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OR, THE HERITAGE 0F MADAME YALTA. ' ‘ EXPLANATORY PREFACE. ' M. Claude Justus Dorgeres was a rich banker, living in the Rue de Suresnes, Paris. He was a widower, and had a charming daughter, Alice, his only child. In his employ were two» young men, Jules Vignorv, the cashier, and Robert de Carnoel, his Maximo Dorgeres, ' princess. secretary. l the banker’s l nephew, was an intimate friend of} both, and spent most of his time at his uncle’s house. The banker held a soiree on every Wednesday, which; his most intimate friends were in- vited to attend. One evening Maxâ€" ime and Jules Vignory, when enter- ing the gate about 10 o’clock, saw two men waiting within, who rush~ ed past them into the street, as soon as the gate was thrown open. steps, a light in the safe-room, and on entering, found that the safe had been tampered with. A small lamp had been left lighted in the room, and a pool of blood was on; The safe was furnished: the floor. l ‘ ‘ ‘-'n - ‘9. " , They descried, as they ascended the 1:“ {llynd 0f the C‘un eqs 1tention to a beautiful lady, evident- --with exquisite grace with an ingenious piece of mechan-l ‘ism, which would seize by the wrist any one who tampered with the lock without knowing the combina- tion. In this vise was a woman’s hand, and it had been cut off by the thief herself or her accomplice, rather than be held and caught. On the floor was a turquoise braceâ€" let that had fallcn from the severed hand, and was forgotten in the ex- citement. The cashier’s intention was to call the banker at once, but Maximo objected, saying that with the bracelet as a clue hc Would dis- cover the thief. Hc threw the hand into the Seine, and it was found a few days after in a fisherman’s net, and sent to the morgue. The next morning it was stolen, and the mysâ€" tery became more involved than ever. M. Dorgercs Wish-ed his daughter to marry Jules Vignory, his cashier, whom he intended mak- ing his partner. The girl lovcd Ro- bert de Carnoel, the secretary, and told her father so. The young man was a marquis, of a family that had lost their fortune, and M. Dorgcres did not think he possessed the comâ€" mercial instinct. Hence his objec- tion. One morning Col. Borisoff, a Russian, entered and told M. Dorâ€" geres tin he wished to withdraw 1,400,000 francs and a casket that he had deposited in his safe the next morning. The banker replied that there would be no there were three millions placed in the safe that morning. This was said in the presence of Carnoel. On the departure of Col. Borisoff M Dorgeres offered a commission in Egypt to M. de Carnoel, in order to separate him from his daughter, but the young man promptly refus- ed, and resigned his position. That night a. second attempt was made on the safe, and when Col. Borisoff returned next morning his casket was gone. Fifty thousand francs were also abstracted, but as the rest of' the millions were untouch- ed, it was plain that the thief only wanted the casket and a sufficient sum of money to take him across the French frontier. Robert de Carnoel was seen to leave the house on the night of the robbery at 11.30 p.m., half an hour before the watchman came to the safeâ€" room. He and the cashier, Vig~ nory, and M. Dorgeres were the only persons who knew the combin- ation. The conclusion was that he was the thief or was in collusion with the thieves. He had declared that he was going to America or the antipodes, never to return. Col. Borisoff inserted an advertisement in a Paris journal, under an assum- ed name, offering great induce- ments to inves tors in some mines in Colorado. He was visited by Roâ€" l l W but the young man stoutly protest- ed his innocence. In the employ of M. Dorgeres was a boy of thirteen named Georget, the protege of the Countess Yalta, a wealthy and eccentric Russian Georget’s father was taken a prisoner by the Russians in the Crimean war; and had saved the life of the countess’ father in a bear hunt while in the interior of Russia. Hence her interest in .the lad, whom she placed in M. Dor~ geres’ establishment. He lived with his grandmother, Madame Piriac. One evening at the Rink, Maxime Dorgeres, who was still in quest of the bracelet, met a club friend, M. Villages, a Hungarian doctor, who did not practice his profession, and who was a particu- M. Villagos directed his friend’s at- was skating around the arena. Maximo watched his op- portunity, and escorted her home, a lcng distance through lonesome streets. She gave her name as Madame Scrgent, and invited her 1y a foreigner, who Yalta. ‘ lture who carried off the accusing Ibracelet. The day after the ab- lruptly-ended supper, he waited all Ithe morning for Blue Board’s sec- onds, but none appeared. In the afternoon, forgetting the doctor’s ,wise counsels, he recruited two {brave youths and despatched them gto Rue Jouffroy. They found the :doors closed against them; reiter- iated appeals to the bell having iproved unavailing, they were com- pelled to return without fulfilling their mission. The day following, Maximo went in person to the house of the ogre, Ibut his success was no greater. The obliging porter opposite re- cognised him, and came out for the express purpose of informing him that the bear had .decamped; that he had not been seen for thirty~six hours; that the neighbors, who do- tested him had signified to the com- missary of police that some crime must have been committed in that house; and that the .commissary had searched it from garret to colâ€" ;lar. They had not discovered the least skeleton nor anything which indicated that it had been a scene of violence. It did not appear that it had been used even, or that any one had slept in its sumptuous beds. The conclusion of the inâ€" quest was that the unknown had gone as he came, no one knew why; but as the furniture he had left sufâ€" ficed to pay the rent, there was no cause for his occupying any further attention. Maximo not acknowledging him- self beaten went to see the owner, who told him that having signed a llease of nine years and paid three lin advance, he had no reason to iconcerned at the departure of his tenant. The name of this tenant lescort to call on her at the cxprra- was composed of so many conson- ltionof a fortnight. On taking llcave of her, Maximo was surpris- l l l I v . ed to find little Georget at his heels to inform him that he was pursued by three men with the evident in- tention of robbing him. He called a cab and escaped. On the way home Madame Sergent felt the bracelet on Maxime’s wrist, which he always carried, lest it should pass out of his possession before he had found the owner. She inquir- cd minutely concerning it, but reâ€" ceived no satisfactory information. The next morning Maximo called at the house of Madame Sargent. The door was opened by a huge-whisk- ercd man with the manners of a beer and temper of .a bear. He said [no such person lived there, and l slammed the | door in Maxime’s face. Meantime Mlle. Dorgeres received surreptitiously a letter from her lover, Robert de Carnoel, appointing a meeting with her in the Bois dc Boulogne previous to his leaving France. But as he was now imprisoned, it was impossible for him to keep his promise, and Alice could not divine the cause of his absence. While endeavouring to find some means of escape the first night of his imprisonment, Robert de Carnoel discerned, through a window, a figure making delay, as signs to attract his attention. Hav- ing replied by waving a small lamp, the figure disappeared. It was the boy Georgct. One evening Max~ imc went to the variety theatre, where he saw the beautiful Maâ€" dame Sergent in a box. She was accompanied by the burly boor who had treated Maximo so uncere- moniously when he called at her residence. After a while the man left the box and started for home. Maximo improved this opportunity to proceed to the box, where the lady remained. He was specially anxious to renew her acquaintance, as he had just been told by a friend that she saw the mysterious brace- let’worn by this lady at a supper some time before. Madame Ser- gcnt told him the man whom he had seen was not her husband, and that she detestcd him. He had 'a pas- sion for gambling, and he had gone to join a party. the lady to supper. He soon no- ticed that it was not her hand that had been left in M. Dorgeres’ safe. The question of the bracelet was again discussed in much detail, both parties seeking to extract all the information possible from one another. The lady asked to ex- amine it, and admitted that it once was hers. While thus engaged, the ferocious boor who had accom- panich her to the theatre burst in- bert de Carnoel, who told him he to the room where the pair were had fifty thousand francs t0 mVCSt, dining, and in the excitement that which he received a few days before ensued, the lovely Madame Sergent from an anonymous debtor of his father. Col. Borisnff charged him with the. thicft, and held him imâ€" prisoned in his house, under a ‘strong guard. He threatened to deport him to Siberia, which he could do, as he held a commission from his government which enabled him to send by enclosed van mes sages to Russia under guard. disappeared through the door, carrying the bracelet with her. And Maximo went home to reflect at his leisure upon the new situa- tion. CHAPTER I. A month has passed. The thaw has come and the New Year too; This van would not be opened at but. Maxime has not seen again the the frontier, and nobody \VO‘dld Countess Yalta. ever know what became of Carnoel. scan again the inexplicable Neither has he crea- Maxime invited | ants and so few vowels, .it was im- possible for a French tongue to ‘pronounce it, and M. Maximo Dor- r gcres now found himself at his wits’ end. The best“informed viveurs, those who had all Paris on their Ilingers’ end, had been.unable to give him any information concern- ing this shooting star, "who had blazed one or two eyenings and disappeared without leaving a track. So Maximo, discouraged, ended by believing that Madame Sergent had never made part of the demi- |monde; that in conjunction with the Carpathian bear she had played la comedy of which he had been the ‘victim, and that she had supped with her too confident admirer for Ithe sole purpose of getting posses- Ision of the bracelet. She had suc- ceeded and he should never hear of her more. The trail was lostâ€"the birds were flown. They had gone to rejoin the thief who could now [sleep tranquilly. She had regain- ed possession of her hand stolen from the morgue, and of the jewel which had adorned that guilty hand. Though not indifferent to his de- feat, Maxime consoled himself with no great difficulty. His business of police agent was brought to an end, but he had not had time to ac- quire a taste for this pursuit of criminals, upon which he had enter- ed so passionately. And then his mind was elsewhere. Since he had known this strange countess he had thought only of her, had thought of her all the more because he had not seen her again. He had gone every day to the Avenue de Friedâ€" land mansion to receive a bulletin of the health of tho countess. The Hungarian seemed now to be encouraged. Madame Yalta had entered upon convalescence, and it was no insignificant flattery to the young man’s vanity to learn that she spoke of him and expressed a desire to see him. Changes have taken placeâ€"many changes in the household of M. Dorgeres. Vignory has been ele- vated to the dignity of partner, and better still, his patron has given him official authority to pay ghis addresses to Mlle. Alice, who does not repel his advances. She also is much changed. After a few days of seclusion following her drive to the Bois, she told all to her father. Joseph, the too complaisant valet de chambre had nearly been turned away, but she succeeded in winning his pardon. Cousin Maximo, on the contrary, has risen considerably in his uncle’s esteem, who is under infinite obli- gations for his wellâ€"advised inter- vention. To her confession Alice added a declaration which delighted ~M. Dorgeres. She said, henceforth Robert de Carnoel did not exist . for her, and that she was ready to follow in all respects the paternal counsels. The banker profited by the occasion to urge the claims of the cashier, and she offered no ob- jection to this pretender. She asked only for time to know him, that against l . ‘but. exacted also of her father no steps should be taken l l I l M de Carnoel, and that his name should not be mentioned in her pre- sence. These conditions were readily accepted. Vignory now dines every evening with M. Dor- geres. Mlle. Alice has even begun to appreciate his good qualities and to accord him a welcome. No one can doubt that this state of affairs will speedin end in a mar- riage; and this denouemcnt is the more probable, as a month has passed and Robert de Carnoel has given no sign of life. Col. Boris- off had had several conversations with the banker. and it was agreed between them that the affair of the theft should be abandoned. The colonél had acceptednthe loss of his casket, and is interested in the fuâ€" ture happiness of Mlle. Dorgeres. The father is grateful for his good conduct and his friendly senti- ments. He would even have invit~ ed him to his Wednesday soirees but for Alice’s opposition. The colonel recalls sad memories, and she positively refused to see him. There is yet another change in the household of the banker. Georget’s place has been filled by a little peasant boy whom M. Dor~ geres brought from his native town to run errands in his ofiices. One December day, Georget did not ap- pear, nor the day following. On the third day the banker reâ€" ceived a letter from the Widow Piriacsaying that her grandson was dying. M. Dorgeres,'who had a kind heart, repaired immediately to Rue Cardinet, where he learned that the child had been picked up the night, before on the Boulevard Courcelles, his arm broken and skull mashed; that he was delirious and his life in danger. The shock he had received had been so great; that he had lost his memory, and was not in. a condition to recount what had happened to 'him. Such was the condition of affairs when Maximo Dorgcres went out one morning, according to his daily habit, to inquire for Madame Yalta. (To be continued.) _....._._>B... SWEARING BOX. May Be Found on Many London Bar Counters. ners of mean streets in London there are boxes on the bar cour- ters which have a peculiar use. They are called “swearing boxes” and when any customer annoyed at the bad weather, for example, or l l 1 In many public houses at the ccr- ! l by some remark from an acquaint ' ance, derogatory to his facial fea- tures or to the reputation of: his an- cestors, gives vent to an unparlia- mentary expression, he has to pay a fine by dropping a pennyâ€"or in case of a very violent expression as much as thrcepenceminto the slit of the box. In a certain public house on the outskirts of London there is one of these swearing boxes, but the pecu- liarity of this particular public house is that it is almost en- tirely ferquente-d by women. They belong to a factory on the other Side of the way, and unfortunately find that their work tends to con- stant thirst. that among women a swearing box would be an unnecessary article of furniture, but in this case it is in frequent use. 94 A ENGLISH SERVANTS’ MENU. Allowed So Many Pounds and Ounces a Head, a Week. The English custom of allowing so many pounds and ounces of food a week to servants is practically unknown in this country. The Queen contains the following ex- plicit figures in regard to servants’ allowances : “The usual allowance for tea is a quarter of a pound a head a week, and as long as the servants keep within this I should not bother much about when they have their tea; butter, half a pound a heada week for eating purposes; sugar, from half a pound to a pound a head weekly; cheese from half a pound to a pound a head weekly, according to whether. you allow meat for supper or not. “The cocoa you would reckon sep uratcly from the tea. as you allow it instead of beer; the amount of this requircd'depends greatly on the quality of the cocoa, but with a good brand you would allow a tea I spoon or rather under to each cup, I so that if the servants have it once I a day you would reckon two ounces 3. head a week. For met the usual allowance is from oneâ€"half to 't-hrcc- i quarters of a pound a head a day, l the latter including bone; any-! thing beyond seven pounds a bead ' weekly indicates waste or dishon- csty.”- One. would imagine . CURE fllR CONSUMPTION MAYBE ONE HAS BEEN FOUND IN SNAKE PGISON. Philadelphia Physician Has Been Experimenting With It With ' Much Success. Dr. Thomas .J. Mays, of Philadelv phia, Penn., has been experiment- ing with the poison of rattlesnakes as a. cure for consumption, and with much success, he says. Dr. Mays is a well-known authority on con- sumption, and is one of the few men who have had successful re- sults in treating pulmonary tuber- culosis with drugs. He is medical director of the Philadelphia Clinic for the Home Treatment of Chest and Throat Diseases. The use of crotalin, as rattle- snake poison is cientifically known is not exactly new, but up to this time it has not been used by many of the local doctors. It is the dry residue of the salivary secretion of the American rattlesnake, and is secreted from the poison gland. It is administered hypodermically, with a combination of glycerine and distilled water. The injections are given about ONCE A WEEK TO START, and, after the treatment has been used for some time, increased. Dr. Mays says: “It has long been my conviction that the chief and fundamental factor in the immedi~ ate causation of pulmonary tuber- culosis lies in a disturbance of that part of the nervous tract which is known as the respiratory centre and its outgoing nerves, and that any agent which possesses the. re- quisite power of influencing this nerve area from a central direction will, in properly directed doses, tend to correct this lesion, and al- leviate, if not cure, this disease. “My own experimental study of this substance, undertaken a numâ€" ber of years ago, led me to believe that it profoundly affects the cereâ€" broâ€"spinal nervous system, and es- pecially that part of the spinal cord which comprises the respiratory centre and other closely allied funcâ€" tions. “The hypodermic injection of cro~ talin is one one-hundredth of a grain, although it is often advisable to begin with one two-hundredth of in. grain. or even a smaller amount, and it is essential to increase the :dosc to ONE-FIFTIEI‘H OF A GRAIN, or, even more, and repeat it at fre- gquent intervals in cases where quit-e la number of, injections have been made. l “The. back of the forearm has lbcren selected as the site of the by- lpodermic administration of the ldrug. The immediate effects after fthe injection of crotalin are a burnâ€" ;ing, stinging pain at the seat of the 'injection, with generally tingling and darting sensations toward the shoulder. The pain is not severe, ’and is of short duration. ' “The cough and expectorution, the two very harrassing features in every case of phthisis, almost Withâ€" out exception, yield readily to the action of this drug, whether admin- istered subcutaneously or intornat 1y, or both. The patient has a de« cided increase in strength from the Very beginning of the treatment. This has been so evident and so con- stant that is seemed almost anoma- lous in the absence of an increase in flesh.” .3. A-_.â€"._...â€"..~ WHEN THE SLEEPER W."alCES. “John 1” she exclaimed, jabbing her elbow into his ribs at 2.17. a.m., “did you lock the kitchen door '1” And John, who is inner guard, and was just then dreaming over last evening’s lodge meeting, sprang up in bed, made the proper sign, and responded, “Worthy Ruler, our portals are guarded.” Ob, he hit the title right, even if he was asleep. ~44