If
1'
The Planter's Daughter
m FATE'S REVENGE
By MRS. ALICE P. CARRISTON
Author of "A Waif from the Sea," "Her Brightest Hope,"
"Wayward Wlnnefred," etc.
CHAPTER XII. (Continued.)
In the dimness of the shadowy hall
after the outer glare she scarcely no'
tlced the form itihat loomed before her
until two airm8 encircled her and she felt
hercelf drawn into her father's embrace
"Claire, my darling child!" exclaimed
the old man fervently; "how happy, haw
unutterably happy I am to-day! Dr.
Gresham has just left your mother. He
has made a thorough examination, and is
entirely satisfied with her condition. A
great change has taken place in her,
which lie assures me will be permanent."
Claire struggled out of that fond em'
brace, and stared at her father in amaxe-
ment.
"What do you mean?" sbe faltered;
"can It be that mother's life was in
danger?"
"We have purposely kept you In ignor
ance of the facts," was the smiling re
ply; "but now that all danger is past, I
can speak frankly. Yes; we entertained
the gravest fears for your poor mother's
life. Gresham warned me that our mis
erable poverty was killing her by Inches."
"Killing her!" gasped the girl; "kill
ing my mother!"
"Yes, my child; and her salvation is
due .to the thought of your marriage, of
your happiness to this respite of peace
and comfort.
Claire turned a-way with a ghastly pal
lor overspreading her countenance, which
the dim light of the hall served to con
ceal; and staggering towards the stair
case she supported herself for a moment
upon the newel-post.
"Merciful heaven!" she thought, her
brain in a dizzy, sickening whirl; "my
refusal to marry signifies our return to
the misery of poverty, and that will kill
my mother. Father, if I have been of
advantage to you, do me a favor in re
turn!" She paused an Instant for breath.
ana then went on swiftly: "When Mr,
Courtlandt asks for me, beg him to ex
cuse me; say that I am overcome with
diffidence anything you choose, so long
as 1 do not see him until to-morrow.
Father, will you do this for me?"
"Certainly, my child," was the sur
prised rejoinder; "you shall not be dis
turbed to-day, I promise you. But,
Claire," he added hastily as she seized
the stair rail and sprang up a few steps,
"Claire, there Is something It is our duty
to Inform you of to-day I"
"Yes, yes; I know!" she panted, glanc
ing back at his anxious face; "you mean
the poor little child whom we have to
recognize. I agree to It; I will receive
him whenever Mr. Courtlandt sees fit to
bring him to me."
And as If patience and fortitude had
like departed, she fled up the atalrcase
and vanished in her chamber, locking the
door behind her.
No less mystified than relieved, Philip
Burgess gazed after the white robe with
Ita fluttering violet ribbons until It was
lost to view.
"Sho knows all!" he muttered; "who
could have told her?"
In spite of the innumerable questions
with which he was plied concerning
Clnlre's mysterious disappearance, the
old man was as good as his word, and
Insisted upon his daughter being left un
disturbed. All that day and until the following
morning Claire's wedding morn peace
siwl quiet reigned throughout the Bur
gess mansion. It was not until Martha
Dunn entered her young mistress cham
ber at 8 o'clock that the very rtiadows
that lurked in the radiant sunlight were
startled by the tidings that she brought
down to Philip Burgess.
"Send for the doctor!" cried the faith
ful creature; "Miss Claire is 111, very ill
and looks as if she were dying!"
It was no exaggeration. Poor Claire
had passed a night the horrors of which
must ever remain a secret with her, so
that when the dawn broke It found her in
great exhaustion.
Greuliam, upon his arrival, added fuel
to the fire of excitement by stating that
Claire might bo able to be dressed and
stand long enough to be married In the
house, but he should forbid her making
the exertion of going to ohurrfi, as she
might expire on the way. To Lucian
Courtlandt, who drovo hastily over upon
the receipt of the startling tidings, the
wily doC.r said:
"It will be just as well, perhaps, for
you to make no public pnrade of the cere
many, since I am informed that your
first wife Intends toe present."
"Sylpuide here!" gasped Courtlandt,
in dismay.
"She Is stsying at the village Inn under
the name of Mrs. Hastings. So the soon
er and uMre qulJy the affair Is gotten
over the Utter!"
CHAPTER XIII.
Dr. Gresham's advice was followed
In every particular, and while the little
church In the village was filling with a
crowd of townsfolk, curious to see the
strangers from the city, the clergyman
was speeding away In his carriage to sol
wood19 wedJln wwmony at Elm-
When they had attired her In her
snowy robes of costly satin, with th. veil
and orange bkwsoms In her hair, her bd-
but for the nervous flashing of her rest
ess eyes, she might well hfv. been m.
ca.n t0! lfe brWe PP4 In ths
cerements of the grave.
ont his scnerisnced sye rssttS
upon her livid face, Dr. Gresham whls
pered to the clergyman in attendance:
"Be as expeditious as possible; I have
my doubts whetiher she lasts until the
benediction!"
But in that he was mistaken. With
remarkable nerve Claire kept her feet at
Courtlandt's side. When, however, the
last amen was pronounced, she sway
ed blindly, and had not ready hands plac
ed her gently In a chair, she would have
fallen.
And yet not a word had been exchang
ed between the bride and groom, and
though Lucian Courtlandt would have
been glad to have spoken come reassuring
words to the sufferer, Gresham hurried
him out of the room with the murmured
words:
"Leave her alone for the present; she
needs rest."
Later in the afternoon, when the sun
sent ts blood-red lances through the cloa
ed blinds of that stately flower-scented
drawing room, the widow Courtlandt
found herself alone with the bride. Ap
proaching the chair where Claire lay ap-
parently lost in a day dream, the lady
aaia witn tender solicitude:
"Will you not retire to your room and
rest you, my dear?"
Claire raised her heavy eyes with a
total absence of expression as she re
plied:
"Thank you, madam, I am resting
nere."
"Are you suffering?"
"No; I am only weary. I may say so
now, I suppose," with a faint smile,
"sines the comedy is over."
Bending over her, Mrs. Courtlandt
pressed her Hps lightly upon the pallid
brow.
"I admire your bravery," she said.
"I have need of considerable yet,"
murmured Claire, "in order to face the
enemy."
"The enemy! Whom do you mean?"
"Those who wish me dead."
"My detr child, my fondest hope and
dearest wish are to win you back to life
and health. I would give the last drop
of blood In my veins to see von well anH
happy!"
"You have kind heart, madam!"
There entered at that moment a l!ttl
child, with a marvelously beautiful face,
great, wondering eyes and ringlets of jet
macs, nair max coucned bis waist. With
a glad cry he opened his tinv. dhnnled
arms and nan to the elder Mrs. flom-
landt.
"Grandma!" he cried.
nestling in that tody's arms.
Who is this child?" demanded Claire.
"Can you not guess? Ha cull. m
grandmother."
Attracted by her voice. Htrla Tn
walked shyly to Claire, exclaiming:
"Oh, what a pretty, white ladv! Wn
you take me in your lap?"
Claire stooped and cast her rms about
him.
"I cannot lift you, my darling," she
faltered, after a valiant effort; "I am
not strong enough."
With glad alacrity Mrs. Courtlandt
raised the bov and nla.H m ,. m.i-.i.
lap, while the latter murmured, klsslnz
fcuw vwevi lips:
"Yes, these are his features, his eyes
his son!" and with a sudden access of af
fection, gathering the child to her bosom,
and my son!"
"My mamma," faltered the child, with
a puzzled expression.
H.T e L?." ald Claire: "an yu n
willing? Will you not be my boy?"
i r!i" cried toT you,
whkie lady!"
With the child nestling In her bosom.
Claire suddenly raised her eyes to find
jnc, Courtlandt tnding upon the
threshold of the room, silently regarding
mm Ie, Piture- QlM' PutUn the
child from her, she exclaimed:
Mr. Courtlandt, I suppose you have
come to receive some tidings of me; make
your mind easy on that score; I am suf-
ferlng horribly."
"Claire, retract those cruel wcrds,"
he cried.
As she did not speak, and In the awk-
took little Leon's hand and led him to
wards the door.
hIa,K?M"b3r' S"? Whkte "," lisped
Good by. good-by." .ighed Claire;
then turning to Lucian. .be added
"Pardon the irritability of an Invalid I
beg you not to be offended if sometimes
I am lacking In a due sense of my obi
Lohnntlr!'; CrIed Luclan tritely;
Jie obligation Is entirely upon my side
Do you fane, that I fail to appelate
. Say"" MCrlfiC9 yU h0V' 8d'
.nSerred:h0k 'h
": m7 part of the contract will
not be fulfilled until I am gone Would
"it l Tl hXewU" he demanded.
"Ye? IT 0trw ,on "M'tr
Is alive'." relU0Unt "P'y- "!
"Do you love her, or not? Answer m.
upon .your word of honor, a.?
OLlTi ,lr,T frora h" iBd wiped
a servant suddenly entered the room.
"Mr. Courtlandt," he said, "than Is
a lady at the door asking for you."
"A lady!" he gasped; "what is her
name?"
"Mrs. Hastings."
"Sylphide here? How dared she
come?"
Ere he could command himself suffi
ciently to articulate a word, Cluire rose
from her chair.
"You see," she said, with cutting dis
dain, "the poor woman has been neglect
ed for two weeks, and she has come to
find you." Then, as she Btaggered to
wards an inner door, she cried:
"She will not even wait until I am
dead!" '
As she passed out of sight he came to
his senses with a start. He turned to
find himself face to face with Sylphide.
"What are you thinking of?" he said.
"Why are you here here In my wife's
very apartment?"
The rigidity of her features relaxed,
the spell was broken, and In a low, tense
tone that thrilled with indignant reproach
dhe replied:
"Your wife, do you say! Ah, you use
that word as though you had been mar
ried as many years as you have known
her days. But, my good sir, you have
but one wife, as your child has but one
mother and I am she!"
"Sylphide," he faltered, advancing a
step, but pausing abruptly as though her
accusing eyes distilled some baleful influ
ence; "Sylphide, why are you here?
What have you come to do?"
"Why am I here?" came the sharp re
tort; "are you aware that it is two mortal
weeks since I have seen either you or my
son? I am here to satisfy myself that I
have not been forgotten. Since I have
been separated from .you," she continued
pUeously, "I have become as one mad;
the strangest fancies have taken posses
sion of me. I imagine that you have
abandoned me forever, that I shall never
see you again; a fiend keeps whispering
in my ear that they have stolen your
heart and my child's heart from me.
Heaven help me, I doubt the very sun
shine which is all the warmth I have left
In life!"
She pressed her hands upon her eyes
for an instant, as though striving to blot
out some hideous prospect ; then, remov
ing them, she concluded In low-toned des
peration: "There must be an end to this! When
ever these horrible vagaries overpower
me, I must be so placed that I can see
you, speak to you."
"Impossible!" he Interposed, firmly.
"While Claire lives I must not I "will
not, see you!"
"It Is true, then!" she panted;" my
suspicions are correct. Your paternal
solicitude is all a farce; you have clever
ly disembarrassed yourself of me In order
to marry a woman who, in all probabil
ity, is no more an Invalid than I am!"
In the very desperation of despair,
Courtlandt glanced frora right to left, im
potently hoping to find some proof of a
convincing nature that wnnM .o.ii.f. h.i
most obdurate of doubters; as luck would
nave it, x ate stepped in at the eleventh
hour, and discovered to his wandering
eye a web-like bit of lace which Claire
had repeatedly pressed to her lips, while
she OCCUDled the phmle V,.aM nk:.l. it
had fallen unnoticed. Darting upon it,
wiu uBuui ueia it awrt by the two cor
ners before Sylphlde's eyes.
lake back those words!" he cried;
"ah, do not turn your eyes away! Look
at that stain. Her blood, her life blood!
Let the tight of it dissipate your fears;
she will not last long. But I conjure you
-have pity upon her; let her die in
peace."
She crept a step or two towards him
and laid her hand upon his wrist.
"So, Lucian," she faltered humbly,
your house is closed to me? And you
my c4T9t0m!? AndIma
.v,"' Sy,'hid- You oueht to know by
iim!batr lhe W0Pd of Courtlandt
s inviolable; I had rather die than break
fninii f 'l.Cnaire 8hn11 Ilv. l'n
fulfill the .acred duty tint the title of
husband Imposes while Claire lives, you
shall remain an utter stranger to me.
h. 2 mer h
will rZ,,"?""" t0 hlm'
wl return to you, Leon and I. and we
... "Ter mon ,e,Te you. I swear It"
Hn. V W11" joined, prerslng her
HPS for ona naton nI i . .
.. uyuu m nana, and
u " ' ,u'uu lUB Puiseiess breast. "It
i well. I know what your plighted word
means. I will wait."
She slowly gathered her dark wraos
bout her and prepared to departbut
rnvsel?" rrjhRt mo9 at P"" w'tb
totIH .i N murmu,rpd- "She I. really
LJJ V ' nd Lnclan feH" more pity than
ove for her in her suffering, Still U
Know everj thing that takes pace In th.
ST.' i.1 T aIn' ,orlro: th every
mans hand against me. I must have I
thUhlghwaybwUVsam:
travTh. .T. " ,cel Kh0"'d "he be-
' i i may take her fate Inio
myown hands. But whom shall
ft, 3" . -,m-.,e tbe !--, "d
it J nn "omplice?
. 4V frlcm to r f.ia.
T thontht" .m k. ..
-u.u snopner. "iht
"Well nn
!er. "If you can reach a few j, v.
A tOB Of mrmm I . ..
Bell Boy (outside of room 55) Say,
the gns is escaping in there. Country
man (inside of room 55) No, it ain't;
I locked the door. Ex.
Mother Johnny Jones, did you get
that awful cold out skating? Son
Mother, I think I caught it washing
my face yesterday morning. Judge.
Chumply I don't know whether I
ought to take your daughter from her
father's roof. Her Father She doesn't
live on the roof. Philadelphia Bulle
tin. "I eay, Broom!" "Call me by my
whole name, if you please. It has a
handle to it, and it was meant to be
used, sir." "That's so. Well, Broom
handle, how are you?"
I Curioso Your name is Ephralm, Is
it? How'd your parents come to give
you that name? Modestus I don't
know for certain, but I suspect it was
because I was a boy. Boston Tran
script "Women claim that the way to get
on with a man is to give him plenty
of nicely cooked food." "Well," an
swered Sirius Barker, irritably, "why
don't some of them try It?" Washing
ton Star.
A Great Debt: Bragg I owe noth
ing to any man. Newitt Oh, yes, you
do. Bragg No, sir! Newitt Oh, yes.
You owe an apology to every man who
has to listen to you blow. Philadel
phia Press.
Improvement at the Gas Office: "Did
you have any luck when you went to
complain about the gas bill?" "Better
luck than last month," answered Mr.
Meekton; "the man didn't laugh this
time." Ex.
"Funny about Ralston wanting hit
former wife to get a divorce from hei
second husband so that they might get
married again." "Not very. He's al
ways been falling in love with othei
men's wives." Ex.
Daily Guide to Flattery: If there la
something on the table that ths
hostess knows is so badly cooked that
the feels bored about it, ask for more
and eat it with the greatest apparent
rensn. Baltimore American.
"Hare you any taste for Thacke
ray?" asked Mrs. Oldcastle. "No, I
can't say that I have," replied her
hostess; "is that anything like this
paprika they're puttin' in everything
now?" Chicago Record Herald.
What he Would Rather Have Ex
pressed Differently: Gushing Lady
Oh, but Mr. Jones, I should love to be
beautiful even If for only half an
hour! Jones Yes; but you wouldn't
like the coming back again! Punch.
Conductor All aboard! Tlease get
aboard quickly, Miss; the train is
about to start. Young Lady But I
wish to kiss my sister good-by. Con
ductorGet aboard, get aboard; I'll
attend to that for you. Yale Record.
now to Hold Actors: "It always
makes me mad to talk to an actor. H
pretendB to listen politely, but his at
tention is wandering all the time. Evet
notice It?" "No. I always talk to
them about themselves." Phlladel
pbia Ledger.
Owner of Fishpond (to man who Is
trespasslngJ-Don't you see that sign,
No fishing here? Angler-Yes, and
I dispute it. Why, there's good fish
lng here. Look at this basketful. The
man must have been mad who put
that board up.
t llyrA fellow told me to day that
I dldnt know enough to go In when It
rained. Miss Sharp-And what did
you say? Chollyl nssuhed him It
was quite unnecessary, doncher know.
S?T,XufeTah g0 out when U ral
Philadelphia Ledger.
"It was only five years ago that I
started In with our firm at five dollars
a week," said Bragg, "and now I earn
W6e.k. W,tU0Ut an7 trouble.
Thaf s so; it's easy to earn that," re
plied Newitt, "but how much do yon
get ?" Philadelphia Tress.
Ida-I don't believe Mr. Smart be
lieves my handkerchiefs are linen.
May-Why not? Ida-I told hlm I
had my pin money wrapped In mr
handkerchief and lost nJ 5
here was a great deal of money lost
in cotton these days.-Chlcago New.
Fond Mother-I don't know what to
do I want to send my daughter to
college, and yet I don't want to send
her into the world unprotected. Wis.
visitor ; who ha, observed the dat gh
ter's dlsposltion-You mean that it
would be unkind to send her out Into
the unprotected world!
Jul?', ,ay "aln a newspaper
writer I. ot a master of diplomacy
One of th, fraternity was to wrlTeTp
the LU oryof an old lady of 08. He
was told .h, had never Mmuch
learned her letters. Did Le blurt it
out in print? Not . Mt of "
"rely .uted on bis finely wrltS
article that ".he can m th Tr,""
Print as w.ll ., ,b, w
impure Diooa alwavu
somewhere. IfthesV Tb
boils, pimples, rashes 7mp0
nerves, then neural P1
V ' JOBS
Sarsaparfc;
stomach, then dysnJ ,
mnousness, loss of
Your doctor knoiiafc
remedy, used for 60 ytjtich,
" Retiirntii from tl Oiiln,Hlrei
perfect wreck. Mr blood
health wal gone. Ihit f k,.i '.ll o
fl .OOa bottle. .7 i A,
- it , for g
Impure film
i our I
good
IdOWl
'rece!
Aid the SarsaparlliTbyktBoTi
bowels regular with Ayjtf H
It Uii.es two to make a (mnr '
you have one of your own, ui, .
Is always the other one whoa
rT Permanently uoreo. Kontiointte
MIO after nratdy,iueofDr.Kllitflc,-vp1
Bentorer. Bend for Free 99 trialbemi...
Dr.H. H. Kline, Ltd..8f'r1isUHll5Ud
the
Buocess. Wh
Some people think Buccwjiav
simply to get rich. Otheru, B
means merely to keep outofjdovi
of these definitions is about up.
correct as the other, saji i
nn or.
F
Is.
-Keeley liouor-morphinmm
FOR FULL MRTmiwn
rOR FULL MRTIWllKTlii
' I
Sometimes we may learn an
a man's errors than from his ra '
Longfellow.
Mothers will find Mrs. Wlnibwrik
Byrup the beat remedy to uie lot Uulii I
during the teething period..
I " " ha
1 Indians and negroes, ts m
possessed of keener hearing tlu, '
people.
In
Plso's Cure fs s reineav forconfliBP'
and consumption. Try it. Prwi lei
St druggists. s
The population of Japan In 1
times as dense as thnt of tin fJJ
States. t
' 1
- -Ch
!
ABSOLUTE
SECUi
Genuine ?
Carter
Little Liver PI
9
Must Bear Signatured 1
i
,1
Try -small smd saay
to take as rafaxw
FOR HEADACHE. ,
FOR DIZZINESS' ,
FOR BlUOUSIESt
FAR TORPID LIYfl
FOR CONSTIPAM
FOR SALLOW W
run THE COM UI3
HcSrm 1 Pnrely TeyetsMByW
ll A a rmnA I
vAIlLito
lOlTTLE
II iwrra
CURE SICK HEADACHE.
HOWARD L BURTON. AaT
Rpeelmen prices, (kild, Bllver, Ili,;.Z
r,7ooj Hold, oOoiZlnoorCopper.il. tyJ
M.lllnjr envelopes and full price I
Hon. Control and Umpire work sollcnei "
vllle, Colo. Hefereace Carbonate
w. l7douciJ
84.00v $3.50. $3.00,
W? SHOES thV;
W.L. Douglas ehoes
are "worn by more
men than any other
make. The reason
is, they hold their
Bhapo,fltbetter,wear
longer, and have
greater intrinsio
value than any
oiner snoca.
fiotf Eotruwhtr.
. - BMWWV.W
, Srftok hr nnma and prlrs "
lonKUs niei Corona Colfskln,
everywhere conceded tobeths nn'
Mtieryetnrodncerl. FaitCt'o'tr"
ttlwee hir innh.M r.nu ettra. Wrll'"
W. L DOVOLAH, liro"1'
"CI
la tins. Sold by drnmr"'
is time, sola ey Jrnfi.