5 One Man's Evil r
M Bv EFFIE KOWL-AND W
I 1 1 H
CHAPTER XI I.--(Continued.)
"That woman will give tiM trouble," he
nnld to himself; mid then the next instnnt
ho toughed recklessly. "Hut wliy should
I lio nfrnld of a woman? Hah I I am
IohIiib my nerve. 'I'IiIh day's work 1h
Blinking mi'."
Tin; rond lny to the north of London,
and when nt last Stanton stopped the
driver, the cab had pulled up In front of
a Hhahhy looking' little house that Ktood
in n garden and had a somewhat desolate
air. '
It wnH some limp before there enme an
fuiHwcr to IiIh summons ; then a brisk Htep
Hounded, and thu door waH opened and a
Hinnll, squat woman's fiure disclosed to
view.
"Lawks, Master George!" hIio said,
"faney your coming like this ! You didn't
outfit to have come to the back door. I'm
norry I kept yon waiting sir; 1 was busy
putting the room to rights."
Stanton pawed In throutfi the narrow
cntranee, and followed thu woman to the
front part of the house.
"How Is he, Sarah?" he asked.
"Just the name, sir ; no better, no worse.
Ho lies there, poor dear; no patient-like,
and IiIh eyes are ho bright. It's strange
to have to think there's no sight in them.
Will you eome and see him, sir? Hut
stay; shan't I get you a e.np of tea first V"
"I want nothing," Stanton answered.
"I have eome here, Sarah, because I want
you to take a journey for me. I have
to send some Important papers to the
north of Englnnd to-night, and the only
person I can trust to do thin is yourself.
You need not be alarmed, however; I
nhall remain with my brother. If neces
sary, 1 will have In a trained nurse."
Tears gathered in Sarah's eyes. She
was a plain little creature; but the look
that was written on her homely features
in this moment gave her almost a touch
of beauty.
"Oh I don't take me away from Master
Walter, sir!" she pleaded. "You don't
know what it mean means to me. Do you
suppose any other woman in the world
will do more for him that 1 have done?"
Stanton laid his hand on the woman's
shoulder, lie was nervous and irritable
loyond description ; but he had to curb
himself; he had to play his part, and
JJiero was ho little time in which to play
it. -
"Dear old friend," he said, almost nf
fcctionntely, "don't make yourself so un
happy. You will bo back here in another
twenty-four hours."
An hour later George Stanton had grip-
ned Sarah'a hand in farewell and had
neon her sturdy figure walk swiftly down
tho garden to the road outside.
She carried, poor soul, safely hidden in
the bosom of her dress, a small, square
jiackot which she was to convey to .Mill
. it
Urosa UOUIT.
J Stanton had given her a note to the
butler. In this he hrlcliy said mat me
bearer was carrying some papers that
were to be deposited in Sir Gerald s study,
Jdaced on his vriUng table,, and given to
him immediately he arrived.
Stanton prepared to return to Gerald's
chambers. Before he went lie stood in his
tirother's room and looked nt tho poor,
leiplcsB figure that lay there.
Sarah had left everything that her hoy
would need he wanted so little. If she
could only have imagined that the minute
her back was turned Master George would
leave that iwor, helpless creature unat-
tended and unwatched, how quickly would
Sarah have flown back again, and refused
the duty he had imposed upon her I
It was close on seven when Stanton
stood once again in Gerald Tenby's chain-
hers,
Everything is prepared," lie said,
''Now, Tenby, you have got to have your
wits about you fco-night. One false step,
lny friend, will land us beyond all hope."
f'lT 1 1VM,T VI IT
I'llAJ. .1 1 4 11 Altl.
T J If 1 ..i..t...l nnnt,..,ll.. of
w ,, lT ,k ' ' V " .
four o'clock. He was received by IiIh
brother and by bis daughter. Lady Betty
waB still out driving
"Mv wife will be here directly," Mr
Marchmont said, as lie greeted his broth
rr; but Lord Marchmont evidently was
oot in the least eager to see Lady Hetty.
"I have como to talk with you on a lit
. .mi., .. .... '. . . .
H l...l.,.,uu liMivnril " lift ui i . nml An.
tonia felt tliat she was dismissed.
riM.nm ll m.vm- hoon nnv i?r,.nt svm-
natby between the brothers; yet Edward
Marchmont was always ready to respond
to nnv call his brother made upon him.
"You want me to do something for you,
Pierce?" ho nsked, as they found them-
Reives alone.
"Yes. I want to ask your opinion. You
know this Gerald Tenby, who has in-
bcrlted Mill Cross Court?" Edward
Marchmont frowned. What was coming?
This was the last question he had ex-
nected to bear. lie answered with some
difficult.
"Sir Gerald is an acquaintance of mine,
not n friend,"
"This is the position, Edward: Tho otb-
er day I received a letter from Gerald
tTcnby, asking my permission to approach
Antonia with a view to marriage."
Edward Marchmont looked at his broth-
tr sharply.
"You improve o this, rJcrce?" he
I have not net aside Gerald Tenby's
proposal," said Lord Marchmont, "be
cause, nlmougli I should never consider
him my daughter's equal in one sense, in
another his present position gives him a
certain right to approach her. I cannot,
of course, forget that he is t lie son of
Robert. Tenby whom I have no hesita
tion in classing as one of the most unmit
igated scoundrels it was ever my lot to
meet and had this inheritance not passed
to Gerald Tenby as it has done, I should
not for an instant have given heed to
such a suggested alliance. Hut as things
are, I do not sec that I have a right to
object to this man as a husband for An-
t on la unless it is proved to me that he Is
not worthy of her."
"My dear Tierce, I am sorry I cannot
be of any definite use to you. At the
same time, I must tell you that this young
man Is regarded most favorably by' every
body in society; a brilliant future was pre
dicted for him when he was only his un
cle's heir. 1 understand that he is exceed
ingly clever, and I should say that with
such wealth as he now commands a bril
liant future must inevitably be ills. You
will, however, approach Antonia yourself
before he does?"
"Antonia will obey me," Lord March
mont said, loftily. "If I give her'my wish
she should marry this man she will marry
him."
At that very moment there came a tap
at the door, and Antonia herself appear
ed. The girl was looking very pale; her
eyes had a strained expression.
She carried a little note In her hand.
It was evident, from the nervous way in
which her lingers closed around the en
velope, that tliis note had contained bad
news.
"You want me, Antonia, my dear?" Ed
ward Marchmont nsked, hurriedly.
She had gone to her uncle, forgetting
for the moment that her father was (here,
and the sight of him checked her eager
ness to open her heart to her uncle.
"I hardly know how to begin," Antonia
said, with a catch in her voice. "I hardly
know what brought me to you, Uncle Ed
ward, except that 1 feel I must have some
sympathy."
Lord Marchmont looked at his daughter
very coldly.
"Explain yourself, Antonia," he said.
"You are speaking very strangely."
The girl turned to her uncle. It chilled
her suddenly to realize that what she had
to say would find but little tender treat-
mcnt from her father.
"Last night." she said, "I was absent,
I nele Ldwurd, for dinner. I fear you
must have thought this very strange : but
! explained all to Lady Hetty when 1
came home. I met with an accident as 1
was driving hack from Lady Charlotte
Singleton's. You see, I cannot move this
arm very easily. That was not what
i . .. I..,.. , ., . .
-!. '- imwevur; n w.ts a sirauge
and wonderful thing, uncle. You have
neara m say wiai i ueiieved mat Jiuuert
Tenby was not dead?"
Both the men who listened started, and
Lord Marchmont's brows contracted
sharply.
"Well, dear." Antonia went on lu-r
voice gaining a little confidence, "last
night my faith was proved to be true, for
I met Hubert unexpectedly. He had
come back to see his father, to claim his
father's forgiveness, to prove his inno-
fence. Wo talked for a long time. I bad
to tell him that his father was dead. It
was a dreadful moment, yet when he
would have faltered, and have gone back
to his obscurity, I told him," Antonia
went on, very quickly, "that for the love
ho lion; his dear father be must remain to
claim ills title and his proper place; but
even while I did this, I felt instinctive-
ly that I was urging him to face a ter-
rible future, and, Uncle Edward, I was
right. Oh ! I was right." There was a
break in her voice. "I don't know what
it was 1 feared, but I did fear for him
ntiijitlltntr linu tnlrl tun till nlnn,. Un, Iff
I '""""" ...v.- iii. inuii turn ii
llnlwir oiimn I, not, lUy... 1.1 l. .
..- ' HWlllu l.u RICH I
difficulties to overcome: that the enemv or
enemies that sent him to his ruin would
never let him work unmolested."
'1 can scarcely believe my cars," said
Lord Marchmont, in a cold, hard tont
"Arc you telling us the truth, Antonia?
Arc you speaking of facts? Is it possi
hie that my daughter can have so far for-
.,.., i. ....... ir ...
h"'"-" " " "s lu pass
'"r "leaking with a man who is noth-
' ul0r or 'csiS t'111" " Mn and an Out-
cafit', 11 WMa that you, my child
are daring to link yourself even in sym
';. ,wllh, 0 degraded as ..uberi
u,,lb 1,ns l,vt'11 t
"And Is it possible," she -nid, in a low
cln" voice, "that you, my father, shoith
00 s0 i'rniiy prejudiced and unjust as
j condemn a man without knowing the
truth, as to turn your back upon one
whom you have known from childhood,
Jny him those rights open to every
man''
"Sileuce! How dare .you speak like this
to me? I did, indeed, do a wrong thing
when I let you come to this house. You
shall not remain hero an hour longer than
is necessary. Get your things put to-
gether, and bo ready for me when I re-
turn. I am horrified beyond measure that
my daughter should lmvo acted and spok-
cn nH J'ou hnvc lone-"
He walked to the door, despite the pro-
tests his brother made. He tck no no-
tlce of Edward Marcbroont'g words; pasB-
1 ed out, and left the house instantly. An
tonla smiled In a wan fashion.
"Let him go, Uncle Edward," she said.
I "Though he is called my father, you see
1 for yourself what the bond is between ua
Let him go, and give me your attention
instead. Oh, Uncle Edward I I am vcrj
unhappy. An hour ago I thought life
most beautiful; nnd now now I hardly
know what to think, what to fear most."
Edward Marchmont took her two trem
bling hands and drew her Into his nrms.
"Spcnk out," Antonia," he 6aid, gently.
"Let me help you if I can."
And she told in broken words all her
story, till she came to the moment when
this letter she held in her hand had been
sent round from the hotel whore Hubert
was staying. It was from Hen Coop.
Only a few words, yet they seemed weight
ed with a presentiment of evil.
"My denr child," said Edward March
mont kindly, "I think both you and this
good fellow are making a great mistake.
What if Hubert has not returned from
his visit to the lawyers? It is now early
afternoon ; he may have had to wait, or he
may have been detained by a thousand
and one tilings. There Is really nothing
to alarm yourself in this absence of Hu
bert's." "I feel," naid Antonia, "I know Hen is
right. Something has happened. I feel
that Hubert Is lost to me just as I have
found him," and she shivered as she
spoke. It vn as if some chilly hand
had touched her, bringing her n message
of woe.
CIIAPTHK XIV.
Antonia never forgot the tenderness
that was shown to her by her uncle in this
hour. The sympathy between them deep
ened, and became a bond that nothing but
death would touch; in fact, Edward
Marchmont was more than moved by !ic
girl's story.
It was true he had known nothing of
Hubert in the past, and was unable to
form a personal judgment of the young
man, but he had by this time realized that
Antonia's nature and character were by
no means ordinary, nnd he could not fail
but he struck by the girl's enthusiasm and
faith ; yet ho sighed a little, for he saw
that the future would be set with diffi
culties. Indeed, when Antonia firmly an
nounced her decision of refusing to obey
her father's will, Edward Marchmont felt
tluu it was his duty to argue with her on
this point.
"I am sorry," Antonia said, quietly,
"but it is quite impossible for me to al
low my father to control me in this,
Uncle Edward. I could not go to Egre
mont just now. Perhaps if this news
had not come, if poor Hen had not let
me see that he feared something, I might
have gone for a time. You speak of a
separation," the girl added, sadly, a mo
ment later, "but do you honestly think,
Uncle Edward, that my father and I have
ever been- united? What could have
brought him to London in this way I
cannot understand; hut he takes a late
born interest in me, and, as a matter of
fact, it is not of me that he thinks at all
it is always of himself. Hut 1 shall
not slay here, dear," Antonia added,
quickly; "that would oniy make compli
cations between you and him. I have de
cided on my plans. I shall ask Lady
Charlotte Singleton to let me stay with
her for a time. I will write also to my
father, and remain here till his answer
comes. He has told you what hotel he Is
staying at, I suppose?"
Edward Marchmont nodded his head.
He gave her the address. Antonia was
still waiting for her father's reply when
Lady Hetty returned to the house.
riie girl avoided seeing her. She had
told her uncle she would remain in her
room for an hour or two. It was not
long licforo Lady Charlotte sent an an
swer to her letter. A cab brought it,
a few penciled words full of delight, bid
ding the girl welcome whenever she chose
to come.
rims the first step was made
easy; but Antonia's heart was full of fore
boding as she sat waiting for her father's
last word.
It came finally in tho form of her own
letter torn in two. It was natural that
for one moment Antonia Marchmont
should feel a pang. Though there had
never been any love between herself nnd
her father, yet they had been together all
her life, in one sense, and though he had
never done anything to win her nffection,
she could not utterly forget that he was
her father.
Lady Hetty heard, of Lord Marchmont's
arrival and departure with a. shrug of
her shoulders
"Where is your master?" she inquired,
In her curtest way, nnd when she was
told that Mr. Marchmont was In his
study she went there, determined to be
disagreeable,
"I am here, as you desired," she said,
coldly. "I have sacrificed my afternoon
at your decree, nnd I find that your broth
er has not even the courtesy to wait
for my return. I have not boon informed
to what we owed tho unusual honor of a
visit from Lord Marchmont."
"Pierce came to sec me to ask my opin
ion as to the merits of a man who has
proposed for the hand of Antonia in mar
riage. Pierce understood that this man
was a constnnt visitor at my house, and
argued naturally from that that I should
bo able to assure him that this man was
fitted to be tho husband of such a girl
as Antonia."
Lady Betty's heart was beating nt fever
heat
"How ridiculous you are, Edward!" she
said. "You will persist in putting Anto
nla on a pedestal, as If there were no
other girl in the world as good as she! I
hope you assured Lord Marchmont that
this man, whoso nnme you have not given
me, was indeed wormy oi your mucu-
lauded Antonia?"
"I told my brother that, although Ger
ald Tenby was a constant visitor here, I
was not-
Ile got no further than that. Lady
Betty had broken In on bis speech.
'(To be continued.) a
TOPICS Off THE TI MES.
A CHOICE SELECTION OF INTER
E8TING ITEMS.
Comments nnd Criticism Ilimcd Upon
the Happen In kh of the Duy-lllHtori-cnl
nnd Ncwii Notes.
Maybe they bad Beef Trust oxiwsures
in tho dnys of Nebuchadnezzar.
People seem to be using the only part
of tho hog Hint ,the packers couldn't
utilize.
Oklahoma's most serious task now
will be to decide on what to use for a
Btnte flower.
"Another stay for Pntrlck." There's
n man who has luid almost ns nuiiiy
rtays as a corset
Perhaps the safest plan Is to run
tvheu the girl admits Hint she wis once
tvlth u "L'lorodora" company.
Yet the great fact that can neither
he scared nvy nor howled down Is
that the people have got to have mr.y.
Barons tire quoted now at $100,000,
to distinct a cut that the quality of the
goods naturally comes under suspicion.
There Is a movement on In London to
kick up nil anarchists. The English are
In some respects u very practical peo
ple. Chinese sentenced to death are re
loused when their prayers bring rain.
Jupiter Pluvlus can take u Joke, appar
ently. It Is easy for the family physician to
convince a man of ample means that a
vncallon will do him more good than
medicine.
Only an Intellectual woman can
tpread n stepladder so that It won't col
lapse and leave her clinging to the top
Bhelf of n closet.
That old catch phrase about the lce
ninn is clear back in the shade now.
How would you like to he chief cleric to
u high railroad official?
The latest fad Is the conundrum sup
per. The conundrum, of course, Is, what
are your really eating? Nobody Is uble
to answer It, not even the cook.
Wizard Burbnnk might confer an In
estimable boon on nwinklnd by produc
ing a eauteloupe that will register Its
real quality on the outside of It.
According to English physicians,
"silence will cure nervous women and
delay the coming wrinkles." So will
suicide. Why not suggest something
practical?
Now the son of a Pittsburg million
aire Is under arrest Cor burglary. It
will seem to the world to be Impossible
to get rich In Pittsburg and at the same
lime raise a satisfactory family.
The Czar says the thing that hurts
him most Is the mutinous conduct of
n regiment that he has often honored
by wearing the uniform of Its colonel
How could It have been so mean?
ff a woman made as big a fool of
herself over the way the men dress as
Eome men make of themselves over the
way the women dress, she would have
a dlseournglngly small circle of mas
cullne acquaintances.
Blnlystok has taken its place on the
map of Russia beside that of Klscbe-
neff, and both emphasize the fact that
lu the matter of religious toleration the
land of tho Czar is still living In
the age of the St. Bartholomew massa
cre.
Princeton folk, citizens of the town
nnd alumni and officers of thu univers
ity have urged Congress to appropriate
money for n monument nt Princeton,
where Washington, on Jan. .'I, 1777, won
tho second victory In the campaign
which Frederick the Great pronounced
tho most brilliant in military history.
In a discussion of disarmament led
by Lord Avehury there was no voice
raised In the British House of Lords
which really dissented from the propo
sition that the disarmament of Great
Britain might bo realized. Lord Fit.
maurlce, speaking for the government,
snld that U.veat Britain might appeal
to Europe for a reduction of arma
ments. To the more urgent champions
of peace, "might" may seem lukewarm,
even cold; but there Is great slgulfl
canre In the fact that the possibility of
decreasing warlike equipment aviis even
considered In the House of ixirds.
Americans are slowly awaking to the
commercial value of preserving natural
wonders and objects of historic Interest.
An Important factor In the prosperity
Vjf Italy nnd other nations of the old
world Is the tourist trade. It has been
estimated that the money spent by tour
lsts In Italy constitutes a third Income
of that country. Entry of the United
States into the galaxy of world powers
has greatly Increased Its value from the
fjtaindpomt of the tourists, and steam
ship companies report a marked In
crease in the last few years in the num
ber of foreign visitors to this country.
Hitherto Americans have not been quick
to realize the necessity of preservln
g
and marking the points of interest in
the various parts of the country whldh
will attract visitors.
Most vacations which fail are unsuc
cessful because they nre mlsllts. It Is
curious that In a matter where Individ
ual needs and personal preferences aro
so Important, the final decision should
so often be allowed to rest on other
grounds. Kor the great majority of
men and women who work, but who
have a vacutlon, two weeks represent
the limit of time which they can devoto
to rest and recreation. That Is only
one-twenty-sixth part of the year, and
most persons need all of It, and need to
use It In the wisest way. What Is thu
wisest way? No one hut the person
himself can tell ; and hence the folly of
allowing oneself to he overinfluenced by
the advice of others. One of the week
ly magazines lately contained iiccounls
of vacations in camp, In an automobile,
on a bicycle, on foot, In u canoe, In
hunting with a camera, In seeing nth
avenue, and in searching for wild (low
ers. Each of the articles is charming
reading, chiefly because the writer had
what he was after rest, recreation and
a good time. The reader may' easily be
misled into thinking that the charm be
longs intrinsically to the particular
kind of a vacation which is described.
It docs not. It belongs only to the ex
... . . i . it...
actness witn wnicn ine vucauuu m.
The whest. thing one can do is to say to
himself, "What Is it that I should most
like to do?" And if it fall within his
means, and If lie has only himself and
his own pleasure to consider, do that,
regardless of whether any one else
would enjoy It, or whether any one olso
has ever done it. The hobby or diver
sion to which one gives his spare mo
ments during the rest of the year is
often a wise guide. It requires courage
and common sense to disregard conven
tional conceptions and half-formed
plans, and to follow the Inclination of
the moment ; hut the rewnrd is nearly
always a happy and restful vacation.
and not Infrequently at little cost.
Fashions rule In sports as In nuts.
Vhe new crowds out the old and there
are no mourners, mcycie lacioriis nm
changed to automobile factories lo re-
yhu to the popular demand, i lint a
snort lulls into disfavor do'iS not ncces- s,
snr!ly mean permanent no nidoiunent.
n qnet, after some yearn of desuetude,
has had a revival of public Interest.
Baseball has never lost it hold, but
Myleb of playing vary iroiil year to
year, and what Is populn- one se.i.-'on
may be hopelessly out of f.tsliion tho
next. The only sports that last almost
wlhout change or decay pre children'
games. Marbles, tops. j.n-kstoiies,
kites, and the other InstruiiuMtts of
play are used by children In the suma
way year after year. The language of
the gaires remains the same and tho
rules, fixed by some unknown authority
ages ago, are as Immutable as the de-
crees ol tne .At cues aim ine iurjnina.
The reason is that here the players
change. Before a child has had time
to tire of a game ho has grown up to
other anniseinuuts and a new race of
children has succeeded to all the privi
leges and pleasures of what its elders
have abandoned. The child, too, has
a regular succession of games during
the year, going through a cycle of
sports wlthli a period which, lelatlvo
to the child's age, Is perhaps as long
as the period which brings round for
older people croquet and the like. Vhe
most curious feature of fnshlous in
games is the difficulty with whien one
nation can be Induced to tike an inter
est mi the sports of anoth. r. Attempt
have been made to introduce lacrosse,
or curling, or pelotu, or cricket, or
other exotic sports In wnteh oilier na
tion-: take great delight. But sue.'i at- '
tempts i.ever win any lar.:. ii'iiouut of
sympathy from the general public.
When a foreign game Is adopted, iik in
the ease of football, It Is transformed
by the national genius until it Is al
most unrecognizle to those who knew
It in its native land. In some French
schools the boys are compelled (o piny
football and the period of the game Is
the saddest time of the week to the
boys, while the British youth cannot
be taught to appreciate baseball. Golf
Is the one conspicuous exception, and
it Is at present triumphant, but ho
would be a rash man who would pre
dict for It centuries of favor here such
as it has enjoyed In the land of Its
origin. The golf links may have to bo
transformed again some day to meet a
change In popular Interest.
Kit line Ity T.imv.
An edict of Charles IX. of Franco,
dated iriOU, made It a civil offense to
offer any guest more than three courses
at a meal. If a fourth appeared, tho
provider of the feast was liable to a
line of 200 francs, Avhllo tho guests avIio
partook of It could he called upon to
pay the authorities -10 francs each.
About the only thing positively
known of medicine Is that some of It
Avlll physic you.
When n woman entertains, the men
her husband is OAvlug money get busy.
i