The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

DONT ? TRIFLE WtTH )<M!CjESHOtt ?r It is dangerous in the highest ? t degree and there is nothing you ? can less afford to neglect. This t ? distressing complaint weakens ? ?L your whole system, because it ?? ? reduces thesupply of nourishment ?? ?? and RIls your blood with impuri- ?? f ties. Take MOTHER SEIGEL'S ? t SYRUP-now-and end the trouble j ? before it becomes dangerous. ? ? BUTT j CURE!T ? wiirn J f "My tongue was coated in the ? t morning, and there was a bad i ?. taste in my mouth. My head ? ? ached, oh such a lot, and so ?r ? often; there were sharp stabbing ?? ? pains in my side and litt)e balls ? f of light used to dance beforeimy j ? eyes. But MOTHER SEIGEL'S J SYRtn* completely cured me."— ?g ?? From Mra. FROBISHER. 22. Armitaee ?N t Street, CMtI&ford.Yorke. May Zlst. 1906. Tt MOTHER. SEIGELS SYRUP t! THE CURE THAT ALWAYS CURES, t ?? The 2/6 bottle containa three timet ?tj t??????? M much aa the 1/1? eize.??MB) 7: T'ho B&a<rd ot Education ha.vc appoÏin.ted Mr F:ra.mk H. Oates to bold inquiries in Merion- edwkmre into tihe Aøwyl toundatMm, in the M.nah of -IAandxialo. MMi EUem Humphrey's [<Mtndtadn<on, in 1he paJtah of Ll.nddy.- The Lnquiriea a.l"ê likely to t&ke place aboct the middia of May. THIS MAN KMOWS. Mt.W. F. WMrem, SB, Melbourne Boita, Tiibnry Doct writu box I took did me more good &h.&o aU the medicine I hATe hadtromm7 cltb doctor aU weeka. HoMt?d't &MtTe! P'U', pomt?e otre tof Gittet P!na< m the B<M:k. Dropey. MeeMe of their KMney Gout Sctttict Ma Rhetun?tMm. If not mtittBea, monfy re- tcmed. la. 1? <tU ChMMMta; poat <Me 12 sttmp!) ?. BwldreydB. MedietJ HtU, Ctectbe?ea. TM-ia. 16609

GARDEN WORK. f IMPROVING THB LAWN3. The present is tha best time for strengthening the growth of Grass on the lawns. The soil in which are rooted the plants which constitute a lawn becomes gradually exhausted of its stores of fertility as the lawn mower above cuts and carries away, time after time, the growths of Grass. The problem of living growth still re- mains a. mystery beyond our power to solve, but science has taught us something. We have learnt that plants feed like ourselves, and, like our- selves, suffer from starvation. Grass roots will in time exhaust their soil of the elements of fer- tility as surely as we exhaust our larders. Re- plenishment is a necessity as much in one case as in the other. In natural conditions where Grass grows it also uecays. It returns back to the land in the autumn and winter what it has extracted by growth in spring and summer. Thus is fertility renewed. But in our gardens wo re- move the growths for the satisfaction of our needs or our tastes. We must. therefore, provide the replenishment. Science has taught us how to do this effectually by the use of chemical ferti- lisers. We can analyse the Grass and calculate what has been taken away of plant-food. Wo can replace it by dressing the surface of the lawn with a sprinkling of artinciai fertiliser wonder- fully small in quantity. CAUUFLOWEB3. According to a writer in the FrMt! G'roM'er, all plants that have been wintered in frames and been kept as hard as possible must now be got out into the open ground. In many districts It will be necessary to give them some shelter, and where Sweet Peas are cultivated, if the rows are put out at about 12ft. apart and these are struck with pea wood, the Caulinow-ers may bo planted, about five rows, between these. The pea sticks will give just the wind break tha.t la needed for ordinary places. In some colder dis- tricts it is a good plan to plant between rows of thatched hurdles. Growers must remember that & soil rich in organic matter Ie absolutely neces- sary to grow the summer Cauliflower success- fully. Provided the soil contains lime It cannot well be made too rich for tills crop, and where a plentiful supply of manure is not to be had it is useless to attempt the crop, as it will button up very sma.11 in a poor soil. Febrrary-raised seedlings of First Crop and ether varieties should bo planted out under rough shelters, and be encouraged to go ahead as fast as possible. The earliest-sown Autumn Giant should be pricked out into beda as soon as targe enough, 4in. apart to strengthen, and so be kept dwarf. Nothing is more productive of blindness in these plants than being left crowded in the seed bed. Light sowings during showers of a mixture of lime, salt, and soot, four parts soot to one each of lime and salt, mixed as used, will prove of great benent in keeping the crop clear of insect tnd other pesta. PRUNING THE ROSES. The nrst week In April is the best for pruning the bulk of the Roses in the majority of gardens. [t is advantageous to prune in March a very considerable number of varieties, and some even in February im the southern counties. The Na- tional Rose Society has recently done an impprt- Mt service to Rose-growers by issuing a hand- book on Rose pruning, in which information is given of the habits of every Rose commonly grown in British gardens. The best time to prune each variety is specified. and the best mode of operating in each case. It seems a. pity that the circulation of so useful & guide should not be made as wide as possible amongst the ooble army of Rose amateurs. But the council of the Rose Society have otherwise arranged matters, and the book can only be had through members of the society at a cost of half-a-crown, postage paid. Probably this course has been adopted to increase the evident advantages of joining the membership roll of the society. There &re. however, some useful general hints on prun- ing. which can easily be conveyed in aunple term&. CLIMBING ROSES. Roses on walls, fences, arches, and pergclas, and also Rosea grown as pillars, do not so m. h need pruning in the ordinary sense as thinning a.nd shortening. The handbook of the Rose Society recommends that some of the older shoots bo cut away entirely each year, so soon as the plants have done Sewering in the autumn. The shortening of other shoots Is recommended to be done in March. Amateurs who have all their pruning to do now should take their climbers urst in hand. Let the shoots which evi- dently are superfluous, or which produce over- crowding, be noted, and cut clean out from the base. Then let the others be merely shortened back to the point where the wood is perfectly ripened. It is desirable at the same time to con- sider if some additional provision of fertility for the roots is desirable. Wall climbers are apt to suffer for lack of plant food. The best way to supply a possible need is to remove the surface soil for a distance of two feet from the stem to a depth of a couple of inches, deposit an overlay of well-rotted manure, and cover it wi'} soil. Then give a'thorough soaking of soft water of genial tepidity, and repeat the watering twice afterwards, leaving a week's interval between each soaking. WALL TREES AND THEIR PROTECTION. Frosty nights and bright days are the moat trying ordeals for wall treee in blossom. Alter- nately crippled by cold. and half scorched up and drained dry of their nourishing juicee by the fierce glare of the sun, the bloseoma wither up and die. In many places garden walls are, to a certain extent, fitted with glass copings. They are all very well in their way, but they are not sumcient without some material being suspended in front of them. An experienced fruit gardener says that ho ends strawberry netting hung in three thicknesaee ia sumcient. It is easily fixed, being hung upon hooks placed on the under-eide of the coping, and kept in its place by being tied to stout stakes driven into the ground the same distance from the wall as the copings project. Where glass copings are not in use. it is a good plan to drive iron supports into the wall, upon which an 11-In plank can bo placed. These sup- ports should be nxed about every three yarda apart, and provision should be made to allow the boards to be screwed down to them. This doea away with any danger of their being disturbed by high winda. The netting may then be fixed &a to the copings. As the netting does not ex- clude the sun or air, there will be no necessity to remove it until all danger from frost is over. In email gardena the netting may be Bxed to poles, these to be laid against the top of the wall, as nearly perpendicular &s possible. THE AURICULA. The Auricula is awakening from the sleep of winter, writes Mr. Donald MacDonald in the Daily Telegraph. The centre of each plant, if healthy, will indicate appearances of growth. If they require a little trimming, remove all de- cayed leaves and stir the surface of the soil a little. Should any worm-casts shew themselves, turn the ba.11 carefully out of the pot, pick out a.H that are visible, and pat the ball gently with the hand, which will often alarm other worms that may be concealed inside the ball. As soon as you have got rid of them all, replace the ball again carefully in the pot and. if necessary, put a little fresh compost to 611 up. Water of mode- rate temperature may be given on the morning of a promising fine day. In this country we n.re never safe from frosts until May sets in with Its genial warmth. If these nowers once get crippled by a frosty night, the nne bloom will be sadly spoilt for this season. It will be a good time to prepare a compost for the purpose of top-dress- ing the pots. made up of half loam, one-fourth sand. one-fourth cow-dung. It will be useful and help to bring out the blooms well both in size and colour. The time for this operation depends upon tne season and the state of the plants. ON FERNS. Plants of the lovely large-leaved Maidenhair Fem, Adiantum farleyense, will be throwing up their new fronds. This is a good time to pot them, and also to make any additions to the stock by dividing the crowns. Plants that are intended to be grown on into larger specimens will simply require potting into good rough material, selecting a few that have the greatest number of crowns for division. It is not ad- visable to divide the crowns into too small pieces; if a good plant is split up into three or four it will have a better chance than when much cut up. The safest plan to adopt in thie matter is to cut the ball of rhizomes through into as many pieces as plants are required. In- sert a good crock between each cut. and dribble & little sandy leaf soil into' the opening made eJonsr with the crock; cut through the crown deep enough to thoroughly sever it, and let the plant remam for a fortnight before finally pull- ing the divisions apart. But cutting through in this manner it causes new fibres to start away from the crowns, and in pulling the plants to pieces they do not feel the effects of the divi. tion so much as if they had been cut at the tame time. After potting they must be kept shaded and as close as possible for a few weeks, to cauae the plants to establish themselves. AU the varieties of maidenhair ferns that do not produce themselves from spores freely may be mmilarly treated as soon as they ehew sigox of pushing up their new ftocda.

The Otf the Oouncit Sohoot have been asb&d to dose the school on a-oeouatt ot tbe Iprev-.kmœ. ot

?? B ST* ? SUNLICHTAP Wala ?BMa a B ??gaa ')( ;.q: << S ET ?? V <MM)t? ?by Mr CONV!MC!MG. It is impossible for any argument in favour of Sunlight to be more convincing than a trial of thê soap. Its merit will prove more than modesty may claim for it. A thriving industry stands by virtue of its efficiency. The makers are determined that at all cost Sunlight Soap shaft be pure. givooo is offered for any adulteration found in its composition. LEVER BROTHERS. LIMITED, PORT SUNLIGHT, ENGLAND. The name LEVER on soap is a guarantee of Purity and Excettence. ?'<)!Mm))!«!)!)!mmm!!)m))!!m)!!)!!)m)!)M!——.??.??Mt'HMM?? VALUE FOR MONEY! Our SpectaHtiM :—BUTTER and TEA, Quality:—THE BEST. Prices:—RIGHT. T. ROBERTAS, Station Road, Coiwyn Bay, GROCER, BAKER AND PROVISION MERCHANR. EVERYTHING WE SELL WE GUARANTEE. ?J FLEET, !?usic Warehouse, Pe?yn Ri,Co)wyn Bay. FIRST-CLASS TUNING BY EXPERIENCED HANDS. TUNER TO THE COLWYN BAY AND LLANDUDNO PAVILIONS 6139 LARGR STK OF INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC. .-1 Dn NoliT WAIT ?'\ ? until your good health is impaired, but take steps to keep It up to S the mark. Remember that ailments apparently trifling may very soon ? develop into serious diseases. Do not hesitate to take on the first appearance of any distressing symptoms. They will do A more to establish and maintain your genera! health than any other ? means you can emptoy. For a ? SLUGGISH L'VER SIOK READAOHE, fNDIGESTION, CONSTIPATION, LOSS OF APPETITE, ? and the depressing nervous conditions that arise from these troubtes, W there is no more reliable remedy than Beecham's Pi!b. ?'? ?? Sold everywhere Is texea. price 7/7; (56 plll.) <& 2/9 (168 pills). ?? 0 -J T. H. JONJi:B. Practical Hatter AND Complete Outiltter, "THE 4.4 UNIQUE," CONW A Y ROAD, A V r¡ COLWYN BAY. Sole Agent for Lincoln Bennett & Co s and Tress & Co.'s SILK and FELT HATS. HAND-MADE CAP5 IN REAL HARRIS & DONEGAL TWEED& SMART RAINCOATS & WATERPROOFS. ]5664 EVERYTHtNQ FOR MEN & BOYS. -1 S100,000 worth of Furn!shing Goods C3 THE LARGEST ASSORTMENT OF BEDROOM SCtTES, DRA WING.ROOf SUtTFS, D!N)NO ROOM SPfTEa. SIDEBOARDS, CABINETS, OVERMANTELS HOOKCASKS. HALL STANDS, AND OTHER FCRNtTFRE CARPETS, LINOLEUMS. FLOORCLOTHS. RFGS AND MATS, CURTAINS, AND GENRRAL FrRN!sa!NG 00008 AT TBE LOWEST PRICES IN ENGLAND FOR CASH. MY & MILES. 34 to 48. London M, LiverpMi. Telegr&phio Address: "FURNISHJNG." LIVERPOOL. TeJep¡¡¡¡¡, .4 P-DYS4. Apart from "braan Qt<Mnn/* other verbal su.r- viv&je of the Tb&w trmj wMl be Evelyn 1'11.a.w's ?'pie faced jmut"—?phiMae which aha applied to ?)e eon of her eahjOoJjmMtMee, "Ex-ag?erajtcd ego" and "doinentia axe both synonyms for "bpam at)o<na." M.r Ernest Hum<p)hreye, aA preeenit poetmfM- ter o'f Bag-iJU. bas been afppomted postmaster of Mostya, via«a,nt by the ratiiromNii of Miea Jomea ()Mat<tT of bbe poøtnnastei' of Flint). WHEN THE HOT WEATHER COMES UPON U8, remember th" the moat oooling. r& fraebmg and taiirst-quenohing drink you oâ.I1 Mve is ROSE'S LIME JUICE. Delicious with piftdn waiter, Hopi4W with soda-wat.-r. No. 2. Axraligonlenbs hove ibcen con i tdcd between the poeta.! doparhmeots of Gl'0a.l Brihain and OajMhda whereby t'he pos,e frtm thM ooutHtry b& CajM)<da on regigtered nowspa.p?rs, maga- zines, and hrade journaJe is to ba redttoed t<t the MhtG o<f t penJiy par 'b. R<ed tends to invigorate a.nd cheef; blue .haa a calming InnueJtoe. but wtth aMne tt tea<b to tneianahtol yeltow M t oapitat oere bra! NtitmfuJ&nt; wbile green has a vary resung eSeot upon the &yea a.nd brain.—"Reader." Tbo Giloh6-ist Education Trust have oSeo-'ed, oondition&Uy. to grant L!&ng<?!?r &nothe? course of teoturea. be?ning in J ma?ry. Tbt offer bM b&en accepted.

THE P1UESTS' HOLE. BY JOHN F!NNEMORE. Author of the "Hed Men of t1, Dusk," "The Lover Fugitives." Etc CHAPTER VH. (Continued). RICHARD SPEAKS. "Upo-n my .ioul, here's the. river," .said t<h)3 lOlld in pe¡p!exJty, and they on opit of land whe't.e the broob. n.owed imo a sjuail, de.cp river. He must. have been forced out c4 tdie here, a.t any rate," went on Colonel mount. Unless he took to the river a.nd swa.m said Kici.ard. AJi," bis uncle, "I had not thougbt of th<i.t. That would be simple enough for a S\virllàll6f. After ill, he might prefer i cold bat.h to a turBrat hard labour in the county gaol as a trespassing rogue and va-gabcnd." "indeed be might," said Richard. "And it's pretty well a mile from he-re to the bridge crowing the river," pursued the Colonel, "I could run round, sir, with the dog and try se€.nt again," said the old keeper. "No, Parker," returned Colonel Blount, "tlie man is ce-rtainly an active fe-Ilow by the manner in which he has dodged us now. By the time you took up the scent again he would be a couple of miles away, a.nd that Is a great start. We mu&t give it up. Take the dog back, a.nd, Parker, not a word of this to anyone!" "Not a word, sir, certainly," said the old retainer. and led the animal away. "I should like to Lave laid jn him," said Colonel Blount as he and ltΣill- ard walked slowly back to the bouse, i always look closely into this matter ot trespassers partlOula.rly since we were attack ed by that g.a.ng of poachers a couple of years ago, when Packer was mjuired. "Natur<Jly," aaJd Richard. "After an aSrav like that, it puts one doubly an the alert?' They paaaed the summer house a.nd ap- pr()¡¡1.Ched a small door whidh gave a.dnut- tance to th. s?rden w?g. ?.??,?? locked at sunset, but Colonel BI?t had a kev and they entered. By thia way they could easily gai.n the Coloners busllless room and thence enter the baJl as if t?ey bad just come ?m the Colony a ?r? From the d?r ? ?ne passage ? ? ? foot of a n?row night of st?rs, ?6 la?r ???h??? ???o??w??? f? a m?H?nt, th?n went on wh?n they sa.w th&t it was Lady Amie WIth a m her ba<nd. ?. i ?,. 1, "Did y?u ca<tch the maji, Fra.nk? she ??No," said he. "We didn't Lay handa OD him." r, "Do you think the story waa boo said. "Might it not have been a on Miss Van Loo's pa.rt?" i t, It w?a no fa-iLcy, Anne," r&turned her husband. We saw the fallow pla-iidy enough, down by the laurel bushes on the other side of the brook. We followed hm track by means of Porker's night-dog. t:ut he threw the dog oS tJhe scent by wading down the b-rook and thefn, we flunk, he swam the river a.nd got away." "Why, Richard," said his &unt, "whoever have you been?" Vdliers looked down at himself a.nd sa.w tha-t his clodies bore very distinct traces of the recent pursuit. In bursting through the laui-els be had rubbed the green mould from the bougha, ajid it was streaked across his shirf front and upon his coa-t.. "That's the result of making a. dash through the Laurels after our man," ho replied. "I must slip up to my room and brush myself before I nuake aJt apnearanoe anywhere, or I shall come under a nre of questions like yours, aunt." "You will, indeed," she replied; "a broken twig is sticking out of your waist- coat pocket; you look quite dishevelled." I oaJi put myself straight in two minutes," ho said. "I'll go up this way. t <xm easily gain the long gallery and my room without meeting anyone." "Will you have this Lamp?" said ijady Anne. "Oh. no, thank you," replied hef nephew. "I haven't forgotten tne pLaoe, a.nd, besides., the mc-on shines in att al- most every window I shaJl pass." "How do I look, asked Colonel Blount. You saem to have escaped much be4<teir than Richard but we'll go into your room. where there is a stronger light than his Mia-11 lamp," said ahe. Lady Anne and the Colocel went on dowTi the passage, and Richard turned amd bounded lightly up the stairs. He went up so swiftly that he almost ran into a ngure standing near the head of the Bight. It started back, and he saw that it was M&r. garet. He called her name in surprise. "Yea, it is I," she answered. "I came so far with Lady Anne, but dtid not come dovn." "Well," he said cheerfullv "we h-ad our run for nothing. There certainly was some- one there, so Miss Van Loo need n<xt re- pn-oach herself with needless alarm. He waa too clever for us, and be<a.t a retreat." He caught a faint sigh of relief, a sigh which Margaret could not repress, and he aaw bed boaom rise and fall. The passage running from the stairs to the lOfll,(1 gtallory was lorty and narrow, lighted by three tall windows deeply recessed in the wall. Mar- garet drew back into the nrst recess aa if to leave him room to pass. But Riohajd did not go on. He stepped after her, as the moonlight fell upon his brown hajid- aomc face. Margaret gave a little cry and tooked round as if for a way of escape. But the window recesa was a prison, and his tall form Mocked the only line of re- treiat. "Margar&t, dearest— caid Richa-rd. "No. no," she creid- "not that Dick, act that." The old name slipped from her lips in- voluntarily, and neither noticed It. "Not that," repeated Richa-rd. "Do you mean, Margaret, that I may not aay I love y<yu "Ah. you must not say it. I must not Usten," she cried wildly. "Oh, go, go, I cannot, cannot hear you." "Why not?" said the sailor in his frank tones, now low and tender. "Surely I may tel! you now that I love you, Margaret, that I have always loved you." Margaret's breath came short and fast. She suffered horribly. Here were the toils she had dread-ed oast around her without hope of escape. The .sweetnesa of tMjcha.rd's !"orda was dreadful. She moved a e as tf to puah her way out. He mistook the motion for yielding, and seized her in his arms. She gave another low cry, placed ? her hands against his breast and thrust hun &way. He sprang back instantly, and re leased her. He looked earnestly into ber tovely face, white as dea-th m the moon- light. "Tnen." aatd he, atowly, "you reputse me.la.fg'a.)et. There is no hope for me. Yo'! do nut love me." "01)," she said in a half choked voice. "L?)? me, Rfchard. Do not force me to an I cannot, cannot answer -ou." b"cu.iJ.rd mastered himself with a tremen. '4Urt. -? u?au, Margaret." atud he, vary (dow- ? a?u ?t <-tty. "put Mide &H I ?? ?tud to QU W'iWÅll this taat few momenta I iu<tu<- a mistake; Y have done wrong. f? it Ai) now. Your tender he?rt shrinks )h?"n maiding ? refusal on a.o oM oont- tMuon bouad te you Meq ti.

the Last and strongest. Will you give me once again the position I held nve Brutes ?Oh, yes, yes, I ?" P???<? ??'- ?L'iiMi that is agreed," said he, "and we aj-e once more the best of comrades. You must forget that I ever dreamed of any- thing elM. Now, Margaret, is thore not some thing in which I can help you?" She raised her lustrous eves, in which the teal's were now gathering fast, and looked at him—a look of utter woo and sorrow. "No," she said in & voice but a little above a whisper. "You cannot heirt me, Richard." "Let me try," he pleaded. "You do not say there is nothing in which you need heJp. Try me, Ma.rga.ret. You know mo of old. I will do my best not to fail you, if you will give me the chance of helping you." "Ah, Richa-rd," she mnrm'ured, "I am suro you would never fail me, but in this you cannot help me: no one can." "Will you not tell me what it is?" ho asked again. I would tell you at once," she aaid, "if it would serve any purpose, and if you couM help me, but nothing can be dome nothing." Her voice was so hopeless and deapairimg that Richard's heart sank in sympathy with her tones. He half resolved to mention to her the mysterious stranger, and beg of her whether that man had anything to do with her wretchedness and anxiety. But he fore- bore. He would never force her conndenoe. It should be given freeJy or not at all. Suddenly they heard voices below. Colonel BIount and Lady Anne we're comin.g. "We'll go up this way, Frank," said Lådy Annc. "They a,re coming up here," breathed Ma.rga.ret. "Oh, go, go!" She raised her hand in entreaty. Rioha.rd caught it, car- ried it to his lips and kissed it. The'n bo glided sofDy along the ptassage and dis- appeared into the dusky gallery beyond. As he vanished Margaret raised the hand he had kissed and pressed her lirq noroely where his had lain an instant before. Ad the light of the lamp nasihed up the stair- way. she slid forward without a sound and entered her own room, whose door stood almost opposite the window recess. That night Richard sat by the fire In his room far into the small hours, thinking over his unlucky proposal. He had very, very little to console him, but there was one circumstance from which he could glcaji a little comfort, a.nd he turned It over and over again. "She dfid not say absolutely that I was impossible in her eyes," thought he. "She declared she could not listen to me, could not give me an answer. In point of fact, I had neither 'Yes' nor 'No. How could he know, how could lie dream, that the unfolding of the mystery would topple down &U his hopea in utter ruin? Time and again Villiers wont over every strange circumstance of the last few days, beginning with the story Watford had told In the smoking-room. "Could that bea-rd- ed fellow, by some Incredible turn of luck and impudence, have succeeded In getting into the house, and so the story began?" renected Richard. "But then it was said he was in thia room I To gain it he must have threaded rooms, halls, and galleries where be might bavo been seen by a score of people. Stay. there is the secret panel. But how should he know of that?" The young man rose from his soa-t, cross- ed the room and touched the spring. The panel Sew open an'd he stood looking for a few momenta into the darkness of the paa- sa-ge which led away from it. Stirred by curiosity, he stepped througjh the en- tnance and stood in the hidden wa.y which !ian through the massive wall. GLancing to- wiafrds his feet be saw a tiny sonap of some- thing white lying just before him, and plainly to be seen in the light which the candles cm his dressing-table flung through the open panel. He picked it up and sta<red at it In much wonder. It waa a wax vesta., quite fresh and new, wi-tjh w<hite stem and black head, as If it had been blown out or gone out ahnost immediately afteT be-ing struck. What's this ?" thought Ricba.rd to him- aelf. "Has someone been here Lately? The match looks fresh." He stared at the tiny slip of wax held between nngar and thumb, and wishfed n could speak aod tell him who struck it and when. Arter all, it might have oeen there a long time. He wondered if fAlwf.,Gret had p&rhaps stepped in on some occasion out of mere curioaitv. struck the match to glance round, and then dropped It on the stone noor. He went back Into the room, crossed to the dressing-table, and took up one of the heavy candlesticks with a tMck oandile burning in it. Returning with this light, he glanced about the secret passage, but could detect no other sign that it had been visited, save the one ne bad founds The liziut of the candle fell upon the raw surfaces of the hu-ge stoTies of which the waU was built. The faces of the sJaha wMch lined the paasa.ge were tinplaateTed, and thMr joints only roughly pointed. From the secret pane! the passage beg)Mi to alope gently d<!WBwa.rda, and Riohard took & few steps along it. The air in the paamge waa neither dam.p nor moecty. It was as sweet, and dry as the air in (3te room he had just left. This wa-a because it was well ventilated at sevefraJ no.mta, air being admitted throtigh porforat-tona WL. daa am"s the intrkate foMs of carving at the head of the loftv wainscoting, wnile a free circulation WIllS maintained by air ducta running up to a sham chimney. Phe latter was placed in the centre of a block of genuine smoke vents in order that no onto should observe that it was not dark- ened by smoke or soot, and so cause its reaJ function bo be suspected. In truth, the pi,ies& holea and hiding places in Spring- moatds were more eLabonate than ordmary, owing largely to the fact that the famous Jesuit had enjoyed a free hand. He had been consulted while the pLaoe was aotTtaUy building, a.nd had arranged the pLans to his own fancy. In older nouses where the walls were already comple'ted, he had been compelled to burrow here a.nd there as he could, and often was defeated of a passage or outlet, because of the manner In which the original builders had gone to work. Richard moved, on slowly until he oam<a to a Ri&bt of a dozen wide shallow steps, each step formed of a single broad block of stone. Hitherto be had stood upright, but now he had to oroudh a little, for tha roof was lesa than six feet high. He de- aoanded the steps and stnaigthtaned hi'mself again, for the roof rose to its usmal height, just clearing the top of his head. Two or three steps again, and pencils of light fell across his path. TbTou'gh one of the high win-Jows of the dnawng-room, the mocm Was ahming full upon a grtMip of apples and pears curved in the oaken wainscot nine fed from the ground. The centre of eaoh fruit waa hollow, a,dmlt.ti'ng air and famt shafts of Ught to the secret way. Thirty steps a.gain brofught Richard up dtaad a,gainst a bLajik wall. Tbje passage enjded, doaed by a aolid block of mta.ao'nry. "Let's see, what's this?" rejected R'i)dh- t81rd. "There's some trick heire. What ;i it? I haven't thought about the twists and turns of these pa.saa.ges for years. He cudgelled his brains for some momente before he remembered that he wa.s confronted by ane of Little Jdhn' a ounning- est dfevices to throw purauers off the scent. He turned ba<!k, and bega-n to count the squares of atones along the to- of the wail. At the twentieth block on his left hand as be returned he paused, aji'd began trying the atones at about the height of his knee. "It's somewhere here," he munnu-red to himself, as he thrust with all hia might on this block or that. Suddenly he hit upon the right one. It gave way under the pres- sure, and a piece of masonry, apparently 68 solid ao the rest of the waJl, swung back and showed the mouth of a passage running at right angles to the ane which Richard had followed hitherto. He could not help pausing to note how Bim¡oleJ and yet how good was the Jesuit's pLan. Sup poking a BLan was so clo&ely pursued tha.t he was seen aotuaUy fleeing through the secret panel, yet if he gained this Cum and slipped through, his pursuers must infalli- bly rush into the cul-de-Stac and lose all trace of him. As Richard glanced into the ae-oond pas- sage his g)aze sharpened. A paftdh of something white lay a few yards along it and he stepped forward quijckly. He rack- ed it up, and eaw that it waa a piece t paper rolled tightly roomd, anrd on'e end burnt a<nd bLackened as if the roll had oeen used as a torch. He dropped on one knee, aet the candle on the ground, and unrolled the paper. Good heavens!" he murmured. Wbat'a this? Here's proof ind'eed, proof posi- tive." CHAPTER VIII. RUSHBROOK BOTTOM. The paper he heH in his hand had been ongH!iaHy a Large scrap torn from a news- paper. It had burned down until only a small portion of the sheet was left, but the part remaining was of the utmost signifi- cance. Over and over again he read the "Daily News," Wednesday, October 26th, 1898. What brought a fragment of a London daily paper a few days old in this eeotiet passage, of which, so far as he knew, only Margaret and himself lheIdWhe kntOWiledge ? It pointed unmistakably to a recent visita.n.t and connected itself at once with the match dropped outside the pajie) of his roconi. The proof, simple as it waa, was absolute and overwhelming. Laat Wednes- day morning, anyone with a penny to spare could obtain a copy of the "Daily ews" of that day before that tfhe pundhase was im- possible. "TiNa narrows things down," reSected Richard, staring intently at the eonap of newspaper. ?Tlore's a piece torn from Wednesday's paper. Very good. Someone's been along here with the paper in his pocket, tea-ring pieces off here and inhere, rolling them up, and lighting them to see his way or to find the springs. B.ut who waa tt!' It waa certainly not I, and it is quite tas certain Maj'garet has not been along wiHi same omrioua visitor, for aha said clearly the other day that t!heae places am being kept secret." He looked again at the date of the paper, opening and closing his left hand unea<gily, a characteristic ges't.nre of hij when vexed or troubled. WedaMaday! The veu night wbem, according to WaJfoftPa story- He broke off the dbaim of thonp aa one might break off spoooh, tosmtBg awifUy to soBtethmg else. He cattM not pnraae t)ba< It was too horTiNy and grotesqnety unpossiMe. He bemt hM mind to ppaotioal points. If amnoome had gained this paj-t of the hidden ways, whecoa had they come P Was it from withwu.tf "No, that cannot be," he thought, "<m thLs side of the house the secret passage runs out to the summerouse, but we foLtnd the way blocked by a fall o<f the roo<. We approached it from both sides' First by thia wa.y, next from the aunnner- hous&, but the fall could not be pass.ed. Still, it looks &a if the intruder had gone that way. I'U try that far." ELe went sLowly, searching the floor and walls with a ca-reful gaze, but he saw no further signs of recent presence, ajid soon he came to the priests hoLe upon which the secret passages converged. It was a (,)ianibor constructed at a point where sevoraj walls met, each contributhng a por- tion of its thickness to form t-he room. Tbe cell wa& a pprfect oct<agon, with a widith of tten feet between any two opposite faces. In one ajigle was a em&U fireplace, whose shaft raji into the chunn-ey of tlhe hall. It was an unbroken custom of the houae that a fire always burned on the great he!a<rtb of the hall, so that the tJhread of smoke from the priests' hole wms always sure of a covej-ing cloud from below. Richard looked round the pl<ac6 with curi- osity. It seemed just <LS they had left it just, indeed, aa they had found it, foa* they had taken care to disturb nothing. One m.i.ght easily fancy that the last priest to need its shelter ha.d but just fled from it. A simall table ajid a heavy oaken elbow Cthair stood beside the empty hearth, where a half-burned billet still lay. On the table was an iron candlestick of quaint pattern, and in a nook of the waJl, within arm's length of the elbow chair, waa an opened L-atin breviary, face downwards, just as if someone had laid it thtere a moru<mt ago to keep the pl<a,ce. But the fingers that s&t the book down had bee.n dust for miany a generation, and, arter a gLanoe at the relics which told so striking a story of other days, Richa.i<j turned agaLn to the pa.ssionately intoresting movements of the present. He left the cell and pressed forwaj-d, the passage now falling steadily by steps and inclines. He pa.ssed a secret door, but he did not believe this had been used. It opened on a huge stone-Scored basement room where firing was stored, but to gain it t!te kitchens, the busy workiiig quarters of the house must be threaded. He was now und:er the garden wing, wTiere the Passage dived under the foundations and came to the surface a-gain in the sunMnea-- house beyond. A dozen steps bTOught him to the faJI which bad blocked the way. (To be Continued).