........■' 1—I
|
I
i
j
CHAPTER TWO—(Continued.)
"You keep them here! la it
pafc, think you?”
"i don’t keep them here all
the time. Indeed, I got these from
the safe deposit only this morn
ing. I shall return them there
In a few days. While here, I shall
wear them all I can to liven them
up.” •’
“You brought a lot of your
other jewels, didn’t you, Aunt
Lucy?” said Pauline, casually.
"Why did you? Arc you going
. to a hall?”
"No. 1 wish to look them over
mid plan to have some reset.”
"But are they safe?” inquired
the Count again; "do you not
fear thieves?”
‘ No, we never have such
things as robbery in Merivale
Park. It is a quiet, well behaved
•leighborhood.”
{' "But you have a safe?” went
sin thy Count; "you take at least
that precaution?”
"Oh, yes, I have a safe in my
boudoir. There is really no dan
ger. Count Charlicr, would you
like to hear me sing? Find one
of my records, Gray.”
Miss Carrington’s singing voice
had been a fine one and was still
fair. She sometimes amused her
self Jiy making records for her
phonograph, and Gray flaviland
managed the mechanical part
j ^
"Which one, Lady Lucy?” he
asked, as he rummaged in the rec
ord cabinet.
jcial sectary, Miss Frayne, she
was scolded for everything she
did, right or wrong.
Often had the three young peo
ple declared intentions of leaving
Garden Steps, but so far none of
them had made good the threat.
Vanity was the key note of
Lucy Carrington’s nature, and,
knowing this, they could, if they
chose, keep her fairly sweet tem
pered by inordinate flattery often
administered. This proceeding
hurt their self respect, jarred
their tempers, and galled their
very souls, but it was that or dis
missal, and thus far they had
stayed. Matters were nearing a
crisis, however, and Haviland’s
patience was so sorely strained
that he was secretly looking for
another position. Anita Frayne,
whose pretty blonde doll face be
lied a very fiery disposition, was
on the verge of a serious break
with her employer, and Pauline
Stuart continually assured her
self that she could not go on this
way.
Pauline was the orphaned
daughter of Lucy’s sister, and
had lived with her aunt for many
years. Carrington Loria, the son
of another sister, was engaged in
antiquarian research in Egypt,
where he had been since his grad
uation as an engineer. He, too,
was an orphan and had lived with
Lucy in his younger days, and he
and Pauline were equal heirs to
their aunt’s wealth.
The father of the three Carring
ton sisters, having become an
gered at his two daughters, who
married against his wishes, had
left his entire fortune to Lucy,
his only remaining child. Thus
her niece and nephew were her
only direct heirs, and, save for
some comparatively small be
quests, the Carrington estate
would eventually be theirs.
Pauline well knew that if she
left her aunt’s roof it meant com
plete disinheritance, for Lucy
Any in unwiu ibc'v t ^
Bongs,” and Miss Carrington
glanced coyly at the Count.
“Here’s a fine one,’’ and Havi
larnl placed a disk iu the machine.
“Listen,” he said, smiling;
“don’t miss the introduction.”
The needle touched the record,
and Miss Imoy’s laugh rang out,
mi clear and true, it was difficult
to believe it was a recorded laugh
giul mit a sound from the lady
herself. Then the recorded voice
said : “This song is one of Carr’s
favorites, I’ll sing it for him.
And then, with only a few' sec
onds’ interval, Miss Carrington’s
voice sang: “Believe me, if all
those endearing young charms.”
It was well sung, and a perfeet
record, so that the incident of the
kingcr listening to her own voice
was interesting in itself.
“Capitalt” applauded the
Count, as it was finished. “It is
indeed pleasant to preserve one’s
Bongs thus. May I not some time
record my own amateur at
tempt?”
“Delighted to have you,
Count;” **aid Haviland cordially.
“Come over some morning, and
we’ll do up a lot of records.”
“Biuce when have you been
master here, Gray?” said Miss
Lucy, with fine scorn. “1 will
give the invitations to my own
bouse, if you please 1 Count Char
lier, if you will come tomorrow
afternoon, I will instruct Mr,
Haviland to make the records.”
It. was not so much the words
as the manner of their utterance
that was offensive, aud Haviland
set his lips in stifled anger. H
was not at all unusual, this soil
of rebuff! but he could not endure
it as patiently as the two girls
did. Haviland was a second
cousin of Miss Carrington, and
while he lived with her in the
capacity of a business sec re tare
and general man of affairs, the
post was a sinecure, for the serv
ices of her lawyer and of her so
cial secretary left little foi
Haviland to do. His salary w as i
generous' one and .he was substau
tiatly remembered in her will, bu
he sometimes fhought the annoy
ing and irritating fleers he had t<
accept smilingly were worth mor<
than -he was receiving. He wa
continually made to feel hitnsel
a dependent and an inferior.
These trials also fell to the lo
of the two girls. Pauline, al
though her aunt’s heiress to th
extent of half the fortune, th
other halt to go to an absen
cousin, was by no means treate<
as an equal of Miss Carringto
herself. It seemed to give th
elder lady delight to dominee
over her niece and in every pos
sib to way make her life uneas
and uncomfortable. As to the sc
Carrington was proud of her
beautiful niece, and, too, was fond
of her in her own way. But the
ungovernable temper of the lady
made her home an almost unbear
able abiding place.
Since childhood years Carring
ton Loria had lived there only
during his college vacations; but
had been back occasionally for
short visits from his now perma
nent Egyptian occupation. He had
always come laden with gifts of
oriental products, and the rooms
at Garden Steps showed many
rare: specimens of cunning handi
work and rich fabrics and em
broideries.
To break the awkward pause
that followed Miss Carrington's
rude speech to Gray Haviland,
Pauline picked up an antique
scarab and drew the Count’s at
tention to its inscription.
He expressed a polite interest,
but cast furtive glances at his
hostess, as if afraid of a further
outbreak.
Nor were his fears unjustified.
Miss Carrington administered a
scathing reproach to Pauline for
intruding herself upon the
Count’s attention, and bade her
put aside the scarab and hold her
tongue.
“Don’t speak to me like that.
Aunt Lucy; I am not a child!’
And Pauline, unable to control
herself longer, faced her angry
aunt with an air of righteous
wrath.
“I’ll speak to you as I choose
■ miss! It is for you to mend youi
, tone in addressing me! If you
don’t, you may have cause to re
; gret it. Count Charlier came her*
. to see me, and I refuse to eoun
i tenance your clumsy attempts tc
> engage his interest in your silly
i babble!’’
F “Rut—I insist—” stammerer
the greatly embarrassed Count
t “allow me, madame, let me say
- 1 call on you all—all-’’
» “Nothing of the sort!’’ de
3 dared Miss Lucy; “you came
t Count, to play bridge with us
1 Our opponents behaved so rudel;
i and played so badly it was im
e possible for us to continue th
r game. Nor can we enjoy musi
in this inharmonious-atmosphere
y Let us stroll in the conservatory
. you and I.”
She rose, 'railing her heavy
silks and flashing her sparkling
jewels, and the Count, a little
hesitatingly, followed her. They
crossed the great hall, and, going
through a reception room and the
delightful sun parlor, came to the
warm, heavily scented conserva
tory.
“Poor old Charlier!” said Hav
iland, as the pair disappeared;
“he’s in for it now! Do you sup
pose the palms and orchids will
bring him up to the scratch!
’Nita, I’ll bet you a box of gloves
against a box of simple little cig
arets that he doesn’t propose to
the lady tonight.”
“Done!” cried Miss Frayne,
who was sparkling again, now
that the dread presence was re
moved. “I doubt he can help
himself. She has him at her
mercy. And he’s too good man
nered to disappoint her wish.”
“He’ll propose,” said Pauline,
with an air of conviction. “He’s
a typical fortune hunter, that
man. Indeed, I am not sure he’s
a Count at all. Do you know, Mr.
Illsley!”
“I know almost nothing of the
man, save that he’s a guest of the
Frothinghams. That’s not en
tirely in his favor, I think.”
“Right you are!” agreed Havi
land. “Those people are—well,
they’re to be queried. But I say,
Polly, if the two do hit it off,
it’s grinding poverty for us, eh!”
“it may be a blessed relief,
Gray. She’ll give us something,
of course, and send us away from
here. I, for one, shouldn’t be
sorry to go. She is getting too
impossible!”
“She is!” put in Anita; “every
day she pounds us worse! I’d
like to kill her!”
The fierce words and would-be
menacing glance of the little
blonde beauty were about* as con
vincing as a kitten declaring him
self a war lord, and even the
stately Pauline smiled at the
picture.
“She ought to be killed,” de
clared Haviland, “and I say this
dispassionately. I wouldn’t do it,
because killing is not in my line,
bnt the eternal fitness of things
requires her removal to another
sphere of usefulness. She makes
life a burden to three perfectly
good people, and some several
servants. Not one would mourn
her, and-•”
“Oh, stop, Gray!” cried Paul
ine; “don’t talk in that strain!
Don’t listen to him, Mr. Illsley.
He often says such things, but he
doesn’t mean them. Mr. Haviland
loves to talk at random, to make
a sensational hearing. ”
“Nothing of the sort. Polly. I
do mean it. Lucy Carrington is
a misery dispenser, and such are
not wanted in this nice little old
world.”
14_i_>»
thoughtful, “the fault is in us.
We don't like her, and so we see
nothing good in what she does.
Now, Carrington Loria adores
her. She had a letter from him
today-”
“Yes, Loria adores her!” in
terrupted Haviland, “because he
doesn’t live with her! She sends
him love letters and money, and
he doesn’t know the everlasting
torture of living under her roof,
year in and year out! But he
caught on a little the last time
he was here. He said—well, in
his quaint Oriental fashion, he
said: ‘Gee! she’s the limit!’
That’s what he said.”
“Well, she is.” pouted Anita.
“I can’t do a Thing to suit her.
Today I wrote a letter over six
times before she was satisfied.
And every change she wanted
made was so foolish she wanted
it changed back again. She
nearly drove me crazy!”
“But I have to put up with her
morning, noon, and night,’
sighed Pauline. “You have your
hours off, Anita, but I never do
She even wakens me in the night
to read to her, or to help her plan
her new gowns.
“It is awfully hard for you,’
began Mr. Illsley, and then all
stopped short-, for the object ol
their discussion returned to the
room.
It was plain to be seen Miss
Carrington was in a state of sup
pressed excitement. She gigglec
almost hysterically, and tappec
the Count playfully on the am
i with her fan, as she bade him saj
good night and go.
The interested ones watching
[ her could not learn whether thi
; Count had declared himself oi
, not. The presumption was nega
tive, for, had he done so, surely
. Miss Carrington would have tolc
, the good news.
Charlier himself was distinctly
r noncommittal. Debonair sis al
- ways, he made his adieux, m
» more demonstrative to his hostes
j than to the others, and wen
. away. Illsley followed, and th
, household dispersed. The elocl
struck midnight as the ladie
went upstairs.
Following custom, they all
three went to Miss Lucy’s bou
doir. It was by way of reporting
for tomorrow’s orders, and was a
duty never neglected,
j The exquisite apartment, from
which opened the bedroom and
I bath, was softly lighted and fra
grant with flowers.
1 “How do you like Count Henri
CharlierT” Miss Carrington
quickly demanded of her satel
lites.
“Charming,” said the voluble
Anita. “Just a typical French
nobleman, isn’t heT And how he
adores our Lady Lucy!”
The whole speech rang false,
but the vanity of the lady ad
1 dressed swallowed it as truest
sincerity. “Yes,” she returned,
I “he is infatuated, I have reason
jto think. But—we shall see what
jwe shall see! Curb your impa
jtience, girls! You shall know all
;in due time.”
“Can I do anything for you,
Auntie, tonight or tomorrowT”
asked Pauline, and, though she
tried to speak with enthusiasm,
her tone did sound perfunctory.
“Not if you offer in that man
ner,” and Miss Carrington looked
at her niece coldly. “One would
think, Paidine, that it must be
an irksome task to do the smallest
favor for your aunt and benefac
tor! Do you feel no pleasure in
doing what trifles you can for one
who does everything for youf”
“I would feel a pleasure, Aunt
Lucy, if you were kinder to me.
But-”
“Kinder!” shrieked her aunt;
kinder! Girl, have you taken
leave of your senses T I give you
a home, fine dresses, money,
everything you can want, and you
ask me to be kinder to you! Go!
Never let me see you again, after
that speech!”
“Oh, auntie, don’t! I didn’t
mean-” v
“You didn’t mean to exasper
ate me beyond endurance T No,
of course you meant to stop short 1
of that! But you have done it.
I mean this, Pauline: tomorrow
you go elsewhere to live. No
longer will I give a home to such
a monster of ingratitude!”
“But, Miss Carrington,” and
Anita Frayne’s soft voice im
plored gently, “don’t be hasty.
Pauline didn’t mean-”
“What!” and Lucy Carring
ton turned on her, “you take her
part T Then you go, too! I want
no ingrates here. Leave me, both
of" you. This night is your last
beneath this roof! You are two
unworthy girls, to scorn and
slight the hand that has fed and
clothed you and given you luxury
and comfort such as you will
never see again! Go, I’ve done
with you! Send me Estelle. She,
at least, has some small affection
for me.”
mi. a_ i i . i»i. i.i___ mi_
x tic; in w guia icii me * uum. x iic
scene was not without precedent.
Before this they had been or
dered to leave the house forever,
but always forgiveness and rein
statement had followed. This
time, however, the Lady Lucy had
been rather more in earnest, and
the girls looked at each other
uncertainly as they turned to
ward their rooms.
Anita summoned Estelle, the
French maid, and theu told her
to hasten immediately to Miss
Carrington.
“Don’t undress me,” said the
mistress as the maid appeared;
“I’m not retiring at once. Get
me out of this gown and give me
a negligee and slippers.”
“Yes, mademoiselle,” and Es
telle deftly obeyed orders and
brought a white boudoir gown
edged with swans down.
“Not that!” cried Miss Car
rington. “Bring the gold em
broidered one—the Oriental.”
“Ah, the green one, from
Monsieur Loria!”
“Yes, the one my nephew sent
me at Christmas time. My, but
i it’s handsome, isn’t it, Estelle!”
“Gorgeous!” declared the
maid, and she spoke truly. Young
Loria knew his aunt’s taste, and
he had sent her a typical Egyp
‘ tian robe, of pale green silk,
heavy with gold embroideries. In
it Miss Carrington looked like
one attired for a masquerade.
“Shall I take down mademoi
selle’s hair!” asked Estelle, ling
ering.
“No. I want to be alone. I
will read awhile. You need not
return. I .will do for myself.”
• “There is your glass of milk,
. ma'mzelle, on the bed table.”
■| “Silly! I suppose I can see it
. for myself.”
-I “^es, ma’am. And you will
[ have your tea at 8 in the morn
ing!”
rj “Of course, my tea at 8, as
. always. You might remember
> that much yourself. But nobody
* remembers things for my com
t fort.”
51 “Pardon, but sometimes it is 8,
i and, again, it must be 8:30.”
} | (Continued Next Week.J
THOUSANDS OF YANKS
SEE PARIS EACH DAI
Paris (by mail).-—Probably the big
gest problem that the Young Men’
Christian Association has to face in tin
city of Paris is the housing of soldier
who flock to this city In thousands fo
24 to 48 hours leave. Every America!
boy who comes to France is eager ti
see the cit yof Paris, and the prices o
accommodations at the French hotel!
Is beyond their slender purses. Th<
Y. M. C. A. has several hotels when
for one franc a night they can get «
bed and a shower. Meals are serve<
at cost.
The Pavlllion is the largest of thesi
hotels, and the other night was full t(
overflowing. The other hotels In th<
neighborhood on the overflow list were
also crowdd to the limit. The office
also has a long list of rooms which
French families will rent to soldiers
The list was exhausted. Yet the mer
kept pouring in. Seventy-six mn took
off thir coats, rolls dthem up, made
them into pillows and slept on the flooi
of the "lounge room.” At il all lights
were out.
At 11:30 p. m. Miss Elizabeth Gil
man, of Baltimore, Md., who has
charge of the canteen service at the
Pavlllion thought she would call it a
day’s work and go to bed. But Just as
she was starting up stairs, she heard a
pounding on the door, and went to see
what it was.
She opened the door to find 34 en
listed men who ha dtraveled 18 hours
on a railroad train. They wanted cover
for the night, and “for the love of
Uncle Sam, sister, food of some sort."
She let them in, went upstairs and
called another canteen worker. To
gether they wnt into th kitchen and
stol the bred that was hidden in the
closts for morning. They found a key
to the storeroom and dragged out
canned meat to make into sandwiches.
They started a fire in the stove and
made hot chocolate, and the 34 boys
were fed.
Thent he two women went Into the
dining room with the tables all set and
ready for breakfast, and cleared away
those tables, and the men were only
too glad to roll up on them and on the
floor and sleep the sleep that only tired,
war weary soldiers can sleep.
This Is a situation that the Y. M. C.
A. meets from day to day, in spite of
the fact that it Is renting every avail
able vacant hotel in the city.
MANY ITALIANS MAY
EMIGRATE TO U. S.
BY HENRY WOOD.
United Preee Correspondent.
Rome, (by mail)—With the close of
the war, one of the most vital and
important questions Italy will have to
settle is that of emigration.
The basft on which this will be ad
justed between the United States and
Italy already Is receiving the most
careful study and attention by the
highest emigration and labor authori
ties of the two countries.
Despite the heavy losses Italy has
suffered during the war. she will never
theless finish the great European con
flict with something of a surplus of
male citizens, who heretofore have
constituted her greatest exportation to
foreign countries. This is due to a
number of reasons.
With the outbreak of the was in
1914, Italy, to be prepared for any em
ergency, immediately forbade departure
for foreign countries of any of her
sons of military age. This restriction
ever since has been in force, with the
result that Italy has within her bor
ders the hundreds of thousands of men
who, but for the war, would have emi
grated during the last four years.
In addition, with Italy’s entrance Into
the war, she called to the colors hun
dreds of thousands of other sons who
already had emigrated to Coreign coun
tries. These responded to a remarkable
degree, and have gone to swell the
number of men within Italy’s borders
who with the close of the war may de
sire to emigrate.
While the final basis on which Italian
and other foreign emigration to the
United States probably will not be es
tablished until a lony time after the
war, Italy in the meantime Is asking
for two concessions on behalf of her
emlbratlng workingmen.
The first of these Is that-all Italians
who returned to Italy from the United
States in response to Italy’s call to the
colors be allowed to return without re
striction or discrimination of any sort,
except for sanitary reasons.
The second concession Italy desires
at once is that the present clause in the
American emlbratlon law, forbidding
entrance of any emigrant who comes
under a labor contract, be set aside
provided the contract is one that has
been approved in advance either by the
American Federation of Labor or by the
state employment agencies of the vari
ous states.
With these two concessions Italy
feels that she can tide over the diffi
cult situation that will attend the de
mobilization of her millons of sons, un
til such a time as a more complete emi
gration basis can be established with
the United States.
Great Auk Extinct.
From the Baltimore American.
Eggs of any kind are expensive eftoftgh
nowadays, but those of the great auk are
so high—and not on account of the Wat
either—that only a millionaire could af
ford to buy a dozen. Indeed, it is doubt
ful if there are more than that many in
the world.
The great auk was a sea fowl that ir
former days had its most importanl
breeding place on a rock called Funk Isl
and, S3 miles off the Newfoundland cotot
Whalers provisioned their ships with the
birds (which were so fat that they are sale
to have been utilized as fuel), and fish
ermen stole their eggs by wholesale.
In consequence of such depredations the
species became extinct about 70 year;
ago, and today to represent it there are
only a few stuffed specimens and stole
tons in museums.
Envoy Ol’ Clo’ Man.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledgf.
M. Beltler, bolshevlst minister to Swe
den, has retired to private life, accord I nj
to an official telegram from Stockhalrr
recently, which added:
"He has opened a tailor shop and pttb
ltshed an advertisement saying that h(
makes old clothes as good as new, anc
that his prices are low."
Used to It.
From the Minneapolis Journal.
■ I’m used to carrying everything bef'*n
me.”
"And how do you like being I
waiter r
CANADA’S NEW
DEVELOPMENT
I
I
1 After the War a Period of Pros*
I perity.
j It la evident that the Government of
i the Dominion in its programme of re- ^
( construction and development is un
, dertaking a work of tremendous Im
, portance. There will be available the
I labor for work that has been silent
since 1914, and the rehabilitation of
1 this labor will entail the thought and
energy of most capable heads. The
\ transition period from war to peace
will be rapid and thorough, and, In
stead of Canada sinking Into a state
of lethargy, there will be a continued
period of wakefulness that will give
employment to the unemployed, and
render to the capitalist and producer
ample return for his money, effort
and enterprise.
The agricultural potentialities of
the great Canadian West possess illim
itable acres of the best of soil, capable
of producing millions of bushels of
the best of grain. The cost of grow
ing this is lower than any place on
the continent. There will be a greater
demand than ever for these lands, the
consequent production will be heavier
and the profits attractive. Cattle
Industry will be one of the chief de
velopments, and the encouragement of
it will lie in the-continued high prices
that beef products will bring. Euro- ‘■we
pean countries have been depleted of
cattle, and the demand for beef, cattle
«nd dairy products will tax the efforts
of the producer for years to come.
Western Canady offers unequaled
opportunities for development in this
line.
In the Canadian West plans are be
ing laid for the development of elec
trical power which can be produced
cheaply. There is an abundance of
coal and water power that could be
used in developing this useful energy.
What cheap power produced in this
way will mean to the farmer and de
velopment of industrial enterprises
cannot be estimated in figures.
More extensive development of the
water power at Niagara, on the St.
Lawrence and at waterfalls all over
the country, is ready to be launched.
Peace will see new mine fields
opened up, and it is equally certain
that shipbuilding, railway equipment,
steel production, and many of the in
dustries will go forward with a
bound.
Canadian Industries will be required
In the reconstruction of Europe, and
already the Canadian Government has
sent across the seas a commission for
the purpose of securing orders. Can
ada took an early and prominent port
in the war, and in the days of peace
will be found equally active. She feels
that by the valor and loyalty of her
people she has earned a large share
of the business and prosperity that
will follow the war period, and she
proposes to get It.—Advertisement
Crushed.
Artist—Just a little daub of mine,
you see, madam.
Lady—You are ontlrely too modest.
I call that quite a big daub.
The prices of cotton and linen have
been doubled by the war. Lengthen
their service by using Red Cross Ball 4
Blue In the laundry. All grocers, 5c. M
A locomotive engineer has to wbf V
tie for his pay.
Many of oar American women were un
able to take up the duties of nursing at - - ^
the front, but they should know how to
take care of their own at home, and for
this purpose no better book was ever
printed than the Medical Adviser—a book
containing 1,008 pages, and bound in cloth,
with chapters on First Aid, Bandaging
and care of Fractures, Taking care of the
Sick, Physiology, Hygiene, Sex Problems,
Mother and Babe, which can be bad at
most drug stores, or send SO cents to the
publishers, 863 Main St., Buffalo, N. Y.
The women at home, who are worn
out, who suffer from pain at regular or
irregular intervale, who are nervous or
dizzy at times, should take that reliable,
temperance, herbal tonic which a doctor in
active practice prescribed many years ago.
Now aold by druggists, in tablets and liq
uid, as Dr. Pierce’* Favorite Prescription.
Send 10c to Dr. Pierce’s Invalids’ Hotel,
Buffalo, N. Y., for trial package.
Sick people are invited to consult Dr.
Pierce by letter, free of charge. All cor
respondent* is held u ctiictly private sa]
confidential._ _
Colds Crow Better
snrpriatnffly soon, throat Inflammation disap*
pears, irritation is relieved and throat tick*
Ua£ stops, when yon use reliable, time-tested
"ISO’S