Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-20

yes; l did want to marry Kitty
J Maynard and l have learned that you
saved me from the marriage"
Saved her. my good chap saved
her" interrupted in a kind voice.
by helping Freddy Gage to Gerry
her off and marry her" Herbert went
on without needing the interruption
Il am grateful to you now, though
| was very much annoyed al the time f.
was an unfortunate fascination, and
had lucky escape"
"She had, at any rate" said I, keep
ing up the kind voice
81 could not let you fall into the very
| pit out Of which you helped me, with
, out word of protest ard warning.
/ Herbert went on .'An9 this marriage
wouldn't do Walsh IS very sarewd
and we both agreed that it wouldn't
! do"
I'm devilishly obliged 70 both Of you
for your interference" said. Put I've
never dreamt Of marrying Miss Devine
and I'm quite sure she's never dreamt
of marrying me-
ooh, hasn't she?" said Herbert. IT'S
no use telling that kind of thing to
man of the world like me. OF course
she's had your thirty thousand year
! in mind all the time"
! stood up rather suddenly.
You'd better 60, Herbert" I said
quickly. II should hate to kick
cousin out of my house."
t Herbert rose suddenly. too, and he
went. protesting that that was not the
! way to receive we'll meant remon-
STRANGE. But he went quickly.
! was really angry. Alice was the
last girl in the world to think about
my thirty thousand year = the very
j last. He had no right, moneover, to talk
/ about my marrying her. We were not
at all on that kind of footing. We
were just good friends and nothing
more
I was glad that Herbert went quick
ly; on second thoughts should have
certainly kicked him out Of the house.
At any rate, ! had checked his inter-
faring and I thought no more about
him. ] had two or three Of my usual
talks with Alice, in the central garden
or at her uncle's parties. Then for two
days she did not come into the garden
once = at any rate. while was IN It..
began to wonder what kept her away
and I was quite surprised to find how
much missed her. When first caught
sight of her at her uncle's next party,
my heart gave quite funny little
jump.
But something had gone wrong. She
did not smile when l shook hands with
her, she looked me In quite differ
ent way. There was no friend!insss in
her eyes She only said Eyes" End
mo" to everything said to her.
Presently left her. thinking you'd
talk to her when she was not 3, busy
with her uncle's guests, and went 10
! the card table ! wondered Little
what had upset her. Then Walsh aanle,
and she was very different WITT him.
She smiled and talked to him quite
cheerfully. They seemed all of sud.
den to have become quite friends. l
was a good deal annoyed. An hour
later, when Walsh was playing baccar-
I at, and no one else was with her. |
went to her and tried to talk to her
| again. 1t was no use. She looked at
me with no expression at all in her
face and had nothing whatever to say
to me.
All that week she did not come into
the central garden at any, rate while
WAS lutIc. buIlllS OClulOH ACAt
party left her alone and she seemed
more friendly than ever with Walsh. 1t
was very annoying. wondered wheth.
err it was that he had made it plain
that his intentions were on the square,
and she was consequently trying to
have less to do with me to please him.
/ did not think it was so, for she seem.
ed really offended with me, not merely
cold.
At the party after. made my effort
I tried to get her to tell me what
had done to offend her. She said she
did not know what meant, and pre-
tended had no reason at all to fancy
that ! had offended her Then she lie,
Walsh talk to her for more than ar
hour and seemed 10 enjoy it thorough
ly She was bright and cheerful with
him all the time. 1t was very annoying
saw that some of the other mer
noticed her new friendliness with
Walsh, and I saw that they did not like
it, for they were friends of hers. Their
I was helping myself to a drink at the
side table when the piebald duke
came to it and began to mix a brandy
and-soda.
He looked at me in rather hesitat
ing way then he said: 81 say, Garth
oyle that little girl -Scruton's niece
she's friend Of yours, isn't she?"
yes" | said, wondering what was
coming
He paused and looked at the cheerful
pair on the sofa, then he said: THAT
hound Walsh seems to be getting very
friendly with her. Doesn't 1t want
checking You know what Walsh is
with women And she seems nice
child simple. She has no business to
be at these parties at all, don't you
know? Couldn't you play little less
and keep her amused keep Walsh
away
ITO Be Continued)
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