IMG TOM THURSBK, How He Showed That There Was Method In His Madness. By SARAH BRYCE VAUGHAN. ICopyrtght. lOTO. by American I'resa Asso ciation.] One night, or, rather, one morning, about fifty years ago n group of young men were standing before a sideboard In the city of Nashville, Tenn., drink ing mint Juleps. They were all In fancy costume, for (hey were attend ing a masquerade ball, and strains of music and laughter came in from the adjoining rooms. The season was the beginning of autumn, but in that south ern location warm weather llugered. Indeed, the "galleries" were Inclosed to gain room for the guests. "What shall we do for hunting this season?" remarked one of the young men at the sideboard. "The country Is all taken up, and every estate has a sign up forbidding shooting on the premises." "I..ast year," said another, "we were permitted to shoot on the Woodbridge estate.. There was no one there ex cept caretakers and servants, but now Miss Woodbridge has returned from the east to take possession of her in heritance, and I see that a notice against trespassing and shooting has been put up." Among these young men was one Tom Thursby, a graduate of the Uni versity of Virginia, who had come out to Tennessee to practice law. Some called him "Mad" Thursby, but wheth er that was because he was crack brained or Insisted in doing things as no one else would do them Is a ques tion. "1 think," said Thursby musingly, sipping his JuJop, "that 1 shall shoot on Miss Woodbridge's estate." "What!" exclaimed one of the group. •Trespass on the estate of a young lady?" "No; I shall gain her permission." "She has already refused it to oth ers; she can't consistently give it to "MAT I BKO A BOOK T :you. What Influence do you propose to bring to bear upon her?" "None." "Do you know her?" ■"No; I have never seen her." "Very well; I'll bet you SSO you don't shoot this fall on Miss Woodbridge's plantation." "I take the bet." The rays of the rising sun were streaming in through the windows, the music ceased, and the revelers began to take their departure. It was about S) o'clock that Virginia Woodbridge was out among her dew covered tlowers—none had yet been nipped by frost—when she heard a voice behind her. "May I beg a boon?" Turning, she saw a young man dressed in white satin. Ills coat, trim med with gold braid, was cut in the fashion that we call "clawhammer," with two long extensions iu rear reach ing almost to his ankles. From his vest escaped a profusion of ruffled lace. His breeches were tight to the skin and reached only to the knee; his stockings were silk: his shoes were or namented with enormous silver buc kles. In the hollow of his left arm ■was a gun; from his shoulder were sus pended a shot pouch, a powder flask and a game bag. As to head covering, there was none. The figure was bow ing low before her with his right hand on his heart. The first idea Miss Woodbridge bad of this singular apparition was that he was supernatural; the next, that she was confronted by a lunatic. "I have called," said the visitor, "to ask your kind permission to shoot a few birds ou your plantation." It occurred to the lady that to refuse the man v. ould be tantamount to an in vitation to shoot her. No man In his senses would go hunting in such cos tume, and, although this poor dement ed creature looked harmless enough, it was Impossible to say that a refusal would not rouse him. "Certainly," she hurried to say as soon as she could gain speech. "Hunt all over the plantation." The lunatic bowed again, thanked her for her kindness and strode away. As for Miss Woodbridge, as soon as his back was turned she darted into the house and locked the door behind her. Then when she was sufficiently recovered she sent for her overseer, told him how by her presence of mind sbe had saved herself from being shot by H lunatic and directed him to send to the insane asyluui, a short distance south of her estate, and ask them to send at once and capture the lunatic. By this time a perpetual "bang" was heard without. A darky rushed in and began to talk with eyes wide opened. "Missy Ginnie, dere's a ha'nt down In de medder klllln' all do bobwhlte. He dressed like a ghost, all In white, with stars and things on he breast Wha' ail gwine to do?" "For heaven's sake, don't try to stop him." said the mistress. "If you do he'll kill you?' "Oh, no. I'm not gwlne to stop him. As soon as I sor him 1 run like de debbil was after me. Ebery time he shoot, down conies a thousand quail." "Never mind the quail. I don't care how many he kills If he doesn't kill any one else before we can get rid of him." At this Juncture the housekeeper en tered the room and asked what was the matter. When informed of the facta she smiled and said: "I saw your lunatic go by my win dow. He's Tom Thursby, that Virginia scapegrace." "And sane?" asked Miss Woodbridge. "Perfectly." "Then why appear here in such cos tume and ask permission to hunt?" "I don't know. There was a mas querade ball In the city last night, and not an hour ago 1 saw some of the masqueraders rolling along In their carriages ou their way home, rerhaps Mr. Thursby was one of them and took a fancy to do some shooting." "But why in such costume?" "No one knows what Tom Thursby will do. He's singular. But I have heard he Is very bright. He'll prob ably break his neck some day riding across country. He's a terrible man on horseback." "That would be a pity," said Miss Woodbridge sympathetically—"he's so handsome." Whether the lady meant that it did not matter If homely men broke their necks is not of Importance to this story. The order to send to the asylum was countermanded, and Mr. Thursby was permitted to bang away till mid day. when he came to the house with a bagful of quail and asked to see the mistress. She met him, vainly en deavoring to suppress a smile. "I have only killed these birds," ho said, "for the pleasure of the hunt. I leave them for their rightful owner." "You are Mr. Thursby, I believe, from Virginia." "I am, and at your service." A low bow. "That you may not think we Tennes seeans less hospitable than the people of the Old Dominion I will ask you to remain for a dinner on the birds you have shot." "That will certainly bo an honor as well as a pleasure." Another bow. Miss Woodbridge entertained Mr. Thursby till the quails were cooked and the repast was announced. Then she took his arm, and they went into the dining room. Never a smile cross ed Mr. Thursby's face. His hostess said nothing about having mistaken him for a lunatic, and he made no reference to his fantastic dress. The servants on the plantation either had not heard the explanation as to the guest's habiliments, or, if they had. It made little Impression on them. The opinion among them gained ground that he was a ha'nt, though many of them declared that he was a lunatic. The braver of the colored children flattened their noses against the din ing room window panes to observe the specter. Aunt Eunice, who had been Virginia Woodbridge's "mammy," was very much disturbed. "Wha' fo' yo' niggers let yo' wlst'ess alone wld dat lunatlcker fo'?" she asked the men. "Yo" gwlne lot him ■hoot her?" At this white beaded Uncle Peter went off and returned with his gun and aald he was "gwlne to klver de ha'nt" Miss Woodbridge, while dis secting a quail, discovered blm stand ing in the doorway leveling a shotgun at her guest. "For heaven's aake, Uncle Peter, what are you going to do? Don't shoot!" "Don' yo' bodder. Missy Ginnie. I got de drop ou him." "Oh, that's nothing," said Thursby. "I've seen him for some time. It hasn't spoiled my appetite." And he helped himself to another quail. I'ncle Peter was finally persuaded to go away with his gun, and the meal proceeded. Then when it was finished Miss Woodbridge and her singular guest spent some time together In the drawing room, after which the guest departed. Miss Woodbridge was so well pleas ed with Mr. Thursby that she deeply regretted he was so freaky. But when the next day she received from him several dozen pairs of gloves, with a letter stating that her leniency with him had enabled him to win a bet that he would shoot with her permission on her plantation, she did not consider ; him so freaky after all. Indeed, she considered him very clever. After this Mr. Thursby continued hla mad pranks at horsemanship and oth er feats, devoted himself to Miss Woodbridge and practiced law. His associates were divided as to whether he were really crack brained or very clever till he won an important suit by an expedient similar to the one by which he had won permission to shoot »n the Woodbridge premises. From that time forward all agreed that if lie were tnad there was a lot of meth od in his madness. This lm esslon continued to grow till It was oncluded by the people of Mr. Thursby's section that they had better send him to represent them In Washington, and he was elected to roncress, He took Miss Woodbridge with him. De Halleylooyah Comet. O ainneh, jo's a-smllln' en a-wlnkln' on de paff. But lie Halleylooyah comet gwlne ter flick yo' wld its wraft! Hit's a-bollin' on de up grade lak a red hot train o' cxhi Dat's a-maktn' up de los' tlm» whilst hit whizzes thoo do stahs. So be good, Mlsteh Slnneh, Caze de fac's en flggehs say Dat de Halleylooyah comet Am a-rushln' on de way. To" aay dey wan't no Adam en dey neveh was no Eve, En yo' 'low dat talk 'bout Noer Is a thing yo' doan' believe, But dey ain't no dead-en-goneneaa In de Bto'y dat dey'll tell When de Halleylooyah comet coma en make de slnnehs yelL Bo look out, Mlsteh Stnneh. Betteh change yo" mtn' terday Wld de Halleylooyah comet Dea a-t'ahln' up de way. —Chicago Post. Willing. "Jane, at the table te wish to be served with alacrity." "All right, mum. Will you have it after the soup?"— London Answers. Kindness is the golden chain by which society Is hound together.-* •TV —*— ■ People of Note Snapshots at Celebrities Talked About & IT'S ail over! £ J Mighty unpleas ant things are being said about Master Cup!d, and life has lost Its charm for three dukes and a prince, ' ':*■ \ to say nothing of '* A scores of others '• *3'*- j w '• ° would not know what to do " with a title if they CAVALtEnt. h !U i onej for that much courted and beautiful prima donna, Lina Cavalier!, has made her choice of a husband. The lucky man Is Bob Wlnthrop Chanler of New York, a member of the rich Chanler family, known to art, finance and politics and the wilds of Africa for a generation. When Bob recently proposed to the famous singer she was about to sail for Farls, but told hiui she would think It over and cable her reply. How the days did drag along! At last it came, with the one word "Yes," and natural ly ho is the happiest man alive. On the day the decision arrived Mr. Chan ler rushed out of his apartments, show ered the servants with change and commanded: "Grin, and grin good and hard, all of you! 1 want to see everybody else grin today, and then I won't feel so foolish myself." When asked If he would live abroad after the wedding he said; "What—me, elected by a discerning New York constituency to be sheriff for three years, togo abroad! I'm not that kind of an American, son." Professor E. It. Ilaenell, who has been selected to lecture at Columbia university as the "Kaiser Wllhelm professor," comes from the University of Kiel, Prussia, and Is considered one of the foremost hlsto- mRKW rlans of Germany. He only a teacher, but a deep thinker and one of the men who have J made the study of r history a new sci- ' ence In Germany by considering events PROFESSOR DAE- In connection with all the Influences and factors actively shaping the course followed by men and peoples. The "Kaiser Wllhelm professorship" was founded about five years ago and corresponds with the "Roosevelt pro fessorship" at Berlin university. Ths first American ltoosevelt professor at Berlin was Professor Burgess of Co lumbia. The passing of former Police Inspec tor Thomas Byrnes of New York, who has been 111 so long, recalls the busy sareer of the man once such a terror to crooks and evil day 1809 when 110 entere d the po retired in 1895 Mr. i Byrnes' life was a stirring romance of murderers, thieves natural leader and tiiomas byrnes. worked his way up with wonderful rapidity. In 1880 "the czar of Mulberry street," as he was called, completely reorgan ized the detective bureau of New York and a few weeks later was made In speetor. Then he established his fa mous Wall street "dead Hue." which has been given a worldwide promi nence In the annals of the underworld He was then made superintendent of police and ruled as an unquestioned autocrat until his retirement. Once King Humbert of Italy offered Mr. Byrnes the title of chevalier and offi cer of the Order of the Crown of Italy, but the offer was declined. If your heart palpitates ride the bi cycle. If your heart, like the old kitchen clock, misses a cog occasion ally take a spin ou your wheel. If your heart appears to have growt. tired of doing business at the old stand wake it up with a century run. This sounds like u patent medicine ad. or an attempt to that Alvey A. SS. Adee, assistant sec- \%5 J retary of state, their physicians' Mr. Adee has Just A - A - AOEK. gone abroad for another long tonr on his wheel, which has been his custom for several years. Some time »ifo, finding himself in need of outdoor ex ercise, he took up bicycling, and he says of It: "I was troubled with my heart at ttuit time quite badly, but found thi»t cycling benefited me greatly. I fol lowed the exercise regularly, not (n a strenuous way, !<ut In a safe and sane way, and now the trouble has almost disappeared. I attribute this cur® to riding a wheel." Sounded Queer. "All right behind there?" called the conductor from the front of the car. "Hold on!" cried a shrill voice. "Wait till I get my clothes on!" The passengers craned their necks expectantly. A small boy was strug gling to get a basket of laundry aboard. The Real Trouble. "Woman's ignorance of cooking is the bane of married life." "No; it's woman's ignorance of hex ignorance of cooking."—Boston Tran script SHE READ HIS SECRET. Which Led Him to Express an Opinion on Married Life. A young man from Kansas City was talking to a young woman from the same town whom he had met by acci dent at a uiatlnee In New York. The young wouian was married. The young man was not. "You've heard that we're to have a new theater back home?" the woman asked to make conversation. "Oh, of course," the young man an swered. "I get all the news.l get a letter from Kansas City every day." The woman began to laugh. "So when you go back home for that vacation you're going to be married?" she mused. "How did you know that?" the man cried. "We both said we wouldn't tell. And now she's"— "You told me yourself a few seconds ago, everything but the date," she an swered. "Y'ou see, no matter how fond your brother may be of you or your uncles or aunts or your mother or fa ther, none of these would send you a letter every day. There's only one person who writes a letter every day, and that's a girl who's engaged to be married. For the rest of my sentence 1 added two and two." "You're right," the man mused. "Say, a married man must have to play close to the bases. It must be like living with a mind reader."—Bos ton Herald. A CHILD GENIUS. Ampere Dabbled In Mathematics at the Age of Three. Ampere, who left his name to the science of electricity, was a child gen ius. At the age of three he had taught himself to count with the aid of peb bles and bad found out for himself a good many of the theories of arith metic. At this age he became very ill and was for three days denied food. At the end of the fast he was given a biscuit, but instead of eating it be broke It up Into pieces to count with, an operation he considered more Inter esting. He read everything with avidity. His mind did not run in one channel, and ho welcomed every volume that came in his way. When he was ten or twelve years old he went to a library to ask for the works of a certain au thor. The librarian toid him In amuse ment that the books were In I<atln. The boy went bome chagrined, for he did not know Latin, being a sickly child and held back from books as far as possible, but after six weeks be ap peared again and told the librarian ho had learned to read the books now. Ampere is on® of the few child prod igies who seems to have been sickly Ho had fits from tlmo to time, while most child wonders appear to have been physically normal In erery re spect.—Exchange. Fre»k» of Languaga. A peculiar kind of blundering known as "folk etymology" Is responsible for some of the queerest freaks of lan guage. An easy example will make this clear. Our American word "car ryall" for • kind of vehicle Is not • compound of "carry" and "all," but a slight distortion of the French "carri ole, a diminutive ctr. The change was made In obedience to the uni versal tendency to assimilate the un known to the known, to make words mean something by associating them with others which they resemble lc sound. Often there is no etymological relation between the words associated, as when sparrowgrass is made out of asparagus. This particular corruption was once In such good colloquial use that Walker, the lexicographer, wrote, "Sparrowgrass Is so general that as paragus has an air of stiffness and pedantry." Two Smart Actors. In a popular historic drama the nc tor who takes the part of Napoleon Is required to read aloud a document «>f considerable length which is brought to him by General Berthler. This, being written at length, is seldom com mitted to memory. \ short time ngo. however, the property master at an English theater mislaid the document, and Napoleon, who was new to the part, received Instead a blank sheet of paper. For a moment he was aghast: then, eager to escape from his pre dicament even at the expense of a fellow actor, he handed the paper t<i General Berthler. saying, "Read It t<j me." The other actor was not in the least confused. "Your majesty," ho said, handing it back, "1 am only a p»>r soldier of fortune, and you must ex cuse me. Ido not know how to rend!" Hla Emancipation. Away back in 1771 Joslah Woodbury of Beverly, Mass., thus published his happy emancipation from matrimonial woes: Beverly, Sept 18, 1771. Ran away from Joslah Woodbury, coop er. his house plague for seven long years. Masury OUI Moll, alias Trial of Venge ance. He that lost will never seek her; he that shall keep her I will glvo two Bushel of Beans. I forewarn all Persom in Town or County from trusting said Trial of Vengeance. 1 have hove all the old (shoes) I can And for Joy, and all my neighbors rejoice with me. A good Rid dance of bad Ware. Amen! JOSIAH WOODBURY Spontinl's Decorations. Caspuro Spontini, the composer, re garded himself in the light of u demi god, and when Inspirations crowded upon him hu donned n wide, toga like gown of white silk with n border of gold and a fez of white silk em broidered lu gokl from which a heavy tassel hung down. With great dignity he sat down before his desk, and if a grain of dust was vlslblo on the paper on which ho penned his music he rang the bell impatiently for hla servant to remove the obstacle. Spon tlul owned so many medals and deco rations that they could no longer be accommodated on his breast. At a grand musical reunion at Halle an old musician remarked to a comrade, "Sea how many decorations Spontlnl has, while Mozart has not one." Spon tlnl, who overheard It, replied quickly, "Moeart, my dear friend, does not need them." Engagement Broken. Merchant— l have had hard luck lost all my money. Suitor—Surely yon would not wish to lose your daughter also.— Fllegende Blatter. AIRSHIP OF THE NEARjUTURE. What Two Authorities Think It Will Be Like. HUGE MODEL OF COMFORT. Will Resemble a Flying Fiah and Be Capable, It la Claimed, of Traveling Seventy-five Mils* an Hour —To Carry About 150 Passengers and Craw of Fortytwo Men. The most recent developments In Germauj's efTorts to reduce air navi gation to a science and the plans for the transatlantic voyage above the clouds proposed for about the middle of May by the German aeronaut Dr. Gans-Fabrlce, lately president of the Frankfort Aeronautical exposition, and Joseph Brucker of Berlin in two dirigibles are discussed by T. U. Mac- Mechen and Carl Dlenstbach, two au thors of works on airships and dirigi bles, in the May Century, and the air ship of the near future Is described in part as follows: Frool the standard of present devel opment the airship of 1915 may lie conceived as having a hull of rigid construction, 1,000 feet long and 80 feet beatn, with accommodations for 125 to 150 passengers and a crew of 42 men. The new air liner will resemble a submarine or, rather, a flying flsh. All Its parts will be compactly built Into the hull. Its underbody, 800 feet long, 12 feet wide and 9 feet high, will extend between the elbows fore and aft where the hull begins to curve toward Its pointed bow and stern. The underbody will hold seven pas sengers and eight operating sections, after the fashion of a compartment sleeping car. A continuous passage way will extend from end to end. All Cooking by Eleotriolty. Below the bridge will be a hatch way to the main passage in the for ward undefbody of the ship, where there Is a companlonway which Is the ship's portal. Abaft of this will be the captain's cabin. To starboard will be gin the main passage and staterooms, with all doors opening on the passage. Next to the captain's quarters, In se quence, will be officers' and engineers' staterooms, officers' wardroom and mess, the barber shop, the first motor compartment, the toilet room, passen gers' staterooms, passengers' living quarters, a central lounging, reading and dining saloon the width of the •hip. At the stem will be the stew ard's quarters, where all cooking will be by electricity. Meals will be serv ed In each saloon, the pantry service being operated by escalator passing through the "bold," which will be at tached to the airship's entire onder body. Table service will be delivered through a trap In the saloon floor. Telephone and electric annunciators will connect each section with the steward's quarters. All bed covering will be of the light est weights, because elektron heaters carrying the hot exhaust of the motors will keep the temperature automatical ly even while flying at frigid altitudes. When flying low In the tropica the air ship may be perfectly cooled by ven tilation. Only hand baggage will be permitted for the quick passage. Built to Float on tha WaUr. The sides of the "hold." or tunnel. Ave feet high and eight feet wide, will be Uiied with continuous tuuklng, con taining gasoline fuel, to be forced up ward into the engine rooms as needed The outside of the "bold" will servo as the airship's rounded keel and will enable the craft to float., ou water Elastic buffers for luiiili;T„' will be fixed under each engine suction. The eight motor compartments wlli each be equipped with one •_'<>' ir.se power motor, transmitting eiit . „.v by short steel belts in flattened tubes to one propeller on the same side of the hull and to auxiliary engines operating pumps that will control the gas cham bers, withdrawing expanding gas and condensing It Into the airship's tubu lar frame They will also drive pow erful fans for ventilating the air spaces of the bull and the llvlntc <iuur tors "Boats" to 8a Carried. The top .»r tin- hull, now the Zep pelin's observatory, will become a long "hurricane <!eck" of thin, light plank ing. with side rails Here will be kept "service" Implements, two slen der musts • :i. the "wireless" antennae ant! the yellow "top lights." observatories for cloud triaugulation aud taking the altitude of stars, searchlights, kite winch and the air ship's "boats." two small, swift aero plane "scouts," one fore, the other aft, with ample space for launching aud alighting. The deck will be reached by small winding openwork stairs through the bull. The hull will be di vided Into twenty gas tight compart ments for sustaining the airship In space. Along the port and starboard sides five seats of curved aeroplane surfaces will help to lift and support the airship or steer It up and down. They will be "stepped" to avoid Inter ference. Between be eight propellers, four on each side, at alter nating levels along the hull. It Is believed that within five years such an air liner will be capable of traveling seventy-five miles an hour ordinarily and often 120 miles In the apper levels. To Maka a Qlaas Cuttar. A glass :utter can easily be mada with an ordinary mapping pen and a small piece of carborundum or car bide of silicon. Cut off a part of the nib to form a small tube. Fit a crys tal or part of one of carborundum Into the tube, take It out again and dip one end In cement and replace it. Next wind a piece of fine wire tightly around the tube and part of the handle and fix It In a notch cut In the latter. Put It aside for a day to allow the ce ment to harden. A glass cutter made thus will do Its work as well as the expensive diamond and a great deal better than the ordinary wheel cutter. THE SKELETON IN CLOSET, A Rattling of Its Bones That Ter rified Its Keepers. By GEORGE ETHELBERT WALSH. ICopyrlght, 1910, by American Press Asso ciation.] Beverly Westlake drifted into Lake rllle an obscure, poverty stricken man and by dint of hard work and shrewd business investments prospered until be was by common consent counted the leading citizen and merchant of that enterprising metropolis. Jack Lecon entered Lakevllle under a Pullman car. Jack was walking ou Grand street when Beverly Westlake swung around the corner and walked toward him. Jack's first Impulse was to ranlsh, but on second thought he remained passive and motionless, staring In sur prise and wonder at the approaching figure. His eyes were bulging, and Ills mouth stood agape. With the con- THKBK WAS A QCEBB LIMPNESS TO TH« KECK, fident swing of the successful and well satisfied man, Beverly Westlake walk ed along, scarcely noticing the silent beggar on the until the man's voice startled him violently from his mental repose. "Hello, Peachy!" was the irreverent ■alute of Jack. "Why, you're some elegant! How'd ye get the lift?" The leading merchant, philanthro pist, financier and exponent of the higher success wheeled abruptly, star ed at the questioner, turned red, then white, gripped his hands and moved forward as If to pass without a word, thought better of It, stopped and frowned and finally mopped his fore head with nervous agitation. Jack Lecon was all smiles and his manner as affable ns a man who had called a bluff and knew be was stalking big game. "Quite a bit of time since we met. Peachy," he continued, extending a band, which Beverly Ignored. "Some difference In us now, ain't there? You got the swell cut all right and the Ag ger to carry it out. but I—why, I ain't good for much. I'm Jest sick and down In luck." The words trailed off Into a whine. Then, with a sudden change of base. Jack added, with a little triumph In his voice: "Hut I got ray discharge all right, and you didn't." There was a remarkable and pitiful transformation in Mr. Westlnke. The skin wrinkled, and the complexion turned a sickly red. dotted with yel lowish and purplish spots. "I say. Jack—Mr. T>econ." he stam mered when he could control his rolce. "what do you want—money?" "I ain't no bloated aristocrat that I refuses it," leered Jack, with an In gratiating grin. Mr. Westlake fumbled In his coat pockets and produced a roll of bills that caused poor Jack to gasp. "Take this," said the merchant, ex tending a generous wad of the freshly minted green, "and—and don't bother me again. Jack—Mr. I.econ, I mean that Is, If— if— Don't you want a ticket to the Tactile coast, where the ell mate Is very agreeable at this, season of the year? I'll furnish you with one." But Jack Lecon was no quitter when on the easy trail of a victim. lie was garrulous by turns and much addicted to the use of strong tonics. At such moments he tried to make love to Alice, Westlake's brave nnd devoted wife, and openly flouted his bene factor. The uneasy head which wore the crown of riches was bowed under the burden thus placed so suddenly upon his shoulders. But for Alice he would have quit and confessed all. "I'll go owny, my dear," he groaned in agony of spirit, "or I'll kill myself— -110, kill him! Fle's the devil Incarnate." But Alice soothed and cautioned him against rashness. Imagine the mortlfl cation of having a low down brute In stalling himself In your home, insult lug your wife and making free with vour money and servants and always holding the threat of an awful expo sure over your head—a veritable sword of Damocles, but ten times keener of edgo and suspended not by a thread, but by a tiny spider's web. "No; we cannot go away." Alice said In a soft voice. "Wo must stay and bear our burden for the present You have lived down your early disgrace and proved yourself a repentant man." "But the law doesn't recognize that," bitterly complained the broken down capitalist "If I escaped from prison before my time expired I'm still a criminal In the eyes of the law. Oh, If I had been patient a little longer!" Alice comforted him with words of caressing affection, but the Iron had entered his soul, nnd he continued to cry out: "To think this drunken brute should have his freedom without fear of cap ture or exposure! 1 •© wretch ir "No, dear, you wou't do any such thing—for my sake." Jack's excesses became so disgust tng in time that even sweet Alice's patience and endurance were sorely tried. Her faith in her sense of duty was showing signs of wavering whoa suddenly without warning Jack's skel eton kicked open the closet and fell sprawling on the floor. The key was held by a quiet, thick set man of dark complexion, \vh r called one evening to iutervlew Mr. Westlake in the quiet of his study. Alice was there and hung over her husband as if to protect him. "Mr. Westlake," announced the quiet stranger, "you have in your employ a man of the name of Jack Lecon, I be lieve?" Beverly winced a little at the word "employ," and he was Inclined to laugh • at the Irony of the thrust. Yes. lie ; was In his employ, but a rather ex- ' pensive employee. He nodded, with a ! smile, to indicate his comprehension. "Well, sir," continued the stranger. \ "this man Is a convict—escaped from • the federal prison some months ago." Beverly Westlake saw all kinds of. pink and white spots, and he glanced i up to see if the electric lights hml j changed their colors. Incidentally h» I felt the strangulating constriction i t his wife's crms around his neck. I!a 1 realized thai he was pale and that hit ' heart had almost ceased to beat. 112 "There Is nothing to fear. Mr. WVst«' lake. The house Is surrounded, nr.d we will capture hint without any out cry. lie 1; a desperate character killed his guard when he escaped—aud we have made special plans to copturn him without danger to you or your household. 1 merely called on you to prepare your wife for any strugglo that may follow. You understand?" Yes, Beverly understood, and Alice too. "Alice," he said slowly, "you had better retire to your room. I will g<i with— with this man to Und Jack." Intuitively she caught his meaning. She hesitated but a moment and then kissed him as If to withdraw. "I don't tUlnk we shall need your services," the officer said, with a con fident air. "Our plans are all carefully laid, and by this time Jack Lecoa should be a prisoner. I came here p«rtiy to engage your attention while my men secured him. 1 think now," consulting his watch, "the struggla must be over. We will go and see." They passed through the groat hall in solemn procession and then turned to mount the broad stairs to Jack's room. He lived la comfort and luxury away from the servants as a man sat apart for special favors. But they did not ascend the stair?. A swift figure glided down the polish, ed marble and intercepted them—a li y ure that baited but an instant a;:d then would have passed on with In. slstent purpose. The officer, startled, by the movement, turned hurriedly aud asked: "What ia it, Sheldon? Anything wrong?" The gliding figure came to a reluc tant halt and replied respectfully: "Yes, sir: he escaped and Jumped out of the window. But Jansen aud Ilolden must have him. They were below." There was a hurried exit from tin* house, and Alice forgot her dignity and scant footgear. The moon was at its zenith outside, and the crisp wio try air made the blood tingle. Th* frozen ground was as hard as rock, and little frost bulbs gathered on ev ery tree and shrub. A voice from out of the muffled al ienee of the night smote their ears a* they turned a corner of the house. "We have him, sir," It said calmly, "He jumped and fell on his head— hurt a little, I guess." They gathered around a dark heap on the silver frosted ground where the twisted limbs of a man were 1 sprawled like the four corners of a star. There was a queer limpness ta the neck when the head was raised, and Alice covered her eyes and shud dered. If she divined the meaning of It she did not confess it even to her self. It was Jansen who pronoun<"e<% the verdict. "Neck broken. I guess." he said cool, ly. "Yes, sir, and dead as a doornail." The leader of the men knelt over th<* prostrate form of Jack I.econ, and aft er a close examination he said, wltti finality In his voice: "Yes. he's dead." Turning toward the Westlakes, h® said In way of examination and apolo gy: "I'm sorry we couldn't take him away without creating a scene. Rut I suppose now it must come out In th<» papers. The coroner must be sum moned." Alice drew a deep breath, and Bev erly wiped the frost gathered on hi* mustache with a hand that trembled. His lips only mechanically muttered the commonplace words: "You have only done your duty, of ficer—only your duty—and I thank you." They turned slowly and walked up the steps of the spacious piazza and entered their palatial home. Their family skeletou was back In the closet and carefully nailed up and sealed. Would it ever break out again? SHHH HEW! I A Rellalbl* TIN SHOP t j r»r alt kind of Tin Roofing, Spoutlnc nnd Conoral Job Work. Stovos, Hotter*, Rtn<M, Fumaooi. oto- PRICES THE LOWEST! QOiLITT TUB IESTJ JOHN HIXSON NO. IV t FBOHT IT,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers