Nebraska Newspapers

    THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
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svnopsis.
C'Halll.s Wr.ndall In found murdered In
i toad lioui! 11 -ur New VuiU Mrs. Yihii
Oall is buimwutuit fn.ui the lty nnd Ideh-liil.-d
the l)f.d. A jKitns woman who uc
cumpsnled r.imtull 10 the inn iintl mili-
iiufiuly disappeared, is Kunpeeted.
Mm Wiamlall stalls back foi New "N url
i i .111 auto Jurt.iK a bllndlm? mow storm
On the way she meet a yminic woman in
the mad who pioves to be the woman
Who Killed Wi uidall Keeling tlmt t In
tel I luid doiiu hr u pervlce In rlddlnx I)'t
cf tno man who though she loved him
' I'ly. Ii'l eauuuil lier gieat wmiw
M"i Wiaulill duteimines to shield lur
ti', lakes her to li r own home. Mm.
U.iidull hears Ilia story of HUty I'hh
CICKii.'H Jirc, i-Mtpt that portion tlmt -1
.ifM to tauiliill. 'llils and thu Htxty of
It.i tragady slid forbids the girl ever to
(i II Hli offers Hetty a home, friendship
mi I fti'iirll fioin pei tl on account of tin
tuiKtdy. Sara Wiandall and 1 Icily le
ttiin to New Vorlc uftci tin ahs'-me of h
ji ii In Kuiops. Leslie Wr.uiilHll, biother
lit U.allls, becomes gimtly InteteHled In
)Ieltj. Saia sees In Leslie's Infntimtlon
p.ixhllnllty for tevenxe on Mm Wiandslls
mid uparntlon for the wronss nlui mif
Jmd nt the hands of I'lmllls Wiandall by
in..triri his murdeiesh Into the liimilv
J.i-llf, In coinu-iny with his filend Miati
don Mouth, an artist, lulls Sum at her
tcunlry place. Leslie confesses to Sum
Hut he Is in idlv In loo with Hetty. Ham
(imiiiKot with llooth to paint a pliture of
Hettv. Booth has u liuuntlng feelliiK thai
lie has seen Hetty before. honkliiK
OiriuiHli a pmtf.illo of pictures by nn un
Jinown LnxMsll artist ho finds mio of
JUtty Ho speaks to her abo.it it Hetty
l.'cl.ires It must bo a plctuio of Hetty
Cllynri. an Knjtllsh actress, who ren-mblcs
lier very mu-.-h. Much to his cliaRtln
Jxslle H refuB.nl by Hetty llooth and
Hettv confess thalr lovu for each other,
liut Mio latter douaten that she can never
marry iih Micro Is an Insurmountable bar
iler fn tlio wav. Hetty admits to Hum
that whe lovos Uooth. Hani declaics that
Jletty must marry Leslie, who must be
made to pay his brother's dobt to the
Bill. Hetty naln attempts to tell the
real story of the tragedy and Sara threat
ens to stranjjlo her It alio says a word.
CHAPTER XII. Continued.
' "Not now. Not slnco I lmvu found
you out. The thing I liavo feared all
Uong has come to pass. I nm rcliovcil,
stow that you Bhow tno Just whoro I
truly Htand. Hut, I askod: what of
your
"Tho world le more llkoly to applaud
than to curse me, Hetty. It IIUch ti
now .HuiiHatlon. My change ot heart
will aiipear quite natural."
"Are you Huro that tho world will
applaud your roal design? You hato
tho Wrandalls, 'lll they ho charltablo
towurd you when tho truth Is given
out? Will Leslie applaud you? Listen,
I)leaso: I am trying to aavo you from
yourself, Sara. You will fall In every
thing you liavo hoped for. You will
lie more accursed than I. Tho worltl
will pity mo, It may ovon forglvo me.
It will llatcn to my story, which Is
mora than you will do, and It will be
llovo mo. Ah, I am not afraid now.
At first I was In terror. I had no hope
to escape. All that Is past. Today 1
nm ready to talto my chances with tho
big, gonerous world. Men" will try mo,
find men aro not mado of stone and
etecl. They punish but thoy do not
nvenge when thoy alt In Jury boxes.
Thoy are not women I Good God, Sara,
Is thero a man living today who could
lmvu planned this thing you liavo cher
ished all these months? Not onel And
till men will curse you for It, ovon
though they send mo to prluou or to
the chair. Hut thoy will not con
demn me. They will hear my story
und they will set mo free. And thon,
what of you?"
Sara stood perfectly rigid, regarding
this earnest reaspnor with growing
wonder.
"My dear," she said, "you would bet
tor bo thlnklilg of yourself, not of mo."
"Why, whon 1 toll my story, tho
world will hato you, Sara Wrandall.
You liavo helped mo, you havo been
ood to mo, no matter what Mutator
motive- you may havo had In doing so.
It Is my turn to help you."
"To help mo!" cried Sara, aston
ished In splto of horaolf.
"Yep, To savo you from execra
tion and even worse."
"There Is no moral wrong In mar
rlago with Leslie Wraudall," Bald
Sam, returning to her own project.
"No moral wrong!" cried Heltj,
aghast. "No, I suppose not," she went
on, a moment later. "It Is something
much deopor, much blacker than moral
wrong. Thero Is no word fpr It. Anil
n t murry mm, wuai men: wherein j
lies your triumph? You can't mean i
that God In heavou! You would nut
jo to them with tho truth win n It was
too Into for him to to caet mo oft1'
"I nm no mich fool as that. The
Bee ret would ho fa-rover safo in thai
ovont. My triumph, as you call it,
wo will not discuss."
"How you must hato mo, to bo will
ing to do such an Infamous thing to
me!"
"I do not hato you, Hetty."
"In heaven's namo, what do you call
it?"
"Justification. Listen to mo now
I am saying this for your good eouso
to seize und appreciate. Would it bo
k right In mo to nllow you to marry any
other man, knowing all that I know
There Is but one man you can in just
ico marry: tho one who cnu repair tho
wreck that his own blood crented. Not
Urandon Booth, nor any man snve Les
lie Wrandutl. Ho Is tLn man who must
imy."
"I do not Intend to marry," said
Hetty,
"nut Leslie will marry somo one,
and I Intend that It shall ho you. Ho
ehall marry tho ex-choruu girl, ,tho
nrtlat'a model, tho tho prostitute!
Wnlt! Don't fly at mo llko that!
Don't assume that look of virtuous
horror! Lot mo say what I havo to
ny. Tula much of your story ahull
copy?Gr92 or
they know, and no more. They will he
ji oud of you!"
Ilelty'u eyas wore blazing. "You use
that namo you call mo fhat and yot
you havo klsaod mo, caressed me
loved mo!" she cried hoarso with pas
Mon. "Ho will ask you tonight for tho
second Mrno. You will accept him.
That Is all."
"You must take back what you
have Just said to me of me Sara
Wrandall. You must unsay It! You
must beg my pardon for that!"
"1 draw no lino between mlatrosa
and prostitute."
"Hut I "
"Enough!"
"You wiong mo vilely! You must
let mo "
"I havo an cxcollont memory, and
It serves ni" well."
Hotty suddenly threw herself upon
the couch and hurled her face In her
arms. Groat sobs shook her slender
Ira me.
Sara Htood over her and watched for
a long time with pitiless eyes. Then
a (pieer, uneasy, wondering light be
gan to dev "lop in thoso dnrk, ominous
eyea. Site leaned forward tho better
to listen to tho choked, lnartlculato
words that were pouring from tho
girl's lips. At last, moved by some
power she could not hikvo accounted
for, she knelt besldo tho qulvorlng
body, and laid her hand, almost tim
orously, upon tho girl's shoulder.
"Hetty Hetty, If I havo wronged
you In In thinking that of you I
I " she began brokenly. Then alio lift
ed her eyes, and tho harsh light tried
to t..il back Into them. "No, no!
What am I saying? What a fool I
am to give way " ,
"You have wronged mo terribly,
terribly!" camo In smothered tonos
from tho cushions. "I did not dream
you thought that of mo."
"What wus I to think?"
Hetty lifted her head and cried out:
"You would not lot mo speak! You
refused to hoar my story. You have
been thinking this nf mo nil along,
holding It against nio, dnmnlng me
with it, and I havo boen closor to you
than My God, what manner of
woman aro you?"
Sara seized her hands and held them
in a llorce. tenso grip. Her oyos wero
glowing with a strange lire.
"Toll me toll mo now, on your soul,
Hetty were you wore you "
"No! No! On my aoul, no!"
"Look Into my oyos!"
Tho girl's eyes did not falter. Sho
mot tho dark, penotratlng gnzo of tho
other and, though dimmed by tears,
her blue oyps wero steadfast and reso
lute. Snra seomod to bo searching tho
very soul of her, tho soul that laid
Itself bare, denuded of every vestlgo
of gulln.
"I I think I believe you," camo
slowly from tho lips ot tho searcher.
"You aro looking tho truth. I can soo It.
Hotly, I I don't understand myself.
Is Is so so ovot whelming, so tre
mendous. It is so Incredible Am I
really bellovlng you? Is It posslblo
that I have been wrong In "
"Lot mo tell you everything," cried
tho girl, suddenly throwing her arms
about her.
"Not now! Walt! Give mo tlmo to
think. Go away now. I want to bo
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-Tell Me, Now on
Soul, Hetty"
Your
alone.'' Shu arrio and pushed the girl
toward the door. Her oyes wore tlxed
on her In a wondering, puzsletl sort
of way, and she wus-ehaklng her head
as If trying to dls-crodtt tho now emo
tion that had come to displace tho quo
created ages ago.
Slowly lleitj Castleton retreated
toward tho door With m band on
tho knob, she pausod.
"Altor what has happened, Sara, you
must not expect mo to stay with you
any lonnr. I cannot. You may glvo
mo up to the law. but "
Somo one m tiiDping gently at tho
door.
"Shall I see who It la?" askad the
girl, alter a long period of silence.
"Yes."
It wuh Murray. "Mr Leslie has re
turned, Miss Castloton, and asks If
ho may seo you at oiue. Ho says It
Is very Important.
"Tell hint 1 will be down In a fow
minutes, Murray "
After tio door closed sur "atted
' 1 II II I
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mmsM a '"-?
SHKS:l3fig
lli ?s5
"Tell Me
Georgfe Barr
Grortctatri mcurcfffoy v corrMCfZ W2 3YP0DD,AfiDZr company
until the footman's steps died away
on tho stairs.
"I shall say no to him, Sara, and I
shall say to him that you will tell him
why I cannot bo his wife. Do you
understand? Aro you listening to mo?"
Sara turned away without a word
or look of response.
Hetty quietly opened tho door and
went out.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Second Encounter.
Booth trudged rapidly homeward
after leaving Hetty at tho lodgo. Ho
was throbbing all over with tho lovo
ot her. The thrill of conquest wae In
his blood. She hnd raised a mysteri
ous barrier; all the more zest to the
Inevltahlo victory that would bo his
Ho would delight In overcoming ob
stacles tho bigger tho hotter for his
heatt was valiant nnd tho prize no
smaller than those which the ancient
knightH went out to battle for In the
lists of love.
It was enough for tho present to
know that she loved him.
What If sho were Hetty Glynn?
What If sho had been an artist's
model? The look ho had had Into tho
soul ot her through thoso puro blue
oyes was all-CQjninclng. Sho v:aB wor
thy of tho noblest love.
After luncheon served with some
exasperation by Patrick an hour and a
half later than usual he Bmokcd his
pipe on tho porch nnd stared remlnls
cently at tho shifting clouds abovo tho
tree tops.
He did not seo tho Wrandall motor
at his garden gate until n lusty voice
brought him down from the clouds Into
tho rango of earthly sounds. Then
ho dashed out to tho gate, bareheaded
and coatless, forgetting that ho had
been sitting In tho obscurity of trailing
vines nnd purplo blossoms tho while
he thought of her.
Lesllo was sitting on tho wido Beat
between his mother and sister.
"Glad to seo you back, old man,"
said Booth, reaching In to shake hands
with him. "Day early, aren't you?
Good afternoon, Mrs. Wrandall. Won't
you come In?"
Ho looked at Vivian as ho gavo tho
Invitation.
"No, thanks," sho replied. "Won't
you como to dinner this ovenlng?"
Ho hesitated. "I'm not qulto sure
whother I can, Vivian. I've got a half
way sort of "
"Oh, do, old chap," cut In Leslie,
moro as a command than nn entreaty.
"Sorry I can't bo thero myself, but
you'll faro qulto ns well without mo.
I'm dining at Sara's. Wants my pri
vate oar about ono thing and another
see whnt I mean?"
"Wo shall expect you, Brandon,"
said Mrs. Wrandall, fixing him with
her lorgnette.
"I'll come, thank you," said he.
He felt disgustingly transparent un
der that Inquisitive glass.
Wrandall etepped out of tho. car.
"I'll stop off for a chat with Brandy,
mother."
"Shall I send tho car back, dear?"
"Never mind. I'll walk down."
Tho two men turned In at tho gate
as tho car sped away.
"Woll," said Booth, "It's good to seo
you. 1'at!" Ho called through a bnso
mont window. "Conjo up and tako tho
gentleman's order."
"No drink for mo, Brandy. I'vo been
In tho tompernnco stnto of Maluo for
two weeks. Ono week moro of it and
I'd havo been completely pickled. I
shall always rcmombor Maine."
Uooth sat down on tho porch rail,
hooked his toes in tho supports and
ptoceoded to 1111 his pipe. Then he
struck a match and nppliod It, Lesllo
watching him with moody oyes.
"How do you llko tho portrait, old
man?" ho inquired between punctu
ating puffs.
"It's bully. Sargent never did any
thing finer. Kipping."
"I owo It all to you, Los."
"To me?"
"You induced her to sit to" me."
"So I did," aaid Loslio sourly. "I
was Mr. Kix-It suro enough." Ho al
lowed a short Interval to olapso be
foro taking the plunge. "I suppose,
old chap, If I should hnppen to need
your Valuable services as host man
in tho near future you'd not dlsajv
point mo?"
Booth oyod him quizzically. "I trust
yoa'ro not tin owing youraclt away,
Loh." ho said drily. "1 mean to say,
on BOino one well, nome ono not
qulto up to the mark."
Lesllo regarded him with somo e
vorlty. "Of courso not, old chap.
What the devil put that into jour
head?"
"I thought that possibly you'd been
making a chump of yourself up In
tho Maluo woods."
"lilllo! Don't bo nn ass. What's
Ltho sonso pretending you don't know
f who sho is?"
"I supposo It'H Hotty Castleton,"
snld Booth, pulling away at his plpo.
x "Who olso?"
"Think Rhoil havo you, old man?"
asked Booth, alter a moment.
"I don't know." ropllod tho other,
a bit dashed., "You might wish mu
luck, though."
llooth knocked tho burnt tobacco
from tho bowl of his plpo. A serious
line uppenrod between his oyes Ho
was a fair-minded fellow, without
MCutclieon
guile, without a slnglo treacherous
Instinct.
"I can't wish you luck, Les," ho
said slowly. "You seo I'm I'm In
lovo with her myself."
"Tho devil!" Lesllo sat bolt up
right and glared at him. "I might
havo known! And and Is Bho In
lovo with you?"
"My dear fellow, you roveal con
siderable lack of tact In asking that
question."
"What I want to know la this," ex
claimed Wrandall, very pale but very
hot: "Is Bho going to marry you?"
Booth smiled. "I'll bo perfectly
frank with you. Sho says sho won't."
Lesllo gulped. "So you've asked
lier?"
"Obviously."
"And sho said she wouldn't? Sho
refused you? Turned you down?" His
ltttlo mustache ehot up at tho ends
and a Joyous, triumphant laugh broke
from his lips. "Oh, this Is rich! Ha.
ha! Turned you down, eh? Poor old
Brandy! You're my best friend,1 and
dammit I'm sorry. I mean to say,"
ho went on In some embarrassment,
"I'm sorry for you. Of course, you
can hardly expect me to or "
"Certainly not," accepted Booth
amiably. "I qulto understand."
"Then, slnco she's refused you, you
might wish mo better luck."
"That would mean giving up hope."
"Hopo?" exclaimed Leslie quickly.
"You don't mean to say you'll annoy
her with your "
"No, I shall not annoy her," replied
his friend, shaking his head.
"Well, I should hopo not," aald
Lesllo with a scowl. "Turned you
down, eh? 'Pon my soul!" Ho ap
peared to bo relishing tho idea of it.
"Sorry, old chap, but I suppose you
understand Just what that means."
Booth's lips hardened for an In
stant, then relaxed Into n quoer, al
most pitying smllo.
"And you want mo to be your best
man?" ho said reflectively.
Leslie arose. His chest seemed to
swell a Httlo; assuredly ho was breath
ing much easier. Ho assumed an
air of compassion.
"I shan't lnalst, old fellow, if you
feel you'd rathor not er See what
I mean?" It then occurred to him to
utter a word or two of kindly advice.
"I shouldn't go on moping If I were
you, Brandy. 'Pon my soul, I shouldn't.
Tako It llko a man. I know It hurts,
but Pooh! What's the use aggra
vating the pain by butting against a
stone wall?"
His companion looked out over the
troo tops, his hands In his trousers
pockets, and it must be confessed
that his mauner was not that of ono
who is oppressed by despair.
"I think I'm taking it like a man,
Lea," ho said. "I only hopo you'll
tako It as nicely if Bho says nay to
you."
An uneasy look leaped into Leslie's
faco. Ho seemed noticeably lese cor
pulent about tho chest. Ho wondered
If Booth knew anything about his
Initial, venture. A question rose to
hia, lips, but ho thought quickly and
held It back. Instead, he glanced at
his watch.
"I must bo off. See you tomorrow,
I hope."
"So long," said Booth, stopping at
tho top of tho steps while his visitor
skipped down to the gate with a
nlmbloncss that suggested tho forma
tion of a sudden resolve.
Leslie did not wnsto time in part
ing inanities ho strode off briskly In
tho direction of homo, but not without
a furtlvo glance out of tho tall of hla
oye as ho disappeared beyond tho
hedgerow at the end of Booth's gar
den. Thnt gentleman was standing
where ho had left htm, and was lllling
his plpo once more.
Tho day was warm, and Leslie was
In a dripping perspiration when he
reached homo. Ho did not enter tho
houso but made his way direct to tho
garage.
"Get out tho enr at once. Brown."
lllnO llln AHilnH
tlilO 111S IIIUUI.
Threo minutes later ho was being
drlvon over tho lower toad toward
Southlook, taking good card to avoid
Booth's plnco by tho mnttnr ot a mile
or moro. Ho was lit a fover of hope
and eagerness. It wns very plain to
him why sho had refused Booth. The
Iron wns hot. Ho didn't intend to
lose any tlmo In striking.
And now wo know why ho camo
again to Sara's in tho middlo of a
blazing afternoon, Instead of waiting
until tho moro seductive shades of
night had fallen, when the moon sat
serene In the seat of tho Mighty.
Ho didn't havo to wait long for Het
ty. Up to tho instant of her nppear
nuco In the door, ho had roveled in
tho thought that tho way wrts now
paved with roses. But with her en
trance, ho folt his confidence and
courago slipping. Porhnpa that may
oxplaln tho abruptness with which ho
proceeded to go about tho business
In hand.
"1 couldn't wnlt till tonight." ho ex
plained as sho camo slowly across
tho room toward him. Sho wna half
way to him boforo ho nwoko to the
fact that ho was standing perfectly
still. Thon ho started forward, some
how ImpUled to meet hor nt least
halt-way. "You'll forgive me, Hetty,
if I havo disturbed you "
"I was not lying down, Mr. Wran
dall," sho said quietly. There was
nothing ominous In tho words, but he
experienced a sudden Bensation of
cold. "Won't you alt down? Or would
you rather go out to the terraco?"
"It's much moro comfortable here,
If you don't mind. I I supposo you
know what It le I want to say to you.
You"
"Yes," sho Interrupted wearily;
"and knowing ns much, Mr. Wrandall,
It would not bo fair of mo to lot
you go on."
"Not fair?" ho said, In honest amaze
ment. "But, my dear, I "
"Please, Mr. Wrandall," sho ex
claimed, with a pleading little smllo
thnt would have touched tho heart of
anyone but Lesllo. "Please don't go
on. It Is qulto a's Impossible, now as
It was before. I havo not changed."
Ho could only say, mechanically:
"You haven't?"
"No. I am sorry If you havo
thought that I might como to "
"Think, for heaveifs sake, think
what you are doing!" he cried, feeling
for tho edgo of tho table with a support-seeking
hand. "I I had Sara's
word that you wero not "
"Unfortunately Sara cannot speak
for me In a matter of this kind. Thank
you for the honor you would "
"Honor bo hanged!" he blurted out,
losing his temper. "I ldvo you! It's
a purely selfish thing with me, nnd
I'm blowed If I consider it an honor
to bo refused by any woman. I "
"Mr. Wrandall!" sho cried, fixing
him with her flashing, Indignant eyes.
"You aro forgetting yourself." Sho
was standing very straight and slim
and Imperious before him.
Ho quailed. "I I beg your pardon.
I I"
"Thero is nothing more to bo said,"
sho went on icily. "Goodby."
"Would you mind telling me wheth
er there Is anyone else?" he asked, as
ho turned toward tho door.
"Do you really fool that you have
tho right to ask that question, Mr.
Wrandall?"
Ho wet his lips with his tongue.
"Then, there Is somo ono!" he cried,
rapping the table with his knuckles.
Ho didn't rcallzo till afterward how
vigorously ho rapped. "Somo con
founded English nobody, I suppose."
She smiled, not unkindly. "Thero
Is no English nobody, If that answers
your question."
"Then, will you be kind enough to
offer a reason for not giving me a
fair chance in a clear field? I think
it's due"
"Can't you see how you are dis
tressing me? Must I again go through
that horrid scono in tho garden?
Can't you tako a plain no for an an
swer?" "Good Lord!" he gasped, and In
those two words ho revealed the com
plete overturning of a lifelong esti
mate of himself. It seemed to take
more than his breath away.
"Goodby," she said with finality.
He stared at tho door through which
sho disappeared, his hopes, his con
celt, his self-regnrd trailing after her
with shameless disloyalty to the
standnrd.8 ho had set for them, and
then, with a rather ghastly smile of
self-commiseration on his lips, ho
slipped out of tho houso, Jumped Into
the motor car, and gave a brief but
explicit command to the chauffeur,
who lost no time in assisting his mas-
'
Leslie Sat Bolt Upright and Glared at
Him.
tor to turn tall in ignominious flight.
Hotty was gloomily but resolutely
omplojed In laying out certain. of her
personal belongings, preparatory to
packing them for departure, when
Sara entered hor room.
Thoy regarded each othor steadily,
questionlngly lor a short spaco of
time.
"Lesllo has Just called uj to ask
'what tho devil' 1 meant t7 lotting
him make a fool of hlmsolf," said
Sara, with a peculiar Uttlo twisted
smllo on hor lips.
Hotty offered no comment, but aftor
a moment gravely and rathor wistfully
called attontion to her prosont occu
pation by a slgnlilcnnt flaunt of her
hand nnd a paddoned smile.
"I see," said Sara, without omotlon.
"If you chooso to go. Hotty, I shall
uot oppoao you "
JIT l -UrrTF
III-, am
gM mm fi
'My position horo Is a falso one,
Sara. I prefer to go." i
"This morning I should havo held
n sword over your head."
"It Is very difficult for mo to realize
all that has happened."
"You nro freo to depnrt. You aro
free In every senso of tho word. -Your
futuro rests with yourself, my dear."
"It hurts mo moro than I can toll
to feel that you have been hating mo
all thewe months."
"It hurts me now."
Hetty walkod to tho window and
looked out.
"What aro your plans?"' Sara in
quired, after an Interval.
"I shall seek employment and wait,
for you to act."
"17 You moan?"
"I shall not run away, Sara. Nor do
I Intend to reveal myself to the au
thorities. I am not morally guilty of
crime. A year ago I feared the con
sequences of my deed, but I havo
learned much slnco then. I was a
strartger In a now world. In England
we have been led to believe that you
lynch women hero ns readily as you
lynch men. I now know better than
that. From you alone I learned my
greatest lesson. You revealed to mo
the true meaning of human kindness.
You shielded mo who should not
Even now I believe that your flrst
impulse was a tender one. I shall
not forget It, Snra. You will live to
regret the baser thought that camo
later on. I have loved you yes, al
most as a good dog loves his master.
It Is not for me to toll tho story ot
that night and all theso months to
the world. I would not be betraying
myself, but you. You would be called
upon to explain, not I. And you would
be the one to suffer. When you met
me on tho road that night I was on
my way back to the Inn to glvo my
self into custody. You havo made It
imposslblo for mo to do so now. My
lips aro sealed. It rests with you,
Sara."
Sara Joined her in tho broad, win
dow. There was a strangely exalted
look In her face. A gilded birdcage
hung auspended in the casement. With
out a word, sho throw open tho win
dow screen. Tho gay Httlo canary In
the gilded cage cocked his head and
watched her with alert eyes. Then
sho reached up and gently removed
tho cage from Its fastenings. Putting
It down upon tho window sill, she
opened the tiny door. The bird hopped
about his prison in a stnto of great
excitement.
Hetty looked on, fascinated.
At Jast a yellow streak shot out
through the open door and an instant
later resolved itself Into the bobbing,
fluttering dicky-bird that had lived
In a cage all its life without an hour
of freedom. For a few seconds It
circled over tho tree tops and then
alighted on ono of the branches. One
might well have Imagined that he
could hear Its tiny heart beating with
terror. Its wings wero half-raised and
fluttering, its head Jerking from side
to sido In wild perturbation. Taking
courago, Master Dicky hopped timo
rously to a nearby twig, and thon von
tured a flight to a tree top nearer tho
window casement. Perched In its top
most branches ho cheeped shrilly, as
if there was fear in his little breast.
In sllenco tho two women in the
window watched the agitated move
ments of tho bird. Tho samo thought
was in tho mind of each, tho saulo
question, the same intenso wish.
A brown thrush sped through tho
air, close by tho timid canary. Llko
a flash it dropped to tho twigs lower
down, its wings palpitating lu-vlolent
alarm.
"Dicky!" called Sara Wrandall, and
thon cheeped between her teeth.
A moment later Dicky wus fluttering
about tho eaves; his circles grew
smaller, his winging less rhythmical,
till at last with a norvous Httlo flutter
ho perched on tho top of tho window
shutter, so near that they' might havo
reached to him with their hands. He
sat thero xwith his head cocked to ono
side.
Dicky!". called Sara again. This
time sho held out her finger. For some
time ho regarded it with Indlfferenco.
not to say disfavor. Then ho took om
more flight, but much shortor than th.
flrst, bringing up again at tho ahutte
top. A second later ho hopped dow i
and his Httlo talons gripped Sara s
linger with nn earnestness that left
ao room for doubt.
Sho lowored her hand until it was
oton with tho open door of tho gilded
cugo. Ho shot Inside with a whir th it
suggested a scramble. With his wing
folded, ho sat-on his little trape,.,
and cheeped. Sho closed nnd fasten, d
tho door, and thon turned to Hotty.
"My symbol," sho said softly.
Thero wero tears in Hetty's eyes.
(To nn CONTINUKD.)
Forget to Collect Their Money.
Tho British government every year
roaps a huge profit from tho peoplo
w ho forget their own government stock
when dividends fall due. Tho fault
vests entirely with tho stockholders
for thoy even forget to givo their ad
dressos, so that they can bo notified
that monoy awaits them in the gov
ernment coffers. In this caso, about
$5,000,000 Is passed on to the na
tional debt commission, and In turn it
receives tho interest from this ironey