Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04

ITieIluS StOOQ ana LrenDleQ ana SlATe(
at one another, Johnson Boiler con
templating a swift and terrible upper
cut to Anthony's lean jaw, which
should stretch him unconscious per
haps for hours-Anthony meanwhile
wondering superheatediy whether
once his long fingers had wound abou
Johnson Boilers plump throat he
he could hold on until wretched life
was extinct.
They were angry, terribly angry and
almost for the first time in their lives
and had stood and glared for another
fifteen seconds it is possible that one
or the other might have ended his
Gays in Sing Sings electric chair
hut as it happened Marys voice came
Upon the vibrating, pregnant air, clea,
and cool and full OF warranted
acerbity
While all this talk about reputa
tons is going on" said Mary, what
about mine?"
Anthony Frys tension snapped
Johnson Boiler, it seemed, was Of no
,nind to relinquish his rare fury so
easily, for he stood with fists clenched
and trembltd a little even now and his
color was no lighter than scarlet; hut
Anthony turned and bowed mosr
lumbly
II beg your pardon, Miss Mary" he
said bitterly.
: Miss Mary" echoed Boiler. You
know her, hey?"
"she told me to call her Mary" An.
thony said stiffly.
When? When you hired her for
this job?" Johnson Boiler persisted
although quite weakly
When ] disocyered-not half an
hour bach,that she was-er-what
she is Anthony said coldly. And
let that be an end to your comments,
Please. You saw me meet this young
woman for the first time, as You will
know when you recover your senses.
You know for what purpose and under
what misrepresentation I brought her
to this apartment. Don't make bad
matter worse by injecting your per
sonal brand of asininity.
He turned his back on Johnson Boil
Ter.
Johnson Boiler. however, turned his
whole attention to Mary, perched on
the arm of a chair. distressed enough
but self contained, pretty as picture.
And slowly reason climbed upon her
throne again in Johnson Boilers brain
though it was by, Beatrice,
loveliest Of wives
He smiled suddenly, because Bea-
trice in far-off Montreal would never
know; he even grinned' few sec.
ends; and then, the enormity OF the
joke on Anthony Fry overcoming him
suddenly. Johnson Boiler opened his
mouth and laughed-not mere. de-
cent expression of mirth. but a rear
which suggested a wild bull in acute
agony.
A Niagara of sound left Johnson
Boiler and ended in deep, happy
the torrent broke loose
again and he Rugged his fat sides and
rocked and roared again. until Will
kins. genuinely startled, entered the
living room. and regarded the altered
David with mouth wide open.
God bless my soul!' Wilkins said
frankly What
wilkins" Anthony snapped
Il beg pardon sir!" the faithful
one choked. THE young lady"
The young lady" said his master
and his voice had the edge af razor
blade, lis here by accident, Wilkins.
She came here last night. under a
while masGuerading
as boy. You will forget immediate
ly that | have told you this"
Very good. sir.r wilkins said; and
being one of those rare, model crea-
lures we read about but rarely meet,
ne Strengthened up and forced his
tune back to the matter of fact mum.
l.le. "As to breakfast, sir?"
Anthony glanced at Mary.
Eyes, I'm quite human she said
crisply. Lets breakfast"
For three, Wilkins" said Anthony.
And now, with wilkins moving IN
cessantly in and out, peculiar, al
most silent constraint came upon
Them. Anthony, at the window gazed
at the distant street and tried his
best to think; there was just one
awful thought that obtruded itself up
on his mind and. although he thrust
it away again and again. the thought
came back and Knocked at him. Men
tally, he dashed at it--yet ever and
anon it returned and Knocked little
more and made impish faces at him.
Johnson Boiler, recovering IN loug
delighted series of wheezes. merely
ambled to corner and ,7aasd at
Mary, who affected to read uncor-
Gernedly. She was certainly pretty
and watching pretty girl had nevss'
wcaried Mr.. Boiler: but far beyond
her prettiness was the terrific Joke OH
Did Anthony.
This was Anthony who, year in and
year out, avoided even social gather
ings where women predomipated.
This was Anthony. who abOminated
the whole sex ard could be goaded IL
to actual rage by repeated sugges-
tons that one of his wealth should
marry, This was Anthony. whip had
to leave the Lasande tina
day long ago. when the pretty little
capvpsser had fitted past the
Office and made her way to this very
living room!
Well, it was one on Anthony! Nay,
it was million on Anthony! From
this dav forth. Johnson Boiler re-
fected in the depths of his perverted,
amusement loving mind he had such
a grip on Anthony Fry that. should