a
4
y ANNA K&ttfAKlME C5KEEN
-uimjii ojr inn JUKAVcwwuKin jyo;
THE FILXGS2E 3iALi;"tllEH0U5 OF THE WHISPERING PITIES'
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
CHARLES .W. QOSSm
4
COPYTMOHT 1031
toy
JiTPEET & .SMITH
oopnriiioiXT isxi
JSiL
vjijij, rmiiAju h co
THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
SYNOPSIS.
-urge Awlprvan mid wife r
ii'irkablfi looking man coinf out vr mi
CI. rtnoiit liolol. look Around furtively.
V li Ills hands In the www Rod imMH on
'" 'ii motion nUrncts thwii to Mip Clpnnoiit,
v-'ioo II In found that tin- l.ttuitlful Mind
lMlih Ci.llonrr linn fallen deml. Andcr-
I...H ftilllH 111" iriHM lie BllVf WO'lll hlH
l .-id In (lie hiinw Tho IioIpI iniinageT
C" lurM lillii lo lie Orluido llrollnrncir
l'l l. lutm llnd tlml Mliw Clinlloimr wu
utAbtied find not Bitot, which noonin to
.'l"m lirolliprmin of huHplclon. Clryc". n
Ui.xl rinuiclhe, nnd HwuhIwhUt. bin -rf
I int. take up Hit raw Mr. Cli.illonor
ti'H of a hatch of Ipttcri found in h
' iKlilPr'D (Unk, hIkiipiJ "0 II." AH lira
IrikC Ir tier exeppt onn, which iiIkhvh that
tl). wiltrr wan (1Is1(mhpi1. Tills lUpr
v ', slKiiPd hy Orlando Itrothcinim And
fmii won With Swoitv.nlpr lo Idcnllfy
lUotlicitioii, who Is found In n temmrnf
I'ldci iho iiHrno of Dunn Up Ik ''"
fnli.r UrothPnuiii tpll Ihf coninpi Mlm
Cluiilnnpr iPpulM"! Iilm wllh ncorn wIipfi
lie orrreil hrr IiIh love HwwlwMpr n
ilj.t Hip mystery of Hip intirdqr of a
viKhrnvninan In which Home dptnlln wrro
il(i ilar lo Hip riiallnner affair C'lml
li.otr itdtnllH hlfl (laUKltUC vn di-eplv tn
ir -dpd, It not In lovo vtth Urolh' moil
fivvfftwalrr Ktn lod-dtma In the nninp
ti Hiding with llrotlicraun. Up vifpii
h Invtnloi' lit work nt nlKht nud in ilp-
tfd hy the luttp" Tho clpleotlvo iuovps
a room ndjnlr.lng NrothtTsmi' M
l r.n ii IioIp In Hi" wall to hpy on HkiMi
er,oii. I la vlaltn him find nnHlHfn tlm In
nilor I" Mb work. A glil wont hy Hwwd
v iter with Rflllh Clmlloimr'H Idle rx in
orJi'rcd out hy ntotliemon. Wo tlc-lnrw
hr trllrr.i worn not .written hy lilin
Hivtulwnlor J uniniiskod hy Hrothmin.(
vho ictiiaics he TeroKnmoa iinn ai jnco.
CHAPTER XX. Contlnuwl.
"LcUorsl" Kury Uilckciidl tli
njioaltcr'B volco, antl lent a Havim
plciini to his oyo. "p'orKOileiil Mako
I.iJIcvch! MIbu Glinlloncr novcr wrote
lio drlvol you daro lo doiiljjuritii an lot
ttru, It wih concoctctl at jiollco Iiuiid
quurtciB. Tlioy uiado mo loll my nlory
tmd lliou tlioy found hoiiki one who
could wield Uio poetic pun I'm
cpllRud to lliom for tho conlldoucn
thoy nliow, In my credulity. I credit
Mips Clmllonor with Hitch wontii ri
liavo boon tIvon mo to load horc to
day? I know llic Indy, and I know my-
Hfjlf. Nothing that paacd liotwocn uh,
not ftii event In which wo worn both
concerned, has boon forKotton by iiib,
and no fcaluro ot our Inlcrcourmt fllti
Alio laugungo you liavo iiBcrlhcil to
der. Oh tho contrnry, thoro Ih i lu
tiiuiitnblrj contradiction between facta
ih I bey woro nnd llio funck-H you Imvn
tnndo hor Indulgo In. And UiIh, uh you
ntiHt acknowledge not only proves
their falsity, but oxoucralcB MIhh (Mial
loner from all possible charKti of sen
timentality." XYot oho certainly ivioto Uiohh let
torn. Wo had thctn from Mr, Ciiillon
cr. 'i'lio woman who brought (hem wau
rcirily Jior maid. Wo have not de
ceived you 4n thla."
"I do not bellovo you."
It viih not offoriBlvcIy ttald; but the
conviction It cxprcuBcd was nlmoluto.
fSsveetwator recognized tho tomi. :A
cue pi truth, and Inwardly laid down
lily iiriuH. lio could never like the
man; there wau too much Iron la bin
liber; but ho had to acknowledge that
uh a foo ho wan Invulnerable ami
therefore admlrablo to out) who had
tho good noiiHo to apprcelato htm.
"I do not want to wolluvo you "
'J'lum did Hrothcrson ruipploiuonl hlu
former nontenco. "Kor If I woro to at
tribute thoso Icttoru to her, I nhould
liavo (o acknowledge that (hey were
written to" another man than myiielf.
'And "IUIh 'would ' bo anything but
ugrciMililo to nbt tIbw I am kolng to
ny room and to my work You may
tpcud tho lest of tho evening or the
whole night, If you will, linteulng at
that liolo. As heretofore,, (he labor
will bo all yours, and Iho Indifference
mine."
Willi a Hallrlcal play or feature
which could Juudly -bo called a xrnll,
lie noddbd and loft tho room.
CHAPTER XXI.
A Change.
"It's all Ui.v I'm boaten on my uvn
Krouiid." Thus confosspd Swootw,unr,
lu nroat dojectloji, lo himself, "mt
I'm goliiK to tako advantage or ine
liormUsIon bo's Just given mo and ooa
llnuo Iho listening not. Just hov:i mc
lie told mo (o and just becaiiho he
thinks I won't. I'm suro It'a no worio
than to Hpcnd hours of lofltlosM iohs
Ing in hod, trylug to sloop."
. Hut our joung dotoctlvu did lioitlinr
,Aa ho. was putting hlu htipper (Halms
nvay, a mosbongor boy knocltod nt his
door and handed him a note. It wut
from Gryco nud ran thus:
"Steal off, If you can, ami as .toon
tm jou can, and meet me In Tuoury
(ilnth slroot. A discovery has been
tuada which altera tho whole tfitua
jtlon.". CHAPTER XXII. , '
0, B, Annln.
"VY.hnt's "happened? Something vjry
Important? I ought to hopo i;o nftur
this confounded failure?"
"l'nlluro? Didn't ho read the lot
teW "Yes, bo read thorn. Had (o, but ht
dcnlcB everything. Said sho would
itivor have wiltton such ledum to
Mm; oven goes bo far kh to dwiiro
that If who did write thorn (b u
io fitrangoly Ignorant of hoi 0-
'wrltlng) thoy woro moaut for ra
other man then himself. All lot. hut
t
A hitch of the shoulder convoyed
.SweAtwater'H dlsgimt. HIb uniform
good nature wrtB strangely disturbed.
"He aaya that, docs ho? Come, now!
prejudice ankle, what' your honest
opinion of the man you've had under
your eye und ear for three uolld
weekB? Speak up, my boy."
"f can't. I hato tho follow. I hate
anyone who makes mo look ridiculous.
Tfe wall, well, If you'll have It, sir,
I will say this much. If It weren't
for that blasted coincidence or tho
two deaths equally mystorlous, equal
ly under his eye, I'd stake my life on
his honesty. Hut that coincidence
stumps me and and a sort of feeling
I have hero."
It Is to be hoped that tho slap he
gave his breast, at this point, carried
oft some of his suporlluous emotion.
"You can't account for a fooling, Mr.
Oryce. Tho man Ihib no heart. IIo'b
as hard as rooks."
"You'vo found no evidence ngalnst
him?"
"N no."
"ihon listen to this. Tho test with
th letters failed, becauso what ho
said about thorn was true. Tlioy woro
not meant for him. MIsb Challoncr
had another lover."
"Only another? I thought there
were a half-dozen, at loast."
"Atiothor whom alio favored, Tho
letters found In her po3sotiston not
the ones she wrote herself, but those
whjch wero written to her over tho
signature O. II. wero not all from tho
same hand. Exports have been busy
with them for a wcok, and their re
ports nro unanimous. Tho O. B. who.
wroto tho threatening lines acknowl
edged to by Orlando Hrothcrson, was
not the O. B. who penned all of thoso
lovo letters. The similarity in the writ
ing misled us at first, but onco tho
doubt was raised by Mr. Challonor'H
discovery of an allusion in ono of
them which pointed to another writer
thnu Mr. Urotherson. and experts had
no dlfllculty in reaching tho decision
I have montlonbd."
"Two O. H.'s! Isn't that Incredible.
Mr Qryco?"
"Yes, 'it Is Incredible; but tho In
credible Is not tho impossible Tho
man you'vo been shadowing denies
that these oxprosaivo effusions of Miss
Clmllonor wero meant for him. Lot
us seo, then, If wo can And the man
tlioy woro meant for."
"Tho second O. B.T"
"Yob."
Swoetwatqr's faco Instantly lit up.
"Do you mean that I after my
egregious falluro am not to bo kopt
on tho dunce's scat? That you will
give mo thls'now Job?"
"Yob. Wo don't know of a bettor
man."
"Tho superintendent how docs ho
feel about It?"
"Ho was tho first ono to mention'
you,"
"And the Inspector?"
"Is glad to seo us pn a now tack."
A pause, during which tho eager
"Dear Little Doris!"
light in the young dotectlvo'B oyo
clouded oer Presently ho remarked:
"How will the finding of another O
B. alter Mr. Brotherfcon'a position? To
my mind, this discovery of n'moro fa
vored rival, brings In an element of
motive which may rob uur self-rollant
friend of soi'ie of his complacency.
We may further, rather than destroy,
our ottHo against Urotherson by locat
ing a Bcoml O. 11."
Mr. ftryco's eyes twlnklod.
"That won't mako your task any
more Irksome," ho amllod. "Tho loop
we thus throw out Ja as llkoly to
catch Brotliorson as his ilval."
"Tho prospect grows pleasing.
Where inn I to look for my man?"
"Your ticket Is bought to Dorby, I'a
If he Is not omployed In tho great fac
tories there, wo do not know where to
llnd him. Wo liavo no other clue."
"I geo. Its a short Journoy I have
before mo."
"You will stint tomorrow."
"Wish It woro today."
"And you will ilrst Inqulro, not for
j. ii., mats too muoiinuo; uut ror a
young girl by the name of Doris Scott.
" "' I ii 1 1 1 1 i I, .
il l
She holds tho clue; or rather sho Is
tho clue to this second O. B."
"Another woman!"
"No, n child well, I won't Bay child
exactly; sho tniut bo Hlxteon."
"Doris Scott."
"Sho lives In Derby. Derby 1b a
small place. You will have no trouble
in finding this child. It was to her
MIsb Challoner'8 last lottor was ad
dressed. Tho one "
"I begin to see."
"No, you don't, Sweetwater. The nf
fair Is as blind as your hat; nobody
bcck Wo'ro just feeling along a
thread. 0. B.'s lottcrB tho real O. B.,
I mean, arc tho manliest effusions pos
sible. Ilo's no more of a milksop than
this iSrothorson; and unlike your In
domitable friend he seems to liavo
soino heart. I only wish ho'd give us
homo faclu; they would have been
serviceable. But tho letters reveal
nothing except that ho know Doris.
He writes In ono of them: 'Doris Is
learning to embroider. It's like a fairy
weaving a cobweb!' Doris Isn't a very
common name. She must bo tho same
Uttlo girl to whom MIsp Challoncr
wrote from time to time."
"Was IhlB letter signed O, B.?"
"Yes; they all aro. Tho only dif
ference between his lotters and Broth
crson's Is this: Brothorson's rotaln
tho date and add reus; tho second 0.
B.'s do not."
"How not? Torn off, do you moan?"
"Yes, or rather, neatly cut away;
and ns nono of tho envelopes wore
kept, the only means by which wo can
locate the writer Is through this girl
Doris."
"If I remember rightly Miss Chal
loner's lottor to this child was freo
from nil mystery."
"Quite so. It Is ub open as the day.
That Is why it has been mentioned as
showing tho freedom of Miss Challon-
or'a mind llvo minutes before that fa
tal thrust."
Sweetwater took Up tho sheet Mr.
Gryco pushed towards him and re-read
these lines:
"Dear Uttlo Doris:
"It ,is a snowy night, but it Is all
bright Insldo und I feol no chill in
mind or body. I hopo It Is bo In the
Uttlo cottage of Derby; that my Uttlo
friend Is as happy with harsh winds
blowing from tho mountains ns sho
wus on tho summer duy she came to
see mo at this hotel. I like to think
of her as cheerful and beaming, re
joicing in taBks which mako her so
womanly and Bweet. She Is often,
orten In my mind.
"Affectionately your friend,
U3D1TII A. CHALLONER."
"That td a child of Blxtoen"
"Just so."
"D-o-r-I-s spells somothlng besides
Dbrlu."
"Yot there Ih a Doris. Remember
that O. B. sayu In ono of his letters,
'DoiIb 1b learning to embroider.' "
"Yes, I remombor that."
"So you must first find Doris."
"Vory good, sir."
"And as Miss Challoncr'o letter wus
dlrectqd to Derby, I'a., you will go to
Derby."
"Yes, sir."
"Anything mora?"
"I've boon reading this letter again,"
"It's worth 11."
"The lasl sentence oxprosses a
hope."
"That has boon noted."
Sweot water's eyes Blowly roso till
they rested on Mr. Gryco's faco: "I'll
cling to tho thread you'vo given mo.
I'll work mysolf through tho laby
rinth before us till I reach him."
Mr. Gryco smiled; but thoro was
more ago, wisdom and sympathy for
youthful enthusiasm In that smile than
thoro was conlldonco or hope.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Doris.
"A young girl named Doris Scott?"
Tho station-master looked some
what sharply at tho man ho was ad
dressing, and decldod to give tho di
rection asked.
"Thcro Is but ono young girl In
town ot that name," ho declared, "and
she lives In that Uttlo houso you seo
Just beyond the works. But let me
toll you, stranger," he went on with
soino precipitation
But horu ho was called off, and
Sweetwater lost tho conclusion of his
warning, if warning It was meant to
bo. This did not trouble tho detect
ive. Ho utood a moment, taking In
tho prospect; decided thnt tho works
and tho works alone raudo tho town,
and sturted for tho houso which had
boon pointed out to him. His way loy
through thu chief business street, and
greatly preoccupied by his orrand. ho
gavo but u passing glance to tho rows
ou rows of workmen's dwellings
stretching away to tho left In seem
ingly endless perspective. Yot In that
Blanco ho certainly took In the, fact
that tho Bldowalks woro blocked with
peoplo and wondorod If It woro a holi
day. If bo, it must bo nn enforcod
ono, for tho facos showed Uttlo Joy.
Possibly a strlko was on. Tho nnx
laty by overywhoro saw pictured on
young faces and old, argued somo
' trouble; but If tho troublo was thut,
why woro all heads turned Indifferent
ly from tho works, nnd why wore tho
works themselves In full blast?
Thoso questions ho may have asked
himself and ho may not. Ills atten
tion was entirely centered on the
house ho saw before him and on the
posBlblo developments awaiting him
there. Nothing else mattered. Brisk
ly he stepped out along tho sandy
road, nnd after n turn or two which
led him quite away from the works
and Its surrounding buildings, he
came out upon the highway and this
house.
Itwns a low and unprotontlous ono,
and had but one distinguishing fea
ture. Tho porch which hung well over
the doorstop was unique In shape and
gave an air of plcturcaqucness to an
otherwise shnplo exterior; a pic
turesquencBS which was much en
hanced In its effort by tho background
of Illimitable forest, which unUcd tho
foreground of this pleasing picture
with the great chain of hills which
held tho works and town In Its ample
basin.
As he approached tho doorstep, his
mind involuntarily formed an anticip
atory Imago of tho child whoso llrst
stitches In embroidery were like a
fairy's weaving to the stiong man who
worked In ore and possibly figured out1
bridges. n That she would prove to be
of tho ancient type, common nmong
working girlB gifted with an Imagina
tion they hnvo but scant opportunity
to exercise, ho had Httlo'doubt.
He was therefore greatly taken
aback, when at his first Btop upon tho
porch, tho door before him flew open
and he behold In tho dark recess be
yond a young woman of such bright
and blooming beauty that ho hardly
noticed her expression of extreme
anxiety, till sho lifted her hand and
l.ld an admonitory linger softly on
her lip:
"Hush!" sho whispered, with an
earnestness which roused him from
his absorption and restored him, to the
full moaning of this encounter. "There
is sickness In the house and wo arc
vory anxious. Is your errand an Im
portant ono? If not " Tho falter
ing break In th6 fresh, young voice,
the look sho enst behind hor Into tho
darkened Interior, wore eloquent with
the hopo that he would recognize her
impatience and pass ou.
And so ho might bavo done so he
would have dono undor all ordinary
circumstances. But if this was DorlB
and ho did not doubt tho fact after
that llrst moment of startled surprise
how date ho forego this opportunity
of Bottling tho question which ha'd
brought him here.
With a slight stammer but other
wise giving no evidence of tho effect
mado upon him by tho passionate In
tensity with which sho had urged this
plea, he assured her that his orrand
was Important, but ono so quickly
told thnt It would delay her but a mo
ment, "But first," said ho, with very
natural caution, "let me make- suro
that it is to Miss Doris Scott I am
speaking. My errand is to hor and
her only."
Without showing any surprise, per
haps too engrossed in her own
thoughts to feel any, sho answered
with simple directness, "Yes, I, am
Doris Scott." Whoreupon he became
his most persuasive self, and pulling
out a folded paper from his pockot,
opened It and held it before hor, with
these words:
"Then will you be so good as to
glanco at this lottor and tell mo If tho
person whoso Initials you will llnd 'at
tho bottom happens to, bo In town at
tho present moment?"
In somo astonlshmont now, she
glanced down at tho sheet thus boldly
thrust beforo her, and recognizing tho
O and tho B of a well-known slgnn
turo, sho Hashed a look back nt Sweet
water In which ho road a confusion of
amotions for which he was hardly pro
pared. "Ah," thought ho, "it's coming. In
another moment I shall hear what
will repay mo for the trials and disap
pointments of nil thoso months."
But tho moment pnssod and ho had
hoard nothing Instond, sho dropped
her hands from tho door-jamb and
gavo such unmistuknblo evldonces of
Intonded flight, that but ono alterna
tive remained to him; ho became ab
rupt.
Thrusting tho puper still nearer, ho
said, with an emphasis which could'
not fall of making an Impression,
"Head It. Bead tho wholo letter. You
will And your namo thoro. This com
munication was addressed to Miss
Challonor, but"
Oh, now sho found words! With a
low cry, shu put out her hand In quick
ontroaty, begging him to desist and
not speak that namo on any pretext
or for any purposo. "Ho may rouse
and hoar," Bho oxplalnod, with anoth
er quick look bohlnd hor. "Tho doc
tor says that this Is the critical day.
Ho may become conscious any min
ute If ho should and were to hear
thnt name, It might kill him."
"Ho!" Sweotwntor perked up his
oars. "Who do you mean by ho?"
"Mr. Brothar?on, my patient, ho
whosq letter " But hero hor Impa
tience roso above ovory other consid
eration. Without attempting to Hnlsh
her sentence or yielding In tho least
to her curiosity or interest in this
man's orrand, she cried out with
smothered Intensity, "Go! go. I can
not stay another moment from his
bedsldo."
But a thunderbolt could not have
moved Sweetwater after the hearing
of that name.' "Mr. Brothcrson!" he
cchood. "Hrothcrson! Not Orlando?"
"No, no;- his nnnip Is Oswald. Ilo's
the manager of these works. He's
sink with typhoid. Wo ara caring for
him. If you belonged here you wouH
know that much. Thoro! that's his
voice you hear. Oo, If you have any
mercy.". And she began to push to
tho door.
But Sweetwater was Impervious to
all hint. With eager eyes straining
into tho shadowy depths just visible
over hor shoulder, he listened eagerly
for the disjointed words now plainly
to bo hcaVd In some near-by but un
seen chambor
"Tho second O. B.!" he inwardly
declared. "And ho's a Brothcrson
also, nnd sick! Miss Scott," he
whisperlngly entreated ns hor hand
fell in manifest despair from tho door,
"don't send me away yet. I've a
question of the greatest importance to
put you,- and one minute mora cannot
mako any difference to him. Listen!
those cries are the cries of delirium;
he cannot miss you; he's not even con
scious." "He's calling out In his sleep. He's
calling her, just as he has callod for
the last two weeks. But ho will wako
conscious or ho will not wako at all."
The anguish trembling In that lat
ter phrase would have attracted
Sweetwater's earnest. If not pitiful,
attention at any other time, but now
he had ears only for tho cry which at
that moment came ringing shrilly
from within
"Edith! Edith!"
The Hying shouting for tho dead! A
heart still warm sending forth Its
longing to the pierced and pulseless
ono, hidden in a far-off tomb! To
Sweetwater, who had seen Miss Chal
loncr buried, this summons ot dis
tracted love came with weird force.
Then tho present regained Its sway.
He heard her name again, and this
time It sounded less llko a call and
more like the welcoming cry of meet
ing spirits. Was death to end this
separation? Had he found the true
O. B., only to behold another and final
seal fall upon this closely folded mys
tery? In his fear of this possibility,
he caught at Doris' hand as she was
about to bound away, and eagerly
asked:
"When was Mr.- Brothorson taken
111? Tell me, I entreat you; the exact
day and, If you can, tho exact hour.
More depends upon this than you can
readily realize."
Sho wrenched her hand from his,
panting with impatience and a vague
"Hush!"
alarm. But she answered him dis
tinctly: "Ou the tweuty-llftli of last month,
just an hour after ho was mado mana
gor. Ho fell In a faint nt the works."
The day the very day of Miss Chal
loner's death!
"Had ho heard did jqu tell him
then or afterwards what happened In
Now York on (that von; date?"
"No, no, wo havo not told him. It
would have killed him and may yet."
"Edith! Edith!" como again
through the hush, a hush so deep that
Sweotwator received tho Impression
that tho houso was empty save for pa
tlont and nurse.
This dlscovory had Us etfect upon
him. Why should ho subject this
young and loving girl to further pain?
He had already learned moro than he
had expected to. Tho rest would como
with tltno. But nt tho first Intimation
ho gave of leaving, sho lost her ab
stracted air and turned with absolute
eagerness towards him.
"Ono momont," snhl sho. "You aro
a stranger nnd I do" not know your
namo or your purposo hero. But I
cannot Jet you go without begging you
not to mention to unyono In this town
that Mr. Brothcrson has any Interest
In tho lady whoso namo wo must not
speak. Do not ropoat thnt delirious
cry you have heard or betray In any
way our intense and fearful Interest
In this young lady's strange death.
You have shown mo a letter. Do not
speak of that lottor, I entreat you.
Help us to retain our secret a llttlo
longer. Only tho doctor and myself
know what awaits Mr. Brotherson if
bo llvos. I had to tell the doctor, Out
a doctor roveals nothing. Promise that
you will not either, at least till the
crisis Is "passed. It will help my fa
ther and it will help mo; and wo need
all the help we can got."
Sweetwater allowed himself one
minute of thought, then ho earnestly
replied:
"I will keep your secret for today,
and longer, If possible."
"Thank you," she cried; "thank you,
1 thought I saw kindness in your
face." And she again prepared to close
the door.
But Sweetwater had one moro ques
tion to ugk. "Pardon me," said ho, ns
ho stepped Uovn on tho walk, "you
fay that this Is a critical day with
your patient. Is that why every one
whom I have seen so far wears such a
look of anxiety?"
"Yes, yes," sho criod, giving him
ono other gllmpso of her lovely, agi
tated faco. "Thero's but one feeling
In town today, but ono hope, and, ae
I believe, but ono prayer. That the
man whom every one loves and every
ono trusts may llvo to run these
works."
"Edith! Edith!" roso in ceaseless
reiteration from within.
But It rang but faintly now In the
ears of our detective. Tho door had
fallen to, and Sweetwater's share In
the anxieties of that household wae
over.
Slowly he moved away. Ho waB Is
a confused yot elated condition ot
mind. Hero was food for a thousand
now thoughts and conjectures. An Op
lando Brothcrson and an Oswald
Brotherson rolatlves possibly, stran
gers possibly; but whether relatives
or strangers, both given to signing
their letters with their Initials sim
ply; and both tho acknowledged ad
mirers of the deceased Miss Challon
cr. But she had loved only one, and
that ono, Oswald. It was not difllcull
to recognize the object of this high
hearted woman's affections In tlile
man whoso strugglo with the master
destroyer had awakened tho sollcltudt
of a whole town.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Suspense.
Ton minutes after Sweetwater's ar
rival in tho vlllago stroots, ho was at
homo with the people ho found there.
Ills conversation with Doris In the
doorway of her homo had been ob
served by the curious and far-sighted
and the questions asked and answered
had made him friends at once. 01
course, ho could tell them nothing,
but that did not matter, ho had seen
and talked with Doris and their idol
ized young manager was no worse
and might possibly soon bo bettor.
Of his own affairs of his business
with Doris and the manager, thoj
asked nothing. All ordinary interests
were lo3t in tho stress of their great
suspense.
It was tho same in the bar-room ol
tho ono hotel. Without resorting tc
more than a question or two, ho read
ily learned all that was ' gonerallj
known of Oswald Brpthorson. Everj
ono was talking about him, and enct
hail some story to tell Illustrative ol
Ills kindness, his courage and his
quick mind. Tho Works had novel
produced a man of such varied capa
bilities and all round sympathies. Tc
liavo him for manager meant the
greatest good which could befall this
llttlo community.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
On Life's Road.
All our weariness of sufforlng is
without avail to leave even a little
memory among thoso for whom the
work Is done. All thnt Is wrought In
despair, all that Is loveless and me
chanical, falls to tho ground. Wo live
for oven jo much as a brief Hfo only
In that which carries tho breath ol
our bolng, the lovo of our heart. It is
not In ceaseless routine nnd grinding
that wo llvo, nor In what la small and
anxious. Machines will continuo the
tale of that forever. No cog will ever
bo missed in that ondless chain. But
wo shall not wholly dlo in the- song
we enrry in our heart, tho lovo with
which wo lovo the being of another,
tho smllo we glvo nnother wayfarer at
dusty noonday. Collier's Weekly.
The Open Car Window.
The rulo as to windows in passen
ger cars In Germany has boon that
they muBt not bo opened on both sldea
of tho car without tho consont of all
occupying tho compartment, but ou
city and suburban trains In Borlln
nolther window in the front compart
ment of each Car may bo opened with
out such unanimous consent.
' i
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