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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1908-09-03, Page 54 ix OST O F OCH PAIN CASTLE 'Y ARS. C. ' N. WILLIAMSON Author of "The Princes Passes," "The Lightning Conductor,") Etc., Etc. Copyright, 1004, by Mrs. C. N. W ;son. Elspeth laughed a little. .."I don't think, if you had to, you would like it much, really," "Olt, I would. You don't know. It t as if we were rich. But—there is something I want to say to you, though it seems rather odd, saying it to a stranger. You were very kind to me just now, and saved me from— from great mortification. I under- • stand that you must have noticed what we were saying in the train yes- terday—quite inadvertently, of course —otherwise you wouldn't have been .so quick and sympathetic in coming to my rescue." "I hardly know what did make me .do it," said Elspetli. "I think it was just—a kind of instinct." "Well, anyway, I thank you. I wouldn't for a great deal have had Lady Ardeliffe gossiping about me, and saying that I almost fell wizen I heard that it was Captain Oxford who was hurt last night. She isn't malicious, but she gossips about such things, because she's rather silly and -sentimental; and as for Countess Radepolski, I don't know her at all. Lady Ardeliffe had just introduced me .as they were coming up from their "beauty baths," as they call them. But somehow, I don't much mind you having seen me, :for I feel that, 'if we were to knoll each other, I should like you very much." "I should love you," exclaimed Elspeth, impulsively, "and if there should come a time when 'I really could do something for you—a big thing I mean—you don't know how gladly I'd do it." "Thank you, I believe you would," answered the other girl, holding out her hand. "I would come to you, if I needed anything you could do—oh, but already there's something. You say you are Mr. McGowan's secre- tary. Then perhaps you know all about this strange affair of Captain Oxford—whether it's true, as Lady Ardcliffe would have had me believe, that he was hurt seriarzsly last night. At first she told me the story, and didn't say who was the hero of it. It was only just as you came that she said it was Captain Oxford." "I don't know anything yet, but i 11 find out, and let you know as quickly as I can," said Elspeth. "I'm on my way to Mr. McGowan's room now, to begin work. I'm not sure if can ask him questions, but if I see Mr. Grant, I'm certain he'll tell me. Ie. any crise, if you can wait in the big hall for a few minutes I'll make some excuse to come out, even if I've n,i news. If I've learned anything I'll write it on a piece of paper; if I haven't I'll write the one word 'noth- ing,' and do • better next time. I'll pass you and say, 'Here is the mem- orandum you asked for.'" By this time, the two girls had arrived in the great hall, which was almost deserted at this hour, except for a few men reading their letters or morning papers. They separated with- out another word, but Elspeth's mind 'Was busy. What was the "strange affair of Captain Oxford," which had occurred last night, but of which she knew nothing? He had been hurt, . � Lady Hilary said. Could it pos- sibly be that there was any connec- tion between this event and those which had given her a night of wake- i fulness? The thought seemed absurd, ! ;yet Elspeth could not completely ban- isli it from her head. "I do hope, for :Lady Hilary's sake, that whatever has happened, it's nothing to bring des- ; •credit upon Captain Oxford," she ' said to herself. 'It's certain that he's :come to Lochrain to be near her, and ;there's no doubt she cares for him, :though her mother is so anxious to 'keep them apart." Elspeth had feared that, owing to ;her delay with Lady Hilary, she might be late for her appointment with Mr. !McGowan, but to her relief neither he nor Mr. Grant was in the room when she knocked at the door, which stood slightly ajar. As it was empty, !she went in, and a moment or two af- !ter Mr. Grant appeared. "X hope Mr. McGowan hasn't been wanting me, and gone away?" she asked, when they had exchanged I"good mornings"; "I'm five minutes • behind time"— ; "No, he has not wanted you, I !know," Grant reassured her. "He's ;been detained by the doctor, who has come down from the room of a gen- tleman—Captain Oxford, who had a ;queer adventure last night, and got ;hurt. Perhaps you've heard about it from one of the servants. It's all over ;the house already. You know how ;these things go." r Elspeth replied that she had heard nothing, and begged Mr. Grant to tell cher what had happened. "Why, no one knows exactly," said 'Grant, who was evidently more will - ling to be drawn out concerning this than he had been regarding theroom. "Captain Oxford hauntedo 1story p• n a young officer on leave. Y believe there's some old wound of his, got !iii the Boer war, that's been bother- :ing him, and he was recommended !to come here. Anyway, ho arrived !yesterday morning, I think it was. X :don't know what he was doing out of 'the house after 12 o'clock last night, 'for everybody goes to b,.1 early here; 'but be that as it may, he was out, and was shot at—in fact, struck by a bullet in the arm already wounded— 'the left, fortunately for him. He says ,he hada struggle with a man in the :'dark and that, though the fellow—a poacher I suppose he must have boon, and mistook Captain Oxford for a keeper—got clear away. The dog which goes everywhere with the cap- tain must have bitten him, the proof being that when they carte to the house the .collie's mouth was covered with blood." Elspeth shuddered a little, remem- bering the wet rubies that had come drip, dripping through her ceiling and had splashed upon her book. It was nonsense to connect one affair with the other, she said to herself again, as she had said before, but the thought was in her mind, and she rejoiced more than before than she had gone through her strange ordeal in silence. "I really believe there's a mystery of some sort," Grant was continuing in rather a confidential way, and it was all Elspeth could do to keep back the words which flashed into her brain: "If there is, maybe I shall be the one to find it out." But that idea was nonsense, too, of course, coming only because her nerves were over- strained, and she hastened to ask Mr. Grant a few more question to which the answers might be of interest to Lady Hilary. "What kind of mystery do you mean?" she inquired. "Oh, about Captain Oxford being out at that time, for he seems to avoid saying anything about that part of his adventure, doesn't want it spoken of at all. He just managed to get to the house, and the night porter called our resident doctor," "Was the wound serious?" asked Elspeth. "No. He lost a good deal of blood, but he will be about again in a day or two, the doctor says, with his arm in a sling. The bullet was extracted without difficulty; it was only a flesh wound, but being on the left side it might easily, if the bullet had enter- ed the body, have proved fatal." "Strange that a poacher should fire at a supposed keeper with a bullet, wasn't it?" remarked Elspeth thought- fully. "Yes. That's one of the queer bits of the business, though it will prob- ably turn out to be simple enough at last. The police are already looking into it, but Captain Oxford hasn't helped them much so far. Mr. Mc- Gowan is exceedingly annoyed that such a thing should have happened here, but, of course, it has nothing to do with the hotel, and Captain Ox- ford does admit that he was on or near that part of the estate which still belongs to Lord Loehrain." At this moment the manager him- self came in, but announced that he wanted a little conversation with Mr. Grant before beginning work with Miss Dean. This gave Elspeth the chance she wanted, and scribbling on a bit of paper the words, "Not hurt seriously. Will be well in a few days," she slipped out into the hall to find Lady Hilary. As she had expected the girl was there, but two or three people were talking with her, and if she saw Els- peth she gave no signs of doing so. It was not good form for an employe of the house to linger in the great hall among the guests of the hotel, with no apparent object, and Elspeth would have been at a loss how to keep her promise to Lady Hilary, had not Mr. Trowbridge come up and spok- en to her with en air of marked cor- diality. "I hope you haven't forgotten your hour with me?" he said, looking at the pretty young typewriter, with the same rather bold air of undisguised admiration she had been half inclined to resent yesterday. But, as she an- swered politely, a little coolly, the man's face changed so suddenly that Elspeth could not help glancing about in surprise, seeking for the cause of such a transformation. His eyes had lighted up with some genuine and powerful emotion, very different from the easy gallantry of his look when directed at the stenographer. A second served to enlighten Els- peth. Lady Hilary Vane had turned away from her friends, and was com- ing toward them. It was the sight of her unusual and high -bred beauty which had lit the new light in Mr. Trowbridge's eyes. The Scotch girl did not wait for her to come nearer, but advancing a step or two, held out the folded bit of paper, saying in quite a profes- sional voice: "Here is the memoran- dum you wished to have." Lady Hilary blushed deliciously, looking lovelier than over. "Thank you so much," she murmured, and moved away, burning with anxiety, Elspeth was sure, to learn the con- tents of the "memorandum." At the same instant, however, Lady Lambart came into the hall, her eyes darting a keen glance at her daughter, and Elspeth could only hope that she had not been in time to see the paper slipped from hand to hand. "Who is that?" asked Trowbridge in a low but eager tone, and in this moment of sincere feeling it seemed to Elspeth that his accent was differ- ent. "Why, I don't believe he's an American!" she said to herself in be- wilderment, That s his real way of speaking, the other is put on. But why? Why should he pretend to be an American if he is not? And Mr. :McGowan says he is a millionaire, so he cant have any reason to pre- tend things, like people who are hard up and unknown." All this flashed through the girl's head in the fraction of a second, and she answered, without seeming hesi- tation: "That is Lady Hilary Vane." "By Jove! so that is Lady Hilary ! exclaimed '.Trowbridge, and Elspeth knew from the tone that this was not the first time he had heard the name. "She is a great beauty." "Yep,," assented the typewriter. I think I nmst go to Mr. McGowan now, Mr. Trowbridge. I won't for- get""" "Wait a minute, please," urged the other. "Do you know Lady Hilary?" "Not atall," Elspeth replied "except except that I was able TUE WITS GIIAM TIMES, SEPTEMBER 1908 to do her a very small favor in the way of my work." "All the same, she likes you. ger eyes showed that," said Trowbridge reflectively. "You can make a friend of the girl if you like, I would bet." His accent was strongly American once more. Elspeth laughed. "I am afraid that won't come in the way of my work. She is the daughter of a countess, and I—am Mr. McGowan's secretary." With this, and a civil nod, which excused herself from Mr. Trowbridge's society, she moved away. CHAPTER IV, ' Elspeth hoped that during her herr and a half with Mr. McGowan she might glean further news of Cap- tain Oxford and his mysterious mid- night adventure, but nothing was said on the subject, and she was kept steadily at work taking down letters from the manager's dictation. He spoke rapidly, as if to test her skill, but though she was nervous at first, through overanxiety to give sat- isfaction, she made no mistakes, and at 10.25 exactly Mr. McGowan stop- ped, declaring himself very pleased with his new assistant. Kenrith will be ready for you," he said, "and I trust you are not tired, as I should not like him to be kept waiting." Elspeth answered that she was not tired in the least; and five minutes later she was knocking at the door of Mr. Kenrith's private sitting room, carrying her own small typewriter in its leather case. "Come in!" said a voice on the other side—a voice whose tones had lingered in her memory; and sud- denly, though the girl had been calm and composed a moment ago, her heart began to beat very fast, as it had beaten in the strange dark watches of the past night. "How silly I am," she thought." "I suppose it must be that I'm won- dering how he will feel about yester- day. He may be vexed that I'm the same girl who traveled in the car- riage with him yesterday, and I heard all the talk about his jewels and about Captain Oxford." She opened the door rather slowly, and instantly met the eyes of John Kenrith, who sat facing it at a wri- ting table. But, judging from his ex- pression, he was rather pleased than annoyed to find that he had already met his new secretary. Ile referred to the journey, asked if she was not tired, and was so sympathetic and pleasant that before they began work together the girl felt as if they had known each other for a long time. She could see that in beginning to dictate for his new book, he was al- most as shy as a boy, and his em- barrassment made him seem younger than he had yesterday. Tactfully, she put him at his ease by trying to make him think of her es a machine, and soon lie forgot self-consciousness and warmed to his subject. Elspeth, too, grew interested in his clear way of explaining the great scheme the Northern millionaire had thought out for the benefit of mankind, and he must have seen what she felt in the glowing eyes which dwelt often on his face. "1 was afraid this would be dull business for a young girl," said Ken- rith at last, but I believe you must care something for Sif'cialism." "It's one of the most absorbing subjects in the world," answered the girl, "and I have thought a lot about it, since I came to live in London alone and get on as best I could; but I never really understood much about it—until now." "Thank you," said Kenrith, smil- ing his pleasant smile. "That is a pleasing compliment for an aspiring author, at work on his first book." And he would not go on until El - He referred to the journey and asked if she were not tired. speth had told him something about her life in London. He asked her questions, and she was led on to an- swer as if he had been an old friend, for she felt, even if she could not have defined, the difference between this man's interest in her and that shown by Trowbridge. In spite of the interludes of talk, however, they managed to do a good deal of work, Elspeth typing from Kenrith's dictation so quickly that her fingers flew over the keys of the small and almost noiseless machine. When it was nearly half -past twelve Iienrith stopped her, saying that they had done enough composition, and he would like to hear what he had written, if she did not mind, from her lips. He believed that he could judge of his own work better in that way. Elspeth was only too pleased to do as he asked, for not only did she like to rend aloud, but site herself was anxious to know how the sentences she had taken clown would sotuid. They had not gone far, however, when the reading was interrupted by a knock at the door, and again Ken - 7 rith ealled "Tomo in," but not so readily, Elspetli thought, as he had done when waiting fog her to begin work. Quickly the door opened, and Lady Lambert, looking very handsome, and almost girlish, in a youthfully made white dress, stood on the threshold. Site had had a charming smile on her lips for Mr. Kenrith, but it froze at sight of Elsn eth sitting cosily at his table witri sheets of manuscript in her hand. "Oh, I am so sorry to interrupt you. I didn't dream you were work- ing," she said. "You know you told me last evening that if X wanted a book to come to your sitting -room and cheeee it when yours have been unpacked. Hilary and I have nothing Worth reading, so I took you at your work, but"— "There is no 'but,'" Kenrith as- sured her, pleasantly. "Miss Dean and I had really finished, and our time for work is over. My man has filled the bookcase with the contents of my boxes, you see, and you have only to choose." Lady Lambart came in, ignoring Elspeth, though Kenrith had spoken her name in a way to make a bow a gracious act. The girl rose, and, hav- ing replaced her typewriter in he case, would have gone quietly out of the room without a word, had not Kenrith sprang to open the door for her. "Thank you very much, Miss Dean," he said. "You have been splendid, and with such kind help as yours I shall look forward to my hours of work here, even more than I had expected." His words, so evidently spoken to show Lady Lambart, as well as the girl herself, his appreciation, touch- ed Elspeth, and warmed her heart, but she was not to leave the room with such a happy impression for her last one. "Isn't it that common little crea- ture who got in first-class with us yesterday, and I took for some one's maid?" she heard Lady Lambart ask in clear tones as the door closed. Perhaps, if she had caught Ken- rith's answer, she would not have felt so crushed; but ees diet not catch it, and so she wont away with ting- ling ingling cheeks, wondering if she really did look common, and if she were the sort of girl to be mistaken for a lady's maid. Her next hour ofwork, directly after luncheon, was with Lady Ard- eliffe, whom Mr. McGowan had de- scribed as a "peeress who wished to be a poetess." Elspeth had seen her in the morning talking with Hilary Lambart, but Lady Ardcliffe, who was near-sighted and would not wear glasses, did not recoiize the girl. She was fussy and flighty, with an air which would have suited a spoil- ed young beauty of twenty-one, and though she announced that she was engaged upon a dramatic poem for a Review, which must be finished with- in a week, she would not settle to work. Instead slie talked about her- self, and what she had written, and how much all she had done had been admired. "I do think," she said., dreamily, "that I have a little of the divine afflatus. People sometimes ask me to teach them how to write; but how can one teach what is as elusive as flame? Countess Radepolskoi, for instance, is quite foolish over my work. She's Polish, and has attempt- ed verses in her own language. I don't know how successfully. Now she is keen, to try in English with my help. Perhaps she will want you to type for her, but if she does, mind I can't give you up a moment of my hour. You must find other time for her. Have you seen her? Has she asked Mr. McGowan to let her have you yet?:' I saw her for a moment this morn- ing," returned Elspeth, "but nothing has been said about my working for her." The girl clicked her machine as if to quietly remind the poetess that time was being wasted, but Lady Ardcliffe rushed off upon a new tack. "Tell me, did you admire the Countess?" she inquired, with an eagerness which Elspeth was at a loss to understand. "I should like the opinion of a newcomer on that sub- ject." "Oh, yes, I thought her exceeding- ly striking," the girl was replying frankly, when Lady Ardcliffe's face fell almost pitiably. "But very for- eign looking," Elspeth went on. "Very, isn't she?" the elder woman caught up the words. "I should hard- ly think, should you, that she would be the sort of woman to attract an American or an Englishman?" "Perhaps not," admitted the girl, wondering what this was leading up to. "0f course," went on Lady Ard- eliffe, "a poor man might wish to marry her for her money, for she is said to be rich, and I suppose she must be, as she dresses extravagant- ly, and has some very fine jewels, but millionaires don't need to think of such sordid things in connection with a woman." "Poor creature," thought Elspeth, "she must be over fifty, yet I do be- lieve she's in love, and inclined to be jealous, either of Mr. Kenrith, or Mr. Trowbridge, the only two mil- lionaires I've -heard of as stopping hi this hotel. I wonder which it isP" But she did not have to wonder long. Lady Ardcliffe's next sentence helped her to make a shrewd guess. "Mr. Trowbridge said last night he was going to have Mr. McGowan's new secretary to help him with his letters," the poetess multitudes o f .et mu , went on. "I suppose he meant you?" Elspeth replied that she was to as- sist Mr. Trowbridge from 6 o'eloek un- til 7 every evening, unless—she add- ed rather mischievously—he wanted to lend her services to one of his friends. "Lend you to one of his friends" echoed Lady Ardeliffe, suddenly in a flutter of excitement. "That means Countess Radepolskoi." She paused a moment, evidently thinning very earnestly. Then, with flushed cheeks and dilated eyes, she went on: "Look here, my dear, I have something to ask you. Are you fond of jewelry? But of course you are. All normal .young girls are. Now, you are going to help me nicely with my work, and I want to give you something pretty to encourage you. Perhaps you have heard that I have rather a fad for jewels, and own a great many. Now, going to get a box syliere I keep my rings, and 1 win point out sortie from among which you may take your choice." "Oh, no, Lady Ardeliffe, please not !" cried Elspeth!. "You are very good, but I couldn't take such a pres- ent. I am paid by the management of the hotel for all I do for you, and" "Ah, but there is something else I want you to do, as a great favor to me, something the management has nothing to do with, and will hear no- thing about, if you are the nice, sen- sible girl I take you for," broke in Lady Ardeliffe. "You needn't hesi- tate to have the ring, and perhaps another little token later on, if you use me good, for You will have earn- ed arned them. Don't look so anxious. it's only quite an easy tiling I want you to do, and it won't interfere with any duty. All I ask is that you will tell me if Mr. Trowbridge writes any love letters, or, in eed, letters of any kind, to women, o if when with him you hear os see anything which makes you suppose he cares about Countess Radepolskoi." "I couldn't possibly," Elspeth re. plied in haste. "I'm sure you are speaking thoughtlessly, but if I did what you ask I should be a spy, a very mean spy, and I should,deserve to be discharged." "Oh, dear!" exclaimed Lady Ard- eliffe, distressfully, "such an idea never occurred to me. Of course, I would not have asked you if it had. Please forget that I did. But you shall see my jewels some day, in any case; now, if you like"— "Hadn't we better get on with your work?" suggested Elspeth. "We have been talking for half an hour." But Lady Ardcliffe protested that she was in no mood for writing. She had worked herself into quite a ner- vous state, she said, and would feel better if she chatted quietly. And so she did chat, though scarcely quietly, about not only her own affairs, but the affairs of everybody else of any importance in the Hydro. She told Elspeth that Lady Lambert was hor- ribly in debt, that wherever she went duns rained upon her, and that "poor pretty Hilary" led a terrible life with such a mother. Somehow or other, however, Lady Aielceiffe went on, con- fidentially, Ida Lambart had contriv- ed to fascinate John Kenrith, the Lancashire millionaire, whom every- body liked so much. He was an ex- ceedingly clever man, as well as a charitable and a goad one, but he had not been clever enough, appar- ently, to see through Ida Lambart. People were saying that she would sooner or later succeed in becoming his wife, and of course it would be a glorious thing for her, as well as for Hilary, if she should bring off such a great coup as that. Still, tradesmen were not confident enough of her ul- timate success to trust her, in the hope of future benefits when she should have secured the rich man, and that looked rather ominous, as tradesmen bad such an extraordinary sharp scent. Elspeth felt very guilty to sit hear- ing these intimate details concerning Lady Lambart and poor Lady Hilary, and would have been glad to stop Lady Ardcliffe if she could, although she could not help being interested. It would have been impossible, how- ever, for a person in her position to dictate precepts of propriety to one in Lady Ardcliffe's and she had no alternative save to listen, till her hour was at an end. She hacl been told, when she had finished work with Lady Ardeliffe, to return to Mr. McGowan's room to learn whether or no the time left open for extras was to be filled. As she was about to enter, the door was opened abruptly, and Mr. Trowbridge carne out so suddenly that Elspeth had to start back out of his way. He begged her pardon, and hurried on, but she had time to notice a look of extreme satisfaction on his handsome face. "He has perhaps got some favor out of Mr. McGowan," thought the girl; but Mr. McGowan was not there. Mr. James Grant was alone in the room, sitting at his own desk with a bundle of papers in his hand. He had not the air, however, of hav- ing been at work with them. Evident- ly lie was laboring under some strong excitement, which, at sight of Els- peth, he used all his self-control to hide. But he could not conceal the shaking of his fingers that fumbled nervously with the papers, nor the spots of red which burned on his ra- ther high cheek -bones. Elspeth could only fancy that Mr. Trowbridge must have said something MAKE A CHANCE A Now Back for an Old One. Row it it Done in Winghanl. The beck aches at times with a dull feeling making you worry and restless. sharp pains shoot across the region of the kidneys, it is agony to bend, stoop or lift. The rubbing of liniments or applio%tion of plasters does no good in these oases, they do not reach the cause. To exohvsnge the bad baok for a new and strong^* ori, follow the exam• pie of this Wingham aittz'm. A. S Murray, of Victoria St , Wing - ham, Ont., says: "My baok hes been r ntender for a and year and stooping p g or lifting anything would cause me sal. fering and it would take me many seconds to straightest myself up again My rest would be broken several times eaoh night with the frequent and irreg- ular eeoretions of the kidneye and the urine was of a high dolor and filled with brick last sediment. Taking bold world usually cause this and I would often awake as tired as on going to bed. I had tried numerous remedies without any apparent results. Booth's Kidney Pills were advertised and nroouring a box at Ntr, Mel ibbon's Pharmaoy 1 commended treatment. My back soon strengthened and the pain has not re- turned, The secretions were brought to normal and the trine cleared. I believe Boothe Kidnep Pills the beet and most reliahle of all rem'diAe end will great. ly recounts cd theta" Sold by Dealers. Price 50 rents. The R. T. Booth OB.. Ltd , Fort Erie, Ont„ Stile Canadian 'Agents. The Rind You Have Ale".74;,;s nought, and which. has been in use for over .3O years, has borne the signature of' arra has been made under his per-. • sonal supervision since its infancy. '�� a` A low no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and "Just -as -good" are but Experiments that trifle 'with and endanger the health of' Infants and Chiidron—Experienceagainst Experiment. What is CASTORM Castoria, is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare. gorie, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is Pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor, other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It cures Diars i� a and Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving Healthy and natural sleep. The Children's Panacea—The Mother's Friend. :E INE C STORM ALWAYS Bears the Signature of The Kind You Rave Always Bought In Use For Over 30 Years. TNC CENTAUR CGMPANV TT MURRAY GTREET NCW TORO( TY C, a to annoy or offend Mr. Grant, pos- sibly criticising some defect in the management, with insolence, which Mr. Grant, as subordinate, had not been able to resent. She felt sorry for the pale young man, and smiled at him in a sweet and friendly way, as she asked if there was any work for her to do between three and four - thirty. He did not answer at first, or even seem to have heard her question, though his eyes were fixed intently upon her, as if he would have spok- en. Jumping up, he began walking about the small room in a restless, uneasy way,.like an animal in a cage. "I am glad you have come—glad you have come, Miss Dean," he said at last. "Were you wanting me?" she in- quired. "Yes—no. I mean I am glad you have come to Loehrain. I am not happy here. I am a man with bound- less ambition. This has been no place to satisfy it. I have been eating my heart out, with no one to speak to as a friend—no one I would have cared to speak with in such a way. But the first moment you looked up into my face yesterday I felt the presence of a kindred spirit. I want to have you for a friend. May I think of you so?„ "Please do," said Elspeth, rather puzzled and. not quite at ease, but still with kindness in her heart for her fellow employe. See wee very far from sure that she was a kindred spirit of rlr. Grant's, but she was quite willing to be his friend. "Thank you. Shake ltancls upon that," he said, seizing her hand and crushing it so hard that she could scarcely refrain from crying out. "Be- fore long I may test your friendship, by asking help such as only a wo- man can give. But I shall not make selfish demands upon it. Don't fear that. I want the friendship which you have promised to promote your advantage and advancement. I can't explain how at this moment, though you will know what I mean before long." "You are very good," replied the girl. "But you haven't told me yet whether I am wanted for the spare hour and a half before 4.30"— Grant seemed to wake front a fever- ish dream. "Yes—yes !" he said. "I had forgotten Captain Oxford—the man I told you about this morning— has sent to know whether there is any one who can write from his dic- tation a few letters which he is very anxious to get off as soon as possible. I suppose you will have to go to him, thought I don't quite like the idea. Indeed, I suggested to Mr. McGowan that I might do what was wanted, but lie thinks he has some work which I, and nobody else, must do for him this afternoon. Rather inconsider- ate, I eall it. however, patience is the word for the present. Everything may be very different soon. Cnptnin Oxford has a little room opposite Mr. Kenrith's, and Mr. Kenrith-who is a friend of his ---Teas lent him that hand- some sitting room which you saw this morning. Captain Oxford has been moving for the afternoon o � over there and it is to be at his disposal each day after Iunch, as often as he likes, while he's on the sick list. Very kind of Mr. Kenrith, I call it, quite un- nec..ssarily kind. Anyhow, that is in whverealid.you" will find the interesting There was bitterness in Grant's voice, and it was clear to Elspeth. as it had begun to be earlier in the day, that the manager's assistant did not like Captain Oxford. This, for some perverse reason, made her the more curious to see the young man of whom she ,tad heard so much that was in- teresting • and even mysterious. It seemed, therefore, that whhnever she went to Mr. Kenrith'., sitting room, 0 (To bo Continued.) 1 DEATH IN SCHOOL DRINKING CUPS. (Technical World.) The greatest achievement of Potence in the opening decade of the twentieth century is the awakening of the people to the foot that most human diesasett are preventable, and a large proportion. of early deaths avoidable. At least 700,000 of the million and a half deaths marring annually in the United States result from the minute parisite plant, and animals gaining access to the body - These invisible foes rage a continual warfare against both strong and weak, rich and poor. Civic duty as well se of self-preservation, demand that these life destroyers should so far as possible be shut out of the human system. The eVidenee condemning the use or the common drinking vessel upon any ocoasion whet'ier at school, ohureh or home, is derived from these sources: 1, the frequent presence of disease•pro- ducing baoteria in the month; 2, the detection of pathogenio germs on the' public naps; and, 3, the discovery that where a number of people drank from a cup previously used by the sink, some. of them became ill. A cup which had been in use nine days In a school was a clear thin glass. It was broken into a number of pieces and properly stained far examination with a mioroscope magnifying 1.000 dia- meters. The human cells scraped from the lips of drinkers were so numerous on the upper third of the glass that the head of a pin could not be planed any- where without touching several of these bits of skin. The saliva by running down on the inside of the glass has car- risd cells and bacteria to the bottom. Here, however. they score luss than one. third as abundant es at the brim. By counting the c -1:s presoiit on fifty different areas on the glees as seen under the microsoopo, it was e'titeated that the cup contained over 20,000 human cells rr Lite of dear] eltin„ As many as 153 germs were teen dinging to a single coil, and very few cello ,Vow- el lees than ten gorn;s. Betwsen the o .lis were thonsar_de of germs loft thorn by the ewers of sal:vs drp'>talt' d by the driliere. Not Iets than a hundred thousand baoteria were present on every square inch of the glass. Freed from lies THE JOY OF IT. The utter misery and despair of the aufetee from piles or hernorrhoids can never be des- cribed. Not only the intense itching and stinging, net only the dread of a surgical operation, but the whole system seems to be undermined by this horrible disease. The 'e A. which cured ones experience ly aon being freed from itching, bleeding nd protrud.. ing piles is told in thousands of lepers received in regard to Dr. A. W. Chaee's Ointment You need not tell the writers of these letters that these is a case of piles which Dr. A. W. Chase's Ointment will not cure, for they will net believe it. They alone know how they suficred, and also know that this ointment cured them. It brings relict at once. 60 cls. a box. et all dealers or Edmansma, Bates 8e Co., Tweets.. Mr. John A.11tesenaetre, Pert 12alhouaiey Out., writes: "For nasty years 1 was r.evrrehy aticeted whit les and spent hundred, of dollars without obtaining the resited souks. About a year apo 1 was cuts l y tutee b e::e s J De Mee** Ointment, The fere t as l•e•W:oli, and l Ind scat crt 00 4,"