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

odO ACdiu q dL u6I uOUl.
who's there?" she called out.
ut is II said familiar voice.
Shirley went to the door and open
ing it 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-
night?' he asked anxiously. my
father did not mean tonight"
mo, jeff" she said YEARLY; mot
tonight It's little too late. l did not
realize it. Tomorrow morning, early"
He seemed treasured and held out
his hand:
Goodnight dearest-you're a brave
girl. You made splendid fight"
"It didn't do much good" she re-
piled in a disheartened, listless way.
But 1t set him thinking, rejoined
Jefferson. "No one ever spoke to my
father like that before 1t did nam
good. He's still marching up and
down the library, chewing the cud-"
Noticing ohirley's tired face and her
eyes, with great black circles unde.-
meath. he stopped short.
Nov 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 night
Good night, jeff" she smiled.
| He went downstairs, and after do
ing some more packing she went 70
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
denounce himself before the astonish-
ed senators as a perjurer and traitor
to his country, while she returned to
Massapequa with the glad news that
her father was acquitted
Meantime, a solitary figure remain
ed in the library pacing to and fro like
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
nome, the servants locked the house
up for the night and still John Bur-
kett Ryder walked the floor of his
sanctum, and late into the small
hours of the morning the Waterman
going his lonely rounds, saw the light
in the library and the restless figure
of mis- 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-
flee q daughter will make for the
father she loves, and he asked him
self 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
other men enjoy, had been denied to
1 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? IL other
4 words, was his life a mistake? Yes, II
was true what this girl charged, he had
been nerciless and unscrupulous in his
dealings with his fellow man. It was
true that hardly dollar of his vast
fortune had been honestly earned. II
was true that 1t had been wrung from
the people by fraud and trickery. He
had craved for power, yet now he hat
tasted it, what hollow Joy 1t was
after all The public hated and de
pissed him; even his so-called friends
8 and business associates toadied to hin
merely because they feared him. Ant
this judge--this father he had perse
cuted and ruined, what a better maj
and citizen he was, how much more
:. worthy of child's love and of tn.
esteem Of the world! What had Judg,
Rossmore done, after all, to deserve
the frightful punishment the amalga
mated interests had caused him t,
: suffer? II he had blocked their game
! he had done only what his oath, hi
, duty commaned him to do Such
girl as Shirley Rossmore could no
: have had any other kind of father
J All, If he had such daughter he nigh
have been better man. if only to vii
. his childs respect and affection. Johl
e Ryder pondered long and deeply an,
r the more he Illuminated the stronge
!, the conviction grew upon him that tn
T girl was right and he was wrong. SUD
] denly, he looked at his watch. 1t wa
! one o'clock. Roberts had told hin
that it would be an all night session
and that a vote would probably not b
taken until very late, He unhooke
q the telephone and calling central
v asked for "long distance" and connet
a ton with Washington.
e 1t was seven o'clock when the mai
i entered Shirley's room with her breal
d fast and she found its occupant up an
l. dressed.
= "Why you haven't been to bee
t. Miss" exclaimed the girl. looking a
n the bed in the inner room whic
v seemed scarcely disturbed.
9 mo, Theresa IL couldn't sleep.
n Hastily pouring out a cup OF tea sh
g added 81 must catch that nine o'cloc
n train to Washington. I didn't finis
II packing until nearly three"
5. Can do anything for you, Miss
: inquired the maid. Shirley was q
q popular with the servants as with til
+ rest Of ths household.
It NO" answered Shirley, there al
e only few things to go in my su
case. Will you please have ca
II here in half an hour?-'
It The maid was about to go when sh
1t suddenly thought of something she ha