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^ ' _ . (y IN theN/ . ' " t . ,ag??? g &Bm IflK UNION TIMES, fipip -L_ rq,erk of Court ^ g VOL. L1V. NQ, || ONION, SOPTB-CARQLINA, TRIPLY, JANUARY 8. 1904. #1.00 A YEAR: Wm. A. NiA BAN SOLICIT Y01 "V COMET ; r-' OUR TERMS ARE A3 WIDER OUR FACILITIES AND F^ESC aWu. i| 'DONALDS . v-w^riKiM, I u.-,oy . oj. I Charles W. Ilooko ~~**r g-#?#??+?#??#?n?f?j At this point Ml6s Vaughn Interrupt*1 1 ed mo by suddenly falling forward, J with her head In her hands. I think It 1 must have been five minutes that she wept and sobbed, and I was both dis- I tressed and alarmed, though she kept 1 assuring me that she was not ill and 1 that she was vei^y happy. When she 1 had recovered some share of self com- < mand, she begged me to give her n ' trial in the school. i "I should so love that work," she t \ said over and over again. "I know I * should succeed." 1 The Idea seemed to enchant her. She ^ spoke of her own powers with confl- < dence. She became brlllinnt, enthuslas- < tic, splendid?In fact, precisely the sort ^ of girl to Inspire the right feeling In our B young women of Tunbridge who must take up too late in life the heavy men- A tal tasks of childhood. ' c I was greatly embarrassed and a vie- ^ -tim of that nervous dissatisfaction which comes to a rational, practical r man when lie blunders into a good and n tef^mwir-tT^iTforboVn of u* ^ that 1 had" come to call upon Mir,*? J1 Vaughft. and It distressed me to know ? that she would always credit me with a kindness, even though I should eon " fess In tho most open manner that I \ had como upon a wholly li.iTc vent ex- < ? rand. ' While-1 hesitated the poor girl was ^ on the rack. Her nervousness was un controllable. She began to scribble with the pencil and to twist the sheets of paper In her lingers without know- ^ log what she was doing. Sce.'ng this, 1 came straight to the point. ^ "It's a simple matter" of business,", said I; "rather sudden, of course, but you mustn't mind that. The position is h .yours If you'll take It, and, for my own part, I'm more than content. We'll make the salary satisfactory and let it begin Immediately, though the school f doesn't open for some weeks." The cruzy pencil stopped, and the c dear child who lins been like my own n daughter from that moment looked up r into my eyes while the tears shone upon her cheeks. Now, this may seem a small matter to cause so much emotion, but it must . be remembered that -Dorothy hud been at Her wirs cuu since hit uuiii m ucitui. i i . We forget sometimes that the term "a 4 living" has close connection with the j 1 verb "to live." Whether u penniless | girl Is alone in the world or a man j * fighting in the heart of a mob feels a ' ( pistol pressed against his head, it it *3 much the same. We should not look for perfect calm. And that is the evil of our present social system, that it < puts the poor and the distressed ever ] at their worst and their weakest. It is i grand to see u human being ataijd unmoved in deadly peril, but as a business tnn>? I cannot say that wo produce the best possible results in this world , by mnklng life one long, mortal emerf; k gency for the majority of our species. Witi\p 1 was endeavoring .to make 1 | Dorothy understand that I was no an\ gel sent from beantetn but only a carpet ^ \ manufacturer from Tunbridge, N. J., \ ' my glance happened to fall upon the sheets of paper on the table, und 1 observed with surprise that she bad been > writing a man's name. She must havewritten it, in whole or in part, at least a hundred times. It was Donald Donaldson. "I was only scribbling," she snld, detecting me,In tile importinonce of rend' ing over her shoulder. "That's nothing tt'all." "Do you mean tlint It's a fictitious name?" I asked, greatly surprised. "It's nobody that / know," she snld, with a glance of quick inquiry at me. I assured her with all sincerity that the name was a total stranger to my ears. It was such an awkward, tongue twisting name that no one could forget it. "Did yon fancy that it might bay$ V"" 1 * "x_l * Loton & Son, kJs, UrVUSINESS 0 see us. IAL A* ANY CAN CIVE YOU tURCES ARE UNSURPASSED. . .mi I I -- J-a. c-o-?-.-?..,.... 1 . crCTCtl ' 1 I flcfr^ncvWdT.TIh His Hie Public ViinJ, and o! an fi$hth. <> I tttiicii Is the Key of the Seven ON, JR. By HOWARD FIELDING dooii suggested t>y my mind to yours," I asked; "that I might have been think* ing of this man?" "Oh, no!" she cried hastily. "That s impossible?certainly impossible for no. I am a normal minded girl, just Ike any other. Whatever I have done n?in that tvay is only what all people :an do if they are silly enough t/> '??- j t'leMRc, plvasu don't nSk mo about it! J vvna vnrxr nnvlono *1'4 v * *vaj uu.v.UUO VW UU DU, Ut'lUg I lioroughly convinced that I had stum- 1 >led upon n genuine and rcmarkuble nauifestution of occult power,but Miss Vaughn was In a state of great nervals tension, and It would have been ruol to press unwelcome questions. Jo we talked a little while about the chool, and she was soon at her best? lappy, hopeful and earnest. Her tnind vas ns bright and quick as tf bird's ye, and she loved the suuny and pure icights. That evening, in Mr.* Burnhain's ooin, I mentioned the Incident of- ?ho nme. tnat had been lade of Miss Vaughn's power, and !iey were all sincere men with trained itelligence. They were greatly interBted by the occurrence, and they ques- ' loned me closely. It wns with much ifflculty that I convinced them that I ad ne\cr known a man named DonId Donaldson and could not have innenoed Miss Vaughn In this matter, "arlous views were expressed, though one was of any great Importance, ut when Ilackett and I had gone to ur hotel and were smoking together tefore retiring, my partner, who had reserved an almost complete silence uring the evening, said: I 'T have nn Idea." "What is it?" I asked eagerly, but ie would not tell me. "Walt till tomorrow," wns nil that I ould get out of him. While we were at breakfast on the olfowing morning a messenger boy wrought a telegram to Hnckett. He ipened it and glanced at the contents." ["hen he took a bit of paper from his (ocket and Irtid It before me, sayings "I sent that last night, and this is the eply: I rend as follows: 5r. Harold Whiting, Boston: Have learned that Donald Donaldson la he mnn whom you referred to In your nlk with us. C??n you give us his present tddress? s. k. Hackett. And this: I. K. Hackett, New Haven: Not at liberty to do so. Don't let Donaldson think that I gave ypu hi? ?*? " t'hls !s Important. Harold whttitto. Hackett chuckled softly. "Of course his address was easy enough to get," said be. "There's a New York directory in this hotel. Donaldson is a clerk at 40 Wall street." CHAPTER III. THE. MESSAGE KltOM JAPAN. IN the week following my visit to New Haven 1 had the pleasure of meeting Donald Donaldson. In the meantime I had made a careful Investigation of Ills character and ability. The result was surprising. Rarely have I heard a man so highly praised, yet this appreciation seemed to have done him no good. The most InfluenthiWfeBiber of the firm that employed him told me that Donaldson was a wonder In a business way, and yet, so fur as I could leurn, nothing had been done for his advancement in two yenrs except that a few dollars had been added to his weekly wuge? which was still disgracefully small. At the age of twenty-four he had become familiar with the dull pang of discouragement. He kuew that he was serviceable In Jils place, and he had no fenr of tbo 16m of it; indeed be feared much more tbc prospect of retaining it to the end of his days. He lacked aggressive selfishness and the rude, obvious signs of self esteem. It was my intention to call on liim / /V at 12 o'clock and suggest that wo take luncheon together, but 1 was somewhat delayed, and when 1 entered the hall of the great building Donaldson was just stepping out of one of the elevators. I knew him instautly by description. There was the usual hurrying throng. Donaldson saw no one whom he knew, and he gave no face a second glauce, but almost every one who had the opportunity looked twice at him. It would be hard to say why. for his appenrunce was, on the whole, conven- ' tionnl. lie was upward of six feet in' height, yet had not the look of a tall man. His countenance was Agreeable . when one had eotf ? to kno^him. and his brown eyes wfWr capable of much variety of expression; but, as a rule, they seemed to bo somewhat vacant. Folhvjj: <neir glance, and it ^'ould^ftj^f < a?eWv$?lrT KY/y. and it may ] have been this appearance of focusing < liis gaze upon a point where nothing was visible to others that made Don- < aldson's aspect notable. < When I spoke his name, be turned i his glance upon me slowly and with n i slight characteristic effort, as though i his attention were#beiug withdrawn i unwillingly from some other object "Yes?" said he. t . "You were going to luncheon, I suppose'," said. I. "Will you permit me to f offer you my card and to suggest that I we lunch together?" p was going to the Welleslea dairy," a returned Donaldson, with a faint smile, H "Suppose we try Bertram's?" I sug- t: gested. naming the be^ of the downtown restaurants at that time. "As ii you are my guest, I must guarantee u the cooking, and I am not familiar I with the Welleslea." ii "I con_gratn'?*~ ? -?*?*; sriv" he replietCT rainillnrlty breeds both contemnnn?u dyspepsia; Bertram's, bv nil raeaus." hi . His manner did not pie*so me, though hi It was courteous enough. It evidenced bl that peculiar selfishness which is bred of despondency, that general disro- o< gnrd which springs from personal dissatisfaction Tlof.lfr, nrn . ? ?v.v.*. t? v ft t?v.ury ocp **? trnm's I had said to myself, "This man la has been much overpraised." In We spoke of the aspect of business, and what he snid seemed common- ci place. Yet his words were like his bs looks?slipping by. unobserved. Weeks g< later I discovered with surprise that it Donaldson could look over " nuiWSniH.'M no nad made in tnnr'urai interview recurred to my mind, and I U* saw how the foresight in them might wi have been turned to my advantage. n At the moment, however. I was dis- *u appointed and felt disposed to abandou my intention of offering Donaldson an -ns excellent position. I could sco that pe flackett, who was waiting for us at al Bertram's, was not favorably Impress- "I ed at first. And altogether if Don- la aldson had but known our minds he ed would have had cause for great anx- yo lety. for the proposal which we had J thought of making to him meant no nfi less than a career if he should prove sti worthy. stj All this was. in a tsense, apart from l? our interest In the young man as a th psychic. As to that matter wo were wi determined upon nn investigation if it -vi could be made without too great an dc intrusion. During the past week we a had gleaned considerable information about the story which Dr. Whiting of ot Boston had so steadfastly concealed, and it seemed to us to furnish by far ra the best Instance of so called supernat- J1 ural manifestation that we had yet en- ai countered. Therefore when the time w seemed ripe for it I said to him: "Are you not the Mr. Donaldson who had a singular experience in regard to his brother?" <1< lie frowned slightly, and his hand, lying upon the tablecloth, opened and shut nervously. . .CI fitimetnaF you are not asking from idhi j mirfnoitT? " I IC "Far from tt." I replied. "We are 1 attempt!:^ a very serious and careful 1 Investigation of this subject It is probablo that we shall give the re- vl mainder of our lives to it and we hope ** to leave an important work behind us." r< "I should not care to have the thing published," said Donaldson, with a bit- S( tcr arolle. I assured him that the usual anonym- n ity would be preserved. M "The Society For Psychical Research w got after me ouce," said he. "I sue- y ceeded In dodging It You will under- v stand that this is a subject one doesn't like to speak about" ^ "I don't know," remarked Hackett "Since we took up this thing, we've 8 been followed by a procession, and it's P getting longer every minute." \ ft "A procession of what?" ask'ed Don- r aldson, with a laugh. "That's the point," assented my partner. * Donaldson looked across the table. There was a chair opposite him In s which nobody was sitting. ? "Is this your only motive for seeking c this Interview?" be naked. And-both I llnckett and I glanced involuntarily < at tbc vacant place, as If expecting an answer from that quarter. After a c pause whlcb and A somewhat startling effect I admitted, with hesitation, that ' ARi k! ': J.- spf* -fry .r 'ihCV* fr. *- ** ' Y .< ar j- . we ball had a matter of business in mind. i: "As for the other thing," said Donaldson, "if you take hie for a*psychic marvel, you will ho disappointed. In one single instance"? Hacki Jt checked liim by a gesture. "That'i the whole of it," he said; "one single Instance which a practical man can get a fair hold of ought to settle the q-.cation." "There are many cases," I added, "which ii;e merely difficult to explain? genuine, |>erhaps, but too complicated jo repay study or to mark the individual os possessing more than a slight supejrsoiujtiveness; for we are all clnirTO.vtf&ts more or less, if the power really human creature. And the proui*'m ,s to prove once and for all thatePTTT-nf an ordinary mortal ^*r*T of this day nuj generation may trauseeud his b; dy, may TWfc its own [takers independently of this covering it flesh." Donaldson became noticeably excit?<L IIis demeanor suggested Hint of ?e who is struggling to repel a vague iccusntion. I lis face took on a pceulap expression, and his voice, though lot louder than before, became more ntensc and vibrant. "Do you take me for a clairvoyant?" ic demanded. "I believe you to be one of the" very ew men in the world who can nbsoutely prove that you possess such a lower," said I. "You saw half wnv round the world or entirely through t, Mr. Donaldson, once for a certain- ' jr." ."Beeausi^I once saw what happened i Japan,", he cried,. "do you expect ic to do It again? Do you think that can sit here and tell you what is gg- J i IU6 ?'' 1 lie paused with a slight shudder, and Is head fell forward upon his hands, 1 is elbows being braced upon the ta- \ le. "The devil!" he muttered. "This Is " id!"v 1 lie turned slowly about in his chair 1 ad stared across the room. Then he ? ughed nervously, as one whose feel- :1 igs are relieved. ? "This will show you how much oc- 1 lit power I possess." said he. "I s id a icry strong impression that a 11 mtleinan named Harold Waiting was auud.ng behind me. Wluting Is one 11 jtlie fellows who weie resent when ' ItOll n.n * ? - - ? ... -A. d es. Yet 1 could have sworn that he is looking at the back of tuy head. 1 lat's the sort of clairvoyant that I a." lie's been out in the hall for the v st three minutes." said Hackett in a 0 culinrly expressionless tone which ' ways means something with him. ' 've seen hltu standing by the. door. Iking with two other men. lie walkaway Just before you looked over mr shoulder." . Donaldson seemed dazed. He turned ;ain toward the doorway, which was raiglit behind him. and at that inant Hackett pointed with his thumb the contrary direction. I then saw at there was a mirror let into the i ill. it was rather high to give a ew of the door to a person sitting iwn at our table, but Donaldson was tall man and sat erect. 'This is very remarkable," said Hackt dryly. There was a pause full of ernbarssnient. For my own part I was ;eply distressed and Inclined to bo igry wltb Donaldson. He himself as very uervons and ill at ease. lie it there, wringing his hands gently meatk the table, and I seemed to feel >at the palms of them were wet. Sud>uly a voice said: "Why, deacon! Is it really you?" We all sturted, as if delected in a Iiy.c, and there stood Dr. Whiting at onnhtson's elbow. "I passed the door Just now," said he. Jognltw^ h'litnpse of your back, but was half way }}}c un}'' should have looked you up lateh." lie gave its a greeting, and we in- < ited him to take the vacant place at i te table. 1 "We were speaking of your friend's t minrkuble experience." said I. < Whiting glanced hastily at Donald- i >n. i "I don't know lyjw you got him tc lention it," he said. "After the first | ronder of it had passed awiVy he al- . i rayd avoided the subject with me. lie ond question, Mr. Harrington, tuui ras the most completely marvelous liing that ever happened on this earth, i'by. he described to me"? "Don't, old chap," groaned Donald' on. "I hate to think of it 1 have exlalned to these gentlemen that it was wholly isolated occurrence, that 1 eally have 110 unusual powers"? "Let ua be the judges of that," said 1. I Give Dr. Whiting permission to tell be story." "You have been very courteous and inccre in this matter," said Donaldson nrnostly, "and i am unwilling to dl? ibllge you. Tell Just what happened, iarold, as briefly as you fan and get it >ver with." He subsided into an attitude of pas live endurance. - | "These are the facts," said Whiting. 'Donaldson was in Harvard whenr 1 fVj* ^ I X^JECS AJR (to : OUR resources are not fabt on earth, nor do we d< BUT we are here among th ample means for all enough to tike rare of WE CO.ME, backed up hy a good r< made irreproaehuhle 1 WE ARE here to stay and we sc accommodation consis Interest Raid on Herchants and Plan \vr?8 51 Rt\Ut(Tt in tin* inuiih'ht buuooi and a proctor in one of the buildings. That's Low 1 came to know liiin " "Broke up .1 riot in my room." interjected |tope.'?!>-:>11 "We had knocked down the chandelier It's a proctor's duly to presi" \e i.rder Whiting came in v.":tli an I in! an ^!ul> in each hand and prexerxed . t." "Al'tt t gredtTttl ion he eatne to New York " continued Whiiing. "llis broth er was here Henry, ahout ten years older titan In.nalcJ I was taking a spe eittl eourse ol study in this city at the i:r.:e lictiry Donaldson whs a note seller in the I>ey t'trect hunk, ami lit i; ill 11st* ml: for; u:.c to i-ec. me involved in tlu? tr. nhle iv ; r< three years go. Von way it t ml ; i1." "Not CoIi:i:tel<1 "iSoinel .. !y it a-, y v. i.'.i $1."?0.000," said W'iiiii: ;;. "Of c.wrsc 1 :iecl not -.ay that Henry IV mh's n was entireDion, too. eoiisi)!red maim; iHui Ho ivtio r.ri'cstwl ittt i tat Immediately chased. bill t.n!y ii, ; he might be logged by dclrcives. "lie was abnormally sensitive relarding anything that n!V?cicd his go al ."Die. and he was always easily dis juraged. He was eonvlwcd that the nmbbir.tion against him was too strong ilid that he must eventually be dis;raeed and ruined. lie eouid not hear lie prospect. and so lie took a false top to avoid it. He lied, and nobody i:td the least idea where lie had gone. "Donaldson was ill in bed in some oonis of mine up town. We supiiosctL Imt Henry know where lie was. but ii.i 1 been s>> houiided J a him about Donald was stolen bV-fne j etcctives. lie received no word at 11, and, as we discovered loug after- ; rard, lie was led into tlie distressing t rror of supposing that Donald was Isloyal to him in this trouble. Nothng toy Id have been further from ttao ruth. "When llenry did not come to seo iin, as we hail expected*. Donald got <jp=T nit of bcti. thoiujEnie mtMiAMUiir stand upon his feet, and went out to lud liis briber. Hut Ilenry was far nvay \f Ami time, and not even the Seteetives themselves were more ignorant than we were as to ids whereabouts. -7 "For n week or more the newspapers located hlui in fifty different places, and Donald hluiseif got wind of many Idle rumors. That sort of thing is agonizing. I don't* like to think -of what Donald suffered. Finally wo learned that the detectives in the caso | had roache<f*he conviction Hint Henry lifj'l committed suicide by leaping from I a it ?enn steamer. Some- poor fellow made tlinfc pitiful ending, and for my own part I firmly believed that it wnp Henry Donaldson. "Almost n year later, however, we got word that Henry had been seen in ; a lumber camp in the northwest, ij heard of it iirst and secretly attempted an Investigation, sending a dctecy' out into that region. Ills first con/ nicatlon to mo seemed favorable, decided that It would be worth wlm<^ for Donald to go out there. I took two or three fellows whom I could trust into ray confidence, and we agreed to put up the necessary money. We nil wanted Henry Donnldson to come back und face lils accusers, and we be TV 3S X3NT IT jTAY.) llous, we haven't the largest hank o all the business of the country, e good people of the county with reasonable demands, with capital ' all vour -wants. 3cor<l, that began years ago; a record >v fair business methods, liicit your patronage, ottering every tent with good banking. Time Deposits. ters National Bank. v IHeved ttuit we could clear him. "We made a plan to lunch together and have Donald with us and then disi clnsto tlin " ? 1 ? * " ? ?..... iivju.- suujuct 10 mm. So we v met about noon one day and went to a private room in Ilobart's restaurant up town. Donald did not know what was in the wind, but for some days his mind bad been running upon bis brother, and be looked all broken up with it. As be quel 1 were ^hing to llobart'a tbat day be said to me: " *1 am siek with anxiety about Garry.' " 'You don't believe tbat bo is dead?* said I. " 'I never have,' be replied. 'I can't.' "Nothing more was said upon the subject just then, and it was not mentioned while we were eating luncheon. This was by agreement. Donald was very silent during the meal. He ats scarcely anything. lie was pale and in a peculiar state of nervous tension. I anxiety, tor he looked like a man who is going to break down. "We had reached the cigars, and the waiter was well out of the way. One of the fellows made a sign to me to open the subject that was on our minds. I turned toward Donald. He started as if from a dream and said in a hurried, strange voice: " "Harry is all right.' "Then the color rushed into his face, which had been very pale, ne reeled in his chair, at)d I put up my hand to catch him. " 'What do you mean?' I asked. " 'I saw him,' he said, 'I saw him. He s all right. He's coming home.' I hat was all that wo could get out wmt xvo did not know "'No. he said; It s all a mlSfRKe. n.. not in .any lumber camp. I don't know where he is. 1 never saw any such place before. 1 think it's in China from the look of it.' "Of course we tormented him with questions, and at last we got an accurate description of what he had seen. Why, he even described the furniture In the room and the view from the window. " 'There was a man sitting at a table whom I think I should have known if he hadn't been back to me,' said he. 'My In other was sitting opposite, and there was some sort of document on the table between them. My brother has grown a heard. By heavens!' ho cried sud- tlenly. 'The other man was Joe Vinali* "Ylnal" was receiving teller of the Dey Street hank. He had been slightly implicated in the robbery and had lost his place in the bank on account or it, but had not been arrested. That f he should have joined Henry Donaldson in a far corner of the world was not altogether a favorable elrenm stance, ami 1 asked Donald why he had said so confidently that his brother wai all right. * " 'I know by the look of him,' be replied, 'and I heard him say that he waa coming home.' "Donald pledged us all to secrecy Id * this matter, and 1 think the promise has been fairly well kept. That afternoon Donald and 1 made an investigation Into the ease of Vinal and learned that he had left New York and that n.'? u lua-jiaiiouts were unknown. His fine descent, was living in iuis she- had had no word of her husband iu six weeks. She told tue tlmt he had left the city suddenly upon some matter of business which she did not understand. lie had been In very bad health, and site was extremely anxious about him. "That was all the information that wo could get. About a week later Donald got a cable inessuge from hla brother, it came from Hongkong and was addressed to my npartinents. It said: 'Am coming home; westward. Everything all right.' "By subx.afiont messages we traced him to l^J^Miterrnnean and Gibraltar ar earned what steamer was hrin/ dm to this country. Hu was ill/7 ite gastritfc when he arrived. r r ??"? iuui wt buouiu naraiy .f the steamer alive. But he ;nd seemed on the road tfl ^ I TO nE CONTINU1CD.] Meant It That Way. "Dearest Maud. I cannot live with* out you." "I am sorry, Mr. Feathers, but yon I will have to." "1 meant lo say unless 1 had to." j %