Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
oTTUMwA sEMWEEKLY COURIER TUESDAY JANUARY IS 1918

. them. AFTER that MI. ry-tmnet
queer" Mary dimpled. "He though'
was boy and he wanted to offel
me the opportunity Of lifetime.
Il don't know just what 1t meant
but was curious enough to come uT
here and listen; and when I didn't
appreciate what he was Offering, Mr.
Fry got mad. He told me he'd keep
me here until l did, SO IL just wen,
to bed and counted on getting out
overnight, some how. tred it and
missed hre, and this morning he
discovered that was girl. That's
the whole story; we've all been trying
to get me out of here ever since
and I'm still here!"
"But the trunk" Hobart Hitchin
put in doggedly.
Il was in the trunk" said Mary.
I'VE thought I could get to Felice's
room that way, but Felice was gone
4 so Wilkins brought me back" She
looked at her father steadily and al.
most confidently. THAT weird tale
about having me drugged was just to
save me. dad, and maybe If the door
hadn't blown open I'd have been home
about three and swearing to it. That's
all. Mr. Fry-Mr. Boiler, too-have
been too nice for words" concluded
Mary, stretching q point. There isn't
a thing to blame them for-and !
never could have believed that Mr..
Fry was capable Of lovely lie like
that"
Since seven that morning, at which
time Marys absence had been discov-
cred, Theodore Dalton had been
breathing in terrible spasmodic gasps.
Now, as he faced Anthony, he
breathed deeply-breathed deeply
again-and turned Anthony's totter-
ing world quite upside down by sud
denly thrusting out his hand.
We'll, by CAD, Fry!" he beloved.
II knew you we're crazy, but never
suspected you we're man enough for
that! I'd swallowed that tale almost
whole and I'd made up my mind to
wipe you and your bottled mess OF
the map together"
81 know" said Anthony.
But If there's one thing that hits
me right where I live" vociferated
Dalton, "it's man who will chuck
his own every earthly interest aside
to save a woman's name and-put 1t
there, Fry! You're mani"
A little uncertainty, because he was
dazed and dizzy, Anthony grasped the
hairy hand. It was not SO, because it
was impossible, but-he and Dalton
were friends!
Beatrice was within a yard Of her
husband.
Then there was-was nothing
she faltered.
There was nothing to get excited
about-no," Johnson Boiler said stinly. |
mot at any time"
"Pudgy!' Beatrice said, chokily, be-
cause her volatile nature was whiz.
zing breathlessly down from the
exalted murder-state to the depths Of |
contrition.
well? What!" Johnson Boiler said !
coldly.
"Pudgy-wudgy, can you ever forgive
me?' Beatrice CRIED burying her head
on his shoulder.
81 don't know" johnson Boiler said |
frigidly, and did not even put an arm
around her. II don't know, Beatrice |
You have wounded me- more deeply |
this day than have ever been wound I
ed in all my life before. shall try in
time to forgive you, butt do not
know"
They were all gone now, all but An.
thony and his old friend, Johnson Boil.
Ter.
1t was in fact nearly noon. for with
he tension removed Mary had gone
into the details Of last night; and
after a little even Robert Vining had
laughed. He at least knew Anthony
Fry and he believed johnson Boiler to
be one of the most harmless fat men
In existence, 30 that when he heard It
all, even Robert fell to chuckling.
And now they were gone with Mary,
leaving behind a conviction in An.
thongs bosom that Mary was really a
very charming young girl; leaving an
Impression too that could twenty |
years have been swept from his forty.
i've, he might even have undertaken
to win her away from Robert! This
last impression was transitory in the
extreme, however; it endured for per.
hape forty-five seconds.
Hobart Hitchin was gone; he had
vanished somewhere about the middle
Of the session. leaving Richards
trousers. and for q long time nobody
SVCu> AVS1NoU SAo( AC VINO oAAOA6 SuC
To the best of johnson Boil
er's memory, he left just after Rich
ard answered the long distance call
and assured his father that all was
veil.
Beatrice was gone, too She had left
Ill vreathed in smiles, since the idiot
hat was her husband could not main |,
ain his chininess for more than i've
In . dusky corner, johnson
md his cyclonic lady had kissed
eighteen times, lingeringiy, and then
HE had left him to pack up and fol-
ow, while she went personally to the
I've thousand dollar apartment to pre-
,are the things he most nked for
luncheon.
And now johnson Boiler had packed
he grip, while Anthony loonged, tired
ut, weak in knees and hands, tremb-
ing every now and then and gazing
INTO the blue cigar smoke above him.
The next time come to stay with
'ou I'm going to bring = chaperon,"
KILLER YnuSed