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.e:= IMM p STRONGER THAN DEATH .«^ .^ ^ .(^ <», OIEt ^fc. ^ -^ ^ -^ A RANSOMED LIFE ^ for me, Ixsn- i ClIAPTEU XV. Six iiionlhs ha%o goiio by slowly, sadly, yi!t not witlioiiC .solaco iDr the hiltiT pain of (lipir llrst grt-at soriow. Tlio last days of golden Sc'jileiiibc.T saw Ardcl and Judgu Tre- vor, l^ucy and Leannetto all assembl- ed in Ardel's beautiful country place | j^jj^j of .Silvorlake. in Woldshire. 1 â€" â-  C iB O eg! house and srounds, nliilo to Ardel tl.oy had the dolightful novelty of young proj>rietorsliiii. "I have kept this for the last, Harry. " Ardol said, as ho threw op- en the door of the great gymnasium; "it is all of my own devising." Aidel toachfd an electric button, swinging trapezes came down great crossbeams in the ceil- . from Harry 'Irevor was the last to ar-L ^,^ automatically coiling theni.sclves rive at the rendezvous, having spcnt | [j,,.r'|i again at a second touch of the the 'iummer in Northern Canada. Hejj^p^y knob. Was .surprised to see Colonel Wiek- 1 "Ingenious isn't It?" ho asked, no liam at Jireakfast ne.xt morning prised, not !>Iea.sed. "1 thought l.hero were to be strangers. Viviai:?" ho said. 'Hut Wickhani is not a stranger, .von know. Ho is one of ourselves, in a way. Don't you like him, Har- ry?' "Do you? " "Oil, yes; in a kind of a way. I ' think no fellow could help liking i him; he is so bright and pleasant. The only fault I hava to (ind witli him is that ho is so infernally grate- ful. Hi> fanciL'S I saved his life, you know. That is, of course, before â€" " lie .stopped confused, with the sha- dow of pain and perplexity on his face, thai always showed whenever he stumbled on any allusion to the former life that lay hidden far Ix.-- liind the black wall of oblivion. It passed in a moment as ho glanc- ed again to where Colonel Wickham Bat beside Lucy. "They'll mal<e a handsome couple. Won't they, Ilariy?" ho whi.spered. "It's as good as sattlod, I believe. He lias been spooning on Lucy this dozen years or more. When he ask- ed stiaight out for an invitation I couldn't, under the circumstances, re- fuse him; now could 1?" llariy Trevor made no answer to Hiis appeal. If he .had any opinion on (he subject he kept it to him- self. Ardel's attention was turned away .by some saury question of Jean- neUe's, and he did not notice the sudden cliill that had fallen on his friend's cheerfulness. Alter lireakfast he carried him off to view Iho house and grounds. It was .a wonderful place â€" a per- fect- place. One of tlibse-spacious, stately JOnglish mansion-houses, I which maki! tho -ploasantost homea ill the world. Tir. Ardel, a qunrier of a century liefore, had purchased the place from its noble owner, who had already dissipated a huge fortune in the low- est form of dissipation, and who in two .years N(|uandered tho quarter of a million he got for Silvcrlake in the congenial company of horse jock- eys, boxers, and curtesans, and shot himself when tho money ran out. During what may bo calletl Ardi-l's second minority, the place had been carefully looked after for him by Judge Trevor, and about a year ago he had chosen it for his home. The library and the billiard-room were as citadels against the attacks of bad weather or boredom, Many a cosy hour ho had cireamod away in the library on tlie cosy couih between tho oriel windows witli Shakespeaie, .Scott, or Thack- eray, or Dickens, who had come to liim, one after tho other, as revela- tions. Hut, if tho plain truth be told, Ar- del's favorite room was the great gymnasium, constructed and arranged tinder his own rlire.ctions, whoro he loved to tempt his friends to speedy di.scomfittn-e. In some curious, undofinable wa.v Harry Trevor betrayed ever and agoin a curious fnmiliarity with 1 â€" ' ' â€" . â-  : - â€" witli a boy's delight iu tho contriv- ance. Harry Trevor professed himself de- lighted with all he saw, but declined smilingly an alluring invitation to have ju.st one turn with the foils or tho gloves before lunch. For an uneventful week life went smoothly by in this beautiful place, and its placid surface gave no sign of tlie troubled passions that wqio stirring in its depths, for in all hearts but one there acliod at times vague hopes and unsatisfied longing. That Ardel was frankly in love with bright-eyed, frolicsome Jean- nctt<; wa.s plain to everyone, not ex- cepting tho gay little beauty herself; though he flattered himself he hid his feelings with consummate diplomacy. It were hard to say what precise- ly were Joanneatte's feelings to- wards her middle-aged adorer, with whom she was on terms of easy fa- miliarity, or towards her young play- mate, Harry Trevor, of whom she was, in her secret soul, slightly afraid. "I think I like T>r. Ardel best with my eyes shut, and Harry best with ray eyes open; the one is so charm- ing and tho other so handsome," she onco innocently confessed to Lucy. nut in Harry Trevor's Jieart the strain of conflicting passion was fiercest of all, though his strong will kept them under, showing no sign. Tho 1st of October always an eventful date at Silverlok, proved one of those rare and lovely autumn days which spring, at its best, can- not rival. I'or three days before Ardel, who had of late grown restless and excit- ed, and no longer found a cpiiet, whole-hearted contentment in his sports, was wild at tho approaching prospect of the pheasanl-.shooting. lOvcn .lohn Trevor, wliom Ardel had, with dilliculty, persuaded to bo of tho party, felt a faint return of youthful eagerness in the still, keen morning air. Colonel Wickham vain- ly strove to hide tho strange, steal- thy excileirent that possessed him. Tho youngest of the party of four was tho quietest. As for Ardol, his eagerness knew no bounds, llo could not wait for tho pheasants, but blazed away right and left, at every wild thing of the woods that came in sight. Stepping out, at last, on a high, clear upland, they canio to tho real work of tho morning. Around them, on all sides, wooded slope and val- ley; island, Istlmius, and promontory of dark green, touched with gold and purple, shone glorious in the risen sun. Hut there was little thought of Nature's beauty in the gamekeeper's business-like question, "Now, gentle- men, where do yoti please to -iilant yoursolv PS?" Tho <|uestion was asked in that conscious pride of superior knowledge for tlie man knew that none of the party hud shot tho covers befor(\ Hut Harry Trevor, who alono had been wholly absorbed in tho beauty of tho scene, answered hastily. Any Sore That Will Not Heal Any Ulceration, Eruption or Irritation of tho Skin is Curable by Means of Dr. Chase's Ointment. There is no guesswork ohout the results obtainable from Dr. Chase's Ointment. With all modirinca taken internal- ly there is more or loss uncertainty aa to the eflect, because the condition may not be exactly as indicated by the .symptoms, but if you have a sore or wound and apply Dr. Ohaso's Ointment and heal it you can see with your own eyes the delinito nv suits. II is because of the certain results accompanying tho use of Dr. Chase's Ointment that this great preparation has come to bo standard the world over. 11 a dealer offers you ony pther ointment, does ho do .so on Ife •iiTits, or does ho.ttot rflthor try to feittVo a sale by saying "This is just (8 good as Dr. Chaso'.s?" As a matter of fad. Dr. Chasa'S Ointment is now so universally used that few dealers think of ofPeriiig lliiythingr olsf when i cufo is sdught for eczema, salt rheum, old sores or piles. There is scarcely a town, vil- lage or side lino in this whole land but can point to some case in which Dr. Chase's Ointment has made a remarkable euro. While this ointment is host known on account of its extraordinary suc- cess in curing tho most torturing skin diseases and tho most distress- ing forms of piles, it is also useful in scores of ways in every home for the euro of scalds, btirna, wounds, old sores, chafing, skin irritation, sore f(!et, pimples, rough skin and everything for which an antiseptic, soothing treatment is needed. Dr. Chase's Ointment. 00 cents n box, at all dealers, or K<dinanson. Hatas &. Company, Toronto. To protect you against imitations the portrait and signatiiro of Dr. A. W. Chase, the famous receipt book au- thor, ore on every box of his reme- dies. " 'The Uutcher's Shop' nox, if you don't mind." 'l'h<! ganiekeejjer turned on him a quick look of siirpri.se. "The Uut- cher's Shop" was tho nonio given b.y Ardel, in gitm jest, after a big and bloody battue more than twenty years ago, to a certain specially hot corner; and tho name still gjtucli IJut liow did this .beaniless liiiy, fresh from lOton. come to know of it? Ardel himself was bewildered. "The Uutcher's Shop,' " he cried; what the deuce do you mean by riio Uutcher's Shop,' Harry?" "The young; gent is right, sir," the gamokcorcr intcrpo!;od; " 'o knows what 'e's about. It's as hot n cor- ner as there is. Not but I can put you in a better one," ho whispered aside to Ardel, witli an expert's de- sire to give the best stand to tho best shot. Presently, tho tour sportsmen were at tlieir stands, each with their lianuiierless breech-loaders ready for use and an under-koeper to load and hand them as required. Then the "sport" began, and the stillness of the morning woods was desecratud with discordant clamour. Trevor stood where tho wood ran to a sharp angle, with his gun poised ready and linger on the trigger- guard, ears strained, and eyes glanc- ing to tho riglit and left. Far away, he hoard tho clamouring of tho woods, still softened by the distance. 1'hen his quick ear caught, close ut hand, a faint rustle in a long, thick tongue of half-witlierod ferns, that stretched from the wood's edge in front of him. A frightened bird, creeping silently and swiftly from the datnour of the woods, had reache.l the limit of the shelter. Tho ready gun was at the sports- man's shoulder, his keen eyo glanced between the barrels, tlie harsh re- port burst loud upon the still air instantly, and the beautiful, gorge- ous, live creature struck earth, with a dull thudâ€" -a tumbled heap of torn flesh and rumpled feathers. Mark cock to tho right!" a beat- er's voice sang out, and Trevor saw a pheasant gliding high over tho lustrous woodland, with quick-beat- ing wings and long tail pendant. Then, all at once, the full flight be- gan. Tho frightened pheasants flut- tered and tlew right and left, from tho wood.s, thickly as a flight of startlings, crossing ami re-crossing In bewihieied and bewildering con- fusion. Hang! hang! bang! The guns rang out incessantly, as quick as keeper could load or sportsman lire, till all the ground was cumbered with slaughtered birds, fluttering or dead. Then came a brief lull in the tu- mult, while too beaters crossed on stopping-stones a. broad, shallow riv- ulet, that went gurgling through tho wood. Heretofore Trevor had been drunk with the keen excitement of tho s|iortsman. This last exploit sober- ed him suddenly. All at once ho realized what it all meant. "What brutes we are!" Harry Tre- vor imirmmed to himself; "what a brute I am! The wild beasts we call savago are gentle in comjMirison with us." "I've done my murdering for tho day," Trevor said, and ho handed the keeper the gun. "You are not going to knock ofT liko that, sir," ho reuionslralud, "and you done so well. One miss shouldn't put you out t>f heartâ€" tv long shot too, and you gave him his share of it, what's more. Ile'U never get up again, I'll swear. Wliy, we wore liouiul to have the best liag of tho party, if you kopt on as you liegiui, except the master, maybe, who never misses a shot, good or liad." Hut Trevor was proof against riv moiistrance or encouragement. The koi'per looked after him disconsolate- ly as ha tramped oft rapidly through tho woods. lOven the sovereign that camo to him with the gun could not console him for tho sudden break- down of tho sport- Trevor was start led. as though' his warm thoughts had found an embodi- ment, when, breaking through the wood's edgx) out on ono of tlio love- liest walks that trniver«od tho de- mesne, ho came suddenly face to face with liucy Ha.v, not twenty puces awa.v, walking (piietl.v towards him. At sight of him she started, but in a iiionioiit she put her sadness olT, and lips and eyes smiled a greeting thot was too elder-sisterly in its placid kindliness. "You startled me, Harry. I thought you wero with the shooting party." "I sickoni'd of tho slaughter, Lucy, and came away." "I don't wonder. 1 never could understand men. Call killing amuse-, ment! Surely there is enough of death in tho world â€" death and trou- ble." "Of trouble, I..ucy? It is not like you to talk so or look so," for her eyes wero misty with toars and her lips quivering. "Toll me what the trouble is. Perhaps I can help you." "You would not understand in tho least, Harry." "Lot nio tr.y." There was power as well as feeling in his voire, which made her forgot his ago for a moment. Bosides she was frightened a little and longing i tor sympathy and counsel. "Indeed you cannot help mo, Har- ry." she said hesitatingly. "There is no ono I can talk to of this. I could not hear to worry your father with my troubles. .Icannettc is only a baby, and you " "You know at least I am a friend. Lucy. Give me a chance. I'll help you if I can." Tho compelling earnestness in his voice contpiercd. "It is Colonel Wickham," she fal- tered out, almost before she knew. "No, no," she added hastily, fright- ened l>y the angry flush that came to tile face of her companion. "You must, not tliink ill of him, Harry: in- deed you must not. He is jiressing ir.o to bo his wifeâ€" that is all. I should not spt-ak of this at all, but 1 must linish now that I have begun. He asked uie flftecn years ago, and I told him then, as I tell him now, it could never be. Uut he would take no denial; he will take no denial. It pains me to hurt him, and I can see it dues hurt him to be rcfu.sed. Ho has never slackened in his suit, mak- ing his determination plain even when he refrained from speaking. He grows more and more pressing as tho years go by. Yesterday he al- most frightened me." "Frightened you, Lucy?" "Ho urged mo sh) hard that I drop- I ed some word about Dr. Ardol. I hardly know what, but ho took it up at once, all wrong. Ho blazed out with sudden anger. I had never seen him so before. 'So you love Ardel!' he hissed out. 'I thought as much; tho old fool who has come to his second childhood, and who dotes liko a moon calf on that little black-eye . minx .leannetto. Ho is my rival â€" is he? Let him look to himself then. 1 will let no man living stand be- tween you and my love.' Then he saw how frightened I was, and in ono moment he cooled down to his own self, all courtesy and gentle- ness." " 'Forgive me Miss Ray," he pleaded, 'and forget what I have said. Indeed I hardly know myself what I have said. The thought of losing you, tho thought of yielding you up to another, drives me mad.' You see I tell you his folly as he spoke it, Harry. But he was ever so kind about Dr. Ardel afterwards. "You know he saved my life,' he said, 'saved mo from the most ter- rible of all deaths. I would be a brute beast if I were not grateful. If indeed there were no hope for me, Ardel is the ono man living to whom I could wish success.' He spoke so gently and so sadly that I could not help pitying him for this folly that has spoiled his life." "What did you say to him about Ardol that set him flaming?" young Trevor asked with eager irrelevancy. "I tell you I hardly knowâ€" that the only touch of love I had ever known was for Dr. Ardol; nearly twenty years ago I meant " Hut Trevor would not let her fin- ish. Ho seemed curiously elated to hear his rival thus spoken of. "It was the old Dr. Ardel tnen that you loved?" he broke in impatiently. "It it wo^'o possible that " A shot rang sharply out, a hun- tlre<l yards behind them, followed by a cry of surprise and dismay. Turning sharply round they saw Pr. Ardel and Colonel Wickhamâ€" their guns in their hand'sâ€" break from tho woods on either hand and meet in tho centre of the path. The two spoke for a moment together, and then Ardel's cheery laugh was heard. "A lucky escape, Wickham," he cried out, "a miss is as good as a mile." "What has happened?" Harry Tre- vor asked as ho and Lucy hurried back together. Ho noticed that Wickham looked shame-facefl, and Ardel excited. A CUBE FOR EHETIMATISM. Even the Most Stubborn Cases ol this Painful Malady Caa be Cured. Uheuniatism is caused by ftcid iii tho blood. That is an u,-»diisputed medical truth Liniments, outward applications can never cure what is roototl in the blood. .\ blood dis- ease like rheumatism mu.st be cured through the blood. 'ITiat is why rheumatism always .viclds liko magic to Dr. Williams' I'ink I'ilb*â€" they actually make new, rich, red blood This new blood conquers the painful poison, sweeps out th° <iching acid, soothes the nerves, loosens the mus- cles and banishes rheumatism from the system. Proof of this is found in tho case of Mr. Charles Leather- dale, a popular young druggist's as- sistant of Tilbury, Ont. He says : "I know from personal experienco that Dr, AVilliams' Pink Pills euro rheumatism, because they cured me of a severe attack that for months caused me many sleepless nights and painful days. 1 had tried a num- ber of other medicines, but they failed. Then I decided to give tho pills a trial. Before I had finished the second box the pains began to leave me, and by the time I had taken two more boxes the ^atns wero all gone, and I felt like a new man. That is niore than si.x months ago and I have not had a twinge of rheu- matism since, It is my belief that a fair course of Dr. Williams' Pink Pills will drive the most stubborn case of rheumatism out of tho sys- tem and OS a result of my own ex- perience I cheerfully rocoinmend them for this trouble." The pills cure all blood and nerve troubles such as rheumatism, sciati- ca, partial paralysis, St. Vitus' dance, anaemia, neuralgia, indiges- tion, headaches, bac'kaclies, kidney troubles, and the ailments that maia tho lives of so many women a source of almost constant misery. Imitations and substitutes are some- times ofTcred. and the buyer should sec that the fall name, "Dr. Williams Pink Pills for Pale' People," is printed on the wrapper around every box. If in doubt send direct to tlie Dr. Williams' Medicine Co., Brock- ville. Out., and the jiills will bs mailed at 50 cents a box or six bo.xes for ?2.50. reproachfully, when Ardel ended tho story with a laughing triumph in his "luck." "Don't call it chance; it was the irovidenco of God." And Harry Trevor, who had listen- ed with impassive face, in his heart assented to her words, "Yes, it was the providence of God." (To bo conti ued ^ Piles To prore to 70U thaS Ok Chiss'i Ointment Is a oert«ir aii<l atwoluta cura (or oac^ and eTcrr form of ItcbiotC, blcodiDgand protrudlDfC piles, \ho mannfactiareni havo pu»r«nte*d it, Soo los timoniali in the dally presa and ask yournoigh- bom will t they think oflt. 'iou can use it and eet rour monrj back If not cured. 6O0 a box. al »11 doalers or EDMANEON,BiTE« la C<;,Toront<^ Dr.'Chase's Ointment -4 â€" »- SENTENCE L-,KI:M0NS. ;-.'â-  liliclj sleep "Hallo! where did you two drop from?" Ardel answered. "Oh! no- thing happened; something was near happening; that's all. Don't look so iiown in tho mouth about it, old man,"â€" this to Wickham â€" 'accidents will happen in tho best regulated family. This was tho way of it, Harry: Wickham was a bit riled that I heat him at the jihcasants. He laid me a wager if we walked homo without tho beaters, each on his own side of tho wood, ho would get more on the journey â€" fur or fea- thersâ€"than I would. I took him up, of course. Mind I've won the bet, Wickhani," ho cried out int<-r- rupting himself, "the cap don't count, you know. Well, it was poor shooting enough, Harry. I picked up only a couple of birds, and Wick- ham never got a shot until a few moments ago. Then ho got a chance at a pheasant I didn't see. I was in a beastly thick cover, -but tho shots como closer than was com- fortah.e, clipping the twigs all around me. !So 1 .sung out, and stuck my cap on tho top of my gun to let him know whore I was. He mistook the cap for a bird, by .love, and let drive straight at it andâ€"" Ho held up the cai? â€" a brilliant Tam-o'Shanter tartan. There was a jagged holo on ono side where the charge entered; tho other wos torn to pieces b.v the scattering .shot. "Lucky niy head was not at homo for that visitor," laughed Ardel, as if it wero quite an every-day occur- rence to miss death by a hair's breadth. Wickham, on the rontrnrv. looked [lale and terror-stricken, and Luc.v's diep sympathy wont out to him. "Don't call it cluince," aho saiil Lies never walk alone. Toil is a foil against temptation Service is the secret of sovereign- ty. Heavqn draws more than hell can drive. Sin is like seed, to cover it is to cultivate it. You cannot separate sin's bait from its hook. The cross of Christ does not make the cross Christian. A inan.s work is the only thing that makes him of worth. The pigheaded uian is most to run with the herd. The devil is not losing any over watch charm piety. 'I'he love of all can bo learned only from the Lord of a!! It is hard to Hght the tempter i( you are feeding at his table. It is better to keep the Sabbatii blight than to keep it rusty. Business depends more on keeping faith than on keeping books. He who was without beginning ol sill is without end of sympathy. The saint has the biblo in his heart; the humbug wears it in his hat. The points of a sermon arc iittl« good unless they prick the conscience. You cannot preserve your piety by pre.serviiig it in a vinegar disposi- tion. You cannot escape the duties ol character by talking about the diffi- culties of creed. When a man makes friends only to use them, he makes them only to lo.sc them. You cannot tell anything about tha good a man is <loing by the way he groans over it BABY'S FIEST TOOTH. lOvory mother knows how nuicli baby s-ii(Ters while cutting teeth. Swollen, tender gums cause a fever- ish, fretful condition somtimcs seri- ously alloc ting baby's health. This can be overcome, and the teething process made easy by the use ol Baby's Own Tablets. Proof of this Is given by Mrs. .1. Peckover, New ' Liskeard, Ont., who sa.vs : "I am the mother of six children and 1 can truthfully say that Baby's Own Tablets is better than any other medicine I have ever used lor the Ills of little ones. I can enjieciully re- coiiuiiend them for teething children, and would advise nU mothers to us* them." Tho T.alilets cure all the minor ills from which infants and young child- ren suffer, aiul .are guaranteed to contain no opiate or harmful drug, I Sold b.v all me<liclne dealers or b.^ mail at '2Tt rents a box by writing direct to the Dr, Wlllinms' Mcdicim Co., Brockville, Ont. I