VELLA VERNELL OR, AN AMAZING MARRIAGE.

gy Mrs Sumner Havden, „,„ 0( .'Utile Goldie," "The Midnight Ant Mil "Geraldine," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XL. "YOU !" .. «„„ indies who park out our lives cannot help the rrom &vcr. ™° »-««»,,,<, Jsßlowsahndi. tflso parlour opening oneinto another, ro n-»Avista of luxury and beauty, andcnd veaitnS v , . win the shadowy gloom of a conservatory, in whence camo musically tho tinkle and BplMh of falling waters. Here taste ritalb*- by wealth, roiled supreme. The ___mn covered with pale gold Lincrusta Lton, save whore ran a bonier of crim m velvet poppies. The Wilton carpet „„» mowed whoatfiold, upon which glowed tero and there tlio same rich blooms-so natural ono felt almost remorseful in sotting foot upon thoir sweot, flushed taces. Tho furniture, of carved ebony, was upholstered jo amber brocade and dull red satin. Tho pictures woro magnificent. An enthusiastic connoisseur and collector was tho master of the mansion. The lace that draped the plate-glass windows might havo hung in to chamber of an empress. And from tho pand chandelier ovor all poured the mellow brilliance of gaslight.

Ud and down the room a girl walked j-X up and down. A tall, graceful Le, stately for all its youthfulness, clad J, atrailing dinner-dress of dark-blue silk, which left tho round, smooth arms bare to Hie elbow, A fair, tranquil face, pale as He hawthorn blooms of May. Large bluo ney eyes, tho gemiino Irish Into, dark Le. A mouth a trille large for beauty, but deliciously red. A porfeet chin. A throat like a swan's, curved and snowy. jj Te a locket of dull gold nt that same white throat, she wore no ornament. What could bo keeping her father ? He ni usually so punctual. jhe went down to tho bay-window, mshed aaide the curtains, and looked out. By the light of the street lamp half a UotUway she could distinguish approach ing figures. Yes, there ho was at last I But not Whom had he with him ? jdju one he had askod home to dinner _S_i hospitable fashion. Doubtless thittiresome Horace Deakin. She dropped the curtain, turned away, indreeumod her walk. Those without ascended tho stops. A tali-key turned. Sho could hoar her fitter's voice. i'Come right in. Evelyn will bo delighted." "Willshe?"commented Evelyn, with a envious grimace. She turned listlessly as the door opened, nd went forward to meet them. She glanced up—stood still. To*/ , The cry had burst from her in spite of baself. Toritwasnot Horace Deakin who stood Wore her, nor anyone bearing the slight -1 nt resemblance to that sandy-haired per f Bitot young adorer of hers. * A man, tall and strong-limbed, with a tpWidwell-held head, wavy black hair, a Wsome face, but thin and weary. Not Ualaceshe had known, the girl told herself, lift a shock of positive pain thrilling 1 through her, not the old, bright, dashing, iplritecj face, this with the gravo lips and sad, unsmiling eyes. Aa instant later she had recovered her- B_, moved forward with outstretched hand indirelcoming smile. "Itiireally you, Captain Tracy. lam M glad to see you. But where in the name ofsllMswonderful did you drop from ?" lis to lighted up at the greeting of friendship. Ho held her hand a few moments in i clasp which brought a . startled pleasure to her eyes—oh, impulse misconstns./

"IBffl-UDg," flinging himself into a ebtirudpntlmtr up one thin brown hand t IfcUiß/4. dark head in a manner sharply wit- toter, "from the deck of the flfcird steamer Servia." I "ffeH-the growl just at their backß {Hiliiethat of an amiablo bear—"just nit til bring you home again, Mr Marc ~"7, to have my own daughter ignore «," '

li "Awghter " turned and hurried to fe in a fever of desperation. "My blessed dear, did I really desert jw^ia compassionate and remorseful con bin

ltd tbe kissed him with usual warmth. Mm tbe peace-offering with which ho -W for bis unpunctuality had something todowith this caress of affection.

line old man, John Gage, handsome, _i »t least, one thought so when his nged face lit up with love or merriment. Siwigrey-haired and |white-bearded, but lis bows were still coal black. His eyes, Wubandsome as Evelyn'a, wero now a Ml bearded. From him Bhe had inherited -Mredlips and curious lack of colour. "Asl was passing Ninth and Chestnut M*y, whom should I sco standing in the •ibuMtothfl Continental but this lad," JM declamatory gesture toward the in ™_l in question. AIA he captured me, Miss Gage," "juMarc. "Alter the hardest work," finished his ty "the very hardest, my dear, I do __wyou." Pp tamed to her guest. "rtotwas hardly kind of you," In ac *b'of gentle reproach. m sprang up and joined them where ■Jitood.

'No," he admitted, "it wasn't right. It "•"-ilkingratitude and churlishness." [iJjP'up her hand in laughing pro- Is,

"No, no! It surely was not that. I *»lo listen to such treason against an "Wend." M> Tracy bowed his fine head with a SB deeper than the pleasant apeech mm.

, An old friend thank 3 you for your m" he said. <**tei white cheeks swept a burning „™oh ebbed as rapidly as it had come. BjM are the prospects for dinner, M Gage tamed two big reproving eyes « father's innocent face. j *S? hypocrite! That is the question .waeve^ evening he is shamefully late, J'tacy. Who would ever have believed j?P% of such a contemptible subter i£li dinner was not ready exactly," _S. at a""--■ !s( luo' rose-wreathed 3** near, "exactly thirty-four T*im. And if the fish, papa-" __yf he delicious, I know," in adroit ffipi. "Come, Marc." ijj Mm a year sinco you last honoured Jm visit," Evelyn said, aa they mado „''J to the dining-room. Thero was _ P'-inounced nolo of aggriovement in *W voice. j ft |l earl" Ho passed his hand ovor his grs-I.' "Yes, a year. It seems like

UpjJ ffaw and sparkle camo into her ; j oo the time had seemed long—he I' "pttaed her. _t»s to him, smiling. jj» sho said, " you havo loarned to !}PW her a quick look. Il> P8 "ot, Miss Gago. I nover mean

msl ho had not just now. Thoy their seats. She looked at him »#«tterioe table. liMl"' declared, quietly, and sho W ! M.,!»»al again, "tho world has |«yoaill.» "•Ut! w'^u c'1'4 c'1'a "kery as poorly Wti'i IIH he thin-skinned as a schqpl- W3* F]' with a mere "onversa '"•4him» 1 weo Pon* liad Power to tmtJ^yow pardon. The world has ffiS _c royally." i, »chedher pretty, dark brows. \ e ,V<! e,-!»rhaß seemed ten. Truly ""»!»."■ ln "Jlvors paces with divers W |^.to turn off the subject in a ll*rd J o» n ClUote Rosalind against mo 1 ;'%t* n .'ny sword." h «EsrS?I nßt,y°v." in gentle correction ; /'.IC?J ottr verification." oubeen doing with your- Tta°yr' Mr Gage asked, as Map- "Knocking around 3°»- *SS E? yoa're not getting—getting Wmi» ' me' "V «ear, you know suggested.

"That's just it. You're a brick, my— excuse me, a genius, my dear. Hopo you are not becoming fotoignized, Marc?

"Not a bit of it, sir," promptly. _ "Glad to hear it, I'm sure. It's a positivo pity tho number ol bright, honest young follows who cross tho ocean evory year to do the Continent and condescend to return when thoy havo ground thoir healthy spirits down to tho prevailing pitch of langour, painfully acquired an ' accent,' or a jumblo of them, and aro capable of screwing a pano of glass into thoir right eyo." His daughtor and guest laughed out at his indignation. " Ah, but we must remember, too," re minded tho former, " tho numbor of eager, art-inspired young souls who yearly sk<m» tho Old World and, finding there tho garnered wealth of centuries, work anil sutler deprivation in order to grasp I lie secrets of its beauty, to come back at la-; prouder of the laurels thoy wear for thei. country than for themselves."

"Bravo!" cried John Cage, heartily. " Evvio, you're a dais Excuse me ! I mean a born orator. Isn't she, Marc ?"

Captain Tracy smiled as ho laid down his glass of Sauterne.

" American aspirants should bo proud to boast so fair and dauntless a dofondor."

With the fruit Cage renowed his rathoi blunt inquiries.

" But you haven't told mo yet just what you've been doing. I always thought it a shamo to give a mere lad—you woro no more then, you know — control of that magnificent McSlano property. Own up that you've made ducks and drakes of it."

Tracy shook his hoad. " I resemble the father of my country,'1 he averred.

Evelyn laughed as she roso. "Such voracity is rare, papa," gayly :l honour it."

And she bowed hor graceful blue-black head in acknowledgment as Marc held open the door for hor to pass out,

CHAPTER XLI.

"what has chanord too?"

" lio loved hor with all lovo oxcopt tho lovo Of man and one woman whon thoy lovo their best. Closest and sweetest." Tknnyson.

"Now, my boy," whon Tracy had returned and rcsoated himself, " I don't want to seem to pry into your affairs, but I've known you since you wore the height of tho brass poker there, and I think my friend-

ship gives me the right to speak frankly." Tho younger man lifted his dark, grave eyes.

" Of course you havo a right to know, and

I thank you for your kind interest, I sold out most of that property, and invested it in Mexican mines. It was a cablegram con cerning it which has recalled mo from Europe. My agent has closed out my shares for mo at an enormous profit."

Old Gagedroppedtho cluster of California grapes ho had been fingering, extended his hand, grasped that of his guest, and shook it heartily. " Capital!" My dear boy, I congratulate you. Another glass of Lafitto."

" Thanks, no moro."

And then they joined Evelyn. For awhile the trio kept the ball of conversation in brisk and airy progress, But soon Mr Gago slipped away to the library, where stood his own particular easy chair, the green-shaded student-lamp, which best suited his eyes, and a pile of newspapers. He produced his stubby meerschaum, and settled himself down to placid enjoyment.

And in tho grand drawing-room he had left Evelyn was making a speech which her gentleness and earnestness alono saved from rudeness.

"You are looking wretched ! What has changed you ?" He started, but for a minute did not answer. Then he broke out into a laugh— a very short, unmirthful laugh indeed. "Am I? You do not flatter, Miss Evelyn."

"No," gravely. And then for awhile thero was silence,

His gaze rested on hor as sho sat there under the streaming gas-light For her gracious beauty the whole rich harmonious room formed a mere frame — the golden sotting for a gem. The deep blue sweeping silken dress, the fair slender hands, tho slightly bent face with the pure colourless skin and crown of midnight braids ! What marvel, you say, his glance'lingered ? Ah, but in it there was only admiration — a tributo the least loving of us readily pay— and remorso !

She had asked him a question in all generous friendliness, and he had answered her like a boor, as far as he had answered her at all. What had changed him ? Was she not good to caro ? Could ho do loss in courtesy than answer ? "I did not know I had changed," going on as if there had not been that pause be tween them, " but perhaps I havo, Heaven knows I have had enough to change me !" Her serene eyes, full of sympathy, met his. . .

"Ah!" she ejaculated, softly. And then, " at the first moment of our meeting to-night I knew you had clasped bands with sorrow."

He nodded absently. In a few moments he swung himself out of his chair, and began pacing the room as though to work off in action the keen suffering her words had awakened. He paused at length besido hor chair. "I told you to-night tho world had treated ma royally. It has. If fate had mado me a beggar, shivering nnd ragged, in the street, and that only, I could still count myself wealthy to-day." Now that ho eeemod about to confide in her she dreaded to bo made a confidante. She was afraid she knew already. His words might confirm hor fear. "You speak in riddles!" ahe said, and in her voice there was just an inflection of coldness. What was that he had declared to his sister ? that he could not wear hia heart on his sleeve for the gay, gossipy, sharp beaked daws of society to peck at! that it was but a poor and unstable spirit that which flinga down its secrets and makes of them public footballs ! And here waa he now almost tempted. "I beg your pardon. I'm afraid my enigmas are all egotistical, interesting only to myself, unutterably boring to others. Is it too early for anything good at the academy?" , , _ .... Anything good at the academy ! To ahilt off a personal conversation as though she could not comprehend—would not care now, womanlike, she must know I So she ignored totally his question, as ahe lifted her steady gaze at his face. "Tell me I Let me help you if I can. Tho frank, simple, womanly pleading touched him. " You are very good, he answered, but you cannot do that. No one can." Ah, if women's hearts were not so thornily hedged by customs and proprie ties. If sho dared to whisper now : "Give me the right to try, Marc!" No, no ! She checked her runaway thoughts with a powerful curb. Both wero silent. , Leaning ovor tho back of tho chair be fore hor, he started suddenly. Had he been discourtonuß again ? Sho was a proud girl, Evelyn Gago ; she was remarkable for tier intense, exclusive pride, and she had asked him for his confidence, and that in an sweet sisterly sympathy. Ho straightened himself with a sudden """I shall toll you about the affair, if you care to listen." . , , , Without a word she bowod her dark

h9«lt is short," his apologetic laugh as dreary as that of ton minutes previous; "short—and disagreeable.' . He came round to the front of the chair, and flun" himself down. "It told. In June I»et-my doom. Almost a rhyme that, »*Mtl He was trying to talk lightly. "The old story was new to us both, and marvellously Entrancing reading. . We were to have been married Toon, *'hen quite suddenly l .was called out of town. I was gone just three days In the paper I bought on my way ?X the train Sread the announcement of her wedding the previous ovening. When T readied my hotel it was to stand aside m LocorrTdoTwhile she passed out with her husband. That is all I . , , , I This attempt to tell it airily he had &Nsffri--M_,_= as

1U »to leaned his elbow on his knee, and | bn dft herS"rwe^to an nhurriedlyina few Minutes 1" well, after'that J don think I quite knew for awhile what 1 was dole. I took the train that night for New York-bv the way, I encountered hor again It the depOt-and'eleared.off in tho next Cunarder P I'd been knocking around Scot land for several daya, when a business cablegram recalled me. bitterly. "Not that," in a tremulous^sent "not that word. Don't bo cowardly. He true to yourself, at least.' , . Ho had not lifted his head, and did not now.

" Without her! What is courage, or truth, or honour worth to me now ? I somo times think," still in that samo hoarse, shaking voice, " that life itself is not worth tho weariness of bearing it!" On the hand which lay upon his knee came a soft touch.

"Marc !" sho said.

110 started, dropped his arm, looked al hor.

She had meant only to be sympathetic, comforting, friondly ; but now, quick as lightning, her face turned traitor to her. Her whito cheeks, whiter than oven they wore wont to be, flamed in an instant rosy red ; hor full lips trembled, something of -'•irinking shame, of deeper and moro p.is-ionate significance, still lit hor great eji-- : ' splendour.

I** i. his camo a startled, sad, incredulous ii. ...-mont. Then, if sho loved him, why *..l .' ho asked himself recklessly. Ho leaned forward.

' Evelyn, do you really caro?"

Ah, whore now was her chorishod pride lad lovo murdered it?

" I—caro

The reaction had como. Ho was calm now with v quiotudo born ot tho fierce memories which had so lately swayed him. " Then," he said, " I shall do my best to mako you happy." He bent and touched her forehead with his lips. Aud at that very moment out of a littlo country station a train rushed, thundering eastward, bearing the only woman earth had over hold for him.

CHAPTER XLII.

" MR CHARLES HARTLEY."

" Do wo move, or aro wo moved by an nnßeen hand at a gamo That pushes us off tho hoard, and othors over Buccoed I"

—Tennyson. Down the back stair-way of tho stately, silent Vornoll mansion wont two women. Ono was tall and slondor, the other short and stout, but both wero cloaked and bon neted, walked lightly, and talked in whis peri. Through the big, comfortable kitchen, where tho gas flared brightly, out at tho roar door, through tho long dark alloy, went

they. " Tako caro I thoro's a looso board thoro, Miss Dorothy. Havo my arm." " Thank you, child. I beliovo I will." And sho gavo ono kid-encased hand into Guila's firm, sustaining hold.

They went up to Indiana |Avonuo, and *ook a north-bound car.

Neither spoko much. Each was busy with hor own thoughts. tluila was vainly grieving over tho ap pointment she had missed seeing kept. Miss Vcrnell was "all in a Hurry," as she hersolf would havo put it, and deop in surmises as to tho outcome of tho whole queor predicament. Sho found the house of lato so unutter ably desolate So did Jamos, though ho would rather die than own it—least of all to himsolf. But ho must. Such a change as their absonco had mado. Never a sound of flying footfalls, of gay discussion, never a quick sweet peal of laughter now awakened an echo in the silont rooms. It was like a house from which tho dead had been but lately carried. If James would only mention them some times, not quite ignore thorn as ho did. She often thought he must speak of them when they two sat down to meals in the huge dining-room, facing them against the wall beyond those vacant chairs. But ho kopt persistently silont. The gap their loss made, though, must havo struck him as sharply as it had hor. He couldn't help noticing it. A littlo black dog would have noticed it, Miss Vcrnell declared to Miss Vornoll, in her emphatio and peculiar phraseology. Though why a littlo black dog should be moro keen to detoct domestic changes than a littlo tan dog, for instaneo, I don't think she brought tho full force of hor logic to determine. " Here we aro. Miss Dorothy."

" Bless me ' So soon?"

Tho car had roundod Lako, gono wost to State, and thon had turned southward preparatory to a backward trip. They alighted and boarded a Madison street car on an adjoining track. It rolled south to Madison, and thon straight west.

A long ride. Thoy did not stop the car till it was at Oakley Avenuo. Thoy got out. There was a delay in discovering tho right place. " Hero is tho numbor ! " said Guila. Thoy wont into the littlo store bolow. Miss Dorothy gave hor companion an encouraging and cajoling prod in the ribs. "You ask her!" Guila turned to tho woman bohind tho counter. " Is Mr Charles Hatley hero ?" " Yes'm." " We would like to see him." " Walk right up them stairs thon. He told mo ho wero expecting you ; leastways," hedging deftly, " ho said ho wero expecting ladies. Here, Lucilo, you show 'om up stairs." Lucille, a small, carroty-headed damsel, with a smudged bluo apron, and stockings which obviously preferred to " orinklo" ovor the rusty shoes rather than protect tho poor little blue, baro logs above, lod tho way to tho second floor. Sho pointed to a door. " In there !" succinctly. Miss Vornoll knocked. Tho door was opened. The figure on tho threshold Btarted. Who wob this his aunt had brought with her? Why hadn't sho como alono? v ! * r j " Such a time as wo had to find you, Voyle—" Mies Dorothy began, breath- Ho put his finger on his lip, and thon pointed downward. "Hush ! Como in," They entered. He closed and locked the door. He glanced inquiringly from his aunt to hor companion. "This is—" she stopped horsolf. She had been about to say "Guila Dosarte." But tho girl had a new name no,v, and she had promised to be silent about tho othor. "This is Hilaria Jackson, Voyle," she went on, hurriedly. "I waß afraid to come alone to-night, so she came with me." Voyle bowed to " Hilaria Jackson."_ " That was vory kind of her, ' bo said. Guila saw at a glance that he was afraid to apeak frankly to his aunt in her presence. She was a stranger. Her proximity made bim nervous and constrained. As she ob served iOhe spoke with delicacy und discretion. . " I saw some Berlin patterns in the atore below, Miss Vernell, which I havo been wanting for somo time. I shall rnn down and select them whilo you are paying your visit. I shall be there whon you are ready to go." " Very well, Gui—Hilaria. And she went. They could hear her as she descended the thinly-carpeted stairs. Mies Dorothy stood on tiptoe, put both her arms around her . nephew's neck, kissed, and then held him out for inspection. " Let me havo a good look at you. And how ore you, my boy ? And what havo you been doing ? And whatever are you going to do?"

Ho laughed. " One at a timo, Aunt Dolly ! Ho brought her a chair and mado her stt down. She glanced around hor. "You haven't very charming quarters, Voyle." And he hadn't. ~,,«■ The room was small, low-ceiled, stully, with a carpet of pseudo-Brussels, in which the "olours swore at each other, a prickly horse-hair sofa, a cottage organ, two camp chairs, and on the walls chromos of a smirk ing Beatrice Cenci and impossibly brilliant fruit. He shook his head. " No. But then lam only here tempor arily. It was at least a safe place to meet you. I am changing round all tho time. You know I want to lie dark for awhile. Misa Dorothy looked up with a sudden resolution. ..... . ~ v,. T "No," sturdily; "thata juat what I want to know. Why should you skulk round like a^criminal ?" _ " But after that wedding affair— " Who is the wiser of that ?" " But I managed it very clumsily. You see, Jonas still thinks he is married to " Well what if he does ? One of these days, whenVella is Mrs Tracy, it will be time enough to undeceive him. bo lar, even your uncle does not suspect the truth. If you ware to come back to-morrow I am sure he would gladly receive you." Voyle smiled grimly. "I'll make sure of a reception; but gladly? Hardly that."

CHAPTER XLIII. "I THINK I'M COMMENCING TO SEE DAY LIGHT." "I've waked and slept through many nights SinooaSfon ft; ybut still that day will catch my breath | Like a nightmare. _attbob_ Leigh.

He had muttered tho words,

Miss Dorothy looked up. " What aro you saying, dear?"

•'Oh, nothing." " When you left homo that night I was not aware that Mr Claflin stillod looked on Vella as his wifo, You know I only heard the first few words of tho conversation betweon him and James. "If I had under stood how safo you would bo in staying, I would not have let you go."

Voyle glancod up excitedly. "I couldn't have stayed, Aunt Dolly— not possibly I" "Why? My boy, I am getting out of patience with you. You could not hide about town with greater appearance of guilt if thero really was foundation for that wretched thoft slander."

It wns a random shot. But hor curiosity was intense.

" I have often wanted to talk to you about that," he put in, quickly. "I am gluil you recalled it to mo now. I'll toll you how it happened. It sounds improbable, but I know i/uu'll believe mo. The day bo foro that wretched farce of a wedding I went, into the dining-room and lay down on the loungo. 1 had been riding hard all morning, and was used up. 1 was asleep before you could say 'Jack Robinson.' I

was awakened by Robert tapping moon the shoulder. 1 looked up. Ho held mo out a lotter. ' I wouldn't havo aroused you, sir,' he said, 'but that tho messenger said it must bo dolivored at once.' I toro it opon, nnd read ;

"' Como down to the numbor below. Como at onco. Uring somo monoy, and help mo out of a bad fix. Mum's the word.

"MarcThacy',' '

Miss Dorothy listenod with hor faded eyes very wide indeed, and the pale brows arched in inquisitive surprise. " I had thought Marc out of town. Then tho addres.3 givon was that of a notorious gaming-house. I had never known Marc to gamble. But I decided that theso wore no points to consider in thoir numerous aspocts then. Marc was in trouble I must help him. I stood up and triod to shako off my drowsiness. I was sleepier than whon I had lain down. My limbs, too, shook odly. My hoad felt light and queor. I looked at my watch. I thought I had beon asleep but a fow minutos. Tho hands told me I had lain there threo full hours. I noticod a curious odor, but thought littlo of it at tho time. I wont up stairs. In my drcenng-caso drawer wero a hundred and twenty dollars, the remains of our profits on that prospecting businoss which I wont into with Harry Wilson, You romembor ?"

Sho nodded. She was all attention.

" I took tho monoy and went down and out. I hurriod straight to tho number mentionod. Just as I was about usconding the stairway a hand was laid on my ehouldor. A voice said, ' Voyle Vornoll, you aro under arrest.' I whooled round. Tho man who hold mo flung back his coat, disclosing the star of a detective. ' llow dare you !' I cried angrily. ' Of what am I accused?' 'Of the thoft of three thou sand nnd fifty-four dollars from your Undo James Vornell.'

" I grew furious. " Aro you a fool, or a scoundrel?' I domanded. He kopt cool. ' Noithor,' ho answered ; ' but you will cer tainly bo tho former if you make a Bcono here. Look what a crowd ib gathering already !' And sure enough, horo was tho usual street mob beginning to crowd tho entry and stairs. Ho was right, of Bourse, and I was acting in a nonsonsical manner."

"Dear, doar!" groaned Aunt Dorothy, overcome.

"I saw tho best thing I cpuld do would bo to go with him quietly, and I wont. 1 Now, search mo,' I said, as ho roachod tho station. ' This affair is going a littlo too far.' Thoy searched mo. Not in'any of my pockets was found that which thoy sought. 'Hold on!' cried ono; 'what's thia?' Thore was quito a porceptiblo bulgo at tho bottom of my coat. Thoy had it off in an

instant. Just undor tho arm-holo was a slit. 'Going a littlo too far!' said an official, quoting my words of a fow minutos previous. 'Faith, 1 think so tnysolf.

Your brass rings like tho gonuino metal, youngster,' and ho thrust his hand down betweon tho lining and cloth and drew therefrom a huge roll of cheques and drafts. Thon they all burst out laughing." "Sakes alive I" gasped Miss Dorothy. Voylo tilted back his chair and claspod his hands behind his head. "I tell you it stunned me. I stood thoro nnd stared at tho monoy and tho man who held it, liko a veritable idiot; and tho longer I stared, and the more blankly, tho moro thoy laughed and seemed to think I was a rare rascal for my ago, It is ncodloss to say I protested my innoconco, vowed that that was tho first I had seen of tho money, and produced the lettor I had re ceived, and my own hundred and twenty in corroboration. I hoard mntterings of a ' dodge.' I was refused bail. I asked them to send for my unclo, and discovorod it was a messago of his to hoadquarters which had boon tho cause of my arrest. Thon I bogged they would sond to Marc. This was done. Tho answer came that ho had gono to Now York, to be absont probably several days, I did not wish to frighten Vella or you, thinking somothing would occur to roloaso mo before you would begin to remark my absonco, so sont you no word. Tho next day—you know the rest." Miss Dorothy nodded a vigorous assent. " Of all tho queor things 1 ovor hoard of, Voyle, its the quoorest." He smiled significantly. "So I thought thon." Sho bent broathlossly forward. " Do you mean to say you understand it now ?"

Ho puckored his lips aa though about to indulgo in a whistle, thought bottor of it, and turned his eyes gravely upon hor.

"I think I'm commencing to see day- i light." " My dear Voylo !" Ho lot down tho fore-logs of his chair with a bang, bont toward hor, took in both of his hor plump old hands. "Now, don't scream, Aunt Dolly, if you're surprised at what I'm going to teli you, for the folks in this house havo most wonderful ears. But old Judgo Duran and I have talked over this affair, and viewed it in all its lights—he's a sharp lawyer, you know— and this," hitching nis chair nearer and speaking lower, "this is tho conclusion we've como to—that I waa drugged that day, and the money put in my pocket while I was unconscious. Now don't!"

She didn't. But though the exclamation remained unutterod, mouth and eyes formed three startled O's.

(To be Continued.)

Davitt's Remedy for Irish Dissension.

Miohabl Vavitt'b views as to "how the Anglo-Irish problem could be solved " are thus sot forth in hia recent work, "Leaves From a Priaon Diary : "—ln the first place, there should be established in Ireland a system of county government, by means of elective boards, to tako tho place of the present unrepresentative and practically irresponsible Grand Jury system. Those boards should be pormittod to initiate measures of gonoral application—such as schomos of arterial drainago, tramways, railways, canals, docks, harbours, and similar enterprises which would bo of moro than local importance and character. Such schemes, after boing fully disoussed by the elective boards, should be sub mitted to the national assembly. The county boards should control the police within tho borders of tho county and appoint magistrates. Further, in the event of the land problem having boen satisfactorily Bolved on the lines of national proprietary, these boards should assess and collect tho land tax. In fact, oach country should, as far aB practicable, be a Belf-govorning community. His plan for a national government is to establish a national assembly at Dublin, composed of elected members from the constituencies in Ireland, who should administer Irish affairs in the manner of the colonial Parliaments, excepting the substitution of one for the two chambers proposed. That is to say, the representative of tho Crown in Ireland would call upon some members of the na tional assembly to form a government, the different members of which should consti tute the heads of the various boards, to be come departments of a popular government aud open to the supervision of the people through the national assembly. Such a government, subject to the control of the governed through their elected representa tives, would be a practical solution of tho Anglo-Irish problem, and " what possible danger," says Michael Davitt, " could Eng land run from such an application of con stitutional rule to a country much nearer to the centre of imparial power than Canada ? But what a beneficent change for Ireland— nay, what a relief to England herself— would be involved in such an act of simple political justice !"

A MESALLIANCE.

When I started with my dear husband for a short tour in Canada and tho United States, taking passage in the Patagonian, ono of tho fastest of tho ronowncd Allan Line, I littlo dreamed of all tho horriblo things that wore going to occur. As cvory -0110 knew, though much tempted, I had remained for tho four years of our married life a very model wife to my dear Sir James; and this notwithstanding that it was a case of somo disparity of years. Thanks, howevor, to my intonso pride and sense of proprioty, and to his no less intonso jealousy and sense of moral obliga tions, not a whisper has ever boen heard against mo, and evoryono re-echoed Charlie Vane's remark mado at the Feathers Club, " that I was of tho nature of an ieiclo, ex ceedingly beautiful, but cold and shrinking from the touch." Who would havo dreamed that ono of tho passongcrs of tho Patagonian should havo beon that Major Jobson, one of thoso big handsome maidsorvants' men who mako lovo to you so much to their own satisfac tion that they never oven look to sco whether you are pleased or tho reverse, and who cannot be snubbed through the thick ness of their skins. I romomber on one occasion, when ho had been insufl'orably impertinent to mo, and I had (metaphori cally, of course) slapped his face for him moat soundly, his saying good-byo when my husband's step was heard on tho stairs with ono of his most insolently confident looks, and saying, "Ishallnovor forget the happiness of this hour " —in all good faith, too. The man had t really beon so taken up with his own prottyH?) speeches and odious badinage that he rohlly had forgotton all my rudeness to him. And hero ho was on board the Patagoni an, talking' loudly to tho captain, and ever and anon glancing round in'a consoling manner to me as much as to sa^, " Nover mind, I will como and talk to you soon." Ho managed to gefcnear mo at the dinner-table— much, I could see, to Sir James's annoy ance ; and hia attentions on dock in tho ovoning, with shawls and dock-chairs and cushions, woro quito detestable, if a little useful for the moment. Ho had ongaged j the only deck-cabin too, and when rain j camo on it was impossible to avoid his persistent invitations to use it, oven though Sir James did his best to show him that the cabin was what wo appreciated, not his presence therein. Thon ho hail such a lot of wretched knowledgo and conversation, and would toll one things which interested ono in Bpito of onoeelf; nnd somo of his jokes wero too good to bo resisted, though of course wo know perfectly woll that they wer« only duo to his memory, which was prodigious. Too good by far in somo re spects waß it; for I recollect ho remembored a littlo flirtation of mine a fow years bofore, which was nipped In tlio bud by my engage ment to dear James, and which I myself had almost forgotten. To add to all this, the man was a vulgarian, an upstart—and —woll, everyone knows who Sir Jamos is, nnd I suppose my position as his wifo, and daughter of Lord Caradoc, puts mo about as high as ono can bo without being actually Royal. All wont woll otherwise on our voyage until we were about two days off tho coast of Newfoundland, when wo met heavy woathor, and wero a little alarmod by tho presoneo of icebergs, thore having boon several disastors in connection with theso horrid things lately. Plenty of yarns wero told of narrow escapes when vessels had collided with them ; and ono passenger wo all regarded with groat interest, as ho had —or said he had—actually passed three woekß upon one in the Polar seas, and de clared that ho had rather onjoyed himself than otherwise. •' Itmust have beet vory cold, Mr Browno," I remarked ono day. "Fearful lAt night wo all crowded as closo together as pos.ible for warmth." " And thoro were no ladies in tho party, I think you said ?" put in Major Jobson, with ono of his loud laughs—and tho con versation changed. Well, ono evening—shall I ovor forgot that ovoning?—wo were steaming along at half-speed, in a cold fog, with tho look-out mon straining their eyeballs, and norvous passongers feeling desperately uncomfort able. That thero wero many iceborgs about all tho experienced voyagors told us, and tho captain's non-oppoaranco at dinner gavo us additiotftil causo for discomfort. Only Major Jobson was full cf discordant merriment, and insisted on making people laugh as if wo might not at any momont bo hurled into eternity, Tho saloon bored mo aftor a timo, and I mado my way up on deck nnd into Major Jobson's cabin with an amusing book nnd as many moro wraps as I could carry. To my disgust, tho ownor of the cabin was there, and did not Bhow tho least sign of leaving mo alone to read. I should montion that my dear husband had stayed down bolow, boing afraid of tho effect on his health of tho cold night air. It was nsoloss to try and road, for tho man had kopt up a ceaseless chatter ; and soon—for, an I havo said you could not snub him—l found him making lovo to mo. " You can't caro for that pompous old mummy," ho declared, catching my hand nnd holding it by forco; "and you aro much too young and boautiful to bo wasted on him. Oh, Emily " 1 monagod to got my hand freo, and startod to my foot; but a suddon roll of tho vessol cnusod mo to reseat mysolf a littlo suddonly. "Major Jobson," I exclaimed, "this conduct is—most indofonsible." " I don't defond it. I am acting on tho offonsivo, not tho defensive " "You are most offonsivo," I put in. " And I cannot romembor proprieties and nonsenso of that kind when I sco such eyes, Biich lips, such a sweet faco aB yours. Don't you know I love you, Emily? Haven't you seen all this year how I havo boen dying for you " " I think you aro most impertinent," I j managod to put in ; but he wont on like a torrent — " You think me too bold ; but what I bravo man ovor lot tank stand betweon him and lovo? Granted that you aro as far above mo as the sky is above the earth, yot you aro a woman—ono far too good, too sweet, too lovely, to saorifice nature because of hor pedigree. But you aro right, Emily—your beauty ia your true rank—and that does put you beyond any man. It ia for you to forget, with the magnanimity of truo greatness, that you are queen and all tho world of mon your slaves. Being so strong, it is for you to bo merciful. At a word lrom you I would go away and never sco you more. At a word from you Itwould go away and cast myself into the raging sea, and die with your name upon my lips. For your sako " I stopped him with an imperious gosture —at least I moant it is to bo imperious— and, standing up while he still retained his seat, with a curious, half mocking smile upon his nasty, handsome, common-looking face, I said, as impressively as I could— "Major Jobson, I will never forgive this insolence. From this moment I beg to doclino your furthor acquaintance. If you annoy mo again I will speak to Sir Jamos ; and if that fail, I 'will bring appeal to tho captain|f or protection against you.; Itis owing to my foolish good nature in knowing such — Biich persons— as yourself that leads me into the misfortune of hearing such woids. Henceforth I shall bo wiser, and take care to choose for acquaintance thoso only of— of my own position in lifo." " You mean that I am too great a snob," he began; but tho sentence was nover finished. At that moment thoro was a crash, and then a din as of ten thousand demons let loose. Tho ship had struck ! Oh, tho horror of that moment! The rush ing to and fro : the yells of terror; the cries of anguish and despair; the loud orders of the officers ; the endeavours of the crew ! I don't know whej'o I ran or what I did. It was too darken recognise anyone on deck, and the sle •' -is a mass of terrified human beings, jl < «ut on self preservation, but none knovi'ntr the way. Then I heard from half a hundred throats the despairing cry, " She is sinking 1 The boats I The boats !" "James! James!' I cried wildly—but no answer came ; and indeed now, when I reflect upon the situation calmly, I scarcely see what I expected my poor husband, at his time of life and in his state of health, to do for me in the hurly-burly. I saw dark masses of shrieking women in knots around what I supposed wero the boats; and, struggling with others on the same errand, I was making my way to the nearest, when suddenly a strong arm was thrown around me, a voice said in my car, "it is the only way ; she is settling down, and the boots are full. Jump with me I'1 and, guided by the arm, I jumped and found myself on something—l know not what; rock it seemed at the moment—and already

some yards from the ship, whose outline I could see while you counted twenty. Then the fog rolled up thicker than ever, muffling sound an_ rendering us blind, and in a few

minutos I seemed to stand alone—an awful silence taking the place of tho scarcely more awful din of just before. Oh, tho terrors of that night! I found that I had with mo all tbo rugs that I had taken to the deck cabin ; therefore, I did

not die of cold. But tho uncertainty ; tho black darkness ; and dread silence ! Surely someono had jumped with me from tho steamor. But no response camo to my cries. Once or twice I thought I heard a breathing noar me ; but soon I made up my mind it must be imagination ; or, horror ! it might be some wild animal that only waited for daylight to attack me. So I crouched into my fur cloak and tried to sleep, tried not to think, and was nearly out of mind with fear.

The morning broke at last; and gradually as the sun roso the fog rose too. I looked around shuddering. Good

Heavens! the island'l was upon was no larger than a bhip's cabin, and thoro was no othor land in sight. It was quite bare

too—and—but surely !—Yes—it was! 1 was on an iceborg ! Alono on an iceberg ! Not a sail in sight ! no doubt the poor Patagonian was down fathoms buneath mo. Would that I were with all of them ! It would bo over then.

Now I should slowly die of cold, starvation, thirst, or fright. Alone on tho ocean, on an iceborg ! I hopo some of my readers will think of tho situation, try to realise it, and thon perhaps they will be inclined to pardon any weakness thoy may find in my subsequent conduct. The shape of the littlo 'berg was fantastic in tho extreme ; nnd at any other timo I might havo admired the cathedral-roof-like ominenco that filled all its centro, with its quaint tracery and gables and fretted sides. Hound this ran a kind of shelf or ledge,

just wide enough for one to lie down on comfortably, with my back against the wall, as it were, of tho cathedral; and along this ledge I now cautioußly walked, hoping that perchance I might espy a sail from the othor sido, and shuddering as I re membered tho breathing of last night, and bethought mo that white bears—as I had road in childhood—frequented icebergs. Evidently, os I supposed, my companion in the jump last night must either havo discovered whore he was and gono back to tho ship, or have fallen into tho sea. But no ; stretched 'on tho rugged path way of ico, wrapped in an onormous blan ket coat, lay a form—a mnn, asleep ! 1 was not alono ! I knelt down on the cold ground—l moan ieo — and thanked Providence Any companion was better than nono. Thon I touched him on the shoulder, and he sprang up in a moment.

It was Major Jobson ! I turned away to hido my disgust, but was soon reassured by his manner and words.

Pardon, Madam," he said, very coldly and haughtily. "I must apologise for intruding on your iceborg, after what passed last night; but the fact is there waß no other, and I was forcod into this appar ent rudeness."

I bowod in acceptation of nis apology, and returned to my sido of tho 'berg, see ing as I did so that he again composed him self to sloop. What a bitter irony of Fato it was that out of that whole ship's compauy tho very man who had insulted me, tho only man to whom I could not Bpeak, should be chosen as my companion on tho icoborg I Tho first day seemed ages. Wo had apparently drifted into a warm current, for really tho atmosphere becamo quite pleasant, and indoed the hoat of tho sun oppressive towards mid-day. My thirst I easily managed to assuage by breaking off bits of tho ice and sucking them ; but how about the pangs of hunger that attacked mo ? I was recalling all I had over hoard of tho horrors of doath from starvation, whon I heard tho sound of stops behind me. What was tho wretch going to do? Murder mo for my flesh ? Punish mo for my suit? I gazed etoadfastly out to sea and dotorminod to bear all as nn English lady and a Caradoe Bhould.

I hoard him stop for a niomont besido mo; his shadow on tho ico was on the right stopped, then roso again, and ho went back to his place on tho other sido. What had ho como for? I looked round cautiously. By my sido was a canistor of hard biscuits and a small tin of preserved meat. Under them a pieco of paper torn from a pocket book, with thoso words written neatly on

"N.W. sido of Iceberg, July 22nd, ISS-. "Major Jobson presents his complimonts to Lady Emily Battlcsaxe, and has tho honour to remind hor Ladyship that provisions aro liKely to run scarco if not husbanded. Major Jobson would venture to recommend two mouthfuls of the meat and'.ono biscuit and n-holf per diem as a proper ration. " Tho Lady Emily Battlesaxo " I found somo looso sheets of notopapor in tho leaves of tho novel I had put in my nloak pockot when about to leavo tho deck cabin, and on ono of thorn I wroto :—

" S.E. sido of Iceberg, July 22nd, ISS-. "Lady Emily Battlesaxo presents hor compliments to "Major Jobson, and is much obliged for the biscuits and moat and tho information as to rations."

Then I ato tlio oxact amount proscribed ; and at dark I stolo round tho pathway and deposited my noto undor a looso piece of ico I found close to whore I hoard sounds of snoring. Next morning I found anothor noto : — "N.W. side of Icoborg, July 23rd, ISB—. " Madam,—l havo tho honour to inform you that I am possessed of a pocket-comb with small looking-glass attached, also a pair of nail scissors. Should tho tomporary loan bo of any service to you, I shall bo very happy to lend them to your Ladyship. Yours faithfully, Rohert Jobson." Thoro could bo but ono reply to such a liborty as this :— "Tho Lady Emily Battlesaxo thanks Major Jobson for his offer, but does not require the loan montioned." This noto I contrived again to placo noar tho man during tho night; and for two days I had no communication from him. Oh, thoso weary days! I had read my book some ton times over; I had scanned tho horizon until my eyeß ached ; I had walked up and down tho narrow ledge which was my home till my logs failed mo, Then I made a horrible discovery. At first, as 1 have said, tho ledgo or path was wide enough to admit of my lying down on it with my face towards tho sea and my back against the sido of the hill which formed the centre of the 'berg—a hill formed in fantastic imitation of tho roof of Milan Cathedral. Tho night before I had awoke to find my foet protruding over the side, but 1 had thought but littlo of it, putting it down to a change of position. But to-day (July 2Gth) I happened to turn my eyes towards where I had placed the Canister of biscuit the day before, then BOinu footand-a-half from tho edg.e just in timo to sco it disappear into the sea. Thero waß no doubt about it. Tho lodge was growing narrower! Tho sun was molting the ico—tho iceborg was disappear ing ! That night I understood why Major Jobson's snores were so much louder In my ears. We were gradually getting nearer to one another 1 The idea alarmed me moro or less out of my dignity, and I took a note round the corner that night, intimating tho fearful discovery I had made. The reply was as follows (but what wob worse than its tono was tho way it came ; ho simply put it ovor the centre of tho 'berg. Ho could almost reach me !):—

"N.W. side, July 27,188-. " Major Jobson presents his complimenta to Lady Emily Battlesaxo. He also has remarked the diminution of the 'berg, and has calculated that it will last three more days, unless it turns over before then, in which caso, there boing more of it under water at present than there is above, it will last probably a week. In this latter case, however, Major Jobson fears that the ad ditional length of its existence will not be of much benefit to Lady Emily Battlesaxe, as icebergs turn over rathor suddonly, and it would be difficult to climb round quickly enough." . , I think I must have fainted soon after this, and remained long in a awoon or, at least, in a semi-fainting condition. Whon I woko to full consciousness I was aware —at first dimly, but thon with terrible clearness—that the mound or hill, or cathedral top, between me and the vulgar man had totally disappeared. The iceberg was a flat surface now, and he and I wero sitting back to back, with our respective feet close to the edge. The sun was terribly hot that day, ana the ice molted rapidly. Towards night wo could no longer sit back to back—he had to shift on ono side to avoid pressing mo for ward—and then we were in a short time sitting side by side, although looking in contrary directions. There was the wife of the last Battlesaxe, the daughter of the Caradoes, sitting sido by sido with an unpedigreed Militia Major who had insulted her, quite alone, and in a space measuring about six feet by four. Smaller and smaller grew our seat, the provisions had to be taken on our laps, and I confess that, seeing a precious tin of meat, slipping off on his side, I actually reached over him hurriedly and saved it, blushing with shame a3l did bo. "Thank you, Lady Emily,"said he ; "but we shall ecarcely want it."

The sound of a human voice thrilled me with pleasure; but that pleasure was soon swallowed up in the horrible idea that death was imminent, and that before death, uuless one of us sacrificed ourselves, we should be obliged to—l mean that there would not be room for us both to_ sit side by side, however closely we might squeeze. The night came on, and of course the ice melted less quickly then ; but at sunset we were a vory tight fit. Once—l think it must have boen about midnight—l hoard him say as if to him self—

" Might as well have a good supper. No good saving any food now " And I felt something softly placed upon my head. It was another tin of meat and four biscuits; but I was almost too much impressed by the impropriety of the situ ation to enjoy tho meal, hungry as I was. Then morning broke, and as the light grew I fancied my neighbour ( oh, how close ho was to me !) started and breathed hard. Then a mist that had been close down to tho water some three hundred yards off sud denly rose ; and tho shout ho gave almost mado mo fall off my narrow seat.

" Look ! a ship !" I looked, and there, sure enough, far away in the horizon, was a vessel of some sort. But I hid my feelings. "I beg your pardon, Lady Emily," he " I will excuse you," was my reply, made as coldly as possible. The ship was coming towards us, but so slowly, and tho little bit of ice on which we were seated was diminishing so rapidly. I tried to keep away from him, and nearly slipped off. Ho put his arm round me. "Sir!" "Madam," he replied, "if I let go, you will fall off. There is only one alternative," " What is that, sir?" "That you should do me the honour of sitting on my knees." I tried to look dignified, but failed; I could, however, be indignant. " Sir," I said, as calmly as I could, "if you are a gontleman " " You know I am not."

" You will"—I went on unheeding his in terruption, but it was difficult to wither him with his arm round my waist—"you will jump into the sea and swim to that vessel." "That vessel is three miles off, Lady Emily, and, besides, I can't swim." Then there was a silence, and then—l can scarcely write the words—l, Emily Battle saxo, found myself sitting on the lap of Major Jobson ! Tho vessel proved to bo the stoam-tender Poggy, sent out by tho owners of the Patagonian to search for a missing boat of the latjtor ship, which had been picked up before thoy doscried us on the iceberg. It appeared that the Patagonian was not so much damaged as was at first supposed, and that all tho boats except this one had stayed noar her during the night, and come back to her at daylight, when the extent of tho mischief had beon discovered by tho captain and others who had refused to leave. Thoy had seen an iceborg in the morning, but novor dreamed that wo could be upon

it. On board of tho Peggy was Sir James; and when I had been carried on board and put to bed—the reaction and excitement of being saved having quite prostrated me —he came to my cabin and spoke as I feared he would when he knew the truth— as he would anyhow have known it from my lips. "The whole of tho officers and crew of tho vessel saw you in that disgraceful position. There can be but one course to tako. I shall allow you a proper income, and you may chooßo your own place of residence. Henceforth we aro strangers." ENVOI.

I have beon moro or lesß contented, load ing an idle but an unpleasant life in Quebec. I have many friends, and one of them comes in to see me now.

" You aro soon back from your back woods expedition, Major Jobson," I Bay. " Couldn't find any morse," ho replied ; and—and—l camo here to break the news to you." I stretch out my hand for the paper ho holds towards mo : —

"At his rosidenco in Grosvonor Square, Sir James Plantagonet Crossbars Battle saxo, G.C.B.^P.C, aged sixty-nine." *' May wo play at being on the iceborg now ?" ho whispers. "Oh, Major " "Bob!" "Oh Bob "

But in anothor moment a chair is enact ing the last bit of our berg. And that i« how I came to make tho mesalliance which so horrified my family. —From "Vanity Fair."

CHRISTMAS STORIES.

T_.o Now Stylo,

Tub now style of Christmas story (says G. R. Sims, writing in the " Referee") is a groat improvement on tho old. There is a hearty ring of hatred and murder and spite and all uneharitablenoss about the new Christmas stories which makes them truer to nature. If you turn to the newspapers just before Christmas you will find murdor, robbery, and the monus plaisirs of wicked natures in full swing. Wives kill thoir husbands, sweethearts slay their girls, there is pistol-popping and vitriol throwing, and tho Thamos and the Regent's Canal are much used for the reception of children and adults. If the Christmas story ia to be a reflex of the manners of the age, it ought to bo stuffed as full of crimes as a Christmas pudding is of plums.

SOME NEW CHRISTMAS STORIES. I.—Under the Mistletoe.

They were sweethearts. He had loved her for years, and believed that his love was returned. One day he saw her with anothor fellow. He never said a word, but went home and broke his heart. On Christ mas Day he called at the faithless one's houee. "Darling," he said, "one kiss, ono little kiss, under the mistletoe." She smiled, and went under the bough without a moment's hesitation. Sho didn't think that be knew of the other fellow. He (not the other fellow) put his arms round her neck, pressed one passionate kisa upon her lips, and. then, drawing a revolver from hia pocket, Bhot her dead. Then he shot himself. The other fellow called later on, and almost fainted at the appalling spectacle which met bis eyes. "Both dead!" he cried. " No," exclaimed the lover in a faint voice ; " I have a little life in me still." With a desperate effort ho raised his revolver and fired, and the other fellow fell without a groan. Three dead bodies lay undor the mistletoe on that. Christmas Day. When the girl's mother camo home from a party and saw what had happened, she sent the bodies to the mortuary in a four-wheeled cab, and was summoned at Bow-atreet on Boxing Day for refuaing to pay the cabman his lawful fare.

11.—TOTTY and the Angel.

A poor little golden-haired girl sat crying on a doorstep on Christmas Eve. "Why do you cry, dear?" said a kind old gentleman. The child looked up with her blue eyes and murmured,."Mother— Angel." "Poor little laßsie," said the kind old gentleman; "her mother is dead—gone to be a angel." Then he stooped down ana saia, Ana your father, dear ?" " Angel," murmured the child again, " Father an angel too— dear, dear 1 a poor little orphan alone on Christmas Eve, and well brought up, too, for sho believes that hor parents are angels." Then he took tho little one gently by the hand. " Come to my house, my pet, he saw; " my good wifo will let you warm yourself at the fire, and give you cake and tea." So he trotted up the street, holding the child'a red little hands in his, happy in the idea that he was abotit to relieve at least one case of misery this happy Christmas time. And just as he turned the corner he felt a tug at his coat-tails, and a woman's rough voice cried, , " Now, then, where are ye takin the kid to t Can't mo and her father go and 'aye arf a pint, but you must make off with the young un ? Goin' to steal hercloes, warn't ye ?" And the old gentleman let go the little one's hand with a gasp of horror at the suspicion. Totty was crying because her father and mother had left her while thoy had a drink at the Angel, Islington.

It was Christmas time, and he thought of his mother and the dear old days at home. Softly he sang to the passers-by, and the good citizens behind the parlour blinds, " God rest you, merry gentlemen, lot no thing you dismay." Then he dropped a bag of dynamite under London Bridge, and * blew it up. That was not suiting the ac- I tioa to the word.

LIFE IN MODERN PALESTINE.

Hunting for tho Lost Cities ol Capernaum

and Chorazln.

Haifa, Dec. 26th.—In reading tho works of Dr. Kitto and other writers who have endea voured to present a picture of the manners and customs of the population which inha bited Palestine in anciont times, I have been much struck by the erroneous impres sions which the descriptions of thoso writers aro calculated to convey in many important respects. This has arisen from the fact that while they have portrayed with toler able accuracy the rude civilisation of the original inhabitants and the subsequent civilization grafted upon it by their Jewish conquerors, they have loft out of considera tion the changes worked upon, and tho modi fications introduced into, the social condi tions thu3 produced by that still higher and later civilisation which resulted from Greek andßonian invasions. Thus while they care fully trace .back tho habits of the modern fellahin, and show that they differ slightly from thoseof the peasantry of the country in tho time of Christ, and invoke the testimony of modern Bedouins as evidence of a modejof life which has undergone no perceptible alteration since the day of Abraham, they leave out of account altogether that magni-

ficent Roman and Byzantine civilisation traces of which still exist in such abundance as to astound the traveller with its splendour and its richness, but which has passed away

like a dream, leaving nothing behind but the coarße barbarism which has succeeded it, and which is almost identical in character with that it supplanted. Hence It is that

these writers have found those resemblances between the modern andancient manners and customs of tho inhabitants of this country by which they were so much struck, and which thoy have given to the public as furnishing an accurate picture of what ancient Palestine was like.

Wo are so much in tho habit of confining our interest in this country to its history before thotimo of Christ that it will probably strike many with surprise to loam that the most flourishing epoch of its history was subsequent to that time ; that never before had the arts and sciences reached so high a pitch ; that nover before had its population been so wealthy and luxurious, its architec ture so grand, its commerce so flourishing, and its civilization gonerally so advanced. It is true it had lost its independence, and was only a Roman province, but it is just because it was one, and not a Jewish king dom, that our impression of its actual con dition at the time of Christ is apt to be so erroneous.

The fact haa boen vory forcibly brought to my notice in a recent trip which I have mado along the shores of tho Sea of Galilee, moro especially along it 3 little-explored northern and eastern coasts, where the evidences of tho wealth and luxury of the former inhabitants still remain in un exampled profusion. In reading in the Gospels the narrative of tho works and life of Christ, so much of which was spent upon the shores of the lake, in one of tho cities of which He for aome timo took up His abode, most of us have endeavoured, pro bably, to picture Him to ourselves amid purely Jewish surroundings and conditions closely resembling those which we have been in the habit of associating with that previous period of Jewish history with which we are familiar in the books of the Old Testament. So far from that being the caso, the part of the country in which Hia ministrations were principally exercised was beyond all others a centre of Roman

life, with all its luxurious accompaniments. Nowhere elso in Palestine was there such a congeries of rich and populous cities as were crowded round the shores of this small lake. Nowhere else could the Jewish reformer come in closer contact with the rites of a worship alien to his own. On the shores of this lake might be seen temple after temple rearing their vast colon nades of beautifully-carved columns, their courts ornamented with faultlessly-carved statues to tho deities of a heathen cult. Here were the palaces of the Roman high functionaries, the tastefully decorated villas of rich citizens, with semi tropical gardens irrigated by the copioua atreanis which have their sources in the plain of Gennesereth and tho neighbouring hills. Here were broad avenues and populous thoroughfares, thronged with the motley concourse which so much wealth and magnificence had attracted—rich merchants from Antioch, then the moat gorgeous city of the East, and from tho Greek islands, traders and visitors from Damascus, Palmyra, and tho rich cities of Decapolis; caravans from Egypt and Persia, Jewish rabbis, jostling priests of the worship of the sun, and Roman soldiers swaggering across tbe market places, where the peasantry were exposing the produce of their fields and gardens for sale, and where fish was dis played by the hardy toilers of tho lake, among whom were those whom the Great Teacher selected to be the first recipients of His message and the channels for its communication to after ages, Thus it was, as I rode along tho margin of the sea the other day, that I waß enabled to ropeople its shores in imagination by the light of the remains with which they are still strewn, and, overtaken in its desolation by the shades of night, to fancy its now gloomy shores ablaze with the scintillations proceed ing from the lamps of at least a dozen large cities, and the almost continuous street of habitations which connected them, and to illuminate its now dark and silent waters with countless brilliantly-lighted boats, skimmingoverits smooth surface, containing noble ladies and gallants on their way to or from scenes of nocturnal festivity, or in dulging in moonlight picnics, with the ac companiments of wine and song and music. That life in these cities was profligate and dissipated in a high degree we may gather from Christ's denunciation of Bethsaida, Chorazin, and Capernaum, which He de clared to be so much more wicked than Tyre, or Sidon, or even Sodom, that it would be more tolerable in the day of judg ment for those cities than for the three He was denouncing, That among these Capernaum waa the one of the greatest splendour, and was puffed up therefor with the pride of its own pomp and magnifi cence, we may gather from the indignant apostrophe : " And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven." It may have been because He considered this city the wickedest, as it appears to have been the

largest on the lake, and therefore the most in need of His ministrations, that He chose it for some time as His residence. Hence it came to be called " His own city." This circumstance invests it with a special in terest in our eyes.

Unfortunately, a violent contest rages betweenPalestinologißts, if I may beallowed to coin the word, as to the exact site of Ca pernaum. The two places which claim this honour are now called Khan Minieh and Tell Hum respectively. Until lately the weight of opinion was in favour of the former site ; latterly the researches of Sir Charles Wilson, on behalf of the Palestine Exploration Fund, have convinced that accomplished archaeologist and careful explorer that the true site of this celebrated city is to be found at Tell Hum. It would weary your readers if I were to quote all the texts relied upon by the disputants to maintain each hypothesis, supported by cal-

culations of distance, the accounts ol

Josephus, and of early pilgrim or Arab travellers. The subject has been pretty

well thrashed out, but I doubt whether

it is even yet exhausted. I incline strongly to tne Tell Hum theory, but as Khan Minieh comes firat on our way a 8 we glide frem Tiberias to the head of the lake, as it is unquestionably tho site

of what was once a city, and as it is a highly picturesque spot, and ono, moreover, full of Biblical interest as being, if not Capernaum itself, within there miles of that city, and therefore a apot which must

havo been the scene o£ some of Christ's labours, I will begin by describing it. The plain of Genneßoreth, the unrivalled fertility and luxuriance of which, though it is now uncultivated, I described in a former letter, when I crossed it eighteen months ago on my way to Safed, is termin ated at its northern extremity by a moun tain range, which projects in a lofty and precipitous crag into the lake, and renders any passage round it by land impossible. Thia projection forms a littlo bay, or rather rush-grown lagoon, running back into the head of the plain. Into its falls a small stream, powerful enough, however, to turn a mill. It is this building and the ruins of an ancient khan near it which was itself constructed from tho remains of an ancient city about three hundred yards distant, which is now called Khan Minieh. Tho truo site of the old city is not, however, where the khan now stands, but not far from a fountain, shaded by an old tig tree, ; from which the fountain takes its name— Am ol Tin, or the Fountain of tho Fig Tree, which suggests tho idea that either the name is very new or the fig tree very old. A plentiful aupply of water flows ftoinit, slightly brackish, with a temperature of S2' Fahrenheit. The water is crowded with fish and surrounded with green turf. It appears to be one of the seven fountains mentioned by Theodorus, 530 a.d. aa being two mileß from Magdala, the city of Mary Magdalene, in the direction of Capernaum,

Near this fountain aro somo old found** tions and traces of ruins, but these for the most part cover a series of mounds where a few walls are visible, but no traces ot columns, capitals, or handsome blocks ot stone, and much smaller in extent than those of Tell Hum. Indeed, the whole area is not more than 200 yards long by 100 broa*, and this is one reason for supposing that it cannot be the Bite of that important city. The khan itself iB at least as old as the twelfth century, being mentioned by Bohaedd:n in his life of Saladin A road from hereleads up tho steep hillside to *ba.cd The view from it as we ascend to some clovation abovo the "lain is very beautiful. That fertile expanse which Josephus calls " the ambition of nature " lies stretched at our feet, with tho waters ot tho lake rip pling upon its pebbly beach, while we look right up the gorge of Hamman, its beetling cliffs on both sides towering in rugged cave perforated precipices to a height of l.^uv feet abovo the tiny stream which, com pressed between these lofty walls of lime stone and basalt, wends its way to the lake. But it is not up the wild mountain side that our present way lies ; so, taking our last look at the crumbling walls of tho old khan, at the picturesque water mill, Me ruin-strewn mounds, and the grassy lagocn, we prepare to skirt the rocky flank of the lodge which here dips into the waters of the Sea of Gennestvreth, and by which we hope to reach the ruins of Betbsaida.-Corrcs pondent of "New Ycrk Sun.

THE AFGHAN FRONTIER.

Something Anout the Land Over wlicfc Russia and England are f™r""|Li£ * One Anothor-Travels of Ou> Brttisn Commissioners.

A coBREsroNDKNT of tho London News, writing from Penjdeh, on the Murghab, Afghanistan, soys: »It ought to be men tioned that vory few Enghshmen, it might be put Europeans, have travelled over this region of the earth's surface. It 18,*" unknown ground. The latitude and longi tude of the maps of this part of the world are all wrong Penjdeh has found to be seventeen miles to the west of ts place as given on maps, and hvo milesi south, lhis condition of things gives a value to every hit of detail which can bo picked up, and will add vory greatly to the interest.con nected with the scientific department cf the mission. The surveyors under Mai. Ho - dich are determining the latitude and longi tude of each place with greatprecision ~ Dr. Aitchison is collecting the natural history and the botany.; Mr Griesbach is work mg out the geology. These officers are carrying out their work in a methodical form, but an connected with the expedition are more or less at work, and when the work is over something will be known of the country we are now travelling in. " Having come down the Kushk alley to AkXapa, we are now going in a southerly direction up the valley of the Murghab to Bala Murghab, from which we turn to the east to our winter quarters at Ohahar Shamba. The Kazi Saad uddin, with an Afghan escort, accompanies Sir Petor Lums don as tho representative of the Amoor. So far wo have como along smoothly, mo commision has been well treated wherever it has appeared. Here we are in Afghan istan, and the Afghan authorities are most particular in their manifestations ot civility. This ia slightly different from what the prophets foretold. We were going among wild races who would be sure to murdtfr us all. Had I not known something about the East, I should have hesitated to comei out here, owing to what friends suggested as my probable fate before I left England. Had the prophets of evil been here for the last two days—for we have rested a day or so here—they would have seen something very different from that of the wild tribes murdering us. Everyone hore haa been busy, and I regret to have to report that all the officers, without an exception, have, by their conduct the last day or so, rendered themselves liable to be called " carpet knights." The Turcoman young ladies have a deft way of working a peculiarly fine kind of carpet, aud some of the finest of these serve as doors to the kibitkas; thoy are hung up like a curtain. There has been quite a run on these carpets or "docirs" here. Prices have gone up to fabulous sums. Our winter quarters are to be kibit kas, and everyone wants a carpet or two, and a "door" as well. Judging by some purchases, it looks as if some of our party are going to have very large kibitkas, a ki bitka, say, with a half-dozen doors at least. The largest and finest kibitka I have yet soen in Penjdeh had only one door. This was a very handsome residence; it was hung round with fringes and tassels, and the door was covered with a very beautiful carpet. It had a bloom on it like a peach. Some suggested that it would be the Lord Mayor's residence, and it was at once christened "The Mansion Houso." At first new carpets were brought for sale, but some one brought an old ono, beautifully toned down, from the time it had hung on a door. This was bought up at a high price, and as Boon as the value of old doors was discovered there was a rush on the kibitkas, and every ragged old article was brought to market. This led to some amusing scenes. One of our people bought a carpet from an old man, and had paid his money, when tho wife appeared. She seemed angry, and seized the piece of carpet, carried it off tri umphantly, and hung it up on its place ovor the door of her kibitka. The old man looked rather foolish, for he had to hand back the silver coins.

" There are a number of Jews in Penjdeh The Saroks are a mixture of two races, the Turanian and the Iranian, or Mongolian and Caucasian, according to tho old way of putting it. Some are very Chinese in their features, while others might pass for Per sians, and there is every degree of mixture between. On the day of our arrival I was carefully noting the facial forms to be seen in the crowd, and three or four men with a distinct physiognomy caught my eye. They were dressed like the others around, in high sheepskin hats, the hair outside, and the outer garment which covers the body had very wide, bulging sleeves. After (patching these men for a time, I went up and pro nounced the words, " Bani Israel!" to one of them. He turned sharply round, and looked astonished, but he did not look as if he understood me, so the words were re peated. What he said in reply was beyond me, but it expressed assent. Thinking it would be worth knowing if he understood Hebrew, I began with " Baraschit," and repeated some of the wordß in the firat verse of Genesis. At the word "Elohim" he took up the sentence and went on to "Aretz," the laßt word of the verse. He uttered it all in a low voice, as if he did not wish any one but myself to hear him. From this it may be concluded that even in this out-of the-way spot they are not ignorant of their own language or of their religion. I no ticed that they were very busy when car pets or other articles were in demand, and they have made a good harvest during our stay atjPenjdeh. "Ourstay here has had a good effect on the people. They have benefited largely by our visit, and muat have formed a favour able opinion of us. Perhaps they may not have a high opinion of our judgment after seeing us give such high sums for the old doors of thoir kibitkas."

Germans Abroad.

A census of Germans residing abroad has boen publiahod by the " Statistical Bureau." The result is aa follows: There are in Switzerland 95,262, in Austria-Hungary 98,510, in Italy 5,221, in Sweden 953, in Finland 625, in Bosnia 628, in Greece 314, in Chile 4,033, in Egypt 879 persons of German nationality. Tho number of per sons born in the empire amounts in the United States to 1,966,742, in France to 81,988, in Holland 42,026, in Great Britain 40,371, in Bolgium 34,190, in Denmark 33,158, in Norway 1,471, iv Spain 952, in Russia 394,299, in Queensland 11,638, in South Australia 8,798, in Victoria 8,571, in Now South Wahs 7,521, in the Argentine Republic 4,997, in New Zealand 4,810, in Algeria 4,201, in Uruguay 2,126, in Peru 898, in Tasmania 752, in Chile 645, and in Guatemala 221. The bureau expresses much satisfaction at the decrease in tho number of emicrants during 1884, which amounted to 122,330, against 134.000 in 1883.

Burying a Child Alive.

A chtld was buried alive in November lost, near Belfast, and tho parents and the grand mother were indicted for murder. The evidence showed tht,t the grandmother noti fied the grave-digger that hia services wore required to bury an infant; that tho father brought the child in a coffin to tho grave yard, and that tho gravo-diggor hoard moans issue from tho coffin, whereupon ho notified tho father. Tho latter, neverthe less, insisted upon having the child buried and upon the grave-digger's refusal, put it undor ground himself, the littlo child moaning all this time. Tho matter was re ported, tho coffin was taken up and the child was found still alive, but died a few hours after. The three prisoners were found guilty, and, curiously enough, each received the insignificant punishment of 1 fiv« years' penal servitude,

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 1885.

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