Smyrna times., 1911-02-01

ne heard, hoping he might hear some
thing pertaining to the case. He was
disappointed in all his attempts to
learn il the man he had employed to
10 his work was doing it,
Finally he made up his mind that if
a man resembling Mr. Howard Beld-
ing were paying marked attention to
Miss Gwynne it would be known and
he (ShOtwelh would certainly hear of
it. There was but one inference-the
man had either gone off without even
an attempt to make Miss Gwynne'S
acquaintance or he had betrayed his
employer with a view to making capi-
tai with the young lady. Either of
these propositions was sufficient to
throw Shotwell into a fever He fret
ted and worried and pried till at last
he could stand the strain 20 longer
and concluded to get away from it by
making trip abroad.
He came to this conclusion not only
because he wished to get the matter
off his mind. but because. having
somewhat cooled. he felt that he had
risked the respect of all good men
and women who knew him. If the
matter should be known he would
rather be where he could not be called
upon to face it. Perhaps by the time
he returned, if any trouble came of it.
it would have blown over. These con-
sideratiOns. however, did not seem to
him Of great importance, for he had
little doubt that the fellow he had
hired to perSOnate Belding had simply
| pocketed the perquisites and left the
job to take care of itself.
Three months after ShOtwell had
laid his plan for revenge upon Miss
Gwynne he went to Europe. There
after a time the matter he had come
away to get rid of ceased to occupy
the greater part of his attention, and
! eventually he thanked heaven that the
man he had employed to revenge him
had gone off without doing so. He
was feeling much relieved when in
America. who said to him, among
other things:
Il hear your old fame. Virginia
Gwynne. is to marry the rich young
philanthropist Howard Belding."
Shotwell was astonished, terror
stricken, that so long after he had
repented of his meanness the damage
had yet been done. He questioned his
informer as to when the wedding was
expected to come off, but received no
satisfaction.
One desire now took possession of
Shotwell-to reach America before Vir-
ginia Gwynne should full irrevoca-
bly, into the trap he himself had laid
for her Making for Genoa, he found
a steamer about to sail for New York
For two weeks he paced the deck,
looking out ON the same watery waste
trying to stifle his impatience. They
were the longest two weeks he had
ever known. But at last the voyage
was ended, and he FASTENED ashore
his first object being to learn if Miss
Gwynne had married.
The wedding had not yet taken
place.
Shotwell wrote his former love q
note telling her that he had something
of great Importance to her welfare tC
communicate to her and asking for al
interview. He received a brief reply
appointing the next afternoon at
o'clock at her house. The clock was
striking the hour when he mounted
the steps leading up to her home ant
rang the bell. He was all of a tremol
when he entered the drawing room
where he had had many happy tete-a
tetes with Miss Gwynne and where
he had parted with her in anger
Presently she came in and stood will
her hand resting on the back of ;
; chair. He rose and stammered:
"Thank heaven am not too late"
For whatY"
',To save you from marrying a mai
whom you suppose to be a gentleman
but who is really
"Heavensr'
81 am here to make a confession. OF
the day | left you felt much aggriev
ed l did that which, l admit, was un
worthy of lie. Seeing a man in rag
who was the perfect image of Howard
: Belding. | persuaded him to personal,
that person to win your heart. But
never intended that the matter shoul'
go so far. And, not hearing from M.
man. in my cooler moments l con
graduated myself that he had disap
. peared without taking any action"
: Miss Gwynne stood for a moment a
I if trying to recover from the blow
1 then with one word. ''Waity' she lef
I the room. In a moment Shotwel
heard the ring of telephone bell. 81
: remained where he was for some min
! utes, when the front door opened an
: Miss Gwynne entered with her fiance
We've met again." said the man VIII
had come in to Shotwell. what hav
>, you to say against me"
u Shotwell was astonished at the man
assurance.
I you know what you are and of th
y bargain made with you," said Sho