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A BELLE OF CANADA CITY. By BIIET II.VRTE. (Copyright, 1899, by Bert Harte.) Cissy was tying her hat under her round chin before a small glass at her window. The gave upon a background of serrated mountain and olive shadowed canon, with a faint additional outline of a higher snow level—the only dreamy suggestion of the whole landscape. The foreground was a glaringly fresh and un picturesque mining town, whose irregular attempts at regularity were set forth with oil the cruel uncompromising clearness of the California atmosphere. There was the straight Main street with its new brick block of “stores,” ending abruptly against a tangled bluff; there was the ruthless clearing In the sedate pines where the hideous spire of the new church imitated the soaring of the solemn shafts it had displaced, with almost irreligious mock ery. Yet this foreground was Cissy’s world—her life, her sole girlish experience. She did not, however, bother her pretty head with the view just then, but moved her cheek up and down before the glass, ihe better to examine by the merciless .glare of the sunlight a few freckles that starred the hollows of her temples. Like others of her sex, she was a poor critic of what was her real beauty and quarrel ed with that peculiar texture of her healthy skin which made her face as elo quent in her sunkissed cheek as in her bright eyes and expression. Nevetheless she tvas somewhat consoled by the ravish ing effect of the bowknot she had Just tied, ami turned away r.ot wholly dissatisfied Indeed, as the acknowledged belle of Can ada City and the daughter of its princi pal hanker, small wonder that a certain frank vanity and childlike imperiousness were among her faults—and her attract ions. She bounded down the stairs and into the front parlor—for their house possessed the unheard-of luxury of a double draw ing room, albeit the second apartment con tained a desk and was occasionally used by Cissy’s father in private buisness in terviews with anxious seekers of “ad vances” who shunned the publicity of the bank. Here she Instantly flew Into the arms of her bosom friend. Miss Piney Tibbs—a girl only a shade or two less pretty than herself, who, always more or less ill at ease In these splendors, was awaiting her impatiently. For Miss Tibbs was merely the daughter of the ho tel keeper, and, although Tibbs was a Southerner and had owned "his own nig gers," in the Slates, she was of inferior position and a protege of Cissy's. “Thank goodness you've come,” ex claimed Miss Tibbs, “for I’ve bin sittin’ here till I nigh took root. What kep ye?” “How does It look?” responded Cissy, as a relevant reply. The "It” referred to Cissy's new hat, and to the young girl the coherence was perfectly plain. Miss Tibbs looked at “it” severely. It would not do for a protege to be too complaisant. “Hem! Must have cost a heap o' mon ey." “It did," said Cissy. ‘‘Came from the bert milliner in San Francisco." "Of course,” said Piney with half-as sumed envy, "when your popper runs the bank and just wallows in gold!" ' .VFver mind, dear," said Cissy cheer fully. "9o'il your popper some day. I'm goin' to get mine to let your popper into something—ditch stocks and such. Yes! True, O king! Popper'll do anything for me,” she added a little loftily. Ijoyal as Piney was to her friend she was by no means convinced of this. She knew the difference between the two men, and hod a vivid recollection of hearing her own father express his opinion of Cissy's respected parent as a "gold shark" and "quartz miner crusher.” It did not, how ever, affect her friendship for Cissy. She only said: "Let s come!” caught Cissy around the waist,' pranced with her out into the veranda, and gasped out of breath, "Where are we going first?" Down Main street," said Cissy prompt ly. "And let us stop at Markham’s store. They’ve got some new things in from Sacramento,” said Piney. "Country styles,” returned Cissy with a supercilious air. "No! Besides, Mark ham's head clerk Is gettin’ too presump tuous. Just guess! He asked me—while 1 was buying something—if I enjoyed the dance last Monday.” "But you danced with him,” said the simple Piney in astonishment. “Rut not in his stole among his cus tomers," said Cissy sapiently. "No!— were goin' down Main street past Se ramp's. Those Secamp girls are sure to be al their windows, looking out. This hat will just turn ’em green—greener than ever.” "You’re just horrid, Ciss!” said Piney with admiration. "And then, continued Cissy, "we’ll just sail down past the new block to the par son’s and make a call.” "0, I see," said Piney archly. "It'll be just almut the time when the new engineer of (he mill works has a clean shirt on and I? smoking his cigar before the office.” Cissy tossed her hat disdainfully. "Much anybody cares whether he’s there or not! I haven't forgotten how he showed us over the mill the other day in a pair of overalls just line a workman.” "But they say he's awfully smart end well educated, and needn't work, and I'm *ure Its very nice of him to dress just like the other men when h’s with ’em.” urged Piney. ' Bah! That was just to show that he didn't care what we thought of him —he s that conceited! And it wasn’t respeotf ;1, considering one of the directors was there, ail dressed up. Don’t tell me! Y’ou can s,f 't in his eye—looking you over without blinking and then turning away as if he'd Kot enough of you. He makes me lited.” Piney did not reply. The engineer had teemed to her to be a singularly attractive young man, yet she was equally impresa ri with fit sy's superior condition which roull tinil llaws in such perfection. F 1- iowitiß her friend down the steps of the veranda. they passed Into the starting Raveled walk of the new garden, only recently recovered from the wild wood; •t accurate diamond and heart shaped '"O' of vivid green sel in white quartz 'Orders, giving it tne appearance of elab jr,a!'l.' iced confectionery. A few steps "no.! brought them to the road and the ool' ti side-walk” to Main street, which ' Uriel civic improvements to the hills d'. , 11 Mr. Trixit’s very door. Turning ?°"'h Ibis thoroughfare they stopped '" inn. and otherwise assumed a con- I”° u * '-'lf artificial air. For it was th? or Winn Canada City lounged listlessly ? r ‘‘ shops, its saloons. Its oflh cs an I ill., 1 < ven held lazy meetings In (he I >be roadway—and the passage I! '“' Prtnepal street of its two pret- J, f s’lr,.. nuts an event to be viewed as a, 1 o.vlo procession. Hats llew off Ittti passed; pine* was freely given; II - barrels and sacks removed from ~W i' b n pavement and preoccupied In ,irjr. '' l hastily summoned to (he front j. |r 'h* homage to Cissy Trlslt and p,,,.-' they went by. Not but tint 1 1 *'v. in the fierce and unretens i "f ns youth, hud seen fairer and f ,l ' i'd tuces, more gayly bedlsen* ! tv, . 11 "roughfares but never iny t , it* It and lnnlcent. Th* y sto-sl i*tis<’lousljr, reverencing tiitlr a tiers, *!*<:- and daugntera. In >• „ ‘" "oils homo*.- to tits pair and t , , ' ~ i the whoh some breath of f>, I noniaa grafted from the It b’l. ,:| lllirr I mil- I ■ Rny ruatlad by, 1 am afraid tiwi feelimr—few 5 "° r Pin<?y appreciated this r women dIJ a * 'hat time-in aiTV s r UnS ladle * a slight so” said ,s, eUr - Really ' stare nlei■enriaKp* SSy ' wuh Wes dilating with !? v e,riotlon ; "we'll have to uk- £ e , back l *wei next time." Piney. proud hVown ™ reft !S ,ed frorn ( T-sv and in ner own, answered, "We will—sure." triumnhsT aS ° nly one interruption to this ts to T 8 an ‘ l that was so slight cdrls i Y noticva by <'e of the two fhe milt ih €V I>assed t,le new works nt new engineer—as Piney ha<J Mst S smlT aS leaning against the door- Hom hm°h 5 3 , pipe ' He look hi* hat a* ?L h , h ' ad and hi 9 pipe from his mouth ' ! 'eyapproachetl, greeted them with an thiit afternoon." yet with a glance crhicnl ? al ® tly observant and tolerantly had , Tde ' e! “ W Cissy . when they ever P , 'u didn ' t 1 te “ > ou? Did you ever see such conceit in your born days' 1 hope you did not look at him.” of h‘^;^ S °l? U 8 of having done so and erthrni 8 hlushcd under his scrutiny, nev mmh tU ? y asserted that she had Bm A, ked at,dm "*o se who it was.” out cissy was placated by passing the Secamp s cottage, from whose window the hree strapping daughters of John Secamp, lately an emigrant from Missouri, were househoM w- surm,sed . lightening the -u U n S wcn if UtleS by sazinK at the-to them thi t<?d wonders of the street. Whether he'ltu°u plexion ’ a - tlll bearing traces of nr fhi ka i h ! dUSt and inofheient nourishment of the plains, took a more yellow tone from f^s5 i>e ,K laCl< l 0f Clssy ’ s b at I cannot sav; Cissy thought they did; perhaps Piney ” a A "t. arer ,he trutb when she suggested W , ere ° ,lly "looking” to enable them to make a home-mude copy of 'he nat next week. n,T h i e ‘ r . ProSTess forward and through the nm S n lr t lS °u the towa was of the same tri umphal character. Teamsters withheld their oaths and their uplifted whips as the in,? t ß!r iu passeo hy; weary miners toil d tl ! h " s ‘ookP-l up with a pleasure that was half reminiscent of their past; younger skyiarkers stopped in their horse piay with half smiling, half apologetic laces; more ambitious riders on the higti ay urged their horses to greater speed under the girl’s inspiring eyes, and “aque ro Hilly, charging them full tilt, brought up ws mustang on its haunches and rigid a swee P ; ng bow of his som brero. withm a foot of their artfully sim ulated terror! In this way they at last reached the clearing in the forest, the church with its ostentatious spire, and Bev. Mr. Windibrook’s dwelling—other wise humorously known as "the parson age —where Cissy intended to call. Rev. Mr. Windtbrook had been selected V bis ecclesiastical superiors to minister to the spiritual’ wants of Canada CUy us leing vyhat was called a "hearty" man. Certainly, if considerable lung capacity, absence of reserve, and power of hand shaking and back-slapping were necessary to the redemption of Canada City, Mr. Windibrook’s ministration would ’ have been successful. But, singularly enough, the rude miner was apt to resent this fa miliarity, and it is recorded that Isaac Wood.othe wise known as "Grizzly Wood ” cnee responded to a cheerful back-slap from the reverend gentleman by an osten tatiously friendly hug which nearly dls located .the pastor’s ribs. Perhaps Mr. Wtndlbrook was more popular on account of his admiring enthusiasm of the pros perous money-getting members of his flock, and a singular sympathy with their rr,e hods, and Mr. Trixit’s daring specula tions were an especially delightful theme to him. "Ah, Miss Trixit,” he said as Cissy en tered the little parlor, “ond how is your dear father? Still startling the money mar ket with his fearless speculations? This Brother Jones," turning to a visitor, "is the daughter pf our Napoleon of finance Montague Trixit. Only last week in that deal in ‘the Comstock,’ he cleared fifty thousand dollars! Yes, sir,” repeating it with unction, “fifty—thousand—dollars!— in about two hours, and a single stroke of the pen! I befieve I am not overstating, Miss Trixit,' ’he added, appealing to Cissy with a portentous politeness that was as badly fitting as his previous "heartiness.” Cissy colored slightly, "I don’t know,” she Said simply. She was perfectly truth ful. She knew nothing of her father’s bus iness—except the vague reputation of his success. Her modesty, however, produced a sin gular hilarity In Mr. Windibrook, and a playful push. "You don’t know? Ha. but I do. Yes, sir”—to the visitor—"l have reason to remember it. I called upon him the next day. I used, sir, the freedom of an old friend. ‘Trixit,’ I said, clapping my hand on his shoulder, 'the Lord has been good to you. I congratulate you.' ” 'Hm!' he said without looking up. ’What do you reckon those congratulations are worth?’ Many a man, sir, who didn't know his style would have been staggered. But I knew my man. I looked him straight in the eye. 'A new organ,' I said, ‘and as good a one as Sacramento can turn out.’ "He took up a piece of paper, scrawled a few lines on it to his cashier, and said, ’Will that do?’ ” Mr. Windibrook’s voice sank to a thrilling whisper. "It was an order for *1,000! Fact, sir. That is the father of tills young lady.” ”Ye had better luck fhan Bishop Briggs had with old Johnson, the Excelsior bank president,” said the visitor, encouraged by Wlndlhrook's "heartiness” Into a hum orous retrospect. ’’Briggs goes to him for a subscription for anew fence round the buryin’ ground—the old one havin' rotten away. ‘Ye don’t want no fence,’ sez Johnson short like. ‘No fence round a buryin’ ground?’ sez Briggs, starin’. ’No! Them as is In the buryin’ ground can’t get out, and them as isn’t don’t want to get in, no how! So you kin just travel—l ain’t givin’ money away on use lessnesses!” Ha! ha!” A chill silence followed, which checked even Piney s giggle. Mr. Windibrook evi dently had no "heartiness” for non-sub scribing humor. "There are those who can jest with sacred subjects,” he said ponderously, “but I have always found Mr. Trixit, though blunt, eminently prac tical. Your father is still away,” he add ed. shifting the conversation to Cissy, "hovering wherever .fie can extract the honey to store up for the provision of age. An industrious worker.” •He's still away," said Cissy, feeling herself on safe ground, (hough she was not' aware of her father's entomological habits. "In Sail Francisco, I think.” She was glad to get away from Mr. Windibrook’* "heartiness” ond console herself with Mrs. Windibrook’s constitu tional depression, which was partly the result of nervous dyspepsia and her hus band's boisterous cordiality. "I suppose, dear you are dreadfully anxious about vour’ father when he is from home?" she said to Cissy a sympathetic sigh. Cissv conscious of never having fell a moment's anxiety, and accustomed to his absences, replied naively, Why. Oil. ondel Mrs. Windibrook, "on account o' his great business responsibilities, you Snow; so much depend* upon him.” Again (■issv did not comprehend; she could not understand why this masterful man. her father who was equal to her own, and. It seemed, everybody'* needs, had any re sponsibility—°r s not as infantine and ,on* n as 'the sunshine or the air *he hrea led Without lain* hi* confidante b or even his associate—he had since her * ,it*arh no other *xp*ri*nce; youlh alive to .he Importance of their 1, seemed to her. however, only a , at' and result of being his daughter flhe r V, v'.vttelv and a lltll* Impatiently, smiled talked io her about her r,l;'y u l ws mih tiresome to alw.y. * :* fiiiff'tlon# a Non! h*r “Pop h*v''‘’J!T,eri„V. she availed herself P<* r %*iihc/vik'h inflation *o Into ;f'!,7rd'rind ■£ th* ne. summer house ,1 h.l h-en pul up among |h P<e*. srs THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, DECEMBER HI, 1S0!>. bearing chiefly upon the vicissitudes of others, gave the young girl the comforting glow of comparison. Touching the complexion of the Secamp girls, Mrs. Windtbrook attributed it to their great privations i,n the alkali desert. "One day," continued Mrs. Windibrook, "when tbeir father was ill with fe'Per and ague, they drove the cattle twenty miles to water through that dreadful poisonous ; dust, and when they got theta? their lips were cracked and bleeding and their eye lids like burning knives, and Mamie Se camp’s hair, which used to be a beautiful brown like your own. my dear, was bleached into a rusty yellow.” “And they will wear colors that don't suit them." said Cissy impatiently. "Never mind, dear,” said Mrs. Windibrook ambiguously, "I suppose they will have their reward.” Noir was the young engineer discussed in lighter vein, "It pains me dreadfully to see that young man working with the common laborers and giving himself no rest, just because he says he wants to ' know exactly 'how the thing Is done,’ | and why the old works failed," she re marked, sadly. “When Mr. Windibrook I knew he was the son of Judge Masterton 1 and had rich relations, he wished, of 1 course, to be civil, but somehow young ! Masterton and he didn’t ’hit off.’ Indeed, Mr. Windibrook was told that he had de clared that the prosperity of Canada City W'as only a mushroom growth, and. it seems too shocking to repeat, dear, that they say he said that the new church, our church—was simply using the Almighty as a big bluff to the other towns. Of course. Mr. Windtbrook couldn’t Vee him after that. Why, he even said your fa ther ought to send you to school some where and not let you grow up in this half-civilized place.” Strangely enough, Cissy did not hall this corroboration of her dislike to young Masterton with the liveliness one might have expected, l’erhaps it was because Piney Tibbets was no longer present, hav ing left Cissy at the parsonage and re turned home. Still she enjoyed her visit after a fashion, romped with the younger Windibrook:* and climbed a tree in the security of her sylvan seclusion and the promptings of her still healthy, girlish blood, and only came back to cake and tea and her new hat, which she had prudently hung up in the summer house, as the afternoon was waning. When they return ed to the house, they found that Mr. Windibrook had gone out with his visitor and Cissy was spared the advertisement of a boisterous escort home which he gen erally insisted upon. She gaily took leave of the infant Windibrook and his mother, sallied out through the parsonage gate into the empty road, and once more be came conscious of her new hat. The shadows were already lengthening, and a cool breeze stirred the deep aisl s of the pines on either side of the highway. One or two people passed her hurriedly, talking and gesticulating, evidently so pre occupied that they did not notice her. Again, a rapid horseman rode by without plancing round, overlook the previous pe destrians, exchanged a hurried word with them, and spurred swiftly away as one of them shouted after Jiim: '’There's ano'.h"r dispatch confirming it.” A group of men talking by the roadside never Poke 1 ur> as she passed. Cissy pouted sljghtly at this want of taste, which made aom 1 late election news or the report of a horse race more enthralling than her. new hat and its owner. Even the tollers IB the ditches had left their work and were cmgregited around a man who was reading aloud from a widely margined "extra'' of the Canada City Press. It seemed provoking, os she knew her cheeks were glowing from her romp and was conscious that the wis looking her best. However, the Secamps' cottage was just before her. and the gills were sure to be on the lookout! She shook out her skirts and straightened her pretty little figure as she approached the house. But to her surprise, her coming had evidently been anticipated hy them, and they were actually—and unexpectedly —awaiting her behind the low whit'-wash ed garden palings! As she marvd them they burst Into a shrill discordant laugh, so full of Irony, gratified malice, and mein exaltation that Cissy was for a moment startled. But only for a moment; she had her father's reckess audacity and to e them down with a display of such pink cheeks and flashing eyes that their laugh ter was checked and they remiinel open mouthed as she swept by thtm. Perhaps this incident prevented her from noticing another but more passive one. A group of men standing before the new mill —the same men who had so solicitously challenged her attention with their bows a couple of hours ago—turned as she ap proached and suddenly dispersed. It was not until this was repeated by another group that its oddity forced itself upon her still angry consciousness. Then the street seemed to be full of <hose excited, preoccupied groups who melted away as she advanced. Only one man met her cu rious eyes—the engineer—yet she missed the usual critical smile with which he was wont to greet her, and he gave her a bow of such profound respect and gravity that for the first time she felt really un easy. Was there something wrong with her hat? That dreadful, fateful hat! Was it too conspicuous? Did he think it wis vulgar? She was eager to cross the street on the next block, where there were largo, plate-glass windows which she and Piney —if Piney were only with her now!—had often used as mirrors. But there was a great crowd on the next block, and it was congregated around the bank—her fath er’s bank! A vague terror, she knew not what, now began to creep over her. f would have turned Into a side street, but mingled with her fear was a resolution not to show it—not to even think of it— to combat it as she had the horrid laugh of the Secamp girls—and she kept her way with a beating heart, but eroct head with out looking across the street. There was another crowd before the newspaper office —also on the other side—and a bulletin loards, but sho would not try to read it. Only one idea -was in her mind, to reach her own home before any one should meet or speak with her. For the last intel ligible sound that had reached her wgs the laugh of the Secamp girls, and this was still ringing in her ears, seeming to voice the hidden strangeness of ail she saw and stirring her, as that hod, with childish indignation. She kept on with un moved face, however, and at last turned into the planked side terrace—a pari of her father’s munificence—and readied the symmetrical garden beds and graveled walk. She ran up the steps of the veran da, and entered the drawing room through the open French window. Glancing around the familiar room, at her father's closed desk, at the open piano with the piece of music she had been practicing that morning, the whole walk seemed only a foolish dream that had frightened her. She was Cissy Trixit, the daughter of the richest maR in the town! This was her father's house —the wonder of Canada City! A ring at the front door bell startlel her; without waiting for the servant to answer it she stepped out on the veranda and saw a boy whom she recognized us a waiter at the hotel kept by idney’s fa ther. He was holding a note In his hand and staring Intently at the house and g.w din. Seeing Cissy, he transferred his star - to her. Snatching the note from him sho tor> it o|en and read lit l’ltney's well known scrawl; ’’Dad won't let me tome to you now, dear, but I’ll try to slip out late 10-nlght." Why should she want to come? H!)n had wild nothing about coming now—and why should her father prevent her? Cissy mished the note between her fingers art! faced the boy. "What aie you staring at-Idiot?” Th-' b.y grinned hysterlcally-a Hill* tr ghtc ed at Cissy’s straightened brows sttd mapping eyes, "t!ei away—there’s no tinswer.” Th* lay ran off and Cissy returned to the drawing room Then It occurred to ter Ihal the servant had tail answered the ts !l t*iis rang again furiously. Tlieir was no r* sponw She galled down ins base- ment staircase and heard only the echo of her voice in the depths. How still the house was! Were they oil out—Susan—No rah—the cook. The Chinaman and the gar dener? She ran down into the kitchen; the 1 aek door was open, the tires were burning dishes were upon the table, but ihc kitch • n was empty. Upon the tloor lay a damp copy of the "Extra." She picked it up quickly. Five blaek headlines stared her in the face: "Enormous Defalcation!” “Montagu Trixit Absconded!” "iWO.OCO M ssing!" "Run on ihc Bank!" She threw the paper through the op. n door as she would have hurled back the accusation from living lips. Then, til a revulsion of feeling, lest any one should find her there, she ran upstairs and locked herself In her own room. So that was what it all meant; All! from the laugh of the Secamp girls to the turning away of’ the townspeople as she wem by. Her father was a thief, who had stolen money from the hank end run away, leaving her alone to tear it! No! It was nil a ilea— wicked, jealous lie! A foolish lie— for how could he steal money from Ills own bank? Cissy knew very little of her father—perhaps that w as why she believed in him. She knew still less of business; but she knew that he did. She had ofien heard them say It—perhaps the very ones who now colled him names. He. who hail made Canada City what it was! He, whom Windibrook said only to-day had, like Moses, touched the rooks of the Canada with his magic wand of finance, and streams of public rredlt and prosperity had gushrd from It! She would never speak to them ogaln. She would shut herself up here—dismiss all the servants hut the Chinaman, and wait until her father re turned. There was a knock, and th® entreating voice of Norah, the cook, outside the door. Cissy unlocked it ami flung it open indig nantly. "Ah! It's yourself, miss, and I r.evir knew ye kem hack till I met that gos soon of a hotel waiter in the street." said the panting servant; “sure it was only an hour ago while I was at tne woorrek in the kitchen, and Jim rushes in and sez: 'For the love of God, if iver ye want to see a blessed cint of tho money ye put In the masther’s hank, off wid ye now and draw it out, for there’s a run on the bank!' " "It was an Infamous fie,” said Cissy fiercely. "Sure, miss, how was ol to know? And if the masther has gone away it’s ownly takln’ me money from the other drills down thare that’s (Irawin' it out and di vidin’ it betwixt and between them.” Cissy had a very vague idea of what a "run on the "bank" meant, but Norah's logic seemed to satisfy her feminine rea son. She softened a little. “Mr. Windibrook is in the parlor, miss, and a jintlemen on the veranda,' ’cotuln ued Norah, encouraged. Cissy started. "I'M come down,” shi said briefly. Mr. Windibrook wa* waiting beside the piano with his soft hat in one han I aid a large white handkerchief in the o'.her. He had confidently expected to find Cissy in tears, and was with boisterous condolement, but was a little taken aback as the young girl entered with a pale face, straightened blows and eyes that shone wtih audacious rebellion. However, it was too late to change his attitude. "Ah, my young friend,” lie said a little awkwardly “we must not give way tu our emotions, but try to recognize in our trials the ben enis of a great lesson. But., he added hurriedly, seeing her stand still silent but erect before him. "I see that you do!" He paused, coughed slightly, cast a glince at the veranda—where Cissy now for the first time observed a man standing in an obviously assumed attitude of negligent abstraction—moved toward the hack rco.n, and in a lower voice said: "A word with you in private.” Without replying, Cissy followed him. “If,” said Mr. Windibrook with a sick ly smile, “you are questioned regarding your father's affair*, you may jeerieraber his peculiar and utterly unsoifcite<rkii'i of a certain sum toward anew organ—o which I alluded to-day. You can say that he always exprescsd great liberality to ward the church, and It was no surprise to you.” Cissy only slarcd at him with dangerous eyes. “Mrs. Windibrook,” continued the rev erend gentleman, in his highest, hearti est voice, albeit o little hurried, “wished me. to say to you that until you heard from—your friends—she wanted you to come and stay with her. Do come! Do!” Cissy, with her bright eyes fixed upon her visitor, said; "I shall stay her.e.” "But,” said Mr. Windibrook, Impatient ly, “you cannot. That man you see on the veranda is the sheriff's officer. The house and all that it contains are In the hands of the law.” Cissy's face whitened in proportion as her eyes grew darker, but she said, stoutly; "1 shall stay here till my popper tells me to go.” “Till your popper tells you to go?” re peated Mr. Windibrook, harshly, drop ping his heartiness and his handkerchief in a burst of unguarded temper. "Your papa is a thief escaping from Justice, you foolish girl—a disgraced felon, who dare not show his face again in Canada City— and you are lucky—yes, lucky, miss—lt you do not share his disgrace!” “And you’re a wicked, wicked liar!" said Cissy, clenching her little fists at her side and edging toward him with n r ' long bantam-like movement as she ad vanced her freckled cheek close to his with an effrontery so like her absconding father that he recoiled before it. “And a mean, double-faced hypocrlt, too! Didn’t you always praise him? Didn’t you call him a Napoleon and a—Moses? Didn’t you say he was the making of Canada City? Didn't you get him to raise your salary—and start a subscription for your new hou-e? O you—you—stinking beast!” Here the stranger on the veranda, still gazing abstractedly at the landscape, gave a low and apparently unconscious mur mur as if enraptured with the view. Mr Windibrook, recalled to an attempt at dig nity, took up his hat and handkerchief. “When you have remembered yourself and your position. Miss Trixit,” he said lofti jy, “the offer I have made you—" “I despise it! I’d sooner stay In the woods with the grizzlies and rattle snakes!" said Cissy pantlngly, “Go and leave me alone. Do you hear?” She stamp ed her little foot. “Are you listening! Go.” Mr. Windibrook promptly retreoted through the door and down tho steps into the garden. At which the stranger in the veranda reluctantly tore himself away from the landscape and slowly entered the parlor through the open French window. Here, however, he became equally absorb ed and abstracted In the condition of bis beard, carefully stroking his shaven cheeks and lips and pulling his "goatee.” After a pause he turned to the angry Cissy, standing by the piano, radiant with glowing cheeks and flashing eyes, and said slowly: “I reckon you gave the i>erson as good a* he sent. It kinder settle*, a man to hear the frozen truth about him self sometimes, and you've helped old tfhadbelly considerably on the way to sal vation. Hut he wa * right about one thing, Miss Trixit. The house 1* in the hand* of the law. I’m representing it as deputy sheriff—mebbe you might remember me— Juke Poole —when your father was ad rlressln’ the lu*t cltlaens’ meeting, alttln’ next to him on the platform— I’m in pos session. It isn't it job I’m hankerin' much arter; I'd a lief rather hunt hose thieves or track down road agents than this kind o’ fancy, underhand work. Bo you'll e*- cue me, miss, If I ain’t got the style.” Its paused, rubbed Ills chin thought fully, and then said slowly and wtrii great deliberation, "Kf there’s any little thing here, mbs—any keepsakes or such trifles rz you keer for In tail tickler, things you wouldn’t like airangets |o hv.~ you Just make s little pile of them sna drop 'em down wsnewhsrw outside tho hack dour. There ain’t no Inventory taken nor scalin' up of anythin* done Just yet, though 1 have to see there ain't anything disturbed. But I kulkilate to walk out on the veranda for a spell nn.l loolt nt the landscape." He pa used again and said with a sigh of satisfaction, "it's a mighty ixxity view out thar, it just takes me every time." As he turned and walked out through the French window. Cissy did not for a moment comprehend him; then, strangely enough, his act of rude courtesy for the first time awakened her to the full sense of the situation. This house—her father's house—was no longer hers! If her father should never return she wanted nothing from It—nothing! She gripped her beating heart with the little hand she hud clench ed so valiantly moment ago. Suddenly her hand dropped. Someone had glided noiselessly into the bark room, a figure in a blue blouse—a Chinaman, their house servant, Ah Fe. He east a furtive glance at the stranger on the veranda and then beckoned to her stealthily. She came to ward him wonderingly. when ho suddenly whipped a note from his sleeve and wiiii a dexterious movement slipped It Into her fingers. She tore it open. A single glance showed her a small key Inclosed in a line of her father's handwriting. -.. Drawing quickly back into the corner she read as follows; “If this reaches you In time, take from the second drawer of my desk an envelope marked 'private contracts' and give It to the bearer." There was neither signature nor address. Putting her finger to her lip, she cast a quick glance nt the absorbed figure on the veranda and stepi>ed before the desk. She fitted the key to the drawer and opened it rapidly but noiselessly. There lay the envelope, ond omong other ticketed papers a small roll of greenbacks—sttch as her father often kept there. It was his motley; she did not scruple to take it with the envelope. Handing the latter to the Chin aman. who made it instantly disappear up his sleeve like a conjuror's act. she signed him to follow her into the hall. "Who gave you thnt note, Ah Fe?" she whispered, breathlessly. “Chinaman." "Who gave it to him?" “dhinanian.” “And to him?” “Ncllee Chinaman.” "Another Chinaman?” ‘Yes—heap Chinaman—alle same us gang.” "You moon it passed from one China man’s hand to another?" "Allee some.” "Why didn't the first Chinaman ’who got it bring It here?" "S'pose Mellkan man want to cotchee lettel. He spotty Chinaman. He follee Chinaman. Chinaman pnssro lettel next Chinaman. He no get. Mellkan man no habe got. Sabe?" "Then this paekoge will go back the same way?" "Alice same.” "And who will you give It to now?” "Allee same man blingee me lettel. Hop Ll—who makee washee." An Idea here struck Cissy which made her heart jump and her cheeks flame. Ah Fe gazed at her with an Infantile smile of admiration. ‘How for did that letter come?” she ask ed with eager, questioning eyes. "Lettee me see him.” said Ah Fee. Cissy handed him the missive; he exam ined closely some half a dozen Chinese characters I hot were scrawled along the length of the outer fold and which she had Innocently supposed were a part of the markings of the rice paper on which the note was written. "Heap Chinaman velly much wnikee— lcpgee way! S'pose you look." He pointed through the open front door to the pros pect beyond. It was a familiar one to Cissy—the long Canada, the erest on crest of serried pines, and beyond the dim snow lines. Ah Fe's brown finger seemed to linger there. “In the snow," she whispered, her chek whitening like that dim line, but ii> r~ey s sparkling like the sunshine over If. "Allee same, John," said Ah Fe plain tively. "Ah Fe,” whispered Cissy, "take me with you lo Hop Li.” “No good," said Ah Fe stolidly. "Hop Li he givee this"—he indicated the envel ope In his sleeve—"to next Chinamin. He no go. S'pose you go with me. Hop LI —you no makee nothing—allee same dam foolee!” "I know; but you Just take me there. Do!" The young girl was Irresistible. Ah Fe’s face relaxed "All lltee!” he said, with a resigned smile. “You wall here a moment,” said Cissy, brightening. She flew up the staircase. In a few minutes she was back again. She had exchanged her smart rose-sprig ged chintz for a pathetic little blue check frock of her school days; the fateful hat had given wny to a brown stray "flat,” bent like a frame around her charming face. All the girlishness—and. Indeed, a certain honest boyishness of her nature seemed to have come out In her glowing, freckled cheek, brilliant, audacious eyes, and the quick stride which brought her to Ah Fe's side. ''Now, let's go,” she said, "out the back way and down the side streets.” She paused, cast a glance though the drawing room at the contemplative figure of the sheriff’s deputy on the veranda, and then passed out of the house forever. (To Be Continued Next. Week.) THE CHIMNEY StVEEP. Horrible Cruelties Prnctleed Upon Children in England Thirty Years Ago. From Good Words. Under the inlluence of the new human ity It Is hard for the people of this gen el atlon to believe the stories that are told of sufferings Inflicted on children In this country but a few years ago. Were they not only too well authenticated we would say that it was Incredible that law could have been so lax, religion so useless and humanity so dead as to make these things possible. At the beginning of the Queen’s reign there were many ocrupatlons in our land In which the little ones were ruth lessly tortured, but perhaps for cruelly and hideousness this one of chimney sweepers was never equalled. How long It had con tinued we cannot tell, but It Is not mcuh more than twenty years since It was final ly stamped out. I remember when I was a boy at school In the seventies hearing about this and being told thnt little children were then being sent up chimneys to sweep them, and It must have been this thar Induced me to try climbing up and sliding down chimneys of a house build ng mar, lo the great destruction of my clothes and—of less consequence In my guardian's eyes—bruises and scratches in numerable on my body and legs. I now s* e that this must have been about the year 1878, when the question of this employ ment of children was for the last time brought up In Parliament arid the abomi nation put an end to. A parliamentary c< mml.tie had been appointed a few years before, and this proved up to the hilt the ail gatlons of the friends of the children regarding the dfgredatlon and suffering of those employed In this work. One fact they stated was that out of 384 children they had examined only six could write and tsnnty-six could read, though very Imperfectly. To find the ovll, however. In full swing and unobstructed activity, we have to go back another thirty years, to the time when Lord Hhafieslatry brought the mat ter before Parliament and carried on a vigorous crusade until he induced the Is-g -lelature ’•• tutus the Chimney Sweeper* blit of 185# Id thnt year he stated In the House of Commons that lo hla personal knowledge a child of four and a half was being set t up dally to sweep chimneys lie bad Seen. DON'T WORRY AND WORK SO MUCH TO KEF.P CLEAN. BUT GO TO YOUR GROCER AND GET TREPOLINE, THE UNRIVALED CLEANER AND POLISHER, IT CLEANS EVERYTHING QUICKLY, EASILY, BEAUTIFULLY. THEPOLINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. ATLANTA. NEW YORK. I l fappy New Year I/IRI Custave,Eckstcin&Co. This Year, "The End of this Century,” will find the old house, Gustave Eckstein & Cos., as alive as ever to the wants o( their kind patrons, "The People of Savannah." No ctfort will be spared lo cater to "Public Favor” and make this Favorite SDrc tti; Most Popular Shopping Place of Any in the City. Embroideries hvery lady knows our reputation on Embroideries. No need for words of comment. Nicer and Better Than Ever at sc, at 10c, at 15c, at 25c. There are Cambrics, Swiss and Nainsooks. Lovely New Insertings and Beautiful Work in A1 lovers. 1900 MUSLIN UNDERWEAR. No “sweat shop” goods here, all clean and fresh. Gowns at 39c, at 50c, at 75c, at sl, and up to $3.50. Skirts at 39c, at 50c, at 75c, at $1 and up to $4.00, Drawers at 25c, at 35c, at 39c, at 50c and up to $2.00. Chemises at 25c, at 35c, at 50c, at 75c, at 85c and up. Infants' Dresses 50c to $3.50 Decided Reductions in Rich Black Silk Crepons, Decided Reductions in Fancy '.Vinter Dress Goods. Decided Reductions in Fine All-Wool Goods at 39 cents. Decided Reductions in Blankets, Robes ami Comforters. Decided Reductions in Flannels and Warm Underwear. Men’s Neckwear 50c,35c,25c All Jackets, Gapes, Furs, Suits, Skirts, Wrappers, Waists Must Be Sold. Art Squares, Rugs and Table Covers Sacrificed. No disappointment here! Every Ready-made garment for Ladies and Children at any price. Mall orders filled promptly and with care! Prices strictly the same as if here in person. GUSTAVE ECKSTEIN & CO. lie sal<l, ihe little ones when off work sleeping, quite naked, on heaps of soot. They were never washed, for their owners xajil: “What's the good?" They often eon traeted a loathsome and painful disease, which went by the name of “sooty can cer." 11 was shown that over all the coun try children from four to elgh* years of age were constantly employed In this work. The majority of them were orphans, the rest were bartered or sold by brutal isuents. Torture for Little Ones. They had to lie taken young and (rain ed to their hideous work of pushing their way through long, narrow, tortuous pass ages choked up with soot. To clean this away they had to move up and down by pressing every Joint of their bodies against the hard and often broken sur faces of the chimneys. To prevent their hands and knees from streaming with blood the children were rubbed with brine before a w rong Hie to harden the flesh. To drive them up the chimneys when they hesitated burning straw was applied to their feet, and this was also found useful to bring them around if they fainted or stuck in ihe flue. That Is no fancy pic ture that Dickens draws In the beginning of “Oliver Twist" of the sort of masters the children had. The reader will reimm ter that Gamfleld, after stunning his don key (o make It stand still, walks up to the workhouse gate, whereon was a notice that £5 and Oliver Twist were offered to any one who would apprentice him to any railing. Gamfield reflects that this would Just suit him, and steps In before the board to make his offer. “If the parish vould itke him to learn a light, pleasant trade In a good, ’spectable enlmbley sweepin' blznlss, I wants a 'prentice and am ready to take him." The board thought a little. “It's a nasty business,” said one gentle man. “Young boys have been Bmothered In chimneys before now," said another. “That's pcause they damped the straw afore they lit It In the cblmbiey to make ’em come down agin." said Gamfield; “that’s all smoke and no blaze; vereas smoke ain't, o' no use at all In making a boy come down, for It only sends him to sleep, and that’s what he likes. Boys Is very obstlnlt, and very lazy, gen'lmen, and there's nothink like a good hot btaz * to make 'em come down with a run. It's humane, too, gen'lmen, acause, even if they've stuck in the chlmbley roasting their feet makes ’em struggle to hextri cate thelrselves." The board, however, maintained that It whs a nasty trade, and seeing that It was so they beat down Gamfield to £3 ten shillings, and agreed to give him Oliver with that. Such were the guardians and masters the children en had. Later In the same book wo flr.d Bill Sikes and his friends complain ing bitterly of recent legislation which had nduced the supply of diminutive children that were needed by them In their "bus iness” to (Hit through the small apertures of windows to open for them Ihe doors of houses they meant to rob. It Was their cturom to hire boy* from the master chimney sweepers at so much per “job.” Purchased Prom Their Masters. Teed Shaftesbury himself had actually lo buy many of the boys from their mat ters that h* might rescue them and have them educated and art up in life lie In terested other# In them. SIS) hrfof legle Istlon did anything many were saved from lh*lr terrible life. But though then- w< re human* men In England it is surprising to lesrn bow strong wag tb* opposition against any legislative Interference wtthl the children’s tot. Petitions were sent la Parliament against Shaftesbury's Mil. Tha Insurance companies of London and other elites clamored against it. Pamphlets and articles were written to destroy H, and It needed ull Shaftesbury's solemn eloquence, hacked up by the terrible facts he pro duced, to obtain a majority In 1840. But though the evil was then scotched it was by no means killed. It went on more secretly, but now and again the pub lic were sta riled by hearing of u hoy a death tn u flue. There seemed to be a recrudescence of the evil about 1873, for in that year there were several fatalities. In October, 1872, a boy was sent up tha flue of a fernery In Staffordshire. Not ap pearing in fifteen minutes, the flue wad hastily ojvned and the boy found dead.. Soon after another very similar death took place at Canterbury, but this time public opinion was roused, and the master was sentenced to six months' Imprisonment. This had the most salutary effect. It was seen that the Iniquity would be no longer tolerated, and other methods ha<J to be employed for sweeping chimneys. The legislation of 1876 made that form of child torture and degradation a thing of the past. MOZLKY'S LEHO.tI ELIXIR. A Pleasant Lemon Tonic. Cures Indigestion, headache, malaria, kidney disease, fever, chills, loss of appe tite. debility, nervous prosit atton and heart failure, by regulating the liver, etomache, bowels and kidneys. NO/,LEY'S LEMON ELIXIR Cure l me of Indlg. s lon, I had suffered fop tan yeats. I bad tried almost every m dl clot, but all failed. Since taking Lemon Elixir I can cat anything I like. Reevesvllle, 8. C. VV. A. Griffith. 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