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l or land which he held of hill]. "v mental interrogation, which ' H+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++o+ +_,__-_._ + Face to Face + . i oi@@@@@ , i 0R, GERVASE RIUKMAN’S f I AMBITION. l ‘ t .+ " _ f++++++++++§+ tilt,\l"l't2lt it. The business for whit-h Anne‘stry had Wished to sec ticrv use Hickman was soon transacted. and did not ittvo'vr even gil- itig into the house. \\'hile they were still talking and pat-ing up licatli the fresh-Icavcd trees. Hubert. 4 the (lcer-tumnd,whine haunting up in his long. chcping stride and placed his iiilizzte Conniiing'iy- li-oking up at him Willi a world of affec- tion in his soft dark eyes. _ “This creature loves me." he said. pH|~ ting his head: “dogs are whimsical in their likings: some instinct must tell him that I like him." “He takes no notice of me, the brute." replied iicrtase. with aspi-rity: he was jealous of the dog. who favored liitn with a watchful suit-Joni: malice. "I had to thrain llllll once. and he never forgave 1:,” ".\nd .l never will." was, the mute re- sp disc 'in llulwrt‘s of; \. "llis mistress can not be for off," (lor- \ase added; “perhaps: you will come in, AIIIICSIB)'â€"*:lltf ladies: are all at home.” “I had intended calling betorc I heard that? you were here, ‘he replied. with a hesitating air. “Oh. there is your father,” he said, catching sight of Mr. Hickman, who was issumg from the hail porch with his Usual bewildered air, as if he had just \vaked up from a sound sleep, and was Wondering where on earth he was. In a moment Annesley had joined the old gentleman and was asking him to give him a few minutes in private, to which Mr. Riclrman readily assented, taking him to his study, an apartment which tiad formerlv suggested a nerromamwr‘s cave to_lidv.'ard's boyish liiiuglnaifcii, stuffed us‘ it was with all kinds of uncanny thingsâ€"fossils, skelcU Wis, i'uin-Irals, insects. and odd bones. with unpleasantslooking bottles in which reptiles appeared to be writhing and lth-‘nfng. , \ chai!‘ vas with cleared front the general overflow papers, parclnnents. and books. placed oppOsite Mr. llickman's of. and own ‘. arm-chair, in which he sat. regarding: his guest attentively and trying to re- member if ho had recently applied to him on any subject connected with the house‘ For Edâ€" ~ward Annesley had for some months past been in undisputed possession of the Gledesworth estates, though there had at first been some difficulty in gc ting pro- bate of Paul‘s will in consequence of the body not having been found. however,had managed cleverly; so that the Gledesworth affairs had been settled in a surprisingly short time. His evi- dcnceas an eye-witness of the death had satisfied the {curl of Probate, before which Edward Anncsley had not been summoned, A vague nction that re was the sole result. of Mr. nt must be due Rickman’s continued for some seconds, whilegAnncslcy sat silent, looking down upon a pile of dusty volumes heaped pelt-melt at his feet. “I think, Mr. Hickman," he said at. last, "that you are Miss Lingard's guar- dian." her guardian; she will soon be of age,” he replied, surprised at the question. “At all events," continued Anneslcy, “you stand in place of a lather to her.” “She is my adopted child, Annesley," he replied; “she is the same to us as our own daughterâ€"we have had her so long. I question whether the tie of consan- guinity '5 as strong as is generally sup- posed. ’l‘here is no trace of it in the lower animals; family feelings in man are the result of imagination, strength- enéd by religious 'illtli't’lted social tn-twith an air of relief," according to my lsolcmn down rose high against the tran- PeP- ; duty. I will say no more. (Besides,"' he lquil blue of the sky. and. but for the full- liaps I may be permitted to obserchâ€"” t rt:-ilected, “as she is certain not to accept lllt‘s‘s of the leaves. the loss of the apple- “And habit has made' Miss Lingardlliim. it does not really matter whether i bloom and the difference of the flowers your daughter, sir," interrupted Edward. object or notl I do not forbid your still. ‘ in the borders on either side of the broad new “0‘ l9“ .VUU What m)"'t‘t1‘(-‘Um- but I warn you tlial it will not be tsuc- ’ turf walk, the scene was the same as stincts, and, above all, of habit. "I stances are, because you know. 1 came to tell you that I have long loved your adopted daughter. and dtsire your per- mission to pay my addresses to her." “You wish," i'cplicd .\tr. Hickman in extreme amazement, “to ntarryâ€"Alice 1’" “l'cs. It seemed right to ask your per- mission before asking lit-rs.“ .\tr. Rickman very deliberately rc- muvcd his glasses. and. taking his hand- ltcrchief. begun to polish them with ex- treme diligence. Havingr assured himâ€" self of their spotless brilliance. he re- placed them at his eyes with accurate and down tw-. in Edward's hand“ some difliculty I i Gcrvase, stigma, such as it - t weighed “1 am one Of 1191‘ IIIUSteeS! 1 never‘was thought that Edward owed a full cxplaw +++++++++i++¢+++*+++H++++++++§+ \lr. lickman Ill(i\l'tl uneasily in his chair and Intuit out of the lattice win- dow into the drooping gold splendor of :i lill"lt'llltlti. and watched the languid flight of a l‘t‘l.‘ humming about the bios- stint. l “I do not rt-commcnd you to prosecute lb) suit, .\ll‘. .\uiiesley," he said. after a pause. “Alice is a woman of deep feel- ing: she will not forget her dead fever quickly. if at all. lot: will only waste time and hope." “That is my concern." he returned. “The question is, have I your pcri’nission » ha\c ycu anything to urge against me 1’" As he said this. he looked so steadily and even stt'mly at Mr. Hickman. and his breath came so quickly through his nostrils allow his closeâ€"shut lips. that the old gentleman‘s mild eyes (pmilcd and fell. amt he looked the picture of embar- rassed misery. lid-gelling on his chair as if it had been thu- pi'idiron of St. Law- Ircncc, seeking words and finding none. “Is there any reason why I may not- ask .\flss Lingard to be my wife?" rc- pealcd Edward. sternly. “.\l,v dear Edwatd” replied Mr. Rick- man. driven to bay, “you must be aware that there is (Pcta‘tain stigma upon your naniemama reproach.” “What reproach?" proudly. . “My dear Anneslcy. i believe you in- capable of the wrong imputh to you, pray believe that. ll I thought different- ly. of course I should not have received you at my house amt allowed my family to enter yours. l'mt you must acknow- ledge that such a stigma is a serious drawback.” "I acknowledge it,” he replied. “I think," continued Mr. Hickman, “that the stigma might be removed by the simple expedient of relating in de- tail atl that you did on that unfortunate afternoon. There seems to be a hiatus in your narrative, whirh no doubt. you teculd easily fill.” Here Mr. Hickman was manifestly lwrong. since to answer vague slander is l) give it bodily form and substance. and since a slandcrcd man's statements are of little weight. But what‘ he really meant in his heart was that Edward should remove whatever vagueness there was in the knowledge of his intimate friendsâ€"himself in particular-â€"of the de- tails of ‘aul's death. “You are mistaken, sir," he replied. “No words of mine could remove the I could not fill the hiatus. All I can do to live it down, as i shall lirtitnc. l have. as you proba- bly know, a bitter enemy; who may rc- ptiit. The question is, do you forbid me i) ask your adopted child to marry me “ft is very said,” sighed Mr. Hickman, h-ournfully, toying with the bone of some extinct creature. “Very sad. But I can scarcely venture to forbid you. I must refer you to Alice herself. I shall not forbid her, but should she seek counsel of me, I should certainly not advise her to marry a mar. who is-forgive me for saying what is no doubt too well known to youâ€"ostracised by his class.” But it was not the public‘,bstraci.~m which most with Mr. Hickman; he i he demanded, t l l l naation to the family into whth he pro- posed to marry. “If I am cut by the county," replied Edward. “I need not live at Glcdesworth. l l have already offered my mother and sisters the choice of any place they like to live in. We could let or leave Glades- worth. But the best plan is for me to stay and live it down. And my mother has agreed. to stand by me and share it all." “I have protested," said Mr. Hickman. .cessful. Under the circumstances, you 'arc the last man to make Alice false to the memory of" Paul Annesley.” Edwaid thanked him amt rose to take ilttavc of him. “You are very good to the, ith. Hickman." he said, shaking his: ;hand; “and tlicugh you do not cut-our- :age me. at least belimc that 1 will do 'my best to be worthy to win her." l “Donl go yet: they are all at home, it think." said Mr. llicknmn, that he had fully (lhllt‘ his duty in throw. ling all his faculties into the interests of éevery-day ltft‘, for a time. and glad to 1e, (are and lurked through them thought-flirt; mentally into his world of abstrac- Iully at his guest. “My permission.” be repeated. troubled airâ€"“my permission. in prise to intLa very great surprise. poseâ€"- aware that Miss Lingard's affections have already been givenâ€"â€"your poor cousin." Edward‘s face darkened. but his: gaze met Mr. ttickntan's steadily. "Your poor cousin," continued Hickman, “had hull] paymg his good succczs. has never been the same since.“ “I know it," he replied. "and on that ‘account do not expect to win her in a moment." i\lr. ad- . ‘ drew to her for some time at the date i though in greater state than {if old; but Lward placed his chair for her and stood l of his death; I am told. with only too they had not stopped to speak to each ’a‘ Certainly the poor child other. on account of Mrs. Annesley's {lion and themies once more; "let us go a i and find them." My dear Mr. Anncsley, this is a very great sur-tsince Paul‘s death. I 'sions of his: calling at Arden Manor. she I her loss was still too fresh. He sat there had understoodâ€"l had Leon led to sup- , had seldom app T-‘lt'C’d. and although she i like one in a dream. gazing at the young All! ‘llt'l't-hll5 )‘OU are not visited th mother and sisters at Gledtx- , people who Wt‘f‘c shooting at the target. occurred and stroking the-head Hubert laid on his t for a knee. while- Mrs. Hickman chatted tron-i i Edward and Alice had searcer On the rare occa- wvrth Park, her1 visits had witcn he was away with his battery. Once or twice’they had met in the street .a‘. Mcdington, where Alice often paid 'visits of wecks’ duration to Mrs. Walter tsee everybody and wa‘ch them. thinking, . in her many thoughts which his music helped. twould you like the bread to be placed?’, still lAanz‘le. who lived on creeper-covered house in the High Street. pie- gsencc. For Mrs. “tincsley had refused to meet any of the t'ilafcsworth ~Anncs- llcys since her son's death. She had been much discomposcd at the readiness with I ++++++++++t+++++++++++ SUU3HCd‘ lit hich probate of her son's will had been granted by the court. She complained to Uenase that Edward ought to have been sutnironed as a witness of the ,death. ‘t(‘l"l(ItL°~l‘V. and observed that it was un- necessary. since the court entertained no lsuspit'ion that he had evidence to give, “(liily those prmrnt lll court knew what {tiruwase's deposition was: the transac- illtlIl wa~ too unimportant to be pub- . little-(l. ‘ ‘ Unet- Alft'“. at (lei-vases request. had ii-tliinty member addressed his constitu- ,t-nts. previous to a l'e-t'lg‘t‘tltlll. Paul had Edward. overprrstmded ty (icrvasc. had ‘(wliscnted to make (lIlI‘ of the party on “IL platform and deliver a brief speech ,whcn t‘ltllt'tl upon to do so. Except the int-niber and one or tvto inferior local jpoliticians. no one there had appeared 'aware of his existence. ' When it came to his turn to speak. he Istood up and gazed With dim eyes and a Ilwhirling brain upon the unaceuslomi‘id isight of a sea of expectant human faces ’bcneath him, and the coi'iccntratcd weight of all life's sorrows and sins ‘camc crushing upon him. in the anguish .of a first effort at public speaking. He was too nervous to notice that the ap- plause, which in some measure greeted the rising of every other speaker. and‘ which in Gervuse‘s'casc had been tumulâ€" Itous. was not forthcoming for him. nor ‘did his unaccustomed car catch an omi- nous sibilation which grew into loud ihisses. Once he had plunged into a burning house and rescued some slccpvl ing children, rushing through a Sheet of flame to what seemed certain death, with closed eyes. singeing hair. and sob- bing breath. With the same feeling of mortal agony and the same determined hardening of his heart. he now plunged into the scorching flame of public speech. and was greatly surprised when his preliminary “Ladies and (,lcntlemcn" floated tranquilly through the building without provoking any convulsion of nature, or even bringing the roof down. apd he began to say without licsilatioi'i o‘r Circumloculion that. be approved of the programme just. presented to them by their member. Having done this in about six words, he paused. reflecting that he might as well sit down. since he had nothing more to say. and wishing the others would be as expeditious. when the momentary silence was broken by the following sentence flung out in a high, harsh voice from the back benches: “Who killed Paul Annesley?" Cries of "Order!" and “Turn him out. i” At which (lervasc smiled mysU 'ath-ndcd a political meeting at which lhci not hear him. “I shall begin to think you have some quarrel against me." "Oh, l\lr. Anncslcy l“ she replied. earnestly. “pray do not think that. o “l have enemies," he continued. in the same low voice. “I hope you are not .among them. You prt'imiscd once that. :you would be my friend. if you remem- . ber." , “And I am your friend." she replied. iraising her eyes and speaking very gelearty though softly and a little ti'cmu- lously: “I could never be otherwise." “Thank you." he replied. and he at- imost started when he t'liseovt-i'cd Ger- ,\ase t'lose at hand offering him a seal, lilhen been dead about seven months. and N‘ “‘ke Whic“ “Nita” “it” '0 lt‘m'e Alice. ' since her chair was on the outside of the semi-circle. and the only vacant chair was at the other end next. Sibyl, who turned at his approach and ‘him with her Usual cordial smite. “Do yoti like being in the army. Mr. Anni-sley‘l“ asked little Kate Merton mross the, table all of a sudden. in a Silence which followed some peaceful and commonplace discussion. “Naturally. MiSs Kale. I entered the service of my own with”. he replied. “Why do you ask? \\'ould you object to it. if you were a boy 2’” “Then how will you like having to leave it?" cont'nued the ingenuous maiden. “Papa says you were recom- mended to resign “Kate. be quiet." muttered , her 'bro- lher. pinching her. ' “Well. he did, Horace; you heard him.” she went. on. “and you said it was as good as being turned out." “If ever I go out again with that brat!" thought Horace, trying to stop the child's tongue; bill Edward would not have her quieted. . “You may tell your papa that I have not been recommended to resign." he said. “You need not scold your sister, Mr. Merton: she merely shows me what :i very kind interest people take in my affairs." he added. sarcastic-ally. After this the conversation was forced and spasmodic, and it gradually dawned upon little Miss Merton that she had made a. hole in her manners, for which she would subsetquently suffer penance. Edward wondered if the Met of his hav- ing actually been recommended to leave the service by a brother officer of sub- altcrn rank. as a means of escaping a coldness that threatened to grow into ostracism, could possibly have become known, and so have given rise to this report. ‘ He sat silently sipping his tea, with a gloomy face and eyes bent on the turf at his feet. Sibyl looked at him, the soft made a n'iomcntary confusion, and then Edward, roused to defiance, with the sweat standing on his face. began again, his nerves steadied by the spirit of bat- tle," and dilated upon some detail of the member‘s programme, interrupted by hisscs. \\‘....3tl€S, and cries of “Cain!” “Cain l“ until he had to sit down, at the instance of those near hint, in spite of his fierce determination to face the mat- ter out. * Gervase afterward maintained that these cries came from purely Conserva- tive sources. and were merely an attempt in obstruct and break up the Liberal meeting; but as the meeting passed off quietly after the police had forcibly lejectcd one or two ardent spirits, it was difficult to believe that the personality had only a political origin. Alice never forgot the look on Edward‘s face when he sat down after this, with his arms folded on his breast. ‘ “He should have left the room,” she said. discussing it afterward. “Oh. no objected Sibyl. “It was bet- tc: to face it out. like the brave man he is.” ‘ l “He will never again take an active part. in local politics," commented Ger- vase. “I wish I had not advised him to begin so soon."\. When Mrs. “falter Annesiey heard of the occurrence. she laughed, and ob- ,»served that Heaven was just: but to Alice she said nothing, the two having {agreed that Edward Anneslcy’s name was not to be mentioned between them. When Mr. Hickman ecnducted Ed- ward from his study after their private interview, they found Alice and Sibyl in IthL' garden behind the huuse. entertain- - ing Horace Merton and his sister. a child 1of twelve, who had strolled in from the \iearage. 'l‘ea was set on a table under ltlw apple trees. the gray ridges of the lori that April day the year before. when ll’aul and Edward had surprised each ;othcr there. The pungent fragrance of 1 burning weedshelpcd the similitude. and ltlie tail st. Josephs mm. with their daz- ‘zling white petals and hearts of virgin lgold. stood as sentinels behind Alter, in ‘ pttlcc of the soldier-like narcissus. which lhad then poised their green latices and held their heads erect behind her. ‘ .»\lirt'- rose from the bench on which she ‘was sitting and came to meet him; when ,sh. took his offered hand he looked in march of the old titling he had formerly seen there. but he ‘found nothing save a settled sorrow in t the glance that. met his so tranquilly. " mct , Ills heart misgave him. and he knew that *UH'C'C “815. ‘he must wait before he Could win her; tquilly. and (“.crvase preluded upon his unspeakable some-I tire of her dark eyes all clouded with pity, and the tenderest sympathy speak- ing from tier sweet face. Her father, usually so unobservant, surprised the look, and his own lined face softened. “What a pity l" he thought to himself, “my clever little Sib l” Gervase saw it, and his face darkened; Alice saw no- thing but the grass on which her eyes, like Edward's, were bent in silent melâ€" ancholy. Then Edward looked up and caught the full stress of yearning com- passion in Sibyl's guileless face and his hear was touched; for a sympathy. so com fete, so mute, and so impotent is rarely seen in a human face, but some- times in a faithful animal’s loving gaze. For an instant Sibyl‘s‘, beautiful soul seemed to meet his and surprise him with its sweetness; then a ripple of laughter passed over her face, ‘and she began to rally him on his melancholy. “We are so dull and heavy toâ€"night. there must be thunder in the air,” she said. “Alice, do tell us how you went to. the Dorcas meeting at Medington and how the curate came in to 'tea with the fifty Dorcas ladies. I often wonder what we should do if curales Were abolished,”' she added. “There would be nothing to amuse people in little thwns.” “Oh! this story is too humiliating to our poor sex,” replied Alice, rousing her- self from painful thought; “besides, I leave all the little malicious tales to you, Sibyl, no one can surpass you in that line.” “Unlucky curate, to fall into Sibbic‘s hands,” commented Gcrvase. But not even Sibyl’s niatchhxs descrip- tion of the solitary and bashful curate having tea with fifty grimly virtuous ladies could begulle the heaviness from Edward Anneslcy’s face, though he joined in the laughter it provoked; nor did all the merry discussions and illus- trations of curateavorship. as practised l't the Anglican communion. which Ger- vase enriched by anecdotes, more amus- ing than authentic, appear to interest him. Some haunting care embittered every- thing; he had the preo'Ccupicd look of it man who is perpetually remembering something he would like to forget. (To be continued). __.x.__. UNDER THE HAT. A tramp who was very" hungry and itl'iirsty called at n wayside inn and walked into a room where there were several other men. He asked them if they would like to see some of his con- jm-ing tricks. and they said “Yes.” So he inquired for three pieces (f {bread and cheese. When these were ‘brought he said:â€" “Before i can proceed i must have The bats were placed upon the table. “and under each he put a piece of bread land cheese. He then ate two of the nieces of bread and cheese and asked glass of beer. , This. bring brought to him he drank lit. and then ate the last piece of bread and cheese. ’violin at a little distance. where he could i \\'hcn Alice came to the tea-table Ed- hcr side. leaning against a tree. and be one of the lunchmnparty at Glcdes- worth at. the end of the week. I “lf you do not come this time.” he lsaid. in a tow t.~nc. so that others might 'whoj,f 10an list of them only yesterday", lbcgtm hoping that she would not fail to. He then inquired: “Under which hat lThey pointed to one of the three. he picked up the hat and, placing Liion hb head.“iurtd ouL t Hoâ€"“Are you sure that I am the ontv man you ever really and truly loved?” lShcâ€"“Pcrfectly sure. I went over the wclconied' ithe bin damp Slii iHi A lltlllY FOUND mononnnn AT THE onxvs bro Tunas YEARS woo. Sale of Articles of Jewelry Amused Suspicion and Led to the. Arrest of the Slayer. .-\ scnsatonal murder mystery was partially solved when the body of ti wealthy young man named llcntchel, who disappeared from home at Munich. Germany. three years, ago. was dug up (711 a piece of waste ,land outside the Bavarian capital. llentchel was the son of one of the wealthiest business men in Munich. He spent money lavishly, attended the pleasure resorts regularly. belonged lo the fashionable clubs, gmnbled and kept race horses and motor cars. lie was very friendly with another l-ycung man named David Neiderhofer. son of a proprietor of a stationary cir- cus at Munich. lfentchel and Nieder. inofcr were nearly always together, 'Hentchel finding the money for their amusements. DISAPPEARED IN 1904. Hentchrl suddenly disappeared on May 24, 1904, and not the least trace o' him could be found. Crime was suspected, but the police abandoned their investigations without finding the. least clue. A few days ago Niederhofer attempt- ed to sell to a jeweler several articles of value which formerly belonged to Henchcl. and. as it happened. the jew- eler remembered that they corresponded with particulars circulated by the police describing articles of jewelry which Ifentchel commonly Wore. These includ- ed diamond rings ‘and’an extremely ex- pensive bracelet. The jewcler immedi- ately communicated with the policemnd detained young Niedcrhofer until they arrived to arrest him. Publication of the news of Nieder- bofcr's arrest brought other suspicious circumstances to light. A former em- _ ploye at lllE‘NledCl'llOfEf‘ circus inform- ed the pohce that David Niederhofer ordered him about three years ago to dig a deep hole in waste land adjoin-. ing the circus. He had no idea for what object the hole was dug, but offered to show the police where‘ the hole was made. THE BODY FOUND. Excavations on the waste land began and continued all day without success. When they were resumed, young Nie- derhofer was brought to watch the work, hand-cuffed and lettered, between two policemen. ' Hentchel‘s body was recovered. amid intense excitement of all present. Nie- dcrhofcr trembled violently, and was quite unable to overcome his agitation. He was then taken back to prison. ___7___*r__,_.__ ENGLISH COAST LIGHTS. ; [low They Have Grown From Beginning Till Now. t “The coastwise ‘lights of England.” of which Kipling sings, have been increas- ing in brilliancy as well as in number ever since the dawn of the nineteenth; century. In that dark age weary mari- ncrs crawled into plf't by the flickering glare of_tweny-five beacons and six floating lights; now they may glide safely into haven under the powerful beams of 880. Lighthouses are as an- cient as civilization. The Photos of Alexandria flung its light on the decks 0.“- Orierital barges 2.237 years ago. The Romans, who loved the light, have left the ruins of one of their lighthouses on a cliff a‘t Boulogne, while at Dover may still be seen all that remains of another. Petroleum and the electric light have made the early nineteenth century bea- cons ridiculous. On the summit of the tower an open grade was fed with billets of wood and' later with coal. Scotland abandoned coal altogether for more up to-date methods in 1816 and England six years afterwarl. _.x‘_____. SEED GRAIN. AND SEEDS. Really first-class seed oats, wheat, barley or corn are always scarce and hard to buy. Any amount of atlle ine- diuni kind can iLsually be had, but the really first quality is a different matter. If you have this of your own raising and have taken such care of it as to insure good germination .you tll‘t‘ a liucky farmer. We hear every spring much about poor scrd corn and corn that failed to grow. but very little is said ("(lllCGl'ang the small grains or the- seeds. I fully believe there2 is as great a per end. of such'that fail to mature a crop asof the corn but we hear less about'them simply because we seed broadcast or thicker in the drill and do not notice when they fail or. Gram- of‘ any kind that was put in and allowed to heat intakes very poor seed even if a portion of it‘ grows. We want it to more than simply grow. ll should make a strong and vigorous growth the same as 'e- ‘quired of corn if we are to reap a full harvest next season. The same is true of clover set-d. Where clover was al- lowed to tie in the swath last fall -'or weeks and much of it sprout it simply means that it will not sprout again. Feed that has been thus handled never will look bright and can be detected by its dead color. it you have not your grain or seed secured for spring sow- ing it is time that you were on the look- out‘. Soon aMut'one-half the farming mmmunity will be'in quest of it and then it will be next to impossible to- secure any. - . , - It