The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-12
PURE SUGAR GLEN SUGAR A1El HQgSE SSot2FE E2EASSES

stared as Phil lighted down. Vida hardly appeared to notice him. All her thoughts were on what she would say to her father.
 Going to call at the Castle. Phil?p Rose demanded tauntingly. "Old man asked you to afternoon tea-had a lounge in the privet-hedge specially ar ranged for you?"
 But Phil looked anxiously at Vida. He divined her mood, and with great good sense refrained from putting any question. He did not reply even to Rose, save by a wan smile.
 He indicated the direction of the Castle, the gray porch of which now appeared at the end of the avenue, cold and forbidding. Rose nodded back, and then shook her head. That meant that Vida had got an idea, and that for the present it was unsafe to meddle. So much Phil knew already, but he wheeled his cycle alongside of them in the most businesslike way.
 Presently Vida took notice of his presence.
 ''I don't want you, Phf," she said drowning upon him.
 "I know" said Phil modestly; "all the same you may need me- and be- sides"
 Besides what2" Vida demanded fiercely.
 'I am here on urgent. private af- fairs"
 Vida look ed him up and down keenly, but he was pinching the front tire of his machine with an unoccupied hand, and appeared utterly oblivious. They were at the Castle porch Vida was pulling the ancient wrought-iron sen eshaP handle, which In turn pressed an electric bell within the buffers pantry--a combination really Gothic which had pleased MT. Romer, who found joy In bullying his architect-a sensitive young man under the impress sion that the chance of his life had come to him in the building of Gorm Castle. Within two weeks MT. Romer had taught him different.
 Gregson appeared. z
 q wish to see MT. Romer," said Vida firmly
 q am not sure, miss-he is often out" said the respectable apparitioni 'he goes without disturbing this side of the house. But-but I shall see. What name shall l say, miss!
 Miss RomerY'
 The accurately black-and-w white Gregson nearly fell over backward. He knew Vida well enough by sight. He had heard Miss Bryan's praises rom Abraham Fyfe, the old gardener. He himself had strolled along by the cot tage-merely ''to have a look at the wonder-had found MT. James Kahn, had been threatened with a kicking, with dismissal. and so had forsworn "visiting," which apparently was Tor his betters.
 And now to be informed by the little girl at the gate" that she was Miss Romer, Gregson had shock fin- deedi But Vida was already in the hall. Rose and Phil followed as matter of course. Gregson tried to remember as he ushered them up the stairs, II the revolver in the masters room had been loaded the last time he had souinted down the muzzle. Gregson was A fearful man. Perpetual terrors thicl<ened about him. He could not hear firearms, and therefore always made sure of them. He had double method of doing so. First, as alore- said. he look ed carefully and long down the barrel, striking match to do so. Then he stirred the contents with hatpin, abandoned by a housemaid to whom in his longwidowed state Greg son had offered honorable matrimony. Then he looked again. Now Gregson always held the article by the trigger to make sure. So that, if it did not go off. Gregson could count with assur- ance upon it's future behavior Never theless 1t told on his nerves to be in the room with anything loaded-even @ photographic camera. He was not so young as he had been.
 But Gregson had his duty to do, be the consequences what they might. He opened the door of the library, in which. Mr. Romer sat in an irasc1ble- looking dressing gown of scarlet ana nowder blue. He was bending over sheets of ny-colored plans, and his eyebrows were twitching up and down. Left to himself, Gregson would have mended the fire, at the risk of his life, and feds
 But, now in duty's path, Gregson feared no foe, and he would announce the visitors even if murder followed.
 MT Philip Calmont-with Miss Rose Nunsby and-and-Miss RomerP
 The old man started to his feet. His hand went to his throat as if he were choking.
 Is no Miss Romerl Who. says that there is a Miss Romerf'
 1T dow said Vida, promply putting the others behind her.
 Creeson had disappeared. He knew his duty Whether he stopped behind inc library door-wh ether he examined the mechanism of keyholes, is known only to Gregson himself. He nao ar has perused them without finding any ,oantion of either circumstance
 They faced each other-father ana aouehter the relationship patent to tha ave. Greek encountered Creek and Romer eye looked into Romer eye. R,t there was to be no yielding With out a struggle. - , .,
 "I am your daughter, sir, said vida to Jacob Romer, T am ashamed ana distressed to own 1t. count you but little less than the murderer of my moth ther-besides-" - "It is a lie-a lie-a lie" cried the o,a man. "my wife and daughter went down in the Suck of Sannox. MT. Kahn-Captain Halstone- "Idedr' said Vida, gaining conf dence: "your wife went down. Your daurhter is still before you" .sI will send for the police-this is b,a acl,mail" Jacob Romer shouted. Vida made a contemptuous motion with her hand as if putting aside an annoying puppy
 DO so." she said. T shall have much to tell them-of your brother-of your :. se1f-of your treatment of my mother! Why you should so hate us. that l cannot tell them. never knew. But