CHAPTER XVIIL--(ConIlnuod.)
"Wo are knit together," Kfilil Antonlii.
"by n love Hint makes us equal--a love
for one who needs such love. I Iwllove
lion Coop hnH worked for bin brcml over
nltiri' lio was ii clillil. I know tlmt he
wiih a minor in the coal pltH eloo to
which was my liomo; but. I call myself
honored nml pleased to have such a mim
for my frlond."
Sylvia drew bark as ihoy reached the
door, and Antonla liirncd and stretched
out. bor liand.
"(Jood-by," hIhi wild. M Hlioiild like to
moot you apt In come day."
She mw tbat for Homo reason of bor
own Sylvia preferred not to walk with
bor to the street; M, with bor raro tact
Anlonia paused on by herself, ami In a
Jit tic whllo bad turnod in the dlrootion of
Lady Charlotte's house.
A few minutes Intor Sylvia walked to
find a hansom. Yielding to a longing that
wan not curiosity, hIio told tbo man to
keep Antmla in sight. Sho wished to
know whoro this girl was to bo found, for
tboro stole upon bor a Ht range kind of pre
sentiment that Antonla and she would bo
brought together again before a vory long
tlmo.
Late that night Hon Coop rang tbo
boll at Lady Charlotte's houe, and asked
If ho could see Antonla. Tin girl half
rxpootod blm, and bor heart boat almost
to MufToddtion its she ran down tbo stairs
(q greet blm.
Ono glance at hi face was enough to
toll hor that his jourtioy bad boon fruit
less. As sho saw lion hoforo hor. hag
gard, tired nml grave, Amoiiin folt tbo
hiHt gleam of hopo dlo out of hor ho.irt.
"No, lass, there's no sign of him. and
tbo cm ml gentleman who owns Mill Cross
Court was not thoro noitbor. I wont and
asked for blm ; ho had row to London,
tboy told nu, and they did not know
when ho would bo back North again. The
house looked desolate. It seemed as If it
mourned for the old muster. No one bad
lioon nigh the place, ho I was told, suve
for some little old woman who, It scouted
bad traveled from London with some im
portant papers for Sir Gerald. Thin I
learned quite casually, and I took it all
In, Miss Antonla, because you soo. when
n man's got such a doubt as I have, any
thing and everything may bo of use to
him, and It struck mo strange like," said
Hen, "that ' an old woman should have
traveled from London to carry papers to
Sir (lorald Tenby. I got Into conversa
tion with the servant who told mo about
this, and without socmlug curious, 1 tried
to got out something more about Ibis, but
ill 1 could find was that this woman seem
ed poor, and was in a mighty hurry to get
back to Loudon again. 1 am afraid there's
not much In that tbat will help us."
"lien," Antonla said, "you have been
working vory lmrd; now it Is my turn. 1
want you to bo prepared for strange
things. If you see me walking with Ger
ald Tenby, smiling with blm, seeming to
bo his friend, you must Hoar with It, no
mnttor how much it may hurt."
"Don't think I am blaming you, miss;
you see clearer than 1 do, and perhaps
you arc right. I'll stand by anyhow, and
wait till you call to me for my help."
Ah lion went. Antonla called him back,
took both his hnnds and pressed them to
her heart, and thou bent and kissed
them.
"God bless you!" she said, and she
watched him go through a blinding mist
of tears.
Though sloop had not come to him
save in snatches through all these four
long, terrible days, lien folt it impossible
to go back ami sok his bed.
Ho walked rest testily through the crowd
ed streets. At one theater the crowd seem
ed greater than anywhere else. Carriages
were standing in line, and it was evident
(hat tlie audience was fashionable in the
extreme.
Hon turned aside and stood awhile
watching the people disperse. )K asked
n policeman who was near by what Hu
nter it was. and the man gave him tin
name, with a faint smile at tbo question
"Surely yon don't moan to say you
don't know tbo Kings Theater, when
Sylvia Castella acts?"
""I'm a stranger," Hen answered simply
"I've never boon 'in London before."
Several hansoms wore wailing in the
narrow street, and close to where ho stood
was a dainty victoria, with a pair of
beautiful horses. lion felt a touch of ad
miration for these animals, and he smooth
ed their satin aklns with his big, strong
hand.
, While he was standing there, some man
enrne out through the doorway of tin;
theater and approached tho carriage1.
"Miss Castella desires that you will go
around to tho front entrance," this man.
Haid in a low voice to tno coaclimau ; "hIk
will bo there in about five nihiute.s."
' Just uk the coachman was trying to
tilm tho ,horsoH not a vrry easy task In
such a narrow passage a gentleman ap
preached The carriage.
"Where are you going?" he asked, al
most sharply, and there was an air of au
thority In bin voice.
The coachman bent forward a llttb.
"Miss Castella hatt Kent word to say
ehe 1h coming out through tho fronton
trance, sir; I supposo she wishes to avoid
the crowd here,"
George Stanton muttered something un
der Mo breath.
"(Jo on," ho said, mid be himself paus
ed and watched tho carriage as It rolled
down tho street.
lie was a yard or so away from Hen,
and his presence there was at once re
marked. Two young follows of a genus hitherto
unknown to Hen's simple manhood wore
smoking and chatting together, evidently
waiting for some of the theatrical clement
to Join A hem.
."See that chap," said one to the other,
Indicating Stanton; "that's the Castella's
Intent admirer, lie just haunts her. You
know the follow I mean Stanton, he's
called, or something like that. Secretary
to that awfully rich chap, Tenby. There
ho . goes, following hor carriage. (Jood
looking fellow, too, Isn't he?"
Hon stood a moment or two listening to
a few more words, but tho conversation
bad changed, and tho name of Tenby was
not mrntioticd again. lie had hoard
enough, however, to make his heart boat
wildly.
Acting on nu impulse of the moment,
ho turned and followed George Stanton.
Ho took careful scrutiny of the man In
front of him, and once, as Stanton paus
ed under the light, of a lamp, Hen gazed
eagerly at his face, as though hoping to
gather some clew from this.
Hon watched Stantou go forward and
stand a little in the background. There
was an expression on tho man's faco
which he did not tpiltc understand ; it had
something of a desperate look upon it.
Suddenly the swing doors wore bold
open, and a woman passed out into tbo
street. Sho moved rapidly toward her
carriage, but before she could enter it
Stanton had touched hor on tho shoulder,
and as she turned to look haughtily at
him her face was fully disclosed to Hen.
He bent forward with a strange thrill at
his heart to look at that face, and then
he drew back and stood, feeling that kind
of faintness that comes when one has had
a great shock.
CHAPTER XIX.
Gerald Tenby was sitting in Ills cham
bers at breakfast the next morning when
a note was brought to him. He was wait-
d upon by ills new servant, the man who
had replaced Stephens.
Sometimes there came across Gerald's
mind a kind of dread when- he retnein-
liercd for what a light reason he bad dis
missed the other man, and he wondered
aguely where Stephens was, and what
ho was doing; but this morning, as lie
gazed at tho writing on the note that, was
irought to him, he lost remembrance of
all that troubled him, and let loose the
(lood of delight that' only the thought of
Antonla could bring.
it needed only the sound of Stanton's
voice speaking in the passage to recall
him from dreams to hideous reality. The
two men met without a word, and Stan
lot, sat down to the breakfast table and
began to oat-as though he were the mas
ter. Suddenly he leaned across tho ta-
bl and looked Into Gerald Tenby's eyes.
"I am here now," he said roughly, "to
tell you that the journov wo discussed
yesterday must be taken by you. I find
it Impossible to got. away from town. I
have my own life to live, you know, and
imperative matters will keep me here for
tho next few days."
I refuse. How dare you come to me
like this? Do you suppose 1 would have
bit you rob me, as you have done, if I had
not expected yo to keep to our bargain?"
lor answer Stanton pulled one of the
newspapers lying on the table toward him,
glanced at a certain column, then advanc
ed to Tenby, and held the paper out.
The paragraph was headed "Missing,"
and went on to describe Hubert Tenby's
appearance, giving details of his last
known movements, with a substantial re
ward for any information that could lu
given that might lead to the discovery of
lils present whereabouts. The advertise
ment was signed by a firm of solicitors.
If it could have been possible for Gor
aid Tenby to have turned paler, he would
have done so, but his face was alrendv
as white and nerveless as though ho had
just risen from a bod of sickness.
"Who -who can have done this?" he
asked.
"What does it matter who has dom
this.' said Stanton, curtly. "It la enough
for us that we stand now in active danger,
a-.ul that If wo would save ourselves we
must not lose a moment. Tenby, you
must start at once. ou know every sto-
you must take. The way has been made
clear for you. With coolness you can
work out the end on the lines I have laid
down.
Great lioads of perspiration stood out
on Tenby's face; ho trembled Dk n leaf
"I can't do this," he said, hoarsely
"you know 1 can't do it," he repeated
wildly. "I am a changed man already
witli what lias gone."
"Hush 1" Stanton gripped his wrist like
Iron and silenced him as the door opened
and the new servant came in to clear the
table. Obey I Kg a sign from his eonfedor
ate, Tenby turned and Hat down at his
dcuk again, preloading to bo busy with
letters, while Stauton picked up the
newspaper, and seemed to be reading It
carefully, lie was watching the valet as
tie did wo, und he saw enough curlosltv
In the man's fat to warrant any uiuount
of 'iuuUouu
"Have you this month'H railway guide?"
ho nuked suddenly.
The servant went nt once In search oi
t, and Htmiton turned the pages till he
found what he wanted.
'There Ik a good train this evening,"
in remarked to Tenby. "I think I shall
go by that. Are you dining at tho club?"
Gerald Tenby Ixnit his head. "Then I
can see you there for final Instructions,"
observed Stanton. Ills manner'was calm
and practical. Ho suddenly addressed a
question to tho valet.
'Hy the way, Hales, has a man been
ailing here the last few days, asking to
see Sir Gerald?"
Thi' valet colored slightly.
Yes, sir," ho answered. "Sir Gerald's
last servant has born hero twice."
'Ah ! full of grievance, I suppose? Well,
let mo know tho next time ho comes. Sir
lorald expects mo to look after these sort
of things for him. I promised Stephens
a written character." Stanton said, now
addressing Tenby, "and I must see to
this."
When tho door had closed upon the
valet Stanton touched Sir Gerald on tbo
boulder significantly.
"I he net is closing, you see," bo said.
Tenby shivered. Suddenly there had
flashed back to bis remembrance the vis
ion of Antonia's pure, beautiful face; it
stung him Into a very torture of remorse,
fear, self-hatred.
'I almost wish it would close; then
there would be an end to this," he said,
hoarsely.
'Hahl" The word fell like a knife
thrust from Stanton's lips. "So once
more it is I who must work, lint after
to-night Ik; warned, Tenby I do no more.
I only go to-night because you uro too
much of a cur to see this through. Now,
lonby, listiai ; those nre my orders; You
are to be at your club all this afternoon
and evening, so tbat I may wild for you
in case of necessity. You understand?"
Gerald Tenby rose and looked at Stan
ton, with a flush of rage coloring his faco.
'I understand," be said, sullenly,
riien Stanton bent his head and whis
pered a few sentences in the other man's
ear, and the rage went from Tenby's
faco, and gave place again to fear.
Lady Hetty Marchmont passed her time
in a kind of fever till the moment came
when Gerald Tenby should bo announced,
but as five o'clock came and went, and
there was no sign of him she rang tho
boll for her maid, and ordered her to bring
down a bat and a sunshade.
"I am going om," she said, sharply ;
the house is suffocating."
On her doorstep she was met by her
butler, whose face had a pained and sad
expression. The news bo had to give her
was no news to Lady Hottv.
The doctor was with her husband at
that moment, she was told, so she wait
ed in the hall to see the medical man as
he passed down. When he came he wore
a troubled, ovou perplexed look.
'1 am afraid, Lady Elizabeth," he said,
gravely, "that your husband has lioen
overexerting himself. I find him in a very
weak condition. The action of the heart
is strangely feeble. It seems to me he is
piitc a changed man."
'I assure you, Dr. Anderson," she said,
in her sweetest way, "1 have wearied my-
If with trying to pomade Edward to put
himelf Into your hand. I have noticed
for some time past that he has not boon at
all strong. 1 fancy that the sudden death
of his old friend, Sir Maurice Tenby, gave
him a great shock. I hope you don't find
blm really ill."
"To tell you the truth, Lady Hetty, I
don't quite understand his condition, lie
is in that state of health that matters
might go very badly Indeed with him were
ho to have a serious illness."
"We must bo careful," Lady Hetty said
quickly, "to guard him against any illness
of this sort. Thank you so much for com
ing, Dr. Anderson ; it was very good of
you.
Lady Hetty passed on up to hor room
with a faint smile hovering on her lips.
Outside her husband's door she hesitated
for an Instant, then, with u shrug of her
shoulders, she turned the handle and pass
nd into the room.
The rustle of hor skirts caused Ed
ward Marchmont to open his eyes. He
was lying on a couch by the window,
propped up by pillows, and be certainly
did look astonishingly ill.
"I am so grieved that you should be
troubled, dear," bo said. "It is only a lit
tie weakness."
"Dr. Anderson tolls mo you have been
doing far too much," Lady Hetty said
Now, Edward, I shall insist that you
cease all work for u time, at least."
Ilo entreated her not to worry about
blm, and when she suggested remaining
to spend the evening in his room, he
would not hear of it.
"You are always In such a demand, my
darlhg," he said "and to-night is surely,
is it not, the night of the Duchess of
Chester's great ball? What do you sup
peso all your friends would say of mo wore
I to keep you hero on such an occasion?"
My friends would do very well with
out me," Lady Hetty said, and there was
a touch of bitterness In her voice. "I'oor
Antonla ! I am so sorry for bor. I must
let her know that you are ill."
Her last few words had put a sudden
idea Into her mind. She must get An
tonia back again. This illness was tho
very means of doing it; at least If sho
could not induce the girl to stay in the
house, she would bring Antonla to it moro
frequently, and that would mean that sho
would at least lm able to prevent too man
meetings with Gerald.
(To be continued.)
Not Comforliililc.
Hess So you vlulteil Tom's now of.
flees yesterday. Do you likis thorn?
Toss No. There are tlimt doors
leading to his private- otllce, and people
bob In there unantiouiiceil nil the time
Detroit Free Press.
A penny saved is a penny earned,
but In a fool's pocket 'tis u pocket
i"irned.
CANADA WHEAT CEOP.
ALL REPORTS INDICATE A BIG
YIELD.
Urnit irtirrentfi In tlie Cniiiiulnii
Nortliwoftt Ilrlnic Diipurnlloloil
I'ruivrlt' tho KnrmurH of Tlmt
HokIuii.
tVlnnlpeg correspondence ;
For the past four or five weeks the re
sult of the harvest In the Canadian West
:is been an absorbing topic, not only witli
the Canadian people, but with a largo and
Interested nijmber of Americans millers,
rain dealers and farmers particularly.
To such an extent lias this interest in the
Canadian grain crop boon manifested that,
when tho Northwest Grain Dealers Asso-
iation left for their trip of inspection,
they were accompanied by a number of
American grain dealers wbo felt it noeew-
wny to have a personal knowledge of the
ubject.
Two or throe weeks ago a public state
ment was made by Mr. Itohlin, Premier of
Manitoba, in effect that the wheat crop
would reach 1 1 .",000,000, and tha; there
would lie fully 100,000,000 for export,
Mini at that tlmo there were many who
believed that Mr. Koblin's estimate was
weil within the mark; but since then con
ditions have changed, and other estimates
have been made. Every possible effort to
get accurate knowledge of the crop has
been put forth In many quarters.
The Winnipeg Five Press put a corps
..(:
11AUVEST1NG WHEAT XHAK
of correspondents in tlie wheat field for
twenty consecutive days. In this way
thousands of miles were traveled by train
through the wheat district, over 1,400
miles wji-o driven through growing wheat,
and D," pivotal points were visited and
observations made. s a result of the
work a straight announcement is made
that the wheat acreage is -1,700.000 ; that
the average yield is I!) bushels to the
acre; and that the aggregate crop will
reach fiO.'-'.IO.OOO.
Hank .statements regarding crops are
usually of a dependable character, and
the figures furnished by the Canadian
Hank of Commerce more than endorse
those given by the Free Press. 'Hie bank
estimate places tho figures at: Wheat,
OI,Si:i,!IOO; oats, SO.S.'I.OSO ; barley, 17,-
7:i.",7!)0. Wherever a good wheat section
exists in Western Canada there is an ele
vator (or olovatois) and a good shipping
point ; and where there is a good shipping
point, a thriving bank (or banks) will
be sure to bo in the midst of it; and tlx!
local manager of the bank, who has tho
most accurate knowledge of tbo farming
conditions and crop results, is the man
who usually does the business. Hence
the necessity for careful crop compilation.
Then, then; are others who watch tho
growing crop with a careful eye the
grain dealers and shippers, for instance,
Winnipeg has a Northwest Grain Deal
ers' Association which is so much inter
ested in the crop return that this year,
accompanied by the city bankers and a
number of American grain dealers, they
made a tour of inspection through the
prlnciiwl grain areas by special train. The
THHESHING NEAR Til
bulletin of the association sizes up the
situation as follows: Wheat, S7,'J0:i,000
bushels; oats, 7o,7l2o,(00 bushels; barley,
iu7:ii, :ir..
This is a lower estimate than either of
the others, but wo must consider that it
is a railway-tour estimate, whilst the
othcrH were made by men In the wheat
field, so to speak ; and the circumstances
somewhat favor the correspondent and
the local bank manager, respectively, in
his estimate. Hut there is one point upon
which all agree, and that Is that the wheat
crop of 100(5 is of excellent quality
throughout, that it Is characteristic of
Western Canada's grain and will grade
high all along the line. On this point
American grain men such as .1. F. Whal
ion of Minneapolis, Finlay Ha mil of Chi
cago, Sheriff Hrainerd of Springfield, 111.,
and others, are particularly explicit in
their statements.
A careful examination of all tho fig
ures at present available would lead us
to believe that the yield will probably bo
about 00,000,000 bushels. These figures
may seem disappointing to many -who be
lieved thnt the Increased acreage under
I - 1 . , - : :
crop this year would have yielded a large!
percentage of increase on the returns of
JDOii, but there arc several causes that
have contributed to keep down the aver
ago yield. The greater the number of
new settlers the greater the chance of In
experienced ami less profitable fanning.
It is the newer settler, as n rule, wbo. 'n
his anxiety to break new land, has sown
on this year's stubble, and a good aver
age yield cannot be expected on this land.
Hut, be that as it may, a crop of 00,000,
000 bushels in the Canadian West is not
to he looked at lightly. Allowing 20,000,
000 bushels for home consumption and
seeding purposes, 78,000,000 bushels -will
represent the export trade, und this quan
tity at a little liettur tJian 70 ccnls per
bushel, will represent a distribution of
nearly $."(1,000,000 for wheat alone, be
tween Winnipeg and the foothills; and
this large amount of money Is altogether
.udeiH'iidonl of tlie cost of freighting this
vast quantity of grain from the Western
olovatois to tidewater.
The Income of the Western Canadian
farmers this year will bo further aug
mented by the returns which they will re
ceive from tho excellent crop of oats and
tho good crop of barley which Js .their
portion. Of oats alone over 7.",(00,000
bushels are claimed, and barley brings to
market over 17,000,000 bushels. An ad
ditional S'Jo.OOO.OOO from these crops
added to the SoO.OOO.OOO from wheat, and
the proceeds from dairying and mixed
farming, will contribute very materially
lo making agriculture in Western Canada
a very dependable business.
A drawback to the more successful car
rying on of farming operations in the
Canadian West for some years back has
KILLAItNEY, MANITOBA.
neon the diflieiilty of obtaining needeo
help at harvest time. As each year an
additional area has been put under crop
this scarcity of help has been accentuated,
and during the present harvest the cry all
along the line has ltoen "Harvesters
Wanted." The work of preparation and
seeding Is spread over several months, but
the ingathering of the harvest has to be
done in a few weeks: hence the necessity
for additional assistance at that particu
lar time. The crop of T.)0." required 18,
UOO harvesters from outside, and this year
it has been estimated that from U'i.OOG
co 'J.",000 will be required to supplement
tin; work of the farmers in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta.
'The demand for harvest hands is not
permanent, the work for which they come
lasting only from early in August until
the end of the thrashing season. Many
of those who come to work in the grain
fields, however, remain and become grain
growers themselves, creating additional
demand for the same class of help, and
thus the problem becomes more acute
every succeeding year. The time was
when a sufficient number of harvest bands
could easily be obtained from Ontario,
but in recent years the -area taken in by
the harvest excursions lias been extended
and in l!)0i and 1!0." it reached clear
down to Nova Scotia In the call for men
to work in the fertile fields of the West,
'fhls year the limit has been further ex
tended, and a new movement of Hritish
(farm laborers has been inaugurated,
which will be of incalculable benefit to
the prairie country, giving a stimulus to
immigration, and disseminating among
OHNIIILL, MANITOBA.
the agricultural classes in Britain a.
knowledge of the life, conditions and op
portunities in the throe prairie provinces
that should greatly quicken the stream
of settlement from the rural districts of
Britain to Canada.
From the Western States, too, valuable
assistance has been received in the work
of harvesting the crop this year, and some
of the finest fields in Saskatchewan and
Alberta have been worked almost exclu
sively by Americans. So successful has
been the settler from the Western States,
usually, that he is invariably the fore
runner of a colony from that portion of
the State whence ho came, ami, through
the new provinces particularly, there is
a very strong representation from North
and Kouth Dakota, Oregon, Minnesota
Wisconsin, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Illi!
nois, Missouri and other States of the
Union. These are amongst the most pro
gressive settlers, as they come well pro
vided with money, completely equjpnci
with stock and machinery, and possosUl
of knowledge of western fanning which
cannot possibly Ihj posvsse at first hni.l
by the settler from beyond the 0,0",,.