I. .'d'J J
a. m i "wr. w if f
CHAPTKK XXIII.
ANOTHEK VILE PI.OT.
No oooner had Groundwig disparted
on bis mission of crime than Mann'ng
t himself to prosecuting plans for
his ruarriat'e and bridal tour with re
newed activity.
lli first thought was to persuade
Alary to name ao earlier day for the
nuptials, and to this end he usMtfnud
as a reason a desjiuti ti from some for
eign mercantile house, offering him a
splendid mition with a large salary,
provided he could report for duty at a
certain day, naming a time that would
require his departure within two or
throe days.
He concluded ho could not five
Mary such a reason for consenting to
cuung-; mii; uuy uxeu ior wie weuuing
without danger of exciting her suspi
cions that all was not right, so he would
trust Gro.indwig.
Mary and several of her Intimate
friends suggested that the wedding
should be at li o'clock in the evening,
that it should be made a gala day as
far as jsmsible, and that the invitations
should 1m; general, and the ceremony
public.
It was arranged that the beautiful
lawn in front of the house should be
the place, and the Episcopal clergyman
in charge of the church at the County
Seat should lie invited tosolemni.oth'e
marriage.
' Mary and her assistants at once be
gan making preparations for the great
vent. The wedding trosseau was se
lected, and nimble fingers fashioned
and fitted the bride's gown, Jt wits
white silk, without trimmings or deco
rations or ornaments of any kind. Ar
rayed in white, she was the prettiest,
and in white she looked the more the
bride.
It was ono of the loveliest days in
June.
In and around the Nordrum homo
stead from early morn ail was
confusion, and everybody about
the premises was on the stir,
crowding and pushing and trying to
help do something. Mary bad retired
to her chamber, and, assisted by her
dressing maid, proceeded to arrange
her toilet.
This pleasing and exciting task com
pleted, and the compliments of the
ride's maids lavishly bestowed upon
her, she asked to be "left alone until
time to proceed to the altur.
During the days the prospective
bride and her friends had been making
these preparations, Manning had by no
means Wen idle. With him they were
days of excitement, fear, doubt, and
rejoicing, and almost the last moments
were moments of inexpressible anxiety,
overwhelming him with apprehensions
of the greatest possible evil.
He first learned of Louis' arrival in
New York dv the receipt, as operator,
of the two mesHagcs I-ouls had sent his
mother and Mary. These dispatches i
were quickly destroyed.
Then Groundwig " had conveyed to
hire the glad tidings of 1niis' convic
tion of grand" larceny and the live
years' sentence to hard labor in the
penitentiary.
Such glorious news almost made his
heart burst with joy. Five years as
sured him in which to bask in Mary
Nordrum's love without fear or danger
of his great crime iieing discovered.
Groundwig would no doubt hasten back
to receive in person the promised re
ward. The money would be ready for
him, and never would money be more
cheerfully paid to him who earned It.
Things were surely running smoothly
now, thought Charles Manning. Had
he the arranging of them, they could
not have been more to his liking. The
morning came. With the going down
ot the sun all his plans would bo con
summated. His successor had been named to
take charge of the telegraph office,
and his employers were complimenting
Manning on so closely attending to
business as to insist on remaining at
bis post until the last moment.
He did not intend to let go any of hii
resources until they were all ex
hausted, or until there could bo no oc
casion for using them. Hunning over
In his mind in a half dreaming man
ner, the thrilling event of the iaat
year, he was aroused by the click,
click, click, of the instrument before
him.
The name of Silas Groundwig conies
clicking over the wire. The operator
starts us though shot.
What person in New York is tele
graphing Groundwig?
Ev n the message itself does not an
swer the question. Nor does Manning
care who the sender is. The dispatch
itelf is of the moat startling charac
ter. It comes liko the lightning from
a cloudless sky. It may be the climax
of the whole revolting scheme.
Not a word of it Is put on paper, but
every syllable is hurried Into Manning's
oil I
(iovarnnr pardoned ibat fallow on tba Uoth,
and h went We.t on tha vr lb laUM
Blgbt. ' Tin."
Manning's brain worked fast and
keen.
A hasty glance at the time table, a
quick scanning of the column of fig-urea,
and It wum clear to see that unless
komcthlng happened or was made to
ham en. and that too, at once. Patter
son would reach Handy Lake a full
hour before the time fixed for the
niarrUge lere nony to take place.
New, then, whore wan Groundwig
His services were needed now a they
were never needed be 'ore. The morning-
ex pi en waa due in a few minute.
undwiif must be on that. In an
other minute the train pulled in and
pulled out, ana Groundwig was the
on'y passenger that alighted. A whis
pered conference was held tietween
the two, and while talking' Manning
caught enough of a dispatch that was
go ng ever the wire to make him yell
with tiujight.
Gronndwig." exuHingly exclaimed
Manning, "God in Heaven approves of
my acts. The next west ixiiu.d train
has u.et with an accident, and will Ik'
at least four hours late. That train is
the one Patterson must connect with
at Jamestown. I shall !e married and
on the south-bound train, and lifty
miles away bj'ore ho can reach this
station. 'ho si.vs now that fortune
don't favor the brave, no matter what
thev t o, if their conscience approves
their acts'"
"Groundwig, I have won on every
side. Mary Nordmun once my wife 1
will be to her such a devoted loving
husband she will never have tauseto
think she has been decevied. I will
Ihj her slave. Yea, I will die for her.
If necessary, I will die to keep her
from marrying another. Hut enough
of this. Meet me here in an hour and
I will have the money for you that I
promised."
'There comes the purchaser of my
farm for the deed: he brings the pur
chase price with him. Go, now, and
come at the hour named."
The trade was completed, the money
paid, and Manning, jumping into his
buggy, drove to the Nordnum ularc,
where he met Mary who appeared
somewhat depressed; but in the excite
ment he paid little attention to it. and
telling her the sale of his farm had
been consummated, that all the prep
arations had been made for the bridal
tour, that the south-bound train was
reported on t'me, he hurried back to
meet his engagement with Groundwig.
The new operator was now in charge
of the station. Groundwig, disguised,
and hideous, was there impatient and
nervous.
Manning came in hurried and ex
cited. Ho handed his faithful accomplice a
roll of banknotes in full satisfaction of
all services rendered, and as ho
turned the operator remarked as
though telling an item of ordinary
news that the road was just ordered
clear of ail trains for a 8oeial. '
Manning, excitedly and confessedly
anked: j
"How far Is the line to bo cleared."
"To this station." !
"A freight or passenger?"
"Neither, a locomotive and tender."
"When does it start?"
"This moment -three thirty."
Not another word was said.
Groundwig had been an attentive
listener to every word. He understood
well what It all meant.
More villainy for him.
More labor of love to appease his
own hate. Both men stepped out upon
the platform. "Clear the track to
Sandy Ijike," rung In Manning's ears
like a funoral dirge at a weeding. The
most onimous words of all that had
paasod over the wires since this bold
conspiracy was set on foot.
A special for Louis Patterson and at
that moment It must be whirling west
ward at its greatest possible speed.
At this last hour should he, Charles
Manning, bo foiled and cheated of tho
hand of her he loved better than life?
Never!
There is still one more chance. Now
then, for the most desperate means to
meet tho most deserate case.
"Groundwig, for God's sake got your
brains to working quickquicker than
ever before! That Is Louis Patterson's
special. Yes, I know, and I know you
know already what I am going to pro
pose. "That special will make a mile a
minute. In the store-room you will
find an auger, a saw and a hatchet.
Put them in one of those bags. 1 will
hand you a package of giant powder.
"Number 4 has orders to run to Had
ley, twelve miles, and side-track for
special -mars ner winsiio, quicK now,
not a second to spare; go vo learns
M ills, a mile this side of Had ley, you
know tho bridge at the end of that
sharp curve, the froight will lie slow
ing up there, so you will have no
trouble in getting oft, bore a hole
jump aboard blow the bridge to "
and tho train and Groundwig were on
their way to Hadloy.
Groundwig was faithful to the last.
He did his work well. Ho had a full
hour in which to do his job.
He first cut the wires in two differ
ent places. The bridge was on the
bottom, quito a high elevation of land
on one side, and thick woods on the
other, so thcro was no danger of being
discovered in his nofarious work.
Ho- would not be interrupted by
trains, for none could move in either
direction until the special had passed.
When all was ready he set fire to the
fuse, and almost before the smoke had
cleared away the locomotive rounded
the curve, slowed up, and stopped
within a few feetof the wrecked bridge.
The miscreant who had done the
deed was seen to plunge into the for
est and disappear.
The engine was run back to the sta
tion, the alarm given, and, under the
lead of the superintendent, a posse well
armed, and several men mounted on
horseback, started in pursuit of the
would-be murderer.
The chase was a short one.
The desperado was soon surrounded,
and. as he drew a revolver to intimi
date his pursuers and resist arrest,
half a down guns were leveled at his
head, and Silas Groundwig, with all
his deep, black crimes on bis soul gave
up tho ghost.
The moment Groundwig had hoarded
the train. Manning felt that tho lust
obstacle In the pathway to tho hand of I
his betrothed had men overcome, tie
felt be could trust Groundwig to do
that work, and do It effectually. From
his standpoint ho had fought against
fearful odds, had contended against a
batalllon of fates, and at last was vic
torious. All day lone startling incidents had fol
lowed one after the other with painful
rapidity, and now wan come the trying
event of all. He at once arranged his
toilet with excellent taste and the ut
most care, and when completed to hit
pleasure, he looked every Inch the
happiest of bridegrooms.
His wonderful will-power had en
abled him to conceal all outward
evidence of his excei-ilye nr ous ex
citement, which would lifcvt exhausted
that power, and prostrated even a
stronger man. had not the prize been
tbe baud of Mary Nordrum.
TO HE OONTI.VIKD.J
Havoc of a Woman's Glance.
She was a piiueut little octoroon,
with a pretty face and etylish attire.
As she started from the curb at a
i busy junction near the Brooklyn City
' Hall she gave a pert glance at a well
dressed colored man who happened to
i bait beside her, and he turne" t.i
; cross the street, Ukj. Thegirl re;1
the opposite curb just as the
reached the Piiddle ot the ttreel
as she turned to walk on she guv
other roguish glance and a toss
head and hurried out of sight
...HI
rid
ui-
.1 T
i'lia
man's attention was attracted lu tl.e
girl and bo failed to note a swift y
approaching trolley car until it ovm f
ran hlai down; then he made a wii I
leap which would have done credit to
1 a circus clown, and landed on t he
curb on his bands and knees.
1 A heavy two-horse team was com
Ing in the other direction; the driv
er's attention wjs attracted from his
horses to the antics of the man and
one ot them slipjied and went down
i on its knees. A few yards behind
the team was a trolley road switch,
and the switchman's attention being
diverted to the stumbling team, he
i neglected to turn the switch, and al-
lowed a- car that should have turned
' olT there to run several yards on the
1 wrong track. Another car, following,
! ran over the switch, other behind it
were halted, and at least four cars In
all had to hack to allow the first car
, to take the switch. Then, as the
second car of the string started to
; hack rather suddenly it barely es
caped collision with a car running
: Into the switch from the branch, and,
: narrowest shave of all, came within
a hand's breath of running down an
elderly tuan who was crossing the
street, and who became confused by
tho shouting and the irregular move
ments of the cars. And all this the
, havoc of a woman's eyes. New York
Sun.
.l-:ihctlcs as to Meats.
Late advices from Europe bring the
intelligence that Oscar Wilde does
not approve of butcher shops. "They
are opposed to all a-sthetic prin
ciples," savs he. "They should be
kept hid underground and the meat
should be photographed, so thai, when
customers wish to buy they can ask
for pictures of the best chops and
steaks and choose therefrom without
offending their eyes and noses." This
Is certainly an Ingenious suggestion,
and we have no doubt that our had
ing butchers will act upon it. Aside
from the a'sthctics of it the new way
of marketing will do much for tho
art of photographing. Instead of
going a long way to the meat market
Saturday forenoon the woman w.ll
simply telephone Friday night for
"proofs of tho t est sparerlbs," or will
inquire If "the negatives of thoe
sausages we had last winter" are stl 1
preserved. Further stimulus will lie
given to experiments in uhotography
by persons who dote on sweet-bre.ids,
kidneys, tripe, and liver. For, by
persuading calves, sheep, and pigs to
gwallow small cameras, and then tak
ing electric ila h light views cf their
Inside, butchers can furnish photo
graphs of those viands months ahead
of tho season. Tbe experiment is
well worth trying. Buffalo Courier.
Geographical Joke.
The Japanese are a very polite peo
pie, but they sometimes like to play
a joke, in a roundabout, Oriental
way, .ipon the men of the West. In
the days of the second Empire I'.aron
Gros was sent to Japan to demand
the opening of certain ports to
French coinaierca Among the rest
he named to the Japanese ministers a
certain city.
The Japanese functionaries smiled
so broadly when be preferred the re
quest that the French Ambassador
asked tnem to tell him what gave
them so much amusement; but In
stead of answering, tbe Japanese
minister said:
"We will open the port in ouestlon,
my lord, if Franco, In her turn, will
open a certain port to us."
"Wnat port is that?" asked the
Frenchman.
"The port of Liverpool."
"But, your excellencies," laughing,
"Liverpool is not a French port, hut
an English one."
"Yes?" answered tho Japanese.
"And the port you named to us It
not in Japan, but in Corea!"
Tbe French Ambassador was com
pelled to admit that 'he joke was
upon him. Youth's Companion.
A Hotel "Hoodoo."
A short, heavy-set man entered the
Holland House recently and wrote
his name on the register. As he
dropped the pen he closed the register
with a bang.
"Don't do that" exclaimed o i- if
the clerks, hurriedly opening ie
register again.
"Why not? Too much noise?'
asked the guest.
"No. It kills business," said I ho
clerk. "I am not superstitious, but
It Is well known that a shut register
means a poor business. You cannot
find a hotel clerk In town who will
not say tho same thing."
"What cures the evil once it Is
done?" asked the guest.
"Keep the register upside dow ,"or
two hours," said the clerk. "1 .vlll
wager that not a regestcr In one of
tho big hotels is closed four times a
year, unless It Is done by the gu.!u
before the clerk can prevent It"
Clerks at the Fifth Avenue. Hoff
man, Crunswlck, and Buckingham
Hotels corroborated their brother of
tbe Holland House. New York Sun.
What did Dadby sar when ha
heard that It was triplet?" "Ha
aid: -Tblt la too, too, mnoaV'11
A DRESSMAKER'S DILEMMA.
I'm but a cEuspla dressmaker fa nuite s bumble
way.
Who tnea to do ber duty and would never dl
ooejr.
Alam coiuinau.:uwint giai in tba Fcrip
1 uf unlo mtw.
For I rud my bible evei uig.it bom half past
tune to tuu.
Now fiuisjla who pvaihis in tbe chajwl
ovir tiittitf.
Andkio8 iii. hililv li kiirdi nbcuyij I've
also iia.U bllu tHUi,
Cuue iu to me tlie otiiei nigat &ud .lrinnly ant
Uowu,
Aud mid "Maria, let uie a yo-ir lat un
n in mid gowa."
1 know b bated luthioua, but I htuuWiy bruv.gli:
tite diMi ;
He tok ibtr &leevc-a, ei mined tbeui. tuid -rie.i
:u u 1 uiiiib : i a.
I ft-arod a-muuli ; your :yle in gowu iiaB.m
f.'. ui b M to w irae,
I'oiil m. yii vn Lr .oxUt yourself btne.ib
llie jiruphei b tulVb! '
i looked la blank aum.euit at uiy uncle; wan
be mad '.'
What eouid be find ao awful iu a -iiiiple shoul
der pail '
Tula ear. since la-bio:i willed that ltulte'
uouMera Hl:Oiiid bet bib,
We bail to jal tbe uie e,lari. 10 biaju,
uut I.
He lo k my Bible from thi; h If before my woi:
ueriug eyes,
Ami found il.nlliii Ufiilb chapter of Lzekl.'ia
pi'upiiecie,
Aud -lUjtd," .-aid he. "the .igbiwutb vere:
TUua miib the l.oid (iou ; Woe
To the wou u that ee pinown to all lu-niboli a I
la It so"
The wordg were there aa clear as day. "And
now.'' nuid l'n.:le Jim.
"JuaL :b o e between tbe prophet's curie and
lasiilou - latent wlilui ;
'Tin you KM-aiil hud in mini, to you the l.oid
.aim - Wo i !'
If jour dresma from this time anothe pad you
ew."
Thus avini! no departed, an 1 I tured the mat
ter u't r.
And atter half au hour felt uo wiser than
i,efore;
At laai 1 thuugbt I'd venture forth, to ease my
troubled mind,
And ak our 1. arned r ctor, who It, always very
kind, I found him in bin atudr, aud lulisteniug lo my
case,
I thought h lauuhed a littK though 1 could
not fee till fiiee.
And then he opei e l cir Hiu books and certain
foot nots rend,
"lho authorized translation la not uit,e cor
rect" he said.
ASECONn-HANI) girl.
'Another room is Kme," said Bet
sey.
"Fh?" said Mrs. Moore.
'W hy, theceilin' came down plump
in the north chamber last niiiht," ex
plained l:elsey, standintr In ihe door
way, with the mop in one hand and
a pail of water In the other. "Looks
exactly as If there'd been an ava
lanche o' lime dust there. Guess it
was the rain done it. I've knowed
that rutl was leaky this good while
Au' It's iuydooty to tell ye, nia'am,
the back staircase ain't safe to use no
longer. There's one step tone and
the balusters loose. And cook says
she's that nervous she can't stay In
the house, with the loo-ie bricks
tumbling down the kitchen chimney
every time the wind ra ses a bit" ,
.Mrs. Moore sighed. She was a
handsome, hih-featured woman with
dark eyes and a shabby-Kenteel silk
wrapper worn at the elbows.
"Ne ermlnd. Betsey," said she.
"It'll be all right, once Miss Ethel is
married. Doctor Darrow is a man of
wealth. He will rebuild the old
Moore homestead for us. "
"Well," muttered Betsey, "it's a
good thing the weddin's coming soon,
or there wouldn't be no house left to
rebuild.'1
At the same moment a pretty
young gvpsy of sixteen was rushing
frantically into one of the great,
sparsely furnished bedrooms with a
pasteboard box in her hand.
Overhead plump little plaster
Cupids swung garlands of llowers
from the cracked and discolored
cornices; a Tuded rug supplied the
place of carpet, and the merry sun
shine played hide-and-seek with the
worn places in the yellow damask
curtains, and a beautiful young girl
sat at a rheumatic writing-desk, with
her chin supported io her hanas and
her sea blue eyes fixed dreamily on
space.
"Ethel! Ethel: Here's another
box come by express!" screamed the
young sister, breathless with rapture.
It must be the veil! Do open it
and look! Do, Ethel, plea-.e. Oh, I
never saw a wedding veil before in
all my lite, and 1 do so want to see
what it's like!"
Ethel Moore looked up.
"You can open it," said she, with
out change of posture.
"Well, I declare," said Milly, "any
one would think I was the bride!
Well, here goes! Oh, oh! isn't it
beautiful:"
Ethel leaned forward a little and
scrutinized the delicate folds of lace
uior." closely.
"Yes," she said indifferently, "it's
pretty enough. But it's the wrong
pattern; it doesn't match the flounces
and the jabot." "Only three days
now, and the wrong pattern of lace!
What are people thinking of?"
"Oh, let it stay!" listlessly uttered
Ethel. "What diflerenc: does it
make whether it is one pattern or
another?"
"What difference'" Milllcentlooked
bird at her sister. "Ob. Ethel,
Ethel! I'm so sorry Cousin Jim Is
coming to the wedding!"
Ethel Moore colored an intense
scarlet
'Sorry sorry that our own cousin
is to I e her.' on tho occasion of my
marriage?"
"N-no," hesitated Millicent," not
that. But It sets you to thinking
Is ho so ' ery handsome, Eth 1? Is
he handsomer than Dr Darrow?
You're such a funny girl, or you would
ha e i holographs of both of them.
But there conies the ponv.and I must
make hast', or 1 shall lose the down
express train, for the veil."
Mike, the errand boy, was promptly
deposed from his place In the battered
little village cart, and Miss Milly
jumped In, took the box in her lap,
and whipping tbe pony briskly up
drove away as fast as she could.
Just In time for the express!" she
cried. "And how I may as well wait
for the up train. There may be some
one I know on It".
MI beg your pardon, " said a pleas
ant, deeptoncd voice, ''but can iou
tell me the way lo Moore's Cliff.''"
Milly turned, and saw a lun 'some
man, with a lijiht valise in b:s hand.
"To Mooie's Clill?" she repeated.
"Why, I am Miilict-nt Moore, aud I'm
goink" straight there: I think you
must ! Jim!"
'That is my naruf," he an-wered
br'ghtly. "And you are little Milly,
of course?"
!-hi! looked gravely at him. He
could almost read toe f-udden cnaDes
of thougnt iu her b.ue, solemn eyes
and varying color.
'i'le.iMj get into the cart!" said
she. T suppose I must take you to
the On, as there's no dej.ot wagon
here. But," touching the phleg
malic pony with her wnip-lash, "I'm
almost sorry ou'e come."
'Sorry? Why, little Milly! And I
thought- we were to be such friends,"
he cried.
T tiiink perhaps I'd better tell you
all about it " said she, speaking as if
she had not heard his words. "No
one knows it all but me and Etbe'.
I Ethel won't lie plea-ed, but I ut
j(,h, Jim, hadn't you better go away
i without seeing her?"
! "(Jo away without seeing her! And
why'r"
j "On," faltered Miliy, letting the
'reins drop, 'he's so unhappy! She's
j going to be married to a very rich
I man--Doctor Darrow from New
ork We are so poor, you know,
' and all that money that papa in
vested iu the (Jrand Tochoomu i'.ank
s g.,ne, and Moore's Cliff is all fall
ing to ruin, and mamma's cried
three days and thiee nights, ana so
Ethel said 'Ves ' liut oh, she is so
miserable. And if you come back,
Jim. the old love will burn up again
in her heart, for she does love you,
Jim she told me so. She has loved
you ever since thai time you ex
changed rings at Saratoga; and she
has got the little blue ring still. And
she hates the very idea of marry
ing Doctor Darrow only only
mamma has made her feel that it was
her duty. Oh, don't look so stern
and white at me, Jim dear Jim!
It's a dreadful thing to have to tell
you, but 1 think you outrht to know.
1'lease, please don't eer let mamma
or Ethel know that 1 said this to you. j
liut if you could make them believe,
you were engaged to somebody else,"
said Milly, witn a sudden flush of
,1 U... U I. It.Kn r .1,1.1.
uuiiu uyeuiK nt:i cucfciv, - tucu i tuiuiv I
Ethel ru:ght learn to be happy with i
the New York man." ;
"Enuaged to somebody else, eh?" I
said this unknown confidant. "But
to whom? To yourself, for ex-!
ample?"
'Yes. "Why not'3" said Milly, with 1
the utmost gravity. "Merely as a
business matter, you know. We'll i
call it me only you must go away, !
Jim, and not see her again." J
"Stop the horse," he said, quietly. ;
"Walt until I can lift my valise out, j
and good-by, my little dancee!"
"You are really going?" rapturously ;
exclaimed Milly, clapping her small
gauntleted hands. "Oh, Jim, how
good of you how noble! 1 almost
think 1 love you now. And remem
ber, this is for Ethel's sake."
"For Ethel's sake.'-' repeated her
companion, and he smiled and nod
ded. "I shall reach the station by
this cross-; ut through the woods," he
said, "in time for the next down j
train, and " j
The close of the sentence was lost '
in the clatter of a tinware wagon
that Just then jolted along, Inciting
the Moore pony to mad emulation,
and, before Milly could check his en
thusiasm, she was nearly at the tumble-down
gates of the old mansion it
self. Ethel herself was in the tangled
rose ga-den. gathering white and
cream colored and royal roses Ethel,
more flushed and lovely than any
princess; and beside her, under the
full radiance of the June sunshine,
strolled a tall, handsome young man,
carrying the basket and the scissors.
"Miliy, come here," cried Ethel,
springing brightly forward. '-Here's
your Cousin Jim!"
The girl stared blankly at him over
the wheel of the village cart
"No," said she, ' he's an impostor.
He's not my cousia The real Cousin
Jim rode half way up with me and
Jumped off at Beach Corners."
"But, nevertheless," said the Spanish-faced
young fellow, mildly, 1
am Jim Elliott, and I am your
cousin. Ask Ethel, here, if it Irn't
the truth."
He looked down into Ethel's blue,
sparkling eyes; he drew her slim,
white hand under his arm, with a
sort of tender proprietorship that
startled poor Millicent
"If you are Consin Jim," said she.
slowly, who was the handsome man
with the gray suit and tbe dark blue
eyes, and the little scar over his Jeft
eyebrow?"
"Is the child dreaming?" said
Ethel, with a sweet burst of laugh
ter. "She talks as if she had seen
Doctor James Darrow himself."
Milly never stopp d to .gr. et this
handsome, unwelcome kinsman ot
hers: she rush d frantically to her
own room, and burying her face in the
pillows of her lied, burst into tears.
"Oh, what have I done" she
sobbid. "What have I done? And
all for nouse!"
The n xt day there canae a letter
to Ethel Moore.
She frowned a little as she recog
nized the handwriting of her affianced
husband then she broke It open and
read the contents.
"Jim," she murmured to the young
man who lounged in the cushioned
window scat.
"Well, my Queen?"
"It Isn't necessary for us to elope
now. "1 I almost believe I love
James Darrow after alL A man that
can be as chivalrous aa that"
She laughed, and then burst out
sobbing as she Hung the letter to
Cousin Jim.
'Oh, he U so food o good!" the
faltered. '-He gives me back toy
roth. But mamma Is to have the
sett.ement jua the sam ; to rebuild
Moore's Ciiil with, and there is a
thousand a year for me as long as I
live. On, Jim, I don't d serve It
I won't take it1"
"ies you will." said huiuess-Iike
Jim "you will take all you can get
We can't live on air, you. Know, dar
ling, ana my income is rather slim aa
yet He's a good old duBer "
"Old." half angrily interrupted
EtheL ".o older than your-elf! But
what does this mean about the rinit?
He sa s L am to five it to Millicent
for be. self. She will know what it
means. Well, ir this isn't the
strangest riddle!"
Miliy looked defiantly at her sister
when the message was delivered to
her
"But I won't take the ring," she
said, half hysterically, resisting
Ethel's effort to slip the superb dia
mond solitaire on her finger.
You must." said Ethel. "Jim's
turquoise is a deal more precious to
me than this great gem. The wed
ding is to come off Just the same, hut
Jim is to be the groom. Oh, what
are diamonds to me? I am so very,
very happy."
'And this is all you care for Doc
tor Harrow's noble generosity:" iaid
Milly, with scarlet cheek and quick
coming breath. "No, j. won't wear
the ring. I'll keep it. aud and some
times look at it. (,h, what ti fool I
was! And why d d 1 sav all those
things? There's only one thing that
remains to me 1 must go to work
and learn to be a great painter as
soon as possible, so that lean pay
back the money which mamma and
Kthel are using so mercilessly."
It was Just a year afterward, and
Millicent Moore was sitting on the
ruined stone terrace feeding her pet
peacock Le Boy with kernels of corn.
Her ouen sketch book lay beside
her, the sweet summer wind was ruf
fling her curls, when LeRoy uttered
a discordant soupd and flew away,
startled by the presence of a stranger,
Milly sprang up.
"Doctor Darrow!" she exclaimed.
"Call me Jim, as you did the .first
day," he said. "Little Milly, you
don't know what you saved me from
when you mistook me for the cousin
whom you had never seen. Don't
shrink away so, Milly. Have you
foreotten that you are engaged to
me?"
Through all the previous year
Millv had been rehearsing this very
scene to herself. She had planned
the exact phraseology in which she
would express our appreciation, her
polite indifference. He should never
know that she liked him. Sne would
let him see that she r garded the
whole thing as a joke, and yet now
that the time had come, she was
struck dumb, and sat blushing and
silent like any school girl.
"Milly," he said gently, "Don't
shrink away from me A year ago I
believed that life had no more charm
or me; but thinking of those blue
eyes of yours, I have come to a di er
ent conclusion. Dearest, you engaged
yourself to me as a mere matter ot
form. Will you do it again this
time in real earnest?"
And the end ot Milly's carefully
studied speech s was,
"Yes. "
So there was a Mrs. Darrow In the
Moore family, after all, and when
Ethtl Elliott, in a shabby pension
at Luce n, read the marriage notice,
she exclaimed scornfully.
"Well, I ne er thought Millicent
would take up with a second-hand
sweetheart:"
Mr. Elliott made no reply: he was
gloomily surveying a pile of unre
ceipted bills.
"Do you 'hear, Jim?" asked his
wife sharply. "Millicent is married,
and to my old beau."
"Yes, I hear," he answered ab
stractedly. "Well, why don't you say some
thing about it.-"
'I've only one thing to say,"
snarled the Spanish faced hero "any
idiot who gets married docs a very
stupid thing. Five hundred francs
milliner's bill a hundred francs
board. Good heavens! what is going
to become of us?"
"I thoutrht you loved me, Jim. I'm
sure Doctor Darrow did."
"Th n I wish you had married
him," said Elliott, deliberately.
Wav rly Magazine.
I A Hundred Dollars a Dozpn.
: A Polish resident of the western
part of tbe city is firmly convinced
that It is better to have a dozen
chickens stolen than not to find a
pocketbook with $100 in it. This
' l'olish citizen bad been out of em
ployment for several months, and his
means of support for bis family grad
ually dwindled until the chic una
j were about all be had left And
' then one night somebody stole the
chickens. . It seemed as if he had had
about ail he could endure before hut
this was the last straw. He g i.ed
disconsolately into the coop. Some
thing unusual lav on the ground In
front of him. His eye brightened
and he sprang forward and picked It
! up. It was a po ket' ook. Fiercely
' and with trembling bunds he tore It
open. Money! Money galore! Five,
: ten. twenty, fifty, a hundred dollars!
' And, strange to say, the man who
! stole the clilckens has not been back
after the pocketboolc. -(Ind.)
Tribune.
-South Bend
Ho It Heemed.
The following conversation Is re
ported by Good News. The city is
which It occured is not named. Uo
happily it might be one of several.
Where have you been?" said Dick.
"Down town with papa," answer!
Henry. "We went into tho Street
'cleaning Department"
! "What's that?"
"It's a place where they tell ptv
pie why the streets are not cleaned. "
I Thk cray people are sot ail to C3
, asylum.
