Newspaper Page Text
Peter’s Party
I FLUNG down the morning paper
with a groan. Looking out of the
window, a scene of springtime met
my eyes. And the sky was blue—
April blue.
I way blue, too, but It was another
sort of blue; the sort you see when
you read that everything has gone
down with a slump, and that the
rattling good thing ypu put every
penny you could scrape together into
a few months ago, expecting confi
dently—on the word of your pet bro
ker—a huge profit, has gone to ruin.
Nice things for a man on a gay
spring morning to look things in the
face and read only one word wher
ever he looks—ruin.
My soliloquy was rudely interrupt
ed by a ringing feminine voice, fol
lowing hard on the arrested purr of a
motor
Peter! Peter!”
“Here!" I shouted, flinging open the
door “What’s wrong? Fire? Or—
Good heavens—Sybil! What brings
you here?"
Sybil Manlsty laughed and flung
back the long, floating gauze veil.
From beneath that pretty motor bon
net her sparkling blue eyes looked at
me with gleeful amusement.
“A nice welcome for a long-lost
cousin!” she retorted, presenting to
me a cheek of such fragrant pinkness
that what could I do but kiss it? "The
motor brought me; it also shed Wil
liam on the road where I left him
staring, like one bewitched, at the
lake. We’ve come to stay, If you’ll
have us, Peter—I know you will.
We’re on our way to the Allinghams,
but they can't have us till next week.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied, laugh
ing. “but I've very little to offer you
in the way of food. I don’t keep a
chef. When we don’t know what to
have, we go out and kill a chicken
and eat it. Mind you, it’s dull here."
A Party.
“If that’s all. I’ll soon change
things We’ll give a party, Peter—or,
rather, you shall."
“A party!” I stared at her aghast.
"Yes; William always says I can’t
be five minutes in the country with
out arranging instantly a party of
some kind. Peter, you ought to mar
ry!”
"Marry? I? On what, pray?"
“On whatever you’ve got. It’s
enough for two, isn’t It?"
“I don’t know. I’m not at all sure
that it’s going to be enough for one
even.”
“Peter! ”
1 nodded.
"True. I read the news only this
morning Something's gone smash in
which I put the little capital 1 had.
But don’t look like that, Sybil. If 1
have to go out like a snuffed candle.
I'll go cheerfully. And as to a party—
why, I'll give one that the country-
for It but Canada, with the small
amount of capital a sale would bring
In. And for the rest hard work far
side shall talk about for many a dav,
Sybil!”
She laughed. I know’ she thought
my first words were only a Joke. She
bad no conception of what the words
"ruin” or “poverty’’ meant. She did
not know, nor was .she likely to know’
as long as her stolid, well-gilded Wil
liam kept his head. His was a head
not easily lost!
He was an excellent fellow—quite
excellent. But dull—utterly wanting
in humor and ponderous both in per
son and mind. But he adored Sybil,
and she adored him.
Of course, there was Leila; but
what was I that 1 should aspire to
Leila and her winsome charm; could
I ask her to share a gaunt house and
practically, ruin? Impossible! Be
sides. there was another fellow In the
field an odious, plausible. good-
looking Saxon, with hunterH and a
motor, and all the things I could
never give her. And Leila’s people
encouraged him. and were cold to me.
Very Bold.
Two days later Mr. Peter Hamhert
requested the pleasure of his friends'
company at a fancy dress dance.
The humor of the situation struck
me keenly, but nobody else. That a
ruined man should Klve a fancy
dress dance was a distinct anomaly;
hut I mis-ht as well come to the end
with a flourish of trumpets and fire
works.
When it was all over I saw nothing
HUSBAND NAILED
RUBBER ON GATES
Wife so Weak and Nervous
Could Not Stand Least
Noise—How Cured.
Munford. Ala.—“I was so weak ",i;J
nervous while passing through the
: Change of Life that
j I could hardly live.
: My husband had to
; nail rubber on all
i the gates, for I
a could not stand it
|j to have a gate
!! slam.
| “I also had baek-
\ ache and a full -
1 ness in my stoni*
ach. 1 noticed that
Lydia E Tink-
. ham s Vegetable
J Compound was ad
vertised for such oases and I sent and
got a bottle It did me so much k-hmI
that I kept on taking it and found it
to he all you claim I recommend your
Compound to all women afflicted as I
was ’—Mrs. F. P. Mullendore. Munford,
Ala. •
An Honest Dependable Medicine
is Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Com
iKmnd. A Root and Herb medicine orig
-*.«ted nearly forty years ago by Lydia
E Plnkham, of Lynn, Mass , for con
trolling female ills.
Its wonderful success in this line has
made it the safest and most dependa
ble medicine of the age for women and
no woman suffering from female ills
does herself justice who does not give
it a trial.
If you have the slightest doubt
that Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vege
table Compound will help you,
write to Lydia E. Pinkham Medi
cine Co. (confidential) Lynn,
Mass., for advice. Your letter
will be opened, read and answer
ed by s woman, and held in strict
confidence.
from all the haunts dear to me—far
from everything and everyone I
cared a button about. Far from—
Leila.
I was far from her In any case.
For she was rich and I was a pauper.
The fellow with the hunters and a
motor need have no scruples in try
ing to win her. Humor had it that
the thing was as good as done. But
I couldn't- I wouldn’t believe it.
However, 1 had to grin and bear It,
for they would both come to the
dance. I should have to play the part
of the one who looks on
Sybil was a marvel. The old
house was transformed; the supper
tallies were a miracle when on#* con
sidered the slender resources of the
house; and Sybil herself, dressed in
a silvery tissue gown, representing a
snow queen, was the loveliest thing
In creation, I thought, unttf 1 caught
sight of Leila pass in a cloud of
rosy tulle veiled in gray Dawn.
That Saxon fellow was there, in a
sort of glittering armor. Anti yet it
waa at me at Leila smiled with such
softness, such sweetness, as her hand
lingered in min©
“I’m so glad, Peter’” she breathed.
”C»lad' What about?” I -tared at
her.
“Why, this, of course'’’
"This'' whs the dance—the pretty
scene, with polished floor and ivy- j
decked walls, and persons who looked
as If they had stepped ont of a fairy
tale,
Not Dancing.
"Oh, yes; it looks nice, doesn’t it?
I h6pe you’ll have a Jolly evening,
Leila. I feel rather like a bear that’s
forgotten how to dance- -horribly
rusty.”
Leila looked at her program.
“Oh, I forgot: Peter, let’s dance the
first barn dance together. We al
ways do, don’t we?"
“We used to,” I said, writing my
name on her program. “May I have
two?”
“Yes "
"And supper?"
Leila looked up at me Her soft
hazel eyes were very bright; the color
rose to her face.
"Why, of course, Peter,” she said.
She moved away on an arm of glit
tering armor, but looked back as she 1
went, ana there was a wistful hap]
ness In her eyes that puzzled me.
Why had she said she was so glad?
Glad for what?
The dance didn’t seem a sufficient
reason.
It went with spirit; dances were
rare enough in those parts, and Sybil
made an admirable hostess. Even her
stolid William—-dressed as a fisher
man of the olden times came out of
his shell and frolicked with the rest
I banished with an effort my ovtu
depression of spirits, the visions cf
Canada and coming exile, the realiza
tion of the ruin hanging over my
head. For the place must go—the
gaunt barrack of a house, so dear to
me, that must find a purchaser m
some rich American who wanted
old place with rough shooting and
Ashing and all the rest of it. It would
sell readily enough, but I loathed the
idea. If only
Alone.
“Are you going to cut out our dance,
Peter? Or are you dreaming?”
Leila was beside me. I offered my
arm in silence. We danced once,
twice, around the room. Then I drew
her away into the corridor, where
Sybil had contrived some wonderfully
secluded nooks containing Just two
seats, no more. For the moment we
were alone.
And there we sat—silent. I, plunged
in moody thought—Leila, twisting her
fan in restless fingers.
Suddenly I felt I couldn’t bear It—
the truth must come out.
“When is It to be, Leila?” I asked, I
roughly.
“When Is what to be?”
“Your marriage.”
She grew quite white, but looked at
me with smiling eyes.
“He hasn’t asked me yet, Peter."
I stared at her.
“But when he does—I stammered. I
“I know I have no right to ask you—
but when he does ’’
“Who has a better right than you, [
Peter?”
“Leila! Are you going to marry
him? Tell me, for Heaven's sake! I
sha’n’t be here much longer; the place
must go. I’m off to Canada and ”
I h r cry cut across my stumbling
words.
Canada, Peter! What do
mean?"
“What I say. I’ve ~nt to face ruin.
I can battle with It better somewhere
else."
A Wrong Guess.
"But, Peler, I thought—I Imagined
everythin)? whs KolnK well. This par
ty of yours—I thought It meant that
lurk had turned for you at last, and
I was so glad so glad!"
"So that was It! My heart was
suddenly like a singing bird.”
“I’ve lost everything, Leila.”
There was a momentary silenoo.
Then—a soft hand stole into mine.
"Not everything, Peter.” said a very
soft voice, “because there still re
mains—me. Am 1 nothing?”
“You! You are everything; but
you're going to marry that fellow in
shining armor; everyone knows it,
and "
“Everyone knows nothing I am
not going to marry him.”
“But—your people?” I said, stupid
ly. her hand still in mine. And. mind
you. she made no effort to get it baca.
“I marry to please myself—not my
people. I marry the man I—love or
no one! And, Peter, I always wanted
to go to Canada.”
1 sat there siient—stricken to stor e
—dumb.
“Peter! It’s no longer leap-year.
you know; but all the same ”
She was in my arma in an instant.
I held her fast.
“Leila!” You don’t mean it—you
can’t! 1 oughtn’t to let you marry
a ruined man! Why, they’ll call me
a fortune hunter; they’ll
“They’ll say! Let them say!" she
said, with starry eyes. “What need
we care. Peter, for anyone? I hated
my money before; I knew it was keep
ing us apart. Now I’m glad, because
it may make the way easier for you—
for us both. Much makes more. And
we’ll come back, Peter, some day, and
begin again. You dear old stuuid. J
thought you never would understand.
I thought you were blind ”
“1 was only afraid."
“And yet I-had the courage to near
ly ask you to marry me! Oh. Pe
ter! But for your party who knows
what might have happened? It was
that that gave me courage. You see.
I believed the barrier was gone. II
has—no^t”
It had^ Love had overthrown it as
It overthrows all obstacles.
you
Beauty is
health.
Health does not
exist in the
haggard,
leathery
skinned woman.
Fat is not pret-
i/. Those who
find it threaten
ing them should
avoid potatoes,
food prepared
in oils and
sugar products.
Magnetism,
sweetness of
disposition and
willingness to
work are all
aids to beauty.
Think less
about what you
have a right to
expect from
life, and make
sure you are
giving life all
that it has a
right to expect
from you.
Try to make
others happy.
That gives you
a proper setting
to your beauty.
By LILIAN LAUFERTY.
TOy would never dream of »et-
j ting a diamond In paste,
would you?” said everyone's
favorite—Blanche Bing. And In the
dee^ underlying philosophy of the
magnetic comedienne’s remark lie3
the secret of the popularity and
charm that place the Jewel of her
beauty In a worthy setting.
"A theatrical star surrounded by a
group of poor players so that her per
sonality may be exploited and may
occupy the center of the stage and of
the attention Is not giving her public
what It wants. If she ha» real merit,
It will bo enhanced by the presence of
clever people about her—well. Miss
Beauty Editor, can’t you apply that
rule to beauty all through life?"
Indeed, you can—for beauty that
arrests the eye and has no further
power to charm may exist In the per
son of a slovenly, ignorant, unlovely
creature, who has only the picture
qualities of a perfect animal, while
true beauty *iust appeal to mind and
heart as well as to vision.
True Beauty.
"You w$>uId never dream of setting
a diamond in paste," I quoted to the
author of the remark. "Now, Miss
Ring, exactly what is your ideal of
beauty and your idea of the setting
therefor^”
"My idea of beauty it health." an
swered Miss Ring with prompt cer
tainty. “And health does not exist Ip
the haggard, leathery-skinned wom
an who has dieted herself into a state
of near-decline. The healthy women
Is at her normal weight, whether that
be pleasing plumpness or sylphlike
slimness and she has not the nerv
ous. heavy-eyed look of the woman
who lives on a cracker and an apple
a day so she can persuade a figure
that might be a healthy looking thir
ty-eight to be a shadowy poster that
Miss Blanche Ring.
measures about thirty inches about
its greatest girth.
“Of course, fat is not pretty—and
if a woman finds it threatening her
she would do well to avoid potatoes,
bread, rich gravies and food prepared
In oils and sugar Products. But after
a woman reaches 3ft the red blood
corpuscles go on a long holiday anfi
she had better not hasten their demise
by furiously banting herself to n
consumptive shadow—or ar strain
through overexercise. No, let her live
out of doors all she can—swimming,
tennis and gardening are the most de
lightful summer exercisqs, and a sim
ple. sane diet with this little secret
to help It along will do wonders to
bring on attractive slenderness with
out painful swraniness.
A Lasting Debt.
“Here Is the secret: One day « f
every week live on this menu for each
of the three meals; For breakfast, for
luncheon and for dinner eat a baked
potato seasoned with a bit of butte.*,
some skimmed milk and ’pepper and
salt to taste ' Then you will have the
proper compound of substance and
shadow!”
“And now for the setting of this
properly slender figure,” I queried.
“Well,” said the beautiful friend of
everyone who has ever seen her.
"the world does not owe me a living,
but I owe the world a great deal in
return for all it has done for me. So
1 try to give all 1 can in affection, in
interest and in earnest effort to the
world. I think it would be a good
plan for girls to think less about
what they have a right to expect
from life, and to make sure that they
are giving life all it has a right to ex
pect from them; a happy, amiable
expression and a sunshiny, nature to
account for it are bound to result
from that attitude.
“But 1 started to tell you what I
think forms the most beautiful set
ting for beauty—which is health,
magnetism, sweetness of disposition
and a joyous willingness to work.
The last two one o$jp cultivate, but
magnetism, charm, the power that
breaks down walls of indifference and
of possible misunderstanding between
human and human—that is the gift
women long most to possess-*-and is
the hardest thing in all the world to
analyze.
The Final Jewel.
“The nearest I can come to ex
plaining my idea of magnetism is to
suggest that women give all they can
to life in love, in effort and in the
desire to make others happy. Per
haps in this way they can add the
final jewel to the setting about their
beauty—at least, so it seems to me.
“Seems, madam. Nay, ’tie—not
’seems’.” For the woman whose
power reaches over footlights and
luncheon tables alike is the spirit of
beauty and magnetic charm incar
nate—-so her modest little suggestions
for magnetism may surely point, the
way to all beauty seekers."
Up-to-Date Jokes
The last train had crawled through
tho station laboriously.
In the waiting room the guard told
the tale to a belated passenger.
'It was last year." he said, “a man
wanted to commit suicide. He got on
to the lines, put his head on the rails,
and waited for the train.”
’’Well?” queried the passenger
breathlessly.
“Oh!" said the guard, "he died all
right—of starvation.” ,
“Oh. thank you!” exclaimed an eid-
erly lady to a laborer who surren
dered his seat In a crowded car.
“That’s crl right, mum/' was the:
rejoinder.
Ah the lady sat down the chivalrous |
laborer added;
"Wot I ses is. a man never ort to let
a woman stand. Some men never
gets up unless she's pretty, but you
see, mum. it don’t make no difference
to me.”
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN.
(Copyright, 1913, by i Anna Katharine
Greer;.)
TO-DAY’S INSTALLMENT.
"I sent you one as soon as my daugh
ter came back. Her explanations were
entirely satisfactory, and there is no
reason why any of us should think of
the matter again. Yet you have talked
in the very quarter where 1 desired you
to be silent, and the consequence is that
my daughter's happiness is threatened
and her character impeached. It is an
irreparable injury which I shall never
forgive." And, leaving Mr. Gryce to di
gest these pleasing words, she turned
again to Dr. Cameron.
“Sir,’’ said she, “I do not know what
excuse you can have for asserting that
you have seen my daughter within an
hour. I only know that the fact is im
possible, for Genevieve has not been out
of the house since her return at the
time I mentioned, as* a dozen witnesses
at least can prove to you. As to the
duplicity of which you complain, it
amounts simply to this, that she felt her
health giving way under the constant
strain of our numerous preparations,
and in a sudden freak, which she now
deplores as sincerely as myse’f. started
off for Montclair without telling any
one of her intention, thinking that the
complete rest thus obtained 'would ben
efit her. as it has; for never has she
looked more blooming or more fitted to
be your w’ife than at this very momyit
when you hesitate to accept her."
For answer, the doctor walked up to
the detective.
"Could we have been mistaken?” he
asked. “Was it Indeed ano'her woman?”
"I will tell you in two minutes,” was
the hri#y answer; And, quitting them
with small ceremony, Mr. Gryce passed
out of the room.
The doctor made no effort to apolo
gize or answer Mrs. Gretorex till he
came back. His whole future destiny
was trembling in the balance and it was
as much as he could do to retain his
composure. Happily the time of wait
ing was short. Mr. Gryce rejoined them
almost immediately, and bowing low to
the lady of the house, said in Dr. Cam
eron’s ear, “Another case of mistaken
identity. Mrs. Gretorex is correct in all
her assertions. You have made a fool
of me and I show my chagrin by simply
departing.”
The doctor attempted no reply. He
was beside himself with joy. What?
The whole dreadful business of the last
four hours a farce? His marriage as
sured. his bride untainted, no Moles-
worth in her past, no possible Jealousy
n their future. He almost dropped on
is knees to Mrs. Gretorex in his con
trition; attempted explanations and then
paused, thinking them too inadequate;
laughed, asked questions about his
bride's beauty, and betrayed impatience
to see her; in short, acted like any
man suddenly transported from unhap
piness to rapture.
The mother, understanding him bet
ter than he thought perhaps, only
smiled, and pointing to his black neck
tie, asked if he had a white one in his
pocket.
Changed to Joy.
His face grew suddenly long and he
flushed with intense mortification.
“I have not come quite prepared for
grand a ceremony,” he stammered.
If the guests will wait a little longer
while I send for my coat and tie—”
“They must,” declared Mrs. Gretorex,
calling a servant at once and giving him
one or two orders. "It will not take
more than another half hour, and the
band can keep them patient till then."
"Tell them I was detained by an acci
dent on the elevated road. As I was,"
he merrily added. “Keep them in good
nature and give me a glimpse of my
bride.”
“You impatient lover!” was all the re
lieved mother could say; but her look
was a promise, and In a few minutes
a trim and quiet girl came tripping to
the door, and, smiling coquettishly,
showed him a room at the other end
of the hall, saying;
"Miss Gretorex is all dressed, sir, and
will speak to you for a minute if you
desire It.”
He did not linger an instant. Some
thing—was it love, or only that old
pride of his restored to its full life,
burned In his breast, and made his short
walk down the hall a remembrance of
delight to him? Her door, Just ajar, was
like a beacon of hope, and when he saw
It open wider and caught the one short
glimpsb she allowed him of her tall
and elegant figure in its shimmering
robes and misty veil, he felt his pulse
beat as never before, and scarcely
needed the charming smile she gave him
to complete a happiness which at that
moment was supreme.
“I have kept you waiting,” she mur
mured; and he found no answer for look
ing at her eyes, that, seen thus through
her veil, possessed a oeauty and a glow
which made her absolutely beautiful. "I
am all ready now,” she cried, “and
mamma says that you are not. Naughty
man, to go careering downtown to look
after some patient or other when you
should have been thinking only of me.”
He laughed, feeling himself to be an
other being, and she another being from
the man and woman of a week ago.
Then he looked at her again, and ut
tered some tender compliment which
made her blush deliciously', and then in
answer to a wave of her hand, that
seemed to say: “Enough!" was about
to withdraw, when he saw her eyes
suddenly dilate and a look of such
shock and fear cross her face that he
Involuntarily turned and glanced down
the hall behind him for the cause. There
was nothing there, absolutely* nothing;
only the figure of a hair dresser or
some such woman who, in cloak and
veil, stood with her little bag on her
arm. awaiting to enter, and. astonished
at the ease with which his mind lent
itself to the most startling conjectures,
e turned back to reassure himself by
What Has Gone Before.
It is the wedding day of Dr. Wal
ter Cameron He la to be married
ai 8 o'clock that evening to Gene
vieve Gretorex. a beautiful society
girl At 4 o'clock Dr. Cameron Is '
called upon In his office by Kben-
ezer Gryce, a member of the Scot
land Yard detective force. He as
tounds Dr. Cameron bv telling him
that Miss Gretorex has been missing
for several days. Gryce says that
the girl's mother requested his serv
ices In the hunt for her daughter,
and showed him a note In which Miss
Gretorex declared she would be back
In time for die ceremony. Gryce as
tounds Dr. Cameron by declaring he
tracked Miss Gretorex to an obscure
I.ondon hotel, where he found her
registered under the name of Mildred
Farley. They drive to the hotel and
peer through curtains into Room No.
153. where they see Miss Gretorex
kneeling before a fire weeping and
burning up some letters. They go
downstairs greatly mystified. Gryce
makes some inquiries and learns that
three hours before the girl was vis
ited by a man, who, when he left the
hotel, notified the management that
he would return at 9 o'clock with a
clergyman who was going to marry
them. Dr. Cameron excitedly de
mands that Gryce tell him the name
of this man The detective hands him
a card Inscribed with this name—
“Dr. Julius Molesworth."
Now go on with the story.
another look at his bride, when the door
hich had been Swung open between
hem softly closed and he found himself
hut out from her presence with a
new memory and a new fear to make
liscord of the notes of the wedding
:arch he was soon to near.
A Startling Interruption.
T HE Gretorex mansion was eminent
ly adapted for a large gathering.
Built since the introduction of
the modern styles, it had intricacies and
surprises innumerable; but it had also
many and various rooms of spacious
proportions opening into hallways so
wide and upon staircases So ample that
had the number of guests reached the
full thousand that had been invited
there would have been sufficient ac
commodation for all. So numerous in
deed were the rooms on the first f!6or
and so admirably were they disposed, it
had not been found necessary to ask the
guests to ascend the stairs at all. Thus
it was that Dr. Cameron had met his
friends on the landings, but none on the
floor above, and thus ft was that upon
his return to the room which had been
allotted to him he could pace its length
for twenty minutes without an inter
ruption. And a friend’s face, a jovial
word would have been so welcome! For
he did not want to think, and was im
patient at the solitude which forced him
to do so.
When the die had been cast, when our
future is decided upon, we wish to reach
the culmination without delay, and Dr.
Cameron, weary with many and varied
emotions, only longed for the moment
when amid music and bustle, the flash
of lights and the murmur of voices, he
should lead his young bride into the
presence that would irrevocably seal
their fate. For in these long and heavy
minutes of waiting he had something
besides his thoughts to contend with,
he had impressions, a consciousness al
most amounting to an intuition, that
something strange, something dark,
something entirely out of harmony with
this scene of light and Joy was taking
place near him—In his sight if he could
but see, in his hearing if he could but
hear; at all events near him, awesomely
near, as near as that closed door to
ward which he cast hurried and shrink
ing glances every time a turn in his
walk brought him within view of it.
Of Common Sense.
That he had no reason, or at the most
the slightest reason for this sensation
did not make It any less vivid or power
ful. Right or wrong it had got a strong
hold upon him and swayed him so com
pletely that if the door I have spoken or
had opened at one of the moments his
eye was upon it and revealed a grisly
skeleton standing on its threshold he
would not have felt the shock as much
as he did the ringing burst of melody
that now and then soared up from the
violins below. Yet in his heart he knew
that he was but the fool of his imagi
nation and that nothing more serious
than the rearranging of a lock of hair or
the buttoning on of a refractory pair of
gloves by the commonplace hand of the
woman he had seen enter there* would
One of the Greatest Mystery Stories
Ever Written
be going on in this room his fancy peo
pled with .tapes of fear and despair.
For he was a man of common sense
and knew the fashionable world well and
was moreover quite aware as a physi
cian how far a man’s imagination can
carry him when his nerves have been
unstrung by a series of such potent sen
sations as had visited him in the last
four hours. Let that door once open
and the bride step forth and all would
be hope and cheer again He knew it
even while he was shuddering over the
conviction that K had opened, and that
a hand had been thrust out in a gesture
of silent appeal and as quickly again
withdrawn.
The coming of the servant with the
articles necessary to complete his toilet
was like cold water dashed upon a man
heated with fever. It righted him Im
mediately. As he tied his necktie and
fastened his gloves he felt himself to
be more a dreamer of nightmares, but
Dr. Cameron, known throughout all the
city for his practical common sense and
sound Judgment. He even laughed in
his old, easy fashion as he peered down
the hall and saw the servant who had
waited upon him walk up and knock
with the utmost assurance on the door
he had been so long and fearfully watch
ing. Nor did he feel himself to have
been any the less a fool when in a mo
ment later he beheld It open and caught
a glimpse of his bride’s white veil and
sweeping train as she gave her answer
to the man and then waited with the
door half shut for the summons to de
scend. As he had promised himself it
would be, an was cheer and hope again;
nor in the bustle of preparation that
presently followed did he become con
scious of a thought out of harmony with
the scene till, suddenly, as he was half
way down the stairs, he felt his bride
lean a little heavily on his arm, and,
turning to look at her, perceived not a
woman, not an automaton even, but a
specter, whose glassy eyes, fixed upon
vacancy, ffoae the blood to his veins.
What Did It Mean?
What did ft mean? Whs she mad or
was she He did not stop to finish his
thought; he alutched her by the arm
and*gendy but firmly spoke her name.
A shiver seemed to go through her,
then she turned her head and slowly,
painfully, under his gas© her lips took
on the semblance of a smile so forced,
so meaningless, that he stopped her
where she was and, pointing lo the
surging sea of faces below, exclaimed:
“Thoy are waiting for us; the min
ister has his book open, and your pa
rents are already standing on each side
of him; but If you do not wish to marry
me. if there is any impediment in the
way, or if you feel I can not be to you
the husband you desire, say so. and we
will turn back. No moment Is too late
before the minister has uttered the final
words.”
But her eyes, which bed or©nod fear
fully as he began to speak, dosed soft
ly as he finished, and murmuring oql.lly,
“Let us proceed,” she stepped down an
other stair.
He followed her and spoke again.
“I can not go on, Genevieve,” he per
sisted, “till you assure me of one thing.
Ts your heart mine? Stands there no
other man between us whose memory
makes this moment frightful to you? If
there i»
“.There is not," oatne from her lips,
now showing less pallid under this ques
tioning. "I am 111, fearfully Ill; that Is
all.”
He looked at her. He had known sick
ness which nad changed a person’s
whole aspect in less time than had
passed since he saw her blooming and
brilliant a half hour before. And suoh
might have attacked her, ho couhi not
tell.
“Are you too 111 to go on?” he asked.
“No."
“You can bear the effort and excite
ment?”
To Be Continued Monday,
BALTIMORE, MD.
$20.85 Round Trip $20.85
Tickets on sale August 1,
2 and 3. Return limit Au
gust 15. Through electric
lighted steel sleeping cars.
Dining cars on most con
venient schedules.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY.
CHICHESTER S PILLS
. TnE DIAMOND BRAND. a
flflaTl&orou#;©l<mbeim
TJLANTIC CITY, N. J.
The Leading Resort House of the World
Particularly Attractive During
July, August, September and October
Atlantic’s Great Summer Season
Capacity 1100. Two Blocks of unobatm- ted oceau
front facing South and overlooking the famous Board
walk; 400 private bathe. each with aea and fresh water.
White service tn both American and a la Carte Dining
Booms. Exqnlslte mnslc. Golf. Rolling Chairs. The
atres. Piers. Hiding. Motoring, etc.
The finest bathing bench on the Atlantic Coast
Owner-hlc Management
JOBLAH WHITE A SONS COMPANY.
tor so
yesrs known u Best. Safest. Alwey, Rouble
SOUD BY DRUGGISTS EVERYMFR'
Historic College
For Women
Wesleyan
MACON, GEORGIA
Delightful climate. Thorough and extensive
course of study. Music, Art and Oratory of
the highest order. Illustrious body of alum
nae. choice student body, ideal home life, stu
dent government, excellent faculty, splendid
boarding department and good athletics. The
oldest and one of the choicest great colleges
for women in the world. Address, Dept. M.
C. R. JENKINS,
Macon Georgia