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I feel sc far from anywheresl Perhaps my family IHas got so many other cares '1'hey've all forgotten mle. I s'plose I'll starve to skin an' bono If J stay losted here alone. ---3 * ... ~ISSNORTll'~ By WILLIAM The dusk was just falling when Col' bridge alighted from his cab and mounted the steps which led to his friend's gilices. He found the number a-nd knocked, a little doubtful, for Jim my Sullivan was not an ordinary busi ness man. A deep voice shouted "Come in!" and he ,entered forthwith. A short and stout gentleman who was Writing furiously at a paper littered table sprang to his feet as Colbridgo came forward. "Good Lord-it's )ick! Come in, man. I'd no idea that you would be back so soonl. "Sit down. There's a siphon on your left and a box of smokes behind you." Dick dropped into the seat and stretched his long legs luxuriously. "Jim, you're an oasis in the desert. How's the Missis-likewise the kiddy? !By the way, I've a cabby waiting be low with my boxes." "Splendid, thanks. I'll tell Jenkins to have your things brought up." Sullivan scribbled a note and touched a bell. A youth appeared from an in ner room, received it with murmured instructions, and vanished. Five min utes later Dick's possessions were be fore him, and the man had departed with the fare. "I say, don't let me interrupt yon," protested the visitor, with the venera tion due to a man who could earn nine hundred a year by writing frothy little articles and play cricket like a professional. "It's all right," his host assured him comforta'bly. "The stuff needn't be handed in before 7 to-night. "Some Curious Attempts at Perpetual Mo tion.' Your own case ought to be in cluded, my son-though it isn't." "It isn't," said Dick, "because the ex periment was a dead failure from the first. I can't stand everlasting hotels and all the other delights of traveling aduls. You.ng Myles is a decent chap, but lie was on-ly with me for a (lay or two. And I'm hanged if I can find an other pal." "How about female society? A wife Is occasionally the lesser of two evils." "Really?" Dick pitched the remain der of his cigar into the fire and flushed oddly. "For a man married a couple of yeiars, you're an obsti"'ate old optimist, Jim." lie paused relnisc'ently. "There was a woman on the Ostend boat with a face like a buffalo. She found out in some miraculous way that I had a banking account and was unattached. ...It was horrible!" "Poor, unprotected male! I'm afraid you've returned to even greater dan gers. You'll stay with us for the night?" ~"Well I thought of putting up at Ker' ridge's." "Miy good man, you'll do nothing of the sort. Rose would never forgive me." "But are you sure-" "Shouldn't l.nvite you otherwise. It isn't from entirely unselish muot ives, either. If the eixtraUodnary scarcity of dancing men c'ontinues (see p)reCs no( tices) , it will end in 0our borriowing the fiances of the conk and tile housemaid for tonuigh t. Oh, forget I hadn 't told you. We've a little d(ance on-quite a smaill affair'. D)on't go pale-it's nothing agonizing.'' "'It's awfully good of you, .Jimmuy, but therie are half a dozen01 people I mnust '"Who arie they?'' '"My law~yers, anid a manil ab1oult a p)at. ent ventilator.'' SiulIiv~ani ginined u.nsympatIh etically3. ''The lawye3'(rs and( tile vetitorti moan woni't wantRI you1 at It) o'clock at niighit. No good, (l man1-youi're booked0(. A,nd I'll see y'ou don't. r'un in to danoger'. As a mnatter' of tact, you kniow a good nmany of the people who areI coin ug already3. The Russellis will be thecre, and some Peoplie niame(d North, who owni a big factory at. \Vahll--" "'I know a .\iss North1, of' Walsall,'' said D)iek with a little star't. "Possibly the same1 0one. Meet heCr abroad? Illiu. "Yes, in lgu. ''That's the girl. She's aitout the most (IanRgerous11 youn ig person01 in l'u rope. 'Travels a loit with1 her cousin and an ohl governiiess. andc I ha dark1 eyes of the uinfathomiablie type. i hnow about fifteen sane and healthy13 young mon who at (one time or aniother' have offered to (lie for heor. She mnaloes hay wileI thle sun1 sh1111 s, an the.Ii ca laugh s at 'enm. TIheni there are, thei We \stons1, those Jenkins111 won nen, and a hecap more1( of your 0ld iais. Witl-l give you a - treat 1me hhoy." C'olb)ridige gave) a short laiugh. ''S-ame old Jim10my: All r'ight I "Good! Nowv, if y'ou'll wvait another raD. My little dog, he founded me, An' wagged his tail an' whined, But he can't lead me home, for ho Is taught to walk behind. And so I'm crying yet, becuz I'm Just as losted as I was. urges Johnson, in Harper's Magazine. 1NDIUT]IENT9 ... FREEMAN. ten minutes we shall be able to get away." He flung himself to his work again, and Dick waited, motionless and pre, occupied, until it was finished. Jimmy thrust the m[ltnuscript into an en velope, hailed a cab and drove furious ly to a newspaper office, where they seemed extremely glad to see him. Emerging he gave the man an extra half crown to catch the 6 o'clock train home. Dick akandoned himself amiably enough to being alternately questioned and hustled, and yielded still more will ingly to the almost maternal welcome of Mrs. Sullivan. She had laughel away his apologies, introduced him to the baby and! showed him his room al most before he had had time to realize the signs of incIreadel prosperity on every side that marked the rising man. Truly the star of Jimmy Sulli van was in the ascendant. It was during the long gap that separated din.ner from the arrival of I the first guests that Colbridge experi enced a wave of something akin to loneliness and self-pity. Independence of action and absence of worries seem ed an inadequate compensation for the things he had missed. It dawned up on him that the servant question, smoky chimneys and sticky fingered Children were not the only and inevit able sequels to the honeymoon. His thoughts wandered persistently to days spent in Belgium whe.n a woman's com panionship had filled a gap in his life so naturally and completely that she had seemed but the embodiment of an other side of his own nature. And, in his ignorance, he had had visions of a vaguely beautiful possibility becom ing a certainty, which the - telegram that had called her away had not de stroyed. The prospect of remaining abroad grew suddenly intolerable, and he had left for England within a fortnight of her departure. And now he knew the truth. Idly and Without comlpunlction the woman had played with his heart. So he it. If it were broken she should never know the result of the game. Colbridge watched the d(ancers drift into the brilliantly lighted room with almost pitiful anxiety. Ills dread of an encounter was blended with a sharp, reckless longing. l.n any case, he would be almost certain to see her, but lie feared an actual meeting before his nerves were steady enough to bear the strain of light talk and laughter. Fate ordained that he should be call ed away tvhei at last she arrived, and it was nearly an hour later before they came face to face in a set of the lancers. Miss North was obviously astonish ed. Colbridge thanked Hleaven for the mutsic an.d the quick movement that hiad helped him to r'ecovecr lis shaken selr-control. Eachi revelation of her delieate beauty seemed to smite himt like a phlysical blow. H et' bt'ighit little tnod of recogtiitioni carried him straight back to t hose d1ays in Heigium twh~len lie had drtifted so linar to thle ra'idls of' utt ter' Ielf-a band(onmatet, to '"To mnakinig a fool of himself fotr her amtusemnetnt,'" added Rea'.on. The0 (latn' (it led in tIhe it-mal laugh ter and1( flurry. Hie pilokted his par'tner --a voluible ladty of' forty-blaik to hter seat, and( Stocod taikin~g aimnlesly tm Jimuny, whlo had [eent lutrking i.n the (listaUnce, swooped downi as the music atriu('k uip a walt z antd freed1 hi xi "I-oak hero, ol tmant, yotu sa id you knew the Northts of \Valsali. W\ell, why (ot eath d(oni't you ('ome4 amnd speak to Ste girl ovet' thlere---thIie one in the whitoe( dres, I mie:ta, si ttintg In pensi 'e miela.nehtoly ? l'robably' hot' partnlE r's lotrgotten'I heOr! Ii -as Ih ttn'y -hle i.s youniig hhuowsoni uioug1hin'g his .,-y a'oIt with that IFr'actnn gil, shet's had a lie caught flicek by thle sleeve, and~ the later, taHitng his eyes, (ould s:( the girl was wathing thtemt w'itht E'itlC lhe c:,s wit to where she w'aswt 0(d alone aminur ha l' a dozeni emipty chaiirs. said, gayL3lv, as 1i . dr d i int tie stat beside bet. . '.1 Ii.l b h ili chaperOto amrl iart,: r. , irtio trunst int- gent lm..n w- w.r,i \.i* ithiil 1 o' Ot .heir lrop 'r': . 'A youtng itmn ofi the :itt or 01 owi Xont is the 'crimin:'.1, isnt't li,'' , (; 'o p)artnier is paLyinug j)oity hien ily Im- a I ow' lhos have youm 1; . . ag. i iiOtdo, Aliss Norh?" "Only a w~eek oi rn, wh' a ai 1 oi-i w'e4 shonl meet, ain .t \ctn have jiust atrrivedl frat I lie Co tinet.., have you not?" -"Crossed yesterday by the night boat. Jimmy Sullivan is hospitality incar nate, or I should still be languishing in a hotel. And it's something to share the blessings of the table d'hote i,n its literal sense again. Miss North laughed. That is so. I remember my first l-.nglish dinner after returning from Ostend. My aunt., to hohur the occa sion, made a feature of veal. I sup pose she thought it approplriate. And we had had it for three days running it the hotel?" "You are exceedingly greedy people," iaid a voice from behind then. "You think of nothing but eating and dri.nk Ing." )ick turned as Mrs. Sullivan, looking very girlish in a wonderful yellow gown, slipped into the seat beside his .om1)anionh. "And, talking of food," she contin tod, "I'm going to treat you aboriin ibly, my d,ear. It's only permissible )ecause you're such an old friend. Jim s your next partner, isn't he, and again ater on? Will you forgive me if I bor "ow him to help me at the refreshment uffet? One of the waiters appears to )e ill-Jim says the verdict would be Drunk from natural causes'-a.nd . I'm ;hort-handced. No, Mr. Colbridge," as )iclc rose, "I'm. not going to allow you o do butler's work. For one thing, I lon't believe your program is half full. et me see." He surrendered it meekly. "No-not nearly. Your duty lies be ore you. And mine is among the eat bles, so goodby." With a wave of her hand, she rose and departed. Dick dropped into his leat again and for some moments sat ,vatching the dancers with absent, noody intentness. H-e formulated and Lbandoned half a dozen excuses for es aping. With Jimmy's warning ringing n his ears he had no excuse ;or run ling into danger, but there should be ho difficulty in keeping the conversa ion in safe and easy channels. And so, indeed, he found it, as the >ldl charm of her personality as.ertedl tself. Mirs. Sullivan, watching unseen rom afar, smiled the smile of the suc essful conspirator at each ripple of aughter from the distant seat. Paris hey discussed, Rome and Naples he reminiscen(ces of two months' trav 1 along the regular tourist routes, ho el life and Continent amusements. )nly he made .no allusion to Bruges nd the' little Belgian villages where ier holiday and his dream had ended. )nee or twice she wandered on danger nus ground, but Dick set his teeth, and ound a grim satisfaction in baflling her every reference to those last days. He watched her with hungry, furtive e3'cs, unwilling to admit the pure de light that her mere presence gave him. Her prpgrain slipped to the floor, and as he Stooped to recover it he saw that the space beltweenl .1limmy's initials was vacant, and was ashamed, and then angered at his own relief. A foul and his folly' nlow many men had she sacrificed to her idle amuse ment? And even now she triunplhled i.n the conquest of a fresh victim. 1-e was swept by a revulsion of feel ing. Her voice at his side precipitat ed a sudden resolution. "1-lave you heard from your friend Mr. Myles, lately, Mr. Colbridge-the1 0one who stayed att Bru'iges for a (lay or) two? We sawv in the pa-pers how splendidly he had done at Oxford." "Dennis Myhes? Yes, I had a letter from him a few (lays algo. He has left thie college, given up his career, and lione' to India." "Given it up'' echmoed the girl in Istonlishment. "'I thought lie was goinig :o do such sp)lend(id things.'' "So he might have done"--Dick's '01ee waS cold anid even- ''if a wVomanll 11ad not1 broke.i his heart anad r'I?ined uis life." She gazed at him curiously. ''iow dIrea dfl't. Tell me11 about Iit.'' '"T'here isn't miuch to tell, Hei m'et icr and fell itt tcily and hop~elcssly ini ove'. She, hi ling~ admairtion0, p)robJably uredl him on. Amid thten he( le-arned hat she' was a woman who played with ten's he::ts lor' amusemen'it(iI. Thle story s as old1( as Cleopatra's.'' ''''as shte beauitflul?'" A I the paiiSon ini his v5oie th(le girtl a.le a quick ghlnce at. his bowed "Then ou me .r? she said, a.new oftnescs in iheri voice. "'I did.'' "'I iremmber Al'. :Myles well. II 's a h:uuti-ome' hoy. T1'll me what "he woma-whoruind hi.wa 01:3y enoughel to turn the hea'd fi aniy "Till mevhat shem iloed like'," Ain "I(kked lik(? I '.Am a potor hianid at. r'(athI---- - ''hii' face was t moil o'.':l. pal'' andt' a and thle cur!vc to in r heek otild have': sit a paiter't .-i'y. I lor "lThey arte no.t trivial tr--a V:o;uaa r. Ciolb)rid "Ie' THE PHILOSOPHER. (Probably there never has been a pe rlod when People worrieti as much as thley do now.-Lacy's 'ictorial.) I'tn very phlloso iiit' And I take thi nas'ns they come. Smaik It mny no't Ilni~ortaant r1ulo Alw,uys to iceep extr'"ui.;ty cool; It's not the way with onine'. Whit et'ver hatppens (l:ty 1,y d;ay. I simply smile and g,.ntjy say, "All riglht, all right, sill right"; Mv n:lmer's carn, l,oit.. I rnIse my eyebrows --so-: bit, And murmur, "Well, an.l wiitt of it? All ight, all right, all right:" For hnstnnten, playing ).Hllartls At a f,lend's the oti-r night, I tried a rather tricky shot. The red. y.ou Sce. I wantedl to spot 11v connonning off the whitie. I slipped. a (d c"ut the cloth riglt. through, But mnur"mured, is iy friend turned blue, ''All right, all right, nll right!" (M.v manner was polite). I'v' cut the cloth and ch11' oi1 the ball, But I haven't hurt muyself at al. All right, all right, all right!" -L.ondo n (lobe. M-dNY SIDE- OFUFl She-Do you like a gored skirt? lie (diplolatically)--Tlat depends onl whose skirt is gored!-New Orleans 'Times-Democrat: She-Do you believe in metempsy chosis? He--Naw; I don't take no stock in any but reg'lar prescriptions. -Baltimore American. "Ile believes thoroughly in himself." said the admiring friend. "Yes," an swered Miss Cayenne, "some peoplo are so credtlouls! "-WVashington Star. "Say, old man, how do you like me in riy new dress suit ?" "Fine. Now, if you only had a little dignity you'd look like a head waiter."-Milwaukee Sentinel. Art Master (who has sent for it cab, pointing to horse)-What do you call that? Cabby-An' 'orse, sir. Art Master-A horse! Rub it out, and do it again!-Punch. Wigg-What has become of that fellow B3jones, who used to run a clip ping bureau? Is he still in the same line of business? W\ag--In a way, yes. I ie's a barber now.-Philadel phia Record. "She is a pentagon." "You leanl a 'paragon,' don't you?'" "No, I do not. When you call a woman a paratgon it means yl C"nnl't see anything hilt. her good side. lit when you call her a i)('ntagon, it m;iEan, you nn'at see at least four otllher sies!-New Orleans Ti im es- I )emocra t. "I tell you," said Va!an, "moving's expensive. It cost Ie $:) t0 mnovo out to S'wiamiphurst." ''"iat's not so bad," replied Mann, ''sixty dollars al together, oh?" How do you mean $cO altogether?" "Of course, you'll be moving back. I'm counting that." --Philadelphia Press. "Why don't you try to make your self agreeab)le?" aked the r'eproving friend. "My dear'," anfswered( Mliss Cayenne, "the desite to be0 agreeaible is what has spoiled my dIispoisition11. YOU can't make youirself agreeable to somel people withiout sainig thIings abotut ot hers."---Wash ingtonll Star. Mr. .Jigley-The oliwr da;y I saw qJiteU an Inateirest ing eductedI plg -- Miss Pert-Oh,.of ellurse, I suppose(~~' Mr'. J1igley-Don't say it ! Ysiu were !.oing ' to say you i fsupsed I l4kol in theC gla ss, u--*ren 't yout? Mli ss Porett N\ot. at all, I doii't cosisder yost in P'ress. "I cant bieI) .vour15 wife,'' she re 151ied, and addseds, "Thlis is final.'' lie lia('ed swifl y to anld froi sev'era;l tm th.en 'halted abrutl:ly in frsont. of her, "ry he s canud id with i ,"~' he said ntilI wvithoiut Ithe not '* of lnatsculinte wa:Os iioa msucrh. Shd'e hIu, into 1 tear1Iss. " low do I knowv?"' she sobbed*... Senator H-oar on the Flag. A\ few~ years aigo wh'ls wa'tyt:h ingi at paradiue in) liostson ink whichth- S: tars' turesd:. Ist bitng : the :it iostni encamp wA':h :istroin:: rit it roeiviti ; lune to a1 con: !.:int, andt :ss commeninSg 4,. Iih'' melli.t of thei di.-shsay pNishl)y ire sisis." It laooks just li!;1 a li-eco (J ihC k erbler'ry canidy."' Si nalor' 1103a' whoI wast staningl' 's"'it the visiting ciie, ov'erheard the "'inlark and turninag to thle yountg hid y "Yest, miss, It dos . Andu it make (s evxery 011 sick who tries to lich~ it Bostn il Ilerald. After ,, 'itle m)or'e thIans a gn. ';toni our1neihbor'inig rsepuibile, Mexi 0, 1101 rar fromti 2,(0u lavt bi eca 'ihevevl into thle mnissioni I'hurch:ie. 'ians, Noth i ai Soulth: MIethIodisis, INorth andt "&.-t19. andl the Amieicanti Uhsar'd, He lifted his head, and saw that her cheeks were flushed and her eyes very bright. "Then forgive ma it I talk like a penny novelette, for-I knew the girl ratifer well. I think her mouth was his--Dennis's-flnal undoing. You see he knew next to nothing about wom en, and she was like on other on earth. Ier hair was dark--though not darker than her eyes--and she wore it gathered in a shimmery coil on her white neck. And she was clear-brained and well read, and yet utterly feminine. So Dennis came a cropper and I have no doubt she laughed at him. That is all. "And this happened in Belgium?" "In Belgium," repeated Colbriidge, steadily. The girl watched the dancers whirl by them in silence, her face hidden by a big white fan. "Did--did, you--like her too?" The unexpq 'edness of the question held ..him nnite. She misunderstood his silence. "Forgive me-I have been imperti nent. But-I thought I might know her." "You do. Colbridge would deal out his punish ment to the bitter end, though it tore his heart to pieces. "And you are quite right,"-he added, "I did care." Miss North rose and moved toward a curtained doorway that led to the deserted conservatory. "The heat here is stifling," she said. "I aln glad you told me. Perhaps I can help you." "I think not," said Colbridge. The (Mstress in her face was pitiful. "Have I made a mistake? Were you not speaking. of" Colbridge played his last card with a sick feeling of cruelty. "I referred to Miss North," lie said, and turned away. He felt her light touch on his arm. "I-I thought so, though I had for gotten you met her. Is it possible to smooth matters over? I shall be see ing my cousin tomorrow." "Your-cousin!" "My cousin, Dorothy North. She was to have come this evening. We have been a good deal together, and they say we are somewhat alike. She is thoughtless, I know; but if" "I have never met or heard of her," said Colbridge. The girl stared at him, pale, un comprehending. Then suddenly a wave of color spread over her face and threat. ('oihridge faced her with elcnched hands, like a man in physical agony. '1)o you undeirstand," he said. "I have been a fool, a presumptuous fool. I triert to unish a woman. And I lied also. Dennis Myles never met your cousin-he only saw you for one day; and he left Oxford to become a mis 5ionary. And I had never heard of her existence un11til"---- Light Broke upon lim suddenly, blinding and stun ning. "I al afraid we have been talking at cross purposes," said the girl, and her voice was cold and steady. "And now if you will take me to Mrs. Sul livan" Colbridge's face was set in an ex tremity of shame andl longing. "Won't you allow me to explain?" "I cannot see that--that anything Iwould be gained.'' "I have lost what I coveted most in the world t hr ough my owni mad ness. Is not that suflicient tAunishment?'' I ier (eyes met his pit11lessly for an in slant, and Ithen fell. " I ccame home safely to see you again, andl to t eli you that you were dearer t han anything on earth to me. Anad t hen Sull viva spoke of your cousin and, t hink(ing lie r'eferred to you, I ii jued at a falske concl'uision. --.God knows I am paying the peni alty. . o let me take you to Mr's. Suillivanm."' "T'lhanki you."' said the girl, qiuietly, and sliped' hieir arm in' his. Colbiridmge looked down at. Ithe white hand shilninig iin his liack sleeve, at the gr'acefuil hiea so near his own shiouildri. Th'lroughi the curtained curtacinedl door'way camne a miuden burst f muri. it was the ''El l)ora (d0' wcit.:. 'They' hi:mu dainced it togethI cr at the hotel hill on the evening lhe t'ore she hadl left for l'>ialn Il In' uidi no ino'.'ement1. 'Thie c'irl "'is therie nio hiopie?'' lie r'epeatedr. I i('r an,s.ver' wa.s 'a lit Ic seat sobing t'ry, as hei ('aight hier in his5 arms ini a1 passion of r'emorise,' anild ce'rness. "Oh, ' my deare(st -t to think thaict you car'ed, after- all. And 1ii h:'t you5( Site smulid up at himii. ''It isn't leo late toli i''ake anmen,'hs.' A Pretty Paradox. '"Tlhe iciarming itehn tan te upsets :i. "'ly pror'inig that a miss can alIs be a hi.. althiio'e Amirican. In an IEnglish suit. at law a dog is, ie serihed ais a niecessary fitting or ioin.