nd, "let us forget all hard
feelings, and be to each other henceforth as father and son should be.
Betty will be wild with happiness to welcome her father into her own
home."

But the stubborn old fellow would neither grasp his son-in-law's hand
nor accept the invitation to enter the house. "No, Mr. Logan," he said
firmly, "I am an honorable and, I hope, a just man; and my sense of
honor and of justice prompted me to apologize for an unjust suspicion
of you; but, sir," and his deep-set eyes flashed as he spoke, "though
you are exonerated from all blame in this political intrigue, you are
still guilty of a far greater wrong--that of alienating the affections
of my child, my only daughter, of basely abducting her from her
father's house, and well-nigh breaking that father's heart. That wrong,
sir, I can never forget, and for that, sir, I can never forgive you."

"But--but, Major Gilcrest, I beg of you," began Abner, earnestly; but
Gilcrest would not listen, and, with a wave of his hand to command
silence, he continued: "No explanation, no apology, no reparation, or
prayer of either you or your wife, can atone. I shall never under any
circumstances enter your door; but I will no longer forbid my wife to
visit her daughter, nor object to you and your wife returning those
visits. I bid you good morning, sir," and the proud and unyielding old
man rode away.

Several years later, Logan, while on a trip to Louisville, again
encountered Graham, and learned from him that the strange peddler who
had delivered the anonymous note to him and the one to Drane was Graham
himself in disguise. He had employed this ruse to ascertain which of
the two young men was the guilty one. When, in the guise of a land
agent, he had in 1806 visited that region, his suspicions had already
been slightly aroused against Drane. He had therefore managed to be
much in the company of the young lawyer, who, if he suspected that
Graham was other than he claimed to be, had the art to hide his
suspicions, and in pretended unconsciousness and innocence had also
managed to instill into the stranger's mind much doubt of Logan. These
doubts were in a measure allayed by Graham's visit to Logan; but, to be
entirely sure as to which was his man, he had resorted to the device of
sending the two warnings, intending that the one who took alarm should
be arrested. Drane, however, had been too swift in his movements, and
had thus escaped.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE