THE EED CLOUD CHIEF.
'.
T
' sNMBBta
CHAPTER II. (Continued.)
"You aro Mr. Rowton's er broth
r?" she asked, without replying to my
remark.
"No." I answered; "I am his Junior
partner."
"He In ill, I believe?"
"Ho haH been 111, but Is recovering.
Ho was not able to come today." I
added, with a shade of plane In my
mind. Was she regretting that I had
taken the plnco of Rowton, who was
probably wel known to her.
"1 am sorry for his Illness," she
said, "bHt glad that he that that "
stammering and sitting down sudden
ly I think because sho was trcmbllns
too much to stand. "Mr "
"Fort." I suggested quietly.
"Mr. Fort I beg your pardon," she
ald, hurriedly; "but the time l bo
short I am so anxious to say some
thing to you. I hardly know how"
with Increasing nervousness "but I
must sny It. 1" raising her cyos onco
moro to mine "I think I may speak
to you. You will not think li strange."
"I shall be only too glad to bo of use
to you," I responded, with hardly-repressed
eagerness.
"Mr. Rowton," she said more calmly,
"Is prejudiced. You oh, I must say It
-plainly have been sent for to make
my dear uncle's will; we all know It It
Is no secret. Mr. Fort, I want to tell
you that If If he should wish to put
mo" a sweet faint flush dawned over
her pale cheeks 'In the place which
should bo my cousin's Mr. Chnrlca
Branscombe's I could never content
to wrong him never! It soems dread
ful to talk about It, I know, but there
Is no other way. Will you say what
you can for Charllo Mr. Branscoraba
and persuade my uncle not to do him
tbl3 Injustice? I know that lawyers
:an suggest a great deal at such tlmei
-and you Eeo" wringing her hands In
THE FIRST GLEAM OF DAWN FELL. UPON THE STATELY FIGURE OF
THE DYING COLONEL.
igony of earnestness "there Is no oth
er chance. Charlie Is not so so un
worthy as Mr. Rowton thinks Ire Is
not, Indeed; and he has always be
lieved that ho would bo my unclo's
lielr. I I could not tako his place. It
-would be wicked and base. I could
never hold up my head If such a thing
were done."
"It would not bo your, doing." I sug
gested gently. "You would be blame
less. If Colonel Branscombc "
"If ho leaves tho estate to mo I
shall simply hand It over at onco to
my cousin. You can tell my uncle so,
Mr. Fort," sho exclaimed vehemently;
"then ho will see how useless It would
be."
' Two or three suggestions occurred to
mo, but I had not tho heart tb put
them before her. It her Intentions
wore announced to Colonel Branscombe
he might find another heir, loss scru
pulous and disinterested, or he might
bo tlo up the bequest to his niece as
to stay her too. gonerous hand. With
tho knowledge I had gained of Char
llo, tho latter course would certainly
be my advice, If so unlikely a chance
ns being asked should occur.
"You will do your best?" entreated
M1S3 Branscombe.
"Yes, I will do my best," 1 assented,
not without a guilty consciousness of
a mental reservation which would
hardly have satisfied Mis? Brans
combo had sho guessed at It. The
opening of the door behind mo nnd the
rustling of .silk put an end to the teto-a-tete.
There entered a llttlo old lady
with white hair, and the same shadow
of dread and anxiety which pervaded
the houso lurked In her soft dark
eyes. "Mr. Fort my cousin, Miss
Elmslln," said Miss Branscombe, doing
tho nonors with a qulot dignity which
covered her previous agitation. And
nt tho Ftimo moment dluner was an
nounced. CHAPTER III.
P" "My estates of Forest Loa nnu
Praascomue, moneys in furus, mort
4 gages, etc., all and absolutely, with
the exception of the general legacies
nioiemcntloned, In trust for my alec,
rfeimkfa
Nona Stanhope Branscombo. spinster,
and her lawful heirs in perpetuity for
ever, for her solo and separato uao,
and Independent of tho control of any
husband sho may hereafter take, and
on the condition that such husband
shall not bo Charles Umphclby Brans
combe," Theso wero the words dictated to
me In a Arm but faint voice by tho dy
ing Colonel as I sat by tho bedside to
which I was hastily summoned early
In the morning succeeding my arrival,
"All and absolutely." Thero was no
ccnipromlso In the words, no falter In
tho glck man's tone, only perhaps a
sterner set of the palo lips as tho flat
went forth, showing that tho hopo
which had lingered so long In tho
faithful old heart had died at last.
A silence followed, broken only by
tho sound of my pen as It traveled rap
Idly over tho paper, and, In splto of
my promise of tho previous night, not
a word of protest or amendment es
caped my lips. Was I not doing tho
best I could for her? I was conscious
of n little flutter at my heart as my
hand traced the words, "Nona Stan
hopo Brnnscombe," and for I was not
yet sufficiently practiced In my pro
fession to be hardened to such ex
periences of an oppresslvo senso of
awo and solemnity overshadowing the
scene. It was indeed one of tho most
solemn I have ever witnessed, before
or since.
The first gleams of tho summer dawn
camo through tho open window and
fell full upon the stately figure of the
dying Colonel, as he lay propped up
by pillows, on tho largo four-post bed
stead. The rosy light touched, with a
strango Incongruous lovlty, tho noblo
features upon which was set tho ma
jestic seal of tho King of Terrors. On
one side of tho Colonel's bod stood
the grave physician, his finger on the
patient's pulse: on the other Hnin.,i
deerhound nestled his head ngalnst the
master's cold hand. A group of anx
ious domestics hung together at tho
end of the long room, out of earshot,
and watched with silent but eager zeal
for tho opportunity of rendering any
of the llttlo last services to their bo
loved master.
Tho Colonel's volco broke tho still
ness as I raised my head, at tho con
clusion of my task.
"This, my last will and testament,"
ho said with emphasis, "remains in
your charge, Mr. er "
"Fort," I interpolated quietly.
"Mr. Fort," repeated tho Colonel,
"until tho day of my funeral, when you
will read It to those concerned."
"I accept tho charge," I said, and as
I spoke tho sense of awe and solemnity
already upon me deepened, and made
me feel the words to bo a sacred pledge.
Was It a foreshadowing of all which
that trust was to involve In tho un
guessed future?
"Tho signature," I was beginning,
when a sign from the doctor stopped
me. I saw that Colonel Branscombe's
head had fallen back and that his eyes
had closed. Had tho end come, after
all, before Forest Lea could bo saved
from the ruthless hands of Charlie
Branscombe?
It seemed so Indeed for tho next few
minutes; then the efforts of the skill
ful physician proved successful, and
the ebbing life camo slowly bacfc again.
Tho eyelids quivered, tho pallid lips
moved.
Dr. Marshall beckoned mo to his
side.
"Ho cannot sign yet." he whispered.
Was ho an adherent of. Charlie's?
"Keep near at hand. Wo will call you
when ho ha8 rallied sufficiently for tho
effort."
I rctired-unwilllngly, I must con
fess and tho long day dragged slowly
on, without tho summons which I was
momentarily expecting. Miss Brans
combe and Miss Elmsllo appeared at
tho breakfast table and did the honors
courteously but gravely. Evidently
they know of tho Colonel's nrbre crit
ical state, nd Miss Nona at least knew
comethlng of what haa takou plaoe la
his room that morning. I could scarce
ly bo mistaken In thinking that sho
made moro than ono attempt to speak
to mo alono. Sho ltngorcd about, look
Ing listlessly from tho windows whilst
Miss Elmsllo gavo mo a long history of
tho Lea; and, whon tho latter settled
horsolf finally at tho writing table,
with a pile of unanswered letters be
foro her, I certainly detectod a look of
disappointment even of vexation on
the fair faco of her young cousin.
Parians It was because of my on
wonted idleness that I loarnod la u
course of those twelve hours to read
every chango of expression In those
lovely features, and to know ovory
one of them by heart. And had it no(
been that I had reasons of my own
cogent ones for resisting the appeal
In the wistful bluo-gray eyes, I must
have acceded to tho Invitation which I
read only too plainly In them.
CHAPTER IV.
But how could I toll Miss Brans
combo that things were going exactly
contrary to her wishes, and that, too,
without tho faintest effort on my part
to stay their course? How could I let
her know that If only flvo minutes
moro of 'strength nnd powor wero giv
en back to the nerveless hand of tho
old man upstairs, sho would most as
suredly supplant her cousin Charles
and become tho mistress of Forest Lea
and Branscombe, and "all the lands,
messuages, nnd tenements thereunto
appertaining?" I was a coward, I
know, but I could not bring myself to
run all tho risks of tho disclosure or
to chango the confidence with which
iho had honored mo Into distrust and
Indignation.
And thero was something dangerous
ly sweet In tho secrot understanding
with this lovely young girl tho very
embodiment of Innocence and purity,
as sho appeared to me a very Una In
deed. I was thoroughly conversant
with tho ordinary typo of "society"
young ladles; I had flirted with a cer
tain number of nineteenth-century
young women; and although with, as
I now knew, a largo reserve-fund ot
genulno sentiment In my nature to
draw upon, I had never yet been
tempted to Idoallzo ono ot tho freo
mannered sirens, who called, mo by ap
propriate nicknames, wrested five;
pound notes from mo with "stand and
deliver" determination at bazaars,
betted and won brooches and gloves
at Hurllngham nnd Sandown. I had
never been in love sometimes I be
lieved I never should bo. I will not
sny that I had not sometimes beneath
the light, frothy surfaco a regretful
hankering nfter tho supremo ex
perience mlsblng from my thirty ytars
of life.
Miss Nona Branscombe camo upon
mo as a rovelatlon a thing apart from
all my exemplars ot her box. Sho
dwelt In a shrine of her own, tho saint
already of my deepest devotion.
Towards evening an answer to a tel
egram I had dispatched to tho office
was put Into my hands. It wa3 from
Mr. James Rowton, our second In com
mand, who had returned unexpectedly
from tho Continent. Ho bado mo ro
maln at Forest Lea until the buslncsa
on which 1 had been summoned was
satisfactorily concluded. Thlsyclleved
me of all responsibility or anxiety as
to my absenco from town, and I was
glad. I was curious, I said t,q raysolf,
to see; the play played out nothing
more. It' was a matter ot professional
Interest and experience, not personal
by any means.
Miss Branscombe watched mo as I
read tho message, her face palo to the
lips. Sho was In that stato of nor
Y0U3. excitement when everything
alarms. I hastened to explain.
"My partner has come back from
Germany," I said. "It is a relief to
know that he Is In London again. I
had not expected him so soon; and
Mr. Rowton, senior, Is still confined to
his room."
(To bo continued.)
ODD BITS
Of Chanjo Loft by Cuitomen Help Out
Ilia Cashier's Malurjr.
Philadelphia Inquirer: Odd bits ot
chango thoughtlessly left by customers
form no Inconsiderable part of the'
Income of cashiers In certain business
establishments, notably restaurants,
saloons, cigar stores and similar places
where, during many hours of each rfav.
there Is a steady rush of patrons,"!
get $15 a week salary," Bald a cashier,
"and I always count on an additional
$3, or GO cents per day, through for
gotten change. I do not consider that
I am doing anything dishonest, either,
because I always make anyaffort to at
tract tho custom.er'a attention to the
fact that ho Is leaving his chango be
hind. Nine cases out of ten I succeed,
even If I have to send a waiter to fol
low the man clear out Into the street.
But thero aro enough ot tho tenth
cases to mako my receipts foot up all
ot tho sum weekly I have named, The
majority of them are people In a hur
ry to catch a (rain or car or to keep
an appointment', and thoy haven't the
time to return, even If they did discov
er their loss a square or so awaj. Tho
next day thoy don't caro, or at least a
majority of them do not.to spoak about
such a small matter, tho overlooked
change seldom being more thin five or
ton cents, and I am just so much
ahead. The proprietor got it? Certain
ly not. It doesn't belong to him, and
Just so the money In tho cash drawer
balances with the register ho Is sat
isfied." Tho presiding geniuses ot the
atrical box offices aro also occasion
ally In pocket through the carelossnesi
of ticket purchasers, but with box of
fice transactions the change, If any.
Is usually In such large amounts that
thelf opportunities are fewer and far
ther between.
FOR WOMEN AND HOME
ITEMS OF INTEREST FOR MAIDS
AND MATRONS.
Boms Tlpj for Itrllrmnlri4 Togun of
the 1'olonnUo Th l.oi or i Viiulh
A Creation for AiiRust Di) llio
Negligee,
Ihn forts.
The pnnts-tho poets
Tint. irt.iiit .if tl... ai.cII..
In mighty strength they tower nbovo
inn men or common lilrlli
A noblo r.icc they inlitKle not
Among tho motley lliromr,
Ilut move, with Mow mul measured steps,
To music-note llloiltf.
Tho pocttf-tho poets
What conquests they ean boast!
Without otic drop of life-blood split,
They rule n world's wide host:
Tliclr stainless ti.iiiner flouts unharmed
Vrom ne to letiKtlieneil hko;
An J hlstoty rocoids their deed
t'poti her proudmt p.iko.
Tho poets tho poets
Mow endles.i Ik their fntne.1
Death, like thin mitt, comes, yet leaves
No shadow on each name;
Out ns yon starry roiim th.tt gleam
In evening' crystal sky,
Bo have they won, In memory's depth,
An Immortality.
Tho poels-thc poets
Who doth not HiiRer o'er
the glorious volumes that contain
Their brUht and spotless hue?
They charm us In tho saddest hours,
Our richest Joys they feed;
And love for them has Rrowu to bo
A universal creed.
Tho poets tho poets
Those kliiKly minstrels dead.
Well may we twine ti votive wreath
Around each honored head;
No tribute Is too hlKh to glvo
Those crowned ones ninoiiK men.
Tho poets' thu true poets!
Thanks bo to Clod for thenii
A Funry Itodlro.
August Is the month of months
Mien n woman finds It n trying task to
look cool and dainty; when the reds,
plnks.vlvld green and other colors sug
gestive of heat must be laid aside for
tho creams, pale blues and palo yel
lows. Hero Is a becoming bodlco nnd
toque designed for afternoon use.
Tho bodlco is made of dull olivo white
silk figured In Irregular circles of deep
yellow. Guipure nppllquc Is let In the
front up and down nnd crosswlso.form
ing large squares. Tho neck Is finished
with an Immense bow ot ollvo white
liberty silk, attached to a stock ot tho
vtme material. Tho stock In turn Is
flnlshM with a rufflo of dotted chiffon.
Tho ends ot tho bow are also finished
with tiny frills of tho dotted material.
Tho bolt Is a broad band ot striped rib
bon tied In a bow at the back.
Tho toquo consists ot a narrow band
of fancy straw, covered with bunches
of pale yellow and white wild roses,
with a full spray of the flowers at tho
left Bide.
For the llrlde.
As summer advances beautiful
lhades ot blue aro taking the placo ot
the springtime purplo. These blues
aro to be found in the silk and woolon
veilings, In cottons and linens and
millinery materials. A charming wool
veiling ot a real chlna-bluo shade Is
trimmed with the tiniest rows ot black
velvet ribbon and has vest and rovers
of whlto satin overlaid with Irish
point. Dull reds, or rather soft shades
of red, aro fashionable, but are so sub
dued by the trimming that they are
not In tho least obtrusive. It requires,
however, Just tho artistic eye and fin
gers of the Parisian modiste to suc
cessfully present reds that may be
worn In the warmer weather. Boleros
ot lace are particularly modish, while
laco covered or otherwise trimmed
rovers are to be found even on even
ing gowns, tho short llttlo rovers turn
ing back just at the bust line.
Vogue of the I'olonnUp.
Writes a woman from foggy London
town; Thopolonalso is certainly to
bo a featuro of tho spring stylos. In
Paris It Is already an accepted fact,
,ind, although London no longer slav
ishly accepts what Paris proposes In
tho matter of dress, a run on tho pol
onalso Is expected hero. Anyone who
studios tho subject ot dram soon dis
covers that what on tho first seemed to
be a reckless revival Is generally a log
ical evolution of somo favorite stylo
t the moment. Whet tho shaped
AS
V ' h-T-
frlw -' InpA.
"-rtJ' '"ff illJf "V
JWW''- ?iuujB
yi I I 11 li
Up1
flotinro came In, tho revival of the 1
"tahllcr," "tunic," or "draped over
skirt," ns It used to be called some ten
yenrs ago, was predicted. And tho
draped or separato oversklrt cannot
como In without bringing In the pol
onaise, which Ir merely Its "princess"
form that Is, tho ovrrsklrt cut In ono
with tho bodlco Instead of being sep
arated nt the waist. Tho aversklrt
helped tho evolution of the polonaise,
which Is nlwnys most In favor whon
fashion decrees n certain tightness
above and n ccrtntn How below In di
rect contrast. Tho eel skirt accen
tuated thin and will accentuate It still
moro If tho excessively tight samples,
skin tight nbovo and very fleecy nnd
flowing below the knrcs, which now
prevails In PnrlH nnd on the smarter
London st:it;es, evor spread to the ma
jority. Tips for llrldrtmnlit.
Each hrldosmnld should present n
gift just ns other Invited gucsta do,
tho gifts to be sent n few d.tys before
the wedding. A llttlo friendly nnd
Informal nolo should accompany tho
glfl.
Tho maids preendo the brldo to tho
church nnd wult for her nt tho door,
standing In two lines faring ench other.
When tho brldo nrrlvos with father,
'brother, or whoever Is to "glvo her
away," sho passes through the nlslo
formed by her attendants, who form n
procession behind her. The chief maid
stnnds nearest tho hrldc, who hands
her her gloves nnd bouquet to hold bo
foro tho part ot tho servlco Is reached
where the ring Is slipped on her finger.
Tho best man nnd maid accompany tho
bridal pair to tho vestry to witness tho
signing of their names, but tho rest of
the attendants wait outside. After the
ceremony tho maids follow tho brldo,
a? upon entering the church.
Bouquets nro Font tho mnlds by tho
groom, who also tho dny beforo tho
wedding sends them somo small ar
ticle of Jewelry,
The mnlds, of course, return to tho
homo ot tho brldo to tho breakfast or
reception that follows tho ceremony
nt tho church, nnd when the brldo goes
to exchange her whlto robes for n trav
eling gown tho chief maid nccompnnlcs
to nssl3t her.
Howovcr nmlnblo a brldo may be, sho
certainly prefers to hnvo tho foolish
old custom of throwing rlre nnd old
shoes after her overlooked. It Is tho
privilege of tho best mnn or maid to
throw an old slipper, but tho balanco
of the attendants may retrain from
the showing of good wishes In this
way, I am certain, without fear of of
fending tho brldo. ' j
For Warm Days,
Palo yellow and white form a com
bination popular In both gowns nnd
millinery. Dellcnto yellow with
whlto nnd delicate grenn with whlto
nre mwnys nttrnrtivo in summerllmd
costumes, nnd will bo seen In many a
charming toilet throughout the warm
er days.
Hand-embroldored bishop's Inwn,
linen nnd bntlsto aro mado up Into
very attractive collars, cuffs and
blouso fronts. French muslin Is also
tiBed In tho snmo way. The collars
are both wldo and narrow, tho edges
finished with hemstitching nnd narrow
edging of tingathercd Valonclennos
laco. Tho embroidery Is usually of a
lino vinelike pattern above'tho hemmed
odgc.
Of all fashlonablo owns for the
summer, yoke nnd' gttlmpe effects aro
constantly Increasing, and each new
model that appears dlscloseH something
novel, dainty and picturesque. Tho
fnmlllar forms, notes tho New York
Post, of seasons past aro roplnced by
thoso of tucked batiste, llsso and In
dia mull; Flemish guipure and Vene
tian nets, point d'esprlt, etc., or of
tinted nil-over embroideries on whlto
linen or French lnwn; gauffered Indln
silk, crossed with bandj of silk Inser
tion, or these same dellcnto effects In
taffeta, merely laid In , fine lingerie
tucks, with lines of feather-stitching
between the tucks and the. Insertion
bands.
Hhlrt Wnlat of Hllk Mtulln.
Shirts or blouses of colored silk mus
lin aro tho most fetching nnd tho
smartest of summer waists for pique
Jacket gowns. They are plaited all
over or finely tucked, and havo a mus
lin or a laco cravat. Perishable, no
doubt, but not so much so an one would
think, for the muslin so much used is,
nfter all, a sturdy fabric, ethereal In
appearance only. Fichus and wide
neckties of It may bo washed and most
beautifully Ironed, which fact places
them at onco far away from the ex
travagant chiffon. I should not ad
vise washing a plaited silk muslin
blouse, but one such bodlco will easily
bo a serviceable and lovely thing for
PARISIAN DESIGNS
the summer girl to wear with duck
oklrtti itt tho golf tournament or for
afternoon tea on tho plnz.i.
Delightful NrKllsee.
Did you over stop to think that It l
the effects arranged with studied caro
lessness that mnko a woman beauti
ful? And, too, did you ever notice that
It Is more troublo to accomplish theso
touches of negligence thnn It Is to ob
tnln the regular, formnl eITects7
When you soo a llttlo curt ncstllnn
lovingly nbout tho rorohend nnd around
the neck, nnd n llttlo ruffle bobbing u;
Irregularly In somo unexpocted placo,
you may rest assured that nt least at
hour of Tnlunblo time hnd been dovoted
to It.
Here Is a dream In midsummer morn
ing gowns. It Is dovelopod In pate
bluo nun's veiling covered with black
polka dots. Tho gown Is n modification
of tho princess and nn Improvement
on tho tea gown. Thero Is a vost ot
striped silk which widens Into a panel
effect as It ncars the foot. Tho front Is
a rounded ono nnd Is trimmed with a.
frill of palo blue embjohlqrei) silk Jlncd
with striped silk. A wldo Wnttoau'
plait caught with a bow and ends of
black ribbon constitute tho decoration
upon tho back of tho gown. Tho slccvos
nro shirred and trimmed with puffs and
minus ui insertion.
The l.ovo nf Youth.
A London Journal tells this Monto
Carlo story:
"A woman entered tho salle whllo a
prince whom sho knew was winning
In a sweeping stylo that seemed destin
ed to break the bank. 'I am so glad to
see you here, Prlnco, and In such luck,
too!' ulio exclaimed. 'Do tell mo a
htetty number; It Is suro to win, far
yu nro In the vein.' Tho prlnco gen
erously placed a pllo of gold louls bo- '
fore tho vivacious lady, whose beauty
had successfully defied the effects of
Iblrty-slx winters, and said: 'Put It alt
on tho number of your' years and reap
a golden harvest!' Tho lady reflected,
hesitated, and then placed the pile on
twenty-soven. An Instant later tho
croupcr sang out, 'Thirty-six red
wlnn!' Tho lady muttered, 'Ah, mon
dleu; thirty-six Is exactly my ago,' and
fainted on tho spot." 'Z
No doubt thU Is offered as a direful
warning to other women, but, never
theless, In splto ot tho lost fortune, I
still contend that a woman may keep
to herself Just as long m sho pleases
Just how many sunny summers and
frosty winters havo passed over her
head. Now, I think the prlnco at Mon
to Carlo was very ungallant.
A Hevern Hetliack.
"No, It will bo sevoral Sundays before
I care to hear tho Rev. Mr. Daktor
preach."
"Why so?"
"Ho has just rcturnod from a fishing
trip and It will tako him that long to
get baok his voracity." Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
Nothing; to F.t.
Hasslt It's strango you're so hard
up, old man. I thought you owned
half ot Swamphurst, and bad lots to
soil?
Haddlt I havo; but what I want U
lota to eat Brooklyn Life.
FOR DRIDAfc COSTUMES.