THE OM-AITA DAILY BEE : TIirttSDAV. JAXUAUY . 15)00. )
( si
A BELLE Of CANADA CITY.
HY HKliT IIAKTI' .
( Copyright , low , by Uret Hartc. )
Cissy was tying her hat under her round '
Chin before a small glass at her window.
The window gave upon a background of
ecrratod mountains and olive shadowed
canyons , with a faint additional outline of
a higher nnow level the only dreamy sug
gestion of the whole landscape. The fore
1 ground was a glaringly fresh and unplctur.
I csque mining town , whoso Irregular at
tempts nt regularity wore sot forth with all
Iho cruel uncompromising clearness of the
California atmosphere. There was the
Hralghl Main street with Its new brick
block of "stores , " ending abruptly ngnlnst
i tangled bluff ; ihere was the ruthless clearIng -
Ing In the sedate plnca whore the hideous
iplre of the now church Imitated the soaring
of itho solemn MiaJta It had displaced , with
'
nlmost Irreligious 'm6clcery. Vrt this fore
ground wan Cissy's world her life , her aoio
Klrllsh experience. Slid did not , however ,
bcthcr her pretty head with the view Just
then , but moved her check up and down before -
fore the glass , the better to examine by the
merciless glnre'of the Bunllght n few freck
les that Marred 'tho ' hollows of her temples.
Llku others of her sex rho was , u poor critic
Cf what was her real beauty and quarreled
with that peculiar texture of her healthy
nkln which made her face as eloquent In her
Biin-klssod ehcek as 111 her bright eyes and
expression. Nevertheless she war some
what consoled by the ravishing effect of the
Imwknot liho had Just tied , and turned away
not wholly dlsHatlstled. Indeed , as the ac
knowledged belle cf Panada City and the
daughter bf Its principal banker , small won-
ler that a certain frank vanity and chlld-
llko ImperlousncEB were among her faults
und her attractions.
She bounded downi the stairs and Into the
trent parlor for their , house possessed the
unheard of luxury of n double drawing
room , albeit the second apartment contained
n desk and was occasionally used by Cissy's
father In private business Interviews with
inxlous seekers of "advances" who shunned
Iho publicity of thu bank. Ik-re she in
stantly Hew Into the arms of her bosom
friend , Miss I'lney Tlbbs a girl only a
shade or two less pretty than herself , who ,
always more or less ill nt case In these
Hplondors , was awaiting her Impatiently.
Vor Miss Tlbbs was merely the daughter of
the hotel koi'pur , . and , although Tlbbs was
a southerner and had owned "his own nlg-
Kcrs" Ira the states , she was of Inferior po-
Bltlon and a fWtcgc of Cissy's.
"Thank g6odncs you've come , " exclaimed
Minn Tlbba , "for I've bin slttln' here till I
nigh took root. What kep yc ? "
"How docs it look ? " responded Cissy , as
n relevant reply.
The "It" referred to Plssy's now hat , and
lo the young girl the coherence wan per
fectly plain , Miss Tlbbs looked nt "It" se
verely. It would not do for a protege to bo
too complaisant.
"Hem ! Must have cost a heap o' money. "
"It did , " said Clf y. "Camo from the best
milliner In San Francisco. "
"Of course , " said Plney with half-as
sumed''envy , ' "when your popper runs the
bank and Just wallows in gold ! "
"Nover mind , dear , " said Cissy cheer
fully. "So'll your popper eomc day. I'm
Koln' to get mine to let your pepper into
Bomothlng ditch stocks und such. Yea !
True , O king ! Popper'll do anything for
me , " the added n llttlo loftily.
Loyal as Plney was to her friend she was
by no means convinced of this. She knew
the difference betwew the two men , and
Jihd a Vivid recollection of hearing' her own
lather express his opinion of Clsay's re-
wpected parent as a "gold shark" and
"quart/ miner crusher. " It did not , however ,
effect her friendship for Cissy. She only
oald : "Lei's como ! " caught Cissy around
the waist , pranced wfth Iter out Into the
veranda and gasped , out of breath , "Whcro
are wo going first ? "
"Down 'Main street , " said Cissy promptly.
"And let us stop at Markham's store.
They've got some new things In from Sac
ramento , " said Plnoy.
"Country stylo. ! . " returned Cissy with a
supercilious air. "No ! llewldes , Markham's
head clerk Is gettln' too presumptuous.
JuHt guess ! Ho nskeil me while I was buyIng -
Ing something If 1 enjoyed , the dance last
Monday. "
"Hut you danciM with him , " said the
idmple Plney in astonishment.
"Hut not In bin store among his cus
tomers , " said Cissy , saplently. "No ! we're
Koln' down Mala- street past Secamp's.
Those.Socamp girls are mire to be at their
windows , looking out. This hat will just
turn 'om green greener than over. "
"You're Just horrid , Clss ! " said Plney
( with admiration.
"And then , " continued Cissy , "we'll just
tall down past the nuw. block to the par
son's and make : > call. "
"O , 1 see. " said I'lney archly. "It'll he
just about tha time when the now engineer
of the mill works has a clean shirt on and
Is smoking his cigar before the offlce. "
Cissy tossed her hat disdainfully. "Much
nnybody cares whether he's there are not !
I haven't forgotten how ho showed us over
the mill the other day In a pair of overalls ,
Just llko a workman1' ;
"Hut they say he's awfully smart and
veil educated , and needn't work , and I'm
luru H'H very nlco of him to dress just like
the other men when he's with 'em , " urged
I'lney.
"Hah ! That was Just to show that ho dUti't
care what wo tltcught of him he's that
conceited ! And It wasn't respectful , con
sidering ono of the directors was there , all
dressed up. Don't tell me you can sec it
In his eye looking you over without blinkIng -
Ing ami then turning away as if he'd got
Miough of you. Ho makes me tired. "
Plnoy did not reply. The engineer had
leemod to her to be a singularly attractive
young man , yet HIO ! was equally Impressed
with Cissy's superior ccnlltlon which could
find Haws In such perfection , Following
'
lier Irlend down the bteps of the veranda
: they passed into the blaring graveled walk
of the new garden , only recently recovered
from the wild wood ; Jls accurate diamond
und heart-shapud beds , of vhl.l grren s.t
In white quart ? . , bordorit giving It the ap j
pearance f elaborately iced confejtloneiy.
" few htep.s further brought thorn to the
road and the wooden "sidewalk" to Main
street , which carried civic Improvements to
Iho hillside and Mr. TrlxV , " very door. TurnIng -
Ing down this thoroughfare they stopped
laughing and otherwise assumed u conscious
Imlf-artlnclal air. Kor It was Iho hour when
Canada City lounged listlessly before Us
i-hops. Its saloons , Its olllces and mills or
even held lazy inrctlni'.K In the dust of the |
roadway and the passage down the principal j
firm nj Its two prettiest girls was an event I
lo bo viewed an If II was a civic procession. I
Jlats How .off as they passed , place was I
freely given , Impeding barrels and srks
removed from the woden pavement and
preoccupied Induoilers hastily summoned to
thu front door to do homage to Cissy Trlxlt
ami Plney as they went by. Not but that
Canada City , In thu fierce and unrexcncinto
days of Its youth , had stcu fairer ami higher '
colored fares , more gaily be > illencd. on Its
thoroughfares , but never anything so frssh
und Innocent. They stood there a ! ) uncon-
Fcloutly. revercnclgK their absent mothers ,
platers and daughters. In thulr Kpr/ntaneous i
liomagu lo the pair , and seemed to feel the '
wholesome breath of their eastern homes
wafted from the freshly Ironed skirts cf
these foollbh virgins at ? they rustb.I by 1
nm afraid that neither Cissy nor Piney
appreciated this feeling- . women did at
that time Indeed , these young ladles as
sumed a slight air of hauteur. "Heally ,
they do stare nt us , " said Cltsy , with eyes
dilating with pleasurable emotion ; "we'll
have to take the back street next tkiio. "
I'lney , proud In the glory reflected from
Cissy and In her own , answered , " \Vc will-
sure. "
There- was only ono Interruption to this
triumphal progress and that was so slight
as to be only noticed by ono of the two girls.
AH they passed the new works at the mill
the new engineer as I'lney had foreseen
was leaning against the doorpost smoking
a pipe. He took his hat from his head and
his pipe from tils mouth as they approached ,
greeted them with an easy "Hood after-
I noon , " yet with a glance that was quietly
! observant and tolerantly critical. "Thcro ! "
i said Cissy , when they had passed , "didn't
i I tell you ? Did you ever sco such conceit
, In your born days ! 1 hope you did not look
at him. "
Plney , conscious of having done so and
.of having blushed under his scrutiny , never-
stoutly asserted that she had merely
, looked at him "to see who It was. " Hut
Cissy was placated by passing the Secamp's
cottage , from whwe window the three strap
ping daughters of John Sccamp , lately an
emigrant from Missouri , were , as Cissy had
surmised , lightening the household duties
< by gazing at the to them unwonted wonders -
| ders of the street. Whether their complex
ions , still bearing traces of the alkali dust
I and Inclllclent nourishment of the plains ,
| took a more yellow tone from the spectacle
' of Cissy's hat I cannot say ; Cissy thought
1 they did ; perhaps Plney was nearer the
I truth when she suggested that they were
only "looking" to enable them to make a
home-made copj of the hat next week.
Their progress forward and through the
outskirts of the town WBH of the same triumphal -
| umphal character. Teamsters withheld their
i oaths and their uplifted whips as the two
| girls passed by ; weary miners tolling In
ditches looked up with a pleasure that was
half reminiscent of their past ; younger sky-
larkers stopped In their horse play with half-
smiling , half-apologetic faces ; more ambi
tious riders on the highway urged their
horses to greater speed under the girls' In
spiring eyes and "Vaqucro Hilly , " charging
them , full tilt , brought up his mustang on
Its haunches and rigid forelegs , jvlth a
sweeping bow of his sombrero , within a foot
of their artfully simulated terror ! In this
way they at lost reached the clearing in
the forest ; the church , with Its ostentations
spire , and Hov. Mr. Wlndlbrook's dwelling
otherwise humorously known as "the par-
sonago" where Cissy intended to call.
Hov. Mr.VIndlbrook had been selected
by his ecclesiastical superiors to minis
ter to the spiritual .wants of Canada City
as being what was called a "hearty" man.
Certainly , If considerable lung capacity , ab-
ecnco of reserve and power of handshaking
ing and back-slapping were necessary to the
redemption of Canada City , Mr. Wlndl
brook's ministration would have been
pucceteful. Dut , singularly enough , the
rude miner was apt to resent this familiar
ity , and it Is recorded that Isaac Wood ,
otherwise known aa "Orlzzly Wood , " once
responded to n cheerful back-slap from the
reverend gentleman by an ostentatiously
ftlcndly hug which nearly dislocated the
pastor's ribs. Perhaps Mr. Wlndlbrook was
more popular on account of his admiring en
thusiasm of the prosperous money-getting
members of his Hock , and a singular sym
pathy with their methods and Mr. Trlxlt's
daring speculations were an especially delightful
"
lightful theme to him. -
"Ah , Miss Trlxlt , " he said as Cissy en
tered the little parlor , "and how Is your
dear father ? Still startling the money mar
ket with his fearless speculations ? This ,
Hrother Jones , " turning to a visitor , "Is the
daughter of our Napoleon of llnanco Mon
tague Trlxlt. Only last week. In that deal
In 'the Comstock , ' ho cleared $50,000 ! Yes ,
sir , " repeating it .with . unction , "fifty-
thousand dollars ! In about two hours and
a single stroke of the pen ! I believe I am
not overstating , Miss Trlxlt , " he added , ap
pealing to Cissy with a portentous polite
ness that was as badly fitting as his prev
ious "heartiness. "
Cissy colored slightly. "I don't know , "
she said simply. She. was perfectly truth
ful. She knew nothing of her father's busi
ness , except the vague reputation of his
success.
Her modesty , however , produced n singu
lar hilarity In Mr. Wlndlbrook and a play
ful push. "You don't know ? Ho ! but I do.
Yes , sir" to the visitor "I have reason to
remember It. I called upon him the next
day. I used , sir , the freedom of an old
friend. 'Trlxlt , I said , clapping my hand on
his shoulder , 'tho Lord has been good to
you. I congratulate you. '
" 'Him ! ' ho said without looking up.
'What do you reckon those congratulations
are worth ? ' Many a man , sir , who didn't
know his style would have been staggered.
Hut I knew my man. I looked him straight
In the eye. 'A new organ , ' I said , 'and aa
good a ono as Sacramento can turn out. '
"Ho took up a piece of paper , scrawled a
few lines on it to his cashier , and said :
'Will that do ? ' " Mr. Wlndlbrook's voice
sunk to a thrilling whlrpor. "It was an order
for $1,000 ! Kact , sir. That Is the father of
this young lady. "
"Yo had better luck than Hlshop Hrlggs
had with old Johnson , the Kxcclslor bank
president. " said the visitor , encouraged by j i
Wlndlbrook's "heartiness" Into a humor
ous retrospect. "Brlggs goss to him for a
sutuerlptlon for a now fence 'round the
bilryln" ground the old ono bavin' rotten
away. 'Yo don't want no fence , ' FCZ John
son short like. 'No fence 'round a buryln' i
ground1 sez Hrlggs , etarln' . 'No ! Them as Is I
In the buryln' ground can't get out , and '
thorn as Isn't don't want to get In , no how ! j !
So you kin just travel I ain't glvln' money j
j
away on uselcssnesa ! ' Ha ! ha ! " j !
A chill silence followed , which checked ! '
oven Plney's giggle. Mr. Wlndlbrook evi
dently had no "heurtlnois" for nonsubscrib-
Ing burner. "There are these who can Jcat
with sacred subjects , " he said ponderously , I
"but" I have always found .Mr. Trlxlt , though
'
blunt , eminently practical. Your father IH
still away , " ho added , shifting the eonver- j I 1
nation to Cissy , "hovering wherever ho can i
!
extract the honey to store up for the pro i
vision of age. An Industrious worker , " |
"He's still away , " said Cissy , feeling her- i
eclf on safe ground , though she was not i !
nwuro of her father's entomological habits. i
"In San Francisco , 1 think. "
She was glad to Ret away from Mr. Wlndl
brook's "heartiness" and coneolo herself | I
with Mrs , Wlndlbrook'fi constitutional deI I '
prcrelon , which was partly the result of
1
nerve us dyspepsia and hpr husband's bols-
lercus cordiality. " 1 suppose , dear , you are
dreadfully anxious about your father when
ho la from homo ? " she uuld to Cissy with ,
n sympathetic sigh. Cissy , conscious of never | ,
having felt a inoment'a anxiety , and nccusj j
tomcd to his abscncef , replied naively , j I
"Why ? " "Oh , " responded Mrs. Wlndlbrook , I
"on account of his great business reapontsl- I
blllties , you know ; so much depends upon I i
him. " Again Cissy Old not comprehend ; ,
she could not understand why this mimerfiil !
man , her father , who was equal to her own , | |
and , It seemed , everybody's needs , had any .
riipcnslblllty or was not as Infallible and
constant aa the sunshine or the air she
breathed. Without being bis confidante or '
oven his associate ehe had Blnco her |
mother's death no other experience ; youth
fully alive to the Importance of their wealth.
It seemed ( o her. however , only n natural
result of being his daughter. She smiled
vaguely and a little Impatiently. Ttu-v
might hi.vn talkr. ) to her .1 hi ait hersc.f. . it
was a llttlp tiresome to nlwnys have to , , n- j
swcr questions about hw "popper. " Never- ,
theOess , she availed herself of Mr . WlndlI I
brook's invitation to go Into the garden and
see the new Bummer hou o that Imd been
put up among the pines , and gradually di
verted her hosteM' conversation Into gossip
of the town. If It was somewhat lugubrious
and hesitating , it was , however , a relief to
Cissy , and bearing chiefly upon the vlclssl-
ludcw of others , gave the young girl the
comforting glow of comparison.
Touching the complexion of the Secntnp
girls , Mrs. Wlndlbrook attributed It to their
great privations In the nlknll desert. "Ono
day , " continued Mrs. Wlndlbrook , "when
their father was 111 with fever and ague ,
they drove the cattle- twenty miles to water
through that dreadful poisonous dust and
I when they got there their lips were cracked
I ' and bleeding and their eyelids like burning
knives , and Mamie Secamp's hnlr , which
, used to bo a beautiful brown llko your own ,
j i my dear , was bleached Into a rusty yellow. "
| i "And they will wear colors that don't suit
j them , " said Cissy Impatiently. "Never
I mind , dear. " said Mrs. Wlndlbrook nm-
j i blguously ; " 1 suppose they will have their
I reward. " Nor was the yomig engineer dls-
I cussed In a lighter vein. "H pains me
, dreadfully to see that young man working
I with the laborers and
common giving him
self no rest , Just because he says ho wants
to know exactly 'how the thing Is done. '
and why the old works failed , " she remarked
sadly. "When Mr. Wludlbrook know ho
was the son of Judge Masterson and had
rich relations , ho wished , of course , to be
group 'h.ii Ify oil Jit v forinl r-ef ! mmn her
still ( ingry consciousness Then the street
seemed to be full of those excited , preoceu- i
pled groups who melted away AS she ad-
taneed. Only one man met her curious ,
oyea the engineer yet she missed the usual
critical smile with which he was wont to
greet her and he gave her a bow of such
profound respect and gravity that for the
lltst time she felt renlly uneasy. Was there
something wrong with her hat ? That
dtoadful , fateful hat ! Was It too conspicu
ous ? Did ho think It was vulgar ? She was
eager to cross the street on the next block ,
where thcro were large plate-glass windows
which she and Hncy If Plney wore only
with her now ! hod often used as mirrors.
Hut there was a great crowd on the next
block and It was congregated around the
bank her father's bank ! Angue terror ,
she knew not what , now began to creep
over her. She would have turned Into a
side street , but mingled with her fe.ir was
n resolution not to show It not to even
think of It to combat it as she had the horrid
rid laugh of the Secamp girls and she kept
her way with a beating heart but erect head ,
without looking across the street. There
was another crowd before the newspaper
ofllco also on the other side and a bulletin
board , but she would not try to read It.
Only ono Idea was In her mind to roach
her own home before any ono should meet
or speak with her. Kor the last Intelligible
sound that had reached her was the laugh
of the Sccamp girls and this was still ring
ing in her earn , seeming to voice the hidden
strangeness of all she saw and stirring her ,
as that had , with childish Indignation. She
the door rissy tmlo.'ki ! it and flung 111
opr'i indignant
"Ah ! It's yourself. Miss , and I never knew
yp kem back until I met that gossoon of a
hotel waiter In the street , " said the panting
servant ; "sure It was w.ily an hour ago ,
while 1 was at _ worruk In the kitchen , and
Jim rushes In anil eez : Tor the love of ( loil ,
If Iver ye want to sec n blessed clnt of the
money ye put In the innRlhcr'R bank , off wld
yo now ntid draw It out , for thetc's n run
on the bank ' "
"It was an Infamous lie , " said Cissy ,
fiercely.
"Sure , miss , how was 01 to know ? And
If the masther has gone away It's only taking
mo money from the other dlvlls down thare
that's drawln' It out and dlvldln' It be
twixt and between them , "
Cissy had a very vague Idea of what a
"run on the bank" meant , but Norah's logic
seemed to satisfy her fccnlnlllc reascni. She
softened n little.
"Mr. Wlndlbrook Is In the parlor , miss ,
and a jtntlemau on the veranda , " continued
Norah , encouraged. I
Cissy started. "I'll come down , " she said
brlctly.
Mr. Wlndlbrook was waiting beside the
piano with his soft hat Iti one hand and
n large , white handkerchief In the other.
Ho had confidently expected to flml Cissy In
tears and was ready with boisterous con-
dolement , but was a little taken aback an the
young girl entered with a pale face , straight
ened brows and eyes that shone with auda
cious rebellion. However , It was too late
to change his attitude. "Ah , my young
friend , " ho said , a llttlo awkwardly , "wo
must not give way to our emotions , hut try
szs- - " av"cv
THEIR LAUGHING WAS CHECKED AND THEY REMAINED OPEN-MOUTHED AS S HE SWEPT BY THEM.
civil , but somehow young Mnstorton and
ho didn't 'hit off. ' Indeed , Mr. Wlndlbrook
was told that he had declared that the pros
perity of Canada City was only a mushroom
growth and , It seems too shocking to repeat ,
dear , but they say ho said that the new-
church , our church was simply using the
Almighty as a big bluff to the other towns.
Of course , Mr. Wlndlbrook couldn't sec him
after that. Why , ho even said your father
ought to send you to school somewhere and
! not let you grow up in this half-clvlllzcd
place. "
Strangely enough , Cissy did not hail this
corroboratlon of her dislike to young Mas-
terton with the liveliness one might have
oxpested. Perhaps It was because Plney
Tlbbs was no longer present , having left
Cissy at the-parsonage and returned home.
Still she enjoyed her visit after a fashion ,
romped with the younger Wlndlbrooks and
climbed a tree In the security of her sylvan
seclusion and the promptings of her still
healthy , girlish blood and only came back
to cake and tea and her new hat , which she
had prudently hung up In the summer house ,
as the afternoon was waning. When they
returned to the house they found that Mr.
Windlbrook had gone out with his visitor
and Cissy was spared the advertlsjincnt
of a boisterous escort home which he gen
erally insisted upon. She gaily took leave
of the Infant Wlndlbrook and his mother ,
sallied out through the parsonage gate Into
the empty road and once more became con
scious of her new hat.
The shadows were already lengthening
and a cool breeze stirred the deep aisles of
the pines on either sldo of the highway.
Ono or two people passed her hurriedly ,
talking and gesticulating , evidently so pre
occupied that they did not notice her. Again ,
a rapid horseman rode by without glancing
round , overtook the previous pedestrians ,
exchanged a hurried word with them and
spurred swiftly away as one of them shouted
'after him : "There's another dispatch con
firming It- " A group of men talking by
the roadside never looked up as she patsed.
Cissy pouted slightly at this want of taste ,
which made some late election news or
the report of a horse race more enthralling
than her new hat and Its owner. Even the
toilers In the ditches had left their work
and wore congregated around a mini who
was reading aloud from a widely-margined
"extra" of the Canada City Presj. It ecemod
provoking , as she know her cheeks worn
glowing from her romp and was conscious
that she. was looking her best. However ,
the Secamp's cottage was just before her
and the girls were mire to Iw on the look-
lout. She shook out her sklrt.-j and straight-
cned her pretty little flguro as she np-
preached the house. Hut to her surprise
her cfinlng had evidently been anticipated
by them and tl-ey were actually and unex
pectedly awaiting her behind the low ,
whitewashed gsiden palings ! As she ncarcd
them they bum Into n shrill discordant
laugh , so full of Irony , gratified malice am ) ! i I
meal exaltation that Cissy was for a mo- I
n.cnt startled. Hut only for a moment ; i
she had her father's recklcbs audacity and |
bore them down with a display of such pink ! I
cheeks and flashing eyes that their laughter
was checked and they remained open-
mputhod as nho swept by them.
Perhaps this Incident prevented her from
noticing aucthcr but more passive one. A
group ef men standing before the new mill
the same men wbo had so solicitously
challenged her attention with their bows a
couple of hours ago turned as she approached
preached and suddenly dispersed. It was
not until ibis was repeated by another
kept on with unmoved face , however , and
at last turned Into the planked side terrace
a part of her father's munificence and
reached the symmetrical garden beds and
graveled walk. She ran up the steps of the
veranda and entered the drawing room
through the open Krench window. Glancing
around the familiar room , at her father's
closed desk , at the open piano with the piece
of music she had boon practicing that
morning , the whole walk seemed only a
foolish dream that had frightened her. She
was Cissy Trlxlt , the daughter of the rich
est man in the town ! This was her father's
house the wonder of Canada City !
A ring nt the front door bell startled her ;
without waiting for a servant to answer It
she stopped out on the veranda and saw a
boy whom she recognized as a waller at the
hotel kept by Piney's father. He was
holding a note In his hand and staring In
tently at the house and garden. Seeing
Cissy he transferred his stare to her.
Snatching the note from the boy she tore
it open anil read in Plney's well-known
scrawl : "Dad won't let me come to you
now , dear , but I'll try to slip out late to
night. " Why should nbo want to como ?
She had said nothing about coming now
and why should her father prevent her ?
Cissy crushed the note between her lingers
and faced the boy.
"What are you staring at Idiot ? "
The boy grinned hysterically n llttlo
frightened at Cissy's straightened brows
and snapping eyes.
"fict away there's no answer. "
The boy ran oft and Cissy returned to the
drawing room. Then It occurred to her
that the servant had not answered the bell.
She rang ngata furiously. There was no
response. She called down the basement
stalrcaee and heard only the echo of her
voice in the depths. How still the house
was ! WCro they all out Susan , Norah ,
the cook , the Chinaman and the gardener ?
She ran down Into the kitchen ; the back
dour was open , thi > Ilros were burning , dishes
were upon the table , but the kitchen was
empty. Upon the- Hoer lay a damp copy
of the extra. She picked It up qfilckly. r'lve.
black headlines stared her In the fare :
"Enormous Defalcation ! " "Montague Trixlt
Absconded ! " " $500OOU Missing ! " "Hun on
the Hank ! "
She threw 'the paper through the open
door ns she would have hurled back the
aucusallon Irani living lips. Then , In n re
vulsion of feeling lest anyone should find
her there , she ran upstairs and locked her
self hi her own room.
So that was what it nil meant. All from
thi ) laugh ef the Secamp girls to the turning p '
nwny of the townspeople as they went by.
Her father WBS a thief who had stolen' '
money from the bunk and run away , leaving' '
her alone to hear It ! No ! It was all a Ho , '
n wicked. Jealous He for ho.v could ho
steal money from his own bank ? Cissy
l.ew : : very llttlo of her father perhaps that
was why she believed in him. She know
still less cf business , but she knew that he
did. She had often heard them say It perhaps - ,
haps the very ones who now called him' | '
names. He. who had made Canada City | i
whHt It was ! lie , whom Wlndibroak soldi j
only today had , like Moses , touched the I
rocks of Canada with the magic wand of i
finance and streams of public credit and
prosperity had guhhed final It ! She wpuld ,
never speak to them again. She would
shut herself up here dismiss all the ser
vants but the chinaman and wait until her
father returned
There wa a knock and the cn-
tnutmg voi ' 0 of Norah , the cook , outtldo
to recognize In our trials the benefits of a
] great lesson. Hut , " ho added , hurriedly ,
| seeing her stand still silent but erect before
him. "I see that you do ! " Ho paused ,
. coughed slightly , cast a glance at the | |
j veranda where Cissy now for the first time j i
j observed a man standing In an obviously
assumed attitude of negligent abstraction
moved toward the back room , and In a
lower voice said : "A word with you In
private. "
Without replying , Cissy followed him.
"If. " said Mr. Wlndlbrook with a sickly
smile , "you are questioned regarding your
father's affairs , you may remember his pe
culiar and utterly unsolicited gift of a cer
tain sum toward a' new organ to which I
alluded today , you can say that he always
expressed great liberality toward the
church , and It was no surprise to you. "
Cissy only stared at him with dangerous
oyea.
"Mrs. Wlndlbrook , " continued the rev
erend gentleman , In his highest , heartiest
voice , albeit a little hurried , "wished mete
to pay to you that until you heard from
your friends she wanted you to come and
stay with her. Do come ! Do ! "
Cissy , .with . her bright eyes fixed upon
her visitor , said : "I shall stay here. "
"Hut , " said Mr. Wlndlbrook , Impatiently ,
"you cannot. That man you see on the
veranda l.s the sheriff's otllcer. The house
nnil all that it contains arc In the hands of
Iho law. "
Cissy's face whitened In proportion as her
eyes grow darker , but she said , stoutly :
"I shall stay here till my popper tells mo to
go. "
"Till your popper tells you to go , " re
peated Mr. Wlndlbrook , harshly , dropping
Ills heartiness and his handkerchief In a
burst of unguarded temper. "Your papa Is
a thief escaping from Justice , you foolish
i girl a disgraced felon , who dare not show
, Ills face again In Canada City and you are
' lucky yes , lucky , mlsa If you do not
j share his disgrace ! "
j
I "And you're n wicked , wicked liar ! " Bild
| ' Cissy , clenching her llttlo fists at her side
' and edging toward him with a sidelong
, Imntam-llko movement ns she advanced her
I freckled cheek close to his with an effrontery -
| ery EO llko her absconding father that he
I I recoiled before It , "And u mean , doublo-
! | faced hypocrite , lee ! Didn't you always
i praise him ? Didn't you call him a Napoleon -
!
j | poleon and a Moses ? Didn't you Bay he
was the making of Canada City ? Didn't
you get him to raise your salary and start
a subscription for your now house ? O , you
you stinking beast ! "
Hero the fctraneer on the veranda , still
gazing abstractedly at the landscape , gave
n low und apparently unconscious murmur
as If enraptured with the view. Mr. Wlndl-
brook , recalled to nn attempt at dignity.
took up his hat and handkerchief. "When
you have remembered yourself ami your po- I
sltlcn. Miss Trixlt , " he sxtd loftily , "tho j
offer I have made you " j
"I despise It ! I'd sooner dtay In the woods
with the grizzlies and rattlesnakes ! " said
Cissy pantlngly. "Go and leave mo alone. ,
Do you hiar ? " She stamped her little foot , j
"Aro you listening ? Go ! " ;
MrWlndlbrook promptly retreated
through the door and down the steps Into
the garden. At which the stranger In the
veranda reluctantly tore himself away from
the. landscape and slowly entered the parlor i
through the open Krench window. Hero ,
however , he became equally absorbed and '
abstracted In the condition of his beard ,
carefully stroking bis shaven check and lips ;
und pulling his "goatee. " !
Atter a pautc bo turned to the angry
Clssx s'andMig by the plnno. rnd.nnt with
glutting thciKs and fl.scnlng e\r < an I sir 1
slowly "I reckon you Rsve the parson as
good as be . cnt. It Kinder settles n man
to hear the froren truth about himself noinc-
times , and you've helped old Shadbelly con
siderably on the way toward salvation. H'lt
he was right about one thiiis. Ml Trlxlt
The house Is In the hands of the law. I'm
representing It ns deputy sheriff mebbe you
might remember tne Jake Poole when your
father was addressing the last citizens' meet
ing , slain' next to him on the platfortn-
I'm In iiretvsslon. U Isn't a Job I'm luink-
erltr much artcr ; I'd n Ilef rather hunt boa *
thlvcs or track down road ngenti * than this
kind o' fancy , underhand work. So you'll
excuse mo miss , If I ain't got the style. "
Hi paused , rubbed his chin thoughtfully , and
then said slowly and with great deliberation-
"Kf there's any little thing here , mlsa any
keepsakes or such trltlos eis you keer tor In
p.irtlekler. things you wouldn't like strangers
lo have you Just make n little pile of them
'nnil drop 'em down somewhere outside the
back door. There ain't no Inventory taken
nor sealln' up of anylhln' done Just vet ,
though I have to see there ain't anythln'
disturbed. Hut I kalkllatc to walk out on
that veranda for a r > pelt and look i\t the
landscape. " Ho paused again and eald with
n sigh of satisfaction : "It's a mighty pooty
view out thar , U just takes me every time"
As hii turned and walked out through the
I'rcnch window Cissy did not for a moment
comprehend li'iu ; then , stranscly enough ,
his act of rude courtesy for the llrst time '
awakened her to the full sense of the sltua- ,
tlon. This house her father's house was
no longer hera ! If her father should never ,
inttmi she wanted nothing from It nothing !
She gripped her beating heart with the i
little hand she had clenched so valiantly I
a moment ago. Suddenly her hand dropped ; j
eomo ono hud glided noiselessly Into the '
back room , a figure In a blue blouse a |
Chinaman their house servant. Ah Fe. He
cast n furtive glance nt the stranger on
the veranda and then beckoned to her
stealthily- She came toward him wonderIngly -
Ingly , when ho suddenly whipped a note
from his sleeve and with a dexterous move
ment slipped It Into her lingers. She lore
It open. A single glance showed her a
small key Inclosed In' a line of her father's
handwriting. Drawing quickly back Into
the corner she read as follows : "If this
reaches you In time tnkti from the second
drawer of my desk an envelope marked 'pri
vate contracts' and give It to the bearer. "
Tbero was neither signature nor address.
Putting her finger to her lip she east a
quick glance at the absorbed figure on the
veranda and stepped before the desk. She
fitted the key to the drawer and opened It
rapidly but noiselessly. There lay the en
velope and among other ticketed papers a
small roll of greenbacks such as her father
often kept there. It was his money ; she
did not scruple to take It with the envelope.
Handing the latter to the Chinaman , who
made It Instantly disappear up his sleeve
llko a conjurer's act , she signed him to fol
low her Into the hall.
"Who gave you that note , Ah Fe ? " she
whispered breathlessly.
"Chinaman. "
"Who gave It to him ? "
"Chinaman. "
"And to him ? "
"Nolleo Chinaman. "
"Another Chinaman ? "
"Yrs heap Chinaman allo same as
Rang. "
"You mean It passed "rom ono China
man's hand to another ? "
"Alleo same. "
"Why didn't the first Chinaman wbo got
it bring It here ? "
"S'poso Mellkun man want to catchco
lettel. Ho spotty Chinaman. He follee
Chinaman. Chinaman passee lettel next
Chinaman. Ho no get. Melllkan man no
habc got. Sabc ? "
"Then , this package will go back the same
way ? "
"Alice same. "
"And who will you give it to now ? "
"Alice same man bllngee me lettel. Hop
LI who makco waahce. "
An Idea here struck Cissy which made
her heart jump and her cheeks flame. Ah
Ko gazed at her with an Infantile smile of
admiration.
"How far did that letter come ? " she
asked with eager , questioning eyes.
"Lettee mo see him , " said Ah Ke.
Cissy handed him the missive ; ho cxam-
Inede closely some half n dozen Chinese
characters that were scrawled along the
length of the outer fold and which she had
Innocently supposed .were n part of the
markings of the rice paper on which the
note was written.
"Hcep Chinaman velly much walkoe
longee way ! S'posc you look.1 Ho pointed
through the open front door lo the pros
pect beyond. It was a familiar one to
Cissy the long Canada , the crest on crest
of serried pines , and beyond the dim snow
lino. Ah Ko's brown finger seemed to
linger there.
"In the snow , " she whispered , her chcok
whitening like that dim line , but her o.yes
sparkling like the sunshine over It.
"Alice same , John , " said Ah Po plain
tively.
"Ah Ko , " whispered Cissy , "tako me with
you to Hop LI. "
"No good , " said Ah Fe , stolidly. "Hop LI
ho glveo this" ho Indicated the envelope
In his sleeve "to next Chinaman. He no
go. S'poso you go with mo , Hop LI you no
unakco nothing nllee same ilnm fooleo ! "
"I know ; but you must take mo there.
Do ! "
The young girl was Irresistible. Ah Ko's
face relaxed. "All llteo ! " ho said , with a
resigned smile.
"You wait hero a moment , " said Cissy ,
brightening. She Hew up the staircase. In
a few minutes she was back again. She
had changed her HIIIHI ! rose-sprigged chintz
for n pathetic llttlo blue check frock of her
school days ; the fateful hat had given way
to a brown straw "Hat , " bent- like a frame
around her charming face. All the girlishness -
ness and , Indeed , a certain honest boyish
ness of her nature seemed to have come
out In her glowing , freckled check , brilliant ,
audacious eyes , and the quick stride which
brought her to Ah Ku's sldo.
"Now , let's go , " she said , "out Ihn back
way and down the sldu streets. " She
paused , cast a glance through the drawing
room nt the contemplative figure of the sher
iff's deputy on the veranda , and then passed
out of the house forever.
( To IJo Continued January 11. )
SYPHILIS
A Trlul Trent in en I Sen I Krec ( u AH
AVlio S Hirer I'rinu niiy Slatfe
of theDUeiiNc ,
Cure-it CHKI-H TlnU Iliil SprliiKN ami all
'
Otlu-r TreiitmeiifN l.'nlleil
lo i ; eu Help.
There has been discovered by the State
Medical Institute , Wj Klektron nidif. . Kt.
Wayne , Ind. , the most remarkable HyjihlUs
eiire over heard of. It | | Uh cuied all such
IndlintloriH u niucouM- patches In the mouth
Bore throat , copper colored Hpols , clmntr .
ulfcrutlutiH on thu body und In hundreds
of rases where I bo hair and eyebrow ? hud
fallen out and the whole nkln was .1 mans
of bolls , plmpleri and ulcera this wonderful
Bpeellle hah c-oimiloti-ly rlwngMl the whole
body Into a clean , perfect condition of
pbyslclal health. Every railroad running
Into Kt. Wayne brings Heorea of suffurnru
seeking IIH ! | new and marvelous euro and
to cnabln those who cannot travel to re-
allza what a truly marvelous work the
institute U acuimpllKhlut ; they will send
free to every sufferer a free trial treatment
BO that everyone can cure themm-lvcs In tha
privacy of their own home. This IH the
> nly knuwn cure for syphilis. Do not htbl-
ta'o ' to write at otu-c and the free trial will
tie uent iiculcd in plain
will print
A new and
powerful serial story
by
In 18 installments ,
beginning Dec. \ 7.
Illustrated by G , A. Shipley.
This novel fully equals "The
Stlcklt Minister , Phe lllaclc
louj'lns ) , " mid "Tliu HaUlera. " It
could luivo liL't'n written by 110
author otliur than Crockett.
The Isle of the Winds Is essentially
a story or adventure. Its hero , Phillip
Stanlleld , the younger. Is kidnapped
by his father , Phillip the elder , and
carried tram Scotland to the plra'03'
Itle. 1'hllllp the elder , a plratu cap
tain , has murdered his father , Sir
James Stanatlcld , and deserted his wlfo
for Janet .Mark , the shameless wife of
Saul Mark , a gypsy tailor who Is
Stansfleld's evil genius. Janet as ac
complice in the murder of Sir Jnmes
Is sold Into slavery into American
plantations. 1'hllllp Stnnslluld the
elder also carries at ! his deserted wlfo
and Janet's daughter , llttlo Anna
Mark , lloth children have been ado.- . -
ed by Humphrey Spunvny , a rich Eng
lish cloth-merchant , living on the
Stansfleld estate. Ho loves young
Phillip's mother , but lias no hope of
marrying lier. Notwithstanding , ho
goes In search of the captives aa soon
as he dlscovera their fate.
After months on the pirates' Isle
they manage to escape from It by help
of Ebora , a negro , and his mother , an
Obcah woman. They find .e'li o In
I'orto Rico and thcro discover the
somellmo Janet Mark transformed Into
a grunt lady , wife of the Srnnlsh
governor General. She befriends ib-m
after a fashion , but cannot save Phillip
from being taken back to tho. plru'e
Isle. Hlfi father and Saul .Mark , touted
by other pirates , come to Porto II.co
and persuade the governor general to
send back an expedition to secure Mor
gan's treasure. The famous buccaneer
has loft It in boxep , Htuck fast In a
lake of burning plt-h. No man could
bring It out of the pitch and live ,
hence the plan to make young Phillip
the brlnger. It Is frustrated by the
dlHcovery that the lake has become a
volcano. Then the expedition plans
to attack the plratu Htronghold and loot
it. ICbora , jient to spy , encourages
the commander anil leads him , full pf
confidence , to a night assault. The
pirates offer no resistance ; they can
not , filnco they urr all hanging entrees
trees ; hut KiiKllsh ships and ICngl nh
sailors rout the expedition utterly
Humphrey Spurway Is with the war
ships In a vessel of his own. Then
follow brlelly the sack of Han Juan ,
the ilenth of Phillip Stansfleld the elder
and Saul Mark , the rescue of little
Anna and young Phillip's mother , the
voyage home , the recovery of the
estates , and the general knitting of
IOOHO ends. From llrst to lout the op
tion Is breathless and told with all the
author's fire and force ,
111
The
Omaha
itinday
