[ HEARTS! AND MASKS By HAROLD MacGRATH With Drawings by Harrison Fisber •k================^ (Copyright, 1905, by Bobbs«Merrill Co.J CHAPTER ll.—Continued. Next, turning from the window, I tell to examining my fellow passen gers, in the hope of seeing some one 1 knew. Conversation on trains makes •-short journeys. ... 1 sat up stiilly in my seat. Diagonally across the aisle sat the very chap 1 had met in the curio-shop! He was quietly reading a popular magazine, and oc casionally a smile lightened his sar donic mouth. Funny that I should run across him twice in ihe same ■evening! Men who are contemplating suicide never smile in that fashion. He was smoking a small, well-colored meerschaum pipe with evident relish. Somehow, when a man clenches his teeth upon the mouthpiece of a re spectable pipe, it seems impossible to associate thai man with crime. Hut ■ the fact that I had seen him selecting a pistol in a pawnshop rather neutral ized the good opinion I was willing to ■form. I have already expressed my views upon the subject. The sight of him rather worried me, though I -could not reason why. Whither was he bound? Had he finally taken one . ■of Friard's pistols? For a moment I was on the point of speaking to him, if only to hear him tell more lies about the ten of hearts, but I wisely put. aside the temptation, llesides, it might be possible that he would not be lad to see me. I always avoid the chance acquaintance, unless, of •course, the said chance acquaintance ■is met under favorable circumstances —like the girl in Mouquin's, for in stance! After all, it was only an in •cident; and, but for his picking up that card, I nevi-; should have remem bered him. Hehind him sat a fellow with a •countenanc" as red and round and complacent as r.n Kiiglish butler's, — red hair and small twinkling eyes. 'Once ho leaned over and spoke to my .■'banco acquaintance, who, without turning his head, thrust a matfih over his shoulder. The man with the face ■of a butler lighted the most villainous pipe 1 ever b held. 1 wondered if they knew each other. But, closely as I watched, 1 saw no sign from •either. 1 turned my collar up and snuggled dov. n. There was no need ■of his seeing itie. Then my thought reverted to the ten of hearts ag. in. My ten of hearts! The wrinkle oi a cliill ran up and down my spine! My ten of hearts! Hastily 1 took out the card and ex amined the back • £ it. It was an un commonly handsome back, represent ing Diana, the moon, and the midnight Bky. A horrible supposition came to me: supposing they looked at the back as well as at the tace of the card? And again, supposing I was 'fciiles away from the requisite color and design? I was staggered. Here was a pretty fix! 1 had never even dreamed of such a contingency. Hang it! 1 now wished 1 had stuck to my original plan, and gone to the theater. Decidedly 1 was in for it; there was ■no backing down at this late hour, unless 1 took the return train for Jer sey City; and 1 possessed too much stubbornness to surrender to any such weakness. Either 1 should pass the door committee, or I shouldn't; of ' one thing I was certain. "Hlanks'nire!" bawled the trainman; then the train slowed down and finally came to a stop. No turning back for me now. I picked up by suit case and got out. On the platform I saw the curio-shop fel low again. Tramping on ahead, the smell from his villainous pipe assailing my nostrils, was the man who had asked for a match. The former stood undecided for a moment, and during this space of time he caught sight of 'me. He became erect, gave me a sud den sardonic laugh, and swiftly dis appeared into the darkness. All t*iis was uncommonly disquieting; in vain 1 stared into the blackness that had swallowed him What could he be «loing here at Blankshire? I didn't like his laugh ai all; there was at once a menace and a challenge in it. "Any baggage, sir?" asked one of the station hands. "No." But I asked him to direct me to a hotel. He did so. I made my way down the street. The wind had veered around and was coming in from the sea. pure and cold. The storm clouds were broken and scudding like dark ships, and at times there were flashes of radiant moonshine. The fashionable hotel was full. So I plodded through the drifts to the unfashionable hotel. Here 1 found ac commodation. I dressed, sometimes laughing, sometimes whistling, some times standing motionless in doubt. Bah! It was only a lark. ... 1 thought of the girl in Mouquin's; how much better it would have been to spend the evening with her, exchanging badinage, and looking into each other's eyes! Pshaw! I ujvered my face with j the gray mask and descended to the \ street. The trolley ran within two miles of I the Hunt club. The car was crowded [ with masqueraders, and for the first ; time since 1 started out I felt comfort- i able. Everybody laughed and talked, : though nobody knew who his neighbor | was. I sat in a corner, silent and mo- j tionless as a sphinx. Once a pair of blue slippers attracted my eye, and I again the Hash of a lovely arm. At the | end of the trolley line was a carryall j which was to convey us to the club. I We got into the conveyance, noisily and good-humoredly. The exclamations of: the women were amusing. "Good gracious!" "Isn't it fun!" "Lovely!" And all that. It must ' have been a novelty for some of these to act naturally for once. Nothing lasts j so long as the natural instinct for play; ! and we always lind ourselves coming back to it. Standing some hundred yards back | from the road was the famous Holly wood inn, run by the, genial Moriarity. Sometimes the members of the Hunt club put up there for the night when there was to be a run the following morning. It was open all the year ■ round. We made the club at exactly TO:30. j Fortune went with me, doubtless it I was the crowd going in that saved nie j from close scrutiny. My spirits rose ! as I espied Teddy Hamilton at the door. He was on the committee, and was in plain evening clothes. It was good t« see a familiar face. I shoul dered toward him and passed out my ten dollars. "Hello, Teddy, my son!" I cried out jovially. "Hello!" —grinning. Teddy thought ' - v ¥ / Mmom •>**■ w . t%S - \ $M' : JM -W/ J ,m\ '%mf/ I /-' ? <-'iJ fflgSßSffl k 7 ' > \M%W- fyr #■, - ', r - . ' ' iim : 4 112 The Car Was Crowded with Masqueraders. it was some one he know; well, so it was. "What's your card?" he cried, as I pressed by him. "The ten of hearts." "The ten of hearts," repeated Teddy to a man who was keeping tally on a big cardboard. This sight did not reassure me. If they were keeping tally of all the cards presented at the door, they would soon find out that there were too many tens of hearts, too many by one! Well, at any rate, I had for the time being es caped detection; now for the fun: It would be sport-royal while it last ed. What a tale to give out at the club of a Sunday night! I chuckled on the way to the hall room. I had dis pensed with going up to the dressing room. My robe was a genuine one, heavy and warm; so 1 had no overcoat to check. "Grave monk, your blessing!" Turning, I beheld an exquisite Col umbine. "Pax vobiseutn!" I replied, sol emnly. "I'ax . . . What does that mean?" "It means, do not believe all you see in the newspapers." Columbine laughed gaily. "I did not know that you were a Latin scholar; and. besides, you gave me to understand you were coming as a Jes uit. Hilly." Billy? Here was one who thought she knew me. I hastened to disillusion her. "My dear Columbine, you do not know me. not the least bit. My name is not Billy, it is Dicky." "Oh, you cannot fool me," she re turned. "1 heard you rail out to Teddy Hamilton that your card was the ten of hearts; and you wrote me, saying that would be your card." Complications already, and I hadn't put my foot inside the ball room! "I am sorry," 1 said, "but you have made a mistake. Your Jesuit probably told you his card would be the nine, not the ten." "I will wager—" "Hush! This is a charity dance; no one makes wagers at such affairs." "But— Why, my goodness! there's CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2i, 1907. my Jesuit now!" And to my intense relief she dashed away. I carefully observed the Jesuit, and made up my mind to keep an eye upon him. If he really possessed the ten of hearts, the man who hept tally on the cardboard was doing some tall thinking about this time. I gilded away, into the gorgeous ball room. What a vision greeted my eye! The decorations were in red and yellow, and it seemed as though perpetual au tumnal sunset lay over everything. At the far end of the room was a small stage hidden behind palms and giant ferns. The band was just striking tip "A Summer Night, in Mu nich." and a inonderful kaleidoscope revolved around me. I saw Cavaliers and Roundheads, Puritans and Beel zebubs, Musketeers, fools, cowboys, Indians kings and princes; queens and empresses, fairies and Quaker maids, white and black and red and green dominoes. Tom Fool's night, indeed! Presently I saw the noble Doge of Venice coming my way. From his portly carriage I reasoned that if he wasn't in the gold-book of Venice he stood very well up in the gold-book of New York. He stopped at my side and struck an attitude. "Pax vobiscum!" said I. bowing. "Be at. the Inquisition Chamber, di rectly the clock strikes the midnight hour," he said, mysteriously. "I shall be there to deliver the su preme interrogation," I replied. "It is well." lie drifted away like a stately ship. Delightful foolery! 1 saw the Jes uit, and moved toward him. "Disciple of Loyola, hast thou the ten of hearts?" "My hearts number nine, for 1 have lost one to the gay Columbine." "1 breathe! Thou art not he whom ! seek." We separated. I was mor tally glad thai Columbine had made a mistake. The women always seek the monk at a masquerade; they want absolu tion for the follies they are about to commit. A demure Quakeress touched my sleeve in passing. "Tell me, grave monk, why did you seek the monastery?" "My wife fell in love with me," — gloomily. "Then you have a skeleton in the clothes-press?" "Do I look like a man who owned such a thing as a clothes-press, much less so fashionable a thing as a fam ily skeleton?" "Then what do you here?" "I am mingling with fools as a pen ance." A fool caught me by the sleeve and battered me gaily over the head with a bladder. "Marry come up, why am I a fool?" "It is the fashion," was my answer. This was like to gain me the reputa tion of being a wit. I must walk care fully. or these thoughtless ones would begin to suspect there was an impostor among them. "Aha!" There was mine ancient friend Julius. "Hail. Caesar!" He stopped. "Shall I beware of the Ides of March?" I asked, Jovially. "Nay, my good Cassius; rather be ware of the ten of hearts," said Cae sar, in hollow tones, and was gone. To be Continued. Goatskin Imports Increase. Washington.—Goatskins to the value of $::2,000,000 were imported into the United States in the fiscal year 190G, against $10,000,000 worth a decade earlier. These figures were gathered by the bureau of statistics of the department 01 commerce and labor and in making them public it is stated that the only important article of manufacturers' materials showing a more ruj.ld gain Is pig tin. Of the importers of goatskins India is the largest contributor, having suppllad $11,000,000 worth In ISOG. VERYSHARP STICK. IT WILL BE USED IN ATTACKS ON TEN RAILROADS WHO IG NORE THE LAW. MAXIMUM PENALTY ON VIOLA TORS OF CATTLE SHIPMENT LAW WILL BE ASKED. Washington, I). C. —Tha depart ment of justice, through the United. States attorneys in the several states, is about to begin proceedings against a number of railroads for violations of the law relating to the shipment of cattle. This law, which was approved June 29, 1906, provides that cattle shipped in inter-state commerce shall not be confined on cars longer than 23 hours consecutively without being un loaded for feed, rest and water, except in cases where a request is previously made, the time may be extended. In many of those cases, it is alleged, cattle have been confined on cars without rest, food or water for 50 hours and in some cases Co hours, and it is the purpose of the government to insist upon the full maximum penalty of s.">oo. Under the old law which permitted 110 extension of time, the department prosecuted approximately 1,200 cases of violations of the 28- hour law and in each case the railroad pleaded guilty and paid tin- minimum penalty of SIOO. The department has concluded that the railroads have had ample notice and will ask the courts for the highest penalty. Following are the names of the railroads against which prosecutions will be begun, to gether with the name of the city or state where the suits will be brought: New York, Chicago & St. Louis, at Buffalo. Santa Fe, in Colorado. Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, in Nebraska. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, at Chicago. Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, in Kansas. Big Four, at Cleveland. Southern Pacific, in San Francisco. Union Pacific, in San Francisco. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, in Buffalo. Northern Pacific, in St. Paul. INDICTS HIS GENERALS. Gen. Kuropatkin in His History of the Russo-Japanese War Tells Why His Army Failed to Win. Copyrighted, 1907, by the Associated Press. St. Petersburg, Russia. —Gen. Ivuro patkin's "History of the Russo-Jap anese War," which was confiscated by the Russian government, has at. last] become accessible. The work is remark-, able for its historic value as the clos ing chapter of the war from the pen of the connnander-in-chief, and for the merciless criticism of the men and measures which in Kuropat kin's esti mate swept Russia and its army to inevitable defeat. The work consists of three volumes respectively devoted to the three crucial events of the war, the battle of Liao-Yang, the battle of the Sha river and the battle of Mukden. The voluminous general orders, statistics ami other documentary matter have been collated by Col. Belkhovetoneff, of the general staff. These with the "conclusions" which have been formu lated constitute most amazing revela tions of disorganization and incapac ity, and even of disobedience of spe cific and urgent orders on the part of certain general officers entrusted with high commands in the field. Kuropat kin's reasons for the failure of the war are based chiefly 011 a com parison of the warlike spirit of the Japanese, their preparedness and valor, which he says had never been seen in any previous war, and their ability to maintain the numerical su periority necessary to assume the of fensive; with the disadvantages of Russia owing to the inadequacy of the single track railway from Europe in feeding her fighting strength; with commanding officers disobeying or ders and in a hopeless state of confu sion and cross purposes. THE THAW TRIAL HALTS. The Death of a Juror's Wife Causes Delay in the Proceedings. New York. —Another tragic chap ter in the history of the Thaw- White episode was written Thursday when grim death stepped into halt the famous trial in its fourth week. The wife of juror No. 11, Mrs. Joseph B. Bolton, passed away during the af ternoon soon after her husband had reached her bedside. He had been summoned from the court room where the trial had been in progress for less than 15 minutes. The formal an nouncement of Mrs. Bolton's death was made in court shortly after 2 p. m., the hour set for the afternoon ses sion. and Justice Fitzgerald immedi ately ordered an adjournment. Congress. Washington.—The session of the senfite on the 14th was marked by suc cessful filibustering tactics on the part of democratic senators when an attempt was made *0 force an agree ment on the anienAent to the immi gration bill designed to aid in settling the California-Japanese problem. The house spent the day in debate of the naval appropriation bill. Charged with Big Embezzlement. Philadelphia.—Miss Flora Stelpel, a cashier in the employ of N. Snellen burg fi Co., owners of a big department store in this city, was ar rested Thursday on a warrant in which she is charged with embezzling funds of the company to the amount of $25,000. A Race War in Virginia. Roanoke, Va. —A race riot is in progress at a railroad construc tion camp near Thaxtca, Va., about 15 miles east of Roanol;e, and three or four negroes have already been killed. CONCERNING PRISCILLA. Priscilla knows a clever scheme Td hrlng the men folk to her side. She drives them single or In team; For reins, her apron-strings, well tied. The other girls might sit an hour In pensive attitude and pose; Rut what's the use? They lack the power l'riscilla knows. Priscilla knows when she should talk, And then, again, when smiles go best She never wants to take a walk When you are tired and would rest; But, best of all (this is the most Delightful tiling to all her beaux). Just how to listen, while they boast Priscilla knows. Priscilla knows this thoroughly. And practices it both night and day; Yet when she tries that trick on mo The tables turn the other way. You see, I know Priscilla's plan. And so I make her talk—whi«h shows I'm really quite the nicest man Priscilla knows. —Jack Appleton, in Judge. GNATURALLY. Susy—l say, Jennie, what's a natur alist? Jennie —I'm not sure. A man who catches gnats, isn't it. —Judy. What His Bumps Told. "That man is a phrenologist. Pat.*" "A what?" asked Pat, puzzled. "A phrenologist." "An', sure, what's that, sorr?" "Why, a man that can tell, by feel ing the blimps on your head, what kind of man you are?" "Bumps 011 my head, is it?" ex claimed Pat. "Begorra, then, I think it would give him more of an idea what kind of a woman me wife is!" None of That for Him. "Right here," said the architect, who was showing him the plans for an or namental fountain, "would be a good place to put a gargoyle as a finish. "That would do for the inside wood work of a house, all right," said Mr. Oaswell, with decision, "but for an out of door finish 1 prefer paint."— Chicago Tribune. Subjects Exhausted. Little Alice —Oh, dear, I'm afraid if Mrs. Blank don't go pretty soon we won't get our ride with mamma. Ain't her call most over? Little Dick—l guesso. Mamma is talking about the second girl now, an' there is only the nurse an' the janitor left—N. Y. Weekly. Through the Mouth. "What do you think of that scient ist's assertion that the human body contains natural soap?" "Can't say. But I know there's lots of soap in mine." "How come it there?" "Swallowed it in the barber shop."— Milwaukee Sentinel. Gaining Self-Control. "Your husband looks like a man of great self-control," remarked Mrs. Gadd to Mrs. Gabb. "Well, he hadn't much when I mar ried him," replied Mrs. Gabb, "but," she added, with a cold-steel look in her gray eyes, "he's getting it."—N. Y. Weekly. Made Her Tired. Mrs. Snooper—Men make me tired. Mrs. Swaybacli—What's the matter now? Mrs. Snooper—My husband saw Mrs. Keedick yesterday, and I asked him what she had on, and he replied: "Oh, clothes." G.SCHMIDT'S,^ ——HEADQUARTERS FOR FRESH BREAD> 4, Bopalar t 4 Rery, 0 " li@«M^ CONFECTIONERY Daily Delivery. All orders given prompt and "* skillful atteutioii. §WHEN IN DOUBT, TRY They have Hood the te.t of T m- CTnniiri ■ - ana ha*© cured thousands cfr A I HIIHh 6 /r<\ 'f/jwcs oiNervous Diseases, snch U B IIUI9V k. M V&jLiA™ Debility. Dizziness. Sleeplets- J) A ft I y 1 jf/* ness ami Varicocele, Atrophy,&c. O ! ' ii !pj ' 11 ' A*" S*/" * They clear the braini strcngthea nUrilll I the circulation, make digestle* perfect, and iiapart a healthy vigor to the whole being. Ail drains and losses are checked permanently. Unlets patient* are properly cured, their condition often worries them Into Insanity. Cpmumptlon or Docth. Mailed sealed. Price ft per box; 6 boxes, with iron-clftd legal (guarantee to cure or refund til* money, $5.00. 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BLAND , || ■ "I hHtl l,oon * eufferer for a number of years Hre IVA all tli6 remedlos could ISj ESS gather from medical works, and aI no conauiaed K •4fl with a number of tho beet phvslclane. but found ■( Hi nothing that gave tho relief obtained from EBI \rS *'&-l>lt< > PS." leh All prescribe It in my (iractlco Qjy [FREE I 88 "G-DROPS" can be used any length of b! M time v:ithout acquiring a "drug habit," ■] B as It is entirely tree of opium, cocaine, ■} M alcohol, laudanum, and other timilar Ml B ),ir(F Slip Bottle, "5-DROPB" <BOO Do»«*) E KM 11.00. For Salo by UrugglHta. Kg BWAHSOX iHEUKIATIO CURE COiHPARY, || s| Dept. HO. 160 Lake Street, Bj For Bill Heads, Letter Heads, Fine Commercial Job Work of All Kinds, Get Our Figures. 7
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers