| RHODA'S J E| SECRET (j M By SYLVJA CHESTER R ? J "He orougn.. u upou imnseii!" M. Lefroy cried, bending over him. He glanced at the face of the fallen man and read death there; and, be fore a haad could stop him he leaped the low hedge and rushed swiftly away. One or two pursuers followed, but the Frenchman was a swift runner, and they soon gave up the chase. M. Lefroy got safely to the railway station and thence to London. Be fore the police could get upon hlB track, he was lost In the greut city. Mr. Derlng was carried to the Inn. No one knew him. He had left them a handsome guy young man; this worn, haggard, shabby stranger had no point of likeness to that gnllaut soldier they had known years before. The doctor came to htm straight from Derlng, where they had sum moned him for Milllcent. He shook hts head i»t the sight of the wound. "It Is quite hopeless," he said to the woman who had been called to act as nurse; "he caunotlive through the night." The eyes of the dying man turned upon him. "I did not hear what you said. Doctor, but I know what it means." "1 cannot withhold from you the fact that your state is very critical," said the doctor gravely. Mr. Derlng reflected for a moment. "You are known at Derlng, of course?" he said, then, in a wonder fully clear voice. "I have just come from there," re plied the doctor. "You are new since my time, but you will know my name; I am Ar thur Derlng. I want you togo up to Derlng and bring my brother and his wife here. I must speak to them and bring my daughter to me." "They are in great trouble," the doctor said gravely. "Miss Derlng diod this morning." "My sister Millicent is dead! Ah, |I shall soon join her! But go and tell ■ uy brother and his wife that I wish to speak to them, Doctor." The doctor promised. He had reached the door when the voice of his patient recalled him. "Let me write a line for you to give to my daughter; she must hear the news from me." They propped him up, and he „ slowly and painfully wrote a few words. "Give it to her yourself," he said faintly. "She will be sorry; she is the only person in the world who will not be glad." When the doctor reached Deriug, he asked for Mr. Adrian Deriug and told him briefly what had happened. Adrian took the note. "They shall go down at once," ho said. "Go back and do all you can for him, Doctor. Tell him his daugh ter shall come instantly." Adrian went slowly up to Rhoda's room and knocked. Ho heard voices within and he entered. Rhoda was standing facing her aunt, who was talking in a bitter tone to her. "You hav® tiidden all this from us; you havi lived a lie all these months! Oh, your aunt should have known!" "I am going away," said Rhoda, in a low tone. "1 am giving up every thing; you shall never hear of me again! I know now how wrong I have been; but I have done Molly tio harm, aunt—l have not indeed!" Her voice died away as she caught sight of Adrian. "Adrian," cried Mrs. Doling, "hear what Rhoda has Just told me!" "I know all—all," he said emphat ically; "I knew it this morning be fore I brought Rhoda In. Aunt say no more; there is sad news." Ht» approached Rhoda, who did not look at him. "Your father is in the village," he said-. "He has been hurt. He sends yau this note." Rhoda took it. The news seemed scarcely to affect her, but her whole frame trembled and her eyes tilled with tears as she read the note. "Oh, tako me to him!" she said, turning to Adrian instinctively. "I will take you at once," he an swered gravely. "Aunt, you and uncle George must come; he is y dying." Without waiting to hear his aunt's reply, he hurried Rhoda away. The carriage he had ordered was waiting at the door, and he placed her in it. Neither look nor word was exchanged between them, but he seated himself silently at her side. In perfect silence they reached the Inn. "Go up," he. said; "I will wait." The doctor met Rhoda at the chamber door. "You are too late,' he said grave ly. "He died as your carriage drove up. When Mr. and Mrs. Derlng ar rived, found Rhoda kneeling by dead father's side. She looked wildly up at them. "He is dead," she said—-"dead, and without a word to me!" "Come home, dear," said Mrs. Dering, all her anger gone. "Home!" the girl repeated, in a tone of bitterness. "I have no home!" The doctor drew Mrs. Derlng aside. "You must let her alone for the present," he said gravely. "The shock has been too much for her. If Miss Molly could come down —" "I will go back to her and bring her at once," said Mrs. Dering. Adrian was waiting down stairs when his aunt came down. "I am going to fetch Molly," she said. "Rhoda looks as if the shock ha- turned her brain. lam alarmed about her." "Stay with her," said Adrian quickly, "I will fetch Molly." He went out and then came back. "Be kind to her, Aunt Agnes," he said earnestly. "Have I not sent for Molly?" Mrs. Dering turned. "I mean to be kind to her." Molly came, and persuaded Rhoda togo back to Derlng. "I must return to-morrow," she ■aid. "Yes, dear, you shall return to morrow," returned Molly; "only come home with me now." But, when the morrow came, Rho da lay unconscious of all around her. In the first stages of brain fever. Si>ring had passed, full summer had come, and the lime trees were in blossom when at last she was taken from her bedroom into the little sit ting room. She lay on the couch by the open window, and Mrs. Deriug sat by her side. All bitterness be tween them was gone. Rhoda's thin hand was in her aunt's as she began to speak. "Have you written yet, aunt?" "No, my dear," Mrs. Dering an swered gently. "You could not leave us for a long time yet." "But I should like it settled," the girl answered feverishly. "You will write soon, won't you?" "Very soon," was Mrs. Derlng's soothing answer. Since Rhoda had been able to think coherently, her idea had been togo away from Dering, as soon as she was well, to some home or Insti tution where she could get work to do among the sick and poor. She began to speak of it again. "I shall be happier when I am at work, aunt. You have been very good to me and forgiven me, but I cannot forgive myself." "Here Is Molly to talk to you," said her aunt. "We will speak about all this to-morrow, Rhoda. Well. Molly, so you have come back?'-' ••y es —here I am. Bill has coma to see Rhoda, and Jack has brought you these strawberries." Mrs. Derlng left the girls together. Molly seated herself at Rhoda's feet and called Bill to lie down upon the window-sill. "I wonder if Bill will know us again," she said meditatively, strok ing his black head. "But Ulysses' dog knew him, and we shall not be gone so long as that." "Where are you going?" said Rhoda, looking at her cousin. "Jack and I are going to Amer ica for our wedding tour," replied Molly, with a blush and a smile. "It has all been settled, ut last, and we are only waiting for—" Molly stopped and looked confused, then sho took Rhoda's hand and kissed It. "Rhoda, I want you to promise me something." "Anything I can promise," said Rhoda gently. "Then will you see him?" "Of course, I will," answered Rho da at once. "Him must mean Jack, she thought. "He Is here, and 1 promised to find out if you would see him. You are sure it will not be too much for you?" "1 shall be glad to see him," said Rhoda. "Then he shall come up this mo ment," said Molly eagerly. She ran away, and Rhoda waited, thinking with a tender little smile, of Molly's happiness. After a little while she heard her footsteps along the passage and also another tinner heavier step, which set her pulses beating rapidly. It was Adrian Molly had meant. She had not seen him since the day her father died. Molly opened the door and shut It softly after Adrian had entered. "I am going to leave them alone, Bill," she said confidentially to her dog. "Let us go away and leave them quite alone." Adrian sat down by Rhoda's sofa. "It Is very good of you to let me come and see you," he said gently. "I thought Molly meant Jack," Rhoda answered faintly. "1 did not know you were here." "I have been here for weeks," he said gravely. He took up her thin left hand and looked at it, then he raised It to his lips, Rhoda drew it quickly away, but Adrian took it again in his clasp. "Where is my ring?" he asked. Rhoda's lips quivered so that she could scarcely speak. "I do not know- —Mrs. Derlng has it." "You must wear It again, Rhoda." "Ah, no, Adrian! Do not speak like that to me. We must put the past quite away. I shall soon leave Derlng, and you will forget me." "Yes, we must put the past away; but not all the past. Rhoda, noth ing has altered our relations to each other; you are still my promised wife!" Rhoda shook her head. "It was a great, a bitter shock to me," he went on. "But 1 love you, Rhoda —-I love you devotedly, I can not do without you!" "I could not find happlnes in love without respect," Rhoda answered; "and I have lost your respect, Adrian!" He hesitated a moment, then he knelt down and took her hands In his. "I believe in you still," he said. "I cannot hide from you the fact that it has been very hard to keep my be lief in you, but I cannot look into your face, Rhoda, without knowing that you are worthy of my love! And you must not speak of our being parted; It la your duty to keep your engagement. I love you; I cannot do without you!" He put his arm gently round her and bent and kissed her. '"Let us put all the bit terness of the past away," he said, "and think only of our happy fu ture!" "It shall be as you will," Rhoda whispered. "I love you dearly, and my whole life shall be spent In show ing you that I deserve your trust." THE END. i 1 i CALEB CONOVER, RAILROADER. « I A NEW SERIAL TO BEGIN SHORTLY IN THIS PAPER • • A Vivid and Truthful Story of American Life and Politics, Sen sational, Exciting, Romantic, Natural and Perfectly Alive with Force and Action, by AL BERT PAYBON TERHUNE. BEGIN WITH THE OPENING NUMBERS HOME DRESSMAKING By Mme. Jeane. LADIES' SHIRTWAIST. CHILD'S DRESS. Pattern No. 3224. —A new and pret ty design for a yoke dress for a tiny tot Is the subject of the accompanying Illustration. The yoke is of novel and attractive shaping, and to It the tuck ed front and back are attached. The sleeves may bo either In wrist length or short, and the neck with collar or low cut. The pattern Is In 3 sizes- 1 to 5 years. For a child of 3 years the dress requires 2 yards of material 36 Inches wide, with 3 7-8 yards of In sertion. HOW TO ORDER PATTERNS. For each pattern desired, send 10c (in stamps only) to this paper. Give No. of pattern and size wanted. BEAVERS INSPIRE RESPECT. A Professor Who Was Afraid to Kill So Knowing an Animal. "I have yet to meet the man who can walk for the first time through a beaver works, as the range of a colony of beavers is called, and not feel something of the sentiment of buman association," says a writer In Bally's Magazine. "It Is a sensation very similar to what we feel when we come out un expectedly into a woodland clearing after a long day spent in the unbrok en solitudes. "I once stood with a learned profes sor of Columbia College on the bank of a stream in eastern Canada and looked down on a freshly made beaver dam —one of the best In point of con struction that I had ever seen. It waa indeed a really stupendous affair for a beaver to have made. Built of alder poles and brush, weighted with mud and small stones, It was fifty feet long, six feet high and raised the level of the water by about sixty inches. "Seen from the upstream side It presented the appearance of a more or less evenly disposed array of short sticks protruding from a long mound of mud Just level with the surface of the restrained water; from below the brushwood supporting the dam prop er was plainly visible and the ingenu ity of Its placing at once apparent. "There was of course none of that 'pile driving' or 'basket weaving* which at one time played so large a part In the picturesque descriptions by fanciful writers, but despite lta roughness It was a really remarkable piece of animal engineering. My com panion inspected it for several min utes In Impressed silence. "'I should be afraid to kill such • thing that knew so much,' he said thoughtfully." | POETRY WORTH i 112 RE.ADING « * i After All. After death, what? —Cesare Lom broso. After you and I have ceased to care The April winds will blow across the hill. The rose will spread its fragrance on the air. The swallows twitter round the chimney still; The brook will wind its leisure way along And right will still be right and wrong be wrong. After you and 1 have ceased to fret Because our planning sometimes comes to naught The foolish still will foolishly regret When home the spite they vented has been brought; They will be needed most who give delight And wrong will still be wrong and right be right. After you and I have ceased to toil It may be that we shall with Joy ar rive Where none shall be undone and none despoil. Where no one for another's gain shall strive; But here the wise men still shall be the strong, And right will still be right und wrong be wrong. —S. E. Kiser In Chicago Record-Her ald. A Plea for Patience. Be careful as you go your way; the stranger In the shabby dress, For all you know, may be a man the world will call a great success. Perhaps you will regret your sneer, and wish to goodness you hud smiled, For he may be a hero big who hadn't yet his records filed. You cannot know what regions vast have been alone explored by him, Nor that he spent his two weeks' rest last summer climbing moun tains grim. To-day he may not show a sign of all his prowess and his daring, But bear in mind it may be that his records he is now preparing Be not too quick to judge, I pray, for men to topmost heights may climb, The great deed done some years ago may yet be told to us In time. And some, who now unworthy seem and drink from Borrow's bitter cup, May famous be, if they can find the time to write their records up. —Edgar A. Guest in Detroit Free Press. The Return. When Johnnie went away to school He rigidly conformed to rule. At first he joined a college frat, And lost an arm and leg in that. And then he made the Delta Phis, Who gouged out one of Johnnie's eyes. A "rush" that launched the college year Deprived him of a useful ear. He was so good, and glad to please, That Johnnie made the team with ease. He left a hand at Cleveland, O. — A kneecap at St. Louis, Mo.; His sternum cracked at Baltimore— Interred his nose at Portland, Ore.; At every contest, win or yield, He left a portion on the Held Thus gradually he was bereft Till little of the boy was left. We got his baggage home by rail — The rest of Johnnie came by mail. —John D. Wells In Buffalo News. Whatever la, la Beat. I know as my life grows older And mine eyes have a clearer sight, That under each rank wrong, some where There lies the root of right. That each sorrow has its purpose By the sorrowing unguessed, And as sure as the sun brings morn ing Whatever la, 1B best. I know that each sinful action As sure as the night brings shade, Is somewhere, sometime, punished, Though the hour be long delayed, I know that my soul Is aided Sometimes by the heart's unrest And to grow means oft to suffer, But whatever is, is best. I know there are no errors | In the great eternal plan; That all things work together For the final good of man. And I know as my soul speeda on ward On Its grand eternal quest, I shall say, as I look back earthward "Whatever 18, IS best." The Dreaming. Sweet is the dreamln' In the lonesome night. Of the far, fair country Where the light shines bright Wake not the dreamer Till the call of Light —Atlanta Constitution. Best Right Prices For Dry Goods, Groceries, Boots and Shoes, Hats and Caps, Gloves and Mittens, Notions, Fancy Goods etc. call and examine my stock You will find my goods and prices attractive. James McFarlane. I LaPorfe Tannery ffINTED -A RIDER AGENT"™ ample Latest Model •KfincjoT" bicycle furnished bv in. Our ajjents everywhere are aakinfc money fast. IVrite jor full particulars an,/stent/offer at once. NO MONEY RKQLIKKI) until you receivea n< (approve of your bicycle. We ship to anyone, anywhere in the U. S. without a cent deposit in advance, Prepay freight, an J allow TKN IJAYS' FKKE TKIAI. during which time you may ride the bicycle and out it to any test you wish. If you are then not perfectly satisfied or do not wish to keep the bicycle ship it back to us at our expense and you ivill not be out one cent. FAPTADV PDIPFQ f lirn » s h tHe highest grade bicycles it is possible to make rHVIVIII rniwLtf at one small profit above actual factory cost. You save sio to $25 middlemen's profits by buying direct of us and have the manufacturer's guar antee behind your bicycle. 1)0 NOT Itli\ a bicycle or a pair of tires from anyone at any Price until you receive our catal jgues and learn our unheard of factory Prices and remarkable special offers to rider ugentrt. VAII Mill I RP AQTHNKHrn w,u u v° u receive our beautiful catalogue and 1111l WILL DC fid I vHldFIELftf study our superb models at the wonderfully ioiuPrices we can make you this year. We yell the highest grade bicycles for less money than any other factory. We are satisfied with fi.oo profit above factory cost. I)KAJ<KKS« you can sell our bicycles under your own name plate at tir prices. Orders filled the <'..iy received. I> HAND HICVCLES. We do not regularly handle second hand bicycles, but a number on hand taken in trade by our Chicago retail stores. These we clear out rices ranging from 183 to or 18*10. Descriptive bargain lists mailed free. fAACirD DDAIfrC siuglo whuclH, imported roller clmlim and pedubt, parts, repairs and vUAv I Elf'DllfillLvy equipment of all kinds at half the usual retail Prices. >AM HEDGETHORN PUNCTURE-PROOF <J| £2 Q SELF-HEALING TIRES tell you a sample pair for s4.SOicash with order $4.55). NO MORE TROUBLE FROM PUNCTURES rflfTlilil" HIT WnRPB\ NAILS, Tack* or (iliiHrt will not lot the üß| If: 112 J|| air out. Sixty thousand pairs sold last year. ,|. , Over two kunared thousand pairs now in use. DESCRIPTION! Made in nil sizes. It is lively J and easy : iditijj.vei ydm able and 1 in* <ll :i it h J it special quality of rubber, which never becomes EflEP^ porou. and which closes up small punctures without allow- 111 Notloo thp thlpk Pn , lhor trend lug the mr to escape. We have hundreds of letters from satis- |U . Mllll4 . turM M »rlos ••11" ficdcustoiners stating that their tireshaveonlybeen pumped Bnt i «i>»* a iHo rim strip "If* up once or twice in a whole season. They weigh no more than M. to urev ©nt rim cutting. Thlj an ordinary tire, the puncture resistingqualities being given J W t| » ... out . ftst other by several layers of thin specially prepared fabric on the , KLaStIO and tread. The regular price of these tires is per pair, tout for M joasV HIDING advertising purposes we are making a special factory price to ™ the rider of only $4.80 per pair. All orders shipped same day letter is received. We ship C. O. D. on approval. You do not pay a cent until you have examined and found them strictly as represented. We will allow a cash discount of 5 per cent (thereby making the price (M.SA per pair) if you send FULL CASH WITH OKDER and enclose this advertisement. You run no risk in sending us an order as the tires may be returned at OUlt expense if for any reason they are not satisfactory on examination. We are perfectly reliable and money sent to us is as sufe as in a bank. If you order a pair of these tires, you will find that they will ride easier, run faster, wear better, last longer and look finer than any tire you have ever used or seen at any price. We know that you will be so well pleased that when you want a bicycle you will give us your order. We want you to send us a trial order at once, hence this remarkable tire oiler. mm mm mm mm norC don't buy any kind at any price until you send for a puir of it Y %J%J Irfcfcl/ m ##m J.O Iledgetliorti Puncture-Proof tires 011 approval and trial at the special introductory price quoted above; or write for our big Tire and Sundry Catalogue which describes and quotes all makes and kinds of tires at about half the usual prices. mmj 1 mm mmrnm mnm but write us a postal today. I*o NOT THINK OF BUYING a bicycle £/Cr mW%MW wwA&M or a pair of tires from anyone until you know the new and wonderful offers we are making. It only costs a postal to learn everything. Wiite it NOW. J. L MEAD CYCLE COMPANY,' CHICAGO, ILL Don't Buy a Doped Horse and don't let yourself be swindled by a crooked horse dealer on any of the score of tricks he has up his sleeve. The "gyp" is abroad in the land. Every day buyers of horses are shamefully fleeced. DON'T BE ONE OF THE VICTIMS. Learn how to protect yourself in buying, selling or trading. Get the sensational new book "Horse Secrets" by Dr. A. S. Alexander, and make yourself horse-wise and crook-proof. Learn how " bishoping " is done — a " heaver " is "shut" —a roarer "plugged " —how lameness, spavins, and sweeny are temporarily hidden —the "burglar" dodge —the horsehair trick —cocaine and gasoline doping —the ginger trick —the loose shoe trick —in short how to beat ALL the games of crooked auctioneers and dealers. It is all in the " Horse Secrets " book, and if you ever buy or sell a horse you need just this knowledge to protect yourself from being swindled. Read Our Remarkable Offer Below A WORD ABOUT THE FARM JOURNAL : Thi« i« the loitmosl l«rm inJ home monthly in the wotld ; 33 yt.ri old ; 650,000 •üb«cribcr» from Miine to C»lifofni«. Cheerful, quaint, clever, inteniely practical, well printed and illullratcd. I« lot everybody, town, village, auburbi, or country; men, women, boyi, girla,— the whole family; abtolutely clean and pure; 24 to 60 pagea monthly. Wc recommend it absolutely to every re.d.t of thit paper; you will find it unlike any other in the world. OUR OFFER: {—T/S} All 3 for $ 1-25 (We cannot .ell " Home grrretn " by It.elf-only in thl. Combination.) v * 1 *•* '■ .—ra - »« i _ 1 Calling Cards We have appropriate type fares for Calling Cards, Ilnsi neps Cards, in fact any kind of soeiety printing. Coine in and let us show yon samples. Prices are reasonable. News Item Office,
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