Evening Star Newspaper, March 24, 1900, Page 24

24 Copsright, 1808, under the name of Little Anna x Mark, by S. R. Crockett. ppright, 18%), R. ket.) « Synopsis of Previous Installments. Sir James Stanstield of 3 Milns, in com- pany with his grandson, younz Philip, meets in an inn hous his son Philip and his son's paramour, Mark. The Sir quarrel. Jan, James goes hen ‘That night be son and Jaqet taking along his grandson. his dissolute take his body floe In the effort Rat He is murdered by Mark. The ad lay it on an t the boy Philip has witnessed the crime tells his grandfather's chtef tenant, Ump! Spurway, and Spurway succeeds in havi real murdere, brought to Justice. He is sen- teneced to be hanged, and his woman accom- plice to b= transported. Mysteriously Philip Stansfield ¢ lows, seeks out bis wife, mpany of Spurway and tries to .aurder her, but does not quite ed. She fs taken away to Abercairn for re, leaving her son, young Philip, in charge of Spurwiy and in the company of little Anna Mark, from whom he learns that in some worth quite as they are ex- even though she beats studies in the school to which her. John Stansfield, Philip's brings in a new teacher, Dom- a small man with wonderful after his ked and thrilled with a ni of bloody and anrders, @ ake of robbery. Business calls Um- from he In hls absence a . purporting to be full of |, 18 deli su He puts it in the niltp, playti h the gauze of es. He calls then stabs of € = thre ons both Anna lip Stansfield cloak to the | ru” red, a abdue the white em. creased cow and ¢ them Stil, i call a well-lookin: w that id in have 1 folk. Have pity on r for our religion.” wered, from what pairt she that though ill, s just they did in mighty curious ents of n s of this woman, “pairt. And it_w: to hear the fami trish on th> ij f the “I eome from strn,”” 1 said, ring town called ng Will a look that not to come nearer to the truth. at Will, thi wholly without diplomacy admirable 5 ce, and sim. if mentally pot Abercorn k at me she . DI of Philip 1 at the instantly taki answered, I but have I. Hear ¢ that has lived as im? Did he not slay the “gat him? Was he not a mur- an outlaw?” be,” she |. “There in and blacker of hue flip. But what of him? When © executed?” ever was executed,” I said. “He he very day, though many in t h» died on the widdy by » that he escaped? thles: - . not reveal what excellent reasons I nk hing. I merely told her ng and fruitless pursuit, attacks on many mansion hou and how it had beem more recently ascer- tained beyond a doubt that Philip Stansfield had departed furth of the realm of Scot- land. s I spoke the ruddy color gradually left the face of th: woman. The reins dropped she said, THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MAROH 24, 1900-24 PAGES. a seafaring man. He used often to land at your town, though that s not his coun- T hav> heard him sp os “What?” T cried, loud enough for Anna to catch every word—she had withdrawn a little from the paling, but still stood listen- ing. a little removed from the woman's sight —“what, not swarthy, gypsy-like man with silver rings in his ears?’ “The same—God's truth, the same!” she cried, yet not gladl: What of him? Tell me quickly. He is dead—tell me, he is sure- ly dead ie has oft been reported g9,” I an- swered, “bu! ever turns up again, like a bad ny which even a beggar will not tak alms.” “Where saw or heard you of him last?” It was a difficult question, but I turned the corner of it, I thought, adroitly enough mes to me that ere I left Abereairn told that he had turned privateers- “Tt is worse er in he muttered, ‘thi: and worse. Every pirate and pr the world makes for the Spanish Mz "she about “And this y turned to where An een standing, but, seeing nothing of her, she continued—‘w! does he in the nunnery? H» looked somewhat over comely to be foot page among so m omen folk!" She at her own conceit and I at the Moreham expression she 1 at the close. So from this point we were better agre And I d for that time fi answering ams » questions. I fear that 1 should h. ed to He ere long. So the lady Sitveda rode away lainty feet in- rrups large as barrel hoop: a pair of wiiile a great ail on aviet mur- ond the ame from her pun honor on this en prove use- Then car and took not t mother with of my & ov a nun and inevitable know quired, my m point blank: “I am_ th Stansfield of North Milns in did my mother alway: about her I re to say Philip "Por stened us on our way to muld be . it proved. the eorner 1 a man upon way and striking and the of his gust us, but is of h vorra. n on horseb aching. Inst and came pning to hing to F tye smitte ested out sor he would b Spanish matier of | y Span- { clipping his words like t dening them out of reec ots, thinks it worth w itifuliy as he can—whie! and gues: little, E understood a good deal, mor “Let me come at (here followed a ) if # let one of th the tram | the s ' ed for the mazed right in his path. vbout to ride us down. nside when quite n he Stick round with a s 1 directly under the ear with a ding me stupid. I swayed and 1 caught me ur us ve en but that W E and shie blows of Don Nicholas Silveda, takin; on his own shoulder without compi isting himself on us, ‘a to strik Ifa i them nt. turned upon need him: of him it Who t still though ooking once, I borra. But rame from creature like a monkey +, who pricked hither lively ass much as a gadfly does group of — bewar Iron-i h. He with so much as touch him Instantly Tron Nicholas checked his »ke. and with his thumb thrust between s middle and fourth fingers, he made ghe or averting the evil ey nt,” ke eried. “I will not touch. I will have no witchcraft in my The grand Inquisitor shall ajo—I will beat the white f c he lene, fb very witch you if you nderi know of thi heretics inste to eatch the | ¢ And he would have fallen again upon us, s it were for mere pleasurable exercise, but at the very morrent when he raised his stick Donna Juanita rede up upon her mule. She did not waste a word upon him, but took hold of the weapon by the end which he had over his shoulder in the act of ng it down upon our heads. She ed the cudgel from him with a quick jerk, and, to the great amusement of all the chain gang. laid {t soundly across the shoulders of the commandante. The '¢ my people—do not touch them, pig of cried. “Have 1 not warned vre? Go! You are in dis- grace. sow brought up in the ore manners than te 2 bull of E: adura And this [ learned was her ordinary man- ner with her husband. She was so eager to acquire the words which bite and scarify that she would go among the very trulls nd morts of the soldiers’ quarters that she ‘ght hez alk. Then. upon occa- sion, th Don Nicholas with words that stung worse than his own stick, was cowed by the mere sight of . and even in public would beg pitifully to be taken into favor again. Yet withal there was a kind of curiously restless fondness between these twain. For Donna Juanifa would be furiously jealous of anys«woman to whom the poor man so ch as passed a word of civility. And in such a case there were no bounds to her ity, nor any lengths that she would not go in order to satisfy her desire for ven- geance. Don Nicholas also was reported jealous, and certainly whenever his wife teok it into her head to visit the monastery or go among the soldiery he would cause front her fingers upon the neck of the white mule and she clasped her hands as if pray- ing in church. “Save me—save me,” she muttered. “If Philip tind me h=re, I am a dead woman.” Then after a little she commanded herself and asked another question. “There was one Saul Mark in these parts, Peter Acla, the wizened little half-breed betwixt negro and Carib, to watch and bring him word concerning Donna Juanita’s actions. On this occasion, however, Don Nicholas wife submissively as*she went hither and thither inspecting the new road, approving of this and condemning that with a judg- ment which was beyond appeal. Presently she came to where Will and I were laboring side by side. She app2ared to notice us with surprise. “Let these men be freed instantly,’ she aid, pointing to us. “Bid the armorer remove their frons Don Nicholas said something to her in a low tone which I could not catch, but its purport was clear enough in the reply of the Lady Juanita. “I care not a sniff of tobacco for the grand inquisitor,"’ she cried, loudly. ll THE COMMANDANTE manners of the ef: gypsy Scot's wife, nd, hoydenish, half- he thought nothing of shouting the bri jests down from her windows to the men-at-arms, and as for her husband, ifdn:jaught he failed in his duty all the world &new of it by the mor- row’s morn. Yet in gpite of this, or because of it, Don Nichelag loved her so greatly that he was never happy out of her sight, and was reputed to:have forgiven her much more than is usually overlooked by men of his nation and profession. Presently the epach came rumbling and swaying back, and Guanita insisted upon us getting in, in orgenithat we might try the luxury of the red gelvet cushions and ad- mire the Venetiam mirrors set into the front and sides, in whichshe was never tired of regarding the comeliness of her own buxom countenance andwide, smiling mouth with its fine double rew-ef teeth white as milk. Her husband made)as if he would accom- pany her, calling:for a servitor to hold his horse, but his wife shut the door upon the three of us, waving her hand out of the window and crying back to the Senor Com- mandante, “Bide where you are, Nicholas. Once off your beast is enough in one day for a man of your figure!” Juanita then plumped her down among the cushions of the back seat, rolling from side to side in luxurious content, varied by leaning out of the window to make the out- riders go faster. Will and I had meekly taken the front places opposite to her, as became our position. But Juanita would have none of that. “Here, come and sit hy me, one of you. Am I to be rattled about like a pea in a bladder, because you are mum-mouthed? You Englishman, you are the best looking; come hither!” And though that was in no ways true, yet I grudged not poor Will his honors. For “I ask | he had perforce to sit beside her while Don you to have the irons taken off these poor young men, who are my countryfolk. a little grimace The comman¢ with hi shing them of pi conse wi ar, however, ble r of his w nge spiritual and ec- . of the b ame gre who had frons upon uled to re= move them, which he di ingly— dy Juanita standing 1 the d stimulating his energies with the cudgel as as he th. On the whole, I began ter opinion of even the il y country, finding them of tn nd importance on Saint John 0 as well as on the Isle of the In a little we were free and followed the white mule and the black hors? of Silvedas through the chain gang, who d upon us (poor fellc with an en- s eye. I saw Jean Carrel and said on his behalf to my lady. s at the poor man ench beast. I do not li chmen. They eat frogs!” ) we passed on, and the commandante Donna Juanita meekly on his r, glancing at her now and then fur- as if make out in v t favor he musing and yet pitzous t in so great ring ti nor w i« dem: contrast t whom w throu h the shrinking ranks of the chain ad which nad et with the » struck the made re ight thus far to ¢ the highway we had been helping ruct from the y of St. Juan de tain gen Here we saw ed in red and quar: 5 outriders in gallant liveri strode the foremost of the six horses. At sight of it Donna Juanita Silveda clapped her hands from its amb! ace, while it s and made the mule br into a kind of cantering tered its hoofs generously abroad, t- to the anger of everything near. It chanced that, being fleetest of foot of the company (in the absence of Anna), I at the carriage almost as soon as th? and though, as may be understood, y pride revolted at holding the mule of Janet Mark, yet, having no lack of th prudence of my nation, i made no difficult, but held the mul2 as well as 1 coula the Lady Juanita dismounted, for which she thanked me with a bow that was never rned among the clay biggins of More- + walked all around the carriage, ad- miring the panels. She patted the horses. She laced and tied the shoe of the out- rider. Anon, wishing to see her equipage move, so that she might be able to imagine herself within its noble cavity, she ordered the men to go along the road at speed and to turn at the corner. There was, however, some difficulty in starting, owing to the hind wheels having sunk axle deep in the light sand. Instantly Donna Juanita er- dered every one to take hold and help to move them, she herself catching at a spoke and heaving manfully, heedless of the con- cealed smiles of her attendants or of the mud. which stained the fine fabric of her dress. “Lend a hand here, Nicholas,” she cried imperiously to her commandante. “My lady,” he made answer, blowing out his cheeks, “it consorteth not with the dig- nity of a hidalgo and soldier of the King of Spain that he should labor with serv- ant “Come thy ways,” cried Juanita. “It con- sorteth worse with the dignity of a wife of an officer of the King of Spain that her coach should stick in the mud for the want of her husband’s bestirring himself.” And the poor’ dignitary had perforce to descend from his war horse and aid with all his might. Whereupon, all suddenly, away went the coach, Juanita running a little after it and clapping her hands, laugch« ing meantime with pleasure and excitement. ‘Now, up with you, Nicholas! Give me your foot. There!” ‘and with a hearty heave she had her husband again in the saddle, though there were twenty within reach who could have rendered that ser- vice for him. An extraordinarily good- natured woman so long as her toes were not trodden upon was my Lady Juanita Sil- veda, sometime wife of Saul Mark, priva- teer and common pirate. CHAPTER XLI. Perilous Favor. Yet it was curious to note how in all her took his castigation meekly enough, and | Standeur, and while speaking with care- instead of raging everywhere like a bull the lessness and unprecision the new language red died out of his face and he followed his !she had learned, Janet Mark retained the ‘ HESITATED. Nicholas spurred his horse the blackest glances upon the perilous favors to which my comrade had been so suddenly advanced, And so all the way back to the town of Porto Rico the carriage swayed and thun- swinging to one s ther. pw lureh- The stones and soil from road ic d by the heat of the 1d blown to dust by the trade flew in clouds past the win- dows from the spurning hoofs of the Don Nicholas clapped his hat head and set spurs in his wife waved he dropped lenged him to a . call- ing him Rum_ Pun “Dutch Haunche: ard Barrel,” together with other yet choicer names, so that the pos- tilions before and men servants behind had much ado to keep their seats between their mistress’ japes and the instant perils of the I road. For me, I declare I wished myself well back in the chain gang! Will confessed to me afterward that “she trod on my toes, looking at me the while, as a dog does at a meaty bone! If this be favor with fine women folk, Lord send me back to poor Jean Carrel. T had rather sufter for my religion any day! Presently we crossed a cre splashing to the hocks, the water coming into the carriage and Donna Juanita swearing like a grenadier, in clacking full- flavored oaths she had jearned from her father, who on had seen service with Grier of Lag. The be pulled us up the bank in a series of standing leaps, and at the top we found selves in a pleasant country, with trees in clumps and grasn almost as green as in the policies my grandfarger been at such pains to lay out about the house of New Milns There were maz trees, too, some loaded with fruit, others ‘g2y with birds of red and green, that_cawed 2nd gabbled with hideous noise. The road improved greatly from this point, and the poor eaptain of Spain had hard work to keep up with us, which from his jealousy of his wife he determined to do. ‘Then all suddenly we came out upon the crest of a little hill, and lo, there beneath us showed the town and castle of Porto Rico. The castle is very strong, standing with its works defensive and strong build- ings on a point of land h juts into the sea. The town has several churches and many houses with little arbors and in- closed gardens, all within the wall of the y. But the larger gardens for produce are without and contain many good vege- tables, with fruitage of orange trees, lemons, piantains. ground gourds and an excellent fruit called ccracon, because it is of the shape of a heart. Yet it must not be supposed that these gardens are fenced in or weeded as at home. The Spaniards, at least in their Indian colonies, have no Inclination to be so particular and nice. So all lies open and is trampled over by cattle and the wild things of the woods. Yet it is astonishing to see how many herbs, roots and vegetables gome to perfection in spite of all, though few, indeed, in that luscious soil and forcing climate have the flavor of a Scottish winteg:apple or an English peach ndeed, I thinkmone that ever I tasted. At last we came to the castle where there, at the barrier, was a military guard. As the carriage entered Donna Juaiita saluted the officer at the gate like a com- rade with an capy wave of her white hand. ‘Then scarcely were we drawn up before a large door studdedi with great nails than Don Nicholas galloped up, very red and angry, yet not daring openly to counter his wife in aught upon which she had set her mind. Yet would he not ‘let us out of his sight, for finding no groom at hand (we had re- turned unexpectediy) he let his beast go where it would and ran hastily up the wooden steps after us to the upper hall, which was used by the Lady Juanita as her chamber of reception in ordinary. The horse, being used to be petted, went straight to the low window of the kitchens opposite, and there the cook, a black man, fed him through the grill with ple crust and frag- ments of pastry. As soon as I heard the commandante mounting the stairs after us I waited be- hind to let him pass. This he did, taking no notice of me, as brushing me aside he stamped furiously upward after Will and the Lady Juanita. I longed for enough Spanish to tell him how poor Will had been suffering the torments of purgatory, yet perhaps as it turned out it was a fortu- nate thing that my tongue could form s0 few Spanish words. For when we reached the lofty chamber which was miladi’s hall and sitting room in ordinary Juanita ordered her husband back for a fan she had left in the carriage. The poor man paused, choked, hesitated— and went. As soon as he was fairly gone Donna Juanita turned her about and kissea ‘Will soundly on the mouth. “There,” she eald, “that is proper greet- . the horses ® ing between country folk in a far land. I have not had an honest Scot's kisg in half a_dozen years. These Spaniards are men of buckram and prunella!”" he would e’en have done the same grace to me, which, indeed, I was dreading, hav- ing indeed no liking for the ceremony, but at that moment the hasty footsteps of her husband were heard returning. He had indeed made good speed in his message— better, methinks, than altogether pleased his wife, for she frowned portentously and threw the fan down on a couch pettishly without thanking him for his trouble. Yet for all that she treated him after this fash- ion Don Nicholas followed her everywhere with his eyes and fawned upon her like_a whipped dog, which thing I judge not to be good for any woman, all of them being by nature the better for keeping in some manner of subjection. ‘Then Donna Juanita talked to us in En: lish, or more often in the Moreham Scoten of the more vulgar sort, while her husband, not being able to understand a word, sat and fidgeted, or stood by the window kick- ing his heels and tangling his spurs in the hangings, not daring to say a word. Save that I thought on the chain gang and the inquisition, I could have found it in my heart to be sorry for him. Donna Juanita Mstened to the relation of our esca| with the greatest interest, till, asking re the others of our party were, she suddenly bade her husband go back incontinent to the monastery and fetch all who had come with us In the boat. “I saw a well-looking young lad at the nunnery wall. It is not fair that he should stay there to play bob-cherry over so many watering mouths!” The commandante hesitated, as it were hanging in the wind for an excuse to sta‘ “I shall send a messenger immediately, he said, “it is more fitting, and the heat of the day is great.” i “I bade you go and bring them, Nicholas!” said Juanita, continuing her talk with Will. The governor shuffled toward the door. His eyes, full of fury, were turned on Will and myself. I wished that Juanita had not showed herself quite so friendly. In a few moments, however, we heard the rattle of horses’ feet. and, looking through the cur- tains, I beheld this most luxurious military governor, with a single attendant, speeding away in the direction of the monastery of St. John of Brozas. ‘I think,’’ began Will, rising uneasily, that I should go and meet— “Sit down!" cried the lady, quoting a Spanish proverb. “The only folly I cannot forgive is ingratitude, the only sin stupidity. Time enough to greet your folk when they arrive!"’ So perforce we had to sit down again, and tell the lady many things to fill up the time. I spoke of my mother, but could not sum- mon resolution to tell her of Anna. And indeed if any one will take the trouble to think on all the circumstances, I judge that he will not greatly blame me. So that, be it well believed, it was with a tremulous heart that I waited the advent of my mother and little Anna Mark. CHAPTER XLIT. Jezebel’s Daughter. Before her husband's return the lady had time to tell us all her adventures, now standing by Will's stool and playing with hair, anon gazing out at the window. spoke of Moreham. She queried con- cerning New Milns. Yet all the time she continued to inform us in the common ac- cent of the vulgar that she only knew these piaces from having visited at the house of a noble family in the neighborhood. “It was in her leddyship’s time that I gaed maistly about Clay Pots,” she said, with the carele: hauteur born of high breeding, “‘aye, aye, fell fond o’ me was ir leddyship, an’ tried hard to get up ‘h atween me an’ her auldest son ‘y, that is noo my lord. But na—no for Leddy Johanna Mackinstry—that was my- s My maiden name ye maun ken. I fairly scorned him. I juist couldna bear to look at him. And then a’ thing gaed wrang when the guid cause gaed to the wa; an’ at the last, me that was sae prood, was stown awa’ frae my native land!” Anon she would relapse into a number of Spanish proverbs, and the curious thing was that so soon as she ceased telling tales of her own invention and began to mora’ ize after the manner of her adopted coun- try, she spoke good enough English, re quishing completely the common’ Sco manner of speech. But there—I have come to a country where the slaves are the only free men: where I must put up with fools and knav and sing ‘Why Left I My Hame? Yet God be thanked, I can make them serve me. If a dog barks at you, give him a bone; and death is the only sickness for which there 1s no remedy. husband? But what keeps my He has had time to have been k a score of times. What :s ung 1ad?"* aid, without adding my sur- she meditated, ‘once I kenned a ip—but he did not favor you, far other- , indeed!" She looked me over a little jainfully, and I blushed (I fear some- what foolishly), knowing of whom she spoke. It was not vanity, God wot. For 1 know well I was never so tall or so well- favored as my father. But so long as An- na thought otherwise I cared naught for the opinion of any other. “Now, Philip, go and find my hushand!" she said to me. ‘Tell him to make haste, for I am instant to sce those who came frem the pirate isle with you.” I started up and at the door in a moment, but Will was before me. But this the lady would in no wise per- mit. She thought more of Will's bodily presence than of mine, being older, I sup- pose—a_thing that made me glad, and I resol | afterward by casting up to him the lady’s preference. “Bide, Englishman,” she said, “let young Abercairn go!” At which Will had perforce to return against his will and I departed well con- tent. But I was none so well pleased with the sight that met me outside of the town. mounted on mules and cantering po- s, | met a whole cavaleade. First came my mother on a steady pacing beast of a gray color. She had on a kind of nun with a white band across the fore- in which I hated to see her. A brown ‘y was about her neck, and she looked as if she had spent all her life within con- vent walls, this owing not so much to piety as to the delicate purity of her complex- ion, of which she always took che greatest care. : Next came the old witch woman, carried in a sort of rude litter by two stalwart ne- while Eborra ran beside her, ready stance which might be h But the igst pair caused me the greatest astonishment of all. For Anna rode boy fashion on a fiery little steed with the com- mandante beside her 9n his black. She was sull dressed in the manger which some of the Spaniards have learned from the In- dians, that is to say, in a youth's suit of dressed deerskin, fringed and beaded. A short tanned skirt of fine doeskin came a litle below her knee. Cross-gartered ho- sen, little peaked Indian shoes and a feath- ered cap completed an attire pretty indeed to look upon, but one which, appearing in Moreham Kirk on a Sabbath morn, would have raised a revolution in all the paro- chin, All the time the commandante was ‘le- youring Anna with his eyes, while as for the minx herself, as usual, she was eking out her broken Spanish with her eye- lashes. “No puede, senor!” she was saying, ‘“‘no mas agua— What it was that the senor could not do, or why Anna wanted more water, I can- not tell. Most likely the whole was but an excuse to make play with her darkly ro- guish eyes. For it was about this time that Anna began to show a consciousness of her beauty wholly new, and I will ad- mfit that though I misHked it at tho time, afterward it was pleasing to rec&ll her iit- tle successes, and how she served this one and that other, knowing all the time that her heart was altogether mine. Present!y they all came within the in- closure of the castle. I helped my mother down from the saddle as from a castle wall, who, when she had disentangied her- self, fell into my arms and wept over me. The first question she asked was whether Umphray Spurway had yet arrived. And when I told her “no"—“Ah, the: murmured, “he is surely on his way Over my mother's shoulder I could see the red-faced conmandante, who had dis- mounted in puffing haste, holding out his arms to catch Anna in the free island man- ner. But of this Anna would have nothing, for with a merry laugh. the little witch leaped nimbly down, resting only the tips of her fingers lightly on Don Nicholas’ out- stretched arm. Whereupon the gallant sol- dier of the most Catholic king bent him on one knee in the dust of the exercising yard, and kissed the small brown hand which An- na itted him to retain. “Why, what harm? I thought I was do- ing the best for all of us!"’ said my lass afterward, and gave not a fig for any doc- trine or proof of mine. But all the same it had been better if she had chosen another. gpot for her ill-set tricks than immediately neath the window of Mistress Juanita svi Bowman told ft : in me of it afterward. “I was standing by the window, sulky ee as a dog that you have kicked,” said Master Will, “and I wished I had been one, too. For the woman came and leaned upon me-—faugh—and pawed my hair and breathed upon my neck, till I thought I would have burst, or, it may be, clouted her on the ear. Had I not remembered that she was our only hope—indeed, but for your mother’s sake and Anna’s—I beheoa! let drive at the besom with my ‘oot.”” I said something here. “Oh, that be hanged for a tale. (Will did not often swear.) I knew as soon as I clapped eyes on her that the trollop was no more of a lady than Tip, our cat, that rakes the roofs in the midnight! And as I say, if it had not been for your mother, I wofld have knifed her and thrown her over the window to the dogs, like that other besom in the Bible—Jezebel, was that not her name? I heard Mess John read about her in the kirk once. And a rare tale it was, too!” “Then all suddenly I had ease indeed. Will went on, “for it chanced that Jezebel looked out of the window over my shoul- der, and there upon the plaza she saw King Ahab kneeling, if you please, on the hard mud to our Anna, decked out like a stripling from an play-acting booth, all fine With beads and tags and gauds. And she, well—looking down at him like the little vixen she “Well—then I tell you, she was in a rare taking. My lady thought no more of breathing down my neck. By the head of Noll, will a cat lick her paws when she can lick cream? Jezebel starnped her foot and clenched her hands, looking as if she would have leaped down from the win- dow upon the pair of them. She strode up and down like one of Lag’s troopers in a covenanting house, and when at last the door opened I expected her every moment to fly at Anna as she came in. And she would, too—only that. the Don came first, and the brunt of her anger fell on him. He quailed and stammered—as, indeed, you heard him. His own fine Cas- tilian failed him in the hour of need as if it had been a foreign tongue. “Foul toad, spawn of a mud bank,” she cried, “you would betray me to my face, and that with a silly, ape-faced girl, the slave of a slave? By our lady, I will’ mar her. She shall no longer witch fools with her upward glances. I will pluck out her eyes—pyke them as corbles do—"” “At this, thinking that she would do even as she said, I came between. In a moment she had a dagger drawn on me, the which she stuck through my forearm. Then plucking it out again she flew like a fury upon Anna, and if you, Philip, had not got- ten between them, I trow she would have had it in her heart.” Thus far, Will. I may as well tell the rest in my own plain tale. I ddi step be- tween the two, for Anna kept her ground gallantly as the wife of the commandante rushed at her with dagger uplifted. “Hold, Janet Mark!" I cried loudly, catch- “do not kill your own She struggled wildly for a minute as I held her by the wrist. “She is your own child Mark!” I repeated in a c And the second tin did not fail of their effe “Litue Anna Mark!" uncertainly, paus' your little Anna Imer tone. poken words > repeated after me, % between each word. ‘Aye, Anna Mark indeed,” I continued; “the babe you bade farewell to on the st of Moreham Kirk. I kenned you, Janet Mark, even as soon as I clapped eyes on you!” I expected every moment that she would turn on me and order us ail to the gallow: being in fear lest her husband should ¢ cover her for the thing s judged the woman. Sin like this woman debases the heart, but it does not kill nat- ural affection. She looked at Anna long and keenly. The stietto or thin-bladed albacete knife dropped from her hand. She ran forward, caught her daughter by the s eagerly perused her feature “It canna be—it canna—it_ canna, cried aloud in country my wee lass—my_bonn left sae far awa’! Anna stood mute, looking questioningly from one to the other of us. “This is indeed little Anna Marl my mother, speaking for the first time, “but Philip doats. You are not her moth Her mother was an evi] woman, a mu deress, She was trai She was sold for a slave in the pl of Carolina.” Now, thought I, we are done for, deed. Recognizing a hostile voice, Janet Mark turned on my mother. “Who are you?” she said, with a sud- denly whitened face. “Iam Philip Stansfield’s wife,” answ my mother calml. nd this is my son. Janet Mark lifted her hands and hid her face in them. “Philip Stansfield's wife!” she murmz and again. “Philip Stansfield’s wife! be merciful to me a sinner! Then she turned to where her hust Don Nicholas, was stan mou’ not understanding a word of our disc but following with hungry curiosity every gesture and action. She held out a hana to him. “Take me away,” aid in Spanish. She kept srted from Anna’s pale face, with its look of wondering inno- cence, in which wa’ no fear. My little Anna Mark ne wistfully, like one in a dream. And as the door c’ on the com- mandante and his wife my mother sank down in a dead faint into Will Bowman's ar Anna and I looked at each other, le Ebor mother mutt tion after incantation as if angry demon. And truly all the demons of circumsta and misfortune seemed to dog our track, and for the first time in all our wander- ings I began to despair. (To be continued.) cee) Discourtesy in Public Places. From the Chicsgo eulng Post. In the rush ‘of modern business and social life there are indications that real courtesy is falling into innocuous desuc tude. Either the world is becoming selfish and inconsiderate, or the selfish and in- considerate people are putting themselves forward most extraordinarily. Lack of good breeding, a total disregard of the com- in- ed. God ur repeated fort of others, ts everywhere apparent. Politene: to be cultivated only “when it pays.” 's it worth while?” seems to be a question that nearly every man and woman asks him: or herself when there is an opportunity to do a kindly or a courteous act for a stranger. The exe tions are so rare as to tract atient and occasionally cause comment. Woman must lock out for must old age. Youth has no he jostling either into the street if either hap- pens to be in his way. Nor is youth only opportunity, woman f. upon her sex and old his gray hairs. The one has no he: in occupying two seats by spreading out her skiris and the other sometimes | be reminded that he is not paying for s reem for his bundles. She by example and precept teaches ier children to be as selfish as herself. And ints disposition to “look out for number one” and only for lumber one” is noticeable in practically all public places—the stores, the theater and on the streets, as well as on the ca: Everywhere there seems to be a growing belief that courtesy is something to be put on and taken off like a dress suit or a baii gown, something that is not for everyday use. Every ———e-—__ Superheated Steam for Train Robbers. From the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune. Every locomotive that is built in the west nowadays has the new anti-bandit attach- ment. Qn all the new engines of the D. and R. G. railroad are iron pipes extending 9%, : “on the roof of the cab and conning with the boiler. Through thes) pipes, without making a perceptible igotion, cither the en- gineer or mreman can send, under 20) pounds pressure, a jet of steam anf boil- ing water that would effectually cook any- thing living that happened to be on the tender or the front end ef the baggage car. The diameter of the pipe is one and a half inches and a single second would drop any man who tried to stand before it in acjion. The steam leaves the pipe at a tempera- ture of about 750 degrees, hot enough to have the toughest of outlaws cooked by the time the train could be brought to a stand- still. It will quell the ardor of these gen- tlemen who make a specialty of holding up engineers from the tender. : Tramps are fighting shy of this railroad. —_ eee —_____ A Japanese who believes that the twen- tleth century has already begun has sent the following. letter on, the qiublect to the ngregatior t: “Sir: to time is an allow, already had gone nine- teen century, and come twenty century. I think so that you will welcome happy new a year. Excuse me for past\of communica- than ‘and. entreating acquaintance better before year.” a CHAMBERLAIN’S WAR - Facts About the Man Whom English- men Consider Responsible. HE IS HATED, BUT NOT UNPOPULAR Stands an Excellent Chance of Be coming Prime Minister. REMARKABLE A CAREER Spectal Correspondence of The Evening Star. LONDON, March 15, 1900. In one sense Joe Chamt« in of Bir- mingham is the most significant figure in England today. If he had not been secre- tary of state for the colonies the chances are ten to one that England would not have gone to war with t Boers, By general consent this war, which already has cost England more than 8.4) men, and twice as much money as the Spanish wap cost the United S: is Mr. Chamber- lain’s war. Because of this fact, and because he is not schooled in traditions: be e he has the gift of getting ideas and putting them into execution without much regard for the wisdom of the forefathérs; because he rep- resents modern business methods rather than the cherished custom: me useful and some outworn—of diplomacy, he is the best-hated man in England at this mo», Joseph Chamberlain, (From his latest photograph.) ment, and yet his chances were never bet- ter for hecoming premier, thi the gift of unlucky disiinetion, * surr od or dered. unpopular: bu nd ¥: sus and ambit is to be both hated and adm As He is Today. wl Mr. Chamberlain, such a mark in English his- and is likely to add vo that mark, ts This i. who has made t resour sixty-four y« i, but until his war be- gan to g0 him he did not look a day over now he steps as jauntily of his hansom at the priv entra: orchid in butto: of commons, runn: s dia WWH We nd hi ront across his mse telling the at large t from Bi dee > right hon mingham West is a vi dye. You might th’ erlain was asleep, and sixty-four years ¢ > opposition | member touch : statement that would ly yunt for t honorable gentlem: 2 point, i “Hear, hh rlain shuts his eye ad Mr. nd grows old mbe again. The war i of his buoy works cS or bury, in Birmingham and schemes o' nights. nd so far he goes fi at or, Saved the Situation. * When parliament cpened a few weeks ago things locked bad for Mr, Char Sir Wilfred Lawson said in « public that Mr. Chami deserved to be p in jail quite es has Dr for making a raid on the Tra smaller seal. . the war ¢ chance to bu parliament | ot Up Cne opened - puta little h was a ch, in w and himself adroit and auda defended the government well that he saved the tion. A boom for the premiership was started then, for Lord Salisbury is so so tired of political I 1y awaits an oppor- tunity for stepping cown and out. If he does it before England gets over the need of a strong and daring man at the helm, Mr. Chamberlain has a gocd chance for the Place—hated though he is in the conserva- tive party—because there is no one else available who fills the bull. In High Favor. It is safe to say that the colonial secre- tary has a strong supporter in the Prince of j Ingham politician, and she has shown 7 Wales, who, according to general goss‘ was responsibie for calling off the “vest? gation of the James <44 white Mr Chamberlain b = 2 t ear a criticisnt 7 ~« to bear all of t = ‘eat peculiar procecding. The oes at seems to be rather fond of the Birm- r ticular attention to Mrs. S as you know, is the daughter of W. C. Endi- cott, formerly Secretary of War in the United States cabinet. Mrs. Chamberiain does not care much for smart society, how- ever, though she looks well after hus- band’s political interests by making his friends thrice welcome at their home in Birmingham. Mr. Chamberlain has been three times married, and his heir, Austen Chamberlain, is his son by his second wife. The younger Chamberlain is now thirty-seven, wears a monocie like his father, is a member of parliament and is civil lord of the admir- alty, thanks to his father’s political pull. Finally, Mr. Chamberlain is the greatest admirer of the United States in the pres: English government. He has persistent boomed the idea of an Anglo-American al! ance, and got himself into trouble not long ago by speaking of it in pubvic as if it were an accomplished fact, thereby calling forth a prompt denial from the United States government, and consequently getting him- self much criticised. -., MARSHALL LORD. ——_+e-____ Mr. Dopps—“‘Mrs. Dopps, your new frock 1s trailing on the ground.” Sey ar re eet 1 a ya rue D uni ta pettle coat.”—Indianapolis Journal *hamberlain, who,