FROM JEST
I DON'T understand you nt all!" said
Pierce Trevor to his friend Italph
Dewey.
"You talk as If I were a conundrum."
"Ho you an-! Now, look here. Dewey,
lefs have a Wear comprehension of the
mutter. Io you love Fanny White V"
"Well yesI rather think, on the
whole, that I am a Utile taken with the
sparkling brunette."
" 'A little taken. How very enthusi
astic you are! And (the, poor child, in
more than 'a little taken' with you!"
"I (latter myself that you are right"
"Well, then, why don't you ask her to
marry you ?"
"There It Is," groaned Dewey; "you
are all In audi a hurry! Can't a man
admire a girl without being brought to
book for It the very next day? I won't
be hurried. Wheu I get ready I'll ask
Fanny to marry me. Are you satls
tled ?"
"Very far from It"
"As Miss White Is only your wife's
cousin, I really don't recognize your
right to catechise me!"
"Does that mean that I am to mind
tuy own business?".
IUiph laughed. "Construe It as you
please only pray don't bother me any
more."
He threw himself lazily on the grans,
flinging his cigar Into the very heart of
a fluster of wild flowers and making an
Impromptu pillow of his anus, crossed
underneath his head.
"HIeep, then," aald Trevor, a little
contemptuously. "1 can't afford to lose
the brightest hours of a golden day like
this."
uur nero iiau not lain there many
minutes, however, before the soft chime
of girl voices sounded through the
tiny bugles of summer insects and the
monotonous murmur of green boughs
overhead.
"Girls!" muttered Dewey; "cin't
fellow be clear of 'em anywhere'.' But
they're on the other side of the txmsc,
that's one blessing, and If I keep quiet
they 11 never beat tip my ambush!"
They were on the other side of the
copse, three bright faced girls In flut
tering raiment
"It s so delightfully cool here," said
Illldegarde Aymer, a fair blonde, as
8axoti as her name.
'And one can talk here, too," said
Mary Bell. "At the hotel one is never
certain of not being overheard!"
Dewey gave a silent chuckle at this.
Fanny White, leaning against the
twisted stem of a veteran wild grape
vine, devoted her whole attention to he
parasol handle.
She was the prettiest of the three
with deep liquid brown eyes and hair
black us the blackest jet while her skin,
Just -touched wllh the creamy tint that
.characterizes the Creole, glowed car
mine on her cheek.
"Fauuy, do let me try!" said Illlde
garde. "It will be such a splendid Joke
and your English adorer Is so long In
making up his mind."
"Hut but what will Captain Aymer
thlnkr
"He'll be delighted; men always glory
In a tilt of mischief, and Kent Is such
a splendid actor."
"Do, Fanny!" urged Mary Hell. "Jt
will b just for nil the w rid like the
'theater. Hlhlegnrde's brother Is to pre
tend to be desperately In hue wlih you
and you are to encourage his atten
tions until that slow moving Dewey Is
brought to the point How I shall en
Joy the progress of the situation."
"Hut your brother must fully under
stand the Hellenic," said Fanny, hesi
tatingly. "Of course; shan't I explain It to him
myself There's not a hit of harm In
It, and Mr Dewey certainly needs some
stimulus. Now, do consent! Kate will
be here this very evening."
. "Mho dou't forbid It Illldegarde,"
eagerly cried Miss Belle, "and all the
world knows that silence gives consent.
Come, see how long the shadows are
getting?"
And the three graces fluttered down
the hillside.
Dewey rose to lils feet and walked
away also,
"My dear little girls," said lie, by way
of soliloquy, "It's a very cleverly con
cocted little plan, but It won't work,
nud I've no doubt I shall enjoy It a
much as Miss Hell proposes to do."
And he laughed aloud to think how
completely lie should outgeneral his
feminine adversaries.
"I'll keep Fan In suspense for an
other month. Just to pay her for thatr
he added, within himself. "I like the
girl well enough, but for all that 1
won't b hurried Into matrimony."
Knowing what lie knew, therefore,
Mr, Dewey waa not at all anrprtaed
that evening wbea be walked Into the
hotel drawing-room to tee a atyllah
youag hu la the uniform of a captain !
TO EARNEST.
sitting ou the sofa mid being very de
voted to Miss While.
let cm work," said Mr. Dewey, and
lie sat down to play backgammon with
a pretty little widow. Fannie watched
him from beneath her eyelashes.
"It doesn't produce any effect at all
upon hlm-the brute," said Illldegarde
who mid expected to see the recreant
lover brought to capitulating terms at
once.
"Thut's because we don't put It on
strong enough," said the entn!n.
ranuy I may call you Fanny, may
n't IV"
"Oh, certainly," said the little bru
nette; "It's ail in the plar"
Hell, then, Fanny, I think we ought
to promenade through the halls arm In
arm a little while, and If we were to
whisper instead of speaking aloud
launy laughed and consented, and
the whole evening long she and the
captain exchanged very commonplace
remarks In very confidential whispers,
while Mr. Dewey and the widow
played backgammon serenely.
"I like this," said Captain Kent to his
sister, when Miss White had gone to
her room. ".She's the prettiest girl I
ever saw."
"Oh, but Kent you musn't fall In love
with her."
"I shall not fall In love with her
there's no danger," said Aymer; "but
It's such fun! I'm so much obliged to
you for suggesting it"
rauny cried herself to sleep that
night. Dewey didn't seem to care a pin
whether she flirted with Captain Aymer
or not
The next day she went out horseback
riding with the captain, Kent sat on
his horse like a centaur and Fanny
came hack rosy as a whole bed of car
nations, "Are you going with us to the Cedar
Falls to-morrow, Fanny?" asked Mr.
Dewey that evening. "We said some
thing about, going together a week or
so ago, didn't we?"
Fanny was ready with her lesson.
"Did we? I had forgotten; besides,
I promised to go with Captain Aymer."
"Wlih Captain Aymer? Oh, well, all
right, I'll take Julia Symington."
Fanny's lips quivered, hut Illlde
garde shook her head at her, and she
did not call back the young Fng'lshnian,
as had been her Impulse.
Captain Aymer proved a most devot
ed cavalier and Fanny half reproached
herself that she had enjoyed tin; day so
much.
"It's very wrong of me," sighed Fan
ny to llildeganle, her faithful con
fidante. "No, it Isn't; it's exactly right," re
sponded Illldegarde.
"I-I begin to be ufrald he doesn't
care for me."
He's a brute," asserted her friend;
"and It will serve htm right If you never
look at him again."
Ho the glowing midsummer swept by
and Mr. Dewey held aloof, hugging
himself to think how he was out witting
tne conspirators, though an occasional
twinge of jealousy now ami then unused
through his mind.
Presently there was a sore outcrv
among the allied forces. An order had
come from the inexorable war depart
ment and the captain must go some
where ou the frontier straightaway.
The matter was beginning to get a
Utile serious," he thought, "and Just as
soon as that confounded puppy gets
away I'll make little Fanny a happy
woman. Maybe, though, It would be
well to punish her for a few days
longer."
Oh, Fanny, Fanny! aren't you sor
ry?" sobbed Illldegarde, clinging
around her tall brother, whose face was
unwontiilly grave,
Yes, Illldegarde," said Fanny, "I am
very sorry."
Captain Aymer looked peneiratlngly
Into her face. There wera real tears
quivering and sparkling on her eye
lashes and the roses had all paled from
her cheeks.
"Fanny!" he said. Impetuously, "Is It
from your heart?"
Fanny silly little creature that she
was began to cry, and Illldegarde
rushed forward.
"Oh, Kent! You promised that "
"A nittti Isn't responsible for his fate,
nnd I have fallen In love with her," ex
claimed the young otllcer. "Fanny, am
I to love yi.-u In vnln?"
Fanny tried to la ugh hysterically,
"Of of course; all this la only part of
the program," she faltered.
"Hy Jove, but It's not!" cried Aymer.
"What waa Jest bus become earnest I
lore you, Fanny; I cannot leave you
here to become the bride of that aelf
co welted puppy. Te.l me that I may
nope!"
Hlldegarde nelied both her (rtend'a
"She loves you, Kent she loves you.
1 can see it In her eyes!" she cried, ex
ultantly. "Stand aside, Hlldegarde" aald
Aymer. "I have the first right here.
She Is mine now." And he took her
tenderly to bis breast
Yes-it waa true that the little morsel
of acting had become strong, life-long
reality. Kent and Fanny had played
at "lovers" unMl Love, the shy rogue,
crept Into both their hearts with al
most unpercelved footsteps.
"Are you happy, Fanny?" demanded
the exigent army officer when all was,
settled and Hlldegarde had gone to tell
.Mary Hell as a "great cret" how the
little stratagem had ended.
"On. Kent!" whispered Fanny, "I
never knew what true happiness was
before.
And Captain Aymer must have been
unreasonable indeed not to be satis
fied with the answer.
He departed, carrying In his keeping
the loving little heart of Fanny White.
Halph Dewey contemplated the de
parture of Ilildegarde's brother with no
small degree of satisfaction.
"Now my chance," he thought. "I
guess, ou the whole, I'll not keep her in
suspense any longer, poor child. I only
wanted to let 'em see that 1 wusu't to
be coerced,"
Mr. Dewey proposed accordingly In
due form and ceremony that very day.
"I am very sorry, Mr. Dewey," said
Fanny, looking provokiugly lovely, ' bu
but I'm engaged."
"Knguged?"
"Yes to Captain Aymer."
"Now, Fanny," said Kalph, argu
mentatively, "Where's the use of carry
ing on this pretense any longer? of
course I know It's all a stratagem."
"Hut it Isn't stratagem," said Fanny.
Indignantly; "I love him and he loves
me and there's my ring."
She held up a pretty finger as she
spoke, whereon glittered a solitaire dia
mond. So Mr. Dewey found himself out
maneuvered after all, and accordingly
retreated In as good order as possible,
while Pierce Trevor, Miss Hell, Hilde
gard aud all the rest returned a unani
mous verdict of "Just exactly what lie
deserved." New York News.
Half a Pumpkin,
The close-listed nud the absent-mind
minded serve a similar use they amuse
their neighbors. Tlie New York Sun
quotes a man from the rural districts
as telling a story of a Mr. Putterby, an
old-time townsman of his, whose repu
tation ror "nearness' was evidently
well deserved. Locally he was thought
to be a prodigy In this respect, but no
story of this kind Is so good but that
another can be found to beat It
One of the coins current in those days
was the old Spanish silver-piece, which
passed for twelve and a half cents, and
was variously called "nine-pence,"
"York shilling," and "bit." It was the
existence of this coin that enabled Mr.
Putterby to achieve his crowning tri
umph In the way of a close trade.
A farm-boy came along one day with
a load of pumpkins, which he was ped
dling about the village at a cent apiece.
Mr. Putterby looked at them, conclud
ed to buy, but wanted only half a pump
kin.
"Hut a whole one Is only a cent,"
said the lmy. "How are you going to
pay me for half a one?"
"Easiest thing iu the world," said Mr.
Putterby.
The pumpkin was cut. he took one
half under his arm, and hauded the boy
a shilling.
'Now give me the twelve cents
change," lie said; and taking the twelve
coppers from the astonished bov, he
walked a way with Ills purchase.
A Gruting Laugh.
I Here is never a time fur the harsh.
grating laugh that finds amusement in
the mistakes of another. The Detroit
Free Press, admonishing a man In that
town who Is disposed to laugh at the
errors of his acquaintances, writes:
He Is a very well-educated man, too,
mid Is especially good in ihe languages.
Not long ago he was talking to a mild
mannered little woman who had asked
him a question about a French sentence.
He usked her to repeat It. She did so.
"Ha, ha!" he laughed. "11a, ha! haw,
haw, haw!" And the little woman
blushed.
"What Is it?" she asked, much em
barrassed, "Haw, haw! I haw, haw was
laughing -at your very bud haw, haw
pronunciation haw, haw "
"Haw, haw, haw!" she interrupted,
suddenly. "Haw, haw! ha, ha, ha!"
And she kept it up as loud as she could,
until he liegan to get red In the face
and feel embarrassed.
"What Is It?" he exclaimed, when she
gave him the rim nee.
"Haw, haw!" she responded, uproar
iously. "I was laughing-haw, haw
at your very bad-haw, haw manners
haw, haw! f lood morning." And she
turned her back on him, and hasn't
spoken to him since.
English Names.
Some of the names among the upper
ten In English scs'loty look as If they had
been taken from playbills, though, of
course, the assumption Is that play
wrights depend, as Dickens did, on di
rectories and peerages for the names of
their characters. Among the persons
of high depree at a recent wedding In
Loudon were Lady Lurgnn, Lady Mln
to, Lady Feo Blurt, Mrs. Willie C.ren
fell Dorothy, Lndy Cantelupe, Lady
Eden, Mrs. Atta Hay and Lady Kath
leen Cuffe. With such names as these
glistening In the columns of the society
Journals the Invention of odd cogno
mens for novels and plays Is a sheer
waste of time and brains. Buffalo
Courier.
We gain nothing by falsehood but
the disadvantage of not being believed
whan wo apeak ta truth.
CHA1TKK XIV. (Continued.)
"It is the. magnanimous trick, then?
Magnanimity which I Kusiect does not
cost you much," said Marsden. bitterly.
"Clifford." said Nora, determined to be
brave and humst, feeling her courage re
viving with the sincerity f her resolu
tion, "I will be true, though it hurts nip
horribly to speak the :rulli to you. You
ought not to throw away consideration
of prudence, perhaps duty, for the sake
of a girl who does not, run not, love you
you ought to be lovtd for making such
sacrifices. 1 ought not to have promised
what I did. Can you ever forgive me. if
I iieg of you to give up the idea of mar
rying me? I should disappoint you. I fear
I should?"
"Forgive you!" repeated Marsden.
quietly, "never!" His hand, which lay
on the sofa cushions, clinched itself tight.
"If you persist in breaking with me, if
you attempt to juggle me hut you ore
too wise, too kindly! My sister talks of
what she does not understand. I cer
tainly will not attempt to reside at Eves
lejgh, and throw open my house to the
country fur some time, but 1 am by no
means in the straits she imagines or in
vents; and even if I were, no amount of
fortune, no advantages would alone to me
for you I love you I want you and
nothing shall separate us."
"Hut, Clifford, shall you he happy with
me, if I cannot love you as you do me?"
"Love us I do?" cried Marsden, start
ing up to take a hasty turn, and throwing
himself on the sofa again. "That you
never can! Nature forbids it! Hut you
shall be my wife, and give me what ten
derness you can!"
Nora began to feel indignant at his tone.
"If you really loved me, you should
think of my happiness as well as your
own."
"I do! 1 only care to make you happy!
But I don't want any one else to make
you happy. Nora! it cannot lie possible
that after your solemn promise to me,
you want to draw back? There is some
thing I do not understand here; some
thing more than Isabel's letter."
"Her letter brought on a climax; but I
have been uneasy for some time, fright
ened at the responsibilities I was going
to undertake; frightened nt my own
want of affection for you; though I do
like you, and I am miserable at making
you unhappy."
"Then save your misery and my un
happiness! Marry me; marry me willing
lyfor marry me you must!"
"Are you so resolved?" asked Nora,
changing color and feeling alarmingly
faint.
"I am; even though I think I have hit
on the solution of the riddle," said Mars
den, rising and confronting her. "You
may not love me; but you love some one
else?"
-ora was silent, r aisenoou in every
shape was abhorrent to her, yet truth In
this case was terrible; how could she con
fess her weakness! Marsden's eyes, full
of deadly rage, were fixed on her. "I am
right? Y'ou do not reply!" Then Nora,
with a sudden flush of courage, deter
mined that all concealment should be
swept away. ton are right, Clifford,"
she said, coloring crimson, throat and
cheeks and ears. "Hnt I thought I had
got over It all, that it would trouble me
no more; and I do humbly pray you to for
give me for deceiving you as well as
myself."
Forgive you! Of course, I forgive you,
my sweetest, my darling!" he exclaimd.
"I only want you to love me now. If
you will but give me the fragments which
remain, I am ratisficd! I will oven bless
that solemn rectangular prig Winton, for
trampling the divine pearl of your ten
derness under his feet, so that it may
come to me in any shape."
"Why do you imagine what makes you
think of Mr. Winton?" faltered Nora,
vaguely distressed by his tone, and shock
ed beyond description at the notion of
having betrayed herself.
"Who else could it be? Unless., indeed.
Home very juvenile affair, with a Teutonic
baron or graf aboard," he laughed, harsh
ly, "I do not mind Winton. He never
could love as I do. He has a sort of
chilled-shot detachment to your pretty
stop-mother, which may "
"There you are mistaken," interrupted
Nora, quickly. "Which of the two Win
tons did you believe her engaged to?".
. Marsden turned and looked sharply at
her. "Y'ou have been exchanging con
fidences with Mrs. L'Kstrange?" he said.
"I have received hers."
"It was Black Winton who whs for
a while engaged to her; but your friend
was attached to her, too!" returned Mars
den. "You told me you Implied he was en
gaged," murmured Nora.
"Oh, I see You mean I deceived you?
I really cannot remember what I saidr-
only what I believed. But that is of no
consequence. I want you to understand
me, Nora. I will not give you up. I
hold you to your promise. Keen it. and
gladly devote my life to yon. Break
it no, I will not believe that! I'll not
think of it! Nora, do not desert me! All
the good that's left in me, clings round
you. If you shake me off, I know I shall
go to the devil, and it will be the worse
for you. I know what 1 am capable of;
I could lie damnably cruel."
'Do not suppose yon can frighten me,"
cried Nora, roused to anger by the shadow ,
of a threat. "I care too much for vou not
to feel infinite pain In disappointing you;
but I will not submit to be bullied!"
"Great heavens! Y'ou misunderstand
me. I do not know what I am saying,
Nora! Yon must not be faithless. Look
here. I am utterly dependent on you for
my future, I have no hope, no life, apart
from you, and I hold you to your promise,
as 1 cling to salvation. On your head be
It whatever becomes of me without yonl
My love! my soul! do not turn from me,
1 will never give you np. I claim you,
whatever happens,'"
The profound supplication of his voice,
the entreaty nf his speaking 1 ayes,
ahook Nora's heart. Had she, Indeed, any
right to turn from one to whom she
eemad to essential T
"Do not decide anything to-day, Clif
ford," aba aald la a low vote. Oka was
r.?.i, n.A ft.'fl
www
,nn !cei quite esnauKiea.
'"Think over all I have said, and so wil' I
of what you have urged."
"I will do anything you like, save one
thing," he interrupted, "but no reflection
will change me. I see all this has been
too much for you. I will leave you for
the present, und in a day or two I trust
to find yo reconciled to the dreadful al
ternative of keeping your promise to me."
Nora bent her head in silence, aud after
looking ut her for a minute or two with
l glance of mingled anger and admiration,
Clifford said with a short laugh:
"Curiously enough, I am summoned to
morrow to see the rival to whom you
would fain hand me over on business,
she says. I wonder if she could invent a
bribe big enough to induce me to give you
up, Nora?"
He took und kissed her hand, pressing
it painfully hard.
"?f I did not love you so madly, how I
could hute you!" he said between his
teeth, and hastily left the room.
CHAPTER XV.
Despite his cool indifference to the
opinions und interests of others, Marsden
felt that he should be as well pleased that
his interview with Mrs. Ituthven was
over. It is true that she seemed a mere
frivolous, fanciful trifler, much taken up
with the outside of things; but instinct
rather than any deliberate thought im
pressed him with the convicton that be
neath her pretty draperies was a heart of
steel, which would never melt, though
you might strike fire from it and an iron
will, tenacious to curry out her purpose,
great or small. He knew better than uny
one else that a short time ago he had only
to ask and he would have been accepted;
and, thinking that such might have been
his destiny, he had done his best to pre
pare and smooth the way. From this, his
supreme good luck had delivered him.
Even if he had not fallen headlong in
love with Nora L'Kstrange, there was
much in Mrs. Ituthven which dimly- dis
pleased him. She was carefully well
bred, yet her manners had not the in
describable ease or grace of one born in
the purple, there was an under-tone of
animalism in her tastes and looks; more
over, he shrewdly suspected that fidelity
to a husband would be with her very much
a matter of accident, though he did her
the justice to believe that she would al
ways keep up appearances.
In fact, she was an admirably composed
morsel of PariB paste, excellently set and
pleasant to the eye, until placed beside a
brilliant of the purest water, like Nora.
However, the visit had to be paid, so
Marsden made a careful toilet, and set
out to keep hiB appointment.
It was some time since they had met,
indeed, since their encounter in Paris the
previous spring, they had not been so
long apart.
Mrs. Ruthven was fully dressed in
bluck silk and velvet, with a handker
chief of creamy lace knotted round her
neck, and a dainty cap of the same on her
thick, short hair. Her costume seemed to
indicate that the business on hand was
too serious for the easy negligence of a
morning gown.
Marsden thought her looking better
than he had ever seen her before. The
debility and languor of slow convales
cence had spiritualized her expression,
and given more refinement to her move
ments. He could even understand how
some men might think her charming, a
charming toy. There was something un
usual, too, in the earnestness with which
she looked into his eyes, something pained
and reproachful in the expression of her
own.
"I hope she is not. going to make a
scene.'' thought Marsden, as he greeted
her cordially.
"You are very good, for an unpunctual
man, to be so punctual," she said, gra
ciously, but gravely.
"I was eager to see with my own eyes
how you were progressing," he returned,
smiling' sweetly upon her. "Y'on know you
were cruel enough to reject my prayer for
an Interview at Ched worth."
"Yes, it was cruel considering how
anxious you were about me." Marsden
did not quite like her tone. "I want to
speak to you about Evesleigh; there are
one or two little matters you and I can
settle better between ourselves than
through our lawyers."
"More agreeably, I am sure!"
"Before I go into my own affairs, how
ever, Mr. Marsden, I must congratulate
yon on your engagement with Miss L'Ks
trange. I always admired her. Hut your
tasle is unimpeachable." There was a
kind of deadly composure iu her manner
that struck him as ominous.
"It's coming," he thought, while he said
aloud, "You are very good! I am tiiire
Nora has the highest appreciation of vou:
she bus often spoken of you most warm
ly." "She will appreciate me much more
deeply and justly later on," returned Mrs.
Ituthven, with a slight laugh. "Pray
when does the marriage take place?"
"That, is not settled yet."
"And I suppose your fair, inexperienced
fiancee is desperately in love with you?
Y'ou have quite distanced Mr. Winton."
"Well, I hope so," carelessly, feeling
more and more uncomfortable.
"I should think you had, you are rather
a fascinating sinner. I had a fancy for
you at one time myself." And she
glanced quickly at him, a glance fiery
enough, half admiration and half anger.
"Is it possible?" cried Marsden, with
an exaggerated air of regret. "And how
was I such an idiot as not to see it?"
"That unconsciousness and modestv for
which yon are celebrated, no doubt, pre-
served you, she returned In a neenlinr
tone. "However, It Is too late to talk of
the past; besides, I have a curious story
to tell yon, In which, I am sure, you will
be Interested.' Do you know I have found
a trace of my rubies at last, and the day
you marry Nora L'Estrange I will give
her one of the best for a wedding pres
ent!" "My dear Mrs. Ituthven, I am aston
ished and Interested!" cried Marsden,
struck by her tone and looking full at ber.
"Nor shall I "
"Pray listen to me," she Interrupted,
leaving her seat by the Are, and draw
ing a chair to a writing table at a llttel
dlstanee, where a number of closely writ
ten sheets fastened together with a clip,
lay beside her blotting book. "It Is a long
story, ana i oo not want to oeeapy your
time assM waa i
" You rouse my curiosity," cried Mitra
den. placing himself opposite her.
Mrs. Ituthven turned over a page or
two of the manuscript before her, aud
resting her clasped hands on it fixed hef
eyes on ier companion.
"'1 had," sh began, "a clew, a mere
trifle, which no one knew save myself, aud
when I came up from Evesleigh, I sen'
for a man of whom I had heard, no mat.
ter how, a mau of keen, trained intelli
gence, for I saw that the regular wU-um
English defective, with his heavy precau
tion aud transparent devices, was merely
announcing to the criminal world, 'I have
a secret inquiry to conceal.' I eut for
this man. I gave him, and him only, my
clew."
"And why did you not give it at least
to me," cried Marsden, "when I was tear
ing my heart out in fruitless efforts to re
cover your jewtsln?"
"I will tell you presently. Well, this
employe of mine, led by my my sugges
tions, fixed upon an individual whom he
thought might possibly have been the rob
ber or agent of the robber and shadowed
him" (she emphasized the word with cruel
bitterness). "For days he followed the
unconscious thief, in various disguises;
at last, after keeping him in sight with in
finite difficulty, he watched him leaving
a country house not far from St. Ger
main." Marsden's expression changed from jhj
lite attention to deep gruvity.
"At a station midway to Paris he got
out, a small valise in his hand. The de
tective followed. It wai, early afternoon,
nnd few passengers were traveling; the
suspected thief went into a first-class car
riage, with a small dark mustache, a low
crowned brown hut such as Englishmen
wear in the country, and a long loose
overcoat. He came out at a station some
ten miles off in a sort of frock eout; rather
shabby, braided and fitting badly, a soft
bluck felt hut pulled over his eyes and
large light mustache; his overcoat was
hanging on his arm, and he still carried
his valise. Here he waited some time,
reading a paper, which he held before bis
face, and finally, as it began to grow
dusk, he took a third-class ticket to Paris;
my employe traveled in the same car
riage," she turned a page. "It is too long
to tell how he tracked him that night to
an obscure street in the Miirais, to the
shop of a Polish Jew dealer in precious
stones, where he held a long parley, and
then back to a shabby cafe, where he en
gaged a room for the night he went to
it, after partaking of some wine nnd food
Wheu his pursuer had ascertained that he
was locked in for the night, he returned
to the shop I ought to have told yon, thut
this man was himself the sou of a Polish
.Tew, und spoke the. language well. He
made himself known to the owner of the
shop, told some story of having been on
the outlook for jewels, and, in short, per
Buaded his compatriot to let him hide in a
corner, where he could witness the inter
view arranged for next day. I am dwel
ling too much on details, perhaps! Ulti
mately my employe witnessed the sale of
ten large unset rubbies for a price, which,
though high, was not enough for their
value, and he saw the face of the man
who sold them."
"Indeed!" with a slightly contemptuous
accent; "and may I ask what was your
clew ?"
"There it is," cried Mrs. Ituthven, rais
ing her voice for the first time above the
level tone at which she hud kept it, draw
ing her breath in a deep sob, as she took
out a small leather ease, aud threw to
him, a diamond stud. He had grown per
fectly colorless, but the hand with which
he took up the stud was steady.
"And what docs this prove?" he asked.
"That Clifford Marsden, of Evesleigh
Manor, is a felon!" she answered, fierce
exultation lighting up her face and gleam
ing her eyes. "Do 3-ou think I did not
recognize the peculiar setting of the dia
mond which caught my hair in that wait
that waltz "
She stopped, her breast heaving.
(To be continued.)
The Tenor High C.
There is a question in music which
I have heard debuted often and one up
on which musical people, even singers,
disagree. As the question is such a
fundamental one, it seems strange
there should be any difference of opin
ion concerning It among those at all ed
ucated In music. The question is this;
Is the range of the male voice au oc
tave below that of the female voice?
Iu other words, is the tenor high C
and the low (i of the baritone an oc
tave lower than the low G of the con
tralto? If this be w, why Is the music
for a tenor written on the same clef as
for a soprano, showing apparently iu
the same pitch, instead of Indicating In
some way that there Is an octave dif
ference between the two? A clear ex
planation of the question will be grate
fully received.
Answer: The tenor high C Is an oc
tave below the soprano high C, and the
low G of the baritone is an octave lower
than ihe low G of the contralto. All
"opinions:" to Ihe coi.trary belong in
the same category as the alleged
"proofs" of the exact squaring of the
circle which continue to be put forth
from time to time.
Another cause of misconception on
this point Is, however, the very differ
ent Impression made upon the ear by
notes In a male or a female voice. High
tenor A, for Instance, is In unison with
the medium A of a contralto; but some
how it seems to sound higher. That Is,
everyone immediately recognizes the
high A of a tenor voice ns a "high
note;" no one thinks of the medium A
of a contralto as a "high note." . And
yet both notes are of exactly the same
pitch. The reason for this difference of
Impression Is that this A really Is a
high note for a tenor It lies very near
the extreme limit of his compass, nnd
Its production Is associated with n cer
tain amount of effort to "slug high;"
but this snnm note lies in the medium
of a contralto voice, and no sort of
physical effort or straining is associated
with its production. Thus It Is dlffl.
cult for ears of no more than ordinary
acoustical keenness to realize that high
tenor A Is really no higher than medium
contralto A; the ordinary ear Is the vie
tltn of tin "acoustical Illusion."
That some singers, even profession
al ones, are still victims of this Illusion,
Is unfortunately true: but they aro to
be considered ns cranks, at leaat on tWa
subject Boston Transcript,
The pursuit svaa of tka boat tMta
ought to ba calm and traaaaiL-CtssKa
