Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-08-12
NINTH INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER XII.

anu Al0ANHNgA
Stilliter we're together when Kehrs
oiphersram was handed 20 Barclay.
and although they imagined that its
contents we're important they couldn't
help laughing az its wording
Suckers won't bite. Your muttering
osrburetor Tommy has tIckied Aphro-
dlte. Please pound his whlskers
quick.
Something about this blessed son
OF mine" said Barclay. He opened a
drawer IN his writing table and took
out code book. and then with the aid
Of the others deciphered the message.
The plain English OF Il was this:
Strikers WON'T fight. Your adopted
son Tommy has spoiled our plans.
Please call him off quick.
Well said Sturteyant, what will
you do?"
"Kehr," said Barclay, is blood
thirstily anxious 20 teach the strikers
. lesson. He being the man on the
spot. ! have felt Obliged to give him
q pretty free hand. But I'm glad
there has been no blood shed. Il
seems TO me that this is a matter for
Her to settle. silllter-can you make
Her call this strike of and bring
about a state Of amity in Bitumen?'
Stlliter simply reached for a tele.
graph blank and wrote:
kehr, BitUmen, Pa.
Am sending Her,
and signed IL Barclay.
What will you do about Tommy
he asked. Hell be even more in the
way when Celestia gets there"
After a moments reflection Barclay
wrote a telegram to Tommy:
Come home at once, must see you
on important business"
These kilograms dispatched. sturte-
want and Semmes took their leave,
while Barclay and stilliter sat on for
a time In silence Barclay was the
first to break &C.
You will have no trouble in per
suading her TO go?"
She dislikcs me, but she does what
] tell her--only ] don't tell her. /
don't understand her aversion to me.
She knows that ] am with her heart
and soul for the common good. And
she IS willing to work. with me. But
repel her"
Barclay smiled grimly
You have never made any great
effort to please the ladies'" he said.
"A mistake Of youth OF which be-
gin to repent in middle age. have
made the mistake Of imagining that
I could live and die an abstract In
tellect It's my eyes suppose. They
made me representative.
But you weren't born with weak
eyes"
"No-when l was at college retort
burnt in my face ! had splendid eyes
as a child. Nobody ever had better
physical equipment than l had-a
stronger body or a stronger brain.
am the kind Of man who ought to
marry and have children"
Both were silent again. Then Still
liter said
i've been giving the matter more
and more thought. 1t seems to me
sort of duty"
Sulliter sat gazing off into space
through the thick lenses which gave
him sight, and Barclay, troubled
smile on his lips, sat and watched
Stilliter's face.
You must have someone in mind,
he suggested presently
Stilliter gave kind Of guilty start
And suppose / have?'
The smile faded slowly from Bar
clay's mouth.
7 do suppose that you have" ht
said sternly but don't tell me tha
our plans are to be wrecked because
you have turned amorous in your mid
die age"
i thought" said sulliter, that
| had myself in absolute control"
This is frightfull" said Barclay
simply.
oh, don't worry" said stilliter
The great work shall be accomplishei
first. But 1t seems only right to tel
you what my intentions are-after tn
work is finished. Has anyone so grea
a claim on Her as IT.
You repel her. You have said II.
Il have willed her to like me.
is the one thing I cannot successful
viii her to do. I'm just say
ing what my ultimate intentions are.
Don't you think" said Barclay
that when her work is done. the poo
child ought to be turned free to live
70 love and to be happy"
Il do not" exclaimed stilliter, &c
the good of the human race. /
not"
He rose and started slowly for tn
door.
Wait a minute" said Barclay, an
he interposed himself between ST
liter and the door; have your woT
Of honor that you viii attempt not
ing against her, that she will be sal
with you until her work Is done7"
You have my word Of honor" sai
Stilliter. but the dog did not look HI
master in the eye.
(TO be Continued.)