The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-29

lTA had not been mistaken.
- Droom's description Of
the lady certainly did not correspond
cation, however, assured him that the
Gables In the mansion near the lake
were the people he had known in New
York. Bansemer took no one into his
confidence, not even broom. Once con-
WINGED that the erstwhile fireman was
now the rich and powerful magnate, he
set to work upon the machinery which
was to extract personal gain from the
secret in his possession. He soon
learned that the child was young wo-
man Of considerable standing in socie-
ty, but there was no way for him to
ascertain whether Frances Cable had
told the truth to her husband in those
dreary far west days.
Bansemer was rich enough, but
avarice had become a habit The flight
from New York had deprived him Of
but little in worldly goods. His Ill got
ten gains came with him, and invest
ments were just as easy and just as
safe in Chicago as in New York. Now
he saw a chance to wiring a handsome
sum from the rich woman whose only
possession had been love when he first
knew her. If the secret Of James
origin still remained locked up in her
heart the effort would be an easy one.
He learned enough Of David Cable,
however, to know that if he shared the
secret the plan would be profitless and
dangerous.
1t was this uncertainty that kept him
from calling at the Gable home; like
wise from writing a note which might
prove a most disastrous folly. Time
and circumstance could be his only
friends, and he was accustomed to the
whims Of both. He read of the dinners
and entertainments given by the Ca
bles and smiled grimly. Time had
worked wonders for them. Scandal,
be knew, could undo all that ambition
and pride had wrought. He could we'll
afford to wait
However, he did not have long to
wait, for his opportunity came one
night in Hooley's theater. Graydon
and he occupied seats in the orchestra
near the stage and not far from the
lower right hand boxes. 1t was during
the busy Christmas holidays, but the
"star" was Of sufficient consequence to
pack the house. The audience was no
end Of fashionable one. Time and
again some strange influence drew his
gaze to the gay party in one Of the
lower boxes. The face of the woman
nearest to him was not visible, but the
two girls who sat forward turned oc-
casionally to look over the audience,
and he saw that they were pretty, one
exceptionally SO. One of the men was
gray haired and strong featured; the
others were quite too Insignificant to
be Of interest to him. The woman
whose back he could see did not look
out over the audience. Her indiffer-
ence was so marked that it seemed de-
liberate
At last he felt that her eyes Were
upon him. He turned quickly. True
enough, for with lips slightly parted,
her whole attitude suggestive of In
tense restraint, Mrs. Cable was staring
helplessly into the eyes Of the man
who could destroy her with a word
The one thing that flashed through
Bansemer's brain was the realization
that she was far more beautiful than
he had expected her to be. There was
truly aristocratic loneliness in the
rather piQuant face, and she undenia
bly, possessed manner" Maturity had
Improved her vastly. he confessed
with strange exultation; age had been
kinder than youth. He forgot the play
| seldom taking his eyes from the bac
which again had been turned to hin
| Calculating, hs reached the conclusio
that she was not more than forty year
Of age. More than once he made som
remark to his son, only to surprise tha
young man glancing surreptitiously a
| the face Of the more beautiful of tn
two girls. Even in this early stag
James Bansemer began to gloat owe
the beauty Of this new found old AZ
| Quaintance.
In the lobby of the theater as the
were leaving he deliberately dotted hi
hat and extended a pleasant hand
the wife Of David Cable She turne
deathly pale, and there was startled
piteous look In her eyes that convince
him beyond all shadow OF doub
There was nothing for her to do bu
1ATodpca him TO her husband Tv