,
n,,i,,i.ii,,i.,i,,i, tit, -M
ffTTTTTTTTT
The
CHAPTER X. (Continued.)
She began methodically to remove ev
ery article singly, placing them neatly
in a heap on the table, after reading or
looking at them. Then she turned to the
other side, going through it in the same
way, and reached the bottom without
discovering anything more than Is usually
to be found In a lady's desk. With a dis
appointed air, she began to replace the
articles, when Miss Mailing's address
book fell from her shaking hand on to
the floor.
She stooped to pick it up as It lay
open; and, in doing so, she saw the edge
of a photograph peeping from the pocket
in the cover. She took it out hurriedly,
scattering, as she did so, some dead
pressed violets on to the table. She
shuddered when she raised the tissue
paper, for it was the photograph of a
grave!
She went to the dressing table, where
the candles were still burning, to read
the name of the photographer at the
back of the card. The printing was in a
language she did not understand; but she
guessed it must ibe Spanish. She turned
to the picture again, and in the strong
light she could almost make out part
of the inscription on the plain headstone.
The first name, she was sure, began with
the letter "P." In order to assist her,
she procured Miss Mailing's magnifying
glass, and, with the aid of that, she
spelled out the name, or as much of it
as she could see.
"P-a-u-l-i-n-e" she could clearly trace;
then came a blot, followed by "1-1-in-g,
d-i-e-d M-a-y 18 ." The remainder of
the inscription was undistinguishable.
"I never expected this! The grave of
Pauline Mailing! Then who Is my mis
tress? An adventuress a usurper! And
J shall have a hand in dethroning her!"
She wiped the perspiration from her
white, quivering face, placed the photo
graph in her dress, and locked the desk.
CHAPTER XI.
Jack was by no means heartless, and
his conscience pricked him more often
than was pleasant with regard to Ethel
Mallett. He wondered a little if she had
really ceased to care for him, if she had
yet found a successor to him, or if pique
alone had led her to offer him his free
dom. She had sent him back the little
ring he put on her finger when they were
o happy together, and, with a strange
inconsistency, he carried it about with
him continually.
Just about this time Jack began to
think that he ought to call in Bucking
ham street, if only to show his gratitude
for Mr. Mallett's many past kindnesses,
for the old gentleman had often been able
and always willing to do Jack a good
turn in past days. Once convinced that'
he ought to do a thing, Jack did it
I The morrow would be the first of Sep-
tember, and the house was full of peo
ple who had been invited to enjoy the
abundant sport Mallingford offered. A
number of amiable young men were
lounging about the corridors and billiard
room all day, who talked of nothing but
the probable weather on the morrow, the
chances for and against good sport, and
the respective merits of their own and
other men's guns. Jack obtained a few
words with Pauline before breakfast, and
carried his point.
"I must have several things for to
morrow," he said. "I know you would
not wish me to be different from others,
and I cannot get what I want without
going to town myself."
Pauline would have dearly liked to go
with him, for she had a horrible fear
that he would find out something if he
should call on. the Malletts. She was
not supposed to know of the existence
of such people for Jack had never
spoken' of them to her so he could net
well as him not to call on them; and
she could not leave her guests without
some very serious reason; consequently
she was forced to feign a complacency
she was far from feeling as she an'
wered:
"Of course, if you must go, there is
nothing more to be said; but you will nor
stay one half-hour longer than is abso
lutely necessary? If I don't know where
you are, I have sieh a feeling of unrest
and anxiety that life becomes a sorrow
for the time being."
There was honest truth in these words,
and Jack was flattered and grateful for
her love. He kissed the beautiful lips,
and promised to be back at the very
earliest moment possible.
When Jack was in the train, with a
quiet half hour before him for thought,
he felt curiously cloyed with the sweets
of love, and was ungrateful euough to
wish that Pauline would leave the love
making a little more in his hands, and
that her affection was of a less assertive
character.
Two or three hours later, when be had
'rushed through the business of the .day
and stood in the Malletts' sitting room,
shaking hands with both father and
daughter and exchanging cordial greet
ings, he felt as if he had been living in
a hot house of affections for the past
weeks, and bad just regained the invig
orating open air, where the hardier,
healthier class of feelings flourish.
He wondered a little at Mr. Mallett's
geniality, knowing nothing of Ethel's
eenerosity in taking toe entire responsl
l.ilitv of their separation upon herself,
and still less of her father's hope that
ah had got rid of a nameless nobody
just in time to leave the road dear for
i - a i i
a luttor more wormy i ,u
Zifc's Secret,
OR A BITTER RECKONING
By CHARLOTTE M. BRAEMB
way; and Jack felt somewhat piqued that
Mr. Mallett should make so light of the
whole business.
But he did not let his annoyance ap
pear upon the surface. He told of the
success of the paintings for Lord Sum
mers, of his hopes for the future, of the
gay life at Mallingford, and impressed
his hearers with the fact that he was
brimming over with good fortune and
happiness.
Ethel did not say much; but she ap
peared to be quietly, kindly interested;
and, though she was paler than she used
to be, she did not give one the idea of
a love-lorn damsel. She sat listening
to the conversation, and wondering if
her father woiild touch on the subject
of their identity during Jack's visit; but
Mr. Mallett did not wish to be made the
topic of gossip among Miss Mailing's
guests, and therefore kept his own coun
sel. When Jack was about to leave, Mr.
Mallett decided to walk part of the way
with him, and accordingly went down
stairs first Jack turned, with the door
handle in his hand, to thank Ethel for
what she had done yet hardly to thank
her, either.
"I can't go without thanking you for
being so candid with me, Ethel," he
said. "Of course I was very surprised
when I received your letter breaking off
the engagement; but equally of course
there was nothing for me to do but ac
quiesce in your wish."
Ethel felt how ungenerous this remark
was, seeing that his neglect had led to
what had happened; but she would not
be driven into reproaching him, and so
give him cause to justify himself. Her
feelings were too real to bear dissec
tion, and she avoided the discussion.
"That is all passed," she said, grave
ly; "better let it rest"
Though she did not say one word in
self-defense, there was a world of re
proach in the subdued tones of her ad
vice; though her speech was so indif
ferent, her whole manner asserted her
right to be considered more than blame
less throughout the affair.
Jack felt miserably small under her
calm gaze, and his respect for her was
vastly Increased by this little passage at
arms; and, as he was carried by the af
ternoon express back to Mallingford
Park, he could not shake from his mind
the fable of the dog and the shadow.
CHAPTER XIL
The rain was coming down in torrents,
and there was a general expression of
disappointment on the men's faces round
the breakfast table at Mallingford Park.
"But you know it is really too bad,"
Cecil Danesford observed to Miss Mail
ing. "Your head man had fixed to-day
for the north end covers, and he says
they are the best on the whole estate;
and now this rain comes and spoils the
whole thing. It is annoying, you must
allow."
"Poor creatures men!" said the Hon.
Miss Collins, reflectively. "The comfort
of their lives depends a upon the one
amusement of the hour. Deprive them
of that and they are stranded helplessly.
Glad I'm a woman!"
"Well, I hope you will have got over
the first rush of slaughter by the 17th,"
Pauline Interposed, bringing the conver
sation back to the original object.
"Why by the 17th?" several asked.
"Because I shall then attain my long-
deferred majority, and dear old Lord
Summers insists that there will be a big
affair on the happy occasion."
"A ball? Delightful!" exclaimed the
ladies.
"And I shan't be here!" mutfered Ce
cil
His attention was suddenly arrested
by an advertisement in the Times, which
he held in his hand.
"By all that's mysterious!" he exclaim
ed; and then he sat gazing at the news
paper in mute astonishment.
Bertha Collins leaned across, and look
ed at the place he was pointing at
"How extraordinary!" she exclaimed.
"For pity's sake, let us into the mys
tery!" Pauline said; and Bertha read out
the following advertisement:
"'Mallingford Park If this should
meet the eye of Sir G. M., he will hear
of something to his decided advantage
by applying to Messrs. Daws & Raven,
10 Leman street, E. C "
There was general astonishment and
various were the surmises as to what
it could mean. Jack, glancing at Pau
line, was surprised to see her agitated
and white to the Hps, She motioned to
him not to notice It, and fought deter
minedly with her emotion. The others
were too much absorbed by their curiosity
to take much heed, and she bore herself
as usual until breakfast was finished.
"Will you help Mrs. Sefton and me
to finish filling in the cards for the sev
enteenth?" she asked Jack, as she left
the breakfast room.
Jack promised to join them in the
boudoir in a quarter of an hour. He did
not like to think of Pauline's look. He
was a poor struggling artist, who had
hitherto lived by the exercise of his un
aided talent, and Pauline was a rich
high-born woman, his superior in most
things that count in this world; yet he
would not make her bis wife if he did not
believe her life to be spotless and with
out flaw. This was the idea that haunt
ed him as he recalled her look at the
breakfast table. If ever a woman's face
expressed suddenly aroused fear, his
fiancee had done so when Bertha Col
ling read that advertisement In the Times.
He went back to the breakfast room be
fore he joined Pauline, read the adver
tisement again, and copied VUo address
into his note book.
" I am In the neighborhood with a
few moments to spare, I may look them
up and see what it means," he decided.
Then he followed the ladies to the
boudoir. Pauline, still looking unlike her
self, wag siting with Mrs. Sefton. Jack
said nothing to them, but weut straight
to his work of filling In the invitations
from the list of names given him. Mrs.
fcerton left the room after a time: and
Pauline, turning to Jack, put hur hand
eutreatingly ou his arm.
1 know what vou are srolnz to ask
me; but I can't talk about it just now
not to-day. I will tell you to-morrow,
or the day after; but don't speuk of it
now. I ask it ns a fa vor "
Jack felt Dernlexed. lie had exnected
the moment they were alone together
that she would tell him what had caused
her disquiet. He felt unhaDDv and wor
ried, yet he could hardly force her to
speak upon a subject that evidently dis
tresses: ner.
"Of course. I don't want to worrv vou.
darling," he answered; "but I must cgn
fess I am curious, and I shall be glad
when you can tell me all without dis
tressing yourself."
thank you vsry much, dear. And
now 1 want to. ask you if there is any
one you would like me to send a card to
for this ball."
Jack flushed as he replied:
'Tea; there are two nennln I nhniiM
like you to invite Mr. Mallett and his
daughter. They are everything desira
ble, or I Bhould not suggest it; and the
old gentleman was very kind to me in the
days that are gone."
"Was the daughter kind. too. Jack?"
playfully.
Again Jack flushed a little.
"I think you are a bit of a witch."
he said, with a laugh. "I may as well
tell you, and then there will be no secret
In my past for you to find out by and
by. Yes, she was kind to me, and once
thought I liked her well enough to
make her my wife; but that was before
I met you; you siren!"
"xou don't think so now?"
"If I did, should I be here?"
The rain continued to pour down
steadily, and the scratch, scratch of the
busy pens went on without interruption.
Pauline hiustoed her list first, and sat
back In her chair, with a thouehtful.
chastened look on her face which" was
strangely unlike her usual Imperious air.
Jack noted it, and thought her more
beautiful, if that were possible, although
ne wondered what had brought about so
great a change. He felt a forewarning
that this was the little cloud in their sky
that would darken the whole heavens.
"At last!" he exclaimed, as he threw
down his pen.
'You have been a good boy," Fauline
said, with a smile. "We could not have
finished them to-day without your help."
"bo I shall lose him, after all. If I can
not satisfactorily explain this morning's
fright!" she reflected, alone in her dress
ing room. "He will not allow a secret be
tween us. What can I do? If I con
coct a lie to account for It. there may
be an advertisement In to-morrow s pa
per that will expose it Who can want
to find Geoffrey Mailing after allowing
me undisputed possession for the last six
years? If they find him, they will tell
all, and he will claim his inheritance;
they cannot want him for anything else.
I must discover how much they know, or
how can I fight them? I can't trust
another; I must do It myself;" and, with
these thoughts runing through her mind,
she crossed to the bell, which Babette
promptly answered. "Babette, I want
to run up to London this afternoon, and
don't want the whole house to know
about it"
Babette's eyes flashed with a quick
glance of intelligence; but her lids droop
ed instantly, and she answered, meekly:
"Certainly, mademoiselle." '
"If the people see the brougham leav
ing the house, it will set them wonder-
Ing
ig; io I want you to run down to the
village during luncheon and bring back
one of the public flies from the inn there.
Tell the man to drive to the stable yard
in fact, you can come back in it; and
let It be there by a quarter past three.
"Very good, mademoiselle."
Babette's face gleamed with mruel de
light behind Pauline's back as she left
the room,
"So you think you have only to go to
Messieurs Daws & Rayen and show your
pretty face, and maybe a ten-pound note
or so, and they will tell you all about
the person who sent them that advertise
ment! But you do not outwit a French
woman so simply, my good friend! Mr,
Daws is quite prepared to receive you
with politeness, and to tell you that ha
really knows nothing more than that his
client, whom he is not at liberty to, name,
is anxious to obtain the address of the
present Sir Geoffrey;" and the girl
chuckled grimly as she went along. "That
old Daws wiH hardly risk losing his
share of the plunder, even to oblige a
sweet, so handsome, so soft-voiced a lady
as you, madame!" and she laughed again
as she pictured the meeting between her
mistress and the lawyer. "I wish I could
be there to see!"
Pauline stopped to speak to Jack as
they cross the hall after luncheon
"I shall lie down for the whole after
noon; my head is aching so dreadfully,
What will you do with yourself, Jock?
A wet day is such a terrible infliction
in a country house!"
"I shall work. It's a week to-day
since I touched a brush; it will be a
grand opportunity. I should advise your
taking a good rest while you can get It,"
Jack responded, in a matter-of-fact tone,
Pauline set her teeth in her underlip
and left him, her mind racked with anx
iety and fear,
"At all cost I must be in a position to
tell him something that will not be con
tradlcted. I must find out how much
those people know before to-night"
(To be continued.)
GOVERNOR
t
Makes Use of
His Family
CAPITOL BUILDING,
Peruna ia known from the Atlantic
to the Pacific. Letters of congratula
tion and commendation testifying to
the merits of Peruna as a catarrh rem
edy are pouring in from every state in
the Union. Dr. Hartman is receiving
hundreds of such letters daily. All
classes write these letters, from the
highest to the lowest.
The outdoor laborer, the indoor arti
san, the clerk, the editor, the states
man, the preacher all agree that
Peruna is the catarrh remedy of the
age. The statfe and rostrum, recogniz
ing catarrh as their greatest enemy, are
especially enthuisastic in their praise
and testimony.
Any man who wishes perfect heal.h
must be entirely free from catarrh.
Catarrh is well nigh universal. Ftru-
na is the best safeguard known.
Ask Your Druggist for Free
Fish that Change Color.
Among the curious observations
made by students at the Bermuda Bio
logical Station is that some of the In
habitants of the water there are able
to imitate the color of the rocks and
reefs among which they swim. The
common fish called the grouper pos
sess this power. Its chromatic varia
bility runs through a considerable
range of colors. A specimen of the
octopus vulgaris, after jerking an oar :
from the. hand of an Inquisitive nat
uralist, escaped pursuit by its ability
to imitate the exact shade of any
brown or gray neck on which it rest
ed.
A Light Kemedy.
A quack doctor, whose treatment had
evidently led to the death of his patient,
was examined sternly by the coroner.
"What did you give the poor fellow?
asked the coroner.
"Ipecacuanha, sir."
"You might just as well have given
him the aurora borealis," said the coro-
Ti
"Well. sir. that's just what I was go
ing to give him when he died."
A New One Needed.
Mr. Nagget A man is as old as he
feels, they say, and I assure you your
extravagant ideas make me feel
Mrs. Naggett And a woman Is a old
as she looks. But, thank goodness, I
can never be as old as this bonnet of
mine looks. Philadelphia Press.
Don't make indifferent pastry and ex
pect your children to be healthy.
BLOOD POISON
The black flasr is an emblem of horror and dread. When it is hoisted
fcy an army, the order has gone forth
erything' must be destroyed. Helpless women ana cnnaren, as weu as oppos
ing" soldiers, meet the same fate, and a trail of desolation, suffering and
death is left behind. Contagious Blood Poison is the black flag of the great
army of disease. This vile disorder is known as the blackest and most hide
ous of all human afflictions, overthrowing its victims and crushing out the
life. It is no respecter of persons ; no matter now pure the blood may be ,
or how innocently the disease is contracted, when this awful virus enters the.
circulation the hideous, hateful and humiliating symptoms begin to appear,
and the sufferer feels that his very presence is polluting and contaminating.
Usually the first sign of the disease is a little sore or ulcer, but as the blood
becomes more deeply poisoned the severer symptoms are manifested, the
mouth and throat ulcerate, the glands in the groins 8well a red rash breaks
out on the body, the hair and eyebrows come out, and often the body is cov
ered with copper-colored spots, pustular eruptions and sores. In its worst
stages the disease affects the nerves, attacks the bones and sometimes causes
tumors to form on the brain, produc-
ing insanity and death. Not only
those who contract the poison suffer,
but unless the virus is driven from
the blood the awful taint is handed
down to offspring, and they are its
innocent victims. Blood Poison is in
deed a "black flag." Mercury and
Potash, so often used, never can cure
the trouble. These minerals merely
drive the Symptoms away for awhile
and shut the disease up in the system,
and when they are left off it returns
worse than before. . This treatment
notfonly fails tocure blood poison
but eats out the delicate lininff of the
Stomach and bowels, produces chronic dyspepsia, loosens the teeth and fre
quently causes mercurial rheumatism to add to the patient's suffering.
S. S. S. , the great vegetable medicine, is the conqueror of this vile disease. It
goes down to the very root of the trouble and cures by cleansing the blood of
every particle of the poison. S. S. S. .does not hide or , cover up anything
PIIRTIV VFPFTARIF is not purely vegetable. When the blood
r U n C L T VCUCIMDLC. i3 purfiei and strengthened with this
great remedy the symptoms all pass away and no sign of the disease is ever
Been again ; nor is there left the least trace to be handed down to posterity.
Special book with instructions for self-treatment and any medical advice de
sired will be sent without charge to all who write.
THE SWIFT SPECIFIC COa. ATLAMTA. CA
OF OREGON
iPe-ru-na in
For Colds
SALEM, OREGON
A Utter Prom the Ex-Governor of
Oregon.
The ex-governor of Oregon is an ar
dent admirer of Peurna. He keeps it
continually in the house. In a letter
to Dr. Hartman, he says:
State of Oregon,
Execmtive Department.
The Peruna Medicine Co., Columbus,
0.:
Dear Sirs I have had occasion to use
your Peruna medicine in my family for
colds, and it proved to be an excellent
remedy. I have not had occasion to use
it for other ailments.
Yours very truly, W. M. Lord.
It will be noticed that the governor
says he has not had occasion to use
Peruna for other ailments. The reason
for this is, most other ailments begin
with a cold.
Peruna Almanac for 1906.
According to Instructions
A British officer, in his expense list
on government service, put down:
"Porter, twopence."
The officer was requested to re
port to the war office and receive the
following explanation:
"While executing public duty re
freshments are not chargeable to the
nation."
"The item does not represent re
freshments," replied the ofllcer, "but ft
fee to a carrier."
"You should have said porterage,"
was then explained to him.
When the officer had occasion to take
a hansom, remembering Instructions,
he wrote in his account:
"Cabbage, 2 shillings." Philadelphia
Public Ledger.
Good Advice to a Tramp.
The autumn night was chill. There
was a hint of frost In the air. The
tramp's collar was turned up and his
nose blue with cold.
"I have here 9 cents," he said. "If
you will give me one more penny, sir,
I can get a bed all to myself."
"No, I can't do that," said the stran
ger. "But I advise you to ask the gen
tleman you are to sleep with for an
additional penny. He should give it
to you gladly." Minneapolis .Teurnal.
The Baltic sea has more wrecks than
any other place In the world, the aver
age being one wreck a day the year
round.
that "no quarter " will be given, ev
Saveral yean ago I had blood poison
and my flesh was In an awful oonaition.
Great sores would break out and noth
ing I put on them would do any good.
My hair and eyebrows fell out and Z wag
" a fright." My mouth was so sore X
had to live on milk and water. I took
Merotfry for a long time and Instead of
getting better X continued to grow:
worse and my arms and hands beoama
olid sores, my legs were drawn so t
could not walk and I felt that my time;
was short here if I did not get some re
lief. I began to use your S. S. S. and it
helped me from the start. After taking
It awhile the sores all healed, my rheu
matism was cured and to-day I am a
strong, well man. It got all the mer
cury out of my system and it cured me
sound and well. ADAM SCHN ABEL, '
Evansville, Ind. No. 211 Mary St,
but clears the entire circulation of the
virus and puts the system in good
healthy condition. It cures safely as
well as certainly, because there is not a
particle of mineral in it. We offer a re
ward of ti.ooo.oo for uroof that S. S. S.
t