Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-12-16


take the matter So calmly as Shirley
had done. ON the contrary. il had the
effect of putting him iIt0 a violent
rage This was JeAerSon. he was
working in his studio when he read il.
and FIVE minutes later he was tearing
uptown 20 seek the author OF it. lie
understood its object. Of course. They
wanted TO force his hand. to Shame
him into this marriage. to SO entangle
him with the girl tl,at no other alter
native would he possible TO an hOnOrd-
ble man. 1t was a despicable trick,
and he had no doubt that his father
was at the back Of ii. 50 his mind
now was fully made up. lie would 90
away at once where they could not
make his life burden with this odious
marriage which was fast becoming
nightmare TO him. He would close UP
his studio and leave Immediately for
Europe. He would show his father
once for all that he was man and ex
pected TO he treated as one.
On arriving home the first person he
saw was the ubiquitous Mr. Bagley.
case giving some letters to the butler
Jefferson cornered him at once, hold
ing out the newspaper containing the
offending paragraph.
Say. Bagley." he cried, what does
this mean? Is this any OF your dOing?"
The English secretary gave his en-
plOyer's son naughty stare and then,
without deiSning to reply or even to
glance at the newspaper, continued his
instructions 10 the servant:
Here, JOrkins. get stamps for all
these letters and see they are mailed at
once. They are very important"
VERY good. sir
The man took the letters and disap-
peared. while Jefferson. impatient. re-
peated his question:
my doingF" sneered Mr. Bagley
Really. Jefferson, you go too far. Do
you suppose for one instant that
would condescend to trouble mysel:
with your affairs?'
jefferson was in no mood to put up
with insoleEce from any one, especial
~ from IA man whom he heartily de-
Epised. -, advancing mcnacingly, he
thunde:ed
Il mean-were yOu in the discharge
Of your menial-like duties instructed
by my father to send that paragraph
90 the newspapers regarding my alleg-
oil bctrothal 70 Miss Roberts? Yes or
nOf'
The man WINGED and made a step
backward. There was n g!eam in the
Ryder eye which lac knew by expert
ence BODIED no good.
Really. jefferson" he said in a more
conciliatory tone. IL know absolutely
nothing about the paragraph. This is
the first hear Of it. Why not ask
your father"
81 will" replied Jefferson grimly.
He was turning to go in the direc-
ton of the library when Bagley stop
ped him.
"You cannot possibly see him now
ne said Sergeant Ellison of the Sc
cret service is in there with him, and
your father told me not to disturb him
on any account. lie has another an
pointment at o'clock with some wO
man who writes books"
Seeing that the fellow was in ear
nest. Jefferson did not resist. He coulC
see his father little later or send hin
n message through his mother. Pro
cccding upstairs, he found Mrs. Ryde
i'm her room. and in a few energeti
words he explained the situation
his mother. They had gone too ia
with this matchmaking business. h
said: his father was trying to intel
fcre with his personal liberty, and b
was going to put stop to it. II
would leave at once for Europe. Mr.
RYDER had already heard of the p"oiec
Ell trip abroad. so the news of tn
sudden departure was not the shoe
1t mielt otherwise have been.
rs JeGerSon went downstairs SOM
thing white on the carpet attracted d
attention. lie stopped ana picked
I'D. II was a letter 1t was i'm Bagley
handwriting aal had evidently bee
dropped 10y the man to whom the Sc
rotary had given II TO post But Wa
interested Jefferson more than an
thing else was that 1t was address
to Miss Kate Roberts. Under ord.n2
circumstances a KINGS ransom wOu
not have tempted the young man
read a letter addressed to another. b
he was convinced that his fathers sc
Rotary was an adventurcr. and If
were carrying on an intrigue in I'll
manner &c could have only one mea
ing. II was his duty To unveil raSc
who was using the Ryder roof al
name to further his own ends and VI
timiZe q girl who. although SopaiS
Gated enough to know better. was {
silly to realize the risk she ran att
hands Of an INSCRIPTIONS man. He
tating no longer. jefferson tore op
the envelope and read:
NJ Dearest VIE That Is 20 Bel ha
arranged everything. Next Wednesda
Just a wees from today-we viii go 20
house OF "a discreet friend OF mine wh'
a minister will marry rs. Then we y
go TO city hall and set through the lei
part Of IT, Afterward We can catch
4 o'clock train for Buffalo. Meet me