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IrtE MYSTERIOUS ON THE S.S. NEPTUNE CHAPTBil III. Ountinueil. N.'t monilng th<y were out uf f I . afloait ou the blue watein. with the blue ky bov* them. Konald * . - iipmrly. as he found, rt too hot to remain below, a.ii.1 hiving had un tub ud arranged himself In his flannels, be went on denk( to have a smoke >- f,.re the ladiw put In an appearance. The laaaara were washing down th irok, and disturbing numerous aleep- M who bad bean taJtiug their rest all nigbt upstairs for th sake of oool- uw One of thaae waa Pat. who same stumbling out of the iin -kinK- room m hit py>iuw. with fur rug M titMth. who .l.'i.vi iniiifl to tell the o-i !). in Vontln's atrange tor. und him the ahip thoroughly naarch ed to aee if the Milteee wife of tbe OouU ba iliio ivr.-d. After brakfat, whn nil the pae- e.'ii,'<- r were gophered in excited groupe talking *r the affair, Moo- teith went along :ind asking purmix man to aee tli o-ipi.iln on the subject, tokl him evwiytbirnf. while the doc- tor went down to make an examina- tion of the lx>'ly Aa th weather waa very hot, the corpse woul.l hive to b buried before arrival at Gibraltar, unit Captain Tem- /> ' p,, t un determined to hold an inquest under one arm and a pillow under the, ^ '^^ ^ Jv ^ ^ ^^ (Tf>m |ha and thu c-iiiMiu acted as were tba had discovered the the ilootor, and Konald Monteith. 1 li-- jury, having Inspected tba pracMAiag . we rs tbrr. 1 Hullo, Pal," said Monteith. laugh- Ing; "you look aa U you were going tj tbe p-iwnbrojtnr." "I want to go to bed," retorted Pat, :i *.ly. "those divils in the smoking- room always oomnvnow -.byiu' pillows In the morning, *n<l I'ru as sleepy as Kip V.ui Wimkae. I'll have another fcwty winke." "Nonsense," said Honald, looking at hi" watob; "It's ab-xit seven; go and Have your bath and join me on d.ok." * ; T " "_* "All ruight," aseeotwu 1 I'.it. with a figaotte yawn; "1 dure say euld water, will wake me up," "And, I aay." rv-illed out Monteith. 1 at) Pat rolled al.mg towards th* sa.j ., . o-i&ed, that the dead m.in had din- loon, kji k up Vatm; bit oibm is -, ^.. j lincily denltul hiving any such idea. "Height you ars." from Put. a. be w " 1 ' be<l " 8 " >r ' rious n ht at i half-puat night, ami at seven that disappeared rtonld took a turn along to tb. end m.-rniag on. of th. t*wrd^ by nnm. ef the burrUao. deck and. after sur- Mitlhw Dalton. bad gon to t h. d- He stated that a orime bad been ..l on board tbe ship, and it anengor to 1 use bia or to fin, I out who bad <Lel it. Tbe idea of auicid* i talked about, but they would vyri* tb* .lumbering forms iu tb. oaom a*d found him lying smoking-room. walked back again, *-' * Wlltt * U " tto { h art lhe J- a. be got to the captain's obl ^'""o would be l-ild before the jury. b, saw a ateward .marge tber.form ' id*uoe of th. eteward. tbe doo- witb horror and alarm un hi. face, j " * ot * r Monteith taken, and "Hullo." aaid the Australian, stop. *"* attempt woakl be made to find pin Hhr.it; "whit's upf ! lb " uthor * thl> -*"'"dly crime. Ob. sir." g-,M~J Ibe steward, pane- ^ '" '""-" ll ' - 1 w " ^^ Ing . moment. "Mr. Ventin. s.r-he's " ""P"-" 1 tn " nrt *'" kl "* ked " l ,i ,. tbe do,>r of lh< dwn.i.ted at Seven, as dnd--inurdersdl and he ran off to tb* cabia uf th. first officer. | u " u " 1 - buit *" '. r P" h.d .n- R,.n,ld aat down on tb. ne.r-t t 7 <1 ' "^ '"^ B ' |' l ' m ^ |"; Beat and Ut tbe cigarette drop from bi lingers. Idead --murdered I b.-n h. with u atiletto, produced, m hut bm-iMt. He waa complet.ly drrsa- I ed. and ut all tba furniture of ib* ivibm wan in order. tb*r* waa no MorrfeiU, thought of the d*ad man's <>( ^^^ Btory and how he said Ii would never' reaob Kngland .live. Ills prieuti-! Th Btil-Mo produced was a slan- nv-nt of evil w. right aft.r all. for d r - l " el ">trumnt. about seven ia- hL- lfe h.id fulfilled her pr,.mie. and, cn *" lon - Wlth "'"""'J wrved kill...! him "But *h will n-.t BBMB|IVWf handle, representing the bead pormhrneot." thought Ronald, "for In ' B.oohu.. surrounded by clusters ,4 aVpe Captsin \Vre th* bed-olnthes In tbe bnitb diaiirianged > Witnesn: No, sir; he was lying ua !> of 'em. Ciptaiu; Quite ilmoosrt t Witness; ; Yes, air. just aa If be wu* taking a sleep afore turning in. Captain' Any of hit jewellery nn.ss- order to aommlt ihs orim* she h , T. ooms un board." I IP new was soon all orer th* ship, aivd m a short tlnvt all tb* passen- gers wers un det^k. The apt.tiri. tbe fir* officer, the doctor, and tbe purs- or .ill wwort :il mtf to se the body, a(- tr > h .-(i the door of the oabln waa locked while the? deliberated over vrht was to be 1 -ru 1'h* exoits- j was Intense, fen no oa* doubted C'nifaui: How long waa be ashore t Wit anas: About an huur, sir; be oame bnok at three o'clock; ha seemed upset, and aaloed me to *>t him a glaaa of urasnd/. Captain: Do you know what time be want to bed? Wilruv*. No. air. Captain: Wua thane any blo>nl about tbe f. ib. n f Witnnw: No. sir; Juat a little oozing from his breast. The dootur waa next called upon to give hU evidence, aovi deposed that he hud examined the body of Lionel Ven- tia, deocaaed It was tbat of a man of thirty-ewvwn. or tbere-ibouta, well n<>iii ihh.vl; very little foo^ in tba MIII inh. but a faint, spirituous odor, which nhowexi tbit tbe) deceased muat hiv. boen drinking previitualy to bis death. The deoeaaed had died from a stab inflited by s stiletto, whirb had peraetrated tbe heart. The tiletto was In the wound when Ib. body was discovered. Captsin: At what time do you think the crime wae oommittexil Doctor: That ia difficult to aay; I' waa quite oold whvn, I felt it. at sev- en this morning. I should say at least eight <>r nine hours. Captain: Krarn tbe way tbe wound waa inflicted, did the idea of auicid* occur to youf Doctor: No; tba *tilstto waa long, 'and as tbe body waa lying in a lower compartment, he could not have lift- ed tbe stiletto high enough to have driven it so dseply, without knocking bis band against tbe bottom of the top b.rfb. Captain: If be h-ad managed to do ao, would there ba any braise or msrk on his baud f Doctor: 1 should aay vary liksly; but I did not discover any. Captain: Was there much blood I Doctor: Very little; the atiletto had been driven into the heart and left there, so iximpMrativly little blood could 001* out. Ibis i-|<ne<l ihe vidnc* of tbe doe- tor, and then lUinald Monteith stepv ped forward and told the jury ths story of tbe deoeaaed. Captain: You say tbe deceased ex- pected to )> killed by his wif e t Monteitb: Ue told m ao several times. Captain: And did he ever aay he would commit suicide? Monteith: lie distinctly d*aied hsv. 'ing sny auoh intentiun. Captain. Whun did yon see him lasUl Monteith: At half-past eight Isst night ; be said he wonild go to bad early. C.ptain: Waa be excited In any way I Mi m mih. No; just tba enuie as unual. I'.iptaiu: If your theory is correct, an, I tbe deceased wait murdered by Ins wife, is be experteJI Ui be, du you IU, uk she i mi.- uu board at Valottaf . M-onleitb: Y* ; 1 uju sur* of it. I but that a murder had been oooimit- W .tiu-<- No, sir; his watob was In hia pocket, and twxi rings on his fin- ted, though a<i official notice bad )>een ' gAi. givexi, and evei-yone wa (nulling, Captasa: When did yoitf laat aee hint orei what could have been the motive jalivwf for auc.b a orime. Only une mm on j WilnxBa: Yesterday, wbea h. oam* I bad a clue, nndtbiawaa Donald; on bovrd at VaUtta. To Live Without Sleep Is Worse Than Death. Sleeplessness It an Unmistakable Symptom of Weak, Exhausted Nerves, and Is Permanently Cured When the System Is Built up by DR. CHASE'S NERVE FOOD. To peas a single uigbt in the vala Ittempt to sleep iirannj the mifl*riss thir.h one can never forget. l'n Ue awakii night after night with .hn brain on In., with nervous cxnte- aent unit ihit thoughts fUsbiug tw- !or* Ihe mind in ni*v*r ending vmiety B Ihe common eijMinenr.e of person* hi*e a*rve> ars wank snd eihsust- Mf, Huring sur.h nigbts nerv* torn* is .Hymned si a IrempQiloiis rate. Inilrail nf lieiiig lesloied and inin- ngoritted fur anothei day'* wnrk th* -l M furtbi weakened and ei- austed, and the mind i* nnhalanced by this terrible waste of energy witb which th* lamp of lif* i ispidlv IHIIU d mil. ft is IB t>. <l*ap*iiing oondilion Ibat maay men and women attempt te arug and dvsden the aervs by th* uss f opiates. Thefs is s reaction to all uok tresfneBt that m doubly injur- ious* to ths Bes-resM sysUm It b*s- (SBS the deoav at the aerv* cells BBrtlal paralfBU. looomotur stalls, ooanpletelv reatoi* th* nsrves by us- lag Ik, rmase'a Nervs Kno4. s treat- isMKit h i. gets right dowB to ths fouodatlos of th* difftoulty sad f- fnots permanent reBults by r*vitsli 1114 th* v/asted n*ive .-oils There w ill be no moie nleei>less uight*, ii mure nervous headache and dyspepsia, no murr days of gloom and despondency whn l>> i'busc'x Nervs Food is used. llni diMi'i .! !',> i a cure in a night. I Ths nea-ve ussus of the body is , , in 1 plntely , ti 111^,1, t in about sixty days. Though you will feel th* benefit of Ibis treatment in two or three weeks, you should pnrsist in the use of tb* nerve food for <\\ lenst siity days in order ibit th* reauilta may be) last- tag. SlneplnaantM i* only one of tbe nany ! distreMing sympt4>iu whiuh will dis- appear with the us* of Hi Chus'i Nerve Kood. It la positivs ours for Bervoue prostiatiun snd exhaustion. .-mel? it i wUer to build up snd epilepsy and all th* mnst aerioni farms of nervous dlssss*. UH CHA8K'.S NKRVK KOOD U i lie world's greatest rsstorstive for pal*, wsak. nnrvous) men women and ( obtUureo U ui specific for woman's ills, booauaa they almost invariably 1 airtos front eihsuatsd a*rv** In pill form. SOo a box, st all dealers, or by | mail from Kdmauaou Hates. sX Co., j Toronto. r.ipum. Will you give us yuur rtxiaonaT Monteitb: Tbe dectxtaed saw his wifs in Malta, and she reoognued huu. When be left ine at b.iif pa/it eight to gn to bis oa bin, there waa a uuiu- liei of strangers, ou board; if his wifs were i>u board, she could easily have followed him to hia oabm and killed bim>. t'.iplain. Ihil she would nut know the iiuinliri uf bis cubinf Muut.itb. \ oa, sh. wx>uld. lie ^ k. ed m. to see him, iu IHe nu>j mug, and told in" tbe number ! bLaoubiu tice; i tin second lime he .spke so loudly, (hat anyone uouid have heard, aud immediately afterwards weut away lUptam: Then you think tbe nine was ciuumitl.d liefore the aailing of t h i- nh 14) 1 M -nil-lib 1 can't My; if, as tbe d*-tor says, the deceaHed had been ilonl for 11111,1 li MILS, ibis \\iiuid bring Ibe i nun of Ibe roiuuiusion of the i i mi.- to inu.i o'clock last night, at wbn-li tiute tbn ship sailed. Ih" i ipi.iin aske.l Munteitb a few mhfi o,u*aliona .111,1 Ibmii tbe uiqaeat was adjoin ned tUI tbe next uiorn- ing. CHAPIKR IV. U IK-II i hi' ini|utvst li.id lieen ailjcuin- ed, nut the en iu-,i passengers wsre sssemliled in 8loon und smoking- room* giviug their ideas on the sub- ject, It, Mill, I Moiiteith, at the captain's reo,uoM, r.maiued to talk over things. "It is a curious c.isa altogether," auid Captain Tviirploton, aitting Imck in bis , h in "1 never kneiw ,rf sm-ii a thing to in cm aboard one of our aieniiinis liefoie, snd your .lory isa si range on*." "U it, rather," aaseiited the Aus- tralian, pulling moodily at his mu.st- srbe."t>ul I trunk it is true ivu Ventin told ine it only too bitterly to leave ny doubt IB my roiad aa to bis veracitf." Tbe captain took up the stiletto, whicb at ill lay on the table, und looked at it thoughtful!/. "Have you eve: .-teen thi in Ventin's poesesaionf" h* ueksd. "No," replied MonKitb, osatlng a oaraleaa glance at it. "But, tht-n, I oever was in bis cabin. We nat next to one another in tbe saloon at ju- ili, and talked together a good deal. Beyond the story I told you* I know nothing about bia life." "hxcuse uie i/utliug too question to you again ; but do you really think this Maltese wife killed hunf" "Well, of course, I oan t aay for cer- tain. Imt it loots very black against her. She wrote snd told him *h* woulit kill him." "Obi* interrupted the cuiptam, "did be show you the letter P "No ; but it a'lgbt be among bis pri- vate papers, which >ou will of course take charge of." "Yea; I will look over bia things to-night. But go mi. ' "Well, he g<>sa on shore at Vsletta. seea his wife, wbo recognises him, comas back, she follows, beam tbe number uf his cabin, and kills him." -And then!" "Well, tbe question ia eaay to an- swer. .She muat have r, minuted the ciiiue before nine o'elock, and escaped on abors in tbe confusion, or " "Well." 'Stir must be still on tbe boat Wbit passengers came on board at Valettaf'* "I Ascertained tbat when I heard your Btory tbia morning I MO only." "Maltese or KnglishT" "Tbe former. Man-hear Matteo Vaasalla is tbe name of one, and the other is Miss Cotoner both cousins" "L)u you think sbe is tba wit* of Ventinl" asked Honald, eagerly. "HoM the deuce do I knowf' said Teuipletun, quickly ; "I never saw her before I" "What age should yuu thmk she waaf" "\bout twenty-four or five. ' "Wi>in*n's appeal aucts ara ao decep- tive." \\h-ii tbe deuce are you driving at*' asksd the captain, annoyed. "I km>w ili-i extict jgt of Ibe Mal- tese wife." "How sof" "Venliu told me be W.IB forty years of .ige, and llwl be nas twenty when be started has career in London; be aaid be bail thirteen years f fuat liv- ing there, so in order tu be forty iiuw, seven years must hav* elapsed since bis marriage. " "But what bus this got t do wilb tbe ag* of ttia wife I" "Kvery thing ; be said his wit* waa twenty-three yeara of ag when ke met herfi'st; that, by my argument, uiu.il have beeu sevsn yars ago, so to-day liu wife must b* thirty y*ars of age now it this new paasenger thirty I" "No, I'm certain the isn t; besides, the MJII- twine told me bis counin and biuiaelf stayed on derk till tbe vestal started." Obi aaid Honald. thought fnlly, 'so thai Uiapoitea uf this young lady, it cannot l>e ihe. but the Maroheae iui|ht help us." "I ilon't think so; be wouldn't know Vent in." "Perhaps not. but h* might know Mrs. Ventin, as ha lives at VaUtta. aud the whole affair might be aif t*d to the bottom; but, oh, hang it. 1 forgot I broke off Monteitb, in dismay, "Vea- tiu was not his real name.'* "Ueaveua, you don't aay ao ! Tkea what was it f ' H* did not tell me." II"-' vsxatiouB," said Tawpleton. rising tu bia feet, "this involves tbe affair ia still deeper mystery, for if Ventin w*r* not Inn real name, e cannot fin I the former Mra. Vtntm, and will not be able to ascertain if there's any truth in tbe atory he told you." "Kxamine his bvxea," suggested Koual.l, as be followed the captain outsute. "his real name may be among In* papers, or elssi a crvst ; vou might find out from tbat." Tt> be Continued. SKKMKD FAIR. I'd like to know, or coin , uid ha new m;in, with >ome ooncnrn, wli-.h-i my job is lu b* permanent or not. Well, returned tbe employer, you can slay K long as you pi. ase Thai's fan . isn't itf iVrtsinly. I'm murh ob O.i the other b.ind. I reaerv* the iighi to diHoh.irge you whenever I fdBMB. Thai's equally fan. isn't ill Ye-es, I suppose so. THfc HEAVY AND THE LIGHT. AUM we .tlghfld, meaning 10 seem ' *ympa<heiio. You have felt (In .mi's heavy band! ll-"i\T rxplsiowd the Boer, with 10111- heat. Britan'H the moat light* lingered 0*1 ion we ever met up with! COL, GORDOFS FROPHECY, TWENTY TEARS' FORECAST OF CO* RENT EVENTS IN CHINA. Ul. <r !> Bel f. .r !.. .cb f-rf.l < n-i*.i. r. .( ttarrai BUalag - Tsw lnilrin < n l.i iir Trm*ir4. Th.-re waa prooabiy uo Kurop-as mure qLLalrfi*a to rxpresa all epiuioa of ibv Cbirwse ih.u Cv. 011*1 Goidon. more commonly called C'lunea* tjor- don, whuae atraugo career cloend, at hLhu-riouui ui Jamiaryj Uttlo. li. m .1- lary assuualiou wiUi ibem eWiug. ib* two yean, from IPOJ j 1016, M I. 11 be oumniii. tided Uo fcver Viator*- oua Aiiay, an i*. was slvlvd, gave him unique experu>no* of ihe Cbiuea* Hi, i an m> gti into -n u somewhat Complex >.Iii i ic -I. \\ . ii ib ciuiiest ut material aud ia ->pn of (be stiuugrat opposition, as* (4>lH>jition i ht would h-iva Uon fatal t/ui foi th' luyU support. b received ibiuLgboui h -, ahou itrm uJ *,rv oe under til* Junperor of China from Li- liuiijj-c'hiijg, be u;g.nikii-d a lore* '- ti i nivjei fcui v^)i*u officers of near- ly every nationality, including IUOM A in i ic ui suppressed the Tarp.ng re- L. .liou tbea tbre*ttoing tbt* exiteno* uf C'buia and ( dynasty. Theupio- 10111 In* expressed therefore s>.v* at ib. pre*ni uio*uni I.\A MM .u .Ai, V u.Lo O .< Maita b gava confidentially t a liu'ud to IttbO wbca he ra* Juan <* th* poiui of lewviug for India, M he* b,-- bid accepied in* pu.t ui decra- tarjr to th- Viceroy, Loi a H.pou, ia i just now of particular iipeakuig of tb-- Tarping ami of ib cuiuagr of tbn 1'h. i loop.-., be dfiu*i tbit tbjey me cowf. -U.1-. u> one n Ue held L . ih*j dul not fiM deatb, ibuiajfa b hadeeB ii ui .,nd up bravely sometime* and tbn flee lifce so*p afteuwurd. But "u i tiuop*u would bare to coa- aid-ei oa. h a.i.ii, the awful cua. Mftuui-e of a general moveuaot, wti.-n Inuti ezpeclvd. IB Che vital uto rt maai of huoidixd* of mul.ou < n u to oveiwho.in tbc faretga devaU w hum tbjr b ite like po. on. Xh d.uiger of uch an outbuiet, O 01 Jo n said, itriMui<- grea'er i-verj yer oo account u.' lira waj IBM : l IIIIWSK werv beuig oonnouaUly hara >ed i>j ibe Kurupnoo btatea nb de- ui >uU* lor com|> 'UMiioua, .u u c >^i juai, in oLboi* t^uile (rivo>uu< \V ba ibry vuw ttin tbekr vuly uraiM of oK-oiuig the iggie^auiua aa i an arnvj- with iuii>ror4 thru tbry woiald and bj>. and n<h -> A*. wbu wouid alwajr* W'.u and oC I I louud rvody 10 drtil and Ii-ui tbfy would create A i O.vMH'Ahl.l. AUMY. O. one thing liuntou ili quite lu iU>^h-n fc.uiqp<*aoa ouu.d maiat u|> toCbiuem t raup ui poailtun. 01 ia J-fiic o( a IKJ -i .ou, and eej) iba aw> ILB f 1 1, wuuld eooa tx- over, I'U-iv *ouKi tx no uioif atilHatrjl piuai'-aad<a l.y a (e bundled Hr>..b aud Kit neb iruuu* through ibe coun- try, driving ihuu-tunds of l'bi>M be- fore tbrm. -p iki.;g uf ib nuiburmee, Uei >! aid * mandarin nai newer to be trual- d, aud ha was ju.j too gla^ b-u b left their erv,e. The Kagnsh IB BUI upmion, n i.t- b- uin .ia- 0| tbuikiug ih^y wrtf weiCtMu *hriever they wfot. ><ii in (i(i-n ui twenty y-Bi they wuft 1 find l>'oo tu h 10 II iijr. \\uli ail ,b'.r -UJWIMHIII i. l heir vicee, and 'ln-u iguor.iu. ike i'butre* xie, HI liuiiioa'a aa iiaal iiau, fai two good to V-- rubed by tboolaMB that gowemod h m The I.DV.-IQ- t in -in. of r'reoov. Ruaaia. and Kug- < land. h emphatically dcolaied. had I foi ih forly yeor^ before i ho (>uu< he I- treutM lh i h.T moat tuaa- I daloualy. CurrMti events are proving bow : tccura< !y Ctticuvi* Uordoo judged the aiiuatmu, and trv? u^gret is tbat oor- ta'in il- <[ at ohuiictiM aud trmpora- III nt ~Vu>nM hi' causod b lu to abo- ,(,.n H posiiioti in vtlurb b coulil bve ix-titifrttd grea< Mrvioe (o i'buu and t ii i inn In IJt light of what i- tuis <m in 'lnm to-ilv >:. wonle uf 20 v- 4. i t| hve t tic riug NUHSKHY UONfS IXm't put baby to sleep in th taaie ruom that he ocriipiM all day. Don't <*,. to rub hi* rle with aweet oil if theirt it aay eevrj. Don't give him farinaceoua food ,iu- hi tb* teeth at.irt. or the salivary gUnd* begin to act. Don't over-aalt or over-*w*et*a hU fuod-aalt and sugar create tbirit, ao4 (hint fretfulnrs*. Doa't uae ilk-hn4 <MT oottou-w4- dd qiUlU on bit bed ; light, oft, all-wool blankets ftxe beet Do't always i-arrT him OB the tanae idu but mo^re him (ruua on* urn to tB other. I he Biuat be o*rriaev