-i
"'; t The
Main
Chance
Mmrmdith Nicholson
CsmMit Ml
Tn oiM-HiMiu Com r Am
CHAPTBB Till. (Continued.)
John turned out the llhiv and while
they waited for the elevator to coma up
for them Warry Jingled the coins and
keys In bis pockets before he blurted:
"I eay, John, I'm an underbred, low
person, and am not worth to be called
thy friend, and you mar bate me all 70"
like, but ono Ibini I'd like to know. Did
be any anything about me when you
passed us thin afternoon make any com
ment or. anything? You know I despise
myself for asking, but "
Bsxton latiahml quietly. '
"Yes, she did; but I don't know that
I ought to tell you. It was. really nj
couraging. Hhe said, 'Miss Mar rare
has a lot of style; don't you think so 7'"
"Is that all?'' demanded Karidan, step
ping Into the car.
'That's all. It wasn't very much; but
It was the way she said It;, and aa she
said It she brushed a fly from the horse
with ths whip, and abe did It vary care
fully." In ths corridor be lorn they met When
ton coming out of the stye door of the
bank. He had.Jjsen at 'work, be said.
Haridan asked him to go" with them to
(be club for a game of billiards, but ha'
pleaded weariness and aaid ha was folng
to bed.
, The three men walked np Vnrney street
together. They were men of widely dif
ferent antecedents and qualities. Cir
cumstanrea, In themselves natural and
harmless, had brought them together. The
Uvea of all three were to bo mfiuenoad
by the wsaknesa of one, and one woman's
life was- to be profoundly affected by con
tact with all of them. It Is not ordained
for us to know whether those we touch
banda with, and even break broad with,
from day to day, are to bring us good or
tvll. The el ec trie light reveals nothing
In the sibyl's book which was not die
dosed of old to those who pondered the
mysteries by starlight and rushlight.
Whaaton left them at the club door and
Went on to The Bachelors', which was
only step farther up the street.
"How do you hhe Wheaton by 1 this
timer' asked Uarldan, aa Uey entered
the club.
I hardly know how to answer that,"
Alitor answered. "Ha'a treated me well
enough. It seems to me I'm always try
ing to find some reason for not liking him,
but I can't put my hand an anything
tangible."
That's ths. way I feel," ssld Rarldan.
banging up bla ooat In the billiard room.
"Ha'a rigid, soma way. There's no lot-go
In him. I guess the law allows us to
dlllike some people J sat on general prin
ciples, and Jin Ukea himself so wsil that 4
roa and 1 don't a Iter."
CHAPTKR IX.
After the Interim of quiet that Lent
always brings In Clarfcaoe, the spring
as me swiftly. There was a renewal of
social activities which ran from da ares
and teaa Into outdoor gatherings. Kvelyn
had enjoyed to lbs full nor experience at
homo. Bhe had plunged Into the frivoli
ties of the town with a seat that was
trios emphasised through her wish to
escape any charge of being pedantic or
literary. Bhe wae glad that aha bad gone
to collets, bat ah did not wieb this fact
of her life to be the haunting ghost of
her days ; and by ths sod of the winter
ThrTelt "last en W pretty "seVTually
law It
In Jane Mr. Porter began discussing
summer plans with Bvelya. He elimi
nated himself from them; be could not
tet away, ho said. Bit there was Omnt
to be considered. The boy waa at school
la New Hampshire, and Bvelyr protested
that It was not whs to subject him to
the Intense beat of a Clarkeoa summer.
The first hot wars seat Porter to bed
with a trial nt Illness, and his doctor took
ths opportunity to look him ever and toll
him that It won imperative for him to
rest. Thompson came home from Arlsona
in spend the summer. He and Wheaton
wars certainly equal to ths ears of the
bank, S they urged Porter, tad ha anally
yielded. Kvetya found hotel an the
Massachusetts North 8bor which eoond
ed well hi the circulars, and bar falser
agreed to It. Whoa they reached Orchard
Una he liked It bettor thaa ha had as
sorted. Bvery algal be oat dowa with
cipher telegrams, and coeetrocted from
TWo-peos'e statlatlea ths day's baalasae
hi tha bonk. Ho received dally from New
Tsrk the cweta esotatioae oa the shares
ha was toteveMod Is, and as be waited
ths toaa botol verandas be effected a
tveaeadtratien at spirit which pat him
hack la hk swivel she hi ths Chutes
National.
la Aagwet Warry BarVlee appeared
eaddealy and throw hlamsrf Into ths gals
1 eh eases ate a aMTtaurhL Mr.
patter ashed him to aft at their tabs
4 -- rba was Bvatva aaamssd
htm.
svssj to ths satoat af re as tog away
sam Aaoa wtts. aaaas fries da was
had a yaoht and was serried hoc at Ret-
nasi 1st aaaas. Uerteg ear aassi
Wasa-deall aa staas irm abssd
place eappyt they won sere "that "that
Hiss Porter" was treating him ehabbtly
aad their beasts wont out to him. Wnr
aulked wbsa Evelyn returned and they
d aa Interview between daaces at a
Saturday night bop.
He sought for recognition as a lover;
he bad not praised ths efforts bs bad
been making to win her approval by dili
gence at bla office ; be took cars to sail
ber aireinioo to his chanced habits.
"But, Evelyn, I am doing differently.
I .know that 'I wasted myself for years
so that I'm a kind of joke and every
body Isngbs about me. Bat I want to
know I want to feel that I'm doing It
for yoavl Don't yosr know that woo Id
help me and steady ms? Won't yon let
It bs for you 7". Ha cams doss to her
and stood with hie arms folded, but she
drew away from bim with a despairing
restore,
"Oh, Warry," she cried, wearily, "you
poor, foolish boy I Don't you know that
you most do all things for yourself?"
"Yes," bs returned eagerly. "I know
that ; I understand perfectly ; bat If you'd
only let ma feel that yoa wanted It "
"I want yon to succeed, bet yon will
never do It for any one. If yon don't do It
for yourself."
He went home by an early train next
morning to receive Baxtoo's consolation
and to turn again to bla law books. Mar
grave, on behalf of the Transcontinental,
-had offered to compromise the case of
ths poor widow whoso clothes lines had
been Interfered with; but Ha r I dan reject
ed tbia tender. Hs needed something on
nl.ick to vent his mad spirits, nnil he
gave his thought to devising means of
transferring the widow'a cause to the
federal conrt. The removal of causes
from State to federal courts was, Warry
frequently sard, one of the best things
be did.
Porter's vacation was not altogether
wasted, Aa he lounged about and phi
losophised to ths Bostonlana on West
ern business conditions, hie restless mind
took bold of a new project. It was sug
gested to hint by the inquiries ft a Bos
ton badker, who owned a considerable
amount of Clarkson Traction bonds and
stock which bs was anxious to sell. Por
ter gave a discouraging account of the
company, whose history bs knew thor
oughly. The Traction Company had been
organised In the boom daya and Its stock
had been Inflated In keeping with tbe
prevailing spirit of" tbe time. It waa
first equipped with the cable System In
deference to tbe Clarkson bills, but later
the company made tbe introduction of
the trolley an sxcuas for a reorganisation
of lie finances with an even more gen
erous Inflation. The panic then dsstind
ed sny wrought a diminution of rev
enue ; the company waa unable to make
the repairs which constantly became nec
essary, and tbe local management fell
into the handa of a series of corrupt di
rectorates. There bad been much litigation, and
soma of ths Kastern bondholders had
threatened a receivership; but ths local
stock solders mads plausible excuses for
the default of interest when 'approached
amicably, aad when menaced grsw la
soleat and promised trouble If an attempt
were mads to deprive them of power. A
secretary and a treasurer under ons ad
ministration had connived to appropriate
a large share of the daily cash receipts,
and before they left tae office they de
stroyed or concealed tbe books and rec
ords of tbs company. Tbe effect of this
was to create a mystery as to tbs dis
tribution of tbe bonds and tbs stock.
When Porter cams boms from bla sum
mer vacatloa, tbs newspapers were de
manding that atepe be taken to declare
ths Traction franchise forfeit. But ths
(ranch lee bad been renewed lately and
had twenty yea re to ran. Take eitenskw
bad been procured by tbe element la con
trol, and tbs foreign toad bo Me re. bidiag
tbelrTTme," wets glad to avail themselves
of the political skill of tbs local oaVers.
Porter bad beea casually naked by km
Boat os friend whether there was any lo
cal market for the stork or hoods; and
hs had answered that there was sot; that
tbs holders of shares la Clark son kept
what tasy had because they cos Id no
looser sell to ons another and that they
were only waiting for the larger on laid
bondholders and shareholders to assert
themselves. Porter had ridden dowa to
ftostoa wtttr M brother banket and when
tasy parted it was with aa understand
ing that ths Bostoaian was to collect for
Porter ths Otsrhaoa Traction erruritlea
that wars held by New Ikigland banks,
considerable amount. Porter . knsw ;
and bo wont horns with a well-formed
plan of baying tbs caatrol af tbs com
pany. Times were improving aad be
had faith hi Clarkeon'a future: be did
sot believe la It as noisily as TumoUy
Margrave did: bat be haew tbs resources
of ths tributary country, and bs had,
what all aurcaasfal business maa taast
ha vs. aa alert Imagination.
It was aot aoriassry for Porter to dis
close ths fart of his Swrckases to tbe
oaVers of tha Tractioa Company, whom
hs knew to bs corrept and vicious t tbe
transfer of ownership oa ths esaapaoy'a
hooka mads no difference, as tbs arigisal
stock books had beea destroyed- tact
which had become nubile property through
legal effort to levy oa ths bovdtaga sf a
shank nlihr hi tbs later af a creditor.
Moreover. If ha coo Id bste It, Porter
never told any asm asoat aaythlag hs did.
Hs even had aeveral dummies m whose
aataai be fresseatly bent sees rtt lee and
real estate. Oas af these waa Peak ham. a
clerk ha tha ease af ewtoa, Porters
to wyes. . -
CHAPTER X.
Wheaton had as km beea aa Sartor
af ths hank borers ha beams to ha aware
thai tbsrs was tueetoirabw aaystory
abss FWari sates de tsaaaattiaaa. Pas.
tor aesastoaalto asrasat wish mash to
toraat sssaral email .aasraaamsi books
watob as ban sarafally Iseasd to has
ansb. Taa srwiwit sitaa wvats letters
with bhl own hand asm eswasd thorn khs-
hsasa, hia gaiiim
book. Wboatoa was as si rally cartons aa
to What theaa outside interests might bo
at had piqued, bim te tad thst while hs
was cashier sf the band he waa not con
sulted la Its lasyer transactions; and
that of Porter1, ptrsonal affairs be knew
nothing.
One afternoon shortly after Porter's re
turn from tbs Bast, Wheaton, who was
waiting for-some letters to sign, picked
up a bundle of checks from tbe desh of
one of the individual bookkeepers. They
were Porter's personal checks which bad
that day been paid end were now being
charged to his private account. Wheaton
tnrned them over mechanically ; It was
not very long aJne he bad been an indi
vidual bookkeeper himself: he had en
ured Innumerable checks bearing Parlor's
name without giving tbem a thought Aa
tbs slips of paper passed through his An
gara, he accounted for tbem In oas way
or aootbst and ant thrm back on tha
desk, face down, as a man always does
who has been trained as a bank clerk.
Ths last of them he held and atudled.
It wns a check made payable to Pock
ham, Fenton's clerk. The amount "
fU.9U0.00 too Urge to be accounted for
as a payment for services ; for 1'eckham
was aa elderly failure at the law who
ran errands to ths courts for Fenton and
sometimes took charge of small collection
matters for tbe bank.
A few days later, in tbe course of busl
nesa, be asked Porter what disposition
ha should make of an application for a
loan from a country customer. Porter
rang for tha past comspondencs with
their client, and threw several lettsra to
Wheats for his Information. Wheaton
read them aad called the stenographer to
dictate tbe answer which Porter had la
dlcated should- be made: He held the
client's last letter in his hand, and In
concluding turned It over into ths wire
basket which stood on hia desk. Aa it
fell face downwards his eye caught soma
figures on tbs back, and he picked It up
thinking thst they roMi relate to the
letter Ths msmorandum waa la Por
ters targef amoves hat(d and read :
-':-,. r, ; -er.-803
'. 83
i. 009
MO
Ths result sf the multiplication was
Identical with las amount of Peck ham's
check. Agala the figures held Ms atten
tion. Local ascarlties were quoted daily
In tbs newspapers, and he examined tbe
list for that day. There waa do quota
tion sf thirty-three on anything; the
nearest approach was Clark eon Traction
Company at thirty-Are. Ths check which
had interested htm had been dated .three
din before, and be looked hack to the
notation I lot for that date. -Tractloa-f
waa given at tblrty-tkree. Wheaton waa
pleased by tbs discovery: It was a fair
assumption that Porter waa buying shares
of Clarkson Tractioa: be woo id hardly
bs buying foreign securities through
Feck ham. The Stork bad advanced two
point since it had been purchased, and
this, too, was Wterfetoe Clearly. Por
ter knew what s was about bs bad a
repots tioa for avowing; and If Clarkson
Tractioa was a good thing for tbs presi
dent to nick ap suletly, why was It aot
a good thing for ths caabferl He waited
Av Traptlnn west to thlrtv-alx. Then
bs called after banking boors at tbe of
fice of a real estate dealer who aleo dealt
la local stocks and bonds on a email
rale. He chose tbia maa because bs waa
pot a customer sf tbs bank, and bad
never bad any traaaartlsns with tbe bank
or wltk Porter, so far aa Wheaton knew.
Hit name waa Burton, and hs welcomed
Wheaton osrdlally.f Hs wss alone la
hia sOca, and a flat aa Interchange sf
courtesies, Wheaton came directly to the
point of bla errand.
"Soma friends of miss la ths country
own a samll amount af Tractioa stock;
they'vs written ms to gnd oat what Hs
prospects are. Of course is tbs bank wa
know la a general way about It, bat I
suppose yoa handle sach things aad I
want to get good advice for my friends.''
"Well, the truth W said Burton, nat
tered by this appeal, "tbs bottom wss
pretty well gone oat af It. hot it's spruc
ing ap a Ik tie just bow. It tbs char
tor's knocked out H is only worth ss
rlsbt wools set boM of It tbs nswspa-
pers will tot up. aad there's a big thing
la U. How much da yosr friends own!"
"1 don't know exactly." said Wheaton,
evenly; "I think not a groat deal. Who
are baying Just sow? 1 notice that It
baa beea advancing foe aeveral daya.
some aoo seems to ho torctof np tbs
pries." -
"Nobody hi psKicstsr. that to. aeaoay
that 1 know of. I asked Billy Baroea,
tbs secretary, tbs-stbsr day what wss
enlns aw. lis must kaow who ths os rt I fi
end gave ate the tough. Ton kaow
Barnes, lis don't osaga ap very easy;
sad he looks wise whoa as doesn't kaow
aaythlag.- .
"No; Barnes has tbs reputation of be
ing pretty close-Mibed,' resiled Wbsa
tan. "If year friends want to aril, bring to
ths shares aad I'll ses what I earn da
wltk tbem." saM Barton. Tbs satsM
m ara ears to act soon. This spurt right
h uikiaer lack sf at. Tbs
lawn's fall sf gossip about tbs company
and II smrht to asad tbs pries down.
t rrUad hnri a. smooth ons. He
waa la sacs, a bang tlms ago, bat to
hasw wbsa to set amt aU right' Wbsa
tan toughed with Burton at thto tftbato
to Porters sagacity, ken hs toaghsd
dfcserestty. He dM wet forget that as
was a bask omcer- sad digs aa
ea-wstlal in tbe hi hues, as bs
Ts ks QSattooed.)
Ommiimiii of wan ta Moat Tort
crto at paying aaowt 11 par ssmt assew
far than food laaat taaw sM onto ponr
Ctoom stay mtaoktasv
Yba alios of tlmbara used la this
design for a hay stacker vary from S
Ineasa by i IncBss to 4 Inchss try
inchss. Ths bottom plsesa maxksd
1 ara 11 fsst long and 4 Inchss try I
inohea. tbs slds uprbjhts ara 14 fsof
long; ths cross pises 6 to 18 fsst of
a-lnch by b-lBco (; No. t Is I
Incase by I Inohea, and to bevsllsd oa
the front edga io allow the hay to
lids over It saally, when bslng ahorsd
oa by Uw sweep. No. It to I foot by
1 Inches by 4 Inchss, with tha blghsr
sad t fsst abovs tbs ground, 00 that
when ths Blacker to on too ground tha
wslgbt box No. 14 will bs about
Inches from too two pulleys om ths
upper and of No. IS. Tha rops for
raisins; ths stacksr should bo olthor
each or Inch and a quarter.
Tha testh on ths stacker can bo
mads of 1-inch by 4-Inch plno scantling
10 foot long and bsvollod oa tho nppwr
slds to allow ths bay to sllds anally.
Tha abort .upright tooth on tbs Black
er head should bs about 4 tost long.
Thoy .ara bolted to the long tooth
sbouV 1 Inches from tho atacksr head
Noll and net against ths stacks
head No. 4. Tho stacker anna No. 4
should bo bolted to No. S with a Urge
bolt about 12 Inches from tbs ground.
CUwa rarsstws; rroOt.nlo.
Honest, now, don't you like to ass
a farm kept clean of all an necessary
trash and the Aside clean of woods?
U really adds to tho worth of tha
farm. In ths eyas of tho maa passing
by It to a better farm thaa the ons
bsslds it of squaj soil, though weed
grown and brushy.
A great many folks pay BO atten
tion to tho roadsides. Where a bodge
la the outside fanes, wo have asen
hedge brush grow from roots that had
bean expossd by road grading, until
travel had actually been turned to
the opposite because of It This
doesn't apeak vary well for tho cars
fulness of the fanner. Of oourss there
la always as much to do on a farm
that soma of It never goto dons any
ons who' has fanned for as short n
tlms aa one year knows tbia but the
time required to do a little cleaning
np to really shorter thaa a busy man
believe).- It to getting started at ths
work, that eomeo hardest. Tho sxenas
of tho maa who does aot haws a eleaa-
looklng farm to usually that bo doss
not oars about selling, and It to worth
as mnch to him that way as any. Hs
does not fljrurs la anything for aatto-
fsctloa. rarmsrs Hall and Express.
Saw as Caw g 1nm.
A rraat man horses are laid ap
every summer with tort ahouldsra.
Tbls can bs remedied In n very large
measure with sen as and ears.
A good boras collar to tho mala part
of tho harness and It should bo of
1 in) beat kind and 01 Jfes snJsaal'a
neck perfectly.
Tbs collar should bo kept clean at
all times and tho horse's shoulders
ws washed and breehed dally.
Mnch dost and- dirt arias ta the
fislda and en tho roads during the
warm tsasoa, and thto to caught and
held on ths moist and sweaty shoal.
dors aad collar, there to tana hard
lumps and rldgea.
very time tho sol tar to put oa tho
boras ft should bo examined for those
ridges aad lumps. . If any ara foand
they should bs onrefslly brushed aad
rubbed awap.
After each day's work, ssperfally ta
warm waatbsr, hatha and eleaa the
shoulders with a mixture af
water, salt and soda.
Hot water to ono of the bast known
nataml agsnta for roltortag torment.
Btttsr milk may srtaiaato from two
snare as. Tho first source to iepsndant
upon tha caw. while tha stesnd to dws
to the growth of bacteria la the milk
after It has beea drawn. Tha differ
east bacwoea these two clam as af bit
ter milk to that taa Brat has a
etdsdly arid toots wham freshly drawn.
whOe the ess aad eleaa to sweet wh
taken from tbs sow. bad the kttttratea
oeeara after staadhng far a abort thaa
aad teeewaaeo to totoaadty. Blttor
mllk whoa prodwosd ta tho adder asay
raoaM from improper toedls with
each af oas Colorado berke as hsalaea.
ami tha ttha, or with I
raw ajwadlah tnrniD. cabtjaiaa, 'Ota.
Bitter milk may bs observed during)
tho tost stags of lactation and has foe
lowed the la fact! on of duets with bao
tarto which act on tho protolda as an
eaayme, eon verting thorn lata peptones
aad other products ta which tho bis
ter taste to probably due.- Jnsia ana
Farm.
" A Vawffal atrd.
A family of barn owls will number ,
from three to sevsn birds. It Is diffi
cult to believe what a lot .of vermin
and rodents a family of owl will eon-
sums. An old owl will capture aa
much . or more food than a 1
dossa eats la a night. Tho
owlets are always hungry. They
wlU sat their weight la food . orsry
night and more If they ean get
It A east It oa record la which a
half grown owl was given all ths mloo-
It could sat It swallowed sight ono
right after another. Ths ninth fol
lowed all but tho toil, which for tome
time hung, out of tho blrd'a month. :
Tho sapid digestion of bird of prey
to shown by the fact that la three -
hours tha Uttls glutton waa ready for
a second meal and swallowed four
more mice. If this can bs done by a -
single bird what affect must a whole
family of owls have on tho rodents of
n community T
Pwsw Wases few OemdosmeiHem.
In tho big desert of Chill there ta
a considerable amount of brackish
water, but no water that either human
-alnga or stock can drink. Science,
however, saya tha Los Angeles Times,
has corns to the aid of thit rainiest
section of tha sountir tn tho form
of an ingenious dossrt waterworks,
oon elating of n series of frames con
taining 10,000 SQuars foot of glass.
Tha panes of glass are arranged te
the- shape of a V, and under each
pane to a shallow pan containing
brackish water. The heat of the nun
evaporataa tbe water, which condenses
upon tho sloping glaaa, and, made
pure-by this operation. It runt down
Into little channels at tho bottom of
the V and to carried away Into tha
mala canal. Nearly A thousand gal
lons of fresh water to collected dally
by thto means.
! af
la an article on bees and ants try "
Qaaton Bonwor In the Revue Heb
domadal re tbe writer contends that '
tbsss bisects carry on conversation
among themselves and that while this
to dons by means of their feelers, thoy
are not entirely dependent upon tbem.
"A whole colony," saya Mr. Bouwer, -"la
aa an thou as or a beehive often
responds Instantaneously -to a signal 1
which may have been given without
contact. It to Interesting to ses aa
ant laborer for whom a burden to toe
heavy go to a fellow, make a sign or
giro a certeiBteuch.witk abi feeler.
and then ess tbe second insect John
the first la lifting or moving the ob
Jscf ,
Moral! Respect ths feelings af
horses aad protect them freea
aiesvFurm. Buck and Home.
After a aow has outlived tho period
of greatest usefulness, ft to best bs
fill her piano with another, aad tha
beet way we fad to gat rid af bar to
ta dtopoos of her from gram ' if a
calf to by her tide, the two are saaav
ally told together, and ths time of
selling to at ouch Urns oa the grass
fat shown to the greatest advantage.
Whoa eora was lower ta price thaa II
to now It paid W corn feed aging oowe.
hat aow It does aot store caa he as
cured from ths eora by patttng hi tote
steers aad totting the old oswa hja
with what frees fat they wM osrry.
and Drains.
There are three nmmna math nan of
grwwtag strawberries ta hills, la aar
row matted rows or ba wide maWsd
rows. Wo prefer tho at asad methed.
Arraaa the first strong; runners by
band, apadng tbem properly aad as
caring each one to atosa with a Itttle
soil or a email stone. Then, waem
sack tww to fall, eat off the addt
MoaaJ rannees that awy grew. Keep
tha grwaad) hood and saltlvated natal
tela tela. The unless row ahaeJd amt
as widar lhaa 14 at la lanbaa
If Tauuasm Wesw ate v 00 00 d. ' -
1