here." A hand strayed to rest, flut­ tering, above her heart. " I f I should l«‘t you go . . . Oh, my dear one, don't, don’t go »* “ Mary,” he began hoarsely, “ I tell you— ” “ You’re only going, Hugh, because . . . because love you so afraid to let you love me . That's true, Isu’t It? Hugh— It's true?” lie mumbled an almost Inaudible uvownl o f his Intention. “ Hugh, you're kllllug met I f you love mo— ’’ He gave a gesture of despair nnd < npltulutlon. " I ’ve done my best. Mary. I meant to do the right thing. I— ’’ “ Hugh, you mean you won’t go?” Joy from a surcharged heart rang vi­ brant in every syllable uttered tn that marvelous v«ilce. But now he «hired meet her eyes. “ Yes,” he said, “ I won’t go— ’’ nodding, with an apologetic shadow o f hts twlste«! smite. “ I can’t If . . . It distresses you.” “ Oh. my «lenr, my dear!” Whitaker started, staggered with amaze, and the burden of his w ife In his arms. Her own arms clipped him close. Her fragrant, tear-genuned face brushed his. He knew at lust the warmth o f her sweet mouth, the dear madness o f that first cares*. Then through the magical hush of that time when the world stood still, the thin, clear vibrations o f a distant hall: “ Aho-oy!” In his embrace his w ife stiffened and lifted her hend to listen like a startled fawn. “ L isten !” He held up his hand. This time It rang out more near and most unmistakuble: “ Ahoy ! ,T h e house, ahoy !” With the frenzied leap of a madman. Whitaker flung out Into the dim, sil­ very witchery o f the night. He stood staring, while the girl stole to his side nnd cuught his arm. He passed It round her, lifted the other hand, dumbly pointed toward the northern beach. For the moment he could not trust himself to si>cak. In the sweep of the anchorage a small, white yacht hovered ghostlike. On the beach Itself u small boat was drawn up. A figure In white waited near It. Itlslng over the brow of the uplands moved two other fig­ ures In white and one in darker cloth­ ing. the Intter lending the way at a rapid pa«*e. As they drew together, the leader o f the landing party checko«l his pace and ra ile d : “ Hello there! Who are you? What's the meaning o f your fires— ?” Mechanically Whitaker’s lips ut- ter«*«l the beginning o f the response: “ Shipwreck«.*«!— signaling for help— ” “ W hitaker!” the voice of the other Interrupted with a jubilant shout "Thank God we’ve found you !” It was Ember. I 1 . . . I am “ But you are no w ife," he countered. "Dear, you are cruel to m e!” “ I think It's you who would be “ 1 am all right. I’m resting, dear, and thinking. Don’t fret about me. cruel to yourself, dear heart.” “ 1 think,” she announced, “ we'd bet­ When I feel able, I will come down ter go In.” to you.” She rose without assistance, moved “ As you w ill," he assented, unspeak­ ably relieved; and returned to the away toward the house, puused and returned. kitchen. “ Hugh,” she said gently, with a Sunset Interrupted his thoughts —sunset and his wife. Sounds of quaver In her voice thut wounded his someone moving quietly round the comAft in himself; for he was sure kitchen, a soft clash o f dishes, the It spelled laughter at his expense and rattling o f the grate, drew him back well-merited— “ Hugh, you big sulky boy! get up this instant and come to the door. She showed him n face of calm re­ back to the house with me. You know I'm timid. Aren't you ashamed of straint and Implacable resolve. “ Hugh"— her voice had found a new, yourself?" “ I suppose so,” he grumbled, rising. sweet level o f gentleness nnd strength — “ I Just wanted to tell you how sorry “ I presume It's childish to want the 1 am. Tve let you go without your moon—and sulk when you And you can’t have It.” lunch.” “ Or a star?” “ W ell,” he admitted with a short He made no reply; but his very laugh, “ I’m furnished!" silence was eloquent. They entered She paused, regarding him with her the kitcheu. whimsical, indulgent smile. “ You “ Something'll have to be done; If strange creature!” she said softly. they won't help us, we’ll hnve to help “ Are you angry with me— impatient— ourselves.” for this too facile descent from heroics “ H ugh!" There was alnrm In her to the commonplace? Be patient with tone. He looked up quickly. “ Hugh, me. dear.” what are you thinking of?” But, alarmed by his expression, her “ Oh— nothing. But I've got to think words stumbled and ran out. She o f something.” stepped back a pace, a little flushed She came nearer. Intuitively alarmed and tremulous. and pleading. “ Hugh, you wouldn't “ Hugh! No, Hugh, n o!” leave me here alone?” "Don’t be afraid o f me,” he said, “ Don't be afraid," he said evasively. itiming away. “ I don’t mean to bother, ‘T i l be here— as always— when you only—at times— ” wake up.” “ I know, dear; but it must not be.” She disappeared; the light of her “ Shall you make a fire again to­ lamp faded, flickering In the draught night?” she asked, when they had con­ of the hall, stencilled the wall with cluded the meal. its evanescent caricature o f the bal­ "In three places," he said. “ W e’ll ustrade, nnd was no longer visible. .tot stay another day for want of let­ "H u g h !” her voice rang from the ting people know we’re here. I'll go upper floor. now. When you are ready— ?” He started violently out o f deep ab­ “ I shan’t be long," she said. straction. and replied Inquiringly. When it was quite dark, Whitaker “ You won’t forget to lock the door?" fraught a lantern to. the door and He swore violently beneath his «•ailed her, and they went forth to­ breath; controlled his temper and re­ gether. sponded pleasantly: “ Certainly not.” As he had promised, he had built Then he shut the outside door with up three towering pyres, widely apart. a convincing bang. C H APTE R XVII. When all three were in full roaring “ I f this be marriage . . . !” He (lame, their illumination was hot and smiled his twisted smile. Disappearance. glowing over all the upland. It Seldom, perhaps, has a habitation Leaving the kitchen light turned .•»eeine«! impossible that the world low, he went to his own room and, been so unceremoniously vacated ns should not now become cognizant of as on the previous night, threw him­ was the solitary farmhouse on that their distress. Whitaker delayed self upon the bed without undressing; Isolated Island. At some distance to the north of but this time with no thought of sleep. only long enough to place a bill, bor- the greatest tire— that nearest the Indee«!, he had no expectation o f clos­ rowed from Ember, on the kitchen farm-house— they sat as on the previ­ ing his eyes In slumber before the table, in payment for what provi­ ous night, looking out over the black next night, at the earliest; he had sions they hail consumed, nnd to ex­ nnd unresponsive waters, communing no Intention other than to attempt to tinguish the lamps nnd shut the door. together in undertones. Ten minutes later he occupied a swim to the nearest land. In that hour they learne«! much of An hour dragged out Its weary chair beneath an awning on the after • ••ne another; much that had seemed length, and the half o f another. He deck o f the yacht, and, with a blessed >-trange and questionable assumed, in rose, with infinite precaution against cigar fuming in the grip o f bis teeth, stared back to where their rock o f ref­ the understanding o f each, the com­ making any noise. pletion of the normal and right. Whit­ Slowly, on tiptoes, Whitaker stole uge was swiftly blending Into a smull aker spoke at length and in much de­ toward the door, out Into the hall, took dark blur upon the face o f the waters. “ Ember,” he demanded querulously, tail of his Willful Missing years with­ a single step on toward the kitchen; out seeking to excuse the wrong-mind­ nnd then, piercing suddenly the abso­ “ what the devil Is that place?” "You «lidn’t know?” Ember asked, ed reasoning which had won him his lute stillness within the house, a own consent to live under the mask board squealed like an animal be­ amused. “ It Is No Man’s Land.” “ I ’m strong for Its sponsors in bap­ of death. He told of the motives that neath his tread. had prompted his return, of all that In an instant he heard the thud tism. And the other— ?” “ Martha's Vineyard. That's Gay had happened since in which she had and patter o f her footsteps above, had no part— with a single reserva­ her loud, quickened breathing as she head— the headland with the llght- tion. One thing he kept back; the leaned over the balustrade, looking Irnuse. Off to the north o f It, the time for that was not yet. I f we’re lucky, down, and her cry of dismay: “ Hugh! Elizabeth islands. A listener in his turn, he heard the Hugh!” we’ll be at anchor off East Twenty- history of the little girl of the Com­ He halted, saying in an even voice: fourth street by nine o’clock tomorrow mercial House breaking her heart “ Yes, It is I.” She had always seen morning. Any kick coming?” against the hardness of life in what him ; there was no use trying to get “ Not for me. You might better con­ at first seemed utterly futile endeavor awny without her knowledge now; be­ sult— my wife,” said Whltnker with an to live by her own efforts, asking sides, he was no sneak-thief to fly from embarrassed laugh. “ Look here: I've nothing more of the man who had a cry. He burned with resentment, told you how things were with us, In given her his name. irnputience and indignation, but he b rie f; but I’m hanged If you’ve dls- He learned of the coming o f Max, waited stolidly enough while the gorged n single word o f explanation his Interest in her, the Indefatigable woman flew down the stairs to his as to how you came to let Drummond pains he had expended coaching her side. slip through your flng«:rs, to say noth­ to bring out the lutent ability his own “ Hugh,” she demanded, white-faced ing o f how you managed to find us.” genius divined; of the Initial perform­ nnd trembling, “ what Is the matter? “ He didn't slip through my fingers,” ance o f “ Joan Thursday” before a Where are you going?” Ember retorted, “ lie launch«-«! u young meager and indifferent audience, her He move«] his shoulders uneasily, earthquake at my devoted head nnd instunt triumph and subsequent con­ forcing a short luugh. “ I daresny disappeared before the dust settled, i quest o f the country in half a dozen you’ve guessed It. Umloubtedly you came to some time later with u gng widely dissimilar roles; finally of her have. Else why— " He didn’t finish in my mouth, handcuffs on my wrists, decision to leave the stage when she save by a gesture o f resignation. behind my back, nnd rope round my married, for reasons comprehensible, “ You mean you were going— going legs. Midnight the following night, demanding neither exposition nor de­ to try to swim to the mainland?” the owner happened along and let un­ fence. loose. “ I meant to try It,” he confessed. “ It doesn’t matter any longer,” she “ It was easy enough to surmlne “ I should hnve known!” she de­ commented, concluding: “ I loved und clared passionately. “ I wns nsleep, but Drummond had some pal or other I hated it. It was deadly nnd It was I knew the Instnnt you stirred.” working with him— I was slungshot- glorious. But it no longer matters. “ It must be done,” he muttered. ted from behind, while Drummond was It lg finished; Sura Law is no more.” “ Please— ” walking ahead. And two men .had “ Yob mean never to go back to the “ But It must not he none! Hugh I” worked In the klrlnnping o f Mrs. stage?” Her voice ascended. “ I — I can’t let Whitaker. So I went sleuthing; traced “ N ever.” you. I won’t let you ! You . . . It’ll you ns far as Sag Harbor. There I “ And yet— " he mused craftily. be yotir death— you’ll drown. I shall lost you— and there I borrowed this “ N e v e r !" She fell blindly Into his have let you go to your death— ” outfit from n frlen«’ , nn old-time client trap. “ I promised myself long ago o f mine. We kept cruising, looking up “ Oh, now, really— ” he protested. that I f ever I became u w ife— " "But, Hugh, I know it I I feel it unlikely places. And, at that, we were on th<> point o f thmwlng up the sponge when I pick«-«! up a schooner that re- ported signal fires on No Man's Laud. . . . I think thut clears everything up.” “ Y«*a,” said Whitaker sleepily. And so str«>ng was his m-ed o f aleep that It was not until ten o'clock the following morning, when the yacht lay at her mooring In the East river, that Ember succeeded In rousing him by main siri-ugth und good-will. Ills w ife hnd gone ashore nn hour ago, after refusing to listen to u sug­ WAR ROAD BUILDING POLICY gestion that Whitaker be disturbed. The note Ember hamletl him wus brief, In Communication to Highway Offi­ but In Whitaker's sight eminently ade­ cials, Secrstary Houston Out­ quate and compensating. lines Government Plan. Dearest Roy: ! won't t*t thsni wake Secretary Houston of the depart­ you, but I must run aw sy. It's early and t must do some stiopplns Indore people ment of agriculture In a communica­ are about. My house h«-re Is closed; Mrs. tion to the American Association of Het-retan Is In Maine with the only keys aside from those at Orest W est Hay. and Slate Highway Officials has set forth I'm a positive fright In a cost and skirt squarely the policy which he thinks borrowed from the stewardess I don't should he follow«-«! In highway con­ won' even you to see me until I'm decent­ Secretary ly dressed. I shall put up at the W aldorf; struction during the wur. come there tonight, amt we will dine to­ Houston says: gether. E very fiber of my being loves "So far as tt Is practicable to do so, you. MA It Y. tills department will urge the mainten­ Whitaker took n serene ami shining fact) to tilt- breakfast In the saloon, under tho eyes of Ember. Toward noon they parted ashore, each taking a tuxlcub to his lodgings. The under­ standing wns that they were to tllue together— all three, Whltuker promis­ ing for his w ife upon the morrow. (T O UE C O N T IN U E D .) COMBINATION SURE TO WIN With Ideas and Industry Ninety Men Out of Every Hundred Will Achieve Success. ance of the highways already ron- strurti-d; lit«- const ruction him ! com­ pletion of those hlghwn>s which are vitally iui|Mirtnnt because of their bear­ ing upon the war situation or for the movement o f commodities ; the post­ ponement of all highway construction relatively less essential or not bused upon Important military or economic needs. The department Is preparing to suggest to th<* state highway depart­ ments tlie* preparation o f a schedule o f work for the federul al«l projects for HUM In line with tills policy.” In currying out the isillcy thus an­ nounced there tuts been sent nut by the olfiee o f public roads of the de­ partment of agriculture schedule forms on which the states urc requested to set fortli their propos«*«! fe«lernl aid work for the 11)18 working season. These schedules «’nil for tt description of «‘itch road, tin* character, «piuntlty ami rail bind of the materials to ho us«*d. the probable cost, the Hiuount o f federal funds desired, the specific pur- | m is «> o f tht* Improvement, Its bearing upon the war situation, and whnt ef­ fect n delay of the work until 1011) or Inter would huv«*. With the Informa­ tion thus assembled and cltissifl<*rta- Mott situation will be Improved nn«t that th<* shipment of su«*ti materials f (,r essential projects can made. Itoml construction ami maintenance In the l'nlte«l States Involve nn nnntinl expenditure of mmm fKXMXMiCOOi and there Is scarcely n section o f the coun­ try thut Is not seriously nffe<-te«l by a marked disturbance In road work. Some self-conceited philosopher has said that genius Is nothing but an In­ finite capacity for untiring application. It would seem that this attempt to de­ fine genius would apply more appropri­ ately to talent. It la also an obvious fact that uuiuy people, thoughtful oth­ erwise, use lunguuge loosely. We would thiuk the remark quoted above u case In point, observes the Los An­ geles Times. There ts no doubt that tulent, to make Itself effective, requires untiring effort ami unlimited application. Giv­ en talent nnd application, success to sure to follow In any man's career. Many o f us are very much Inclined to find fault with society and lay all our fullure to succeed at Its door. Eoclety Is not u concrete fact. It is simply an uhstruetton Invented to represent hu­ manity in the aggregate. _ Nature has been very niggardly In her gifts to mnny of us, und where tills la so no amount of effort, no matter how con­ tinuously It Is applied can lead to large success. Those who find fault with society as the cause o f their failure are wrong. Given a fair amount o f talent— that Is, bruins— and untiring application, and success will he achieved, ninety-nine CONDEMN TYPE OF HIGHWAYS times out o f every hundred. This may be proved by reference to any wulk In Layman Often Errs In Passing Judg­ life to which human beings apply them­ ment on Type When Poor Main­ selves to r«*ach success. tenance Is to Blame. Deadly Mysterious Disease. The following Is taken from u paper The (Tilna Mall reports that a mys­ by B. II. Plepineler, maintenance en­ terious disease which paralyzes the gineer, highway department, stilt«* o f stomach und ascends to the heart, lllimds. It touches a subject upon causing syncope, has overtaken a gang ; which every layman who uses tin* pub­ of Knowloon thick Chinese hands who lic roads stiouh! inform himself: have been engaged In salving the S. 8. "Many different types o f roads Wlsley, which ran aground off nave been condemned by the public Saigon a couple o f months ngo. «•hlelly on account of the luck o f prop­ The work was delayed through the er maintenance. The proper typ<* o f dread epidemic, which has taken hold road may be selected by the engineer, o f the workers. The Blue Funnel 8. hut If he has no means of controlling 8. Telaraachus brought up from Cape maintenance Ids choice may be con- Barilla a few survivors who were at demnetl by the average layman. once conveyed to a hospital where “ Public s«>ntlmcnt Is molded largely their condition has been watched with by the results that are evident to the much concern by the medical frater­ eye, regardless of th«* money actually nity. So far the disease has not been expended. * It Is not uncommon to diagnosed. The captain o f the Blue Funnel bout said when In* called at Cape Barilla he was Informed that a virulent disease had broken out umong the (.’hiñese salvage crew and seven o f them hu«l died. Fifty-eight were taken on board and hurried with all dispatch to Ilong-Kong. Realize the Good You Desire. He who knows the spirit o f law It not forced to stand powerless In an­ guish o f heart before wasting sick­ ness. Strive with all the power within you' (and It Is great If you but recog­ nize It) to break down the walls of belief that any evil enn dominate you. Cast out the terror that stands he- tween you nnd the greatest gtiod you desire. As surely as the sunlight o f day inelts Into the purple twilight o f evening, so surely do you strike sturdy, determined blows against the prison walls o f delusion anti false belief. Not n pain but will vanish when the wise tongue gives It the lie. Not u misfor­ tune but will give place to peace and Joy when the wise ttingue speaks truth concerning It.— Unity. * American Rice Production F elt About 2,000,(XX) nntlves o f Slam are engage«! In the cultivation o f rice, hut the large Increase In the produc­ tion of American rice Is having the effect o f reducing the 8iam crop. Eliminating Possibilities. “ What’s the pipe of peace, Jimmy?” “ Well, from the way pu and ma fight about I t It ain't the stove pipe.” Good Road in Illinois. hear the layman sHy that certain roads are very exp«*nslve und unsat­ isfactory. He often pnsses judgment upon n road nml condemns It without any Investigation of Its cost or how e«*onomlcnl and satisfactory It might bo If pr«»perly maintained. “ The average road engineer Is con­ fronted with the problem of educating the public to an appreciation of the principles of economy In road Improve­ ment as much as with technical mat­ ters, such ns the selection o f a type o f pavement and the method of properly maintaining after construction."