Prisoners
By H. S.
Ons morning, about a fortnight later,
Matthew Marlr tfAet-nn roratvpd ft letter
which caused him to leave his breakfast
untasred aud drive off In the first hansom
cab he could find to Tyars' club.
The waiter whose duty It was to look
after the few resident members Informed
the American, whom he knew well by
8'ght, that Mr. Tyars was not downstairs
yet.
"Well," replied Easton, "I guess I'll
wait for him ; In fact, I am going to have
breakfast with him a boiled egg and two
pieces of thin toast."
Ue was shown into the room occupied
hy Tyars, and proceeded to make himself
exceedingly comfortable in a large arm
chair, with the morning newspaper.
Tyars was not long in making his ap
pearance trim, upright, strong as usual,
and conveying that unassertive sense of
readiness for all emergencies which was
at times almost aggressive. He carried
his hand in the smallest and most unob
trusive sling allowed by the faculty. At
his heels walked Muggins the grave, the
pink-eyed. Muggins was far too gentle
manly a dog to betray by sign or sound
that he considered this visitor's behavior
a trifle too familiar.
"Good morning, cantaln." said Easton.
cheerily. "Well, Muggins, I trust I see
you in the enjoyment of health."
The violent chuck under the chin with
which this hope was emphasized received
but scant acknowledgment from a very
stumpy tail.
"I have news," said Easton, at once,
laying aside the newspaper; "news from
old Smith Pavloski Smith."
"Where from?" inquired Tyars, with
out enthusiasm.
"From Tomsk. It Is most extraordi
nary how these fellows manage to elude
the police. Here is old Pavloski an es
caped Siberian exile a man they would
give their boots to lay their hands on
goes back to Russia, smuggles himself
t,j;o uu a iu iiussm, smuggles uimseii I
across the German frontier, shows that
nnlii.nn f.M t 1. .' I. 1 ( I T"l i
. u.o icucia wilu Buiau mxerest, is
that the end is alwava th unw. Thor
all overdo it sooner or later."
"Yes," admitted the American, whose
sensitive face betrayed a passing discom
fort, "but it is no good thinking of that
now."
"Not a bit," acquiesced Tyars, cheerful
ly. "Only I shall be rather surprised
if I meet those three men up there. It
would be better luck than one could
reasonably expect."
"If one of them gets through with his
party, all concerned should be very well
pleased with themselves," said Easton.
"Now listen to what Pavloski says."
He unfolded a letter, which was ap
parently a commercial communication
written on the ordinary mail paper of a
merchant, and bearing the printed al
dress of an office in Cronstadt.
On the first page was a terse advice,
written in a delicate, clerkly hand, of the
receipt by Hull steamer of a certain num
ber of casks containing American apples.
"This," said Easton, "Is from our stout
friend. He has received the block soups
and the Winchester cartridges."
He then opened the letter further, and
on the two inside pages displayed a close
ly written communication in a peculiar
pink-tinted ink, which had evidently been
brought to light by some process, for the
paper was wrinkled and blistered.
"I have,' read the American, slowly,
as if deciphering with difficulty, 'reached
Tomsk without mishap. I have bought
a strong sledge, wholly covered In, and
Instead of sleeping in the stations, usually
lie down on the top of my cases under the
cover. I give as reason for this the in
formation that I have many valuables
watches, rings, trinkets and, being a
young merchant, cannot run the risk of
theft to save my own personal comfort.
I have traveled day and night, according
to the supply of horses, but have always
succeeded hitherto in communicating with
those who are to follow me. One man on
my list was In the prison indicated ; he is
probably dead. I find great Improve
ments. Our organization is more mechan
ical, and not so hysterical this I attrib
ute to the diminished number of female
workers. All tba articles with which your
foresight provided me have been useful,
but the great motor in Siberia Is money.
With the funds I have at my command I
feel as powerful as the Czar. I can buy
whom I like and what I like. My only
regret is that the name of C. T. has to
be suppressed that the hundreds of in
dividuals who will benefit by his grand
generosity will never know the name of
the Englishman who has held out his
laden hands to those groaning under the
yoke of a barbarous oppression. When
we are all dead, when Russia is free,
his name will be remembered by some one.
The watches will be very useful; I have
sold two at a high price; but once be
yond Irkutsk, and I will send or give one
to the master of each Important station,
or to the starosti of each village. By
this means those who follow mn win v,,,
that they are on the right track. I have
vuub Ltirjr aiv uu iua iiub iracK. 1 nave I
.. .. tnotrtllAa fn 1 . J . - I
cuuufiu nmuicfl km mj imm Lrom IT-
kutsk to the spot where I assemble my
......... T tmn t 1
yanjr. a luvi uij ivvv lumLmillons oy I
appointment at the base of the Ivan Vel
. . tUA Kn.A -1 1 1. . T . . I
Ikl tower in the Kremlin, and we spent
half an hour In the cathedral together
within musket snot or the (Jzar, and un
un mo ,CA uwog vi luc vioaui vi uifl I
police. Since then we bars not met, but
der the very nose of the cream of hi
is
ovicuiu ia ul uia uuuiusuing m i eiers- ""y'j uw.au uu uue nas naa rne
burg, and finally posts off to Tomsk with numey. I know several whaling captains
a lot of contraband luggage as a mer- wno would be ready enough to try, pro
chant. I thought I had a fair allowance vi3ed tneT were paid. The worst danger
of cheek, but these political fellows are wa the chance of the three men being
far ahead of me. Their cheek and their captured as soon as they entered Russia,
calm assurance are simply unbounded." Tey are now at their posts In Siberia.
"The worst of It," said Tyars, turning In May they meet surreptitiously on the
jia tito Inftt... I-U 11 ; . .. ki flftiifliorn .limn nP . - ; I
and Captives
MERRIMAN
are each work in? forward by the pre
scribed route alone. I see great changes
here. Russia Is awakening she is rub-
hinir hoi atah fjsid IrApn VA11 nil thrpA !"
"" J ' v. - - c "
Matthew Mark Easton indicated by a
little jerk of the head that the letter was
finished. Then, after" looking at It curi
ously for a moment, he folded It and put
it away in his pocket.
"Old Smith," he said, "waxes quite
noetic at times."
'Yps" ATwivprpri Tvnr. nnnrlnff our
his coffee, "but there Is a keen business
man behind the poetry."
'One," observed Easton, In his terse
wav. "of the shnnipsl- needles In Rnsain
and quite the sharpest In Siberia at the
present moment.
"He will need to be; though I think
that the worst of his journey is over.
The cream Is. as ha savs. at Moscow.
Once bevond NUnl he will find milk, t-hnn
milk nnd water, and finally beyond Ir
kutsk the thinnest water. The official In
tellect in Siberia Is not of a brilliant de
scription. Pavloski can outwit every
gendarme or Cossack commandant he
meets, and once out of Irkutsk they need
not fear the law. Thev will onlv have
Nature to compete with, and Nature al
ways gives fair play. When they have
assembled they will retreat north like an
organized armv before a rahhle. tnr fhpr
are not enough Cossacks and gendarmes
in ."Northern Siberia to form anything
like an efficient corps of pursuit. They
may follow, but I shall have the fugitives
on board and away long before they reach
the seaboard."
"How many are there in Yakutsk?"
"Two thousand altogether, soldiers and
Cossacks. They have no means of trans
port and no commissariat corps. By the
time that the news travels south to Ya
kutsk, that there is a body of supposed
exiles to the north, our mpn will havo
gained such an advantage that pursuit
would be absurd."
"It seems." renlled Easton. HA VPPV
simple that I wonder no one has tried it
before."
"Simply because no one has had the
'ui'o mo eraujuuisga, cross
the mountains, and thev nro an fa " tk
three leaders will then be together, and
they will retreat north as arranged,
scaring the Yamschicks into obedience,
and taking all the post deer and dogs
with them, so that an Immediate pursuit
will be impossible. I think," added the
organizer of this extraordinary plot,
"that we shall succeed."
As the middle of February approached
Claud Tyars Was tranmiillv fnoairaA in
his preparations. Several ladies were
pleased to express their disapproval of
this affectation of hard work and failed
to see why his evening should ha do.
voted to a task for which Jm hud
of time during the day.
It would be hard to determine how
far Tyars realized his nnsittnn tr
a disciplinarian of the finest mold, and It
is proDaDie that he had never, up to this
time, allowed for a moment the fact that
he loved Helen Grace. Thin d
tlon to cultivate the blindness of those
who will not see was not dlntafpd hir
ardice; because Claud Tyars was, like
most physically powerful men, Inclined,
to exaggerate the practice of facing dis
agreeable facts with both eyes open. He
had refused to realize this most incon
venient truth, because he was oppressed
oy a vague tear that realization meant
betrayal.
He now susnected that Mloa Wtnfo
had known all along that Helen Grace
was not the same to him as other wom
en. Added to this was a mixnlninn thai-
she calmly and deliberately undertook
tne task ot forcing him to say as much
to Helen herself. He could think this
now without vanity.
Matthew Mark Easton stood and
watched, as you may have watched these
slow, strong rivers, and knew that his
friend was passing on to some new coun
try with a purpose which he could not
stay nor turn aside. Probably he felt a
little doubtful of Claud Tyars felt that
he could not rely upon him to act like
other men. At any moment the unexpect
ed might supervene.
Deenlv. however. ashe felt hla ivnnAn.
sibility, anxious as he was, he never lost
spirit. He Was one of those men whna
courage rises to the occasion, and while
he recognized luiiy that without Claud
Tyars failure was inevitable, he would
not blind himself into the belief that the
leader was absolutely safe.
CHAPTER XXI.
At the risk of being accused of betray
ing the secrets of the sex, this opportunity
is taken of recording an observation made
resDectinir men. It Is slmnlv- thia ; That
we all turn Rooner or later to some wom
en In our difficulties. And when a man
has gone Irretrievably to the dogs, his
descent is explicable by the simple argu
ment that he happened to turn to the
wrong woman. Matthew Mark Easton
had hitherto cot alomr fairlv well with.
out feminine interference, but this In no
manner detracted from his respect for
i ... . ' mi.t i .
leuuuiuw UBiuieueHs. xius TCNpttCc now
1 LI V . V f - fc i
urgeu unu iu uiuau ma iim vviy Cttreiuiiy
one afternoon, purchase a new flower for
LI. 1. . . i. . 1. ..! . .. .. J . .. ! . , If! 1T.I.
Ula uuiivu uuie, aiiu uuvts lu miss ln-
. t TT. . 1. 1 .. J . . .... 1 ,
ter's. He found that lady at home and
alone
"I thoueht." he said, as he entered tha
room and nlnced his hat rarefullv on ha
piano, "that I should find you at home
Limuu, luai i vuuuiu imu jruu ai uuuio
this afternoon. It is so English outside."
"The weather does not usunlly affect
my movements," replied Miss Winter. "I
am glad you came this afternoon, bocausq
i am not often to be found at homo at
this time. Tell me, how Is Mr. Tynrs?"
He is well," was the answer, "Uiauk
you. ins arm Is knitting nicely."
There was a little pause, thou he add
M, with ft marked drawl an Amerl
canism to which he rarely gave way ;
"Ho-w Is Miss Grace?"
Agnes Winter looked up sharply. Mat
mew aiark Kastou met the gaze of those
clever northern eyes with a half smile.
She gave a little short laugh, half pleas
ed, half embarrassed, like the laugh o(
some fair masker when she finds herself
forced to lay aside her mask.
"I wonder," she said, "how much you
know?"
The strange, wrinkled face fell at once
Into an expression of gravity which ren
dered It somewhat wistful and almost
ludicrous.
"Nothing I guess !"
"How much do you surmise?" she
amended, unconsciously using a word to
ward which he had a decided conversa
tional penchant.
"Everything. My mind Is in a fevered
state of surmise."
"Is there anything to be done?" she
asked, after a lengthened pnuse.
"I counted," he answered, "that I
would put that question to you."
"Don't you see that I can do nothing,
that I am powerless?"
"And," he continued, Impcrturbably,
what am. I to do?"
"Well, I should go to Mr. Tyars and
say, Claud Tyars, you cannot go on this
expedition vou have nn riiri, t !
fice the happiness of of another to tho
gratification of your own personal ambi-
twin T "
m , m IL' ne sam because
Uaua Tyars has bound hi
and I will not let him off his contract!
it is my expedition."
He hardly exnected her tn hM u
knowing Tyars and himself as she did.
But he was quite aware that he laid him
self open to a blow on the sorest spot Id
his heart.
"Then why do vou not en rmmooif r.
T J a m!nJ . 1 t. 1 1 ..
though he made no attpmnf tn tnQtifJ
ftiiitcu uiiuer ir. nn rna oomn
himself. She had touched hla ni!iln omt
mere is no prouder man on earth than
a high-bred North American. He merely
sat and endeavored to keep his lips still,
as xjrars wouia nave managed to do. In
a second Miss Winters saw the result of
tne taunt, and her generous heart soft.
ened.
"I beg your pardon." she said: "1
know there must be some good reason."
bhe waited, in order to give him an
opportunity of setting forth his good rea
son, but he refused to take it, and she
never had the satisfaction of hearing it
irom nis own lips.
(To be continued.)
FEAT IN RAILROAD LIGHTING.
Ennrllah Line 'J'eata New Sratem
Which Greatly Kedacea Coat.
A new and interesting engineering
test and one of considerable value to
railway companies and of great eoni
niercial possibilities has been made on
the Great Eastern Railway of Great
Britain, says the New York Tribune.
It was to demonstrate the value of a
uew system of lighting railway trains,
which is known as the Leltner-Lucas
system.
The dynamos were entirely sealed
up; that is, the oil wells, brush and
reversing gear. The automatic cutouts
were similarly placed under seal, as
well as the storage battery, the seal
ing being done by the railway com
pany In such a way that no replace
ment or repairs could be made, no oil
added to the well or any part of the
machinery and no water or acids added
to the batteries. Mr. Leltner's claim
was that under these conditions Ue
would light the carriages designated
during the time they would cover a
distance exceeding the circumference
of the earth at the equator and during
the most exacting period of the year,
from October to the end of December.
On Jan. 1 the distance agreed od
had been exceeded, the two coaches
used for the test on arriving at Pad-
diugton from Cornwall having covered
25,200 miles. The light had not failed
on any occasion, the Illumination be
ing as bright on the lust journey as on
the first. The lights were kept sup
plied with an electric current at a
practically constant voltage, running oi
standing. The seals were taken off,
and it was found that though the dyna
mos had not had a drop of oil, nor
the accumulators a drop of water or
acid, they were In first rate condition,
and could have gone on for another
month or more, still under seal, and
supplied a good and sufllcient light
The result of this test In a commer
cial point of view Is that during twelve
weeks and for a distance of 25,200
miles, coaches were effectually and
even luxuriantly lighted, practically
without any human attendance at all,
and without renewals, replacements or
repairs In other words, without any
cost, except for more coal, theoretically
consumed on the locomotive, which is
such an Infinitesimal amount as not to
be traceable.
Indebtedneaa.
"Don't you feel that you owe some
thing to the public?"
"No," answered Mr. Dustln Stax.
"The principal object of my financial
career has been to keep the public in
debt to me." Washington Star.
Thre are four mlllloualren In Britain
to one In Franc
Automatic C'lilrkrn Feeder,
Tho feed box or trough nt the hot
torn for tho chickens to eat out of la
uiiule out of 1x0 Inch boards, 3 feet
long, with shits on the side 3 Inches
wide, milking the trough 2 Inches deep ;
end pieces of 1-Iueh lumber, 1 foot wide,
18 inches high. The middle partitions
are cut 0 inches wide at the bottom to
fit bottom of trough 3 Inches high, then
tapers out to 10 inches nt top, thut
makes It n V-slinpe from both sides, so
chickens enn eat from either side of
feeder. One side Is fnRtened to end
pieces and middle pnrtltlons, the other
sldo has pieces to slide up and down
between cleats, so you can shut the feed
clear off or raise It up any height nc
cording to what you have In the bins,
The bottoms of these bins are 1 Inch
from bottom of feed trough, so ns the
chickens eat more feed It will come
down. You can have corn In one, whent
THE AUTOMATIC CHICKEN FEEDER.
In one and grit or oyster shells In a
third. The chickens can help them
selves whenever they want to ent, and
their feed is always clean and they
can't waste their feed by getting It In
the mud or snow, aud the lid Is on
hinges, so It can be shut down and fas
tened, so that feed is perfectly dry.
Each bin will hold one peck of feed.
Farm Progress.
Nail Wonnda In Hoof.
It has long been known that nail
pricks and other similar Injuries In
the horse's hoof may lead to an Infec
tion followed by formation of pus under
the horn of the hoof and a serious gen
eral disease of the horse or at least
the loss of the hoof. In a bulletin of
the South Dakota Station, Moore has
recently reported results obtained In a
number of cases from applying a strict
antiseptic treatment to Injuries of this
sort The method consists In paring
away the horn of the hoof from the
affected part until the blood oozes out.
The hoof is then thoroughly washed
In a solution of blehlorld of mercury at
the rate of one part to 500 of water,
after which absorbent cotton saturated
In a solution of the same strength Is
applied to the wound and the whole
hoof Is packed in cotton surrounded by
a bandage and well coated with tar.
This prevents any further filth from
coming In contact with the wound. The
operation must usually be done by a
qualified veterinarian. Subsequent
treatment, however, can be applied by
the average farmer, since all that Is
necessary Is to pour a little of this solu
tion of blehlorld of mercury upon the
cotton which projects from the upper
part of the bandage. The cotton will
absorb enough of the solution to keep
the wound moistened and hasten the
healing process.
Fine Wool Sheep.
The Wensleydale breed of sheep Is
far from common even In Its home,
England. None Is in America. It Is a
fine sheep, superior in some respects
to all others. It Is said that for cross-
lng on any other breed the Wensley
dale has no equal. Since the Royal Agri
cultural Society of England commenced
giving prizes for wool three years ago,
the Wensleydale wool has each time se
cured first prize In the "any other long
wooled class." No long wool produced
in the British Isles Is equal to the
Wensleydale In quality or value.
New Varieties of Potatoes.
Many varieties of potatoes come and
go, and, but for the Introduction of new
varieties, potatoes would soon be scarce.
This Is due to the careless selection
of seed. All the tubers of a crop are
scM for seed, when only the best
should be selected. If only the largest
tubers from the thriftiest and strong
est plants were retained for seed, there
would be an Improvement In the old
varieties Instead of deterioration In
quality. But as long as seed potatoes
bring good prices, there will be both
good and Inferior seed used.
A
Ide the I'lMiHrf Yard.
If It is necessary to confine the poul
try during the summer and tho Inclosiire
cannot ho placed near tho shade of
buildings or trees, try tho plan of grow
ing some plants Just outside tho fonce,
but far enough from It so that tho
fowls cannot get at tho foliage. One
of the best plants for the purposo Is
tho canna, using the cneap, tall-growing
sorts, and buying tho roots, not the
seeds. Another quick growing plant nuu
one which will make an abundance of
shade is the castor bean, which may be
grown from seeds planted where they
are to stay; that Is, the young plants
cannot well bo transferred. Even com
set thickly will furnish some shade
quickly, and If a vine Is wanted, noth
ing Is better than the common morning
glory, the seeds being sown thick and
tho vines trained aloni; strings fastened
to the poultry yard fence. While the
vines or plants are growing erect a
rough roof of boards open on all sides
to supply temporary shade.
A Pointed (location.
Two cows cost $40 each per year for
keep. One of them yields you 4,000
quarts of milk a year, that bring you
?8t). The other yields 120 quarts, that
bring you $2(1. Tho latter loses for you
about $14 and reduces the gain on the
former from $4fl to $32. Why do you
keep tho 1,200-qunrt cow? You would
be better off with tho one that clears
$40, for you would have only half tho
Investment, half the work, and half
the feeding, and you would gain $14
eaoh year. There would be no surplus
butter on tho market for years to come
and prices would rule strong If the
cows wero eliminated which are kept
at a loss. Dairy farmers have not yet
half waked up to an understanding of
the great practical lniMrtance of weed
ing out the unprofitable cows from
their herds. Many a man would make
a fair profit, that now faces a constant
loss, If he would keep only such cows
as pay a profit on their keep. Farm
Journal.
Farm Irrigation Plant.
A current wheel to run a chain and
bucket gearing Is quite feasible for
farm Irrigation purposes. Herewith Is
given an Illustra
tion of such a
wheel for oper
ating a chain
and bucket. Tho
IHBIOATION BY CUKHKNT WHEEL.
diagram Is self-explanatory.
Ilnallns; Har.
It Is a very desirable thing to be able
to haul all the hay Into the barn the
same day It Is cut. Tne worrlment aud
anxiety consequent upon the liability of
a storm before morning are thus avoid
ed, and experience has taught that hay
having no more than three or four
hours' sun will come out In the spring
perfectly sweet and m fine condition
for the cattle. In adopting this plan It
Is well to keep the hay constantly
stirred with a tedder. There has been
a fear of putting hay Into some barns
that contain a noticeable amount of
water, but If It Is properly packed by
being evenly distributed over the mow,
each forkful trodden upon, and tho
barn kept closed as much as possible,
the result will probably be gratifying.
Use of Coal Aahca.
While coal ashes contain no fertiliz
ing value they are certainly useful on
the farm and should be saved. They
are not entirely valueless In tho soil,
for they will materially assist In mak
ing a stiff clay soil more workable If
well mixed with It. The best use for
coal ashes, however, Is In the filling
In of wet spots, sifting them and using
the fine ashes In the dust boxes In the
poultry houses and the coarser por
tions for the making of walks alone or
mixed with gravel. They may be used
to advantage as a mulch around trees
mulnly for the purpose of Jceeplng the
soil moist and keepiiig grass from
growing around them.
Apply a Good Fertiliser.
The value of vegetables depends
largely upon quick growth, and If
crops are not growing well some quick
acting fertilizer like nitrate of soda,
guano or poultry droppings, should be
worked Into the soil close to the roots.
Frequent cultivation of the soli with
the cultivator, rnke or hoe will often
bo all that Is necessary.
Vlnea In the Barnyard.
The barn should never be built near
the house, and wherever It Is, it should
be kept as sanitary as the house Itself.
A country barnyard should be as neat
and tidy as the dooryard. There Is no
reason why vines should not grow over
the walls and fences, and trees shade
tho inclosed animals, it Is possible to
have lilacs and mock oranges growlnsr
around the barn, as freely as about
the shrubbery. The animals are not
any less happy, and one can pick great
bunches for oneself and friends.