rf;
The Mystery of the
Persian Heiress
By ROBERT
(Copyright, 1911. by
T was Dlo Walkure night
of tho Niebolungon Ring
acrlos at tho Metropoli
tan Opera House, (our
years ago, as I remem
ber distinctly, that this
unusual entanglement
came to light. Hand
and I wero In tho com
pany of General and
Mrs. Edward Illashflold,
and wero chatting in
ihe box aftr tho second act, when
an usher camo up behind Rand and
said:
"Mr.
Lawrence Rand? There 1b a
gentleman In tho next box who wishes
to seo you for a moment."
With an apology Hand left us., and
Almost Immediately I heard tho sharp
click of a rubber baud against the
palm of his hand, a llttlo Innocent-appearing
signal which wo often used,
and supposing that ho wanted me, I
too left tho box an"t cntored tho next
ono.
With his chair hitched up cloao to
tho ono in which sal Rand was a man
of rcmarkablo appearance. Of medi
um height and slender, with a dark
ollvo skin, flashing black eyuB and a
wealth of straight, black hair, splendid
teeth and extremely flno features, ho
was easily recognized aa an Oriental
of high caste. His forehead and cer
tain facial lines indicated a fine mind
And a dellcato, romantic, sensitive na
ture His ago was about thirty-eight
Rand wns ondeavorlug to repress an
excited out-pouring of some narrative,
evidently until 1 could hear it also.
"Mr. Duncan, this Is tho honorable
Khan NadJIan, whom you will recall
.as tho Importer and expert in Persian
rugs. His place Is just around from
tho club. He has a dllllcult problem
for us, and as he speaks Italian bet
ter than English I need you badly.
Otherwise, I should not have called
.you away from our friends."
Reducing tho statement of tho noblo
Persian to Important facts in their
proper proportion, tho story was as
follows:
For ten years ho had occupied the
second and third flooors of a house In
East Sixty-third street, sub-letting It
from tho owner, a Mrs. Terranco Mal
vern. At present, Mrs. .Malvern naa
.been gone from the houso for a pe
riod of four months on a visit to a
married daughter, leaving tho estab
lishment in chargo of her brother, a
middle-aged person t named John
-Coughlan, a helpless, dependent sort
of Individual, likely to do tho most
childish and foolish things.
The first floor of tho house was oc
cupied by a bachelor surgeon, Dr. Jus
tin Huntley, a specialist in gun-shot
wounds. There was an old colored
mald-of-all-work who came abovo the
first floor each morning to caro for tho
Apartments of the two bachelors. Sho
cevor 13ft tho basement after ten
o'clock each day, unless summoned,
.and NadJIan never left tho houso un
til after eleven.
For three months his apartments
had been entered in his absenco by
swine unknown visitor as regularly as
ho left the house, the unknown nearly
Always disturbing, very slightly, sorao
of the small objects in his library, as
if looking for papers among his private
-documents. Several times he had re
turned In fifteen minutes with the
purpose of catching the Intruder, only
to find that the unknown hnd come
And gone. There wero but two means
of entranco to tho houso, tho base
ment door opening on tho nreaway
At the street, and tho door to tho doc
tor's floor, approached by tho steps
.from tho street. There was a vacant
lot on the east side of th house, and
An air chart ten feet wide on tho west
-lde, between the house and a tow
ering apartment structure, which shut
oft access to the roof.
Tho skylight was secured with
a stiong "Yale lock, tho key to which
Jay among many others In a locked
drawer of NadJIan' i desk. Tho back
of the house was barred at all aper
tures with an iron trellis work.
For a week a trusted clerk from the
rug store had seen no ono coming or
.going from either of the front doors.
Yet signs of visitation were apparent
when NadJIan returned each day. It
was proof conclusive, thereforo, that
either Dr. Huntley or John Coughlan
wns clandestinely endeavoring to get
possession of something valuable
-which tboy know, or Imagined, Nad
JIan to have among his effects. There
wero nlany raro tapestries, pieces of
Damascened plate, paintings on Ivory,
Antlquo Jowels and othor articles, both
largo and small, of high virtu, yet
soothing had ever been taken away.
"And now, you see, gontlomen,"
.NadJIan concluded, "I have told you
everything. I have absolutely nothing
that cither my dear friend, tho doctor,
or the miserable Coughlan could
wapt that they have not had every op
portunity for taking, but ono or tho
other persists In coming to my rooms
.-secretly. If Coughlan poof, he is a
alow fool, and I do not caro. If Dr.
luntley, I am grieved; 1 am hurt, I am
mortified to tho depths. I Bhould not
want to live, for he is raoro to me
ithan my brother. Such a friend ns tho
heart of man could hopo to find onco
out of million of these human wretches
so I'll not glvo up my comrade
Mon Dlou, but I must know, or I shall
;go mad. I must know at once!"
Rand and I exchanged glances. Nad
JIan's sincerity and feeling wero ovl
dent On tho face of things tho caso
was not important, in tho least, save
.na NadJIan's peace of mind depended
on its solution, and as it presonted n
.most alluring mystery to us. Deforo
passing, I should add that NadJIan,
.having heard of Rand, had been on
Ills track since flvo that afternoon and
3iad only caught up with him at tho
opera.
"If we returned homo with ou to
night, Khan NadJIan, wo should reach
your houso after twelve. Whore
would John Coughlan bo In tho natural
i.irso of events?"
fi'fltHltii!!1!
NAUQHTON.
P. L. Nelson.)
"In bed In tho basement."
"And Dr. Huntley?"
"Ho always retires at eleven, unless
wo play at cards."
"Very well, with your permission
wo will go homo with you. Yes? Dun
can, will you telephone to Tom Rail
way to pack a suit caso with our
clothes for tonight and tomorrow, and
tnko his post opposlto Khan NadJIan's
house, watching who comes and goes,
and waiting our arrival."
Rand then begged Mrs. Dlashflold's
permission to havo the Khan Join our
party, and after tho oporn wo three
drove to Sixty-third street. Wo found
tho houso qulto as NadJIan had told
us, distinctly detached, with tho two
entrances. Tho cntlro front was il
luminated by a street light directly
opposlto. In tho shadow of tho steel
post lounged tho huge, brawny figure
of tho Sioux student, tho suit caso at
his feet. The block was deserted, savo
for him and ub. Rand called him over,
found no ono had entered or left the
houso, and sent him directly away.
Tho doctor's npartments and tho base
ment wero dark.
Within doors wo saw that each floor
had its hall, with four rooms to tho
floor,- all opening on tho halls. Tho
doctor's rooms had wooden doors.
In tho Khan's apartments privacy
had been sacrificed to art and thcro
was no means of shutting them off
from tho hall. Tho doors had been re
moved and tho doorways hung with
Jado and steel bead portieres. His
first floor, tho second floor of tho
houso, consisted of four rooms, all fur
nished in an Oriental taste that was
most luxurious. The Khan's own bed
chamber, in an nlcoo of which he
had his bath, was decorated as the
interior of a Cingalese house. Tho
front chamber on this floor vns fitted
to represent a bazaar in Turkestan.
Tho dining room wus paneled with
carved black woods In Imitation of
tno cabin of an ancient Chinese war
Junk. Tho library, which was tho first
room entered off tho hall and which
then led, by threo, doors, Into the din
ing loom and the front and rear bed
rooms, was tho most fantastically dec
orated of tho four. It was designed
to represent the forest camp of some
northern sheik, the trunks of tiees
being book-cases, while tho vistns in
the all3 wore sliding panels with
books behind them. The desk in the
center of the room was a huge sand
stone rock, hollowed out to accommo
date drawers wnlch opened up at tho
touch of a knob. Grass mats carried
out tho effect on the floor and in one
corner of tho room, as if supported on
a rock and a fallen tree was a bed
roll of rich stuffs, making a surpris
ingly solid and comfortable couch.
The upper floor was In reality an
attic, ono room of which was fitted
up as a bed room. Tho skylight al
ready mentioned gave light to the up
per hall.
"What cigarettes do you
askod Rand suddenly.
smoko?:'
"Always Teofanl. So does tho doc
tor. "Does Coughlan smoko a Greek
Theopopulous? Hero is tho butt of
ono, still warm."
Tho Khan's eyes seemed about to
start from his head. Ho could scarce
ly answer that ho did not know what
Coughlan smoked, but stood with his
eyes fastened on thu bit of cigarette,
following Rand's "mo at the smoke
still floating about tho celling.
"Havo you a spool of black silk
thread?" Inquired Rand.
Tho Khan said je had not
Rand walked slowly through tho
rooms of tho floor until his eyes light
ed on a red silk cord supporting an an
cient Tartar daggci.
"May I tako that cord?" said he.
The Persian loosened tho cord and
gave It to him
Rand led tho way back to tho li
brary, and cutting a oectlofl three feet
long from tho cord, unmlled tho twist
and gave us each a strand.'"
"Lot us sit down hero under this
strong light and carefully separate
each thread of tho smallest posslblu
division. I want fifty threads of silk
as nearly like n spider's film as I can
get them "
For an hour wo worked at tho diffi
cult, tedious task In silence. Tho
threads then lay stretched on a sheet
of blotting paper, clinging lightly to
Its fuzz.
"I hopo you will understand me,
Khan NadJIan, when I say that for
porhaps somo days I must havo abso
lute control of theso two floors, your
movements Inside the house, and, In
fact, oery detail of your establish
ment, If you wish mo to solve this
problftni for you. Aro you willing to
undergo somo probabiysovero incon
veniences?" Tho Persian vowed ho was willing
to enduro torture If need bo.
"Very well, then," answered Rand.
"Sit down at your desk nnd go over
your papers and correspondence just
as jou usually do; In fact, as If you
felt yourself perfectly safo from In
trusion, while Mr, Duncan and I make
a detailed survey of tho othor rooms.
First, however, conduct Mr. Duncan
to the skylight, which I noticed was
reached by a closet stalrwaj, and al
low him to look at It carefully."
1 know Rand had some llttlo plan
which ho was not willing that Nad
JIan perhaps I also should know.
Wo returned In about ten minutes
and ho was still sitting smoking, ap
parently just au wo had left him. I
observed, however, that almost all of
tho little, quasi invisible threads of
silk wero gono from the blotting pa
per. There wore ten, perhaps, left.
"Remember, work for tho next half
hour over your private papers oxact
ly iB you would it jou fo)t yourself
in the most complete security. At tho
end of half an hour go to your room
and retire. In the morning go out by
tho hall door, Do not enter this room
on any mission. Remnln at your storo
until you hear from me or from Mr.
Duncan. Leave jour papers carelessly
on tho desk. If you wish, Mr. Duncan
will occupy tho bed 'room on tho floor
above, for I Bhall shortly leave tho
houso. So, I shall bid you good-night
Now, wo will go upstairs, Duncan.
Goodnight Khan NadJIan."
Tho Porslan bado us a gracious
good-night, and wo went upstairs.
"Now," said Rand, "If ho follows my
Instructions wo aro safe from Intru
sion. Wo will go down nnd seo what
evidence ho has supplied us. Ploaso do
not enter tho library but stand In tho
door way until I havo finished."
Wo went down to tho library and I
stood In tho doer ns Rand had request
ed whllo ho took out his lens, turned
on all the HshtH and went oyer the
room llko a bcaglo on a fresh scent;
examining tho floor, tho strange fur
niture, tho trunks of tho imitation
trees and finally tho papers on tho
table. For fully fiv minutes ho stood
gazing at theso papors. Then ho got
down on his hands and knees on tho
floor nnd began carofully stroking his
hand back and forth, moving back
wards until ho camo to ono of tho trco
bookcases In tho wall. Thorc ho drow
himself up with that relaxed look of
satisfaction on his fnco that I had
bo often seen thero when tho day's
work was ended and to 1i!b satisfac
tion. Ho then camo to tho doorway
in which 1 was standing.
"Como on, Duncan," ho said. "Wo'ro
all right now. Wall till I stretch theso
remaining threads across theso bead
curtains. Now no ono can enter tho
Ubra'ry without leaving a record. In
the- morning I will nppenr nt tho baso
ment door and keep tho old sorvnnt
below stairs. You remain In your
room until you hoar NadJIan go out
and then stand your ground until you
hoar sounds In tho library. I am go
ing to leave to you tho honor of cap
turing this Intrudor but I shall not bo
far away. It depends upon ydur own
Ingenuity to read tho story you will
find written In tho threads."
Then throwing his coat oyer his
shoulders and putting his opera hat
raklshly over ono ear ho waved mo
good night, and Tvas gono noiselessly
down the heavily carpeted stairs.
I slept well, wtklng nbout nlno
o'clock with that strange, confused
senso one has upon opening the eyes
In unfamiliar curroundlngs. Going lo
my doorway I could hear NadJIan stir
ring nbout In his bed room, somo ono
walking up and down on tho doctor's
floor and In tho basement, a man's
nnd a woman's voices, presumably
Coughlan nnd tho housekeeper, en
gaged In some trivial discussion. Tho
acoustic properties of tho houso cor
talnly woro marvelous, but many of
tho older New York houses aro so
built that one can hear anything from
bottom to top, but not vlco versa.
In about an hour I heard NadJIan
leavo his room, go downstairs and out.
I was now on tho qui vivo despite tho
fnct that I faced tho proapect of going
through tho morning's work without
breakfast. Would tho strange and
mysterious Intrudei make his usual
morning viHit? Would ho be able to
elude my own watchfulness as well
as the trap which I know Rand was
laying, but tho exact naturo of which
I was In ignorance.
Sometime later, it seemed llko an
hour, although on consulting my
watch I found It was not more than
twenty minutes, I heard the doctor's
door open and close. Thon I smellcd
tho strong odor of nn Oriental cigar
ette wafted In from tho hall. I heard
no ascending footsteps but, It may
have been my Imagination, I thought
1 heard a light step on tho stair from
my floor to tho Khan's flrst floor.
I waited a few minutes and then
noiselessly tip toed down the stair to
have a look at 'he silk thread.
It was carried avay, Tho Intrudor
was trapped. But whero was Rand?
My two hours wero not up. Should
I enter the Khan's arnartroenta and
confront the visitor? Tho smoke of
tho Oriental clgarotte rollod out of tho
doorway. I heard nothing of Dr.
Huntley o- his floor, I was suro now
that ho was the trespasser. My an
ger at thin evident treachery of tho
Khan's trusted friend rose at the
thought nnd, regardless of what effect
It might have on Rand's plans, I brush
ed aside tho portieres nnd Rtoppcd In
to the Persian's library, my hand on
my revolver, and fully expecting n dls
aeroeablo encounter.
The library was absolutely empty.
1 could aco from tho doorway Into
each of the othor three rooms nnd I
was equally euro no ono was there.
Yet tho room wns full of blue smoko
that hung In wreaths nnd rings In tho
sunlight Tho papers on tho tnblo
worn untouched, as fur" as I could seo,
but In tho tray lay a fresh Theopopu
lous, but, I touched my finger up to It
It was still warm,
I stood porfectly motionless for fully
ton minutes, trying to think what my
next movo should be, when, suddenly,
I saw ono of tho threads lying at my
feet whero tho light struck It strong,
ly. Looking more closely I saw they
were laid systematically about tho
floor.
A great feeling of relief rushed ovor
mo. Rnnd, thinking I had followed
his bont tho night before, had merely
said "read tho story In tho threads."
I had thought only if those on tho por-
tloreB nnd In tho halls, and, I hnd very
nearly bungled tho entlro scheme.
I began my survey, movlns pround
tho room to tho left Whero tho
threads wero straight thoy had beon
undisturbed, and whero disturbed or
carried away, tho mysterious visitor
had passed. Rand had thus tracked
NadJIan's movements In tho room dur
ing our absenco tho night before, and
tho stroking ho had duno had beon
merely lo onco mora stialjditeii tho
threads.
I found nothing disturbed until I
camo to a certain tree. It had evi
dently been opened to examine tho
books within From it a pathway of
disturbed stranda extended directly to
tho Arab campstool before tho desk.
Tho lens nhowed that feet had drag
ged them toward the treo in approach
and then looped parts of them tho
other wav on tho return. Tho por
tieres to front had not been disturbed.
A VERY ANGRY AND BEAUTIFUL GIRL.
No ono had entored NadJIan's bed
room, or como from It, und, in fact,
tliero was nothing that had been visit
ed in the room except the desk nnd the
treo mentioned, savo tho couch. No
ono had lain on it, however. A thrill
ran through mc as I caw that the dis
turbed thread track leading to it was
dragged in one way only.
Tho man I was hunting had left
tho desk hurriedly, dropping tho clgar
cftu in the Iruy, had moved to the
couch and had not gono away. Ho
must still bo thero. He was not on
top of It Ho must bo under it.
Yet tho side appeared to bo a solid
trco with no aperture, snvo one largo
knot-hole 1 had cornered my gamo
and did not know how t el"" In I
might oaslly drag him out, but what
thon? I wns uutisfled It was Dr Hunt
lo" nnd not Coughlan. The Khnn had
been mystified merely because he did
not wish to humiliut i tho doctor. Dy
going a llttlo slowly I might find out
which It was without letting my man
know that he hnd oven beon suspected,
lot alono neatly caught, by Rand's cun
ning devices.
Making a careless noise with a
newspaper tnkon from tho flto
hung on a tree, I strode ovor to tho
couch, re examining tho silk threads,
confirming my first observations, and
stretched myself at full length on the
bed roll. I took the tray with mo to
more minutely examine the clgaretto
stub. I lit a cigarette, and by fixing
my nttontlon on It I grow very still
and distinctly heard a slight stir be
low and tho rapid breathing of sorao
ono undergoing suppressed excitement.
I wns right My man was thoro.
Still, tho problem wns how to decide
whether It wns tho doctor or Coughlan
without leaving tho room and giving
him a chanco to escape
Suddenly I hnd to mako myself rigid
to keep from storting to my feet. I
had, while thinking deeply, dropped
my lighted clgaretto on tho grass mat
beside tho couch. It had begun to
smoulder, and out of the corner of
my eyo I caught a gllmpso of a band
thrust out to hastily extinguish tho In
cipient conflagration. Another cigar
ette; another lire; nnothor appearanco
of tho hand in solf-prescrvatlon, and I
would got a look tt tho hand. That
would bo enough.
Acting my part carelessly, I rattled
my paper, tossed about, and missed
fire on two mntchos as I lighted my
cigarette. I enjoyed It for about flvo
minutes, and then dropped it with a
red coal on tho end, fairly In front of
tho knot-hole. As soon as tho grass
nap began to smoko a hand shot out
and smothered the fire a llttlo hand
bearing many Jowels tho whlto, Blon
der hand of a woman I
I had no trouble In lying still for
somo minutes, pnrnlyred by sheer
amazement. Thon my brain began to
work, Tho wholo hypothesis had been
wrong our wholo hypothesis, no,
Khan NadJIan's and mlno, for though
I had not tho remotest Idea what
Rand's had been, I had ovcry roason to
bo suro now, from Mio procesi ho had
pursued that It did not colncldo with
that of tho Porslan. Hut, whatnvor
tho explanation of this affair, I was
In a deeper quandary than I had boon
beforo I hit on tho oxpcdlent of tho
burning clgarettca. I had as gnmo for
the chaso an unknown woman to
whoso Identity thoro had not been In
dicated tho slightest cluo In anything
wo had scon or that NadJIan had Bald.
Doubtless NadJIan would not know
who sho was if I hauled her out and
held her until ho could bo summoned.
Again, h might b ltlr guiltily or
Innocently Involved In somo plot or
scandal which any precipitate action
on my pnrt might bring to a crisis
that would bo bad for him. I
was puckering my brows Bovere
ly and was Just about to rlso when
a dirty, greasy person in a Jumper,
with a wiench and a pot of red lead
In ono hand, appeared in tho Joorway.
"Whoro Is tho bathroom on dls
floor?" ho said.
Only tho quivering corners of tho
mouth made mo certain it was Rand.
"Just beyond that door, my man,"
said I Indtfforontly.
Rand's eyes swept tho plnco like
lightning. Ho followed tho thread trail
to tho couch Instantly, Baw tho two
llttlo burned spots and tho cigarette
stubs opposlto tho knot hole. It puz
zled him not moro than ton seconds.
I was helpless to convey any doflnlto
Information.' Ho thrust ono hand in
side his jumpers nnd bold up somo
thing, his oyebrows raised In interro
gation. What ho hold up I now recog
nized ns tho object ho had pickod up
en the stairs the previous night -a
very small, black hair-pin. I nodded
vigorously nnd pointed undorneath tho
couch, whereupon ho was convulsod
with sllont laughter for so long a tlmo
that I threatened to throw a book at
him.
At Inst bo signed to mo to llo quiet,
went Into tho bathroom and tinkered
about for a little while, camo out and
measurod around tno room wltn a
pocket rule, I know ho really was
r parting tho signs of the thrrnils. Fi
nally he wont out In tho hall nnd up
stairs, whero I could hear him for a
time, then nil sounds died awny and
for a full half-hour I laythore, hot and
cold v, 1th suspense
At length I hoard htm coming down.
Ho went dlrcclly to ono of tho Imita
tion trees, slid back a panol In a lofty
branch and took out somo small plecos
o' well-worn paper, brought them to
tho desk, mit down, read them over
with gicat caro, using his most pow
orful Ions for a final examination, thon,
turning about, nald with great kind
ness and gentleness :
"Mr. Duncan, will you bo so good as
to rlso from that divan, lift tho sldo
and assist Mademolscllo Molonon from
beneath It? My dear child, ploaso
como out It Is no further use to at
tempt to conceal anything"
A soft sobbing broko out under tho
couch After fumbling a moment with
what I had supposed was tho solid treo
sldo, I found It was hinged at tho top
and swung out easily. Tho Instant I
oponcd It thero rollod out and sprang
to her feet a very angry and beautiful
girl of a marked Greek typo. Thoro
was no mistaking hero noso and brow,
Sho would havo darted out the door
way, but Rand, with n long spring,
Intercepted her and gontly forced her
to a seat Her toars dried Instantly
and hor eyes blazed dofiance. Sho bo
gan some hot speech in broken Eng
lish, but ho Interrupted her:
"Walt, wait, just a moment, made
moiselle, you aro not to talk. I will
tell you tho story of this matter."
With tightened lips, clenched hands,
and her splendid eyes changing in ex
pression from fear to entreaty and
then to proud anger, the girl sat silent
and waiting whllo Rand turned over
the papers on. tho desk. A stop sound
ed on tho stair. Ho covered tho ncraps
with a folded uowspapcr just as Khan
NadJIan, wonder written on bis face,
stepped Into tho room,
"You sent for mo?" ho naked of mo,
not recognizing Rnnd in tho plumber
at his desk.
"J telephoned hnlf nn hour ago for
you to como nt onco. I wns talking
from tltis young lady's npartmoat,"
said Rnnd.
From her apartment, halt an hour
ngot How wan that posBlbto when ho
had been In tho houso, as I know pos
itively, over slnco ho camo In whon I
lay on tho couch?
"Who Is this young lady?" nsked tho
Khan, eyeing hor with very evident
admiration.
"Sit down nnd I will toll you. You
can supply tho final explanation. Hor
namo Is lono Mclenon. Shells twenty
year3 of ngo; was born In Delrut, tho
daughter of P, Molonon."
"Pore8cno Molonon's child?"
Rand disregarded Khan NadJIan's
breathless exclamation.
"For thrco months you havo wntched
Khnn Nndjlnn !Y 'l!" hvi nnd
havo then entered his rooms, always
remaining ns long as you wished or
dared, searching his books nnd pa
pers for tho fow old scraps of rough
notes and maps which you know ho
possessed and which contain tho Be
scret of wealthy turqiiolao mines near
Nlshapur, rersla."
Tho Khan leaned forward in his
chnir as It about to leap on Rand.
"Wo would havo worked moro easily
It ho had confided theso facta to us.
I suspected ho was holding something
back and last night allowed him to
point out tho way to hla own secret
by tracking his stops on tho floor.
Then I found tho papers nnd hero thoy
are."
"You woro hoping. Miss Molonon,
that somo day ho would leavo them
out, but you woro not careful about
putting everything you disturbed back
In Its cract place. When you wero
trapped you hid until you could moko
your escape, under that couch whero
Mr. Duncan caught you. You wero
also very careless riuuuluiguiuUua and
ashes for, when on tho next floor lis
tening, you dropped many ashes In ono
spot, and you loft clgarotto stubs at
loast twlco too often. I cannot qulto
understand why you smoked so Btcad
ily ia these rooms. You muoked vry
llttlo In your own."
"Uaycause when smooko Is In they
mom nnd frawn door opan, Btnooko
blows qiicock."
"Ah, very clover. Tho upwnrd
draught, us! woll ns your cars, warned
you. Thnt Is good, Isn't It, Duncan?
It wns tho movement of tho smoko
that attracted my ntte'ntlon to your
moans of entrance. You bco. Khan
NadJIan. sho has boon on your track,
has taken apartments ou a lovol with
your roof, in tho flatbouso neighbor
ing you, has n light Hleul oxlenntOh
crano which sho thrustu out from tho
top of her window after she has seen
your doparturo from tho houso, and
thon sho daringly swings ovor to your
root on n short rdpo. How did you
got this koy which you loft in tho sky
light lock?"
"I find out thoy looksmeeth of they
houz and pay heom."
"You nro a clovor woman, Miss Mo
lonon, and a bravo ono to cross that
gap between thiB houso and tho next
I havo Just used your method twlco
In tho last hour. Ploaso forglvo my
disturbing your llttlo thlngp In yr
room to got tho Information I needed.
Now, Khnn NadJIan, tho caso Is ended
so far aa Mr, Duncan nnd L aro con
cerned. You may call In tho pollco If
you wish and wo will glvo tho needed
testimony. I wouid llko to hoar, how
ever, slnco you seem to know, who
Pcrcseno Molenon is, or was, for by
tho mourning frame on his plcturo In
madomotsollo'B rooms I tako It ho 1b
dead."
"Yes, ho Is dead, almost as many
years aa tills poor girl has been alive.
Sho may havo.toen born slnco ho died
beforo tho mouths of tho guns In Tone
ran. Ho was my best friend, though
many yenrs my sonlor. Wo were
prlsonera together after ho had found
those turquolso fields prisoners on
falso charges, and I escaped. I did
not know ho had a child, though I
found his wlfo's gravo In Damascus
tea year- ago. 1 ?m, xll but I
will go back to tho turquolso Holds
somo day. No, Mr. Rand, thoro Is no
need for tho pollco; this poor girl and
I will sottlo this matter botween our
selves." And they did, for about a month
later thoy woro married, and not long
slnco I saw a paragraph In tho Engin
eering Nnws saying that an English
syndlcato had paid a hugo aum and
would exploit tho Holds.
Essence of Politeness.
A recent writer upon tho attribute
of good society, who stowa plainly
that his cars aro as long and pointed
aa his lnngungo is smug and snobbish,
doclaros that tho air of politeness and
Rood breeding can bo ncqutrod only
by tho severe repression of tho emo
tions. Tho natural expression of feel
ing is hopeloss, vulgar and plobolan.
Tho mummy is tho ideal of tho rem
aristocratic snob. If you cannot romaln
Klura nnd bored whon your baseball
horo makos a four-bagger and brings
In three men; if you can remain Ira
nassivo when wlfey tells you that
mother-in-law is coming for a three
months' visit; if you can yawn whllo
you proposo to tho girl whose money
you aro after; In fact. If you cannot
cultlvato a boorlBh rudeness you nro
not qualified to shine or osBify as a
"gentloman," according to tno aenni
tlon of our long-cared, Bnobblsh friend.
But cheor up; wo poor devils of tho
vulgar hord havo our compensations.
The Overadvertlsed Chameleon.
It Is popularly supposed that tho
chameleon possesses tho power of
assuming all tho colors of the rain
bow, but, as a matter of fact, lta capa
bilities in that lino aro somowbat re
stricted, Inasmuch as certain colors
are qulto beyond Its attainment, says
Harper's Weekly.
Tho charaoleon can, however, pass
through a series of yellows, grays,
greons and browns until It reaches a
color almost black; and, unllko tho
leopard, tho chamoleon enn and iloei
change its spots. Tho chief causes
of these rapid changes aro anger, ex
citement, fear, heat and cold.
In tho full blaze of the summer sun
tho chameleon takes' on a blackish
huo, with palo, pinkish yellow spots
and a central strlpo.
MARCU8E, CALIFORNIA. '
LAND FOR PROFITABLE FARMINGL
Marcuso Colony, located In Batter
County, which la In the heart of the
Sacramento Valley, Is fast coming to
tho front as a farming community is
which nearly every agricultural prod
uct known may ho successfully raised
without Irrigation,
Tho soil Is a dark, sandy loam,
scdlmontary in character, level and
well drained. It has tho advantage
ovor other soils In that it Is loose la
character and superior to heavy soils.
With this wealth of soil, abundance
of wator, unexcelled cllMnto and long
growing season, Marcuso Colony to
tho Ideal placo for tho homeseeker
with limited menna, the worn out pro
fessional man, or tho young man look-
Ing for a small farm In a healthful
climate.
Tho proximity of Marcuso Coloty to
Sacramento, furnishes a ready market
for vegetables, poultry, eggs and
dairy products. Fruits, vegetables,
alfalfa, grains nnd grasses and poultry
ylold largo returns. The rainfall le
certain and drought la unknown.
T.nnil In vat modnratnly priced, but-
crop failures in other sections of hd
Unltod States will bring now settlers
In rapidly. This, togothor with the
holding of tho Panama Pacific Expo
sition In San Francisco during 1015,
is bound to ralso tho prlco, and wheth
er for a homo, or for an investment,
now is tho tlmo to purchase. Land
may be had in tracts eultablo to tho
means of all and the results obtnlnod
are almost boyond belief. Further in
formation will bo gladly furnlshod by;
HOMESEEKERS INFORMATION
BUREAU, G30 Boo Bldg., Omaha, Neb
A Clew,
"How did tho accident happen?"
asked tho roportor on tho scene of the
railway horror, tho Cleveland Plata
Dealer records.
"Somebody stopped tho train by pull
ing tho alrbrako cord," answered the
conductor. "So tho second sootion ran
Into us. It will tako bIx hours to clear
tho track bo that wo can go ahead."
"Six hours?" shrieked a passenger.
"And I was to bo married today!"
"Hryo you any Idea who pulled the
ropo?" continued tho roportor, dlsre
gardlng tho interruption.
"I didn't havo until now," whispered
tho conductor. "But what do you think
of that follow that Just butted int
I'll sic tho detectives on him."
His Criticism.
An old man Btood on tho street cor
nor in Chorryvalo when tho trolloy
stopped nnd lot off a woman passen
ger. Sho had on a linen dress, a Pan
ama hat, champagne-colored hoso and
strapped pumps. "Goshl" exclaimed
tho old man. "I'd spend loss money
on my bonnot nnd buy somo Eock3."
Chorryvalo (Kan.) Journal.
Putting on Airs.
Mrs. Flubber Is a very suporlorpen
son." " "
"Oh, very. You'd think Bho had
been to a half dozen coronations."
i m,mt
SAVED
FROM AN
OPERATION
IMMMMMMM
By Lydia E. PinkhamV
Vegetable Compound
Peoria. 111. "I wish to let every on
js. jtininanva reme
dies nafo done for
me. For two years
I Buffered.- Thodoo-
a ton said I had tn-
'k mors, and tho only
xomcey was tno sur
geon's knife. Mr
mother bought me
Lydia E. Hnkham's
Vegetable Com
pound, and today I
am a healthy wo
man. For month
I suffered from ln-
flammatlon,and your Sanative Wash re
lieved me. Your liver .Pills have no
equal as a cathartic Anr one wishing
t- proooi. n " vur" mouiCtHGi" ns --
aono lor mo can gee it xrom any arug
glst or by writing to mo. You can us
my testimonial in any way you wish,
and I will bo glad to answor Iottors."
Mrs. OrmisTiKA Heed. 105 Mound St,
Peoria, 111.
. Another Operation Avoided.
Now Orleans, La.- "For years I suf
fered from severe female troubles.
Finally I was confined to my bed and
tho doctor said an operation was neces
sary. Ijja vo Lydia E.Pinkham's Veg
etable Compound a trial first, ana
was saved from an operation." Mrs.
LilyPeyroux, 1111 Kerlereo St., Nov
Orleans, La.
Tho great volume of unsolicited tes
timony constantly pouring in proves
conclusively that Lydia E. Pinkham'a
Vegetable Compound is a remarkable
remedy for thoso distressing feminine
ills from which so many women suffer.
50,000 Men Wanted
in Western Canada
20O Million Bushels
Whoatto bo Harvested
Harvest Help In Great Demand
Reports from the Provinces of
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
(Western Canada) indicate one of
the best crops ever raised on the
continent To harvest this crop will
require at least 50,000 harvesters.
Low Rates Will bo Glvon
on All Canadian Roads
Excursions are run dally and full
particulars will be given on applica
tion to the following authorized Cana
dian Government Agent The rates
are made to apply to all who wish to
take advantage of them for the pur
pose of inspecting the grain fields of
Western Canada, and the wonderful
opportunities there offered for those
who wish to invest, and also those
who wish to take up actual farm life.
Apply at once to
E. T, Holmsi, 31S Jickion St., St. Paul. Minn.
J. M. MicLichlin, Dror197, Wttertown.S.D.
KODAKS AND KODAK FINiSM
Hall order stTen pelal atteatloa.
All kinds amateur asppUea strictly
t reU. Bend (or catalog.
ZIMMERMAN BROTHERS, Slwrt City, I
33l UewnMt'sIytWt4tr
Know wnac juycua
mmsm
, ol mm
ilwwt
f'M1!1 ' 1
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Jul
411
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