Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-25
CHAPTER XXI.
"His Name!"

fIS Name!"
mot question Of honour Mr.. Stat
ham!" she cried. 1T is not ques
ton of my own honour!" and she stoot
before him, erect and defiant.
my dear young lady," he laughed
pray calm yourself. Let us discus:
the matter quietly
There is nothing to discuss" she
exclaimed resentfully, looking straigh
snto the old mans gray face. 'Yol
nave threatened to divulge the secre
of my visit to you tonight Tiff re
fuse. to betray my friend! Is such ar
action honorable? Does such threat
against a defenceless woman do yor
credit" she asked
You misunderstood me-" he hasten
ed to assure her, realising the mis-
take he had made.
Il understand that you ask me q
question" she said. You wish me tc
repeat what was told to me in conf
dence-the secret impaired to me by
the girl who was my best friend!'
Eyes; wish to know what Maud
Petrovitch told you" he answered
standing with his thin hands behind
his back.
Then l regret that unable to
satisfy your curiosity" was her firm
response II now realise your motive
in inviting me here at this hour to
see you in secret. You meant me to
compromise myself-to remain away
from Cunnington's and be punished
for my absence-the punishment OF
dismissal" she went on her fine eyes
flashing in anger at his dastardly
tactics. You know quite well, Mr.
Statham, that the world is only to
ready to think i'll of a woman! You
anticipate that l will betray my friend
in order to save myself from calumny
and dismissal from the service of the
firm. But in that you are mistaken
No word shall pass my lips, and
wish you goodnight" she added with
severe hauteur, moving towards the
door.
mo, Miss Rolfe!" he cried, quickly
intercepting her. Surely it is un.
necessary to create this scene. l hate
scenes. Life is really not worth them
You have denounced what you are
pleased to call my ungentlemanly
tactics. Well, can only say in my
defense that Samuel Statham, although
he is not all that might be, has never
acted the BLACKBOARD towards WON.
an, and more especially, towards the
daughter of his dear friend"
You have told me that you will re
fuse to assist me further!" she said.
In other words, you decline to pre-.
serve the secret of my visit here, al
though you made promise that my
absence tonight from Cunnington's
should not be noted!"
have given you promise, Miss
Rolfe, and | shall keep it," was his
quiet and serious response
+ She looked at him with distrust.
GU have asked me question: Mr..
Statham-one to which | am not per.
mitted to reply" she said
Why not?"
'Because-well, because / have
made a vow to regard what was told
me as strictly in confidence"
/. Sam Statham pursed his lips. Few
were the secrets he could not learn
when he set his mind upon learning
them. In every capital in Europe he
had his agents, who, at orders from
him, set about to discover what he
wished to know, whether it be care
fully guarded diplomatic secret, or
whether it concerned the love affair of
some royal prince to whom he was
making loan. He knew as much Of
the internal affairs Of various
countries as their finance ministers
did themselves. and with the private
affairs of some of his clients he was as
well acquainted as were their own
Wallets.
To the possession of sound but
secret information much of the old
mans success was due. The mysterious
men and women who so often came
and went to that house all poured into
his ears facts they had gathered
facts which he afterwards duly noted
In the locked green-covered book
which he kept in the security of his
safe.
Surely the contents of that book
would, If published, have created a
huge sensation; for there We're noted
there many ugly incidents in the lives
Of the men who were most prom
inent In Europe, together, be it said,
with facts concerning them that were
highly creditable, and sometimes
counter balanced the black pages in
their history.
And this man of many secrets stood
car is awaiting you round in Deanery
street" S.l,r 81 ~