/ m a btm what he chose. He wondered why he had not tried to resist. The truth was Underwood exercised a strange, subtle power over him. He had the power to make him do everything he wanted him to do, no matter how fool­ ish or unreasonable the request. Every one at college used to talk about It. One night Underwood Invited all hls classmates to bis rooms and made him cut up all kinds of capers. He at first refused, point blank— but Underwood got up and, standing directly In front of him, gazed steadily Into his eyes. Again he commanded him to do these ridiculous, degrading things. Howard felt himself weakening. He was sud­ denly seized with the feeling that he must obey. Amid roars of laughter he recited the entire alphabet stand­ ing on one leg, he crowed like a rooster, he hopped like a toad, and he crawled abjectly on hls belly like a snake. One of the fellows told him afterward that he had been hyp­ notized. He had laughed at It then as a good joke, but now he came to think of It, perhaps It was true. Pos­ sibly he was a subject. Anyway he was glad to be rid of Underwood and hls uncanny Influence. MffDRKB[HIDO.QTO^ QUITE1 third degree CHARLES KLEIN „ A r th u r 0 horn blo w I L L U S T R by A g . T w I . D O illingham N S b concur y R AY W A LTER S WOrtm cut , i*ce, SYNOPSI S. B o v a r .l Jnrii*H banker’« son, under B m e vil Inlluenee o f Robert Underwood. • fellow-student at Yule, leads a life of Sfoelpatlon. marries the daughter o f a ■am bler who died In prison, and Is dis­ arm ed by his father. H e tries to get w ork and falls. C H APTE R I.—Continued. “ I wish I could help you, old man. A s it la, my own salary barely serves to keep me In neckwear. Wall street’s ■real fun, but it doesn't pay much; that la, not unlesa you play the game y o u rself" Howard smiled feebly as ho re­ viled: “ Nonaense— I wouldn’t accept help o f that aort. I ’m not reduced to so­ liciting charity yet. I guess I'd pre­ fe r the river to that. Hut If you hear o f anything, keep me In mind.” T h e athlete made no response. He was apparently lost In thought when suddenly he blurted out: “ Say, Jeffries, you haven’t got any money, have you— say, a couple of thousand dollars?" Howard stared at the questioner as I f he doubted his sanity. “ T w o thousand dollars!” he gasped “ Do you suppose that I’d be wearing out shoe leather looking for a Job I f I had $2,000?" Co*e looked disappointed as he re p lied : "Oh. o f course, I understand you haven't It on you, only I thought you m ight be able to raise It.” “ Why do you ask?” Inquired How ard, his curiosity aroused. Coxe looked around to see If any •n e was listening. Then In a wills per he said: “ It’s a cinch. If you had $2,000 you and I could make a snug little fortune. Don't you understand? In my office I get tips. I'm on the inside. I know In advance what the big men are going to do. When they start to m ove a certain stock up. I’m on the Job. Understand? If you had $2,000, I ootild raise an much, and we'd pool •u r capital, starting In the business •oruelve*— on a small scale, of course I f we hit It right we might make a alee income." Howard's mouth watered. Certain­ ly that was the kind of life he liked beat. The feverish excitement of gambling, the close association with rich men, the promise of a luxurious atyle of living—all this nppealed to him strongly. Hut what wus the use? W here could ho get $2,000? He couldn’t go to his father. He shook his head. j T m afraid not. old sport." he said nm they le ft the saloon and he held out his hand to say good-by. “ liut I'll bear It In mind, and If things ltnprovo. I 'l l look you up. So lon g!" ( Climbing wearily up the dirty stairs - o f the elevated rnllroad, he bought u U r ie l with one of the few nickels re- 'tnalnlng In Ills pocket, nnd taking n M at In a north hound train started on bla trip bark to Harlem. The day wus overcast, ruin threat •ru'd A pall of mingled smoke nnd m ist hung over the entire city. From the car window us the trnln wound Its serpentine course in nnd out the mare of grimy offices, shops nnd tene­ ments, everything appeared drab, dirty and squalid. New York was seen at Its ugliest. Knsconrcd In a cross-scat, his chin lcnntng heavily sa his hand, Howard gnzed dejectedly • s t o f the window. The depressing outlook was In keeping with his pwn State o f mind. How would the adventure end? Reconciliation with Ills father was out of the question. Letters sent home remained without response. He wasn’t surprised, lie knew his pater •so well to expect that he would re­ test so soon. Resides, If the n!d man was so infernally proud, he’d show him he had some pride, too. He’d drown himself before he’d go down on hla knees, whining to be forgiven. Ills father was dead wrong, anyway. Ills marriage might have been foolish; Anole might be beneath him socially. She was not educated and her father wasn’t any better than he ought to he. She did not talk correctly, her manners left much to be desired, at tim es he was secretly ashamed of her Hut her bringing up was her misfor­ tune, not her fault. The girl herself was straight as a die. She had a heart o f gold. 8he was far more In tslltgent. far more likely to make him a happy home than some stuck up. Idle eoclety girt who had no thought for anything save money, dress and show. Perhaps If he had been less honorable and not married her, hla father would have thought m ore highly of him. If he’d ruined the girl. no doubt he would hare been welcomed home with open arm* Pshaw! He might be a poor, weak fool, but thank Clod, they couldn't re­ proach him with that. Annie had been loyal to him throughout. He'd stick f o her through thick and thin. Aa the train swept round the cunre at fifty-third street and started on Its long, straight run up the West side, hla mind reverted to Robert Under­ wood. He had seen his old associate only once since leaving college. He raa across him one day on Fifth ave­ nue. Underwood was coming out of a curio shop. He explained hurriedly that he had left Yale, and when asked about his future plans talked vaguely of going in for art. His matter was frigid and nervous— the attitude of the man who fears he may be ap­ proached for a small loan. He was evidently well aware of the change in his old associate's fortunes, and hav­ ing squeezed all he could out of him, had no further use for him. It was only when he had disappeared that Howard suddenly remembered a loan of $250 which Underwood had never repaid. Some time later Howard learned that he occupied apartments at the exclusive and expensive As- truria, where he was living In great style. He went there determined to see him and demand hls money, but the card always came back “ not at home.” The train stopped with a Jerk at hls station and Howard rode down In the elevator to the street. Crossing Eighth avenue, he was going straight home when suddenly he halted. The glitter and tempting array of bottles In a corner saloon window tempted him. He suddenly felt that if there was one thing he needed in the world above all others it was another drink. True, Underwood had always been a mys­ he had had more than enough already. tery to Howard. He knew him to be Hut that was Coxe's fault. He had an Inveterate gambler and a man en­ invited him and made him drink. tirely without principle. No one knew There couldn’t be any harm in taking who hls family were or where he another. He might as well be hanged came from. Hls source of income, for a sheep as a lamb. By the time too, was always a puzzle. At college he emerged from the saloon his he was always hard up, borrowing speech was thick and his step uncer­ right and left and forgetting to pay, tain. A few minutes later he was yet he always succeeded In living on painfully climbing up the rickety stairs the fat of the land. His apartments I of a cheap-looking fiat house. As he The box-like ho!e where Howard sat awaiting hls meal was the largest room In a flat which boasted of "five and bath." There was a bedroom of equally diminutive proportions and a parlor with wall paper so loud that It talked. There was scarcely enough room to swing a cat around. The thin walls were cracked, the rooms were carpetless. Yet It showed the care of a good housekeeper. Floors and windows were clean, the cover on the table spotless. The furnishings were as meager as they were ingen­ ious. With their slender purse they had been able to purchase only the bare necessities— a bed, a chair or two, a dining room table, a few kitch­ en utensils. When they wanted to sit In the parlor they had to carry a chair from the dining room; when meal times came the chairs had to S c id L o u is travel back again. A soap box turned upside down and neatly covered with J m osT SAy - chintz did duty as a dresser In the bedroom, and with a few photographs î w i< 5 ^ 1 w tx^e and tacks they had managed to im­ à f l o w e r * - part an aesthetic appearance to the' parlor. This place cost the huge sum f o r 't n e y -s fë y ,r i of $25 a month. It might Just as well have cost $100 for all Howard’s ability to pay It. The past month’s rent was cta y - long overdue and the janitor looked more Insolent every day. But they did not care. They were young and stfie M o û t" life was still before them. Presently Annie came In carrying a steaming dish of stew, which she laid on the table. As she helped How­ TO MAKE AN AUSTRIAN TOP ard to a plate full she said: "So you had no luck again this morning?" Not Difficult to Put Together and Can Howard was too busy eating to an­ Be Cut From Ordinary Broomhan- swer. As he gulped down a huge piece die— How It Is Worked. of bread, he growled: "Nothing, as usual— same old story, All parts of an Austrian top are ot nothing doing." Annie sighed. She had been given wood and they are simple to make. this answer so often that It would The handle is a piece of pine 6% have surprised her to hear anything Inches long, lVt inches wide and three- else. It meant that their hard hand- fourths Inch thick. A handle, three- to-mouth struggle must go on. She said nothing. What was the use? It would never do to discourage How­ ard. She tried to make light of I t “ Of course It Isn’t easy, I quite understand that. Never mind, dear. Something will turn up soon. Where did you go? Whom did you see? Why Part* of the Top. didn't you let drink alone when you promised me you would?" fourths Inch In diameter, Is formed on "That was Coxe's fault,” blurted ... . . .. one end. allowing only 1% inches of out Howard, always ready to blame . . , . . . .. J ~~ the other end to remain rectangular In others for his own , 8 ° rtcomings.1 shape. Bore a three-fourths Inch hole "You remember Coxe! e was a jn tkjg en(j 0f ^ e top. A one-sixteenth Yale when I was. A big, fair fellow Inch hole is bored ln the edge to en­ with blue eyes. He pulled stroke In ter the large hole as shown, says a the ’varsity boat race, you remem­ writer ln Popular Mechanics. The top ber?” can be cut from a broom handle or a “ I think I do,” replied his wife, In­ round stick of hardwood. differently, as she helped him to more To spin the top take a piece of stew. “ What did he want? What’s stout cord about two feet long, pass he doing in New York?” “ He’s got a fine place In a broker's 1 ° nf thro«i«h the one sl*teenth lnch office In W all street. I felt ashamed h° le and. Wlnd 11 on the sma11 pan of to let him see me low down like this, j ‘ ?e top ln the u8ual way’ BtartlnS at He said that 1 could make a good deal |1*1® bott° m and " ‘ndlng upward, of money if only I had a little capital.1 hen s^an^ *s covered, set the He knows everything going on ln ^op *n *be three-fourths Inch hole. W all street. If I went in with him I ’d "Pa*te of the handle with the left hand and the end of the cord with be on Easy street.” the right hand, give a good quick pull “ How much would It require?" on the cord and the top will Jump "T w o thousand dollars." The young w ife gave a sigh as she clear of the handle and spin vigor- answered: | ously. “ I ’m afraid that’s a day dream. Only | your father could give you such an VEHICLE PROPELLED BY HAND -the-o" 6 ecU And AW never- h e e d In the Astruria cost a small fortune; he dressed well, drove a smart turn­ out and entertained lavishly. He was not Identified with any particular busi­ ness or profession. On leaving col­ lege he became Interested ln art. He frequented the Important art sales and soon got hls name In the news­ papers as an authority on art matters. Hls apartment was literally a museum of European and oriental art. On all sides were paintings by old masters, beautiful rugs, priceless tapestries, rare ceramics, enamels, statuary, antique furniture, bronzes, etc. He passed for a man of wealth, and moth­ ers with marriageable daughters, con­ sidering him an eligible young bach­ elor, hastened to Invite him to their homes, none of them conscious of the danger of lettlug the wolf slip into the lambs' fold. What a strange power of fascina­ tion, mused Howard ns the train jogged along, men of Underwood's bold and reckless type wield, espe­ cially over women. Their very daring and unscrupulousncss seems to render them more attractive. He himself at college had fallen entirely under the man's spell. There was no doubt that he was responsible for all bis trou­ bles. Underwood possessed the un­ canny gift of being able to bend peo­ ple to hts will. What a fool he had made of him at the university! He had been hts evil genius, there was no question of that But for meeting Underwood he might have ap­ plied himself to serious study, left the university with honors and be now a respectable member of the community. He remembered with a smile that It was through Underwood that he had met hla wife. Some of the fellows hinted that Underwood had known her more Intimately than he bad pre­ tended and had only passed her on to him because he was tired of her. He had nailed that as a He. Annie, he could «wear, waa as good a girl as ever breathed. He could n t explain Underwood’s influence over him. He had done with reached the top floor a cheerful voice called out: “ Is that you, Howard, dear?" CH APTER II. A young woman hurried out of one of the apartments to greet Howard. She was a vivacious brunette o f me­ dium height, intelligent looking, with good features and fine teeth. It was not a doll face, but the face of a woman who had experienced early the hard knocks of the world, yet ln whom adversity had not succeeded In wholly subduing a naturally buoyant, amiable disposition. There was de­ termination in the lines above her mouth. It was a face full of character, the face of a woman who by sheer dint of dogged perseverance might ac­ complish any task she cared to set herself. A smile of welcome gleamed In her eyes as she inquired eagerly: "W ell, dear, auythlng doing?” Howard shook his head for all re­ sponse and a look of disappointment crossed the young wife's face. "Say, that’s tough, ain’t it?" she exclaimed. ’’The Janitor was here again for the rent. He says they'll serve us with a dispossess. I told him to chase himself, I was that mad." Annie’s vocabulary was emphatic, rather than choice. Entirely without education, she made no pretense at being what she was not and therein perhaps lay her chief charm. As Howard stooped to kiss her. she said reproachfully: "You ve been drinking again. How- ard. You promised me you wouldn't." The young man made no reply. With an Impatient gesture he passed on Into the flat and flung himself down In a ehalr In the dining room. From the adjoining kitchen came a welcome odor of cooking. "Dinner ready“ ’ he demanded. 'T m devilish hungry." "Yes. dear. Just a minute,” replied hla wife from tha kitchen. "There's some nice Irish stew, just what you like." WRONG DIAGNOSIS IS MADE Physician, After Careful Examination of Patient, Prescribes Fresh Air for Aviator. He was 111. or at least said that he was, and the other day he entered the house of a well-known physician and sank into a leather-covered arm-chair in the ante-room waiting hls turn on the list. At last It came, and the doctor ex­ amined his tongue critically, felt hls pulse, Inquired as to the symptoms ot hls Illness, and then looked wise. Taking a pad from the table he wrote a prescription calling for bread pills and distilled water, or something of that sort. Then, turning ln his chair, the physician said, " I cannot say any­ thing serious Is the matter with you. What you need Is plenty of air----- ” The patient smiled a broad, bland smile, but said nothing. "Take this prescription regularly every night, but above all things get plenty of air. Good, wholesome, out­ door atmosphere, that Is what you need more than anything else.” “ Ha, ha. ha! I need air, do I? ” shouted the man. “ W ell, that la funny.” “ Why, what do you mean?” In­ quired the doctor. "Mean? Why, I’m an aviator,” O amount and you wouldn’t go to him, “ I Wish I Could Help You, Old Man.” f f would you?” Wheels for Common Cart Can Be Se­ “ Not If we hadn't another crust ln cured at Any Junk Shop at Slight the house," snapped Howard savage­ Expense— Makes Lever Auto. ly. "You don't want me to, do you?’’ he asked looking up at her quickly. Any hoy following the directions gtv- No, dear, she answered calmly, en here can convert a common four- " I have certainly no wish that you wheeled cart Into a hand propelled ve- should humble yourself. At the same hide time I am not selfish enough to want| ,f ' wouId ,,ke to own a lever to stand in the way of your future. auto llke thls one and do not h Your father and stepmother hate me. |o have a can wh sleeper got up feeling very stiff— to * counted the pennies twice. Then she find that the steward was hls dentist, B* ld’ w,tk ■ puzzled look. “ 1 don't and that the night’* adventure« had ,hlnk this Is right. How much did yon lasted exactly 41 second*. j f° u a tso-cent stamp costs The Summer Boarder— A re the mosquitoes and files very bad here? Hiram Hayrick— Nope. You'll find some of ’em In church every Sunday. And Then----- 1 A woman who doe* her own house­ work was Invited out to dinner the other night, and when she rose from the table, remarked: "W ell, It Is pleasant to eat some­ thing that I didn’t cook." “ Indeed it Is,” said her husband, before he bethought himself o f coi> nequences. A Depressing Experience. Did you ever long In vain for a ®ingle pleasant word or kind look?" said the sentimental soul. 'e s , ' replied the practical p*r- .'. 1 to F«t by a swell waiter with a 25