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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1902)
10 THE OMAIIA DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 1902. X 5t (Coprrigtii, m, hr R. It Crc-hatt) t'HAITKfl XXX V-f Continued ) Mr father sighed, but h did not aV f farther questions M kaew wall nougli l he wni1 from (hat on word and gnr. Tilrli," h want oa, "1 went tha dW-iment put In th hands of Mr. John CiUalonvm I rannnt eee Mm myself. Mr oath do aot malt (bat potl. nut I aa just anouad mai to that ha taed anthlng ( do Hh our tribulation. Ala ha la bl irHiti1 by lha asm III b.arted falhar who haa brought three iking upon na I am going to l'a tba lhtnrh'Kd, I hava had it on mr find 4a do aa ever since Kate a home-coming. mlr I delayed for her sake, fearing the affect upon hr mind. D'lt now when ah la la aurh altered rase about her husband hr I think tha sooner ws go tba better. How I bad thought to sell tha faouaa and land for abat they would fetch. Gregory CIndonra would certainly glv a great prka. Thar have long hM-ti an eyesore to hltn la tha snMsl of bla arreagea. But J hav ea a bttr war. It baa been revealed t ma. "I am an old man, ! have aptnt but ltttla money all mr dart ssv on rour learning, ralrlla. Ther will ba enough for Kat aad r"U. Tha bora ara better without any Uet them word with their fraud aa IbaJr fatbar did, or with their kad f Heaven (riot tbent wit." Than ha tapped mr boa lightly with tba paper In hit hand. "i want you to take the documents 4 John Olandonwrn (I noted that ha left out lb Mr. that time). I will tell ya what Ibar ara. 1 bar effected tba tranaferenoa of all mr propertr bare that I, of tha boua and land It la juit fl acre In allto blra In truat for hla eagregatloa. Thar 1 an excellent alt lor the kirk ther are aniloua to build at a place whlrh I bar designated upon ta plaa, at tba greet bond of the water, with acreae from tha main road and a low of tba rivr. Alao Oregorr Olendon m will aee It from nearly every window la hla caatla, which add greatly to It ttactMiitr "Ob, fatbar," I cried, throwing mrlf a hi Back, "rou ara ao good and kind! Tou bar forgiven John." II amiled a curloua smile a amll with kind of alcklr pallor la It. "There la on thing for wblcb I can never forglv him," b aald. "And what la tbatr I cried. "I am aur aur that ha I Innocent!" "Nay be la guilty," aald my fatbar, eternly. "He waa born hi father' son. He cannot clear blmaelf of that." But b aald It In aucb a way that I mad aura la my heart that, though b could not glv In, he wa by no meana aa angry with John aa h mad out. Which partly ex cu what coma after or at leaat ex alalaa lu CHAPTER XXXVI. A Lloaj tm th Path. I took all that Bight to think how I should oavey tb pa para to John. Indeed, the problem required a great deal of thought It aeemed Impoaalbl that I ahould go to tba berd'a houao at Bennangower that la, alone. And yet I knew not bow el to bey my fatbar. I thought of Veronica, but It did not aeam a if I would Ilk to have fcer. For ah bad called one alnc our aome-comlng, and Rupart'a death, but. of aoura. without seeing m. And then evory body aald that aba waa going to marry John. No, aba wa vary kind, but I could mot aak Veronica. The a thought cam to m and I laughed ya, for tha net time for many Month. It aeemed to me, I laughed aloud. 1 would go to Bennangower, but I would Uk little Johnny with me! Aad aa aoon aa I thought of It I aat down ana wrote t Mr. Colatoun. aaktng her to Jet Johnny com out to me for two or thre 4ay. I told bar we were going away. (Sha already knew much of our trcublee by let tar It waa my only comfort and ah read bm to her huaband. and John called. B caua. yoa . know, 1 had promlaad to hold ao aommuBlcatloa with John without my father knowing.) 8o I told her w wer going quit away and It would b aeomfort to m to bav Johnny for a llttl flrat And I promlaad t hear htm hla laaaona aad to aa that ba did aot aat too many gooaeber rtaa out of tha garden. Aad Mra. Colatoun waa ao good and kind that aha brought him out haraelf and. aat la tba gardea with ma aad talked a long time. It wa twit delightful to have ltttla Johnay agala. Ha waa, if anything, fonder m thaa aver, aad aramparad all over tk lotaar'a ahop aad cut bla flngera an th toot and waa I oat la th gooaebarry gar &m aad fell oft a tree, end did ao many thlaca all la ono evening that I waa afraid k would aerer laat till I had need of him about going up Bennangower, I mean. All th aama it waa cheerful having him. Even lay father wae4 that. Aa for Kate, ah did aot eeasa clearly t sdaraUad. Sometime aha talked to him aa If a wer her own Bab Rupert grows p. aad taaa again aha would ataad over th ct and look ao puttied, aaytng: "Thta la ayr real Uby Un't It? I fear I have ha talking foollahly." ' eV th Bait aftaraooa It waa June and warm t weal away up tb buroatde toward th aard'a Bewa r Bennaagower, with llttl Johaay aportlng abovt ma Ilka a frotlciotne puppy. I kaaw that I waa likely to And th aa la later at home. Tor Will had aeen 14 Awtea aa th way down to th poat aa aad a laid aim that th mlaiatar had ba aut all th morning, aeelng alck pacpl aver hy la tk vtllac. but wwuld b ham far what that Anld Duaeaa called la "a aafillk word for your denaer," th CaaMroolaa elder thought I had tka, papara about Boatcroft la a llt tl leather portfolio, la which I uaed to rry la etUMrea'a nvrkiet to th aaadeay f Kllgour. Aad whea I gut near IB heuaa, bUk ebon aut whit an J kaaay ea a little kaoll. with tha gardea aeath H aad th bura roaiing through tha Beeaaa Una Bfty yar4a to tha weal. I aaw id Babby. Joaa'a aaraa. earning I aveet ta aa It wra. la a great hurry. I called Jouaay to com up and take my ha4. aad thaa la a mlaute there waa Bakby ataadtag la fraat of ma. aa tf to h lax a th way to h haua. At aoatber tlaM I wntM hv laughed. But Uea I aJy a!J. with dtgaliy. "1 wtah to aee Mr Jaa Claadoawya la h at homo?" "It a a hia hour far eeata" fiwh thla." ah retorted, with aa acrtmoar. "aa. ! would tih k haa whaar tb gaoaa a4 im tra. gia th atiaWi had aM t 4 But wael hi tlaa wt kit vaaraata aa4 ra-1 - a trtaa!" 1 evitlt a4 help aalliag a I aawr4 th i lady, wa ha huhart alwaya hea h.a4 I aj "via. Py." I aavt. am U lag. "I da hop that ) a a4 maa ma! -Dtaaa aVabkr av. Mitraa ralrlla Claa diaaia. ah art, wuh a Waa at hr Taaad. txut ara aaa Uaf w (raa hatM aa BLVE "by - S R eaa reaaon gl'rn, mar expec' to ba caaled 4uear namea. Aya, they maun that!" "Wall, Babby," I began but got no further. "frld I no tell ya no to 'Dabby' me," ahe cried. "Mlaa Darhara, If ya please!" ye, and It may be aomethlng elae afore lang. For I ba been kenned and refuted a docnt will-doing woman a' my day, that played na pllaklea, but gaed ilk day to th kirk and bod the Ither' the kitchen never mining a lawfu' day me and my falthera afore me! "Wefl, Mlm flarbara," I atnick In, aa toon aa I could get a word, "I am obliged for what you tell me. But I must eee Mr. niendonwyn at once, a I cannot ttay--and my huatnrea la Important." "Slay," aha cried, catching at the word, "atay na. It will be a short day and a lang era ony Ilk ye are aaked to atay In a mlnlster'a house. Did you no hear, young Woman, that I bae already telled ye In aae many v. orris o' the English language (maybe It la do teached in ichulea ooo- aday. Ilka mony lther tblnga that were thocht respectable 1' my youth no that I am an auld woman lather, certes, no!) tha ya canoa see the Reverend John Glen don wyn, B. A., minister o' the Free Pres byterian ktrk, thla day" How long thla torrent of acarcely muffled aaperltlea would have continued to flow I cannot tell, but the course of events was changed by tha Initiative of Little Johnny Colatoun. Quite unseen by me and prob ably by my doughty antagonist he had de tached himself from my hand and made off In the direction of the herd's houae. After that be dlaappeared entirely for aoma min ute and hla movementa from that point can only be made out by Inference from circumstantial evidence. Aa far aa I aaw, however, there Issued presently several thlnga from the berd'a houae of Bennangower. Imprlmla, one wild, auatalned and savage yell indicative of pain, anger, affliction, persecution, tha torture of tha boot, the Inquisition and all the wurat plcturea in Fox'a Book of Martyr. Ham. one rapidly moving email boy In stained blue blouse and twinkling knickerbockers, bla mouth open and aquared with angulah. hla face atalned with aoma red unguent, a Jam-pot in on hand and tha debrta of aoma paatry in the other. Item (still la order), a gray-headed oldish man, active on his lege, bare-headed and without coat, with hla shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbow. He had a atlck In hla hand and hla Intentlona war evidently to overtake the email boy probably for pur poaea of political argument. But atlll no John, I began to think he eould not b at home. At eight of me, however, atandlng at bay, aa It were, with Babby giving tongue in front of ma, her albowa akimbo, and her bead continually toaaed in tha aacendant, the gray-headed old man dropped bla avenging rod, aban doned the chaaa of LU' Johnny, and dived back Into tha houae with a ludlcroua aug gaatlon of a rabbit Into Ita hole. ' He waa out again In a moment, how ever, and descended the little rough road with a atep of atrange dignity. Ha had attired blmaelf In a black awallowtall coat with brass buttons, and hla white tie waa square and formidable aa Babby'a elbowa. I think thla apparition, appearing without any warning from the Herd's Hough of Bennangower, cama nearer aendlng ma down tha hill thaa all tha baying of Babby'a druma of war. So little, at first alght, do wa know our baat friend. CHAPTER XXXVII. I-lltl Jahaay to t Rtieae. It chanced that tha maa cama down tha pathway behind Babby. who waa in the full Bow of her oration. Ha caught the aatoatabed dam by the arm. ordering her la atera tonea to ba gone to tha houa or h would acquaint Mr. John with her out rag of behavior. Thea aomethlng In th ton of the man'a voire told m that I had aeen him before Indeed, mora than once. It waa Orleraon. the eld Caatla Oower butler, who had brought th measaga to tha tryatlng place that R 4 part Oleadoawyn had hurt hla foot tha same who oa a later occaaioa had de livered th letter at the achoolhouae oa tha night of oar going to Inch Jonet. "Wha are ye. Dunvaa GrleraoB. cried the ladlgaaat Babby. "to Inform Malatar John agala what It ama guid to ma to dor' "Babby. mlad yoa." retorted Duncaa Orteraoa, with dark and myaterioua algntn taace. Aad Babby evidently minded. Tor ahe atu4 aatal. atlll. however, muttering ua- 4r her breath. A promts ta a promt!" ah aald. "Aod I ha Maiaur Joha for a vllaeea to tha tact" -Jalnd Babby. aald Duncaa. with aa air ef legal wisdom. th promla waa a eoa 4ealaal prasla merely. Thar la t fee aa word a I tUl MaUiar Joha la Battled, .Crocteff jo And ba bent down and whispered In her ear. I could not hear what he said. But Babbv'e reply la, however, worthy of re cording. Inasmuch as It caused mo many conjectures at the time. "I never tbocht o' looking aneath hi pillow when he wa alerpin'!" ahe said. With a very courtly bow the old butler aaked my pardon for keeping me waiting and then apologized frankly for the mistake made by Babby! "She I a woman weel stricken In years, mem," be aald, "ye'll Julst need to excuse Babby!" " 'Deed an' I'm no near a stricken In years as your atn eel', Duncan Orler " cried the Indignant lady, "na no by a guld half-dltten o' yeara! , Hear y that!" But Duncan waved ber away with calm superiority, conducted me up the rugged path with the height of dignified embar rassment "Babby, gang ye into the hoose and get "I COULD 8EB HIS FACE a dish o' tea ready," he cried. "Dlnna spare the leaves) And abuna a', see that the water la boiling afore ye poor it in. In deed, mem, Mr. John would have been malst disappointed if he had missed your veealt (Come oot o that ye Ulset wee balttle!) I beg pardon, miss, but I am afraid your young gentleman will break hla neck If he persists in crawling on the roof! There, what did I tell ye, ye camateery hule o' a redeecloua callant?" Little Johnny had Indeed fallen through the thatched and rotted roof of one of the aeldom used sheds lu rear of the farm standing and was presently rescued, howl ing lustily, by a atngl leg which appeared waving among th debris. Duncan held him In the air aa ha might have don a kicking rabbit, and dusted him vigorously. In deed, I tear that be performed the opera tion with so heavy a hand that In more than one aense It might b called a dress ing down. I think the blood muat have risen quickly to my face, for I could feel myself turning hot all over. i Bo Intent waa I on tha fata, of my ally that I did not nolle that John Olen donwyn himself waa standing, with a strange expreaaton of wonder on hi face, in the doorway of hla cot. He waa, I aaw at once, much paler than ba had been In deed, thinner altogether but with a de termined, masterful and manly expreaalon such aa I had never seen on hla face before. And the next moment t waa holding his hand, while he waa asking concerning my father, my alater and the other doubtleaa wondering what In the world had brought m to tb herd' hous la th Bennan gower. By thi time Duncan Orleraon had com pleted little Johnny' toilet and aet that enterprising Infant on hla feet. Johnny waa crying, If one may usa that expreaalon of such a darling child, moat viciously. And the old butler had much difficulty In eon ducting himself reputably before his young master, owing to the fact that in the midst of his explanations he would suddenly find himself spun round by tha frantic lunges of Johnny, who, having set down poor old Dnucan aa the cauae of bla misfortunes, was now trying furiously to reach hla black atocklnged ablna with hla llttl Iron-shod shoes. Whereupon I pounced upon Johnny and bade him be a good boy or I would dis patch him back to hla mother that aame night "Shan't go," exclaimed the hopeful aon of tha houae of Colatoun. "I doean't mind mother much, but I hate school. Tea, I does! New teatter la ao ugly!" "Oh, Johnny," I aald reproachfully, "but If ahe la good, what doea M matter whether aha ta pretty or not?" "Doe though!" aald Johnny, atruggllng to ba free, "he flnka ao (here he pointed to Joha Glendonwyn) doean't turn to our achool now, aot alnca new teatter tummed. Mother ah thald ao only laat night!" "Would you like aom lumpa of augar, Johnny," aald John, hastily, from the door way. "I am afraid ther ara no brandy ball up her. You should have aant m word you mer coming." "Lt' th tbugar!" aald Johnny (which being interpreted, meant that Johnny dealred to be Introduced to th aforesaid lumpa of sugar). "Com away In!" aald Joha. "I have but on room, but tb good peopl make m both comfortable and happy that is, aa tar aa 1 can be without " H etoppd aad looked vary curtoualy at me. It was certainly a beautifully neat Utile room, with no appearaaca of a bad la it that I could aa except that there waa a ecreea la the corner which bad vl- deatly served (aad probably did ao yet upoa occaaioa) aa a clothaa bars. After h. had brought ua Into hla room Joha Claadoawya-atoo4 before ma acarc knowing what to aay, waiting, I think, till I bad opened my mktalon. But I knew bet tar than to attempt anything of the kind with parley. "Will you glv Johnny om augar!" 1 aid, "that will keep him quiet till It la done!" John went out quickly, lnatantly followed by Johnny, who flimg blmaelf off tha seat on which I had Juat arranged him. and plunged after hla hoat through th door, shouting, "M tummln' to e you get it mlneself!" "Think I will not glv you enough?" aald John, "hare th loaf!" Tanks, I will!" aald th literal Johnny, and appeared forthwith in the tiny "ben-the-bousa" with a acarce-broken whit con of lump-ugar under hi arm. "Johnny, dear," I remonstrated, "you will make youraelf 111. Otv It to m and I will break you off a bit" "No, a'ant!" said the obedient llttl man. "have eatel free O. ever so much bigger nor that! 'Tie all right, teatzer, dear!" Then I began to tell John Olendonwyn the mesaage my father had sent ma to de liver and when ha beard of th gift of the house and five acres of freehold ha roae from his chair excitedly. "O," ha cried, "It la like new Ufa to me to even hear of the possibility of such a thing. But we cannot take th property aa a girt. That la not to be thought of we will give your father any rent wo will pay a price" ( "John," I. said, "you ought to know my' father by thla time. What he doe he will do hla own way. If at all. All la completed. Ther are tba title deedaT' While John stood stricken dumb by the wonder of the nawa, tb door wa opened PALE AND CHANGE AT THD NEWS." without nolaa and Duncan Orleraon entered, carrying a tray of tea with little biscuits and cakea arranged eunnlngly among water creases and green leaves. "Cream or leemon, madam?" he gsked In a low, confidential voice, adding In a yet lower tone, "I wad ad viae the leemon, mlaa, as the milk waa boiled afore y cam' up tha brae." After he had aerved his master he went steadily to the door, and then, turning, re marked at large, aa If Imparting a piece of general Information to whomsoever It might concern, "There's some nice cream tarts In the kitchen, with raspberry Jam live have strawberry. They'll aune be done!" Like an arrow from the bow Little Johnny aprang from hla porch with the loaf of sugar in his band, from which he had been endeavoring to break plecea with the firelrons. "Na, na," added Duncan, disembarrassing htm of the remains of ths cone, "gin Babby were to aee ye, there wad be na leevln' wl' her for a month!" John and I were left alon for the first time since he had helped me to roll up the maps in th old Infant department of Kllgour academy, the day he went to college for the laat time. Had he forgotten? And aa for me I shall never forget. But It was necessary that I ahould tell him that we were all to go away from the neighborhood, and take up a new Ufa elaewhers. L,could see his face pal and Chang at th new. "Why should you go away from me, Falrlle?" he was aaylng. "I have , Juat found you again. Your father'a anger against m cannot be Tvery bitter. I can not think that he would visit upon my head the alna of my father and brother. Elae would he have sent you to me with this message of peace?" There waa aomethlng In what hs urged. Indeed I hsd been thinking of It with a certain gladness all the past night and all that day. But what of Kate and her bab Rupert? That, at leaat, waa unan swerable. So I only shook my bead sadly snough. "Wa muat wait, John." I said, "you have waited a long time without know ing you must be good and wait a little while patiently now that you know that which you do know." "I think it will be harder than aver now!" he groaned. I suggested the penny post, aa a new invention likely to aid person a In our con dition and clrcumatancea. and pulled out my puree with aome of tba famoua black stamps atuck In the flap. I suggeated that there waa the build ing of hla new church to attend to. But I will not mention the fraction of bla thought which (he declared) that ere-vhlle all-Important aubject now occupied. For th which rash words I know that hr would be sorry In the- morning. When I went away Johnny appeared from the kitchen laden with delicacies, ready but not willing to accompany me. Indeed, be only conaented to leave the sugsr cone on th distinct understanding that It waa to be sent after him on th early morrow. And aa I want through the door I heard Duncaa Orleraon ssy In his two divers voices, "At what hour will your honor r lease to dine? At ? Tbaah you, air. Ya donnert auld deevil, gla ya dlnna gang into your hoose and keep your tongu within your teeth aboot what's nana o' your bualneaa, I awaar by tha poora abuae that I'll never mairry ye on thla aide o' Jordan'a awaiting flood! Hear ye that, ya caatankeroua baaom?" And I think that John heard, too, fo ha hurried me down the little loaning and out upon tha vast encompaaalng heather. "Duncaa la a faithful servant." be aald. In bis simple, earneat way. "W must to It that hla latter ead ks peace." I did aot aoewer, but ta my heart I Judged that It would be, seeing how well h knew bow to rule his own houa. CHAPTER XXXVIll Fat Ride Before. That night John aod ' I wer treading close pon tha heels of fata. Fatality (talked behind ua and before, yet wa saw him not, nor so much a heard hla garments rustle. Llttl Johnny gamboled In front, running race with blmaelf, and thea stretching back to tell us who had won. But In spit of these frequent appear ances, boldly, unehamedly, John held my hand. The day of IAV Dionny's power was well nigh over. Blackmail or wbltemall are only good so long aa there Is a secret to bo kept. All the world was free to know our. And when w reached tba dark. aisles of tb Oower woods, which we must per force cross, John stopped, and suddenly taking me In his arms, bade me promise that nothing la the world should ever come between ua two neither father, nor alster, nor brother (though goodneaa know the poor boy never tried), nor the whole world. And alnc I would not promise so many things all at once, ha took such sweet blackmail that In Justlc to myself, I had to put off giving the final promts for quite a while. But at any rate I did promise at last and John waa ao grateful -that before wa knew there atood LU' Dsonay before us, with up lifted finger imminent aa fate. "What makes oo want to klaa yike that?" he demanded, truculently. "Come here, Johnny, and I'll kiss you, too!" I cried. But th young man, being perhapa not a llttl Jealous, would bob of m. "I doan 'ants to b kissed!" h said, with great emphasis on tha first pronoun personal, which It 1 to be hoped cama home to John Glendonwyn. But Instead he only laughed. "You don't know what la good for you, Johnny," he aald, "you'll change your mind aome day!" "Knows what I 'ants, though!" aall LU' Dsonny, calmly, "I ylkea thugar, peattlea, coffee, mlnthe plea and stawbewwy diam kisses not much!" He added with th laat phraae In a tone and with a curl of tha Up which wer ac tual trtumpha of contempt. "Courae you wanta to kiss you're a girl." he said, that Mm he'a dot a mumstash and whiskers what doea him want to do It for?" "Well, It aometlmes happens ao," aald John, "aome day you'll find out." "Oh, I shan't!" said Johnny, vary poal tivaly, "me and Jimmy Ogllvy haa aweared, aa aur aa death, that it a girl klaaea ua we hope to die If wa doesn't bat her over tb head hard!" "Oh. Johnny." I cried, "won't you let even me kiss you?" "Yes," said the youth, with tha tolerant Indifference of on making Immense con cession, "I aald 'cept you an mother!" "Well," said John, who would have given away tha half of hla kingdom that Bight, "here's half a crown only you muat prom Is not to aay anything about about !" And here he etogped. It waa difficult to put into worda. "About mlntthater ktaatn' Teattert 'Courae I wont!" "But aay 'Aa aura aa death and double death!' lan't that th regular thing?" pur sued John, who had had certain experi ences aa to the wisdom of bribing Johnny without putting him on his oath. Eveq with, the result waa mora thaa doubtful. "Lefe thee to half a erown flrat!" de manded Johnny, tha futur Successful Mer chant. Tha coin was handed over, duly Inspected, smelt and finally tba young maa of bualneaa satisfied himself of Ita entire genuineness by aattlng a particularly fine aet of teeth Into It. "All right!" said Johnny, cheerfully; "shan't tall! But I wouldn't again, you know. Somebody Growed-Vp might ae you next time!" The advice was good, and indeed there waa acant opportunity. We atepped into tha road and walked acroaa to the little woodland glad which led to the Flower Cot. "Falrlle," aald John Olendonwyn, with a sudden break into solemnity, "your father will not let ma thank him in peraoo. Do It for me. Tell him what ha haa dona for me and for our poor folks. You can put It better than I. And tell him alao that other, which haa brought yet greater happi ness into my Ufa tonight." "What, all of It?" I ald. And then, thinking of Johnny. I added: "What will you give me not to?" "Yea, all." aald John, with a firmness and magnanimity for which I could not but ad mire him, va though I knew be did not meaa It. But th next moment I caught tha gleam of humor la bla eye. "You bad better," b aald. "for U you don't that perjured mercenary llttl beast will do It for you. It will ba well to get la ahead of him." But aa wa paused to aay good Bight b aid tb gate of Boatcroft. th lilac oaea more in blossom, white and purple aa of yor. scent-laden la th gloaming dew, w heard th far off galloping of a hore. A maa passed ua going rapidly la th dlrac tloa from which w had aoma. But aa a waat h looked hack vr hia houldr thea, suddenly checking hla beaat, ha turn ad and approached tb place where w stood In shadow. . "Is tbat you, Mr. John?" be said. "Tea, Oreg what la the matter?" "You are to com to Castle Oower," aald tha man, without touching hla bat; "your father haa had a ebock and Burgeon Warner aays h cannot live many hours!" That wag Fate's touch on the shoulder for ua two. CHAPTER XXXIX. We Rise After. Instantly John bad th man dismount and with single preeaur of the hand to me I ash" blm throw his leg Into the saddle and ride off furiously In the direction of Castle Gower. I stood a while dated with the suddenness of th leave-taking. I knew that. If the newa proved to be true, the fat would ba In tha fir Indeed. My father, ao I found from Will, who met me at the door aa I waa entering, had de parted that afternoon soon after I had aet out with llttl Johnny Colatoun. Ill de clared Intention had been to go to Drumfern In order to arrange for taking ua all thither on the war to th haven of reat he bad been preparing to receive u. And whom when I did enter should I eee sitting comfortably at the fireside but Veronica Caeaar. I know that the blood sprang unbidden Into my cheeks aa ahe roae up with her usual awlft Impulsiveness and kissed me. She had been talking to Kate, who was still busied about her black dress. And I could see that Veronica had been helping her, for the skirt had assumed quit a different aspect. In fact It neared completion. I do not know what I said, or Veronica, either except tbat she aeemed to be soold Ing.me for being out so late, and I was all oa pins and needlea lest Master Johnny's uncertain tongue should reveal certain aecreta of the fir woods of Gower. But he did nothing except wipe off Veronica's kiss In a disgusted manner with his handkrr chlf and begin to play obtrusively with hla new half crown. "You small reptile," cried Veronica, "you are a decent boy clean spoilt! That's what's th matter with you. It would be telling you If I had you for a week over at the manse with my scamps. I would take a frill or two out of your tucker, young man!" "Well, 'oo shan't!" aald Johnny, tran quilly. "I don't love 'oo 'oo's nasty!" "Frank!" said Vera, laughing. "Sweet child! Speaks so prettily, too no wonder you pet him, Falrlle. Well, I know some body who wouldn't, that'a all!" She regarded him with a look of manifest disfavor. "Who gave you that new half crown, Johnny Colatoun?" Vera demanded, eyeing It aa the owner fitted It alternately Into either eye or held It somewhat perilously between hla teeth. " 'Tlsn't 'oor blssness!" responded Johnny with simple directness. ( "Johnny mustn't speak that way to a lady," I said, sternly, "or Johnny will be punished." He turned upon me quickly. "Does 'oo wan LU' Dxonny to tell the lady flngs?" he asked, quick as the darting ating of a wasp. Duty and prudence, dlaclpllne and valor's better part never were In more direct con flict. So I aald nothing. "You have had a nice walk?" asked Veronica, atltchlng a broad lac collar on Kata'a completed drees. I cannot but think that she had aome suspicion or at least soma curiosity aa ' to where I had been. Besides, I learned afterward tbat In my absence Kate had been talking to her about her husband and Babe Rupert. Yet so clever was she tbat from her manner you would never have suspected tbat ah knew anything. "Oh, yea," I answered. "Johnny and I were out on the moor. It waa a fine night, and we cama through the wood, atopplng nee or twice to gather flowers!" "Stopped free times!" said Johnny, ac curately. "Did you bring any flowers back?" aald Kate, lifting her head for th first time. "I would like to take them up to Babe Rupert. He likes them. When be Is awake he crowa and chuckle over them Just won derfully. He Is growing such a clever child, and ao dear but, ah how could he be otherwise ?" "Ah, how Indeed!" signed Veronica, with th leaat trace of Ironlo Intention. "I will go out aad get th flowers," I said; "I will take them up to baby my self. I ahould like to see blm!" "I will turn and help 'oo gather them!" aald Johnny. And hoping to cover the verb which he had used, and fearful of other reve latlona, I took him with m gladly. I went into th garden and picked what f oornflowera and bluebella, bell heather and wild thyme could be found there. Tben I wnt up to Maeter Rupert and put the Stearns' Electric Qat and Roach Paste and Ua out of tha hous. One InjWlant dries up their bodies, leaving so odor. It Is safe &nd sure exterminator also of Mice, Water Bugrs, Croton pugs, Cockroaches and all other vermin, it has been in general use in houses, stores, hotels, factories, offices, public buildings, etc., for twenty-five years. Absolutely guaranteed. O. A I ITIOM B"ttftirt InrflstKms are worth!. UMU I IUrM laaict ea ITtASdS' L4IkiC lake aetkiag ease. ts cants a bog at Druggist and Grocers or lent direct by Express prepaid. STEARNS' ELECTRIC PASTE CO., Chicago, Ilia. A Trial Treatment Offered Every Afflicted Han. t. - - 1 - - J THE PARIS MEDICATED CRAYON V. I'm1 ?Ti lviwiJ' eenaaiioa being pleasant. UDITC AD Pill fcour Trial Treatment Soday, ana sat sty yoorseii inas sua -TBTon Tin It UH lALL wlUdoallwecWia lortheia. Complicated csMt, which have bal ili art othlr tniuLtuV are now being cured by this adentiffc treatment. will also saud our book, fully illustrated with forty engravings, giving valuable Information and advice. Mo - rural iwortpaon." bepnslt " or C. O. b.n ecbemrt. V. a send a'1 medicine by Bail In a nlala atllad hoz'Trenald. da.. I. W. Career ef It I SOS High Ita, lFlRmf.-et Isaka aa teaelaf, l.eleaea fee f CaWasaa. iatrats. tiitx 101. DR. STEVENS A CO., flowers Into a glass by his bedsld. Veronica atald a long time after that, but though I waa In the room moat of th time, except when 1 waa getting a llttl aupper ready, the name of Joha Olendoa wyn did not pass her lips. And Vera la usually so frank. But all the time a curious sense of some thing Impending weighed on me, so that I got hold of Will, and, after binding him to secrecy, I told him of the sudden Illness of Mr. Glendonwyn, and that I had prom ised to marry John. "Does father know?" said Will, looking at me very strangely. "I told him I did not know whether he did or not. adding, however, that Joha bad told him long ago, when he went to Edinburgh, Indeed, that he loved me aad meant to aak me to marry him as soon aa he could. Also that my father sent me thla afternoon with a message to th herd' houee of Bennangower. "Oh!" aald Will, thoughtful, then after a pause he added, "I think be want to give In and can't bring hi prlds to lot him!" ' Which, as I now Judge, wss pretty near the truth. Yet tf it were a fart that he had gon away In order to give ua a clear field (for the sake of my happiness because I had been fretting and growing pale), I think my father would have stayed atlll where he waa, had he foreseen what thlnga were to happen that night. I told Will that he had better entice Harry and Dick early into tha house tbat night and keep them ther reading or play ing draughts. They could hsva something nice for supper, I said anything. Indeed, to bribe them to stay. "Oh," said Will calmly, "I'll entice them I'll bribe them! I will Juat teU them that I will hammer the life out of them If they don't. That will be all right!" And believing that he knew best, I left him to make his arrangements. But when they were necdrd. Harry and Dick wer certainly In the kitchen. I aaked no ques tions, and none of the three volunteered, any Information. It was, I think, about t o'clock and still quite light when Veronica announced that she must go back to the manse. Will and I prepared to convey her. Little Johnny waa also to go home with ua, unwilling In body, but consoled by the thousjht that If we hurried we would get to Mtas Emily Parton'a before that lady'a ahop cloaad for the night. "Will," I said, "when I go to the door you might ask Harry and Dick not to go out till I get back." "Right!" he said, and went over to them as I showed Veronica out "Take car of Babe Rupert till I get back!" I said to Kate, "don't let him atray!" i Kate laughed a quick little scornful laugh much like her old aelf, as Veronica stooped and kissed the boy in his cot. I forgot to say that by this time we wer all three upstairs In our room, where Veronica had gone to put on her hat and things. Then she picked up the little glass of blossoms which I had hastily picked In the garden. "These "are pretty wild flowers, ar they not?" she said, looking serosa at me. You would not have thought that Veronica could have been so spiteful, would you? But I don't think she bad properly forgiven me for letting her think It was Rupert I cared for that day when I bad the head ache and she was so kind to ms. She did afterward, though, ao It cam all right Well, we had come downstairs, and I waa standing at tba blue palings look ing out along the road toward Oower caatle (for I somehow felt that some thing must hsppen that night), when th asms servant who bad spoken to John cama forward quickly, from under the Ulao tree at the corner. He had apparently been atandlng ther waiting. He had a letter In bla hand, and I thought that I aaw Veronica draw herself up at the sight of the Caatle Oower liv eries. . "I think I shall walk on Good night, Falrlle and Will!" ah said, rather shortly. But the coldness of ber ton made the tear com Into my eye. "Don't, Veronica!" I crtd. "please don't! You don't know in what trouble we are. And you are the onjy friend we have! (I meant girl friend, of courae). And while aha atood irresolute what to do I tore the note open and read these worda ; "Caatle Oower, Tueaday Evening Pleas com at once with Oreg bring Kate and the baby. What we talked of must be dona tonight If at all. We are expecting you here. Carriage will ba at corner of road. Bring father or Will with you If they ar at home, but tor Ood'a aake do not fall to bring Kate and the child. John." (To Be Continued.) RATS EAT LgAtANT. SOOTHINOj AND MCAUN3. Tha New Sclantlfle Method for th Our f Sam. InaJ Weakness, Varicocele, Stricture, Olaet, Oooor. rhna. Catarrhal or Mucous Dischargee, Irritation nd Snlargament of th Prostata Gland. Bladder and Urinary Disorders. There Is no medicine as en Into tba stomach which can reach the membrane of these organ, aa every physician is fully aware. Common sciua tells us that a ntuu-dy applied directly to toe aeat ol any dieae uust give tf-e te ri-sulu. To Parle Medicated Oravoa) Is aoottiln and heal tug, atopa all niinatural dlharg and drain of vig or and glvea perfect and permanent power to the sexual organs, it 1 a liarmlesa borne treatment, and act like a mild electric currtut. Invigorating and lin MrUng vim and snap to the entire body. J hla is the oulr method of treatment yet dlsooverad that will Muduca ooiltlve and satisfactory eflecla . in long :...iin....ii..hiniMii. it duea aut uruat. ua COLUMBUS, OHIO.
