VOL. XX XXI. Great June Muslin. Linen and Lace Curtain Sale at THE MODERN STORE- From Wednesday, June 22nd, to Saturday, June 25th, inclusive SEE CIRCULARS FOR DETAILS. DON'T MISS THIS FOUR DAY SALE. You can save some money, right now when you need every article. EISLER-MARDORF COHPANY, SOTT* MADI STKZZT ) I I 221 Send in Your Mail Orders. DO YOU WISH TO MAKE YOUR PLACE OF BUSINESS, YOUR CHURCH YOUR LODGE, OR ANY ROOM MORE ATTRACTIVE? WRITE US FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING WHEELING CEILINGS ' MADE OF STEEL. WIiEELIMG CORRUGATING CO.. WHEELING. V. Vfl. f A VERY LOW RATE 1 H In effect via H I Northern Pacific 1 I To Minnesota, North R ■ Dakota, Manitoba and ■ H other Canadian Points S I TWICE EACH MONTH 1 ■ June to October, Inclusive m| I To Montana, Idaho I ■ Washington, Oregon ■ ■ and British Columbia I ■ilif - - : " August to Octoliorjiuhmlvp I ■ Adilren* ■ ■ A. M. CI,ELAND K ■ Gcn'l Pods'r Agent I ■ ST. PAUL, MINN. ■ : - ' H. M ■ , Back of Your Watch # a Guarantee is a very satis factory sort of a thing to find. Every watch we sell is Guaranteed and back of the guarantee you will find us every time, ready to make good any trouble. The price makes no difference. You may pay $4.00 You may pay SIOO.OO Ralston & Smith 110 W. Jefferson St. Fire Insurance. ! The Butler County Merchants j ]l Mutual Insurance Company. | II Was organized by the merchants of Butler county for the * j | purpose of affording a cheaper insurance, and does a I general fire-insurance business. Insures town and coun- | | try property in this and adjourning counties. For particulars inquire of your nearest director, or * j any officer of the company. OFFICERS —J. H. Harper, President; T. P. Mifflin, I ; | Vice President; Harvey Colbert, Secretary; Jacob Boos, j ; | Treasurer. I | DIRECTORS —Edwin Meeder, Henry Ifft, James Barr, | 11 Horace Bard, R. A. Marks, A. Krause, J. H. Harper, A. * ][ L. Reiber, Jacob Boos, H. C. Litzinger, T. P. Mifflin, | < > Robert Scott, C. A. Eakin. WALTER EVANS & SON, p Bickel Building. General Agents. Butler, Pa. j KECK ££ Merchant Tailor. Jh) Spring & Summer Suitings ( ) JUST ARRIVED. (^ 142 North Main St. Vv jKE 0 K ! j I. : THE BUTLER CITIZEN. .Oryinff preparations simply devc :- | op dry catarrh; they dry up tlie secret .v: •, i which adhere to the membrane and decom pose, causing a far more serious trouble than the ordinary form of catarrh. Avoid al! dr; ing inhalants, fumes, smokes and su .;: and use that which cleanses, soothes c::d heals. Ely's Cream Balm is such a remedy and will euro catarrh or cold in the head i easily and pleasantly. A trial size will be ' mailed for 10 cents. All druggists sell tho 50c. size. Ely Brothers 5G Warren St., N.Y. The Balm cures without pain, does not irritate or cause sneezing. It spreads itself over an irritated and angry surface, reliev ing immediately the painful inflammation. With Ely's Cream Balm you are armed against Nasal Catarrh and Hay Fever. IPASNTI on jjjoiFFE-ENT iji KINDS kj BUT ALL CO'sjl A J AINT rOR iji & EVERY # & PURPOSE $ I- ■&### Redick & Grohman ifc . & 109 H ill in St., j| BUTLER. PA. Do You Buy Medicines? Certainly You Do. then you want tin l>est for the least money. i h;.t is our motto. Come and -ee us when i.i need of j anything:: the Drug Line and j we a-c sure you will cail again. J Wc c- rry a full line of Drugs, Toilet Articles, etc. Purvis' Pharmacy S. G. Pukvis, PH. « Both Phones. 213 9 Main St. P.utler Pa. I Wm. Foster, | Architect, j j Plan of all kind of buildings t S furnished on short notice. r f Office in Bnildinsr, S Hntlt r. Pa Pearson B. Mace's Livery Feed and SaleStaMe Rear of Wick House Butler °en«'t, Tbe best of tiorocs anil Best c'.asb r:gs it! wavs on hand and for hire. Best accommodations In town for licrm-i nent boarding and transient tra-10. Hif(or». Saxli and Mouldings Oil Wt-11 Rigs a "yeclaity. Ofßco and Yar I B-.'-'untilngliarii and Monroe Sts i"«r Wo-i "»nr, nyjo! M. A. BERKIMER, Funeral Director. 245 S. WAIN ST., BUTLER, PA Don't Know That? That Stem's Creamery and Milk •lepot at the rear of 417 South Main street isiu operation? WELL, IT IS! And if yoo waut good Milk, Cream, Creamery Butter or Batter milk, call and nee ns or watch for our wagon. People's Phone 435. 801 l Phone 26H. ASK YOUR GROCER for Steen's Boiled Cider in quart jars. We guarantee jtir prod nets pnre and free from any adnlteration. J. H. STEEN'S CREAMERY. EI.Y MAY V. STUABT MAY & STUART, Livery, Feed and Sale Stables Beht Accommodation* in town For Transient Custom. PHON'ES: People's 125: Hell .">!). Rear of Bickol Building. S. Main St. liutler. Pa. ifx •" - *•• • ' -t : ' •'* ~X~** ■' *' <• " ♦ <•" <* -*1 '«- •' ... /;• V II ALICE o f OLD 1 ||| VINCENNES | By MAURICE THOMPSON * r4 ♦f 4*l v CopjriiVt. irr-). ty t:-.c i. r '■ ' ::e: • '. c ny . I CHAPTER XII. A RAPIER THRUST. BEVERLEY'S absence was not noticed by Hamilton until late on the following day, and even then lie scouted Helm's sug gestion that the young man was possi bly carrying out his threat to disre gard bis parole. "He would be quite jus itied in do ing it. You know that very well," said Helm, with a laugh. "And he's just the man to undertake what is iui; <-iblc. Of course he'll get scalped for Ills trouble, and that will cost you some thing. I'm happy to say." "It is a matter of small importance," Hamilton replied, "but I'll wager you the next toddy that he's not at tho present moment a half mile from this spot. He may be a f; ol—l re.:Uily grant that he is—but even a fool is not going to set out alone In this kind of weather to go to where your rebel friends are probably toasting th'.-ir shins by the fire of green logs and half starving over yonder on the Missis sippi." " • "Joking Aside, you are doubtless right. Beverley is hot headed, and if he could he'd get even with you quick enough, but he hasn't left Vincennes, I think. Miss Roussillon would keep liim here if the place were on fire." Hamilton laughed dryly. He had thought Just what Helm was saying. Beverley's attention to Alice had not escaped his notice. "Speaking of that girl," lie remarked lifter a moment's silence, "what am I to do with her? There's no place to keep her, and Farnsworth insists that she wasn't to blame." He chuckled again and added: "It's true as gospel. He's in love with her too. Seems to be glad she shot him. Says he's ashamed of him self for ever suspecting her of any thing but being a genuine angel. Why, he's got as flabby as a rabbit and mum bles like a fool." "Same as you or 1 at his age." said Helm, taking a chew of tobacco. "She is a pretty tiling. Beverley doesn't know his foot from his shoulder blade when she's anywhere near him. Boys are boys. I'm a sort of boy myself." "If she'd give up that (lag I'd let her go," said Hamilton. "I hate to confine her. It looks brutal and makes me feel like a tyrant." "Have you ever happened to notice the obvious fact, Governor Hamilton, that Alice ltoussillon and Father Beret are not all the French in Vincennes?" "What do you mean?" "I mean that I don't for a moment believe that either the girl or the priest kuuYLd a tiling-about where that flag is. They arc both as truthful and honor able as people ever get to be. I know them. Somebody else got that flag from under the priest's floor. You may depend upon that. If Miss Roussillon knew where it is she'd say so and then dare you to make her tell where It's hidden." "Oh, the whole town is rotten with treason! That's very clear. There's not a loyal soul in It outside of my forces." "Thank you for not including me among the loyalists." "Humph! I spoke of those French people. They pretend to be true, but I believe they are nil traitors." "You can manage tlieni if you try. A little Jolly kindness goes a ions way with 'cm. I had no trouble while I held the town." Hamilton bit his lip and was silent. Helm was exaspefatingly good tem pered, and his jocularity was irresist ible. While lie was yet speaking a guard came up, followed by Jean, the hunchback, and, saluting, said to Ham ilton: "The lad wants to see the young lady, Hamilton gazed quizzically at Jean, who planted himself in his habitual attitude before him and stared up into his face with the grotesque expression which seems to be characteristic of hunchbacks and unfledged birds—the look of an embodied and hideous joke. "Well, sir, what will you have?" the governor demanded. "I want to see Alice, if you please." "What for?" "I want to give her a book to read." "Ah, Indeed. Where is it? Let me see it." Jean took from the breast of his looso Jerkin a small volume, dog eared and mildewed, and handed it to Hamilton. Meantime he stood first on one foot, then on the other, gnawing his thumb nail and blinking rapidly. "Weil, Helm, just look here!" "What?" "Haven't you ever read it?" "Head what?" "This novel." "Never read n novel in my life; never expect to." Hamilton laughed freely at Helm's expense, tlicit turned to Jean nnd gave him back the book. It would have been quite military had he taken the precaution to examine between the pages for something hid den there, but he did not. "Go give it to her," he said, "and tell her I send by components, with great admiration of Iter taste iti literature." lie motioned the soldier to show Jean to Alice. "It's a French story," he added, addressing Helm, "enough to make a pirate blush. That's the sort of girl Mile. Itoussillon Is!" "I don't care what kind of a book she reads," blurted I-Iclm. "She's a fine, pure, good girl. Everybody likes her. Site's the good angel of this mis erable frog hole of a town. You'd like her yourself If you'd straighten up and quit burning tow In your brain all the time. You're always so furious about something tlmt you never have a chance to be just to yourself or pleasant to anybody else." "If I bad got furious at you every time there was overwhelming provoca tion for it," Hamilton said, "you'd ltavo been long since hanged or shot. I fancy that I have shown angelic for bearance. I've given you somewhat more than a prisoner's freedom." "So you linve, so you have," assented Helm. "I've often been surprised at your generous partiality In my case. Let's have some hot water with some thing else In it. What do you say? I won't give you any more advice for five minutes by your watch." "But I want some advice at once." "What about?" "That girl." "Turn her loose. That's easy and reputable." "I'll have to, I presume, but Fhe ought to be punched." BUTLER, PA., THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1904. "If you'll think less about punish ment. revenge and getting even with everybody and everything you'll soon begin to prosper." Hamilton winced, but smiled as one quite sure of himself. Jean followed the soldier to a rickety log pen on the farther side of the stockade, where he found the prisoner restlessly moving nlwiut like a bird in a rustic cage, it had no comforts, that gloomy little room. There was no fire place, the roof leaked, and tbe only furniture consisted of a bench to sit on and a pile of skins fur a bed. Alice looked charmingly forlorn peeping out of the wraps in which she w.\s bundled against the cold, her hair Huffed and rinipled in shining disorder armid her face. Tho guard let Jean in and closed the ■joor. himself staying outside. Alice was as glad to see the poor lad as if they had been parted for a year. She hugged him and kissed liis drawn ittie face. "You dear, goad Jean!" she mur mured. "You did not forget me." "I brought you something." be whls pored. producing the book. Alice snatched it, looked at it and :hen at Jean. "Why. what did you brin-4 this for. you silly Jean? I didn't want this. 1 Jon't like thl; book at all. It's hateful. I despise it. Take it back." 'There's something in it for you, a paper with writing oil it. Lieutenant Beverley wrote it oil there, it's shut tip between the leaves aliout the mid dle." "Sli-s-sh! Not so loud. The guard 'll hear you." Al.c'b.eath ess.y wl.isptved. lior whole manner changing instantly. She was trembling, ""<1 'he color hid been whisked from her face as (he Hume from a candle in a sudden draft. She found the note and read it a dozen times without a pause, her eyes leaping along the lines back and forth With pathetic eagerness and concentra tion. Presently she sat down 011 the bench and covered her face with her hands. A tremor first, then a convul sive sobbing shook her collapsed form. Jean regarded Ler with a drolly sym pathetic grimace, elevating his long chin and letting his head settle back between his shoulders. "Oh, Jean, Jean!" she cried at last, looking lip and reaching out her arms. "Oh, Jean, he is gone, gone, gone!" Jean stepped closer to her while she cobbed again like a little child. She pulled him to her and held him tightly against her breast while she once more read the note through blind ing tears. The words were few, but to her they bore the message of desola tion and despair. A great haunting, hollow voice in her heart repeated them until they echoed from vague dis tance to distance. It was written with a bit of lead 011 the half of a mildewed tly leaf torn from the book: Dear Alice—l am going away. When you read this think of me as hurrying through the wilderness to !■ aeh our army and bring if here. lie brave, as you al ways have been; be good, as you cannot help being; wait and watch for rae; love me, as I love you. I will come. Do not doubt It. 1 will come, and I will crush Hamilton and his command. Courage, Alice dear; comugts find v/alt for me. Faithfully ever. BEVERLEY. She kissed the paper with passionate fervor, pouring her tears upon it in April showers between which the light of her eyes played almost fiercely, so poignant was her sense of a despair which bordered upon desperation. "Gone, gone!" It was all she could think or say. "Cone, none!" Jean took the offending novel hack home with him, hidden under his jer kin, but Beverley's note lay upon Alice's heart, a sweet comfort and a crushing weight, when an hour later Hamilton sent for her and she was taken before liiin. Her face was stained with tears and she looked pitifully dis tressed and disheveled, yet despite all this lift- beauty asserted itself with subtle force. Hamilton felt ashamed looking at her. but put on sternness and spoke without apparent sympathy: ".Miss Roussillon, you came near com mitting a great crime. As It is, you have done badly enough, but I wish not to be unreasonably severe. I hope you are sorry for your uct and feel like doing better hereafter." Slie was trembling, but her eyes looked steadily straight into his. They were eyes of baby innocence, yet they irradiated a strong womanly spirit just touched with the old perverse, mis She found the notr ami rend It n dozen tillics. chievous light which she could neither bnnish nor control. When she did not make reply Hamilton continued: "You may go home now, and I shall expect to have no more trouble on your account." He made a gesture indica tive of dismissal; then, as she turned from hint, he added, somewhat raising his voice: "And, further, Miss Itoussillon, that f!n« you took from here must positively be returned. See that It is done." She lifted her head high and walked away, not deigning to give libit a word. "Humph! What do you think now of your fine young lady?" lie demanded, turning to Helm with a sneering curl of his mouth. "She gives thanks co piously for a kindness, don't you '.hin!; ?" "Poor Kirl! She was scared nearly 1 tit of her life," said Helm. "She cot away from you like a wounded bird from a snare, I never saw a face more "Mudi ; .ty ts. I must say. I ui good riddanct if she'll keep h.-r place here: "tc*r. I Ji'< - iso myself when 1 have to he hard .vith a woman, especially a pretty one. That girl's a saucy and fascinating minx and as dangerous as twenty men. I'll keep a watch 011 her movements from this on. and if she pels into mischief again I'll transport fcfr to Detroit or give her away to the Indians. She must stop her high handed foolishness." Helm saw that Hamilton was talking mere wind, vox et prpeterea nihil, and he furthermore felt that his babbling signified no harm to Alice, but Hamil ton surprised him presently by saying: "I have just learned that Lieutenant B 'veiiey Is actually gone. Did you know of his departure'." "What are you saying, sir?" Ilclm jumped to his feet, not angry, but excited. "Keep cool. You need not answer if you prefer silence or evasion. You may want to go yourself soon." Helm burst out laughing, but quick ly growing serious :;ald: "Has Beverley been such a driveling fool as that? Are you in earnest?" "He killed two of my scouts, wound cd another and crossed the Wabash in lb it- canoe. He is going straight toward Kaskaskia." • The idiot! Hurrah for him! If you latch your hare you may roast him. but catch him lirst. governor!" "You'll Joke out of the other corner of your mouth. Captain Helm, If I find out that you gave him aid or counte nance in breaking his parole." "Aid or countenance! I never saw him after he walked out of this room. You gave him a mighty sight more aid and countenance than I did. What are you talking about! Broke his pa role! He did no such thing. He re turn :M1 it to you fairly, a- you well know. He told you he was going." "Well, I've sent twenty of my swift est Indians after him to bring him back. I'll let you see him shot. That ought to please you." "They'll never get liiiu, governor. I'll bet high on him against your twenty scalp lifters any day. Fltzhugh Bever ley is the best Indian fighter, Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton excepted, in the American colonies." On her way home Alice met Father Beret, who turned and walked beside her. He was so overjoyed at her re lease that he could scarcely speak, but held her hand and stroked It gently while she told him her story. It was beginning to rain, a steady, cold show er, when they reached the house, and for many days and nights thereafter the downfall continued almost inces santly. "Dear child," said Father lleret, stopping at the gate and looking be seechingly Into Alice's face, "you must stay at home now—stay In the house. It will be horribly dangerous for you to pass about in the village after your— after what has happened." "Do not fear, father; I will be careful. Aren't you coming in? I'll find you a cake and a glass of wine." "No, child not now." "Then goodby, goodby," she said turning from him to run into the house "Come soon; 1 shall be so lonesome." On the veranda she suddenly stopped, running her fingers about her neck and into her bosom. "Oh, father, Father Beret, I've lost my locket!" she cried. "See If I dropped it there." She went back to the gate, searching the ground with her eyes. Of course she did not find her locket. It was miles and miles away, close to the heart of her lover. If she could but have known this It would have comforted her. Beverley had Intended to leave it with Jean, but in his haste and excite ment he forgot. Writing the note dis tracted his attention, and so he bore Alice's picture on his breast and in his heart while pursuing his long anil perilous Journey. Four of Hamilton's scouts came up 011 Beverley twenty miles south of Vin cennes, hut having the advantage of them he killed two almost immediately and, after a running light, the other two attempted escape in a canoe on the Wabash. Here, tiring from a bluff, he wounded n third. Both then plunged headforemost into the water, and by keeping below the surface got away. The adventure gave Beverley uew spirit and self reliance. He felt that he could accomplish anything neces sary to his undertaking. In the cap tured pirogue lie crossed the river, and, to make ids trail hard to find, sent the little cruft adrift down the current. Then alone, in the dead of winter, he took his bearings and struck across the dreary, houseless plain toward St. Louis. As soon as Hamilton's discomfited scouts reported to him he sent I.ong Hair, with twenty picked savages armed and supplied for continuous and rapid marching, in pursuit of Beverley. There was a large reward for bringing him in alive, a smaller one for his scalp. When Alice heard of all this her buoyant and happy nature seemed en tirely to desert her for a time. She was proud to find out that Beverley bad shown himself brave and capable- It touched her love of heroism—but she knew too much about Indian warfare to hope that lie could hold his own against Look Hair, the wiliest and boldest of scalp hunters, and twenty of the most experienced braves In Hamilton's forces. He would almost certainly lie killed and sculped or cap tured and brought hack to be shot or hanged In Vlticennes. The thought chilled and curdled her blood. Both Hehn and Father Beret tried to encourage and comfort her by repre senting the probabilities in the fairest light. "It's like hunting for a needle In a haystack, going out to find a man In that wilderness," said Holm, with opti mistic cheerfulness, "nnd, besides, Bev erley is no easy dose for twenty red niggers to take. I've seen hint tried at worse odds than that, and he j;ot out with a whole skin too. Iton't you fret about him. Miss Itoussillon." Little help came to her from attempts a' this sort. She might brighten up J>r awhile, but the dark dread and the terrible gnawing at her heart, the sink fug and despairing in her soul, could /lot lie cured. What added Immeasurenbly to her distress was the attention of Farns wortli, whose wound troubled him but a fihort time. He seemed to have had » revelation and a change of spirit *inee the unfortunate rencounter and the subsequent nun-ins at Alice's hands. lie was (crave, earnest, kindly, evidently striving to piny a gentle nnd honorable part. She could feel that he carried a load of regret, lliat he wanted to p.iy a full price in v-od for tin' evil tluil he had done. His sturdy Ktigllsh hen it was righting its.'lf nobly, yet she hut half uii'l'T ;:i ■ d hint until bis ac tions ai:d words hi 1 :i to betray ids 'l- ii» r—for he was that from head to foot —more lovelorn and love docile. The maiden had completely subdued the About this time, deep in a rainy and pitch black night. Gaspard Roussillon came home. He tapped on the door ai?ain and again. Alice heard, but she hesitated to speak or move. Was she growing cowardly"? Iter heart beat like a drum. There was but one i>er sou in all the world that she could think of; it was not >l. Roussillon. All. no: she had well nigh forgotten her gigantic foster father. "It is I. ma eherie; it is Gaspard. my love. Open the door." came In a boom ing half whisper from without. "Alice, Jean. It is jour Papa Roussillon, my dears. Let me in." Alice was at the door h» a minute, unbarring it. M. Roussillon entered. armed to the teeth, tbe water dribbling from his buckskin clothes. "Pouf!" he exclaimed. "My throat is like dust." His thoughts were diving into the stores under the floor. "I am famished. Dear children, dear little ones! They are glad lo see papa! Where is your mamma?" He had Alice In his arias and Jean clung to his legs. Mme. Rou.-slllon. to be sure of no mistake, lighted a lamp with a Iftwnd that smoldered on the hearth and held it up: then, satisfied as to her husband's Identity, set it on a sheif and tiling herself into the affec tionate group with clumsy abandon, making a great noise. "Oh, my dear Gaspard!" she cried as she lunged forward. "Gaspard, Gas pard!" Her voice fairly lifted the roof, her great weight, hurled with stieh force, overturned everybody, and all of them tumbled in a heap, the rotund and solid dame sitting on top. "Ouf! Not so impetuous, my dear," puffed M. Roussillon, freeing himself from her unpleasant pressure and scrambling to his feet. "Really you must have fared well in my absence, uiadame; you are much heavier." He laughed and lifted her up as if she had been a child, kissing her resonantly. His gun had fallen with a great clat ter. He took it from the floor and ex amined It to see if it had been injured, then set it in a corner. "I am afraid we have been making too much noise," said Alice, speaking very low. "There Is a patrol guard ev ery night now. If they should hear you"— "Sh!" whispered M. Roussillon. "We will lie very still. Alice, is there some thing to eat nml a drop of wine handy? I have come many miles. I am tired, hungry, thirsty—ziff!" Alice brought some cold roast veni son, a loaf and a bottle of claret. These she set before hiin on a little table. "Ah, this Is comfort," he said after he had gulped a full cup. "Have you all been well?" i'hen he began to tell where he had been, what he had seen and the many things he had done. A Frenchman must babble while he eats and drinks. A lit tle wine makes him eloquent. He talks ■with his hands, shoulders, eyes. Mme. Rousslllon, Alice and Jean, wrapped In furs, huddled around him to hear. He was very entertaining, and they forgot the patrol until a noise startled them. It was the low of a cow. They laughed and the master of the house softened his voice. M. lCoussillon had been the guest of a great Indian entertain wtiu was catted the Gate of the Wabash because he controlled the river. The chief was an old acquaintance and treated him well. "But I wanted to see you all," Gas paril said. "I was afraid something might have happened to you, so I camo back just to peep in. I can't stay, of course. Hamilton would kill me as if I were a wolf. I can remain but an hour and then slip out of town again before daylight comes. The rain and darkness are my friends." 110 had seen Simon Kenton, who said he had been In the neighborhood of Vincennos uctiug as a scout and spy for Clark. Presently and quite casual ly ho added: "And I saw Lieutenant Beverley too. I suppose you know that he has es caped from Hamilton, and"— Here a big mouthful of venison Interfered. Alice leaned toward him white and breathless, her heart standing still. Then the door, which had been left unbarred, was flung open, and along with a great rush of wind and rain the patrol guard, five in number, sprang in. M. Itoussillon reached his gun with one hand, with the other swung a tre- Incndous blow as he leaped against the Intruders. Mute. Itoussillon blew 4ut the light. No cave In the depth of earth was ever darker than that room. The patrolmen could not see one an other or know what to do, but M. Itous sillon laid about him with the strength of a giant. His blows sounded as if they smashed bones. Men f*ll heavily thumping on the floor where he rushed along. Some one fired a pistol, and by Its flash they nil saw him, but Instantly the darkness closed again, and before they could get their bearings lie was out and gone, his great hulking form making its way easily over familiar ground where his would t>e captors eoukl have proceeded but slowly even with a light to guide them. There was furious cursing among the patrolmen as they tumbled about In the room, the unhurt ones trampling their prostrate companions and strik ing wildly al each other In their blind ness and eonfusion. At lust one of them Rethought him to open a dnrl; lantern with which the ni>*ht guards, were fur nished. Its flante was fluttering and gave forth a pale red light that danced weirdly on the floors and walls. AI e had snatched down one of her rapiers when the guards first entered. They now saw her facing them with her slender blade leveled, her back to the wall, her eyes shining dangerously. Mine. Itoussillon had tied Into the ad joining room. Jean had also disap peared. The officer, a subaltern In charge of the guard, seeing Alice and not quickly able to make out that It was a woman thus defying him, cross ed swords with her. There was small space for action. Moreover, the officer, being not in the least n swordsman, played awkwardly, nnd quick as 11 flash his point was down. The rapier entered Just below his throat with a dull, cltucklutf stab. He leaned back ward, feeling at the same time a pair of arms clasp his legs. It was Jean, nnd the lieutenant, thus unexpectedly tangled, fell to the floor, breaking, but not extinguishing, the guard's lantern as he went down. The little remaining oil spread and flamed up brilliantly, ns if eager for conflagration, sputtering along the uneven boards. "Kill that Imp!" cried the lieutenant in a strangling voice while trying to re gain his feet. "Shoot! Bayonet!" In his pain, rage and haste he Inad vertently set his hand in the midst of the blazing oil, which clung to the flesh with a seething grip. "Thunder!" he screamed. "Fire! Fire!" Two or three bayonets were leveled upon Alice. Some one kicked Jean clean across the room, and he lay there, curled up in bis hairy night wrap, look ing like an enormous porcupine. At this point a new performer came upon the stage, a dark robed thing so *- —— —"■"* .1 pair of arms clasped his leg*. active that its outlines changed elu slvely, giving It no recognizable fea tures. It might have been Sats'n himself or some terrible unknown wild animal clad somewhat to resemble a man. so far as the startled guards could make out. It clawed right and left, hurled one of them against the wall, dashed another through the door Into Mine. Housslllon's room, where the good woman was wailing at the top of her voice, and felled a third with a stroke like that of a bear's paw. Consternation was at high tide when Farnsworth. who always slept with an ear open, reached Itonssillou place and quickly quieted things. He was trou bled beyond expression when he found out the true state of the affair, for there was nothing that he could do but arrest Alice and take her to Hamilton. It made hls'hpart sink. He would have thought little of ordering a file of sol diers to shoot a man tinder the same conditions, but to subject her again to the governor's stern cruelty—how could he do it? This time there would be no hope for her. Alice stood before him flushed, di sheveled. defiant, sword In hand, l>eau tiful and terrible as an angel. The black figure, man or devil, had disap peared as strangely as It had come. The sublieutenant was having his slight wound bandaged. Men wen; rag ing and cursing under their breath, rubbing their bruised heads and limbs. "Alice—Mile. Koussillon, I am so sor ry for this," said Captain Farnsworth. "It is painful, terrible"— He could not go on, but stood before her unmauned. In the feeble light liis face was wan, and his hurt shoulder, still in bandages, drooped perceptibly. "I surrender to you," she presently said in Trench, extending the hilt of her rapier to lilm. "I had to defend myself when attacked by your lieuten ant there. If an officer finds it neces sary to set upon a girl with his sword, may not the girl guard her life If she can ?" She was short of breath, so that her voice palpitated with a touching plan gency that shook the man's heart. Farnsworth accepted the sword. He could do nothing less. Ills duty admit ted of no doubtful consideration, yet he hesitated, feeling around in his mind for 11 phrase with wliich to evade the inevitable. "It will be safer for you at the fort, mademoiselle. Let me take you there." [TO BE COTmKTTED.J THE"GAMBLING MANIA. Hoo," With this sum he subsequently provided his necessary outfit. When the allies marched into I'arls after the battle of Waterloo, Gronow found the Palais Royal a hotbed of gambling—"the very heart of French dissipation." "There were tables for all classes. The workman might play with 20 sous or the gentleman with 10,000 francs. The law did not prevent any class from Indulging in a vice that assisted to fill the coffers of the munici pality of I'arls." The English visitors were not slow to participate in the play, one officer of the guards obtaining leave of absences and never quitting the Palais Royal till the time came for his return to the regiment. Large fortunes were often lost at gambling In those days, the losers dis appearing never more to be heard of. Lord Thanet, for Instance, who had an income of $2.»,000 a year, lost every farthing at play and, concludes Gro now, "I do not remember any Instance where those who spent their time in this den did not lose all they possess ed." FLOWERS IN MEXICO. So Plentiful That Tlie> Are I'ned For Great Public Oecoratloiin. As a people the Mexicans are very fond of flowers, and every village, town and city has its place where flowers are sold, and many of the larger places have extensive flower markets. Often the flowers brought to the market are wild specimens found in the woods and the lie Ids, but all are beautiful. In many of the smaller towns and villages the public parks and the sidewalks of the streets are used as places for the sale of flowers. Everywhere they may be bought at surprisingly low prices. So plentiful are flowers they ore used for great public decorations. Some times whole parks and the fronts of buildings for many streets are covered with floral decorations on a feast day. The Mexican love of flowers has been inherited from a loug line of flower loving ancestors. More than a thou sand years ago the chief feature of worship among the Toltocs was the great floral offering which was made to the fair god once a year and which lasted for a whole Mexican week. Imr lug this festival one of the features wan a great floral procession, which traversed the principal streets of the city to the sound of musical Instru ments. Every one In the procession carried flowers to lay upon the altar of the god or to place ui>on the steps or wails of his temple, lu this procession were princes, nobles, priests and com moners. This floral festival was an expression of the love of nature for which the Toltccs were noted. Until they came Into contact with the Az tecs later on In history they were pure ly nature worshipers, anil flowers and fruits formed the chief part of their offerings. So the Mexican comes by his love of flowers honestly. No. 24 ( o WiiOYS AS FIREMEN THE WAY THEY BATTLE WITH FLAMES ON THE PRAIRIES. Ilorae* anil Men IMunitr Through the Line of lire (u Their Station*—Cat lip *.lu>t tie Sirrilrrd to Save Oth er Cattle and the Urnu. The "lireni.ti of the plains'* work with a syst«m, each man knowing what in expected of him and bravely executing it Kke liretnen of the city. Cowboys are the "fire fighters of the plains," and turning grass is the ma terial consumed. We will take, for illustration, the great Espuela or "spur" ranch in the lower Panhandle country of northwest Texas and go back n number of years, when destructive fires were more fre quent than they are now*. Hundreds of cowboys were employed ou that ranch, Jiving in camps widely separated, cov ering the unsettled counties of Dick ens, Crosby, tiarza and Kent. Great and very destructive prairie fires often occurred, and systematic plans were adopted to fight successful ly the devouring element, which not only involved a great loss of grass, but of stock also. One of the most success ful plans was the following: It was un derstood among the men at the various camps that when smoke was discov ered ascending from the prairie each and every cowboy must saddle his horse and gallop away toward the fire straight out In a line from his camp. This had to be done at night also, the tire then being detected by Its light, and the boys would come from every direction, striking the line of fire at many different points almost at the same time. If the fire had spread much, the men from the different camps would sometimes be many miles from each other, those from the same station * going in a squad together. If it was at night the scene would be one of wild and weird grandeur—the great line of fire, the galloping horses as the cowboys approached It, some from camps on opposite sides, their forms and those of their horses stand ing in relief in the bright glare of the burning grass. Herds of bellowing, frightened, stampeding cattle made the scene more terrible and exciting as they ran before the pursuing, crackling, roariug flames. Above the din could be heard loud shouts of com mand from leaders of the assembling men. The men were not standing still on their liorsws. The fire was traveling, and they were going with It until ready to begin their attack. Cattle must be sacrificed to save cattle. As soon as an animal fell four cowboys dismounted, and sharp knives and hatchets were at work, and in less time than it takes to tell the slain ani mal was cut In twain. The halves were spilt so as to lay flat upon the ground, and to each hoof the end of a rope was fastened, the other end being around the pommel of n cowboy's sad dle. They dashed away to the line of fire, dragging the severed parts aft er them. When the cowboys reached this, two men would cross plunge through the blaze. Torn tried It, but bis hoEb& wheeled and turned away from the blaze, snorting loudly and in terror. "Give me your end of the rope, Tom," one of the other men said. "I can go over. Black Duncan will face It." And with a great plunge he clear ed the line of fire. One of the other two also crossed, and without a moment's halt and with scorched faces they wheeled their horses and ran parallel with the fire, dragging the bloody half of the beef over It, smothering the fire out as fast as their horses could run and drag the weight. One nmn was then on one side of the lire and the other on the opposite, each with his rope to the foot of a beef, straddling the Maze nnd beating out the greater part of"it. .They wore slick duck Jackets and leggings, upon which the flre could not easily take hold. It was hot work, however. They could get only the length of their ropes from the fire. The two men with the other half of the beef were going In the opposite di rection, taking the other end of the line of flre. Suppose the flre was trav eling south and the line extending east and west, two dragged east and two west, fast receding from each other and every moment widening the black streak which marked the trail of the smothered flames. While these four men were getting ready to do this work other cowboys were sitting on their horses near by, their faces lit up by the burning grass, aud cheering their companions who were crossing the flre line to fight the main battle. These, however, who were Idle had their work to do. Each held a rolled flicker In his right hand, and when the breach was made in the fire line they divided their forces and followed the boys who were sweeping the flames In order to extinguish effectually any which might be left. Before the plan described was put In practice wagons loaded with water and tow sacks were run to a flre, aud the boys had to dismount and fight the flames with wet sncks. They were supplied with these by men galloping back aud forth between the wagons and fire fighters. The dry, hot sacks .Were carried back as fast as wet ones were furnished. The other plan was the best, being more rapid and efficient. Horses would get crippled and men burned at times, especially when the wind was high, those on the windward side being most exposed. Some have been known to stay in their saddles during a long run until the skin would peel from the side of the face that was next to the line of fl!»•.—Fort Worth (Tex.) Record. Always Something Wroa*. Clerk Please, sir, can I have a week's vacation? Employer—What's wrong with you now? Clerk — I'm going to get married. Employer—Now, you were away a week with influenza and ten days with a sprained ankle. I de clare, there's always something going wrong with you, Jones. nilU to Suit ClrrnmitancM. "How much will it cost mo to get a divorce?" asked the man. "That depends." replied the lawyer absentmindedly. "now much have you got ?" Philadelphia Ledger. A4vnnln||* Mutual. "Does her Inraily approve of her am bition to go upon the operatic stage?" "I'm —er yes and no—that Is, they approve of her going away to sing?"— Detroit Free Press. Would Have the Fan Afterward. Ills Mother Tommy, if you fight with little Willie Walters today I shall put you to bed for two hours. Tommy - Put me to bed now, ma. Ask only the well nbout their hea'tb —Bacon.