"' I B1 By Walt Gregg, f If illiif f ales f JLir aid Adveitire $8 Hn HI fflffi Mi I iPWHiimIi failMi""1 ' il1 "'t Jt ' ' fflB HBI IBB MuBm PpbSw j v www. mm l. . i i:s, I'll ten yoi yB will 1)8 boys, that's all, Kegley Bald," ((included "Dad" Winters. For sovernl mo ments after "Pad" reaaod spoaklng tho Chair WarmorB Club preserved a nAi'urn n I I fi n fl O. me tnc mrmofrs nmvna up ciosur Ibo itoio nnd Indulged la fresh iewj. ... ... Well, uow'i that men may do an ,1 - r..hlna i, lrdln ' D.llH "Vnrtll fie" Peters at Inpt, nH ho oput eloll iely and with precision on tho nlck- Irta of the stove, "hut you tnlto It lisnlmala and 11b different, as I had LT.Un n Irnrn nnpn nnil rnmpmlmr Itlactlr. Ml tell you how it wan." Ir from tho fact that on tho top of I Mail dm one nravc, iono nair Ki forth In nil Kit naked InvcllnosB a rast expanse or uniancsB, nor pA i fresh clirw of tobacco, ckvat- Ihls feet, and began. tt itnn't tmnnnnn nnv (if vim river It Bill MocQulnii, for thin Imp- ted out nest, ami resides, whh a if time ago. This MacQuInn had u BCD out mere, unci i poi a jon wmi b puncning came. niero wan a i-fM nn thfl nlnon nl Oils tlmn llrh vii rnnalilnrnhln nf it Khnnlir ftli war. Dd uc used to raco blm Dh ill Ihft hrnnchnn nrnnnrt I fin Ifhborhood, and he nlways vou If (ncer i wnip arm neia out m ee, Jiacqulnn cot the nae l a bunch of Mexican horse frnd. I tin bad ralfed him from a colt, H It aetma thev formed n Jmhlt nf tin' the pony about the. first day ho fa born, and had consistently kept It terer ilnce: and whenever n.nrh. be. which was tho critter's name, (at toe the scratch, tho Oreasors tild Krab a fenen tlckit nml hmnk Ivtrbla lyatem In flvo eriual nlrcon Of courie, with some beasts It iht hare been different, but Barb e ot m uied to It nnd his back bb eo cuaaed touch, that im Q(d tO eniOV the Wflllnnlncii nrwl fca Mac bought him he had reached . Hilarious Stage Where tin nnn could got anything out of him with out bustln' him a couplo llmcn with an ax as a sort of prnltmlnary bear In. "But tho critter did havo tbo.Piiood, and an I oald, If tho rldor could fan him long enough, ho would burn up tbo distanco rctuarknblo. "Well, In tho natural courso of things camo tho first annual fair of Tomahawk county, nnd what did Mac do but got it Into ula bean to enter Barbwlro in tho big freo-for-all sweepstaico. Yos, sir, that's what be done, and when tho entry oponed ho took mo and wo wont over to Lucky Strike, tho county ocat, with tho dough. Fifty good hard benim it coat to got an ndniloslon into thut npoed foBt, but It wan worth tho chanco, any way, as it was only ono heat, nnd car ried a purso of two thousand. Yop, thoy dono things up right in them days. "'Hob,' said tho old man to mo, 'I bclievo wo can pull down that kalo If no hotter pluga than theao show up. Darbwlre has beaten all of them al ready, and I bcllovo ho can do it again.' "'Yon, I answered thoughtful, 'hut remember ho bent thorn only on quar ter and half-mile dnHhrs, and thlH Ib for five quarters, which is u wholo lot dlfforont.' " 'How different?' aBkcd Muc. "'It's llko this,' I replied, 'Barbwlro Will run lllflt OH Innir nn Ihn Innl.nv'o arm holds out, nnd thon, good night! Well, you remember, no's only run throo half-mile races, and ho nearly lost two of tbom becnuBO tho Jockey couldn't keep up tbo pace. Now, therefore, where you going to get a rldor who can apply tho osteopathic treatment for a mile nnd a quarter?" '"Why. that ain't such a awful stunt.' Bald Mac. "I could do it myself.' '"Sure, sure, but you weigh two hundred nnd fifty with one hand tied behind you.' "That'll so, answered Mac, 'I nev er thought of that.' "'It's a terrible and nstonlshin' thing,' I went on, 'to stick on thn top of a streakln cayuso a mllo and a quarter, nnd nt tho same time try to play tho Anvil Chorus on tho plng'B hindquarters at every Jump. '"How about you?' asked Mac purl-dcn-llko. 'You'ro as tough as thoy make 'cm. "'I'm not much overweight,' I said, but Im not durable enough In tho arms, Well, ll'a ft week beforo tho raco,' replied Mac. 'Suppose you practice up and see what you can do.' "Now, I never used that 'spare the rod thing as my motto, and wasn't much of a follow to indulge in a wbole lot of mausago treatment with ani mals, bo I utartod In sort of easy and gentlo with Barbwlro, intondin' to try and coax nlittlo speed out of him with sugar and kind words Instead of cues talk and clubs. Tho first time I tried that program I was surprised at tho astonlshin' results. Barbwlro ttmt atood still a minuto lookin' puzzled and sad, thon ho turned his head sud den, bit mo in tho leg, tossod mn over his head into a fence, nnd walked off filled with gloom. "I didn't ride any more that day, but the noxt morning I saddled tho cayuso, mounted tbo leather with a club in ono hand and a deep, dark grouch tinc tured with rovongo in tho other, nnd wo went tho first half in 0:32. Then I got tired, nnd wo finished tho courso wo had staked off in two minutes and n half. "Of course, this was dlscourngin' to some extent, but I stuck with It, and tho dny before tbo raco I used two clubs and went n mile in 1:20, then I fell off from exhaustion and Barbwlrc never did finish. "Thnt mado mc sick and downheart ed, as It were, nnd Mac wasn't fcolln' any too well himself, and when wo went over to Lucky Strike the next day and discovered that a dark horso named Ooldflust had hnttrd intn th game, we felt grieved and hurt, nnd wished wo were, dead, but of rourse, there was no way out of it except by losing tho entry fee, bo Mac said wo might as well take a chanco anyhow, and pray by the shodn of Mercury that my nrm would last to tho finish. "There was nothing to do until time for tho big raco In tho afternoon, ns Barbwlro didn't belong to that class of lowdy-dows thnt rrqulro a couple of wet nursos and a chambermaid. If any valet had tried to wrap bandngeB around his knuckles or dresB him in a bathrobo or braid ribbons In hla tall, Barbwlro would havo been so sur prised ho would havo kicked his at tendant's remains all over the dUtant horizon, bo we Just tied him to a post out bohlnd a barn nnd started out to take in tho shows. "Wo saw three or four punk enter tainments, I guoas, before we como to Kid Kono, nnd right away I got a lino idea. Kono was a littlo duffer who claimed to have been a 'pug' of a whole lot of account in his day, and now ho was givln' exhibitions with tho I'uncnur nag ana laKin- on all comers to teach them tho manly art of fulllu' easy. " 'Thore'a tho guy to rido that leather-backed son of Satan.' I said to Mac, as soon as I seen tho littlo man por form, nnd I started toward tho back of tho tent. "What d'yu mean 7' asked Mac, as ho trailed along behind. " 'Did you seo tho arms on the gink?' I asked. 'Ho's a boxer, and is used to Btandin up and fannln' his wings nil dny. He's tho guy to wallop that cay uso under tho wlro if anybody is,' " 'By gee, you'ro right!' replied Mac. and wo descended upon Keno and Mao put up the proposition. "Keno seemed to think Mac was kid din' him at first, and he acted dubi ous as If he didn't know whether to laugh at the old man or hit mo, but after a whllo he tumbled, and wanted to know tho particulars and how much they was in it "'Can you ride?'nsked Mac. "'I never havo yet,' said tho Kid, 'but I rucrr I could.' "'Howlln' cats!' T yelled. 'Ho'll need both hands to hold on, unless he's tied to tho cayuso.' " That's the idea,' said Mac. That's tbo Iden. We'll tlo him on, and then ho can use both hands to tho club.' "Keno didn't seem to tnko to that, idea with any great amount of enthu siasm, but at laBt ho consented to tako a chance, nnd him and Man mado terms. "It was clouded up considerable when wo camo out of tho tent, and tho air smolled a lot like rain, hut ho was so full of Joy and rapture nt tho bright outlook of things generally that wo didn't pay much attention to tho weather. '"Why, that follow could play tho stick for twenty miles,' said Mac, real Jovial, but he bad never tried it him self. I had, and no I know I was no weakling, all I was hoping was that tbo guy would Just last to tho finish. "I noticed that it was a good deal colder when wo saddled tho plug up nnd got ready for a race, aud also thcro was a blc hank nf fnmrli.ln,,Hn' clouds over in tho northwest and thun der occasionally, but of course, noth ing short of nn carthquako could stop tho big evont. "Kono was on time all right, and aftor wo put him on tho ung wo got a rope and tied him tboro bo tight he couldn't havo boen lifted without bringing tho horso with him. I'm glad he never thought of tho plug failln down. Then, when everything was fixed, wo glyo tho Kid some final in structions on how to get away, banded him a good, stout club, and led him out. "Thero must havo been ton thou Bnnd people in tho stands that day, and when wo como on tho track Just about ten thousand of them roso up and gavo us tho merry ha! ha! hut they didn't know Barnwire, ana'Jt Just goes to show that whore Ipnor ance is bliss It's a shamo to get wise. "While thoy wore warmln' up 1 got a good look at Golddust, the dark horse, nnd somehow with all our well laid plans I felt nervous and wished I wbb home, Oolddust was a long, rangy bay, with a shiny coat nnd a coon Jocky dressed In white pants nnd a yellow silk shirt, whllo our horse looked like ho needed a haircut and shave, and besides he hnri hrin rnll. ing in mud. The other nags I know, and It was a cinch Barbwlro could leavo them so fast thoy would look llko thoy was tied to a brick barn, and it would be a dead euro thing for ub if only tho 'pug's' nrm held out. and also if tho dark horso didn't get too previous. "They scored up and down several times beforo getting away, and when I saw tho way Keno wns i!i.riiik tho openings and handling things general ly, I cheered up remarkably. Ho got his quickness from the ring, I sup pose, and ho caught onto thn new gamo so fast that anybody would think ho wub an old hand at it It they hadn't aeon tho ropo. "Thon, bb they turned and ennio down tho strotch, evory horso was In line. Bnrbwirn nrpnnrl frnm thn t.nln and when thoy passed under tho wlro a shot rnng out, and they woro oft In a bunch. "At tho samo instant a largo wot drop of Ico wator hit mo in tho neck, nnd 1 saw tho storm wan coming up fast. Thon I climbed up on tho fenco nnd fixed my cyea on tho ponlcB, "Kono Boomed u littlo rattled when thoy first lit out, nnd uso his hnndB to hold on, aud boforo ho had takon a hundred steps Barbwlro began to slow up, drop behind, nnd look sur prised while Oolddust shot into tho lead and Staved. Then nil nt nnnn Kono remembered, and tho whole hearted, enthusiastic wallop ho land ed on that old cayuso filled him with so much Joy ho seemed to say, Ah. now, wo'ro down to business!' and be foro tho quarter was reached he was up in the bunch again, with Keno yell ing In his ear and playing tho olub llko a man nailing shingles. "As they came down tho stretch our horso was up showing his speed and had left the field behind, hut Oold dust still was a good two lengths ahead, and traveling Btrong. When they hit the three-quarter pole, Barb wlro wns right up against tho dark horso's hip. At seven-eighths our horso was a noso ahead, and when they hit the mile Oolddust was three lengths behind, and tho coon Jockey began to turn white. "Thoy rounded tho Inst curve with Barbwlro still going nnd Keno beating it off in six-eight time and then all at once I Baw tho Jockey bring tho club down extra hard. Barbwlro gavo a mighty leap in reply, but tho gad had snapped off close to tho kld'a hand. "For a minuto I felt bo woak I thought I'd fnlnt nnd had to lean tip against Mnr for support. I naw Barb wlro Blacken his speed and look around In Kcno'B face na If askln' what foil had gono wrong. Tho dark horso rushed up and shot Into tho lead. And then tho utorm broke. "I felt bo bud I didn't enro if n oy clono struck, but tho noxt instant I saw Humo'thlng which mado mo stretch my neck und yelp. Tho storm wns ono of that kind which gets n blc wind bohlnd it and toara ulong In streaks, and It broko right bohlnd Baibwlro. Not rnlu. It was too cold for that. It was hall, great big, bcau- uiut naiiBioncs about tho nlzo of a hen's egg, nnd tho first ono to fall, hit Barbwlro such a plunk that ho nearly Jumped out of tho naddle. It wns a lucky Jump, for thn wind kept rlsln nnd tho storm was tcarln' right down tho stretch and plnyln' thn devil's tattoo on that plug's hlnd quartors. "As fato would hnvo 1U Barbwlro, went JuRt fant enough thnt tho nd vnnco guard of hall kopt plunking him over tho flanks all tho tlmo, and ho Just lit out so onthuslastln thnt ha overhauled that dark horso and darker' rldor something nmazin. "On they enmo down the long hotno stretch. Oolddust klckln' It off for nil he was worth, with the Jockey lcanln bo far over his neck you could hardly bco blm, nnd Barbwlro gnlnln fast nnd brlngln' tho hailstorm right alone with, him. "A hundred foot from tho wlro our horso wns right up smelling GolddusfR dust, nnd tho stands were yellin llko a football gamo. At fifty feet Barb wlro was at the dark horso's flank, and tho onrushlng hnll was trying to knock his poor old tall off. Twenty-flvo foot nnd our nng'u noso was right tip ngalnst Oolddust's cars. Then thoir noses wore but nn inch apart, thon n bnlf-lnch. thon a weak quarter, and ten feet from tho finish Barbwlro drow his neck back llko a snnko gi'ttln ready to strike, nnd nearly dropped dead. Deliberately pulled his head back a foot behind the other horso. But a foot from tbo tape, old Bnrb- wire let looso llko a Jumping jack. His neck uncoiled, and his noso shot out a good fourteen Inches ahead oC the other, horse, and we won Imndn-down. - i-tti.v . !.t i By Enos Emory dressea as HE song ended ab ruptly, thcro was a quirk step on tho stairs and tbo door was flung open nnd Miss Peggy O'Neill stood facing Lady Mansfield Plie looked llko a hriiool girl, not nn adventuress. Sho Lady Mansfield's fnct that ho bores mo adds to my charm or whatever you arc pleased to call it." "Thon why do you want to marry him?" "I must marry ono day. I can't al ways bo what tho papors call an 'Idol of tho Public,' and bo I might as well be a countess and a rich one, I nm promised whllo I am nbout it." "I wish that ho had not n penny "I know your father and mother many years ago, my dear child, but I think you must apologize for tho re mainder of your speech" and then she mado tbo fatal mistake of explana tion. "It was naturally a shock to me pleaso forgive mo if I wound you In saying It thnt a woman like you could bo tho daughter of old friends of mine." friend's sweetheart. "Afterall.lt wns something to bask In tho shadow of an earldom; and a llfo in London, smart friends, a good time all theso things appeal to an ambitious nnd pretty girl. "When men aro young, It sometimes hnppcns that they know how to lovo very dcoply; if they do, it is a lovo that lasts a lifetime. That was my fa ther's lovo for you. It was a wound "A woman lllffi inn." sho rpnrntfrl fcstir .!... . "' wiiiiBwnrs " mui no nuu not n penny , ,7, : - - :.'.".:". "" " "" """" 3ier mleht hn Hr.. ....... .... ihn i, .. u u. . -, .... .,.,,. and a woman like vnn hns tnniln mn thnt hnnlerl In tlm hut it i.n it. Iiniliinrfi.. u '"""". "v"'' uei- '"-" "" """Hi io ueyunu uio ciuicnes ,., - ' - -- "" i u, ""." a "a10 air hair two i sucn as you." Mic settiea aown in nor cnair again, blue eye "Do you really hato mo as much as thnt?" Lady Mansfield realized how undig nified hor outburst had beeu; alio folt suddenly mortified thnt this girl should havo witnessed her lack of control, and thero was something nl moBt pathetic in her attempt to re Ralu her composure. "I nm sorry If I hurt you." she paid. and though her small, frail faco looked sweetly chlld-llko under tho haio of her fair hair, hor eyes wero tho eyes of a woman. "I will tell you how that came to bo," sho said, In a tono that wns coolly Imporsonal. "You and my father wero girl nnd boy lovers you were on gaged in a kind of wny ; and then Hnrolrt Eliot enmn to stnv with mv with a kind nf proud humbleness, "but people for the shooting one autumn, my son is all the world to me. This and ho promptly fell in love with his sara1 inqu,rinRi- n Li".!?"8 me.."" Iip has piom. tatty U' ""' Larl" MnnB- lt you sit down?" asked Veggy I She waited until Ladv m. Nb aeaifTm?Mrj' ut8l""n. K r'-'s'.'t.hiRh". feetawlnginchiEi nhnvn .i ' ,r ,narr'aee would bo such a great, such kidb high above thu pol- a terrible mlBtakoa mistake that will lw ton ha a.i,. i , oeyona remedy ever again. I am nn r.k... OB dseil me to innrrv Old Woman. nnH hn la nil T ,a fnv narri,,. KPnUy ' lm aro on,y a chlld-8tm w"i your Wt l rr'"?6G necessary?" ,,, l.i before VOll. Vnn rlnn'l lnvi lilm on i 4n,lld COldlv WllV Can vnn wlnh in mnkn mn nn'nt. fHo!e.?aJ1(!!:d ,ho bl'ckles of hor -I,er B,ransor to you, bo unhappy? Why WOei w n an .l,..i.,.." 7 "yr "do VOU Wish in wrnnk lil Ufa n llfn nter" that raeanB so littlo to von. lust to Batlsfy a girlish vanity?" "Vanity is tho wrong word. Lady Mansfield. It is to satisfy a revenge." Lady Mansfield stared at her blank- scar. "Ho too married a gentle, good un selfish little creature who was faithful to him all her life. Ho left tho army when ho married and came to London, whore his father-in-law offered him a partnership in his business on tho Stock Exchange, as you know. Ho prospered steadily, so that you and nnd your husband wero glad enough to renew an old friendship thnt was al most forgotten. "It is a bad thing, Lady Mansfield, for n young and pretty woman with extravagant tastes to live on the edge of wealth and havo none to havo a position, nnd no money to keep It tip. You doliboratoly probed by father's heart, for when ho was not empty handed It was a love worth winning. Ho gave you nil he had to give and more, for thero is no "enough" when a woman's wants aro to bo stilled. "Your husband must havo known; he must have been a poor, weak wretch Indeed very llko your son to day only tho world never knew; you were sheltered by bis name. But you wero no better than any poor remnant of humanity who sells hersolf in the street in tho shadow of night." For a moment a sllenco hung heavy betweon them, and thon tho volco went eoftly on: "This continued for years, My moth er know and suffered; but sho novcr complalnod and sho never spoko. Sho only waited. And then tho day camo when my father's luck turned. His speculations went wrong; he plunged SWirKX,!!" W""'" ho eclKBU8PWonofasmIIe --'v U4 ner mnnti, .u. . . Afield iii..h -..: .' .. ",Bl. n,a(,o Iv. we rtau,j i. ' llv'' 'inner her dim.r.-ea her mistake. sh You hato mo without knnwlnir mo. Elr BnnpVn-!id: trlng ,0 "nko necnuso you hate tho typo I ropresont ."wnaer and her vni ...- --thn nrnttv hmini... ,.,....,,i,, " iraiiA .vu ruiiur : - ". .m..,.vpo. iiuntiiiuuiuun, v nmhlllniiH ,.. 41 i . .. . ... K. , .....M.i.uiio iiu mui unuersiunas an ll.... - " inai In vnn. ...-- "'" t'ui marrlnr. '7.'"'" i'iuics- t, .:""' miner n riro.... rour lifi mean Giving up so come ,toUB- B,lt I"-8he "". lier -. -w -uuimonpiace in tT " u yuur ijpo ami A Strengthened Tie y vulu samo how to make fools nf thn dissipated, brainless young men who ! think that a rioa.' "7 Ceonl. f. r,v " n neer hn ....""" ",ai a Juno common- r voir ..r. "Ul meant to vjiiiin en . . . --.. ,,, HiTpr jM. J iV Qo yon na . t. - - - think "ally hB "u Uiat lonhLW "1th my "")-. he 8 flrki n; Mil -.' -, unit. Wl.J V "tujnn you son? at ami." ""'"i wow m:B,,nSPen far more .-old i, 7L r0B f"ii ' is about the Hii. .. ,.'. ct, and ti, ..I"."' msn " Mrdlv T.. ",, "eh-est." lherU.erdlftforam. I a mother the worlds away it places you from me, out oecause I know you you yourself" She went to the writing table and look up a small velvet case that lay there. Sho opened It with a cool de liberation and then held it closo for Lady Mansfield to soo. "This is my said simply. Lady Mansfield was an unemotional woman. All her lifo she had accept ed while others gave, but as sho lean ed forward, peering wonderingly at the painted face, her own went white, and she gavo a stifled en- that was pSF fathor's picture," she II not V "a X wn from n '"ci r."'1 8"e ay -wnaiqer food en ""'"an uiraosi a SOD. ""Mi lor "I am Dors 'U'eathernelH. nnd vnn ISS LIDDY and Miss Letty had not spok en to each other for nearly a year. It was sad that a trivial, petty littlo quarrel should havo tho power to estrango the littlo old ladles thus lato In life. For both had been born upon the samo day, played together as children, boon chums through a happy girlbood, and fast friends at middle, age, though Miss Letty lived in tho stately stone house, and Miss Liddy in the humble brown cottage beside it. A long, lonely, miserable year It had been for both of them. They had nev er realized beforo how much they de pended upon each other, Many of the friends of their own ago wero gono, and both were now quite alone la the world. Miss Llddy was subject to severe attacks of bronchitis, which no one but Miss Letty knew how to cure, and Miss Letty was at times so crippled nan. - -- w ru n vhiiiviuwiiii mmu jw r Hmrl sn v iiim in.. A . are the woman who ruined my father with rheumatism that she could not v "4 ne G near and hrnl?A mv mnthor'a Via- wattr nnH nnnn thoaa nrrnninnn Minn t liSl nf . .-.. ,, tUUtUVI n inuil uuva wfw., . wwv .w.H ....... I. Vl'Pn .. , I nH,, Rlxn.A.U -A It-i. 1 1 .tM r I V UAcZ 'carn m (.-..V' n But one cold, rainy morning Miss Llddy arose with all tho familiar symptoms of a severe bronchitis at tack. Her head ached, her chest ached, her limbs ached, hor throat was sore, and sho groaned miserably at tho dismal time which she knew was ahead of her. But littlo Miss Llddy possessed true New England grit. "I've Just got to keep a-going somehow," she kept re peating bravely, as sho dragged Her self heavily about her tiny abode, grimly attempting to render moru spotless the already immaculate little rooms. About 10 o'clock she peered out of tho kitchen window, and to her horror espied Miss Letty come out or Tier house and go dpwn the rain-soaked driveway. For MIsb Letty to go out at all upon such an incloment morning wns indis creet enough, but it was not this fact which caused Miss Llddy to gasp with dismay, while Involuntarily her hand flashed to tho window and almost sounded nn imperative tap to arrest the departing figure. Miss Letty was actually going out. on this miserable cold wet morning, at her age. and sub- SEATON then she remembered that they were not speaking, and hor hand dropped limply away from tho window pane. As the day wore on, Miss Llddy grow Bteadily worBo. Sho sat huddled up In tho big rockor by tbo window, wrapped In a shawl, too sick to movo, but too stubborn to go to bed. Sometimes she closed her eyes, but more often she peered out of the window in tho direc tion of her friend's Iioubo. It was growing dusk when she dis cerned Miss Letty's littlo figure going slowly up her walk. Sho was limping unmistakably. She mounted the Jong flight of steps Btlffly, painfully. Every motion of hor body bespoke Intense suffering "Oh. Oh. Oh," moaned Miss Llddy. rocking miserably back nnd forth, "You caroless. caroless creature! You ought to be shaken I" She continued tq scold until Miss Letty unlocked her front door and went Into tho house. Then her lips quivered and sho began to sob. "Poor girl, poor girl! All solo alono In thnt big house, all crippled up with rheumatism and nobody to lift a hand!" ' She pressed her faco anxiously against the window pane, striving to more and more. "That was tho enn, nnu wi run part edho a broken man; you gently tol erant, sweetly sorry, but what olse wns there for you to do? Thero was no place in your llfo for tho unsuccessful. "It was then tbat your husband came suddenly and unexpectedly into tho title and tho Mansfield fortune. My father died, and then my mother, and this wretched story wns my only In heritance. Perhaps it may lntorest you to know that I still have your let ters to my father men aro like that. Lady Mansfield and his old pass books." She paused again, but Lady Mans field sat rigid, only her eyes burned, allvo and suffering. In tho deadncB of her faco. "I camo to London to look for n po sition as governess or companion I was fit for nothing olse; but I was too young and too pretty for cither, nnd so I fell In with a music hall nctor who lived In tho same boarding houso. Miss Llddy swayed to her feet. After a long tlmo sho reached the back door. Sho wrapped her shawl tightly around her head and shoulders und tottered out Into tho storm. Sho groped unsteadily through her yard and was entering Miss Lotty's wnen stio bocamo awaro of a black ob- 1 had been well and carefully tmumr In music, but all my years of study re sulted in playing nccompanlmoutn dressed Jn a violent pink satin frock up to my knees for a man with u. Cockney accent and many dlamoudn that wore elaborately displayed on all occasions. "Thnt wns the boglnnlnjr of a now fnmous career. It has boen a lonff road. You would not understand thn vulgarities, tho hardships, tho disap pointments of such a Ufa; but if t had remained respectable and obscura I should never havo had tho privilege of your Bon's friendship or tho honoc. of a visit from his mother. "And it has mado mo your equal. Lady Mansfield. I am now nn hard, tut' relentless, as selfish as you, and so X, shall marry your son." Lady Mansfield rose Btlffly. "I shalli toll my son your proposterous story."1 Bho said, In her coldest volco. . "I ask for nothing bettor, but yntij will not havo tho courage, and bo-j causo you nro a coward, and becauso B am vindictive. I shall marry your Bon.l Lord Mansfield straggled reluctant ly out of his chair whon his mothnri entered tho room. "Morning, mother," ho naid, with nrt) elaborato cheerfulness. Lady Mansfield stood still on thoti threshold, looking at her son as If alio, had never seen him before. But lb was his singular likeness to hla father! whon ho waa 23 that etruck her paln-i fully. Sho thought swiftly of tho nnoless. dissipated llfo thut mado hor husband,' a worn and disillusioned man at 40.. Sim felt suddonly old and powerless to eopo with tho life sho foresaw for hor boy. Sho was flllod with un Immonaoi pity for herself. "My boy," sho whispered brokenly. Ject not more than three feet away and then Bho looked up into his oves." U'hlnh hllnhnri alnurlt i.. lia. llA.,lr.. rrl.A.. ... .... -. which hitched slowly in her direction "Oh, Llddy," quavered a tearful voice, "Is that you? I saw you sitting by the wludow and I know you wero sick by tho looka of you, You nevor did know how to tako care of your self. Llddy, and I was coming to see to you. Seems as though I'd been hours JUBt getting this far an an' I guess I'll havo to g-g-glvo it up aft er all." MIbs letty burst Into tears, "Oh, Letty, Letty." moaned MIbs Lld dy. "you'ro soaking wet! You ain't any more fit to take rare of yourself than a baby! There, there, Just you lean on me, dearie. That's right! I'm Just going to tako you right homo and put you to bed. Almost there, almost there, here's tho steps, lean on me. uearie, lean on mo ah, here wo are! Lady Mansfield straightened herself Llddy's touch seemed to possess some Ject to rheumatism as she was, with- pierce the darkness between tho two Now to perk up the fire and get you nave all lcf.. d team .7 "" ..""" "rues, or lVM'"Uhi. "''" 31 vnnr wnen Viu? ladles he m.r. U? tt.i .i -j ...uuauu.M niiuifiuicucu uviocu en hi . " 8U(ldenIy. It was tho first time lc all wonderful magic which never failed to ourst of her life that her self-possession had bring relief to tho poor Bwollen limbs. been shaken; she regarded It almost Of course, with the ceasing of as a breach of good tasto that sho had speech between the friends, these mu- been startled into an exclamation of tual ministrations nlso ceased But dismay. She looked up with unwaver- luckily for a long tlmo neither Miss out a sign of a pair of rubbers to her reet! It was this terrible discovery and all that it involved, flashing through Miss Llddy's brain, punctuated by a series or mental exciami houses. But no light appeared at tho htone bouse windows. Five, ton, fifteen minutes dragged by The Are was nearly out and Miss Llddy shivered convulsively beneath no nice and warm, Don't try to talk bverythlnrs going to be all right- " "But. Llddy, I Just want to say about that same abominable quarrel '" Ana noth glad old voices ranu out UBtl nify were mil or nn unennv Hiir- prlso. Ho waa wondering what sho had found out now was ho in for another lecture? Ho scowled with a pucker of impatient annoyance, which brought his eyes rlosor togothor, giv ing his weak young faco a lowering, suspicious look. With ono swift, comprehending glnnco his mother read his mind. Sho meant no more to him than a flguro hcac! who had some dim. intanglblo right to crlticiao and find fault with his every action. Sho turned away from him with a weary helpless sigh. "Tho mator looks Jolly well fagged looka hor ago," hor sou waa thinking, and then sho npoke. "I have seen Miss O'Neill," sho said smoothly "I am willing to recolvo her and glvo my consent to your mar riage " Hor llfo work lay wrecked beforo hor; Bho surveyed It stoically, a smllo on her drawn lips. Sho faced tho truth that oven In her sorrow nbo was a coward Sho dared not toll. mini OTRDsneia snot ins Hands In hi