THE
SPEEDS
COINING
AUTHOR of "THE LONE
LOUIS
JOSEPH YWOEMTHE
CRASS
------ ---- ----
DOWL, L IC.
VANCE
COPYRIGHT BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
LYDIA CRAVEN LEARNS SOME AMAZING FACTS ABOUT
HER FAMILY HISTORY—AND
PLAINS THE NATURE OF
HER
HIS
FATHER
EX
MYSTERIOUS
BUSINESS
SYNOPIS.—A well-bred young Englishwoman, nervous and sus-
picious, finds when she boards the steamer Alsatia, bound from Liv
erpool to New York, that her stateroom mate is Mrs. Amelia Beggar-
staff, a fascinating, wealthy American widow of about sixty years.
The girl introduces herself as Lucy Carteret and says she is going to
America to meet her father. Lucy’s behavior puzzles Mrs. Beggar-
staff, who is vastly surprised to find the girl In possession of a mag
nificent necklace, stolen from a museum some time previously and
passes the news on to her friend. Quoin, a private detective on board.
Lucy, dressing in the dark in her stateroom, hears a mysterious con
versation between two men just outside her window and recognizes
one of them as Thaddeus Craven, her father, whom she hasn’t seen
for five years. She confesses to Mrs. Beggarstaff that she is in reality
Lydia Craven, goes on deck, and searching around, discovers her fa
ther making love to Mrs. Merrilees, wealthy, beautiful young widow
and friend of Mrs. Beggarstaff. They and Lydia are much surprised.
Mrs. Merrilees has just promised to marry Craven, but he has always
posed as a bachelor and this fact she doesn’t relish.
CHAPTER V.
In humor as radiant as that of a
child presented with a long-coveted
plaything. Craven returned to find his
daughter as he had left her, alone.
“Lydia ! My dear, dear girl !"
She yielded without struggle to his
embrace, instantly supple to the spell
of that blind and unquestioning devo
tion which never before that night had
wavered from his image. In those
arms the old enchantment regained
full power, doubts and misgivings were
all forgotten. Craven became to her
once more the most splendid of men.
and the handsomest, dearest of fa
thers.
And then he was holding her by the
shoulders at arm’s length looking her
fondly up and down, wagging an indul
gent head. "The saints preserve us !
But you've blossomed out Into a wom
an, Liddy, my dear, to turn the heads
of half the world I As tall as your
old dad, as sweet as cherry blossoms,
as lovely as the break of a day In
June! It's like seeing your mother
again, the way she was the day we
were married—though she was only
eighteen then, and now you’re more
than twenty ! God forgive ’em, but
the years have magicked me into an
old man before my time ! The father
of a woman like yourself—I can't be
lieve it!”
“You haven’t aged a day, daddy
dear."
Craven would have none of that.
“It’s of grandchildren I must be think
ing now. Don’t hang your pretty
head: let me look my fill of my girl!
But you might be so good as to tell
me how It comes you're here. If you
dropped from the skies—”
“Surely you know, daddy," the girl
protested. “I ran away—I had to.
You know why."
"Devil fly away with me if I do!"
“But I wrote you about it, every
thing, from the very beginning; and
when you didn't answer, I thought
there was nothing left for me but to
run away.”
“I tell you, Llddy, I've not beard a
word from you for months !"
His manner carried conviction—
credulous thrall that she was to the
magic of that dear, carneying tongue!
“You didn’t get my letters!”
“Never one. If I hadn’t been the
busiest man alive these last three
months. I'd have written to ask what
was the matter. Not that I worried—
Mrs. Hicks-Lorrimer’s letters were reg
ular and reassuring.”
An ominous gleam informed the eyes
of the girl. “Then she stole them!”
“Who stole what?”
“My letters to you—Mrs. EIIcks-Lorri-
mer must have stolen them I"
“My dear girl, be fair to her!"
"If my letters, didn’t reach you,
someone must have Intercepted them.
One might have gone astray by itself,
yes; but it isn’t likely five would.".
“Lydia, I don't get this at all.”
“You knew that woman wanted me
to marry a man I didn't lovet*
“She wrote me you were about to
become engaged to young—what's-hls-
name—Keyes ; gave a good account of
hlm. I wrote to you at the time.”
"That was three months ago. I
haven't heard from you since. Her
later letters must have told you I had
refused him."
“They didn't. She said the thing
was hanging fire—young Keyes a bit
backward about coming forward. He
must have been blind! You don't
mean to tell me It's fallen through!”
“I mean to tell you," the girl cried,
passionately, “I didn't like him! One
of Mrs.
Hicks-Lorrimer’s tame cats!
He may have money and family, as
she claimed—I don't know—but he’s
abominable, and I loathe him! And
she wouldn’t let me alone. 1 stood her
mean, she said it was your wish I
should marry him.”
"I never said that,” Craven observed
thoughtfully. “I did say that, if it
was your wish anti for your happiness,
I gave my consent gladly. It wouldn’t
be like me, would it, to wish unhappi
ness to my own flesh and blood!”
"No—it wasn't like you : that's why
I didn’t understand. It—it seemed as
if you’d turned against me.”
“Llddy—dear !”
“Oh, I know I was wrong; but what
could I think? You wouldn’t write.
But I knew if I could see and talk to
you, I could make you understand. So
I pawned some things—some of your
presents—and got enough money for
my passage. And now—”
Her voice was breaking. Craven
passed an arm round her and drew her
close to him. “There, my dear girl,
there!"
“And now—I'm in your way !”
"Lydia !” He had lost none of his
old-time trick of quieting her with a
show of righteous Indignation. “You’ve
no right to talk like that to your old
daddy !”
"What am I to think? I surprise
you making love—you are angry with
me—”
"Not angry, dearie, but so surprised
I was hardly myself. Do be quiet now
for a time, and let me do the talking.
Listen, and learn never to judge a
man hastily. Has It never struck you
how little you really know about our
family history?"
"How often have I asked you—”
“Ah, but that was long ago, when
you were—ah—too young to under
stand. I never meant to keep you per
manently In the dark. In the first
place, you’ve always believed yourself
the child of American parents.”
“But surely—" the girl expostulated.
“Mrs. Grummle told me—”
“What she believed, too, no doubt.
The truth is, your mother was an Amer
ican ; but I’m British to the marrow of
me. Craven's a good English name,
you know. Not that it matters. I cut
away from my people forever when
they tried to prevent my marrying the
woman I loved, an American girl
who'd taken to the stage and somehow
drifted to London. Well, we defied
the family, and it disowned me, and I
went on the stage with my wife. When
you were born—yes, in Mrs. Grum-
mle’s, Bloomsbury—our combined pay
didn't run to anything much. Most
of the time one of us was out of a
job. Still, we were happy enough till
we went to America.”
He was silent for several minutes,
apparently lost In memories.
Lydia, fearing to interrupt, waited
in mute fascination. Something of
this history she had guessed ; much
she might have guessed from words,
hints, clues, carelessly sown in the
past; but little or nothing had she ever
known definitely.
“You weren't a strong child, and we
feared the effect on you of the Atlantic
voyage. Besides, our engagement was
to last eight weeks only. So we left
you in Mrs. Grummle’s care. Five
weeks after we reached New York
your mother came down with typhoid.
A month later she died ; and when I
had paid funeral expenses I was pen
niless In a strange land, our company
had gone back home, and my chance
of ever seeing England again was to
earn enough money for my return pas
sage. I wrote Mrs. Grummle to look
out for you. and— But this isn’t a
hard-luck story. Ultimately I left the
stage for employment more attractive |
and better paid ; but it meant penna- *
nent residence in America. However. |
nothing called me back to England,
since you were In good hands. I think |
we may aay that for Mrs. Grummle."
"She was always kind,” Lydia af
firmed gently.
incessant nagging till I thought rd go
"When I could afford a trip back to
mad. Worst of all. my letters to you England, I found you In the beet of
got no answers, eave indirectiy—I condition, and it seemed hardly right
HERMISTON
HERALD,
to uproot and transplant you to a
bachelor establishment in a strange
country. Moreover, my new work, you
see, had divorced me wholly from my
stage associations, and none of my
new friends knew anything about me
before I came to them, properly Intro
duced, and I was careful not to excite
their curiosity for reasons that will
appear. So I never mentioned your
existence. This reticence grew into a
habit as years went on. And when
Mrs. Grummle died I had come to
think it best for you to attain woman
hood in England, and If possible marry
some decent Englishman.
“Well—a substitute had to be found
for Mrs. Grummle. Mrs. Hicks-Lorri-
mer presented the strongest creden
tials. I can only say I’m sorry she
turned out badly—and surprised. That,
however, is well over and done with.
Henceforward you live with me.”
“Oh, daddy, daddy dear !
You
mean It? I’m not in the way?”
“It would have been better if this
could have been postponed a few
weeks,” Craven returned without en
thusiasm. “But there is no helping
what mischief has been done—”
“But surely, daddy, you can explain
to her—” Lydia faltered.
He silenced her with a gesture ef
fective if a shade theatric, and walked
with her to a closed hatch, where they
seated themselves.
“But I—"
“Hear me first, if you please, Lydia.
Although your father, I‘m by no means
an old man. And—love is paramount!
When you come to me and say, T
love this man,’ whosoever he may be,
I sha'n't interfere—even as now, when
you say, T can’t love this man,’ I re
frain from Insisting. Mrs. Merrilees
and I love each other. She pays me
a great compliment; for I’m fifteen
years her senior. I can't permit my
daughter—”
“But If you will only listen to me!"
"Well?” Craven demanded severely.
"I haven’t the least desire to come
between you and Mrs. Merrilees. I
think she’s very lovely, and I wish
you both every happiness.”
“That Is my own dear girl!” Clip
ping her face between his palms, he
lifted it to receive his kiss.
“I only meant,” the girl resumed, “I
hoped you could make her understand,
as you have me, by explaining—”
“Make your mind easy. There’s
been no real harm done. I’ve already
received her assurance that our rela
tions will continue as before. She
understands—If not as fully as you do
HERMISTON,OREGON.
IMPORTANT TO HATCH CHICKENS EARLY
Sore
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Eyes inflamed by expo
sure to Sun, Dust and Wind
HP. . quickly relieved by Murine
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Your Druggist’s 50c per Bottle. Nortes Eye
Tubes25c. For Isoksi theEyeFreeask
Druggists or Martes Eye Remedy Co., Chicago
Salvein
7.
y
DAISY FIT
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Guaranteed effective.
Sold by dealers, or
6 sent by express pre-
paid for $1.
HAROLD 8OMEES. im DeKalb Ave., Brooklyn, a. T.
TYPHOID
Is no more ne cessar y
then Smallpox. Army
experience has demonstrated
the almost miraculous effi-
cacy, and harmlessness, of Antityphoid Vaccination,
Be vaccinated NOW by your physician, you and
your family. It Is *u>n vital than house insurance.
Ask your physician, druggist, or send for Have
you had Typhoid?” telling of Typhoid Vaccina,
results from us • and danger from Typhoid Carriers.
THE curra LABORATORY, BERKELEY, cali
vzobuciHG VACCINES a SERUMS UNDER U. S, GOY UCEAS,
Reliability.
“Bliggins believes in himself implic
itly.”
“No reason why he shouldn’t. He’s
the one person to whom he can’t tell
whoppers without being caught at it”
—Washington Star.
MOTHER HEN AND LARGE-SIZED BROOD.
(From the United States Department of earliest hatched pullets will, of course,
Agriculture.)
begin to lay first. If any of them be
Did it ever occur to you that nature
requires her children to take an an
nual vacation? She does, and nowhere
do human beings puzzle their brains
over this fact more than when the
hens begin their yearly holiday. This
vacation is technically called the
“molting season.” It begins during
the late summer. The hens stop lay
ing, and change their suits of feathers
tor new ones. Usually they consume
three or four months In the process.
Most of us know this perfectly well,
but are apt to overlook the fact that
a very important feature of the molt
ing period is that egg-iaying stops.
We are unreasonable and expect the
hens to lay all the time. When the
hens take this vacation new-laid fresh
eggs are scarce and remain scarce un
til the pullets hatched during the pre
ceding spring begin to lay.
The Remedy.
The remedy is very simple, and Is
under the control of the poultryman.
The first step is to have chickens
hatched early, so that the pullets begin
to lay when the hens begin to molt.
This is not difficult. Pullets of the
American breeds begin laying at about
seven months of age. Leghorn pullets
begin when about six months old.
North of the Ohio river this means
that all hatching must be over by
May 1 at the latest. The best plan Is
to have the chickens coming at inter
vals during March and April. The
gin to molt, their places will be taken
by the later ones and a steady supply
of eggs will be more certain.
The Difficulty.
The difficulty in the way of the prac
tical application of this matter is that
so many poultry keepers are depend
ent on hens for hatching. As long as
we have late hatched chickens we will
have late sitters. The poultry keeper
who wants to change from late hatch
ing to early hatching must therefore
either get broody hens from someone
else or use an incubator. After he
has “changed the dates" on his flock
he will have no trouble, especially with
the American breeds.
Can It Be Done?
Every progressive poultry raiser who
has tried it, every agricultural col
lege and the government, have data
showing that early hatching will pro
duce fall and winter layers. In the
government flock during the past win
ter the pullets of the entire flock av
eraged over 20 per cent in egg produc
tion, and some pens made 35 per cent.
That means, In plain language, that
the egg production for all the pullets
was one egg daily for every five hens,
and for some pens one egg daily for
every three hens. This, too, when
fresh eggs sold up to 75 cents per
dozen In Washington. This could not
have been done except by early hatch
ing.
NEW POTATO DISEASE
on the stems of the collapsing plants,
and some of these most constantly seen
before the disease-producing groups.
Their relation to the trouble Is being
Investigated, but the present indica
tions suggest that they are not the pri
mary cause but have attacked the
plants already seriously weakened by
other agencies.
Experiment* In Progress.
Fertilizer experiments ih progress
on affected fields demonstrated that
the plots receiving potash showed little
or no signs of the trouble, even where
the other plots were entirely dead.
Stable manure also held the disease in
almost complete controL
Investigations of the trouble by the
department are incomplete, but the
present indications are that it Is due
to Insufficient potash, or, perhaps, in
some soils at least, to an excess of
nitrates In the presence of a mini
mum potash supply. Farmers who
are unable to secure potash fertilizer
for their potato fields but who have
stable manure may insure their crops
against attack by its use. In sections
where certain types of soil have been
observed to suffer from the disease un
der discussion, and it is advisable to
plant potatoes on these types next
year. It is strongly recommended that
potash fertilizers or stable manure be
applied if either are obtainable.
Prevalent Last Season in Vari
ous Sections of the East.
Application* of Potash or Manure to
Soil Recommended if Eitner Are
Obtainable—Outbreak Expected
Again Thia Year.
(From the United States Department of
Agriculture.)
A potato disease appearing on cer
“This Is a Great Secret, Dear Giri. tain soils and apparently associated
Guard It as You Would Your Life."
with the lack of potash in the commer
cial fertilizers used was prevalent last
now. If I told her all that I’ve just summer in various sections of the East.
told you, she might ask questions I According to specialists of the bureau
couldn't answer; not, at least, until of plant industry, United States de
she is my wife, perhaps not then. partment of agriculture, the trouble
Surely you must realize that your was largely controlled by the use of
faith has taken a great deal on trust. stable manure. The disease may be ex
You have refrained from putting a pected to appear again with Increased
question that, with Mrs. Merrilees, severity during the coming season
would take the form of a demand— In many potato-growing sections, from
What is the nature of this business Maine to Virginia, and probably also
of mine to which I have referred but farther south. It was first noted in
never named?"
scattered fields in 1915. In 1916 it be
"You will tell me when you think I came serious and general over consid
should know, daddy."
erable areas. Last year the disease
“I'm quite sure you oughtn’t to was first observed late In June In
know," he said gravely ; “but I’m quits Maryland and Virginia, and during the
sure you've got to. If our relations latter part of July in Maine. The
are to continue in love and trust. affected plants first develop a down
Moreover, I know I can trust you, and, ward rolling of the leaf margins, ac
were I to keep you in ignorance, much companied by a peculiar bronzing of
might happen that you wouldn’t under the surface, sometimes mistaken for
stand, that might make you doubt mis spray injury. Since it occurs on un
judge, mistrust me. You may on occa sprayed as well as on sprayed plants.
sion see me in conference with strange It cannot be due to the corrosive ac
men, of a class I'd normally have tion of sprays. The foliage gradu
nothing in common with. You'll have ally turns brown—not yellow—and the
to become accustomed to my keeping plant ripens prematurely. Death of
strange hours—and help me keep them the leaves and sudden collapse of the
secret.» You may even hear odd whis- stems at the ground level follow. The
pers about me—rumors that I'm not vield, of course. Is much reduced.
altogether whnt I seem. Well, they’ll
Where Disease Is Found.
be justified ; for I'm not New York
The
disease is found more common
knows me as a feather-brained fash-
ly on fields of early-maturing varieties,
lonable, with a decent income from the but 13 not restricted to them. It also
real estate business I maintain as a
appears first on early planted fields.
blind. Tm ashamed to have no object
What Is more striking is the very ap
In existence other than amiable Idling.
parent association of the trouble with
Whereas, in reality—"
Though their solitude was absolute, certain soil types, at least in Maine,
Craven came closer to his daughter where this relation, as well as other
features of the trouble, are being inves
and lowered bis voice:
"This is a great secret, dear girl. tigated by the department experts in
Guard it as you would your life. I'm co-operation with the Maine agricul
in charge of the secret diplomatie tural experiment station.
Soils which originally supported the
service representing Downing Street
growth of soft woods, or "mixed-
In the United States!”
growth lands,” developed the diseased
condition in its most severe type, while
the hardwood ridges showed it least or
Does It seem to you that the
not at all. The trouble appeared first
nature of Tad Craven’s work as
In the swales or lowlands, where the
a British secret service man Jus-
natural drainage was not so good as
tifiee his posing as a bachelor
on the higher ridge land.
When the
for many years and Me treat-
ment of Lydia?
disease appeared at ail on the higher
groued. It was of a less severe type.
Specific tung are frequently found
CAREFUL SELECTION OF SEED
Many Corn Failure* Might Have Been
Turned Into Success by Using
Selected Ears.
An Inside Bath
Makes You Look
and Feel Fresh
Says a glass of hot water with
phosphate before breakfast
keeps Illness away.
Thie excellent, common-sense
health measure being
adopted by millions.
Physicians the world over recom
mend the inside bath, claiming this is
of vastly more importance than out
side cleanliness, because the skin pores
do not absorb impurities into the
blood, causing ill health, while the
pores in the ten yards of bowels do.
Men and women are urged to drink
each morning, before breakfast, a
glass of hot water with a teaspoonful
of limestone phosphate In it, u a
harmless means of helping to wash
from the stomach, liver, kidneys and
bowels the previous day’s indigestible
material, poisons, sour bile and toxins;
thus cleansing, sweetening and purify
ing the entire alimentary canal before
putting more food Into the stomach.
Just as soap and hot water cleanse
and freshen the skin, so hot water and
limestone phosphate act on the elim
inative organs.
Those who wake up with bad breath,
coated tongue, nasty taste or have a
dull, aching head, sallow complexion,
acid stomach; others who are subject
to bilious attacks or constipation,
should obtain a quarter pound of lime
stone phosphate at the drug store.
This will cost very little but is suffi
cient to demonstrate the value of in
side bathing. Those who continue It
each morning are assured of pro
nounced results, both in regard to
health and appearance.
Admirable Precaution.
“When I eat in public I always go
where there is a free lunch.”
"Economy?”
“No. I haven't an ear for music. I
want to eat standing up, so as to be
in proper position in case somebody
starts ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ ”—
Washington Star.
Extreme View.
“What’s an optimist, pa?”
“An optimist, my son, as a man who
believes even such things as that a
submarine commander would take a
disabled hospital ship in tow.”—Ex
change.
Changed.
“Crimson Gulch doesn’t seem like
the same town since it went dry."
“That’s right,” replied Broncho Bob.
“It has changed both in joy and grief.
The boys don't have neither so many
frolics nor so many funerals.”— Wash
ington Star.
FOUR WEEKS
IN HOSPITAL
No Relief—Mrs. Brown Fin-
Nothing else would so cheaply turn
ally Cured by Lydia E.
many corn failures into successes as
Pinkham’s Vegetable
good seed corn.
While a knowledge of corn breeding
Compound.
would be helpful, any farmer can do
much toward supplying himself and his
Cleveland, Ohio.—“For years I suf-
neighborhood with better seed corn fered
so sometimes it seemed as though
by starting with a well-tested variety
I could not stand
and selecting the best ears from the
it any longer. It
best stalks every year. By so doing,
was all in my lower
natural selection assists in weeding out
organs. At times I
the unfit.
could hardly walk,
Where corn is grown for grain, there
for if I stepped on a
Is no better locality from which to
little atone I would
obtain seed than that in which it is
almost faint. One
to be planted.
day I did faint and
TIME FOR CUTTING ALFALFA
my husband was
sent for and the doc-
ken to the hospital
Ready for Hay When Young Shoot*
and stayed four week* but when I came
at Bases of Plants First Appear—
home I would faint just the same and
Blossoms Also Show.
In general, alfalfa should be cut for
hay when the young shoots at the bases
of the plants first appear. If these
new shoots become long enough to be
cut off by the mower, the new crop
may be badly damaged. The blossoms
often appear simultaneously with the
new shoots, but blossoms alone are
not a safe guide to the time for cut-
tins.
had the same pains.
A friend who is a nurse asked me to
try Lydia E. Pinkham ’s V egetable Com-
pound. I began taking it that very day
for I was suffering a great deal. It has
already done me more good than the
hospital. To anyone who is suffering
as I was my advice is to stop in the first
dragatore and get a bottle of Lydia E.
Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound before
you go home.” — Mrs. W. C. BROWN,
2844 W. 12th
Cleveland, Ohio.