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THE NORTH PLATTE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
J ,. s--vVS5 "e- Jopyrjht, 191 a , fay Harry Irving GroenoN "w, ,"32at ' .
1
CHAPTER I.
The Prophecy.
Professor Desmond, astronomer In
chargo of tho Peak Observatory,
Glanced Into tho roflcctoscopo that
wondorful now Instrument for scan
tling tho heavens then withdrew his
cyo from It and stroke'd tho polished
glass gontly with a piece of chamois
akin. Then ho peered again. Just
abovo tho eastorn horizon he saw a
opeck so mlnuto that a layman would
not havo noticed It at all, yet which
caused tho scientist to blink and gri
mace, for ho know that In all reason
tho speck should not bo there, and its
prcsenco on the glass irritated his
professional oyo ns though it had
been a partlclo of foreign matter on
his own Iris Instead. For a momont
lio watched It with a face that second
by second grow tensor and mora
drawn, thon springing to his feet he
nwung tho secondary tolescopo upon
It- On cither sido of him and rising
to within a few hundred foot of tho
observatory were tho crests of other
peaks, towering, ragged, swimming in
tho thin air moro than a dozon thou
nand foot nbovo tho Iovcl of tho sea,
whllo below was a dizzy sweep of can
yon and gorgo that at last smoothed
thomsolvea out to tho plain upon
which stood the city In tho very
shadow of tho mountains. Tense as
a man stretched upon a rack ho
peered through the telescope across
tho million miles of spaco that inter
vened botweon his oyo and tho spook,
and as ho did so tho sweat bogan to
burst from his temples in tiny beads.
t'"or soveral mtnutoa ho looked, turned
from tho glass to tho roflcctoscopo
again and thon began a series of rap
id computations, finished thorn, swung
to tho long dlstanco tolophono and
(ammed his thumb upon tho button
abelcd "Washington." A moment
Jator ho was talking to tho head do
partmont direct, his volco culm nnd
(uefsivo.
"Hollo, Washington! This you,
lleadraann? This is Dosmond of the
Peak. There is something coming dl
roctly for us from duo cant nnd Just
nbovo my mountain horizon. I havo
been observing it for some momonts
both In the roflectoscopo nnd ghiBS
nnd havo made my computations. Its
ppoed Is tromondous, Us slzo small
I would say perhaps a quarter of the
moon's. It is not a fragment, but
rather a comploto body, and to nil
apponranccB is a small satclltto with
n clrcumfcrcnco of say a thousand
Allies. How Is your eastorn woathor?
Thick! Thon you probably -will not bo
alio to got a look at it. It Is about
a million mllos away at present and Is
coming at tho rato of porhaps two
hundred thousand mlloB nn hour. Un
less I nm greatly in error It will
titrlko tho oarth somowhoro In this
region in about flvo hours say about
nine o clock tonight. Of courso you
understand what that may mean. .1
havo nothing moro to Bny at presont."
Ho hung up tho rocolvor without
waiting a reply, sat thought en
crossed for a momont, thon put his
linger upon anothor button.
"'Hello, Associated Press! This is
Desmond of tho Peak Obsorvntory. A
hort whllo ago I happened to notlco
it foreign body in tho roflectoscopo
that soomed to bo approaching us
from a comparatively near distance
bh epaco dlstancos go. I Immediately
put tho toloscopo upon It. At that
tlmo, which wbh but u fow mlnute3
ago, it was perhaps a million miles
nway and nppoarcd to bo a small sat
olllto Its speed Is tremendous
comot-llko its slzo porhaps thrco
hundred miles In dlamotor and a thou
nand mllos around. 1 nm not proparod
at this momont to hazard an opinion
an to Kb donslty othor than It Is un
doubtedly a Bolld. Furthermore. In all
probability It Is going to lilt us somo
Avhoro In this region within a fow
ttiours. I loavo tho information up to
you to uso or not nB you boo fit." Prom
tbo othor end of tho wlro camo tho
Incredulous volco of Kelly, tho man
of tho press.
"Como now, Profcesor, that's good.
It would mako n flno scaro head, but
y(ou don't waut us to put you on roc
ord as saying that, do you?" Tho
listener's brow corrugated,
"Havo I boon in tho habit of send
ing out false roporto7" ho domandod
sharply, and nt tho tone of his volco
Kelly ceasod his Bllont chuckle.
"No, you nover go,vo us anything
beforo that was not pardon mo en
tirely plausible. And of courso wo all
know and appreciate your high pro
fessional standing. Dut this thing is
really so rcmarkablo, you know bo
very oxtraordlnaryl Is It not jUBt
poselblo that you aro mlstakon as oth
ers havo boon In thla direction tlmo
and again?"
"I have novor prophoBlod or bollovod
In tho probability of ouch a thing
happening before. But my oyos nro
good, my mind normal, my Instru
ments and mathematics accurate and
I cannot doubt such ovldonco. I
thought you might wish to know about
it, that's all. Uso It or not as you sea
1X." The voice of tlio othor camo
quickly back, tho newspnper man's
Instinct now dominant.
"Cortalnly I will uso It with all tho
plcasuro in tho world well, not exact
ly with pleasure cither. Dut you know
what will happen to you If I scatter
that story world wldo and It turns out
to bo a falao alarm. I am looking out
for you nnd ourselves at tho same
time. It will mean that If things don't
materialize ns you say you will be tho
laughing stock of tho world and thor
oughly discredited in your profession.
Wo havo had astronomical scares bo
foo and you know how thoy havo all
turned out pure bugaboos. And I'd
hato to seo you ridiculed. You un
derstand my position."
"Perfectly, and I Will nssumo all re
sponsibility for tho report. It is good
of you to bo so interested in my wel
fare" "Not at all. I'll havo them yelling
extras on tho streets from Malno to
California within an hour. What
shall I say It is a buby planot, moon,
satellite quick now, for I want to get
Into notion." -
"Just call it a small body, appar
ently dense and of great velocity."
"Any Idea whoro it halls from?"
"Not tho slightest. It is something
heretofore unknown."
"Has It an orbit of Its own or Is it
flying off on a tangont?"
"I cannot tell you. But it is com
ing straight for us, straight as a
stono falls. It will hit tho western
hemisphere of North America at nlno
or ten o'clock tonight."
"Will it destroy us?"
"In the nbsenco of precodont it is
impossible to state. But tho oarth
will probably know that it haB been
hit."
"Will It bo vlsiblo to us at any
tlmo?"
"Prom cortnln points if tho atmos
phere is favorable But it will arrive
by dark."
"What can bo done? Anything!"
"Nothing at all oxcept wait, and
if you nro religious pray."
Tho crash of tho nowspapor man's
rccoivor at tho far ond of tho wire
and tho blank Bllonco which followed
told Desmond that tho othor had dart
ed away for tho telegraph key, and
hanging up his own instrument ho
wiped his forehoad und for a momont
sat lost In thought over what ho had
done. Ho had staked his Jealously
guarded professional reputation upon
ono of tho wildest lmDrobabllltloa
known to sclonco, and como what
might, it waB now too late to recall
his actions. Nor would ho linvo dono
bo if ho could, for unless ho was tho
victim of somo unnccountnblo hallu
cination ho know that he was not
mistaken, and useless though he had
believed It to bo to warn tho world
against a calamity whorcln mankind
would bo as helpless as ants, ho hud
yot considered It to bo hla duty to pos
sess them with such facts as he had
learned. Yet now in tho function tho
colossal magnltudo nnd unbollovablo
wonder of it all dazed him, and ho
lonnod back weakly in his chair with
lllff d ill
m IMF' i i-i;
wm 1 1
A
Hand Fell Upon His Arm.
his oyes fixed upon tho floor ns he
pondered over his own position. Ono
of throo consequences must happen
to him. If ho was sufforlng from a
delusion ho was, aa tho press man
had said, a ruluod man, disgraced,
dtBcrodltod; und tho Joors of tho
world would over ring in his oars,
whilo If ho was correct and tho Im
pact took placo ho would elthor bo
crushed llko a fly beneath a mountulu,
or surviving by somo mlraclo, And him
self among tho most famous of men.
Verily ho waa In the hamla of a dos
tluy eo coloBsnl that all tho armies
and navies of tho world and all Us
loomlngllllona of humanity to back
them woro aa impotent as a Bwnrm of
gnata to alter It, and arising with a
face tho color of wet asbos lie placed
his things in ordor with 'unusual care,
nB ono might who was about to tako
a long vacation, and with a last look
nt tho beloved Instruments do infi
nitely moro dcllcato than tho human
senBCB locked tho door and departed,
taking his seat upon tho little car
thnt ran down tho steep cog road to
tho city below.
Ho cntorcd the bustling placo Just
ns tho sun dropping behind tho west
ern peaks left tho first shadows of
evening to steal nwlftly across tho
plain. Scarcely three-quarters of an
hour had passed since Kelly of tho As
sociated Press had clashed tho receiv
er into its hook and dartod for tho
telegraph key, but already tho howl
ing nowsboys woro scamporlng about
with tho agility of young apes as thoy
gathered thoir hordo of nlckols from
the shrieked prophecy of tho dire
death that was hurtling down upon
them, fighting for dropped coin's as
coyotes snap and wranglo over bonos,
as little mtndful of tho promised clash
of colcstlal bodies as had two knights
of tho squared ring challenged each
other to pigmy mortal battlo. Des
mond, watching them, doubted not
thnt thoy would havo stood daunt
lossly screeching thoir wares before
tho onslaught of a Jupiter, sorambllng
for tho coins In tho vory Bhadow of
tho approaching monster. With a
cynical curiosity new to him ho
scanned tho faces of those who pur
chased tho news which ho had sent
forth to tho world, watching them as
thoy road tho huge headlines bearing
his name, reading in thoir faces their
varied emotions their opon derision,
their incredulity, their doubt and in a
few cnsds-thelr fear. On all sides ho
heard tho commonts of those who had
purchased tho scare hoad extras.
"Anothor high brow says a moon
or something is going to drop on us
this ovoning. Guess I'll havo to put
up my umbrella."
"Bet you twenty to ono eho misses
UB."
"Flno hot that. If I won what good
would It do mo burled a hundred
miles doop?"
"You can't always toll. Thoso wise
boys hit things right once in a mil
lion times,"
"And Just think, Julia. If It hits us
It will break up tho dance."
"A schomo to sell more yellow news
papers." "Absurd, imposslblo, unscientific "
"Ho snya it is ns big as this Btato."
"Glad tho Btato ain't Texas, thon."
From a nearby corner a band of Ad
ventlstfl began to chant to tho beat
ing of a drum, seeming to glory In the
direful prospect "Ho who repontoth
in tho lust hour mny yot enter the
holy Kingdom. Come ye whllo yet yo
may and bo saved, for tho end of all
earthly things is at hand, woo, woe."
Angry, disgusted, amused, Dosmond
turned upon his heel and started for
a nearby hotol that ho was nccuB
tomed to frequent, but had Bcarcoly
taken half a dozen steps when n
hand fell upon his arm and ho lookod
up to boo tho half-sorlouB, half-smlllng
face of his frlond Alan March boforo
him. Ho paused, saluting.
March slipped tho professor'B arm
beneath his own. "Como along, now,
and toll mo nil about it. Might as
well know tho worst first aB last' he
announced as he scanned his friend's
faco ns closely nB a physician might
scan tho features of a patient of
whoso Bnnity ho was slightly In doubt.
"What was your Idea in starting all
this excltomont anyway or is tho re
port, a ennard conjured up by somo
onomy or practical Joking alleged
frlond of yours?" Desmond shook his
head,
"No, it is my own mosaago, and as
you will readily appreclato, I havo
Btaked my reputation upon Its accu
racy. If I am wrong I will bo tho butt
of tho world, a clown, a bunoon, a
lunatic." Dosplto himself he drew a
sigh. It did not soom posslblo that
such a grotesque calamity as ho had
prophesied could occur in a universe
of such perfection, God-made, whoro
each Btunondoua body of unthtnknblo
Bpnco lay balanced to a hnlr against
its countless neighbors of hundreds of
millions, yes, hundreds of bllllonB of
mllea nway; whoro a perfection lucon-
colvablo to mnn Boemod to rulo
through both Infinity of time and
spaco. And now that ho had had
tlmo to ponder over It, it soomed to
him thnt It must nil havo boon a
dream, a dream so vivid that ho had
upon awakening mistaken it for real
ity. Yot it he had boon asleep then
ho was as apt to bo aslcop now, nnd
with his dlo cast ho would stick to it
to tho last nnd either go down to dis
grace as a falsa prophet, or in enso
ho survived tho cataclysm stand ereot
and vindicated In the oyes of all man
kind. Allan spoko again.
"In common with all who know you
I have a hugo rospoct for your scien
tific attainments, your level bonded
ncss and your thorough integrity
Thoroforo I nm convinced that you
fully bollovo that this awful catastro
phe will occur to us nB you havo prog
nosticated. Tho only element of doubt
In my mind is tho possibility of any
man, no matter how careful or learn
ed, to err especially when dealing
with infinite dlstanco and tho mysteri
ous lawe of spaco. But of courso alt
wo can do ta wait and seo how it
turns out. And that makes mo think
of another matter. Miss Fulton Is go
ing to glvo a little lawn party tonight
at their homo, Japanese lantorns and should meet llko two battering rams
warning go tho way of all -similar ones
in the past. And in that moment he
felt n resentfulncss arise within him
such ns he hnd nover felt bofore a
resentful liopo that tho prophecy
would como truo regardless of conse
quences; that theso giants of spaco
all that, and I had intonded to bo one
of tho nlso present. It suggests itself
to mo that ono might as well bo out in
tho opon as cooped up somewhere in
caso your mysterious wanderer ar
rives, thoroforo I shall go as I had
originally planned."
"By all means. In caso thoro was a
collision anywhere hereabouts it
would probably make little or no dif
ference where ono happened to bo.
Evon If tho world withstood tho shock,
nn area as largo as soveral states
would be buried miles deep in the
debris, and how far beyond that area
life would bo destroyed no ono can
say."
"Thon I would suggest this. In tho
faco of such an event wo might as
well bo as resigned as people can who
half expect to bo hit on the head by
a world at any momont especially for
the women's nnd children's benoflt.
Wo don't want any pnnlcs, at leaBt be
fore we aro hurt. Personally Bpealc
Ing, I believo I can mako my peace
as well when I am mingling with my
friends as I could alono in a garret
nnd upon my knees, and I imagine you
can do the same. Therefore I wish
you to come also. Doris will wol
como you, and I havo no doubt but
that tho timid ones will regnrd you
something In the light of a protector
and bo more at ease. "Will you come?"
They paused in front of tho hotel
for which Desmond had been bound
and he ran hla eyes over tho faco and
figure of his friend ns ho debated as
to accepting the Invitation, mentally
commenting for a moment on the vig
orous -strength and strong, handsome
faco of this jroung civil engineer who
wan go rapidly winning fame and for-
tuno by his sklllfulness nnd level
headed Judgment. And as for Miss
Doris ho had often thought her to
bo the prettiest girl he had over met,
Doris of the hazol eyes and wavy
chestnut hair, and ho really did want
to bco her again. And while nt any
othor time ho would have accepted
with alacrity, now with hla threat
hanging so heavily over them ho was
uncertain as to whether ho could
with propriety placo himself in thoir
midst. Also, there would bo thoso
who in a friendly manner to bo sure
yet who ns rank skeptics would -bo
certain to poke ridicule at him, at
last until tho premonitory disturb
ances which must to a certainty usher
in so momentous an ovent began. Yot
on the other hand to sit alono in somo
obsoure room with four bfnnk walls
surrounding him, retreating llko an
animal to his cavo, upon this night
which ho believed would ho tho most
eventful of any since tho dawn of
tho earth's history, or to wander at
L random amongst Btrangers and bo
pointed out on every sido by vulgar
Angers nnd bo compelled to run tho
gauntlet of their derision and abuso
seomod still moro undesirable. He
cleared his throat, still uncertain as
to what- ho should say.
"Whllo I thank you, I cannot prom
lso now as I am uncertain aB to Just
what my movemeuto will bo during
tho next fow hours. But I still bear
It In mind and If I decide to como
J will mako my appoaranco some
where between eight nnd nine. In
any ovent, convoy my best wishes to
tho company especially to Miss Ful
ton and tell them nil that I Binceroly
bono that I havo suddenly become en
tirely irresponsible for my sayings.
As for you personally, 1 hope to boo
you in tho near future, whenovor and
whorovor that future may be." Ho
grasped Alan's hand, pressed it for
a moment and thon walked quickly
away, leaving tho other gazing after
him with meditative eyes. Then with
a shrug of his slfbulders which might
havo Indicated cither doubt or resig
nation to tho Inevitable March went
hla way.
Scarcoly had Desmond taken his
Boat in tho dining room of tho hotel
than ho became uncomfortably aware
that ho was tho center of Interest of
all oyeB. A hush fell, several waltors
crowdod about him and stood staring
with opon mouths until with a motion
of disgust ho motioned all savo one
away. From nearby tableB ladles and
gontlomen laid down their table Im
plomonta nnd gazed at him with little
better manners nnu run as raucn in
solenco as hnd tho menials who served
them. From several quartora little
ripples of laughter aroso, halt toler
ant, half taunting, nnd he felt tho
blood rush to hlB cheoks in full tide
as he loworod his eyes to the menu.
Angor began to arlso within him, not
at the BervantB but at these Ignorant
though well dressed vulgarlanB who
stared at him so Insolently or mocked
him to hla. very teeth, and for the flrat
time In his life he know how It felt
to bo ono man against a world. And
woll ho knew how unforgiving, how
Tnoro.UniiB. how cruel they would bo
forever afterwards should hla
in a crash which would echo to tho
stars tho nccuracy of his Judgment,
tho fulfillment of his prophecy, tho
verification of his sanity. True, thou
sauds and perhapn millions of lives
would bo destroyed In tho colbBsnl
grind, but what of It? Thoy must
soon die anyway In tho natural ordor
of things, and if tho mnntcr of space
had Bont thla spoclal thunderbolt
against them, that in itself was proqf
good enough thnt it waa tlmo for them
to perish, else the bolt would not have
been sent. Then quickly following
this camo a great flush of shame that
colored his cheoks to evon a deeper
scarlet, and he felt like flaying him
self with a Insh of scorpions aB a, pen
anco for his flush of savagery. He
grasped tho menu card, and scarcely
looking at it began to ordor almost
at random. Half way through it a
messenger boy burst upon him with
a score of telegrams, and forgetful
of his dlnnor ho tore them open and
began to read. They were from all
parts of the city, the country, the
state oven the United States. They
wcro from friends and acquaintances.
They wore from men and women of
whose very existence ho had never
heard. They were from plebeians and
millionaires, from ministers and
statesmen, from lawyers, doctors, sci
entists, priests. They derided and
they threatened, they upbraided,
begged, prayed and Implored, in the
midst of them ho came upon this ono
sent by tho chief at Washington:
"Desmond, care Peak Observatory:
"Mako no moro statements to the
press regarding threatened collision
until you havo hoard from me further.
It your prediction Is fulfilled this bu
reau, will be destroyed by an act of
tho Almighty, if It la not fulfilled the
bureau will dlo of shame. In cither
caso you seem to havo settled ub.
"HEADMANN, Chief."
His faco gone white now, he crushed
tho mass of sheots into a ball, and,
arising, left tho room with his dinner
a forgotten thing. Walking aB though
In a trahce ami seeing tho curiosity
filled faces about him but mistily he
seized a wrong hat and plunged un
certainly into the street, thoughtless
of where ho should go.
CHAPTER II.
The Collision.
Ho wont rapidly yot uncertainly, al
most at random. His wrong hat was
on wrong ond beforo, his rumpled hair
protruded in wisps boneath its rim.
his oyes were sot and staring. At ev
ery corner tho newsboys still shrieked
and flaunted their damp wares beforo
tho eyes of all who passed, on every
hand were straggling groups and soli
tary individuals with noses buried in
,tp) Tr- J 1
A Messenger Boy Burst Upon Him.
the sheets, while from Beveral quar
ters camo tho insistent throbbing of
tho drums of the Salvationists, tho
exhorting of tho Adventista nnd tho
fervent shoutB of tho self-ordalned
curbstouo preachers as thoy cajoled
or threatened tho populaco In the
namo of Impending and .. universal
doom to come to thorn, be blessod and
saved, or falling to do so pass on to
everlasting torment Wandering down
street after street, frequently turning
corners with the zig-zar InBtlnct of the
pursued, Desmond for the first time
becamo thoroughly imbued with tho
magnltudo of the movement which his
volco had started. Ho saw men reel
ing from saloon to saloon and mo
mentarily becoming moro drunken up
on tho strength of his announcoment
thnt luis wouia prouuuiy uu uieir uibi
dlro I night of earthly life. Ho saw acrub-
women, strewing their savings which
had been earned upon their calloused'
knees into tho fingers of J coring gut
tersnipes. Ha saw wanton womon
kneeling with tears streaming down
their crimBon painted cheeks; ho saw
erstwhile staid men of respectability
hurrying Into public houses, for whnt
purpose good or evil ho could only
guess. He snw tho stolid march of tho
undisturbed whom nothing short of an.
earthquake, could impress; ho saw the
satirical smiles of tho cynics, tho
bolstorousnoss of tho reckless, the
mnudlln bewilderment of tho weak of
mind ns thoy swayed alternately be
tween doubt and despair, and ho saw
hero and thoro. an earnest faced ono
hurrying silently past or slipping Into
church or chapol. From eomowhero in
tho city a church bell was booming
uolemnly, and from this placo and that
camo the sound of voices that dis
corded in a Jumblo of rag tlmo and
psalms. Ho saw human nature keyed
to its highest pitch and tnut as a harp
as it sounded its manifold notes of
harmony and Jangle. Ho saw tbo
wicked become virtuous and tho vir
tuous wicked, the thief restoring and
the erBtwhilo virtuous thieving, while
abovo and around this human bedlam
hung tho stillness of air such as often
precedes a grent electrical storm. And
this was but ono insignificant spot up
on the continent! And If this was but
a sample, what then waa happening In
the groat cities of the land which were
strewn from tho Atlantic to the Pa
cific what nameless crimes nnd out
rages which must bo laid at his door
if ho had erred. Fortunes gathered to
gether by years of labor would bo scat
tered riotously in ono debauch. Mur
ders would bo committed, suicides
done, bouIb damned and out of it all
so little good could come. It would
havo been better, far better, if ho had
lot them dlo ub they had lived, un
warned llko tho'so who aro stricken in
their sleep. Ho had been criminal In
his thoughtlessness. Alternately ho
berated himself with savage VTonom or
prayed despairingly as ho plunged
from streot Into alley fffld alley into
streot as ho sought by turnings and
doublings to escapo from the things
which haunted him on orrery sido.
Ho stumbled from a refuse cluttered
alley out into tho light of a broad
thoroughfare, sleekly groomed and
bordered by the houses of tho city's
more fortunate and better class. Here
it was quiet and orderly as usual and
In his relief at having left tho rabblo
behind ho breathed deeply of tho fra
grant air, straightened hla hat and
hair and proceeded more leisurely
upon his aimless way. Before him ho
saw a yard generously studded with
trees, from tho limbs of which pnlo
Japanese lanterns glowed in softly
tinted radiance. He paused and
glanced about us ho collected- his
thoughts, Yes, it was tho residence of
Judgo Fulton, and this wob tho, lawn
party to which March, taking advan
tage of hla own acquaintance with tho
Fultons, had Invited him In tho namo
of Doris. Ho was near enough now to
seo tho forma that strolled carelessly
about or sat upon tho summer seats
boneath tho trees, near enough to even
catch a tinkle of laughter from soma
softly gleaming whlto throat as tho
lady responded lightly to tho Jest of
her companion as to tho horror so
soon to come. Ho pausod in indecision.
To return to tho lights and sounds
from which ho had just escaped was
unthinkable, whilo beforo him, though
thero waa more skepticism than in the
rabble, thoro waa also decency and
order. For a moment hla mind wa
vored botween retreat to Borne soli
tary corner and a bold advance to tho
companionship of those beyond, then
with sudden determination ho pressed
forward, throw open tho gato and en
tered. March, espying the grizzled head and
tall, gaunt form of his friend as ho
slowly approached up tho walk leading
to tho house, spoke hurriedly into
Doris' oar. "It Is professor Desmond
of courso you havo met him. You
know I took tho responsibility of in
viting him to drop In among us. I
thought ho might wish to bo among
friends tonight In caso woll, In either
caso, you know." She Bmilod In swift
acknowledgment, nnd nowhere could
there be found a smilo sweeter than
Doris,' either in kbr light or Bomotlmes
serious mood.
"I want to thank you for asking him
to come. Wo will make htm our Hon.
I have always admired him, and had I
known all this was to happen would
certainly havo asked him to come, in
tho hope of somowhat diverting his
mind as well as our own. Ho must
bo undor a greater strain even than
tho rest of us, for ho bolloves moro
implicitly thair-we." She -went lightly
forward, her hand outstrotchod, frank
welcome shining in her large hazel
oyes.
"Professor Desmond I am delight
ed to bo so honored. Have you any
late newB to encourage us?" Ho shook
his head with a grave smile as ho first
bowed over her hand and thon Btralght
ened up" with his usual dignity and ran
hla eyes over the assemblage.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
V