tf—! ---- -- - nn mi fm MARY MIDTHORNE BY GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON. Author of “Graustark," "Truxton King,” otc. Copyright, 1911, By Do<1d. Maad A Co. mi ihi iui CHAPTER XVI.—(Continued.) “Horace may forgive Eric, but he’ll -never forgive ine,” said Adam slowly, calculating. “There's only one guilty person In this case, and that Is me. Let’s be perfectly frank about It. I am •the one who has made Horace suffer, not you, Eric. Can’t you see what he will do to me? He will take It all out of me. He will ruin me, destroy me. I won’t say he can put me behind the bars, but he can make me the most de spised creature In America.” “You should have thought of all this before,’’ said Mary sharply. "I have,” quoth Adam, with a frown. If he meant to say more, ho was checked by a sharp, eager exclamation from Erie. "By George! Listen to me!” His face was bright with a new resolve. He leaned forward eagerly, his voice drop ping to a tense. Insistent half whisper. *T know how I can protect you, Mr. Adam. It’s as simple as A B C. You have stood by me; I’d be a dog to drag jrou down with me. Here's what I can nnd will do. I will not mention your name In connection with the affair. I will not call on you a** a witness. I'll leave you out of It altogether, and take the whole blame on myBelf. That will let you off clean as a whistle. There’s -no reason why you should be punished ■ for—” “Hold on. Eric,” cried Adam, rising ■ slowly from the chair to look the Im passioned young man squarely In the ■ sye. With nn effort of the will; ho managed to conceal the feeling of pride, of Joy that Eric’s words produced. “There are several obstacles to that - sort of a plan. First, leaving me out of It how are you going to acount for the Aiaposal of the body?” A slight shudder ran over Eric's frame. “Oh, I can say that I weighed It with Iron and rowed out—” "You haven’t told a lie In connection with the affair up to date, have you?” tsked Adam levelly. I’Why, no—I haven't even mentioned “Don’t you think It’s rather poor policy to begin now?” •'Well, it’s the only way I can think «f to keep your name out of It.’' Adam had been thinking hard all this time. His active, resourceful brain had been groping for the means with which to sucessfully combat this rather primitive, quixotic sense of honesty 'that afflicted Eric, To gain time: that -was Adam’s sole purpose. The real ob ject of his visit to the little Verner cot tage was forgotten In the face of this •mazing revolt. Strategy—ay, more than that would be required In the hand"- of the conscience stricken man; harsh, unfeeling measures would be necessary. Nor was he thinking only of his own safety, although, somehow, ■ It was becoming paramount. He loved Eric, In a strange, bear like fashion; peculiarly his own. He was a far ■ sighted man; he foresaw dark trials for the boy If his present purpose was car ded out It was quite Impossible for him to realize that he, too. had been short sighted. He had played a deep, ugly game without counting on the certainty of this very hour. Time to curse his stupidity and to reckon the cost, not only to Eric but to himself. MRl»l Simnnaa T s-1/"t*%*A A —. V. .V left out of it, what then?” he demanded In a hard voice. "X don’t have to implicate you,” went on Eric earnestly. “You can appear to be much surprised as anyone when the truth comes out.” ’’Just go on being a detective, •eh?" retorted Adam with grim humour. "Chasing a dead man for six years, eh? Do you think I have no pride? ’Pon my word. I’d rather be called a scoundrel rthan a fool.” Eric began to argue his point, but the older man cut him off short with the curt reminder that he was old enough to look out for himself. “See here. Eric,” he continued, ignor ing the hurt look in his young friend's eyes. "we’U get right down to cases. If you go to Horace Blngden with your tale, I shall have to tell the world what 1 know of the affair. Do you realize what that may mean?” "You saw the fight,” cried Eric. "You •can prove that It was self defense—no, •an accident.” ”1 can do nothing of the kind,” said Adam coldly. He had thought of a way. "What do you mean?” stammered the -other. “Just this. I did not see the fight. I ea» one blow struck. I do not know what went before. I have only your word for that. Not competent testimony <*ny boy.” Eric’s face was a puzzle. “I—I don’t see what you are driving •at. Ur. Adam. Surely you don’t—” He •topped short, his lips twisting into a <«ickly smile. “Don’t what?” “You don’t mean that you doubt my •word ?’’ Adam Carr shook his head. 'Tve al ways said it was an accident, haven’t “Certainly. Then what do you mean?” “Do you suppose that any court, knowing my Interest in the case, will •accept my statement that I believed it to be an accident?” “Why not?” “Simply because what I believe and that actually occurred are in no way rmnected by fact. You did strike him. did not see him strike at you. So far Is I can testify, you struck the only IlOW.” “Good heaven!” “Just think It over, Eric,” said Carr %>olly. “Don’t put your neck In a noose fi the hope that I can get It out for »ou. He was a big, powerful chap. It doesn’t seem likely that—’’ “Why—why, curse you, do you mean to Bay that 1 struck him without warn ing?” Eric was towering over the square, heavy figure, his face cor.! ulsed by rage. His arm was drawn back as if to strike. The older man did not flinch. You seem to forget ehat I taught you a blow that would be likely to •catch any man off his guard. It is a blow that never fails to do the work. That was the only blow I saw pass between you and him. As I said before: Just think it over.” He picked up his hat and strode toward the door. Eric sprang after him, rage giving way before appre hension and dismay. “Are you turning against me?” he cried. “Wait! Where are you going?" "I am going to my.room in the hotel. Day after tomorrow we may hear of Chetwynd’s death in South America. I am expecting a message to that effect. Believe me, I hope to receive the news before you go to your uncle with this •ale of yours. It would hurt me more Shan I can tell, to be called to the witness stand against you, Eric. I am Vlad that I came here today. A good dairy must have sent me. I came for 27 an entirely different mission, but—upon my soul, I’ve quite forgotten what It was. Goodbye.” He did not offer to shake hands with the amazed, panic stricken young man, but walked calmly out of the door and Into the street, an ominous figure that filled their eyes until It was lost be hind the hedges—and even longer, for they had him In mind for many min utes. They had followed him to the door. Mary clung to her brother’s rigid arm, staring down the gray, wind-swept street, a great and growing dread In her lovelv eves. “What are you going to do, Eric?” she asked dully. He started, and turned to look down Into her eyes, as If suddenly aware of her nearness to him. “Do?” he asked blankly. “Wdiy, he’s gone. He’s In Baxter street by this time.” "I wasn’t thinking of him,” she said, a shrill note beginning to make Itself felt In her voice. “I mean about go ing to Uncle Horace.” “I can’t believe that Adam has turned against me,” went on Eric, as It stupe fied. “But there was something ugly In what ho said, wasn’t there? It—It was like a threat. God! It was a threat!” Bhe shivered. "Is this all real, Eric? Am I having another of those terri ble dreams? I am bo cold. See! My hands are like Ice. I—I—” He clasped her In his arms. “God forgive me, little sister! I’ve blighted your whole life. Why—oh, why did I tell you this beastly thing? Mr. Adam was right. He did his best to stop me. I'm a beast, a—” “Don’t. Errle—don’t! Oh, brother, brother! My big, good brother!” He drew her back Into the room, still holding her In his arms. For a long time they stood motionless and silent In the middle of the little parlor, dry eyed, dry-lipped and unseeing. She shivered again. “Close the door, Errle,” she mur mured. “It's queer how cold the air has grown. It’s off the sea. When did the wind change?” “I’ll stir up the fire In the grate,” he said, with nervous haste. “It’s the dampness.” He closed the door. She watched him poke up the em bers and pile on the chunks of wood. “I hadn’t noticed the change,” he said mechanically. “It Is off the sea.” “Where do you suppose he has gone?” she asked, drawing near to the grate. He did not look up. She noted the grayish, bloodless look of his neck and half averted cheek. “We were standing at the corner above the Massasolt house when Uncle Horace somehow felt his presence. That was not more than 10 minutes before I— What are you asking, Mary? Ex cuse me.” “Where has he gone?” she repeated “See here, Mary, I’m In for something nasty," he exclaimed, coming to his feet and running his hands Into his pockets once more. “I don’t know what to do. If I go to Uncle Horace now, Adam Carr will turn squarely against me. That’s plain. Somehow, I can't find it in my heart to blame him, either. I suppose I ought to consider his position as well as my own. On the other hand, I can’t go on this way any longer. It’s unbearable. I can’t even look at Uncle Horace and Aunt Rena without cursing myself for a beast Adam Carr has never let up on them— not for an Instant. He’s been a devil, so far as they are concerned. I should have stopped It long ago.” He threw himself Into a chair and stared, wide eyed, at the crackling, snnpplng logs. Mary stood at his el bow, looking down upon him, her eyes full of love and pity. Presently she laid a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t believo Uncle Horace can forgive you, Eric.” she said. “He can’t forgive me for letting It go on In the way It has,” he groaned. “Why, It’s been hell on earth for them, Mary.’ ’ "I pity them now,” she said simply. "I never can love them—never! But I do pity them. If there Is anything I can do, Errle dear, to make life easier, happier for them, I shall try my best to-r’ He did not look up, but as she hes itated he said quickly: “They don't want you to marry Jack Payson.” "Oh. Errle, can’t they overcome—” “There’s a great and sufficient rea son for their opposition, dear. Some thing you don’t understand, but I do. Adam Carr’s greatest triumph over Uncle Horace would come the day you married Jack Payson.” "I don’t understand,” she cried, be wildered. He checkod the impulse to blurt out the horrid truth, as he took It to be concerning John Payson. She loved the fellow. Why strike at a heart that was already sore and bleeding? Why add another cruel slash tp the wounds that perhaps were marking It for life? And then, up from some dark, secret recess of his own heart, came an astonishing throb of pity for John Payson; a curi ous revolt within himself. After all, what wrong had John Payson done? Why strike an innocent, unsuspecting man In the back? Why Inflict a wound that could never be closed? “It’s something that dates back to the time when Payson’s father was alive,” equivocated he. “He was lost at sea. Were they ene mies?” “I only know that Uncle Horace hated Jack Payson’s father." “Then why did he put Jack In the bank?” “Well, he got him out of It soon enough, didn’t he?” demanded her brother, hard put for explanations. She waited a moment. “There Is something you are holding back, Eric,” she said, closing here eyes. “How would you feel, dear, If I were to hint that Joan Bright isn’t what she ought to be?” "Joan!” he cried out. a new despair rising In his voice. He covered his eyes with his hand. “What will she thtnk when she hears what I have come to?” "If she loves you, she will not let anything come between,” said Mary, slowly, significantly. The true appeal In her words was lost on him. He walked over to the window' and stood there, star ing blankly out into the little garden. For a long time she kept her eyes on his straight, tense figure. Then she moved up closer to the Are, resting a hand on the mantelpiece as she looked down Into the writhing flames. Final ly her shoulders relaxed and drooped, and her whipped gaze went once more to the back of him who was so rocked and harassed. She crossed slowly to his side. "Eric,” she said, her voice very low and unwavering. "1 will give Jack up If It will make you happy. I—I shan't see him again.” "flood heaven, Mary you—you would do that?” he cried hoarsely. "Why, little sister, you—you! No, by heaven, you do not make me happy. You make me feel so small, so puny, so ashamed of—” "Don’t Eric, I beg of you!" She spoke rapidly, jerkily. "I mean It. I will try to make them a little bit hap pier than they are. I will do this for —-’’ She stopped In the middle of the sentence, the soft, warm glow in her eyes fading like a flash. In Its stead came an almost venomous glitter, com pletely transforming her lovely face. "But, wait! What am I saying? Why should I do this for them? They may try to hang you, Eric.” He took a long, deep breath. "I can’t stay in the house any longer, Mary. I’ve got to get out where I can breathe.” He started toward the door, catching up his hat as he passed by the table. "Where are you going?” she cried. "I don’t know—oh, anywhere. Lis ten! Can you hear the breakers? A mile and a half to Stone Wall. There’s a big sea running. Mary, I haven’t been on Stone Wall In six years. I’m going out there now. I’m going to face the thing I’ve dreaded all these years. He s out there somewhere. He hasn’t moved. It’s horrible to think of. But, m going to smash this contemptible rear, once and for all. I’ll be back by dinner time. Out there I can think it over, as Adam says. Don’t worry, dear, I will not—” "I am going with you, Erie,” she said quietly. i ,^® cried, but she was rush ■n* OK for her hat and mackintosh. Half an hour later they crossed the bleak, wind-blown stretch of meadow land and came out upon the rocks. They had not spoken in all this time. The stiff gale that blew in from the Atlantic drove the words back into their throats. A fine drizzle smote them In the face. They had not no ticed that it was misting when they left the cottage. “This way,” ho managed to say when they came to the forlorn coast road which wound through the rocks. "We’ll cross the bridge. If you care to look, Vou may see where he fell. The clump of vines, too.” She kept pace with him, uttering no word. They stopped In the middle of the bridge, leaning side by side on the stout, new rail to look down into the ravine. He pointed to the jagged rocks and then to the mass of vines behind which Chetwynd’s body had been secreted on that memorable day. Then they passed on, skirting Bud’s Rock, and bent their bodies against the gale that shrieked across the rocky waste. It was a chll, raw wind that beat in their faces and cut through the clothes they wore, an insistent wind that seemed bent on keeping them back from the brow of the cliffs. At last they stood at the edge of the sreat Stone Wall, with the ocean snarl ing madly at the crags, 200 feet below. Never had they seen the sea so wild, jo furious, so ugly. It came in. black md devilish, with none of the rol licking blues and greens that they were so used to seeing; nothing but great black things with hoary crests xnd foaming maws, crashing against the huge rocks that stood guard in front of the palisade, Bwirllng in be tween and bounding back again as if jurprlsed to find resistance so strong. A drab sky seemed to flatten itself like the low top of a circus tent over the whole world, sloughing off into a thick, impenetrable bank of fog which brougnt the bleak horizon ciosd to hand, and out of which slipped shad owy billows that took vivid shape as they raced into the arena. On they came with ever-increasing size and velocity, only to shatter themselves against the mammoth barrier that had Sefled them for ages and ages. They struck with splintering force, roaring like a thousand cannons, swishing with the mighty hiss of a hundred catar acts, and then ground their way back for another and mightier assault. The puny spectators at the top of the cliff braced themselves against Lhe wind and Btared out over the ma lestic foe of all mankind. Mary pointed to a vast cleft in the wall far to the eft; the fury there was greater than anywhere else, the struggle more sub lime. “It’s like a Paul Daugherty palnt ng. Eric. How terrible it Is today!” she cried in his ear. He was looking far out across the sounding waves, his eyes set on a certain spot in the shifting scape. "The sea was like a mill-pond that light, Mary. How different now. It jeems as though it is working up all this rage for my especial benefit. It’s a grewsome thought, but do you know [ have a feeling that—that our cousin s doing all this. He’s trying to burst the sides of that staunch old chest, lust as the genii of old tried to split the jar that the fisherman found and ipened. See! Follow my finger, Mary. 3ut there beyond Lord's Point, eight miles or more, where it’s S00 fathoms leep,—that’s where Chetwynd lies. No jea Is strong enough to move that coffin of his. It’s buried too deep. All the grave robbers in the world could lot snatch Chetwynd from the grave le’s in. No! He’s there forever and ;ver. Isn’t it horrible!” (Continued next week.) International Anarchy. From the Saturday Evening Post. Last July there was a thing called ln ernatlonal Jaw. True, at many points It ivas not exactly definable; but. In spite of .'ague and debatable boundaries here and :here, a very solid and definite body re nalned which was presumed to be blnd ng on all civilized nations. And on that incombatants and neutrals were as much entitled to rely as a man walking lown the street of his home town Is en lltled to rely on the rule that his property shall not be taken from him except by iue process of law. To assume that any belligerent can change the code of accepted International aw to suit Its own exigencies Is simply to throw the ewhole code Into the waste nasket and accept International anarchy. It is to put a neutral in the unhappy po sition of a traveler In Mexico, where the first man ho meets with a gun in his hand can declare whatever law he pleases and execute It on the spot. To say, for example, that International aw cannot apply to submarines because they were developed. In their present effi ciency, since the law was framed, Is as cogent as to urge that a belligerent would ne entitled to blow up a neutral's powder factory If It could do so with the new agency of an areoplane. If a nation Is ab lolved from International law because it Is “fighting for Its life,” theen any at tempt to set up International law Is only a. silly futility; for every nation that fights at all is always "fighting for its life.” Neutral nations can no more afford to hand the world over to belligerents to set up whatever rules their various exigencies may dictate than peaceful members of a community can afford to give a free hand to the truculent ones. Neutral nations are entitled to say to belligerents: “Shoot one mother If you Insist on It; but you must not shoot away our guaranteed rights." A century ago there was no German empire—only u number of German states whose aggregate wealth and in come were rrobably less than those of France. Now united Germany Is estl mated«jto possess an Income of nearly *10,000.000,000 and accumulated wealth of about *80,000,000.o00. During the cen tury Germany’s population has grown from 24.000,000 to mots than 67,000,000, or 1*0 per cent. i *■ Give the Children * The Goody That's Good For Them The best way in this world to spend a nickel ggj for refreshment is to get /■ I WRIGLEYS ) I wholesome, impurity-proof chewing gum. It’s made clean and kept clean. It’s wrapped in waxed paper and sealed. Its two delicious flavors are always fresh and full strength. ^ It is the longest-lasting, most beneficial and 0 pleasant goody possible to buy. It aids appetite ^ and digestion, quenches thirst, sweetens mouth 0 and breath. 0 Write for free copy of “WRIGLEY’S MOTHER GOOSE,” a ^ handsomely illustrated booklet in colors that will amuse ^ young and old and remind you of this Perfect Gum. # 0 In it the WR1GLEY SPEARMEN have acted ^ all the old familiar Mother Goose scenes to the ■0, “tune” of new jingles. Address Wm. Wrigley ^ Jr. Co., 1312 Kesner Building, Chicago. 0 p "Chew St after every meat" SKY MARAUDER IN AIRSHAFT Birds Cling Fearfully to Fire Escape While Sparrow Hawk Hovers Near. A servant maid in an apartment on the fourth floor of the Victoria, at Riverside drive and Ninety-seventh street, opened the kitchen window Monday morning and wondered why dozens of sparrows that were hud dling on fire escape and window sill did not take fright and scurry away. Then she glanced outward and up ward into the airshaft and discovered the reason. A sparrow hawk, sun glinting on its wings, was wheeling rapidly high up in the airshaft, but below the roof level. Occasionally, when the marau der’s keen eye glimpsed a sparrow which hadn’t taken refuge it darted like a flash. Twice while the maid watched the hawk made a capture and soared out of the airshaft. The air pirate worked for about two hours and disappeared shortly before noon, but it was at least half an hour later when the plump, brown spar rows recovered from the terror caused by the hawk’s appearance. SELF SHAMPOOING With Cutlcura Soap Is Most Comfort ing and Beneficial. Trial Free. Especially if preceded by touches )t Cutlcura Ointment to spots of dan druff and Itching on the scalp skin. These supercreamy emollients meet every skin want as well as every toilet and nursery want in caring for the skin, scalp, hair and hands. Sample each free by mail with Book. Address postcard, Cutlcura, Dept. XY, Boston. Sold everywhere.—Adv. It is said that woman, owing to her peculiar physical construction, is un able to jump—except at an offer of marriage. Electricity was first used in a mine In 1879, when a Scotch colliery was lighted with it Leaders of fashion always follow it Two Boys, a Cow and Two Calves. This is a short story of how two Vermont boys, still in their teens, have made some real money on a thor oughbred Guernsey. They paid $200 for the animal when she was two years old, and as their fatlrar was a banker and they were away to school a farmer was induced to keep the ani mal for them. They owned the cow a little over two years and during that time she had two calves. The boys found a ready market for the calves and have just sold the cow, the three animals having been sold for $525. The farmer charged them $125 for keeping of the stock and other ex penses and the boys will net $100 apiece from the transaction. The boys are quite satisfied with their invest ment and incidentally have become somewhat interested in life upon a Vermont farm.—Springfield (Vt.) Re porter. Roumania has a powerful army, well equipped and trained. The approxi mate war strength is 650,000. The man who is good at making ex cuses is seldom able to make good at anything else. A New York inventor has patented a child's muff formed like a doll. The man who marries a widow does not make a miss-take. Italy consumes less tobacco per cap ita than any other civilized nation. But talk isn't cheap when you hire a lawyer to do it for you. A woman with small feet may be vain, but she walks on her pride. The Terrible Turk. There are no old maids in Turkey. No wonder, then, that country has so many unhappy men.—Detroit Times. The Limit. “What a pessimist he is." “Yes, Indeed. Even misery shuns his company.” Electricity is being successfully used Id France to ripen cheese -,-v Prize Definition of Money. What is regarded as one of th» best definitions of money was given by Henry E. Beggs of Sheffield, Eng land, who was awarded a prize offered by a British weekly for the following philosophical wisdom: “An article which may be used as n universal passport to everywhere ex cept heaven and as a universal pro vider of everything except happiness.’* No Bookworm. “What works on political economy have you read?” “None,” replied Senator Sorghum. “Political economy is a science that tells you how a government ought to be run, but it doesn’t tell you how to get the votes that will enable you to run it.” “Two-Way” Masons. Members of the Chicago Craftsmen chapter of Operative Masons are Ma sons in two senses of the word. They are bricklayers and stone masons and are members of the Masonic order. About one-eleventh of the area of Africa, some 1,000,000 square miles, still awaits exploiation. University of Notre Dame A NOTRE DAME, INDIANA T Thorough Education. Moral Training. 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