Tfie THIRD
DEGREE
tA Narrative
Metropolitan
I Life 1
By CHARLES KLEIN and
ARTHUR HORNBLOW
ILLUSTRATIONS BT RAT WALTERS
(Coprrlglii, uwi, bj Q. W. Dining!
20
SYNOPSIS.
i Company J
Howard Jeffries, banker's eon, under
the evil influence of Robert Underwood.
fellow-student at Yale, leads a life of dis
sipation, marries the daughter of a gam
bler who died In prison, and is disowned
by his father. He is out of work and in
desperate straits. Underwood, who had
once been engaged to Howard's step
mother, Alicia, Is apparently In prosper
ous circumstances. Taking advantage of
his intimacy with Alicia, he becomes a
fort of social highwayman. Discovering
his true character, Alicia denies him the
house. He sends her a note threatening
utclde. Art dealers for whom he acted
as commissioner, demand an accounting.
He cannot make good. Howard calls at
his apartments In an intoxicated condi
tion to request a loan of 12,000 to enable
him to take up a business proposition.
Howard drinks himself Into a maudlin
condition, and goes to sleep on a divan.
A caller Is announced and Underwood
draws a screen around the drunken
sleeper. Alicia enters. She demands a
firomlse from Underwood that he will not
ake his life. He refuses unless she will
renew her patronage. This she refuses,
and takes her leave. Underwood kills
himself. The report of the pistol awa
kens Howard. He finds Underwood dead.
Howard is turned over to the police.
Capt. Clinton, notorious for his brutal
treatment of prisoners, puts Howard
through the third degree, and finally gets
an alleged confession from the harassed
man. Annie, Howard's wife, declares her
belief In her husband's Innocence, and
calls on Jeffries, Sr. He refuses to help
unless she will consent to a divorce. To
save Howard she consents, but when she
finds that the elder Jeffries does not in
tend to stand by his son, except finan
cially, she scorns his help. Annie appeals
to Judge Brewster, attorney for Jeffries,
Br., to take Howard's case. He declines.
It Is reported that Annie is going on the
Stage. The banker and his wife call on
udge Brewster to find some way to pre
vent it Annie again pleads with Brew
ster to defend. Howard.
CHAPTER XV Continued.
"You're not afraid to help him,'
the said. "I know that you just
said so."
Judge Brewster raised his fist and
brought it down on the desk with a
bang which raised in a cloud the ac
cumulated dust of weeks. His face
et and determined, he said:
"You're quite right! I'm going to
take your case!"
Annie felt herself giving war. It
was more than, she could stand. For
victory to be hers when only a mo
ment before defeat seemed certain
was too muc'' for her nerves. All she
could gasp was:
"Oh, Judge!"
The lawyer adjusted his eyeglasses,
blew bis nose with auspicious energy,
and took up a pen.
"Now don't pretend to be surprised
you knew I would. And please don't
thank me. - I hate to be thanked for
doing what I want to do. If I didn't
want to do it, I wouldn't "
Through her tears she murmured:
"I'd like to say 'thank you.' "
"Well, please don't," he snapped.
But she persisted. Tenderly, she
aid:
"May I say you're the dearest, kind-
at" '
. Judge Brewster shook his head.
"No no nothing of the kind.".
"Most gracious noble-hearted
courageous," she went on. -
The judge struck the table another
formidable blow.
"Mrs. Jeffries!" he exclaimed.
She turned away her head to hide
her feelings.
"Oh, how Fd like to have a good
cry," she murmured. "If Howard
only knew!"
Judge Brewster touched an electric
button, and his bead clerk entered.
"Mr. Jones," said the lawyer quick
ly, "get a stenographic report of the
case of the People against Howard
Jeffries, Jr.; get the coroner's inquest,
the grand jury Indictment, and get a
copy of the Jeffries confession get
everything right away!"
The clerk looked inquiringly, first
at Annie and then at his employer.
Then respectfully he asked:
"Do we, sir?"
"We do," said the lawyer laconic
ally.
CHAPTER XVI.
"Now, my dear young woman," said
Judge Brewster, when the astonished
head clerk had withdrawn, "if we are
going to get your husband free we
must get to work, and you must help
me."
His visitor looked up eagerly.
"I'll do anything in my power," she
said quickly. "What can I do?"
' "Well first of all," said the lawyer
with some hesitation, "I want you
to see a certain lady and to be ex
ceedingly nice to her."
"Lady?" echoed Annie, surprised.
"" "What ladyr ,
' "Mrs. Howard, Jeffries, Sr.," ha re
plied ilowly.
"Howard's stepmother!" she ejacu
lated. . i
A clerk entered and handed his em
ployer a card. The lawyer nodded
and said in an undertone:
"Show her in." Turning round
again, he - went on: r "Yes Howard's
stepmother. She's out there now. She
wants to see you. She wishes to be
of service to you. Now, you must
conciliate her. She may be of great
use to us."
Annie's face expressed considerable
doubt
"Perhaps bo," she said, "but the
door was slammed in my face when 1
called to see her."
"That's nothing," answered the
Judge. "She probably knows nothing
about It In any case, please remem
ber that she is my client "
She bowed her head and murmured
obediently:
"I'll remember."
The door of the office opened and
Alicia entered. She stopped short on
seeing who was there, and an awk
ward pause followed. Judge Brewster
Introduced them.
"Mrs. Jeffries, may I present Mrs
Howard, Jr.r
Alicia bowed stlfll and somewhat
haughtily. Annie remained self-pos
sessed antT on the defensive. Address
ing the banker's wife, the lawyer said:
i torn Mrs. Howard that you
wished to speak to her." After a pause
he added: "I think, perhaps, I'll leave
you together. Excuse me."
He left the office and there was an
other embarrassing silence. Annie
wIted for Mrs. Jeffries to begin. Her
attitude suggested that she expected
something unpleasant and was fully
prepared for it At last Alicia broke
the silence:
You may think It strange that
have asked for thia interview," Bhe
began, "but you know. Annie " In
terrupting herself, she asked: "You
don't mind my calling you Annie, do
you?"
The young woman smiled.
"I don't see why I should. It's my
name and we re relatives by mar
riage." There was an Ironical ring
in her voice as she went on: "Rela
tives! It seems funny, doesn't it, but
we don't pick and choose our rela
tives. We must take them as they
come."
Alicia made an effort to appear con
ciliatory.
As we are what we are let's try
to make the best of It"
Make the best of it?" echoed An
nie. "God knows I'm willing, but I've
had mighty little encouragement
Mrs. Jeffries. When I called to see
you the other day, to beg you to use
your Influence with Mr. Jeffries, 'not
at home' was handed to me by the
liveried footman and the door was
slammed in my face. Ten minutes
later you walked out to your carriage
and were driven away."
"I knew nothing of this believe
me," murmured Alicia apologetically.
"It's what I got just the same," said
the other dryly. Quickly she went on:
But I'm not complaining, understand
I'm not complaining. Onltf I did
think that at such a time one woman
might have held out a helping hand
to another."
Alicia held up her hand protest
lngly. "How could I?" Bhe exclaimed.
"Now, be reasonable. You are held
responsible for Howard's present po
sition." "Yes by the police," retorted An
nie grimly, "and by a couple of yellow
journals, I didn't think you'd believe
all the gossip and scandal that's been
printed about me. I didn't believe
what was said about you."
Alicia started and changed color.
"What do you mean?" sho exclaimed
haughtily. "What was said about
me?"
"Well, it has been Bald that you
married old Jeffries for his money
and his social position."
"'Old Jeffries!" protested Alicia
indignantly. "Have you no respect
for your husband's father?"
"Not a particle," answered the oth
er coolly, "and I never will have till
he acts like a father. I only had one
Interview with him and it .finished
him with me for all time. He ain't a
father he'B a fish."
"A fish!" exclaimed Alicia, scandal
ized at such lese majeste.
Annie went on recklessly:
"Yes a cold-blooded"
"But surely," interrupted Alicia,
"you respect his position his "
"No, m'm; I respect a man because
he behaves like a .man, not because
he lives in a marble palace on River
Bide drive."
Alicia looked pained. This girl
was certainly impossible.
"But surely," she said, "you real
ized that when you married Howard
you you made a mistake to say the
leaBt?"
"Yes, that part of it has been made
pretty plain; It was a mistake his
mistake my mistake. But now it's
done and it oan't be undone. I don't
see why you can't' take It as It is and
and"
She stopped short and Alicia com
pleted the sentence for her:
"and welcome you into our fam
ily" "Welcome met . No, ma'am. I'm
not welcome and nothing you, or your
set could say would ever make me be
lieve that I was welcome. All I ask
Is that Howard's father do his duty by
his son."
I do not think pardon my saying
so, interrupted Alicia stiffly, "that
you are quite in a position to Judge
of what constitutes Mr. Jeffries' duty
to his Bon."
Perhaps not I only know what
would do what my father would
have done what any one would do if
they had a spark of humanity In them.
But they do say that after three gen
erations of society life red blood turns
into blue."
Alicia turned to look out of the win
dow. Her face still averted she said:
"What is there to do? Howard has
acknowledged bis guilt What sac
flees we may make will be thrown
away."
Annie eyed her companion with con
tempt Her voice quivering with In
dignation, she burst out:
"What is there to do! Try and save
him, of course. Must we sit and do
nothing because things look black?
Ah! I wasn't brought up that way.
No, ma'am, I'm going to make a
fight!"
''It's useless," murmured Alicia,
shaking her head,
"Judge Brewster doesn't think so,"
replied the other calmly,
The banker's wife gave a start of
surprise. Quickly she demanded:
"You mean that Judge Breweter has
encouraged . you to to "
"He's done more than encourage me
God bless him! he's going to take
up the case."
Alicia was so thunderstruck that for
a moment she could find no answer.
"What!" she exclaimed, "without
consulting Mr. Jeffries?"
She put her handkerchief to her
face to conceal her agitation. Could
It be poBBlble that the Judge was go
ing to act, after all, In defiance of her
husband's wishes? If that were true,
what would become of her? Conceal
ment would be no longer possible.
Discovery of her clandestine visit to
Underwood's apartment that fatal
"I Believed Howard Guilty.
Shouldn't IT
Why
night must come Howard might still
be the murderer, Underwood might
not have committed suicide, but ber
visit to his rooms at midnight would
become known. Judge Brewster was
not the man to be deterred by diffi
culties once he took up a case. He
would see the importance of finding
the mysterious woman who went se
cretly to Underwood's rooms that
night of the tragedy, ...
"He- consulted only .his own feel
ings," went on Annie. "He believes in
Howard, and he's going to defend
him."
Alicia looked at her anxiously as If
trying to read what might be In her
mind. Indifferently she went on:
"The papers say there was a quar
rel about you, that you and Mr. Un
derwood were too friendly. They im
plied that Howard was Jealous. Is
this true?"
"It's all talk," cried Annie indig
nantly "nothing but scandal lies!
There's not a word of truth in it
Howard never bad a lealous thought
of me and as for me why I've al
ways worshiped the ground he walked
on. Didn't he sacrifice everything for
my sake? Didn't he quarrel with his
father for me? Didn't he marry me?
Didn't he try to educate and make a
lady of me? My God! do you sup
pose I'd give a man like that cause
for Jealousy? What do the newspa
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into a woman's heart,
without giving It a thought without
knowing or caring whether It's true
or not as long as it Interests and
amuses their readers. You you don't
really believe I'm the cause of his
misfortunes, do you?"
Alicia shook ber head as she an
swered kindly:
"No, I don't Believe me, 1 don't
You were right when you said that at
uch a time as this one woman should
stand by another. I'm going to stand
by you. Let me be your friend, let
me help you." Extending ber band,
Bhe aald: "Will you?" .
Annie grasped the proffered hand,
It was the first that had been beld
out to her In ber present trouble. A
lump 'rose in her throat Much af-
feoted,. she ild; ; :
It's the first kind word that" She
stopped and looked closely for a mo
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
"It'a the queerest thing, Mrs. Jeff
ries, but. it keeps coming Into my
mind. Howard told me that while. he
was at Underwood's , that dreadful
night he thought be heard your voice.
It must have been a dream, of course,
yet he thought he was sure of it
Your voice that's queer, isn't' it?
Vfhy what's the matter?" '
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against a chair. Annie ran
to her aid, thinking she was 11L
"It's nothing nothing!" stam
mered Alicia, recovering herself.
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings, Annie said sympa
thetically:, '. '
"I haven't said anything anything
out of the way have I? If I have I'm
sorry-awfully sorry. I'm afraid I
I've been very rude and you've been
so kind!" ;
"No, no!" Interrupted Alicia quick
ly. "You've said nothing done noth
ing you've had a great deal to bear
a great deal to bear. I understand
that perfectly." Taking her compan
Ion's hand In hers, she went on:
"Tell me, what do they say about the
woman who went to see Robert Un
derwood the night of the tragedy?1
"The police can't find her we don't
know who she Is." Confidently she
went on: "But. Judge Brewster will
find her. We have a dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt Clinton ac
cused me of being the woman you
know he doesn't like me."
The banker's wife was far too busy
thinking of the number of detectives
employed to find the missing witness
to pay attention to the concluding
sentence. Anxiously she demanded:
"Supposing the woman la found,
what can she prove? What difference
will It make?"
"All the difference in the world," re
plied Annie. "She is a most Im
portant witness." Firmly she went on:
"She must be found. If she didn't
shoot Robert Underwood, she knows
who did."
"But how can she know?" argued
Alicia. "Howard confessed that he
did it himself. If he had not con
fessed it would be different."
He did not confess,"-replied the
other calmly. "Mrs. Jeffries he
never confessed. If he did, he dldn
know what he was saying."
Alicia was rapidly losing her Belt
possession.
"Did he tell you that?" she gasped
Annie nodded.
"Yes. Dr. Bernstein says the po
lice forced it out of his tired brain.
I made Howard go over every second
of his life that night from the- time
he left me to the moment he was ar
rested. There wasn't a harsh word
between them." She' stopped short
and looked with alarm at Alicia, who
had turned ashen white. "Why,
what's the matter? You're pale ai
death you"
Alicia could contain herself no long
er. Her nerves were on the point of
giving way. . She felt that it she could
not confide her secret to some one
she must go mad. Pacing the floor,
she cried:
"What am I to do? What am I to
do? I believed Howard guilty. Why
shouldn't I? I had no reason to doubt
his own confession! Every one be
lieved it his own father Included.
Why should I doubt it But I see it
all now Underwood must have shot
himself as he said be would!" '
Annie started. What did Mrs. Jet-
fries mean? Did she realize the tre
mendous significance of the words she
was uttering? , , ,
"As he said he would?" she repeat
ed slowly.
"Yes," said Alicia weakly.
Annie bounded forward and grasped
her companion's arm. Her face
flushed, almost unable to speak from
suppressed emotion, she cried:
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Uses Animals Make of Their Tall.
Horses, cows and other creatures
use their tails as fly flappers. Cats,
squirrels and many more twist them
around their necks for comforters,
The rat has raised the use of the tall
to a fine art for by its means it guides
the blind and steals jelly, oil and
cream out of Jars and bottles.
The macaco plays as merrily with its
tall as a kitten does, and the marmo
set while It sleeps uses its tall as
sort of blanket
The raccoon catches crabs with its
tall. Every one knows bow the mon
keys Journey through pathless forests
by swinging from tree to tree, while
the fishes steer their way through the
water by their tall fins.
The ant eater puts up its big bushy
tail for an umbrella. The vanity of
the peacock Is fed by the beauty of
Its tall. Dumb Animals.
A Desperate Subterfuge.
"Henrietta," said Mr. Meekton, "cat
I eat anything I find growing on
tree and still be a consistent vege
tarian?"
"Certainly."
"Ob, Joy I I notice that a lot of our
chickens have taken to roosting In the
woods."
Palls In with Their Desires.
Only the base believe what the base,
utter Beliefs. ;
Something
LittixOnes
SPEED. OF RAILROAD TRAINS
urlous May Determine How Fast He
Is Traveling by Counting the
Telegraph Poles.
Perhaps you have often been curi
ous to know just how fast you were
traveling on a railroad train. Many
roads have little white posts beside
the track, marking the miles and usu
ally the quarter and half miles also,
but these may not be on your Bide of
the train. ' .
There ts another way to tell the
miles. The telegraph poles are almost '
Invariably placed fifty yards apart ex
cept when they carry a very ; large
number of wires, and If you count
Timing Fast Trains.
thirty-live of them it will be a mile. 11
you have a watch with second hands
on It you can tell just bow many
miles the train 1b traveling in an hour.
Note the time from one mile post
to the next Anything more than a
minute is slower than sixty miles an
hour. If the second hand gets paat the
minute and down to thirty seconds
you are going forty miles an hour, it
It gets only twelve seconds past the
minute you are going fifty miles an
hour and so on.
You may cut this out and take it
with you on the train next time you
make a railway Journey, and see if you
can determine your speed.
NEW JERSEY HAS TEXT BOOK
Children Are Taught to Read by
Linking Names With Objects
Principle Is Not Different
A New Jersey woman haa designed
a new kind of text-book to teach small
children how to read. Its general
principal ts the same as that of all
books of Its kind, but It goes a Btep
farther. For instance, a page If di
vided into four parts and eaoh part
has the picture of an animal in it
with the name of the animal printed
beneath. Thus far It is like the old
style book, in that it teaches the
child the name by association with the
object There are separate sheets of
paper, however, with perforations
along which they can be torn la part
and bearing also the names of the
various animals In the illustrations.
The child, therefore, looks at the plo-
32 .'wWO
40 MILES
COW
Novel Text Book,
ture of a cat, for example, studies the
name beneath it in the book and then
must pick that name from, those on
the separate sheets and place it undasfir
the proper illustration.
"Straight as a String."
One often bears this expression, tea
few realize how false the metaphor Is. -A
string or rope Is never straight
when left to Itself. It must be pulled
.joth ends to straighten it It ia
Impossible to throw a rope on the
ground so that It will lie straight, aa
you will discover if you try it, no mat
ter how old or how new the rope may
be.
This Is because a rope or string la
made by twisting together an enor
mous number of particles which are
held together in ways which ' are at
present beyond our understanding.
These molecules pull on each other,
and then the twist on the strands
helps to put kinks In the rope and in
the string, bo that you can never
throw either of them from you nnd
have it lie straight on the ground.
Found a Klttenplllar.
At the age of three Janot was an
enthusiasts atudent of entomology.
One day she discovered a caterpillar
tor herself, a very tiny one. "Oh,
come berel" ' she called. , .."Here's a
caterpillar, the outeat little . tiny
jUHnart J believe It'a a klttenplllar!" j
4- .. '