The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-07-06
CONTINUED from Yes,rscay Daily.J


and she went direct to her room
and after n hasty dinner worked until
late into the night on her book to make
up for lost time. The events of the
afternoon caused her considerable nm
easiness. She reproached herself for
her weakness and for having yielded
so readily TO the impulse OF the mo
ment. She had said only what was
the truth when she admitted she loved
Jefferson. but what right had she to
dispose OF her future while her fathers
fate WIS stil uncertain? Her con-
science troubled her, and when she
came TO reason 1t out calmly the more
impossible seemed their union from ev-
cry point OF view. How could abe be-
come the daughterin-law OF the man
who had ruined her own father? The
idea was preposterous. and hard as
the sacrifice would be Jefferson must
be made TO see II in that Hight. Their
engagement was the greatest folly. II
bound each of them when nothing but
unhappiness could possibly come Of II.
She was sure now that SHE loved Ief-
ferson. 1t would be hard 20 give him
up. bnt there are times and circum-
stances when duty and principle must
prevail over all other considerations,
and this she felt was one Of them
The following morning she received
a letter from Stott lie was delighted
to hear the good news Regarding her
important discovery, aud he urged her
20. la, 4 L.. La
and forwarding them To AIassapequa,
when he would Immediately go 70
Washington. aud lay them before the
senate. Documentary evidence OF that
conclusive nature, he went on to say.
would prove Of the very highest value
In clearing her fathers name He
added that the judge and her mother
were as we'll as circumstances would
permit and that they were nos ia the
least worried about her protracted alb
sence. Her Aunt Milly had already
returned TO Europe. and Eudoxla was
still threatening to leave daily,
Shirley needed no urging. She quite
realized the importance Of acting
quickly, 5ut 1t was not easy to get
at the letters. The library was usu-
ally kept locked when the great man
was away, and ON the few occasions
when access TO It was possible the lynx
eyed Mr. Bagley was always on guard.
Short as had been her stay in the Ry
der household Shirley already shared
Jefferson's antipathy to the English
secretary, whose manner grew more
superciilOus and oyerbearing as he
drew nearer the date when he expect
ed to run off with one of tile richest
catches Of the season - had not
sought the acquaintance Of his en-
and, with the exception of a rude stare,
had not deigned 10 notice her, which
attitude OF naughty indifferqlee was
all the more remarkable in view Of the
fact that the Hon. Fitzroy usually left
nothing unturned 70 cultivate fiirta-
tious intimacy with every attractive
female he met. The truth was that
what with Mr.. Ryder's demands upon
his services aud his own preparations
for his coming matrimonial venture, In
which he had so much at stake. he had
neithet time nor inclination to indulge
his customary amorous diversions.
Miss Roberts had called at the house
several times, ostensibly to see Mrs.
Ryder and when introduced to Shirley
she had condescended 20 give the lat
ter a supercilous nod. Her converse
tion was generally Of the silly, vacu-
Gus sort. concerning chiefly new dresses
or bonnets, and Shirley at once read
her haracter-friyolOus. amusement
loving, empty headed Irresponsible
Just the kind of girl 10 do something
foolish without weighing the conse-
quences. After chatting a few mo-
ments with Mrs. RYDER she would usu-
ally vanish, and one day after one OF
these mysterious disappearances Shir-
ley happened to pass the library and
caught sight OF her and Mr. Bagley
cOnyersing In subdued and eager tones.
1t was very evident that the elopement
scheme was fast maturing II the
scandal WAS TO be prevented. jefferson
ought to see his father and acqualnt
him with the facts without delay It
was probable that at the same time he
would make an effort TO secure the let
ters. Meantime she must be patient
Too much hurry might spoil every
thing.
So the days passed, Shirley devOting
almost all her time 10 fhe history she
had undertaken. She saw nothing OF
Ryder senior but good deal OF his
wife. to whom she soon became much
attached She found her an amiable,
good natured woman, entirely free
from that offensive arrogance aud pat
ronizing condescenslon which usually
mark the parvenu as distinct from
the thoroughbred. Mrs. Ryder had no
claims 20 distinguished Lineage; on the
contrary, she was the daughter of a
country grocer when the then rising oil
man married her. and OF educational
advantages she had had little or none.
II was purely by accident that she was
the wife OF the Richest man IN the
world and, while she enjoyed the pres
tlge her husbands prominence gave
her, she never allowed IL 10 turn her
head She gave away large sums for
charitable purposes and. strange 20
saw tvhon fha flff az ma dfrl.f ftlflt