i-w s . A ,
THE BED CLOUD CHIEF.
I H3gf
CHAPTER XVII.
Tho mollified officer produced ft
paper, over which Mr. Walker pored
for about Ave minutes.
"I don't see anything about searching
my house there," he remarked grimly,
ks he handed the document back to Mr.
Drown. "Perhaps you'll put your fln
ter on tho place, and I'll glvo In."
"It's a warrant for tho apprehension
of Charles Branscombe, gentleman,"
said tho officer pompously, "on a
charge of ahem felony a very seri
ous charge."
"And what the dickens," cried tho
old gentleman, Irritably, "have I got to
do with Charles Branscombo or any
other felon, I should llko to know?"
"Ho was seen last closo to this
house," said Mr. Brown, "and "
"And whilst you'vo been Jabbering
hero he's had time to get far enough
away from It, I should say," Inter
rupted Mr. Walker, contemptuously,
Ignoring a sign from his wife, who
throw open tho door with a civil
"You'ro welcome to look upstairs and
down, and wherever you like, sir."
As Mr. Brown descended to tho gar
den, after an elaborate investigation of
every room In tho house, Mr. Wld
"drlngton came up the path from the
pca-vlncs, and, catching sight of tho
officer, "went for" him on the spot.
Mr. Brown was a well-built fellow,
standing six feet ono In his stockings,
and tho dctcctlvo was a wiry little
man, hardly reaching above his shoul
der, yet tho officer staggered under tho
crip of tho sinewy hand.
"You you blind Idiot!" gasped the
oxctted Wlddrlngton, as ho shook his
subordinate heavily to and fro. "You
confounded dunderhead! Do you see
what you have done? You have let
tho man slip through your fingers, Just
as wo had run him to earth. Look
there!"
"There," by the overturned basket
tilled with green pea-pods, lay a bundlo
composed of n bluo cotton gown and a
whlto muslin cap.
Mr. Brown's bewildered gazo traveled
from tho bundlo to tho garden alley.
WE READ AND REREAD IT.
It was empty. Tho Innocent llttlo
maid had vanished like Cinderella at
tho warning Btroke leaving her finery
behind bor. Another shako from hl3
Irato superior, and a glimmering of
tho truth dawned upon tho stupefied
senses of Mr. James Brown Mr. Char
lie had been ono too many for hlra
again.
"He's off," panted tho detectlvo;
"and it'll bo a long day beforo wo got
uch a chanco again! Hang your
country thlck-hcadednees!"
The Httlo man literally foamed and
stamped In his Impotent fury. Mrs.
Walker, standing at her cottago win
dow, laughed softly to herself as sho
watched him.
"Yes, he's off," sho repeated. "Trust
Master' Cbarllo for being ono too many
lor such as they. Ho nlwaya was tho
cleverest llttlo rascal bless him! And
they may say what thoy llko, his old
nurso ain't a-golng to turn on him, let
him bo what bo will. Ay, yo may rave
and storm" to tho detective from be
hind tho safe shelter of tho closed
window "but you'll never catch him
now. Ho'll bo aboard tho yacht and
away beforo you'vo even guessed how
ho got there."
"What on earth made them fools
think wo was harboring their man?"
asked Mr. Walker, who was strutting
up and down tho llttlo parlor, swelling
' llko an offended turkey-cock. "Did
you know anything about this Btart,
k damo?" with a Budden susplc'on.
"Don't you ask no questions, and you
won't havo no lies told to you," re
joined hU partner oracularly, as sho
"brought out tho tea caddy and trotted
Witt to tho kitchen to make the tea.
"Just you go and give my respects to
tho two gentlemen In the garden, Han
nab," sho said to the snub-nosed maid,
"and nek them It they'll step In and
ako a cup of tea; and bring that bas
ket of peas alone as you como back;
you may as well s.hell 'em when you're
alttlng down this evening."
But Mr. Wlddrlngton and the con
Rtablo were past all such puerile con
-WWv??
solatlons as Mrs. Walker's cup of tea.
Mr. James Brown, looking terribly
crestfallen, followed his superior along
the field-path to tho spot whero Smith
and Varloy awaited them.
"Tho man's gone," said tho detective,
briefly. "Has anything passed this
way?"
"Not a living thing," answered
Smith, who was from Scotland Yard
"nothing but a hay wagon from the
field yonder. I saw It loading all the
time."
And Mr. Smith had seen also n tired
laborer, lolling at full length on the top
of the hay cart, half asleep, and with
his battered felt hat slouched over his
faco to keep off tho rays of tho sun.
What ho did not seo was the laborer's
alert descent from his billowy couch as
soon as tho cart turned tho corner, nor
tho grin on tho wagoner's faco as a
golden sovereign was passed from his
"mate's" hand to his own; and what
he did not hear was the laborer's song
sung In a musical voice, too as ho
lurched across tho quiet fields towards
tho not distant coast. Tho refrain of
that song was peculiar fur a bucolic
singer:
"They don't know everything down In
Judcc."
CHAPTER XVIII.
One week after our wedding day nn
epistle reached my wife, tho audacity
of which simply overwhelmed us. Wo
read and reread It, and finally Indulged
in a hearty laugh over It. It was word
ed as follows:
"Juno 18th, 18.
"My Dear Coz. I'm open to n com
promise; tell your lawyers so. I will
make over Forest Loa to you I don't
caro to live there and you will pay me,
say, half of tho Income. In tho nb
senco of tho will which Fort asserts
was mado by our uncle, but which ho
has never produced, I can of course
claim tho whole But wo are cousins,
and I don't wish to be hard on you.
Tho old governor ought to havo left
you something, If ho didn't.
"Messrs. Smlthson and Wright, of
Russell street, Russell square, havo In-
structions from mo to negotiate tho
matter with your solicitors the Row
tons, I suppose and tho sooner it is
settled tho better. Your affectlonato
cousin, Charles Branscombo.
"N. B. I consider my proposal a
very liberal one."
"What will you do?" I asked Nona
presently.
"I should llko him to hnvo what ho
asks for," sho replied, looking timidly
at me. "Forest Lea will bo safo then
that is what my undo was anxious
about and poor Charlie will not bo
tempted to do wrong again."
"Porhaps not," I assented dryly.
"Wo nro so rich" my wife's hand
stole out to mine "and 30 so happy!"
she said, with that exquisite blush of
hers; "wo don't want all that money,
do wo?"
"I want nothing but you, darling," I
answered. "You shall do as you llko
with tho rest."
"Thank you," she roturncd fervently,
"Then you will write, will you not, and
tell Mr. Rowton to havo It all settled
with these people? I havo been so un
happy about Charlie; It has been the
ono drawback to all my my happiness,
Sldnoy" tho tears were in hor eyes
"the thought of Charlie, outcast and
disinherited and mlscrablo. You know
wo wero llttlo children together; and
poverty for Charlie would mean tempt
ation. Now, with an Incomo, ho can
marry and sottlo down, and "
"And you aro euro you did not ro
grot that you "
"Quite quite sure. Oh, Sldnoy, how
can you bo so foolish?" murmured my
wlfo, with her head on my shoulder.
"You don't know how Jealous I havo
been of your cousin Charlie," I con
fessed. "I could not believe In my own
happiness ft seemed too great; and
you will admit that I had some ground
for my doubts and suspicions."
"You wero very foolish and very
blind," ropeatcd my wife. "Charlie
and I woro nothing more thr.n brother
and slstor."
"Did he never ask you to ib some-
thing more?" I Inquired. "Thht flay,
when I met you together, for In
stance?" "You have no right to ask me such
questions," Nona replied with dignity,
"and If you plcaso, wo will talk busi
ness." "Yes, we will talk business," T as
sented. "Do you know, my dearest,
that In tho present phase of tho affair,
It Is Mr. Branscombo who gives you
tho half of Forest Lea not you who
give It to him, Without tho will, which
clearly he does not Intend to surren
der, ho Is tho possessor of tho estate."
"Does It matter?" asked my wlfo.
"No," I answered, shrugging my
shoulders. "It Is simply a detail."
"And thero will be nothing to pre
vent tho compromise?" asked thts de
termined little woman, anxiously.
"Nothing excepting tho restitution
of tho will. You could not, In that case,
give away anything."
"Then I hopo It will never be re
stored. In fact," eald my wlfo with
emphasis, "I would not rccolvo it; I
would destroy It."
"Then you must not tnke mo Into
your confidence," I laughed. "I can't
havo anything to do with compounding
a felony."
Nona was never tempted to carry
her threat Into execution. Charlto
Branscombe's troublesomo carcor camo
to a sudden end by the bursting of an
overcharged rifle on a hunting expedi
tion; and amongst tho papors handed
over to us by a foreign banker was the
missing will.
It was not without somo natural
tears to his memory that his faithful
hearted cousin accepted at last her In
heritance; and, If she Is now consoled
by tho fair bright faco of a young Har
old Branscombo Fort, who, as second
son, Is to bo tho heir as he Is tho
namesake of tho good old colonel, sho
still loves to traco In tho frank, deli
cate features a likeness to tho lo3t
playmato of her youth.
And I am no longer Jealous.
(The End.)
CURIOUS PETS FOR WOMEN.
Somo minds aro strikingly original,
even in tho choice of pets. Cortalnly
tlila tuna tlin nnnn with tliA wlffi nf A
gentleman farmer who mado a pet of a
nli?. The animal lost Us mother early.
and tho lady, taking pity on tho little
orphan, bore It off to the kitchen,
where she succeeded by the aid of a
feeding bottle, In rearing It.
The pig became a great pot, and
used to follow Its owner llko a dog. It
could hardly havo been Its outward at
traction that won her heart; It must
have been its qualities which endeared
it to her.
Another very singular pet was that
of a frog, which was tamed by a young
girl In tho country and would como out
from undor tho leaves at her npproach
to be fed with a strawberry.
A lady who was confined to hor room
had a fowl which, before hor illness,
was a constant companion. It used to
bo regularly brought to her room overy
morning to sco her and bo fed by her
own hands, and allowed to taka a
short walk about her room.
Another member of tho femlnlno
gender actually made a pet of a tur
koy, and doclnred It should "never bo
eaten, but die In Its own good time,"
which It did of old ago.
A much more extraordinary Instanco
of a strange pet, for a woman, at any
rate, was whero an old lady so far
nvnrcama tho natural renuenanco of
iher sex as to tamo a mouso which had
been caught In her store cupboard. So
successful wa3 her treatment that at
last tho tiny animal would tako crumbs
from Its mistress fingers. Woman's
Life.
THE BEST OF IT.
And Stilt Lovelj Woman Is Clamoring
for liar Hlght.
Every man has his day; but thank
to his gallantry, woman has ovory day,
If reasonably Indulgent, sho is ml
tress of her destiny. Sho has her fln
ger In all Borts of pie, writes Jean Po
tage in tho Boston Homo Journal. Her
sins nro forgiven hor. It sho murders
a man who has failed to treat her like
tho perfect lady sho was not, the Jury
Is pretty apt to acquit hor, taking Into
consideration tho naughtiness of tho
man. On tho other hand If sho treats
a man nastily, and ho does her quietus
make with a largo bodkin, twelve good
men and truo disbelieve his story and
order him to tho scaffold. If sho sues
hor lover for breach of promlso, Bho
gets at least a part of what sho sues
for. If ho sues her ho gets tho ha-ha
from all tho nowspapers. In caso of a
quarrel In which sho Is to blamo, Bho
has a court of last resort which is
closed to mankind sho can always
shed tears whim she finds things are
not going her way. If eho loses a
part of woman's glory hor golden
locks sho may piece out tho romaln
dor with somo adroitly commingled
curls, to tho eternal deception of thA
public, and so never hear tho remarks
of doilsloa turned toward hor bald
headed husbaud. If Bho'fl an actress
sho can play Juliet and Hamlet both,
whllo the male Thespian, though ha
may mako a bettor Hamlet, is preclud
ed by public prejudlco and an lnslplent
black beard from over looking at tho
moonlight and asking Romoo where
fore he la Romeo. And still nhe asks
for her "rights" and seekB for "power."
Tho first person who asked for tho
earth, and thon scolded because It was
not fried on both sides and turned
over, must havo been of the sex that
irtught Adam to grist with an applo.
Ac tEdustrlous man with good sons
doesn't havo to depend upon luck.
wr
W
HTTY'S
By Author of
s-VVV
tomftmmmmmmmmmmmvi
CHAPTER I.
Five o'clock on a July afternoon an
nftornoon hot everywhere, hottest of
nil hero In London; a dreary, shndo
leas house In a dingy square; a small
upstairs room half schoolroom, halt
sitting-room; an open window, nt
which much dust, much sunshine and
llttlo air camo In; and near tho win
dow, slttlns ilgldly upright In a low
chnlr meant for lounging my Aunt
Jane, talking reasonably, mapping out
mu future life for inu tranquilly, but
with decision.
I Bat and listened In silence; Meg,
leaning back agnlust tho cushions of
the shabby llttlo sofa, put down hor
novol to listen, too. Corn, with her
sewing In her handa, beenme suddenly
Indolent. Aunt Juno talked on and no
ono Interrupted.
I fancy I hear her still her calm,
even, unetnphatlc tones, that expressed
such rational sentiments, such unro
mantle, excellent common sonso. When
I shut my oyes tho whole scene comes
back to mo. I am seventeen ngnlu, n
schoolgirl still, In a little shabby, out-at-elbows
frock, with my handa hot,
my fingers Ink-stalncd, and my open
school books spread out beforo me; and
once again tho fear of Aunt Juno Is
falling upon mo like a weight.
Aunt Jane made cowards of us all;
we nover dared to opposo hor plans.
When she spoke decisively wo wero ac
customed to assent with meokness.
And of all Aunt Jano's household I
was tho meekest member, not becauso
I was by nature more meek than
others, but becnuso Fato had unkindly
usod mo and had mado me a poor rela
tion In Aunt Jane's house. Meg und
Dora darod sometimes to smllo de
risively as thoy carried out her tyran
nical orders dared to obey hor with a
little air of Indlfforcnco and grand caro
lessness, as though their obodtenco
was a matter of choice and tholr
choosing to oboy wero an nccldont;
hut then Meg nnd Dora wero her step
daughtersnot hor nieces; houso room,
r'
" 355- 4&k jJffl
-" " rtw r
"YOU ARE SURPRISED, OP COURSE," CONTINUED AUNT JANE.
food, clothing, life's necessities and
modest luxuries wero theirs by right. I
hnd no rights. A long list of benefits,
grudgingly given, borno clearly In
mind by tho glvor, oppressed mo con
stantly when Aunt Jnno was by.
Aunt Jano hnd brought us unexpect
ed, astonishing news that aftornoon
news that concerned mo chiefly. John
Mortimer, sho told iu, had boon with
her slnco luncheon; ho had been talk
ing to her confidentially and most sen
sibly, and had relloved her mind of ono
great worry.
"For of course, Kato, you havo been
a worry," sho exclaimed, looking nt
mo with unsmiling candor. "Your edu
cation haa been un expense, nnd a
growing girl Is not dressed for nothing
0 year; and, as I have often said, you
really havo such a healthy nppotlto
that I sometimes dread to look at tho
weekly bills. Not that I wish to com
plain. Your undo nnd I havo been
very good to you more than good
done moro than our duty. I don't re
gret It I don't complain; still, ono Is
bound to own that you havo boon an
cxponse, Kato, and a responsibility;
and now at last ono begins to seo an
end of It. John Mortimer has been
talking to me talking most sensibly.
Ho hopes by and by to relievo us of
our responsibility."
"But but I don't understand," I
said.
"You are surprised, of course," con
tinued Aunt Jano In her quiet, oven
tones. "I was surprised, too, I own. It
seems, Kato, that he means by and by
to marry ydu."
Thero was a moment's pause. Mog
and Dora glanced up quickly at me,
with loolca half comical, half commis
erating. I had nothing to say, or(
rather, becnuse I had so much to say,'
1 could say nothing.
"My dear child, push your hair out
ml your eyes and sit upright!" Aunt
TO
v.s
Hi
i
HUSBAND
"Hetty," Etc.
J
t ' a
j j,
Jano commanded. "Wo had quite n
long talk--John Mortimer nnd I. Of
course lio sympathizer with us; ho
knows that our means aro mil unlimit
ed, and that wo have Meg and Dora to
provldo for; ho knows nil that wo havo
dono for you nil these years, and of
course, too, ho cannot help fooling that
things would have boon different If his
father had acted uprightly. Ho feola
most keenly all that you have suffered
through his father; but ho eannot dil
more, than ho means to do. Ho means
to tnko you off our hnnds as soon as
possible; ho Is waiting to speak to you
himself. He thinks ho ought to wait,
so ho says, until you aro less of a
child. And I must aay, Kato, that for
a girl of seventeen your manner Is
most foolishly, most absurdly childish,
and most misleading."
Another pause followed. Aunt Jnno
roso from her ehalr and stood at tho
window, looking down with a disap
proving glance at the duBty Hquaro nnd
a wrnry llttlo orrand boy who wbh
seated on his basket, mating. Present
ly, with a sigh of relief, she turned to
us ngalu.
"The more I think of this, tho moro
satisfactory It seems," Bho declared, re
flectively. "I hopo you feel, Kato, how
good of him how considerate of him
such nu offer Is! You aro such a
child still; In tho ordinary course of
things you could not havo expected a
homo of your own for years to come.
You muat have gone out us ft govern
ess that was Inevitable -your uneic
and I could not have maintained you
In Idloness. And how many govern
esses mnrry, I wonder? But you un
derstand, of courso, Hint John Morti
mer was speaking to me, Kale, In confi
dence; you nro to know nothing of the
matter. Ho wished to say nothing to
you as yet. You arc to behavo quite
naturally, remember, but to strive to
talk pleasantly nnd sensibly to him nnd
to Impress upon him that you are not a
child. That is why I am tolling you
this. It ho means to propose to you,
there la no reason in tho world why ho
should delay doing bo."
"Ho might repent of his Intention,"
said Dora, In a grave voice, but with a
little smllo as sho looked across at mo.
"Ho thinks you too young to know
your own mind," continued Aunt Jane,
sovcrcly; "and no wonder ho thinks
you so young, when ho flnda you, as ho
did yestorday, with your flngora In
your oars, saying your Euclid nloud!
You hnvo such silly, childish habits,
Kate, and tills is not tho first tlmo I
havo complained of them. Whon I
was n girl of soventeen I was as old as
I am today. Ab for blushing llko a
baby, as you aro doing now, that waa a
trick I was cured of beforo I loft off
bibs nnd pinafores."
Thoro was nn Improsslvo silence.
After a minute or so Aunt Jano moved
to go; but sho paused Just opposlto mo
and regarded mo with attention, with
an air of dissatisfaction.
"Wo shall glvo notlco for you to
leave school this term," sho obsorved,
slowly; "and you can turn up your
hair at once. Do nee, Meg, what you
can do to mako her look presentable.
John Mortimer Is coming In this even
ing, Kate, to see your undo. Vut on
nnothor dress nnd como down stairs;
and pray for onco leave your t&hoo)
girl manners bohlnd you!"
CHAPTER H.
A mlnuto moro and Aunt Jane was
gone. Tho door clicked sharply bo
hlnd hor, hor dress rustled through tho
passage, her stops dosconded tho stairs;
then wo breathed moro freely. I put
my elbows on the tablo and covered my
cheeks with my hands nnd looked
across nt tho girls who faced mo, nnd
tho girls, following examplo, put their
elbows on their knees and their chins
on their upturned palms, and looked
back at mo In silence. Suddenly tholr
blue eyes twinkled, they glanced at
zr 'i
each other, decided that tho situation
was comle, nnd laughed merrily.
"He's a paragon!" said Mog, "Pool
llttlo Kitty! Will you llko to marry a
paragon?"
Fur n moment I hnd hesltatod.scarc
ly knowing whether to laugh or cry,
Tho girls' merriment decided ma; 1
lump seemed to rise up In my throat;
tho tears filled my eyes, ovorflo od,
and fell fast upon my open Euclid."
"Why, Kitty- crying! You nro nevei
crying?" laughed Dora, In mock re
proof. "My dear, this Is baso Ingratl
tude! Reflect let us reflect on his vir
tues." "Turn up your pigtail at onco, Kit
ty," Interrupted Mog, with gravity,
"The paragon objects to pigtails U
the Jiivcnllcncss of them. Let down
your frock, my denr; tho paragon will
never think of addressing a young per
Ron who shows hor hoels nnd tho hole,
In her Blockings. Dry your oyes, Kitty,
my child; tako comport tho paragoo
means to mnrry you."
Their merriment seemed heartless; 1
would not answer. I clasped my hand!
tightly above my forehead, and gazed
at tho open pngo of my Euclid, which
my terns would not lot mo rend.
"But what does nil this mean?" snld
Dora presently, In a musing tone. "Hai
ho renlly spoken to mother and whyl
Ho enn't bo In lovo with you, Kitty;
he's old qulto old gray-halrcd oi
nearly, nnd you'ro a llttlo chit of
high school girl not clover, not rich,
nbt anything not even pretty."
"No, I know," I agreed, with humil
ity. "Then why does he want to marry
you?" persisted Dora.
"Bocauao ho Is a paragon, dear, said
Meg.
I looked up at her with a swift, tear
ful, Inquiring glance,
"Yes, that's It," I echoed drearily. "1
understand I understand It all; Iff
because becauso ho Is so good."
"Pcrfectl" corrected Meg.
"Yes, so perfect," I agreed. "He
wants to bo kind nnd to mako things
better for mo; I nlwnys know that he
wns trying to bo kind. When ho talk
to mo he Is always so gentle o much
moro gcntlo than when ho tnlks to you
I know why it Is 1 havo nlwaye
known. He Is thinking of that money
of mine. It hurts him to romombe
that his father took It away from me
and made me lose It all. Ho wants to
pi event things from being horrid foi
nut, and so so ho has thought of this."
My tears wero falling fast on the
open pages of my Euclid. Thero wu
a spoil of allcnca In tho room; no one
contradicted my explanation of John
Mortimer's motive. Through my tears
I looked up at Meg and Dorn, and road
In their faces that they agreed with
the explanation. How could thoy but
agree? His motive was nil too clear.
Ills father, old Roger Mortimer, had
been my guardian, hnd speculated with
my llttlo fortuno nnd had lost It. John
Mortimer was taking up tho burden of
his father's sins and follies, and I was
ono of tho burdens. Ho meant to mar
ry mo It was his plnn of compensa
tion. Wo nil understood It clearly;
Aunt Jano approved, tho glrla wort
merry, and I sat and wept with pas
slonnte, helpless Indignation.
(To bo continued.)
NO SKILL.
Itequlrail Iu Do Urululng- with ThU Ak
Rorbent Paper.
Philadelphia Record: A now method
of graining has Just been brought from
abroad by which any ono without any
skill whatever can do a Job of grain
ing much better than nlno-tentha of
tho painters who pose as flrst-clasa
gralners. Tho marking Is dono by(
means of absorbent paper. It Is not a
transfer paper, but Is of tho nature o!
a prepared blotting paper, which Is al
ways used dry, tho wood graining be
ing always painted thereon. The fig
ure shows tho mode of application.
After a cont of oil color la given to
tho surfaeo which It Is designed to
grain, It Is painted over ngalu with a
sap color or graining stain. Tho Im
printed portion of tho graining papor
absorbs tho sap color, whllo tho
printed pnrts which show tho various
wood grains nro prevented by a chom
leal used In its preparation from ab
sorbing tho color. Tho natural grain
loft upon tho surfaeo can bo softoned
If desired. Tho grain of overy variety
of hard wood used In building and
cabinet work can bo easily reproduced
by these slmplo methods. A largo
number of gralnlngs can bo mada with
a Blnglo copy of tho paper, each hav
ing a different appearance Tho paper
Is put up on tho usual widths of wall
paper, and In rolls, nnd thoro aro six
teen different kinds of graining.
lloK Art flam In Victoria Mmeum.
Many pieces of sculpture and carv
ing In tho Victoria and Albert Museum
wero discovered somo tlmo ago to be
spurloui. Now bogus palntlng3 havo
also been found, among which aro two
supposed constables, which havo prov
ed to bo Imitations. Thonuscum Is a
favorite resort of Amorlcan tourists,
and until theso discoveries was sup
posed to contain an unblemished col
lection of art curiosities. Pittsburg
Dispatch.
Nut In lilt Line.
Teacher "If I had four herring and
gave halt a herring to each of tares
boys, how many herring would I havei
left?" Tho scholar Is sllont. Teacher
"I am surprised that you can't an
uwor. I should havo two herrings and
a halt left." Scholar "I could hava
told you, tenchor, It you had asked me
about apples. You see, I dou't oat her
ring." He I knew you would make r fusa
If I tried to kiss you. She Ho did
you know? Ho I had been warfctd,-
Detroit Freo Press. t .
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