The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

..J*** f • J . . • . •.„. ---••- •-• ^;-- MZ&M. ®ffsg y Vt. y •--fa/ ' 'JE "* *•*- << «. ' - -. v/.V : HiS TIME WAS SmRt hV^SSfc /*jj* lWIOHB 'Aumoaor "iMRACinmeA." "A£HHm"£7rM '$ ilUtSTmtOWW VJ. WE/L$ if+PWUGHT /9G7 BY /nstA/tjatt QRAWfXVW «*r>' T** P, \ 'A **1W> . , r„.. Mp va^Torp Was i)' pmomi-h*;' " Jtaralca, a Tartar girl, became enamored ei a golden bearded stranger who was Mpsupecttng and studying herbs la the' Wcinity of her home in central Asia, and revealed to him the location of a mine at rubies hoping that the stranger would lftve her in return for her disclosure. They were followed to the cave by the ftl-l's relatives, who blocked up the en­ trance, and drew off the water supply, leaving the couple to die. Baraka's cousin her betrothed, attempted to climb •aad, ng the mine; but The stranger was the traveler shot htm. f»vived from a water gourd Saad car- Had, dug his way out or the tunnel, and itpartert, deserting the girl and carrying • bag of rubies. Baraka gathered all the fwns she could carry, and started in pur­ suit. Margaret Donne (Margarita da Cordova), a famous prima donna, became •ngaged in London to Konstantin Lo- BOtheti, a wealthy Greek financier. Her intimate friend was Countess Leven, known as Lady Maud, whose husband had been killed by a bomb in St Peters- Srg; and Lady Maud's most intimate end was Rufus Van Torp. an Ameri­ can, who had been a cowboy in early life, but had become one of the richest men in the world. Van Torp was in love with Margaret, and rushed to London as •ocii as he heard of her betrothal. He Offered Lady Maud $5,000,000 for her pet Charity if she would aid him in winning the singer from Logotheti. Baraka ap- ptoached Logotheti at Versailles with rubles to sell. He presented a ruby to rgaret. Van Torp bought a yacht and it It to Venice. He was visited to In male attire. CHAPTER JV.--Continued. - - But Barak now understood -what he «M going to do, and ran before him, fend stood before the door in an atti­ tude which expressed entreaty so clearly that Mr. Van Torp was puz- sled. "Well," he said, standing still and looking into the beautiful Imploring eyes, "what on earth do you want now, Miss Barrack? Try and explain ffurself." , , A very singular . conversation j>y Aligns now began. !• , -V Barak pointed to the waistcoat pock­ et into which he had put the stone. Tbe matter concerned that, of course, and Van Torp nodded. Next, though after considerable difficulty, she made Mm understand that she was asking, fcow he had got it, and when this was efessr, he answered by pretending to count out coins with his right hand Ob the palm of Ills left to explain that he had bought it. There was no mis­ taking this, and Barak nodded Quickly and went on to her next question. She wanted to know what kind of a Man had sold him the ruby. She Im­ provised a pretty little dumb'show in which she represented the seller and llr. Van Torp the buyer of the ruby, and then by gestures she asked if the Ulan who sold it was tall. .. Van Torp raised his hand several inches higher than his own head. He had bought the ruby from a very tall •tan. Putting both hands to her chin aBd then drawing them down as if stroking a long beard, she inquired if tile man had one, and again the an­ swer was affirmative. She nodded ex­ citedly and pointed first to Van Torp's sandy hair and then to her own short black locks. The American pointed to his own, and then touched his watch- chain and smiled. The man's hair was fair, and even golden. By a sim­ ilar process she ascertained that his eyes were blue and not black, and her •Vdtement grew. Last of all she tried to ask where the man was, but it was aome time before she could make Mr. Van Torp understand what she meant. As if to help her out of her difficulty, the sun shone through the clouds at that moment and streamed into the room; she pointed to it at once, turned her back to it, and then held Mt her right hand to indicate the j.Ctat, and her 'left to the west. "Oh, yes," said Van Torp, who had Men Indians do the same thing, "it JB&s west of here that I bought it of JUm, a good way west." He pointed in that direction, and ;«i(iriift:'o«t1 would make it reach much further If he could. At this Barak looked deeply disappointed. Several times, to show that she meant London, or at least England, she pointed to the floor at her feet and looked inquiringly at Van Torp, but he shook his head and pointed to the west again, and made a gesture that meant crossing some­ thing. He spoke to her as if ahe could understand. "I've got your meaning,1* he said. "You're after the* big man with the yellow beard, who is selling rubies from the same place, and has very likely gone off with younf. He looked like a bad egg in spite of his hand­ some face." He turned'his eyes thoughtfully to the Window. Barak plucked gently at his sleeve and pretended to write In the palm of her left hand, and then went through all the descriptive ges­ tures again, and then once more pre­ tended to write, and coaxingly pushed him towards a little table on which the saw writing materials. "You'd like to have hi* address, would you, Miss Barrak? I wonder why you don't call in your Interpreter and tell me so. It would be much simpler than all this dumb crambo." Once more he made a step towards the door, but she caught at his sleeve and entreated him in her own lan­ guage not to call any one; and her voice was so dellclously soft and be­ seeching that he yielded, and sat down at the small table and wrote out an address from memory. He handed her the half-sheet of paper when he had dried the writing and had looked over it carefully. "Poor little thing!" he said in a tone of pity. "If you ever find him he'll eat you." Barak again showed signs of great emotion when she put the address into an inside pocket of her man's coat, but it was not of the same kind as before. She took Van Torp's big hand in both her own, and, bending down, she laid it on her head, meaning that he might dispose of her life ever afterwards. But he did not under­ stand. "You want my blessing, do you, Miss Barrapk? Some people don't think Brassy Van Torp's blessing worth much, young lady, but you're welcome to it, such as it is." He patted her thick hair and smiled as she looked up, and her eyes were dewy with tears. "That's all right, mjr dear," .Jm» said. "Don't cry!" She smiled, too, because his tone was kind, and, standing up, she took out her little leathern bag again quick­ ly, emptied the twists of paper into her hand, selected one by touch, and slipped the rest back. She unwrapped a large stone and held it up to the light, turning it a little as she did so. Van Torp watched her with curiosity, and with an amused suspicion that she had perhaps played the whole scene in order to mollify him and in­ duce him to buy something. So many people had played much more elabo­ rate tricks in the hope of getting money from him, and the stones might be imitations after all, in spite of Lo­ gotheti!* penciled line of recommenda­ tion. But Barak's next action took Van Torp by surprise. To his amazement, she pressed the ruby lightly to her heart, then to her lips, and last of all to her forehead, and before he knew what she was doing she had placed it in his right hand and closed his fin­ gers upon it. It was a thank-offering. "Nonsense!" objected the milllon- iare, smiling, but holding out the stone to her. "It's very sweet of you, but you don't mean it, and I don't take s * ;**rr 11m etone, Indeed, sir, presents like that. "Why, Ufa worth |t ' thousand pounds in Bond street any day!" But she put her hands behind her back and shook her head, to show that she would not take it back. Then with her empty band she again touched her heart, her Hps and forhead, and turned towards the door. "Here, stop!" said Mr. Van Torp, going after her. "I can't take this thing! See here, I say! Put it hack into your pocket!" She turned and met him, and made a gesture of protest and entreaty, as if earnestly begging him to keep the gem. He looked at her keenly, and he was a Judge of humanity, and saw that she was hurt by his refusal. As a last resource, he took out his pock­ et-book and showed her a Quantity of folded bank notes. "Well," he said, "since you insist. Miss Barrack, HI buy the sione of you, but I'll be everlastingly jiggered if 1*11 take it for nothing." Barak's eyes suddenly flashed in a most surprising way, her lower lip pouted, and her cheek faintly changed color, as a drop of scarlet pomegranate juice will tinge a bowl of cream. She made one step forwards, plucked the stone from his fingers, rather than took it, and with a quick, but girlish­ ly awkward movement, threw it to­ wards the window as hard as she could, stamping angrily with her little foot at the same moment. Mr. Van Torp was extremely disconcerted, as he sometimes was by the sudden ac­ tions of the sex he did not under­ stand. Fortunately the stone hit the wall instead of going out of the win­ dow. "I'm really sorry, Miss Barrack," he said in a tone of humble apology, and he went quickly and picked up the gem. "I hadn't quite understood, you see." . She watched him, and drew back in­ stinctively towards the door, as If ex­ pecting that he would again try to give It back to her. But he shook his head now, bowed with all the grace he could affect, which was little, and by way of making her feel that he accepted the gift, he pressed it to his heart, as she had done, and to his lips, but not to his forehead, because he was afraid that might cause some new mistake, as he did not know what the gesture meant Barak's face changed instantly; she smiled, nodded, and waved her hand to him, to say that it was all right, and that she was quite satisfied. Then she made a sort of salute that he thought very graceful indeed, as if sbs were taking something from near the floor and laying it on her forehead, and she laughed softly and was out of the room and had shut the door before he could call her back again. He stood still In the middle of the room, looking at the gem in his hand with an expression of grave doubt. „ "Well," he said to himself, and his hps formed the words, though no sound articulated them, "that's a queer sort of a morning's work, anyway." He reflected that the very last thing he had ever expected was a present of a fine ruby from a pretty heathen girl in man's clothes, recommended to him by Logotheti. Though he almost laughed at the thought when it oc­ curred to him, he did not like the idea of keeping the stone; yet he did not know what to do with It, for it was more than probable that he was never to aee Barak again, and if he ever did, it was at least likely that she would refuse to take back her gift, and as energetically as on the first occasion. At that moment it occurred to him that he might sell it to a dealer and give the proceeds to Lady Maud for her good work, and taking his hat and gloves he went out immediately/ with-om even telling Stemp that he was going. He walked up at a leisurely pace frtan his hotel by the river to Piccadil­ ly and Bond street, and entered a jew­ eler's shop of modest appearance but ancient reputation, which had been in the same place for nearly a century, and had previously been on the other side of the street Outside, two well-dressed men were, looking at the things in the window; within, a broad-shouldered, smart- looking man with black hair and dressed in perfectly new blue serge was sitting by the' counter with his back to the door, talking with the old jeweler himself. He turned on the chair when he heard the new-comer's step, and Mr. Van Torp found himself face to face with Konstantin Logo­ theti, whom he had supposed to be in Paris. "Well," he said, without betraying the surprise he felt, "this is what I call a very pleasant accident, Mr. Lo­ gotheti." The Greek rose and shook hands, and the American did not fail to ob­ serve on the counter a small piece of tissue paper on which lay an uncut stone, much larger than the one ho had in his pocket "If you are in any hurry," aaid Lo­ gotheti politely, "I don't mind waiting in the least Mr. Pinney and I are in the midst of a discussion that may never end, and I believe neither of us has anything in the world to do." Mr. Pinney smiled benignly and put in a word in the mercantile plural, which differs from that of royalty in being used every day. "The truth is, we are Hot very busy just at this time of Che year," he said. ? "That's very kind of you, Mr. Logo­ theti," said Van Torp, answering the latter, "but I'm not really In a hurry, thank you." The stress he laid on the word "real­ ly" might have led one to the conclu­ sion that he was pretending to be, but was not. He sat down deliberately at a little distance, took off his hat, and looked at the gem on the counter. "I don't know anything about such things, of course," he said in a tone of reflection, "but I should think that was quite a nice ruby." Again Mr. Pinney smiled benignly, for Mr. Van Torp had dealt with him for years. ^ * * Tf ^ ^ ' ' t e c * : he siaid, then tnrned to Logo­ theti again. "I think we can under­ take to cut it for you in London." he said. "I will weigh it and give you a careful estimate."* As a matter of fact before Van Torp entered, Logotheti had got so far as the question of setting the gem for a lady's ring, but Mr. Pinney, like all the great jewelers, was as discreet and tactful as a professional diplo­ matist. How could he be sure that one customer might like another to know about a ring ordered for a lady? If Logotheti preferred secrecy, he would only have to assent and go away, as if leaving the ruby to be cut and he could look In again when it was convenient; and this was what he at once decided to do. % think you're right Mr.. Pinney," he said- "I shall leave it in your hands. That's really all," he added, turning to Mr. Van Trop. "Really? My business won't take long either, and we'll go together, if you like, and have a little chat I only came to get another of those ex­ tra large collarstuds you make for me, Mr. Pinney. Have you got another?" "We always keep them in stock for your convenience, sir," answered the famous jeweler, opening a special lit­ tle drawer behind the counter and producing a very small morocco case. Mr. Van Torp did not even open It, and had already laid down the money, for he knew precisely what it cost "Thanks," he said. "You're always so obliging about little things, Mr. Pintiey." "Thank you, sir. We do our best. Good-morning, sir, good-morning." The two "millionaires went out to­ gether. Two well-dressed men stood aside to let them pass and then en­ tered the shop. "Which way?" asked Logotheti "Your way," answered the Amer­ ican. 'Tve nothing to do." "Nor have I," laughed the Greek. "Nothing In the world! What can anybody find to do In London at this time of year?* ' v "I'm sure I don't know," echoed Van Torp, pleasantly. "I supposed you were on the continent somewhere." "And I thought you were in Amer­ ica, and so, of course, we' meet at old Pinney's in London!" "Really! Did you think I was in America? Your friend, the heathen girl in boy's clothes, brpught me your card this morning. I supposed you knew I was here." "No, but I thought you might be, within six months, and I gave her sev­ eral cards for people I know. So she found you out! She's a born ferret-- she would find anything. Did you buy anything of her?" "No. I'm not buying rubies to-day. Much obliged for sending her, all the same. You take an interest in her, I suppose, Mr, Logotheti? Is that so?" "I?" Logotheti laughed a little. "No, Indeed! Those days were long ago. I'm engaged to be married." "By the bye, yes. I'd heard that, and I meant to congratulate you. I do now, anyway. When is it to be? Set­ tled that yet?" "Some time in October, I think. 80 you guessed that Barak is a girl." "Yes, that's right I guessed she was. Do you know anything about her?" Logotheti- told his companion the story of tiie ruby mine, substantially as it was narrated at the beginning of this tale, not dreaming that Van Torp had perhaps met and talked with the man who had played so large a part in it, and to find whom Baraka had traversed many dangers and over­ come many difficulties. "It sounds like the 'Arabian Nights'," said Mr. Van Torp, as If he found it hard to believe. "Exactly," assented Logotheti. "And, oddly enough, the first of those stories is about Samarkand, which is not so far from Baraka's native village. It seems to have taken the girl about a year to find her way to Constantino­ ple, and when she got there she natur- ally supposed that it was the capital of the world, and that her man, being very great and very rich, thanks to her, must of course live there. So Bhe searched Stamboul and Para for him, during seven or eight months. She lived in the house of a good old Per­ sian merchant, under the protection of his wife, and learned that there was a world called Europe where her man might be living, and cities called Paris apd London, where people pay fabu­ lous prices for precious stones. Per­ sian merchants are generally well-edu­ cated men, you know. At last she made up her mind to dress like a man. She picked up an honest Turkish mat*- servant who had been all over Europe with a diplomatist and could speak some French and English as well as Tartar, she got a letter of recommen­ dation to me from a Greek banker, through the Persian who did business with him, joined some Greeks who were coming to Marseilles by sea, and here she is. Now you know as much as I do. She is perfectly fearless, and as much more sure of herself than any man ever was, as some young women can be in this queer world. Qf course, she'll never find the brute who thought he was leaving her to be mur­ dered by her relations, but if she ever did, she would either marry him or cut his throat" "Nice, amiable kind of girl," re­ marked Mr. Van Torp, who remem­ bered her behaviour when he had re­ fused her proffered gift "That's very interesting, Mr. Logotheti. How long do you count on being in London this time? Three or four days, maybe?" "I dare say. No longer, I fancy." "Why don't you come and take din­ ner with me some night?" asked the American. . "Day after to-morrow, perhaps. I'd be pleased to have you." "Thank you very much," Logotheti answered. "Since you ask me, I see no reason why I should not dine* witn you, if you want me." They agreed upon the plaoa and hour, and each suddenly remembered an engagement "By the way," said Mr. Van Torp, Without apparent interest, "I hore ? '"3M 1 She--What do you " mean, Lieut. Schmidt? You have known me .onlf^J two days and want to kiss me? ,1s He--Cant help it! ' jfy leave Is u» to-»errow. ^ SORE EYES CUREtt. . 7 Ky*0afl» and Lids flecame TwrfSSTjf inflamed--Was Unable to Go Aboufc* --All Other Treatments Failed, But« "Where's 8fie Hiding from You?" Mme. Cordova is quite well? WlAre's she hiding from you?" "Just now the hiding-place is Bay- reuth. She's gone there with Mrs. Rushmore to hear 'Parsifal.' I be­ lieve I'm not musical enough for that so I'm roving till it's over. That's my personal history at this moment! And Miss Donne is quite well, I believe, thank you." "I notice you call her 'Miss Donne' when you speak of her," said Van Torp. "Excuse me if I made a mis­ take just now. I've always called her Mme. Cordova." "It doesn't matter at all," answered Logotheti carelessly, "but 1 believe she prefers to be called by her own name amongst friends. Good-by till day after to-morrow, then." "At half after eight" "All right--half-past--I sImUI ro- member." > But at two o'clock, on the next day but one, Logotheti received a note brought by hand, in which Mr. Van Torp said that to his great regret he had been called away suddenly, and hoped that Logotheti would forgive him, as the matter was of such urgent importance that he would have al ready left London when the note was received. This was more than true, if pos­ sible, for the writer had left town two days earlier, very soon after he had parted from Logotheti in Pall Mall, although the note had not been delivered till 48 hours later. CHAPTER V. Mr. Van Tol-p knew no mere about Bayreuth than about Samarkand, be­ yond the fact that at certain stated times performances of Wagner's operas were given there with as much solemnity as great religious festivals, and that musical people spoke of th« Bayreuth season in a curiously rever> ent manner. He would have been much surprised if any one had told him that he often whistled fragments of "Parsifal" to himself and liked the sound of them; for he had a natural ear and a good memory, and had whistled remarkably well when he was a boy. The truth about this seemingly im* possible circumstance was really verj simple. In what he called his cow< punching days, he had been for sii months in company with two young men who used to whistle softly to­ gether by the hour beside the camp fire, and none of the other "boys" had ever heard the strange tunes the? seemed to like best but Van Tory had caught and remembered many fragments, almost unconsciously, and he whistled them to himself because they gave him a sensation which no "real music" ever did. Extraordinary natures, like his, are often endowed with unnoticed gifts and tastes quite unlike those of most people. No ons knew anything about the young men who whistled Wagner; the "Lost Legion" hides many secrets, and the two were not popular with the rest, though they knew their business and did their work fairly welL One ol them was afterwards said to have been killed In a shooting affray and the other had disappeared about the same time, no one knew how, or cared, though Mr. Van Torp thought he had recognized him once many years later. They were neither Amer­ icans nor Englishmen, though they both spoke English well, and never were heard to use any other language^ (TO BE CONTINUED.) t Uticura Proved Succeseft& v^, M - * / ; • • • - - • • • i * r "About two years ago my eyes in such a condition that I was unablo to go about They were terribly ' flamed, both the balls and lids. I. tried home remedies without rellafcL Then I decided to go to our family physician, but he didn't help them. Then I tried two more of our most., prominent physicians, but my eyea' grew continually worse. At this timo a friend of mine advised me to tir Cuticura Ointment and after using tt : about one week my eyes were co» siderably Improved, and in two weefes they were almost well. They havO! never given me any trouble since ami I am now sixty-five years old. I shall always praise Cuticura. G. B. Haleej^ Mouth of Wilson, Va., Apr. 4, 1908 MM Ons * Qwm. Oaip* Sole Prop*, BoitS ; 8§?f • The man who can maintain a repu­ tation for wisdom in the presence of youth just out of college is a wondeg. /•* J SallsandCasior AJ|-kd stuff--never core, ^Jrll only makes bowels move btr cause it irritate} and sweats then* like poking finger in your eye, Thebes* Boutoi Medicine is Catoarmt* Every Salts and Castor Oil user should get a box of CASCARETS and ttjr them just mica. Ywill COT THIS OUT, mall it with tou SterlitJK Remedy Co., Chicago, lit., f ..... , imdncti|fe a bandmM •ouveujj gold Bon Bou FRjEJ^ A B S 0 R m mi Bruise or Joke Cost Humorist a $5' Hat Intended Vlettm Got "Wise" to Trick and Thereby Saved His Prised Panama Head Covering: James Mullln, an offiee holder at the Philadelphia navy yard, Joined the bareheaded walking pedestrian club a few nights ago--not as a matter of choice, however. In supervising the assortment of some old material In the yard during the day referred to, there was under his supervision a big colored fellow, who seemed to be shy a good hat. Taking this occasion to get a joke off on his superior officer, he ad­ dressed his workman: "Sam, you seem to be in need of a good hat. I bave one TU give you. Go over to building No. 24 and enter the private office, where you will see a panama hat, which I have discard­ ed. Use that. I would rather let you have it than throw it away." gam went, but instead of finding the office unoccupied, as Mullin thought the man on whom the trick was to be played was present ajsi when Sam told his mission he at once saw the plot, and retaliated. "Well, Sam," he said, "I have de­ cided to ask Mullin for that hat my­ self, but I will give you a good derby of mine that does not fit me." Handing the hat to Sam, he left for the gats, if tt was tkae to quit for (Is day. The derby was the property of Mullin, who took the joke very well, but Is suffering the loss of a $5 hat- Philadelphia Times. - And the Judge Dreamed<4$flk While trying an old woman on a charge of stealing faggots a judge who had acquired th« habit of thinking aloud unconsciously exclaimed: "Why, one faggot is as like another faggot as one egg is Ilk* another egg." The counsel defending the easi beard the observatien and repeated it to the jury, whereupon the judge cried: "Stop; it Is an' Intervention of Providence. This was the very thought that passed through my mind Gentlemen (addressing ahe jury), ac­ quit the prisoner."--London Newa Papa's Superior Knowledge. "In some way, George, papa has found out that you are a poet" said the fair girl to the youth with uncut hair. "That's where your papa has the ad vantage of the critics," said the voting man a little bitterly. Just Suited Him. The Landlady---"At ov table, Mt Bjinks, it Is the custom to returi thanks at each meal." The Nee Boarder--"Tint's fine! I tike tt Jot ?w.: V -& I*. ,, •> MX* ••J*'«- • not Blister. >y tluThoi** np. • Horse Book 11 ABSORBIME, JR., (mankind II ami 0 . Wot Synovitis, Strains. Gouty .or Uhf-a«Mrtl« . posit*, Vsricoao Vt'ina, V*rlcoefie, Hydroe Xilavs pain. Tour druggist can supply.*nr reference*. Wtl! tell you more If von wnt*. tor free book and UnAiiuoniuls. Mid. only agr w. ». norxo. v. v, r., tie »«•»!• »«. KNOWN SINCE iS.56AsRELiABL t. _ kl'C TRADE MAPr. , b l A C K CAPSULES SUPERIOR REMEDY -URINARY OMHAF.-t. DRUGGISTS o* 8* MAIL an RECE :>0 , M.PLANTEN& S0N.93HENRY ^TbK0h.v A Light or a Cloae Stave NO STROPPING NO HONING KNOWN THE WORLD ova IS YOUR DOG SICK* The «ws-iig<0 dog-ownt-» knows Bothnia about sieg Aogs. Polk Miller's txvU OB " Diseases of IKigi • ti <1 Their Tret«- K i t - a t " t o l l s a l l a f i o u l ffietu, No di>g-o»n. r can afford to t>« witboui ii. gent Free for 2o stamp, rauil XILLIK DBrS CO. Strwt, KitfcaMuL, V*. " PARKER'S Pracnatw * haurtot PW Haver Hair to 1U VonWrtf. Can* nip diaaMikM id OLD SORES CURED Allen's ncprin*SalvVouresChroi»i«'»>l£!«**»*Blie I l«-er»,S<Tofulo«is I lc»>ry.yarioogg t^lfr»J||- dolont (!lr«rs,M«rruri»l bitr.Mllb I,**,Fever Sorfs. JFMWWbMt BfiONCHlAl. TBOCHSS oi sujvho* tMtit imtctisving Hoai*cntss ani Imutcoa ol throat; oi .V. IB Luiij; Ttoubl«£, Bronchitis And Aitlua*. WttSi from opiilti or aiiv bArmiul in£T«di«at. Price, 25 ,-crta, 50 c«nt* $i.00 per bcoh Satnif!* raquot. !OHJ4 I.. JTN & SON.. Boston.. A DOSE Or I! * ,