The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-10-08
so their discussion ended, as often

liver and then left him.
Sylvia Allen was a descendant Of the
founder of AlIendaIe. Her grand
father. money maker, had estab-
lished the academy Her father, am
bilious and imprudent. had gone down
TO ruin In the panic Of '93 and had
died Of the strain. Sylvia. an orphan
and absolutely pennilcSs. had been edu-
Gated at the academy and had lived as
a member Of the principals family I'M
til her graduation. when she had be-
come Il teacher. She had insisted
upon assuming as a debt the estimated
cost of her maintenance during the
period when she had been a charity
pupil" but in six years she had paid
less than half. She had no talent for
saving. was self indulgent, especially
in the matter of dress, and deceived by
visionary plans for extra earnings
Her chief desire was for q larger life.
for the great world, for escape from
the narrow duties and small econo-
mics which seemed TO make up the
sum Of existence In Allendale.
Her desires were upon the surface
She made no attempt to conceal them
She had told Redtield that she had
tried to get work In the city and that
she was thoroughly competent ste
nographer and typewriter. Redfield
was clever enough to perceive the
whole situation, and. chiefly in revenge
upon Kendall he wrote to Sylvia some
days after his return to Detroit and
offered her position in his Office
Sylvia took this letter to Kendall.
quite prepared to be dissuaded from
accepting. IL the professor had aban-
doned for the moment his habitual
calm and had declared his love with
Il vehemence of expression proper,
toned to the strength of his feeling
be would have won his suit. But he
made the mistake of appealing to her
intellect, her conscience, anything ex
cept her emotional nature. wherein
alone lay any hope of conquest. The
interview was sad failure, viewed
from either side. and the result of it
was that Sylvia went to the city.
Redfield's office was whirl Of ac-
tivitirs. His business was the organ
ization and management of corpora
lions which existed only for the
purpose of enabling Redfeld TO sell
stock in them Great sums III cash
flowed in and out No small econ
omies were practiced there. for 1t
is not human nature to be frugal with
stolen money.
Sylvia took wild delight In the
reckless handling of money. 1t was
an adventure for her to carry thou
sands of dollars through the streets
and deposit them in the bank. She did
not know that this money was merely
going round and round, that Redfield
was borrowing 1t with one hand mere
IL to pay it with the other and thar
his true situation would have been ap
palling to any right minded man.
She saw people most often Red
fields hew-dispatched upon et
rands to other cities when they return
ed with money, over which Redfeld
and the messenger would laugh with
great glee She knew that this money
came from the sale Of stock, but an
infant could not have been more ig.
nor.ant of the true nature of the trans
actions. Sylvia. who had always suf-
fered from an unqualified love Of
travel. hoped always that she might be
sent on such an errand and as far as
possible.
The time came. at last. Redfield
called her into his private room one
afternoon and made her heart leap by
asking her this question::
Gan you 90 to New York on the $
o'clock train this EVENING"
Eyes" she replied in gasp.
"well, don't say anything about it,
said he. .'This IL very private matter
Do you remember the lady who has
been here quite often?'
MRS Evans? Yes, surely"
"She liz sailing for Europe day after
tomorrow as my representative in
very important affairs. She left for
New York today. and | find that she
neglected to take these documents.
He tapped sealed packet on the
table. "You must deliver them to her.
she sails on the Corinthia. You must
find her on that vessel at 10 o'clock day
after tomorrow forenoon-thats Thurs
day. Can you do it,"
YES"
mot a word to any one said he inn
pressively. mot a whisper. not hint.
There are powerful influences at work
| to balk my game. would send my
nephew. but those people might stop
MIN. even with violence.
He gave her further instructions
looking toward secrecy. She remem-
hered then that she had engaged to
20 ont to Allendale on the following
evening and that her failure to appear
might excite question. She asked
| whether she might write note to
Professor Kendall explaining her alb
sence. He could be depended upon
| for silence.
ayes" responded Redfleld. but don't
mail 1t. Give it TO me. and I'll attend
to its delivery.
Sylvia wrote the note and gave 1t To
Redfield. and he destroyed it as soon
as her back was turned.