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SYNOPSIS. Richard Lightnut, an American with an Affected Kngllsh accent, receives a pres ent from a friend In China. The* present proves to be a pair of pajamas. A letter hints of surprise to the wearer. Llghtnut dons the pajamas and late at night gets up for a smoke. Mis servant, Jenkins, come* In and. falling to recognise Light hut. attempts to put him out Thinking the Servant crazy. Llghtnut changes his clothes intending to summon help. When reappears Jenkins falls on his neck With Joy, confirming Llghtnut'* belief that he is crazy Jenkins tells Lightnut of the encounter he had with a hideous Chinaman dressed In pajamas In a message frorp his friend. Jack Hillings lightnut is asked to put up "the kid" Xor the night on his way home from < ol Jege Later Lightnut finds a beautiful girl In black pajamas in his room. Light nut is shocked by the girl's drinking. Smoking and slangy talk. She teils him er name is Francis and puzzles him with a story of her love for her sister's room-mate, named Frances. Next morn ing the girl is missing and Lightnut hur ries to the boat to see her off. Me is ac costed by a husky college boy, who calls him "Dicky." but he does not sea the girl. CHAPTER VIII. Her Brother Jack. "Good night, Dicky!” came up the /levator shaft. And then more "good i nights,” growing fainter with their ! laughter as the car shot down. “Good night,” 1 called after them “Devilish sorry you fellows won't stay j longer!” "Jolly good lie, Jenkins,” 1 said, I yawning sleepily, as 1 dropped back Into my own apartment. "Yes, sir,” assented Jenkins demure ly. "It’s sleeping on the divan the other night, sir. Eight hours there ain't nothing like eight hours in bed and in your pajamas.” "Pajamas!” 1 ejaculated, startled. For all day I had been thinking of her. I wondered if Hillings would hap pen to invite me up for the week end. But he had so many times, and 1 had 1 never gone. “By Jove, that reminds me,” 1 said ' ‘Those red silk pajamas!" "Yes, sir.” Jenkins' face hardened ' In an odd, wooden way. “1 was wondering. Jenkins, if those pajamas were torn any in our little row the other night.” Poor Jenkins winced a little. "I think not, sir," he muttered humbly— “leastwise, they were all right last night when Mr.—" He seemed to catch himself abruptly. "I mean when 1 found them this morning, sir.” He returned with the garments 1 had received from Mastermann, and again we spread them under the lamp on the table. They looked singu larly smooth and unwrinkled. There ■was not a single tear or break, not even with the delicate cords that twisted to form the frogs of the seat. "My, sir! But ain't they red!” breathed Jenkins. "Them cords look like little red snakes.” 1 cut an anxious glance at Jenkins, for 1 did not like his reference to snakes. Seemed ominous, somehow But his appearance was composed and reassuring And, by Jove, come to ’ook. the cords did look Just like tiny, colled serpents of glowing fire. Why, they were so jolly red they hurt your eyes. Fact! And thin as the bu*u tlful stuff was, this brighter red ran all over the other, covering every inch of it and forming the closest, finest what-you-call-lt embroidery. It was as faint and dainty a pattern as that on a soap bubble! Fa*'*. !s. I could not trace it, even with my glass. The only part that wasn't covered with this embroidery business was the etuff used to cover the knots, or little balls, over which the cords were meant to hook. In working with some of these cords, idly fastening and unfastening them, I got a little Impatient with one that seemed tight, you know, and 1 used my manicure knife to pull the knot through. “Careful, sir,” warned Jenkins “Likely to cut something.” By. Jove! No sooner >-ald, than 1 did It! 1 lie ua.'ucu uiuwx1 ' u pi o.t'uv'n oqd cut into the threads that tied the covers or caps or whatever you-call 'ems, over the knots. And when 1 pulled, the beastly piece of silk came off in my fingers. And then—oh. hut I say! I just gave a sort of yell and dropped the ■whole thing! Ever have some silly ass try to scare you by poking a red hot cigar at you in the dark? Know how you Jerk back? Well, there you are! For, give you rny word, when 1 peeled off the little cloth cap, regular blazes of crimson fire seemed to shoot from the end of the knot. Fact Is, It wasn't a knot at all, but a button—a devilish glassy button, something bigger than a dime, per haps, and thick as the end of your little finger. And there It lay against the silk, burning its way through it like a red coal of fire And It was just then that Hillings rolled In. -, I say “rolled in," because it always looks that way. That's the wav Hill ings is built you know . • '1 say. Dicky,", he panted, 'just .missel another* Infernal express! •plenty more trains, but I I d a -Meat Inspiration strike use that 1 d let you JSU? roe ’-It lor the night Hat, Jen by FRANCIS PERRY ELLIOTT *=* ILLUSTRATIONS J>y KAY WaUtas coMynnrrrr /»/ nr nosnx-Mirant t aanswry , kins. Now, don't say a word, Dicky, j old chap. Cane. Jenkins! Great pleas ure, assure you—won't inconvenience at all. Gloves, Jenkins! Just give me something to sleep in, and 1 11 be as comfortable here as I would be at the club—so don't worry any about me, old chap. By the way, want to thank you for taking care of the kid. Got home all right, I understand." He plunked like a Jolly elephant in to the largest and most comfortable chair in the room and wheezed for breath "And, Jenkins!” He raised one fat finger while he took a gasp. "Don't mind If I do have a package of Dicky s Koroskos and a sloe fizz—not too sweet, you know; and you may—" Billings broke off suddenly. Then he climbed heavily to his feet, and without warning, heaved himself across the room and seized the button I had Just uncovered. Dashed if he didn’t almost upset me. "Here, I say!" I protested. "Don't lose that cap." I picked it up from where he had jerked it to the floor. "It's the cover to hide that glass, you know." "VVh a-a-t!” Billings swung round, staring at me with the most curious expression. "See here. Dicky,” he exclaimed rather excitedly, but in a low tone, as he cut a side glance at Jenkins si phoning the fizz over at the eellarette. "What in thunder have you been do ing now?" By Jove, I turned cold for a minute, I was that startled. I thought he was going to use the pajamas as an intro duction for reference to last night. But in a minute I saw that he did not mean that. "Where on earth did you get any thing like this?” “Oh, I say now!" 1 remonstrated, alarm changing to a mild dudgeon. Billings' devilish rude manners are so offensive at times. "What do you mean? It's a present from a friend in China.” Jrresent: innings eyes bulged queeriy. He stooped toward me, whis pering: “Did he know what this but ton was?" "Why. of course he didn't,” 1 an swered Indignantly. "Never dreamed of it, of course. 1 tell you. It was all nicely covered, was w hat-vou call-lt— upholstered, you know—with devilish nice silk. I cut It ofT accidentally, trying to force the thing through that loop. That left the marble exposed." Hillings took the glass mechanically Trom the trav tendered by Jenkins and sipped it slowly, eying me curiously over the top. Then he set it back, very deliberately, wiped his mouth with the bit of napery, and without taking his glance from me, waited un til Jenkins had left the room. Where upon, after another searching look at the button, he dropped it with the garment upon the table, and with hands jammed deep In his pockets, faced me with a long-drawn whistle "Well, I'll be hanged!" he ex claimed Just a coarse, vulgar out burst. you know—no sense to It: no point at all, you know—that's Hill ings. He caught up the coat again. "And these others—four of them—are they Just the same?” he demanded sharply "Hash it. how should 1 know? I suppose so," 1 answered Indifferently. And I closed my eyes and leaned back, feeling a bit—just a bit—weary. Some how, Hillings is always so exhausting when he gets started on something "Oh, cut It out, old chap," 1 protest ed, drowsy.like. "I will.” 1 heard him say. Then I guess 1 must have dropped off a bit, for the next thing 1 knew he was shaking me. "Dicky! Dicky! Say, look here! Look, 1 tell you!" 1 did look, and—well, I was Jolly vexed, that's all. “Oh, I say now!" I spoke severely— just that way. you know ] went on, remonstrating: "Devilish silly joke. 1! you ask me. You've gone and ruined the thing. Hillings' Flashy buttons like that, you know—too tawdry, too cheap." "Cheap!” He almost shouted It Then he leaned over the back of the leather chair and pounded his fat head against the cushions, writhing his big bulk from side to side. "Quite impossible," 1 said firmly. "Not en regie at all. you know!” And 1 fixed my glass and stared gloomily at the things. The five shiny buttons just lay there against the delicate silk like so many fiery crimson cher ries. He leered at me. chuckling "Look cheap to you. oh? What you might call outre, so to speak?" “By Jove, of course." I answered ruefully. "I can't sleep In the things now, you know. What would people say?" Hillings stared at me disagreeably a moment and said something under his breath Then he caught up the buttons and the silk, and crushing them ill his nands, burled his face In the mass n(Jh you beauties, you darlings!” I heard 1*ho murmur. Then he looked at the button* again, and dash if. he ki.-sed me Maffcfltu^jolly maudlin I cr.y. if you ask me? "I say, Dicky." he said carelessly. “You may not care for them, but I’ve! taken rather a shine to these buttons, j Mind letting me have one, eh?" He flashed a quicR glance at me and then away. “Mind? Why, certainly not; take 'em all, old chap, and welcome.” Yet I responded gloomily enough, scarcely polite, you know. And I felt too Jolly prostrated to be curious as to what he could possibly want with the things. Waistcoat buttons, likely— Hillings was given to loud dress and other bounder stunts. But he just sat there looking down after 1 spoke, and presently stole a queer glance at me. He suddenly held up the row of red buttons again. “Look here, you blessed dodo,” he exclaimed brusquely. “Have you real ly no Idea what these are, these glass buttons you are yapping about? Of course you haven’t, you jolly chowder head, but I’m going to tell you.” He threw the coat Into my lap. “They are rubies, old man. that’s all,” he said quietly. "Oriental rubles, at that—flawless and perfect—the rarest and most precious things in the world.” CHAPTER IX. An Amazing Revelation. I stared blankly at Billings. "Ru bles!" I gasped. He nodded. "Genuine pigeon bloods, iny son, no less.” "Oh, come now, Billings,” I protest ed. I felt a little miffed, just a little you know. So jolly raw to try it on that way. "By Jove, old chap, you must think me a common ass,” 1 suggested dis gustedly. Billings grinned at the very idea. "You a common ass, Dicky?" he ejaculated. “Nobody who knows you would ever think that, old man.” “But, I say—” “See here, Dicky boy. I'm in dead earnest," he interrupted eagerly. "Don't you remember my one lad— gems? Got enough tied up in them to build two apartment houses as big as this. Best amateur collection in New York, if I do say it. But I haven't anything like one of these rubies, and neither has any one else—no one else in this country, anyhow There's nothing like them in all New York, from Tiffany's down to Maiden Dane, and never has been I never saw any thing like—near like any of them— except the one in the Russian crown of Anna Ivanovana. That's bigger, but it hasn't the same fire.” les your friend has sent you are aw fully rare and old; and for delicate, dainty elegance and that sort of thing they've got everything else In the silk way shoved off the clothes-line. But as to these Jewels, you can Just bet all you've got that whoever passed them on was not wise to them being under these covers.” Here he got to looking at one of the buttons and murmuring his ad miration—regular trance, you know. "By Jove!” I remarked, Just to stir him up a bit. And he unloaded a great funnel of smoke and continued: "My theory is that during some danger, some mandarins’ war, likely, somebody got cold feet about these Jewels and roped them in with these bits of silk—see how different they are from the rest of the stuff! Then, when the roughhouse came, these pa jamas were swept along In the sack ing—sort of spoils of pillage, you know. It was a clever method of con cealment—clever because simple—a hiding place unlikely to be thought of because right under the eye. You re call Poe’s story of 'The Purloined Let ter?’ ’’ I asked Hillings how much ho thought one of the rubles was worth. I had in mind how devilish hungrily he had looked at them. Hut he sighed, then frowned and answered impatient ly: "That’s it! That's the trouble about all the rare and beautiful things of this life! Always some debasing, prohibitive sordid money value, dam mit!” He squinted at the stones again and let the weight of one rest upon his finger. He shook his head, sighing. "Well, they’re over twenty carats each, and therefore, of course, many times the value of first water dia monds. After you get above five carats with real Oriental rubies, dia monds are not in it.*1 With an abrupt gesture he pushed the things away and rose. His pipe had gone out. but I noticed that he did not relight It. I held the gems full in the rays of the lamp, and Hill ings paused, holding a hungry gaze over his shoulder. “I say. Hillings, how much did you say one was worth?" 1 asked care “Have You Really No Idea What These Are?” I just laughed at him. "Why, HU1 | lugs, these pajamas were sent me by a friend in China, and 1 assure you—" "Assure? What can you assure— ! what do you know about it?" said Hillings rudely "What did your friend i know, or the one he had these things from—or the one before him—or the j one still before that? Pshaw!” And he snapped his fingers With his hand he swept up the lit tle caps and the long, wirelike threads that held them and sniffed the hand ful curiously. “Il'si:! Funky sort of aromatic smell balsam, cedar oil or something like that." he muttered half aloud. "That account.- for the preservation Hut still—" He crossed bis legs and puffed thoughtfully. "Tell you how 1 figure this out. j Dicky,' he said finally. "These night- i lessly. For a moment he did not re ply, but muttered to himself. "1 didn't say,’ he finally replied, and rather crossly. Then he whirled on me impulsively. ‘ See here, Fight nut," he exclaimed, "If you’ll let me have one of those for my collection, 1 11 give you twenty-five thousand tor it—there!” He gulped and continued: "I’ll have to make some sacrifices, but I don't mind that. 1—” Hut I shook my head. Really. 1 could hardly keep front laughing in his lace. >orry! <'an t see It, old ohap." I said "Wouldn't sell one of Utt m at any price." tTo r-ti: covriNi'tm > It is a great point that a boy slu uM be made to tn kie things hat' are no: easy cr pleasant. ARKANSAS AS A 1 Ranks Twenty-second In U. S. Figures Given Out by Cen sus Bureau. 10.808.758 FOWLS IN 1909 These Were Valued at $236,562 an Average cf 26.54c Per Fowl. 27,054,674 Dozen Eggs. — Western Newp’paper Union News Sfrric®. Little Hock.—During the year 1909 there were raised in Arkansas 10.80S,. 758 fowls on the 186,359 farms lnp. These were valued at $2,868,562, an average of 26.54 cents per fowi. On 185,627 farms reporting there were raised during the same year 2i,054. 674 dozen of eggs, valued at a total of $4,459,272, an average of 16.48 cents per dozen, according to advance fig ures of the Thirteenth census issued in Washington by Director E. Dana Durand of the Itureau of the Census, department of commerce and labor. The total value of the fowls and eggs raised in the state for that year was $7,327,834. Arkansas ranks twenty-second in the production of poultry during that year. Figures for U. S. The total number of farms reporting fowls raised in 1909 was 5,655,7.>4, or 88.9 per cent of all farms in the I nited States, and the number of such fowls was 488,468.354, or an avetage of 86.4 fowls per farm. No report was pub lished in 1900 showing the number of farms reporting or the number of fowls raised in 1899, but the total value was given as $136,830,152, as against a value of 1909 of $202,506,272. It will thus be seen that the value of poultry produced in one year shows an increase during the decade of over $65,500,000, or 48.0 per cent. The last census shows that in 1900 there were produced in the United States, 591,311,371 dozen eggs, valued at $306,688,960. The produc'ion in 1899 was 1,293,662,433 dozen eggs, and the value, $144,240,554. While the pro duction of eggs during the ten years increased but 23.0 per cent, the value more than doubled, the exact amount of gain being $162,448,419, or 112.6 per cent. Seven states in the country raised oxer 20,000 fowls in 1909, namely: Il linois, Missouri, Iowa. Kansas, Texas, Ohio and Indiana: their combined pro duction comprising over 39 per cent of the poultry produced in the United States. Only four states, however, re ported a production of over 100,000.000 dozen eggs, namely: Missouri, Ioxva, Ohio and Illinois; their combined : product representing over 25 per cent of the total Newport.—While his xvife, who is blind, stood upon a houseboat and heard his young children screaming. "Save my daddy," Will E. Norman, a pearler, near Ingleside, sank beneath the waters of White river recently to be pulled out 15 minutes later, lifeless. A severe storm caused Nor man’s boat to break loose from the bank, and xvhen he waded out info the stream the sxvift current caught him and he was dragged under. Glenwood.—A local lumber company of tills place shipped 170 cars of the finest grade of soft yellow pine dur ing the month of April. The ship ! ments were to Northern markets, and is a record breaking month. This mill j cuts 150,090 feet dally. EXERCISES TO LAST MONTH Conway Has Many Colleges Who Will Hold Graduating Ceremonies. Wi stern Newspaper Itnion News Service. Conway.- A commencement season, lasting more than one month when the four educational institutions of Con nay will award diplomas to a total of 66 graduates was inaugurated here, when the baccalaurate sermon of the Conway High School was delivered. The commencement program of cen tra] College will begin Saturday, May IS. and continue until Wednesday, May 22, and 13 programs will be ren dered. May 26 is commencement Sunday fer the Arkansas State .Normal. The commencement season in Con way will end with the closing exercises cf Hendrix College, which will be held June 16-19, inclusive. Forrest City—Forrest City may not only have free delivery, but a hand some postoffice building. Postmaster Fitzp. trick says the revenues for the fcc.'.l year ending March 31, 15,12, were 510,150 in round figures. Drainage Plans Accepted. Pine Bluff,—The directors of the f.r-i’ - Drainage District, which was organized to reclaim 20,000 acres oi firm farm lands in Wneoln an ; .Jeffer son c-unties, held a meeting ,in ;iie r>i'i< of thy ct*o.ifor th district. Judge Tan • tlot’M. in th - . y, ,. •eet.nl (he plans an ! s if- at >,$ o( *..«• Fneitieo* trd o dered . d --c-e. men’s for the let dm of th. c-or,Tact fir the ID dite! . The as.--, . -1: ;its ere nov. made preparatory to th? :j tuanco of ’It L nds. SUFFERED ALL NIGHT LONG Painful Experience of Mrs Stephens. Husband Tries in Vain to Obtain Relief. Pontotcc, Miss.-—“All night long" says Mrs. P. G. Stephens, of place, I would suffer with my hack and 1 had such dragging down paini I could not stand it to walk or rid® for it would put me in bed. My health had been bad for two years. My husband got the best doc tors that he knew, but their medicine did me no good. I used Cardui, the woman's tonic and it put me on my feet again, j am feeling as well as I did when I was 1C years old. I used about 7 bottles In all, and Cardui has helped me more than aaj. thing that I used. I took lots of other medicines, but they did me no good. As long as I live, I won't be with out Cardui in the house,” As a remedy for weak, tired, worn out women, who suffer from any of the aches and pains caused by wom anly troubles, Cardui has been proven safe and reliable. Composed of gentle-acting, herb in gredients, its action is mild and natur al, and it has no bad after-effects. It is therefore harmless for young or old. It has helped others, and should certainly help you, too. Try it. N. n-Write toi I.ndtea’ AdTlaory I>ept., ( hnllnniMiga Medicine Co., Chat .nn«oKn. Trim., for Speelnl Inviroo tlona, nnd G-f-pnice book, “Home Treat* mont for Women,’’ aent In plain wrap per, on reqnrat. We all admire a man who says JuBt what he thinks—about other people. “That horrible weather”—how pleasant t! really Is when you are well! tiarlield Tea helps always. The man who wears a silk hat shouldn't butt in. Smile on wa*h dir. That’s when you um Red ( ross Ball Blue. Clothes whiter this snow. All grocers. Time. "flow long have you been a widow, Mrs. Weed?’’ "It will be a year the 4th of next month.” “Dear me! Is it as long as that? How time flies!’’ “Oh, do you think so? Well. If you ever have to wait a year to look pleas ant when men offer you attentions you'll give up the idea that time Is much of a flyer.’* They Saved HI* Life. Does it pay to stop your motor ear after an accident and go back to see w-hat has happened? Two young mo torists on the south side believe it does. With a green chauffeur these two boys were trying out a new model touring car They were sitting in the back seat when the greenhorn at the steering wheel gave it a twist and came within an ar« of hJtting an old man at a crossing The victim wa» so shocked that he fell to the pave ment. and a crowd gathered in an In stant. Looking back, the motorists decided that things looked bad. but that they had better go back and see whether the old party was killed. Finding him all right, but winded, they took him for a nice ride around the parks. So pleasant did they make It for him that when they took him home to bis wife he introduced them as “The two young men who saved my life.’’ Thcv nre pew eking of applying for Carnegie medals. KNOWS NOW Doctor Was Fooled by His Own CM* For a Time. It’s easy to understand hew ordi nary people get fooled by coffee when doctors themselves sometimes forget the facts. A physician speaks of his own extf* rlence: "I had used coffee for years and really did not exactly believe it was Injuring me although I had palpitation of the heart every day. (Tea contains caf feine—the same drug found In eoJTee— and Is just as harmful as coffee.) “Finally one day a severe and al most fatal attack of heart trouble frightened me and I gave up both tea and coffee, using Postum Instead, and since that time I have had absolutely no heart palpitation except on one or two occasions when I tried a small quantity of coffee,which caused severs irritation and proved to me I must let It alone. w nen we began using posium »» seemed weak—that was because we did not make It according fo directions —but now we put a little bit of but ter In the pot when boiling and allow the Postum to boil full 15 minutes which gives it the rroper rich flavor and the deep brown color. "I have advised a great many my friends and patients to leave off coffee and drink Postum, in fact I daily give this advice.” Name given by Postum Co.. Battle Creek. Mich. Many thousands of physicians use Po§tum in place of tea and coffee in their own homes and prescribe It to patients. "There's a reason.” and it Is explain ed in the little book. "The Road to Wellville” in pkgs. l'vcr rend the ah •‘lit* :ip«v ir« from f i.r«* trenulue, true. Interest.