THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIDUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
JLLU5TMriOSCDfflODr5
SYNOPSIS.
8
Kennotli Orlswold, an unsuccessful
Jrrlter, bocnhse of socialistic tendencies,
holds up Andrew Qathralth. president 'of
tho Unyou State Beciirltles, In the presi
dents prlvuto ofllcu iind escapes with JIW.
000 In cash. Uy original methods lie es
capes the hue nnd cry and koos nbonrd
the Hollo Julio as n deckhand. Churlottt)
JFarnlinm of Wahaska, Minn., who had
peon lilm cnsh Oalbralth's chock In the
Iwjok, recognizes him, nnd sends n lcttor
vt betrayal to aalhrnllh nnonymously.
drlswold l arrested on thn arrival of the
txmt at 8t Loulii, but escapes from his
captor. Ifo decides on Wahaska, Minn.,
aa a hldlnir place, and after outfitting
himself nrondrly, lake tho train. Oris
Jvolfl falls III on the sleeper and In cared
for nd token to hor home In Wahaska
by MarBery Qrlerson, daughter of Jasper
Grlerson. tho financial magnate of Wa
lioskft. Margery finds tho stolen money
In Qrlswolds suitcase. Broflln, dotoctive,
lakes tho troll. Margery asks her father
In Ret Edward Ilaymer Into flnnnclal hot
water and then help him out of It. Oris
wold recovers to find tho stolen money
irone. Ilo moets Margery's social clrclo
nnd forms a frlonduhlp with Haytnor,
Mie Iron manufacturer. lirollln comes to
Wahaska Jn soared of tho woman who
Jrroto the anonymous letter to Oalhralth.
Margery takos Orlswold to the safety do
posit vnult nnd turnauthc stolen money
pvor to him.
CHAPTER XVI Continued.
"You Htlll think I could tell you
that, If I chose?"' Bho said, willfully
falslondlng him, or nt least allowing
lilm to mislead himself.
"I don't think anything about It I
know! You'd met him somewhere be
fore that day In the bank before you
knew he was goln' to turn gentleman
holdup. That's why you don't want to
plvfj up his real namo."
Sho bad risen, and In self-dofenso
Uroflln had to gropo on tho flocr for
his hat and stand up too.
"Walt a inlnuto. I'm an officer of
tho law, nnd I could nrrest you nnd
knbii you to Now Orleans on what evi
dence l'vo got. How about that?
wbat?"
Thoro waB good fighting blood on
,tbo Farnham sldo, notwithstanding, tho
jftndly Doctor Bertie's peaceful voca
tion, nnd tho calm gray oyca that mot
Droffln's woro mllltnntly angry when
fho retort came.
"If I had a brother, Mr. Ilroffln, he
vould bo ablo to answer you bettor
fhan I can!" she flamed out. "Lot mo
jjass, please I"
It wao not often that Bromn lost his
fcfrtid or his temper, but both woro
gone when ho iitruek back.
"That'll bo all rlfiht, tool" ho broke
out harshly, blocking tho wny to force
h-ir to listen to him. "You think you've
"I Am an Officer of the Law."
bluffed mo, don't you? what? Let
wo toll you: somo lino dny this duck
vfhosB name isn't Qavltt will turn up
L ere to see youj thon I'll nab hltn.
tl jou find out whore ho Is, and write
to him not to como, it'll bo all tho
anno; he'll como anyway, and whon
It does como, I'll get him!"
, Whon Miss Farnham had gono In
fcd thoro waB nothing loft for him to
J3 but to compnss his own disappear
tlco, Broflln went away, tolling him
u tit with many blandishments that for
mco In hia professional career ho had
Jmado on a&a of himself. Tho doctor's
jUuRHtor know the man; she had
JTaown b.im before tho robbory; sho
hraa willing to bo his accomplice to
ffio oxtont of hor ability, Thoro was
Wrtly one explanation of this attltudo.
In Broffin'a wording of It, Miss Farn
pm was "o no on him," if not openly,
Et loast to. such an oxtont as to mako
r anxious to shield him.
That being the case, Broflln sot it
down as a fact as good aa accom
tftJahed that the man would sooner or
If.ter come to Wahaska. Tho dotec
fcJv's knowledge of mascifllno human
suturo won as profoundly acute as tho
krnqulremontB of his calling demanded.
With a woman like MUs Farnham for
tho lure, ho could bo morally certain
that his man would some time fling
caution, or oven a wrltton prohibition,
to the winds, and walk into the trap,
litis misfire of Oroffln's happened
ppoa a Wednesday, whiob, In Its cal
endar placing, chanced to bo three
jweeka to a day after Orlswold bad loft
Kertmtdg to settle himself studiously
In two quiet upper rooms In tho Widow
Holcomb's house in upper Shnwiaee
street.
That It was also a day of other co
incidences will appear in tho casting
up of tho Items on the pngo of events.
For ono thing, It marked tho formal
opening of tho Do Soto Inn for tho
summer season. For nnothor, the
special train from tho far South arriv
ing nt noon and boarlng tho first de
tachment of tho Inn's guests, had for
ono of Its Pullman passengers an
elderly gentleman with a strongly
marked Scottish faco; n gentleman
with the bushy whito eyebrows of ago,
tho long upper lip of cnution, the
drooping eyolid of irascibility, and tho
bearing of a mnn of routine; in other
words, Mr. Andrew Galbrnith, faring
northward on Ills customary summer
vncatlon, which tho fates intervening
ho had this tlmo determined to
spend at tho Wahaskan resort.
For a third item, it was nt three
o'clock of this Bamo Wednesday that
Raymer camo out of Jasper Orlerson's
bank with his head down and a cloud
on his brow, tho cloud dating back
to an Intorvlow Just closed, n short
and rathor brittlo conference with the
bank's president held in Jasper Orler
son's privato room, with tho president
sitting nt ease In his huge armchair
and his visitor standing, quito desti
tute of ease, at tho desk-end.
Itnymer's horso was only a short
half-squaro away, hitched Iri front of
tho WinnobaKo house, and ho wnnt tn
got it. Hut nt tlio instant of unhitch
ing, Miss Orlerson's traD was driven
up and the untying of- knots paused
whllo he stepped from tho curb to
stand at tho wheol of tho modish equi
page. "You aro getting to bo as bnd as
all tho others," was tho greeting ho
got from tho high driving seat. "You
haven't been at Moresido for nn nco
oiily onco Blnco tho night you took Mr.
uriswold away from us. Hy tho way,
wnnt lias becomo of Mr. Qrlswold? He
doesn't show himself in public much
ortenor than you do.
"I think ho has been cettlnc to work
on his writing," said Itaymer, good
naturedly apologizing for his friend
"Ho'll come down, out .of tho clouds
after a little. I understand ho dines
at Doctor Bertie's tonight."
The young Iron founder waB looking
up Into tho eyes of beguiling when bo
said this, and, being a mere man, ho
wondered what mado thorn flash nnd
then grow suddenly fathomless and
uroouing.
"When you see him, tell him that
wo aro still on earth over at Mere
Bldo," said tho magnate's daughter
portly; and a moment later, as Ray
mor was turning out of Main street
Into Shnwneo, ho narrowly missed run
ning over a henvy-sot man with a
dark face and drooping mustaches;
a pedestrian whoso preoccupation
sooined so great as to mako him riulto
oblivious to street crossings nnd pass-
ing velilcles until Itaymer pulled his
horso bnck Into tho Bhafts and
shouted.
Ono moro small coincidence will
sorve to total tho Items on tho Wed
nesday page. If Droffln had not
stopped to look after tho man who
had so nearly run him down, ho
might havo boon crossing Main street
in front of tho Winnebago at tho pre
cise Instant when Miss Grlerson, with
young Dahlgron in tho second seat of
the trap, camo around tho squaro and
pulled up to lot hor horso drink, at
tho public fountain.
"Who is that Bitter-creeklsh-looklnir
man crossing over to tho Winnobago
Iioubo?" asked Miss Grlorspn of her
soatmate, indicating Broflln with a
wnvo of tho whip, and skillfully mak
ing tho quory sound llko tho voicing
of tho idlest curiosity.
"Follow nnmod Broflln, from Louisi
ana," Bald Dahlgren, who, as assistant
editor of tho Daily Wahaskan, know
ovorybody. "Snya ho's in tho lumber
business down there, but, 'I doubt it,'
said tho carpontor, and Bhed a bitter
toar."
"Why do you doubt it?" queried
Miss Grlorson, neatly flicking a fly
from tho horse's back with tho tip of
tho whiplash.
"Ob, on goneral principles, I guess.
You wouldn't say he had any of tho
earmarks or a business man."
"What kind of earmarks has ho
got?" persisted Mlsa Grlerson merely
to mako talk, as Dahlgron doclded.
"I don't know. Wo wero talking
about him at tho club tho othor night,
and Shofllold ho's from Kentucky,
you know thought ho romombored
tho namo as tho namo of a 'moon
shine raider ho'd heard of down in his
homo stato."
"A moonBhino raldor? What is thnt?"
By this timo Miss Margery's curiosity
was less Inert than it had been, or had
seomod to bo, at first.
"A doputy marshal, you know; a
sort or government poiicoman. and do
toctivo rolled Into ono. Ho looks It
don't you think 7"
Miss Grlorson did not Bay what Bho
thought, thon, or later, when nhn ai
Dahlgren down at tho door of his
newspaper olllco in Sioux avonuo. But
till later, two houra lator, In fact, sho
gavo n brief audlcnco in tbo Moresldn
library to a small, barefooted boy
whoso occupation was sufficiently In
dicated by tho bundlo of evening pa
pers Under ono arm.
"Well, Johnnlo, what did you find
out?" alio asked.
"Ain't had tlmo," said tho boy. "But
ho ain't no millyunalro lumber-shooter,
I'll bet a nlckol. I sold him a nana
JUBt now, down by Dutchio'a lumber
yard, and I nst him what kind o' lum
ber that was in tho pllo by tho gate.
Ho didn't know, no more'n a goat."
Miss Margorj filliped n coin In tho
air and tho nowsboy caught It dex
terously. "That will do nicely for a begin
ning, Johnnlo," sho snld sweetly.
"Como and seo mo ovory onco In a
while, and perhaps there'll be moro
nttio wnite cartwheels for you. Onlv
don't tell, nnd don't lot him catch you.
That's all."
CHAPTER XVII.
The Forward Light.
During tho days which followed his
setting up of tho standard of Inde
pendence In Mrs. Holcomb's second-
floor front, Grlswold found himself en
tering upon a new Held a world cor
responding with gratifying fidelity to
that proflgured futuro which ho had
struck out In the waking hours of his
first night on tho main-dock of the
Hollo Julio.
Wahaska. aa a fortunate field for
tho poBt-graduato courso In Experi
mental Humnnlty, was all that his
fancy had pictured It. Whon ho camo
to go about tho town, bb he did dally
iter the pleasant occupation of re-
furnlshlng hia study nnd bedroom' was
pleasure past, ho found that In some
mysterious manner his fame had pre
ceded him. Everybody seemed to
now who ho was: to bo able to nlace
him as a New Yorkor, as an author In
search of health, or local colon or en
vironment or some other technical
quality not to bo found in tho crowded
cities; to bo nblo to nlaco him. nlEn.
as Miss Margery Grlerson's friend and
bonoflclary which Inst, ho surmised.
waB his best passport to tho good
graces of his fpllow-townsnien.
Coincidently he discovered thnt. In
tho same mysterious manner, every
body Beemed to know that ho wns, in
tho Wahaskan phrase, "well-fixed."
Here, again, ho guessed that some
thing might bo credited to Mareerv.
As to tho manner of conducting Mm
war against inequality .and the crime
or plutocracy, the plan of campaign
had been sufficiently Indicated in that
white-hot moment of high resolves on
tho cargo-dock qf tho Belle Julie. For
tho propaganda, there was his book;
for tho demonstration, ho would jiut
tho sacred fund into some industry
whero tho weight of It would give him
the casting vote In nil questions In
volving tho rights of the workers.
With tho rewriting of the book fair
ly begun, he wns already lookinc about
for the practical opportunity when the
grpwing friendship with Edward rtay
mer' promised to offor an oooninc ex-
actly fulfilling tho experimental re
quirements, Raymcr ho'd overen
Inrged IiIb plant and wns necdlne moro
capital; and somo of Raymcr's half
confidences had led him to suspect that
tlio need was, or was llkoly to become.
Imperative. Grlswold waited patient
ly; ho was still waiting on the
Wednesday afternoon when Raymor
called him over tho tolenhono and
mado tho appointment for a meeting
ai tne house in Shawnco stroet.
"Your 'pair of minutes' must have
found something to crow unon."
laughed tho patient waiter, when Ray
mor. finding Mrs. Holcomb's front door
open, had climbed tho stair to tho
nowly established literary workshop.
"I've had timo to smoke a pipe and
wrlte a complete paragraph since you
called up." ji
Rnymor flung himself into a chair
at tho dosk-end and reached for a pipe
in tho curiously-carved rack which had
been ono of Grlswold's smnll extrava
gances In tho refurnishing.
"Yes," ho said: "Manrerv Griorsnn
drovo up while I was unhitching, and
I had to Btop and talk to her. Which
reminds mo: sho saya you'ro giving
Moresido tho go-by since you sot up
for yourself. Aro you?"
"I'm not likely to." was thn nnhnr
rejoinder "My debt to Miss Grlorson
is a pretty big one, Rnymor; bigger
than you suspect. I lmaclne."
u m glad to hear you put tho debt
whore It belongs, leavinc her fathnr
out of it. You do't owo him anything;
noi oven a cup or cold water. There's
a latter-day buccaneer for you!" ho
went on,5 warmlnK to his suhtont iik
a man with a soro Into which snlt has
boon freshly rubbed. "That old tlm-bor-wolf
wouldn't snaro his 'hont
friend allowing that anybody could
do uts rnond. By Jove! ho's making
mo sweat blood, all right!"
"How la that?" aBked Grlswold.
"I've been on tho edco of toliini? vnn
two or threo times, but noxt to a quit
tor I do hnto tho fellow who niitn hiq
lingers Into n trap and then squawks j
wnon tno trap nips him. Grlerson has
got mo down and ho Is about to cut mv
throat, GriBwold."
"Toll mo about it," said tho ono who
had been patiently waiting to bo told.
"Grlorson a year ago tried to got a
finger into my littlo plo Ho wanted
to reorganlzo tho Raymor Foundry nnd
Machino worka, and offered to furnish
tho additional capital and tako fifty
one per cont of tho reorganization
stock. Naturally, I couldn't boo It.
This Bprlng wo had tho capacity limit
In tho old plant and tho only thing to
do wna to onlargo. I borrowed tho
monoy at Grlorson'8 bank and did It.
My borrow was one hundred thousand
dollars, and thoro was a vorbal under
standing that it was to bo ropald out
of tho surplus earnings, piecemeal, I
told Grlorson that I should need avenr
or moro, nnd ho didn't objoct"
"This was all In conversation ?" said
Orlswold; "no writing?"
Itaymer mado a wry face.
"Don't rub It In. I'm ndmittlng that
I was all tho different kinds of a fool.
Thoro was no dcflnlto tlmo limit men
tioned. I was to glvo my porsonal
notes and put up tho family stock as
collateral. A day or two later, wheu
I went around to closo tho deal, tho
trap was standing wido open for mo
and a baby might havo seen it. Grlor
son said ho had proposed tho loan to
his directors, and that thev had kicked
on taking tho stock as collateral. Ho
offered to take my paper without an
lndorser If I would cover his porsonal
riBk with my stock collateral, nsslcn-
lng it, not to tho bank, but to him. I
fell for it llko a woolly BheeD. Tho
stock transfers woro mado. and I
signed a note for one hundred thou
sand dollnrs, duo In sixty days; Grlor
son explaining thnt two months wan
tlio bank's usual limit on accommoda-
"Make It Ten Thousand and I'll Con
tribute the Remaining Ninety."
tion paper which is true enough but
giving mo to understand that a re
newal and an extension of tlmo would
bo merely a matter of routine."
Grlswold was shaking his head sym
pathetically. "I can guess tho rest,"
ho said. "Grlerson Is preparing to
swallow you whole."
"He has as good aB done it," was tho
dejected reply. "The note fnlls due
tomorrow; and, as I happened to be
uptown this afternoon, I thought I
would drop In and pay tho discount
and renow tho paper. Grlerson shot
mo through tho heart. He gavo me a
cock:and-bull story about somo bauk
examiner's protest, and told mo I
must bo prepared to take up tho paper
tomorrow."
"Of course you reminded him of
his agreement?"
"Suro; and bo sawed me off short;
said that any business man borrow
ing money on accommodation paper
knew that it was likely to bo called in
on tho expiration date; that an exten
slon is really a now transaction, which
the bank Is at liberty to refuse to
enter. Oh, he gave it to me cold and
clammy, sitting back In his big chair
and staring up at me through the
smoke of a fat, black cigar while ho
did It!"
"And then?" prompted Grlswold.
"Then I remembered the mother and
f, "' i i .1 ' w,hat 1 wo,u,a
SJiHd,ther "m" t J a'" '
LST G S I,
weu jiavo gono outsi,0 ana butted
ii iu j- nuuu uguinsi mu uncK waii oi mo
bank."
Orlswold forgot his own real,
though possibly Indirect, obligation
to Jaspor Grlerson.
"That Is whero you mado a mis
tako; you should have told him to go
to h 1 with his monoy!" was his
acrid comment. And then: "How
near can you come to lifting this noto
tomorrow, Itaymer?"
"'Near isn't tho word. Possibly I
might sweep tho corners and gather
up tweivo or fifteen thousand dol-
Tiara."
"That will do," said tho ouerlst.
shortly. "Mako It ten thousand, and
I'll contribute the remaining ninety."
Raymor sprang out of his chair as
If Its padded arms had beon suddenly
turned Into high-voltage electrodes.
"You will? you'll do that for mo,
Grlswold?" ho said, with a queer stri
dency in his voico that made tho
woru-craftsman, always on the watch
for apt Blmllos, think of a choked
chicken. But Raymor was swallow
ing hard and trying to go on. "By
Jovo it's tho most gonorouB thing
I over heard of! but I can't let you
do it. I haven't a thine In thn world
to offer you but tho stock, and that
may not bo worth tho paper it is
printed on If Jaspor Grlorson has
made up his mind to broak mo."
"Sit down again and let us thresh
it out," said Grlswold. "How much
of a BocIallBt aro you, Raymor?"
Tho young Ironmaster sat down,
casnlnc a littlo at tho sudden wrench.
Mng aside of tho subject.
"wny, i aon't Know; enough to
want ovory man to havo a squaro doal,
I guess."
"Including tho men In your shops?"
"Putting them first," was tho prompt
correction. "It waB my father's pol
icy, and it has been mino. Wo havo
novor had any labor troubles."
"You pay fair wageB?"
"Wo do bettor than that. A year
ago I introduced a modified plan of
profit sharing."
Grlswold's cyos were llehtlna- ud
with altruistic fires.
"Onco In a whllo, Raymor, a thing
nappens so fortuitously, aB to fairly
compel a belief In tho higher powers
thnt our fathers included In tho word
Providence'," ho said, almost solemn
ly. "You havo described exactly an
Industrial situation which seems to mo
to offer a solution of tho wholo vexed
question of master and man, and to
bo a seed-sowing which is bound to
bo followed by an abundant arid most
humanizing hnrvest. Ever slncn I
began to study, even in a haphazard
way, tho Boclal system under which
wo sweat and groan, l'vo wanted In
on a Job llko yours. I still want In.
Will you tako me as a silent partner,
Hnymer? I'm not maklne it a con
dltioh, mind you; como here any tlmo
after ton o'clock tomorrow, and you'll
find the monoy waiting for you. But
i do nopo you won't turn me down."
Rnymer wns gripping tho anna of
hla chair ngaln. but this tlmo thov
were not unpleasantly electrified
"If I had only myself to consider. I
shouldn't keep you waltlnE a second."
ho returned, heartily. "But It may
tako a littlo tlmo to Dersuado mv
mother nnd sister. If they could only
know you why can't you como out to
dinner with me tonight?"
'For tho only reason that would
mako mo refuse; I havo a previous
bidding. But I'll bo glad to eo somo
other day. There Is no hurry about
this business matter: tako all the time
you need aftor you havo mado Mr.
Grlerson tako his claws out of you."
Raymer had filled tho borrowed nlno
again and was pulling at it reflectively.
"About this partnership; what would
be your notion?" he asked.
"Tho simplest way is always tho
best. Increase your capital Block and
let mo In for as much as my ninety
thousand dollars will buy." said Mm
easily satisfied Investor. "We'll let
It go at that until you've had time
to think it over, and talk it over with
your mother and Bister."
The lr6n founder got up and reached
for his hat.
"You are certainly the friend in
need, Grlswold, If over there was one,"
ho said, gripping tho hand of leave
taking as if he would crack tho bones
In it. "But there is ono thing I'm
going to ask you, and you mustn't tako
offense this ninety thousand; could
you-afrord to lose It or Is It your
wholo stake In tho game?"
Grlswold's smile was tho ironmas
ter's assurance that he had not of
fended. "It is practically my entire stake and
I can very well afford, to lose it in
tho way I have Indicated. You may
call that a paradox, If you like, but
both halves of it aro true."
"Then there is one othor thing you
ought to know, and I'm going to tell
It now," Raymen went on. "Wo do a
general foundry and machine business,
but a good fifty per cent of our profit
comes from the Wahaska and Pino
boro railroad repair work, which wo
have had ever since the road was
opened."
Grlswold was Bmiling again. ,"Why
should I know that particularly." ho
asked.
"Because it is rumored that Jasper
Grlerson has been quietly absorbing
tho stock and bonds of tho road, and
if ho means to removo rne from the
map "
'Tsee," was the reply. "In that case
you'll need a partner oven worso than
you do now. You can't scaro me off
that way. Shall I look for you nt ten
tomorrow?"
"At ten to tho minute," said tho
rescued plunger; and he went down
Btalrs so full of mingled thankfulness
nnd triumph that ho mistook Doctor
Farnham'a horse for his, own nt tho
hitching post two doors away, and was
about to get Into tho doctor's buggy
before he discovered his mistake.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Bridge of Jehennam.
Orlswold took a final look at himsolf
In his dressing case mirror before go
ing to keep hla evening appointment
at tho doctor's downtown office. It
was comfortably reassuring. So far as
ho could determine, there, was little
in tho clean-shaven, square-shouldered,
correctly garmented young fellow who
faced him in tho mirror to suggest
either the bearded outcast of Now Or
leans or tho unkempt and toll-sodden
roustabout of tho Belle Julie. If
only sho had not made him speak to
her. He had a sharp conviction that
tho greatest of all tho hazards lay
in tho chance thnt sho might remem
ber his voice.
Ho found tho cheery little doctor
waiting for him when ho had walked
tho fow squares to tho Main streot
office.
"I was beginning) to be afraid you
wero going to bo fashionably late,"
said tho potential host; and then, with
a humorous glance for the correct gar
menting: "Regalia, heh? Hasn't Miss
Grlerson told you that Wahaska Is still
hopelessly unable to live up to the
dress coat and standing collar? I'm
sure sho must havo. But never mind;
climb into tho buggy nd wo'll let old
Bucephalus tako us around to seo If
tho neighbors havo brought in any
thing good to ent."
Tho drive was a short ono. Broflln
was onco more shadowing tho house
in which, first or Inst, ho expected to
trap his amateur MacHcath; and when
tho buggy was halted at tho carriage
step ho was near enough to mnrk and
recognlzo tho doctor's companion.
"Not this time," ho muttered sourly,
when tho two had passed together up
tho graveled path and the host was
fitting his latchkey to tho front door.
"It'a only tho Blck man that writes
books. 1 wonder what sort of a book
ho thinks he's going to -wrlto in this
inforgotten, turkey-trodden, come
along village of tho Reuben yaps?"
Grlswold, waiting on tho porch whllo
Doctor Fnrnham fitted his key, had a
ncrvo-tlngiing shiver of apprehonslon
when tho latch yielded with n click
and ho found himself under tho hall
lantern formally shaking hands with
tho statuesquo young vvomnn of tho
many Imaginings.
"You aro Very welcome to ftom
Nook, Mr. Orlswold; wo havo been
hearing nbout you for many wocks,"
sho was saying when ho had relln
qulshed tho firm hand and wns hang
ing his coat and hat on tho hail rack.
And thon, with a half-embarrassed
laugh: "I am afraid we aro dreadful
gossips; all Wahaska has been talking
about you, you know, and wondering
how it came to-acquiro you."
"It hasn't ncquired anything very
valuablo," was tho guest'B modest dis
claimer, Its readiuess arising out of a
grateful easing of strains now thnt tho
actual facc-to-face ordeal had safely
passed its Introductory stage. "And
you mustn't say a word against your
charming littlo city, Miss Farnham."
ho went on. "It 1b tho friendliest, most
hospitable "
The doctor's daughter was interrupt
ing with an enthusiastic show of ap
plause. "Como out to dinner, both of you,"
sho urged; and thon to Grlswold: "I
want you to say all those nice things
to Aunt Fanny."
In tho progress to the cozy, home
like dining-room Orlswold found tho
contrast between tho Farnham homo
and tho ornate mansion threo streets
away on tho lake front strikingly ap
parent; as cleanly marked as that be
tween Margery Grlerson and the
sweetly serene and conventional young
porson who was introducing him to
her aunt across tho small oval dinlnir
table.
So far, all was going well. But a
littlo later. In tho midst of a half-
uttered direction to tho serving maid.
Miss Farnham stopped abruptly, and
GrIswold could feel her gaze, wido-
eyed and half-terrified, seemingly fixed
upon him.
It was all over In tho turning of a
leaf; there had been no break In tho
doctor's genial raillery, and the breath
less little pause at the other end of tho
table was only momentary. When tbo
dinner was over the doctor, in the act
of filling two long-Btemmed pipes for
his guest and himself, was called away
professionally. Miss Gilman, least ob-
truslve of chaperons, had been peace
fully napping for a good half-hour in
hor low rocker under the reading lamp,
and the pictures in a thick quarto of
Gulf Coast views had pleasantly filled
the interval for the two who wero
awake, when Grlswold finally assured
himself that tho danger of recognition
was a danger past. As a mental an
alyst ho know that the opening of
each fresh door in tho house of pres
ent familiarity was automatically clos
ing other doors opening upon the past;
and it came to him with a little flush
of the seer's exaltation that onco
again his preflgurings were finding
tholr exact fulfillment. In a spirit
of artistic daring ho yielded to a sud
den impulse, as ono crossing tho flim
siest of bridges may run and leap to
prove that his theory of safety
stresses Is a sufficient guaranty of his
own Immunity.
"You wero speaking of first impres
sions of places," ho said, whllo they
were still turning tho leaves of tlw
picture book. "Are you a believer in
the absolute correctness of first im
Impressions?" ,
"I don't know," was tho thoughtful
reply; but its afterword was moro dofl--nite:
"As to places, I'm not sure that
tho first impression always persists;
in a fow instances I am quite certain
it hasn't. I didn't llko the Gulf coast
at all, at first; It seemed so foreign
and different and unhomelike. As to
persons, however "
She paused, and Grlswold entered
the breach hardily.
"I know," he affirmed. "There havo
heon times when, with every reason
able fiber In you urging you to bellevo
tho evil, a still stronger Impulse has
mado you bellevo in tho good."
"How can you know that?" she
asked; and again ho saw in tho ex-
pressivo eyes the flying signals of in
determinate perplexity and apprehen
sion. Resolutely he pressed the hazardous'
oxperlment to its logical conclusion.'
Once for all, he must know If this
young woman with tho sympathetlo
voice and tho goddessllko pose could,
even under suggestion, bo led to link
up the past with tho present.
"It is my trade to know," he said
quietly, closing the book of viows and
inylng it nsldo. "There have been mo
ments in your Ilfo when you would
havo given much to be ablo to decide
a question of duty or expediency en
tirely irrespective of your impressions.
Isu't that so?"
For ono flitting Instant ho thought
ho had gone too far. In the hardy de
termination to win all or Iobo all, ha
had been holding her oyes steadily, aa
tho suro mirror In which he should
bo' able to read his sentence, of ac
quittal or condemnation. This tima
there was no mistaking the sudden
widening of the pupils to betray the
equally sudden awakening of womanly
terror.
"Don't bo afraid," he began, and he
had como thus far on tho road to open
confession when he saw that sho was
not looking at him; sho was looking
past him toward ono of the windows
giving upon tho porch. "What Is it?"
he demanded, turning to look with hor.
(TO BU CONTINUED.)
In Beveral towns in Germany work-
ingmen are visited at their homes on
pay days by savings bank officials to
collect tholr savings tor banking.
4