y ANNA KOTHARINE GREEN
Author op "the ijiwenwobth rASR"
i-HB FILIGREE :&AllTfclE HOUSE OFTlffiVvTnSPJjRING FWEfl
IU-USTOATIONS BY
CHARLES .-w. nossm
COPYRIGHT
oojrv-iaxoMT
ty
STREET A .SMITH
POPS, MEAT) R CO
JE2L
TMF NORTH PLATTE BEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
h
I
1G
SYNOPSIS.
rco Andertifn nnd wlia nee a ro-
miiikablu looklnrr man rome out of tho
Clermon' htitol, look around furtively.
Mimli his hands In the snow mid pass on,
cowmotloD nttnictii them to tlio Clermont.
Mil. mo It Is found Hint the beautiful Minn
Krtllh Chnlloner ban fallen dead. Andor
f'in descrlheH the man lie biiw wash till
liinilM in the snow Tho holel manager
lectures lilm to ho Orlando IJrothernon
J'hvslclans find that Miss Challonor vrnn
xtahbod it nil not shot. Oryce, un agod do
terllve, nnd Sweolwater, his assistant,
tnko up tho case. Mr. Challonor tolls of a
h.it' h of lotle.ru found In hlH daughter's
drik, signed "O. B " All nn lovo letters
rxcept one, which shows thnt tho writer
was displeased. Thin latter wan signed
by Orlando DrotlicrHon. Anderson goes
with Hwoetwatdr to Identify Hrotherson,
who Is found In n tenement under tho
namo of Dunn, lift Is nit Inventor. Uroth
erson (ells Iho corcner Alias Chnlloner re
pulsed liim with worn when he offered her
liM love Swootwnter rscalls tho mystery
of the murdur of n washerwoman In whleh
nomo di-tnlln wero similar to the Chnlloner
affair Hwoetwulcr gets lodgings In tho
namo hulHIng with HrotherHon. Ho boreH
a hole In the will I to spy on nrotheraon.
Ho visits him nnd assists tho Inventor In
his work A girl sent by Hweetwnter with
KiMli f'liiilloner'H leltcni In ordered out by
Urolliorann Ho declares tho letters wero
not written by him. Hweetwnter Is un
iiinsknil by Ilrothcrson, who declares h
reeognlred him nt once The dlncovory is
Hindi- that tho lettera signed "O II." wore
written by two different men. Swoetwater
Koch to Derby in senn-h of the second "O.
K ," whom ii cxpcctH to locate through
ono Doris Scott, mentioned In tho letters,
film Ih found acting ns nurso for Oswald
Urothersnn. who Is crltlcnlly side nnd culls
1li tmme of 'Kdllh In his delirium. Sweet
water cotiins across a peculiar hut In tlm
woods Ho oon a load of boxes marked
'0 nrotherson," taken Into tho hut Under
tho supervision of Doris Scott. Doris
tells Chnlloner of sqelng In a dream the
aco of fho innn who lilllad Edith. T'io
door bell rings und alio recognizes In the
visitor tho moil of her dream. It Is Or
lando Brothcrson. who requests nn Inter
view with his brother. It davolopn that
Orlando Is working on a (lying mnchlne.
Oswald Ih told of Edith's death. Orlando
tells his brother of his repulso by Miss
Challancr. Orlando nsks his brother to
assist In tests of his air car. an ho enn
trust no one clso. Oswald refuses owing
to his weakened rondltlon Sweetwater
irferB hid services un nn assistant and
hIiows he knows something of Brother
rou'nJden. Tho ulr car proves a succoss.
Oswald declares his grief over Kdlth'n
death rrndcrn him Incapable of accepting
his brother's offer to share In his work
nnd triumpliH. Orlando orfero himself to
Porte nnd Is refused. Ho spends the night
In tho hangar In a dared condition.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
The Avenger.
'DoaryMr. Challonor:
"Wlthery apology for tho Intru
sion, may I request a fow minutes of
private conversation with you this
evening nt seven o'clock? Lot It be
In your own room.
"Youro truly,
"ORLANDO BROTHERSON."
Mr. Challonor had been called upon
to fact) many difficult and heartrend
ing dutlen Hlnco the blow which had
desolated his homo fell upon him.
Dut from nono of them had ho
shrunk an ho did from tho Interview
thus dCmandod. Ho had supposod
himself rid of this man. Ho hud dis
missed him from his llfo when he had
dismissed Sweotwator. His face, ac
cordingly, woro anything but a pro
pitiatory look, when promptly at tho
hour of soven, Orlundo HrotherHon en
tered his apartments.
His pleauuro or his displeasure was.
however, a matter of small conso-
juenco to his self-invited visitor. Ho
had como thero with a sot purpose
and nothing in heaven or earth could
deter him from It now. Declining tho
offer of a seat, with the slightest of
acknowledgments In tho way of a
bow, ho took n careful nurvoy of tho
room boforo Baying:
"Aro wo alono, Mr. Challonor. or lo
that man 8wuotwator lurking Borne
whore within honrlng?"
"Mr. Swootwnter 1b gone, at) I had
tho honor of telling you yostorday,"
was tho somewhat otlff reply. "Thoro
aro no witnesses (o this confuronce, It
that Ib what you vlah to know."
"Thank you, hut you will pardon
my lusiutencu If I request tho privilege
of closing that door." Ho pointed to
the ono communicating with tho bed
room "Tho Information I havo to
give you is not such as I nm willing
to havo shared, nt leaBt for tho pros
uL" "You may close tho door," said Mr.
Challonor coldly. "But is it nocosBury
for you to givu mo tho information
you mention, tonight t If 11 lo of such
a nutirro that you cannot accord nin
tho privilege of sharing It, ns yot, with
othorff, why notoparo mo till you can?
1 luvci gone through much, Mr. Uroth
orson," i
"You have," camo in steady assent
as tho man thus nddroasod slopped to
the door ho had Indicated and quietly
closed It. "But," ho continued, ns ho
crosHod back to his former position,
"would It bo oustar for you to go
through tho night now In anticipation
of what. I havo to rovoal than to hoar
it at once from my lips whllo 1 am In
tho mood o speak?"
Tho anawor was slow In coming
The courage which had uphold tills
rapidly aging man through so many
trying Intorvlowb, seemed luadequato
Tor the teat put so cnmlly upon It. Ho
faltered and sank heavily Into a chair,
whllo tho stern inun watching him,
Kuvo no signs of responsive sympathy
or even InturcRt, only a patiunt und
Icy-tentpored resolve.
"I ounnot llvo In uncertainty;" such
woro finally Mr. Challonor'fl words.
"What you havo to say concerns
JUdltht" Tho pnuflo ho mado was in
ilnltcfllnial In longth, but It was long
enough for a quick disclaimer. Hut
no such disclaimer came "1 will hear
It," emtio In reluctant finish.
Mr. Brothcrson took a stop forward.
His manner wna as cold ns tho heart
which lay Hko a stone In his bosom.
"Will you pardon mo If 1 ask you to
rlso?' snld ho. "I havo my weaknesses
too. (Ho gavo no sign of them.) "I
cannot speak down from such a height
to the man I am bound to hurt."
As If answering to the constraint of
a will quito outsido his own, Mr. Chnl
loner roso. Their heads woro now
more nearly on a love! and Mr. Broth
arson's voice romalned low, a3 ho pro
ceeded, with quiet intensity:
"There has been a tlmo and it may
oxlBt yet, God knows when you
thought me In sorno unknown and se
cret way tho murderer of your daugh
ter. I do not quarrol with tho sus
picion; It was justiflod, Mr. Challonor.
I did kill your daughter, nnd with this
hand! I can no longer dony IL"
Tho wretched father swayed, follow
ing tho gesturo of tho hand thus hold
out; but ho did not fall, nor did a
sound leave his lips.
Brothcrson went coldly on:
"I did it because I regarded her
treatment to my suit as Insolent. I
havo no meroy for any such display of
Intoloranco on tho part of tho rich and
tho fortunato. I hated her for it; I
hatod her class, herself and all sho
stood for. To strlko tho dealor of Huch
a hurt I folt to bo my right. Though a
man of small beginnings and of a
stock which such as you call common,
1 havo a prldo which fow of your
blood nan equal. I could not work, or
sloop or eat with ouch a sting In my
breast as sho had planted there. To
rid mysolf of it, I determined to kill
her, and I did. How? Oh, that was
easy, though It has proved a great
sturnbllng-block to tho detoctlves, as I
knew It would! I shot her but not
with nn ordinary bullet My chargo
was a small Icicle made deliberately
for tho purpose. It hnd strength
onough to penetrate, but it left no
trace behind it. 'A bullet of fee for a
heart of ice,' I had said in tho tor
ment of my rago. But tho word was
without knowledge, Mr. Challonor. I
see it now; 1 havo aeon It for two
wholo weeks. I did not misjudge her
condemnation of mo, but I misjudged
Its cause. It was not to tho compara
tively poor, tho comparatively obscuro
mac sho sought to show contempt,
but to tho brother of Oswald whoso
claims sho saw insulted. A womnn I
should havo respected, not killed. A
woman of no prldo of Btatlon; a wom
an who lovod a man not only of my
own class, but of my own blood a
woman, to avongo whoso unmerltod
doath I stand horo boforo you a solf
coudemnod criminal. That is but jus
tice, Mr. Challonor. That 1b the way
I look at things. Though no senti
mentalist; and dead to all beliofa Bavo
tho eternal truths of science, I hnvo
that In mo which will not lot mo prof'
" now tlltlt I know mysolf unworthy.
by tho great success I havo earned.
Ilonco thts confession, Mr. Clmlloncr.
It has not como easily, nor do I shut
my eyes In tho least to tho results
which must follow. But I cannot do
differently. Tomorrow, you may tele
graph to Now York. Till then I deslrn
'Murderer! Doubly-Dyed Murderer
of Innocent Women"
lo bo 'left undisturbed. I havo many
things to dispose of In tho Inturlm."
Mr, Challonor, very whlto by now,
pointed to tho door boforo ho sank
again into his chair, rirothorson took
It for dismissal and stopped slowly
back. Then their oyos met again and
Mr. Challonor spoko his tlrst word:
"Thoro was anothor a poor woman
she died suddenly nnd her wound
wns not unlilto thnt inflicted upon
ISdllh. Did you"
"1 did." Tho unnwor camo without
a tremor "You jnny say and so may
othornN that I was less Justified In this
attack than In tho other; but I do not
sen it that way. A theory does not al
waya work in practice. I wished to
tbst tho unusunl moans I contem
plated, nnd tho womnn I saw beforo
uio across tho court was hard-work-
!
I
PI Sif!
iiWBmgiSArjzri -?v
Pfl
lng nnd with nothing In life to look
forward to. no "
A cry of bitter execration from Mr.
Chnlloner cut him short. Turning with
a shrug, ho was about to lift his hand
to the door, when he gavo a violent
start and fell hastily back boforo a
quickly entering llguro of such pas
sion nnd fury us neither of those men
has ovor seen before.
It was Oswald! Oswald, tho kindly!
Oswald, tho lovor of men and the
adorer of women I Oswald, with the
words of tho dastardly confession ho
had partly overheard soaring hot with
in his brain! Oswald, raised in a mo
ment from the desponding invalid to
a terrifying minlstrnnt of retributive
justice.
Orlando could scnrcely ralso his
hand beforo tho other's was upon blB
throat.
"Murderer! double-dyed murderer of
Innocent women!" was hissed in tho
strong man's ears. "Not with tho law,
but with mo you must reckon, and
may God nnd tho spirit of my mother
nerve my arm!"
CHAPTER XL.
Desolate.
Tho struggle wan florco but momen
tary. Oswald with hla weakened pow
ers could not long withstand thu
steady extortion of Orlando'o giant
strength, and ere long sank away from
tho contest into Mr. Challonor'a arms
"You ahould not hnvo summoned tho
shado of our mother to your aid," ob
served tho other with a Dmlle, in
which the irony was lost In torriblo
presage. "I was always her favorite."
Oswald shuddered. Orlando had
spoken truly; sho had always boon
blindly, arrogantly trustful of her old
est son. No fault could sho seo In
him; and now
Impetuously Oswald struggled with
his weakness, raised himself In Mr.
Challonor'a arms nnd cried In loud re
volt: "But God Is just Ho will not lot
you escape. If ho does, I will not. I
will hound you to tho ends of tills
earth and, if necessary, into the etor
nltlos. Not with tho threat of my arm
you uro my master there, but with
tho curse of a brother who believed
you Innocent of hlB dnrllng'a blood
and would havo believed you so In
face of everything but your own
word."
"Peace!" adjured Orlando. "Thero
lo no account I am not ready to settle.
I have robbed you of tho woman you
love, but I havo despoiled myself. I
stand desolate In tho world, who but
an hour ago could have chosen my
seat among the best and greatest.
What can your cursos do aftor that?"
"Nothing." The word camo Blowly
like a drop wrung from a nearly spent
heart. "Nothing; nothing. Oh, Or
lando, I wish wo were both dead and
buried and that there wero no further
llfo for either of us."
Tho softened tone, tho wistful pray
er which would blot out an immortal
ity of Joy for tho ono, that It might
savo the other from an immortality
of retribution, touched somo long un
sounded chord in Orlando's extraordi
nary nature
Advancing a ntopho held out his
hand tho loft ono. "We'll leavo tho
future to itself, Oswald, and do what
wo can with the present," said ho.
"I've mado a moBs of my llfo and
spoiled a career which might havo
mado ua both kingB. Forgive me, Os
wald. I ask for nothing clso from God
or man. I should Hko that. It would
strentfthon mo for tomorrow."
But Oswald, ovor kindly, generous
and more roady to think of others
thnn of hlmsolf, hud yet some of Or
lnndo's tenacity. Ho gazed at that
hand und a flush swept up ovor his
cheek which instantly became ghastly
again.
"1 cannot," snld he "not even tho
loft ono. May God forglvo mo!"
Orlando, struck sllont for a moment,
dropped his hand and slowly turned
away. Mr. Challonor felt Oswald stif
fen In his arms, and break suddenly
away, only to stop short beforo ho
had taken ono of tho half dozen steps
between himself and his departing
brother.
"Whoro aro you going?" ho demand
ed In tones which mado Orlando turn
"I might say, to tho dovil," was the
sarcastic reply. "But 1 doubt if ho
would rccolvo mo. No," ho added, in
more ordinary tones ns tho other shiv
ered and again started forward, "you
will have .no troublo In finding mo in
my own room tonight. I havo letters
to writo unu otner tilings. A man
Hko mo cannot drop out without a rip
plo. You may go to bed and sleop. I
will keep awako for two."
"Orlando!" Visions wero passing be
foro Oswald's oyos, soul-crushtng vis
ions such ns In his blameless llfo ho
novcr thought could entor into his
consclouBtiosB or blast his tranquil
outlook upon llfo. "Orlando!" ho again
appenlod, covering his eyes in a fron
zlod attempt to Bhut out those horrors,
"I cannot lot you go Hko this. Tomor
row "
"Tomorrow, in ovory niche and cor
ner of this world, .vhorovor Edith
Challonor'a namo has gono, whorover
my namo has gono, It will bo known
that the discoverer of a practical air
ship, is a man whom they can no
longer honor. Do you think that is
not hell enough for mo; or that I do
not reallzo the holl It will bo for you?
I'vo never wearied you or any man
with my affection; but I'm not all
demon. I would gladly bavo spared
you this additional anguish; but that
was impossible You aro my brothor
and must suffer from the connection
whether wo would have it so or not.
If It promlsos too much misery and
I know no misery Hko that of shame
como with mo where 1 go tomor
row. Thero will bo room for two."
Oswald, swaying with weakness, but
maddened by the sight of nn over
throw which carried with it tho
stifled affections and tho admiration
of his whole life, gavo a bound for
ward, opened his nrms and foy.
Orlando stopped short. Gazing
down on his prostrate brother, he
stood for a moment with a gleam of
something like human tenderness
showing through tho flare of dying
passions and perishing hopes; then
he swung open tho door and passed
quietly out, and Mr. Challonor could
hear tho laughing remark with which
ho mot nnd dismissed tho halt-dozen
men and women who had been drawn
to this end of tho hall by what had
sounded to them like a frncas botween
angry ment
CHAPTER XLI.
Five O'clock In the Morning.
The clock In tho hotol ofllco struck
three. Orlando Brothcrson counted
tho Btrokes; then went on writing.
Hla transom was partly opon and ho
had just heard a step go by his door.
This was nothing new. Ho had al
ready heard It several times beforo
that night. It was Mr. Challoner's
step, and every tlmo it passed, ho had
rustled his paper or scratched vigor
ously with his pen. "He is keeping
watch for Oswald," was his thought.
"Thoy fear a suddon end to this. No
ono, not tho son of my mother knows
mo. Do 1 know myself?"
Four o'clock! Tho light was still
burning, tho pllo of letters ho was
writing increasing.
Flvo o'clock! A rattling shade bo
trays an open window. No other
sound disturbs the quiet of tho room.
It is empty now; but Mr. Challonor,
long since satisfied that all was well,
goes by no moro. Silence has settled
upon tho hotol; tha heavy silence
which precedes the dawn.
Thero was silence In the streets
also. Tho fow who wero abroad, crept
quietly along. An electric storm was
In tho air and tho surcharged clouds
hung heavy and low, biding tho mo
ment of outbreak. A man who hnd
loft a place of many Bhndows for tho
moro opon road, paused and looked up
at theso clouds; then went calmly on.
Suddenly tho shriek of an approach
ing train tears through tho valley. Has
It a call for this man? No. Yet he
pauses in tho midst f tho street ho
& crossing nnd watches, as a child
might watch, for tho flash of its lights
at tho end of tho darkened Vista. It
comes Ailing tho empty space at
which he stares with moylng llfo
engine, baggage car and a long string
of Pullmans. Then all Is dark again
and only the noise of its slackening
wheels comes to him through tho
night. It has stopped at tho station A
minute longor and It has started
again, and tho quickly lessening rum
ble of its departure is all that remains
of this vision of man's activity and
coasoles3 expectancy. When It is
quito gono and all la quiet, a sigh
fnllB from tho man's lips and ho
moves on, but this tlmo, for somo un
oxplalnablo reason, In tho direction of
tho station. With lowered head ho
passes along, noting little till ho an
rives within Bight of tho depot whoro
somo freight Is being handled, and a
trunk or two wheelod down tho plat
form, mo signt couiu ua more or
dinary or unsuggestlvo, but' It has Its
attraction for him, for he looks up as
ho gooa by and follows tho passage of
that truck down the platform till It
Iiub reached the cornor and disap
peared. Thon ho sighs again nnd
again and moves on
A cluster of houBes, ono of them
open and lighted, waH all which lay
between him now and tho country
road. Ho waa hurrying past, for his
Btop had unconsciously qulckonod as
ho turned his back upon tho station,
when ho was seized again by that
mood of curiosity and stopped up to
the door from whleh a light Issued
and lookod In. A common catlng
room lay boforo him, with rudely
spread tablos and ono vory sloopy
waiter taking ordcra from a now ar
rival who sat with his back to tho
door. Why did tho lonoly mnn on tho
sldowalk start as his oyo fell on tho
lattor's commonplace flguro, a hungry
man demanding breakfast in a cheap,
country restaurant? HIb own physlquo
was powerful whllo that of tho othor
lookod slim and frail. But fear was
in tho air, and tho brooding of a
tompest nffects somo temperaments
in a totally uuoxpected manner. Ab
tho man insido turna slightly and
looks up, tho master figure on tho
sidewalk vanishes, and his Btep, if any
ono had been Interested enough to
listen, rings with a, now noto as It
turns into tho country road It has at
last reached.
But no ono hooded. Tho now ar
rival munches his roll and waits Im
patiently for his coffeo, whllo with
out, the clouds pile soundlessly in tho
sky, one of thorn taking tho form of
a huge hand with clutching fingers
reaching down Into tho hollow void
beneath.
CHAPTER XLII.
At Six.
Mr. Challonor had beon honest In
his statoment regarding tho departure
of 8weetwater. Ho had not only paid
and dismissed our young detective
but ho had seen him tako tho train
for Now York. And Sweetwater had
gono away In good faith, too, possi
bly with his convictionB undlsturbod,
but acknowledging at last that ho had
roached the end of his resources. But
tho brain does not loose Its hold upon
Its work as readily as ,the hand does.
Ho was halfway to New York and had
consciously bidden farowoll to tho
whole subject, when ho suddenly
startled those about him by rising
Impotuously to his feet. Ho sat again
Immediately, but with a light in his
small grey eye which Mr. Gryco would
havo understood and revelled In. Tho
Idea for which ho had searched In
dustriously for months had como at
last, unbidden; thrown up from some
remote recess of tho mind which had
seemingly closed upon the subject
forever.
"I have it. I have it," ho murmured
la ceaseless reiteration to himself. "I
will go back to Mr. Challoner and let
him docldo If the ldo Is worth pur
suing. PerhapB an experiment may
bo necessary. It waa bitter cold that
night; I wish It woro Icy weather
now. But a chemist can helpus out.
Good God! If this should bo tho ex
planation of tho my6tory, alas for Or
lando and alas for Oswald!"
But his sympathies did not deter
him. Ho returnod to Derby nt once,
and as soon as ho dared, presented
himself at the hotel and asked for
Mr. Challonor.
Ha was amazed to find that gentle
man already up and in a stato of
agitation that was very dlsquiotlng.
But ho brightened wonderfully at
sight of his visitor, and drawing him
InBldo tho room, observed with trem
bling eagerness:
"I do not know why you have como
back, but nover was man moro wel
come. Mr. Brothcrson has con
fessed "
"Confessed!"
"Yes, he killed both women; my
daughter and his nclghbqr, tho wash
erwoman, with a "
"Wait," broko in Sweetwater, eager
ly, "lot mo toll you." And stooping,
ho whispered something in tho other's
ear.
Mr. Challoner stared at him amaz
ed, then Blowly nodded his head.
"How camo you to think " ho bo-
The Airship Was Not There.
gpn; but Sweetwater in his great anx
ioty interrupted him with a quick:
"Explanations will koop, Mr. Chal
loner. What of tho man himself?
Whoro is ho? That's tho Important
thing now."
"Ho was In his room till early this
mornlug writing lottors, but ho is not
thero now. Tho door la unlocked and
I wont In. From uppearaucos I fenr
tho worst. That Is why your pros
enco reliovcs mo bo. Whero do you
think ho Is?"
"In hlB hangar in tho woods. Whero
olso would bo go to "
"I havo thought of that. Shall wo
start out alono or tako witnesses with
UB?"
"We will go alono. Does Oswald
anticipate "
'1lo !b suro. But ho lncks strength
to move. Ho Ires on my bod In thoro.
( " m,,,. . 'J
Doris and her father aro with him."
"Wo will not wait a mlnuto. How
the storm holds off. I hope It will
hold ofT for nnothor hour,"
Mr. Challoner mado no reply. Ho
had spoken becauco he folt compelled
to speak, hut It had not boon easy
for him, nor could any trlflen movo
him now.
Tho town was up by this timo nnd,
though thoy choso tho least froquont
ed streets, they had to suffer from
some encounters. It was a good half
hour beforo thoy found thomsolves In
tho forest and In sight of the hiingar.
Ono look that way, and Swootwnter
turned to seo what tho effect was upon
Mr. Challonor.
A murmur of dismay greeted him.
Tho oval of the great lid stood up
against tho' forest background.
"Ho has escaped," crlod Mr. Chal
lonor. But Sweetwater, laying a finger on
his lip, advanced and laid his ear
against tho door. Then ho cast a
quick look aloft. Nothing was to bo
seen there. The darkness of storm in
tho heavens hut nothing more. Yes!
now, a flash of vivid and destructive
lightning!
Tho two men drew back and their
glances crossed.
"Let us roturn to tho highroad,"
whispered Sweotwator; "wo can seo
nothing hore."
Mr. Challonor, trembling vory much,
wheeled slowly about.
"Walt," enjoined Sweetwater. "First
let mo tako a look Inside."
Running to the nearest tree, he
quickly climbed it, worked hlmnolf
along a protruding branch and looked
down Into tho opon hangar. It was
now so dark that details escaped him,
but ono thing was certain. Tho air
ship wns not thoro.
Descending, ho drew Mr. Challoner
hastily along. "He's gono," said ho.
"Lot ub reach tho high ground as
quickly as wo can. I'm glad that Mr.
Oswald Brotherson is not with us or
or Miss Doris."
But this expression of satisfaction
died on his lips. At tho point whoro
tho forest road debouches Into the
highway, ho had already caught a
glimpse of their two ilgureB. Thoy
wero waiting for news, and tho broth
er spoko at the Instant ho saw Sweet
water: "Where is ho? You'vo not found
him or you wouldn't bo coming alone.
He cannot havo gone up. Ho cannot
manago it without an assistant. Wa
must nook him somewhero else; in
the forest or In our houso at homo.
Ah!" Tho lightning had forked again.
"He's not In tho forost and he's not
in your home," returned Sweetwater.
"He's aloft; tho airship is not in tho
shed. And ho can go up alone now."
Thon moro slowly: "But ho cannot
como down."
Thoy strained their oyes in a mad
dening search of tho heavens. But
tho darkness had so increased that
they could bo Buro of nothing.
Doris sank upon her knees.
Suddenly the lightning flashed
again, this tlmo so vividly and so near
that tho wholo heaven burst Into fiery
illumination above them and tho
thunder, crashing almost simultane
ously, seemod for a moment to rock
tho world and bow tho heavens to
wards thorn. Then a silence; then
Sweetwator's whlspor In Mr. Chal
loner's oar.
"Tako them away! I saw him; he
was falling like a Bhot."
Mr. Challoner throw out his arms,
then steadied himself. Oswald was
reeling; Oswald had seen too. But
Doris waa there. When tho lightning
flashod again, sho was standing and
Oswald was weeping on her bosom.
(THE END.)
For Roumanla's Charity.
Carmen Sylva, tho poetess queen of
lloumanla, is Issuing a new series of
postage stamps to aid tho charities in
which sho is Interested. Unllko most
stamps, of this kind, tho Roumanian
quoen'B lesuo is good for all mailing
purposes. Tho four designs of the
new series will represent (1) the queen
of Roumanla spinning, tho motto on.
tho stamp being "God guldo our
hand;" (2) tho quoon weaving, motto
"Woman weaves the future of tho
country;" (3) tho queen nursing a
wounded soldier, motto "Tho wounds
dressed and tho toara wiped away,"
and (4) an allegorical picture, motto,
"But, glory, honor nnd penco to nil
thnt do good." Anothor set of stamps
of Blmllar character, Issued In 1907,
bore a picture representing tho Prin
cess Maria and her children receiving
a poor family at tho gateB of their
palace
Harmonious Cobbler.
Angrily tho woman wnlked across
tho floor whllo the shoemaker llatoned
o her unmusical tread.
"Your hoar that?" sho suld. "Creak,
creak all tho tlmo. Theso shoes wll!
drlvo mo crazy. Will you glvo mo my
money back?'
"I'm afraid I can't do thnt," ho said,
"but I'll toll you what 1 will do. 1 will
tako ono of thoso shoes back nnd
give you nnothor that will squeak in
tuno with tho ono you havo lof
f
I
k.