Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-18
THE CURIOUS QUEST
Of Mr.. /ERNEST BLISS
bv E. PHILIPS OPPENHEIM
Copyright, The Frank A., Munsey Co.


escorted his employer along the cliffs
will you sit down, please?" she
said. II want to talk to YOU"
Bliss did so, although he was con.
scious of feeling of discomfort.
There was. something about his COM
panion-her manner of life, her unus-
ual attitude toward him, and the vague
ness OF their proceedings, it was diff
cult to comprehend.
II am going to talk about myself.
she announced abruptly. "You seem
sympathetic. Perhaps you are not. Do
you mind listening?"
II am honored, madam" he replied.
II was born at that house at New.
market" she began. my father made
great deal of money. Every one know
he was going to leave the business to
my brother and most of the money to
me. Frankly, do you think j am good
looking?"
Bliss fell into her mood and looked
at her critically.
YES" he said, as though he had
given the matter the most careful con-
sideration, II should say you are most
certainly good-looking."
so all the men who came there
used to think" she went on. II came
back from boarding-school when I was
eighteen years old. There were al
ways men about my home-trainers,
jockeys, owners; they all seemed the
same to me, all about the same type. I
hated them ALL thought them simply
lot Of brutes. And the greatest brute
Of all, the man who has made me hate
his sex more than any one, is my
brothers partner, Sam BROMLEY, the
man you saw. He has spoiled my
brother, ruined him. cannot live there
because he makes it impossible"
THAT seems too bad" Bliss muir
INJURED sympathetically.
Il don't know where to live" she
continued. IT have sixty thousand
pounds and I don't know what to de-
with it. have tried living with an old
aunt down at Salisbury. l suppose we
shall end up our tour there. It's hate
fully dull. Nothing to do and not a
soul to speak to. I haven't girl
friend, and / should just feel perfect
idiot If I took paid chaperone about
with me.
II have told you all this because
don't want you to think l am quite
mad. Do you"mind my being a little
unusual-my making rather unusual
proposal"
She stopped abruptly. The hardness
had gone from her face and her tone
had become more appealing. Bliss be-
came more and more embarrassed.
What I would like" she went on
rather hurriedly, "is for you to allow
me to buy whatever you want and you
to have your dinner with me every eve.
ming and come out with me afterward
I want watchdog. I'm sorry If you
don't like the idea 1t is quite unusual,
but then the circumstances are unus-
ual. Motoring is the only thing care
about. and love touring. You are the
only person I have seen for a long
time whom I feel I could trust, who
wouldn't be likely to misunderstood"
Il am SO sorry" he said rather re-
gretfully, "but could not let you buy
me clothes. If you wouldn't mind
stopping at the smaller places some
times 1 should be delighted to have
dinner with you and take you where
you wish afterward."
She shrugged her shoulders.
Very we'll, then, we will try that"
she assented rather ungraciously.
For the next few weeks life became
almost holiday. Bliss, recalling some
of the hardships Of his recent situa-
tons, enjoyed himself thoroughly
They toured around the country, stop
ping mostly at small places. and grad
ually the slight hardness and restraint
wore away from his companions man
ner. Quite easily they drifted into a
pleasant intimacy.
BY degrees, however, Bliss became
conscious Of a growing feeling Of .un-
easiness. His employer had become
more light-hearted, and, notwithstand-
Ing an entire absence Of self-conceit,
he could not help perceiving that she
was deriving great deal of pleasure
from the expedition itself and from his
companionship. She took his arm one
night when they stood on the bridge at
Tewksbury, and the next morning he
brought her a telegram sent by him
self to himself.
I'm SO sorry" he announced, 81
shall have to leave you this evening""
She had been in the act Of stepping
into the car. For moment or two she
stood quite still. The color went out
/ of her cheeks. the hand which grasped
the rail trembled little.
Leave me?" she repeated What
, about the car? What can do without
you?"
81 will telephone the Sun Motor
company" he suggested, land ask
them to send another driver down to
wherever we stop tonight. Then can
60 back by train
Couldn't you stay one more day."
she begged Then you can leave me
at Salisbury and take the car back"
He hesitated. Perhaps he was de-
| ceived by the carelessness Of her tone.
Il dare say l could manage that"
he said, If 1t would be more conven-
lent"
/ She stepped into the car then, and
during the whole Of the morning she
scarcely spoke a word. That evening,
however, she seemed to recover her
spirits, although she was much quieter
than usual.
Bliss escaped from the dining-room
early, and when she came out, prepar-
ed for their usual walk, she found him