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Show I I linS H Sfchlo George Barr JCIM dlJlt; McCtdchcon ' Author of "Beverly Q g X Copyright. 906, by "Dodd. Mtad &. Company of Gr&ustark. Etc 8 w & ffs a CHAPTER XXIX. 2Zn. CLEGO wns not long I Inili'I 'n conv'ucln8 OrnyUou IIR i-'BI tnat nls ProI,osltlou t0 I IJjQODM btm was sincere and not i Jj tho outgrowth of sentiment. senti-ment. A dozen men In the otilee greeted Graydon with u warmth that had an uplifting effect. He went away with a heart lighter than he had onco imagined It could ever he again. In two weeks he was to lie In absolute coutrol of the New York branch. lie assured the Ann that his physical condition was such that he could go to work at onco If necessary. As he hastened to tho Annex misgivings mis-givings again entered into his soul. Tho newspapers had heralded his return re-turn and had hinted broadly at romantic ro-mantic developments In connection with Miss Cable, "who Is at the Annex with Mr. and Mrs. Cablo." There were brief references to tho causes which sent both of them to tho Philippines, Philip-pines, and that was all. Without hesitation bo camo to the point by asking If she knew what had befallen his father. Jano hud hoard tho news the night before, lie thereupon there-upon put the whole situation before her Just as It had been suggested in Droom's Ironical remark. It was not until after the question had been passed pass-ed upon by Mr. and Mrs. Cablo that she reluctantly consented to visit Gray-don's Gray-don's father solely for the purpose of gleaning what Information she could regarding her parentage. They left tho next day with Elian Droom, depressed, nervous, drcadlu the hour ahead of them. Neither was In the mood to respond to the eager, excited remarks of the old clerk. The short railroad trip was one never to bo forgotten; impressions were left in their lives that could not bo effaced. James Iiansemcr, shorn and striped, was not expecting visitors. He win surprised uud angry when ho was told that visitors were waiting to see him For four weeks he had labored clumsily clumsi-ly nnd sourly in the shoo factory of the great prison, a hauler and carrier. Ills tall figure was be lit with unusual toll, his bauds were sore and his heart was full of the canker of rebellion. Al ready in that short time his faco had taken on tho look of the convict. All the vlclousncss in his naturo had gone to, his faco and settled there. Uo had the sullen, dogged, patient look of the man who has a number, but no name. The once dignified, aggressive walk had degenerated Into a slouch. He shuffled as he camo to the bars where be was to meet bis first visitors. He was not pleased, but ho was curious. Down In his heart bo found a hope that bis attorney had come with good news. It wns not until he wns almost face to faco with his son that he realized real-ized who it was, not until then that ho felt the full force of shame, ignominy, ig-nominy, loathing for himself. no started back with nn Involuntary oath and would have slunk nwny had not Graydon called out to hlm-catled out In a voice full of pnln nnd misery Tho convict's face was ashen and his Jaw hung loose with tho paralysis of dismay. His heart dropped like n chunk of loc: his feet wcro as leaden weights. A look of utter despair camo Into his hard eyes as ho slowly ndvauccd to the bars. s "My God. Graydon, why did you come? Why did you como here?" he muttered. Then ho caught sight of Jane nnd Ellas Droom. His eyes dropped, drop-ped, nnd his lingers twitched. To save his life he could not have kept his lower low-er Up from trembling nor tho burnlug tears from his eyes. Ills humiliation wns complete. A malevolent grin was on Di corn's faco. Ills staring bluo eyes looked with a groat Joy upon tho shamed, lcateu raau In the Btrlpes. The one thing that he had longed for and cherished hail come to pass. IIo had lived to bco James Bnnsomer utterly destroyed oven In his own eyes. "Father,. I can't bollcvo it. 1 can't tell you how it hurts me. I would willingly tako your place If it were possible Forgive mo for deserting you," Gray don was saying Incoherently when hla father lifted his faco suddenly, n fierce, horrified look of understanding In tho eyes that Unshed upon Ellas Droom. ! Even as ho clasped his son's band in tho bitterness of smnll Joy his lips curled Into n snarl of fury. Droom's eye shifted Instantly, his uneasy gaze directing Itself, ns usual, jhovo the head of Its victim. "You did thU.curso you!" :amo from tho convict's livid lips. ."Aid this girl tool Good God, you toiu-v I would rather have died than to meet Graydon as I aw now. You know It, and you brought him hero. I bono you will rot for this, Ellas Droom, Sho comc3 here, too, to gloat, to rejoice, to oeo how I look before my son In prison stripes!" no went on violently for a long stretch, ending with a sob of rage. "I suppose you aro satisfied," he haul hoarsoly to Droom. Graydon and Jnno looked ou lu aur-priso aur-priso and distress. Droom's cazo did not swervo nor nis expression change. "Father, didn't you expect mo to como?" asked Oraydon. "Don't you want to boo me?" "Not here. Why should 1 have tried to keep you from returning to this country? God knows how I hoped and prayed that you'd not see mo here. Ellas Droom knew It. That's why he brought you here. Don't lie to me. Droom. 'I know It!" "What could you expect?" mumbled mum-bled Droom. "Down In your heart you wanted to see him. I'vo done you a kindness." "For which I'll repay you some day," cried tho prisoner, a steady look In his eyes. "Now go away, all of you! I'm through with you. You've seen me. Tho girl Is satisfied. Go" "Nonsense, father," cried Graydon. visibly distressed by his father's nn! guish. "Ellas said that you wanted to seo us. Jane did not Como out of curiosity. She Is hero to nsk Justice of you. She's not seeking vengeance." "I'll talk to you alone," said the prisoner shortly. "Send her away. I've nothing to say to her or Droom." Jano turned and walked swiftly away, followed by Droom, who rubbed his long angors together and tried to look sympathetic. Tho lnterviow that ensued between father and son wns never to be forgotten by cither. Graydon Gray-don beard his father's bitter story In awed slle"ce; heard him curse deeply and vindictively; heard all this uud marveled at tho new and heretofore unexposed side of bis nature. There was something pathetic lu the haggard face and the expressions of Impotent rage. His heart softened when his father bared his shamo to him and cried out against tho fate which had brought them together on this dny. "It doesn't matter, father," said Graydon hoarsely. "1 deserted you, "1'ou did this, curse youl" came from the convict's IMd lips. and I'm sorry. No matter what you've dono to bring you here, I'm glad I've come to see you. I don't blaino Ellas. For awhile Vm afraid I rather held out agalnat coming. Now I am glad for my own sake. 1 wou't desert you now. I am going to work for a pardon par-don If your appeal does not go through." "Don't-1 won't have It!" exclaimed the other. "I'm going to stay It out. It will give me tlmo to forget, so that I can be n better man. If they let me out now I'd do something I'd always regret. I want to serve my time and start nil ove,r again. Don't worry about me. I won't hamper you. I'll go away abroad, as Harbert suggest sug-gest J. His advice was good, after all. Understand, Graydon, I do not want parole or pardon. You must not uudertako It. I am guilty and ought to 1)0 punished the same as these other fellows In here. Don't shudder. It's true. I'm no better than they." "1 hate to think of you lu this awful place." began Graydon. "Don't think of me." "Hut l'vo seen you here, father!" cried the t-on. "A pietty spectacle for a son," laughed laugh-ed tho father bitterly. "Why did .win hrlti that girl hero? That was, cruel heartless." Graydon tried to convince him that Jnno had not como to gloat, but to nsk a fivnr of him "A favor, eh? She expects mo to tell all I know nbout her, eh? Tbnt'n good!" laughed Btinsemer. "Father, she has done you no Wioug Why nro you bo bitter against her? It's not right. It's not llko you." Iiansemcr looked steadily at him for a full mlnuto. "Is she going to marry you, Graydon?" Gray-don?" "Sho refuses absolutely." "Then she's better than I thought Terhaps I'm wrong In hating her as I do. It's because she took you away from mo. Glve me time, Graydon. Somo day 1 tn.iy tell you all I know. Don't urge mo now. I can't do It now. I don't wan; to 'see her again. Don't think I'm a fool about It. boy. nnd dou't speak of It again. Give mo time." "She Is the gentlest woman In tho world." "You love her?" "Hotter than my life." "Graydon, I-l hope she will change her mind and become your wife." ' "You do? I don't understand." "That's why I'd rather sho never. could know who her parents are. The shadqw Is lnvlslbto now. It wouldn't help matters for her If it wcro visible. She's better off by not knowing. Has Droom Intimated that ho knows?" "Ho says ho does not." "He lies, but nt the same tlmo he won't tell her. It's not lu him to do It. Ho has served me ill today. Ho has always al-ways hated me, but ho was always true to me. Ho did mo a vllo trick when ho changed tho cartridges In my revolver. 1 discharged him for that I told him to appear against mo if be would. Ho wns free to do so; but, curso him, ho would not glvo mo the satisfaction of knowing thnt ho was a traitor. He knew I'd go over tho road anyhow. He's been waiting for this day to come, no has finally given me tho unhapplcst hour lu my life." After a few moments bo quieted down nnd asked Graydon what his plans wcro for tho future. In a strained, strain-ed, uncertain way the two talked of tho young man's prospects nnd the advantages ad-vantages they promised. "Go ahead, Graydon, and don't let tho shadow of your father haunt you. Don't forget me, boy, because I love you better than all tho world. These aro strango words for a man who has fallen ns I havo fallen, but .they are true. Listen to this: You will bo a rich man homo day. I have a fortune to give you, my boy. They can't tako my money from mo, you know. It's all tc be yours, every cent of It. You see" "Father I lot us not talk nbout It now," said Graydou hastily, a blimlou of rcpuguntico in his eyes. Bnusctuer studied his face for a moment, and a deep red mounted to his brow. "You mean, Graydon," ho stammered, "that you you do not want my money?" "Why should wo tall: about It now?" "Because it suggests my death?" "No, no, father. I" "You need not say It. 1 understand It's enough. You feel that my money was not honestly mnde. Well, we won't discuss It I'll not offer It to you again." "It won't make any difference, dad I love you. I don't lovd your money.' "Or tho way I earned It. Somo day. my boy, you'll learn that very low make money by dealing squarely with their fellow men. It's not the custom. cus-tom. My methods wor,e a little broader broad-er than common, that's all. 1 now notify you that I Intend to leuvo all I havo to sweet charity. I earned most of my 111 gotten wealth In New York nnd Chicago, and I'm going to give It back to these cities. Charity will take anythlug that is offered, but It doesn't always give in return." At the expiration of the time allotted to the visitor Graydon took his departure. de-parture. "Graydon, ask her to think kindly of mo if she can." "I'll come down again, father, before be-fore I go east." "No!" almost shouted James Uansomer. Uanso-mer. "I won't have It! For my sake, Graydon, dou't ever como hero again. Don't shame mo more than you have today. I'll never forget this hour. Stay nwii, and you'll be doing mo the greatest kindness In the world. Promise Prom-ise me, boy!" "I can't pro'mUe that, dad. It Isn't sane request. I am your son" "My God, boy. don't you see that 1 can't bear to look at you through these bars? Go! Please gol Goodby! Write to me, but don't como here again Don't! It's only a few years." Ho turned away abruptly, his shoul der drawn upwnrd as If In pain, and Graydon left the place, weukened and sick nt heart Jaue nnd Droom were awaiting him In an outer office. Tho former lool.it I Into his eyes searchlngly, tenderly. "I'm so sorry, Graydon," she said u she took bis hand lu hers. All the way back to Chicago Ellns Droom sat and watched them from un der lowered brows, wondering why li was that ho folt so much lonelier than ho ever had felt before wondering, too, In a vague sort of way why hu was not able to esult. after all. CHAPTER XXX. ' v-1 AXE was 111 and did not y y ,eavo ucr room during y Bj tho two days following A Jm tho visit to tho penltcn- &F ' tlnry. Sho was haunted -5 by tho faco of James Bansemor, tho convict It wns beyond her powers of Imagination to recall him as tho well groomed, distinguished man sho onco had known. Graydon was deeply distressed over tho pall. and humiliation ho had subjected her to through Droom's unfortunate efforts. Tho fact that sho could not or would not seo him for two days hurt him uioro than ho could nxnress. oven to Itlnwe'f i'i,. iMj heron ,rx rr New Ymk, ImueuT, she miw lilm In their pirlor She was pale and quiet Wither mentioned the vMt to the prl'ii There wns nothing to wiy "You will he In New York ' next wVi'Vr" w asked as he arose to le.ive Ills sdr'r was sore She again Imd tnhl him timt he must not hope. With a hyste-lenl attempt to lead him on to other tiipti'i hin repealed her conversa tlous wish Tries., Valesquez, urging hhn, with a hopeless uttempt at bravn do. to seek out Hie Spanish girl and tnnrrj her. He laughed lifelessly at tho Jest "We will leavo Chicago on Monday. Father will havo his business affairs arranged by that time. I would not let him resign tho presidency. It would seem as If I were taking It nwny with blni. We expect to bo In Europe for ilx or eight mouths; then I am coming hark to New York, whero I was born, Graydon, to work." Ho went nway with the feeling In his heart that ho was not to seo her ngaln. A single atom of determination lingered linger-ed In bis soul, however, and ho tried to build upon It for the future, ltlgby's wedding luvltntlon had come to him Hint morning, almost as a mockery. Ho toro It to pieces, with n scowl of recollection. Droom's effects wcro ou tho way to Now York. IIo hung back, humbly waiting for Graydon to suggest that they should travel cast on tho snino train. Ills grim, friendless old heart gavo a bound of puro Joy, tho first ho had known, w hen tho young man inado tho suggestion that night Together they traveled eastward and homoward, leaving behind them tho gray man In stripes. Jane's six mouths In Europo grew Into a year, and longer. It was a long but n prolltablo year for Graydon Ban-semcr. Ban-semcr. Ho had been enriched not only In wealth, but In the hope of ultimato happiness. Not that Jano encouraged him. Far from It She was moro obdurate obdu-rate than over with nn ocean between them, lint his ntom of determination had grown to u purpose. Ills face was thinner, nnd his eyes were of a deeper, more wistful gray. They were full of longing for the girl ncross tho sea and of pity nnd yearning for the man luck there In the west. He had tolled hard and well. He Had won. The shadow of '00 was still over him, but the year nnd n new nmhltlon had lessened Its blackness. Friends were legion lu the great metropolis. Ho won his way Into the hearts unit confidence of new associates and renewed re-newed fellowship with the old. Invitations Invita-tions came thickly upon him, but he resolutely turned his back upon most 3f them. IIo wns not socially hungry lu theso days. Onco n week he wrote to his father, but there never wns a reply. He did not expect one, for James Iiansemcr, lu asking "hlin to wilto, had vowed that his sou should never hear from him again until ho could spenk as a free man nnd a chastened one. True to his promise, Graydon Instituted no movement move-ment to secure a pardon. lie did, by n strong personal appeal, persuade Denis Harbert to drop further prosecution. There were enough Indictments ngnlust his father to have kept him behind the bars for life. Ellas Droom had rooms in Eighth avenue, not a great distanco from Herald square. Ho was qulto proud of his now quarters. They had many of the unpleasant features of tho old ones In Wells street, hut they were less garish In their affront to an aesthetic aes-thetic eye. Tho Incongruous pictures wcro there, and tho oddly assorted books, but the new geraniums bad a chanco for life In the broader windows; win-dows; tho cook stovo was In the rear, and there was a vencrablo Chinaman In charge of it; the bedroom was kept" so neat and clean that Droom qulto feared to upset It with bis person. But, most strange of all, was the change in Droom himself. "I've retired from active work," he Informed Graydon one day when that young man stared In astonishment nt him. "What's the use, my boy, In Ellas Droom dressing llko a dog of a worklngninn when ho Is a gentleman of leisure nnd alllucnco? It surprises you to seo mo In nn evening suit, eh? Well, by Jove, my boy, I've got a dinner din-ner Jacket a Prince Albert nnd n silk hat. Thero aro four now suits of clothes hanging up In that closet," ho said, adding, with a sarcastic laugh: "That ought to make u perfect gentleman gentle-man of me, oughtn't It? Whnt nro you laughing nt?" "I can't help It, Ellas. Who would havo dreamed thnt you'd go In for good clothes!" "I used to dream about It long ago. I sworo If I over got back to Now York I'd dress as New Yorkers dress sven If 1 was a hundred years old. I've got a bcrvnnt too. What d'ye think of. that? He can't understand a word I say, nor can I understand him. That's why ho stays on with me. IIo doesn't know when I'm discharging dis-charging him, nnd I don't know when he's threatening to leavo. What do you think of my rooms?" It wns Grnydon's first visit to the place, weeks after their return to Now York. Ho had not felt friendly to Droom slnco tho dny at tho prison, but now ho was forgetting his resentment resent-ment In tho determination to wreat from him the mimes of Jane's fnthcr and mother. He wns confident that tho old man knew. "Better than Wells street, eh? Well, you see, I waslu trade then, Different now. I'm getting to bo qulto a fop. Do you notice that I say 'By Jove' oc-caslonally?" oc-caslonally?" IIo gavo his raucous laugh of derision. "Dined at Sherry's tho other night, old chap," ho went on with raw mimicry. "They thought I was n Christian ami let mo In. I used to look llko the iluvll, you know." "By tho Lord Hnrry, Ellas," cried Graydon, "you look llko the devil now." "l'vo got theso caipet slippers on bo-causo bo-causo my shoes hurt mr feot." ex- plained Droom hourly. "My collar rubbed my neck, so I took It off. Other, wlso I'm Just ns I wns when I got In at Sherry's. Funny what a difference a llttlo thing llko a collar makes. Isn't It?" "I pliould say no. I never gave It a thought until now. But, Ellas, I want to ask a great favor of you. You can" "My boy, If your father wouldn't tell you who her parents nre, don't expect uu to do so. He knows; I ouly suspect." sus-pect." "You must be n mind reader," gasped Qrnyilou. "It isn't hard to read your mind these days. Wbat do you hear from her?" Graydon went back to tho subject after a few moments. "I nm morally certain that 1 know who her father and mother were, but It won't do any good to tell her. How's your father?" After this night Graydon saw tho old t...in often. They dined together occaiiunally In the smalt cafes on the went nl.le. Droom could not, for some reason known only to himself, bo Induced In-duced to g) to Sherry's ngaln. "When Jano conies back I'll give you both it quiet llttlo supper there after tho play imtjbe. It'll bo my treat, my boy." The old man worked patiently nnd fruitlessly over his "inventions." They camo to naught, but they lightened his otherwise barren existence. There was not n day or night In which his mind wns wholly frep from thoughts of James Bniibomcr. Ho counted tho weeks nnd days until un-til the man would bo free, and his eyes narrowed with theso furtlvo glances Into the future. Ho felt In his heart thnt James Banscmcr would como to him nt onco nnd that tho reckoning for his slnglo hour of triumph would bo n heavy one to pay. Sometimes ho would sit for hours with his eyes staring at tho Napoleon above tho bookcase, something llko dread In their depths. Then again ho would laugh with glee, pound tho tnblo with his bony hand, much to the consternation of Chang, and exclaim as if addressing n multitude: multi-tude: "1 hope I'll be dead when be gets out of there. I hope I won't live to seo him free ngaln. That would spoil everything. Let mo see, I'm seventy-ono seventy-ono now. I surely enn't llvo much longer. I want to dlo seeing him ns I saw him that day. Tho last thing I think of on earth must bo James Ban-seiner's Ban-seiner's face behind tho bars. Ha. ha, ha! It was worth all tho years that ono hour. It was even wortli while being his slave. I'm not nfrnld of him. No! That's ridiculous. Of course I'm not afraid of him. 1 only want to know he's lying in a cell when I die out hero in the great, tree world. By my soul, he'll know that n handsome faco Isn't nlwuys the best. Uo laughed laugh-ed at my face, curso him. ills face won her his good looks! Well, well, well, I only hope she's whero hIio can sec hla faco now!" IIo would work himself Into u frenzy of torment and glee combined, usually collapsing nt the end of his haruuguc It disgusted him to think that his health was so good that ho might le oxpected to live beyond the limit of James Banscmer's Imprisonment. At tho cud of eighteen months Jaue was coming home. Sho had written to Graydou from London, and the newspapers news-papers announced the sailing of the Cables. "I am cowing homo to end nil of this Idleness," sho wrote to him. "I mean to find pleasure In toll, In doing good. In lifting the burdens of tboso who ure helpless. You will see bow 1 can work, Graydon. You will love mo more than ever when you seo how I can do so-much good for my fellow creatures. I wnnt you to love mo moro nnd more, becauso I shall lovo you to the end of my life." The night before tho ship was to arrive ar-rive Graydon dined with tho Jack Per-clvals. Per-clvals. It was 1 o'clock when Graydon reached bis rooms. 'There ho found a noto from Ellas Droom, "I havo an especial reason," be wrote, "for asking you and Miss Cablo to dine with mo on Monday night. Wo will go to Sherry's. Let mo know as soon ns you have seen her." W" " TO HE CONTINUED. |