The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-07-28

THE TWO MEN TALKED FOR TEN MINUTES.
be. If this were a melodrama and I
were one of the leading characters in
stead of being the meanest supcrnu-
merary on the stage there might be
plot here. But there isn't"
Il understand you perfectly" said
she. Il am the leading lady of your
play and Mr.. Drew is the villain. You
are very silly"
Il love YOU" said he. And it was
the very last possible combination of
words that he would have supposed
himself about to utter.
The perfect mechanism of the speech,
the complete surprise OF it to himself,
half stunned him. He stood there rigid,
pale, desperate, yet incapable Of action
or even of thought.
In fact, he could not have done bet
ter. There was never palmer picture
of sincerity than he presented at that
moment.
Il am glad" whispered the girl, her
eyes suddenly trimming with tears: Il
am glad"
''AIr. Dudley Drew" said maid so
startlingly close to Shoreham's ear that
he nearly jumped over the back of the
chair upon which his trembling hands
were resting.
When Mr. Drew was ushered in
there was nothing to indicate to him
that he had interrupted q conversation
of more than ordinary Importance.
Good evening, Miss Lynde," said he.
Good evening, Edward. l hoped to
find you here"
"Yes?" said Shoreham, whose emo
tional balance was not yet fully re-
stored
There's something in the wind for
you, Edward" continued Drew. You
may know all about it, but l don't be-
lieve you do. l think it's in the bud
yet. Anyhow, I'll tell my story if Miss
Lynde will excuse me. 1t has to do
with a member Of her family
what did you tell him?" demanded
Alice, coming straight to the point,
in the way of the sex.
"Why," said Drew, somewhat taken
aback, Il gave Shoreham great send
off. Mr.. Lynde is looking you up, Ed
ward, and it means something big. He
asked me if you hadn't made some
rather serious mistakes in the matter
of Wilmot, Shoreham & Co. told him
it was a plain case of hard luck and
that you were all right"
When the men had left the house
Drew said:
81 know your Nemesis. It's Trevor.
He met me on the street and asked me
/ to walk along with him to his uncle's
house 1 trailed along. We played
some billiards, and lie sprung old l.
John on me- Trevor must have found
out that | knew about the WilmOt-
Shoreham case, and he hoped that l.
John could get something damaging
out of me. Well, he didn't"
About 3 o'clock on the following aft
ernoon Shoreham was walking to his
lodgings when his eyes beheld a spec
tacle that rooted him to the spot Upon
the opposite side of the street in ear
nest conversation stood Lucius Trevor
and James Wilmot.
Shoreham had had no idea that his
former partner was within 10000 miles
of that place. The last news he had
heard of him was that the man had
gone to New Zealand
The two men talked for a matter of
ten minutes, while Shoreham, unob-
served, watched them from the other
side of the street. When they separat.
ed he followed Wilmot and presently
called him by name. They had not
parted in a cordial fashion five years
before, but they greeted each other like
old friends, as is the way of the world
This is what Shoreham learned in
the ensuing conversation: That Trevor
had in some unknown way discovered
Wilmots presence in the city and also
the fact that the man was nearly pen
niless; that he had offered Wilmot va