Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-19
CHAPTER XIV (continued.)

CHAPTER XIV (continued.)
you? Your" he stammered.
"Yes-yes, am the Rossmore wom-
an! Listen, Mr.. Ryder. Don't turn
away from me. Go to Washington on
behalf of my father, and 1 promise
you will never see your son again
never, never!"
"Ah, Shirley" cried jefferson, "you
don't love mel"
Eyes, Jeff, do; God knowns do.
But if must break my own heart TO
save my father l will do it."
would you sacrifice my happiness
and your own"
'No happiness can be built on lies,
Jeff. We must build on truth or our
whole house will clumble and fall. We
have deceived your father, but he will
forgive that, won't you?" she said, ap-
pealing to Ryder, "and you will go to
Washington, you will save my fathers
honour, his life, you wiil-?"
They stood face to face-this SLIM
delicate girl battling for her fathers
life, arrayed against a coldbloodel.
heartless, INSCRIPTIONS man, deaf to
every impulse of human sympathy Or
pity. Since this woman has deceived
him, fooled him. he would deal with
her as with everyone else who CROSS
ed his will. She laid her hand on his
arm, pleading with him. Brutality, saw
agely. he thrust her as.de.
"No, no, will mott" he Numbered.
"You have wormed yourself into my
confidence by means Of lies and de-
ceit. You have tricked me, fooled me-
to the very limit! Oh, 1t is easy to see
how you have beguiled my son into
the folly of loving you. And you-you
have the braZen effrontery to ask me
to plead for your father? No! No! No!
Let the law take it's course, and now
Miss Rossmore-you will please leave
my house tomorrow morning!"
Shirley stood listening to what he
he'd to say, her face white, her mouth
quivering. At last the crisis had
come. 1t was fight to the finish be-
tween this man, the incarnation of
corporate greed and herself, repre-.
right and justice. She turned on him
in a fury:
Eyes, I will leave your house to-
night! Do you thing would remain
another hour beneath the roof of a
man who is as blind to Justice, as deaf
to mercy, as incapable of human
sympathy as you are!"
| She raised her voice. and as she
stood there denouncing the man of
money, her eyes -4asned and her heal
thrown back. sne looked like some
avenging angel defying one Of the
powers of Evil.
| Leave the room!" shouted Rydar,
beside himself, and pointing to the
door.
"Father!" cried Jefferson, starting
forward to protect the girl he loved.
"You have tricked him as you have
me-" Numbered Ryder.
"It is your own vanity that has
tricked you'll" cried Shirley contempt
uously. "You lay traps for yourself
and walk into them. You compel
everyone around you to lie to you. to
cajole you, to praice you, to deceive
you! At least you cannot accuse me Of
dattering you. have never fawned
upon you as you compel your family
and your friends and your dependents
to do. have always appealed to you
better nature by telling you the truth
and in your heart you know that IN
speaking the truth now"
"Go!" he commanded.
Eyes, let us go, Shirley" said JET
ferson.
mo, Jeff, came here alone and In
going alone!"
> "You are not. 1 shall go with you
l intend to make you my wife!"
Ryder laughed scornfully
NO. cried Shirley. do you thinl
I'd marry a man whose father is a
/. deep discredit to the human race a
/. your father Is? No, wouldn't MARI
the son Of sucn merciless tyrant
He refuses to lift his voice to save m.
father. I refuse to marry his son.
She turned on Ryder with all tn
fury of tiger:
"You think if you lived in the olde!
days you'd be a Caesar or an Alex
ander. But you wouldn't! You'd be
5 Nero-a Nero! Sink my self-respect t
: the extent of marrying into you
I family" she exclaimed contemptuous
ly. Never! am going to save m
!, father if l have to go down on m
knees to every United States Senator
I'll go to the White House; I'll tell tn
{ President what you are! Marry you
4 son no, thank you No. thank you!
\ Exhausted by the vehemence of he
T passionate outburst, Shirley hurrie
4 from the room, leaving Ryder speech
less, staring at his son.
: CHAPTER XVI
xHyyHEN Shirley reached her room sh