installed at the summit of Mont-Blanc, on the other hand, is in one of the worst possible situations. A large proportion of the nights will be cloudy and stormy, even in the summer. When the sky is clear the air will undoubtly be wonderfully transparent. But there is every likelihood that the lack of steadiness of the stars- their twinklingwill prevent delicate measurements on the vast majority of the few clear nights. Such a station is suitable for those comparative observations at high and low levels which require a transparent air; and not by any means suitable for a permanent astronomical station, where the continuity of observation is so important. If we add to these purely scientific disadvantages the discomforts and the perils of a residence on the summit, and of journeys to and fro, it becomes a serious question whether the establishment of a permanent station on such a site as this is to be praised or blamed. In all probability no scientific result will be reached on Mont-Blanc which could not be attained on dozens of other peaks accessible by railways or by entirely safe trails. We must remember, too, that astronomical observatories on high mountains, as at MontBlanc or Etna, must either be abandoned altogether during the winter season, or, if occupied, that the observers must be subjected to extremely trying conditions and to some danger from terrific storms

of wind, snow, hail, and from lightning. The discomfort and monotony of such a life, subjected to very low temperatures and surrounded by clouds and snow for long periods, will unfit an ordinary individual for making the best use of the few clear days which an Alpine winter presents.

Meteorological stations on mountains will always be of some use. The mountain railways now building in great numbers will afford excellent stations of this sort. And as time goes on the use of balloons, etc., will render even these of less importance.

The practical lessons to be learned from the foregoing brief review are very simple, though very important. It is certain that in the future, no one will be justified in establishing an astronomical observatory on a site which has not previously been shown. to be suitable. While some mountain stations present great advantages for astronomical and astrophysical research this is by no means the case for all. In establishing a new observatory the conditions of great transparency of the air and of great steadiness should both be insisted upon. Devoted men can always be found to undergo necessary hardships in the pursuit of scientific. truth. If the scientific results do not justify the exposure and the danger, we no longer admire the effort as devotion, but blame it as foolhardiness.

H. R. Wiley.

IX.

UMMER had come, and thousands of the Eastern people who had spent the winter in Southern California had returned to their homes. But others were constantly arriving, and the demand for real estate, in and about Los Angeles, continued to be what agents called "brisk." Interest in Hustleton, however, might none the less have languished at this time, had it not been for the unceasing exertions and unfailing ingenuity of General Hustler. His discovery of petroleum in the waters of the creek excited a renewal of the boom which the new town had enjoyed, and lively curiosity was manifested as to the results of the boring of the experimental well, which he immediately caused to be sunk. The Hustleton Oil Company was organized for this purpose, and great mystery attended its operations. No one except a shareholder was allowed to approach the well, which was jealously guarded from curious eyes by a high board fence. It was undeniable that several barrels of crude petroleum had been hauled into Los Angeles from Hustleton, for Major Hornblower had "admitted" as much to representatives of the press. But whether the oil came from the test well or not, no one could be induced to say. At all events, the general curiosity about the oil prospects had the effect of exciting a renewal of the demand for Hustleton lots, particularly those in the neighborhood of the well. And even the most skeptical could see, along the borders of the creek, within the town-site, traces of oil, such as General Hustler said had first drawn his attention to the promise of petroleum in the depths below. An examination of the Hustleton hills had disclosed to an expert, employed by the General, the existence of the same geological conditions as

those prevailing in other parts of Southern California in which large quantities of petroleum were produced. This information had been drawn from Major Hornblower at an unguarded moment, in the same way as that concerning the first movement of oil from Hustleton.

At a later date the news got out that the well had failed to strike oil, but that a strong flow of natural gas had been encountered, at a depth of five hundred feet. The report was that the drills had been blown clear out of the well by the force of the gas. The announcement was not altogether surprising, as a gentleman, known to be in the confidence of General Hustler, had been heard to say, "on the authority of the expert," that the indications at Hustleton were even more favorable for natural gas than for petroleum. And he added that the indications for coal were perhaps more marked than for either of the other objects of exploration. Rumors got into circulation of the signing of a contract for a pipe line from Hustleton to Los Angeles, but whether the intention was to bring gas, oil, or water into the city, Major Hornblower and General Hustler positively refused to say.

"My lips are absolutely sealed on that point," the General would reply to all inquiries. "But I don't mind telling you that something big in the way of manufacturing will be under way at Hustleton before long." And as a matter of fact, the contract had been let for a match factory. It seemed rather an odd selection of a location for match manufacturing, but the General gave the lot for the purpose, and the working force of the establishment was to consist of a man and a boy.

"It's a factory, anyhow," remarked the General to the Major, "and is just as good a thing on paper as though it would give employment to a hundred hands. No one can say, for that matter, that it may not be a great concern eventually."

The next number of the Hummer explained that the match manufacturing company had decided to construct its works at

Hustleton because, in addition to the unsurpassed advantages of the town for general manufacturing, the presence of an unusually large quantity of ozone in the atmosphere, as shown by the most careful chemical tests, was highly favorable for the production of a superior quality of matches. And the article pointed out that the abundance of ozone was one of the reasons why Hustleton had been so highly commended by sanitarians as a resort for all persons affected with pulmonary complaints, or whose constitution needed toning up by exercise out of doors.

It had been decided to open the great hotel at Hustleton Heights with the beginning of the winter season, when the invalids would again be flocking to Southern California from the East.

"We must keep things moving as well as we can until the Christmas holidays are passed," said the General to the Major.

66

Then it will be time to go in for a big clean-up. But there is no need of hurry just yet. The boom is good for another year, I should say. It's different from anything I ever saw before, seeing that it is based chiefly on climate, and that is everlasting. But it ought to spread into Northern California before it peters out here, since there is no very great difference in the climate, and I notice that oranges are grown along the line of the Central Pacific, north and east of Sacramento. So long as there is no boom up north, it will be safe to hang on down here."

X.

IN some way the press gained a clew to the authorship of "A Modern Apostle," and followed up the thread of investigation until it was found to connect with Los Angeles. A little further inquiry by the local papers established beyond a doubt that the writer of the most famous and most popular novel of the day was Arthur Weyman. The Chesleys were no less surprised than delighted when his portrait appeared one day in their favorite journal, with a biographical sketch, and an interview in which he modestly explained how he came to write the book. He had already made much progress on another story of a like sort, and the success of his first work had induced him, the article said, to devote himself to

literature in preference to his former calling of teacher. Among all the notes of congratulation he received, there was none that he prized so much as that in which Kate had expressed to him her admiration of his work, and her sympathy with its motive.

me.

"I meant to tell you all about it," he said, at their first meeting after he had received her answer to his confession of love. "But the newspapers were a little too quick for You were right in thinking that 'A Modern Apostle' was just the character that I would like to be. It is a great satisfaction to find that I can accomplish, through the medium of fiction, the sort of work that my excessive sensitiveness prevents me from undertaking in real life. I seem now to have found my true vocation, and I have been overwhelmed by the many kind words that have reached me from all sides."

Colonel and Mrs. Chesley cheerfully gave their consent to the marriage of Kate and Arthur, which was set for the Christmas holidays. As a successful author, he was now, in her mother's eyes, a very different person from the country schoolmaster whose intimacy with her daughter she had once tried to discourage.

"I had not suspected his merit," Mrs. Chesley explained to her husband, when he mischievously reminded her of her former attitude in the matter.

"But what is merit?" he asked, with the old twinkle in his eyes. "Is it success?" She left the question unanswered.

In September the Chesleys returned to the city from Santa Monica. This was the month in which the second payments fell due on the lots sold by auction at Hustleton. Colonel Chesley did not neglect to make his own purchases good by promptly satisfying the obligation. General Hustler was now exerting himself to his utmost to keep the new town before the public, in order that the first buyers might be encouraged to pay the second installments. Many of them did so, and others were accommodated by the acceptance of their personal notes in lieu of cash. notes in lieu of cash. These obligations the General converted into money, in all cases in which the signers were sufficiently well and favorably known to enable him to get their notes discounted. Though the coffers of the Hustleton Land and Improvement Company were receiving much money

in those days, the outflow was constantly large. A greater development of the water supply had been decided upon, and costly work was begun on a bed-rock tunnel in the cañon whence the pipe line conveyed the water to Hustleton.

A new series of lots was put upon the market about this time, at prices ranging from $600 upwards. There were many buyers, as the boom was at its height. The purchasers made small payments, expecting to sell again at a material advance within a month or two, leaving to their successors the obligation of meeting the deferred payments. There was sufficient money coming in all the time to enable the company (which was practically the General), to "keep things humming," as he expressed it, at Hustleton, and so induce fresh purchases of lots. The big hotel was nearing completion, and the Hummer announced that one of the best-known of excursion companies was negotiating for the privilege of including a week's entertainment at Hustleton in its itinerary of winter travel in Southern California.

"It would be easy enough for me to clean up half a million now," said the General to Major Hornblower, one day after making a little calculation in his notebook. "That's not bad, considering that I arrived here last winter a trifle seedy, and with only five dollars in my pocket. But I may as well stick out for a million, while I am about it. The boom is good for another year, certain; and we shall have a big market after the the Christmas holidays, though things are pretty lively now, as it is."

The Major was of the same opinion. So was everybody in Los Angeles about that time. But, strange to say, sales began to slacken as the winter came on. The people were coming from the East, as usual, but they were not buying with the old recklessness. The knowing ones said that the "temporary lull" would be followed by greater activity than ever when January opened, but the beginning of 1888 found prices declining, with a marked check in the speculative excitement. General Hustler was one of the first to detect the change. On the street he laughed at the idea of any continued fall of prices, but to the Major, in the privacy of the office, he confessed his fear that the tide had turned.

They were not long in doubt. Sales stopped almost entirely, and even offers of Hustleton lots at "a sacrifice, on private account," failed to attract buyers. The General's best tricks of advertising were all tried, but in vain.

He was quick to grasp the situation, and with his accustomed energy he set to work quietly to quietly to "stand from under." But he found that many others were trying to do the same thing. His activities and speculations had by no means been confined to Hustleton, but in whatever direction he strove to convert his interests into cash, he found that the market had broken down. He had nothing unencumbered, and could find no purchasers willing to assume the load of debt that weighted down everything he could claim. He had in the mean time discontinued all work at Hustleton, and the creditors of the company were becoming importunate in their demands.

'Major," he said, on the first day of March, "the jig is up. I'm off for South Africa tonight. That's the coming country. There's no end of gold there -- billions of it, in lodes and placers. I'll bond a big bunch of those mines, and put them on the London market. You know the crop of

suckers there was never known to fail. Besides, there 's solid merit in those African mines, at least for the insiders. The next time I get caught in a boom, it will serve me right if I wind up in the poor-house. After all, though, Major, we had lots of fun while it lasted. Are the books all straight?"

"Yes," said the Major, with a sigh. "The books are all right. Only, our salary accounts are a few thousands overdrawn."

"Is there any cash?"

"None in bank. But there's a dollar in the drawer."

"That's enough for two bottles of beer. Come on, then, with the dollar, and we'll drink to the Cape of Good Hope.""

Colonel Chesley experienced a painful shock when he called at the office next morning, and found the door closed, with a sign of "To Let" staring him in the face. From the beginning of January he had grown anxious about the future of Hustleton, but was wholly unprepared for such a sudden and complete collapse as had now occurred. The General and the Major had contrived to buoy up his hopes, in one way