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L"MTy1TTyi TYYT ,,rvvvT~V ifT ll TTtrrTy1yVyff TiE KIND OF FrAmEs To be used is very much a matter of taste. It is important, though, that the frames set properly on the nose and at the right distance C from the eves: that the lenses be C perfectly centered. and how are i you to know when one is guess e ing? WE... NEVER GUESS. Glasses Right, Good Sight." E. A. Bultman, JEWELER AND OPTICIAN. 17 S. Main St., - Sumter, S. C. PHoNE 194. Buggies, Wagons, Foa Carts and Carriages REPAIREI With Neatness and Despatch -AT R. A. WHITE'% WHEELWRIGHT and BLACKSMITH SHOP. I repair Stoves, Pumps and run watt pipes, or I will put down a new Punr cheap. If you need any soldering done, g me a call. L A ME. My horse is lame. Why? Because did not have it shod by 1. A. Whit the man that puts on such neat shoi and makes horses travel with so muc ease. We Make Them Look Nev We are making a specialty of r painting old Buggies, Carriages, Ro Carts and Wagons cheap. Come and see me. 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For many years it has been supposed the Catarrh of the Stomach caused indigestlo and dyspepsia, but the truth is exactly th~ opposte. Indigestion causes catarrh. R< peated attacks of Indigestion inflames tla mucous membranes lining the stomach ar exposes the nerves of the stomach, thus oau: ing the glands to secrete mucin instead< the juices of natural digestion. This called Catarrh of the Stomach. Kodol Dyspepsia Cuni relieves all inflammatIon of the rmucoi membranes lining the stomach, protects ti nerves, and cures bad breath, sour risings, sense of fullness after eating, indigestIoa dyspepsia and all stomach troubles. Kodol Digests What You Ea Make the Stomach Sweet. Bottles only. Regular size, $1.00. holding 254 th:n the tri.al size, which sells for 50 cents. Prepared by E. C. DeWITT & Co., Ohicago, Il The R. B. Loryea Drug Store. Kodol Dyspepsia Ouu'i Digests what you eat. -~l R. 13 LOmE nrG STORE. rM I I+++i + + .2 $ GEORGE BA Copyright, 1001, by Herbert S. CEAPTERZ XXIV. OFF TO TILU DUNGEON. TIE tableau lasted but a moment Gabriel advanced a few steps his eyes gleaming with jeal ousy and triumph. Before bin stood the petrified lovers caught red Z handed. Through her dazed brair 1 struggled the conviction that he couk : nevertscape. Through his ran the mis :1- erable realization that he had ruine 0 her forever. Gabriel of all men! I arrive inopportunely," he said harshly, the veins standing out on his neck and temples. "Do I intrude? I was not aware that you expected two your highness." There was no mistak ing his meaning. He viciously soughi to convey the impression that he was there by appointment, a clandestine visitor in her apartments at midnight. "What do you mean by coming to my apartment at this hours" she stam Smered, trying to rescue dignity from the chaos of emotions. Lorry was standing slightly to the right and sev eral feet behind her. He understood the prince and quickly sought to inter pose with the hope that he might shield her from the sting. r "She did not expect me, sir," he said p and a menacing gleam came to his eyes. His pistol was in his hand. Ga e briel saw it. but the staring princess did not. She could not take her eyes from the face of the intruder, "Now may I ask you why you nre here?"a Gabriel's wit saved him from death He saw that he could not pursue the h course he had begun, for there was murder in the American's eye. Like a fox, he swerved and, with a servile promise of submission in his glance 3- said: d "I thought you were here, my fine fellow, and I came to satisfy myself 1Now, sir, may I ask why you are y here?" His fingers twitched and his eyes were glassy with the malevolenec he was subduing. "I am here as a prisoner," said Lorry boldly. Gabriel laughed derisively. 7 "And how often have you come here in this manner as a prisoner? Midnighi and alone in the apartments of thc princess. the guard dismissed! A pris oner. eh? Ha, what a prison!" "Stop!" cried Lorry, white to the lips. The princess was beginning to under stand. Her eyes grew wide with horm ror, her figure straightened imperious ly and the white in her cheeks gave way to the red of insulted virtue. "I see it all! You have not been out side this castle since you left the pris on. A pretty scheme! You could not marry him, could you, eh? He is not a prince! But you could bring him here and hide him where no one would dare to think of looking for him-in your apartments" With a snarl of rage Lorry' sprang upon him, cutting short the sentence that would have gone through her like the keenest knife blade. "Liar! Dog! I'll kill you for that:" he cried, but before he could clutch the prince's throat Yetive had frantically seized his arm. "Not that!" she shrieked- "Do not kill him! There must he no murder - here!" He reluctantly hurled Gabriel from him, the prince tottering to his knees in the effort to keep from falling. She had saved her mnaligner's life, but cour age deserted her with the act. Help lessly she looked into the blazing eyes of her lover and faltered: "I-I do not krsow what to say or do. My brain is brursting!" I"Courage, courage!" he whispered gently. - "You shall pay for this," shrieked~ Gabriel. "If you are not a prisoner you shall be. There'll be scandal enough in Graustark tomorrow to start a volcano - of wrath from the royal tombs wherc lie her fathers. I'll see that you are a prisoner!" He started for the door, hut Lorry's pistol was leveled at his head. "If you move, I'll kill you!" "The world will understand how and why I fell by your hand atnd in this room. Shoot!" he cried triumphantly. Lorry's hand trembled, and his eyes fille'd with the tears of impotent rage. The prince held the higher card. A face suddenly appeared at the door, which had been stealthily opened from L without. Captain Quinnox glided into the room behind the prince and gently closed the door, unnoticed by the gloat Ser. "A prisoner?" sneered Gabriel. "Wher'e is your captor, pray?" "Here!" answered a voice at his back - The prince wheeled and found himsell looking at the stalwart form of thc captain of the guard..- "I am surely 2 privileged to speak now, your high ness," he went on, addressing the prin cess significantly. "How came you here?" gasped Ga briel. "I brought my prisoner here. WherE should I be if not here to guard him?" "When-when did you enter this room?" "An hour ago." "You were not here when I came!" "I have been standing on this spol for an hour. You have been very muel excited, I'll agree, but it is strange yot did not see me," lied Quinnox. Gabriel looked about helplessly, non plused. "You were here when I came in?" hE asked wonderingly. "Ask her royafighness," command ed the captain, smiling. "Captain Quinnox brought the pris toner to me an ho'ur ago," she said me n chanically. e "It is a lie!" cried Gabriel. "lie wa not here when I entered!" The captain of the guard laid heavy hand on the shoulder of th4 prince and said threateningly: "I was here, and I am here. Ilave care how you speak. Were I to'do righ I should shoot you like a dog. Tot *came like a thief, you insult the rule> of my land. I have borne it all becaust eyou are a prince, but have a care--havt a care. I may forget myself and teal out your black heart with these hands One word from her royal highness will t be your death warrjnt." lie looked inquirin;:y at the princess aas if anxious to put the dan:erous wit Lness where lhe could tell no( tales. She shook her heand, hut didl not speak. Lorry re:alized that thec time ha~d comec for himn to assert hisef. Assumn said dejectedly: "My pleading has been in vain. then, your highness. I have sworn to you RR McCUTCHEON )tone Iou iaveala 1 an naveTrair trial' That is all you can offer?" "That is all." she said shrilly, hr nind gradually grasping his meaning. "You will not punish the poor peo ple who secreted me in theitihouse for weeks. for they are convinced of my innocence. Your captain here, whc found me in their house tonight, can also speak well of them. I have only this request to make in return for whit little service I may have given you: Forgive the old people who befriended me. I am ready to go to the tower at once, captain." Gabriel heard this speech with a skeptical smil" on his face. "I am'no fool," he said simply. "Cap tain," shrewdly turning to Quinnox, "if he is your prisoner, why do you permit him to retain his revolver?" The conspirators were taken by sur prise, but Lorry had found his wits. "It is folly, your highness, to allow this gentleman and conquering prince to cross examine you. I am a prisoner, and that is the end of it. What odd is it to the Prince of Dawsbergen how and where I was caught or why you officer brought me to youy' "You were ordered from my house once today, yet you come again like a conqueror. I should not spare you, You deserve to lose your life for the ac tions of tonight. Captain Quinnox, wil] you kill him if I ask you to end hi Iwretched life?" Yetive's eyes wer blazing with wrath, beneath whicl gleamed a hope that he could be fright ened into silence. "Willingly-willingly!" cried QuIn nox. "Now, your highness? 'Twere better in the hall!" "For God's sake, do not murder me Let me go!" cringed the prince. "I do not mer.n that you should kill him now, Quinnox, but I instruct you to do so it he puts foot inside these walls again. Do you understand?" "Yes, your highness." "Then you will place this prisoner it the castle dungeon until tomorro% morning, when he is to be taken to the tower. Prince Gabriel may accompa ny you to the dungeon cell If he likes, after which you will escort him to the gates. If he enters them again, you are I to kill him. Take them both away!" "Your highness, I must ask you tc write a pardon for the good people it whose house the prisoner was found,' suggested Quinnox, shrewdly seeing chance for communication unsuspected by the prince. "A moment, your highness;" said the prince, who had recovered himsell cleverly. "I appreciate your position. I have made a serious charge, and I no' have a fair proposition to suggest tc you. If this man is not produced to morrow morning, I take it for granted that I am liberty to tell all that has happened in thi.s room tonight. If he is produced, I shall kneel and beg your pardon." The princess turned paler than ever and knew not how she kept from fall Inlg to the floor. There was a long si ence following Gabriel's unexpected but fair suggestion. "That is very fair, your highness,' said Lorry. "There is no reason why:] should not be a prisoner tomorrow.] don't see how I can hope to escape thi inevitable. Your dungeon is strong and I have given my word of honor tc the captain that I shall make no fur ther effort to evade the law." "I agree," murmured the princess ready to faint under the strain. "I must see him delivered1 to Princi Bolaroz," added Gabriel mercilessly. "To Bolaroz," she repeated. 7 "Your highness, the pardon for th< poor old people," reminded Quinnox 4.. deed It semdatog _eahwr upon her. Quinnox followed and beni near her ear. "Do not be alarmed," hi whispered. "No one knows of Mr. Lor ry's presence here save the prince, and 'if he dares to accuse you before Bola roz our people will tear him to pieces No one will believe him." "You-you can save him, then?' shi gasped joyously. "If he will permit me to do so. Writt to him what you will, your highness and he shall have the message. BC brave, and all will go well. Writ< quickly. This Is supposed to be th' pardon." She wrote feverishly, a thousanc thouhts 'arising for every one that shi was abfle to transfer to the paper When she had finished the hope in. spired serawl. she arose and with a gracious smile handed to the waiting secreted the fugitive. " graint forgiv~eness to them gladly.' she said. "I thank you."~ said L~orr'y, bowing "Mr. Lorry. I regret the dillienity in which youp tind yourself. It wa cni my Iaccount..too. I am11 told. Bec you guilty or innocent, you are miy frien,1. may pro tector. 'May GSod he good to you." S~he gave him~ her bamd calmly. steadily, as if she were biestowinig favor upon a' suect. Ihe kissed the haind gravely. "Forgive mei for tresassig on your goodl nature'C tonijrbt. your highness.' "Thle .5.000 gavos' shall be yours to morrow. Captain Quinnox," she said graciously. "Youj have done your duty well." The f'aithful captaini bowed Ideep and low and a weight was lifted .enhsconscience. "Gri.lemen, the door," lhe saidl, and ..: a. - erahC trio left the room. She~cflosed-the--door lia-todd -ike- a statue until their footsteps died away in the distance. As one in a daze she sat at the desk till the dawn. Grenfall Lorry's revolver lying before her. Through the halls, down the stairs and into the clammy dungeon strode the silent trio. But before Lorry step peJ inside the cell Gabriel asked a question that had been troubling him for many minutes. "I am afraid I have-ah-misjudged her"- nuttered Gabriel, now con vinced that lie had committed himself irretrievably. "You will find she has not misjudged you." said the prisoner grimly. "Can't I have a candle in here, captain?" "You may keep this lantern," said Quinnox. stepping inside the narrow cell. As he placed the lantern on the floor lie whispered: "I will return in an hour. Read thlis" Lorry's hand closed over the bit of perfumed paper. The prince was now inside the cell, peering about curiously, even timorous ly. "By the way, your highness, how would you enjoy living in a hole like this all your life?" "Horrible!" said Gabriel, shuddering like a leaf. "Then take my advice-don't commit any murders. Hire some one else." The two men eyed each other stead ily for a moment or two. Then the prince looked out of the cell, a mad de sire to fly from some dreadful, unseen horror coming over him. Quinnox locked the door and, striking a match, bade his highness precede him up the stone steps. In the cell the prisoner read and re read the incoherent message from Ye tive: It is the only way. Quinnox will assist you to escape tonight. Go, I implore you; as you love me, go. Your life is more than all to me. Gabriel's story will not be en tertained. and he can have no proof. le will be torn to pieces, Quinnox says. Do not think of me. but save yourself. I would lose everything to save you. le smiled sadly as he burned the "pardon." The concluding sentences swept away t-he last thought he might have had of leaving her to bear the consequences. "Do not think of me, but save yourself. I would lose everything to save you." He leaned against the stone wall and shook his head slowly, the smile still on his lips. CHAPTER XXV. "BECArsE I TLo'E IM. HE next morning Edelweiss was astir early. Great throngs of people flocked the streets long before the hcur set for the signing of the decree that was to di vide the north from the south. The whole nation, it seemed, stood before the walls awaiting with bated breath and dismal faces the announcement that Yetive had deeded to Bolaroz the lands and lives of half of her subjects. Shortly before 0 o'clock Harry An guish, with his guard of six, rode up to the castle. Captain Dangloss was be side him on his gray charger. They had scarcely passed inside the gates when a cavalcade of niounted men came riding up the avenue from the Hotel Regengetz. Then the howling, the hissing, the hooting began. Male dictions were hurled at the heads of Aphain noblemen as they rode be tween the maddened lines of people. They smiled sardonically in reply to the impotent signs of hatred, but they were glad when the castle gates closed between them and the vast, despairing crowd, in which the tempest of revolt was brewing with unmistakable ener gy. Prince Bolaroz, the Duke of Mizrox and the ministers were already in the castle and had been there since the previous afternoon. In the royal pal ace the excitement was intense, but it was of the subdued kind that strains the nerves to the point where control is martyrdom. When the attendants went to the bedhamber of the princess at 7 o'clock, as was their wont, they found, to their surprise, no one standing guard. The princess was not in her cham ber, nor had she been there during the night. The bed was undisturbed. *In some alarm the two women ran to her parlor, then to the boudoir. Here they found her asleep on the divan, attired in the gown she had worn since the evening before, now crumpled and creased, the proof positive of a rest less, miserable night. Her first act after awakening and untangling the meshes in her throb bing, uncomprehending brain was to. send for Quinnox. She could scarcely wait for his appearance and the assur ance that Lorry was safely out of dan ger. T~he footman who had been sent to fetch the captain was a long time in returning. She was dressed in her breakfast gown long before he came in with the repor: that the captain was nowhere to be found. Her heart gave a great throb of joy. She alone could explain his absence. To her it meant but one thing-Lorry's flight from the castle. Where else could Quinnox be except with the fugitife, perhaps once more inside St. Valentine's? Preparations began at once for the eventful transaction in the throneroom. The splendor of two courts was to shine in rivalry. Ten o'clock was the hour set for the meeting of the two rulers, the victor, and the victim. Her nobles and her' ladies, her ministers. her guards and har lackeys mnoved about In the halls, dreading the hour, brushing against the hated Aiphain guests. In one of the small waiting rooms sat the Count and Countess Hal font, the latter in tears. The young Countess Dagmcar stood at a window with Harry Anguish. The latter was flushed and nervous~ and acted like a man who expects that which is unex pected by others. With a strange con fidence in his voice, he sought to cheer hs depressed friends, but the cheerful ness was not contagious. The sombre ness of a burial hung over the castle. Half an hour before the time set for the meeting in the throneroom Yetive sent for her uncle, her aunt and Dag mar. As Anguish and the latter fol lowed, the girl turned her sad, puzzled leyes up to the face of the tall Amer ic aind said: "Are you rejoicir g over our misfor tune? You do not show a particle of regret. Do you forget that we are sac riiing a great deal to save the life of your friend? I do not understand how you can be so heartless." "I think I can explain satisfactorily when I have xiore time," he said soft ly In her ear, and, although she tried, she could Iind no words to continue. He left her at the head of the stairs and did not see her again until she passed him in the throncroom. Then she was pale and brave and trembling. Prince IRolar'oz and his nobles stood to the rIght of the throne, the Grau stark men and women of degree to the left, while near the door on both sides were to be seen :he leading military mcn of both principalities. Near the Duke of Mizrox was stationed the fig ure of Gabriel, prince of Dawsbergenl. Ie had come, with a half dozen follow ,ers, among a crowd of unsuspecting Aphainans, and had taken his posi tion near the throne. Anguish entered with Baron Dangloss, and they stood together .ear +te doo ayen the latter w ete- ithah he lad ever1eenn 111s life. Then came the hush of expectancy. The doors swung open, the curtains parted and the princess entered. She was supported b.1 the arm of her tall uncle, Caspar of Halfont Pages carried the train of her dress, a jew eled gown of black. As she advanced to the throne, calm and stately, those assembled bent knee to the fairest wo man the eye ever had'looked upon. The calm, proud exterior hid the most unhappy of hearts. The resolute courage with which her spirit had been braced for the occasion was remarka ble in more ways than one. Among other inspirations behind the valiant show was the bravery of a guilty con science. IHer composure sustained a shock when she passed Allode at the door. That faithful, heartbroken serv itor looked at her face with pleading, horror struck eyes, as much as to say: "Are you going to destroy Graustark for the sake of that murderer? Have pity on us-have pity!" Before taking her seat on the throne she swept the thrilled assemblage with her wide blue eyes. There were shad ows beneath them, and there were wells of tears behind them. As she looked upon the little knot of white faced northern barons her knees trem bled and her heart gave a fresh throb of pity. Still the face was resolute. Then she saw Anguish and the iuffer Ing Dangloss, then the accusing, mer ciless eyes of Gabriel. At sight of him she started violently, and an icy fear crept into her soul. Instinctively she searched the gorgeous company for the captain of the guard. Her stanch est ally was not there. Was she to hear the condemning wsrds alone? Would the people do as Quinnox had prophesied, or would they believe Ga briel and curse her? She sank into the great chair and sat with staring, helpless eyes, deserted and feeble. At last the whirling brain ended its ffight and settled down to the issue first at hand-the transaction with Bo laroz. Summoning all her self control, she said: "You are come, most noble Bolaroz, to draw from us the price of our de feat. We are loyal to our compact, as you are to yours, sire, yet in the pres ence of my people and in the name of mercy and justice I ask you to grant us respite. You are rich and power ful, we despoiled and struggling be neath a weight we can lift and dis place if given a few short years in which to grow and gather strength. At this last hour in the fifteen years of ur indebtedness I sue in supplication for the leniency that you can so well xecord. It is on the advice of my coun selors that I put away personal pride and national dignity to make this re quest, trusting to your goodhess of heart. If you will not hearken to our petition for a renewal of negotiations, there is but one course open to Grau stark. We can and will pay our debt of honor." Bolaroz stood before her, dark and uncompromising. She saw the futility of her plea. q "I have not forgotten, most noble pe titioner, that you are ruler here, not I; therefore I am in no way responsible for the conditions which confront you except that I am an honest creditor come for his honest dues. This is the 20th of November. You have had fif teen years to accumulate enough to meet the requirements of this day. Should I suffer for your faults? There s in the treaty a provision which ap plies to an emergency of this kind. Your inability to liquidate in gold does not prevent the payment of this honest debt in land, as provided for in the sixth clause of the agreement, 'All that part of Graustark north of a line drawn directly from east to west between the provinees of Ganlook and Doswan, a ract comprising Doswan.iShellotz, Va ragan, Oeswald, Scsmai and Gattabat-1 ton.' You have two alternatives, your highness. Produce- the gold or sign the decree ceding to Axphain the lands] stipulated in the treaty. I can grant no respite." . "You knew when that treaty was] framed that we could raise no such 1' funds In fifteen years," said Halfont, forgetting himself in his indignation. aspon and other men present approv ed his hasty declaration. "Am I dealing with the Prgecess of Graustark or with you, sir?" asked Bo aroz roughly. "You are dealing with the people of< Graustark, and among the poorest, I. [ will sign the decree. There is noth2 lg to be gained by appealing to you. The papers, Gaspon, quick! I wouldi have this transaction finished speed ily," cried the princess, her cheeks flushing and her eyes glowing from the1 flames of a burning conscience. The groan that went np from the northern] nobles cut her like the slash of a knife.1 "There was one other condition,"] said Dolaroz hastily, unable to gloat as he .had expected. "The recapture of , * "Ihac th /rvocr-or ihns. the assassin who slew my son would have meant much to Graustark. It Is unfortunate that your police depart m nent is so Inefficient." Dangloss writh ed beneath this thrust. Yetive's eyes went to him for an instant sorrowfully.' Then they dropped to the fatal docu-1 ment which Gaspon had placed on the table before her. The lines ran to gether and were the color or blood. Unconsciously she took the pen in her nerveless fingers. A deep sob came1 from the breast of her gray old uncle, and Gaspon's hand shook like a leaf as he placed the seal 'of Graustark on the table, ready for use. "The assassin's life could have saved 3 you," 'went en Bolaroz, a vengeful < glare coming to his eyes. I She looked up and her lips moved as:1 if she would have spoken. No words came, no breath, it seemed to her. Cast ing a piteous, hunted glance over the'* faces before her, she bent forward and blindly touched the pen to the paper. The silence was that of death. Before] she could make the first stroke a harsh voice, In which there was combined ti ,-pni -ai amazment broke fule still- . ness like tne clanging or a bell. "Have you no honor?" The pen dropped from her fingers as the expected condemnation came. In sheer desperation, her eyes flashing with the intensity of defiant guilt, bit ter rage welling up against her perse cutor, she half arose and cried: "Who uttered those words? Speak!" "I, Gabriel of Dawsbergen! Where is the prisoner, madam?" rang out the voice. "The man is mad!" cried she, sinking back with a shudder. "Mad, eh?. Because I do as I did promise? Behold the queen of per fidy! Madam, I will be heard. Lorry is in this castle!" n "He is mad!" gasped Bolaroz, the a rst of the stunned spectators to find ti jls tongue. e There was a commotion near the N lor. Voices were heard outside. e: "You have been duped!" insisted Ga- k riel, taking several steps toward the n 'hrone. "Your idol is a traitress, a de- a eiver! I say he is here! She has seen n 1im! Let her sign that decree If she t, lares! I command you, Yetive of b araustark, to produce this criminal!" h The impulse to crush the defiler was 7 :ecked by the sudden appearance of ti .wo men inside the curtains. "He is here!" cried a strong voice, f< md Lorry, breathless and haggard, t< >ushed through the astonished crowd, m !ollowed- by Captain Quinnox, upon c whose ghastly face there were blood n ;tains. b A shout went up from those assem- e bled, a shout of joy. The faces of Dan- a loss and Allode were pictures of as- o :onishment and, it must be said, relief. t Earry Anguish staggered, but recover- f !d himself instantly and turned his 'I yes toward Gabriel. That worthy's egs trembled and his jaw dropped. "I have the prisoner, your highness," aid Quinnox in hoarse, discordant b ones. He stood before the throne with a 2s captive, but dared not look his mis- a: ress in the face. As they stood there s< :he story of the night just passed was I. old by the condition of the two men. y here had been a struggle for suprem- si icy In the dungeon, and the prisoner o ad won. The one had tried to hold 'v. lhe other to the dungeon's safety after t] is refusal to leave the castle, and the a Ather had fought his way to the hails lh bove. It was then that Quinnox b ad wit enough to change front and s rag his prisoner to the place which, b nost of all, he had wished to avoid. sl "The prisoner!" shouted.the northern e aobles, and in an instant the solemn h roneroom was wild with ekiteinent. "Do not sign that decree!" cried some ne from a far corner. "Here is your man, Prince Bolaroz!" ried a baron. "Quinnox has saved us!" shouted an ther. 9 The princess, white as death and as notionless, sat bolt upright Si her royal T eat. "Oh!" she moaned piteously, and,, a linching her hands, she carried them 9 o her eyes as if to shut out the.sigi4t he Countess Halfont and DagmAP an to her side, the latter frantic with 1 Llarm. She knew more than the oth- a "Are you the fugitive?" cried Bo- r aroz. "I am Grenfall Lorry. Are you Bo- 3 aroz?" b "The father of the man you murder- T id. Aha, this is rapture!" a "I have only to say to your highness t did not kill your son. 1 swear it, so ielp me Cod!" "Your highness," cried Bolaroz, step; >ing to the tihrone, "destroy that de- 0 ree. This brave soldier has saved 0 araustark. In an hour your ministers it tnd mine will have drawn up a ten % rears' extension of tIme, in proper d 'orm, to which my signature shall be t< gladly attached. I have not forgotten a ny promise." - tl Yetive straightened suddenly, seized t :he pen and fiercely began to sign the si lecree in spite of all and begore those p hout her fairly realized her intention. s< orry understood and was the first to c: ~natch the document from her hands. p i half written Yetive, a blot and a a ong, spluttering scratch of the pen t] old how near she had come to signing way the lands of Graustark, forgetful > the fact that it could be of no bene it to the prisoner she loved. - e "Yetive!" gasped her uncle in horror. c "She would have signed," cried Gas- n on in wonder and alarm. 11 "Yes, I would have signed!" she ex- h i aimed, starting -to her feet, strong ud defiant. "I could not have saved a is life, perhifps, but I might have e aved him from the cruel injustice that e :hat man's vengeance would have in- a rented. He is innocent, and I would ti ;ive my kingdom to stay the wrong o :at will be done." "What! You defend the dog!" cried olaroz. '-Seize him, men! I will see hat justice Is done. It Is no girl he as to deal with now."t "Stop!" cried the princess, the' comn- C mand checking the men. Quinnox Leaped in front of his charge. "He is d ny prisoner, and he shall have justice. Eeep back your soldiery, Prince Bola oz. It is a girl you have to deal with. y will say to you all, my people and si ours, that I believe him to be innocent 2 id that I sincerely regr-et his capture, a, !ortunate as It may be for ils. He shall ave a fair and a just trial, and I shall 1o all in my power, Prince. Bolaroz, to ecure his acquittal." i "Why do you take this stand, Ye- h tive? Why have you tried to shield a tim?" cried the heart broken Halfont. n She drew herself to her full height, t] md, sweeping the threatening crowd ti w'ith a challenge in her eyes, cried, the ri tones ringing strong and clear above f, he growing tumult: g "Because I love him!" As if by magic the room became sud jenly still. "Behold an honest man. I would si iave saved him at the cost of my hon >-. Scorn me-if you will, but listen to si thisi: The man who stands here ac aused came voluntarily to this castle, b urrendering himself to Captain Quin aos that he might, though innocent, stand between us and disaster. He was safe from our pursuit, yet return- y ad, perhaps to his death. For me, for ou and for Graustark he has done -' this. Is there a man among you who y wvould have done as much for his own e ountry? Yet he does this for a coun try to which he is stranger. I must 0mmit him to prison once more. But," she cried In sudden fierceness, "I prom- I [se him now, before the trial, a royal ,ardon. Do I make my meaning clear o o you, Prince Bolaroz?" The white lips of the old prince could !rame no reply to this daring speech. "Be careful what you say, your high ness!" cried the prisoner hastily. "Ip nust refuse to accept a pardon at the a yost of your honor. It is because I love 2j ou better than my life that I stand j yere. I cannot allow you and your peo- k~ >u1e to suffer when it Is in my power to y >revent it. All that I can ask Is fair- rj aess and justice. I am not guilty, and od will protect me. Prince Bolaroz, h call upon you to keep your promise. s] am not the slayer of your son, but I tl mm the man you would send to the n >lock, guilty or innocent." .e; A ae ha ank the nrinces _ dropped a ack in the chair, Iner rali cour -one. A stir near the doorway Dwed his concluding sentence, and ther American stepped forward, ace showing his e;citement. "Your highness," he said, "I sho ave spoken sooner. My lips were p, d and ready to cry out when Pri rabriel interposed and prevented igning of the decree. Grenfall Lo id not kill the young prince. I roduce the guilty man!" [TO BE CONTLNUED.] Few Good Dinner Waiters. A New York fashionable restaura ian who was asked why he specin good "dinner" waiter in his adv< sement said: "Because all good wa rs are not necessarily good dint aiters; quite the contrary. The ter ley with most waiters, unless ti now their customer, is to hurry eial along. They want to make ro< t the tables for newcomers. M< in who take all their meals at r iurants will not object to this reakfast; In fact, it is rather grati: ig than otherwise to find a wal riling to hurry. The same thing 'ue, more or less, with lunch( -here the restaurant is exclusiv1 )r gentlemen. But very few men 1 ) be hurried over their dinner. A -aiter who knows his business N )ax his customers gently over t kcal, course by-course, always rea t never around when he is not wa 1. Such a man. will get a liberal nd send customers away with t pinion that he works in the best r Lurant in town. But such waiters f ?w and far between.-New Yc imes. Strength of Animal Scent.. The bird dog man is likely to thi is favorite has a better nose than a imal on earth. He can tell you a mount of stories about birds bet ented at very long distances; No'w a covey of chickens winded at % ards, or, again, a bevy of quail dral :raight to at seventy-five. There i ther animals, however, which hc -onderfully keen noses. For instan ie sea otter hunters do not dare bu fire for days at a time on the little mds of the Pacific ocean frequen1 y those animals because the otter < mell the fumes from the small laze a distance of five miles out ma. It is said of this animal that n trail a fish under the sea. Mot ave been known to wind a man at t iles and make up their minds so Pi vely about him as to never guit r1 ing under twenty-five. A White Ant Diet. A book on the Kongo Free St: ives this picture of the fondness :e natives for white ants: "In I hite ant month the natives have ery busy ti~ne. The river is desert, nd men and women, bjA and gi o out to gather the white ant for fo cannot say I admire their taste, I be white ant is not bad as food, me r very rich. In this month he is ab< n inch long. The natives gather b i hundreds, pull off the wings 9 ast him. The native boys have horter way with him. Sometimes ess white ants flopped on to the le, attracted by the light The b< rho were waiting pounced on tab nd without further ceremony popj bem into their mouths." Strength of Eggshe~s. Most people are aware of the pov L eggshells to resist esternal press: a the ends, but not many would cr< the results of tests recently mad hich appear to be genuine. Eight nary hen's eggs that were submit1 >pressure varied between 400 p~ou ad 675 pounds per square inch. W~ e stresses applied internally welve eggs these gave way at pr ares varying between thirty-t ounds and sixty-five izounds uare Inch. The pressure required rush the eggs varied between foi ounds and seventy-five pounds. 'l verage thickess of the shells 3 zirteen one-thousandths Inch. The Public School. The public school Is generally und stimated and Is frequently looked'1 withi Indifference. Its influence ci t be expressed in a few words, 1 s Influence is the lifeblood of1 ome, the community and the nati< oy ordinary imagination can conji p a state of affairs that would sc ome to pass if the schoolhouse wi losed. It Is the great sieve into whj 11 the nations of the world are thro, 3 e shaken down to the common le obedience and patriotism.-Sch( zaster. History Repeating. Mr. Binks-I don't like the looks bat young man who calls to Mrs. Binks-He looks exactly as 3 d when you first came to see me. "Was I any such fool as that?" "Yes, you were, and yet I marri ou in spite of all my parents cot zy, and I am afraid that in spite of re can say our Clara will now be j1 s big a fool as 1 was.", An Odd Inscription. At Wymondhami, Norfolk, Englal ;this nscriptidh2 at an old coun1 ouse engraved on an oak board a U1 in one line: "Nee nishi glis serv e hospes hirudo." Translated fri e'Latin, in which it appears in.a que Roman capital letters, it may ndered, "No dormouse as a servL r me, neither a horse leech for Not a Case of Superstition. Mrs. B.-Oh, Charles, we can nea t down with thirteen at table. Mr. B.-Pshaw! I hope you're not ierstitious as that Mrs. B.-No, of course not, but ae only twelve dinner plates. Widespread Interest. "Do you think that people appreci et In this country?" "Certainly," answered Mrs. Cumr Everybody gets Interested as soon ou tell 'em how much a masterpi st."-Washngtoni Star. What He Didn't M!ean. Ambiguous-How are you, oldf w? Are you keeping strong? "No; only just managing to keep< f my grave." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that" An Observing Child. One man in New York had social [rations which somewhat warped:I diration of hIs homespun fath 'he father actually sometines relap: ito the barbarism of eating with nife. But the man has a little -hose eyes seek and find out the tru 'he other day the little boy licked sol lashed potatoes from his knife, a is mother chided him. "Sammy, dea be said, "only stupid people eat wi 2eir knives." "How can you say th amma?" cried the child. "Grand ats with his knife. And he made' ige The Name oses. fol- It Is a curious fact,- unknown per the haps to a majority of readers, that his Moses of Scriptural fame was called by eight different names in various uld places in the Bible. Bathia, the daugh trt- ter of Pharaoh, called him Moses be ace cause sbe drew him out of the water. the Jochebed, his mother, called him Jeku rry thiel, saying, "I had hoped for him." !au Miriam, his sister, called him Jared because she had descended after him into the water to see what his end would be. Aaron called his brother Abi Zanuch because his father had de serted their mother. Amram, the fa nt ther of Moses, called the boy Chabar ed because he was again reunited to the er- mother of the lad. it- Keha.th, the grandfather of Moses, er called him Abigdor because God had id- repaired the breach in the house of Jacob. The nurse of the grandfather ey of Moses called him Abi Socho because he was once hidden three months in Dst the Tabernacle. All Israel called him Shemaiah because "in his days Gpd es- p at heard their cries and rescued them from their oppressors." ter is A Useful Coffin. A writer in an English church maga zine once found in a collier's cottage In Staffordshire a coffin used as a ne bread and cheese cupboard. Notwith d standing his wife's remonstrance, he told the story of the coffin as follows: ly, "Eighteen years ago I ordered that Lt- coffin. The wife and me used to have a good many words. One day she said, I'l niver be content till I see thee in:, le thy coffin.' 'Wellass,' I sad, 'if that. es' Ill content thee it 'l soon be done. Le "Next day I gave directions to have rk the thing made' In a few days it came home, to the wife's horror. I got into it and said, 'Now, lass, are thee nk content?' She began to cry and want ny ed the 'horrid thing' taken away. But, ny that I wouldn't allow. In the end she ng got accustomed to seein' it, and, as we. it wanted to turn it to some use, we had some shelves put in and made it into a bread and cheese cupboard. We hav re niver quarreled since it came." ive ce, Preferred Hogs to Land. ld They tell a good one on a prominent real estate man of Waurika. Some: Led time ago he carried a.prospector ov on Beaver creek to show him a claim. He told the man that it was est - at an exceptionally fine claim, that he land did not overflow and that he se would sell it to him for $4,000. )se M a a d man looked around and discove. some red mud way up in a tree asked the real estate man what that mud in the tree tops if the did not overfloir. The agent promp replied that there was a kind ofo raised over in the Ch W o which used to range on th creek and,' that they rubbed the mud oi , e The prospector took a look over: the. land, glanced up in the tree again and. ' told the Waurika man that he won take the claim, but he-would give him $4,000 for -a couDIe of those hogs. Kansas City Journal. re mut The Cranberry. The value of the cranberry a nd dicinal agent was early recognied b the American aborigines, who prep _ poultices from them to extract the om from poisoned arrows. On tie >ys principle they are used now as a rm eedy for erysipelas, taken interna'l~ :~ applied as a poultice. In malaria]lnd typhoid conditions the acid of the fut is specially commended, while d~~p~ etics who lack gastric juice are as'o e fered cranberries. Eaten raw they are said to be an excellent remedy for bfl ouns.As* a health food cranber edof their substance is lost ds - a~gI ~O The historian Lafittall, th'e period o~ to whose observation dat# back to e-1700-05, describes how In March the wIndians make transverse incisions wt~: er their hatchets, from which trickles an to abundance of water, which they after ward boil over a fire. He says thee he sugar thus made has nearly always a as burned taste, but that the French make it better than the Indan women, from whom they learned how to make it Bossu, writing in 1756, is equally er- explicit as to the sourcbof sugar mak >ut Xothing to Do. :he Towne-The last time I saw Jenkin an he was looking pretty blue; said he had * nothing to do. on Browne-He told me the same thing are today when I met him, but he was ich quite cheerful. ~'Towne-Resigned to it, I suppose. rel Browne-Resigned to it! No; just 0l- appointed to it He's got a political job.-Phbiladelphia Press. soothing. - ofPompoius Customer-That insect pow ;der you sold me the other day is .no>' ogood. The cockroaches fatten on it ouAffable Salesman -- Yes, sir. That's the first stage. They get fat on it and. ethen die of apoplexy. Come round next lweek and report again. Anything I can ado for you, ma'am? ist Heroic Sacrifice. Belle-Do you think Chapple loves me?. Grace-I know It. He told me today that he was going to shave off his mus - tache so that he could devote more nthought to you. ira The Encouraging. The Prospective Bride-I sometimes. be wish I had more experience in house tnt keeping and domestic life. a The Old Stager-But, my dear, If you had you would never get married. Brutally Franik. rer The Wife-What will you do when you have no little wifie to mend your so clothes for you? The Wretch--Have money to buy we new onies.-Exchange. Launched on His Literary Career. t"I understand your son has decided i ogo infrliterature." "Yes, and he's made a splendid start already." as "You don't say." c "Yes; hewn oan auction this -morning and bought a secondhand writing desk for only $4.08."-.Catholie ,e Standard and Times. ut"hyAn Inviting Field. >t "hysay there's an island in the Pacific with G00 inhabitants where : drunkenness, crime, jails, police and courts are unknown." "Is that so? It's a wonder some ibody hasn't started In to civilize it" rr. Brooklyn Lire. ues Thought She Knewt. :"Say, mamma," queried little Elsie. on"what is a..stag party?" t "Stag, my dear, is an abbreviation ne f stager," replied the knowing moth ner.-Chicago News. Under some conditions a man can pmake more noise in the world by akeeping his mouth shut than in any