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L'ubn “b Lvuuu LLIC Auxuluzo U. LU. u. “My mother’s Bible!” he said in an awestruck whisper. He opened the book again and once more read the passage upon which the white ribbon had been pressed. “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” An open Bible. large print, lay un- der the gas jet. A bit of white ribbon marked a passage. He stooped to read it: Tom read the passage twice over and then brought the lids of the book together to identify it. He was quite sure he had never seen that identical Bible before. In gilt letters on the back he found the initials “S. R. B.” As he read “Mother” Spillman’s strange words seemed to trace them- selves over the warning passage: In his haste to reassure her he had lighted both the library and his fa- ther’s study in the rear of it. He stepped into the smaller room to extin- guish the light. There, on his father's desk, was an object which only his pre- occupation when he was hastily light- ing the room could have prevented his seeing on entering it before. “Though one were to come bank from the dead, you wovld not believe." He shook himself violently. as if to arouse his dormant common sense fac- ulties. He closed the book reverently and put it under his am. It should henceforth go with hlm Wherever he went. Whose tender spirit was grieving over his earthly chances‘: The morn- ing star shone brilliantly in upon him through the drawn curtain». He walt- ~ed a message heavenward by that ra- diant herald: Before long he was sleeping sweetly and dreamlessly. His nature was too essentially healthy to harbor perplexi- ty or distrust for any length or time. A lightsome heart makes jesting easy. Ollie had been her sweetest self in the past few minutes. and Tom walked on air. He held the door open and watched her disappear up the steps leaning on her father. as a concession to his own heart hun- ger. The other was as emphatically and exclusively a‘ business letter. di- rect. explicit, hard. convincing. Tom’s guardian had mailed it to him on the very day he had dispatched his to Olivia. Said Thomas in his letter: CHAPTER X. TOM’S RICHES TAKE WINGS. \‘Vhen Tom Broxton’s two years of travel and study on the other side of the water had nearly expired, two let- ters crossed each other on the high seas. One was emphatically and ex- clusively a love letter, ardent. ef- fusive. persuasive, boyish if you will. He had written it to Olivia Matthews A few more months now, and I shall be back at dear old Broxton Hall to stay. In all my wanderings my heart has been staid on it and on you. My plan: for the tuture have long since crystallized into a fixed purpose. They all radiate tbout. from. to. for you. my sweet. He forgot all about his Jestlng prom- Ise to Olivia. He mounted the steps and closed the door 01' his own room MMV. For a long time he sat ponder in; that strange message by the light of his dying candle: My Darling Ollieâ€"What I say to you in this letter I am quite sure is already well known to you. I love you. and I want to marry you just as soon as practicable after my return to Amer- ica. What I mean by “practicable” you and Miss Malvina and the dressmakers will best un- derstand. When I went to tell you goodby. dear, a (cw nights after you were thrown from that horse, you were in one of your exasperating-moods, and I went away feeling prickly and downmst. When I tried to tell you how I loved you, to ask you to give me some pledge that you would wait for me. you laughed in my face. called me a silly boy and treated me to some of those superior nix-u that always made my cheeks tingle u it they had been boxed. l flamed out at you like the unmannerly cub that 2 was and told you that when next 1 spoke to you of love you would be readicr to listen. all of which goes to prove the crudity you charged me with and the need there was for me to meas- ure myself by othex- standards. You were right in everything you said to me. my dear little monitor. and even while I chafed and sulk:d I went on loving you tremendously. ”And I.” said Tom, with a brilliant smile. “shall stay down stairs to give the Broxton mice some lessons in com. pany manners.” “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” “Father, mother, trust me. I will walk worthy of your living examples so long as breath prolongs my be- jug-9) “I shall finish the night on a. couch in your room. my dear. so that you shall not be imagining things again.” Upon which her father, with a. k‘Il joy air. advised her retiring before the bromide should be made of no effect. Ollie. if you would only always be like this to me. what could I not make of myself for your sweet sake!” he stam- moved. He felt himself going hot and cold, red and white. all in a minute. “Oh, And Tom. out of sheer gratitude for her tardy recognition of all he had suflered that day. beat his head with the stately grace of an old time cav- alier and kissed the little hand that still rested on his arm. "Tom, dear. you are entirely too good to nae. I have worried you straight through this day. I have made you horribly uncomfortable. Please for- give me like the dear old generous friend you are.” 01 conga we 33.11% n9 dfones about, Jug; b_e. Toward this end I hove toiled and husbanded your resources to the best of my poor judgment. A few months after your departure for Germany it became evident to me that if you were to be left care free to pursue your course to its end Brox- ton Hall must go. I feel confident that your dear father would entirely approve my course. The propertv has depreciated in mine immensely since \our father' 3 death nnd since an unfortunate prejudice against it has been raised in this neigh- borhood. 1 consider it exceedingly fortunate un- der the circumstances that a purchaser could be found. Obtaining an order from the court. with- out which. at course..Â¥ou being n minor. the My most earnest eflorts were directed toward drawing your funds out of the rapidly sinking concerns in which he. with a lack of judgment not common to him, had invested. After a. year of futile endeavor in this direction I bent my en- ergies toward rendering you self supporting should the crash which I fuliy anticipated occur during your minority. It did occur, Thomas. and l have known for five years that you would have barely enough to finish a good education upon and to supplement it by carrying out your father's cher- ished plan of travel. And now it is my painful duty to inflict a. very great surprise upon you. I have known. since in my capacity as your guardian I have had to ex- amine into your father’s papers, that he had been led into some most. unfortunate speculation: and investments. I rcjoice to perceive from letters that you have made excellent use of your time and opportuni~ ties. As 1 have told you before. I highly ap- prove of your taking up electricity. It may stand you in good stead in; the near future. You will soon be coming home. a man in the eyes of the law. legally emancipated from 111 guardianshipâ€"in short. your own master. My Dear Thomasâ€"As only a few more months r: main of your allotted two years’ absence, I think the time has arrived for me to make a. plain statement to you. Mr. Clarence Westover’s step was heard entering the veranda. and Tom Broxton was resolved, by the Maglan touch 'of love, into a fading myth. Much more disturbing was the letter written by Mr. Matthews to his ward. It was much shorter than Tom’s to Olivia, but it went straight to the point with a. brutal directness as ef- fective as a well placed blow between the eyes. It left him stunned and breathless. Oh. how the months lag! Already I begin to count those that still divide thee and me. Pres- ently it will be weeks, then days. then hours, then minutes. and I will live again. My sweet. good night. Yours, and only yours. while life stirs the pulse of your devoted slave, T. B. Olivia reading this letter through rapidlyâ€"she had an engagement with Mr. Westover. and Clarence laid so much stress on punctualityâ€"smiled and flushed softly. Homage is sweet to every daughter of Eve. and Tom did make love charmingly. Presently her little hands made sad havoc of Tom’s ardfient letter. She tore it Into small bits and sifted the bits reflective- ly through her fingers into her waste paper basket. On one of the fingers through which Tom’s message of love filtered in scraps was a big diamond ring that had not been there when he went to tell her goodby. From smiles she had passed to frowns. The letter was distinctly dis- turbing. Usually by the time she had reduced a letter to fragments she had forgotten its r-outents. I I I You got between me and my thesis today. You haunt my days; you consume my nights. Per- haps now that I have poured out all my love, an my hopes, all my intentions, I can get back to the cold, hard duties lying nearest to me. Thanks be to those who went before, dear, we will not have to wait for anything. But this xctter of Tom’s refused to ho mused so readily. From condem- nation of his silliness and blindness she passod to self questioning and ae C1“~:"" -._‘. 1 don’t know that I sat down to my desk with this letter in my mind. I have been trying to be angx) with you. What’s here set down is never absent tom my heart. I love you; I have always loved you; I shall always love you. no one but you. You are the only woman in the world to me, Olivia. Take good care of my precious one until I come to claim her for my very own. Ah. my sweet one. pardon the exuberance of a lovcsick man yearning for home and you. Some- times such a wave of longing to hold you in my arms comes over me that I feel as if I could not complete the term. Olivia, wait for me. trust me, take good care of my beloved for me. Heaven has seen fit to leave me very much alone in my young days. All the love that might have been difiused among father, mother, sisters, brothers, has centered about one small, bewildering little woman. con- centration begetting fervor, until I wonder how my heart can contain it: longing without trans- porting me to your feet. You would smile, my sweet one, if I were to try to tell you half the visions I have indulged in of you as mistress of Broxton Hall. I haxe seen you at the head of the table in the breakfast room, darling, with the rose 3 my mother planted wreathing a. gorgeous background to your pretty hair. I have handed you into the old family coach and taken my seat beside you, while the old family horses jingled their glittering silver harness with proud consciousness of bearing away the loveliest. daintiest mortal that ever bore the name of Broxton. Luckily. my darling, we will not have to wait for a. business to be built up. Broxton Hall is waiting for its fair mistress. There are jewels and plate in its strong boxes. all for you. love. and the fondest of lovers thrown in. cause my dear tamer :ert me comiurcamy prone? ed for I feel all the more impelled to emulate his industry and enterprise. All my studies on this side have been pursued with an eye single to become an electrician. IThe study has taken an immense hold upon my fancy, and as this is essentially the age of electricity I expect to do something along the line of oinvention and dis- covery. My original purpose of studying law, with a view of being taken into partnership by my guardian, he has discouraged from the very beginning. ‘Perhaps he is right in saying that the bar could Well dispense with two-thirds of its numbers and still leave a good working force. Said the lawyer in his business let- Whatever is ahead of me, sir, I hope I will be able to meet it as my hther’l son should. The office 0! cum-dim must be‘ 1t. best an arduous and The plain exposition contained in your letter has annihilated all expectations of that sort for- ever. I am not dismayed at the prospect of hav- ing to go to work. In fact. I had planned to buckle down to hard work as soon as I got through “with my studies. It seems now that my virtuous plans have turned into stern necessities. I do not believe I am 1 very luxurious chap- at least I hope I am notâ€"but. thanks to my dear father's fostering; tenderness, thing! have always gone so smoothly {or me that I suppose I began to think I was to sail in plncld water! until 1 reached port finally. My Dear Mr. Matthewâ€"To any that I did not experience a severe shock on reading your letter, by which I learn that what between an expensive edueution and unfortunate investments 1 am left to begin life as 3 poor man when I had fancied myself a wealthy one. would be untrue. l was quite unable to think or net intelligently for new eral days after reading your letter. To (all from the top of a ladder to the hard ground is jarring to a fellow’s nerves. After a little While two more letters crossed each other on the high seas. This time one was from Tom to his guardian. The other was from Olivia to Tom. Said the first: He wanted to be perfectly calm and entirely just when he did so. It would take him a few days to puil himself together. The point of view had been altered for him with such violent sud- denness that it left him quivering and bewildered. with a sense of irrepara- ble loss weighing him down. Pure, upright and honest to the core himself. he never entertained a single doubt of his guardian’l rectitude. His riches were not the first that had ever taken wings unto themselves. Doubt- less property had deteriorated and stocks had gone down and investments had proved disastrous. The man whom his father had loved and trusted as a brother must be good and true. To re- flect on his guardian’s management was to reflect on his father’s judgment. He was incapable of doing either. He would not answer this letter 1m mediately. There was no mistaking the meaning of his guardian’s letter. to please her. Butâ€"now he was a pauper. He had no home to take her to, nothing to support her on. He had always held in supreme contempt the man who was Willing to marry 9. WO- man and Involve her in the distress and privation of an uncertain or even an inadequate income. He had just done that despicable thing himself. not purposely. but ignorantly, rashly, 1r- revocably. There was no mistaking the mean- ing of his guardian’s letter. He was a pauper. Broxton, dear old Broxton, even had been sacrificed to keep him going in Germany. He was a pauper, and he had just asked Olivia Mat- thews to marry him. He had dream- ed such bright dreams about renovat- ing the old place under her tasteful su- pervision. Everything was to have been done just exactly as she wanted it. She had said once or twice in his hearing, “If I owned Broxton. 1 would do so and so,” and it had sounded very sweet and perfectly natural to him. He had not forgotten one item of the al- terations that were to have been made He read it twice over, spread It out on the table under his student lamp and conned It as he conned the scien- tific works lying on the same table, over which he usually labored three hours a day unflinchingly. There was nothing in the wording of this letter to which Tom could take ex- ception, but the information it contain- ed came to him with the stunning force of a blow struck by an unsuspected as- sailant. My daughter Olivia will make you our most welcome guest while we are going over the mass of papers that have accumulated on my hands as steward. Of course when you return here you will make my home yours while we wind up my steward- ship by an examination of all the papers and vouchers bearing upon your estate and the funds your father invested in a wildcat scheme for de- veloping- certain bogus mines in Colorado. You owe it to yourself and to me to obtain an entire- ly clear conception of the whys and the where- fores of this deplorable and (to you) entirely un- expected turn in your affairs. Doubtless you will be glad to know that Brox- ton Hall has passed into the ownership of Mr. Westover. The place, as I have said, was fast going to wreck and under any circumstances would have been a most unprofitable piece of property for you. I consider myself fortunate in finding such a purchaser (or it. Any sentiment you may feel about giving up the old house must yield precedence, Thomas, to the bald facts that you were in no position to hold on to it and the longer it remained unsold the less was its value. I am aware. my dear boy, that this letter will come to you in the shape of a most disagreeable surprise. but it comforts me to reflect that your equipment for self support is much better than I ever had, and with youth and health on your side there is nothing to afi'right you in begin- ning at the bottom of the ladder instead of at the top. .......... us About“ I have not wished to be premature in this e1- position 0! your financial status, because I'wantcd your mind care free until your studies were con- eluded, nor did I want you to remain too long in ignorance of the fact that you will have nothing to depend upon when you reach your majority but your own head and hands. These I have conscientiously strivcn to prepare for the battle of life. THE WATCHMAN-WAHDER: UNDSAY. 0N1 “Every argument you have advanced will hold good against our marrying tor the neX_t._ten_ years or so. Mr. Mat- “Clarence, dear. please don't try to hurry things up. It is very pleasant as it Is, and I dread to look forward to the time when poor papa will have to give me up. He looks so old and worried of late. I asked Dr. Govan about him. and he says all undue ex- citement for him must be avoided.” Ollie snuggled nearer to him with a caressing little gurgle. It was a de- vice she had always found highly ef- fective with the one other man she had ever tried to coax. her father. “Are we to go on this way forever. Olivia?" He and Olivia had much to talk about. He was waxing impatient un- der the trying conditions of an engage- ment to which she ohstinately refused to fix a limit. He had begun by press- ing her for a date. His voice was petulant and his eyes, which the moon- light was not strong enough to reveal under his broad but brim. were full of moodiness as he asked: It was quite late. She had taken dinner with the Westovers and had been driven home by her lover with the brightest of moons to light them on their way. Mr. Clarence \v’estover could not have been accused of cruelty to animals on that particular drive, for he let his spirited bays “gang their uin gait” from start to finish. Conscience assured her that she had, and so. with a sense of absolution upon her, she had run down the steps to mail her letter in the box nailed to the gatepost. “Is it my fault?" she asked the ink- stand petulantly. “Have I not always treated him exactly like a nephew?” Tom. Tom’s constant thought for her, Tom’s doglike faithfulness, in spite of her chilling indifiference. were in evidence turn which way she would. She was smitten with a sharp sting of The inkstand to which she made these confidential remarks was an ex- pensive tritie in beaten brass sent to her by Tom from Florence. On the walls of her sitting room hung halt a dozen good etchings selected intelli- gently. “Picked up in Rome for the dearest little girl in the universe,” Tom, the sender. had foolishly scrib- bled on the inner wrapper. Her slip- pered feet sank luxuriously into the velvety pile of a rich Persian rug ship- ped by Tom from Paris with a mag- nificent disregard for custom duties or express charges. remorse, which reacted on her temper. “Such an absurd idea as this must have a quietus put upon it very promptly. I think this letter will quite convince him. Poor old ridiculous Tom!" Her face broke up its gravity with a dimpllng smile. “Not that it is not very nice to have him care so much. Dear, generous chiid!" CHAPTER XI. FIRE COVERS A CRIME. The tragic emotion with which this letter was read was altogether dispro- portioned to the flippant coolness of its tone and was absolutely divorced from the common sense View or life which Tom rather prided. himself upon al- ways leaning toward. To go back to its writer, as she had put out a. coral tipped tongue to moisten the flap of its envelope Olivia had remarked gravely to her inkstand: Yes, now he knew everything. and he was glad of the several months granted him before he had to look things squarely in the face, such an altered face as the Whole universe wore for him. If you had to reopen that silly matter, I am gltd you did it while the sea rolled between us. Now you know everything and will have several months in which to look things squarely in the face before we meet again. I hope this letter won't put you into u very bad humor with me, Tom, dear, for I really do care a great deal for you. I am crying about you right now. I think you are manly and generous end intellectualâ€"everything, in short, that I could wish my dearest nephew to be. And, Tom, if that last photo doesn’t flatter you, you must be getting to be dreadfully handsome. Jeanne Westover raved over it. I was so sorry papa found it necessary to sell Broxton Hall. It certainly was running to seed dreadfully fast. I hope you won’t be very sorry About it. That is one reason why I want you to fall in love with Jeanne. Then it will come back to you, as she is the member of the family who adores it. and it is to be hers. As for the law practice, with papa for your partner, which has always been your dream and mine, too, I hate to think of its not coming to pass. Father seems to be getting old so fast. If he had anything in the world but his naughty Ollie to vex him, I should call him carewom. He did not behave very badly about Clarence and me, although I think he still opposes the idea of lovers. Besides all that. Tom, I have been engaged to be married to Mr. Clarence Westover for six whole months. There, now, will that bring my dear boy to his senses? I mean that you shall fall in love with Jeanne Westover, Clarence‘s sis- ter, as soon as you come home. She is worth dozens of me. My Dear Thomasâ€"Why did you write me that silly, useless letter? I told you before you went away from here that I never could care for you in that way. You were too young, and I was too old. I feel exactly like an affectionate aunt to- ward you whenever we come in contact. I want to be doing something for you all the time. But, Tom, dear, one never could think of a nephew as you ask me to think of you, now, could one? Up to the time of writing this letter I confess to feeling so stunned that I can hardly yet grasp the fact of my paupership. I will be with you as soon as possible after reaching America and will then relieve you of all further care of my tangled affairs. Unmixed satisfaction was scarcely the uppermost sensation in Horace Matthews’ soul as he read this manly letter. The look of perplexity that had become habitual with him deepened into settled gloom. Said the other letter: I thank you for your invitation to be your guest while examining the mass of papers that must have accumulated on your hands. The in- vitation I must decline. [He was thinking of Olivia and of the impossibility of his staying un- der the same roof with her now.] Doubtless I can put up somewhere in Mandeville for the few days which I must devote to getting a better under- standing ot my affairs. 0! course I presume that in justice to you all those papers will have to b; gone over. 3:12:02: one. You have now had entire contra! of my affairs for seven years, during which time I have never given them a thought. It was enough for me to know that my father loved and trusted the man he had selected for my guardian. Doubt- less my majority will come to you as a great re- lief. The memory of Tom's unanswered letter smote upon her conscience. Her tiff with Westover primed her com- fortably for answering it just as she did, and for fear of a softer mood and a less decided quietus she wrote it im. mediately and ran out and mailed it. Facing toward the house after drop- ping her letter in the box. she observ- “You will come in?” Ollie asked. try- ing to be polite. in a smothered voice. “Not tonight. thank you.” the man she hated answered baughtily. and she ran up the walk alone. They had finally arrived at a lovers quarrel of generous proportions. and the horses were permitted to sustain their reputation as fast trotters until the Matthews gate was reached. “What! Crying about it? I do won- der why a woman’s tear duct was made so perilously convenient.” you! “There! Don’t say another word. please, Clarence. Did ever I expect to hear poor papa. who adores me ,and only asks to keep me by his side for- ever and forever, accused of maneu- vering to get rid of me like any daugh- ter burdened society mamma? It is a shame, a perfect shame!” “It meantâ€"I thought so at the time. and his evasion of the point whenever I tried to consult with him as to the date oi: our marriage connrms me in the ideaâ€"that he had other views for you." “Other views for me?” “Yes.” Here Mr. Clarence swung his long Whip about the pointed ears of his team with an irritated swish that stimulated them to a brisk trot. “Has it never occurred to you. Ollie, that your father is holding me off until Broxton gets home; that he would rather you should marry his ward? But”â€" “Clarence. I hate you! There. now! I am quite sure I shall always hate They were perilously near to a lovers‘ quarrel. She was glad that the light of the moon ls not of a revealing character. She blushed furiously, as she always did when equivocatlng. By nature and habit she was a singularly direct and truth loving little body. “Well," said Ollie. with partisan heat. “he meant, poor old darling, he hoped that I wouldn’t think of marrying for a great many years to come.” “Your explanation does not dispose of his startled ‘What! You?’ " “I am sorry not to be able to take that View of it. my dear.” “What, then? Do you know papa so much better than I do?" at all!" “Not so ridiculous as it might seem. I have never got over his start of sur- prise when I asked him for your hand nor his unguarded expression.” “Unguarded expression?" “Yes. He looked at me in a startled sort of way and said: ‘What! You? 1 had hopedâ€"I had’â€" Then he stopped in very evident confusion." “Why. Clarence, no. never! You ridiculous boy! Papa wants me to have everything that makes me hap- py. Ergo he wants me to have you.” “Have you ever had any reason to suspect that your father is purposely putting impediments in the way of our getting married?” “If it costs me my life,” said Ollie comfortably. “Go on, dear.” Ollie yawned noiselessly behind her handkerchief. She was tremendous- ly fond of Clarence. She was quite sure she should never love any one half so dearly as she did him. But sometimes, sometimes only, he did seem a little wordy. Fatal moment when love admits the critic! “But I want to ask you one point blank question, my love, and I must insist upon your answering it frankly. no matter what it costs.” “None of. which conditions has been of my producing or of my fostering,” Westover replied sententiously. “And having an only parent,” Ollie interjected gently. “Of course I know, you know, we know, that it would be an awful wrench for Mr. Matthews ever to give you to anybody. That’s the penalty of being an only daughter." Westover laughed, but persevered In his efforts to get down to a rational basis of discussion. “My! Now I know exactly how you are going to look and sound a dozen years hence, when we are an old mar- ried couple and the grocer’s bill seems unreasonably long.” “See here, my dear. Let us come down to a rational basis of discus- sion” But when planning for this tete-aâ€" tete drive by harnessing up a vehicle too small to accommodate Jeanne Mr. Clarence had told himself severely that it was time he was bringing this affair to a head. and he did not pro- pose to be “jollied” out 01' his purpose by a lot of Whimsical nonsense or a coaxing smile or two. He repaid Ol- lie’s wistful. glance with a fine as- sumption of manly determination. She pushed back the Wide brim of his soft hat and, smiling lovingly into his moody eyes, called him a “sulky boy.” “And I shall be looking back'on lov- er’s vows and wedding clothes and such trifles from the apex of an old woman’s superior wisdom. I will call it all the foolish effervescence of im- mature youth.” “So shall I.” “That will be very nice, but a little monotonous, won’t it. dear? Do you intend doing everything I shall do when we get old together, Clarence?” “So shall I,” said her lover with de- cision. mews will certainly not" grow youn- ger.” “Ten years! Mercy, Clarence! I shall be an octogenarian by that time.” “And I a centenarian.” “I shall be walking with a stick and mumbling nonsense at everybody, as ‘Mother’ Spillman does." “Oh, well, that just meant nothing m TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY Take Laxative Bromo Quinme Tablets. All druggists refund the money if it fails to cure. 25c. E. W. Grave’s signature is much b0!“ “Get up and dress yourself quickly. Olivia! My study is in flames! A 0111” tain must have blown against the $35 jet while I dozed. We may save the house. The wing is doomed. I must rouse Reuben. the town!” She dreamed that she heard him calling her in a harsh. strained voice- With a start she sat bolt upright in bed to find him standing over her fully dressed. He was saying some- thing to her which her only half arous' ed senses could not grasp at all. Between them all they were making life a burden to her. If “Mother" SI-‘iu' man were not in the way, she would take Miss Malvina and fly to the ends of the earth and never speak to an- other man unless, indeed, to a porter or a courier or some masculine neces' sity incident to foreign travel. From this tempestuous summary 0‘ an uncertain and disappointing exist- ence she passed straightway through the gates of slumber into a happier world of dreams. She was sleeping 5° soundly that it was with some diffi- culty she was brought back to the world or realities by her father’s voice What a horrid day it had been! What between her hot tempered lover and her inscrutable father it was enough to make a. woman wish there was no such thing as a man in the world. Woman never harrowed up your feel- lngs nor trampled upon your affections: And there were three of the wretchel to make her miserable. ' Baflied. perplexed. sore at heart. she bent to kiss him once more and went away with the face of a chidden child and the anxious soul at a tender wom- an. Tears came to her relief when she had gained the shelter of her own room. “Father treating me as if I were 3 criminal brought before him for trial: Clarence saying all manner of mini-TS that had no justice nor kindness in them, then going 03 home in 3 buff; Tom Broxton writing silly letters that it breaks my heart to answer.” She was drawing the comb through her long thick hair with savage energy as she arraigned the offenders one by one. “We have exchanged our good nights. my dear. I am waiting for you to re- tire so that I may resume my work.” It startled Olivia by its strange un- familiarity. She looked at him almost inquiringly. He moved restiessly un- der the scrutiny or her clear, loving eyes. “But you are not going to dispose of that great pile of papers before you sleep, father?” “No; you cannot help me. my child. It is not the sort of work I should like to see you engaged in.” “Yes; they must all be disposed of to night.” Again that short, unfamiliar laugh. more like the bark or an animal. He did not answer her immediately. Presently, slowly, almost reluctantly. he said: “But. father, Dr. Gavan”â€" “Do not stay to argue the point with me. Olivia. I know my own business better than Govan does. I have work on hand that must be done tonight.” “Cannot I help you with it. father?” He smiled unpleasantly and pushed away a pile of loose papers with one hand. He strained her to his heart briefly and kissed her on the forehead. Then he dropped heavily back into his office chair. “There! Good night, my darling. Now go.” Seeing a. gleam of open re- bellion in her eyes, he raised one hand imperiously. “Obey me. my daugh- ter! “Asleep without kissing you good night, father? I never did such a thing In all my life." “Go to bed, Olivia. G0 at once. 1 supposed you were asleep hours ago." Ami-65:31] he was asleep. her wet. uplifted face. For the mu time within her recollection he put he offered caresses away from him. ‘k abm his chair bag ed ush He a My down up, frowned ding utan and. Upon ‘ ed a. bright light still burning in .' father’s study in the wing or Q house. Entering it, she found ‘1: sitting in his office chair, “mung: by a hopeless litter of loose pa His head had dronped forward 95:: folded arms. Apparently be asleep. She laid her hand gem}, his shoulder. ' °‘ apather, this is not right. It is We very wrong. You know Dr. GOYanhZ' positively forbidden you any night work. You took advantage of my ht tng away. You don’t love me, 01. M would not worry me so. You naughty papa!” The face that was lifted sound of her voice was white and drawn. The eyes that looked IODgingh into hers were heavy and bloodshet “Don’t love you? Don’t love you, Girl, it would have been better to”; both, far better, it 1 had laved m less.” at tha “Father!” She recoiled fza resentment. 1n (To be continued.) MARCH 8TH, I900 on: him 1] New Suits [or The Latest SI Latest Nox elti