mHHUHHHtnuttnnmumininTitiiiiu
'""''AJJtliLLl
chapter xxv.
I have not seen Kinko for two davs.
and the last time waa only to exchange
a lew words with biiu to relieve hi anx
iety. To-night 1 will try and TUit hlin. I
have taken car to lay In a few provis
ions at Sou-Teheou.
We sUrted at 3 o'clock. W have got
a more powerful engine on. Across this
undulating country the grdieuta are oc
casionally rather steep. Seven hundred
kilometers separata us from the impor
tant city of Laa Tcheou. where we ought
to arrive to-morrow niorulng, ruuuing
thirty miles an hour.
At dinner Mr. and Mrs. EphrluelL ait
ting aide by aide, hardly exchanged a
wont Their intimacy seema to hare de
creased since they were married. Per
ha pa they are absorbed in the calcula
tion of their reciprocal Interests.
We hare had a bad night The sky, of
purple, sulphury tint, became stormy to
ward evening, the atmosphere became
stifling, the electrical tension exceeaive.
It meant a "highly successful" storm, to
quote Caterna. In truth, the train ran
through a tone, ao to speak, of vivid
lightaiug and rolling thunder, which the
echo of the mountains prolonged In
definitely. I thiuk there must have been
several lightning strokes, but the rails
acted as conductors, and preserved the
cars from injury. It was a fine specta
cle, a little alarming, these fires in the
tky that the heavy rain could not put
out these continuous discharges from
the clouds, in whiet were mingled the
atrident whistlings of our locomotive as
we passed through the stations of Yanlu,
from Tcheng, HoulaaSien and Da
Tshing. By favor of this trouble.! night, I was
able to communicate with Kinko, to take
him some provisions and to have a few
minutes conversation with him.
"la it the day after to-morrow," he
asked, "that we arrive at Pekin?"
"Ye, the day after to-morrow, if the
train is not delayed."
"Oh, I am not afraid of delays! Rut
when my box is in the railway station
at Pekin, I have still to get to the Ave
nue Cha-Coua."
"What does it matter, will not the fair
Zinca Klork come and call for It?"
"No. I advised her not to do so."
"And why?"
"Women are so impressionable. She
would want to see the van In which I
had come, she would claim the box with
such excitement that auspicious would
be aroused. In short, she would run
the risk of betraying me."
"Yon are right, Kinko."
"Besides, we shall reach the station
In the afternoon, very late in the after
noon, perhaps, and the unloading of the
packages will not take place until next
morning."
"Probably."
"Well, Monsieur Bombarnae, if I am
not taking too great a liberty, may I ask
a favor of you?"
"What Is it?"
"That you will be present at the de
parture of the case, so as to avoid any
uiietake."
"I will be there, Kinko, I will be
there. Glass, fragile, I will see that they
don't handle it too roughly. And if you
like I will accompany the case to Ave
nue Clia-Coua."
"I hardly like to ask you to do that."
"You are wrong. Kinko. You should
not stand on ceremony with a friend,
and I am yours, Kinko. Besides, it will
be a pleasure to me to make the ac
quaintance of Mademoiselle Zinco Klork.
I will be there when they deliver the
box, the precious box. I will help her
to get the naila out of It"
"The nails out of it Monsieur Bom
ba mac? My panel? Ah, I will jump
through my panel."
A terrible clap of thunder Interrupt
ed our conversation. I thought the train
had been thrown off the line by the com
motion of the air. I left the young
Roumanian and regained my place with
in the car.
In the morning 20th of May, 7 a. m.
we arrived nt Lnn Tcheou. Three
hours to stop, three hours only.
"Come, Major Noltitz; come, Pan
Chao; come, Cnterua; we have not a
minute to spare."
But as we are leaving the station we
are stopped by the appearance of a tall,
fat, gray, solemn personage. It is the
governor of the town in a double robe
of white and yellow silk, fan in hand,
buckled belt and a mantilla a black
mantilla, which would have looked much
better on the shoulders of a manola. lie
is accompanied by a certain number of
globular mandarins, and the Celestials
salute him by holding out their two fists,
which they move up and down as. they
nod their heads.
"Ah! What is this gentleman going
to do? Is It some Chinese formality?
A visit to the passengers and their bag
gage? And Kinko, what about him?"
Nothing alarming, after all. It fs only
about the treasure of the Son of Heav
en. The governor and bis suite have
atopped before the precious ran, bolted
ond sealed, and are looking at it with
that respectful admiration which is ex
perienced, even in China, before a box
containing many millions.
I ask Popof whnt is meant by the gov
ernor's presence, has it anything to do
with usT
"Not at all," says Popof; "the order
has come from Pekin to telegraph the
arrival of the treasure. The governor
has done so, and he is awaiting a reDlr
- hi to whether he is to send It on to
Pekin, or keep it provisionally at Lan
Tcheou."
If the Imperial treasure Was a matter
of Indifference to ua it did not aeem to
be ao to Farusklar. But whether this
Correspoodi
iiiiiitiiiiiiHtinn
van started or did not. whether it was
attached to our train or left behind, what
could It matter to him? Nevertheless,
he and Ghangir seemed to be much put
about regarding it. although they tried
to hide their anxiety, while the Mongol,
talking together iu a low tone, gave the
governor anything but friendly glance.
Meanwhile, the governor had Just
heard of the attack on the train, and of
the part that our hero had takeu In de
fense of the treasure, with what cour
age he had fought, and how he had de
livered the country from the terrible Kl
Tsang. And then in laudatory terms,
which Pan Chao translated to us. he
thanked Farusklar, complimented Mm,
and gave him to understand that the Son
of Heaven would reward him for his ser
vice. The manager of the Grand Transasl
atic listened with that tranquil air that
distinguished him, not without impa
tieuee. as I could clearly see. Perhaps
he felt himself superior to praises as
well as recompense, no matter from how
great a height they might come. In that
I recognised all the Mongol pride.
It is ten minute to 10 when we return
to the station, absolutely tired out: for
the walk has been a rough one, and al
most euffocatiug, for the heat la very
great
My first care 1 to look after the van
with the millions. It is there, as usual,
behind the train, under the Chinese
guard.
The message expected by the gov
ernor hat arrived the order to forward
on the van to Pekin. where the treasure
is to be handed fcver to the finance uilu
inter. Where Is Farnskiar? I do not see
him. Has he riven us the alio? No.
There he Is on one of the platform.
ana me Mongols are back in the car.
Ephrinell has been off to do a round
of calls with his samples, no doubt-
ana Airs. Kphrinell has also been ont on
business, for a deal in hair, probably.
Here they come, and, without seeming
to notice each other, they take their
seats.
The other passena-er are onlv Celes
tials. Some are going to Pekin; some
have taken their tickets for intermediate
stations like Ki-Ngan, Ho-Nan. Lou-
igan, lal-louan. There are a hundred
passengers in the train. All mv numbers
are on board. There is not one missing.
Thirteen, always thirteen!
CHAPTER XXVI.
On leaving Lan Tcheou". .the railway
crosses a well-cultivated country, wat
ered by numerous streams, and hilly
enough to necessitate frequent curves.
There Is a good deal of engineering
work: mostly bridge, viaducts on wooden
trestles of somewhat doubtful solidity,
and the traveler is not particularly com
fortable when he finds them bending un
der the weight of the train. It- Is true,
we are in the Celestial Empire,, and a
few thousand victims of a railway ac
cident is hardly anything among a popu
lation of four hundred millions.
"Besides," said Pan Chao, "the Bon
of Heaven never travels by railway."
At 0 o'clock in the evening we are at
King-Tcheou, after skirting for some
time the capricious meanderings of the
Great Wall. Of this immense artificial
frontier between Mongolia and China
there remain only the blocks of granite
and red quartzite which served aa ita
base, its terrace of bricks with the para
pets of unequal heights, a few old can
nons eaten into with rust and hidden
under a thick veil of lichens, and then
the square towers with their mined bat
tlements. The Interminable wall rises,
falls, bends, bends back again, and is
lost sight on the undulations of the
ground.
All night was spent In running three
hundred kilometers. A fog lasted all
day, and this liindered the progress of
the train. These Chinese engine drivers
are really very skillful and attentive and
intelligent. Luckily, the fog rose early
in the evening. Now it is night and a
very dark night, too.
The idea occurs to me to walk to the
renr of the train, and I stop for an in
stant on the gangway iu front of the
tn-iisure van.
The 'passengers, with the exception of
the Chinese guard, are all sleeping their
last sleep their last be it understood, on
the ('rami Trnnsasintic.
Returning to the front of the train, I
approach Popofs box, and find him
sound asleep. I then open the door of
the van, shut it behind me, and signal
my presence to Kinko. The panel is low
ered, the little lamp is lighted.
It Is ten minutea to 1. In twelve min
utes we shall paaa the junction with
the Nankin branch. This branch la only
completed for five or six kilometers and
leads to the viaduct over the TJon Val
ley. This viaduct ia a great work, and
the engineers have as yet only got In
the piers, which rise for a hundred feet
above the ground.
As I know we are to halt at Fuen
Cboo, I shake hands with Kinko, and rise
to take my leave. At this moment I
seem to hear some one on the platform
in the rear of the van.
"Look out, Kinko!" I say, in a whis
per. The lamp is Instantly extinguished,
and we remain quite still. I am not mis
taken. Borne one is opening the door of
the van.
"Your panel," I whisper.
The panel is raised, the car Is abut,
and I am alone in the dark. Evidently
it must be Popof who has come In.
What will he think to find me here? The
first time I came to visit the young Rou
manian I hid among the packages. Well,
I will bide a second time. If I get- be
hind rphrlnell'a botes It Is aot likely
that Popof will m- me, ereu by the
light of his lantern.
I do so, and t watch. It I not Popof,
for he would have brought his lantern.
1 try to recognise the people who have
Jun entered. It U diineult. They have
glided between the package, and after
opening the further door, they have goue
out and shut it behind them.
They are some of the passenger, evi
dently; but why here at this hour? 1
must know. I have a presentiment that
something ia In the wind. I approach
the front door of the van, and In spite
of the rumbling of the train I hear them
distinctly enough.
Thousands aud ten thousand demons!
I ant not; mistaken! It is the voice of my
lord Farusklar. II I talking with
Ghangir in Russian. It I Indeed Faru
sklar. The four Mongol have accom
panied him. Hut what are they doing
there?- For what motive are they ou the
platform, which I Just MU ml the ten
der? And what are they saying?
Of these questioiia and answer ex
changed between my lord Farusklar aud
hi companions, I do not lose a word.
"When shall we be at the Junction?"
"In a few minute."
"Are you sure that Kardek la at the
points r
"Yen; that ha been arranged."
What ha been arranged? And who la
this Kardek they are talking about)
The conversation continues.
"W must wait until we get the sig
nal." says Farusklar.
"Is that a green light?" asks Ghan
gir. "Ye. It will show that the switch la
over."
I do not know If I am In my right
sense. The switch over. What switch?
A half minute elapse. Ought I not to
tell Popof?" Ye. I ought. I was turn
Ing to go ont of the vau. when an ex
clamation kept me back.
"The signal there U the signal!" says
Ghangir.
"And now the train Is on the Nankin
branch!" replie Farusklar.
The Naukin branch Hut then w are
lost. At five kilometer from here la
the Tjon viaduct. In course of construc
tion, and the train is being precipitated
toward an abyss.
Evidently Major Noltlta was not mis
taken regarding my lord Farusklar. I
understand the scheme of the scoundrel.
The manager of the Grand Transasiatle
1 a scoundrel of the deepest dye. He
ha entered the service of the company
to await his opportunity for some ex
tensive haul. The opportunity has come
with the millions of the Hon of Heaven!
Yes. The whole abominable scheme Is
clear enough to me. Farusklar has de
fended the imperial treasure against Kl
Tsang to keep It from the chief of the
bandits, who had stopped the train,
whose attack would hare Interfered with
his criminal project. Thst Is why he
had fought so bravely. That Is why he
had risked his life and behaved 'like a
hero.
But somehow we ought to prevent thl
rascal from accomplishing his work. We
ought to save the train, which Is running
full speed toward the unfinished viaduct;
we ought to save the passenger from a
frightful catastrophe. As to the treas
ure Farusklar and his accomplices are
after I care no more than fr yester
day's news. But the passenger and
myself that is another affair altogeth
er. fie be eontlnned.1
2O.0OO Frog Hacrltlce.t.
Twenty thousand frogs a yenr ore
used for dissection and experimental
purposes In the University of Pennsyl
vanla medical laboratories, soys the
Philadelphia North American.
Both medical and dctitul classes view
the experiments.
Frogs exist In a peculaar manner.
Their spinal rord constitutes the basis
of their Intelligence and after their
brain Is destroyed they will live for an
Indefinite period. Several yeara ago
the brain of one was taken out. To
day the frog Is alive aud well and
Jumping about Its cage.
Frequently boles are made in the
back of a frog's head and the bralua
loosened with a brunt match stick.
Much useful and valuable knowledge
has been obtained from those experi
ments. As the Pennsylvania law forbids the
hunting of bullfrogs? except during cer
tain months of the year, the frogciitch
er has to make a careful distinction
between frogs and bullfi
The frog Is much smaller and of a
different color.
If the supply runs short In the vi
cinity of Philadelphia, Chicago and
other places In the West supply the
deficiency.
A careful watch Is kept on the 'pond
In the botanical gardens. The bull
frogs there, are more than two feet
long.
Diplomacy.
"Madam," said the tramp, as a middle-aged
woman came to the door In
answer to his knock, "would you give
atyxu old man a bite to eat?"
"Why," she replied, "you are cer
tainly able to earn a living. You don't
look very old."
"Looks are often deceitful, lady,"
answered the hungry hobo. "Why, I'm
old enough to be your grandfather."
And a moment later be had bis feet
under the kitchen table, and nothing
she bnd In the pantry was too good
for Lira.
Grand Collection,
Sharpe Come out to our china clos
et. I want to show you a collection of
souvenirs.
Whealton Why, every piece of
china Is broken and numbered!
Sharpe Yes, they are souvenirs of
our -different cooks
I
t
i.t
Orange lloic for Neat
In nearly every town orange boxes
may be bought at moderate prices.
They make the very bet 't boxer,
especially If they are arranged In tlw
following manner; As vry one
knows, the orange box la partitioned
through the ceuter, thus making plenty
of -wont for two nesta In each bo.
Take a number of boxes and stand
laeiu on end. and fatetUhem secure'
togoller with strips of wood. Thu
from old boxes or other sources ub
tslu sufficient lumber to make an alley
way ttarkeued by a board over the
top.
Place a little walk so that the hens
may readily go to the second tier of
mats. In the rear of each box or nest,
noxra roH latino hems.
near the top, make a holo just large
enough to get one's hand In, so that
the eggs may be removed In this way
and the nest material changed when
nectssary. With this arrangement
each ben has a nice dark place to lay,
and ta not disturbed by anything. The
Illustration shows the Idea clearly.
Indianapolis News.
Getting Good llreed.
If you wish to start In poultry 'mis
lug or to begin with a now variety, and
wish to Invest as much as the cost of
a good breeding pen made by a relia
ble and skillful poultry raiser, that Is
the best way to begin. Otherwise pur
chase eggs, as many settings as you
wish to invest In, and each from a
different breed, but always from a re
liable one. From each of those sot
ting you should mlse both roosters
and pullets. Mark them all carefully
and plainly, so that you cannot mis
take them, and next spring you will be
In a position to mate up two or three
breeding pens of your own.
A Lice Killer.
A self-working lice killer that la
very effective for hogs Is shown In the
cut. Drive a stout stake into the
ground near where the bogs sleep.
Wind with an old rope, nailing it well,
and saturate the rope twice a week
with a mixture of equnl parts of lard
and kerosene. The hogs will do the
rest if there are any lice on them.
I). V. S., In Farm and Hbome.
Ag-rlcaltnral Building at Portland.
The agricultural building at the
Lewis and Clark Exposition, Portland,
Ore., la the largest and one . of the
handsomest structures on the ground.
It Is 400x210 feet In dimensions, and
Is situated on the east side of Colum
bia court, the main plaza of the expo
sition. The structure cost $74,050.
Nurse Crop.
A great deal has been said against
nurse crops, but In some parts of the
Western States nurse crops are quite
necessary for the sowing of clover.
Where clover Is sown with spring
wheat the stubble of the wheat when
cut helps to hold the snow over the
plants during winter and keeps them
from freezing out It Is the experience
of farmers In a good many places that
nurse crops protect the clover during
summer, especially in regions where
th hsat is Intense,
l9-.
RUIIItlNO IT IN.
hummer Car nf It.
No matter how abundantly you hav
provided for your bees in clover and
buckwheat fields, If at this time of the
year the weather Is unfavorable and
the bees cannot go out honey gather
lug you must provide them with full
comb for fear of their starving.
The colonic uevd more supply than
will keep thsui alive, they should bv)
twenty or thirty pounds of honey at
hand all the time. If the nights are
cool the secretions of nectar will be
correspondingly small and the bees
will get but small load.
When honey I sesree In the hives
the bees stint theuvlvs aud brood)
rearing la checked Just whi n It should
le at Ita best and healthiest condition.
If you have any doubt aa to the hives
being sufficiently rstloued you raa
solve your doubt by lifting esch hlvt
snd Its weight will determine tU con
dltlon. if you find many that are too
Hght weight, use your smoker, take
out one or two empty combs and re
place them with full ones, breaking
small holes In them so that the bets
y get at the honey readily. Then
you can leave the beoa In peace until
tbey are able to Mitlo for themselvea
unless It should be too long a wait
when you will have to repeat the proc
ws. If you have no houey feed augar
syrup. Be careful to retain all the
heat In the hives.
What MT Kt
An Important constituent of our food
Is nitrogen, an Invisible gas; foods
containing protein are called nitrogen
oti. Carbohydrates build fat and
produce heat and energy; protein does
all that and builds the Ted meat or
muscle in addition. We gtt oil In the
butter used on bread. From these
three great food group we make our
feeding atuffs. We get carbohydrates
from potatoes, sugar befts, corn. Corn
alone lacka nitrogen and will not
make sufficient muscle. Wheat, bar
ley and rye are all rich starches, good
to fstten, but not the best for muscle
msktng. We get protein In flax, ta
the outside of the wheat grain, In, clo
ver and alfalfa. In bran, middlings and
oil meal. These foods are rich In pro
tein. Wheat bran, linseed oil, cotton
seed meal and any legume.
Pon'l Pay toCoddl Alfalfa.
If an alfalfa field la In bad condl
tton It Is usually best to plow up and
re-seed. It ai'arcely vtr pays, at leaat
where Irrigation Ic practiced, to coddle
a poor stand of alfulfa. Many grow
ers recommend disking every spring,
even when the stand Is good, and some
have even found It a paying practice
to disk after each cutting. Such disk
ing will, often prevent the cucroach
incut of weeds. In tho Eustcru States
alfalfa fields sometimes suffer a check
In their growth, K-nd to turn yellow
and otherwise show a alckly condition.
Oftentimes this condition Is accom
panied by an attack of alfalfa rust or
spot disease. The best remedy for
such a condition Is to mow the field.
Tho vigorous growth thus Induced nasy
overcome the diseased condition.
Comparison of Yield.
In 1004 ItussU produced 205,400,400
bushels of winter wheut and 4.10,208,
200 bushels' of spring w heat, making a
total wheat production for that year
of 0H,fttW.0OO buRuols, an Increase of
some 43.000,000 bushels ovpr the pre
ceding yenr. This still falls several
million bushels below tho highest
United Btntes crop. Lnst yenr Russia
produced 1.005,2H,714 busticl 0f rye,
1,120,720,23.1 bushels of onts, 345,174.
"oo bushels of barley and 25,!IS0,S57
bushels of com. The United Statu
produced 27,241,575 bushels of rye,
HM.rrit.l.fiWi bushels of oats, 130,748,058
bushels of barley and 2,407,480,034
bushels of corn.
Adulteration of Farm Prod act.
During April the Massachusetts
State Board of Health tested 805 arti
cles for evidence of adulteration. Of
these, ninety-eight wer found adul
terated or varying from the legal
standard. Thirty-three convictions)
were secured during the month for .
selling adulterated foods. The num
ber Included three cases of milk adul
teration, four of maple syrup or sugar
and three of cider. The total fines Im
posed amounted to $000.
Calve In Group,
It Is highly desirable to haw calves
come In groups where a large number
of cattle are being kept and the calves
are to be raised for beeves. It is only
In this way that uniformity In size,
weight and finish can be obtained for
the carloads of cattle that are to bt
sent to market If there are but few
cattle It is better to have only two
groups of calves, one In the spring and
one In the fall. It will be easier to
care for them If they are In groups of
about the same size than If they com)
at all months In the year.
Maiais"wfcTi