’ antly. "Tt does make me out a bit of
an Idiot, doesn't It?”
"Nonsense I We were nil taken In,"
IVter protested. "Look how I’ve al
ways stuck up for Tad I But there’a
one thing I want to say: He may be
a rotter, nnd all that sort of thing;
but that girl of his Is as straight and
line a proposition—"
“ I>o hush, Peter!
W e all know
you’re In love with her. But what Is
all this to me?” Betty protested with a
break In her voice. “ I hope you're
right, Peter, nnd I hope If you are you
may be happy. But what about me?
To you. all old friends, I can talk
about this terrible thing. But what
about the outsiders? My name linked
with that o f a common criminal's— oh,
I am ashamed, ashamed!"
Uuknown to her. the Dowager Prng-
| on was nodding vigorously to Quoin.
This last rose awkwardly, and spoke
with n hesitation uncommon In him.
" I f you'll leave It to me, Betty." he
suggested almost timidly, "I think I
can arrange matters with Craven and
recover your necklace tonight, quite
without publicity. And"— he glanced
at his watch—"it's a quarter of eleven.
If I'm to do anything, I have no time
to lose.”
u r n evening
ridt m e r u
"W hat tho— " commented the chauf
armed. Constraint was absent from
their meeting: they went at once to feur suspiciously.
each other's arms.
But at the same Ume Peter Jerked
"IP s so good to find you here. Hetty. the door open, nnd—a crawly, sinking
Oh, good evening, Mr. Quolu— Mr. sensation deserted his midst: the fure
Traft, good evening. The best part Is. wan Lydia, after all I
I thought you were stopping here, nnd
She greeted this breathless appari
was In despair when I found you tion with nn Inarticulate cry.
weren't."
"You
forgot
something,”
Peter
“ It’s dear o f you; hut—"
gasped lu response, climbing lu.
DOCS’ PARTY.
“ I was so anxious to give you— this!"
"W hat?"
As she spoke the puzzle box left Lyd-
"M e !" he declared settling Into the
"Bow-wow," said Put, the Dog.
lu’s keeping finally ami for all time.
place by her side; then thrust Ids head
"Bow-wow," harked Gyp, another
Betty Merrtleea uttered a low cry. out o f the door and panted, "It's all
"This?” she questioned lu a strange right, driver. Cut along and dou't go Dog.
"TMI LODI WOLF." THE U U U •OWL.“
" I am wagging my tall," said Pnt. " I
voice.
“ What?”
too fust— slippery pavements— ”
Eta.
would like so much to piny with you."
"Must I say?" I.ydla laughed. "I
"But, Mr. T ra ft—" Lydia expostu
"And 1 am shaking my paw ut you."
CmrifLi V»
don't believe you really want me to— " lated.
Lni> J« m »L V w i
said Gyp. "I would like to play with
"N ot my necklace I" the woman
Peter shut the door with a bang, and you Just as much as you would like to
gasped.
the car, with nn unobstructed way,
"T h ere! I didn’t tell—did I. Mrs. picked up wary heels add stole on up play with me."
C H A P T E R X II I. — Continued.
"Good-good good," harked pat.
Beggarstaff?"
— 1*—
Fifth avenue.
Anil Gyp danced around very hnp-
"No, deur child; but we knew all the
“ Peter Is hedging about referring to
(TO HE C O N T IN U E D .)
plly.
They were both young dogs and
time."
the fact that Craven put up a very
they loved 1» play and frisk about.
Incontinently
I.ydla
wan
over
prompt protest when you told tue to
It wns a snowy «lay, and the snow
whelmed by a very unexpected, un- j
take the necklace into the sunlight and
was soft and light. Gyp and Pat were
called for, motherly ami protracted
satisfy myself.”
embrace; which, while It didn't lack Advocates of Daylight Saying Could both white fox terriers; Put had one
“ Yes,” Peter admitted gloomily.
Do It by Setting Alarms Ahead
black s|tot on his hark, and Gyp had s
affection, served as well the most dl|v
“ Is the evidence complete enough?"
as Welt as Clocks.
brown spot over one eye. But In tho
lomatlc purpose o f preventing the girl
Mrs. Beggarstnff questioned gently.
snow they looked almost ns whIM as
from noticing Betty's half-hysterical
"W e didn't want to tell you this. Betty.
One good thing about compensations
the snow did.
attempts
to
open
the
puzzle
box
nnd
For my own part. I'd rather you had
Is that they are always ready to change
that the Dowager Dragon was muklng
"lad's play snowballs,” said Pnt.
conspired with Tad to smuggle— ”
to suit circumstances.
That Is, of
significant faces ut Quoin over her
"D o you mean throw snowtmlls?"
C H A P T E R X IV .
“ Don’ t !“ pleaded the unhappy worn-
o f course, whnt compensations are for.
shoulder.
nn. Bending forward, elbows on knees,
said
Gyp.
We have, therefore, no sooner made up
"Perm it me. Betty." Quoin suggest
she stared somberly at the carpet. “ But
True to her Instinct for the dramatic
"Th at’s Just whnt I mean," said Pat.
our minds that we shall have to stay
how," she asked after a inomeut, "do moment, when the telephone Interrupt ed. " I think I know the trick—"
No they began lifting the soft snow
ut home with our back yard gardens
In another breath the box was open,
you account for that perfect counter ed Mrs. Beggarstaff answered with no
this summer than wc are confronted with their paws ami throwing It at
the
necklace
In
its
owner's
hands.
apparent emotion nnd nothing more
feit?"
Such fun as they had I
by the suggestion (hat our clocks muy each other.
"M erely my foolish delight to see
"Simply." Quoin replied, "after that than a noncommittal "Y es?" followed
be set ahead In order to give us an ex They frolleked In the snow, nnd they
you
again
so
soon,
my
dear."
A
hand
affair of Thursday night, on my own at a brief interval by "Yes, If you
tra hour in the garden every evening, put their hetids right Into the snow
responsibility I sent a wireless to Paris, please, at once.” Then, hanging up the putted affectionately one o f Lydia's says a writer In the Indianapolis News. banks.
flushed
checks
as.
released,
breath
leas,
to Cottier's, in Betty’s name. The nn- j receiver, she set herself artfully to de
It Is easy enough (o understand that
Then they would luke turns In play
swer came through Friday night, say lay Mrs. Merrllees. "This is all very and wondering, she stepped back to an hour In the garden every evening 1s ing Dead Dog, and one would 11« down
readjust
her
hat.
ing that the original owner had sold a well,” she announced with complacent
worth many u day at a summer resort. while the other covered him up with
“ You’re awfully good to me. Mrs.
paste duplicate to a dealer in articles | determination; "but I wunt to know
There Is, to bo sure, the difficulty of a little snow.
Beggarstaff.
But
I
can’t
stop
n
minute.
de Paris, which he in turn had sold to what real evidence you have got
getting up nn hour earlier every morn
Then he would stay quite still until
I ’ve another errand to run for father— !
a chance customer— definite descrip against Craven."
ing, hut It would not really seem nn the dog who hud covered him up would
he’s very busy tonight— "
tion unavailable— the same day that
"Nothing." Quoin admitted, “ beyond
hour earlier. Most of us do uot like burk,
"Another errand!" Betty Merrllees
the real necklace was taken from Cot circumstantial evidence, which, how
getting up In the morning, no matter
parroted out o f a mind perhaps par
tier's by your agent."
ever well grounded, wouldn’t hold to
what time It Is, and an hour or so "W ake up. wnke up you sleepy head,
"It seems incredible. O f all men— gether a minute under the analysis of donably confused.
makes no noticeable difference ut that “ We're ull through play lug that you
"Y es— I sha'n't he long.
Father time of day. As fur ns all that Is con
ur« dead."
Tad Craven!”
any able-bodied criminal lawyer."
asked me to bring that to you; but cerned there may he some difference
“ You forget how little we know cf
“ No actual proof?"
With a hound they'd both start piny-
him,” the Dowager Dragon put in.
"Not a whit. You may be sure Cra promised to call for me within nn hour. of opinion as to whether the clocks
“ Know of him?" Betty protested, ven never took an active hand in nny So I was to attend to the other errand should he set ahead In order to give lag and frisking In the snow ugnln.
looking up. "Why, everybody knows o f these affairs: merely engineered tlrst, and wait here with you for him us that hour In the evening or whether Such a time as they had. Noon two
little girls came walking by. They
Tad Craven! Go out among our friends them with his Inside information and But my tuxicnb broke down and— ”
the alarms on «tir clocks should he set
“ Craven coming here?" Betty Inter abend in order to give us the extra were both currying hooks und pencil
and try to find one who believes he superior Intelligence.
Be sure, too,
rupted Incredulously, but checked sud hour In the morning. It looks on the boxes, for they had been to sehool.
would do anything dishonest."
that whenever n Job was pulled off he
"There's Put," said tho little girl,
denly
at a look from Quoin.
“ And still, I insist, you forget how was always conspicuously somewhere
face of It as though It might he pos
"As soon us he can get away,” Lydia sible to get two extra hours out o f our niiinis) Helen.
little we know of him. Hark back Into else.”
"And there's my Gyp,” said Uie rec
affirmed. “ I mean, of course, wher
your memory, my dear. How long have
days.
"Then what do you propose doing?"
ever you're really stopping— "
oin! little girl, whose name was Doro
we known him? Twelve or fifteen years
“ Why— Betty permitting— scare him
thy,
“ The Plaza.”
at most. How did he come to know silly and run him out o f town. I don’t
Plants Arm Themselves.
"That’s Just across the way. Isn’t It? ! Many plants protect themselves from
“ How did they over happen to be
us? Through introductions to a few think we want more than that— aside
It's odd o f him to make such n mis their enemies by the use o f spikes or together I wonder?" asked H e l e n .
clubs, indorsed by Lord Evesden— who from the necklace.”
.
take. He said the Margrave distinctly.
For while Helen and Dorothy were
was later drummed out of town for
"Thut will content me." Mrs. Merrl But I'll ask for you at the Plaza In prickles, nnd venom, Just ns certain
animals do. Of those using the first- the very best o f friends, and their
card cheating, and never came back. lees affirmed.
half nn hour. If you don't mind.”
mimed device to make themselves dogs loved to piny with each other,
But Tad Craven stuck. He didn't cheat,
Here a knock fell on the door, and
"M ind! On the contrary." Mrs. Mer "armed to the teeth” the bramble, the still they lived quite fur apart. They
and he was amusing, amkas long as he the Dowager Dragon, for all her pro
rllees said pleasantly, "I'll be delight gorse, nnd the holly are familiar In didn't usually g o to each other's homes
was personable, agreeable and seemed tested infirmity, rose with the spryness
ed. Tnd, too. That will be fun— stances. Among those which protect unless Dorothy and Helen were going
to have money nobody bothered about o f youth.
rather! W e’ll huve supper together— themselves with venom as reptiles do to play together.
his pedigree.”
"No, don’t go yet. It’s only some all of us.”
"W ell,” said Helen, “ I say we'll have a
are the deadly nightshade, or bella
" I ’ve been looking Craven up," Quoin thing I ’ve been expecting. And I want
“ And so— good night for thirty min donna. and the mix vomica. Less de ten pnrty. I'm sure mother will be
supplemented. "L isten !” He began to one word more with you— about the utes," Lydlu laughed. " I must hurry.”
She said I could ask you
structively Inclined are those plants willing.
read from a tiny memorandum book: girl Lydia. Whatever you do, under
“ W alt n minute,” Peter put In. “ I'm which are simply protected by their very soon.
That waa this morning,
“ Came to New York in '93 with a Brit stand, I won't have her run out of off too, you know, ami going your wny.”
disagreeable tnste. The common but und this afternoon means very soon."
ish musical comedy company. His wife, town, or annoyed, or frightened, or
"H ow do you know you a re !” Lydia tercup, which Is one o f these. Is gen
"A ll right," said Dorothy, " I ’d love
Letty Craven, fell 111 during the run of ill-treated In any way.”
demanded, smiling back from the door erally shunned by horses and cnttle. to come."
the piece and died in a public hospital
With this she disappeared down the way.
A plant which, like the skunk. Is pro
"And of course the Dogs will play
o f quick consumption. A fter that Cra
“ Becnuse that's the wny I’m going." tected by a disagreeable smell Is tho together,” said Helen.
hallway. Followed a sound of voices
ven got a job with some show which
“ But I don’t want you now. Mr. flgworm. Only thnt hardy nnd Insensi
murmuring.
"As they've found each other now I
perished on the road. When he turned
Quoin and Mrs. Merrllees lingered In T ra ft— though I shall hope to see you tive animal, the goat, will touch It.
don't suppose they would enjoy any
up again he was training with a gang
doubt and silence, the gaze of each again in half an hour. Good-by.”
of professional sharpers with whom he
The hall-door closed, lenvlng Peter
seeking the other’s; while, to one side,
Bleeding Useful at Times.
played a few turns on the transatlantic
by these two forgotten, Peter Traft ns dashed ns Betty Merrllees was
For ages one of the customs of
ferry route as capper. But he dropped
waited, watching, some little sadness thunderstruck, as Quoin was thought Chinese physicians has been to thrust
that before he became known to the and envy in his heart.
ful, ns the smile o f the Dowager Drag tine needles Into the body to let out
police. Later he was running with a
«
Not that he grudged Quoin the guer on was satiric.
pulns nnd various maladies and It ap
gay Lord Evesden; but shook him as
There
was
a
little
pause.
don of n lifetime's unselfish devotion;
pears that bleeding In this way Is
soon as he felt solid in New Y’ ork nnd
"What,” Peter demnnded, "whnt do often really useful.
but he felt quite Justified in envying
A fter long ob
those ugly whispers began to go round
them the happiness thnt was to be you know nbout that?”
servation rn China I)r. James Cuntlle
about Evesdeu's play. The rest is theirs. I f he could ever hope to see
“ A fter her, you loon," Quoin snapped, reports himself so much Impressed
mainly circumstantial damnation.”
Lydia Craven look up into his face as waking up with a start. " I f Craven with the results thnt he tins adopted
Quoin put away his notebook and be Betty Merrilees was just then looking told her to go somewhere else first,
the procedure himself for certain
gan to tick off his points on his fingers. up at Quoin—
be sure he never meant her to bring cuses. Needling seems to lessen (he
“ It may not have escaped you that ! Betty, In a melting humor and a thnt necklace here. Don’t you see?” tension In the Inflamed part and to re
there’ve been some pretty stiff burglar gown representing the finest flower of
“ A ss!" Peter groaned, smiting his lieve neuralgic and rheumatic pains,
ies among our friends in the Inst twelve j the Rue de la Palx, to Peter’s fancy forehead “ Why didn’t I think?” Seiz swelling and stiffness from sprains nnd
years or so. They weren’t frequent; I cut n figure that filled your eye. And ing hat and rout, he threw open fractures, und especially the Indefinite
but they were all big hauls, and every- ; In such matters Peter esteemed him the door even us the elevator gate
pnjn> usually called scintlcn.
one was well planned and culminated j self a distinguished amateur.
clanged.
In a clean getaway. And It so happens, ! But once Lydia Craven had entered
The car had dropped from sight be
Freshet Preceding Drought.
when one comes to look Into It, that the drawing room Peter no longer fore he reached the shuft. Planting a
"There seemed to he general rejoic
Craven was especially thick with all cared to look at Betty. A fellow ’s got thumb on the push-button, he educed ing over prohibition
in Crimson
the people victimized. The biggest coup only a certain limited amount of eye only a thin, persistent grumble from Gulch.”
thing better than a ten party, for I ’ve
was the theft o f the Joachim collec sight, after all, and It's no good wast the annunciator bell, steadily dimin
"Yes," replied Broncho Bob; “ the
tion, worth several hundred thousand ing It on anything he isn’t really crazy ishing in volume as the car continued boys looked forward to It with great a new set of dishes for Gyp and Pat,"
added Helen.
dollars. Now Lydia Craven, when she about.
wilfully to descend.
enthusiasm. They figured that there’d
So the little Girls and the Dogs all
came aboard the Alsatia, was wearing
Infuriated, the _ y oin g man commit be a tremendous amount o f liquor that
In the severity of her street dress
played together. The Dogs did their
a cameo from the Joachim collection the girl’s figure had a graclousness thnt | ted the soul of the elevator attendant tj,e saloons would hnve to give uway
which she said her father had given even Betty's couldn’t shadow.
tricks and the little Girls laughed and
And \ to the nethermost depths o f damnation j U8t before they closed.”
clapped.
her on her fifteenth birthday. Discreet Lydia’s face, set ugalnst the darkness nnd, turning to the stalrwuy. plunged
pumping on the part of Mrs. Beggar- of one of those trim little hnts which down the flights In breakneck haste,
Then the Dogs played with halls
Value of Lightning.
staff has shown that date to have fallen In those days were Just beginning to three steps at a time.
while
(he little Girls played with their
Bacon— It has been estimated by a
Dolls.
Just three months after Joachim was oust the art-nouveau-coal-hod enormi
Across the lobby he sped as one Berlin scientist that the commercial
When It came time for the tea-party,
robbed. Incidentally, the cameo disap ties— Lydia’s ruddy hair, the transpar hounded by furies, nnd gnined tlue car value o f the electricity In u flnsh of
peared os soon as Lydia and Craven ent pnllor o f her brow, the fine glow riage entrance Imrely In time to see a lightning Instlng one thousandth of a the little Girls snt by a small blue
painted table, nnd the Dogs had cush
met on board. There’s a sinister thread in cheeks fresh from the rainy night, taxicab pulling away from the curb.
second Is 29 cents.
ions to sit on.
running all through the history of her dark and nniinatcd eyes brighten
Peter gave chase, affording midnight
Egbert— And yet I guess If It struck
Thaddeus Craven.”
They had ten, which wns mostly
ing with surprise and half-timid pleas wayfarers the diverting spectacle of a you there’d be considerably more In It
sugar and milk, hut It was good and
His voice trailed off Into silence. ure— taken altogether I ’eter thought beautifully arrayed young man— coat for the doctor.
•
hot und It had a very pretty teu color.
Mrs. Merrllees was eying him steadily. Lydia’s fairness was to Betty’s as sun tails flut to the wind and rain, top coat
Then they had delicious bread nnd
“ You never got all that Information to candlelight.
streaming wildly from one arm, the
Her Retort.
together since morning?” Mrs. Beggar-
But with delight apprehension was other brandishing the dernier crl In
"When Lenr took Ills daughter to butter nnd Jnm. And large bowls of
staff prompted.
mixed In his mind. There were still toppers— in mad, mute pursuit o f a task for her treatment o f him, she an inllk for tho Dogs. Gyp and Put nlso
had a fine chop hone apiece.
"N o,” Quoin admitted.
“ I ’ve had some phases of life Peter hadn’t fath self-contained taxicab proceeding stol swered him with a popular saying.”
It was certainly n very Jolly little
my eye on Craven for some time.”
omed; for one, the antagonism within idly about Its business.
“ What was It?"
tea
party, and when Dorothy had to
• “ Why?” the old woman demanded the sexes— within the sex, rather; for
Ilnpplly for Peter, Its business In
“ She said: Then go, father, and fare
leave she said, “ It was nil because our
bluntly. “ What made you first suspect It was the attitudes often adopted volved observance of truffle regula worse.’ ”
Dogs were plajrtng together that we
him?”
toward one another by the most ami tions; and when It paused to give pre
decided to havi this little party, nnd
“ W ell,” replied Quoin, "he never able and delightful of women that per cedence to a Fifty-ninth street cross
Cuckoo Calls and Wedding Rings.
It has been such fun.”
rang true to me; and when It began to plexed his understanding.
town car Peter caught up— If some
For a girl to dream of hearing the
“ Yes," said Helen. "Our Dogs know
be rumored that he was a candidate
Now, with real provocation on her thing more rudely than he had thought cuckoo Is suld to be a means whereby
for Betty’s hand— I felt sure he wasn’t side, what would be Betty’s attitude to. Unable to check quickly on the she may ascertain how many yeara when It’s time to have a party, don't
they?”
worthy o f her, and made up my mind toward this rival beauty?
greasy asphnlt, he skidded against the will elapse before she will wear a wed
And the Dogs wagged their tails and
to be sure before forbidding the
His solicitude wns wasted. Either door with a crash.
ding ring. The number o f yenrs will
barked ns though to say, "W e know
banns.”
he underestimated the generosity o f
answer
to
the
number
of
times
the
“ Hold hard!" he begged between
A fter a pause Betty looked ap defl- Betty, or Lydia's Ingenuousness di*- breaths. "Give me a chancel”
bird Is heard calling In her dream.
, when to have parties.”
SHEEP’S
CLOTHING
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Ay MAHY (.DAHAM PONNKR
MIGHT GET TWO EXTRA HOURS