Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-09

most favourably impressed with her
guest, and she chatted on as II she
had known Shirley for years. 1t was
rarely that she had heard SO young a
woman express such common-sense
views, and the more she talked with
her The less surprised she was that
she was the author of a much discussed
book. Finally, thinking that Shirley
might prefer to be alone, she rose to
go, bidding her make herself thorough.
ly at home and to ring for anything she
might wish. A maid had been assign.
ed to look exclusively after her wants,
and she could have her meals served
in he. room or lese have them with
the family as she liked. But Shirley,
not caring to encounter Mr.. Ryder's
cold, searching stare more often than
necessary. said she would prefer to
take her meals alone.
Left to herself, Shirley settled down
to work In earnest Mr.. Ryder had sent
to her room all the material for the
biography. and soon she was com.
pleteiy absorbed in the task of sorting
and arranging letters making extracts
from records, compiling data, etc, lay
ing the foundations for the important
book she was to write. She wondered
what they would call 1t, and she smiled
as a peculiarly appropriate title flashed
through her mind-"The History of a
Crime" Yet she thought they could
hardly infringe on Victor Hugo; per-
haps the best title was the simplest
THE History of the Empire Trading
Company" Everyone would under.
stand that it told the story of John
Burkett Ryder's remarkable career
from his earliest bennings to the pre-
sent time. She worked feverishly all
that evening getting the material into
shape, and the following day found
her early at her desk. No one dis
turbed her and she wrote steadily on
until noon. Mrs. Ryder only once put
ting her head In the door to wish her
good morning.
4 After luncheon, Shirley decided that
the weather was too glorious to re-
main indoors Her health must not be
ljeopardized even to advance the inter
ests of the Colossus, SO she put on her
hat and left the house to go for walk.
The air smelled sweet to her after be
ing confined SO long indoor, and she
walked with a more elastic and buoy
ant step than she had since her return
home. Turning down Fifth avenue, she
entered the park at Severty-second
street, following the pathway until she
t came to the bend in the driveway OPP
I, posite the Casino. The park was al
: most deserted at that hour, and there
I was a delightful sense of solitude and
: O sweet scent of new.mown hay from
: the freshly cut lawns. She found an
{ empty bench, we'll shaded by an over
} spreading tree, and she sat down
grateful for the rest and quiet.
, She wondered what Jefferson thought
of her action in coming to his fathers
= house practically in disguise and under
an assumed name. She must see him
at once, for in him lay her hope OF
obtaining possession of the letters
: Certainly she felt no delicacy or com
junction In asking Jefferson to do her
this service. The letters belonged to
her father and they were being wrong
, fully withheld with the deliberate pur
: pose of doing him an injury. She had
!, moral If not legal right to recover
the letters in any way that she could.
j She was SO deeply engrossed in her
thoughts that she hau not noticed q
hanson cab which suddenly drew up
with a jerk at the curb opposite her
bench. A man jumped out. 1t was JET
i ferson. s
Hello, Shirley" he cried gaiiy; who
II would have expected 70 find you rusti-
eating on 4 bench here? pictured you
grinding away at home doing literary
stunts for the governor" He grinned
and then added: "Come for drive.
! want TO talk to YOU"
; Shirley denlurred. No, she could not
spare the time. Yet, she thought to
herself, why was not this good op-
! portunity 10 explain to Jefferson how
he came to find her in his fathers lib
rary masquerading under another name
and also TO ask him to secure the let
}. tiers for her? While she pondered JEFF
lferson Insisted, and a few minutes later
) she found herself sitting beside him In
j the cab They started off at brisk
pace, Shirley sitting with her head
back, enjoying the strong breeze caus.
i ed by the rapid motion
4 ''Now tell me-" he said, what does
! it all mean? was SO startled at seeing
i you in the library the other day that
j almost betrayed YOU How did you
come to call on father?"
i Briefly Shirley explained everything
She told him how Mr.. Ryder had writ
4 ten to her asking her to call and see
him, and how she had eagerly sized
at this last straw in the hope of help
\ ing her father She told him about the
letters, explaining how necessary they
were for her fathers defence and how
she had discovered them. Mr.. Ryder
she said. had seemed to take fancy
to her and had asked her to remain in
the house as his guest while she was
compiling his biography, and she had
accepted the offer, not SO much for the
amount Of money involved as for the
/ splendid opportunity it afforded her tC
!. gain possession of the letters.
$50 that is the mysterious work you
spoke of--to get those letters?' said
:. Jefferson.
Eyes, that is my mission. 1t was g
J secret. | couldn't tell you; couldn't
tell anyone Only Judge stott knows
He is aware have found them and
is hourly expecting to receive then
from me. And now" she said II want
} your help"