had prepared her for the blow; he, and what she herself had seen
of the partisanship between Dorothy and Gordon.

"You must be brave, my dear," her father soothed, "because it is
necessary that you should know. Race came upon them here last night, in
each other's embrace, I believe, and with the girl's help, Wade got the
upper hand."

"Are you sure it was Gordon?" Her cold fingers held to his warm ones as
in her childhood days, when she had run to him for protection.

"His quirt is there on the desk."

"But why should they have come here, father--here of all places? Doesn't
that seem very improbable to you? That is what I can't understand. Why
didn't he go to her house?"

"For fear of arrest, I suppose. Their reason for coming here, you have
half expressed, Helen, because it offered them the safest refuge, at
that time of night, in Crawling Water. The office has not been used at
night since we rented it, and besides Moran has been doubly busy with
me at the hotel. But I don't say that was their sole reason for coming
here. The safe had been opened, and doubtless their chief motive was
robbery."

She sprang to her feet and stood facing him with flaming cheeks, grieved
still but aroused to passionate indignation.

"Father, do you stand there and tell me that Gordon Wade has not only
been untrue to me, but that he came here at night to steal from _you_;
broke in here like a common thief?" Her breast heaved violently, and in
her eyes shone a veritable fury of scorn.

The Senator met her outburst gravely as became a man in his position. He
spoke with judicial gravity, which could leave no doubt of his own
convictions, while conveying a sense of dignified restraint, tempered
with regret.

"He not only did so, my dear, but he succeeded in escaping with
documents of the greatest value to us, which, if prematurely published,
may work us incalculable harm and subject our motives to the most
grievous misconception."

She lifted her head with so fine a gesture of pride that the Senator was
thrilled by his own paternity. Before him, in his child, he seemed to
see the best of himself, purified and exalted.

"Then, if that is true, you may do with him what you will. I am
through."

He knew her too well to doubt that her renunciation of Wade had been
torn from the very roots of her nature, but for all that, when she had
spoken, she was not above her moment of deep grief.

"My little girl, I know--I know!" Putting his a