Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-24
Copyright, 1897, by Robert Barr)

CHAPTER XVIII.
On the day after Marsten's failure to win
a majority Of the men to his side in the
strike controversy the young man went to
Wimbledon, hoping to find consolation for
his defeat in tho company OF the girl he
loved. He felt that he was perhaps taking
a rather unfair advantage of Sartwell in
thus making a clandestine appointment with
his daughter but he justified himself, as
lovers have always justified themselves, by
claiming that man was a fool to lose
trick when he had the card in his hand to
take It. 1t was evident that Sartwell had
no objection to the visits of Barnard Hope,
and that he would be quite willing to have
his daughter marry the son of his employer.
II Marsten had known this the day before
he would not have been so self-denying as
to refuse to see Edna sartwell, and now that
fate had interposed in his behalf. giving
him the knowledge that he had rival, he
was not going to be Idiot enough to throw
away his chance.
He entered the vacant plot surrounding
the empty house, aud looked alxiously .org
the glass-topped wall for the signal that
Edna had promised. under compulsion, to
display. Ii was not in sight. He Wondered
his visit. Let Sartwel get but the slight
est inkling OF 1t, and Marsten was certain
the whole particulars would soon De within
the managers knowledge.
He wandered up and down the wrong side
Of the wall disconsolately, not knowing what
to do. Once he paused near where he had,
on the previous day, jumped over. He
thought he heard a slight cough on the other
side. II might be a warning, or an INVITA-
ton; the question was, which? She must
know that he would be there, waiting for he.
signal or perhaps-the thought was bitter
she might have forgotten all about him.
At the further end Of the garden was a park
fence, lower than the forbidding stone wall,
which II joined at right angles. AS anything
Is better than suspense, the young man re-
solved to take the risk OF accommodating. He
mounted the park fence and peered over the
wall, but the trees and shrubbery were so
thick that he could not see whether anyone
was in Sartwells garden or not; even the
house was hidden from his view Faint
heart never climbed a stone wall; Marsten
hestated but moment, seized a branch Of
nm overhanging tree pulled himself up to the
top, CHANGING the glass, and leaped down
among the shrubbery on the other side. He
listened intently for a while, but there was
no sound; then he moved cautiously through
the bushes to the open space under the trees
where he had talked with her the day before.
No one was there but he caught his breath
as he saw red silk scarf hanging over the
back of one of the chairs She had at least
thought of him, for that was undoubtedly
the unused signal
He was now in a greater quandary than
he had been on the other side Of the wall.
She had apparently intended to throw the
scarf over the broken glass, otherwise why
had she brought 1t to their rendezvous; but,
as she had not given the signal agreed upon,
might there not be danger that her father
was at home? The young man knit his brow
Yn1n., tfprn tsNl
would give Sartwell ii he were discovered
standing under the trees.
Marsten had half made up his mind to re-
turn by the way he came, when he saw
Edna approaching from the house. The girl
held out her hand to him with a smile that |
went to his heart but her words were not |
so reassuring.
II was watching for you" she said. 'hop- |
ing you would not come"
"Hoping | would not Gomez" echoed Mars |
ton with suggestion of dismay in his tone. |
at least hoping you would not come eX- |
cept by the gate. l don't like this. It seems |
secret and mean-as if we were doing some, |
thing we were ashamed of. Now, we may |
not accomplish much good, talking about the |
strike, but we are certainly not doing any
thing either of us would fear to have the |
whole world know There is no reason, now |
that your plans of yesterday have failed, !
why you should not have come to the front |
door like any other visitor, is there?'
II suppose not"
"Of course not" cried the girl eagerly. |
"and intend to tell my father all about this |
visit, even If l could not mention yester-
days"
"Oh, but you must not do anything of the
kind" pleaded Marsten, thoroughly alarmed. |
You will promise me, won't you. that you
will not say a word OF my being here to.
day."
The girl laughed and shook her head.
"I'll not make another promise so foolish