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"V‘w‘v‘v vm ‘ '.FYVV<VYVV.VvvaWV‘V"vv f ijvfir'v . ‘v“vvaVV ' 'VV,YWWVTvvv‘wVV_Y_, ‘ 'v.vvvw-V‘.v--‘ ‘ H .- {7“vv“vvw~-_-vw_‘v._v. 1.0-..- cu..-”- .._.â€"_-._. 9t~'+*+~+~-+v+e-+---+,--+v+w+.+o°~+m+w+m+m+=~§m+m+~+~o~+w CHAPTER XXVI.â€"-(Cont-’d) Dorothy was busy taking his scarf and hat, and helping him to reâ€" move his coat, while his eyes were fixed on that slender figure in the long, black velvet gown, turned so resolutely from him, with the magâ€" nificent hair coiled low on the, white neck. Sir Humphrey was soon shouting for some one to bring Mr. Dorn- ley something to eat, and Miss Lei- cester drew her cousin to the fire. “Nancy, here is Derry come to oin us. Haven’t you a word for in)?” Nancy, who was laughing and talking with Darcy Hamilton, turned round quietly. “How do you do l” she asked, in gold, languid tones. “You must be frozen, I am sure, and we are me- nopolizing all the fire. Come along, Darcy, we will go and have a look it the ball-room, and prepare our- Ielves for the festivity. Dolly, if you want me, dear, you know where I am.” . And gathering up her velvet lrain, Mrs. Crawshaw put her small hand on her cousin’s arm, and walked away, laughing, with what rounded like good merrimcnt to the others, but which rang in her ears as a hollow mockery. Darnley stood staring after her us she went. ’ “Who is the man?” he asked Dorothy, sharply; and, as she told; lim, hc relapsed into silence again, until a servant came to lead: him lo his room, when, with a forced smile, he said: “I shall be down directly, Dol- ly,” and he went quickly away. Once alone in his room, he stood with clinched hands and compress- ed lips. Incredible as it seemed, he could find no solution to the extraordinâ€" change in Nancy except that her wealth had brought this change. Money must have hardenâ€" ed her heart and set her for ever away from him. Going up to the broad mantleâ€" shelf, he buried his face on his folded arms. ‘What use to try and get at any other reason?” he asked himself, bitterly, as the moments passed, and then he roused himself. ‘She has told me plainly she doesn’t want to have anything more to do with me. Well, that ought to be zlear enough. myself any more. After all, I’m not the first man to have made a big mistake about a woman!” With a shrug of his shoulders, lherefore, be reused himself and dressed rapidly, and as he stood ary lor a- moment before joining the others, he came to the dtermination shat he would leave again as soon IS he could get away. CHAPTER ' XXVII. The s-ervants’ ball went off right merrily, and Janet was heard to declare that neverâ€"no, never did any one ever dance like Mr. Derrick Darnl-ey! Once during the evening Nancy had disappeared, and Dolly, giv- ln'g search, found her in the lib- rary, with pen in hand, writing, or pretending to do so, at any rate. “Now what is it ?â€"-what are you worrying about, darling?” Nancy seemed to wake from some troubled thoughts and start. “Mrs. Starr tells me that Fen- ton has been asking for me; she says the poor man is in great pov- erty and distress.” “And you are going to help him, of course!” Dorothy was full of righteous indignation. “A creaâ€" ture who never lost an opportunity of insulting you whenever he got the chanceâ€"who was a spy on you andâ€"â€"â€"â€"” , a... "Still, Dolly dear, I can’t let him starve; and I have so much; what do a few pounds more 1r less matter? It is Christmas time, re- member; and, you know, ve must all be charitable and forgive how.” Dorothy’s only answer kiss, and a very tender one. “I may argue just as much as I like, but you will be firm all the same; I know you. Now I must go was a undmv‘uah‘l‘wzuMn-l<M~u-I.-â€"J¢u- um “Hanna...“ u...â€" FfH+++++++++++++++ H+ MWH++H+++++ +HH¢ . ll '" llllllz OR, A LOOK INTO THE PAST I’m a fool to torture thoughts up a chair and sat down in it be- fore the fire. The back was turned to the door, ! back; will come, darling, soon '2” “In a moment,” Nancy answer- ed. , . - She filled up the cheque she had written for Fenton, then, putting it in an envelope to give to the housekeeper, she rose to move away, when an uncontrollable im- pulse made her turn to the fire and stand there. She was very miserable; with all her heard resolutions and bitter contempt, her love lived as strongâ€" ly as ever for this man. Yes,.dcspitc everything, and the long year’s training she had given herself, she knew she loved him still, her heart was still thrilling with the excitement Darnley’s presence brought. Even while she knew him, by his own mother’s word, to be unworthy and dishon- ored in her sight, she yearned for him; his near presence tortured her. While she was standing quietly, Janet came in with some letters in her hand. “The second post has just come, ma’am, and brought these. Miss Dorothy thought you might like to l-av them. The p(or man is so orcrweightel mil) (_..'4 ist-mas car-ls he could not get here before.” Nancy thanked lte" maid and took the lettc":; there were only three 5 1' her; one from her uncle, another, full ’)I grateful thanks, from the vicar of the parish, whom she had helped so generously; and the third, with lov'ng greetings, from her old friend, Dr. Grantley. Her new relations, Sir John and Lady Hamilton, had sent her a costly present before she left town. Nancy received it with pleasure, for she had a kindly thought for these people, through her sincere liking for her cousin, Darcy. She little knew what hopes were built on that liking by the ambi- tious mother and father! V The inclination to remain alone and continue her sad, hopeless deepening, Nancy drew you and halfâ€"an-hour, perhaps an hour had passed, when some one enterâ€" ed abruptly and Lord Merefield’s voice said, sharply and anxiously, as Nancy rose with a start: “There, old fellow, sit there; I’ll be back with some brandy in a second.” ‘ ' He pushed, or helped some one to the couch as he spoke; and Nancy, grown very pale, caught a broken whisper: _ “Leaveâ€"m-câ€"mc Merefieldâ€"quite merit.” The whisper was so eager, Lord Merefield could do nothing less than obey; but, as he turned, Darnley’s head fell back against the chair, and he had fainted dead away. In a second Nancy had moved hurriedly forward. “What is it l” she cried, agitatâ€" edly. “What has happened ’2” ‘ Lord Merefield mutt-cred an ex- One of the quite alone, aloneâ€"forâ€"mo- planation hurriedly. wreaths of evergreens fire, and, in falling, had caught a cotton go'wn, setting it on fire. The whole place threatened to be in a blaze had not Darnley sprung forward and extinguished the flames with his hands. “Andâ€"and has hurt himself! Oh, go and fetch brandy; send Janet with oil and cotton wool. Oh, Lord Merefield, go quickly!” .Nancy’s face was white to the lips, and, as Lord Merefield rush- ed away to do her bidding, she crept back to that still form and bent over it. How brave, how noble, he had been! He was her hero againâ€"her best beloved: The memory of his treachery was forgotten altogether in thatumoment. With a shudder she glanced at the poor, burned hands, then, kneeling down, she bent still lower over the white lips. Not a breath escaped them. An agony, an awful agony of fear came over her. “Oh, Derry, Derry, my darling, speak to me ! Speak, only speak to me! Oh, God, if he sould be dead!" ' had taken. Invo‘luntarily her lips touched his, and, as though he had been electrified-bethat touch, a sigh ran through the man’s frame, and he opened his eyes. At first there was nothing but vagueness, like one who is blind, and then a swift contraction, as pain and sense returned. He closed the lids for a second, then opened them again, before she had time to move from her knees. “Nancyâ€"is it youâ€"really you, my darling l” came in faint accents from his lips, while such a look of joy came into his eyes as bewilder- ed her, even in the midst of her anxiety. “You are better,” she whisper- ed, as she rose softly. He gave a quick sigh. “Itâ€"it is nothing. I am all right. I told Duncan not to make a fussâ€"not to frighten Dolly, orâ€" or any one.” ' He was trying to move himself in- to a sitting position. He could not touch anything with his hands; they were covered with blisters, and were completely useless. Nancy saw his difficulty, and a lump rose in her throat. “Let me help you,” she mur- mured; and, coming forward, she put her white arms round him. The man’s pale face flushed, his breath came in quick gasps. It was like a glimpse of heaven to be held in that embrace. “Iâ€"I am so heavy,” he panted. “You must not. You-you will hurt yourself.” He- put out his right and to gent- ly push her back, but as the in- jured flesh rubbed her gown, he uttered a groan, and his eyes closed again, as in another faint. Nancy’s own eyes were full of tears. “Oh, what shall I do r!â€"â€"what shall I do l” she cried, in anguish. “Derry! Derry!” The dark lashes were lifted for an instant. . “You are sorry, dcarl” he ask- ed, with a look of unutt-erable tenâ€" derness. ‘You are sorry for me, Nancy? My darlinglâ€"my dar- ling z), His head sank forward, and was pillowcd on the girl’s soft, white throat, as the door opened, and Lord Mercfield, follow-ed by Janet, came hurriedly in. Merefiel-d made no sign as he saw Nancy’s arms round the half~ sunken form; he only poured out some raw brandy and put it to Darnley’s lips. Then, as Nancy saw Janet already busy with the poor, maimed hands, she gently disengaged herself and went softly awayâ€"a broken solo in her throat and a mist of tears in her eyes. 09 'If‘ fix" '1' et- An hour later a knock at her door aroused her. She had flung hers-elf down in an agony of grief when she reached her room. Her ears rang still with Derry’s ten- der, loving words; her pulses thrilled yet with the memory of how close his dear face» had been to hers. “I love himlâ€"I love him!” she said, over and overagain to herâ€" self. “ Ie- has wronged me more than any woman was wronged be- fore; still I love him! Oh, Derry! ifâ€"if only you had been true and noble, as I thought you!” She started to her feet as the knock came. “If you please, ma’am, Mr. Darnley sent me to ask if you would kindly go and speak to him,” said Janet, careful not to notice her mistress’ white face and disrodered hair. ‘ “Is he better?” asked Nancy, faintly. “He seems much easier, ma’am; Miss Leicester has been with him up to now, but he is alone again, ma’am, and wishes to see you very badly; will you go, ma’am‘!” “Yes, I will go.” Nancy’s heart was beating so wildly she could scarcely speak. With-out a glance at her reflec- tion'in the glass, she went down the broad staircase, a lovely vis- ion, with her whi-te neck and arms gleaming from out the black velvet gown, her hair falling in soft, ruf- fled curls on her brow and round her throat. She hesitated an in- stant before she opened the library door. - Derry was lying back in a chair as she entered, but as his ears caught the sound of her dress, he rose slowly and with some diffi- culty; both hands were bound up with lint and white bandages. There was a flush on his face and a. strange look in his eyes. “This is kind of you, Mrs. Craw- shaw,” he said, in quick, low tones; "‘I dared scarcely hope you would come so soon.” His eye-s wont to her delicate throat; was it a dream, or had his lips rented close to it just now? “Youâ€"you want to see me 1” Nancy replied, standing, with one ...............-..N m... .i..,.._.m........\, . .,. -... hand leaning on the table, a grace- ful. lovely figure. ‘ The man bowed. . “I have a very painful task to, perform,” he said, after a pause; “but I owe it to myself to do it.” He heaved a short sigh. “A year ago, Mrs. Crawshaw, you went to see my mother, and in that inter-- view, which until to-day I was ut- terly ignorant had taken place, she â€"â€"she made a statement to you, did she not?” How pale his face had grownâ€"â€" white to his very lips! “She did.” Nancy, too, had become, if pos- sible, paler. Darnley moved a stop nearer. “On the table, Nancy, there lies a letter! It is from .my motherâ€" read itâ€"read it, and give me your' sympathy, for God knows I need it toâ€"night; it is not often a man is made to suffer through his mother as I have suffered through mine l” Nancy picked up the letter with a trembling hand. It was a very long one. Mrs. Darnlcy had writ- ten it many days ago, and, accordâ€" ing to his cabled orders, it had been forwarded to him with his other correspondence to Ripstone from his club. It was- a confession, pure and simple, of her share in the fraud which had induced Nancy to be» come Thomas Crawshaw’s wife; and a second one, full of bitter contrition for her falsehood to Nancy, wherein she had dishonorâ€" ed her son to save herself. Ill and utterly miserable, the mother had at last found strength to own her sin at this Christmas time, and to implore her son’s for- giveness. Nancy’s lips quivered as she put the letter down. A flood of self.- reproach and remorse rushed into her heart. She moved forward. “Derry,” she ' whispered, “Derry.” As she lifted his dark eyes, she flung herself at his feet. “That I should have been so eas- ily deceived! That I should have wronged you so, my ownâ€"my best beloved !” Hecdles's of injuring them furâ€" ther, he stretched out his maimed hands to help her to rise, and seaâ€" ing this, she got up quickly and clung to; him. ' love that makes you turn to me ‘2 Is all doubt dead, dear? mother hasâ€"’ ’ ed his arms, she buried her on his breast and burst into tears. “Forgive me! Oh! forgive me 3” she so‘bbed. As he kissed her brow, eyes, and lastly her sweet, tremb~ ling mouth, wit sion and joy restored, Derrick anâ€" swered: ' “Forgive you, my precious! when I, too, have wronged you! I have called you worldly, mercenary, hard, cruel, I know not what. Ah! we have gone through a great trial, my darling. Thank God! our love has lived through all. Lift up your lips and kiss me, Nancy; if you could only know how I have long- ed, hungered for their touch, my dearest one!” Nancy nestled to him, heaving a happy sigh now and then; and then, by slow degrees, Deriy drew from her the story of what had pass-ed between his mother and herself. She glanced up at his darkened face as she finished. Stop it in 30 minutes, without any harm to any part of your system, by taking .11 “NA-DRU-CO” Headache Waters NATIONAL DRUG AND CHEMICAL CO. OF CANADA L! She silenced him by putting her from tropical diseases than fingers on his lips; and, as he openâ€" black. face ity lasts for only about seven years, 11 all the old pas- ible to tropical diseases. 25:: a--' I dr'u MITED. “But you will forgive her, dear,”- she urged, involutarily, as she rear lize‘d what Anne Daruley must have suffered before she had brought herself to make atone~ ment. _“Please-â€"â€"please say you will forgive her." Tlc man paused. ‘ She has kept as apart a whole yearâ€"a whole terrible year. Ah, Nancy! even now I had not quite believed you were really in my arms. Yesâ€"yes, my sweetheart, I will forgive, and we must teach ourselves to forgetâ€"we have so much to forget!” He held her very tightly in his arms, and kissed her softly, with whispered words of joy that dazed her. And then they were silentâ€"v in the- heart of both there was a; prayer and a great thanksgiving. THE END. ....â€"-â€"._>I£ wnrrn MAN noonun. .___‘ Professor Thinks Fair Skinned Races Will Vanish From Earth. If we are to take seriously the predictions of Prof. Lionel W. Lyde, of London University, the outlook for the white man on the face of this earth is gloomy in- deed. Much has been written at one time and another regarding the the. ability of the white man to live in the tropics and to retain his bodily and mental vigor. The com sensus of opinion, as pointed out by The Medical Record, has been that he cannot do so, but after a time he will surely deteriorate, physicals ly and mentally. Furthermore, white natives whose ancestors have lived three or more generations in the tropics are not, With rare exceptions, the peers either in body or mind of their re- latives 'living in the temperate zone. ‘ Prof. Lyde not only insists that the white man cannot live in health in tropical countries, but he also professes to believe that the white man is doomed to vanish from the face of the earth, giving way to the colored races. The English pro~ fessor bases his belief on the the- ory that the original color of the human skin was dark brown, the variations of that color being the results of the weakening or strengthening of the pigment under “Nancy, don’t tempt incâ€"is it different climatic conditions. Taking ordinary precautions it "a. 1 v . b ._ ("3’1 L310.“ may be possble for the white man, ta :e the son, 1emem 91mg “ m“ “5 two years of acclnnitization, to live in the tropics even more immune the But this period of immun- after which the deteriorating ef- fects of the strong solar light and heat begin to show themselves on her wet the white skin, and render the posâ€" sessor thereof peculiarly suscept- In conse- quence the permanent settlement of the tropics by white men is im- possible. But while the pigment with which the colored races is provided is indispensable for life in 1-» . the tropics, it is a source of no danger in the temperate or frigid zones; therefore the dark or yellow man can intrude into the domain of the man of fair skin with little or no danger. v 5a...- __.._. HORRID THING. Wife (cxcitedly)â€"â€"If you go on like this I shall certainly lose my temper. Husbandâ€"No danger, my dear. A thing of that size is not easily lost. The best results are then assured. Ask your grocer for Redpath Extra Granulated Sugar. He knows then that you want the best. The Canada Sugar Refining 00., Limited, Montreal Established in 1854 by John Redpath.