Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SYNOPSIS. A curious crowl of nolghbors invade the tysteri'"Ios hiii of Judge Ostrander. county judge andt eccentric retluse, fol lowing a v''ilei torn:i n who has gal nd entrantc throigh ie- gates of the high double I:trriers stirroundiug the place The w'om(ifn has < ls: plturel but the Judge Is fournd in a caitaleptic stalte. Bkela. his serv:nt, atiears in a iying condition anti prevents tnt ru nce to a secret dloor. liela diea. Tie jiige aw;tkes. Miss Weeks extilains to him wIait lis occurrel during his seizure. lie secretly discovers the wh'tel~r,- lrs of the tvolled l orn n. I.envy Ing his g:lIh l houis' at night, lie goes through Dark hiollow to the Claymore Inn to visit her. CHAPTER ill-Continued. Meanwhile Judge Ostrander was looking about himt for Mrs. Yardley. The quiet figure of a squat little body blocked up a certain doorway. "I am looking for Mrs. Yardley," he ventured. The little figuro turned; he was con scious of two very piercing eyes being raised to his, and heard in shaking ac cents, which yet were not the accents of weakness, the surpritied ejacula tion: "Judge Ostrander!" Next minute they were together in a small room, with the door shut be hind them. The energy and decision of this mite of a woman were surpris ing. "I was going-,-to you-in the morn ing-" she panted in her excitement. "To apologize," she respectfully fin ished. "'T'hen," said he, "it was your chibl who visited my house today?" She nodded. IHer large head was sottewthat disiproportioned to her short and stocky body. Ilut her glance and manner were not tin pleasing. 'There was a moment of silence which she hastened to lrak. "lggy is very young; it was not het' fault She is so younlg she doesn't know where she went. She was found loiterlin around the bridge-a dan-l gieroutt place for a child, but we've been very busy all day-iand she was found there and taken along by--by the othert person. I hope that you will excuse it, sir." What he had to.say came with a de cided abruptness. "Whio is the woman, Mrs. Yardley? Thait's what I have'coine to learn, and not to complain of your 'child." ' The t.nswer struck him Very strange ly, though he saw nothing to lead him to distrust her candor. "I don't know, Judge Ostrander. She calls herself Averill, but that doesn't make me sure of her. You wonder that I should keep a lodger about whom I have any doubts, but there are times when Mr. Yardley uses his own judgment, and this is one of the timies. The woman pays wtell and prompjtly," she added in a lower tone. "Ilier statue? Is she maid, wif'e or widlow?" "Ohl, she says she is a widow, andt I see ever'y rea~sonl to biel ievo hter.'' A slighlt gr'iness ini her mlannier, the smallest possible edge to her voice, led the jutdge to remark: "Pretty?' "Not like a girl, sir. She's 01(1 enouigh to sho0w fatde; bult I dotn't be "Have You No idea Who This Mrs. Averlil Is?" hieve that a man wvould mind that. She has a look-a way, that even women feel. You may judge, sir, if we, old stagers at the business, have - been willing to take her in and keep her, at any price-a woman who won't show her face except to me, and who will not leave her room without her veil and then only for walks in places where no one else wants to go-she must have some queer sort of charm to overcome all scruples. But she's gone too (ar today. Shle shall leave tile inn tomorrow. I Dromise yous that, sir, wbatever Samuel says.- Bui *it down; sit. down; you iidok tired judge. L .thlere anyth~ig you ouk like? Shailt4 call Bamuoiel ,By .ANNA KATI (Copyright, 1014, by I "No. I'm not not much used to walk ing. Besides, I have had a great loss today. My man, Bela-" Then with his former abruptness: "Have you no Idea who this Mrs. Averill is, or why she broke into my house?" "There's but one explanation, sir. I've been thinking about it ever since I got wind of where she took my Peggy. The woman is not responsible. She has some sort of mania. Why else should she go into a strange gate just because she saw it open?" "You speak of her as a stranger. Are you quite sure that she is a stranger to Shelby? You have not been so very many years here, and her constant wearing of a veil indoors and out is very suspicious." "So I'm beginning to think. And there is something else, judge, which makes me suspect you may be quite correct about her not being an entire stranger here. She knows this house too well." The judge started. The strength of his self-control had relaxed a bit, and he showed in the look he cast about him what it had cost him to enter these doors. "It is not the same, of course," con tinued Mrs. Yardley, affected in a pe, culiar way by the glimpse she had caught of the other's emotion, unnatu ral and incomprehensible as it ap peared to her. "The place has been greatly changed, but there is a cer tain portion of the old house left which only a person who knew it as it originally was would be apt to find; and yesterday, on going into one of these remote rooms I came upon her sitting in one of the windows looking out. 1low she got there or why she wont I cannot tell you. She didn't (hoose to tell me. and I didn't ask. tHut I've not felt real easy about her 5111." "lExeuse me, Mrs. Yardley, it may he a matter of no moment, but do you miled telling me where this room is?" "It's on the top floor, sir; and it looks out over the ravine. Perhaps she was spying out the path to your hioulse." The judge's face hardened. Hie felt hauiled and greatly disturbed; but he spoke kindly enough when he again addressed Mrs. Yardley: "I am as ignorant as you of this woman's personality and of her rea sons for intruding into my presence this morning. But theo is something so peculiar about this presumptuous attempt of hers at an interview that I feel impelled to inquire into it more fully, even if I have to approach the only source of information capable of giving me what I want-that is, her self. Mrs. Yardley, will you procure me an immediate interviewv with this wonma? I am sure that you can be. relied upon to do this and to do it with caution. You have the counte nanice of a woman unusually discreet." TIhe subtle flattery did its work. She was not blind to the fact that he had introduced it for that very pur pose0, but it wvas not in her nature to withstand any app~eal from so exalted a source. however made. Lifting her eyes fearlessly to his, she responded ear'nestly: "I am proud to serve you. 1 will see what I can do. Wvill you wait hero?" Judge Ostrander had just time to brace himself to meet the unknown when the door fell back and the womn an of the morning appeared in the opening. CHAPTER IV. Unveiled. On the instant he recognized that no common interviewv lay before him. She was still the mysterious stranger, and she still wore her veil--a fact all the more impressive that it was 1no longer the accompaniment of a hat, but flung freely over her bare head. He frowned as he met her eyes through this dis guising gauze. "This Is very good of you, Judge Ostrander," she remarked, in a voice both cultured and pleasant. "I could hardly have hoped for this honor. Such consideration shown to a stranger ar gues a spirit of unusual kindliness. Or perhaps I am mIstaken in my sup iposition. Perhaps I am no stranger to you? Perhaps you know my name?" "Averill? No." She paused, showIng her disappoint mont quite openly. Then drawing up a chair she leaned heavily on its back, saying in low, monotonous tones from which the former eager thrill had de parted: . "I see that the intended marriage of your son has made very little impres sion upon you." Aghast for the moment, this was such a different topic from the one ho expected the judge regarded her in silence before remarking: "I have known nothing of it. My son's concerns are no longer mnine, If you have broken into my course of life for no other purpose than to die cuss the. affairs of Oliver Ostrander, I must beg of you to excuse me.I haire nothing to say in his connectior1 to you or to anyone." -"Is the breach between you so dee; as that? I entreat--bute ino, you area t just man: I will rely upon your sents .of right, If your son's happiness faili L OL IAtINE GREEN odd, Mfead & Compantyi to appeal to you, let that of a young and innocent girl, lovely as few are lovely, either in body or mind." "Yourself, madam ?" No, my daughter Oliver Ostrander has done us that honor, sir. He had every Wish and had made every prepa ration to marry my child, when Shall I go on?" "You may." It was shortly said, but a burden seemed to fall from her shoulders at its utterance. Her whole graceful form relaxed swiftly into its natural curves, and an atmosphere of charm from this moment~ enveloped her, which justified the description of Mrs. Yardley, even without a sight of the features she still kept hidden. "I am a widow, sir." Thus she be gan with studied simplicity. "With my one child I have been living in De troit these many years-ever since my husband's death, in fact. We are not unliked there, nor have we lacked re sipect. When some six months ago your son, who stands high in every one's regard, as befits his parentage and his varied talents, met my daugh ter and fell seriously in love with her, no one, so far as I know, criticized his taste or found fault with his choice. I thought my child safe. And she was safe. to all appearance, up to the very morning of her marriage-the marriage of which you say you had received no intimation though Oliver seems a very dutiful son." "Madam!"-The hoarseness of his tone possibly increased its peremptory character-"I really must ask you to lay aside your veil." It was a rebuke and she felt it to be so; but though she blushed from behind her veil, she did not remove it. "Pardon me," she begged, and very humbly, "but I cannot yet. Let me reveal my secret first. Judge Ostran der, the name under which I had lived in Detroit was not my real one. 1 had let him court and all but marry my daughter, without warning him in any way of what this deception on my part covered. But others-one other, I have reason now to believe-had de tected my identity under the altered circumstances of my new life, and surprisdd him with the news at that late hour. We are-Judge Ostrander, you know who we are. This is not the first time you and I have seen each other face to face." And, lifting up a hand, trembling with emotion, she put aside her veil. You recognize me?" "Too well." The tone was deep with meaning, but there was no accusation in it; nor was there any note of relief. It was more as if some hope deeply, and perhaps unconsciously cherished, had suffered a sudden and complete extinction. "Put back your veil." Trembling, she complied, murmur ing as sihe fumbled wvith its folds: "Disgrace to an Ostrander! I know that I was mad to risk it for a mo ment. Forgive me for the attempt, and listen to my errand. Oliver was willing to marry my child, even after he knewv the shame it would entail. But Reuther would not accept the sacrifice, Judge Ostrander, I am not worthy of such a child, but such she is. If John-" "We will not speak his name," broke in Judge Ostrander, assuming a per emptory bearing quite unlike his for mer one of dignified reserve. "I should like to hear, instead, your explanation of how my son became inveigled into an engagement of which you, if no one else, knew the preposterous na ture." "Judge Ostrander, you (10 right to blame me. I should never have given my consent, never. But I thought our past so completely hidden-our iden tity so entirely lost under the accepted name of Averill." "You thought h" Ho towered over her in his anger. He looked and acted as in the old days, when witnesses cowered under his eye and voice. "Say that you knew, madam; that you planned this unholy trap for my son.' "Ju'dge Ostrander, I did not plan their meeting, nor did I at first en courage his addresses. Not till I saw the extent of their mutual attachment did I yield to the event and accept the consequences. But I was wrong, wholly wrong to allow him to visit her a second time; but now that the mischief is done-" Judge Ostrander was 'not listening. "I have a question to put you," said he, when he realized that she had ceased speaking. "Oliver was never a fool, When he was told who your daughter was what did he say .of the coincidence which made him the lover of the woman against whose father his father had uttered sentence of death? Didn't he marvel and call it extraordi nary-the work of the devil?" "Possibly; but if he did it was not in any conversation he had with me," "rid your daughter? Was he as close-mouthed in speaking of me to her as he was to you?" *"I have no dloubt of it. Reuther be trays no knowledge of you or of your habits, and, has never expressed but one curiosity in your regard. As you can imagine what that is, I will not mrbention- it." S"You are at liberty to. I have list ened to, much and can well listen to a little more." "Judge; she is of a very affectionate nattre, and her appreciation of jour son's virtues is very great. Though her conception of yourself is naturally a very vague one, it is only to be expected that she should wonddr how you could live so long without a visit from Oliver." His lips took la stran twist. There was self-contempt in h,, and some other very peculiar and contradictory emotion. But when this semblance of a smile had passed it was no longer Oliver's father she saw before her, but the county's judge. Even his tone partook of the change as he dryly re. marked: "What you have told me concerning your daughter and my son is very in teresting. But it was not for the simple purpose of informing inc that this untoward engagement was at an end that you came to Shelby. You have another purpose. What Is it? I can remain with you just five min utes longer." Five minutes! It only takes one to kill a hope, but five are far too few for the reconstruction of one. But she gave no sign of her secret doubts, as she plunged at once into her sub ject. "I will be brief," said she; "as brief as any mother can be who is pleading for her daughter's life as well as hap buti . her cntutio is abomal "~~ ' I 1 'r"l g1 wveak, and she will die of this. grief if some miracle does not save her. Strong as her will is, determined a. she ie to do her duty at all cost, she has very little physical stamina. Seel Here is her photograph, taken but a short time ago. Leek ar. it, I beg. See what she was like when life was full of hope; and then imuagine her with all hope eliminated." "Excuse me. WVhat use? 1 can do nothing. I am very sorry for the child, but-" His very attitude showed his disinclination to look at the picture. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Russian's Great Work. A. A. Balakshin, a Russian, is at the head of the greatest farmers' union -in the world, a most remarlo able organization composed of the Russian peasantry covering a vast stretch of fertile land from the Ural mountains to the confines of Mongolia. The chief industry is butter making, and almost the entire output has found ready market England. M. Blalakshin assumed the task of organizing tha farmers some years ago, and has suoi coeded to an extent not dreamed of at the beginning, lHe is regarded with loving reverence by the 300,000 souls to whose well being he has devoted his life, and by whom he is affection.. ately spoken of as "the little grand father." Social insurance In Germany. German statistics show that just be. fore the wa: 14,500,006 persons were protected by compulsory sickness in surance, 24,800,000 by compulsory ae cident insurance, and 16,000.000 by old age and invalidity insurance, ox. elusive of several millions of salaried employees who wore brought under compulsory insurance by recent legis. lation. This gives a rough idea of the all around security enjoyed by the average German workman in practical ly all industries and many of the trades of the empire. Population of india. The population of British India is given as 231,085,132. The figures are for some ten years ago, and it would not be far out of the way to put the present population at 236,000,000. One of the Indian princes recently do. clared that If called upon India could furnish an army of between seven and ten millins of met. Neglect of Important' Func tion May Seriously 'mt pair the Health., There are many people who believe they suffer from indigestion when their alscomfort really is due to a constipat ed condition. Bloat, with its attendant mental de pression, sick-headache, the belching ;of sour ptomach gases, etc., are fre quently due to inaction of the bowels. Relieve the congestion and the trouble usually disappears. The use of cathar ties and purgatives should be avoided,' however; these shock the system un necessarily and, at best, their effect is but tepnporary. A mild laxative is far preferable. The compound of simple laxative herbs known as Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin and sold in drug stores for fifty cents a bottle, is;chighly recommended. Mr. Bonj. Bassin, 360 Madison St., Gary, Ind., thinks Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin a wonderful medicipe; for four years he had a severe case of indiges tion and constipation before trying Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin, which ho is glad to recommend to all who suffer Kitchen Philosophy. Mr.- Bradshaw was in a great hurry and breakfast was late. "I wish you'd find out what this trou ble is," he said to his wife. Mrs. Bradshaw returned from the kitchen wearing a melancholy expres sion. "Well, well," demanded the husband, "what did she say?" "She said," responded the wife, "that 'we all have 'oUr disappoint ments.' "-Browning Magazine. In the Game. "I see the co-eds are getting into football at last." "Do you mean to say that girls are playing?" "No; appearing qs uniformed nurses on the side lines." To keep clean and healthy take Dr. Pierce s Pleasant Pellets. They regulate liver, bowels and stomach.-Adv. Actors are about the only people willing to pay more than $5 for a dog. WHY "A IS AN INSURANCE AGI Sufferers from Backache, Rh Before an Insurance Company will take a risk on your life the examining physician will test thesurino and re port whether you are a good risk. Wlien your kidneys get sluggish and clog, you suffer from backache, sick headache, dizzy spells, or the twinges and pains of lumbago, rheumatism and gout. The urine is often cloudy, full of sediment; channels often get sore and sleep is disturbed two or three times a night. This is the time you should consult some physician of wide experience-such as Dr. Pierce, of the Invalids' Hotel and Surgical Institute, Buffalo, N. Y. Send him 10 cents for sample package of his new discovery "Anuric." Write him your symptoms and send a sample of urine for test. Not Profitable. "Dauber says he lives only for his art." "Well, lhe certainly doesni't live from it.". 6000 COLOR GOOD HEALTH Is What Cardul Gave to This Ala baina Lady, According to Her Statement Printed Below. ClIo, Ala.--"I had been in good health until I was 15 years old," writes Mrs. A. L. Snell, of R. F. D. No. 1, this place, "but one day.., I was helping my father plant cotton in the field and was caught in the rain... At that time I got very ill... I suffered great agony in the lower abdomen, right side, and had dreadful sick headache, also pains in the back... I got dreadfully thin and simply gave entirely up. I had to go to bed and was there, on my back, for two weeks. "Dr. --- said I'd have to have an operation. I wouldn't hear to that, so, as my mother had used Cardui with great benefit.., she recommended that I take Cardul... Soon after I began taking it, I saw an improvement, and was able to get up and- be about my work... "I was nearly entirely well.., when one day. .. I scrubbed the whole house, washed clothes, for 7 in the family, and got my feet wet. This caused an other sick spell... So I turned again to my old friend, Dr. Cardui. . . After the use of less than a bottle again I was able to be up and about my work. I also fleshoned up again, got a good color, and I am now in good health.. I highly recommend Cardul... It is the best tonic that I know of," If you need a tonic, try Car'dul. For sale at all druggists. The ma~n who is always behind nev er gets ahead. us look older W than we Old are, and Dull - tell-tal. Constipationt, BENJ. BASSIN. with stomach and bowel trouble. A bottle of Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pep. sin should be in every home for use when occasion arises. A trial bottle, free of charge, can be obtained by writ. lug to Dr. W. B. Caldwell, 203 Wash ington St., Monticello, Ill. How to Heal Skin DiseasCI A Baltimore doctor suggdats this simple, but reliable and inexpensive, home treatment for people suffering with eczema, ring worm, rashes and similar itching, burn ing skin troubles. At any reliable A druggist's get a jar of resinol ointment and a cake of reel nol soap. These are not at all expen sive. With the resinol soap and warm water bathe the affected parts thor oughly, until they are free from crusts and the skin is softened. Dry very gently, spread on a thin layer of the resinol ointment, and cover with a light bandage-if necessary to protect the clothing. This should be done twice a day. Usually the distressing itching and burning stop with the first treatment, and the skin soon becomes clear and healthy again. NURIC" %INST SUDDEN DEATH! Dumatism and Kidney Trouble Experience has taught Dr. Pierce that "Anuric" is the most powerful agent A in dissolving uric acid, as hot watt melts sugar, besides being abso)vely harmless and is endowed with' other properties, for it preserves the kid neys in a healthy conditio4fby thor oughly cleansing then,. Checks the de generation of the blood-vessels, as well as regulating blood pressure. "Anuric" is a regular insurance and life-saver for all big meat eaters and those who deposit lime-salts in their joints. Ask the druggist for "Anuric" put up by Dr. Pierce, in 50-cent packages. Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription makes weak women strong, sick women well, no alcohol. Sold in tab lets or liquid. Wasps a Pest in England. The wvasp lpest has been so bad in some parts of Enhgland this season that fruit-growers in a large way ~ have had to wage a ceaseless war against them. The bee expert of a well-known firm of jam nmanufactur ers has broken all records by destroy ing no fewer than 307 nests. This means that, Including the wasps. grubs and eggs, he has killed mere than four and a half million wasps. One nest, a record for size, wvas over four feet In circumference. ELIXIR flABERC WORTHr ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD IN THlE PHiIIII'IN Es. I contracted malaria in 1896, and after a ears' fru'tless treatment by a pominent ashigt on physician, your Elixir Ilabok entirely cured mec. On arriving here I camne down with tropical malaria-the worst form -and sent home for Ilabek. Again it rvdtsvalue--It is worth itswehti ~iod here Brasle -O'Ha aTro thu U. 5. Cavalry, naa van, Phi nes. Elixir Itabek. &Ocents, all druggists or by PBrelotre>aid, from Klioczewski & o. The Limit. "For a camel to go through the eye of a needle is considered about the limit of impossibility, isn't it?" "Oh, I don't know. It's no more im possible than for a collar button to ~ slip out of one's ilniger's and roll to wardl thle mniddle or the floor." Used Whenever Quinine is Needed Does Not Affect the Head De.ause of Its tonic and laxative effect LAX ATIVE BROMO QUININE will be foutid better wich0 Qiiine i ased3. Does not cause ne vouisness nor ringing in hieasi. Remember there is only one "niromo Quinine." That is Laxa tiv Iromno Quinine. Look for signature of No Good. "Almost everybody has a skeleton iln the closet." "Yes; but what good is that to the neighbors? They always keep the~ door shut andi locked." Dr. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets are the original little liver pills put up 40 years ago. They regulate liver and boweis.--Ady. And a little widow' with a dimple is a dlangerous thing. After the Movie. go home willriest, refres.h and clean.e, havit