Madame
Tiy Fergus
OIlAl'TIOR XI II. (Continued.)
''Mercy ! 1" cried the unfortunate worn
un, taken by surprise, und, involuntarily
tifrhtunitiK the rvhiM, the horw? stopped- "
"who arc jott?"
Vllllors never mild a word, hut tltfht-t-ntd
Ids jp-nsp on her throat and short
ened his stick to K'lve her a Mow on the
fiend, Fortunately, Mudiiinn Midits saw
Ids Intention, und imuifiKcd to wrench her
hcIC free, m the blow aimed at her only
fdlKhtly touched her. otherwise It would
have killed her.
Ah it -was, however, she fell forward,
linlf stunned, and Villiers, hurriedly drop
nln IiIh Htlck, bent down an clesddz
pinK his stick, bent down and seized the
box which he felt under Ills feet and in
uitlvoly KiU'Riw'd contained the nuwt.
With n cry of triumph he hurled It
wit on to l.hc roiid, and sprung out afler
It; but the cry woke hi wife from the
eml-HtuiK)r into which she had fallen.
Her head felt dizzy and heavy from
t-ho Wow, but. still she had her sons.;
about her, ami (he moon buivtltiR out from
bdrind a cloud rendered the iiifcht w clear
its day,
Villiers hud picked up the box, and was
Mnndlng on the wIrp of tlie bank, just
about to leave. The uuhnipy woman rec
ognized her husband, mid uttered a cry.
"You ! you 1" m!io shrieked, wildly, "cow
ard ! diiHtard! (live me back that nuc
KetlV leaniiiB out of t lit! trap in her oaje
rnvss. "WVro (iitlts now, my lady." retorted
Villiers, and he turned to x.
Maddened with miner and disgust, his
wife snatched up the stick he had dropped,
aud struck him on the head us h took a
step forward. With a stilled cry lie hIiik
gored and fell over the embankinent, still
clutching the box in his arms. .Madame
Jet the stick fall, and fell back fainting
on the seat of the trap, while the horse,
Ktartled by tho noise, tore down the road
ut a mad ;:allop.
Madame Midas lay In a dead faint for
k:iio time, and when she came to herself
rfjo was in tJie "trap, and I lory was calm
ly trotting along tlie road home. At the
loot of tlie Still, the horse, knowing every
Inch of tin way, had settled down into his
Heady trot for the Puotolus, but when
fkfadatne grasped tho situation, she iniir
rvlled to 'herself liow she had escaped be
liiC daslfci to pieces in that mad gallop
kowu the Black Uil!.
" Her head felt painful from the effects
f tho blow alio had received, but her one
Brought was to got home, to Archie and
lellna, so gathering up the re inn she sent
Uory along as tiulckly as uhe could. When
tfio drove up to tho gate Archie and So
Jlim wero both out to receive her, and
tvhen the former weut to lift her oil' tlie
napj he gave a cry of horror at seeing
C ilWuPVelled appearance, und the Wood
fier fa i
"Heavoti save us!'' he cried, lifting her
Sown; "what's come to ye, and whore's
fiie nugget?'' seeing it was not in the
"ljost I" she said, in a stupor, feeling
Her head swiin:nl i . "In there's worse."
"Worse?" echoed . nad Archie,
who wviv both Htanding looking Jonvified
Kt one another.
"Yes," said Mrs. Villiers, in a hollow
wSilsper, leaning forward and grasping
Archie's coat, "I've killed my husband."
nd without another word, she fell faint
ing to the ground.
At tho .same time Vandeloup and
Merre walked Into the bar at the Wattle
IJrco Hotel, Pierre went to his bed, aud
Vandeloup. humming a gay song, turned
jn his iieel and weut to Ule tli enter,
v.
i CI1APTKU XIV.
tJ llie Wopples family wero true P.ohe
dartnns, and hitfl not yet losi their way
1o the pleasant city. They accepted good
Knd bad fortune with wonderful oquitniin
Ky, and if their pockets were empty one
day, there was niwitys a possibility of
uiolr wing lull tlie next. v lien tins was.
the case they generally celebrated tin
event by a little supper, and as their
present wasou in Bnllntut bid fair to be
a BiKvx'ssful one. Mr. Theodore Wonnles
determined to have a convivial evening
after the performance was over,
That the Wopples family were favorites
with the Hallarat folk was amply seen
by the crowded house which assembled' to
pee "Tlie Cruet Stand." The audience
Were very impatient for the1 curtain to
rise, as they did not appreciate the over
ture, which consisted of aire udaptod for
tin violin and piano by All'. Handel Wop
plea, tvho was tho mimical genius of the
family, and wit In the conductors sent
playing (lie Violin and conducting the or
oieirtm of one, which, on this occasion
W Miss Jemima Wopples, win? presided
at tlto tplano.
'linen the orchestra played the "Wop
pies' Waltz," dedicated to Mr. Theodore
yopples by Mr. Hnndel Wopples, and
urine the perlonnance ol tills Mr. VII
Her walked' Into the theater. He was
'tll;tle Plt HS WAa on,y natural after
puon an adventure as tie nan been vugugeu
In, but otherwine teemed all right. He
walked up to the first row of tlie stalls
and took his m.at Uwlde a young man of
about 25, who was evidently nitidi aniusd
it tihe performance.
. "Hullo, Villler!" Mild this young geu
Midas
Ham
it .
tloman, turning round to the new arrival,
"what d'ye think of the play?"
"Only Just got in," returned Mr. VII
iiers, sulkily. "Any good?"
"Well, not bad," returned the other;
"I've seen it In Melbourne, you know--tlie
original, I mean, this is a very hcx'-ond-hand
nffair."
Just as tlie orchestra were making their
final plunge into the finale of the "Wop
ples' Waltz,'" M. Vandeloup, cool and
calm as usual, tt rolled into Ihe theater,
and, seeing a vacant scnflpojidc Villiers,
walked over and took it.
"Oood evening, m.v friend," he wald,
touching Villiers on tlie shoulder. "Hu
Joylng tlie play, eh?"
Villiers angrily pushed away the
I'Yenehnian's hnnd and glareif vindictively
at liim.
"Ah. you still bear malice for that lit
tle episode of the ditch," said Vandeloup,
with a gay laugh, "t'ome. now. this is a
mistake; hit us be friends. Seen your
wife lately?"
This apparently careless impiiry caused
Mr. Villiers to jump suddenly out of his
seat, much to tlie astonishment of his
friend J tarty.
Altogether "The Cruet Stand" was a
success, aud would have a steady run of
three nights at least, so Mr. Wopples said.
Villiers, Vandeloup and ltarly went out,
a ml as none of them felt inclined to go
to bed, Villiers told them he knew Mr.
Theodore Wopples, and proposed that they
should go behind the scenes and see him.
This was tinaniinonsly carried, and after
some didiculty with tlie doorkeeper, they
obtained access to the mysterious regions
of the stage, and then' found Master
Sheridan Wopples practicing a breakdown
while waiting for the rest of tlie family
to get ready. lie volunteered to guide
them to his father's dressing room, and
on knocking at the door Mr. Wopples'
voice boomed out "Coiue in," in such an
unexpected manner that it made them all
jump.
Of course, they all expressed themselves
delighted, and as the entire Wopples fam
ily had already gone to choir hotel, Mr.
Wopples with his three guests went, out
of the theater and wended their way to
wards the same place.
They soon arrived at the hotel, and
having entered, Mr. Wopples pushed open
the door of a room from whence the sound
of laughter proceeded, and introduced tho
three strangers to Ifis family. The whole
ten, together with Mrs. Wopples, were
prcsc it, and were seated around a large
table plentifully laden with cold beef and
pickle.", salads aud other things too nu
merous to mention. Mr. WoPliias present
ed them first to Ids' wife, a faded, washed
out looking lady, with a perpetual simper
oil her face, and clad in a lavender mus
lin gown with ribbons of the same de
scription, she looJu'd. wonderfully light
and airy.
"This' said Mr. Wopples hi his deep
voice, holding his wife's hand as if lie
were afraid she would float upward
through the wiling like a bubble, "this is
my llutterer."
Why he called her his llutterer no one
ver knew, unless it was because her rib
bons were im-cssantly fluttering; but, had
he called her his shadow, tlie name would
have loeii more appropriate. Mrs. Wop
ples fluttered down to the ground in a
bow, and then fluttered up again.
"(lentlemen," she said, in a thin, clear
voice, you are welcome. I Mil you enjoy
the performance?"
Madame," returned Vandeloup, with a
smile, "need you ask that?".
shadowy smile floated over Mrs. Wop
ples' indistinct features, and then her hus
band inlrodiuvd the rest of the family in
t bunch.
"ticntlemcn," he said, waving Ids hand
to the expectant ten, who stood in a line
of live male ami five female, "the celebrat
ed Wopples family." ,
Tlie ten all simultaneous! v bowed at
this as jf they were worked by machinery.
and then every one sat down to supper,
Mr. Theodore Wopples tailing the head of
the table. All the family seemed to ad
mire liim immensely, aiul kept their eyes
t listened on his face with aflectionate re
gard. When it was nearly twelve o'clock
Vandeloup ros to take Ills leave.
"Oh, you re not going yet." wild Mr.
Wopples, upou which all jhe family
echoed, "purely, not jet," in a most hos
pitable manner.
"I must," said vandeloup, with a
smile. "Irk now Madame will excuse inc.
wltli a bow to Mrs. Wopples, who there-'
iilKin fluttered nervously; "but I have to
lie up very early in the morujug."
"Iff that en.se," said Mr. Wopples. "ris
ing. "I will not detain' you; early to Ited
and early to rise, you knowiaiot that I
believe in it nut oh myself, but I under
stand it is practiced with good remilt by
some people." '
'Oood night, Messrs. Villiers and Jar
per," aitl Vandeloup, going out of the
door. I will see you, to-morroV."
"And ve also, 1 hope," said Mr. Wop
ple, ungrammatically. 'Kome and see
The Cruet Stand' again. I'll put your
name ou the free list," n
M. Vandeloup thanked tlie actor warm
y for rtiLs kind offer, and took himself
off ; aw he passed along tlie street he heard
a' burst of laughter from the Wopples fain
lly, no doubt caused by some witticism
of the head of the clan.
h 'walked -slowly home to liw Lotel
thinking deeply. When b. arrived at the
"Wattle Tree" ho saw n light still burn
ing in the bar, and, on knocking at the
door, was admitted by Miss Two? by, who
bad been making up luvounts, and whoso
head was adorned with curl pnperf.
"My !" said this dunnel, when she saw
him, "you are a nice young man coming
home ut. this hour twelve o'clock. See,"
tind, as a proof of her assertion, she joint
ed to the clock.
"Were you waiting tip for me, dear?"
asked Vandeloup, audaciously.
"Not I," retorted Miss Twoxhy. toss
ing her curl papers "I've been attending
to par's business."
ciiaiti:ii XV.
Madame Midas, as may lie easily guess
d, did not pass a very pleasant night
after the encounter with Villiers. Her
head was very painful with the blow she
had given her, and added to this she was
ertain she had killed him.
Though hIic hated the man who had
ruined her life, and who had tried to
rob her, still she did not caro about be
tvining Ills murdcrevf, and the thought
was madness to fier. Not that she waH
afraid of punishment, for she had acted
only in self-defense, and Villiers, not nh;
was the aggresor.
Meanwhile she waited to hear if the
body had been found, for ill news travels
fact ; and as everyone knew Villiers was
Iter husband, she wns satisfied that when
the corpse was found she would be the
first to be told about it. Hut the day
wore on, and no news came, so she asked
Archie to go into Itallarot and see if the
lisoovery had been made.
" Deed, mem," said Archie, in a con
soling tone, "I'm thinkln' there's no word
at all. Maybe ve only stopped his pranks
for a woo bit, and lie's all right."
"I gave him such a terrible blow, she
said, mournfully, "and he fell like a stone
over the cnibnnkmetit."
"lie did not leave go the. nugget, any
how', ye know," said Archie, dryly; "so
he couldn't have been very far gone, but
I'll go to the town and see what I can
hear."
There was no need for this, Iiowever,
for just as' Mcintosh got. to the door,
Vandeloup, cool ami complacent, saunter
ed in. but .stopped short at. the sight of
Mrs. Villiers sitting in the arm chair look.
ing so ill.
"My dear Madame." he cried in dismay,
going over to her; "what is the matter
with you?"
"Matter enough," growled Mcintosh,
with his hand on the door handle; "that
husband ' hers has robbed her o'-.tlio
nugget."
"Yes, and I killed liim,". said Madame
between her clenched teeth.
"Tlie mischief you did," said VamMoup.
in surprise, taking a seat, t lion ne wns
the liveliest dead ninn 1 ever saw."
"What do you mean?" asked Madame,
eaning forward, with both hands grip
ping the arms of her chair; "is is lie
alive?"
"Of course he logan Vandeloup;
I " but here he was stopped by a
cry from Selina, for her mistress had
I. 1 . I . . 1 J A
iniien uacK in a oeau iaiiu.
Hastily waving the men to go away,
she applied remedies and Madame soon
revived. Mrs. Villiers felt intense dis
gust toward her husband as she sat with
tightly clenched bonds and dry eyes listen
ing to Vandeloup s reclial.
"Well." said Mr. Mcintosh at length,
rubbing his scanty hair, "this child of lie-
Hal is flourishing like a green bay tree
by many waters; but we may cut it down
an' lay an axe at the root thereof."
"And how do you propose to chop liim
down?" asked Vandeloup flippantly.
"Put him in jail for running away wl'
the nugget, retorted Mr. Mcintosh, vin
dictively.
"A verv sensible suggestion, ' said Gas
ton, approvingly.
"Now that he has obtained what lie
wanted, perhaps he'll leave me alone; I
will do nothing," said Madame Midas.
"Do nothing!" echoed Archie, in great
wrath. "Will ye lot that frienil o I'.eel-
zebub run away with a three hun'rod
ounces of gold an' do nothing?" Keep
the nugget ! Never !"
This wat the first time that Archie
hail ever dared to cross Mis. Villiers
wishes, and she stared in amazement at
the unwonted spectacle. Tills time, how-
eer, Mcintosh fiSunil an unexpected ally
in Vandeloup, who urged that illiers
should be prosecuted. '
"He is not only guilty of robbery, Mad
ante," said the young I'reiichman, "but
also of an attempt to murder you. and
while he is allowed to go free your lit
is not safe."
Selina also contributed her mite of
Wisdom in tho form of a provVrb:
"A stitch in time saves, nine," intimat
ing t hereby that Mr.,, VUHers should be
locked up and never let out again, in case
lie tried the same game on with the nest
big nugget found.
Meanwhile there was another individual
in Hallarat who was much interested in
Villiers, and this kind-hearted gentleman
was none other than Silvers. Villiers
was accustomed to come and sit in Ids
olllce every morning mid talk to him about
things in general, and the l'nctolus elatm.,
in particular. On this moridng, how
over, he did not arrive, and Slivers was
much annoyed thereat. He deterunned
to give Villiers a piece of his mind when
he did see him. "He went about his busi
ness at "The Corner," bought some shares,
sold others, ami swindled as many jwoplw
as he was able, then came back to Ids
office and waited in all tho afternoon for
his friend, 'who, Iiowever did not come.
(To be contluuud.)
0 111 .Sole Object.
"Hcally," exclaimed Mr. Clliollus,0 "I
wonder If you realize what sort of un
object you make, dangling; around after
Miss Milyuns hi that way."
"Sure," replied Mr. Gettjmrt?, "qbjoct
iiitttrltnony.'Whllndelplila T'ress.
Wheu n sick person lu uioro thau 70,
people ny: "His age is against lUu."
PRISON IS THEIR PATE
so Jii:i.n:r foii moykk t.t
Till: SL'I'KKMK COI'UT
AJi. I
uMlcc llxrlun IfeniloTM MnJorSlT Opinion'
to Wlilcli Justice McKdiiiin I)U
eut Other Killings
Matlo
WASHINGTON. - Tho Ptipremo
court of the United States decided
the hnbeas corptiB eases .of Moyor,
Haywood ami Pettiboue, tho repre
sentation ol tho western federation of
miners, who arc now held in prison
In IdaliO'on tho charge ol complicity
in the murder of Former Governor
SteunonberR adversely to the men.
riie opinion was by Justice Harlan.
Tho effect of the decision will lie to
:ontiuue to hold tlie men ui cotilinc
ment for trial in Idaho.
Of the men involved Charles H.
Mnyer is president; W. I). Haywood,
jecretary-treaaurcr, and George A.
Petti bono, a member of tlie western
federation of miners. They are now
in prison in Canon county, Idaho,
under a charge of murdering Former
Governor riteunenberg of that state,
ilthougii it. was not charged that they
were present, when tlie crime wns
tommittcd. The cases came to this
!iiirt on an appeal from a decison of
die Idaho federal court, refusing to
;rant writs of habeas corpus.
Wunl I'licts Ahoul Troops
WASHINGTON, - The Fifty-ninth
iongross lias begun its last, session.
It tool: the senate fifteen minutes to
irrniigc its preliminaries and the
notiso tin hour. Tlie senate received
.'rom President Hoosovolt a long list
)T appointments lor its conlirmut ion
ind in an executive session of nine
teen minutes decided that, as the
nominations had been rtceivod before
the body had been organized
formally, to make no continuations
until the president's annual message
had been received and tiie session
fairly started.
.Senators Penrose of Pennsylvania
and Foraker of Ohio came forward
with resolutions or inquiry regarding
the discharge of tin; negro troops of
the Twenty-lifth infantry. One was
addressed to the president and tlie
other to the secrelary of war. A' tor
tiie ripple of surprise had passed and
Vice President Fairbanks ind sug
gested that it was unusual to trans
act any business until tho president's
message had been received, the
resolutions went over with unanimous
consent. Senator Dupont, of Dela
ware, tool; the oath of ollice.
Animated Tlirou In CJal!erIn
The opening of the two houses uih
witnessed by an animated throng
which iilled the galleries to their
sapacity. Hundreds went away dis
appointed m not. gaining admission
to witness the session of either sen
ate or house.
Not in icars has a larger number
of members-elect of the lower house
of congress presented themselves at
the speaker's desk to take the oalli ol
ollice. Death has been unusually
active among tlie membership during
the closing days of tlie, last, session
and tlie beginning of the present, and
Chaplain Condon feelingly called tho
attention of the body to the work oi
tho grim reaper during tho months
sinco adjournment.
Speaker Cannon appointed Repre
sentative James li. Mann, of Illinois
as it member of tho board of regents
of tiie Smithsonian institution, vice
Robert 11. ITitt, of Illinois, de
ceased The galleries of the house wero
crowded at an early hour. 'Che
absence of iiowers from the desk of
tho members was much commented
on, but the order of tho speaker pro
hibiting the llower display whs gen
erally commended for its good sense.
A similar rule waH made in the
60nale two years ago.
A United, .Murderer Clinch I
EL PASO, Tejc. After a desperate
JighS with oliicers during 'which lie
wns shot several timeB and 'wounded
several ,nf his pursuers A. R. Sibley,
h the sheen buyer who is alleged to
have murdered cand robbed B. M
Cnwthonie and J, w. uaiston ano
another iranuner on tnreo successive
days in vaiverue county, wbb cap
tured in the mountains pear Sander
boh and i6 now in jail believed to bt
mortally wounded.
, 'flits uircumstauce'8 attending th
murders are said to have been almost
identical. Sibley purchased largi
herds from his alleged victims. Ir
each ease tho rancher delivered the
stock at Del Rio, received a check
which ho promptly cased aud latci
was found murdered aud ropbed.
MANY MEN NEEDED
WEAK COAST liUFENSKS MUSI'
STKKNC.THECEU
UB
STAND OF PRESIDENT
WIl.I, tlltOE ON CONGKKSS UK3I KDIAfc
I,KOISI.ATION
Will I'otnt Out Wrnknese and llaniin
iitoiul In Ills McHHugo Itcorciiul
zntlou of the Const, Ar
tillery .Service
WASIUNGTON.-One of the sub
jects of which President. Roosevelt
will treat In his message to congress,
will be tho deplorable condition ol
our const dofenses. Teplorablo. not
no much through tho lack of fort ilica-j
lions, guns or machinery, although
much renin ns to bo done on all'
three, but especially because of tho,
ack of men necessary to keep tho
guns and machinery in order in time.
of peace, to say nothing of manipula
ting then should war break out.
What; the president, will have to say
on this subject will be short but to
the point and he will take a firm
stand in favor of legislation ealcu-
ated to remedy existing conditions.,
le has already placed himself
Fquarely on record, and only six
months ago addressed a special lector
to the senate in which ho pointed
hut. that tho increasing importance
and wealth of exports offered more
inducement to an enemy. "The
fact that we now have a navy docs
not in any wise diminish importancft
of coast defenses ; on the contrary it
emphasises their value, and tho
necessity for their construction," ha
said recently. "It is an accepted.
naval maxim that a navy can be
used to strategic advantage only,
when acting on the offensive, and)
it can lie free to operate only after
our coast defense is reasonably secure
and so recngnizcl by tlie country.'1
The president takes the ground
that tho security and protection o
our interests require the completion
of our coast defenses, and that tho
plans of the national coast defense
mard should receive the generotisi
support of congress.
riirtit on Train
RKDWATER, Tex. The express
car attached to train No. 4 of the
Cotton Belt route, wl-jj'ch left this
,ity, was robbed and Express Mes
conger W. A. Grissip hurled from
the train after having been beaten
ami badly wounded by tho robbers.
The robbery it is believed oc
curred about a mile from this place,
but was not discovered until f.lm
train reached Eylati, the next stop.
The express messenger, waH found
beside tho track badly hurt and
showed indications of a desperattj
light. The robbers escaped.
That the robbery was a success i1
evident, so far as a hasty inspecti in
of the car and its contents would
indicate, but the amount stolen is
not known.
Sunt. F. M. Edliell, of Dallas, ha.-?
tstartcd for the scene and a special
(rain loaded with oflicers lias been
started out of Texarkana. A special
W also been sent from Red water.
At Redwaler tho messenger had at
tended to his unties us ti-tial and tha
train proceeded. There is no stop on
the schedule between that point and
Eylau. At IOylau Conductor Blair,
who was in charge of the train, savf
that the door of tho express car bin
been forced and on entering found it
Splattered with blood, the messcngei
missing and tho car bearing every
appearance of having been looted.
Trainmen were sent back on handcar
and Grissip was found. While he ie
,badly wounded it is not believed liis
hurts will prove fatal.
Many Ddhi!. of Violence
EL PASO, Tex. -Following a cann
paign of extreme bitterness in which
the alleged revolutionists or that
!placo played a prominent part, three
murders have occurred in Do' Rio
within the last tlireo days, the latest
.being that of C. B. Cawthrone, sf
heading sheep man in that section,
!who was found dead in his buggy
with a bullet through his heart,
llutense fueling has existed along tint
'border sinco the arrest of alleged
revolutionists began and many
'murders and other ueeus oi violence
're attributed to this. Tho re is no
abatement of the feeling aroused by
the arrest of alleged revolutionists.
On the contrary, it isr growing" hi
intensity and bitterness.