The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-10-25
CHAPTER xv.-(contlnued.)

ancient dame painted to resemble q
dairymaid Of one-and-twenty, laid a
tremulous, claw-like hand, blazing
with rings, upon Gouldesbrough's arm.
She was a scandalmonger who had
ruined homes. q woman who had new
or done an unselfish action, or rel
had a thought that was not sordid,
mslevolent, or uncharitable. Yet she
was a great lady, a princess in Vanity
Fair, and even Sir William could not
disregard her, so great and important
was this venerable bag.
WELL" she began, in her high, i'm
pertinene voice; 80 you have outdone
Aladdin, l hear. Sir William. Really,
| congratulate you on your thought
trap, OF whatever 1t is. I suppose We
shall have you in the upper house
soon! I wish you could manage to
catch some thoughts for me or the
stock exchange. Couldn't you have
| your machine taken down to Capel
Court? l should very much like to
know what some of the gentlemen
who deal in South Africans are think
Ing just now. The market Is really in
the most abominable state. And do
please bring the machine to one OF my
at homes It would give me in
tense pleasure to know what is going
on in the minds Of some of my friends.
We could install 1t in one Of the
smaller drawing rooms, behind a
screen. No one would know, and we
could catch thoughts all the evening
though I expect the machine would
want ~disinfecting after the first half
hour. l will see that there is some
Cnody's Fluid ready"
She moved away, chatting shrilly.
Young Lord Landsend succeeded her.
That nobleman showed very evident
traces of living as hard as his purse
and his doctor would let him, and his
pale, c~ountenance was
stamped with the imbecile grin. "'Pon
my soul, Sir William he said, this
thing you've made is really awfully
Jolly. you know. Topping idea, really.
Hope you won't 60 fshin' round for
my thoughts!"
There was a general laugh at this,
and some one was heard to remark
that he didn't Think Sir William
Gouldesbrough would make any very
big hauls in that quarter!"
But how splendid Of you, Sir Will
lam!" said Mrs. Hosken-Heath, a pref
ty, dark haired ONE with beautiful
eyes. 1T IL really marvellous. Now
there will be q real meaning In the
saying. "A penny for your thoughts!'
Shall you have penny-in-the-slot ma
chimes on all the stations Of the Two
penny tube? So nice while n IL
waiting for a train. Just imagine how
sweet it would be to let your cher
ami know how much you like him
without any actual compromising
words! You are q public benefactor.
Sir William"
Another voice broke In upon
Gouldesbrough's impatient ear.
"How do you do, Sir William? It 10
! great pleasure to meet you On such
an occasion as this, an occasion which,
Il l may say 90. IL really heroic. You
may not remember me. but l had the
privilege Of meeting you at Brighton
not long ago. My name IL Charlie
wood-Sir Miles Charliewood; We met
on the melancholy occasion Of my
poor second son's-er-death. You
were very kind and helpful"
Gouldesbrough shook hands with
the old baronet. A shadow passed
over his face az he did 30. and he
would have given much to have avoid
cd tho seeing Of him-not to have
known at all that Sir Miles was In
Portland Place on this night Of tri-
umph. Gouldesbrough was one OF
those men who have solved the chief
problem Of life. Like Napoleon. he
was master Of his own mind. His
mind did not dominate him. a. the
minds Of most OF US do. He con-
trolled it absolutely and never allowed
thoughts Of one part Of his life to in.
trude upon those Of another.
And now, with the frightful egotism
Of supreme self-will, he actually felt
aggrieved at this sudden meeting. 1t
was, he thought, hard at this radiant,
happy moment! He did not want to
Be reminded of the past or Of the ter
rble and criminal secret OF the pres
emit. Why should the pale ghost OF
Eustace Charliewood como to trouble
him now? His partner In an unspeak'
able infamy, the tool he had used fol-
the satisfaction OF his devilish desires,
was dead. Dead-gone away-no long
or in existence. That he, Gouldes'
brough, was morally the murderer OF
the distracted man whom he had fore
ed into crime, troubled him not at all
It never had troubled him-he had
learned to be lord Of himself" And
now, in this moment Of unprecedent
ed triumph, the wrath Of the dead
man rose up swiftly and without warn
ing to be q specter at the feast. II
was hard!
But he turned TO Sir Miles Charlie
wood and was as courteous and charm
ing as yer His marked powers o.
fascination did not desert him. That
strange magnetism that wal able t.
draw people to him. 70 make them his
servants and slaves. surrounded him
now Ike the tabled "aura" Of the the
osophists.
uaJhnnt over thAn omuoue little mar