Thi Handwriting Wa Unmistakably That of a Woman. ILLUSTRATIONS COPYRIGHT 1908 b? THE ASSOCIATED SUNDAY MAGAZINES COPYRIGHT 1909 by THE MERRILL COMPANY CHAPTER I. Miss Isabel Thome. All the world rubs elbows In Wash lngton. Outwardly It Is merely a city of evasion, of conventionalities, sated with the commonplace pleasures of life, listless, blase even, and always exquisitely, albeit frigidly, courteous; but beneath the still, suave surface strange currents play at cross pur- posts, Intrigue Is endless, and the merciless war of diplomacy goes on unceasingly. Occasionally, only oc casionally, a bubble comes to the sur face, nnd when It bursts the echo goes crashing around the earth. Some times a dynasty Is shaken, a nntlon trembles, a ministry topples over; but the rlpplo moves and all Is plncld oguin. No man may know all that happens there, for then he would be diplomatic master of the world. There la plenty of red blood In Washington," remarked a Jesting leg islative grny-beard, once upon a time, "but It's always frozen before they put ln circulation. Diplomatic negotia tions are conducted In the drawing- room, but long before that the fight Is fought down cellar. The diplo matists meet at table and there isn't any broken crockery, but you can 'ways tell what the player thinks of the dealer by the way he draws "irru cards. Everybody Is after re "Its; and lots of monarchs of Europe 5t up nights polluting their crowns lt lug for word from Washington." . una is Washington! And here t dinner are the diplomatic repre-mt.-tivos of all tho nations. That Is le lirltlsh nmbassador, that stolid: -el, distinguished-looking, elderly "inn; and this Is the French ambassa f. dapper, volatile, plus-correct; ""re ItiissLVs highest representative jags a huge, blond board; nnd yon '' l the phlegmatic German nmbas a,"r. Scattered around the table, Dr lliant spotches of color, nre the ,,r"",d ,,nvovs "f the Orlent-the jailor the country the more brilliant ;e M,lt,h K , R B(ate d,nnpri tfl Jj followed by a state ball, and they ro all present. The Uaiian ambassador, Count dl wsln , was trying to Interpret a hrmm ,"n 0101 lnto EnKlls1' the nen or the dalnty doI Ilko wlfo of "o Chinese mlnlster-who was edu- at Itadcllffe-when a servant a ever him and laid a sealed en Klanc" , 'e "I" Plat. The count Z ,nrm"ul nt tI,e 8"vant. ex I'lmself to Mrs. Quong Li Wl, i1"1" open,., .i, . ' 1 lnMe sheet of embassy note nnner. jtary: "n B'gned by hls BOcr- SheAJv''y, 13 Wnltlne for yu here fly on m,,8t Fee y immediate ro'uanconmUer 0f the neatest lm- H Skin?!"' read the note twice, with benctl: ' nen 8crbhled on It In "IninoRsit,i . Trail nt '"-'"Bni. Tell her tc M at 1 r enm(lS!,y to-morrow morn i hair-past ten o'clock" I S.JM:dJh: "tP- handed the 3lon .m, " "umea ll9 con versa- vvi, "ail nn i,.. . . laced ' Vllcr Ule same servant re his nlM i 8PBled enveloPe be "Wlnn .1 !' RfC0BnlzlnB the super fhofd It u' "mbnWor Impatiently bird it n,a(SlUe Il,tpnd,nS to dlsre r Wumn 1 lrr'tated curiosity final ithlt. p ,tt'- nnd he onened It A mman ' " hlch was written this "U 1, Y "s reward: 0 .. necPasary that you come to rmt" and ,"n,l!itnl!nIly that of a ran8e i 1, , JUSt 08 "nmlstakably StarP im; ,He downed a little rCth,t 11 wonderingly. then e on th Card Ver- Then was !"" Evidnnti0 Tcrse side-only a lii. f. 1 ont'y the count niwi ma laiPas8lve face reflected JACQUES fUTRELLE by M.Q.Kjzttjvt- surprise for an Instant, and this was followed by a keen, bewildered Inter est. Finally be arose, made hla apolo gies, and left the room. Ills automo bile was at 1 he door. "To the embassy," be directed the chaufTeur. And within five minutes he was there. Ills secretary met him In the hall. "The lady Is waiting In your office," he explained apologetically. "I gave her your message, but she said she must see you and would write you a line herself. I sent It." "Quite correct," commented the am bassador. "What name did she give?" "None," was the reply. "She said none was necessary." The ambassador laid aside hat and coat and entered his office with a slightly puzzled expression on his face. Standing before a window, gaz ing Idly out Into the light-spangled night, was a young woman, rather tall and severely gowned In some rich, glistening stuff which fell away sheer ly from her splendid bare shoulders. She turned and he found hlmseir look ing Into a pair of clear, blue-gray eyes, frank enough and yet ln their very frankness possessing an alluring. In definable subtlety. He would not have called her pretty, yet her smile, slight as It was, wns singularly charm ing, and there radiated from her a something personality, perhaps which held his glance. lie bowed low, and closed the door. "I am at your service, Madam," he said in a tone of deep respoct. "Please pardon my delay In coming to you." it Is unfortunate that I didn't write the first note," she apologized gra ciously. "It would at least have saved a little time. You have the card?" He produred It silently, crest down, nnd handed It to her. Sho struck a match, lighted tho card, and It crum bled up In her gloved hand. The last tiny scrap found refuge In a silver tray, where she watched It burn to ashes, then she turned to the ambassa dor with a brilliant Bmlle. He was still standing. "The dinner Isn't over yet?" she Inquired. "No, Madam, not for nnother hour, perhaps." "Then there's no harm done," she went on lightly. "The dinner Isn't of any consequence, but I should like very much to attend the ball after ward. Con you arrange It for me?" "I don't know just how I would pro ceed, Madam," the ambassador object ed diffidently. "It would bo rather un usual, difficult, I may say. and" 'Hut surely you can arrange It some way? she Interrupted demurely. ' Pr ecocious Infant William Lyon Phelps tells this story about Robert Louis Stevenson, as Il lustrating the cosmopolitanism of Russian character, which Professor Phelps says Is accountable, In a measure, for the International effect and Influence of Russian novels. Stevenson, writing from Mentone to his mother. 7 January, 1874, said: We have two little Russian girls, with the youngest of whom, a little polyglot button of a three-yearold, 1 bad the most laughable scene at lunch today. . . . She said some thing In Itnllan which mado everybody laugh very much . . . after some examination, sho announced emphat ically to the whole table, ln German, that I was a madchen. . . . This "The highest diplomatic representa tive of a great nation should not find It difficult to arrange so simple a mat ter as as this?" She was smiling. "Pardon me for suggesting It, Mad am," the ambassador persisted courte ously, "but anything out of the usual attracts attention ln Washington. I dare say, from the manner of your ap pearance to-night, that you would tiot care to attract attention to yourself." She regarded him with an enigmat ic smile. "I'm afraid you don't know wom en, Count," sho said, slowly, at last. "There's nothing dearer to a woman's heart than to attract attention to her self." She laughed a throaty, silvery note that Whs charming. "And If you hesitate now, then to-morrow why, to-morrow I am going to ask that you open to mo all this Washington world 1 1lls brilliant world of diplomatic so ciety. You see what I ask now Is hlinple." The ambassador was respectfully silent and deeply thoughtful for a timo. There was, perhaps, something of resentment struggling within him and certainly there was nn uneasy feeling of rebellion at this attempt to thrust him forward against all prece dent. "Your requests are of so extraor dinary a nature that" he began ln courteous protestation. There was no trace of Impatience In the woman's manner; she was still smiling. "It Is necessary that I attend th bull tonight," she explained, "you may ninglne how necessary when I say I sailed from Liverpool six days ago, reaching New York at half-pnst three o'clock this afternoon; and at half- past four 1 wns on my way here. I have been hero less than one hour. 1 came from Liverpool especially that I might be present; nnd I even dressed on the trnln so there would be no delay. Now do you see tho nece sity of U?" Diplomatic procedure Is along well oiled grooves, and the diplomatist who steps out of the rut for an Instant hap pens upon strange and unexpected oh stacles. Knowing this, the 'ambassa aor sun ncKiiuiea. ine woman ap parently understood. 'I had hoped that this would not be necessary, she remarked, and she produced a small, sealed envelope. Please read It. ini amoassaaor receiveu the en velope with uplifted brows, opened It and read what was written on a fold ed sheet of paper. Some subtle work lng of his brain brought a sudden change In the expression of his face, There was wonder ln It, and amaze ment, and more than these. Again he bowed low. "I am at your service, Madam," he repeated. "I shall take pleasure ln maKing any arrangements that are necessary. Again, I beg your pardon. "And It will not be so very difficult, after all, will it? she Inquired, and she smiled tauntingly. "It will not be at all difficult, Mad am, the ambassador assured her gravely. "I shall take steps at once to have an Invitation Issued to you for tonight; and to-morrow I shall be pleased to proceed as you may Bug gest." She nodded. He folded the note, re placed It in the envelope and returned It to her with another deep bow. She drew her skirts about her and sat down; he stood. "It will be necessary for your name to appear on the invitation," the am bassador went on to explain. "If you givo me your name I'll have my sec retary " "Oh, yes, my name," she Interrupted gaily. "Why, Count, you embarrass me. You know, really, I have no name. Isn't It awkward?" 'I understand perfectly, Madam," responded the count. "I should have said a name." She meditated a moment. "Well, say Miss Thome Miss Isa bel Thome," she suggested at last, That will do very nicely, don't you think?" "Very nicely, Miss Thome," nnd the ambassador bowed again. "Please ex cuse me a moment, and I'll give my secretary instructions how to proceed. There will be a delay of a few min utes." Ho opened the door and went out. For a minute or more Miss Thome sat perfectly still, gazing at the blank wooden panels, then she rose and went to the window ngaln. In the dis tance, hazy In the soft night, the dome of the capltol rose mistily; over to the right was tho congressional, library, and out there where the lights spar kled lay Pennsylvania Avenue, a thread of commerce. Miss Thorne saw It all, nnd suddenly stretched out her arms , with an all-enveloping gesture. She stood so for. a minute, then they fell beside her, and she was motion less. Count dl Rosin! entered. "Everything is arranged, Miss Thome," he announced. "Will you go with me in my automobile, or do you prefer to go alone?" "I'll go alone, please," she answer ed after a moment. "I shall be there about eleven." The ambassador bowed himself out. And so Miss Isabel Thorne came to Washington! (TO BE CONTINUED.) hriBty conclusion as to my sex she was led afterward to revise ... but her opinion . . . was announced In a language quite unknown to me, nnd probably Russian. To complete the scroll , of her accomplishments . . . she said good-by to me ln very commendable English." Three days later, Stevenson added, "The little Russian kid Is only two and a half; she speaks six languages." And "Safe." The New York savants who have been trying to pick out the 25 most beautiful words in the language seem also to have overlooked the Inherent beauty of the word two-bagger. THINKS DETROIT WILL WIN THIS YEAR 1 if J; k J iffi -V f . -I rv Manager Jim McAleer of Washington. Manager Jim McAleer, of the Sena tors, Is sweet on Detroit this season, to perform like the Cubs come back and win their fourth flag. He figured It thusly In a recent con versation: "When Detroit won the three pennants she did It with a bum Infield, one pitcher and a decrepit first baseman. One year the pitcher was Mullln, another Donovan, while Ross man and Tom Jones, never first-class first basemen, were on that bag. TYRUS COBB IN VAUDEVILLE Famous Tiger Player Has Received Many Tempting Offers to Go on Stage Next Winter. It Is not at all improbable that Ty Cobb may go on the stage next winter n a vaudevillo act of some sort. Sev eral managers have been after him ;o go on the boards and some of the jffers made him have been attractive Ty Cobb. from a salary standpoint. Up to date, Ty's engagements have been such that he has passed up the Thespian propo sition, but next fall he will be ready to consider an offer. Ty hasn't decided yet what sort of an act he will attempt. A monologue, baseball sketch, moving picture lec ture and a number of other plans have Connie Mack's men seem to get the hits all at one time. Gregg, a coast recruit, has done the best pitching of any of the Nap boxmen. Woltcr, Daniels and Cree are play ing great ball in the outfield for the Highlanders. . It seems that Vln Campbell would ave slgnfd with another major league club had he obtained bis release from Pittsburg. Pfeffer and Boebe, two former Unl- ferslty of Illinois pitchers, were pitted mil 'WW r Diamonlu "Look at It this year. Jim Dela hanty Is a good, splendid second base man. Hush Is a good shortstop as lives. Morlarlty Is as keen, clever nnd able a third baseman as the American league has and the new man on first hasn't got to be a wonder to be bet ter than Rossmnn or Jones. The pitchers all look good and the team Is hitting hard. I'nder those favor able conditions why shouldn't Detroit repeat?" been considered, but bo far the Geor gian hasn't been able to make up his mind Just what he wants to do. There Is no doubt that with any sort of nn attractive act Cobb would be a great card In vaudeville, for hundreds of persons who would be willing to pay money just to see him before te foot lights. Cobb says that he has plenty of con fidence, and that he believes he could get away with anything he attempted ln the line of a vaudeville skit. He has been called upon for speeches In theaters on several occasions and has been there with the flow of talk every time out. Having seen Mnthewson and some of the other baseball actors. Ty doesn't think that there is much for him to beat In making good. George Morlarlty may be asked to ar range a sketch for the champion swat ter, and fl Is possible that one or more ball players would be carried to assist Tyrus entertain the public. SEATTLE PLANS BIG STADIUM Students of Unlvenlty of Washington Want One Like That Now in Use at Harvard. It Is plnned to provide the Univer sity of Washington at Seattle with a giant stadium similar to the one In use at Harvard. The plan was origi nally suggested by the board of con trol of the students' association. In order to obtain funds to help construct the athletic arena It Is sug gested that the students' registration fee be increased from $5 to 0 yearly and that the extra money derived from the 2,500 students bo placed asmo ror investmept. At four per cent, the sum would yield $13,000 In five yenrs. This, with gifts, tfould make It possible for the athletic au thorities to start work on the project. The Bubject will be presented to the general student body for final adop tion at the next meeting of the com mittee on student affairs. Mack Touts Detroit. Connie Mack says that Dotroit is 30 per cent, stronger this year than Inst, and Is going to bo a hard team to beat. "If It was some weak team that had Jumped to the front as Detroit has, playing away ahead of its true form, I would not be a bit afraid. Hut De troit presents a different proposition. I do not believe the Tigers have been playing ahead of their game. The oth er clubs will have to get better and not rely on a slump by the Tigers, If the latter are to be overhauled. against each other at Philadelphia the other day. "Doc" Casey, tooth snatchor and former Tiger, Is playing third base and managing the Fort Wayne Central league team. With twenty-two runs and twenty five hits against Newark the Toronto team has probably set a year's record early In the season. Catcher Stange, of the Tigers, broke Ty Cobb's bat during a practice ses sion and poor Tyrus has had to use a trango club to hit with. Tyler, Fred Tenney's new pitcher, looks good to the Boston fans. A lit tle more experience Bhould make tho youngster a regular winner. Scranton, Pa., will spend $12,000 for a new part outside the city limits, so thnt it may play Sunday ball without offending the morals of the pastors. Milan, the Washington outfielder, Is having his picture printed quite as often as Walter Johnson Is having his. Milan is making a great rocord this year. Outfielder NooJIn is the latest play re to be secured by Chattanooga from Cincinnati. COST OF BASEBALL PLAYERS Experts Figure Nearly 400 Playeri Will Receive $800,000 McGraw In $12,000 Class. Baseball sharps figure that be fore the pennant races end the mag nates will have paid out more than $S00,000 for services. It Is conceded that the players In the National and the American leagues this year will receive more money for their Inbort than ever before In the history of the game. There Is no salary limit and the stipends range all the way from $1,500 to nearly ten times that amount. In the New York Nationals John Mc Graw, manager, who Is not a player, will receive about $12,000 for his work this year. Christy Mnthewson Is be lieved to be the highest paid ball play er In the profession. Ie signed a five year contract last winter at an annual salary of $10,0no, It U 8ald. The two dozen other playerB on the New York team will average about $2, 750 each, swelling the total salary list to more than $n.1,000, n record In professional baseball Tho New York Americans also will receive liberal falarles. Manager Chaso will draw about $7,000 for hi' services as manager, captain and first baseman, with a chance to receive a substantial bonus if the hill men win the championship. Itutsell Ford, the team's star pitcher, will get close to $5,000 and tho fmnn's pay roll will foot up in the neighborhood of 000. Among the other big league teams (he pitchers will, as usual, be the star performers on the salary list. Accord ing to current reports, tho wanes of some of the more Important men will run nbout as follows: Coombs and Bender, Philadelphia, $5,000 each; Walsh, Chicago, $i.0n0; Mullen. Detroit, $5,000; Adams, Pitts burg, $5,000; Brown, Chicago. $5,000; Collins, Philadelphia, $7,000; I.ajole, Cleveland, $7,000; Wagner, Pittsburg, $6,000; Cobb, Detroit. $8,000. Virtually nil tho big leaguo clubs V : y'it.w(-.'.U .. Manager McGraw. except Boston will exceed the $50,000 mark ln their salary lists. Aside from the players' salaries, the expenses of each club will Include about $8,000 for railroad fares, $G,000 for hotel accommodations. $11,000 for clerical work, $10,000 for rent and $!", 000 for uniforms, equipment and inci dentals, or about $35,000. Tigers Release Beckendorf. Catcher Beckendorf has been re leased by Detroit to tho Buffalo East ern league club. The deal Includes nn option by Detroit nt tho end of the season. Former Highlanders Scatter. One of tao oflicia:: of the New York American bnseball team has discov ered that there Is a former New York American on every team In tho league this year. Chicago has Pat Dougherty; Detroit, Morlarty; St Louis, Powell, Lnke, Hoffman, Austin and Laporte; Washington, Alherfeld. Hughes nnd Conroy; Philadelphia, Thomas; Boston, Engle and Klelnow, and Clevclnnd, Manager McGufre. McConnell Unlucky. Amby McConnell is one of the un lticklest players ln organized baseball. He Is liable to Injury more than most ball players because he takes such daring chances and he has been In jured often. When Amby took off his shoe the other day after being spiked his foot was covered with blood, but he gamely walked to the car without assistance after Trainer Buckner had cauterized the wound. Pitcher Samuel Leever has boon released unconditionally by the Pitts burg league management. He wns the oldest pitcher in point of con tinuous service with the club. I v, Ami USE OF ALCOHOL HEREDITARY Pathetic Story of Brilliant Lawyer Who Disowned Son When Charged With Murder. A young man from a good faraUr committed an atrocious murder and nag put on trial for his life. HI, jrandfather had been an exceeelK drinker. His father and mother both drank moderately at meals. Ills 11 to nd history indicated great brain, feebleness and decrees of Innanit for at least two years before the mur ier. Public Benllment was very itrong against blm at the trial. Tb district attorney had employed an ablo lawyer to aBslst him and he pub licly niinouneed that the cause of Jii- Ice domnnded the prisoner's death. Two distinguished physic-tans were re tained to swear to the sanity of th prisoner. I was called as an expert In his defense, nays a writer in aa exchange. As tho trial went on tt was evident that the efforts of th state would be directed to break the force of my testimony as to the in sanity of tho prisoner. I answered the hypothetical question and ex plained It at fome length for the de fense, nnd then wns rrovB-txnmlnl I by the stnte's attorney, who was "vi jdently determined to destroy the Im pression which I hnd produced on the lury. Tho attorney was a man of keen Irt telleet nnd a thorough ninsler of the art of examining witnesses. Aft trying various methods to create con fusion ln my statements, he settled1 down to a scientific examination. In sisting on exact answers without qual ifications. As the examination pro gressed It was evident to both of n that we were surprising each other la questions and answers. There wan in his questioning unmistakable Indica tions of n very clear knowledge of the alcoholic mind and method of reason ing such as can never be described In books. Although two ablo physicians were seated at his side suggesting ques tions, It was evident that his knowl edge of such enses was far superior to theirs, and the turns nnd forms of questions were revelations of famll larlty with the subject that was a aur prlse to mo. At the close of the day's trial t concluded that a personal acquaint ance with the attorney might give me an Insight Into his mentality that would be to my advantage In the next day's examination, which after a. night of consultation and preparation would undoubtedly be still more se vere, t'pon being Introduced by th judge, I, In an undertone, remarked to the attorney that I had never be fore been examined by any one who had siirh acute knowledge of th drink era and Its victims, and that I knew that this knowledge did not come from books. After a moment'a hesitation he answered me with a ' quivering Hp, "Yes, I know of thle matter personally ln my family ami It has been a skeleton to me." He asked me to come to his room at the hotel that evening for a per sonal talk. The Interview lasted until mhlnlght. He then told me of hla oniy son who was expelled from col lege for drinking, and of how he had driven him away from his horn against the advice of his wife, and that his son wns now serving a life sentence for murder In a western prison. He spoke of his bitter feel ings against the attitude his wife had taken, for Bhe had Insisted that th boy was diseased. This he himself could not believe and he reviewed th heart burnings and sorrows which, followed tho death of his wife, and her steadfast faith In the mental sickness of the boy, nnd her disap proval of his own harshness; and how at her death he realized that she waa right, but bis pride nnd position made him fear to think of this subject se riously. Ho spoke of his own drink lug days, and of his abstineneo at his wife's request after the birth of his son. Even on this trial he did not dare to permit hts feelings to assum the possibility of mental disease. I told hm frankly that he mado a nils take, that his wlfo was right, that tits boy wns a victim, the direct trans mission of his own drinking habits. Wo shook hands nnd parted with a cordiality which was not apparent In the next day's examination, and yet beneath the bluff and Btern exterior I could see tho real man struggling to put tho question so that my answers would he the least favorable to bis in terest. The case was won. My testi mony prevailed and the victim was placed In an Insane asylum, where ha died two years later. No one knew that our midnight Interview saved this prisoner from judicial murder. A few yenrs afterward this lawyer employed me ns an expert In the de fense of a Blmllar case. At the cloee of the trial I went to his son, a poor. harmless, half Idiotic man. No ques tions were asked, but I knew that h had only recently been released and brought home to die. The father's tenderness townrd him showed this. The crime had been committed In an other state and no one knew tho facts of tho case. A year later this lawyer was found dead ln 1.1s bed, and the boy was placed In a private asylum, where he is now living. Fortunntely, his mind Is gone nnd he Is unable to recall the past. This Incident Illustrates some of the startling facts not recognized, which can be traced through families of alcoholic heredity, followed by great misery and sorrow and often jiiillcl.il murders. Pcr alcoholized. Insane men, whoso parents and rela tives nre responsible, are constantly gnlng to the gallows, and the harsh delusions of the law of sanity and reason nre contradicted by cverf pos sible fact and condition. Drunkenness In Germany. Germany Is called the model bee drinking nation and Is held up to show thnt lighter drinks are cond clve to temperance. Yet statistics show that In Germany 16,000 persons annually receive treatment for de Hrlum tremens.
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