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he i ,, Bank=N0tes ? " $3 :9 i» $$$3$$$$3$ $333333$3$3$ The clock was striking tcu; 150* tram Merivale counted the strokes until the last one (lied away, but still he stood irresolute. lie had enâ€" tered the library with a fixed purâ€" pose in his mind. lie had walked aeross the room with a firm step. unlocked one of the drawers in the heavy oak bureau, and drawn out .a small leather case, but there his courage had failed him. Suddenly he gave a guilty start, and for the first time he noticed that he was not alone ; a young girl rose from the depths of the easy-chair in which she had been sitting, stretched out her arms, and with a sleepy yawn said :â€" "Is- that you, Bertie ‘2 1 think shall go to bed.” But something in the attitude of the boy struck her as peculiar ; she looked at. the white, haggard face, the nervous hands, and springing forward seized his arm eagerly. "Bertie, what does this mean 7" she cried. "Are you drunk or mad ? What are you going to do with that revolver ? Good heavens I Surely you are not such a coward as to shoot yourself 7” "It’s no use talking, Helen ; I’m the most miserable fellow on earth and no good to anybody, so I‘m better out of it.” “Sit down,” she said, sternly, as she pushed the trembling figure into the nearest chair. ‘-"Now, tell me everything ; mind, you must keep nothing back.” I "I’m in a worse mess than ever this time, Helen. Father said he Wouldn’t pay my debts again, and threatened to turn me out the next time I displeased him. Well, to cut a. long story short, I owed some moneyâ€"not a great sumâ€"only £50, but where can I get even £50 'I I found father’s cheque book, and I think I must. have been mad when I did itâ€"I know I have been mad ever since. 1 forng his name and sent off the cheque by post, but 1 can't face the disgrace if I am found out,” and the boy burst into a flood of tears. "Whom did you owe this money to ?” said his sister, in a calm voice. "Gilbert Watson ; you know what he isâ€"as hard as stone.” "You lost it at cards, I suppose?” “Yes.” "When did you post it ‘2" “This morning." "Then he can’t cash it before toâ€" morrow. Bertie, I shall go and ask him to give it back to me, and we must find the money in some other way.” "You can’t go to-night. What would people say if you were seen going alone to a man’s rooms at this hour ?” "I must. chance that. I daren’t trust to a letter, and he is more likely to give it to me than to you. But one thing more, Bertie '. can I trust you not to be so foolish again '2" she said, with a meaning glance at the leather case on the table. “I must have your promise before I leave you alone with that.” “Helen, I give you my word of honor that. I will not touch it.” i * i it * * "Is Mr. Watson at home ?” “Not yet ; but I am expecting him every minute, if you care to wait." important that I should see him us “Thank you, I think I will ; it is soon as possible.” Helen felt that the onscquious man- 'servant eyed her from head to foot as he showed her into a luxuriously- furnished sitting room, but she knew it, was useless to resent his curiosity. Left to herself, she paced the room in a fever of excitement, glancing every moment at the clock on the mantelpiece, until at last she paused before the writing-table and ran her eye carelessly over its contents. Her attention was caught by a pile of unopened letters ; in breathless haste she searched them through. "Ah, here it is," as she recognized her brother’s handwriting and the monogram on the back of the en- velope ; and in her excitement she Spoke her thoughts aloud. “He has never opened it. Bertie will be saved.” Putting the letter in her pocket, she rang the bell for the servant. "It is too late to wait any longâ€" or," she explained. "I will comâ€" municate with Mr. Watson by letter if necessary." '9 i l- i I The next. evening Helen was quiet- ly reading in her sittingâ€"room, when Bertie opened the door in a state of great excitement ; in his hand he held a copy of the evening paper. "Read this," he said, in a choked voice, and, thrusting the paper into her hand, he left the room. Her eyes travelled down the sheet and rested almost immediately on a paragraph headedâ€""Daring Robbery. A Woman Suspected." With quick- cned pulse she read it through. "Close upon midnight last evening a daring robbery was committed at the rooms of Mr. Gilbert Watson, in 13â€" street. This gentleman was called away on .. matter of business, and in his haste he unfortunately omitted to lock one of the drawers of his writing table. in which he had placed bankâ€"notes to the value of £4.00. On his return the notes had disappeared, and on questioning his servant, who is an old and trusted attendant, he learnt that during his absence the room had been visited :1 by a lady. On hearing that he was out she declared her intention of waiting, and after being in the room alone for a few minutes she changed her mind and left, giving no name. As she was thickly veiled the serâ€" vant was unable to distinguish hcr features, but she wore a long purple cloak trimmed with ermine, the hood of which was drawn over her head. The case has been placed in coinâ€" petcut hands. and it is expected that the whereabouts of this midnight visitor will shortly be disâ€"closed." Mr. Sefton is in the drawingâ€"room, miss, and asks to see you," an- nounced the maid, '15 Helen finished reading. It was with cheerful face and outâ€" stretched hands that. She darted across the drawing-room to meet Frank Seiton. “I am so glad you have come." she Cried ; “I have been longing to see you all day. But, Frank, what is the matter ? Have I done anyâ€" thing to offend you ‘P” "You have not offended me, but there is something you must explain. I saw you last night leaving Wat,â€" son's rooms very late. I was pass- ing along the opposite side of the street. 1 could not see your face, but there was no mistaking your walk or the cloak'you wore. I folâ€" lowed you home to make sure you were Safe, but I was not the only person interested in your move- ments, for as soon as he had seen you out of the house Watson’s ser- vant dogged your footsteps to this very door. I don’t know what you were doing in that man’s house at such an hour, but, knowing you as I do, I have never doubted for a mo- ment that your reason was a good one. I don’t want to force your confidence. but I think you ought to trust me.” "Have you seen to-night’s paper?” “Not yet.” “In there you will find that the person who visited Watson's rooms is suspected o‘i stealing £400 in bank notes.” "Good heavens ! Helen, there is some villainy afloat. Won’t you tell me what you were doing there ?" "I can’t ; but need I assure you that I never saw those bank notes?" “I don’t suspect you for one mo- ment. but the thing is serious.” “Frank, I am going to ask you to do a. great thing for incâ€"will you lend me £50 and not ask what I want it for '2” "You shall have it in less than an hour. I am willing to trust you, if I can help you in no other way." “You are very good, better than I deserve. Forgive me. butâ€"" "Mr. Watson to see you. miss. I have shown him into the library." "Quite right, Jane ; I will go to him there. Frank, I must see him alone ; will you wait here till I come back '2” Helen showed no sign of nervous- ness as she entered the library. For a few minutes she conversed calmly on conventional topics ; but her companion was evidently ill at ease. and at the first opportunity he broke in hurriedly : "Miss Merivale, a most unfortunate thing has happened. In my absence yesterday a sum of £400 disappear-- ed from my rooms. A lady who ‘visited them during the evening was naturally suspeded, and I am sorry to say that the lady in question has been traced to this house.” “I am the lady you refer to.” "Then no doubt you will give a satisfactory explanation of your presence there '2” “I am afraid I cannot do so." “But surely you understand what- your refusal will imply ?” "Do you mean to insinua have stolen your money ‘2” Watson shrugged his shoulders. "The money has gone ; somebody must have taken it.” "Is your servant honest ?" "Certainly. I would trust him with all I possess, and he swears that nobody entered the room but yourself.” “It is strange, your money.” “Yet you Won‘t say why you visitâ€" ed my room‘s." “Again I repeat that I cannot.” “Miss Mcrivale, do you know that your brother owes me money ‘2” "I do ; and it shall be paid within a few hours." “I have a proposal to make if you will listen to me. I will forgive your brother’s debt, and hush up your connection with this thcft, on one condition. Will you marry me?" te that I but I never saw "Marry you !” cried Helen, in horror ; “1 would rather die." An ugly look passed over Wat- son’s face. “You are too proud, I suppose, yet I am a wealthy man and you would find me an indulgent husband. Why do you refuse me ‘3" "There is one great obstacle to your proposal," she said, quietly. “I have already promised to marry Frank Sefton." _ Watson looked somewhat disturb- 'ed. "The engagement one, then.” "That does not make it any less sacred in my eyes," said llelen. Suddenly Watson threw off all rcâ€" straint, and in a fit of passion burst out "I made up my llllll'l to have you the first time I saw yol. and sooner or later you will ban) to gi\e in. You shall have time to Consider, but if you persist in your refusal I will bring down your haughty spirit, and proclaim to the world that your brother is a forger and that you are is not a public a. thief. I’rove yourself innocent you can." llelcn's voice trembled \vith sup~ pressed anger. “Sir. I am glad to see you in your if? One minute you do me the honor of wishing to marry me and the next you call me a thief. As for your threats, I despise them as much as I despise you. Now, go, and do your worst your presence is an insult to me." As she finished 'spcaking Helen’s courage gave way ‘alld she burst into a passion oil tears. '7' true colors. * * #9 Q * Scfton had not been alone many minutes when he was joined by lei-tie. Tho boy wandered restlesst from one side of the room to the other, hurriedly poked the fire, and at last, with a nervous cough, be- gan “i say, Selfou, can you help a fol- low out of a difficulty ? I wouldn't ask you if I could get the money any [other way : the fact is, can you lend 'mc £50 ‘2” "If I loud it to you will you me what you want it for "P" “Well,it's to pay a debt." “A debt to Gilbert Watson ?” “How did you guess that '2" “Never'mind how I guessed ; l)llLl seriously, Bertie, 1 half suspect that lleleu’s visit to Watson was connectâ€" ed with you, and it would be better for all of us if you Would make a clean breast of it." Bertie looked disturbed, and for a minute or two he hesitated. Suddenâ€" ly his better nature asserted itself and he broke out eagerly : "I know I was a fool to play with Watson again ; I might have known I should lose. I was in despair, I had no way of raising the £50 : you know how mean father is about our pocketâ€"money. Well, like an idiot 1 forged a cheque for £50, and as soon as I had sent it to Watson I wished myself dead ', in fact, I .should have shot myself if Helen hadn't stopped me. She undertook to see Watson and get the cheque back, but he was out ; my letter was unopened on the table, so she brought it away, and we thought the whole thing ended there. But this confounded loss of his £400 has landed us in a fine mess.” "You shall ha\e the £50, but, Bertie, how long is this to go on ? Helen can’t stand between you and tell the consequences of your follies for ever ; she has been doing it too long already. Why don't you act like a man instead of a weak, silly boy '2” ‘;Sefton, I promise you this shall be the last time. If I once got out of this fix I will never speak to Watâ€" son again. 1 mean to work hard to pay back the £50 ; you may trust me this time." "I do trust you, Bertie,” said Sei- ton, as he shook his hand heartily. “And now I must be off. I promised to wait for Helen, but she will forâ€" give me when she knows that I have gone to see Watson. I fancy I have a card to play that will astonish him. if * * It was quite two hours later when Helen greeted Sefton for the second time that evening. "Are you tired of waiting, dear ?” he said, as she rose to meet him with a. bright smile. “I don’t mind at all now that you have come, but I am terribly anxious to know the result of your interâ€" view.” “You will be pleased to hear that Watson is not likely to trouble you any further. Bertie shall send him the £50, and then I fancy we shall .not see his face again.” “Do you know that he asked me to marry him ‘2” "Confound his impudence, yes, he Atold me that ; he was very candid, ‘ int he had to be, for he knew he was in my power.” “How did you manage that ‘2” “Well, quite by accident I found out that Watson had been mixed up in a. disgraceful affair out in Cali- fornia, which would ruin his reputaâ€" tion in this counny if it became known. It is best to fight a man of that stamp with his own weapons, * if- * so I told him what I knew and threatened to disclose it unless he told me the “hole truth. I had no real midencs, but the fact that his servant had followed you home struck me as suspicious, and 1 halfâ€" guessed that the bank notes had never been stolen at all. That serâ€" vant was too cunning to leave you alone in his master's room without putting you under close scrutiny. From behind the curtain which separated that room from the ad- joining one he Watched your move- ments and heard you exclaim, “Now lertie will be saved.’ “lle followed you in order to tell his master where you lived. Watson is fairly sharp at putting two and two together ; he knew at once who his visitor was. Bertie owed him money, you took a letter which evi- dently contained something damagâ€" ing to Bertic's character ; what was more likely than that Bertie had resorted to some dishonest method of paying his debt I) You see, he knows Bertic's weaknesses fairly well. “Now, Watson wanted to marry' you partly because he was fascinated by your beauty, partly because he knew that with a wife like you he ‘could take a place in society which 'his wealth alone would never give him. Your indifference maddened him, so he determined to humble you ; the theft 01' the bank notes Was all a pretence ; he sent thei ,paragruph to the paper himself thinking that he would have you in his power and so persuath you to imarry him. He ought to be punishâ€" ed as he deserves. but I can do noâ€" thing without betraying Bertie's forgery, and he has promised to make known through the papers that his money was only mislaid and not |stolen." "I can never thank you enough for saving us from such a man,” said Helen. as he finished speaking. “I have nothing to give you but myâ€" self.” And surely“ he desired no better re- ward than that.â€"London Titâ€"Bits. _____._+â€" BRINGING IT IlOMl‘l. Mr. Williams is quite an elderly wealthy gentleman, having for his so- cond wife a lady many years his junâ€" ior. much pelted, and very ignorant of the value of money. Any expressed wish of hers he at once gratified if money could lu‘ the medium. One evening she remarked in her charming way: "l saw 10â€"day in Regent Street a lovely camel'sâ€"hair shawl that. I want ever so much. Would you let me have the money to-morrow. It's only £25. "Yes, dear,’ he replied, "I will bring the money.” And next (lay. with the assistance of his porter he did bring home and place on the ta- ble 500 shilling pieces. At the sight of this pile of metal the wife exclaimed: "What are you going to do with all that money?” “\Ihy, love, it's the money you wanted for the new shawl.” “Good gracious! does it take all that to make £225? Why, I had no idea it meant so much. I will do without the shawl and put it all in the bank if you will let me.” And she did so, and has since ad- ded several sums to the deposit. Mr. Williams affirms op his honor that since the event she has not asked for a quarter so much money as before the incident. v RESPECTED HIS LAST WISHES. Two cowboys once met on a Texas plain and rode along together. They were strangers to each other and their notions as to the merits of right and wrong were about as loose as possible. Suddenly one of the “boys” made a suspicious movement towards his hipâ€"pocket. Instantly the other drew his revolver and shot him dead. The “live” boy then dismounted, gazed steadily at his victim and said to himself: “Now, I wonder going to shoot me? The evidence was against him, but anyway I’ll see for myself.” Turning the body over he discovâ€" ered that the only murderous weapâ€" on the dead man bore was a whisky flask; and then, in sorrowful tones, he said: "Such a blessed idiot I am! I’ve killed an innocent man and a perfect gentleman. He wasn't going to shoot me; he merely intended to inâ€" vite me to have a drink.” As he drew his sleeve month, he continued: “The last wishes of deceased shall be duly respected.” Then he emptied the flask and went on his way. if he was really across his WHERE PING-PONG BALLS ARE MADE. There is a. factory at Brantham, near Mistley, Essex, England, where work. goes on night and day at a headlong pace, under conditions of secrecy that might well excite curâ€" iosity to the highest pitch. The fac- tory is the Xylonite Works, where the balls used in pingâ€"pong" and tenâ€" nis are made. The works at Bran- tham practically make all the halls used in the game of the hour, at any rate so far as England is concerned, and some idea may be formed of the extent of the trade that has suddenâ€" 1y been created by the fact that six tons of balls are turned out every week. It is computed that it takes nearly 300 pingâ€"pong balls to weigh a pound, so that the number requir- ed to form the weekly output is no less than 4,032,000. Another way of expressing the quantity required to meet the demand is that if the balls made in one week were strung toch ther they would stretch almost from London to Brighton and back. The manufacture has come as a boon to Brantham where an army of Workers is employed at good rates of pay. STORY OF PRINCE EDDIE. Little Prince Edward of Wales is already showing a delightful stnrdia ness of character. He has a pro- found dislike for arithmetic, and shares the opinion of the bard who laid down the axiom, “Multiplica- tion is vexation.” Many times has the future King of England been "put in the corner" owing to this: and recently, when he saw the hated preparation of slates and arithmetic book being made to start the day's lessons, he arose from the table with a sigh for the impending inevitable catastrophe. and said quietly to his tutor: “I don't think I’ll do 'rithâ€" metic toâ€"day; I think I'll go to the corner again instead, if you don't mind." And marched away like a soldier under arrest, leaving a very bewildered tutor in the rear. POPULAR LUNCllEON CARTS. A new and practical arrangement for providing masons building laborers, coachmcn, crrandl boys, policemen, and so on. with cheap food and non-alcoholic drinks has been called into being by the Zerlin section of the German Society for Popular Hygiene. At stated hours special carts pass through the streets and dispense sandwichesl bread and butter, the sausages so| dear to the German palate, tea. cof- fee, and soup, all, of course, at th lowest possible prices. and other i .. PEUPE GE The Characteristics and Peculiari- ties of Well-Known Per- sonages. The King of Greece only uses Greek when absoluter necessary. He gen-â€" .crally talks in English. The King has expressed a Wish that the tradesmen and assistants who serve “indsor Castle shall get vaccinated. ' It is understood that the King Will lay the corner stone of the Queen Victoria memorial shortly after the coronation. The king is said to have carefully studied the figures attesting the value of vaccination, and to be conâ€" vinccd of its efficacy. The I‘Imperor William has given his assent to the erection of a monuâ€" ment to the late Baron von Ketteler, the German Envoy, who was mur- dered at I‘ckin. As the Kaiser wishes that more should be done to discover a remedy for cancer, the erection in Berlin of' a hospital for the special study of the disease is to he proceeded with at once. The lCtoile llelge of Brussels anâ€" nounces that Prince Albert will re present the royal family of Belgium at the coronation of King Edward. llis Royal Highness will be accom- panied by several officers. The Duchess of Argyll, accompan- ied by the Duke of Argyll and Car- dinal Vaughan, visited the Alexandra Palace recently, for the purpose of inaugurating a class for physical cul- ture, which has been commenced by the trustees. During his visit to Earl and‘ Coun- tess Howe at Penn House. the Kin had excellent sport, nearly 8.503 head of game having been bagged. Saturday was the best day, nearly. 1,400 being killed, but on Monday, owing to the high wind, the number was considerably less. A memorial to Prince Christian Victor is to be raised in Warwick- shire, and it is suggested that a suitable form for it would be the endowment of a regimental cottage home in the country for wounded and disabled soldiers belonging to the Warwickshire Regiment. Mr.Paranjpye, the Marhattar young man who was bracketed senior wrangler at Cambridge in 1899 and was the first Iiindoo elected a. fel- low of Cambridge University. after studying three years in Germany, has taken ap rofcssorship in a little col- logo at Poona, on a small salary, in order to impart what he knows to his own people. The coronation of the King of Spain, the World says, is to take place at Madrid on Saturday, May 17th, when he will celebrate his six- teenth birthday, at which age he at- tains‘his legal majority. King Ed. ward is to be represented by the Prince of Wales, and many other roy- alties will be present. The corona- tion festivities are to extend over a. week. The King has just given the Prince and Princess of Wales a very charm- ing gift, which was all the more ac- ceptable as it came as a complete surprise, the secret having been well kept. The present was a set of min- iatures of the four children of the Prince of Wales, the work of clever Mrs. Gertrude Massey, who has painted so many miniatures for roy‘ alty. There is a very happy litt,c girl at Amersham. When the King arrived at the station a crowd of inhabi- tants assembled. Among them was a little girl, who had forced her way into the station entrance, and, stumâ€" bling over a mat she fell almost at the King’s feet. His Majesty. notiâ€" cing the little mishap, immediately took a Sixpence from his pocket, and presented it to the child, who has deb cided not to spend it. +â€" FLYINGâ€"MACHINES. Sir Hiram Maxim, whose large fly- ing-machine was wrecked during pre- liminary experiments in England a. a few years ago, recently informed the Aeronautical Society in London that he believed that a flying-machine was not only possible, but practicaâ€" ble. Ho based the statement main- ly on the improvement in motors and in structural materials since his ex- periments were made. He thought the petroleum motor would now yield the best results, and at present en- gineers have at their disposal alum- inum alloys that are as strong as wrought iron and nearly as light as pure aluminum. He believes that a machine on a large scale can be made to develop a lifting power greater than its own weight. AWFU, SMITTAL. ’l‘wo deuce auld wives met on the street in Stirling the other day. Firstâ€"“There's an awful lot 0’ trouâ€" ble gaen about 01100." Secondâ€""Ay. That shutâ€"pox is geyan' had yet, I see, an‘ then there's that new fever.” A new one, d'ye say?" “Ay, I see’d it in the papers, pingâ€"pong ftL vcr I think they can't, an’ they say it's awfu' smittal.” NEWS AND BUSINESS. . Mrs. Jones (new member) â€" “Is your sewing society lively?” Mrs. Brown (the secretary) â€" "I think so. sometimes the ladies gossip 0 so that I don‘t get to read the minâ€" utes for three meetings.”