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

._......_.-,. ‘â€" .â€"â€". . 4.371%:anminimumuumnnmfiinuminnnlmnnni _ . @â€" CIâ€"IAPTER XXXV.â€"(Continued). I The quaint and somewhat exclusive, town of Moreton Wells was reached| in due course and the street where the Rev. James Merritt resided lo- cated at length. It was a modestl twoâ€"storeyed tenement, and the oc-i cupier of the rooms was at horhe.‘ Chris pushed her way gail’y in, fol-: lowed by Bell, before the occupantI could lay down the foul clay pipe he was smoking and button the un- accustomed stiff white collar round his throat. Merritt whipped a tumbler under the table ‘with amaz- ing celerity, but no cunning of his could remove the smell of gin that hung pungently on the murky atâ€" mosphere. - - . ' Merritt dodged his head back de- fiantly as if half-expecting a blow. His eyes were strained a_little anxl iously over Bell’s shoulder as if fear; ful of a shadow. Bell had seen the” type beforeâ€"Merritt was uncon- sciously looking for the'police. “I am so glad to find you at home,” Chris said, sweetly. Merritt muttered something that i hardly sounded complimentary. It- was quite evident that‘he was far. from retuming the cemplimont. He had recognised Dell, and was won? dering fearfully if the latter was "as sure of his identity. Bell’s face he. trayed nothing. All the same he was" following Merritt’s uneasy eye till.; it, rested on a roll of dirty paper; on the mantelshelf. That roll ofi paper was the missing Rembrandt.’ and he knew it. I "Won’t you offer me a chair?"l Chris asked, in the sweetest possible; manner. i Merritt sulkily emptied a chair of} a pile of cheap sporting papers, and! demanded none too politely what business the lady had with him. Chris proceeded to explain at considâ€"l erable length. 'As Merritt listened', his eyes gleamed and a broadeningl grin spread over his face. He had! done a great deal of that kind oi= thing, he admitted. Since Henson.l had taken him up the police had not} been anything like so inquisitive, and' his present pose was fruitful of large? predatory gains. The latter fact Meri‘.'r.t kept to himself. ‘ Oi thel whole the prospect appealed to his; Henson wouldn’t like‘I . ai i imagination. it, but, then Henson was not in position to say too much. “I thought perhaps if you came over-with us and dined at the cus- tle," Chris suggested. She spoke slowly and thoughtfully, with her eyes 01'. the ground. “Say to-nignt.| Will you come?" ‘ Merritt grinned extensively 011001 more. _ The idea .of his dining at the castle appealed to his; own pecuâ€" liar serse of humor. He was at his case, seeing that Bell failed to recogâ€" nise him. To dine at the castle, to; note the plate, and get a minutei geographical knowledgeof the placel from personal observation! His mouth watered at the thought. V “They ought to be more careful yonder,” he suggested. “There's plate and there’s pictures.” “Nothing‘has ever been stolen from Littimer Castle,” Bell said, crisply. He read the leer in Merritt’s eyes as he spoke of pictures. “Nothing' whatever.” . "What, not lately?” Merritt asked. “Didn’t hear tell of aâ€"â€"â€"-” He paused, conscious of saying too much. .l'lell' shook his head again.| An utterly puzzled exprOSSion crept over Mr. Merritt’s engaging countenâ€" ance. At the present moment an art treasure of price stood in that very room, and here was a party from the castle utterly innocent of the, robbery. Chris glanced at! Bell and] smiled. l “I love the pictures,” she said. “especially the prints. That Remâ€" brandt, ‘The Crimson Blind,’ for inâ€" stance. I fou-nd a fresh light in it this morning and called Lord Litti- mer’s attention to it. before we start-. ed. I should look that up if it Werel mine.” . Merritt's eyes fairly bulged .he listened. Had he not halfâ€"suspected some deep “plant” he would have been vastly amused. But then he had got the very picture these people; were speaking about close to hand: at the very moment. 1 “Tell you what," he said, sudden-1 ly. “I ain’t used to swell society ways, but I’m always ready to sacri- fice myself to the poor-fellows who aint't found the straight path like me. And if you gets up your bazâ€", aar, I’ll do what I can to ’elp." ll dine with us toâ€" “Then you wi night? ’ ’ Chris asked eagerly. Don’t say no. 1 met a- man once with a past like yours at Lady Ros-l lingham’s, and he was so interestâ€"1 .ing. We will call for you in anI hour’s time with tho wagonette. Then we can settle half our plans be- fore dinner." Merritt was graciously pleased to be agreeable. Moreover, he was ut- terly puzzled and absolutely con- sumed with an overpowering curiosâ€" ity. It seemed also to him to be sheer waste of providence to discard suchan offer. And the plate at Lit- timer Castle was superb! Meanwhile Chris and Bell walked down the street together. “He was OR. A MIDNIGHT RCALL‘ i would rest presently o ldare 'to talk; .hence the thing *“Two long, irregu lb 1 a l Chris Rembrandt, ’ ’ ‘ that he has Our PIC- puzzled over the said. “Seeing tureâ€"â€"â€"" _ “No doubt about it.” The picâ€" ture was rolled up and stood on the mantelshelf. I followed Merritt’s gaze, knowing perfectly well that it n the picture if it was in the room; At the same time, our interesting friend in chuck- ling OVer the way he has deceived us clean forgot the yellow pawn-ticket lying on the table." 4'” “Dr. Bell, do you inean vto tha1,â€"-â€"â€"” _ ‘ “That'I know where your diamond star was pledged. Indeed I do. Mer- ritt had probably just turned out his pockets "as we entered. "The pawn- say ticket Was on the table and" related be broken. to a diamond aigrette pawned by onel ten what I am working for. James Merrittâ€"mark the simple cunâ€" ning of the manâ€"with Messrs. Rutâ€" ter and .00., 117 High Street. That in itself is an exceedinly valuable discovery and one we cab afford to keep to ourselves for’the present. At the same time I should very much like .to know what Rutter and Co. are like. Let me go down to the shop and make some simple purâ€" chase.” . Rutter and Co. preved to be a very highâ€"class shop indeed, despite the fact that that there was ‘a pawnbrOking branch of the business. The place was quite worthy of Bond Street, the stock was brilliant and substantial, the assistants quite above provincial class. As llell was turning over some sleeveâ€"links Chris was examinâ€" ing a case of silver and gold cigar- ette‘cases and the like. She picked up a cigarâ€"Case at length and asked the price. At the mention of fifty guineas she dropped the trifle with a‘ little moue 'of surprise. “It looks ‘as if it had been she 'said.,' “it is not absolutely new, madam, the assistant admitted, “therefore the price is low. .But the gentleman who sold it to us proved thxit he had only had it a few days. The doctor had ordered him not to smoke in fu- ture, and soâ€"â€"â€"" ' ~ Chris turned away to something else. Bell completed his purchase, and together they left the shop. Once outside Chris gripped her compan- used, " ion’s arm excitedly. “Another great discovery,” she said. “Did you see me lookin at that cigarâ€"caseâ€"a gunâ€"metal one set with diamonds? You retollect that lliiterates purchased a case like that for thatâ€"that foolishness we thought of in connection with Mr. Steel. The case had a little arrowâ€" shaped scratch with the head of the arrow, formed of the biggest diaâ€" mond. Enid told me all this the night before I leftLongdean Grange. 'Dr.‘ Bell, I am absolutely certain "that I have had. in my hand just now the very case bought by Ruth from 'Lockhart’s in Brighton!” (CHAPTER XXXVI. Bell ‘was' considerably impressed with the importance of Chris's dis- covery,- though atthe same time he .was not disposed to regard it in the ilight of a Coincidence. f‘lt’s a/useful discovery in its way,” "he said; “but not very re- ‘markable when you come to think of it. Somebody with an eye to dain- aging Steel changed that cigarâ€" case. How the change affected you know well as I do. cigar-case purchascd by Ruth Gates must be somwhere, and we are as likely to find it near Reginald Hen- son as anywhere else, seeing that ho Powerful figure 1s at the bottom of the whole busiâ€" ness. That change was made either by himself or by somebody at his instigation. Once the change was made he would not bother about the spare cigarâ€"case. His ally probably came here to see Henson; .the latter as likely‘ as not threw him over, knowing that the fellow would not turned. into money. I am ,merely speculating, of course, under the as- sumption that ,you are quite sure of your facts.” “Absolutely,” ling up in arrow-headed shape to the' big diamond in the centre: Ruth told Enid allabout that the last, time they discussed the together.” ‘ “How came Ruth Gates to rememâ€" er it so clearly?” rubbing some ‘specks off the case at the,last moment, and the scratches lwere. made accidentally with the stones in one of her rings.” Bell was fain to admit that the discovery was an important one. “We’ll leave it for the present,” he said. “In a small place like this so valuable an article is likely, to reâ€" main in stock for some time. I‘ll call in again toâ€"morrow an the pre-' tence of getting further goods and obtain all the information there is to be gained as to who sold the case land what he was like. l'l‘hereis just time for a little lunch before we take up our reverend friend. Where shall we go?” Chris would like to see the Lion. But thel isl Chris cried, eagerly.‘ lar scratches leadâ€" not exactly There was amarvellous coffee-room reached the hall. The former polish- there with panelled walls and a ceil- ed his eyeglass and regarded Chris ing by Pugin, and an in the beautiful old place t5 ‘ selves, so that they could'talk free] ly. _ Chris crumbled her. bread and sipped her soup withan air of deep‘ abstraction} ' *5 .‘_‘A great ‘ideay'is forming in mind,” she said. “What, another one?" Bell smiled. “Is it the air of the place or what? my Really, there is a brilliancy about you that is striking." . Chris laughed. She was full of the joy of life toâ€"day._ - , It is the freedom," she said. “If‘ you only knew what it is to feel free after the dull, aching, monotonous misery of the last few years. To be constantly on the treadmill, to be in the grasp of a pitiless scoundrel. At first you fight against it passion~ ately, with a longing to be doing something, and gradually you give way to despair. And now the weight is off my shoulders, and I am free to act. Fancy the reward of finding Reginald Henson out!” “Reginald I-Ienson is the blight upon‘your house. In what way?" “Ah, I cannot tell you. It is secret that we never discuss even among ourselves. But he has the power over us, he has blighted all our lives. But if I could get hold of a certain thing the power would That is what I am afâ€" is in connection with my endeavor that the new idea came to me.” “Can’t you give me some general idea of it?” Bell asked. “Well, I want to make Merritt my friend. I want him to imagine that. I am as Inuu. w. til at .venturess as he is an adventurer. I want to let him see that I Could send him to prisonâ€"" - “So you can by telling the police of the loss of of your star." “And getting Merritt arrested and sent to 'gaol where I couldn't make use of him? No, no. The thing is pretty vague in my mind at present. I have to work it out aso-ne would a story; as David Steel would work it out, for instance. Ah!" Chris clapped her hands rapturousâ€" ly, and a little cry of delight escap- ti. ed her. “The very thing," she exclaimed.- “If I could lay all the facts before Mr. Steel and get him to plan out all the details! I-lis fertile imaginaâ€" tion would see a way out at once 'But he is far away and there is no time to be lost. Is there no way of getting at him?" Chris appealed almost imploringly to her companion. She made a "pretty picture with the old oak en- gravings behind her. loll smiled as he helped himself to asparagus. “Why not adopt the same method by which you originally introduced yourself to the distinguished novel- ist?” he asked. “Why not use Litâ€" timcr's telephone?f,' ,. Chris pushed her plate away impe- tuously. “I am too excited to eat any more,” she said. “I am filled 'with the new idea. Of course, I Could use the telephone to speak to Mr. Steel, and to Endid as well. If the scheme works out as I anticipate I shall have a long conversation with Enid, a dangerous thing so long as Regin- ald l’lcnson is about.” “I’ll keep Henson out of the way. The best thing is to wait till every- body has gone to bed tonight and call Steel up then. You will be certain to get him after eleven, and there will be no chance of your be- ing cut off at that hour of the night in consequence of Somebody else wanting the line. The same remark applies to your Sister.” Chris nodded radiantly. , “Thrice blessed telephone," she said. I can get in all I want without committing myself to paper or movâ€" ing from the spot where my presence is urgently needed. We will give Mr. Steel a pleasant surprise to-night, and this time I shall get him into no Steel trouble." The luncheon was finished at length, and an intimation sent to Merritt that his friends wore wait- ing for him at the Lion. As his was seen entering the big Norman porch Henson came aiong the street driving a dog-cart at a dangerous rate of speed. “Our man r is going to have his trouble for his pains,” Bell chuckled. “He has come to interview Merritt at dinner-time.” Merritt shambled obviously suppressing a desire to touch his forelock..'l‘here was a sheepish grin on his face, a sup- pressed triumph in his eyes. He had been recently shaved and his cut, but despite these improvements, and despite his clerical garb, he was the- class of man to meet in a dark lane after sunset. Chris, however, showed nothing of in awkwardly, very'this in her -grecting. Long before; matter Littimer Castle was reached she had i ian'd his past exploits, he boasted of “Well, she did it herself. She waslhis cunning. It was only now and - l . . gag‘ain that he pulled himself up and succeeded in putting Merritt quite at his case. He talked of‘ himself lpiously referred to the new life that I:he was now leading. Bell was study- ! ing him carefully; he read the o'ther’s 1unind like an open book. When the lwagoncttc finally pulled up before ithe castle Littimcr strolled up and istood there regarding Merritt quiet- : ly. l “So this is the gentleman you were going to :grimly. “I have seen him before in the company of our dear Reginald. n I also Chris shot Littimer an imploring glance. Merriit grinned in friendly fashion. Bell, in his tactful way, piloted the strange guest to the lib- ,rary before Littimer and Chris had And it! hair' bring to dinner?" he said, gig-nook fillâ€" critically. . ed With-rare Dutch tiles.‘$T-hey had _them- smoothly, ‘ ‘My. dear c young ' lady," he said. originalitf' magnet; from sitting down to table with‘ > 'ticl<etâ€"of-ldave“men2' Your friend has I ‘convict’ writ large upon his face." “He has been in gaol, of course,” Chris admitted cheerfully. (To be Continued.) C01 HRS TO WEAR. Afternoon gowns are among the most characteristic clothes in a \vo'm-an‘s wardrobe. can manage to plan a gOO-dâ€"looki‘ng tailor suit, and the very lightness and grace of evening gowns make cVery woman look her best. But. af- ternoon gowns require a different sorttof consideration. Most of them are made with long skirtsâ€" and full skirts, too. This is, full to a great extent about: the feet, and treated so as to suggest the idea of fullness. without Icing actually Very full, about the hips. B.oad.cloth is the favorite material for them, being :1. stuff that carries a pretty little air of formality and dignity in its smooth surface, but only the softer, more supple broad- clothsâ€"the kinds that drape into statucspie foldsâ€"are used. , \I'eIVct is goodâ€"especially in gray â€"'qu1; the richest of colors in cloth is a clear, beautiful red, with a strong hint of coral in its color-quality, i and that red comes in a dozen varvâ€" ing tints. ' , For the rest. light colors are worn even more than white. with a strong tendency to the pale, exquisite blue ,th-at the. texture of broadcloth seems lesnecially .lovely in. But a certain soft roseâ€"color is extremely popular, too. . if. v-ory th i n 2: Almost anyone is trimmed a good deal. but not, by auv means. With the amount of trimming that .an evening gown seems to require. For the little ’touch of severitv' that Imâ€" dongs Lo broadcloth. no matter how 'light weight it may be. is best set bv a simpler, less profuse amount of i inmi n g. lrish crochet has carried styles iby storm this season, especially the new lris‘h crochet, which is the old dominated by French ideas, and rich with new designs. A‘touch of 11‘. seems to be on almost everything; In strong contrast are the line. light laces-~as airy and delicate alâ€" ,most as veilsâ€"which come in every color of u. very delicate rainbow , Furs are used, by way of triuniming too,- in little roWs that give a rich. iwintry touch to the costume. .' I i Five out of every ten gowns (per~ haps more) are made with elbow sleeves, with a deep frill of lace, or of the materialâ€"tucked and trickou lout prettilyâ€"to end them oil. all sorts of cuffs are evolved, too. lfor the woman who isn’t content with that long stretch of gloye to [her elbow. I l 1 And tuckan have come in, too- modest little affairs of lace that come only halfâ€"way betwocn thront ;aml slmulder, and are too shallow lto pose as yokps. I 'The Narmlvon rosette is a favorite {with the milliners for the fur hat. for the plainness and a certain de- gree of str'rwss that inevitably on- companies the use of fur in uuiillincry favors the military designs. A smart ermine turban shows a’milgâ€" tm‘v rosette. ii’st three rows of still ouillin'rs with a button centre, and .thrce stiff lOUDS about. a finger depth each ‘(l'angling at the side. â€"+ , To KEEP YOUTI-IFULfij _ Expect a. good, long, useful life. Hold your thoughts persistently. , Simply refuse to grow old by counting your years and anticipating Iyour old age. ’ ' ‘ Refrain from i lants and sedatives. j shorten your life. ' One of the best prevent-ives of age ‘ is ei'i'taliusiasm and interest in affairs iof the day.- ‘ Keep in the sunlight. beautiful or sweet grows or ripen-s in the darkness. 1 Avoid fear in all its varied 1 of expression; it is the greatest venâ€" emy of the human race. Nature -is the great rejuvenator; her spirit is ever young. Live with ' her, study, her, love her. I; v Contemplate beauty in all its ll forms, and you will drive everything I that is ugly out of your life. ‘ all kinds of stimu- They 1 Don't allow yourself to think on ‘your birthday that you are a year , older, and so much nearer the enzl. I Cultivate the spirit of content- ment; all discontent and dissatisfac- ltion bring agel’urrows prematurely to the face. “ . ' ‘- Keep your mind young by fresh, vigorous thinking and your heart sound by cultivating a cheerful,- op- timistic disposition. ' _,__._.+_._____. OPENING FOR A YOUNG MAN. , “Yes,” said Mrs. Malone, to fold friend who was picking up by, he's travelling with a circus now,” “l’retty hard work, isn’t it?” in- quired the interested caller. “Never a bit of it,” returped the proud mother 'of Bobby. “He’s ing like a gentleman, his pockets, as ye might soy,â€"~~for it's a handsome salary he gets, and outpouring 0 every blessed thing he has to do iSlthe sources to lay his head in the lion’s mouth a matter o' some two or three times a day or thereabouts!" ‘ jf is â€"a passion ( with me, eccentricity dra\vs"’m'e‘ as -a i but as 'yet I have 'r'e'fi‘aiiied i llut will Nothing forms odour of the ot the l the I threads of family history, “my Bob- 'iV- lish and due insalivation. ie isâ€"hands in. $209 {9 0} 0:. dog»? 0:. 9:0 0:0 0:9 0:0 0. 0.. 50-30 0.00.0... 0.. 0?- .:. 3. .3. j? o. ,0 3. . ' '3' : ‘ _ . 0:. 0°. ... . . ‘ . .:.. . ' '3' y , (“:0 9:. oz. {4 0:»:0 0:9 0:0 0:09;. 0:. flag.” . - » » . .. . . _‘ I i. . BRIGHT' S DISEASE. From the Health Bulletin, of Chi- cago, we copy the following Signifi- can_t_.'litem: “It is not reassuring to learn that nearly 6 per cent. of Chicago’s male population in early manhood is af- flicted with Bright’s disease; and yet such is the inference warranted by the results of the examination maxde during the week by' Department phyâ€" sicians of 489 applicants for ap- pointment to the City Fire Depart- ment. Of this number 29 (or 5.9 per cent.) were rejected for kidney trouble. When it is reflected that the principal cause of such trouble is exposure to cold and wet ‘aiter a. drinking bout,’ the figures do not speak well for the habits of Chicaâ€" go’s young men.” But we feel compelled to add that there are many other causes of Bright’s disease and other affections of the kidneys than “exposure _to cold and wet .after a drinking bout.” The .evorlastimg habit of guzzling of beer, “orange phosphate” mineral waters of every grade of sloppy fizziness, is no doubt chargeable with much‘ of the universal crop of rental comâ€"' plaints. If everybody would get back to simple drinks as well as to a “simple life," we should hear less about Bright’s disease. HOW TO STAND. You can make or mar your figure yourself. Do not lay all the blame at Nature's door, for it is more your own fault than hers that you are not a good figure, be it of the stout or slim order. The minute a woman stanlds lightâ€" ly on her feet, with knees straight, lchest well out, stomach flat, shouldâ€" 01‘s back, and the body from waist up tilting ever so lightly forward, she has acquired at once a certain smartneSS of eliect, that no amount ' of beauty or fine cloth-es could give. The smart girl is never roundâ€" shouldered or hOlIO‘W-Cll‘lest'c‘d, and by standing properly she breathes proâ€" perly. Every full, deep breath she draws straightens the muscles of her sides and -abdomen. She is bound not to grow into a fat, u-n-gainly |woman, who can never catch her breath or a train, for a proper poise of the body means good digestion and good health. ' How many women sink into a lit- tle heap the-f minute they sit downâ€"- shoulders drooping, chest sunken, the whole Weight of the body thrown on the end of the spine. The smart girl sits in the same erect, alert way‘th-at she stands, and if's‘ne wishes to rest she leans back against her shoulders, and not the middle of her back. In bending, whether at a desk or a dishpan, ‘or a dinnerâ€"table, ‘sho bonds from her waist, not from her shoulders, and she not only looks well, but. avoids fatigue and the ac- tuall injuries that come from any strain on misplaced muscles. l USEFUL ODDS AND ENDS." If you do not try to make yourâ€" self look as pretty as you can you neglect one of your duties. It is worth while to make the most of all the good looks you possess; but that does not mean that you should revel in powder or purchased bloom, or spend hours in frivolouis decora- tion. To have a clear skin, rememl‘er that you must have good health, and to have good health and a rosy complexion you must wear thick- soled. shoes, and spend a part of e\ cry day out of doors. To keep your skin from roughen- ing,’lind by trial what kind of soap suits you best, and use no other. Frequent changes of soap are bad ‘for the contpl'exion. Beware of those .which 'are highly scentedpas a gen- leral thing they are of poor quality, lthc .scent being used to destroy her ingredients used. If you would keep your face and hands unwrinkled use tepid water; very hot or cold .water is injurious. Also avoid burying the face in a. soft pillow at night, which always produces wrinkles round the eyes. Keep your. combs and brushes sweet and clean Wash them in tepid water containing a few drops of am- monia. The grease and oil'will dis- appear, as if by magic. Place the brushes down, to dry, and the handle will'not be injured. ' ‘ i l 'I'lUNGER FOR HEALTH. A prolific cause of chronic indiges- tion‘ is eating from habit, and sim- ply because it is meal-time and. others are eating. To eat when not , hungry is to eat without relish, and food taken without relish is worse than wasted. Without relish, the salivary glands do not act, the gas- tric fluids are not freely secreted, and the best of foods will not be digested. Many perfectly harmless dishes are severely condemned, for no other reason than they were eaten perfu'nctorily, and without re- Hunger lmakes the plaincst foods enjoyable. lIt causes Vigorious secretion and f all the digestion fluids, of ptyalin, pepsin, tryp~ lsin, etc. without a plentiful supply. of which no foods can be perfectly, digested.