The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-11-08

! she said, that Randolph Mason would
refuse to assist my father in the fight
with Mr.. Wood. 1t seems to be max
ing the game unfair, like the Rhine
! helping the Germans there against
+; Caesar. This drama of Gafki, like all
Homeric echoes, outrages my sense OF
fair play. There was not, as l re-
member, a clean fight in the whole
1liad; some god was always lending
hand"
She sat moment silently watching
! Caesars pontoon bridges sucked un-
/! der by mysterious currents.
Il ought, as dutiful daughter, to
hold keener interest in my fathers
side of it, I suppose,' she said. If
Mr.. Wood is not checkmated, father's
railroads will go into receivership:
and if my father brushes him, he will
go, In every sense, under the ak. So
| ought to be fired with certain bar
barrie eagerness for victory, and SO, in
a way, l am. But somehow, at the
bottom Of me, l wish to see the fight
fair. No handicaps, no Olympic leg.
ging, the winning to the best man"
This impassioned speech was inter
rupted by thin piping voice, little
more than birds chirp please.
Margaret" it said, II am tired May
| go home?" The old aunt had awak.
ened Her face was plaintive, like a
chnd's. Time, having made life's cir
cult with her, was returning her to
dissolution by the cradle.
| summoned the old woman's maids,
and they got her, with the footman's
assistance, to the carriage. l went
out with Margaret Garnett She
harked back to her theme a moment
as l took my leave Of her. Good
night, Courtlandt," she said please
keep Randolph Mason a neutral in this
fight. 1t is too fine a struggle to be
spoiled by an outsider. If father wins,
| shall have this mans head on a
charger if | wish it. II he loses let
the victor sell me into slavery"
turned to call a hanson, when one
of the theater attendants touched me
on the arm.
II beg your pardon" he said; "can
you tell me If this article belongs to
Miss Garnett? 1t was picked up by
an usher in her box" He held in his
hand fiat gold locket attached to a
chain linking alternately topaz and
an opal. | carried the locket to the
light and examined it, The case was
without a mark. l pulled it open to
see II there was any inside, and
found there such one as left no
doubt remaining The locket contain
ed the picture of her father. and op
posite it, Of all persons on this earth
the face Of Thomas B. Wood.
returned the locket to the waiting
lackey 1T is certainly Miss Gar
nett's," said; you would better senc
it Immediately to her residence"
On Thursday morning the counsel o.
John A. Garrett called on Randolph
Mason. When Pietro brought him in
to the office l took him for some cele
brated actor
Il have the honor" he said, ITO ad
dress Mr.. Parks, believe, the secre
tary Of Randolph Mason. My name Il
Alger. am here on a matter for Joh1
A. Garnctt."
hid under conventional greeting
tho flaming interest which these
words lighted. Here was the envoy
which Margaret Garrett said her faith
err was about to send I did not know
that this meeting was by appointment
until Randolph Mason appeared on tn,
threshold Of the folding doors between
the two rooms. He spoke to me-
Il shall be engaged with Mr.. Alge
for the next half hour Direct Pietrt
to admit no one" Then he went bacl
into the room, followed by the attor
ney. l presently found Pietro, gave
him the directions ami returned to m,
table, where l could witness through
the foldinS-doors this conference which
Margaret Garnett wished so greatly
to prevent. 1t was Randolph Maso1
who began the conversation.
! Can you give ms briefly" he said
the history Of this case?"
The attorney was not moved to a
hasty recital by Mason's abrupt impa
| tiencc. He sat down in a chair be-
fore the table, lifted his face serene
with that deep internal composure
common to those who are accustomed
to speak the last irrevocable word
and regarded Randolph Mason as he
doubtless would have regarded some
| cfrQNco inf vii
carefully addressed When he spoke
his voice was as clear as glass. al.
though it seemed to loiter on the sen.
fences deliberately.
Il cannot give you this matter brief
ly,' he said; "a certain elaboration
is unavoidable. A recital Of mere
overt acts will not convey a sense OF
that large plan to which they are pre-
liminary. l must be pardoned if |
add some collateral features and some
comment
Randolph Mason's face took on an
expression Of unwilling assent, such
an expression as che observes fire.
Quently on the face OF an examiner in
the courtroom, who, failing to bring
his witness clearly to the issue, aban.
dons him to his own manner of recital
He sat down in his chair, placed his
hands idly before him on the table
and then dropped his body leisurely
back, like one hopelesSly fated to a
long story. These suggestive actions
were not lost on the attorney; he
knew exactly by what mental concep.
lions they We're inspired A faint
| shade of color came for an instant in.