OVER T11E BORDER-
By WALTER BESANT.
"Then yon may depend upon tho tmth
of my statement, Mathow," I said. "'Ilo
is already a credit to your family."
"How joyful a thing this Is!" Ilo
folded his Lands and raised his eyes hypo
critically to heaven. , "'It 'shows that tho
many corrections I gave him produced
their effect. I was a throwlug of tho
bread upon the waters. After many
days, as one may say, it hath como hock
tome."
lie spoke with a sweetness which did
not deceive mo.
"And this prosperity. Drusllla. Who
told you of It?" '
"That I must not say."
"Where. In what placo. Is tho boyr
"That 1 shall not tell you."
"Ilow is he employed, then?"
"I must say uotliing, Mathow. Do not
ash mo It Is very certain that Ralph U
ultve. and that ho is prospering. I shall
answer no more questions.
"I will ask other peoplo then."
"It l.s of no uso." I said hurriedly.
"Them is no one knows except nie " This
was not true, but at the moment I wac
thinking of my mother, who certainly did
not know
"N9 one knows except your he re
peated. "That is strange Indeed."
"It Is very strange."
"And how long," he went on. "is the
mystery to be kept upr
"As long," 1 replied, "a your cousin
pleases."
Then bis sweetness left him, and he fell
again into a madness of wrath, lie went
away, however, when ha found that I
would tell him nothing.
All this time I had not written my an
war to Ralph's sweat letter. Tbe reason
was that I feared my words would prove
ao poor and weak compared with his noble
language; and 1 waa afraid besides thai
what I might aay would offend or disap
point him. What maiden but would have
bees ashamed? Tat this business witb
llathew mad me resolve to lose no time,
and I began seriously to consider what I
ahould aay in reply to the long letter which
1 carried in my bosom and read daily. In
order to be undisturbed, 1 carried paper
and pen to the fugleman's room at the
castle, and wrote my letter in the after
noons, whenever 1 could snatch an hour
from my work. What waa I to aay in
answer to the many tender protestations
ef Ralph? And how was I to speak f
Mathew?
"Tell him," said the fugleman, "that
Hathew Is a villain. Last Tuesday week
there waa a run to Coldstream lace and
brandy Mathew stood in and found the
ponies. Yet be la a villain."
"And what about youneUT I asked.
' "At for me," be said, "I always said
that ones the boy got hla foot on tbe low
at rung, it would not be long before be
waa on tbe top of tbe ladder. Half way
up and mora be Is. I reckon, by now So
that I am not surprised to hear of his
good fortune, and only wish I was young
enough to be bis fugleman. Tell him
that first of all. But Mathew is a villain
Jfaxt you may aay that I'm well and
kearty, and likely to continue In the way
of grace, such being my constitution and
my habits. Mathew, his cousin, is a
desperate villain. Tell him that You
may tell him next that if he still re
gardeth eggs I have got such a collection
for him as can't be matched. As for
Mathew, he Is a rogue and a villain,
fish, tell him, are plentiful this year, and
otters there be In plenty. Yesterday I
trapped a badger, and I know of a marten
opposite the hermitage. The birds are
wild, but I had good sport witb his
worship last winter, and hope to do some
thing by myself when the nights draw
out. Say next that 1 send him my faith
ful respects and humblu good wishes; ami
Mathew U a villain. And as for your own
pretty self, you sit down and tell him that
there Isn't a straighter maid, nor one more
beautiful, on the banks of Coquet; while,
as for eyes and shape and rosy lips"-
"Indeed," I cried, "I shall tell him no
such nonsense. No, I will not tell him
such nonsense."
"Why, he loves thee, sweetheart. Say
it, child, to please him. so lonely he is,
and so far away from us. I wish be had
thy picture just now, with tho pretty
blushes on tbe cheeks and all. A girl
ought to be proud for such as him to fall
in lovo with her."
"Is he truly In love with nie?" I said,
with tears coming Into my eyes, because
now that tho words were spoken I knew
very well how much 1 longed for that
very thing. "Why. he says ho wishes nie
happiness with my husband. As if 1 could
take any husband hut Ralph."
"There there." he cried, "tell him
that. Tell him that, and It will make him
happy and bring him home."
"You think such a little thing as that
would bring hirn home?"
"There's one thing," said the old man,
"which women can never understand, and
that's tho strength and power of love.
Thero was a man In Lord Falkland's regi
meat but I canuot tell thee all the story
Thero was a young gentleman In the
Fourteenth, when wo were stationed at
Gibraltar, in lovo with a Spanish lady
but of that at another time. What did
.the soldier care that he got 300 tho next
day? And as for the young gentleman,
ho would have done tho same and always
said so If another dozen of duels was to
como after It, and him to be pinked in
every one. Cheerfully he would have
dono tho same lor such another charmer
Ah! he would, and more; but women never
understand'
"V't'.li laese mysterious words did he en
courage mo as to the force and vehemence
among men of the passiou culled lovo.
If Ralph was ouly home agulu. we
should have a protector. I thought ol
this and hesitated uo longer. Yet it wax
an unmaldeuly thing which I did, and to
this day I am uncertain as to whether I
was justified by all the circumstances. It
was, besides, a dangerous thing to do, be
cause I am convinced that uothlng more
effectually turns asldo the fancy of a man
for a woman which Is a delicate anil ten
dor plant, even at Its strongest -than the
thought that she la lacking In tho mod
esty and reserve which are the choicest
virtues of a maiden. Yet I ran that dan
per, though I Imperiled tho most precious
thing to mo in all the world, the heart ol
my Ralph. Hut thero la a time to oak,
as well as a timo to keep silence. What I
said was this:
"Dk.mi Ralph I have now received
your letter, and I thank you for it with
all my heart. My father hath lost all lu
London, and Is now returned to his native
place; wo are. therefore poor ludml. auJ
have nothing to live upon except the an
nuity which ho long ago bought for my
grandmother, who falls daily; when she
dies we shall havo nothing Also, my
father is alllicted with a strange beliel
that he is rich. This makes us unhappy
Mathew bath spread abroad a report that
the mill is his. and not yours at all. by
reason of a second will, which nobody ha
seen except himself. I fear that you will
have trouble with your cousin. The fugle
mau is well and hearty, and bids me tell
you" Here I set fort h as many of the
messages as 1 could remember. "As re
gards myself, be bade me say many thing;
out of '' M" ' 1 h loves r
but I must not write them down. My
dear Ralph, do not aay again that you
want me to have a husband 1 shall never
marry any husband nor love any man, ex
cept yourself. If you still continue to love
me. Indeed, there is no moment of the day
if you will not think me unmaldeuly to
confess this thing wheiiyouareoutof my
thoughts, and I pray night and morning
for your aafety and speedy return Ma
thew baa asked me to marry him. and is
angered because I refused. He has spread
abroad reports that you are now a high
way man. Will you come back to us. dear
Ralph? I am in great aadness. and I am
afraid that Mathew means some mischief.
Yet I would not mar your fortune' by call
ing you away from the work you have in
hand. . Mathew threatens me witb re
range, and Barbara, his sister, bids me
read passages in the Ooly Scriptures
which threaten woe to sinners I am
afraid what they may do. though I cannot
think that they can do us any evil. It makes
me unhappy to think that any can believe
here that you have become a highwayman
Yet I keep your letter secret, and uo on
knows where you are The fugleman says
thai a villain must bar rope enough to
hang himself. . Ah, Ralph, if you eonld
come back to us But the quiet country
would be tedious to you after your splen
dors and the pleasure of an active life
But whether you come home or whetbei
you stay, you must always believe that f
am your loving Dhosii.la -
"P. S. I forgot to beg that you may
not take It 111 that 1 have written these
words For. indeed, you may be married.
or at least in love, with one more worthy
than myself. And If that ia ao. I wish
both her and you many years of happiness
and love, and shall only ask her to let me
love you still as my brother. Ilow can
Mathew presume to court a girl who ban
known Ralph!"
CHAPTER VIII. "'
IS IT TBCE? "
Now was Mathew pulled asunder with
i grievous doubt and anxiety For not
only might his enemy, as he eousidetvil
him. appear at any moment to demand
strict account, but he knew very well
that if he pushed on his suitor attempieo
any deviltry with us. I might send foi
Ralph and ask his protection Yet could
my story be true? Ilow could I know
and I alone, of his welfare and the plaei
of his dwelling? Was it possible. In
thought, that such a secret, if thero wa
any secret: should be Intrusted to tht
keeping of a mere girl? If tho boy wu
really doing well, why did he not return
iiii his twenty first birthday and claim Im
i ii heri lance? So that tbe more he thought
bout it. the more ho tried to persuade
himself that tbe thing was false. Ami
yet he was afraid; I could see that ho was
continually haunted by the fear of what
might happen lie sought me often ami
begged for information concerning hi
cousin. Next, ho tried my father, but
his memory as regards tho lad was quite
ono, and my mother, but she took no in
terest in the subject, and said she knew
nothing about the boy for her part '
"Yet," said Mathow, "your daughtei
pretends, to know whew he is and what
he is doing "
"Then." replied my mother sharply,
"Lord help the man! go and ask my
daughter." .
"But she will not tell mo."
"Then how can I? flark ye. Master
Mathew; you como here too often My
daughter hath given you her answer,
She bears no love to you; she will have
Mono of you. Go. then, and leave us alono.
We aro poor enough, Uod knows, but not
no poor as to thrust husbands on our girl
against her will. Leave us to onrsolves,
(food man, and find another wife."
After tliis. Mathow remained quiet
again for three or four months. That is
to say, ho came oo more to the house.
So great, and reasonably great, was my
suspicion of him that I was certain he
would do something to revenge himself
upon mo. or to get mo In his power. Yet
I know not 1 could not guess what ho
would do, or In what way ho could Injure
me, as if tho machinations nf wicked men
cau over be suspected and guarded against;
as If tho head of him who Is desperately
wicked may not conceive, yen, and exe
cute things which uu innomit girl would
believe Incredible. The first alarm was
caused by a visit from Barbara, who came
to seo my mother and myself, together or
separately She said she was a messenger
from her brother, who, whatever I might
say or think, was the most forgiving and
tho most long suffering of men; that he
was perfectly prepared. If I would make
submission, ask pardon for the injurious
things I hod said, and reveal what I knew
of Ralph, viz., where ho was living, what
ho was doing, and what were his inten
tions: to pass over all, and to tuko mo
once tuoro Into favor.
"Good Lordl" said my mother. "Does
the man think he Is tho Great Bashaw?
Favor, Indeed I"
"Beggars," said Barbara, "must not bo
choosers. "
At those words my mother flamed up,
and asked Mistress Burbara many ques
tions relating to her birth, parentage,
wealth, religious professions, personal
beauty, and so forth, leaving her uo timo
to answer any. This Is, with respect to
the memory of a kind parent, a maimer of
sjwech common among women even well
bred city madams when they are angry
Finally, she said that thero had been quite
enough said about Mathew's proposals,
and that he was to understand again, and
ouco for all, that they were distasteful;
upon which Barbara coughed, and said
that she bad delivered her message, that
she bad no desire, for her own part, for
the alliance, which would as certainly be
as distasteful to herself as It was to Mrs
lletheriugtou, and more so, for her brother
had a right u look for fortune, which
would be of much more uso to him thau a
baby face; that she was surprised, being a
messenger of peace, and seni by a man of
substantial estate, as all the world knew,
to be thus treated by folk who were ex
pected shortly to come upon the parish,
and the daughter to be glad of honest ser
vice and a crust. But euough sold.
"Holty toltyr cried my mother. "Thla
la brave talking. Indeed, from plain millers
and aimple farmers, la the world going
upside down?" .
Barbara went away, but returned a
little before Christmas. Mathew, ahe re
peated, waa of ao Christian a disposition
that he waa still .waiting for submission
and to know wherr the boy was to be
found. She also held out her skinny finger
In warning, and"" when I laughed and re
fused either to make snbralaaiou or to tell
where Ralph was living, ahe bade me
tremble and read the first chapter of the
book of the Prophet Joel, applying verses
four to twelve to my own case, especially
the last clause, which on investigation
proved to be a prophecy that joy should
wither away from the sons of men. I
laughed again, but I confess that I waa
disquieted. What consequences? I waa
soon to discover that the woman used no
Idle threat, though I believe that ahe did
not herself know anything of the aboml
nable plot which Mathew waa contriving
for our destruction. .
This, I aay, waa juit before Christmas.
We passed the season of festivity in com
fort, thanks to a gift from Mr. Carnaby
of a noble sirloln'and some bottles of good
wine 5 for my father: but on Twelfth
Night my grandmother, who had become
very feeble of late, suddenly showed signs
of Impending change This was a truly
dreadful thing for us, not ouly for the
loss of a good and affectionate parent,
which those who have faith ought not to
lament, but because at her death we
should lose even tho small Income which
we bod. and there would be nothing but
the bouse It was with despairing looks
that my mother and 1 sat by her bedside
all that night In tho morning she died,
having been speechless for some hours;
but. as happens often with the dying, she
rallied just before the end. and recovered
for a moment the power of speech.
"Child." she whispered to me with her
last breath, "thou hast been a good child
Tho liord will reward thee Bo of good
hope, and never doubt that the boy will
return to be thy protector and thy
guide "
Alter her funeral I asked my mother if
the had any money at all She told me
that on leaving liudon some of their old
friends mudo up between them a purse of
a hundred guineas in memory of old
times, but after payment of their small
debts and the cost of the journey from
Loudon, she had the sum of fifty five
guineas put by fur unforeseen wants
that we must live on this money as long
as it lasted, after which she supposed we
must starve
Fifty five guineas! Why It would last
us a year mid a quarter at least with pru '
deuce Fifty-live guineas! It waa a
little fortune to us It would keep us
until 1 got n letter from Ralph. Where
upon 1 told my mother to bo of good
cheer and to wait patiently and hope for
the best. Shu sighed, being never a
woman of sanguine disposition, and Ignor
ant of those secret springs of happiness
within me which mudo mo think lightly
of present poverty.
And now you shall hear a plot of ilia
bolical wickedness, which for tho timo
was successful. We all know that for a
season sinners aro sometimes permitted
to compass their own designs, but for
their surir undoing in the end.
Two days after the burial of tho dame,
at u timo when we might bo supposed to
bo overwhelmed by tbe calamity of being
left destitute, Mathew came to the cot
tago. He looked ill nt ease, and his eyes
met mine shiftily, but he spoke out with
boldness, whllo he produced a leather
pocket book and turned over certain papers
within it.
"I have come, madam," ho said address
ing my mother, but looking at mo, "to
Inform you or your husband It mutters
not whichthat I can uo longer wait for
the Interest on the principal of my money,
and tlwt you must ho prepared to puy, or
tai.o the consequences."
"What interest? What monoy?" asked
my mother
"Why." ho affected great surprise, "Is
It possible that you aro going to deny tho
debt?"
"What means the man?" my mother
said Impatiently.
"Nay.!' said Mathew, smiling, hut look
Ing like a hangdog villiun tho while,
"this passes patience I meau, madam,
my loan to your husband."
"What loan?" sho repeated; "and
when?"
"Why." said Mathew, "If you pretend
not to know, I am not obliged to tell you;
but since Well, I will tell you: I
mean this, madam, tho sum of two hun
dred pounds advanced by me to your hun
baud, for which, and in security, he
hath assigned mo a mortgage on thin
house.
My mother was quite wise enough to
know what was meant by a mortgage. She
asked, but with pule face, where was his
mortgage
Mathew unrolled a paper and laid It on
tho table My mother reud it through
hurriedly Then sho sank back In her
chair and covered her face with her bauds,
saying:
"It Is true, my child. Here Is thy fa
ther'! signature. This Is the last blow."
HlTY
UrUtVfaUtrtiioHatHr,n
Mathew rolled up the paper again and
put It In his pocket
"Can you, madam,'' he asked, "pay mc
my niouey f
"Go ask of tbe poor demented creature
to whom yon lent It." ahe replied.
"Then." said Mathew, "if the money U
not forthcoming 1 must aell the house,
let there la a way"
"What wsyT 1 asked.
"You know the way. You have only
to tell me where the boy la and to marry
me."
T shook my bead.
"Ami you. air." cried my mother, "yoc
who tend money to poor madmen for the
ruin of their hons. you a villain if ever
there waa one you think that I would
give my daughter to auch as you f
"Very well, madam, very well, said
Mathew, unmoved. "Very likely the
cottage will sell for as much as the mort
gage. Perhaps, if not, your husband
may carry his extravagances to a jail, as
provided by a righteous law."
Ilore be lied, because, I believe, my
father could be called upon for nothing
more than the house which was his secu
rity My mother pointed to the door, and
Muthew went away, leaving us bewildered
indeed Two hundred pounds) Now, In
deed, we were ruined. But what had ho
done with the money?
"Mother," I cried, "It Is a block and
base conspiracy My father has never,
since be came from London, possessed a
single sixpence Think of It If he had
a penny we should have known It. Try
to remember if ever yon saw the least
sign of his huviug money."
No, there was none Ho wrote uo let
ters and received none; be bought not!)
ing His clothes, which were now old
and worn, were the sumo as those he
wore when ho returned home On the
other hand, because ho was of a generous
heart, he was forever giving away what
he called money in large sums by means
of drafts upon London bankers, which be
would sign mid press upon the recipient
with kind words For instance, on my
birthday he ulways gave mo uu order for
100 on apiece of paper, signed by his
own hand, "Sol. Hetherington," bidding
mo, because I was a good girl, go
buy myself some finery and fallals
At Christmas, the New Year, Easier,
Rnodsmass. fair time, and other
times of rejoicing, he would fill his
pockets with these valuable gifts, mid
sally forth first to the vicar, with ml
olIeriii(4 for tho poor, saying that It was
little merit to give out of abundance; that
the Ijord loveth a cheerful giver; that tin
poor we have always with us; that, a rich
man must remember tho fate of Hives,
and t hut. for his part, ho would that the
church had all charit ies In bur own hand,
so that schismatics, profligates and per
sons without religion should starve, with
other pithy and seasonable remarks
laving received the vicar's thanks mid ft
glass of usquebaugh' to keep out the raw
air of the morning, he would proceed up
the village street, the boye and girl
touching their cups and making coiirte
sies to him. whjlo tho barber anil black
sniitlj would oiler the compliments of the
seanon, with tho hope that her ladyship
was well. Then ho would pass tho cot
tage of Sailor Nan, and would call her
out and press into her hand a folded,
paper, saying that It was for Christmas
cheer; that sho must rejoice, with a dish,
of good roast beef andjlumj)orrldge, and;
XT
1 J-m
- -.J
H freat"c6al Tiro, auiTnluirig lier'Goil'
speed, would go on his charitable wayj
while Rome laughed and sumo looked;
gruve, and tears would fall from tho eyes
of the women to. think that ono so good
and generous should also bo so Hor, I
Alas! my father wus one of those who.
could nover become rlh, I
Even whllo we spoko of this wo heard;
outside tho vol of my father ns If to
confirm our words; :
"It 111 becomes men of substance, Mr j
Carnaby, to allow poorer parishioners to;
bear the burden of such things. I will
myself repair the roof of the church nt my
own charges. Nay, sir, permit mo to take
no refusal in this matter. If it stand me
in 1,000 I will do It. Why. It Is a lend-;
lug unto tho Am; It Is a good work." .
It happened that in soruo way I had'
more Influence over my father than anyj
one. That is to say, ho would unfold hist
mind such ns It was, poor man! to mej
with greater freedom thun to my mother,
who could never mako imv show of iu-i
terest or belief In his uiagiiillceut designs!
and charitable schemes. I therefore tried
to learn from him, if I could, the truth ofl
this business, After listening to a long
story of his Intentions as regards the
church and tho endowment of the living
at Warkworth, I turned tho conversation
upou Muthew Humble, and asked my
father If lie had of Into seen and spoken i
with him. Ho said that Mathew now
avoided rather than sought his company,!
for which ho knew no reason, except that
when you have obliged a man it fre
quently hnpMus that ho keejm out of your
way a thing, he said, of common ex-1
perience In the city, where young men, In
cautious men and unlucky men often oh-,
tain assistance In the prolongation of bills
and loans,,
(TO BK CONTINUED.
TOO MANY LAWYERS.
Banary Once Foment I.ltlsation and Clog
the WhMls of Jostle.
In a recent address delivered at Chi
sago Judge Walter Q. Greaham declared
that the standard in his profession waa
not so high as it was twenty-five years
ago, and that tho law drew leu and lea
opon the ablest and host men of tbe na
tion. David Dudley Field, a lawyer of
squal emlnenoe.asserted not long ago in
an address before the American Bar As
sociation, that one of the chief reasons
tor this change waa the undue multipll-'
sation of lawyers, lie 6lted the fact that
there were 70,000 lawyers in the United
States against 7,000 in Germany and
1,000 in Franco, the number tn propor
tion to the population being more than
even times as great as in Germany and
Ive times as large as in Franoe, ae evi
lenoe that the courts were clogged,
lases strung out Indefinitely and the
whole machinery of Justice hampered
ind degraded by the scrambles for boat
ess for three or four time as man
lawyers as are needed.
There is much force tn these etatf
nents by two of the most eminent law
fers of the day. It Is apparent to all
observers that there is a vast amount of
litigation fomented by hungry lawyers,
and that all necessary legal busbeas
aould be done as well and much mom
rapidly with one-half of the bar growing
erops or making cloth and machinery.
It is equally clear that the tendency of
this scramble for a livelihood is to make
Hi law less attractive to men of tbe
highest abilities and to lower the stand
ing of tho profession. For tho interests
of the public and of good lawyers as'
well, there should bo a persistent effort
on tho part of law-making bodies to sim
plify the methods of the courts and in
crease tho efficiency. If cases could be
finally disposed of in half the timo now
required, tho saving to the public would
bo enormous, hundreds of pettifoggers
would bn driven outof the business and
the legal profession would gain greatly
In the respect and confldoneo of the pub
lic Cleveland Leader.
THE CHINAMAN'S HADES.
How lit Wiekml llciithen Is Kiiioetl to
Fur In I'liitii's Klngilum.
Tho sixth court of hell is situated At
the bottom or tho groat ocean north of
Wuobio Rook. It Is a vnst, noisy go
lionna, many leagues in extent, and
around it uro sixteen wards or anto
hallft. In the first ward tho sinful soul
is mado to kneel for long periods on hot
Iron shots; In tho second they aro placed
up to their necks in filth; In tho third
they ore pounded till tho blood runsout;
In the fourth their mouths are onuned
with red-hot pincers anil tilled with
needles; in tho fifth they aro inclosed
In a net of thorns and nipped by poison
ous locusts; in tho seventh all the flesh
and bones are crushed to a lull y, all ex
cept the head; In tho eighth tho head is
denuded of skin, and tho flesh beaten on
the raw; In the ninth tho mouth
ia filled with fire; In tho tonth
the pounded llesh off of tho body
is licked and roasted by sulphurous
flames; in tho eleventh tho nostrils are
subjected to all loathsome Binolls known
to their tormontora; in tho twolfth thoy
are to bo butted by tarns, oxen and buf
faloes, and ut last .subjoot to crushing
pressure by being trampled by horses,
in tho thirteenth the heart will bo taken
out and skinned, in tho fourteenth tho
skull will ho rubbed with sandstone un
til it has boon entirely worn from the
jolly-Ilk e mass whloh was onoo tho
body in tho fifteenth tho body will, ho
separated in tho middle and carried
with the bare, blooding ends sitting on
red hot plates to tho sixteenth ward,
whore tho Hkln will be removed, dried
and rolled up, after having written upon
it all tho sinful doods dono by tho soul
whllo an inhabitant of the fleshy body;
after that tho body will bo consigned to.
the flames. St. Louis Republic.