THE TANGLED WEB By Ethel Watls-Mumford Grant Author ol "Dupa," "Whittwuh." Elc. CoprriaSi. 1908. by Boii. B. Hunt on CHAPTER X. Wendham crossed tho room quick ly, Intercepting a passing servant. "Ask If I may see Mrs. Gaynor." He turned, addressing himself to Mrs. Evelyn. "Who Is Mrs. Gaynor's phy sician?" he asked. "I consider her case critical. If you would ask her, we might send for him physicians' etiquette, you know." Mrs. Evelyn opened wide blue eyes. "Dear mo! don't you know that Nellie thinks she Is all sorts of a doctor herself? She never calls anyone In. No, Indeed! She pre scribes a little strychnine If she doesn't cat, and a lltUo chloral If she doesn't sleep--and there you are." "And there you're likely to be not!" exclaimed Alice. "You don't mean to say !" Dr. Wendham was gone. "I don't wonder ho was up set," continued Alice. "I'm glad you tipped him off." Mrs. Evelyn took up tho paper. "I suppose you heard, Alice, what they found ot about John?" She had recovered her tone of aloof ness. "No," said Alice, "I didn't." "It's too bad," the hostess re marked. "I do hate to lose a house keeper." Alice rose with a bound. "What, has John stolen, Mrs. Creeks? John's a hero!" "No," answered Mrs. Evelyn with complete llteralncss; "no, he didn't do that. But she didn't investigate his references properly. It seems that the man has been In jail and had forged letters; recommendations fron- people traveling on the Trans Siberian roads or something, and somebody who had been Consul somewhere. Creeks liked tho tone and tho stationery, and took a chance. I wish Mrs. Lawdon would go away, she continued. It an noys me to see her around. She cx amines me as if she expected me to appear in her lost diamonds little yellow cat!" A nervous stop drew their atten tion. Evelyn entered. "Where's Wendham?" he inquired abruptly. Alice nodded toward the stains. "Gone to prescribe for Mrs. Gaynor, I fancy." "Um!" ho growled impatiently. "I want to see him. Confound this business!" he broke out; "It's got more turns to It than a the Briar cliff course!" "Yes," said his wife, going to him paper in hand. "Have you seen this?" "That and a dozen more," he snapped. "I'm sick of the sight of the whole outfit. And as for the Lawdons that woman's a skirling harpy!" Alice jumped. "Skirling harpy! Thanks, dear old man, one thousand times! Banzai! I couldn't think what I wanted to say; but you have it 'skirling harpy!' Far be it from me to engage in a tilt of words with one so gifted oh! 'skirling harpy'!" "If you're through with that," ex claimed Evelyn with unwonted harshness, "run up to Nellie's room and ask Wendham to join me as soon as he can." "No sooner said than done," called Alice as she disappeared. A moment later she returned, followed by the physician. "Cass," he said quickly before that gentleman could open his mouth, "send some one out for this and this, immediately." He signed the Blips with his fountain pen. "I find her condition most unsatisfactory," he added; "there Is every symptom of brain fever. Now, Mrs. Evelyn, with your permission, I will tele phone for a nurse." "Is Nellie so very ill?" asked Eve lyn, startled from his own concerns. "Very, I'm afraid." A very silent and troubled group watched him hurrying down the cor ridor. Mrs. Evelyn was the first to break their tangled thoughts. "There, now. That Lawdon wo man has made Nellie ill. My dear, I'll never ask anyone to oblige any one in order to be considerate of anyone again. It's perfectly ridicu lous! Alice, let's go upstairs and see if Adele needs help, or if we can arrange matters more comfortably." The two ladles withdrew, leaving Evelyn alone in tho cheerful morn' lng room. Ho paced tho floor nerV' ously. His brow was knitted, his hands clenched. Life had become far too strenuous to suit his placid nature. A moment later Wendham en tered. "She's coming the nurse, I mean. Old man, It's serious, and I want your permission to take charge." "You have It," said Evelyn promptly. "What you say goes." "Mrs. Gaynor must not see any' one except the nurse, her maid, and myself under any circumstances." "Oh," said Evelyn, "and Polly and Alice have just gone to her." Wendham made a gesturo of lm patience. "She's sleeping they'll have sense enough not to wake ner. Now, you wanted mo. Is there any further trouble?" Evelyn's faco was puzzled. "1 don't know what you'd call It. I've just had an interview with Dawson." "They'yo caught him?" "No," said Evelyn; "he came back and gave himself up to me. No ono else knows he's here, except the gar dener's wife, who's a sort of cousin of his. She came this morning and told me that 6ome one wished to speak with me privately at the cot tage. Of course, I thought of tho detectives, and went. He was there.. You could have floored n;e with a straw. The upshot of the whole matter Is this. The fellow says he funked and ran away because he was sure his past would find him out and he'd bo taken on circumstantial evi dence. Swears he had nothing whatever to do with the robbery, and sticks to it that he did see Adele near tho Lawdons' door. He says he was tempted to hold her up and mako her divide the spoils, but when he saw her stand It down he got frightened and ran for It. He owns he's been a scamp, but swears he forged those recommendations only in order to get a new start, ana witn every Intention of keeping straight once he was established in the way of making his living and, Wend ham, I believe him. I can't help it. Now, I don't know where we are. The man has thrown himself on my morcy. There's tho circumstantial evidence, and that Lawdon woman hot for blood; but an the other hand. there's Nellie ill, and she's taken the accusation against Adele to heart so well I'll be hanged, Boyd, if I know what move I ought to make." Wendham thought quickly. With the clew of the valet's disappear ance removed, the trail led back aealn to Adele and then he shud dered. At any rate he must have full knowledge in order to protect the woman he loved from danger direct or indirect. "See here," he spoke sharply, "I've an Idea I can got the truth out of Adele if anyone can. As a doctor I've had a varied experience. Now, before you tell anybody about Dawson, before you make any move at all. let mo have an interview with her alone, there In your private office. I'll do it now, and you keep watch for me, for I positively must not bo interrupted. Is it a go?" Evelyn almost smiled, so relieved was he that anyone would assume the responsibility of action. "Go on, Boyd you're a brick. I'm I'm everlastingly obliged to you!" "I'll bring her here." said Wend ham; "and if you'll have the kind ness to stay in mo arawiug-ruum, vom can see that no ono comes in. I'll go for her." Evelyn settled himself in an easy chair in the drawing-room, whence he could see tho entrance to the gun room, the main staircase and hall. and the farther entrance to tue brakfast room. The house was as quiet as If deserted. CHAPTER XI. Wendham went directly to Mrs. Gaynor's suite and knocked gently. He found his patient resting witn feverish heaviness. By her side sat Adele. her faithful eyes fixed with solicitous adoration upon the sleep er's face. "Adele," said Wendham softly, "I have some instructions to give you. I must explain the use of some ap paratus. Como downstairs." Mrs. Gaynor stirred at the sound of his voice, seemed on the point of waking, but settled once more among the pillows. The physician signed to tho servant. "Tell the maid, whichever one cares for this floor, to bo on hand In case Mrs. Gaynor needs her." Adele rang tho corridor bell, and a moment later the maid approached. "Wait here, near the door," Wend ham ordered. "Mrs. Gaynor is rest ing now, but she might wake and need attention. I must give this girl some special Instructions." He conducted his charge rapidly across the gun room to the quiet of Evelyn's private office. In spite of his will his heart beat heavily and his throat contracted In fear of what revelations might como. Without effort he calmed himself. "Sit here," he said, indicating the end of the divan. The light poured through the uncurtained window. The woman's face was calm and at tentive. "You realize, I suppose," ho began gently, "that your mistress is very ill?" "I was nirald so," she answered. "I wish to be certain," he con tinued, drawing his chair close to the girl, "that you are strong enough to take charge of tho case, until we bring in a trained nurse. You suffer from neuralgia, do you not?" He passed his hands gently over her forehead and face. "Let me see your eyes." Sho turned to him. His fine hands wove a slow pattern of gestures before her. "You are In pain now?" "Yes," she nodded, a wrinkle forming between her level brows. "In great pain. If you sleep now, you will be rested and able to take care of your mistress; Will you sleep now sleep sleep." His voice be came Insistent and soothing. Sho nodded, sighed heavily, and succumbed slowly. He rose, caught her relaxed body and straightened It upon tho divan. For a moment ho held her pulse, then lifted the white eyelid and lo"vM nt tho pvr'1 hcnrr"i. "You are asleep sound asleep?" his tone was half question. "Yes," came her voice, strangely dulled, as If far away. "I want you to remember some things for me. Mrs. Gaynor wants mo to know she wants you to tell me because I can help her. Where did you hide the diamonds you took from Mrs. Lawdon's room?" Without hesitation, and in the same placid, remote voice, sho ans wered. In spite of the suspicion that had become conviction, this direct ack.ijwledgment stunned him. In the intensity of his emotion his at tention strayed from tho details of tho woman's confession. "Tell me that again," he ordered. "Repeat It slowly." Obediently, with measured utter ance, she began again. "The ivy grows under tho window. There is a nail In the brickwork; a wire Is tied to It. 1 reached It from the window. The bag Is red leather, like the bricks; its on the end of the wire. You can't see It from outside, and the nail and wire are like those set for the vines." Her voice trailed off in a murmur of deep sleep. "Tell me, remember well where did you get that' bag?" "My lady gave It to me." "When did you take those Jewels from the hat box?" "When everyone was at dinner." "Who told you to?" "My lady told me to find these things that were hers to be sure that no one saw me. A key hangs with many others on a ring beside the mirror; it is flat and has two grooves and a round hole at the top." During the latter part of the sen tenco the girl's voice changed. It was as if a phonographic record had been turned on, so perfect was the reproduction of Nellie Gaynor's voice. The effect was almost terri fying, yet a strange tenderness to ward the erring woman filled his heart. Even in her crime she had spared her tool the consciousness of wrongdoing. Sho had directed her to take her mistress's proper belong ings from a place indicated. Then knowledge mocked him. An honest will cannot be blindly driven to crime, even whqn subservient. Yet he clung to the gentler interpreta tion striving to find some comfort where palliation and excuse were de nied. "Did anyone see you when you left the room?" he asked. "Yes. I was far down the corri dor. He spoke and passed me. I did not answer." Wendham bent over her. His jaw was set with determination, his brows drawn with pain. "Tell me. and remember carefully, have you ever taken your mistress's jewels before from other places? Think well." "Yes," she said slowly. "When you were stopping in Dougliiston, what was it that time?" "My lady's long string of pearls. I went back for them; my lady had forgotten them, and told me whore." "How did you get Into the house?" "I came in in veils and a long coat, like " A cry and report so close and loud that the air seemed rent by the explosion. Wendham leaped to his feet. The doorway framed a group in tragic violence. Nellie Gaynor. gray as death, a silken garment flung over her nightdress, where quickly spread a crimson stain, was clinging gasping to tho shaking arm of Eve lyn, while on the floor at her feet lay a heavy 44. "Good God!" he cried. "Look, look!" stammered Evelyn "Is she dying?" A flask of intelligence came to Nellie's eyes. She opened her set teeth to speak, but her utterance was choked in blood. Suddenly Wendham straightened. the habit of tho physician mastering him. "The wound Is in the neck there's a chance." He spoke quickly and his eyes commanded Evelyn's explicit obedience. Already cries and the rush of hur rylng feet announced the arrival of the frightened household. "It was an accident. She has brain fever, Evelyn. She Is entirely out of her head. I will bring Adele." He laid Nellie In Evelyn's arms, and sprang within the den. Tho unmoved sleep of the woman contrasted like the awful incongruity of a nightmare, with the scene enact ed so closo beside her. "Wake up! Wake up! Adele. Wake quickly forget our talk. Your mistress needs you. She Is hurt come!" His swift hands flew above the girl's still features. She sat up as if dazed. "Your mistress needs you she is hurt. Go to her, then run for a bowl of water. Get me ab sorbent cotton." Her mind, still receptive, seized upon his orders. Rising, sho ran from the room In swift obedience. Alice Rawlins was first upon the scene. Wendham raised to her a faco of marble. "Mrs. Gaynor has hurt herself in her delirium. Go to my room and bring me down both my emergency cases. They are on the closet shelf quick!" As each member o.' tho startled household arrived, thoy were as In stantly dispatched upon a necessary errand, while he busied himself In deft relief for the sufferer. "What did you jee?" he demanded under his breath of Evelyn "quick! speak low." "I heard a swish. Sho was run ning from the ball to the gun room llko a wild thing. She hesitated as If not knowing where to turn. I .1 imped up. nun iuii trom me into the gun room 1 was after her, about to call, when she stopped short, looked in at your door there, throw up her hands, and then snatched at that pulled It from tho rack toward her. Of course It went off. That set Is always kept loaded." "You looked up and saw her play ing childishly with a revolver and called to her; she turned and It went off in her hand. Do you under stand?" "Yes," nodded Evelyn, "I under stand." "She has been out of her head for twenty-four hours you all know." "Yes," said Evelyn. "Now go, explain to the confound ed pollco and the rest. She'll live If no vital arteries are cut." Evelyn rose as his wife and Adele camo up. Mrs. Lawdon, who was running across the polished floor, paused, and turned white. "How dreadful!" she exclaimed. "Can I do anything?" Already she was backing away. "Anyhow, it's Mr. Evelyn's fault. 1 think it's criminal to keep a stock of loaded firearms about." She clapped her handkerchief to her mouth. "Oh, how sickening! It makes me 111!" She turned and fled. Limp and white, but more than half conscious, Nellie lay upon the divan where she had been carried For a moment they were alone, and as Boyd bent above her, her eyes, full of agony and despair, met his. Her pale lips moved, "You know," sho whispered with painful effort. "You know I don't want to live!" He smoothed back tho hair from her forehead with a touch Infinitely protective and tender. ' "I'm taking care of you in every way Trust me!" (To be continued.) Circus Lessons. Discipline is one of the spokes in the circus system wheel, says a writ er in the Cosmopolitan. In tho modern circus no swearing is al lowed, as women and children can hear it. Cards, dice and drink are prohibited. This is not the concep tion which the public holds concern ing circus people, but strength and steady nerves are needed for circus feats, and dissipation of any kind, would soon leave tho performers without a profession. When a big American circus was I nhmml tho Herman Emticror came one nignt incognito uiiu wamuc'i them unload the flat cars. Their system so impressed him that he hail some of the officers of the German j army see it and adopt some of their methods. In landing tho circus outfit the first man there is the "layer-out." He generally decides in about ten minutes where his tents are to be placed. As the building of the white city proceeds, everything seems to bo confusion, a tangled mass. Men are running every way; wagons seem to be dumping their loads promiscu ously; but every wagon Is lettered or numbered, so is every box or trunk, and all have their proper places This great jumble of wagons, groan ing and creaking In the soft turf and men shouting and singing is clj, working as one great whole to an end. But although they all work to gether, each man is taught to think for himself, and when a man shows ability, he Is soon noticed. One In stance of this was afforded by a young man who was studying medi cine in the winter, and thought a season in the fresh air would harden him for his next winter's work. The only job he could get was as a can vas man. 'But he was able to think for himself, and promotion soon came. The circus child is not taught by blows, but by kindness and patience, and the circus management insists that every child shall 50 to school In winter. PORCUPINE DESTROYS TREES. California Forests Suffer from tha Pernicious Activity of the Animals. Reports made to tho local forest bureau from Bishop, Inyo county, Indi cate that the porcupine is seriously damaging the lodgepolo pine forests of tho eastern slope of the Sierras. Practically the entire area of the Inyo national forest has been affected to some extent. In somo localities the damaged trees aggregate as high as twenty-five per cent, of the total stand. While these areas are not large, forest service authorities de claro that it is evident If someth'ng is not done to curb them much of the timber In the Inyo reserve win be de stroyed. The porcupine feeds to a large extent during the winter months upon the inner bark of the pine, and In order to obtain food he Birdies the trees, eating the bark and eventually destroying the trees. As the animal visits several trees in a single night to satisfy his hunger the damage done by one animal Is considerable. Electricity as a Carrier. Does an electric current, when pass ing through a metal conductor, cause any transportation of particles? It Is well, known that It does so In the liquid ' conductors known as elec trodes; In fact, such a common opera tion as electroplating depends entire ly upon this action. To test the mat ter a recent experimenter passed an electric current contlnously for a whole year through a conductor com posed prtly of copper and partly of aluminum, the sections bttag pressed frmly tag. th end of th year they were taken apart and ex amined, but not the slightest trace of either metal was found In the other. WHAT TO WEAR AND HOW 10 WEAR II Special Correspondent of This Paper Write Entertainingly to Women. LATEST FROM THE METROPOLIS Three Modes of the Latest Designs Blue Coth With Striped Silk Gown Delightful for Scml-formnl Wear A Striped !Cepj)T and tho Latest Tailored Coat. Evening bodico have a charm all their own and If the draperies on these models are skilfully managed, they can be given an air of distinc tion without employing any but tho simplest trimmings. The spotted silk mull dancing frock shown here owes Its beauty en tirely to the bodice, for the skirt is as simple and plain as a school-girl's frock, being mounted over, a silk lln lng without any other embellish mcnt. The waistline is raised to Empire height, and finished with a plain fold of satin, while the bodico Is cut with a very deep square neck, with largo tucks of chiffon folded within Its confines to form the vest effect. To bind the neck narrow hand embroid ered silver braid is used, strips of this trimming extending below the girdle and over the hips, after which they are quickly terminated. The sleeves are rather unusual, being very wide and flowing, sug GRACEFUL WAY TO DRAPE A BODICK. gestlng the full, graceful Greek linos. They are slashed all the way up to the shoulder seam and outlined with the braid. Evening coiffures are very elab orate, in striking contrast to their simple trimmings. Puffs and curls are still great favorites and coiffure ornaments used with them are just sufficiently ornate to do full Justice to tho beauty of the coiffure Itself. The prophecy for the season re garding sleeves is that street styles and many house effects are to be full length, with or without quanti ties of trimming, as the ocoasion re quires. A striking model occupies the cen ter of the picture, being of soft, thin material, llnely braided and trimmed with tucks. It reaches all the way to the wrist, where there Is a finish ing ruche of finely plaited tulle. For Indoor wear gowns show a fow clever short sleeves and draper ies. For a dinner gown the model In the upper left hand corner is SLEEVES AND SHOULDER DRA PERIES. dainty, the fulled tucks being form ed of chiffon or very soft goods under a shoulder plate of embroid ered silk or linen. Many of tho very best gowns have Bleeves wrinkled, with a little frill on the outside of the arm. Made in net for Jumpers or for component parts of waists they are tho vory latset expressions of tho fashions. Rough blue serge Is used for this smart and serviceable costume, which foretells the beauties of tho Benson's tailor-made for practical purposes. The circular skirt fits perfectly abont tho hips, flaring at the bottom In n number of graceful folds. It Is finished only with a ueup hem, stll:L- . od Invisibly, 1 nm ffl&wm&LSM mm THE WOMAN OFMFOIY NEW LIFE AWAITS HER AFTER CHILDREN ARB GROWN. Sho May Have Any of a Dozen Tal ents In Other Lines But Neither She Nor tho World Bo Better. By Charlotte Perkins Gilnian. The woman of fifty, whose chil dren havo all grown .up and left her, Is likely to think that her work is over and her life done, but her llfo Is, on the contrary, just beginning. She is not so taken up with being a woman now, and can realize at last her Individual character. Here tofore her personality has beea sub merged In the groat common experi ence of love, marriage and matern ity. Sho may have had any ono of a dozen talents In other lines, but neither sho nor the world is the bet ter for U. She may have preferred other occupations; she may havo particularly disliked this one; hut neither capacity, preference nor dis taste made any difference. A wife and mother, she must also be a nurae and housekeeper for better or worse. One wonders sometimes, noting the wide difference In housekeeping and in child culture, whether that "better or worse" clause was not put In on account of them. If i' is "better," the family Is more com fortable; If It is "worse," the family Is more uncomfortable; but, which ever It .s, the woman must spend all her young years at It, and person ality slumbers. Is there any loft when one 1r fifty? Is not the re mainder a mere shell a husk or a remnant of what was once a woman, all her womanhood accomplished? That's what wo have always thought. We have peacefully taken It for granted that she who had so patient ly obllberated herself In the Inter ests of her family should stay oblit erated on general principles for all the rest of her life. There is no reason why the wo man of fifty should stay obliterated. She has ten. twenty, thirty years still to live, and in ten years of well directed effort, free from tho blun ders and backstops of youth, what may she not do? "Once disentan gled from the dinging mounds of I domestic habit, she finds, to her In tense surprise, a fountain of youth springing up within her. Sho can cm plov the green earth as much as sho 1 ever did: more, if her soul has grow over r'I',1; more, if her soul has grown. She on 11 tnke up somo trado or busi ness if sho wants money something perhaps along tho line that has previously occupied her. Sho can travel if she can afford it, study If s'ie has time and wishes to go in for somo kind of public work, if that appeals to her, or she may slm-" ply "loaf" for a while and "Invite her soul." And what of the family? Is nothing to be lost by the eman cipation of a budding grandmother? W'l John at sixty-flve object to these now courses? There will be no difficulty about any of these things. To say the truth, tyrant man is not half so black as he is painted. Neither is he as raptur oua'y content with the average wife ai. '. mother as the poets and some novelists would havo us believe. There is room for a cheerful hope that tho man of fifty-five will spend the rest of his days quite as com fortably with the active, happy, se ful, growing woman that is in watch ing tho gradual decadence and ex tinction of tho woman who was. A Successful Housekeeper. A woman to be a successful house keeper needs to be devoid of inten sive "nerves." She must be neat and systematic, but not too neat, lest she destroy the comfort she endea vors to create. She must be affectionate, sympa thetic and patient, and fully appre ciative of the worth and dignity of hor sphere. Now, If a woman cannot broil a beef steak, nor boil the coffee when It is necessary, if she cannot mend tho linen, nor patch a coat; if she cannot make a bed, nor ventilate the house, nor do anything practical In the way of making a home ac tually a home, how can she expect to be a successful housekeeper. She needs to educate herself In the art of domestic virtues, to mako a real "Home, Sweet Home." She should hava a place for every thing and keep everything in its place. Remember and put In prac tice tho motto, "Never put oft 'till to-morrow that which you can do to-day." Thus the poorest dwelling presid ed over by a virtuous, thrifty, cheer ful and cleanly woman, may be the abodo of comfort, virtue and hap piness; it may be endeared to man by many delightful associations, fur nishing a sweet resting place after labor, a consolation In misfortune, a -pride In prosperity and a Joy at all times. A Delicious Icing. Put on a cup of granulated sugar with half a cup of water, let it boll without stirring until it spins a heavy thread. Beat very stiff tho white of one egg and Into it pour slowly the hot sugar. Let tha syrup cool a llttlo before putting It In the egg or It will cook It. Beat steadily until tho icing la cool and creamy. Just before it is too cold to stir longer add one ounco each of can dled ehrriff. shopped citron, can' died pineapple and blanched almonds.
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