Exeter Advocate, 1902-5-15, Page 6k++4++++++++44+++++++t
Ballaine's
Bank
Balance.
1.
There was a crowd blocking the
pevement, and gazing with evideat
interest one of the greet plate -
glees 'windows of the Lombard n'a-
tioeal 13Ank. At a, distence j1look-,
ed like a "run," but a. closer view
showed the cutrances of the bank an-
obetriteted. A uotiee. written it ai
bold hand, mai ?lung inside the g
dewwas the stbiect Q the CrOwd'S
CurloSity. It read ;
"At the event:1g o this Bean tee
day. idr, T. Fillmore Ballaine'e
Bascom° was 142.1.17 10s. ted."
For twe resselis a similar uotice
bad appeared regularly epeethe
vindau, a the bean, It began on a
Monday looming. and the few %bet
glanced at it. leerned that T. rat -
=ore Meltable ha4 £660 25 ld there-
in. Who M. T„ Fillmore llailaine
was no one seemed to nnow, and
whY the been should make public- a
PenUY heard a ringing tangle come *0-dinte+igeet.-*.t-4.-Aetih-dedtidlteettettedt-
back througn the loug ball, for the
lover had been struck with a. gedden
iuspiretion.
That week, Ball:eine gathered a
dozen young mem personal friemin
leaders. in the city's commercial lile.
at a. dinner. At the proper moment
ha told them his plea and they cittesiddrer"Ov4117,4feWitiii71/4W+4
helped him to win the manager of
the Lombard Netionel te hie aid.
A, telegram to the Great Eateru
heAdquarters, offering the pewee
lands. under Bailable's ermined, ep-
le,. and the heretofore unpurchase
ble strip with it, brought a prompt
eseeptenee ; AAA tor tsvo weeks tee
young Man sold his prorerty right
and left to secure the required Rene
1000, while the etotice in the window
hePt Nie Penny'. and beef the town,
oleo. Posted en to hie f,71115',,
He could bare borrewed that
amount, but be had a larger game
on foot that spurred hint to 'wee
his own laterite. His °Mee became
crowed with ewe who desired to
I
buy or sell eome bit. of real property he Worse. '
" Y—yes; I suppose tbey might,"
and do it quialy.
aen WiA0 wanted it certain bit. a tho gEo adini"ed'' th"sh in a
Ipartotperefirts tworobt:y33tattlelaroovecte7ncdoernotek:.: which. betel -toned that she doubted
in but 1 don't want a fortune; 1
for theu. llo prompt bueing and onlY want you. Sleuth Afidea is se
milliner Bellaire took comaniesions Ler oil owl se leaner Valles Might.
front both sidee, goad the balance on liaPPeo to you. Must you molly
the window climbed. When it reach- leave England?'"
matter usually regarded as a bust- RENO wmsT. 4 °la t el?' eg0315W44;;;Ci WilillfirVilPhe047it e'aarittinu-ihlw:striltr:bItt;i5:1'It'F'17' is't'airs;aelli.nt' U."
nese secret ane could gue&g. Buts Tide waist le 0, oimple blouse Made :bPaili that Monday member, brought i au otieilieg alltiwiiero we; but 1 olit
ever,t•Orie who read it mareled over over a fitted lining. 'rho vollar ef , Bantam promptly to his o ce, Theiehillfdti, that guegg eferddi !Pik OM igi
and locative' up at the Palo> the lace is extended into thevelvet young mart caned a elerateill chetteg
rtediritIt gequigud ult tigile• i
, 1 elector Jaen," seed the girl, einne
PC' t time they paseed ate Lombnrd etrape that are laced over and under 'for 42.100. .
Notional Battle. mach other. and eaught to position "I don't. want your cheque," sem netenetically, "I will Le lereve tout
On 'I'llesdair the uatice read 1-1600 by frequent thing. Old rose, pas- the elder man, "1 want you to tele Patient for Pane lollies"
12s. thi.. Anci on Wednesday it read tel blue„ or leer green cloth will tit notico out of tho bank wine itStledont into a true Esedlisil girls..
4876 95. 54. in the rimming, but develop te charming winst wtth trued dew." be replied. "I lat proud tit illeeriee
woe replaced et the hour of closing raing oe buten eitaton mid cream! *'Nlit Oat yen': said Bailable, Who on earth is 'Oust?" he ashes!, in
by a not notice winch reed eti7110 lace. i "Not. till ew conamiesion for netting eitteirise, oe iteeery. laboriegi toot -
Vies dd. 11y Titurstlite- the taffeir was' quantities of material requited.— i yonr land to the fereat Inistern ha5 sides wero heard Orwell/beg au;
i
fu the Paint's, end on Frideet thrt:The aim for 10 yeere will requirei tee n paid to teed ,
daily balance was the topic of the' one and three-fourths eeirds of goods s "Ito You wont to ruin me e" eel The giti waited tan II she heard the
ti3scn• All day twig on Saturtley It:tUrtYgolh. inehtql wide, oue-baor
lf '„Vd,;, mended Mr. Penny in welitessumed front door alarmed befoce replying.
i
crowd stood at the big window and' at alhover lace aud his: y -Ards Of Ve1,4 alarm. "thily Mr. loonier."
discussed Mr. liallainehe halanee oft vet ribbon. The size for 16 tieate r., “A nutmeat ago," said Banana.. "Fowler! Wiliatta he doing Imre a
241) 7s. Sae and Pasted sioni-o' will reattir0 two yards ot goodeo "Yeti declared that 1 coadd not this time of the clay Mem he ought
melds thereon. 1 forty-four Lathes wide. with one -belt ' sell. Now you are epee e nue to ho lie the "moos
At tie hour of dosing a pew no- i yerel of lace and seven yerde ef vele Your change of sentiment le n. come "Oh. ho comes in 10 the hank 0 •
thy proclaimed that Afte Balleinei vet ribbort. pliment. Fir." Aud the yourtg nine ere' Friday raoreing to get the mows
to pay the woremen."
SOIr0 wag 10 the crowdgravely pasea als, . mme, 0 .S—...,S. "1,111,,,I.M. "After that optien hos eepiree." "Yes; hut wilier deco he come here
id eJt'. pow. "eon can frame 1/, 'teemed of gettittei beet to MO
offiWOrlia
;I hang it in your ce. Ideepiiattnediately?"
r cheque. Yoe will mod it," 1,"Why. beresuse he has to get Ini,1
aides) raced beck to iii6 niliea, , ,sere bY 00 MO train, and After he
them with the optiou and Bedtoni hiI1SlineS4 at the
tain abstraete and title. went to tite; the first *relit be cen return byl
cote; te e IV,bank
generai nranago of the conwny he:1410?in't lifsaNe, did 11,47, which rfki"aIDS
had LIM% in treaty with to report i tore on hoar to wail. $o he said if
t
jack'S: •
Discovery. lei
'
"You will be away two wilote. long
weary years? Ob. dace:, what an
awful time' to witite And to think
this is the last time I shall see you
uutil then; quknot realize it. It is
cruel, cruel, that we shoeld nave to
wait ior slab an eternity, when WO
were so needy eaosagied, toot"
"Don't ere'. dettr." pietteed the
Young fellow. "The time will soon
by. and I ellen be been again
withiyou. Perhaps"—he added, With
a pear atteloPt "1 shall shall discover a gold mine. or
sometbing of that. sort Mut make my
fortune. in a, itionth, or two. One
Vet' ii:1101373. Any way, Village might
bad X.1.4.99 10s, ad. theeein, aud beWsel.
ed bis hat. sarug : "Letda matzo peeselattan, and arrived eefely
ewen money 1 011 MOnday norn111g ttle wen
hfr. Ballaine was surprised to Gude11.
*tan saakeCIM bad left a depoelit ot
one penuy for hint. and that Isis The istory toW in
were Rood at an even Zt.500. was wieely read.
During the earond reek Bat- u related the co
leireds halide balance ctimlied moral laine to town, ester 110 opened an
Slowly ; but every increase wee effiee us A 5011(11.0r. end Proeeeded1ProgreS9. The manager, when Ito ease, we didn't mind he Haight ettet as welt
ed with delight by the crowd 11 o get himself' "mown. Without wait-, the 1'4P0r 81 all their detightfull ciente back to his rooms atul do
completion. pounded on the table.11 Go to LIS plIoLogmplolo Mato as
front f the winiloW, Who hum !Ina for beeline -tee to come to him, Ise
teether Mr. Mailable nor the eeriest: went about loaning toesimosi ane L and called pall,tivo Nick. Tbell,4ay abanit at the Maiden."
of his peculiar advertieement, yet with the small capital given hint bye business Fettled, the 'young num re- "1 !zeo„ So he goes in for photo -
who thoroughller enioyed both. his father on which to blight life lie:: turned with vouchere and documentitigeapby, does bee outgoes for e
he 'Record"
of Mr. Bat -
"Ah, thie is what I have been look-
ing for," he eitid. "New, Ethel, I
want to; take the tiniest drop ot this
liquid with ine. Vfave you a small
bottle I could put sone in?"
"Yes I think so; go and see...
How wall this do?" she inquired, re-
turning with g1aSS-StOPP0re4 bot-
tle.,
"Splendidly. The very thing.
thanks." said Jack, tilling it freine
one of the large bottles.
"But what are yoa doing this
for; whet is the good -et this stuft to
ynn just as you arra starting for
South Africe?"
"All the good in the world, for un'
leas Fla greatly naistaten it will
prove a fortune to nue sheen't go
to South. Africa at All—at any rate,
not. this week."
"Illiat do you Mean? Oh. that is
too good. to be true. You must be
joisitig. sleek!"
"1 was lamer more serious, But I
want you to promise -not to say a
single word an,yone About my
baling been in this room or taking
tine stuff—met even to your mother.
It tints,y make the digerence of 4
thousand pounds to me—to
you do, and delaY inaleing you
thee. Hornsby for two or three years
instead of as malty wee/is, t sired
do if this turns out ins t expect.
Don't be surprised if I bring in a
friend neat Idittlay Mornime, when
shall 'want you to let; ma eeerete ours
selvee an Mr, 1r ortieris room before he
reaurus frOfil the bank. so that. wt,
May See esactly what he does. un-
hnowit to Ulm. Mind. Ethel, not a
whisper of thle to anyone. 1 nhall
not attention it again till next Friday
though I glieSS $So elanigh of
Me before them'
Haring made a few arrangements
In connection with the pontponement
r abaridonment of Itis voyage,
Hornsby next visited the eteperin-
tendent of the police ttf Northerton.
and at the coueluelon of a leedthy
private interview with that ofiteent
left in his charge the bottle of fluid
he hed taken from Forth -edit rooms
and made an oppointment, fielded, to
certain events trauepiring, tor that
day week.
So the nee% Friday utornieg, abeut eei„ dry the emit irtitiiiy. It,
vitt i ' limin settl in t nd I ' li • • ,
planted the papers down for Mit.
1
coins, which are then put Into circa
latiou again,
"Now the annual wear on, ^ov.
ereig,a averages less the* ceeeetwens
tietb of a grain, which fait offordi
=pie proof that these light coins
haere been treated with acid by some
daring criminals,
“A big reward. no les e then Zle
00e, is now 011ered for information
which will lead to the west, amt.
conviction of tbe person or pereone.
etigaged in tide occepetien, which, tiet
low ineeisnee with Sbleh oeVerity.
rralls, should serve to etimulete the
amateur - detectives, particularly
in the big northero tuantafiecturing
towns where much ot the light gold
is be (emulation,"
"YOU. dQ4't Mean to say"---eald
Ethel, in an awetstrucle tone, wheat
Jade had finished reeding, "yore
can't for oue moment suppose timing
"That this man Feeder is at the
hettom of the affair?" Jateig added.
"Indeed, do. Bre is the rogue who
is doing it, anal be alorie After
what yon said Aboat hie 'Washing'
tho coins (to guard against infeetiom
indeed). and having so much et those
two amide, whieb, combineds diei
solve gold, tumbleel to it tilreetlyi
and only hed to inform the Po115e4
giving them the liquid that toed
front Fortier's bottle (which, thee
found to Ise gold in soletloon end
this is the re,selt-eploe thoiteette
pomade for you ttlid me, dem'. OM
the butteretle of pounds in gold For
dee had vontrot of emit week: what
Was easier, when be cent° here from
the bank will* it until hie train
etarted„ thou to tip the lot into Mt
avid bath for a while. and then wash
them and Make them dirty again 04
though they hail never been tamper.
ell with?
"The blue-green fluid I look some
le the gold in holtatiem the meta
des:to-teed by the avides and it wottld
be sintple enough for Vorder to 401 te
as eitioride of gold or briatir back
to the met -odic state agent. My,
the mewl must liftVe made geld to
dend a Week out of the game!"
So that ware what all that acid
stuff Wa'i fort But what use was All
the steadied, in that leather bag?"
9,30. Mee Cletrettill eihnitied her illotevood lewdest, lite jewellers toste
treeurt nor thiPliet;ourndlerrr"elt40%3111.1tdhleeraeditTIVi .74;;IpliteVi'diebt*iocieritedinpol. itabrin "dteryrti!
theme though not without some Wel swath atter ritteing off the acid he,
givilegs as to What it alt meant and tiviimmi twat into the swiptiast, hag.
WI" resull WM/4 l'We shook them tip. and there they were(
rlusteeeva sskvin"ttlet4i: sivbe711171dseijill :ifej"r•drgeedd44tlir:Ventanlodokre4:11Fti:M7V: Wdiiir: to wrli:
cupboard orcelleding 11140 Ve"le 04 ft entestred in the lettering to make
them auntie roam find evert "irttelti rtauning rogue; be had very little
meat behind the clothes hatif; thue,. anti so tv,thgvhd tan wedeln (0 a
it ill t 40 wont of t t (tore " -51g tine awe
1 opened. Tito superintendent boredi At ibis nialiatin etionetin,
Isoveral thitY boles bi the weed, having learnt, what had happrindi
Not till NVednesday of tho email! bought aud sold and at the same l Pro g lie arY s 6- gen S. gg so% is hint to hate such a halite— to command a view of tho room and , , gi % 'I I 4° I i
week did. the notice in tbe window time made friends, and etudied men
I
credit Balleine with Z1,000. neat and things.
a man in the crowd offered to bets a . Then he met the cherming Miss
hundred that it would touch 42,00d i Penny. only child tti Penny the pro -
by Saturday. For a Moment the i motor. Pettey the owner of shares
crowd thought he soust he Tiallaine, ' and dna:trial Interests galore, a man
end guyed him unreereifully; butn of quid; temper, who took delight in
someone recognieed him as o city , o business encounter with 0. geeing
eporting man, end his bet was not. mind, With Miss Penny the „youott
itinen. , i solicitor prospered ; lint with Ala
Thursday eats the tenth of tbel Penny the sign never StVilleli to be
wroth, and Mr. Ilallaine evidently! right.
paid a, few bills, for on lerithey the In the quiet. of his office the young
blare in the window went down : solicit or planned assaults on the
IPPote intin a hit of a faddists itut lull going int itiSide it.
446180 11110 te room, ea lig 130 It"
hands ort. the &elevates that load come
you rover iold no of thin lieforer They had not long completed theirl upon her house. and niternatos
to 4.1.41,0, where it June; till the 'father, hoeing uheady went the
elnee of businers of Saturday. Then daughter's blushing permissiou to do
the clerk put up a new notice, and so. He linew that the beetle must
he eager crowd cheered when it be a eelannerdal oust but as the idhenever a new soldier appeared
reed—Z2,200 1t3s. ed.weapons were all on ids adeerearyra In the Guards of Frederick the Great
On Monday morning a portly man, side he figured that lw must cap- of Prussia it was the habit of tho
ruddy of face, grizzled aad gramma Lem ene reeny with err. renny s ing to us, bum thu t ate loflowlng
tee, pushed Jute the trowd aud read own ammunition. Tbat 10011 nem, questions :—
the notice. With a grunt of disguet but. eerie was uothiug to young "How aid are You ? Row long
he entered the bank. The cashier re- Ballaine. baste vote been In iny service ? Aro
cognized him as one of his heavlest The scene between Mr. Penny and: you satisfied with Your PaY ttad
depositorS, aud greeted itim plea- the young Indistinct wben the latter treatment '?"
delood morning. life. Penny." risked for Miss Penny, was one of It once happened that a young
the most delightful conflicts of the.
French soldier, who had served in
est tly.
markable window, and came heaped up conditions which 210 felt join the Prussian army, tied bee
"Good morning. I heard about former's bh-iness career. Mr. Penny I his own couritrY. •sspressed a wish
your re
to have a look. Strikes me as be- sure the young man could not sates- eause of his splendid pile -Ace]. de -
e
mg ridiculous. I don't see how you fy, and as Ballaine met them one by ' velopment he was at once accepted.
came to allow it," said Mr. Penny, one the elder man warmed to the , He was unable to speak a single
removing bis silk hat and wiping a. toutest. lie rather enjoyed being word of the German language, but
moist brow. bested in the preliminaries. as he his captain told hint that the King
was certain to ask hint. questions in
"Mr. Ballaine obtained permission fellt sure of the main issue.
from the manager," replied the Chancier ? The young man netts- that language the first time he saw
cashier, smiling, ed the best men ia town as bis as- i him, and advised him, therefore, to'
'Ile cIul, ek ? Who is this man sedates. Family ? The Ballaines learn by heart the proper replies to
Ballaine were known la Yorkshire before the usual three questions of Ills
"A young solicitor. Very bright Pennys were coined. Prospects ? The Majesty. The soldier lost no time in
feliow, quite original in his methods. young man had his profession, some
This plan was his own. He brought real estate, nailing stocks enough to
enough influence to bear through his paper a boarding-house, three thou -
friends to obtain the necessary per- sand in the bank, and a nerve that
mission from the powers that be. was worth fifteenpenCo to the shit -
It has proved a remarkable attrac- ling. Out of the question ? Not at
tion to the public." tall ; the girl loved him, and he was
"Friends, eh 9 Who were they 9" merely calling on her father to ar-
The cashier enumerated some of rang -o matters.
the most prominent of the young "No young ma.n can marry my
business men of the city. daughter till he has £10,000 of his
"All right," interrupted the eapi- own in the bank."
talist, with the air of a man who "That's. easy. What will you take
had heard displeasing new. "When for your building lands, Mr. Penny?"
the young man comes in tell him he Building lands were Mr. Penny's
wins." Then he left the bank. proud distinction. Ho had the bulk
The cashier smiled, for he knew of the best acres in Essex. Bal -
what Ballaine's "winning" meant, laine was striking at the very pearl
and he reported the conversation to of the elder man's possessions. No
the manager. one had ever succeeded in getting
But the crowd outside knew no- him to put a price on them,
thing of this, and only gaped as "No joking," said the young man.
usual at the sign. That day it "How much ?"
dropped to 1-I.,920 9s. 54., and re- Mr. Penny'soul expanded in an
mained there for ten days, when it ecstasy as he named a price.
jumped to £10400 las. ed. That "I told you not to joke," said
night the evening papers proclaimed the young man severely. "I want a
the Rale of Mr. Penny's faxdous thirty -day option on that property.
riverside mansion for a fabulous Name a Teasonable cash price."
sum. and conveyed the interesting Min Penny knew that the Great
information : Eastern wanted the laud, but would
"The deal was consummated by not buy because SOMO011e, who held
Mr. T. Fillmore Ballaine, solicitor a bit between the Penny acres and
in Essex Chambers, 'whose commis- the railway company's proposed
sion on this deal alone was LS,- station at Danville., would not sell.
480." But Fenny did not know that the
young man facing him had secured
an option 'on the much-disaussed
.strip. The option had cost him
dear, but it was. the key to the whole
battlefield. So' Mr. Penny, thinking
to tantalize the young man, named
a very reasonable figure.
"I'll take an option at that price
for ten clays," said Ballaine.
"I want £2 ,000 for the option,"
replied Mr. Penny, "I'll give you a
month to get that sum. When you
bring the cash give you the
option."
'`That is fair,'' said Baliaine, ris-
ing to leave the room.
"ICeep me posted," shouted Mr.
Pointy, as the youager man disap-
peared through the cloor.
Penny's inspection.
The old gentleman was much sur -11
-
prised, lett be signed hie deeds areli
accepted Ma price without a murmur,
"Miro Penny's dower," said thin
I "Record,' in conehtsion. "ii; sided
1 on good Authority to he a quarter!
Itallaine Bank littlaneo will Shortlyd
Ot a million. That MMUS that OM:,
take another jump."
I But the public uever again, saw!
" that balauce On the WiltdoW.—LOO-:'
din* Answers.
TALE OV LONG AtiOi
Next day many people looked tip
at the big window of the Lombaid
National, but -there was no trace of
Mr. Ballaine's balance, In its accus-
tomed place hung a sigo, which
read :
"Assay Office. Values Paid for Gold
,
DustandNuggets." .
But the public had bec.ome carious,
and' the newspapers were worried
into doubling their eilortS at solving
the puzzle; to no purpose, however,
as Mr. Bailable frankly told the re-
presentatives of the press to "go to
Jericho," and Mr. Penny was the
most silent man in Richmond. There
matters rested for a time ; but when
certain scstiety leaders began giving
recherche lave o'clasek teas for Miss
Penny, the Society Cirl oil the "I will," shouted, the retreating
"Daily Titaard" added SlISPiClOn to voice pleaaaptly. Atid then Mr., It out through the spout.,
learning them, and on the first day
that he made his appearance in ithe
ranks Frederick approached him to
interrogate him. It so happened,
however, that the ICing began with
the second queStion first, and asked
litie—w long have you been izt my
service ?"
"Twenty-one years," answered the
young man.
His youth sufficiently indicated
that he had not. carried a gun for
any such \ length of time as that,
and Hie Majesty, greatly astonished,
said
"How old are you ?"
"One year, tort please your Ma-
jesty."
The King, still further amazed, ex-
claimed
"You or I must certainly be bereft
of our senses !"
The soldier, of course, taking this
for the third question, and glad that
the ordeal was over so easily, re-
plied :—
"Both, an't please your Majesty
"This is the first time 1 was ever
treated as a madman at the head Of
my army," replied Frederick, great-
ly puzzled.
The Frenchman, whose stock of
German was ,now used up, stood
quiet. Presently the King spoke to
him again, whereupon the Soldier
blurted out in French that be aid
not understand a single word .of
Gorman.. The King, whit ead been
natieh annoyed, . wen noW greatly
amused, .and, after urging imon him
the necessity of doing his duty, 101
him.
:KETTLE OUT OF A FARTHING.
A Biemingimm, England, workman
has produced a novelty in the Shape
of a kettle Made out of a ferehieg.
Ile hammered the:bronze coin till he
bad:obtained 11 very thin sheet, of
Metal, from which he fashioned
:6 =pie le • anc] Workable kettle, with
a swing latic1Ic, reinoyable lid,„ and
water -tight bodY. He can heir: wa-
in the miniature el:ellen and pour
. ;
Of altoF0nO or anything else but ouij
when eau, aro with me, slack dear.
Y1.1: Me. Feeder Armen as you say,
Ise a, .Itit of a. Waist; for whet do
yont think he did one day, a„ few
%was ago. When tile tallaiiPDX Mate
W411 about?"
"1 can't guess. Something won-
derful?"
"Why. ho disinfeeled nil the money
he bad to tune back to the works, I
had to give him a message, and as
ho didn't respond when I knocked 1
°petted the dour, and there he was,
washing melt a huge pile 01 gold
veins in a black tray. rho smell of
the stuff he washed them lit WAS hor-
red—it made me tough."
"What au extraordinary thing for
hint to dol"
"Yrs, he seid that no doubt
ehould, think it so, but that ho.
dreaded snattilpox, raid as one ueveri
knew WilOre money had been be
couldn't rest until he had disinfected
it, because he had to handle it all
at the works, and it bad been proved
that coins will readily transmit dis-
ease germs from. one person to an-
other."
"But does he do much photogra-
PhYd"
"Yes, 1 should OIL* be must,
judging front the amount of cholas
cals and things he uses. You ought
to see his 'dark room,' with all the
big bottles and that in it. Mother
Is afraid of them, especially two big
ones, holding a gallon each, I should
think, one Marked 'nitric acid' and
the other—oh, 1 almost forget—'hy-
dro' something."
"IfydrocMorie acid?" Jack sug-
gested.
"Yes, that's it," the girl cried;
"but how did you know what it
was?"
"I guessed. 1 used to dabble a bit
at chemistry in the science class dim-
ing my school days. But what a
funny thing for an amateur photo-
grapher to have large quantities of
chemicals like that, which are prac-
tically unused in photography. Very
powerful acids, too—mind you don't
touch them, deatie—for combined
they forin—Pliew!" and, as a sudden
thought struck him, Jack gave vent
to a long whistle of surprise. "Have
you got to -day's 'Daily Press' in the
house?"
"Perhaps Ma Folder has loft his:
1,11 go and see. Oh, yes; here it is,"
and she handed it to her lover, who,
turning the paper about until he
Sound a particular paragraph, com-
menced to rend it with the greatest
interest.
Ethel Churchill waited patiently
until her lover had finished reading
the paragraph, and then With par-
donable curiosity, asked fin* au ex-
planation.
"1 can't explain any -thins for a
tie while, Ethel; not until I'm more
sura' of my ground. Now, I want
you to let me have a look at Mr.
Folders 'dark room' as you call it.
It is of extreme importance toyou
and me, this matter. You can come,
too anci see that I do no barm."
"Of Course you ca.n see it if you
wish,". and she led the now excited
Jack upstairs to a spare room in
which a water supply was laid on,
while a number .of dishes, large black
trays, and bottles containing liquids
were en the floor and shelves; togeth-
er -with a wash -leather bag of saw-
dust. These Jack 'ignored, paying
all his attention to two Very large
bottles which were nearly Ailed With
a pale blue-green fluid of a peculiarly
pungent and offensive acid odori
net arat one a ore ort Ogg g rioughing front (he fumes of the acid
wedeln under his preeioue bordered wheel permeated the rooms end re.
and entering thee room loched 1130 .0tog rennet bemoaning 3 mesa",
corul interruption from ids landeady's. for the upurtmente and the ruilletioe
door-ehe did toot, intend riehlog a. se- laa,atn tho loss of I ho maw ho paid
pretty daughter. Placing his bag 00 of bee lenieteeei
chair hp unloched IL and 'weeltdrewl ...A pretty pa:me tetie eau cost ;nasia
t large and wellefillee pocket -bag. she wailed 44 -to say nothing of h
from Which he poured literally ;visual a goo d.pa.yi ludgire, It; Um,
S1i0Wer of gold coins. „ )1ever W0 shalt do now I don't, Imows"
triNoncelbepottowlet 1:11a1111.04 edi°t(d toilloeicl,UdWralWlititghelrkiltittgsal411'1
from one of the bottles, put in as'
many coins us woul11 cover the surai
face Of the tray. Then taking axed
other tray, and yet another, he tiertoi
eel them in the same Mamior until no
more gold, was left. Ile then sat on
the table beside the trays and whist-
led a tune, kicking his heels against
the table leg the while, and emotion-
ally gave the eoins In the tray it
shalteeup. For a eonsiderable time
he allowed tbent to remain in the
liquid; then, taking the first trays he
bud filled, he poured the fluid it cone
tabled into a large bottle, similar to
those which had so attreerted Horns-
by's attentiou.
This was enough 16r the euperin-
tenderit, and, giving a. nudge to
Hornsby, he stepped out of the cup-
board up to Fortier and said:—
"1 arrest you for--"
Before he could say more Fortier
snatched up one of the trays contain-
ing biting, blinding, deadly acid, iend
was about to hurl the contents in
the policeman's face when a side blow
from tiornsby felled him to the
ground. The acid fell sizzling on the
floor, burning and eating its way in-
to everything, wbile the gold coins
rolled in all directions. Rushing for-
ward before the prostrate man In -d
time to rise the superintendent snap,
ped handcuffs on his wrists. and thus
keeping guard directed Hornsby to
Wash the coins to prevent further
chemical action taking place on them
and put them back in the bag.
Jack Ara9 next despatched for the
nearest constable and a cab. -When.
the latter arrived the superintendent
unceremoniously bundled his prisoner
into it and so conveyed hine to the
police-statioh, assisted by the con-
stable, who took charge of the bag
of money containing the liquid that
Forder had poured into it.
Meanwhile Jack tore up the ruined
carpets into which the acid had soak-
ed and threw theiu out of the win-
dow, just as Ethel Clinrchill—aniazed
and thoroughly frightened at the
turn events had taken, and horrified
at Forder's dyeadita oaths as he
vainly tried to escape from his cap-
tors—rushed into the room crying:—
''Jack, oh, Jack, Whatever is 7the
matter? What is rthe meaning of it
all? Why have those policemen tak-
en Oft .„Mr. Forder?" .
"Oonee downstairs and I'll explain"
ieaid Jack, leading, her downs "Now
listen to this," and. taken from :his
pocket the cut-out paragraph whitta
had so interested him previously 10
the .`Dally Press,' he read alotidt—
'Sothetting akin to consternation
reigns: in banking circles end; in a
.smaller degree, at the Mint,- on ac-
count bf the enterinons quantity of
gold coinage ie circulation 'which has
been 'sweated'; that isi some of the
metal . taken from the coine; .which
aro thereby made lighter and of cor-
respondingly less value. , The serious -
8055 of the matter May be realized
when it is stated that as teeny .as
ten grains of gold—which is roughly
one -twelfth of a Sovereign by weight
!—worth nearly • two shillings, have
been chendeally • elietrected teoin'
thousands of sOvereerene„ ceietle pe -iv
through bis own and going over te
the old. lady. "You will come Mild
1110 With us. lutq and free *OM
lodgers and all their worry.
"Thanks to Ethel, I'm richer by a
thousand pounds 'for this mornineret
work; so the 'Atrium, Castle will sail
to South Africft without nee and
Ethel and 1 will he 'married in—oh.
I should think ,you could manage to
be reader Monday fortnight, rouldn't
you, deer?"
Yes, Ethel thought she could—alld
did!—London Tit-ltits.
LONDON'S Ix/ANY CL1313S.
Some of Them are Fa2nows All
Over the World.
London. is the paradise of clubs.
There are hundreds oi them, and
some of theut aro famous the world
over. The Carlton Club, which has
its headquarters at 9-1 Pull Mall, re
sericts its members to 1,800. Tin
entrance fee is £30, and the annual
subscription is 10 guineas. The
form Club, located at 101 Pall Mall,
$.W., takes 1,4.00 members who p113
an entrance fce of Zee and an ate
nual mabscription of 10 guineas. The
Carlton, of course, is conservative
and the Reform is entered at
"strictly liberal." The Constitution-
al Club, -in Northumberland avenee.
opposites Hotel Victoria, takes 0,00(1
members, has an entrauce fee of 15
guiemis or 7 geineas, clad an anima
subscription of 7 guineas or 3
guineas. It le described as "politi-
cally constitatioaal." Then there is
the Junior Constitutional, at 101.
Piccadilly, which takes 5,500 mem-
ber, and requires- an entrance fee of
6 guineas, with an animal subscrip-
tion of 3 guineas or 5 guineas.
The National Liberal Club at -
Whitehall place, S.W., takes 6,500
members, who pay 6 guineas an-
nually, but there is no entrance ice.
It is "Strictly lifieral," and is the
cheapest club in London. Its home',
is a palace on the embankment Beall
thc Hotel Metropole. well known to.
all American eavvelleis. There are
many ether: political clubs, Snell as.
the Cily Carlton, the City Liberal
and City Conservative, the Jimior •
ConserVative, the Primrose, St.
Stephens, the Eighty Club, eta Ex-
cluding cartein clubs, such tis: the
Colonial,' which have no limit to
.their ineMbership, -the ,NatiOnal Lib-
eral takes the largest number:The
heaviest:fees are those eh:it:gee by
the Naval and Military, :Oxford end
Cambridge, -United University,. cacti
add; the Reform at ZIG,. and Oil
Junior OrtritOa at £38 17s.
Mrs. Benham—"Not one NV03110.11
a thousand marries the mansht
wants.'' Ida Benham.—"She doesn't
want to Marry the Man she wants
she wants to marry the mau sons
other woman wants."
i'tiosl.lelctoll ni a vb-ei
' civraaci, , cl that of