BR
ctwccn
By ANTHONY HOPE
"A wipe man will make more opportunities
than he finds." -Francis Bacon.
CHAPTER IV. (Continued.)
The old lady and the young one lived
together in great apparent comfort; for
they probably got through more money
than any one in the town, and there al
ways seemed to be pienty more where that
came from. The Signorina was now about
23 years of age, and of remarkably pre
possessing appearance. She became al
most at once a leading figure in society ;
her parlor was the leading meeting place
of all parties and most sets ; she received
many gracious attentions from the Golden
House. She was also frequently the
hostess of members of the opposition, and
of no one more often than their leader,
Colonel George McGregor, a gentleman
of Scotch extraction, but not pronounced
ly national characteristics, who had at
tained a high position in the land of his
adoption ; for not only did he lead the
opposition' in politics, but he was also
second in command of the army. lie en
tered the chamber as one of the Presi
dent's nominees' (for the latter had re
served to himself power to nominate five
members), but at the time of which I write
the Colonel had deserted his former chief,
and, secure in his popularity with the
forces, defied the man by whose help he
had risen. Naturally the President dis
liked him, a feeling I cordially shared.
But his excellency's disapproval did not
prevent the SignorW receiving McGre
gor with great cordiality, though here
again with no more than his position
seemed to demand.
I have as much curiosity as my neigh
bors, and I was proportionately gratified
when the doors of "Mon Repos," as the
Signorina called her residence, were open
ed to me. My curiosity, I must confess,
was not unmixed with other feelihgs; for
I was a young man of heart, though
events had thrown sobering responsibili
ties upon me, and the sight of the Sig
norina in her daily, drives was enough to
inspire a thrill even in the soul of a
hanK manager. Nie was certainly very
beautiful a tall, fair girl, with straight
features and laughing eyes. I shall not
attempt more description, because all such
descriptions sound commonplace, and the
Signorina wras, even by the admission of
her enemies, at least very far from com
monplace. It must suffice to say that,
like Father O'Flynn, she "had such a
way with her" that all of us men in Au
reataland, old and young, rich and poor,
were at her feet, or ready to be there on
the least encouragement. She was, to
my thinking, the very genius of health,
beauty and gaiety ; and she put the crown
ing touch to her charms by very openly
and frankly soliciting and valuing the
admiration she received. (
It may be supposed, then, that I
thought my money very well invested
when it procured me an invitation to
"Mon Repos," where the lady of the house
was in the habit of allowing a genteel
amount of card playing among her male
friends. She never played herself, but
stood and looked on with much interest.
On occasion she would tempt fortune by
the hand of a chosen deputy, and nothing
could be prettier or more artistic than
her behavior. She was just eager enough
for a girl unused to the excitement and
fond of triumph, just indifferent enough
to show that her play was merely a pas
time, and the gain of the money or its
loss a matter of no moment. Ah, Sig
norina, you were a great artist !
At "Mon Repos" I soon became an ha
bitual, and, I was fain to think, a wel
come guest. Mrs. Carrington, who enter
tained a deep distrust of the manners of
Aureataland, was good enough to consider
me eminently respectable, while the Sig
norina was graciousness itself. It was
even admitted to the select circle at the
dinner party, which, as' a rule, preceded
her Wednesday evening reception. The
Colonel was, not to my pleasure, an
equally invariable guest, and the Presi
dent himself would often honor the party
with his presence, an honor we found rath
er expensive, for his luck at all gnmes of
skill or chance was extraordinary.
"I have always trusted fortune," he
would say, "and to me she is not fickle."'
"Who would be fickle if your excellen
cy -were pleased to trust her?" the Sig
norina would respond, with a glance of
almost fond admiration.
This sort of thing did not please Mc
Gregor. He made no concealment of the
fact that he claimed the foremost place
among the Signorina's admirers, utterly
declining to make way even for the Presi
dent. The latter took his boorishness very
quietly and I could not avoid the eonelu
fcion that the President held, or thought
be held, the trumps. I was, naturally,
Intensely jealous of both these great men,
and, although I had no cause to complain
of my treatment, I could not stifle some
resentment at the idea that I was, after
all, an outsider and not allowed a part
In the real drama that was going on. My
happiness was further damped by the fact
that luck ran steadily- against me, and I
saw my bonus dwindling very rapidly.
I suppose I may as well be frank, 'and
confess that my bonus, to speak strictly,
vanished within six months after I first
set foot In "Mon Repos," and I found It
necessary to make that teniporary use of
the "interest fund" which the President
had Indicated. My uneasiness was light
ened when the next Installment of inter
st was punctually paid, and, with youth
ful confidence,'! made little doubt that
luck would turn before long.
. CHAPTER V.
Tim nooaed on. all leading an apnar
ntly merry and untroubled llf. In pub
Two
S3
lic affairs the temper was very different.
The scarcity of money was intense, and
serious murmuring had arisen when the
President "squandered" his ready money
In paying interest, leaving his civil ser
vants and soldiers unpaid. This was the
topic of much discussion in the press at
the time when I went up one March
evening to the Signorina's. I had been
detained at the bank, and found the gaiety
in full swing when I came In. The Sig
norina sat by herself on a low lounge by
the 'veranda window. I went up to ner
and made my bow.
"You spare us but little of your time,
Mr. Martin," she said.
"Ah, but you have all my thoughts, 1
replied, for she was looking charming.
"I don't care so much about your
thoughts," she said. Then, after a pause,
she went ou,"It's very hot here, come
into the conservatory.
It almost looked as though she had been
waiting for me, and I followed in high de
light into the long, narrow glass house.
High green plants hid us from the view
of those inside, and we only heard dis
tinctly his excellency's voice, saying with
much geninlty to the Colonel, W ell, you
must be lucky in love, Colonel," from
which I concluded that the Colonel was
not in the vein at cards.
vThe Signorina smiled slightly as she
heard ; then she plucked a .white rose,
turned round, and stood facing me, slight
ly flushed as though with some inner ex
citement.
"I am afraid those wto gentlemen do
not love oue another," she said.
"Hardly," I assented.
"And you, do you love them r either
of them?"
"I love only one person In Aureata
land," I replied, as ardently as I dared.
The Signorina bit her rose, glancing
up at me with unfeigned amusement and
pleasure. . I think I have mentioned that
she didn't object to honest admiration.
"Is it possible you mean me?' she said,
making me a little courtesy. "I only think
so because most of the Whittingham la
dies would not satisfy your fastidious
taste!"
"No lady in the world could satisfy me
except one, I answered, thinking she
took it a little too lightly.
"Ah, so you say," she said. And yet
I don't suppose you would do anything
for me, Mr. Martin."
"It would be my greatest happiness, I
cried.
She said nothing, but stood there, biting
the rose.
"Give it to me," I said; "it shall be
my badge of service."
"You will serve me, then?" said she.
"For what reward?"
"Why, the rose!"
"I should like the owner, too," I ven
tured to remark.
"The rose is prettier than the owner,"
she said ; "and, at any rate, one thing at
a time, Mr. Martin ! Do you pay your
servants all their wages In advance?"
My practice was so much to the con
trary that I really couldn't deny the
force of her reasoning. She held out the
rose. I seized it and held it close to my
lips, thereby squashing it considerably.
Then she said abruptly :
"Are you a Constitutionalist or a Lib
eral, Mr. Martin?"
I must explain that, in the usual race
for the former title, the President's par
ti had been first at the post, and the
Colonel's gang (as I privately termed it)
had to put up with th alternative desig
nation. Neither name bore any relation
to facts.
"Are we going to talk politics?" said I,
reproachfully.
"Yes, a little. Tell me."
"Which are you, Signorina?" I asked.
I really wanted to know ; so did a great
many people. She thought for a moment,
and then said :
"I have a great regard for the Presi
dent.' He has been most kind to me. On
the other hand, I cannot disguise from
myself that some of his measures are not
wise."
1 said I had never been able to disguise
It from myself.
"The Colonel, of course, Is of the same
opinion," she continued. "About the debt,
for instance. I believe your bank is in
terested in it?"
"Oh, yes, to a considerable extent."
"Aud you?" she asked, softly.
"Oh, I am not a capitalist; no money
of mine has gone into the debt."
"No money of yours, no. But aren't
you interested In It?" she persisted.
This was rather odd. Could she know
anything? She drew nearer to. me, and,
laying a hand lightly on my arm, said
reproachfully :
"Do you love people, and yet not trust
them, Mr. Martin?"
This was exactly my state of feeling
toward the Signorina, but I could not say
so. I was wondering how far I should
be wise to trust her, and that depended
largely on how far his excellency had
seen fit to trust her with my secrets.
said finally :
"Without disclosing other people's se
crets, Signorina, I may admit that if any
thing went wrong with the debt, my em
ployer's opinion of my discretion would
be severely shaken."
'Of your discretion," she said laughing.
"Thank you, Mr. Martin. And you would
wish that not to happen?
"I would take a good deal of pains to
prevent Its happening."
"Not less willingly If your interest and
mine coincided?"
I wan about to make a passionate re
fires
ply when we heard the President's voice
saying l
"And where is our hostess? I should
like to thank her before I go."
"Hush," whispered the Signorina. "We
must go back. You will be true to me,
Mr. Martin?"
"Call me Jack," said I, Idiotically.
"Then you will be true, 0 Jack?" she
said, stilling a laugh.
"Till death," said I, hoping It would
not be necessary.
She gave me her hand, which I kissed
with fervor, and we returned to the par
lor, to find all standing about in groups,
waiting to make their bows till the Presi
dent bad gone through that ceremony. I
was curious to hear if anything passed
between him and the Signorina, but I
was pounced upon by Donna Antonia, the
daughter of the minister of finance, who
happened to be present as a guest of the
Mgnorina's for the night. She was a
handsome young lady, a Spanish brunette
of the approved pattern, but with man
ners formed at a New York boarding
school, where she had undergone a train
ing that had tempered without destroy
ing her native gentility. She had dis
tinguished me very favorably, and I was
vain enough to suppose she honored me
by some jealousy of my penchant for the
Signorina.
"I hope you have enjoyed yourself In
the conservatory," she said, maliciously.
We were talking business. Donna An
tonia," I replied.
"Ah, business! I hear nothing but
business. There Is papa gone down to
the country and burying himself alive
to work out some great scheme of busi
ness !
"Ah, what scheme Is that?" I asked.
"Oh ! I don't know. Something about
that horrid debt.- But I was told not to
-say anything about it !"
The debt was becoming a bore. The
whole air was full of it. I hastily paid
Donna Antonia a few incoherent compli
ments, and took my leave. As I was put
ting on my coat Colonel McGregor join
ed me and, with more friendliness than
he usually showed me, accompanied me
down the avenue toward the Piazza. After
some indifferent remarks, he began :
Martin, you and I have separate in
terests in some matters, but I think we
have the same in others."
I knew at once what he meant ; It was
that debt over again ! I remained silent,
and he continued :
"About the debt, for Instance. You are
interested in the debt?"
"Somewhat," said I. "A banker gen
erally is interested in a debt."
"I thought so," said the Colonel. "A
time may come when we can act togeth
er. Meanwhile, keep your eye on the
debt. Good night."
We parted at the door of his chambers
In the Tiazza, and I went on to my lodg
ings. I got Into bed, rather puzzled and
very uneasy.
CHAPTER VI.
The flight of time brought no allevia
tion to the troubles' of Aureataland. If
an individual hard-up is a pathetic sight,
a nation hard-up is an alarming specta
cle; and Aureataland was very hard-up.
I suppose somebody had some money. But
the government had none; in consequence
the government employes had none, the
officials had none, the President had none,
and finally, I had none. The bank had
a little of other people's, of course but
I was quite prepared for a "run" on us
any day, and had cabled to the directors
to implore a remittance in cash, for our
notes were at a discount humiliating to
contemplate. Political strife ran high.
I dropped into the House of Assembly
one afternoon toward the crtd of May,
and, looking down from the gallery, saw
the Colonel in the full tide of wrathful
declamation. He was demanding of the
miserable Don Antonio when the army
was to be paid. The latter sat cowering
under his scorn, and would, I verily be
lieve, have bolted out of the House had he
not been nailed to his seat by the cold
eye of the President, who was looking on
from his box. The minister on rising
had nothing to urge but vague promises
of speedy payment ; but he utterly lacked
the confident effrontery of his chief, and
nobody was deceived by his weak protes
tations. I left the House in a considerable up
roar, and strolled on to the house of a
friend of mine, one Madame Devarges,
the widow of a French gentleman, who
had found his way to Whittingham from
New Caledonia. Politeness demanded the
assumption that he had found his way
to New Caledonia owing to political trou
bles, but the usual cloud hung over the
precise date and circumstances of his pat
riotic sacrifice. Madame sometimes con
sidered it necessary to bore herself and
others with denunciations of the various
tyrants or would-be tyrants of France;
but, apart from this pious offering on
the shrine of her husband's reputation,
she was a bright and pleasant little wom
an. I found assembled round her tea
table a merry party, including Donna An
tonia, unmindful of her father's agonies,
and one Johnny Carr, who deserves men
tion as being the only honest man In Au
reataland. I speak, of course, of the place
as I found it. He was a young English
man, what they rail a "cadet," of a good
family, shipped off with a couple of thou
sand pounds to make his fortune. Land
was cheap among us, and Johnny had
bought an estate and settled down as a
land owner. Recently he had blossomed
forth as a keen Constitutionalist and a
devoted admirer of the President's, and
held a seat in the Assembly in that Inter
est. Johnny was not a clever man nor
a wise one, but he was merry, and, as I
have thought it necessary to mention,
honest.
(To be continued.)
Ills Cue.
G .inner They say this book entitled
"A Step Backward" was Inspired. I
wonder where the author ever got his
Inspiration?
Guyer Oh, I , guess he watched a
woman stepping oft a street car.
THAW'S BEST FRIEND.
If Anyone Can Snve White's Slayer
It Is II In Mother.
Mrs. Mary Copley Tlmw, loader of
Pittsburg society and ruler of the ninny
millions left by her husband, the lute
William Thaw, bus proven herself re
miirkablelii times of stress mid trouble.
If anyono euu suve Harry K. Thaw
from suffering the consequences of his
crime In killing Stanford White, It will
be this devoted mother, who Is his best
friend.
Mrs. Thnw showed her ability as a
nuuittger when her daughter, Alice, de
cided to marry the Karl of Yarmouth,
There was opposition from members
of the family, who did not like the
enrl. Once settled that Her duughter'8
happiness deiemled upon the mar
riage, Mrs. Thaw consented. There was
trouble over the settlement, but she ar
ranged that to the satisfaction of ull
concerned.
A year or so later Hurry Kendall
Thuw returned from Europe with Eve
lyn Nosblt, announcing her us his wife.
The elder Mrs. Thuw hastened to haul
In tho reins and arranged for anoth
er wedding. Then she took them home
with her. This high-minded and de
voted mother has redeemed situations
that to others have seemed to be beyond
hope of saving, mid tins controlled her
offspring when only she was capable
of doing so. Out of the complex love
affairs of her children, when ull the
world scoffed, she has seen what was
true and developed successful mar
riages. With her other children, Joslnh and
Mrs, George Lauder Curneglo, Mrs.
Thaw seems to have had less trouble.
Mrs. William Thaw has her own
views regarding the conduct of the
rw v
MBS. WILLIAM THAW.
case. What those views are remuln
untold. It is certain, however, that she
will expend her entire fortune, If nec
essary, In the effort to save her son
from the electric chair. Her mother
love has been touched at Its tenderest
point, as Harry Kendall Thnw always
has been her petted and best loved son.
Always has she forgiven his escapades
aud dissipations, continually trusting
that her love and devotion would tell
In the long run. Now, In her old age,
she faces the terrible ordeal of a son
charged with deliberate and premedi
tated murder.
Why They Call Him "Old Bean."
"Senator Pomeroy was called by
many of those who knew him as 'Old
Beans.' His friends used the nickname
us a term of endearment, while those
who didn't like him employed It to ex
press their derision. He obtained the
title by reason of hnvlng at one time,
when the people of his state were bun
gry, a large quantity of that nourishing
food shipped from Boston to Kansas.
Whenever he profited In a pecuniary
way by that act, of course I don't
know, but he, at least, gathered in a
host of friends.
"I first heard of the soubriquet when
I was one of the assistant doorkeepers
of the Senate. My station was to the
left of the chamber, facing th secre
tary's office. One day, when the Sen
ate was In session, a big, breezy west
erner came up to me, nnd said: 'Will
you kindly send my card to 'Old Beans.
"Well, that stumped me, and I was
obliged to confess that I didn't know
'beans.' Then the stranger explained,
When 'Old Beans' appeared he fairly
fell Into his friend's arms, and when
that gentleman told him, that I was Ig
norant of the name the Kansans knew
him by, I was told why they so desig
nated hlra." Washington Post
Not Lontr Unattached.
"The last time I passed through
here," said the traveling man, "she was
grieving for her husband, who had just
died. I suppose shes resigned now."
"Resigned," echoed the native.
"That's a new way of expressing It,
Yes, she's married again." Philadel
phia Tress.
Trent your parents with erent ten
derness and respect: You owe them
something because you were not born
a czar.
"What a Job It is," said the father of
a large family to-day, "to marry off a
lot of girls,"
(a "
There Wim mi Old Woman, Hie.
A stout little woman on mi Fust
Washington street cur looked around
anxiously for seats for the children
who were with her. Two of the older
girls hud buhles In their arms, accord
ing to the Inillnnnpiills Star. Peimlo
on the car did not know whether It
was an orphans' home picnic or a Sun
day school convention.
"Beg pardon, lady," said the eon
duetoj "but you have given mo only
eight tickets."
"Didn't know you charged for babes
In arms," said the llttlo woman, as
she kept her eye on ull other members
of her party .
"But there are nine without them,"
said tho conductor, apologetically, Per
haps ho really thought the woman had
only eight tickets.
"Stand up, children," commanded the
little woman. She was imperious In
her command, and Immediately after
her order to stand up they all arose to
their feet.
Counting them one hy one, she pres
pntlv came to a little boy of uhoiit 8
years old, and, pointing her finger at
him, she Haiti :
"Sammy. I thought you stayed nt
home with the rest of the children."
She Wnn.
A West End avenue man undertook
to meet his unknown girl cousin ut tho
station on Tuesday. He approached a
young woman In Itlne and asked: '
"Are you Miss Blake?"
"No," said the young woman, "I am
not."
"I hope you will excuse me," he ex
plained. "I am here to meet a Miss
Blake. She is my cousin. I have never
seen her, My sister Kate Is the only
member of our family who knows her,
and she couldn't come. She told me
I would know Jennie because she Is so
pretty. 'Just pick out the prettiest girl
in the station and you'll be sure to
strike Jennie,' she said."
The young woman blushed, the young
man sighed..
"I don't know who to nsk next," ha
said. "There doesn't seem to be any
body else In the whole shooting match
that comes up to the description. I
guess Jennie didn't come."
A tall girl In brown sat beside tbe
girl In blue. She got up and glared at
the young man. "She did," said the
girl in brown.
"Oh, Lord," said he, "are you "
"I am," said the girl In brown.
And of course nobody could expect n
girl to lie friends with a man after
that. New York Sun.
Tranredy of the Deep,
Suddenly therj was a wild shriek.
The passengers on the lower deck
caught a momentary glimpse of a dark
object falling swiftly from above.
They rushed to the side of the boat and
gazed in horror at a woman's hat bobbing
up and down on the rapidly receding
waves.
It was all they could see.
Where was the woman?
Up on the hurricane deck of the steam
er, bare headed, and wringing her bands
in despair.
It was her only traveling hat, and had
cost her $'2.!)S.
Inherited.
Vincent was altogether too garrulous
In school to please his teachers. Such
punishments as the Institution allowed
to be meted out were tried without any
apparent effect upon the boy, until at
last the head master decided to mention
the lad's faults upon his monthly re
port. So the next report to his father had
these words :
"Vincent talks a great deal."
Back came the report by mall, duly
signed, but with this written In red
Ink under the comment:
"You ought to hear his mother."
Nature' Prophet.
The katydid had been insisting that
there would be frost within six weeks.
"I've no faith in your long distance)
weather forecasts," said the tree toad,
"but I'm willing to bet there will be rain
inside of forty-eight hours."
Whereupon tho rival weather bureaus
resumed their noisy predictions.
Pale, Thin,
Nervous ?
Then your blood must be in
a very bad condition. You
certainly know what to take,
then take it Ayer's Sarsa
parilla. If you doubt, then
consult your doctor. We know
what he will say about this
grand old family medicine.
Sold for over 60 years.
Thli Is the flrt i"Mtlon yonr doctor would
ink! "Are your bowela regular?" He know,
that daily action of tbe bowela ll absolutely
euential to recovery. Keep your liver active
and your bowela regular by taking laxaUva
dotes of Ayer't fills.
Udt by J. O. Ayr Co., Lowell.
v iuuuiauturerv or
7 HAIR VIGOR,
vers
AflUB CURB.
CHERRY PECTORAL.
A