Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-11-25

bdBlel, MI. hgueE dTlSlOCEdllC prl-
vate secretary, and to facilitate this
preliminary inspection there had been
installed between the library upstairs
and the front door one of those ingen-
ious electric writing devices, such as
are used in banks, on which a name is
hastily scrubbed, instantly transmitted
elsewhere, Immediately answered and
the visitor promptly admitted or as
quickly shown the door,
Jefferson did not have to ring at the
paternal portal. The sentinel within
was at his post. No one could approach
that door without being seen and his
arrival and appearance being signaled
upstairs. But the great mans son
headed the list of the privileged ones,
so without ado the smartly dressed
turnkey opened wide the doors, and
Jefferson was under his fathers roof.
as my father in?" he demanded of
the man.
mo, sir" was the respectful answer.
''Mr. Ryder has gone out driving, but
Mr.. Bagley is upstairs" Then after a
brief pause he added, Mrs Ryder is
in too"
Jefferson went up the grand staircase
hung on either side with fine old por-
traits and rare tapestries, his feet sink
ing deep in the rich velvet carpet. On
the first landing was piece of sculp-
tured marble of inestimable worth
seen in the soft warm light that sifted
through a great pictorial stained glass
window overhead, the subject repre-
senting Ajax and Ulysses contending
for the armor of Achilles. To the left
Of this, at the top of another flight
leading to the library, was hung fine
full length portrait of John Burkett
Ryder. The ceilings here as in the
lower hall were richly gilt and adorned
with paintings by famous modern art
lists. When he reached this floor JEFF
ferson was about to turn to the right
and proceed direct to his mothers suit
when he heard a voice near the library
door. 1t. was Mr.. Bagley giving in
structions to the butler.
The Hon. Fitzroy Bagley, a younger
son of a British peer, had left his
country for his country's good, and in
Order to turn an honest penny, which
he had never succeeded in doing at
home, he had entered the service Of
Americas foremost financier, hoping
to gather a few of the crumbs that fell
from the rich mans table and disguis-
Ing the mental nature of his position
under the high sounding title of pri-
vate secretary. His job called for a
spy and a toady, and he filled these re-
quirements admirably. Excepting with
his employer, of whom he stood In
craven fear, his manner was conde-
scendingly patroniZing to all with
whom he came in contact, as if he were
anxious to impress on these American
plebeans the signal honor which a
Fitzroy, son of a British peer, did
them in deigning to remain in their
"blarsted" country. In Mr.. Ryder's
absence, therefore, he ran the house
10 suit himself, bullying the servants
and not infrequently issuing orders
that were contradictory to those al
ready given by Mrs. Ryder.
jefferson could not bear the sight of
him. In fact, it was this mans con-
tinual presence in the house that had
driven him to seek refuge elsewhere
He believed him to be a scoundrel as
he certainly was a cad. Nor was his
estimate of the English secretary fal
wrong. The man, like his master, was
a CRATER, and the particular graft he
was after now was either to make {
marriage with a rich American girl Of
to so compromise her that the same enc
would be attained. He was shrewC
enough to realize that he had little
chance to get what he wanted in the
open matrimonial market, so he deter
mined to attempt raid and carry of
an heiress under her fathers nose, anC
the particular proboscis he had select
ed was that of his employers friend
Senator Roberts. The senator ant
Miss Roberts were frequently at thu
Ryder house, and in course of time tn
aristocratic secretary and the daugh
ter had become quite intimate.
flighty girl, with no other purpose il
life beyond dress and amusement ant
having what she termed "a good time,
, Kate thought it excellent pastime t
, fiirt with Mr.. Bagley, and when sh
, discovered that he was serious in h
, ! attentions she felt f1attered rather thai
indignant. After all, she argued, b
; was of noble birth. If his two broth
t ers died. he would be peer of England
= and she had enough money for bOtt
{ | He might not make a bad husband
. But she was careful to keep her ow1
= counsel and not let her father hav
. any suspicion of what was going OF
: She knew that his heart was set o
: her marrying jefferson Ryder, and sh
] knew better than any one how impo'
: sible that dream was. She herself like
T jefferson quite enough to marry hin
' but IL his eyes were turned in anothe
2 direction-and she knew all about d
/. attentions to Miss Rossmore-she wa
r not going to break her heart about
r So she continued to flirt secretly VIII
5 the Hon. FitZroy while she still led IL
] Ryders and her own father TO thin
. A.. sba xraS Interested in Jefferson.