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.. .. Li.- .'. :â€" "C‘itlrfcl'lw... ~â€" A'L! lfl' Udl'L Ul'flulflfl auuu‘uuumrtnni‘mi CHAPTER XXIX. Chris gave Henson one swift searching glance before her eyes dropped demurely to the- ground. Lord Littimer appeared to be taking no heed of anything but his owu an- noyance. But quick as Chris had been, Henson was quicker. He was smiling the slow, sad smile of the man who turns the other cheek be- cause it is his duty to do so. "And when does Dr. Bell arrive? he asked. "He won’t arrive at all," Littimer said, irritably. “Do you suppose I am going to allow that scoundrel unâ€"| der my roof again? The amazing' impudence of the fellow is beyond everything. He will probably reach Moreton Station by the ten o’clock train. The drive will take him an hour, if I choose to permit the drive, which I don’t. I’ll send a groom to meet the train with a letter. When Bell has read that letter he will not come here." "I don’t think I should do that," Henson said, respectfully. ’l “Indeed! You are really a clever fellow. "And what would you do?” “I should sud-er Bell to come. As a Christian I should deem it my duty to do so. It pains me to say so, but I am afraid that I cannot contravert your Suggestion that Bell is a scoundrel. It grieves me to prove any man that. And in the present instance the proofs were over powering. But there is always a chanceâ€"a chance that we have misâ€"l judged a man on false evidence.” I “False evidence! Why, the Rem- brandt was actually found in Bell's portmanteau." “Dear friend, I know it," Henson said, with the same slow, forgiving smile. “But there have been cases of black treachery, dark conspiracies that one abhors. 'And Bell might have made some stupendous discovâ€" cry regarding his character. I should see him, my lord; oh, yes, I should most undoubtedly see him." “And so should I," Chris put in, I swiftly. I Littimer smil‘ed, with all traces of his ill-temper gone. He seemed to be contemplating Henson with his head on one side, as if to fathom that gentleman's intentions. There was just the suspicion of contempt in his glance. “In the presence of so much goodâ€" ness and beauty I feel quite lest," he said. “Very well, Henson, I’ll see Bell. I may find the interview diâ€" verting." Henson strolled away with a sigh of gentle pleasure. Once out of sight he flew to the library, where he scribbled a couple of telegrams. They were carefully worded and re- lated to some apocryphal parcel re- quired without delay and calculated to convey nothing to the lay mind. A servant was dispatched to the vilâ€" lage with them. have been anything but pleased had he known that the fascinating little the unpleasant experience might be American had waylaid his messenger and read his telegrams under the plea of verifying one of the address- es. 'A moment or two later and those addresses were carefully noted down in a pocket-book. It was past five before Chris found herself with a little time on her hands again. pretty busy all the afternoon, partly because there was to much to do, but partly from the pleasure that he recently arrived guest, and set up in deriVed from his secretary’s society. He was more free with her than he had been with any of her sex for years. It was satisfactory, too, to learn that Littimer regarded I-Ienson as a smug and oily'hypocrite, and that the latter was only going to be left Littimer Castle to spite the owuer’s other relations. “Now you run into the garden and get a blow,". Littimer said at length. “I am telling you a lot too much. I am afraid you are a most insinuating young person." Chris ran out into the garden gaily Despite the crushing burden on her shoulders she felt an elation and a flow of spirits she had not been con- scious of for years. The invigorating air of the place seemed to have got into her veins, ‘ the cruel depression of the House of the Silent Sorrow was passing away. Again, she had hope and youth on her side, and everything was falling out beautiful- ly. It was a pleasanter world than Chris had anticipated. She went along more quietly after a time. There was a tiny arbour on a terrace overlooking the sea to which Chris had taken a particular fancy: She picked her way daintily along the grass paths between the roses until she suddenly emerged up- on the terrace. She had popped out of the roses swiftly as a squirrel peeps from a tree. ~ Somebody was in the arbour, two people talking earnestly. One man stood up with his back to Chris, one hand gripping the outside ragged bark of the arbour frame with a peculiarly nervous, restless force. Chris could see the hand turned back distinctly. 'A piece of bark was be- ing crumbled under a strong thumb. Such a thumb! Chris had seen nothâ€" ing like it before. .-'. .3...__4..;... --'_:::._; ‘-:_“;-_;:-- ‘. ' ’_-.' ’ - ‘ Finn I \ {finnnnnnr'miunu‘mnalnnnmmiminxflflgnfinmxflkfimnvumnn- lhchiccoflibcny Mfloâ€"d OR, A MIDNIGHT CALL" [didn't doubt it. Henson would candidly. Littimer had kept her dent not to do so. for philanthropic purposes it would Merritt. not matter. “There was a time when the enterâ€" prising burglar got his knowledge of the domestic and physical geog- raphy of a house from the servants. Now he reforms, with the great ad- vantage that he can lay his plan of campaign from personal observation. It is a much more admirable method, and tends to avert suspicion from the actual criminal.” “You would not speak thus if you knew Merritt,” said Henson. “All the same, I don’t want the privilege,” Littimer smiled. “A man with a face like that couldn’t he was up to no good. That it had something to do with the plot against Bell she felt certain. But the man was coming now, he could only reach the top of the cliffs just under the wall where she was stand- ing. Chris peered eagerly down in- to the path of light until the intru- der looked up. Then she jerked back, forgetting that she was in the darkness The action was disastrous, however, for it shook Chris's diamond star from her head, and it fell gently alâ€" most at the feet of the climber. An "' navy-w :. . . "'“u‘m‘m‘um'um "MEL ""mm" ‘â€"'â€""1-‘1'-'13‘~'h‘1”99-'â€"’-w"Â¥m'r reform; nature would resent such an instant later and his eyes had fallen upon it. “What luck," he cried hoarse- ly. “I suppose that girl yonder must have dropped it over. Well, it is as good as a couple of hundred pound to me, anyway. Little inissie, you’d better take a tearful farewell of your lumps of sugar, as you'll never see them again." To Chris's quivering indignation he slipped the star into his breastâ€" pocket. Just for the moment the girl was on the point of crying out. She was glad she had refrained a second after, for a really brilliant thought occurred to her. She had never evolved anything more clever in her life, but she did not quite realize that as yet. Nearer and nearer the man with the maimed thumb came. Chris stepped back into the shadow. She waited till the intruder had slipped past her in the direction of the castle and prepaeed to follow at a discreet disâ€" tance. Whatever he was after, she felt sure he was being ordered and abetted by Reginald Henson. Two minutes, five minutes, elapsed before she moved. What was that? Surely a voice somewhere near her moaning for help. Chris stood perfectly still listening for the next cry. I-Ier sense of humanity had been touched, She had forgotten Merritt entirely. Again the stifled cry for help came. “Who are you?" Chris shouted. “And where are you?" “Henson,” came the totally unexâ€" pected reply. “I’m down below on a ledge of rock. No, I’m not partiâ€" cularly badly hurt, but I dare not move." Chris paused for a moment, utterly bewildered. Henson must have been on the lookâ€"out for his accomplice, she thought and had missed his foot- ing and fallen. Pity he had not fallen a little farther, she murmured, bitterly, and broken his neck. But this was only for a moment, and her sense of justice and humanity speed- ily returned. “I cannot see anything of you,” she said. “All the same I can see your out- line,” Henson said, dismally. “I don't feel quite so frightened now. . . I can han ‘ on a bit longer, especialâ€" the VCYY. Chg? 0f the Chh ahd d‘s‘ ly now, I Eknow assistance is at hand. appeared. rlhere .were rocks and At first I began to be afraid that I grassy khohs “’hwh Served as land' was a prisoner for the night. No; marks to him. A slip of the foot donrt go. If I had a rope I Should might have resulted in a serious ac- have the propel. confidence to swarm cident. 1 Above the gloom a head up again. And “mm is a 00-11 of appeam“ _ H ro e .in the arbour close b you. “That you, Merritt? Henson ask- Hgng it Straight doWn ovary that adv hoa‘fsfhy- , ” middle boulder and fasten your end “01"‘1ts 1110 Flight chohgh' _came round one of those iron pilasters." the muttered reply' , ' 109d 3013 as The rope was there as I-Ienson stat- I’m used to 9' Seafar‘hg hie 0"_ I ed; indeed, he had placed it there Shoulh never hhvff 30'“ “P those Chffs- himself. With the utmost coolness Where 5 the 311.1,? , , and courage Chris did as she was de- “Ohg the gh‘l 5 fight enough- She S sired. But it took some little time standing where. she can near the to coax the rope to go over in the cry of the suffering in distress. You propel. direction. There was a 1it_ can leave that part of. the .drama to tlc mutter of triumph from below, me- She’s a smart 551“ With plenty and presently I-l'enson, with every apâ€" of pluck, but all the same I am go- pearance of utter exhaustion, climbâ€" ing to make llS(?,Ol‘ her. Have you ed over the ledge to the terrace. At 3’“ the th‘hgst'l the same moment an owl hooted “GOt everythlhg' phrdher- 10"} ’1 twice from the long belt of trees at Proper Wipe Over Lhe shun» too-n the bottom of the garden. “HOW ’0'“ “mm am 5'0“ manage to “I hope you are none the worse for do thaw. , your adventure?”- Chris asked, pol- “Meddling With Bell, of course. itcly_ Why didn'P YO‘E let him 001110 and Benson said sententiously that he pl'Odhce hls picture “1 peace? we fancied not. His familiarity with should hmjo been a“ ready to flab- the cliffs had led him too far. If he bersuster huh when he dld come-n had fallen on a ledge of rock good- :‘MY. gOOd Merritt; I have 11017 the new only knows what might have slightest doubt about it. My plans happened; would Chris be 50‘ good are too cal'efuhX laid for them to, 8'0 as to lend him the benefit of her arm astray, But, at the same time, I back to the castle? Chris was grac- firmly believe in having more than iously wining, but She was {1111 of one plan of attack and more than curiosity at, the same time. Had two ways of escape. If We could Henson i-eally been in danger, or was have despoiled Bell of his picture it the whole thing some part of an Ola- would have been utterly useless for borate and cunning plot? Henson him to have come here. He would know perfectly wen that she had have gone back preferring to accept taken a great, fancy to the upper ter- defeat to arriving with a cockâ€"andâ€" race, and he might...â€" bull story to the effect that he had Really it, was difficult; to know been robbed of his treasure on the what , to think They passed along W33“ And 50 he gm“ the 190513 0f slowly till the lights here and there you. 0h?"‘ from the castle shone on their faces. “Rather! I fancied that I was At the same time a carriage had Dl‘etty strong. bu’Câ€"Well. it doesn’t driven up to the hall door and a matter. Here I am with the tools, visitor was getting out. With a and I ain't going to fail this time. strange sense of eagerness and pleasâ€" Before Bell comes the little ‘Ll‘ap will uro Chris recognised the handsome be ready and you will be able to features and misshapen shape 'of Drove an alibi.” . Hamel-1y Belf. Henson chuckled hoarsely. He loved “The expected guest has arrived," dramatic effect, and here was one to Henson said. hand. He almost fancied that he There was such a queer mixture of could see the white outline of Chris’s snarling anger and exulting triumph figure from where he stood. in his voice that Chris looked up. “(let along,” he said. “There is Just for an instant Henson had no time to lose."â€" dropped the mask. 'A ray of light Merritt nodded and began to make from. the open door streamed fully his way upward. Some way above across his face. The .malignant him Chris was looking down. Her pleasure of it startled Chris. Like a quick ear had detected soIne sus- flash she began to see how she had picious sound. She watched eagerly. been used by those miscreants. Just below her the big electric light “He is very handsome,” she con- on the castle tower cast a band of trived to say, steadily. flame athwart the cliff. Chris looked “ ‘I-Iandsome is that handsome down steadily at this. Presently She docs.’ ” Henson quoted. “Let us saw a hand uplifted into the belt of hope that Dr. Bell will succeed in flame, a hand grasping for a ledge his mission. He has my best wishâ€" of rock, and a quickly stifled cry rose es.” to her lips. The thumb on the hand. Chris turned away and walked was smashed flat, there was a tinyislowly as possible up the stairs. 'An- pink nail in the centre. [other minute with that slimy hypo- Chris’s heart gave one quick leapflcrite and she felt she mus‘t betray I a then her sense came back to her, ‘iherself. Once out of sight SllC flew enormity. And yet you can never tell. Physically speaking, my quon- dam friend Hatherly Bell has a per- fect face.”- “I confess I am anXious to see him,” Chris said. “Iâ€"I heard him lecture in "America. He had the most interesting theory about dogs. Mr. Henson hates dogs." “Yes,” Henson said, shortly, “I do and they hate me, but that does not prevent". my being interested in the coming of Dr. Bell. And nobody hopes more sincerely than myself that he will succeed in clearly vindicating his character." Littimer smiled sarcastically as he trifled with his claret glass. In his cynical way he was looking forward to an interview with a certain sense of amusement. And there was a time when he had enjoyed Bell’s soâ€" ciety immensely. "Well, you will not have long to wait now," he said. . “It is long past ten, and Bell is due at any moment after eleven. Coffee in the balcony, please.” It was a gloriously warm night, with just a faint suspicion of a breeze on the air. Down below the sea beat with a gentle sway against the cliffs; on the grassy slopes a belated lamb was bloating for its (lain. Chris strolled quietly down the garden with her mind at peace for a time. She had almost forgot- ten her mission for the moment. A figure slipped gently past her on the grass, but she utterly failed to no- tice it. “An exceedingly nice girl. that,” Littimer was saying, “and distinctly amusing. Excuse me if I leave you hereâ€"a tendency to ague and Eng- lish night air don’t blend together." It was as if at some time it had been smashed flat with a hammer, a broad, strong, cruel-looking thumb, flat and sinister-looking as the head of a snake. In the centre, like a pink pearl dropped in a filthy gutter, was one tiny, perfectly-formed nail. The owner of the thumb stepped back the better to give way to a fit of hoarse laughter. He turned slightly aside and his eyes met those of Chris. They were small eyes set in a course, brutal face, “the face of a criminal, Chris thought, if she Were a judge of such matters. It came quite as a shock to see that the stranger was in clerical garb. “Iâ€"I beg your pardon," Chris stammcred. “But Iâ€"â€"â€"-” Henson emerged from the arbour. For once in a way he appeared con- fused, there was a fluSh on his face that told of annoyance ill suppressâ€" ed. “Please don't go away,” he said. “Mr. Merritt will think that he has alarmed you. Miss Lee, this is my very good friend and coâ€"worker in the field, the Reverend James Merâ€" ritt.” “Is Mr. Merritt a friend of Lord Littimer’s?” Chris asked, demurely. “Littimer hates the cloth,” Hen- son replied. “Indeed, he has no sympathy whatever with my work. I met my good friend quite by acciâ€" dent in the village just now, and I brought him here for a chat. Mr. Merritt is taking a wellâ€"earned holiâ€" day.” Chris replied graciously that she She did not deem it necessary to add that she knew that one of Mr. Henson's mystic telâ€" egrams had been addressed to one James Merritt at an addi‘eSs in Moreton Wells, a town some fifteen miles away. That the scoundrel was up to no good she knew perfectly well. “Your work must be very interest- ing,” she said. “Have you been in the Church long, Mr. Merritt?”- Merritt said hoarser that he had not been in the Church very long. Tâ€"lis dreadful grin and fog voice sugâ€" gested that he was a brand plucked from the burning, and that he had only recently come over to the side of the angels. The whole time he spoke he never met Chris’s glance once. The chaplain of a convict prison would have turned from him in disgust. Henson was obviously ill at case. In his suave, diploma- tic way he contrived to manoeuvre Merritt off the ground at length. “An excellent fellow," he said, with exaggerated enthusiasm. “It was a great day for us when we won over James Merritt. He can reach a class which hitherto we have not touched.” “He looks as if he had been in gaol," Chris said. “Oh, he has.” Henson admitted, “Many a time.”â€" Chris deemed it just possible that CHAPTER XXX. It was the very moment that I-Ien- son had been waiting for. All his listlessness hadvanished. He sprang to his feet and made his way hurâ€" riedly across the lawn. Dark as it was, he slipped along with the ease of one who is familiar with every inch of the ground. 'A man half his weight and half his age could have been no more active. IIe advanced to what seemed to be endured again, but she only smiled and expressed herself to be deeply iii- terested. The uneasiness in Hen- son’s manner gradually disappeared. Evidently the girl suspected nothing. She would have liked to have asked a question or two about Mr. Mer- ritt's thumb, but she deemed it pru- Dinner came at length, dinner serv- ed in the great hall in honor of the all the panoply and splendor that Littimer affected at times. The best plate was laid out on the long table. There were banks and coppices of flowers at either corner, a huge. palm nodded over silver and glass and priceless china. The softly shaded electric lights made pools of amber flame on fruit and flowers and gleamâ€" ing crystal. Half~aidozen big footâ€" men went about their work with noiseless tread. Henson shook his head playfully at all this show and splendor. His good humor was of the elephantine order, and belied the drawn anxiety of his eyes. Luxurious and peaceful as the scene was, there seemed to Chris to be a touch of electricity in the air, the suggestion of something about to happen. Littimer glanced at her admiringly. She was dress- ed in white satin, and she had in her hair a single diamond star of price. “Of course, Henson pretends to condemn all this kind of thing," Litâ€" timer said, “He would have you believe that when he comes into his own the plate and wine will be sold for the benefit of the poor, and the seats of the mighty filled with decay- ed governesses and antiquated shop- walkers." “I hope that time may long be deâ€" ferred," Henson murmured. “And so do I,” Littimer said, drily, “which is one of the disad- vantages of being conservative. By the way, who was that truculent- looking scoundrel I saw with you this afternoon?" Henson hastened to explain. Lit- timer was emphatically of opinion that such visitors were better kept at a distance for the present. When all the rare plate and treasures of She needed nobody to tell her that along the corridor and snapped up, Littimer Castle had been disposed ofjthe owner of the hand was James the electric light. She fell back I o V\' ‘1 W . __.__W_ _ ,_ _ _ NOl‘_did She require any. with a stifled cry of dismay, but ishx‘o fine discrimination to perceive that was more sorrowful than surprised. “I expected it," she said. "I knew that this was the thing they were after." ‘ The precious copy of Rembrandt was no longer there! (To be Continued.) ___,_+_____ PURIFICATION OF WATER. .â€"â€"_.. and absolutely invisible. Kindly Offices of Sunlight, Acre;L tion and Sedimentation. That the water of lakes and rivers, even though infected with immense quantities of refuse materials, is purâ€" iliorl spontaneously and after a cerâ€" tain time, if freed from all infection returns to its pristine condition, is how no longer disputed. What fac- tors cause this purification, what part must be attributed to each, and. what" is the mechanism of each? The selfâ€" purification, of water is much more easily accomplished whcri the foreign matter is broken up into small pau- ticles, this being determined by the velocity of the current, the condition of the bed of the river or lake, etc.- When the particles are very small the molecular cohesion with the water is all the greater, while the separation of the matter multiplies the surface of contact of the particles with the liquid mass; surface for the nutrition of bacteria is also increased, these bacteria assuming the o‘flice of de- molition of the foreign matter. A great number of bacteria, according to researches of Kruger and Frame. land, are dragged to the bottom of the precipitation of the solid matter, in this way sedimentation playing an important role in the purification of water. , While it may be admitted that sediâ€" mentation is the principal factor of purification in sluggish streams, in swift currents the velocity itself is a purifying agent, carrying away all particles of matter which could cause infection. Also sunlight and temper- ature have an important role. It has been seen that bacteria may be de- stroyed in the water by sunlight even at a depth of three feet. while tem- perature has a, -very important inâ€" fluence, there being much feWcl‘ bac- teria. in the Winter than in the Summer. Many organisms have an action on the pu- rification of water. namely, the bacâ€" tvcr-ia of putrid fermentation, protoz- oa, molluscs, crustaceans, etc. All of these organisms grow better in impure water which nruisb certainly destroy a notable of the impurities. The part in purification which is assumed by dilution of the foreign matter is in relation to the mass of pure water and the character of the water sources, this action always in.- creasing with distance from‘ the source of contamination. Also the movement of the water, either in itâ€" self or by the aeration which is proâ€" duced, has a powerful action on the purification of water. _____+_._____ NEW IRISH SE CT. p... Immersion in a River One of the Tenets of the Faith. A new religious sect, described as the John the Baptist Pilgrims, ha? established itself in the north at Ireland, where it is making progresy in the rural districts among the poor- er countryfolk. The founder is Edward Cooney, son of an Enniskillen merchant and jus- iice of the peace. Always Of a deepâ€" ly sentimental and pious nature, he left home mysteriously a few months ago, and started an active propogan~ (la. of baptism by complete immersion in a. river. Already over 100 converts have been received within the fold by un- (Iergoing baptism in the prescribed form, through their influence it is ex- pected that inme more will join the Pilgrims. The present meeting place is on the bank of the lliver Ballyeassidy. After prayer, the leader and several of his- disciples ~de1iver addresses setting forth the principles of the new faith', which they defend with extracts from the Scriptures. Attempts were made to break iip the earlier meetings, but extra, police were drafted in, and prevented any further disorder Entering a large barn, the male converts divest themselves of their ordinary apparel, for which they sub- stitute ol-d and'worn clothing. The Women went through a similar pro- cess in a house a short distance away. ' After hymns had been sung a file of eight men Came from the barn, all divested of outer clothing. The lead- er was the. “celehrmit,” and he wad-ed into the river followed by a man of middle age. Having reached the centre of the stream the leader folded the convert's arms. placed his right hand on the man's chest. 'his left on the back of the shoulders, and gently lowered him backwards until the whole body was completely. imn'ierse'd'. He then raised the convert, who was assisted to the river bank by willing helpers. So the ceremony proceeded, to ihe evident discomfiture of some of the subjects. .____._+.__.__. Solomon knew but little when com~ pared with what some men think thrav know. If the good die young, what’s the matteravith the person. who lives to a ripe old age? The average man has no use for a chronic kickerâ€"unless she is a ballet girl. l f: l .