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OR, THE GIRL IN BLUE PIO E4306 GH OEHHA DEH A HEI 0 HERE HITE CHAPTER XVIII Britten was, I immediately detected, one of those men who-e well-fe'gned ar ol fussy sympathy, whose unruflled good humor, and whose quick perocption en- abled him to gauge to a nicely his pati- enl's character, and thus to ingratiate himself. By the younger people he was, no doubt. pronounced clever on account of his age and known experience, while ld lades--those whose very life de- Bendcd upon regularly seeing the doc- por--dcclared him to be "such a dear, kind man.' Upon the family doctor's manne: al me depends the ext nt of his pularity and the size of his practice. he mist ignorant charlatan who ever reld a diploma can acquire a wide prac- tice if he is only shrewd enough to hue or his patients, to take pans to feign the deepest interest in every case, and assume an outward show of superior knowledge. In medicine, be the man ever so clever, if he has no tact with is patients his surgery bell will remain for ever silint, Dr. Britt'n was a shrewd old fellow; a bit of a bungler, who made up for all defects by that couslant good humor which jeople like in a medical man. "Don't worry, my dear sir; "don't wor ry," te urged, when he had finished. "Rest well, and you'll be right again very so n." "But fhe events of last night?" I said. *A man made a dastardly altempt upon my lfe, and I intend to secure his ar- rest." "Yus, yes, I know." he answered, pat- ting me on the shoulder with a famili- arity curious when I reflected that I had rever set eyes upon him till half an hour before. "But take my advice, and dant reflect upon 14." "If you know, then perhaps you'll kindly give me some explanation?" | said, resenting his manner. He was treuling me as he would a child, "I only know what youve told me," he 1espond d. "It's a sirange story, cer- tainly. But don't you think that it is, greater part of it, imag nation " "Imag nation!" | cried, starting up an- grily. "I tell you, Dec'or Britten -- or whatever your name is--that it is no imaginaton. The wound on my head es sufficient proof of that," "The wound was nfl'cted by yourself,' he answered calmly. "You accidentally ran against the statute." "I don't believe it," I said bluntly. "Ils al' a confounded conspiracy, and, more- over, you are staking your professonal reputation by assisting in it." He shrugged his shou'ders and raised his grey eyebrows with an expression regred. "I have bem called lo you, my dear Rit, because you have met with an acci- dent," he said. "I have merely given you the best of my advice--namely, 10 remain quiet, and not {rouble about anyth ng that has passed. Your brain Joauires rest after the severe shock it as received." "Doctor Britten," I said determin dly, "I quite understand the meaning of your vague words, You bel'eve that I'm not quite right in my mind." "No. no," he assured me quickly. "I did not say that. Pray do not misun- denstand me. 1 merely advise rast and perfect quiet, Indeed, you would be far better in bed for a few days--far bet- ter." "lI know my own feelings best, thanks." I replied, for his manner, al-|! though it might imj1vss nervous old lad es, arous~d within me a strong re Bentm nl. "Exact'y. But surely you should, for our own sake, atlend to the sugges- wns of your medical adviser?' "You have formed wrong conclusions --tntirely wrong oonzlusions," I lavgh- ed. "Is it likely (hat | shall lake notice of anything you say when you believe that I'm not responsible for my act ons?" I had walched his face carefully, and I knew that, like the dark-faced young man and Gill, the servant, he believed my bram unbalanced. "I assure you, my dear sir, you en- tively misundersa!nd me," he p:otested. "I merely say---" "Oh, enough!" 1 cried angrily, turn- ing upon my hcel and leaving (he 100m abruptly. 1 was sick of the chattering <1d idiot, who evidently believed that 1 Was not responsible for my act'ons. Down the wide oak stairs-[ passed, and in the grat hall, which seemed to Tun the whole length of the house, and was filled with stands of armor, tatlered banners, and trophies of the chase, I en- countered the pale young man who had sent for old Britten, I was passing him by, intend upon ex. fering bis ange house in whch I ound myself, wi approaching me he aid + 8ppI g ' "Would you please come ito (he lib- rary for one moment?" - "The library?" I asked, looking at him, puzzled, "Where is il?" He opened a door close by, and I fol owed him into a 'comforiable study, Tinea wih books from floor to olin d with papers, while close beside another JHalier table, very severe Wer I inquired, "What do- you cited] vi a dra centre was a large writing-table | m has just arrived," he ao io : or | ligible to me. " "Well?" I inquired, raising my eyes ond looking at him, surprised. "I don't soc why this Charles Mawson, whoever he is, nced hasten wo t2'1 me that. What does i malter to me?" "Matter? My dear sirl Matler?" he cried, s'aring at me, as thought in won- der. *There must, 1 think, be something the matler with you." "Well, perhaps you'll kindly explain what it means?" [ said. "I have, I as- sure you, no idea," "Why, il means," he said, his face Felraying his inlense excitement--"it moans thal Woodford's report is cor- rect, that there is, after all, rch gold on the concession; in short, that, being owner of one of the most valuable placer concessions, you are a milliona're!" "That's all very interesting." I remark- ed wi'h a smile, while he slocd staring ul me In abject wonder. "l fear," he said, "that youre not quite yourself to-day. The injury to your head has possibly affected you." "No, it hasnt," I snapped quickly. "I'm quite as clear-headed as you are." "Then I should have thought that to any man in his sane senses such a telo- gram as that would have been extremely gratifying," he observed. "Now, fell me," 1 said; "do you know who [ am!" "l thmk I do. Heaton." "And you tell me that I'm a milllon- aire?" "I do, most certainly." "Than, much as | regret to be com- pelled to say it, young man," I answer- ed, "I am of opinion that you're a con- fcunded lar." "But Mawson has struck the gold sev- on dollais to the pan," he pointed out io protest. "Well, what in the name of Fortune has it to do with me if he's struck it a thousand dollars to the handful?" [ ciied. "I should be incline! to say it had a greal deal to do wilh you as holder of tho toncessicn," he answered quite ¢_ol- You are Mr. Wilford y. "Oh, bo'her the concessica," 1 said hastily. "I don't understand anything whalever about it, and, what's more, don't want to be worried over any min- ing swandles." Then I added, sinking into the padded chair before the writing- table, "You seem to know all aboul me. Tell me, now--what's your name?" "My name?" he echoed, staring at me blankly, as though utterly puezled. "Well, 1 thought you knew it long ago. In Gedge--Reginald Gedge," "And what are you, pray?" "I'm your secrelary." "My secretary!" | echoed, gasping in amazement. Then I added, "Look here, you're trying to mislead mey all of you, I have no secretary--I've never had one, All this chatter about mines and con- cessons and such things is pure and simple rubbish," "Very well," he answered with a slight sigh. "It You would have it so It must be, Britten has already said that you are somewhat confused after your ac- cident." "Britten be hanged!" I roared, "I'm No more confused than you are. All 1 want fs na straightforward ex lanation of how I came here, in this houses He smiled, pilyingly 1 thought. That 0'd medical idot had apparently hinted to both the srvant and this young prig, who declared himself my secretary, that was nol responsible for my actions; therefore, what could I expect? ! The explanation is one which [ regret I cannot give you," he answered. "All I want ts your ins'ructions what to wire lo Mawson," "Oh, bother Mawson" "Wire him whatever don't mention hs n n I don't know him, and don't de sire to make any acquainlance either with him or his confounded pans," I shall send him congratulations, and tell him to remain in Dawson Cily pend. mg further instructions." - ~ "He can remain there until the Day of Judgment, for all | care," I said, a remark which brought a smile to his pale features, A brief silence fell between us. All this was absolutely bewildering. I had been struck down on the previous night in a street in Chelsea to find myself next day in a country house, and to be ouolly informed by a man who called -- I cried angrily, you like, only ame again to omarfe: plo sonocssion end a mil re. © Ww ing seemed utterly incredible, € el 10 1 felt my head, and found it There was no , re ed. mistake about the reality of it all. It was no curious chimera of the imagination, / Before me upon the blott'ng. d were some sheets of blank nole-paper. fH turned them' over in idle curos.ty, and fcund embossed upon them the address in «black _characlers: "Denbury Curt; near Budléigh, Saliegian, * ET a this place Denbury Court ™ | in- "Yes." wh pen "And whose guest am s. pray? "You are no one's guest. This js your cwn house," was his amazing response, [turned 'towards him defermined] and in a hard voice sa'd-- "1 think, Me. Gedge, that y your senses; I'vemever heard himself my secretary that I was owner | her? u've {akon "And you tell me I am wealthy?" I said, with a cynical laugh, i "Your banker's pass-book showd be sufficient proof of that," he answered; and taking the book from an iron safe let into the opposite wall, he opened it and placed it refore me. I glanced at the cover. Yes, there was no ke, It was my own pass- bo k. My eyes fell upon the balance stand- ing to my credit, and the largeness of the figures held me open-eyed in aston- ishment. It was wealth beyond all my wildest dreams "And that is mine--absolulcly mine?" I inquired, when at last I found tongue. "Certainly," he replicd, a moment lab: er adding, "It is really very strange that I have to instruct you in your own pri: vate affairs." "Why have I an office in the City?" I asked, for that point was puzzling. "In order to carry on your business." "What business?" "That of financial agent." I smiled at the absurdity of the idea. I had never been a thrifty man; in fact I had never had occasion to trouble my head about finance, and, truth to lell, had always been, from"a lad, a most arrant dunce at figures, "l fear I'm a sorry financier," I re marked for want of something better to say. "You are acknowledged to be one of the shrewdest and the soundest in the City of London," Gedge answered. "Well," I remarked, closing the pass- book, securing the flap, and handing it buck to him, "all T have to say is that this last hour that has passed has been absolutely replete with mystery, 1 can make nothing of all these things you teli me--absolutely nothing. I shall be- gin to doubt whether I'm actually myself very soon." "It would be belter to rest a little, if I might advise," he said, in a more de f reatial tone th 'n before. "Britten sug- gested repose. That blow has upset you a little. To-morrow you'll be quite right again, I feel sure." "I don't intend to rest until I've clear- cd up th's mystery," I said determined- ly, rising from the table, Al that moment, however, the door opened, and turning quickly, I was con- fronted by an angular, bony-faced, lan- tern-jawed woman, whose rouged and rewdered face and juvenility of dress struck me as utterly ludicrous. She wus fifty, if a day, and although her lace was wrinkled and brown where the art ficial complexion had worn off, she was neveretheless atired jn a manner becoming a girl of twenty, "Oh, my dear Wilford! Whatever has happened?" she cried in alarm, in a thin, unmusical voice, when she beheld the bandages around my head. I look d at her in mingled surprise and am ent; she was so doll-like and ridiculous in her painted juvenility, 'Mr. Heaton acc dentally struck his had against the statue in the draw.ng- room, madam," explained Godge, *Doc- tc» Britten has assured me that the in- jury is not at all serious. A litt'e rest is all that is necessary." "My dear Wilford! Oh, my dear Wil- ford! Why didn't you call me at once?" "Well, madam," I answered, "that was scarcely possible, considering that I had not the honor of your acquaint. ance." "What!" she wailed, "You--you can't really stand there and coolly tell me that you don't know me?" "I certainly assert, madam, that I have absolutely no knowledge whatever of whom you may bé," I said with some d gnily. "Is your brain so affected, then, that you actually fail to recognize me--Mary your wifel" "Youl" I gasped, glaring al hor, dumb- fcunded. "You my wife! Impaossible]" (To be Continued.) ------ EVOLUTION. Mary had a little hat, Not bigger than a slopper, 'Mary soon got rid of that-- Her present hat's a whopper, THE REAL KICK. Tte bashful man had stolon a kiss.-- "I hope I haven't rumpled your feel. ings?' he ventured. "Oh, bother the feel'ngs!" retorted th" pretty girl, in confusion. "You have rumpled my hair and my shirt-waist," HEAD OF THE HOUSE. Mr. Meeker--I8 my wife goi Mary? y going out, "Yes, sir." "Do you know if I am going with Many a man tries to get out t - ing as he goes because he dons a. pect to come. back, Insurance that will insure man against insurance 3 sy long-felt want. Necossity is 'the' mother of inventior but she isn't always proud of ont BpRing.; <0 Gh Sut ML "The Tove ot woes may bo. Vie of all evil, but pric a) | 85 far as it goes, i $53 ii Hh v Frm 5 "A man may ovérlake a on: the. road rie n | he ruin; but + exe | towels loosely around the agents would fill al. -- EE a = -- - writing-table, and took therefrom a HE 44404 4444444404 Ae number of blank forms, which he placed : Es, before me. In eagerness I read their + ; = 4 . ) printed heading. It was: "From Willord} o © ; Saale Hea'on, 103A, Winchesier House, Old : r ; : Broad Street, London, E.C." ol 8 g arm : 0 "Well, what are those used for?" I J b N asked in wonder. i" ; § - ) "They are used at the Cily Ofce," he | i gs answored, tossing them back in'o the E4444 FE E4444 4 STOCK BLOATNG ON CLOVER. of trouble and loss from caitle and sheep bloating on being turned into a fresh clover pasture. As a preventive, it is the part of wisdom to avoid turn- ing the stock into such pasture for the first time while the clover is wet with dew or rain, or the animals are very hungry. Prevention in this, as in many cases, is better than cure, but if bloat- ing does occur in caitle, a simple cure is to give, as a drench, slowly and care- fully, two ounces of spirits of turpentine, and the same quantity of raw linseed oil. For a sheep, half the quantity may be given, and, if the oil is not on hand, the turpentine may be given in water. If neither is on hand, or if they cannot be readily secured, relief may sometimes be given by simply placing a round stick in the mouth of the animal, fasten- ed there by means of a rope atached to each end and tied over the head, back of the ears. This device may also pe used for a bloaled sheep, In cattle, if the case is a very severe one, the ani- denger of death from suffocation, and topping with a trocar and canula should te attended to Without delay. The tro- car is a sharp-pointed instrument, and the canula is its sheath. The place to tap is in the middle of the depression telween the backbone and the hook- tene, on the left side; the puncture is nade about equidistant from each of these points, the trocar being with- drawn, and the canula or sheath being lei in the opening while the gas es- capes. If this instrument is not on hand, or promptly available, the next best thing is lo prepare a goose quill, by cul- ting off the ends, and, with a sharp- pcinted knife, making an incision deep enough to go through the skin and the Lining of the stomach; insert the quill and hold it firmly till the gas escapes. A litlle carbolized oil should be applied to the wound to prevent fly-blow and to heal the sore. If the case is a hopeless one, and the animal 15 in condition to make good beef, the question of bleed- ing and dressing it may be considered. ---- TO AVOID CRACKED HEELS. It seems to be a deplorable fact that a great percentage of high-bred horses have extremely thin and tender skins, and at mo point does the skin seem so {ender as at the heels on the inside, from the coronet band to the ankle. This particular point also seems to be the place where all sorts of dirt and scurl find lodgment, and it further ap- pears to have a secretion peculiarly its own, especially when in a fevered con- dition. One will find heels with a tendency to crack that are helped by ointment con- taining grease, vaseline, etc., while others are poisoned by the slightest particle ol greasy matter of any kind. The first requisite, then, in both va- rieties of sore heels is to keep them clean. For this purpose nothing has been found that touches pure tile soap and warm waler, not to be ap- plied in the usual pgrfunclory way but by use of a fairly stiff brush, such as is commonly used at home for the purpose of hend washing. As the horse comes In from his jog or 'workout, no matter whether (he roads are muddy or not, have warm water ready; after the hoofs \y clean pail and bar of white Castile scap, have the hostler scrub each heel and thoroughly rinse it clean; carefully wipe each heel dry, and if the horse shows no sign of fever in either ankle or heel apply ointment. Nothing is bet. ter for this purpose than carboline, though mutton tallow is also fine. If, Lowever, there is the slightest sign of eczema, and this is readily determined by the puffy condition of the ankle above the heel and also by the oozing out of a pale yellow liquid and a falling of the hair, use no grease; it is poison for beast as for man under such conditions. In this case, a weak solution of boracic acid is good, and a preparation called mum, for deodorizing perspiration on the human body, is also fine, probably because ii contains the above acid, The key to the situation, however, is the Castile soap and careful washing; te sure it's done, don't trust your man, but watch him and be sure he uses the brush. Cases will be found where this swelling of fhe ankle down to the hoof occurs after a hard drive or workout; in these cases, after the washing of the parts and treatment as directed, dry dry and apply a cold-water bandage, to be ghanged frequently; also the swabs kept wet, ) op ~ These directions, followed ¢losely, will cause those horsemen who do not already know it {0 bless the writer. Do net forget, however, that the to the situation is the pure mild Castile soap and warm water, Ii is well when 'working out, also to keep the sweat away from fhe heels by tying rubbing he ankle.--E. C. Hathaway, in the Horse World: © {s Me 3 rn ¥ FARM NOTES, ng in the start is to chick - life, the first. There fs always more or less danger mal moaning and slavering, there is|j, are cleansel and washed, lake a perfect | Country, We fi what many other countries have learned from' dear-bought experience, = © ° "Where there is an abundance of phos: phoric acid present and the quantity of nitrogen insufficient, there is sa'd to oc- cur what is termed luxurious consump- ro of me 36id,. and dis goss into the straw of « , and avoided only by an ation of nitro- gen. It seems that about the only: re- liable method of determining the wants of the soil is by means of experiments, with the different elements employed in different proportions upon plots of sufficient size to determine results When the soil is made to answer re- garding its wants there can be no mis- e, ; Ra td ITEMS OF INTEREST. TitBits of Information About Most Everything, According to Chinese law, a w'te who is too talkative may be divorced. The average length of Ufe of a trades- man is {wo-thirds that of a farmer, The anls of South America are great tunnel builders. They have been known to construct a tunnel three miles in length. A woman in Manchester, England, has eves which magnify dbjects fifty times eir natural size. The cculists consider her a wonder. The largest serpent ever measured was an anaconda, found dead in Mexi- ce It was thirty-seven feet long, and it took two horses to drag it. Italians of the poorer classes are no'ed for ther general good health. This is tu some extent aitributed to the fact that the working people of Italy eat less.than those of any other European nabon. Bananas are now ripened in London by electricity. They are hung in air- tight rooms, whch are flcoled with eieclrc light. The powerful lamps have the same effect as sunshine, and the rip ong of the fruit can easily be regu- lated. Glass lelegraph poles are coming into u:0 in both hemispheres. They are to be manufactured at Grossalmerode, Ger- many. An architect of Cassel has Leen granted patents for it in Germany and other European counires and in the United States, The glass is reinforced by wires suitably disposed. Thes: poles, it is supposed, will be particularly adapt- ed for countries where wocden poles are quickly destroyed by insects or climate, The Imperial Post Department of Ger- many has ordered these poles for lls telegraph and telephone linca. The Queen of Spain likes figured bro- cades, while Wilhelmina of Holland is most at home in a tailor-made gown. Carmen Sylva wears the flow ng robes of her country, and the favorite color of the Queen of Italy is a blue-gray. The Czar:na of Russa likes a white gown and is always simply but richly gowned. The L'brary at the Bril'sh Museum, which now contains be!ween three mil- lion and four million volumes, is w.th- oul exception the largest in the world, tic only ore which approaches it in size being the Biliotheque Nationale, Paris, and it is interesling to notz that f r (he accommodat'on of this immense number of, bcoks upward of forty-three miles of shelves are required, The ingenious Germans have invent d a composition made fiom polaloes that answers the purpose of cedar in the making of lead penc'ls. Consul Han- neh, of Magdeburg, wriles: " have used scme of these pencils, which, while slightly heavier, are the same in size, crm and appearance as those at pre sent in use, admit of sharpening a Lt tle more easily, and can be.produced at a very nominal figure." In Denmark there 8 a peculiar institu. tion in the way of insurance for the daughters of the nobility. As socn as a daughter is born to a Dan'sh nobleman he enrolls her name on the bocks of this insurance company and pays a cerlain sum into the treasury. Each year (here- alter the same sum must be paid. When the girl is twenly-one she becomes en- tit to a fixed income and a suite of apartmenls until she eilher marries or dies. Costng about as rauch as a good horse, (he camel's speed is equally great, his life considerably longer, and his ab'l- ity to carry a load equal to that of three h-eses, while the fact that he can travel for a week without water renders h'm invaluable to those great sandy stretch- es, He can also go for several days with little or no food, subssting mean- time on the fat stored in the humps on his back, which nature seems to have provided as a storehouse for sustenance in case of absence of food. A Norwegian inventor hms patented a suit of clothes which will protect its wearer against drowning. The clothes are lined with a non-absorbent material made of specially prepared vegelable flore which without beng too heavy will effectually hold up the we'ght of a ian in the waler. Twelve ounces of £9 new malerial will, it is claimed, save a person from sinking. The inven- tion has been tested with favorable: re sults at Christiania; * Successful trials 'were also made with rugs made of the me material capable - of r largely |, this is | 'Well, I suppose" ¢ ves several big Lovdor k are dipped into. tobacco they absorb large quant are enc! : co. While -cerial let'er box to postmen, who are who have hundreds of tc climb daily in the gr houses. The new letier box can. up to its SeEinalion, from' the | ficor by 'a spring, It stops at | required, and remains there t:ed or until Te next delivery, » cstman, by touching a spr ion it down. Each box contains necessary . number of lockers, fil with a safely leck, according | number of residents. .. The box noved up and down by "electricif Maine newspapers speak of Foley, of Portland, as "the most wc derful tlegrarh opera'or in (he world,* Foley is totally deaf, an affl ctien which: ordinarily would be supposed. to telegraphy an utter impossibinty to but since he became deaf, eight yea ago, he has developed what may be cal ad a sixth sense, and by touch and sigh he can detect the finest movements the instrument and correctly interprek them. By means of the sense of touch: in his finger tips he takes messages transmitted from the ends of the con: fnent and can also read a message Ib walching the WE, With his' le forefinger pleced "lightly on the sounder: he can take a message as accura'ely the average operalor. ) --_--e PHOSPHATES IN THE PACIFIC. The Richest Beds Ever Found Among the Islands are Now Being Worked. It was thought a few years ago that all the phosphate and guano beds of the Pas cific islands after yielding millions of: dcllars worth of fertilizers were at length exhausted. This view has ben changed by new discoveries. 'Ihe largest phosphate industry that the Pacific ever saw is now in progress on two neighboring islands, the German island of Nauru, the most southern atoll' of the Marshall group, and the British island of Banaba. Hundreds of islanders as well as Chinese and Japanese laborers - are working in these phosphate diggings, and though the industry is still very, young it is yielding over 2,000 tons of prepared phosphates a year. The field is increasing as fasl as improvements are made in mining the rock and in facile ities for shipping-it. I The beds in the two islands seem to be. similar in the quality of the rock, and though their thickness has not yet been ascertained the quantity of phosphates is enormous. Numerous borings % ip i, + been made all over Nauru, which co prises about 5,000 acres. These borin " were not meant to ascertain the total % phosphate content, bub. merely to deter- /# .- mine if there was enough of the rock to pay for the erection of expensive works, They were sunk, therefore, only to a depth of ten to fifteen feet. The Ger- mans report that under the superficial cath the entire 5,000 acres are covered wittr phosphate beds to a depth of at least ten or fifteen feet, and they do not know how much deeper the beds may go, lor they have not explored lower levels. : They add that it will take some genera- tion lo remove the phosphates already re- vealed. The two companies, German and British, that secured concessions to mina the.rack, have joined their interests and ~ are working together. The outside publi bas nothing to do with their enterp except to buy the product. « 4 When the German flag was raised qver Nauru, twenty-two years ago, thé 1,500 ° natives had no relations with the whites except to sell their cocoanuts for brandy, and wretched firearms supplied by two o three unscrupulous traders. The Gers ' mans stopped this trade, but it 'vas long : before the real wealth of the little islan was discovered, Wey Now a great transformation has come. Large steel frame buildings in which the reck is prepared for commerce have been | erected, an iron pier has been extended: out into the sea beyond the breakers, and lines of steel tracks lead down from the i mines to the pier. 'But the rock is as yet taken out to the anchored steamships in small boats and the Germans have littl hope of discarding this primitive method, They say the surf runs high for shi fo tie up at a landing wharf. WHO WOULDN'T, Jackson is the kind of man who fs ways seeking gratuitous advice, °N long ago he met a well-known cian al a dinner-party. ; 'Do. you know, doctor," he said; soon as there was a chance, "I know man who suffers so : neuralgia that at times he thing but howl with pi in. - Wha you do in that case i est. ! dical man, "fhat | . pam, taal"