M W 'S EVF/M
A RY m
and repellaut. Death conferred no ma lug him. I was alarmed, and asked If
jesty on his clay. The upturned face 1 could do anything, lie looked ut »»•*
was deeply congested and hideous, with as If he didn't know me. took a step
eyes bulging and glased, with lips swol or two this way, and suddenly fell as
If he had been shot. Am) Immediately
len. purple, and half parted.
Quoin bent un ear to the bosom, I telephoned for a doctor—"
"1 understand, Mrs. Ellsworthy." For
above the heart, sat up and felt for the
pulse in a swollen red wrist, bent again an instunt Quoin contemplated the
to hold his ear close to the gaping lips. knave of spadea, frowning thought
Then he got up and. lottin g from Mrs. fully. "Odd," lie mused, looking up at
PIO WHO TOOK A W A LK .
Ellsworthy to I'eter, nodded sober refu Traft, "odd tiow these tilings run. It's
not a month now since an Italian In a
tation o f any lingering doubt.
'T h e re was once a little fairy, who
“ Gone 1“ he said. “ Not u flicker of low coffee house up on One Hundred was mimed Entry Knurls«, because
heurt or breath— a stroke of apoplexy and Tenth street left his chair for a
minute, with tils hat on It by way of every morning she got up Just ut tho
— or something. I'm no doctor.”
reservation.
When he returned nnd sain« ttnio us Mr. Hun did.
“ How did It happen?”
c
”8ho hud u grout lovn for nlc« llltln
pleked
up
the
lint there was a playing
“ lie was coming downstairs," Mrs.
"THC
card beneath It- the death card- In tils pigs, us uli« thought they were very
Ellsworthy replied with dliflculty.
Quoin Interrupted brusquely, “ What case the four of hearts. Five minutes cunning, nnd not ut ull thu horrid lit-
later he was shot dead where ho sat. Ho eruutures some peqplu think they
was
he doing upstairs, please?"
CvV-1 BtCMT Pi LOUIS JOMPH VAMCÍ
It only goes to stiow how the crlmlnul are.
" Ills daughter— talking to her."
imagination Inclines lo melodramn—
"Hut one little pig worried hor a
“
She’s
up
there
now?
Safe?
Un
CH APTER XVI—Continued.
you Invented— to Mind me. Even Mrs.
give your victim warning, so Hint ho great deni,
lie put on airs uml was
molested?"
— 1A—
Merrtleea pretended. In the goodness
may die n dozen Imaginary deaths be very proud of himself.
Tha little
“
Locked
lu
the
sitting
room—safe,
A key prated almost InaudlMy lu the o f her heart. And I was deceived un
fore you kill him. In this case Craven's pig's limn« wus ‘Gink.’ uml lie was Hi«
lock. Lydia started; hut before she til— this Mrs. Ellsworthy locked me In, yes."
heart «polic'd their fun ; hut the chances pet pig of n little girl who lived on
"IW s n 't know o f tills as yet—eh?"
could move the d<H>r swung oiH'n far and so gave me a chance to think from
"No. With the door closed, the room are he would never have got buck to u farm.
Of course, although there
enough to admit Craven, and was ut a true ;>olnt o f departure. Then I un-
wore plenty o f other pigs on the furm.
derstood. I thought It all out—realized Is soundproof. Besides, there was uo his hotel alive.“
once slammed behind him.
He paused, looked pityingly down at this little girl was fonder of Gink Hum
noise."
A pace or two from the wall the man that you had stolen the necklace— that
the
dead man, sighed, "W e ll— poor of any other. Hho thought his squeal
“
Go
on.
How
did
he
come
here,
and
pulled up and stared at his daughter, you were an associate o f criminals—
why did he seud his daughter on devil I" then, unfolding a handkerchief, was much the nicest little squeal she
that
I
was
the
daughter
o
f
a
common
his face dark with temper.
placed It gently over the livid and dis huil ever In-urd.
ahead?"
Slowly Lydia rose and confronted th ie f!"
" I f you please,“ the woman begged, torted mask. “ Better not move him till
Groaning,
Craven
covered
his
face
"Gink was very much petted, and ho
him. hard eyes challenging his relent
“ one moment. I am fearfully shocked." the doctor comes; though I fancy we hud a most beautiful home. There was
again.
•
lessly.
can save you the trouble o f an Inquest,
“ Take your time," Quoin consented.
“ Now," said the girl, "let me go. 1
delicious mud for him to piny In. lie
“ What’s this,” he demanded abrupt
And while she turned away and, with Mrs. Ellsworthy. And we’ll do our best
don’t know what action they mean to
could muke mud plea ull day long If
ly In an ugly voice, “ what’s this 1 hear
take against you. but. ns for me, I ask a handkerchief pressed to her lips, to keep It out of Hie papers. W e’d bet he wauled to, nml If he felt lazy he
about your bringing I’eter Traft here
nothing better than to be permitted to struggled to recollect herself, the de- ter draw the portieres while I'eter gets could simply lie lu thu cool mud ull
in a taxi?”
teetlve explained to I'eter In an under Miss Craven out of Hie house. Yes,
go and forget you."
tho time.
“ What does this mean," the girl re
You mean you won’t appear against tone, "W idow o f one Ellsworthy, In that's your Job, I'e te r; hut better not
“ But this special time I am going to
his day n world-known collector of tell her nn>thing until you get her
torted, “ that you send me here to be
he asked,
tell
you about. Gink had a very great
locked up. ns though I were a thief to
"Not If I can manage to lose myself stolen property— I mean a ’fence,' o f nwn.v. Take her to Mrs. Heggurstnff—
wish to exercise
It wus simply be
course. Always lived most respecta don’t you think?"
be held for the police?”
| — another name, perhaps— "
cause
he
wus
becoming
so vain.
“ Yes,” agreed I'eter, "fo r a few days
lie ignored, if he was sensible to, the
“ It won’t be necessary," Craven In bly— much ns you see. Craven prob-
“ He hail overheard some city folks
stressed pronoun. “ I want an answer terrupted in a voice o f chill despnlr. ubly did a lot o f business with him first or w eeks us long us she needs to gut
who had visited the farm talk about
to my question." he said threateningly. He rose, stood staring at her with eyes and Inst, and nfterwurd with Mrs. Ells over It."
their
figures.
For a long time he
worthy.
who
carried
on
the
business
In
"And
then?"
asked
Quoin
curiously.
" I demand an answer to mine,” she deep sunken In sockets that had been
"W h y." said I'eter In surprise, "didn't couldn’t Imagine what they no-ant.
suddenly hollowed out by despair. “ I ’m a smaller wny, hut quite as successful
returned, unyielding.
ly. ns far as keeping out o f trouble was you know wo were going to tie mar* Then, after listening for some time,
With an Impatient gesture Craven done f o r !"
he heard one o f them say that It was
A certain simplicity In that declara concerned. Feeling better, Mrs. Ells
advanced us if meaning to seize her
worthy?"
quite
ull right to eat everything any
(T
H
E
END.)
tion
convinced
and
struck
fear
Into
a
and enforce obedience. Hut halfway
one wanted to. hut everyone must ex
"Yes— thank you. Mr. Craven called
he paused, let his hand fall, with ob- I heart that had been impregnable to 11
up about hnlf-pnst ten to say Ms daugh FROM PRIVATE TO GENERAL ercise, walk and play gumes so as
vlous effort relaxed; mustered a flick- ^ther appeals,
not to grow fu l—for It was so ugly to
erlng nnd uncertain smile, meant to be
“ What do you mean? Father, what ter was coming to see me, bringing
with her a valuable property— 1 have Enlisted Man In U. 8. Army Has Nlns be fa t!
Ingratiating; moderated his tone. "Oh, do you mean?”
"Gink hud never (bought It was
come now !” he said in strained indul- I “ You remember the knave o f dia no Idea what— ami that I was to find
Steps to Climb Before He
ugly to be fat. but then that was be
geuce. “ We can’t go on forever quar monds— the knave of clubs? There’s some pretext to detain her until he fol
Arrlvee at the Top.
one more knave in the series— spades lowed. She got here about eleven In
cause ho had never really thought
reling. you and I, Liddy.”
a taxicab with this gentleman. When
Tho private soldier, standing nt the about It at all. And yet when he did
“ I agree,” she replied coolly. “ Any — and that spells—death!”
she heard Mr. Craven was coming she bottom o f the army stulrs, tin* nine think about It, he decided that he
“ F ath er!"
explanation you can make— ”
“ It’s an old story— too long to detail. refused to wait, and I had to lock her steps to cllmt) before lie arrives at would much rather keep Just ‘plump’
" I t ’s ull a mistake. Mrs. Ellsworthy.
a most zealous woman in— ah— our The knaves are warnings. I hnven’t In the room to keep her. Mr. T ra ft— the top, u general. Ills first promo ar. he now was than grow as fat as his
I'm sorry— I put off w ith n note ostensi tion Is to corporal and the next to mother wns
For he said thnt his
service, misinterpreted my message, had spades yet; hut I’ll get It within
Il<- Is elevated to these mother was a little bit old fashioned,
believed it Imperative you should be 8,x hours unless I produce the necklnce bly from her. When Mr. Craven enme sergeant.
detained, and when you .showed temper to be sold and shared. And that’s now he went directly to the girl. While he grades by hts regimental commander. uml ho wanted to he a very modern
was upstairs two men o f my acquaint The next step to n commission bear- Pig
committed an unpardonable error. I ’ll removed forever beyond my reach!"
“ Father!” the girl reiterated wltless- ance came to the basement door, and I lug the president’s name was former
"T h e next day ho went for a walk,
see she apologizes; meantime I, your
ly. She caught the arm of a chair to let them In."
ly the most difficult to negotiate, hut lie went through tho little village. Just
father, express my sincere regret.”
“ fN>uthpuw Smith nnd Colonel Gor thanks to the army’s provin g need managing to escape from under horses'
Briefly Lydia analyzed words and steady herself, unconsciously sank Into
don?"
o f officers It Is now fnlrly eusy
to feet, nnd the little boys’ bicycles
it.
and
sat
staring
and
terrified.
tone, and found both hollow with Insin
llo
“ Yes. Mr. Craven hnd—business re tnko for men who honestly possess went as far hs the lake, where he auw
“ The trouble,” said Craven In a
cerity. She shook her head wearily.
“ You’re not telling me the truth. I ’ve broken voice, “ the trouble is. I ’ve al lations with them, 1 believe. They the qualities necessary to make tho some boys starting off on u camping
right kind o f officers, says Itlchnrd trip.
learned too well to know when you're ways wanted to run straight— always.
Smith In Leslie's.
—Inventing. I f you mean what you ^ k’uess every crook does, down deep,
“ 'Ikin’t you want to come with us?’
A fter he becomes a second lieuten usked one of the buys.
say, if you wish to prove you didn’t - 'nu "h en I saw a chance to marry
ant time and opportunity will give
Instruct that woman to lock me up, ,n°ney I shook Smith and Gordon. Only
The little pig was Just about to
tho soldier hi« first lieutenancy nml
open that door and let me leave this
"ouldn t be shaken. And then I
start off. thinking In hts vain way that
later n captaincy. Next he becomes a
house at once.”
ran short, nod to keep up appearances
the trip would do him good, when he
major.
Directly above Hie major
Craven sighed, shrugged tolerantly. untU nfter the iuarriage mude up my
heard a second boy sny;
stands the lieutenant colonel, who la
“ Very well,” he urged. ‘T ’ve no wish mind to turn one la*t trick— the neck-
“ 'W on’t ho make wonderful bacon?’
one
grade
below
a
colonel.
At
the
to detain you. Just one thing— and lace— and then,” he laughed bitterly,
"Then you should have seen little
top,
for
final
reward,
Is
a
general's
“
virtue!
Hut
they
were
on
the
same
we'll go together. First be good
Gink run home to his mistress
And
stur.
job. And then you turned up. Other
enough to give me that puzzle box— ”
after that awful fright nnd narrow os-
Easy
ns
the
ascent
seems
to
the
wise
I
could
have
come
through
with
“ N o !” Lydia cried out in a round
laymen, a superficial examination of
the loot and saved myself. Now—”
full voice. “ N o !”
the facts will prove it a difficult
He paused an Instant, profoundly
“ What's that?” he said. Incredulous.
climb, but by no means a forlorn hope.
“ I said no,” Lydia told him. “ I will speculative. “ I may have a chance yet
Witness the fact that one o f the most
not give you the puzzle box. It belongs for a getaway. They don’t know where
caste-con trolled armies In the world,
I a m ; though they may suspect. I f
to Mrs. Merrilees.”
the British, bus at Its head a general
In a breath his face was suffused only I can get an hour’s lead out of
In chief who began as a ranker. Even
with blood. “ So that’s your style, Is town— ”
on a peace footing enlisted men of
It?” he stormed, advancing. “ Well,
The sound o f sohhlng disturbed him.
ability
In our army have been able to
we'll have this out here and now, my What lies had conjured up— fear, dls-
secure commissions through study
lady ! I'm your father— I order— I com- ?ust, contempt— the truth had exor-
and application to duty, tta a war
mand you to hand over that box! Un- cased: the rags and tatters of her child
basis tills opportunity Is much greater.
less, of course, you prefer me to take hood's love for him alone remained.
S flE C P5 •
CLOT niNG
A U T H O R /'THETLONC
W LF,"
DRA55
50WL.”FrC.
rlsdr
it by force.”
He had come within two feet, was
menacing her with face and gestures
o f uncontrollable wrath. But she
didn’t yield a step.
“ You can't,” she said evenly.
“ What the devil's to prevent?”
“ Because Mrs. Merrilees has It now.”
The man fell back as though she had
raised a shape of horror between them ;
stammering and aghast he jabbered
repetition, “ Mrs. Merrilees has It—
now I”
Lydia affirmed with a nod.
“You—you're not fooling me, Liddy?”
asked Craven In a stricken voice.
" I ’m telling you the truth, If you’ve
the wit to recognize it,” she said with
. » . I . ,
,
, *
the brutal intolerance of youth for age
allied with depravity. “ Sheer chance
fooled you. My cab broke down at
Fifty-fifth street. I walked two blocks
north to get another at the Margrav
where Mrs. Merrilees wasn’t stopping,
nnd where you didn't mean to meet me
nfter I ’d called here— and by down
right good luck found her with Mrs.
Beggarstnff. So I gave her the neck
lace, nnd came on here— Mr. Traft es
corting me, though not at my request.”
"Good heavens 1” said Craven ugaln,
his accents quavering. “ Do you know
what you’re saying, Liddy?”
“ I ’m afraid— I know too well.”
With an Inarticulate groan Craven
sank Into a chair nnd buried his face In
his hands. “ You’ve ruined me I”
“I’ve saved you, you mqnn.”
“ You don’t understand. What— ” He
looked up eagerly. “ What did they say
when you— when you gave back the
jiecklace?”
“ They were kind enough to say noth
in*, to pretend Mrs. Merrilees had In
stigated the smuggling swindle that
Spent, broken In heart and spirit,
humbled and torn with the horror his
confession inspired, Lydia sat huddled
In misery, racked with tearing sobs.
Craven moved to her side, touched
her hair with hesitant fingers. “ Well,
well I” he said huskily. “ W e were fond
of each other, weren’t we, while It last
ed, little girl? And your mother— I
loved her. W ell— well— ”
He turned and without her knowl
edge gained the door; pnused for a
single, prolonged backward glance;
shook his head uncertainly; shrugged;
deftly Inserted a key In the slit In the
doorknob; and let himself softly out
Only the muffled Jar of the closing
,, " ,
,
,
door made her understand that «lie
I
1
CH APTER XVII
To the right of the hallway, as one
entered, stood a conventional ma
hogany hat and coat rack, framing a
mirror. On this I ’eter noticed the rain
coat Craven had worn. Ills hat lay
on the floor near the foot o f the stalr-
wuy. Immediately opposite the mirror
an arch admitted to the drawing reborn,
a room In darkness tempered by the
glow from the hallway.
Just within the arch lay the body of
Thaddeus Craven, supine, limp, with
arms outstretched. Kneeling beside the
body Quoin looked up nt Mrs. Ellswor
thy and demanded In an Irritable voice
"Light, please I”
The woman moved away Into the
gloom. A switch clicked sharply; the
room was rendered brilliant by half a
dozen sconces.
In this Illumination the body o f Cra
ven wore an aspect even more terribla
Prophetic.
Kir Hubert llerkomer. the well-
known artist. used to tell mi amusing
story o f n London nrt dealer. This
man had two beautiful reproductions
of tho painting "T h e Approaching
For an In&tant Quoin Contemplated
Storm.”
«■-
irru"
the Knave of Spadea, Frowning
One o f these pictures he placed In
"W on't He Make Wonderful Bacon?”
Thoughtfully.
the show window, but It did not sell. !
forced their way upstairs, declaring At length, lu order to draw attention 1 cape. Gink stayed on tho farm out
they must see lilm. When he came to the picture, he put n card on It on side of the vlllagn, and decided fash
down they were waiting for him In which he printed the words, “Tho Ap ions wu’ c very silly, nnd apt to bo dan
here— In shadow. Smith stepped out proaching Storm, especially suitable gerous. He ulso lost his love of wulk-
and said something to him In a low for n wedding present.”
Ing!
tone— I didn't hear. Mr. Craven shook
"And llttlo Fnlry Sunrise who hnd
Donkey
Meat
Fine,
Moravians
Learn.
hi« head nnd made an Inaudible reply.
been
around Just In time to whisper
According to n newspaper account,
Smith lost hi« temper at that, nnd said
to the llttlo boy (thou gh 'of course lie
the
governor
o
f
Moravia,
In
Austria-
aloud, ‘You lie I Hermit me to present
Hungary, has given Instructions that didn't boo her) the word 'bacon' which
you with this token of our esteem.’ ’’
the population of tin.- province should had frightened Gink ho much, was de
“ And that was—" Quoin prompted.
ent donkey meat ns much as possible lighted that all her schemoa had
“ This," said the woman, pointing
In order to save tho Inadequate supply worked out so well, and that sho had
down to Craven’s clenched right hand.
cured the vain Gink.”
o f other meats.
With an exclamation o f surprise
The flesh o f the donkey tnstes like
Quoin bent over nnd, nfter some diffi
Hint o f the finest game, It Is stated, i
culty with the stiffening fingers, stood nnd experiments have proved com- | ‘GIRL MYSTERY” IS AMUSING
up, exhibiting a knave of spades.
pb-tely satisfactory.
Donkey meat |
Girls Disguise Faces In Pretty Colored
“ And then?"
has few peers ns u table delicacy, the
Masks and Boys Guess Identi
“ Nothing. They went awny, Smith newspaper nrtlelo declares.
ties of Lass'ea.
and Gordon, by the basement."
"There was a quarrel— blows were
Alkali Salts.
In tho game o f “ Girl Mystery,” nil
struck ?”
Alkali suits follow water when the
“ No. Mr. Craven said something to course Is downward nnd flowing to tho girls wear the pretty colored
this effect, ‘I f that Is your decision, lower levels, but ns well It rises to the masks obtainable nowadays for n few
very well— so he It I* Smith merely surface by capillarity, nnd when the cents—disguising their faces nnd hair
laughed unpleasantly, culled Gordon, water evaporates the salts remain nnd allowing only thnlr eyes to bo ex
nnd turned down the basement stairs. fixed nnd wo see the alkali on the posed to vlow. The girls then stand
on chairs behind a curtain or screen,
Afterward I heard the gate slam as surface.
allowing their heads only to appear
they left.”
above, and the boys equipped with pen
The City and the Farm.
“ And Craven— ”
F ifty yenrs ngo two-thirds o f «11 ells and paper proceed to guess the
“ He stood looking nt the card, sway
ing nnd mumbling to himself. I won Americans lived on farms. Yet every Identities of tho dainty lasses and to
dered If he hnd been drinking. Then year life on the farm grows easier write their names down In order. The
I noticed he was holding one hand to and every year it grows harder In the player who makes the most correct
guesses obtains the prize.
his side, as though his heart was poln- city.