Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-27
CHAPTER VII.-Continued.

GULL frames above the panellng looked
down in faded establishment at this vivid,
self-reliant American girl bending busily
over her desk by the window.
So absorbed was the new secretary in
these duties that she did not hear quick
step in the conservatory nor the opening
Of the farther French window as Bob
Baxter, glowing with health after brisk
| walk, stepped into the library. He paused
at the sight of Betty and waited, smil-
ing. for her to look up. which she pres
emily did with a startled OH
Il beg your pardon he said. presently.
II see you're on the job. Miss Thomp-
! son..
YES" she said. briefly, wondering If
| this was a sarcastic reference to her late
appearance
pond. They call it a lake, I'm told" He
settled himself comfortably on a fat blue
davenport that offered it's ample hospi-
| tally just beyond the typewriter.
DO they?" she replied, scarcely look
ing up.
why. yes"
She faced him now and decided that
he had not meant to be sarcastic. And
he was good looking. How could she
have thought him plain the night before?
1t was such a relief to see a man clean
shaven after those hideous musta ches
| and scraggly boards in Paris!
| Then she resumed her work, while the
object of her approval picked up a news
paper istlessly. and for several minutes
there was no sound in the library save
the rustic of sheets. Then, suddenly,
| Bobs expression changed to one of alb
| SOrbed interest.
Great Scott!' he exclaimed. Robbery
in a railway carriage! Five thousand
pounds! That's $4,000. Why, he's
friend Of fathers! He visited US in New
| York."
| Da%t
the Bishop Of Bunchester?'
| "Oh, you've read tt?'
| mo. no-that is. 1 mean it happened
two days ago. Are there any develop
ments?"
1T seems they have a new clue" Then
he read aloud. Among papers left by
| the suspected woman, Jenny Regain, at
her lodgings on FuIham road was the
visiting card of a young American lady
| whose name" he paused to turn over
the page.
"Yes?" she asked, eagerly
whose name, he went on. lis with
held by the police in the hope that it may
aid in discovering the criminal
How could it aid in discovering the
criminal?" she questioned.
oh. they have detectives on the case"
Detectives! REALITY" and, with a thrill
of excitement, Betty once more busted
herself with her work, while Bob con-
tinued his reading gIancing from time to
time in the direction of the new secre-
tary. What an interesting face! And
such hands! A lady's hands! An artists
gentleman discovered this girl?
Il suppose my father found you In Lon
DOM he asked, presently
Yes she replied, and he noticed her
ping mass Of her glossy-brown hair as
| it lifted from her white neck Here was
stenographer. he reflected with the
well groomed look Of a thoroughbred.
The old gentleman certainly was a Won
der!
Bob wanted to keep her talking, but
could think Of nothing in particular to
say. Queer how this girl put him i'll at
ease And why should he wish to keep
her talking, anyway? His dealings with
stenographers had always been on a basis
Of calmest and most businesslike indif-
ference, but somehow this one affected
him strangely: she ratified him.
do you take rapid dictation, Miss
Thompson?" he finally ventured.
Betty hesitated a moment and her
heart sank as she thought of her limta-
tons at the machine. When she had told
Hiram Baxter that she could work a
standpoint Of an amateur who had taken
the thing up largely as a diversion.
You mean in shorthand? No. don't;
! I'm not stenographer."
Young Baxter looked at her in surprise
mot stenographer?'
Il take dictation direct to the machine
she explained. Mr.. Baxter thinks there
are qualities in private secretary that
| may be more important than the ability
to take rapid dictation.''
Bob nodded wisely. II see. I guess
! father told You about the-er-trouble
he had with his last secretary"
You mean the leak in the New York
Officer said Betty, quickly.
Bob lowered his voice. That's what
| mean. You'll have to be very careful
in this position. Miss Thompson. We're
in fight with the big copper trust and
father has enemies. people who are
watching every move he makes and are
doing their best to ruin him. That's why
dad went to town this morning. That's
why I jumped on a quick steamer the
day after he sailed from New York 1
heard of things that" he looked about
him cautiously. that I wouldn't trust in
the mails"
You suspect some one-here?" she
whispered.
II don't know, butt want you to keep
your eyes open. The market has been
strong lately and we've been buying In
dependent copper all the way up the line.
Ten points more will let us out even,
but he stopped short as a mans fig
| ure passed through the conservatory. It
| was Anton. the chauffeur.
What is it. Anton?'' he called.
A man with a twisted nose and shock
| of black hair appeared at the French
window and touched his cap politely.
Looking for wrench. sir. I'm fixing
up the runabOut.
where's the carp
The countess and Mr.. Fitz-Brown are
| out in the car. SIR
| OH said Bob whereupon the chauf-
| feur, with another salute and a. keen
glance at the new secretary, withdrew.
| Mr. Baxter inquired Betty, isn't
| there great risk i'm buying stock when
you don't really pay for it,
You mean on margin? or course
there's a risk. That's what keeps us
! worried"
''Then-why do you do it?''
We can't help it,
| "Why?'
you see. father inherited this t1gh,
from his partner.
Hes dead, It's a long story. Dad
| will be sure to tell YOU some day.
] this story. to know more about her
| father yet she dared not press her cues
tions. and suddenly Bob became silent.
! Then, as IL restless. he rose from the
| davenport and strolled over to one of the
| windows. then turned again, toying with
a cigarette case.
DO you mind?'' he asked, politely, in
dicating the silver box.
| mo, l like it," she said. 1t WAS evil
dent that he had no intention of going
and she must begin this copying if she
was ever to get 1t finished. The time
| had come when she must demonstrate
her ability to use the keys. &c. gather
| ing up a pile of letters. she moved reso-
lutely over to the typewriter
This machine is very dusty" she de-
cided. after a preliminary examination.
| Here's brush to clean the keys, but