o
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX. - PORTLAND. OCTOBER 22, 191C.
Dramatized and produced by
the Vitagraph Company from the
popular novel of the same name,
by C. N. and A. M. Williamson. -Everything
you read here today
you can see this week at leading
motion-picture theaters In vivid
motion pictures with Earle Wil
liams as Christopher Place and
Miss Adele Kelly as Nora Col
llngwood. Next week another
story and new pictures. Copy
right, 1916, by the Star Company.
All foreign rights reserved.
CHAPTER II.
The Knrcmbnrg Walch,
CHRISTOPHER had had a hard ran
with his motor the day before, so
he lay late In bed drinking his
morning tea and reading the morning
paper. The Mendell poisoning case
coon absorbed him as was the situa
tion all over England at this hour.
This morning there were portraits of
young Lady Mendell, accused of poi
soning her elderly husband; of the cel
ebrated K. C, who was her counsel;
of Miss Mendell. the sister-in-law, a
philanthropist and witness for . the
prosecution, and Miss Mendell's secre
tary. But it was not the face of the
young woman (once popular, now noto
rious) which engaged Christopher's at
tention; it was the strong profile of
Elr Gordon Race, his distant cousin,
engaged for the defense. The amateur
chauffeur was privately proud of the
tie of kinship between him and the
brilliant K. C. who had received a,
baronetcy as a tribute of royal and
national admiration.
"If anyone can get her off It will be
he," Christopher was saying to him
self, when there came a knock at his
bedroom door. "Please sir," announced
the ' one overworked servant of the
house, "there's a lady to see you In a
hurry, and she won't take 'no' for a
hanswer, because her business is that
Important."
"Any name?" Christopher called out.
"Miss Poinsett; and I was to say it
was about your motor car and Sir Gor
don Race."
Without asking further questions
Christopher Jumped up and Into his
bath. To the lady "who had been
asked to wait in his sitting-room ap
peared at the end of 20 minutes a clean
shaven and well-groomed young man.
But if that young man had hoped to be
rewarded for meritorious speed by a
vision of beauty, he was disappointed.
A plainly-dressed woman of medium
height and size half rose from a chair
at his entrance; and she was bo closely
veiled in thick, ugly tissue that to
search vainly for her features was like
being struck violently with blindness.
"Forgive my disturbing you," the
veiled lady began. In a cultivated. if
somewhat affected voice, "but it was
necessary that I should see you early.
A great deal depends upon it. I saw
your adveritsement last night for the
first time. It gave your address, and
though you Invite your clients to write,
not to call, I ventured to disobey. I
have come to you because you must be
a relation of Sir Gordon Race. It's not
a common name."
Christopher smiled and began to be a
little bored, for he hated gush; and as
he was something of a hero since the
Dalvanian affair, he could afford to
choose his clients.-
"Naturally I claim Sir Gordon as my
feousln," he said, "but Sir Gordon would
not claim me, because I doubt If he'd
remember me from any other mem
ber of the race of Adam."
"At least," the veiled visitor broke
In, "Sir Gordon wouldn't refuse to see
you If you sent In your name at his
bouse?"
"Perhaps not. If he weren't too deep
ly engaged."
"That brings me," the lady went on,
"to my object. I don't ask how much
you charge for your motor, by the
hour, because the price doesn't matter.
Z am anxious for you to go at once
and as quickly as possible, to Sir Gor
don Race's house in Curzon street
that means going in your car and do
ing an errand for me. It seems small,
but it is really of importance, and I
Will pay whatever yo.u ask in advance."
"Thanks," said Chlstopher. "But per
haps you have forgotten that this is
the 31st of May, the great day in the
ilendell case. Any other would be bet
ter for finding Sir Gordon free. This is
his day to address the Jury In defence
of Lady Mendell."
"Oh, no, I haven't forgotten," an-
cwerotl t Vi "V' i 1 rf wnmnii "That it tha
reason I chose this morning. It's
early, as you know, to your sorrow."
fihe laughed pref unctorily. "Sir Gordon
won't be at the court yet it's the Old
Bailey, Isn't it? for a couple of hours.
Even the greatest advocate In England
must breakfast when engaged in the
most important case, and I think he
will be eating his when you arrive. If
you'll kindly start at once.
"I don't mind delaying this morning
If you give me a good reason, madam."
"My name is Miss Poinsett," his vis
itor announced. "I am an old acquaint
ance, with cause for gratitude, to Sir
Gordon Race. I beg you to take him
a parcel which, to my belief, will bring
him the best good luck for this great
day. He's to make his speech In de
fense of Lady Mendell. Her fate de
pends on him, for if she has a single
chance for her life it lies in the effect
his words may produce on the Jury."
"That is true." said Christopher. "Sir
Gordon could drew tears from the eyes
of a potato. He plays on the feelings
of a Jury as if they were the strings
of a violin. Lady Mendell was more
than lucky to get him."
"And I want to add to her bonne
chance by sending her advocate a
fetish." urged the lady who called her
self Miss Poinsett. "Tou see, I am
interested for them both. I have my
own reasons you can fancy them per
haps for not going to Sir Gordon's
house myself, and it would probably
be useless sending an ordinary messen
ger. Such a person would never get
into Sir Gordon's presence, but you
will. The packet which I send, with
best and kindest wishes, must be put
into his own hands. Here, in an en
velope, is payment in advance. Break
the seal, if you choose, now; but in
any case I think you will be satisfied."
Christopher made no further objec
tions, as it was not worth while to ar
gue, and his client took from a leather
bag which hung from her arm a small,
daintily tied-up parcel, not more than
four inches square, and wrapped in
white paper such as Jewelers use.
"There Is something rather fragile
as well as valuable la the little box,"
l'A-s ' -f
y ' " .
t Is
til'- iiu n ii r ' f A v
said she. "But I may trust you not to
let It drop. And you will Insist on see
ing Sir Gordon yourself. If you send In
your name he will be certain to see
you, if you mention that it is Impor
tant." A few minutes later he was spinning
towards Curzon street, in Scarlet Run
ner, and reached Sir Gordon Race's
house Just as another large motor car
had drawn up before it. Evidently the
occupants of this car were expected,
for the door was opened by a footman
before two ladies had time to alight.
They passed into a hall at once, but
Christopher saw that they were young
and pretty, one a charming girl with
brilliant coloring and naturally wavy
hair of a wonderjul golden brown.
Instead of asking If Sir Gordon would
see him, Christopher took out a card
and wrote on it a request for a mo
ment's Interview, adding that he had
"come from Miss Poinsett, bringing a
present from her which must be de
livered personally."
"Please give this to Sir Gordon Race,"
he said with confidence; and the ser
vant, seeing that the name on the card
was the same as that of his master. In
vited the visitor in without hesitation.
Christopher was shown Into a room
which seemed to be a combination of
drawing-room and library.
When he had begun to grow Impa
tient there came through a closed door
the sound of laughter from the adjoin
ing room, and an Instant later the door
opened for Sir Gordon Race himself.
He had Christopher's card in his
NEW FEATURES FOR THE
SEEN FROM THE BALCONY
WHEN Robbie and Ruth heard that
Big Sister was going to have a
girl friend visit her for a while,
they were mildly interested because,
somehow. It seemed nice to them to
have another person in tho house. But
the friend, Elizabeth Morrow, hadn't they were familiar.
been there 24 hours before they were, Elizabeth and Ruth would then en
as the saying goes, "just crazy about deavor to see what he described and
her."
She was so Jolly and so nice, oh. ever
so nice to them. And she could think
of the most delightful games to play.
Why it seemed she could take Just
nothing at all and make the dandiest that mattered so much especially
game imaginable out of it! since Elizabeth could always be de-
For example, take the game which pended upon to give one of her pieces
they called "Balcony." Now, who but of chocolate to Robbie and the other
Elizabeth could have thought of such to Ruth, with the distinct understand
a game? And Ruth and Robbie looked ing. however, that they should not be
forward each afternoon, just before, eaten until after dinner. The game it
the sun went down in the west, to play
ing it with her.
On the side of the house, at tho
third story, was a balcony large enough
for all of them to occupy in comfort.
It looked out way out over the hills
and tho valleys and the rolling country;
one could see for miles and miles, it
seemed.
So, just before sunset, Elizabeth
would take them there, seat herself
upon a little stool which Robbie proudly
insisted upon carrying out there for
her, and show them the perfectly won
derful, wonderful things , to be seen.
Though they called the game "Balcony"
It might just as well have been called
"Sky-Pictures" or "Can-you-see-what-I-see?"
"Look, my dears," Elizabeth would
say, "can you see the strange old man .
with the heavy beard and the hook
nose over there just above the big oalc
tree beyond the bend in the river?"
And Robbie would look; and Ruth
would look. The outline of every cloud
hanging above the tree would bo
scanned Carefully. Sometimes they
would see it Immediately and some
times it would take them quite a while
to "make out" the old man's beard and
nose. And each was eager to be the
first to "see" what one of the other
two had seen. For there were two
pieces of chocolate candy awaiting the
winner of each afternoon's contest.
Elizabeth, let us say, would tell about
being able to see the old man with the
beard. Then, if Robbie saw It before
iiis sister Ruth did, then lie was given
EXT, A TIIREATEMXG MUTTER OK
A.tU A
hard, accepted the young man as ,a
cousin, said that he remembered their
meeting and Invited him to stop for
breakfast.
"We're cousins, and. it seems, not
strangers," he went on, leading Chris
topher towards the open door.
"Really, you must come. There's a
little mystery to be cleared up, and
only you can clear it this mystery of
Miss Poinsett." By this time he had
brought the young man into the break
fast room. "I have Mrs. and Miss
Collingwood's permission to introduce
you. Theye've kindly come to wish me
luck for today, since they're not able
to see me through it, as I hoped they
might. In half an hour they're off
house-hunting with their motor. Instead
of going into court to learn the fate of
that poor little woman."
"And before we go Sir Gordon has
promised that we shall see what Miss
Poinsett has sent him," laughed the
girl with brown-gold hair, accepting
Christopher as a relative of her host.
"Also that we shall hear what Miss
Poinsett is like," merrily added Mrs.
Collingwood, who was too young to be
other than the girl's stepmother
Christopher glanced from one to the
other, and guessed at the situation.
The message written on his card had
apparently caused a discussion, and he
had been called in to settle' it. He de
duced that Miss Collingwood (evidently
an American girl, accustomed to have
every whim humored) was cither the
great man's fiancee or on the point of
becoming so. Sir Gordon doubtless
one mark. He, then, would eagerly
scan the objects below and above him
principally the clouds and the horizon
for fantastic shapes which, with a
little stretch of the imagination, might
be said to look like objects with which
the first to see it would have a mark
set down to her credit and so on, until
dinner was announced. The one having
the most marks won the chocolate.
But, somehow. It wasn't the chocolate
Bobbie Would Look)
4.
V-,-
1
if
I,
THUNDER. WHICH IIROKE IN AN
lAT.UUtT r WATEIl SlllliA.HtU
wished to prove that Miss Poinsett was
nothing to him, and Christopher had
been summoned as an Independent wit
ness for the defense.
Christopher frankly related, the story
of the veiled lady's isit and added that
he did not know whether she were
really Miss Poinsett or a deputy of Miss
Poinsett.
"To show you that neither do I know
Miss Poinsett. I beg you'll open the
parcel," said Sir Gordon to Miss Colling
wood. "Supposing there's a letter Insider
The girl was smiling, yet Christopher
fancied that this was not quite a Joke
for her.
"Then you're to read it out to me,"
Sir Gordon answered. And now the
young man was sure that he was right
In one particular; this famous K. C. of
40 was deeply in love with tho' girl
of 20.
There was a delicious breakfast, but
the host and his three guests were neg
lecting it. No one could think of any
thing save the little white parcel,
whose dainty ribbons Miss Collingwood
had begun half-hesitatlngly to untie.
The paper concealed a pasteboard box,
and within the box, on a bed of Jew
elers' cotton lay a quaint and beautiful
antique watch of nearly the size and
somewhat the shape of an egg. The rich
yellow gold was chased in an elaborate
pattern of tiny figures, representing
birds and animals, and the face of tho
watch was of blue enamel, set round
with small jewels.
"What a lovely present!" exclaimed
self was fascinating and each time it
was different, for the clouds and trees
and bushes seemed ever to assume dif
ferent shapes.
Besides, Elizabeth could tell them
so many interesting things. An oak
tree would suggest to her the story of
the little acorn and. after years and
years, the mighty oak. The sweep of
the river below them meant the story
of how water flows to the sea and is
taken up into the clouds to fall as
rain and flow to the sea again.
Clouds, scurrying across the heavens
before the wind, opened up. under
Elizabeth's skillful tongue, the en
thralling explanation of clouds and
wind. A flash of lightning, or the roll
of thunder made what had long been
a mystery to the children no longer
one. The flight of birds southward to
escape the coming Winter, or a sunset,
or well, can't you imagine what many
manf possibilities the interesting game
of 'Balcony" offers?
Only, do not get the Idea that one
And Rnth Would Look..
2 o
) V 1-
F.XPUKIO. OF IIAGE AT THE END;
MOW."
Mrs. Collingwood. "Just the kind of
thing that my husband adores."
"There's a note with It," announced
the girl, her cheeks growing pink.
"I said you were to read It," insisted
Sir Gordon.
Miss Collingwood opened a folded bit
of paper. "Aloud?"
"Yes, aloud."
"On this, your great day. In a great
case," the young voice read. "I send you
this In memory of another great day
In a great case; and may It bring you
the good luck V wish you. Would that
this old Nuremburg watch were filled
with diamonds as brilliant as your own
arguments; but since I have not those
to give, I give my best. Of Its kind
this watch Is perfect, as you will see
by the date, and an examination of the
works, which are unique. Yours.
"ELIZABETH POINSETT."
"Elizabeth Poinsett!" echoed Sir Gor
don. "By Jove! That case I had for
gotten." "Ah! I thought you'd find the name
had. associations," exclaimed Miss Col
lingwood, flushing.
"To show you how much I valu
hem and their souvenir, I beg you tn
"Vccept the watch," said Sir Gordon.
Xet it bring you luck instead of !.
"I couldn't think of taking it," cried
the girl.
"For your father. If not for your
self." pleaded Sir Gordon. "As Mrs. Col
lingwood says, it's Just the thing to
please a collector, and It's wasted on
me."
"fend It back to Miss Poinsett."
"She went away from my place with
YOUNG
must have a balcony to play It. Just
stand at your window at dusk and look
out. At first you will see nothing.
Presently you will be surprised at the
number of old men and queer,' crawly
bugs and grotesque animals and good
nesH known what you can "make out"
floating along' In cloud form. Try It
end see you will find it most fascinat
ing. 'Jest Crowed," Like Topay
AT this season of the year the aver
age boy wishes that footballs
grew on trees or vines, as the fabled
golden apples that Hercules is said to
have brought from the Hesperides gar
den. Now, if footballs did really
grow on trees, the high cost of ath
letics would surely be reduced. How
happy father would bo and how he
would smile.
You know the poets say that nature
is a marvelous old magician, and the
poets were right. Neither Hermann nor
Kellar could outdo masterful nature,
who delves In all kinds of things. But
sometimes she seems to be almost
blind and she is less successful In many
respects than California's plant wizard,
Luther Burbank, who made desert
cactus palatable.
When nature attempted to make a
football, she did a halfway job. She
remembered the "ball" part, but In her
hurry she overlooked the "foot" aspect.
Consequently her creation Is highly
impractical. What she made is oblong
and big, tremendously big. with short
and long circumferences of 30 to 36
inches respectively. Her Imitation Is
so soft that, although everybody calls
him "ball," his first name is just com
mon "puff."
Nature may be all right most of the
time, but not all the time, for at her
door must be placed some wonderful
fizzles. This is one of them, one of
her failures. What small boy would
wish to kick mother nature's great
fake? Who would desire to reap a
reward of near-suffocation from the
immense cloud of spores and silky
dust? Footballs may grow on the
ground, but as for me and every boy
that plays the gridiron game, just give
us the man-made real "pigskin."
An Interrupted Problem.
Engineering and Mining Journal.
A correspondent whose veracity In
mall matters has hitherto remained
out leaving an address." Christopher
ventured to put in.
"Such a present from Sir Gordon
would certainly put your father Into a
splen,did humor, Nora, dear." suggested
the pretty stepmother, with a meaning
arch of the eyebrows, from which
Christopher deduced parental disappro
val of the K. C.'s suit. Probably Miss
Collingwood was a great heiress, for
whom her father expected a Duke
or an Earl, at the least.
"Nora, dear," weakened, then yielded.
She thanked Sir Gordon charmingly,
and. letting the box lie on the table,
slipped the fat gold globe Into an in
side pocket of her smart tailor-made
Jacket.
"We ought to bo going." said Mrs.
Collingwood. who was as English In
type as her stepdaughter was Amer
ican. "Henry allowed us half an hour
to tell you that, after all your kind
ness In getting 'us seats, we couldn't
be In court today. Oh. it really Is too
bad. I'm so disappointed not to hear
your speech, and so is Nora. Fancy hav
ing to spend such a day la looking for
a country house!"
Thus speaking, she gathereed up
from the table several clippings with
photographs of country houses, which
she had been showing Sir Gordon. But
the long . apology caused Christopher
to suspect a hidden reason for Mr. Col
lingwood's ultimatum. A girl half won
would be wholly won If she were al
lowed to bear her lover's eloquence
today!
His errand accomplished, his break
fast supposed to be finished. Christo
pher took his leave, not wishing to lin
ger until the departure of the ladles.
Instead of returning to the garage, he
ran out to South Kensington to call
on a possible client who had asked to
see the car. and an hour passed before
he brought the Scarlet Runner to the
door of hU lodgings. He intended to
stop for a few moments, pick up the
correspondence he had missed by his
early start and set out again on an
other errand. Until this moment ho
had forgotten the envelope left by the
veiled lady, but seelna it 'on the table,
be had the curiosity to open. Within
was a smaller envelope, and this con
tained. In lieu of check or banknote,
five gold sovereigns. Miss Poinsett's
generosity combined itself apparently
with a wish to preserve her privacy as
carefuly as she hid her face.
Several letters had come by post, but
one. arriving by district messenger in
Christopher's absence, had been laid on
top of the others. Opening It, his
blood rushed tingling to the root of his
hair as his eyes traveled down the
neatly typewritten page.
"Circumstances have put the writer
into possesslbn of a secret which con
science compels him to reveal. If you
would save the life of Sir Gordon Race,
go back to him instantly. Say that In
the antique watch sent him this morn
ing is an explosive strong enough to
kill six men. Even If the case be
opened a spring must be touched which
will mean destruction."
This was all; but it brought Chris
topher Race to his feet and set his
heart thumping. The anonymous letter
might be a practical Joke it might be
the work of a madman; but it might
also be the truth; and, without stop
ping to dwell upon probabilities. Chris
topher bolted downstairs, tucking the
sheet of paper and envelope into bis
pocket.
Off again sped Scarlet Runner like
a red arrow, the silent chauffeur won
dering at Race's tense face and reck
less driving. Ludgate Hill was crowd
ed and many precious minutes were
wasted before Christopher- could leap
from the car near the entrance to that
grim haunt of lost hopes, the Old Bai
ley. Each approach was guarded by bur
ly constables; but Christopher wrote
hastily on a visiting card: "I must see
you instantly on a matter of life and
death. It concerns the ladles who vis
ited you this morning." This he gave.
READERS
unquestioned. writes the following
from one of our mushroom camps of
the desert: "The other night Chucka
waller Pete's thirst emporium caught
fire. The Joint was a mass of flames
when the camp volunteer fire depart
ment arrived. Prompt measures were
necessary to avoid a total loss, but the
mine bookkeeper held up the extin
guishment of the blaze. He set out to
figure which was the cheapest to let
the shack, constructed of lumber cost
ing (150 a 1000, burn down, or put It
out with water hauled IS miles and
costing IS a barrel. While he was fig
uring, the shack burned down and we
never did hear which way the flguraa
pointed."
Where You Will Find Them
DEER TRAIL. Colorado, is for hunt
ers bold.
Grub town. Pa., is for tramps quite old.
Alto, Georgia, Is for singers rare.
Stockville, Nevada, is for brokers fair.
Gem. Indiana, is where Jewelers trade.
Cakes, Pennsylvania, is where pastry
Is made.
Anaconda. Montana, is where snakes
hide.
Bliss, Michigan, is where new-weds
abide.
Chewtown, Pa., is where gujn can be
bought.
Widow, Alabama, is where widowers
are caught.
Bigger, Indiana, is where small men
grow.
Agate, Colorado, Is where printers go.
Gap. Pa., is for sleepy boys,
Yellville, Arkansas, is for riot and
noise.
Grafts. Ohio, Is where deadheads stalk,
Stumptown, Pa., where politicians talk.
Modest Town, Virginia, is for belles so
shy.
Antiquity, Ohio, is where old maids die.
Weed, Cal., is where smokers congre
gate. Rut. Minnesota, is where idlers find
mate.
Peculiar. Mo., is where "different"
folks go.
Star City. Arkansas, Is for actors, not
slow.
Parnassus, Pa, Is where poets soar,
Itiddleville, Ga-a is for puzzlers galore.
Aroma. Illinois. Is good for the nose.
Shoe Heel, N. C, will cover your toes.
Peposit. N. Y.. Is where bankers put up.
Beeville, Indiana, is where apiarists
sup.
Doctortown, Georgia, is the physician's
goal.
And Mystic. Connecticut, takes care of
your soul.
with a sovereign, to the most Intelli
gent looking of the policemen, and told
htm that somehow it must bo got im
mediately to Sir Gordon Race.
Christopher's face forbade argu
ments and challenged Interest. The
policeman vanished, to return present
ly followed by a legal-looking person
with the precise side-whiskers of a
lawyer's clerk. Sir Gordon would see
Mr. Race. He was to "come this way
by the counsel's entrance, please."
The picture was painted on his brain
when a hush fell upon the court, save
for the rustling as people got to their
feet while the judge came In and
bowed gravely to the counsel. It was
as the judge sat down and the murmur
swelled again that Christopher reached
a seat exactly in front of Sir Gordon
Race. Leaning towards him. the great
man fixed the newcomer with a glance
that had something of sternness, some
thing of apprehension in it; and silent
ly he pointed to the penciled words on
the card.
For reply Christopher handed him
the anonymous letter and watched the
elder man's face change as he read.
Would he disbelieve the warning?
Christopher asked himself.
Not for an instant had Sir Gordon
accepted the supposition that the
writer of the anonymous letter was
mad or jesting grimly. "What a fool I
was not to suspect!" ho said. "There's
one person on this earth in this court
right now who has everything to gain
by putting me out of the fight today.
Great heaven! If I had any heart left
in me. what I could make out of this
for Lady Mendell! How I could break;
her enemies If but this has broken
me. Nothing matters here. I must get
out of this I must follow Nora Miss
Collingwood and save her "
"Send me Instead. I beg of you.
broke In Christopher. "You can't go.
You'll realize that when you're your
self again. If you desert Lady Men
dell now you'll condemn her to death,
and I promise you I'll do all to save
Miss Collingwood and her people that
you could. Trust me and tell me
where to go with my motor."
"You're right," said Sir Gordon, the
blood plowly flowing back to his white
face. "I can't play traitor. More than
ever now I must stand by Lady Men
dell. Mrs. Collingwood showed me
the orders to view she'd got from the
agents; I remember the names of four
houses."
He called the clerk and. scribbling
four addresses on a leaf of his note
book, tore it out and gave It to the
man. with Instructions. Then he re
peated the same process with Christo
pher, and had barely Jotted down the
last name when the Judge coughed for
the second time.
The cousins exchanged a look and
Christopher turned away. By the time
he had reached the door and stopped
for one backward glance. Sir Gordon
was on his feet, ready to speak. He
was still pale, but all the old fire
burned In his eyes. Christopher ex
pected to hear the stereotyped words.
"Gentlemen of the Jury." but to his
surprise and amazement of the court
Sir Gordon began with a request to the
Judge. Evidence of vital importance
had come to hand. He begged the
privilige of recalling two of the wit
nesses for the prosecution.
Christopher dared not linger; but.
hurrying ofT on his quest of life and
death, the question would spring Into
his mind: What evidence of vital Im
portance In this case had he, all un
wittingly, brought to Sir Gordon with
the anonymous letter?
At the first two. houses the telegrams
from Sir Gordon's clerk had arrived
after the departure of the motorists;
at the last two they had not been
claimed. Christopher was at a loss
what to do for the best, for the one
clew he had to the Collingwoods
movements was lost: yet there was no
time to spend by the way In making1
Inquiries here and there. When he hud
thought until his head ached, he de
cided to run Into Bath, which now lay
near, and call on the most prominent
house agents there.
Twilight was drawing on when he
drew up before the door of Richard
son and Milllnttton. In bath, and Chris
topher was thankful to find the office
not yet closed. To his Joy. his wisdom
in coming was proved. The Colling
woods had called, between 3 and
o'clock, and had spent some time dis
cussing particulars of various houses
in the agents' books. In the end they
had found one, the description and pho
tograph of which had delighted all
three. It was an Elizabethan house of
some historic interest, called Atherton
Manor, and there was a large estate
attached; but Mr. Collingwood had re
marked that this would be no objection.
If he liked the place. It was late to
visit it that afternoon, as it lay 10
miles or more out of Bath; but the
American gentleman had seemed very
energetic, and had Insisted upon going.
He had been Interested to hear that
the owners the two heiresses of the
estate were still living at the Manor,
which must be sold, owing. to the con
ditions of the father's will. Mr. Colling
wood had heard of some valuable pic
tures and Jewels, which were heirlooms
in the Atherton family, for he had In
quired if they were kept in the house:
and. on being told they were still there,
he had been anxious to set off at once
with an order to view.
It was the heirlooms had determined
him; and though there was some talk
about an antique watch which the
young lady had forgotten to show her
father being as well worth his atten
tion as any of the Atherton things, he
hardly listened, but hurried tho ladies
out of the office.
"Was nothing else said about the
watch?" asked Christopher.
"Mr. Collingwood promised to have a
look at it later. I think, from the
little discussion, it was a question of
some present from a person he didn't
care for and was not Interested in; but,
of course, it was no affair of mine, and
I paid no great attention."
Race waited for no more, but he got
out of the office as quickly as he could
with decency and dashed off in the di
' rection he had been told to take.
The approaching storm was about to
burst. Purple clouds boiled up over the
horizon, strange clouds, edaed and
veined with copper, and as Scarlet Run
ner rushed on. her lamps lit for the
unnatural darkness, pale serpents of
lightning writhed across the heavens.
Soon came the first big drops of rain,
heavy as nail-heads: next, a threaten
ing mutter of thunder which broke in
an explosion of rage at the end; and
a cataract of water streamed down, as
if the black sky were a course-meshed
sieve.
There was no one of whom he could
ask the way, but he remembered thai
he had been told to wheel sharp to the
right at a point where three poplars
(Concluded oa Pag 6.)