Between'Twofires
By ANTHONY HOPE
"A wise man will make more opportunities
than he finds." Francis Bacon.
CHAPTER IX. (Continued.)
I had nothing left to say. I fell back
In my chair, and gazed at the Colonel.
At the game moment a sound of rapid
wheels struck on my ears. Then I heard
the sweet, clear voice I knew so well
saying :
"I'll just disturb him for a hioment, Mr.
Jones. I want him to tear himself from
work for a day, and come for a ride."
She opened my door, and came swiftly
In. On seeing the Colonel she took in
the position, and said to that gentleman:
"Have you told him?"
"I have just done so, Signorina," he re
plied. I had not energy enough to greet her;
go she also sat down uninvited, and took
off her gloves not lazily, like the Colonel,
but with an air as though she would, if
a man, take off her coat, to meet the
crisis more energetically'.
At last I said, with conviction : ,
"He's a wonderful man ! How did you
find it out, Colonel?"
"Had Johnny Carr to dine," said that
worthy.
"You don't mean he trusted Johnny?"
"Odd, isn't it?" said the Colonel. "With
his experience, too. He might' have
known Johnny was an idiot. I suppose
there was no one else."
"He knew," said the Signorina, "any
one else in the place would betray him ;
he knew Johnny wouldn't if he could
' help it. He underrated your powers,
Colonel."
"Well," said I, "I can't help it, can
I? My directors will lose. The bond
holders will lose. But how does it hurt
me?"
The Colonel and the Signorina both
smiled gently.
"You do it very well, Martin," said the
former, "but it will save time if I state
that both Signorina Nugent and myself
are possessed of the details regarding
the " (the Colonel paused, and strok
ed his mustache)..
"The second loan," said the Signorina.
I was less surprised at this, recollect
ing certain conversations.
"Ah, and how did you find that out?"
I asked.
"She told me," said the Colonel, indi
cating his fair neighbor.
"And may I ask how you found it out,
Signorina?"
"The President told me," said that
lady.
"Well, as you both know all about it,
it's no good keeping up pretenses. It's
very kind of you to come and warn me."
"You dear good Mr. Martin," said the
Signorina, "our motives are not purely
those of friendship."
"Why, how does it matter to you?"
"Simply this," said she, "the bank and
Its excellent manager own most of the
debt. The Colonel and I own the rest.
If it is repudiated, the bank loses; yes,
but the manager and the Colonel and the
Signorina Nugent are lost !"
"I didn't know this," I said, rather be
wildered. "Yes," said the Colonel, "when the first
loan was raised I lent him $100,000. We
were thick then, and I did it in return for
my rank and my seat in the Chamber.
Since then I've bought up some more
shares."
"You got them cheap, I suppose?"
said I.
"Yes," he replied, "I averaged them at
about 73 cents the five-dollar share."
"And what do you hold now, nominal?"
"Three hundred thousand dollars," said
he1, shortly,
"I understand your interest in the mat
ter. But you, Signorina?"
The Signorina appeared a little em
barrassed. But at last she broke out :
"I don't care if I do tell you. When
I decided to stay here I had $50,000. He
persuaded me to put it all into his horrid
debt. Oh ! wasn't it mean, Mr, Mar
tin?" The President had certainly combined
business and pleasure in this matter.
"Disgraceful !" I remarked.
"And if that goes, I am penniless
penniless. And there's poor aunt. What
" wil she do?"
"Never mind your aunt," said the Colo
nel, rather rudely. "Well," he went on,
"you see we're in the same boat with you,
Martin."
"Yes ; and we shall soon be in the same
deep water," said I.
"Not at all," said the Colonel. "Finan
cial probity is the backbone of a country
Are we to stand by and see Aureataland
enter on the shameful path of repudia
tion?"
"Never!" cried the Signorina, leaping
up with sparkling eyes. "Never !"
She looked enchanting. But business
Is business ; and I said again :
"What are you going to do?"
"We are going, with your help, Mar
tin, to prevent this national disgrace. We
are going"- he lowered his voice, useless
ly, for the Signorina struck in, in a high
merry tone, waving her gloves over her
head, with these remarkable words:
"Hurrah for the Revolution! Hip ! hip!
hurrah !"
The Signorina looked like a Goddess of
Freedom In high spirits and a Paris bon
net. She broke forth into the "Marseil
laise."
"For mercy's sake, be quiet !" said Me
Gregor, in a hoarse whisper. "If they
hear you! Stop, I tell you, Christina!"
"Kindly unfold your plan, Colonel," I
aid. "I am aware that out here you
think little of revolutions, but to a new
comer they appear to be matters requir
ing some management. You see we are
mix three."
"I have the army with me," said he,
grandly.
"In the outer office?" asked I, indulg
ing in a sneer at the dimensions of the
Aureataland forces.
"Look here, Martin," he said, scowling,
"if you're coming in with us, keep your
jokes to yourself."
'Don't quarrel, gentlemen, said the
Signorina. "It's a waste of time. Tell
him the plan, Colonel."
I saw the wisdom of this advice, so I
said :
"Your pardon, Colonel. But won't this
repudiation be popular with the army?
If he lets the debt slide, he can pay
them."
"Exactly," said he. "Hence we must
get at them before that aspect of the
case strikes them. They are literally
starving, and for ten dollars a man they
would make Satan himself President.
Have you got any money, Martin?"
"Yes," said I, "a little."
"How much?"
"Ten thousand," I replied; "I was
keeping it for the interest.
"Ah, you won't want it now.
"Indeed I shall for the second loan,
you know."
"Look here, Martin; give me that ten
thousand for the troops. Stand in with
us, and the day I become President I'll
give you back your $300,000. Just look
where you stand now. I don t want to be
rude, but isn't it a case of "
"Some emergency?" said I, thoughtful
ly. "Yes, it is. But where do you sup
pose you're going to get $300,000, to say
nothing of your own shares?"
He drew his chair closer to mine, and,
leaning forward, said :
"He's never spent the money. He s got
it somewhere; much the greater part, at
least."
"Did Carr tell you that?"
"He didn't know for certain; but he
told me enough to make it almost certain.
Besides," he added, "we have other rea
sons for suspecting it. Give me the ten
thousand. You shall have your loan back,
and, if you like, you shall be minister of
finance. We practically know the money s
there, don't we, Signorina?"
She nodded assent. 11
"If we fail?" said I.
He drew a neat little revolver from his
pocket, placed it for a moment against
his ear, and repocketed it.
"Most lucidly explained, Colonel," said
I. "Will you give me half an hour to
think It over?"
"Yes," he said. 'You'll excuse me if
I stay in the outer office? Of course I
trust you, Martin, but in this sort of
thing "
"All right, I see," said I. "And you,
Signorina?"
"I'll wait, too," she said.
They both rose and went out, and I
heard them ir conversation with Jones.
I sat still, thinking hard. But scarcely
a moment had passed, when I heard the
door behind me open. It was the Sig
norina. She came in, stood behind my
chair, and, leaning over, put her arms
round my neck. I looked up, and saw her
face full of mischief.
'"ihat about the rose, Jack?" she
asked.
Bewildered with delight, and believing
I had won her, I said:
"Your soldier till death, Signorina."
"Bother death !" said she, saucily. "No
body's going to die. We shall win, and
then !"
"And then," said I, eagerly, "you'll
marry me, sweet?"
She quietly stooped down and kissed my
lips. Then, stroking my hair, she said :
"You're a nice boy, Jack."
"Christina, you won't marry him?"
"Him?"
"McGregor," said I.
"Jack," said she, whispering now, "I
hate him !"
"So do I," I answered promptly. "And
if it's to win you, I'll upset a dozen presi
dents."
"Then you'll do it for me? I like to
think you'll do it for me, and not for the
money."
"I don't mind the money coming In," I
began.
"Mercenary wretch 1" she cried. "I
didn't kiss you, did I?"
"No," I replied. "You said you would
in a minute, when I consented."
"Very neat, Jack," she said. But she
went and opened the door and called to
McGregor, "Mr. Martin sees no objection
to the arrangement, and he will come to
dinner to-night, as .you suggest, and talk
over the details. We're all going to make
our fortunes, Mr. Jones, she went on,
without waiting for any acceptance of her
Implied invitation, "and when we've made
ours, we'll think about you and Mrs.
Jones."
' I heard Jones make some noise inco
herently suggestive of gratification, for
he was as bad as any of us about the Sig
norina, and then I was left to my reflec
tions. These were less somber than the
reader would, perhaps, anticipate. True,
I was putting my head into a noose ; and
if the President's hands ever found their
way to the end of the rope, I fancied he
would pull it pretty tight. But, again, I
was immensely in lo.ve, and equally in
debt. To a young man, life without love
isn't worth much ; to a man of any age,
in my opinion, life without money isn't
worth much; it becomes worth still less
when he is held to account for money he
ought to have. So I cheerfully entered
upon my biggest gamble, holding the stake
of life well risked. My pleasure In the
affair was' only marred by the enforced
partnership u MoUregor. There was no
help for this, but I knew he wasn't much
fonder of me than I of him, and I found
myself gently meditating on the friction
likely to arise between the new President
and his minister of finance, in case our
plans succeeded. Still the Signorina hat
ed him, and by all signs she loved me. So
I lay back in my chair, and recalled my
charmer's presence by whistling the hymu
of liberty until it was time to go to luuch.
CHAPTER X.
The morning meeting had been devoted
to principles and to the awakening of
enthusiasm ; in the evening the conspira
tors condescended upon details, and we
held a prolonged and anxious conference
at the Signorina's. Mrs. Carrlngton was
commanded to have a headache after din
ner, and retired with it to bed ; and from
ten till one we sat and conspired. The
result of our deliberations was a pretty
plan, of which the main outlines were as
follows :
This was Tuesday. On Friday night,
the Colonel, with twenty determined ruf
fians (or resolute patriots) previously
hound to him, body and soul, by a dona
tion of no less than fifty dollars a man,
was to surprise the Golden House, seizo
the person of the President and all cash
and securities on the premises; no killing
if it could be avoided, but on the other
hand no shilly-shally. McGregor wanted
to put the President out of the way at
once, as a precautionary measure, but I
strongly opposed this proposal, and, find
ing the Signorina was aboslutoly inflex
ible on the same side, he yielded.
I had a strong desire to be present at
this midnight surprise, but another duty
called for my presence. There was a
gala supper at the barracks that even
ing, to commemorate some incident or oth
er in the national history, and I was to be
present and to reply to the toast of "The
Commerce of Aureataland." My task
was, at all hazards, to keep this party go
ing till the Colonel's job was done, when
he would appear at the soldiers' quarters,
bribe in hand, and demand their alle
giance. Our knowledge of the character
of the troops made us regard the result
as a certainty, if once the President were
a prisoner and the dollars before their
eyes. The Colonel and the troops were
to surround the officers' messroom, and
offer them life and money, or death and
destruction. Here again we anticipated
their choice with composure. The army
was then to be paraded in the Piazza, the
town overawed or converted, and, behold,
the Revolution was accomplished !
The success of this design entirely de
pended on its existence remaining a dead
secret from the one man we feared, and
on that one man being found alone and
unguarded at 12 o'clock on Friday night.
If he discovered the plot, we were lost.
If he took it into his head to attend the
supper, our difficulties would be greatly
increased. At this point we turned to the
signorina, and I said, briefly:
"This appears to be where you come in,
Signorina. Permit me to invite you to
dine with his excellency on Friday exen
ing at 8 precisely."
"You mean," she said slowly, "that I
am to keep' him at home on Friday?"
"Yes," said I. "Is there any difficulty?"
"I do not think there Is great difficul
ty," she said, "but I don't like it; it
looks so treacherous."
Of course it did. I didn't like her do
ing it myself, but how else was the Pres
ident to be secured?
"Rather late to think of that, isn't
It?" asked McGregor, with a sneer. "A
revolution won't run on high emotional
wheels."
"Think how he jockeyed you about the
money," said I, assuming the part of the
tempter.
"By the way," said McGregor, "it's un
derstood the Signorina enters into pos
session of the President's country villa,
isn't it?"
Now my poor Signorina had a longing
for that choice little retreat, and between
resentment for her lost money and a de
sire for the pretty house, she was sore
beset. Left to herself, I believe she would
have yielded to her better feelings and
spoiled the plot.
"I'll do it, if you'll swear not to to
hurt him," she said.
"I've promised already," replied the
Colonel, sullenly ; "I won't touch him, un
less he brings it on himself. If he tries
to kill me, I suppose I needn't bare my
breast to the blow?"
"No, no," I Interposed; "I have a re
gard for his excellency, but we must not
let our feetyngs betray us into weakness.
He must be taken alive and well, if
possible but in the last resort, dead or
alive."
"Come, that's more like sense," said
the Colonel, approvingly.
The Signorina sighed, but opposed us
no longer.
Returning to ways and means, we ar
ranged for communication in case of need
during the next three days without the
necessity of meeting. My position as the
center of financial business in Whlttlng
ham made this easy.; the passage of bank
messengers to and fro would excite little
remark, and the messages could easily be
so expressed as to reveal nothing to an
uninstructed eye. It was further agreed
that on the smallest hint of danger reach
ing any one of us, the word should at
once be passed to the others, and we
should rendezvous at the Colonel's
"ranch," which lay some seven miles from
the town. Thence, in this lamentable
case, escape would be more possible.
"And now," said the Colonel, "if Mar
tin will hand over the dollars, I think
that's about all."
(To be continued.)
The Rent She Needed.
"Yes," said Mrs. Popley, "I'm going
to take the children away to the coun
try for a month or bo."
"You'll take your servant girls with
you, of course," said Mrs. Nexdore.
"Most assuredly not! I need a rest
myself," Philadelphia Press.
ninoklierry Vlm-unr.
Put the blnckberrles Into u atone ves
srl and mash them to a pulp. Add
cider vinegar enough to cover It well,
stand ln the sun twelve hours and nil
night In the cellar, stir well occasion
ally during this time, strain and put
a many fresh berries In the jar as you
took out; pour the strained vinegar
over them ; wash and set In the suu nil
day. To each quart of this juice, allow
one pint of water and five nnd one-half
pounds of sugar to three pints of the
mingled Juice and water. Place over
a gentle tire nnd stir until the sugar Is
dissolved. Heat slowly to bulling, skim
ming off the scum, and as It fairly
boils take off the strain. Bottle while
warm nnd senl the corks with sealing
wax, or beeswax nnd rosin.
Gooseberry Mnrinnlitde.
Four pounds of gooseberries, four
oranges, juice of nil and rind of two
four pounds of sugar, two pounds of
seeded raisins. Stem gooseberries,
squeeze juice of oranges and cook skin
of two (or the skin of four if flavor
of orange is liked) ln water until ten
dor. Drain and scrape out the white
part. Put the gooseberries Into a gran
ite kettle, heat slowly to boiling and
cook twenty minutes (add a little wa
ter If necessary to keep from sticking).
Then ndd the sugar, orange juice and
rind cut fine, and raisins; cook, slowly
until thick. Seal while hot.
Iianiuia Fritter.
. Cut peeled bunaiias Into halves
lengthwise, then across, nnd dip In frit
ter bntter. Fry in deep hot fat and
serve with a lemon snuce. The sauce
for fritters should always be clear,
and generally no thickening Is used, or
else a little arrowroot is taken, which
makes transparent thickening. Make
a sirup by cooking one cup of sugar
with five tablespoons of water for eight
minutes, and be sure not to cook It
longer, for ten or twelve minutes will
make It thread. Add one and one-half
tablespoons of lemon juice and a round
ing teaspoon of butter.
General Debility
Day In and day out there is that feeling
of woakness that nmlws a burden of Itself.
Food does not strengthen,
Sleep does not refresh.
It Is hard to do, hard to bear, what
should be ensy, vitality Is on the ebb, and
the whole system suffers.
For this condition take
Hood's Sarsaparilla
It vitalizes the blood and gives vigor and
tone to all the organs and functions.
In usual liquid form or In cliocolnted
tablets known as Sarsatabs. 100 doses $1.
Ad verllseinouls.
The first newspaper advertisement
appeared In Greut Britain 'lr 1012. In
Greece advertising was done by public
criers. The first printed advertisement
In England was got up by tbe celebrat
ed printer Cnxton. It announced the
completion of a book called 'The 1,'yer
of Salisbury."
The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and
Romans were the first to use bill
posters, Borne of which were found on
the walls of buildings In Pompeii. It
was not until the eighteenth century
that magazine and newspaper adver
tising became the recognized medium
between manufacturer nnd buyer.
Mothers will find Mr-, Wintlow's Soothing
Syrup the best remedy touso for their children
during the teething period,
Curbing Him Itnptare.
Ardent Lover Blanche, you are the
loveliest "girl in the world!
His Intellectual Sweetheart While I
realize that such a remark as that Ger
r.id, is based on inadequate knowledge, I
urn disposed to regard It as indicating the
full measure and scope of your acquaint
ance with the world thus far, and as such
I accept it and hasten to express my
grateful appreciation.
Father and Son.
"Father," said the college man, on
his return to the farm, "I believe I'll
not remain at homo during vacation
period, but seek some secluded glade
and rest my weary brain where the
woodbine twlneth."
"Son," returned the prosaic father,
"ye'U stay right here an' git all th' se
clooshun 'at's necessary, an' y' c'n rest
them ther tired brains uten th' har
vest field, where the good twine blnd
eth." Toledo Blade.
riTO flt. Vitus' fancB nnd Bll Nervous Dlar-ana
I 1 1 V permanently cured by Dr. Kllna's Ur-al
fcorve ltcsiorer. Bend fur KKI-1K ?2 trial bnttln and
treatise. Dr.ll. il.Klltn ,L1. Ml ArchSt.,l'Ulla.,l'a.
Scotch Bread.
This sort of bread, or, more correct
ly speaking, cake, Is rich, and must be
kept several days or a week to be at
Its best Work one cup of butter and
one-half cup of soft light brown sugar
together, then knead or mix in one-half
pound of bread flour, which will be
about two cups. Set ln the Ice box to
chill, and roll one-third of an inch
thick. Cut ln squares, scatter some
caraway seeds over the top and press
in lightly, then bake In a slow oven.
If s preferred, the caraway seeds can
be soattered through the dough, or they
may be omitted.
Rice and Peas.
To take the place of meat there Is
nothing more satisfactory than rice and
peas. Both are boiled separately and
then the two are put together and
cooked with a bit of pork, butter and
pepper. An entire dinner may be made
of curried chicken If It Is served after
the West and East Indian mode. A
little grated fresh cocoanut, a bit of
thinly sliced smoked salmon, gherkins,
chutney and picked beet root give a
distinct flavor and relish to It and take
the place of vegetables and salad.
Sponge Layer Cake.
Beat the yolks and whites of five
eggs separately, stirring Into the yolk
a cupful of powdered sugar and a
small teacupful of prepared flour. Beat
for twenty minutes, then add two tea
spoonfuls of lemon juice and the stiff
ened whites, stirring these lust ln very
lightly. Turn into greased layer-cake
tins and bake ln a steady oven.
Sponge Cake,
One scant cup of sugar, two eggs,
whites and yolks beaten separately, one
cup of flour sifted with two teaspoon
fuls of baking powder; a half cup of
boiling water. Beat the yolks
for fifteen minutes with the sugar;
then add the whites, the flour, and, last
of all, the water. Bake in a loaf tin.
Spiced Peaches.
Peel and slice peaches and weigh
them. To five pounds of fruit allow
two pounds of granulated suga& and a
small cup of vinegar, with two ounces
each of whole cloves and broken stick
cinnamon. Put over the Are nnd boll
until very thick. Put into heated jelly
glasses and seal.
Grape Pie.
Wash and stem ripe, acid grapes. To
two cups of the fruit add a cup of
granulated sugar, mix well and put
Into a pie plate lined with puff paste.
Ftt on an upper crust and bake. Serve
cold with sugar strewn over the top
of the pie.
Apple Taffy.
Boll together a pound of granulated
sugar and a teacupful of cold water
until a little dropped Into cold water
Is brittle. Wipe each apple, run a
skewer through It, dip In the scalding
sirup and lor on waxed paper to dry.
Necessarily.
Dinglebats The oculist charged you $3
tot taking a grain of sand out of youi
eye? That's pretty steep, isn't it?
Himpsley I thought so, till I looked
over his bill. It was for 'removing a
foreign substance from the cornea,' and of
course that costs more.
Unsolicited TetimonlaI.
"Stella engaged herself to five or six
young men at that summer resort," said
the girl with the blue earrings. "I don't
think that was right, do you?"
"Maybe not," answered the girl with
the ready made complexion, "but poor,
dear Stella was determined they shouldn't
all of them escape her this time."
$100 Reward, $100.
The readers of this paper will be pleased to
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l that science has been able to cure in au iu
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, medical iraternity. Catarrh being a constitu.
' tlonal disease, requires a constitutional treat-
ment. Hall'sCatarrh Cure is taken internally,
, acting directly upon the blood and mucous
; surfaces of the system, thereby destroying the
foundation of the disease, and giving the pa
tient strength by building up the constitution
j and assisting nature in doing its work. The
i proprietors have so much faith in its curative
' powers that they offer One Hundred Dollars
; for any case that it fails to cure. Bend tor list
nf taatlmnnl a1h
Address. F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, (X
Bold by druggists, 75c.
Hall's Family Fills are the best.
As the Boy Views It.
"My son," said the strict mother at
the end of a moral lecture, "I want you
to be exceedingly careful about your
conduct. Never, under any circum
stances, do anything which you would
be ashamed to have the whole world
see you do."
The small boy turned a handspring
with a whoop of delight.
"What ln the world is the matter
with you? Are you crazy?" demanded
the mother.
"No'm," was the answer. "I'm jes'
so glad that you don't spec me to take
no baths never any more."
TIRED BACKS.
The kidneys have a great work to do
in keeping the blood pure. When they
get out of order it causes backache,
headaches, dizziness,
languor and distress
ing urinary troubles.
Keep the kidneys well
and all these suffer
ings will be saved you.
Mrs., S. A. Moore,
proprietor of a res
taurant at Waterville,
Me., eayB: "Before
using Doan's Kidney
Pills I Buffered every
thing from kidney troubles for a year
' and a half. I had pain in the back
and bead, an almost continuous in the
loins and felt weary all the time. A
few doses of Doan'B Kidney Pills brought
great relief, and I kept on taking them
until in a short time I was cured. I
think Doan'B Kidney Pilla are wonder
ful." For sale by all dealers. 50 cents a
box. Foater-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y.