The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-11-20
CHAPTER VII.
An Old Perfume.


during business hours or at one Of his
clubs. For the first year Nan had re
scented his attitude in angry pride and
remained silent. And then she began
to do curious thing which had grown
to be a part OF his Utmost life. For
the past eight years she had written
brief daily diary recording her doings
thoughts aud memories which she mail
ed TO him every Sunday night. She
asked no reply and be gave none. No
names appeared in its story and no
name was signed to the dainty sheets
Of paper which always bore the per-
fume of wild Strawberries. But the
man who read them in silence knew
and understood
The letter from her he held today
was not an unsigned sheet of her diary
1t was q direct, personal appeal, tender
and beautiful in its sincerity. She beg
ged him to forget the past because she
needed his friendship and advice. and
asked that he come to see her at once
This letter was his first temptation
to break the resolution by which he
had lived for years.
He rose and paced the room with
fury as he began to realize how des
perate was his desire to go.
Have | fought all these years for
nothingr' he cried.
The thing that drew him with all
meaning between the lines. He knew
that each day the incompleteness OF
her life had been borne in upon her
with crushing force. And yet he felt,
by an instinct deeper than reason. that
the day he returned from his exile and
touched her hand would mark the be-
ginning of a tragedy for both.
In the past nine years he had thrown
his life away only to find it in greater
power The first year which he had
given of unselfish devotion to the serv-
ice of the people had been a failure
but at the end of four years he was
nominated for district attorney and
was swept into office by large ma
jority. The enforcement of justice
ceased to he a Joke and became a Iiv-
ing faith
His work had stirred the state TO a
nobler and cleaner civic life During
the past year he had become one of
the foremost figures in American De
mocracy the best loved and the most
hated and feared man in public life in
New York He asked no favors: he
sought no preferment
The work on. which he had just e1-
tered was an investigation before an
unusually intelligent grand jury of the
criminal acts of a group of the most
daring and powerful financiers of the
world When he realized the magni
be at once put his house in order for
the supreme effort. 1t was necessary
that he give up every outside interest
that might distract his attention from
the greater task.
The one matter of grave Importance
to which he was giving his time out
side his office was his position as ad
suit for damages against the chemical
trust. which had been dragging its
course through the courts for years
To his amazement be had lust re-
ceived an offer from Bivens' attorneys
to compromise this suit for 100000
He would of course advise the doctor
to accept 1t Immediately. He had
never believed he could win penny
What could be BivenS' motive in
making such an offer? 1t was imp1s
sible that the shrewd little president
of the American Chemical company
this attack. His fortune now could
not be less than S4O.00O.OOO. and the
issue Of such a suit as the one Wood
man had brought and on which he
had spent SO much of his time aud
money was to Bivens mere bagatelle
1t might be Nan-it must he. Her
letter surely made the explanation rea
SOnah bile. She knew this suit was I'M
obstacle in the way of their meeting
During the past winter she had he
come the sensation of the metropolis
Her wealth. her beauty. her pala, O.
and her entertainments had made heT
the subject of endless comment. She
had set pace for extravag anCe which
made the old leaders stand aGhast
Her worldly wise mother had been dpad
for the past five years.
He was waiting the arrival of Wood
man for a conference over Bivens' of
fer of compromise. and he dreaded the
ordeal
$50 the little weasel has offered to
compromise my suit for half the sum
we named. eh:" the doctor asked in
triumph.
Il assure you that If the case comes
to its final test you are certain to lose 4"
$50 you have said again and again
my boy" was the good natured reply.
but his sudden terror and this offer
show that we have won already, and
he knows it. Bivens has seen the
handwriting on the wall. When the
American people are once aroused
their wrath will sweep the trusts into
the bottomless pit"
"Biyens isn't worrying about the PEG
pie or their wrath"
Then it's time he began the doctor
cried. Mark my word. the day of the
common people has dawned This mud
sill OF the world has learned to read
and write and begun to think He
will never be content again until be
turns the world upside down"
But you must consider this offer.
You have too much at stake. Your
factory has been closed for FIVE years.
Your store has been sold. your bust
ness ruined, and you are fighting to pay
the interest on your debts. I've seen