r
CHAPTER VI.
From the ( hawingroom , as they as
cended the stairs came a , pleosunt.'clut-
tor of toacnpfl , and , whnn tJiey entered
they' found the family 'assembled.
Mary was pouring out tea' ; Dr. Stoll-
Ing , | vomlorful , to relate , had found
time to Join the cosy , circle ; Mrs.
Stojjlng Hat with her usual pile of
closing for the poor beside hor.
Inhere was a cheerful little family
cliorlis.
"Oh , hero you arc-"Well ! ? "
"Well ? What have ' you' done ,
Mndgo ? " '
"A cup of tea first , in mercy ! " orled
Marguerite , sinking on to the hearth
rug and tossing aside her hat.
Flvo o'clock tea Is the time for chat
ting. All Marguerite's adventures were
related , with comments and annota
tions from Bernard. .
"And so Mr. Martlnoati will le't mo
know when ho finds the will , " she con
cluded. "And now I must tell youtho
bright suggcfltlon which Bruno ha.i
just made. Ono docs occasionally get
flashes of Inspiration , even from a
great bear , "
"Do you want a flash of hot tea on
your nose ? " demanded Bernard , who
was towering above hor. , "
She laughingly averted her face ,
holding up her llttlo hands.
The suggestion of advertising In the
local papers met with general approval
and It was decided that Bernard should
Insert the advertisement without con
sulting Mr. Mnrtciui.
"By the way , " ho said , "what sort of
a follow Is Martlneau ? Laurie used to
know a Martlueau a tall fellow with
a fair complexion , and slow way of
talking. "
"Yes. that' ' Is very like this mnn , "
said Marguerite. "Ho was nlco to talk
to. Ho gave you the Idea that ho pos-
BCBs'ed a great deal of character , but I
Wan sometimes not sure whether ho
Jotter , and Marguerite read It over her
shoulder :
"Lincoln's Inn , Tuesday.
"Bernard Sclwyn Stolllng , Kiq. :
"Sir Wo have to announce to you
the death of Mlsn Letltia Clara Sclwyn
of Selwyn Court , Hants , on the 8th
lust. , and to Inform you that , with the
exception of several legacies to old
frlonda and servants , yotl Inherit the
whole of her personal and landed prop
erty , and all her money , Invested In
securities which represent an annual
Income of about twenty thousand
pounds , together with the estate and
house of Solwyn Court , the whole be
ing bequeathed to you on the solo con
dition that you add the surname of
Selwyn Stolllng Solwyn.
"Wo have the honor , site remain ,
your obedient servants ,
"Blade & Skinner , Solicitors. "
The silence In the drawing room
lasted for many minutes. At last Ber
nard roused himself.
"What a coward I am , " ho said , with
a laugh , "to bo so upset ! Mary , give
mo that paper. Pater , do you think
lt' a genuine thing ? "
"It certainly seems so , " answered
the doctor , glancing at the paper. "I
remember now that Blade & Skinner
were Miss Selwyn's solicitors. It must
bo gunutnot"
"I always said she would do some
thing for you , Bernard , my darling ! "
said his mother , the tears rolling down
her cliocrs.
"Mother my beloved old mater ,
don't cry , " pleaded Bernard , now him
self again. "It was a knock-down
kind of announcement , wasn't It ? But
I took It llko a fool ! There Is no
need to cry. If this letter bo true ,
this Is your last week in this dingy
hole ! A fortnight more sees us
where ? In El Dorado , I think. "
The reaction had como.
"Marguerite" ho caught her In his
"IT MUST BE A HO AX IT CAN'T BE TRUE. "
was laughing at mo or not. The lat
ter part of the time I think ho really
was Interested , "
I "Talking of Laurlo I beg his 'par
don , Viscount Thornheath , " said Mary ,
"there's another letter from him for
you on the mantelpiece , Bernard. "
"Oh , Bruno , It's to entreat you to
go ! You must go ! " cried Marguerite.
"Hand It to mo , there's a good pa
ter , " said Bornard.
"Hero's a buslnoss-llko document as
well , " observed the doctor , with his
spectacles on , aa ho tool : another en
velope from the mantelpiece.
"Oh , take It away I know It's a
bill It makes mo feel faint ! " Bald
Bernard , feebly.
"Why , to whom do you owe money
In Lincoln's Inn ? " demanded the doc
tor , turning over the blue envelope.
"Messrs. Blade and Skinner , solicitors.
Who are they , Bernard ? "
"Never hoard of them. Give It tome
mo , " eald Bernard.
The doctor tossed over the letter. It
missed Bernard , and alighted on Mar
guerite's lap. Without premonition
of what was to como , she lifted It , and
laid It on Bernard's knee.
Ho was absorbed in the viscount's
letter ; but In a minute or two ho gave
It to Marguerite , and casually opened
the blue envelope.
Marguerite , who was watching him ,
saw a burning flush spread over his
faco. Ho stared at the paper as If
stupefied , then uttered a smothered
cry.
cry."My boy ! " exclaimed his mother ,
looking up.
The color had left his face now ho
was palo Indeed ,
"It must bo a hoax It can't bo
true , " ho said , hurriedly , as If ho did
not know what ho was saying. Spring
ing from his seat , ho strode to the
window , stood there n minute , reading
the communication once more straight
Chraugh. Then the. paper fell from
hl fingers ; ho turned , leaned his arms
on the wlndowframo , and rested his
.head on them. Mary picked' up tlio
irms "do you hear ? Do you under
stand what has happened to me ?
Twenty thousand a year ! I simply
can't bollovo It. " Ho released her and
went over to his mother again. "Oh ,
.hoy'll discover a later will , or some
thing ! " ho cried. "I shall wake up to
Ind that this Is all a delusion. It
can't bo true ! Madge , do you romem-
jer what wo talked of as wo came
lomo today ? "
"Yes , Bruno , " she said , tremblingly ;
her head was reeling with the shock
of the news. The words of the letter
seemed burnt on her brain. She forced
her quivering lips Into smiles of con
gratulation , but could hardly com
mand her voice ; and she stole away at
the earliest opportunity Into her own
llttlo room to cry. She had swiftly
realized what this change would mean.
Twenty thousand a year !
"It Is cruel , " she cried. "Ono thou
sand would have moio than contented
him have made him rich ! But this
this it lifts him out of our reach al
together ! I know It I fool It. At
first he will bo unchanged ho will
load us all with presents , ho will
share his good fortune so generously
with UB. But afterwards there will
como a 10 when ho will loqk upon
ail the beautiful distinguished women
who will smllo upon him , and he will
think In bitter sadness "I am bound
In honor to Marguerite poor , name
less , homeless Marguerite ! " Ho will
wonder whether all his grand friends
will visit his obscure wife. Wife
oh , that dreadful word ! Am I a wife
already ? It hardly matters now , for I
will never bo Bernard's. No ; that
money that fatal money means our
last good-bye. I will bay nothing to
him. 1 would not grieve him not for
worlds. But I feel better now that I
have realized it. "
She sat up , pushed back her hair ,
and rented her clasped hands on her
knee. ! ' >
r ' . ' .Why did I go to the lawyer's to
day ? " Bh 'slghod. ' "if i had only
waited a few Bi.ort HOUTH I might have
kept my money In my pockot. What
docs It matter to tno who I am ? I
only know that I shall never bo Ber
nard's wife ! "
CHAPTER VII.
When the door cloBnd upon Mar-
Kiiorlte Lllbourno , as she loft the law
yer's office In Lance Lane , Valdano
Martlneau walked up to It and turned
the key In the lock. Then ho went
back to the table , sank down In the
largo armchair , leaned his arms on the
blotting paper which covered the
desk , and. dropped his head upon them.
What was there In Marguerite's art
less narrative that could have so deep
ly shaken the habitual composure of
this man of the world ?
The botoed head did not stir for up
wards of half an hour. Valdano Mar-
tlncnu wuu alone In the company of a
thousand qvll thoughts , the phantoms
of n discreditable past.
Presently ho raised his head , the
powerful hand which lay on the do.ik
was clinched , and through his sot lips
came ono word :
"Traitor ! "
He punhcd back his chair , and began
to pace the room as If rest were Im
possible to him ,
"That she should have como to mo ,
of all men In the world ! " ho said
aloud. "Talk of poetical Justice talk
of the Irony of fate ! Yo gods , that
she should como to mo for her rights. "
There was a pause. Ho wont to the
window and gazed blankly out , then
struck the woodwork with a force that
shook It.
"I can't do It , " he muttered between
his clenched teeth "no man could do
It ! But I'll have my revenge on him , "
he cried , with a sudden inspiration ,
and , darting back to the desk , ho
seized a pen and began to write :
Sir Three years and six months
ago , when I was a penniless adventurer -
turor , you tempted me , and I fell. It
may be as well that I recall to your
mind the exact terms of the consplr-
Icy. You Informed mo that you had
a nleco orphan daughter of your only
sister. This child was heiress to an
enormouB fortune , and you were her
solo guardian. By the terms of her
father's will you were to have entire
control over her during her minority ,
and If she married against your wish
before she attained the ago of 21 , the
whole of * her money came to you. Your
suggestion to me was that I should
go through the form of marriage with
your nloco , apparently without your
sanction , In order to enable you to
claim the money due to you In that
case. You represented to mo that
your niece was mad hopelessly out of
her mind and that on that account I
should do her no harm by going
through this form , as nobody else
would ever bo likely to marry her.
There could be , you represented , no
dllllculty In the matter , as the young
lady In question was to all appearance
quite sane and perfectly docllo and
submissive. At the church door my
part of the contract was to cease.
You undertook to provide for her fu
ture ; all I had to do was to go through
the marriage ceremony. For this ser
vice you offered mo a bribe tnut daz
zled me. I was half mad with diffi
culties , penniless. In debt. I urged ,
however , that the stop you wlshod mete
to take would hamper my future , as I
could ask no other woman to bo my
wife so long as this poor girl lived.
This was Just what you wanted to
sccuro my secrecy ; so long as I kept
secret the fact' of the conspiracy , you
kept secret the fact of my marriage.
I was to sign a false name In the regis
ter , and there would bo nothing to
witness against me nothing to dam
age my future career.
( To bo continued. )
SERUM FROM SERPENTS
Snlil to lit ) An Absolute Cure for Hitherto
Inciiriil > lo l.u ] > r < my.
Now Orleans Special to New York
Tribune : Dr. Isidore Dyar , a well-
known physician and an expert on
leprosy , has reached some remarkable
results regarding that terrible disease ,
and has effected two positive cures.
The antidote to the leprous poison Dr.
Dyar found In a serum compounded
by Dr. Calmette , a French chemist
The serum was made by the French
man from the venom of serpents and
WHS designed solely as a cure for snake
poison , which It did accomplish. The
serum is now In wide use In India. Dr.
Dyar visited Dr. Calmettes laboratory
In Paris , and brought away some of
the Borum , having oven then a vague
clew to his recent discovery. It ap
pears that among the traditions of the
leper colony In Louisiana was one that
several lepers who had been bitten by
venomous snakes were cured. Dr.
Dyar applied the serum to flvo cases of
leprosy in Now Orleans , and In two of
the cases absolute euros were effected.
In two other cases there was a marked
Improvement , and the cases were lost
sight of , BO that the final result was
not known. In the fifth case the man's
system proved repellent to the poison
and the change was for the woreo rath
er than the bettor. Dr. Dyar has been
consulted , It Is reported , by the United
States government as to the establish
ment on ono of the Sandwich Islands
of a national leper hospital , to which
all the lepers of Louisiana and othoi
states will bo sent
AVIwt the Mlnlitor bald.
Jlngso "What did the minister say
when the plato came up ? " Illngao
"Ho said ho wouldn't mind so much If
the buttons were all alike. " Syracuse
Herald.
The strongest sentiment of the Turk
Is hla reverence for his mother. Ho
always stands In her presence untl
Invited to sit down a compliment h
pays to no one else. . .
CHAPTER VII. ( Continued. )
Well , I consented ; I everlastingly
disgraced myself by becoming a party
0 an Infamous conspiracy. I give you
duo credit for the way In which you
worked it for the address with which
you transported your nleco to Tor
quay and dally absented yournolf that
might go through tno farce of my
landestlno wooing. I heard , too , that
rour indignation when you arrived at
ho lodgings and found your nloco
gone was a very flno piece of acting.
As for me , I fulfilled my part of the
contract precisely aa agreed. I took
my poor helpless little wife to a cer-
aln room In a certain hotel , went out ,
aa if to ascertain the times of the
rains , caught the express to London ,
with your check In my pocket , and , as
1 thought , washed my hands of the
vholo affair. According to our agreo-
nent you were to send some ono 10
fetch Miss Lllbourne from the hotel ,
and see to her future yourself.
Today I learn , for the first time , that
'ou did not fulfil this last condition.
You were not only a traitor to your
nloco you were a traitor to mo. You
eft to probable want and misery a
young and helpless girl who was not
responsible for her actions.
Allow mo to remark that , though I
vlways considered you a thorough
blackguaru , In this you have exceeded
all the vlleness of which I over
bought you capable.
I have the pleasure to inform you
that your niece Is now restored to her
right mind , that she Is under the pro-
eotlon of a gentleman and his family
n London , that she has her wedding
ring , retains a distinct Impression of
her marriage , and that they are ab
solutely determined to sift the whole
affair to the bottom.
I now ask whether you are prepared
o make restitution to your niece of
; he fortune you fraudulently took
from her. I shall expect an Imme
diate and direct reply , and beg you
to observe that I mean business. Jt
will bo quite fruitless for you to at
tempt to leave England , as you know
I now have both the means and the
will to prevent It. I add no threats ,
but , expecting an Immediate and di
rect reply , I remain , your declared
enemy. VALDANE MARTINEAU.
This letter was written as fast as
the pen could traverse the paper.
When It was sealed and stamped , the
writer paused. He had very little
doubt that , with the influence ho pos
sessed , he could compel Daniel Bran
don , Miss Lllbourno's uncle , to dis
gorge at least what remained of poor
Marguerite's fortune. But at what
cost ? Ho dropped his head between
his hands and thought long and des
perately. The money could not pos
sibly be restored without his name ap
pearing. He would have the bitter hu
miliation of confessing that It was ho
who had deprived Marguerite of her
liberty , and that his sole motive had
been a bribe. He would have to make
restitution and then have the marriage
set aside on the plea of the bride's
having been unfit to enter Into any
contract at the time. His cheeks
burned with dlgraco at the thought.
Could ho bear the disgrace of It ?
Worst of all. could he bear Marguer
ite's eyes turned upon him in scath
ing horror and contempt ? Springing
up , he paced the room again with rest
less fpet.
"Atono atone ! " cried conscience.
"It is all that remains to you. Olvo
back the money that you received for
that shameful piece of work. Set Mar
guerite free free to marry some ono
whom she loves ! "
Ho caught his breath and leaned
against the wall ; ho looked the pic
ture of misery. Ho thpught of the
dally visits ho paid Marguerite at
Torquay how the aad eyes brightened
at his coming ; how she would kiss the
floirera h ' brought her , ' how oho
watched for him at the window. She
would have followed him to the
world's end then now she had no
recollection of having seen his face !
Ho recalled the tears when ho used
to leave her , the clinging arms around
his neck , the soft lips on his cheek
the one word which she understood In
those days was "Qood-by ! "
"Oh , thank heaven , I was always
gentle to her ! " he groaned.
Slowly again ho approached the table -
blo and saw there was something
shining there. It was her wedding ring
which she had left behind. With a
sudden , uncontrollaote Impulse he
snatched it up and pressed it to his
lips , then paused , aghast at his own
action , and blushed like a girl. He
held the golden circlet almost rever
ently In his hand a moment , staring at
it ; then ho put it into his waistcoat
pocket , caught up the letter ho had
written , and tore It across and across ,
scattering the fragments about the
room In his excltcmont. What was
Lady Mildred to him now ? Ho felt
that ho had never loved her. Ho laid
a peremptory hand on the bell.
"Smiles , " ho said , as that worthy
appeared , "search Mr. Leroy's safes
for a copy of the will of Qeorgo John
Lllbourno , and let me have It as soon
as you find -it the first taing tomor
row morning. I am going now. "
"Yes , sir. "
Valdane took his hat and hurried
out ; even the air of Lance lane seemed
reviving after what he had just passed
through. His face was hard and reso
lute ; for a time the struggle was over.
"Heaven forgive me if I use deceit , "
he said ; "but I mean , If human ef
fort can accomplish It I mean to win
my own wife ! "
CHAPTER VIII.
There was Httlo outward change In
Doctor Stelllng's house to tell of' the
tremendous social revolution which
had so altered the destinies of the
dwellers therein.
AN INSANE FEELING OF INDIGNATION FILLED THE HEART OF THE
INTRU DER.
Valdane Martlneau , walking up to it
on the last day of August , noted that
a hansom cab was waiting at the door ,
and presently two servants appeared ,
carrying down the stops a gentleman's
portmanteau , gun , tennis racket , et
cetera. Evidently a departure of some
sort was at hand.
Ho addressed ono of the servants.
"Is Miss Lllbourno at home ? Can I
see her ? "
"Yes , sir ; walk In , sir , please. "
Mr. Martlneau walked In according
ly ; the girl throw open the surgery
door , evidently under the Impression
that that teem was vacant , and the
visitor walked straight In , then stopped
short with a sudden exclamation.
A pretty tableau was arranged In the
window. Marguerite was in the arms
of a tall handsome young man In trav
eling dress. She was crying bitterly ,
and at the moment of Valdane's Inop
portune entrance Bernard was In the
act of kissing away her tears.
An insane feeling of Indignation
filled the heart of the Intruder , and ho
with difficulty restrained himself from
crying out : "Confound you , sir , let
go of my wife ! "
Ho checked himself just In time ,
managed to get out an "I beg your
pardon , " and beat a hasty retreat.
The two parted Instantly ; Bernard
was the first to recover himself. He
walked forward , hurriedly took Mar
guerite's hand , murmured "A last
gooduy , my darling I shall lose my
train , " and wont put Into the hall.
She followed him , not even heeding
the presence of Valdano ; stood on the
threshold , biting her lip to keep down
her tears , and waved him sweet fare
wells with he.r little hand.
The young lawyer stood Irresolute ,
Ho could hardly hope .for an iatervlow
mum
1
in this state of Miss Lllbourno'B cmo-
tlous ho had not sufficiently realized
before the existence of a tangible Gl
rival. Sadly ho admitted that young
Stolllng was a far handsomer man
than ho. At this moment Marguerite
darted by him and ran quickly up the
stairs.
Ono of the servants came to him.
"Miss Lllbourno will see you In five is
minutes , if you'll take the trouble to isEi
wait , sir. " Ei
Ho was ushered Into the dining-
room , and sat down ; the place was
shabby , but comfortable ; the carpet
was worn , but the bookshelves were
well stocked It was evidently the
abode of cultured and roflncd people.
Ono or two excellent engravings were
on the walls the window-boxes wcro
B
full of mignonette. J
Punctually at the expiration of the C
flvo minutes Marguerite came 1m Her
eyelids wcro still red , and she carried
a handkerchief In her hand ; but she
was quite composed. She were a
whlto dress , clean and fresh , and ho
thought ho had never seen anything so
sweet and gracious as she looked that
day.
day.Ho
Ho was very palo as they shook
hands , and blundered Into an apology
for disturbing her ; a subject she dis
missed with a wave of the hand.
"You have brought mo the will to
look at ? " she questioned , seating her
self near him at the corner of the table.
For answer he produced the docu
ment , keenly watching the flush which
came into her face.
" 'My wife's only brother , Daniel
Brandon ! ' Why , that was my uncle
Undo Daniel I remember that nowl
Of course ho was Uncle Daniel ! Walt. "
She half started up , and paused , but
sat down again disappointed. "I
thought Just then that I had remem
bered the name of of the other one ,
you know. "
"But you cannot ? " Fixing his eyes
upon her , ho held his breath.
"No , " shp answered sadly , "I can
not , " and continued her reading of the
will. "Daniel Brandon of Rue Parls-
ioune , Llcgo. That docs not help
much. It does not give his English
address , " she said disappointedly.
"No , that Is a drawback certainly ,
but wo can try Liege. His business
may bo there , " suggested Valdane ,
feeling more and more a traitor as ho
recalled the fact that Daniel Bran
don's business had failed , and that ho
himself had left Llego ten years ago.
Marguerite went on reading.
" Ah , " she cried at length , "here Is
daylight on the subject at last ! So my
father left me money , and it was to go
to my uncle If I married against hla
will. Oh , I have been nobly treated ,
have I not , Mr. Martlneuu ? "
"You have been terrible wronged , "
he said In a low voice.
She knitted her brows ; evidently she
was trying to understand.
"It seems It seems I have it ! "
she cried at last. "This man this
creature who married mo" Valdano
winced "was nothing but a tool a
thing bribed by my undo to do his
work , paid by Daniel Brandon to go
through the farce of marriage with me.
In order to get at my money ! "
"You have quick Intelligence , Miss
Lllbourne. I think it very likely you
are right. "
She looked straight into his face
with her large searching eyes.
"I have also come to the same con
clusion , " he replied In a low voice.
She read to the end , and pushed
away the will with a deep sigh.
"If I had my rights , I should bo a
rich woman , " she said.
"You would. May I say how earn
estly I trust you may obtain your
rights ? "
She looked up at him a strange ,
puzzled look.
look.To
( To be continued. )
llrot Iliirto anil "Ilttl Ilrocclics. "
From the San Francisco Argonaut :
Bret Harto Is so frequently compli
mented as the author of "Little
Breeches" that ho Is almost as sorry
It was ever written as Is Col. John
Hay , who would prefer his fame to
rest on more ambitious work. A gushIng -
Ing lady , who prided herself upon her
literary tastes , said to him once : "My
dear Mr. Harte , I am so delighted to
meet you. I have rend everything you
ever wrote.but of all your dialect verse
there Is none that compares to your
Little Breeches. ' " "I quite agree with
you , madam , " said Mr. Harto , "but you
have put the little breeches on th
wrong man. "
Olio Kxcuptlun.
Ho To hear you tell It , one would
think I never told a single truth be
fore we were married. She Well , you
did prevaricate to a considerable ex
tent , but I'll give you credit for having
told mo the truth once. He Indeed !
And when was that , pray ? She Whoa
you proposed. Don't you remember ,
you said you were unworthy of mo ?
The Irony of Kate.
"Count , why did you marry that pale ,
thin girl , when you might have had her
plump , rosy-cheeked sister ? " "Well ,
I toll you. I was sinking of what call
him zees probalrb : 'Of two evil *
choose ze least. ' And now her fazalro
has failed ! Ah , mon Dleti ! Zees prov
alrb ees one what you call him
fake ! " Chicago Times-Herald.
I'roiu UlfTcrunt 1'oluU of View.
The Minister I trust , my friend ,
your lines arc cast in pleasant places.
The Poet Well , that depends on
whether you would call waste baskets
pleasant places or not.
"We used to think men had to climb
to fame. " "Don't they ? " "No. Hobson -
son dived. " "That's so.1 ' "And Funs-
ton awam. " .
