mpriiivuiiwwwi'4Mnpii
WSSw
-,igQgf)im-vwm,w p i.iijjijm.fpupiMii,' 'iiii ipgiy
wWiiiiiwW
EVENING LEDGER PHILADELPHIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1915.
THE TEMPTING
By B. PHILLIPS OPPBNHEIM
HTNOPSia.
. ., Tavernake befriends Beatrice. Frank
J. ""! I?h5E i nlrl lit dllrefin London.
ft"' ZZ.iiii her from eommllHnu uuwt,ana
V pr'iri vostton as htmekttper In him.
"" ., lobe brother Jnd ulster. Shortly
SriW fJ tr.ndom Oardtier, Beatrice' er,
.(tlf'.Jkkefavernake tell where Beatrice Is,
WSm W Gardner J t advert'
""'ft, married a rich .mart and Is
,fari i, nVlnoiier In a desolate pari o
rHlXi Bhf offers' li finance Tavernake In
! ' Wl MteJS.ySJS! ?"n In .1 m(c! eomejv.
B"'!t:,fr.tStoht Tavernakt ktsses her for
WS'MlE ? H rou Wed at the Iftownt
Ml l"l.'."nj lit iteause of her resemblance
; rfc wJSs ss" ' "
Oarilflfr;. ,tfifeUi.'e, rrllchnrcf, tells Tnu-
A?x'$ Mrs , florrfnJr Is aoclalli wUh
enektthatrs."ar un htT thu,
, number of e' J,". sft(, asks Ms help.
1 &,"?? nK f. He-trie., .en. ha,
ranift '"J,? '"ft allocked and ln
rrr', "J",iM?rtcd I home, olloics n n
veWei Me '$ "fhrouoh a ..iblerronea.i
"""J'mes uroii " aisoclale; 0 Mr.
foHOOf. "m,'.S feiiilMO the detect tve. Bu a
Uriniri bent WXI.ord'. !le. The next
?"?! ' "" d"r' ,0 " MM'
Gardner ooaln.
CHAPTER XXIII-(Conttnucd)
vt she seni you ..,.
"She n' m-
away, sno man 1 caru
vht bcame of mo.
Sho wnn wntchltiR
.-. ii ihn I mo bororo no cam
S cun e'lmp.o nuest.on,"
ilif.rd answered gravely, "but It
"? ooa deal. There', ml.ch.of
.f innlBht. Tavornnke."
."em to thrive on It," Tavernake
retorted, drily. "Any more bunkum?"
Prltchard smiled.
"romo" he said, "you'ro a sensible
,haD Take these thinRs for what they're
ortii. Believe mo when I toll you now
..,,1 there Is a great deal more In tho
loeilni ? of this man than Mrs. Wcnham
Uirdner ever bargained for.
I wish ou'd tell mo who ho Is,'
Tivemako 'begged. "All this mystery
nbout Beatrice and her slater, and that
lizy old hulk of a father, Is most Irritat
ion Prltchard nodded sympathetically.
"Voull have to pui up wmi 11 a uuio
longer, I'm afraid, my younc friend," ho
declared "You've dono mo a good turn,
l'll'do you one. I'll glvo you somo good
advice. Keep out of this place so long
as tho old man and his daughter aro
hanging out here. The girl's clover-oh,
(he's as clever as they make them but
she's gone wrong from tho start. They
ain't your sort, Tavernako. You don't
fit In anywhere. Take my advlco and
hook It altogether."
Tavernake shook his head.
"I can't do that Just now," ho said.
"Oood-night! I'm off for tho present, at
' any rate."
Prltchard, too, rose to his feet. He
passed his arm through Tavcrnako's.
"Young man," he remarked, "there aro
not many in this country whom I can
trust. You're ono of them. There's a
sort of solidity about you that I rather
admire. You are not likely to break out
and do silly things. Do you caro for
adventures?"
"I detest them," Tavernake answered,
"especially the sort I tumbled Into the
other night."
Prltchard laughed softly. They had
left tho room now and were walking
along the open space at tho end of thu
restaurant, leading to the main exit.
"That's the difference between us," ho
declared thoughtfully. "Now ndventurcs
to me aro the salt of my life. I banc
about hero and watch these few respectable-looking
men and women, and there
doesn't seem to be much In It to an out
sider, but, gee whiz! there's sometimes
things underneath which you fellows don't
tumble to. A man asks another In thero
td have a drink. They make a cheerful
appointment to meet for lunch, to motor
to Brighton. It all sounds so harmless,
and yet there aro tho seeds of a con
spiracy already sown. They hato mo
here, but they know very well that
wherever they went I should be around.
I suppose homo day they'll get rid of me."
, "More bunkum!" Tavernako muttered.
They stood In front of tho door and
passed through into tho courtyard. On
their right, the Interior of the smaller
restaurant was shielded from view by n
latticework, covered with flowers and
shrubs. Prltchard came to a standstill
at a certain point, and stooping down
looked through. He remained thero with
out moving for what seemed to Taver
nake an extraordinarily long time. When
he stood up again, there was a distinct
change In his face. He was looking moro
serious than Tavernake had ever seen
him, But for tho Improbability of tho
thing, Tavernake would have thought
that he had turned pale.
"My young lrlend," ho said, "you've got
to see me tluough this. You've a sort of
fancy for Mrs. Wenhnm Gardner, I know.
Tonight you shall be on her side."
"I don't want any moro mysteries,"
Tavernake protested. "I'd rather go
home."
"It can't he done," Prltchard declared,
taking his arm once more. "You've got
. to see me ihrough this. Como up to my
rooms for a minute."
They entered the court and ascended
lo the eighth floor. Prltchard turned on
the lights In his room, a plainly furnished
and somewhat bare apartment. From a
cupboard he took out. a pair of mbber
eoled shots and threw (hem to Tavernake.
"Put those on," ho directed.
What are wo going to do?" Tavernako
uked,
"You are going to help me." Prltchard
answered. "Take my word for It, Taver
nake, It's all right. I could tnoklo the
job alone, but I'd rather not. Now drink
this whiskey and soda and light 11
cigarette. I shall b ready ill five min
utes." "But where are we going?" Tavernake
Demanded.
"You are going," Prltchard replied, "on
n errand of chivalry. You nro going to
S?c,0lT,e onee 'nore a rescuer of woman In
outress. You are going to save the
me of your beautiful friend Kllzabeth."
CHAPTER XXIV.
CUOSa TO TRAGEDY.
The actual words of greeting which
PUeed between Elizabeth and the man
whose advent had caused her so much
emotion were unimpressive. The new
comer, with the tips of his Angers resting
Pon the tablecloth, leaned slightly to
ward Jier At close quarters, ho was even
more unattractlveCmm when Tavernake
"a first seen him. ire was faultily
"?Ped there was something a little de
cadent about his deep-set eyes Rnd reced
es forehead, Neither was his expres
sion prepossessing. He looked at her as a
man looks upon the thing he hates.
So, Elizabeth." he said, "this pleasure
nas come at last!"
i.n.hea,rd thBt yu were back In Eng-
p 8,Le Wed. "Pray sit down."
ihl ?, hen her e'es "over left his. All
n?,t .. m,e tbey "emed to be fiercely
queationlnr. seeking for something In his
im ." w,',e,, eluded them- " was er
nwe to We the .change wllc, tho Iast
. JP'nutes had -wrought In her. Her
smooth, girlish face had lost Its comcli-
...!; J"er eyes' always a little narrow,
W ' hve receded. It was such a
in,.?' ' as comes to a brave man
n.. U 1 tha prlme of llfe 'eeIs ar fP"
le first time
dJt am, elad to flnd 'ou at supper." he
declared, taking up, the menu. "I am
rjT.u7y ,You can brlnr " ""ne grilled
Sii '! at, once-" ha added to the waiter
wno stood by hta side, "and some brandy.
Nothing eUe "
wn wal,er bowed and hurried off The
Bni? PIayed w,tn her fan but her
?5? We,'e shaking
i'2' ' h remaiked. "that my coro-
is rather a shock to ou I am orry
nS.VOU ,00lim distressed"
t Ja not that" she answeied with
A Tale of Love, Mystery and Intrigue
somo show of courage "You know me
too well to believe me capable of seeking
ft meeting which I feared. It Is tho
strange thing which has happened to you
during these last few months-thls last
year. Do you know-has any one told
you that you seem to havo become oven
moro like tho Imago of "
He nodded umlcrstnndlngly.
"Of poor Wonhamt Many people have
told mo that. Of course, you know that
wo were always nppalllngly nllko, and
they always said Hint wo should become
moro so In middle-ago. After nil, there
Is only a yenr between us. We might
havo been twins."
"tt Is tho most tcrrlblo thing In like
nesses I havo over seen," tho woman con
tinued slowly. "When you entered the
room a few Recondfl ago, It seemed to mn
that a mlraclo hnd happened. It seemed
to mo that tho dead had come to llfo."
"It must liaxo born n shock," tho man
murmured, with his eyes upon tho table
cloth. "It was," sho ngrccd, hoarsely. "Can't
you see It In my fnce? I do not nlwnvs
look liko a woman of forty. Can't you
seo tho gray shadows that nro thero?
You see, I admit It frankly. I wns ter
rified I nm torrlfledl"
"And why?" he nsked.
"Why?" sho ropoated. looking at him
wonderlngly. "Doesn't It seem to you a
torriblo thing to think of tho dead coming
back to llfo?"
Ho tapped lightly upon the tablecloth
for a minute with tho fingers of ono
hand. Then he looked at her ngaln.
"It depends," he Bald, "upon tho man
ner of their death."
An executioner of the Middle Agea could
not havo played with his victim moro
skillfully. The woman was shivering now,
preserving some outward appearance of
cnlm only by the most fierce and un
natural effort.
"Whnt do you mean by that, .Terry?"
she asked. "I wns not even with 'Wcn
ham, when he was lost. You know nil
about It, I suppose how It happened?"
Tho man nodded thoughtfully.
"I havo heard many stories," ho ad
mitted. "Dcfore we leavo tho subject
for ever, I should like to hear It from
you, from your own lips."
There wns a bottle of champagno upon
tho table, ordered at tho commencement
of tho meal. Sho touched her glass; tho
waiter filled It. Sho raised it to her lips
and set It down empty. Her lingers were
clutching tho tablecloth.
"You ask mo a hard thing, Jerry," she
said. "It Is not easy to talk of an thing
so painful. From tho moment wo left
Now York, AVenham was strange. Ho
drank a good deal ipon tho steamer.
He used to talk sometimes In tho most
wild way. Wo camo to London. Ho
had an attack of delirium tremens. I
nursed him through It nnd took him Into
tho country, down Into Cornwall. We
took a small cottage on tho outskirts ot
a fishing village St. Catherine's, tho
place wns cnlled. Thero wo lived quietly
for n time. Sometimes he was better,
sometimes worse. Tho doctor In tho
vlllngo was very kind and camo often to
seo him. Ho brought a friend from tho
neighboring town nnd they agreed that
with complete rest Wenhum would soon
be better. All tho time my llfo was a
miserable one. Ho was not fit to be nlono
and yet he was n torriblo compnnlon. I
did my best. I was with him hnlf of
every day, sometimes longer. I was with
him till my own health began to suffer.
At Inst I could stand the solltudo no
longer. 1 sent for my father. Ho camo
and lived with us."
"Tho professor." her listener murmured.
Sho nodded.
"It was a little better then for me.
sho went on, "except that poor Wcnham
teemed to take such a dislike to my
father. However, ho hated every one In
turn, even the doctors, who always did
their best for him. Ono day, f admit, r
lost my temper. We quarreled; I could
not help It life was becoming lusuppoit
able. Ho rjjshed out of tho house it was
about 3 o'clock In tho nftcrnoon. I havo
never seen him since."
The man was looking at her, looking
at her closely, although ho wns blinking
all the time.
"What do you think becamo or him?
he asked. "What do people think?"
Sho shook her head.
"The only thing he cared to do was
swim." shn said. "His clothes and hnt
wci-o found down In tho little cove near
whero he had a tent."
"You think, then, that ho was
drowned?" tho man nsked.
Sho nodded. Speech seemed to be be
coming too painful.
"Drowning," her companion continued,
helping himself to brandy, "Is not a pleas
ant death. Once I was nearly drowned
myself. One struggles for a short time
and one thlnks-ycs, ono thinks! ho
"i A A 0 (1
' Ho raised his glnss to his lire and set
it down. , .
"ft Is an easy death, though," ho went
on, "qulto an easy death. By tho way,
were those clothes that wcro found of
poor Wcnhain's Identified as the clothes
ho wore when he left the house?"
Sho shook her head.
"Ono could not say for certain," sho an
swered. "I never noticed how ho was
dressed. He wore nearly always tho
same fcoit of things, hut ho had an end
less variety."
"And this was seven months ago-scven
months."
Hho assented.
"Poor VVenham," ho murmured. "I sup
pose ho Is dead. What aro you going to
do, Elizabeth?"
"I do not know," she replied. "Soon I
must go to the lawyers and usk for ad
vice. I have very little more money left.
I have written several times to New York,
to you. to lila friends, but I have had no
answer. After all. Jerry, I am his wife.
No one liked my marrying him, but I am
his wife. I have a right to a share of his
property If ho Is deud. If ho has de
serted me. suicly t shall be alloweJ
something. I do not even know how rich
he was."
Tho man nt her side smiled.
".Much better off than I ever was," ho
declared. "Hut. Elizabeth!"
Well?"
"There wcro rumors that, before you
left Now York, Wenham converted very
large suiub of money Into letters of credit
and bonds, very large sums Indeed,"
She shook her head.
"He had a letter of credit for about a
thousand pounds, I think." she said.
"There Is very llttlo left of the. money
he had with him."
"And you find living here expensive, I
dare say?" ,
"Very expenslvo Indeed," sho agreed,
with a sigh. "I have been looking for
ward to seeing ou. Jerry. 1 thought,
perhaps, for the sake of old tlmea you
might advise me."
"Of old times," he repeated to himself
softly. "Elizabeth, do you think of them
sometimes?"
She was becoming more herself. This
was a game she wan ued to playing. Of
old times, lnded! It seemed only yes
terday that these two brotheis. who had
the roputatlon In those days of being the
richest young men In New York, were
both at her feet. So far, she had scarcely
been fortunate. There waa still a chance,
however. She looked up. It seemed to
her that he was losing his composure.
Yes. there was something of the old gleam
In his eyes! Once be had been madly
enough In love with her. It ought not to
be Impossible'
"Jerr " she said. "I have told you
hn thlnes It has been so very, very
painful foj me Won't you try now to
be kind? Remember that I am all alone
and it ts all very difficult for me I have
teen looking forward to your comlnj I
OF TAVERNAKE
novo thought so often of those times we
spent together In New York. Won't you
bo my friend again? Won't you holp mo
through these dark days?"
Her hand touched his. For n moment
ho snatched his away as though stung.
Thon ho caught her fingers In his nnd
held them as though In n vice. Sho
smiled, the smile of conscious power.
Tho flush nf beauty was streaming onen
more Into hor face. Poor fellow, ho was
still In love, then! Tho fingers which had
closed upon hers were burning. What a
pity that ho was not n llttlo moro pre
Bcntablo! "Yes," ho muttered, "wo must be
friends, Elizabeth. Wcnham had all tho
luck at first. Perhaps It's going to bo
my turn now, eh?"
Ho bent townrd her. Sho laughed Into
his face for a moment nnd then was onco
moro suddonly oolorlcss, tho smllo frozen
upon her llpa. Sho began to shiver.
"What is It?" ho nsked. "What Is It,
Elizabeth?"
"Nothing," sho fnltered, "only I wish
I do wish that you wore not so much
llho Wcnham. Sometimes a trlek of your
voice, the way you hold your head It
tcrrlus mo!"
Ho laughed oddly.
"You must got used to that, Elizabeth,"
he declared. "I can't holp bolng llko him,
you know. Wo wcro great frlonds always
until you camo. I wonder why you pre
ferred Wcnham?"
"Don't ask mo plonso don't nsk mo
that," sho begged. "Really, I think ho
happened to bo thero Just at tho moment
I felt llko making a clenn sweep of
everything, of leaving Now York and
every ono and starting life again, and I
thought Wenhnm meant It. I thought I
should bo able to keep him from drink
ing nnd to help him start n new llfo al
together oer hero or on the Continent."
"Poor little woman," he said, "you havo
been disappointed, I am afraid."
Sho sighed.
"I am only human, you know," she
went on. "Every ono told mo that WVn
linni was a millionaire, too. See how
much 1 ,hnve benefited hy It. I am almost
penniless, I do not know whether ho Is
dead or nllvc, I do not know what to do
to got sonic money. Wns Wenhnm very
rich, Jerry?"
Tho man laughed.
"Oh, ho was very rich Indeed I" ha as
sured her. "It it tcrrlblo that you Bhould
bo left like this. We will talk nbout It
together presently, you nnd I. In tho
meantime, you must let me bo your
banker."
"Dear Jerry," sho whispered, "you
weie always generous."
"You havo not spoken of tho llttlo prude
dear Miss Reatrlce," ho reminded hor
suddenly.
Elizabeth sighed.
"Ileatrlco was .1 great trial from tho
first," she declarod. "You know how
she disliked you both sho was scarcely
even civil to Wenham, and sho would
nover havo como to Europe with us If
father hadn't Insisted upon It. Wo took
her down to Cornwall with us nnd thero
she became absolutely Insuppoi table. Sho
was always Interfering between Wcnham
and mo and Imagining tho most absurd
things Ono day sho left us without a
word of warning. I have never seen her
since."
The man stared gloomily Into his plate.
"Sho was a queer little thing," ho mut
tered. "She was good, nnd sho seemed
to llko being good."
Do You Know that Railroad
Expansion Makes Work
and Stimulates Industry?
Money saved by the railroads flows back to the people. The
$2,000,000 paid annually by the railroads of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey to unnecessary trainmen, forced upon them by the Full
Crew or "excess man crew" Laws, deprives the people of the
big benefits and advantages this money, properly expended, would
bring.
Because the efficient development of the railway industry in
these States is so materially identified with the prosperity of the
farmer, business man, working man, and scores of more or less af
filiated industries, the railroads ask the people to help them save
this huge amount now absolutely wasted that it may go to
useful purposes and work toward restoration of general prosperity.
This $2,000,000 spent for 80 locomotives, for example, would
make one year's work for 1745 men, as follows:
Elizabeth laughed, not quite pleasantly.
"You speak as though the rest of us,"
she remarked, "wcro qualified to take
orders in wickedness."
Ho helped himself to moro brandy.
"Think back," ho said. "Think of those
days In New York, tho llfo wo led, tho
wild things wo did week after week,
month after month, tho samo eternal
round of turning night Into day, of strug
gling everywhere to find new pleasures,
pulling vice to pieces llko children trying
to flnd the Insldo of their playthings."
"I don't llko your mood In the least,"
sho Interrupted.
He drummed for a moment upon tho
tablecloth with his fingers.
"Wo were talking of Beatrice. You
don't even know whero sho Is now, then?"
"t havo no Idea," Elizabeth declared.
"Sho was with you for long In Corn
wall?" he nsked.
Elizabeth toyed with her wineglass for
a minute.
"Sho was there about a month," sho
admitted.
"And she didn't npprovo of tho way you
nnd Wpnhnm behaved?" he demanded.
"Apparently not. Sho left us, anyway
She didn't understand Wenham In tho
least. I shouldn't be surprised," Eliza
beth went on, "to hear that sho wns a
hospital nurse, or learning typing, or a
clerk In nn offlco. Sho wor a young
woman of gloomy Ideas, although sho
.was my sister."
Ho camo a little closer toward her,
"Elizabeth," ho said, "wo will not taDi
any moro nbout Beatrice We will not
talk any moro about anything except our
two selves."
"Aro you really glad to see me again,
Jerry?" sho asked sortly.
"You must know It, doar," ho whispered.
"You must know that t loved you al
ways, that I adored you. Oh, vou know
It! Don't toll mo you didn't. You know
It, Elizabeth!"
Sho looked down at tho tablecloth.
"Yes, I know It," sho ndmlttcd, softly,
"Can't you guess what It Is to mo to
see you again llko this?" ho continued.
Sho sighed.
"It Is something for me, too. to feel
that I hnve a friend close at hand "
"Come," he said, "they nre turning out
tho lights lieic. You want to know nbout
Wenham's property. Let me come up
stairs with you for 0 little time and I
will tell you as much as I can from
memory."
'Ho paid the bill nnd helped her on with
her clonk. Ills lingers seemed llko burn
ing spots upon her flesh. They went up
In tho lift. In the corridors he drew her
to htm nnd she hegnn to tremble.
"What Is thero strango about you,
Jerry?" she fnlteied, looking Into his face.
"You terrify mo!"
"You nre glad to seo me? Say you are
glad to sec me?"
"Yes. I am glad," she whispered.
Outside, the door of hor rooms sho hesi
tated. "Perhaps," oho suggested, faintly
"wouldn't It bo better If you camo to
morrow morning?"
Onco moro his fingers touched her and
again that extrnordlnnry sonso of fear
seemed to turn her blood cold.
"No," ho replied, "t have been put off
long enough! You must let mo In, you
must talk with mo for half an hour. I
will go then, I promise. Half nn hour!
Elizabeth, haven't I waited an eternity
for It?"
He took the kojs from her fingers nnd
opened the door, closing It again behind
them. Sho led tho way Into tho sitting
room. The whole place was In darkness,
In the locomotive shops
In the various processes of producing the 29,200,000 pounds
ol material going into -these locomotives, 851 men would
get employment as followtT;
In steel mills
In blast furnaces .....
In iron mines . . .
In coal and coke production
In other work
Wages for all these men would amount to $1,750,000. This
wage money going into circulation would make work in hundreds
of other directions.
Railroad development bears upon all industries. It affects
hundreds of businesses, thousands of individuals. Under normal
conditions, the railroads constitute a great constructive force. In
creasing their facilities and improving their systems results in
stimulating all industry and business and automatically creates
work for innumerable persons in many occupations,
Increased industrial activity swells passenger and freight traf
fic. This means more trains and real work for additional crews.
In turn, it necessitates more locomotives and cars, increased equip
ment, erection of new and remodeling of old stations, reduction of
grades and curves, elimination of grade crossings, construction of
sidings in producing territories, increased passenger and freight
terminal facilities.
The welfare of the people and the prosperity of the railroads
are closely linked. The railroads find their prosperity in the gen
eral welfare. They seek not to decrease, but to increase, employ
ment. Communicate in person, by letter, or otherwise TODAY
with your elected representatives at Harrisburg and Trenton. Ask
them to repeal the Full Crew Laws. Call attention to the fact that,
of 282 editorials received to date, 229 urge the repeal of the laws.
Let all get together to start the wheels of industry turning
to open wide the doors to prosperity,
SAMUEL REA, DANIEL WILLARD,
President, Pennsylvania Railroad. President, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
THEODORE VOORHEES,
Prcddent, Philadelphia and Reading- Railway,
R. L. O'DONNEL, Chairman,
Eiieutlvc Committee, Associated Rcllroada of Pennsylvania and Nsw Jtrtey.
721 Commercial Tru.t Building, Philadclphla.'
but sho turned on the electric light. Tho
cloak slipped from her shoulders. He
took her hands and looked at her.
"Jerry," sho whispered, "yon mustn't
look at mo like that. You terrify me!
Let me go!"
Sho wrenched herself free with nn ef
fort. Sho stepped back to the corner of
the room, as far as she could get from
him. Her heart was beating fiercely.
Somehow or other, neither of these two
young men, over whose Uvea sho hnd
certainly brought to bear a very wonder
ful Influence, had ever before stirred her
pulses like this. What wns It, she
wondered? What was tho meaning of It?
Why didn't ho speak? He did nothing
but look, and there wcro unutterable
things In his eyes. Wns ho angry with
her because she had married Wonham
or wns ho blaming her because Wcnham
had gone? There was passion In his face,
but such pafslon! Desire, perhaps, but
what else? She caught up a telegram
which lay tipon her writing desk, and tore
It open. It wns an escape for a moment.
She read the words, stared, and rend them
aloud Incredulously. It was from her
father.
"Jerry Gardner sailed for New York
today."
She looked up nt the man, nnd as she
looked her face grew gray and the thin
sheet went quivering from hor lifeless
fingers io tho floor. Then he began to
laugh, and she knew
"Wenham!" she shrieked "Wenhaml"
There was murder In his fnce, murder
almost In his laugh.
"Your loving husband!" he answered.
Sho Bprang for tho door, but even na
sho moved sho heard the click of tho bolt
shot back. Ho touched tho electric
switch nnd tho room was suddenly In
darkness. Sho heard him coming to
ward her, sho felt his hot breath upon
her cheek.
"My loving wifel" he whispered. "At
last!-
CHAPTER XXV.
THE MADMAN TALKS.
Tavernako turned on the light. Prltch
ard, with a quick leap forward, seized
Wenhnm nround the waist and dragged
him away. Elizabeth hnd fainted; sho
lay upon the floor, her face tho color of
marble.
"Get some water and throw over her,"
Prltchard ordered.
Tavernnko obeyed. Ho threw open the
window and let In a current of nlr. In a
moment or two tho woman stirred and
raised her head.
"Look after her for a minute." Prltch
ard said. "I'll lock this fierce llttlo per
son up In the bathroom."
Prltchard carried his prisoner out.
Tavernake leaned over the woman who
was slowly coming bacft to consciousness.
"Tell me about It." she asked, hoarsely.
"Whero Is he?"
"Locked up In the bathroom," Taver
nnko answered. "Prltclmrd Is taking
care of him. He won't bo able to get
out."
"You know who It was?" sho fnltered.
"I do not," Tavernako replied. "It
Isn't my business. I'm only hero because
Prltchard begged me to como. He
thought he might want help "
She held his fingers tightly.
"Whero were you?" sho nsked.
"In the bathroom when you arrived.
Then he bolted the door behind and wo
had to come round through your bed
room." "How did Piltchnrd find out?"
"I know nothing about It," Tavernake
replied. "I only know that ho peered
through the latticework and saw you
sitting there nt supper."
She smiled weakly.
"It must havo been rather a shock to
894
206
45
140
60
400
htm," she aald. "Ho nas been convinced
for tho last six months that I murdered
Wenham, or got rid of him by some
means or other. Help me upl"
She staggered to her feot. Tavernake
assisted her to an easy chair. Then
Prltchard camo In.
"Ho Is qulto safe," he announced, "sit
ing on the edge of the bath playing with
a doll."
She shlvetcd.
"What Is ho doing with 11?" she naked.
"Showing me exactly, with a ahawl
pin, where he meant lo have stabbed
you," Prltchard answeied, drily. "Now
my dear lady," ho continued, "It seems
to me that I havo done you ono Injustice,
ut any rale. 1 certnlnlj1 thought you'd
helped to rcllovo the world of that young
person. Where did he como from? Per
haps you can tell me that."
She shrugged hor shoulders.
"I suppose I may ns well," she said.
"Listen, you hnve eern whnt he was like
tonight, hut you don't know whnt It wns
to live with him. It uon Hell!" she Bob
bed "absolute Hell! Ho drank, he took
drugs, It was nil his servant could do to
force him oven to make his toilet. It
was Impossible. It was crushing tho
life out of me."
"Go on!" Prltchard directed.
"There Isn't much moro to tell." she
continued. "I found nn old farmhouse
tho lontllest spot In Cornwall. We moved
there nnd I loft him with .Mathers. I
promised Mathein that he should have
twenty pounds a week for every week
ho kept his master away from me. Ho
has kept him away for seven months."
"What about that story of yours about
his having gone In swimming?" Prltch
ard askod.
"I wanted people to believe that he was
dead," she doelared defiantly. "I was
afraid that If you or his relations found
him, I should havo to live with him or
glvo up the money."
Prltchard nodded.
"And tonight you thought "
"I thought he was his brother Jerry."
she went on. "Tho likeness was always
amazing, you know that. T wns told that
Jerry was In town. I felt nervous, some
how, and wired to Mathers. I had his
reply only Inst night. IIo wired that
Wenhnm was quite safe and contented,
not even restless."
"That telegram was sent hy Wcnham
himself." Prltchard remarked. "I think
you had better hear what he hns to
lay."
She shrank back.
"No. I couldn't bear the sight of him
nsain!"
"I think you had better." Prltchard in
sisted. "I can assure you that ho Is qulto
harmless. I will guarantee that."
Ho left tho room. Soon he returned, his
nrm lorked In tho arm of Wenham
Gardner. The latter had tho look of a
spoilt rhlld who is in disgrace. Ho sat
sullenly upon a chair nnd glared at cveiy
one. Then he produced a smnll crumpled
doll, with a thread of Mack cotton around
Its neck, and began swinging It In front
of him, laughing at Elizabeth all the time.
"Tell us," I'rltehaid asked, "what has
become of Mathers?"
Ho stopped swinging the doll, shivered
for a moment, nnd then laughed.
"t don't mind." ho declnred. "I guers
I don't mind telling. You see. whatever
I was when I did It. I nm mad now quite
mad. My friend Prltchard here says I
am mad. I must have been mnd or I
shouldn't have tried to hurt that dear
beautiful lady over there."
A Living and
$1460 A Year
For twenty years this man was "holed up in a little
business" in town. He was getting tired of the hole,
so lie bought a farm.
On five and a half acres lie is independent, with a
small monopoly, a good living, an automobile and
nobody to boss him.
Look at his financial statement for a year:
RECEIPTS
Strawberries $300
Raspberries 100
Red raspberries '20
Blackberries 50
Grapes 100
Potatoes 20
Celery 150
Total $1710
EXPENSES
Keep of horse and cow $100
Keep of pigs 10
Berry boxes and grape baskets 25
Berry pickers 65
Foundation and sections for comb honey... 25
Cans for honey 'if 25
Total $250
Total receipts $1710
Total expenses 250
Net $H60
And it is getting better all the time.
A ONE-HORSE FARM
The Story of a Man Who Got Out of a Hole
is in this week's issue of
THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN
Other articles that will particularly interest you are:
WATER AT WORK
FARM-BRED BIRD DOGS
WILL LOUISIANA SUGAR PULL
THROUGH?
EVERYMAN'S GARDEN
SNAPDRAGONS
In the issue of
The COUNTRY
GENTLEMAN
That Is Out TODAY
Five Cents the Copy $1.50 the Year
THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA
i -
Ho leered nt Elizabeth, who shrank
back.
"She ran away from me some time
ago," ho went on, "sick to death ot me
she was. She thought she'd got all tity
money. She hadn't There's plenty more
plenty more. She tan away and left me
with Mathers. Sho was paying him so
much a week lo keep me quiet, not to
let me go nnywhete where t should talk-,
to keep me avnj ftom her so that she
could live up'hcre and see all her friends
and spend my money. And at first t
didn't mind, and then I did mind, and I
got angry with Mathers, and Mathers
wouldn't let me come away, and three
nights ngo I killed Mathers."
There was a llttlo thrill of horror. He
looked from one to the other. By degrees
their fear seemed lo become communi
cated lo him.
'What do you mean by looking like
thnt, nil of u?" he exclaimed, "What
does It matter? Ho .was only my man
servant. 1 nm Wcnham Gardner, million
aire. No ono will put me In prison for
thnt. Ilealdes, he shouldn't have tried to
keep mo away from my wife. Anyway,
It doesn't matter. I am quite mad. Mad
people can do what they like. They
havo to stop In an asylum for six months,
and then they're quite cured and they
Btart again. I don't mind being mad for
six monlhi. Elizabeth," ho whined;
"como and be mad. too. You haven't
been kind to me. There's plenty more
money plenty more Como back for a
little time nnd I'll show you,"
"How did you kill Mathers?" Prltchard
asked.
"I stabbed him when he was stooping
down," Wenham Gardner explained.
"You see, when I left collego my father
thought It would bo good for me to do
something. I dare say It would havo
boen, but I didn't want to. I studied
surgery for six months. The only
thing I remember was Just where to kill
a man behind tho left shoulder. I re
membered thnt. Mathers was a fat man,
and ho stooped so (hat tils coat almoat
burst. I Just leaned over, picked out the
exact spot, and ho crumpled all Up. I
expect," he went on, "you'll find htm
there still. No ono comes near the place
for days and days. Mathers used to
leave mo locked up and do all tho shop
ping himself. I expect lie's lying there
now. Somo one ought to go and see."
Elizabeth was sobbing quietly to her
self. Tavernake felt the perspiration
break out upon his forehead. There was
something appalling In the way this
young man talked.
"1 don't understand why you all look
so serious," ho continued. "No one la
going to hurt mo for this. I am quite
mad now. You see, I nm playing with
this doll. Sane men don't play with
dolH. I hope they'll try mo In New York,
though. I am well known In New York.
I know all the lawyers nnd the Jurymen.
Oh. they're up to nil sorts of tricks In
New York! Say, you don't suppose they'll
try mo over here?" he broke off suddonly,
turning to Prltchard. "I shouldn't feel
so much at home here."
"Tnko him away!" Elizabeth begged.
"Tako him away!" Prltchard nodded.
"I thought you'd better hear," he said
"I am going to tako him away now. I
shall send a telegram to tho police sta
tion nt St. Catherine's. They had better
go up nnd see what's happened."
Prltchard took his captive once more by
the nrm. The young man struggled
violently.
(CONTINUED TOMORROW.)
Cabbage $100
Other truck 100
Cow
Calf
Pins
Colt, less service of horse.
Bees
.11
I
td
"i
i
m
ifearO?5fIE;afc,
- "HES "