-9"
The
Main
Chance
a
BY
Meredith Nicholson
Copvbioht 1903
Tbi Bobbs-Mmbill Coicbant
CHAPTER XIV. '
The man who admitted Wheaton to the
Porter house let him elect between the
drawing room and the library, and he
chose the latter Instinctively, as less for
mal and more appropriate for an inter
view based on his dual social and busi
ness relations with the Porters. Whea
ton heard the swish of Evelyn's skirts in
the hall with a quickening heartbeat Her
black gown intensified her fairness; he
had never seen her in black before, and
it gave a new accent to her beauty as
she came toward him.
"It was a great shock to us down town
to hear of your father's illness. He seem
ed as well as usual yesterday."
"Did you think so? I thought he look
ed worn' when he came home last evening.
He has been working very hard lately."
Wheaton had never seen her so grave.
He was sincerely sorry for her trouble,
and he tried to say so. There was some
thing appealing in her unusual caln; the
low tones of her voice were not wasted
on him.
"Father asked me to send for you this
.morning, but he had grown so ill in a
few hours that I took the responsibility
of not doing it. But something in par
ticular was on his mind, some papers that
Mr. Fenton should have. They are In
his box at the bank, and I was to give
you the key to it. It is something about
the Traction Company. You can attend
to this easily?"
"Yes, certainly. Mr. Fenton spoke to
me about the matter this afternoon. It
is very important and he wished me to
report to blm as soon as I found the pa
pers. No doubt they are In your father's
box," he said. "He is always very me
thodical." He smiled at her reassuring
ly and rose. She did not ask him to stay
longer, but went to fetch the key. It
was a small, thin bit of steel.
"I'll return the key to-morrow, after
I've found the papers Mr. Fenton wants."
"Very well. I hope you will have no
difficulty. Father evidently wished all the
papers he has concerning the company to
be given to Mr. Fenton. Now, this prob
ably is of no importance whatever, but
several years ago father gave me some
stock in the street railway company. It
came about through a little fun-making
between us. We were talking of railway
passes you know he never accepts any"
Wheaton blinked "and I told him I'd
like to have a pass on something, even If
It was only a street car line."
She was smiling In her eagerness that
he should understand perfectly.
"And he said be guessed he could fix
that by giving me some stock In the com
pany. I remember that he made light of
it when I thanked him, and said it wasn't
so Important as it looked. He probably
forgot it long ago. I had forgotten it
myself I never got the pass, either! but
I brought the stock down thinking that
Mr. Fenton might have use for it." She
went over to the mantel and picked up a
paper, while he watched her;, and when
she put it Into his hand he turned it
over. It was a certificate for one hun
dred shares, issued in due form to Evelyn
Porter, but was not assigned.
"It may be important," said Wheaton,
regarding the paper thoughtfully. "Mr.
Fenton will kuow. It couldn't be used
without your name on the back," he said,
Indicating the place on the certificate.
"Oh, should I -sign it?" she asked, in
the curious fluttering way In which many
women approach the minor details of
business. Wheaton hesitated ; he did not
Imagine that this block of stock could be
of Importance, and yet the tentative busi
ness association with Miss Porter was so
pleasant that he yielded to a temptation
to prolong It.
"Yes, you might sign It." he said.
Evedyn went to her father's table and
wrote her name as Wheaton' Indicated.
"A witness is required and I will gup
ply that." And Wheaton sat down at
the table and signed his name beside hers,
while she stood opposite him, the tlp.
of her fingers resting on the table.
"Evelyn Porter" and "James Whea
ton." He blotted the names with Porter's
blotter, Evelyn still standing by him,
lightly mystified as women often are by
the fact that their signatures have a
value. He felt that there was something
intimate in the fact of their signing
themselves together there. He was thrill
ed by her beauty.
On his way down the slope to the car,
Wheaton felt in bis pocket several times
to be sure of the key. There was some
thing the last bit uncanny in his posses
sion of it. Yesterday William Porter
would no more have Intrusted the key of
his private box to him than he would
have burned down his bouse. He read
Into his errand a trust on Porter's part
that included Porter's daughter, too ; but
he got little satisfaction from this. He
was only the most convenient messenger
available. His spirits rose and fell as
he debated. He went to the side door
of the bank and knocked for the watch
man to admit him. '
"Going to work to-night, Mr. Whea
ton?" asked the watchman.
"There are some papers In Mr. Porter's
box that I must give to Mr. Fenton to
night. They are In the old vault" Thl
vault was often opened at night by the
bookkeepers and there was no reason why
the cashier should not enter it when be
pleased. The watchman turned op the
lights so that Wheaton could manipulate
the combination, and then swung open the
door. Wheaton thanked him and went in.
Two keys were necessary to open all of
the boxes; one was common to all and
was kept by the bank. Wheaton easily
found it, and then be took from bis
pocket Porter's key which supplemented
the other. Ilia pulses beat fast M be
felt the lock yield to the thin strip of
steel, and in a moment the box lay open
before his eyes.- He had flashed on the
electric light bulb in the vault and recog
nised instantly Porter's inscription
"Traction" on a brown bundle. He then
opened his own box and took out his
Traction certificate and carried it with
Porter's packet into the directors' room.
He sat playing with the package, which
was sealed in green wax with tne plain
oval insignium of the bank. TJie packet
was larger than he had expected it to be ;
he bad no idea of the amount of stock
it contained; and he knew nothing of
the bonds. He felt tempted to open it;
but clearly that was not within his In
structions. He must deliver it intact to
Fendon, and he would do it instantlv.
He hesitated, though, and drew out the
certificate which Evelyn had given him
and turned the crisp paper over in his
hand. Each, of them owned one hundred
shares of Traction stock; he was not
thinking of this, but of Evelyn, whose
signature held his eye. It was an angu
lar h&nd, and she ran her two names to
gether with a long sweep of the pen.
His thoughts were given a new direc
tion by the noise of a colloquy between
the watchman and some one at the door.
He heard his own name mentioned, and
thrusting the certificates into bis pocket,
he went out to learn what was the mat
ter. "Mr. Wheaton," called the watchman,
who held the door partly closed on some
one, "Mr. Margrave wishes to see you."
As Wheaton walked toward the watch
man, Margrave strode in heavily on the
tile floor of the bank.
CHAPTER XV.
"Hello, Wheaton," said Margrave,
cheerfully. "I've had a hard time finding
you. Lets go Into the directors room;
I want to see you." ,
fall a drunken scamp came Into .my yard
anJ made a row. I was about to turn
him over to the police when be began
whimpering and said he knew you. He
wasn't doing any particular harm and I
gave him a quarter and told him to get
out ; but he wanted to talk. He said "
Margrave dropped bis voice and fastened
his eyes on Wheaton "he was a long
lost brother of yours. He was pretty
drunk, but he seemed clear on your fam
ily history, Jim. He said he'd done time
once back in Illinois, and got you out of
a scrape. He told me his name was Will
iam Wheaton, but that he bad lost it in
the shuffle somewhere and was known as
Snyder. I started him toward Porter's
where I knew you were doing the Bociety
act. I heard afterward that be found
you."
"And so you sent that scamp over
there to make a row. I didn't think you
would play me a trick like that."
"Now, Jim," Margrave continued mag
nanimously, "I don't care about your
family connections. You're all right.
You're good enough for me, you under
stand, and you're good enough for the
Porters. My father was a butcher, and
I began life sweeping out the shop, and
I guess everybody knows it ; and if they
don't like it, they know what they can
do."
(To be continued.)
FOE'S AMBIDEXTROUS HOAX
Found Writing Poem with One Hand
and a Story -with the Other,
Many traditions and stories of Ed
gar Allan Poe are still current at the
Univerlsty of Virginia, at Charlottes
ville, where he was a student, says
James Bernard Lyon In the Home
Magazine.
Poe was very proud of his penman-
. ..' ... - ": : v .-;.
WROTE II KK NAME AS WHEATON INDICATED.
The main bank room was only dimly
lighted, but a cluster of electric lights
burned brilliantly above the directors'
mahogany table, around which were
chairs of the Bank of England pattern.
"Have a seat, Mr. Margrave," said
Wheaton formally. He had left the door
open, but Margrave closed it carefully.
Porter's bundle of papers In Its manila
wrapper lay on the table, and Wheaton
sat down close to it.
"What you got there, greenbacks?"
asked Margrave. "If you were just leav
ing for Canada, don't miss the train on
my account."
"That Isn't funny," said Wheaton, se
verely. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sensitive," said
Margrave, throwing open his overcoat
and placing bis hat on the table in front
of him. "I guess you ain't any better
than some of the rest of 'em."
"I suppose you didn't come to say
that," said Wheaton. He ran his fingers
over the wax seal on the packet. He
wished that it were back in Porter's box.
"We were having a little talk this af
ternoon, Jim," began Margrave In ' a
friendly and familiar tone, "about Trac
tion matters. As I remember It, In our
last talk, it was understood that if I
needed' your little bunch of Traction
shares you'd let me have 'em when the
time came. Now our friend Porter's
sick," continued Margrave, watching
Wheaton sharply with his small, keen
eyes.
"I don't know that It's so serious.' I
was at the house this evening."
"Comforting the daughter, no doubt"
with a sneer. "Now, Jim, I'm going to
say something to you. The chances are
that Porter's going to die. I guess he
won't be able to vote his stock to-morrow.
I suppose you've got it or know
where it is." He eyed the bundle on
which Wheaton's hand at that moment
rested nervously. I want that stock,
Jim, and I want you to give it to me to
night." "Margrave," said Wheaton, "you must
be crazy, or a fool."
"Things are going pretty well with
yoo, Jim," Margrave continued. "You
have a good position here; when the old
man's out of the way, you can marry the
girl and be president of the bank. . It's
dead easy for a smart fellow like you. It
would be too bad for you to spoil such
prospects right now, when the game Is all
in your own hands, by failing to help a
friend In trouble. I gave you your first
Job when you came here "
"I appreciate ail that Mr. Margrave,"
Wheaton broke in. "You said the word
that got me into the Clarkson National,
and I have never forgotten it."
"Well, I don't want you to forget It
But see here: as long as I recommended
yoo and stood by you when you were a
ratty little train butcher, I think you
owe something to me. One night last
ship. One day, so the story goes, a
friend entered the room to find Poe
writing busily with both hands.
"What are you doing?" asked the
friend.
"Writing with both hands," said
Poe.
"Both hands!' exclaimed the friend.
"But how on earth can you make any
progress in that way?"
"Easy enough. It Is a theory of
mine that it 1b a waste of time not. to
be able to use both hands at the Bame
time. Both hands and brain may be
trained, with care and attention, so
that each hand may do its full share
of work each hand being employed
on a separate task. It is not really an
affair of the "hands at all, in the last
analysis, but an affair of the Intellect.
I am training my hands and brain
now so that I can do twice as much
work as the ordinary person In a giv
en period of time. At the present mo
ment I am writing a poem with my
right hand; one that I confidently be
lieve will startle the world. And with
my left hand I am blocking out a
wonderful story; a story which should
capture thousands of readers.
"It will only be a short time before
I will be able to take my examina
tions In this manner and dispose of
two subjects simultaneously. It will
save time and will give hands and
brain their full duty."
Fatherly Advice.
"Dad," said the country youth who
had Just graduated from the district
Bchool, "I have long cherished a de
sire to go on the stage, and have at
last decided, with your permission,
to "
"My boy," Interrupted tho old gran
ger, "all the world's a stage. You
hitch the mules to the big red plow
and transfer the outfit to the ten-acre
lot behind the barn, where you can
enact the star role in that beautiful
drama entitled, 'Down on the Farm.'"
A Good Foundation.
Mrs, Toungwed This Is the first
bread I ever made, darling.
Youngwed Well, dear, you ought to
build up an excellent reputation as a
housekeeper on It.
Mrs. Youngwed Why?
Youngwed Because you have start
ed with an almost Indestructible foundation.
We learn not at school, but In life.
Carman,
HOT WAVE IS BROKEN
Southwest Is Much Relieved by
Cooling Breezes and Rain.
Good, at Any Station.
Tough Looking Passenger (Dreamt.
Ing ticket) Can I get a stoDolT on
this?
Conductor (Inspecting It) Mors
than than; you get a klckoft.
(Pulls bell rope.)
CORN ESCAPED SERIOUS INJURY
Many Prostrations and Some Deaths
Reported From All Sections
East of Rockies.
Byi
Qurlug the teething period.
Kansas Citv.'Auc. 19. Severn warm
weather throughout the . Southwest
gave way to a limited extent last
mgnt Deiore cooling breezes.
The day was the most trying Kan
sas, Missouri and Oklahoma have ex
perienced for years. Despite the ex
cessively nigii temperature, however,
there were comparatively few prostra
tions. Eieht deaths were recorded at
KanBas City.
Oklahoma reDOrted exceRdivn hnnr..
Government thermometers at McAW-
ter registered 113; at Ardmore, 111;
ai vinita, ioi; at Oklahoma City,
Guthrie and Tulsa, 106.
In Kansas City and Western Mis
souri the temperature was near the
iuu mark an the afternoon.
New York Has Big Downpour.
New York, Aue. 19. The Bteadv
downpour which during the last two
days has broken all August rainfall
records, is over. The city's rain gauges
show a total precipitation of 6 inches
as the official record of the storm.
Fierce Wind in Charleston.
Charleston. S. C. Auq 19. An
result of a fierce wind and rain storm
which passed over this city yesterday,
all the telegraph wires leading into the
city are down and communication
With the outside world la hv lnntr.
distance telephone. No loss of life is
reported.
Heat Record at Fort Worth.
Fort Worth. Tex.. Auc 19. With
the weather bureau thermometer regis
tering in degrees and street thermo
meters recording 120 decrees. vestr-
day was the hottest in the history of
Fort Worth.
Lame back and T.iimhncm tnolra o
young man feel old. Hamlins Wizard
Oil makes an old man feel young. Ab
solutely nothing like it, for the relief
of all pain.
Prints of Man.
"There Is such a masculine touch
about the dresses she wears."
"You mean that smudgy streak of
finger marks along the line of buttons
in the back?" Houston Post.
Experience In England shows that
In towns supplied with soft water tho
death rate -Is 19.2, while in towns that
havo a supply of hard water it is only
16.5.
Five Killed in St. Louis.
St. LouiB, Aug. 19. Despite a de
cided drop in the temperature, five
more deaths were recorded here yes
terday as a result of the heat. Three
of these were persons previously pros
trated. The maximum temnerarnra
today was 89 degrees.
Three Deaths at Norfolk.
Norfolk. Neb.i Alio-. 19. Tha hant
claimed three victims in Norfolk and
vicinity last night.
ROBBERS BIND WATCHMAN.
Desperate Attempt to Blow Safe of
Portland Factory.
Portland, Aug. 19. Safecrackers
made a desperate effort to get into the
Safe of the Dornbecher MAnntnctiirino-
company yesterday morning and sue-
ceeaea in Daaiy aamagmg the safe
wun tnree cnarges or mtro-glycerine,
but did not cre.t ct the ennrants
E. R. Mickley was in the fireroom of
me xactory wnen he was suddenly
seized bv one of four men. all of t hm
masked and armed. He was thrown
down and his arms tied behind him.
Thev then went back to tha fWtm-v
gathering up a sledge hammer and
oiner ioois, ana went at the safe. They
knocked off the knob with a hammer
and drillinsr holes, set off in all thraa
charges of nitro-glycerine. In the
midst oi their work a switch engine
Dulled into the airliner tn nirlr nn ran
from the factory, the brakeman enter
ed we rear door to get his orders and
Was met bv a vnllpv nf nhnts tVnm tha
robbers, one of the bullets going
mrougn nis nat. lie promptly ran off
and the engine backed down town,
going back in half an hour with nnlia
aid. As the engine returned, Mickley
wbb iouna dui tne robbers bad gone,
leaving a pint bottle of nitro-glycerine
and all their tools in the factory office.
Miss Elkins May Marry.
Rome. Aug. 19. Rumors are f?nr.
rent here todav that all the nhiectinna
of the royal family to the marriage of
the Duke of Abruzzi to Miss Katnerine
Elkins, of West Virginia, have been
removed, ihe couple, according to
the latest reports, will be married as
soon as the duke returns bis explora
tion trip in the Himalayas. United
States Senator Elkins has repeatedly
denied that bis daughter was to marry
the duke, declaring that if Miss Elkins
is ever married it will be to an Amer
ican.
Powers Caution Cretans
Canea, Crete, Aug. 19. The foreign
consuls here, on behalf of the interna
tional sauadron now anchored In Pa
nes bay, today notified the Cretan gov
ernment that the lireek flag would be
nauied down today. They warned th
government that irrenarahla
quences will follow any attackmade on
a landing party. On account of this
warning the Cretan authorities issued
an appeal to the people not to obstruct
me action oi the powers.
a
Troops to Quit Fort William.
Winniceir. Auc. 19. Tha
soldiers who have been on duty at Fort
William returned to their barracks
here today, leaving 80 special Canadian
Pacific railway constables armed with
rifles to maintain order. Five hundred
men are now working on the docks.
Thirst for Knowledge,
"I will wait a moment." Mid tha torn.
perance lecturer at the close of his
speech, "to answer any questions you
may wish to ask."
"Can a Derson sret drnnlr nn inn.,.
kraut?" inquired an earnest woman in
the audience whose husband bad signed
me pieuge.
Mothers will find Mrs. Winslow's Soothing
.up ... i" d i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 y itt use xor uwi cauuxad
How Careless.
He There was nearly a bad Are at
the theater.
She How was that?
He The villain lit a clcarette and
tossed the match Into the snow!
Comic Cuts.
Practical Patriotism.
The thing for you to do now la tn
get busy so that you will have nn in
come tax to be taxed when all tho
States agree to It. That's true patriot
ism. Indianapolis News.
CASTOR I A
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Bears the
Signature
Knew Ills l'lnee.
Housemaid Please, sir. will von
come at once, the drorin' room's on
fire. Master Well, co and tell vnnr
mistress; you know I never interfere
in household matters. Punch.
Ills I.lltle Kick.'
"In this matter of quick thinking,"
said the base bail umpire, "all the bou
quets go to the players; and yet we fel
lows have to think as quick as they do,
if not a little quicker. If a player works
his thinker too slow all ho gets is an
error. If I do it I get a pop bottle."
Chicago Tribune.
CRESCENT
BAKING
POWDER
A pure phoaphnte
bakinir rwiwit.. ik.l
dun all that the
nign priced bakinc
fiowders will do and duet
t better. It raises Ihe
doug-h and makei light
er, sweeter and bette:
risen foods. Sold by kto
cera 25c per pound. Ji
you will send us your
. ... ana aaaress, we
HI send you a book on health and baking powder.
CHESCENT MFG. CO. Seattle, Wn.
Worms
"Caacarets are certalnlv fln. Inm IHmJ
one when the doctor was treating him for cancer
ot the stomach. The next morning he passed
four pieces of a tape worm. He then got a box
and in three days he passed a taps-worm 45 fast
Ions. It was Mr. Matt Freck, of Millersburc.
-,-iif,iiu rm. Bin quue a worxer lor lasca
reta. I use them myself and find them beneficial
tor most any disease caused by impure blood."
. .unuon, i,ewiston, fa., (Mimm Co.)
Measant, Palatable, Potent. Taste Good.
Do Good. Never Sicken, Weaken or (irips.
10c. 25c, SOc. Never Bold in bulk. The genu
ine tablet itrmped C C C. (iuaxanteed to
Our ot you money back. 821
DAISY FLY KILLER
l?d amy
where, attract
ftnd kill all fllrsv
Nvut, cleau, orna
mental, oonren
It-tit, clump. Lattts
all . Can
not . ill or tip
over, will not soil
or Injure any
thlTiff. UumranU'ed
AfTwiLiwa. Af all
dealera. or sent prepaid for SO cents.
HAROLD SOWERS, 160 DeKalb Ave.. B'klyn.. N. Y.
C0FFEE(
TEA SPICES
BAKING POWDER
EXTRACTS
"JUST RIGHT
ClAISFTHnirVFP".
PORTLAND. 0t.'J
wM7
QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION
THE
HIGH-STANDARD SCHOOL
of its kind in the Northwest, we invite
the investigation of those who want the
best in a practical education. Let us prove
superiority. Call, phone or write. Cat
alogue, business forms and penwork free.
PORTLAND BUSINESS COLLEGE
"The School of Oualitv"
Tenth and Morrison 8 Portland, Oregon
A. P. Armstrong. LL. B.. Principal
ALBERTA WHEAT LAND
$15 Per Acre 10 Years' Time
Theas lands of Canadian Pacific Railway
produce from 36 to 60 bushels of wheat, 76
to 100 bushela of oats, per acre. All near
railways, towna and schools. Positively
the beat wheat land proposition for men
of moderate meana. No crop failures.
Send tcdav for free illustrated literature.
Special rates lat and 15th of every month.
IDE-M'C ARTH Y LAND CO.
Genl. Land Aarta. Canadian Pacific R. R.
4Z&-26 Lumbermen 'a Building
PORTLAND. OR
PHU
No. 35-09
w
'II KM writing to advertisers pless.
uaui,uu tins paper.
DR. W. A. WISE
22 Ktstrs a Leader in Painless Dents.
Work in Portland.
Out-of-Town People
Should remember that our force is so arranged
that WE CAN DO THEIK KNTIKK CKOVVN,
BRIDGE AND Pl.ATti WORK IN A DAY if
necessary. POSITIVELY PAINLESS EX
TRACT! NG FRKK when plan or bridirea are or
dered. WE REMOVE THE MOST SENSITIVE
TEETH AND ROOTS WITHOUT THE LEAST
PAIN. NO STUDENTS, no uncertainty.
For the Next Fifteen Days
We will Rive you a good 22k void or porce
lain crown for S3-K0
22k brldxe teeth 8.50
Molar crown 6.00
Gold or enamel fillinga 1.00
Silver filling 60
Good rubber plates p.OO
The best red rubber pkttoa 7.00
Painless extractions 60
ALL WORK GUARANTEED IS YEARS
Dr. W. A. Wise
President and Manager
The Wise Dental Co.
(INC.) Third and Washington SU.
PORTLAND, OREGON
YOUR
FARM EQUIPMENT
IS IT COMPLETE?
In these days of progressive farming no man can sfTord to noidect hla farm equip,
ment. It is Just as essential that ths farm should have the benefit of the best possible farm
machinery and most modern labor saving devices as it is that a properly conducted factory
should have it, and even mors so. Ws have In our extensive Block, labor saving machines
of all kinds, machines that increase profits snd maks the fsrmer tho mnst Independent man
on the earth: machines thst make fsrm life more enjoyable snd tend to keep the young
man sstisfied with form work. No fsrmer sver invostod his muney to better sdvsntsgs
than when hs bought one of ths mschinss mentioned bnlovr. Those are lines which ars in
season NOW and ars goods which should interest every farmer who desires to make a
success of farming. Kramer Rotary Harrow Attachments, (shown here), Hooaier Drills,
(shown hers), J. I. Case Plows, Sandwich Hay Presses, Dick'a Famous Feed Cutters.
Hoover Potato Diggers, Double Action
and Rlghtlap Cutaways, Stover Gasoline
Engines, New Iowa Cream Separators,
Myers Pumps, Etc., Etc.
Do YOURSELF and us a favor by
asking for our
BIG CENERAL CATALOGUE
AGENTS
EVERYWHERE
PORTLAND
OR.
SPOKANE
WASH.
BOISE
IDAHO.