The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-06

struck. He was studiously reserved
and considerable. There was nothing in
his manner to indicate that he was
there as anything more than the most
casual slipper of the beverage that So
ciety brews. 1t was left for her to
make the advances.
1--WE must come to an understand
ing" she said abruptly. 81 cannot en-
dure the suspense the uncertainty
Bansemer raised his brows with
grave condescension.
"Then you have not confessed to Mr..
Cable?' he asked, with perfect uncon-
Germ. "Do you know I was rather hop
ing that you would have saved me the
trouble Of doing So"
1T means so much to-
"Ah, see you find it hard to lose the
ground you have gained socially" He
stirred his tea steadily.
"It isn't that / don't care for that.
It's for Jane and David. can only
offer to buy your silence, nothing
more" she said with hurried words.
IT own shares in the railroad. They're
worth $4,000. VIII you take them"
my DEAR" he said, leaning quite
q
blackmail you as you seem to imagine.
I have only tried to tell you that love
you"
"Ohv' she exclaimed, with shudder
Of disgust. His face was quite close to
hers She could feel his warm breath
on her cheek, and she drew away
quickly. His hand lowered close to
hers as 1t lay in her lap.
There was an eyewitness to this sim
gle picture In the brief scene. Jane
had started downstairs. From the
upper steps she could look into the
drawing room below. She could not
help seeing Bansemer's fervent atti-
tude. She heard nothing that he said.
The girl paused in surprise. A feeling
as Of dread-she could not explain
heart.
It was as If she had awakened from
q sweet sleep to look out upon a bleak,
horrid morning.
Involuntarily she shrank back. quite
beyond the actual vision. but not free
from It. She stood straight and tense
and silent at the top of the stairs. her
hand clasping the rail. She could hear
her heart throbs plainly. There was no
mistaking the picture as 1t had burst
upon her unsuspecting eyes. A great
fear. q dark uncertainty, welled up in
her heart.
1t was not until the butler admitted
other callers that she found the cour-
age to turn her eyes toward the draw
ing room. Although she succeeded In
hiding the fact, 1t was difficult to ap-
proach and greet James Bansemer with
the naturalness of the unsuspecting.
His manner was beyond reproach, and
yet for the first time she saw the real
light IN his black eyes. She talked to
him as If nothing had happened to
make her distrustful, but no self con-
troll Ia the world could have checked
the growth Of that remorseless thing
called suspicion. For her own sake,
for her mothers. for Graydon's, she
tried to put 1t down. Instead it grew
greater and stronger az she looked into
his eyes, for in them she saw the light
that heretofore had escaped her notice.
And fhis was the father Of the man
whom she was to marry. the one whom
she loved with all her heart and soull
This the man who would degrade her
own mother! Her mother-she looked
ut her With a new question In her eyes.
Half . dozen people came and went
James Bansemer was the last to leave.
He met the gfrfs tense, inquiring look
from time to time, but he could not
have felt It's meaning There was
nothing in her voice which might have
warned him, although 1t sounded strain
ed and without warmth on her own
ears. In spite Of herself she wondered
how he would act in saying goodby to
her mother. Although she tried with
all the might OF her win to look away,
she could not take her eyes from the
pair as Bansemer arose to depart.
His manner was most circumspect.
The hand clasp was brief, even formal,
and there was no look IN his eyes to
indicate the presence Of anything but
the most casual emotions. After his
departure Mrs. Cable turned to Jane
and complained Of a frightful headache
and went to her room to lie down for
awhile before dinner. James gaze fol-
lowed her steadily as she assembled the
stairs. Then she walked to the win
dow and looked out upon the street, O
hundred perplexities In her mind.
Her father was standing in the mid
die Of the sidewalk. looking down the
darkening street His cab was turn
ing the corner below. showing that he
had been standing there for longer
than minute. She watched him with
interest What had happened in the
street to hold his interest so closely
1t was Jane who opened the door and
let him in. AS she kissed his cold
cheek she noticed the frown on his
brow and caught the strange CLEAN in
his eyes. His greeting was less warm
than usual. and he went to his room
upstairs without removing his hat or
coat below. But not before he sent a
quick, keen glance about the drawing
room to find IL James Bansemer had
been the single visitor OF the after
noon.
Where is your mother?" he asked
from the stairs, without looking back.
''She has just gone to her room,"
Jane replied. chill shooting through
her veins. Some strange, unnatural
impulse compelled her to add, as II
the explanation were just and neces-
sary. I'VE have had lot of people in