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+. 31 “And this IOVely afternoon, too!" exclaimed Norah, pityingly. “Pray run out and get a little fresh air." N§+§+fi+fi+fi+§£+ fififivfififi +£€+3¢€+§F+£€+fi+£€+fi+fi+fi HCEHfifi CHAPTER XVI. Then when Becca, with a gesture as if she were thankful to change her Norah left Cyril, and walked homeâ€" ward almost entirely happy. The position, got up and left the room, Norah threw herself into her chair only bar to her perfect happiness was beside the window, and gave herself up to the joy, the unspeakable (le- light of thinking of him. Cyril walked dome upon air. He stopped several times, just as Norah had done, but to ask himself what he had ever done to deserve such happiness. Norah his! It seemed too good to be true, and to assure himself that he was not dreaming, he took out the faded rose and kissed it. Norah his! The thought Was so huge, so overâ€" whelming, that he could scarcely realize it, and he entered the little- sittingâ€"room in a kind of blissful dream. Two letters were lying on the table. One was a prettilyâ€"worded little note of invitation from Lady Eerndale, and his first thought as he read it was: ’ “Will Norah be there?” Concluding that, at any rate, there was a. chance of her being present, he sat down and wrote an acceptance. Then he opened the other letter. It was from the “true, tried” friend Jack Wesley. “Dear Cyril,” it ranâ€"“if you have any sanity remaining, come up at once. Business.â€"-Jack.’ ’ At another time-«say yesterday, for instanceâ€"Cyril would have decid- ed that he had no sanity left, and would have refused to leave the neighborhood of his goddess; but now things had changed. Norah was his, and he only waited for the big success he spoke of to her to go to the earl and ask for her. Business had suddenly become of novel imporâ€" tance to Master Cyril. He decided that he would go up at oncchthat is, toâ€"morrow morning. Then he asked himself how he should let Norah know. He could not Write lest the letter should fall into the earl’s hands, and he was not likely to repeat the mistake of sending a message by any third person, as he had done before. ‘» “If I go up by the first train,” he mused, “I shall be able to be back by night. Who knows, I may stand a chance of catching a glimpse of my darling! I will neither send a mes- sage nor write to her." As is usual with menâ€"and artists especiallyâ€"when they are happy, he - . v _ in her face caught Lady Ferndale’s sat up late that night smoking, and tasguiidlelflfcie lgpgifieggfige SE: ,attention. thinking and'dpeaming of Norah, but repeated her vow. Nothing. Should “You seem very happy, to-day, my in the morning he started for the separate her from her hero, her dear," she said; “has anything hap< early train. _> . . lover. pelried. h f It Lh . , b _ 1 “Sic liaddgot \Vlfthill Slg‘fhl; (fight: 7 . ora e 'e crimson urning ier , an was ecing o n. \a $833.23} Sggléfggzsed gsgnlzl?::.e face and neck, and her eyes fell. lwhen he‘f'ound that he had left it and heard voices in the drawing_ “Why, you have come to see me,” 'behind him. In changing his everyâ€" room. It seemed fun of people to she said. day waistcoat for one more present- hel..confused sense and She Stood for Lady'Ferndale bent forward and ‘able and less paintâ€"stained, 'he had one moment looki'ng round her. but kissed her, Inaking her feel a mass taken out his watch and a ring, and the next Lady Ferndale came '. f0,._.'of dissimulation. . I . . placed them on the mantelshelf of ward {ma embraced her‘ “My dear, you are simply irrCSISti- the Sittingâ€"room that “he might “My deal. child! I couldn-t Stay ble. You got that trick of repartee not forget them, With the usual away from you another hour, dear,” from him," and she nodded toward result. She said, “and so I he“,e brought my the earl, who was _ talking .to the As he remembered, that now and friends with me u and she introducediothers, who were listening in rapt iagain chance wayiarers dropping in two ladies w'ho by the way they attention as if to an Oi'acle;"‘but the iat the inn sometimes made their greeted Norah baa e'vidently heard pretty speeches sound genuine from iway, by mistake, lllto. the 'httle her praiSES swag by Lady ferndale. your lips. And was Mr. Burne very room, he felt annoyed With himself, There Were also two other ladies much hurt, dear? and hail stopped, wondering whether who had come to make their mum Norah arranged the teacups before he should have time to run back.‘ duetory call upon Norahz and the her, and kept her eyes down. . At that moment a pink dress flittâ€" earl Standing. with his “reception” "Yes, I ain afraid so," she replied. ed out of one of the cottages oppo- smil’e upon his face. watched Norah .“Hc 15.0bhged to wear his left armfiglto w.hlch he. “'35 Standmg' and beneath his brows closelv_ in a sling.” Becca South tripped past, throwmg " “Then you've seen him,” said Lady him a smile. .Bgtt Emulgh thotlghjvts ~30?” l Ferndale‘ “Of course, he called to It occurred to him that he would sea 611.113 by (,5 “Denna? of VlfSl 015' ,aSk after you this morning?” send a word of caution to Mrs. Eng- Shf) regamed hel composime 9' ter 3i Norah was silent, her heart beating lish about the watch and he called mmute or two' and presmed at the i and Lady Ferndale got up. to Becca. ’ ‘ _ A V. I â€" _ tea table With the quiet self posses “Come and see us as soon as you “Did you call, sir?” sion which Lord Ferndale declaredx . ., . . - can, in child she said, as she kiss- H ' H ' was one of her greatest Charms~ l y » \es, he said llllllledly, for he H _ , . .‘ V . .ed her, “and mind, Wednesday week!’ fancied he hem-(1 the train, “Look I “ as m dogging “(hiern Liloid. But even the" it SCC'mCd as if She here, Becca, I‘ve left my watch on me you were 0“ ' cm' SM (y COUld 110t teal” herself away, alldtthe mantelshclf at the inn. Are you Ferndale, who had seated herself on , ‘ n , V ‘_ . _ i _ _” a low chair beside Norah’s table, and 5 ha” an hm“ pahsed mm“) the cal '30111g that way? 1 “yes, Im geing up to the Court, . _. riagc drove oll‘. ke t looking at the beautiful face, _ H anEl glancing. with covert triumph at! The earl stood with Norah on the lpast the inn. her friends, much as to say, “Did ,SteP' “'aVing his hand t0 the (“Daft "Well, then,” he said, “will you be I exaggerate? Isn't she altogether 111% Quests. alid Norah thought thatlso kind as to go in and ask Mrs, charming?" “Where have you been, he 100mm: 11 “0t Pleased. at any English to take the watch upstairs GORP?" ShO asked. ,rate a, little less cold than usual. AS Ito my bedroom]? Some one may “For a walk," she replied. la matter 0f film: the SCIf‘POSSCSSiOH Icome iiiâ€"you understand?" “In such a heat!" said Lady Fern-l.and “wt She had Show“ in the face! “Yes. I know.” She assented, With dale. “'Ah, well, I did it when T. was i 01’ somany unexpected visitors had ’a nod. “1'11 do it.” your age,” and she sighed. PlfiaSCd him find flattOred his VtmitY-l “Thank you, Becca," he said. “I “Are you so very 01mm she said. I Lady Ferndale may have seemed seem. doomed to give you trouble." “Not too old to enjoy lnyself' : a lltflc U30 exuberant. bUFâ€"GPâ€"hel‘ And he laid his hand on her shoulder dear; and I’ve come to ask you to 5 DOSIUOn QIVf-‘fi 1101' BTW-t: latltUd0-‘ my and smiled at her graldully. "By help me. weave going to haveâ€"what the Wily,” Norah, thlS Ml‘- Cyl‘ll Jove, there's the train," he exclaim- EBUWOâ€" ed in the same breath, and started shall I call it, Mary?” she broke oil, T _ . addressing one of her friends, Lady? I‘m'ah SLOOd Sun and t_“1‘ned P590- Oll at a run. ' Mary Marley: “not a harvest home. {but the earl was engaged in admiring Becca went down the road and .0“. NO"b11t a kind of tenants' fetef" [111$ hands. and dld 110B HOtICO her tered the bar of the innâ€"if anything “In this heat?" said Norah, withiface' V lso unlike an ordinary bar can so be a smile, . "Lady Fcl‘ndale tells me that she calledâ€"but it was empty, and she Lady Ferndalo laughed. 15' so to Speak: talklnfl‘ hlm UP~ She was about to call Mrs. English when chu' “"5 my husband's idea. He Seems to think that he behaved Very she closed her lips suddenly, and on is never happy unless he has the‘we‘ll in last night s stupid acculeiitz’ tiptoe approached the Small passago bothl ‘Yes, he (11d. Palm," She said, 111 that led to the sitting-room. people eating or dancing, or I l , round him. We are going to make'a 0w VO‘CO' Neither Mrs. English nor the ser- vant was in sight, and Becca’s eyes it quite aâ€"aâ€"may I say jollif‘ication, He looked at her with raised eye- Lord Arrowdale?” and she nodded at brows, as if he did not need any con- flashed through the open (1001- an the earl mischievously. fil‘mation of Lady Ferndale’s opinion. over the room. Its artistic litter “All words assume a grace on Lady “Yes: she seems to be inclined to was something novel to her, and ex- cited her curiosity, and, after a mo~ Ferndale’s lips," he retorted, with a pay him some attention. I underâ€" inent or two of listening, she stole OR THE STEWARD’S' SON mmwmmmmmm emmmmmmmm 2+: know the. date of theâ€"the jollificaâ€" tion," remarked the earl, softly. “Wednesday week," said Lady Ferndale, promptly; then she bent forward and whispered: “Norah, I have asked your Mr. Cyril Burne.” Norah had resolved that she would not blush at the sound of Cyril's name; but the color came into her face notwithstanding; "You have asked him?" she cried, trying to speak indill‘ereiitly, and sucâ€" ceeding better than she hoped. “Yes, I called at Mrs. Brown’s as I came along. I thought somehow that you would like me to call on him before I reached you, dear." Norah made a slight gesture of as- sent. "Iâ€"Ic behaved so admirably. I heard it all from J amieson, the Coachman. It was beautifully done! And he was so thoughtful and considerate in sending me that note. I have been telling your father all about it, but, of course- he sees nothing to admire in it. What do you think he said?" “I don’t know.” _ “That it was what any one of the ploughmen would have done." “Andâ€"andâ€"did you see him?” she asked rather guiltily. “Mr. Burne? No. He was out painting, they said; but I left him an invitation, and Ferndale is going to call on him. He says that he is a very lucky young man, and that if the fact that she could go straight to the earl and tell him all that had happened. She had a natural detestation for secrecy and deception, and she thought, with a. Sigh, how delightful it would have been if her mother or the faithful Catherine had been alive. to go to either of them and pour out her heart. For it seemed to Norah, as she went through the sunlit woods and over the velvety lawns, that she was the most fortunate girl in the world. There had never been abother man since Adam was created like Cyril, and she stopped now and again, that she might recall his image and think of all he had said. 'And it seemed to her that he had spoken, as he looked and behaved, like a hero. He had said that she might have married some man with a title; but to her he seemed the noblest of men, and it was just in harmony with his character that he should wish to wait until he had made a name before he went to her father and asked for her. He had said that he would rather be a self-made man than a belted ear], and she agreed with him. Agreed with him! If he had declared , , . that the moon was made of green he had only mSlSted “P0” 500mg you cheese she would have assented. home. it WOUId have been he who Yes, she was happy, with the hap=|wculd haV'e rescued you." piness which comes to a girl who “But Lord Femdale “mum have has won the heal-1; of the man to been inside the carriage," said Norah t_her lsmiling. “Still, please tell him that I thank him all the same." “I shall tell him nothing of the kind. I' altogether decline to carry soft messages from you to him. He is quite infatuated enough, as it is.” whom she has given her firs best love. She wondered how long it would be before she should see him again, how long before he would come and de- mand her hand of the earl. She had said that if the earl refusâ€" l. Norah langhod' and the brightness ' Ifi+fi+fi+fi+fi+§+fi+fi+fi+fi+fi+fi+§+§+fi+fi+fi+fi+fi+fi+fi+fii "Yes- my lady," said Becca. bow. stand that she has asked him to‘ “well, a jollification. Awful word thisâ€"this gathering. Under the cirâ€"‘inside. cuinstances, perhaps you had better treat him.as a chance acquaintance, andâ€"erâ€"not completely cut him, as I desired you to do." Norah’s heart beat fast, but she wisely kept silent and merely bowed her head. Treat Cyril as a. chance acquaintance! - She repeated the words to‘herself as she ran up stairs, and his name was on her lips as she opened the. door of her boudoir. Then she stopped short,_for Becca South was sitting at the table at needlework. - isn't it, (1931"? A great big marquee She flitted to and fro, more like a is going to be put on the lawn, and weâ€"all of usâ€"are to dance in it. I tell my husband that it will be sure to tumble down upon the top of us. but he says that it will make all the more fun. You'll come, won’t you, Lord Arrowdale‘?” ~ “Most certainly," he responded; especially if there be any prospect of rescuing Lady Ferndale." “I never can get any advantage over him,” said Lady Ferndale, un- der her breath, to Norah. “He is always equal to the occasion. Very well, then," she went on, aloud; She looked up demurely as- Norah “then that’s settled. I do hope entered, then bent over her needle you’ll enjoy yourself, dear." again. "I am sure I shall," said Norah. “Why, Becca. you poor girl, have “Perhaps it WDUlL‘. in: as well to you been working all this time?" jackdaw than ever, castirg swift glances at the sketches and canVasses and turning over the books and knickâ€"knacks which were strewn about the room; then she went to the mantelpiece. v 1 The watch was there and she took it up and looked at it. As she did so the chain dragged down the ring, which, after the manner of rings. roll ed across the room. ‘ Away \vent Becca in pursuit. and, after a short Search, she found it unâ€" der the sofa. I It was a plain. band of gold. with the initials C. ll. on it, which Cyril had in a moment of preoccupation scratched upon it with his penknii‘e. Becca turned it over and looked at g. Pleagafit Dream$ Co Avoid ordinary tea: if you care for SOUND, SWEET SLEEP, and ask for the SPECIALLY MANUFACTURED, CAREFULLY PACKED lee Ribbon Tea. Red Label. __..â€"- it, then she tried it on one finger afâ€" ter another until she found that it fitted the little one, and then held up her hand and gazed at it admir- ingly, thinking how nicely it showed off her slim hand. Eve like, she passed from the ad- niiring to the covetous mood. He had said nothing about a. ring; perhaps he had forgotten all about it. and ifâ€"it‘ she should keep it, he would conclude that he had lost it. It was a beautiful ring, but, nol doubt, a gentleman like Mr. Burns did not set much value on it. While she was looking and longing and hesitating, Fate lent the eV‘il one its aid, just as it had done in the matter of Catherine's photograph. Becca heard Mrs. English's voice in the kitchen. She started up and tried to pull the ring .off her finger, but it stuck fast. In a spasm of terror, lest she should be discovered in the room, she darted through the passage into the bar, waited a. moâ€" ment, then, still tugging at the ring under her apron, passed into the road. Before she had gone twenty yards, the ring came off, and with a feeling of relief, she turned, intendâ€" ing to replace it. But as she neared the bar door, she stopped and hes- itated. After all, the worst was over. She had taken the ring, and she might just as well keep it. She slipped it into her pocket and began to sing, and, still singing, stopped a. few paces from the inn door. Then she called out “Mrs. English!" and after a moment or two the landlady came into the bar. Becca. walked toward the door as if she had only that second arrived, “Oh, Mrs. English,” she said, “Mr. Burns asked me to come and tell you to take his watch upstairs. I forgot whether he said he’d left it on the mantelshelf or on the table, but he' said in the sittingâ€"room.” “Dear me, yes,” said Mrs. English. I“That's just like him; he’s so care- less and forgetful. Some of these days he’ll loose something, and hon- est folk will get the blame. But there, he’s an artist gentleman, and what can you expect?" she added, raising her .voice as she went into 'the sittingâ€"room. ' “Is it there all right?” cried Becca, in her clear treble. “Yes, all right, and thank you, Becca South!" called back Mrs. Engâ€" lish and Becca went on her way sing- ing like the innocent, lightâ€"hearted girl she was. - (To be Continued.) .+______ MARKS OF THE LAUNDRY. The number of letters used by laundries to distinguish their paâ€" trons’ garments are disfiguring enough, but we are not so badly treated as elsewhere. In France the name and address of the laundry are stamped on each piece sent home, and should several laundries be paâ€" tronized, one after the other, a fine collection will soon be found in adâ€" dition to the geometrical marks in- dicative of the owner of the gar- ment. ‘In Russia laundry marks are‘ under police supervision, and in this manner a refugee who makes his way to another town upon a forged pass- port is liable to detection, unless he can borrow linen with the mark of one of the town laundrics upon it. Bulgarian laundries employ rub- ber stamps With ornamental designs, while in Germany the linen comes home with a small cloth label atâ€" tached with heat and waterproof cement. shoe pinches!” 'l‘lll'l SHOE '1‘ Uncle Sankâ€""‘Wow! Great jumpingâ€"jacks! ONLY (3de BESTâ€"81.1.55 RIBGN’S IT. M ONE ROOM’S RENT. London Holds the Record for Costly Sites. For the widening of Piccadilly the London County Council has been for some time negotiating the purchase of a strip of land fronting Piccadilly and St. James street. The area. which is of course built upon, con- tains about 1,200 square feet. and the price agreed upon to be paid is over $200,000. This works out to about $175 a square foot, or the enormous sum of nearly $2,500,000 per acre. It probably constitutes a record as the highestâ€"priced spot on learth, but as the sum includes comâ€" pensation for disturbance and dam- ages,‘ the purchase cannot be com- lpared with the prices recently paid for sites in the city. Cornhill is the highest rented spot on earth. A single room. was let not long ago for between $10,000 and $15,000 a. year. In the west end a small shop with basements fetches over $5,000 a year in Bond street, and the remainder of the house lets at proportionate sums. The rateable value of London is about $200,000,000, of which sum $90,000,000 is represented by the value in sites. _.____+__.._.._ ONEâ€"TOED WOMEN. Everybody has heard of the small [feet of the ladies of China. But it is [not so generally known that they Icommonly have but one too. This is, however, the fact. The great toe of the females of the first rank, and of some of the inferior classes also, is the only one left to act with any freedom; the rest are doubled down under the foot in their tenderest i‘nâ€" ,iancy, and retained by compresses and tight bandages till they unite with and are buried in the sole. _._+__..._. INGENIOUS DEVICE. The Icelanders have a strange but effective plan for preventing horses straying away from any particular spot. If two gentlemen happen, to be riding without attendants, and wish to leave their horses for any reason, they tie the‘head of one horse to the tail of another, and the head of this to the tail of the feimer. In this state it is utterly impossible for the horses to move on, either backwards or fei‘Wards. If disposed to move at all, it will be only in a circle, and even then there must be mutual agreement to turn their heads the same way. . ._._._..+._.__. r STEADY COMPANY. Heâ€"There’s no doubt about it, “a. man is known by the company he keeps." Sheâ€"Not always. If the average man were really known by his com-e pany she’d shake him right away. .__._._+__... EXIT. Mary/’Annâ€"I’ve come to tell you, mum, that th’ gasoline stove has gone out. Mistressâ€"Well, light it again. “I can’t. Sure, it went out through the roof.” ..__+_... “No,” declared Mr. Nagget, “there never was a woman on earth who could refrain from turning around to rubber at some other Woman's clothes." “No?” replied 'his wife, sweetly. “Didn't you ever hear of Eve?” llA'l‘ 1’lNl.‘lllCD. (let it oil, John. That ’