Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-07

Bliss gasped.
Very bad, indeed was the grim
reply. Take my advice, my good fel
low, and don't you attempt to pass
them. You'll get your money in the
Office"
The young gentleman resumed the
study of his newspaper. Bliss went
slowly out into the garage, changed
his clothes and drew his salary.
With thirty-f1ve shillings and bad
five-pound note in his pocket he
walked slowly away down Long Acre
to join, once more, the ranks of the
unemployed.
CHAPTER XVI.
| Chauffeur Again.
~'I have come to the conclusion, -
Frances declared, that you are an
! unlucky person. Z
not prepared to admit anything of the
sort"
They were seated side BY side few
evenings later in the little restaurant
near Drury Lane. Frances frowned
upon her companion severely.
| Il don't see how you can deny it,
she insisted. You could have have a
partnership with Mr.. Masters but for
your silly rich friend who would only
help you under such absurd conditions.
Then you went and engaged yourself
to that cranky old lunatnc Mr.. Cock
erill, who of course, sent you away
when you interfered with his amnse-
F.! ments. Afterward, you admit yourself
; that you could have stayed on with the
green grocer lady down in Poplar
, only that her husband came back un-
eXpectedly That's three places isn't
it?
| And now you find another position
with the Sun Motor company, which
really ought TO suit you, and you lose
1t, as / think, most unjustly. I am
going to give you one more chance"
She unfastened q little black pig
from her bracelet and pushed Il
across the table-cloth toward him.
There" she said. Keep that In
some place where you can't lose IT,
He slowed 1t away In his waistcoat
pocket.
That's enough about my affairs
he remarked. 1T seems to me that
yours want looking into. You admit
that you are not very comfortable in
your present situation, and you were
treated like queen at Mr.. Masters"
I'VE all have our troubles, l sup
pose," she sighed mo, will not
take coffee tonight, thank you. You
know very well that neither you nor
can afford it."
He paid the bill resignedly and they
left the place.
This" she declared. us to be our
last extravagant evening Until you
get post. I will not have you spend
another penny upon me-"
"The bill for our two dinners" he
protested, twas two and four pence"
That isn't the point How much
have you left. exactly?"
He counted out his money as they
strolled along
eleven and penny, and my room
is paid for up to next Saturday"
up to next Saturday, indeed! she
repeated Indignantly. Do you imagine
that you are going to walk into a sit
1t is positively wicked of you never to
have saved anything. Tell me why
you haven't"
IL really don't know" he ad-
mitted. "I-you see l never had any
incentive
Under the circumstances" she
said ! don't think that we ought to
take that bus ride
We'll we are going to- anyway"
he insisted you promised that when
you wouldn't let me order the bottle
of Medoc for dinner Along Piccadilly
think, where we can see the smart
people. and horse bus-we shall get
more for our money. Come along, we
can get on this one"
They climbed on to the top Of an
omnibus that was making it's way
westward along the Strand. late
spring had suddenly transformed the
city, whose streets only the week be-
ing place of winds from all quarters
'of the globe. winds which brought
with them long spells of cold and
rain
Now everything was changed. The
sky above was blue, f1ower.sellers
were at every street corner. Light
frocks and flower adorned millinery.
even few straw hats among the men
were like presage of the coming
summer.
The air was soft. almost languid.
Down by the park the trees seemed
already to have put forth their fullest
and deepest green.
Every now and then little wave
Of perfume came to them from the
flower boxes. And above their heads
the stars were creeping into the sky.
Frances eyes were fixed little
sadly upon the constant stream of We
hicles, fined with men and women in
evening dress. They passed bril-
liantly lit restaurant. where they
caught momentary vista OF little
parties of men and women dining to-
gether, surrounded by all the soft
splendor of the modern restaurant de
luxe.
She 'gripped suddenly at her COM
panion's arm. Her face had hardened.
What have they done these PEG.
pie, to deserve life that?" she de.
manded almost fiercely.
The question took him a little
aback. He looked at her curously.
l,t