Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-13

- = = ~ ASA w - H~ASAsA~sH ~
Graduated, and everything that can
be Taught you has been taught you,
shall establish you in proper offices
and use my personal influence to see
that you are supplied with work, and
again until you are self-supportfng
shall bear all the expense. In short.
David" Anthony concluded, Il am
holding opportunity before you-op-
portunity to do, without trouble or
worry or delay, the thing you most
desire Well?''
Even johnson Boiler was mildly In
terested, although only mildly, and
with deprecatory smile on his lips.
He knew exactly what the boy would
do. of course, but 1t had no connection
with Anthony's cracked-brain notion.
David would grab with both hands
at this kind Of opportunity and settle
down to life Of ease, and the chances
were that he'd get Anthony to sign
something that would cost him thous-
ands when he had walked up and lost
| interest in the opportunity PROPOSE
ton.
To Johnson's sleepy and suspicious
tSyS O~Vu AOOAO0 AAAo O SASSASJ AASSsS
devil, If one ever walked
| Yet after silent thirty seconds op-
portunity. in her gaudiest and most
conspicuous form, had made no Wis
ible impression on David Prentiss.
His bewildered eyes roved from An
thony to johnson Boiler. Once he
seemed about to laugh; again he
seemed about to speak; he did
neither.
| And the clock struck twelve.
And had a bomb exploded between
his poorly shod feet, the effect on
David Prentiss could hardly have
been more striking He started, and
his eyes, dilating, lost their bewilder-
ment and showed plain, overwhelm-
J ing horror. His mouth opened With a
shout Of:
"Was that midnight"
Very likely" Anthony said impar
tienuy. But as to-"
Where's my cap and coat?" David
demanded.
Newer mind your cap and coat.
-
'eBut 1 do mind 'em:" David cried.
I've got to have them-quick! Where
are they? Where's the man who took
them?'
Anthony merely smiled with wax
ing curiosity.
$50 you are really rejecting oppor
tunity at the first knock?" he unused
And now David stilled his rising ex-
citement only with q huge effort. He
|gripped his chair and looked Anthony
in the eye.
Opportunity be-hanged!" he cried
shrilly. Give me my cap and coat!
want to go home.
CHAPTER ".
The Reluctant One.
| One knew Anthony Fry for two or
three decades before quite under,
standing him. David's great disad-
vantage, of course, was that he had
met Anthony only an hour or so be-
fore. To David. doubtless, the quiet,
mysterious, speculative smile seemed
sinister, for he repeated thickly
Il want my-my cap and my coat
and
well, what are you going to do il
you don't get them!" Anthony laugh
led.
what did you say" David asked
quickly.
What if you don't get your coat?''
Does that mean you're going to
keep me here, whether want to stay
or not?" the boy asked quickly.
mot Just that, perhaps, but 1t does
moan that I am going to keep you
here for a little while, David, until
you've come to your senses and"
'Tll yell!" David stated.
"Eh?"
III you try to keep me here I'll yell
until everybody in the house comes
lin to see what's happening!
Don't be ridiculous, David" he
said. I've lived here for years. and
they will know perfectly we'll that I'm
not injuring you in any way
"Oh!" gasped David.
so Just sit down again and consid.
Grand then give me your answer"
FingerltipS drumming, benevolent
gaze beaming over his glasses, the un-
usual Anthony waited. David's scared
eyes roved the rooom, wandered over
Johnson Boiler, reading his paper,
and finally settled so steadily on that
gentleman that he looked up and,
looking, read David's mind and
shrugged his shoulders.
Your own fault kid" said he. 81
wanted to give you a free ride, but
you had to come up and hear what he
had to say" 4
johnson" Anthony said sharply.
"Just let the youngsters mental pro-
cesses work the thing out in their
own way"
Half minute dragged along-yet
before it was gone one saw clearly
that the mental processes had taken
their grip. An extremely visible
change was coming over David Prem
tiss. He gulped down certain emo
tons Of his own, and presently manag-
ed to smile, uneasily at first and then
with certain confidence. He cleared
his throat and with slight huskiness
addressed Anthony:
"Er-do l understand that You want
me to stay here until I fully appre-
ciate all you've offered me, Mr.. Fry?"
VIRTUALLY that"
"Well. | appreciated that all along.