f HE FULTOfl COUNTY NEWS, McCONNELLSBURO, Y
Tmi h vv
MlIU Willi L
GEORGE DAKR NcCUTOM
ILLUSTRATIONS WALTERS
COPYMCffT. !).
CHAPTER XXVII Continued.
12
Ho obeyed. "See! There is no one
near." He held open the door to the
hall. "You must speak quickly. I am
to leave this house in aa hour. 1 was
given tha hour."
"Ah, I can see by your fare that you
hato him! It la well. That la some
thing. It Is but little, I know, after
all I bavo wished for but It Is some
thing for me to treasure something
for me to tako back with me to the
one sacred little spot In this beastly
world of men and women."
"You are the most Incomprehen
sible "
"Am I not beautiful, Frederic? Tell
me!" She came quite close to him.
"You are the most beautiful woman
In all the world," he said abjectly.
"And I have wasted all my beauty
I have lent It to unlovellnesa and It
has not been destroyed! It Is still with
me, Is It not? I have not lost It In"
"You are beautiful beyond words
beyond anything I have ever Im
agined," said he, suddenly passing bis
hand over his brow.
"You would have loved me If It had
not been for Lydla?"
"I couldn't have helped myself. I
I fear I faltered In my Good God,
are you still trying to tempt me? re
you still asking me to go away with
you?"
A hoarse cry came from the door
way behind them a cry of pain and
anger that struck terror to their souls.
They had not heard his approach.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Shot That Failed.
Transfixed, they watched him take
two or three steps Into the room. At
bis back was the swarthy Hindu, his
eyes gleaming like coals of fire In the
shadowy light.
"James!" fell tremulously from the
lips of Yvonne. She swayed toward
bim as Ranjab grasped his arm from
behind. Frederick saw the flash of
something bright as It passed from the
brown band to the white one. He did
not at once comprehend.
"It happened once," came hoarsely
from the throat of James Brood. "It
shall not happen again. Thank you,
Ranab."
Then Frederic knew! The Hindu
bad slipped a revolver Into his mas
ter's hand!
"It gives me great pleasure, Yvonne,
to relieve you of that damned, rotten,
worthless thing you call your life."
As he raised his arm, Frederic
sprang forward w ith a shout of horror.
Scarcely realizing what he did, be
burled Yvonne violently to one side.
It was all over In the twinkling of
an eye. There was a flush, the crash
of an explosion, a puff of smoke and
the smell of burnt powder.
Frederic stood perfectly still for an
lnstact, facing the soft cloud that rose
from the pistol barrel, an expression
of vague amazement in hi.- face. Then
hia hand went uncertainly to bis
breast
Already James P.rood had seen the
red blotch that spread with Incredible
swiftness blood red against the
snowy white of the broad shirt bosom.
Glaring with wide-open eyes at tho
horrid spot, he stood there with the
pistol still levelled In a petrified hand
"Good God, father, you've why,
you've " struggled from Frederic's
writhing Hps, and then his knees
sagged; an Instant later they gave way
with a rush and he dropped heavily to
the floor.
There was not a sound In the room.
Suddenly Urood made a movement
quick and spasmodic. At the same In
stant Ranjab flung himself forward
and grasped bis master's arm. He
had turned the revolver upon himself!
The muzzle was almost at his temple
when the Hindu seized his hand In a
grip of Iron.
"Sahib! Sahib!" he hissed. "What
would you do?" Wrenching the weapon
from the stiff, unresisting fingers, he
hurled It across the room.
"My God!" groaned Brood. His tall
body swerved forward, but bis legs re
fused to carry him. The Hindu caught
him as he was sinking limply to his
knees. With a tremendous effort of
the will, Brood succeeded In conquer
ing the black unconsciousness that
was- assailing him. He straightened
up to his full height, and with trem
bling fingers pointed to the prostrate
figure on the floor. "The pistol, Ran
jab! Where is It? Give it me! Man,
man, can I live after that? I have
killed my son my own Bon! Quick,
m$n!"
"Sahib!" cried the Hindu, wringing
Mb hands. "I cannot! I cannot!"
"I command you! The pistol!"
Without a word the Hindu, fatalist,
slave, pagan that he was, turned to do
his master's bidding. It was not for
him to say nay. It was not for him to
oppose the will of the master, but to
obey.
All this time, Yvonne was crouching
against the tablo, her horrified gaze
upon the great red blotch that grew to
terrible proportions as she watched.
She bad not moved, she had not
breathed, she had not taken her bands
from her ears where she bad placed
them at the sound of the explosion.
EXPERT ADVISER ON DRESS
Woman Has Achieved Success In Oc
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a Novelty.
I heard lately of a plan adopted by
one young woman that has worked out
well with her, and might be of use to
someone else, says a writer In tbe
Pittsburgh Dispatch. Sbe lives at
,nome, but must help tbe family excheq
uer, and this Is how she does It:
Her one talent lay In her good taste
m r
"Mood! It Is blood!" she moaned,
and for tbo first time since tbe shot
was fired her husband glanced at tbe
one for whom the bullet was intended.
An expression of Incredulity loaped
into his faco, as if he could not believe
his senses. She was alive and unhurt!
His bullet bad not touched her. His
brain fumbled for the explanation of
this miracle.
"Wood!" she walled again, a long,
shuddering word that came not from
her Hps but from the very depths of
her terror-stricken soul.
Slowly Ltrood's mind worked out of
the maze. His shot had gone straight,
but Frederic himself had leaped into
its path to save this miserable crea
ture who would have damned his
soul if life had been spared to hlra.
Ranjab crawled to his side, his eyes
covered with one arm, the other ex
tended. Hllndly the master felt for tbe
pistol, not once removing his eyes
from the pallid flguro against the table,
ills fingers closed upon the weapon.
Then the Hindu looked up, warned by
the strange voice that spoke to him
from the mind of his master. Ho saw
the arm slowly extend Itself with a
sinister hand directed straight at the
unconscious figure of the woman. This
time Hrood vas making sure of bis
aim so sure that the lithe Hindu
had time to spring to his feet and
grasp once more the hand that held
tha weapon.
"Master! Master!" he cried out.
Hrood turned to look at his man in
sheer bewilderment. What could all
this mean? What was the matter with
the man?
"Down, Ranjab!" he commanded in
a low, cautious tone, as he would have
used In speaking to a dog when the
game was run to earth.
"There is but one bullet left, sahib."
cried the man.
"Only one Is required," said the mas
ter hazily.
"You have killed your son. This bul
let Is for yourself."
"Yes! Yes! but but she! She
lives! . She"
The Hindu struck his own breast
significantly. "Thy faithful servant re
mains, sahib. Die, if thou wilt, but
leave her to Ranjab. There Is but one
bullet left. It Is for you. You must
not be here to witness the death Ran
jab, thy servant, shall inflict upon her.
Shoot thyself now, if so be It, but
spare thyself the sight of" He did
not finish the sentence, but his Btrong,
bony fingers went through the motion
that told a more horrible story than
words could have expressed. There
was no mistaking his meaning. He
had elected himself her executioner.
A ghastly look of comprehension
flitted across Brood's face. For a sec
ond bis mind slipped from one dread
to another more appalling. He knew
"Sahib! Sahib!" He Hissed.
this man of his. He remembered the
story of another killing in the hills of
India. His gaze went from the brown
fanatic's face to tbo white, tender,
lovely throat of the woman and a
hoarse gasp broke from his lips.
.".No! No! Not that!" he cried, and
as the words rang out, Yvonne re
moved her horrified gaze from the blot
of red and fixed It upon the faco of her
husband. She straightened up slowly
and her arms fell limply to her sides.
"It was meant for me. Shoot,
James!" she said, almost In a whis
per. The Hindu's grasp tightened at the
convulsive movement of his master's
hand His fingers were like steel
bands.
"Shoot!" she repeated, raising her
voice. "Save yourself, for if he is
dead I shall kill you with my own
hands.- This Is your chance shoot!"
Brood's fingers relaxed their grip
on the revolver. A fierce, wild hope
took all the strength out of his body
he grew faint with It.
In dress. Slje had an instinctive feel
ing for what was becoming, not only
for herself but her friends, and was
often called Jn to consult over a pro
spective new gown. So that Is what
Bhe determined to do professionally.
She let her friends know that for a
certain sum she would give advice on
costumes, helping to arrange a whole
wardrobe, and from friends sbe soon
branched out to regular clients.
She goes to the house of her em
ployer and looks over everything the
lady baa. She gives definite tnstruc-
"God. ho he can't be dead! I have
not killed him. Ho shall not die he
shall not Flinging the Hindu aside
ho threw himself down beside the body
on the floor. The revolver as It
dropped, was caught In the nimble
hand of the Hindu, who took two long
swift strides toward the woman who
now faced him Instead of her husband.
There was a groat light In his eyes aa.
be stood over her and she saw death
staring out upon her.
But she did not quail. She was past
all that. She lopked straight into his
eyes for an Instant and then, as If
putting him out of ber thoughts entire
ly, turned slowly toward tbe two men
on the floor. The man half raised the
pistol, but something stayed bis hand
something stronger than any mere
physical opposition could have done.
He glared at the half-averted face,
confounded by tbe most extraordinary
Impression that ever bad entered his
Incomprehensible brain. Something
strange and wonderful was transpir
ing before his very eyes something
so marvellous that even ho, mysteri
ous seer of the Ganges, was stunned
Into complete amazement and unbelief.
That strange, uncanny Intelligence of
his, born of a thousand mysteries, was
being tried beyond all previous exac
tions. It was as if he now saw this
woman for the first time as if he had
never looked upon her face before. A
mist appeared to envelop her and
through this. veil ho saw a face that
was new to him the face of Yvonne
and yet not hers at all. Absolute won
der crept into his eyea.
As If impelled by the power of his
gaze, she faced hlra once more. For
what seemed hours to him, but In
reality only seconds, his searching
eyes looked deep Into hers. He saw
at last the soul of this woman and It
was not the soul he had known as hers
up to that tremendous moment And
he camo to know that she was no
longer afraid of him or his powers.
His hand was lowered, his eyes fell
and his lips moved but there were no
words, for he addressed a spirit. All
tho venom, all the hatred fled from his
soul. His knee bent in sudden submis
sion, and his eyes were raised to hers
once more, but now In their somber
depths was the fidelity of tbe dog!
"Go at once," she said, and her voice
was as clear as a bell.
He shot a swift glance at the pros
trate Frederic and straightened his
tall figure as would a soldier under
orders. His understanding gaze
sought hers again. There was another
command In ber eyes. He placed the
weapon on the table. It had been a dis
tinct command to him.
"One of us will use It," she said
monotonously. "Go!" ' ' '
With Incredible swiftness he was
gone. The curtains barely moved as
he passed between them and the heavy
door made no sound in opening and
closing. There was no one In the ball.
The sound of the shot bad not gone
beyond tho thick walls of that pro
scribed room on the top floor. Some
where at the rear of the house an In
distinct voice was uttering a Jumbled
stream of French.
Many minutes passed. There was
not a movement in the room. Brood,
beside the outstretched figure of his
unintended victim, was staring at the
graying face with wide, unblinking
eyes. He looked at last upon the fea
tures that he had searched for In
vain through irfl the sullen years.
There was blood on his hands and on
hia cheek, for be had listened at first for
the beat of the heart Afterward his
agonized gaze had gone to the blood
less fnce. There It was arrested. A
dumb wonder possessed bis soul. He
knelt there petrified by the shock of
discovery. In, the dim light he no
longer saw the features of Matilde, but
his own, and his heart was still. In
that revealing moment he realized that
he had never seen anything in Fred
eric's countennnce save the dark,
never-to-be-forgotten eyes and they
were his Matllde's. Now those eyes
were closed. He could not see them,
and the blindness was struck from his
own. Ho had always looked Into the
boy's eyes he had never been able to
seek farther than those haunting, In
quiring eyes but now he saw the
lean, strong Jaw, and the firm chin,
the straight nose and the broad fore
headand none of these were Ma
tllde's! These were tho features of a
man and of but one man. He was see
ing himself as he was when he looked
Into bis mirror at twenty-one!
All these years be had been blind,
all these years he had gone on curs
ing Ms own Image. In that overpower
ing thought came the realization that
It was too late for him to atone. Hia
mind slowly struggled out of thrall
that held It stupefied. He was looking
at his own face dead! He would look
like that! Matlldo was gone forever
the eyes were closed but he was
there, going grayer and grayer of face
all the time.
He had forgotten the woman. She
was standing Just beyond the body
that stretched Itself between them.
Her hands were clasped against her
breast and her eyes were lifted heaven
ward. She had not moved throughout
that age of oblivion.
He saw her and suddenly became
rigid. Slowly he sank hack, his eyes
distended, his Jaw dropping. He put
out a hand and saved himself from
falling, but his eyes never left the
face of the woman who prayed whose
whole being was the material repre
sentation of prayer. But It was not
Yvonne, his wife, that he saw standing
there. It was another Matilde!
"My God, Matilde Matilde! For
give! Forgive!"
Slowly her eyes were lowered until
they fell full upon bis stricken face.
"Am I going mad?" be whispered
hoarsely. As be stared, the delicate
wan fare of Matilde began to fade and
he again saw the brilliant, undlmmed
features of Yvonne. "God In heaven,
tlona as to what each dress or suit or
waist requires to bring It up to par.
Sbe advises as to the most becoming
styles and colors, and lists what new
garments are necessary. Of course sbe
regulates the expenditure according to
tbe purses of ber various clients.
She has made a success. Many wom
en do not know what to wear, what
suits tbem best, what to put together
Sbe tells them. She also saves them
a good deal by her cleverness In adapt
ing what looks hopeless. Sbe can also
tell wbere you should go for mate-
It was Matilde! What accursed trick
of"
He sprang to his feet and advanced
upon her, actually stepping across the
body of his son in his reckless haste.
For many seconds they stood with
their faces close together, he staring
wildly, she with a dull look of agony
In her eyes, but unflinching. What he
saw caused an icy chill to sweep
through his tense body, and a sickness
to enter his soul. He shrank back.
"Who who are you?" he cried out
in sudden terror. He felt tbe presence
of Matilde. He could have stretched
out his band and touched her, so real,
so vivid was the belief that she was
actually there before him. "Matilde
was here I saw her, before God, I saw
her. And and now it Is you! Bhe Is
still here. I can feel her band touch
ing mine I can feel no, again. 1
I-"
The cold, lifeless voice of Yvonne
was speaking to him, huskier than ever
before.
"Matilde has been here. Sbe has
always been with bim. Sbe Is always
near you, James Brood."
"What are you saying?" he
gasped.
She turned wearily away and pointed
to the weapon on the tablo.
"Who is to use It, you or I?"
He opened his mouth but uttered no
sound. His power of speech was gone.
She went on In a deadly monotone.
"You Intended the bullet for me. It Is
not too late. Kill me, it you will. I
give you tbe first chance take It, for
If you do not I shall take mine."
"I I cannot kill you I cannot kill
the woman who stood where you are
standing a moment ago. Matilde was
there! Sbe was alive, do you bear
"Matilde Had Been There."
me! Alive and ah!" The exclama
tion fell from his Hps as she suddenly
leaned forward, ber intense gaze fixed
on Frederic's face.
"See! Ah, see! I prayed and I have
been answered. See! Clod In heaven,
see!"
He turned. Frederic's eyes were
open. He was looking up at them, with
a piteous appeal In their depths an
appeal for help, for life, for conscious
ness. "He Is not dead! Frederic, Frederic,
my son " He dropped to his knees
and frantically clutched at the hand
that lay stretched out beside the limp
figure. The pain-stricken eyes closed
slowly.
Someone knelt beside Brood. He
saw a slim white hand go out and
touch the pallid brow.
"I shall save your soul, James
Brood," a voice was saying, but It
seemed far away. "He shall not die.
Your poor wretched soul may rest se
cure. I shall keep death away from
him. You shall not have to pay for
this no, not for this. The bullet was
meant for me. I owe my life to him,
you shall owe his to me. But you
have yet to pay a greater debt than
this can ever become. He Is your son.
You owe another for his lift and you
will never be out of ber debt, not
even In hell, James Brood."
Slowly Frederic's eyes opened
again. They wavered from one face
to the other and there was In them the
unsolvable mystery of divination. As
the lids dropped once more, Brood's
manner underwent a tremendous
change. The stupefaction of horror
and doubt fell away In a flash and be
was again the clear-beaded, Indomit
able man of action. Tbe blood rushed
back Into his velna, bis eyea flashed
with the returning fire of hope, bis
voice was steady, sharp, commanding.
"The doctor!" be cried In Yvonne's
ear, as his strong fingers went out to
tear open the red shirt bosom. "Be
quick! Send for Hodder. By heaven,
we must save bim." She did not move.
He whirled upon her fiercely. "Do as I
tell you. Are you so damned "
"Doctor Hodder Is on the way now,"
she said dully. His bands ceased their
operations as Jf checked by a sudden
paralysis.
"On the way here?" he cried In
credulously. "Why" '
"He Is coming," she said fiercely. "I
sent for him ages ago- Don't stop
now be quick! You know what to do.
Stanch the flow of blood. Do some
thing, man! You have seen men with
mortal wounds and this man must be
saved."
He worked swiftly, deftly, for he did
know what to do. He had worked over
men before with wounds in their
breasts and he bad seen them through
the shadow of death. But he could
not help .thinking, as he now worked,
that be was never known to miss a
shilling at thirty paces.
She was speaking. Her voice was
rials; sbe has addresses of tailors,
dressmakers and sewing women, and
knows they can do what they promise.
She Is thoroughly up In her chosen
Job, In fact She also makes a point
of attending carefully to tbe details
of a costume, making sure that each
item will harmonize. Tbe work Is ex
tremely interesting, and It pays both
her and ber clients.
Get Your 8hare of Air.
Breatbe all the air you can get,
night and day. That's what fresh air
low and husky once more, with a per
slstent note of accusation in it. "It
was an accident, do you understand?
You did not shoot to kill him. The
world shall never know the truth un
less he dies, and that Is not. to happen.
You are safe. The law cannot touch
you, for I shall never speak. This Is
between you and me. Do you under
stand?" He glanced at her set, rigid face.
"Yes. It was an accident And this Is
between you and me. We shall settle
It later on. Now I see you as you are
as Yvonne. God, I wonder " His
hand shook with a sudden spasm of
Indecision. He had again caught that
baffling look In her dark eyes.
"Attend!" she cried, and be bent
to the task again. He is not going to
die. It would be too v uel if he were
to die now and miss all the Joy of vic
tory over you his life-long foo. He"
The door opened behind them and
they looked up to see the breathless
Hindu. He came straight to the
woman.
"He comes. Ranjab has obey.' I
have told him that the revolver was dis
charge accidentally by myself, by the
unhappy son of a dog, I. It Is well.
Ranjab Is but a dog. He shall die to
day and his Hps be sealed forever.
Have no fear. Tbe dead shall be si
lent" His voice trailed off Into a
whisper, for his eyes were looking Into
hers. "No," be whispered, after a mo
ment "no, the dead are not silent.
One who Is dead has spolen to Ran
jab." "Hush!" said the woman. Brood's
hands were shaking again, shaking
and uncertain. "The doctor? He
comes?"
"Even now," said the Hindu, turn
ing toward the door.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Voice of the Wind.
Hours afterward Brood sat alone In
the room where the tragedy occurred.
Much hnd transpired In the interim to
make those hours seem like separate
and distinct years to him, each hour
an epoch In which a vital and memor
able Incident had been added to his
already overfull measure of experi
ence. Underneath all was an ever
present sense of Insecurity, as If the
whole order of life had been suddenly
deprived of foundation or support. No
matter where he looked, there was not
the sllghest ray of light In the dark
ness that enveloped bis understand
ing. Something tremendous had hap
pened, aside from the visible, phys
ical Incident that had stunned him
temporarily at the outset of the tragic
era, something that was beyond com
prehension and intangible and which
continually loomed up before bim as a
Bpecter that had neither shape nor
substance and yet was as completely
positive as anything else that bad
transpired. He could account for the
shooting, the emotions preceding that
unhappy occu-rence, the Intervention
of fate that saved Yvonne from death
and laid low the substitute, the sense
of horror that ensued, tbe sudden rev
elation that came to him as he looked
Into Frederic's face with its closed
eyea, and the agony of suspense that
now consumed bim, but a cloud still
bung over him that his intelligence
could not penetrate nor his physical
being dispel, no matter how hard he
struggled to clear a way to the open.
He hnd seen a vision. Its effect on
him had been overpowering. The for
titude of a lifetime bad been shattered
In a single Instant of contact with the
influence that had at last made Itself
felt in physical manifestation after all
these years of spiritual attendance. He
had never been completely free from
the vague notion that Matilde was
near him In spirit, that there was an
actual identity to the presence that
filled his dreams and dented him the
boon of foreetfulness for a single In
stant of the hours when he was awake.
He had never tried to banish her from
his memory. He wanted to forget her,
to put her out of bis thoughts alto
gether, for obvious reasons, but the
fact that she remained the dominant
figure in his present despite the past
was proof, even to him, that she was
and always would be the controlling
force In his mind if not In his heart
Now he was ordering himself to face
new complexities. Ho was confronted
by the most improbable of hallucina
tions. It was not an Intangible shadow
that he now had to contend with but
something definite, something that
took shape and mocked him. In his
bitter Indictment against circum
stances, he argued that his brain was
momentarily unbalanced following the
shock caused by the shooting, and that
in its disordered state he had pictured
things that did not exist It was only
reasonable to assume that he bad suf
fered from the effect of a startling,
vivid hallucination, and yet there was
a strange, insistent voice somewhere
In bis clearing mind that persuaded
htm against bis will that he bad actual
ly seen the face of Matilde.
Admitting that he had been deceived
by a trick of the imagination, there
still remained certain Indisputable
facta to confound, him. First of all,
the absolute conviction that Yvonne
had the power to preserve the life that
hung so precariously in the balance.
He could not overcome tbe amazing
belief that Bhe, and not the skilled
surgeon, would check the sure progress
of death. Something told him that she
represented a force even mightier
than death and that she would prevail,
no matter what betide.
He had refused to see the newspa
per men who came. Doctor Hodder
wlBely had protested against secrecy.
"Murder will out," he had said fret
fully, little realizing how closely the
trite old saying applied to the situa
tion. He bad accepted the statements
of Yvonne and Ranjab aa to the acci
dental discharge of the weapon, but
for some reason had refrained from
Is for. Tbe fearsome legend about the
baleful Influence of "night air" Is only
another of tbe carefully nursed Insani
tary bequests from our ancestors, ac
cording to Senior Surgeon Banks of
the United States public health serv
ice. Whence this superstition arose
may only be surmised. Perhaps it Is
a survival of the primeval cult of sun
worship, which led the ancients to
classify as evil anything outsldo the
sphere of solar Influence. Our forbears
were wout to caution tbelr offspring to
"be careful about tbe night air," or
asking Brood a single question, al
though he knew him to be a witness
to the shooting.
Yvonne saw ihe reporters and later
on an Inspector of police. Ranjab told
his unhappy story. He had taken the
weapon from a hook on the wall for
the purpose of cleaning it. It had been
hanging there for years, and all the
time there had been a single cartridge
left In tbe cylinder unknown to any
one. He had started to remove the
cylinder as he left the room. All these
yeara the hammer had been raised;
death had been hanging over them all
tbe time that the pistol occupied its in
secure position on the wall. Somehow,
he could not tell how the hammer fell
as he tugged at the cylinder. No one
could bave known that the revolver
was loaded. That was all that he'
could say, except to declare that If his
master's son died he would end his
own miserable, valueless life. .
His story was supported by tbe dec
larations of Mrs. Brood, who, while
completely exonerating ber husband's
servant, had but little to say In expla
nation of the affair. She kept her wits
abtout her. Most people would have
made the mistake of saying too much.
She professed to know nothing except
that they were discussing young Mr.
Brood's contemplated trip abroad and
that her husband had given orders to
his servant to pack a revolver In bis
son's traveling bag when the time
came for his departure. She had paid
but little attention to the Hindu's
movements. All she could say was
that It was an accident a horrible,
blighting accident. For the present, It
would not be possible for anyone to.
see tbe heart-broken father. Doubt
less, later on, he would be In the mood
to discuss the dreadful catastrophe,
but not now, etc., etc. He was crushed
with the horror of the thing that had
happened.
Tbe house was In a state of subdued
excitement. Servants spoke In whis
pers and tip-toed through tho halls.
Nurses and other doctors came. Two
old men, Bhaklng as with palsy, roamed
about the place, intent only on worm
ing their way into the presence of
their friend and supporter to offer con
solation and encouragement to him la
his hour of tribulation. They shud
dered as they looked Into each other's
faces, and they shook their heads
without speaking, for their minds were
filled with doubt They did not ques
tion the truth of tbe story us told, but
they had their own opinions. In sup
port to the theory that they did not
believe there was anything accidental
in the shooting of Frederic It Is only
necessary to speak of their, extraordi
nary attitude toward Ranjab. They
shook hands with him and told him
that Allah would reward him! Later
on, after tbey bad had time to think It
all out for themselves being some
what slow of comprehension they
sought out James Brood and offered to
accept all the blame for having loaded
the revolver without consulting bim,
their object having been to destroy a
cat that Infested the alley hard by.
They felt that it was absolutely neces
sary to account for the presence of
the unexploded cartridge.
Brood, coming between tbem, .laid
his hands on tbelr shoulders, shaking
his head as he spoke to them gently.
"Thank you, old pals. I understand
what It is you are trying to do. It's no
use. I fired (he shot. It isn't neces
sary to say anything more to you, I'm
sure, except that, as God Is my wit
ness, I did not Intend the bullet for
I jjj
Two Old Men, 8haking as With Palsy,
Roamed About tha Place.
Frederic. It was an accident In that
respect Thank you for what you would
do. It isn't necessary, old pals. The
Btory that Ranjab tells must stand for
the time being. Later on well, I may
write my own story and give it to the
world."
"Write it?" said Mr. Dawes, and
Brood nodded his head slowly, signifi
cantly. "Oh, Jim, you you mustn't do that!'
groaned Mr. Dawes, appalled. "You
ain't such a coward as to do that."
"There was one bullet left in the re
volver. Ranjab advised me to save It
for myself. He's a thoughtful fel
low," said Brood. "It has been re
moved, of course, but "
"Jim," Bald Mr. RiggS, squaring him
self, "It's too bad that you didn't hit
what you shot at."
"Jim," interrupted Mr. Rlgga, Ignor
ing bis comrade, '1 see she's going to
nurse Freddy. Well, sir, if I was you,
I'd"
(TO BB CONTINUED.)
children were ordered to "come In
out of the night air." It Is perhaps
fortunate for the children living In
the Arctic circle, where the nights are
six months long, that the Eskimo
mothers do not entertain this crude
notion about night air, else their prog
eny would sper d half the year Indoors.
Patience and Despair.
There Is no calamity so great that
It cannot be made a little lighter by
patience, or a great deal heavier by
despair. '
GOOD WORD FOR THE BIR
Beautiful, and Useful In Their
' structlon of Much Insect Lite
That Is Harmful.
The warm weather has brought
birds again. Their chirping and i:
lng make a morning symphony the 9
of which can be heard from no trait
orchestra. They dot the landscape
a beauty that no artistic skill ,
rival They are beautiful, useful
their destruction of harmful D,
pests and aid us mightily In appred
lng the Joy of living.
Now, then, is a good time for i
newed appeal for the lives and
'being of birds.
The best instincts of thehumatin
are devoted to the saving of all U,
of life, and sanction the taking of
only when such destruction sertti
purpose useful to mankind.
This cannot be urged In the ca
the birds. For tho most part they i
not food animals. Tbe higher lnti
gence and spiritualism of hunnj
should bring about a concerted a
ment for small bird protection.
It Really Happened.
"You must bring little Gertrude
and let me take her picture tn
time."
"You can't take her picture. Pi
Lewis."
"Why not?"
"She's too wormy."
. "What?"
"Yes, sir, Papa Lewis, she squin
all the time."
Difficult Task.
"The responsibilities or parent! i
very great," remarked the proud I
ther.
"Undoubtedly," rejoined the
bachelor. "It must be awfully fa
for thein to refrain from repeating
smart things their children ares
posed to say."
A Peanut Millionaire.
Gyer A man In our town whotui
his start as a peanut peddler, it!
capl'.al of 7 cents, left over a
whea he died.
Myer Dollars?
Gyer No; peanuts.
What Was He Kicking About!
He You only kiss me now iW
you want money.
She Good gracious, John, isn't i
often enough? London Mail.
Undoubtedly.
Little Iimuel What are coW
stenes, paw?"
Paw They are the kind that i
hard on shoe leather, son."
Accounting for It
"Many marriages are simply bii
ders."
"Perhaps It Is because there U n
a lot of miss-taking tu nmrriag'
An Oddity.
"The auto faco is a fixed one."
"Yes, strange to say, it 1b not I
bile."
Speaking of the capacity to mi
late punishment, a Pennsylvania:
baa taught school for more than -
years.
CIrls should beware of younf :
who pose aa candy kids; aa husM
they are apt to devtlop Into M
drops.
When It comes to a womnn'ifl
plexlon, art can be of consider
assistance to nature.
It Is safer to burn the bridge
front whun a powerful enemy is oil
other sldccf the creek.
The most stubborn fellow In 1 1
box Is generally the one who doe.-1
seem to have an opinion.
Age before beauty when the eel
man calls.
Many a patent leather shoe hlH
aching corn.
As a rule It Is better to chlorc 1
the sleeping dogs.
The majority of men are like df
-either too fast or too slow.
Did you ever get so lonesome
you wonted to howl like a dog"
And the tightwad who hai 1
money than friends 1b glad of It I
To Build
Strong
Childrer
Supply their growing boc!
with right food, so that 13r"J
and Muscle, and Bone deve
opment may evenly balancH
GrapeNuts
was originated to supply- A
proper proportion, the vf
elements required by
human body for growth "
repair.
' To supply children a d',
of Grape-Nuts and.j
for KrealtfaQt ixmlally. v ''i
start them on tha road" "i
sturdy health.
"There', a Reon"
for
Grape-Nuts
Sold by grocer. J