The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-20

on That, fostering tho lcellHS tt.lu leeu-
ing 1t with references to the shame
of treating Selma SO abominally while
they themselves were in the enjoy
ment of the luxuries Of Silverbeech.
sho had harped on this In the last
short conversation, and he had taken
fire readily. declaring iercely that
Selma had as much right as any OF
them to be ut the Manor.
It was clear that tho girl must be
brought to the Manor. but that again
might involve risk that Olive would
gain less than nothing as tho result
1t would certainly bring about the
discovery OF Olives identity. ,She had
told Purvie her actual experiences with
Selma, while at the same time leav-
Ing him to assume that they had met.
as fellow servants. Selma would at
once reveal this Misrepresentation. and
1t was impossible to foretell what eff
feet that would have on such a nature
as that of Purvis.
| She thought this over and over. and
at length decided to send tho man to
Mr.. Easement to meet his child and
then have the truth told to him by the
lawyer himself.
| But hundred obstacles suggested
| themselves at once. AS convict Pur-
Wis would certainly shy ut saying
word to q lawyer, especially as he him
self must In some way be concerned In
the fraud. II there were one. Nor
was 1t practicable to offer him re-
ward for telling what he knew, for the
| reason that he would have more to
| gain by holding his tongue. More
over, even If he agreed to any such
proposal. his story might not. and so
| far Olive could see would not upset
Mrs Merridew's claim; and then there
| would be no money with which to pay
the promised reward.
He has said he could destroy the
whole scheme: but then man in a
rage was apt to say anything and
threaten far more than he knew he
could ever hope to accomplish.
VI all the difficulties which Olive
had had to face. this problem OF deal
i ing with Purvis offered the greatest
perplexities. She wished to make the
restoration OF Selma the price of get
ting the truth from the father; and at
the same time to conceal her hand so
that he should not know her object.
4 Hour after hour she wrestled with
the puzzle without finding any solu-
ton that even promised success; and
she was dlspirited and harassed when
she went up to her room.
Then another phase occurred to her.
u Had Purvis himself been actually con-
. cerned in the fraud? Could he have
taken any part in 1t? She recalled all
that the Sheffield solicitor Mr.. Ring
rose. had told her Of him. lie had
d certainly been on the spotgat the time.
4 He had engineered her fathers ruin.
Ought she to have iiduesttoned him
about that old time? He clearly was
: Mrs. Merridew's husband. 7s The latter
!. had not attempted to deny 1t when she
believed she and Purvis We're alone
together.
ii Then suddenly the probable solution
occurred to her. She had been blind
j as bat! The thing was plain. Mrs.
Merridew was. of course. already mar
ried to Purvis when she had married
/! Iher father!
;, Surely that would be the easiest
, thing in the world to prove. Agents
must be at once set to work to trace
, that out. For that they must have
photographs OF both Purvis and Mrs
. Merridew, and these she could easily
get. There We're plenty of likenesses
of Mrs. Merridew about the manor
taken at different ages, and there was
that photograph OF Purvis which she
hadp seen with the report OF his trial
She would get that at once and SEND
and would at the same time send one
!. or two photographs Of Mrs. Merridew
Elated at her fresh plan. she put or
! her dark cloak and stole out OF hel
I room on her quest. 1t was late, anc
t the great house was hushed and still
8 But she acted with all her usual eau.
tion. She crept down by the secret
!, staircase to the floor on which Mrs
e Merridew had her suite of rooms, ant
Ipn oil c1,y la in bnf N
v which the bureau stood that contained
: the likeness she sought.
!, She felt her way across to the bu
= reau. opened 1t stealthily and found
i the packet she sought. doing every.
. thing noiselessly and quickly. He
: electric lamp cast ring Of light jus
sufficient for her purpose; and she wa
taking out Purvis's photograph from
the little packet when she started.
: Fer quick ear had caught a sount
9 somewhere in the house. She thrus
: the whole packet into her bosom. ex
tlnguished her light and closed TIL
n desk AS she was turning to fly. TIL
: door which led through into Mrs. Mer
: ridews bedroom was opened. "Al
+ right mother, I'll get 1t. Where Is til
o switch?"
al It was Gilbert Merridew. and in an
Il other moment he would turn the ligh
Z
S Close to the opposite door" sail
r Mrs. Merrldew from the bedroom.
q Olive saw him. and with her hear
Ii in her mouth she stopped and crawle
4 under the sofa by which she wa
O standing.
d Merridew heard her, but mistook tn
* sound. "Dont get out OF he'd. mother.
q lie called, as he found the switch an
l. turned on the brilliant light.
a what did You say?'
It Don't get out OF bed. say" he an
]. swered Notwithstanding his voice.
n Tim not Gilbert"
q "Oh ! thought | heard you. Al
o, right. Here 1t Isl" and having foun
It what he sought he returned to tin
d bedroom, leaving tho door open an
10 the light on,
10 Olive was thus O prisoner. She In
under the sofa almost afraid to breath,
"a speculating fearsomely as to the rea
1t son for Merridew's return to silver
is beech. He must have come back Sc
pslcretly after the household had retire
a for the night; and such step on hi
b. part BODIED mischief to- some one. y