serials
WSTQRY
1 i
By CHARLES CLARK MUNN
(Copyright igo6, by Lothrop, Leo & Shepird Co.)
SYNOPSIS.
Chip McGulr u IG-yeur-oM ulrl living
ut Tim's place Iti tho Maine woods Is
sold by her fntlior to l'eto Itolduo, a
hiilf-brood. She runs away and reueln-H
the camp of Martin FrlHble. occupied ly
Martin, bin wife, nepht'W, Itaymontl Stet
Hon, and kiiIiU'h. Hho telU her Htory and
la oared for by Mr.s. Frlnbie. .Tourney or
KrlHblo's party Into woods p visit father
of Airs. FrlBbif, an old hermit, who has
resided In tho wilderness for mnny years.
VVhon camp Is broken Chip and Uuy o!
eupy saino onnoo. The party roach camp
of Airs. Krlsbie's father and are wel
eomcd by him ami Cy Walker, an old
friend and former townsman of the her
mit. They settle down for summer's
stay. Chip and Hay are in love, but no
one realizes this but Oy Walker. Strung!
canoe marks found on lake shore In front
of their cabin. Strungo smoko Is seen
across the lake. Martin and Levi leave
for settlement to net olllcers to arrest
McGulre. who Is known as outlaw and
escaped murderer. Chip's oile woods
friend, Tonmh, an Indian, visits camp.
Kay behoves he see a bear on the rhino.
Chip Is stolen by I'ete rtolduc who es
capes with her hi a canoe. Chip Is res
cued by Alartln and Levi as they are re
turnltiB from the settlement. IJolduc es
capes. Old Cy proposes to Kay that he
remain in tho woods with himself and
Amzi and trap during tins winter, and ho
concludes to do so. Others of the party
return to Qreonvale, taking Chip with
tnem. uiup starts to school in ureenvaio,
and llnds life unpleasant at Aunt Com
fort's, mado so especially by Hannah.
Old Cy and Hay discover strange tracks
in the wilderness. They penetrate fur
ther Into the- wilderness and discover the
hiding placo of the man who had been
sneaking about their cabin. They Investi
gate tho cavo homo of AlcOuIro during
his absence. Ilolduc llnds AlcOuiro and
the two fight to the death, lindlng a
watory grave together. Hay returns to
fSreenvalo and finds Chip waiting for'
him. Hay wants Chip to return to the
woods with them, but she, feeling that
the old comradeship with Hay has been
broken, refuses. "When they part, liowr
over, it Is as lovers. Chip runs away
from Aunt Comfort's and llnds another
homo with Judson Walker. She gives her
name as Vera Haymond. Aunt Abby,
Aunt Mandy Walker's sister, visits them,
and takes Chip homo with her to Christ
mas Cove. Chip goes to school at Christ
mas Cove. She tells Aunt Abby the
story of her life. Aunt Abby tells her or,
their family, and she discovers that Cy
Walker Is a long-lost brother of Judson
Walker, but fear of betraying her hiding
placo prevents her telling of Cy. Old Cy
investigates McOulre's cave in tho wilder
ness and llnds a fortune that belongs
to Chip. Old Cy returns to tho wilderness
camp with tho news that Chip had dis
appeared and proposes to start out to
tlnd her. Tie turns over to Martin a bank
book showing a deposit of fGO.000 in Chip's
name. Chip returns to the home of Jud
son Walker at l'eaceful Valley for a
summer vacation. Chip tells Judson of
Cy and writes a note to Alartln which dis
closes her hiding place. Alartln immedi
ately visits the Walkers. He gives Chip
her money and asks if he shall sond Hay
to 'bar, but sho says no. Aunt Abby's
husband dies. Chip asks Alartln to find
Cy who Is seeking tho country ovor for
her. J Jo had Ix-on a youthful lover of
Aunt Abby, and was supposed to have
been lost at sea. Hay wants to go to
Chip, but Martin advises him not to.
CHAPTER XXIX. Continued.
Whether Aunt Abby's heart respond
ed to that wish or not, she never dis
closed. Hut tho days, weeks and months
swept by, and Old C came not.
Neither did any message come to Chip
from Greenvale. At first, robolling
at Ray's treatment of her, Chip felt
that sho never wanted to soo him
again. She had been so tender
and loving toward him at the lake,
had striven so hard to learn
and to bo more like him, had
waited and watched, counting the days
until his return, only to bo told what
she could not forget and to find him
so neglectful, so cool to her, when her
girlish heart was so full of love, that
her feelings had changed almost In
one Instant, and pride had made her
hitter.
Hannah had told an unpleasant
truth, as Chip knew well enough; but
truth nnd confiding love mixed illy,
and Ray's conduct, leaving her as ho
did with scarcer word or promise, was
an episode that had chilled and almost
killed Chip's budding affection. As is
always tho case, such a feeling fades
and Hares like all others. There would
now bo a brief space when Chip hoped
and longed for Ray's coming, and then
days when no thought of him came.
It was perhaps fortunate for him
that Christmas Cove contained no se
rious admirer of Chip tho while, olse
his cause and all memory of him would
have been swept away, lint that
attaint village was peopled chiefly by
old folk, those of tho male persuasion
being qulto young, with a few girls of
Chip's age. Few young men remained
thore to make their way, and so no
added Interest came to vary Chip's life.
The Girl
fromXiiii's
Place
CHAPTER XXX.
Aftor Chip had run away from
Greenvale, concealment of her nnmo
nnd nil olse had forced itself upon her.
jit was not natural for her to deceive.
ho had kept it up for one unhappy
year only under inward protest, which
ended in abject confession and tears.
Now recalling that unpleasant episode,
Bhe mado haste to confess her long
conversation with this lluont fellow.
"Mr. Goodnow followed me over to
tho point this afternoon," she ex
plained that evening to Aunt Abby,
"and talked for two hours. He was
nice enough, but ho made me sick of
him, he Mattered mo so much."
. Aunt Abby looked at her with a
slight sense of ahum.
"He certainly has tho gift of impu
dence, at least," she said, "in view of
tho way I declined his Invitation yes
terday. I think you'd best discontinue
your long rambles for the present, or
until ho leaves here. He is not our
sort. He is not even a friend of ours
and if people see you together, they
will say unkind things."
That was warning enough for Chip,
and from that time on she never oven
walked down to tho village store ex
cept with Aunt Abby.
A curious and almost ridiculous
espionage followed, however, for n
week, and not a pleasant afternoon
passed by but this fellow was noticed
strolling oomowhero near the old mill
or past the house.
Another amazing evidence of his in
lent was received a few days later, in
tho shape of a five-pound box of
choicest candles, that came by express
with his card. Aunt Abby opened this
and saw tho card, and the next day
she commissioned the stage driver to
deliver tho box, card and all, to Mr.
Goodnow at his boarding house.
A long and hdroitly worded letter
to Chip came a day later, so humble,
so flattering, and so importuning that
it made her laugh.
"I think that fellow must have gone
crazy," she said, bunding the lettor to
Aunt Abby, "ho runs on so about how
he can't sleep nights from thinking
I Was Just Sixteen When He First
Came to See Me.
about mo. Ho says that he must go
away next week, and shall dio if. he
can't soo me once more. What ails
him, anyway?"
"Nothing, except evil intentions." re
sponded Aunt Abby, perusing the mis
sive. "He must think you a fool to be
lieve such bosh," she added severely,
after finishing It. "Honest love doesn't
grow like a mushroom In one night,,
and the difference between his posi
tion and yours gives tho lie to all .he
says. I hope he will go away next
week, and nover come back."
Whether Chip's studied avoidance
or him, combined with the snubbing,
served its purpose, or ho decided his
Quest was hopeless, could only bo
guessed, for he was seen no more near
tho mill, and the next week his yacht
left Christmas Cove, and Chip felt re
lieved. It had been an experience Quite new
to her, nnd, In spite of its annoyance,
somewhat exciting. It also served an
other purpose of moro value, It re
called Ray to her by sheer force of
contrast. Sho had felt hurt ever since
tho night she left Greenvale. Sho
had meant to put him out of her
thoughts and forget all tho silly hours
and promises at the lake; and yet sho
never had succeeded. Instead, her
thoughts turned to film In spite of her
pride.
And now, contrasting and compar
ing that honest, manly lad, a playmate
only, and yet a lover as well, with this
polished, fulsome, flattering, Bhifty
eyed fop, who sneered at everything
good, only made Ray, with his far dif
ferent ways, seem tho more attractive.
Then conscience began to smito her.
She had yielded to pride and put him
away from her thoughts. His uncle
had almost pleaded for her to return
to Greenvale, If only for a visit. She
knew Ray had spent weeks In search
ing for her; yet not once In all tho two
years since thoy parted had she sent
him a lino of remembrance.
More mature now, Chip begun to see
her own conduct as It was, and to real
ize that she had been both ungrateful
4 ' "I
nnd heartless; but. she could not con
fess It to anyone, not oven Aunt Abby.
Chip's lifo had been a strnngc, com
plex series of moods of peculiar effect,
and her conduct must bo judged ac
cordingly. First, tho denso Ignorance of years
nt Tim's Place, with its saving grnco
of disgust at such surroundings and
such a life. Then a few months with
people so different and so kind that It
seemed an entrance Into heaven, to be
followed by weeks of n growing real
ization that sho was a nobody, and an
outcast unfit for Greenvale.
And then canto tho climax or all
this: the bitter sneors of Hannah,
Ray's cool neglect, tho consciousness
that sho was only a dependent pauper,
and then her flight into the world and
away from all that stung her like so
many whips.
Hut a revulsion of feeling was com
ing. Chip, no longer u sliuplo child of
the wilderness, was realizing her own
needs and her own nature. Something
broader and moro satisfying than
school life and the companionship of
Aunt Abby was needed; yet how to
find It never occurred to her.
With Soptember came Aunt Abby's
annual visit to Peaceful Valloy. A few
doys before their departure, Chip re
ceived a lettor which was so unexpect
ed and so vital to her feelings that It
must bo atioted.
It was dated at the little vlllago of,
Grindstone, directed to Vera McGulre,
care of Judson Walker) by whom it
was forwarded to Christmas Cove.
"My Dear Chip," it began.
"1 feel that you will not care to hear
from me, and yet I must write. 1 know
1 am more to blame than anyone for the
way you left Oroenvnle. and that you
must consider me a foolish hoy, without
much courage, which 1 have been, and I
realize It only too well now, when It Is
too late. Hut 1 am moro of a man to
day, t hope, and some time 1 shall eomo
and try to obtain your forgiveness for
being so blind. No one over has been,
and I know no ono ever will be, what
you are to me. As Old Cy says, 'Bless
ings brighten as they vanish,' and now,
after this long separation, one word and
ono smllo from dear little Chip would
seem priceless to me, and l shall come
and try to win it beforo many months.
"I am hero with Uncle .Martin's old
guide, Levi. We aro going Into the woods
to-morrow to gather gum and trap until
spring. I havo hired two other men to
help, and hope to do well and make some
money. I think you will bo glad to know
that Old Cy was horo this summer and
was well. He does not know that you
have been found, and Is still hunting for
you. Levi told me Unit tho people here
aro much interested in you, that thoy
havo fixed up tho yard where your moth
er Is burled, and he put up a small stone.
"I wish I could hoar from you, but
thero Is no chance now. I'lease try to
forglvo a foolish boy for being stupid,
and think of me as you did during those
happy days bv tho lake. Qood-bye,
"HAY."
How every word of this half-boyish,
half-manly letter was read and re-read
by Chip; how it woke the old memories
of the wilderness and of herself, a
ragged waif there; and how, somehow,
In splto of pride and anger, a little
thrill of happiness crept into her heart
needs no explanation.
But she was not qulto ready yet to
forgive him, and what he failed to say
when he might, still rankled in her
feelings.
Rut Qld Cy, that kindly soul, so like
a father! Almost did sho feel that to
meet him would be worth moro than
to see any one else In tho world. And
to think he was still hunting for her,
far and near!
And now, Quite unlike most young
ladles, who deem their love missives
sacred, Chip showed hers to Aunt
Abby.
"It's from Raymond Stetson," she
said, rather bashfully, "a boy who was
In tho woods with those people who
were kind to me, and we became very
good friends."
Aunt Abby smiled as she porused its
contents.
"And so he was the cause of your
running away rrom Greenvale," sho
said. "Why didn't you write him a
note of thanks alter you learned ho
hud been seurching for you? I think
he deserved that much, at least."
"I wouldn't humble myself," Chip
answered spiritedly, "and then I was
ashamed to let any ono know I had
used his name. I hadn't time to think
what name to give when Uncle Jud
asked me, and his was tho first ,thut
came to mind," she added naively.
Aunt Abby laughed.
"1 guess Master Stetson won't find
forgiveness hard to earn," she said,
and then her face beamed at tho dis
closure of a romance while sho read
the lettor a second time.
Rut thero was more to tell, as Aunt
Abby knew full well, and now, bit by
bit, sho drew the story from Chip,
oven to the admission of the tender
scones between theso two lovers, In
which thoy promised to love each
other and be married.
"It was silly, I suppose," Chip con
tinued blushlngly, "but 1 didn't know
any bettor thou, and f was so happy
that I didn't think about it at all. I
never had a beau beforo, you see, and
1 guess I acted foolishly. Old Cy used
Vo help us, too, and took us uway so
we could have a chance to hold hands
and act silly. I was so lonesome, too,
for Ray all that winter In Greonvale,
and nobody knew It. 1 walked a mile
to meet tho stage every night for a
month, to bo the first to see him whon
lie came. I guess ho must havo
thought he owned me. 1 wouldn't do
it now."
Onco moro Aunt Abby lauffhed, a
good, hearty laugh, and then, much to
Chip's UHtonlslnnent, sho took hor face
In her hands and kissed it.
"You dear little goose," she said,
"and to 'think you ran away from a
boy you cared for like that! I only
hope ho Is good enough for you, for I
can see what the outcome will be."
That night when the tea-table had
been cleared and the lamp lit, Aunt
Abby onco moro begun her adroit Ques
tioning or Chip; but this time It was
of Old Cy, and all about hint. For an
hour, Chip, nothing loath, recited his
praises, ropeatod his odd sayings, de
scribed his looks nnd ways and por
trayed him as best sho could, while
Aunt Abby smiled content.
"It makes mo feel young aguln to
hoar your story and about Cyrus," sho
said when all was told. "I was Just. 1G
when ho first, camo to see me. He whb
also my first beau, you know, I should
judge he must have changed so 1
would nover know him, and maybe he
wouldn't recognize me. Forty years Is
a long time!" And sho sighed.
And now Aunt Abby closed her
eyes, let fall her knitting, and lapsed
into bygones.
No longer was she a staid and ma
tronly widow not young, it is true,
yet not old, but with rounded face,
few wrinkles, and slightly gray hnlr.
Instead was she sweet. Abby Grey of
the long ago, nnd once moro the belle
of this quiet village and ilayport, and
the leader at every dunce, every husk
ing, and every party. Onco moro she
primped and curled her hair, and
donned her best, and waited her sailor
boy's coming. Once moro she hoard
the bells Jingle and saw the stars
twinkle as thoy sped away to a winter
night's dunce and onco moro sho felt
tho sorrow of parting, tho long yours
of waiting, waiting, waiting, nnd at
last tho numb despair and final con
viction that never would her lover re
turn. And now he wus still alive, though
u wanderer, and some day ho might
surely would come to see her, just
once, If no more.
"Ah, me," sho said, rousing herself
at last and looking at Chip's smiling,
sunny face, "life is a Queer riddle, and
we never know how to guess It."
Then she sighed again.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Some sneering critic once said that
fow young men ever start out in tho
world until they aro kicked out, and
there is a grain of truth in that as
sertion. It is seldom an actual kick,
however, but some motive force Quito
as compelling.
In Ray's case It was Ills uncle's as
sertion that If he hoped to win Chip
ho must first show tho ability to pro
vide a homo for her, which Is excellent
advlco for any young man to follow.
"It won't be a pleasuro trip," Martin
said when Ray proposed to go to tho
wilderness and, with Levi and a cou
ple of other assistants, make a busi
ness of gum-gathering nnd trap-setting,
"but you can't lose much by it.
You art! welcome to the camp; Levi
will seo that you havo game enough
to eat, and boss the expedition. I will
loan you five hundred, and with what
you have, that is capital enough and
you ought to do well. It would be bet
ter if Old Cy could tnko chargo, but iib
it is, you must go It alone." And go
it. alone Ray did.
Levi's services were easily secured.
Two young fellows whom ho know
were hired at Greonvale. A 'bateau
was purchased, together with moro
traps and .supplies, und after Ray hud
written Chip his plnn, tho party start
ed for Martin's camp. Thoy had been
established there a month and were
doing well. Tho first Ico had begun
forming In shallow covob when ono
afternoon, who should enter the lako
and paddle rapidly across but Old Cy,
"Ye can't git rid o' mo when trap
pin's goin' on," lie said cheerily, as
Ray and Levi met him at tho landing.
"I fetched into tho sottlemont klndor
homesick fur the woods last week. I
heard tho good news 'bout Chip's beln'
found 'n' you'd come hero for tho win
ter, 'n' I didn't wait a minute 'fore I
hired a canoo 'n' started." And then,
In the oxuboranco of his Joy, lie shook
hands with Ray and Levi once more.
That evening, Ray, who had hard
work to keep tho secret so long, told
Old Cy who lived in Peaceful Valloy.
It was like a thunderbolt out of a
clear sky, a shock of joyful news thut
made Old Cy gasp.
"Why, I feel Jest llko a colt onco
moro," ho said after tho exclamation
stage had passed. "An', do ye know,
boys, 1 felt, all tho way comlu' In ez
though good nuws was waltin' fer me.
I s'pose 'twas from heaiin' Chip was
all right ag'ln."
(TO HI'3 CONTINUKD.)
Hibernating Bats.
Nearly all bats havo tho faculty of
hibernating. Their hibernation, how-
over, Is not perfect that Is to say,
that, when tho warm days occur In tho
middle of winter thoy wake up, to
gother with tho Insects which aro
their food. Still, thoirs is a true hi
bernation trance, differing from sleep,
with very low rate of pulse, heart ac
tlou and respiration. Probably thoy
would endure Immersion In water for
an hour or two without drowning, as
other hlbornators havo been fouud to
do.
A SURGICAL
OPERATION
If (horo is ftny ono thing that a
woman dreads moro than another it
is a surgical operation.
"Wo can stato without fear of
contradiction that thoro aro hun
dreds, yes, thousands, of operations
performed upon womon in our hos
pitals which aro entirely unneces
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LYDIA EiPINKHAM'S
VEGETABLE COMPOUND
For nroof of this statement read
tho following lottcrs.
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Buffered from female troubles, and last
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E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound,
and to-day I am well and strong."
FACTS FOR SICK WOMEN.
For thirty years Lydia E. Pink
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Mrs. Pinklinm Invites all sick
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She has guided thousands to
health. Address, Lynn, Mass.
What a Settlor Can Seoure In
WESTERN CANADA
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Hectlont) under the
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