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‘next room to you, sir." , . cationsâ€"the quick approach of steps upon the feeble hands thin3 now held me_ He ‘ ‘ I. ‘ AN‘., I .,\l‘ t ' . . . - 3 5 . I Q. i .‘ _ -.-._.-..- . . g ---I- wages of folly are harder than those of sin. Death isan easy escape ; to live and suffer ' is the greater penalty. Poor wife! \Vhat Q ' - - ' e are these fetters compared with hersâ€"fet- ‘ 'â€""-â€"â€" tered for life to a thing like me? Hearts CHAPTER III. I heard the thud, thud, thud of his feet, and don’t break, or surely hers could not best AN MP2, ‘ “um”, AND WE I saw the ray of his lantern swinging from on lovingly when the man she has regarded g r {Pd . h l be .m i b m - side to side as he ran across“ t e lawn. as share sinks to the supine brutal clod ahe Jute ' w“ 12.1?” I?" e“?! bid: There was no time for reflection. I threw found me to-night. Will she remember me Budd” 5;“?1' I “El” 13,"? e t.‘ myself on my chest; and the next moment I as she. last saw meâ€"indifferent to her caress, wqm‘ "5 .° elemt. 1:"; "'3 law“ .138 slid over the edge and came cluttering to the yet rancorously jealous of those who valued Cl’flnne-l. p‘ece' “elk . .1”ny .us‘ ho ground witha length of gutter that broke her sweetness moreâ€"only ceasing to tor- chmg“? Emmy?” the “gym?” Imp“ ‘0 5 away from the verandah edge under my meet her gentle spirit with inuendo and re- ds!” w ‘0 “re “‘3, er. d‘sczlery' f lweight. Before I could recover the use of proach when my senses were dulled with Loo" out there ' cue t 8 man mm ’ my feet, the policeman had seized me by the over-feeding? No, she will remember me by balm“ “ They,“ put out the lights m the ’ collar, and was grinding his knuckles into something better. Oh, if I were free now ! Doors were opened hastily in the corri the nape Of my neck” ' ah “that the“ ? - - , t. ” lve’ve go“ one 0'1 ’3“) anyhow,” sni e The devi.L was sic". the dcvi l a saint would do.” the “ho”! impeml‘w orders.“ men a i in a tone of truimph. “ Let’s have alook at ““ ' I voxces were mingled With the terrified sup~ yous, . . plioationa of women’s shriller tones. , ,. . . The door handle was tried ; then came a facitlehlgaggihm“ hm buuseye fun “1 my ’ The ffgtl'll grew well, the devils. saint was ie. No ; betierlgo to gaol. Yet it’s hardâ€"a young fellow of twentyâ€"to go and herd with felons. If mother were living now to see me thus. I’m glad she is dead. I never 8’“ ml" and a man calle'l‘" “ Ah, I thouolit I should see on a ain, " 1‘33.Th‘m.e ’ Ml“ “lane ! . my joker ' Yoou’re the young felylowI gpot- My“ WIfe’ ngmg to my alm’ gasped m ted on Richmond Hill." - 1' EPIY 31"” Y°1F° feared! “ud‘meâ€" . A distant whistle and the faint sound of thought to say “mix” ” “.hat '3 "2 . ,, . voices calling in another part of the grounds The polished steel of the handcuffs shim- " M185 Thane l MI” Thane l 3831": and In“, short, further comment. 6. before my eyes ; I think it was that then another voice, “ Hebe? Hlebe l” Apid u Hallo, they've got another of them up turned my memories back to the old home. with that there was} 3- "lOlent t 11W" ‘15 t e there,"c;ied he ; u here, sir, on must; take I fanCied I saw in the shining bend of the dopigttgigi: {plgélgrfggfizfjflsi gag“ can charge of this tenow while Â¥ mu to my fetters a reach of the river where as a lad I , _ ' ’ . . ' mate.” :gégggea: :ngbdtficogfigm fiégvfizgf .Old Thane,who had grappled on tolmy arm . k . t dy - ever an; 1 With a vigorous show of courage while there mo"? qmcf 'dwn’ e ""8 Yong?" d d was littlelikelihood ofmy esc iping from the :Ewijlfiflé’l‘eracgieci‘1‘32d: “3 0°" 8'“ constable’s firm grip, now showed the white I: What" is it: lisp“? B l . t1 feéfllsdh’t go away, constableâ€"don’t leave 0pc“ yom ‘oor' “’3 “'3 are m "3 l me alone with this desperate scouudrel,” used to sit with my rod by a gap in the reeds, through which one saw the flat meadow on the other side all red with sorrel. Then my thoughts wandered to the long,~ low work- shop behind our cottage, where I worked beside my father at the bench, making those famous oak presses for which he was famous all the country round. What a fine old fel- low he was, my father ! His workreflected his characterâ€"solid, and honest, and true. If I had been content to stick to the old craft as he did, I might have become a. man like him. But would Hebe have loved and married me ‘2 No. She was carried away with admiration for my genius. Genius ! I nevorhad it. Just enough skill as a carver of toys to pass in that out-of-the-way place, and to make the simple folks wonder. I recalled the day that old Mr. Nortlicote, the rector, brought Hebe to look at a panel I had carved. I had never seen her close before that time. She seemed altogether beyond my world. The rector made some commonplace remark about application and talent bringing one fame : and Hebe said, looking‘at me with glowing enthusiasm, “ Oh, yes ; you will be' great one of these days." And this is what I had sunk to! I could not dwell on these memories any longer. My brain swam with house. A light has been seen in here. " he cried . 3: I’m not equal to it. I can". be “ One moment," she .answered, and then , responsib’le for him a) turning to me, in a quick whisper she im- “ Very sorry, sigh“ you,“ have to be. plored me to hide. _ . I ~ , . What was the use of that! Their motive {£5,138 ;§,°;aga9;“v’lfls$° 83:51:“ 811551322; in entering the room was to search. Would .1 . a . the father leaye any corner of his daughter’s 2,131}: legzgtjm 1112,: (’ng (f Ilgzgigilmn £1: gfgnalil‘liiggéged 3 All that moment there Catchhold on him here, sir, and hold on “éfgzlioifi‘hfig crififilllfii: v32}; 05:11:32 With neat dexterity he had fished out it here the . age p, y' ’ pair of handcuffs from his pocket and Then fhere followeda confusion of sounds Closed thgm Witt-l a snap Upon my wrmts’ and now leavmg me in the old gentleman’s han ds 'â€"the smas’fing Of 1355 in the °°“3°”Y““3ry he bolted off to join the other constable. â€"a scuffleâ€"sharp lowsâ€"muttered impre- tight.” I might have easily wrenclied myself from lizards statistician: old as and the tone of off.” “Sm him v, “Over the lawn ',, terror in Winch he called upon his servants “ A-fter “ml?” mingled together and die to come to his assrstance showed that a slammin back of the conservatol' doorâ€" mere mgnnce on my part woum sumce to g y make him release me. But what chance of CHAPTER IV. A oouraxtox m anvxasrrv. The fog had thickened or the moon had sunk; certainly it was more obscure now i than it had been hitherto. But I knew the position of,the tool-house well, and that b keeping the path along the shubbery I should come ultimately through the garden to the paddock and so into the spinny. But, there, what was I to do! Without doubt the. gap in the paliugs through which I had entered would be guarded, and the ap- proaches to it would be dangerous. My chance ‘ay in feeling my way to the palings at some point between the wall and gap. But how could I succeed in crossing the wood without attracting attention by the snapping brittles under my feet. At every step advanced I risked a constable or one of the many servants who were scouring the place. The advantage afforded by the darkness was pretty evenly balanced by the disad- vantages. The path was perilous, yet I dared not leave it, for amongst the garden beds I might wander round and round in a circle until broad daylight. There was nothing for a guide but the gravel path. Happily my goloshes made my footsteps in- audible. I kept ou with my hands out- stretched, read at the slightest touch to spring back. ow and then my toe strik‘ ing against the box edging of the walk warned me that I wm going from the straight line ; but I had no other guide. The darkness seemed impenetrable. N ever- theless, when I had, as I thought, made a couple of hundred yards from my starting piint, I detected a little glimmer of light on the ground at a little distance from my foot as it touched an edging. I stopped, won- dering what it could be. Not a glowworm surely. I stooped down and bent forward 3 then I perceived clearly a chink' of light, such as might be seen through the ill- closed door of a dark lantern. Had a constable set it down that ’he might advance with less risk of discovnry. It seemed unlikely; yet I could not other- wise account for its being there. A lantern it was assuredly. A bold no‘tion struck me. I know that'it is more difficult to discern a man who flashes a light in your face them if he carried no light at all. If I took up the lantern and advanced boldly with it, I might find my way to. the palings quickly enough ; I might see danger before me and elsewhere by flashing it around me from time to time. No one would suspect a man carrying.au open lantern of being an escapin burglar. If I encountered any one I coul in a mo- jcape, he became garmlons‘ud communi- feet pattering over the grass and cluttering escape had I with my hands flattered ? I down the path. Then the comparative silence, broken only by the distant call of men to men in a distant part of the grounds. My senses came back to me, and with them decision and energy. “ Now is my time to escape,” I whispered to Hebe, I slipped to the window, drew aside the blind, and as swiftly and silently as I might lifted the sash. Outside it looked thicker and darker than ever. I could see nothing, but I knew that the verandah was not more than a yard below the window sill. “ Kitâ€"Kit, what are you going to do?” whispered my wife in terror, hearing the nigvemcnt of the sash, and coming to my 81 e. “ It’s all right. I can slip down from the verandah easily enough,” I answered. Bang! bang! at the door again, and old Thane’s voice calling impatiently to his daughter to open. “Shut the window after me,” I said, hurriedly; slipping out and dropping my feet down on to the iron vernndah. “ Open the door, and occupy your father’s attention â€"â€"but take off that dress first. ” The window closed, my poor wife mur- muring a prayer for me; and now with a view to dropping from the verandah at the further end, where I knew there was a flower bed on which my full would be more noiseless than on the gravelled terrace, I began to creep along, crouching down and gvo ing upon the wall for anything that niig t give me a hold, for I felt the sloping iron, wet and greasy with the fog, treacher- ously slipping under my indie-rubbers. I' got hold of a window still. My eyes were again growing used to the fog. and I could now see the edge of the verandah, which at first had been invisible to iue. \Vhose window was this? Was there alight in the room, and any danger of discovery here? I looked up. Good God ! just above me was a man leaning upon the very sill I had my hand on, calmly regarding me. He must have seen me slip by the window from the next room, and must have heard me speak to Hebe. Without doubt it was that Major Cleveden of whom she had spoken. He must have concluded that I was Miss Thane's lover, for like a gallant glinxleman he made no attempt to raise an alarm, know- ing it would expose Hebe; but without a word suffered me to pass on close before his e 'cs. )1 crept on a few yards and got hold of the next window sill ; then another window was thrown tipâ€"one in my wife's room. The major was still where I had seen him. I heard him say calmlyâ€" “ You have found nothing in Miss Thane’s room, I hope ‘3" A voice from beyond replied, and it was Hebe's fatherâ€"â€" " No. Hebe had left her light burning. On hearing the policeuian's whistle she sprang up in alarm and upset the candle- stick. 'Ihat accounts for what was seen from outside. You have seen nothing ‘2" - . _ ., _ . . . H houunli' “"a‘wred um "my" - the“ _ the world know that a woman laid all her he added, in the same tranquil tone, to warn me and save my wife, I believe, “ There’s a light moving across the lawn ; the police are coming back.” “l'llgo and see if they've caught the rascals," said Mr. Thane; " there's little hope of that, though. It seems they've é‘mrcd all the silver froui the dining-room; I Horrock tells me.” I crept on more carefully than ever, reckoning that I could not be above a dozen feet or so from the end of the verandnb, but I kept my eye across the lawn where I could see the light from a bullscyc sweeping the ahrubbery and gradually drawing near. The verandah sloped at an angle which made advance difficult in the extreme ; es chilly where the facade of the house a cred no hold to the hand. Suddenly my foot slipped on the grcasv surface. For a moment I thought 1 should pitch headlong should be retaken for a certainty by the police and the men from the house who Were scouring the woods by which I must. pass to get away ; and the attempt at evasion would confirm the belief that I was one of the gang that had broken into the house. Perhaps it did not occur to me at the time, for I was bewildered by the rapid course of events ; I have but a. vague re- membrance of my own sensations. Mr. Thane, grasping my collar with both hands, continued to call for help, and curse the servants in between for having left the house. Presently I caught sight of a. tall, spare, figure in the doorway of the hall, standing out against the light within. "' That you, Cleveden ‘2” cried Mr. Thane, in a tone of profound satisfaction. “ Come here and help me, there’s a good fellow. That confounded constable’s left me in charge of this burglar, and all the servants are out of the way, of course. It’s a shame- ful thing to leave a ruflian of this sort on my hands. And, look here, you know I have only got my slippers on. I shall get an- Other attack of rheumatic-gout to-iuorrow, as sure as fate. What on earth are we to do with the fellow ? It’s as much as I can do to hold him with both hands, and I’ve nothing on my back but this sleevy dress- ing gown. Feet wet through. This will be the death of me.” i The major had come to my side. i “ Leave him to me, he said, touching ,_ my arm coolly. “ Is that tool house open?” . “ Yes. Ah, capital idea. Clap him up there. There‘s a strong bolt outside, and 1 no means of escape from within.” “ Get me the lamp, will you ?” “ Certainly.” Mr. Thane went off with alacrity, and, returning with the lamp, now offered to show the way .to the tool house, 3 despite the damp. | “Icon manage very well by myself. I see our visitor is handcuffed. Go in and P see after Miss Thane. I am afraid the fright has upset her. A couple of the maids arc in there, but they seem all to , have lost their wits. Pray go.” I The old gentleman seemed mightily pleased to have so good an- excuse for get- ting out of his duty ; he, however, warned the major to be careful with me, as I was a terribly rough customer to deal .with. The light from the lamp lit up theniajor’s face, and Isaw the ends of his long moustache I go up, and something like a smile crease his i thin checks as he looked sidclong at me. I I went quietly enough into the tool house. The major set down the lump on a chaff cutter, closed the door, and having flaked , the dust off a billet of wool with his hand- ; kerchief seated himself and pulled out a cigar case. I sank down on a faggot beside ; the chaff cutter and dropped my head. The major struck a light and pulled at his cigar ; there was no other sound. I found him re- ? garding me curiously, his brows creased to- ‘ getlier. l “ It has come to this, said I to myself, .“ I shall be sent to gaol for a burglar. l There‘s no way out of it but by letting all Y! , faith in my love and honor, and that Iliad . not enough of either to keep her secret and :save her from disgrace. No, I won’t do that. I'll go to gaol. A little more degrada- ‘ tion will not make much dillerence to my , sum. I shall come out no worse off than I -_ '0 in. I’ll go away then~â€"to America or 8 New Zealand. It's part of my folly that I didn’t go months ago. Hebe shall not hear of me till I’m in a position to claim her as my wife. I can get on there, putting my pride in my pocket and working steadily; iand I in?! get on. Ay, this is a proper iiime for making good resolutions? If I ihad plucked up a bit of courage at ‘first, instead of letting myself sink into ~torpor and despair, I should have spar- led Hebe an age of misery and got on the Q way to better things; and I’ll niend‘though, .plcaao (ind, when I'm free again. I will lighten her burden if I can, and make up ! l l dam ‘0 the “3"le “ “h “ "idem 03’0"- ' some day for the unha piness I have brought I regained my footing. but. not without con. siderahle noise. M r. Thane coming on to the terrace at tint instant Wal just in time to hear the si‘pzcaking of my indie-rubbers on the w. 1 iron, and the thump with which I came down on my hands and knees. “ Police 2" he called : “ there's one of them up here on the veranda 1" " Vc'uhn‘e llil’la'lr."&u5“' I M 313mm ' so punished for marrying a man! The 3'0“ 3" upon her new. I wil give a false name when I am taken before the magistrate; there will be less likelihood then of my being identified as the goal bird when I can resume my own. Perhaps I may t off with a couple of years, seeing that 1I'm a " first offender. ” Anyhow, my punishment will be less than hers. Was ever woman meut dark down the light and bolt, and be no worse off than if we had run against each other in the dark. 1 determined to possess myself of the lantern and hazard it, at any rate. I set my foot over the edge and lean- ed forward to take it ; yet not without pre- caution, for it might ' be that the lantern had been cunnineg laid there as a. bait, and that as I stooped to take it the crafty trapper might pounce upon me. _ As I took up the lantern the door swung open, and the light flashed full upon the back wall against which it was set, revealing the strands of a cord ladder and the whole mystery of the light being there. It was ‘ by this ladder that the burglars had got , over the wall. They had set down the lan- : tern as a. guide to discover it when they re- turned from the house with their plunder. In their flight they had lost themselves, and 3 had been unable to find it again in the l darkness. I closed the lantern instantly, and thrust ,V it deep amongst the foliage on the ground. I I had no need of that now; a better and! sursr means of escape had been providen- tially offered. There was not a. moment to ,' spare. The flash of the lamp might havef been seen. I fancied I heard a movement ‘ - ~ - at no great distance. Impelled by fear I; lfi'éli‘é‘lillisfinktiflfiliglillféiélflll {imaged “I; rgsestgggggghgitgfgmy“?‘ . . -_ . ogemyoom ..i no, audible. Suddenly lietook the weedfromliis pun myself up hand over hand, but not. lips and turned his head, listening. \Ve both . . . v . , heard a cautious step on the gravel outside. X33fflté:oéjiinggnfigfizg? ¥fite 113:1“, fm 2 ' ’ Th? latch was carefuny m‘lSEd' H9 ms?’ leaves rustled and the twigs cracked under ‘ laymg ms "and on .one Of the lOOIS piled m me. I felt the top of the wall against my the comer near lnm’ regmdmg the door knuckles, as it became certain that my With the. calm Self'p9ssessed 1001‘ Of & fears were realised. A voice below whisper- brave soldier, and drawmg the smoke per- ed loudly_ ’ haps a little quicker than before. ,, Is that you Hooky .,n , . “ Hebe l” I exclaimed, springing to my ‘ I 0,; m hands on the wan mid Tet“ as {caught 81gb“ 0f the pale {we at abailgdoningythe rope, scrambled up. There me Opem‘lg damn d . . I paused an instant. The possibili- fi’?’ mayfi‘t‘lelwl own Ins mg” and step" ty of being followed by the man who! e“ \(ilwni'm ‘1‘"?5 y_ called to “ Hockey ” presented itself :I l “ t ’53 .“ne ' ,,, . . resolved to pull up the ladder, and so take Oh’ Minor Cleveden '. cued She’ .m 9‘ away the means of pursuit. But as I got Rmkeln voxce, hagdly audible for emotion; held of the rope I felt it clutched below. ‘3‘0 et’ Te all?“ .to you' . With a sharp wrench I dragged it free. Certainly, said the major; and he pass- .. “th are you at Hooky on with 8 ed out, closmg the door after him, and shut- curse muttered the {.oice befow . then ting off from niystraining gaze the sight of ,. Blir’ne, you're not going to act diréy to a that pale,1teli:rif;ei’l faced: those large, deep pal? By G___, if you don’t drop it down ‘ eyes that 00 ‘2‘ ’oyon mm to me m m" to me, I’ll blaze at you, if I bring the whole speakable anxiety and tenderness. lot down on me and swing for it ,u I know now why she was there. She had I was not afraid of being hit but I did learnt from her father where I was confined fear someone on the other side of that wall and who guarded me, and the secret she being- brougm to the spot. by the report of, remorse and regret, and the knowledge that all was over, and nothing left to me of those glorious hopes. I shook myself to get free of these maddening reflections. A tear had run down my cheek; I brushed it away with my joined hands, and looked up at the major. , He may have been wondering whether this inert, spiritless, moody wretch in a frayed jacket, and corduroys shining at the knees with the rubbing of the bench and mess of an upholsterer’s workshop, could really be the accepted lover of Hebe Thane. For such a thing as me had she sacrificed so much and run the risk of a. degrading discovery ‘3 He met my eyes, and continued to regard me with the same look of a puzzled inquiry. Perhaps he sought to read through my eyes some better explan- ation of Hebe's infatuation than he could find elsewhere. He gave it up at length, as a thing past apprehension, raising his eye- brows as he looked at the ash of his cigar, and expelled a thin stream of smoke from his lips, with a return of that cynical smile I had before seen on his face \Vlio can ac- count for taste in women, he might have been saying to himself ? We sat there, face to. face, for fiveâ€" could not confide to him she had come here - ' . . . a pistol before I got clear of}. The man be- to disclose to the majorâ€"the friend whom low was obviously a burglar, and, after all, she “ could trust with her life”â€"in the be- - - . ,, licf that for her sake he would save me fi om {ggaggagrmg to fear from lum- I d’opp'd disgrace' Ac at“ tilmellj 99"“! only Burmi’le I slipped down the outer side of the wall her Pulposed ut t ’0 ellef m h.” hero“: to some length, and then let go. There was genems‘ly muffled,“ flame of grailltude fwm a ditch below; my feet slipped upon the the Spam of good ‘eelmg that sun tested at side, and I went in up to my knees in water. mi bou’om .Ofl "fly 111%”: d I I ' Before I had pulled myself out, the burglar .wll's nm’, e: (fig, ",1 on ’t I” to he came down with asplaah beside me. We “‘81” 5 "P y 0 e we. an)“. ' He "3' rubbed against one another. He laid hands entered the tool-house With a quick, sharp on me savagely atep' “ I’m a nod mind to drown you in this “ Your wife has told me all " he said in a - - -» l. v u - ' , cussed ditch l he growled. What (1 ye bv to n Escape, n y wherIi I calletjltolyou. I‘ltzpllty? u n , “ ’in not on y,” sax . u Gofilv‘flfofssmr}: gageggljrfiihl Ztgglefit’ly' “ What l”. he pulled out the lantern lie . , g ’3' had slipped in his pocket, and opening it loving me too “ell : but she shall suffer no u n m face muttered n Mime no more more. I will not be retaken alive if I can 3: “inf; 1" ’ ’ iii; the "Fest my hnfld‘g; I. f y “ Let go, and shut up that thing," said I ; . wee “or ’3 spemm 0 “e a pee“ l" owe “ there's sure to be someone along this path. for him. His fingers were upon my hand- ,r y , - cuffs, feeling for the spring that closed them. ed‘r: ""226 1351323511,? draw them on He paused an instant, looking in my face ’“ .9? g ,, . ' . ,- with his piercing eyes to read the extent of * R”th V09 “9' fwd he’. Shlltm’g the . lantern and slipping it back in his pocket. neanin . . . _ ii1Â¥,2“.eu’n§m said, i. I “mum do the same A: grrtigpzvfiny way outer this Without go n . for her, and since you are not guilty of that u , _ , for which these fetters have been put upon th_ €932?” can mm“8° to find It ll‘rough is 0g. on I shall remove them. and take the re- . 5 ’ “ Have atry at it, any way, mate. You're sponsibility upon myself." , These words had butasimple meaning for 3 8°Q‘l,‘°”: D0“ 9 be" {"9 "0 “wage for bein a bit hard on you,’ he added, as ' b t in rccallin tl em I r ' me the“ ' u g I pa “we we struck out together from the path. " 1 their deeper significance. . , ' . ' , tell you square, thought you was Honky.” As he SPOL’e he mu‘d the Spring and re Therdwss grass under our feet ; I knew v d lefiegnr:fnrgguz" said he ; ,md, going out that. if we could only keep a_ tolerably by the open door, he looked to the right straight line, we mu’st come, in time to the and left, listening intently. Then he came 83‘,“ of le‘mond Mk' before long the rising ground convinced me that we had backâ€" “ The coast is clear. 1‘ on know the place n“ 8°“ I“ “filmy. _ My companion kept close to my side, and better than I’do; but I must warn you that , . _ the first entrance is guarded. God speed {or “me "m" kel’l' “hub bl": “3 “"3 Ml- vanced. and he grew more confident of ea- cative. . “This is the'bliiiliest rum job I was ever on," said he. ‘5Nevor‘ knowed of a crib being cracked by two lots at one time be~ fore. I sorter made a straight shot at it when we came across them boots outside the green‘us, but Hooky he‘ would have~ it wasn’t nofliin’ else but a gardener left ’em there accidental. I was for turnin’ of it up on them rounds, but Hooky he would go on. ’causeslie’d got the straightest tip from tho butler this afternoon as there was a dinner on, and the housekeeper what looks after the shiney was a bed with the inulli~ grubs. We‘ve been hanging about the crib ever since Monday week, waitin’ for a bit of a fog and a likely chance, and then, bliuie, for to think that you should step in furst. You ain‘t got no mate, are you 2" ((No-" “Standin’ in with the servants, hey? “’hat we call the sneakin’ lineâ€" no offence, matey. Every one must have a beginning, and I don’t know no better way than standin’ in with the aervantsâ€"--though it ain’t respectable according to Hooky. But then, he is so confounded proud. I thought you was himâ€"I did, upon my wordâ€"and I wasn’t much undeoeived by you pullin’ up of the ropes, for I haven't got any faith in Hocky,‘ and if it served him to do a pal a dirty action, he’d act dirty accordiu'. Let’s have a breathe, matey.” , The grass was slippery, the hill steep, the ground tangled with brambles. I was not averse from resting awhile. I said nothing, but my companion was a chatty villain, and continued to speak of Hooky’s faults and failings at some length, blaming his want of caution, foresight, and attention to friendly advice, which had resulted in their nearly getting caught, and spoiling a good game after wasting a week in prepar- ing to play it. “Never mind; Hooky ain't out of the wood yet, I know ; and may be, for all his cleverness and upperhandedness and sly iakements, he’ll get up for this job. Hillo! what’s that? There, what did I tell you I That's the peelers, D’ye hear-2’” I did hear a faint whistle in the distance, and as we stood holding our breath auotlier whistle answered. Then came a moment’s silence, followed by the flat crack of a pistol s at. .“ lhat’s Hooky l" said my companion. “He’s done it. There’s a stiff on to answer for now! Good-bye, I-lookyâ€"I don’t stay in the same ring with you after this. I’m off to Birmingham, as an honest workman out of collar, this blessed day. Coming on, matey. We're a little tro warm here.” (To In: CONTINUED.) TWO YOUNG WOMEN KILLED. Deplornble Results of a Runaway In “in uatlnonn Region. An Ottawa dcspatcli says:â€"-Mcagre details of a frightful double fatality at the village of Kazubazus, on the Gatiueau, reached the city today. The accident occurred on Monday night about 8 o’clock, and as a re- sult two young women were killed, one of them instantly. The victims were cousins, and- were going to a. dance with two mlllO relatives and a. little boy. Before reaching their destination, which was at the foot ofa steep hill, the horses suddenly started on a mad gallop. The animals went at such a terrible pace they were soon lost control of by the driver. At the bottom of tne incline there was a sharp curve and around this the horses swung against a fence, throwing all its occupants violently out. The wag- gon fell on the occupants. When removed it was discovered that one of the young lad- ies had been instantly killed. Her fem le companion was unconscious from the effects of the concussion, and she lingered for 20 hours and breathed her last on Tuesday night. One of the men had his arm and leg broken. The young women were first cou- sins. One was the daughter of Mr. John Hogan, merchant, and a leading farmer of the place, and the other was the only daugh- ter of a widow of the same name. The poor unfortunates were ‘22 and ‘25 years 0 age respectively. » m»â€" Bapid Buil ding in Chicago. The British consul at Chicago in his lat- est report gives an example of" the extraor- dinary rapidity with which lofty buildings are erected there. The Ashlund block, a construction of steel, stone and terra cotta, at the corner of Randolph and Clark streets, close to the city hall, seventeen stories in height, was built on an area. of 140 feet by 80 feet, in midwinter, and work was'con- tinned, day and night, by relays of men, strong are electric lights being used by night; artificial heat was furnished by ten salamander stoves to enable the builders and masons to work at that season of the year, and protection from cold winds was given by several hundred yards of thick canvas. The skeleton ofsteel for each floor was first erected, each column, girder and rafter being lifted and placed in position by steam power; these were rivetted with red- liot rivets, and as the stories rose they were filled in with square blocks of tcrra-cotta and brie". On Dec. 6, last year, six floors wore completed, and the steel skeleton for the next six stories was for the most part placed. On Dec. 19 ten floors were com- pleted, and the steel shell for three more stories was in position. Thus the entire construction of four floors of a building MU . feet by 80 feet, divided into numerous moms, u as solidly built in thirteen days, or one floor in three and one-fourth days. About sixty iron and steel-workers, one hundred brick- masona and thirty-five tcrra-cofta setters ware continually at work. The enormous quantit of iron and steel used in' this new mode 0 construction, which was only .firat tried six years ago, has cieatcd quite a new industry, and the employee have already their organization under the term archi- tectural iron-workers. Steel has now al‘ most entirely taken the place of iron, of which the first few of these tall buildings Were constructed. The foundations are tiers of steel rails embedded in connietc, the beams stretching ten feet or “Valve feet under the street. This plan was found neces- sary on account of the nature of the soil, so as to bear the great im need Weight. These beams are made at the lliuois steel-works, or come from Pennsylvania. This new method of building is said to be lighter and stronger than the old system, and to be absolutely fire-proof. The greatest variation in the plumb-line from base to top of these tall buildings has been found not to exceed half an inchâ€"{Exchange W‘â€" Starting an evening paper and selling it to another evening paper for consolidation urpoaes, is an important induitry in tho Vest.