Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-05-11
s 7 U N 6
CHAPTER X.
EFFICIENT DANCING.

CHAPTER X.
EFFICIENT DANCING.
Billy had been criscrossing the floor
nervously, with his hands deep in his
pockets. The outbreak alarmed Alice,
while it inspired establishment In Con
stance. Normally, Billy was easygoing
ooh. It's all right for you to smile,
Connie he said savagely. "You work
ed him good and plenty, bat only be-
cause he didn't know 1t. A fool hat is
one thing, and gasoline is something
else But it isn't that SO much, either
don't care II never get anything out
of him. It's the talk"
What TALK" asked Constance hasti'
ly.
"Oh, these good old friends Of the
family-the rubber-neck crowd. I've
been out a bit today. I'm bearing the
gossip. You told me not to say any
thing, so couldn't explain. But they're
all asking questions about E. E., and
every one of 'em has different dope
What are they saying?"
Everything! One line Of talk is that
father has picked up some favorite
nephew and made him a portege and
taken out guardianship papers
"He doesn't need a guardian" re.
marked Alice with shake of her head.
"He needs keeper and padded
cell"
There's another yarn that this guy
is British nobleman.' continued Billy,
ignoring his younger sister, that ne
Is house guest for an indefinite time,
and that maybe He'll be son-in-law.
Constance flushed wildly.
How absolutely absurd" she ex.
claimed.
I'm only giving you what they say.
declared her brother wrathfully. An.
other one has it that he's classmate
of mine who is just book from South
America, where he's been on a ranch.
And-get this there's another yarn
out that e. E. is famous portrait
painter who's putting the whole family
on canvas. They're gone so far with
that that Alice is already painted, and
it's going to be exhibited next spring
They're going to call it Girl With
Fam or something like that"
"O-oh.', cried Alice THAT sounds
rather nice. But why do they always
give such funny names to portraits?'
They name them after the acces
sorry" observed Constance in wise
tone.
THE accessory after the fact" add
ed Billy sarcastically. We'll, that's not
all either. It seems there's. another
story that e. e. is a detective who is
guarding us from the BlackHand. while
the old man is in hiding. Imagine the
old man hiding from anything! And
here's the limit-some of them are
passing it around that father Is quar-
antined on the top floor along with
some strange disease. and that this
boob here is a noted specialist In
nervous diseases, who is treating him
at q dollar a minute. or something
like that"
IT'S unbearable," declared Con
stance.
"unspeakable," affirmed Alice.
"Well, It'll end any time you say,
said Billy, coming to halt and indulg
ing in an emphatic gesture.
Alice displayed alert interest
81 don't understand" said Constance
"You mean that you have plan? you
have some way to end it?
Sure. I've had one from the 1rst
Only you've been going into arguments
with him"
The son of John w. Brooke spoke
with assurance and ease.
THE plan, please" said Constance
Chuck him.
How"
ME"
Billy stretched lazily and glanced
down at his own considerable bulk.
"You propose to tell him to leave the
house,
Tell him? Not for minute. VIII!
tell him? Just put him out: that's all.
Alice looked at her big brother ant
betrayed excitement.
Really, Billy" she exclaimed.
why not? Any reason why 1T can
not be done? You two have been beat
ing aroung the bush with YOU
schemes, when there's only one easy
way. And it's 80 darned simple. ! sup
pose that's the reason you never
thought Of it,
He viewed his sisters magnanimous
ly.
Constance pursed her lips anu con
sidered the idea. Beyond question II
was necessary to terminate the dicta
torship. Argument and compromise
had failed. Yet Constance instinctively
reyolted at any thing so vulgar az the
employment of force. 1t was something
unknown in the Brooke household
something foreign and distasteful. Still
the situation was also new and un
known since the day she could first re
member anything.
I'm for it, declared Alice
promptly. Twill you really do 1t
Billy"
Watch me-"
How about you, Connie?'
Well" said Constance cautiously
I'll watch-if he'll do it,
Come on"
Billy stretched again and led the
way to the library. In his heart there
were no misgivings. The only son o.
John w Brooke was not coward. A
certain youthful irresolution may have
80,