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"That is more than! I can tell you,
old man, for he was closely envelop-
ad in. his mackintosh, with the collar
up to his ears; besides, the• place
was so dimly lighted, it seemed like
se tomb, anis I could get only a very
imperfect idea of his features. Believ-
ing him to be you, of course, I was
•not suspicious. I would never. have
•discovered my mistake if he had not
resented I said about the girl, and
shut me up with a clap on' the shoul-
der that was like a blow from a
sledge -hammer. Then, for a moment,
you might have knocked me down
with a straw. I had thought, from
the bridegroom's first appearance
,upon the scene, that you did not act
like 'yourself ; but I laid it to the
excitement of the moment, because
you were rate, and eager to get the
matter over," the young man ex'-
galained.
"didn't he speak ? Couldn't you de-
tect the difference in voices 7" quer-
ied Leighton, sullenly.
"Yes; I spoke to him as he came
into sight, and he answered me ; but
the rain a•nd wind and thunder made
suoh a noisy racket, I couldn't have
recognized my oven father's voice.
Theta, I Married into the chapel, and
straight to the altar, for those girls
were nearly frightened out of their
senses, and just ready to back out
and go borne, and" -here the fellow
shot a sly smile at his companion -
SI had no notion of losing the snug
little amount you had pledged me.
See?"
"Yes -I see," bitterly retorted
Leighton ; "but, I must confess, I
think you were very short-sighted
to allow an utter stranger to play
such an abominable trick upon you."
"Well, if you hadn't been so afraid
to have light enough to see by, I
might have detected the fraud; but
the, sexton said you had given orders
to 'have only one light, because the
marriage vas to be private, and you
did not wish to excite the curiosity
of the villagers ; and, as I sa,id' before,
the place waslike a tomb. The fellow
was about your height, too, though,
perhaps -now I think of it -a trifle
broader across the shoulders, and a
prouder way of carrying himself."
"!Who in thunder would ho have
been 7" impa;tieutly exclaimed the
?disappointed bridegroom. "!Where
did be come from ? How did he know
what way,, going on, and what could
have been his object in personating
ane ?"
"I`t is all a mystery," replied his
friend; "and, what may strike you
as 'stranger • still, he doesn't even
know to whom he was, married--"
"i'shaw ! That was no marriage !"
interrupted. Leighton, angrily; "such
a farce would never stand, Ted."
",1i'ell, perhaps not," was the mus-
ing response.
"Of course, it won't stand !" reit-
erated the other; "the very idea is
too absurd to be considered tor a
moment ; all the, same, it is al develish
plight to be in."
"That is a fact, (Liss Richardson
doubtless finds it so," Ted dryly re-
plied.
"What mates you think that fellow!
• did nett know. her name?" Leighton
inquired, after a moment es: silence.
"Because he asked me who she was.
10 course, I refused to enlighten him;
consequently', he is as `inch in the '
dark regarding her, identity as we
are of bis."
! "Good for glen, Ted ! but I'd give
good deal to ferret hila out."
"He demanded the certificate of
me, possibly) with the intention of
learning whom •,he had married. He
would have had it, too, if I badn'tl
dodged him, for I teal 3•pu he had a
grip like iron," observed the " best
main," as be recalled the clutch of
that strong band upon his shoulder.
"1 -diel the way," ho added, drawing an
envelope Bram• a pocket, and toss-
ing it uipan the bed, "here is 'that
ldocument now. It is all properly! sign-
ed,andyou may as welt take care of,
it -it may; prove useful to you, some
time in the future."
The zoning man drew the paper
forth., and studied it intently, for
a few minutes.
"Was teem ever such a devilish
piece oe luck ?" be demanded, irrit-
ably. "Had!" lie added, with a vio-
lent start, "do you, imagine it pos-
sible that old Seaver could bave dis-''
covered our secret, and followed us,
to stop the marriage, and when I
failed to put i.n an appearance, per-
sonated me to prevent a scene be-,
fore the rector aud a, scandal about
a leorence ?"
"No, Seaver is a little shorter than
you, and is a thick -set roan ; he nes-
er could have fooled us all like that."
"Well, I only! hope he is still in
the dark, for Florence's sake, as well
as my; own, for I may be able to
carry; my podict and marry her yet.
You any she seemed fully recovered
when y!ea left her last eight?" in-
quired Leightons, with some anx-
iety,.
"Yes ;she and the maid hustled
quite 'lively: in getting back to (tile
house after leaving the carriage,'t
said the yionrn ,groan, laughing.
"I wonder what she thinks of me!
If I were able to move, I would
take the next train for New York,
and doe her on the steamer. x sup -
wee thery) will sail in about three
boars," said the disa;ppesinted lover,
with a sigh, as he glanced at the
Oa*, which was just upan,the point
of striking bine.
'Be!yMed," he continued, with sud-
den energy, "why oantt you go for
SW? Til sertbblo a note for ''jou to
band to her, and you can explain
what 1 ;ha,ven't time to write."
"All right ; I'll go," was the, Oblig-
ing
lbliging relay); "only you' will bave to
hustle, for . there Isn't such a great
deal of time before the train will be
due.",
"Hand me that writing pad, then,"
said Leighton, pointing to one upon
the table; and, a moment later, Ms
pen was Baling over a sheet of paper,
as he braille! accounted for his non-
appearance at Il;osedale the previous
night:.
He entreated Florence to preserve
their secret, be brave, and loyal to
him, and he would follow her abroad
b'y the next steamer. wren he would
he wound see to i,t that nothing
should interrupt a second attempt
to melee her his wife.
Hostiles folding and addressing leis
letter, he passed it to bib friend,
andecharged hem to deliver it into no
ha=nds but Florence's.
The yiomng man hastened from the
house, while the disappointed lover
sank wearily) back upon his pillonvs,
for 'the interview, had sadly; taxed
Ms strength.
Hewas just upon tee point of fall-
ing into a dome, when his door open-
ed again, and his accomplice reap-
peared.
"Well, what now ?" he excitedly! de-
manded, and starting to a sitting
posture, with a •groa,n of pain.
"They' are not goirtg to sail to..
day'," said his friend, "I met Seaver
just at the head of the 'street--"•
"You don't mean it ! Can anything
have happened ?" breathlessly! ques-
tioned Leighton.
"Yes, I stopped him, and express-
ed my! surprise to find him in town,
when he informed me that their trip
had 'beep indefinitely postponed, ow-
ing to the sudden illness of Miss
Richardson."
"Alt! That affair of last night
was 'too much for her ! Did he speak
of her as being very! ill?"
"He say's she has taken a sudden
and severe cold, has a high fever, and
1s delirious--"
"Delirious!" interposed Leighton, in
alarm. "Zounds! Sea I hope she
won't die ; my; dish would be dough
if she should."
An involuntary sneer curled his
companion's lips at this supremely
selfish speech, which contained not
one word of regret for the suffering
of the lovely earl for whose condition
ee alone was reseoesible.
"However," Le':ghtoi coitinued,
"she is young, has a naturally slating
oesentitution, and this enforced post-
ponement of her trip may result In
my favor. Your news has done me
more goo:! than (rein°, Ted,
though I hare !same painful bruises
that makes me squirm&I wialeI Was
sure that horse has not come to
grief. Would you mind stepping
around to C'oxe's stable, tell him the
eorapel I got into last night, and get
hen to send 'someone in quest of the
animal and buggy ? Of course, I'll
make it ail right with him, whatever
has happened,' t ,
"Certainly, old man ; anything I
can deo for eau. I'll be glad to do,"
returned tats fr.e,.d, good-naturedly,
and at once started out on has mis-
sion.
Fortunaately, the horse and buggy
had already been returned to the
owner -the man's name having been
ata,mped upon the carriage robe -and
no serious damage had been done,
aside from a few scratches to the
vehicle. Upon hearing this, Leighton
declared that his star was again in
the ascendant. t •
Every day after that he managed
to get a report from Florence,
thaougn her maid, Anna ; and, as
soon as he was able to get out, he
called in person, and interviewed Mr.
• Seaver regarding her condition.
Tee following two weeks proved an
anxious season for him, for the
young girl was very 111, and he lived
in constant fear that she would die,
and her fortune. upon which he had
set :his heart, slip through his fin-
gers. e•
As the weary days wore on, how-
ever, 'and he was unable to gain any
clew to the mysterious stranger who
had personated him at the altar, a
new idea took form in his fertile
brain, and he began to concoct a v:l-
lainous scheme. • c
Ile ilea 10 I17s possession the mar-
riage certificate w,hice seemed to
prove him the husband of tate beauti-
ful heiress. It was 'properly signed
by the clergyman who had performed
the ceremony, and who would doubt-
less attest to the fact. No ono save
his friend Ted, and, possibly, Anna,
suspected the truth; and they wcul'I
swear to anything if well pai=d„ eon -
sequently, if Florence should die, he
bel.eved he could safely produce the
document, claim the fortune, and no
one could prevent his getting it.
. But this vile plot was not destined
to be carried out ; for, at the end of
three weeks, F1erenec was pronounc-
ed out of danger, and from that time
began to oonval:sce rapidly.
Leighton now became more atten-
tive than ever, sending her daily of-
ferings . of fruit and flowers, and
many other tokens of his abiding af-
fection (?) ; also waiting Ler tender
effusions, begging her to respond to
him, Sue soon as she should be strong
enough' to guide a pen,
The longh-wished-for, missive came
to 'him at last, but, instead of being
the fond andeeirb•m!ssive response he
had 'looped and expected, it caused
him the deepest chagrin send disap-
pointment. 1
CaE1t V. a
The letter which Florence Richard -
eon wrote to her lover bad peen pen-
ned after rnnoli careful thought and
oelnsideration, and read es fol,ows s
"pear Walter, -This is the first
duly I ,have felt able to write, and I
mate it my, flirt- duty to answer
your many notes to me and ta thank
you for your numerous attentions
and kind remembrances during lay
illness. You have. begged me to allow
,you to come to me as soon as I am
sufficiently convale5Cent to receive
you. Before granting your request, I
am going to tell yon frankly that,
during my sickness, my feelings have
undergone a radical change, and I
know now tfle't I never loved you
well enough to become your wife.
Forgive rue if I pain' you, but truth
and candor are certainly beat under
the circumstances. I tremble when I
look back and realize what a narrow
escape we both, have had. But for
your accident and detention on that
memorable night, we should have
beenn,irrevocably hound to each
othef'ee and doomed to pay the
penalty of the greatest mistake
of our lives, Yee, Walter, I am
sure it would have been a fatal
mistake and I hope you will look
upon the matter in the same light
that I dio. f can never be your wife,
Walter, and I wonder how I could
have been so long blind to the true
state of my feelings, and, more than
all, how, I !could ever have consented
1 to a clandestine marriage. It seems
to me now, such a weak and foolish
thtng for any girl to do. If a woman
truly loves a man well enough to
become his wide, and is assured that
he is worthy of that love, she should
be strong enough to stand boldly
up, in the face of all opposition, and
assert her pas:tion ; she siio•:ld never
burel•en herself with such a secret or
consent to live a lie. if am greatly
perplexed and troubled over that
wretched faros in the Church of God ;
over the indentity of that mysteri-
ous stranger, and whether that cere-
mon,3r, could, by any possibility, be
regarded as legal. I devoutly hope
hope not, for my whole soul revolts
against the thought of being irre-
vocably pledged to a man .whom. I
have never seen, and who seems to
have disappeared as mysteriously as
he came. I trust, Walter, that we
may be good friends always, and
that you will agree with me that
it is 'better we should live apart. I
am sure that papa, were he living
-even though lie r,ppsarecl to eo earn-
estly desare that I should marry the
son of his best friend -would, know-
ing my present feelings, uphold me
in this step. I am not strong enough
to see you yet so I prefer to write
rather than verbally disclose my
changed sentiments. In a couple of
weeks from to -day, if you bare to
come.to me, in a Friendly wtijy, I squill
be glad to see you ; but please do
not renew tine subject, fory de-
cision is irrevna
cable.
"Sincerely your friend,
"Fioremoe K. Richardson,"
Walter Leigli,ton's face wna,s al-
most convul•ed with wrath after
reading this •letter. Its tone was
very different from the usually
light-hearted, care -free Florence
whom he had liithert.a known.
There lyras a calm erriousness, a
dignified decielon, apparent in its
every line, which plainly told him
that the girl was i'..deL'd changed -
that site had F tdenly developed
from the thoughtless maiden Into a
gravely reasoning woman.
But he raved art swore and vowed
that she should not map? him like
this; that he would never allow the
fortune., for wh:cit he had so long
schemed, to s (p through lits fingers
without making a desperate effort
to secure It and he had a bold plan
in mind.
At the end of tha stipulated two
weeks he made his rppearance'in the
home of the Beavers and asked to
see Florence. He was courteously, al-
though somewhat .oldly, received.
It was 'their usual attitude to-
ward sum, however, and he paid no
special heed to It. It proved to him
that they had not a suspicion of
the incident which had resulted in
the illness of their ward; for, had
they learned of it, they surely would
have refused hem admission to their
'house.
After chatting a few moments
with them he was conducted to the
private sitting room of Florence.
He found her charmingly arrayed
in the daintiest of dainty white
wrappers, and, in pito of her un-
usual pallor and loss of flesh, he
thought he had never seen her look
more beautiful.
She flushed as she arose to greet
him, but frankly extended her sand
to frim, meeting his glance so calm-
ly and smiling so serenly that his
heart sank within him.
Had she been shy and self-con-
e:nous, or confused, ha would have
felt more confident of winning the
suit which he had prepared ito
press.
"Are you fully recovered?" he in-
quired, retaining /ter hand in a lin-
gering clasp ane hoeing fondly down
upon her.
'Yes, I Gihiinlis I may' stay I am will,
although I halve not wholly re-
gained my strength. I took my first
drive to -day tied felt late a uew crea-
ture afterward," site replied, as she
released her hand and motioned hem
to a chair near her, "And you 7"
she added, resuming her own seat.
"1 sincerely hop, you are not still
suffering from your accident."
Again the man's heart sank, dor
surely, he reasoned, she never could
have so eallmiy referred to •the events
of 'the night of their contemplated
marriage unless all sentiment con-
nected with it had been entirely
eradtcatted from her heart. e
"It was nothing,•' he said, making
light of it; "I escaped with. a few
bruises, from winch I have wholly
recovered."
"I am very glad," she quietly re-
turned, and then abruptly changed
the subject, talking .01 everytning
save the one object of his visit.
He (bore It as long as he ,could, and
then suddenly, and passionately
broke forth;
, "Florence, I meant epeak. I cannot
endure this state or things an-
other moment -I eanuot have the
past so ignored. I 'love ,you still-
I shall love you always -in spite of
IVAL F
THE
IN ER FAIR.
•4saa44-o 44-4-0• o•4-aao-•-o-4 o -4.0 -a -9•o -o- as-e-cia-x+
The arrangements already made for
the provincial fruit, flower and honey
show, which will be held in Toronto dur-
ing the second week in November, indi-
cate that it is likely to, prove as im,
portant an event in its line as the big
winter fair held yearly at Guelph. No
effort is being spared to make each feat-
ure of the show of the greatest of the
kind that has ever been held ht Can-
ada. The Ontario Fruit Growers' As-
sociation has drawn up a liberal prize
list and will pay the transportation
charges one way on all exhibits of fruit
sent to the show.
Special prizes will be offered for the
best exhibit of fruit made by any agri-
cultural society. It is expected many
of the societies in the province will
send their total exhibits from their fall
fairs to this show. Arrangements have
been completed to keep this fruit in
cold storage. In this way, it is hoped
to have repeesentative exhibits of fruit
from all parts of the province. Demon-
strations in packing fruit will be given
and bulletins will be issued describing
the special qualities of each variety of
fruit, and stating whether it is best for
cooking or eating purposes. In this way
householders will be enabled to secure
the best varieties of fruits for their
purposes. On the last day of the ex-
hibition, a big auction sale of fruit win
take place.
The money offered for flowers is
over 100 per cent. more than has ever!
before been offered in Toronto, About!
$1,500 will be given in prizes in this sec-
tion alone. The arrangements are MI
charge of a floral committee of which.
Mr. Edward Tyrref, president of the To-
ronto Horticultural Society is chair-
man. The honey prize list is also a
liberal one. Several prizes are offered -
for commercial packages.
Amongst the important gatherings
that will take place at the time of the
show will be the annual meeting of the
Ontario Fruit Growers' Association and
the Ontario Bee Beepers' Association,
while a meeting of delegates from the
various horticultural societies of the
province will also be held. The Ontario
Government has made a grant of $1,000
to aid the eehibition, which has been
supplemented by a grant of $200 from
the City of Toronto.
Particulars regarding the show may
be had by writing to the Secretary, Su-
perintendent II. B. Cowan, Parliament
Buildings, Toronto.
what you have written to me, -and
I cannetr-I will not give you up. I
will not believe it possible that all
your affection for me has vanished.
tell me, --tell me if you would not
drive me wild, that I may hope in
time to win back your alienated af-
fections.'
Florence had grown very pale and
grate while he was speaking; but
when he paused, he observed with
strange composure:
"I hoped, Walter, that you would
aoeept what I wrote you as my ul-
timatum. I assure you I did not
take such a stand without earnest
and deliberate thought. But, per-
haps, now that you have broached
the subject, the may as well settle the
matter,- face to face, once for all.
Ass I told you in my letter, so Iteli
you again now -I can never be
your wife."
The young man assumed an ex-
pression of astonishment.
"You can never be my wife. What
on earth do you mean, Florence?
Your letter w'as full of just such in-
compreheneible ramblings - about
my non-appearance at Rosedale -
the identity of a umysterious
stranger, etc., etc. Why, you are
already my wife, Florence, and noth-
ing but death can ever part us -
at least frpm a legal standpoint."
This was -the 'cold scheme be had
had in Hain"?. Florence shot a start-
led look at him, and flushed a vivid
crimson.
"What can you mean 7" !he won-
deringly inquired., "you know, Wal-
ter, that I Win not your wife -that
you did not meet me at Rosedale
chapel, as you proposed, an that
Tune evening--"
"I did not meet you 7" he inter-
posed with a mystified expression
that was very cleverly assumed.
"Why, no; you must know that
you did not," returned they young
girl with a note of impatience In
her tones; "you have already in-
formed me that you met with an
accident and were detained. We
waited long poet the hour for you,
and finally the most mysterious
thing happened --a stranger ap-
peared and personated you, and I
only discovered the imposi.I.ln after
the ceremony was over, when I
fainted--"
"Floy, for Heaven's sake, what are
you talking about ?" demanded her
companion wonderingly. en 1 regard-
ing her with an appearance, of anxi-
rty. ' I -I -really am afraid that your
illness has not left your mind quite
right. Listen," he went on authori-
tatively, "I own I was late -I was
detained by an accident to a train,
and on reaching home had to hurry
to meet you ; then my horse was
frightened by the storm, and balked
and that kept me still longer; but
I arrived art last, when my friend,
angry at the delay, dragged me to
the altar without even giving me
time to remove my mackintosh, and
then the clergyman hurried through
he ceremony, as if intensely eager
to have it over. It wne a terribly
bungled affair, from first to last,
and when you fainted„ I laid it to
the excitement and fear produced by
the 'storm. My accident occurred on
my way home, from Rosedale."
Florence had eat watching him
with wide eyes and 'aline, eheeeks,
during the as'bave explanation, her
heart burdenel with a terrible fear.
Could it be possible, she asked her-
self, that she land really been de-
ceived, after nil? -that tete excite-
ment, the confusion and suspense.
together with the frightful storm,
had so wrought upon her that she
had been mistaken, and imagined
that a stranger had appeared and
personated Weet'r during that cere-
mony ?
Could it be that, in spite of the
recent revulsion in her feelings, she
was really his wife a•ndbound to him
irrevocably 2 -that she would have
to live out her life with him, even
though he had become positively re-
pulsive 'to her ?
(Po be continued.)'
Armed Christian Endeavorers.
(Geo. T. Angell, in Our Dumb Animals.)
Why not?
If it is a good thing for Sunday Schools,
why not for Christian lindeavorers?
Think of a ninon Christian bkndeavorers
—white endeavorers,and colored armed wifh
rifles, bayonets, swor8s, cannon and getting
guns and a great Christian Undeavor Navy
HUNGRY LYNX IS A TERROR.
California Variety, Though Small, the
Most Dangerous of All.
California has in her hills the uargest
and most kind-hearted of the great fight
ers, the grizzly, and at the same time
the smallest and most treacherous, the
red lynx. Most hunters call them
"wildcats," but they are not. The real
wildcat has a long tail and lives only
in Europe -in fact, he's about extinct
now -and old hunters dread the wailing
midnight cry of a hungry lynx more
than they do al the growls a grizzly
ever let out.
For when a lynx is maddened by hun-
ger he fears neither man or beast, the
most of the animals of the forest give
him the road without waiting for him
to ask it. In Canada and even in the
northern row of states of this nation,
the lynx grows to be much larger than
they do in the warmer climate of the
southwest. Save for those killed by an lynxes ocasional hunter the hold undis-
puted sway in the foothills.
No matter how soundly they may be
sleeping, you can never catch one "nap-
ping," for at the slightest sound of your
approach he will clear the ten or fifteen
feet between his nest and ground and
be off like a flash in the undergrowth.
About the only way to get these fellows
is with hounds, and then generally one
or two of the dogs get pretty severely
chewed up.
In the bilis the lynxs usually stay in
thick underbrush or in eaves during the
day, coming out to work havoc in the
quail coveys by nionlight. Then, if the
night be bright, the (round hunter Bras
real sport, rousing the round -eyed owls,
with bis shouts of encouragement to the
dogs,which are not always ready to rush
into the teeth of an angry cat.
It is almost impossible to trap.a cat,
though a hungry lion may occasionally
be caught in this manner. Now and
then a cat can be run into a trap pre-
viously set along a runway, and in this
way the lumbermen of the Canadian pin -
cries take many of the cats that infest
the great forests of the north. The
further south you go the smaller the
lynxs become, until the family winds up
with the little pampas cat of the South
American plains. Our lynx, however, is
the most savage of all, and the hardest
for any dog, no matter how good he may
be, to master. In a fight a cat has
an immense advantage over a dog in that
be can fight with all fours, and usually
does so. There is little worse can be-
fall a gren pack of dogs than to shake
an old lynx out of a tree in their midst.
When a lynx fights lie doesn't bite and
let go like a wolf or dog, but bites and
hangs on like n bulldog, while his claws
keep up a sort of snare -drum accompani-
ment on the dog's ribs. It takes a pret-
ty good dog to do up it lynx and
when a thoroughbred hunter gets such
a dog it takes a mighty good price to
buy him.
WHEN BABY IS SICK,
Don't dose him with nauseous cas-
tor oil or other harsh griping pure'
gatives. Above all things, don't give
him poisonous, "soothing" stuff. These
things only make him worse. Baby's
Own Tablets are what your little one
needs, They are a gentle laxative, and
make baby sleep, because they make hire
well. They cool his hot little mouth,
case his sour stomach„ and help his ob-
stinate little teeth through painlessly"
They are what every mother needs for
her baby -and the older choldren, too.
Mrs. Routhier, Greenwood, B. C., says -
"I consider Baby's Own Tablets wortid
their weight in gold in every home where
there are children, My only regret is
that I did not learn their great worth
saooner." These Tablets will help every
child from, the moment of birth on
ward, and are guaranteed to contain fie
harmful drug. Sold by all medicine defile
ers or sent by mail at 25 cents a box by
writing The Dr. Williams' Medicine Co.
Brockville, Ont.
_ Hoax ---Does the President of the
of ironolads, rams and torpodoe3. Vni ed States have to learn it tradet
Whet a power they could bring to convert •'Why, 1
the heathen to a knowledge of Christianity! always rt thought not. Hoax— cabs
Tf it is a good thing for the Sunday always he was a cabiit0lei
acid.. why no! for Christian ltndeavorers? maker. _ -