THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1887.

rSUPPLEMENT,

MORNA DALE; OR, The Guardian's Forgery.

Bt SYIjVANUS COBB, Jft,

CHAPTER XVII.

IK TIIE TRAIL.

A IGHT, close carriage was in readiness, ■ik'th'e best pair of horses attached' Sr_a Vent in and drank a cup of coffee, k a piece of cake in her hand, and, vine? taken an affectionate leave of the old fg she wont out with Helen and Stored the conveyance. She saw that Jfartin, the head groom, with a brace of heavy pistol in his pockets, was to go out •fo with George, while Robert, also armed, lived permission to ride inside with her jelf and Helen. It lacked exactly half an hour of midnight i « thnv started; and at ten minutes trinidnight Morna stood in Doctor. Lay- Ss study, whero he had beon sitting See his return from the Abbey, being in no ""I knew it! I knew it!" he exclaimed, toldinc the dear girl off and gazing raptur llv into her face, after he had heard an gtfine-of her story. "I knew- something B keeping me up. Twice I started for L. when something seemed to pull me f tack. It was a forewarning, you blessed I m 6, dear Doctor, you won't let him take n« take tou ! Bless your dear soul, n0 power of earth shall take you till the yfoi the land say so ; and that, .1 behove, M be-never!" . At this juncture the good wife, who had j,een aroused by the unusual noise, came £to the room ; and with her we may leave t_ee_3_ped orphan, at least for tho present. At inst about the self-same moment that aw- Morna Dale clasped to the bosom of Mrs Laybrook, Captain Tom Crandal rode into the court of the Abbey, and having dismounted and thrown the rein to a wait ing groom, he ascended the granite steps and entered the building. His father, who tad been napping in his chair in the library, had been aroused by the clang of the iron iod hoofs on the hard pavement, and had come forth to meet him. "Tom!" ' -"All right, old \vn! The lugger is ready; her canvas hangs in the braids; she wings'by her buoy; and all hands are aboard J and, above and beyond that, a fair fresh breeze will just serve us. Let's have the girl out- We've no time to waste. IW_ go with me as far as the Cove—l wit you to help me get her there." Of course— the father had expected to do that. - ..."•-. "You'd better let me have some money, right here, old man. I must have the locker well supplied." They went into the library, where Jonas unlocked an old oaken cabinet and took thence a canvas bag, very heavy, from '■-irich tie'bade his son to help himself. "Egad! old gent—we can spare it." the hopeful heir exclaimed, as he plunged h_:hand in and brought it forth full of fliininggold. "When that beauty is my wife-bless me if I can quite grasp it !— P_ be master of this old coop and all its belongings, and of the Grange; and - hkvens! how much else ?" !"Eno_<*h, Tom ! —Enough ! But let us notwaste°thne over that now. Fill your pockets." And as the young rascal put the gold j*j_y jntO hiS pockets without counting it, tneoli one Was saying to himself—" Aha ! -£.'__* forget, my boy, that the heiress is itllif trtfrd. Theps'Jl be a.division of *$p!-dr_ yoii claim her for your wife !" It „__ „ read in his face; but he was too to to speak it yet in words. He needed tie toy's help. When Tom had gathered in as much gold „ be could well carry, the bag was restored to its place, and the twain went out into the hall. ' ■ •

'"Did you bring anybody with you, Tom, tohelpt" "I think Downer and Alf Plimpell are here by this time ; but we don't want 'em inthe house. You and I ought to be good for the capture of that weight of metal..' !'All Tight. Let. me speak with the grooms, and have the coach ready. I'll be back in a moment."

Ina very short time Jonas returned with a lighted lantern in his hand, and together the pair ascended to the floor above. A chamber-girl had been despatched to go md call Nancy to come and help the lady to dress; but they felt no shame, no com punction, in the thought of entering the chamber of the defenceless maiden, and ordering her to arise and make ready for a midnight journey. They reached the door of the outer room —the ante-room - and opened it. Then the inner door was unlocked, and opened with more care.

•"Come, my lady. Hallo ! Excuse me — but—" ,

-With a convulsive start and a sense of Budden faintness, Jonas Crandal advanced to the bed and threw down the clothing. Then both he and Tom looked under the bed, looked into the other rooms—looked everywhere-and, finally, in dumb amaze ment, one of them at least horror-stricken, they gazed into each other's faces. Father and son seeing the necessity for -stant'action, went down into the servants' quarters, where they found Nancy Downer ia ft dead drunken stufwr. Tom pulled her toner feet. Enough to say the poor crea ture could tell them nothing, for she re membered nothing. The keys were found in her pocket all right. And then Jonas Cranial, opened the phials of his wrath. Tom, marking the ex pression that was growing on Nancy's plo_tes.face,:, stood back expectantly ; and Pretty soon what he had anticipated came w pass. Nancy listened to the cursing— horrible cursing—of the master of the Abbey for a time, and then she opened in .'ten.'.''The volley of oaths with which she initiated her onset caused even Jonas Crandal himself to wonder at the profundity of her vocabulary. And then ™, went on:

/'Yenigger-stealin', throat-cuttin' gal'us m'- uYe black-hearted, black-visaged, Wood-lettin' pirate ! Who be you ter cuss ¥.fora bit o' drink t What for d'ye hire &c ter help ye rob the dear, sweet faced •"gelof her liberty for?, Drat yer old prate face! If ye gi' me any more o' yer "P. HU blow yer secret to the whole world ! .Imdash'difldon't!" " .So rapidly had ahe spoken that Jonas fiw had no power to stop her; and not »ntilhe saw her ready to commence a new attack did he speak. Then he begged of » for Heaven's sake, to hold her tongue. ■■^.*°.uld.pay her all he had promised, and m&i blame her no more. And finally, ll giving her a cup of rum, she became _?ick'... ■

The.hexfc move was to look over the Pfccea of exit fr om the court; but they told J. 0«•»„.:• However, that did not matter. £ thc girls.had KO t away from their room, ■I mom the Grange had probably been at sgftffc let them out from the court.. If |H of.hia.cJwn people had been engaged, it mM pay to mvestigate.. He must fi^Mclface on the matter, and claim Ul? '«galright." And that ho meant to do. jHboth father and; son took., horses, tho Grange, whero they S«>gth succeeded in arousing, and bring "!£> thei door, John Barker, tho porter.

''W_S_^ by his mistress ■tr_?_?„i? he *M*WU^ promptly and Bh_S„S_f a", -he knew> if Mr C™dal 2£Eft? T? ln<luir«;for she had been well S thafche?°uldnot come before she Joh„'J_TVer^ ched?'Place °f So John d!d Honestly, an d with seeming frankness, he answered : ___! vS' *le'??-y?,'' fche y°nng mistress has gone back to Wallingham-to Doctor Lay wherA J T m \ Afc any that's _S__?» understood her to say she was going. Abbey r °ame hei'e With her from the

---- ? me Wlth her 5 and. I think, her f^Ti' Lai' hf? l- I wasn't here when they ™ V _iUfc Iso understood it. " Ihe baffled man was tempted to go in ™wu °, f hIS au*<hority as steward? and search the house; but at the suggestion of Tom they wont to the stable, where they found the light coach and a pair of horses absent. That was enough. The elder man cursed and swore until he was a A,. and rode back to i bbeyi where Tom proposed that they should soften their grief by a bowl of hot punch.

Tiie punch was brought and drunk ; and an _ * _ bS wI was browed for Bert Downer and Alf Plrnipell, who liad'arrived while they were away at the Grange, and who had been informed that their services wduld not bo required. The punch was given them m lieu of further information. Jonas did not remove his clothing;. w hen his lids would hold up no longer, he lay down upon a large lounge in the library, and slept, while Tom joined tho two smugglers, and over another bowl of punch —a big bowl, and a pack of cai-ds, they passed away, the hours in a game of hazard for_money. Tom paid them .for the work which they were not to do, and then won back every • shilling, with many •■ more added.

On the following morning, having gained a few hours of sound sleep on the lounge, Jonas took a bath, drank a strong glass of brandy, clear, then ate a hasty breakfast, and then having persuaded Tom to remain behind, he called a carriage, and rode to Wallingham. Another stiff glass of brandy at his hotel, and he proceeded to the resi dence of Dr. Laybrook, where a servant answered his summons.' He was foolish enough to ask if Miss.Dale was in. The servant could not tell him, but said she would inquire if he would wait.

"I will come in," he; said, smiling benignantly ; and he was upon the point of lifting his foot to the threshold, when the door slammed in his face.

What could he do ? He knew very well what he would have liked to do ; but would it be the policy for him to lay himself liable to an action for trespass ? He thought not. But he resolved to wait. Presently the door was again opened, thia time by Mrs Laybrook in person ; and Jonas knew there was a man close at hand, just out from the hall, in a small reception-room. "Ihave called to see if Miss Dale—my ward-is here," he said, keeping, down his temper— his fury—by a tremendous effort. "If Miss Dale were in, sir, you could not be permitted to see her," was the calm, dignified reply.

1' May I ask why not ?'■'

" You may ask, sir, but I shall not pain myself by recounting the late treatment at your hands, which would render your presence an agony to her, if not a dan ger." . "Pah! You—-—"

At that moment Arthur Morley stepped out into the hall and approached the door. He touched the lady on the arm, and motioned for her to retire ; and when she was gone, he faced the visitor with a smile that would have been considered dangerous by those who knew him well.

" Crandal," he said, very quietly, " let me give you a piece of really friendly advice. This, I take it, is your first effort this morning in the way of business ?"

"Well," doggedly and sullenly, "what of that ?"

"Only this. Before you make another move, do you go and consult a good, re liable .. lawyer; .- It will ,be safer for you. arid vascly to your advantage, believe me."

The man looked up into the superinten dent's face—he was standing on a step lower down—looked up like one bewildered, yet angry. " Consult an attorney," pursued Morley, "and follow his ad vice. In short, let him act for you. • It will be best for you in every way. Jonas Crandal, I mean what I

say." Gradually the passion died out from the man's face, but not from his heart. He bent his head, and thought. The advice was good; and after a time he looked up again, bit his lips, looked beyOnd the superintendent into the hall, and towards the door where the lady of the house had disappeared, and then, evidently crushing back a speech that had framed itself for utterance, he bowed, spoke a word of thanks, shut his teeth with a snap, looked tho curses he dared riot speak, and turned down the steps and strode away. , Back to his "hotel, and another glass of brandy. Then a few minutes of thought, and he turned him towards the old chambers, where he had aforetime met and employed Darnley Werter. There, in the same office, and in the self-same chair which Mortimer Rivers had formerly occupied, he found Albert Blackmore. Had his visitor been the prince royal, the attorney could not have received him more affably. . . ■ _ A few words of greeting, and Mr Crandal sat down in the chair to' which he had been politely pointed. "Now, my dear sir, what can I do for you?" \. ' The lawyer had put his pen over his ear, and leaned back in his seat to win some grace and ease. The visitor looked first at the floor, .then around upon the dingy old walls, and the smoke-stained maps, and railway dia grams and 'time-tables that hung thereon, and, finally, he looked into the face of the attorney. . .: "Mr Blackmore, he burse forth, despe rately, like one who had staked his all upon the hazard of a die, " you are a lawyer. It is your business to serve'those-who. seek your aid and can pay your price. Sir, you know something of my case ; you know the justice of my claim; you have seen my credentials; ancl the attending■ circum stances must be fresh in your mind. ■ Will you take up my cause? Will,you be my lawyer? Sir, you are my first cnoice'; to you I have first come; I hope you'wdl not deny me." ". ' ... •_ _ The attorney inclined his magnificent head slightly forward, and the smile upon his handsome face gave place to an ex pression of calm and dignified regret. " My dear sir," he said, his tone in keep ing with his look, " I can answer you very auickly. No matter what might be my in clination to help you or otherwise, lam estopped.•' I have been retained by the other &lA* single second-perhaps two—Jonas Crandal sat, and stared blankly_ into the lawyer's face ; then, with a fearful oath, he. sprang to his'feet, adding as he did so : "Mr Blackmore, do you hope.to find any court on God's footstool that can be induced to set aside that deed of guardianship.' You know it cannot be done." „ "I will not dispute you, Mr Crandal, the attorney replied, as mildly as it could have been possible for man to speaK. x have only to say I have accepted a pro position, from the other party_we will call it the defence, as I suppose you will forth with enter a claim or demand for the body of the child.you-callyour ward. . , " Call my ward ! I'd have you understand -aye and you do understand-that shej« my ward, made so by her father's own free 3 and deed. Yes, sir ! I ««fejf? demand'; and I give you fair warning that I will push you to the uttermost extremity.

I will pour out more gold than your side can ever.borrow. Oho! look to it, my man that your client does not leave you in the lurch. She shall never have one penny from mo. And you know I hold the strings of her purse. As for the money standing in her name at the bank, I shall forbid the bankers to pay another pound to her order without an indorsement by me. If they do it then, they will do it at their peril. Do you understand ?"

"Perfectly, sir. Your language is very plain. Have you anything further to offer?"

Jonas gasped and choked. The lawyer's smiling equanimity was too much for him ; he arose, put on his hat and departed. Out of doors, the exasperated man became cool and collected, though it re quired a long walk through the bracing air and two or three glasses of brandy to per fect the condition. In his chamber at his hotel he sat over his third glass and a pipe, and considered. By and by it occurred to him that there was in Plymouth a lawyer who had once defended the smugglers of Walling Cove-Horace Amberly by name —and accounted one of the shrewdest and smartest of the profession. " Aha ! Just the man ! Tho lawyer who brought Jack Armstrong and his men out from that weighty charge, is just the man forme."

He consulted his watch, sprang to his feet, and was at tho station just in time for the train. At Plymouth he obtained two glasses of brandy (his wondrous excitement and travail of spirit was using up the alcohol rapidly), and thon sought tho law yer, whom he found in his office, and, natu rally, glad to see so important a client. Horace Amberly was a man of fifty, small, wiry, and compact, with a handsome head, and a sharp, shrewd face. His eyes were grey, but in certain lights and under certain conditions they shone like black diamonds.

Jonas Crandal made a grand mistake in the outset. When Amberly had taken up Captain Jack's causo, he had been told the exact truth, even to the quantity the smuggler had surreptitiously landed, and the manner in which it had been accom f)lished. But Jonas began by telling a big ie. He swore that the deed which ho placed in tho attorney's hand was genuine in every respect. Dr Dale had freely and voluntarily given it. " It unfortunately happened," explained the client, in his most earnest and honest manner,'" that the kind-hearted old father was so afraid of his daughter's tongue that he did it unknown to her ; and I nave no doubt that ho told hor ho would not do it. But he had already made me guardian and sole keeper of every atom of his property, and his earnest desire was that his child should be under restraint. Numer ous blood-sucking harpies stood ready to prey upon her, in "case she should be left her own mistress." And so he went on to

the end,

"But,"said Amberly, apparently puzzled, "what ground have they, in the face of this instrument, for contending ?" " It is all that old doctor's—Lay brook's —peppery ugliness. He swears he'll break it down, and kick mo out. Don't you see ? The old rascal hopes the court will send the case up to the Lord High Chancellor, and that he will be appointed in my placo." Mr Amberly, not doubting the truth of the facts as so emphatically and solemnly stated by his client, thought he saw in the character of the man the grounds upon which the other sido would contend. Truly, he himself would hardly consider Jonas Crandal a fit person to be a guardian of a young and gentle lady heiress *to a very large and valuable estato. Thus he brought the case, in his mind, to a state of clearness and comparative simplicity ; and in the end he accepted a generous retainer, and pro mised to be ready when called upon.

Then Mr Amberly took his pen from over his ear, dipped it into the ink, and wrote down a form of demand for the person or body of the ward-an infant—unjustly, cruelly, and without cause, held from her lawful guardian, etc., etc., etc. This,. he said, he should cause to be served at once.

"And when will I get her into my pos session ?"-.Jonasasked, eagerly. , . The lawyer explained that the demand would be issued' through a proper ofiicer, by a justice. Then the other side would be obliged to appear and if they chose to con tend, they would be called upon to furnish good and sufficient security—a safe recog nisance -for the producing of said ward at the next assizes, which were only two weeks away. ■ . . The dark-browned client was somewhat disappointed, but he saw there was no help for it. His enemies must be permitted to keep the heiress till the superior court should sit. 01if he could only get his hands once more upon tho' troublesome girl '• The lawyer must have read the mans thoughts, not only in the expression of his evil face, but in the clenching of his hard, strong hands, .and the quiver that shook his massive frame, for he looked up very quietly

and said: " Mr Crandal, let us give you a word of caution : Don't let any whim or passion of the moment induce you to attempt any trick of abduction. Should you do so I shall throw up your cause at once. It would be,..in. the eyes of a jury, proof absolute against you." ; And then Jonas .told another big lie. He said he hadn't thought of such a thing. Of course, he should know better than that. He was perfectly content that his cause Bhould be tried upon his merits. " And," added Amberley, with a sugges tive nod, "if I were in your place, with your strong feelings, I would keep away from the opposing party. I do not mean that you shall shun them, or put yourself out to avoid them ; but do not seek them. ' "Be sure I shan't trouble 'em. There'll be no love lost, I can assure you." A few further questions on the part of the client, with clear and concise answers from the counsel, and Jonas took his-, leave, and returned to Wallingham. He disliked much to co home. It.seemed like giving up tho game; but he, had promised. Mr , Amberly that he would not' interfere, and ho had sense enough to see that any mistake on his part would not only greatly embarrass his counsel, but perhaps prejudice his case.

So, ashissafest plan,'he resolved .to go home, and there remain until, his lawyer should require his presence. The thought never occurred to him that he had given to the lawyer-a false and fraudulent cause. He had dwelt so long and so confidently upon the simple fact of the signature of Lawrence Dale being a bona fide thing that he had taught himself to believe the whole, instru ment partook of the same nature. At home he received, the first harsh set back he had met; and it came from his well-beloved son and heir. He had told to his boy the story of his interview with Mr Amberly ; and had further told how much he hoped from that able lawyer's well directed and earnest' efforts. " Ah ! I gave him a good retainer, Tom—a cool hundred pounds." ; __ • . " And you told liirn that your cause was just and honest ? You swore to him that the paper you left in his hands, making you the girl's guardian, was honest, and true?" '. ~ ~ , "Of course I did. You wouldn't have had me show that hand to him, would you ?" "Old man !" said Tom, solemnly, "it's my opinion you've overreached yourself. The whole thing has been a miserable mis take from the beginning to now, and it will be to the end. You did, 1 admit, give me a strong fancy for the girl; but what do I want of a wife ? With your stewardship of both estates, with both the owners dead, think what a, chance you had ! But you must have more. You would have all, or nothing. Old man ! I'm—'d afraid you 11 get notning. D'you know, there's a saying; •Tho Evil One protects his own.' It may sound rather out of character for mo to say

it; but, nevertheless, the thought occurs to me, and here you have it: "May it not be Dossible that there's another Power can protect Its own 1 Any how, I can fancy I hear a voice whispering it to me." The father gazed upon his son in blank amazement. Eor the moment, at least, the subject seemed beyond him,

(To be Continued.)

Gun v. Armour.

An important success has been scored on board the Nettle, target-ship, at Ports mouth, in favour of the defence against the gun. The English service has uniformly confessed a preference for compound, or steel-faced, armour as compared with solid steel plates, for ,_ while steel armour possesses great rigidity, it stars under the attack of guns of light nature, and cracks' through beneath heavier .impacts, being,only held in place by the bolts. Compound armour, on the other hand, though it seldom cracks under the service test beyond the weld, and pulverises the shot as effec tually as solid steol armour,' is (says the " Times ") not quite so rigid. It bends slightly under repeated ' impacts, or, as it is technically termed, "dishes." In order to surmount : this defect various expedients have been tried. Mild steel has been used as a backing, while in another instance two steel plates have been sandwiched by a strake of iron. Bub in these experiments, while bulging has been reduced, the liability to cracking has been perilously increased, and up to tho present time nothinghas been found to give such satisfactory results as ordinary iron backing. The plate which has lately been tested for experimental purposes in\ the in terests of the manufacturers, Messrs. Cam] mell and Co., of Sheffield, was made speci ally, not only for the purpose of securing rigidity under attack and resisting, pene tration under the ordinary attack of chilled projectiles, but of resisting steel shot. This was the first experiment, of the kind de livered against compound armour, and great interest was manifested in tho result. The plate was constructed in accordance with a new patent which has-been taken out by Mr Alexander Wilson, of Cammell's firm. It measured Bfb by Bft, and was of the total diameter of IOJin —a thickness which has hitherto been sufficient to resist the heaviest gun in the Nettle with ordin ary charges. The face was specially hard-1 ened to withstand penetration, and, in ad dition to tho customary iron backing, it was further strengthened by a third strake of ingot iron. The plate was also subjected to peculiar treatment known only to the manufacturers. The target was first at tacked by Captain Domvule, of tho Excel lent, gunnery ship, with three rounds from the lOiu. 18-ton gun at a range of 30ft., the charge being 701b., and the projectile, a chilled shot, weighing 4001b. This, which is the usual Admiralty test for armour plates of the same thickness, represents a muzzle velocity of 1,364 ft. per second, a muzzle energy of 5,288 foot tons, and a penetration of iron of 12.7 in. at 500 yards. The three impacts, which were disposed triangularly, produced no penetration, the projectiles being broken up into small fragments; and no damage was inflicted beyond some lamination of the steel face. The ordinary test having thus resulted in favour of the defence, the plate was next attacked near the odges by a steel-forged shell, a steol cast shell, and a cast iron shell, all of foreign manufacture. But, though the armour was taken at a manifest disad vantage, none of the projectiles managed to penetrate, the steel shells being completely broken up, while the cast-iron projectile was actually reduced to powder.

Codlin Moth in Nelson.

In a thoughtful leading article the Nelson Weekly News discusses the codlin moth question in connection with tho labours of the local Fruitgrowers' Association,, a. com mittee of which has been recently engaged in considering th« important subject of the repression of orchard pesiis. We" shall be interested in learning the results of their de liberations. The article refers to the special rapidity with which the moth has spread in tho Nelson orchards as compared with other districts, and accounts for the fact as follows :—

" There is scarcely a blessing or advantage without its drawback. Wo cannot have a climate so confessedly delightful as that of Nelson without the disadvantage which is inseparable from it. The conditions of heat, and moisture, the absence of long frosts in winter, the almost incessant sunshine and the months of dry weather in which human beings find they can either work or play with a minimum of inconvenience—these things are as favourable to the vitality and multiplication of insect life as of human." But according to this theory Auckland orchards should be in a worse position than those of Nelson, for in some seasons frosts are almost entirely absent in the neighbourhood of the Auckland isthmus. The real and most fatal encouragement to the codlin moth is long continued neglect in the cleaning of old trees. The northern fruit plantations are for the most part quite young compared with tho Nelson orchards, and the moth has not had the time or the opportunity to es tablish himself so firmly in the former as in the latter district. Give him time, and Nelson will have nothing to crow about in the iriatter of codlin moth patronage—that is if northern orchardists do not awake to the necessity of battling vigorously against the pest year after year. Referring to what might be done by the Fruit-growers* As sociation in the way of instructing the general public on the subject of orchard pests, our contemporary says : —

" Orje thing the Committee must cer tainly do, ana that is, diffuse throughout the district, by means of pamphlets and the Presg—which will, ' of.course, be glad to render what 'assistance it can—the best obtainable information as to the treatment of orchards and gardens aljßioted with the pests. Such information can, of course, bo at present obtained without much difficulty by any one who will seek it in likely quarters. The NEW ZEALAND FABMER, c. f1f..,. ---published monthly, in Auckland, and at the moderate cost of ten shillings per annum, gives all the most modern information on this and a variety of other subject., and well deserves the attention of anyone really desir ous of learning how to deal practically with the codlin moth. ;But what is wanted is a small handy pamphlet, dealing with thisand other garden pests, in an easily, intelligible and practical way, and giving the actual results and cost of experiments already tried by competent people. Such pamphlets have already been published in New Zea land, but do not seem to be as' well-known as they should be. Amongst them may be mentioned a 'Report on the Fusicladiums, Codlin Moth, and other Fungus and Insect pests, attacking apple and pear trees in South Australia,' by F. S. Crawford, published by the Hon. Com missioner of Crown Lands in South Aus-. tralia. Another is the ' Report on Insects Ibjurioua to Fruit Crops in Great Britain,' prepared by Chas. Whitehead, F.L.S., for the Agricultural Department, Privy Coun cil Office. Both these pamphlets are before us, and though the prfce at which they are published ia only, in each case, a few pence, yet they contain so large an amount of really useful and carefully compiled infor mation that they are, to the orcbardist, worth their weight in gold." .

Paris Burglars and Their Accomplices.

The great majority of the residents in Paris live in apartments, in all of which, large or small, the bed-room accommodation is extremely insufficient. Servants' rooms are at the top of the house far away from, the rest, and the result is that after retiring, for the night they are free to. remain indoors or go out as'they please, their masters being none the wiser. In case of emergency, or illness, this inconvenience is particularly felt; nor is the system specially conducive to morality.- But there is another side to the nuisance. . Their employers are left defenceless against burglars ; indeed, it is often found that servants are, actually in collusion with criminals whoso acquaintance they had made in their nocturnal peregrina tions at the conclusion ■ of. the day's work. A characteristic instance of this danger has just come to notice. A few days ago a lady, moving in good society there and occupying an apartment in one of tho most fashionable streets in the Champs Elys _es quarter, received the visit of a police official, who informed her that at eleven o'clock that evening she was to be murdered, and her rooms plundered. She laughed at the idea, and the more so when the inspector proceeded to ask her for particulars about her servants. Her butler had been for many years in her employment, her cook the same, and so forth. Her own maid, who had come last, had been eight years with her, and thoroughly enjoyed her confidence. Yet, to her amazement, the official explained that this very woman was the accomplice of her would-be assassan. At last the lady was induced to listen to the voice of reason, and measures were arranged accordingly; though she felt convinced that there was no ground for alarm. What was her sur prize when, punctually at eleven p.m., after the butler and all the women excepting the maid, had gone upstairs for the night, a ring was heard at her door. Tho maid opened it, and told her mistress that a man wished to seelieron particular and urgent business. The lady replied that she could not see him at that late hour, but the maid returned with the message that the unknown visitor in sisted on an interview : " And look, madamo," she triumphantly exclaimed, "He is coming in." The man entered the room, and was advancing in a threatening attitude towards the lady, when the in spector and two policemen, who had' v "been cleverly concealed, pounced upon him and took the burglar and the maid off in their custody. Tho officers had been admitted by the lady unknown to the servants, a short time before. The plot, had been dis covered by a policeman on his beat, who overheard a conversation between the bur glar and the maid in a neighbouring street, and followed the latter to the house. The man was already known to the police as a dangerous criminal. But for this accidental discovery tho lady would have been mur dered -without any one interfering on her behalf. The burglar and the servant have made a full confession.

An American Bear Story.

" You can believe me or not, stranger, but as sure as Moses was swapped in the bul rushes, clear me out for a tenderfoot, but I saw three bears in a clearing going at it hammer and tongs, fighting to the death. Two of them were cinnamon mates, and the other was a silver tip. How the fur did fly ! The plucky silver tip would slap first one and then the other. The cinna mon cusses didn't seem to have sense enough to tackle the big mongrel together, but they came up one at a time, only to get a dose which the other fellow always had ready for them. The silver tip knocked them out every time, and won every round just as he pleased. Pretty soon the pair began to weaken, and then old Ephraim put in his lick 3 thick and fast. He knocked the male flat, and proceeded to hug the female. He" simply squeezed the life out of her, for I could hear the bone. Sljap'and crackfrdnr.'where. I was hid. The male by thi_ time' had recovered a few of his senses, and sat upon his haunches to see how the day was going, but the wise old silver tip, dropping the female for a minute, walked over to where the dazed brute was squatted and brought him such a whack beside the head with his big paw that the poor fellow nevor did get ovor it. He simply rolled over on the ground, and died without another pro test. I tell you, stranger, that bear was an awful sight to see, after I had given him the fifth ball. Still he camo. on, arid' did not falter. Poking- the muzzle almost into' hia mouth, I pulled for the last time, and down we both went. For a minute I really did not know whether I or the bear was killed, but in a few seconds I crawled out from under the huge mass, and then I saw the bear was dead, and not I. He had made a lunge just as I fired, fell over on me in the agonies of death, and we rolled among the bushes all La a heap. I rose to my feet, gave a big sigh of relief, and stuck the old fellow under the ribs as a parting send off. I skinned all three of the bears, and returned to camp late that night, telling the story to my pards just as I have told it to you, and, stranger, that is how them three bears hides come to be lying on the floor."—" San Francisco Chronicle."

Scientific Hoaxes.

The great lesson which Culver taught the world was, that many races of animals were entirely extinct, and that Nature's chain of existence had nob one, bub many missing links. From his recognition of that fact the science of palaeontology may bo said to date. Bub the carnivorous nature of the mastodon was too fascinating an absurdity to be so easily killed, and it continued to appear at intervals.. As late as 1835 we find a Now England medical professor writing as if it were an unquestionable faot. The giant! theory lingered still longer, and even yet cannot be considered entirely extinct among the unlearned... The dictum "that the superstitions of one age are but the science of preceding ages, receives, ample confirmation in ,the his tory of this subject. Not longer ago. than. 1846 a mastodon skeleton was exhibited in New Orleans as, that of a' giant. The cranium was made of raw hide,•fantastic wooden teeth were'fitted in the jaws, all missing parts "were restored after the human model, and the whole raised upon the hind legs. It certainly conveyed the notion of "a hideous, diabolical giant," and was no doubt responsible for many nightmares. As a sad commentary on the state of the medical profession in the South west at that time, it may be added that the exhibitor was perfectly honest in.the.belief, and to support his faith he had a trunk full of physicians' certificates that these were1 human bones.

In 1870 "Dr." Koch, a German charlatan, created a great sensation by announcing the discovery of the leviathan of Job, which he called the Missourim, from the State where it was found. It turned out, however, to be nothing but a mastodon preposterously mounted. Koch had added an extra dozen or more joints to the backbone and ribs to the chest, turned the tusks outward into a semi-circle, and converted the animal into an aquatic monster,. which anchored itself to trees by means of its sickle-shaped tusks and then peacefully slumbered on the bosom of the waves. Like the Siberians, he found intesting confirmations of his views in the book ofjob, that , refuge of, perplexed monster-makers. Koch took his leviathan to London, where _it was purchased by the British Museum,' and reconverted into a mastodon by Prof. Owen, who at once re ooghlscd its true nature.—Prof. W. B. Scott, in " Scribner's Magazine " for April.

Duelling Days in the Army.

William Douglas, late of theioth Royal Hussars, has written a book on "Duelling Days in the Army," which Messrs Ward and Downey have just published. The custom took a long time to die out in the British service; long after they had been forbidden by the Articles of War duels were fought. When an officer was wounded m a duel, it was represented to the authorities —although every man in the corps knew otherwise—that he had sprained his ankle or broken his leg ; and when one of the combatants fell, It was only put down to disease-athome, apoplexy; abroad, cholera or fever. Mr Douglas mentions several instances of duellists escaping death by the bullets being stopped or deflected by the brass buttons so much worn by our grand fathers. When Captain Cuthbert, of the Guards, and Lord Lonsdale fought in 1792, two shots were fired by each without injury to either ; but Lord Lonsdale's last shot would probably have been fatal if the bullet had not struck a button on Captain Cuthbert's coat. " An even more wonderfulaffair happened in 1787, when a French officer having said in an unguarded moment ' that the English army had more phlegm than spirit,' he was soon afterwards challenged by an English officer, Captain S ,of the 11th Regi ment of Foot, for having made use of these words. As the Chevalier La B re fused-cither to. apologise for or to withdraw the expression, a duel took place ; and the offence was considered by the Briton to be of so deadly a land—or, rather, one which nothing but the death of the utterer could extenuate—that he insisted on fighting at five paces. If the two arms and the two pistols are taken into account, the short distance was of course much reduced, so that apparently neither had a chance of escaping. Seemingly they had tossed.or done something else, for ' first fire,' which the Englishman won, and Captain S—-'s ball ' took place,' as might be expected, on tho Chevalier's breast; but, by a marvel of luck, it was stopped by a metal button. The Chevalier,touched by so providential an escape, magnanimously fired in the air, and did not stop at that, but made a full apology by stating that the English had both spirit and- phlegm. We read elsewhere of another duellist picking up on his way to the place of meeting a horseshoe, which for ' luck' he placed inside of his coat over bis heart, and the bullet happening to strike there, the horseshoe saved his life. General Bon net, in his duel with General Ornani in Paris in 1814, owed his life to having a hundred-franc piece in his waistcoat pocket." , A Ridiculous Affair. While Dr. Young, an officer belonging to the Woolwich Garrison, was escorting some ladies up the river to Vauxhall about the year 1720, he played them some tunes on a fluto. Behind them was a boat, in which were several officers rowing for the same goal, and as these soon came alongside the one the doctor and his party were in he ceased playing. " One of the officers immediately asked why ho did so. 'For the reason I began,' answered Dr. Young, 'to please myself.' The reply to this was an order to continue playing, ending with a threat that if he did not do so, he (the officer) would toss the doctor into the Thames. Dr. Young complied with the insolent demand and played all the way up the river to Vauxhall. During the even ing, however, the doctor observed the officer who had beon so musically inclined by himself in one of the walks, when he went up to him, and with great coolness said, *. It was, sir, to avoid interrupting the harmony of either my company or yours that I complied with your arrogant demand; but that you may learn cour age is to be found under a black coat as well as under a red one, I expect you will meet me to-morrow morning at a certain place without any second—the quarrel being entirely between ourselves.' The doctor covenanted that the affair should bo decided by swords, to all of which con ditions the officer readily agreed. The parties met tbe following morning as had been arranged ; but the moment, the officer had taken his ground and drawn his sword, the Doctor pulled out a horse pistol, and presented it at him. ' What !' exclaimed the officer in a fright, 'do you mean to assassinate me ?'• ' No,' replied the doctor, ' but you shall instantly put up your sword and dance a minuet, otherwise you are a dead man.' The other at this began to swear at his opponent, as well as to vow he would do nothing of the kind: but the doctor was resolute, giving the officer- clearly to understand that if he did not begin to dance before he (Young) counted thirty, the threat would be earned into effect. In slow time the doctor began to count ' one, two, three,' and by the time he got up to * ten' the sword was returned into its sheath, and before he had counted ' twenty ' the officer was going through a minuet, as stately as a man could do that had a loaded pistol levelled within but a few feet of his head. After a quarter of an hour's practice the muzzle of the pistol was lowered, the holder of it saying, as it fell, ' That will do, sir : we are now quits. You forced me to play against my will, and I have compelled you to dance against yours. Being now on a level, I will give you whatever other satis faction you require. The next affair will, of course, be seconds. You know where to find me. . Good morning.' The doctor, however, heard no more of the matter." Determined Encounter In a Locked ■ Room. Several letters reflecting on the character of a lady having been published in the " Morning Post "• in 1777, Captain Stoney, a celebrated buck of the day, challenged the editor, the Reverend Mr Bate, on the understanding that there were to be no: seconds. ' " They met in a room, and, lock ing ' the door, took -up their positions. Having ' discharged their pistols without effect, they threw'these on the ground, and, drawing'their swords, attacked each other most 'resolutely, the result being that Mr Bate was wounded in the thigh and Cap tain Stoney in the arm and breast. By this time people were hammering at the door of the room arid trying to open it, but the swordsmen were too- intent on their work to attend,' and the conclusion would have been'fatal to one or both but for an ' accident which occurred in the combat. This,was owing to'the bending of the blade of Mr Bate's sword,-.which was caused by the point meeting the Captain's breast-bone. On Mr Bate apprising his opponent of this, Captain Stoney called upon him to straighten it; and in the interim, while Mr Bate had his sword under his. foot for. that purpose, the door was broken open ; other wise, as remarked, the death of one or both of the parties might have ensued. On the Saturday following Captain Stoney married the lady whom he had thus defended at the hazard of his life." A Bully Surprised. An account of a duel between a French and an English officer while the Allies occu pied Paris (when the Frenchman, who was a practised duellist, provoked Lieutenant Gordon to fight and kill him) recalls an in cident mentioned by Charles Lever in one of his books :— ■ '

"There was a Frenchman who boasted of having, killed a dozen English officers, and promised to go on in this work. One evening he swaggered as usual into his cafe\ and, to his astonishment, actually saw one of those hated 'Anglais' occupying his chair, a chair that no one hitherto had dared to sit upon except himself.. Master ing his passion, he undid his sword belt, and, having placed his sword on one side, began to insult the perfectly inoffen sive English officer who sat so unconsoious looking in his (the Frenchman's) chair, He trod upon the English toes, he de prived the Englishman of hie candles j

he went from one thing on to another without at all being able in the leaSE, apparently, to disturb the others placid ity At last he snatched the news paper out of the Englishman's hand, and then the Briton slowly rose up, displaying to the astonished eyes of the Gaul a Guards man some 6ft. fin. high. The giant, bend ing across the table, seized hold of tne Frenchman's nose with one hand and his chin with the other, and wrenching■his mouth open, spat down his throat. With a howl the Frenchman, holding his under jaw with both hands, ran out of the room. His jw was broken, and neither he nor any of his comrades were seen again at the caie. The English officer, Mr Douglas adds, was . the late General Sir Jas. Simpson, who. for a time commanded in the Crimea, ana who was in his time the tallest man in -the . British army.

From Jest to Matrimony.

Marriages are often the result of accident. It seems strange, but the most prudent per sons will sometimes conceive an irresistible attachment at the suggestion of a word.or a look. When once under the spell ol the verb "To love," they go through all the forms and finish the declension of the verb before the altar. The few may give the subject tbe consideration it deserves, DUD the many,tbere is reason to fear, are guided by impulse. , • j A skipper of a coasting vessel called a. . the village inn and asked the landlady, a. young widow : "Do you know where i can get a mate? I have lost my mate. "I am sorry for you, Mr — , she said, smiling. " I want a mate too, and cannot get one. As we are in the same position, I'll tell you what I'll do ; if you'll be mine I'll be yours." He closed with the bargain, and the widow keeping to her word, he is now supplied with two mates. A young man at a church bazaar was button-holed by a lady ; she would not let him go until'he bought something. He looked at her stall, which contained fancy work of various kinds. " Why," he said, « I see nothing here that would be of the least use to me, a bachelor, except yourself. The rest would be dear at any price. " I will be cheap enough," she said coax ingly. "If you could be dear enough, per haps—" . _ " Oh, come ! you are just the person 1 want," taking him by the arm. She sold him one article after another, keeping up an agreeable conversation the while, and before all was done he had pur chased everything on the stall. Then, at settling up, there was something said about discount. " I cannot return any money," she said, blushing, " but if you think me dear enough there's mamma ; she may give you my hand." The bargain was accord ingly concluded. An eminent doctor, who had saved the life of a lady, a personal friend, was1 asked his charge. He said he generally allowed his patient friends to remunerate him as they thought befitting. " But don't you often get disappointed on these terms ?" she inquired.

"I may say, never." "As you are so easily pleased, here, and she playfully gave him her empty hand, while in the other was concealed a cheque for a handsome sum. " How easily I could have taken you in !" she added producing the cheque. "But you have only succeeded in draw ing me out," he said, declining to relinquish her hand. " Don't insult me with a check ; I am most generously rewarded." Perhaps she understood the doctor's^ diffi culty and wished to help him out of it; at any rate the giving of her hand led him to offer his heart. This was how a gentleman got his wife when, in a tobacconist shop, he asked a girl behind the counter, who happened to have red hair, if she would oblige him with a match: " With pleasure, sir, if you will have a red-headed one," she promptly re plied, with such a suggestive, demure smile that eventually the red-headed match was handed over. : _ .'_ A lady with a fine figure haying taken _ fancy to a valuable ring which she saw ticketed in a shop window went inside to examine it. "It is exceedingly lovely; I wish it were mine," she said, on satisfying herself. '' What smaller figure could tempt you ?" " No other figure than the figure before me," he said, giving her an admiring look at the same time. "It is exceeding lovely. I wish I could tempt you with the ring." "I think I'll take it, she said,laying down the money amidst blushes. Of course he accepted the money ; but getting her ad dress, he made such good use of the hint that the next ring which she got was given by him in church. A lady in a railway train kept looking out of the window, with her head forward, until she remembered that the gentleman op posite might possibly object. " Do I cut off the. view ?'■ she asked. " Merely of all I do not wish to see 1" he replied, gallantly. The ice having been thus broken, they en tered into conversation, found, they were to get out at the same station, and knew each other's friends The rest was plain sailing into what somebody calls the " matrimonial haven."

" Are you married yet, Kitty ?" said a sailor on meeting an old acquaintance after returning from a long voyage. " No ; that somebody has never come.'

" Ah, then, I have brought him after a deal of bother," he said, throwing his arms around her ; and the matter was then and there settled.

Food for the Sick.

Solid food should never" be given to a sick person without the doctor's special permis sion. He will say when, in his judgment, its use may be begun safely, and thus the nurse is relieved from all responsil ility. A convalescent's diet should be digestible and tempting. The appetite is beginning to re turn, and must be .encouraged, except after typhoid fever, when it has to be suppressed. During extreme illness food is a. disagree able necessity, to be disposed of as quickly as possible. There is no desire for it; it is swallowed under compulsion as a necessary but nauseous measure, and. to escape from the'importunities of the nurse. In conva lescence it is looked forward to with eager- ' ness, and the dainty repasts are the events.'' of the day. They should be made to look -' as enticing as they can be, and all the ap pointments should be daintily bright and' clean. A teaspoonfulof tea spilled in the saucer from a full cup seems'a trifling; matter to a well person, but it is enough to spoil the comfort of an invalid's meals. Food that is intended to be hot must'be" served very hot on a well-warmed plate set over a bowl of boiling water and covered in its transit. A cup of lukewarm soup would be sent away untasted, whereas if it had been really hot it would have been eaten and enjoyed. Things that are intended to be cold should be left in the icebox, or the cool dairy, until the last moment before serving. Tepid blanc mange is not an in viting article of diet, and custard, which . would be delicious ice cold, loses its attrac tiveness when it is milk warm. Strawberries and all fruit should be placed on a plate over ; a bowl filled with chopped ice, and sliced to-. matoes should be laid on ice. Attention to . these little points makes all the differencat.. between comfort and discomfort, between., food being refused as unpalatable or eaten,: with relish. The prettiest china tha, the . house affords should be brought out to em-.' bellish the convalescent's tray.... The eye must be pleased as well aa the palate-,.and a, viotory is won when the invalid, says,:"Oh, how delicious it looks !" ; Butter.should'be rolled into tiny balls with the grooved paddles sold for the purpose, and bread cat in delicate slices divided into four,



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