TUESDAY, AUGUST 4
THE MORNING AST01UAN, ASTORIA, OREGON.
OO-OOOOOOOOOO0
The Poison
Of Distrust
By HOWARD FIELDING.
Copyright, IMS, by 0. W, Ifookt,
Oo4o4oo4oooooo4o
V T may hnvo been about a week
I alnct Itlrhard (Havering an J Mu
J rltt) Henim became eiitfiffud. Upon
certain evening they wit before
a cheerful wood Are at her homo, and
tlio man's soul awoke with surprise
to a consciousness of poaco.
Fur nearly a year bo hud been In
fetata of torment, harassed by the inoit
pressing nnxlcllon, haunted by suspl
clons which gradually developed Into
certainties mid driven to tho very Inst
rotirci' of cunning In sheer self do
riTiHo, a business associate, a man
whom Claverlng had chINhI bis best
frli'nd from tho day of their early
youth, had fnlloti a victim fo tho
money manlii of tho times and hnd
played some trick which even the
highest financiers with their sleeve
full of extrn area in In lit blunt) to Iml
tate. Ill aim bud been a largo prop
orty of which (Havering- wat trustee,
and he had very nearly stolon It In
ucb a way n would have burled
Clavorlng under a load of debt and
dudumor from which he could never
have hoped to emerge.
ThI battle was over, but there wan
a near of It on every nerve lit Claver
ingN Imdy. Kin victory bad brought
no sense of triumph to blm, but only
horror and a and Iom of fnlth In bu
man nature. He bad a tendency to
think that everything which woa aeid
"DID WHN DKAN1 MENTION OIHTW MoR-
TtMKB 7
to him waa n He and that the simplest
acta were prompted by treacheroua
motlvea. .
Even bin jiersonal appearance hnd
auffered In tho atrugglo. Ho waa lean
and haggard. There wag a deep lino
down tho middle of but forehead, and
be bad lost a pnrt of that peculiar
grace of attitude nud gesture which
bad ouce distinguished him.
In the firelight, however, he looked
moro like himself, and Muriel, who
bad never seeu him before the days
of hla trouble and therefore could not
mini what waa gone from htm, was
deeply sensible of the charm that still
remained.
"Do you remember a Miss Winston?"
aald he. "I met her today. Her father
had some busluess with me, and she
came with htm to tny office."
"I do not remember her," aald Mu
rlel.
"She merely met you onco at some
social affair In Carllugford about two
years ago. She snld you lived there.
I didn't kuow it."
"Mother and I lived there for a time
not very long. Then we went abroad
and ou our return came here."
"I have henrd that It was a pretty
place. Did you like It?"
"Carllngford?" said she. "I liked It
so little that I would rather not apeak
of It
"You have unpleasant memories?"
"Yes."
The devil that was In Covering's
nerves awoke at this. He could not
have told why be wished to know
what those unpleasant memories were,
but he was conscious of a craving.
"Doubtless you have friends there."
said ho and knew not why.
"Noue," said ehe. "I have forgotten
that Carllngford exists. Please do not
remind mo."
She spoke with an earnestness which
was clear enough to Claverlug's sharp
cued wits, although he tried to veil It
What secret lay behind her wish to
avoid this subject even In her own
thoughts? She hnd given him always
the most charming Impression of
frankness and good faith. It was thnt
which had won his heart, weary of de
ceptions and treachery. And yet he
now perceived thnt she hud hidden a
whole year of her life. It seemed al
most like a trick that sho should have
spoken like herself, so unreservedly, of
her romantic school girl dreams, of the
attentions she hnd received abroad, of
everything , Indeed except this single
passage, this year at Carllngford.
What could- have, happened, there? 1
a
hud stninglh ommgli to kouu am
I nought out of the center of hla mind,
but bo bad acquired recently a habit
of double thinking. It waa becoming
nearly Impossible for blm to avoid this
duality of mind. He would listen t
what was said to htm and automatic
ally Invent and hear another state
went which always seemed to be tl
truth. Hut In Muriel's presence he
bud rarely done this. Now for the
first time her Influence was powerless
All through the evening be felt himself
Impelled to question and amend what
ever sho said. His pence of mind was
gone. . '
On tltii fiillnwlriir diiv bu mot Mr,
Winston again, and only with the
greatest difficulty could ho avoid ask
Ing questions about Carllugford. The
name of that city hovered upon his
Hps until It finally obtained utterance,
though quite harmlessly.
"Oh, by the way," said Winston,
"did Miss Donna ever mention to you
I roan named Mortimer-Curtis Morti
mor? Ilrllllant, but untrustworthy
Ho was cutting quite a figure when 1
was In Carllngford-a handsome young
rascal and a great favorite with the
ladles. I've often wondered what bo
came of blm."
"I don't think Miss Den no knew
blm," replied Claverlng, "Hhe never
mentioned him,"
"Well, that' odd." said the old gen
tleman.
He eyed Claverlng for a moment and
then turned the conversation to an
other topic.
For more than a week Claverlng
struggled wltb bis desire to mention
Curtis Mortimer's numo to Muriel. He
bad no special question to ask. I!
merely felt drawn toward the topic as
If by some occult attraction. There
waa a family named Mortimer in their
social circle, and the name was there
fore common In their conversation
Whenever it was uttered a sprlug In
side of Claverlug's mind would work
like tho mechanism of an alarm clock
and an Inward voice would say
"There was a Curtis Mortimer in Car
llngford."
One evening be said It aloud.
"How did you know that?" asked
Muriel In a tone not quite familiar to
his ear.
"Mr. Winston mentioned him," re
plied Claverlng, filled with that pecul
lar terror which the man of wretched
nervea feels when they betray hlra.
"What did he say?"
Claverlng repeated the conversation
between himself and Winston with
such ready accuracy as revealed the
fact that It bad been often In bis mind.
Muriel was silent for some moments
and then spoke of otber matters.
When Claverlng left her house tbal
evening he dared not go home and be
aluuo. He was afraid of bis own un
controllable thoughts. He felt no Im
pulse toward any friend. Mere ha
man companionship, with Its restraints,
was all that he desired. There was a
billiard room near by where be bad
often played. The game waa hla fa
vorlte recreation, and he was very ex
pert, rerhnps ho might nud some one
In tho boll whom be knew, but there
was only one acquaintance present
and ho already had an opponent.
Claverlng watched tho game for a
few minutes, when the proprietor of
the room came up to him,
"Would you enre to play with
stranger?" said ho. "I don't know
him, but he's a gentleman all right
And he plays a good game, ne was
practicing here a little while this aft
ernoon."
Claverlng turned toward the stranger.
who bad come In just behind him, a
tall young man. extremely good look
Ing and very carefully dressed. It
seemed to Claverlng that he rcmem
be red having passed the man on the
street near Muriel's house.
"Yes." snld he. "I'll play."
It appeared that the stranger bore
the name of Jones, so far as Claverlng
could Judge by the mumbled Introduc
tion of the proprietor, and it presently
became evident that his skill had not
been overrated, Claverlng was 110
more than his equal lu the best of
circumstances,, and upon this occasion
his condition told heavily against him.
Thero Is probably no other game which
Is such a searcher of weaknesses in a
man's nervous system.
Claverlng lost two games and do
dined a third. He was so nervous that
his knees were shaking when be stoop
ed to take bis coat from the rack un
dor the tablo, where it lay folded.
As he began to draw it out he was
awaro of an object In the breast pocket
which soemed unfamiliar, a large en
elope containing something hard. This
ho pulled out of the envelope to see
hat It was and beheld a familiar pho
tograph of Muriel Denne.
Ho was still stooping under the end
of the table. The stranger had gone
to tho corner of the room where cigars
were sold. A great battle raged In
Clnvoi'lng's mind, and he lost. Ho pos
itively could not help taking the en-
elope partly from tho pocket that he
might see the address. The envelope
ns torn. Claverlng saw ouly the
name Carllngford and the state In
Muriel's hand,
Shame rushed upon him. lie thrust
sck tho envelope and rose.
"Those are my things there," said
the stranger, approaching. "Yours are
at tho other end of the table."
"Yes." said Claverlng. "So I per-
elve."
Ho -walked the streets all nlsht, a
prey to the most absurd confusion of
thought Ills mind wheeled about like
bird and returned always to one cen
tral spot. Muriel had lied to him,
She had told him .that she had no
friends' In Carllngford and that she
hnd severed nil relations with the town
and its Inhabitants, but she had scut
her latest uhotoctrpjih to the man. who
called himself ,fonJi Uf Cnrlmgford.
"Jones" might ba Curtis Mortimer or
ho might not.' Ho mucb as be had
seen on the envelope was far more
suggestive of Mortimer than Jones.
Certainly there seemed to bo an M.
Hut Clavorlng was quite willing to
leave all this aside, He was willing to
admit that Muriel might be perfectly
within her rights In sending a photo-
graph of herself to Curtis Mortimer,
rascal though ho was. He snld to him
self that he must refuse to entertain
a doubt of Muriel's ability to explain
her conduct In a manner which would
be satisfactory to the most censorious
critic, the most Jealous worshiper,
Rut this he knewthat If ho should
again become Involved In any maze of
falsehood which should destroy bis
faith In some one whom be loved and
trusted ho must go mad and die.
There was no strength In blm for aucb
an ordeal. .
"Muriel might better shoot me than
Ho to me," be repeated frantically
aloud In the empty streets.
At dawn be stood upon a height that
overlooked the town. The eastern sky
blazed with color, and be bad no pleas
ure In It, he to whom the face of na.
ture bad once been a perpetual Joy.
He laughed bitterly.
"Even tbe sunrise Is wrong," be said.
"It's not what It used to bo. The
world and Its blue celling are ashes,
and I havo Just found It out. Ixt uie
think this over. There Is something In
!-"
In tbe middle of tbe afternoon be
called upon Muriel. Tbe gentleman
w ith whom he had played billiards on
the previous evening waa Just leaving.
A moment later they were alone.
"Muriel," said he, "has my conduct
vexed you?" t .
"No," said she.
"But I know that It has," be pro
tested gently. "I have teen It very
cleurly."
'You ore mistaken."
"1 have worried you about Carllng
ford and your life there. Surely I
have."
"No," Kuld she, "not In tho least"
"You would' not care to have me be
have otherwise? My constant Irritable
suspicion and fretful questioning are
nothing to your
"My dear, my dear'" she cried, with
sudden tenderness that brought tbe
tears of her eyes. "Do you fancy that
I cannot see beneath this veil of con
duct? Am I some wretched lawmaker
that I do not know the difference be-
twen a man and bis acts? I love you.
I am too Intent upon what you are to
waste my time lu worry over what
you do.
"You have passed through a bitter!
trial and have saved your goods and
your repute k'foro the world, but have
you saved your character? Richard
your friend has robbed you Indeed.
He has stolen your faith. You must
restore the balance of your soul."
'It is true," sold he. "I learn It for
the second time today. I learned it
first from the sunrise. I tested my
sight upon It. The face of nature
looked as fa Ho and hostile to me as
any human countenance. Then the
fault must le in me."
"All this may be repaired," said she.
"You stand where every one of us Is
alwa -1 standing, with the depths of
the 1 .t below you and the heights of
heaven above. You have the power to
rise or fall and as far as you choose,
"I know It," he replied, "and I will
surely rise, at least to where I stood
before. My soul shall drag my body
after it. and these nerves of mine shall
be as steady as a rock. They know It;
they feel It already. You yourself can
see It"
"cry clearly," said she. "and I am
very happy. I think you may hear
about Mr. Mortimer of Carllngford
now, though I had resolved not tc
speak of him to you. I have told yor
MR. JONES?
SAI? CLAVER1NQ,
IBS!"
"OH,
that my mother and I have suffered
some losses. 1 did uot give you the
details. For full details apply to Mr.
Mortimer, If you cnu tlnd him. The
police have been uuable M do so, The
reason why 1 did not tell you was
that I should have had to lay before
you unother character precisely ltkr
that of your friend who tried to do
fraud you. It seemed to me that tin-
spectacle would not be beiiellclal. but
now It cannot harm you,"
"Not lu the least," said he. "There
are all kinds of ufen and women, and
most of them try r to do right -a fair
share of their time."
"Speaking of nervea," said she aftet
brief pause. "I thiU my own would
be the better for some good resolves
have Just learned of an odd thins
that I did which snows' a loose wheel
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in 'my mental 'iiachinery somewhere.
I wrote to some p!iotosrap!!cr In Car
llngford to Rend copies ef a certaUi
picture for which 1 sat while tVre.
and I Inclosed to them one of n.y lit
est photographs taken here. A iue:n
ber of the firm happened to be coming
to this city, and he brought my pic
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"Mr. Jones?" said Claverlng. "Oh,
yes! He trounced me soundly at bil
liards last evening."
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543 Bond Street
TRANSPORTATION.
The"Kn Line
PASSENGERS
FREIGHT
Steamer Lurline
Night Boat for Portland and
Way Landings.
Leam Astoria daily except Sunday
at 7 p.m.
Leaves Portland Daily except Siscay
at 7 a.m.
Qnlrk Service : Excellent llaab
Good Berths
Landing Astoria Flavel Wharf.
Landing Portland Foot Taylor It
J. J. DAY, Agent '
Phone Main 27S1.
DAIRIES.
TheVermont Dairy
All milk aerated before bottling.
Specialty made of one cow's mOk for
infants. Satisfaction ruaranteed.
Phone 14 Farmers line.
W. J. ING ALLS.
WINES AND LIQUORS.
Eagle Concert Hall1
(320 Astor Street)
' ' V ... ' tBssassi .
Rooms for rent by the day, week, or
month. Bes rates in town.
P. A. PETERSON, Prop.
MISCELLANEOUS.
HOT OR COLD
oldenfesf
Tea
Just Right
CLOSSET. & ,'DEVERS
PORTLANDj'ORE.
Plate Racks, Wall Pockets.
Music Racks, Clock Shelves
Just m See us .
Hildebrand & Gor
Old Bee Hive Bldg.
: EMPLOYMENT OFFICE.
J. T. NOWLEN"
Real Estate and Employment Office
473 Commercial St, Phone
Have fine list of Astoria and coun
try property. All classes of labor
furnished. c '