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11|5S? CONQUEST I 1! OF CANAAN Bf By BOOTH TARK1NGTON. K Author of "CK?rry," "Monsieur BenaK - caJre.** Etc. Copyright. 1906, by Harper & Brothers w I 1 (Continued from page 6 ) quite as abruptly and re-entered the room whence she had come. She laughed again to her fat friend as she passed him and, still laughing, went toward die fatal chair, when her eyes caught sight of Eugene Bantry and Mamie . coming in through the window. She went to the window and looked out The porch seemed deserted and was faintly illuminated by a few Japanese lanterns. She sprang out, dropped upon the divan and. burying her face in her hands, cried heartbrokenly. Presently she felt something ali^p touch her foot, and, her breath catching with alarm, she started to rise. A thin hand, Issuing frr?m ? shabbv sleeve, had stolen oat between two of the green tubs and was pressing upon oue of her shoes. "Sh!" said Joe. "Don't make a noise! What were you crying about?" "Nothing." she said, the tears not ceasing to gather in her eyes. "I want to know what it was." he insisted. "Didn't the fools ask you to dance? Well, what do you care about that for?" "I don't^ she answered; "I don't" Then sudt^ily, without being able to prevent It she sobbed. She gave way all at once to a gust of sorrow and bitterness. She bent far over and caught his band and laid it against her wet cheek. "Oh. Joe." she whispered brokenly, "I think we have such hard lives, you and I! It doesn't seerq right while we're so young! Why can't.we be like the others? Why can't we h^ve some of the fun?' He withdrew his hand with the embarrassment and shame he would have felt had she been a boy. "Get out!" he said feebly. She did not seem to notice, but still stooping, rested her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. "I try so hard to have fun. to be like the rest, and It's always a mistake, al ways, always. alwaysP* She rocked herself slightly from side to side. "I am a fool, it's the truth, or I wouldn't have come tonight. I want to be attractive. I want to t>e in things. I want to laugh like they do." "I'll tell you something," Joe whispered, chuckling desperately. "Gene made me unpack his trunk, and I don't believe he's as great a man at college as be Is here. I opened one of bis books, and some one had written in it. Trigamaloo Bantry, the Class Try-toBe." He'd never noticed, and you ought to have heard him go on! You'd have Just died. Ariel. I almost bust wide open. It was a mean trick iu me. but I couldn't help showing it to him." Joe's object was obtained. She stopQgd crying and, wiping her eyes, smiled faintly. Then she became grave. "You're Jealous of Eugeue." she said. He considered this for a moment "Yes," he answered thoughtfully; "I am. But I wouldn't think about him differently on that account. And I wouldn't talk about him to any one but you." "You must go away" she said nnx -??? t ? n? Jousiy. "uu. piease, jw. "Not yet. I want"? She coughed loudly. Eugene and Mamie Pike had come to the window, with the evident Intention of occupyInglthe veranda; but. perceiving Ariel engaged with threads In her sleeve, they turned away and disappeared. They made three Udsc starts and then got away. Other couples looked out from time to time and. fiuding the solitary figure in possession, retreated abruptly to seek stairways and remote corners for the things they were Impelled to say. And so Ariel held the porch for three dances and three intermissions, occu pying a great part of the time with Ieivtjbaties that her obdurate and recklesi companion should go. When for the fourth time the music sounded, her agitation haf'J so increased that she was visibly trembling. "I can i stand it. Joe." she said* bending over him. "I don't know what would happen if they found you. You've got to gcf No: I haven't." he chuckled. "They haven't even distributed the supper , yet.", "And you take all the chances." she 1} 1V , said slowly. "Jnst to see her pass that j window a few times." "What chances?" | "Of what the Judge will do if any ; one sees you." J "Nothing, because if any one saw me I'd leave." 11 "Please ga" "Not till"? ! "Sh!" A colored waiter, smiling graciously, came out upon the porch bearing a tray of salad, hot oysters and coffee. Ariel shook her head. "I don't want any." she murmured. The waiter turned away in pity and was re-entering the window, when a passionate whisper fell upon his ear as well as upon Ariel's. | "Take it!" "Ma'am ?"^sald the waiter. "I've chauged my mind." she replied 1 quickly. The waiter, his elation re; stored, gave of his viands with the su j perflifous bounty loved by his race when distributing the product of the wealthy. When be had gone. "Give me everything that's hot." said Joe. "You caa j keep the salad." "1 couldn't eat it or anything else.'' the answered, thrusting the plate between the palms. For a time there was silence. From within the house came the continuous babble of voices and laughter, the clink of cutlery on china. The young people spent a long time over their supper. By and by the waiter returned to the verauda. deposited a plate of colored Ices upon Ariel's knees with a noble gesture and departed. "No ice for me," said Joe. "Won't you please go now?" she en! treated. "It wouldn't be good manners," he responded. "They might think I only came for supper." "Hand me back the things. The waiter might come for them any minute." "Take them. then. You'll see that Jealousy hasn't spoiled my appetite"? A bottle shaped figure appeared lu the window, and she had no time to take the plate and cup which were being pushed through the palm leaves. ! She whispered a syllable of warning, and the dishes were hurriedly withdrawn as Norbert Flitcroft, wearing a solemn expression of Injury, came out upon the veranda. He halted suddenly. "What's that?" he asked, with suspicion. "Nothing." answered Ariel sharply. -Where r "Behind those palms." "Probably your own shadow," she laughed; "or it might have been a draft moving the leaves." He did not seem satisfied, but stared hard at the spot where the dishes had disappeared, meantime edging back cautiously uearer the window. "They want you." he said, after a pause. "Some one's come for you." "Oh is grandfather waiting?" She rose, at the same time letting her Handkerchief fall. She stooped to pick it up with her face away from Norbert and toward the palms, whispering tremulously, but with passionate urgency, "Please go!" "It Isn't your grandfather that has come for you." said the fat one slowly. "It is old Eskow Arp Something's happened." She looked at him for a moment, beginning to tremble violently, her eyes growing wide with fright. "Is ray grandfather?is be sick?" "You better go uud see. Old Eskew's i waiting In the hall. He'll tell you." She was by him and through the j window instantly. Norbert did not : follow her; he remained for several moments looking earnestly at the | palms; then he stepped through the I window aud beckoued to a youth who I was lounging in the doorway across ; the room. "There's some'ody hiding behind ; those plants." he whhqiered when his 1 friend reached him. "Go aud tell Judge Pike to send some of the uigI gers to watch outside the porch, so i that lie doesn't get away. Then tell him to get his revolver uud come , here." Meanwhile Ariel had found Mr. Arp waiting in the hall talking in a lowvoice to Mrs. Pike. I "Your grandfather's all right," he . told the frightened girl quickly. "He 1 sent me for you. that's all. Just hurry and get your things." She was with him again in a moment and, seizing the old man's arm. ' ; hurried him down the steps and toward J the street almost at a run. "You're not telling me the truth," i she said?"you're not telling me the | truth!" "Nothing has happened to Roger," j panted Mr. Arp. "Nothing to mind. 1 mean. Here! We're going this way, not that." They had come to the ! gate, and as she turned to the right ! be pulled her round sharply to the i left. "We're not going to your house." "Where are we going?" "We're going to your Uncle Jouas'." "Why?" she cried In supreme astonishment. "What do you want to take me there for? Don't you know that he's stopped speaking to me?" "Yes." said the old man grimly, with 1 something of the look he wore when ! delivering a clincher at the National I House: "he's stopped speaking to evj erybody." CHAPTER V. THE Canaan Daily Tocsin of the following moruing "ventured the assertion" upou Its front page that "the scene at the | Pike mansion was one of unalloyed i i festivity, music and mirth; a fairy , bower of airy iigures wafting here and there to the throb of waltz strains; a veritable temple of Terpsichore, shining forth with a myriad of lights, which, together wiih the generous profusion of floral decorations and the minded dpliirlits afforded bv Minds' orchestra of Indianapolis and Caterer , Jones of Chicago, was in all likelihood ' never heretofore surpassed In elegance j In our city. Only one incident" the Tocsin remarked, "marred on otherwise perfect occasion, and out of regard for the culfcrrit's family connections, which are prominent In our social world, we withhold his name. Suffice it to say that through the vigilance of Mr. Norbert Flitcroft, grandson of Colonel A. A. Flitcroft. who proved himself a thorough Lecoq (the celebrated French detective), the rascal was seized and recognized. Mr. Flitcroft. having discovered him In hiding, had a cordon of waiters drawn up around his biding place, which was the charmingly decorated side piazza of the Pike mansion, and sent for Judge Pike, who came upon the intruder by surprise. He evaded the Judge's indignant grasp, but received a well merited blow over the head from a poker which the Judge had concealed about his person while pretending to approach the hiding place casually. Attracted to the sceue by the cries of Mr. Flltcroft. who. standing behind Judge Pike, accidentally received a blow from the same weapon, all the guests of the evening sprang to view the scene.only to behold the culprit leap through a crevice between the strips of canvas which inclosed the piazza. He was seized by the colored coachcinn of the luansfoo. Sa:n Warden, and Immediately pounced upon by the cor-: don of Caterer Jones' dusky assistants from Chicago, who were i:i ambush outside. Unfortunately after a brief struggle he managed to trip Warden and. the others stumbling upon the prostrate body of the latter, to make bis escape in the darkness." Not quite a mile above the northernmost of the factories on the water front there projected Into the river near the end of the crescent bend above the town a long pier, relic of steamboat days, rotting now and many years fallen from its maritime uses. About midway of its length stood a huge, crazy shed, long ago utilized as a freight storeroom. This had been patched and propped, and a dangerous looking reranda attached to It. over hanging the water. Above the door way was placed a sign whereon might be read the words. "Beaver Beach. Mike's Place." The shore end of the pier was so ruinous that passage was offered by a single row of planks. which presented an appearance so temporary as well as Insecure that one might have guessed their office to he something in the nature of a drawbridge. From these a narrow path ran through a marsh left by the receding river to a country road of desolnte appearance. Here there was a rough In closure or corral, with some tumbledown sheds which afforded shelter on the night of .Joseph Louden's disgrace for a number of shaggy teams attached to those decrepit and musty vehicles known picturesquely and accurately as night hawks. By 3 o'clock Joy at Mike's place had become beyond question unconflned, and the tokens of (t were audible for a long distance In all directions. If, however, there Is no sound where no ear hears, silence rested upon the countryside until an hour later. Then a lonely figure came shivering from the direction of the town not by the road, but slinking through the snow upon the frozen river. It cau>e slowly, as though very tired. anif cautiously, too. often turning its head to look behind. Finally It reached the pier nud stopped as If to listen. Within the house above a piano of evil life was being beaten to death for Its sins and clamoring its last cries horribly. The old shed rattled In every with tho thmi nf inanv heavy feet r.nd trembled with the shock of noise, an Incessant r~ar of men's voices, punctuated with women's screams. TheD the riot quieted somewhat There was $ clapping of hands, and a violin began to squeak measures Intended to be oriental. Hie next moment the listener scrambled up one of the'rotting piles aud stood upon the veranda. A shaft of red light through a broken shutter struck across the figure above the shoulders, revealing a bloody handkerchief clumsily knotted about the head and beneath It the face of Joe Louden. Joe opened the door and went In. All of the merry company (who were ab'Ie) turned sharply toward the door as it opened. One or two nearest the door asked the boy, without great curiosity, what had happened to his bead. He merely shook it faintly in reply and crossed the room to ah open hallway beyond. At the end of this he came to a frowzy bedroom, the door of which stood ajar. Seated at a deal table and i wArkir.ir bv a dim lamp with a broken chimney, a close cropped, red bearded, red haired man iu his shirt sleeves was Jabbing gloomily at a column of figures scrawled In a dirty ledger. He looked up as Joe appeared lu the doorway, and . his eyes showed a slight surprise. ; "1 never thought ye had the temper [ to git somebody to split yer head," said I he. "Where'd ye collect it?" " 1 K.,ni11.A(./,hlnf on/1 tie liaWOUUU lilt' uauuavi IUIVI uuv. removed It from Joe's head gently. ! "Wbee!" he cried as a long gash was exposed over the forehead. "I hope ye left a mark somewhere to pay a little on the score o* this!" Joe chuckled and dropped dizzily back upon the pillow. "There was another who got something like it." he gasped feebly, "and, oh. Mike. I wish you could have heard him going on! Perhaps you did. It was only three miles from here." "Nothing I'd liked better!" said the other, bringing a basin of clear water from a stand in the corner. "It's a beautiful tbiug to bear a man holler when he gits a grand one like ye're wearing tonight." He bathed the wound gently and, hurrying from the room, returned Immediately with a small Jug of vinegar. Wetting a rag with this tender fluid, he applied it to Joe's head, speaking soothingly the while. "Nothing in the world like a bit o' ( goo'J cTv.nejf ir IcTTiSep Oit the 7esterlu'. It m.iy seem a trifle scratchy 1 fer the moment, but it assassinates the i oiooa p ison. mere ye go; us tue uue ' thing for ye. Joe. What are ye squirm1 In' about?" "I'm only enjoying it" the boy an| swered. writhing as the vinegar work' ed Into the gash. "Don't you mind my j laughing to myself." "Ye're a good one, Joe!" said the { other, continuing his ministrations. "I wisht after all, ye felt like makin' me known to what's the trouble; There's 1 some of ns would be glad to- take It up fer ye, andV? "No, dot Ifs all right i was someJ where I had no business to be, and I ! got caught" "Who caught ye?" ' "First some nice white people"?Joe smiled his- distorted smile?"and then a low down black man helped me to get away as soon as he s tw who It was. He's a friend of mine, n.nd he fell down and tripped up the puriuit" "i always knew yeM git into large trouble some day." The red bearded ! man tore a strip from an old towel and ; began ho bandage the boy's Bead with ' an accustomed hand. "Yer taste fer excitement has been growin* on ye every mlmite of the four years I've known ye." J "I've got $7." Joe said, without reply; lng to Mike. "and I'll leave the clothes I've got on. Can you tlx me up with something different?" "I'll have the tiling rer je. ana I u let ye- know I have no tt.;e ler $7." relle tanked up /.!* Joe appeared In the dimrwuy. turned the r?*l bearded man crossly. "What ere ye suillln' fer?" "I'm thinking of the poor fellow that j get the mate to this," said Joe. touching the bandage. "I can't help crying when 1 think they may have used vinegar on his head too." "Git to sleep if ye can!" exclaimed the Samaritan as a hideous burst of ' noise came from the dance room, where 1 some one seemed to be breaking a j chair upon iyi acquaintance. "I'll go j out and regulate the boys a bit" He j turned down the lamp, rumoieu iu ois J hip pocket and weqt to the door. (Continued next week.) 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