Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-21

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had calmly, craftily wait
ed. It suited his purpose to let her
wonder, dread and finally develop the
trust that her secret was safe with
him. Occasionally he had visited the
Gable box in the theater, not infre-
quently he had dined with them in the
downtown cafes and at the homes of
mutual acquaintance, but this was the
first time that James Bansemer had ell
joyed the hospitality of Frances Ca
ble's home. His son, on the best of
terms with their daughter, was fire.
quent visitor there.
There was Il rare bump of progress
siveness in the character of Graydon
Bensemer. He was good looking
enough beyond doubt, and there was
n vast degree of personal magnetism
about him. 1t seemed but natural that
he should readily establish himself as
q friend and favorite of the fair Miss
Cable. For some time James Ban
semer had watched his sons progress
with the Cable family, not once allow
ing his personal interest to manifest
itself 1t was but a question of time
until Mrs. Cables suspense and anxiety
would bring her to him one way or an
other. Every word that fell from the
lips of his son regarding the Cables
held his attention, and it was not long
before he saw the family history as
clearly as though it were an open book,
and he knew far more than the open
book revealed.
Frances Gable was not deluded by
his silence and aloofness. But she was
unable to devise means to circumyent
him. Constant fear of his power to
crush lurked near her day and night.
Conscious of her weakness. but eager
to have done with the strife, sometimes
she longed for the enemy to advance.
At first she distrusted and despised
the son, but his very fairness. battered
down the barriers of prejudice, and
real admiration succeeded. Her hus-
band liked him immensely, and Jane
was his ablest ally. David Cable re-
garded him as one of the brightest
young men on the stock exchange and
predicted that some day he would be
an influential member of the great
ed as confidential clerk. Mr.. Clegg, the
senior member of the firm of Clegg,
Groll & Davidson, his employers, per-
sonally had recommended young Ban
semer to Gable, and he was properly
impressed.
Graydon's devotion to Jane did not
go unnoticed. This very condition
should have assured Mrs. Cable that
James Bansemer had kept her secret
Zealously. There was nothing to indi-
cate that the young man knew the
story Of the founding.
1t was not until some weeks after
the chance meeting in Hooley's theater
1 that Mrs. Gable came into direct con-
tact with James Bansemer's designs.
She had met him at two or three form
al affairs, but their conversations had
been of the most conventional charac-
ter On the other hand, her husband
had lunched and dined at the club
with the lawyer. At first she dreaded
the outcome of these meetings, but as
Cables attitude toward her remained
unchanged she began to realize that
Bansemer, whatever his purpose, was
loyal.
They met at last quite informally at
Mrs. Ciegg's dinner, small and con-
genial affair. When the men came
into the drawing room after the cigars
Mrs. Cable, with not little trepida-
ton, motioned to Mr.. Bansemer to
draw up his chair beside her.
81 have been looking forward with
pleasure to this opportunity, Mr.. Ban
semer." she said in a courteously. acid