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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1913-03-13, Page 6nor Weal or for Woe; Or, A Dark Temptation ' . CHAPTER XXV.—(Cont'd) The banker's wife pressed Evelyn to ao- cept thehoepitautY of her home while she remained in the city. "You shall have the room opening off from Gay's," she said, "and we will try to make your stay very pleasant." i Evelyn pretended to demur a tittle, but ended by. accepting. It was well her white lids drooped over her eyes, veiling their strange glitter. When she found herself shut up in the solitude and seclusion of her own cham- ber, she gave full vent to the terrible rage and despair that waged such dead- ly war in her heart. "Fate is playing against me," she stormed, "but I will defy fate and crush this girl. "Gaynell in the city and Percy Gran- ville coming here to call upon the girl whom he rescued in the park—never dreaming it is she. Was there ever such an unaccountable attraction in fate be- fore? They are liable to meet any day —any moment; explanations would fol- low, and the old love would sway the hearts of both, and—and—he would break with me to wed his old love. "Oh, no, no I" she cried out wildly, pressing her hands tightly over her throb- bing heart, and rocking herself to and fro. "I will kill them first. I love him —1 love him!" she cried fiercely, "and she shall not take him from me now, when I have every chance of winning him. I am not safe while this Gay lives." That thought brought still another and darker to her brain, so dazed with the conflicting tortures of intense jealousy. For an hour or more she gazed out of ' the open window at the starlit sky; gazed without seeing aught but the beau- tiful girlish face of Little Gay, The night deepened and darkened, spreading its sablewings over the great city. Oh, cruel city—dark, mysterious city— where crime peeps forth with the netting sun and stalks boldly abroad under the dim, dickering light of the stars. "Anything could be done in a great wicked city like this,' the voice of the deadly tempter whispered to Evelyn St. Claire. I love him the best,' she muttered. hardening her heart. "Let me think what life would be worth to me without him, and let that thought decide me." An hour later, Evelyn, wrapped in a long, dark circular and heavily veiled, stole quietly out of the house, quite un- observed. She hailed the nearest cab, and, with a few hurriedly whispered words of direc- tion to the driver, was soon whirling rap- idly over the streets of the city on her fatal errand. "I will be back before they have time to miss me," she muttered, sinking back among the cushions. The cab stopped before one of the great leading dailies, and Miss St. Claire enter- ed the office. The papers were on file for a month back, and toward these the beau- tiful, guilty girl made her way. 'She had read the account in that verp paper only a few days back, of a lovely Spanieh girl who had killed her faithless lover on the eve that lie was to have been wedded to another, by the use of a subtle poisonous drug, whose power was almost unknown to the medical fraternity. as its presence in the human System could not be traced. How this lover had met his death even experts could not define, until ' this girl came to die, and confessed all on her death -bed. Long and diligently Evelyn searched the fife. Was fate conspiring against her again? It was not there. "Perhaps I ran help you find the paper you are searching for," said a keen -eyed, leasant faced gentleman standing near Tpleasant-faced er. "Thank you. I was looking for the paper bearing date of the twentieth in- stant; it contained a few society notes I should bare liked to have seen." The accommodating gentleman stepped up to the clerk's desk. "Have you a paper of the twentieth?" he said carelessly. "It seems to be miss - leg from the file."' As lie spoke he exchanged a meaning look with the clerk, and immediately the paper was peened out. Ile handed it to Evelyn with a low bow. "Thank you, sir," she replied. Although the gentleman stepped around to the other side of the room, he noted with keen eyes which column she was searching. The smile that flickered a moment round her lips showed him that she had found what she wanted. "I shall be sure to remember the name of the drug now," she told herself, passing out of the office. The nevt instant the gentleman, who was none other than that !?'mous detective Percy Granville hail Y once time en- gaged to r7'.•°.1".".;.1 for Little Gay, was bend- ing over the columns which had attracted the stylish young lady. "Society notes. There's nothing of the kind here," he muttered. "Mahal she has torn a bit from the paper, I nee." Hastily securing another paper of the same date, he turned to that particular column and found the article missing; sbe had torn the name of a deadly drug from the paper, together with a full denerip- tinn of its effects on the human ayatem. Quick as thought the experienced detec- tive whipped out his note -book and jotted down. the incident, together with a full description of the dainty blonde, "I wonder what mystery I've run afoul of now," he soliloquized, hastily calling a cab and ordering the driver to follow closely the cab which had just turned the corner. While the coach dashed on in pursuit of the one occupied by Evelyn, the famous detective, who was always prepared for cases of emergency, hastily transformed himself into quite a different personage from the respectable looking gentleman who had entered the coach. Meanwhile, the Heiress was Whirling swiftly up Broadway. The cab stopped name more, this time before a large drug -store, and Evelyn alighted; with a firm step she walked up to the counter and called for the drug, but here a startling, dilemma confronted her; the clerk would loot let her have it without a written order from some re- sponsible physician. The shock was so great, the disappoint- ment so keen, Evelyn paled to the very roots of her light gold hair. aencommaamaaasasetweaa Because they act so gently' (no purging or griping) yet so thoroughly are best for the children as Well as `y the grown-ups, 25c, a box at your druggist's, National Drug and amiss! Cs, sf Canada, Iimlied T i2 "She must have the deadly drug at any cost," she told herself.• Evelyn looked at the young clerk; if she could but coax him to let her have iShe turned her blue eyes upon him say- ing pleadingly: "Oh, if you would but make an excep- tion in this ease for me, sir, I should be very much obliged," persisted Evelyn, in a low voice, "I want it so much. The clerk was not old and crusty-heart- ed—it was the hardest task he had ever done, refusing this stylish young lady. He blushed furiously under the fire of her bright eyes, and was terribly con- fused. "If it was my store, you should have it ina minute," he said. "The proprietor as more than strict. X must refuse. you." Artful tears filled the lovely blue eyes gazing up into his own, "Why need you mention it to the pro- prietor, then?" she questioned innocent- ly; "he need not know of• it. You look so kind and—and accommodating, surely you cannot 'find it in your heart to re- fuse me. I—I want it to touch up an old painting." She laid one little white band on his in her intense eagerness, and 'the thrilling, magical touch of those fingers made the blood leap through the bashful young clerk's veins like electric fire. "After all, she wanted it for such a harmless object," ho told himself. "Please let me have it," pleaded Eve- lyn, her heart thrilling with exultation, as she noticed he was wavering. He was young and easily influenced, as many a man has been before him, by the alluring blandishments of a beautiful girl. He was not proof against the beauty's bewitching glances. "You will let me have the drug, won't you?" persisted Evelyn. And scarcely conscious of what he was doing—white to the very lips—he obeyed. While they were talking, a feeble old man had entered the store, tottering up quite close to the haughty heiress. "Want your show -cases cleaned?" he in- quired, in a cracked whining voice. "No," responded the clerk; "get out of "I'm deaf," whined the old man; "if you will give me the job, nod your head. I've a wife and nine children to support. The clerk nodded his head in assent to get rid of the old man; for as it happened the eases really did need polishing, and the latter went at the cases with a will aparently. Remembering the old man had said he was deaf, Evelyn did not take the pre- caution to lower her voice in the least. At length, with the fatal drug in her possession, Evelyn left the store. "I—I almost think she bewitched me," murmured the clerk. "Heavens! what a risk I run in letting her have that deadly drug—and by the Harry, I forgot to take her name and address, too; what if any- thing should come of it," and a shudder passed over his frome. "Hello," he mut- tered, with a violent start, "what has be- come of the fellow who was cleaning she show -cases?" He glanced around in surprise the old man was gone - CHAPTER XXVI. Evelyn St, Claire regained her own room in the Remington mansion without being missed. The footman who admitted her won- dered vaguely that Miss Gaynoll'e guest should have gone out alone en the street, especially at night, she being a stran- ger in the city, too. lie told this to Fan- ny—Gay's maid—who had declared. that sho fairly hated the airish blonde who ordered her around as if she was nobody, and hoped "for goodness sake she wasn't to remain long." There was to be a brilliant reception at the Remington mansion that night, bat Evelyn pleaded a severe headache as an excuse for not going to the drawing -room. A tigerish hate swept through Evelyn's very soul as her eyes rested upon Little Gay as she came into her room for a prement before going down to welcome her guests. The girl's wondrous beauty fairly took her breath away. The dark eyes glowed like midnight stars. The lovely, curling hair fell about the little head in a sheen of shining gold; the peachy, dimpled cheeks were flushed like the heart of a crimson dower, and the creamy tulle dress she wore, garnished here and there with water -lilies, set off the lovely arms and slender, graceful neck to their advantage, heightened by the necklace of gleaming pearls she wore. Evelyn St. Claire bit her lip furiously under the mask of a smile as she gazed at the lovely vision before her. ,"r SAN"" FM Sind net able to come down," said Gay, sympathetically. "I will come in when it is over, and give you a perfect account of it." "Do," replied Evelyn, again veiling the terrible glitter in her steel -blue eyes. She watched the elender figure out of eight. shine to -night, my pretty Gay l" she cried bitterly, "for you have to die ere the day dawns. You were uncommonly pretty when you were only a little loom girl in the Passaic Cotton Mills—now you are more beautiful than an houri! It would never do for you to meet my lover again—he loved you once—he would adore you now," and involuntarily her hand crept to the fatal package concealed in her bosom. When Gay came to her room that night, Evelyn feigned sleep, and Gay quitted the apartment with noiseless feet and sought her own boudoir. She could have told Evelyn of two dif- ferent proposals she had received that evening, and of two bitterly jealous rivals, between whom a duel was imminent, be- cause beautiful Little Gay had waltzed twice with the one, and sung "Kathleen Mavoureen" to the other. Of course, Gay gently refused them both; still, each of them declared that he would win her if his rival was gentleman- ly enough to give him fair play and cease forcing his attentions upon her, Which were certainly undesired. Ono of these handsome young fellows was Harry Cheeleigh of Rosecliff, the other a dashing young military cadet— Hal Leslie. It was not of them Gay was thinking as she sought her couch; itwas of Percy Granville, and she fell asleep wondering when he would make the call he had promised, and wondering how she would school her heart suffaoiently to keep from flinging herself in his arms andcrying out, "Oh, my love, my love! X cannot meet you as a stranger!. it is breaking my heart. Lave me again, I cannot live with- out you! Fanny, Gay's maid, bad been engaged in putting the pretty cream dress and ail of her things away; she turned the gas- jet low, and was just about to quit the boudoir, when the knob of the door turned 'with a low, subdued click, and through. the aperture glided the white figure of a Woman, The maid stood ,4111011g the shadows of, the, window drapery and watched her, curiously, muttering to herself: "What is she about, I wonder? I'll stay here and see." For a moment Evelyn St. Claire --for it. was she—paused in the centre of the bou- doir; and castin. . about her, she detected the faint 'outlines of the slender, girlish form rests g upon the lace -draped couch, "Your time has come; Gay Es rbrook, or Gay Remington, whichever ou may choose to call yourself," she pa,uttered, clinching her jeweled hands deepi lute the folds of her dress, as she. glided swiftly toward the couch with a devilish gleam in her steel -blue eyes. Gay lay with her head resting upon her arm. No warning of the awful danger that menaced her flitted through, her dreams. If it had not been for her gentle, breath.. ing Little Gay would have looked like a beautiful statue carved in marble. Evelyn St. Claire gazed on the beautiful face ' with the intense rage of a fiend in- carnate, Youhave crossed My path again, girl," she muttered, "and now you must die for it." She drew the vial from her pocket and held it u,p for an instant toward the gas- jet, It was of slightly greenish true, and seemed to emit a thousand rays of spark- ling tongues of lire, then changing to pur- ple and blue like the flame of a _ iamond. "Take that, Gay Esterbrook sit !:hissed, swiftly uncorking the vial and h ing it close to the unconscious sleepe• f • nos. trils. A pungent odor swept abbro ifh the boudoir—one breath of which ha :locked Gay's senses in a stupor before s e oouid waken. One grain from the vial, shook `etween those crimson lips, would produce'instant death. Evelyn :'St. Claire nerved herself for her dastardly work -again the voige of jealousyurged her on as she Hesitat- ed—while Gay's young life was at stake. Again the briliant powder flashed in the dim light, but in that thrillingmoment a strong arm hurled Evelyn" St. Claire back, and Fanny, 'the faithful maid, sprung between Evelyn and her ipnocent victim. In that moment the daring bravery of• the guilty heiress asserted itself, as she found herself so suddenly and unexpect- edly cornered. It was well that she had planned what she should do in a ease of emergency, if she were detected entering Gay's room. Quick as thought she executed, her bold scheme. She drew back with a suppressed cream. —yawning—arid opening her blue eyes in the most natural surprise, very wide. "Oh, where am I?" nhc cried, in pre- tended bewilderment. "I pray you to for- give me," she Went on, wringing her jeweled hands imploringly . together. "I must have fallen into my habit of sleep- walking. I'm in somebody's room." By this time the maid had turned on a flood of gaslight. Cleverlyas Evelyn had played her little game, she had not succeeded in deceiv- ing the serving -maid. I'm not to be duped in that way, miss," she retorted bluntly. "I have heard of people walking about in their sleep, many a time before," whispered the girl, sig- nificantly, "but I have never heard of a somnambulist doing what you attempted to do to -night," she added. "Why, what did I 'try to do," returned «x,.aSc C "'rhe Family Friend for 40 yesre." A never failing relief for Croup and Whooping Cough. YOUR GUARANTEE OF QUALITY un a sealed lead package of Ceylon Tea, is your safeguard and guarantee. "SALADA" means freshness, purity, exquisite aroma, delightful flavor. `6 SALADA" means purity, healthfulness, satis- faction. MACK. allE ZF or 111111XECI SAd Evelyn, turning white, still pretending puzzled wonder. "You tried to murder Miss Gay," re- turned the girl sharply. "She would have been a corpse by now if I hadn't been here." Evelyn recoiled with a hoarse cry. "Xt is false!" she stammered, "If you dare aconite me of such a thing, girl, I will swear' upon my oath that it was you who attempted to destroy your young heiress, and I rushed in to prevent you." The. faithful maid fairly gasped at the depth and extent of this fair fiend's atrocious wickedness. Evelyn saw her advantage and followed it up swiftly. "Be wise, girl; make terms with me; say nothing of what has occurred to -night; give me your written pledge you will not, and I will pay you down a thousand dol- lars cash," The maid, who had never been able to scrape twenty-five hard-earned dollars to- gether in her whole life, fairly gasped at the stupendous offer of the great heir- ess. I mean it," said Evelyn St. Claire; "write a few words which I will dictate and it will earn for you a thousand dollars cash." There are women who possess the dead- ly, magnetic fascination of a serpent over their fellow -creatures, and Evelyn was one of them; she held the girl spell -bound under her cool, keen eyes. A thousand dollars! Was over such a temptation offered a poor girl who knew so well the true value of money? Who can blame her that she wavered, and that at last. dearly as she loved poor Gay, the promise of so much gold for simply writing a few words and holding her tongue, overcame her scruples? Evelyn St. Claire rapidly wrote out a few. lines, and the thoughtless maid, too dazed and dazzled by the heap of bills on the table, took up the pen and signed her name to the document, without stop- ping to read it over. Heaven help her! she little dreamed that she had signed a so-called confes- sion, setting . forth -that she herself had attempted to take the life of beautiful Gay, and that she had been frustrated by Miss St. Claire, a guest in the house! "Ha!" thought Evelyn St. Olaire tri- umphantly, "in the future, when this girl grows weary of keeping my secret, this will silence her!" She threw herself down into a cushion- ed chair by the window, and all through the weary hours of the long night thought over plots and plans against the life of hapless Gay. "The girl seems to bear a charmed life," she muttered; "but my next attempt shall not meet with such dire failure." 07,7 %ECrd 7Zt7/1�t'c -.me — . de%mfppr� iter !t'a the CLEANEST, SIMPLEST, and BEST HOME DYE, ono can buy --Why you don't even have to know,rhet KIND of Cloth your Goode ere made of. --So Mistakes are Impossible. Send for Free Color Card, Story Booklet, and Booklet atvinct result, of Dyeing over other color,. The JOHNSON-RiCHARDSON CO., Limited, Afonttenl. Canad=. a SIN LIFE ASSURANCE mp �Y OF CANADA The leading features of the Directors' Report for 1912, as presented to the Annual Meeting of the Company, held in Montreal, March 4th, 1913, are as follows ASSETS as at 31st December, 1912 Increase; over 1911 CASH INCOME from Premiums, Interest, Rents, etc., in 1912 ., Increase over 1911 PROFITS PAID to Policyholders entitled to participate in 1912 ADDED TO SURPLUS during 1912 TOTAL SURPLUS 31st December, 1912, over all liabili- ties and capital, (according to the Company's Standard, viz., for assurances, the Om. (5) Table, with 31,4 and 3 per cent. interest, and, for annui- ties, the B. O. Select Annuity Tables, with 3% per cent. interest) DEATH CLAIMS, Matured Endowments, Profits, ete., during 1912 ... 4,732,463.29 PAYMENTS to Policyholders since organization 34,402,734.66 NEW BUSINESS (paid for in cash) during 1912 30,814,409.64 • Increase over 1911 4,377,628.45 ASSURANCES IN FORCE 31st. December, 1912 182,732,420.00 Increase over 1911 ,..,.. 18,160,347.00 $49,605,616.49 5,704,730.51 12,883,081.60 1,775,746.03 691,975.84 614,008.09 5,331.,091.82 The SUN' LIFE OF CANADA now occupies the premier position among Canadian Life Assurance Companies. Outside of Companies issuing industrial policies, the SUN .LIFE OF CANADA now does a larger new life assurance business than any other company incorporated in the British Empire. The Company's Growth Year, Income Assets Lite Assurances In Force 1878 $ 40,210 X93 $ 96,161,96 $ 1,064,350.00 1802 1,108,680.43 3,403,700.88 25,901,047;80 lege .. 3,561,509.34 13,400,22%80 67„1.81,603.00 1912...: 12,383,081.60 49,605,616.49 182,732,420.00 IIOPF.fla'SOI4 MVMACAULAY, President, Head Office: DIONT'EEAL. la B. MACAULAY, ltlanaging Iiircetor and Secretary. On the Fat _ Draining Heavy Clay Ladies. The drainage of heavy clay is, deserves much attention, for yield of crops obtained on such s. is very largely proportional to degree of draininge. The soil, ing naturally retentive of meistu puddles very easily if worked w wet, thus preventing the entre of air into the. ground, 'The exc of water also prevents the soil fr warming up early in the spri and thus retards the planting seed and its germination after ing planted. The bacteria other organisms which prepare . nitrogen of the soil for the use the higher plants cannot ado th work well- in a wet or puddled s a They must have air and a compa tively high temperature in order do their .best work. The surface water which aeon lates after heavy rains should be allowed to remain on the grow long. Hence the importance having a good system of surf: drains or ditches to carry aw this superfluous water. 'Genera speaking, on heavy clay good outl- for ditches can be had without mu trouble or expense. Whatever system is used, it shou be planned and carried out in t most effective way. The imports fact to remember is that in order farm successfully the flat clay tan with most crops it is necessary provide some practical system surface drainage. The land should be plowed narrow lands leaving dead furro about 30 feet apart. The open fu rows are cleaned out and the wet from them flows into a ditch on t side of the field. By this mea very little surface water will star on the field after heavy rains. this means, deep cross ditches a largely avoided. When the land plowed in the fall, the dead furro\ are filled and new furrows open about fifteen feet front where ti old furrows were. The system surface draining has given sati faction in many localities. Concrete Watering Troughs. Concrete is the, cheapest materi 'with which an everlasting waterin trough can be made, and a larg live ridge placed in the bottom will, i the northern climates, prevent in jury to the trough from freezin! when filled with water. This fres proof ridge need not be as long a: the interior of the trough by sever al inches at each end and in local ties below the frost line need no be used. The size of the trough is a matte of choice, but the entire trouge must have a foundation of gravel o stone to a depth below the frost ex 1 line, after which the wood form iSthe placed for the outside, and the bot.- torn ot.for filled to a depth of four or sia, inches with concrete. Large trough require a six-inch bottom, while fo troughs less than seven feet lon a four -inch bottom is sufficient. The overflow and supply pipe. should be placed before the ca crete is put in and when they ar connected underground, says lviod4. ern Farmer in describing the build- ing of cement troughs. .After the' bottom is completed place the form' for the ridge and fill. Then place the inside trough form and fill with concrete made up of one part Port- land cement, three parts sand and three parts aggregates. The plac- ing of an iron rod, two inches be- low the top, adds much more strength and at little expense. Keep wet for two days and then all but the outside form should be removed and the interior slushed .with ce- ment and' water, mixed to the con- sistency of thick paint. Apply with whitewash brush. This will make it nearly water tight, at least more, so than, a stone trough. The out- side should not be removed for four weeks, but the trough may be used a few days after the interior has been slushed as above. To obtain a smooth surface, use surfaced lumber for forms and rap or hammer on outside of forms soon as -concrete is placed. This will force large gravel from the form and leave the fine sand and cement next the form for a smooth finish. runt e pc 2, :! wh tar] , of gr tar, u try o. anit at, l ed, rn— 2c; as— cart e—: :ale; •het per on leis bag 50; i'ts, Anil GOtt nt•ai Cel g9 - beet gto utte ids, erio one. in -2o Bey, zen; out! ' pe , to to l a e Ye, eau ,ked iota ✓ to r br span Smol oke avy 9 1 , 114 ache Gree oke Porl ' CBs tare 4 3-40. ON 'A. Five incl: nets, Ager bis, from whey nest. Islay Can't Spare Time. Excited Boy—Come on quick The ould man is batin' the ould wo man again. Policeman—Why don't she corn herself, if she wants to make a core plaint, or have him arrested ? Excited Boy—She's too busy. She's got him down 'and she's With Tll need not meni MI gets expe have He Erie( re qu gest: A find woul the duce HT a br enols with caul ailna cc] very give luck Nuts th a nE ing, stro, Glia a Br deli( mor for Wgive in '"Th Epe alel nll