The Irish standard., 1908-12-26

to sucn Infamy OF misrepresentation"
The colonel chewed his mustache; he
felt for that reporter OF the Chicsxo
paper; he was evidently getting
Photographic record now; he made an
inarticulate rumble Of sympathy in his
throat which was as the clucking Of
the driver to the mettled horse. Mrs.
Melville sesticulated with Delsartian
grace as she poured forth her woes.
They accused me of domineering
spirit; they said I was trying to set
up machine. I! worked for them,
many q time, half the night, at my
desk; never was letter unanswered;
l did half the work Of the correspond
ing secretary; yet at the crucial mo-
ment she betrayed me! I learned
more in those two days Of the petty
Jealousy, the pitiless malevolence Of
some women than l had known all my
life before; but at the same time, to
the faithful band Of friends"-the
colonel had the sensation of listening
to the record again-"whose fidelity
was proof against ridicule and cruel
Misrepresentation, return graft
tude that will never wane. Rupert
she turned herself in the seat and
waved the open palm Of her hand in
. graceful and dramatic gesture,
those women not only stopped to
malignant falsehoods, they not only
trampled parliamentary law underfoot,
but they circulated through the hall
cartoon called the Making of the
Slate OF course, We had our quarters
at hotel, and after the evening meet
ing, after had retired, in fact, q bell
boy brought me message; it was
necessary to have . meeting at once,
to decide for the secretaryship, as We
had found out Mrs. Ellennere was
false. The ladies in the adjoining
rooms and the others of US on the
board who were loyal came into my
chamber. Rupert, will you believe It,
those women had . grotesque picture
Of us, with faces cut out Of the news.
papers-of course, al our pictures
were in the papers-and they had the
audacity and the meanness to picture
! me in-in the garments Of night"
"That was pretty tough. But whore
docs Miss Smith come in?'
"She was at the convention. She is
Daughter. I've always said We are
too lax in our admissions"
"Who drew the picture?"
1T may not be Miss Smith, but
she. does draw. I'm sure that che
worked against me; she covered up
her footprints so that have no proof;
but suspect her. She's deep, Bertis,
she's deep. But she can't hoodwink
me. I'll find her out"
The colonel experienced the embar-
rassment that is the portion Of a rash
man trying to defend one woman
against another; he retreated because
he perceived defense was in vain;
but he did not feel his growing opinion
Of Miss Smiths innocence menaced by
Mrs. Melville's convictions.
She played too square a game for .
kidnapsr-and Smith was the com.
monest Of names. No, there must be
some explanation; Rupert Winter had
lived too long not to distrust the plaus-
ible surface clew. 1T is the improba-
ble that always happens, and the inn
possible most Of the ume." Aunt Re-
becca had once said. He quite agreed
with her whimsical phrase.
Nothing happened to arouse his sus-
picions that day. Haley reported that
Cary Mercer was going on to San
Francisco. The conductor did not
know his name; he seemed to know
Mr.. Keatcham and was with him in
his drawing-room most of the time.
Had the great man a secretary with
him? Yes, he seemed to have, q little
fellow who had not much to say for
himself. and jumped whenever his
boss spoke to him. There was also 4
valet, an Englishman, who did not re-
spond properly to conversational over
lures. They were all going to get OF
at Denver.
Haley was not misinformed, % the
colonel perceived with his own eyes
and he saw Cary Mercer bow in part
Ing to the great man, who requited the
low salute with gruff nod. Here was
an opportunity for a nearer glimpse Of
Mercer, possibly for that explanation
in which Winter still had a lurking
hope. He caught Mercer just in the
car doorway, and politely greeted him:
"Mr. Mercer, think? You may not
remember me, Col. Winter. met you
In Cambridge, three years ago"
1t seemed a brutal thing to do, to re-.
call a meeting under such circum-
stances; but If Mercer could give the
explanation he would excuse him; It
! was better than suspecting an limo
cent man. But there was no oppor-
tunity for explanation. Mercer turned
a blank and coldly suspicious face to.
ward him. II beg pardon" he said in
his southern way, II think you have
made mistake in the person."
"And are you not Mr.. Cary Mercer"
The colonel felt the disagreeable re-
semblance Of his own speeches to
those made in newspaper stories by
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