The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-05-19
CHAPTER xvl.-continu.d

Hill. AANiCh AilllSW worth rpfrnipa1
from talking about him to her father
because she loved him. So thew waro
never in each others presence witbo,+
thinking of the man. This vas q
source Of great irritation to the father
On occasion he almost found b;neo,p
at the point of shouting at his dongb-
ter to talk about him. And that she so
carefully avoided the subject ana 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
it 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 concealment to impair and weak
en- a tie unless it be ban! Prohibi
lions rarely prohibit.
Still there remained deep and abid-
ing affection between father and
/ daughter and they managed somehow
a get along outwardly much as before.
Iced, Colonel Illingworth was more
XII. IND considerable than ever to his
dan Inter, 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 gave him some
of pnnSpinnPp IN tbot
account, perhaps, he had been the more
willing to accede to her request to take
Shurtliff into his employ. In no way
was Shurtliff responsible for the fail
Ure Of the bridge or for any mistake
in the calculations of the Meades, and
Shurtliff 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
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 was marvelously ef-
ficient In his subordinate position. The
colonel, having first tried him out, had
advanced him rapidly after learning
his worth. He was now his private
secretary. Shurtliff being an old bach
elor without kith or kin, and not orig
inally fond of women, found himself
suddenly in touch with one OF the
sweetest and kindest, as well as the
youngest and most beautiful Of sex
about which he knew nothing.
His new position naturally brought
him into close touch with the colonel
The old man transacted good deal
of his business in his own house
Shurtliff was frequently there. Under
other circumstances Helen Illingwortr
would have treated him with that hne
and gracious courtesy which she e1
tended to everyone with whom sne
came in contact, but she would mo-
have especially interested herself IL
him. She would not have made hin
the object of the delicate attention anc
given him the careful consideration
which would have completely turned
the head Of younger and more sus
eeptible man.
There had been prejudice In Snurt
aiff's mind against women In general
and Helen Illingworth in particular
He had quickly realized that she aDo''
all persons had the greatest interes
In dIsproving Meade's statement an
his own and in laying the blame 10
the failure Of the bridge where IL DC
longed on the shoulders Of the patro
to love whom had been the habit or nj
u life. Therefore the old secretary wa
constantly on his guard lest ne D
trapped into admissions or action
\ which might be used to discredlt th
older Meade and convict the two col
VI Helen nlingworth was far 10
, cleN I to allow any inkling Of SUCH.
design to appear. Not the remotes
hint or such purpose did she betra!
She deliberately set about to win tn
old mans regard and respect and pc
haps eventually his affection. She no
the ordering Of her fathers househoi'
of course. That was matter In whlc
the colonel concerned himself not
all so long as things went SMOOTH
as Lucy dl"dyS ulu. AAc was -
astonished at her treatment OF Snur
LII, but the old secretary was at hea
gentleman, and there was no reaso
why, if Helen chose to include nj
among her friends and invite him
dinner and otherwise make him we
come in the house, she should not
so. And in his dry, precise way Shuf
lift was rather likable. He was touchs
and flattered by her kindness, ana
spite of his suspicious, which graz
ally grew less, by the way, he exert'
himself to show his appreciation al
to bear himself seemingly in his ne
life.
Colonel Illingworth had no susl
cions whatsoever that there had pe'
any conspiracy to suppress the tru
and shift the blame. True, his daue
ter had protested on that fatai u
that she did not believe Meade al
Shurtliff, but that was in the eAci'
ment of the moment and understan
able in view of her plighted trol
Helen had never discussed that WI
a.. orox, Tho vary Dama 0f the EN-