THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR, APRIL 30, 1897.

M SUPPLEMENT.]

MORNA DALE; OR, The Guardian's Forgery.

gygyLVANUS COBI3, Jk.

■ CHAPTER IX.

KDoctor," said'Jonas, with moderation, , of deep feeling, " you will ■* use me for bringing i»y son ; but.really, f & . oUS thing has happened. I need not *f ~jf you hiive heard the terrible news r m the Indian Ocean. rfl, doctor signified that they had heard, the steward of the ',•<'it strangely transpires that my of the loss of the Regulus m v was on the very point of setting "VtamCape Town for home.—Hold ! «* j n not interrupt me. I will ex- Iff on and told the story of t rfetrnction of the great steamer, just •■■ iw'had heard it from the captain of '■*' fransporfc) and others of her officers } I new ■■ He impressed it upon his wrens tiiat the Regulus had gone down i -i on tie self-same instiint that the : Soßtrucklier. Then Morna eagerly demanded to know if not have been possible that a said Tom, speaking : teriVa brother might have spoken •t "you'forget what my father told you. ■: broad daylight when the thing knnened; and the transport was so near latthe people saw all that happened.even Sthe smallest 'thing that floated on the . surface of the sea after the ill-fated ship . had gone down." . . Jlorna looked at him incredulously. It the Jsranspo rt liacl been so near, how came ' 8 Tom explained to her the nature of those ■ tjmble hurricanes—whirlwinds they were ! _of the Indian Ocean ; and she understood 1"I read your question in your face, 1 Jonas said, after his son had. con is Mnded his explanation, ".You wonder, if my dear boy brought home this piece of ■•'news '• that he did not make it generally ■known.' , Mark you, he had. no more idea •tEtiDoctorDale was on board the Regulus "thanhehacl'that he himself was there. It ! Tait>e"'loss ; of a government ship, which 'he snpposed'the government wovild learn ••' yefy quicfcljv He did not think to speak of it even io imeivntil the telegram came to me this morning announcing to me the .■ijeaih'ofonrdear friend." . Then Tom spoke, and told how he had ■•.■cumfrom Gape Town in a French steamer,' 'boindfor Brest, thus accounting for his ■. 'mtlfarrivali ■ *- ■ :-ibrief pause: followed Tom's remarks, ■ jrhicH was broken by Jonas: :' "Dr Lay brook," he said, with a show of : tore earnestness, " I have been thinking lbt;we had better ''persuade Ralph Ash tiro to take a passage for India at once. Isisthe very man to—Eh ? What now !" . ■. "Mr Crandal, young Ashmore is missing. leias not been seen ov heard-from by any -rfl'''Mends since last -Tuesday evening. Jtjkb,. time— just as • the evening was ilifegin'theleft this office for his hotel, '.intending to set: forth thence for Dale fen"c without delay. And that is the

. Jonas Crandal assumed a look of conster .nitioiii: It-was a hard thing for him to do, butbe did it yery well. His son put on a look of incredulity. Evidently, he would have it appear that he doubted the exis teiee of any wrong or foul play. The young.physician was probably away some wbere on his own account.

!'Surely," he said, "Ralph was old enough to take care of himself. Was he in ' the habit of carrying much money on his person?'' " iai very "little. A guinea would be a • hrge'suni'forhim to have in his pocket at any one time.' Ji:

"Then," said Tom, lightly, " it is very ii erident'that'he was not robbed." •

jfj "Aye/putin Laybrook. " Butfootpads :; nayliave thonghthehad money about him. "Hβ wore a diaraoncl worth two or three "thoifeand JjDiuids-^"" ■ "It was worth four thousand," declared jJonasJ

-■ "Iknewithe stone, well. I was with Sir , William when he bought it*. . And then his watch, was valuable.: Tom ! it is certainly. ..; possible,; if,jipt probable, that the young ' man was knooked. down and robbed in the : .darkness of that stormy night." . ■: :S'■Then,'!,cried,the son, with considerable .energy,;'.'.the sooner.the police are set upon. the search the better. HayVyou taken any steps in that direction'?'" - ' jiffhiS.lasfctdithe old doctor, who explained. 'tat the situation had been known to them.' "•Jy a few brief moments previous to the of hiisself and his father. ; .. .. ; :'."" tefc 'me understand this matter clearly, ,, ; ■'^aid : the steward, when the, doctor had ceased speaking, r! "As yet I, ; can hardly comprehend it." He went on j yttd. asked/ a' few questions' .concerning f™ph'B, ; lasfc doings at, the hospital, and a pout,his goi n g away ; also; regarding his ■general: habits, and the, intimate friends .yth.w'hom he associated. , :'. ' y wLaybroofc answered as best be could, Crandal arose to his feet, ; ~ ~, ■■:■'. ■,■■ „ ■.-':■'.■ ;•■• ',If I'may, be allowed to offer a sugges -to, I sho U ld say, We must give up every eg else'until we: know ; what has become •??,% Ashmpre. : His presence is greatly ■ffiW-. ;AslWid before, or as I should fe.said either.he:or I must go out. to • ; ; . ;';.; ;.'; rj -~.' ; Morna-had started to speak. She would «VB.med lout against Ralph's going away MPfi leaving the other man behind ; but W»M .thought better of it before the first Jordihad been spoken.,; She,had simply *nedher.moiith to'speak—that was all. . •i!; ] ;^o raing—nothing," she said, as Jonas y*ea ;Bharply into her face. '' Let Doctor be found, and then we can, con 'i^Wer..',, , , :. ~' '! myself go to - the officer of the > ye,/returned the elder Crandal, ," and at work," :3:*« spared the necessity of going era T , qwever > and our heroine was 4KI c Pain of objecting to his.taking : foi■ ♦•' ny work relating to her lover ; juncture, the door was opened : /*servant, and in walked the Supeririten nt o| : Poliee, Arthur Morley.. He was a n i«OTaewliat near fifty 5 nob a tall man, , J a^'o" er y: but one of the keenest, and. most energetic men a,y)vV '-■ His eye was clear and brilliant, UDo -W?i]ook of interpenetration stamped ■ST? ws handsome face seemed to extend ~ Ealph's chief assis- taken the liberty, on his own ac- 'the officer to come to the assis- UjjJ of the anxious friends of the missing . Wleymade quick work of preliminary seetmgg. then took seat and looked to

the president of the; hospital for further in formation.. ■ ,: , Laybrook told him all he knew and ail he could think ; and then a few questions were asked of Merna, who held up remarkably •i\ U 5 , ■ ie cir .cumstances. After, the girl had told all she could tell, the Crandals -lather, and son—were questioned in turn; ' a

At tho end of half an hour the superin tendent arose and teok his hat. I will set good men at work at once," ™ and;will report to you at noon, knall I find you here ?" to Laybrook. ' "Either here or in my dwelling," the latter answered. '' I shall be easily found." And with that the officer bowed and left them. ;

The elder Crandal was the first to speak after the door hadclosed behind the retiring superintendent,' and he arose from 'his seat as he did so, , , .

"For the present my son and I can do nothing more here. Further, I suppose you will not think of making any move in the matter of Doctor Dale's death until we can know something more of young Ashmore. Of course, you will permit me to look in at noon, and hear what the police have discovered."

Doctor. Laybrook had said, "Certainly," and father and son had turned toward the door on their way out, when another visitor entered, unannounced. He was one of the oldest physicians of the hospital Dr. Anthony Sanger. When he saw the com pany present he would have withdrawn, but Laybrook motioned for him to remain, at the same time asking : " What is it, Doctor ?"' " I thought you ought to know it, sir. Mr Rivers has gone. He died about an hourago. I was with him till the last ; he passed away peacefully, suffering no pain during the last fbur-and-twenty hours. " God rest his spirit. He was a good man." So spake Laybrook, most fervently. "Is it our Mr Rivers dear papa's old. attorney ?" asked Morna, with quick sym pathy. • .:

"Yes," the doctor answered. "Morti mer Rivers has left us ; and heavy will be the loss, not only to our town, but to the whole country. His like it will be difficult to find." . .■

Thus far had Jonas Crandal listened, with an attention strangely eager and •ab sorbing.,, -When Laybrook had ceased speaking he caught his son by the arm, and drew him towards the door. • His dark face was flushed ; his sunken eyes burned with .a ; lurid fire, and his whole frame quivered.., . • ... , Tom wondered what could have possessed him. ... _ . ' . ■ CHAPTER XI. SEARCH ANOTHER UKSI'AIKS. "Father!" . cried. Tom, as soon as the ■pair had : got. clear of the hospital, "what in the /world is : the! death of this old attorney to you ? One would suppose you had Jost, a. fortune by. his kicking the backet." The old man turned and looked into the' face of his soni ' He did not speak, but the younger- man could not mistake the expres sion of glowing triumph that lighted urjhis sombre features: '■ •*"••'■ .' ■ ♦■ .

"Oho! It's there you'are. Old Rivec'ss death is a lucky stroke, eh ?" '' The very luckiest, Tom. It means |to us, in our present aim, everything. But. yve must nob talk here. Wait till we are safely housed, and I will explain. We must not leave town until we have heard the report of the superintendent." "Of course not"

". Say, Tom," with a swift glance around, and speaking scarcely above a whisper, '.' you are sure that young interloper won't come back to be in our way ?" ' •

" Pshaw ! Haven't I told you how I left him ten to fifteen miles off Lizard Point ? He didn't live haif an hour."

"Then we are safe in that quarter. Now for the trump card which the death of old Rivers places within my reach, and we are armed at all points. Hold on ! I'll tell you all'about it over a bowl of punch in our private apartment." ■' • And they went their way to new plotting and new wickedness.-

At the- hospital, when'Jonas Crandal and his son had gone, Morna sent for the groom who had driven her- over from the Grange,' , and bade him to return and bring' her maid and her old butler. She asked' Dr. Laybrook-if any more of her servants could be of use at the present business ; but he;thought'not. : . ~\■.'•■■ " Wβ. may safely leave'the whole thing : in the hands of Mr Morley," he said. ''I know him well; : and all that can be done he will do. And now,- my dear child, come with me to my good wife, and with her remain .until,we hear,from the superinten dent. ".,::,..• i ■■■: , .is Vu ■• ■ ■-■■'■■. : " r '■- '; ' ■The .doctor's dwelling; was on the hos pital grojunds, ,and .they had but a.few steps to go to reach it. ...Mrs Laybrook was a benignant, ;kind-hearted = lady, who had been-like a mother to Morna. for several. years.v|She received theafflicted girl with' a gentle, fondness,, and a-calm, sensible, , sympathy"- which \ went .to her heart, and •aye her-comfort, m ..; • >.-■->■

The,echoes.of; the chimes /that had told •thehour.of,noon were still lingering on the air when Mr Mprleyw.as announced by the hos.t." The. old!doctor himself;had met him in tKe hall,, and |had conducted -him. to the drawing-r00m..,,,,-.. , ; o £-, ;■• -\ ■ ■ : Morna's impatience was. painful,; , but she'did not ob'trude : 'it' upoii , the super intendent.: ■ His face was blank. It told her not ; - a (thing/ *'Buf She had not long to wait.-''. •' :: - , -' o ' , ■•■'l , - '" ■■." ' : '.'"' u ''.' ,'•',■' " Doctors" said , the , officer, when he had saluted-the lady, of the house,,; and taken a seat,, 'f.can \y.pu .teli!,me at what time,-pn Tuesday evening. last, Ralph ; Ashmore left; your' foffice, ,and ..whithei;; he. was ibound'.?,",'. ■,'.', in' '"„.,).' ~\; [\U>. \ -.-■ ■■- ■ ' 7fl-can'beil ypii exactly,,sit;," volunteered Sirs , Lay.brb.ok-,;'a^;her .husband hesitated. "The-.dear,, boy came 'in; to: see me'on, his way,\and to apk if I had "iany > word, for Morna.) .It • lacked. ■ just ■ fiye : minutes of eight. We both looked at the ;clock on the mantel, .and he spoke : of the: time. He toldlme.'when'i spoke o'f;bhe .'coming storm,* that , lie''had' , 'only to , go to .his, hoteT. where he should order a chaise : immediately on; his-arrival.'.''i''' •■■: ",'■ •' -. - •' .. i

h ''.''That would , just : about make it,'" the superintendent said, more to himself 'than to his I 'hearers;- 'Then'he added, after'a pause': " Last Tuesday evening,-as'the; clock' of St. Mary's'was istiiking eight, !one of ; my' sergeants sasv three men— two -of them looking like ; rough seamen ; the third being (better! dressed, but still with the look of .the--seai about him away from the" hospital! gate towards the beach.; •An inspectors of •' our force/ 1 who was tin Front-streefc that same evening,: saw three men turn oiit fronr that street into' Regent- Street,'at fifteen-minutes past eight;'and upon comparing notes/ it 'was 'found that they were the same .'men 1 whom' the ser geant had seen. The inspector'was at that time on his way. to the • Sea :y iew | Hotel, where Ashmore had rooms, I think?": .:■'■'. in

',-. "Yes." ■::>(,.: i. ~ , i , v,: d ? ! ■ mv M Well, aboujbhalf, an, Jiour ;later thein spector,;George- : Emmonai;,6ft, passing the entrance to Regent street, saw, by the dim' light of the street lamps, a close coach, with a pair of horses attached, standing near the entrance of the court of the old house that

was burned down. little more* -than ay ear ago, and which has . remained, a mass ofun seemly ruing ever 'since. • He' stopped, and was thinking of ■ going up to see 'what the thing meant, when he sa>y a man shut the coach door, then mount to the box and drive off. It came down*the street'rapidly and passed him, turning to the rio-ht, 611 Front. He could not stop its, 'though' ) 10 tried. So confident was he that mischief was afoot that he had his revolver in his liand once, more than Half inclined to fire at the nearest horse ; but it was too risky amcl he suffered it to go its way." "Doctor, we have examined the tliino thoroughly. We'know that Ashmore left his house at about eight o'clock. Was it not so ?" to Mrs Laybrook. "Yes, sir. He stopped a few minutes after we spoke of.the time. ,.

"Exactly; and he usually went by the way of Regent' Street to his hotel. Those three men who left the gate of the hospital; and went towards ,the beach, would have had just about tinio enough to intercept the young man .somewhere in 4 the neigh bourhood of the old ruin I have spoken of." " Do you mean, sir," that he was carried away in that coach ; ?"" breath lessly. . . ■'~"-'," ' .'. "' ■. .

" I think he was. *''■„ " And Ay hither ? \Vho could have done it ? Why was it done ? " O, Mr Morley, can you tell me anything about it ?" "My dear lady, all beyond the simple fact of the'coach if wo are righf; "iii that— we have yet to discover. We- may find something; and we may not. .Of course, I cannot promise."

He paused here, and gazed for a time into the beautiful face, as though' studying its character.

By and by he turned to the benignant face of the good lady of the house, and after looking at her, perhaps ten seconds, lie turned to the doctor.

" Dr. Laybrook, you must pardon me wi the question I am about to ask ; and so must your good wife. You are aware, sir, that very much of our success in the work before iis must depend upon silence and circumspection. A single word carelessly spoken might undo the work of weeks might render abortive the very best efforts of my very best men. Knowing this, and bearing it in mind, would you trust your wife with that-which must not bo whispered aloud to any living soul ?"

The good doctor was nob offended, noi was his wife. The former looked grave and solemn, while the latter archly smiled. It was the lady, .who spoke : , ■ ..• ; "Mr Morley, I do not blame you. I will leave, the room if you wish. But be fore I go, you will permit me to say— I can keep a secret, even from my husband, if neodbe." . ~..'. '; ; ■ ,;.:■;. , .i'■••■* '

■' Enough ! Enough !"■ said the • super-, intendont, brightly | and quickly. The woman's manner of speech, and the recep tion of his .question, had given him, a snm cient insight .into,' hsji/ character. He feared not to trust her. The maiden lie had trusted from the first.

Morley made a few remarks to the doctor in relation to the coach of which he had spoken, and w of the inability, thus far,, of his men to trade it; he turned to Moftja

" Miss T)ale, I ftia "going to ask you an important question *<You will answer to £he best of your ability. Can Jonas Crandal, by any possible crookedness, gain matefial advantage by your father's death 1 And, if s6, how ?"- '■> .■: '■•■•: ; , ■<■■-.

. Morna was startled.. This was an echo of her own thoughts ; yet it took her a con siderable time to shape her thoughts into intelligent speech. The officer did not hurrylier, but bade her take her own time, and.answer in . her own way. At length she looked up and spoke. She was herself surprised at the steadiness and strength of her voice. ,\,.,

" Before my father went away he placed all his property, and all his business—the collecting of his rents, the caring for his estate, and the payment of all bills, even my own household expenses—in Mr Cran daFs hands. I ought to explain to you, sir, that once upon a time -"

" Jonas Crandal brought your father.out from the water when he was thought, to be drowning," put in Morley, smiling. " Yes, sir, that is it; and from that time papa gave to the man his entire confidence. Further, he had seen, his conduct of the affairs of Sir William, arid he thought him honest and capable, and appointed liim his steward, as I have said. ; So, sir, you can judge for yourself what opportunity he has for doing wrong without laying himself liable to the law." ■

" Did your father give him any control over yourself 1 ?"' .'. "No !—No, 1 sir ! But I know that he hoped to be appointed my guardian. How over, papa told me his own lips that he had not clone so, and he would not." , ' ; : ::i '. '■■'-'[■'- : - '■. - i:r :'"'

"Did you see your father after he saw Crandal for the last time ?" • ' :''•

;. She was upon the point of answering promptly and.emphatically in the affirma tive, ; when she .remembered the circum stance of the money which had been left in the bank, but in .Crandal's charge for, her. -. Thisi she related to,the superintendent, at ' the same time telling, how, it had for a ; time surprised,her ; but.wlien; she had thought of it more.calmly, : she. had seen that ncr "father had simply.forgotten to speak with her about it. t . ... l{ . ,i..: , . ; '\Biit," she' added, "I was with papa at the last moment on-the deck of the steamer, .and lie tolii me theii ; r that,,l slipuld be imy own. • mistress. ',','. ,' ~.".. > . .. .- •■ j

'. ' " My' clear young lady," said the officer, after a little further .reflection, ."I have another question to ask. There is an en gagement of marriage between yourself and ''Ralph Asnmore?" '',-■ , .-..'•-,-..: '"there is, sirs"—calmly, and without n change of colour. '■'■' " With your father's consent ?" • " His consent arid his blessing." '. /: •- i Was Mr'■ Graridal knowing ' to' this fact?' : ' ; ■■-■■'■■ " ; ' ; a'lfw' ■ ,'p: .i< •' He was, sir. ; My father told'hiiri that as Doctor Ashmore was tb become my hus band, he would have the right to look , after my welfare..:! It was when Mr. Crandal had said something about his, being-guardian himself that papa 1 told him." : " ~'".; ~, is o all. -u',l. will trouble you. no more: i And i now "—looking ; i towards , ! Mrs Lay brook-—" let me, warn you V 1 warn all present'--1 not.a, wordl of this to any living soul 1 Let notrthe name, of Jonas Crandal fall''from "your lips. Put him from your thoughts .if .you. can.. Do. this, ,and leave' the result witty 'me.; As I told you;before, nothing may come of it. As yet our clues are of the slightest. 'If Ashmore was ab ducted, as I am .confident he was, the plot was I deeply Jaid and , skilfully;: executed. But we can try ; and that we will do." " Mr Morley, "cried, the anxious maiden, as ;arose'; -to his feet, .<' you will not refuse to tell me- this: Do -you suspect Mr Crandal ?" - ; •." How is it' with yourself ?". the gentle man smilingly returned. 1 . ■■,:■:■■■; ■■ '" I- have, suspected-him of evil, intent ever since my father .told me of the power he had . given into Ms hands ; and I. d 6 .honestly believe She wmild hesitate at no of villainy so hisiendscould be answered, and he escape detection." >r; "''.■: ":■ ■■■■■y- : • ' .'■' ; "My opinion," nodded the officer,"agrees with your own exactly. With regard to the present business, he was not directly en gaged in it, yet he may have prompted it."

"And Tom executed it," said ■ Morna, quickly. [■ . w ,j , ... ■ .:■ •:!... :. "Perhaps so. ilßut it remains to be proved." ... ... ~ :.'■'.. After thensuperintendent of police had gone, Morna was informed that her maid and her butler had arrived, and she wciit to see them at once.' ■.■.■'.' ■

Helen Dabney was a bright-faced pretty girl of twenty' years ; short and plump, with a complexion fair and ruddy ; her hair rich, dark brown ; her eyes large, full and bright, of the-same warm colour. Altogether, as winsome and attractive, a maid as one could wish to meet. She had been at the Grange, and had served Morna, first as playmate, and then as helpmate and maid, since she could remember.

Helen's father, RobertDab.ney, was butler at the Grange, and had been so since his father died, .fifteen, years ago. Ho was short in stature, but large-limbed aiid strong; a warm-hearted, loving man, honest and faithful, and attached to tlie Dales with all tht strength of loyalty and affection that was in him.

Morna had been considering seriously, aud after due reflection she called Mrs Laybrook and Robert Dabney to her assist ance. The good doctor had gone to the hospital, or she would have called him. j Since the departure of the superinten dent, with the dread of Jonas Crandal weighing upon her, she had been.thinking that, while Ralph was absent, she would not return to tlio Grange. "Of course you will not!" was the em phatic rejoiner of the good wife, when the subject had been broached. " Why should you? We want you here. We,do, truly." "If I thought that," said Morna, with a yearning look towards the matron, " I think I should stay with you." " And you will stay with iis. So, there's the end of it. Helen, you can return, and pack up your lady's things, such as she will want, and briiif* them here." " Indeed I can, lady.'

Robert, for his part, promised that would see that every tiling went straight at the Grange. It was understood that Morna would keep with her the little phaeton and her two ponies, together with her groom ; and the good old butler would look out for all the i rest.

And so it was arranged. Helon re mained with her dear mistress, while her father returned to tho old home, bearing with him Morna's blessing to her house hold, with the promise that she would be with them again as'soon as the darkness surronnding her had been made light If Jonas Crandal should ask of them any ques tions concerning herself, they were simply to tell him thai she had found the Grange very lonesome in her deep bereavement.

When Dr. Laybrook came in ho was much pleased with the arrangement that had been made ; and he promised the dear girl fehat she should find his home a home for herself while she was willing to bless thorn with her presence. •

When it became known through, the the news spread rapidly when it had been once started i that Br Ralph Ashmore, of the Marine Hospital, was mis-sing, and that foul play was more than uspected, the excitement was intense, and soon grew to wild and dread alarm. The worst was feared. That he had been murdered and robbed,, and his body cast into the sea, was the ganoral opinion. This, so far as possible, was kept from the ears of Morna.

On the evening of her first day 'at Dr. Laybrook's a: Portsmouth newspaper' was placed in our heroine's hands, an article in which was to her of absorbing interest, though exceedingly painful. -It was an ac count by an eye-witness of the loss of the steamship Regulus. It occupied a column and a half, and was written by one used to the work. She read ifc attentively ; some passages she read over tlie second and third time; and when she had finished it she knew that of all the human lives on board that great ship not one could have survived the event. The huge mass and all it con tained had been swallowed tip in an instant, disappearing from off the surface of the storm-beaten sea as though suddenly blotted out from existence. Outside, during that same evening, the excitement waxed stronger and deeper. Jonas Crandal and his son had remained in town until long after dark, a portion of the time in consultation with the officers, and anon professing to be making search on their own account.

Arthur Morley was a cool, clear- headed man, and shrewd ; but in Jonas ,and Tom Crandal he had to do with men as clear headed and shrewd as himself. Said Tom to his father, as they entered the public house where they had found quarters - it was near nine o'clock' in the evening :

" Say, governor, I think you and I may as well go, home. Further chaff will be be .thrown away here. So long as we keep quiet, arid keep our secret, we'll keep the weather-gautge. ' Bu.t, don't you see, we are more than half suspected... That superin tendent knows me better than he pretends. I caught his eye just once when he didn't mean to have me do it, and I read him like a signal-book. Let's go home, and let 'em wont out their own reckoning. We'll be safer there than, here... Bah ! Don't' they know, that you love the,young doctor as the Evil One loves holy water?"; ,: !

." There's sens6i in what you say, Tom, and I've been thinking ithe same : ; but be fore we go tellime this : Are you sure:they ■won't be able to trace:the coach you used?"

'' Bless your; innocent : soul! that coach came from our. ;old, mate,-! Ben ! • Crummeti Jack Armstrong f went and- got it, with the Btory to Ben tliat he wanted to run inland a lot of brandy and tobacco. The horses be longed to Jack,, himself. Ho! don'tr.you borrow trouble, there. : -Another bowl of punch, and we're, off." And off,they ;went, leaving the police to. the best they could with the information at hand. ~ (

' Friday came, and passed. On Friday evening Superintendent Morley.came to the doctor's, and reported r Failure ! Saturday, came,, and Saturday, fnight,- Sunday dawned, bright and beautiful. Morna attended church with the good doctor-.and his wife,' and. the clergyman,* who, had known Lawrence Dale long and intimately,: delivered, an ,\ eloquent; eulogy on his life and character, with a perora tion on his death, that drew. t tears from every

eye. ■ . . ~,!.:... •. .., ... ,■'■.•,, :.■ i ! ,On that Sabbath evening- Mr .Morley came and reported that frhey were exactly where they were in the beginning. \ That Ralph Ashmore had been forcibly abducted; there could be hot a particle of doubt; but' who had done it, or what had. become of him, they had not been able to discover. The only words of cheer that he could speak were to the effect: that Ralph had not been killed, but that he had been in some manner spirited away by those who might profit by his absence. ■ .

And even in this the afflicted maiden found a grain.of comfort. If her lover lived; she might him again. ■ But when clay after day had passed, and no word -no token —of the absent one came to her, hope failed her, arid her heart sank to a state of dumb despair; ct— ; , . ; ■ ;

In her bereavement of her father she could find consolation, but in the loss of Ralph — her beloved ~ her betrothed— no- relief came to her. In that direction all was dark and agonising uncertainty.

(To ha continued.)

FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.

How Helen Made Courtesies,

.CiiATiiiiK 'came home from school late. " What, is the reason ?" asked mamma. ■

" Oh, I got kept in. I thought I'd' run out of the room, instead of walking, and the teacher caught me at it, and told me to come back. It was just fun, though; I don't care."

Mamma had a little talk .about disobedi ence to teachers, till Charlie finally asked : " l)idn't you ever do any naughty things in school just for fun, mamma ?"

Mamma.had to tell the truth and say " Yes,", and in a few moments she was tell ing the following story of herself to Charlie and .some: other little folks.

" When I was 7 years old I went to school to an excellent teacher.

i" Shei.had a way of having us all, when wq were in-line before beginning to recite, ' make a courtesy'— 'malke a. curchy, , wo Called it—and another when we were all alone, before going to our seats. "{The way we did it was to bend our knees and drop a little, then straighten up

again

'' Some of us had a trick of making anotlier just before we sab down in our seats, and one day, Soon after school began for the afternoon, as we were going to our seats, four of us ' made a courtesy' atid raised a laugh from those sitting near. "The teacher told us to come up and stand before' the desk, and after asking us if we liked to make courtesies, and being told yea, she ordered us to begin and keep on till we were tired. When we were tired' enough to tell her we were sorry we could stop and go to our seats. " So we four little girls began to bob ; up and down, up and down, like a jumping-jack or a churn-dasher.

" Of course the scholars all laughed, and we laughed too, and thought it was just fun ; better than studying in our seats. ' " But after a few minutes our knees be gan to get very tired, and it did not seem so iuniiy to us. Then one girl, and another, and finally a third, said they were tired and sorry, and went to their seats, and I stood there and bobbed up and down alone., I was very obstinate " " What was that, mamma?" " Oh, 1 did'ufc like to give up, and say I was sorry." "I would right off," said little May ; but Charlie said

"0, mamma, I know just how that feels inside lilt kind of chokes you !"

"Well, I was very tired indeed, but when Miss Dodge, who has since told me that I got so pale she feared I would faint, asked,me, as she did several times, 'Are you not tired, Helen ?" I would answer, 'Not so very,' and keep on squatting and rising in. the most ridiculous manner. " But all tho time I was thinking, 'Oh, dear, how awful tired I am ! I wish L could just sit down in my seat and study - what fun it would be ! 1 wonder if recess never will come ! I am so tired I just believo I shall die, and if I do I guess my mother will scold Miss Dodge for making me make curchys all the afternoon." " It wasn't her fault," said little May.

"Of course it wasn't, but then I didn't see that it was my own naughty •will that kept me there bobbing up and down for tho whole school to laugh at. ■ " At lusb recess-time camo, and while t% scholars' wore all out, Miss Dodge said, " Helen, I think you are tired enough to go to your seat and rest; don't you think you are?"

"' Yes, ma'am,' I said quito meekly, though I did not say I was sorry, as I ought'; but I wont to my seat and was not at all anxious to go out and play with tho rest of tho scholars ; bub I novor 'made a ■courtesy' in "School again when it was not tho proper time to do so." "Is that all? Oh dear, that's a good story ; I wish it was longer. How Ido wish I had been there to see you, but I wasn't born then, was I?" said Charlie.

" No," answered mamma.

," Seems tome you' had all good times before I was born, when you was a little girl and had sivdh/fuh , . I wish you had waited for mo. But tell some more. You was naughty again, I think." " " Yes, but I can't tell you now ;" so tho children ran to the porch and practised " making courtesies." :

Put Yourself in Her Place.

There existß in every/.household a short and easy method of testing the comparative nervousness of the sexes. Take the'very sweetest and most domestic of men. The most home-loving and equable, and see, if he can have patience with the children, clay in and day out, as can a wife much less gifted by nature with these fine qualities. The children may be the sweetest ever born, and yet each will be sure to pass through stages in its development when its cross questionings, ■ .■■• its needless resistings, its chronic deafness, itfe endless "What;?" and " Why?" - and " Whom did you say?" will furnish grounds of practice for saintship. Not that all mothers are equal to this.task —far from it ; but when it comes to nerve's, the average ■lnothei; takes,sail this trial and pressure mi a way that puts the .average father to shame.■; I knew a shrewct woman who, whenever hoy husband had given fler a lecture on nervousness, used to contrive, to have him dress one or two of the children for school.on a winter's,morning; after a break fast slightly belated. The good man would fall meekly into the;trap, not clearly remem beringthovastnpss of thelabo\u\ - the adjust ings and the tyings and the buttonings ; the leggings and the overdrawers and the arc tic shoes ; the jacket, scarf, coat, gloves, mittens, wristers;; the, hator cap or hood, to be pulled and .pushed and tied in proper position; the complete way. in which ;W these things', being put on, have to be mutually, made jfast by strings and but tons and safety pins, so. that the child thus dressed is a model''of compressed packing, and could, lilve.ti; well-packed barrel ■of china, be sent round the ; world without in

Calm must be. the, spirit, high the pur pose, of fcho father who readies the enclof this complex tasjk'.'.without, a word of im patience, while his wife; whom he calls nervous has long,, .since taken off his hands the other "child assigned ■ fco. him, and has long since, w|th deftjiands, dressed her and given one patient,' final, all-corforehending twitch and the..'whole' thing is dWne; If you 'doubt whether men are, on the whole,, and in their own way, as nervous as women, test them with getting the children ready for school, and remember that their mother does it t#ice a day, at least everyday of hei life. J "' ;, ' ■ "■'■".':'-:■"'■ ":■-

This is ho\V''a keen American critic dis cusses Gilbert 'and Sullivan :—"Gilbert is not a story-maker; He isa balladist. •He ' has been working'the Bad Ballads over for -10 years. Siillivari,' on- the other; hand, is a musician, and there never was a capable -musician in so unenviable a position as he. ■The whole English-speaking world is beg ging him to be a 'mountebank, and he has partly consented. ,1 then his con science upbraids him.andhe tries to do good work. Then up rises the whole populace and yawns afc him. ' W iy,that isn't fir-VjT at all!' they cry,"