The Hollow
J
THE 8EMLWEEKLV TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
t
iPlR
of Her Hand
1
?
I
8YNOP8IS.
Clinllls Wrnndall Is found murdered In
a. road liouto ticnr Now York. Mrs. Wran
dnll in summoned from tho city nnd Iden
tifies tlir body. A young woman who ac
companied Wrandnll to tho Inn nnd nul
nequrntly disappeared. In suspected.
"Wrnndall. It uppenrs, had led n pay life
anil nPRlrrted hid wlfo. Mrs. Wrandall
nttirtH unek for Nw York In nn. auto dur
ing v blinding snow storm. Oa tho wny
nhe inputs a younir woman In tho road
who proves to bo the woman who killed
WmihUU FeellnR thnt tho xlrl had done
lipr a service In lidding hor of the man,
"who thotiKh sho loved him deeply, had
mimed iier great sorrow. Mrs. Wrandnll
determines to shield her and takes her to
lier own home.
CHAPTER III Continued.
Hnlf un hour Intor ho departed, to
Tcjoln her nt cloven o'clock; when tho
reporter? woro to bo expected. Ho
was to do all tho talking for her.
Whllo ho waH there, Leslie Wrandall
called her up on tho telephone. Hear
Ing but one sldo of tho rather pro
longed conversation, ho was filled with
-worulor at tho tactful way In which
nho mot and parried tho lnovltable
questions and suggestions corning
from her horror-Btrlckon brothor-ln-law.
Without tho slightest truce of
offonslveness In hor manner, she gavo
Leslie to understand that tho tlnal ob
woquleB must bo conducted In the
liomo of his parentB, to whom once
more her husband belonged, and that
alio would abide by all arrangements
IiIb family elected to make. Mr. Car
roll surmised from tho trend of con
versation that young Wrandnll was
about to loavp for tho scono of tho
tragedy, and that the houso was in a
state of unspeakable distress. Tho
lawyer smiled rather grimly to him
self as ho turned to look out of tho
window. Ho did not have to bo told
that ChalHo was tho idol of the family,
and that, so far as thoy were con
cerned, ho could do no wrong!
After his departure Mrs. Wrandall
gently opened the bod room door and
wbb surprised to find tho girl wldo
awake, resting on one'elbow, her stnr
Ing eyes fastened on tho newspaper
that topped tho pile on tho chair.
Catching sight of Mrs. Wrandall sho,
pointed to tho paper with a trembling
hand and criod out, in a votco full of
Lorror:
"Did you placo them therq for mo to
road? WhQ "was with you in tho other
room Juat now? Was It some one
About the Bomo ono looking for mo?
SpoakI Please tell mo. I heard a
Man's voice "
Tho other crossed quickly to her
Ide. ,
"Don't bo alarmod. It was my law
yer. There ia nothing to fear at pres
et Yos, I loft tho papers thero for
you to Bee. You can boo what a aonsn
ilon it has 'caused. Clinllls Wrandall
wan one of tho most widely known
fflten In Now York. But I supppBe you
know that without my telling you."
The girl sank back with a groan.
"My God, what have I done? What
will come of it all?"
"I wish I could answer that ques
tion," uaid tho other, taking tho glrl'8
hand In hors. Doth woro trembling,
After an lqntant's hesitation, alio laid
her other4 hand in tho dark, diohovelled
hair of tho wild-eyed croaturo, who
still continued to staro at tho head
lines. "I am qulto sure thoy will not
looklfor you horo, or in my homo."
i "In your homo?"
"You arq to go with mo. I have
thought It all over. It is tho only way.
Como, I must aalc you to pull yourself
together, dot up at onco, and' dross,
Hero nro tho things you aro to woar."
Bho Indicated tho ordorly pllo of gar
ments with a wavo of hor hand.
Slowly tho girl crept out of bod, con
tused, bowlldorod, stunned.
"Where aro my own things? I I
tonnot accopt those. Pray glvo mo my
own '
v Airs, Wrandall checked hor.
'"You must oboy mo, if you expect
sue to help you. Don't you understand
tlmt I have had a-a boroavemont? I
cannot woar these things now. Thoy
-aro useless to mo. But wo will speak
of all thut later on. Come, bo quick;
(I will help you to dress. First, go to
ttho tolophono and ask them to Bond n
'waiter to thoflo rooms. Wo must have
something to cut. Please do ns I tell
yoH."
Standing boforo hor benefactress,
Iier fingers fumbling impotently at the
neck of tho night-dross, the girl still
coutlnuod to ntaro dumbly into the
calm, dark oyes boforo hor.
i "You aro so good. I I"
"Let mo help you," Interrupted tho
other, deliberately Betting about to re
move tho night-dress. The girl caught
it up as It sllppod from hor shoulders;
a warm flush suffusing hor face, a
ahamed look springing Into her eyes.
"Thank you, I can get on very
well. I only wanted to ask you a
Question. It has boen on m mind,
'waking and sleeping. Can you tell mo
anything about do you know his
wlfo?"
Tho qucBtlou was so abrupt, so start
ling that Mrs. Wrnndall uttered a
sharp llttlo cry. For a moment she
could not roply,
"I am so sorry, so dosporately sorry
for her," added tho girl plalutlvely.
"I know hor," tho other managed ic
ay with an effort. ,
"If I had only known that ho had a
wife-" began tho girl bitterly, almost
wngrlly,
Uii. Wrandall grasped hor by tho
COPy?Mr.W2
arm. "You did not know that ho had
a wlfo?" sho cried.
The girl's eyes flashed with a sud
den, fldrco flro In their depths,
"God In heaven, no I I did' not know
it until Oh, I can't speak ofit! Why
(Should I toll you about lt7 Why
should you bo Interested in hearing
It?"
Mrs. Wrandall drew back nnd re
garded the girl's sot, unhappy face.
There was a curious light In hor oyes
thnt escaped tho other's notlco a
light that would havo puzzled her not
a llttlo.
"But you will tell mo ovorythlng
a llttlo later," she said, strangoly calm.
"Not now, but boforo many hours
havo passed. Flrat of nil, you must
tell mo who you are, where you live
ovorythlng excopt what happened in
Burton's inn. I don't want to hoar
that at presont perhaps never. Yes,
on socond thoughts, I will say nevorl
You aro never to tell mo just what
happoned up there, or Just what led
up to It. Do you understand? Never!"
Tho girl stared at hor In amaze
ment "But I I must toll some one,"
sho cried vohomontly. "I havo a right
to defend myeolf "
"I nm not asking you to dofond your
self," said Mrs. Wrandall shortly.
Then, as If afraid to remain longer,
oho ruahod from tho room. In tho
doorway, sho turned for an lnstnnt to
say: "Do as I told you. Telephone.
Dress as quickly as you can." Sho
cloned tho door swiftly.
Standing In the conter of tho room,
hor hands' clenched until tho nails cut
the flesh, sho said over and over again
to horaolf: "I don't want to knowl I
don't want to know!"
A few minutes later sho was critical
ly Inspecting tho young woman who
camo from tho bedroom attired in a
street dress that neither of them had
ovor donnod before. Tho girl, looking
fresher, prettier and even younjjor
than when sho had seen her last, was
In no way abashed. Sho seemod to
havo accepted tho garments and tho
situation in tho samo spirit of resigna
tion and hope; as If sho had decided
to mako tho most of her slim chance
to profit by those amazing clrcum
stanoes.
Thoy eat opposite oach othor at the
llttlo breakfast table.
"Pleaso pour tho coffee," Bald Mrs.
Wrnndall. Tho waiter had loft tho
room at her command. Tho girl's hand
shook, but sho complied without a
word.
"Now you may toll mo who you aro
and but wait! You aro not to say
anything about what happened at the
inn. Guard your words carefully. I
am not asking for a confesston. I do
not caro to know what happoned there.
It will mnko It easier for mo to protect
you. You may call It conscience.
Keep your big secret to yourself. Not
ono word to me. Do you understand?"
"You mean that I am not to rovoal,
even to you, tho causos which ls"J up
to"
"Nothing absolutely nothing," said
Mrs. Wrandall firmly.
"But I cannot pQrmltvyou to Judgo
mo, to woll, you might say to acquit
me without hearing tho Btory. it Is so
vital to mo."
"I can Judgo you without hearing all
of tho tho evidence, if that'B what
you moan. Simply answer tho ques-
"You Did Not Know Ho Had a Wife?"
She Cried.
tlonB I shall ask, and nothing more.
There aro certain facts I muat havo
from you If I am to shield you. You
must toll mo tho truth. I take It you
are an English girl. Whero do you
live? Who are your friends? Whore
Is your family?"
Tho gtrl'a faco flushed for an Instant
and thon grow palo again.
"I will tell you tho truth," sho sail!.
"My namo Is Hotty Castloton. My fa
ther Is Col. Braid Castloton of . of
the British army, My mother le dead.
Sho was Kitty Glynn, at one tlmo a
popular mualo hall porformor in Lon
don. Sho was Irish. Sho died two
years ago. My father was a goutle
man. I do not say ho Is a gontloman,
for his trentraont of my mother re
lieves him from that dlstlhctlon. Ho
!b in tho for east, China, I think. I
havo not seen him In moro than flvo
years, Ho doaqrtod my mother. That's
all thoro la to that sldo of my Btory., I
ill 111 Yr 1 ffwr In thW W (wW umit
Georgia Barr McCutcheon
OY GtORGF&Afti StSClrVJrOA : COFrMS 92 3YDODD,Af!DSrCOifAiY
appoarcd in two or three of the
musical pieces produced In Londpn
two acusons ago, in tho chorus. 1
never got beyond that, for very good
reasons. I was known as Hotty Glynn,
Three weeks ago I started for Now
York, sailing from Liverpool. Previ
ously I had sorvod In tho capacity of
govorness In tho family of John Bud
lon, a brewer. They had a son, a
young man of twbnty. Two months
ago I was dismissed. A California
lady, Mrs. Holcombe, offered me a sit
uation ns govorness to hor two little
girls soon afterward. 1 was to go to
her homo In San Francisco. Sho pro
vided tho money necessary for the
voyage and for othor expenses. Sho'
Is still in Europe, I landed in New
York a fortnight ago and, following
hor directions, prosonted myBolf nt a
certain bank I havo tho namo soma
whore whero my railroad tickets
woro to bo In readiness for me, with
further instructions. Thoy were' to
glvo mo twenty-flvo pounds on tho pre
sentation of my letter from Mrs. Hoi
combo. Thoy gavo mo tho monpy and
then handed mo a cablegram from
Mrs. Holcombe, notifying mo that my
sorvlcca would not bo required. Thero
was no explanation. Just that.
"On the steamor I met him. His
deck chair was next to mine. I no
ticed tjint Ills name was Wrandnll
'C. Wrnndall tho card on tho chair In
formed me. I "
"You crossed on the steamer with
him?" Interrupted Mrs. Wrandall
quickly. '
"Yes."
"Had had you aeon him before? In
London?
"Never. Woll, wo became acquaint
ed, as people do. Ho ho was very
handsomo and agreeable." She paused
for a moment to collect horaolf
"Very handsome and agreeable,"
said the other slowly.
"Wo got to be very good friends.
There wore not many people on board,
and apparently ho know none of thorn.
It was too cold to stay on deck much
of tho time, and It was very rough. Ho
had ono of the splendid suites on
the"
"Pray omit unnecessary details. You
landed and wont where?"
"Ho advised mo to go to an hotal
I can't recall tho name. It was rather
an unpleasant place. Then I went' to
the bank, ns I havo stated. After that
I did not know what to do. I was
stunned, bewildered. I called him up
on the telephone and ho asked me to
meet him for dinner at a queer little
cafe, far down town. We "
"And you had no friends, no ac
qialntajiccs here?" N
"No. Ho suggested that I go into
one of tho musical shows, saying ho
thought he could arrango It with a
manager who was a friend. Anything
to tide mo ovor, he said. But I would
not consider It, not for a Instant. I
had, had enough of tho Btage. ' I I am
really not fitted for It. Besides, I am
qualified well qualified to be gov
orh'osa 'but that fs neither' herb nor
there. I had somo money perhaps
foi;ty pounds. I found lodgings with
some peoplo In Nineteenth Btreot. Ho
never camo thero to seo mo. I can
seo plainly now why ho argued it
would not be well, ho used thj word
'wise.1 But wo went occasionally to
dlno together. Wo wont about in a
jnotor a llttlo red ono. He ho told
mo ho lovod me. That was ono night
about a week ago. I "
"I don't caro to henr about It," criod
tho othor. "No need ot that. Spare
mo tho allly Bldo of tho atory."
"Silly, madam? In God's name, do
you think It was silly to me? Why
why, I belloved him! And, what Is
moro, I bellovo that ho did lovo me
oven now I believe It."
"I havo no doubt of It," said Mrs.
Wrandall calmly. "You aro very pret
ty and charming."
"I I did not know that he had a
wife until woll, until" Sho could
not go on.
"Night boforo last" j
Tho girl shuddered. Mrs. Wrandall
turned her faco away and wnlted.
"Thoro Is nothing moro I can toll
you, unless you permit mo to toll all,"
the girl rosumed aftor a moment ot
hesitation.
Mrs. Wrandall aroso.
"I havo hoaid enough, Thts after
noon I- will Bend my butlor with you
to tho lodging houBO in Nlnotoentu
street Ho will attend to tho removal
of your personal effects to my home,
and you will roturn with him. it will
bo testing fnto, Miss Castloton, this
visit to your former abiding placo, but
I have decided to glvo tho law Its
chanco. If you aro suspected, a watch
will bo set ovor tho houso In which
is qulto unknown, (you will run no risk
In going thero openly, nor will I bo
taking ao great a chance as may np-
Ipear In offering you a bomo, for tho
tlmo being at loaat, as companion or
socrotary or whatever wo may olect to
call It for tho benefit of all Inquirers.
Aro you willing to run the risk thts
single risk?"
"Porfectly willing," announced tho
other without hesitation. Indeod, hor
face brightened. "It thoy aro waiting
thoro for me, I shall go with them
without a word. I havo no moanB ot
expressing my gratitude to you for "
"Thoro la tlmo enough for that,"
said MrB. Wrandall quickly. "And it
thoy are not thero, you will return to
me? You will not desert mo now?"
Tho girl's oyeB grow wide with won
der. "Dosert you? Why do you put
It In that way? I don't understand."
"You will come back to mo?"lnslst
ed the othor.
"Yes. Why why, It menus every
thing to me. It means life moro than
thut, most wonderful friend. Life
isn't vory sweot to mo. But the Joy
of giving It to you forovor l tho dear
OBt boon I crave. I do glvo it to you.
It belongs to you. I I could dlo for
you."
She- dropped to her knees nnd
pressed 'her lips to Sara Wrandnll's
hand; hot tears fell upon it.
Mrs. Wrandall laid her free hand on
tho dark, glossy hair and smiled;
smiled warmly for tho first tlmo In
well, in years sho might have said to
herself If sho had stopped to consider.
"Got up, my dear," sho Bald gently.
M Am Challls Wrandall'a Wife."
"I shall not ask you to dlo for me if
you do come back. I may be sending
you to your death, as It Is, but It 1b the
chanco we must take. A few hours
will toll tho tale. Now listen to what
I nm about to say to propose. I offor
you a home, I offer you friendship and
I trust security from the peril that
confronts you. 1 ask nothing In ro
turn, not oven a word of gratitude.
You may tell the people at our lodg
inga that I havo engaged you an com
panion and that wo are to sail for Eu
rope In a week's time If possible. Now
we must prepare to go to my own
homo. You will see to packing my
that Is, our trunks "
"Oh, It It must be a dream!" cried
Hetty Castleton, hor eyes swimming.
"I can bolleve " Suddenly she
caught herself up, and tried to smile.
"I don't seo why you do this for mo.
I do not deserve "
"You have done mo a aervlce," said
Mrs. Wrandall, her manner so peculiar
thnt the girl again assumed the stare
of perplexity and wonder that had
boon paramount since their meeting;
as if sho woro on tho verge of grasp
ing a great truth.
"What can you mean?"
Sara laid hor hands on tho girl's
shoulders and looked steadily Into the
puzzled eyes or a moment before
speaking.
"My girl," sho said, ever so gently,
"I shall not as'k what your life has
been; I do not care. I shall not ask
for references. You aro alono in tho
world and you need a friend. I too am
alone. If you will come to ;no I will
do everything In my power to make
you comfortable and contented. Por
haps It will bo Impossible to mako you
hnppy. I promise faithfully to help
you, to shield you, to repay you for the
thing you have done for me. You could
not have fallen Into gentler hands
than mlno will prove to be. That
much 1 owoar to you on my bouI, which
Is sacred. I boar you no Ill-will. I
have nothing to avengo."
Hotty drew back, completely mystl
flod. "Who aro you?' she murmured, still
staring.
"I am'Challls Wrnndll's wife."
CHAPTER IV.
While the Mob Waited.
Tho next day but ono, in the huge
old-fashioned mansion of the Wran
dalls in lower Fifth avenue, in tho
drawing-room directly benoath tho
chamber In which Challla was born,
tho Impressive but grimly conventional
funeral services wero held.
Contrasting sharply with the som
ber, absolutely correct atmosphere of
tho gloomy Interior waa tho exterior
display of Joyous curiosity that must
havo Jarred severely on tho high-bred
sensibilities of the chief mourners, not
to speak ot the Invited guests who
had boen obliged to pass between rows
of gaping bystanders in drdor to reach
tho portals ot the houso ot gner, and
who must havo reckoned with extremo
dlstasto tho cost ot subsequent de
parture. A dozen raucous-voiced pa
llcemon were employed to keep back
tho hundreds Uiat thronged the side
walk and blocked tho street. Curiosity
wm rampant Ever slnco the moinont
that the body of Challls Wrandall was
carrlod into tho houso of his father, a
motloy, varying crowd of peoplo shift
ed restlessly in front of tho mansion,
flUod with gruosome Intorest In tho ab
solutely unseen, nnlmated by tho sly
hope that something sensational might
happen If thoy waited long enough.
Motor after motor, carriage after
carriage, rolled up to tho curb and
emptied its sober-faced, solf-consclous
occupants In front of tho door with
tho great black bow; with each arrival
the crowd surged forward, nnd names
woro utt6red In undertones, passing
from lip to lip until every ono In tho
street know that Mr. So-and-So, Mrs.
Thls-or-That, tho What-Do-You-Call-Ems
nnd othera of the city's most ex
clusive but most garishly advertised
society leaders had entered tho house
of mourning. It waa a great show for
tho plebeian spectators. Much hotter
than Miss So-nnd-So'a wedding, said
ono woman who had attended tho
aforesaid ceremony as a unit In the
well-dressed mob that almost wrecked
tho'carrlnges In tho desire to see the
terrified bride. Better than a circus,
said a man who held hla little daugh
ter nbovo the heads of the crowd so
that she might see tho fine lady In a
wild-beast fur. Swollest funeral Now
York over had, remarked another, ex
cepting one 'way back whon ho waa a
kid.
At the cornor below stood two pa
trol wagons, also .waiting.
Insldo the houao sat the carefully
Belected guests, hushed and stiff and
gratified. (Not because they wero at
tending a funeral, but because the oc
casion served to separate them from
tho chaff; thoy wero tho olect) It
would bo going too far to Intimate that
they wore proud ot themselves, but It
Is not stretching It very much to say
that they counted noses with consider
able satisfaction nnd woro glad that
they had not been left out Tho real,
high-water mark In New York society
was established at this mcmorablo
function. A'J one after tho other ar
rived and was ushered into tho huge
drawing-room, he or sho was accorded
a congratulatory look from thoso al
ready assembled, a tribute roturned
with equal amiability. Each one noted
who elso was thero, and each ono said
to himself that at last they really had
something all to themselves'. It was
truly a pleasure, a relief, to be ablo
to do Boraethlng wltlftut being pushed
about by peoplo who didn't belong but
thought they did. They sat back
stiffly, of course and in utter stillness
confessed that thero could bo such a
thing as tho survival of the fittest
Yes, thero wasn't a nose thero that
couldn't be counted with perfect bq
renltj. It was a notable occasion.
Mrs. Wrandall, tho elder, had made
out tho list She did not consult her
daughter-in-law in the matter. It is
true that Sara forestalled her In a way
by sending word, through Leslie, that
she would be pleased if Mrs. Wrandall
would Issue invitations to as many of
Challls friends as sho deemed advis
able. As for herself, sho had no wish
in the matter; she would be satisfied
with whatover arrangemontB tho fam
lly'cared to make.
It Is not to bo supposed, from tho
foregoing, that Mrs. Wrandall. the
eldor, wag not stricken to tho heart
by the lamentable death of her Idol.
He was her Idol. He was hor first
born, he was her love-born. Ho camo
to her In the days when BhoIoved her
husband without much thought of re
specting him. Sho was beginning to
regard him ns something moro than a
lover when, Leslie came, so it wae dif
ferent When tholr daughtor Vivian
was born, she was plainly annoyed but
wholly respectful. Mr. Wrandall was
no longer tho lover; ho was her lord
and master. The head of tho houso of
Wrandall was a person to be looked
up to, to be rospqeted and admired by
her, for he waa a very groat man, but
ho was dear to her only because he
was tho father of Challls, tho first
born. In tho order of her nature, Challls
thereforo was her most dearly beloved,
Vivian tho least desired and last In
her affections as woll na In sequence.
Strangely enough, tho three of them
perfected a curiously significant rec
ord of conjugal endowments. Challls
had always been tho wild, wayward,
unrestrained ono, and by far tho most
lovable; Lesllo, almost as good look
ing but with scarcely a notlccablo
trace of charm that mnOo his brother
attractive; Vivian, handsome, selfish
and ns cheerless as tho wind that
blows across tho Icebergs in the north.
Challls had been born with a widely
enveloping heart and an elastic con
science; Lesllo with a brain nnd a
soul and not much of a heart, as things
go; Vivian with a soul alone, which be
longed to God, aftor all, and not to
her. Of course she had a heart, but It
waa only for tho purpose of pumping
blood to remote extremities, nnd had
nothing whatever to do with anything
tfo unutterably extraneous as lovo,
charity or self-sacrifice.
As for Mr. Redmond Wrandall ho
was a very proper and dignified gentle
man, and old for his yoars.
It may bo seen, or rather surralsod,
that If tho houso of Wrandall had not
boen so admirably centered under Its
own vino and fig tree, It might havo
become divided ngatnat Itself without
much of an effort
Mrs. Redmond Wrandall wbb tho
Ylho and fig troo.
And now thoy had brought her dear
ly boloved son homo to her, murdered
and disgraced. It It had beon olther
of tho othera, she could havo said:
"God's will bo done." Instead, sho
cried out that God had turned against
hor.
Lesllo had had tho bad taste or
perhaps It was mlsfortuno to blurt
out nn agonized "I told you so" at a
tlmo when tho family was sitting
numb and hushed undor tho blight of
the first horrid blow. He did not mean
to bo unfeeling. It wns tho truth burst
ing from his unhappy lips.
"I knew Chal would como to thl3
I know It," ho had said. His arm was
about the quivering shoulders of his
mother as he said it.
She looked up, a sob breaking In
her throat. For a long time alio looked
Into tho fnco of hor second son.
"How can you how dare4 you say
such a thing as that?" sho cried,
aghafit
Ho colored, and drow hor closer to
him. J
"I I didn't mean it," ho faltored.
"You have always taken sldea
against him," began Ills mother.
"Pleaso, mother," ho cried miserably.-
"You say this to mo now," sho went
on. "You who are left to take hlB
placo In my affection why, Leslie, I
1"
Vivian interposed. "Los Is upset
mamma darling. You know he loved
Challls as deeply as any of us, loved
him."
Afterwards the girl said to Lesllo
when thoy wero qulto alone: "Sho
will never forgive you for that, Lcb.
It waa a beastly thing to say."
Ho bit hla lip, which trembled.
"She's never cared for mo as sho cared
for Chal. I'm sorry if I've made it
worse."
"Seo here, Leslie, was Chal so
80" .
"Yes. I meant what I said a whllo
ago. It waa sure to happen to him
ono tlmo or another. Sara's had a lot
to put up with."
"Sara! It flho had been tho right
sort of a wlfo, this never would have
happened."
"Aftor all la said and done, Vivie.
Sara's in a position to rub it in on us
if she's of a mind to do so. Sho won't
do It, of course, but I wonder If sho
ien't gloating, Juat tho same." '
"naven't we treated her as one of
us?" demanded she, dabbing hor hand
kerchief in her eyes. "Since the wed
ding, I mean. Haven't wo been kind
to hor?"
"Oh, I think sho understands us
perfectly," said her brother.
"I wonder what Bho will do now?"
mused Vivian, in that speech casting
her sister-in-law out of her narrow
little world as one would throw asido
a burnt-out match.
"She will profit by experience," said
ho, with some pleasure In a superior
wisdom.
In Mra. Wrandall's sitting room at
tho top of the broad stairway sat tho
family that Is to Bay, the immediate
family a solemn-faced footman In
front of the-' doorHhat stood fully ajar
so that tho occupants might hoar tho
worda of the minister aa they ascend
ed, sonorous and procise, from the hall
bolowv A minister was ho who knew
tho buttered side ot his bread. His
discourso was to bo a beautiful ono. -He
stood at tho front of the stairs and
iHniw
He Did Not Mean to Be Unfeeling.
faced tho assembled listeners in tho
hall, tho drawing room and tho entre
boI, but his Infinitely touching words
went up ono flight and lodged.
Sara Wrandall sat a little to the left
of and behind Mrs. .Redmond Wran
dall, about whom wero grouped tho
three remaining Wrandnlls, father, son
and daughter, closely drawn together.
Well tp tho fore woro Wrandall uncles
nnd cousins and aunts, and ono or two
carefully chosen blood relations to tha
mlstroes of the house, whoBO hand
had lohg beon Bet against kinsmen of
less exalted promise.
ITO BE CONTINUED.)
Beyond the Styx.
Plato Lot mo see; They con
demned you to dlo, but permlttod you
to chooso tho manner of your death.
Am I right? Socrates That's right
I told thorn hemlock Juice was my
poison. I said Ico cream first, but
thoy mado me guosB again, Puck.
i
-JM
!).'"'
-LJtttuM:..
