The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-05-26
md vet her thoughts wandered.


seeing 1t occupied he mumbled his sur
prise and backed out again. But while
pushing his way through the I,alms he
extended u short arm and said:
That table over there. then"
The remark was made TO a compan-
ion. whom Shirley conid nOt see. An
answer of disappointment. however
came in a mans voice. And the fat
man-bis face was strangely familiar.
Shirley was sure.
Broderick-that was the man-thr
funny. vulgar politician who bad been
pointed out TO her at the CballOner
trial. Shirley wondered what man
of his stamp was doing lD the Bellero-
phon. Somehow he did not seem to
belong there. She noted how broad.
how terribly broad. was his back.
"But a power In politics-the real
thing she murmured. IL was not
surprising she told herself. that men
of refinement besitated long before
going into politics If this were a type
OF the men they had TO compete with.
Her thoughts running on In this strain
she determined out Of curiosity to get
a glimpse Of Brudericks companion
The man sat facing her.
At the first glace Shirley was star
tied. mo: ii can't be possible thar
At that instant the stranger looked up
and dispelled her doubts. She was face
to face with the man who had 1lle''
her thoughts for the last two hours
And so that is Billy Murgatroyj'
she gasped He was different from
the man she had pictured. And she
would have gone on indefinitely crit
cising his looks. but she was suddenly
interrupted by the sound Of voices II
was Broderlck talking. his big voice
filling the room. Shirley listened nj
tentively.
Blamed good place TO get awai
from the gang" he was saying. and
there was satisfied look on his face
as he glanced about the room.
Murgatroyd leaned forward and
spoke. Instantly the tone Of his voice
and his manner told the girl that the
relations between the two men were
III utkTtt. phpu'i ~"
assumed the attitude of political I'D
wiser. Shirley observed that he ges-
ticulated n great deal. hut In none Of
his movements was there a suggestion
Of hostility.
"And this is the use that Murgatroyd
has made Of poor Miriams money"
she cried to herself. He's bribing the
enemyw
Shirley bowed her head In shame.
Presently she lifted 1t again. Muir
gatroyd rose and walked up and down
behind the table, and. unseen herself,
she scrutinized him closely.
II anything he appeared to have lost
flesh, yet his figure still retained its
strong but fine lines. And Shirley was
forced to acknowledge to herself that
1t had lost none of Its grace. But on
his face was the dull flush that results
work. He looked tagged out. and his
eyes were restless. though they glow
ed with steadiness Of purpose. One
thing, however. impressed her more
than anything else-his demeanor to-
ward Broderick. There was within II
not q particle Of that confidential con-
cession that Broderick seemed ever
ready to offer. On the contrary, II
suggested a suspicious watchfulness
Murgatroyd resembled Jealous task
master who had set himself over q
paid but uncertain servant.
And Broderick-once did Broderici
turn his head SO that Shirley might
see his face. Broderick's face. glance
his whole being, indicated the cunning
of the man. He was treachery person
fled, at least so he appeared to Shir
| ley, and she told herself as she studied
him that any one could see that he wa
hoodwinking the man opposite him.
"Murgatroyd was being fooled!
There was no doubt about It. Murga
troyd's air of feverish endeavor. of ex
penditure of energy, confirmed 1t. Wit
Miriam's thousands he had paid 10
something that had not been delivered
Broderick had taken the money-ever,
dollar of it-of that Shirley was thoI
oughly convinced.
After awhile a feeling Of contemp
for his failure gave way to a wave o
pity. What right had she to judg
him at all? What manner Of woma
was she that she should set herself u
to determine whether his lesson wa
deservedly bitter or not and wha
should be his punishment? money s
got will never do him any good" Nil
lam had said after the scene In th
courtroom, and how true her word
had provedl And then I'm turn her fee
ing Of compassion was succeeded b
one of gladness. She was not a littl
surprised to fiId herself fervently wisi
ing that Broderick had robbed him {
every dollar, but later on her cheek
burned furiously when an honest II
trospection disclosed to her the rel
motive of this desire. For, after al
what If Murgatroyd would come to h'
and say:
II have sinned, and have lost. L
merciful to me. a miserable sinner"
What If some day he should come
her free Of all hypocrisy, stripped I
all save truth, a beaten man-whi
An % fn. hIxf Int