Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-31

far?" x
 No, indeed. You have been the loy- alest partisan man ever had. I think; the only one I have to whom I can talk freely. And I have told you more than I have all the others put togeth- er."
 T know you have. And it hurts me to pull back now when you want me to push. But I can't help 1t. Do you believe in a woman's intuition?"
 T suppose I do: all men do, don't they?"
 She was tying little knots in the fringe of the table scarf, but the prophetess-eyes, as Penelope called them, were not following the delft in- tertwinings of the slender fingers.
 You mean to set about 'obliterat- ing Judge MacFarlane forthwith" she asked.
 "Assuredly. I have been whipping the thing into shape all afternoon: that is what kept me from dining with you"
 "It involves some kind of legal pro- cedure?"
 "Yes; a rather complicated one" Could you explain it so that I could understand it?"
 T think so. In the first place the question is raised by means of an in- formation or inquiry called a que warranto. This is directed to the re- ceiver, and is a demand to know by what authority he holds. Is it clear thus far?"
 "Pellucidly," she said.
 "In reply the receiver cites his au- thority, which is the order from Judge MacFarlane; and in our turn we pro- ceed to show that the authority does not exist-that the judges election was illegal and that therefore his acts are void. Do I make it plain?"
 You make it seem as though it were impossible to fail And yet know you will fail"
 How do you know it?"
 Don't ask me; I couldn't begin to tell you that. But in some spiritual or mental looking-glass I can see you coming to me with the story of that failure-coming to ask my help."
 He smiled. s... .-
 You don't need to be the prophet ess Penelope says you are to foresee part of that always come to you with my woes"
 Do you?-oftener than you go to Miss Brentwpod?"
 This time his smile was a mere tightening of the lips.
 You do love to grind me on that side. don't you?" he said. T and my affairs are less than nothing to Miss Brentwood, and no one knows 1t any better than you do."
 But you want to go to her." she persisted. 'I am only the alterna- tive"
 He looked her full in the eyes.
 Miss Van Brock, what is it you want me to say? What can say more than I said a moment ago-that you are the truest friend man ever had?"
 The answering look out of the brown eyes was age-old in its infinite wis., dom. .,.., How little you men know when you think you know the most" she said half-musingly; then she broke of ab- ruptly. Let us talk about something else. If Maj. Guilford is wrecking the railroad, why is he spending so much money on improvements? Have you thought to ask yourself that ques- tion?"
 "A good many times" he admitted. following her promptly back to first principles.
 And you have not found the an- swer?" .- -F.s ..
 Not one that fully satisfies me no"
 i've found one"
 'Intuitively?" he smiled.
 No; it's pure logic, this time. Do you remember showing me a letter that Mir. Hunnicott wrote you just be- fore the explosion-a letter in which he repeated a bit of gossip about Mir. Semple Falkland and his mysterious visit to Gaston?"
 Yes, I remember it."
 Do you know who Sir. Falkland is?"
 Who doesn't?" he queried. He has half of Wall street in his clientele"
 Yes; but particularly he is the ad- visory counsel of the Plantagould sys- tenn. Ever since you showed me that letter I have been trying to account for his presence in Gaston on the day before Judge MacFarlane's spring term of court. I should never have found out but for Mrs. Brentwood"
 Mrs. Brentwood"
 Miss Van Brock nodded.
 Yes; the mother of my-of the young person for whom I am the al- ternative, is in a peck of trouble: I quote her verbatim. She and her two daughters hold some 5000 shares of Western Pacific stock. It was pur- chased al 57, and 1t is now down to 2l."
 Twenty and a quarter today" Kent corrected.
 Never mind the fractions. The mother of the inoomparsble-Penelope. has heard that an a famous business woman; a worthy understudy of Mrs. Hstty Green; so she came to me for advice. She had . letter from c New York broker offering her a fraction more than the market price for her