LILLIS; OR, THE Mystery of Langdon Abbey.

„ MISS SARAH PARR, ~.W f of"Ts'.?My ttdj'3 Plot." " i adamo ij,CrW«',, ..JlJe severed Lives," &c. 1 Julls^ pf , .— CHAPTER XIX, A FRUITLESS WATCH. on which Robert Hood's oyo had I' |t? the corridor was crouching closo to 'Tdoor. and apparently engaged in .he keyhole. ** ncjjy bound and fierce address, it ■;!'i, and hastily turned 'ica Hough confronted h.m. ]foment, in his utter surprise, ho io; thel . speechless. »t recovering hw voice, and losing fStyoutohed. How is this ?" Lraieedherhand in swift warning. ■'" b vk eyes, so mysterious in their ■■;'. ' t toO bre depth?, gleamed malignly. In** 1 but di3COrdant acconts she i:\L' your pardon, my lord I dis "^ ♦ servo Mi' P I|ICO lH lloro tm :!(J« d M till t i, o breakfast hour. If n foot ::rDlDpthat sill," pointing to Lillia's bour ffq shall know it." »,L 0U ntenanco changed. lr Sr« rieht, as well as keen and ;Ko/claiWd, softly in pleased si 'The d"'at wftylfl tlu) "ottor wfty ::* , 0^ \Vatch well, for you will 1)6 r^ped on his heel and wont oft' with

blotter had been silent, but by no ..^nlobsorvont. As thoy reached the ??nl woman seems a strange sort of a , and, also, it Wars to mo, i* i« in your confidence about Lilhs ifllV One might imagino, indeed, from ■ words that havo passod botweon e*'L Miss Melross is undor watch and ■:j ffbat does it mean, Bob? What i»ilrv ore you up to ?" :1 topped and raised his candle so as to * "the will light of tho flamo upon Hood's

'■ was a face livid with ra ? o. Skedat it, and seeing the answer "i be a burst of abuso, shrugged las uderaand wheeled off to his room. heshnt himself in, ho saw Hood vindic j-»,,kkingthekeysathim. M act changed the current of his %is now clearly impossible to oid her," lettered, as he locked the door and dis dof the candle. '' I shall have to loavo Vtovourfate.MissLillis. Even if I could ■«myself of the koy=i, the woman is a Con not to be overcome Hang it all! Sdkllepa*so rashly! Why didn't I 4my knowledge to mysolf ? Well, sho's plucky as charming, by Jovo !" ""jobert Hood went to bed with the koya a-jbatween the bolster and pillow, but only tjjOTi the secret terr^rs of his waking ifljhfarenewed in his dream?. *ih*e voice threatened him, and tho yellow tjjtd woman roso beforo him ominously, teasing in aspect. Bia put out her hand. The horror of its approaching touch woko

"oieat beads thick upon his forehead, ho trend his eyes. '3»wildly stretched them to their fullest

start. IT«3 it a phantasm of hia brain, or did i>. hint light of the breaking day stoaling fsjgh the drawn window-curtains show is a woman's form? iiicy finger touching his brow answered usqcestton. The flute-liko voice that had simm the crypt answored it also. It uttered one warning word. It said, tally, meaningly: "Robert!"'

Wth that word the faintly-outlined form •appeared. Bit in vain Hood strove to call or raovo. Hiatongue was like lead ; his limb 3 were wtles,

Fir the time a great horror mastered him. l!w only a short timo. Presently he crawled from the bod, and, with shaking hand?, wrapped himself in his tenng-gown and went out to the gallery. Tie dearer light and sweeter air revived Mm.

Between tie looped curtains a palo glow steed cheerily along tho enstern horizon, ltd mtWnnatural objects were fast taking tkeirta/malebapee.

ifi breathed more freely, looked around msra kldljr,

"Bat for the voice and touch," he mut tered, "I'dßwear it a chimera of my own tart brain, As it is - "

Agentlesound caught his earand checked lijTordi. itcamefrom the direction of Lillis's cor lik With a shuddering start, he looked, and to ill at once forgot his feara in a sudden rdlection of the girl and Rebecca Hough's n'siL im had the vigil ended? Be ran swiftly to tho corridor. Aihe entered, Rebecca glanced over hor ioiUer, and recognising him, hastily feed the great mullioned window, which iSthadjnst opened, and went to moot bin,

Iks night watch had told upon hor. It nsapparent oven in the grey gloom. Hor itAi were hollow, and her eyes shono •ugtr, brighter, and more mysterious than TO.

Aiswering Hood's eager, stifled question, iMsaid, quickly: "Nothing's happened, my lord.1' "Nothing!" Eebecca Bhook her head.

|oor lordship," she went on, " found w Ure last night peeping through the liJMle, Tho night long I've been cither jttpingorlistening. I've'seen nothing, I've W nothing. All's been as silent as «-Dot a sound of her. She must be ■to chapel, my lord. I didn't really «TOit I thought if she'd been thero, v™u ™ gentleman was sure—" 'And I wasn't sure," muttered Hood to Welf,

"Shemnet a slipped past him," con Medßebeeca.

Slipped paat him ! Only by a miracle. »f je impossible. It is my belief that fi in her bed, and has been all night. ""11l go the chapel. Stay hero till I By this way," turning about falvi oppose it wouldn't do to "It wouldn't indeed, my lord. • Misa , m\ 'won't be disturbed, even for the The dressing-room one's left so she t\^!T °n cones- Knocking'd be all Wshe ain't here; but if she is-" I see! And-shew hore !" Dricmg himself with those emphatic and Turing words, he hurried off. C a Umped back t0 the boudoir

ikY minute Bhe etood looking at it TliLrT-' Bf ßady flyea- Fluently sho ~W »n alow, intense tones : Iki \v "' eh ? And the key—Where's ji.' Wouldn't she have put it in thelock ? kiX -n That settleß "• Sho ain't here tu\But-whereisßhe?" Cnid day When H°od returned t0 t'tt d»n? !Bed I very haPtilybeforo *oinK , tl i™ cT?'. and, between his disordered iuli, dlfordered mind, looked hoggard MnfWond his years. CrlTV^ wasnlt there," he said, an rt«rfnl t0 Kebecca with forcei jetf" ' " AntJ> of course, sho isn't up

v'I o' asoilnd to be heard, my lord. But «&t^'P' 8 P»«Wl oughtor be % ny Melrofs's fires." tun »'*«?• : wiu Wtttoh tiU y°u r° 'aoinS1' ' ° truttercd to himeelf, as the tSW, "that it is really neces -1 must k Is certa'nly in her room-but ton *T? bey°nd possible doubt that iflg amon X tho corridors; 8JBm« m ot Played th° flpy up°n mo -11 1«! A i.What a maddening mystery it itJL-. a how am Ito solve it? How is I Voico> and foel her touch, and MC. 7 form ? r K°inS? m(ld ? too! Nn -t* BU£-''l and heard her, iVy ,?■ '•;M not mailnea?. What, then ? laCd hU f»ner? d> but found noanswer to tho NvM , riDS question. iiiadtL ■ ?? was nevor known t0 bo be" Mc»k, breakfast room. On this Sinote BaW]rninß Sho '-ollo' Q6 t0 be fivo tmtL 01"?'*! Robert and Tony Folger %„"" "fßdi/ie on the hearthrug. "itau olailB Y1&. ■ ■J»H»J a.lbVas Mi?H Melross ! I toll °"o«iiDhiSrrootn!"

"*''"'" onod r, nc i y Molros.s, too much startled by the tone to oiler a more cere momoue gretting. " Are you speaking of Lillis, Jlr Folger?" The yonng mon turned round, equally startled. J With his customary quickness. Tony re plied. ' J Ho smiled easily, triumphantly. "Ah ! good morning, Lady Molross You are here just nt the right, moment. Yes I whs speaking of Miss Molrose. And I leave it to you to annihilate the earl. I 9 not Miss Molross an early riaor, and did I not see her taking an early walk through the grounds this morning J" " "Indeed! No I I hope not. And it is raining again, I seo. And Lillis so poorly !" ejaculated Lady Melross, not very lucidly Sho ended the roply with a quick move inoiit and a vigorous pull at tho boll. " Are you going to send to hor room ?" asked Hood, turning a shade paler. "I am ; though—" The sudden oponing of the door cut tho fontenco short. All oyos turned upon tho (iguro that had appeared. For an instant thoro was a dead, oxpoc tant pause. Tho next a high voico broke upon it quickly, Btartlingly. CHAPTBUXX. SHUT IN*. When Lillis, in her wild, aimless rush from the sacristy, turned into tho friendly nook under the pulpit, her ilight was ended in tho moat startling and extraordinary manner. Her hands, again instinctively outstretched before her face, struck two or throe of the carved knobs that thickly ornamented tho paneling, whilst hor body waa precipitated in tho same direction with almost stunning fo'-ce. At tho blow hor head Boomed to roel; tho paneling seemed to give way, a strange, rushing sound lillod hor ears. Sho caught, like apasaing (lash, tho faint gloam ofßobort Hood's lantern tho other sido of tho pulpit stairs, and then all was dead silonco and impenotrablo darkness. Tho paneling with its masonry had given way, and, relieved of her weight, and tho touch that had started tho secret machinery, closed aguin swiftly, noisolessly and surely. For a little sho lay whore sho had fallen on tho cold stones, too much confused to understand ->vhat had happened. Tho soft, rushing sound still filled hor ears, and with it soomod to ininglo tho musical voico of tho unknown. " Floo ! Flee I" seemed to bo repeated over and over. But to hor dim conscious ness it was as void of mealing as thosonso less rushing murmur in hor oars. Aftor a time hor strong, youthful vitality, ogother with tho chilliness of tho air and floor, came to hor relief. Thoughts began to ehapo themselves' dearly. Events began to tako thoir place in consecutivo order. All at once sho struggled to a sittirg posture and turned her head from side to sido in the vain effort to ponotrato the Cimmerian gloom. Sho put out both hands. Sho moved thorn slowly around. Nothing moc her touch. Sho turned. Behind her, rising from tho landing on which sho had fallon, were two broad, low stone stops. Above them rose a smooth stono wall, Sho dropped her hand to tho stops again and gasped, An awful eenso of suffocation oppressing her—an awful sense of being entombed alive —sho s-lid across tho stono landing, and found herself at tho hoad of a llight of stairs. Sho de.-cended cautiously. At the twen tieth sho reached the flooring. Thoro she stood wildly upon her feet. "Oh, Heaven! where am I? Whoroara I?" she cried, stillingly. " In the extremity of her terror sho dropped upou hor knees. Sho hud barely uttered a cry to the Oroat Helper when she all at once paused and held hor breath. That soft, rushing sound—what was it1; — Could it be running water ? Sho listened. She sprang to her feot again. It truly was that, and nothing elso.

With a sudden revulsion from black des pair to eager hopo fho bogun to move slowly and cautiously in the direction. She had not cone far when sho met an obstacle in tho shape of v solid stono wall.

As her fingers touched it, that former wild senso of instant suffocation mastorod her again. Sho clutched nt hor throat. " Oh," she gasped, " if I only hada light, if 1 only had a light it would not eoom no terrible. But," speaking with a sudden stern resolve, "I will not give way. That murmur of water certainly means sumo near passage to tho outer world. Still a light-"

Tho sentence ended in a quick, glad eja culation. Gathering her skirts closer as sho turned to follow the wall, her hnnd struck against something hard in hor dress pocket. It was a safoty box, containing candlo stick and wax tapers and vestas, put thoro fts a precautionary measure boforo leaving her apartments. " To think," sho cried " that in my torror I should have forgotton it. How littlo ono can depend upon one's coolness in times of great emergency." With a trembling, breathless haste that almost defeated her own purpose, she drew out the box and made a light. It was but a fooblo glow. Still it was in finitoly cheering. Tho girl took fresh courage and began to look around with a senso of interest and curiosity that held hor anxiety in check. At the first glanco sho saw that hor fears of suffocation wero quite groundless. The chamber, though by no moana largo, was of fair size. It was of stono and wholly unfurnished. But sho gave littlo heed to tho^o facts. Still impressed with tho idoa that the fall of vator promised a modo of exit to tho grounds, sho hastonod to tho spot, but only to find that, instead of penetrating from without, as she had imagined, tho spring hold its source in the midst of tho cham ber.

The stream issued from a rudo pile of rocks. Just as nature had fantastically disposed it in its nativo wilds, so it had beon inclosed within tho walls, and so it still stood. Tho water leaped from its rocky outlnt with a gay rush and flash, casting its spray over a delicate growth of colourless mossos and palo lichens, till finally lost in its sub terranean channel. Lillia gazod a moment, and thon looked back toward tho stops. "It must have been a glen onco," she thought. "It is a direct descent from tho chapel. But how is thnt to help mo ?" She roturned hurriedly to tho spot where she had fallen. But a caroful examination of tho wall showod no means of starting the secret machinery, while its masjivenoss at onco precluded all hopo of making horeolf heard within the chapel. As that fact became cloar to hor mind she grew weak under a sudden faintnoss. Sho might die boforo she waa discovered. She might never bo discovorod ; for who knew of tho existonco of this underground chambor '{ No one, sho believed. The dread answer broke from her wildly, and hastily descending tho steps, she sat down and put the candlo on the lloor till she could recover hor failing strength. For a little sho sat with strained, unsee ing gaze fastened unchangingly upon the But all at once a sudden light and life flamed up in hor fixed eye. She drew a quick, sharp breath, bhe loaned forward. She looked closer and still closer at the floor. Did or did not her eyo deceive hor ? It did not. Strange, incredible, startling as tho tact seemed, her oye had told her tho exact truth, CHAPTER XXI. THE FOOTPRINT IN TIIK DUST. Tnr.RK, in tho thick dust that carpetod the stono flagging, and just within tho circle of light from the taper, was tho clear impress of a man's boot. Lillis gazed at it in dumb, startled amaze ment. . . By no possibility could she imagine it set thore by her own foot. Not only did the size of tho print forbid such a solution of the mystery, but the direction also. . It waa exactly contrary to that she had taken in peeking an outlet frcm the chambor. . t As she gazed sho bocamo conscious oj a strangely-mingled sonso of fear and relief. While the impress suggested compar.ion ship and help, it likewise hinted at possible dangers that thrilled hor unpleasantly. Who, what, and where was tho mail ? Was he lurking unsoen and watchfully She lifted the candle, and, rising, looked I trembling'y around

Sho saw nothing but tho baro chamboi and no startling sound made itself heard. Still, how could she bs certain he wnanc watching hor from tho covert of the rocks Boldly determined to face the worai without delay sho ran to tho spring. Excepting liorsolf, tho chamber was abac mtoly tenantloss. Sho abandoned tho search and went bac to tho footprint. .Making another and more careful exair ination, sho observed something that ha escaped her notice thus far—a thin coatin of fresh dust had sottled upon tho flaggin where tho passing foot had obliterated th old deposit. It wasa significant fact. Realising ita significance, sho slowly an carefully followed tho prints. Thoy terminated at a stone ledge err bedded in tho wall. Wero thoro any roturning steps ? She glanood round. There wore none. At that discovery she caught hor breath bhe cried faintly, tremulously : " lie came horo, and ho loft hero—at thi spot." Divided botweon a great hopo and a gren fear, she went clobo to tho lodge. A glance showed her it was some thre foot long, and just high enough and wid enough to afford a comfortable roatin placo. But, in slowly soarching along the edg of tho soat for somo possiblo moans of oxit sho mado a second startling discovery. Directly under hor oyo two words wen pencilled in huge, black.characters. Tho words were theso : " Press Heke." Following tho words, and precisely in th middlo of tho soat, was a hugo asterisk Noar that tho black remains of a half dozei mutches. With a grout, suffocating heart throb Lillis obeyed tho direction, placing oni hand ovor tho asterisk, and holding tho port able candlestick in the othor. The soat gavo no sign of yielding. Sho pressed hardor and hardor, and then sotting tho candlestick on tho floor, ueec both hands. Still tho soat resisted. She mado ono last mighty, despairing ofl'ort. As before, sho could not feel tho slightest movement. All tho light died out of her eagor oyes, Pallid and helpless, sho Btaggored back, Sho faltered, brokenly : " I have not tho strength !" She atoopedand pickod up tho candlo. As sho roso from tho mechanical act, she stood absolutely potrifiod. The lodgo was noiselessly rising. It was already a foot abovo its place, and carried with it a narrow but massive block Jof stono, The opening thuß made in tho wall aroused Lillis from hor stupor of astonishment to a suddon glad sense of tho possibility of •scapo. But hor joy was short lived. A terrible foar succooded in the disclosure of a narrow spiral stairway, ascending from tho lloor on which sho stood. AVould tho block return to its place and treacherously shut her in ? Sho watched with fixed, dilated oyos. It roso stoadily. It stopped. It hung poised motionless a little above her head. Sho waited a minuto to mako suro it was really stationary, and then, passing linger, began to mount tho stairs. Their spiral construction prevented any conjecture as to thoir height ; but to hor anxious mind they scorned endless. Sho had counted thirty, and was far out of sight of tho chamber bolow, when sho all at once stopped, half palsied by a sudden and uuaccount-abln roturn of her fears. " What if it Khould drop ? What if I should bo immured within this winding coll ?" Sho said tho words ovor and ovor to hor solf, unable, in hor paralysing horror, to tako a stop eithor way. For a littla sho stood thus, and then slowly, shudderingly glanced around at the stone walls from which tho stairs soemed to have been cut. Tho glance at once increased hor horror, anil restored hersuspomled faculties. With n headlong precipitance that ondan gerod her neck at every step, sho turned and ran down. Sho gained tho bottom. Sho looked up. A blank wall confronted hor! Somo strange intuition ha 1 warned hor too surely of tho droadful truth — tin block had slipped hark to Us place ! Hut hope roso superior to tho peril. Thoro had boon plain directions without —sho would cortainly find tho samo within. Sho began tho search. First trustfully, then wildly it procoeded. It ended. There was nothing on which tho most for tilo imagination could ground a hopo. Her return to tho chamber was impossible ! She acknowledged tho torriblo fact; sho dropped the candle, and, as it extinguished itself at hor feet, sank insonsiblo upon the steps. CHAPTER XXII. THE SEORET OK 'DIE SPIRAL STAIRWAY. Hope, pha-nix-like, roso from its own ashos. No sooner had Lillis rocovorod conscious ness, and lighted a fresh taper, than shoro fused to despair. Almost hor first intolligont thought was of tho footprint in tho dust. In her fears and haste to ascend tho stair way, it had, till this moment, been com plotely forgotten. It now occurred to her to oxamino the dust on tho stairs. Hho instantly pet about tho task. But sho soon discovered that, if any re cent tread had preceded hers, sho had ob literated every sign by hor own reckless following. Not till she had gainod tho point at which sho had turned was tho question in her mind answorcd. ') ho answer lay on tho next stop abovo, in tho form of J;ho welcome imprint: —tho man had not ponotratod somo unknown crypt bolow. Ho asconded tho stairway and—nover descended. Eagorly, but with attentive eye, sho went on. Tho stairs ended at last before a small oaken door. It was closed, niid, to hor groat joy, the koy was in the lock. On examination tho apartment proved to bo asmall closet, oak-lined from floor to ceil ing. No othor outlet than that by which ehe had entered was visible, and here the foot prints wero lost in a confused, meaningless blur. As sho stood appalled, transfixed, as it wore, her failing spirit was again suddenly buoyed. Just at hor feet lay a pile of half-burnt matches She thought of that found.in the crypt bolow. Sho stopped in tho glad hopo of finding similar directions, and thin all at onco startled up with eagor haste. Tho desired words wero before her on the paneled wall. Obedient to tho pressure of her hand, two panels slipped aside and gavo admission to another and .-till smaller closet. Like tho outer ono it was oak-lined, and from tho right-hand corner projected a little cupboard, This closot instantly riveted Lillis's attention. The double doors stood open, disclosing two shelves. On tho lower shelf lay a white bundle, She took it out in startled surprise. To her still groator surprise, the white fabric proved to bo a fine silk handkerchief, which sho instantly recognised aa the old earl's by its embroidered monogram. It was wrappod roughly about something else. Sho loosened the folds, and found, as sho expectod, a papor package. The sealed side of the envelope waa the first disclosed, and showed the earl's crest. > She looked breathlessly for the super scription. " Solicitor Gibbs !" she cried aloud. The next instant sho was struck dumb by a few pencilled words at the top of the enve lope. Thoy ran thus: "Robert will bo on your track, Look out! Guakd youk life, and, as you would sco a monstrous wrong righted, guakd this ! He has diecavered the t: uth revealed within, and will never suffer it to be mado known if ho can help it. "Do not go back to the chapel. Pull out the cupboard, and you will find a Baier way of egress. " November \Bth, 18— Langdon." Tn tho tumult of her mind Lillis forgot to rejoice ovor those last explicit direc tions. Every thought of self was lost in the stupendous thought of the discovery she had made. A veil had, aa it wore, fallen from her mental vision. Tho meaning of the supposed earls labours in tho ciypt, and his words there and in the library, was clear. " And it is for this he is searching !" Bhe breathed. " And it is for this I have been so ttrangoly led hither ! And, oh, Heaven!

it was for thi3—for tho eternal socurity of tho secret it contains—he murdered his poor oW father ! Yes, he murdered him ! These words, my own instincts and tho proofs of that torriblo hour, all witness against him. The Good Fathor have mercy upon him !He is guilty ! 1 can no longer doubt it." She loaned weakly against the wall. But, sick as her soul was, her mind was aotivoly engaged. A solemn duty had devolved upon her. She must soo it clearly and perform it unwaveringly. She had just reached a decision, when the candle, flaring low in the socket, warned hor to hasten her departure. It was tho last of tho two she h&d brought, and only a fovv mutches remained. Sho wont hurriedly to tho door of tho outer closot, locked it, and then as hur riedly, yot carefully, erased the pencilling on tho panols. That dono, sho tried to slip the lattor back to their place. Aftor a few anxious minutes, sho suc ceeded. Hut mounwhilo tho eandlo had burned dangerously low. She realised tho danger. Hor escapo from tho closot must be speedy, or thero would bo no escapo at all; sho would cer tainly suflbcato in its confined limits. Tho precious document safe in tho bolt ing folds of her shawl, and tho flaring candles out of tho way on tho floor, sho seizod tho cupboard. To her great joy, it moved. To hor groator horror, the eandlo wick turned over and loft her in darkness. With a hoadlong oxortion of hor whole strength, clio gavo tho cupboard anothet jerk. The offort was suucossful. The result was astounding. CHAPTER XXIII. IMPRUDKNT WORDS. With the yiolding cupboai'd a narrow aper turo, just largo enough to permit the egress of an ordinary sized person, bocame vi3iblo by a faint licht beyond. Tho light was from a decaying fire on an open hearth. Its fitful gleam showod Lillis a largo, wainscoted chamber with many mirrors, and furnished daintily, but antiquely, in the palest greon and gold. For a littlo tho girlstood quite motionloss, almost broathlosH. She had expected to find a stairway lead ing to tho grounds. She had come upon a luxurious chambor. Whose ? Sho thought of hor unknown, mysterious friond—of tho mysterious warnings, and tho swoet voice so lately at hor oar. She felt herself upon ths verge of a groat discovery, With wildly-throbbing heart, and alow, cautions movement, she stole cloeo to the aperturo, As she gazod round, ready for instant flight, a strange change passed over her faco. A garmont Hung ovor tho back of a chair hud suddenly arrested her eye. Sho went to it on tiptoe. She recognised it. Tlie garmont was her own. Sho was in hor own dressing-room. Sho was in tho chambor by which the lato earl had made his escapo from the Abboy and a dangorous encounter with Robert Hood. Immense and joyful as tho surprise was for Lilliri, sho wasted no momenta in dwell ing upon it. Having already decided that the absolute security of tho document icquired its return to tho cupboard, till such time as it could be safely transferred to Solicitor Gibbs, she in stantly sot about solving tho eecrot of ingress to tho closot. Sho had got out, but was it possible to got in again ? On tho answer to that question depended tho return of tho package to its hiding placo. '• If it woro not," sho thought, " for tho attendance of Rebecca Hough, 1 would lock it up in my writing-desk at onco." Tho thought ended in a quick, nogntivo motion of tho head, Hor labours onded at tho samo tino. At that precise moment, hor linger, care fully examining tho wainscoting of tho <ms placed wall, hit upon a spot that yielded. Realising that, sho had di.tcovorcd tho spring, sho cautiously began to closo tho aportiiro, pulling tho fragment of stone to wn rd her. It moved roadily, and, carried by somo unseen weight,slipped into its grooves with out a sound. Sho saw tho result with breathloss joy ; but could sho effect an entrance ? On trial, tho wainscoting was found to present a solid surfaco, very different from the springiness noticeable whilo tho stone was out of placo, but, by dint of violent foivo, tho secret fastenings gave way. Tho girl made one more trial, and thon, securo in hor power to come and go at will, put tho document back and closod tbo aper ture. It struck midnight as, attired for rest, sho cropt softly from tho dressing-room to hor bedchamber. Instinctively cautious, sho did not ontor tho boudoir, but gently slipped the bolts of tho wido double doors betwoon the rooms, and in this way took Rebocc.i Hough com pletely by surpriso at broakfast time next morning. Tho woman was suepiciously near tho corridor when Lillis opened it, but tho fires ofl'ored a roady oxouso. Lillis accented it without thought or intorost. Woightier matters pressed upon hor mind. Sho had arisen to tho consciousness that a sacred duty had dovolved upon her, and tho unwolcomo knowledge that in its per formanco sho must toko upon herself tho abhorrent task of playing a part. "I have a monster of wickedness to contend against I" She thought, and with thought opened tho breakfast-room door. Tho effect of hor unexpected appearanco upon the two men was a revelation. Tho mystorioua encountor near tho sacristy door was in one moment made clear. By an unerring intuition sho roached tho tloublo fact that it was Tony Folger sho had run against, and both he and his host suspected hor to bo then in tho clmpol. Whother sho would have proved equal to tho task of controlling hor countenanco cannot bo known, but, happily, a diversion occurred in time. Tho servant, summoned by Lady Molrosa and standing unnoticed at another door, burst out opportunely : " Any orders, my lord?" Simplo as the inquiry was, the high voice coming unexpectedly at tho'momentstartled all. But upon Hood's terribly overstrained norvos it fell liko a galvanic shock. He leaped spasmodically from therug,and thon, wheeling round totho amazed footman, cried in quick, angry tones : " Yos, sirrih ! orders to leave if you don't learn to modorato your voice !Go !" Ho motionod to tho door, and tho man,not quite clear whother to laugh or do worse, hastily retirod. Tony Folger, clear in his mind, laughed whilo Lady Molross, addrossing. Lillie, ox claimod, a trifle sharply : " You havo not boon imprudont as Mr Folgor declaros ? You havo not boen walk ing this unpleasant morning?" Again mistress of herself, Lillis smiled at Folger, and shook her head. "I have beon slooping only, mamma." " I know it I" broke in Robert Hood, radiantly, all his secret doubts and anxieties set at rest by tho quiet reply. Tony Folger laughingly opened his lips, and suddenly closed them again. Hood had advanced eagerly to Lillis as he spoke, and before the girl could suspect his purpose, seized her hand and drew it to his arm, with the intention of leading her to the breakfast-table. His touch sent a shock through her whole frame. Sho saw him, not as he stood beside hor with soft, shining eyes and tender smile, but as he stood before the old earl's mausoleum tho previous night. She lost every vestige of self-control. She Btarted from him.' She breathed convulsively : " Don't! Never touch me again !" Tho loathing horror of her look and air was tenfold more expressive than her words. Hood's very lips whitened, and he re coiled, with an answering look that instantly brought her to asenseofherown imprudence. In it she saw not only tho love sho had rejected,but an exulting threat of swift coming vengeance that chilled her blood. Tony Folger, keen-sighted as a lynx, thought be3t to end the by-p!ay at this point, and offered his suspended remark. Lady Melross followed it by another. "Breakfast waits," she said.' placidly, turning from the butler, who had distracted her attention at the moment of Robert Hood's joyous outbursts. Thanks to Tony's art, and Lady Melross's ignorance, tho meal pas-ed off pleasantly. As Hood rose from tho table Le took the first stop toivard his meditated vengeance. He asked Lady Melross to join h.m in the library. "And you, Tony," he concluded, smi ing in courteous familiarity upon bis

guost, " will kindly excuse mo, and cntor taiu yourself for a little while," " I'll do the first, and entreat Mies Melross to do tho last,'' laughed Tony, Ho looked at Lillis. Sho mado no answer. Sho was looking after Hood, palo as death, and with sud denly susponded breath. In the act of turning from Tony his oye had mot hers in a swift, parting glanco, that epoke deathless passion, and a death less, exulting purpose. From tho seoroc hope that he meant in tho heat of his anger at her involuntary betrayal of her feelings to decline her mother's further sorvices tho, girl passed in a moment to a droad, paralysing 6onse of ■ fear. Sho forgot Tony. Lady Molross's com manding voice, addressing tho servants, i'o3o and fell unnoticed. All at once, moved by a suddon impulso, she hastily loft the room. " 1 may bo mad," aho thought, pausing midway along tho hall and looking at tho library door, " but mad or sane, I will tako the old earl's socrotod packago and go up to London ! I will escupo whilo I can ! — beforo the toils that monster moans to woavo aro about mo ! Alas ! if I could only trust mamma with all I feel and know. But I dare not Kobert has gainod a strango in fluence ovor her. Sho would laugh my fool ings to scorn, and imperil the safety of the packago. No ! I must not trust hor ! My intuitions forbid it! Tho dead earl's secret charge forbids it !" At this momont Lady Melross came from tho breakfast room on her way to tho library. Lillis started again for tho stairs, and thon with a sudden change of pur pose turned and mot her ladyship. " What does tho earl want with you, mamma ?"' she asked. "I am going to see. How should I know till he tells mo ? Something about that loud voiced servant, I presume." Sho was passing with that reply when Lillis stopped hor again. Miserably pained at tho thought of the de coptivo course forced upon hor, the girl put up her rod mouth. " Kiss mo.mamma," she said wistfully. Half amused, and half touched. Lady Mel ross complied.

Sho thon went on to tho library. Without suspicion in hor mind of Hood's intentions sho ontored.

Lillis saw tho door closo, paused a mo ment, then looked at the great hall clock, and ran upstairs.

She found her apartments in perfect order, tho fires blazing choorily, and Kobecca Hough gono.

Her first act was to ronow tho fruitless search sho had mado through her Biblo be foro descending to breakfast. Her noxt, to got tho precious document, and, for its perfect security, sew it between tho lining and facing of tho black cloth suit uho meant to wear.

Sho had just mado tho nocossary chango in her dress, and was about to put on hor wraps, whon v knock called hor to tho door. Kebocca Hough stood without. "A message from my lady, Miss," sho oxplainod. "My lady wishes to sco you in tho library immediately." LiMis grew pale, and sho know that tho woman's steady, watchful oyo saw it, But eho asked, composedly : " Is Lady Melross alone?" " My lord is with hor, Miss." It was v reply full of sinister moaning to tho giri, but realising that tho summons must, ovon for the succossof hor own plans, bo obeyed, fho mado the necessary reply and shut tho door. For a momont sho looked doubtfully at her walking suit, hesitating whether or not to chango it for the morning dress sho hud worn at broakfast. Sho decided not. Choosing tho bolder plan of appearing in tho library roady for a walk, fho put hor purso in hor pocket and went down with wraps and waterproof ovor her arm. " I have nothing to fear," sho thought. " Why f-hould I not walk this morning as well an other mornings ?" Sho littlo knew the deadly snbtlonoss of tho man cho was about to faco. [I'o be Continued).

Mark Maynard's Wife.

A I.UVK HiiMANi'K IN 11K.U I.IFK

CHAPTER XXX.

" yon auk my wikb !"

Ca dick impatiently awaited Mark's arrival, for hor most anxious forebodings could not turn hor from tlio thought that ho would cor!;.lnly answer hor appeal. Sho pictured his astonishment when hor letter should bo received ; ho had loved hor, sho was sure ; but supposing hor conduct hud killed that lovo, then sho must bid farowell to all hope of a reconciliation.

Tho third day came. "Ho ivill surely bo horo this evening," eho thought, with a thrill of expectation, and calling Katie into tho library, us eho was passing tho open door, nho said :

" Katio, I wish to speak with you."

" All right, Miss Cundico," and dropping tho dust-pan and brush aho was carrying outside tho door, tho Irish girl entorod tho room.

"Shut tho door, Katio!" and Katio obeyed.

" Now, Katio,"Candice said, with alovoly wild rono blush dyeing hor dolicato chooks, " 1 will toll you what I want of you. lam expecting Mr Maynard on tho eovon o'clock train. I want you to keep watch, and, if he comes, anowor the boll yourself and conduct him horo as quietly as possible. Wait, Katio!" an the girl started to loavo Hie room. " It is three-quarters of an hour to the timo : go and got Baby Mark and bring him here "

With a knowing shako of hor dory head, Katio loft tho room and soon returned with Mark in her urms.

"Put him down, Katie," Candieo said, quickly ;ho is too hoavy for you to carry." "Shure is it hoavy hois? I don't avin falo tho weight of him, and I want to think he's Ratio's little man for yot a littlo while longor." "Katio," Candicosaid, earnestly, " what ever happens, you shall never bo soparated from Baby Mark, unless of your own free wiU." With gratoful tears in hor oyos, Katie left tho room to tako up hor watch in the hallway. Cundico kissod hor littlo boy pasaionatoly. "Baby Mark," sho said laying hor check cloao to his velvet one, "you and I are going to be so happy if papa comes I" But tho child had discovered samo blocks and some badly used toys of his, and slip ping from his mothor's armp.ran after thorn with gleoful laughter, and was soon lo3t in building wonderful houses out of them. Kaitio, in tho hallway, was waiting tho issue of events as anxiously as hor young mistress. Tho pert chambermaid had noticed hor loitering in the hall, and a*ked hor if she vas exporting hor Mickey by tho front way, and Katio had glared at her acornfully in reply; but in a fe.v minutos sho heard a hack rattling along tho street, and with a llourish of the whip tho driver roined up to tho sidewalk. Katio saw it nil -the hack man opening tho Joor and tho handsome blonde young man stopping from tho carriago, with an eager look on his faco. A ring at tho boll, and Katie, with a look of perfect innoconco on her florid faco, openod tho door quickly. Mark noticed their old servant with as-' tonishmont, but Katio gavo him no time for quostions in regard to herself; she hurried him along tho hall and opened tho library door, which ho cntorod. Baby Mark, sitting before tho open grate, building miniaturo houses, looked up at his entrance and thon quiotly resumed his play ; Mark glanced beyond the baby form at tho slendor, girlishh'guro in navy bluocashniore ; her back was turned toward him, and sho seemed intently examining the titles of tho tiers of books piled high above hor head ; sho waa striving to obtain composure. " You Bent for mo, Mrs Lee !' It was Mark's voice. Sho turned toward him and came across tho room with hesitating stop 3. Hor oyes. which had always boon hidden from his sight horetoforo, were gazing at him oagorly with a world of lovo and en treaty in their lovely wine-brown depth?. " Mark," she said, timidly, "doyou not know me, or have you forgotten your Can dice?" Could this botruo? Was this his young girl-wife Btanding before him, alive and well ? "Do not mock me 1" he said hoarsely. "Who aro you that so strangely reeemblo the young girl-wife I lost from out my life ? ' "Mark, my husband, do you not know mo V 1 am Caudico ! Will you take me back to your henrt, my darling? " Now her arms were about his neck, and he was raining hot, ar.Jont kisses on her lovely upturned face. "My darling !oh !my darling ! " he mur mured, passionately. ''Thank God ! 1 have found you at last! You are myjwife!" Neither noticed the door of tho library open and Uncle Sam look in, and then with

tho not very elegant remark, "Thunder ! " beat a haa':y retreat back into the old hall, where Katie vowad she found him "dancing like an owld fool and lackin' avin the since of ono •" Baby Mark, sitting contontedly on Ihe Hoor for porno time, got tired of soeing co much affection wasted and ho not the direct cause of it; ho commencod crying lustily, and then Candice went to him and taking him in her arm?, snid, with the light of per fect happiness on her face: " Mark, see our boy ! " Mark gazed at them liko one dazed, and, strong man that he was, burst into tears ! " Oh ! Candice ' " ho said, remorsefully, "if 1 had only known ! How much you have suffored ! Oh ! my darling !" and he gathorod the slender figure, baby and all, in his strong young arms and hold them thoro as if ho could novor lot thorn go. " 1 had almost forgotten, Mark," Candico said, roguishly ; "IbolioveyoulovoWrsLeo Shall I send her to you ?" But ho answered, joyfully : "1 am con tent to lot well enough alone, and much as I imagined I loved the lato Mrs Lee, I lovo tho present Mrs Maynard a thousand times bottor !" Uncle Sam waited impatiently for their reappearance from tho library. At last curiosity got tho bottor of caution, and ho peered into tho room, but they woro ho busy they did not notice him. Candico was tolling her story after her wild flight, and Markwaslisteningsadly ; eachwordwas like a stab in his throbbing heart. Baby Mark saw tho old man's face and shouted joyfully : " Here's my pitty papa ! I want to do to him I" Mark and Candico saw Uncle Snm, called him in, and explanations wore mado all around. Mark spoko tondorly of Leta, and told how he had strivon to shield her. CHAPTER XXXI. " rannivE me, cakdice, mv child !" Maiu; and Candico could scarcely toalise that all their miserable doubts and sorrows woro at an end. Mark gazod at her in amazement sometimes, wondering if it woro really true and not some Hweot, illusive dream that his young girl wife was found at last ! Tho long cur's of auburn hue wore brought from their hiding-placo whore Kutio had laid thorn carefully away, and Mark kissed each shining tress when ho hoard that the head that thoy ouro crowned hud been so near being laid for ever out of sight bonoath tho grass and tuftod daisies. Mark thought sadly of his mother, waiting for hUroturnhomo, and askedhis young wife ifshocould overforgive her. " Lot yourton der.heart plead for her," hoaaid, "forshe has repontod bitterly of her treatment of you, and go homo with me to Valley Farm." " Yos, Mark," sho roplied, " I will go lomo with you I" and ho thankod hor with a kiss. Nearly four years had olapsed since tho opening of this story, and it won almost suinmor-timo again. Tho trees wore groon with spring's latest verdure, and tho air odorous with tho porfumo of many sweet scented llowors, whon Mark, Candico and tho baby dosconded from the train and wended their way along tho old familiar path. Littlo Mark was tired,and his fathor took him in his arms and carried him tenderly. Whon thoy camo to tho shoro of "Fairy Lake," Mark said, huskily :

" Candico, in all my lifo I hopo I may never again sull'cr as I did whon I found your tiny rubber in tho mire at tha water's edge ! For a timo I thought I should go mad !"

" But all our troubles are over now, my husband ' We must try to forgot tho past, and livo only for tho future I"

Murk had not told his mother whon he was coming homo, or of tho reconciliation that hud taken pluco sinco ho left hor. Whon sho saw them coming up the walk, she gazed at them in wonder. It was Mark, there could bo no doubt i f that, but who was the slender liguro in groy, walking bo si.Jo him so proudly ? And could it bo pos sible that wlmt she had thought was a huge bundle Murk was carrying so carefully was a baby'

"Girls," t-ho said, quickly, with a good doal ot her old imperiousness, " who in that woman with Mark?"

Tho gii Is looked from tho window oagorly, but did not recognise his companion. Sho must bo some visitor from tho city, thoy thought regretfully, for thoy hated to havo their quiet disturbed so soon. Oh! if Mark had only como tilono !

Mrs Maynard turned toward hor son ox poclantly whon ho ontorod tho room, and waited till ho camo up to hor, tho baby still in his anna and Candice by his eido.

Sho gnzed at them so steadily, with such « look of incredulous bewilderment, that Mark, pitying her, said :

" Mother, havo you no welcome for my wife and baby ?" Candice, with hor tender eyes humid with tears, camo quickly forward, saying, gently :

" Do you not know mo, Aunt Kozia— mother ?"

"Can it bo Candico?" oxclaimed Mrs Maynard. "Oh ! Father in Heavon ! Tliou hast boon kind to mo, a sinner I" Tho haughty woman, flinging hor arms about tho slight liguro of Candico, said, humbly : " Forgive me, my child !" Tho girls camo forward and tho recon ciliation was complete. Baby Mark was almost smothoredwith kisses, and altogether it was i joyous homecoming.

Little Mark carried all hearts by storm, and evoked poals of merriment whouever lie addressed Mrs Maynard as "Dammuzzor." In hia childish bowildermont ho looked from faco to face, wondering what they wore nil laughing about. The past was ignored as much as possible, and a couplo of months wont by quito pleasantly. On Leta'a account Mark and ("andico then mado preparations to go abroad.

As much as Mrs Maynard and Alice drcadod to soo thorn go, thoy knew it waß best, and uttered not one single proteßt,

Katio was to go with them as nurse to iittlo Mark.

Ono ovoning they wero all surprisod and delighted whon Unelo Sam wulked ill unox poctcdly. When their plans wore unfoldod to him, ho eaid, with a good deal of curiosity, turning to hia sister: " And you'ro going to stay on tho farm aiono, Kezia? Mighty lonosomo you'll got !" "Alico will bo with mo," Mrs Maynard answered, resignedly; "I will havo to be cont cntod. There is no other way."

" But great Scott! Kozia, what do you supposo 1 am going to do whilo tho children are gono? I reckon I'll bo obligod to marry Mrs Chamberlain, unless you'll consont to como and livo with mo !"

" Brother, do you moan it?" Mrs May nard said, anxiously, ''for if you really want mo, I will come."

" And Alico shall go with üb," Mark said, quickly; "surely nothing could bo bottor for us all than this arrangement 1"

Tho old Farm house was to bo closed during their absence, and when thoy re turnod it was to bo remodelled throughout, and Mark and Candico would mako their future homo there. CHAPTER XXXTT. FINALE. Katie was dolightod at tho prospect of going abroad, and on their roturn to town Uopt them all in an uproar of merriment by lior quaint remarks. The kind-hoartod girl who had always taken so much caro of Candico was appreciated at last by ovory member of tho Maynard family, " I hate to lave brothor Pat," Katio said, a trillo regretfully, "but I'll stick to Miss Oindice ehuro !" and Candico astonished hor very much by leaving a tender kiss on hor ilorid cheek. Katio would not wash hor cheek for daj s afterwards for fear of destroying tho kiss, and she was very grateful when Candice gave her a chequo for a thousand dollars to give to hor brother Pat as a testimonial of her romombranco of their kindness to her in hor dire need. Tho trip to Europe was a success. In France they found proof that Leta was in deod tho heir of an almost princely inheri tance left by the man who, not daring to c'aim it himself, had paved the wr.y for his young wife's future happiness, surrounded by wealth and all that it could bring. Two years they spent abroad, and Leta, who bad been much admired as a fair young widow of Court Lucern, concluded to re main in Franco as the wife of a nobleman of ancient lineage ;ho had let-n attracted by tho youthful American's blonde lovelinoss, and evon her sad history did not deter him from making her his wife, Mark and Candico, Alice, Katie and little Mark bade farewell to foreign lands, and with light hearts sailed across tho ocean toward homo and the dear ones left behind. They parted from Leta with many tears and kisses, but her husband promised to bring her to America soon, and with that promise they were forced to be content. A year later Katie was married to a " foin " young man, fresh from the Emerald Isle, and was set up in housekeeping in the

latest style by Candico end Mark. She laughingly declared that she was a " foin " lady now, thanks to her ''weemun," for Candice had told her hor good fortune was all a present from little Mark. Mrs Maynard and Undo Sam seem very well satisfied in spending their time altern ately in tho city and Valley Farm. The old Farmhouse has been remodeled, and is now, a very fashionable-looking mansion of the period. It is rumored among tho circle of busy bodies about the Station that Alice is soon to be married Of course Mrs Levy knows all about it, and it is certain that a young mart from the Queen City manages to pay Valley Farm a visit whenever Alice honours it with her presence. Mrs Maynard speaks lovingly of her daughter Candice; still the family will never forgot how near shipwreck her life had been, but the life-boat had managed to livo through tho storm, and happiness reigned in their hearts at last ! THE END.

THE DUEL

liV JOHN" R COBYELL

Walking along tho street ono day, I heard a Bmall boy vohemontly demanding of another boy that ho should knock a chip off his shoulder, I knew tho moaning of it. It took mo back to the days of my child hood. The other little boy accepted the challenge, knocked the chip off the first boy's shoulder, and was, to use tho language of tho small boy, at once "punched in the moot."

In its own way that was a duel, and cer tainly must have been a much moro satis factory one than where the combatants stand up to kill each other.

Tho law is very hard on the duel, and calls it criminal; and yet tho law brought the duel into existence. In the year 501 the King of the Burgundians passed a law authorising the dnel as a means of settling almost any sort of dispute between men or womon or priests. Of course, women and priests were not expected to fight, but if they had disputes they must fiiid champions to fight for them.

It seems an odd sort of law, and it doesn't lose its oddity when we find, upon examin ation, that the reason for its existence lay in the fact thatnobody could be believed on oath, and so Heaven was appealed to to make victory porch on tho arms of the innocent. We i»re bright enough now to know that victory would be pretty likely to porch on tho stronger of the combatants, but in those good old times the people had a charming faith, which wo call supersti tion.

For a great many centuries strong mon and good fighters continued to call on Heaven to prove their innocenco, and no body darod gainsay tho verdict. But, in tho fourteenth century, trial by battle, with Ileavon for judgo, rocoivod a shock. A man who was accusod of crime fought with his accuser and was killed. Not long after a criminal, about to bo hanged, con fessed to tho crime for which tho othor man had boon killed.

Hero was a dilemma. Had Hoaven made a mistako, or had not Heaven had nothing to do with it? Most porsons took the lattor view of it, and honcoforward men did not appoal to J lea yon when they wanted to fight, but said it was a matter of honour. You sco, they wanted somo excuso for fight ing, which is, after all, bettor than the wild beasts, who fight without excuse. Still, howover, the law continued to sanction the fighting., and magistrates always guve a tone to the affairs of honour by being on hand to see that they were properly conducted. In France this went on until the middle of the eixtoenth century, whon a particularly villainouß legal murder took placo. Tho vanquished man had been the king's favourito, and so tho king issued an edict that duels were no more legal.

Men continued to fight all tho same, and kings wont on issuing edicts, and oc casionally hanging a man for disobeying thorn. In most countries the practice seemed to dio out, though occasionally the best of them will now and then have a duel to show, but in La Belle, Franco, the duel so increased in favour that at ono time not only the principals but tho seconds wore ex pected to fight. Ono writer tells of how a challenge was taken to a man whilo ho was dining with a party of friends. They all proposed to bo eeoonde, and begged tho bearer of the challenge tolindan equal number of Boconds to oppose them. This was gladly accoded to, and, as tho writer says, "thon was there goodlio fighting, and morrio shedding of much blocd "

In the early days men fought in armour, but when krmour went out of use, and the

heavy sword gavo place to tho light rapier, duellists met on foot and ran each other pleasantly through the body. In France, whoro duelling is fctill in voguo, tho code of honour requires only that blood shall be drawn. This is very satisfactory, for now a man can acquire a reputation for courage without dying for it.

Pistols aro now used as well as the small sword, but real gentlemen will not use the vulgar and noisy pistol. Tho gentle and blood lotting sword is much moro aristo cratic.

In this country it is different, and a duellist may really enjoy himself and exer cise his ingenuity if he wish. You know how General Putnam offered to fight the British officer who had challenged him. Being the challenged party, he had the right to choose the weapons. He -oiled out a barrel of powder, put a fuse in tho bung liolo, asked the officer to sit on tho barrel with him, and lighted the fuse. The general sat there quietly but sternly, Gating an apple, while the Englishman, more and more uneasy all the time, at last sprang up and declared he wouldn't be such a fool as to sit still and be blown up. The general laughed uproariously, knocked in tho head of tho barrel, and showed the dis gusted Englishman that it contained only potatoes. Out in our wild, romantic Western coun try tho duel is a delightful affair. A pack of cards and a cup of poison. Who loses the game drinks the poison. Two pistols. One is loaded, the other empty. Draw lots. Neither can tell whicfo has the loaded pistol. Bang ! One man falls. Again. Each holds the end of a hand kerchief in his left hand, a pistol in his right. They feel each other's breath. Bang ! Bang ! Both dead. Riflos at ten paces. Bowie-knives tied to the hands. And po on, and so on.

In the German army a short time ago—a few weeks-an officer who had prove.! his courage in battle was disgracefully dis charged for refusing to fight a duel with an officer of the worst possible moral character. Tho duels of the German students are as brutal and foolish encounters as even wild boasts could engage in. They result seldom in death, but always in scarred and muti lated faces.

In these days a man proves nothing by fighting a duel, unless it bo that he lacks moral courage, and has a great deal of tho brute in him.

Gold and Silver

Gold in its relative valuo to silver has varied

greatly at different periods. In tho days of tho patriarch Abraham it was one to eight; is. o. 1000, it was one to t,volve ; n. c. 500, it was one to thirteen ; at the commence ment of the Christian eia, it was one to 9 ; A. D. 500, it waa one to eighteen j in 1100. it wasonetoeight; in 140U it was oneto eleven; in 1545, it waa one to six ; in 1551, it waa one to two ; in IGOO, it was one to ton ; in 1C"27, it was ono to thirteen ; in 1700, it was one to fifteen and one-half; it hold tho latter ratio, with but Blight variation, until 1572, when it began to rise, and in 1876 it roso to ono to twenty ; it soon gradually declined, and now stands one to nineteen and one half.

Gold to the amount of £210,000,000 is os timated to have been in existence at the commencement of the Christian era. At tho period of the discovery of America it had diminished to £25,000,000. After that event it gradually increased, and in 1600 it attained to £34,000,000 ; iri 1700 it reached £776.000,000 ; in 1800 it amounted to £231, 200,000 ; in 1853 it attained to £606,000, 000, and at the present time tho atnocnt of gold in existence is estimated to be £1,233,000.000, which, if melted into one maw, could be contained in a cube of thirty feot. Of the amount of gold in existence £1,200,000,000 is estimated to bo in coin and bullion, £200,000,000 in witches, and theremainderin plate, jewellery and ornaments. Of the amount of gold hi existence £474,C00,000 is estimated to have b-jen obtained from North America, £367, 000,000 trom South America, £371,000,000 from A=ia (including Australia, Now Zea land, and Oceania), £188,000,000 frnm Europe, and £250,000,000 from Africa. Tho amount of the precious metals now in existence is estimated to be £2,732,000,000.

DECLINE OF MAN.-Ne-vuo; Weakiii:... m-MKiala, li!m-i>!kt. Sl-jilh] Debility, cuidl i>y " UeUstp UcUthKene^ex. At nr..»l-.l«. Keml(Ulorni , | n mm 4 Co., AjcaU. Auckland.

THE HINDOOS A NOISY SET

A Bedlam in tbe Cltles-Blrds and Beasts.-Tarn-Tarn and Banjo.

NoTHiNc: is (lone in India without noise, and in tho oitios it is porfectly appalling. The roar, the howl, the chatter, the rush, the bustle, are mingled so intimately that you feel that you are intruding on Bedlam. You can scarcely hear yourself speak some times, and you look on the hubbub with fear and trembling, finding no occasion for the uproar. A congregation of natives is worse than any swarm of magpies, and as one sees the frantic gesticulations, the im agination is of a violent quarrel rather than of the amicable bawling that the scene really is, What aro they talking about ? Money or women -nothing else cominand iug such a chorus. Tho tones are shrill and tho delivery is rapid, the " 0 !" " 0 1" oi the vocative caso being the invariable form of speech. As I am riding— "Oh Khud, a cow!" oxclaims one jam panny. "0 Hawab, it is Toi Hyder's cow!" answers Khud. "Oh Khud. it is a 10 ---rupecs cow !" pipes Lak. "Oh Khud, and 0 Lak, I wish I had its milk !" chimes in Dergher AH, And so of everything they see. Whon I order a halt tho four chorus shrilly : "Oh Mem Sahib, we stop !" Or, if it is to proceed. "Oh Metn Sahib, we go I" They never whistle as they go, and laughter is never herd. As I ride I listen not alone to the irrita ting hum of mosquitoes that are not exclu sively IndiaD, but, if it is not too dry, to the loud call of bullfrogs that would do credit to any Now Jersey Bwamp. If it is dry weather the frogs' notes are replaced by the monotonous drone and creak of the wells. All day long the Hindoo pigeon sends forth its booming notes from the woods; the kites cry long and piercingly, and the kastvtra, or Indian blackbird, is almoßt the only singing-bird. The minas chatter among the hills, and the ever-pre sent crow is perpetually cawing everywhere around us. A tiny owl, about as large as a robin, mourns plaintively just at dusk. Tree toads hiss, and rasp, and chirp. Jack als grow at night, and occasionally the hyena may be heard. So much for natural sounds. There aro gome artificial ones equally familiar, such as the noise of the tamtam, which is always being beaten, and that of the shepherd's pipes, which are very like Scotch bagpipe^ and give forth a sweet, weird sound. The Brahmins produce a frightful noise by blowing the sacred shell, called a suak, a blast that is held to exorcise the evil spirits. The women sing some wild and plaintive notes in a minor key, the accom paniment being performed on a small goat skin drum, And there are trumpets, enor mous things of brass, some four feet long, on which a man will blow some of tho most excruciating blasts. There aro also little silvor-plated ones that squeal like young pigs. Tho most agreeable music that is heard in India is that of the banjo. But a Hindoo banjo is not like one of ours. The lower part of tho instrument is made of a section of gourd that resembles a deep, flat durm, open at one ond, There aro four strings, two passod through blue glass boads, and the other tvyo raised by cowries. Tho notes produced are very pleasant. The vocal music is the dreary chanting of tho professional singers in the Hindoo temples. It is monotonous, but it is worth hearing. The singera spoil it, though, when they read aloud their holy books in their gruntiug, sing-song get-along-some how way.—Bombay Correspondent "New York Sun,"

The Scuttle Trick

" You see, Martha got in the habit of sitting up for mo at an early age, and she can't break it off. I couldn't persuade her to go to bed and mind her own business, so I studied on the matter. We live in one of the centre houses of a block of five-story and attic buildings. There's scuttles in the roofs of all of them, and I persuaded Mr Greenup, who lives in the adjoining house, to let me in his house one Bight about one o'clock, and I went up through his scuttle and over to mine, and so down into our bed room. I could Bee Martha, from the head of the stairs, sitting in the front room eyeing the clock with a look that was a very tart chromo. But I undressed and quietly got into bed, and there 1 lay awaiting develop ments. Every now and then I'd hear Martha givo a short fidgety cough. Then I'd hear her get up, prance around the room v little, and by and-by go to the front windows and slam the shutters. After I'd lain thero about an hour I heard her get up and go and stand on the front stoop for a good ten minutes. Then she came in and slammed the doorand locked it, and com menced coming up stairs. Every other step she d say:

" ' Oh, the wretch ! Won't I give it to him ! I know where he is I I know where he is ! He needn't think to deceive me ! Oh, the villain !' " 'Bout the time she bad nearly got to the landing I think she must have seen the liglit streaming out of the door that I'd left ajar. I could hear her stop, and then I commenced to enore. Then she came into tho room, and, by the way she breathed and stood round, 1 had to nearly bite my tongue off to keep a straight face on ms. I could feel that she sat down in a chair, and was dumfouiaded. I never let on, but kept on snoring ; but whon she kicked over a chai.: I turned and pretended to wake up, kind of dazed like, and say : " ' Why, Martha, dear, ain't you come to bed yet?' " ' Jarphly,' said sho, awful Blow and solemn like ; ' when did you come in '!' " ' Why, must be four or five hours ago. Don't you remember when I told you not to go to sleep again in the rocker, but to come up to bed?' and I turned over and professed to go to sleep again. " She never made any reply, but acted in a dazed, bewildered sort of way, and when she got to bed I could tell she didn't sleep a wink for three hours. Next morn ing it was fun to watch Martha. I could hardly keep a straight faco. At the break fast table and all the time I was about the house, she'd eye me when she thought I wasn't looking ; then, when I'd notice her, she'd turn away and be awfully busy at something. She caught me kind of grinning once, and, by George, I thought the explosion was about to come. Buf it didn't, though the look of blank unfathom able suspicion she wore oa her face all the time was the greatest show on earth. It nearly broke me up, and I've laughed till my ribs ache ever sinco. I know it won't last. I know there's a day of reckoning a coming, and the thermometer is going up clear out of sight in tho Jarphly family. But who's going aftor trouble? It'll come soon enough without huating for it, and I'm going to enjoy that scuttle in the roof until the explosion cornos."

Flies and Disease.

Singular as it may seem, the doctors of Spain havo come to the conclusion that the great disseminators of the cholera in that country are tho flies that are omnipresent, not only there but here, in the warm season. This disco .-cry is found to be the establish ment of a fact which lias buen woll known for many years. Tho " Now York Herald," in discussing this subject, says that " In Egypt, where the peasants, especially children, are subject to a vicious form of ophthalmia, it is know that the disease is conveyed from ono individual to another by these posts," and " (ho danger resulting from flies fending on putrid bodies on a battle-field and then settling on newly-made wounds" is said to bo known to all army surgeons. It seoniß to be perfectly well authenticated that many of the contagious diseases are carried from one place to another by tho flios. It is well-known that they are by no means dainty as to what they feed upon, and after partaking of a repast with a cholera, smallpox, or scarlet fever pati ent they aro amply endowed to carry the disease to any person who is in the least predisposed to it. Instances, are well known where small-pox has been conveyed by a bank note, and a book read by a convalos cent scarlet fever patient has given the disease to children in another family months afterward. The fly is as good a conveyance for tho germs of disease as either of these, and presents far more difficulties when it comes to tho question of prevention. Tho bill or the book can be fumigated and the microbe rendered innoxious, but tho fly will submit to no treatment o' that kind. He rides in the car?, comes in at the front door uninvited, and is at home anywhere. In one's own home there is little necessity for suffering from these pests, for a housewife of ordin ary neatness will not tolerate them ; but in the cars, tho oifise, the storn, or the restau rant there seems to bo liulo possibility of escaping the Uai ger of their presence. Thore should, however, be every precaution taken in cases of contagious diseases in the Eutntner to exclude those peßta from the apartments and to destroy as many as possible of those that come in.—"Chicago News,"

DOFFING THE HAT.

The Customs ofthoPast-Somo Dissimil-

arities from the f resent,

At,l Jewish congregations worship with their heads covered; so do the Quakers, although St. Paul's injunctions on the matter aro clearly condemnatory of tho practice. The Puritans of the Common wealth would seemed to have kept their hats on, whetherproachingorbeing preached to, since Pepys notes hearing a simple clergyman exclaiming against men wearing their hats in tho church ; and a year aftor ward (1662) writes: "To the French church in the Savoy, and whore they have the Common Prayer-book, read in French, and which I never saw before, the minister do preach with hia hat off, I suppose in further conformity with our church." William tho Third rather scandalised his church-going subjectsby following Dutch custom a nd koep inghis headcovered in church,and when itdid please him to doff his ponderous hat during the service, hea invriabiy donned it as tho preacher mounted tho pulpit stairs. Whon Bossuet, at the age of 14, treated the gay fellows_ of the Hotel do Rambonillet to a midnight sermon, Voltaire sat it out with his hat on, but uncovering when tho boy preacher had finished, bowed low before him, saying : "Sir, I nover heard a man preach at once so oarly and so lato." As a token of respoct uncovering the head it) one of the oldest of eO-irtesies.

Lamenting tho decay of respect to age, Clarendon tells us that in his young days he never kept hit hat on his head before his ejders, except at dinner. A curious excep tion that, to modern notions of politeness, but it was tho custom to sit covered at meals down to the beginning of the eighteenth century. Sir John' Finett, deputy master of the ceremonies at tho court of King James the First, was much puzzled as to whether the Prince of Wales should sit covered or no at dinner in the presence of the sovereign when a foreign ambassador was one of the guests ; since the latter, as the representative of aking, was not expected to veil his bonnet. Giving James a hint of his difficulty, hig Majesty disposed of it when the time came, by uncovering his bead for a little while, an example all present were bound to follow; and then, putting on his hat again, requested the Prince and the ambassador to do likewise. "Hats need not be raised here," so, it is said, runs a notice in one of Nuremberg's streets. "Hats must be raised here," should have been inscribed on the Kremlin gateway, where a government officer used to stand to compel passers by to remove their hats, becauso, underneath that gate, tho retreating army of Napoleon withdrew from Moscow. Whether the regulation is in force to this day is more than wo know.— " Hatter's Gazette."

Business Integrity of Women.

" Do women embezzle ?"

This question was recontly put to one of the heaviest dry-goods merchants of Buf falo who always employs women an cash-

"Do women ombezzle? No they don't. I never knew a woman who handled other people's money to steal a cent. I have em ployed women as cashiers for years. They are quicker at making change than men ; they detect counterfeit money quicker; they keep their accounts clearer, and don't wish to run the "hole store as men do. Never have I known of a single case of em- * bezzlement by women, never have I heard of one. I cannot say the same of men. I have employed four young men at different times as cashiers. One left me, one was not quick enough, and the third robbed me. !1

This is the testimony of but one business man of the many whose evidence could bo given proving the honesty of women when handling the money of other people. The statement of others, who have informed themselves on the subject, is that women seldom fail to pay their debts, and even when they might avail themselves of the bankrupt Act, they prefer to hold them selves legally liable for the debt.

While the newspapers are full of wicked embezzlements of bank presidents running away with fortunes, wrecking homes, im poverishing families, destroyingreputatibnß, disgracing their friends and ruining them selves ; while trusted men are robbing pub lic institutions, gambling and stealing, car ing not whom they rob, wrong or ruin, women are seldom guilty of such dishon esty or crimes.

The general belief is that women are honest. Yet in the face of these facts, and the almost universal belief in their honesty, women are not trusted in a business way by men. Men refuse to lend them money to start in business, to invest in real estate, or to help them save their property upon which they have paid a certain amount, and which can only ba secured by prompt payment of the remainder. Women often find it hard to secure even a small loan on good security. Men as a rule prefer to say they have not tha means at hand. Some will prevaricate, giving almost any reason for refusing to lend rather than the correct one, while a few are manly enough to state the truth, saying, "We do not do business with women." But very few treat them as they do men, and give them a chaDce to make an honest living.

Why is this ? It is not that men consider them dishonest It is because they have no confidence in the business capacity of women or in their judgment as to investing or taking care of money. Some men clinw to the old i-ea that it is not becoming in a woman to engage in business outside of home, however needy sho may be. Hun dreds of wealthy men will give, and give liberally, to establish " homus for women " who have failed to secure homes for them selves. Yet if a few hundred would havo enabled them to provide for themselvoa these good men would not have loaned them the small amount, because they be lieved they did not understand business. The greatest kindness and modest act is to help the needy to help themselves. If women do not understand business, how are they to over come this deficiency if pre vented by such circumstances from acquir ing the proper knowledge? With honest principles and proper opportunities, sup plied with some means and trusted by tho public, they cannot fail to become as trusted in business and as proficient bread winners as their brothers. Give them au oppor tunity to become self-supporting rather than genteel paupers. Save them"this terrible humiliation added to their other trials, "Pittsburg Commercial Gazette."

A Strange Ally.

An interesting coremony recently took place it Quetta, when tho famous Azan Khan, Chief of Kharan, the most prominont figure in Belooch politics for the last fifty years, came in to receive a " khillut" from the Governor-General's agent. Many a wild raid and " chapao " has the old bandit been engaged in during his chequered career, and countless are the stories told of the wonder ful strength and power of this Bolooeh Rob Roy. Although 00 years of age, he etill sits a horse as well as many v younger man —and up to a very few years ago he was constantly engaged in harassing his old enemy, the Khan of Khelat. In these days it takes us back over vast changes in tho quickly-shifting history of Afghanistan to remember that Azad Khan was ono of the chief Sirdars present with tho Ameer Dost Mahomed when the latter captured Herat. Tha old Sirdar came into Quotta to receive a "khillut" of the value of Rs. 5,000, which the Governor-General's agent, Sir Robert Sandoman, presented to him in a full durbar in tho presonco of all tho Sirdars and Chief. This "khillut" has been fiven to him by order of the Government of ndia, in recognition of tho groat help ho af forded the boundary Commission when cross ing the desert between Nushki and the river Helmund last October. The Sirdar, who of late years, under Sir Robert Sandoman'sin fluence, has become a fast friend to tho British power, was of tho groatest assist ance to Colonol Ridgeway and his party. He provided not only guides and camels', but also food, and had it not been for the aid which the Commiseian got from him they would never havo made tho pasßaga of tho desert with tho ease they did. His two eldest sons, Nauro Khan and Ameer Khan accompanied the old man. Azad Khan has now arranged to keep open the roads from Kharan to tho Holmund in the interest of the British Government. It is worth re mark that while at Quetta he expressed his opinion that tho Afghans would show their bona fides and loyally to the English by allowing them to occupy Herat and maka arrangements for its fortification and defence.

For coughs and colds, "Baxter's Lung Preserver" is unrivalled.—Read testimonials oa Sixth page.-[A dvt. " BUCHU PAIBA."-Qnl'*. nmrMaran, .11 unorfef Hdl»7;BWll«iuiJUriii»ryl'."-> .-. AtUn./ i.ts. Keuipll»"lue' 1 ivncr 4 Uy., AgcliU, Auckland. :

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1885

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