The Washington times., 1912-08-31

Bile, so that she could return
to the harks Of the Shannon and carry
out the desire of her heart, which had
oeen ever-present and ever-eager for
close on twenty years.
MISS Dflscoll WAS one of those women
VINO are wise enough to believe that
men are much wiser than themselves,
ana that of all sagacious men the man
OF law is most sagacious. In pursuance
OF this belief, she repaired during the
course Of the following afternoon to
Mr.. Baxendale's office, in order to con-
suit MIN on the matter of the diamonds
fairs. r - ' q"
She had taken the opportunity earlier
IN the day OF having a little chat with
MISS Bryce as to the latters purchase
that there would be no difficulty in ar
ranging that little matter.
MISS Bryce had been long enough with
MISS Driscoll to know that the business
.lelded very handsome profits, and she
was not only willing to buy it outright.
put to pty cash for the good will. At,
tlngs' and stock In trade, her father, a
rTS;sppectan'e T;sp tradesman; having recently
hundred pounds. So now there waE
nothing TO detain Miss Driscoll but the
actual settling of the late Mr.. F'inney's s
affairs. and that she determined TO push
forward to the best of her ability.
When Miss Driscoll entered Mr.. Bax-
9nuales ott1ce she was received By Mr.
Baaxendale a son. young gentleman
might be found there discharging the
duties of clerk in a perfunctory fash
lon. but whose absences, from even
such mid form of labor were so fire.
guent that no one ever knew whether
ne might be found at the office or not.
II was rather we'll known in the town
mat Mr.. Baxendale's son was a bad lot.
propensity to walk in evil ways-he was
fond of fast and vicious life, and he
had caused his father rather more trou-
oie than Is usually given to parents by
choice assortment of unruly children
1t was extremely unfortunate that Mr..
Baxehdale was soft-hearted, lnduIgent,
leasy-golng man, who had lost his wife
az an early stage of married life, and
boy a stepmother. The youngster, left
TO the care Of servants, had grown up
as he pleased, done as he pleased, and
had steadily refused to please anybody
His father had intended him to follow
his own profession, and had placed him
at a good school, from which he ran
away SO often that the authorities at
turn. He had been duly articled to his
iather, and was supposed to be reading
law at moments when he was playing
Billiards, attending horse races, or drink
ing bitter beer in tap rooms Now, at
the age of twenty-five, he was a mere
hanger-on at his fathers house and
office, and there were times when his
father did not know where he was, for
he would absent himself suddenly with
out excuse or reason, and come back
just as suddenly, without as much as a
'by-your-leave.
In short, Nnian Baxendale was a
thorough young scamp, who had no
principles of any good description and
desired nothing but the satisfaction of
his own low and selfish vices.
He was by no means an unpleasant
looking young man, this good-for-noth-
Ing, however, and he received Miss
Driscoll with a smile and bow which
his part He was rather tall and slim OF
figure. pale of face. with a dark, silky
mustache that curled about mouth
which indicated selfishness rather thar
weakness of character, small, crafty
eyes and a general expression of insin'
cerity.
Yet he made at first sight a good i'm
preston because he was always yer!
perhaps more at his clothes than a
him. She exchanged a word or tive
with him as he conducted her to hi
fathers room, and Ninian Baxendale
tongue was unusually polite. for h,
knew all about the Finney Will and III
results to Miss Driscoll.
Having shown Miss Driscoll into th'
presence, Ninian Baxendale executed
those persons who liked to be fully in
formed of whatever is going on in thei
immediate vicinity-such liking invaria
bly, springing from a notion that II yol
only hear a good deal you will be Ger
tain to be able to hear something OF
to your own advantage-this younl
man had some time previously con
ceived a brilliant method of overhear
Ing and overseeing all that went on II
his fathers private office.
Mr.. BaXendales h3Ise was an ancien
one, with many passages, deep cup
boards, and similar arrangements II
its interior economy. Ninian Baxen
dale, spying out the land, had dis
covered a large closet which opene'
into his fathers room on one side an
into a disused chamber on the other
He had further ascertained that 1t wa
never used for any purpose whatever
being given up, indeed, to large an
dusty accumulation of old deeds, oil
ledgers and rubbish in general, none o
which was ever wanted and was there
fore never referred to.
In the upper panels OF the door ther
were several round holes, presumably