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THE IHDiAII APOLIO JOURNAL, GUIJD AIT, .APML- 14, I 15 Occident, Orient, Occident "I wish I could give you better hopes, old fellow, but I'm bound to tell you how the Ian ! He.--, and so I have;" and Frank It A knocked the ashes cut of hi. pip,, t nd looked into the smok!njr-room lire, and r..t .it the f.;ee of his friend. It was i;;st m dnUht, the r?t of the l.Hiehoid at the Manor were In th:lr bods; but the two young men Frank Lesll", the fen of the house, and hf3 friend an J guctt, J'.egin.ilu FcrtercMe hau Ushered late In .-mo tin,;-room ch.ttl-s over old Oxford recollections (they had been fellow coi Kgiai.s). and then Fortercae had hinted ut a secret to his friend only to find that Frank knew it already. - Though they hid been close frienls at the university circumstances had separated the j-alr for several years. Leslie had gone Into the army, and hi: regiment had im x.'.edi.'itely been ordered abroad; while j. orteseue had devoted himself to reading for the br with an assiduity which left Jttm but little time for social engagements. This w.is. in fact, Fortercuo's Ilrst visit to the Manor; Leslie, who had returned l'f me on leave, had at ence written to the c!l fiicnd with whom he had always mim tailed s'mc correspondence, insisting upon rortscue's paying a viit to Ms father's liouv lurin? the long vacation The Manor household consisted of th 'quire, a hale and hearty country Rentle jnan of yixty odd years, and his son and daughter. With the daughter Fortescue v.w already acoualntea, having met her tit the hnus of a mutual friend in London, where Miss Leslie had boen stayin? during "the season." and "Molly and I were always good chums," Frark Leslie had remarked with a smile, "jin.i I fancy I know fron her all you're rung to say, old fellow. There's no man In Fnglind I d sooner call brether-m-1 iw than yourself, and I believe, if things wore r.nlv ditferent. that Lie uear o'd governor himself would be pleased enough with the r:' ttch; but, as matters stand " and Frank made an ominous pause. "You think your father would object," t.ild Fortescue in a low -olc-f. "I'm sure he'd never heard of the mat ler at all." said Frank with decision; "it's IJndest to speak out plilnly at oacc. The truth is. Fortescu". that things have been jroing from bad to worse with us for a -pg time. It's no fault of dear old dad's Jnr when he cane into the estate it was rnrtfaged up to the hilt, and had heavy charges on it. And then poor Pel ham's ex travagance " Forttscue nodded gravely; he knew some thing of the career of that discreditable elder brother, who had died a yeer or two before. "We struggle along somehow," proceeded Leslie, "and It would break the old gentle man's heart outright to give up keeping the tort of open house he's always been accus tomed to have, though Mony and the house keeper cut down as much as they can. Hut, knowing his own worries about money mat ters. I am yure the old man would never cllow Molly--" "Hut I am doing fairly already In my profusion." urged Fortescue, "and hope foon to de yet better. I have, as you know, some little private moans." Leslie shook his head. "I know It all, old fellow," he said kindly; "you've more brains in your little finger than I have in my whole body, and you'll jrobabIybe chancellor one day. Hut the governor Is ambitious for Mary, and tpak to him If you like, but I honestly can't hold out any hopes to you. I only wish I could." There was a long pause. "If Simon Leslie's lost property would only turn up now, what a convenient thing It would be!" said Frank suddenly; "for I really believe, Fortescue, if the governor could dower Mary himself, he likes you quite well enough to agree to the mar- liage. But I know he will stickle for money or. one side, anel there's none to be found on ours, worse luck." "Has your father lost any property, then?" "Did I never tell you the story of our family mystery equal to that of a family ghost? No, the governor hates talking about It, but I sometimes think of It, all the same. There's a tradition of some lost, etoltn, strayed, certainly disappeared, prop erty of a dead Leslie, which would make us 3rtsent-day onts wealthy folk if it could only l-e found which ic can't." "This is Intt resting." and Fortescu3 leant forward in his chair. "Anything like a mystery always has a great attraction for me." "Well, If you can ravel this out, you 11 be a wise man!" replied his friend. "The ttcry Is Lrietly this. My great-uncle, Si mon Leslie, who died some sixty odd year3 ciso. was a queer old chap; a little touched In the head, some people said. He had l-'f-n wild enough in his youth in with all the Urgency set, you know but he turned cjuitt a miser and recluse during the last years oT Iris life, and lived In this house lü'ich as the old Lord Byron the poet's gr-.-at-uncIe, you know did at Xewstead; t-iiiy 1 necr heard that poor old undo Sim I.: i. le pets of crickets as the wicked Lord F.yren did. I don't believe that my grand l;.th r .-aw his brother for a dozen years Lifo.-e hi - d.Mth. and when old Simon died i t hi-t it vhs found that a lot of valuables ba 1 ihsaje e ired." "lisapi eared V" "Yes. There had been a good deal of dis turhante in this part of the country during tiie refoun iiot? in the thirties, and it was idas thought that old Simon Leslie, who was reputed to have a good deal of money Loanhd in the house, and who was never u very popular character, as you may sup I"; -e indeed, the country folk openly said t!.at he was a wizard, and had sold him relf to the devil had hidden many of his X-o.-sei ns. so that if the raob who burnt Nottingham Castle in 1SG1 had marched on to the manor they would have had some trouble in discovering things he didn't want to lc.-e." "And those were?" "Well, some family jewels, for one thing ß diamond necklace which had been in the family fur a couple of centuries; you can tie it painted on the neck of Ursula Leslie la the picture gallery and she died In Ch?.rles Il's days. It was said, too, that old bimon had hoarded up a considerable sum la gold, kept it in the house. But tho w .r.-t 1 ss of all was some Important pa pers, which would have established our claim to a good deal of property still in chancery: we can prove everything except lu one link, and it is believed that thesa lapers, which my grandfather perfectly remembered having once seen In his eld?r brother's possession, were hidden by old :imon with the other things in and have never been found since." "But has no search, no inquiry, ever been made?" asked Fortescue. "Search T' said Frank, with a sort of groan. "Just ask the governor about that! I believe my poor grandfather nearly pulled down some rooms In the house after he fame into the property, hunting about for the missing treasures. And my grand mother, when'she was left a widow, went further, for when the mesmerists came into Xhlon she had a lot of them down, one BY ? LUCY HARDY Copyright, 1C01, by Lucy Hardy. S after the other, to try if they could solve the mystery. The old lady spent a good bit of money, but the spirits never gave her any useful information. One 'medium' did go so far as to confidently predict that 'a member of the household would . be 'en riched in the course of a few days, anel then verified his prediction by letting himself out of his window at night, after clear ing off all the seventeenth-century silver tankards from the dining-room sideboard. That occurrence rather shook Granny's faith in the mesmerists, I'm told. Of course, all this happened years before I was born. When the dear old dad came into the prop erty which his father had mortgaged pret ty heavily in order to embark in some wretched speculative investments he vns fairly sick of all the talk of Simon Leslie's treasure trove, and refuses to believe that it ever existed at all. But I believe that it did, otherwise why did old Simon draw up that mysterious document?" "Have you any clew, then?" asked For tescue, eagerly. "Well, there's a bit of paper with what the governor says Is gibberish written upon it, which was found in old Simon's watch cv" when he died; and I always fancy that the okl fellow meant this as a mem orandum of the place where he had hidden the papers and jewels. Uncle Sim wa found dead in his bed one morning, and left no Will, nor any private papers behind, except this, mysterious watch-paper. I'll ask the governor to show It to you to morrow If you like." "Do so, by all means. Tracing out links of evidence Is in my line, you know; and ii Fortescue paused. "Look here, old fellow," said Leslie, ear nestly, "the governor may be right, and all this treasure story a wild-goose chase. But, all the same, if you could only light on the trail and clear up the matter well, I believe you might ask for Molly as your fee. But, mind you, I'm afraid it's only i forlorn hope." "Sherlock Holmes himself never had my incitement to play the part of investigator." replied Fortescue, with a smile. As Frank Leslie had truly said, his father disliked all allusions to the story of the missing property, and did not receive very graciously a request to exhibit the paper which contained the supposed clew. "Frank was a fool to take up your time with listening to such senseless stories. Mr. Fortescue," said the old gentleman, rather testily; "the whole tale is a palpable ab surdity. However." courteous consideration for his guest's wishes carrying tho day, "here is the precious document, since you want to look at it," and the 'Squire un locking the drawer of an antique bureau, I reduced one of those massive old watches which were in vogue at the beginning of the century, opened it, and extracted a piece of paper from the case. As was usual with Mich old watch-papers, one side bore a vcoocut in this case a representation of Salisbury Cathedral, while on the other tide were traced in minute but legible characters: 12 Occident, Orient, Occident, i Gulej "I wonder what It means?" said Mary, who now beheld this document for the first time; for the squire was not fond of ex hibiting it, nor indeed of speaking upon tho eubject. "Mean, my dear?" replied her father, a little tartly, "why that old Simon was as mad as a hatter; and that those who came after him were rather a set of fools. There's no mystery to me as regards what became of the papers, nor of the money and the jewels either. My poor old father saw them all at one time, no doubt; but every one knew the kind of life Uncle Si mon had led, and long after he was old enough to have given up thatkind of thing, too I fancy that it was only after all his good friends, male and female, had re lieved him of the Jewels and the papers, anel of everything else he could give or gamble away, that he took to saving and starving here." "But why did he draw up this paper, which seems like a memorandum of some thing?" said Mary Leslie, who had been studying it Intently. "Why does a crazy man scribble non sense?" said her father. "I believe, in his later years, that old Simon fancied he was about to discover the Philosopher's Stone; he fitted up a laboratory I know and that was the reason why the folks hereabout said he was a wizard. Well, poor fellow, he was certainly cracked enough towards the end of his life, and the less said about his younger elays the bet ter. Are you going to give us any music to-night, Mary, my dear?" "Would you permit me to keep this paper for a day cr two, and examine it carefully at my leisure, Mr. Leslie?" said Fortescue, who had been looking attentively at the watch-paper. "Keep it for a week If you like, my good fellow, said the Squire, genially, for his transient Ill-humor had speedily vanished. "Do you want to sharpen your wits upon it as useful practice, eh?" "I should certainly greatly like to un ravel this mystery If it be possible." The squire burst into a goou-humored laugh. "I'll fee you handsomely if you do," he said. "Perhaps one day, Mr. Leslie, I may re mind you of that promise," said Fortes cue. quickly; and Frank noted, though his father did not, a swift glance which his friend shot at Mary, who hastily shielded her face behind the "music sheet on the piano, and struck a chord with rather an unsteady hand: "All right," replied the Squire, settling himself In his chair for his usual after dinner doze, "when you've discovered the missing Jewels and title deeds, Mr. Fortes cue, don't be backward in asking me for a recompense. But I hope, for the ss.ke of your future professional career, that you'll hold many better briefs than mine;" and the old gentleman chuckled at his little joke, while Fortescue carefully laid away the watch paper in his pocketbook. Fortescue was Invisible a great part of the next morning, writing letters In hts own room it was supposed, but after lunch eon he joined his friend in the garden. "Well, how goes on the detective work?" cried Frank, laughingly. In his heart he had not very much faith in Fortescue's success. "I believe I have found one clew already!" was the unexpected reply. "But tell 'me first, was your grandfather a Wiltshire man?" "No; but I have hean that he spent much of his early youth In that county. A distant cousin, who had an estate near Sal isbury, was very fond of Uncle Simon as a boy, and would have left him all his property had . he not become offended at Uncle Sim's wild course when he grew up. I suppose the woodcut of Salisbury Ca thedral on the watch paper put this Idea fcxto your head." "Yea; andlt has suggested another Idea to cs. I'm from Wiltshire myself, and you know our local lines regarding Salis bury Cathedral: As many days as in one year there be. So many windows in this church there you - see; As many gates as moons cne here does view. I needn't repeal all the doggerel lines." "Well," said Frank, as his companion paused. "I have been wondering." said Fortescue, slowly, "whether, when your great uncle wrote those words and figures upon the back of a picture of Salisbury Cathedral, this old rhyme run in his head, and he was making a memorandum of " "Gates or windows here? But, man, we've more than twelve of any of them." "Yes." replied Fortescue, with a smile, "and of iireplaces, and of doors, and other things also. But I've been walking around the house this morning, and I find you've exactly twelve of some things, and that's chimneys; and they run along pretty well in line with each other." The manor was, in fact, a long rambling range of buildings, which had been often added to by successive occupants. "If my theory is correct," pursued For tescue, "the words 'Occident, Orient, Occi dent' signify that these twelve chimneys are to be counted from west to east 'Wld dershln' against the course of the sun." "You mean that Uncle Sim hid his things in one of the chimney pots?" gasped Frank, In amazement. "No; I have thought about that possibil ity, but dismissed the idea from my mind. I find that access to the roof here is dif ficult, and, as I am informed by the house keepera delightfully garrulous old lady tha your ancestor is reported to have been much crippled by the gout for some years before his death, I do not oelieve he would have been able to climb up into the dan gerous places to conceal his property. Frank, I believe those papers and jewels are lying somewhere close at hand in this house, if we only had the wit to light upon their hiding place." "You seem fully to believe that they are hidden." "I am sure of it," replied Fortescue, confi dently. "I only wish I could be half as certain of discovering their place of con cealment as I am that they do exist not far from us, under this very roof and that this paper, read aright, would guide us to them. We can but work on, step by step, and the first step is to ascertain which Is the. twelfth chimney, counting from the west, and then to carefully examine the room to which it belongs." "Several flues may run into one outsido chimney," replied Frank. But, on examination, it proved that tho chimney which Fortescue indicated as No. 12 appertained only to a small apartment at ihe tmd of the house, which had been built at a later date to the rest of the abode. It was a disappointing modern-looking apart ment, lacking the paneleel "wainscoting or the recessed niches which maele so many of the other rooms In the manor more likely looking "locales" for cunningly contrived hiding places. "It is an absolutely modern chimney, small and narrow, with no possibility of a priest's hole' being contrived in it, as might well have been the case with some of the other parts of the house," said Frank, peer ing up the chimney shaft. "All the same, I am sure we are on the right track," said Fortescue, confidently. "Why, see!" he cried, as the setting sun suddenly shone in at the uncurtained win dow, "this room faces due west! That's the meaning of the second Occident. Count twelve from east to west, and then find a west room. Frank, we're getting on." Frank looked at his friend in admiration. "Yet I don't see that we're much the for warder," he remarked at length, as he glanced around the absolutely bare and empty apartment. The manor was far too large for its present occupants, and several of its rooms were unfurnished. "I think I'll strike off detective work for to-day and think over the matter leisurely," said Fortescue. "Later on I'll apply to that souree of useful information, Mrs. Sim mor.ds, and find out what this room was used for and who last occupied It." "It has been empty and disused as far back as I can remember," said Frank, and Fortescue asked no more. Indeed, his friend sometimes thought that the young barrister was beginning to cool in his ardor for discovery; and, after a few elays had elapsed, Fortescue ceased to allude to the subject of the search he vras still supposed to be prosecuting. "I begin to be afraid that the governor Is right after all; it's a wild goose chese. Fortescue has found this out, but he doesn't like to say so, and is just quietly giving up the -business," thought Leslie to himself. But he was entirely mistaken in this idea; Fortescue had neither given up his belief In the existence of the treasure, nor relaxed in his efforts to read the meaning of the mysterious paper though, as the days went by, the young barrister became somewhat doubtful of his own ability to read the riddle. "The property is hidden somewhere In this house, and I hold a clew to it!" tho young man repeatenl to himself again and again, with a conviction which seemed to increase with the difficulties which con fronted him. Mrs. Simmonds had been able to give lit tle Information about the former use of the apartment, except that it was situated in the same portion of the house as that in which "Wizard Leslie," as he was called, had traditionally resided, an ad jacent apartment having been said to have been used by Simon as hU laboratory. This latter room has been most carefully examined by Simon's brother and succes sor, and its wainscots and flooring had been removed with a view of ascertaining if the "wizard" had concealed his property in his workroom, but nothing could be dis covered. This, Fortescue reflected, was not surprising; he was convinced that the mys terious "Occident," Orient, Occident" indi cated the small western room; but what could be signified by Gules 9 Never, even when he was working assidu ously for his mathematical "exams.," had Fortescue so labored over columns and combinations of figures. At first, with a light heart, he had mere ly armed himself with a footrule, obtained a stepladder from Mrs. Simmonds, and de voted himself to measuring the walls and floor of the suspected apartment a medium sized room, with bare, unpapered walls and plastered celling, absolutely devoid of fur niture, and nearly square In shape. The window was not shuttered, there was not a recess In the apartment; a wooden "locker," like that to be found In an old-fashioned nursery, was fixeel as a window seat, but this was empty, and its height from the ground corresponded, neither in feet nor inches with the "7," "9" which was running In Fortescue's brain night and day. His cwn bedroom was in the same wing as this "Occident" apartment, and often, at day break, when all the household was asleep, did the young man .steal secretly to the empty apartment, and measure and remeas ure. walls, flooring, even celling, in the hope of discovering some loose board, some crev ice, some concealed spring but all without result. Then he worked at all manner of combinations and "square roots" of th3 tormenting, baffling figures, and tried meas uring by the guidance of these. Then came the thought that the word J "aule3M might hold some clew to the mys tery. The Manor library still contained romo volumes on the fantistic science of alchemy (presumably collected by the wizard"), end Fortescue alternately pored over these in the seclusion of his room at night, and tapped and rapped the walls and rioorlng of the "Occident" room by day, and the weeks went rapidly by, and he was reluctantly obliged to confess to himself that he seemeel no nearer the solution of the mystery than he was at the commence ment of his quest. Had the house been his t-wn he would have half-pulled down the suspected room before giving up his hope of Discovery; but he was well aware that tho Squire would cemntcnance no such proceed ings in fact, all the search had hitherto teen conducted secretly, with the obliging connivance of Mrs. Simmonds. At length, when but a couple of days re mained before the termination of his visit. Fortescue decided to try his fate with the Squire and ask him to ratify the conditional promise which pretty Mary Leslie had whispered in the conservatory of a London ballroom a month or so ago. "Only If papa consents. Remember, I will never go against his wishes," she had mur mured, and, from what Frank had said, it seemed unlikely that this consent would be given. Ifd Fortescue only been able to ap pear with the missing treasures in his hand. He did try his fate the evening be fore his departure, and found that Frank hael been too true a prophet. The Squire was kind, and obviously painted at pro nouncing a refusal, but absolutely inexora-i' ble in his "noh possumus" all the same. "It can't be," he repeated firmly. "I'm sorry enough for It, 'but I have my little girl's interests to think of, you know. I be gan to be afraid how matters were standing between you two, but there you're both young, and will soon forget. I like you, my lad, and I don't eloubt you'll make your way well enough as the times go on, but you can't afford to encumber yourself with a portionless bride, and Mary shall never marry a struggling man with my consent and I don't think she'll every marry any one without it." "Of course not! And I would never be the man to tempt her to do so," said For tescue, hastily. "But. oh, sir, cannot you give me any hope? If I am ever in a posi tion to satisfy your requirements" The Squire held out his hand with a kind-' ly smile. "Come to me when you're earning enough to keep a wife, not in luxury t but In decent comfort, and I'll say this; I'd rather give Molly to you upon JCl.noo a ye.tr than to an other man upon JEIO.OOO. But I absolutely bar any engagement, mind; Molly's young, not twenty yet, and I'll have no promising and tying down for heaven knows how many years to come before you could be in a position to marry her. But I needn't say," he added. In a kinder tone, "that I quite trust to your honor in this respect, Fortescue, and later on when you and Molly have had time to think this affair over, and possibly think differently about it, I am sure I shall always be glad to wel come you at this house as Frank's friend and mine, too, for that matter." And with this poor comfort Fortescue had to be content. After all, was it not reason able that her father should object to so sweet and lovely a girl "tying herself down," as he phmsed it. In a long engage ment. Anyone might be proud to win and wear such a bride, thought poor Fortescue, with a sudden pang. "I may see Mary once by herself," he said at length, "Just to tell her your de cision?" The Squire grunted; he would obviously have preferred that a farewell interview did not take place, though too kind to ab solutely forbid it. "I could have told her myself, but I sup pose you must have your own way. You're going to London to-morrow; you'll have time to say a few words to Molly before you leave In the morning, but mind, Fortescue, there's to be no engagement, no correspondence. I trust to your honor In this matter." For many a weary hour that night did Fortescue sit wrestling with the maddening wiords and figures which seemed burnt Into his brain. They fairly danced before his eyes at last and he threw himself on his bed and slept heavily from sheer exhaus tion. It was not a cheerful breakfast party next morning. Fortescue was downcast from a sense of defeat, Mary's blue eyes boro suspicious traces of tears, Frank was unsociably silent and Mrs. Delamcre, the placid elderly lady who acted as a kind of duenna and companion to Miss Leslie, was the only person really at ease among vthe company. To her the Squire talked more volubly than usual, yet with a certain air of constraint. It was a relief when the uncomfortable meal was over and ,the par ty dispersed. 1 "You'll find Mary in her morning room if you want to say good-bye to her," called out the Squire a little later as he saw Fortescue descending the staircase after completing his packing- "I've told James to bring round the dog cart at 11 sharp, as you say you want to catch the train at the Junction; he'll be here in half an hour." One more half hour In Mary Leslie's so ciety before he said "good-bye" to her al together. Fortescue hurried down the passage to the familiar loot of Mary's private sitting room, where the girl was busy with some painting. She was alone, but now that the longed for moment of speaking to her privately had actually come a strange shyness and silence seemed to fall on both the lovers and Fortescue only said as he took Mary's hand: "I have ventured to speak to your father at last and his answer was 'no.' " "I feared it! I was sure of It!" answered Mary In a low, tremulous voice. And then there was a pause and a silence, for Fortescue, mindful of his promise to the Squire, dared not trust himself to say more. As he stood thus irresolute his eyes fell upon the picture on Mary's easel, an Illus tration of Keats's "Eve of St. Agnes," rep resenting Madeline kneeling beneath (he painted casement through which ' Shone the wintry moon, And threw warm gules on Madeline's fair breast." These words from tho poem were written below. "I did not know that you were an artist as well as a musician," said Fortescue, with that strange impulse to utter banali ties which so often comes in moments of a supreme emotion which we are forbidden to express into words; and at this moment Mrs. Delamere came in. "I am but a poor artist." said Mary, quickly, "Mrs. Delamere did most of this picture, did you not, dear?" turning to the intruder. "I sketched it, my love, but you have done all the colorijrg." replied Mrs. Dela mere in her placid tones, unconscious that Fortescue was secretly anathematizing her lor her Ill-timed entrance. "The picture Is taken from a window In thW house," added the good lady, turning her mild, spectacled eyes upon Fortescue. "You don't know the joom, of course. It is an empty one in the west wing; it has a large latticed window exactly like that " "Or rather has a window frame, for the stained glass which used to be there was removed to the dining -room some years ago. It seemed a pity to leave that beauti ful colored glass wasting in a room which was never used." said Mary in a hasty tone of talking for talkings sake. "I sketched the frame of the window from that In the empty western room, and Miss Leslie has colored it from the dining room window, continued Mrs. Delamere,- with gentle exactness. . But Fortescue did not heed her, for his brain had began to whirl. A sudden thought had flashed across him. Was he, at this last eleventh hour, about to make The Great Discovery? "May I take this painting away for a moment?" he said hastily, and scarcely waiting for a reply he seized It and hurried oft. leaving Mary and Mrs. Delamcre gaz ing after him in some surprise. "The dogcart has not come yet," said Frank, over whom Fortescue had nearly ttumbled in his excited rush down the cor ridor; "there's plenty of time yet." "Come!" cried Fortescue, unheedingly, "I do believe I've read the riddle at last." "So we've thought before." muttered Frank to himself, as he followed his lrlend's hasty steps to the western room, where Fortescue placed the sketch upon the ground, studied it attentively for a moment and then sprang up with a Joyful shout. "Fureka! It's all plain enough now," and he turned to the window, which was fitted with a number of shaped lattice panes of plain glass, which had been fitted Into tfie place which had been occupied by the colored ones now In the dining room. Fortescue carefully counted them. The center pane made the seventh, counted in any direction. "Seven, and it was gules in color when the other jlass was hre," he cried joyful ly, looking again at Mary's sketch, "now for the nine;" and he drew from his pock et the foot-rule with which he had so Jong and wearily measured that baffling apart ment. Nine feet below the middle pane gave the bottom of the locker in the window. "But you've looked in there a dozen times already," remarked Frank, who had ac companied his friend In some of his early searches. "There's only the ordinary plank ing of the room at the bottom of that locker." Fortescue did not reply for a moment, he had lit a match and was peering intently into the locker. "Do you see this?" he crieel at length. "I see the naHs which hold the plank ing." "Nails? Why, they're screws!" cried the other; "and ordinary carpenters don't screw down the boards they put into floors." "We'll soon see further," replied Frank, producing from his pocket one of those useful compendium knives which are a chest of tools In themselves. In a few minutes the screws wrere with drawn and a plank raised. Underneath was a cavity filled to the top with some dusty packages; Fortescue hastily pulled out the flrst that came to hand, and as he lifted It a fastening gave way and a magnificent diamond riviere rolled out upon the fleor; Frank then thrust In his arm and drew out a tin box, which, on being opened, proved to contain the long lost papers and documents. Fortescue had, at last, alighted upon the missing treasures. Nor was this all; the rest of the cavity was filled up by a number of small bags, containing gold and silver, amounts which themiser had doubtless been hoarding for years. Over 3.000 was thus brought tp light, as Fortes cue and Frank, excited and dusty, dived again and again Into the recesses of the cavity. By the time it was emptied most of the manor household, including, of course, the Squire and Mary, had flocked to the scene of action. "It's really 'quite a providential occur rence," said the Sejuire, a little huskily, as he put on his spectacles to peruse and re peruse the papers, which really represented the most valuable part of the "find." "Why, bless me, these make out our claim as ciearly as the sun at noonday. Martin" the family 'lawj-er "will open his eyes when he looks them over; you shall drive round to the bank at once with the money and the diamonds, Frank, and call in on Martin as you come back. And as for you, Mr. Fortescue," here the old Squtre turned quickly to his guest, "I'm sure I'm fairly at a loss to express my thanks my sense of the deep obligation you've conferred on me by this amazingly clver discovery; It's really marvelous, 'pon my word, how you ever pieced the thing together. Your brains beat ordinary ones, that's quite clear I only wish I may ever be able to show" here the Squire hesitated a moment; For tescue turned to Mary and took her hand in his. "Oh, I mean to hold you to your engage ment, sir," he said with a smile; "you re member that If I ever succeeded in discov ering your missing property you promised to give me a fee." "Humph!" said the Squire, glancing at his daughter's blushing face. "It's my be lief, young gentleman, that you've taken good care to secure your fee beforehand." There was a wedding at the manor some months later, and the same necklace which had first shone upon the fair neck of Ur sula Leslie, some two centuries before, glis tened in turn upon that of a yet lovelier and sweeter bride when Mary Leslie, Ursula's beautiful descendant, wore, as her father's bridal gift, the diamonds which her lover had so astutely rediscovered. OUT OF THE ORDINARY. Coal can be transported 1,000 miles on the American lakes for 20 cents a ton. The earliest mention of snoes Is In an Egyptian papyrus, about 2,!a years be fore Christ. The big Corliss engine, which is to run the power plant of the Pan-American Ex position at Buffalo, will be a Cöd-horse-power concern. The organ now being put into the Mor mon Tabernacle In Salt Lake City will be, it is said, the finest instrument of the kind in this country. In Georgia it is estimated that 20.000 negroes have been graduated, at a cost of $100.000,000, which colleges are supported by Northern money. Roughly speaking Britain produces for export a little less than twice as much per head of her population as the United States, France or Germany. The Philippine islands are to be care fully surveyed. The natives will not be for gotten. Fifteen Filipinos will be selected to assist Li the coast survey at $720 per year. Last year 11,000 tons of American agri cultural machinery were landed in southern Russia. Three vessels arrived there re cently with 20,000 tons, in all valued at $1.250.000. Amerlcn-made boots and shoes are driv ing British-made goods out of Australia and the Britlfh colonies in the East and West Indies and Africa, where they have always had a monopoly. Liquor drummers report that the sale of keg beer In Kansas has decreased 75 per cent, since Jan. 1, and the sale of case beer, for use In private houses, has in creased nearly proportionately. Banana growing is a feature of fruit raising in southern California. Though It rices not meet with the same success as :t does in tropical regions the enterprise Is said to be making a fair progress. According to an apparently authentic article in a French perodical, not less than 20.000 aristocrats are at present confined in the prisons of Europe. Russia stands first with 12,000 blue-blooded lawbreakers. The flrst anthracite coal known to be such was discovered at Mauch Chunk. Pa., in 1701. The Lehigh Coal Mining Company began business In the same year, making a commodity of tne recent discovery. It is a noteworthy fact that the Japanese man quickly discards his Inconvenient and unseemly robe, but the Japanese woman seldom exchanges her picturesque kimono for the dress of other women about her. The first clocks manufactured in this country were by Eli Terry, at Plymouth, Conn., In 1733. The manufacture soon be came extensive and Connecticut wooden clocks were famous all over the country. For the first time since the Grand Army of the Republic wa organized the mortal ity In the order last year went beyond 10,-' 000. Within four c? Ave. years one-half of MONDAY at BLOCK'S A SILIC SALE Of Unusual Magnitude. CRYSTAL CORDS (known as Wash Silk) 50c is the rrice everywhere, to-mor- r row JAPANESE IIABUTAIS (known as China Silk) They are 21 inches wide and come in a gord assortment of colors, Lyons dye, our regular price is Doc, to- '"is... morrow FOULARD TWILLS, also PLAIN CHI NAS In a good assortment of color grounds, with neat printings, üöc OQ -and fe qualities, to-morrow LIBERTY FOULARDS and SATIN FOU LARDS French and American makes, in every conceivable coior groun I. with beautiful printings, our regular (fir price I SOc and Sc, to-morrow uu FOULARD BROCH E A liberty weave, with a contrasting shade of Jacquard of the most harmonious color combination, true, artistieal conceptions of printings, only single patterns of a kind, our regular price is $1.50; to- t 0 morrow pinj NOVELTY SILKS for WAISTS, such as PRINTED WARP LOUIS1NES and EM BROIDKRED TAFFETAS The top notch of this season's innovation, our if regular price Is $1.50; to-morrow, s' 1 FANCY SILKS Taffeta grounds, with con trasting lace effects Jacquards; also satin grounds, with contrasting cords, our regular price Is slc and $1; to- Q4 morrow J TAFFKTAS All-silk selveged. a splendid color assortment, our regular price cq is 73c; to-morrow xj LOUISINR MKItVILLIKUX-Tho acme of perfection in plain silk, suitable to the prevailing clinging effects, our reg- Qti . ular price Is $1.25; to-morrow LOUISINE CIIAMKLEON-Also plain, in a splendid color assortment, our ;Q( regular price is SOc; to -morrow J BLACK TAFFETAS-2I inches wide, all silk, soft finish, our regular 73c quality; to-morrow BLACK TAFFETA-Wear guaranteed, so marked on selvege. 20 inches wide; aÖ--to-morrow Same quality, 27 inches wide; to- Q3r morrow BLACK TAFFETAS Yard wide. 89c uuaiii) t lo-iiiuuuw BLACK FOULARDS-21 inches fQr wide, the $1 quality; to-morrov. ITlne "Wan-no SPRING OPENING OF NEW Every article in our store is entirely new and shows all the ad vanced ideas for this season. If you are refitting your home or in need of a Sideboard, China Closet, Table, Bed, Chair, Bookcase, or if you have a Couch to upholster, you will find it greatly to your advantage to come to us. Opposite Courthouse, 205 . Read . 5c a Line 7 Words to the Line . -THE, Classified On Paß: 5 Cosifrfe Telephone Old - - 233 - - . . in Public We will Call For Your Advertise A ment THE JOURNAL the 40O.OW members In 1W) will have passed from the rolls of the living. the Po. in North Italy, is miles In length The deposits at its mouth have caused the coast to gain upon the sea so rapidly that a point which in the time of Augustus was a seaiort town Is now eighteen miles from the Adriatic. Japan has no music, and the first melo dies of the race ever heard, aside from that of the birds, were hymns sung by Chris tian missionaries. Notwithstanding this many Japanese have of late years become expert musicians and charming vocalists. The river Tlatte during the summer Is dry along the greater portion of Its course. The water runs underground, only an oc casional pool appearing on the surface. By digging almost anywhere In its course a supply of fresh, cool water may be ob tained. The latest statistics of the Salvation Armv show that there are 732 corps now in the "United States, with twenty-four food depots, which have furnished 110.fr month ly meals, and 100 social-Institutions for the poor, with a total dally accommodation in the same of 7,200. At least one co-operative colony that lo cated in Dickinson county. Kansas seems to be thriving. It was formed three years ago and has made money from the start, clearing $1.842 last year. The colony has a ranch, a general store, a bank and an In surance feature. The mngnltude of the operations carried on Incidentally by David nankin, the Mis souri cattle king, may be imagined when it is remembered that at his ranch in Atcci- fon county this year he v.111 plant lO.W acrs of corn alone, employing about -J) men and utilizing COO horses. The total number of copies of newspapers nrintexl throughout the world In one year Is estimated at 12.0 O.OJO.fOO. To print these requires 7S1.2X tons of paper. The oldest newspaper is said to be the Ktn-Fau of Peking, which has been published continu ally for over one thousand years. For some time the corporation of Glas gow has taken comparatively small Fum of monev on deposit, and the experiment has worked well. Emboldened by the suc cess the progressive element of the City Council proposed that banking should be added to the municipal undertakings. One Kansas law says the personal prop erty of a dead man. when not claimed by relatives, shall be sold at auction. Another law prohibits the sale of liquor. Recently a gallon of rye whisky was found among the effects of a dead man who had left no Sale of Dress Linings FANCY BLACK TAFFETAS Yard wide, our regular l?c quality c TAFFETA 31 .Inches wide. Nubian fast black, regular Fc quality Iv MERCERIZED SPUN SILK Yard wide, fa black, regular 2.V qual- SILESIA SC inches wide, n gu- H ' lar 12'sc quality ' PERCALINE Yard wide, fast Mick Qr and slates, regular l.c quality " PERCALINE Yard wide, soft moire Ai beetle finish, regular 2-c quality .1- MERCERIZED SATEENS-Fast b'.acIC and all the shades, regular Z o tO,. quality LINEN CANVAS-StlfTcnintr and -.kirt facing, regular D c quality luJ- FRENCH HAIRCLOTH 24-Inch, a up. :1 or quality, all pure hair, regular bite quality VI13 OF Lace Curtains, Portieres and Materials LACE CURTAINS-3 and 3'i yards lens, full width, heavy uverlocked edges, Qi $1.50 quality JJ NOTTINGHAM CURTAINS-C yards long, extra wide. $2 qual- CJJ39 CARLE NET CURTAINS Exact copies of the real Arabians, plain cen ters, insertion effect borders, Jj0 C $5.50 quality cpo.oc NOTTINGHAM LACE BED SETS Largo size, pair of shams to match. 1 Cl KO quality TAPESTRY PORTI ERES-In the Roman and Bagdad stripts. Oriental colors, heavily fringed. $i.3o(t:' QfT quality 4.tJ FISH NET ft) Inches wide, for Bed- O JL? sets and Curtains, St'c quality v- SWISS MUSLIN Yard wide. In fig- Qr ures, stripes and dots, 13c quality EXTENSION RODS-Brass extends Q to 41 Inches, 12c kind CURTAIN POLES-lnch or inch and a half, in white, oak or mahogany, brass and white corrugated trimmings, Q. 33c and 40c kinds EL. IBlools: (Do and 207 East Washington Street. Your Wants, Your Sales, Etc ... Will be read By thousands In these Columns. Telephone New - - 238 - - the . . Let The Journal Act As Your Salesman known relatives. The Probate Curt fhaa taken the whisky "unuer amimumu A Twentieth Century 31lrncle. To the nlRor of the Indianapolis Journal: It was generally understood that "tha day of miracles was past." and even in telligent ministers and orthodox Chrb-tl-ins of all sorts readily admit the truth cf the statement. Hut it teems that It Is not true, after all. We have this week report ed from New York a regular up-to-date miracle, hot from the press as It were, "duly verified" and "solemnly averred." after the usual fashion. In brief, the f,tory is this: The Christian Science peo ple dedicated their church in New York on Monday last. Previously, orders hac been sent to the sculptor to carve thi name of the church on the cornerstone. This had been done, and the stone shipped, but not unboxed. Meantime. Mother IvUy. who discovered Christian Science and wrote its Bible, had been noticed of the farts. Mother Kddy objected to the inscription, and wrote her followers, suggesting altera tions. Lo. and behold, when the utone was unboxed it was found that the lettering had been miraculously changed, without the aid of the chisel. In accordance with Mother Kddy wishes. All these Allege lacts were gravely related to the congre gation three separate times on Sunday last, by the public reader or preacher, ana It Is recorded that no cne ma4e protet. or even smiled. It is discouraging tnt this should occur In the beginning of tn twentieth century, in the metropolis of America, and in the most enlightened coun try in the world, where common ch(uj are found on every comer, and wbere hun dreds of millions of dollars have Wen ex pended In colleges and universities. JIow can we wonder at the superstition In Kus 5ia. which has Just banished Cunt ToUto.. the Victor Hugo of his country, because he "refused to be enlightened, ana wr. express astonishment at the continued manifestations of the same thing In poor old Spain? Science has been endeavor! rff for thousands of years to eradicate from the human mind the phantoms of Ignorance and superstition, but uch occurrences as that reported from New York, and labeled, as if in bitter irony, with the word 'th ence " would seem to suggest that tha contest between procres and retrosrea ion a, ..III -""-V. VAN PVUC , Indianapolis April 12. o9