"
$50 that, on the remote chance OF
any one in this house questioning
your presence, you can show that you
are merely delivering a grip-your
own-for mel" smiled Mr.. Fry as he
scrubbed. Rather clever that eh?'
Horribly clever!" said Mary.
Two long minutes the pen scratched
on, while Mary watched his back
with the same unscrutable, almost un-
winking stare. Then Anthony turned
with smile.
This is to Mr.. ]. Thurston Phillips
at the Astor Hotel" said he. "lf !
were you, I'd carry it rather con-
spicuously; it's quite possible that
the clerk down stairs may want to
know who you are. And, also if
were you, I'd explain that you're the
son of an old friend OF mine and a
stranger in the city and that l put
you up over night-something like
that, You understand"
II hear you say it," said Mary.
Anthony's countenance darkened a
little as he rose.
Then please pay strict attention to
what / say!'' he said. II am doing my
best to undo an absurd piece of bust
ness. I'm quite ready to admit that it
is Just that, but the blame is quite all
my own. You should have told me
the truth. Now, when you're dressed
and ready-simply leave! Just walk
down the corridor to the door, please,
open it and go. There's no need Of
risking another inspection by MI.
Boiler; you look decidedly less like a
boy in daylight, believe me. Is every
thing clear?"
II suppose it u.s." sighed Mary, with
a significant glance at the door.
Anthony allowed himself a single
sigh Of relief.
"This, then, is our parting" he said
with a faint, kindly smile. Il ask
your pardon and the best thing can
wish you is a safe return home. Good
bye
"Au revoir," Mary said with another
glance at the door.
She seemed to have accepted the
situation, blue suit and all; she was
a sensible little thing, Anthony re-
fected almost comfortably, as he hur-
ried back to his own room and his
bath.
And now he would rush through the
dressing process himself, as he had
never rushed before, and by some
means he would manage to keep
Johnson Boiler in his own room and
out of sight of the corridor until the
telltale closing of the door assured
him that one of his lifes most painful
1t had not been entirely without
humor. Later on-much later on
Anthony assured himself that he
would have many good laugh in
private over the youth upon whom he
had tried to thrust opportunity
laughs that would be the richer and
more enjoyable because he alone pos.
sessed the key to the joke. That
would be after the shock had passed,
Of course; enough for the present to
sigh again and think gloriously that
each second brought David that much
nearer to leaving.
Although David had not departed,
even when Anthony had given the last
witch to his morning coat and the
last dab to his thin, rather prim hair.
He listened, as he entered the living
room, and then risked a quiet trip
across and looked down the corridor;
David's door was closed tightly and
yes; even though 1t caused Anthony's
hair to rise and his cheek to flush
angrily, David was singing faint
little snatch of song in a perfectly in
dubitable soprano!
The little fool should have had more
sense; Anthony listened, started down
TO halt the song and turned back A.
quickly, to head for Johnson Boilers
room and engage that citizen in con-
versation for that was the important
thing Just now. He turned the knob
and would have entered rather breez-
lily, but that Johnson Boiler, fully
groomed and ready for the day,
walked out suddenly and resistlessly
and looked around with:
where's the kid?"
Er-dressing,' said Anthony.
"Where's breakfast" Mr.. Bolle.
pursued.
inspiration came swiftly to An
tEony.
81 breakfast in here as rule" said
he, "but-just this morning, you know
i thought we might 80 below. It's
not so quiet down there and there's
more to see, Johnson, and"
Johnson Boiler Ssprawled comfort
ably in chair near the corridor and
grinned.
ITO be continued)
NEW LONDON PLANS