sBetwe
Two fires
By ANTHONY HOPE
"A wise man will make more opportunities
than he finds. " Francis Bacon.
CHAPTER XI.
I hnd brought the $10,000 with me. I
produced them and put them on the ta
ble, keeping a loving hand on them.
"You fully understand my position,
Colonel?" I said. "This thing is no use
to me unless I receive at least $320,000
to pay back principal, to meet interest,
end to replace another small debt to the
bank. If I do that, 1 shall be left with
a net profit of $3,000, not an extravagant
reward. If I don't get that sum I shall
be a ' defaulter, revolution or no revolu
tion." "I can't make money if it's not there,
he said, but without his usual brusque
ness of tone. "Butto this we agree. You
ere to have first turn at anything we find,
up to the sum you name. It's to be hand
ed over solid to you. The Signorina and
I take the leavings. You don't claim to
share them, too, do you?"
"No," I said, "I'm content to be a
preference shareholder. If the money's
found at the Golden House, it's mine. If
not, the new government, whatever it may
do as to the rest of the debt, will pay
me that sum."
Wit hthat I pushed my money over to
the Colonel.
"I expect the new government to be
very considerate to the bondholders all
round," said the Colonel, as he pocketed
it with a chuckle. "Anyhow, your terms
nre n creed, eh. Sienorina?"
"Azreed !" said she. "And I'm to have
To country seat?"
"Asreed !" said I. "And the Colonel's
to be President and to have the Golden
TTouse and all that therein is.
"Agreed ! agreed ! agreed !" chanted the
Signorina; "and that's quite enough ousi
ness. Success to the Revolution !"
T had risen to co. when a sudden
thought struck me.
"Where's Johnny Carr? I sny, Colo
nel, how indiscreet was he last night? Do
you think he remembers telling you about
it?"
"Yes," said the Colonel, "I expect he
does by now. lie didn't when I left hiin
this morning."
"Will he confess to the President?
If he does, it might make the old man
'' keep an unpleasantly sharp eye on you
He knows you don't love him."
"Well, Carr hasn't seen the President
yet. He was to stay at my house over
to-day. lie was uncommon seedy this
morning, and I persuaded the doctor to
give him a composing draught. Fact is, I
wanted him quiet till I'd had time to
think. You know I don't believe he would
own up the President would drop on
him so ; but he might, and it's better they
shouldn't meet."
"There's somebody else he oughtn't to
meet," said the Signorina.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"Donna Antonia," she replied, "ne's
retting very fond of her, and depend upon
it, if he's in trouble he'll go and tell her
the first thing. Mr. Carr is very. confi
dential to his friends."
We recognized the value of this sug
gestion. If Donna Antonia knew, the
President would soon know.
"Quite right." said the Colonel. "It
won't do to have him rushing about let
ting out that we know all about it. Ile'i
all right up to now.
"Yes, but if he gets restive to-morrow
morning?" said I. "And then you don t
want him at the Golden House on Friday
evening, and I don't want him at the bar
racks."
"No, he'd show fight, Carr, would,'
said the Colonel. "Look here, we're in
for this thing, and I'm going through
with it. I shall keep Carr at my house
till it's all over, even if I have to use
force. Master Johnny is better quiet."
"Suppose he turns ugly?" I suggested
again.
"He may turn as ugly as he likes,1
wild the Colonel. lie don t leave my
house unless he puts a bullet into me
first. That's settled. Leave it to me. If
lie behaves nicely, he'll be all right. If
not "
"What shall you do to him?" asked the
Signorina.
"Oh, leave it to the Colonel ; he'll man
ege nil right," I suggested.
"Now I'm off," said the latter, "back
to my friend Johnny. Good-night, .Sig
norina. Write to the President to-mor
row. Good-night, Martin. Make that
Kiieceh of yours pretty long. Au revoir
till next Friday."
I prepared to go, for the Colonel lin
gered till I came with him. Even then
ve so distrusted one another that neither
would leave the other alone with the Sig
norina.
We parted at the door, he going off up
the road to get his horse to ride to his
"ranch," I turning down toward the
l'iazza.
We left the Signorina at the door, look
Ing pale and weary, and for once bereft
of her high spirits. Poor girl! She
found conspiracy rather trying work.
I was little troubled myself. I began
to see more clearly that it doesn't do for
u man of scruples to dabble in politics.
I had a great regard for poor Johnny,
and I felt no confidence In tho Colonel
treating him with any consideration. In
fact, I would not have insured Johnny's
life for the next week at any conceivable
premium. Again I thought It unlikely
that, if we succeeded, the President would
survive his downfall. -1 had to repeat to
myself all the story" of his treachery to
mo, lashing myself Into a fury against
Iiiin, before I could bring insolX to think
ith resignation of the Imminent extinc
tion of that shining light.
What a loss lie would be to the world I
So many delightful stories, so great a gift
f manner, so immense a personal charm
-all to disappear into the pit ! And for
hat? To put into his place a ruffian
ithout redeeming qualities. Was It
ortli while to put down Lucifer only to
enthrone Beelzebub? I could only check
this doleful strain of reflection by sternly
recalling myself to the real question
the state of the fortunes of me, John
Martin. And to me the Revolution was
necessary. I might get the money ; at
ast I should gain time. I was animat
ed by the honorable motive of saving my
employers from loss and by the over-
helming motive of my own love. If the
continued existence of Johnny and the
President was incompatible with these
legitimate objects, so much the worse for
Johnny and the President.
remain mere ror a day or two. i n dm- r-
ter, and though I've cut the affair at the I O lTif rprrirj
barracks to-night, I fully exiwct to be I"!
up and about this afternoon. Ever yours, JJ ff'Jl1"'' jf
"G10O. M'GUICGOU." l:Ui Vv:
iru, du 1-aiL JB UU Ilia UiUA iiuu iinvj
to remain there, is he? Very likely, I
expect; but I wonder what it means. I
hope the Colonel hasn't been very drastic.
However, everything soeuis right; lu fact,
better than I hoped."
In this more cheerful frame of mind I
arose, breakfasted at leisure, and set out
for the bank about eleven.
Of course the first person I met on tho
street was one of the last I wanted to
meet, namely, Donna Antonia. She was
on horseback, and her horse looked as if
he'd done some work. At the sight of nio
she reined up, and I could not avoid
stopping as I lifted my hat.
"Whence so early?" I asked.
"Early?" she said. "I don't call this
early. I've been for a long ride ; in fact,
I've ridden over to Mr. Carr's place,
with a message from papa ; but he's not
there. Do you know where he is, Mr.
Martin?"
"Haven't an idea," said I.
"He hasn't been homo for four nights,"
she continued, "and he hasn't been to tho
ministry, either. It's very odd that ho
should disappear like this, just when all
the business Is going on, too."
"What business, Donna Antonia?" I
asked blandly.
She colored, recollecting, no doubt,
that the business was still a secret.
"Oh, well, you know they're always
busy at the ministry of finance at this
time. It's the time they pay everybody,
isn't It?"
"It's the time they ought to pay every
body," I said.
"Well," she went on, without noticing
my correction, "at any rate papa and the
President are both very much vexed with
him ; so I offered to make my ride in his
direction.
"Where can he be?" I asked again.
"Well," she replied, "I believe he's at
Colonel McGregor's, and after lunch I
shall go over there. I know he dined
there on Monday, and I daresay he stayed
on.
"No," thought I, "you mustn't do that,
it might be inconvenient." So I said :
"The Colonel says Carr told him he was
going off for a couple of days' sail in hU
yacht."
"It's very bad of him to go," she said,
but no doubt that's it. Papa will bo
angry, but he'll be glad to know no harm
has come to him."
"Happy to have relieved your mind,"
said I, and bade her farewell, wondering
whether Don Antonio would find no harm
had come to poor Johnny. I had my
doubts.
CHAPTER XII.
The next three days were on the whole
the most uncomfortable I have ever spent
in my life. I got little sleep and no rest;
went about with a revolver handy all
day, and jumped every time I heard a
sound. I expended much change in buying
every edition of all the papers; I listened
with dread to the distant cries of news-
enders, fearing, as the words gradually
became distinguishable, to hear that our
secret was a secret no longer. I was
bound 'fo show myself, and yet shrank
from all gatherings of men. I transact
ed my business with an absent mind and
face of such superhuman innocence
that, had anyone been watching me, he
must at once have suspected something
wrong. I was Incapable of adding up a
row of figures, and Jones became most
solicitous about the state of my brain.
In a word, my nerves were quite shat
tered, and I registered a vow never to
upset a government again as long as I
lived. In future the established consti
tution would have to be good enough for
me. I verily believe that only the thought
of the Signorina prevented me making a
moonlight flitting across the frontier with
a whole skin at least, if with an empty
pocket, and leaving the rival patriots of
Aureataland to fight it out among themselves.
Happily, however, nothing occurred to
justify my fears. The other, side seemed
to be sunk In dull security. The Presi
dent went often to the ministry of finance,
and was closeted for hours with Don
Antonio ; I suppose fhey were perfecting
their nefarious scheme. There were no
signs of excitement or activity at the bar
racks ; the afternoon gatherings on the
Piazza were occupied with nothing more
serious than the prospects of lawn tennis
and the grievous dearth of dances. The
official announcements relative to the debt
had had a quieting effect, and all classes
seemed Inclined to wait and see what the
President's new plan was.
So passed Wednesday and Thursday
On neither day had I heard anything
frors my fellow-conspirators ; our arrange
ments for writing had so far proved un
necessary or unsuccessful. The latter
possibility sent shiver down my back, and
my lively fancy pictured his excellency's
smile as he perused the treasonable docu
ments. If 1 heard nothing on the morn
ing of Friday, I was determined at all
risks to see the Colonel. With the dawn
of that eventful day, however, I was re
lieved of this necessity. I was lying in
bed about half-past nine when my servant
brought in three letters.
"Sent on from the bank, sir," he said,
"with Mr. Jones' compliments, and are
you going there this morning?".
"My compliments to Mr. Jones, and he
may expect me in five minutes," I re
plied. The letters were all marked "Immedi
ate" one from the Signorina, one from
the Colonel, one from the barracks. I
opened the last first and read as follows ;
"The officers of the Aureataland Army
have the honor to remind Mr. John Mar
tin that they hope to have the pleasure
of his company at supper this evening at
10 p. m.. precisely. In tho unavoidable
obsence of his excellency the President,
owing to pressing cares of state, and the
Hon. Colonel McGregor from indisposi
tion, the toast of the Army of Aureata
land will be proposed by Major Alphonse
DeChair.
"P. S. Friend Martin, speak long this
night. The two great men do not come,
and the evening wants to be filled out.
"ALPHONSE DE CHAIR."
"It shall be long, my dear boy, and we
will fill out your evening for you," said
I to myself, well pleased so far.
Then I opened the Signorina's epistle,
"Dear Mr. Martin," it began "Will
vou be so kind as to send me In the course
of the day twenty dollars in small
change? I want to give tho school chil
dren a scramble. I enclose check. I ain
so sorry you could not dine with me to
night, but after all I am glad, because I
should have had to put you off, for I am
commanded rather suddenly to dine at the
Golden House. With kind regards, be
lieve me, yours sincerely,
"CHRISTINA NUGENT."
"Very good," said I. "I reckon the
scramble .will keep. And now for the
Colonel."
"Dear Martin I Inclose check for
$300. My man will call for the cash to
morrow morning. I give you notice be
cause I want it all In silver for wages.
Carr and I are here together, both seedy.
Poor Carr is on his back, and likely to
An IiikoiiIoiik IloiMt-wlfe,
A young wife who finds entering for
two without u wiurto of provisions per
plexing makes a part of her own cook
ing butter.
A bottle of cream, unless It happens
to be needed for a dessert, Is never
used up, so she turns what la left Into
n bowl, day by day, until she accumu
lates enough to pay for churning. Then
she beats It Into butter, drains off tho
buttermilk, salts It ami works out tho
moisture. Left-over peas go Into pureo
of pen soup tht) next day. Cold corn Is
used un in fritters or succotash. Cold
mashed potatoes reappear In potato
Dakes or potato pancakes, says tho
New York Evening Sun. Tho
ways of meat fragments are many,
tho housewife's repertoire of "cut
lets," souffles, croquettes, ragouts
and the like being n . long one. "Tho
rafcout," sue whispered In a friend's
ear, "is nothing but mother's 'stew,'
with less gravy, only, some way, not
half so good."
We Trust
octors
D
If you are suffering from
impure blood, thin blood, de
bility, nervousness, exhaus
tion, you should begin at once
with Ayer's Sarsaparilla, the
Sarsaparllla you have known
all your life. Your doctor
knows it.too. Askhimaboutit.
Tnii mint Ionic woll aftor tlie ennilltlnn of
your llvurnuil liowoln. 1 1 iiUihs thorn Ik dully
action of tl' hnwols, poisonous proiliictii aro
ahsorlrori, nniKlnx henihiolio, 1 il 1 1 chihi k-hr. win
h, dvunoimtii, "d thus imivetitliiK tli Hur
B:lar(lhl from lolii 11" Iwst work. Ayr'
rllla lira nvur tuna, aci komuv, un uRii.....
lie done 1 only one pin at uuumoo.
i
I ill llIM
Mado by J. 0. Ayor Co., Tjowoll, JUam.
Also mnuuinaturorB OI
7 HAIR VIOOR.
Anne ami1..
CHKRRY PECTORAL.
ii ore
Itoutfh on lli'ltltr.
' Tommy What Is tho "height of fol
ly," pa?
Pa Your sister's benu, my son. Ila
is six feet two.
Artificial Milk.
Artificial milk is one of the latest
attempts of science to duplicate by
synthetic processes the products of na
ture. In Germany, where chemistry has
reached Its highest state of develop
ment, they are offering a so-called ar
tificial milk, which Is recommended loam that thoro
for use In bakeries as a substitute for
the natural product. According to one
of the reputable German chemical
journals, this latest product of the la
boratory consists of a mixture of sy
rup and" (same oil, emulsified with
some pn.eld substance. Tula s of
stifllc'otit strength to be diluted by the
container with nine parts of water.
It is stated vtiat lu some of tho south
ern states, remote from milk supplies,
au artMclal substitute Is made froiq
cotton-seed oil In much the same mua
ner.
I'rolml.lr Went All Illjitat.
"J. Smith, Famished Geological' Struc
ture, 111."
This was the address on tho letter
postmarked "Boston, Aug. 27, 11)00."
"Try Starved Hock," wrote tho edu
cated railway postal clerk just below the
address. Chicago Tribune.
CIIAPTEIl XIII.
When I arrived at the bank I dispatch
ed brief answers to my budget of letters ;
each of the answers was to the same
purport, namely, that I should be at the
barracks at the appointed time. I need
not trouble the reader with the various
wrappings in which this essential piece of
intelligence was involved. I then had a
desperate encounter with Jones; business
was slack, and Jones was fired with the
unholy desire of seizing the opportunity
thus offered to make an exhaustive In
quiry into the state of our reserve. He
could not understand my sudden punctil
iousness as to times and seasons, and I
was afraid I should have to tell him
plainly that only over my lifeless body
should he succeed In investigating the
contents of the safe. At last I effected
a diversion by persuading him to give
Mrs. Jones a jaunt into the country, and
thus left in peace, I spent my afternoon
in making final preparations. I burned
many letters ; I wrote a touching farewell
to my father, in which I took occasion
to point out to him how greatly his im
prudent conduct had contributed to in
crease the difficulties of his dutiful son.
I was only restrained from making a will
by the obvious imprudence of getting it
witnessed. I spent a feverish hour In
firing imaginary shots from my revolver,
to ascertain whether the instrument was
in working order. Finally I shut up the
bank at five, went to the Piazza, partook
of a light repast, and never was I more
rejoiced than when the moment for ac
tion at last came. As I was dressing, lin
gering over each garment with a feeling
that I might never put on, or, for that
matter, take it off again, 1 received a
second note from the Colonel. It was
brought by a messenger, on. a sweating
horse, who galloped up to my door. I
knew the messenger well by sight ; he was
the Colonel's valet. My heart was in my
mouth as I took the envelope from his
h:inds. The fellow was evidently in our
secret, for he grinned nervously at me
as he handed It over, and said :
"I was to ride fast, and destroy the
letter if anyone came near."
I nodded, and opened it. It said :
"C. escaped about six this evening. Be
lieved to have gone to his house. He sus
nects. If vou see him. shoot on sight."
"Had Mr. Carr a horse?" I asked of
the man.
"No, sir; left on foot. Couldn't come
along the road to Whittingham, sir, it's
patrolled."
There was still a chance. It was ten
miles across country from the Colonel's
to Johnnv's. anil six miles on from Jolin-
nv's to Whittingham. The man divined
mv ithomrhts.
"lie can't en fast. sir. he's wounded in
the leg. If he goes home first, as he will,
because he doesn't know his horses are
gone, he can't get here before eleven at the
earliest.
(To be continued.)
Drawing It Fine.
"She Is daft on the subject of germs
and sterilizes or Alters everything In
the house."
"How does she get along with her
family?"
"Oh, even her relations are strained."
Harper's Weekly,
Temtlntr Flour,
There are several methods of testlirtj
flour, one of which at least should be
known to every purchaser of house
hold provisions. If lloar Is white with
a yellowish straw-color t'c It Is good,
while If It has a bluish cmt, or black
specks In it, It Is the opposite. Flour
can also be tested by its adhesiveness
wet and knead a Utile of It between
the fingers ; if It works oft and sticky
It Is poor. If a little flour Is thrown
against a dry, smooth surface and It
falls like powder, you may know that
It Is not of the best quality. If flour
squeezed in the hand retains the shape
given It, when the hand Is relaxed, it
Is a good sign.
$100 Reward, $100.
The rcadors of this payor will tie pleased to
ih.i i in. rn iHRtuiiLHt ono dreaded disease
.l,.,r ...l..nru lius llHKIl alllo tO C.Ure ill all Hi
slages, and that is Catarrh. Hall's Catarrh
Cure is the only positive euro known to the
medical fraternity. Catarrh being a constitu
tliuial disease, requires a constitutional treat
ment. Hall's Catarrh Cure in taken intorniilly,
acting directly upon tho l.lnod and miicoui
sunaues of the system, thereby destroying the
foundation of the disease, and giving the '"
tieut streiiRlh by building up the conHtitutkpi
and assisting nature in doing its work. 1 lie
proprietor have so much faith in its curative
powers that they oiler One Hundred foliar;
for any case that it falls to cure. Heud for llbt
0,AdssUltt F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, 0.
Bold by druggists, 75c. ,
Hail's family 1'llU are the best.
Spiced Grape.
rulp the grapes, cut the pulp In a
saucepan, and stew gently until soft
enough to be rubbed through a strain
er to remove the seeds. Weight the
pulp, and to five pouuds of It add a
pint of vinegar, four pounds of brown
sugar, three tablespoonfuis of ground
cloves and two of ground cinnamon.
Stew all together until very thick,
then pour Into jelly glasses and seal.
Next Summer.
A million or two of people who have
spent this summer at tho seashore are
strongly disposed to spend next Bum
mer in the back country or tho moun
tains. If they persevere In this deter
m'natlon their places will be Oiled by
persons who have spent this summer
In the mountains and the back coun
try and don't want to go back. It has
been a very trying summer, muggy,
foggy, 'skeetry, damp, moist, hot and
miscellaneously plaintive, but It has
been about as bad In ono place as In
another. Harper's Weekly.
riTfl Pt. Vitus' Dance ana an nervous Diseases
f 1 1 5 permanently curi-d hf Dr. Kline's Cln-at
Nerve Bi'suirer. Heml for FHKK ?2trlil bottlo and
treatiso.Ur.lt ILKllne.Ld. K31 ArcuHt.,Pulla.,l'a,
Strawberry Float.
Squeeze every bit of juice from a
quart of strawberries. Beat three
egg-whites stiff with sugar to taste,
and whip Into this meringue the
squeezed berries. Sweeten a pint of
rich cream, and pour Into It the jui6e
of the berries. Line a glass bowl with
macaroons, pour the strawberry cream
upon these, then heap the meringue on
top of all. Serve soon.
Gooh o berry Fool.
Put Into a Jar one quart of green
gooseberries, with two tablespoonfuis
of water and two cupfuls of sugar ; set
the jar In a saucepan of boiling water
and boll until the fruit will mash ; beat
to a pulp and put through a coarse
sieve. To one pint of pulp add one
half pint of cream and one cupful of
milk; add the milk, first gradually,
beating well. Serve cold.
Devil's Fooil Cnk.
Cream one-half cup of butter with
one and one-half cups of sugar, add
three beaten eggs, one-half cup of grat
ed chocolate dissolved in one-half cup
of hot water, a teaspoouful of vanilla,
and one and a half cups of flour that
has been twice sifted with a heaping
teaspoonful of baking powder. Bake
lu layer tins and put together with
boiled Icing.
Rich Vanilla Ice Cream.
Make a custard of a quart of milk,
seven eggs and two cups of sugar, or
more If you wish the Ice cream to be
quite sweet. "Boil lu the custard sev
eral vanilla beans. When the custard
Just coats the spoon remove from the
fire and set aside to cool. When cold
strain out the vanilla beans, afld a
quart of rich cream and freeze.
Would Salt Hint Hotter.
The Judge Mr. Twiggles, do you wish
to poll the jury?
The lawyer (who had lost his case)
No, your honor; but it would afford me
infinite satisfaction if I could club the
jury. '
Mothers will find Mf. Wlnslow's Soothing
Byrup the best remedy touse for tholr children
during the teeming foriou.
One of Ilia Gloomy Mootla.
"Honesty is the best policy, to be sure,"
moralized the professor, "but in the casa
of too many men it is a policy that haa
a surrender value."
To Break in New Shoes.
iiinv shake in Allen's Foot-Ease, a powder.
It cures hot, sweating, aching, swollen feet.
Cures corns, ingrowing nails and bunions. At
all druggists and shoe stores, 2ic. Don't accept
anv substitute. Sample mailed FREE. Address
Allen a. uimutea, w itoy, is. i.
Uncle Allen.
"Many a man," said Uncle Allen
Sparks, "dates all his other reverses from
the evening whec his best girl turned bun
down."
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
How a Veteran Was Saved the Am
putation of a Limb.
B. Frank Doremus, veteran, of Roose
velt Ave., Indianapolis, Ind., says:
"I had been showing symptoms of kid
ney trouble from the
time I was mustered
out of the army, but
in all my life I never
suffered as in 1897.
Headaches, dizziness
and sleeplessness first,
and then dropsy. I
was weak and help
less, having run down
from 180 to 125
pounds. I was hav
ing terrible pain in the kidneys and the
secretions passed almost involuntarily.
My left leg swelled until it was 34
inches around, and the doctor tapped it
night and morning until I could no
longer stand it, and then he advised
amputation. I refused, and began
using Doan's Kidney Pills. The swell
ing subsided gradually, the urine be
came natural and all my pains and
aches disappeared. I have been well
now for nine years since using Doan's
Kidney Pills."
For sale by all dealers. 50 cents a
box. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y.