Is Planter's Daughter
2 FATE'S REVENGE
By MRS. ALICE P. CAKRISTON
Author of "A Waif from the 8a," "Htr Brlghtait Hops,"
. "Wayward Wlnnafrad," ate.
CHAPTER XIV.
Niturally, a pair of eye ditxled by
tha (lire and , brilliancy of tb outer
world would ba obliged to accommodate
themielvea to tha Inner gloom of that
spaclouB drawiug room art they would
ba abla to distinguish objects with any
degree of certainty. Tbla fact must have
forced Itaalf upon Kylphide, otherwise atie
would not have recoiled ao iudWnly and
once.ilcd herself aa that fair of Strang
yea glared in through the blind upon
ber. Gathering tha fluttering giuie of
tha window drapery about her, alia it nod
there, holding ber breath, awaiting ahe
would have found. It difficult to explain
what
Evidently aatlifled that the drawing
room waa dcaer.ed, the quirk atep became
atealthy, and atole along tha plina until
It reached tha enlrauce to the main ball;
tiere, no Impediment occurring In the way
of a atrtiy ecrvant, tha Intruder advanc
ed, and presently hmntrd upon tha thresh
old In full view oi Kylphld.
U proved to be a man of medium
tieliflit and rJender pmpnrtiona, lithe and
willowy In every limb. The figure, though
undersized, might have aerved aa a model
for ao artist The face had a lean, hun
fry look, Interallied at that moment by
rascally gleam In the drep-aet, flaihing
yea.
Upon a table, within reach of Syl
phMe'e ambush, lay a velvet cue, upon
the aatln cuahlon of which nestled a
airing of aplendld peirla the bridal gift
of Lucian Courtlandt to Claire. The or
tj anient had been brottfcht down atalra by
Martha Dunn In the hope that ber young
anlitnie would content to wear It during
the ceremony, but Claire bad turned
from tha lovely embleme with ahudder
and Martha had forgotten their very ex
lstetic. Toward thla alluring bolt the
man now atole with outmatched handa,
la an Inatant Sylphlde divined hla nefa
rloui Intention, and au Intelligent light
hot Into her watchful area.
"The man 1 want!" aha thought, with
tha eelerltr of lightning: and a hla
-rrammd tin ire re closed upon the genii,
lie auddenly appeared, anntched tha
necklace from hla grasp, and to awlft
undertone ahe breathed:
"Silence 1 Not a word! I do not mean
(o betray you, provided
l)o you belong to the bouse?" falter
d the fellow, pallid to tho very llpi with
terror.
"No, bnt I am aufflclently friend oi
then people to Bend you packing to Sing
8lng for a term of year. You are
thief! Your name)"
"Camllle."
"What brlnga you hcrer
"1 came In amwer bo an advert!'
rnont for a itrong and honest man to
wait upon an Invalid. Oh, madnro, do
not ba hard on me! apare mc! perhaps
ome day I may be able to do you a good
turn!"
"Me!" encored Sylpmae; "you are pre-
mnptuotia. No; I have mind to de
liver you to JiiKtlee."
"Juitlce!" walled tha guilty wretch.
That meiina ruin! Lady, I'awear to you
that I waa born and bred to live an hon
est life. I hare but one desire In the
world, and that la to lay np five thou
wind dollar, enough to buy and etock a
little farm, where I may acttle down and
live like other men. Spare me. and 1
ed cbalr about the grounda, and drive
her phieton. They talk of taking ber to
Newport."
And my the child T" aha Inquired,
auddenly. "The title boy?"
"lie goea with hla gnverneia alio."
"Tell me hie ha been much with Mr.
Courtlandt during the day7"
"Conatantly. Ho even Imitated that
aha ahould alt with hi in while ba fell
aaleep." ,
"Ah!"
Camllle'e nharp eyea were upon tha
womao'a face aa the gaiplng exclamation
left hrr compreaaed lip. So great waa
her mental abaorption that for tha mo
ment ahe aeeined oblivion to hla ecru
tiny, aud Camilla bad ample opportunity
to roiuo to the aatuta conclusion:
"That child la her own! That' toy
clue to work on!"
"You are too much of an adventurer
to be a clown," aha breathed; "whatever
ele you may be, you are not itupld of
that I am morally certain. Now, Uaten
to me. So long aa you remain In tha aer
f Ice of Mra. Courtlandt your wagea are
aasured to you, you wilt have aom
thlng In your pocket, but," and here her
burning eyea aeemed to acorch hla pallid
face, "but on the day that you ahall
bring ma tiding of tho death of the
I .fortnt.ua- luva'ld, that diy you aha'l
receive tha five thouaand dollar that you
would perjure your a u to obta '
Ten mlnutea later aa Sytphida atood
alone before ber mirror, ah glanced Into
ber dlatorted feature, murmuring:
"Have I been talking to no purpose?
Can It ba that he doea not understand
me 7"
Meanwhile, trudging homeward
through tha blinding rain, bla way illum
ined by the flare of the lightning, hla
eara atunned by the crah of the thunder,
Camilla smiled gravely, aa ha aald to
himtelf:
"The queatlon la, am I In hurry to
eetde down on my farm, or am I not?
If I am, then that young woman won't
enjoy an entire aeatwn at Newport; If, on
tha other hand, I am not Drr-r!" a
ba covered hi eyea from tha lightning,
"what touching confidence- my friend,
Mra. Haattnga, mint have In met It'a
really too aweet for anything!"
ma to another are broken, but all the
aim ahe 1 tha mother of my child. 1
have reaied to love that woman, but
while alia live and lead an bonoribl
life I will not permit niyat-lf to love,
again!" ,
For an In. tint the biuxhty old lady
pauied In Intent thought; then vicious
aaiite crept Into her ateely eye. I
Tbe approach of Camilla wkh the,
moralng'a mall cut abort thla Interview,
and tha pair aeparated, Lucian going In .
tha direction of tha atablea, while Mra. ;
Courtlandt retraced ber atepa into tha
hooe. Left to blmielf, Camilla crept
Into the abadow of the beech tree, and
tealthlly extracted a letter from bla
pocket. '
"Queer about thla," ha muttered, on-'
folding tha mlaalve, and mumbling over
Ita eontenta: 'Had the Invalid yon at
tend already taken her paaiag for tha
next world, you would now be aufflclent
ly rich to go aud live where you cfcooee.
Your late Irregularitlea In Benton have
rome to light, and are known to thoss
who hava it In their power to cruah you.
Concequently, H 1 the advice of an an-
The Planter's Deunhter
22 FATE'S REVENGE
By MCS. ALICE P. CARS3ST0.1
Author of "A Walf from tho 8a," Hr Bright! Hop,
"Wayward Wlnnfrd," ate.
ret tii ehrubbery a tbou.-A panned by
) ten thooiiod furies.
CHAPTER XV.-HCoatlnued.)
"Oh, I muit know!" ahe murmured
deiperately; "why do I Buffer ao each
time I take that potion; why doea a con
aumlng fire leap op within me every thn
tbe beverage paaaea my 11 pi? What doe
it mean 7
f I. L. - ...! - , . 1
known friend not to del., longer but fcVlu'
keep your eyea open to your Interest. . , , . f ,.,,.
An unknown friend! Babt it can't b
pretty Mr. Haa-tlnge; how could ibe
know that I had ever aet foot in BoitonT
Whoever, It la, they're on my track, and
tbe aooner 1 glv 'em tb allp tho better."
With a haaty glance about him, ba drew
a phial of colorleaa liquid from bi Inner
Ir.lesa I die, I sh-ill npiet thiir project,
their plan for tbe future. And it la be
Lucian oh, no, no, no! 1 will not
la ha capable of wiling hie aoul with a
believe it! He-no longer lovea me; ba
bate me, long for my death and yet,
crime? Irapolble! etlll, the fact re-
pocket and contemplated it with a ateady ,,,. thm po,;on potionr.
(.ru.1117. ... I Her 1 Id (OmiirniMt intn rlvit Una
Ha bent above ber, atrivlng to rah
her, but ah ahrank away with horror at
hi touch, a a cry of angulah burat from
bi lip.
Oh, heavenly Father, hava phy npon
my Buffering and let me depart in peace!"
Then uncouaciouanea aeized upon ber.
and ahe fell forward proatrat at hi feet.
Within an hour telegram winged ita
flight to Sylphlde Couramont in New
York. The message, cleverly veiled, ran
aa followa:
'Your command bav been executed.
Expect me ahortly to conceit aa to tbe
location of the farm. CAMILLE."
"Small dosea don't aeem to b doing
tha work," ha muttered; "ahe'a etronger
than I thought ahe waa. Well, here goea
tha whole for luck! Hit or mi, I'v
got to nave my precious akin!"
With the alnuoua glide of a aerpent, ha
crept to tha table, and. with a band mad
ateady by deiperate resolution, be emp
tied the complete eontenta of the phial
Into Clalre'a potion. For one Inatant bo
atood, faaclnated by tbe Jewel-like bub
ble that roae tremulously to the aurfaca
of tha liquid and vaniahed; then audden
ly he recoiled with a gaap of diamay.
"Camille!"
Tha vole that emote bla guilty ear
waa the voice of hi Innocent victim. Ha
ralaed hla craven eyea.
Claire, with a kindly amlle npon her
llpa, had entered the umbrage of tha
beech tree!
111 beloni to you. body and aoul. In
deed, indeed, the devotion of a determin
ed man it not to be anevred at!"
"How could you aerve me?"
"Madam may have enemlea," waa the
crafty reply. "Not at preaent, pcrhapa,
but one never knowa when they may
rop up; and If you will be merciful to
me, and not denounce me, I will aerve
you with unlimited devotion."
"I will reflect."
"I am eaved," thought the fellow, bow
ing deeply, to conceal the ' grimace of
triumph that dlatorted hia feature.
"Thla evening, when you are at liber
ty," continued Sylphlde, with well-managed
hauteur, "you may come to the inn
In the village and Inquire for Mra. Heat
ing. I will think your matter over and
decide whether I can ao far alienee my
conscience aa to permit your crime to
pa unpunished. In the meantime, use
your eyoa and ear well here. Now, mou
had better touch, that bell and make your
oresence known."
Aa ahe apoke. ihe replaced the pearl
In their casket, and closed the lid. Then
ahe lowered her veil, and leaving the
apartment, crossed tho plnzxa, apd took
the ninny path thnt led along the margin
of the lawn, down to tho entrance gates.
From behind tfte closed blind Camllle
watched her departure, a BiiUter amlle
upon hie lnnk countenance.
"Humph!" he muttered. "Set a thief
to catch a thiol. There'a money In that
young woman. Folk aay a man can't
aerve two masters, hut I'm willing to
try it, and aee whether I enn't moke
mysolf tho exceptllon which provea the
rule. I'll bet that my pretty friend, Mra.
Iloatlnga, la plnylng the apy i t.ea
parts. Woll, we ahall Bee, what we will
aee."
He turneM from the window and paus
ed beside the table. For an Inatant he
too.. Irresolute, hla baud reetit.g on he
velvet caaket; but auddenly he with
drew It and emote tha bell a ringing
cent.
"No," no," he muttered; "the game'a not
worth the candle; there'a too much
money In the wind to run the rlik for a
trifle like that."
Tbe Bummer day had dragged Ita tor
rid length to a close, and the shade of
night had fallen, accompanied by ' the
omlnoua muttering! of distant thunder,
when the twinkling light of the Tillage
Inn, discovered the agile figure of the
man Camllle, aa he sauntered Into the
yard. Swinging into the Hbtle hostelry,
. he inquired for Mra. Hasting, and waa
promptly requested to present himself at
room number ten.
"You ar a reliable peTeon," murmur
ed tha lady. "Hava you been engaged?"
"To wait npon the young Mra. Court
landt; carry ber up and down atalra If
he hi too woak to walk, poh tha wheel-
CHAPTEIl XV.
Toward midsummer a charming ecene
waa depicted, on perfect morning, be-
neah .1- I Much .of 4 prc-Mng dh
that flung Ita ahade broadcaat over tha
lawn, hemmed by the world-famed duffs
of Newport.
Clad in a flowing peignoir of falntett
violet coahmere, ber luxurioua golden
bronze hair looped at the back of her
charming head with a allver pin, Claire
reclined In a deep Chlncae chair, an open
book upon her lap. With both hla chubby
hand apread upon the page, atood little
Ion, attired in a rollicking aailor'a atilt
of snowy duck, hla great black eyea fixed
upon hta foster-mother a face with aol
earn Intcntnc?. At that moment the eld
Mr. Courtlandt, "Madame" Court
Inndt they called her to distinguish ber
from her daughter-in-law, awept down
the atepa of the vine-draped villa and ap
proached the pair.
"la It quite prudent for you to ait
here, my dear?" the inquired of Claire,
The graaa must be damp after the dense
fog of laat night."
"Camilla haa attended to that," aald
Claire; "do you not aee be baa given
me a rug for my feet? Out. mother,
peaking of the fog, do you know 1 lay
awake listening to hear tha Sound boat
from New York beat and throb up the
channel, but 1 did not hear It Lucian
waa to be on board. What if aoun ac
cident hna happened?"
It baa been merely delayed, waa the
comforting reply; "it came in while we
were at breakfaat. v
"And Lucian "
"la here!" cried a cheery voice, and
Courtlandt stepped to his wife aide.
With a low cry Claire atarted to her
feet, the roay tint of tha aeaehell mant
ling cheeka nad brow.
"Lucian!"
"Claire!"
He caught her Involuntarily out
tretched handa In htf, and drawing her
towards him, imprinted a kiss upon her
brow.
"Claire." he aald, hla voice vibrant,
"how well you look! Thank heaven, thla
venture has proved a aucceas!"
She withdrew out of hia clusp, every
vestige of color dying out of her face,
and sank upon her chair. Madame Court
landt alone noted the morbid change in
Claire and frowned.
Ai a fortunate relief to the tense situa
tion, Camillc tuddenly appeared crossing
the lawn with a tray upon which rested
a goblet filled with a colorless fluid.
"Mndnm'a potion," he aald, placing his
hurden upon a rustic table at Clalre'a
aide; then, aa he turned to retrace his
steps, he muttered under hla breath, "one
more atcp towarda my farm!"
Mother and Bon failed to note eithei
the sinister glauce upon the lackey's face,
or the brief, shuddering glance with
which Claire contemplated her draught,
for the former had turned towards the
house, while the latter rose hastily, press
ing her handkerchief to her lips.
"Ought you not to take your potion?"
Courtlandt asked, solicitously, pointing
towarda the table. '
"There 1b no hurry,", she answered,
with a aad uhake of the head; "its
atrength will not lessen by keeping. Later
I will taka lt."-
With these words alia received little
Leon'a hand andded him away towarda
the fragrant garden that fringed the sea,
In alienee mother and son watched the
pair depart, and not until they were out
of ear-shot did Mra. Courtlandt exclaim
with ominous menace in every word:
"Lucian, are you mad? Why do you
stay away from ua in New York? Do
you aeek to shun Claire?"
"Ye! Do you not see that I cannot
remain with her without loving her? Sha
haa stolen my heart out of my keeping,
I grant you that tha bonds which, bound
a (be concluded. Greihim atrode into
the ihadow of tbe beeches and paused be
id her chair.
1 ' "Hid you aend for me?" he aiked In
I bl breezy way.
I "Yei," ahe anawered, compelling ber
aelf to glance up at him with ber accua
tomed calmnesa. "Ioctor, how do you
find me this morning?"
. "Stronger and better than you were
yesterday; altogether a different woman
to what. you were a week ago,
Terhapa it la my imagination" ahe
murmured; then added, quickly, looking
up with a forced amile. "if I am trou
bled by vaporing, it la your duty a my
physician to divert my mind. You Drom
lacd to teach me something of botany
when we got Into the country have you
rorgotten r
nt It" MHinul C1- .V m mnJI-i.
The aound of bis fair young miatre.' I BfJ,: "
w -lneD t00 ,t W01(J be UMfuJ t) me
. Mp!r V, ' , T I I Ci t0 kD0W omething of chemistry. Na
Natur-
ceal bla Perturbation, he fell to shaking m our itudy of ' ,hall
up the cushions of he Invalid chair awt with ,
M. If wam rAMlllT' .nnll r. 11 a1 lint I.. . . .
Is It you, Camilla?" continued Claire, I
advancing with ber eyea aet upon tha
handful of snowy blossom she held, her
lip firm and white with declaion; "what
ara you doing here?"
"I I waa arranging Excuse me,
madam, I "
"I have nothing to excuse, my good
man," cam the cairn rejoinder, eacn
word ahe uttered piercing the listener's
"And you should know how to combat
with them," rejoined the doctor, falling
innocently into the clever trap while he
sought only to humor her.
"Yes, snd how to decompose them,'
continued uaire; "lor Instance, I am
likely to meet with the poisonous Ivy.
Do yon know of an antidote against Ha
power?"
eara like dart barbed with fire'what thnwt hU hand at0 hii lnner
could I have to excuae in you who ara inw fortb , ce, and from lt k t
aiiruiiuu i 1..7 wiiiiori, oil ,u ,, phIa, of Jorfe,, lquld
c.me ,0 u. 1 n.ve never we .ngniesi .There la a aubstance," he said, plac
occaslon to reprove you." ,n, ,.,,.. h,n(1 .'-v.
lilf.J. I- J tf M aL. " ar " - -
.ium m very iwu, tsncrea w u .nu. 1. ,..t
. 1 ..... v . w. n u..u w llul L.aVllJ
' 4 an antMnta n-KtK
- aoq i can oniy mans you lor an
that you hav done for me," ahe con
cluded. "Will you do me the favor to
nsk Dr. Gresbam to come to me for a
minute? You will find him in the library.
I think."
"Yes, madam."
His band waa outstretched towards tho
fatal cup, but It fell heavily at hia aide.
an antidote, but which will aerve to
amuse you by detecting inherent poison
in any plant we may discover. If a leaf,
blofsom or decoction of the same should
be noxious, a single drop of this fluid
will produce a startling change."
Standing erect beside the little table,
Claire watched him aa be crossed the
sunny lawn, saw him pasa between the
veil of vines that screened the piazza
Camllle bowed and quickened hla steps then glie bent her sax upon the glittering
across the lawn towards the villa.
"Perhaps ahe auspecta," he aald to
himself, conscience stricken.
The reckless wish found unexpected
fruition In the mind of Claire. She
watched the retreating figure of the man
with gleaming eyea, and aa he vanished
Into the house, she thrust the flowers
from her, and knotted her pale handa In
her lap.
(T he continued.)
CHAPTER XVI.
While we hava been absorbed In the
event recorded in the preceding chapters,
the fate of our deplorable Civil War has
been decided, and the gloriooa day of 1-
vation for the alive haa dawned; me
martyr President baa issued bla Immor
tal proclamation declaring freedom In
the Statea and parte of Statea then In
rebellion, and there la not a foot that
presse the aoil of our great republic
whose owner need ever again hide hia
head as he frames that humiliating
query: "Am I not a man and a brother?"
The glad new had found Sylphlde
Couramont out In her seclusion in the
great city; ahe received it calmly, tri
umphantly; indeed, the tidings of the
death of her cousin, Oscar Couramont,
ahot down while skirmishing aa a gueril
la, apparently afforded her more Joy; but
the receipt of ber hireling' telegram up
on the aame memorable da-y filled her
with a wild, aavage delight that ah waa
powerless to control.
She paced her room, knotting her fin-
gera In her long black tresses, emitting
sharp cries and brief laugha that wonld
have impresred an observer with tha be
lief that ahe had taken leave of her
lenses.
Then she abruptly smote the bell upon
her table a ringing peal. To the faithful
Diana, who promptly answered the sum
mons In person, she said:
"Pack up two or three of my hand
homert costumes, lay out my traveling
drees, and order a cab to be at the door
at five o'clock thla afternoon."
"Are you going away?"
"Yea, for a few daya."
"Where, Misa Sylph V
"To Newport." -
. Made tho Grocer Solve It.
He walked Into the grocery store
with a slip of paper in his hand, and
the grocer at once produced his pencil
and order book, for the boy's mother
was a good customer. I
"Good morning," said the boy, whose I
curly head scarcely reached to the
counter.' "I want three and a half
pounds of sugar. It's 0 cents a pound,
ain't It? And rice Is 8? I want two
and a quarter pounds of that And a
quarter pound of your 70-cent tea, and
two and a fifth pounds of your 35-cent
coffee, and three pints of milk. That's
8 cents a quart, ain't It? And please
give me the bill," he ended breathless-,
ly, "for I have to get to school." I
The grocer made out the bill, won
dering at the qucerness of the order,
and handed lt to the boy, asking as he
did so: ,
"Did your mother send the money.
or does she want the goods charged?"
The boy seized the bill and said with
sigh of satisfaction: -"Ma
didn't send me at all. It's my
arithmetic lesson, and I had to get lt
done somehow."
And as he ran out the grocer opened
the cigar case and handed out smokes
to the men who were there.
"It's on me," he said. "Say, there's
more than one way to skin an eel, Isn't
there?" New York Times.
By the fat ea.
Belle That Is a great hotel. They
will supply you wlth'a hammock built
for two every evening. '
Edith Will they er supply you
with a nice young man to go with the
hammock?
The Difference.
Ostend Say, pa, what is the differ
ence between a barber shop and a ton
sorlal parlor? -
Ta Oh, about 20 cents' worth of
hair oil, soap and conversation.
Hrla-ht Boy.
Teacher Now, Tommy, you know
lt Is impossible to be two places at
once.
Tommy Two places? Why, pop Is
at Thousand Islands now.
To be bumble to superiors Is duty;
to equals, Is courtesy; to Inferiors, Is
nobleness; and to all, safety; it being
a virttie that, for all Its - lowliness,
xommandeth those It stoops to, Sir
T. Moors.
phial in her hand,
"At last I shall know!" ahe breathed
and utraightway fell to trembling until
ahe waa forced to catch at the back of
her chair to prevent her from falling.
"Oh, how my heart beat," ahe panted;
"I ecarcely dare subject myself to the
test, and yet I must must know the
truth!"
' With these words she uncorked the
phial and held It above the potion which
waa destined for her.
"If there la poison here," ahe faltered,
"a single drop of thla liquid will alter
the appearance of the eontenta of the
glass. How my hand trembles! ah, sense
less fluid, It ia upon thee that all my
happiness, my life depends,"
An involuntary spasm rent her frame,
dislodging a single drop of the fluid; it
fe'l. uietii.g the anrfac of the potij.i
and slowly sank, sank, aank to the bot
tom of the glass drawing hi ita wake a
milky trail that told the baleful atory.
Out of the nerveless fingers, down upon
the grasses fell the phial, while from
her blanched lips escaped the worda with
strident horror.
"Yea, it la poisony poison! Oh, he seeks
my death!"
She tottered faintly to the chair and
aank Into ita deptha, covering her eyes
from the light of day with her hands.
She failed to note the approach of hur
rying footsteps, she scarcely heeded the
voice of Lucian Courtlandt when he
reached her aide, exclaiming:
"Claire in tears! what la the mat
ter? You do not answer!" cried Court
tand; "Claire, apeak! are you ill?"
"No, I am not ill. Do you not know,"
she faltered, that invalids nave mo
ments of weakness that they are power-
1 less to control?"
"But of what were you . thinking,
Claire
I "I was thinking of the epoch of our
' marriage, of the time when I waa chos
en to countenance your child. I was
thinking how unfortunate it ia that my
very existence should be a wrong to an
other."
"I conjure you," he supplicated, "ban
ish this horrible thoughtl all the world
beseeches you to live! Claire, think only
of your welfare!"
"In order to do that, I must follow the
doctor's directions, must I not?" she ask
ed bending a glance of fire upon his
bowed head.
"Of course you must!" he replied.
"And must I take that potion, which
has been prepared for me?"
"Certainly you must, my darling."
Pitying heaven, how aha misjudged
him thenl .
,'Then hand me It with your own
bunds," ahe said firmly; and 88 he rore
and passed her the deadly draught, she
murmured brokenly, 'V am so young, Lu
clan and oh I I ahould ao liked to have
lived a little longer!"
And then,' with her eyea fixed upon his
face, she drained the potion to the dregs,
end flung the glass from her.
She sank npon her knees, gapping:
"Now It la done!"
Aa the lightnlng'a shaft falls out of a
clear heaven an Inkling of the fearful
truth dawned upon Lucian Courtlandt
He paled to the llpa and cried wildly:
"Clair, what does this mean?"
In the foggy dawn of the following
day, Camille, the serving man, -flitted
like a ah ado w down Belle vue avenue and
skulked in at the gatea of the Courtlandt
villa. With a awift, fearful glance at
the closed blinds of tbe houre, he plung
ed in amongst some shrubbery and so
made his way to tbe atablea, cautiously
raised an unlocked window at the back
of the building and vaniahed, -His
unnecessary display of stealth was
ample evidence of the guilty frame of
mind under which he labored, wnce at
that early hour no one waa astir, and had
he possessed the fortitude to glance
about him he would have perceived that
hia path waa clear of any prying eye.
But the wicked flee when no mau pursu-
eth, . and Camille was flying before the
scourge of a craven conscience. . With
Lucian Courtlandt's frantic cries for help
ringing in hia eara, he had left the villa
on the preceding day, unperceived in
the general excitement attendant upon
poor Claire a fall.
Once eafely in the stable, he quietly
closed the window, and heaving a deep
sigh of relief, flung himself into the
hay, hoping to secure the advantage of
an hour'a sleep.
vain hope! If he closed his lida over
hia burning eyes, they would fly wide,
stariug open aa if worked by irresisti
ble springs over which he had no con
trol. No sleep for him, and he could
only lie there listening and waiting for
he knew not what. Presently the voice
of the coachman, a he called to rouse
the aleeping groom, sent every drop of
his cowardly blood to bis heart, leaving
his limbs frozen and inert
Hours passed; a lance of the risen
aim flashed in at a cob-webbed window
above him, and rested warmly npon the
dead clover tops and sere timothy heads
which formed his couch. At last a bell
rang and the coachman and groom left
the stable for the villa kitchen to break
fast By this means Camille waa made
aware that it must be ten o'clock or after.
Ilia sunpense became unbearable; the
heat of the hay stifled him, and with a
groan he crawled to the edge of his am
bush and sprang lightly down upon the
floor. Two minutes in the harness room,
where the brushes and water served to
make him presentable, and then he tip
toed to the open stable door and peeped
out upon the sunlit scene. The glimpse
waa reassuring; no living being waa in
sight Now was his chance to learn tha
consequences of his deed.
He crossed the driveway, skirted thi
lawn and waa about to direct his stepi
in the direction of an unusued entrance
to the villa, when In the shadowy path
he suddenly found himself confronted by
Martha Dunn.
"Oh!" exclaimed the faithful serving
woman, recoiling a atep, "how you scar
ed me!"
"Excuse me, Mrs. Dunn; I didn't mean
to," was the unsteady reply. "After what
happened yesterday, you know," he said,
insinuatingly "I went away. I wasn't
asked for, was I?"
"Not aa I know of. Where did you
go?"
"To look for a new place."
"Humph! You aeem in a dreadful
hurry."
"Well, my Job is up here, and I've
got to look out for myself. You don't
aeem to believe me."
"You're a fool! And a lunatic into
the bargain," she added, as she aaw the
man'a face change to a gray, unearthly
pallor, hia haggard eyea dilate and his
mouth drop open; after which inexplica
ble performance, he turned with a stifled
cry of dismay and fled away from her
Good Martha Dana might hav ceased
; to wonder aa to the eaus of tbe panic
, which had asaail'd tbe man hid she r
; metubered that be had but jut returned
I t tii V uiS, Bad had sue tnroed to ses
tb apparition which Camilla hid aeea
standing at aa nncurtalned window aa
appiritloo well calculated to put to flight
tb remnant of hla courage!
But Martha Duns had something bet
tar U i la life than to atudy tb vaga
ries of a mas whom ah had lntinetiv
ly depled from tbe first moment that
eh aet eyea upon hira; besides, a ear
riag had at that moment driven rapidly
up to tb entrance, from which alighted
Philip Burgees In a atate of no alight ex
citement Step as fsst aa she would.
Marlba did not succeed In rescblng ths
tep ere Dr. Gresham cam forth to
meet the new arrival.
"Speak, doctor!" cried Clalre'a father,
in anguished accents, "my daughter my
child
"Calm yourself, Mr. Burgesa."
"Calm myself after the message yon
sent me lat night? Oh. tell me, is
Clair deadr
"No."
"Heaven be praised."
The grateful word wer uttered with
touching fervor, as the old gentjemaa
aank upon a bench snd clasped bis hands
In fervent thsnksgiving. Seizing bis op-
ponunuy, wresnsm turned to Martha:
"Go and prepare yoor mistrese to aes
her father." he aald, and Martha quickly
vanished into the house.
"Gresham," the old man aaid when
they were alone, "tell m th worat; what
is likely to happen T
"Nothing. I have aaved her, bat shs
haa been poisoned."
"Pohoned! How?"
"By tbe administration of arsenic."
"By whom?"
"I do not know. Silence! Here comes
your daughter." :
It wss true. Upon the threshold Clalrs
already atood with outstretched handa,
her exquisite, flower like face a pallid
as th anowy gown that flowed about
her. At eight of her, Thilip Burgess
struggled to bis feet with a cry, and
Claire tottered into his embrace, and lay'
mere 11 weekly aa a stricken lily. Nod
ding to Greaham to leave them togeth-.
er, tbe old man murmured, "Claire, dart
ing child, let us thank heaven that yoo
are aafe! Never again while I hv will
I leave you."
"My own dear father!
"Oh, let me look at you and hold yoa
close, my darling! To think that they
wanted- to kill you! Oh, I know all;
Gresham ha told me. But I am hers
now, and I will unearth the villain!"
"Father!"
"Or better, I will take you away from
here. We will go at once. ' Do you fancy
I will leave you longer the prey of peo
ple who hate you? to whom your lifs
is a burden? No, no; we will go today.
When I hsve placed you in eafety, then
I will undertake to discover the wretch. "
to fore him to expiate hia crime!"
She waa trembling pitifully now, and
her great eyes were fixed distractedly
upon hla livid face.
"But I ought not I do not want ts
go," ahe wailed, "without the consent of
my husband."
"Your Ausband!" cried Philip Burgess
with withering contempt "your husband
who haa failed to defend your
"Oh, in -heaven's name, hush, hushl
Accuse no one. It waa I I alone who
wished to die!"
He recoiled from her In horror, and
stood looking at her' incredulously for a '
moment ere he panted:
"To die you, your '
"Yea." Claire replied with a fortitnds
born of her unreasoning woman'a love,
"I sought death by my own hand. I
tried to commit auicide, but they would
not let me die. Would they had!"
"And you did not think of your mother
and me, who would have expired of
grief, had we found you dead?" he cried,
with a trenchant reproach.
"Pardon me, father, pardon!" rii
wailed.
And then came the terrible, the inevit
able query, the closing of the trap which
she had aet for herself.
"But who forced you to commit so
terrible a crime?"
(Ts b continued.
Csar Will Change the Law.
It is reported that tbe Czar intends,
should bis next child be a daughter, to
publish a new law of succession, under
which, on a failure of sons, the eldest .
daughter of the reigning sovereign
would, as in England, succeed to ths
throne. The decree will, lt is said,
greatly irritate the princes of the im
perial bouse, who will thus be pushed
back or superseded, but there can be
no doubt that lt is within the preroga
tive of the Czars, who have repeatedly
decreed rules of succession.
The new scheme Is, moreover, in full
accordance with the history of Russia.
where women have so often reigned,
and there is no reason to believe that
it would be unpopular. The arrange
ment seems to Englishmen the one
most in accordance with the principle
of hereditary monarchy, the Salic law
involving the risk that a dynasty may
perish. Male heirs have never been
wanting in France, but they failed in
Austria when Maria Theresa mounted
the throne, and they have failed en
tirely In our own time in Holland. It
Is quite possible that the consent of
the next heir has been obtained, as he
is In 111 health and his chance of sur
viving his brother is but a doubtful
one. London Spectator.
Komance vs. Kea'im.
Sentimental Maid Of course, one
must be Inspired before he can write
poetry.
Practical Poet Sure thing. He must
be inspired by a realization of the fact
that he needs the money.
An Insinuation.
Mrs. Noctor Do you believe onr new
neighbor Is a man of character?
Noctor Well, he has a character all
right such as lt is.
Golfs a nice, foolish game, and there
ain't any harm In It, so far as 1 know.
except for the balls the stiff nails at
the beginning, the lost balls lu the
middle and the high balls at chp end
of the game. George H. Lorltnp-r, in
"Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to
Hla Son."