ly than I care to have them. You understand. I want to know
if my son visits the Rossmores, and if he does I wish to be kept
informed of all that's going on. You understand?"

"Perfectly, sir. You shall know everything."

Mr. Ryder took a blank check from his desk and proceeded to fill
it up. Then handing it to the detective, he said:

"Here is $500 for you. Spare neither trouble or expense."

"Thank you, sir," said the man as he pocketed the money. "Leave it
to me."

"That's about all, I think. Regarding the other matter, we'll see
how the letter works."

He touched a bell and rose, which was a signal to the visitor that
the interview was at an end. Mr. Bagley entered.

"Sergeant Ellison is going," said Mr. Ryder. "Have him shown out,
and send the Republican Committee up."

CHAPTER X

"What!" exclaimed Shirley, changing colour, "you believe that John
Burkett Ryder is at the bottom of this infamous accusation against
father?"

It was the day following her arrival at Massapequa, and Shirley,
the judge and Stott were all three sitting on the porch. Until
now, by common consent, any mention of the impeachment proceedings
had been avoided by everyone. The previous afternoon and evening
had been spent listening to an account of Shirley's experiences in
Europe and a smile had flitted across even the judge's careworn
face as his daughter gave a humorous description of the
picturesque Paris student 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 Burkett Ryder. The great financier was
certainly able to do anything he chose, and had not his son
Jefferson promised to win him over to their cause? So, to-day,
after Mrs. Rossmore and her sister had gone down to the village to
make some purchases Shirley timidly broached the matter. She asked
Stott and her father to tell her everything, to hold back nothing.
She wanted to hear the worst.

Stott, therefore, started to review the whole affair from the
beginning, explaining how her father in his capacity as Judge of
the Supreme Court had to render decisions, several of which were
adverse to the corporate interests of a number of rich men, and
how since that time these powerful interests had used all their