The Dolores star., 1917-09-28


him. Helen nlingworth reffained
from talking about him to her father
because she loved him. So they were
never in each Others presence without
thinking Of the mnn. This was .
source Of great irritntion to the father.
On occasion he almost found himself
at the point Of shouting at his daugh-
ter to talk about him. And that sue 80
carefully avoided the subject aud AZ
the avoidance was 90 obviously 10 &C
cortinnce with his own wish. the re-
straint irritnted him the more. The
fact that they both sought sn carefully
to maintain the old relationship made
Il more impossible. Fol- relationships
which are primarily founded on love
cannot be maintained BY sonstraint
without the weakening Of the great
force upon which their tenure had pre-
viously depended. There Is nothing
like concenlment to impair and wenk-
On de unless It be banl Prohibi-
lions rarely prohibit.
san there remainee II deep and abid-
ing affection between father and
daughter and the, managed somehow
to get along outwardly much az before.
Indeed Colonel Illingworth was more
kind and ,nsiderate than ever to his
daughter, and she repaid him with
more than usual care and devotion.
The very fact that she seemed to have
accepted the situation and obeyed the
law he had laid down give him some
c0mpunctions Of conscience. On TINT
account. perhaps, he had been. the more
willing to nccede to her request to thke
Shurtliff into his employ. In no WY
was Shnrtllfr responsible for the fall
ure OF the bridge or for, amy mistake
In the calculations Of the Mcndes, and
Ehurtlifs WIS IN invaluable man. not
only for an engineer but for the presi-
dent Of the Mnrtlet Bridge company.
He WINS familiar with the subjects
that Colonel Illingworth discussed and
wrote about. He was Intelligent and
reliable to the last degree. his reputa-
ton for steadiness and discretion I'M
questioned, and he WIS mnrvelously eff
0cient In his subordinate position. The
colonel. having hrst tried him out, had
Advancsd hiM rapidly after learning
his worth. He was now his private
secrernry. Shurtlir being nm old bach
elor without kith or kin. and not orig
irelly fcnd Of women. found himself
suddenly IN touch with one Of the
sweetest and kindest, AZ well ~ the
youngest ard must beautiful Of a sex
about which he knew nothing. Re
III His new position naturally brought
him Into close touch with the colonel.
Ths old man transacted good deal
OF his business In his own house.
ehurtlif wns frequently there. Under
other circumstances Helen nlingwo-th
would have treated him with that nne
and gracious courtesy which she ex-
tended to everyone with whom she
came In contact, but she would not
havs especially interested herself in
him. She would not have made him
the object Of the delicate attention and
given him the careful consideration
which would have completely turned
the head Of = younger and more sus-
ceptible man.
There had been q prejudice In Shurt-
HIS mind against women in general,
and Helen Hlingworth in particular.
he had quickly reolized that she above
Ill persons had the greatest interest
In dIspr0ying Metde's statement and
bis own and in laying the blame for
the faIlurs of the bridge where 1t be-
l0nEed. on the shoulders OF the patron
to love whom had been the habit of his
lite. Therefore the old secretary was
constantly on his guard lest he be
trapped into admissions or actions
which might be used to discredit the
older Meade and convict the two con-
spirators.
But Helen nllngworth was far too
clever to allow any inkling Of such a
design to appear. Not the remotest
hint Of such purpose did she betray.
She deliberately set about to win the
old mans regard and respect and per-
AAps eventually his affection. She had
he ordering Of her father's household,
II course. That was a matter in which
shs colonel concerned himself not at
al 30 long as things went smoothly.
- they always did. He was little
astonished 1t her treatment Of Shurt-
M, but the old secretary was at heart
gentleman, and there was no reason
why. Il Helen chose to include him
among her friends and invite him to
dinner and otherwise make him well
come In the house. she should not do
%. And in his dry. precise way Shurt-
mn was rather nkable. He was touched
and BATTERED by her Kindness. and in
spite II his suspicious which gradu-
ally grew less,, by the way, he exerted
himself to show his appreciation and
to besr himself seemingly in his new
llfa-
Colonel nlingworth had no suspi-
eions Whatsoever that there had been
any conspiracy to suppress the truth
and shift the blame. True, his daugh-
Der hnd protested on that fatal day
hat she did not believe Meade and
NAurtiliI, but that was In the excite
a. -