THE FATAL REQUEST
OR FOUND OUT
By A. L. Harris Author of “Mine Own Familiar Friend," etc.
Copyright, I n y / , by C a i i « t l Publithiug Company.
Copyright, lung, bystreet <6 Smith,
CHAPTER XXII.—Continued.
Before he could reply the house- j
maid put in another word.
"Begging your pardon for speaking,
after being told to hold my tongue,
hut it's something beginning with a
B'—as I saw it myself in a prayer
book I came across accidental.’’
"So ihat is how you came by your
Information,” said her master. “Some
thing Deginning with a ’B,' is it? Sup
pose you let me sec the book?”
"Which I intended to have showed
it to you at the first,” she said, fum
bling in her pocket and producing the
well worn little volume, which she
was about to hand to her master,
when—
A sudden dart —a long arm stretch
ed out. and a powerful hand wrested
it from her.
“This is my property,” exclaimed
its owner, sternly. “The name writ
ten within may be mine or another’s,
but so long as I choose to keep It a
secret—secret It shall remain.”
•’This is most extraordinary con
duct!” exclaimed Mr. Ferrers, "most
extraordinary! Under the circum
stances, only one course is <,pen to
me. It is impossible for me to harbor
under my roof one who has obtained
admittance under a false name, and
absolutely refuses any explanation. I
must, therefore,”—assuming his se
verest expression, while the young
man seemed to hold h's breath as he
waited for the sentence to be pro
nounced upon him—“l must, there
fore, discharge you at once, and with
a month’s wages in lieu of the ordi
nary notice.”
It was all up.
“When—when am l to leave?” in
quired Ted. with eyes fixed upon the
fl<xir and heart beating furiously.
This question seemed to take the
person to whom it was addressed
unawares.
“When!” lie answered; “why—oh.
“This is my property!”
as soon as you can: or” -with a
slightly more lenieet tone, as he re
flected that, after all. as the fell >w
himself had said, there might be rea
sons, not necessarily bad. for tlie con
cealment—“you can remain until to
morrow. if you like.”
Victory! Another night, which was
all he required.
He could scarcely prevent himself
from showing some signs of exulta
tion. Ah! perhaps by this time to
morrow the situation might be chang
ed. He might be the judge, and an
other-—
“Stay one moment,” Mr. Ferrers
continued.
This time he addressed the woman
Perkins, who had reached the door.
"As I have also a strong objection
to persons who pry into other people's I
concerns and interfere wit 11 their pri- i
vute property, you may as well take ,
a month's notice at the same time.
That will do: you can go.”
The biter was bit. Site had not a
word to say for herself. She had
succeeded in wreaking her spite upon
him who had despised her attractions
and repulsed her overtures, but site
had done it at tne expense of a good
situation. Moreover, the man whose
disgrace she had labored to secure
laughed in her face as he passed her.
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Envelope With Three Seals.
It was twelve o'o-ock on Friday '
night. The clock in the hall below
had struck the hour. Another half
hour licked slowly by. and at the end 1
of that time a floor in the upper part
of the house was opened softly and
by imperceptible degrees.
The room within was in darkness
and the figure of the man who cau
tiously emerged was barely visible in
the general glot m.
He crept lightly on his stockinged
feet past the doors of the rooms on
the upper floor, and began to descend
the staircase.
II was much in his favor, the stairs
being so well and so massively con
structed, that there was no startling
and treacherous creak to betray the
feet which trod them secretly in the
dead of night. And so he made his
way slowly a.,d safely to the floor on
which the room was situated Into
which he was minded to penetrate.
After careful and noiseless search,
fio succeeded in laying his ham! upon
a candle and a box of matches, which,
earlier in the evening, he had secreted
In a convenient, but out of the way
comer. -
found--distressing scenes—-the in
quest—the verdict—mysterious dis
covery with regard to'a first class pas
senger—foul play suspected! Verdict
of Wilful Murder!'’ And so on and
soon he retraced his way through the
whole of that dark tragedy—wasting
what he felt to he precious time, but
unable to tear his attention away
from these records of the past.
At last he rammed the paper back
into its pigeon hole and turned nis
attention again to the drawer be
neath. When it at last yielded to
his efforts, he was rewarded by the
sight of a flatly folded packet of
parchment, tied with tape—the iden
tical last will and testament which he
had heard spoken of so often l>y the
cook. But this, though of Interest in
one way, was not that of which he
was in search, and he began to fee!
a qualm of fear lest, after all, his
quest should prove useless.
His eye, roaming restlessly about,
was caught by the gleam of brass in a
dark corner. The candle, which was
sufficient to light him at his task, still
left the greater part of the room in
semi-darkness, and there was some
thing over there, iu that corner, which
lie had not taken into account.
It was an old fashioned piece of fur
niture—the only shabby and evidently
second hand article in the room. It
was an upright article and was divid
ed into two portions, the lower con
taining drawers and the upper being
shut in with doors, which were fitted
with a brass lock aad fastening.
It was old and much scratched, and
had apparently seen considerable use;
but must have been a good article
originally. Hi* took the candle in his
hand and, crossing the room, inspect
ed it closely. "There is a look about
it"—holding the candle up higher—
“as though it might have a history
attached to it. It looks"—with a sud
den impulse—"as though it might be
trusted to keep a secret.” He put the
candle upon the mantelpiece close by
and again resumed his burglarious
operations. "I shall soon be able to
pass muster as an experienced house
breaker. at this rate.” he remarked to
himself, with grim irony, as the* lock
turned traitor, and the door, swinging
open, revealed a number of drawers
within, each garnished with a lock
and brass handle. Which should he
attack first? Much time had already
been wasted, and at that moment, as
though in answer, the clock on the
mantelpiece chimed three, while the
clock in the hall without repeated the
tour after it.
He struck a match, and. lighting
the candle, advanced towards the door
of the apartment into the lock of
which he inserted his duplicate key.
He entered and closed the door lie
hind him, without, however, com
pletely shutting it.
He put his candle down on the writ
ing table while ho considered what
was to he done next. The waste
paper basket first attracted his atten
tion as being at once the nearest and
the easiest object on which to exer
cise his powers of investigation.
It was about a quarter full of torn
fragments, which he promptly
emptied out before him. A rapid and
cursory examination was sufficient to
prove that these were of no import
ance. So he swept them back into
their original receptacle.
The next thing to he done must lie
to tackle the writing table. How was
this to be accomplished? Shocking
to relate, he produced from his pocket
nothing less than—a bunch of skele
ton keys!
To his great disappointment one
after another of the drawers up in the
right hand proved to be empty. He
turned his attention to those on his
left.
He put his hand to one and pulled
out the tightly wedged contents. He
spread it open; yes, it was a news
paper-some months old. What could
he the reason for preserving it? A
sudden thought—he looked at the date
and then—Yes, there it was on the in
side sheet. "Terrible Kailway Acci
dent! The 4:30 train from Dover
wrecked anil partially consumed!”
There was a full account, of that
ghastly affair, with minute details
of all the horrors—a recollection of
which returned to him. most vividly
as he scanned the column, lie re
placed the first, and took down an
other and another.
"Further details- number of bodies
‘‘1 wfl! try ‘he third first.” he said,
and inserted one of his skeleton keys
into the lock. This drawer—the
third in order from the top—on being
opened showed itself. strangely
enough, to contain three articles, all
of a widely different c haracter.
These were a large and tmlkr en
velope. a revolver and a entail bottle
of colorless fltiio. The young man
could not repress an exclamation of
surprise and triumph as his eye fell
upon these.
The secret he had been in search of
so long lay ready to his hand— th*
proofs of the crime were there* wait
ing for hitu to grasp them. He knew
it. unci yet hesitated. The shock of
the discovery seemed to paralyze his
hand, so that for an instant he was
unable to stretch forth and take pos
session of what he believed would
make him master of a man's fate.
At last lie put out hi~ hand, which
trembled as lie did so. and took up the*
revolver. It was a six-chamber revol
ver, and a glance showed that one
ony of the chambers had been dis
charged.
A tierce, hungry look came over his
face as be noticed this, and. laying the
weapon down, lie* searched for some
thing which he always carried about
him—the conical shaped bullet which
had been discovered in the stuffing of
the fourth carriage front the engine.
He dropped it into the empty cham
ber, which it fitted exactly.
"Proof number one!” he* said, with
grim joy, as hp felt the dreadful thirst
for blood return upon him with all it?,
former strength. He laic!, the revolver
down and took tip the small stoppered
bottle. What was this, and what hear
ing had its contents upon the* matter?
He removed the stopper and inhaled
the contents carefully. A strong ami
unmistakable odor of bitter almonds
greeted him. Prussic acid, beyond
doubt! What did this point to? There
seemed, to be only one answer pos
sible Suicide! A means of escape
provided in case of the worst happen
ing. He replaced the stopper aurl
placed the bottle by the side of the
revolver, while lie took up the third
and last article. This was the envel
ope before mentioned. It was large
and thick and sealed in no less than
• hree places. On it. in place of an
address, were written the strange
words'. "To tie burned, unopened,
alter my death.”
To be burned, unopened, after his
death! what did that mean? Why.
if it were to be burned, unopened, bad
he put himself to the pains of writing
it? For that the envelope contained
the completed copy of the "true narra
tive and confession of the strange
tragedy" lie had not the least doubt.
But. why had he described it as the '
strange tragedy? Cowardly and de- j
testable it might well be- but why |
strange?
"At any rate, so far from its being '
burned, unopeped." lie said, aloud. "1
will now ntyself
He held the letter in one hand and, 1
with the other he was about to break
the seals, when a voice cried:
"Stop! ”
(To lie continued.)
Doctors Knew a Good Thing.
Congressman. John Sharp Williams
tells of a man in Mississippi who is a
hypochondriac of the first order. This
individual's failing is a source of nev
er-ending amusement to liis fellow
townsmen. It was of this man that
some one humorously remarked, in an
swer to a question as to how the sick
man was getting on. that "he com
plained that he was feeling somewhat
belter.”
Mr. Williams says that the hypo
chondriac was one day telling a friend
of his efforts to regain his old-time
health. Hu ran over the list of doc
tors whom he had consulted. Where
upon the friend remarked:
"Well. <dd man, I must say that you
appear to have lots of faith in doc
tors,”
“Certainly I have," replied the sick
man. “Don't you think the doctors
would he foolish to lei a good cus
tomer like nte die?” — Colorado
Springs Gazette.
Long Lines of Kings.
Though Japan be tile latest country
to enter the circle of world powers,
her emperor surpasses all sovereigns
in the length of his pedigree, accord
ing to the London Chronicle. He is
the one hundred and twenty-second
member in direct, unbroken descent
of his family who has sat on the
throne of Japan. The founder of his
house was. in Japanese legend, a god
dess of the sun, and contemporary
with Nebuchadnezzar. 660 years' be
fore the Christian era. On the other
hand, the Romanoffs have been royal
only since 1601, when they succeeded
to the sovereignty of the then ex
tinct house of Rurik. As for other
European rulers. King Edward can g<
hack tf> Cerdic. 395 A. 1)., the HafP
burgs to 952 A. D.. and the ilotilvi
zollerns to the eighth century, l>wt as
kings only to 1701.
Why It Wasn't Le£8l.
In the New York Ijtw School at a
recent lecture on the m-£ing of wills
the case of a woman IJI one of Rider
Haggard's books wr.s cited. This
woman had a man's will inscribed in
ink on her back. And the will was
held regular and legal because it had
been made in vrMting.
After giving this practical illustra
tion. tin- v>r/d'essor called on John
Smith, sayv.g:
“Is a v til so inscribed regular and
legal in your opinion?"
“No,' answered Smith.
“Why not?” asked the professor.
“Because it's a skin game," replica
Stwfin.
The professor felt angry enough to
order Smith out of the room, but tho
class laughed so much that he d<s
eided to overlook the student's flip
ifVTj.
Worn When Away.
The selection of traveling gowns is
frequently found to be a difficult mat
ter. for they must he becoming, and
above all things practical and useful.
One worthy of attention was carried
nit in reseda green cloth, its dominant
note in all particulars being simplic
ity. The neat little roat was cut
louble-breasted and prettily strapped
and embellished with a touch of fine
silver embroidery. This, when worn
oppn, displayed a daintily tucked lawn
shirt with linen collar and dark green
velvet tie, both being feminine in
style, yet of irreproachable neatness.
The skirt was gracefully plaited and
cut walking length, and designed to
wear with this costume was a warm
green cloth wrap and a pretty felt hat
trimmed with ivy leaves anil berries.
White Linen and Lace.
Clowns of coarse, white linen, mueh
trimmed with heavy laces, are to be
worn even more than during the last
hot season.
Some of these are fashioned on
quite elaborate models, as, for in
stance, one which has a Dlrectoirc
coat entirely of ueavv white lace, with
small hip panels of the linen overlap
ping the lace. The skirt is long and
sweepingly graceful, for this is in
tended for a dressy gown, and hands
of the lace are run up and down it.
The new buttonhole embroideries
and the button laces, whereon dangle
countless little crocheted halls, are
extremely effective on these coarse
white linens.
Fashionable Loose Coat.
Loose coats make Ideally conifer.
able wraps and are in the height of
style. This one can be made with
the smart little shoulder cape3 or
without and can lie buttoned over or
rolled back to form rovers. The
model is made of tan colored brop.d
cloth, the levers of satin in the same
color edged with l’orslan braid, but all
cloaking materials are appropriate.
4436 Woman's Coat, 32 to 40 bust
The iriple capes fit snugly and give
ihe drooping line without fulness and
the sleeves are wide and ample allow
ing of wearing the putted ones be
neath, without danger of rumpling.
To make the coat for a woman of
medium size will be required 41/£
yards 27, 2^ yards 44 or 52 inches
wide.
A May Manton pattern. No. 4436,
sizes 32 to 40, will bo mailed to any
address on receipt of ten cents.
Her bridal Outfit.
Silk muslin, crepe de chine, or one
of the newer weaves, liberty or
duchesse satin, taffeta, or peau de
eygne, is an excellent choice for the
wedding dress. If of a thin fabric
nothing could be more charming than
the new (old) 1830 skirt gathered at
the belt and having graduated tucks,
interspersed with bands of filmy lace
running around the foot of the skirt
to just above the knees. A full blouse,
wide girdle, deep yoke, and bertha of
lace and immense tucked sleeves with
lingeries undersleeves of lace com
plete the costume.
A modish traveling costume is of
mixed tweed, the coat in sort or three
quarters length, and with a jaunty
skirt just clearing the ground.
Pretty Curtains for a Set of Shelves.
One of the prettiest curtains seen
for a set of shelves was of brown bur
lap with trimmings of red. The cur
tain was thrown over the brass rod in
such a way as to form a deep lambre
quin at the top. The burlap was lined
throughout with red. Red felt was
used for the border. The top and bot
tom wras feather stitched to the bur
lap with red worsted in clusters of
six quite long stitches, the middle
oue longest, and the others graduated
toward each end. The clusters of
stitches were about an inch apart.
Bedroom Hangings.
Nothing is prettier or more dainty
for bedroom decorations than the up
holstery dimities in the old English
style. They .-an be got in may pat
terns and launder beautifully, so are
more durable than a flimsy fabric.
They may be used in the entire deco
ration of the room for bedspread, can
opy, window hangings and dressing
table covers.
, At the window* it Is prettiest to
hang the curtains straight down each
side with a full vallance across the
top. Cushions for the chairs and coo
ner seats can be made to match, too.
For Afternoon Teas.
Tea table cups on a new plan are
offered for sale in the large shops this
month, in serving any beverage in
formally in the drawing room the cup
ffml saucer combination are often
found to be an awkward one to manip
ulate. These new' cups are supplied
with a metal holder and no saucer is
furnished. The metal holder consists
of two hings of silver which pass, re
spectively, around the upper and lower
portion of the cup and terminate in a
handle.
Fringe of Ermine.
The alliance of lace and fur is an
old story, though perhaps the connec-,
tion has never been more originally
devised than in the case of an evening
dress recently noted, where flounces
of cream Alencon lace were linished
by a fringe of ermine tails. A scheme
of quaintly attractive character, this
was carried throughout the corsage,
which was furthermore enhanced by
bows, bretelles and sash ends of black
velvet, passed through buckles of old
paste.
Extravagant Garter Buckles.
Some of the new garter buckles are
extravagant in setting and design.
One seen recently was of Roman gold
set with a fleur de Iis design of dia
monds. Another Roman gold garter
buckle had a china medallion sot in
the frame, on which the monogram or
favorite flow'er of the owner could be
painted. These buckles also come In
sterling silver at thrice the price of
the pseudo gold.
A Suggestive Stole.
A stole which is full of suggestions
Is made of plain Brussels net, with
flowers or leaves rut out of cloth and
sewed on to the net foundation. Tinted
flowers would be pretty for the woman
with time and tr.sto, and velvet could
be used instead of the cloth. An en
tire gown of such work would not lie
too great an undertaking, and would
be very handsome.
Things That Help.
TJse soapy water when making
starch. It will make the clothes more
glossy and easily ironed.
Bine black silk underskirts with
flannel to insure warmth.
Dusty or rusty looking Jet trim
mings can be made quite new looking
If soaked for about ten minutes in
equal parts vinegar und water. Dry
in a cool place.
Fruit a Complexion Beautifier.
There is no better cosmetic for the
skin and no better complexion beautl
fier than a large, juicy apple eaten at
night. Some will find perhaps that
the skin of the apple gives them indi
gestion, so it is better to peel it. Next
to the apple as a blood purifier is the
cranberry; it is most wholesome.
Oranges eaten in the morning are
very beneficial.
The Necessary Trunk Cover.
A trunk cover is a necessity for the
woman who “lives in her trunk.’’ A
green denim cover was attractive with
its edge buttonholed in white long and
short stitch. The monogram of the
owner was worked In the center. A
steamer trunk covered in this fashion,
when piled with gay colored pillows,
makes an excellent window or cozy
corner seat.
Novel Bonbonnieres.
One of the most charming bonbon
nleres of the season is of bisque or
china, in Japanese style. It repre
sents a little almond-eyed maiden car
rying in either hand a basket or pan
nier. Both of these receptacles are
filled with bonbons. The trinket can
be very appropriately applied for table
trimming.
Novel Ideas.
The more unusual the trimming on
costumes this season the better, and
anything you like is fashionable. Sec
ond hand shops are the resort of many
a fair maiden these days. Antique
buttons of metallic orn .ments, queer
braidings and quaint meadollions arc
used as coat trimmings and to trim
fur stoles.
Readers of this paper can secure any May
Mauton pattern Illustrated above by filling out
all blanks In coupon, and mailing, with looeuts,
toE. E. Harrison A Co..06 Plymouth Place.Chi
cago. Pattern will be mailed promptly.
Kama ....
Town ......
State._......
Pattern No......
Waist Measure ’if for skirt)..
Bust Measure (if for waist'....
Age (If child's or miss's pairs*n)___
*
, Write plainly. Fill out all blank* Enclose
lOo. Mail to E. E. Him rlaon * Co., to Plymouth
Place. Cblraca
INTERESTING TO AMERICANS.
Western Carada Will Soon Become
the Supply Depot for Wheat for
Great Britain.
During the past yar about 69.000
Americana went from the United
States to Canaria. Moat of those Bot
tled upon farm lands, and the writer
Is Informed by agents of the Cana
dian Government that the greatest
success has followed the efforts of
nearly all. To their friends on this
side of the boundary line the fullest
assurance Is given of the prosperity
that Is in store for them. There will
always be a splendid market for all
the grain, cattle, and other produce
that can be raised in Western Can
ada. and with the advantages offered
of a free homestead of 160 acres of *
land, and other lands which may be
bought cheaply, an excellent climate,
splendid school system, educational
advantages of the best, what more
Is required. The husbandman geta
more return for his money than In
any other country In the world.
On the occasion of Sir Wilfred I cu
rler's visit to the Corn Exchange, Lon
don, England, Colonel Montgomery, V.
D., made several Important state
ments. “The function,” he said, “which
you have just been assisting In con
nection with a kindred association has
doubtless shown you the Importance of
the provision trade of Liverpool In lte
relationship with the Dominion, and
the enormous possibilities of the fu
ture development of that trade. Well,
the grain trade of IJverpool has In
terests with Canada no less important
than those of the provision trade.
When It Is borne In mind that 80 per
cent of the breadstuff* of this great
country has to be brought from
abroad, you will readily appreciate
with wbat great satisfaction we view
the large and steadily increasing sup
plies of grain w hich are annually avail
able for export from Canada, and I
challenge contradiction when I say
that of the wheats we Import
from Russia. India, the Pacific,
and the length and breadth of
the United States, none gives more
general satisfaction, none Is more
generally appreciated than that
raised in the Province of Mani
toba. We cannot get enough of it,
and it Is no exaggeration to say that
there are before ns dozens of millers
who hunger for it. This Is not the
time to enter Into statistical ques
tions, but wo look forward with con
fidence to the time at which, with the
present rate of progress, the Dominion
of Canada will have a sufficient sur
plus of wheat to render this country
Independent of other Bources of sup
ply. I think I ntay, with Justifiable
pride, remind you that this Is the chief
grain market of the British Empire,
and through its excellent geographical
position, as well as through the enter
prise of Its millers, It i3 now the seo
ond milling center in the world.
Send to any authorized Canadian
Government agent for copy of Atlas
and Information »a to railway rate,
etc.
Hope Is the mainspring of life.—
Socrates.
The Useful Camel.
The Somali camel ran eat every
t..ing and drinks nothing. It will make
a meal where even the country pony
would starve. Daremo, mimosa, aca
cia—all come alike to it; and when
shoots and leaves are withered it can
fall hack on roots, thorns and hark.
That sort of digestion makes it, of
course, valuable in a country where
the bill of fare seems compiled In the
Interest of the carnivora, but Its in
difference to liquid is its especial
virtue. While the Arab camel needs
drink daily, his Somali brethren when
on a march are watered only every
fifth day, and when drouth prevails
may bo Ictt for ten. When grazing
they are supposed to be watered ev
ery sixth day, but such regularity de
pends on the energy of the herders
and the condition of the grass, the
herds when the grass is green being
often left without water tor as long
as three months.
Japanese ‘ Singing Infects."
Among ino natural curiosities ot
Japan are its singing insects. The
most prized or these tiny musicians is
a black bottle named "susumushi,”
which means "insect bell.” The sound
that it emits resembles that of a lit
tle silver bell of the sweetest and
most delicate tone.
..The Most Common Disease. ,
Yorktown, Ark., Feb. 29th.—Leland
Williamson, M. D., a successful and
clever local physician, says:
"There is scarcely another form of
disease a physician is called upon so
often to treat as Kidney Disease. 1
invariabilv prescribe Dodd’s Kidney
Pills and am not disappointed in their
effect for they are always reliable.
1 could mention many eases in which
I have used this medieine with splen
did success, for example, I might re
fer to the case of Mr. A. H. Cole.
"Age 31, greatly emaciated, some
fever, great pain and pressure over
region of Kidneys, urine filled with
pus or corruption and ’ -»ry foul smell
ing and passed some blood. Directed
to drink a great deal of water, gave
brisk purgative and Dodd's Kidney
Pills. The pills were continued regu
larly for three weeks and then a few
doses every week, especially if patient
felt any pain in region of Kidneys.
Cured completely and patient per
formed his duties as farm laborer la
four weeks."
"Dr. Williamson has been a regular
practitioner for over twenty years and •
his unqualified indorsement of Dodd's
Kidney Pills is certainly a wonderful
tribute to this remedy.
It is with men as with horses: those
that do the most prancing make th*
least progress.—Baron a* Stassart.
