The representative., 1901-06-13
CHAPTER XXI.
FATHER AND DAUGHTER.

shaken by the conflicting emotions Of
the day. had gone to her room to rest
and to Prepare for the interview
which she meant to have with her
father on the subject Of her lover
and Of Chatham.
Having received word that Murdock
would remain in his study during the
rest Of the afternoon. she had taken
time to reflect upon what she meant
to say, and how she meant to say it.
Her visit was not prompted by the :
desire Of q daughter to confide the
great happiness Of her life to the low
ing sympathy Of an affectionate par
ent; but Agnes was punctilious in the
performance of what she considered
to be her duties, great and small, and
she counted It among those duties to
obtain, or at any rate to seek, the pa
ternal sanction of her choice of a
husband.
Her knock at the door Of Murdock's
study was answered in the chemists
quiet voice,
"Come in"
As she opened the door, Murdock
advanced to meet her. He seemed 10
come from the direction OF the ex.
tension.
Miss Murdock shifted the air.
isn't there leak Of gas?" she In
quired.
"'Yes," replied Murdock; II have
just stopped leak In the laboratory.
Won't you take a chair, Agnes?"
She felt his calm, searching glance
upon her; and, in spite of her prep
aration. she grew embarrassed, Is
| was her won't, in her fathers pres
ence.
did Mr.. Chatham wait to see you
this afternoon?" she asked, after q
| momentary silence.
Murdock observed her narrowly.
7 "Yes; Chatham has been here to-
day. I did not know that you had
| seen him."
II could not help seeing him; for
he forced his way into the parlor. in
/ spite of all the servants could do to
! prevent him"
An almost imperceptible furrow ap-
| peared between the chemists eyes.
Has he been annoying you with
; his attentions?"
The words were spoken in MUIR
docks usual tones; but Agnes saw
| something in her fathers eyes and
| in the firm lines of his mouth which
sent cold shiver down her spine, and
| caused her pity to go out to the un-
fortunate young man who had offend
ed her.
perhaps he Is more to be pitied
than blamed" she suggested, gently.
| "My interview with him was certain
ly not pleasant; but bear him no
! malice"
'Tell me about It," said Murdock,
slowly.
Agnes gave her version of the visit,
in which, instinctively, she softened,
as much as possible, the passion and
| brutality displayed by the account
ant.
! Murdock listened in silence until
she had quite finished. Then Agnes
noticed that his right hand was
clenched upon the arm of his chair
| with force which caused the mus
| cles to stand out in hard knots. She
looked up into his face in sudden sur
| prise.
His features gave no indication of
what his feelings might be; and his
voice, as usual, was steady and delib-
crate.
II am sorry all this should have
happened, Agnes. AS l told you yes
terday, hoped to save you from this
| mans opportunities. It cannot be
helped now. But l think l made it
clear to the gentleman that his atten-
! tions are as distasteful to me as they
are to you. AS he seems to have told
you, he has been obliged to leave the
country-I understand that he has
done something or other which makes
it safer for him to undertake long
journey. At any rate, we are we'll rid
of him for some time to come, and.
think you need have no fear of fur
ther molestation."
'What did he mean by saying that
he had had encouragement from
you?" asked the young girl.
81 am sure ! do not know. That
was of course lie out of whole cloth.
He came to me with letters of recon-
mendation from good friends of mine,
and l therefore occasionally invited
him to the house; but that is all the
encouragement he ever got from me.
We live in the United States and at
the close of the nineteenth century.
The selection of a husband is no long
er performed by stern parent, but
is left entirely to the young girl her.
self. That is certainly my way ct
looking at the matter When you
find the man of your choice, my only
function will be to give you advice,
if you seek it, and my best assistance
in any event"
The turn of the conversation thus
suddenly brought to the surface the
topic which occupied the young girls
mind, to the exclusion of all others;
and which, for that very reason, had
been kept severely in the background
up to that point.
"That reminds me-" said Agnes,
consciously, as a charming flush suf
not yet broached the principal object
of this interview"
Murdock observed her closely and
waited for her to proceed. But Agnes
was once more laboring under a
strange embarrassment and could not
find words in which to frame the con-
fidence she was so reluctant to offer.
Perhaps the chemist OWNED somc-
thing Of the nature of what she was
struggling to find expression for. At
any rate, he noticed her embarrass-