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A foolish Young Man; Or, the Belle of the Season. CHAPTER XVIIâ€"(Continued). : "I saw you both when you stood op- posite each other after the carriage ac‘ cident," she said. coolly. “I am not blind. and I am not particularly stupid. It didn't strike me at the time that there had been anything wrong between you. but I have since seen you look Int Sir Stephen. andâ€"you have an expressive face sometimes. oh, my father!" He grinned sourly. "You appear to keep your eyes open, Maude. Yes; there was a. row between us. and there was a. grudgeâ€"" H â€""W.bich you mean to pay off? she said. as impassively as if they were speak- ing of the mercst trivialities. ' ’ "Which I\could pay offâ€"gratify. if I liked." he admitted. “How?” she asked. lie did not reply. but glanced at her sideways and bit at the cigar which he had stopped to light. "Shall I tell you, if I wore a. man and I wanted revenge upon such a man as Sir Stephen Orme, what I should do. fa- ther?" she asked, in a. low voice. and looking sfi'aight before her as if she were meditating. “You can if you like. What would you r do?" he replied, with a. touch of sarcastic r amusement. She looked round her and over her shoul- der. The windows near them were clos- ed. Stafford. with his cigarette, was too for. off» Ito’xoverhear them. ‘ “‘If‘fl were‘ a. man, rich‘ and powerful as you are. and I owed another a grudge. I would not rest night or day until I had not him into my power. Whether I meant fo‘exact my revenge, or not. I would wait and work. and scheme. and plot, until I had him at my‘mercy. so that I could say: “See. now. you got the better of me once. you played me false once, but it Is my turn now.’ He should sue former- cy. and I would grant itâ€"or refuse itâ€"as . it pleased me: but he should feel that he was in my power; that my hand was fin- er than his. my strength greater!’ He shot a glance at her, and his great rugged face grew lined. and stern. “Where did you get those ideas? Why do you talk to me like ~this?”xhe'muttered, with surprise and some suspicmn. _ "I am not a. child," she said. languid~ . ly. ."And I have been living .With you for. some time now. Sir Stephen Game is a great man, is surrounded by great and famous peeple. while you. with all your money. are"â€"she shrugged. her shoulders â€""Well. just nobody]; ‘ HisI face grew dark. Show s playing on Jilin .as a. misician plays, u an instru- ment with w ich he is completely famil- tar. "What do you mean?” he muttered. , "If I were a man, in your place. I would have the great Sir Stephen at my feet. to make or to break as I pleased.'I would never rest until I could be able to say: ‘You’re a great man in the world's eyes. but I am your master; you are my puppet. and you have to dance to my \ _J l I “What for?" he asked. Mr. Falconer. smiled. "That's my business,“ only thing that matters to you by taking the shares off your hands shall be doing you a service." “That's true: you shall have 'cin.:' .said Mr. Griffenlierg; “but I warn you its a heavy lot." “You shall have a. cheque i/i-morrow." said Mr. Falconer. “Where did you get that cigar: it takes my fancy?’ Mr. Grifi'enberg produced his cisarcasc with alacrity: he liked Mr. Falcoiier's way of doing-business. At the mom nt. Stafford left the Villa. Ida. was standing by tliowindow in the drawing-room of Heron Hall. 011 the ta- ble beside her lay a book which she had thrown down with a gesture of impa- tience. She was too restltxss to read. or in work; and the intense quietnde of the great house weighed upon her with the weigh: of a tomb. All day. since she had left Stafford. his words of passionate love had haunted her. They sang in her cars even as she spoke to her father. or Music. or the dogs who followed her about with wistful eyes as if they were asking her what ailed her. and as if they would help her. He loved her! She had said it to her self a thousand times all through the long afternoon. the dragging evening. He‘lov- cd her. It. was so strange. so incredible. They had only met three or four times: they had said so little to each other. Why. she could remember almost every Word. He loved her. had knelt to her. he had told her so in passionate Words, with looks which made her heart. tremble. her breath come fast as she recalled them. That is, he wanted her to be his wife, to give herself to him, to be_wit.h him al- ways. never to leave him. The sti‘angenese, the suddeniiess of the thing overwhelmed her so that she could not think of it calmly. He had asked her to think of it. to decide, to give him an answer. Why could she not? b‘he had always. hitherto. known her own mind. If anyone had asde her a question about the estate about the farm, she had known what to answer. important as the ques- tion might have been. But now she seemed as if her mind were paralysed. as if she could not decide. Was it be cause she had never thought of love: be- cause she had never dreamt that any- one would love her so much as to want to have her by his side for all his life? As she looked through the window at the moonlight on the lawn. she thought of him; called up the vision of his tall. graceful figure and handsome faceâ€"yes; he was handsome, she knew. But she had scarcely given a. thought to his face; and only felt that it was good to have him near her. to hear his 'talk in his deep voice, broken sometimes by the short laugh which sounded almost boyish. It had been good to have him near herâ€"â€" But then. she had been so lonely. had seen so few menâ€"scarcely any at allâ€"â€" he said. "The is. tha} music. whether the tune be a. dead march i Suppose when she met him next time, she. or. a-jig.‘ That isfivhat I should do if I were a. man; but I am only a girl, and it seems to me nowadays that men have more of the woman in them than we have." He stopped and stared at her in the moonlight. 3. dark frown on his face, his eyes heavy with doubt and suspicion. l "Look here. my girl.” he said. “you are, showing up in a new light to-night. You are talking as you mother used to talk. And you aren't doing it without a pur- pose. What is it? What grudge can you. a mere girl who has only known him for a. couple of days, have against Sir Ste- phen?" She smiled. . "Let. us say (that I am only concerned for my father's wounded pride and how or." she said. “Dr let us say that I have a. game of my own to play, and that I am asking you to help me while you gra- tify yOur own desire for revenge. Will you help me?" "Tell pieâ€"tell me what. your game is. Good vraciousi"â€"with a scowl. "Fancy you having a. game: it’sâ€"it's ridiculous!" "Almost as ridiculous as calling me a. girl and expecting to see me playing With a. doll or a hoop," she returned, calmly. “But. you needn't reply. I can see you mean to do it, like a good and indulgent father: and some day. perhaps soon. I will. like a good and dutiful daughter. tell you why 'I wanted you to do it. Is that you. Mr. Orme? Will I come and sing? Oh. yes. if you wish it. Where is the little dog?" she asked, looking up at him with a new expression in her langor- ous eyes. as she glided beside him. ."Aslecn on my bed.” replied Stafford, with a laugh. “1in man has turned him ed and made him a. luxurious couch with cushions thr_ or four times. but he would persist on ge ting on again. so he'll have to stav. I supp0se9" “Are you always so good-natured?" she aked. in a. low voice. "01' do you re- serve all your tenderness of heart for dogs and horsesâ€"ms Mr. Howard declares?" "Mr. Howard is too often an ass." marked Stafford. with a smile. “You shall choose your song, as it re- ward for your cxcrtions this afternoon." she said. as he led her to the piano. Most of the men in the crowd waiting eagerly for the exquisite voice would have been moved to the heart's core by her tone and the expression in her usualiy cold eyes. but Stafford was clothed in the armor of his great love, and only in- clined his head. “Thanks: anything you like." he said. with the proper amount of gratitude. She shot a glance at him and sank into the musicâ€"seat laiiguidly. But a moment afterwards, as if she could not help her- self, she was singing a. Tuscan love song. with a subdued passion even the blase audience re- cliisiered round . ~, - . in “hl‘h mulled i which snvs >0 much more than the mere \vorls. her. It. thrilled Stafford; but only with the desire to be near Ida. A desire thati became irresistible: and when she had finished he left the room. caught up his hat and overcoat and won: out of the house. As he did so. Mr. Falconer walked past l “'1”.L )lr. Grifi‘ew i ,5..;ll him into the smoking-room. berg was alone there. seated in a big armchair will) a cigar as black as .1 hat . have. fimugh; of nothing elseâ€"I wanted ‘ you truly as . and as long as a penliolder. Falconer wheeled a chair up to him. I l said “No.” told him that she could not love him. and he went away. leaving her for ever; would she be sorry? She turned away from the window sud- denly. nearly' stumbling over Donald, who was lying at her feet. his nose on his paws. his great eyes fixed sadly and spec- ulatively on her face. and caught up the book. But his face came between her and the page. and she put the book down and went into the hall. Her father was in the library, there was no sound in the house to drown the voice. the passionately pleading voice which rang in her ears. “I must go out," she said. "I shall be able to think in the air, shall be able to decide." She caught up a shawl and flung it carelessly over her head, quite uncon- scious that. the fleecy. rose-colored wool made an exquisite frame for the girlish loveliness of her face. and opening the door. went slowly down the broken. lich- en-covered steps. the two dogs following at her heels. - She drew in the been but balmy air With a. long breath. and looked up at the moon. now a. yellow crescent in the starry sky; and something in the beauty of the night, something subtly novel thrilled her with a strange sense of throbbing. puls- ing joy and happiness. underneath which lurked as subtle a fear and dread, the fear and dread of those who stand upon the threshold of the unknown; who, in passing that threshold. enter a world of strange things which they never more may leave. Love: what was it? if she could only tell! Did she feel it? Oh. What should she say to him when she met him: and when should she meet him? Perhaps he had come to regret his avowal to her. had been wear-led and disappointed by her coldness and would not come again! At the thought her heart- contracted as if at the touch of an icy hand. But the next moment it leapt with a suffocating sense of mystery. of half-fearful joy. for she saw-him coming across the lawn to her. and heard her name. spoken as it had never yet been spoken excepting by him: and she stood. still as a statue. as he held out his hand and. looking into her eyes. murmured her name again: \“Idai!” (‘IIAPTER XVIII. "Ida!" It was the lover's cry of appeal. the prayer for love uttered by the heart that loves passionately; and it went straight to her own heart. She put. out her hand. and he took it and held it in both his. "I have come for your answer." he said the low voice that thrills: the voice "I Could not waitâ€"I tried to keep from you until tomorrow; but. it \\';i; of no use. I am here. you :2e. and I want your answer. Don‘t tell me it. is 'Xo!‘ Trust me. Idaâ€"strust to my love for vou. I will devote my life to trying to make you happy. Ali. but» you know! is your answer.‘7 Have you thought promised me you would think?" "I have thought." she said. at last. 1‘. \\' Cl _‘ "I to tell you the truthâ€":0 tell I would to myselfâ€"but it is so hard to and. in his blunt fashion. said: knowâ€" Sometimes \vlicn I think that You are. in this .railwuy scheme ofly.,u may go away. and that I may not Danie sbrtgiflgnbsrgw see you again. my heart sinks, and I a. . i en eia nodded. reg}, oh. so wretched. “And you?" “Yes.” said Falconer. succinctly. “I am joining. I suppose it's all right: Orme will be able to carry it through?" Gi‘itfenberg emitted :1 thick cloud of” smoke. “It will try him a bit. It's a question of anltfll'blg capital. I'm helping him: got his Oriental shares :is cover. A bit awkward for me. for I'm rather piislied-denlv they grew moi..:_ just. now~iliat State loan. you know." Falconer nodded. “I know. See here: I'll shares from vou, if you like. and eav nothing about it." llr. Griffenberg eyed his rugged face keenly. take if you'll companions - pale He walled for no more. but caught her to him. and as she lay in his arms only slightly struggling. her face upturned. be bent his own. almost white 'inIh passion, and kixed her on the lips. and not once? only. The blood rushed in her face. her bosom rose and fell. and. her face growl! :igziin. her or“: gazed up in:o hie half fiercely. half appealingly; then sud‘ as if with tears. and from the words of surrenl her lips (liiii‘ci‘ed. as if iiivoluniarilv. those er. the maiden confession: “I love you!" He uiiered a low. sharp cry. the cxpr-s- sion of his heart‘s delight. his soul 5 tr;- umph. them came. ' "You love me! Ida! Howâ€"mow do you knowvwlicn’” She shook her head and sighed. as she pressed her cheek against his breast. "I don't know. It was just nowâ€"the mo- ment when you kissed me. Then it came to me suddciily~the knowledgeutbc truth. It was as if a flash of light had revealed it to me. Oh. yes. I love you. I wish-almost I wish that I did not. forâ€" it hurts me!" She pressed her hand to her heart and gazed up at him with the wonder of a child who is meeting its first experience of the strange commingling of pain and joy. He raised her in his arms until her face was against his. “I kllOWflloal‘fisi." ho said, almost. in a. whisper. “It is lovevit is always so. I think. My heart. is aching with longing for you. and yet I am happy‘how happy! And you? Tell me. Ida?" "Yes. I am happy." she breathed. with a deep sigh, as she ncstled still closer to him. “It is all so strangeeso unreal!" "Not unreal. dearest." he said, as they walked under the trees. her head against his shoulder. his arm round her waist and supporting her. "It is rcal enough. this love of mine~whicli will last me till my death. I know; and yours?" She gazed straight before her dreaniily. "There can be no heaven without you. without your love,” she answered. with a FOll‘lllll note in her sweet voice. Ilc pressed her to him. “And you have thought it all out. You have realized that you will be my wifeâ€" my very own." “Yes.” she said. "I know now. I know that. I am giving you myself. that I am l)l.’l('ill°‘ all my life in your hands." "God help mo to guard it and make it happy!" he said; then he laughed. “I have no fear! I will make you happy! Ida! Iâ€"I feel that I shall. Do you uii-l dcrstand what I mean? I feel as if I had been set apart. chosen from all the mil- lions of men. to love you and cherish you and make you harpy! And you. Ida?" .She looked up at him with the same farvaway. dreamy expression in her won- derful eyes. "Now at. this moment I felt that I. too, have been set apart for you: is it because vou have just said the same? No. because I felt it. when you kissed me just now. Ah. I am glad you did it! If you had not I might not have known that I loved you, might have let you go for ever. thinking thatt I did not care. It was your kiss that opened my heart to me and showed meâ€"" He bent over her until his lips nearly touched hers. “Kiss me in return-of your own ac- cord. Ida! But once, if you will; but kiss me!" Without a. blush. solemnly as if it were a sacrament. she raised her head and kissed him on the lips. There fell a silence. them. in the soft shimmer of the cros- cent moon. became an enchanted region, the land that never was on earth or sea. the land of love. in which all that dwell_ therein move in the glamor of the sac,- red Fire of. Love. Stafford broke it. at last. It is the man who cannot be contented with silence: he thirsts for his mistress‘s voice. “Dearest. what shall I do? You must tell me." he said. as if he had been think- The world around . ing. “1 will do whatever you wish, what- ever you think best. I‘ve a strong sus-i picion that you're the cleverer of us: that l you’ve got more brains in this swee‘. lit- the finger of yours than I've got in my clumsy headâ€"" She laughed softly and looked at the head which he had libelled, the shapely head with its close-cut hair which. sliding her hand up, she touched caressiugdy. “Shall I come to your father tomorrow. Ida? I will ride over after breakfastâ€" before, if you like; if I had my way I‘d patrol up and down here all night until it was a. decent time to call upon him." She nestled a little closer to him. and her brows came level with sudden grav- ity and doubt. “My father! I had not thought of him â€"of what he would sayâ€"do. But I know! Heâ€"he will be very angry," she said, in a low voice. ‘ ‘Will he? Why?" Stafford asked. "Of course I know I‘m not worthy of you. Ida; no living man is!" “Not worthy!" She smiled at him with the woman's worship already dawning in her deep grey eyes. "It is I who am not worthy. Why. think! I am only an inexperienced girl ‘living the life of Li. farmer's daughter. We are very poor»oli, you do not know how poor! We are almost as poor as the smallest tenant, though we live in this big house. and are still regarded as great beopleâ€"ihe Herons of Herondale." “That‘s one of the things I have been thinking of." said Siafiord. "What love- ly hair you have. Ida! It is not often that dark hair is so soft, is it?" He bent down and drew a lock, which his caresses had released. across her lips. and kissed her through it. (To be continued.) ~i< .\ GED 1'.S. SEN ATOR. ‘ Senator Isaac Stephenson Is (‘aina- dian Born. “I have no specific rules on longâ€" evity to offer." said United States Senator Isaac Stephenson on the llsth of June. when he was 55 years} old. “I believe my long life until good health is (lite to the fact thatf so much of DIV/youth was spent in. the open. Many is the time I’vel slept on the snow in the woods} Just think right and live right. and. spend as much of your time in the} outâ€"ofâ€"door world as you can and} you‘ll be as young; as I am at 85.{ Why. I don't feel a day older than. :20." i ll did the day I was tall ‘ By reason of strength this Islender man has reached more than ifourscore years. and his boast is lthat he has worked hard ever since i he was a small boy in Fredericton. New Brunswick. l . According to Senator Stephen- ison it is the idler who will be cut 1»off years before the allotted span of three-score years and ten. given- an even chance with the man who: works. i "Work is the greatest blessing; on earth.” be repeated. "workl and the open airi” | Also Richest )lnii. ! l l l I l l The oldest man in Congress 1 also me richest. and he carries 1 responsibility of one distinction a simplv and naturally as the other. It is a far Ci‘v from the boy in New Brunswick. who canced up: .the St. John‘s River on a logging ‘t'l‘lp when he was ll years old. to .ilie United States Senator from Wisconsin. who, when he was 84, Congress is also one of the five men fumbled a. check for $7,000,000 in his fingers. ' “I've just sold a little lumber,” he said to the Senator across the aisle. And that was only one of many checks made payable to Uncle lke Stephenson in the seven- tvâ€"tliree years since he began work in a lumber camp. Senator Stephenson lives on It farm at Marinetie. WK. where his chief enjoyment is his horses and cows. Perclierons and Holsteins. \VIN‘I‘RHS he takes pride and dqliglit in his horses and has for more than fifty years. lie confesses to an everâ€" lncreasing fondness and admiration for the gentle, placid cow. He says that the cow is a pliilo» Soplll‘al animal, practicing pm tience and calmness in a. way that. is soothing to behold. and that: should be a perpetual lesson to all mankind. Perhaps it is because as. he inâ€" sists. the cow has a really beautiful personality that he gives each one " ‘sister had reached the house, “do Senator‘Stephenson. of the kine he loves best- alrie‘ndly, familiar name. the most disting- uished of which is Pauline. She was presented to President Taft and his family. and figured con- spicuously in the domestic history of the last administration. His Whiskers Not White. The oldest and richest man in in the United States Senate who wear whiskers, and be it recorded to his youth they are not white. They are no grayer than Senator Lodge's trim. proper, New Eng- land cut- of Beard. although he is' __~_______________« I twenty~one years younger; Senator O’Gorman of New York was not' born until Senator Stephenson was" 31 years old, and yet his beard is as iron-gray as that of the man who" was 85 years old the 18th of June,” both Senator Lewis of Illinois, the the youngest man in the Senate to wear ll. beard. and Senator Suther- land of Utah. only a few years oldâ€" 91'. are still untouched with the: streaks of white. A smooth shaven. handsome chop approached Senator Stephenson nul; long ago on the subject. of beards. “Why do you wear whiskers,l anyway. Mr. Senator, in this hot' weather l” “Well. now. my boy.” said Un< cle Ike. “when I was a. lumber jack up there in \Viscnnsinâ€"were you ‘ever up there in that part of the Country in the winter?” The smooth sliaven, handsome young man confessed to knowing nothing about northern Wisconsin at any time of the year except as ihe saw it on the map. “Well. it’s cold.” said the Sena.‘ gtor with one of his kindly. whimsi-‘ .cal smiles. Ethroat. as well as for many other. “and "to protect my‘ practical reasons. I let my beard‘ grow. And now”â€"lie hesitated,f “well. now. I’m used to it, and I've never found any sufficient reaâ€"‘ ' ' . ' ' 1: son to take it off. So~theie it is. ____»xa__ Slic Ilad Tried Electricity. Mrs. Carter had suffered from rheumatism until she declared that she had “no patience with it,” but 'she was always eager to hear of possible remedies. and when her. sister wrote that she knew of a. cure that had been tried with great suc- cess. and would tell her all about it on her next visit, Mrs. Carter was all excitement. “Now, Ellen,” she exclaimed,z eagerly. a. few minutes after 'hveri tell me about that cure for rheaâ€"j matism! I am so anxious to hear about it that I could hardly wait for you to get here.” “Well, Caroline,” began her sis- ter, “it’s electricityâ€"” Before she could continue, Mrs. Carter interrupted he-r. . , “Caroline Smith! The idea. of suggesting that to me! 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