met since their coming together at Oxbow Village.  Myrtle was conscious, the instant she looked upon Clement Lindsay, of the existence of some peculiar relation between them; but what, she could not tell.  Whatever it was, it broke the charm which had been weaving between her and Murray Bradshaw.  He was not foolish enough to make a scene.  What fault could he find with Clement Lindsay, who had only done as any gentleman would do with a lady to whom he had just been introduced, addressed a few polite words to her?  After saying those words, Clement had turned very courteously to him, and they had spoken with each other.  But Murray Bradshaw could not help seeing that Myrtle had transferred her attention, at least for the moment, from him to the new-comer.  He folded his arms and waited,—­but he waited in vain.  The hidden attraction which drew Clement to the young girl with whom he had passed into the Valley of the Shadow of Death overmastered all other feelings, and he gave himself up to the fascination of her presence.

The inward rage of Murray Bradshaw at being interrupted just at the moment when he was, as he thought, about to cry checkmate and finish the first great game he had ever played may well be imagined.  But it could not be helped.  Myrtle had exercised the customary privilege of young ladies at parties, and had turned from talking with one to talking with another,—­that was all.  Fortunately, for him the young man who had been introduced at such a most critical moment was not one from whom he need apprehend any serious interference.  He felt grateful beyond measure to pretty Susan Posey, who, as he had good reason for believing, retained her hold upon her early lover, and was looking forward with bashful interest to the time when she should become Mrs. Lindsay.  It was better to put up quietly with his disappointment; and, if he could get no favorable opportunity that evening to resume his conversation at the interesting point where he left it off, he would call the next day and bring matters to a conclusion.

He called accordingly the next morning, but was disappointed in not seeing Myrtle.  She had hardly slept that night, and was suffering from a bad headache, which last reason was her excuse for not seeing company.

He called again, the following day, and learned that Miss Hazard had just left the city, and gone on a visit to Oxbow Village: 

CHAPTER XXVII.

Mine and countermine.

What the nature of the telegram was which had produced such an effect on the feelings and plans of Mr. William Murray Bradshaw nobody especially interested knew but himself.  We may conjecture that it announced some fact, which had leaked out a little prematurely, relating to the issue of the great land-case in which the firm was interested.  However that might be, Mr. Bradshaw no sooner heard that Myrtle had suddenly