The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-07-08
cHNprrR Ky.

a week jefferson had not for
gotten his promise, and one day.
about two weeks after Mr. Bagley's
spectacular dismissal from the Ryder
residence, he had brought Shirley the
two letters. She did not ask him how
he got them, If he forced the drawer or
procured the key 1t suficed for her
that the precious letters, the absolute
proof cf her fathers innocence, were at
last IN her possession. She at once
sent them off by registered mail TO
Stott, who Immediately Acknowledged
receipt and at the same time an
nounced his departure for Washington
that night. He promised 20 keep her
constantly Informed of what he was
doing and how her fathers. case was
going 1t could, he thought, be only a
matter of few days now before the
result Of the proceedings would be
known.
The approach OF the crisis made Shir-
ley exceedingly nervous, aud it was
only by the exercise Of the sIeatest
self control that she did not betray the
terrible anxiety she felt The Ryder
biography was nearly finished, and her
stay ia Seventy street would
soon come 70 an end She had n scTi-
eus talk with jefferson who conrived
TO see a good deal Of her. entirely un-
suspected 10y his parents for Mr.. and
Mrs Ryder had no reason 70 believe
that their son had any more than a
mere bowling acquaintance with the
clever young authoress Now that Mr.
Bagley was no longer there to spy
upon their actions these olandestine in
teryiews had been comparatively easy.
shirley brought to bear all the argu-
ments she could think of 10 convince
jefferson Of the hopelessness Of their
engagement she insisted that she
could never be bis wife; circumstances
over which they had no control made
that dream impossible ID were better.
she said, TO part now rather than incur
the risk of being unhappy later Bnt
jefferson refused to be convinced. He
argued and pleaded, and he even swore
strange. desperate words that Shirley
had never heard before and which
alarmed her. not little and the dis
cussion ended usually by kiss which
put Shirley completely hors de combat.
Meantime. John Ryder had not
ceased worrying about mis- son. The
removal OF Kate Roberts as Il factor in
his future had not eliminated the
danger Of jefferson taking the bit be
tween his teeth one day and contract
ing "a secret marriage with the daugh-
ter-Of his enemy, aud when he thought
OF the mere possibility Of such a thing
happening ne stormed aud rayed until
his wife. accustomed as she was to his
choleric outbursts, was thoroughly
frightened. For some time after Bag
ley's departure. father and son got
along together fairly amicably, but lty-
der senior was quick 60 see that JEFF
ferson had something on his mind
which was worrying him. and he
rightly attributed IL 60 his. infatuation
for Miss Rossm0re. He was convinced
that his son knew where the judges
daughter was. although his own efforts
10 discover her Whereabouts had been
} unsuccessful
Sergeant Ellison had confessed abso.
| lutte failure. Miss Rossmore. he report
cd, had disappeared as completely q
If the earth had swallowed her, and
further search was futile knowing
well his sons impulsiVe headstrone
disposition, Ryder senior believed him
| quite capable Of marrying the gill Sc
cretly any time. The only thing that
John Ryder did not know was that
Shirley kossmore was not the kind OF
Z girl 10 allow any man 10 inyeigle
her into a secret marriage. The Colos-
sns, who judged the worlds morals by
HIS own. was not Of course. aware OF
this. and he worried night and day
thinking what be could 90 10 preyeni
bis son FROM marrying the daughter Of
the man he had wroneed.
The more he pondered over It the
more he regretted that there was moi
some other girl with whom jefferson
could fail Ia love aud marry. lie need
not seek a rich glrl- there was certain
~ enough money Ia the Ryder Family
e proylae for both He wished they