Show I I Illustrated II us t ra t e d b by j Iii THE T H E GIR G C I R L L. S P Y By Andree Hope Dorothy Y Dulin Dulin ulan Y j 1 F name is Anne Forsyth I J am MY 35 85 years of age and my my only brother Philip Forsyth whose house I share is somewhat older Few brothers and sisters have lived together e er in more perfect sympathy love and friendship than Phil and I II I. I I haven have I cannot pres presume me to say that been n all to him but he has been all tome tome to tome me me for man many a year rind and when the great eat p bl blow w fe fell upon fell 1 upon me that shattered the sweetest hope of or my life he alone knew the agony of or m my suffering h halone ne he e alone was was' my support and my comfort during th these se weary hours of anguish I repeat therefore that he is everything everything everything every every- thing to me in the world Whatever of romance Is left to me is centered in him but alas my love for tor him great as it is is a jealous love and for some sometime sometime sometime time past I have seen a cloud at first but a little cloud no greater than a aman's amans amans aman's amans aman's mans man's hand looming upon the horizon horizon of our happiness and I know it w will arise and ana grow until it will cover and darl darken en the beacon of my life Phil Is confidential traveler to a great Russian mercantile house that of nf Ranson Grant Ranson and so Important is the firm and so various the transactions In which it is en engaged engaged engaged en- en that besides besides' the ostensible branches of trade that its business embraces matters that may be considered considered con con- of ot public magnitude occasionally occasionally occasionally occasion occasion- ally pass through its hands s Unimpeachable in its integrity trustworthy In every respect secret negotiations It is whispered between mighty powers are not infrequently to the respected house of Ranson Grant Ranson My brother therefore has haB Just cause for lor pride in the tho position he holds in connection with such a firm and I 1 am proud for lor hi him L Not that he ever gives me Information information information tion respecting any Important subject confided ded to him in fact he rarely mentions It to me We never speak but of those matters matten of trade of ot which all the world may be bel cognizant but long years of intimacy have rendered me as well acquainted with his thoughts as if they were my myown own own Yet now alas I a cloud Is rising up to dim the brightness to mar the sweetness ot of ot this perfect confidence this perfect Intimacy The pretty baby face ace of ot Minnie Or ant the little little liWe daughter of the managing managing managing man man- aging partner of ot the firm is coming between me and the one delight of my life She was a a. sweet Joyous creature a achild achild achild child In thought as in years simple fresh and loving For years also I 1 had played with her as a toy and have petted her as a wee wee thing to love and spoil but now this childish creature ores crea ture is carelessly and thoughtlessly taking from me my one Joy Often Otten now will my grave brother de- de ert my my side Often Otten now he listens with but scant attention to the books boob he be once so loved me to read ad aloud to him Sometimes he will Jump up and leave me hastily with but faint taint apology po Ogy in order to have only a momentary glimpse of of the wayward little fairy who has bewitched his life School myself as I 1 will I t turn urn away with fierce indignation in my soul until recalled to my better nature by Phils Phil's pained and pitying glance Then as I hang over aver him in m deep repentance and pass my hand tenderly over the hair already whitenIng whitening whitening whiten whiten- ing from the labor and anxiety endured en dured for foi my sake I try to atone for formy formy formy my my folly and my y selfishness by leading leadIng leading lead- lead Ing him to talk fondly of her who has already taken from me the kingdom where once I 1 reigned supreme Ah me how complicated for good and find evil and how full of sorrow are our poor poor weak human hearts How hard it is for one good thought to find tind finda a place there until that place has been softened and prepared by many a bitter pang I have havo already mentioned that Phil Is not tint only a traveler but that he Is one of or the confidential travelers of the great firm His journeys are usually sua Y hurried often long and fatiguing and when such uch is likely to be the case he has occasionally taken me with him Strong of body strong of heart far from being a trouble I have at such times had the sweet consciousness of I being both a a. help and a comfort to him especially esp as though far far cleverer than I am he has not my vigor of constitution and is at times bodily unfit for the fatigue that such journeys must entail Russia was in general his destination destina destina- tion With him I 1 have been to St St. L Petersburg Moscow Kiev Odessa Ode a and even to those remote prey prey- tines s of ot the vast Russian empire that form torm the savage district of Siberia Once his duties called him to the I dread regions of eternal snow far tl f within the arctic circle and here in dismal t ismal villages laboring in noxious mines surrounded by barbarous and tribes we found some of those unhappy exiles who once noble and Illustrious but now nameless and degraded are expiating their f follies lIfes or ord ori orn ort their c crimes in n this distant n land of i awful t solitude d and terrific i desolation tio s Compared with such mch expeditions trips to South America and Australia were as nothing I 1 have been to allour all allour allour our colonies and have also accompanied accompanied accompanied nied my brother to China and Japan With reason therefore I consider myself myself myself my my- self an experienced traveler Our mother a Russian by birth the daughter of the Russian consul at Dantzic had clung tenaciously to her nationality and her language Our father lather had been fer many years agent to Ranson Co at Hamburg Frankfort Frankfort Frank Frank- fort fort- and Leghorn in which cities our early farly childhood was passed and nd it was In consideration of his faithful services ces and from regret at his untimely untimely untimely un un- timely death that Phil had been early employed by the firm and had gradually gradually gradually grad grad- risen both In trust and emoluments emoluments ments until he had attained the position position position tion ho he now occupied Still SUll Important as that position was and good as was the salary attached to It It Philip was no suitable match for the heiress of so rich a man as Mr Grant True could he but be a partner he might hope and this hope he cherished cherished cher cher- though it was only a g glimmer immer a amer amere amere mere mer speck so to speak at t the end ofa of ofa a 8 long vista of years yea Doubtless matters of importance were to him but young Mr Ranson the Junior partner always trav traveled led himself on occasions of the gravest import and as he manifested no Intention of resigning his functions and as the firm had never intimated a desire e to increase the tho number numb r of oe part partners ers poor Phils Phil's prospect of advancement advancement advancement ad ad- was but shadowy S One day day I I shall never forget torget that day day it It was early In the autumn but the weather far from having ing that crisp fresh brightness we usually enjo enjo en- en jo tn England during this portion of the year yeat was as cruel dismal and dismal as asif asif if it were the depth of winter of A cold dense fog wrapped the town town- in its chill embrace only lifting occa occasionally occasionally occa- occa when the keen biting wind came tear tearing g. g down the streets Who has not had an au unpleasant experience e of such a wind wind one wind one that nips all aU life lite from delicate flowers that flowers that rends reads half dead leaves from shivering branches arid and d. d penetrating every wrap smites feeble lungs with deadly force destroying de- de de destroying destroying flowers lowers leaves and human be beings ings legs alike with its its' cruel sharp sharpness For more than a week when night came this wind had fallen but bit th then n fell feU a a. drenching rain pouring down for hours until the earth steamed stE-amed with damp cold moisture and heavy cl clouds replaced the fog hanging low dark and lowering suggestive of snow on distant mountain tops and bringing thus early all the raw misery of a long and gloomy winter Phil was late late very late I had stirred the fire Into many a brilliant blaze The shaded lamp was on his reading table his favorite book was I ready for him The pleasant tea with I the steaming kettle and the delicate crisp toast had bad long been lieen waiting his his' arrival Twice I 1 had sent all away that no bitterness ev even even n of tea should be found in his cheerful h home me b but t yet I waited and waited and listened in vain ordinary messenger can suffice To Toone Toone Toone one most trustworthy alone can the papers or rather the communications be confided and I r Anne am chosen to tobe tobe tobe be be beso so trusted so-trusted trusted I feel I know how important important im im- porta t Js is s the duty how how- great the charge Joy illumined his countenance In his his excitement he walked rapidly up and down dowl the room pushing hurriedly aside any chair or table that impeded d his agitated steps I looked at him with amazement Never had I seen him so moved so unlike himself in such strange exultation I tion You will take me with you with you you I Isaid said hastily I I will be i ready eady I added slipping my hand lovingly under his arm and joining in his walk In Iii such wonderfully cold stormy weather and with such a along long Journey b before fore you I Itan ITan Itan Tan be useful He lIe stripped stopped short and looked at me anxiously No my dearest he said with that tat decision in his tone from which I knew there was no appeal No I cannot talt take you I must go alone After Atter Moscow Mos Mos- cow cow my destination must depend on circumstances There may be difficulties difficulties difficulties dif dif- dif dif- for more than one person one person to tomake tomake make his way and b besides he added reflectively vely after a moments moment's n nent's pause it might cause suspicion two are the numbers suspected Suspected difficulties difficulties' cried I 1 in miserable a attempt laugh at a laugh as he shook him by the handA handA hand A A little i do doctor tor that's all Ive I've been doing too much work on too little food But you must patch me up for a Journey tomorrow night I must be off be-off off on my travels by the 6 o'clock train All HAIl right said Dr Elliott Ill get ready d. d little composing draught for you to take at once and the sooner youre you're in bed the better Go to sleep and get some rest and you jou ou wont won't want much of my thy medicine The fact is Is many of you clever fellows dont don't make your team pull even You Jet let the leaders d do all the the work without making the wheelers tal take their take e their share Youre You're Just letting the brain drag the coach without without without with with- out keeping t the e body up to the mark When Phil was in bed and quietly asleep under the influence of the composing composing composing com com- posing draught Dr Elliott signed to tome tome tome me to accompany him downstairs and my heart again beat quick in painful anxiety as I noticed ed the gravity of his countenance Carefully shutting the drawing room door he turned turne and said with sharp decision Miss Mis s. s I Forsyth your brother must have rest Cont Continue nue much longer this unnatural strain of mind and bod body and andone andone andone one or other possibly both will assuredly assuredly assuredly as as- give way As regards this jo journey you can s see e for yourself without many words words' from me that it is s a 1 n 1 Such u unwonted done so regular reg- reg g 1 ular so methodical as disquieting And at length anxiety I was overcoming reason and Iwas I was I making up my mind to go or send to to the great house of business an intrusion sion slon of which I never had had never yet been guilty when I 1 heard the latch key i turn an anger eager ger eri energetic J step cross crossed d the little hall hail and in another another- moment Philip Phillp was in n the room 1 Philip with s such ch h happy radi radiance nce on his fac face that even I Iwho who knew so owel well every of his kind ind heart heaxt every expression of ot his honest gray eyes yes was transfixed for tor a moment with astonishment at the transformation of or his whole appearance Anne congratulate me he rte said giving me a a hearty kiss as he pulled off his damp great coat the chance I I have so longed for longed for with such sickening hopelessness is mine mine at last Let me but succeed in this and then my darling darling darling- He turned away but I heard the half sob that seemed to choke his his' utterance Communications of ot vital Importance importance Importance Import Import- ance he continued turning to me again must without delay be bo taken talen talento to Berlin Moscow and and Odessa George Ranson has already started for Sydney Sydney Syd Syd- ney no 1 telegram can bring him back for weeks and the papers must leave tomorrow night nis Is Neither either telegram nor sudden Budden alarm What are they that that that-I I Imay may i. i not not share them r N Now Anne Now wAnne Anne do not be said foolish foolish said said my brother my-brother brother quietly smiling the while at my unwonted impetuosity Do Donot not you you my wise sensible die dis- discreet creet creet An Anne begin to to foresee difficulties at the proud proudest st moment of f my ur life as as S say But my dearest dear dearest est if JC you vou you would kindly help me by by seeing at once to my traps I 1 should be most grateful l. l for I have a a a- thousand things to do tomorrow and I I have been already so hurried today that I 1 I confess I r am strangely tired and in lin fact am for am-for for the moment fairly deadbeat dead deadbeat beat Even as he lie spoke poke the color faded from his cheeks very his very lips bec became me of an ashen pallor lie he ne clutched feebly at the table near which he was standIng stand- stand Ing and ere I I 1 could save him fell feU back upon the sofa In a dead faint M In an agony of terror I 1 summoned help for for never before had he been thus overcome overCome However the faintness though so sudden and distressing did lid not last long By unfastening his necktie and chafing l his s cold hands and temples with brandy he ho revived and andaas was as better before the doctor who had b been en hastily sent for could arrive Phil raised himself from tile the sofa as DC Dr Elliott entered tho oom room and aud made simply iii an n impossibility He WOUld would never even get to Berlin He will him himself I self be aware tomorrow that it is Physically impossible for him to to at attempt at- at tempt it I- I wrung 4 my hands in in helpless de de- de despair I. I Oh Dr DrEl Dr El Elliott i tt dear Dr Eill Elliott tt cried I Itoe the misery isery of my heart showIng show show- i Ing itself in my v voice olce Can nothing ng be done done for him What will wUl he do What can he do do This This' is the turning of his life Ilie A All his All his future all his happiness depends t 1 pon upon the success success' of this Journey I IThe The doctor looked at me compassionately compassion compassion- With tender gravity he took my hand My dear Miss Forsyth said he lie were were it itin in my power were it In the power of ot any man to enable him to togo togo go I would risk much to give him the chance but believe me it is impossible impossible sible t It Itis is my duty to tell you of the |