HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1901-03-22, Page 7PLOT FOR [MP1RE.
A THRILLING STORY OF CONTINENTAL CONSPIRACY AGAINST BRITAIN,
"The golf very likely," Wolfenden
said. "rte is a magnificent player."
; Hemet frowned.
' "If I thought so," he said, "I
should consider my journey here a
wasted one. Rut I can't. He is in"the
Midst et delicate and important ne-
gotiations—I know as much as that.
lie would not Come down here at such
a time to play golf. It is anabsu.rd.
idea r
"I really don't see how else you. can
explain it," Wolfenden 'remarked;
"tire greatest men have had their
bobbies, you know. I need not -re-
mind you of Nero's fiddle, or Drake's
bowls."
"Quite unnecessary," Harcutt de-
clared briskly. "Frankly, I don't be-
lieve fn Mr. Sabin's golf. There is
somebody or something down here
connected with his schemes ; the golf
is a subterfuge. He plays well be-
cause he does everything well."
"It will tax your ingenuity," Wol-
fenden said, "to. connect his visit here
with anything in the shape of politi-
cal schemes."
"My ingenuity accepts the task, nt •
any rate," Harcutt said. "I am: go-
ing to find out all about it, and, you
must help me. It will be for both our
interests."
"I am afraid," Wolfenden '+uswered,
"teat you are on a wild goose chase.
Still, I am quite willing to help you
if I can."
"Weil, to. begin," Harcutt said ;
"you have been with ham some time
to -day. Did he ask you any questions
abort the locality ? Did he show euT-
iosity in any of the residents ?"
:Wolfenden shook his head.
"Absolutely none," he answered.
"The only conversation we had, in
which he showed any interest at all,
was concerning my own people. ley
the bye, that reminds me! I told him
of an incident which occurred at Der-
ingham Hall Iast night, and he was
certainly interested and curious. I
chanced to look at him• at an unex-
pected moment, and his appearance
asotnished me. I have never seen e
elm. look so keen about anything be- to
fore."
"Win you tell me the incident at 4e
once. please ?" Harcutt begged too
eagerly. "It may contain the very m
clue for which I am hunting. Any- a
thing which interests, Mr. Sabin in- w
tereste me."
" There is .. no secrecy about the c
matter," Wolfenden said. "I will fit
tell your all about it. You may per- cl
,haps have heard that my father t
has been in very poor health ever st
since the great Solent disaster. It he
unfortunately affected his brain to it
a certain extent. and he has been dr
-the victim of delusions ever since. ( ev
The most serious . of these is, that
he has been commissioned by the • lit
Government to prepare, upon a gi. ! a
gentle scale, a pian and description ! th
of our coast defences and navy. He sp
has a secretary and typist, and en
works ten hours a day ; but from ea
their report and my own observe- tr
tions, I am afraid the only resultisI tr
an absolute unintelligible chaos. ! as
Still, of course, we 'have to take , up
him seriously, and be thankful that ins
it is no worse. Now the incident wi
which I told Mr. Sabin was this. , vol
Last night a man called and intro- " it
duced himself as Dr. Wilmot, the so
great mind specialist. He represent- in
ed that he , had, been staying in ` see
-the neighborhood, and was on 1
friendly terms with the local med. no
iso here, Dr. Whitlett. My father's Mr
ease had been mentioned between . his
, them, and he had become much in- mo
terested in it. He had a theory an
el his owsi for the investigation of ca
aitch cases which consisted, briefly, wh
•�of a careful scrutiny of any work his
done by the patient. " ,He brought o
a letter from Dr. Whitlett, and of
said that if we would procure him 010
a sight of my father's most recent had
manuscripts, he would give us an 1e
•opinion on the case. We never had lea
the slightest suspicion as to the fec
truth of his statements, and I took tr
elm with me to the Admiral's pio
study. However, while we were in
-there, and he was rattling through ami
the manuscripts, up comes Dr. con
Whitlett, the local man, in hot haste.
The letter was a forgery, and the ghee
man an impostor. He escaped
through the window and got clean
away. That Is the story as I told,
it• to Mr. Sabin. What do you make
of it ?
. ',Harcutt stood up, and laid his
hand upon the' other's shoulder. •.
" Well, I've got my clue, that's
all," he declared " the thing's as
plain as sunlight!"
l'ITolferidep rose also to his feet. '
"I must be a fool," he said, "for
I certainly can't see it."
Harcutt lowered his voice.
"Look here, Wolfenden," he said,
"I have no doubt that you are right
and that your father's work is of
no value; but you may bo very
•sure of one thing—Mr. Sabin does
not think so !"
"I don't see what Mr. Sabin has
.got- to dowith it," Wolfenden said.
&1acrutt laughed.
" Well, I will tell you one thing," 'voTit�
lie said; "it is the contents of
your father's study which has
brought Mr. Sabin to Deringham."
t
CHAPTER XXII.
From the Beginning.
A woinan stood in the midst of a
salt wilderness, gazing seaward.
Around her wast a long stretch of
wet sand and of seaweed -stained
rocks, rising from little pools of wa-
ter left by the tide; and beyond, the
marshy country was broken, only by
f^that line of low cliffs, from which
the little tufts of !grass sprouted
feebly. The' waves which • rolle'd al•
most to her feet'were barely. rip.
pies, breaking with scarcely a visible
effort upon the moist sand, Above,
the sky was gray and threatening ;
only a few minutes before a cloud of
white mist had drifted in froze the
sea; aatd settled softly upon the land
h the form of rain. The whole out.
look was typical of intense desola-
tion. The only sound breaking the isi-
lennbe, almost curiously devoid of all
physical and animal noises, was' the
tsoft" �zvtz;shing df :the •sterol • at her feet,'
and every` now and then' the jrngling
•of diver harness as the horses of..
her carriage, drawn up on the road
above, 'tossed their heads and fidget- wife,.
tesquely out of ,place. The coachman,
with pondered hair and the dark
blue Deringham livery sat perfectly
motionless, his head bent a little for-
ward, and his eyes fixed upon his
horses- ears. The footman . by her
side stood with fielded arms and ex-
pression as weedezi as thpuglz he were
waiting upon •a 'Bond street pave-
ment, Both were weary and both
would have liked to vary the moue -
teeny by a little conversation ; but.
only a. few ya'rds away the woman
was starnding whose curious taste had
• led her to visit such a spot.
Her arms Were hangimg listlessly by
her side, her whole expression, al-
though her face was upturned toward -
the sky, was one of intense dejection.
Something about ,her attitude be-
spoke a keen and intimate sympathy
with the desolation of her surround-
ings. The woman was unhappy ; the
light in her dark eyes was inimitably
sad. Her cheeks were pale and a lit-
tle wan. Yet Lady Deringham was
very handsome—ass handsome as a
woman epproaobJe middle age could
hope to be. Heir.. figure Was still slim
and' elegant, the streaks of gray in
her raven black hair were few and
far between. She might - have lived
hand -in hand with sorrow, but It bad
done very little to age ,he'r. • Only a
few years ,ago, in the crowded 'ball-
room of a palace, a 'prince had de-
clared her to be the handsomest wo-
man of her age, and the prince had
tho reputation of knowing. It was easy
to believe it.
How Iong the woman tnight have
lingered there it is hard to say, for
evidently the spot possessed a. pecu-
liar fascination for hei•, and 'she had
given herself up to a rare fit of ab-
straction. But some sound—
was it tho low wailing of
that seagull, or the more
distant cry of a hawk, motionless in
mid-air and,scarcely -visible against
the .cloudy, • sky, which caused her to
turn her head inland'? And then she
saw that the solitude' was no longer
unbroken. A dark object had rounded
dy• little headland, and was
oming steadily towards her. She
oked at it With a momentary inter -
5, her •skirt raised in her hand, al-
dy a few steps back on her return
the waiting carriage. Was it a
an ? It was something human, at
ny rate, although its progression
as slow and ungraceful, and marked
NV
a peculiar but uniform eaten.
ne stood, perfectly still, a motionless
gure against the background of wan,
oud-shadowed sea and gathering
wilight, her eyes rivetted upon this
range thing, her lips slightly parted, -
r cheeks as pale as death. Gradually
came nearer and nearer. Her skirt
opped from lier nerveless fingers, her
es, a. moment before dull, with an
finite and pitiful emptiness, were
now }vith ,a •new light. She was not
lone; nor was she unprotected, yet
e woman was suffering from a
ism of terror—one could scarcely
agine any eight revolting enough to
11 up that expression of acute and
embling fear, which had • suddenly
ansformed her apt eerance. It was
though' the level: sands had yielded
their dead---tlie shipwrecked mar-
rs of generations—and they all,
th white, gad faces and wailing
ces, were closing in around her: Yet
was hard to account for a terror
abject. There was certainly nothing
the figure, now close at hand, which
med.capable"of inspiring it.
t was a map with a club foot—
thing more nor less. In fact, it was
Sabin ! There was nothing about
appearance, save that ungainly
vement caused by his deformity, in
y way singular or threatening. He
me steadily nearer, and khat woman
o awaited him trembled. Perhaps
expression was a trifle sardonic,
wing chiefly to the extreme pallor
his skin, and elle black flannel
thes with invisible stripe, which lie
been wearing for golf. Yet when
lifted his soft felt hat from his
d and bowed with an ease and ef-
t palpably acquired in other coun-
ies, his apeearanee was far from un-
asant. Ile"stood there bare -headed
the twilight a strangely winning
le upon bis dark face, and his heard
rteously bent. t
The most delightful of unexpected
tings," be murmured. "I am afraid
that I' have come upon you like an
apparition, dear. Lady•,])eringiiam1 •1
must have startled you! Yes, I can bee
by your face that I did ; I am so sorry.
Doubtless you did. not know ante yes-
terday that I was in England."
Lady Deringham was slowly recov-
ering herself. She was whitastill, even
to the lips; and there was a strange,
sick pain •at her heart. Yet ;shean-
swered ".flint wick something of ,+her
usual dehUerateness, conscious perhaps
that her servants, altlzougl their
heads were studiously averted, had.
Yet witnessed• with • surprise this un-
expected meeting.
"You certainly startled me," she
said ;• "I bad imagined that this was
the most desolate part •of ail unfre-
quented spots! It here I come.when
I want to feel absolutely alone. I did
not dream of meeting another fellow
creature -least of.- n11 people in the
, per laps, you ]"
perhaps the better prepared. A few
minutes ago, frcen the cliffs yonder, I
saw your carriage drawn up here, and
I saw Toe alight. I wanted to speak
with you, so. I lost no time in scram-
bling down on to the sands.'You have
changed marvellously little, Lady Der-
inghana 1"
"And you," she said, "only in name.
You are the Mr. Sabin with whom
my son wee playing golf yesterday
"I am Mr. Sabin," he answered.
"Your son did me a good service a
week or txec.' back: He is a very fine
yonng. fellow; congratulate you."
"And your niece," Lady Jeering -
ham asked,; "who Is she ? My son spoke
to me of her last tight,"
Mr, Saisiri' dialed faintly.
I• Madame," he said. "there have
been so many people lately who have
been asking me that question; yet -to
you as to them' I must return the
same answer. She is My niece!"
"She shares my name at present."
"Is she your daughter ?"
• He steak' hishead Sadly;
"X have never been married," he maid,
With an indefinable mournfulness • in
his flexible tones "X have h
nor child, nor friend, It le well
that I have not 1"
40. the ea.rriatge haat seeined gra for Me
else looked down at his deforzii ty,
and, woman-like, she shivered.
"'It is no better, then?" she mor-
mured, with ,eyes turned seaward.
"It is absolutely incurable," he de'
clared.
She changed the subject abruptly -
"'rhe last I heard o1 you," she said,
"was that you were in China. You
were planning great things there. In
ten years, I was told, Europe teas to
be at your mercy 1"
"I left Pekin five years ago," he
said. "China is a land of Cabals. She
may yet be the greatest country in
the world. I, for one, believe in her
destiny, but it will be in the genera-
tions to Comer I have no patience to
labor for another to reap the harvest;
Then, too, a craving for just one
draught of civilization -brought me
westward again. Mongolian ilixbits are
interesting, brit a little trying."
"And what," she asked, 'looking at
.him.steadily, "lois brought you to Der-
ingham, of all places •upon this earth?"
He smiled, and with his stick traced
•a quaint'• pattern in the sand; •
"I hove never told you anything
that was not the truth," he said ;. "I
will 'not begin now. I might have told
yon that I was here by ' ehance: for
change of air, or for the golf. Neither
of these things would have • been
true: I azo here because I!er•ingham
village 'is only .a mule or two. from
Derimgilam Hall."
She drew a little closer to him. The
jingling of harness as her horses -toss-
ed their heads impatiently reminded
he' of the close proximity oe the ser-
vautS. . •
What do ,you want of me 2"•• she
asked hoarsely.
He looked. at hex- in mild reproach,
a: good-humored smile at •the corner
of his lice; yet, after all, was ' it
good humor or some curious out-
ward reflection of the working of •)Tis
secret thoughts? When he spoke, the
reproach, at any rate, was manifest.
"Want of you ? You .talk as, though
I were a biatkmailer, or something
equally obnoxious. Is that quite fair,
Constance?" •
She evaded the reproach • • perhaps
she was not •consciouns of it. It was
the. truth size wanted.
"You had some end in coming here,"
she persisted. "What is et? I can-
not conceive anything -4n in the world
you have to gain by coming to see
me. We have left the world and so-
ciety ; we live buried. Whatever fresh
schemes you may be planning, there
is no way in whieh we could help
you. You aro richer, stronger, 'more
powerful than we. I•can think," she
dded, "of only one thiol* which may
rave broaget you." •
"And that ?" he asked, deliberately.
She looked at frim with a certain
tremulous wistfulness in her eyes,
and with softening face.
"It nlay.be," she said, "that as you
*row older you have grown . kinder ;
you may have thought" of my great
esire, and you were always gezier-
us, Victor, you may have come to
grant it 1,
•
The slihtest possible change pass-
cl over his face as his Christian name
lipped from her lips. The firm lines
bout his mouth certainly relaxed, Itis
ark eyes gleamed for a moment with
• kindlier light. Perhaps at that min-
te for both of them came a sudden
kiting of the curtain, a lingering
ackward glance into the world of
heir youth, passionate, beautiful, se-
uetive. There were memories tliere
which still seemed set to music-memn-
ies which pierced :even the armor
f his equanimity. Her .eyes filled
ith taars as she looked at him. With
quick gesture size laid her hand
upon his. ` .
"Believe me, Victor," 'she said, "I
ave always thought of you kindly; -
ou have suffered terribly 'for my w
ice, and your silence was magnifi• a
cent. I have never forgotten it." m
His face clouded over, her impulsive
words had been Alter all ill eh scn,
e had touched a sore point! There •
as something in tilesr, memories dis-
teful to lu.m. They recalled the one lu
nae in bis life when he had been
orsted by another matt. His cynic- a
in returned.
I am afraid," he said, "teat the
years, which have made so little
range in your appearance, have d
ado you a sentimentalist. I can a
sure you that these old memories
Wore trouble the."
Then, with a lightning -like intui-
on, almost - akin to inspiration, he t•
w that he had made a mistake: Ills gi
st hold upon the woman. had been st
rough that mixture • of Sentiment
d pity, which something in their of
onversation had reawakened in her. re
was destroying it ruthlessly, and a
his. accord. What folly ! gr
'Bah! I am lying," he said softly;
hy shoulc! I? Between you and me, st
Co;stance, there should be nothing on
t truth. Wo at least should be -5111- in
ere, one to the other. You are right,
have brought you something which •sa
mild have been yours long ago."' y
She looked at lii.m with wondering de
es. .
'You are going to give me the let
s 2" ` a%iv
'I am going to give them to you," ex
said. "With the destruction of to
is little packet falls away the last
k which held us together." wi
He had taken a little bundle of let- a,m
s, tied with a faded ribbon, •from • ne
pocket, and held them out to her.. pi
en in that salt -odorous air the mi
fume of Strange scents seemed to I
ep out, Irom those closely written ha
ets as they fluttered is the ;freeze.
dy De'ringha.zn clasped'. the picket oe
lz both lianas and Iter eyes avero on
y bright and very soft.
It is not se, Victor," she inur- .mu
red. "There is a new and a stronger Dug
k between us•now, the 'link of my my
riasting�' gratitude. Ale you were so:
ays generous, always quixotic! ,nes-
m�e day I felt sure tliat you would am
this.
When I left Europe," he said, "you
21c] have likd them, but there was .see
trusted messenger whore. I could ' She
re. Yet if I had" never returned
ey were- so bestowed that they don
1d have come into your hands ICn
h perfect safety. Even now, Con- gal
hoe, will you think me very weak agr I say teat' I part with them rat
It regret ? They have been with tie
u
through many dangers and many day
nge "happenings." •• „
ou area size whispered, "the old lou•
tor again! Thank God that I sia,
had this one glimpse of you! I
ashamed to think )tow terrified to"
the been." fag
to held out her htind'lmpulslvely.. eon.
took it in leis; and, ,with a glance : will
her Servants, let It fall almost Ante
mhdiately.' • lav,
onstance," he saki, "I am going ono'
y now. 'I have accomplished What of x
mo •for. But first, would you • hist
to do me a Small service ? It is evit
a trifle.," has
thrill
''of the oid'tiistrnstful fear I, li'
k her heart. Half ashamed of lier• Ger-
she stifled it at once, and strove and,
newer him calmly, • fee
there 18 anything within my Ss
er Which 1 cent do for you, Vie•
ar
1
d
0
e
s
a
d
a
u
1
b
t
-c1
O1
0
w
a
Yui
y
sa
sli
w
las
tau
w
i5
el
m
as
set
ti
sa
be
th
an
c
He
of
bu
00
I
Sh
S
ey.
t,en
he
th
lin
tee
Ids
Ev
Der
'ere
she
La
wit
ver
mu
lin
eve
alto
So
do
SO
wen
no
SpA.
Avon
wit
sta
wile
wit;
me
stra
Vi
have
ant
I h.
SI
He
at
im
awa
I ca
care
only
shoo
sell
• to'r[ 2t
pow
tor," elle said, 'It wilt make me very
happy. You would not tisk xue„I know,
unless—unless--e"
uepeed have
terrtlpted Calmly; pa fear," very lit-
tie thing. Do ,you think that Lord
Deringham woulcl"kpow me main af.
ter so many years 2"
"My husband 2"
"Yes !"
Site .looked nt him in something like
amazement. •Before elle could ask' the
question which was framing itself up-
on her lips, however, they , were both
aware of a distant soupd, rapidly
drawing nearer—the thunder of a
horse's hoofs npon the'soft send. Look-
ing up they both recognized the rider
at the same instant.
"It is your son," Mr, Sabin. said
quickly; "you need not mind. Leave
Inc to explain. Tell me when I can
find you at home arcane?"
"I am always' alone," she answer-
ed. "But come to -morrow.",
•
CHA1? IiEH .Z3•III. . •,
Mr. Sabin Explains.
Mr. Sabin and his niece had finished
their dinner and -were lingering. a
little o-erean unusually luxuriousIdes-
scrt. Wolfenden had sent some inue-
catel grapes and peaches from the
'forcing; houses at Derhigharn Hall—
such peaches' as Covent Garden could
scarcely- match, and certainly net ex-
cel. Mr. Sabin looked a,eroes.at Helene
gin they were placed, upon the ;table,
with a significant smile.
•
"An Englishman;" • he remarke• d,
pouring himself out,- a glass oo• bur-
gundy and drawing the cigarettes to-
wards him, "never knows when he is
beaten. As a national trait it is'mag-
nificent, in prir'ate life it is a little
awkward." . • - •
Helene had been sitting through the
meal, still and statuesque in her
black dinner gown, a little more pale
than usual, and very silent. At Mr.
Selene. remark, she looked up quickly.
"Are you alluding to Lord• WolIen-
don ?" she asked. -'
'Mr. :Sabin lit his cigarette, •and•
nodded through the •mist • of bine
smoke,.
"To no less a person," he answere
with a shade of mockery in itis, ton
"T ciui beginning to find my guardia
Fhilr no sinecure after all! •Do "y
know, it never occurred to me, wh
ive concluded our .little arrangeme .
that I might have to exercise . m
authority- against -so ardent •a suite
You would have found his lordsh
hard to get rid of this morning,, I am
afraid, but for -my opportune a
rival." -
"By no means," she answered. ,Lor
li'olfenden is tt, gentleman, and h
ons not 'more persistent- than he ha
a right to be."
"Perham" Mr. Sabin remarke
"you would have been better please
1f. I had not come ?'•'
"I am quite sure of it," she a
matted ; "but then it is so like you t
arrive just at a erisis ! Do you knop,
I can't help fancying that there i
something theatrical, -about you
coming, and goings! You appear—an
one looks for a curtain and a• tab
leaux. 'Where could you hay
dropped from this morning.2" -
"1'rom Cromer, u a donkey -cart,
he answered, smiling. "I got as far a
Peterborough last night, •and Carrie
here by the first train. There w
nothing . very melodramatic, abou
that, surely 1"
"it •does not sound • so, certainly
Your playing golf with Lord Wolfen
den :afterwards was • commonplac
enough 1" -
"1 found Lord Wolfenden very in
toresting," Mr. Sabin said, thought
fully. "He told -me a good deal whit
d,
e.
n-
oun ,
en.,
nt,
y
ip
r-
d
e
d
d,
d
d-
o.
s
r.
d
e
9
o
as
t:
•
e
h
as important for me toknow;
mt hoping that to -night he will tell
e more."
"To -night ! Is he conning here?"
2.)r. Sabin assented calmly.
-Yes. I thought you would be sur-
prised. But then you need not sec
!In, you know. I met him riding upon
he sands this afternoon—et rather
n awkward moment, by the !ve—
nd asked hitt to dine with us."
"Ile refused, of course?"
"Only the dinner ; presumably he
oubted our cook, for 'he atked to be
llowed to come down afterwards. He
will be here soon."
"Why did you ask him 2"
Mr. Sali!n looked keenly across the
a .bio. There was something in s the
res face which he scarcely under.
ood.
"Well, not 'altogether for the sake
his company, 1 must conTess," he
plied. "Ile Inas been useful to .me,
net he Is in the position to be a
eat deal more so."
The girl rose up. She came over and
ood before him. Mr. Sabin 'knew at
ce that something unusual. was go -
g to happen.
"You want to make of him;" she
Id,. in a'•low, intense tone, "what
ou make of everyone—a tool Un-
r:sta,nd that I will not have it !"
'Helene!" •
'Tie :single word, and the glance
high flashed from Erie eyes was
pressive, but the 'girl did not fai-
r.
Oh I I am weary of it," she cried,
th a little passionate outburst, "1
sick to death of it ail 1 Yoe,, will
ver succeed - in what you are
arming. One might 'sooner • expect a
reale. I shall go back to 'Vienna.
am tired of masquerading. I have
cl-marc than enough of it." •
Mr. Sabin's expression did not alter
o iota; he spoke as soothingly. as
e would speak to a child.
I am a:frald," he (said,quietly,"that it
St be dull fur you. Perhaps I,
lit, to. have taken _you„morainto
oontiaaende.; very '-well, f twill do
now; Listen :. 'You say that I shall
er succeed On the contrary; I
on the seeint ` tf success ; the wait.
g for •both' of us is nearly over.”
The prospect startled, but did not
in altogether to enrapture, her.
wanted to hear more.
I received this despatch from' Lon -
this morning," les. said. -"Baron
igenstein• has left for Berlin.; -to
11 -the Emperor's • consent to. an
regiment which we 'have already
ified. The affair is aS good as set -
Germany I' she exclainaecl, incredu.
Make a carbide rather bumiliat-
confession. I, Who have always
the times, •especially• sinae,, my_
rest In European. Matters revived,
remained wholly ignorant of
-Of • the moet•extraordinary phases
ory will show its% that' It was in -
able, bat -I must confess that it
memo upon me like a thunder clap.
inevitable allies. That is neither
Metter of fact tney are haturai'
CEYLON AND INDIA
GREEN OR BLACK,
- IS .ECONOMICAL TEA.
Its greater strength combined with its absolwte purity mat
best tea on the market.
If your grocer 'aloes not keep it he will get it rather than 1
trade,
'ASK FOR IT.
A free sample of deliciot s SALADA Tea sent .on receipt
mentioning Which you:drink—Dlaelc, Mixed or Careen Tea.
•
SALADA," Toronto or Montreal.
THE WATER SPIDER
AND ITS AE
It seems strapge that a certain
kind of spiclor is capable of forming
' bible, taking it , down through
the. We ter 'and- discharging it into
its nest, so that the eggse and
later on, the: young, are kept dry
and given air. Yet this is what the
water spider does.
^Al;hciugh- this spider lives in land,
where it needs plenty of air to
breathe, it is really hatched. under
the water, and spends a great deal
of its time there beneath the sur-
face. Its body is covered with hair,
which. 'holds the ` ala like drops of
water;; - and when the body is
charged with these air particles,
the spider dives down under the sur-
face, forming a bubble which it
holds between the hind legs and car-
ries with it. It is Duly in this inan-
ner teat it .can •.furnish air' for the
interior, of lite' nest, keeping it dry
until the eggs are"hatched.
First, of course, the mother spider
wont break and escape.
to the 'hest; See dischargea
bie in it. ' Mile, of couest
oat :basn•e ot' tee water, la
tea filled with oar. ;As tin
largee requiring a greet
spider makes another, anti
other trip, until the whole
In free from moisture. 13y
plc process she keeps the .
and furnishes air for the
til they are large enough
out and get it for theme
But as much es thith ,sp
under water, it is always
matter hove long it may
swimming around under '
face, the moments.. it come
top, there is no trace of
in it. The reason of this
the air particles that el
hair, keep off the water
vent it front soaking till -
skin. Another strenge th
it is, that it eon SWIM NO
NEST. BUILDING AND
builds her nest. This is tilaced seme
distance down in the water, and is
a sort of cell spun in the shape of
an egg, having an opening on :the
under side. When this is completed,
she rises to the surface, and there
•tehaagees her body thoroughly with
air. Then once more she dives • un-
der the surface, the water forming
a bubble which graanally swells out
from the body. This she skilfully
holds between her furry hind legs,
firmlY, and yet gently,.so that it
burden. ' The, best ;Way
the water spider is tote
a vessel' filled with wateit.
tabling sem:a water plant.
will quickly spin its web, a
on flies and bugs, lead its
The eggs of this spider ar
a cocoon, shaped somethin
top of a round dish. It
contains a hundred or m
.each one of which separa.
the other.
She sank into a chair and looked
at libel blankly,.
"But it is. impcesible." she cried.
"There are all the ties of relation-
ship. and a common stock. They are
"Don't you know," he said, "that
It is the like vs-hich irritates and re-
pels' the like. It is this relationship
whicli has been at the root of the
great jealousy, which seems to have
spread all through Germany. I teed
not go into all the causes of it With
you now; sufficient it is to say that
all the recent suceesses of England
pave been at Germany's expense.
There has been a storm brewing for
long; to -day, to -morrow, in a week,
surely. within a month, it will break."
"You may be right," she seed ; "but
Nvlio of all tlie Frenchwomen I know
would care to reckon themselves the
debtors of Germany?"
(To be Continued.)
Same Changes Win be Made in the
For many .years, even before the
reign of q,ue-en Victoria., it was the
cuatom of the bombaidier to the cor-
poration at Windsor to fire royal
&elutes op royal birthdays and royal.
anniversaries. 'The liet of the daes•
oh which this .forni of celebration is
to be carried out has just been re-
vised by the King, and' includes "Vic-
teria Day," Salutes, tor the present,
will be fired in the Long Walk of
Windsor 'Greet Park, as follows: •
March. 10—Wedding day of the
Louise (Dechese of Argyll). -
March 1S—Birthday of Princess
April 14—Birthday of Princess efenry
May .1—Birthday of the Duke oe
Connaught. •
May 24—Birthday of her late Ma-
jesty Queen Victoria:
May 25—Birthday of Princess Chris-
• May 26-13irthday of the Duchess
of Cornn-all and York.
Juno 0—Birthday of the Duke of
- -Tune 23—Birthday of Prince Edward
of York.
July 6—Wedding day of the Duke
CorniVall and York:.
Noir. 9—Birthday of the King.
Nev. 21—Birthday of the Empress
Dec. 1-8,Irthclay of the Queen.
June 28;" the anniirersary .of the
Queen's coronation has been struck
off, and after 1002 the anniversary
of the Queen's accession to the
throne will also be omitte(1 ;
Signs of Insanity.
ly right, le she? Slightly deranged
mentally I should say ?
thrinrkibiseoyL
I heard her admit that an-
other woman looked well in a bone
°So he wants to tnarry you, eh?"
demanded her father. "Do you know
anything about his •meaus?"
"Atli I know IS tha,t he wean t
MOHAMMED AND. HIS R
Founder of Islam
ten interesting address o
med was given by Talcott
in Philadelphia. He said:
"4 sense of inspiration,
sincere, possibly .accompa
ebilepsy, undoubtedly
with cataleptic trances,
him in his 40th year. Tee
of all religions but one h
ed this age before begin
preach their new faith. A
fasting and prayer ha
fast of 40 days, vehich he
ligatory on all Moslems,'
companied hy the first of
lations upon the unity,
knowledge and the .alasolu
of God, in whonr elope. he"
nese end ignoranee could
find strength for every t
knowledge for every need.
yeare after this limplea.tio
the life of a neurotic, anx
secuted and teentecl poet'
exhotter and ethical :teach
"Threetened with death
(622) at 52 to Medina.
000,000 of his followers
every date from this epoch
yeaes• mere he was ehe
ruler of the Arab type,
save when policy required n
high physical courage, not
treachery; adding to his h
fancy prompted him ; the .k
politician, law -giver, poet,
and pr' ..st. His utterance
f..'3 'years, half those of the
and rejected seer and half
cepted and ambttions neer
tete the Irortan, his -mon
"But the strength of his
eresits acceptance of the 're
Abraham,' Semitic anenorti
truth a clevelemarent, but
stages held 'up as.. the
ideal of the race, joined to
moral typo of Ids environ
uncompromising truet in t
will. Its weakness lay in
aence of a. personal link bet
inanity and the divine,- a
ethical creed based on a e
veleped society. 'The abseil
has made Islamism cas
rested development; le whi
some high and lofty . spix.'
great nines have decided th
easier to say prayers five
day• than to be good."
The experienee
cupants of an onveibus• in the
la, Republique recentlyavae a
ly exciting one, writers a Par
sporelent ,of the London E:tpr
A fried -potato dealer havi
dentally spilled some What
a cat whieh hod got itt the
animal la its agony dttehed I
passengers, tearing them ar
clothing, lacerating the cush`
yelling madly all the time.
When the. occupant,s had
ed from.' the vehicle "
entered, and after a
s o ne pet the poor animal
. ; 1.. marry nie, 'replied the girl. k wilier); With, a blerte. from it