WITH BOGUS PISTOLS plea»« him. »It. Aud I do n 't blame vines below. The action was without him. The women about h«ru treat anger, excited rather by a contemptu him abominably. They com« at al) ous Indifference. As for the simple times of the day and night, use his marguerites, she took them up ginger­ INSTANCES OF THIEVES HAVING card room, order his servants about, ly. The arc these described through drink his whisky and smoke his cic­ the air was even greater than that DEEN SCARED OFF. arettea. and generally Invite them­ performed by the violets. selves to luncheon and tea and dinner. "I'm a silly fool, 1 suppose.” she And then, when they are ready to co murmured, turning back Into th« room Trick Is an Old On«, But Seldom back to their villas or hotel, take his again. Falla of Bjccaaa -Prank of Nsw motor-boat w Ithout a thank you. The It was ten o'clock when th« colonel York High School Boya That colonel has about three thousand hade his guesta good night as they pounds outside his half pay. and they tumbled out of his motor boat. They Looked Ssrloua. are all craiy to marry him because were In more or less exuberant spirits, his sister Is a countess. As a bach­ for the colonel knew how to do two Recently Holomon Horman of Man­ elor he can live like a prince, but as things particularly well: order a din hattan scared Into flight two thlavaa a married man he would have to dig ner, and avoid the many traps set for who entered his storo by pointing hla He told me that if he had been born him by scheming mammas and eli­ Index finger at them and fooling them Adam, he'd have climbed over Eden's gible widows Abbott, the Barone and Into supposing that he had a revolver. walls lone before the Angel of the Harrigan, arm tn arm. marched on It Is an old trick and yet it succeeds, Flaming Sword paddled him out Says ahead, whistling one tune in three Just us tho confidence man can al­ railroad 00 miles away. Three peaks ASSEN BEAK In eruption Is the he's always going to bo a bachelor, different keys, while Courtlaudt set ways »ell a gold brick to a farmer most unique natural feature In tn a rough circle on the summit mark unless I take pity ou him." mischiev­ the pace for tho padre. who never heard of Hungry Joo. the United States today. It* I tho broken down walla of the ancient ously. All through the dinner the padre had A short iltno ago river thieves crater Between them is A hollow f>U() present outburst constitutes the "Has he . . .?’’ In horrified tones. watched and listened Faces were gen boarded a tug moored along tho Hud­ feet deep, tho filled up mouth of tha only volcanic activity ever seen "About three times a visit," Nora erally books to him. mid he read In passage to th« fires be­ son and attempted to enter tho cap­ by tho ejea of white folks within subterranean tho admitted; but I told him that I'd be this young man's face many things Until this summer this hollow tain’s cabin and secure money and a daughter, a cousin, or a niece to him. that pleased hint. This was no night borders of the United States outside low or even a grandchild The latter pre­ rover, a fool over wino and wutueq, a of Alaska It gives this couutry tho has always been tilled with suow, but valuables from a small safe ha had sented too many complications, so we spendthrift. last ph) ideal phenomenon needed to the reopening of the crater near tho there Tho engineer of tho little boat "There has been a grave mistake muke it possible to say that every­ lowest point of the depression and the heard tho thlovea, and creeping up compromised on niece." "1 wish 1 knew when you were seri­ somewhere," he mused aloud, thought- thing that can be seen anywhere In violent eruptions of steam have melted out of tho engine room called: "Hall! fully. ous and when you were fooling" the world can be seen here, writes away this healing covering over the Who’s that? Halt, or I’ll fire!" At tho same time he ran around the aldo "1 bog your pardon." said Court Frederick Faulkner in the San Fran ancient scar "I am often as serious when I am of tho cabin with a dipper handle fooling as I am foolish when 1 am seri­ landt. Geysers Fill Old Cratsr. cisco Chronicle. Not until tho thieves got ashore did ous . . .“ "I beg yours. I was thinking aloud Lassen was the one place In the Lassen peak may be approached "Nora, you will have me shrieking How long have you known the Har- United States where such an outburst from any one ot three sides, from It seem to occur to them that there tn a minute!" despaired the mother. rigansT’ might reasonably have been expected Manzanita Inka on the northwest, from couldn't have been a pistol In their "Did the colonel really propose to "The father and mother I never saw- Geologically It is the youngest and tho head of King's creek on tho east, disturber's hand or he would have you?" before today.” latest of all the great series of vol and from Battle creek meadows on fired. W hen It camo to mind they re­ "Only tn fun." "Then you have met Miss Harrigan?" canoes which In days gone by poured tha south The bent of all the routes treated to a safe distance, and then Celeste laughed and threw her arm "I have seen her on the stage." out their lavas over tho plains and Is frov the south because that way shaking their fists at tho grinning en­ around the mother's waist, less ample “1 have the happiness of being her valleys of the West. Shasta was long leads through the remarkable collec­ gineer cursed him profusely. than substantial. "Don't you care! confessor." Over near Hunt's Point a few dead and c< id when lutssen was born, tion ot active volcanic phenomena They proceeded quite as far as a and the enormous lava fields ot east­ spread over the entire south slope of months ago they had an amusing cane Nora is being pursued by little devils and is venting her spite on us." hundred yards before Courtlandt vol ern Oregon and Washington had long the mountain of cross "pistol" purposes. Heveral “There'll be too much Burgundy and unteered: "That must be Interesting " since been cut dowa by the streams. Beside the geysers of Iceland and dwellings had been robbed and every- tobacco, to say nothing of the awful "She is a good Catholic." More than that, the Lassen region tho Yellowstone It would bo Idle to I body In tha vicinity bream« suspicions stories." "Ah, yes; I recollect now “ has poured out glowing lavas within place the steam vents and boiling of tho slightest unui tinl movement "With the good old padre there? “And you?" thu century. There was no one to lakes of llumpass' hell, but ns an after dark. Two high school boya Hardly." said Nora. “Oh, I haven't any religion such as seo It at the time, but from tho Cinder example of present day volcanic activ planned a masked holdup of a citizen Celeste was a French woman. “1 requires my presence In churches Cone, ten miles northeast of Lassen Ity in California, and n spectacle not after dark Th«-y held him up all right, confess that I like a good story that Don't misunderstand me! As a boy peck, ava two only of wonder, but of beauty, the both presenting proper looking pis­ isn’t vulgar. And none of them look I was bred In the Episcopal church; miles long and four miles wide so re place 1» one of the most interesting tols with shining barrel« After the like men who would stoop to vul­ but i have traveled so much that 1 ccntly that the burned trees still stick cltlxen handed out all of hla valuables on tho I’aclflc coast garity." have drifted out of the circle. I find out of the edges of the flow. The lava and whined abjectly that ha had High on the southwest flank of the "That’s about all you know of men," that when I am out In the open, in Iles there ns new ns though It was nothing more tho boya revealed them- old fire mountain It lias, a steaming declared Mrs. Harrigan. tho heart of some great waste, such poured out of the bowels of the earth bowl of geysers, smoking sulphur •elves. "I am willing to give them the bene­ as a desert, a sea. the top of a moun In a great rage tho citizen then blew yesterday Neither tree nor shrub has vents, and bizarre lakes ot many col fit of a doubt." tain. I can see the greatness of the a police whistle and a mounted off! yet bad time to And a footing on It ored boiling waters, the whole sunk “Celeste," cried Nora, gaily, "I’ve Omnipotent far more clearly and hdm- Fires Still Smolder. 500 feet deep in the mountain side and err galloped up Tho boya protested an idea. Supposing you and I run bly than within the walls of a ca­ Then all over the south side of I.as a third of a mile across. From the they had only Joked with a neighbor. back after dinner and hide in ’he card thedral." The citizen declared they should bo room, which is right across from the "You believe in the tenets of Chris­ sen are numerous evidences ot the evidences which surround the place, punished. The officer wua willing to tho masses of distorted lava and the sulphur lingering fires. Pungent i dining room? Then we can judge for tianity?" look lightly on tho affair until It was ourselves.” "Surely! A man must pin his faith pointed out that pistols had been and hope to something more stable "Nora Harrigan!" brandished "Molly Harrigan!” mimicked the In­ than humanity.” This made the matter serious. The corrigible. "Mother mine, you must "I should like to convert you to my officer arrested the boys and took learn to recognize a Jest” way of thinking " simply. from them the weapons that might "Nothing is Impossible. Who knows?” ’ Ah. but yours!" bring them a term of years In prison, The padre, as they continued on­ "Fine!” cried Celeste. so heavy Is the New York penally. As if to put a final period to the ward. offered many openings, but the But when tho pistols were exposed discussion. Nora began to hum aud­ young man at his side refused to be tha whole matter was dropped. Th'» drawn Into any confidence. So the ibly an aria from Aida. pistols wrro first rate imitations of They engaged a carriage In the vil­ padre gave up. for the futility of his tho real thing, only In this case they lage and were driven up to the villa efforts became Irksome. His own lips could explode nothing more dead­ On the way Mrs. Harrigan discussed were scaled, so he could not ask point ly than a cap.— New York Herald. the stranger. Edward Courtlandt. What blank the question that clamored at a fine looking young man he was, and the tip of his tonzue. When Poisoned by Ivy. "So you are Miss Harrigan's con- how adventurous, how well-connected, After exposure to poison Ivy, the 111 how enormously rich, and what an ex­ feasorT’ effects can often bo warded off I-.’ "Does It strike you strangely?” cellent catch! She and Celeste—the prompt removal of the Irritating sub­ "Merely the coincidence." one innocently and the other provo­ stance. Vigorous washing with soap "If I were not her confessor I should catively—continued the subject to the and water, prcfcrubly using a hand very doors of the villa. All the while take the liberty of asking you some brush, and after that with alcohvl. Nora hummed softly. questions.” will do tills. This often prevents tho "It is quite possible that I should "What do you think of him, Nora?" ill effects, and often when the char­ decline to answer them.” the mother inquired. acteristic Inflammation has become Tue padre shrugged. "It Is patent "Think of whom?" manifest It can b'» reduced to slight to tne that you will go about this af­ "This Mr. Courtlandt.” intensity by tho same measure. This "Oh, I didn't pay much attention to fair in your own way. 1 wish you cannot bo done, however, after the Ir­ him," carelessly. But once alone with well.” ritation has become Intense; vigorous ’ Thank you. As Miss Harrigan's Celeste, she seized her by the arm. a washings are Impossible and alcohol little roughly. "Celeste, I love you confessor you doubtless know every- painful. Witch hnzrl water, followed better than any outsider I know But thing but the truth." The padre laughed this time, The by application of dusting powder, is if you ever discuss that man In my tomfortlng. Halves uro not well borne presence again. I shall erase to regard shops were closed. The open res- ns a rule, and If tho poisoning has you even as an acquaintance. He has taurants by the water front held but come here for the purpose of annoy­ few idlers. The padre admired the reached a stage not controlled by these treatments. It Is best to havo ing me. though he promised the pre­ young man's independence Most men professional treatment, ns few. If any, fect in Paris never to annoy me again." wbuid have hesitated not a second to pour the tale into his ears In hope of of tho innumerable domestic remedies "The prefect!" provo to be entitled to reliance. "Yes. The morning I left Versailles material assistance. The padre’s ad­ I met him in the private office of the miration was equally proportioned Cat Led Him Home. prefect. He had powerful friends who with respect. "I leave you here.” he said. "You Smith and Jones met in th« smoko aided him in establishing an alibi I end of a Pullman car one afternoon, was only a woman, so I didn t count." will see me frequently at the villa." "1 certainly shall be there frequent­ mid during u gabfest Hmlth referred "Nora, if I have meddled in any way," proudly, "it has been because ly. Good night.” to tho town Into which ho hnd Just Courtlandt quickened bls pace which moved. I love you, and I see you unhappy. You have nearly killed me with your soon brought him alongside the others. "The streets of the blooming burg," sphinx-like actions. You have never They stopped in front of Abbott’s pen­ ho eloquently described, “are tho asked me the result of my spying for sion, and he tried to persuade them crookedeat of anything In that Hao M t LA&Btr< in E ruption you that night. Spying Is not one of to come up for a nightcap on the face of tho earth. You may not "Nothing to it, my boy,” said Har­ smoke strikes the nostrils everywhere courses of the former volcanic bellcvo It, but a couple of days nftcr my usual vocations, but I did it gladly rigan. “I need no nightcap ón top of Steam vents and boiling springs keep streams, the hell was once n crater of wo got there my wife had a cat that for you.” "You gave him my address?" coldly. cognac 48 years old. For me that's tha ground bare in the midst of 15-foot the old volcano and Its smoko of today she wanted to loso and told mo to tnke snowbanks. Solid sulphur bolls out Is from the smoldering embers of ItH it over and leave it along the river "I did not. I convinced him that I a whole suit of pajamas.” "You come, Ted.” , of the springs. One ancient crater Is bygone fires. had come at the behest of Flora Desi­ about a mllo distant. Well, sir—” (TO BE CONTINUED.) full of solfataras and fumaroles of the When I first visited the place I had mone. He demanded her address, "1 sec, old pill," smilingly Interjected type common on Vesuvius and Aetnn. Just dragged my pack horses around tho other. "That's where you lost which I gave him. If ever there was So with all these evidences that the the old trappers’ trail on the face of the cat all right.” a man In a ifne rage, It was he as he Distance in Bavaria, left me to go there. If he found out "You’vo got another guess," re­ In the Bavarfan highlands sign old fire mountain was not entirely the cliff nt the head of Mill Creek can where we lived, the Calabrian assisted posts along the roads, instead of stat­ dead. It is not at all remarkable that yon, where the melting snow water turned Hmlth. "If I hadn't followed him I spoke to him rather plainly ing the number of miles or kilometers Larsen peak or some one of the many tumbles over from Lake Helen nbovo. tho ent I would never have found my at tea. He said that he had had noth- to the various villages, give the craters around It should burst Into and had camped in a clump of snow- way buck home." ing whatever to do with the abduc­ amount of time which the average eruption. I find In my notes of a trip banked hemlocks a few hundred feet tion, and I believe him. I am positive pedestrian will supposedly take to to the 1-asnen region 14 years ago, below the top of the eastern ridge. I Long and Merry, that he is not the kind of man to go traverse the distance, an exchange written at the time, the following sen- was unaware of the close proximity of A short life and a marry one! Tho that far and not proceed to the end. states ThiB Is merely an official ex­ fence: "Few of those who shudder at Bumpaas' hell until, bent on exploring most fallacious quip over uttered. And now. will you please tel) Carlos pression of the very general custom the convulsions In the West Indian the way, I climbed the remaining Why need a life bo short to bo mer­ to bring my dinner to my room?” of the peasants in the region, who world have ever dreamed that Call­ snowbanks to the pass, and suddenly, ry? Rather make it a long and a The impulsive Irish heart was not invariably tell inquirers on tbs roads fornla holds a mountain which has so suddenly that I stepped back in­ merry one. There's morn sweetness to be resisted Nora wanted to remain not how far it is to a place, but how within the lifetime of man, and may stinctively to avoid plunging Into the in n dollar's worth of sugnr than in firm, but instead she swept Celeste long It Bikes to get there parallel the titanic forces of the again, boiling pit below, the hell appeared tho lump or two that goes In the cof­ into her arms. "Celeste, don't be angry! below me. For Instance, one asks:, "How far Caribbean volcanoes. fee at dinner. I am very, very unhappy." Up to a very late day in geological A dull roar rose from the crater, a is It to Oberammergau?” A long life and a merry one, sanely, If the Irish heart was impulsive, the “A small half hour,” will be the an- history, tho sea occupied what Is now sulphurous steam stung my nostrils I French one was no less so. Celeste swer, or perhaps "A good half hour” the Lassen region and extended far looked out from the snowbank on usefully, wholesomely merry. That Is tho life. Tho other counterfeit wanted to cry out that she was un­ or “A big half hour." Into Oregon. About the close of what which I stood and saw a deep bowl tn maxim camo when youth mid folly happy. too. is known as the Ione epoch that terri ­ the mountain, a third of a mile across, first tasted tho quick dregs that coma Which Is puzzling until the stran- "Don't bother to dress! Just give ger learns that a "small half hour” tory was uplifted, and there began a ringed with twisted and broken I hvb to those who try tho short and merry. your hair a pat or two. We’ll all three means 25 minutes, "a good half hour ' long period of volcanic activity extend­ rock, Hemlock clung to the crags A short Ufa and a merry on«! Bah! dine on the balcony." 30 minutes and "a big half hour” 35 ing down to the present day. From a and in their shade lay mocking snow- There'« no such thing, unless it be by Celeste flew to her room. Nora went multitude of vents lnva was poured banks, The bottom and vails of the accident—the chance cutting off of a over to the casement window and minutes. out upon the earth. The more liquid great bowl were stained a dirty yel­ life that was to have been a long stared at the darkening mountains. lavas flowed far and wide to form low with sulphur. Steam rose every­ life and a merry one.—Kansas City Kaiser as a Censor. When she turned toward the dresser I where. The growling of the crater plains. Star. The kaiser has forbidden the produc­ she was astonished to find two bou­ The thicker lava accumulated around rose. It grumbled hoarsely, hissed and quets. One was an enormous bunch tion at Herr Reinhardt's Deutsches •creamed. the vents and built up the great vol ­ Benedict’s Dilemma. of violets. The other was of simple theater of a play called "Ferdinand, canic mountains, Idtssen peak, Bur­ When 1 raw the new crater on Las­ "You seem to be having a struggle margueritiea. She picked up the vio­ Prince of Prussia,” on the ground that ney butte, Prospect peak, Mount Hark- sen on June 4 and 5 the vent, by over that letter.” lets. There was a card without a one of the characters is a member of ney. Magi'- j-'-ak, Prefer peak and an engineer's tape, measured 275 feet name; but the phrase scribbled across the Prussian royal family. There is "Yes; I want my wife to think I size f ■ -< s to a cafe and Is ac coated by a pretty young woman. She gave him the address of i-Hora Ik-aim -ne. vocal rival of T scans, and Flora gives him the address of Eieanora, whom he Is determined to see Courtlandt enters Eleanors» apartments She orders him out and si ta at him. Tf next day Paris ta sho Iced by Che myster ous d - •I I ■ that he may be - i»t • -ted of the abduc­ tion of Ef-.inora C- irtlan tt arranges for an alibi El-abora reap;»- rs and a -...sea Courtlandt of bating abducted her II s alibi Is satisfy t ry to th police and the charge la dismissed Eleanor* ■ flees to Igcke Como to rest after the shock. She to followed by a number of her admirers, among them the prince who really pro­ cured 1 ■ - rt. lt also goes to Com - and t • meets Jlmnne Harri­ gan. retir- 1 prix* ichter and father of El­ eanors. wh -- r* il name is Nora Harrt- gan Harrigan .-><•) C ..ttlan.lt into his favor a' to hla daughter b it the latter gives no sign of ever 1 it cig met him before She • ■ t l :m. Nora’s coni •cents a mystery Involving Nora and Courtlandt He takes a strong fancy to the young man CHAPTER IX—Continued. ”1 was asleep when the pistol went off. Oh. ysu must believe that it was purely accidental! She was tn a ter­ rible state until morning. What tf •be bad killed you, what tf she had killed you! She seemed to harp upon that phrase ” Courtlandt turned a sober face to­ ward her. She might be sincere, and then again she might be playing the first game over again, in a different guise "It would have been embar­ rassing if the bullet had found its mark.” He met her eyes squarely, and she saw that his were totally free from surprise cr agitation or Interest. “Will you be here long?” “It depends." “Upon Nora?" persistently. "The weather." “Tou are hopeless." “No; on the contrary. I am the moat optimistic man in the world." She looked into this reply very care­ fully. If he had hopes of winning Nora Harrigan, optimistic he certainly must be. Perhaps it was not optim­ ism. Rather might it not be a pur­ pose made of steel, bendable but not breakable, reinforced by a knowledge of conditions which she would have Elven worlds to learn? "Is she not beautiful?” “I am not a poet." "Walt a moment." her eyes widen­ ing "I believe you know who did commit that outrage." For the first time he frowned. “Very well; I promise not to ask ' any more questions." “That would be very agreeable to me." Then, as if he realized the rude­ ness of his reply, he added: "Before I leave I will tell you all you wiBh to know, upon one condition." “Tell it!" “You will say nothing to any one, you will question neither \flss Harri­ gan nor myself, nor permit yourself to be questioned.” “I agree " "And now, will you not take me over to your friends?" "Over there?" aghast. “Why, yes. We can sit upon the grass. They seem to be having a good time." What a man! Take him over, Into the enemy's camp? Nothing would be more agreeable to her. Who would be the stronger, Nora or this provok­ ing man? So they crossed over and Joined the group The padre srnik-d It was a situation such as he loved to study; a strong man and a strong woman, at war But nothing happened; not a I ripple anywhere to disclose the agita­ tion beneath The sun was dropping toward the western tops. The guests were leav­ ing by twos and threes. The colonel had prevailed upon bis dinner guests not to bother about going back to the village to dress, but to dine in the clothes they wore. Finally, none re­ mained but Harrigan. Abbott, the Barone, the padre and Courtlandt And they talked noisily and agreeably con­ cerning man affairs until Rao gravely announced that dinner was served. It was only then, during the lull which followed, that light was shed upon the puzzle which had been sub­ consciously stirring Harrigan's mind: Nora had not once spoken to the son of bis old friend. CHAPTER X. Everything But the Truth. “I don't see why the colonel didn't Invite some of the ladies,” Mrs. Har­ rigan complained. "It's a man party. He's giving It to