ed in my old age, far
from it. But give me time to think. Let us first ascertain the
extent of this disaster which has overtaken my father. Then if you
still care for me and if I have not changed my mind," here she
glanced slyly at him, "we will resume our discussion."

Again she held out her hand which he had released.

"Is it a bargain?" she asked.

"It's a bargain," he murmured, raising the white hand to his lips.
A fierce longing rose within him to take her in his arms and kiss
passionately the mouth that lay temptingly near his own, but his
courage failed him. After all, he reasoned, he had not yet the
right.

A few minutes later they left the deck and went downstairs to
dress for dinner. That same evening they stood again at the rail
watching the mysterious phosphorescence as it sparkled in the
moonlight. Her thoughts travelling faster than the ship, Shirley
suddenly asked:

"Do you really think Mr. Ryder will use his influence to help my
father?"

Jefferson set his jaw fast and the familiar Ryder gleam came into
his eyes as he responded:

"Why not? My father is all powerful. He has made and unmade judges
and legislators and even presidents. Why should he not be able to
put a stop to these preposterous proceedings? I will go to him
directly we land and we'll see what can be done."

So the time on shipboard had passed, Shirley alternately buoyed up
with hope and again depressed by the gloomiest forebodings. The
following night they passed Fire Island and the next day the huge
steamer dropped anchor at Quarantine.

CHAPTER VI

A month had passed since the memorable meeting of the directors of
the Southern and Transcontinental Railroad in New York and during
that time neither John Burkett Ryder nor Judge Rossmore had been
idle. The former had immediately set in motion the machinery he
controlled in the Legislature at Washington, while the judge
neglected no step to vindicate himself before the public.

Ryder, for reasons of his own--probably because he wished to make
the blow the more crushing when it did fall--had insisted on the
proceedings at the board meeting being kept a profound secret and
some time elapsed before the newspapers got wind of the coming
Congressional inquiry. No one had believed the stories about Judge
Rossmore but now that a quasi-official seal had been set on the
current gossip, there was a howl of virtuous indignation from the
journalistic muck rakers. What was the count