The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-12-23
The Root
Of Evil
By THOMAS DIXON
Copyright, 1911. by Thomas
Dixon
CHAPTER xxi.
Through Purple Curtains.

VAT HEN Nan made up her mind
~ she acted with lightning
" rapidly. She would force
Stuart to an avowaI of love
that would fix their relation be
yond disturbance by the little singer.
She had too fine a sense of values To
permit herself to become entangIed
in an intrigue
She could wait and gain In power
for the waiting Her physician had
told her that Biyens' days were mum
bered.
But on one thing she was deter.
mined. She must know that Jim loved
her still, loved her passionately, mad
IL as she believed he did. But he
must say It, She had no difficulty In
persuading Biyens TO urge Stuart to
visit their country estate In the noun
stains of North Carolina. The doctor
had ordered him there to live in the
open air.
The young lawyer refused to go at
I first, but Bivens urged with such pa
A<fhetic eagerness he was compelled to
accept.
1t was a warm, beautiful morning
the last week in March when he alight-
ed on the platform Of the little railroad
station on the estate and took his seat
beside Nan in her big touring car The
fruit trees were in full bloom. and their
perfume filed the air. The hum of
bees and the song of birds he bad
known In his boyhood thrilled his heart.
tits glorious, Man, he exclaimed.
@'Your coming makes 1t perfect, Jim, :
she answered tenderly.
AS the river made a graceful curve
Bivens' house swept into full view-a
stunning pile of marble 300 feet long.
its tower piercing the turquoise sky in
solemn grandeur. The stone parapet
on which its front wall was built rose
7 in massive strength a hundred feet
from the ledge in the granite cliff be
fore touching the first line Of the white
stones of the house itself.
At the end formal garden had been
built on the foundations Of masonry
; which cost 100000
For an hour the car swept like a spir-
it over the miles of smooth macadam
private roads Bivens had built AT
each graceful turn his wonder increas-
ed at the luxurious outlay of millions.
From each hilltop as the huge gleam-
ing castle came into view from new
angle, revealing its marvellous beauty.
he thought with a touch of pity of the
stumbling figure of the stricken man
limping through its halls helpless. lone;
ly. miserable What strange FRANKS
fate plays with the mighty as we'll as
Irvf G. a.
body now he did not dare risk cold
by taking a ride with his wife
The machine turned suddenly up
bill and glided through two iron gates
opening on the lawn. and the great
white chateau doomed before them in
a fash Of binding beauty. Stuart
caught his breath He shook hands
with Biyens and was shocked to find
him so weak
The little man held his hand with
lingering usefulness as he looked into
his friends strong face
You don't know how rich you are.
Jim,'' he said feebIy. with this hand
that grips like iron. I'd give millions
to feel my heart beat like yours today"
you'll get better down here" Stuart
answered cheerfully.
I'm trying it anyhow" he said list
lessly. Make yourself at home, old
boy. This house is my pride want
Nan to show you every nook and cor
ner in it. / wish l could trot around
with you, but can't"
GAS soon as you've changed your
Clothes" Nan said Familiarity, come
down to the library and I'll show you
around"
Stuart followed the man assigned as
his valet to the electric elevator and
In a minute stepped out on the fourth
floor. He observed with a smile that
his room number was 157.