IThe Master Man By Ruby M. Ayres p ! ii .m ■ i ii . ~ " 1 *.xuW u.ii >011 know slit; had come home?” she asked him. “Mr. Rolf told you! Oh, Mr. Rolf told you!” There was a little note of sad ness in her voice. Patricia had only told her very briefly of that last interview with Michael, but she had guessed a great deal. “You will let me see her?” Chesney asked, eagerly. “Just for a moment. I won’t worry her.” “Just for a moment, then, and Mr. Chesney, you know that she is my daughter?” AT , 11 1.1 j uuiig luua iii;i uauu aiul raised it to his lips. “I am glad that you are her mother,” he said gently. The tears filled her eyes. She knew quite well what had brought him here in such haste, and why he looked so happy. She caught his hand, holding him hack when he would impatient ly have passed her. “Don’t hope too much, my dear,” she said, gently. “I’m hoping everything,” he answered, doggedly, and went on into the room where Patricia waited, shutting the door behind him. It seemed a long time before lie came out again. Patricia's sister heard his un certain step in the hall and came to say good-bye. She knew in stinctively that it was good-bye. He did not seem to hear her till she spoke his name. Then he turned and looked at her, his face was so white and haggard that she gave a little sorrowful cry and caught at his hand. ,L “It’s my own fault,” he said, trying to* smije. “I had my chance once—wTecks ago, and threw it away. It’s my own fault.” Then he saw the tears in her eye? that were so like Pa tricia’s, and he gave the kind lit tle hand that held his a hard • squeeze. “Don’t be sorry for me,” he said, huskily. “It’s all right.” She followed him to the door, and as he was goiug she asked a faltering ques tion. “And shan’t I see you again -—ever!” ; He loolcod haek at her, a lit tle ghost of Patricia she was in the subdued light of the hall, and for a moment his sore heart warmed as he beent and kissed her fingers. „ “If I ever come back it will be for you,” he said, and the next moment he was gone. Mi\hael spent another sleep less night. The faithful Jenkins, tip-toe ing more than once to his mas ter ’a door, h card him tossing and turning and groaning. Once he ventured in, hut Mich ael snapped at hinrso, lie did not dare to repeat the experiment. Jfenkins put it all down to the sprain-^-he had had one himself andLfhought he knew. lie would have been incredu lous" had he known that the ache of the sprain was as nothing compared with the ache at Mich ael’s heart. lie had sent Patricia away, and he had sent Chesney after her, and lie believed that, out of pique, if for no other reason, Pa tricia would at last consent to marry him. First thing in the morning he rang Chesney up. He was in and answered the ’phone him irdf. that you, Bernard! Mich ael Rolf speaking.” A pause. Michael counted the-* seconds by bis thudding heart beats. Then, he said again: “Look here old chap, cafi you come around for half ap hour! This counfounded foot ties me to the houje. What! You can’t — going away! Where- are you going!” _ * ‘ To the dev0!” said Chesney, savagely, and rang off. Michael dragged himself back to his chair, lie felt chocked by the enormity of his relief. Pa tricia had refused Bernard. He knew it as surely as she herself had told him. After a moment he recovered sufficiently to shout for Jenkins. ‘‘Send for a taxi—l’iu going put.” Jenkins stared. ‘‘But your foot, sir! The doc tor said—” ‘*l’m going out anyway! Are you going to help me get down stairs. or have I got to slide down the banisters!” Jenkins capitulated, lie went the whole way to Kensington wjftk his master and landed him Ju safely at Mrs. Smith’s house. “Would you like me to wait, sir?” he asked deprec.otingly, * when Patricia’s sister opened the door. Michael laughed nervously. “No, I should not,” he said decidedly. He looked at the girl. “Patricia?” he said, and could say no more. She looked towards the clos;d door of the room where Michael had first interviewed Mrs. Smith, and took a step forward. “I’ll tell her.” Michael stopped her. “I’ll tell her myself,” he sard. He held her head back so that he could see into her eyes. “Am I your master?” he asked. Her eyes closed. “I think you always have been,” she whispered. “Even that first day when Mr. Rolf died and you bullied me so.” “You hated me then, Patri cia.” ‘Did I? I am not so sure.’* “And last night?” he said presently Why did you come to me last night? No, it’s no use hiding your face; I want to see your eyes when you answer me.” The lovely colour flushed her cheeks, but she answered steadi ly: “Because I knew that I loved you—because I knew that. I could never be happy—any where—without you.” “ I was a brute to you, Patri cia.” “I deserved it all,” she ans wered. “Oh, Michael, but it was like dying when you sent me away.” “You ran aw’ay from me twice before,” lie reminded her. “That was because ~I loved you,” she answered. He laughed softly. “A queer way to show love, sweetheart.” There was a little silence. “Why did you go to the Shackles for dinner that night?” she asked suddenly. “Why did you make such a point of it in your letter to me?” ‘4 Because I hoped yon would hate it. I wanted you to hate it.” ’• 8he gave a little quick sigh. “Oh, I hated it right enough. Michael?” ~ » “Yes, my queen.” “Bernard Chesney came here yesterday.” His arms tightened around her. * “I know. What did he say to you?” “He said what you haven’t said yet: ‘I love you.' ” “There’s no need for me to say it,” he answered. “I’ve been saying it in deeds ever since I first knew you.” “You didn’t lovo me when you shook me last night. “I did—I adored you.” She laughed, Waning her cheek against his coat. “I don’t ahvays want to be adored that way, please.” “You shall be adored in all ways—in every way; and, Pa tricia—” “Yes.” “Yes—what?” Michael de manded. A little gleam of mischief swept across Patricia’s face. “Yes, my lord and master,” she said softly. THE END Iowa was among the states represent ed at a birth giontrot conference held In Chicago recently. Social control of population in the interest of world wel fare and conservatism in education to ward that end were urged. “Wild BUI," is dead. Some of hls former associates murdered him. He was found on hls mother’s birthday, one shoe on and one shoe off, at the end of a whisky debauch. There were 10 bullets in him. . Three he got some years ago, four he got In a fight last January. Three were shot into him by the men that ended his life. Hls wife, who changed a $60 bill to pay for a taxicab, said: "At that, 1 think Bill would have recovered if they hadn't smashed in hls head." Who can say what "Wild BUI" might have been and done If he had had hls chance to be useful as a-child, instead of merely having hls chance to kill the enemy and win the Dis tinguished Service Cross, which came too late to reform him? Duguesolin or Bayard, bjprn and •treated as was this dead gunman,* might have ended as he did. Dr. Wilbur, president of the Ameri can Medical Association and of Le land Stanford University, says medi cal aid should be supplied to all the people. If doctors could apply all they know to all the peoplfe life would be prolonged, human happiness in J creased, the whole outlook and order of life altered. Marriage statistics in England show that there is a marked decrease of cere monies where widows figure as brides XRK&ffi 1 Desert Dust By Edwin £. Sabin J Author of “ftow Are You Feeling?” etc. JT^;ii(HfliiiBa»W[!>liiH!!!niiiiiimntn;ii!iii.iiii)i!ii‘iiii:n[i!ii;i.iiimitii!imi^i:'ni:;[i!:!in.i!ii;imi'iiiiiiiiiiiii.ri;i);!tii!iiiiiam)iWwiiiiii!i;iiii,ii:i:;ii[:nii'iiii'ir"'nn'ffiiiiiwiBt!iiimmiiiBi As seemed to me, the ticket agent would have detained her, in defiance of the waiting line; but she finished her business shortly, with shorter replies to bis idle remarks; and I turned away under pretense of examin ing some placards upon the wall advertising “Platte Valley lands” for sale. I had curiosi ty to see which way she wended. Then as she tripped for the door, casting eyes neither right nor left, and still fumb ling at her reticule, a /join slip ped from her fingers and rolled, by good fortune, across the floor. TT a . • . • x was alter it instantly; taught it, and with best bow presented it. “Permit me, madam.” She took it. “Thank you, sir.” Yor a moment she paused to restore it to its company; and I grasped the occasion. “I beg your pardon. You are going to Benton, of Wyoming Territory?” Her eyes met mine so com pletely as well-nigh to daze me with their glory. There was a quizzical uplift of her frank, arch smile. “1 am, sir. To Benton City, of Wyoming Territory.” “You are aquainted there?” I ventured. “Yess, sir. I am acquainted there. And you are from Ben ton?”. “Oh, no,” I assured. “I am from New York State.” As if anybody might not have known. ‘'But I have just purchased my ticket to Benton, and—” I stammered, “I have made bold to wonder if you would not have the goodness to tell me some thing of the place—as to ac commodations, and all that. You don’t by any ehance hap- ! pen to live there, do you?” “And why not, sir, may I ask?” She challenged. I floundered behind her query direct, and her bewildering eyes and lips—all tantalizing. “I don’t know—I had an idea —Wyoming Territory has been mentioned In the newspapers as largely Indian country—” “At Benton we are only six days behind New York fash ions,” shq smiled. “You havv not been out over the railroad, then, I suspect. Not to N >rth Platte? Nor to Cheyenne?”* “I have ngVer been west, of Cincinnati before.” “You have surely been read ing of the railroad? The Paci fic Railway between the East and California?” 4,Yes, indeed. In ^ct, a friend of mine, named Stephen Clark, nephew of the honorable Thurlow Weed formerly of Al bany, was killed a year ago by your Indians while surveying west of the Black Hills. And of course there have been accounts in the New York papers. ” “You are not on survey ser vice? Or possibly, yes?” “No, madam.” “A pleasure trip to end of track?” She evidently was curious, but I was getting accustomed to questions into private matters. That was the universal license, out here. ‘ ‘ The pleasure of finding • health," 1 laughed. “I have been advised to seek a location high and dry." “Oh!" She dimpled adorably. “I congratulate you on your choice. You will^make no mis take, then, in trying Benton. I can promise you that it is high and reasonably dry. And as for accommodations—so far as I have ever heard anybody is ac commodated there with what ever he may wish," She dart ed a glance at me; stepped aside as if to l£ave. “I am to understand that it is a city!" I pleaded. “Benton!” Why, certainly. All the world is flowing to Ben ton. We gaiped three thousand people in two weeks—much to the sorrow of poor old Chgyenne and Laramie. No doubt there are five thousand people there now, and all busy. Yes, a young man will find his opportunities in Benton. I think your choice will please you. Money is plentiful, and so are the chances to spend it.” She bestowed upon me another sparkling glance. “And since we are both going to Benton I will say ‘Au revoir,’ sir.” She left me quivering. “You do live there!" I be sought, after; and received a z nod of the goldgn head as she entered the sacred Ladies’ Wait ing Room. Until the train should be made up I might only stroll, restless and strangely buoyed, with the vision of an entranc ing fellow traveler filling my eyes. Summoned in due time by the clamor “Passengers for the Pacific Railway! All aboard, going west on the U nion Pacific!” here amidst the platform hurlyburly of men, women, children and bundles I had the satisfaction to sight ths black-clad figure of My Lady of i the Blue Eyes; hastening, lik<} the rest, but not unattended— for a brakeman bore her valise and the conductor her parasol. The scurring crowd gallantly parted before her. It was promptly closed upon her wake; try as I might I was utterly un able to keep in her course. Obviously, the train was to be well occupied. Carried on wil ly-nilly I mounted the first steps at hand; elbowed on down the aisle until I managed to squirm aside into a vacant seat. The remaining half was at once ef fectually filled by a large, stout, red-faced woman who formed the base of a pyramid of boxes and parcels. My neighbor, who blocked all egress, was going to North Platte, three hundred miles Westward, I speedily f->und out. And she almost as speedily learned that I was going to Be* ton. She stared, round-eyed. “I reckon you’re a gambler, young man," she accused. “No, madam. Do I look like a gambler?" “You can’t tell by looks, young man," she asserted, still suspicious. “Maybe you’re on spec,’ then, in some other way.” “I am seeking health in the West, is nil, where the climate is high and dry.” “My Gawd!" she blurted. “High and dry!” You’re goin’ to the right'place. For all I hear tell, Benton is high enough and dry enough. Are your eye teeth peeled, young man?” “MV eye-teeth?" I repeated. I hope * so, madam. Are eye teeth necessary in BcutonJ" “Peeled, and witjj hair on ’em, young man," she assured. I guess you’re a pilgrim, ain’t you? I see a leetle green in your eye. No, you ain’ti a tin horn. You’re some mother’s boy, jest geetin’ away from the trough. My sakes! Sick, tqo, eh? Weak lungs, ain’t it? Now you tell me: Why you goin’ to Benton?” There was an inviting kind ness in her query. Plainly she had a good heart, large in pro portion with her other bulk. Vlt’s the fartherst point west that I can reach by railroad, and everybody I have .talked with has recommended it as high and dry.” \ “So it is," she nodded; and chuckled fatly. “But law sakes, you don’t need to go that fur. You can as well stop off at North Platte, or Sidney or Chey enne. They’ll sculp you sure at Benton, unless you watch out mighty sharp.” “How so, may I ask?” (Continued next week.) Without,questioning the sincerity of Wizard Evans, it might be ap propriate to suggest careful analysis and proof, as, for Instance, when he says “to Catholics the presidency at Washington Is subordinate to the priesthood »at Rome.” What makes the United States prosperous? High wages. Cytroen, the greatest French manufacturer of automobiles, says everybody in France ought to have his own automobile. The trouble is "in Ameri ca the workman, saving one day’s pay a week, can buy an automobile with the money at the end of the year. In France it would take a Frenchman’s ENTIRE SALARY for two years." If you want a good crop, put water and fertilizer,on the land. If you want a prosperous country, put good wages in the pockets of those that work. It all comes back to Che big people $10 for one. “Wild Bill” Lovett was born in the slums. When he was a little boy policemen chased him, bigger boy* hit him. When he grew up. he chas ed, but killed. When war came he went in, was disabled, won the Dis tinguished Service Cross for bravery. Then he “reformed” decided to be a hero, since the newspapers sug gested it. But, as David Warfield said many years ago, “a hero is not a business.” ——— f That millions should die unneces sarliy is a crime against civilization and common sense. The agricultural department advises free of charge the ownet of a young pig, an old horse or a sick cow. There ought to be some department equally interested | In tbe health of human beings. Get it in the new large size carton “I’m Hi town. Honey!’” You*ll like the new carton of Aunt Jemima Pancake Flour. It holds nearly three times as much as the regular package; more economical. Much more convenient than a sack; no spilling; protects the flour. Ask your grocer; if he doesn’t have it he can get it for you. Aunt Jemima __Pancake Flour USE RADIO IN RESCUE WORK Series of Experiments Are Being Car ried on at Colliery in England. In the near future radio telephony will probably play an Important part In the work of colliery rescue parties. As the rescuers carry out their duties, constant communication will be kept up with those directing operations from a base. That is the object un derlying a series of experiments being conducted at Ashlngton colliery in England. A considerable measure of success has already attended their efforts, and quite recently speech and music were successfully received un derground. A party equipped with a three-tube receiving set descended the shaft of the Carl pit and fixed a 20 foot aerial on the bulks supporting the roof. Only one head phone was used, but so clear was the reception that the five men composing the party all heard distinctly. Experiments have already been carried out to depths of 300 yards, and it Is expected to test reception at depths of 1,000 yards.—Scientific American.^ Record Mountain Climbing. A record of climbing 36 mountains at the rate of one every day has been made by —let’s get through with it.—Boston Evening Transcript. While you many know a spinster like a book, It isn’t nice to remind her of the fnct that she is on the shelf. j RICH IN WITCHCRAFT LORE1 __ Library at the University of Cornell i Has Complete Collection in This Line. The library of Cornell university Is said to contain the most complete col-j lection of witch and witchcraft literal ture extant. Taking his text largely from this collection Hendrick Van! Loon toils many interesting facts about this superstition which was re sponsible for the loss of so many thou sands of innocent lives, in the persecu tion of whom, for once, both Prot-[ estant and Itomnnist co-operated, and j it is difficult to say which was the more energetic. The mention of Salem, Mass., is al most sure to bring thonghts of witches. Indeed, this quaint New England vil lage offers almost the only instance in this country where witches were tor I tured for their supposed witchery. Compared with the activities of other j countries, however, Salem’s record was small, amounting to but about 20 vic tims over a period of 100 years, while in Europe, about the same time, one judge alone is credited with sentencing 15,000 persons to death by torture on charges of witchery.—£>etroit News. ODD SEA MONSTER IS FOUND It Is Eight Feet Long and Resembles an Eleohant Without a Trunk and a Whale. There has been exhibited in Buenos Aires what South American scientists! believe to be a hitherto unknown seal monster, captured some twenty-five; miles from the coast near Mar deli Plata, It was at first supposed to-be ai * slid less sea turtle, but expert examl-j nation shows this is not the case. i ~ It resembles rather an elephant with- j out a Irunk, or, more properly, an; .enormous elephant’s head with ears al most perfectly identical with those of! that animal. It also has some features! simllaf to those of a whale. Its color is brown, the mouth Is large and spherical. i It is nearly eighty feet long and ap proximately* four and a half feet la ^ diameter. It has two vertical fins be hind, one above and one below, remote ly suggesting the screws of a propel ler. The flesh is almost as elastic as 1 rubber.—Living Age. Test This Out for Yourself— i MANY people who drink coffee regularly are I. troubled with insomnia; or they fed nervous, “headachy,” or suffer from indigestion. j It may be hard for such men and women to believe sJ that coffee is responsible for the way they feel. Be- - cause they have always drunk coffee, it hardly seems possible that this old habit could cause trouble. But therels one sure way to find out whether cof fee is harming you. Just stop its use for a week or so, and drink Postum. j Postum is a pure cereal beverage—absolutdy free from caffeine, the drug in coffee, which disturbs the health and comfort of many.- ,■ - After a week or two on Postum, you will sleep j better and feel better; then your 6wn good judgment should decide whether you go back to coffee or con tinue on the Road to Wellville with Postum. > . •» . : „ " *> V I Sold by grocers everywhereI j Postum ■ I R , h'oetum in two forma: want roetum [in tins] prepared in stantly in the cup by the addition of boiling water. Pcstum Cereal [in pack agss] lor those who prefer the flavor brought out by bailing fully 20 minutes. The cost of either form is about one-half cant a cup, % 3'nMHPi 8 ", , -v I ■ i ■ .in i , „ a • ' ™ * '•