ConntuvT, iiw. nr tfJttn-
"And you yoo dare to repeat the
inwardly lie of a confessed spy. This,
than, te what you wished to tell me
thia, the intuit lor which you bavc
kept me hera, became yon are incapable
tf unientanduuj mnelfiah patriotism
or devotion even to your own cause
ou dan to judge me by your own
base, Yankee trading standards. Yes,
. it is worthy ol you I"
She walked rapidly up and down, and '
then suddenly faced him.
"I understand it all! I appreciate
your magnanimity now. You are will
ing I should join the company of these
chivalrous gentlemen in order to give
color to your calumnies. Say at once
that it was yon who put up this spy to
correspond with me to come here in
order to entrap me. Yes, entrap me 1
who a moment ago stood up for you
before these gentlemen and said you
could not lie! Bah!"
Struck only by the wild extrava
gance of her speech and temper, Clar
ence did not know that when women
are most illogical they are apt to be
most sincere, and from a man's stand
point, her unreasoning deductions ap
peared to him only as an affectation to
gain time for thought, or a theatrical
display to dazzle, like Busy's. And he
was turning, half contemptuously,
away when she again faced him with
flashing eyea:
"Well, hear me! I accept! I leave
here at once to join my own people, my
own friends those who understand me
put what construction on it that you
choose. Bo your worst! You cannot
do more to separate us than you have
done just now."
She left him and ran up the steps,
with an extravagant return of her old
occasional nymph-like gracefulness
the movement of a woman who has
never borne children and a swish of
her long skirts ftat he remembered for
many a day after ib she disappeared in
the corridor.
Be remained looking after her in
dignant, outraged and unconvinced!
Then there was a rattling at the gate.
He remembered he had locked it. He
opened it to the flushed, pink cheeks
-and dancing eyes of Susy. The rain
was still dripping from her wet cloak,
as she swung it from her shoulders.
"I know it all, all that's happened,"
aha burst out, with half girlish exuber
ance, and half the actress' declamation.
"We met them all in the road, posse and
prisoners. Chief Thompson knew me
and ' told me all. And so you've
done it and you're master in your old
house again. Clarence, old boy! Jim
said yon wouldn't do it. Said you'd
weaken on account of her! But I said
No,' I knew yon better, old Clarence,
and 1 aaw It in your face, for all your
stiffness! He! But for all that I was
mighty nervous and uneasy, and I just
made Jim tend an excuse to the theater,
and we rnthed it down here. "Lordy.
but it looks natural to see the old house
again! And she yon packed bet off
with the others, didn't yon? Tell me,
Clarence," in her old appealing voice,
"you shook her, toor
Dazed and astounded, and yet ex
pressing a vague sense of relief with an
odd return of hisold tenderness towards
(lie willful woman before him, he had
silently regarded her until her allusion
to his wife recalled him to himself.
"Hush!" he said, quickly, with a
glance towards the corridor.
"Ah!" said Susy, with a malicious
smile, "then that's why Capt. Pinck
ney was lingering in the rear with the
deputy."
"Silence! " aaid Clarence, sternly. "Go
in there," pointing to the garden mom
btlow the balcony, "and wait until
your husband comes."
He half led, half pushed her into the
room which had been his business office
and returned to the patio. A hesitating
voice from the balcony said: "Clar-
ence." . ,
It was his wife's voice, hut modified
and gsutler more like her voice as be
had first heard it or at if it were
chastened by some reminiscence of
those days. . It was his wife's face, too,
that looked down on his, paJer than he
had seen it since he had entered the
house. She wot shawled and hooded,
carrying a traveling-bog in her hand.
"I am going, Clarence," she said, with
gentle gravity, "but not 13 nnger! I
even ask you to forgive me for the fool
ish words that 1 still think your still
more foolish accusation," she emiled
faintly, "drugged from me. I am going
because 1 know that I have brought,
and that while 1 aro here I shall always
be bringing upon you the imputation
and even the responsibility of my own
faith! While I am proud to own it,
and, if needs be, suffer for it, X have no
right to ruin your prospects, or even
innlie you the victim of the slurs that
others may cast upon mc. Let us part
n.i friends, separated only by our dif
ferent political faiths, but keeping all
other faiths together, until God shall
settle the right of this struggle. Per
haps it may be soou I sometimes think
it may be years of agony for all but
until then good-by."
She had slowly descended thesteps to
the patio, looking handsomer than he
had ever seen her, and as if sustained
and upheld by the enthusiusoi of her
crusc. . llcr hand was outstretched
toward liis, his heart beating violently;
lit another moment he uiifttit have for-gnlU-a
ail and clasped her to hit breast.
Suddenly the stopped, ber out
stretched arm stiffened, her finger
m aw mm
pointed to the chair on which Susy's
cloak was hanging.
"What's that?" she said, in a sharp,
high, metallic voice. "Who is here?
Speak!"
"Susy," aaid Clarence.
She cast a scathing glance around the
patio and then settled her piercing eyes
on Clarence with a bitter smile.
"Already!"
Clarence felt the blood rush to his
face at he stammered: "She knew
what was happening hen and came to
give you warning."
"Liar!"
"Stop!" aaid Clarence, with a white
face. "She came to tell me that Capt
Pinckney was still lingering for you in
the road."
He threw open the gate to let her
past. At the swept out the lifted her
hand. As she closed the gate there were
the white marks of her tour fingers on
hit cheek.
CHAPTEK IV.
For once Susy had not exaggerated.
Capt. Pinckney was lingering with the
deputy who had charge of him on the
trad near the casa. It hnd already
been pretty well understood by loth
motives and captors that the arris!
was limply a legal demonstration, that
ihe sympathizing federal judge would
undoubtedly order the discharge of the
nrisonera on their own recognizances
and it was probable that the deputy saw
no harm in granting Pinckney's ro
piest, which was virtually only a delnj
in his own liberation. It is also mwm
ble that Pinckney had worked upon the
chivalrous sympathies of the man by
professing hit disinclination to leave
heir devoted colleague, Mrs. Brant, nt
the mercy of her antagonistic and cold
blooded husband at such a crisis, aud it
s to be feared, also, that Clarence, as a
oputed lukewarm partisan, excited nn
personal sympathy even from his own
party. Howbeit, the deputy agreed to
delay Pinckney's journey for a parting
interview with his fair hostess.
Bow far this expressed the real sen-
timentt of Capt. Pinckney was never
known. Whether his political associa
tion with Mrs. Brant hod developed into
a warmer solicitude, understood or ig
nored by her, and what were his hopes
and aspirations regarding bis future
was by the course of fate never dis
closed. A man of easy ethics but rigid
artificialities of honor, nattered and
nampered by class prejudice, a so-
i-slled "man of the world," with no ex
pcrience beyond his own limited circle,
vet brave and devoted to that, it were
well, perhaps, to leave that last act of
his ineffectual life to the simple record
of the deputy.
Dismount ing.he approached the house
from the garden. He was already fa
miliar with the low arched doorway
which led to the business room, and
from which he could gain admittance
to the patio. But it so chanced that he
entered the dark passage at the mo
ment that Clarence had thrust Suay into
the business room, and heard its door
shut sharply. For an instant he be
lieved that Mrs. Brant had taken ref
uge there, but as he cautiously moved
forward be heard her voice in the patio
beyond. Its accents struck him as
pleading; an intense curiosity drew him
further along the passage. Suddenly
ber voice teemed to change to angry
denunciation, and the word "Liar" rang
upon hia ears. .It was followed by his
own name uttered sardonically by Clar
ence, the swift rustle of a skirt, the
clash of the gate, and then, forgetting
everything, he burst into the patio.
Clarence was just turning from the
gate with the marks of his wife's hand
still red on hia white cheek. He saw
Cant. Pinckney's eyes upon it, and a
faint, half-malicious, half-hysteric
smile upon his lips. But without a
start or gesture of surprise, he locked
the gate, and turning to him, said, with
frigid significance;
"I thank you for returning so prompt
ly, and for recognizing the only thing 1
now require at yonr hands."
But Capt. Pinckney had recovered
his supercilious eaae with the signifi
cant demand.
"Yon seem to have had something al
ready from another's hand, sir but 1
am at your service," be said, lightly.
"You will consider that I have ac-
cepted it from you, sir," said Clarence,
drawing closer to him with a rigid
face. "I suppose it will not be neces
sary for me to return it to make you
understand me."
"Go on," aaid Pinckney, flushing
slightly. "Make your terms. I am
ready."
"But I'm not," said the unexpected
voice of the deputy at the grille of the
gateway. "Excuse my interfering, gen
tlemen, but this sort o' thing ain't down
in my schedule. I've let this gentle
man," pointing to Capt. Pinckney. "off
for a minit to say good-by to a lady,
who, I reckon, haB just ridden off lu
her buggy with her servant, wilhout
paying by your leave bat I don't cal
kerlate to let him inter another business
which, like as not, will prevent me from
deliverhV his body safe and sound into
taiurt. You hear me!" As Clarence
opened the gate he added: "I don't
want ter spoil sport between gents, hut
it's got to come lu after I've done my
duty."
"I'll meet you, sir, anywhere, and
with what weapons you choose," said
Pinckney, turning angrily upon Clar
ence, " as soon as this farce for which
jroU attd your If lends art rtspMtlU
is over."" no was Jurlnns at the rcflee-1
tion that Airs, lirant had escaped him.
A different thought wus in the bus
band's mind. "lint what assurance have
I that you aro going on with the dep
uty?" lie said, with purposely insulting
deliberation.
"My word, sir," said Capt Pinckney,
sharply. 1
"And If that triht ermlT, there's
mine." said the deputy. "For if Ihis
gcntlemun swerves to the right or left
betwixt this anil Sniitn Inex, I'll blow s
hole through iuinr.ywlf! . And that,"
he added, drprecntutgly, "ia saying
good deal for n mi:n who doesn't want
to spoil sport, "a 'or ",e matter of
Unit, is willing to stand by and see fair
piny done at Santa Inez any time to
morrow before breakfast." . ,
"Then I can count on you f, said
Clarence, with a sudden impulse, ex
tending his hand.
The man hesitated a moment, and
then grasped It "Well, I wasn't ex
pecting that," he said, slowly; "but you
look as if you meant business, and if
you ain't got anybody else to see you
through, I'm thar! 1 suppose this gen
tleman will have his friends?"
"I shall be then at six with my sec
onds," said Pinckney, ourtly. "Lead
on."
The gate closed behind them. Clar
ence looked around the now empty
patio, and the silent house, from which
be could now see that the servants had
been withdrawn to insure the secrecy
of the gathering. Cool and collected as
he knew he was, he stood still for s
moment in hesitation. Then the sound
of voices came to his ear from the gar
den room, the light frivolity of Susy's
laugh, and Hooker's huskier accents.
He had forgotten they were there he
had even forgotten their existence.
Trusting still to hit calmness, he
called to Hooker in bit usual voice.
That gentleman appeared with a face
which his attempts to make uncon
cerned and impassive had, however,
only deepened his funereal gravity.
"I have something to attend to,"
said Clarence, with a faint smile, "and
I must ask you and Susy to excuse me
for a little while. She knows the house
perfectly, and will call the servants
from the annex to provide you Both
with refreshments. I will join you a
little later." Satisfied from Hooker's
manner that they knew nothing of his
later interview with Pinckney he
turned away and ascended to hit own
room. '
lie then threw himself into an arm
chair by the dim light of a single candle
as if to reflect, but he waa conscious,
even then, of bit own calmness and
want of excitement and that no re
flection was necessary. What he had
done and what he intended to do was
quite clear; there was no alternative
suggested, or to be even sought after.
He had that sense of relief which
comes with the climax of all great
struggleseven of defeat He had
never known before how hopeless and
continuous had been that struggle un
til now it wat over. He had no fear for
to-morrow; he would meet it at he bad
to-day with the same lingular con
sciousness of being equal to the occa
sion. There was even no necessity of
preparation for it; hia will leaving his
fortune to bis wife which seemed a
slight thing now in this greater separa
tion waa already in hit sate in San
Francisco; his pistols were in the next
room. He was even slightly disturbed
by hit own insanaibUlty and passed into
hit wif e't bedroom, partly in the hope of
disturbing bis serenity by tome memen
to of their post There was no disorder
at flight everything was in its place,
except the drawer of her desk, which
was still open as It she had taken some
thing from it aa an afterthought There
were letters and papers there some of
his own and tome in Capt. Pinckney's
handwriting. It did not occur to him
to look at them even to justify himself
or excuse her. He knew that his
hatred of Capt Pinckney waa not so
much that he believed him her lover, as
his sudden conviction that they were
alike! He was the male of her species
a being antagonistic to himself whom
he could fight and crush and revenge
himself upon. But most of all he
loathed his past not on account of her,
but of his own weakness that had made
him her dupe, and a misunderstood man
to his friends. He had been derelict of
duty in his selfish devotion to her; he
had stifled his ambition, and under
rated his own possibilities no wonder
that others had accepted him at his own
valuation. Clarence Brant wat a mod
est man, but the egotism of modesty is
more fatal than that of pretension, far
it has the haunting consciousness of su
perior virtue. t
He reentered bis own room and again
threw himself in hit chair. Hia calm
waa being succeeded by a physical
weariness; he remembered he had not'
Slept the night before and he ought to
take some rest to be fresh in the early
morning. Yet he must also show him
self before his self-invited guests, Susy
and her husband, or their suspicions
would be aroused. He would try to
sleep for a little while in the chair, be
fore he went downstairs again. He
closed hit eyes oddly enough on a dim,
dreamy recollection of Susy, of the old
days in the little Madrono hollow
where she had once given him a ren
dezvous. He forgot the maturer and
critical uneasiness with which he had
then received her coquettish and willful
advances which he now knew was the
effect of the growing dominance of Mrs.
Peyton over him end remembered
only her bright youthful eyes, and tin
kisses he had pressed upon her soft,
fragrant cheeks. The faintness he bad
felt when awaiting in the old rose gar
den, a few hours ago, seemed to steal
on him once more, and to lapse into a
delicious drowsiness. He even seemed
again to inhale the perfume of the
roses.
"Clarence!" '
He started. He bad been sleeping
but the voice sounded strangely real.
A little girlish laugh followed. He
sprang to hit feat It wat Susy, stand
ing bwtdt UlWsa loir avaa as ihi
looked lu the old days!
For with a flash of her old audacity,
aided by hor perfect knowledge .f the
house, and the button of household brvit
.-the tint! found, winch dangled frot:, licr
iflnllr. us in the old fashion, she hud
disinterred one of her old frouks ioui
a closet, slipped it on, awl lousei-ing
her bitnin hair hnd let It lull in n.
pluiK wuves down her buck, it us
?iiyy in her old girltHliness. will: tlu- in-l,i:-;
of Hie grown uctresu in the ur-rur'emi-iit
of her sliort skirt over her
pretty uukles, aud the half uoiiscmus
hsc she had tuken.
"Poor, dour old I'hirenee." she said
with dancing eyes, "1 might have won
a dozen pairs of gloves from you v. bile
yon slept there. Uut you're lu-ed, diw
old lioy and you've hud n I..111I tunc oi'
it. Ni mutter you've sliuv :. yum sell
n man ut last! aod I'm prom! of you.'
Half ashamed of the pleasure lie iVH.
even in his cmbnrratsuicut. Clniviuv
'Shimmered: "Hut this cliunjre llti
drras!"
Susy clapped her hands like a child
"I knew it would surprise you! It'sau
old frock I won the year 1 went away
with aunty. I knew when It was hid
den, and fished it out again with these
keys, Clarence it seemed to like old
timet. Lord! when I was with the old
Hs svsa ml asmln to toasts tao ssifiim at
U iomo.
servants again mid you didn't come
ilowu I just felt as if I'd never been
away, mid I just rumpugeil free! I;
teemed to tne, don't you know, not a
if I'd just come but as if I'd always
been right here mid it was yon lio'il
junt come! Don't you tinder&tanil ?
lust na you came wheu mc nml Mttry
Koftem were here don't you m:icv.;L'cr
iier, Clarence, and how she used to !j
gooseberry' for usl well iti'it like
that. So I said to Jim 'I tiiu t Know
you any more get!' and 1 just slippct'
on this frock ami ordered Manueln
around, as I used to do and she in fits
of laughter I reckon, Clarence, she
hasn't laughed as much since I lef.
And then I thought of you perhaps
worried and flustered yet over things
and the change, and I just slipped into
the kitchen, aud 1 told old fat Conchita
to make some of these tortillas, you
know with sugar and cinnamon
sprinkled on top and I tied on an
aprou, and brought 'era up to you on a
tray with a glass of that old Catalan
wine you used to like. Then I sorter
felt frightened when I got here and I
didn't hear any noise, and I put the tray
down in the hall and peeped in and
found you asleep. Sit still, I'll fetch
'em."
She tripped out into the passage,
returning with the tray which she pit
on the table beside Clarence, and th sn
landing back a little and wil h li .
hands tucked soubrette fashion in th
tiny pockets of her aprou, gazed u.
him with a mischievous smile.
It was impossible not to smile bar!
as he nibbled the criBp Mexican ca'..
and drank the old mission wine. An.
Susy's tongue trilled an aceouipan
incut to bis thanks,
"Lord! it seems so nice to lie uere
juat you and mc, Clarence Li e in t'.i
old dnys with nobody naggiii' ;.
Ttoopiu' round after you. l)j;.'t !
greedy, Clarence, hut give n cfct.'
ihe took one and finished the drt-g.su
his i.i.r.is.
r (To be continued .)
BUSINESS LOCALS.
When you want bargains go to the
racket store.
I have monev to loan at 8 tier cen
interest on good farm or personal
security. J. M. Rauston.
Maiton Block, Albany, Or.
Measure your rooms accurately and
bring aize in feet and Inches with you.
It costs you nothing to have your car
pets tewed by hand by the Albany
Furniture Co., Albany, Oregon.
Ladies, I Invite your attention to
my new and extensive line of floweret
fancy straws and beautiful ribbons.,
Opening day about the first of April.
MlBB A. Dl'H'J.ND
Ladies cloth, all wool, 36 inches wide,
29 cts. per yard cash, at Read, Pea
cock & Cn.'a.
During our closing out sale no goods
will be sold except for spot cash.
Read, Peacock & Co.
muies, aims Duuiond oilers you
better bargains in buis than ever be
fore. Trimmed hats from (1 to $5.
Bailors, 20c and up. Look lu nt the
windows as you puss by.
The Ladies' Bazaar, of Albany, Or.
will tend a fashion plate, of the latest
styles, to all persons who write to them
mentioning the Express. Their stood
of goods is better than ever this year.
Call on them when In Albauy.
Young man, you are thinking some
thing about your sweetheart, and you
will want to look nice when In her
presence, so buy the latest styles ol
clothing at Baker's. lie has the price
way down to suit your rsedy cash.
rxIST with a bio m. BlsskwsU's Genuine Ball
b Durham la In a dsn by Itself. You will and one
aounon Inside ouob two ouuoe sal, and two cou
pons hulas saob four tunes bat of
Blackwell's
Genuine Durham
Smoking Tobacco
Bnvahoo of this oelobrmUd toboooo and read tb noupon-
Wttlab lives aiiatof valasols prosontt and how to get Uism.
Victors Are Best.
Victor Non Puncturable
running wheel on earth. The best is the cheape&t in the
end. Largest stock of Becond-hand wheels on the coast.
Everything as represented. Write for list.
Headquarters for sundries and athletic goodp, 1 30 Sixth
Street and 311 Alder Street, Portland, Oregon.
OVERMAN WHEEL COMPANY.
W. B. Kehnan, Manager.
H. Y. Kirkpatrick,
Local Agent, Lebanon, Oregon.
Albany Furniture Co,
(INCORPORATED)
BALTIMORE BLOCK, Albany, Oregon.
Furniture, Carpets, Linoleums, matting, etc.
Pictures and Picture molding. -
Undertaking a Specialty.
Oregon Central
k Eastern,
XI. It. CO.
Yaquina Bay Route.
Connecting at Yaijiiina Buy with tiie ban
Francisco slid squint liny Mteanwliiu
tympany.
SteuDskip "Farallon"
Sails from Vsquint Hav every cisht days
for San Francisco, Coos Bay, Port Orfortl,
Trinidad and Humboldt Buy.
Passenger Accommoda
tions Unsurpassed.
Shortest Route Between the Willamette
Valley and California.
Fare trom Albany and Points West to San
Francisco:
Cabin I 0 Oil
Steerage 4 00
To Coos Bay snd Fort Orford :
Cabin I 6 00
To Humboldt Bay:
Cabin I 8 00
Round Trip Hood for 80 Days Siecisl.
RIVER DIVISION.
Steamers "ALBANY" and "WM. M.
HOAG," newiy furnished, leave Albany
daily, except Saturdays, at 8 a. m., arriving
ut PortlanuVtlie same day at 6 p. .
Returning, boats leave Portland same
ilavs as above at 6 a. m,, arriving at Albany
at 7:46 p.m. J. C. Mayo,
Edwih Htosk, Bup't Kiver Division,
Manager. H. B. Sacry,
11. h. Waldss, Ag't. 0i KevereHouse
Agent, Depot Albany,
To The Mothers.
You have nice children, you know,
and nothing pleases them better than
a nice nobby suit of clothes that keeps
them warm and healthy. linker has
them and for but little money. Can
you stand tl.00 for a suit of clothes, or
up to $4.00? All these low prioes you
will Ind at Blrtm Baker's.
Tire, No. 103, is the lightest
BARBER SHOP
Best Shave, Hair Gut or Bhnuipoo
B. F. KIRK'S
Shaving Parlor.
NEXT DOOR TO 8T. t'HAHLEH
HOTEL.
Elegant Baths.
Children Kindly Treated.
Ladies Hair Dressing a Specialty.
eavatrsL.
DftlQN SVATIHT.
COPYRIGHTS, at.
or Information fcnS fnu Htntllwuilr will tit
HUNK a CO.. Hi Broadway, New You.
Oldut burtse for Hairing pahmti In America.
Erery patent ulcus out by ua li brought bofon)
tbpuuUobriiotiosvfitn tree ot otaanis is las
mntm
Urffftft dfwtlattoti of wit twiTTntlflrt paper in ths
wor.d, fctticniilillr lllmtrated, iulcllliin(
t.mn flhmiM bit vUliout lu WAPklr, 3.00
h"r; f ;.r-JslyfTjoit!.n, A'.dnw, MU.'JJTtt CO,,
MlfiUI TattllM WN .lillntll.
4 eoltntlflo Amerloin
I H a TJ