JAPS ARE USING
BIG SIEGE GUNS
Kuroki Destroying the Power*
fuI Left Wing of the Rus
sian Army.
ELEVEN-INCH MORTARS
Groat Guns Brought from th« Fortres*
at Port Arthur Being Used with
Awful Effect on Their
Former Owners.
NeWchwang, via Tientsin, March I.—
A cording to a person just returned
mere from the front, the Japanese are
shelling Mukden with 11-tnch mortars.
The bombardment Is reported to have
caused great damage lar behind the
Russian lines.
uuiioi i»iiyay«mviik >»« • i wyi vw«.
Advices from Chinese sources say a
general engagement is in progress all
along the line. The heaviest fighting is
reported to be occurring on tne Japa
nese right, and Kurokt is said to be
sweeping far north, threatening to
crumple the Russians back on the rail
load.
Special forces are reported to be mov
ing lrom the south and east, with the
intention of cuttingoff the Russian com
munication by railroad with Vladivo
stok.
Fight in Mukden's Rear.
.viukden, March 1.—Fighting continues
• in tront and west of Tie pass. On the
extreme east the Japanese have taken
the outlying positions, and they now
unreaten the main detense. Owing to
'metr formidable attack it i3 thought
itie Japanese artillerymen are veterans
from fort Arthur, commanded by Gen
eral Nogi. Forty wounded Russians ar
rived at Mukden today, and 400 are ex
pected tomorrow. Other indications
•point to an unusual struggle.
The --eported turning of the Russian
right was largely imaginary, but af
fairs on the left flank, where the Jap
anese have several divisions concen
trated, are more serious.
Fighting in New Quarters.
St.. Petersburg, March 1.—Kuropalkii
telegraphing yesterday, announces the
Japanese have commenced cannonading
,io trie direction of Gauto and Wan Fun
passes.
A dispatch from General Kuropatkin,
nays: "The enemy continued the of
fensive against the front of our Tsink
dietchen detachment and has turned
both its flanks. The Japanese have
also advanced against Kantie Pass,
turning our left Hank, but all their at
tacks on Tangu and Beydaiing have
been repulsed. Their offensive move
ment against Bomapudz has also been
repulsed. At some positions our rifle
men forced the Japanese outposts to
retire. Colonel Gorsky was severely
wounded.”
Change in the Weather.
A blustering snowstorm ail day is
• ending in a bitter wind, which may
modify the threatened conflicts. The
region uf the Japanese attack is in
lightly wooded and high mountains, fa
vorable lo the Russian operations. The
force of Japanese, with unknown
strength, joined with Chinese brigands
west of Kungchialin, is still menacing
the Russians in that region. The can
nonade along the Russian center di
minished in intensity today.
Most Desperate Assaults.
Madyadani, March 1—After fighting 01
it he most desperate nature the Russians
remained yesterday evening in posses
sion of Che and Da passes, against
which the Japanese had been flinging
themselves rrjadly from noon until dark.
The Russians, who were greatly out
numbered, sustained repeated attacks,
some units losing as high as 70 per cent,
in killed or wounded in hand to hand
fighting with bayonets.
Progress of tbs Battle.
The great battle that is likely ti
prove the greatest and last of the war,
has been in progress several days, and
less is known about it than was known
at a like stage about any of the great
struggles of last year.
The armies have lain all winter along
the Shakhe river south to Mukden, Ku
'ropatltin tried to outflank the Japanese
on the west, but the effort resulted in
Hie disaster which sent Gripenberg
home in disgrace.
Flank Move on East.
Then he set about to make a flank
movement at the other extremity of
ids line, to the southeast of Mukden.
He advanced his lines and lined up to
make a tjerriflc attack on Kuroki, when
suddenly a new Japanese force turned
up, coming from the east, and said to
be 00,000 strong. This is said to have
been a new army entirely, which had
landed and marched around to the
Russian flank while Kuropatkin waft
watching Kuroki and feeling secure.
Kuroki Closed in.
Immediately Kuroki closed in, sup
ported this new attacking force, and
the Russian situation began to be
critical.
Dispatches of today, supplanting
what has come heretofore, make it ap
parent that the Japanese, in addition
to tills terrific flunking movement on
the east, have also sent a great force
up the Liao on the west of the Russian
force, for they are reported making a
great attack on Tie pass, which is for
1V miles north of Mukden, with strong
artillery. If this is true, the army un
der Kuropatkin Is «ut off from retreat
and will be forced to a finish fight.
After Liao Yang he barely escaped;
after the Shakhe he escaped again. It
Temains to be seen whether he will be
m) fortunate this time.
MINIMIZES THE AFFAIR.
■St, Petersburg Does Not Regard Pres
ent Fighting as Important.
f>\. Petersburg. March 1.—Aside from
riitvs of the resumption of the Japanese
attack on Cauto pass, the war office
' I.an no dispatches Itom the from and
■lot*s not attach great significance to
the fighting to the eastward, saying the
forces engaged are comparatively
•small, though they are suffering heav
ily. The Associated Press dispatches
' erlfy this conjecture. The position at
fsinkhetchen, about seventy miles east
of Mukden, is far advanced in com
parison with the general line, and the
retirement of the Russians was only
us far as the general alignment. Rut
the dispatches intimate the Japanese
ire now concentrating against the
whole left flank, which is being heavily
reinforced in preparation lor extensive
fighting.
A correspondent of the Associated
Press who has investigated personally
the reports that largt forces of Japa
nese are in Mongolia says they do not
exceed COO Japanese, with 3.000 Chines*
Validits.
j THE FLOOR COLLAPSED
-_
Disaster in a Brooklyn Church Carried
Death to Eleven of the
Worshippers.
New York, March 1.—Eleven persons
were killed and upwards of fifty In
jured, some probably fatally, by thg
collapse of the flooring of the Fleet
Street African Methodist Episcopal
church in Brooklyn. Of those klljed ten
were women, two men and one a child.
The building was an ancient, ram
shackle frame structure erected sixty
years, ago in the heart of the negro sec
tion of Brooklyn, in Fleet street, near
Myrtle avenue. Arrangements had
been made to hold the funeral services
of Sydney Tainter, one of the older
members of the church, and the audi
torium. w hich is on the second floor of
the building, the ground floor being
used by the Sunday school, was crowd
ed wi*h an audience of upwards of 300
persons, of whom the majority were
women.
The congregation was waiting In si
lence for the arrival of the body when
a solbitering of timbers was heard,
and in an instant the half of the audi
torium nearest the door collapsed, car
rying down more than a hundred per
sons, who were crushed in the wreck
age of the flooring and pews.
A great volume of dust for a few mo
ments hid from view the victims. The
remainder of the audience, finding
themselves out off from the door and
expecting every instant the rest of the
flooring would collapse under them
fought madly to reach the windows,
and in some Instances leaped from
them and sustained serious injuries.
On the arrival of the police and fire
men the work of rescue began. Those
remaining uninjured on the portion of,
the floor remaining intact were taken
from the windows by ladders. Those
lying in the mass of wreckage on the
lower floor could only be got at after
Ihe firemen had hew'ed their way to
them with axes. Out of the wreck ten
bodies were recovered and taken to a,
station house, and about thirty removed
to the Brooklyn hospttal, where three
women died.
All the ambulances in Brooklyn were
called out. and about a score of tiiose
hurt were able to go home after their
injuries had been attended to.
■ i_i__ «__
Heartrending scenes were witnessed
in the station house, which was
thronged with relatives and friends.
Those killed were:
BERTHA GREEN.
TERESA ELLIS.
SAMUEL CHISHOLM.
ANNA BEAN
ANNA SULLIVAN.
LOUISA SMITH.
MARY SCOTT.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED WOMEN.
ONE UNIDENTIFIED CHILD.
ONE UNIDENTIFIED MAN.
The cause of the collapse was the de
cayed condition of the beams and sup
ports of the flooring.
After examining the bodies Coroner
Flaherty pronounced death in nearly
every case to have resulted from suffo-.
cation caused by the victims being piled'
on top of each other in a mass several,
feet deep. The coroner said that the
church was condemned as unsafe sev
eral years since, and that he intended.'
to prosecute a thorough inquiry to fix
the responsibility for the disaster.
FIFTEEN ARE DEAD,
And the Number May Be Still
Greater, Caused by a
M ne Explosion.
Welch, Va.. March 1—Fifteen men are
known to be dead as a result of an ex
plosion in the shaft of the United States
Coal and Coke company, and the num
ber of dead may be greater, but it is
impossible to explore the mine because
of the tire which is still burning.
THE COLORADO CONTES1
Peabody Figure* on Throwing Out
Enough to Elect Him—Adams
More Moderate.
Denver, March J.—Printed copies,
of the briefs of the findings of counsel
for James H. Peabody and Alva Adams,
in the gubernatorial contest, today were
placed In the hands of each member
of the committee which heard the evi
dence in the case and the committee,
began its consideration of the case, the
report on which is to be submitted to
the general assembly on Thursday.
Peabody’s brief claims his election hv
2,433 majority, this result being reached
by rejecting the entire vote of the Den
ver precincts and a number of pre
cincts In Adams, Boulder, Conejos and
Pueblo counties which gave demo
cratic majorities. The claim is made
that the returns from these precincts
are so permeated with fraud that the
true result of the election in them
cannot be determined.
Adams' brief claims he has a major
ity of 6,955 after eliminating all the
precim ts in which the fairness of the
election has not been proved.
GREETING TO GERMANY
\merican Clergyman Sent It on Oc
casion of the Groat Gathering of
the Lutherans.
i New York, March 1.—The following
! telegram of congratulation to the Ger
; man emperor and German clergy was
: sent by prominent American Protestant
clergymen:
“Greeting: The undersigned ministers
of religion in tlie United States, for
themselves and others bidden to the
service of the consecration of the Hof
and Dorn kirche In Berlin, built by his
idiperia! majesty, the German emperor,
in accordance with the mind of the Ger
man people, desire to send their respect
ful and fraternal salutations to all those
concerned in this noble work, and to all
the children of 1hat glorious reforma
tion, whether in Germany or elsewhere,
whose most profound and precious con
victions the German reformation stands
for. They are rejoiced with your im
perial majesty, with your very rev
erend brethren of the clergy, and with
your beloved brethren of the laity, in
the strong, stately and symmetrical
consummation of a great purpose. They
bit ss God that the principles of the
reformation and the heroic witness for
I the pure and scriptural faith, which
I Martin I-uther bore in Germany, still
, survives there, and they trust that the
i throne of the German emperor may
etand fast in these great truths which
long ago were sealed in blood to the
glory of God and the upbuilding of His
kingdom among men.”
j (Signed) Henry ('. Potter,
i Bishop of New Y:>rk.
THE RUSSIAN FLEET
WAS NOT JUSTIFIED
Commission Finds It Not War
ranted in Firing on North
Sea Trawlers.
BUT NOBODY IS BLAMED
And the Commission Says Rojestvensky
Wasn't in Fault in Leaving the
Damaged Boats Without
Any Attention.
Paris. Feb. 28.—The International
commission of inquiry Into the North
sea incident publicly announced Its
decision at the closing of the session
today. The commission finds that "the
opening of fire by Admiral Rojostven
sky was not justified.''
The decision lengthiv sets forth the
circumstances and Incidents and gives
ihe opinion of the admirals on the va
rious important points involved. The
decision says the delay of the Russian
transport Kamschatka, following a
breakdown of her machinery, was per
haps the cause of the Incident.
The Kamschatka's Troubles.
The commander of the Kamschatka
signalled to Admiral Rojestvensky dur
ing the evening that he had been at
tacked by torpedo boats. The admiral
therefore had reason to believe he was
attacked and gave orders for strict
vigilance against the possible approach
of torpedo boats.
The majority of the commission con
siders that Rnjestvensky's orders were
not excessive in time of war. particu
larly under the circumstances, and that
he had every reason to consider the
situation very alarming.
V» do liui oauniitu.
“The commission,” the decision says
“recognizes unanimously that the fish
ing fleet committed no hostile act, a
majority of the commissioners being of
the opinion that there were not, either
among the fishing boats or in their vi
cinity. any torpedoboats. The opening
uf fire bv Rojestvensky was not justi
fied."
The decision further says the Russian
commissioner did not share in the lat
ter opinion. “In any event," the de
cision continues, “the commissioners
are glad to recognize unanimously that
Rojestvensky personally did all he
could from the commencement to the
end to prevent the trawlers from being
the object of fire by the Russian squad
ron.”
Leaving the Injured.
Concerning the squadron’s proceed
ing without assisting the damaged
trawlers, the decision says: “The
commissioners are unanimous that up
der the circumstances preceding and
following the incident there was such
uncertainty concerning the danger to
Ihe squadron as to warrant Admiral
Rojestvensky in continuing his route.
However, the majority regrets that
the admiral did not inform the neigh
boring marine powers of what oc
curred.”
“The decision concludes ns follows:
"The commissioners declare that their
views as formulated are not of a
nature to cast any disrespect upon the
military valor nor upon the sentiments
of humanity of Admiral Rojestvensky
! and the personnel of his squadron."
Report a Conference.
Admiral Fournier, president of the
commission, read the decision amid an
Impressive silence, the spectators fol
lowing it minutely. The general im
pression among the audience was that
the decision was in the nature of a
compromise, as the majority approved
the British contention that no torpedo
boats attacked Rojestvensky's squad
ron and that therefore his opening of
fire was not justified, and as a ma
jority also approved the Russian con
tention that Rojestvensky acted ac
cording to his belief, even though mis
taken. and that therefore his action did
not reflect upon hi:: military valor or
sentiments of humanity.
A Significant Interchange.
Mr. Fournier closed the commission
with a speech of thanks to its mem
bers. A significant exchange of re
marks was made by Sir Edward Fry.
representing Great Britain, and Baron
Taube, representing Russia. Both spoke
In ihe most amicable spirit and eulo
•ized the arbitration.
LONDON IS PLEASED.
Decision Is Looked Upon as a Victory
for British Views.
London. Fob. 2S.—The foreign office
received the findings of the North sea
ecinmlesion with apparent equanirnlty,
but declined to give out any official ex
pression of opinion thereon. The Asso
ciated Press understands unofficially,
however, that the foreign office Is well
ph ased with the findings.
The findings are received in London
Willi every sign of gratification. The
whole report is regarded here as dis
crediting the Russian case. Even the
phase that the firing was not unduly
prolonged, which seems to afford a cer
tain justification for the opening of the
firing. Is at the same lime taken as
implying (hat the Russians continued
to fire after they had discovered their
mistake.
The definite finding of the admirals
1lii.it no torpedoboats were at the scene
of the incident gives considerable satis
faction and it is pointed ouo that the
British contentions were further upheld
in the finding that the trawlers Crane
and Aurora were the boats which the
Russians mistook for lorpedoboats.
RUSSIAN FORCE ROUTED.
Detachment of 300 Driven Away—More
Rumors of an Impending Battle.
Newchwang, Feb. 2S.—It is announced
that a cavalry detachment of 300 Rus
sians was routed at Liu Chlawopu,
fourteen miles southwest of Hsin Mlng
tun, the evening of the 23d. The Rus
sians scattered in the direction of Hsin
Mingtun.
Newchwang is full of rumors of an
Impending battle upon the Hun river.
The unusually warm weather will prob
ably lead to active military operations.
Foreigners residing here are warned
not to venture on the west bank of the
Liao river, owing to scouting parties
on both sides. Russian agents clothed
as Chinese are everywhere.
Even the Porte Is Shocked.
Constantinople, Feb. 2 —Advices
from Butourn say the prefect of police
end several leading merchants have
been assassinated and numbers of Otto
man subjects have been murdered by
Uie Georgian strikers. The porte has
drawn the attention of tlie Russian em
bassy to the situation.
—f—
Russians Retire Again.
Toklo, Feb. 25.—The Russians shelled
Liitajentun and Chenuchiechpao yester
day. They burned and abandoned.
Chienfcunmupaotzu, near Waltao- moun
tain.
r—— -- -— -——>
j| IN THE SHADOW OF SHAME I
» Capyrighl 1*01 hr Aalkar ef “Tka Dia al
* D.aHny, “A* Caeal
j T. riUgaraJg Ma.llay t,„« Imp" tie.
I
—.■-----nr 11 L_ -
house under the drtumstances he had
explained.
That the inan Quinton had seen or
the night of the tragedy and Valerfur
were not one and the same was surely
proved by the fact that Galbraith war
in Paris at the time, he having wrltter
from the French capital on that day tt
Olive Dumbarton. Even if Valerim
had been in the Hixton road, it did not
follow that he had committed a mur
der for which another man stood self
confessed.
Yet Quinton was haunted by the re
semblance between Valerius and th«
figure he had caught a glimpse of or
the night of the tragedy. In vain he
strove to persuade himself that if II
were Valerius he had seen on that
memorable occasion, he, Quinton, would
have recognised him then, or identified
him later, for thpy had known each
other before the fatal deed took place
and had frequently met since then.
On the other hand, he had merely
seen the figure and not the face of the
man he connected with David Dum
barton’s death, and it was the figure
wearing the same coat, assuming th«
same attitude, and standing In the
same place which led the young man
to believe it was the same individual
he had seen on both occasions. It was
only when he had drawn near and
looked into his face that he recognized
Valerius. Had suspicion been directed
to him previously, Quinton might have
seen some resemblance between him
and the other figure, but Valerius was
the last person in the world whom h«
would have regarded with suspicion.
Quinton was puzzled, disturbed and
anxious. What if Valerius had not
been in Paris on the night of Dum
barton's death? The conclusions to
which this idea led were fraught with
terrible consequences. In striving to
control Ills imagination by the exercise
of his reason, his mind became mors
perplexed, and he could sleep no more.
He therefore rose early without feeling
rested or refreshed, and on coming
down to the breakfast mom found his
father and mother each with a morn
ing paper, in which was set forth In
sensational fashion the confession of
George Bostock, furnished with fuller
details than had been given in the
journals of the previous evening.
"Let us see, mother," Quinton said,
getting behind her chair and leaning
over her shoulder that he might read
for himself the statements made.
Presently Mrs. Quavp, having fin
ished with the paper, handed it to h»r
son, saying. "How much we may be
deceived In people. I could never have
believed Mr. Bostock guilty if he had
not confessed."
“Nor I,” replied Quinton emphati
cally.
"There’s no knowing what a man
may do in u moment of passion,” re
marked tlie doctor, as he sat down to
the breakfast table and uncovered the
dish of bacon and eggs.
“Poor, dear Mrs. Dumbarton should
feel Intense relief,” said Mrs. Qifave.
"That's the strangest part,” answered
her husband. "She is more distressed
than ever.”
"Why?" asked Quinton, who, having
not seen his father since the previous
afternoon, knew nothing of Olive Dum
barton's opinions.
"Because she believes Bostock made
this confession to save her."
"What! Doesn't she think him
guilty?" exclaimed Quinton, hastily
flinging down his paper and staring at
his father.
"Nothing, not even the man's own
words, will convince her that lie killed
Dumbarton.”
CHAPTER XXIX.
After leaving his cousin's house on
the evening when, overcome by jeal
ous fury, he had insinuated that her
love for George Bostock was respon
sible for her husband's murder, Va
lerius had walked about the neighbor
hood heedless of where he went so long
as he avoided crowds and traffle, his
mind In a state of tierce rebellion
against the woman whose presence he
had quitted, against the man for whom
she had confessed her love.
All the affection Valerius had felt
for her throughout his life turned to
bitterness at the avowal she had made;
the dislike he had ever entertained
toward Bostock deepened to hate. For
the publisher had succeeded In gain
ing what he, Valerius, had from boy
hood sought tn vain to win. That she
had denied to him was freely given to
one, who, by comparison, was a
stranger.
With a rapid pace he traversed
winding roads and long avenues now
almost deserted, dead leaves from the
rapidly baring branches nattering in
his face, the sharp ring of his foot
steps on the frosty paths audible at
long distances, his thoughts in wild
disorder, his face distorted by passion,
his feelings outraged, jealousy slinging
him to madness.
Not until a couple of hours had
passed did he, without becoming con
scious of the fact, slacken bis pace
through sheer weariness, and his emo
tions having meanwhile reached their
highest pitch of fury, now began to
subside. Then he reflected on the part
he had recently played, his thoughts
coming to the subject casually and
fltttingly at flrst, afterward with
steady persistency that was all the
more welcome, because It served to
Inflict upon himself fresh puin, more
acute than he hart yet felt.
The insolence, the bitterness, the cru
elty of his words stood out before him
In tlieir true colors, and he reviewed
Rnd realized the cowurdlce, the Inhu
manity, the Injustice of Ills bearing
toward her he had ever loved, whom
he loved now more than ever. And as
lie viwed his conduct In this light.
Ills contempt and loathing for himself
were only equalled by his compassion
and affection for her.
To strike her down with such a
weapon as he had used, at such a time
as he had sought, was to have behaved
as a despicable scoundrel, as an un
manly wretch. What words of his
could now take from her the pain he
had inflicted, which must rankle In
I her mind and poison her peace for
many a day to come? What deed
of his could make reparation for the
wrongs he had done her? He paused
In his walk and leaned against a wall
for support, dazed and weary, nil in
dignation and hate having burned
themselves out of his heart, which was
now full of remorse and pity.
And for long he remained there lost
: In thought, tlic past with all the pleas
ure* he had known in his association
' with her, thronging back from forgot
! ion years; the future with all its un
j certainty, humiliation, pain und terror,
rising before him.
was he there now: and, Anally who
was he?
Regarding the latter point Quinton
determined to nuike himself sure, and
therefore excited, but without fear, he
advanced toward this man who made
no movement or gave no sign of hav
ing heard approaching footsteps, until
Quinton, recognition ’dawning on him
and some strange repulsion which he
could neither name nor account for
possessing him, laid his hand on the
man's arm and stared him steadily In
the face.
"It's you, Mr. Galbraith,” he said In
almost breathless wonder.
Valerius, waking from his revery, re
turned hts gaze, and In a quiet voice
like that of one not yet aroused from
sleep, replied, “Yes, It is I.”
had been unable to Identify him. This,
however, was probably due to his
change of dress. All doubts regarding
the perpetrator of the crime were now
set aside forever, and Mrs. Dumbarton's
Innocence was proved before the
world.
This knowledge Ailed Qulntop with
intense relief. The woman .for whom
he entertained a deep affection, the
mother of the girl he dearly loved, was
freed from the horrible suspicion of a
terrible crime, a fact that made him
feel happy and light hearted once more,
but at the same time the intelligence
that the author of the deed was George
Boatock came to him us a surprise and
disappointment, for the young man. In
his frequent Intercourse with him at
Mrs. Dumbarton's house had come to
like the publisher’s quiet reserved man
ner and to appreciate his scholarly
knowledge and old world book lore.
That one so self-controlled, gentle
and kindly could commit such a crime
was a shock to Quinton’s faith in out
ward appearances, and detracted In
some measure from the satisfaction
he felt in having the mystery ex
posed and the suspected woman
cleared.
With such thoughts In his mind he
turned Into the Hlxton road, and was
drawing near his father’s house, when,
looking at the opposite side of the
way, he was astonished to see a Agure
Quinton withdrew a step, not know
ing what to say or how to explain his
conduct; then, without pausing to con
sider his words, he remarked:
"I was quite sturtled at Arst by see
ing you here."
"Indeed. May I ask why?" Valerius
coolly asked.
“Well, I could have sworn, and yet
could swear. It was you I saw here on
the night Dumbarton was killed; that
Is, If 1 didn't know you were then In
Pails."
"That shows how readily you might
be mistaken, and how easily you could
bear false witness," answered Valerius,
in the same deadly calm and emphatic
manner he had assumed from the Arst.
I suppose It does; and yet-"
"Well?” Galbraith said, as Quinton
hesitated and stared.
"The likeness between you and him
seems remarkable."
“Yet yon see how you have blun
ii Miuiu'ii V.11111 t i v>111 me mi in rn.mii
! air striking him, brought him to u
I consciousness of the present. One
I thing at least he resolved must be done
| without delay; he would seek the
i woman he had grievously insulted, ns
I sure her his words were not the out
I otne of conviction but the result of
passion, and beg of her to forgive hint
the pain he had caused her. With this
intention he set forward, but the road
n which he found himself was un
familiar, and having with some trou
ble discovered its name, he knew not
in what direction it led, or to where
he should turn in search of his destin
ation.
Resolutely he set out looking round
for some familiar landmark until
eventually coming In sight of a church,
he recognized his bearings and made
straight for the Hixton road. Through
out his walk his determination to seek
Olive Dumbarton's pardon never wav
ered until corning in sight of her house,
when the lateness of the hour and its
unsuitability for a visit struck him.
He looked at his watch and saw that
it was long past midnight. For all
that he went to the garden gate, and
pushing It, found ns he expected, that
it. was locked. He then stepped across
to the other Hide of the road, that he
might see the upper windows of the
house which were all in darkness.
With mingling feelings of relief and
regret he saw that the moment of the
meeting must be postponed; but he
was in no hurry to quit the spot,
fatigue from his long walk, weariness
from the conflict of his thoughts, and
the reaction of his excitement set in
upon him, and he rested there against
the wall which faced the house, sat
isfied to wait until chance should send
In his way a passing cab that would
drive him home.
And as be lingered there, his thoughts
full of Olive Dumbarton, the chill
which follows on inaction after exer
cise struck him again, the more read
ily that he was clad in evening dress,
whereupon he wrapped the heavy folds
of his Inverness cape around his chest
and throat. Then feeling more com
fortable, he fell into a reverie from
I which he was eventually aroused by a
j hand being pressed upon his right arm,
i when, recovering himself with a start,
lie gazed at the man before him, and
' recognized the anxious, frightened fuee
! of Quinton Quave.
j It happened on this particular even
j ing that the young medical man, hav
ing been dining with some friends in
Kensington, had remained in their
pleasant company until late when
catching his last train he had arrived
soon after midnight at Marlborough
Road station, from which he walked
home.
Now the principal topic of conversa
tion at dinner had been the Hixon road
tragedy and the startling confession of
George Rostock, which the late edi
tions of the afternoon papers had pub
lished so that ttie subject in which he
i was deeply interested was fresh in
Quinton’s mind as he took his home
I ward way. With bent head he reflected
\ that the man whom he had seen from
: his bedroom window on the night of
the tragedy was the same whose dying
j confession had been made but a few
hours before; though, when seen again
, at the same hour and place, Quinton
: leaning against the wall. Quinton in
stantly stood still us if he had received
j a shock, for there before him in the
, same spot, wearing the self same cloak
concealing the 'lower part of his face
and giving him! the foreign air, stood
the man he had seen on the night
David Dumbarton was killed. Concern
ing tills conclusion there could be no
doubt; it was one of those sudden
convictions which no reasoning to the
contrary could weaken or refute.
That it was not George Rostock was
certain, and therefore it was not the
man who had committed, the murder.
Rut why h rd this Individual been there
on ihe night of the tragedy, and why
"Of course," replied Quinton, hut his
voice failed to express the conviction
of his error.
"Why you see me here tonight," Va
lerius explained, "is because 1 am anxi
ous about my cousin. When I brought
tier news of Rostock's confession she
naturally received a great shock, from
which she had not recovered before
1 left. When I was able 1 return to
make inquiries, and found, as it was
lat°i' than I thought, that the house
was in darkness. I therefore remained
here a few minutes to make sure all
was quite well."
"I see," replied Quinton, who had as
yet been unable to overcome ills
amazement or to recover from his
sense of mystery with which this meet
ing Inspired him.
If Valerius saw this, his behavior be
trayed no sign of his perception. Judg
ing from his manner there wus nothing
more unusual in this encounter than
if it had happened at midday instead
of at midnight, and been the result of
expectation instead of the cause of
surprise.
"And now," he said, “that I huve
satisfied myself no grounds for un
easiness futist, I will go; I dare say I
shall find a cab as I walk homeward.”
He had moved forward as he spoke,
and as he approached the lamplight
Quinton saw that he looked pale and
troubled. And when they had said
good night, and parted, Quinton, stand
ing at the entrance of the garden
fronting his father’s house, watched
Valerius as his figure disappeared
down the road and into the darkness,
a puzzled look upon the young man's
face, perplexing thoughts rising in his
mind, a sense of something ominous
ehilllng his blood.
CHAPTER XXX.
Quinton Qttave slept little that night,
and when he did his mind was still
occupied by his meeting with Valerius
under various and extraordinary cir
cumstances, to all of which were at
tached an impenetrable and distressing
mystery, the clew to which the dream
er was forced to seek through a sur
prising maze of difficulties without
ever being able to discover.
Awaking suddenly from such night
mare fancies in the cold and sober
light of early dawn, silent save for the
twittering of sparrows in the eaves and
tn the lealiess branches, Quinton rec
ognized the exaggerated and absurd
fashion In which a thought may shape
and spread itself throughout such a
dream. Seen In the clear light of day
he strove to persuade himself there
was nothing remarkable in his having
mistaken one man for another, or in
Valerius being outside his cousin's
I'VtS TV
Wa* She Kidding?
Abel Stringham (relating his adven
tures)—I'll never forget that night. II
was moonlight arid we could see th«
dark muzzles of the wolves.
Miss Jester Bitt—But you must hav<
been so relieved when you saw the)
Mail on muzzles.
Hul on what grounds does she be
lieve ISostock innocent'.”' inquired the
young man, who became deeply Inter
ested at this unexpected turn In the
case, the feeling of uneasiness and the
sense of mystery which had filled him
on his meeting with Valerius the previ
ous night suddenly returning.
"She has none that I know of, at
least, save her belief In his character.”
"She wishes to make hint a hero,"
remarked Mrs. Quave, a thrifty woman
and an excellent housekeeper, who,
having no Imagination, prided herself
on her common sense. I
"You saw her last night?” Quinton i
said, uddresslng his father.
“Yes. On Bostock's confession being
made known to her yesterday evening
she refused to believe In his guilt, and
received such a shock that she fainted,
when I was sent for; she was almost as
had as on the night her husband was
killed."
"There must be something In all
this,” said Quinton thoughtfully.
"In all what?" asked his mother
sharply.
"In her refusal to believe Bostock
guilty: In her opinion that he sacri
ficed himself to save her.”
"That's merely one of her romantic
Ideas,” answered Mrs. Quave. “No one
would put his head In a halter to
oblige a woman.”
"But you see, mother, he doesn’t put
his head in a halter. He may be dead
by this time, and it cannot then matter
much to him what people think."
"But why should he confess If he
were not guilty?"
"To save the woman he loves, and
whose innocence he feared could not
be proved.”
"But,” said Mrs. Quave In protest,
"you surely don't believe him innocent
simply because-"
"I don’t know what to believe,” an
swered Quinton, 'but I can conceive
the possibility of his innocence."
"I cannot," his mother remarked af
ter a pause, "unless, Indeed-"
"Well?" said her husband Impati
ently.
"Unless Mrs. Dumbarton really
knows who is guilty.”
“Why, If she did, she would have
spoken long ago," exclaimed Quin
ton.
"I’m confident that she doesn't,"
added the doctor.
"Time will tell,” replied his wife as
with a sagacious nod of her head she
rose and left the table.
Dr. Quave took his morning paper
once more and began to read, while his
son, with one elbow on the table, his
head resting on one hand, became ab
sorbed In thought.
The question he had been unable to
settle satisfactorily now faced him onea
more. Had he really made a mistake
In identifying Valerius with the man
he had observed on the night of the
tragedy, or was his first impression,
on seeing the figure the previous even
ing, correct?
(Continues! Next Week.)
A Few Remarks.
Philadelphia Record: The under
taker never drinks to a man's health.
Life is a hurdle race in which a lot
of people jump at conclusions.
Our politeness is often wasted upon
people before we really know them.
The early bird catches the worm,
but sometimes it doesn't quite fill the
bin. _
Value of Personal Property.
Cincinnati Commercial Times:
Rube—Not so fast; jest let me 'lustrata
what 1 am saying. Now ’spose I
should come runnin' up to you. real
fast like, an' say: "Pard, I jest saw a.
stranger runnin' off with yer wife and
yer horse and yer buggy." D'ye mean
to say that wouldn't rile ye? What
would ye say to me? That's the pint.
Abe—Wall, I s'cpects the first thing
I would ask would be as to which
buggy he stole, the wan with the yellosv
or the red wheels. I set a heap stor»
on the yaller wheel buggy.
