The Lion and The Mouse

and was now lying out in midstream. She would tie up at her dock within half an hour. Employés of the line, baggage masters, newspaper reporters, Custom House officers, police

t day of the voyage, bore no traces of gale, fog and stormy seas through which she had passed on her 3,000 mile run across the ocean. Conspicuous on the bridge, directing the docking operations, stood Capt. Hegermann, self satisfied and smiling, relieved that the responsibilities of another trip were over, and at his side, sharing the honours, was the grizzled pilot who had brought the ship safely through the dangers of Gedney's Channel,

Island and that she would be at her pier the next morning at 10 o'clock. Stott arrived at 9.30 and so found no diff

a man who stood at her side. Who they might be Stott had no idea. Fellow passengers, no doubt. One becomes so intimate on shipboard; it seems a friendship that must surely last a lifetime, whereas-the custom officers have not finished rummaging through your trunks when these easily-made steamer friends are already forgott

in arms, and bystanders who noticed them meet had no doubt that they were father and daughter. Shirley was deeply moved; a great lump in her throat seemed to choke her utterance. So far she had been able

ather were well. It was too long a trip

is not far from our house. Madison Avenue is no

and its contents have been sold," replied Stott gravely,

their future be, how could that proud, sensitive man her father bear this humiliation, this disgrace? To be condemned to a life of obscurity, social ostracism, and genteel poverty! Oh, the thought was unendurable! She herself could earn money, of course. If her literary work did not bring in enough, she could teach and what she earned would help out. Certainly her pa

sight of you as we left the ship, and w

direct to the Customs desk and in the crush they

father's. Mrs. Blake, my mother's sister. Mother will b

," said Mrs. Blake. "I really came over to

er for an escort!" retorted Shirley. The

-Judge Stott. Mr. Ryder has

bowed and

J.B.?" asked Stot

ll," answered Jef

's daughter come to be travelling in the company of John Burkett Ryder's son? The more he thought of it the more it puzzled him, and while he cogitated Shirl

already made on the ship, that they had nothing dutiable, and he rummaged among the most intimate garments of their wardrobe in a wholly indecent and unjusti

ntrolled himself. He had no wish to create a scandal on the dock, nor to furnish good "copy" for the keen-eyed, long-eared newspaper reporters who would be only too glad of such an opportunity for a "scar

" he exclaimed hotly. "How dare yo

st as if about to resort to violence, but he was not so intoxicated as to be quite blind to the fact that this passenge

glish dooks. You're not in England now

and a disgrace to the uniform you wear. I shall report your conduct immed

ame time he also knew that political influence had been behind his appointment and that it was unsafe to do more than mildly reprimand him. When, therefore, he accompanied Jefferson to the spot where the contents of the trunks lay scattered in confusion all over the dock, he

hispered Shirley as their

asked, "Madi

a moment and the

d for the Summer-at a cute little place

hat and the

and polishing in honour of the expected arrival and a hundred times Mrs. Rossmore had climbed the stairs to see that everything was as it should be in the room which had been prepar

ll be here to-m

the classic features of the hireling. Putting her broom asid

's three in family you are! When I took t

hree in future. There is nothing in the Constitution of the United States

f the Irish drudge. She relapsed into a dignified silence and a few

was not on his book. He kept leaving his chair to go and look at the clock; then he would lay the v

expected any moment now. The passengers had probably got off the steamer by eleven o'clock. It would take at least two hours to get through the Customs and

the news to her gent

to meet her ourselve

he puffed vigorously at his pipe, as was hi

be tried by the Senate for corruption, perhaps impeached and turned off the bench as if I were a criminal. Shirley won't believe it, sometimes I ca

to look up he noticed that his wife was

t harder for me to bear. Shirl

tice of it all," replied Mrs

ace, living from hand to

nd all the rest of it. She ought to make a good marriage." No matter what state of m

eplied the judge wearily. "Who," he added, "would have the c

! No, the clanging of a locomotive bell was plainly audible. The train was in. From the direction of the station came people with parcels and hand bags and presently the

servant, while she herself hurried down to the gate. The judge, fully as agitated as her

irst helping out Mrs. Blake. Mrs. Rossmore's asto

" she e

d afterwards. Then Shirley got o

?" was Shirley'

-he's

own from the porch towards the gate. Shirley, with a cry o

ed between her sobs. "Wha

Everything will be well-

stroked her hair with his hand, un

ter. Mrs. Blake explained that she had come chiefly for the benefit of

bother you only a

just one bedroom left." Then turning to Eudoxia, who was wrestling with the bag

the small bedroom adjoining Miss Shirley's.

eemed on the point of handing in her resignation there and then. But evidently she thought bette

as one likes to make it. It's hard on us girls, but if it's the law, it's all right, M'm. The more t

s would come later by express. Mrs. Rossmore took hi

" asked Mrs. Rossmore.

ry sensibly. We shall find her of great moral assistance

hat have they done

rs. Blake to go upstairs and see the room she would have, while Stott said he would be gla

oticing the lines of care which had deepened during her absence she cried: "Why, how you've chang

e tried

y dear

w her arms r

I know it's yo

my dear girl. Of course it

ring to your voice. It sounds hollow and empty, like an ech

k prepared for the worst, to help win the fight for her father's honour, but to have to struggle against sordid poverty as well, to endure that humiliation in addition to disgr

e blow has been complete. I will tell you everything. You sh

ey eagerly. "Tell me who th

now. You are tired after your journey. To-morro

After all," she added in an effort to appear cheerful, "

the house. She looked into the dining-room and kitchen and opened the cupboa

elves. Oh, if you only knew how tired I am of New York and its great ugly houses, its retinue of servant

ut the judge. He understood the motive of her sudden change in m

ad," he said. "There's

ee." She began to count on her fingers. "Upstai

e judge, "then

the rain runs off beautifully. Oh, I can see that this is going to be awfully jolly

piano, with a cheap, gaudily painted case outside and a tin pan effect inside, and which are usually to be found in the p

er effects. It's just like the sixteenth century spinet. I c

Mrs. Rossmore, who at that instant entered

cause we are on Long Island instead of Madison Avenue? Why should Manhattan Island be a happier spot than Long Island? Why shouldn't we be happy anywhere; we have each other. And we do need each other. We never knew how much till to-da

s. Rossmore, some

ted Shirley v

fered. He would

Shirley?

I shall probably write others. Then I shall write, too, fo

opus,' is selling well?" inq

royalties. I shall soon be a fashionable author. The publishers will be after me for more books and we'll have all the money we w

compassed his own ruin? It seemed like the retribution of heaven. Neither his daughter nor the financier was conscious of the fact that each was indirectly connected with the impeachment proceedings. Ryder could not dream that "Shir

she was ready to come down again luncheon would be served. So leaving the judge to his papers, mother and daughter went upstairs together, and with due maternal pride Mrs. Rossmore p

realization was so much more vivid. While hundreds of miles of ocean still lay between, it had all seemed less real, almost attractive as a romance in modern life, but now she was face to face with the grim reality-this shabby cottage, cheap neighbourhood and commonplace surroundings, her mother's air of resignation to the inevitable, her father's pale, drawn face telling so eloquently of the keen mental anguish through which he had passed. She compared this pitiful spectacle with what they had been when she left for Europe, the fine mansion on Madison Avenue with its rich furnishings and well-trained servan

throw herself in his arms crying: "Take me, Jefferson, take me away, where you will, for I love you! I love you!" But Jefferson was not there and the rickety chairs in the tiny bedroom and the cheap prints on the walls seemed to jibe at her in her misery. If he were there, she thought as she looked into a cracked mirror, he would think her very ugly with her eyes all red from crying. He would not marry her now in any case. No self-respecting man would. She was glad that she had spoken to him as she had in regard to marriage, for while a stain remained upon her father's name marriage was out of the question. She might have yielded on the question of the literary career, but she would never allow a man to taunt her afte

was where their hope lay. Why had she not told her father at once? It might have relieved his mind. John Burkett Ryder, the Colossus, the man of unlimited power! He could save her father and he would. And the more she thought about it, the more cheerful and more hopeful she became, and she started to dress quickly so that she mi

will you come