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Show Aathor of "Beverly 0 X Copyrtjht. ISO, by Ttodd. Mtad 3L Company of Grauatark." Etc. 0 CHAPTER VIII. fiSjSSOBBY RIQBV and Gray JHSBfc don Bansctnor wero bos-XfSE- o'11 friends In Chicago; ' they bad bccu classmates IIV ut Vale. It bad been a 13-E2 5 J question -of money with Bobby from the beginning. Accordlug to Ills own admission, bis money was a source of great annoyance to Him. lie was not out of debt but once und then befote be fully realized it. So unusual un-usual was tlio condition tbut be could not sleep. Tbe Urst tblng be did In the morning was to borrow rlgbt and left for fear another attack of insomnia might Interfere with bis training for the football eleven. ' Itobertson Itay Rlgby, Immortalized s Bobby, bad gone in for athletics, where be learned to think and act -quickly. Ho was called one of tbe lightest but beadiest fluurterbucks in the east. No gridiron idol ever escaped bis "Jimmy" or "Toppy or "Pop" or. "Johnny." Wben finally be bung out ills shingle in Chicago "Robertson II. Rlgby, Attorney at Law" be lost his' Identity even among his classmates. It was weeks before tbe fact became generally gen-erally known that it was Bobby who waited for clients behind tho deceptive shingle. Tbe lndulgcut aunt who bad supplied ihlm with funds in college was rich in business blocks and apartment buildings, build-ings, and now Sir. Itobertson It. Rlgby 'was her man of affairs. Wben be went in for business, tbe old push of tbe football Held did not desert him. lie was very much nllvc and very vigorous, vigor-ous, and It did not take him long to "learn the signals." With bis aunt's unfaltering prosperity, prosper-ity, his own ready wit and unbridled versatility he was not long in establishing estab-lishing himself safely in his profession and In society. Evcrybodyllkcd him, b though no one took him seriously ex jLy cept when they canio to transact business busi-ness with blm. Then tbe wlttlness of tbe drawing room turned Into shrewdness shrewd-ness as It crossed tbe office threshold. The day after tbe Cable dinner Bobby Bob-by yawned and stretched through bis morning mall. He had slept but little the night before, and all on account of a certain, or rather uncertain, Miss Clegg. That petite and aggravating young woman had -been especially exasperating ex-asperating at tbe Cablo dinner. Mr. Rlgby, superbly confident of his standing stand-ing with ber, encountered difficulties which put him very much out of temper. tem-per. I'or the first time thero was an apparent rift In her constancy. Never before hud she shown such , signs of fluctuating. He could not understand It In fact, he dared not understand It "She was a most annoying young person," per-son," said Mr. Rlgby to himself wrath-fully wrath-fully moro than once after be went to bed that night. Anyhow1, be could not see what thero was about Howard Med ford for any girl to countenance, much less to admire. Mr. Medford certainly cer-tainly bad ruined the Cable dinner party par-ty for Mr. Rlgby, and be was full of resentment. "Miss Keating," called Mr. Rlgby (or tbe third time, "may I interrupt your conversation with Mr. Deever long nough to ask a question that has been en my mind for tw.enty minutes?" Mr. Deever was the raw young gentleman gen-tleman who read law In tbo office of Judge Smith next door. Bobby maintained main-tained that if be read law at nil it was nt night, for ho was too busy with other oth-er occupations during tbo day. Miss Keating, startled, turned roundabout round-about nromntly. "Yes. sir," at last came from tho pert young woman near tbo window. "I guess I'll bo going," said Mr. Deever Dee-ver resentfully, rising slowly from tbo side of her desk on which ho bad been lounging. ; "Walt a minute, Eddie," protested Miss Keating. "What's your hurry?" And then she almost Bnapped out, ".What Is it, Mr. Itlgby?" "I merely wanted to ask If you have sufficient time to let me dictate a few gbort letters that ought to go out today," to-day," said Bobby sarcastically. And then added with mock apology: "Don't move, Mr. Doever. If you're not in jA Miss Keatlng's way, you'ro certainly ' W not in initio." "A great Josber!'"tbat young woman was heard to comment admiringly. "You may wake up somo morning to find that I'm not," said Bobby soberly. Whereupon Miss Keating roso and strodo to tho other cud of tho room nnd took her placo besldo Bobby's desk. Bobby dictated half a dozen inconsequential inconse-quential letters before coming to tbe ono which troubled him most For many minutes ho stared reflectively at the typewritten message from New York. Miss Keating frowned sovorely and tapped ber little foot somowbat Impatiently on tho floor. But Bobby would not bo hurried. His reflections wero too serious. This letter fron New York had come with a forco suf- flclcnt to drive out even tbo InUIgnant thoughts concerning one Miss Clegg. For tho life of blm Bobby Itlgby could not Immediately frame a reply to the startling missive. Eddie Deever stirred restlessly on tho window ledge. "Don't hurry, Eddie!" called Miss Keating distinctly and Insinuatingly. "Ob, I guess I'll bo going!" he called back, beginning to roll a cigarette. "I bavo somo reading to do today." Mr Deever was tall, awkward and homely and a lot of other things that would have discouraged a less self satisfied "lady's man." Judge Smith said he was hopeless, but that bo might do better bet-ter after bo was twenty-one. "What nro you reading now, Eddie?" asked Miss Keating, complacently eying ey-ing Mr. Rlgby. " Raffles?' " "Law, you idiot!" sold Eddie scornfully, scorn-fully, going out d'f the door. "Oh! Well, tho law is never In n hurry, don't you know? It'a like Justice Jus-tice tho slowest thing in town!" she called after him as bis footsteps died away. "Ready?" said Bobby, resolutely. rTakc tbls, please." And slowly and carefully be proceeded, to dictate: Mr. Denis Herbert, Now Tork: Dear DenU-I cannot tell you how much your letter surprised me. What you say eems preposterous. There muet be a mleUke. " It cannot be this man. I know him quite well, and he seems as straight as a string and a gentleman too. His son yon know as well ee L There Isn't a better bet-ter fellow In the world. Mr. B. has a fairly' good business here. His transactions transac-tions 'open and aboveboard. I'm sure I have never heard a word said against him or his methods. You are mistaken; that's all there Is about It You might Investigate a little further and. assuring yourielf, do all In your power to check such stories as you relate. re-late. Of course I'll do as you suggest, but I'm positive I can And nothing discreditable dis-creditable In his dealings here. Keep me posted on everything. As ever, 'yours. Miss Keatlng's anxiety was aroused. After a very long stlenco she took the reins Into her own hands. "Is Mr. Brlggs in trouble?" she asked at a venture. ven-ture. Mr. Brlggs was tbe only client she could tblnk of whose name began with a B. Brlggs? What Brlggs?" asked Bobby, Bob-by, relighting bis pipe for tbe fourth time. "Why, our Mr. Brlggs," answered Miss Keating curtly. "I'm suro I don't know, Miss Keating. Keat-ing. Has be been around lately?" "I thought you wero referring to blm in that letter," she said succinctly. "Ob, dear me, no; another party altogether, al-together, Miss Keating. Isn't tbo typewriter type-writer in working order this morning?" morn-ing?" he asked, eying her machine Innocently. In-nocently. She sniffed and started to reply, but thought better of it Then she began pounding tbe keys briskly. "It works like a charm." she shot .back genially. Tho letter that caused Bobby such perturbation came in tbe morning mall. Ills friend had laid bare somo of the old stories concerning James Banse-mer Banse-mer and cautioned blm not to become involved in' transactions with tbe former for-mer New Yorker. Herbert's statements state-ments were positive in character, and he seemed to know his case thoroughly well. While the charges as they came to Rlgby wero general, Harbert had said that be was qulto ready to be specific. spe-cific. All day long the letter bung like a cloud over young Mr. Rlgby. He was to bare lunched with Graydon and was much relieved when young Bansemer telephoned that ho could not Join blm. Rlgby found himself in a very uncom-' fortable position. If tbe stories from New York wero true, even though be knew nouo of tbe inside facts, Gray-don's Gray-don's father was pretty much of a scalawag, to say the least He was not well acquainted with tbo lawyer, but be now recalled that be never bad liked tbe man. Bansemer bad Impressed Impress-ed blm from tho beginning as heartless, heart-less, designing, utterly unlike bis clean hearted son. Bobby loved Graydon Bansemer In tho way that ono man loves a true friend. Ho was certain that tho son know nothing of those shady transactionsif transac-tionsif they really existed as Harbert painted them but an cxposuro of tbe father would bo a blow from which be could not recover. It came at last to Rlgby that ho was not tbo only ono in Chicago who held tbo secret. Other members of tho bar bad been wnrned long before the news came to him, and It was morally certain cer-tain that If tbo facts wcro as bad as Intimated tho pollco aUo wero la possession pos-session of them. At tbo saino tlmo Rlgby felt a certain cer-tain moral responsibility involving himself. him-self. Bansemer at any tlmo might apply ap-ply his methods to pcoplo who were near and dear to blm. Tho new Intimacy Inti-macy with tho Cables camo to Bobby's mind. And then thero wcro Clegg. 0 roll, tbo Semesons and others who might easily fall Into tbo snare If James Kanscracr set It for thorn. Appreciating bis responsibility la tbe matter, now that ho was prepared to bear tbe worst of James Bansemer, Rlgby's heart stood almost still. It meant that somo day ho might have to oxpose Graydon Bansemer's father. It meant that be might have to cruelly hurt his friend. It meant that be might loso a friendship that bad been one of bis best treasures .slnco Hip gooa oia conego days. The mere fact that ho would bo compelled to watch and mistrust James Bansemer seemed like darkest treachery to Graydon, even though tho son should not become awaro of tho situation. Later in tho afternoon Bobby went guiltily into a telegraph olllco and sent away a carefully worded dispatch. Tbe answer camo to him at tho club that evening while ho was playing billiards with young Bansemer, who oven then was eager to be oft to keep tho promised prom-ised appointment with pretty Miss Cable. Ca-ble. Tbo telegram, which' be opened while Graydon impatiently chalked bis cue and watted for blm to play, was brief and convincing. It read: Watch him, by all means. IIo U not safe. My word tor It There la no mistake. mis-take. 1 CHAPTER. IX. fjsjssjlHB little room off tbe 11-Yn 11-Yn braT waa Jane's "den." ( J' Her father bad a better 4l J name for it He called LsjjLJ It her "web," but only in secret conference. Graydon Bansemer Ban-semer lounged there In bllssfal contemplation con-templation of a roseate fate, al tbe more enjoyable because his very ease was the counterpoise of doubt and uncertainty. un-certainty. No word of love bad passed between the mistress of the web and her loyal victim. But eyes and blood had translated the mysterious, voiceless voice-less language of tbe heart Into tbe simplest sim-plest of sentences. Tbey loved and they knew It After leaving Itlgby at the club Graydon Gray-don drove to tbe north side, thrilled to tbe marrow with the prophecies of the night. His heart was In that little room off the library and bad been there for months. It was the ubode of his thoughts. The stars out above tbe cold, glittering lake danced merrily for blm as be whirled up the Drive. The white carpet of February crlukled and creaked creak-ed with tbe chill of tbe air, but his heart was hot nnd safe and sure. He knew that she knew what he was coming com-ing for that nlght-the first kiss! Jane's face was wnrm; ber eyes bad tbe tender glow of joy expectant; ber voice was soft with tbe promise of coming surrender. Their hands met and clasped as she stood to welcome blm in the red. seductlvo dimness or the little throneroom. His tall frame quivered; his lean, powerful, young (ace betrayed tbe hunger of his heart; bis voice turned husky. It was not as he had planned. Her beauty ber mere presence swept him past the preliminary prelimi-nary (cars and doubts. His handclasp tightened, and bis (ace drew resistless-ly resistless-ly to hers. Then their bands went suddenly sud-denly cold. 4 "You know, don't you, Jane, darling?" be murmured. "Yes," sbo answered after a moment softly, securely. He crushed ber in his strong arms. All tbe world seemed to have closed In about ber. Her eyes, suffused with happiness, looked sweetly sweet-ly Into his until she closed them with the coming of the first kiss. "I ldve you oh, I loro youl" she whispered. "I worship you, Janet" be responded. "I have always worshiped youl" It was all so natural, so normal. The lovo that had been silent from tbo first had spoken, that was all had put Into words Its untold story. "Jane, I nro tbe proudest being in tbo world!" ho said, neither know bow long afterward, for neither thought of time. They wero sitting on tbo couch In tho corner, their turbulent hearts at rest. "To think, nftcr all, that such n beautiful being as you can bo mine forever! It's why, It's Inconceivable!" "You wore sure of mo all tho time, Graydon," she remonstrated. "I tried to hide It, but I couldn't You must bavo thought me a perfect fool all these months." "You nro very much mistaken, If you please. You did bldo It so successfully at times that I was sick with uncertainty." uncer-tainty." "Well, It's all over now," she smiled. And bo sighed with a great relief. "All over but tbe tbo wedding," he said. "Ob, that's a long way off. Let's not worry over that, Graydon." "A long way off? Nonsense! I won't wait" "Won't?" "I should have said can't Let's sec. Tbls is February. March, dearest?" "Graydon, you nro so much younger than I thought A girl sttnpjy cannot bo hurried through a an eugagoment Next winter." "Noxt what? That's nearly a year, Jane. It's absurd! I'm ready." "I know. It's mighty noble of you too. But I Just can't, dearest No one -vit nee "Don't don't you think I'm prepared to tnl.e nire of you?" he said, strnlslit-Willis strnlslit-Willis up a bit. Slu- lii';td nt hl xtrun;: flu'trt nnd lnti 'il i.irnur oyi-.i mil Iuiu-'hmI so ' ailimhly t'nt bh rPM'HHin"it ,m mil "I c.M't irlvo you it home like tills," be explained "But otl know I'll give you the host I have nil my life." "You can't help stieeoedttiR. i! ray-don," ray-don," she said earnestly "Every one says that of you. I'm not nfrnld. I'm not thinking of that ir Isn't tbo house I caru for. It's tho homo. You must let mo chooso tho day." "I supposo It's customary," he said at last "Juno is tho month for brides, let mo remind you." "Bcforo you camo this evening I had decided on January next, but now 1 am willing to" "Oh, you decided before I came, eh?" laughingly. "Certainly," she said unblusbtngly. "Just as you bad decided on tho early spring. But listen, dear. I am willing to say September of this year." "One, two, three seven months. They seem like years, Jane. You won't say June?" "Please, please let mo bavo somo of tho perquisites," sho pleaded. "It hasn't seemed at all llko a proposal. I'vo really been cheated of that, you must remember, dear. Let mo say at least, ns they nil do, that I'll give you an answer In thrco days." "Oranted! I'll admit It wnsu't tho sort of proposal, one reads about In novels" "But it was precisely as they are in real life, I'm sure. No ono has a stereotyped stere-otyped proposal any more. Tho men always tako It for granted and begin planning things bcforo a girl can say no." "Ah, I see It has happened to you," he said, Jealous at once. "Well, Isn't that the way men do nowadays?" she demanded. "A fellow baa to feel reasonably sure, I dare say, before he takes a chance. rNo one wants to be refused, yon knew," be admitted. "Ob, by tho way, I brought this er this ring up with me, Jane." "You darling!" she cried as the ring slipped down over her finger. And then for the next hour they planned, and the future seemed a thousandfold brighter than the present glorious as it was. "You can't help succeeding," she repeated, re-peated, "the aame as your father has. Isn't be wondetfut? 'Ob, Graydon, I'm so proud of youT' she cried enthusiastically. enthusi-astically. ."I can never be tbe man that tbe governor Is," said Graydon loyally, "I couldn't be ns big as father If I lived to be 120. He's the best ever! He's done everything for me, Jane," tho son went on warmly. "Why, he even left dear old New York and came to Chicago Chi-cago for my sake, dear. It's the place for a young man, bo says, and bo gave up a great practice so that we might be here together. Of course be could succeed anywhere. Wasn't it bully of him to come to Chicago Just Just for me?" "Yes. Oh, If you'll only be as good looking as he Is wben you are fifty-five!" fifty-five!" she said so plaintively that he laughed aloud. "You'll probably be Very fat and very bald by that time." "And very healthy, if that can make it seem more horrible to you," be add- " worship you, Janel ed. For some time ho sat pondering while sho stared reflectively into the lira opposite. Then, squarlug his shoulders shoul-ders as It preparing for a trying task, ho announced tlrmly: "I suppose I'd Just ns well seo your father tonight, dearest, no likes me, I'm sure, nnd I I don't think he'll refuso to let me have you. Do you?" "My dad's Just as fair ns yours, Gray," she Raid, with n smile. "Ho's upstairs In bis den. I'll go to mother. I know she'll bo happy oh, so happy!" Bansemer found David Cablo In his room upstairs, his smoking nnd thinking think-ing room, au ho called It "Come In, Graydon. Dou't stop to knock. How nro you? Cigarette? Tako a cigar, then. Bad night outside. Isn't It?" "Is It? I badn't-er-notlccd," said. Graydon, dropping Into a chair and nervously nipping tho end from a clear. "Have you been downtown?" "Yes. Just got In a fo? minutes ugo. Tho road expects to do a- lot of work west bis year, and I'vo been talking with tho ways and means gentlemen a polite und parliamentary way to put It" "I suppose wo'll all bo congratulating you after the annual election, Mr. Cable?" Ca-ble?" "Oli, tlut's Just talk, my boy. Wlue- niniiii is tne logical man ror president, nut where is Jane?" "Sho's-iili-Klownstnlrs, 1 think," said the tail young man, puffing vigorously, "I rnnm up er to see you about .lane, Mr Cable. I hnvo asked her to hu my wife, sir." For a full tiiliimi tin keen ivc of (he older nmu. Rlinrpciied by utilCe nnd exnerlciiiv. ,loj)l;id Htmlght Into the enniett Kniyeycs of the young man who now stood across the room with Ills hand on the iiinnle.p!cce Cnblo's cigar was held poised In his fingers, half way to his lips. Graydon linn-somer linn-somer felt Hint tho man aged a year In that brief moment "You know, Graydon, 1 lovo Juno myself," said Cablo nt last, arising slowly. Ills voice shook, "I know, Mr. Cable. Sho Is every; thing to you. And yet I hnvo come to ask yoU'to glvo her to me." "It Isn't that I havo not suspected aye, known what tho outcome would 'be," said tho other mechanically. "Sho will marry, I know. It Is right that sho should. It Is right that sho should marry you, my boy. You you do lovo her?" He asked the question almost fiercely. "With all my soul, Mr. Cable. Sho loves me. I don't know how to convince con-vince you thnt my whole life will lo given to her happiness. I nm suro I enn" "1 know. It's all right, my boy. It-It It-It costs a good deal to let her go, but I'd rather give her to you than to any man I've ever known. I believe In you." "Thank you, Mr. Cable," said Graydon, Gray-don, Bansemer. Two strong hands clasped each other, nnd there was no mistaking tho Integrity of tho grasp. "But this is a matter in which Jane's mother Is- far moro deeply concerned than I," added the older man. "She likes you, my boy. I know that to be true, but we must both abldo by her wishes. If she has not retired" "Jane is with her, Mr. Cable. She knows by this time." "She is coming." 'Mrs. Cablo's light footsteps wero beard crossing tho ball, nd an Instant later Bansomcr was holding open tbe den door for ber to enter. en-ter. He had a fleeting glimpse of Jane as that tall young woman turned down tbe stairwav. TO BE CONTINUED. |