The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-09-25

lcOufaReOuSly Wn1le there renamed the
faintest chance that she might succeed
I'm moving the financier to pity, but
now that all hopes In that direction
were shattered and she herself had
been ordered harshly from the house,
] like any ordinary malefactor, the re-
action set in, and she gave way freely
to her long pent-up anguish and dis
tress. Nothing now could save her
father, not even this journey to Wash
lngton which she determined to take
nevertheless; for, according to what
Stott had said, the senate was to take
vote that very night
She looked at the time-11 o'clock.
She had told Mr.. Ryder that she would
leave his house at once, but on refiec-
ton 1t was impossible for a girl alone
to seek a room at that hour. 1t would
be midnight before she could get her
things packed. No, she would stay un-
der this hated roof until morning and
then take the first train to Washing
ton. There was still chance that the
vote might be delayed, in which case
she might yet succeed in winning over
some of the senators. She began to
gather her things together and was
thus engaged when she heard a knock
at her door.
"Who's thereT she called out.
ITS l." replied a familiar voice.
Shirley went to the door and opening
1t found Jefferson on the threshold.
He made no attempt to enter, nor did
she invite him in. He looked tired
and careworn.
"Of course, you're not going to-
nightT he asked anxiously. "My IA
Their did not mean tonight"
"NO, Jefr," she said YEARLY; mot to-
night. It's a little too late. l did not
realize 1t. Tomorrow morning. early"
He seemed treasured and held out
his hand.
"Good night, dearest. You're brave
girl. You made a splendid fight"
at didn't do much good" she replied
in a disheartened, listless way.
But 1t set him thinking" rejoined
Jefferson. mo one ever spoke to my
father like that before. 1t did him
good. He's still marching up and
down the library, chewing the cud"-
Noticing Shlrley's tired face and her
eyes, with great black circles under
meath, he stopped short.
Now, don't do any more packing to-
night" he said. go to bed, and in the
morning I'll come up and help you.
Good nightr'
Good night, JEFF" she smiled.
He went downstairs, and after doing
some more packing she went to bed.
But it was hours before she got to
sleep, and then she dreamed that she
was in the senate chamber and that
she saw Ryder suddenly rise and de-
nounce himself before the astonished
senators as a perjurer and traitor to
his country, while she returned to Mas
sapequa with the glad news that her
father was acquitted.
Meantime a solitary figure remained
I'm the library, pacing to and fro like a
lost soul in purgatory. Mrs. Ryder
had returned from the play and gone
to bed, serenely oblivious Of the drama
in real life that had been enacted at
home. The servants locked the house
for the night, and still John Burkett
Ryder walked the floor Of his sanctum,
and late into the small hours Of the
morning the Waterman going his lone
ly rounds saw light in the library
and the restless figure of his employer
sharply silhouetted against the white
blinds.
For the first time in his life John
Ryder realized that there was some
thing in the world beyond self. He
had seen with his own eyes the sacri-
fee a daughter will make for the IA
Their she loves, and he asked himself
what manner of a man that father
could be to inspire such devotion in his
child. He probed into his own heart
and conscience and reviewed his past
career. He had been phenomenally
successful, but he had not been happy.
He had more money than he knew
what to do with, but the pleasures of
the domestic circle, which he saw 9th
er men enjoy, had been denied to him.
Was he himself to blame? Had his
insensate craving for gold and power
led him to neglect those other things
In life which contribute more truly to
mans happiness? In other words, was
his life a mistake? Yes, it was true
what this girl charged-he had been
merciless and INSCRIPTIONS in his deal
ings with his fellow man. 1t was true
that hardly a dollar of his vast fortune
had been honestly earned. 1t was true
that it had been wrung from the peo-
pie by fraud and trickery. He had
craved for power, yet now he had tast-
ed it, what hollow JOY 1t was, after
all! The public hated and despised
him. Even his so called friends and
associates toadied to him
because they feared him. And
this judge-this father he had peEse-
cuted and ruined-what a better man
and citizen he was! How much more
worthy of a child's love and of the es-
TEEN of the world!
What had Judge ROssmore done, aft |