Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-04-27
CHAPTER xvI.-cOntlnued.

source Of great irritation to the father.
On occasion he almost found himself
at the point Of shouting at his daugh-
ter to talk about him. And that she so
carefully. avoided the subject and as
the avoidance was so obviously in ac-
cord0nce with his own wish, the re-
straint lrritated 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 concealment to impair and weak
en- tie unless it be banI Prohibi-
tons rarely prohibit.
Still there remained deep and abld-
Ing affection between father and
daughter and they managed somehow
to get along outwardly much as before
Indeed Colonel nlingworth 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 he had laid down gave him some
compunctions of conscience. On that
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
Shurtllff 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 nlingworth discussed and
wrote about. He was intelligent and
reliable to the Inst degree, his reputa-
ton for steadlness and discretion un-
questioned, and he was marvelously eff
ncient 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. Shurtllff being an old bach
el0r without kith or kin, and not orig
inally fond of women, found himself
suddenly in touch with one of the
sweetest and klndest, as well as the
youngest and most beautiful Of a sex
about which he knew nothing.
His new position naturally brought
him into close touch with Che colonel.
The old man transacted good deal
Of his business in his own house.
Shurtllff wns frequently there. Under
other circumstances Helen .Illingworth
would have treated him with that fine
and gracious courtesy which she ex-
tended to everyone with whom she
came In contact, but she would not
have 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 prejudice In Shurt-.
Iif's mind agninst women in general,
and Helen Illlngworth in particular.
He had quickly realized that she above
all persons had the greatest interest
In disproving Meade's statement and
his own and in laying the blame for
the failure Of the bridge where 1t be-
ionged, 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
trnpped into admissions or notions
which might be used to discredit the
older Meade and convict the two con-
splrators.
But Helen Illlngworth was far too
clever to allow any inkllng of such n
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-
hnps eventually his affection. She had
the ordering Of her fathers household.
OF course. That wns a matter In which
the colonel concerned himself not NJ
all so long as things went smoothly,
as they always did. He was a little
astonished at her treatment of Shurt-
LII, 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 vel
come In the house, she should not dc
so. And in his dry, precise way Shurt
lii was rather likable. He was touched
and nattered by her kindness. and II
spite OF his suspicious, which gradu
ally grew less, by the way, he exerteC
himself to show his appreciation ant
to bear himself seemingly in his new
life.
Colonel nlingworth had no suspi
cionS whatsoever that there had beer
any conspiracy to suppress the trutI
and shift the blame. True, his daugh
ter had protested on that fatal da-
that she did not believe Meade an,
Shurtllff, but that was in the excite
ment of the moment and understand
able In view Of her pllghted trotf
Helen had never discussed that wit
him; even the very name Of the eng
neer being banned, she was silent Sb
wns wise enough not to try TO worr
or bother her father with argument
on that point, to which, of course. h
would not have listened in any event
Accordingly the conferences wit
Rodney had never been brought IN hi
notice. There was no use stirring n
trouble and strife. There was no nece
sity even to discuss It with her faith,
until she had found more proof. S
ne at least had no suspicious as to hi
treatment of Shurtllff. He could n,
see any end to be gained and therefor
he jumped to the conclusion that thel
was none.
In course Of time. as Miss IllIn
worth never referred to Meade in Il
secretary's presence. all his mistru
disappeared. Finally he even brouel
up the subject Of Meade's whereabou
Of his own motion. Although the gI
was fairly wild to talk and ask que
tons she had wit and resolutit
enough to change the subject when
had been first broached and for maj
times thereafter.
Helen ulinnRnrth u,ns anh4ir. z