THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
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14
Hollow
of Her Hand
George Barr MCutcheon a
COPY?Wtr. 'W2 OY GORG?OAifl ArtCUrMTON I COfr?Mr,92 3YlODDy1!DZroCOAJPAtty
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SYNOPSIS.
Chnllls Wrantlnll In found murdered In
road liouso nnr New York. Mm. W rnn
lall Is summoned from the city anil Iden
linm Die body. A young woman who ac
companied Wrandnll to the Inn and sub
mquently disappeared. Is suspoetod.
Sirs. Wrandiill Marls buck for Now lork
in nn nuto during u blinding snow storm.
On llio wnv she incuts u youiiK woman In
tho load who proves to bo tlio woman
who killed Wrandall. FecllnB that the
Klrl had done her u sorvlco In ridding her
of tho man who though sho lovod him
f'orply, hud rnused her great sorrow.
Mm. Wrandall dotermlncs to shield nor
find takes her to her own homo. Mrs.
Wrandall hears Uio f.tory of Hetty Cas
llelor.'s life, nxrept that portion that re
lates to Wrandull. This and tho story of
the trngody sho forbids tho girl ever to
tell. Shn orfers Hetty u home, friendship
nnd snenrltv from peril nn nccount of the
tragedy. Sara Wrandall nnd Hetty re
turn to New York after an absence of a
year In Europe. Isllo Wrandall, brother
nf Cballii. becomes greatly Interested In
Hcttv. Sara sees In Idaho's Infatuation
possibility for revei.go on the A randans
and reparation for the wrongs sho suf
fered nt tho hands of Chnllls Wrandall V
marrying his murderess Into tho family.
Leslie. !n company with hs friend Brnn
don nooth. nn artist, visits Hnra at her
country place. Islle confesses to Sara
that he Is madlv In lovo with Hetty. Sara
nrrnnges with Booth to paint a picture or
Hetty. Booth has a haunting feeling that
ho has seen Hettv before. looking
through a portfolio of pictures by nn un
Known HnBllih artist . ho finds one i of
Hetty. He speika to her about It. Jietty
deolnres It must bo a picture of Hettj
fllynn. an Knullsh r.ctre.ss who resembles
licr very mtioh. Much to his chagrin
Leslie Is refused by Hetty. Booth nnd
li.im mnhii ihnlr levu for each outer.
Mi t tho lattr declaim that sho can nover
marry as there Is nn Insurmountable bar
rier In tho wav. Hetty admits to Sara
that she loves Booth. 8ara declares that
Hetty must marry Leslie, who must be
made to pay his brother's dobt to the
p.lrl. Hetty again attempts to toll the
real storv of the tragedy and Sara thrcnt
fns to stranBle her If sho nays a word.
ira Insults Hetty by revealing that all
This time sho has believed Hetty to have
lnned In her relations with Chnllls Wran
dall. Uiter sho realizes that Hetty Is In
nocent. Lcsllo again proposes to Hotty
nnd Is rejected. Hetty prepares to leave
Sara, declaring that after what has hap
pened she can remnln no longer. Hetty
starts for Hurona. At sea she receives a
m.-ssngo from Booth that he, has started
on a faster steamer and will bo waiting
for her on tho other sldo. nooth meets
Ivr and accompanies her to London. In
nn tittempt to escape from hlni Hetty
atarts for Paris, but finds Booth on the
same boat. Hho persists In her refusal to
tell him the secret which keens them
nparl. Sho declares that Sara alone can
tell him. Booth leaves for America de
termined to ot the story from Sara.
CHAPTER XVI Continued.
Tho wcokB slipped by. He wna with
hor almost dally. Other pcoplo camo
to hor houBo, some for rather protract
ed vUUb, others In quest ot plllago at
the nightly brldgo table, but ho whb
seldom mleslng. Thcro werq times
when ho thought ho dotected n ten
dency to waver, but each cunning at
tempt on his part to oncourngo tho
Impulse Invariably brought a certain
mocking light into her oyos and ho
veered off In defeat. Something kept
tolling him, howovor, that tho hour
wob bound to como whon Bho would
falter In hor resolution; when frank
cicsB would meet frankneBB, and tho
tho veil bo lifted.
Thoro wero no lottora from Hotty,
no word of any description. If Sara
tniew anything of tho girl's movement
Bho did not tnko nooth Into hor confi
dence. Leallo Wrandall wont abroad In Au
gust, ostensibly to attend tho aviation
moots In Franco nnd England. His
mother and stBtor sailed In Soptembor,
but not boforo tho entire colony of
which thoy wero a part had begun to
dlflcuss Sara and Uooth with a relish
that was obviously dlstaeteful to tho
Wrandalls.
JVhqjo there Is smoko thoro la fire,
tald all the gossips, nnd forthwith pro
roedod to carry faggots.
A week or bo boforo Balling, Mrs.
ftcdmond Wrandall had Uooth In for
lbjr-s:i
Good Heaveno, Vlvl" He Cried, Un
comfortably. dinner. I think pIio Bald on famlllo.
At Hny rate, Sara was not aukod,
which Is proof onough that sho was
)cnt on making It a family affair.
After dinner, Booth sat in tho
scrconed upper balcony with Vivian,
lie llkod her. Sho was a keou-wltted,
plnln-Bpoken ycung woman, with fow
false Ideals and no subtlety. Sho was
less snobbish than arrogant. Of all
tho Wrandalls, sho wna tho least self
centered. Losllo never qui to under
stood hor for tho paradoxical reason
that sho thoroughly understood him.
"You know, nrnndon," sho Bald,
aftor a long sllonco between them,
""thoy'vo boon setting my cap for you
for a long, long time." Sho blow a
thlu stream of cigarette smoko toward
tho moon.
Ho started. It was a bolt from a
clear sky. "Tho deuce!"
"Yes," she wont on In tho mot cas
ual tone, "mother's had hor heart not
on It for months. You wero supposed
to bo mine at first sight, I believe.
IMoaso don't look so uneasy. I'm not
going to proposo to you." Sho laughed
her littlo Ironic laugh.
"So that Is tho way things Btood,
oh?" ho anld, still a littlo amazed by
her candor.
"Yefl. And what Is mora to tho
point, I am qulto stiro I should have
snld yes If you had askod me. Sounds
odd, doesn't It? Rather nmutHng, too,
being able to discuss It so unreserved
ly, Isn't It?"
"Oood heavena, Vlvl" ho cried un
comfortably. "I I had no Iden you
cared "
"Cared!" sho cried, as ho paused.
"I don't cure two pins for you In that
way. Hut 1 would have married you,
Just tho same, because you aro worth
marrying. I'd vory much rather havo
you for a husband than any man I
know, but as for loving you! Pooh!
I'd lovo you in Just tho way mother
loves father, and I wouldn't havo boon
a bit mora trouble to you than sho la
to him."
"Gad, you don't mind what you
say!"
"Falling to nab you, Drandy, I dnro
say I'll havo to como down to n duke
or, who knows? maybo a mero prince.
It isn't very enterprising, is It? And
certainly it Isn't a gay prospect. Real
ly, I had hoped you would havo mo.
I Hatter myBolf, I suppose, but, hon
estly now, wo would hnvo made a
rather nlco looking couple, wouldn't
we?"
"You flatter mo," ho said.
"Uut," sho resumed, calmly exhal
ing, "you very foolishly fell In love
with Borne ono olso, and It wasn't
necessary for me to protend that I
was In lovo with you which I should
have dono, believe !mo, If you had
given mo tho chance. You foil In love,
first with Hetty Castloton."
"First?" ho cried, frowning.
"And now you aro heels over head
in lovo with my beautiful sister-in-law.
Which nil goes to prove that I would
havo mado Just tho kind of wlfo you
need, considering your tendency to
lluctunte. But how drendful It would
havo been for a sentimental, loving
girl llko Hetty!"
Ho sat bolt upright and stared hard
at her.
"Seo here, Vlv, what tho dickens aro
you driving at? I'm not In lovo with
Sara not In tho least and " He
checked himBolf sharply. "What an
ass I am! You'ro guying mo."
"In any event, I nm right about Het
ty," sho said, leaning forward, hor man
ner quite Berlous,
"It It will eaeo you mind," ho said
Dtlllly, "I plead guilty with all my
heart."
Sho favored him with a slight frown
of annoyance.
"And you deny tho fluctuating
charge?"
"Most positively. 1 can afford to bo
honest with you, Vlv. You aro a
corker. 1 lovo Hotty Custloton with
all my soul."
Sho leaned back In her chnlr. "Then
why don't you dignify your soul by bo
Ing honest with hor?"
"What do you mean?"
Fur a half-mlnuto sho was silent.
"Aro you and I of tho samo Btrlpo,
aftor all? Would you marry Sara
without loving her, as I would havo
dono by you? It doosn't seem llko
you, Urandon."
"Good heaven, I'm not going to
marry Sara!" ho blurted out. "It's
novef ontored my head."
"Porhaps It has ontored bora."
"Nonsense! Sho isn't going to
marry anybody. And she knows how I
feel townrd Hetty. If It camo to tho
Iolnt whore I decided to mnrry with
out love, 'pon my bouI, Vlv, I bcllovo
I'd pick you out as tho victim."
"Wonderful combination!" sho Bald
with a frank laugh. "The quintes
sence of 'no lovo lost.1 Hut to rosumo!
Do you know that people are Baying
you aro to bo married boforo tho win
ter Ih over?"
"Let 'em say It," ho snld gruffly.
"Oh, well,' she said, dispatching It
all with a gesture, "If that's tho wny
you feel about It, there's no more to
bo said."
Ho was ashamed. "1 bog your par
don, 1 shouldn't havo suld that."
"You see," Bho went on, rovurtlng to
tho original topic, "people who know
Sara are likely to credit hor with mo
tives you appear to bo totally ignorant
of. Sho Bot her heart on my brother
Chnllto, whon sho was a great deal
younger than sho Is now, nnd sho got
him. If ago and oxperlenco count for
anything, how capable Bho must bo
by this time."
Ho was too wise to venture nn opin
ion. "I assure you sho has no designs
on mo."
"PorhapB not. Hut I fancy that even
you could uot escape as St. Anthony
did. Sho la moat alluring."
"You don't llko hor'
"Obviously. And yot I don't diallko
her. Sho has tho virtuo of consist
ency, it ono may uho the expression.
Sho lovod my brothor. Losllo says
sho should havo hated him. Wo havo
tried to llko hor. I think 1 have como
nearer to It than any of the othors, not
i excepting Leslie, who has atwuye beeu
her champion. I auppoao you know
that he was your rival at ono time."
"Ho mentioned it," said Booth drily.
"I should havo been Very much dis
appointed In her If she had accepted
him,"
"Indeed?"
"I sometimes wonder If Sara spiked
Losllo's guns for him."
"I can toll you sotnothlng you don't
know, Vivian," said ho. "Sara waa
rathor keen nbout making a match
thero."
Vivian's Bmlle was slow but trium
phant. "That is Just what I thought.
Thoro you aro! Doesn't that explain
Sara?"
"In a measure, yea. But, you see.
It developed that Hetty cared for Bomo
one else, and that put a stop to every
thing." "Am I to take It that you are tho
somo ono else?"
"Yes," ho said aoberly.
"Then, may I ask why sho went
away so suddenly?"
"You may ask, but I can't answer."
"Do you want my opinion? Sho
II imULULE!
f. I
Her Eyes Were Moody, Her
Rather Llfeleso.
Voice
wont away because Sara, falling In
her plan to marry her off to Leslie,
decided that It would bo fatal to a cer
tain project of hor own if sho re
mained on the field of action. Do I
mako myself clear?"
"Oh, you aro away off In your con
clusions, Vlv."
"Time will tell," waB hero cabalistic
rejoinder.
Her father appeared on tho lawn
below and called up to them.
"You aro wanted at tho telephone,
Brandon. I'vo JUst been talklug to
Sara."
"Did sho call you up, father?" asked
Vivian, leaning over tho rail.
"Yos. About nothing In particular,
howovor."
Sho turned upon Booth with a mock
ing smile. Ho folt tho color rush to
his faco, and was angry with himself.
He went to the telephone. Almost
hor first words wero theso:
"Whnt has Vivian been telling you
nbout mo, Brandon?"
Ho actually gasped. "Good heavens,
Sara!"
He heard her low laugh. "So Bho
has been saying things, has she?" Bho
asked. "I thought so. I've had it
In my bones tonight."
Ho waB at a loss for words. It was
positively uncanny. As ho stood thcro,
trying to think of a trivial remark, her
laugh camo to him again over tho wlro,
followed by a drawling "good night,"
and then tho soughing of tho wind
over tho "open" wlro.
Tho next day ho called her up on
tho tolophono qulto early. Ho know
her habits. Sho would bo abroad In
her gardour by eight o'clock. Ho re
membered well that Losllo, In com
menting on hor absurdly early hours,
had once Bald that her "early bird"
habit was hereditary: sho got It from
Sebastian.
"What put it into your head, Sara,
that Vivian' was saying anything un
pleasant about you last night?"
"Magic," sho replied succinctly.
"Rubbish!"
"I havo a magic tapestry that trans
ports mo, hither and thlthor, and by
night I always carry Aladdin's lamp.
So, you soe, 1 seo and hear everything"
"Bo sotiBlble."
"Vory well. I will bo sensible. If
you Intund to bo Influenced by whnt
Vivian or hor mother sold to you laat
night, I think you'd bo wise to avoid
mo from this time on."
Prepared though ho was, ho blinked
his eyes and said something sho didn't
quite catch.
Sho wont on: "Moreover, in addition
to my attainments In tho black art,
1 am qulto aB clover as Mr. Sherlock
Holmes in somo respects. I really do
soma splendid deducing. In tho llrst
place, you wero asked thoro and I
was not. Why? Because I was to be
discussed. You see "
"MarvelouBl" ho Interrupted loudly.
"You weru to bo told that I have
cruel designs upon you."
"Go on, pleaao."
"And nil that sort ot thing." sho
snld awccphiKly, and ho could almost
boo tho luclurivo goaturo with her free
hnnd. Ho lavghed but still marveled
at tho Bhrowdtiess of her perceptions.
"I'll copio i''r thla afternoon and
show you wl.oi you are wronu." he
began, but sho Interrupted him with a
laugh.
"I am starting for the city before
noon, by motor, to bo gone at least a
fortnight."
"What! This Is tho first I've heard
of it."
Again sho laughed. "To be perfect
ly frank with you, I hadn't heard of
It myself until Juat now. I think I
shall go down to tho Homestead with
tho Carrolls."
"Hot Springs?"
"Virginia." sho added explicitly.
"I say, Sara, what does all this
mean? You "
"And If you should follow me
thero, Vivian's estimate of us will not
bo so far out of the way as we'd
llko to mako it."
True to her word, sho was gone
when ho drove over later on In the
day. Somehow, ho experienced a
queer feeling of relief. Not that he
was oppressed by the rather vivacious
opinions of Vivian and her Ilk, but
because sotnothlng told htm that Sara
was wavering in hor determination to
withhold tho secret from him nnd fled
for perfectly obvious reasons.
He had two commissions among tho
rich summer colonists. One, a full
length portrait of young BeardBley In
shooting togs, wns nearly finished. Tho
other was to be a half-length of Mrs.
Ravonscroft, who wanted ono Just llko
Hetty Castleton's, except for tho eyes,
which she admitted would have to bo
different. Nothing was said of tho
seventeen years' difference in their
ages. Vivian had put off posing until
Lent.
Tho Wrandalls departed for Scot
land, and other friends of his began
to desert the country for the city. The
fortnight passed nnd another week
besides. Mrs. Ravenscroft decided to
go to Europe when tho picture was
half-finished.
"You can finish it when I come back
In December, Mr. Booth," sho said.
"I'll havo several new gowns to chooso
from, too."
"I shall be busy all winter, Mrs. Ra
venscroft," ho Bald coldly.
"How annoying," she said calmly,
and that was the end of it nil. She
had mado tho unpleasant discovery
that it wasn't going to bo In tho least
llko Hetty Castleton's, so why bother
about it?
Booth waited until Sara camo out
to superintend tho closing of herhouso
for tho winter. He called at South
look on tho day of her arrival. He
was struck at once by the curious
change In her appearanco and manner.
There was something bleak and deso
late in tho vividly brilliant fnco: the
tired, wistful, harassed look of one
who has begun to quail and yet fights
on.
"Will you go out with me tomorrow,
Brandon, for an all-day trip In tho
car?" sho asked, as they stood to
gether boforo the open flreplaco on
this late November afternoon. Her
eyes wero moody, her voice rather
lifeless.
"Certainly," he said, watching hor
closely. Wbb tho break about to como?
"I will atop for you at nine." After
a short pause, she looked up and said:
"I aupposo you would llko to know
where I am taking you."
"It doesn't matter, Sara."
"I want you to go with mo to Bur
ton's inn."
"Burton's inn." j
"That Is tho placo whore my hus
band waB killed," she said, qulto
steadily.
Ho started. "Oh! But do- you
think it best, Sara, to open old wounds
by"
"I havo thought It all out, Brandon.
I want to go there Just onco. I want
tp go Into that room again."
held as an inducement to tho morbidly
curious who always teok out the grue
some nnd gloat even as they shudder.
For n long time sho stood immov
able Just inside tho door, recalling
tho horrid picturo of another day. Sho
tried to imagine tho scene that had
been onacted there with gentle, lov
able Hetty Glynn and hor whilom
husband as tho principal characters.
Tho girl had told tho whole story of
that ugly night. Sara tried to seo it
as It actually had transpired. For
months this present enterprise had
been In. her mind: tho desire to see
tho placo again, 'to go thero with old
impressions which sho could leave be
hind when ready to emerge In a now
frame of mind. It was true that Bhe
meant to shako off tho shackles ot a
horrid dream, to purge herself of tho
last vestige of bitterness, to cleanse
her mind of certain thoughts nnd mem
ories. Downstnirs Booth waited for her.
He heard tho story of tho tragedy from
the innkeeper, who crossly maintained
that his business had been ruined.
Booth was vaguely Impressed, ho knew
not why, by Burton's description of
tho missing woman. "I'd say she was
about the size of Mrs. "Wrandall her
self, and much tho same flgger," he
said, as he had said a thousand times
before. "My wlfo noticed It tho mln
uto she saw Mrs. Wrandall. Same
height and ovcrything."
A boll rang sharply and Burton
glanced over his shoulder at the Indi
cator on tho wall behind the desk. Ho
gave a great start and his Jaw sagged.
"Great Scott!" he gasped. A curi
ous grayness stole over his face. "It's
it's the bell in that very room. My
soul, what can "
"Mrs. Wrandall Is up there, isn't
she?" demanded Booth.
"It ain't rung since tho night he
pushed tho button for Oh, gee!
You're right She Is up there. My.
what a scare It gave mo." He wiped
his brow. Turning to a boy, he com
manded him to answer tho bell. The
boy went slowly, and as ho went he
removed his hands from his pockets.
He camo back an instant later, moro
swiftly than ho went, with the word
that "the lady up there"" wanted Mr.
Booth to como upstairs.
She was waiting for him in the open
doorway. A shaft of bright sunlight
from a window at the end of the hall
fell upon her. Her face was colorless,
haggard. He paused for an Instant to
contrast her as she stood there in the
pitiless light with tho vivid creature
he had put upon canvas so recently.
She beckoned to him nnd turned
back into the room. Ho followed.
"This is the room, Brandon, where
my hUBband met tho death ho de
served," Bho said quietly.
"Deserved? Good heavens, Sara,
sre you "
"I want you to look about you and
try to plctire how this placo looked
on tho night of the murder. You have
a vivid imagination. None of Ihls
rubbish was here. Just a bed, a table
and two chairs. There was a carpet
on the floor. There were two people
here, a mun and a woman. The wom
an had trusted tho man. She trusted
him until tho hour in which he died.
Then sho found him out. Sho had
como to this place, believing It was
CHAPTER XVII.
Once More at Burton's Inn.
Again Sara Wrandall found herself
In that nuvor-to-be-forgotton room at
Burton's inn. On thnt grim night In
March sho hnd entered without fear
or trembling because sho know what
was there. Now she quaked with a
mighty chill of terror, for sho know
not what was there In tho quiet, now
soquestorotl room. Burton hnd told
them on thotr arrival after a long
drive across country that patrons of
tho inn invariably asked which room
It was that had been tho scene ot
tho tragedy, and, on finding out, re
fused point-blank to occupy It. In
consequence ho had been obliged to
transform It Into a sort of store aud
baggage room.
Sara Btood In tho middle of the
murky room, for tho shutters had long
been closed to tho light of day, and
looked about hor In awo at tho hetero
geneous mass of boxes, trunks, bun
dles and rubbish, acattered over tho
floor without enro or system. Sho hnd
closed the door behind hor and was
quite alone. Light sneaked In through
tho cracks In tho shutters, but so
mengerly that It only served to In
crease tho gloom. A dismantled bed
stead stood heaped up In tho corner.
Sho did not havo to bo told what bed
It was. Tho mattress wna thero too,
rolled up and tied with a thick gardon
rope. Sho know thoro wore dull, ugly
blood stains upon It. Why tho thrifty
Burton had persevered In keeping
this useless nrtlclo of furniture, she
could only Burmlso. Perhaps It was
!xciij
Don't speak! Think first think w,oll,
Brandon Booth. It is whnt you havo
been seeking for months tho truth. '
You share tho secret with us now.
Again I ask, is it safo with you?"
"My Gqd!" ho muttered again, and
passed his hand over hla eyes. His
brow was wet. Ho looked at his fin
gers dumbly as if expecting to find
them coverod with blood.
"Is it safo with you?" for tho third
time.
"Safo? Safo?" ho whispered, follow
Ing her oxamplo without knowing that
he did so. "I I can't bollove you,
Sara. It can't be true."
"It Is true."
"You havo known all this time7"
"From that night when I stood whero
wo aro standing now."
"And and sho?"
"I had nover seen her until that
night. I saved her."
Ho dropped suddenly upon tho trunk
that stood behind him, and buried his
fnco in hla hands. For a long time
sho stood over him, her interest divid
ed between him and tho hall, wherein
lay their present peril.
"Come," she snld at last. "Pull your
self together. We must learo this
place. If you aro not careful they
will suspect something downstairs."
He looked up with haggard eyes,
studying her face with curious intent
ness. "What manner of woman aro you,
Sara?" he questioned, slowly, won
derlngly. "I have just discovered that I am
very much like other women, after
all," sho said. "For awhile I thought
I was different, that I was stronger
than my sex. But I am Just as weak.
Just as much to be pitied, just as
much to bo scorned as any ono of my
sisters. I have spoiled a great act
by stooping to do a mean ono. God
will bear witness that my thoughta
were noblo at the outset; my heart
was soft. But como! Thero Is much
moro to tell that cannot bo told here.
You shall know everything."
They went downstairs and out Into
the crisp autumn air. She gave direc
tions to her chauffeur. They wore
to traverse for some distance the samo
road sho had taken on that ill-fated
night a year and a half before. In
course of time tho motor approached
a well-remembered railway crossing.
"Slow down, Cole," ahe eald. "This
fs a mean place a very mean place."
Turning to Booth, who had been sit
ting grim and silent beside her for
miles, Bho said, lowering her voice: "I
remember that crossing yonder. Thero
Is a sharp curve beyond. This Is the
placo. Midway betwoen tho two
crossings, I should say. Plcaso re
member this part of the road, Bran
don, when I come to the telling of
that night's rldo to town. Try to pic
ture this spot this smooth, straight
road as it might be on a dark, freezing
night in the very thick of a screaming
blizzard, with all tho world abed savo
two women."
In his mind ho began to draw tho
picture, and to placo tho two women
in tho center of It, without knowing
tho circumstances. There was some
thing fascinating in tho study he was
making, something gruesome and full
ot sinister possibilities for the hand
ot a virilo painter. He wondered how
near his Imagination was to placing
tho central figures in the picture aa
they actually appeared on that secret
night.
At sunset they went togethor to tho
littlo pavilion at the end of the pier
which extended far out Into the sound.
Hero they wero safo from the ears
of eavesdroppers. The boatB had been
stowed away for tho winter. Tho
wind thnt blow through the open pa
vilion, now shorn of all its comforts
and luxuries, was cold, raw and repel
ling. No one would disturb them hero.
With her faco set toward tho sinking
cast, sho leaned 'against one of tho
thick posts, and In a dull, omotlonless
voice, laid baro tho wholo story of that
dreadful night nnd tho days that fol
lowed. Sho spared no details, sho
spared not herself In the narration.
(TO BI3 CONTINUED.)
He Dropped Suddenly Upon the Trunk.
to bo her wedding night. Sho found
no minister here. Tho man laughed at
her and scoffed. Then sho knew. In
horror, shnmo, desperation she tried
to break away from him. He was
stroug. She was a good woman; a
virtuous, honorable woman. Sho saved
herself."
Ho was Btarlng at ner with dilated
eyes. Slowly tho truth was being
homo in upon him.
"Tho woman was Hetty?" camo
hoarsely from his stiffening lips. "My
God, Sara!"
Sho camo clouo to him and spoko
In a hnlf-whlspor. "Now you know the
secret. Is It snfo with you?"
Ho opened his lips to speak, but no
words camo forth. Paralysis seemed
to have gripped not only his throat
but his senses. He reeled. Sho
graspod his arm In a tenso, fierce way,
and whispered:
"Bo careful! No ono must hear
what wo are saying." Sho shot a
glanco down tho deserted hall. "No
ono Is pear, I mado sure of that.
Humility.
We tell thl3 story because It sooma
to us a beautiful story that ought to bo
told. It concerns General Bell and the
opening of tho gigantic amphitheater
in Manila that follows tho lines of tho
land. Tho general was much pralsod
for having built this imposing and
enormous structure. Ho pointed to tho
savago Igorrotes that were standing
about, trying to understand what was
going on. "I did not build it," ho said.
"God Almighty built it, but if you want
to take building In a different Benae.
to consider what wo did, using tho
great plans of nnture, thoso poor fol
lows built it." Harper's Weekly.
Not Properly Equipped.
Littlo Gardner, whoso big brother
had been presented with a bicycle,
asked his mother If ho could not havo'
ono, too. "You'ro not old enough," aho
replied, "but I will buy you a veloci
pede." "I can't use a veloclpdo on
these rough roads," ho oxclaimed. "Tho
motor cars uso tho rough roads every
day." Tho youngstor thought for a
moment, then with a look of scorn re
marked: "Do you think I nm filled
with casollno?" New York Tirana
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