The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-05-31
CHAPTER xVI.-continued.

from talking about him To her father
because she loved him. SO they were
never in each others presence without
thinking of the man. This was a
source of great irritation to the father.
On occasion he almost found himself
at the point of shouting at his daugh-
ter 10 talk about him. And that she so
carefully avoided the subject and as
the avoidance was so obviously in ac-
Cordance with his own wish, the re-
straint irritated him the more. The
fact that they both sought so carefully
to maintain the old relationship made
II more impossible. For relationships
which are primarily founded on love
cannot be maintained by ConStraint
without the weakening of the great
force upon which their tenure had pre-
viouSly depended. There Is nothing
like concealmcnt to impair and weak
en a tie unless it be ban! PrOhibi-
lions rarely prohibit.
Still there remained deep and abid-
,nG affection between father and
daughter and they managed somehow
to get along Outwardly much as before
Indeed Colonel Illingworth was more
kind and COnSiderate 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 lie had laid down gave him some
Of In
account perhaps, he had been the more
willing to aCCede to her request to take
Shurtiitf into his employ. In no way
was Shurtliff responsible for the fail
nrC Of the bridge or for any mistake
IN thc calculations of the Meades, and
Shurtlif was an invaluable man, not
only for an engineer but for the presi-
dent of the Martlet Bridge company.
He was familiar with the subjects
.har Colonel IlIingworth discussed and
wrote about. He was intelligent and
reliable to the last degree, his reputa-
ton for steadiness and discretion un-
questioned, and he was marvclOuSly eff
iCient in his subordinate position. The
colonel, having first tried him out, had
advanced him rapidly after learning
his worth. lie was now his private
secretary. Shurtliff being an old bach
nlor without kith or kim and not orig
tnaily fond of women, found himself
suddenly in touch with one of the
sweetest and kindest, as we'll as the
Youngest and most beautiful of sex
about which no kDaw nothing
lis new position naturally brought
MIN into close touch with the colonel.
The old man transacted good deal
If his business in his own house.
Shurtliff was frequently there. Under
'ther circumstances Helen IllingwOrth
would have treated him with that fine
and gracious courtesy which she ex-
ended to everyone with whom she
came in contact, but she would not
nave especially interested herself in
him, She would not have made him
h" object of the delicate attention and
given him the careful consideration
which would have completely turned
h" head of Il younger and more sus-
'ontihle man.
There had been n preiudice In Shurt-
Hts mind against women in general,
'nd Helen IllingwOrth in particular.
He had quickly realized that she above
1lI persons had the greatest interest
diSprOving MPade's statement and
his own and in laying the blame for
'hc failure Of the bridge where 1t be-
.on@"d, on the shoulders of the patron
to love whom had been the habit of his
life. 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 Illingworth was far too
clever to allow any inkling of such
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-
hapS eventually his affection. She had
the ordering of her fathers household.
Of course. That was a matter in which
the colonel concerned himself not at
all so long as things went smoothly,
as they always did. He was a little
nstOnished at her treatment of Shurt-
lift, but the old secretary was at heart
gentleman, and there was no reason
why, if 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
so. And in his dry precise way Shurt-
lin was rather likable. He was touched
and battered by her kindness, and in
spite OF his suspicious, which gradu-
ally grew less, by the way, he exerted
himself to show his appreciation and
to bear himself seemingly in his new
life.
Colonel Illingworth had no suspi-
"i"hS whatsoever that there had been
any conspiracy to suppress the truth
and shift the blame. True, his daugh-
ter had protested on that fatal day
that she did not believe Meade and
Shurtlilf, but that was in the excite
ment of the moment and understand
able in view of her plighted troth.
Helen had never discussed that with
aim; even the very name of the engi-
neer being banned, she was silent. She
was wise enough not to try to worry
or bother her father with arguments
on that point to which, of course. he
would not have listened in any event.
Accordingly the conferences with
Rodney had never been brought to his
notice. There was no use stirring up
trouble and strife. There was no neces-