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1 11 i Hi' THE STEWARD'S SON CHAl'TEH XVII. Cyril did not b»y a paper, but sat In the corner of the carriage by the opi'ii window and thought of Norah, mid his ruverie was so pleasant and engrossing that he started with sur- prise when the train arrived at Pad- iington. Ho was in so great a hurry to get his business done and return to Sant- leighâ€" and Norahâ€" that he did not i get on an omnibus, as a poor artist , should, but called a cab. .Jack Wesley's chambers were in Winchester street. Strand, and the first thing Cyril saw, as the cab 8toi)pfd, was his friend's head at the open window. He waved Jack a greeting, and stood at the door of the chambers with outstretched hand. "Heboid ha conioth, clothed in his right mind! " he said, cynically, but with a pleasant saiilc. Cyril wrung his hand and looked Into the grave, earnest face affection- ately. "Yes, dear old Jack, I've como," he said. "And in such haste that you hired a chariot. Was it the burning desire to roach me, or have you discovered a gold mine in SantleigU?" and he Went back to his writing table, but sat astride his chair, and leaning his elbows on the back looked up at Cyril with a smile. "Ves .Jack, and something even better than that." "Oh!" The monosyllable dropped like a stone. "Indeed! Then you niight have spared yourself the tr()Wl)Io of rushing up on the small and contemptible bit of business I've got for you." "Dear old Jack!" he said, laying his liund on the broad shoukler and shaking liim. "How I've missed that cynical voice of yours! Why, it Beeiiis ages since we parled, instead of ilujsâ€" ages!" His voice softened. "JJut tell me all aboi.. it; what's the row, old fellow?" Jack balanced his chair, and Stretched to the table tor a letter. "Here's a note from Moses; hell buy the other picture. 'The Silver Stream.' " "No!" exclaimed (Jyiil. "Yes; and give you what you ask, but (til conditions." "f)h, they are not hard ones. It seoins that Lord Newall has taken a fumy to It." Cyril opened his eyes nnd nodded. I.ord Newull was u well-l<n()wn pa- tron (if art, and his n|)|)roval set '.ha sign manual upon a pielure, and the painter who obtained l.is lordship's good word might regard himself ns made; the public in all things nrti.s- tic is liko B Hock of Bhee|>, and must have its bell-weather. Lortl Nowall had but to set the lead, and the sheep followed. "By Jove!" muttered Cyril. "So Ijord Newall fancied 'The Silver Stri'iim.' Well, I thought there might be soinelhing in it." "Very nicol.y put. (Jo to, young man; your modesty is thrown away In this sliop! Yes, ho has bought the picture on condilion that you paint another for him." "If everyone made that condition, Jack, I should be a millionaire." "Ves, it sounds rather iiisuiu!, doesn't> It? Hut there's reason In his nuidness. lie wants you to paint a bit of the seashore outside fais place in IJriltany." "In Urittnny?" echoed Cyril, and his fare fell "\Vh:it is your oblrcllon to Urit- tnny. my frieiul?" ho nsl>ed. "That it's not in Knglan<l," re- plied (!yril, thoughtfully. "That's more Brittany's misfortune than it's fault, and you can scaicel.v exliect J.ord Newall (o move it over here; or do .yoti expect It?" Cyril sat astride a chair in frcuit of .lack's, and leaned his chin on his arms. "Jn Brittanv." ho repented. "H.iw long will it take mo?" "N<it being an artist- - than ' oierel- Jul Heaven!â€" can't sa.v," ro|ilio<l Jack. "What on earth can It matter lo you how limg it takes you?" I "It does nuitter," said Cyril, | fravel.y. t Cyril rose and began to pace the ; room. To leave Sanlloigh nnd go to Brittany; to lea\e Nurah for weeks, porha|)s months. "What ails you, nuin? But hear me out. It is only the money â€" nnd I i »uppose thnt is not wholly a matter \ of IndilTereiHO lo you?" "Mon't bo nngr.v with me, .Tnck!"- "I'm not angry; only snrpilied. I Ihotight you would lling u\) your hat. order round champagne, and behnvo .vomself jn your usual Imlio- eile fashion when luck comes your wn,V. But to proceed. It is not only tiio niono.i , though that is n (air sum Bnr)ii)!h, hut there is something else hanging to It; tho something you and I are always clamoring and whining lorâ€" I''nmo." "Newall wants you fo paint this other plctin'o nnd niaka it a comiian- lon to "Hio Silver .Stream,' nnd In- t.onils calling It "I'ho (Jolden Sands' Originnl Idea. Jsn't it?" nnd he laughed cynicahy. "Hut It's tho sort of thing the public like. And lie means to exhibit them in that now gallery ho and his fellow crunksâ€" I beg your par<lon, connoit,.Sv;ursâ€" aro getting up. Soe?" "Yes." "I'm glad you do. A word from Newull, tho mere fact that he has taken you in hand and bought your pictures, will make you. Cyril Tlurno will be the artist of tho conir ing season, and " Uc laughed. "Jack, it is you who worked this." "Hah! Iâ€" 1 merely suggested it to Ne^vall." "1 knew it, and what must you think of mo when you see me hesitat- ing. IJut Jackâ€" no, I'm not going to thank you! Sit stillâ€" but. Jack, if you know all!" "Go on. It was Disraeli who said that "adventures were to tho adven- turous," and I never knew a man more adventurous than yourself. What have you been doing now?" "Jack," said Cyril, '"I've seen her.' "Allow mo to remark, my dear Cyril, that 'her' is rather indefinite. Oh, I beg your pardon; I remember! You are alluding to the young lady whom you saw going in at tho park gates at Santleigh, and who.so voice you mistook lor mino on tho terrace that night. (Jeorgo! it's a mercy wo weren't shot. I ex|)oct I .shall find myself landed some day with six numths' hard labor as a penalty for being in bad compan.v, yours, to- wit. Hut tho young lady. You've lous thing that has ever happened to we." replied Cyril. "It has changed my whole life! Ah, if 1 coidd only get you to understand how happy I am." "Perhaps I do imderstand. And now, may I ask who tho young lady is? The governess at the Court, or who?" "'Do you mean to say you don't know?" ho demanded. "How shoid<l I? Uemember that I left the night of ,vour first lit of madness and know nothing. Is it the governess, or some young girl visiting at tho Court?" "It is the earl's daughter, Lady Norah Arrowdule." "Lord Arrowdale's daughter? And may I ask, without being imperti- nently curious, what tho Right Hon- orable the Karl of Arrowdalo says to this pretty romance?" "Well," ho said, "ho has said nothing at present; he docs not know of our engagement." "'You have not told him â€" been to hinj?" "'No. Let nie tell you all. Jack. I think â€" I am sure that Norah is ra'th- er afraid of her father. She knows so little of him, you see. Why, she had not seen him until that night I saw her drive through tho gates. There is a story concerning their se- paration which is too long to tell nc<w. But she is almost a stranger to him, and we â€" well, we both shrank from telling him until I had made a success. Then I could go to him with greater courage. I should still be just an artist, but there is a difPerence botween the unknow paint- er and the successful one. Art is noble in all its forma aiid grades, but " "1 uiidersthod. .^nd yet you de- cline Lord Newall's olTcr; jou will not go to Brittany?" "No, I don't decline. I accept. Hut if you had over loved as I love, Jack, you would understand what a couple of month's separation from the woman you love means," and his handsome face flushed. "Of cour.se I will accept, nnd with gratitude to you and to him. As you say, it moans both nvone.v and tame. Why it can't you see it?" he demanded, with outstretched hands. "Put yourself in tho place of this old man; think what you would say if you learned that a man had been enjoying stolen Interviews with .vour daughter, and that ho had induced her to plight her troth lo him, and thenâ€" mark this well â€" when the young nuin chose, ho carao to you and told you â€" an earl! â€" that ho was only a poor devil of a painter?" "Well," said Cyril, biting his lip and looking, not at his friend's noble, earnest face, but at the op- , posite Wall, with a strange look of | doubt and indecision. "Well," echoed Jack, "what do you think you would say? Wh.v, just : what this lord will say. He will tell you that you h.ivo no right to en- 1 gage yourself to his daughter, to a lady who is, so far as social position is concerned, infinitely above you. ; Why, man, these people look upon us as of different flesh and blood â€" or, | rather, they are flesh and blood, and we are â€" just mud!" | 'Don't, .Jack. It makes it all tho ! harder for me." | "\'ou should know what I say is ! true. Not only tho earl, but all the world will say it. And she " I "She â€" the Lady Norah â€" will como in time to think that she has thrown : herself awa.v. j Cyril strode across the room and forced .Jack into a chair, and, stand- ing looking down at him with a pale face, said: "Jack, I can't bear it any longer; you are right! If I had acted as you say, I should have been a mean hound. -As it is now, you make niu feel as if I should have gone to hiiu at oneo and told him all. Hut, .Jack â€" now don't be hard upon me â€" it is true I am only a poor painter, but I am what the idiotic world chooses to consider something hotter, confound it! My name is not Cyril Burno "I am tho earl's nephew, Viscount Santleigh!" (To be Continued.) GIVE THE seen her, .vou say? I suppose you, . , ,. ^ , ,• , t -. . have h.ing about tho ducal-was tho . •« 3"«t that for which I wa.s waiting! swell a <luko or an earl? Oh, I re- , I will go to Brittany, and then with member nn earl- Lord Arrowdale-I , n>y position a.ssurcd, I can go to tlie suppo.so' you have lain in wait for tho i«''i'-I, and ask him to give mo my ladv, or did you seri-naile l-.er in tho ' ''"'''"'*»'•' , ., ^ troubadour fashion? You would | Jack Wesley w.is silent. make a ca|.itnl troubadour, Cyril. 1 ! "â- '^â- â- en t you going to give me ono often think that the singe has an ornament in you; yours is lost just the figure for the tyl>ical ineloilrama- tic lover, and your voicesâ€" l)ut 1 beg your pardon, you arc dying to tell mo all about the latest goddess. How man.v times have you been in love, Cyri'l?" ""Yes, you are right. Jack, I am in lovo. 1 tolil you so the night you left Santleigh, and I spoke tho truth." Ho got up and resumed his pacing, and .lack Wesley throw him the to- bocco pouch. "Have the goodness to smoke," ho said, "then you'll sit down, perhajis. I don't wish to appear inhospitable, but I should liko to reiimrU tiiat my car]>ets won't stand much of that j l>roiiienn(ling." | ".lack, you may laugh at mo," ho | sui<l. "I fought hard against it af- ' ter ,vou loft, but it was no u.so. I | went into the woods the next day to workâ€" honestlyâ€" but 1 thought ol her all tho tim<>, and lo and behold! she came." "Mesmeric iiiMuence," muttered : .Jack Wesley, cynicall.V. 1 "Before she appeared, a fellow, a Mr. Berton, hnil ridden up and warn- ed 1110 olT, none too pleasanily, for trespassing, and wo were in tho inid- <llo of a row. I think ho wanted to strike me lindl.v; he's got a bad tem- per, poor mull! She appeared " "Like an ungel with a harp nnd an olive branch, typical of tho peace- maker. Co on; III use it for iny next story." ""The man went (Uiâ€" and I got her â€" Heaven knows how! â€" to stop. 1 â€" I put tho (log she hud with her into the sketch, andâ€" we talked." "Tho dog and xouV" ".lack, 1 cannot describe her." "(iood Heavens, my dear follow, don't attempt it!" "Sho Is tho mo.st beautiful girl I over saw; there is nothing in the Uul- ler.v that would <lo her justice. Hut if she were ns jilain as " ""As a Dutch wcuiian," ptit in Jack. "'I shoulil love her ai dearly. If you only knew her! Hut you will some day, soon, 1 hope, and you will love her for her own sake and mine, too." "Well, go on." "1 â€" I might never hnd' another chance of seeing her, hut luck was on my side. She was coming fnuu a visit late at night, nnd nn nceident happened " "And you wore there and savod her," put in .lack, with a forced smile of aiuiisemeid covering liis in- terest. "Atlmiraluo! tjoite a .scene in a nielodraiiMV. Wero .\ ou much hint? 1 noticed you carried your arm rather slifUy. It isn't a cork one, is it?" "I walked homo with her to tho Court andâ€" aiulâ€" yes, I told her thnt I loved her!" ""Yes, mo.st certainl.v tho staiAO has lost a good dual," ho muttered. "You told her?" "Yes," said Cyril, his face flushod, his eyes glowing, and ho seemed scarcely conscious of .Jack's \v.c- scenco. "Wo met in the gindo tho next day, and I " Ho got up ami laid both hands on .Jack's shoulders and looked clown at him. "Jack, she loves me! She has promised to l>e m.v wifol" .lack Wesley's face grow grnvc. "Isn't tliis rather siviuiis, my d-a fellow?" he Slid, (|nlett,v. "It is Hoi'iuus; .It is the most sor- word of congratululion. Jack?" ask- ed Cyril, in a low voice. "I congratulate you," said Jack Wesley. "What is it. Jack? You aro an- gry with mo about something. What is' it?" "Don't ask me," and .lack Wesle.v got up and, turning to his table, be- gan to pull tho papers nliout. "But 1 insist," said Cyril earnest- l.v- "Jack, you and I have never sjioken a cro.ss word to each other yet; there has never lieen a lireuth of coldness between us until now. What is it?" "Don't insist. Let us talk of some- thing else." "But I do insist. I could not nst until I knew what I had done, and â€" ' "Well, if .vou will have it," said Jack, as if driven to liay, "I think ,vou have actedâ€" well, not as I should have expected you to act. Cyril." "I? What have I done?" demandotl Cyril. "In plain words, Cyril, you have allowed .yourself to drift i nto a course unworthj of you. You have peruiitted your fi.elings to sweep away those barriers which every hon- orable man should place t)etween him and an unworthy deeil- Tell me â€" don't speak yetâ€" but just tell mo what you would have saiil to me if 1, the .struggling, unknown writer, had won tho lovo of a girl so far abovo mo as n peer's daughter would bo, and had, having won that lovo, in- duced her to plight her troth to me. her father being kept in ignorance?" Cyril's face flu.shod, then turned pale. "She is, as you sa.v, quite unsop- hlsticated, knows llttlo or nothing of tho world. Loves you? Of course she does. I can understand that; there is nothing marvelous in it - But that very lovo of hers should have made you careful of hor. Do you think her father, tho earl, will not say that you have taken advan- tage of her ignorance of tho worldâ€" his world? Do you think he will not point out to youâ€" cast it into your teethâ€" that sho is what sho is, and tliat you aro only a poor devil of a painter?" ".lack," he said, in a low voice, "your heart is pure gold. I might havo known what you would have thought , havo guessod what you havo had tho honesty ond the can- dor to say. But"â€" ho drew a long breath- "thank Cod, 1 can say, 'Jack, you have wronged mo.' "How have 1 wronged yiui?" ho said. "'I am judging you by your own confession. I don't say that you could help loving this peer's (laughter; 1 dare say not. I saj that I think it only natural she should have givon you her heart; butâ€" why, lad," nnd his faco was full of grief, "it any one had told me that you â€" youâ€" had nctid ao, 1 would havo givi n him tho lie." Cyril took two or throe turns up and down tin loiim. Ilia face was strangely trouliled, but tliero was no trace of shaiue in- remorse in it. "You aro very hard on nie, .lack," ho said, In a low voire. "Am 1? Put it (low 11 to iny re- gard for ,vou," re.si)oiuled Jack Wes- ley, "You aro the onl\«. man in all tlio world I care to cell "friend,' and thai lu'ing so, I am as careful of (Mir honor ns 1 am of my own. Con- .und tho wolneiil The.v blind e\en .such a man ns you to a -•â- ov.so of right and wrong. Can't you s. o It, FISH THAT CHANGE COLOK. AitivAg tho curious observations made by students at the Bermuda Biological Station is that .some of the inh.abitnnts of the water there are able to imitate the color of tho rocks a»;d reefs among which the.\ swim. 'IHio common fish called the grouper po.sse.ssos this power. Its hromatic variability runs through a considerable langi; of colors. A specimen of the Octopus \^lli^aris. after Jerking nn oar from the hand of an in-'juisit ive naturalist, escaped pursi.il I'.y its ability to imitate the exact fh.ide of any brown or grey rock on which it rested. DI'"-Si;UT AIU. A German iihysician has discover- ed that the air of the Kgyptian (le- .sert is ahout^ as free from bacterial life us the Polar regions or the high seas. Tubercle bncilli are killed when exposed six liours in the sun- light. He eonsiders the desert especially suitable for rheumatics and patients sufTering from kidney disea.s-es ond tuberculosis. '/eACHANCE and it will make one pound of flesh on less food th«n any other farm animal because its diges- tive juices are stronger. It is the ideal meat making machine. Hence every effort should be made to keep it " up " and growing from birth. No let up because it is too much effort to get it back. It is less effort to draw a wag- on a given distance if constant- ly in motion than if stopped and started every once in awhile. Clydesdale Stock Food will keep your hogs " up " and growing because it gives a bet- ter appetite, thereby increasing the digestive fluids, and these dissolve and assimilate more food and at a profit. It keeps them in tip-top health enabling them better to resist â- disease, thereby making a firmer flesh. It gets them to market weight much sooner, saving feed bill. Nothing better for runts. Equally good for Horses Cattle and Sheep. Nothing injurious in it andean stop feeding it without harmful effects. If you are not satisfied after feeding it your money cheerfully refunded by the dealer. Same for all Clydesdale preparations. Clydesdale Carboline Antisej^ tic will keep your pens and pigs clean. TRY HERCULES POULTRY FOOD Clyobsdalb Stock fooi> Co., T.iMiTi:t>. Toronto BRIDGE BUIl/r ON WOOL. At tho little town of Wadebridgc, Cormvall, Knglaiul, there is a bridge of a unique character. t)wing to I he strength of the current, onlinary stone foundations would not hold, and numerous devices wero tricl without success. Eventuall.v bags of wool wore sunk in tho sli-eam and the piles driven in, and th-ia strange foundation has proved wonderfully lirm ami satisfactory. MUNICIPAL NEWSPAPER. Dresden, t!ormnny, is ono of tho few cities posst-ssing a municipal newspaper, and this was bixniealhed to the city by tho late Dr. (!unt. The befniest is a very valuable pro- perty, and consists of a dail.v nows- pai>er, which, in consec(ucnce of its extensive circulation, is the princi- pal ailvertising miHlium in the neighborhood. The •profits are ap- pliml to the beautifying and im- provement of the city and to char.- ity. DOLLS AS KDUCATIONISTS. A novel idt>a has been realized in Paris by M. La'O Claret ie. who. bo- sidos being an eminent wlucalioivist. Is an ardent advocate of ivndering education attractive. His system of the history of France in divssod dolls is to bo placed on public ex- hibition, as an object-lesson in its capabilities. Even tho prc-historlc periods, whose lite can only be known on thL> testiinoiiv of the rocks an> represented. Within tho pale of histor.v every age i.s represented by its lending figures, as Caul, pro- Koman, Uoman, and I'rankish. Then come tho Crusades, th' I'^ng- li.sh wars, the later Muhlle Agva, th« early modern period, aiwl so ou to tho Third Uepublic. BREAD MADE FROM MOSS. Along the Colombia River a kind of bread is made by the Indians from a moss that grows on tho spruce fir ti-o«. This moss is pre- pared by placing it in heaps, sprink- ling it with water, and permitting 'it to foiment. Then it is rolled into balls as big as a man's head, anil I'h.'so ai"a baked in pits. NOVEL CROW-CATCIIKR. In onler to catch crows, which do so much damage to the growing crops, Italian farmers have taken to placing small pieces of m'.'at ia conical-.shapeil paper bags, and siiieariug the inside of these ba.ga with glue. When tho bird puts hia head in and llnds himself blindfolded he flies upward to an iinnun.e height Ibut falls near his slarting-place. PIIO.SPEROUH CONDITIONS IN THE AC.IUCULTUUAL 'OIST!tIC'r3 (Drawn from tel.>giaphic do.'^cription.) )t^fl iftaa