The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-11-08
The C0rreCt0r of DeStinieS
Being Tales of Randolph Mason as Related by
His Private Secretary, CORTLAND Parks
THE INTRIGUER
Bv Melville DQpisSO11 Post
Copyright by Edward J. Clodo

ence before which Gafki played the
Bronze Helmet" at the Broad Street
theater in Philadelphia. It was no
table event in America. Gafki came
directly from Berlin, and staged the
drama in its every detail, as he had
done it for the emperor at the Ma
tional theater on Inter den Linden.
Philadelphia society possessed the
Broad street theater that night. A
prohibitive tariff set by Gafk1 barred
out many.
l can recall but few details OF the
Bronze Helmet" after the first act.
When the curtain came down l went
over to the box of the aged Mrs. Van
Couver-Benson to talk little with
Margaret Garrett. She and her faith
er, the president of the Consolidated
! Fuel Railroads Of Pennsylvania, were
! about to sail for winters visit with
aour Ambassador at London, and this
was my only opportunity to present
personal adieus. Mrs. Van Couver-
Benson is a mere wisp of woman,
one at the roads end painfully cling
ing a moment longer to life. She sat
in a corner Of the box, bit of breath
ing wax covered with costly laces, iso-
lated by deafness. Margaret Garrett
was alone, but for this senile aunt.
She welcomed graciously my arrival
in the box.
How do you do, Courtlandt," she
said Then she waived a presentation
to the ancient aunt with a screening
pleasantly Aunt Van is absorbed in
the perils of Caesar; sit down by me-
sat down, and touched at once on
the motive of my visit. II came l
said, "to wish you favorable winds"
She turned to me instantly. I'VE
are not going" she said.
mot going!" echoed. "Why not?'
She laughed little. There is a
man in the way
fecked the chair arm lightly with
my finger "How little thing"
said, ito stay the sailing of Semira-
mis-
Not so little thing" she answered
to my hippant sally IF you will look
presently at the first chair of the fifth
row on the right Of the center aisle,
you will see him. Is he, then, so little
a thing?"
looked a moment later with a ris-
ing interest. The man who sat in that
first chair Of the fifth row was never
a little factor in any human equation.
He was on this day 4 star DETECTING
the orbits Of political leaders in his
state, one playing at the Grachii-the
Commoner, sustained by the toiling
hive, but he was not Of it. He came
of Il family older yet than Penn; one
powerful under the first congress, but
afterward contentedly fallow through
idle generations, and now, by the me.
dunn Of this man, returning actively
to- life.
The career Of this man was some
thing Of wonder to us all Com
handing by his birth station Of the
highest order, he had Of his own vo
lition become a leader OF the people:
and then, when he stood an authority
to be reckoned with in the placing OF
federal patronage, he chose strangely
and with small spirit, we thought
the position OF United States mar
shall. The men who usually got this
office We're aspiring sheriffs. Why
then, did this man, reared in kings
houses, thus strangely wish it?
forgot on the instant Gafki and his
"}ronze Helmet" Here was indeed
news. The engagement Of Margare
Garnett! The big Englishmen would
house in Park Lane. The tall girls
destiny had arrived.
| made the usual conventional
speeches, bit highly colored | fear
rather eulogistic, over-appreciative
laden with tropical platitudes.
She heard me, like a sphinx calmly
to the end, then she dropped gull
lotine knife on the dainty speeches
very pretty, Courtlandt,' she said
but you are giving tongue on the
wrong trail. Mr. Wood is not at pres
ent intending to marry me. lie is alb
sorbingly engaged in an effort to ad.
vance his own fortunes, somewhat at
the cost of my fathers"
l stammered my way back. and she
went on, covering thus unconscious
ly my confusion.
Il fear that father is not coming of
as he would wish in this contest with
Mr.. Wood. He laughed little at the
opening skirmish, somewhat like CAT.
M's Caesar, sitting in his tent; but
within the last month he has advanced
his standards. as Caesar always did
when he was being cut to pieces. You
see how much l am influenced by this
thing Of Gafki. Father has abandoned
our winter in London He must be
here, happy If by being here he can
prevail against Mr.. Wood It is In
this manner, Courtlandt, that the man
at the end Of the fifth row is standing
in the way"
l was still deeply puzzled. How
could one Of but moderate fortunes. a
mere United States marshal, interrupt
thus seriously the plans Of an indus.
trial emperor like John A. Garnett. !
waited for further explanation. It did
not Immediately come
"Courtlandt," she said, tell me
about Randolph Mason"
Randolph Mason" l echoed. What
interest can you have in Randolph Ma.
sonr'
You will learn that little further
on" she said. Then the dominant
quality in her, in her father, in every
Garnet, came imperiously forward: