Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-07-18

son, and he promised to secure MS IA
TIERS aid"
The Judge pulled heavily at his pipe
and merely shook his head, making no
reply. Stott explained:
1--WE can't look for help from tnat
quarter, Shirley. You don't expect
man to cut loose his own kite, do you"
what do you mean" demanded
Shirley, mystified.
"simply this, that John Burkett Ry-
der is the very man who Is responsible
for all your fathers misfortunes."
The girl sank back in her seat pale
and motionless. as II she had received
a blow. Was 1t possible?
"Do you really believe this, that John
Ryder deliberately concocted the brib-
cry charge with the sole purpose OF
running my father?" demanded Shirley,
when she had somewhat recovered.
There is no other solution Of the
mystery possible" answered Stott.
"And you, father, do you believe Ry-
der did this?"
II have no longer any doubt Of it."
answered the judge. Il think John
Ryder would see me dead before he
would raise q finger . help me. His
answer to my demand for my letters
convinced me that he was the arch
plotter"
What letters do you refer tor de-
manded Shirley.
THE letters I wrote to him In re-
gard 70 my making an investment. He
advised the purchase Of certain stock.
I wrote him two letters at the time,
which letters II had them now would
go a long way to clearing me of this
charge of bribery, for they plainly
showed that l regarded the transac-
ton as a bona fide investment Since
this trouble began I wrote to Ryder
asking him to return me these letters
so l might use them in my defense.
The only reply l got was an insolent
note from his secretary saying that
Mr. Ryder had forgotten all about
the transaction, and in any case had
not the letters referred to-"
Couldn't you compel him to return
them? asked Shirley.
I'VE could never get at him." inter
rupted Stott. The man is guarded as
carefully as the car"
STILL" objected Shirley, sit is posi-
BILE that he may have lost the letters or
even never received them"
''Oh, he has them safe enough" re-
piled Stott. "A man like Ryder keeps
every scrap of paper, with the idea
that it may prove useful some day.
The letters are lying somewhere in his
desk. Besides, after the Transconti-
mental decision he was heard to say
that he'd have Judge Rossmore off the
bench inside of q year"
"And 1t wasn't a vain boast-hes
done It," muttered the Judge.
Shirley relapsed into silence. Her
brain was in whirl. 1t was true
then. This merciless man of money,
this ogre of monopolistic corporations,
this human juggernaut had crushed her
father merely because by his honesty
he interfered with his shady business
deals! All, why had she spared him
in her book? She felt now that she
had been too lenient, not bitter enough,
not sufficiently pitiless. Such a man
was entitled to no mercy.
Long after the judge and Stott had
left for the city Shirley sat alone on
the porch engrossed in thought, taxing
her brain to find some way out of the
darkness, and when presently her
mother and aunt returned they found
her still sitting there, silent and preoc-
cupied. II they only had those two
letters, she thought. They alone might
save her father, but how could they be
got at? Mr.. Ryder had put them safe
ly away, no doubt. He would not give
them up. She wondered how il would
be to go boldly to him and appeal to
whatever sense Of honor and fairness
that might be lying latent within him,
No, such a man would not know what
the terms honor" fairness" meant.
She pondered upon it all day, ana at
night when she went tired to bed II
was her last thought as she dropped off
to sleep.
The following morning Shirley went
out for walk. She preferred to go
alone so she would not have to talk,
Hers was one Of those lonely, intro
snacttve natures that resent the iutru-
sion or a1mless chatter when preoccu-
pied with serious thoughts.
Every now and then Shirley espied
in the distance the figure of a man
which she thought she recognized as
that OF Jefferson. Had he come, after
all? The blood went coursing tumultu-
ously through her veins only a moment
later to leave her face a shade paler "a
the man came nearer, and she saw he
was a stranger.
AS she neared the cottage on her re-
turn home. she caught sight Of the let
ter carrier approaching the gate. In
stantly she thought OF Jefferson, and
she hurried to intercept the man. Per
haps he had written instead of coming
Miss Shirley Rossmore?" said the
man eying her interrogativeIy.
That's l." said Shirley.
The postman handed her a letter and
passed on. Shirley glanced quickly at