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us CHAPTER VIIL 1 Facing the falling snow and the bitâ€" ter blast, with, the sturdy defiance of strong, young manbood, Dr. John Sterâ€" ling plunged his homeward way through the drifts, whistling cheerily, a Christmas anthem. The red light from the curtained windows of his home flared out brightly athwart the fluttering {lakes. "No place like bome," thought Dr. No place like bome," John, "particularly on a ter nigt, and after a work. I hone none of my be so nnreasonable as to again in this tempest. My has about given me up f¢ He opened the key, and stamped and overcoat. T} and his mother‘s looked out. "You, John?t How late you You must be nearly frozen and fam "Both, mother; and reaoy to do wenâ€" ders among your Christmas dainties But, what‘s the matter? _ Have you seen a ghost, that you wear that scar ed face?" "Something very much like it, J bis mother said gravely; "come Oh, you will do as you are! Sit here and get warm. . Did you any one on . your . way . C0 home?" ert Christmas eve!l _ There‘s a ques "Amy Earle." "Mrs. Latour? My dear mot would bring an invalid out « »night?" tion "Miseryâ€"madpess, perbaps. Oht beer here." *Mother!"‘ " it is quite true; she left a quarter of an hour ago. came like a ghost, and vanished one Major Mallory‘s, 1 ed slave broke her here." "Alone, and on foot. _ Was ever such madness heard of? The tyrant was away, for a wonder, dining _ at Major Mallory‘s, and the imprisonâ€" 220 dlava‘hrake her bars and . came "Good Heavens! on is enough, with her give her _)yexj_thh!" en ooo nc "I don‘t think tnat we need to laâ€" ment that, if it be so. Death is ‘someâ€" times a merciful relief 1 would rathâ€" er see beri at rest in her coffin than that villian‘s wife." â€" ignit esn ere us "Nothing that L _ can repeatâ€"all was incoberent and wild. She wished she was dead: it was too late for mutual help; she was not his wile; she bad @worn to keep his secret, and dare not break her oath. And then she broke oat with a wild storm of hysterical mobbinz and said she would betray berâ€" gelf if she lingered ionger, but whe was already out of sight. . John, I think misery is turning ber brain." "Heaven forbid!" said ber gorn. . Ho Lad turned very pale, and sat leoking into the glowing coals. " C Pnnuoe on "‘Mother,, you exazgora What brought ber here? she say?" R "Mother, I must go over to DiACKkâ€" wood Grange toâ€"night." ° "Impossible, John, in this storm." "The storm will not burt me, motnâ€" er; and I would brave ten thousand such storms for poor Amy‘s sake. How o we know what may have befallen ber on such a night. I will go now at once." Already?". said Nirs. Sterling, . reâ€" g:oachfully. "and you said you were ogry." : } "I cannot eat, mother. Good Heaven! j she may be lying frozen to death by ; the wayside while I loiter here. Poor child! Poor Amy! I wish Victor Laâ€"] tour had frozem to an icicle _ in | the winter‘s storm the night I first| brought him to Blackwood Grange." & ARERRE 00 plPiefomiren cAcIHL He seized his overcoat and: put it .on. Thru bands into His pockets, in his fur glove, he broug letter. 6 "©A ~carte de visite!l â€"It can‘t be a ‘Tove letter with ‘the gentleman‘s picture inclosed therein. Whyâ€"â€"" He stopped andâ€"stared. The picture was not a. gentleman‘s . It was a vignette;. the dark face of a . young gitl of more than con:mon beauty. Two great, dark eyes lit up a â€" handsome gypsy | faceâ€" a~ Lold, bright, dauntâ€" less face that could not fail to imâ€" ‘‘"Hello! I cpite forgot this. A ter for you, mother." _ _ «Me threw the Jettar in ber Mrs. Sterling eyed the . supersc tion (n somewhat great surprise. "A woman‘s band, and an unknown oue to me. Postmarked Fram!ingham, Why. Jobn, that is the Lancashire vilâ€" lage where Miss Dorothy Hardenâ€" brook died. / Whom can it . be fromps . a t o . n 0. Mrsâ€" Sterling opened the envelope and drew forth aclosely written sheet. As she, unfolded it a card fell out ubon the carpet. Her son stooped and pieked it up. ____" FOR THE THIRD TIME. Did I meet any ome! ‘And this "You uP Did I meet â€" whon had _ better open <it and must: go over to Blackâ€" toâ€"night." " John, in this storm.". e parlor door Ope pale and anxious the sno deor with hi overcoat â€" savagely, Thrusting his kets, in search of ie brought forth a such a night! It constitution, to ‘" thought. Dr. i stormy winâ€" â€" hard day‘s y patients will o call me out y good mother for lost I dare ut on suU ite, I _ think. 4 What did« off his boots uty of that r. John spell~ untable famâ€" iliar to him, n in the glass ther, what it. John She has She not lap. tipâ€" let portrait He t deck â€"Jobn â€" Sterling (absolutely â€"re from the picture amd his own d etv. But in An Anstant he ha TE cou Ts 1G.." from the graveâ€"a voice rsised to warn your ward. Pray Heaven it come not too late. Dorothy Hardenbrook had: adopted a young relative, a Miss Isabel Vance, with the resolution of making her her heiress some years before she died. She took this Isabel Vance off the stage, for she was a play actor, and shut her up in the house at Framlingham. She was very severe with ber, and the girl naeded Tt fomshe swas bold. and bad heiress some ) took this Isa for she was a up in the hou was very seve needed it, for and bheadstron was engaged known in tho and he used t meet 1 brook secing ance. Elien Rossiter. Abruptly and startlingly the letier closed. Dr. Jolin jooked up from it to see his mother staring at the {icâ€" turs. much as he had stared. "Who is it?" she asked with a Deâ€" wildered look. *"Surelyt I have seen that face before! ~John, who â€"is manâ€"bow it?" "‘Try again, mothexg@think over the people you kno win t vicinity. Imaâ€" cine that splendid crop of bair, cut people you know! in this vicinity. Imaâ€" gine that splendid. crop of bair, cut short; imagine aâ€" maustache on that dainty upper lip, and I think you will have it." ~â€"Mrs. Sterling dropped the picture, as if it burnt her, and staggered backâ€" ward with a loud| cry. _ _ * â€""Tt is Victor Latour. Isabel Van Victor Latour!" £000 @icma ? "Good gracious, mother!" exclaimed the doctor, startled by a â€" supposition that had never struck him. "what a preposterous ideal! JFor Victor Latour and Isabe! Vance to be one and the same person is the wildest of avild imâ€" possibilitiea!*" % RRTCIUIE M o nin e ns padon y ts c To dooniemintiemcia "I don‘t care!" cried Mrs. Sterling, hysterically; ‘it may be impos«ible, but it is true. Oh, my: poor little dove! in the claws of that hawk! I understand all now; she) said she was not his wife. That is the secret he made her swear to keep; he had to toll her, and made her swear not to betray him. Oh, John, he will murder that child!" Dr. John stood gazing at his mother with an awful blank face. . It seemed such a â€" mad supposition, such an utterâ€" ly incredible ideaâ€"and yot-â€"â€"; 4 EC T wi L m aitaer « COsE â€" 7 “.iw'd‘;n'.‘.i" !i;:;\-v v\:'}]a.‘tvio do, _ mothâ€" er."â€" he said ;( ""I never thought . of this." Bm se "Go up to Blackwood Grange,. at once!"" exclaimed his mother, franticaâ€" ly. "and tear the mask of that horrible wrotch‘s face. . Have Isabel Vance, alias Victor Latour, lodged in jail before morning, for the wilful murâ€" der of Mr. George Wildair. Go!" ""No, no, no," said Dr. John, "not so fast! There is mo hurryâ€"we will do nothing rash. Eâ€"couldn‘t get Victor Latour arrested for murder on the baseless supposition of an old dead women.‘"We will â€" be slow â€" we will mat i strategy with strategy, . cunâ€" ning\ with cunning.. Trust me, mothâ€" er,. Iwill save Amy yfleLt."j s Se ©130. 0. MUIT ARR BA EZ "What do you me"u’t to do?‘ said Mrs Bterling. i y t abe turned cannet be Victor, Lat« But if Victor Latot are of Isabel, Vance 1 ho â€" Stponly Framlingba m on earth the picture â€" written, e. Miss Harden 1 forbade Isabe in of disinherit 1 and disobeye to her. She me by night and b; brools discovere ‘d he had been| ;"°~ ight Lefore his ad ov bel Vance did ed ‘at g and I say it mistr false lover just bad f jadged. _ hunk since. â€" L don‘t turne of her; but I do winte likely to be ber i She will wreak with i Barlerttoo, it | .,.. ; he is subtle as a Mr. 1 fox. and unâ€" She I Aaring enough| to. 8t 795 "Give me this picture. I will go at once to Blackwood and endeavor to see Amy. Heaven grant she may have reached home in safety. Once there, 1 will know, what to do. Don‘t sit up for me, mother, I may return rO what Grange. He reac ter about an h« ing. A footman ing knock. "Is your mis Carp "Dy. Sterling! I thought it Was Mr. Latour." She laid her band on her beart, as if to still its tumultuous beating. _ Dr. John advanced, and took both _ her bands in bis, and looked down with inâ€" finite tenderness and compassion . on that poor, thin face, "My pale little Amy! You are whitâ€" er than the drifts outside this stormy night. Thank Heaven, 1 find you here sifo! What madness for you, Amy, to face this bitter storm!" She covered her face with her bands, and tearless sobs shook her from hbead brightness. Seated on a low footstol, crouchâ€" ed over the fire, in a strange, distortâ€" ed attitude of misery, was the little mistress of all this splendor. Her hood bad fallen back, ber pale yellow hair hung loose and disheveled, and the face turned to the fire was colorless as the winter snow. m # 4 e "I was so miserable, so lonely, so deâ€" solate, so forsaken, so beartâ€"broken ! Oh, John! You don‘t know. You can‘t lnow! I am the most wretched, creaâ€" ture in all this wide earth." "Victor Latour is a . vi.lla.iu, a coldâ€" ture in all this wide earth." "Victor Latour is a . villain, a coldâ€" blooded tyrant and villain; but it is not too late to save you from him yet Amy, | think I know the secret of his lifeâ€"the secret he made you sweear lo Keept! She looked upâ€" at bim in aâ€" blauk, speechless terror. t Do en ie o snn al. to foot t "Glad!" Her whole face lit up at the thought. _ "It would be new lifeâ€" it would be beaven on earth. But it is impossible; I am his wife; I cannot desert him for what is his misfortune, not his fault. No human law would wive me n ‘divorce for an infirmity he torm s in cannol help. . Dr. John stared at her bewildered. What did she meant "His wife!" "Inâ€" firmity he could not help!" Surely, they were at cross purposes. . The secret he knew, or thought he knew, was not the secret she had sworn to keep. Was liis wild supposition only a wild detusâ€" sion after allft _ > l o ue said. She q)emd ‘;leolume on .a t As if 1 coutd sleep. And John, for aven‘s sake, take care of that wretth. Victor Latour or Isabel Vance susâ€" ts that you know the secret of her , your life will not be worth an ir‘s purchase. You will be found He He 1 .. would you nou is horrible union hie be rendered #5 nday sun. Dr. Sterl his lips firmly as he dailyâ€"nay, â€" hourlyâ€" ling â€" was suffering arily put spurs to he action would qui Yes, sir e started up at i . worthless hushand; but, cor may, the truth should be dragg him, and the whols mystery ife be rendered as clear as t ind prol« e bottom fireh thr onâ€" George Wildair." not afraid of V ew open‘.the door of the cosy, draped _ room â€" unntterably ‘r the wild tempest without. urtains, sofas, chairs, all were glowing. crimson,. upon.. which light glowed with flashing as<l | see," said Dr. John. ‘You ad to have your chains brokâ€" vyou not? To be freed. from BUOITHNTOIEN, NY yranny of the scoundre moment of infatuation her fate forever. . Mr would; no doubt, be a: will â€" not Steriin i; no doubt, be e had proved hi thought â€" it ht of her visite ‘ou are whitâ€" this stormy ind you here ou, Amy, to 15 JuONe= by, mothâ€" it up for jctor Laâ€" ht script verses. lt was ‘Tennyson‘s "Break, Break," beautifully written; and Dr. John: started at sight of the faultless chirogtraphy, as if it had been u death‘sâ€"head. It was the bandwriting of Isabel Vance. Great Strides in Kaitway Buildingz the Past Few Years. started up hand. "Good by un a good *"You will permit mre to retain this, Amy?. Thank Heaven! Your freedom is near at hand!" He folded the paper and put it in his | for grandeur few in the world«@in com» io "aich the aatinay wiich climbe the barrier range of the Hex River Mountains. The line ascends by wonâ€" derful curves and zigâ€"zags, giving the passerprers â€" fearsome views of the |denths below, with the nestling farms po FOT bl ‘Kg.\'m, and . condemned _ LATOURZMONE | Europe, the occupation b«s done vast | good. No fair investigator can witness the present condition of the Egyptian ‘foll:th«,-n, knowing what it was before lxha- advent of the English without conâ€" ceding this. For baif a dozen years ' Egypt bas fairly bristled with prosperâ€" ity. _ The story of that country‘s emerâ€" gence from practical bankruptcy, unâ€" til its securities are quoted nearly as high as English consols, reads like a romance; and there is no bet ter . exâ€" | ample of economical progress, through ;:ldmini'exrmi\‘c reform, than s preâ€" | sented by Egypt under British. rale. l "Security is assured to person and property: slavery has been legally abolâ€" | ished; official corruption is almdst unâ€" knowna: forced labor for public work is no longer permitted, and" native eourts have now more than a semâ€" | blance of justice. Hygienic matters 1 have been so carefully looked . after that the population has increased from 17.090,000 to 9,000,000 in a decade . or i more. Land taxes have been lowered I and equalized and are systematically A sollected and scientific irrigation is so | generally employed that the cultivaâ€" | ble area has been considerably extendâ€" ed. Egypt was probably never so prosâ€" nerous as at the present." primg awiul Beaud day. depths below, with Lhe n€ and vineyards of the f« Capped . with smow, the mountain peaks, some of th high, present a grand and â€" engineering . skill through perpendicular roc of cuttings and tunnels. of railway exteniion in i is assuredly a romancs 0 An American‘s Opinion of iritish Rule in Exypl. Hon. Frederic C. Penfield, late Unitâ€" ed States Diplomatic Agent and Conâ€" sul General in Egypt, furnisbes in the North American Review an articleon "England‘s Absorption of Egypt." At is in every respect a clear, comprebenâ€" sive, authoritative viewâ€"from an Amâ€" erican standpointâ€"of what England has Anna to lift the land of the Pharâ€" is in every re sive, authorit erican stand; aohs from the height "Are the ha her IRON HORSE IN SOU1H AFRICA. perous First Travelerâ€"I envy the millionâ€" aires who can travel around the counâ€" try in private cars. gecoud Travelerâ€"Yes; they hbave lots of comfort. First Travelerâ€"Just think of being able to stop the car long enough to get oa square meal at a railway resâ€" tgurant! _ _ s are aimost over,." \my‘s answer was a â€" low cry of terâ€" . Her eyes were fixed npon the )rway in a wild, dilated stare. Dr. in awheeled round â€" and confronted ctor Latour. THE ADVANTAGES OF WEALTH Ungue EGYPT‘S PROSPERITY my Amy.,and good night. Ke heart. I think your trc to dpointâ€"ol wh lift the land the slough of of prosperity. people of Egypt materially y English rule?" he asks. ionably they are. Unpopuâ€" with nearly every class in condemned _ throughout : occupation bus done vast iir investigator can withess cond‘tion of the Egyptian (Continued.) a grand appe ring . skill _ has miicular rocks by id tunnels. _ The tention in South i romanres of real C inremeccomemctand EC by y in South Afti modern origin, b aw short years i Cogamenn t ai at him en to the holding m sZ e 1 stling farms rtile valley. surrounding em 6,000 feet appearance; has pierced ks by means The history in wonâ€" ins. He ut urching it came \frica life. t ~| YOUNG FOLKS to Sash and Door Factory. Having Completed our New Factory we are now prepare( to FILL ALL ORDERS PROMPTLY. We keep in Stock a large quantity of Sash, Doors, Mouldings, Flooring and the differâ€" ent Kings of Dressed Lumber for outside sheeting. Lumber, Shingles and Lath always befell the boy. Subscribers complainâ€" ed that their papers were not left reguâ€" larly, and one man even sent word, that®though_paid for, his paper had not come for‘ s whole week past. . Of course, Harry was sent for and repriâ€" manded, but he could only say, earnâ€" estly, ‘"Please, sir, I always did leave the papers at every house." And the answer was, "Don‘t make matters worse by telling a lie." He was not dismissed, but was to have a week‘s grace. Poor Harry! Tears of indignation welled into his eves. As to the missâ€" Our Stock bive weeks had Barold keplL h and five quarters rattled in, hi boxâ€"the rest of the money he banded over to his mother to food and clothesâ€"when a terri InK | a myst papers regularly in yet again people ca uxdf'iaid they had ne the end of the week up and dismissed. l.n:vlin Harry‘s mot} her etbild, a . good Loy, character for honesty ha{%_cn in a place, i use . | Poor Harry was sobbing bhome, xben Mr. S., the pJ round the corner, knocked to ask |Mrs. Ames to send home> little earlier. He : editosee Harry in tears, the reson. Mirs. Ames ex; C here," the young "I‘m fnd of mysteries; 1 bo§," ud the photographe t hup," be said to Har an« wirk for me, and we rddle." (l?w Harry, knew him for a # 2 days later Mr. 3 called at the per office. *A gone regularly since you disâ€" mail oung Ames?" he asked. "*Nota bit of it. Worse complaints , was the reply. "Aha mystery." siid Mr. S., and No ay be got up very early and wal and down Mortimer â€"street. Har®s successor was dropping _ the moi papers on every doorstep. Mr. S. against the portico of No. 1 Lavaited, keeping an eye on the whaf street. Then be went home ch and staring hard at No. 8, w the door stood open to air the » ‘You vould do that in this qit th he Just asked Harry if No. 8 bad ever| Bifi of his papers coming irreâ€"| y, but Harry shook his head. i /8 was too ill," he said, " They ht he was dying last week. ’lh.‘ they keep a cat?" he asked. y stared. *‘They keep a dog," 1,"a jolly one;. it can do heaps &) MYSTERY SOLVED is question the girl ans tbat ber empk:yer was a‘ tter;" out of danger. he read the papers yet?" , now, hgw, ogid,: sa xd the too clever by hailf," said Mr.S. e with me, my boy. You and I and ask how No. 8 is." wondered, but got his capand pers, he knew nothin It was a mystery, anc ry, that continued. He regularly in Mortimer THAT Ames was pT it inds of Dressed Lumber for outside sheeting. . ; of DRY LUMRE is very Large so that all orders â€" _ can be filled. im on as Haro thas THE WAY ver got othe he nea 0 vh whe In &tool. x _ G. & J. McKECHNIE iem. At olfice out It‘s threeâ€"quarters of as bour since I ordered that turtle soup, snappod (be guest at the restaurant. Yes, sah, said the waiter with an 0%â€" sequious bow, but de turtle done im«ke his ‘scape, sab, an" dey had to, chase calls Little Johnnyâ€"Ma told me n gomear the parlor whenever he Merrittâ€"What makes you t hbas a better chance than I ha has a better chance than I b she was at once sent to the se but more congenial society to i in theâ€" monkey house of th» 1 One Who Was Inguisitive in Reg Merrittâ€"Do you thigk your s @s TO TAKING THixcs. : easiest way to get along in {.is 4 is to take things as you (inc CURIOSITY OF MONKEYS is all right, ~ until you get UNAVOIDABLE DELA\ sity seem _Jounnyâ€"â€"1‘¢ rather be on the.other young mar al Gardens Homeâ€"Erowed Aie. monkeys man TD. &he gor ps atop bhat n ons BUSINZSS The EDGE BALin‘! **I TH JAKE ! JAMES Johhing C attended ts Hors Handâ€"m Furr HUCH MISCEL yrewss T VCO in C A firs FOR for