vV
THE 11ED CLOUD CHIEF.
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CHAPTER XII. (Continued.)
"Nonn, my dear child, arc you there?
fTho lamp Is very dim, Is It not? I
don't sec you," called the sleepy volco
of Mrs. Hcathcotc, waking mo from n
rapturous dream of wonderment nnd
'Joy. And nt the same moment tho
Hector entered, full of apologies for his
long absence.
"I couldn't get away," he explained,
with quite unnecessary elaboration.
"Thcso poor things like to talk out all
their troubles, and they are very long
winded. You can't cut them short
to do that would be to ruin your repu
tation for sympathy. Nona, my dear,
let us havo some tea, If you please. I
am afraid It Is tho Dean's ten full of
pernicious tannin by this time. It Is a
quarter to ten o'clock" taking out hla
watch. "Why" staring round him In
bewilderment "what lias become of
jtho child? I could declare I saw her
sitting there In her black gown when
I came In. What queer trick have my
eyes played me now?"
"Miss Branscombe has Just left the
room," I said, coming to the front;
"and, Mrs. Heathcotc Mr. Heathcoto
("will you both give mo your goo.I
wishes. I we I that Is Miss Brans
combc Nona "
Tho Rector was staring at me open
mouthed as I floundered awkwardly
.through mty speech. Mrs. Heathcote's
Kvomanly Instincts were quicker. I
saw It in her face, and, crossing over
to her side, took her hand In mine.
"Sho has made me the happiest fol
low In tho world," I said. "Won't you
congratulate mo?"
"You you!" exclaimed the Rector,
red In the face with astonishment, as
tho truth flashed upon him. "The
dickens; I thought It was that scamp
Charllo!"
"So did I," I could not help saying;
and then we all laughed heartily lo
se ther.
Miss Elmsllc came In In tho midst of
our mirth. Mr. Heathcotc hastened to
explain.
"My dear Miss Elmslle. have you
been as blind as tho rest of us? Hero
has Fort been making his running
.whilst wo havo been watching the
other horse!"
"What do you mean?" asked she.
"That I am going to ask you to re
solve mo Into tho family, Miss Elms
Jle," I put iu. "Nona Is willing to bo
-SHE HAS MADE ME THE HAPPIEST FELLOW IN THE WORLD," I
SAID.
my wife will you let me bo your
cousin?"
"Is this true?" she exclaimed In
breathless wonder. "Oh, I was never
to glad of nnythlng In my life" clasp
ing her hands. "Recelvo you? Of
course I will. I must go to the dear
child at once."
"It's the most satisfactory way out
of all our dlfllcultles," Mr. Heathcoto
declared, when I had laid my position
fully before him. 'It has relieved my
mind of a great load of anxiety. I
ould not havo borne to soo the dear
girl married to that other fellow. And
now I suppose we must glvo up Forest
Lea. I am sorry about the old place,
too. If tho will "
"Lot It go," I said, hastily, recalled
to the remembrance of all tho trouble
Involved In that unhappy subject.
"Mr. Tlllott would llko to speak to
you, sir," announced a maid, as I
crossed tho hall, bed-room candlestick
Jn hand.
"Who on earth Is Mr. Tlllott?" I In
quired. "It's the groom, sir. Ho wants to
,eee you nbout a letter he found In tho
,dog-cart, he says."
"Oh, yes all right! Whcro Is ho?"
il sememhered then that J had never
.rend the letter; : It hart passed cora
pletely out of my mind Mnce thniBtlng
It into my pocket before my explana
tion with .Nona.
"He Is waiting In the study, sir. He
said he was sorry to disturb 7011 iq
late."
"Just so which Is the study?"
Tho girl conducted me to the door,
jit was open, and "Mr. Tlllott" was
fUndlog Just Mlthlc, turning his out-
mrNrswis
of-Hvcry ha', round nnd round In his
hnndii.
"I thought It might be of conse
quence, sir," ho commenced respect
fully. Then, as I cloied the door on
tho girl, he came close to me nnd whis
pered "It's all right. I've been over
to Colonel Egerton's, and Ehall havo
tho warrant the tlrst thing In the morn
ing." "Tho warrant?" I echoed, aghast.
"Yes; prompt nrtlon Is the only
thing," responded tho brisk detective.
"The arrest will bo made before ten
o'clock."
"Arrest!" Fortunately my back was
turned to the light, and Wlddrlngton
could not pee my scared face. "Surely
this Is an extreme measure!"
"Extreme!" nnswered the detcftfnn.
"It's tho only course, If wo are to lay
hands on tho will at all. Afterwards
It can be hushed up by the family
refusal to prosecute and so on. But
intimidation Is the only line nt pres
ent, and In the clrcumstnnces tho will
wo must have. Sho doesn't know
where It Is of that I am eurc. It has
not been made way with criminals
seldom do that sort of thing; It shuts
the door behind them, you hee. We'll
put on tho thumbscrew, nnd It will
come out, never fear" with an odious
chuckle.
CHAPTER XIII.
I sat down, faint and dizzy. Thero
stood the detective, eager, triumphant,
and no doubt utterly astonished nnd
disappointed nt my want of apprecia
tion of his success.
"The chargo Is for concealing." ho
went on. "I thought It better to take
that lino."
"I suppose so," I n.'scntcd dully. I
was ransacking my brains for a way of
escape. My darling In tho clutches of
this hnrpy of the low! It was Intolera
bleImpossible! A wild Idea of brib
ing him of throwing myself upon hU
mercy, crossed my half-dlstractcd
mind. Something must bo done.
"I have telegraphed for more men,"
Bald Wlddrlngton "half a dozen of
them In case of resistance, you know.
They can come down by the night
mall."
An army of constnbles against ono
poor little trembling woman! What on
earth was tho man thinking of?
"He'll probably show light," went on
tho detective.
"Ho? Who?" I stammered.
"Why, tho criminal!" answered Wld
drlngton. "Tho the criminal!" I ropeated
after him blnnkly.
The man glvo mo u quick critical
look. That I had been dining, and
dining not wisely, but too well, was
evidently tho conclusion ho arrived at.
Nothing else could account for my In
tenso stupidity.
"Tho criminal Mr. Charles Brans
combe," ho emphasized. "It's a clear
caBe, nnd an uncommon clover game,
too. Personation of his cousin. Miss
Branscombe wonderful likeness nt all
times fair hair, blight figure llko a
girl's no hair on face no wonder you
were taken In" meaningly. "Lady'3
maid In the plot, supplied nil tho rig
out, etc., nnd gnvo tho tip Into tho bar
gain. Uncommonly well mannged.
Astonishing how the young fellow gets
over tho women they're all ready to
go down on their knees and to Bell their
souls for him every one of them. As
for this one "
"Woodwnrd?" I ejaculated, beginning
to recover from my stupefaction, and
to boo daylight through the wholo
thing.
"Yes," returned tho ex-groom, with
a wink. "Young woman soft on the
sex generally, you see didn't want
much courting to let tho whole cat out
of the bag as much ns sho know.
Knows nothing about tho will; she be
lieved Mr. Branscombe only wanted to
look at It, sho Rays. Ho told her so,
and sho thought it hard lines that ho
was not allowed to go to tho house
or to be at his uncle's funeral. She
never supposed that he wanted to get
hold of the will altogether. And now
what we'vo got to do l.i to raako hlni
hand it over. Hut" -breaking off In hi
rapid explanation "I told you all this
In tho letter 1 gavo you this cvonlng.
Didn't you rend It? Mess my soul!
You haven't ilrosuo Uf as I rum
maged fruitlessly4 ta ore pocket after
another. "You haven't lost It?"
"It's not hero! No, I did not read it.
Stay I may have left It In the drawing-room;
wait heie whilst I sec, I will
be bnck directly."
Mrs. Heathcoto and Miss Elmsllc had
not yet retired. Lights were full on In
the drawing-room, contrary to tho vir
tuous early habits of tho household,
nnd the two Indies were seated sldo by
side on a couch by tho lire, discussing
over a:id over again the wonderful sur
prise of the evening.
"What Is It?" usked Mrs. Heathcote,
rising, to assist my search. "A letter?
No, there Is no letter here. Eliza must
have seen It If It had been left on the
tea-table, uud she never takes Utters
or papers nwny the Rector has
trained her too well for that. No, It Is
certainly not heie. I hope It was not
Important. But you will be sure to
find It upstairs or In the study. Have
you looked there?"
Wlddrlngton was awaiting me Impa
tiently when f returned.
"It 13 gone," I admitted ruofully. "I
en mo straight from tho garden to tho
drawing-room, nnd from thero here. I
must have dropped It."
"Then the wholo thing's blown
rultiP'J," cried tho man, clapping on his
hat, and making for the door. "There's
not a mluuto to he lost."
My letter was gone thero was no
doubt about It. A second nnd calmer
search through my pockets confirmed
tho fact. I had entirely forgotten tho
paper, attaching no Importance to It at
tho moment, regarding It as simply a
ruse on the dotectlvc's part to attract
my attention; nnd subsequent events
hnd entirely driven tho whole circum
stance out of my mind. I had doubt
less dropped the missive with all Its
Important revelation In the garden or
hall.
I opened tho window of my bed
room, which looked over the lawn and
garden path by which I had returned
to tho house. A man's figure WW-'
drlngton's was Just vanishing through
tho gate He had evidently boon"
searching over tho ground, so that no
efforts of mine were needcl. I won
dered what success he had had. Proba
bly he found tho missing lettor, nnd all
fear of miscarriage to his plans was
over.
I sat up late into the night, writing
nnd reading. Sleep, In tho tumult of
my mind, was out of tho question. I
had to think over nnd realize the won
derful and blissful chaugo which had
como Into my life. Nona, my peerless
treasure, was mine my own. And tho
cloud which hnd overshadowed her
even In my most loyal thought had
dimmed the rnpturoua Joy of my bo
trothal. I had almost forgotten Wlddrlngton
In the floodtlde of my happiness, but,
when I descended to tho breakfast
room the next morning, I was abruptly
recalled to tho subject of last night's
Interview. On my pinto lay a nolo
marked "Delivered by hand." It
contained only thc3e words
"Gone, Disappeared Inst night. Let
ter not found."
Later In the day tho detective's In
telligence was confirmed by the Rector.
Mr. Charles Brnnscombo had gone
from Forest Lcn. leaving no nddres
behind him. Tho two or thrco female
servants remaining In chargo clthor
knew or would tell nothing. Charllo
had always a fascinating Influenco on
their class and set; as Wlddrlngton had
said, there was something of a feudal
devotion in their loyalty to him. Thoy
no doubt thought his enso a hard one,
nnd they would not betray him.
Mr. Heathcote's now groom had also
disappeared summoned to London by
the dangerous Illness of his father, tho
household believed.
To bo continued.
WOMEN'S CLUB
Anil I he HeiMnn for Their ltupld flrowth
of Lute Year.
It was at a woman's club, aftor tho
meeting, nnd when the hum nnd buzz
of feminine voices were intermingled
with the clntter of spoons nnd tempo
rarily hushed by the motithfuls of Ico
cream, that the following conversation
took plnco between two women, ono of
whom was an ardent club woman, as
could easily be seen by tho string of
medals and Insignia which ornament
ed tho front of her bodlco, whllo tho
other was Just tho ordinary everyday
woman. "My dear," said tho club
woman, grabbing her companion's
hand, I must bo going. I am due at
a meeting of tho daughters of Lafay
ette Post, nnd then I must drop In for
a moment and see Mrs. Blank about
our next meeting and the topic for dis
cussion." "How do you find time for
all these clubs and what does your hus
band say to all thla running about?"
"Ten yenrs ago It was I who sat at
home and waited till between S and G
for him to como home, 'Mais nous
avons change tout selu,' ho sits home
and waits for me now. I have been out
since 9 this morning and I am just
looking llge a tramp now. Woll, ho
docs not seem to mind It; ho Is Just as
good and dear as he can be. Wo board
you know, and 1 never had any chil
dren. But good bye; I shall see you
again at tho 'Justlcla,' shall I not?" Is
this tho solution of tho abnormal
growth of woman's clubs, "Wo board,
you know, and I never had any chil
dren." Is it the lack of motherhood
which has driven her Into iho clubs?
Twenty-flvo years ago the United
States supplied 15 per cen) of the
world's coal consumption; now It sup
plies 30 per cent.
m&mmmm inmwm
WSSSEBOffSSlSS w
CHAPTER XIH. (Continued.)
Tho Rector was tho only person ex
reptlng myself cognizant of Mr. Wld
drlngton's failure nnd discoveries. I
felt very small In tho worthy person's
presence. I had for tho second time
been outwitted by u woman, and It win
on account of my careless blundering
that the whole work had to begin over
again.
"Don't tell the ladles," advised Iho
Rector; "keep It from them as long us
you can. Miss Elmslle Is tho veriest
gossip, good little soul an she Is, and,
as wo have Just proved, 'a man's foes
are those of his own household;' tho
very 'walls havo ears, and a bird of
tho air shall carry tho matter!' " con
tinued Mr. Heathcote, losing nil con
trol of himself In tho heat of quotation.
"If Wlddrlngton Is to recover tho trail
wo must be silent as mice."
"Ills groom get-up was capital," I
remnrked; "It completely took me In."
"Yc3," said the Rector complacently.
"I think wo did that rather well. But
I did not expect to blind you. When I
found you hnd not recognized Wld
drlngton ns soon its you arrived I kept
up the Joke, you know."
"It Is hardly fair, Is It," I demurred,
"to keep .Miss Branrcomhe In the dark?
I believe sho would bo discreet."
"Of course you do!" laughed Mr.
Heathcotc. "You would be a sorry
lover If you did not believe that nnd
everything else that Is good of her."
"It may be necessary to put her on
her guard agalnBt the lady's maid," I
suggested.
"Yes, It may. 1 hnrdly know what
course to adopt with regard to tho
woman," said the Rector thoughtfully,
"or how Wlddrlngton hns left matters
with her. It seems to mo Important to
retain her; she may help us If she will.
Well, with regard to Nona, you must
uso your own discretion. Fort; I can-
"f HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU, SIR."
' not advise. Perhaps we may hoar
I lomethltig from Wlddrlngton to-day or
to-morrow. He has left us In a terri
ble mess at present; but no doubt he
1 couldn't help It. The falluro must
I havo been a blow to him. 'Thero's
I mnny a slip 'twlxt tho cup and the lip,'
I you know."
CHAPTER XIV.
Before I left the rectory I had to
endure nn Interview, quite unsought,
and I think I may add qulto unde
served on my part, painful and embar
rassing as It was to mo.
Woodward WIddrlngton's deserted
and betrayeS lady-love her faco pale,
her eyes lurid with suppressed fury, en
tered tho rector's study, whoro I hnd
established myself In order to wrlto
letters for tho afternoon poat, and de
manded a hearing.
I must here confess to a weakness to
which I have always been, and am still,
a prey I am morally afraid of an
angry woman. I enn faco any number
of furious men, my spirits Indeed ris
ing at the prospect of a fray, but before
an angry woman I am an urrant cow
ard. My feelings therefore can bo Imag
ined when tho lady's maid advanced
upon me. There was no mistaking tho
expression of her whole person as sho
closed tho door and approached me.
At the first glance I thought of the
words "Earth holds no demon like a
woman Bcorned."
Innocent factor as I was In tho
"scorning" of this particular woman,
why sjiould I have to bear tho brunt
of hor demoniacal fury? This was the
question which shook my craven soul
as I braced myself up as well no I
could for tho encounter.
Miss Woodwnrd planted herself on
the opposite sldo of the writing-table,
facing me, I was glad at that moment
of the Intervening breadth of leather
covered mahogany, Sho wns a little
woman of a dark complexion. Her
thick well-marked brows met on her
forehead, giving a look of determina
tion a sinister look, I thought at that
moment to her thin, sharp-featured
face. Her face was always somewhat
eolorless. but It was Uvldly palo now,
.
0V7iS
nnd her eyes glcuned with anger. She
rested one hand upon the table, clench
ing uud unclenching tho other as she
spoke.
"I have n few questions to nsk you.
i.lr," she commenced, In u significant,
quiet tone "questions 1 should like
nnswered."
"I urn at your set vice." Mlfs Wood
ward," I responded, putting my papers
together with nn airy iinriimptlun quite
nt variance with my real feelings,
"I want to know," die went on, "If
you think It Is the nrtlon of n gentle
man to ret n spy upon a rcspectnbln
young woman, to deceive her by fnl
promises nnd lies and thiiincful, double-faced
ways and tricks, to get out of
her all he wants to know -all for your
Information, sir" she was becoming
somewhat Involved- "nnd for your p.iy.
I suppose? Is this a gentleman's ac
tion, l ask you?"
"If you ineun," I began.
"I mean," iihe Interrupted, "that 1
havo always heard you lawyers aro as
cunning as Satnn himself. But I never
could have believed that a gentleman
llko you, fo plensmnt-spoken and
straightforward no you seemed, could
have been guilty of Mich a trick!"
"As what?" I nskrd. "I nm not
nwaro of any ronduct on my part of
which you have a right to complain,
Miss Woodward. I rather thought, do
you know, that things weru tho other
wny nbout--that I had nomo cuuso of
complaint ng.ilnst you."
"That fellow, Tlllott-or whatever
his name Is," she paid, with hitter con
tempt -"was your spy, was ho not?
Didn't you send him down to hunt out
your business?"
"I did not know of his being here
until last night," I uiiBWcml truthfully,
If n little evasively.
"But ho was your spy," she per
sisted, "and you didn't rare bow he
got at what you wanted to know so
long as ho did get at It. You didn't
euro If he lied and deceived, and made
a poor woman ashamed to hold up hsr
head again. It was nil for your
money."
"My good girl," I remonstrated, "I
am really very Eorry; but 1 nm not re
sponsible for Mr. Tlllott's conduct."
"It wns you who tempted him," sho
persisted "who pet him on me! Oh,
It wns the meanest, basest thing! Ho
was to have married me our names
arc up nt tho rcglatry-omco In Ilmln
tou. I cnu havo tho luw of him for
false statement, mid Hint's what I mean
to do! Tell mo his addross It's tho
least you can do for a woman you havo
helped to Insult nnd mislead."
"Who put up tho names?" I nsked,
beginning to feel that Mr. Wlddrlng
ton had gono to unwarrantable length:)
Indeed.
"I did," sho answered, "a fortnlglr.
ago the tlmo would be out next week.
Ho wouldn't lot mo give notlco to
Miss Branscombe, and wo wero to have
been married on tho sly, becnuso his
friends In London worn such grand
people, and ho would toll them after
wards, he pretended the false trai
tor!" "Then, If you gave the names, I am
afraid you cannot make Mr. Tlllott re
sponsible for any statement you have
yoursolf made at the office," I said.
"It Is a vile, shameful trick!" she
panted.
"Yes, It Is too bad," I assented, sym
pathetically. "But how did It happen
thnt you, with all your experience, al
lowed yourself to bo bo taken In?"
"I never suspected him for a minute,"
she replied, softening under my sym
pathy. "I never supposed that men
could bo so wicked. And I don't be
llevo now that ho would Jf rjhohndn't
been put up to it. I found h'lsTletter to
you, telling you how your scjijyjjirn had
all succeeded, and then I knfehaw a
gontloman could demean himself!"
with renowed contempt. y
"You found a letter?" I asked,
"Yes."
"And you rend It?"
"Yes" shortly and sharply, "Why
M-
not? It was tn his handwriting, and
wo were almost man nnd wife; I bait
a right to read his lettors. And lt'
well I dldl What havo you to say to
that, sir?"
"Nothing," I answered, "Only Iho
law might havo (something to say, you
know, to your Inking possession of a
loiter addressed to another person." T
was gaining rourago ns her reckless
temper placed her In my power. I
should advise you to be a little morn
prudent, Miss Woodward."
"I don't euro that for tho law," sho
cried violently, snapping hor lingers In
my fare. "The law says nothing to u
woman being deceived and Insulted,
and cheated with false promises."
"Oh, yes It does!" I snld. "Thero Is
such n thing ns brench of promise
only I am afraid you are hardly In a
position to avail yoitrsolf of tho law."
My spirits had so far revived that I
was able to try a little Intimidation
now. "You heo, by your own con
fession, you have miiile yourself nmnn
ahlc to the law In one -If not In two
Instances."
"I tell yon I don't enro,' sho cried;
"and I'm glad of what I did. I hail my
revenge. I upset nil your nno plans
and his. You wore neither of you a
mntch for n woman from beginning to
end."
"Thnt Is quite truo," I assented, hum
bly; "you were very clover, MIia Wood
ward. I don't think I' ever heard of ti
cleverer trick. I give you groat credit
for your splendid management, and, It
you will allow mo to say so, I think
your tnlonts aro qulto wasted In your
present position ns a lady's mnld. I
should really advlso you to turn your
attention to, sny, tho fcmalo dctcctlvo
Hue. 1 think I enn perhaps bo of uso
to you In that sort of a career It you
decide on It."
CHAPTER XV.
I was determined that she should not
remain In her present post about Nona,
nnd deemed It udvlsablo to manage her
resignation ns quietly ns possible. A
designing, vlndlctlvo woman, burning
with n sense of Injury, nnd cnpablo ot
the elaborate dissimulation she had al
ready practiced, was certainly not nt
for nttendnnco on my guileless, tender
Nona. Miss Woodward must leave the
Rectory before my own departure.
"Tho authorities at Scotland Yard,"
I suggested, "will, I think, most proba
bly be glad of your assistance 1 can
perhaps arrango the matter."
"Do you think that I will be be
holden to you for anything?" she burst
out. "Do you think I will let you lay
another trap for 1110? No, I'm not
sunk so low ns that comes to!"
"It might be worth your while," r
said carelessly, "to think over ray)
offer. I am afraid after what haaj
passed the Rectory will not be either!
n pleasant or 11 safe home for you"
meaningly.
"And do you think,1' bIio cried, "that
I'm going to take my warning to leave
from you? You nro not my master. II
wns not engaged by- you, nnd It's not)
for you to illamlbs me."
"A11 that Is quite true," I asscntedi
"nevertheless It may bo as woll for you
to think over what I havo said, Miss:
Woodward. Miss BranBcombo will, I
know, bo ns anxious as I am myself to
avoid any unnecessary scandal or ex
posure beforo tho other sorvants. And
sho has been a kind mistress; you
would not, I nm suro, wish to give her
unnecesrnry pain or distress."
"Miss Brnnscombo Is a tnousana
times too good for for thosb who
have got her," nr.nounced Miss Wood
wnrd. "As sweet a young lady as crer
trod tho earth, sho Is, and abov all U10
mean tricks Uiat seem all right to law
yers, no doubt. And It things had gono
nB they should have gone wo might
hnvo seen her In her own proper place,
with ns real a gentleman as she 1 a
lady."
(To ho continued.)
DOUBLE EAOLE.
At It Appeuroil mi Iho Armi of Ruiill
mill Amtrlu.
Tho eagle, a3 an emblem of authori
ty, Is so old that It would be Impossible
to clearly trace Its origin. It Is found
upon the most ancient sculptures that
have yet been discovered, and was no
doubt ono of tho very oldest of tho to
tems, or trlbo signs. Tho early Per
sian empire nppenra to bo the first
which adopted It as nn Imperial em
blem. Among the Greeks the eaglo
was the emblem of Jove. Tho Romans
also adopted the eagle as their stand
ard, and eo It became the, token of Ro
man dominion. When Constantino be
enmo emperor ho adopted tho double
headed eaglo as tho Insignia of hla
authority over east anil west. When
tho German empire camo Into being la
the twelfth century this emblem was
revived ns being thnt of the Holy Ro
man empire, and Rudolph of Hapsburg
adopted It ns Ills Imperial anna. It ap
peared In the Russian imperial arms In
the sixteenth century, when Czar Ivan
Basllovltch married Princess Sophia,
nleco ot the elovonth ConBtantlne, and
tho last ot the Byzantlno empo'rora.
About Necks.
Tho array of necks presented for In
spection nt u theater is various. All
sorts and conditions of necks are there,
and there Is as much variety In thera
ns there Is In tho faces above them.
Scraggy necks should, If surmounting
good shoulders, havo a discreet ribbon
round thorn; black velvet or whlta
tulle aro tho most becoming things for
tho complexion. Pcnrls on r white
throat aro really exquisite; for dusky
necks the most becoming stones are
emeralds or rubles. When the bone
at the baso of the throat aro too Jr
truslve on tho attention they may bex
coerced Into submission and conceal-; 1
ment by n narrower ribbon jtled tw
with a pendant.
on