HjUiUIUUil i m-r44-r-r-rc-e-rs Is t TT-Vj)
OR A BITTER RECKONING fl
By CHARLOTTE M. BRAEM8
mtllMMt I KKMtHH HI hhw
CHAPTER XXIV.
It wat Sir Geoffrey's first dinner par
ty, and Ethel felt juat a IUt! nervous
aa ahe received the guesU. Captain
IMUnf waa watching her in the pause
or as chat with Berfha Colliua. lie
caught her eye preaently and auitled at
her reassuringly, for ahe had confided to
him her dread of the awful occasion.
-You are an old friend of theirs, are
you not?" Bertha waa saying to the
captain. "We all think Miss Mailing
quite charming. I took to her from the
first; but, do you know, ahe la not easy
to get on with. Of course ahe la all one
could wish aa a hostess; but it is impos
sible to gush with her. She haa a way
of sifting all cue says and allowing up
anything that is absurd without certaiuly
In the least intending to give offeuse.
You woull hardly believe it, I dare say,
but I hare adopted the habit of trying
to talk seriously when she is listening."
"I think th it is the greatest compli
ment you could pay her. Will you adopt
the aame practice with Die?"
"I should not dare," alie replied, with
mock gravity. "If I were to get a repu
tation for seriousness I should probably
die an old maid. Men always prefer
frivolous talkers for their wives. There
Is the din ler bell. Are you to take me
downr
I.ater in the evening Miss Collins drop
ped into a quiet comer and discussed
the things with the utmost freedom with
n intimate friead whom ahe had not
seen since the end of the Reason. She
was describing the breaking up of the
party when Pauline's iuteuded marriage
had been discovered.
"Now tell nie could there be anything
more ridiculous than her runniug away
from her own house and marrying, or
trying to marry, a man secretly, when
there was no one to prevent her doing
It openly? My dear, you should have
ecu our faces when Mrs. Sefton read
us the note she had left behind, as we
dropped in, one after another, to lunch
eon! At first everybody looked very eur
prised, and then the absurdity of the
whole proceeding struck us. Why could
ahe not have bee.-i married properly? No
one could have oujected to her marry
Ing that gooJ-looking artist if ahe chose
to do 80,
"Waa she very much 'gone on hiinT
"Awfully! It must have been a terri
tile blow to her when her husband turn
ed up."
"Bather! Isn't It odd, his being
vbere?"
"I don't think so. He was very good
to Sir Geoffrey when he was in less
effluent circumstances, I believe."
"Things seem a bit mixed. From what
I conld make out, he had believed him
self a widower, just as she had though
herself a widow, until they met in the
church. Don't you think it probable
that, while he was under the impression
that his wife was dead, be may hare
bad a liking for Miss Mailing?"
"I believe yon are right," Bertha re
plied, energetically, "for I aaw him look
ing at her before dinner with his heart
In his eyes."
"It Is certainly very strange that he
aliould have fallen in love with the girl
who was being kept out of her right
position by his own wife! It looks like
the finger of Fate, doesn't it though
which way the finger ia pointing I can't
see."
As the guests, one after another, took
their departure, Ethel felt her burden
lightening. Her first party had been an
unqualified success, but she was none the
less glad to have it over. Iord Sum
mers atayed behind, talking earnestly
with Sir Geoffrey.
"I admit I was disappointed when I
Leard that ahe had taken the family
jewels with her," he said, in allusion
to Pauline. "I'm afraid she has inher
ited some of ber father's want of prin
ciple. The Luftons were never particu
larly distinguished for honesty. What
do you mean to do' about it, Geoffrey?"
"Nothing openly. I am in communica
tlon with ber waiting maid, who had
promised to let me know if there is any
idea on Pauline'a part of selling them
and I shall, unknown to ber, become the
purchaser."
"An excellent idea and a very gener
ous one. By the bye, as. things have
turned out, how fortunate U is that the
engagement between' our charming Ethel
and young Doruton was '
He stopped suddenly as .Ethel and
. I'elliug came back from bidding farewell
to Miss Collins. They both caught the
drift of his words, and Ethel glanced at
Telling's face; but it was calmly 1111
conscious. Thinking this a good opculug
to talk of Jack, he said:
"If you are not too tired, I want to
"Go on," he Mid. and waited with
knitted brows for what ahe had to say.
Ethel in her short life, had often had
unpleasant tasks to perform, but never
one so unpleasant as this.
"Out of your own m uih shall you be
judged," ahe began, smiling at him to
hide the trembling of ber lips, "lou
say you have become so used to working
In company that you cannot move a step
by yourself; but 1 say you must take the
one needful step by yourself that will ee
cure you good company to work In for
the rest ot your life. Go to Paris at
once, seek out your wife, and give her the
protection of your presence. She will
yield. You must not judge her by her
wards when you last met. lou had her
at a cruel disadvantage. Thiuk what an
awful aliock your sudden appearance
must have beeu to her! It Is very, very
hard for me to say this to you. after all
your kindness to us in the past; but you
will not misjudge my motive. I am
speaking for your gixxl. By and by, when
yon are quite happy with each other, you
will be thankful to me for sending you
away in this abrupt manner."
You wish me to go at once? be
asked.
"That is a very cruel way to put It."
ahe answered, gently. "You know I do
not wish you to go at all. True fr;ends
are not so plentiful that one ran af
ford to play battledore and shuttlecock
with them for cue's own pleasure. For
your own good. Captain I'elliug, I advise
jour going at once."
"You are one of the best women that
ever lived," he exclaimed, "and I am
proul to have had you for a friend! I
ought to have known my presence would
give you pain, and refused Sir Geoffrey s
invitation. Ion't apeak until I've fin
ished." be went on, hurriedly, holding
up his haud to check any interrption. "I
shall follow your advice to the letter. I
will thrust aside my own inclinations, and
run over to Paris and see what Mrs.
Pelting is doing, spend Christinas among
the Frenchmen, and perhaps in the New
Year Captain and Mrs. Pelling may have
the honor of receiving Sir Geoffrey and
Miss Mailing" at the Wigwam."
For once Ethel looked at him with
her eyes brimming with tears; but she
did not dare make an attempt to speak.
He took her hand in his, and held it close
aa he finished.
"You must make some plausible ex
cuse to Sir Geoffrey for my abrupt de
parture in the morning; or, better still,
I will wire from town. I shall write to
you from Paris, if I may. And now,
before I say good-night, I must give you
this letter. I received it two days ago
from Dornton. I know it will please you.
He and I, correspond regularly; so 1
shall keep you posted up In his move
ments. Good-by, my true, honest little
friend."
She sat. as be left her, holding Jack'a
letter In her hand, hearing his voice very
faintly in the distance as he excused
himself with the plea of fatigue to her
father, and wondering how it had hap
pened that this interview, which ahe bad
brought about for the sole purpose of
hearing news of Jack, had ended in so
sudden a determination on the captain's
part to seek bis wife. She knew his re
solve was the result of her advice, and
she hoped devoutly that good might come
of it.
And Pelling mounted the wide stairs
very slowly, deep In thought as he went.
"She is quite right, as she is always.
It is the only thing To do; and I never
saw it myself. My place is undoubtedly
by my wife's side."
CHAPTER XXV.
'I tell you your presence here Is an
unwarrantable intrusion!. If you do not
leave my apartment of your own free
will, I shall be compelled to have you
ejected!".
It was the third day since Pelting left
Ethel, and this was bis wife's greeting!
He bad bad a long battle with himself;
but duty bad been triumphant, and his
mind once made up he was not to be dis
couraged by a few bitter words.
"That is not necessary. Of course I
will leave you; but you will not refuse
to anawer me one or two questions
first V
"Ask your questions then, and, If I
choose to answer them, I will. If I don't
choose,' I will not. But, for heaven's
sake, get over them quickly!
Will yon tell me something of our
child, Pauline?" he asked.
Slio sprung up with a look of desper
ate fright on her- face.
"How dare you come here to' brow
beat me like this?" she exclaimed, ve
hemently; and then ahe sank back on the
couch again; But, after a pause, she
how you a delightful style of title naire said quietly enough: "You have touched'
- - i . , , . m
that I came across tins morning. I my one wean point, ui course you nave
thought yon might elaborate the idea for to hear what there Is to tell. My baby
for your 'Central Africa.' It is on this
table somewhere."
"I am afraid my share of 'Central
Africa' will not be anything to be proud
of," be replied with a smile,
"That Is nonsense, and you know W,
Captain Felling! I have made tip. my
mind that your sketches are to be the
principal attraction of the book, -t It is
really unkind of you to make light of
your work after all our interesfln It!"
"That Is just it," he returned,' laiigK-
Inely. "I have become so accustomed
was born a weakly little thing. I had
hard wprk to -keep body and soul together
in,. those first days after my fathers
death. V knew from the first she could
not live long. She died when she was1
three months old.. .
"I wish she had lived."
"Why do you wish such a mad thing
as that?"
"Because, If it hnd not been for seo-
you? 1 would kill you even now. If your
death would undo any of the harm you
have worked me! Uut It la all over, and
the next thiug you will hear la that 1
have killed uijrieiC"
"Way do you hate me ao bitterly,
Tau lite? be asked; and Be studied her
attentively whit she auawtred:
"Because you have been by evil
geu! ua ever alnce I became your wife.
If I had not married you, my life might
have been as happy and pleaaant as
other wouieu'a lives are. No soouer did I
kuow that 1 waa my uncle's heiress than
my happiness was destroyed by hearing
that I was to Inherit only on the condi
tion that I did not marry without my
guard an'a consent Thanks to you. this
condition wss already broken; and my
six years of possession have been em
bittered by the certainty In my own
mind that you were alive somewhere
and would surely find me some day,
and deprive me of all that 1 bad rlaked
ao much to obtain."
Pelling sighed heavily and took up his
hat
"You will let me come and see you
again?"
"Why? You do not care for me In
the least. Why should you take so much
trouble to be civil to me?"
"You are my wife. No amount of die
like or shortcomings on your part altera
that fact. We have been very unfortu
nate In the past. 1 can see you are un
happy: and. in an Indirect way. I am
the cause of your unhapplness. I would
give a great deal to mnke wings urigmer
for you. If you would let me."
8!ie was touched by the earnestness
of his manner and tone.
"You are very good," she aald; "and
I am airry I behaved ao badly to yon."
She stood silent for a few moments,
Pelling watching her quietly; while they
so stood the clock on the mantelpiece
struck 1'.'
"Yon must go now," ahe told hlra
hurriedly. "I have an appointment to
ride with some friends. Come agaiu at
this time tomorrow."
He did not attempt any outward dis
play of affection, but sasaed down the
scalrs. He met Babette half way down
"With whom does your mistress rule
lo-d:iy?" he asked
"With the Baroness de Belette" a
woman well known for the pertluaelty
with which she had clung to the extreme
edge of respectable society for the last
five vears. "Thev have a wager as to
who will ride the greatest distance on a
horse beloncine to Monsieur Crevln
which has always refused to carry
lady."
Pelling went on with a little unac
knowlelaed anxiety In his heart. He
would go back and try to dissuade Pau
line from this mad freak, but that he
knew it would be useless; and any show
of authority on his part Just now might
perhaps undo the little good he believed
he bad accomplished.
He drove straight back to the hotel
and sat with his chin resting on his
hands at the little table in the window
of bis room. He was In a strange state
of mingled hope and dread. He did not
know what he wished; he only knew that
he meant to do what he conceived to be
his duty; the rest be must leave In higher
hands.
While thus musing over the past, h
was brought back to the present by th
sieht of his wife cantering by In com
pany with several others; and, following
them, he noticed a fidgety chestnut horse,
with a side-saddle on, which was being
Inl r croom. Pauline looked up and
bowed gravely; he returned the greeting,
How handsome she looked! How well
she snt her horse! How prond'he might
hsve been of her if she had never allow
ed tho love of riches to crowd the worn
filines nut of her heart! He leaned
forward and watched her as far as h
could see from the window.
e
An honr later Pelling was atoopin
over his wife's poor crushed body In one
of the little chatlcts in the Bole de Hon
logne. She had hcen thrown and tram
filed on, and was dying of Internal hem
orrhage. Her voice was very low, and
her words came slowly, with many
pauses.
"It Is heaven's justice! After you
had gone this morning I made up my
mind to do as you wiahel. I thought
I would try to love yon you were e
good and we should be happy togeth
er. I had no right to be happy after
my wickedness, atid heaven has settled
It!"
"My poor mistaken girl!"
"Yes, that is true. I've been mis
taken all my life. No one ever tried
to make me good. I was always left to
servants when I was a child. Heaven
Is Just, and the great Judge will re
member my great temptations. Will
ou kiss me just once, Alec? Say you
forgire mi. It will make my mind
easier."
In spite of his efforts not to disturb
her last moments by any show of feel
ing, a large tear dropped upon her face.
She looked at him womleringly, and put
up her finger to his cheek.
".For me," she said very softly "you
cry for me.' I do not deserve to have
one mourner nt my dentil bed. I have
done evil to every one but Jack. Give
him my No, I will not leave mes
sages; they might bring a curse."
Another spasm seized her; and, when
It had passed, the hue of death was
creeping over her face. It was all fin
ished now, and the strong young life tlint
had been so misused had come to an
end. .',;.,..'
Pelling took out a card and left it
with the people of the house, arid then
went straightway to see that all the
necessary arrangements were made for
the interment of ber who had once been
very dear to him. He wrote a short let
ter to Sir Geoffrey that nlgut. It ran:
"Dear Sir. Geoffrey Your niece, my.
wife; was killed by a fall from her horse
are Intact. Dabette tell tne, an, they
wilt be sent by special courier. When
the funeral la over, I thick I aaau Join
Uorntoa In Italy, and toward the spring
we may work our way homeward U
rompauy.' Ask M m Ethel U keep us
ever green In hr memory. I've set my
heart on see ug our young frlsud Jack
a Keyal Academician before many years,
With his talent, he wants ouly a little
Jud.clous pushing, and I mean to devote
my time to pushlug him.
"Alwajre your sincere frleud,
"ALEXANDER PELLING."
Ethel was greatly affected by thla Ut
ter, and ahe went about with very
aober face for some weeks, until the
preparatlona for Christmas absorbed ber,
ud left her no time for thinking ot
andsome young artists or anything else.
But. even In the midst of the excitement
f Chrlstmaitid. there waa always
cravlug in her heart, a dreary sense of
mptluess, which grew and grew until
she was compelled, with many blushes,
to admit Its presence, and to acknowl
edge to herself that only one person In
U the world could fill the void.
iTe be ooutluu.Ll
LONELIEST SPOT IN BRITAIN.
flow Tine la Hpent lo the Dkerryvore
Lighthouse la Hoell of hit Weeks,
The Skerry vore lighthouse I ou of
the loneliest pln.v In the British) Isl
a nds. it la the chief rock of a reef
which Ilea ten miles southwest of Tlrec
and tweuty-four tulles west of Bum
Previous to
FALLS CLAIMED BY CANADA.
Urealer Perl mt lliiraeab Msra
Mar Uelwwar lioiwlnton.
It line I way a been supposed by the
..coi.li of the fulled Stalca Hint tlJf
..wiiisl one half t ttu Horscsuo full
f Niagara., but grave danger menace
their claim to audi A title. Hie Inter
national dispute. If such It limy be
termed, line crept In since tlu mem
hern of the International Waterways
Commlsslou were at Niagara. Tbee
men studied the conditions aa they
found them and reviewed maps out
lining various features. "
Shortly after till Prof. I.aflamme,
if Quebec, an eminent Canadian ge
ologist arrived at 'Niagara to makt a
survey and Inspection of the fulls. Sus
picion waa aroused that the Canadian
tieoibora believed they bad discovered
something that, waa overlooked In the
public mind, and It waa Intimated that
(he Domlulon government would ulti
mately lay claim to nearly the entire
Horseshoe fall. Such claims, If well
founded, would leave the Canadian
eouitulesloncrs representing more for
the preservation of Niagara thau the
I'lilted States commissioners.
Tim Importance f rvcu'a suggea
Hon that the t 'itundlniia own more than
I half of the great Horseshoe fall Is ot
I great moment. This can be under-
annually for forty jeara. Tbu lltflit-! "
bouse w. begun In WW n.l took six 1 f"r ' r lu,u? f
years to c.ii.plcto. the cost i.u,g water passe, over the Horseshoe fall.
CNI.W7T. It will ahvuya be InteresUi.g. j '" uf ";nn J;
If only for the fact that It was e.e.-ted ''" I""". ,H I'''1
.y IloUTt Unl Stevenson's tm.-li-.l ,,n ""''i
Aim. !.,. r.llowmt the method adoot- "Bier i me upper nrr mm o
ed by bis father, It. rt, In the Bell1 It would plunge over tho Horseshoe.
lighthouse. , The Skerry o-e lighthouse! ."' -
conaitinns wuercny me .iincrican iau
waa nearly dry.
i 1.14 feet high; It l 4'.' feet In dl.im-
ter at the base and M feet at tht.
The light, which Is a revolving one.
enn be seen at a distance of 14 nautl
t-nl miles. The tower Is built on a
rock which Is about 1.1 feet above
With the Dominion of Canada own
ing nenrly all of the Horseshoe. It Is
clear that ahe would own and control
the amo percentage of the ebvtrlc
high-water murk. This I the Urgent power tnni migin i.e iieveiopea oy
rock above water of the whole clialii ' utilization of the full flow of Niagara.
and Is about HO yards lung by i Today over Hn.im electrical horse
yards LmuiI. but Is so Intersected by power la being develops! on the Cnnn-
channels cut through It by tho action dlan aide of the rails, wnne tno isev
of the sea and Is so uneven that walk-
lug Is difficult.
To kill the time on the rock when
r.ot olllclnlly cngnged tho keeper try
various kinds of handicraft work.
'Just now," writes the prluclpiil keep
York aide has only about IjO.uim) de
veloped horse power.
Should a great demand for electric
power arise through new possibilities
of application or permission tho United
States might I dependent upon ('-an-
er, "I nin finishing an Inlaid table that ,ndn fH" much oP Its power eupply
has taken up niy spare time these liur , from tho falls of Niagara, and It would
three winters. It consists of ove bo an easy matter for the Canadians
S.txiO piece of wood and of fifteen illff to place an extort duty on power,
emit kinds, and Is all hand done. I
also do a little photography In the
summer time."
As It would be almost Impossible fo,
human beings lo rcsldn toutliiuounly
on a place like this, the keepers are
supposed to be on duty for six wicks,
when they get a fortnight ashore. Tin
shore station, where their families re
side. Is In Ennnld. on the southwest
of Mull, twenty-rive miles away. Life
Is montotiotis, even at the shore sta
tlon, as the lighthouse families are the
ouly Inhabitants.
Kiplalns Confusion at Battel.
"Among Ignorant persons," snld
Frank E. Wallls, secretary of the
Architectural League of New York,
"there Is a belief Hint architect are
useless that a builder I enough of
nn architect for all practical purpose.
I attended a session of court not long( ,pci(1dly piU,w n(1
ago when nil architectural cuse wu
being heard. A young architect was
put on the stand, and, nfter be Im I
given hi testimony, the lawyer for
the opposition began to cross-examine:
him. The questions ran like this:
"'You nre a builder, I believe?
"No, an architect.'
"'Builder or architect, architect ot
builder. It Is much the amine thing,
Isn't It?' .
" 'No, not at nil.'
"'What Is the difference?'
"The young iiihii explained wliotthe
difference wns, ami the lawyer, with
Hneer, snld:
'"Oh, very well. That will do. And
now, after your very Ingenious dis
tinction without a difference, perhaps
you can Inform Ihe court who wii the
architect of tho Tower of Biibel
" 'There wns none,' he unsweicd,
'and hence the, confusion.' "
Proverb Comes Out.
Miles You rcincnilier Siiplelgli, who
went went a couple of yenrs ago and
married an lielresH, don't you?
Gilt Yoh. Whut of hlin?
Miles I understand ills wife got ft
divorce from hi in recently.
Giles I'm not aurprlaed to hear it
Miles Why?
Oiled Becuuse a fool and liU money
are soon parted, you know,
"GHOST" IN MANOR HOUSE.
Oeeaplrr Telle Slrenae storr !
'Ike Osts Itoor."
A curious ghost story Is told by the
'occupier of the Manor Home, Knares-
borough, a charming old mansion,
parts of which date buck to tho early
days of the thirteenth century. The
occupier, A. W. Howes, recently re
stored the building, and during tho al
terations the skeleton of a woman
was found under one of the stair
cases, and It Is this discovery that
hn,i led Mr. Howes to tell his story.
He says there Is something about
the building that cannot be explained.
Formerly he and his wife occupied the
blue room, lu which stand an old oak
bedstead, on which Oliver Cromwell
once slept. This room, like the others,
a eup-
thing I ihould eay for your goodr
;Ing her grave, I should' have gone on
I uarehlna for vou until I iound you."
d . . . - , i ...' 1 1 i . . . i
i "Ah! And II vou had round me then, to-day. ve were reconcneu ai me msi,
Tell your aaugmer i can never express
for sending me here
source of thankful
would hare done? I would have killed uess In my heart The lanilly jewels
to working in company that I find I if you had come to Malllngford quietly Tell your daughter
can't move a step by myself." and said, 'Pauline, you are my wife; my gratitude to her I
"You would not be offended at any- come with me;' do you know what I it will always be a
Unlucky Thirteenth.
Mrs. BIkss Mra. Divorcee tells mo
idie lias Just declined au offer of mar
rlnge.
Mra. D1kk Indeed! She haa al
ready had twelve husbands. I wonder
why ahe declined another,
Mrs. Biggs I think she's superstl
tlous.
, , Trouble Afoot. -
The Two-Step They , are all after
my scalp. .
The Waltz Well, you're the fellow
who crowded ma out Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
board, which was formerly a priest's
hole, or hiding place, concerned by a
siting door.
During the night sounds of foot-
aieps are heard on the landing, and
Mr. Howes aays) It Is Impossible to
keep tho door of thts room closed.
We have locked It and put a chair
agnlnst It, and In the morning we
have found It open. There ere no
draughts to account for the opening
of tho door. Since we have moved
out of Jl'1 room footsteps have still
been heard, and ou one occasion they
were accompanied by a loud bump
on tho door of our preseut room."
Mr. Howes Is Jocular on the subject
of the ghost, ami snys Hint neither he
nor his family are alarmed, or Indeed
believe in .the supernatural, but after
fifteen yenrs' experience of tho house
tney are still at a loss to account for
the sounds. "We used' to say It was
Oliver's ghost," he remarks, "but now
we say It Is the woman whose skele-
tou we found."
Chaucer Is supposed to have vlilted
the house, and here learned some of
the Yorkshire dialect which appears In
his story, "Iteeve's Tale." It Is be
lieved to be the only bouse In England
In which stand an original roof tree.
In this case an old oak of the forest,
with Its roots still lntnct, rlRes through
the kitchen up to a bedroom, where It
Is cut short being no longer necessary
for the support of the roof and Is
used as a small table for 'the occu
pant's candlestick. Iindon Chronicle.
.Bird Broke Pun of Ulaea. i
The momentum of a swiftly flying
bird is considerable, a pannage new
against a window of the gymnasium
at Williams College the other -day,
crashing through the glass and fall
ing to the floor dead. The force 1?
the blow may be Judged from the
fact that the glass was "triplethlck"
and not more than 20x12 In Hie.