CHAPTER II. ( Continued. )
"That I cannot say , " she returned
hesitatingly. "I suppose they though
it wise not to inform you. As for
how your stepfather died they car
only conjecture , nor can any motive
be given for the crime. He was found
by the servants In the morning when
they went to open the study , and was
lying on the floor near the window
which was wide open. You know how
bitterly cold it was last Easter ? Well
it had been snowing hard all night
and it had drifted in and was lying
thickly on his shoulders. Had any
trace of his assailant been possible on
the hard ground the snow had covered
H , and this showed that the deed must
have been done early in the night be
fore it began. There were no signs of
any struggle , nor was anything taken ;
and they fancy he must have been
asleep In his chair , for death was
caused by two terrific blows on the
back of the head. Now , Mollie , I
have told you all , and you must not
let this depress you , or I shall feel
more than ever to blame. Joyce will
be delighted to have your companion
ship , and the White House is not so
very far off , you know. "
With a great effort Mollie shook off
the vague feeling of coming evil that
had fallen upon her , and she looked up
at her friend with an attempt at a
smile.
Mrs. Anstruther's face was rapidly
getting familiar to her again ; her
voice seemed a pleasant echo from the
past. Even the little way she had of
shaking her head to emphasize her
words was the same as of yore.
She and Mrs. L'Estrange had been
left widows about the same time ; but
while one had made the rash marriage
that had ruined her life , the other
had devoted herself to her two child
ren and their interests.
Mollie had seen little of them since
she had been at school , for when she
was at home for the holidays , they had
been away ; but she had happy recol
lections of a white-frocked little girl
who was Joyce , and a tall boy who
used to send them flying to and fro
in a swing under some great trees.
"Thank you very much , " she said ,
straightening herself and sitting up.
"It is nice to think that I shall have
kind friends near me. I I it feels
rather lonely coming home like this ,
you see. And though I hated that is ,
disliked Mr. Barlowe , still , it is a ter
rible thing to have happened , and
there is my half-sister Kate "
"Yes , yes , of course. Well , Mollie ,
your mother and I were true friends ,
though .Air.
Barlowe prevented us see
ing too much of each other in later
years. Come to me whenever you like
my child. "
"Oh , I will , " responded Mollie more
cheerfully. "Tell me , Mrs. Anstruther ,
shall I like Madame
Dubois ; do you
know her ? "
Mrs. Anstruther moved uneasily ,
and drew out her watch.
"We shall be at Reverton in a few
minutes now , " she exclaimed almost
in a tone of relief. "Of course. ' not
having been friendly with Mr. Bar
lowe , I do not know his sister well ;
but we are on speaking terms , and
Henri Dubois comes over to play ten
nis with my young people when he is
at home. Now , here we are , and don't
forget that you are to come to us
whenever you like. "
With the uncomfortable impression
that Mrs. Anstruther was trying to
make the best of things , Mollie thank
ed her , and the next moment the train
stopped at the dear old country sta
tion she remembered so well , and she
was in Reverton once more !
There was only one person on the
platform a tall and remarkably
handsome woman , with a dark , al
most masculine face , and piercing
black eyes under heavy brows , and
these same eyes fell upon the uncon
scious Mollie as the train slowly glid
ed into the station , and took in every
detail of the sweet little face with a
strange , quick intentness. She was
most elegantly attired in half
mourning , that showed off her splen
didly powerful figure to the greatest
advantage ; and as Mollie sprang out
and looked round she came up quickly
with a smile on her wide , thin-lipped
mouth.
"Miss L'Estrange , I think , " she said ,
in a loud , deep voice. "I am your
auixt , Madame Dubois , and I have been
greatly looking forward to your ar
rival. Ah , Mrs. Anstruther , how are
you ? "
Her aunt ! Leonard Barlowe's sister
her aunt ! Mollie's brain reeled at the
notion , while her hand was shaker
with a firm , nervous grip that almost
made her scream out with pain.
Then she was conscious that Mrs.
Anstruther had kissed her kindly at
parting while responding very distant
ly to Madame Dubois' greeting , and
then they were bowling through Rev-
orton in a high mail phaeton behind
a pair of fine horses , which madame
drove with consummate skill.
In spite of her desire to look out for
old landmarks , the girl was furtively
studying the hard face by her side as
they dashed along. Instinctively she
distrusted it , somehow , though it
\vwTd have been difficult to have pat
her thoughts Into words ; and her feel
ings were of the gloomiest as th
chimneys of Chalfont came in sight.
It was a large , ugly , red-brick house
standing In well-kept grounds , and
looked very much as she had remem
bered It all her life ; but she could no
repress a shudder as she thought o
what had happened there , and in im
agination saw her stepfather's tal
form at the hall-door as they drew
up before it.
"Where is ray half-sister , Kate ? " she
inquired , as she followed madame
who was talking volubly , into the
drawing-room.
"I will send for her. Poor child
she is not strong ; she makes me very
anxious. " she returned , sweeping over
to the table , and pouring out tea in
the energetic manner that seemed
habitual to her. "You will hardly
know her again , or , indeed , the place.
My brother made so many improve
ments. "
"It did not want "
improving , ex
claimed Molly , shortly. "What was
good enough for my mother was cer
tainly good en&ugh for Mr. Barlowe. "
Madame Dubois shrugged her shoul
ders. Though an Englishwoman she
had many French gestures and ex
pressions , and her black eyes swept
over Colonel L'Estrange's young
daughter with a lightning glance.
"You are impulsive , sweet child , "
she said , shortly. "But you will soon
grow to like the changes , and be very
happy with me and your sister. "
"My half-sister , " corrected Molly ,
quietly. "Whom I was never allowed
to love as a child , of whom I know
nothing. How did she bear her fath
er's dreadful death ? "
Madame Dubois dropped the sugar-
tongs with a loud clatter , ad sudden
ly her face changed to an ashen hue ,
her whole demeanor altered.
"How has she heard it ? " she mut
tered between her testh. Then , turn
ing fiercely to Mollie , "Never mention
anything belonging to it if you do not
wish to drive me crazy ! Is it not al
ways before me day and night , day
and night ? " And she sank back in
her chair , as if unable to sit up , while
her eyes swept round the room in a
strange , cowering manner.
Astonished at the effect of her words
Molly sat blankly regarding her. Had
she spoken in sorrow her tender heart
would have melted toward her at once ,
even though she was Leonard Bar
lowe's sister , but there was only an
odd , frightened passion in her voice
and bearing , and something in her
hard face repulsed and kept Mollie
silent , while , before she could think
of anything suitable to say , madame
had recovered herself and had sug
gested that she take off her outdoor
garments.
Like a girl in a dream she followed
the tall , strong figure through hall
and passages that were the same , yet
different , and finally to a room that
she did not recognize at all , where a
housemaid was unstrapping her
trunks. And this was her homecom
ing , this was the way she returned
to her mother's house a stranger
among strangers , where everything
was altered , where not even a servant
who knew her remained. Dismissing
the maid , she threw hersalf down by
the bed , dark forebodings and dread
weighing down her usually bright na
ture , and a dreary longing for the
mother with whom every spot in Chal
font had been associated tearing at
her heart-strings.
Poor little schoolgirl ! She fought
down the choking feeling in her
throat with mingled pride and resolu
tion. Colonel L'Estrange's daughter
must not give way before strangers.
But oh , it was hateful to think that
she was in the charge of this Madame
Dubois ! Then she began to reflect
that she must make the bast of it , and
certainly tears would not help her , so
she buried her head in the white quilt
and prayed for strength to forgive
her enemies and think no evil.
"What are you doing ? " demanded
an imperious voice suddenly.
Mollie was so startled that she
sprang up. and , turning round , beheld
a little girl , dressed in the latest Par
isian fashion for children , standing
regarding her with curious eyes. She
was not pretty , for her small , sharp-
featured face was thin and witch-like ,
her expression old and cunning ; but
Mollie noticed with relief that she
bore little resemblance to Mr. Bar
lowe , and masses of flaxen curls , so
fair as to be almost white , softened
the little face.
For a minute the sisters regarded
each other gravely. Mollie's beautiful
pink and white face had flushed
brightly , her sweet gray eyes were
fixed wistfully on the child , but the
latter was quite composed ; her thin
lips were pressed together as she cool
ly surveyed her half-sister from her
sunny brown head to her dainty foot.
"Well , Kate , do you remember me ? "
asked Mollie , gently.
"Hardly. What were you doing ? "
"I was saying my prayers. Don't
you say yours ? "
"No , " returned Kate , loftily. "I am
a free thinker , like my Cousin Henry. "
"Oh ! " ejaculated Mollie , astounded.
"I don't think , Kate , you knocked be
fore you came In. "
"Of course not , " was the calm reply.
"This house and everything here is
mine. "
Truly this was a promising begin
ning. The child evidently had been
taught to believe herself a person of
great importance , and during the half-
hour she spent with Mollie she con
descendingly repeated both her aunt's
and the servant's injudicious flattery ,
and unconsciously revealed much of
the inner life of the house revela
tions by no means attractive and
Mollie would have ruthlessly put the
young lady out of her room by the
shoulders had she not exercised great
self-command. Yet it was very dis
heartening. Who had she in the world
to love but Kate. And she craved love
as a flower needs the sun. It would
have made things no better could she
have heard Mrs. Anstruthar's com
ment as she entered her carriage.
"I cannot bear to think of that poor
child ! " she declared , Impatiently.
"What business has a L'Estrange to
be in the care of that unprincipled ,
underbred woman ! She is already
more disliked in Reverton than her
brother was , and that is saying much.
Oh , why was Amy so weak ! "
CHAPTER III.
"It must be two days since Mollie
came in to see us , " said Joyce An-
struther one afternoon , looking up
from a mass of tangled wool she was
sorting. "I hope nothing is the mat
ter ? "
"Oh , no ! I met her this afternoon , "
responded a deep masculine voice from
the depths of a lounge-chair. "She
was going to the woods to get moss
for the"church. . "
"Oh , the Easter decorations ! Why
didn't she come for me ? "
Reggie got up and crossed the room.
He was a great big fellow , in a rough
shooting suit , with fair curly hair ,
blue eyes and the pleasantest face in
the world ; while at the present mo
ment there was a comical smile on it
that would somehow have explained
why he was such a favorite in the reg
iment in which he had the honor to
serve his queen and count/y ; why all
Reverton , besides his motlxr and sis
ter , loved him.
"She did suggest it , " he said , bland
ly. "In fact , she was coming here ,
but I said you were busy. "
"Oh , Reggie ! "
"Don't get excited. Seeing her face
fall for there is not much disguise
about Mollie I stepped into the
breach and went myself. "
"Then I hope you did not meet Mad
ame Dubois ! " exclaimed Joyce , laugh
ing. "For I feel sure that she would
strongly object to you as an escort. "
"Why ? " And Reggie leaned against
the wide window-seat , and stroked his
mother's great Persian cat , who was
sunning himself in the corner.
"Why , you old stupid ? Because she
intends Mollie and her fortune for her
adored son , Monsieur Henri Dubois ,
and no poaching will be allowed. "
"That little toad ? " he muttered in
a curious tone. "Mollie said they were
expecting him today. I say , Joyce , do
you really think it ? "
"Mother thinks so , " she replied ,
glancing at his ruffled face with a
suppressed smile. "And certainly
madame has been most amiable to
Mollie so far. She asked me the other
day what Henri was like , for madame
was always speaking of him , and Kate
quoted him frequently. "
"Oh , it is preposterous ! " declared
the young fellow. "However , wait
until she sees him. I shall be very
much astonished if she falls in with
the arrangement then. "
( To be Continued. )
Fatalism of Swiss Guides.
The point of view of the Swiss
guides is a singularly complex one.
The ordinary guide is as brave as a
Boer and his bravery has many of the
same peculiarities. He has little sense
of sport ; he is ever conscious of the
desperate danger of his calling , and ,
while he is willing and anxious to
meet any risk which comes in the nec
essary course of events , he has the
greatest contempt for the man who
seeks the bright eyes of dangers for
their own sake. He is a bit of a fa
talist. "See , " said one , as some trav
elers brought down the body of a party
who had died in a place as simple as
a city street , "death can come as easi
ly on a light mountain as a difficult
one. " Arid again , when the Frencli
guides bungled at their tasks : "Those
Arolla men know nothing of accidents ;
for me. , when a man is once dead I
will carry him as soon as a sheep , "
and so saying he put one of the things
on his head and strode down into the
valley where the mules waited for thtir
burden. A guide of experience will
tell you there are only three dangers in
mountaineering falling stones , sud
den bad weather and the tourist.
Superstition In Yucatan.
"Apropos of the wonderful ancienl
ruins in Yucatan. " said a New Orleans
college professor , "there is one very
fortunate circumstance which has pro
tected them almost entirely from spoli
ation by the Indians. It is currently
believed by the natives all through thai
part of the country that the ruins are 0
haunted and that devils Avill cary
away anybody who attempts to molest
them. This superstition has been en
couraged by explorers , and is a bettei
safeguard Shan a picket of soldiers. "
Pi
The first real American hotel in Eng th
land will be located adjoining the nerc Pi
Wateloo railway station , London. II ol
will be entirely of steel construction. ii
&
cs
May "Die in "P'risen.
When Mark Shinburne , who got over
a million dollars by robbing the Ocean
Bank of New York city , is dis
charged from Danncmora Prisen
on October 10 next he will find
Robert Pinkerton , the detective ,
waiting at the prison gate. He
will be taken to prison in Concord ,
N. H. , to serve a term of 19 years.
Shiiiburne is now G7 years old , and he
will die doubtless in jail ; it is scarce
ly possible that he will live to be 8G.
Mark Shinburne , or Maximilian
Schonbein , is the most successful bank
robber in this countryHe is of fine
physical proportions , five feet eight or
MARK SHINBURNE.
nine inches in height , built like an
athlete , weighs 170 pounds , and might
pass for a college professor.
Fatteh Singh Roa , son of the Goek-
war of Baroda , who has already been
through a course at the University of
Bombay , will go to Oxford presently.
The young prince is going in for the
military profession , and he is already
colonel of a smart cavalry regiment in
the Baroda army.
Was a Great Philosopher.
Dr. Henry Sidgwick , the eminent
British philosopher and political econo
mist , who has Just passed away , was
July 62 years old , but accomplished
much during the
twenty years in
which his name has
been familiar to the
public. Until 1870
Dr. Sidgwick was
fellow of Trinity
College , Cambridge
'University , and
lectured until 1875.
In 1883 he was ap-
nointed Knishts-
Dr. Sidgwick. .
brjdge profess0l. o
noral philosophy. That a teacher of
noral philosophy should concern him
self with the science of political
iconomy is a new idea. Therefore
3rofessor Sidgwick's economic works
> ear recent dates his "Principles of
'olitical Economy , " 1SS3 ; his "Ele-
nents of Politics , " 1891 , and his
'Practical ' Ethics , " 1898. His other
vorks , in which his theory of hedon-
sm is developed , are "The Methods
if Ethics" and "Outlines of the His-
ory of Ethics. " He has contributed
reely to current literature.
This year's apple crop In North
America is expected to be the largest
ver known. The horticultural sta-
isticians predict from 80,000,000 to
00,000,000 barrels , which will be a
upply of more than one barrel for
very inhabitant of the United States.
Growth of Southern Cities
The census returns which are com-
ng in from southeastern cities do not
ive promise of a large increase in
opulation in that part of the United
tates. It is true that urban growth
as always been much more marked
a the north than in the south , but it
as been understood that the negroes
f that region were drifting into the
ities-
-
g
Viceroy Chang Chih Tung.
f Hankow , who is denounced by the trn
n ;
Chinese for being too favorable to at
foreigners.
cc
ccO
So successful has been inoculation
jainst cholera among coolies em-
eyed by tea planters in India that in
le natives are now eager for the sim- inbi
e operation. The planters have bih (
auses in their contracts calling for H
aculated coolies. se
Lorenzo "D. Lctvclling.
Lorenzo D. Lewelling , governor of
Kansas from 1893 to 1895. who died
last week at Arkansas City , was a son
of the soil , who rose from the state
of a poor orphan to that of the head
of a great commonwealth. He was
born In 184G at Salem , Iowa. His par
ents , who belonged to the Society of
Friends , which had a large settlement
at Salem , died when he was a mere
child , and then began a fierce struggle
with circumstances
in which the fu-
tur governor was
triumphant at the
last. Young Lew
elling earned a liv
ing by working for
farmers in the vi
cinity of his home.-
During the winter - / '
ter he attended/ / ?
school until he '
was sixteen. inEx-Gov. Lewelling
18G3 he was employed as a la
borer on the Burlington and Mis
souri river railroad , and later was cat
tle drover for the quartermaster of
the Army of the Tennessee. After the
war he taught a negro school at Mexi
co , Mo. , and was often threatened with
violence by his prejudiced neighbors.
With the money he thus earned he
went to Poughkeepsie , N. Y. , and took
a course in a commercial college. Af
ter his graduation he could find no em
ployment as a bookkeeper and took to
labor again , driving a canal boat ,
shoveling dirt on railroads and build
ing bridges. He returned to Salem with
his savings and entered Whittier
college , working his way through. In
1870 he taught school and bought a
farm and a newspaper. This he aban
doned to devote his whole time to
teaching. In 1800 he commenced the
publication of the DCS Moines Capital ,
and seven years later he left there for
Kansas , settling in Wichita , he engag
ed in commerce and scon earned a wide
reputation in politics. In 1892 the
Fusionists supported him for gover-
n6V and he was elected by a hand
some plurality.
The University of California an
nounces course of instruction in Jap
anese and Chinese , two of the most
important of the languages which it
has recently become desirable for
many Americans to learn.
"Bishop "Da-did H. Moore
on his way to China to take
charge of the Methodist Mission.
The New Hampshire Federation of
iVoman's Clubs has adopted the fol-
owing apt motto : "In principles like
) ur granite , in aspirations like our
nountains , in sympathy swift and far-
eaching like our rivers. "
oe Colonial "Dames.
Mrs. Sarah White Lee , one of the
irganizers of the Colonial Dames and
) aughters of the American Revolu-
ion. attributes the prevalence of
hemes from American history in cur-
ent fiction to the work of her socie-
ies and similar organizations. Mrs.
, ee , who is working on a publication
o be patterned after Burke's Peerage ,
ays that the Americans are just be-
inning to realize how much they have
o be proud of in their history and an-
estrj : .
"Benjamin 23. Odell.
Benjamin B. Odell. nominated for
overnor by the New York Republican
tate convention , in his earlv davs.
lad a way of
oing about New-
iiirg as an iceman
nth his apron and
ongs , talking poli-
ics while he de-
ivered ice to his
ustomers. His
adership was soon
cognized and he
ecame a power lo-f
allv. At the same
h
b
1 (
at
t ]
Sla
; nie he began to B. B. Odell. P
c <
row rich. His ice business was very
. ofitable and he enlarged his for
me by investing his savings in elec-
ic light plants and taking city con-
acts in other lines. Mr. Odell is a aibi
bi
itive of Newburg. He was educated
; Bethany College , West Virginia , and 3'i
tt
impleted his classics at Columbia
te
ollege.
Ex-Empress Eugenie has been stay-
ig in Paris in the strictest incognito , d <
it is expected to return shortly to
H :
2r country place at Farnborough a
ill , Sussex , after an absence of nearly C <
iven months. M
X
WeeKly
Tanorama. j
y
"Reducing Trices ofSteel. .
Plttsbure : la only a few miles from
the great coke producing region of
Pennsylvania. It Is a thousand miles
from the Lake Superior Iron ranges
where It seta moat of the ore It uses.
Fifty years ago the coat of assembling
the ore , coke , and limestone for a ton.
of pig iron made up half the total coat
of production. At that time It would
have been out of the Question to USB
Lake Superior ores at Plttsburg , so
heavy would have been the transpor
tation expenses. Since then the cost
of carrying ore by water and by rail
has been so much cheapened and the
time required so much lessened that
it is said it is possible to convert into
steel plate at Pittsburg ore mined only
ten days before near Lake Superior.
Furthermore that steel can be sold at
a profit for a price lower than foreign
manufacturers can afford to accept.
Chaplain and Canteen.
The Rev. Charles C. Pierce. D. D. ,
Chaplain United States Army and
First Rector of the Protestant Epis
copal Church in the Philippines , has
REV. PIERCE.
created a sensation in religious cir
cles by coming out in favor of the
array canteen.
The shah , who is at Ostend , , is al
ways accompanied by an attendant
with a silver teapot containing , how
ever , not tea , but the Persian sever
eign's favorite iced mineral water.
Very frequently is the pot called into
requisition , and the shah takes his re
freshment in a delightfully unortho
dox way by drinking out of the spout.
Minister's Wife.
Mutchteba Ali Gerrouh is the nardb
that Ali Ferrouh Bey , the Turkish.
Minister , has given the youngster that
was born recently at the Turkish le
gation at Washington. Mme. Ferrouh
Bey , who came to this country with
her husband last winter , is the first
Turkish woman of her rank ever per
mitted to come to the United States ,
it being a special favor of the Sultan
to allow her to accompany her hus
band in his last return to Washing
ton , where he has represented his gov
ernment since 1898.
Heir to S/r Francis "DraJe.
John H. Daniels , a lawyer of La
Crosse , Wis. , is about to start for Eng
land to press his claim to an estate of
5150,000,000 , the
unclaimed accumu
lations from the
wealth left years
ago by Sir Fran
cis Drake , discover
er and privateers-
man , of whom Mr.
Daniels avers he Is
an heir. The mil
lions of the Drake
estate , according to
: he claimant , have John A. Daniels ,
jeen lying in the English court of
: hancery until they reached their pres
ent enormous proportions. The riches
eft by the noted English sailor were
he results of a trip to the West In-
lies during the war with Spain. At
he head of a small squadron he cap-
ured and sacked the town of Nombro
le Dios.
Mr. Daniels has been busily engaged !
or many months in gathering the evl-
lence he will carry to England. Hie
nether was a Drake , who lived in
) range county , New York. The exact
ine of descent by which the iaw/or
xpects to prove his claim is a secret
rhich Mr. Daniels is guarding lest
ubHcity defeat his plans.
The school board at Trenton , Mo. ,
eld ten meetings and took 700 ballots
efore a superintendent could be sa-
scted. The county papers repeatedly
nd in all seriousness suggested that
he contest be settled by a game of
even-up , but the board regarded such ,
procedure as lacking in dignity.
Endobaing an lotua College.
The news that 5300,000 of the pro-
osed 1500,000 endowment for Cornell
3llege at Mount Vernon , la. , has
Ren subscribed will gi e great sat-
ifaction to Iowa Methodists , many ot
horn received their higher education
t the institution. The $300,000 has
sen subscribed within the last three
ears in small sums , the largest con-
i'o.ition being § 20,000 , and the trus
ses now announce that the remaining
200.000 is assured.
The inscription on a wreath of Ar-
jnnes heather on the coffin of King
umbert revealed the fact that he had :
French foster brother , one Leon-
orinflot. This person is mayor ef
Hubert Fontajne ia he Ardeune\