LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7819, 11 May 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

SAVED BY THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH.;

(Continued). 1 Brian turned, and peered aver the fledge into the road. i, "I only see a harmless peasant, I-* slouching home a little the worse for 2 some of his native wine," he attswered, laughing tenderly ; "come in, I' darling, and let us discuss our plans in the light of the electric lamps. Tfcc stars are not commonplace enr ough for overwrought nerves," and go saying, he drew me back to the : hotel, and in our well-lighted*., cheer ry sitting-room I could afford to g", laugh at my rcc.-nt fears. J JS T oxt day we made preparations for Si- our journey homewards, and planned L~ a start on the following Thursday - travelling via Genoa,, Tarin, and K Paris. But our plans were changed & on the very morning of our depart- %ure by something we read in the Hers York llcvald of the previous day". ''l In a prominent part of the paper, I tie sub-joined announcement met oar ' r astonished eyes; fifi. 'v. "A nwrritige has heen arranged betwecn Doctor Hrian Crawford, of ' EBmsleigh, Suirey, amd Jliss Jluriel Hamworthy, the well-known heiress. The wedding will take place in Eng--3 <land immediately. ilis-s Hamworthy, ii, ,wh(o tas been spending a short time I » • at Matallo, is now on her way homo <2* lor the event." p-. '" I behove that horrible peasant we saw in the road was not a peas- * ant at all," my face growing, white I read those words ; "He was sone of tlie Strnnges' spies ! He has f- • scut this notice t» the papers, and jaj. Mas, of course, also informed his S«"." masters of what we are going to do. I am sure of it. J have a liorfe*• _ nhle intuition that, I am right." I could see that Mr llegbie shared Kj,- ">y suspicion, and lie looked ivory Kjjkp- grave over that- announcement, and gSj - though Brian rather laughed our fears to scorn, and tried to persuade us that we were overrating the omV-. niscic-nco of the St ranges. |B:- "They certainly haven't attemptagainst us here," lie . said, in his cheery, reassuring, way. rap. ' "Wo are well looked after by the police ; and the hotel people aro on [ftt their guard ami their honour to prov'x'v tcct us. And on the way home—' "Wo must go by some less obviyriZ' ous route than Turin and Genoa," fes Mr Begbie struck in. " I should sug>Ba' gost our trying an out-of-the-way and circuitous journey ; we must bafgptifj tie these wretches. 1 am convinced fe" l that they are quite capable of putting a 'spoke in our wheel even at ' tins juncture : they are most unEpff". pleasant people to deal with, Ikictor Crawford, as we already have SagS. reason to know." jgK,* Thte two men put their heads toSp|' gether, and arranged a route for os—So ingenious a route that I really did not eco how 1 '■ the enemies," as wo caHed them, could possibly j|L'i , di«¥>ver it. En* Wo were to drive to-a station Kg/ many miles from Matallo, and, takgs?\ ing train there, were to slip across country to Parma, so to Bologna. Thus wo should reach the Sasnt Gotthard railway, the least obvious for gjte", us to t r avel )iv, and therefore the Sp-fc"- one which we hoped would not bo E® thoraght of by our foes. Our plans were carried out to perfection ; a t SpS * each station we left we only booked S'% to the next stopping-place, thus gvJ leaving no clue as to our further ars * rongements, and, as every day saw ■ft- us further on our road, my heart began to grow lighter and lighter. " ' On a certain Tuesday evening we fr r stopped at a little place high up ; _ on the Saint Gotjhard line, a place tf t 1 will call Stariio. We had arranged Jjl te sleep there, and next day to push * on right to I -ondnn, without resting at such big centres as Lucerne or Balse. ? Starno was a charming and primi- ' . tive little place, set in an emerald gr«uv_vatley, between lofty pine-clad mountains, otw whose summits great 3* patches" of snow still lingered, their ?- whiteness positively dazzling against 5 the wonderful blue of the sKv. 6 - The hotel was scarcely more than E* an inn, but the kind landlady made jp? ub comfortable to the best of her y ability, and told us that we were her only guests with the exception of a German cofninwcial traveller, who, lite ourselves, was merely passing through the place, and that it was i_.,e aa .vet too early to expect anyone ; ' to stay in Sturno for ])leasrire . Whilst our dinner was beinr prepr v pared, Brian aßcl I strolled up the tiny village street, and across the •s wiW pastjnes, where cowslips and P-\ nodded thefr heads f' heside brilliant gentians, to the p where hcpaticas yleaHiecl lilac > amongst the grass-. 7 We were very happy, and, likeve- &■*■■■ rv happy people, we talked vry litlie, but silently drank givnt draughts " - (of the fresh mountain air, and i. .watched the sun sinking behind the J- white range to the westward, with hearts 100 lull for speech. Our fftart next day was to be an .T early one, and Mr Hegbie sent Kilty and me oft to bed in good time, fop which I w-os not sorry. T was tired with constant and fe' the high air had made me sleepy. E&- Ti really think J must have fallen . asleep almost Ix-fojv my head touchfe ed the* pillow, and T think must at je l v first been the dreamless and rvstful one oi" deep TJien cjuite sud- ' tlenly I began to dream. j First of all Hrian and T seemed to 1)c together sunw.'where in a- ffi'eat building like a cimrch : 1 thought we !• > were going to get; married, and, just as he had ttirnil to take my hand, Sicc interrupted the service, somehrust hrian aside, and 1 was d to the ground. 1 knew the that had Caused the :nte:*rupits rough, graling accents horribly familiar ; even in my n 1 shivend as I heard them, tr Utiles already they had hVruck my oar« ? and'each time they [>rcvaged disaster to me, for it the voicj that had spoken on occasion when my enemies had yht me harm. "church seemed to grow suddnrk, Hrian was thrust further urther fremi me, andi. at an Pncreasing <iistance, 1 heard his crying out r elp—help—help ! " cry, in m\- lover's voice, woke [ started up in bed and looked me. hat is it ? " I srk| alainl : but Was lii) answer, and the sound ' own Shaking vo ice, echoing Jh the darkness and silence of room, gave me an odd sensa)t fC£\f. everything was so nbsoluiely no sound broke the silenc,». and listening for a while on<l hearr>thing inoic. T rcoMwl mys-lf jing frightnrorl by a dremn, and own again, to fall asleep after nunutes- and- to dream again ore disturbing dreams, r wm always of nrlun." and «1 awful, overwhelming

I , , danger, from which escape seemed utterly impossible ; of- catastrophes from which I was utterly powerless to save him. Always, too, the other man was thero—the man with the voice that struck horror to my soul, i Xow it was a precipice over which ! Brian was falling?—infl'liv;—felling, whilst his cries for lra'p grew gradually weaker as he disappeared from my straining eyes. i Next we were on the sea, and lie was drowning before my cyca. appealing to me for help which I w. s presented from giving by someone holding- "me back and mocked at me I with Ifl&cous laughter. I Lastly, we were in a room together, Ilium and I—a room from whlcii e\cry vestage of air was exclude.!, | aud each moment brought asphyxiation nearer and nearer. And Vriun, though he held 111 c tenderly, was gasjving ®ut cries for help that wrung my ■very soul. " Help—help—help ! "

Each cry was fainter, and soundei more suffocated, but, in spite of tlsj weakness of the sound, it seemed to wake me again, and this time 1 sprang out of bed, bathed in perspiration from head to foot, an awful fear knocking at my heart. " Help—help ! " Mas it still part of my dream ? Did I still hear a faint far-away voice ? Or was it my imagination playing me strange tricks. I did not know, X did not pause so think.

By some instinct stronger than any common sense, and that I did not attempt to reason down, and, flinging on my travelling cloak, X rushed to the door. What was my surprise, my dismay, when I found that 1 could not turn the handle ! My bedroom door was locked, firmly locked oil the outside, and I was a prisoner, powerless, hopeless ! For an instant I staggered against the wall, overmastered afresh by fear. I knew X had no bell in the room ; the primitive inn provided none. I knew, too, that my room was in a corner of the house, and not communicating with any other room For that one Moment of overmasiepinj; terror, a despair I could not control settled l down upon nve. But, thank God, it was only for a moment that I allowed myself to be daunted by despair. I pulled mysejf together, rallied all my forces, and, dashing" to the window, flung it open. If Brian were really in dangerlid some inward voice seemed to tell me that tie was—l would not allow anything, anything, in the world to hinder me from going to his help.

His room, I knew, was the third from mine round the corner of the house ; I remembered that fact, because, just before we wont to tied, he had been laughing aud proposing to serenade mo. 1 leant far out into the clear, cold night, and tried to see what it was possible to do. There was a touch of frost in tlie air ; against the snow of the mountain tops the stars shono brilliantly, but ttra stillness was unbroken except for the sound of falling water, which fs the very essence

of Swiss sound, and the distant murmur of the in the pine forests on the mountain side. The ledge outside my window was a wide one ; it might conceivably ho possible to crawl along it, and round the corner of the house toward* Brian's room, which I knew had a small balcony.Then I shrank back, not liking to venture upon taking such a step, remembering that I might, after all, be alarming myself l unnecessarily ov,er a mere dream, and, supposing nothing was wrong after all, excepting a nightmare due to overwrought

nerves, or a badly-cooked dinner ; supposing I had wrought myself to this pitch of nervousness for nothing, it would be worse that rediculous to crawl along my window-ledge to Brian's room. | " Help—help—help ! " That strange, muffled, half-suffocat-ed sound rang out again, and this time I was certain it was not an effort of my imagination. The lust word of thb cry was not half finished, but etfded in a kind of inarticulate gurgling, which aroused all my terror to frenzy. | To wake the house' by rattling at m.V door handle might involve long delay. Even if I screamed X did not know how soon anyone might hear ire, for Kitty's room did not' communicate with mine. If I shouted for assistance out into the stillness of, the night, I had not idea how longit would be before my shout would be heard. For my window looked out across meadows on to the moiwi-

tain slopes, | Not giving myself time to consider or draw back', I determined to tak-e the affair into ray own hands, and, with an upward prayer, 1 crawled out on to the window ledge, and pulled myself upright. I The room was only on the second | floor, but the height, though not a , dizzy one, was sufficiently unpleasant |to make me keep my eyes fixed steadfastly before me.

I I crawled along tlie ledge to the i corner of the house, and, clinging to I the stone of which it was built, ti-i----l»d to peer round it. Just on the , other side of the corner were the closed green shutters of the empty I room beyond, and, letting, go my hold of my friendly stone, I seized I the projecting iron hook to which tho shutter was fastened back when open.

rhen, wi th an effort I can onlv rc|call with a shudder, I swung myself round the projecting coi-nor 0 f " tj lo ! House arfd ott to (the window-lodge ibeyona. ° (To be continued.)

HAPPY LIVES ARE LIVES OF HAPPY LIVING* HAS °OME OP LATE A NEW PLYMOUTH In' New Plymouth there is many a happy home. Perhaps you know of some, or better still, it may be that you rest your head in one yourself. Then again, there is many an unhappy creature in our midst Tis not surprising that this should be the case, when one thinks of the burdens some backs are forced to bear. If yours is not the back that bears the burden still we think you would.be glad'to lend a helping hand to lighten another Let me show you how it can be done, and at the same time tell a story of New Plymouth life that Will prove that this aid can casily be given.

Mrs 11. Heal, New Plymouth Sa Zl 'Z" F ? r three years I suffered with the kidneys and badly needed a medicine to give mo relief. Tlie symptoms were pain in the back ami giddiness and headaches. Tlie pains in my back were simply ngonising, and my heartaches were so violent that they used to prostrate me. I was for ever using medicines, but they never did me any good. I was at a loss what to fry next when I saw Doan's Backache Kidney Pills advertised, and I got a box at the Co-operative Store in Currie Street. These pills ore the best medicine I have ever used. They are splendid. They gave me such relief that 1 did not take them regularly, but I know they will effect a permanent cure in time."

Take no substitute. Remember it is Doan's Backache Kidney l'ills which Mrs Ileal recommends, and if you sutler as she did you want the same remedy. Doan's Backache Kidney Pills are sold by all chemists and storekeepers at 3s per box—six boxes 16s 6d—or will be posted on receipt of price by Foster McClellan Co., 76 Pitt Street, Sydney, N.S.W. But be sure they are DOAN'S.

I'latulence is always found with In-digcstien, and Indigestion is simply failure to digest the da ly food, j] f the food is not digested, it decays, and this forms gases, and the ' gases cause bloating and pressure and, discomfort, and that is Flatulence.

| Now, anyone can understand that the usual plan of giving purgatives for this ailment may help, but does not cure, and in these days people wish te be really cured. Pepsin is useful in some cases, in bout one case it every four it gives relief, and sometimes cures, because about one case in every four is Stomach Indigestion, that is, the person .cannot digest meat, oggs, etc. which are digested with the Stom;ach.

In three-quarters ol the cases l'ep'sln is useless', because the Indigetion is in the Bowel, where tho bread | potatoes and other starchy food is j digested. That is the food which I ferments, and makes the gases and I the Flatulence. Pepsin, which cures ■ the Stomach Indigestion, was <lisI ce-vercd years ago, but nothing was j dicovered that would digest the .bread, potatoes, etc., and therefore lop the decaying of that food in he Bowel, and prevent the formation. lof gases and Flatulence and Constipation.

Now such medicine had been discovered. It is called Kurochi Diastase. It never fails to digest the bread), potatoes, and other starchy food. This has been thoroughly tested and proved, and we will prove it to the satisfation any doubting crson who wishes to make an appointment for the purpose. When this food is digested there cannot be any fermentation, therefore there cannot be any gas, and therefore there cannot be an Flatulence. That is not merely removing the cause, but going to the root, and curing the trouble.

| IAHLONES, which are little ch 0 - colate covered tablets, are always the same. Each one contains enough | Kurochi Diastase to digest all the starchy food in a big meal, enough ,o8 the purest pepsin to digest ail the albuminous food in a hi"- meal land also perfect tonics for the Liver iand Bowels added. TABLONES are ft , a I ,erfc ct cure f or Constipation I"latulence, and Indigestion of whatever kind, and they b cannot fail to cure, because they remove the cause.

lh s the liver is toned up, and alo the Bowel, so that, as all the ood is digested, and all the nourislinri lh?> £i ; l up into th e blood, nd the Stomach and Bowels are oned up and strengthened both by he medicine, and by getting all the ood out of the food! in a short time they are able to do tho work hemselvc-s, and require no further .m«hcinc. Thus TABLONES remove the cause, and' therefore cure-the Flatiilence Indigestion, and Constipation. We control this medicine, no one else can purchase it, and there is nothing else on tlie market which will take its place. The price is within the reach of all, a week's medicine foils lad, and frequently a cure is effected m a week or less.

DOSE. One with die early part of each meal three times daily. Severe cases nmy take two with each meal tor a short time, and then ono.

■ ablones are put up in neat little aluminium boxes, which aro most conveniently carried in the pocket. Sold by all chemists at Is l>d and -s M. If four boxes (small) or two large, are ordered at one time from us and this coupon enclosed, special sample will be sent. THE , CAPSULOID CO., LTD., 31, Snow-hill, London E.C.