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Who among us dares to withhold the extenuating circumstance? Who is ready to leave this world without that crutch to lean upon? Given a mixed bloodâ€"evil black with evil whiteâ€"and what can the result be but evil? Given the climate of western Africa and the mental irritation thereof. added to a lack of education and the natural vice inherent in man. and you haveâ€"Victor Dumovo. Nestoriusâ€"the shamelessâ€"stretched out his little bare limbs and turned halt over on his side. He looked from one face to the other with the grave wonder that was his. He had never been taken much notice of. His short walk in life had been very near the ground, where trifles look very large. and from whefice those larger stum- bling blocks which occupy our attention are quite invisible. He had been the thirdâ€"the solitary third child who usually makes his own interest in life. and is left by or leaves the rest of his tamily. .000. Copyright 1394, BY HARPER BROTHERS ‘-.- or; said. It would have made so little dit- terence. 80 Victor Dumovo leave: these pages. and an we can do is to re- member the writing on the ground. It was not quite clear to him why he was the center of so much attention His mind did not run to the compre- hension of the fact that he was the wearer of borrowed plumesâ€"the sable plumes of King Death. sub vu uâ€"v _--, Index-ed trifles from after the manner of world over. Ind He had always wanted to get on to the kitchen table. There was much there that interested him and supplied him with food for thought. He had risked his life on more than one ocea sion in attempts to scale that height with the assistance of a saucepan that turned over and poured culinary deli- cacies on hls toes. or perhaps a sleeping cat th It got up and walked away mnel: annoyed. And now that he a as at last at this dizzy height he was som to flat. ’ that he was too tired to cranl about and explore the vast possibilities of it. He was rather too tired to convey his forefinger to his mouth. and was forced to work out mental problems without that aid to thought. ' two other's. the'boy and girl, were p13} tag on the doorstep with some uncon- L‘~ ~ Jâ€"Lb gm “Bad case!" he said. and. turning over. be nestled down into the pillow. and he had the answer to the many questions that puzzled his small brain. Prese It!) his eyes fell on GuyOscard’s face, and again his own small features expanded into a smile. As through an opera runs the rhythm of one dmninnnt air. so through men‘s lives there rings 21 dominant note, soft in youth. strong in mnnlmod and soft again in old age. But it Is always there. and whothvr soft in the gentler periods or strong amid the noise and clan}: of the wriholion. it dominates always and gives its tone to the whole life. The dominant tone of Sir John Mere- dith‘s existence hm! been the high. clem- note of battle. He had always found something or some one to tight from the very beginning. and now, .in his old age. he was fighting still. .IIis had never been the din and crash of war- fare by sévord and cannon. but the subtler. deeper combat of the pen. In his active days he had got through a vast amount of work: that unehrouicied work of the foreign othce which never comes through the cheap newspapers to the voracious maw of a chattering pub- lic. His name was better known on the banks of the Neva, the Seine. the Bos- porus. or the swift rolling lser. than by the Thames. and grim Sir John was content to have it so. His face had never been public prop- erty; the comic papers had never used his personality as a peg upon which to hang their ever changing political prinâ€" ciples. But he had always been “there,” as he himself vaguely put it. That is to say, he had always been at the backâ€"one of those invisible powers of the stage by whose command the scene is shifted, the lights are lowered for the tragedy or the gay music plays on the bufloon. Sir John had no sym- pathy with a generation of men and women who would rather he laughed at and despised than unnoticed. He belonged to an age wherein it was held better to be a gentleman than the object of a cheap and evanescent notoriety, and he was at once the despair and the dread o't newspaper interviewers, enterprising publishers and tuft hunters. He was so little known out of his own select circle that the porters in Enston station asked each other in vain who the old swell waiting for the 4 o’clock “up” from Liverpool could be. o’clock “up” trom The 4 o’clock was. first express which Sir John had met that day. ‘ Elle stately carriage and palrlwdpmhedltswaylntothecrowd at smaller and humble: vehicular try earlier in the afternoon, and on that oeéuiqn also the old gentleman hag! ,7A’_ __ PAGE TWO. By HENRY SETON MERRIMAH Author of“'l'he Bowers,”“Rodon’l Corner,” “From ~Ono Generution to Another.” Etc. â€"-â€"â€" â€" a grave nd girl. were play- wlth some uncon- the duht .heup. r children all the good man." said 'ocelyn. as if she eyes In former days there had been no one equal to him in certain diplomatic crises, where it was a question of browbeati‘ng snavely the uppish rep- resentative of some foreign state. No man could then rival him in the inso- lently aristocratic school of diplomacy which England has made her own. But in his most dangerous crisis he had never been restless. apprehensive, pel- simistic, as he was at this moment. And. after all, it was a very simple And, after all, it was a very simple matter that had brought mm here. it was merely the' question otmeeting a man as it by accident. and then after- ward making that man do certain things required or him. Moreover. the man was only Guy Oscard. learned. it you will, in forest craft. but a mere child in the hands of so old a diploma- tist as Sir John Meredith. very upright. however, and supremely unconscious of the curiosity amused by his presence in the mind of the station “canailie.” His lips were rather more troublesome than usual, and his keen eyes twinkied with a suppressed ex- citement. small. through, however. no fault of Sir John’s. The west African steamer had been delayed. unuccountabiy. two days. A third day lost in the Atlantic would have overthrown Sir John Meredith's plan. He had often cut things tine be fore. but somehow nowâ€"not That he was getting old. oh. noiâ€"but somehow the suspense was too much for his nerves. He sobn became irritated and distrustful. Besides. the pain in his back wearied him and interfered with the clear sequence of his thoughts. o?”i"éoxisithfi't' fibh'ing 'pam.’ ' 'Hé'VV'i: That which made Sir John so uneasy was the abiding knowledge that Jack's wedding day would dawn in twelve hours. The margin was much too The owners of the west African steamer had telegraphed that the pas- sengers had left for London In two separate trains. Guy Oscar-d was not In the firstâ€"there was no positive rea~ The course of his peregrinations brought him into the vicinity of an in- spector whose attitude betokened re- spect while his presence raised hope. “13 there any reason to suppose that your train is coming?" he inquired of the oflicial. $5 ohy he should be in the second. More depended upon his being in this second express than 811' John cared to contemplate. _V‘;Signaled now, my lord." replied the Inspector. touching his cap. “And what does that mean?” uncom- promisingly ignorant of technical par- lance. Sir John's hand was over his lips as he walked back to the carriage, castâ€" ing as it were the commander’s eye over the field. “When the crowd is round the train you come and look for me," he said to the footman. who touched his cockaded hat in silence. At that moment the train lumbered in, the engine wearing that inanely self important air affected by locomo- tives of the larger build. From all quarters an army of porters besieged the platform, and in a few seconds Sir John was in the center of an agitated crowd. There was one other calm man “It will be In In one minute. my lord.” ' on that platformâ€"another man with no parcels. whom no one sought to em- brace. His brown race and close cropped head towered above a sea of agitated bonnets. Sir John. whose walk in life had been through crowds, elbowed his way forward and deliber- ately walked against Guy Oscard. “Hang it!” he exclaimed, turning round. “Ah-Mr. Oscardâ€"how d'ye “Hang round. do '2" “How are you?” replied Guy Oscard. really glad to see him. “You are a good man for a crowd. I think I wlll follow in your wake.” said Slr John. “A number of people. of the haser sort. Got my carrlage here some- where. Fool of a man looking for me in the wrong place no doubt. Where are you going? May I ofler you a llft? This way. Here. John. take Mr. 08- card's parcels." He could not have done it better in his keenest day. Guy Oscard was seated in thehuge. roomyarrhxe bo- forehehadmflnedwh’athadhippenagl “Yourgnanwmléokmmm'm Impose?" snidSlrJohn, V details are rather unintelligible to me. My son has endeavor-ow somewhat cur- sorily perhaps. to explain the matter to me. but I have never mastered the â€"erâ€"commercial technicalities. How. ever. I an iii-stand that you have msde quite a mint of 'money. which is the cue; : it. {onâ€"nowadays.” "L-e drew the rug more closely round his knees and looked out or the win- dow. deeply interested in a dispute beâ€" tween two 'cabmen. “Yesâ€"we have been very succesafm." said Oscq'd. “How is your son now? When I last saw him he was in a very bad way. Indeed. I hardly expected to see him again." Sir John was still interested in the dispute which was not yet settled. “He is well. thank you. You know that he is going to be married." “He told me that he was engaged." replied Oscard. “but I did not know that anything definite was fixed." “Theâ€"mos; definite thing of fixedâ€"the date. It 1: tomorrow." ‘Tomon'owr' prepare your wedding garments." “0h." replied Oscard. with a. laugh. “I have not been hidden.” “I am glad,” he said. “to have this opportunity of thanking yet for all your kindness to my son in this wild expedition of yonrg.” “I expect the invitation is awaiting you at your house. No doubt my son will want you to be presentâ€"they would both like you to be there no doubt. But come with me now; we will call and see Jack. I know where to and him. In fact. I have an appoint- ment with him at a quarter to 5.” It may seem strange that Guy 0s- card should not have asked the name of his friend’s prospective bride. but Sir John was ready for that. He gave his companion no time. Whenever he opened his lips Sir John turned Os- card's thoughts aside. ' What he had told him was strictly true. He had an appointment with Jackâ€"an appointment of his own mak- Sir John. “You must excuse me,” said the old gentleman. sitting rather may. “it I Appeal-to take a somewhat limited in- terest in this great aimiaclne discovery. of which there has been considerable talk in some circles. The limit to my :Yes," he said. in pursuance of his policy of choking questions. “he is wonderfully well, as you will see for yourself." ‘ - .. .u 1. AL._ Oscard submitted silently to this high handed an'angement. He had not known Sir John well. Indeed. all his intercourse with him has been noted in these pages. He was rather surprised to find him so talkative and so very friendly. But Guy Oscard sublimeiy indifferent to the long drawn motive. He presumed that Sir John made friends of his son’s friends, and in his straightforward acceptance of facts he was perfectly well aware that by his timely rescue he had saved Jack Meredith from the hands of the tribes. The presumption was that Sir John knew of this. and it was only natural that he should be somewhat exceptionally gracious to the man who had saved his son's life. â€"- ...,j uu\| wuv v‘. _-.. . It would seeniithat Sir John divined these thoughts. for he presently spoke of them. “Owing to an unfortunate umer- ence of opinion with my son we have not been very communicative lately.” he said. with that deliberation which he knew how to assume when be de- sired to be heard without interruption. "I am therefore almost entirely igno- rant of your African aflairs, but I imagine Jack owes more to your pluck and promptness than has yet trans- I ‘7-.. -â€"A A- _.. r_e plred. I gathered as much from one or two conversations I had with Miss Gordon when she was In England. I am one of Miss Gordon‘s many ad- mlrers.” “And I am another.” said Oscard frankly. “Ah! Then you are happy enough to be the object of a reciprocal tool- tv W my vâ€",--- -i ,, lng which or myself I cofild scarcely expect. She spoke of you in no mean- promptitude theâ€"erâ€"happy event 0!. tomorrow could not have taken place." The old manpamed,andGuy0|card. who looked somewhat dlstreoeed and distinctly uncorhtorteble, could find no graceful wt: of changing the conver- .much‘!’ “Oh, don’t they?” There was the suggestion ofn smile benath Sir John’s eyebrows. “No." returxied Oscard, rather lamely. “Itlsa sort ofmmthappehl every day out there.” Sir John turned suddenly, and with the courtuneas that was ever his be Inâ€" dulged in a gage exhibition of feeling. Heleldhlshandon'Guy Wang]- “In a word," went on Sir Jonn In a very severe tone. “I owe you a great dot-t. You saved' my boy’s life.” “Yes, but you see.” argued Oscard. finding m: 'tongue at last. “out there things uh. that don’t count for no cmfinned Sir John. “When: u 1‘ "a!” pmlupecttomeotlach 3““? supmmtmnymmdm'fi‘m You have not much time to a. lamentable Johnlna event or u it hap- farther forward. Jack Meredith and Millicent were et thenreplice. 'I'herewlklthflpat murdered paper and em “903 the table. and e few weddlns present! standing in the midst at their pectin: : unlicent'e pretty face was quit. ‘whlte. She looked tram Meredith m chard win: a sudden horror In her eyes. For the first time in her 11:. sh. was at a loss, quite taken 3638!. The silence that followed was tense. as It commune in the atmosphere was nboutmmandlnthemldstotlt the wheel- ot 81: John’s rah-eating ctr- Mmetothoecnottbethmm mlnthodruwmgmom. It wu’ only for a moment. but in thnt moment the two men saw clearly. It war as it the veil (tom the girl’s mind had fallenâ€"leaving her thoughts confessed. here before them. In the same instant they both sawâ€"they both sped back in thought to their first meet- ing, to the hundred links of the chain that brought them to the present momentâ€"they knew; and Millicent felt that they knew. "Are you going to be married tomor- row?" asked Guy Oscard deliberately. He never was a man to whom a euc- cessrnl appeal for the slightest mitiga- tion of Justice could have been made. His dealings had ever been with men, from whom he h d exacted u scrupu- lous an honor an 9 had given. He did not know that women are differentâ€"- that honor is not their strong point. Millicent did not answer. She looked to Meredith to answer for her. but Meredith was looking at Oscard. and in his lazy eyes there glowed the singu- lar affection and admiration which he had bestowed long time before on this simple gentlemanâ€"his mental interior. “Are you going to be married tomor- row?" repeated Oscard, standing quite still, with a calmness that frightened her. “Yes.” she answered. rather teebly. She knew that she could explain it all. She could have explained it to either of them separately. but to both together. somehow it was difficult. Her mind was filled with clamoring arguments and explanations and plan- sible excuses, but she did not know which to select first. None of them seemed quite equal to this occasion. These men required something deeper grid Vstronger a_nd simpler than she had to ofler them. Moreover. she was paralyzed by a feeling that was quite new to henâ€"a horrid feeling that something had gone from her. She had lost her strongest. her single armâ€"her beauty. This seemed to have fallen from her. It seemed to count for nothing at this mmmmmumt momentthuntho buntyotaplcture. In; 115%me toward Meredith. who relentlessly stepped back. It VII the mmcoftholgvgthgtmmhnrt man in the world but Guy Gourd. thst llttlo movement. full or love and tenderness 1nd "at cont-Mon. might have and her. But it wu Oocud's heart that the had mom: for broken either read wrong '01- not at 811- m u an a minus.” sh- am New" leuly, looking mom on to “300th“ “A most awkward M5" "2‘? moscmn stooditog'lmo' men: on tho thraihold. HO heard the door cloud behind him- and he took two It!" dullefiié you to prod°°° m! “m There 1: no doubt o (mymoanlncin “note are also my poor eonmuu- tion! to your collection.” chimed in Jack Meredith. “A comparison must have been interesting to you. by the of comparison." She said it shamelessly. end it hurt Meredith more than it hurt Guy 0s« cord. for whom the sting wss intended. “Comparison or no comparison." said Jack Meredith quickly. with the keen- ness of s good fencer who has been touched. “there can be no doubt or the fact that you were engaged to us both nt the same time. You told us both to go out and make a fortune where- with to buy your eflections. One can only presume that the highest bidderâ€" the owner of the largest fortuneâ€"was to be the happy man. Unfortunately. Her brilliant teeth closed on not lower lip with a snap. and she stood looking at him, breathing so hard that the sound was almost a sob. “What do you mean ?" she whispered hoarsely. He raised his shoulders in polite sur- prise at her dullness of comprehension. “In the unfortunate circumstances in which you,are placed." he explain- ed. “it seems to me that the least one can do is to otter every assistance 1:: one’s power. Please consider me box? de concours. In a wordâ€"I scratch." x She gaSped like a swimmer swing ming for life. She was fighting for that which some deem dearer than lireâ€"namely, her love. For it is not only the good women who love. though these understand it best and see fur ther into it. “Then you can never have cared for me!" she cried. “All that you have told me"-â€"and her eyes flashed tri- umphantly across Oscardâ€"“all that you have promised and vowed was utterly false if you turn against use at the first word or a man who was car- ried away by his own vanity into thinking things that he had no busi- ness to think." I: Guy Oscard was no great adept at wordy warfare. he was at all events strong in his reception of punishment He stood upright and quiescent. be- traying by neither sign nor movement that her words could hurt him. coldly. “I admit that I am pulled. I cannot quite get at your mauve. Pro- chumlnglnboolu.” dithwutedpouhelymheuirlhem “I beg to suggest again." said Jack composedly. “that Oscnrd has not yet brought any accusations against you. You have brought them all yourself.” “You nre both cruel and cowardly." she exclaimed, suddenly descending to vituperation. ‘Two to one. Two men-gentlemenâ€"uunst one defense- less girl. 0! course I am not-able to acne with you. Oi! course you can getthebestotme. Itiseoeasy tobe semantic.” “I do not imagine." retorted Jack. “thstsnythinzthntwecanssy ordo will have much perpanent power of hurting you. For the last two years you hsve been engaged ln en-mtrigne sud! u 0. thin skinned or sensitive personwonldbnrdlyotherown tree will undertake. You may be eble to explnin it to yourselfâ€"no doubt you mu: l . pox-non would hardly of her own tree 18 always worth Frammg and gmwmumjo $3333 yam W111 often be surpnsed at areâ€"but to our more limited compmâ€" It s appearance when Framed. bonuonl It must rennin lnexpllcable. We can only Juan from appearances." We have just received “And. of course. appearances to a large shipment of “nut“ 1"” “"”'d°mt“ American Moulding _A_-_ II .L- .4554. _h- hmbnnl- ioman." she cried rather brokenly. “You would have been who u: have am “at pecuuulty into confiden- say mt! 5611,18“, LBW", CW. LUV uâ€"v -â€" which £3 a. gnu-tum calmity. In “Sew- ‘ng Maohinefl. Wht New Williams. New pme an dBnymond. gamma” No me "fia’ but 961M aloe st :11 times. Money to Loan M or Ton; Property '. 0. BOX 217. William-at. n 01:90:!“ St. Andrew's Chmh. I'here's pleasure in jewelry if you gag therigpg‘kind. vrBeauciful Pins, Fendzmts. and Chains will add to the becoming toilet. Beautiful Necklaces will add to the attractiveness ofgmqeful necks_ a Beautif'dl Rings will add to the beauty of nice hands. 7 Thése beauties are all wane for you. ab; Kurt-{o Linoonm and .. “Wedding Bin:- at The Popular Jewelry Store APRETTY PICTURE Bring Your Picture ih and let us quote you for 3. Frame on it. Kant-It. film the Ins-hot “DELEWARES” AND “BLISS” “mums Call and see these Potatoes before buying your seed. WM. WARREN. pound and you will be convinced. Land Plaster Rock Salt Coarse Salt Fine Salt Oil Cake Linseed Meal. Etc. Special values in new Dinner and Toilet Sets at our Chinaflm' We have special values as CHINA HALL. WILLIAM 8T. GROCERIES. KENT 8T. Henley Bros., and will give a Special Low Price on Work re- ached during the next W. F. MCCARTY Beautiful Helps ’03. 0361113 mu mm nucnnms. We have a couple of thousand bushels of the fine: potatoes that have ever been brought into Lindsay. Th” are direct from the famous potato-growing country in New Brunswick and will make a change of seed thntlill be very beneficial to the farmers of this district. Johnson Elli- or TRY OUR TEAS . CAMPBELL, WAY. MAY 16th are direct importers. Buy: DECIM. fiu-dware. Alabastine Kaltsomine Prisrg} McLennan 86 GE Goon WATCH iszmugoodft‘d'} it wears well. Not only :1 which you can sve, but the work ”H § beds!“ with thcir hundrcds of little I" . and pans. all hidJcn from sight. but“: C big busincxs just the SIM ”my, menu; are good. but (her: is can”! can rocommcnd to you for sure ‘5'“ rdiahic timcku-per. and one that will“ an old friendâ€"h is the celebrated DECIMAL WATCE LIN DSAY. Poultry nun“... . - 'N‘nvfl ju~l the Sim \d. but thcn‘ IS 0“ “6' d (O vou forwflflfl andomlh‘fi‘u“ .‘ Floor 1m. 00‘- Telflphone 29"” ' . Ego-“ht Spooidist, (SW to Dr. W and Parlors 92 Kent-st. “11'! Shoe Store, Lindsay 5 special attention given to (1‘ w, to examining and troatxx 1' 19095 whvn rec I“, eye-glasses, SpeCLac‘n-s h. B. Annis. A a_-_:nli Hom_-â€"9 t0 5- S“ Mill“ 0‘ Trinity Universit d maria meal College (0 a. S . attention given t “mm and children. "we are [C ' '~ - - To INVL-u honey (or client. A “.0 upon municip Wt ntocka “v UGKLIN a I M. Lindsay. 5,1)entist, Lindsav, ”a, Royal College Dental Sur modern methods ix departments of de! Mly pmcticed. .. r. A. WALTEBB, cent ”. Honor graduate 01 Unlva-Iity and Royal C< Dani-try. All the but. ”You branches of denti: OBS. NEELANDS an [RV] m. :nemberl 9! the m V on. SUTTON. Dentist, 1;“ Honor graduate of Toronto I; ity and Royal Collage of I Surgeons. All the Latest imp uthodsodoptedfnd prices n VA "A d MART a. O’COSDAOR. Burl Notaries. etc. Money to In: very lowest current rates m tans. omce corner lieu York-ct... Lindsay 1‘. Stewart. L. V. O'Cohnnr. C. H. HOPKINS. Barrister, S or for the Ontario Bank. Mn ion at lowest rates ()fiico William-at. , south. ”03E JACKSOX, Barr “-0 Elicitoru for the Conn Victoria and the Bank of M-n my to loan on murtung. MGR R. KNIGIII‘~13;xrx‘.~ licibor, Notary Pubhc. ‘. In; Waterloo Mutual I~'iru 1 0°» 01 Waterloo : Fedum mace Co.. of Hamilhm Accident and Surety Cm, don, Ont. Oflice of \\ Knight. Milne Block, 0W Neill's Shoe Store. chAUGHLIN, PEI: L .x 1*: 1 Meta, Solicitors, \n‘ 0006. Corner Kent and \V ”Beta, over Domdnion “8- Money to loan on fits. - R: J. McLaughlin. " 3. MN, Maripona tcu M Ockvood. Fire Inst “out. him of Marriage Lic in :11 its forms RNâ€" 3. P. A. WALTERS, dentist. fl- Honor graduate of To gang-um and Royal Colleg Mw- All th- Wt an ”on branches of dentistry “fully performed. Charge. nee. Ofllce over Gregory's .6.- mm” mt ”A “vi w-..â€" m cm o'Iver Post. New vim-an. street- BS. NEELAN‘DS IRVINE; am. when of the Royal‘ Iqa of Dental Surgeons. We I.“ the latest methods of dent Special attention will be giw 'Orthbdonin. Crowu and ] cork. The successful extract mu: under gas (Vitalized Ail til insertion of the best an datum continues to be a 5pc of this once. Oflflce nearly lite the Simpson House. the lowest current rates “Ilium-ct... Lindsay. F. D. Moore. hex ;v..-â€". - S appetite the post oflice. Mon 3"“ to children's and v. Pom. 1113-3 ‘4- : 19 "n" Ionaytolnan ». Peel. Barristers. cu: hon. 45-35 bod mortgages Solicitor. etc. DENTIST. omega 2to5p Sat urday evt A. M. Fult ,. YROO‘ Ja 01V? col 5‘