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rt lfiifip 4 jrs j8r4 u i v itr- sw ftt pardon at last a thrilling christmas siory by jack frost act the fourth met peyton and her son were frequent v store at fair lawn and none were mora welcome than they myrtle was a great favourite with her and a close bond of union was being cement ed between them in these peaceful days which might stand the strain ot dark oner erie had a long conversation with mr dene when he pleaded for myrtles hand in rige jay daughter is very young yet a more ad in fact and yon too have not en many summers of your life he said gravely hasty lovematches do not as a rule turn out well i have no desire to thwart myrtles iucllna- ations i like you and have no doubt yon would make her an excellent husband then yon permit our engagement erie answered eagerly yes under certain conditions that you obtain your fathers consent that gained that the marriage does not take place till myrtle is twenty- two years of age she is twenty now and not even then if certain matters in my past life are nob satis factorily cleared up- myvcle said something to me about my bearing a close resemblance to an enemy of yours do your conditions refer to that erie asked sadly no it is dear that you are not re lated to that man dene answered readily i refer to some great wrong done to my self an injustice it is impossible i can ex plain at tho present moment lam glad to hoar you bay that sir as regards my father we expects him home shortly when i am sure of gaining his con sent ha has only to see myrtle to love her as a daughter i trust the love you profess for my child will stand the test of time dene said gent ly strange and startling changes some times happen in this life j nothing could change my deep affection psjffr myrtle it would kill me if i lost her he protested warmly 1 am content dene bald with a blgh may heaven shield and protect yon both is my earnest prayer erie peyton was satisfied and hastened to tell the good news to myrtlo and henceforth they looked on each other as affianced man and wife at their period cf life love was one contin ual poem something fresh and new was in scribed on its pages daily nay hourly the thoughts of each heart were pure nn- sullied no dark plaoes were there no spot which need be hidden from the searching gaze of the other the struggles trials and difficulties of life had not touched them aa yet loves bark rode ou a calm sea in unbroken sunlight twaa a something to think of to look back upon in alter life this perf eot union of two hearts with only one absorbing thought between them it was an earthly heaven such as paradise mnst have been before the fau it brought a secret joy to mr denes heart to see the tratquu content of the one being earth held for nim he was solaced for years of misery of cruel punishment and torture it seemed as if his evil genius was tired of persecuting him and fled before the guileless unselfish love of parent and child those dark brooding thoughts of ven geance which had haunted him been his constant companions for years were slowly fading from his mind to be replaoed by others better holier miss baoky pride saw all this and was not too pleased her ambitious schemes were thwarted and she had serious thoughts of retiring from the oontest by leaving his service when something happened to give her fresh hope myrtle and her father had gone to a party leaving her at home as she pleaded indisposition an unusual thing fur him he left his keys on tho drawing- room table being rather hurried in geting away she pounced npon them with secret joy and triumph she oould now pene trate to blue beards chamber and discover something of importance she was sure ha kept all his important correspondence there and she hoped to discover its hiding- place armed with a oandle and matches she stolo out and having tried the door till she found the right key untooked it and en tered lighting the candle she looked around and was rather disappointed to fiad it all jjo commonplace she saw the glass j irs fitut wisely resolved not to meddle with them and was right for they contained deadly poisons the curtain next attracted her attention and drawing it sottly aside she started on seeing that waxen face its resemblance to erie peyton struck her instantly as did also the peculiar yshape mark on the lefc cheek this then is his enemy the bake cf brittany she said to herself i would know him if i saw him among a thousand strange that mr dene should keep snoh a memento hero i am surettere is some dark seorot oonneoted with his life if i can only find tho hidingplace of his letters i may learn what that secret is she espied ah csoritoire which she was not long in unlooklng a novico in the art of ransaoking drawers it occurred to her that her immunity from dirgrace would consist in mastering the contents of the diary which if it contained any secrets would enable her b defy him bub the tffort to read was fruitless the words swam before her eyes like phantoms nd she closed the book with a little cry of despair what was she to do how to act if she shouted ever so for help her cries would not be heard to pass a whole night alone in this room would drive her mad turn her hair grey such a mortal terror had seized upon her that when she rose from her chair her limbs refused to support her and she stumbled heavily against the wall which partitioned the study from tho billiard room something teemed to fly open suddenly and when she recovered consciousness she found herself lying in an open doorway she had fallen against the spring of a secret door which mr dene for some purpose best knows to bimselt had had made there all ber courage came back to her now taking up the candle and dosing the seciet door she hastened np to the drawingroom eager to begin perusing the diary drinking some wiro to steady her nerves she seated herself it a cosy armchair and after adjusting the readinglamp began to read so absorbed was she that tho hours spsd by and still found her engaged in tho task the ormolu clock on the marble mantleshelf chimed the hour of midnight lb will be three before they are home she nurmured i think i shall be mistress of fairtawn houso after all another hour passed and still her ab sorption continued what she read had a terrible fascination far her about this time sho thought sho detectod a stealthy footstep in the room bub put it down to nervousness and read on at last 1 sho murmured as she olosed the book i know all and mean to nse my power skilfully tho nexb moment she was held down in her ohair and a handkerchief placed over her nose and mouth until she became insen sible twas the work of a burglar who wore a crape mask cleverly done ho muttered and there upon commenced to clear the room of everything valuable and portable not forgetting miss beckys portmonnaie whioh he took from her pocko also her watch and chain shes safe enough for another hourhechuokled this will be a good nights work for me couldnt find a better orib to orack from hero to john 0 groats heros another sackload of swag matey he said handing it through the gate abutt ing on the rivor and heres soma prime btu2 to awig im oft for another lot batter be satisfied jack said a womans voice from the boat them river police might spot us or the family come back atop of you ill chance it was tho gruff reply if you hear a disturbance row away like mad ill escape by the road hilloa my man who are you and what do you want here said erie peyton who with his mother had just returned in danes carriage the burglars answer was to aim a terrific blow at his head with a lifepreserver which erie warded eff with his right arm the arm fell helplessly at his side but before he could repeat the blow mr dane had him by tho throat in a grip of iron from which ho conld not shako himself free myrtle and mrs peyton soresmed in chorus at well they might and a posse of alarmed servants were quickly on the spot to whom mr dane handed over the half- strangled burglar poor erie peyton was assisted to tho drawingroom and a doctor sent for in haste miss baoky pride wae found in an insen sible condition and lying at her feet was the purloined diary myrtle picked it up mechanically but on recognizing her fathers handwriting placed it hastily in her pocket meanwhilo the burglar had been plaoed in a room co await the coming of the police cannot help yon the law must take its course he locked the doer and put the key in bis pocket when the police arrived their prisoner had flown and though a strict search was made of the grounds no trace of him was found would have left traces of his or her handi- j 8ake f we wm m kmd m poot cou wants to see me manvers said mr dene whentho butler delivered the burglars message yesir says its important it will bo too late when the polioe arrives perhaps he wants to give up what he has stolen dane remarked i will see him now my man what is it 1 he asked sternly on entering the room la anyone listening eirt said tho fel low no i you can speak out but bo quick i im jack skinner sir my mioses brought np your daughter hua myrtle ho said with a whine bat it isnt for that ibskedyou to come when you took her away from us a gent came to osk about her he had three moles on mb cheek like the letter v good heavens i mr dane exdaimed thrown off his guard for tho moment wo met him again sir only to day- heavens truth we did sir and ho wanted to know where you wero very bad we wouldnt tell him sir no fear i without first seeing you i took si drop too much to drink sir and forgot myself dont look mo np ploaso dont for miss myrtles work behind not so sho oaoh packet was looked over and pufrbaok cxaotly as before a book of ms proved a rioh nriza it was headed my diary at first she thought of reading it there but the spot was too gruesome for one possessed of uch dellcateseneitivo aorvm aa hers concealing the precious treasure in hor j tried to opon tho door but failed mr dane alone knew tho secret of the look from tho inside iha was firlv troppod caught hoist with her own petard he would retarn miss her and all bo discovered then disgrace with one ih swoop would overwhelm her- sho grew sick at heart and dizzy at the twlul prospect at tho being found out in uneartbing tho family skeleton sho had booomo clasped in its bony arms and saw those sightless sockets glaring at her her state of terror was pitiable and the thought that perhaps days might elapse be fore tho door a massive one could bo broken through added poignancy to it summoning np courage sho ence more essayed to discover the secret of tho lock bat in vain be to hor sir all those years 1 i am afraid i oant help you you have been guilty of violenbe as well as robbery ho retnrned severely- it was only a tap on the arm sic the u vu ye gt wi soon get over that if yon hor b ot she aet cut these cords 1 can get out through ho windows and no one can say yon helped mo if im had np bsforo the boak i most toll everything bertram dne winced at this veild threat publicity was what ho most dreaded at this crisis in his affairs for myrtles sako as well as his own pa j in a few minutes he had freed the wroech froc he cords saying yoj must leave koglaud tcmorrowr i will find tho money where oan i meet you i j it the folhata side of patney bridjp at what hour twelve odook in tha day ill bo there i xffi at tha door mr dene turned and said in alond veioa i regret yonrposuion myjnin bnt tho police investigated the affair of the burglary nexb morning and traced heavy footsteps in the direction of the river but here the clue failed miss bscky could give no information whatever about the affair except that she was attacked suddenly and quickly rendered insensible naturally the matter made a great stir especially when it became known that the burglar had assaulted young mr peyton mr dene took tha affair very q iletly and made light of the loss the robber h d entailed npon him he knew that the criminal was safely away and trusted ha would never meet him tgiin in life pablicity had been avoided and to him that fact was of incal culable service but be was soon to be confronted by another danger from an unexpected quarter he missed his keys which becky had kept in her pocket thinking that she would be able to pub back the diary before he returned bub skinners unexpected attack hip rend ered that impossible have you seen my keys myrtle i he asked anxiously the second morning follow ing the burglary no papa have you lost them yes i wouldnt care so much if the bunch did not contain tho keys of my study i must ask tho servants abous them poor myrtlo had been so upset by recent events that she had quite forgotton the fact of pioking up bho diary in tho drawingroom at miss prides feet her lovers state tnough not critical was sufficiently grave tco to cause her anxiety she had to reoeive visitors anxious and curious abcub the recent events and to nnbwer numerous letters of condolance and inquiry but the keys brought tha circumstance to her recol lection and she said have you missed any of your private papers or books papa i cannot toll what is missing until i find my keys he said fretfully these con stant upsets ore really too bad wait a minute 1 she replied with a strange expression as a light began to dawn upon her i think i know where your keys are going straight to beckys room she said quietly did you find a bunch of keys j pap i has missed his a guilty flush came into her faoe as she answered yes i pub them in my pocket they were on tho drawingroom table dear thanks said myrtlo bomewhat oddly and returned to her father to whom she gave the keys saying miss pride found them papa i am very much obliged to her im sure he remarked greatly relieved and would have dismissed tho incidenb from his mind if myrtle had nob said as sho plaoed tha diary in his hand that is yours papa is it nob he flushed and then turned as white as marble on recongizing the book jji found lc in the drawingroom lying at miss pridos feet on the night cf the burg lary bhe continued speaking very gravely she mos5 havo been reading it h nodded for his rage was too great to fiad vent in woris every secreb of his life was laid biro to a designing woman a traltoress whoby this time knew that he was an escaped convio t the same relentless fate that had sent him to siberia still pursued blm implaoably ruthlessly was he never to fiad rest or peace t was ho bo be hunted like a wild beast and find no haven where he could hide until his innocence woo made clear myrtle read all this in the workings of mb face and if sho ever hated a woman it was eeky pride liylug her hand gently on his arm she sail in aocentsof tender solicitude papa you appear vexed grieved is there anything compromising in that book 7 yes it tells of my being an esuaped convict i he moaned a piteous look in his eyes that cnt her to tho heart dafy her charge her with her treachery with theft i your name is not to it sure ly and even if it is you can tell her that it was only tho outline of a plot yon had written for a novel if you will permit me i will dismiss hor on the instant j sho has suspected something for some time past the story sho told us as related by lady rose proves that muoh if i dis miss her i oannot mozze her tongue child tha dake would hoar of it and frustrate all the plans i havo weaved to establish my innoonoc why should yon fear that man papa tis ho who ought to tremble to thinu that yon havo escaped that you are nlivo to track him downto exaot a terrible von goance for all the wrongs he has ioftloted upon your innooont head oh that i wero a man instead of a weak woman i i would soon force him to do yon jubtloo as for this woman sho must and snail be orushed 1 i do not fear bm because of any further injury he could icfliut upon mo my liberty isnot in jeopardy in england ism and oan remain a free man there is no extra dition treaty for such a case as mine bnt i do tremble lest he should learn of yonr existence already he has been trying to discover you who told yon that she asked eagerly j skinner the man who committed tho burglary he answered he said that only the previous day the duke reoognized him and wanted your address and mine twos to provwt him gaining the information that i lot the burglar escape and gave him a large sum of money nexb day to frank him and his wife to america tho dnko black hearted and unscru pulous as he is daro not molesb me papa the whole of eagland all tho oivilizd world would hound bim down if he dared to hurt even a bair of my hod she said with ringing dtfiince in her voioo ho is too oucning to attempt anything openly my child and i am too wary to invito attack i am rich enough t brlbo miss pride to keep silent patienco gained me my liberty thrice i attempted to moapx was caught fbggedohainod almeot starved bnt my goalers could nob break my spirit or orusa my resolution and ta day i stand hro a free man it is cruel to hava to iibmlt tamely she sighed her proud nature rebelling ab tha mere thought of that woaau having tha power to ir jure them with deep admiration shining in his eyes a her noble courage may i speak to her on the matter i promise to be prudent not to lab one angry word a single reproach escape me per haps she will give me some insight into her motive and prepare yon to come to some arrangement yea i will trust you myrtle with this delicate negotiation yon have shown a selfpossession a tact far beyond your years make her no offer do nob even hint at such a thing merely probe her purpose if possible myrtle nodded and hastened to fight out this battle woman to woman the fair fame of her noble father was ab stake and for it sho would fight like a tigress robbed of its young miss pride lay on the couch in her room a prey nob to remorse bnt fear she had eaten the bread and salt of these people had been treated loyally generous ly as a friend nob a dependant yeb sho thought nob of the treachery she had been guilty of she was self all self and wanted to make mr dene wed her not from love bub tear she expected a visit from him but instead myrtle came her face showing no index of tha passion that was oontuming her papa thanks you for taking snoh care ot his keys she said with a smile he has a lob of valuables in his study what a blessing the burglar did not find them 1 miss becky gave her a searching glance but she did nob flinch nnder it lb was woman to woman cunniog opposed to craft i am so pleased i have been of service to him dear she purred some times ono hides away things they would nob let others see for the world 1 papa has no secrets from me that am aware of myrtle replied softly even if anyone had ventured into his study their search wonld not have availed them muoh perhaps not dear be knows best she said looking myrtle straight in the eyes of coarse i have seen everything even to the face in tha corner did you miss pride i surely you dont think i wonld be guilty of suoh oonducb miss dane we dont merely think we are sure yon entered the room remarked myrtle plea santly he is nob a bib angry only amuse edabyour curiosity you found it a blue beards chamber perhaps v i tell you i did not come dear theres no ocoaslonto fence with the matter i found a book lying at your feet entitled my diary i hope yon found it amusing reading vi finding fnrther prevarication useless becky pride said significantly lb was thdstory of a life exactly but not papas heisamusing himself by writing a novel whioh for thrill ing interest will astonish the readers of fiction would you object to acting as his amanuensis i have a perfoob right to put my own construction on the matter she said shift ing her eyes uneasily nnder myrtles keen gsaa but why should you not accept my defini tion dear miss pride myitle asked half- mookingly surely yon oan havo no ulterior motive in view i deoline to discuss the matter further now miss dane she said snappishly if mr dene will favour me with a private interview i will gratify him with my opinions i think he will in his own inter- est to me and have confeated yon see i am armed withju yon have only the memory of past mlsdee to support yon did he i yon here v i wanted no sending i am his friend i protected his child and i noble duke mean to stand by him to the end he wants money the duke sneered pish 1 he is almost aa rich as you zai will be wealthier when he wrings from yon bis wifes fortune if yon are wise yon will conciliate him sot defy what is ib yon want he asked grind ing his teeth with impotent rage a written confession of his innocence that he shall never reoeive from mr he cried revengefully as yon please i give you an opportun ity of hushing this grave scandal up ib may transpire that yon not only employed false witnesses co swear away his life ono kidnapped his wife murdered her perhaps said the notary with imperturbable calm ness of manner and speeoh and keeping hls- eyes fixed on his face every drop of blood left the dukes face- which became the colour of marble and for the moment the notary thought he was dying to be continued certainly there oan be no great danger in his granting that msss pride he is not easily captivated or intimidated i will tell him of your wish said myrtle with playful irony as she left the apartment to herself she almost hissed viper that we have warmed in our bosom how i detest scorn yon 1 you are too contemp tible for bate even 1 we shall see who wins you or 1 1 the moat magnificent house in pari was that of charles duke of brittany ib was a palatial and elegant mansion in the rae de lille with a noble garden groves of forest trees and a wide expanse of lawn in its rear furnished regardless of expense it stood out premier among the many luxurious homes of that period the duoal arms figured above the portico and the ducal crest was emblazoned on everything be speaking pride of anoestry as well as lavish display thednke was well known in political as well as fashionable airoles and as well dis liked ho was a oreature of intrigue ol unbridled pusion and stubborn pride pos sessed too of an inflexible unyielding will he was seated in the grand salon filled with objects of virtu pictures vases price less porcelain and innumerable treasures from every dime reading the ilonittvr in irreproaohable dress an adonis of fifty summers a servant presented a card on a gold sal ver bowing low and obsequiously as if ap proaching a deity pierre verlon notary paris was in scribed on tha oard show htm in here was the haughty re sponse accompanied by a dignlfiad wave of a hand on whioh two gems glistened enter pierre verlon in rusty black a stooping figure bristling grey eyebrows surmounting eyes of pioroing blackness not by any means a person in keeping with the refined surroundings of the apartment bnt a man of parts for all that monsieur your pleasure said the duke hardly deigning to look up from his paper it is important enough for you to put down yonr paper and attend to it mon- seigneur was tho calm reply yon are uncouth was the disdainful reply bnt a lover of truth one who holds your honour and fame in his hands was tho bold reply my lacqueys shall show yon the door was the angry rotort fwhat matters oamo cool reply accom panied by u shrug all paris shall ring with tho perfidy of the noble duke of brit tany youdaro this- yea tonr victim the husband of your sister has esoapsd from siberia and his child lives and is with blm tis false 1 hiseos the duke yon only baliove what suits you mon- i seigneur i tell yon truths wou what of that i he is still a crim inal was the sneering reply not martyr and yon know it dont knit yonr brows i care naught for carving the christmas turkey if the family be small and the turkey is to be served for a second dinnercarve only front the side nearest you then tha turkey will ba left with onehalf entire and if placed in a dean putter with tha cut side nearest the carver and garnished with parsley will pre sent neary as fine an appearance to all but the carver as when first served the second or third serving of a turkey depends vory much upon the care- taken in pntbing it away do not as is so often done leave ib on ho platter jasb as it came from the table but putjthe crumbs of stuff ing baok into the body put the slices of cub meat together and corer them with the skin to protect them from the air so they will not beoome hard should there be nothing left apparently but the bones do not let them become dry by being exposed to the air bub ecrapo off every partiole of tha meat and stuffiag at once cover the meat until you are ready to use it and pub the bones on to boll for sonp or gravy olten from a seemingly bare carcass enough may be obtained to make a savory dish of scalloped meat sufficient for another meal an essential aid to easy carving and one often overlooked is that the platter be large enough to bold the portions of meat as they are carved as well as the whole fowl the persistency with which some housekeepers ding to a small dish for fear the fowl will look lost on a larger onu often makes sue- cessful carving impossible and inward dis gust abundant the platter should be placed near the carver that he may easily reach any part of the fowl withoub turning the fowl aronnd the carver may stand or sit- as suits his convenience a vory important matter is the quality and condition of the knife it should be made- from the best steel and have a narrow than- pointed blade and a handle easy to grastv and be of a size adapted to the artiole to be carved and to the person using it be as par ticular to keep it sharp aa to have it bright and clean and never allow it to be nsed to out bread or for any other than its legitimate purpose there should be a orook or guard on the end of the handle to enable the carver to grasp it more aeourely and nse all the strength necessnry the handle should be long enough to reaoh from the tip of the fore finger to an inch beyond the baok tide of the hand bo that the edge of the hand about an inah above the wrist rests against the handle of the knife in dividing a diffi cult joint the manipulations should be made not by burning the hand but by turning tho knife with the fiogors in this way the position of the point of the blade can oe mora easily changed as the joint may require the fork should have two slender carving tines about threeeights of an inoh apart ana two and onehalf inches long and should have a guard i m woman and the pranohise new yors star miss kate field has written an article upon women as politicians in whioh she denounces them as nnpraotloal and unfit for the management ot affairs hysterioal sentimentalists she oalla them who thus far in onr history have exerted baleful in flaenco upon politics this attack coming in the same week that the gradna ates in the normal sohool protested against the appointment ef two womon as school com missioners is to say the least startling these faots do not show much perhaps ex- oept that tho woman suffragists who olamor so loudly for equal rights with mankind only represent bhemaelvei womankind is pretty well satisfied with her sphere as ib is now arranged and all she asks for is thab more avenues of industry shall be opened for snob ot her sisters as are in need the right to vote to attend caucuses and to hold office are the loss boon that bhe intelligent woman wants woman will settle the question her self in the quiet but effeotlve way that the sex settlos everything and will end by get ting just what she wants bitterlycruelicmitbutonrturnwnn a frenohman u not fallen so came child endurance now leads to future j low at to fear even t perjurod duke bs vlctoryhesidkitsingherforchoa- tenderly wmihewltntstyoo suborned are known a rinished artist wife john youre drnnk again i hubby no m dear only rehearshing im goln on amateur shtage ash drunken man saabs all wife well john you dont wanb to waste your talents on an amateur stage any longer yon want to seek a professional en gagement at onoe the weifthofthe wioked coal dealer i have investigated yonr oomplaint and find you got your full ton of ooal thavd tha way it la- customer are yon really sure that thero are no two weight about lb o the eace is sometimes to the strong that rival of yours ssoms to be in a fair way to out you oub hes a pretty athletio fellow are you not afraid oi him i on no bnb her father is so he bat tv better show than 1 have ffew in the business old lady d yon keep balsam of flr young man new drug clerk no maam the fur store it two doors down the street purifies the breath and preserve the teeth adam tatti fruttl gam sold by til druggist and confectioners 6 cent k