THE COURIER.
of her four millions when she died."
"Well, have ou any plan to suggest,
Jack?'' asked Hie Grace.
"IheTimbuctoo might be lute."
"Rubbish ! not at this season of the
year," said iho Duke.
"Then she might be run down!" con
tinued the imperturbable Jack.
'No euch lu I mean, my dear"- and
Alton turned to the Duchess "no such
dreadful eataetrophy Ib to be feared."
The Duchess had started off again to
cry, and Alton was consoling her when
Jack thus interrupted his Boothing ca
ress .
"My dear joung people, I have alwayB
been a friend in distress. Never have I
failed to succor those I havo found in
hn wnnfl of desDair. Trust to me and I
"Now, Mr. Repton, do tell ua what
you aro going to do," pleaded Lady Her
mione. "Yes, Jack, tell us, that's a dear,"
chimed in the Duchess.
But no amount of cajolery could worm
out of Jack the scheme ho had devised.
lie assured tbe Duchess no harm would
befall her mother, and that if she would
only keep quiet and not make any more
confidantes, Mrs.Von Donop would never
know the true reason of hor not meeting
the 'most august personage.'
Jack Ropton was very thoughtful the
next day his animal spirit9 had disap
peared; he was almost rude in his
brusquosneBs; he might have beou a
mathematician wrestling with a great
problem. Suddenly, when he was tireBS-
mill crnfcvou outof this hole. Iwilleavo ing for dinner, he dropped his hair
you both from incurring the displeasure brushes, shouted out at the top of hia
of a 'most aucuBt personage,' and from voice, "Eureka! I've got it at last!" per-
losinc your share of Aunt Mary's four formed an impromptu pas soul and left bold about enough for one cup, and
wan a rainorshaky band let three drops
fall into it.
Mrs. Von Donop had road in tho
papers on her way from the landing
place to Farley that her daughter was to
entertain the "most augUBt personago'1
the next day. Was there ever such a
piece of good luck? Tho "most august
personage'' could not possibly refuso to
receive Mrs, Von Donop in her daugh
tor's house. She would have ber secre-
" What's happened to your man, Mas
ter Jack, that he ain't looking after your
clothes?" inquired Martha.
"Ob, he's been suddenly taken ill.'
"Well, 1 never!" exclaimed Martha,
examining the waistcoat; "if this ain't
been done malicious. like! Why, some
body cut that button off with a knife."
"I don't know how it happened,1' said
Jack. "Here'a a noodle and cotton."
"Why, sakes alivo! Master Jack;
what's come over you? You never UBcd
to be liko that, having needles and
thread about you. They've mado a reg
ular old bachelor of you in this coun
try." "Hurry u., Martha!" Jack passed
into tho bedroom, partially closed tho
dressing room door, picked up a bottle
of atropine and wont up to tho table on
which stood the coffeo tray. Ho lifted
the lid of the Btnall silver coffee pot, that
millions."
"How are you going to do it?" ex
claimed the Duke.
"How?"' asked the Duchess.
'I haven't the slightest ideB." answer
ed Jack, "but I'll do it. Only trust to
me, aud twenty-four hours hence I feel
Bure I shall have devised some plan. If
I haven't, I will tell you so, and we can
discuss the matter again. You can't at
any rate, be worBe off than you are now,
even if I fail. But I won't.
Aftorsome discussion over p-os and
itWBB deciaea xnai ue mn
nans.
1 -- .
should be left in Jacks hands. At
luncheon that day, Jack, usually bo talk
ative, wbb noticeable for his silence.
"I've got it!" be suddenly exclaimed.
"Got what?" asked the Duke, next to
whom Jack sat.
"A scheme to prevent Aunt Mary
meeting the 'most august,'" whimpered
Jack.
"What ifl it?"
Mr. John Repton ie just at pres nt
keeping his mouth shut, and it you
want him to succeed, Your Grace had
better do the eame," and Jack got up
and rang tbe bell. A footman answered.
"Telephone to the stables to have the
Nipper saddled and brought round at
half past two."
"Where are you going, .Jacur" asaea
the Duchess. "1 wbb about to ask you
to drive me over to the Huntingdon. '
"Sorry I can't accommodate Your
Grace, but I have moat important busi
ness to attend to in Warminster.''
At half past three the Nipper, with
Jack Repton on his back, stopped oppo
site a house in Warminster, a plate on
the front door of which showed it was
occupied by "WilliHm Brown, M.D."
Two seasons before Jack had broken Lis
collarbone and a couple of ribs in the
hunting field. Young Dootor Brown
had skillfully set them, and the two
men bad become chuma. Half an hour
later Jack came out of the house and
tossed a silver coin to the boy who held
the Nipper. As he was about to ride off
Doctor Blown, who stood at the door,
called out to him, "Be very careful, Rep
ton! Not more than three drops at the
most!" On his way through the town
Jack stopped at a chemist's shop, pre
sonted Doctor Brown's prescription, re
ceived an ounce bottle labeled "Sulph
ate of Atropine," and returned to Parley
Towers.
Needless to say, before the evening
wbb over the Duchess had wormed out
of the Duke tho fact that Jauk bad bit
on a plan to rescue them frcm their di
lemma, and that Her Grace bad found h
confidante her pretty .isterin law,
whom eho longed to call cousin as well.
Jack admired the girl, but then, he ad
mired so many others, and was such an
the impression on the valet that hia
master had either been drinking or had
suddenly gone crazy.
Jack was the life and eoul of the party
that night. The next morning as soon
a? breakfast was over, be was off to
WarminBter on the Nipper. Ho stopped
at a linen-draper's shop, and, going to
the counter, asked a young woman for
some "cotton or thread, or whatever you
call it, the same color as this," pointing
to a button on his fancy waist coat. The
thread was produced. He then asked
for a needle to sew buttons on with.
"But I only want one," ho said, when
tbe girl brought out a packet. "We
don't Bell them singly," she replied
laughingly. When Jack was told the
price of the packet of needles he laughed
too, and blushed at the same time.
"Your aunt's takon very elck, and I'm
going to send for tho doctor. But don't
toll MIbb Blancho I moan Her Grace
Mnator Jack."
"Sond for Dr. Brown, Martha. Mind
Dr. Brown," called Jack, as the maid
disappeared.
Tho doctor arrived at the Towers.
Ho thought it was a case of Rotholn, or
Gorman inoaelrB, but would not bo ablo
to toll for certain until tho next day.
Meanwhile, thoro was not tho slightest
dnngor. Ho put up some medic. tin for
tho patient and advisod that hor room
should bo kopt dark and quiot. Tho
Duchess who by this time had heard of
hor mothor's sudrlon attack ho advisod
to keep uwuy from tho sick-room, When
Hor Grace told tho guests what had
happened, nono of thorn buliovod hor,
but admired tho tact sho had shown.
Tho visit of tho "most august person
ago," who wbb very gracious to tbe
young DuchoBs of Alton, was a groat
success. Dr. Brown discovered that he
had made a wrong diagnosis of Mrs. Von
Donop's case, that the rush had been
caused by a disordered digostion, and
she wub aB well as evor tho noxt morn
ing. That evening tho Duko came into
Jack's room as ho waB dressing for dln
nor, to ask him so mo question. As they
wore chatting ho carelessly picked up a
tary cable the story to the news agen- small bottle from the dressing table,
ciesinher own country, and her poBi- "Give mo that, Alton!" exclaimed Jack,
tion in society would no longer be equiv- snatching tho bottle from tho Duke's
A large party of eminent persona ar
rived at Farley Towers the evening be
fore the day on which the "most august
personage" was expected to arrive. There
was the Prime Minister and hia wife and
daughter, a couple of Dukes and their
Duchesses,' a celebrated beauty, the
wife of a foreign Prince, the Ambassador
from the DucbeBS of Alton's native
country, a noted poet and some lesser
fry. Mrs. Von Donop, with two maids
and a secretary, came very late, by spec
ial tram. She was at once shown to her
apartments, which, as bad beon arrang
ed between Jack and tbe Duchess, look
ed out on the same corridor as hie room
did. When the Prime Minister's wife
was goiog to bed her maid told her
Mrs. Von Donop's arrival. "What
Duchess's nvother? She will ruin her
position if she attempts to force that
woman on the "most august personage!"
Jack Repton was up bright and early
the next morning, and, before he was
half dressed, dismissed hia valet. He
stood in his shitt sleeves at the half
opened door of his bedroom, watching
tbe staircase. A long acquaintance
with hia aunt's habits had taught him
that in a short time her maid, Martha
who bad been with Mrs. Von Donop
ever since that lady married the Duch
ess's father and had known Jack Bince
he was a child, would come up that
staircase with his aunt's morning cafe
au lait. He had not long to wait. As
tho maid approached his door be threw
it wide open.
"Why, hullo, Martha! How aro you?"
Oh, Master Jack, j ou did give mo
auch a start!"
"Martha, I want you to sew a button
on a waistcoat for me."
"Well, wait a minute, Master Jack, till
I'.ve taken the coffee to your aunt."
"No; I can't wait I'm in a deuce of a
hurry! It will only take you a second,
and the coffee won't get cold," and he
ocal.
"I'm rather tired, Martha," said Mrs.
VonDonop, as she finished her cup of
coffee. I'll try and get another hour's
sleep and ring for you when I want you.
An hour or so later Martha wbb start
led by the furious ringiug of her mit
tresfl' bell. She rushed up to Mrs.
Von Donop's apartments aud found that
lady in tbe greatest state of agitation.
"Pull up the blinds, Martha! Some
thing dreadful has happened to mo,"
she exclaimed, brbathing rapidly. "I'm
feverish! I've a dreadful headache!
My throat's dry, and haven't I a rash
on me?"
Whon Martha had pulled up the blinds
she discovered that her mistress was as
red as a lobster.
"This ishorriblt!" cried Mrs. Von Do
nop. "And to think it should happen
just at this time! ' and tears of vexation
poured down Mrs. Von Donop's cheeks.
hand and hastily putting it into his
pocket. But Alton had read on the
label "Sulphate of Atropine" He
went to the library and, taking from the
shelves a medical dictionary, turned to
tbe word "Atropine." He read: "The
moBt prominent effects from small rem
edial doBes are dryness and stricture of
the throat, frontal headache and a scar
let raBb."
"It was rather risky," whispered the
Duke to Jack, as the guests wore assem
bled for dinner. "For goodnoss .sake,
don't ever let Blanrnn know!"
"Not I." replied Jack. "Swear you
will not give me away."
"I swear!" answered tho Duko.
And when dinner was over tbe Duch
ess and Lady Harraiono got hold of Jack
and begged him to tell them what he
would have done had Mrs. Von Donop
not been taken so suddenly ill. He re-"
,r of "n "oDee, Mirth., tut fused to answer, and has kept hi. coun
the don't let Her Grace know. It my be eel to this day.-Town Topics.
some contagious fevjr, and the babios-
The poor woman burriei her head in
tbe pillow, and cobbed.
Jack happened to come out of his bed
room a. Martha hurried past.
"What', tbe mittei, Martha?"
Gillilan can assist you in finding a de
sirable home. If you intend moving
call at bis ground floor office 110 south
12th street.
IIMIIIMII
MMMIMHMMIIIUIM IIIMIIMIIMMIH MMMMi
incorrigible flirt that, in spite of bis pushed me woman inrnugn iuo open
youth, raatch-makers had almost given door. "Put the tray down there!" he
him up in despair. "id, pointing to a table. "Now come
The two women in the secret "corner- here!" He led Martha into the dress
od" Jack in the drawing-room after din- ing room, deposited her in a chair and
nor handed her the garment and button.
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