Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-21
A SECRET OF THE HEART
By HOWARD FIELDING.
Copyright. 1885, BY Bachelor, Johnson Bacheller)
PART /.
MY ENEMY.

PART l.
MY ENEMY.
As 1 entered the Ann Street Bank build
ing some one touched me on the arm. and
I turned to face George Stalbridge. knew
1T was Stalbridge before / saw him, before
I heard his voice. The creature had an at
mosphere such Is said to surround an
evil spirit. II it had been consistent with
my creed I should have crossed myself
when per ceived him.
My hatred Of him had always been quite
undisguised. 1 shook off his hand roughly
and would have walked away. but he de-
tanned me. There snaky fascination
about the man which had long been in
cluded in my mental catalogue of his Of
lenses.
"You walk very fast" he said. II have
had hard work to overtake you"
LET me know you're behind me next
time said I. 'if you're interested in my
pedestrianism- Now, don't detain me. l
am going upstairs to see Mr.. Davis. and l
have no time TO waste upon his evil gen.
ius.''
why do you speak so to me?" he asked.
not at all in anger. Come. let's have it
out today. What have you against me-?
do you want me to go over all that
again?' 1 demanded We'll, go be it, There
is new count in the indictment today. and
have :. curiosity to hear how You will an
Swer it,.
We still stood in the main hall of the
great building. 1t was IL o'clock in the
forenoon. busy hour there. and scores of
persons were passing In and out.
No. said he. reading my thought; 1T
wont do TO talk here. Let us go some
where else"
He put his hand upon my arm again, in 4
most friendly fashion. and led me toward
the street.
There was something to be gained by talk
ing with this man, and 80 I stif1e1 my dis
gust of him. He had been for many years
the close business associate of my uncle.
Mr. Willard Davis, upon whom it had been
my intention to call when visited the bank
building.
My uncle has read the papers this MORN
ing. ] suppose" said I.
Stalbridge brought his jaws together with
a snap. and grinned like skull.
They are rather hard upon u.s. he said
at is. perhaps. unfortunate that the nego-
tiations between the Union surface lines
and the Twenty-seventh Street Company
have been divulged. The public never I'M
derstands such things"
The public understands them perfectly"
i replied. angrily. The public knows that
the Union has got its grip upon the smaller
company and has squeezed it to death: that
every man who has put dollar into the
9th street road will lose it-has lost it, in
fact-and that the whole transaction is a
mass of political bribery, commercial dis
honesty and evasion of law. I am not yet
sure that the law has been successfully
evaded: but whether it has or not, certain
ly believe that if my uncle does not shake
You OFF within a year he will overstep the
mark and disgrace the family name. Stall
bridge. you reptile, what Is the secret of
your influence over him.
Il have no influence he replied. ST am
only his employe. You know very well that
i am really no more than a confidential
clerk
Il know the contrary" said I. "Can Won
deny that this whole surface road con-
spiracy was devised and executed by your
self?''
You expect to be made president of the
Union lines now, 1 suppose" said l, with
sheer.
Il had thought" he replied. that Mr..
Davis would give that office to his future
soE-in-iaw. Mr. Walter Norman"
As he spoke he started slightly. as one
who suddenly notes some trivial coirci-
dfrce- He almost stopped. L wheeled
about to face him, and observed that his
eyes Were raised SO that he looked over my
head There was nothing particularly in
tereSting in that direction. The elevated
railroad structure crossed Nesey street at
that point, and an uptown train was rat
ting along. But StalDridge was not the
Spectacle.
What's the NATTER" I demanded,
sharply
Nothing of consequence he replied Il
happened to remember something. Let ME
see, what were We speaking OFF,
of Walter Norman, whom you have
just ruined by this DEAL 1 SAID. THAT is
the most mysterious part of it. 1 cannot
understand how you persuaded my uncle
10 do this thing when Norman, as the prin-
cipal stakeholder in the 2Ith street COM
pany. was sure to be terribly involves OF
one thing l am certain: Norman had TO
suspicion of the way things stood. as be-
tween the two companies. He relied en-
tirely upon his relations with my Lncle's
family tD save him.
Miss Davis fortune will be ample to re-
quite him for any loss he may suffer-" said
Stalbri,iSe. Her father will, of course
W. h her tnvv cI1
And besides, as / have already said /
think it is his intention to fix Norman all
right when the consolidated stock is issued.
repeat that expect to see him president
of the Union"
THAT is an absurd falsehoo!," 1 retcrted
fou. are trying to drive him to despera-
ton That you may break off the match.
Ii 1t were conceivable that she would ac-
cept you, should believe that you had de-
signs upon my cousins hand.
she is a charming woman" said Stall
bridge, calmly.
L was anxious to break off the conyersa-
ton My object in talking with Stalbridee
had already been attained. 1t was them
time for me to go upon the mission that had
brought me down town; which was to see
my uncle and plead Norman's cause
turned about abruptly and began to
walk back toward the Ann Street Bank
building. Stalbridge kept by nv side I
could not shake him off We entered the
building together, by the side door, which is
very little used, as there is elevator in
that hall
My uncles room was on the third floor
at the rear. The Union lines had gorgeous
offices at the front; my uncle's room was
hidden away. There was no name on the
door Nobody else but Stalbridge had a
desk there. even the harmless, necessary
typewriter being banished.
Stalbridse Knocked. That was his in
variable custom. ard it gave me a bad i'm
preston Of the rooDl as d place where Sc
Cret meetings were held-meetings of two
where neither dared permit a witness to be
present.
There was no answer to Stalbridge's
knock
Mr.. Davis must have gone out" he said
'Will you wait for him.