Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-20

lceiver went to it's ear and the fgure
whispered into the transmitter-
trembled the harder and waited
through minutes that were hours
while from behind Johnson Boilers
door came an irregular snore and al
occasional groan as some new fien(
sought to capture Beatice's slender
hand.
Suddenly a visible shock ran through
the stealthy figure at the telephone
The trembling ceased abruptly aEd
the figure stinened, leaning forward
eagerly and cupping hand abopt the
itransmitter. Thrice 1t whispered
shrilly, nodding desperately at the UNI
compromising instrument; and at
last the listener at the other end
seemed to understand for the fgure
pressed lips even closer and spoke
swiftly.
A full two minutes of sharp whis.
pering and it waited-listened and
nodded animatedly-sDoke again,
enunciating each word clearly and
still SO softly that one across the liv-
ing room could not have heard.
Without the suggestion of a click,
| the receiver was returned to its hook.
The figure rose cautiously and peered
all about, through the shadows, get
ting its bearings once more. Again
the bathrobe was gathered high above
the grotesquely slippeFed feet; again
the figure shuffled along, moving to-
ward the doorway.
Without a stumble it threaded its
mysterious way between chairs and
little tables, diyans and cases and
pedestals, until it came safely to the
corridor. There it paused for an in
slant, and in the gloom the faintest.
excited giggle issued from beside the
curtains, Then the corridor doorway
was empty. and johnson Boiler snored
on and groaned.
AT the end of the corridor David
Prentiss' door closed and utter still
ness rested upon the apartment again,
After the skiing contest, although
johnson Boiler did not seem to be
present at the end, all hands trnpped
of to club house OF some kind and
there was general Notification.
Lovely women, handsome men
grouped about long table, and wait
ers rushed hither and thither, bearing
viands and wine-although mostly
wine.
He of the little blond mustache sat
beside Beatrice, and as the cham
payne came around for the second Or
third time he leaped from his chair.
Glass high held. he pointed to John.
son Boilers lovely wife with the other
hand; he was beginning toast, the
temperature and intimacy of which
caused Johnson Boilers fists to
clench, and-he woke with violent
jerk and stared at the ceiling.
1t was daylight-had been daylight
for some time, apparently, because an
early sun was reflected from the high
building on the other side of the
street. wilkins seemed to be moving
around, too, which indicated that it
was at least six o'clock.
Johnson Boiler stretched and snarl.
ed; be had had wretched night of
it! He was tired all through, as lie
was always tired when his rest had
been broken. He was ugly as sin, too,
and almost at once he found his ugli-
ness focusing on young David Prem
tiss.
If Anthony Fry had carried his
obsession over into the daylight. If he
still persisted in pokins his idiotic OPP
portunity at David and the end of it
did not seem in sight, Johnson Boiler
decided that the empty fat on River
side should know its masters pres
ence hereafter and-Boller sat UP in
bed. listening.
That was certainly wilkins voice,
raised in horror-ah, and watkins was
too. Oh, no, it couldn't be
Wilkins; that was somebody good
deal lighter, rushing along the cor
rdor. And now the oldest babel of
voices had risen, with Wilkins thrust
ing in an incoherent word here and
there-and now the voices were Grow
ing fainter, all of a sudden, and he
could hear Anthony Fry stirring in
the next room.
Something new had happened,
Johnson Boiler, swinging out of bed.
jammed his feet into his slippers and
snatched up his bathrobe. Another
night like this and he'd be ready for
drill with a fire company.
Not that there was any need for
haste, though. BY the time he had
opened the door and stepped into the
living room the little excitement
seemed to have Quilted down again.
Anthony, bathrobbed also, was just
issuing from his bedroom, and they
gazed at one another
what was it that timeo" Johnson
Boiler asked.
W.