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Show 1 CHARMING STRANGER "Is be handiome, Myrtle!" t,t4 Mrs. I'ayne. The handsomest man I ever u ,-replle ,-replle Myrtle Poole. Harry Payne sighed gloomily n, placed upon the kitchen table th j,m of water he bad brought from tn, spring. "Waa he at your party, MjrUir' continued the mother. Tbe fair girl assented. "What's his name!" ' "Reginald Claverlng." "What la he!" "He's a Wall street banker, la icme way connected with the Ilutbschlld I)rothers of London. He dresses Hie a prince and wears such dlamoidsl All the girls are crasy about hla." "The more fools they," retirsm Mr. Payne, aeverely. "Harry, ni you bring me another armful 0f wood!" Harry looked troubled, and Mrs. Payne followed him out Into ths tied, laying her band upon his ahouldtr. "I'd say nothing to her now," the advised. 'This elegant stranger bu turned her head completely." Harry vanished accordingly, nl Mrs. Payne returned to her biking, while Myrtle Poole continued to tilt-ter tilt-ter about Reginald Claverlng until tha good matron felt like boxing her pretty pret-ty pink ears. That same afternoon Harry itw Myrtle riding out with the dlulo-gulshed dlulo-gulshed atranger, and bis gloom date- ened. "Myrtle," be said to her the follow-Ing follow-Ing day, as he met her near ths old mill In the suburbs, "I am gola. to Mill Croek this morning. Wouldat you like to go with me!" "Not today, Harry. I havo a pre-vlous pre-vlous engagement." "With Mr. Claverlng!" "Yes. Wo are going to tbo woods to gather autumn leaves." "Myrtle, are the friendship and devotion de-votion ot years to be forgottes because be-cause such a cbsp as that happeni to appear hero!" Miss Poole turned her bead Hi turned away, "I am tlrrd of being called to account," ac-count," she said petulantly, "I shall do aa I please about receiving the it-tentlons it-tentlons of Reginald or any one slit, and I think It a piece of Impertinence for you to seek tojolerfere with rat, ao there I Leave moT' Harry had not been gone ten n't-utrs n't-utrs when Reginald Claverlng cuts whistling down tho bank of tbe crook. "Here already, my queen of bra-nettcat" bra-nettcat" ho cried gayly, "How puoe-tual puoe-tual you are I" "And you are half an hour behind time," pouted Myrtle, with a imlliot welcome. ( "Imposslblet nut let mo havo Cat basket Not even so sltght a watht as that should burden tho loTfceet hand In Christendom." Myrtle glanced at the little glottd band. It was pretty, but Harry hid never told her so. How nice to bee In BUT MYRTLE DREW BACK, the society of such a discriminating man of tbe world I "And now for an answer to my question of yesterday," continued the stranger, as they entered the woods. "Am I to call you mine!" "Do you really love me!" demanded Myrtle, ber eyes full ot a tremulous delight. "I adore you, dearestl" Then, yes If you Insist upon an answer." Mr. Claverlng knelt at her feet, "What Joyl" be cried "My queen! My empress! No tongue can tell how proud I shall be of this little hand!" Myrtle's cheeks burned as she looked down upon her kneeling saln, Harry Payne had never wooed her In such dramatic atyle as this, fine almost felt aabamed ot herself aa she remembered remem-bered how pleated she bad been of bla commonplace attentions. "And now," cried her new suitor, arising, "now for the grand sequel the denouement! Would ou like to know, fair village maid, tbe name ot tbe man you've won! Who am I!" "Mr, Reginald Claverlug ot New York," anewered Myrtle, Innoiently. "Better than that, dearestl We spoke a brief white ago of Daron Rothschild. I am Baron Rothschild," "You, Reginald!" "And not only Baron Rothschild, bat Sir Francis Baring, and John Jacob Astor, all rolled Into one!" Myrtle could only stare at him In apeecbless horror, "And now to be oft for Europe by telegraph," resumed tho strsnger, his eyes rolling hideously as be seised ber band again. "Every-day mortals are obliged to travel by rail, but we'll mount the wlreal Cornel" But Myrtle drew back, ber real situs-Uon situs-Uon dawning upon ber. She waa alone ta these solitary woods with a raving rav-ing maniac! "Help! help!" ahe shrieked. And almost In the same Instant there was a crash of breaking branches and a ruih ot many footsteps. Sense and hearing were leaving poor Myrtle, yet a strong, loving grasp auitatned hsr, and she realised that the eyes of Harry Payno wero looking tenderly Into her own And then all became a blank to her. When she recovered ber senses Harry Har-ry was bathing ber forehead with the clear water of the creek. "Where where la that-that terrible man!" she faltered. "His keepers have him." And then ahe beheld Reginald Claverlng Clav-erlng In the ery unbecoming costume of strait-Jacket and manacles, sitting on the bank at no great distance. In charge of two burly men. "Don't bo In a hurry, my lord,"sald one of them, addressing the whilom "Baron Rothschild" with offensive familiarity. fa-miliarity. "Tho wagon will be along In the twinkling of an ee and you will be back In your old quarters before be-fore you know It, No occasion for any further scene, miss," he added, turning turn-ing affably to Myrtle. "He's as mad as a Msrch hare, and haa been these six years, ever since be gambled himself him-self out of hla senses In New York. But he's as cunning aa a fox, or he never would have escaped from the asylum as he did, or dodged us all so long and so cleverly. He haa such lucid lu-cid spelts that you might think blm chief Justlco of tho United States, and then he'll break out all ot a audden madder than a nest of hornets! It's lucky we came serosa this young gentleman, gen-tleman, who knew here be was, or he might have killed you." Myrtle closed her eyes, realising once more the horrors of her recent situation, "Tako mo home, Harry," she faltered. fal-tered. Harry compiled. And long before home waa reached she hsd given him a promise that sho would never look twice at any charming atranger whd might come across her path In the fu-turel-New York World. |