Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CHAPTER II. RHIe Shots echo In the Woods. Of conveying even a t'the of the hor? ror I sxpeiienced st Csmeron's die? closure I sm nigh hopeless. The mors w??? discussed the occurrence the >ess susooptible It seemed of explsnation. And what Is so terrifying ss the In? explicable, or so dreadful ss the in? tangible? Hero, apparently, was an enemy of calm and cunning malignity, who choee to manifest bis power In a mrrner slmost ludicrously puerile sere as It pointed with significant fin? ger to some dire and Inevitable sequel ?yet with such crafty secrecy as com? pletely to mystify and dismay. Cameron showed me the mutilated portrait. Ho had taken it do*n al? most Immediately, and had hidden It away la a closet of the hall behind an array of raincoats. The cutting had been done, evidently, with an exceed? ingly keen blade, and very dexterous? ly dona. But that It should have been accomplished In twelve minutes, while Cameron sat In the room, not fifteen feet distant, was beyond our compre? hension. Absorption In his book was the nearest ws came to a solution, and that was scarcely tenable. For there was tbo crowded top of the book? shelves. To cut the canvas, the van? dal must either have stood upon that or bare reared a ladder. There waa not room for the foot of a child on the shelf-top. and as for the ladder. It waa unthinkable. How could a ladder have [ been carried In and out without Cam? eron being conscious of It? From every possible sngle we viewed the In? cident, making every concelvsble con? cession, snd no hslf-way plausible an? swer to the riddle presented Itself. And though our common serrae told US that the time of miracles was long past, that no Oy res' ring nor Albe rich's cloak survived to this day to make Invisible their wearers, there persisted, nevertheless, a chill, uncan? ny sense of the supernatural, quite evident to me In Cameron's hushed voice snd furtive manner, snd in my own unwonted nervous disquietude. We sat very lat?. 1 wished, If pos? sible, to learn If at any time in my friend's life he hal done aught to en gender an enmity to which these Strangs developments could be traced ?whether, for lnttsnce, in the hot blood of his youth in some far land he had provoked th*? vengeance of one wboee humor it Is never to forget. As we tslked I came to know Cameron batter than 1 hsd ever known him be? fore. He bared to me much of his early career; he cave me a clearer view of his temperamental qualities; and yet I could not but feel that he left the vital point untouched, that be? neath hie seemtni. frsnkness there Isy bidden, shielded, some one episode, perhsps. which might let the light In upon our dsrvnets. For my question was evaded rather thsn answered. Presently, we went back to the let? ters snd dltsectod them, coldly and critically, sentence by sentence, snd while the wetrd Influence which they bad exerted upon me at the first reed? ing Increased, stimulated possibly by the incident of the portrait, still wo reached a certain practical, common eense view as to their origin; for we came to see in them what we be? lieved to be the band of a religious fanatic. Csrtaln sxpreestons, ws con? cluded, were quotstions. If they wets not Biblical, they were certainly c-f sacrsd genesis. And the discovery was not reassuring. It lent. Indeed, an adtfed prick to the perturbation we already experienced. Nor did the shsence of a specified date for the second promised demon? stration of power tend to relievo our uneasiness. In this silence we found the arme of cunntng cruelty. Any day,1 at any hour, some other mystifying, soul torturing Incident was llsblo to occur I tried t*** srgue thst the seventh day wsa Implied, Inasmuch as the second note was received ssj th* same day of the month as the first, and was a mere continuation of the original threat. Hut my contention lacked the Intrinsic streng'h which carries conviction, snd, as Cameron put It, WO could only "watfh and WaHj" for the communi? cations offered no alternative. Tboj mad*? no demand WhfOfl t*ln?< com? piled with would avert penalty Only Implacable snd hsOrvltable retrlhu'hm, calm, patient, and determined effv 1 from every line. Hut. in spite of Cameron's evident anilcv and In usln* tr. it etfTI I im very mildly stitlng Ms obvious ooodV tlon of mind- he sternly refus*. d hi consult el?h?T ? he pollco or the pr! ii deter tlves. "You msy BO| know," he explain* d, "that I am largely ratetegtad In ? tain line of laduslrtal enterprleee, the shar?'* of which are Hated on the New York stork hange, ?bould the pub lie become aware that my lite Is threatened, very serious eonoequeneea tnlgl t eiiKue in tho market No. c.yd \ whatever is .. ,i poo b.? <; i,v ?ura^lv? ?, und hv friends whom tre can trust absolutely. i can take rib risk of this horrid thing getting into the newspapers. Besides," he added, with a kindly, cdnslderatlve smile, "Evelyn must ho kept In ignoranve. Not for worlds would i have her trou? bled by our perplexing enigma." My suggestion that he should go abroad for a time, or at least spend a few weeks at Newport, was met with similar obstinate refusal. "i admit that i have been somewhat upset by this extraordinary combina? tion," was the way he expressed It, "but i am not a coward. i am not go- , lng to run. Even If i were inclined to do so, what should I gain? If a ma" I be not safe in his own house, where In Heaven's name is he likely to And safety?" Quite naturally i was led by this ex? pression to inquire whether, per? chance, he mistrusted ar.y of the many persons who were employed in the house and about the estate. But, some? what to my surprise, he was almost gravely offended by the mere sugges? tion. Nevertheless there were several 1 features of the affair, chief of them the manner in which the letters were received, which caused me to dwell with some mental persistence on this as the most profitable ground for spec? ulation. Ar.d when at length, *n the morning's small hours. i returned to ray home and to my bed, i carried the thought with me. The sowing of this seed In the sub? conscious garden of my mind brought forth fruit after He kind. I awoke with a perfectly clear understanding of how that which, the night before, had seemed ao impossible of accom? plishment was, perhaps, after all, merely a harlequin trick, quite simple when explained. With the new day, too, and th? sunlight, and tl cheery brightness of my own rooms, there came a lifting of that oppressive atmosphere of the eso? teric which at Cameron's had set my nerves out of plumb and my reason on the biae. Indeed i was fully con? vinced that we had beon foolishly con? structing an Alpine chain out of a mis? erable little row of mole hills, and i determined to lose no time in bringing Cameron, whom i now regarded ss most needlessly alarmed, to my own wholesome way of thinking. Directly after breakfast, therefore, i set forth on foot for my neighbor's, choosing the shore road as the more direct of the two routes. Personally, my taste In landscape is for dlstsnt view in preference to near at-hand foliage. My own house, which If fashioned In semblance of a Pom pellan villa, its cream-white walla punctuated with shutters of a some? what vivid pea-green and crowned by gently sloping roofs of the same bright color, gazes out across 8:am- , ford Harbor and the blue waters of the Sound, to where on clear days the pencilled outline of Raton's Neck shows purple in the distance. There are no towering, umbrageous trees to interrupt the outlook; only low, care? fully-trimmed shrubs, adorning a scries of marble sculpture-dotted ter? races, well below the line of vision. But the Cameron place, reflecting the Townshury penchant for arboriculture, Is quite the reverse. The prospect from the windows and verandahs of the fine old mansion is all green vistas and leafy perspectives, with only a glint of sun-sparkled waves, chance caught between gray boles or when the wind spreads a momentary open- 1 ing In the foliage. My way to Cameron's led through a veritable forest of euch luxuriant leaf? age that the path more than half the time was in twilight, while to right andV left the shadows deepened Into dark in the cloistral recesses of the woodland heart. The silence was pro? found. No voice of bird nor scurrying foot of squirrel Invaded the morning hush of those ramous depths. My own foo steps on toe soft turf returned no sound. ? half mile or more i had walked In this mute greenwood peace, when sherp and clear there echoed through the verdurous aisles the crack of a rifle and i came to a sudden, Involun? tary bait. Then it occurred to me that It was the third day of the open season for rail birds, and that It wae the report of a shot-gun i had heard, fired by some sportsman, off on the shore, there, to my right. And so i resumed my tramp, with ears keen for a repetition. Al? most Immediately i was rewsrded, and then i knew that It was no rail bird gunner, for the shot was unmistakably s rifle shot, snd It wss fired In the depth of the wood, to the left of me. Three times more i heard It, In fair- ! ly rapid succession, and sounding al? ways from about the same direction. I cannot say that it gave mo any un? easiness, but It perplexed mo in a mild way, arousing a passing curiosity as to its objert. And then, I came out upon the well-kept, gravelled drive whleh circles tho close-cropped, vel? vety Cameron lawn, and catching sight of Cumcron hlmHelf, In riding breeches and puttees, romping with one of hit picturesquely graceful Rus? sian S/Olf hounds, promptly forgot all about p. He I MM aeross tho swtird to meet me, the greet, gaunt white hound pressing ?. lose to his Side, god I thought i saw thai he, too, had ex? perienced the inspiriting Influenoo of the morning. "i havo found an answer," i Cried, While he van still fifty yard* away, "possibly t' e answer." He raised bis brows In question, and the hound, with open jaws, fondled bis wrist. *'i lad a horseback ride bef >ro break! ist/1 he ',,! l tne, sa ho sbtmk rrv blind. "Thea i spent sn hour at the ktnnels. We've n lino new biond ?.f oolite pi pi les. 1 a must ?< e tin a." "T trait to," i returned. "\\ Iii t do you i ? v to tennis?" hi ?U((,e ted, Irrelevantly, "Just a let. Tt'i a nne morning for tennis.** "If you can lend me a pair of shoes,* I consented, glaring down at my boots, "A dozen pairs," he smiled. "Come up to my dressing room. Louis will fit you out." I was Boaroely prepared for thla change In my friend's mood, and far from happy over it. Ho wuh evidently determined to Ignore the subject that had so engrossed us tho night before, \ hoping to find surcease of harassing thought In a roetlcss round of activi? ties. The condition was a morbid one which I believed should be discour I aged; tho more so as I possoaaed what I I fancied was a perfectly practical so? lution of that which hitherto had seemed to us an inexplicable phe? nomenon. And I was a little annoyed, too, that my good tidings should bo thus disregarded. When, therefore, we had entered the hall and Cameron was leading to? wards the broad, ascending staircase, I paused. "Do you mind giving me Just a minute?" He stopped, turned, and stood la questioning silence. "A minute in your study," I added, in explanation. Reluctantly, It seemed to me, he crossed to the study door, and throw? ing It open, stood aside that I might preoede him. The room appeared far less grim ' and gloomy than when I had last en? tered it. Ita windows faced the south; and between tho ollvo-green tapestry curtains the sun poured in a flood, Uahtt&gJ up the far corners, glint? ing op the gilt ornaments of the writ? ing table, and bathing in dazzling I splendor the burnished bronzes op the crowded top of the book-shelves, j "I see you aro not deposed to re? sume our discussion of last night," I begun, when Cameron, having closed the door behind him, halted Just in? side, and with hands in pockets, await? ed my opening. "But I want to show you that we have been in very much tho samo position as the wondoring children who watch the prcstldtgita teur. We havo Imagined something amazingly like a miracle, which, in point of fact, is capable of a very sim pk*. commonplace explanation." "You mean the cutting out of the head of the portrait?" he asked, with kindling Interest. "I do." "You have discovered how it was done, before my eyes, so to speak, and yet??" "I havo discovered how it may have been done," I interrupted. He moved his head Just perceptibly from side to side in skeptical gesture. "The door of this room is seldom locked?" I queried, ignoring the indi? cated skepticism "Never locked," he answered. "It would be quite possible for any one, knowing that you were absent, to spend an hour or so here uninter? rupted?" "Any one?" he questioned. "Any one who had gained entrance to the house," I amplified. "Oh, yes, I presume so." "They would have ample time to clear a space on the book-shelves, climb up. aud carefully cut out the head, or any part, or tho whole of a portrait, if they were so inclined?" I paused for his answer, but he only smiled with a sort of incredulous tol? erance. "Would they not?" 1 insisted. But Cameron was most perverse this morn? ing. "My dear Clyde," he scoffed, "of what use is all this? The portrait was cut, not while I was absent, but while I was present. 1 saw it complete at three o'clock; at twelve minutes post three. It was mutilated." "My contention is," 1 explained, quite patiently, "that while you saw It complete at three o'clock, the cut had already been made, but the cut portion had not been removed. In other words, the cutting having been deftly done with a thin, sharp knife, it was perfectly feasible to leave the por? trait apparently intact, though with the slightest effort the Incised portion could subsequently be released?with, say, a piece of cord, glued to the back for that especial purpose." Now that I had made myself clear, Cameron was quick to acknowledge the possibility of such a method. "And tho cord, you mean, led down behind the book-shelves, and perhaps through a window?" he suggested. "Precisely. And was pulled by some one on the outside." I "Yes," he said, thoughtfully. "Such an explanation is not unreasonable. The thing, really, must havo been dono In some such way." "And don't you see," I hurried on with my advantage, "how utterly cheap this makos the whole affair? i There's nothing at all impressive In that performance when you Hurt out how It was dono. If the next demon- | stratlon is no better than such clap? trap, you may rest assured you have a very plcayunlsh sort of mountebank villain to deal with. So, cheer up, my dear man, and I'll shpw you a few tricks at tennis that may ho equally eye-opening." Unquestionably my friend appeared relieved. Bui I came to fancy later that the appearam a was feigned for my benefit. Certainly he was not con? vinced, and In that proved himself . possessed of an Intuition, a world 1 more accurate than my own. CHAPTEFl III. The Target. Tho at tennis having finished With victory perching; on raj banners, I made excuse to put off the lnspe< tbm 1 of the collie puppies until another tirno, rosumod nij \ !ili<!" boot 1 and, ? : m partim It fui lie adm< 1 Itlon to c nen '1 to "think no mow about it," start) fl on my bom< ward a sy, Mj route lay again through lha min- 1 iature forest, for tho day "bad waxed uncomfortably warm with the ap ' proach of noon, and there was Bcant shade on the high-road between our two houses. In the wood, however, the air was gratefully cool, and I strode on at a good pace, breathing deeply and with enjoyment the bosky odors which greeted me afresh at every step. The dead silence which I had re? marked earlior was broken now by the hoarse tooting of a steamboat whistle, ?om a where off shore, and by the Bhrlll voices of birds, apparently in resent? ful protest at this raucous invasion of their sylvan quiet. I had succeeded In putting aside, for the moment at least, all thought of Cameron, hla anonymous letters, and his mutilated portrait, and was dwel? ling on my disappointment at not hav? ing caught even bo much as a glimpse of Evelyn Gray son during my morn , lng visit to Cragholt. It is true that I had gone there with a single purpose In mind?to convey to Cameron what I believed to be an importVrrit theory? but underlying this, I realized now, ! was more than a hope, a confidence even, that I should seo Evelyn. I was tempted, indeed, 1.0 a regret that I had not waited, visited the kennels, and accepted Cameron's Invitation for luncheon, which would doubtless have Insured me a few words at least with my Goddess of Youth. "While on the verge ,of this self-re? proach my spirits suddenly lifted, for the steam whistle having died away in the distance and tho feathered cholrpte have relapsed Into a pleat* d ^nirp that merely accented tho stillness, there broke all at once on tho mute calm of the woodland the silver sweetness of a girl's singing. Clear and resonant It rang through the forest aisles; a voice I knew beyond mistaking. Evelyn Grayson was com* lng towards mo over the scented turf. ; Still hidden by a bend in the path, the melody alcno measured for me her ap 1 proach. It was a French chanson she was lilting, a lyric of Baudelaire's, of which wo were both fond. Bweot muste sweeps me like tho sea 1 Toward my pale star, Whether the clouds be there or all the I air be free, I sail afar. And then she came around the turn. I At first she did not see me, for her eyes wero lifted with her voice, and I had time to mark the fascinating grace of her loug, free stride, before she became conscious of my presence 1 and checked and shortened it. She I wore a frock of white serge, the skirt's edge at her ankles, revealing ' dainty, snowy buckskin ties and Just a . peep of white silk hose. And her flower-like face looked out through a i frame of Leghorn straw and pinh roses, tied snugly beneath her softl]' ] rounded chin with the filmiest of long, I floating white veils. You can imaglno the picture sho made, there in this green glade, with her big blue eyes alight with glad surprise, and tha warm blood suddenly risen in her cheeks. "You truant!" I cried, In Jocular rei> rimand. "Are you always going to ruu away when I visit Cragholt?" She pouted prettily. I detest a wom? an who pouts, ordinarily. There is usually Buch palpable affectation about it. But Evelyn's pouting was winsome as an infant's. Besides It was only momentary. Then her eyes flashed and her foot was planted very hard, few such a tiny thing, on the green grass blades. "I'm not a truant," she declared, with feigned Indignation, "and I never thought of running away. That's Ju?t your conceited manly imagination. You <ancy that everything I do can have but one cause, and that is your? self. How, pray, was I to know you intended paying us a morning call?" "Tut, tut," I caught her up. "What a little spitfire we have here! If you hadn't deserted mo so shamefully last evening, I shouldn't have minded this morning, so much. As It la, It seems aeons since I saw you." Now she smiled until her dlmplea nestled. "That Is much better," she returned, gayly, "and deserves a reply, Just as my action of last evening de? serves praise, and not rebuke. I sac? rificed myself and my pleasure for one I love." "Not for me, surely I" "Did I use the word conceit a mo? ment ago? Are you the only man I love?" "I hope so," I answered, impudently/ "There 1b another," she confessed, In mock tragedy. "Behold his face!" I had not noticed that she held a little roll in her hand, for my eyes had been ever on hers; so, when abruptly, she spread out and held before me the missing head from Cameron'b portrait, I was doubly unprepared. I know I was startled. Sho said afterwards that I went very white. I suppose I did; for with tho rush of realization came such <k chain of supposition as to drive mo momentarily dizzy. For a second or more I stood dumb, while my hand went out in eager reach for tho scrap of canvas, which, I had ob? served, instantaneously, bore four p< r forations, all of a siz*?the size of a rifle bullet. With that discovery had 1 recurred tho shots I had heard; and following this, came a maze of con jecture, g< ii g back to that first letter, 1 then to the painting's mutilation, and on through devious wayB to the morn* Ing's target practice; and always with one or another of Cameron's trust* d bi rvanta as the chief actor. When 1 recovered my composure 1 found Kvelyn backing wilfully away from in v eovi toue hand. "II la the picture of th^ mau I lovo," I she was Baying, tenslngly. "A very, \< ry good nan." I 'Tail where did you get it?" \ aejeed seriously. "Do you know where it came from?" 1 Suddenly she wag sa grave as l coma wish. "I found it nailed to a tree,** she an? swered. ''Wasn't ft odd? How do you suppose It came there? It looks like the portrait thut hung In TTncle Robert's study. Do you suppose he grew to dislike It, and cut it up and threw it away?" Now I found mjdelf In some little embarrassment. If I was to obey< Cameron's injunction I could not tell Evelyn the truth. Yet I was in no position to make light of her find. On the other band I must loarn from her Just where she had come upon it, and so trace, if possible, the person whe had fired the shots which riddled it. "My dear girl," I said, adopting a tone of cajolery, "we have here, 1 think, a matter in which wo both can be of service?very valuable service, Indeed, to that beloved undo and guardian of yours. Put, you must trust me, absolutely, and, for the present at least, you must give to him no hint of what we have in hand. Do you un? derstand?" She laughed In that merry rippling fashion which I had found not the least of her charms. "Do I understand?" she repeated, laying a hand on my arm in emphasis I of her amused tolerance. "Do I un? derstand? Of course I don't, and 1 shan't, until you have answered at least a half-dozen whys and whats.H "But you must trust mo," i iu?isted, "and as primary evidence cf that truat you will proceed at once to hand over to me, for examination, that somewhat damaged piece of portraiture which you are holding behind you." Very wide her eye opened In an In? nocent, almost inf'.nt ie stare, as tjhe esked: "Do you really mean It, Philip F "Really," I answered, gravely. *Td like to tell you all about it, right here and now, but that might spoil every* thing, so you must show what a strong womanly woman you are, by keeping silenco and waiting." In token of compliance she gave me the oval piece of canvas. "I wonder who punched the holes in HI" she remarked, ruefully. "Who? ever It was, they were shockingly dl* respectfnl." I tried to fancy what she would have said had she known they were bullet holes. Evidently that possibil? ity had not occurred to her and I was glad that it had not, "There are two ways of looking at It," I replied, my eyes fixed on the canvas and Its perforations. "At first glance it does seem spiteful; but then there is a chance that it is not lcono clasm, after all. It may be, you know, Just the reverse. I have not infre? quently seen portraits than were sc unjust to the originals that they fair? ly cried out for destruction." "But this is not one like that," she retorted. "This seems to me a very good portrait. I am sure Uncle Rob? ert must have looked exactly like It, ten years ago." "Alas, we do not all see with the 1 same eyes," I assured her, smiling. "The destroyer may have looked on It ! as a caricature, not having your cul? tured ta6te In art." 1 held it off at arm's length, and after regarding it 1 critically for a moment between half- j closed lids, I continued, "Do you think you could point out the identical tree j to which it was nailed?" "I could try," was her answer. "Is it far?" I "Not very. A mile, from here, pos? sibly. Over the ridge." "Near anything !n particular?" j "Near the trail which leads up from i the trout stream to the entrance drive not far from the Lodge." "When will you take me there V I asked. For Just an instant she hesitated. "We might go now," she replied, "If it weren't that I am expecting Celia Ainslee for luncheon. Suppose we say five o'clock. You can meet me at the Lodge. It's a short walk from there." "Fine!" I approved, thrusting tho portrait head beneath my arm and taking possession of both her white gloved hands. Slender and shapely hands, yet wonderfully capable. "Good-byl" she cried, laughing. "Take care of my uncle!" with a glance towards her punctured find. "Good-by!" I returned, releasing her. "Your uncle shall have my most faithful concern." The real significance of the words she, of course, did not comprehend. But as I stood watching her until a turn in the path enfolded her from my sight, their echo, ringing in my ears, impressed me with their preg? nancy. Her uncle was evidently the focal point of a crafty and vengeful conspiracy, the seriousness of which I had been foolishly endeavoring to minimize; and as such he was In need, not only of my concern, but of all the loyal, energetic, and eSclent aid of which I was capable. (TO BE CONTINUED) A man i* gifted with more Intelli? gence than a horse, hut a man can be persuaded t?> take a drink when he doesn't n?ed p. while a horse knows when he has enough! till th-- m vt time. That is the difference between intelligence und horse w ns< Wil? mington Star. California Woman Sorlou*lji Vanned. \ short t line ago I contracted a se \ ere cold ?* in. h i et tied on my lungs and caused me .? great deal ?>t an noyam - . 1 would have bad < i ugh ing spells and my lungs were so i r? ? .?d v I ?!hamb< Main's t !oun i> llvn ? dj . (ng she lad used It for yean I bought I Mil D STATES si PREME collt'l IH A MM S N(H \liLi; CASE. \< quUiiimi of Forty Per CeM of Southern Pacific Stock by I ntos) Pacific. Making PoNolble Great Railroad ( tmibinatlon to Stifle Competition, i declared Violation of Slierman Law?Court Orden s;p nration of Roads Involved ?and Appointment of Receiver, a Kecee* aery. Washington, Dec. 2.?The great Harriman merger, created when the i*ni< n Pacific Railroad Company bought #6 per cent of the stock of tho Southern Pacific Railway system, wag split asunder today by tie- Supreme Court of the United States, as ? viola? tion of the Sherman anti-trust law. Then with the end of the merger be? fore it, the court sent forth its por tentiOUS declaration that "while this law may not be able to BOforce COflS" petition, it c ^?,1 reach combinations which render competition impractica? ble." Justice Day announced the unani? mous opinion of the court. Judge Van Deventer took no part in the consid? eration of the case today, but his personal finding, when he was a Judge of the Utah Circuit Court, to the effect that the two roads wa re not compet? itors, and. therefore, no violation of the law, had resulted iron, the pur? chase, was reversed and annulled. Instead of following the reasoning of Justice Van Deventer and Judges Ban boil) and Adams, the Court, in substance) approved the minority holding of Judge Hook, that the roads wore competitors and that it was just as much S violation of the law for one road to buy the controlling stock of a competitor as it was for a hold? ing company, as in the Northern Se? curities case, to buy the controlling stock of two competing companies. As the Northern Securities plan fail? ed nearly ten years ago, so the Har? riman plan fell today. The Circuit Court for the District of Utah was directed to supervise the hearings, and in emergency to appoint separation of the two roads after a receiver to sell the stock. The Union Pacific, if the Circuit Court sees proper, may retain control of the old Central Pacific line from Ogdon to San Francisco. The decision of the lower Court, that there was no viola? tion of the law in the attempt 1.0 ac? quire the Northern Pacific stock and the stock of the Atehison. Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Company, after? wards abandoned, and a certain in? terest in the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Company, was allowed to stand. It is the general belief here that the application of the decision to the railroad situation of the country will be widespread, placing a powerful precedent in the hands of the At? torney General to prevent consolida? tion of COmpetltlng roads. Department of justice oincials, however, wore not prepared tonight to discuss the full effect of ihe de eisten. Attorney General Wlck< .^lam (dated over the outcome, issued a statement in which he simply declar? ed the caee extended principles of the Northern Securities cage and re? affirmed those of the Standard Oil and St. Louis Terminal Association cases. Cared of Liver Complaint. "I was suffering with liver com? plaint." says Iva Smith of Point Blank, Texas, "and decided to try a 26c box of Chamberlain's Tablets, and am happy to say that I am com? pletely cured and ( an recommend them to every one." Cor sale hy all dealers.?Advt. Marriage License Deoord. Wesley Bradley and Linda Anthony, colored, of Ifayeevllie, were Issued e license to marry on Monday. How to Dank rapt the Doctor*.. A prominent New York physician Bays 'If it were not for the thin stockings and thin BOied Shoes worn by Women the doctors would prob? ably be bankrupt." When >vu con? tract B (add do not wait for it to de? velop Into pneumonia but treat it at once. Chamberlain's Cough Remedy is intended especially foi coughs and colds, and has won a wide reputation by its cures of these diseases, it is most effectual and i< pleasant and safe to take. For sale by all dealers. ? Advt. Thomas C. Weatherly. a prominent business man of Bennettsvtlle, died Monday. l it His 1 aar 1 \a? tl>. "When father was si>k shout six yearn ngo he read an advertisement of Chamberlain's Tablets in the paper that M his case exactly," writes Miss Margaret Campbell of Ft, Smith. Ark. "He purchased a bos of them and h. h h not been sick since. Mv sister had stomach trouble and was I so m filed ' 5 hi m. ' fold bj all