THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
The Hollow
of Her Hand
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, 8YNOPSIS.
Chain Wrandall In found murdered In
mail Iiouho npar Now York. Mr. Wran
dall Is summoned from the rlty and Iden
tifies tho body. A young woman who m
companled Wrandall lo the Inn and aub
aenuently disappeared, Is suspected.
"Wrandnfl, It appears, had led n Kay life
nnd neglected his wife. Mia. Wrandall
utarm hack for Now York In an auto dur
ing n blinding snoW ptorm. On tho way
he meets n. young woman In the road
who proves to bo tho woman who Killed
"Wmndnlt Feeling that tho girl had dono
lier a service In ridding her of tho man
who though alio loved him deeply, had
canned hor great sorrow Mrs Wrandnll
determines to shield her and tHkea her to
lier own homo. Mrs. Wrandall heara the.
utory of Hetty Caatleton'a life, except that
portion that relate to Wrandall. Thla
and tho atory of the tragedy alio forbids
the girl ever to tell. She offera Hetty a
lome. friendship and accttrlty from peril
on account of the tragedy. Mrs. Bara
Wrandall and Hetty attend tho funoral
of rhallls Wrandall at the home of hla
parcnta.
CHAPTER IV. Continued.
Besido Sara Wrandall, on the small,
flilnk divan, sat a stranger In this som
flier company: a younn woman In
(black, whoso pale face was uncovered,
nnd whoso lashos wore lifted bo rnroly
that ono could not know of tho deep.
real pain that lay behind them, In hor
Irish bluo oyes.
She had arrived at the house an
hour or two beforo tho time sot. for
the ceremony, In company with tho
widow. Truo to hor resolution, the
widow of Challls Wrandall had ro
xnntned away from tho home of his
Iicoplo until tho laBt hour. Sho had
been consulted, to bo sure, In regard
to tho final arrangements, but tho
meetings had taken place In tier own
npartmont, many blocks distant from
the house In lower Fifth avenue. Tho
afternoon bofbro she had received
Jledmond Wrandall and Losllo, his
son. Sho had not sent for thorn. They
came perfunctorily and not through
Any sense of obligation. Theso two
at least knew that sympathy was not
what she wanted, but peace. Twice
IdurJng the two trying dayB, Losllo had
come to seo her, Vivian telephoned.
On the occasion of hla first visit,
Resile had mot tho guest in tho house.
jThe second time ho called, ho made
It a point to ask Sara all about her.
It was ho who gently closed tho
door after tho two women when, on
tho morning of tho funeral, thoy en
tered tho dark, flower-laden room In
which Btood tho caskot containing tho
body of his brother. Ho left them
alone together in that room for half
tut hour or more, and It was ho who
went forward to meet them when they
came forth. Sara" leaned on tils arm
s as she ascended tho stairs to tho room
.where tho others, wore waiting. The
feshen-faced girl followed.
Mrs. Wrandall, tho older, kissed
Sara and drew hor down beside hor
oil the couch. To her own surprise, as
.well as that of the others, Sara broke
down and wept bitterly. After all.
kIiw was sorry for Chains' mother. It
was the human Instinct, sho could not
hold out against It. And tho older
woman put away tho anciont grudge
fiho held against this mortal enemy
and dissolved Into tears of real com
jiasBlon. A little later sho whispered broken
ly In Sara'a oar: "My dear, my dear,
this has brought ua together. I hope
you will learn to lovo me."
Sara caught hor breath, but uttered
no word. Sho looked Into her mother-
ill-law's eyes, and .smiled through hor
tears, Tho Wrandalls, looking on in
mazo, saw the Binllo roftcotod in tho
faco of tho older woman. Then it was
that Vivian crossed quickly nnd put
'her arms about tho shoulders of her
sister-in-law. Tho whlto flag on both
Bines.
i Hetty Castleton stood alono and wa
vering, Just Inside tho door. No
tranger situation could be imagined
than the ono in which this unfortunato
girl found herself at tho proBont mo
ment. Sho was virtually In tho hnnds
of those who would destroy hor; bIio
was in tho houso of those who most
deeply were aftocted by hor act on
that fatal iftgut. Among them nil she
stood, facing them, listening to tho
moans and sobs, nnd yet her limbo did
not glvo way beneath her, . . .
I Sorao ono gently touched her arm.
It was Leslie. She shrank back, a
fearful look In her oyes. In tho semi
darkness ho failed to note the expres
sion. "Won't you sit here?" ho asked, in
dicating the little pink divan against
the wull. "Forglvo mo for lotting you
stand so long."
Sho.lookod about hor, tho wild light
still In hor eyes, Sho was like a rat
In a trap,
lier lips parted, but the word of
(hanks did not come forth, A strange,
inarticulate Bound, almost a gasp,
camo Instead. Pallid as a ghost, she
dropped limply to tho divan, and dug
her fingers Into the satiny seat. As
If fascinated, she Btarod ovor the
black heads of tho three women Imme
diately in front of her at the full
length portrait hanging whore the
light from tho ball fell upon It: the
portrait of a dashing youth In riding
togs.
A moment later Sara Wrandall camo
ever and Bat besido her. Tho girl
nUlvered as with a mighty chill when
the warm hand of her friend fell upon
hers and enveloped it In, a Arm clasp.
"His. mother kissed me," whlspored
Para. "Did you seo?"
Th f lrl eould not reply. Sho could
COPY?Gfr.P2 OY
only Btare nt the open door. A email,
hntchot-faced man had como up from
below and was nodding his head to
Losllo Wrandall a man with short
sldo whiskers, nnd a sepulchral look
In his oyes. Thon, having received a
sign from Lcslio, ho tiptoed away. Al
most instantly tho voices of people
singing softly camo from somo distant
remoto part of tho houso.
And thon, a littlo later, tho per
fectly modulated volco of a man In
prnyor.
Back of her, Wrandalls; besido hor,
Wrandalls; beneath her, friends of tho
Wrandalls; outside, the rabblo, those
who would Join with thoso black,
raven-llko spoctors In tearing her to
pieces if they but knewi
Tho droning volco camo up from be
low, each well-chosen word distinct
and clear: trlbuto beautiful to tho irrc
proachablo character of tho deceased.
Lesllo watched tho face of tho girl,
curiously fascinated by tho sot, emo
tionless featured, and yet without a
conscious Interest in her. Ho was
dully senBlblo to tho fact that sho was
beautiful, uncommonly beautiful. It
did not occur to him to foel that she
was out of placo among them, that sho
belonged down Btalrs.' Somehow sho
wub a part of tho surroundings, Uko
tho specter at tho feast.
if ho could" have witnessed all that
transpired whilo S,nra was In tho room
below with her guest hor companion,
as ho had come to regard hor without
having in fact boon told as much ho
would have boon lost in a maze of tho
most overwhelming emotions.
To go back: Tho door had baroly
closed behind tho two women when
Hetty's trombllng knoes gave way bo
noath her. With a low moan of hor
ror, she slipped to tho floor, covering
her faco with hor hands.
Sara knelt beside her.
"Como," sho said gently, but firmly;
"I must exact this much of you. If
wo aro to go on together, as wo have
planned, you must stand besido mo at
his bier. Together wo must look upon
him for the last time. You must see
him as I saw him up thero In tho
country. I had my cruel blow that
night. It Is your turn now. I will not
blame you for what you did. But If
you expect mo to go on believing that
you did a bravo thing that night, you
must convince mo that you aro not a
coward now. It Is tho only tost I shall
put you to. Como; I know It Is hard,
I know It Is terrible, but It Is tho truo
test of your ability to go through with
It to tho end. I shall know thon that
you havo tho courago to faco anything
that may como up."
Sho waited a long tlmo, her hand on
the girl's shoulder. At last Hotty
aroso,
"You aro right," sho said hoarsely.
"I should not bo afraid." A.
Later on they sat over againaijtho
wall beyond tho casket, Into ."flHbh
thoy had peerod with widoly varying
omotlons. Sara had said;
"You know that I loved'hlm."
The girl put her hands to hor eyes
and bowed hor head.
"Oht how can you bo so merciful
to mo?"
"Bocauso ho was not," Bald Sara,
white-lipped. Hetty glanced at tho
half-averted faco with queer, indescrib
able 'expression in hor oyos.
If Leslie Wrandall could havo looked
In upon them at that moment, or at
any time during tho half an hour that
followed, he would havo known who
was tho alayer of his brother, but It
is doubtful It ho could havo had tho
heart to denounce her to tho world.
When thoy wore ready to leave tho
room Hetty had regained control of
Hetty's Trembling Knees Gave Way
Beneath Her.
hor nerves to a most Burprlslug extont,
a condition unmistakably duo to the
intluonco of the older woman.
"I can trust myself now, Mrs. Wran
dall," Bald Hetty steadily as thoy hes
itated for an Instant beforo turning
ii IBilt
1, :
11 rCnrn nlflM IBJiTTmmT " " r
SjQzFvfiik Awfflim I Jl
tho knob of tho door.
"Thon I shall ask you to open tho
door," said Sara, drawing back.
Without a word or a look, Hetty
opened tho door and permitted the
other to pass out boforo her. Then
sho followed, closing It gently, even
deliberately, but not without a swift
Blanco over hor shoulder Into tho
depths of tho room they wore leaving.
Of tho two, Sara Wrandall waa the
e Barr
GtORGnSAWtSClTCffWr i COPyfitftfr, W2 3Y PODD,AflD S COMPArtY
paler as they went up tho broad stair-
enso with Leslie.
Tho funeral oration by the Itev. Dr.
Maltby dragged on. Among all his
hearers thore was but ono who bo
Moved the things ho said of Challls
Wrandall, and she was ono of two per
sons who, so thoy saying goes, aro
tho last to find a man out; his mother
nnd his sister. But in this Instanco
tho mother waB ntono. Tho silent,
attentlvo guests on tho lower floor
listened in grim npprovnl: Dr. Maltby
was doing himself proud. Not ono but
all of them knew that Maltby knew.
And yet how .soothing ho was,
By tho end of the week the raurdor
of Challls Wrandall was forgotten by
all save tho police. Tho Inquest was
ovor, tho law was baffled, tho city was
soronoly wnltlr.g for Its next sensa
tion. No: sno cared.
Lesllo Wrandall went down to tho
steamer to seo his sister-in-law off for
Europe.
"Goodby, Miss Castleton," ho said,
ae he shook the hand of tho slim
young Englishwoman at parting.
"Taka good caro of Sara. Sho needs
a friend, a good friend, now. Keep her
over thero until sho has forgotten."
CHAPTER V.
Discussing a SIster-ln-Law.
"You remember my sister-in-law,
don't you, Brandy?" was tho question
that Lesllo Wrandall put to a friend
ono afternoon, as they sat drearily in
a window of ono of tho faBhionablo up
town clubs, a littlo moro than a year
after tho ovonts described In tho foro
going chapters. Drearily, I have said,
for tho reason that it was Sunday, and
raining at that.
"I mot Mrs. Wrandall a few yearB
ago In Rome," said his companion, re
newing interest in a conversation that
had died somo time before of its own
exhaustion. "She's most attractive. I
saw her but once. I think it was at
eomobody'B fete."
"She's returning to New York tho
end of tho month," Bald Leslie. "Been
abroad for over a year. Sho had a
villa at Nico this winter."
"I remember her quite well. I was
of an ago thon to bo particularly sen
sitive to female loveliness. If Id been
staying on In Homo, I should havo
screwod up tho courago, I'm Bure, to
havo asked hor to sit for me."
Brandon Booth was of an old Phila
delphia family: an old and wealthy
family. Both vIowb considered, ho wns
qualified to walk hand in glovo with
tho fastldlouB Wrandalls. Leslie's
mother was charmed with him be
cauBo sho waB alBO tho mothor of Viv
ian. Tho fact that ho wont In for por
trait painting and seemed averse to
subsisting on tho genoroslty of his
father, preferring to live by his tal
ent. In no way operated against him,
bo far as Mra. Wrandall was con
cerned. That was his lookout, not
hers: it ho elected to that sort of
thing, all woll and good. Ho could
afford to bo eccentric: thoro romained,
in tho perspective he scorned, the bulk
of a huge fortune to offset whatever
idiosyncrasies ho might choose to cul
tivate Somo day, In Bplto of himself,
Bho contondod soronely, he would bo
very, very rich. What could be more
desirable than famo, family and for
tune all heaped together and thrust
upon one exceedingly, interesting and
handsome young man?
He had been the pupil of colebrated
draftsmen and painters In Europe, and
had exhibited a sincerity of purpose
that was surprising, all things con-
Bldorod. Tho mere fact that ho was
not obliged to paint in order to obtain
a living was sufficient cnuao for won-,
der among the artists he met and
studied with or under.
His studio In Now York was not a
fashionable resting placo. It waB a
workshop. You could havo tea thoro,
of course, and you were sure to meet
people you know and liked, but it waa
quito as touch of a workshop as any
you could mention. Ho was not a
dabbler In art. not a moro dauber of
pigments: ho was an artist.
Booth 'was thirty porhaps a year
or two older; toll, dark and good look
ing. Tho nlr of tho thoroughbrod
mnrkod him. Ho did not affect loose,
flowing cravats and baggy trousers,
nor was he carolosa about his finger
nails. Ho wae Blmply tho ordinary,
overy-day sort ot chap you would
moot In Fifth avonuo during parado
hours, and you would take a second
look at him because ot his faco and
manner but not on account of his
dress. Some ot his ancestors came
ovor ahead ot tho Mayflower, but he
did not gloat.
Leslie Wrandall was his closost
friend and harshest critic. It didn't
roally matter to Booth what Lesllo
said ot his paintings: ho quito .under
stood that ho didn't know anything
about them.
"When does Mrs. Wrandall return?"
asked the painter, after a long porlod
ot Bllenco spent in contemplation ot
tho gleaming pavement beyond the
club's window.
"That's queer," said Leallo, looking
up. "I was thinking of Sara myself.
Sho sails next weok. I've had a let
ter asking me to open her. houso In
the country. Her placo Is about two
miles from father's. It hasn't boon
' . . ..- IT ,.!!,. I,,. II,
oponeu in vwo yuum. nwoi uum.
MCutcheon
It fifteen or twenty yearB ago, and left
it to hor when ho died. Sho and
Challls spent soveral summors there."
"Vivian took mo through it ono aft-
ornoon last summor."
"It must havo been quito as much
of a novelty to her as It was to you,
ola chap," Bald Lesllo gloomily,
"What do you mean?"
'Vivian's a bit of a snob. Sho never
lik'ed tho place because old man Gooch
built It out of worsteds. Sho never
went there."
"But tho old man's been dead for
years."
"That doesn't matter. Tho fact Is,
Vivian didn't quito tako to Sara until
after well, until after Challls died.
We'ro dreadful snobs, Brnndy, tho
whole lot of us. Sara was quite good
enough for a much bettor man than
my brother. Sho roally couldn't help
tho worsteds, you know I'm very
fond of her, and always have boon.
We'ro pals. 'Gad, it was a fearful slap
at tho homo folks when Challls justi
fied Sara by getting snuffed out the
way he did."
Booth made an attempt to change
tho subject, but Wrandall got back
to it.
"Slnco then we've all been exceed
ingly sweet on Sara. Not becauso we
want to bo, mind you, but becauso
we're afraid she'll marry some qhnp
who wouldn't bo acceptable to us."
"I should consider that a vqry neat
way out of it," Baid Booth coldly.
"Not at all. You see, Challls was
fond of Sara, In spite of everything.
Ho left a will and under it sho came
in for all he had. As that includes a
third interest In our extremely refined
and irreproachablo business, It would
be a douco of a trick on ub If sho mar
ried ono of the common people and set
him up amongst us, willy-nilly. Wo
don't want strange bedfellows. We'ro
too snug and I might say, too smug.
Down m her hearty mother is saying to
herself it would be just like Sara to
get oven with us by doing just that
sort of a trick. Of course Sara 1b rich
onough without accepting a sou under
the will, but she's a canny person. Sho
hasn't handed It back to us on a silver
platter, with thanks; still, on the
other hand, alio refuses to meddle. Sho
makes us feel pretty small. She won't
sell out to us. Sho just sits tight.
That's what gets under the skin with
mother." .
"I wouldn't say that, Les, if I were
in your place."
"It is a rather priggish thing to say,
isn't it?"
"Rather."
"You see, I'm tho only one who
really took sides with Sara. I forget
myself sometimes. Sho was such a
brick, all those years."
Booth was silent for a moment, not
ing tho reflective look in his compan
ion's eyes.
"I supposo the police haven't given
up the hopo that sooner or later the
er the woman will do something to
give herself away," said he.
"They don't tako any stock in my
thoory that she made way with herself
tho same night. I was talking with
the chief yesterday. He says that
anyone who had wit to cover up her
tracks ao she did, is not the kind to
make way with herself. Perhaps he's
right It sounds reasonable. Qad, I
felt sorry for tho poor girl they had
up last spring. She went through the
third dogrce, if evor anyone did, but,
by Jove, sho camo out ot it all right.
Tho Ashtley girl, you remembor. I've
dreamed about that girl, Brandy, and
what they put her through. It's a sort
of nightmare to mo, even when I'm
awake. Oh, thoy've questioned others
as well, but she was the only one to
have tho screws twisted In just that
way."
"Where is she now?"
"She's comtortablo enough now.
When I wrote" to Sara about what
she'd been through, sho settled a neat
bit ot money on her, and she'll nevor
want for anything. She's out west
somewhere, with her mother and sta
ters. I toll you, Sara's a wonder. She's
got a heart of gold."
"I look forward to meeting her,
old man."
"I was with hor for a few weeks
this winter. In Nice, you know. Viv
ian stayed on for a weak, but mother
had to got to the baths. 'Gad, I be
lieve sho hated to go. Sara's got a
most adorable girl staying with hor.
A daughter of Colonel Castleton, and
she'B connected In some way with the
Murgatroyds old Lord Murgatroyd,
you know. I think her mother was a
niece of the old boy. Anyhow, mothor
and Vivian have taken a great fancy
to hor. That's proof ot the pudding."
"I think Vivian montlonod a com
panion of Bomo sort."
'You wouldn't exoctly call her a
companion," said Leslie. "She's got
money to burn, I tako It. Quito keeps
up with Sara In making It fly, and that's
saying a good deal for her resources.
I think It's n pose on her part, this
calling herself a companion. An Eng
lish joke, eh? As a matter ot fact,
bIio'b an old friend of Sara's and my
brother's too. Knew them in England.
Most delightful girl. Oh, I say, old
man, eho's the ono for you to paint."
Lesllo wpxed enthusiastic. "A type, a
positive typo. Never bow euctyeyes In
nil my life. Dammit, thoy haunt you.
You droam about 'em."
"You seem to bo hard hit," Bold
I
i
Booth Indifferently. .He was watching
tho man in tho "slicker" through
moody eyes.
"Oh, nothing like that," disclaimed
Leslie with unnecessary .promptness.
"But if I wero given to thnt sort of
thing, I'd bo bowled over in a minute
Positively adorable face. If I thought
you had it In you to paint a thing as
it really is I'd commission you myself
to do a miniature for mo, Just to havo
it around whero I could pick It up
when I liked and hold it between my
hands, just as I've often wanted to
hold the real thing."
Sara Wrandall roturnod to New
York nt the end of the month, and
Leslio met hor at the'dock, as ho did
on an occasion fourteen months ear
lier. Then she enme in on a fierce
gale from the wintry Atlantic; this
time the air was soft and balmy and
sweot -with the kindness of spring. It
was May and the sea was bluo, tho
land was green.
Again sho went to tho small, exclu
sive hotel near tho park. Hor apart
ment was closed, the butler and his
wlfo nnd all of their hastily recruited
company being in the cbuntry, await
ing her arrival from town. Leslie at
tended to everything. He" lent his re
sourceful man servant and his motor
to his lovely slster-ln-lnw, and saw to
it that his mother and Vivian sent
flowers to the ship. Redmond Wran
dall called at tho hotel. Immediately
after banking hours, kissed his daughter-in-law,
and delivered nn ultimatum
second-hand from the power at homo:
sho was to come to dinner and bring
Miss Castleton. IA little quiet family
dinner, you know, because they wero
all in mourning, ho said in conclusion,
vaguely realizing all tho while that It
really wasn't necessary to supply the
information, but, for the life of him,
unablo to think of anything else to
say under the circumstances. Some
how It seemed to him that while Sara
was In black sho was not in mourning
in the same sense that the rest of
thom wero. It seemed only right to
acquaint her with the conditions in his
household. And ho knew that ho de
served tho scowl that Lesllo bestowed
upon him.
Sara accepted, much to hla surprise
and gratification. He had been rather
dubious about it. It would not have
surprised him In the least it she hod
declined the Invitation, feeling, as he
did, that he had In a way come to her
with a white flag or an olive branch
or whatever it is that a combative
force utilizes when it wants to sur
render in the cause of humanity.
As soon as thoy were alone Hetty
turned to her friend.
"Oh, Sara, can't you go without me?
Tell them that I am ill suddenly ill.
I I don't think it right or honorable
of mo to accept"
Sara shook her head, and the words
died on-tho girl's lips.
"You must play tho game, Hetty."
"It's very hard," murmured the
other, her face very white and bleak.
"I know, my dear," said Sara gently.
"If thoy should over find out,"
gasped the girl, suddenly giving way
to tho dread that had been ly' g dor
mant all thoso months.
"They will never know the truth
unless you chooso to enlighten them,"
sold Sara, putting her arm about tho
girl's shoulders and drawing her close.
"You never cease to be wonderful,
Sara bo very wonderful," cried the
girl, with a look of worship In 'her
eyes.
Sara regarded her in silence for a
momont, reflecting. Then, with a swift
rush of tears to her oyes, she cried
fiercely:
"You must nevor, never tell me all
"You Must Play the Same, Hetty."
that happened, Hetty! You must not
Bpeak it with your own lips."
Hetty's eyes grow dark with pain
and wonder.
"That la the thing I can't under
stand lu you, Sara," sho said slowly.
"Wo muBt not speak of It!" ,
Hetty's boBom heaved. "Speak of
it!" sho cried, absoluto agony In hor
volco, "Havo I not kept It locked In
my heart slnco that awful day "
"Hush!"
"I shall go mad It I cannot talk
with you about " '
"No, nol It 1b the forbidden sub
ject! I know all that I should know
Ifmlili W, I
ifffliP
nil thnt I caro to know. Wo havo not
said so much an this in mbnths in
ages, it seems. Let sleeping dogs lie.
We aro better off, my dear. I could
not touch your lips again."
"I I can't bear tho thought of
that!"
"Kiss mo now, Hotty."
"I could die for you, Sara," cried
Hetty, as Bhe Impulsively obeyed tho
command.
"I mean that you shall llvo for me,"
said Sara, smiling through her tears.
"How silly of mo to cry. It must btf
the room we aro In. Theso aro tho
same rooniB, dear, that you came to
on tho night we mot. Ah, how old I
feelt"
"Old? You say that to mo? I am
nges and ages older than you," cried
Hotty, the color coming back to hor
soft cheeks.
"You are twenty-three." '
"And you are twenty-eight."
Sara had a far-away look In hor,
eyes. "About your size and figure,"
said she, and Hetty did hot comprehend.
CHAPTER VI.
Southlook.
Sara Wrandall's houso In tho coun
try stood on a wooded knoll overlook
ing tho sound. It wao rather remotely
located, so far as neighbors wore con
cerned. Her father, Sebastian Gooch,
shrewdly foresaw tho day when land
In this particular section ot tho sub
urban world would return dollars for
pennies, nnd wlsoly bought thousands
of acres: woodland, meadowland,
beachland and hills, Inserted between
tho environs of Now York city and
the rich towns up the coast. Years
afterward he built a commodious sum
mer home on the choicest point that
his property afforded, named it South
look, and transformed that particular
part of his wilderness into a million
aire's paradise, where ho could dawdlo
and putter to his heart's content,
where he could spend his tlmo and his
money with a prodigality that came so
late In lifo to him that ho mado waste
ot both in his haste to live down a
rather parsimonious past.
Two miles and a half away, In tho
heart of a scattered colo'ny of purse
proud New Yorkers, was the country
homo of the WrandallB, an imposing
placo and older by far than South
look. It had descended from well
worn and tlnle-stained ancestors to
Redmond Wrandall, and, with others
of its kind, lookod with no littlo scorn
upon tho modern, mushroom struc
tures that sprouted from the seods of
trade. There was no friendship be
tween tho old and tho new. Each had
recourso to a bitter contempt for the
other, though consolation was small
in comparison.
It was in tho wooded by-ways of thla
despised domain that Challls Wran
dall and Sara, tho earthly daughter of
Midas, mot and loved and defied all
things supernal, for matches aro
mado in heaven. Their marriage did
not open tho gates of Nineveh. Sebas
tian Gooch's paradise was more com
pletelyostraclsed than It waa before
tho disaster. The Wrandalls spoke of
It as a disaster.
Clearly the old merchant was not
over-pleased with- his daughter's
choice, a conclusion permanently es
tablished by the alteration ho made
in his will a year or two after the mar
riage. Truo, he loft tho vast estate to
his beloved daughter Sara, but he fast
ened a stout string to It, and with
this string her hands were tied. It
must havo occurred to him that Chal
lls was a profligate in moro ways than
ono, for he deliberately stipulated in
his will that Sara waB not to sell a
foot ot the ground until a porlod of
twenty years had elapsed. A very
vpollto way, It would seem, of making
his investment safe in tho faco of con
siderable odds.
Ho lived long onough aftor the mak
ing of his will, I am happy to relate,
to find that ho had mado no mistake.
As ho preceded his son-in-law Into tho
great beyond by a scant three years,
it readily may be seen that he wrought
too well by far. Seventeen unneces
sary years ot proscription romained.
and he had not Intended them for
Sara alono. He was not afraid of
Sara, but for her.
When tho will was read and the con
dition revealed, Challls Wrandall toolt
It In perfect good humor. Ho had tho
grace to proclaim In tho bosom ot his
father's family that tho old gentleman
was a father-in-law to be proud of. "A
canny old boy," he had announced
with his most ongaglng smile, quite
free from rancor or rosentmont. Chal
lls was well acquainted with himself.
And so tho ncres wore strapped to
gether snugly and firmly, without so
much as a town lot protruding.
So Impressed was Challls by the far
sightedness of his father-in-law that
he forthwith sat -him down and mado
a will of his own. Ho would not havo
It said that Sara's father did a whit
bettor by hor than ho would do. He
left everything ho possessed to his
wife, but put no string to It, blandly
implying that all danger would bo
paBt when sho enmo Into possession.
Thero was a sort of grim humor In
tho way ho managed to pnwnt him
self to view as the real and ready
sourco of peril.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
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