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BY HERBERT MAXWELL. CHAPTER XI. '"Happy is the wooing which is not long a-doing' Events moved apace. Miss Theresa Freeman tmd Mr. Cornelius Flutter were people of the dourest determination when their minds were definitely made up to a given course of Action. They made their bargain without excessive haggling on the day following the trip to Richmond, and, taught, by the experiences of previous failure, the futile lolly of trying to over-retich each other, made a just com- promise with a nice regard for their conflict- ing interests. Mr. Flutter was to take a Quarter of the sum realised, and pay all legal expenses. Miss Freeman was to retain the Lancaster papers and marry Lionel Prank- fist. It may be asked what security Mr. flutter had that his protege would carry out the promise which Therese made on her future husband's beha.lf. and Mr. Flutter was a. little anxious on the point until Therese Summed up the situation in a few masterly Phrases. "If we fail to observe the compact, you have Jttereiy to divulge the plot. Lionel, ha.ving tasted the sweets of wealth, will not be dis- posed, to return to the Islington shop. I am 8J8,) safe. If I find my husband restive or Reluctant to supply me with the money I require. I threaten to produce the proofs t-na-t he is not the heir. He will prove amenable to reason, I have not the smallest doubt of it Put the legal matters in train, and I will see that the wooing does not lag." "Admirably put! Admirably!" murmured flutter with unfeigned admiration. "It will he a lasting source of regret to me. Therese, that circumstances compel me to stand aside and see you the bride cf another." "My dear Flutter, was the cool response, l: like you better in the part of man of busi- ness than in the character of bridegroom." In the meantime Mr. Lionel Prankfist, the Unconscious object round which all these Schemes revolved, was making every con- ceivable variety of mistake in the addition of Pence and farthings, because ho scanned his columns of figures through the misty image of an ethereal being in white, which persisted in intervening between his eyes and the page, Elnd so obscuring his vision, and, consequently, laid down his pen at the close of the day Tith a racking headache. By way of relief he decided to walk to Bioomsbury, and refresh his jaded censes with a view of the abode where lived in the flesh the corporeal -embodiment of the beauteous phantom which had haunted him throughout his weary hours of toil. By chance Therese snied him from behind the corner of the curtain in the pensive attitude of the love-lorn swain, and, having made a. Quick change of toilette, invented an imagi- nary errand and fared forth into the street. Her surprise at meeting him and her greeting -a, skilful blend of rapturous delight and bashful coynes.s-combined to make up one of the prettiest bits of acting the most exact- ing playgoer might wish to see, and the pair talked tide by side in the direction of Regent's Park, with Mr. Lionel Prankfist firmly convinced tha.t he owed the delightful rencontre to the kindly operation, of eheer coincidence. This fortuitous outing was but the prelimi- nary to many pre-arranged walks and talks, during which Therese kept her devoted admirer well in hand, and suffered him none of those privileges which are usually granted to a favoured suitor under similar circum- stances. She did the balking. The other, tongue-tied and speechless from the severity of his emotions, found sufficient happiness in listen- ing to her silvery tones. And yet after each separation he expe- rienced a certain amount of 'discontent, & sense of opportunities wasted, a desperate feeling that he might never, never, never Screw up his courage to speak those -words ■which must be spoken if he were to reap something more than the barren joy of pro- menading with his beloved round the inner circle of Regent's Park. As a. rule, he was a glib talker, with a fine flow of conversation on many topics. His distressing shortcomings in that regard when ta Therese's company perplexed and alarmed him. They might be symptomatic of an impend- paralysis of his vocal and mental powers. lie decided to consult Mr. Ned Blaker, who, "by this time entirely forgiven for his base desertion, had been installed as Mr. Prank- fist's "arbiter elegantiarum," or guide, philosopher, and friend, on the strength of his expert cognisance of the indispensable requisites of a gentleman's wardrobe. problems ha propounded for Mr. *5laker's solution were two-firstly, whence &rQse this strange impediment in his speech, this difficulty of olear articulation, this most inexplicable paucity of idexbs; and, seeondty. what would happen if his inability to ercter- tain the oharmer developed into a chronic Power le«sn ess to pop the "question"? Mr. Maker refused to treat the two questions as feeing separate propositions, and replied with the pregnant brevity of a Delphic oracle: "Write to her, you fool!" solution was so simple and 60 obvious tow that it was suggested that Mr. Prankfist Sat down then and there, and. with his friend's help, indited an elaborate epistle, in "-hichhe gave full vent to those ardent feel- ings which had defied oral utterance. He implored an answer at the earliest pos- sible moment, and, as the ordinary operation of return of pest was too slow a method for fcis agitated suspense, he enclosed a poetaJ order for a shilling to defray the cost of an express messenger. Therese laughed till the tears streamed from her eyes as she read the missive and fingered the postal order. "Poor silly youth!" she mnrmured;- "how little he knows! But he has done what I intended he should do. He has put his offer of marriage in writing. I will telegraph my reply. As the Post Office people retain original telegrams, there will be an official record of my acceptance." "I accept your offer of marriage.—Therese TYeeman," was the gratifying, if coldly formal, response Mr. Prankfist received to his ardent epistle. About the same hour Mr. Flutter was chuckling over a laconic telegram which he had received from the same lady—the simple Words: "Fixed up." He acknowledged the receipt of the message *ith the dissyllabic reply: "Good biz." Mr. Ned Blaker wa3 a little rueful a.nd downcast at the extraordinary success in bringing matters to a head which attended the advice he had given. "You won't want to know a fellow now. Lionel," he remarked gloomily, "that'you are going to marry a slap-up heiress." He had seen his friend out walking with Mies Freeman, and her appearance had filled him with much the same admiring awe as that with which she had inspired Prankfist. Poor Mr. Blaker! Ever since the morning he ran away from the doors of the Police-court In his "ager:s to dissociate himself from a thief a.nd a. would-be suicide he had nevor teased to lie a prey to the moot poignant remorse. "If I had only stood by him a. few minuter." he cogitated, "I should have made tile acquaintance of this chap Flutter. and he'd have took me up instead of Lionel. It's those that ooti'r deserve it that, get ail the luck in. tbis world." "Oh, I'm not the fellow to do a mean thing like that," protested Mr. Prankfist scouting a>is friend's gloomy forebodings. "Ill always know you, Ned, though I ra,n't answer for my future wife. yon know. She's deuced parti- cular—Flutter told me that from the very first-and she mightn t like to know a chap that's bren in menial service." And then the happiest idea occurred to Mr. Prankfist. "I say, Xed. perhaps she will wan", me to fI!1ave a. man of my own:" i; "I daresay; depends upon her fortune," \yras tbe reluctant assent. <v "By gad," e:1Íd Mr. Prankfist hastily, "if ("he does I'!1 give you the job"—a- promise of perspective kindness which evoked but the mildest expression of gratitude cm Mr. Blaker's part. Therebe followed the telegram to Mr. Flutter by a visit in person. For, havjjg performed her preliminary part of the bar- gain, she was a little anxious to know h'v- long a period was likely to intervene between her marriage and her husband's being pii;, into tiiidi^TMited possession of the Prankti-■ mil lion. Oa this pow t. Mr. "Flutter was able to giie her the- mo-r KatisMW+ory assurances. He had later. isel's opinioh-in fact, {lie opinions of the three ablest men at the Chancery Bar—and been advised thai his client, Mr. 1 .vol Prankfist. had a clear cas ■. Tt was n pity, counsel toid him, t.).a: they kad no proof of the death in infancy'of the eon of the miser William Prankfist. "3ut in the a-bsemoe of anybody claiming though him the Jaw would presume his death vision t. issue, more particularly a6 advert-isf*jjents had been inserted in the newspaper for many years after the miser's decease iwiting ""claimants to romo forward and prove J tie. Tl>- worst that was likely to happ<ui was tharf. t>. 3 court decide to appoint trustees of the ca) "t'<tt tmm. and ass'iVn to 1 Mr. Lionel Prankfist merely the accruing income. thtt the income derived from the million invented in Consols amounted1- to Upwards of thirty thousand pounds a. yew- a sum which should be sufficient to support the pair on the most lavish scale of livfog. 3y or cover, assuming the absence of opposi- tion, the legal formalities could not be wH prolonged beyond three monthe after of th* £ iin« of the —I "And when do yon propose to file the claim?" asked Miss Freeman. "On receipt of your telegram this morn- ing," replied Mr. Flutter with no little pride in his own promptitude and energy, "I despatched a clerk to the central office with statement of claim, copies of registers, proofs of birth and pedigree, and a sheaf of affidavits. In a month from now Mr. Cholmondeley Banks, K.C., of the Chancery Bar, expects to be arguing the case before the Master of the Rolls. Two months later you and your husband will have the handling of thirty thousand a year, minus the fourth part, which is promised to me." "And when are you going to tell Lionel?" "As soon as you like after the wedding. Have you determined the actual date?" "No; but we may as well settle it now. How much notice has to be given at the registry office?" "Three weeks. So it is to be a registry office this time, not a church?" smiled Flutter. "Yes." she replied thoughtfully. "Consider- in, the purely civil nature of the contract, the regi&try office appears to be the most appropriate place for the ceremony." "You didn't think so in Harvey Lancaster's case?" "It didn't occur to me. Besides, the two men are not to be compared." "I really believe, Therese, you hare a foolish sort of tenderness somewhere for that chivalrous nincompoop." "I wonder," wa3 the only reply she vouch- chivalrous nincompoop." "I wonder," v.a.3 the only reply she vouch- safed. Lionel Prankfist spent the succeeding three weeks in a whirl of daued excitement. His employers at the Islington drapery stores dismissed him summarily for incapacity, and so saved him the trouble of giving t.hem notice. He applied to Mr. Flutter for a tem- porary loan, and was gratified with an advance of £ 50, with which he proceeded to fit himself out in a manner suitable to his future position as the husband of lady of means. Of Therese herself during those three weeks he saw very little, and when, he did see her she contrived to keep him in the chilly atmosphere of cold respect. It was a pro- voking situation, for there were two subjects voking situation, for there were two subjects upon which he was extremely anxious to obtain information. How much money had she got? Did she expect him to work for his living? To the first of thesa he could gather no clue. The second she settled in the most peremptory manner. Her husband could not be permitted to serve in/ a shop. When he and Mr. Ned Blaker talked over the position in confidence, there was much in it they found baffling and disturbing, and Mr. Blaker, with the frank emphasis of the candid friend, never failed to point out its 1- oh, Mr. Flutter, and you suffered me to a m^rry a^a felon J" I disagreeable features, with that clearness of vision that is born of irresponsibility and envy. "It beats me altogether, Lionel, why she is marrying you. It can't be for your money; you: ain't got none. Nor your looks, nor your style, which are just ordinarily passable. And she ain't a bit fond of you; any fool can see that. What does she expect to get out of it, do you think?" The cynical candour of these remarks nearly broughtwoout a fresh rupture between the friends on the very eve of the wedding, and caused Mr. prankfist to register a men,tal vow that if he ever did employ Mr. Blaker as valet he would keep him in his Prope-r place. "How do you know she isn't fond of me?" he queried hotly. "You've no e^perience of girls of her class. She don't care much for philandering; but that's their way—haughty, sti ff, feeep-y our -h ands-off- and-hoh ave-yoursel f. You was mistaking her, Ned, f°r one of your Bfl.nk Holiday pals, and confusing her con- Ba,nJt Holiday pals, and confusing her con- duct with such. Did you exPect to see her I walking round Begent's Park wearing my hat and we with hers? She's rather above your form. Ned. Any fool can see that." If this was not the soft answer that turns I away wrath, it was effective as a. snub. Mr. 'Bicker made haste v» ,t-i. '■•■dgo ibat I, had presumed too far, pwha.i*s, on their iong- j standing intimacy, but that ho had meant no bat m. And Mr. Prankfrst forgave him on the express understanding that he confined his remarks for the future t<, subjects of which he had at least some smattering of knowledge. qt ( z Miss Froeman s a.nd Mr. Prankfist's wedding w is the quietest of quirt affairs, the only per- r- -r:s present, besides the official and his ausis- < yt, being Mr. Cornelius Flutter and Mr. Ned Bia-ker. The latter found the proceedings painfully dull end funereal. The bride ignored his -presence altogether, and when the happy pair drove off at the conclusion of the brief ceremony to Vittorio,. en route for Brighton, where the honeymoon was to be spent, he was left stranded and desolate. His tenta-tive suggestion I-r- Mr. Flutter that they might celebrate the oc asio" by a little jaunr. somewhere-he mentioned R.1, 'tm< nd. because he understood it was a favourite resort of Mr. Flutter's—was nt accepted, The astute solicitor wrung his bands warmly, hoped he'd enjoy himself, said he had a busy day. and returned forthwith to the City. I "Not t'o mueli as a. glass of fizz to drink (their healths in!" muttered Ned irascibly: "blowea if it ain't tn. shabbiest affair I ever was at. I don't believe she's got any money. Its a plant, and serve the beggar right," a conclusion which took much of the sting out of his very pardonable sense of disappoint- ment. 1 On the third day after their wedding Mr. Prankfist, who was scarcely enjoying himself as he ought to have done, received a letter from Mr. Flutter, which Kent him scurrying up to town by the Srst train. Therese accom- panied him. in spite of his endeavour to dis- suade her on the ground that women b £ tve no head for business, i"berese merely smiled. "I think in this instance, Lionel, you are mistaken. I mean to come." And she went. I

I CHAPTER XIT. I II "Tha tlre in the flint shows not- till it be ftruck "—Sha.k&peare. I "1 have g«.HKl oac?on to believe, my dear Lionel, thaL you afv in a fair way of becom- ing the master of a nice little income of some £ 30,000 a. year. Can yoji realise what an income of that magnitude implies? And I what Wo.uld you give for inSLa.n<v-—, put you m P^^ession of such a stupendous fortune?" Flatter bad carefully prepare this f^111 of words x»hioh announced to J pr»;*k- fi«t the good fortune that had come, or was coming, to him. making the pur- posely vitrne. "W3t*4 would. I sive?" roptt#1 the aew posely vitrne. ''W'iJWIt would. I CiTe! replied the now tride. groom, his eyes standing out of his head. "I'd give most anything." "Very well, then," resumed Flutter pleasantly; "here is a. deed of asaig-nment to which I want your signature. The terms of the deed are simplicity itself. In the event of my placing you in possession of a-i income of the amount I have stated you undertake to hand over to me absolutely one-quarter of it?" "How much would that be?" inquired Lionel Prankfist warily. "Roughly speaking, £ 7,500 a year. "Seven thousand five hundred a year!" repeated the other, with a pause between each word. "You expect me to give You ceven thou He broke off abruptly, appalled by the effrontery of the demand, and snapped an emphatic "Not much." "But I'm giving you something over £ 20,000 a year," remarked Flutter suavely. True. But, then. Lionel Lionel Prankfist's thoughts, as a, man's thoughts will do, dwelt upon the sum he was called upon to sacrifice rather than upon the larger sum which would accrue to his own benefit. The needy ,i clerk, who a few weeks ago had considered himself decently prosperous with an income that barely amounted to £100 a year, found £ 7,500 an extravagant price to pay for £20,000 a vear. There are times when three-quarters of a loaf appears worse than no bread. "Tell me all about it, and 111 do the straight thing by you. Flutter," he cried in a strangled voice. "I swear I will. Where is the money? Have you got it? If you ye got it, you know you can't keep it. its my money. Thirty thousand 3- year. My Ood! You aren't kidding me, Flutter, are you? "My dear Lionel. I am not in the habit of 'kidding' people. I repeat, I believe I am able tj assure you this princely fortune, but if you reject my farms, as. of course, you are perfectly at liberty to do, the matter falls through. I am offering you twenty odd thousands of pounds a year, and ask in return a stroke of your pen. If the offer is not good enough, we will say no more about Flutter was preterniaturally calm and self- possessed. The words fell from his lips in I gentle, unhurried tones. If Prankiist didn't want £20,000 a year, he himself had no parti- cul,a,r uise for the amount he asked for. That is what his nonchalant attitude expressed with merciless lucidity. And he laid stress upon it by tranquilly. drawing thoe desd towards him and dropping it carelessly into a box at his side. A pause and silence, disturbed by heavy, ste-rterous breathing.. The American clock on the mantelpiece ticked with the noisy rhvthniic beat of a metronome, Lionel Prank- fist's eyes glittered greedily, avariciously. Re sat eyeing Flutter, while the vista of possi- bilities his imagination conjured np stretched illimitably before him, till his head swam and his brain rce c All the pleasures of the town .—all of them. All those things whicn he had looked upon as rightly belonging to a different order of being from himself, as unattainable, and, therefore, UP to that moment unerased for. His lips moved as he framed unconsciously the words which designated the things his sou! suddenly longed to procure^wagger clothes, swagger jewellery, swagger dinners, swagger servants, swagger houses, swapger everything. The word swagger seemed fitly to sum up the life he would lead, the sommum bonum of c&xiuily li^ppinoss. A swagger life! 0- the bliss of it! He would be the personlficax-ion of everything swagger. Could mortal man wish for more? And then a feeling of intense hatred of thb other who sought to dlIDinieh. his swaggerness to the extant of £ 7,5M a year surged up within him. He started from his ohair and raved: "I'll stand no d- d nonsense. Flutter. You have got all this mon€y of mine. You hand it over, or, by G<xl! I'll have you quodded. Don't you try to play the black- mail game with me. You have g-ot a m,an to deal with who knows ¡¡, thing. or two. Cash up quick, see! or I'll have the law of you. £ 30,000 a year, that's the figure; you said it yourself. As likely as not. yoivve been spend- ing it, while I've been drudging that d d hole at Islington. You'll have to a<;coll!nt for every penny, mind you! I kno\» that's what. You ain't going to trifle with *ue_—" until h3 Paused for sheer breathlessn&ijg, and stood swaying unsteadily, with one hand clutching Flutter's table, bewl, of Perspiration j bespangling his forehead, wholly overoome by the tense vchemc!1('^ of his emotion. I Flutter stirred with a spasmod. jerk. This was a scene in the comedy which he Flutter stirred with a spasmod. jerk. This was a scene in the comedy which he had not provided for in his scheme of t-he r1—. a"" being taken by sun • j, ff'li fcaxk irpou !>sU»r a«t his moet natural and con- genial -capon.. "You Ejiseruble thief! You scurvy little cad1! You And then Therev- who 80 far had been a. cad1! You And then who so far had been » serene and dispa-a-"1' 'Uafte spectator, decided t) intervene. "Stop, please, Mr. Flutter. Lionel, I am ashamed of you. If :yuu are disposed to quarrel with £ 20,000 a year. I -AAr, uot. How do you propose to support me?" Both men looked a it her in surprise. Appa- rently they had left t¡", woman out of count. "Let him givo me n-y £ 30,000 a yea-r, and I'll support you fast enough," was "the'naive retort. "My good Lionel, your £ 30 000 a year is absolutely non-existent until it pleases our friend here to cali it into being. You are so much excited by the dazzling prospects of boundless wealth that you aro incapable of sound, coherent thought. You .-aid stupidly this morning that women have no heads for business. I am going to prove the contrary. I insist upon your signing the paper Mr. Flutter a.aka you to sign." "I am not sure th .t I'll ,et him sign it now," growled the attorney "A wretched little cad that pilfers his employer's till, and then snea.ks off like a cowar«; to drown him self-" "I must beg yon to remember, M:r. Flutter, that you arc speaking of my husband, and I require you to speak OIfhim with respect. How dare you say he pilfered ?" "How can I help it?" retorted Flutter, beginning to catch Therese's drift. 'I am sorry for j-ou—upon my eoul, I am. But read that, Therese, and tell me what you think about it," and I." !>shed out a half-sheet of not^-paper and h.: >. rlcxt it to lier. "Rereived of Cornelius Flutter, Esquiro," she. read a.loiid. "the sum of eleven pounds sterling to re-place money stolen by me from my employers till.-(Signed) Lionel Prank- fist" Sh." lei her hands fall listlessly to her side. ■rid then in a. voice of tragic intensity inquired: "Oh. Lionel, can this lie true?" "Look at him, Tb?-re«e, my poor girl," interrupted Flutter; "the answRr is written in his face." "Oh. Mr. Flutter, and you suffered me 10 marry a>—a felon!" She sank into a, chaor. placed her bauds before her face, and rocked herself to and fro in a paroxysm of sahbing Lionel Prankfist v as a. main distraught His dear wife weeping; tM ra-king up at that old theft; what a paltry sum it (*ee>med: the prospect of winning £ 30,00 a year; the posei- bility of loeic? It; the ^•r*1 nt.ioTi of Tbfer&ee; thoe cnrb4tt<*f«s«Bt of Flutter; thfte things coming one upon the other combined to drive him to distraction. He flung himself down on his knees beside her, end-savoured to .seize her hands, poured out a flood of endearing epithets, abased him- self in an abject appeal for forgiveness, and expressed his contrite desire to be guided entirely by her wishes; while Flutter looked on in grim approval, and acknowledged to himself that Therese's cleverness, as usua', had saved the situation. "Gat up, Lionel," she said at length in a voice broken with tears. "Mr. Flutter, you owe me some compensation. Let me beg of you to overlook what has passed, and proceed with your kindly efforts on Lionel's behalf. Some-thing may .be pardoned him on the score of youth, and set down to a momentary and quite natural loss of mental balance at such news. If for no other reason, then for my j sake "I would do anything for your sake. Therese, as youi know. But——and he directed a sinister glance at. Prankfist—"I have been accused of attempting blackmail, of appropriating funds; in short, of embezzle- ment, by a petty whipper-snapper "He shall apologise," intervened Therese quickly. "Lionel, say you are sorry; ask Mr. Flutter to forget the dreadful words you used." She spoke as she might have spoken to a naughty boy who was being rebuked for petulant waywardness of conduct. "Wnat am I to 8-aY?" whined Lionel. Therese sighed her relief. She knew the scene was over. She was an aderpt at framing abject apologies, and when she had dictated to her husband the form of his apology, and he had repeated it after her, Flutter, with a great show of reluctance, 'produced the deed of assignment, summoned a couple of clerks to witness it, and suffered Mr. Prankfist to append his signature to the document. "Therese," he said, with a lingering trace of offended dignity. "I have consented to ignore the gross insult your husband has put upon me—in my own office and in your presence—for your sake. But you will readily understand I cannot risk a repetition of the outrage. For the time being. at least. I must decline communication of any sort with liim." "But you haven't told me anything," whimpered Lionel protestinffly- "How a.m I to know where the money is? How am I to get it?" "Exactly." scoffed Therese. with a contemptuous shrug of her pretty shoulders; "you have no information, and no means of obtaining any. But you should ha.ve thought of that before losing your temper. If you ever come into possession of this vast fortune Mr. Flutter ha^-s promised you, it will be entirely due to my efforts in soothing his justly-roused resentment. I consider he is Quite within his rights in refusing to deal directly with you for the present. I daresay he will tell me all there is to tell, and I will give you the particulars presently. You had better go, and wait for me in the outer office or at the foot of the stairs." And Mr. Lionel Prankfist, at last realising the weakness and impotency of his position, muttered a meek "Very well, Therese," a.nd stalked from Mr. Flutter's private room. "And suppose he had refused to sign?" asked Therese, with a merry twinkle in her lately tear-dimmed eye. "You may etipposo anything you like," retorted Flutter gaily. And for the first time in his life he was guilty of an act of old-world gallantry. He took her hand and kissed her finger-tips quite reverently—a recognition more eloquent than any words of her invaluable aid as his ally. (To be continued.)

== LAUGH & GROW FAT HUMOROUS PARS FROM EVERYWHERE. German tourist (to waiter)—Two glasses of beer, three cakes, and eighteen picture post- cards. Ow moch?—" Sketch." "I thought you told me your Cockney cousin was such, a plain-spoken man-that he always called a spade a BpMle?" "Well?" "But I find he doesn't. He calls it a spyde." Drill-sergeant (t-o recruit): I've told you forty times you mast stand up as straight as if you'd swallowed a ramrod. Instead of that, you appear to have swallowed a doaen scimitars! You will miss me when I a.JI1 gone," he said reproachfully after the quarrel, Y es, and I'd probably misfi you before you go if I had anything to throw at you," s.he rejoined between the sobs. Little Boy t Isn't fathers queer? Auntie: In what way? Little Boy: When a boy does anything for his pa. he doesn't get anything, but if another man's boy does it he gets a penny. She: It is eaid that women are neater and cleaner than men. He: And yet you'll go right out on the street with a long train to your dress and make a sweeping denial to that statement. I would like a nice ring that would be a suitable gift for a young lady," said the youth with t.he noisy tie. Fiancee or sister?" asked the jeweller. Don't know yet," replied he of the doubt- ful part. A Scotsman in a Parisian restaurant, after reading the menu, called for a grilled steak. Out, monsieur," replied the waiter. No. yo fule, not a wee yin, the biggest ye've got in the tiliop!" retorted the Soot. Magistrate (to delinquent charged with beg- ging): Three days' imprisonment on bread and water. Take him away. Beggar: Make the living a trifle richer, yer washup, and I'll stay a week." Singing Master; Why, you have no voice at all! Singer: Well, but I always pay for my lessens double the amount usually paid by others. Singing Master: Say that again—your voice sounded much better, I thou.g'ht. Little Brother: Oan't you walk straight, Mr. Mangle? Mr. Mangle: Of course I can, my little man; why do you ask? Little Brother: Ob, nutbin', only I heard sister say she'd soon straighten you when she married you. And ma. said she'd help her. Mrs. C.: It was very rude of yon to yawn while we were making that call. Mr. C.: Well, good gracious! I had to open my mouth sometimes- Miss Mav (who has been attending a course of lectures!: Oh, professor, I Saw such a funny old fossil in the museum to-day. I thought of you at once. Little Willie: Say. pa, what is the meaning of "intuition"? Pa: "Intuition," my son, is that which tells y<aur mother she is right Whether she is or not. Kitty: And when v/f marritri filial? yon I insist on my reading J'lr P<>üi).¡s ami novels? Aathor; We'll mate bargain, dearie. If you'll reuii what I wr e. I'iV 00 to what yon cook. Watchmaker; The fir. J time T cleaned your watch it was in a goK oaee, the next, time in a gold-filled nsse, at 1 no-.v it's in a. silver I case. Hardup: Tee-, but, orcimstesces a-iter cases, you know. Did you have m^-i mer on your wtr over to the Coatdneir ? asked Mrs. Oldcaetle. ^vo; .John took I* ttle <-r i,wo with us. but when I'm scasb me of them kind of things ever does me a it of g-ood." MMs Beauty: MicS 1 -'infroc told me that you taught her to s vi in two lespons, Mr. Dashing. I wieh yov lid teach me. Jack Dashing: lit sure I should be dc'icht-ed, Miè:¡ Beauty. I Miss Beauty: And ho<- 'oany Icesons do you think I should w:J,n:t? Jack Dashing: Oh, I t-1 ak at least a docen. First Rabbit: JJV ba: -a.! I had a narrow escape to-day. I "«.ii tell .You Second RabYi* How was tli-:t? First Rabbit A Cockney sportsman was trying to 8I1,(ý1 me. Seoond RnW it: And hit you, eh3 First Ra4>b^ No, but w hd the gun 'recoiled I it knocked hm over, a.nd be nearly fell on me A friend who V&.& calling <>D Mir«? Carolyn I Wells at her houn happ--ned to mention gome people who livec furtnor down, the same etreet. "Are yoi a-cquaintod, with the J family? -sked t.b« VIsItor. Y-Ye6." a?uswered the humor/ with a touch of hesi- tancy in her voice. bat is I to the dog every inorafin-g wi. *J. I go by." The minister sougl 1 improve the time by giving Bobby a- left*' in morality. "My 1-oy," he said, I hi; v.- 'ived foHy-fiVe years-, a*id have never us^d l"Wco in any form! nor told a lie, nor i'W(tfi., nor •» Have you got any l'tt e boys," interrupted Bobby. 1 No, I never had any little boyi." Well, they are mighty i\iek3' s-Aid Bobby.

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By SIR WILLIAM MAGNAY, BART., AUTHOR OF "THE RED CHANCELLOR," "THE MAX OF THE HOUR," "THE FALL OF A STAB," "THE HEIRESS OF THE SEASON," &c. I CHAPTER XIX.—(Continue I Without, any corresponding cordiality in his face, D'Alquen, with a sharp glance of suspi- cion, bowed, shouldered his gun, and Zarka and he set off together. Zarka, chatting volubly, suggested that they should maka for the high ground and try for ibex, as afford- ing more interesting sport, and afterwards that his companion should dine at Eozsnyo. So they strode on, shoulder to shoulder, towards the mountains. "You come from far?" Zarka asked pre- I sently. "From Sorusk, in the Province of Rapsr burg." The Count's eyebrows went up in expressive surprise. "Sorusk! That is, indeed, far. Ah! you have lost your Prince. It is sad. What may be the opinion in the province as to hia 1 disappearance? That he is dead, poor fellow, I eh?" "Tha,t, may be the idea in the province," I D'Alquen returned, "but it is not, mine." "Ah!" Zarka was all polite curiosity. "You think he is alive? How. then, do you I account for his disappearance?" I Although the piercing eyes were on him, the question was asked in a tone and with an. expression of the blandest interest. For I all sign of guilty knowledge on his face Zarka I might have had no greater concern in the .affair than the most casual lounger on the Konigstrasse. I "I account for it," D'Alquen answered in ,hio¡ abrupt fashion, "by an obvious move in the political game played yonder." He nodded towards the mountains. Zarka. smiled incredulously. "A vague motive, surely." he objected. "I fancy that society in town could furnish one far more probable." D'Alquen turned to tiirn sharply. "And that is ?" Zarka gave a shrug and smiled meaningly. "A very common and obvious^ cause for a man's eccentricity. A lady. It is well known that Prince Roel was smitten by one who, incomprehensibly perhaps, did not return hia admiration." "You know the lady's name?" The question was flashed out quickly, fiercely, only to be blunted against the shield of Zarka's inscru- table smile. "Not with any dogrea of certainty that would justify my mentioning it," was the gnarded answer. For a few steps they went on in silenoe. Then D'Alquen resumed: "I am aware there was a lady in the case. But that does not disprove a political influence -behind the lady." Zarka deemed it enough to give a depre- cating shrug. 1 "I mean," the other went on, as though irritated by his companion's non-commitfal "Throw your gun over, or I fire!" I manner, "she may have been used as a decoy." "I am not," Zarka said coolly, "in a posi- tion to contradict you, beyond saying that your theory ssoms to me in the highest degree improbable. After all"—here the teeth showed in an ugly grin of do-precot ion-" a-fter all, we -can but theorise, and theorising is unprofitable unless we have a practical object in view." "I quite agree with you there, Count," D'Alquen returned, with a touch of curt signi- ficance. ficance. As he spoke some.thing-a slight action of Zarkas-—made him suddenly halt and look round quickly. As he did so the Count I altered the position of his gon, but not before D'Alquen had seen that the muzzle had been held a few inches from his head. After that significant discovery D'Alquen never let his eyss wander from this companion, although he bstrayed, and probably felt, no sign of fear. Whether Zarka noticed the sharp observation under which he was kept it was impossible to tell from his manner, but he was assuredly too acute and watchful to be unaware of it. Presently their ascending course brought them to a wild and rocky opening in the forest. Zarka-, pointing in front of them, directed his companion's attention to a mag- nificent view of the glittering, undulating of the mountain's tops. But D'A-lquen was too waxy to be oaught by what, to his suspicious mood, seemed a trick. Before looking in the indicated direction he stepped tack, thus bringing Zarka in front of him and still under his eye. "Yes," he agreed, with a grim laugh, hardly called up by the ccenery, "it is magnificent." He held his gun ready for bringing up on the slightest provocative sign, and' seemed rather to enjoy the game of checkmating the Cotuit s amia-ble moves. The ascending1 path now became too narrow to allow of their I talking abreast. Zarka stopped and motioned his companion to precede him. "No, Count," D'Alquen said; "I follow you." Wrv-a was BO DECISIVE that Zarka Wrv-a wagW DECISIVE that Zarka evidently sa.w th-e usetlesamess of pressing the jrottor. T shall have the honour of phowiag you the way," he said, covering his discomfi- ture with, the politest of grins. ) So they wound their way up till the open II mountain plateaus were reaclvsxi. Zarka now mountain plateaus were reaclvsxi. Zarka now halted and turned with an affectation of b rcat'h leesne«s. "We should soon get a. tipht of some game I here," he observed. "We can now go forward toge-her; at least, as far as the rocks yonder." He* pointed, as he spoke, to the base of some high peaks which s-hr.t- iu the plateau. "I have had fine sport here with ibex and "1 have had fine sport here with ibex and chamois," he ramswkod. as they walked on side by side. D'Alquen over on the a.lerl iuid amusingly distrustful of his urban a and \oluble -ompanion. "Two juns should, h<rw- ever. have a better chance than one, since ever. have a better chance than one, since between us, up yonder, we can c.rt off the animals' escape. It. 'has been usua-'iy my lot t" hunt here alone, and many a good stag have I lost through not having a comrade to get a second ehot. on the retreat." The situation was certainly growing in grim interest. Either D'Alquen's nerves were abnormally strong or he held the lord of Rozsnyo cheaper than that potentate was won,t to value hiuiself. What would the next. move boe' Fbr certainly the stranger had been brought up there for a. purpowe not altogether connected with the slaying of ibex. Y""ry soon the manoeuvring for the plan, whatever it might be, began. They had warily crossed the plateau and reached another narrow path running round tfie base of the rocky peaks. There was no hesitation now about precedence. "Ma.y I show yon? Yes?" Zarka. grinned and sprang up the path. D'Alquon kept his gun handy and fol- lowed. There WÜ$ an equally curious, though less sinister, smile on his face. The Count !ed the way throns-h a narrow I passage formed by a oleft in the rocks. The path was rough and sto-ap, but both men made light of its difficulties- Suddenly they J pa-ced cut OI. to the side of a. broad moun- tain gorge, bigh up on which rha path still ■ ran, hftving, on the one hand, a -Aa,il of rock, I on the other sheer precipice. A gleam of grim intelligence sprang into D'Alquen's eyss I as he took in the situation. When they had gone on. perhaps, a hundred paces, Zarka i held up his hand, halted, and turned. D'Alquen had stopped, too, evidently r.»ndy for evc'irtnalities. But the Count's intentions 1 seemed all for sport- "Round the next shoulder," he said in a j 1 low voice, a<s be pointed forwards, "we shall ] probably of»me upon ibex. I propose that one j f low voice, as he pointed forwards, "we shall ] probably optne upon ibex. I propose that one j f ,)f us should go forward, while the other stays here, for J,he first shot will probably send r<*t of them back aionj: the opposite roader, oi the ohaezo. go tb&re *4il be a T roader, 01 the ohaezo. go tbwe,wffl be a T chance of two fine runnin.g shots. Now, will you go forward, or shall I?'' As he had. doubtless, anticipated, DAlquen answered shortly: "I will stay ill-ere." "As you please," Zarka returned with an acquiescent bow. "After you hear my first shot, it will pay to keep a sharp eye on the rocks over there." With that he went off along the path, to all appearances absorbed in the sport. D'Alquen stood with the sharp eye Zarka had advired fixed steadily on the retreating figure and his gun ever ready. "If he turns," he muttered, "I shall shoot, and then—Heaven help th-a better man." But the wily Count did not turn or halt in -his stealthy pace along the rocky path. Perhaps he bad a shrewd idea that such a notion might be attended with a certain risk. So he continued to steal on, in true stalker's fashion, till a curve hid him from sight. fashion, till a curve hid him from sight. Then D'Alquen was at liberty to turn and survey his situation. It was simple enough. On each side of him was the narrow path, in front the precipice, and behind him a wall or rock some thirty feet high. Now, what was Zarka's game? Not ihex; DAlqu-sn la.ughed aloud at the idea. What should he himself do? Clearly, not stay there, since that was what the Count expected. He must either retreat by the way they had come or go forwards. He certainly would not turn back. The game was interesting enough to provoke him to follow his worthy guide; so, after another good look round, he went slowly on. He came to the bend round which Zarka had disappeared without seeing anything to quicken, his alertness into action. As he rounded the turn, however, his vigilance increased, and every step was taken -with caution. No sign of Zarka waa to be seen, although the path was visible for a consid-&rab!e dis- tance ahead, and this was the more remark- a,ble as. away on the right, the forms of several ibex were to be observed. Was Zarka stalking them in hiding? That was ecarc-ely possible, since the course be must have taken afforded no change of concealment. On D'Alquen crept, his gun almost at his shoulder, and his fierce, rest-less eyes taking in everything round and above him. Suddenly he stopped with a subdued exclama- tion. The mystery was solved. He had arrived at a point where a deep fissure in the rocky wall opened upon the path at such a sharp angle as to be invisible from the side of his approach till he was fairly opposite to it. Through this cleft a sort of rugged path ran back. as it soemed, behind the rock, the face of which lie had just skirted. Doubtless, Zarka had doubled back by this means. D' Alquen hesitated a moment.. The narrow way might be a com- plete death-trap get by the cunning man. who had emulated that his intended victim would follow him. D'Alquen gave another look round, and then seemed resolved to risk it With his gun ready to fire he sprang up the path and made his way quickly along it. The few seconds it took him to reach the other end of the defile were calculated to make his blood tingle, since he would have been practically at the mercy of a raking shot from above. However, be emerged upon the open without this experience, and in another instant his quick eye had detected what it sought—the form of Count Zarka creeping stealthily along the top of the rocks. Keeping well down, and so out of sight, D'Alquen immediately began to follow. When h3 had gona, as he judged, far enough, he turned and began to crawl upwards, stalking the Count with more than a sportsman's wariness and aost. Zarka was evidently so intent upon his design that he never glanced behind; at any rate, while D'Alquen was in sight. The way he was taking would bring him to the edge of the rocks above the spot where he supposed the other to be waiting, and as his inteEded victim realised the treacherous scheme a light gleamed in his eyes that boded mischief for the Count. So he followed him, keeping afl-ssach aa possible under cover of the ro-eks, stanoiftg 4m he ran, sometitnog crawling, from -*Bi*e +0 another, ever, when he -was expoee-a, beeping his enetny covered by his gun. But now Zarka had reached the edge of the rocky wall and stepped cautiously to the very brink with his gun ready to fire down upon the path below. D'Alquen, watching him from behind a jutting rock, laughed, and, walking quietly into the open ground, made quickly towards him. The Count looked up and down the path below. The other thought he heard an exclamation of annoyance from him as he found himsolf baulked in his benevolent design. Zarka peered over. The temptation to put a bullet through him must have been almost irresistible, but D'Alquen did not pull the triugttT of his covering pu" There was now a look of grim amusement in txi-s eye3. Having the game in hand, he was his eyes. Having the game in hand, he was evidently loth to spoil it. Zark", drew back, then lay fxoe downward* looking over the' rocky walt D'Alquen gave a hitie run, and came wit-t.in half a doxen paros of him. Witlh another utterance of disgust Zarka. rose to his feet, and, naturally, turned, to find himself cov-red by D'Alquen'e rifle. Before b* could get up his own weapon the other cried: "Drop it! Throw your gun over, or I fire. Over with it. I say, or you are a dead Boan! Za.rka s fa"e had gone grey; his eyes biazed with impotent bate. By a great effort he assumed a look of pnri>ri=ed uroles* bur lis ever-ready smile was hardly a success, if, that is, ii was meant for anything more than a diabolical grin. "Herr D Atc:uen! he cried. "What do you mea.n, my good friend? Are you mad?'1 But his good friend showed no Fign of relaxing his attitude "Drop your gun over, ¡ or I swear I'll shoot," he insisted. The Count hesitated, and for a moment looked as though he were calculating his I ckaz.cos in an impromptu duel. But D'Alquen's rifle covered him pitilessly; he could see that the aim was straight on his heart. Probably, his wonder was tiiai his intended victim had Dot fired without parley. After all. his opportunity was lost, and to lose his gur, wae to gain time. So. with a pro- testing shrug, he turned and threw the weapon ringing down the rocks b^low. "Are yoa satisfied, nrein jj err?" bo demanded, wth aimost insolent blandce^s. ¡ 'Hardly, H.rr Graf," DAiqncn returned. "But that is something. It was luck5 I did i not wait for the stags, or my patience would have been exhausted. You did not mention that another matter claimed your attention first." The man's luockiTig lone was not- pleasant to the lord of Rozsayp, possibly because it was precisely what hi would hinieclf have been pleased to indulge in had the tables been turned. However, he was forced to con- tent himself with a remark, rather vraak, considering the intensity of the situation. "I was not aware that I had come out for sport with a madman." I "A 9 1 was that my companion was an aasa-«w.n. D'Alquen retorted. "Now, Herr I Graf, shall I tend you a.fter your gun?" I As be spoke he levelled his rifle again full f it Zarka,. The Count was not lacking in I courage, or. at leat,t, in a gambler's reckless- ies6; nevertheless, a look of something very ike the terror of death spread over his grey 'noe. He tbrew out his arms. "r-hoot me if you will, madman!" he cried. 'I am unarmed and at your in-ercty." The wads may have been spoken almost e.t andom, or he may have abrewdly felt that his adversary was a man of honour, of instincts very different from his own. Any- how, he could scarcely have hit upon a speech more to the point. D'Alquen did not fire. "I should be sorry to cut short an interest- ing career." ha said with .almost savage mockery, "or to anticipate its more formal and judicial ending. You undertook to show me some sport-, Herr Graf, and I cannot deny that you have fulfilled your promise. You were right; it is much more interesting with two guns than one, and I am sorry that in your ardour for sport you have lost yours. But we must accept the fortune of the chase, and when we hunt big game we cannot have it all our own way. Now, as I have far to go, I must do myself the honour of bidding you good-day, with thanks for an entertaining afternoon. I fear I cannot trespass upon your hospitality at Rozsnyo, having already experienced my full share of it here. I should be afraid of putting your good nature and patience to too severe a test. Count, I have the honour." He touched his hat. and. with a mocking bow, turned and strode off down the rocks. leaving Zarka standing there, the picture of baffled malignity and speechless rage.

CHAPTER XX. A LIGHT IN THE FORE.ST. Philippa, spent the rest of that day in « state of anxious indecision. Everything seemed against her. On all sides dangei threatened, and her situation was made doubly distreesing from the knowledge that there was no one with whom she could take counsel. Her lover. Yon Tressen, would be ready enough to adviso and protect her, but somehow she shrank from giving him the necessary explanation of her presence in that out-of-the-way region and her intimacy with Zarka. The thought that they had been seen together in the forest alley filled her with angry shame. She longed for an opportunity of explaining her confidential relations with the Count; yet in the first flush of her love she dared not. What., she asked herself, would Yon Tressen think of finding her there with the man she professed to fear and hate? Chance itself seemed to have joined her enemies; if only she had some friend from whom she could frankly seek advice. Her step-father, she felt, was absolutely untrust- worthy; seifish and indifferent, he would he only too glad to play into Zarka's hands. No. She must go through the fight single- handed, unless she could bring herself to call Von Tressen to her aid. Zarka had left her that morning, after the three men had parsed, as her open and declared enemy, for she had remained firm in her rejection of his suit. His was one of those positive characters which gather strength from opposition. The blood of half savage, turbulent ancestors ran in his reins. His courtly manner was but an assumed mask, behind which was a strong, unscrupulous, vindictive will. Sooner than admit the success of a rival, he was capable, Phiiippa felt sure, of betraying her to D'Alquen. Ah! there was danger, indeed. when once that fanatical avenger had resolved to strike. Towards sunset she had locked out, and fancied she saw the man again watching the farm from his post of observation on the hill. It was horrible in that lonely region to be ever under that wild. malignant eye. never knowing when the blow the watcher meditated might fall. Then a. maddening thought came to her. What If this man had slandered her to Von Tressen? How much did he know? What tale might he not. have told? The Lieutenant had not been to the fa.rm that day. Why was that? Yesterday's avowal of love should have brought him to her; a.nd yet a whole day had passed,' and. but for that chance unfortunate rencontre, she had seen nothing of him. Everything ffeemed in a vortex of doubt a-cd danger. It Avaa more than Philippa- could bear, and at last she resolved that, come what might, she would make a. bold effort, to see her lover without delay. Might not be be in danger, too? Zarka had boasted of his power and of his unscrupulous people. If he could put one man out of the way, why not another? Yes, she would seek Von Tressen at all hazards. Once her resolve taken, she waited impatiently for nightfall, for it was under cover of darkness that she judged it safest to make her way to the encampment. Then, giving the excuse of a headache, she bade her step-father good-night-, and went to her room. whence she easily slipped out of the house unobserved. She knew pretty well the direc- tion in which the encampment lay; it was not far off, hut the night wa.s dark and thundery, and lier progress was, naturally, slow. But she never hesitated or faltered. although the oppressive gloom and silence of the forest, the thought of danger from man or beast, might well have made her nerves play the traitor. On she went steadily, warily, threading her way through the great trees, on and on without a thought but of her purpose, for her situation had made her almost reckless save of one thing-the danger of losing her lover. She had gone a good distance when the dis- quieting idea came to her that she had missed her way. The darkness was so impenetrable that it was almost impossible for her to tell in which direction she was going. She had boldly set out and held her course in a. straight line, but now she suddenly realised that in that black mass of trees to follow a direct route wiis, certainly to her inexpe- rience, almost impracticable. For a moment the danger -of being lost in the forest rose to her mind; then she beat the thought down. and went on resolutely, trusting that chance would bring her safely to her destination. But chance was not her friend that day. She calculated that. had she gone direct to the encampment, she must by that time have rea-ched it. So she had evidently missed her way. There was nothing to be done but to keep on, in the hope of lighting upon the camp, since to attempt to retrace her steps would be futile. So she persevered for a while. but all to no purpose. She eeemed only to get more hopelessly lost. Becoming desperate at length, and her fears beginning to rise now that her purpose seemed frustrated, she determined as a last resort to try and strike into the valley. Cnce there she could at least find her way home without much difficulty. It must lie on her right hand, she thought; so. turning in that direction, she set off onoe more through the black wood. happily, the guess at her bearings was correct. Ten minutes of rough gropin* brought her. greatly to her relief, to the end of the t,reoes on that gfde of the valley and to clear ground. Here progress was compara- tively easy, and the darkness not so para- lysing. As she stood debating whether she should make her way up the valley to the Grange and thence try the path again. or attempt to find her way direct to the encamp- ment, she saw before her at some distance a light. It was very small, and lasted but a moment or two, like the striking of a match. Was it someone lighting a. cigar? she thought. Von Tresssn, perhaps, or Count Zarka? If only it were the Lieutenant! It was not un- likely. The spirit of reckless adventure was on her, and she resolved to go forward and see. So she ran cautiously towards the point whence the light had shone, slackening her paco as she calculated she must be near it, and creeping along so as not to attract atten- tion. Presently she stopped and listened. She was certain site heard men's voices, and fancied sho recognised Von Tressen's. She quickly followed the sound, but progress was now not so easy; the ground rose steeply on the other side of the narrow valley, and the wood was thick again. Still, she pressed on, with many a stumble, encouraged by the' thought that her lover was -so near. Soon the wood as dark and bewildering as ifrom which she had lately escaped. Srill. up and up the girl panted, hoping every .mei.t to hear the welcome voice again: though ehe often stopped to listen, she could not be certain that she heard It, Suddenly a, strar.g« phenomenon rose before her sight; the forest, thick as it was, seemed now to present a great, black, impassable wall. Philippa stopped in amazement. Then, as the air grew lighter, the explanation flashed upon her. The great black mass in front of her was not wood, but stone; she was outside Rozsnyo. Scarcely had Philippa, realised her where- abouts when she saw a dark object moving in the obscurity a, few yards away. She was now standing by the slope of the dry moat. Instinctively she crouched down beside one of the .shrubs with which it was planted. The moving figure was a man. He came Blowly on, passed close to where she was bidden, and so disappeared in the darkness. But an #n- controllable fascination had ma.de her look up in spite of her fear as he pas-sed, and she recognised him even under those conditiont. It was D'Alquen. (To be continuei.)