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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1913-10-03, Page 9tumliess at flavor not lollnd t n other teas CEYLON TEA—"Pure and Clean to a Lea BLACK, MIXED ORJ Sealed Packets Only NATURAL. GREEN Beware of Iinitatima I. Her Great Love; Or, A Struggle For a Heart CHAPTER XL. -(Continued). Deoima rose and wont to the window. A weight seemed suddenly to have fallen upon her heart. The sun was shining on the little garden, but yet it looked dark and cold. "He may come pack soon," she said. "He may, said Mr. Bright, with a sigh; "but Hobson does not think it likely. Why, the Hall is to be closed and only a few servants retained. I shouldn't be sur- prised to find that Lord Gaunt had gone to Africa, after all." Deoima drew a long breath. "I hope he will be happy wherever he has gone," she said. She tried to keep her voice steady and to smile, but the voice shook, and her eyes grew suddenly d Mr. Bright was too absorbed in his own grief to notice the effect upon her of hie tidings. "Well, I thought I'd come and tell you," he said. "Of course you will go on helm Mg me. Miss Decima. You won't desert mo as Lord Gaunt has done?" "He has not deserted you," she said. "He has left you word to go on doing all the good and noble things he began. We you—have no right to expect him to stay here, if he does not wish to. Why should he not• go away?" Bright sighed and reached for his hat. "It's like you to speak like that, and you're right. He's his own master. But I feel anxious and worried about it. You see, I'm fond of him. Of course, I can't expect you to share my feelings. I'll, go back to the Hall and see about closing it up. This will be a blow to the county and the neighborhood. And after such a splendid success as last night, tool well, well! Good mornin:g." lie got his hat, and sighed himself out of the room. Decima stood by the window, looking straight before her. All the brightness seemed to hays gone out of her life. She remembered that he had said good-bye" last night—remembered the tone of his. voice- It was significant enough now. It was evident that he had resolved last "night to :'leave laeafmore, Why bad e done so? eiehei, 1)3f1,,,h etinesie...-, a news or )vY he tired of the place, and of=-all�liis friends? No answer was forthcoming. Shs' went bark to the table, but she could eat no more. She wandered about the house as if she were in a dream, and later on she put on her out -door things andwent down to the village. The people were full of Lord taunt's departure, and she had to *and and listen to Mrs. Topper's lament. ations echoed shrilly by Mrs. Murphy. A cloud seemed to have fallen on the place ' and darkened all its brightness. Decima went her charitable rounds with a dull aching at her heart. At the Leaf - more gates, she stopped for a moment and looked down the avenue. Some men were taking down the fairy lamps which had been stretched from tree to tree; some grooms were exercleing the horses; the men were talking among themselves, and she caught a few words. They were talking of Lord Gaunt's departure and the loss it world mean to them. Rhe returned slowly and heavily to The Woodbines. As the passed through the hall, the doer leading to the laboratory was ajar, and she heard her father and hlr. Mershon talking. She had not forgotten hits proposal; it had oppressed her at the first moment of nes wakin; but Lord Gaunt's flight—for It was little else—had foo' a time driven all thoughts of Mr. Mershon from her mind; but now the, Bene with him in the conservatory rose before her, and she drew back with a little catch in her breath. Suddenly she heard her father utter an exclamation of dismay and a groan. She pushed open the door, and entered. Her father was pacing up and down, Pis hands tightly gripped behind him, his bead bent, hie hair iu wild disorder. Mr. Mershon was, as usual, seated on the bench; there was a big cigar in his mouth, also as usual, and he was regard- ing. Mr. Deane with a half -cynical, half - curious expression, Decima went straight to her father. "Did you call, father? Did you want me?" Mr Deane stopped in hie pacing to and fro, and regarded her with a vacant, troubled stare; then he pushed his hands through his hair and stifled a groan, "No, no; I didn't call!" he acid. "I'm engaged oto b tsiness with Mr. Mershon. Go away, Decima:" Decima turned to Mershon. "What is this busineee?" she asked, at - Meet demanded. "What is troubling my father so?" Mershon extinguished his cigar by jab- bing it on the bench, end kept his small eyes fixed on the operation. I thought you knew," lie said. "It's this Illectrie Storage Company." "I do not know, ' said Decima. "What about it? Tell 'me.' Mershon glanced at her cur a moment. THIS. isa HOWIE DYE that ANYONE can use The Guaranteed "ONE DYE for All Kinds of Cloth„ Close, Simple, No Chance of Mistakes, TRY IT t Send for Free Color Cord and Booklet. The Johnson-RIchord.on Co. Limited, Montreal "It's this invention of your father's. he said. "An awfully clever thing. %Isere ought to be a lot of money in it., and .t thought there was. You see. I don't un- derstand this kind of thing myself, and I relied upon Mr. Deane. He ought to know." "If I do not know, who does?" exclaimed Mr. Deane, throwing out his hath with pitiful vanity. Just so," acid Mershon, slowly, and shooting another glance at Decima. If he doesn't know, who does? That's what I told them in the city." "What is the matter?" asked Decima. "as anything gone wrong?" "Well, yes; I'm afraid there has," he said. "The thing—the invention doesn't seem quite to work out somehow—" "It does; it must!" broke in Mr. Deans wildly. "I will explain." "I'm afraid it isn't much use explain- ing to me," said Mershon. "Ae I said, I don't understand anything about the invention, the machine; all I undertook was to float the company; and I should have done that right enough if it hadn't been for ties bitch." "Is it some mistake?" said Det ima. "Can it not be put right i' She turned anxiously from Mr. biers/ion to her father. I hope so; upon my soul, I hope so," replied Mershon. "I've sunk a lot of money in the affair. But that's nothing," he went on, quickly. "It won't break me if I lose it, every penny of it; but I'm afraid your father's gone in for it rather heavily." Mr. Deane groaned. "I—I have invested a great deal," he said. It is very probable that he did not know how much, seeing that he had left the matter entirely to Mr. Mershon. Decima was too young, too ignorant of the world to Imo,:retand clearly and ful- ly; but a sense of coming evil oppressed her. She laid her hand upon her father's arm. Perhaps it will all come . right, father," she said. "Of eounse it.'willf" responded the lie r, vith ti, kind of de .pt z tte courage, oan'ti "z,d v In g:,, "'x d.ee,'Aeesse e t /dee of my life. It only 'wants explanation.'" He grabbed at some drawings and un- folded theta with a ,trembling hand. Iver. Merehon regarded them sideways with cynical dubiosity. Better explain them to the sharehold- ers," he said. "I can't make head or tail of them." He reached for nit hat and looked at Decima as he smoothed it. "I should like a word with you. Miss Deci- ma," he said, under his breath, and with a jerk of his head toward the door. Leaving her father poring over the drawings. Decima followed Mr. Mershon out. I'm afraid your father's deeper in this thing than I thought," he said, flicking at a rose -bush with his stick and glanc- ing up at her sideways. "I cautioned him not to go it too heavily, but lie seemed so certain of the success of the thing that I shouldn't be surprised if hose Bunk the greater portion of his fortune in it." Deeama regarded him with troubled eyes. And—and you think he will lose it?" she said in a low voice. I shouldn't wonder," he answered. That's the worst of these inventions, there's" generally a screw loose some - "What shall I do?" said Decima. to her- self. Mershon picked a leaf off the rose- bush, examined it critically, then glanced up at her in his covert way. "I'm afraid your father's a bit worried about your brother, Mice Decima. isn't he?" he said. Decima stared at him. "My brother!" she said. "Yea," replied Mershon, picking the leaf to pieces with his long nails. Seems to have been going the pace. Been writing to your father for more money again." "Bobby!" exclaimed Decima. "I --I don't understand!" "Oh, it's a way young fellows have when they go up to London, ' said Mer- shon. I dare say It isn't serious, and he'll pull through. Good -morning." Decima did not return the adieu, and he carne back and glanced at her again.. "So Lord Gaunt's off!" he said. "Thought he'd cut the place all of a sud- den like this. Gone to Africa, I hear." The .red. flooded Decima', fame for an instant, then left it pale again. Diem cit stood with his eyes fixed on the greiin • You haven't forgotten what I said to you last night, Miss Decima?" be said. Whatever happens, I stand by what I said --every 'word of it. Good-morning. He held out his hand, and Decima just touched it with her lingerie; then she went hack to her father. "Tell me what all this means, father?" she Raked, Mr. Deane launched into a torrent of words to prove that his invention was im- pregnable; but it is needless to say that they carried no conviction to Decima's mind. And what is this about Bobby, father?" she asked, anxiously. Mr. Deane paced up and down, and tore at his hair. "I don't know; I don't understand!" he said, impatiently. "Your brother Robert keeps writing for money, and says that he has incurred debts which must be dice charged at once. I have :sent him all the money I can. Yesterday I lied a letter from the banker's saying that I had over- drawn my account. Mr. Merehoai has been kind' eeougfih to lend me a hundred pounds.' Mershon!" pp said Decima, faintly. is "Yee, kind.oI responded Mr. whathI should do without him." Decima stole out of the laboratory feel- ing faint and sick, CHAPTER XXI - That night the wrote to Bobby. There was not a word of reproach in the love ing letter; she only begged him to come home, if only fora day. Not until five days afterward did she receive a' hurried scrawl from Bobby, saying it was =- possible Londoh to leave down if there were forty-eight hour- ins eea of them instead of twenty four. ,She.•-fe t so lonely, and as if something diad' gripe out of her We. . Film grew pale end diet lees. When she went foras walks oh the gates of the Leafmore Walk, , she were compelled to pass ;t id .. .. would not glance up the ayenue She tried to forget Lord 'Gatink»-not as one who had loved and loot, for else did not know that she loved hien, ' would, have been startled if the idea had enteted 'liar head for a moment' -but she felt ,;that, yielding to Mr, Bright's entreetiee, rime had done her insignificant best; to keep Lord Gaunt amongst his people—Anti hid failed, But it was hard to forget a, 'nee whose name she was constantly bearing, The village people were always talking of 'h'im and deploring his absence. The county families were indignant at his sudden flight, and the local' paper shed ae inky tear over it. Lady Ferndale, the Countess of Ito borough, and several of their friends bad called upon Deoima, and would have wel- comed her., into their set, but Deems), felt as if, like Lord Gaunt, . she hated eo- ciety. She :shrunk inito her shell, ae it were, and the great adiet;, atter awhile, gave up the attempt to woo her from it. The only persons she saw were Mr. Mershon and ' Mrs. Sherbe rne. He came to The Woodhines nearly every day, and Mrs. Sherborne very often -accompanied him and sat with Decima in the drariving- room, while her . brother talked to Mr, Deane in the laboratory, Mrs. Sherborne was as constrained ae ever, and she watched Deoima with a covert scrutiny which sometimes -got on the girl's nerves and made her feel as if she must scream or rush from the room. She was begin- ning to feel as 'f a net were being drawn round her. And yet she could not ocenplaen at ser, Mershon. He was too clever to Melees her with his attentions, and his manner toward her .was one of the deepest respect: and deference. Sometimes Mrs. Sherborne broug'h't 8' magnificent bunch of orchids from The Fire, and only sometimes she caeutilly mentioned that Theodore had eat the blooms with his own hands. Now and again Decima met Mr. Bright; indeed, he sought her as of old, and ask- ed her advice and assistance in carrying out the benevolent schemes which he al- ways declared she had started. And De- cima tried to throw her heart into the work which she had begun so eagerly, but she seemed to have no heart tet throw. Now and again she asked Mr. Bright if he had heard from or of Lord Gaunt, but he always replied in the negative, with a shake of the head and a sigh. t One afternoon she came back frog the village feeling tired and listlese. Site'teek off her things, and then went down to a little room at the back of the housfe where she kept her pets. It had grown into quite a small mena- gerie, for, in addition to the guinea pigs and white mice she had brought with her, there were other pets which Lord Gaunt had given her. There were some Belgian hares, a rakish -looking jackdaw, who was quite a linguist in his way, a tame hawk, and a couple of Norwegian rats, to say nothing of a tortoise and a case of green lizards. Gaunt had given her times from time to time, bringing them up in his pocket, and stealing a secret joy in her girlish delight at receiving them. As Decline, ted and played 'with her pets, sheem r r embe ed the happyminuteshe had spent with Lord Gki, the ooin, how he had told her the history of each of the animals and had been coaxed ,y her into neer/ding some of his Minting stories. She could almost see hfrukfi« .3• had leaned against the wall,'smo cigarette, 'and smiling -down-atelier '`'elle knelt beside one of the cages. He, .land never boon anything else but kind, ,to her ever since the first day Met et' him. now ho was gone, and she should perhaps never see him again. She sighed as she took the jackdaw on her hahtl, and stroked his black plumes, and the bird croaked as if in sympathy. mpathy. Suddenly the door opened, andlooking round, she saw Bobby. She sprung to her feet with a glad cry, the jackdaw flying with a shriek to the ceiling, and flung her acme round Bobby's neck. Then, as she looked into his face, she drew back with a little cry of alarm and apprehension. Was this Bobby, the bright, laughing - eyed boy whose every word was a jest-- thie pale young man 'with gaunt cheeks and black marks under his eyes? "Bobby!" she exclaimed. "What is the matter—are you ill?" The final, rose to his haggard face for a moment. and he averted the eyes which had hitherto met here so straightly. "I ant rather seedy. Bede," he said. "Inc- it's the London life." He sat down on one of the cages, and LA GEST SALE IN THE WORL �r 'i,>E/ eleeleeie teolie'3 eettessete ar-o ssema1 1tcreaBtB eicesi sestisisteseP l she sat close beside him and got hold of one of his hands and pressed and drag- ged et it anxiously. m "Why didn't you tell me you were com- ing?" she said. "And, oh, Bobby, you must be ill to look like that!" "I didn't know until this morning that I was coaling," he said, ignoring her emu' ment on his appearance. "You're not looking first-rate yourself, Death," he ad- ded; for the sudden flush of excitement had left her fees and its pallor was per- ceptib. I amlearil right, Bobby," she 'said. "But tell me. Is anything the matter?" He looked down at the ground and be- gan to roll up a cigarette; and she could see that hie hands were shaking. "There Is something the matter, Decie," he said. "You've get to know sooner or later; it can't be kept from you, and You'd. better hear it from me than any one else. We're in trouble, Decie." Trouble! Her lips formed the word; then her woman's courage came to her "Tell me all—everything, Bobby,' she Said. "Whatever it is, we must meet it and bear it." He lighted his cigarette, but it went out again, and he flung it from him with a nervous gesture. "It was Mr. Mershon wired for me," he said. Mr. Mershon? Why should he tele- graph to you?" "Because he thought I ought to know; that I ought to be here. He was quite right, of course. He met me at the sta- tion and told me all about it." "All about it! About what? Is it—is it anything to do with this business—this company -of 'father's?" Bobby nodded gloomily. Yee," he said. That's it. The affair has come to smash." D eoima drew a long breath. "To utter smash," he /med. "I don't un- derstand it all, even now. though Mer-' shot tried to explain. There was some- thing wrong in the invention—the patent wouldn't hold water. I don't quite know what is was. Mershon tried not to put the blame on the governor, but he let it out reluotantly." Decima eat pale and silent for a mo- ment; then she murmured "Why did he join Mr. Mershon?" "Honestly, I don't think Mershon's to blame," said Bobby. He was led away by the governors enthusiasm. Who wouldn't be? You know the way he talks. I' don't think Mershon's such a bad fel- low, after all. He—he is behaving very well about it. He has lost a, lot of money lta the affair "I am sorry," said Deoima. "very very sorry. But Mr. Mershon is a rich man, and it will not matter to him,' But it will matter very much to poor father; for . we 'are not rich, are we, Bobby? But Bever- mind"she forced a smile -"we will meet it as best we. can; we shall have to economize. You will only be abbe to smoke half ae many cigarettes, Bibby." She crept closer to him, and laid her head upon his shoulder. It was the only word of reproach ehe would utter. Bobby looked down at her remorsefully, and then went away suddenly, as if he could not bear the sight of her brave smile which touched him more than tears would have done. "We shall have to leave The Wood - blues, I suppose?" she said. She stifled a sigh. "Well, never mind. We can go into one of the new little cottages, and live very quietly and plainly." Bobby'e face worked, and hie lips part- ed as if he were about to speak; but his courage failed him and he got up quick- Iy, his face averted from her. I'll—l'li go and change," he said. "We—we will talk about it after dinner." Re hurried out, of the room. Deoima sat where he had left her, her hands clasped in her lap. Although she had not been altogether unprepared, the blow had fallen heavily. Presently sho heard steps coming toward the door, and ehe thought it was Bobby returning; but the door opened, and Mr. Mershon's voice said I beg your pardon. Is your brother here?" Decima rose and moved away slightly. He has just gone," she said. Mershon came into the room, and stood looking at her. (To be continued.) 0 Uair For Preteen —buy St, Itawr"ahsee Fretra Gra- nulated by theib+sg. ,Yon get the choicest, pme•Oilnle SOO; unteridieti .ry' Msy laid *tem Refiriory to yetrr kitchen ---arid FRILL WESIKPA ' s tiaVEE D Bags moetbe..ps Iba."ro lbs, Cartoi n s lbs„ s jtp, d :Seskrestefe tan sraWyutt: • Sat. Imam Stixµ' Hai dieser tinitsd Mattel; WANTED—More Workers At once to do picture coloring for ns In their home with our wonderful Chem,. load Proems. Simple. meohanical work, rapidly done, All pat. terns furnished. Positively no experience required. We furnish the Process and chemicals and suppply You with pictures to color, which you return to us. Good prices paid promptly by the week or month. No canvassing or selling—our trav- ellers sell the goods and the field is unlimited fer our work. 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An examination of the under- ground portion sof the wheat •plant will bring to light some verjr inter- esting facts.It will be found that • in a well developed plant, growing under favorable dry -farm condi.. tions, that as many as 50 roots ofd more will descend to. aprobable depth of eight fee.t Each root id supplied with a system of laterallr: which vary from one to six inched in length and which are spaced on each side of the main root frenal one eighth to one fourth of afi inch apart. A very conservative, estimate of the combined length o$ all the laterals of a single rood' might be placed as ten times' the length of the root itself, It thug becomes a simple matter of calcu- lation to learn that the entire root system of a single wheat plant may, approach a mile in length—a fact not so startling when we consider; that a single seed can reproduce its self 1,000 -fold. With plants whin possess such an enormous root sys- tern it is now apparent why some farmers can mature plants without one drop of rain falling during the growing period. It must be borne in mind, however, that the wheat plant cannot mature without mois• ture, but if given half a chance will forage into the depths of the soil in search of that moisture which the wise farmer has stored up dur- ing years of plenty. Yet in spite of this fact, not one farmer in 10,000 is acquainted with the range of the root system of the wheat ,plant he grows year after year. Ifact, it is a current belief among dry farm- ers themselves that such roots penetrate the soil to a depth of but six to twelve inches. The roots of the wheat plants of farmers who do not believe in the theories which underlie the storing of moisture in the soil, are burned out during times of drought. How- ever, the plants of the deep-rooted farmer go down ten feet into the soil, and this farmer sells seed wheat to the shallow -rooted farm- er. Does it pay to learn how the wheat plant grows? Improved Sys,iiem. of Breeding. If one will plan to have the calves' come at all seasons, the fall and winter calves escape the torture of the extreme summer heat and the swarming, pestering flies. For this reason the fall and win- ter calves develop into much more desirable cows for the dairy than the summer calves. Where all the calves are dropped in the spring it's a big job to care for and handle all of them whsle they are young. If a short space of time inter; vanes between the coming of each calf there will be little time lost in attending to each one during its early career -when it is the most trouble and more susceptible to some derangement if slighted. Then, having some heavy milk- ers at all times is a profitable plan. 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