THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
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8YN0PSIS.
Gtoreo Anderson nnd wife sen n rc
tnnrkahlo looklnK man coirni out of tho
Clonnont hotel, look around furtively,
wnsh his hands In tin- snow nnd liana on.
Commotion attracts them to the Clermont,
whore It Ib found Unit the. beautiful MIimi
Killth Hialloner linn fallen dead. Ander
non doscrlbes tlio man lio aw wnBh his
luimU In tlio now. The hotol mnnHKr
declares him to he Oilando iJrotherson
PhyHlc'liinB nnd that Mlsi Chnlloncr was
ntnbhod nnd not shot, which Beeins to
dear llrothemon of suspicion, dryer, nn
need detective, nnd Sweetwater, Ills as
sistant tnl.e up the ense Mr Cluilloner
lells of a Imteli of letter found In hi
iliiiKhter's desk, ntf?ned "O. II " All are
lovo letters except olio, which shows that
the writer wni displeased. This letter
was signed by Orlando Ilrothorson And
erson Koes with Sweetwatei to Identify
llrotheron. who Ih found In a tenement
under the nnmo of Dunn lie Im an In
vontor. Hrolhcrson tell the coroner Mlw
rhnllonei repulsed him with scorn when
he offeied her IiIh love Sweetwater re
calls the mylery of tho murder of a
washerwoman In which somo details wern
similar to the Challoner affair. Chal
lonor iiilmllB his daughter was deeply In
terested, If not In lovo with Brotherson.
Hwentwnter Kots IndKlnK In the pnino
building with llrotherBon Ho wntches
thu Inventor nt work nt hlfilit nnd 1b de
tected by the lfttier, Tim detective moves
to u room adjoining Brotherson' He
liores a hole In the wall to Hpy on nroth
rron He IbIIs him anil assists tho In
ventor In his work. A Klrl sont hy Sweet
water with itfltti Chnllouur's letters Is
ordered out hy Urollieraon. Ho declares
tlio letters wtre not written bv him.
Bweetwntci Is unmaBkcd by Urothorson,
who declares he reeoKiiIzcd him nt once
The discovery Is mndo. that tho lotters
flenod "O. IJ " wcro written by two
illfforent men, Bwcotwntcr Koe to Derby
In search of tho second "O, H" whom ho
expects to Inrato through ono Doris Stbtt
mentioned In tho letters. Hho Is found
nctlns ns nurso for Oiwnld Urothorson,
who Is critically nick and calls the nnmo
Df Kdlth fit his delirium. Sweetwater
comes across a peculiar hut In the woods.
!To ees a load of boxes markod "O
3rotheraon," taken Into the hut under
tho supervision of Doris Hcott.
CHAPTER XXVIII. Continued.
"I cunncit tell; I do not know," Bald
olio. "Nobody known, not ovon tho
doctor, what oftcct tho nowa wo dread
lo glvo him will have upon Mr. Broth
iTBon, You will havt, to wait wo all
hnll hnvo to wait tho rosulta of thnt
rovolatlon. It cunnot bo kopt from
him much longor."
"You havo had much to carry for
ono bo young." waa Mr. Challonor'a
sympathetic remark. '"You must lot
mo help you whon that awful moment
comos. I am at tho hotol and shall
tny thoro till Mr. Brotherson Is
pronounced qulto wall. I havo no
Dthor duty now In llfo but to sustain
him through his troublo and then,
with what aid ho can give, search out
And find tho cause of my daughter's
death whloh I will never admit with
flat tho fullest proof, to havo boon
ono of sulcldo."
Dorla trembled,
"It was not aulcldo," sho doclarod,
fohomontly. "I havo alwaya folt sure
that It waB not; but today I know."
Hor hand foil clenched on hor breast
And her eyes gleamed strangely. Mr.
Challonor waa hlmsolf greatly atartled.
"I've not told any ono," alio went
an, aa ho stoppod ahort In tho road.
In IiIb anxiety to understand hor. "But
I will t.oll you. Only, not horo, not
with all thcao people driving past;
tnpBt of whom know mo, Como to tho
houso latcrthlB evening, aftor Mr.
rrothorson's room la closed for tho
ulght. I havo a llttlo Blttlng-room on
tho other sldo of tho hall whoro wo
tan 'talk without bolng honrd. Would
you object to doing that?"
"No, not at all," ho assurod hor.
'Expect mo at eight. Will that bo too
early?"
"No, no, Oh, how thoso peoplo
Mnrodl Lot ua hnston back or thoy
may connect your nnmo with what wo
want kepi aecrot."
Ho smiled at her fears, but gavo In
to hor humor; ho would boo hor booh
again and possibly loarn something
which would amply repay him, both
for hla troublo and hla pntionco.
Dut whon avonlng camo and alio
turned to fnco him in that llttlo alt-ting-room
whoro ho had qulotly fol
lowed hor, ho waa coiiscIoub of a
chango in her manner which forbndo
thoso high hopes.
"I don't lino wnat you -will think
of mo," Bho ventured, at last, motion
ing to a chair but not Bitting herself
"You havo had tlmo to think ovor
what I said and probably expect some
thing real something you could toll
C-oplo. Dut It iBn't llko that. It's a
l.ellng n bellof. I'm bo. suro"
Vuro of what, MIbb Scott?"
Sho gavo a ghvnco nt tho door bo
foro stepping up nearer. Ho had not
taken tho chair sho procured.
"Suro that I havo booh tho faco of
flio man who niurdorod her. It wan in
ti dream," Bho whlsporingly complet
ed, hor groat yyqa mluty with awo,
"A dream, Mea Scott?" Ho tried to
Aldo hla disappointment.
"Yoa; 1 know that it would Bound
oollsh to you; It sounds foolish to mo.
Hut llston, sir. Llston to what I have
lo toll nnd then you enn Judgo. I waa
very much agitated yesterday. 1 had
lo writo u lottor at Mr. Ilrothorson'a
nictation a lottor to hor. You can
understand my horror nnd tho effort
C imndo to hide my emotion. I was
qulto unnerved. I could not Bloop till
ttiornlng, nnd then and then 1 saw
I hope I can dpscribo It."
Grasping nt a noarby chair, nho
loaned on It for support, closing hor
eyos to nil but thu lnuor vision. A
breathless moment followod. thi-i Bho
murmured In strained monotonous
ones:
'1 sco It again Just as I saw it In
the early morning but oven moro
pinlnly, If that is possible, A hall
(I should call It a hall, though I don't
romombor Booing any plnce llko it be
fore), with a llttlo stalrcaso at tho
sldo, up which thoro cornea a man,
who atops Just at tho top and looks
Intently my wny. Thero 1h fierceness
In his face a look which means no
good to anybody and as his hand
goes to his overcoat pocket, drawing
out something which I cannot do
scribe, but which ho handles us if It
woro a pistol, I feel a horrible foar.
and and " Tlio child was Btaggor
Ing, nnd tho hand which was free had
sought hor heart whoro It lay
clenched, tho knuckles showing white
In tho dim light.
Mr. Challonor watched her with di
lated eyes, tlio spoil tinder which she
iipoko falling in some degree upon
him. Had she finished? Was this all?
No; sho Is Hpoaklng again, but very
low, almost In a whisper,
"Thero is music a crash but
plainly seo his other hand approach
tho object ho is holding. Ho takes
bomothlng from tho end tho object is
pointed my wny I am looking into
Into what? I do not know. I enn-
not ovon seo him now.
The apace I
Nvhero ho stood Is empty. Everything
fndes, and I wnko with a loud cry in
my ears and n sonso of death here."
Sho had lifted her hand nnd struck at
hor heart, opening hor oVes aa sho did
so. "Yot It was not I who had been
shot," alio added softly,
Mr. Challoner shuddered. This was
llko tho reopening of hla daughter's
grave. Hut ho had entered upon tho
sceno with a full appreciation of tho
ordeal awaiting him and he did not
loso his talmness, or tho control of
his Judgment.
"Co seated, MIbb Scott," hs entreat
ed, taking a chair himself, 'n'ou havo
described tho spot and somo of tho
circumstances of my daughter's death
as, accurately as if you had been there.
Dut you havo doubtless read a full ac
count of thoso details In tho pnpors;
possibly Been pictures which would
make the place qulto real to you, Tho
mind Ib a Btrango Btorchouse. Wo do
not nlwnys know what lies hidden
within it."
"That's truo." sho admitted. "Dut
tho maul I had novor seen the man,
or any picture of him, and his faco
was clearest of all. I should know It
If 1 saw it anywhero. It la Imprinted
on my memory aa plainly ns yours.
Oh, I hope novcr to seo thnt man I"
Leaning townrd hor that ho might
got hor full attention, ho waited till
hor oyos mot his, then qulotly asked:
"Havo you over named this man to
yourBolf?"
Sho startod nnd dropped hor oyca.
"I do not dnro to," said sho.
"Why?"
"Decauso I've road In tho papors
"It lu Hel It Ib Hcl"
that tho mnn who stood thero had the
samo name as "
"Tell me, MIbh Scott."
"Aa Mr. Urothorson'a brothor."
"lhit you do not think it wns his
brother?"
"1 do not know."
"Ycu'vo novor sodh his brothor?"
"Novor."
"Nor his picture?"
"No, Mr. Drothorson has nono."
"Aron't thuy friends? Does ho nov
or mention Orlando?"
"Very, very rarely. Dut l'vo no
reabon to think thoy arc not on good
torniB. I know thoy correspond."
"MIbb Scott?"
"Yes, Mr. Challonor."
"You must not roly too much upon
your droam."
Her oyaa flashed to his and thon foil
again.
"Dreams are not rovolatlona; thoy
aro the reproduction of what alroady
Ilea hidden lu the mind. I can prove
that your droam Is such."
"How?" Sho looked Btartlod.
"You apoak of Booing something bo
lug hivolod at you which made you
think of a pUtol."
"Yes, I was looking directly into It"
nib US
I l fttt JALaI. !L jy.js40By'rj " -
y ANNA K&FHARINE GREEN
AUTHOS OP "THE LEAVENWORTH CASE
fTHE FILIGREE ALL"tKEH0U5 0FTlffiWHI5PRING PINES'
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
CHAQLE5W. UOSSER
COPVRIOHT 19 JI toy STPEET & .SMITH
COPYHIUHT IP! By POPII, WEAD CO
"Uut my daughter waa not shot. Sho
died from n atab."
Dorla lovely faco, with Its tender
lines and girlish curves, took on a
strango look of conviction which deop
onod, rather than melted under his in
dulgent, but penetrating gaze.
"I know that you think bo but my
dream aaya no. I Bnw this object. It
was pointed directly towards me
above all, I saw his faco. It was tho
faco of one whoso llngor is on tho trig
ger and who means death; and I bo
llevo my dream."
Well, It was useless to reason furth
er. Gentlo in u'il else, sho was Im
movable so far ns this idea was con
corned and, 'seeing thia, ho let the
matter go and propared to take his
leave.
Sho scorned to bo qulto ready for
this. Anxiety about hor patient had
regained its place in her mind, nnd
hor glanco sped constantly toward tho
door. Taking hor hand in his, ho said
somo kind words, then crossed to tho
door and opened It. Instantly her fin
ger flow to hor lips and, obedient to
Its silent Injunction, ho took up hla
hat In alienee, and was proceeding
down tho hall, when tho boll rang,
startling them both and causing him
to atop quickly back.
"Who la It?" Hho asked. "Fathor'8
n nmi vlciltnrn unldnm cntrifi so lato."
"Shall I aco?" x
She nodded, looking strangely trou
bled aB tho door swung open, reveal
ing tho tall, strong ilguro of n man
facing them from tho porch.
"A strnngor," formed itself upon hor
lips, nnd sho wns moving forward,
whon tho man suddenly stepped into
tho glaro of tho light, and sho stopped,
with a murmur of dlBmay which
pierced Mr. Chnllonor's heart and
propared him fpr tho words which
now fell Bhudderingly from her lips.
"It la ho! It It ho! I said that I
should know him wherever I saw
him." Then with a qulot turn towards
tho Intruder, "Oh, why, why, did you
como horo!"
CHAPTER XXIX.
Do You Know My Brother?
Her hands wero thrust out to ropol,
her features woro fixed; her beauty
something wondorful. Orlando Droth
orson, thus mot, stnred for a moment
nt tho vision before him, thon slowly
and with effort withdrawing hla gazo,
ho sought the faco of Mr. Challoner
with tho first sign of open disturb
ance that gentleman had ovor aeon In
him. ,
"Am I in Oawald DrotherBon'a
houao?" ho naked. "I wna directed
horo. Dut possibly thoro may be
somo mlstako?"
'"It Is horo ho lives," said sho, mov
ing back automatically till sho stood
again by tho threshold of tho small
room In which Bho had received Mr.
Challonor. "Do you wish to see him
tonight? If so, I foar it is imposslblo.
Ho hns boon very ill and is not al
lowed to receive visits from
Btrnnger8."
"I am not a Btrangor," nnriounced
tho nowcomer, with a smllo fow could
seo unmoved, It offored such n con
trast to his stern and dominating ilg
uro. "I thought I heard somo words
of recognition which would provo your
knowledgo of that fact."
Sho did not answer. Her lips hnd
parted, but her thought or at leaat tho
expreaslon of hor thought hung bub
ponded In tho terror of thlB meeting
for which sho was not nt all propared.
Ho seomoil to note this terror, whoth
or or not ho understood Its cauae, and
smiled again, na ho added:
"Mr. Drothorson must havo apokon
of hla brother Orlando. I am ho, Miss
Scott. Will you lot mo come In now?"
Hor oyos sought thoBO of Mr. Chal
lonor, who qulotly noddod. Immedi
ately sho stopped from beforo the door
which her figure had guarded and,
motioning him to enter, alio begged
Mr. Challonor, with nn Imploring look,
to sustain hor In tho interview sho
Bnw boforo hor. Ho had no doslro for
this encounter, especially as Mr.
Drothorson's glanco In his direction
had been anything but conciliatory.
Ho was qulto convinced that nothing
wna to bo gained by it, but ho could
not roBlst her nppoal, nnd followed
them Into tho llttlo room whcoi lim
ited dimensions mauo tlio tall urlnndn
look blggor and atrongor nnd more
lordly In his solf-conlldenco thnn ovor.
"I am sorry It Is bo lato," Bho began,
contemplating his IntriiBlvo ilguro
with forcod composure. "Wo havo to
bo very qulot in tho evonlngs so as
not to disturb your brother's first
sleop which is of groat Importance to
him."
"Thon I'm not to seo him tonight?"
"I prny you to wait. Ho's he's boon
n very alck man."
"Dangorously ho?"
"Yes."
Orlando continued to regard hor
with a peculiar awakening gnro Bhow
Ing, Mr. Challonor thought, morp In-
torost In hor than 111 his brother, nnd
whon hq Bpoko It was mochnnlcally
and ns if In solo obadtencd to tho pro
prlotlos of the occasion.
"1 did not know ho was HI till very
lately. His last lettor waa a cheerful
one, and I supposed that all was right
till chanco revealed the truth. I camo
on at once. I was intending to como
nnywny. I have business here, ns you
probably know, Miss Scott."
Sho shpok hor hend. "I know very
little about business," said she.
"My brothor has not told you why
he expected mo?"
"Ho haB not oven told mo that ho
expected you."
"No?" Tho word was highly ox
presslvo; thoro was surprise In It and
a touch of wondor, but more than nil,
satisfaction. "Oswald wna always,
close-mouthed," ho declared. "It's a
good fault; I'm obliged to the boy."
These last words woro uttered with
a lightness which Imposed upon hla
two highly agitated hearora, causing
Mr. Challoner to frown and Doris to
shrink back In Indignation at tho man
who could Indulge In a sportive sug
gestion in presence of such fears, if
not of such memories, as tho situation
evoked.
"Tho hour is lato for further con
versation. I have a room at the hotel
and will rcturiTto It nt once. In tho
morning I hope to seo my brother "
Ho was going, Doris not knowing
what to say, Mr. Challoner not desir
ous of detaining him, when thoro
came tho sound of a little tinklo from
the other side of tho hall, blanching
the young girl's cheeks and causing
Orlando Brothcrson's brows to rise
in peculiar satisfaction.
"My brother?" ho asked.
"Yes," camo In faltering reply. "Ho
has heard our voices; I must go to
him."
"Say that Orlando wishes htm a
good night," smiled her heart's enemy,
with a bow of Infinite grace.
She shuddered, and waB hastening
from the room when hor glanco fell
on Mr. Challoner. Ho was palo and
looked greatly disturbed. Tho pros
pect of being left alone with a man
whom sho had herself denounced to
him as his daughter's murderer, might
provo a tax to his strength to which
she hnd no right to subject him. Paus
ing with an appealing nlr, sho made
him a slight gesture which ho at once
understood. ,
"I will accompany you into the
hall," said he. "Then If anything is
wrong, you have but to speak my
name."
But Orlando Brothcrson, displeased
by this movo, took a step which
brought him between the two.
"You can hear her from hero if she
chances to Dpeak. There's a point to
bo settled botween ua beforo either of
U3 leave this house, and thia oppor
tunity la aa good as another. Go to
my brother, Miss Scott; wo will await
your return."
A flash from tho proud bankers
oyo; but no demur, rather a gesture of
consent. Doris, with a look of deep
anxiety, sped away, and the two men
stood faco to faco.
"Mr. Challoner, do you know my
brothor?"
"I havo novor seen him."
"Do you know him? Does he know
you?"
"Not at all. We aro strangers."
It was said honestly. Thoy did not
know each other. Mr". Challoner was
qulto correct in his statement.
"Mon somotimes correspond who dp
not know each other. You know that
a Brotherson lived hero?"
"Yes."
"And hoped to learn something
about me "
"No; my Interest was solely with
your brothor."
"With my brother? With Oswald?
What lntorc3t can you have In hint
apart from mo? Oswald Is "
Suddonh' n thought came an unlm-
nglnnblo ono; ono with power to
blanch ovon IiIb hardy chook and
shako n soul unassnllnblo by all small
emotions.
"Oswald Brotherson!" he repeated ;'
adding in unlntolllglblo tones to him
self". D. The anmo initials! Thoy
aro following up theao Initials. Poor
Oswald!" Then nloud: "It hardly be
comes mo, perhaps, to question your
motives in this attempt at making my
brother's acquaintance. I think I can
guess them; but your labor will be
wasted. Oswald'B interests do not ex
tend boyond this town; thoy hardly
extend to mo. Wo aro strangerB, al
most. You will learn nothing from
him on the subject which naturally
ongrossos you."
Mr. Challoner simply bowed. "I do
not fool called upon," said ho, "to ex
plain my reasons for wishing to know
your brother. I will simply satisfy you
upon a point which may well rouso
your curiosity. You remember that
that my daughter's last act was tho
writing of n letter to a llttlo protegee
of hers. Miss Scott was that protcgeo.
In Booking hor, I camo upon him. Do
you rcqulrd mo to Bny moro on this
Hiibioct? Walt till I havo soon Wj. Ob-
wnld Urothorson nnd thon perhaps I
can do bo."
Receiving no answer to thM, Mr.
Challonor turned again to tl'a mnn
who was thoobJoctofh!Bdeoi.st sus
picions, to find him atlll in 'ao dazo
or that unimaginable thought, fcattllng
with it, acoillus at it. auccoTabinB to
it and all without a word. Mr. Chal
lonor wna without cluo to thia atrug
glo, but tho might of It and tho my8
tory of It, drove him In oxtromo nglta
tntlon from tho room. Though proof
wna lacking, though proof might never
como, nothing could ever alter his be
lief from this moment on that Doris
was right in her estlmnto of this man's
guilt, however unsubstantial her rea
soning might nppear.
How far ho might havo been carried
by this new conviction; whether he
would have left tho houso without seo
Ing Doris again or exchanging another
word with tho man whoso very pres
ence trifled him, ho had no opportun
ity to show, for beforo ho had taken
another stop, ho encountered tho hur
rying figure of DoriB, who was return
ing to her guests with an air of
marked relief.
"Ho does not know that you aro
here," sho whispered to Mr. Challonor,
ns sho passed him. Then, as sho again
confronted Orlando who hastened to
dismiss his troublo nt hor approach,
bho said quite gaily: "Mr. Drotherson
heard your voice, and Is glad to know
that you'ro here. Ho bade me glvo
you this key and say that you would
have found things In better shape If
ho had been In condition to superin
tend tho removal of tho boxes to tho
place ho had prepared for you beforo
ho became ill. I was tho ono to do
that," sho added, controlling her aver
sion with manifest effort. "When Mr.
Drothorson camo to himself he asked
if I had heard about any largo boxes
having arrived at tho station shipped
to his namo. I said that several no
tices of such had como to tho house
At which ho requested mo to see that
they were carried at once to the
strango looking shed ho had put up
for him in t&o woods. I thought that
they wero for him, and I saw to tho
thing myself. Two or three others
havo come since and been taken to
the same place: I think' you will find
nothing broken or disturbed; Mr.
Brotherson's wishes are usually re
spected." "That is fortunate for me," was the
courteous reply.
Dut Orlando Brotherson was not
himself, not at all himself as he bowed
a formal adieu and wlthdrow past tho
drawn-up sentinel-like figure of Mr.
Challoner, without a motion on his
part br on the part of that gentleman
to lighten an exit which had some
thing in It of doom and dread presage.
CHAPTER XXX.
Chaos.
It is not difficult to understand Mr.
Challoner's feelings or oven thoso of
Doris nt tho moment of Mr. Brother
son's departure. But why this change
In Brotherson himself? Why this
sense of something now and terrible
rising between him and tho suddenly
beclouded future? Let us follow him
to his lonely hotol room and see if wo
can solve tho puzzle.
But first, does he understand his
"What Do You Wish to Ask?"
own trouble? He doca not aeem to
For when, his hat thrown aside, ho
stopf., erect and frowning under tho
flaring gas Jet ho had no recollection
of lighting, his first act was to lift his
hand to his head In a gesture of sur
prising helplessness for' him, whllo
snntchps of broken sentences fell from
his lips among which could bo heard:
"What has como to mo? undone in
an hour! Doubly undone! First by
a face and then by this thought which
surely tho devils have whispered to
me. Mr. Challonor and Oswald I What
is tho link botween them? Great Gcd!
what is tho link? Not myself? Who
then or what?"
Flinging himself into a chair, ho
burled his faco In his hnnds. Thore
wero two demons to flght tho first Ui
tho gulso of nn angel. Dorla! Un
known yestordny, unknown an hour
ago; but now! Had thero Over been
a day an hour when sho had not
been as tho vary throb of ha heart,
tho light of his oyos, and tho crown of
all Imnglnnblo blisses?
This wns no passing ndmtratlon of
youth for a captivating woman. This
?5l5E!59 Ci (' Y -
was not even tho lovo ho had given
to Edith Challoner. Ho did not knovt
himself. Thoro was nothing in hii
whole history to glvo him nn under
standing of sucli feelings aa these.
lib, Orlando Drothorson, had uovot
thought much of love. Sclonco had
been his mistress; ambition his Iodo
star. Miss Challoner had roused
well, his pride. He could seo thai
now. Tho might of this now emotion
mndo plain many things he had passed
by as useless, puerile, unworthy of a
man of mental caliber and might. He
had never loved Edith Challonor at
any moment of, .their ncqualntance
ahip, though he had been sincere Id
thinking that he did. Dorla' beauty
the hour ho had Just passed with her
had undeceived him
Did he hall tho experience? It was
not likely to bring him Joy. Thi
young girl whose Imago floated In
light beforo his oyos, would never love
him. She loved his brother. He had
heard their nnmes mentioned together
boforo ho had been In town an hour
Oswald, tho cleverest man, Doris, the
most beautiful girl in western Penn
sylvanla.
He Had accepted the gossip then;
he had not seen her and it all seemed
.very natural hardly worth a mo
ment's thought. But now
Aud horo, tho other demon sprang
erect and grappled with him before
the first ono had let go his hold. Os
wald and Challoner! Thero is more
than Fate's caprice in Cballonor's In
terest In a man ho never saw. Had hn
found tho connecting link? Had it
been could It have been Edith? The
preposterous Is sometimes truo J
could it bo truo in this case?
Mn rnnltnrl tlin ltrnrn rnnfl in him
as hers in that room of his in Brook
lyn. Ho had hardly noted them then,
he was so suro of their bolng for
geries, gotten up by tho polico to mis
lead him. Could they have been real,
tho effusions of her mind, tho breath
ings of hor heart, directed to an ac
tual O. B and that O, B., his brother?
Oswald had been eaBt, Oswald had
oven been in the Borkshires before
himself. Oswald Why it was Os
wald who had suggested that he
Bhould go there go whore sho still
was. Why this second coincidence, if
thero wero no tie If tho Challoners
and Oswald were as far apart as they
seemed and as conventionalities would
naturally placo them. Oswald was n
sentimentalist, but very reserved
about his sentimentalities. If theBe
suppositions wero truo, he had had a
sontlmontallat's motive for what he
did. Aa Orlando realized this, ho rose
from his seat, aghast at the possibili
ties confronting him from this lino of
thought. Should he contemplate them?
Bisk Ills reason by dwelling on a sup
position which might have no founda
tion In fact? No His brain was too
full his purposes too important for
any unnecessary strain to bo put upon
his fnculties. No thinking! investigat
ing first. Mr. Challoner should bo
ablo to settle this question. Ho would
seo him. Even at this lato hour ho
ought to bo able to find him in ono of
tho rooms below; and, by tho force of
an irrcslstiblo demand, learn in a mo
ment whether he had to do with a
mere chimera of his own overwrought
fancy, or with a fact which Would call
into play all tho resources of an hith
erto unconquered and undaunted na;
ture.
There was a wood-firo burning In
the sitting-room that night, and around
it was grouped a number of men with
their papers and pipes. Mr. Brother
son, entering, naturally looked that
way for tho man ho was in search of
and was disappointed not to find him
there; but on casting his glances else
where, ho was relieved to seo him
standing in ono of tho windows over
looking tho stroot. His back was to
the room and ho seemed to bo lost in a
fit of abstraction.
Orlando was, as I havo said, an extra
ordinary specimen of manly vigor in
body nnd in mind, and hla presence in
any company always uttracted atten
tion nnd roused, if it never satisfied,
curiosity. Conversation accordingly
censed as ho strode up to Mr. Challon
er's side, so that hla words woro qulto
.ludiblo as ho addressed that gentle
man with a somewhat curt:
"You boo mo again, Mr. Challonor
May I beg of you a few' minutes'
further conversation? I will not do
tain you long."
Tho gray head turned, and tho many
oyos watching showod surprise at the'
f expression of dlsllko and repulsion
with which this Now York gontleman
mot the request thus emphatically
urged. But his answor wns courteous
enough. If Mr. Brotherson know n
place where thoy would be left undis
turbed, he would llston to him if ho
would ho very brief.
For reply, tho other pointed to a
small room quite unoccupied which
opened out of tho ono in which thoy
then stood. Mr. Chnlloner bowed ami
in nnothor moment tho door closed up
on them, to tho infinite disappoint
ment of tho mon about tho hoarth,
"What do you wish to ask?" was
Mr. Challoner's Immodlato Inquiry.
ITO HE CONTIN'UED.)
!