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Show clutched the edge of the table. he gasped. And the voice without, now close to their very gates, made Itself plainly heard, as It shouted out the latest bul"Lie-ten!- THE FATAL REQUEST OR FOUND OUT rlnd,etc. By A. L. Harris Author of "Min Oupyrigkt, 1 Oopgrlgkt, CHAPTER "My IV. I, I Own Familiar F i i C Puilitking M I, kg Strait by dk Continued. dear James, " Interrupted Mr. Company. Smith. pealing to her son, "I suppose theres no mistake about the day? Your dear Burritt, hastily, you must know very father didn't mean Her son produced the telegram, well that It Isn't that. Hut the truth of the matter is, I've a great aversion which be had about him, and repeated to firearms. Still, if you will assure the contents aloud : Am returning me that the weapon Isn't loaded, by the 4:30 IT1 train. Shall be home to dinner. TH assure you of that or anything Friend accompanies me." else that will add to your peace of Well, Im sure I dont know what to mind," was the somewhat equivocal do about it, exclaimed the poor lady, reply. "At any rate, It isn't loaded almost wringing her hands. "Hadnt you better go and speak to bow; and, what is more, I will also give you my word that I will not at- cook yourself? said her son, making tempt to blow out my brains during the proposal without the slightest the Journey or, he added, as a sort comprehension of what it Involved. cf afterthought, "anyone else's. "I suppose I had,i murmured his When Mr. Burritt and his friend ar- mother; "very well, Jane, you can say rived at the station, the latter took I'm coming." And she left the room, amount of trouble to leaving the young people together. B considerable lasure a separate compartment to "Aren't you tired of standing. May? themselves In fact, Mr. Burritt rather asked her brother, addressing the girl, fancied he saw him give something to who had scarcely varied her attitude the guard, who thereupon locked the an Inch in the last half hour. door upon them, and consigned them Tired! she exclaimed, half turnto solitude. ing round. "What has that got to do The carriage in question, it may be with It? I want to be the first to see worth remembering, was the fourth them. Then she added, Tell me from the engine. what you meant to say, a little while I wonder, thought Mr. Burritt to ago, when you began 1 wish, and himself as the train steamed out of stopped." the station, which Is the pocket he Why," he answered gloomily, "1 carries the revolver In? Then hts was going to say I wish the governor thoughts wandered away from the had never started on this Journey; actual present. "I suppose I shall find though," he added. In a hurry, of them all right at home. Dear, dear, course hes all right missed the train anyone would think 1 had been away or else there's a block on the line, or a month. What an old fogey Im get- something only He broke off I wonder what James without ting. bringing his sentence to a Is thinking about? he looks uncomWas that conclusion, and asked, monly gloomy. I wish hed say some- what you wished, too?" I wish that I! thing Instead of staring out of the she exclaimed, window In stony silence. Somehow, and more. 1 wish he had never had one doesn't like the notion of riding that letter. I wish his friend, whoalone with a man who has shed ever he is had never come back from another mans blood, especially when where he was. he carries a revolver. I wonder "Oh, come, now, was the would-bwhether hes thinking of that, or comforting response, "now youre gowhat? ing ahead too far. Of course, Its vexIf Mr. Burritt could have read what ing and all that; but, after all, the was passing In his companions mind, only thing that will really suffer will he would have been amazed to find be the dinner, and that won't be fit to-da- y e " letin Spectral hedishun! Hevenln Standard! Orrible railway haccldent! Over twenty killed and hlnjured. The four-thirt-y from Dover wrecked by a down train carryin' petroleum barrels! The line on fire. Horful scenes! 'Artrend-i- rii BY WHOSE HAND ? By EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER, Author Cavrrifht, MW, "By a air's Bnmtth," br Willard Fracker A Co details! CHAPTER VI. .The Search for a Father. What happened after this no one ever knew exactly. Before Mrs. Burritt had begun to grasp the Idea that something was wrong, her son had rushed from the room. After what seemed an age of waiting, but was really a very short time, he returned. In his hand he held a copy of the newspaper which he had just bought. "Mother," he said, putting a strong restraint upon himself, "I am afraid there has been an accident on the line. Yon mustnt be alarmed, for though some people have been injured, there is no reason wby my father should not have escaped, and very likely the affair has been greatly exaggerated. Ted, said his sister. In a voice almost as calm as his own, though her face had lost every particle of color, and seemed to have suddenly become years older, Let us know the worst! And she held out her hand for the paper. The worst! he answered, with a sound like a strangled sob in his voice, Why should there be any worst? And as for the paper, crumpling it up in his hand, "you cant place the slightest dependence upon that. Im Im going up to town by the next e train, so as to be on the Bpot, may be hurt in some way, yon know, he added, slowly, by way of preparing their minds for whatever He may have might be the result. come off with a broken leg, or something of that sort. You can hardly expect him to have got off scot free. But whatever it is, Im going to find him out and bring him back home. Take care of mother this to his sister and he was gone. But before he could leave the house, while his hand was yet upon the latch, he found himself confronted by the Good-bye- , she said, slowly and girl. You will do your best but sadly. I have no hope none! He caught a train which was on the very point of starting, and leaped into the first carriage he came to. Then he took out the paper which be had kept so carefully from the sight of those others at home, and began to study more earnestly the brief but terrible announcement which it and-r-H- (To be continued.) tween ub two! CHAPTER V. The 4:30 Train. Dinner at Maguolia Ixnlge had been ordered for a quarter to eight, in order to suit the convenience of the travelers, who were expected to arrive at about that hour. As the time drew on, Mrs. Burritt suddenly became troubled again in her mind concerning the soup dish. "I do wish, after all, 1 had ordered the best spare bedroom to be got ready, though Ive generally considered the second best good enough for a aingle gentleman, and I suppose he But for all Is a single gentleman. that "Here they are! suddenly cried her daughter May, who was watching from the window. "Well, It's too late to make any ahange now, sighed her parent, half relieved at having the matter summarily settled; and perhaps he won't notice the crack. I do hope my cap Is mi straight! The said cap was, as usual, considerably out of the perpendicular; but at it happened. Its lack of recUtude was, In this instance, of no particular consequence, for the' alarm proved false, and the cab, which had at first appeared as though about to draw up before the house, resumed its snail-lik- e crawl and gradually disappeared. Then came another spell of waiting. "They must have missed their train at London Bridge, said Ted Burritt. "Perhaps the other one was late. Ive looked in Bradshaw, and see that its due in town at seven o'clock. If so, they ought to be here by this time. The next half hour slowly ticked Itself away without bringing any change in the position of affairs. They were all vacantly conscious of an Increasing sense of anxiety and deWhy did they not pression within. come? Surely, if they had missed one train, there had been plenty of time to catch the next? Then the clock chimed the half hour, and, at the same moment, an interruption took place. The message ran : If you please, m, cook wants to know what she is to do about dinner!" Mrs. Burritt started nervously. Im Bare, I dont know, Jane. Then, ap "Really, cook has been most trying, she sighed, as she sank Into the nearest chair. "She almost Intimated that I had done it on purpose. She says, she has never been used to such ways, and that flesh and blood wont stand it, let alone legs of mutton. She says she can give us another ten minutes. but no more. The ten minutes passed, as the previous thirty had done, and at the end of that time three very dispirited people sat down to their spoilt dinner. May soon noticed that her brother, whose attention had been obviously wandering for some time past, appeared to be listening to something from without. At first her heart bounded. Could it be that they had arrived at last? Was It the click of the gate that he was straining his ear to catch? or the sound of footsteps upon the So she, too, gravel drive without? listened in her turn, hoping to be able to distinguish one or the other of these welcome but long delayed signals. But the only thing she could hear was the faint sound of a voice which seemed to be shouting something in the distance. May also perceived that the voice was drawing gradually nearer, and resolving Itself into that of .a peripatetic newsboy, who was vending his wares and shouting out the most sensational headings at the top of his voice. Was that all? Still, he was not yet near enough for her to distinguish the sense of the sounds which caught her ear from time to time, as she absently crumbled her bread, and thought to herself over and over again, "If only father would come home! Mrs. Burritt, as though the thought had set in motion some electric current which connected the two brains, remarked at this juncture, I suppose they are quite certain to be here some time Almost before the words were out of her lips, her son, who was sitting on her right, started to his feet with a cry. What is it? Oh, what Is It? asked his sister, as a sense of something terrible about to happen fell upon her. He made no reply, but, with dilating eyes, stood there with every faculty absorbed in the one effort. Then he raised c-- hand the other Block DJamoatf, Eta. Copyright, 1900, by Street A Smith. n CHAPTER XII. Continued. She never finished the sentence, I for, with a dexterous movement, caught her freed hand and in a trice ner wrists were once more firmly confined. Then with the long trailing end of the scarf, I proceeded to bind her to a chair. 8he did not resist. She seemed dazed and bewildered at this proceeding, and did not speak until I was leaving the room. me leave "Why why do you so?" she stammered, "where are you gqlng? "I am going for the police, to whom I shall hand you a prisoner, accused of murdering Reginald e. 4F room. new-foun- Three? Yes; but, he hastened to add, "if you came across them in the pack you would probably call them queens. It was a great Joke his masculine friends assured him of that but h hasnt succeeded in explaining th matter to his wifes satisfaction yet Chicago Tost. St. Peter Remembered. A poor son of Erin died and wai lauded as a very good man by all hit Arriving at The Gate hi neighbors. found his way barred by Saint Peter Before tye can enter, says Sain Peter, will ye tell me ye are no guilty of any great sin? I am not, said Paddy. Think again, said Saint Peter. Well, says Paddy, thinking hard I remember once using bad languagi over an ould rooster we had. That was a great sin. said Salro Peter, and yez cant come in. Paddy turned sorrowfully away, bu before he had gone for Saint Pete recalled him. Ive been thinking, said Saint Peter, and I think ye must have had great provocation, and that your lan guage was perhaps excusable. Ye can I remember, I once had come in. trouble with the same sort of bird myself. . The Kitchen Range. housekeeper says since painting her kitchen range she has never blackened it with stove polish. Every spring when cleaning house she buys a can of enamel from a druggist and paints her stove with it. The stove looks like new, does not rust and needs no cleaning except dusting and wiping off. A fine French People in Britain. There are 26,600 French in Great Britain and Ireland, more than of the number being In London. The business most followed among these Is cookery. As English laundresses are prized in France, so French cooks are valued in England three-fourth-s d sensa-tion- Mr. Severance is not the only one who has suspected me, I returned proudly. Satane, he cried earnestly, that is what I wish to talk to you about. My dear cousin, can you ever forgive me. I was blinded to your noble I saw only the weeds In qualities. your hearts garden. You have rooted them out I have watched the process. Day by day have you gardened there, and in place of all those noxious growths there are only fair, sweet flowers. Satane, dearest, I love you. Will you be my wife?" I do not quite recall what happened next He had his arms about me and was looking down at me with those wonderful eyes. He was so gentle and kind. There was no trace of the authoritative air he had assumed toward me that evening in his room. He was only a sweet, courteous lover. "You will let me read what you were writing, will you not? he tenderly asked, I feel sure it is something about me, Satane. I hesitated one moment then I gave it to him and he read it through. Turning, he clasped me again in hia arms. Dearest, you are right I do not wish a slave, but rather a soldier; a soldier who has bravely fought and vanquished her worst enemy; a soldier wbo will bear and endure all the the fatigues, the hardships, forced marches of life,-fothe love she bears her shall I say commander darling? Is this a case where one may be pardoned the use of that obnoxious word? And as he lifted my face to his I knew that for his kiss, his praise, hta love, I would follow him through every changing fortune, every forlorn hope, on to victory or to death. ; THE END. EDITOR Versatile WHO IS USEFUL. Journalist a Power the in Community. i As She Understood It. He was telling a poker story, but she only caught this sentence: And then, of course, I called, and She interrupted him reproachfully and also with some asperity. Ive caught you, John Henry, she exclaimed. Here Ive been trying tc get you to call on the Joneses for the last three months, and you wouldnt do it said you didnt like to make calls, then you go out and make one by yourself, or else you go calling with someone else. Yes; that must be it? What Is she, John Henry? Who Is this person who can get you to make calls when you won't make them with your wife? John Henry looked at his masculine friends and winked slyly. Shall I tell her? he asked. Might as well, they said. , "In this case," he then told her, three ladies induced me to call. wronged, innocent woman of such an infamous deed, should be myself suspected. Let us be friends." I took her hand in both of mine and pressed It warmly. Then, turning to Angele, she said; My little ADgele, once before, with hatred in my heart, I falsely said, I hope you will be very happy. Now, my sister, with only love and tenderness and regret, I say it sincerely and You believe me, do you honestly. not? For reply, Angele threw her arms about the stately Miss Capel and kissed her with tears and smiles. Then, without one word or look for the Professor, Satane quietly left the As I closed the door behind me I After he had congratulated us, he saw her wrlthlg like some netted followed her. animal, and the awful face turned Turning to me, Angele said: toward me was like one that might I hope they will be as happy as we have peered from the portals of hell. are." This I echoed with all my heart, CHAPTER XIII. though I added, as I drew her to my A hurried walk brought me to the breast: drug store, where Fortune and the My little love, can any two human detective were awaiting me. beings be so supremely happy as A few words explained the situawe are? Think of the black night tion. The detective took from his through which we have come to the pocket a pair of hand-cuffand crit- morning of peace and joy and love." ically examined them. 1 hope these are small enough, CHAPTER XIV. ho said, with the air of a connoisseur. From what you tell me of the Miss Capel Resumes Her Story. I have left my sister to enjoy the lady, I judge I shall need them. In silence we hastened to Bojantas happiness, which, by apartment. The detective led the right, belongs to her. By rignt, I way, and inserting the key I had say. Yes, for every human being has brought with me, flung wide the a right to a certain share of happidoor. As he did so, an exclamation ness. Angele has long been defraudc ' horror burst from his lips. ed of her portion. Now It has come Just Heaven! What a sight met rushing upon her like a torrent' from our gaze! tne mountain heights, sweeping away There, prone upon her face on the every evil and baleful 'memory, and floor. In the midst of her tangled bringing the pure, limpid waters of black draperies, on which the golden a noble love. God bless her and give serpents gleamed with horrid sym- her peace after all her cruel trials. bolism, her hands still bound with For myself, what is there? Nothing, the yellow scarf, writhing In convul- nothing. And yet I am still young and beausions, lay Bojanta. Coiled and twisted about her distorted form was In- - tiful. I am a woman capable of in- - cpn-taine- Started to his feet with a cry. that, instead of dwelling upon the to eat. If they dont come directly." As If in answer to this remark, Mrs. past, he was merely repeating over and over to himself the words which Burritt at that moment the the former had spoken only a few room. She was flushed and agitated, behours before "The secret lies and, as was apparent to the most ob tween us two! The secret lies be- tuse observer, on the verge of tears. " Thu have used such a word. I beg your pardon." Command Is a bad word at all times, he gravely said, "It should be carefully used. I am not going to read your manuscript, child. I only wished to tease you. Here it ia, my fair accomplice, and he returned it to me. Then sitting down by me he continued, How do you enjoy knowing yon have been suspected of murder? . I confess it was to me a new As proof that the editor is somebody In his community we point John Beckley of the editorial staff of the Connecticut Western News at Canaan, a journalist whom his fellow citizens delight to honor. He is a veritable syndicate of public offices, his titles run the gamut from registrar of voters up to justice of the peace; he has attended various political conventions as delegate;- he is an actor, a poet, a musician and dancing master, and there is no evidence that he is not skilfull and successful in each and every avenue of his varied avocations, notwithstanding the seeming incongruity of the dancing professor reporting a dog fight for his paper, the editor holding court and weighing out justice to assault and battery culprits and the judge teaching the fancy steps of the latest dances. A further proof of Brother Beck-ley- s versatility is recorded in the latest issue of his own paper. In his capacity as judge, he presided over aim and fired. the trial of Julia McCarty Allens tense love. Though on the altar of husband for assaulting his wife. The judges printed report states that as my heart the ashes lie thick, underneath smoulders the fire. Whose neither side was represented by counthe hand will stir those ashes and fan sel, Justice Beckley conducted the fire to a glowing blaze Henris? case for both. Happily, too, he won I love him. Yes, why not confess it it During the trial Julia appealed to myself? It Is with shame that I to Justice Beckley to give her a legal am forced to acknowledge that I separation from her husband, never again love a man who does not love dreaming that there was a limit to the powers vested in the editor, and me. she refused to be comforted when he Reginald Dalrymple never loved me. What he loved was the passion sadly informed her that divorces were of love and the satisfaction of con- out of his line. New Haven Palladium. quest. There lurks in the nature of men a many vestige of barbarism. GUNS OF ANCIENT TIMES. Women are their lawful prey, and had they lived in the Orient they would have bought and sold them, or Cannon Used by British in France in 1847. seized them as booty, to become the In when the English in Nor1427, sport and toy of their leisure slaves of their fancy and desire. But be- mandy made their last assault on ing, by chance, of the Western world, Mont St. Michel under Lord Scales, they are forced to confine their love they attacked it with "several powerof conquest to the subjugation of ful engines and certain machines of war. womans will and nature. Say 8 an old writer: They To see her yield her personality trained a battery so furiously against inch by inch, until it is absorbed in the walls that they made a breach. his; to make her the captive of his Among these formidable weapons guns, whims the slave of his caprice; to were two enormous wrought-lrocause her to bowr her head and kiss which they were compelled to leave the hand of her master, as he locks behind on being obliged to raise the on her flowery fetters this is the siege. They are still on exhibition attitude of men like Rex toward with some of their projectiles in a women. When he had succeeded In railed inclosure just inside the main womans heart, entrance to the town. The guns are enthralling one straightway he sighed, like Alexan- of the kind formerly called bombards and are of different sizes. The der, for new realms to conquer. But Henri! ah, he is quite differ- larger one has a caliber of nineteen ent. Not that he is not strong and Inches, 304 inches being the greatest masterful In another sense. He is external diameter and 12 feet the S feet 4 by no means weak of will, but one to total length, of which about inches to the smaller powbelongs respect and look toward with a degree of awe. One would obey him der chamber in the rear. It weighs as a soldier an adored commander, very nearly six tons. The other gun weighs about a couple of tons less, is not as a slave her despot. of 15 inches caliber and 11 feet 9 inches long. These weapons are not I had written thus far when a hand cast, but "built up guns, being formstole over my shoulder and quietly ed of longitudinal bars about three took possession of my manuscript inches wide, arranged like the staves It was Henri's! of a cask and bound round closely I sprang to my feet and confronted with wrought-orohoops. The "Mlche-- , him. lets, as they are called, are most "Henri! I cried in genuine agony, likely of Flemish workmanship. Their "do not read it I beg, implore, com- projectiles are made of hewn granite mand you you shall not. and these for the larger gun have "Did I hear you aright? he said been estimated to weigh 300 pounds with a mocking bow, command apiece. The powder chamber is capMiss Capel, did you say command? able of holding about forty pounds of 1 "Yes, I answered, should not explosive. - Took unerring ferna, the cobra, its frightful hooded head erect and hissing defiance. The detective gave one glance, drew his revolver, took unerring aim and fired. When the smoke cleared away the serpent was dead. the struggling He disentangled the form from Its coils, released hands and laid Bojanta on the couch. Her terrible death throes were soon over. The murder of Reginald was avenged. It seems that J had not secured my prize as firmly as I thought. She had struggled desperately at her bonds and succeeded in freeing her body from the chair. Then, going to the serpents cage and turning her back to It she had, with her fettered hands, contrived to shove up the sliding door, and thus Invited her awful destruction. Dal-rymp- There is only a step between sorrow and joy, horror and happiness, heaven and hell. When, ten days later. I presented myself at the Dalrymple place and looked about at the flowers, the exquisite sky. the purple sea, I could scarcely believe that I had really passed through those fearful scenes of which I have written. They seemed like a hideous nightmare, from which some kindly hand had roused me. Angele came into the room and suddenly paused, wondering, she told me afterwards, at the joy upon my face. Angele darling, I cried, you are Innocent. Read that, and I held out Bojanta's confession. She read it. and then swiftly, silently came to my outstretched srms. I slowly, reverently, laid my lips on hers in the first, long, bewildering kiss of love. Only a step from hell to heaven! After a few moments of such happiness as seldom comes to mortals, we sent for the Professor and Satane. When they came, I told my atosg, keeping back nothing; not even my suspicions of their complicity. Satane flushed, then turned very white, but came to me and with unspeakable grace, held out her hand. Baying: I forgive you. I do not blame yon In the least It was but just that L who had Suspected this n n |
