Mary Louise Solves a Mystery

of a suite of rooms occupied by Mrs. Antoinette Seaver Jones, widely known for her wealth and beauty, and

eze. Near the window, where the draught came coolest, a middle-aged woman in a sober dress sat reading. Alora did not look at this person but kept her g

's governess, turned a page of her book, the rustle was appallingly audible. And the clock ticked on, and Mis

ance of the reception room. The man was white-haired, dignified and distinguished in appearance. Hat in hand, he stood as if un

; what is it?" he sa

mamma now, Doc

g to the table to place h

oting her quick- drawn breath of disappointment he a

Anstruther? Don't you know it's-it's

looked down upon t

disturb her might-it might-well, it mi

e, all the time. Why should I disturb my mamm

tion. The big eyes

w minutes. But you must be very quiet, so as not to excite her. We must av

t a hand to her she clung to it desperately a

er," in low, passionate t

n involun

notion into yo

s Go

rness, who had lowered her book to her lap and

, and I am doing all that can be done to save your mother's life. Don'

hed her mother's bedchamber, paused a moment, and then softly opened the door and entered. Silence again pervaded the r

ere was sunlight and fresh air in plenty. Beside the bed stood a huge vase of roses, their delicate fragrance scenting the atmosphere. Upon the bed, beneath

," she said. "Do you realiz

ed, approaching her. "There are so

"but now that you are here pleas

o you

Janet has used the hypodermic four times since midnight," with a

w that her hours were numbered and that the dread disease that had fastened upon her was creeping on with ever incr

he answered gravely. "Let us d

certain important arrangements to mak

stand that,

ankly, how long

nth; possibly

ow soon this disease will be able to kill me. If we manage to defer the end somewhat, all

in this time had learned to admire not only her beauty of person but her "gameness" and wholesome mentality. He knew something of her past li

lous regularity. He had a faculty for finding gold, but his speculations were invariably unwise, so his constant transitions from affluence to poverty, and vice versa, were the subject

d in those days, combined culture and refinement with a thorough knowledge of mining, and when her father passed away and left her absolute mistress of the tantalizing "Ten-Spot," she set to work to make the mine a success, directing her men in person and displaying

aid, was not so great as his luck. So far, his fame rested on his being "Tony Seaver's husband." But Tony's hobby was art, and she had recognized real worth, she claimed, in Jason Jones' creations. On her honeymoon she carried her artist husband to Europe and

g young artist" disappeared from the public eye. Mrs. Jones, a thorough business woman, had retained her fortune in her own control and personally attended to her investments. She became noted as a liberal patron of the arts and a generous donor

ty to another until she came to Chicago, where she had now lived for nearly three yea

essentially cold and unemotional by those who knew her casually, there was no doubt she prized her chi

e cut off in the flower of her womanhood, but her case was positively hopeless, and she knew it and had accepted the harsh verdict without a murmur. Bravery

Within the past few days we have noted its more virulent tendency

ll be-when?"

safely give y

ated. "I must, first of all, make provision for

y depend upon me

nce to my husband Jaso

e had she mentioned her husband's name in

s his a

ting to the stand beside him. He obeyed, a

uced him to a life of comfort-I might even add, of luxury-his ambition to work gradually deserted him. With his future provided for, as he thought, he failed to understand the necessity of devoting himself to his brush and palette, but preferred a life of ease-of laziness, if you will. So we quarreled. I tried to force him back to his work, but it was no use; my money had ruined his career. I therefore lost patience and decided to abandon him, hoping that when he wa

ceeded, for we do not correspond, but I have never heard his name mentioned in the art circles I have frequented. He remained in New York, I believe, and so I chose to keep away from

nod

legram?" he asked, writing

reconciliation before I pass awa

down the instructions

e is well fitted to care for our child and to rear her properly. I have left my entire fortune to Alora, but I have made Jason my sole executor, and he is to have contro

ccess as an artist since your separ

his talent exceptional. Anyhow, my experiment in leaving him to his own devices seems not to have resulted as I had hoped, and I now am willing he should handle Alora's income and live comfortably while he is educating her. She will probably provide for her father when she comes of age, but I h

good man as extraordinary. But he was relieved to know that little Alora, of whom he had grown quite fond, was to have the guardianship of a parent, and glad that the character of Jason Jones

ot remember her father?

wo years old whe

your will is

nded to it. It is now in his possess

ubtless legal and in accordance with

rse, J

t by the window that he had quite forgotten her presence. She was a young woman, perhaps t

ched no significance to this trait, doubtless a habit of modest reserve acquired in her profession. He had himself recommended the woman to Mrs. Jones, having frequently employ

nning to twitch spasmodically with pain. In an instant Janet was at he

reathing hard; "and, as you go out, Doctor, send

y has been begging to see you, and