Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-29
CHATTER XIX.

He waited impestiently for her re
turn. Bessie, he knew. might be in
one Of the rooms Just across the hall
but, Though Bessie was trump, he
did not 60 to lock for her. The girl
might come back ct any moment-and
he did not Wish to udss one instant
ef her presence.
Again he considered the miracle Of
her appearance in his life, and he re-
doiced that, from the first. he had been
able to be Of service to her. Those
loving, trusting words that she had
just sp0lsen-how they glowed in his
heart! She had known that he would
succeed! He could only think that
the secret teleEraDhy Of his love had
nent her messages Of confidence.
And yet he did not even know her
name. Tho house was just such one
as he might have imagined to be her
home-beantisul, with the air of q
aeager family tradition than is com
monly found in tho middle west-un.
obtrusive but complete. And the fur
nishinge Of the room in which he was
standing were in quiet but perfect
taste.
On table near him lay . book.
Mechanically he picked it up.
It opened. at the ny leaf Something
was written there-her name, per-
haps.
He closed the cover without read.
ing the inscription. conscious only Of
. line OF writing In . feminine hand
that might be hers or another's. No,
he could wait The name did not
matter. She was his. and that was
enough.
Near tho book lay an empty en-
yelope. addressed to-he averted his
eyes.
He found himself wondering whsth-
or Poritol was still kneeling in the
field. and whether Maku was still run
ming, and whether the Japanese min
lister was still telling charming stories
On the porch at Arradale.
And presently. when she came
again, her face radiant, and said soft
~, "Ycu have done great thing. my
deaT:-when she said that, he could
only look and look and thank heaven
for his bleSsedpess.
Where were the papers when you
fooled me into leaving you?" she
hsksd.
"Artna had them. It's quite story.
girl, dear"
Then. wait q little while" she inter-
eupted; I'VE have permission to see
the papers signed"
She led him through the adjoining
room and to the curtained doorway OF
4 hbrary-long, allowed, shelved with
books, and furnished with heavy leath-
or chairs. In the center was large
table Of polished mahogany. upon
which rested reading lamp.
The glow OF this lamp illuminated
the forms and faces Of q group Of &C.
rious faced men-two seated, the 9th
ers standing. In the golden light,
with the dim background of shelves,
surrounded here and there by vase
or . classic bust. the group impressed
Orme like a stately painting tab
leau distinguished by solemn dignity.
I'VE are to remain here and keep
very quiet" whispered the girl.
Orme nodded. His eyes were fixed
on the face of man who sat at the
table. . pen poised in his hand. Those
strong. straight features-the eyes,
with their look Of sympathetic COM
prehension, so like the girl's-the lips,
eloquent in their enthusiastically this
was her father. But Orme's heart
beat faster, for the face of this man.
framed in it's wavy hair. was familiar.
Where had he seen this man? That
they had never met, he felt certain,
unless, indeed. they had shaken hands
In a casual and forgotten Introduction.
Or was he led into feeling Of REQ
ignition by the undoubted resem-
blance Of father to daughter? No, t.
could not be that; and yet this man..
or his picture-ah! The recognition
came to Orme in a fash.
This was the magnetic face that was
now 50 often appearing in the prsss-
the face Of the great, the revered. tho;
able statesman upon whom rested So
great a part Of the burden Of the coun.l
try's welfare. No wonder that Ormej
recognized 1t. for It was the face OF
the secretary Of statsi And the girl
was his daughter.
Orme was amazed to think how he.
had failed to piece the facts together.
The rumors of important International
negotiations: the sudden but not Sc
rious illness Of tho secretary: his tom
porary retirement from Warrington
to Chicago. to be near his favorits
physician-for weeks the papers had
been full Of these incidents. Il
When South Americans and jap
anese combined to hinder the signing
Of mysterious papers, hs should have
realized that the matter was not Of
private. but Of pubic Importance. But
the true significance Of the events
Into which he had bsen drawn had a.
capped his logical mind. It had never
occurred to him that such q series Of
plots. frequent though they might be
In continental Europe. could ever be
attempted In . country like the United
States. And then, he had actually
thought Of little besides the girl ana
her needs.
He glanced ct her now. but her case
was fixed on the scene before them. |
The brtghtneas Of her. eyes and her
e.