The suburban citizen., 1902-06-28

Now this was serious enough foI
anything, for l could pat two and tive
together, and a remark of that sort
was inuendo sufficient even for the
understanding of fool.
Does he say that, Peter?" 1 de
manded.
He do, sir"
Very good. Then I'll ask you to
step across to Sundew House wher
you've locked up the church.
Phipps tried to get out of the mess
he had landed himself and us in, but
Of course insisted
He. promised to visit us as soon as
the bell practice was over. That prac.
tce. however. was destined never to
begin. And on it's omission hangs an
incident that was Of the highest i'm
portance 10 all the Winstanley family.
The girls came in to supper tired and
in bad temper. The curate had, il
seemed, left them much to themselves,
instead of offering them advice as to
AllN VI tue anu
wheat leaves that had been put at their
disposal. For one thing, though, was
thankful; they had not heard n word
of Tom Fortescue's tipsy utterances as
Phipps had related them to me. They
were openly indignant at his presence
IL the church, aud made stepmother's
eyes fash by their reference to him
That, however, was all.
The governor was helping his wife
to some cold beef when We heard the
big bass bell Of the church toll one
stroke. The noise was rather eerie
At any rate it had strange effect ON
stepmother's nerves. She dropped the
plate and put her hand to her heart.
AS q coincidence this was, we
agreed afterward, extremely odd. The
Psychlcal Society are of the same opin.
ion. l have told them about it.
They're only fooling in the belfry,"
said Mabel, in a contemptuous tone.
Yes" said I; that means a fine to
somebody"
The governor was meanwhile saying
divers distasteful endearing thiRgs TO
stepmother.
"Turley (the DOCTOR shall certainly
he requistioned to give you something
composing, my love-" he added.
Stepmother's MY dear Richard,
want for nothing. l do assure you"
made Mabel and Agnes exchange
looks. 1 don't believe the
girls would have credited her with
anything but an attempt at shamming
if she had suddenly dropped dead from
her cnair.
1t couldn't have been much more
than five minutes after the tOlling of
the bell when our doorbell was tugged
and almost as soon as it was
answered young Grazebrook, one of
the village ringers, appeared in our
room, heedless Of the maids, with the
cry:
IF you please sir, and mum, Mr..
Fortescue's been and hanged himself"
WHAT" exclaimed the governor.
He was proceeding to rate the mes
senger Of evil tidings for his impudence
when Mabel tfied
Look at herr"
The her was stepmother. She had
gone white as a sheet and fallen back.
ward. but upon Mabel's words she
seemed to recover herself.
1T isn't true?" she said in a whisper,
quite appealingly, to Grazebrook.
ITS as true as stand here, num-"
was the lads reply. His necks
broke"
The next instant stepmother fairly
sobbed into her hands.
"oh, Toni my poor Tom"' she cried
again and again.
left her in that condition. In the
belfry found Phipps two or three Of
tho ringers and the doctor There was
not the smallest doubt about Fortes.
cues demise. He had, it appeared, un-
der sprituous eShilaration. climbed the
belfry steps a minute or two only be-
fore the practice was TO begin. The
toll of the bell was his death knell
How he had done it or why or whether
II was n mere accident--my view of IL
no one could possibly tell for certain.
But when the lads ran up the stairs
they found him with the noosed rope
OF the bass bell tight round his neck.
The cord had been drawn mp and laid
across the beam above, and the as.
sumption is that he had clambered up.
somehow got his neck into it, and
dropped
, There the mystery remained.
That night saw the sequel to the
tragedy. When the governor Gwoke
In the morning he missed stepmother.
She had gone with n fair amount of
iewelry.
Mabels 81 told you sou was perfect.
ly suporfuous.
A simple, unadorned green mound in
the churchyard covers all that remains
OF red'nosed Tom FOrtescue.- Waver.
ley Magazine.
Trees In Hawaiian Isles.
About fifteen years ago the Ha-
waiian government undertook forest
work. and very soon rho hills bacly 90