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, If ?? : Masqu By KATHER1NE Author of "T * Copyright. 190*. by "We'llr* ho said. "Welir* I-akeley smiled. "We all know that ^ Sefborough's ministry la?well, top& heavy," he said. "Sefborough Is building his card house Just a story too high. It's a toss up wliat'U upset the bHlauce. It might be the army, of course, or It might be edUcutiou, but It might quite as well be a matter of foreign policy!" They looked at each other in comprehensive silence. uu nuunr as nni I lllill 11 S UOl tl^ question of whether Russia comes into Persia, but the question of whether Russia goes out of Persia when these Hazaras are subdued: I'll lay you what .you like, Chilcote. that within one week we hear that the risings are suppressed, but that Russia, instead of retiriug, has advanced those tempting twenty miles and comfortably ensconced herself at Meshed?as she ensconced herself on the islniul of Ashurada." Lakeley's uervous, energetic figure was braced, his light blue eyes brightened by ^ the Intensity of his interest. "If tills news comes before the Easter recess," he went on, "the first nail can be hammered in on the motion for ] adjournment. And if the right man does it in the right way I'll lay my life 'twill be a nail in Sefborougli's colliu." ' Loder sat very still. Overwhelming possibilities had suddenly opened be- | Tore him. In a moment the uurenlitv i of the past months had become real; a i tangible Justification of himself and his Imposture was suddenlj* made possible. Ill the stress of lliwlerstiinfllnir he, too. leaned forward, and. resting his elbows on the desk, took Ills face between his hands. For a space Lakeley made 110 remark. To him inuu and man's .moods came second in interest to his paper and his jVarty politics. That Cliilcote should he ' conscious of the glories he had opened 1 up seemed only natural; that be should show that consciousness In a beeomlug gravity seemed only right. For some 1 seconds he made no attempt to disturb 1 him, but at last his own irrepressible activity made silence unendurable. lie caught up his pencil and tapped Impatiently on the desk. "Cbilcote," he said qujckly and with a gleam ol sudden anxiety, "you're not ky any chance doubtful of yourself?" | At sound of bis voice Loder lifted his 1 face; It was quite pale again," but tlie j ?nergy and resolution that had come ( Into it when lakeley first spoke were still to be seen. "No, Lakeley," he said very slowly, " it's not "the sort of moment In which a man dbubts himself." CFIAPTEIt XIX. so it came to pass that Loder I A I was freed from one respouslIj\\ blllty to undertake another. | 1 1 From the morning of March 27, ; when Lakeley had expounded thepolltl- j <?al programme In the offices of the St. j Oeorge's Gazette, to the afternoon of April 1 he fouud himself a central figure In the whirlpool of activity that formed Itself In Conservative circles. With the acumen for which he was noted, Lakeley had touched the keystone of the situation on that morning, and succeeding events, each fraught with Its own importance, had established the preclslou of his forecast. Minutely watchful of Russia's attitude, Fralde quietly organized his ; forces and strengthened his position , with a statesmanlike grasp of opportu- j nlty, and to Loder the attributes displayed by his leader during those try- ! lug days formed an endless and ab- j sorbing study. Setting the thought of ! Ohllcote aside, Ignoring his own posl- j tlon and the risks he daily rau, he had 1 fully yielded to the glamour of the mo- , ment and In the lirst freedom of a loose rein he had given unreservedly all that he possessed of activity, capac. Jty and determination to the cause that hnd claimed him. Singularly privileged In a constant personal contact with Fralde, he learned many valuable lessons of tact and j organization in those live vital days j during which the tactics of a whole party hung upon one item of news from a country thousands of miles awuy. For should Russia subdue the Insurgent Hazards and. laden with the honors of the peacemaker, retire across 1he frontier, then the political arena would remain undisturbed; but should the all Important movement predicted ! Ittr T il/nlnv luuntitui it it fili't ha fore purlininent rose for the Easter recess, then tlie tlrst blow In the fight tint would rage during the succeeding fnMslon must inevitably be struck. In the meant line it was Fraide^ difficult position to wait and watch and yet preserve his dignity. It was early in the afternoon of March 20 that Loder, in response to a long standing invitation, lunched quietly with the Fraides. Being delayed by some communications from Wark, he was a few minutes late In keeping his appointment, and on being shown Into the drawing room found the little group of three that was to make up the party already assembled?Fralde, Lady Sarah?and Eve. As he entered the room they ceased to speak, and all three turned In his direction. In the first moment he had a vague Impression of responding suitably to Lady Sarah's cordial greeting, hut he knew that Immediately and unconsciously his eyes turned to Eve, while : JMr . '/ . ^ ? ??1?PW I HE :erader CECIL THURSTON, he Circle." Etc. ' Harper Brother* I a quirk sense of surprise "and satlsfacI tlon passed through him at sight of i her. For an instant he wondered how | she would mark his avoidance of her ! since their Inst eventful Interview; then I Instantly he blamed himself for the ' passing doubt. For, before all things. ! he knew her to bo a woman of the world. He took Fralde's outstretched hand, and again he looked toward Eve, waiting for her to speak. She met his glance, but said nothing. ! Instead of speaking she smiled at him [ ?a suiile that was far more reassuring I than any words, a smile that In a I single second conveyed forglveuess, I approbation and a warm, almost ten! der sense of sympathy and compreheuI slon. The remembrance of thnt smile stayed with him long after they were j seated at table and far Into the future 1 ! li?? ronunnl'.fntuut r\f ....vv V7 4 lire IUIII.II ll.M'll, ! with its pleasant private sense of satisfaction. was destined to return to j him in retrospective moments. The delightful atmosphere of the Kraldes* home life had always been a wonder auil au enigma to him, lint on this day he seemed to grasp its meaning by a new iight as he watched Eve often under its intluence and felt himself drawn Imperceptibly from the position of a speculative outsider to that of au intimate. It was a fresh side to the complex, faseinatiug life of which , Frnkle was the master spirit. Those reductions bail grown agreeably familiar to his mind. The talk, momentarily diverted into social channels. was quietly drifting back to the inevitable question of the "situation" i that in private moments was never fur from iheir lips, when the event that was to mark and separate that day from those that had preceded it was . unceremoniously thrust upon them. Without announcement or apology, the door was suddenly dung open and Lnkeley entered the room. His face was brimming with excite- i meat, and ids eyes dashed. In the first liaste of the entry he failed to see that there were ladles in the room and, crossing instantly to Fraide, laid an open telegram before him. "This is official, sir," he said. Then at last he glanced round the table. "Lady Sanjb!" he exclaimed, "t'an you ringive fsict?n?it I'd*have given n hundred puuu^ to t)e the first xvmi i this!" He glanced back at Fraide. Lady Sarah rose and stretched out her hand. "Mr. Lakeley," she said, "I more than understand!" There was a thrill lu her warm, cordial voice, and her eyes also turned toward her husbuud. Of the whole party Fraide alone was perfectly calm. He sat very still. Ills small, thin figure erect and dignified, as his eyes scanned the message that | meant so much. Eve, who had sprung from her seat and passed round the table at sound of I^akeley's news, was leaning over his shoulder reading the telegram with him. At the last word she lifted her head, her face hushed with excitement "How splendid It must be to be a man!" she exclaimed, and wlfflout premeditation her eyes and Loder's met. In this manner came the news from Persia and with It Loder's definite call. In the momentary stress of action It was impossible that any thought of Cbllcote could obtrude Itself. Events had followed each other too rapidly, decisive action had been too much thrust iiih> 11 hint, to allow of heslta- ; tlon, and It waa In this spirit, under this vigorous pressure, that he nmde ! his attack upon the government on the day that followed Fraide's luncheon party. That Indefinable attentiveness, that alert sensation of Impending storm, that Is so strong an Index of the parliamentary atmosphere was very keen on that memorable 1st of April. It was obvious In the crowded beucliea i on both sides of the house, In the oneness of purpose that Insensibly made Itself felt through the ranks of the opposition and found definite expression in Fraide's stiff figure and tightly shut i Hps, In the unmistakable uneasiness that lay upon the ministerial benches. But notwithstanding ther/? Indications of battle the early portion of the proceedings was unmarked by excltemeut, being tinged with the purposeless j lack of vltullt.v that had of late marked all affairs of the Sefborough ministry, and It was not until the adlournment of the house for the Easter recess had at last been moved that tlie spirit of activity hovering In the air descended and galvanized the assembly Into life. It was then, amid a stir of interest, that I.?oder slowly rose. Many curious Incidents have marked the speechmaklng annals of the house of commons, hut It Is doubtful whether It has ever been the lot of a member to henr his own voice raised for the first time on a subject of vital Interest to his party, having been denied all Initial assistance of minor questions asked or unimportant amendments made. Of all those gathered together In the great building on that day. only one man appreciated the difficulty of Loder's position, and that man was Loder himself. He rose slowly and stood silent for a couple of seconds, his liody braced, his fingers touching the sheaf of notes that lay In front of him. To the wait- j v; I > Ing bouse the silence was effective. | might mean overnssuranee or It mit^ inenn a failure of nerve at a critiil moment. Klther possibility had a tlgo \ of piquancy. Moved by the satno^n pulse, fifty pairs of eyes turn?>d for blni with new Interest, but upth< Indies' gallery Kve clasped hsr flundi In sudden apprehenslou, ai^ Frtlde sitting stithy In his seat. jjTrued am shot one swift glance at tie man or whom, against prudence anjprecpdent he hnd pinned his faith. 'j?-01 glaums j was swift, but very searcbin *nd wltl a characteristic movement f-hls wirj j shoulders he resumed his p sltlon ant bis usunl grave, attentive altitude. A the same momeut Ixnier lifted bis hear and began to 8)>euk. Llero at the outset his iutxi>erieuc? met him. His voice, pitched tc?o low only reached those directly 'near him ! It was a moment of great stit&in. Eve ! listening Intently, drew n long breitl of suspense and h t her lingers dro] apart. The skeptical, watchful eye that faced him, line upon line, seeuier to ttnsli and brighten with critical in terest. Ouly Fraide made no change o expression. He sat placid, serious, at i tentive, with the shadow of n smile bo hind his eyes. Again I/oder paused, but this tUfie tli pause was shorter. The ordeal he l?ui dreaded and waited for was.passed and he saw tils way clearly. With th old movement of the shoulders hi straightened himself and once more he gun to speak. This time his voicb ranj quietly true and commanding acros tlio tlHHr of Hio 1>aiio? No first stop eau be really great. I must of necessity possess more o , prophecy than of achievement. Never theless it Is by the first step that a lnui marks the value not only of his cause but of himself. Following broadly 01 the lines that tradition has laid dowi for the Conservative orator. I.oder dis guiscd rather than displayed the veil of strong, persuasive eloquence tlia was liis natural gift. The occasion tlia might possibly justify such a dlspln; or individuality might lie with the fu fure, but it had no application to tin present. For the moment his duty was to voice his party sentiments witl as inueli lucidity, as much logic and a: much calm conviction as lay withii ids on pari ty. Standing quietly in Chlleote's place ho was conscious with a deep sense ol iK Jfet I III# voice rang quietly true and com minding. gravity of the peculiarity of his position, and perhaps it was this unconscious and unstudied seriousness that lent him the tone of weight and Judgment so essential to the cause he had In hand. It has always been difficult to arouse the interest of the house on matters of British policy In Persia. Once aroused It may. It Is true, reach fever heat with remarkable rapidity, but the introductory stages offer that worst danger to the earnest speaker? the dread of an apathetic audience. But from this consideration Ixaler, by his sharp consciousness of personal difficulties, was given Immunity. Pitching his voice in that '.<>uietly masterful tone that l>eyond all others compels attention, he took up his subject and dealt with It with dispassionate force. With great skill he ioTiched on the steady southward advance ol Russia Into Persian territory from the distant days when, by a curious irony of fate, Russian and British enterprise combined to make entry iuto the country under the sanction of tho grand duke of Moseovy to the present* hour, when this great power of Russia?long since alienated by interests and d'esirea from her former co-operator?hud taken a step which in the eyes .of every thinking man must possess a deep significance. With his usual cjuiet persistence he pointed out the peculiar posftion of Meshed la the distant provhce of Khorassan, Its vast distance ffom the Persian gulf, round which British interests and Influence center, and the consequently alarming posltiot of hundreds of traders who, In the security of British sovereignty, are lighting their way upward from Indn, from Afghanistan, even from Knglind her) (to bk cowtiwuto.jk One-third of the real estate transfer? In San Francisco since .Tarf 1 have been to Japanese purchasers ' I'erhapt the Jap's way of thinking U. ITf yot don't like us for neighbors, w II buj you out and you can go." Mr. Ilarrlman may beconx bolt' enough to nsscrt that money ot fht tc be turned over to the developn mt ol railways Instead of being app ed tc founding colleges and libraries. / iTI? I ; 1 If This man t out acquaintin !; I of SCHN APR qualities that { ? less expense tl t I C | RrHMAPOC V.OC V. , ? AA M. W 11UO C paper so that every che 1 opportunity to get acqu j facts and know that dru 1 to produce the cheering the famous Piedmont co 1 tobaccos, and that SCHNj t ought to chew. Still th 1 who accept other and c r that do not give the same & ! ' ? i ? Ashes for Fuel. Kxpert chemists are now making f a careful examination and analysis of the discovery made by a Pennsylvania cobbler whereby coal can be made to jM-rforin several times its usual function as a fuel. According to reputable authority, here is the formula for this preparation which, if it will accomplish what the inventor claims of it, willwork wonders as a fuel: "Common i salt, one pound; oxalic acid, two nllitPnU1 u-utor \! ' *' i w,?* b"?"?i- auia, I arid then moisten a mixture eoni taining one part coal ami three I ? ? tX * " 1 1 1 ' ''urns will piwuu'Oini~t)etter fuel than ,1 coal. ' I This mixture of ashes with coal i and other ingredients causes a I chemical combination which is said I to be wonderful, and if it can be demonstrated that common ashes can be put to the good use which the cobbler-inventor sees in it, the result will be felt almost instantly. J Of course, all manufacturers and others who make power on a large scale i are interested in this new process and they will follow the experiment with closest attention. To be able, to utilize ashes to such an advantage would mean one of the great, est discoveries of the times.? ; Greenville Daily News. Of Interest To Women. To such women as are not seriously out of health, but who have exacting duties to perform, eithor in the way of house! hold cares or in social duties and functions which seriously tax their strength, as well as to nursing mothers. Dr. Pierce's : Favorite Proscription has proved a most valuable supporting tonic and invigorating nervine. 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An examination of this list of ingredients will disclose the fact, that it is non-alcoholic in its composition, chemically pure, triple-refined glycerine taking ' | the place of the commonly used alcohol, i ' in its make-np. In tJiis connection it may not lie out of place to state that the "Favorite Prescription" of Dr. Pierce is i the only medicine put up for the cure of woman's peculiar weaknesses and ailments, and sold through druggists, all tin* ingredients of which have the mi! animous endorsement of all the leading i medical writers and teachers of ail the several schools of practice, and that too no cnn.ndUu j "Favorlto Prescription " In recommended. A little lw)ok of these endorsements will be sont to any adilress, |iost-paid. and absolutely free If you request same by fiostal card, or letter, of Dr. It. V. Pierce, luffalo, N. Y. Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets cure constipation. Constipation is the cause of | many diseases. Cure the cause and you ; cure the disease. 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No. 4 leaves Buffalo at 1:30 p. m., arrives at Union 1:45 p. m. No. 6 leaves Buffalo at 4:45 p. m.. arrives at Union 5:00 p. in. ?iinrirrng:"1-0-''1'* - ? No. ^4 leaves Union at 9:30; leaves ' Monarch 9:35; leaves Crawfords 9:40; leaves Gregory's 9:45: leaves Medors 9:55: leaves Neal Shoals 10:05; leaves Red Point 10:15; arrives at Pride 10:45 a. in. 1 No. 33 leaves Pride 10:55; leaves Red Point 11:05; leaves Neal Shoals 11:15: leaves Medors 11:45: leaves Gregory's 11:30; leaves Crawfords 11:35: leaves Monarch 11:40; arrives at Union 11 oO a. in. Evening. No. 54 leaves Union 5:15; leaves Monarch 5:40; leaves Crawfords 5:45; leaves Gregory's 5:30: leaves Medors 5:40; leaves Neal Shoals 5:50: leave! Red Point 6:00; arrives at Pride 6:10 p. 111. 1 No. 31 leaves Pride 6:40: leaves Red Point 6:50: leaves Neal Shoals 7:00; leaves Medors 7:10; leaves Gregory's 7:15: leaves Crawfords 7:40; leaves Monarch 7:45; arrives at Union 7:35 p. 111. J. R. DICKERT. G. M. M. B. SUMMER, G. P. A. J. A. 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