Evening star., 1897-03-27

himself to retreat in good order and some
times q mastery retreat is good bit of
genera!ship as a victory AS everything is
perfectly quiet. ycu may come if you are
anxious. a., of course. you are: or | could
telegraph you. if you would rather. But it
Is a for gone conclusion. l am sure of that.
Whenever they see this message and learn
there has been little progress made in
filling up the works. they will succumb-
and don't know that | can blame them
They have vast interests at stake. and
they have backed well up to the pres
cnt. wnen. if it hadn't been for me. they
would have given in long ago. Then l
shall look for you at q. my dear. Take
hanson from the station, and ask the man
to wait in the yard of the works. Wait
for me in my room if happen to be absent
when you come / shall tell the commits
kionaire 10 look after you
The girl watched the train come in and
leave: then. turning, she walked toward
her home with heavy heart She went
past the house and on the common. uncon-
sclously initiating her father. who, when
troubled in mind, sought its breezy expanse.
Several times she paused, and thought of
: serding a telegram to Marsten. asking him
10 meet her in the old garden at Wimble-
don at once There she, ,fancied herself ap-
pealing TO him to put an end to the strike;
hut she feared the anger of her father
Should he discover what she had done. even
though il had been done for his sake. 1t
did not occur to her that perhaps the ap-
peal might be in vain. for she knew she
"Olltl 10 any I!IltiS dShtu Vi iltT lot one she
loved. and she had little doubt that The
young man had a true and lasting affection
Tor her What. she asked herself, If Mars
ten made conditions? Would she be willing
TO accept a great favor and grant nothing
IN return? What would he think II she tele-
graphed him to come The answer was
obvious. and. in searching her own heart.
she for the first time admitted to herself
that her reply would be different from what
It had been at Eastbourne.
But when II came to the point, she could
not bring herself to the length OF send
ing a message She shrank from playing
SO dangerous a card; for. IL 1t failed to win
the trick. how could she face the after
humiliation? Something in the self-reliant
ring of MarstenS voice. something in the
dogged determination of his manner, some
thing in the compelling glance of his eye.
warned her that not even to please the
girl he loved would he be untrue to the
flag under which he fought-and some
thing in her own heart told her that she
herself would think less of him II he did.
Yet. II he refused. she could never speak
TO aim again: she was certain of that.
Having made appeal in vain, she could
never grant one of his own, even listen
TO IT. She thought of the pleasure it would
be TO her 10 have him plead his cause once
more. and read his answer in her willing
eyes before her lips could speak it; but il
he refused her when she begged him to
spare her father the impending hum.lia-
ton OF defeat. there could be more
friendship between them Edna at last re-
turnei 10 her home, bewildered in mind
and hesitating to act, and listened to a
hornly the sinfulness of wasting one 5
time. although she heard or understood
but little OF the admirable discourse.
As evening drew on the girl became more
and more anxious. and impatiently awaited
the hour that was to take her to London
She half expected a telegram from her
father. but as none came she knew the sit
uation had not changed for the better
Shortly after u o'clock her hanson drove
into the yard of the works; the gatekeepe,
was evidently on the watch for her, anG
had the gates open. closing them after her
The silent, deserted air OF the huge place
had most depressing influence on her a:
she mounted the stairs that led to hel
fathers office He was standing at hi.
looked round absent -mindedly when h,
heard the door open.
Well. my girl ne said. you have com,
10 help pack. after all"
Ii there must be packing, l am ready L
help. father"
I'm afraid that's all there's left to do
dear But we re not going to show the white
feather. are We? I've just been planning
a lovely little tour on the continent 70
yon and me. where We shall forget, for
time. that there Is such an ugly thing a
strike in the whole world You'll be
princess. and I'll be the old dethroned king
they always went to the continent. yoI
know. after n defeat"
Sartweil's attempt at banter was a gloom,
failure and he avoided his daughters eye
pretending to be sorting out some papers
She saw how nard hit ne was, and tn
tears came into her eyes
rs the directors meeting oyer?" sh
asked at last.
No They are in there yet arrangin
the terms of surrender-or hardly that 70
there are no terms They simply give tn
men all they ask-whlch. OF course, the
might have done month ago and save
al this bother l knew how 1t would b
when they heard about the ship lying ur
loaded In Australia. There was not a
ounce OF fight left in them and l felt sur
blow dealt so far away would appeal I
~ a % th...
II seems to them decisive. but. Of cours
lrs nothing Of the kind. II is merely
theatrical bit of byplay that should hay
no bearing on the result. But there
little Use In kicking against fate. The
are at this moment engaged IN writing O,
their letter Of capitulation-as II II mao
any difference how you worded an a.
knowledsment Of defeat and q surrendt