The Lion and The Mouse

u believe that John Burkett Ryder is at the bot

ce as his daughter gave a humorous description of the picturesque Paris students with their long hair and peg-top trousers, while Stott simply roared with laughter. Ah, it was good to laugh again after so much trouble and anxiety! But while Shirley avoided the topic that lay nearest her heart, she was consumed with a desire to tell her father of the hope she had of enlisting the aid of John

mber of rich men, and how since that time these powerful interests had used all their influence to get him put off the Bench. He told her about the Transcontinental case and how the judge had got mysteriously tangled up in the Great N

eems impossible that the Senate will condemn a man whose whole life is like an open book, but unfortunately the Senate is strongly Repub

s head. Was that not just what she had to offer? Unable to restrain herself

y! I wanted to surprise you! Father, the most powerful man

interest. What could the girl mean

ant at the thought that she had arrived home in time to invok

roceedings will be instantly dropped. They would not dare act aga

child? Who is thi

most powerful man in the United State

rers. But to her surprise neither her father nor Stott displayed the slight

to your assistance. I came home on the same ship as

pipe and merely shook his head,

arter, Shirley. You don't expect a m

n?" demanded Shi

r is the very man who is responsibl

d blood. Decidedly some fatality was causing Jefferson and herself to drift further and further apart. First, her father's trouble. That alone would naturally have separated them. And now this discovery that Jefferson's father had done hers this wrong. All idea of marriage was henceforth out of the question. That was irrevocable. Of course, she could not hold Jefferson to blame for methods

ncocted the bribery charge with the sole purpose of ruining

fair, honest way, so they plotted in the dark. Ryder was the man who had most to lose by your father's honesty on the bench. Ryde

ed Shirley indignantly. "Cannot he be exposed, won't t

d I know what I'm talking about. They're too clever to be caught tripping. They've covered their tracks we

-do you believe

er would see me dead before he would raise a finger to help me. His answe

you refer to?"

ring me of this charge of bribery, for they plainly showed that I regarded the transaction as a bona fide investment. Since this trouble began I wrote to Ryder asking him to return me these letters so I m

el him to return t

terrupted Stott. "The man is gu

ossible that he may have lost the l

a that it may prove useful some day. The letters are lying somewhere in his desk. Besides, after the Tra

n boast-he's done it

solent oligarchy? The capitalists, banded together for the sole purpose of pillage and loot, had already succeeded in enslaving the toiler. The appalling degradation of the working classes, the sordidness and demoralizing squalor in which they passed their lives, the curse of drink, the provocation to crime, the shame of the sweat shops-all which evils in our social system she had seen as a Settlement worker, were directly traceable to Centralized Wealth. The labor unions regulated wages and hours, but they were powerless to control the prices of the necessaries of life. The Trusts could at pleasure create famine or plenty. They usually willed to make it famine so they themselves might acquire more millions with which to pay for marble palaces, fast motor cars, ocean-going yachts and expensive establishments at Newport. Food was ever dearer and of poorer quality, clothes cost more, rents and taxes were higher

ters and among the first to taste the vengeance of the people would be the Colossus. But while waiting for the people to rise in their righteous wrath, Ryder was all powerful, and if it were true that he had instituted these impeachment proceedings her fath

occupied. If they only had those two letters, she thought. They alone might save her father. But how could they be got at? Mr. Ryder had put them safely away, no doubt. He would not give them up. She wondered how it would be to go boldly to him appeal to whatever

exhilarating effect, and when Nature dons her brightest dress, when the atmosphere is purer, the grass greener, the sky bluer, the flowers sweeter and the birds sing in more joyous chorus, when all creation s

very flat and uninteresting, but she loved the country and found keen delight in the fresh, pure air and the sweet scent of new mown hay wafted from the surrounding fields. In her soft, loose-fitting linen dress, her white canvas shoes, garden hat trimmed with red roses, and lace para

he had spoken to his father and what the latter had said. She could realize now what Mr. Ryder's reply had been. Then she wondered what her future life would be. She could do nothing, of course, until the Senate had passed upon her father's case, but it was imperative that she get to work. In a day or two, she would call on her publishers and learn how her book was s

er carrier approaching the gate. Instantly she thought of Jefferson, and

e?" said the man eyei

I," said

knew his handwriting too well. The envelope, moreover, bore the firm name of her publishers. She tore it open and found that it

No. 36 Broadway, in relation to your book "The American Octopus."

s tr

urkett

r

ld get at Mr. Ryder and here he was actually asking her to call on him. Evidently he had not the slightest idea of her identity, for he had been able to reach her only through her publishers and no doubt he had exhausted every other means of discovering her address. The more she pondered over it the more she began to see in this invitation a way of helping her f

n Burke

ll upon gentlemen at

s, e

ley

der's reply. So certain was she that one would come that she at once began to form her plan of action. She would leave Massapequa at once, and her whereabouts must remain a secret even from her own family. As she intended to go to the Ryder house in the assumed character of Shirley Green, it would never do to run the risk of being followed home by a Ryder detective to the Rossmore cottage. She would confide in one person only-Judge Stott. He would know where she was and would be in constant communication

she began, "I

indulgen

like that of yes

e. You said that no one on earth could resist John Burkett Ryder, that no one

un the race. She had risen from her seat and stood facing him, her fists clenched, her face set and d

ed with a slightly ironica

ght John Burkett

d at her op

" he

oing to him and I intend to ge

hook hi

you clas

inal the world has ev

e you talking about? How can you e

"but I'm going to try. I love my father and I'

he matter has been sifted over and over by

ifted it over?"

" stammer

rl decisively. "Those letters my father spe

ld be inv

l get the

ow you're going to get at

passing over to him the letter

e contents the expression of his face changed. He gasped

rent!" he cried,

in the city immediately and conduct her campaign from there. If she was

apitulated. He agreed that she might be able to find the missing letters or if not that she might make some impression on Ryder himself. She could show interest in the judge's case as a disinterested outsider and so might win his sympathies. From being a sceptic, Stott now became enthusiast

clear, starlit night, with no moon, and Shirley sat on the porch listening to the chirping of the crickets and idly watching the flashes of the mysterious fireflies. She was in no mood for reading and sat for a long time rocking herself engrossed in her thoughts. Suddenly she hea

nd for several moments neither one spoke. There are times when silence is more eloquent than speech and this was one of them. The gentle grip

ome at last

," he replied gently. "I s

e what he said," Shi

He hung his head and hit viciously with his walking s

s foolish of me to think that

not the slightest influence over him. His business methods I

hand on his arm

we know that. Come

he porch and drew up

ut for a walk,"

et talk with you. I did not care to meet any

seemed to have drifted apart in some way since those d

but I couldn't go

ay?" exclaimed Sh

well together. Besides this matter of your father's impeachment has completely discouraged me. All the wealth in the world could never reconci

is hard to believe that y

inquired Jefferson.

d Shirley sadly, "but he is only a shadow of what he once was.

n. "To think that my father shoul

the best," added Shirley,

not for you-" He looked around at the cheap furnishings which he c

irley with a tinge of bitterness. Then smiling sadly she add

and took hold of the hand that lay

rry me. Give me the right to take care of you and yours. I am the son of the world's richest man, but I don't want his money. I have earned a competence of my own-enough to l

inned," said Sh

erson. "It is because the clouds are dark about you

shook h

anything else. Now it is different. Your father's action has made our union impossible for ever. I thank you for the honour you have done me. I do like you. I like you well enough to be your wife, but I will not accept this sacrifice on your part. Your offer, coming at such a critical time, is dicta

e and she buried her face in

that. I shall never love any other woman but you. If you will not say 'yes' now, I shall go away as I told my f

you going?"

Paris, studying at the Beaux Arts. Then I may go to Rome. If I am to do anyth

where the only topic, the only thought is money, where the only incentive to work is dollars.

eople in Paris, Rome and Munich and she would give him letters to them. Only, if he wanted to perfect himself in the languages, he ought to avoid Americans and cu

the first to congratulate me. I shall come

smiled

st. You may not

er her. In the dim light of the porch he saw that her tear-s

," he sai

put her hand in his. "We shall alway

-where to?" he

connection with my fat

puzzled. "You have w

it that it is urgent and important work." Then she added: "You go your way, Jefferson; I will go

" echoed

ally-I've thought it all out. You must not come back to me-you un

her hand t

on't forget me. I sha

she turned back and sank into her chair and burying her face in her handkerchief she gave way to a torrent of tears which aff

. We crossed on the same ship. I intr

d surprised, bu

that he is a differen

irley simply, and n

t was arranged that Stott should escort her to the city. Shortly before they started for the train a le

hirley

you at my residence-Fifth Avenue-a

very

urkett

r

father and mother, she passed it over to Sto

n Burke

h your request. I prefer the invitation to call at

s, e

ley

s she showed

e said, "and next time his

he left Massape