Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-07-10

news cut MN TO the neaft ike kHlle
thrust Yet, he unused, her very I'M
willingness to believe 1t should really
| be his consolation. All, his wife and
his chlld-they knew he had been in
| nocent Of wrongdoing. The very idea
was ridiculous. At most he had been
careless. Yet be was certainly to
blame He ought to have seen the
trap so carefully prepared and into
which he had walked as If blindfolded.
That extra $4,000 worth of stock, on
which he had never received cent In
! terest, had been the decoy in a care
fully thought out plot They. the plot
| ters, we'll knew how ignorant he was
| of financial matters, and he had been
| an easy victim. Who would believe
his story that the stock had been sent
to him with a plausibly worded letter
to the effect that it represented bonus
on his own investment? Now he came
| to think Of it, calmly and reasonably,
! he would not believe 1t himself. AS
usual, he had mislaid or destroyed the
secretary's letter, and there was only
his word against the company's books
to substantiate what would appear
most improbable If not impossible oc-
currence.
1t was his conviction of his own good
faith that made his present dilemma
all the more cruel. Had he really been
a CRATER, had he really taken the
stock as a bride, he would not care so
much, for then he would have fore
seen and discounted the chances of ex-
posture. Yes, there was no doubt pos
sible. He was the victim Of con-
spiracy; there was an organized plot
to ruin him. to get him cut of the way.
! The interests" feared him, resented
his judicial decisions, and they had
halted at nothing to accomplish their
purpose. How could he fight them
back, what could he do to protect him
self? He had no proofs of con-
spiracy; his enemies worked in the
dark; there was no way in which he
could reach them or know who they
were.
He thought of John Burkett Ryder.
All, he remembered now! Ryder was
the man who had recommended the
Investment In Alaskan stock. OF
course Why did he not think of 1t be-
| fore? He recollected that at the time
he had been puzzled at receiving so
| much stock, and he had mentioned 1t
! to Ryder, adding that the secretary had
| told him it was customary. oh, why
! had he not kept the secretary's letter?
! But Ryder would certainly remember
| it. He probably still had his two let
! tiers in which he spoke of making the
investment. If those letters could be
| produced at the congressional inquiry
they would clear him at once, so, losing
no time and filed with renewed hope
he wrote to the Colossus strong. man
| ly letter, which would have melted an
iceberg, urging Mr. Ryder to come for
| ward now at this critical time and
] clear him of this abominable charge
| or in any case to kindly return the
/ two letters he must have In his pos
session. as they would go far to help
| him at the trial. Three days passed
and no reply from Ryder. On the
fourth came polite but frigid note
from Mr. Ryders private secretary.
Mr.. Ryder had received Judge Ross
more's letter and in reply begged to
state that he had a vague recollection
! of some conversation with the judge
In regard to investments. hut he did
not think he had advised tn y purchase
Of any particular stock. as that was
as Mrs. Rossmore said, rather tactleSs-
ly, beggars cannot be choosers. Per-
haps 1t would not be for long. Instant
possession was to be had, so a deposit
was paid on the spot and a few days
later the RossmOres left their mansion
ON Madison avenue and took up their
residence In Massapequa, where their
advent created quite a fiuster in local
social circles.
Stott was given a room In the cot
tage so that he might be near at hand
to work with the judge in the prepare
ton Of the defense, and he came out
from the city every evening. 1t was
now June. The senate would not take
action untf1 1t convened In December,
but there was lot Of work to be done
and no time to be lost
The evening following the day of
their arrival they were sitting on the
porch enjoying the cool evening air aft
er dinner. The judge was smoking
He was not slave to the weed, but he
enjoyed quiet pipe after meals, claim
ing that it quieted his nerves and en-
abled him to think more clearly. Be-
sides, 1t was necessary to keep at bay
the ubiquitous Long Island mosquito
Mrs. Rossmore had remained for a
moment in the dining room to admon-
ish Eudoxia, their new and only maid
Of all work. not to wreck too much Of
the crockery when she removed the din
ner dishes. Suddenly Stott, who was pc
rusing an evening paper, asked
by the way, where's your daugh-
ter? Does she know of this radical
change in your affairsT'
Judge Rossmore started. By what
mysterious agency had this man pene-
trated his own most Intimate thoughts q