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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1913-06-19, Page 7E INGTIAM TRIES, JUNE 19 191 THE LION AND THE MOUSE. r as>ssamapor=r, By CHARLES KLEIN. 1i Story of American Life Novelikzed From the Play by ARTHUR HORNBLOW, COPYRIGHT, 1906, BY G, W, DILLINGHAM COMPANY. iyr He mild allow Bagley to think all was going swimmingly and then un- cover the plot at the eleventh hour. Ile would even let this letter go to Kate. There was no difficulty in pro- curing another envelope and imitating the handwriting, and when Bagley "Say, Bayley, what docs U.is 7>lC(O, was just preparing to go to the rendez. vous he would spring the trap, Such a cad deserved no mercy. The scandal would be a knockout blow, his father would discharge grim ou the spot, and that would be the last they would see of the aristocratic English secretary. Jefferson put the letter In his pocket and left the house rejoicing. * * * * * * * While the foregoing incidents were happening John Burkett Ryder was se - eluded in his library. The great man had come home earlier than usual, for he had two important callers to see by appointment that afternoon. One was ;Sergeant Ellison, who had to report on his mission to Massapequa; the other was Miss Shirley Green, the author of "The American Octopus," who had at last deigned to honor him with a visit. Pending the arrival of these visitors the financier was busy with his secre- tary trying to get rill as rapidly as pos- sible of what business and correspond- ence there was on (hand. The plutocrat was sitting at his desk poring over a mass of papers. Betweer his teeth was the Inevitable long black cigar, nn(1 when he raised his eyes to the light a close observer might have remarked that they were sea green, a color they assumed when the man of millions was absorbed in scheming new business deals. Every now and then he stopped reading the papers to make quick calculations ou scraps of paper. Then if the result pleased him A smile overspread his saturnine fea- tures. He rose from his chair and nervously paced the floor as he always did when thinking deeply. "Five millions," he muttered, "not a cent more. If they won't sell we'll crush them"— ' Mr. Bagley eutered. Mr. Ryder look- ed up quickly. "Well, Bagley?" he said interroga- tively. "Has Sergeant Ellison come?" "Yes, sir. But Mr. Herts is down- stairs. He insists on seeing you about the Philadelphia gas deal. He says it is a matter of life and death." "To him—yes," answered the finan• tier dryly. "Let him come up. Ws might as well have it out now." Mr. Bagley went out and returned al- anost immediately, followed by a short, fat man, rather loudly dressed and ap- oplectic in appearance. He looked like a prosperous brewer, while, as a mat- ter of fact, he was president of a gas company, one of the shrewdest promot- ers in the country, and a big man in 'Wall street. There was only one big - 'ger man and that was John Ryder. 'But, today, Mr. Herts was not in good -condition. His face was pale and hie emanner flustered and nervous, He was t'plainly worried. "Mr. Ryder," he began with excited 'gesture, "the terms yqu ;offer are pre !posterous. It would mean disaster to athe stockholders. Our gas properties rare worth six times that amount. `Xi •will sell out for $20,000,000, not at cent !less." .Ilyder §lit`ttggod hts,.ehouldere. ,, "Mr. Herts," he replied coolly, "I am tI sy today and in no mood for argil, ling. We'll either buy you out or force •nett out. Choose„, You have our offer: 'rive millions for neer gas property. 'Will you take It?" "We'll see you in tophet first!" cried ails visitor, exasperated. "'fiery well," replied Ryder, Still of 'tti0fed, "all negottattons•are off. You ';leave me free to act. We have ;tri Oxer to buy cheap the eld YlermantoW* floes company, which bas charter eighth . ;Ito go inf itn,z of ttbe streets df I,'hiia. !e 1phia.. We shall purchlotte 'hat `C 04ny, We will put'$,1'O,000;000 tte w tate, ltal into it and reduce the price of gall *Philadelphia to CO eents a thousand, ,'Mere will you be then?":} 'the face et the Colossns as he Ut- tered this, dtand and dell''er ,speteb I*iIS calnn and inscrutable. Cgnscibus kir the reslntiest .pewee' of his untold millions, be Telt no aliorth `ettatisenetion In mercilesely crushing this buslneel rival than he would ill teamplinr oat tate lire era worm. The little man fac- ing him looked liaggord and distressed. IIe knew well that this was no idle threat. He was well aware that Ry- der and his associates by the sheer weight of the enormous wealth they coutrolled could sell out or destroy any industrial corporation in the land. It IN as plainly illegal, but it was done ev- ery day, and his company was not the first victim nor the last. Desperate, he appealed humbly to the tyrannical money power: "Dont drive us to the wall, Mr. Ry- der. This forced sale will mean dis- aster to us all, Put yourself in our place; think what it means to scores of families whose only support is the income from their investment in our company." "Mr. Herts," replied Ryder unmoved, "I never allow sentiment to interfere with business. You have heard my terms. I refuse to argue the matter further. What is it to be? Five mil- lions or competition? Decide now or this interview must end!" IIe took out his watch and with his other hand touched a bell. Beads of perspiration stood on his visitor's fore- head. In a volce broken with sup- pressed emotion he said hoarsely: "You're a hard, pitiless man, John Ryder! So be it—five millions. I don't know what they'll. say. I don't dare return to them," "Those are my terms," said Ryder coldly. "The papers," he added, ";,ill be ready for your signature tomorrow at this time and I'll have a check'ea n a y for the entire amount. Good day." Mr. Bagley entered. s•xl.yder bowed to Herts, who slowly retired. When the door had closed on him, Ryder went back to his desk, a smile of triumph on his face. Then he turned to his secretary. "Let Sergeant Ellison come up," be said. A moment later the door opened, and Sergeant Ellison entered, followed by the secretary, who almost immediately wi Cal row. "Well, sergeant," said Mr. Ryder cor- dially, "what have you to tell me? I eau give you only a few minutes. I ex- pect 0 lady friend of yours." The plutocrat sometimes condescend- ed to be jocular with his subordinates. ".\ lady friend. of mine, sir?" echoed tete luau, puzzled. "Vel—Miss Shirley • Green, the au- thor," replied the financier, enjoying the detective's embarrassment. "That suggestion of yours worked out all right. She's coming here today." "I'm glad you're found het', sir." "It was a tough job," answered Ryder, with a grimace. "We wrote her half a dozen times before she was satisfied with the wording of the invi- tation, but finally we lauded her, and I; expect her at 3 o'clock. Now, what about that Rossmore girl? Did you go down to Massapequa?" "Yes, sir, I have been there half a dozen times. In fact, I've just come from there, Judge Rossmore is there, all right, but his daughter has left for parts unknown." "Gone away! Where?" exclaimed the financier. ' "Miss Green," :said Ryder senior, ad- ,ressing Shirley and ignoring whatever dressing was that the young man wanted to say, "this is my sop. Jefferson. Jeff, this le Miss Green." Jet:feraon looked in the direction indi- cated .and stood as if rooted to the floor. Ho was so surprised that he was struck dumb. Finally, recovering him- self, be exclaimed: "Shirley!" "Yes, Shirley Green, the author," ex- plained Ryder. senior, not noticing the note of .familiar recognition in his ex clamation. Shirley advanced and, bolding out her band to Jefferson, said demurely: "I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Ryder." Then quickly in an undertone she added: "Be careful. Don't betray me." Jefferson was so astounded that he did not see the outstretched hand. All he could do was to stand and -stare first at her and then at his father. "Why don't you shake hands with her?" said Ryder senior. "She won't bite you." Then he added: "Miss Green is going to do some literary work for me. so we shall see 0 grunt deal of her. It's tee bad you're going away." Ile chuckled at his own pleasantry. "Father," blurted out Jefferson, "i carte to say that I've changed my mind. You did not want ine to go. and 1 feel I ought to do something. to please yon." "Good boy," said Ryder, pleased. "Now you're talking common sense." IIe Corned to Shirley, who was, getting ready to !,Hake her departure: "Well. ,Miss Green. we may consider the mat- ter settled. Yoti undertake the work 1)t the price i named and finish it as noon as you can. Of course you will .ate to consult me a gooddeal as you go along, so I think it would be bettor for you to cone- and stay bene while the work IS progressing. Mrs. Ryder Batt give you.a suit of rooms to your - golf, where you will be undisturl*ed, find you will have all your materIttl close at hand. What de yon say?" was silent for a moment. ,:Shirley1ie Ieekcil Matt at Ryder and then at his son, and from them her glance trent to the little drawer ou the left hand side of the desk. Then she said quietly: "As you think best, Dir. Ryder, I am quite willing to do the work here." Ryder senior escorted her to the top of the landing and watched her as she passed down the grand staircase, ush- ered by the gorgeously uniformed flun- kies, to the front door and the street. CIIAPTER XIII. SIIIRLEY entered upon her new duties in the Ryder household two days later. She had re- turned to her rooms the even- ing of her meeting with the financier in a state bordering upon hysteria, The day's events had been so extraordinary that it seemed to her they could not be real and that she roust be in a dream. The car ride to Seventy-fourth street, the interview in the library, the dis- covery of her father's letters, the offer to write the biography and, what to her was still more important, the invi- tation to go and live in the Ryder home —all these incidents were so remarka- ble and unusual that it was only with difficulty that the girl persuaded her- self that they were not figments of a disordered brain. But it was all true enough. The next morning's mail brought a letter from Mrs. Ryder, who wrote to the effect that Mr. Ryder would like the work to begin at once and adding that a suit of rooms would be ready for her the fol- lowing afternoon. Shirley did not hes- itate.wasto be gained Everything by waking the Ryder residence her head- quarters, her father's very life depend- ing upon the successful outcome of her present mission, and this uuhoped for opportunity practically insured suc- cess. She immediately wrote to Massa- pequa. One letter was to her mother, saying that she was extending her vis- it beyond the time originally planned. The other letter was to Stott. She told him all about the interview with Ry- der, informed him of the discovery of the letters and after explaining the na- ture of the work offered to her said that her address for the next few weeks would be in care of John Bur- kett Ryder. All was going better than she had ' dared to hope. Everything i seemed to favor their plan. .Her first step, of course, while in the Ryder home would be to secure possession of her father's letters, and these she would dispatch at once to lviassapequa, so they could be. laid before the senate ;without delay. So, after settling accounts with her landlady and packing up her few be- longings, Shirley lost no time in trans- ferring herself to the more luxurious quarters provided for her in the $10,- 000,000 mansion uptown. At the Ryder house she was received cordially and with every mark of con- sideration. The housekeeper came down to the main hall to greet her when she arrived and•escorted her to the suit of rooms, comprising a small working library, a bedroom simply but daintily furnished in pink and white and a private bathroom which had been specially prepared for her convenience and comfort, and here presently she was joined by DIrs. Ry- der. • "Dear me," exclaimed the financier's wife, staring curiously at Shirley, "what a young girl you are to have made such a stir with a book! How did you do it? I'm sure I couldn't. it's as much as I can do to write a letter, and half the time that's not legible." "Oh, it wasn't so hard!" laughed Shirley. "It was the subject that ap- pealed rather than any special skill of mine. The trusts and their misdeeds are the favorite topics of the hour. The whole country is talking about nothing else. My book came at the right time, that's all." Although "The American Octopus" was a direct attack on her own hus- band, Mrs. Ryder secretly admired this young woman who had dared to speak a few blunt truths. It was a courage which, alas, she had always lacked her- self, but there was a certain satisfac- tion in knowing there were women In the world not entirely cowed by the tyrant man. "I have always wanted a daughter," went on Mrs. Ryder, becoming confi- dential, while Shirley removed her things and made herself at blame. "Girls of your age are so companiona- ble." Then abruptly she asked, "Do your parents live in New York?" Shirley's face flushed, and she stoop- ed over her trunk to hide her embar- rassment, "No—not at present," she answered `evasively. "My mother and father are In the country." She was afraid that more questions of a personal nature would follow, but . Om" "What a young pint you arc to hate made such a stir i " apparently Mrs. nyder was not in an Inquisitive mood, for she asked. noth- log further. She only said: "I have a son, hut I don't see tnueh of him. You must Meet my Jefferson. Ile is such a nice boy." Shirley tried to look unconcerned as she replied: "I met bite yesterday. Mr. Ryder introduced him to Inc." "Poor lad! He has his troubles, too," went on Mrs, Ryder. "Tie's in lova with a girl, but his father wants him to marry some one else. They're quar- reling over it all the time." "Parents shouldn't luterfere in mat- ters of the heart," said Shirley de- cisively. "What 1s more serious than the cho.+:sue of a life companion, and who are better entitled to make a free selection than they who are going to spend the rest of their days together? Of course It is a father's duty to give his son the benefit of his riper experi- ence, but to Insist ou a marriage based only ou business interests is little less than a crime. There are considera- tions more important if the union is to he a happy or a lasting one. The chief thiug Is that the man should feel real :attachment for the woman he marries. 'l'tvo people who are to live together as 1)11111 and wife must be compatible in tastes and temper. You cannot mix a oil and water. It is these ese selfish mar- riages whieh keep our divorce courts busy. Money alone won't buy happi- ness In marriage." "No," sighed Mrs. Ryder. "No one knows that better than I." The financier's wife was already most favorably impressed with her guest, and site chatted on as if she had known Shirley for years. It was rare- ly that she had heard so young a wom- an express such common sense views, :nal the more she talked with her the less surprised she was that she was the author of a much discussed book. Finally, thinking that Shirley might prefer to be alone, she rose to go, bid- ding her make herself thoroughly at bonne and to ring for anything she might wish. A maid had been assign- ed to look exclusively after her wants, and she could have her meals served in Iter room or else have them with the family, as she liked, But Shirley, not caring to encounter Mr. Ryder's cold, searching stare more often than neces- sary, said she would prefer to take her meals alone. Left to herself, Shirley settled down to work In earnest. Mr. Ryder had sent to her room all the material for the biography, and soon she was com- pletely absorbed in the task of sorting and arranging letters, making extracts from records, compiling data, etc., lay- ing the foundations for the important book. she was to write. She wondered what they would call It, and she smiled as a peculiarly appropriate title flash- ed through her mind—"The History of a Crime." Yet she thought they could hardly infringe on Victor Hugo. Per- haps the best title was the simplest— "The implest"The History of the Empire Trading Company." Every one would under- stand that it told the story of John Burkett Ryder's remarkable career from Ills earliest beginnings to the present time. She worked feverishly all that evening getting the material into shape, and the following day found her early at her desk. No one disturbed her, and she wrote steadily on until noon, Mrs. Ryder only once putting her head in the door to wish her good morning. After luncheon Shirley decided that the weather was too glorious to remain indoors. IIer health must not be jeop- ardized even to advance the interests of the Colossus, so she put on her hat and left the house to go for a walk. 'l'lte air smelled sweet to her after be- ing confined so long indoors, and she walked with a more elastic and buoy- ant step than she had since her return home. Turning down Fifth avenue, she entered tbe park at Seventy-second street, following the pathway until she came to the bend in the driveway op- posite the Casino. The park was al• most deserted at that hour, and there was a delightful sense of solitude and a sweet scent of new mown bay from the freshly cut lawns. She found an empty bench, well shaded by an over - spreading tree, and sat down, grate- ful for the rest and quiet. She wondered what Jefferson thought of her action in coming to his father's house practically in disguise and un- der an assumed name. She must see him at once, for in him lay her hope of obtaining possession of the letters. Certainly she felt no delicacy or com- punction in asking Jefferson to do her this service. The Letters belonged to her father, and they were being wrong- fully withheld with the deliberate pur- pose of doing him an ..injury. She had a moral if not a legal right to recover the letters in any way that she could. She was so deeply engrossed in her thoughts that she had not noticed a hansom cab which suddenly drew up with a jerk at the curb opposite her bench. .A. man jumped out. It was Jef- ferson. "Bello, Shirley," he cried gayly. "Who would have expected to find you rusticating on a bench here? I pictured you grinding away at home doing lit- erary stunts for the governor." He grinned and then added: "Come for a drive. I want to talk to you." Shirley demurred. No; she could not spare the time. Yet, she thought to herself, why was not this a good op- portunity to explain to Jefferson how lie came to find her in his father's li- brary masquerading under another name and also tri ask bite to secure the letters for her? While she pondered Jefferson insisted, and a few minutes later she found herself sitting beside liitn in the cab. '!'bey started off at a brisk pace, Shirley sitting with her head back, enjoying the strong breeze enused by the rapid Metier'. "Now tell me," he said, "what does It all mean? I was so startled at see- ing you in the library the other day that I Almost betrayed you. How 010 you come to call or father?" /Wetly Shirley explained everything. She told him bow Mr. Ryder had writ• ten to her asking leer to call and see 1 hien and how she had eagerly seized at this last straw in the hope of helping her father. She told hien about the let- ters, explaining how necessary they were for her father's defense and how she had discovered them. Ilio. Ryder. she said, bad seemed to take a Miley to her and had asked Iter to remain in the hose as his guest while site W15 cotnpilin" his biography, and she had accepted the offer not so Much for the amount of money involved as for the splendid opportnnii; it afforded her to gain possession of the letters. "So that is the mysterious work you spoke of, to get those letters?" said I elferson. "Yes; that is 1):y mission. It was a secret, 1 couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell any one. 0111y Judge Stott knows. He is :aware 1 have found them and 13 hourly eepectiu`; to receive them from re. And now;" she said, "I want your help." His only answer was to grasp tighter the banal she had laid in his. Slug anew that she would not have to ex- plain the nature of the service she wanted. IIe understood.. "Where are the letters?" he demand- ed. "In the left hand drawer of your fa- ther's desk," she answered. He was silent for a few moments, and then he said simply: "I will get them," The cab by this time bad got as far as Claremont, and from the hill sum- mit they had a splendid view of the broad sweep of the majestic Hudson and the towering walls of the blue palisades. The day was so beautiful and the air so invigorating that Jeffer- son suggested a ramble along the banks of the river. They could leave the cab at Claremont and drive back to the city later. Shirley was too grateful to him for his promise of co- operation to make any further opposi- taou, and soon they were far away from beaten highways, down on the banks of the historic stream, picking flowers and laughing merrily like two truant children bent on a self made (holiday. The place they had reached was just outside the northern bound axles of Harlem, a sylvan spot still un- spoiled by the rude invasion of the flat - house builder. The land, thickly wood- ed, sloped down sharply to the wa- ter, and the perfect quiet was broken only by the washing of the tiny surf against the river bang: and the shrill notes of tbe birds in the trees. Although it was late in October, the day was warm, and Shirley soon tired of climbing over bramble entangled verdure. The rich grass underfoot looked cool and inviting, and the nat- ural slope of the ground affording an ideal resting place she sat there, with .Tefferson stretched out at her feet, both watching idly the Glancing waters of the broad Hodson, spangled with gleams of light, as they swept swiftly by on their journey to the sea. "Shirley," said Jefferson suddenly, "I suppose you saw that ridiculous story about my alleged engagement to ;fisc Roberts. i hope yon understood that it was done without my consent." "If I did not guess it, Jeff," she an- 1wered, "your assurance would be suf- ficient. Besides," she added, "what right have I to object?" "But I want you to have the right" he replied earnestly. "I'tn going to stop this Roberts nonsense in a way my father hardly anticipates. I'm just waiting a chance to talk to him. I'll show him the absurdity of announcing me engaged to a girl who is about to ,lcpe with his private secretary!" "Elope with the secretary!" exclaim- ed Shirley, Jefferson told all about the letter he had found on the staircase and the iIon. Fitzroy Bagley's plans for a run- away marriage with the senator's wealthy daughter. "It's a godsend to me," he said glee- fully. "Their plan is to get married next Wednesday. I'll see my father on Tuesday. I'll put the evidence in his hands, and I don't think," he added grimly, "he'll bother me any more about Miss Roberts." "So you're not going away now?" said Shirley, smiling down at him. He sat up and leaned over toward her. "I can't, Shirley, I simply can't," he replied, his voice trembling. "You are more to me than I dreamed a woman could ever be. I realize it more forci- bly every day. There is no use fight- ing against it. Without you my work, my life, means nothing." Shirley shook her head and averted her eyes. "Don't let us speak of that, Jeff," she pleaded gently. "I told you I did not belong to myself while my father was in peril." "But I must speak of it," he Inter- rupted. "Shirley, you do yourself an injustice as well as me. You are not indifferent to me—I feel that. Then why raise this barrier between us?" .A. soft light stole into the girl's eyes. Ah, it was good to feel there was some one to whom she was everything in the world! "Don't ask me to betray my trust, Jeff," she faltered. "You know I am not in— different to you—far from It. But I" Iie came closer until his face nearly torched hers. "I love you—I want you," he mur- mured feverishly. "Give me the right to claim you before all the world as my future wife!" Every note of his rich, manly voice. vibrating with impetuous passion, sounded in Shirley's ear like a soft caress. She closed her eye A 'strango feeling of languor wis stealing over her; a mysterious thrill passed through her whole body, The eternal, inevita- ble sex instinct wits disturbing for the first time a woman whose ?tfe had been singularly free frim such Infill- euces, putting to dight all the calcula- tions and resolves her cooler judgment had made. The sensuous Charm of f‘. f IIIIIIIIt111111uIlUiiIllVl!'11L'fili11111111t i:l' III!1:'111�11111111111111t11.i o I)iR Ps I iVegetablePreparationforAs- similating Wood andeg uta - Ling the >Stom arks andBowe of $omotesiDigestion,Cheerful- nessand Rest.Contains neither N0 iulm,Morphine nor N iinesal. OT NAM, C O TIC. Ilea; � S' rzwe Sea"' Ro.lell• Sal& t]l�nire Sre4 • permuan�J`uFa• Mira Seed - /or[!ud Sugar . I rdtat yaw Flavor: Aperfect Remedy forConstipft- tion, Sour Stomach,Diarrhoea, Worms ,Convulsions ,Feverish- ness Feverish- aess and LOss OF SLEEP. Fac Simile Signature of NEW YORK. CASTDRi! For Infants and Children. The Kind You Have Always Bought Bears the -- Signature of hit Use For Over Thirty Years IA EXACT COPY OF WRAPPER. THC CENTAUR COMPANY, N1W YORK 'Y!'i+.it'.t.V'i?�'tr14:!'SES.;Sl :VS StYotSsot'v%st;-..1.91; assess steis; place—the distant splash of the water, the singing of the birds, the fragrance of the trees and grass—all these sym- bols of the joy of life conspired to arouse the love hunger of the woman. \Vhy, after all, should she not know happiness like other women? She had a sacred dirty to perform, it was true, but would it be less well done because she declined to stifle the natural lean- ings of her womanhood? Both her soul and her body called out, "Let this man love you; give yourself to him; he is worthy of your love." Ilulf unconsciously she listened to his ardent wooing. her eyes shut, as he spoke quickly, passionately, his breath warm upon her cheek: "Shirley, I otter you all the devotion a man can give a woman. Say the one word that will make me the happiest or the most wretched of men. Yes or no! Only think well before you wreck "Say you will be 'nay wife!" my life. I love you—I love you! I Rill wait for you if need be until the crack of doom. Say—say you will be my wifee" She opened her eyes. His face was bent close over hers. Their lips almost touched. "Yes, Jefferson," she murmured, "I do love you!" Itis lips met hers in a long, passion- ate kiss. Her eyes closed, and an ecstatic thrill seeif>ed to convulse her entire being. The birds in the trees overhead sang in more joyful chorus NEW MUSKOKA TRAIN. Now leaving Toronto 10.15 a. m. daily, except Sunday, arriving Muskoka Wharf 1.40 p. m. making direct connec- tion with steamers for all points on Muskoka Lakes. A brand new train, consisting of bag- gage car, Vestibule Coaches, and parlor - Library -Buffet car will be operated and passengers are assured of a comfortable ride along the most interesting route to Muskoka Wharf, which i s the original gateway to the far-famed Muskoka Lakes. This train runs right to side of steam- er at Muskoka Wharf, thus avoiding any inconvenience to passengers. Return connection is made with train leaving Muskoka Wharf at 10.45 a. m, daily, except Sunday, arriving Toronto 3.10 p. m. Tourists Tickets at red iced rates are now on sale to Muskoka resorts, good for stop -over at any point and good to return until November 30th. 1913. Full particulars and tiekets from Grand Trunk Agents. H. E. Elliott Town Passenger and Ticket Agent. Phone 4. W. F. Burgman,Station Ticket Agent. Phone 50. is celebration of the betrothal. CHAPTER XIV. T was nearly 7 o'clock when Shir- ley got back to Seventy-fourth street. No one saw her come I 1 and she went direct to her room 1 and after a hasty dinner worked until late into the night on her book to make up for lost time. The events of the afternoon caused her considerable un- easiness. She reproached herself for her weakness and for having yielded so readily to the impulse of the mo- ment. She had said only what was the truth when she admitted she loved Jefferson, but what right had she to dispose of her future while her father's fate was still uncertain? Her con- science trUubled her, and when she came to reason it out calmly the more , impossible seemed their union from ev- ery point of view. How could she be- 1 come the daughter-in-law of the man who had ruined her own father? The idea was preposterous, and hard as the sacrifice would be Jefferson must be made to see it in that light. Their engagement was the greatest folly- It boned each of them when nothing but unhappiness could possibly come of it. She was sure now that she loved Jef- ferson. It would be hard to give him up, but there are tines and circum- stances when duty and principle must prevail over all other considerations, unci this she felt was one of them. The following morning she received a letter from Stott. Ile was delighted to bear the good news regarding her important discovery, and ho urged her to lose no time in securing the letters and forwarding them to Massapequa, when lit would immediately go to W:e lhingtou and lay them before the senate. Documentary evidence of that conciusive nature, he went on to say, w01110 prove of the very highest value in clearing her father's name. He added that the judge and her mother v, ere as well 00 circumstances would permit and that they were not in the toast worried about her protracted ab- ('enl e. Ilcr Aunt Milly had already returned to Europe. and Eudoxia was still threatening to leave daily. Shirley needed no urging. She quite te.alized the importance of acting quickly, but it was not easy to get at the letters, The library was usu- ally kept 100ket1 when the great man was away, mai on the few occasions When access to it was possible the lynx eyed Mr. Bagley was always on guard. Short as had been her stay in the Ry- der household Shirley already shared Jefferson's antipathy to the English secretary, whose manner grew more supercilious and overbearing as he drew nearer the date when he expect- ed to run off with one of the richest catches of the season. He had not sought the acquaintance of his em- ployer's biographer since her arrival and, with the exception of a rude stare, had not deigned to notice her, which attitude of haughty indifference was all the more remarkable in view of the fact that the Hon. Fitzroy usually left nothing unturned to cultivate a flirta- tious intimacy ;with every attractive female he met. The truth was that what with Mr. Rydet's demands upon his services and his own preparations for his Coming matrimonial venture, in which he had so much at stake, he had neither tilmp,nor Inclination to indulge his customary afoorono diversions. Miss Roberts had called at the house several times, ostensibly to see Mrs. Ryder, and When introduced to Shirley she had condescended to give the lat- ter a supercilious nod. Her conr'ersa- tion was 'generally of the silly, vacu- ous bort, •concerning ehieily new dreseee or bonnets, and Shirley at once read her character•--frivolotis, amuseineiltt loving, empty headed, lettsponsible=- (To be continued.)