The Delta independent., 1910-06-17

Stennis, who might be expected to
pay handsomely for the suppression
Of the secret, thus insuring to himself
clear title to the property.
1t was a clear case of Heads win,
tails you lose!" So far as he could
see, only one contingency could de-
feat the major plot-the daughter of
Minna and Andrew Meleen might be
dead.
Meantime, he had no objection
whatever to letting wrongful heir
enter into possession. The informa-
tion he possessed would have a sure
and certain market value in any case
1t took Roger Hews three or four
months to trace the migrations of
John Trevecca, covering, as they did,
period of ten or twelve years. But
run him to earth at last he did, and
found to his joy that Eunice was very
much alive, and we'll worth winning
for her own sake. But one other
thing was not SO much to his liking
the discovery that Eunice and the
man in possession had been friends
for years. and were even then sup
posed to be engaged lovers. This
was an adverse conjunction which the
astutest mind could not have imag-
ined or foreseen-indeed, It was of a
piece with all the other strange fac
tors in the case.
However. Roger Hews was content
to play a waiting game. He was very
careful to keep out of Wilfrid's way,
but he lost no time in making the ac.
quaintance of Eunice and her step
father, and at the time of Wilfrid's
departure for Europe Roger had been
for some months on terms of easy
acquaintance with both of them. He
attended the same church as Eunice,
he Joined the ward club and the lodge
to which Trevecca belonged, and
among the decent denizens of Mac
dougal street passed as writer, a
character which was not belied by
appearances, owing to his quiet,
steady demeanor and his careful
acting and dressing of the part.
Nor did it take Hews long to dis
cover that there was a little rift in
the lutte between Eunice and Wilfrid.
This exactly suited his book. Per-
haps less observant person could
have foretold such an outcome OF
their odd romance. Anyway, this
was Rogers opportunity. As Wilfrid's
visits became fewer. and the coast
more clear, the other took to dropping
in of an evening, ostensibly to see
John Trevecca; or he would contrive
to meet Eunice at church and prayer
meeting and walk home with her He
even escorted her to the park. to the
theater. and to some popular concerts.
Never by word or look or action did
he hint of any knowledge of her ac-
quaintance with Wilfrid Stennis. She,
on her part. from motives of pride and
delicacy forebore to allow Stennis'
name to pass her lips; old John
Trevecca was naturally close mouthed
about his own or his daughters af-
fairs. So 1t was three-cornered
game.
At no time is the average woman
supposed to be more approachable to
determined wooer than when she
has been deserted or deems herself
forsaken by another man. In proper
tion as the wound is deep, SO is the
healing process possibly hastened II
there be a sure and certain consola-
tion at hand. But Eunice Trevecca
was not an average woman; her hsa,s
did not always rule her head.
When nearly a year had passed
without so much as line from Will
frid, Eunice deemed herself indeed
forgotten. What she had feared and
foreseen. she told herself, was come
to pass: and that woman" as she
termed Clara Passavant in her
btc hoJ ahah
from his early affection by her wiles
and her brilliant social attainments.
Il suppose we are not in his class
any longer" she said to herself bit
terly. But she will never make him
happy; all she cares about is the
money"
She did not, nor would not blame
Wilfrid; 1t was all that woman's" evil
doings Yet she tried her best to
think of him as dead to her. and to
face the fact that henceforth she
must piece out her life alone. But
1t was sorry attempt
Eunice had not been q woman had
she failed to see the drift Of Master
Rogers coming and goings. Hera
was too sweet a nature not to feel
honored by what she supposed was
the unselfish admiration of a passably
good man. He had apparently sue
ceeded in ingratiating himself with
her stepfather, and his companion
ship proved rather welcome diver
sion in those dark days. But she
knew his love-quest was hopeless, and
discouraged his more marked atten-
tions, for she told herself her heart
was dead
So when Roger Hews pressed his
suit-he never made love to her as
wifi had done-she was ready with
her answer.
1T cannot be, Mr.. Hews," she said,