THE
SPEEDS
COINING
LOUIS JOSEPH Y WOLF,
VANCE
BOWL,
OR of "THE LONE
"THÉ BRASS
"ETC.
COPYRIGHT BY LOUIS M5[PM VANCE
CALLED UPON SUDDENLY TO AID HER FATHER IN HIS
SECRET SERVICE WORK, LYDIA IS ATTACKED IN
THE DARK BY STRANGERS BUT IS RESCUED.
i
Synopsis—Lydia Craven, traveling under the name of Lucy Car-
teret, runs away from her home in England to go to Thaddeus Craven,
her father, In New York, whom she hasn’t seen for five years. Three
days out on board the steamer Aisatta, she runs plump into her father
making love to Mrs. Merrilees, a young widow, engaged to marry him.
There is some embarrassment, for Craven was known as a bachelor in
America, but explanations clear the air of doubts. Craven tells Lydia
he is a secret service agent of England In New York.. The last install­
ment told that Craven had asked Lydia to meet him outside her state-
room at midnight.
CHAPTER VII—Continued.
—9-
She had begged to be permitted to
I help him, and Craven promised to
‘command her services, if ever need
should arise ; but his tone in promising
had been mellow with an indulgence
deprecating the implication that
Downing Street's secret ambassador
could ever need the aid of woman’s
hands and wits in his occult and mo­
mentous affairs.
Yet already that time had cornel
She was half wild with delight.
After some minutes the quiet of the
ship was made musical with the mel­
low and deliberate sounding of eight
bells, midnight. She had still half an
hour to wait—an almost insufferably
protracted vigil, with every faculty
tense in apprehension of the prema­
ture return of her Dowager Dragon.
But tonight nothing happened to
change this custom ; and the stroke of
one bell of the midnight watch found
Lydia, unhindered, leaving her door, a
long cloak effectually disguising her
light dinner gown.
Cautiously, with swift glances mak­
ing sure that the alleyway was empty
all down Its darkened length, she stole
forward, slipped quickly through the
port doorway Into the welcome blank­
ness which closed round her like a
magic garment of invisibility.
At
Intervals electric bulbs incased in
hemispheres of clouded glass blotted
the obscurity overhead, but lent little
aid to the girl's straining vision. And,
now that most of the passengers were
abed, every port she passed was dark.
At the fifth stanchion, midway be­
tween two of the overhead lights, she
found no one waiting; and, since she
had encountered no one on the way,
she groped on to the sixth, found it
deserted, and, returning, settled down
to wait.
Suddenly Craven stood before her—
the effect as mysterious ns his busi­
ness : with no warning of any sort, he
was there!
• Without speaking, Lydia stretched
forth a hand to his. He suffered her
caress without apparent emotion, and,
peering anxiously into his face, she
saw it set in a mold of care and vigi­
lance—even now, when they were ut­
terly alone!
When he spoke It was In a preoc­
cupied tone. "Hope I haven't kept
you waiting."
“Only a moment."
He shook his head wearily. “I was
detained." For several seconds he
seemed deep in thought. Then his
words came swiftly, “I'm suspected—
watched! Did anyone see you?"
She thrilled deliciously. "I think
not. I've been here some time, quite
undisturbed."
"Good. But they nearly got me!
"Who?"
He smiled faintly. "The other side."
Lydia's grasp tightened on his
plump fingers. "You—you're not in
danger ?
"Don’t be alarmed. They’d never
dare attempt anything aboard this ves­
sel. But I’ve stolen a march on them
—and something else, something more
valuable."
Straining a dramatic
pause to the snapping point, he eased
it with a word, "Evidence!”
At this the foghorn whooped like a
demon of derision. Until It was quiet
again Craven stood moveless, chin on
bosom, eyes blank with abstraction.
"Yes.” he affirmed, “dev’lish good
evidence! Look here. I’ll have to tell
you something. We’ve been sold out—
I mean there’s a traitor In our corps."
“But can't you do something!”
"Rather!" Craven laughed shortly.
“In fact. I have done something al­
ready. He won’t go far; for his word
:—a squealer’s word—won’t have much
weight with the other side, lacking
proofs, and I’ve got the evidence to
discredit him," he paused again,
touched his breast lightly but effec­
tively, "here!"
Again interrupted by the foghorn, he
started and frowned Irritably, seem­
ing to detect something sardonic in its
accent
"Well—that's all. You understand
now. The point is, Tm known to have
—ah—stolen this evidence. But don't
worry. Thia Is where you come In."
From his coat pocket Craven produced
a small, oblong box of inlaid wood,
hiahlv
pollshed.
Tvs managed to pack
the evidence In this, one of those Chi­
nese puzzle boxes. If you don't know
the combination. It needs an ax to open
It. Put it away somewhere—your
trunk till we land—but take it ashore
In your handbag. A tip from the other
side, you know, and the customs In­
spectors'll turn my luggage inside out ;
but you’re perfectly safe, you see,
coming in as an alien. They'll pass you
on your declaration.”
The girl slipped the box—It was
about large enough to hold a deck of
cards—Into the lining pocket of her
cloak. "I’ll keep it safe,” she said
quietly.
“Dear child ! It's so good to have
you to count on !” Craven patted her
cheek affectionately. “Nothing like
one’s own flesh and blood! I thought
I could trust that man: he was my
only aide this trip." He sighed pro­
foundly, and shook a doleful bead.
“Well—good-night again. I’ll go aft
again ; you forward. We mustn’t be
seen confabulating out here at this
hour.”
He stepped back two paces and van­
ished like a shape of dream.
For a moment or two the girl lin­
gered, listening keenly; but, hearing
nothing, not even Craven's retreating
footsteps, she finally took heart and
moved quietly forward beside the rail.
But she had put barely eight paces
behind her when she checked smartly,
with an inarticulate gasp, just short
of one whose burly figure, motionless,
barred her path. And then, as she
stepped back and turned In toward
the superstructure, thinking In her
panic to escape by a sudden dash for
the companion way, some whim of
chance caused the tenant of the near­
est stateroom to turn on the lights, and
two square windows leaped refulgent
out of the gloom, the nearer silhouet­
ting the head and shoulders of another
man into whose embrace, as well, she
had been on the point of throwing
herself.
Simultaneously strong hands fell
upon her shoulders from behind, she
was whirled about into the hollow of
a powerful arm, and an Incipient
scream was smothered on her lips by
the Impact of a heavy palm.
CHAPTER VIII.
Later she recalled that one of the
foghorn's agonized squalls had seemed
like a signal for the attack. It was
reverberating In her ears, like the
shriek of a damned soul, all the while
she was struggling In that brutal em­
brace. It was still yammering even
when she was released.
Throughout her consciousness was
faithfully registering nightmare im­
pressions—of the second man closing
In to aid her first assailant ; of a sav­
age tearing of her cloak; of cynical
accents breathed hatefully In her ear,
"Easy now! Take It easy, little one,
If you don’t want to get hurt! Steady
—so!” of someone swearing fretfully:
of a third voice rapping out an oath of
rage; of sounds like the crack of a
pistol shot, the thud of a heavy fall, a
grunt of pain, a vile expression from
him who held her—
And then she was free—and the fog
horn still screeching!
She staggered back to the rail, her
brain reeling, no true coherence In her
consciousness—only the struggle be­
tween Instinctive desire to scream and
the knowledge that for some reason
she mustn't.
Then a friendly voice saluted facul­
ties just beginning to comprehend that
chance had sent a rescue. “You. Miss
Craven? You?” Quoin was bending
solicitously over her as she clung trem­
bling to the rail.
Words come with difficulty from a
throat parched with fright. “Oh !" she
cried, one hand to her bosom. “Mr.
Quoin !"
"You’re quite safe now. But are
you hurt. Miss Craven?”
Tm all right. I think. Oh, thank
you, Mr. Quoin!"
“There ! I’ve done nothing—Just
happened along at the right time-
thank God! But the first thing la
to get you out of this confounded fog !"
“No—please—one moment—"
The girl was searching frantically
for the lining pocket In her cloak.
And then at last she found it, and
it was empty.
HERMISTON
HERALD,
She turned a vacant stare to Quoin’s
puzzled regard. A sense of suffocu
tion oppressed her, and his voice
sounded from a far distance :
"What’s the matter? You’re sure
you’re not hurt? Can I do anything?”
“I’ve been robbed !” she managed to
articulate piteously.
“Then,” he urged, “let me see you to
your stateroom. Afterward I’ll find
the captain—”
“No, no! Oh, please, no! Don’t
tell anybody?’
He stared. “Let me get this straight.”
he sald.after a moment. "You've been
subjected to a dastardly attack, and
robbed, and don’t want me to lodge
a complaint with the officers?”
“Yes, yes!” she nodded. “Yes.
that’s it—don’t tell anybody. Promise
me that—please promise !”
“If that’s your wish,” he said coolly,
| “I’ve no right to oppose it.”
“I’m sorry,” she faltered ; “but it’s
something I can’t explain. If I’d only
. myself to think of—” She checked In
consternation at that slip.
“I see,” Quoin said gently. “It’s an­
other’s secret—not all your own?”
She was silent.
“But,” he persisted, “you’ve been
robbed of something valuable—whether
yours or another’s. Do you mean to
let It go without effort to regain it?”
"Oh, no—something must be done !”
She worked her hands together in help­
less torment.
“Then you don’t mean to let the
matter drop? But can you accomplish
anything unaided? I don't want to
seem intrusive, but I’m really a bit
experienced in such matters, you
know. And of the many who have
trusted me, none has ever regretted
it.”
“Oh, I know, I know, Mr. Quoin !
But what can I tell you? That I don’t
know what it is I’ve lost?”
His brows lifted at this. “Is that
possible, Miss Craven?”
“It’s the truth,” she protested. “It—
something was given me to take care
of, something—I don’t know what—in
a little wooden Chinese puzzle box, and
that has been stolen from me.”
Quoin nodded. "These men who at­
tacked you—do you know them?”
“I haven’t the slightest suspicion
who they were.”
There was honesty in her accents ;
Quoin believed her. “I think—possi­
bly—I can find them for you, with your
permission.”
“You saw them?”
“No. But among our fellow passen­
gers are two card sharps, one of whom
DeALTON
UALCATINE
“There!
I’ve Done Nothing—Just
Happened Along at the Right Time!"
HERMISTON,
OREGON.
IN CITY OF INCAS
Ancient People Created Wonders
of Architecture.
Ruins Found in South America Dis­
close Amazing Facts Regarding
Vanished Civilization.
Amazing and absorbing interesting
facts concerning the builders of the
wonderful city of Machu Picchu, the
ancient Incas, are given in a com­
munication to the National Geograph­
ic society by Prof. Hiram Bingham,
director of the Peruvian expedition of
1915, sent out by the society and Yale
university. The ruins of this great
center of a vanished civilization was
discovered by Professor Bingham and
his party after they had been lost for
generations.
The buildings of Machu Picchu,
writes Professor Bingham, had an
elaborate system of highways through-
out this little known and almost unex­
plored country, which lies between
the Urubamba valley and the Apuri-
mao. The region was densely popu­
lated, and Machu Picchu was its cap­
ital.
Lack of timber,, the prevalence of
heavy rains during part of the year,
and the ease with which stone might
be procured early led to the develop­
ment of stone as a building material.
Strength and permanence were se­
cured through the keying together of
irregular blocks. The upper and low­
er surfaces of these stones were fre­
quently convexed or concaved, the
convexity of one stone approximating
the concavity of the adjoining stone.
In constructing their walls the pure
arch was not evolved.
Their pottery is marked by simple
and graceful lines, bearing a striking
resemblance to that of ancient Greece
and resembling in its simplicity and
utility some of the modern vessels at
present In use in French kitchens.
Owing to the extreme moisture of the
climate, the remains of cloth are very
few ; but we know that the Inca peo­
ple actually did arrive at a high de­
gree of skill in the manufacture of
textiles through their ability to pro­
cure the wool of the alpaca.
Their surgical tools were probably
of bronze or obsidian. Surgery ap­
pears to have been practiced to a con­
siderable degree, if one may judge
by the ' large number of trepanned
skulls that we have found in caves
within a radius of 25 miles of Machu
Picchu. In some cases the cause of
the operation appears to have been
disease; in others evidence leads us
to the conclusion that the operation
was intended to relieve pain caused
by wounds received in battle. Since
the favorite weapon of the Inca peo­
ples was the sling, and clubs were
common, it is not surprising that the
skulls of many soldiers should have
needed the relief that came from
skillful trepanning. In the art of war
they exhibit skill In defense rather
than offense. Fortifications construct­
ed with salients and re-entrant angles
so as to admit of lateral fire were not
uncommon.
They had no machinery and did not
use iron or steel. They used levers
and inclined planes. They also made
huge fiber ropes, out of which they
constructed long suspension bridges.
They thought nothing of handling
blocks of stone weighing five tons and
upwards. Indeed, there are numerous
stones that weigh over fifteen tons,
which were fitted together with a skill
that has amazed all beholders.
Most unfortunate was the failure
of the Incas to develop an alphabet,
or even some form of hieroglyphic
similar to that which existed in south­
ern Mexico and Central America. It
is remarkable indeed that a people
who succeeded in equaling the an­
cient Egyptians in architecture, en­
gineering, pottery and textiles should
have fallen so far behind in the de­
velopment of a written language. This
is the most serious obstacle that
stands in the way of our learning more
of that enterprising race.
at least is quite capable of more felo­
nious work. I know both,” he smiled
gravely, “in a business way."
"But surely you couldn't have rec­
ognized either—”
"No. The fog was too thick. But
I marked one of the brutes for future
identification.”
"Marked?”
“The sign of my fist on his face— a
heavy blow, so heavy it bruised my
own knuckles. Give me permission to
do what I can, and I’ll look up the
quarters of my acquaintances, the card
sharps, make them let me In—I know
a way to coerce 'em—and see if either
wears my brand. If so, you’ll have the
puzzle within fifteen minutes—and no
“Set Steady.”
questions asked !"
She was chewing gum vigorously
“You are very kind,” the girl mur­
and audibly. She was a witness in
mured in confusion.
court.
“What is your name?" asked the
lawyer.
Doesn’t the suspicion grow In
“Minnie.”
your mind that Quoin Is using
“Minnie what?”
his reputation as a detective for
"Minnie Moore.”
some secret. Illegal purpose? Do
"Minnie, tell the Jury all you know
you fathom his game?
about the character of the defend
.==========================
ant?"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
But, after much discussion by law­
yers, the question was overruled and
Derivation of “Germany.”
“German’’ and “Germany" ccme from the following asked:
“Were you at your home last fall on
the Latin Germanicus and Germania,
which were the Roman names for the election day?”
The witness, however, angrily
Germans and their country. The words
are supposed to be from a Celtic root shook her fist In the face of the digni­
which some say meant “shouters” and fied jury.
“Now, you all jest set steady. I’m
others say meant “neighbors." The
Germans call themselves “Deutsch," not a-goin‘ to hurry about this. I’m
which Is from the same root as a-goin’ to answer that first question
"Dutch" and "Teuton." The root before I say one word about that last
meant “of the people" or "belonging to one."
the people,” and may have been the re­
Found Her Name.
sult of an effort to put Into barbarian
"I say. old fellow," confided the
tongue the Greek word ethnikos, mean­
ing the same thing, “of the people” or bachelor to his friend. “I’m going to
"racial.”
The relation between be married, and for the life of me I
“Deutsch" and "Teuton" Is more easily don't know what to call my wife’s
seen when we consider that "Deutsch" mother. 'Mother-In-law' is too big a
mouthful, and •mother’ would be too
used to be spelled “Teutsch."
ridiculous. Tell me. what do you do?"
"Let me see. Oh. yes, I remember
Man’s Love for Country.
A man's love for his native land lies The first year I called her, 'Soy?" •
"Well, and after that?"
deeper than any logical expression,
"Oh. after that It was easy—we both
among those pulses of the heart which
vibrato to the sanctities of home sod called her grandmamma."—Harper’s
to thoughts which leap up irosa his Magazine.
father’s grave.—Chapin.
FRIENDSHIP is TRUE WEALTH
This Fact Was Recognized by Unusual
Legacy Made in Will of Late
Justice Lamar.
In the will of the late Justice Lamar
of the United States Supreme court
there was one very unusual legacy. He
bequeathed his friendships to his fam­
ily.
“To my family,” the will runs, “I be­
queath friendships many and numerous
in the hope that they will be cherished
and continued. True friendships are the
most valuable of our earthly posses­
sions, more precious than gold, more
enduring than fame. ... As Henry
Drummond has well said, ‘Friendship
is the nearest thing we know to what
religion is 1’ ”
The family that inherits such wealth
is truly rich, observes a writer in the
Youth’s Companion. But it is a legacy
that must be used if it would be pre­
served. Friendships cannot be locked
away In safes or lent to historical ex­
hibits and museums. Like love and
faith and courage, they belong to that
intangible treasure of the soul that,
must be kept from destruction by con­
stant service. It Is not alone material
things that “rust doth corrupt.”
Bow many of us have let slip
thro igh busy or careless fingers the
beautiful and glowing friendships of
our youth? We did not mean to do
it; indeed, we have often regretted
the loss until, as the years pass, the re­
gret gradually fades away. And if that
is true of our own friends, how far
more true of our fathers' friends! Yet
there have been families where friend­
ships have passed down from father to
son for several generations.
There is food for thought here. How
many fathers are building up fine and
loyal and serviceable friendships that
they can with pride and gratitude be­
queath to their sons? How many moth­
ers are storing up like treasures for
their daughters? The question does
not end there. How many young peo­
ple of today are fitting themselves to
receive such legacies? How many In
all the varied and urgent calls of life
are heeding the challenge to make
themselves worthy of friendships by
being loyal and fine tempered and gen
erous friends themselves?
“A man that hath friends,” the old
book of wisdom declares, “must show
himself friendly,” and again, “Thine
own friend and thy father’s friend for-
make not.”
SAGE TEA DANDY
TO DARKEN HAIR
It’s
Grandmother’s Recipe to
Bring Back Color and
Lustre to Hair.
You can turn gray, faded hair beau­
tifully dark and lustrous almost over
night If you’ll get a 50-oent bottle of
“Wyeth's Sage and Sulphur Com­
pound” at any drug store. Millions of
bottles of this old famous Sage Tea
Recipe, improved by the addition of
other Ingredients, are sold annually,
says a well-known druggist here, be­
cause it darkens the hair so naturally
and evenly that no one can tell it has
been applied.
Those whose hair is turning gray
or becoming faded have a surprise
awaiting them, because after one or
two applications the gray hair van­
ishes and your locks become luxuriant­
ly dark and beautiful.
This is the age of youth. Gray-
haired, unattractive folks aren’t want­
ed around, so get busy with Wyeth's
Sage and Sulphur Compound to-night
and you’
1_ -=** ‘
\
82656534
handsome
hair and your youthful ap­
pearance within a few days.
This preparation is a toilet requisite
and is not intended for the cure, miti­
gation or prevention of disease.
Not to That Yet.
Ethel—Oh, I’m so happy! George
and I have made it up.”
Lena—And what day have you fixed
upon for your marriage?”
Ethel—Oh, we haven’t quarreled
over that yet.—Exchange.
The Holdup.
Tommy (who has been blown into a
water filled shell hole)—Hurry up,
mate. I don’t want to lose my prison­
er!
Rescuer—Prisoner! Where is ’e?
Tommy—I’m standing on i’m!
SKIN-TORTURED BABIES
Sleep, Mothers Rest After Treatment
With Cutlcura—Trial Free.
Send today for free samples of
Cutlcura Soap and Ointment and learn
how quickly they relieve itching, burn­
ing skin troubles, and point to speedy
healment of baby rashes, eczema and
Itchings. Having cleared baby's skin
keep it clear by using Cuticura ex-'
cluslvely.
Women Melting Prejudice.
Free sample each by mail with
Fifty years ago trained nurses were
Book. Address postcard, Cutlcura,
unknown in this country. In 1873 cer­ DepL
L, Boston. Sold everywhere.
tain ladles of New York decided to es­ —Adv.
tablish a school of nursing at Bellevue
hospital.
Mrs. Joseph Hobson, who
was one of the founders, says in her League to Enforce Peace
book, “Recollections of a Happy Life :”
Takes $10,000 Liberty Bond
"Strange to say, doctors were our
New
York — A subscription by the
chief antagonists, the doctors of the
Bellevue medical board. Not all of League to Enforce Peace to $ 10,000
them, by any means, but enough to worth of Liberty bonds was announced
hamper and hinder and add to our dif- Wednesday by Herbert S. Houston,
treasurer of that organization. Mr.
Acuities.”
Houston made this statement:
The “conservative doctors” were es­
• President William H. Taft of the
pecially trying.
“We were ignorant League to Enforce Peace has sent out
women interfering with what was a call to members to subscribe to the
none of our business" . . . and Liberty loan bonds and the league
“they were utterly opposed to our In­ itself is at once entering its subscrip­
terference.” A year later the same tion for $10,000.
board passed a resolution heartily in-
“And what the league is doing na­
lorsing the work.
tionally in response to President Taft’s
In the same way many Englishmen call, a number of the state branches
opposed Florence Nightingale ; and at are doing, in addition to practically
the beginning of the present war the the entire membership of the organiza­
offers of service from woman doctors tion. Wilson H. Lee, the state treas­
were not accepted. Now women in urer of the Connecticut branch, has
England are being urged to take med­ just sent word that of the $5000 of
ical training.
available funds in his bands, $4000
Before women take up any piece of was being put into Liberty bonds.
work which up to that time has been
“Our program calls for a league of
done, well or badly, by men, they are nations to establish and maintain peace
required to expend a great part of when this war is over. As that is the
their time, energy and money on get­ great object for which America and
ting permission to try.—Woman's Jour­ her allies are fighting the league’s pro­
nal.
gram becomes, not merely in effect but
in fact, the purpose of the war. So
Had Their Tickets.
the league to Enforce Peace, which
Mary Ellen, the colored maid, had has never believed in a dove-cote pa­
been carefully instructed by her new cifism but has stood from the first for
mistress In a number of things -con­ double-fisted, militant pacifism, is be­
cerning which she appeared to be pro­ hind the war and in the “warto the
foundly unenlightened.
Particular limit of its men and its money.”
stress had been laid upon the proper
manner of receiving visitors and of
Informing the mistress of their pres­
ence in the house.
Perhaps altogether to much had
been said about It or perhaps Mary
Ellen had stage fright at the crucial
moment, for when the first callers
came after Mary Ellen's advent Into
the family she “ushered” them only
ns far as lust inside the hall door. Suggestions to Childless
Taking the cards they gave her, and
Women.
leaving the visitors standing there, she
went to the foot of the staircase and
Among the virtues of Lydia E.
shouted :
“Mis’ Gallatin! Oh. Mis' Galatln! Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound is the
ability to correct sterility in the
Der's two ladles down here dot's come cases
of many women. This fact is
to see you and dey's fotch dere tick well established as evidenced by the
ets."
following letter and hundreds of others
we have published in these colums.
Poplar Bluff, Mo.—“I want other
All in the Family.
Angus MacBroth. the village inno­ women to know what a blessing Lydia
E. Pinkham s Vege­
cent. stood outside the farmyard rub­
table Compound has
bing himself, while on the other side
been to me.
We
of the gate an Infuriated bull pawed
had always wanted
the ground savagely.
a baby in our home
“Did the black bull get ye?” asked
but I was in poor
the farmer anxiously, as he came run­
health and not able
to do my work. My
ning up.
mother and hus­
“Did he?" snorted Angus. “D'ye no
band both urged me
see I'm rubbin' ma sei’. But ah'll get
to try Lydia E. Pink-
even wt’ him. the brute !”
ham's Vegetable
Ten minutes later he returned to
Compound. I did
the farmhouse, his face spread in o
so, my health im­
smile.
proved and I am now the mother of a
“A've dune It,” he told the farmer. fine baby girl and do all my own house
“A've got even wl' that black heart work.' Mrs. ALLIA B. TIMMONS, 216
Almond SL, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
ower yonder."
In many other homes, once childless,
"Whit wey?” asked the bull’s owner. there
are now children because of the
“Weel, I jist went tae the wee broon fact that Lydia E Pinkham's Vegetable
calf and fetched him a whack—sick a Compound makes women normal,
bonnie yin, tae, o'er the lug. an' says healthy and strong
Write to the Lydia R Pinkham Medi-
I tae him: 'Noo. gang an’ tell yer
cine Co., Lynn. Masa for advice— it
feyt her aboot that.’ "
MOTHERHOOD
WOMAN'S JOY
will be
confidential and helpful.