THE CENTRE REPORTER, SYNOPSIS. John Valiant, a rich soclety favorite, suddently discovers that the Valiant cor- poration, which his father founded and which was the principal source of his wealth, has falled. He voluntarily turns over his private fortune to the receiver for the corporation. His entire remaining possessions consist of an old motor car, a white bull dog and Damory court, a neg- lected estate in Virginia. On the way to Damory court he meets Shirley Dand- ridge, an auburn-haired beauty, and de- eides that he Is going to like Virginia im- mensely. Bhirley’s mother, Mrs. Dand- ridge, and Major Bristow exchange rem- iniscences during which it 1s revealed that the major, Vallant’s father, and a Iman named Bassoon were rivals for the hand of Mrs. Dandridge in her youth. Sassoon and Valliant fought a duel on her &ccount in which the former was killed Valtant finds Damory court overgrown with weeds and creepers and the build- {oss in a very much neglected condition ‘allant explores his ancestral home. He. is surprised by a fox hunting party which fnovades his estate. He recognizes Shirley at the head of the party. He gives sanc- tuary to the cornered fox Gossips dis. cuss the advent of the new owner and re- call the tragedy in which the elder Val- lant took part. Vallant decides to re- habilitate Damory court and make the d produce a living for him. CHAPTER Xlili—Continued. They stood on the edge of a stony ravine which widened at one end to a shallow marshy valley. The rocks were covered with gray-green feath- ery creepers, enwound with curly yel- low tendrils of love-vine. Across the ravine, on a lower level, began a grove of splendid trees that marched up Into the long stretch of neglected forest he had seen from the house. “You love it?" he asked, without withdrawing his eyes. “I've loved it all my life. I love everything about Damory Court Ruined as it is, it {s still one of the most beautiful estates in all Virginia. There's nothing finer even in Italy. Just behind us, where those hemlocks stand, is where the duel the children spoke of was fought.” He turned his head. it.” he sald. She glanced at him curiously. “Didn't you know? That was the reason the place was abandoned. Valiant, who lived here, and the owner of another plantation, who was named Sassbon, quarreled. They fought, the story is, under those big hemlock trees. Sas soon was killed.” He looked out across the distance: he could not trust his face. “And— Valiant?” “He went away the same day and never came back; he lived in New York till he died. of the court's present owner never heard the story?” “No,” he admitted. “I cently I never heard Court.” “That was the last duel ever fought in Virginia, Dueling was a dreadful custom I'm glad it's gone you? “Yes,” he sald slowly, “It thing that cut two ways. Perhaps Va liant, if he could have had his choice afterward, would rather have been ly- irg there that morning than Sas soon.” “He must have suffered, too,” she agreed, “or he wouldn't have exiled himself as he did if it was a love-quarrel-—whether they could have been in love with the same woman.” “But why should he go away?” “l can’t imagine, umless she had really loved the other man. If so, she “Tell me about You -till quite re of Damory afterward.” She paused with a little laugh. "But then,” she said, “it may have been nothing so romantic. Va lant's grandfather, who was known as Devil John, is sald to have called a man out because he rode past him on the wrong side. Our ancestors In Virginia, I'm afraid, didn't stand on ceremony when they felt uppish.” He did not smile. He was looking out once more over the luminous stretch of flelds, his side-face towards her. Curious and painful questions were running through his brain. With an effort, he thrust these back and re- called his attention to what she was saying. “You wonder, I suppose, that we feel as we do toward these old estates, and set store by them, and-—yes, and brag of them insufferably as we do. But {t's In our blood. You Northern- ers think we're desperately con- ceited,” she smiled, “but It's true. We're still as proud of our land, and its old, old places, and love them as well as our ancestors ever did. Deo you wonder we resent their passing to people who don’t care for them in the Bouthern way?” “But suppose the newcomers do care for them 7” Her lips curled. “A young million aire who has lived all hig life in New York, to care for Damory Court! A youth idiotically rich, brought up In a superheated atmosphere of noise and money!” He started uncontrollably. So that was what she thought! He felt him- self flushing. He had wondered what would be his impression of the neigh. borhood and its people; their possible opinion of himself had never occurred to him. “You think there's no chance of hig choosing to stay here because he actually likes it?" “Not the slightest,” she sald indif ferently. “You are so certain of this without ever having seen him?" Bhe glanced at him covertly, an # noyedly sensible of the impropriety of the discussion, since the man dis cussed was certainly hia patron, may- be his friend, But his insistence had roused a certain balky wilfulness that would have its way. “It's true I've never seen him,” she sald, “but I've read about him a hundred times in the Sunday supplements. He's a regular feature of the high-roller section. His idea of a good time is a dog-banquet at Sherry’'s. Why, a girl told me once that there was a cigarette named after him-—-the Vanity Valliant!" “Isn't that beside the point? Be cause he has been an idler, must he necessarily be a—vandal? She laughed again. “He wouldn't call it vandalism. He'd think it de clded improvement to make Damory Court as frantically different as poss! ble. I suppose he'll erect a glass | cupola and a porte-cochere, all up-to date and varnishy, and put orchid hot- | houses where the wilderness garden | was, and a modern marble cupid in- | stead of the summer-house, and lay | out a kiteshaped track-—" \ Everything that was impulsive and | explosive In John Vallant's nature came out with a bang. “No!” he cried, “whatever elise he is, he's not | such a preposterous ass as that!” She faced him squarely now. Her eyes were sparkling. “Since you know him so intimately and so highly ap prove of him—" “No, no,” he interrupted. “You mis take me. 1 shouldn't try to justify him.” His flush had risen to the roots | of his brown hair, but he did not lower his gaze. Now the red color slowly ebbed, leaving him pale. “He has been an {dler—that’'s true enough | —and till a week ago he was ‘idlotio- | ally rich.’ But his idling 1s over now. | At this moment, except for this one | property, he is little better than a beggar.” She had taken a hasty step or two back from him, and her eyes were now fixed on his with a dawning half-fear. ful question in them “Till the fallure of the Valiant Cor- poration, he had nsgver heard of Da- mory Court, much less been aware that he owned it. It wasn't because he loved it that he came here—no! How could it be? He had never set foot in Virginia in his mortal life.” She put up her hands to her throat with a start “Came?’ she echoed, “Came!” “But if you think that even he could be so crassly stupid, so monumentally blind to all that is really fine and beautiful" “Oh!"™ she cried with flashing com- “Oh, how could you! i | He nodded curtly. “Yes,” he sald “l am that haphazard harlequin, John Valliant, himself.” CHAPTER XIV. On the Edge of the Worlc There was a pause not to be reck- by minutes but suffocatingly long. She had grown as pale as he. “That was ungenerous of you.” she “Though no doubt you--found it entertaining It must have still further amused you | to be taken for an architect? “1 am fiattered,” he replied, with a trace of bitterness, "to have suggested The Next Moment, With Clenched Teeth, He Was Viciously Stamping His Heel Again and Again. even for a moment, so worthy a call ing.” At his anawer she put out her hand with sudden gesture, as If bluntly thrusting the matter from her econ: cern, and turning went back along the tree-shadowed path. He followed glumly, gnawing his lip, wanting to say he knew not what, but wretchedly tongue-tied, noting that the great white moth was still waving its creamy wings on the dead stump and wondering if she would take the cape jessamines. He felt an embarrassed rellef when, passing the roots where thoy lay, she stooped to raise them. Then all at once the blood seemed to shrink from his heart. With a hoarse cry he leaped toward her, seized her wrist and roughly dragged her back, feeling as he did so, a sharp fiery sting on his instep. The next moment, with clenched teeth, he was viciously stamping his heel again and again, driving into the soft earth a twisting rootllke something that slapped the brown wintered leaves in- to a hissing turmoil, He had flung her from him with such violence that she had fallen side wise. Now she ralsed herself, kneel- ing in the feathery light, both hands clasped close to her breast, trembling excesslvely with loatbing and feeling the dun earth-floor blllow like a can- vas sea In a theater. Little puffs of dust from the protesting ground were wreathing about her set face, and she pressed one hand against her shoulder to repress her shivers. “The horrible — horrible — thing!” she sald whisperingly. “It would have bitten me!” He came toward her, panting, and grasping her hand, lifted her to her feet. He staggered slightly as he did and she saw his lips twist to- gether oddly. “Ah.” she gasped, “it It bit you!” “No.” he sald, “I think not.” “Look! There on your ankle spot!” “I did feel something, just that first | He laughed uncertalinly. | “It's queer. My foot's gone asleep.” Every remnant of color left her face. She had known a negro child died of a water-moccasin's ite some years before—the child of a house-servant. It had been wading In creek in the gorge. The doctor that fast | children. * * * She grasped his arm. she commanded, “here, on and see” Her pale fright caught him He obeved, dragged off the low shoe and bared the tingling spot. The firm white flesh was puffing up around two tiny bluerimmed punctures He then remem- bered that he had no knife. As the next best thing he knotted his hand kerchief quickly above the ankle, thrust a stick through the loop and “Sit down,” this log. while she knelt beside him, her lips moving soundlessly, saying over and over to herself words like these: “I must not be frightened. He doesn’t realize the danger, but I do! 1 must be quite collected. It is a mile to the doctor's I might run to the house and send Une’ Jefferson, but it would take too long Besides, the doctor might not be there. There is no one She crouched beside hands by his on the stick and wrenching it with all her strength. “Tighter, tighter.” she said But, to her dis the last turn the improvised the released stick him, putting her over at snapped, and a dozen feet away Her heart leaped chokingly, then dropped into hammer-like thudding He leaned back on one arm, trying to laugh, bt she noted that his breath came shortly as If he had been rum ning “Absurd!” he sald, frowning ‘How such-—a fool thing-—can hurt!” Suddenly she threw herself on the ground and grasped the foot with both hands. He could see her face twitch with shuddering, and her eyes dilating with some determined purpose ‘What are you going to do? “This,” she sald, and he felt her shrinking lips, warm and tremulous, pressed hard against his instep He drew away sharply, with savage “No—no! Not that! You My lord-—-you shan't!” He from her mas cord flew but she fought with clinging, panting broken sen- | “You must! It's the only way. It and t's deadly, “I won't. No, stop! How do you | It's not going to--here, listen! ! Take your hands away. Listen!—Lis | ten! 1 ean go to the house and send | Uncle Jefferson for the doctor and he | ~No! stop, I say! Oh—I'm sorry if 1/ hurt you. How strong you are!” “Tet me!” “No! Your lips are not for that good God, that damnable thing! You yourself might be" “Let me! Oh, how cruel you are! It was my fault. But for me It would never have--" “No! 1 would rather" “Let me! 6h, if you died!” With all the force of her strong young body she wrenched away his protestant hands. A thirst and a sick. ish feeling were upon him, a curious irresponsible giddiness, and her hair which that struggle had brought in tumbled masses about her shoulders, seemed to have little flames running all over it. His foot had entirely lost its feeling. There was a strange weak. ness in his limba. Moments of haif-consciousness, or consciousness jumbled with strange imaginings, followed. At times he felt the pressure upon the wounded foot, was sensible of the suction of the young mouth striving desperately to draw the polson from the wound. From time to time he was conscious of a white desperate face haloed with kies, At times he thought himself a recumbent stone statue in a wood, and her a great tall golden-headed flower lying broken at his feet. Again he was a granite boulder and she a vine with yellow leaves winding and clinging about him. Then a blank a sense of movement and of troublous disturbance, of insistent voices that called to him and inquisitive hands that plucked at him, and then volces growing distant again, and hands fall ing away, and at last-—silence » * » * > » . @® Inky clouds were gathering over the sunlight when Shirley came from Damory Court, along the narrow wood. path under the hemlocks, and the way was striped with blue-black shadows and filled with gighing noises. She walked warily, balting often at some leafy rustle to catch a quick breath of dread. As she approached the tree. roots where the cape jessamines lay, she had to force her feet forward by sheer effort of will. At a little dis tance from them she broke - stick ana her, turning her eyes with a shiver it. The turbulence of nature around her matched, In a way, her strained feeling, and she welcomed bulge of the wind in the irenching wetness of the rain runnels and her thoughts but the flapping shrubbery, wilfully escaped events of the last two hours tured Unc’ Jefferson's eyes rolling up in ridiculous alarm, his winnowing arm lashing his indignant mule in his flight for the doctor At the mental picture she i with hysterical laughter, then cringed suddenly against the sopping bark choked punctures to send a swift penetrant glance at her, before he bent his great body to carry the unconscious man to the house swept over her. Then, all at tears came, strangling sobs that and swayed her. It was the discharge of the Leyden jar, the I ging of the bowstring and it brouglit re Hef After a time ste giew quieter He would get well! The that perhaps she had gave her once, tense thought a thrill t whole body at over her And until yesterday she had never seen him! the blurred hailf-light, pushing her wet hair back from her forehead and smi} ing up in the rain that still fell fast in a few moments she rose and went on At the gate the Rosewood ran She kneeled In of lane she paused io fisl out a draggled Rich mond newspaper. As she thrust it un a head line from ber parting In her eager fingers, and resting her foot on the lower rail of the gate, spread It open on her knee She stood stock-still until she had read the whole John Valiant's sacrifice of his private fortune to save the ruin of the In- volved corporation Its effect ypon her was a shock. She felt her throat swell as she read; then the memory of “What With a flush she tore it ciety columns? “What a beast I was!” she said, ad: dressing the wet hedge. “He had just DIDN'T FIND IT INTERESTING Settler Had No Hesitation in Declar ing Encyclopedia Had Its Dry Spots. Dudley Field Malone, the new ool lector of the port of New York, sald to a reporter. “I'm too new to my Job to talk about it yet. If I talked about it I might, like the mountaineer, give away my ignorance. “A man was hunting in Pike county, and up around Porters lake he visited a settler's house. “He noticed a volume of a good encyclopedia on a shelf above the gun, and sald: “ ‘It must be a handy thing away off here to have an encyclopedia.’ “Yep, sald the mountaineer. ‘Yep, she's handy. I only got the first book.’ “ “Why haven't you got the others? “I ain't finished this one yet, so 1 ain't ready for saother. 1 bought this one off'n an agent about eight years ago. He come round six months aft erwards and says, says he: "Here's yer second volume, mister.” SE What!™ says I “Why, I ain't fin cause of that that he was little better than a beggar, and 1 sald those hor rible things!” Again she bent her eyes, rereading the sentences: “Took his detractors bY surprise * * * had just sustained a grilling at the bands of the state's examiner which might well have dried at thelr fount the springs of sympathy.” B8he crushed up the paper In her hand and rested her forehead on the wet rail. Idiotically rich-—-a vandal A useless, purse proud flaneur She had called him all that! 8he could still see the paleness of his look as she had sald It Shirley, overexcited as she still was, feit the sobs returning. These, how- ever, did not last long and in a mo ment she found herself smiling again Though she had hurt him, she had saved him, too! When she whispered She folded the the startled her paper cherry- Emmaline, the negro maid was wait. She with a face to spareness, as and set Emmaline, “I'se fo’ yo' wid all that light- eroun’. Yo’ got th’ jess’ Give ‘em to Em’line. She'll fix “Honey,” called been fearin’ nin’ r'arin’ mine? “All right, Emmaline” Shi “And I'll go and mother missed me?” lef” huh room replied dress this day. Now y0' barth's all ‘cep’'n th’ hot watah sen’ Ranston with that th’ fuse’ Yo' hurry en peel them wet vyo'se'f yo' have one o “No'm. Bhe ain’ all ready en | fos a thing ar Her young mi and the hot water despatched, the negro wom- an spread a cloth on floor and dress the long stalks This done she fetched stress flown the bowls and and set the pearly- white clumps here and there—on the the hall man- tel and the desk of the living room-— till delicate fragrance filled the vanquishing rose arbors red woman the growing of glass and the light tattat she ran to iridge was d YRARECE, gideboard, the house, quite the from As the trim colc about in 1 the jow click scent the moved dusk, muf of the lightly and Dan sounded Mrs 8 Cane hall, where oe holding the banister, under the edge of a white silk shawl bh drooped its heavy fringes to her daint- ily-ahod feet lower step she halted, looking smilingly about at the blossoming bowls “Don’ they smell sald pleas’ ith on mah shouldah en 1} big cha'h.”™ crossed the hall, whic On the whole know’'d Now put il take up th’ "y be ls * han’ to They yo' the dusky the fingers. “Now heah’s yo' cha'h Ranston he made up a little flab jes’ to take th' damp out, en th’ big lamps lit, en Miss Shirley'll be down right quick.” A moment later, in fact Shirley de scended the stalr, in a filmy gown of India-muslin, with a narrow belting of gold, against whose flowing sleeves her bare arms showed with a flushed pinkness the hue of the pale coral beads about her neck The damp At her step her mother turned her she was listening Intently to treble opposing Ran- ston’s stentorian grumble. (TO BE CONTINUED) ised the first volume yet. You jest dig out!” “He dug, too. was, yet, through. The wife, she's about i i my Till within the last two years or so, the general Impression was that the Chinese soldier was intended to run away. The revolution of 1811 dis sipated some of this absurdity. The events of the present year have dis persed the remainder. It is now recognized that there is no finer mate rial than that which could be selected from among the sturdier of China's sons. Nothing is wanted but training, arms of precision, good leading and a good cause. With these, China could well hold its own. The improvements that have been made d recent years In such things can be ciated only by those who know what the old troops, from the Bannermen downward, were Ilke.—Natlonal Re view, China. Penns Valley Banking Company Centre Hall, Pa. DAVID K. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers