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Percy bowed his head on the cold, olummy hands that clung to his arm 30 tenaciously. v, vu- Ah. what could it matter now? His hopes were dead, his heart crushed. yet how could he consent? Never was a man so fearfully tried; his hair, handsome face had grown white with emotion; deep shadows stole into his eyeg. Eou, she loves you; wooing sweet Evelyn t. Claire would not be in vain. I could die happy if I thought you would win ind wed her, my boy, within a year after um gone. This is the promise I would ask of you; the: is, if you do not love smother. Do you?“ he asked, suddenly starting up from his gillow. Percy shook his hee . "There is no person on earth whom I love but yourself, dear uncle." he an‘ swered bmkenly. "Then promise me. Percy.” whispered the general faintly. The magnetic gaze of those dying eyes peequ to hold >§he_ your}: gnu} spell- He could not understand the strange axpresslon of the dead. cold faceâ€"it trou- bled him. For long hours Percy sat by that silent. yothonlees form. his face buried in his an s. Daylight broke cold and gray over the ills and valea. The news of General ranville's sudden demise spread like wildfire through the village. and Red- .tone Hall was thronged with sympathiz- lng friends who came and went. each unions to take one last. lingering look at_ the cold. nallld fame. ififiéf Elij’Q-Ihifdifi' his rafterV-life'matter to him. now that the golden loveâ€"dream of_]11_g y_outh wqg blgstgq an‘d 'erken‘fi ‘3‘}; figilisvéos'giixâ€"ig‘afi‘ a};me effort, but. he >q1qwly_ yttergd them._ “There is one whom I love next to your- self, Percy." the faint voice went on feeb- lyâ€"“one whom I long to have you prom- ise me; ygu will wed, for she cares for vs_u1___ The cold dew stood out on his pallid (uwthe blood coursed through his veins like molten lead. Ah, would it be brave to s oak the words which must. bring bit.- ter espair to the unch to whom he owed so much?â€"cou1d he let him go down to his grave with sorrow and sadness in his heart? Could he refuse his last prayer? Heaven direct himrhie was go sgyaly tried. "Ifiivél‘yfiWvdifié iiiié‘ifixfi; knowing that he had no heart to offer, perhaps it would be as well to consent to it._ . “If it will make your last. moments any happier. uncle, whether for weal or for woe I promise to do your biddingâ€"God help m9- 1 m9mi§el”_ “No,” he answered faintly; “but I can- not die with the weight of such a secret on my soul. I must tell him whqn he returns; the papers, so closely sealed, whigh he_'wj_ll bring, yevea} allâ€"” “You shall never breathe it to him, then!" hissed the fair beauty, goaded on to madness by the terrible sting of guilty conscience; "you shall die first], you mis- erable old man." With tears of regret in his eyes, Percy astened to his uncle’s mom, followed by velyn St. Claire. Placing the package of sealed papers hastily on the table, he hurriedly crossed over to the couch upon which all that wig mortal of _the old general lay. _ The'r’e’ Wis ii «gagging; 35:13-36: hor- rol in thgfilmy eyea_ into which he gazed. The Triéd" same mat broke over the al- lid face on the pillow almost repaid im fpr the fatal words wrung from_his white 1Poor Percy! how little he knew of the bitter grief which was to accrue from that promise wrung from him so strange- ly. or that it was the last link forged in the chain which drew him on toward a $133er In his futgre. An hour later Percy Granville. with thoughts strangely confused, was whirl- lug toward the metropolis on the through express in quest of important papers which the general would lntrust to none other. “If you return by daylight you may 9 in time for him to sign them, if that his wish,” said the doctor, gravely; :1hetsannot last, however, much beyond a, . Yes, the old general had died in Eve- lyn’s arms as she had said; but who can i(lairtlfay what these moments had been e The doctor had given his atient a strong cordial, and had lain own upon a divan in an adjoining a. artment to catch a few moments' neede rest, leav- ng the eneral alone with beautiful, unless velyn St. Clair. t was then that the dying man had confided to her a strange secretâ€"a secret {that made her guilty brain reel with error. “Have you told Percy this?” she gasped, n. strange light. creeping into her steely b13153, wiptillating eyeg. _ The moan on his lips was suddenly stifled; he had read the girl's treacher- ous heart alrightâ€"alas, too luteâ€"and his last breath was a bitter curse. blended with remorse most; terrible that. he had yrung a promise fqogn Peljgyjs pgwillinz Whether she pressed the white pillow down over the white, horrified face, or whether death came to the old general nafiurally. ihe alone knew! It was an hour or mere before Percy {bought of the papers he had so cate- essly left lying upon the table‘ He Itarted up from his seat with a strange misgiving of impending evil in his heart. Great Heaven! They are gone! The servants were anxiously question- ed; 119 one _had_ seer} Izhe Healqd package. W191: in shock V of horror the 'iéfiigié wing} forged itself upon Percy's troublgg 111).“. .1 ""“""' i' - . . no nad carelessly laid the papers upon the table. and they had been stolen; by whom he could not even conjecture. so many people had passed in and out of 1the chamber of death. He was literally dumfounded. The nature of the vitally important papers the seal d envelope contained he gld flét kfiow; t erg hqd_ been» no _x_ngxrkâ€" sound. aavd literally fox-2:51:11} 1:51 iérds frggn 1113A _un_\viling lips. .. “.1 . When Percy returned to Redmne Hall with the sealed packages in his breast pocket, Evelyn met. him at the door with a yhite, startlefi fang. “You are too late, Percy," she said. tak- ing his unresiiting hand and leading him into the corridor, "your uncle died in my ulna hqlf ap_hour agpf 6 word on it w afl’ord him the slimmest nkling or olew by which to trace it. H At. length he was forced to abandon m; fruitless search. The days new quickly by and lengthened into ‘weokprâ€"ang weeks grey _gnm_weary 1m {[0 ivo't) and wed besiutiffxl: {diseflfiiz Iyn St. Claire. monthsâ€"tho oold wixi’té'r ink ulifiiid Mai. For Wcal 0r for Woc; CHAPTER XX.~(Cont.’d) CHAPTER XXI. dumfounded. the vitally important envelope contained he '6 had been no markâ€" Why doesn't she take Thcy stop a headache prompfly, yet do not contain any of the dangerous drugs common in hoadachc tablets. Ask your Drugglst about them. 25¢. a box. Or, A Dark NA-DRU-CO Headache Waters NATIONAL DRUG AND CHEMICAL Co. or OAuAuA. LIMITED. 122 The torture of the task imposed upon him seemed to grow upon him as the weeks rolled by, and in desperation he told himself he must settle the matter at ones, 011' he would not have the strength to 0 t. He sat -downHEesiiiiev ilérfvsâ€"tfiilv {ebzihing 11h: agenglex; white hands in hit} grafp. The merry, laughing dark blue eyes looked silent and grave enough now, and the lips the golden mustache covered rare- 1y_an»1i1e_d.A He had presented himself uite early that morning at the heirese' ome. and was shown into the drawing-room. Evelyn stood before the sea-coal fire. Although it was early spring, a. cheer- ful fire slowed in the polished grate, throwing a bright. ruddy radiance over the room, and over the exquisite morning toilet, of soft, pink cashmere with its frills of white lace, relieved here and there with coquettlsh dashes of scarlet bloa- eoygg: which Evelyn wage. “What a. surprie, Percy!" she said holding out her white hands to him. “i am delighted to see you; why, do you know, it has‘been long weeks since you were here last. I had almost begun to believe that iiou had forgotten me,” and she raised t ose bewildering blue eyes, ghat few men could' resist, (:0ny to his . ace. “You are always welcome, Percy,” she said, giving him the full benefit of a be- witching smile; "there is no one whom I am more pleased to see than yourself; do_n_’t you’lmow that?” The ~lovely foserbib-dm was deepening in her pretty blon-de face as she toyed shy- lyflyitjh _the blossoms Vs'he wore. Evelyn’s heart gave a great bound; was it 00min at. lastâ€"this declaration of love for whic her very soul hungered and thinned? "‘1 annt to ask you If you will marry me. Evelyn?" Handsome Percy looked, perhaps. the mgge qgnfpsed of the two. ' "I wiil EoVEyVâ€"leEVté'Ehke you happy. Evelyn.“ he went on; "I cannot say that I will be a. model husband, but, I will say that I will do my bestâ€"no man can prom- ise more.” There was a minute’s silence awkward enough for both. Evelyn was grieviously disappointed. She had gone over in her own Imagination, a. thousand times, this very scene. picturing to herself how Percy would kneel at her feet, whisper- ing to her in glowing, passion-ate words how dearly he loved her, and how wretcll» ed his life_would be without her; then how he would clasp her in his arms, close to his heart, and murmur all the sweet words that fall so naturally from the lips of lovers. and the bright, green grass and early vio- lgts were sprinkling the distant hill 5 gpeg. One morning Percy Granville stood up- on the porch of Redsbone Hall, gazing up at the white. fleecy clouds that scudded ovgr the bl_ue sky, Ipst in deep_ thought: “I am sorry that I have been so neg- lectfu-l. Evelyn," he said, flushing alight- ly. “I am going to try to make amends for it in the future if I may be ’permit- ted to do so." "Now Is my time,” thought Percy, with a desperate recklessnessâ€"“now or nev- er!" He broke into the subject at. once while he had the courage to do it, fer- vently hoping that the beauty would re- fuse him. “I am goin down to the city this morn- iny. Evelyn,’ he began, leading her un- resistingly to an adjacent divan. "I may be gone a. fortnight, perhaps, and I have nogtethingto ea‘y t:o_ ygu befqya I .gq.”_ She looked up at him with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes. the breath coming and liming swiftly over the crimson, smil- ing ipn. Percy did nothing of the kind. Perhaps he read her thoughts in the wistful, ex- pectant face turned toward him, and he would have given anything to have been able to make love to herâ€"anything for the power of saying tender words‘ to her; he knew very well she was expecting sorgethigg of the hind from him. The crimson-breasted robins were sing- imr in the budding- branches of tbs trees, and all nature reminded one that. the glgrious spying _1md cgme. "You have asked me to be your wife, Percy,” she said petulantly, “but on haven’t said one word nboutâ€"aboutâ€" ov- tne me!” Temptation 'He had fulfilled his promise to the dy- ing general that morningâ€"he had offer- ed__hia hand m_Evgalyn S_t. plaire._ The rremark was so unexpected, Percy was almost at. a. loss how to reply to it. He Wat thé 53.5113 ihiindsonie ‘Pefiyfbut, a1_1_._ how changed! _ _ carry out the art of an interested lover. In spite of file resolve, he thought. of Gay the whole time he sat on the divan beside the spoiled beauty, ubsently clasp- ing her jeweled hands. Ah how diflerent that other love-making had been. How hard he had pleaded with Gay for one kissâ€"just. one. How his heart throbbed. and every endearing name he could think of trembled on his eager lips as he strained Little Gay to his heart when she bejhfully consbphted to be hi_s bg‘iple. That love-making was real, this one only the shadow of love. He must. try to forget. the past, he‘must, indeed. "You have not anwered my question. Evelyn,” he said abruptly. "Are you to marry meâ€"pr not?” "Iâ€"Iâ€"thiqk I will marry you then. Percy." she answered tremulously, draw- ing still closer to him with a charming gngulje of _a>fleqti9n. _ _ _ A _ “The question is so important, Evelyn. that. most, probably I have thought more of it than of any words which should go with it.” But Evelyn was piqued, and resented it. “Oh, that is it,’ she returned, with a wistful little laugh. “Most. menâ€"when they ask a. girl to marry themâ€"say some- thingâ€"aboutâ€"love, do they not?" “Yes,” he answered absently. “I suppose ~vou have had no experi- ence," she returned archly. He was silent a. moment. llis hm'dsome face grew strangely pale. He'tried to summon up courage to tell Evelyn the story of his past, that his fu- ture was blighted, that. his heart all the love of his very soul, lay buried in the gr_ave o_f Little Gayâ€"fills brlde. Poor Percy, he could not. lay bare that sweet, and secret; he could not. have borne her questions, her wonder, her remarks, her scathing words and have lived; his dead love was too sacred for that; he eould not. take the treasured love-story from his bears. and hold it up to public Her lovely. fascinating blonde face was so near himâ€"temptineg nearâ€"inviting a lover's caress. the graceful figure so close that he could have wound his arm around her. but it never occurred to him to do There never was a. betrothal with so Mfr tle flavor of romance about it. It. was a. strange wooingâ€"that is, if Percy meant it for a. wooingâ€"yet he did his best to carry out the art of an interested lover. _Iu spite _of_ gig resplve, he mguglgp of “If IE consent will you promise to love me better than anything elseâ€"or any one in__the__t_vic_le world?"_g11e whispegeq. “I7 will devous my life to y'o‘u, he an- swszreé grate”; â€"He bent his fair, handsome head and kissed the little white hands he held. He could do neither more nor less. fie tried hardwto put the memory of thtle Gay away from him as he answered wngjoramedly: seize. â€"It would have been easier for him 1,0 tear the living, beating heart from he boaom than do this. He knew if. was ungenerous and unkind not to give her one affectionate word. yet how could he do it? he had never spoken a loving word to any one except, Little Gayâ€"~the bride whom cruel late had worn {rem his Varfms AM the very altar. . “I supbése ibuwhirve had no experience m‘lovymaikiug,” pers_isteq_Ev§]yI_1, coyly. 81m- raised her pretty face coquettishly to his, drawing just a. trifle nearer him, wishing he were ngt so cold a lover._ “Thafik you, Evelyn." he returned. N :1 mixingâ€"no dirty Work â€"â€"no mess when you use the handy paste in the big Which kind of a culvert does you; waggon cross ? dangerous wonden culverts, that are con- stantly in need of repairs and often wasth away entirely? 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Canada Cement Company Limited 505-664 Harald Building, Manual If m lend you | I copy of our Free CULVERTS OF, CONCRETE Biagiflimghl “Dcâ€"STOVE POLISH:10c. Sozmd Common Sense fl'dw'ce "You may set the day, 1! you like," she returned, twisting nervously at, the leaves of the crimson-hearted roses she wore on her breast. “Oh. I suppose two months will be time enough,” pouted Evelynâ€"seeing clearly she was not going to be coaxedâ€"that. he was ev'irdenyly pay ghe anxipua payty. “I could wager anything that. Percy was thinking of that miserable little Gaynell Esberbrook all the thin: he was propos~ ing to me," she thought, with a frown. turning away from the window. "I think I have effectually silenced her, though, and parted them forever by that. letter I wrote her. signing Percy's name to it. “Oh, I don’t know," {outed Evelyn, pet- tishly. “Do you wish 1: to be soon?” she asked with wistful hesitancy, eagerly wpgdexfing how_he_woul_d ansyer her. “How would two months from to-day suit you?" he asked, remembering that there were such things as trousaeaul and all the bridal finer poor Gay 11ml aus- pensed with, which velyn would be sure to require; and then there would be no find of (use and ceremony over this wed~ mg. She gave a. pretty little scream of sur- prme. "As soon as that?" she murmured. “Take your own time, by all meansâ€" any length of time that suits you best..." he answered eagerly, anxious to repair hm mistake. if he had made one. He thanked har again, and soon after took his leave. It quite escaped his mind to give her a good-bye kiss; still, as she watched the tall, handsome figure out of sight. she was wondrously happy in the glamor of’ her love-dream and her tri- ugph. He was praying to Heaven from the depths of his miserable heart to give him strength to carry out. the razah vow his uncle had wrung from his unwilling lipfi. He told himself marriage would be a mis- take for him, for the supreme magnet that led to anything like happiness-4.119, magnet 52! loveâ€"was yv_anti1}g. “Yes.” Tie saidifiabéélirtiliyf;tfiéâ€"Boggér It isugver t-he beag- I _ehall__be plggseq.”‘ “Now that we have settled that point, we}; may I_Vcl_a1m you?" is the choicest teaâ€"green, black or mixedâ€"from the finest tea- growing country in the worldâ€"Ceylon, with its exquisite flavor and freshness protected by the sealed lead packages. on “SALADA” TEA is always the same, no matter when or where you buy it. ‘ man About Concrete Culver“, 11 H! 3 our Inform I t i o n Dayan- anL I? you rut to know Best Tea At Its Best culverts a r e neat, safe, need no repairs, at n d a r e cvcr~1astin g. CONCRETE A” ‘|__ _ -L- Patâ€"“Do you believe in dreams, Mike 2” Mikeâ€"“Faith, and I do. Lust night I dreamt that I was awake, an’ in the morning my dream came thrue.” He believes the girl dead, while she, the little fool, will believe every word of that, cleverly-written let-tar in which I wrote. 'If we ever meet again, it must be “- ntrangersf She would not dare to speak to him, even if they ever met by chanca after that. I have played a. desperate came for PercÂ¥ Granville's love, and" thank fortune, have won him at last! (To be cgntinued.) W. the CLEANEST, SIMPLEST. Ind BEST HOME DYE, one can buquhy you don" even have to know what KIND of Cloth your 60060 no mud. of.-~So Mismkcu are Imposslbh. Send for Free Colon: Card, Story Booklet. Ind Booklet giving results of Dyeing over other colon. The JOHNSON-RICHARDSON 00., Limited, Monuenl. Canadn. It makes work ‘ easy -â€"â€" a few light rubs bring a brilliant, last- ing shine. Not affected by heat. 46 LONE DYEMAU. KINDSWWI