A Tale of the Flatwoods
By DAVID ANDERSON
Author of “The Blue Moon"
Copyright by The Bobbs-Merrill Co,
THE PREACHER
s——n
, SYNOPBIS.—On the banks of
the Wabash stand Texle Colin
and Jack Warhope, young and
very much in love. Texlie Is the
only daughter of old Pap Simon,
rich man and money-lender. Jack
is the orphan bound boy of Fap
Simon, who had foreclosed a
mortgage on the Warhope estage.
At first Texle and Jack talk sadly
of Ken Colin, the girl's missing
brother. Then Jack says that in
ten days his servitude will be
over, that he will ride out into
the big world to seek his fortune,
Both know what that will mean
to them.
CHAPTER I|—Continued.
wD —
She glanced away along the distant
windings of the road.
“When men of the woods ride out—
yonder, they don't come back, Ken—
didn't.”
The man's eyes searched her face
for some hidden meaning in her words;
apparently did not find it
“1 ain't almin’ t' let the big worl
out yonder swaller me up like it did—
Ken. Some flutboatmen told me yes
terd’y there's a wagon train makin’
up in the city for the gold diggin's
in California. Y'u know, when a bound
boy’s time's out, the man he's bound
to most gener'ly starts "lm off with
a hoss and saddle and bridle. Pap
Simon said he fig'r'd on givin me
Graylock,
“I "low we'll jine that wagon train-—
Graylock and me. And when we find
gold, we're—comin’ back.”
He stole a shy look at
dropped her eyes.
“You'll f'rget the
you've found-—gold."”
He seemed to search her words
again for some meaning that he wished |
much to find. But her face was very
thoughtful and turned aside?
“I“rget the Flatwoods! Where eise
in the world is there a sight like that? i
The minute I've got money enough I'm |
comin’ back. I'll buy the homestead
back f'om Pap Simon; finish the
bouse; and then—"
An arm unconsciously reached to-
ward her. The movement brought the
red-roofed cottage into his line of vis
fon—the red-roofed cottage, where lay
a paper that bcund him to servitude.
He drew his arm back; crushed his
hat rim in his powerful fingers.
Down by the rivulet in the ‘barn lot
the geese honked and clapped their
wings. The sound aroused the man
from the half bitter mood and he
glanced at his companion, to find her
eyes upon him.
“Jack—" she hesitated; “do ¥'u
spouse it could be the red lock that
made Ken act like 'e did?”
The question was so at variance
with the man's trend of thought that
he was a long time cousidering it.
“It ain't the red lock,” he finally
answered in his slow way, “it's the
drop of blood that come along with it
¥'r that matter, though, every man
gits a bad drop 'r two out of the past.
But them bad drops can be overcome,
if a man bucks ag'in ‘em. The trouble
with Ken was it didn't "pear like he
wanted t' buck agin’ his)”
“The ‘curse of Colin was the
girl's musing comment. “F'r hundreds
of years—ever sence the days of ‘Red
Colin,’ the old sea pirate—it's ben
breakin’ out In the family every few
generations. It alw'ys worried Ken
that it broke out on him. [I've some
times thought it would ‘a’ be'n better
if he'd never ‘a’ found out the mean-
in’ of that red lock—that it was the
‘curse of Colin’—"
“That's it,” he commented. “I "low
Ken fig'r'd the curse had "lm anyhow,
and so it wasn't wo'th while t' buck
ag’in It.”
“Mother kep’ the lock cut off, y'u
know, till Ken was big enough t' notice
it himself. After that he alw'ys kep’
it combed under so's it dida't show,
I don't reckon anybody in the Flat.
woods but you and me and father
know'd 'e had iv.”
“Yes,” the wooddman Interrupted,
“ol' Uncle Nick Wiles knows. But
that's as good as sayin’ it's dead and
buried. Nothin’ ever gits a-pust Uncle
Nick's jaw.”
He grinned, pushed up the mop of
tousled hair that fell over his brow
and pointed to a scar.
“That's where Ken struck me with
‘is whip han'le the day I found out ‘e
had It.”
The girl ran her slim fingers over
the scar. :
* “And he cut me with the whip
b’cause | flew at "im when 'e done it.”
“And then I hit "lm with a rock
because 'e cut you.”
The girl shivered.
“1 thought he'd kill y'u that day,”
she said, “His hat fell off, his hair
was mussed, and y'u know how awful
it made "im look when that red lock
worked out and fell down over ‘ls
eyes—wild and savage and terrible;
like ol' ‘Red Colin’ "must ‘a’ looked.
He jerked y'u up and drawed the butt
of 'ls whip—mercy! It makes me
shiver t' think about it. But he only
lawghed—hard and wild—and let. y'u
her. She
Flatwoods when
"”
A smile erawled across the bold
features of the woodsman, narrowed
his eyes and pinched out two queer
little wisps of friendly frankness,
“This ain't Fourth o July, nr
Chrig'mas, o'r nobody's weddin'. How
come the scenery?’ He reached out
T
his big hand and touched the smart
bow of ribbon at her walst,
“W'y, didn't y'u know, the new
preacher's a-comin’ on the Milford
stage this evenin’, and we're all goin’
t' meet 'lm—you, too."
The twinkle at the corners of the
man's eyes deepened,
“Am 17
“Father's already fixed it f'r 'Im t
have the use of ol' preacher Mason's
study at the parsonage-—Mis’ Mason's
terrible lonesome sence the ol’ preach-
er died, and he'll be company. He'll
do 'ls writin’ and makin’ up 'ls ser-
mons there. He'll board with us—he
ain't married, y'u know."
She paused and lald a hand on the
man's arm. He covered it with his
great palm; looked hard at her, with
suddenly sobered eyes,
“He was a classmate of-—Ken's"
she went on, “and he's now one of
the teachers and preachers in the very
college where Ken went.”
The man's eyes widened. She drew
her hand from under his palm.
“I ‘low that's why father
quick t' hire ‘im; and mebbe that's
why he was 8 willin' t' come. He
ain't none well, his letter sald,
bein’ nigh broke down with teachin’
and preachin’, and he ‘lowed this
would be a good®place t* rest up in.”
Her eyes swept the serene land.
scape ; suddenly she raised an arm and
pointed to the blurred end of the road.
His eyes followed the dire#tion of her
rigid finger, The Milford stage was
just crawling out of the bronze shad.
ows and coming into view. The next
moment she had seized his hand and
was dragging him, half unwilling, down
the cliff,
was
{00
CHAPTER II
East Meets West,
Buckeye each day-—the evening stage
from up the river—from the city twen-
important. Its arrival was the one
was usually gather~d about the broken
porch Zeke Polick’s general store
to see it come In
The Buckeye post office shifted back
and forth across the River road about
as often as the nation changed presi
dents. Zeke Polick
the man in the White House in far-off
of
The Old Man Grinned, as Broadly as
the Pinched Shrewdness of His Dry
Face Would Allow.
Washington happened to be a Whig.
That's why the post office was ia a
store on the north side of the road In
the year of grace, 1540, instead of In
a store on the south side.
The River road was a bigger Insti
tution than the town. It not only
halved the town; it well-nigh halved
its political faith, From the Warhope
farmstead nt the east edge to the
school house at the west edge, It
formed, in political years, a sort of
“devil's lane” between the north side
ers and the south siders, The farm-
stead and the red-roofed cptiage—
which Is to sal Jacky Warhope and
the Colins-—were both on the north
glide of the road.
Simon Colin had once been Zeke
Polick’s partner, but had dissolved the
partnership years before to follow the
more lucrative business of lending
money and collecting rents——mostly
his own. A banker without a bank, so
shrewd was his judgment ahd so hard
the bargains he drove, that half the
Flatwoods was under mortgage to him.
He still kept a sort of office in the
store—a desk by the dusty window; a
narrow shelf nailed along the tops of
the palings at the longer side; a chair;
a table against the wall, on it three or
four law hooks that were never
opened. There was no safe. That
was at the red-roofed cottage.
Not a very Imposing office—but the
commerce of the Flatwoods passed
across those time-faded, unpainted
palings. Even Zeke Polick, Simon's
closest business associate, would
have been astonished to know the ac
tua! wealth that journeyed In an old
satchel back and forth every day be
tween house and store,
Dangerous twice the attempt had
boen made to see inside that satchel,
and a man had died each time. The
old banker carried a huge doublebar-
reled horse pistol, loaded half to the
¥
the way to Its light trigger as the
weasel knows the way to its den,
And the safe st home——a cracksman
from the city tried that one night, The
old man blew a hole in his ribs the
size of an open hand with a sawed
off shotgun he always kept near his
bed. .
The old banker had just closed his
desk, picked up the rusty satchel, and
come out on the porch of the store
when his daughter and the big woods.
man joined the crowd around the post
office—a crowd doubly large, gathered
for the doubly auspicious occasion,
The girl ran to her father and
slipped an arm about his walst, He
looked down at her and grunted.
she was there,
Up beyond the Warhope farmstead
there came a prodigious rattle
wheels, a clatter of
and the Mililford stage
sight; roared. across
dashed
the wooden
Eagle run; rumbled past the church
into the village and pulled up in front
of the post office,
The crowd flocked around it,
guard threw off the mall sack.
Poliek pleked It up and earried it In,
and the lumbering stage rattled away
down the river,
One passenger had’ slighted, a tall
cropped and pointed-—the new preach.
er, without a doubt—quite the oddest
array of satchels and umbrella, patent
leather boots and high hat, stiff neck
stock and enormous spectacles,
had ever invaded the Flatwoods,
He seemed nervous as he stood at
the side af the road peering through
his enormous spectacles, slightly amber
tinted, upon the crowd,
The old banker, with his daughter a
step behind him, advanced, touched his
faded black hat and extended his hand.
“The Rev, Caleb Hopkins, | low?”
The eyes behind the huge spectacies
lighted. The young preacher dropped
one of his satchels and met the out-
stretched hand,
“Ah—Mr. Colin, I take 1?
“All but the mister, I'm J
Sime Colin”
The old man grinned, as broadly as
| the pinched shrewdness of ils dry face
st
would allow.
“] want y'u t' meet me daughter
Be half turned; Jerked his thumb
toward the girl: jerked (t back toward
| the preacher. “Texie, Mr. Hopkins.
i The young preacher touched his tall
hat: dropped his other satchel, grasped
the girl's hand in both his own and
: pressed it closer than the occasion
| could possibly warrant,
It may have been merely
i pression of a genial aature touched
rith the fervency of his profession
| the ontflowing of a benevolence that
embraced all humanity--but even so,
it brought a quick flush to the girl's
face, and drove her eyes to the ground
The old banker had turned the
crowd.
“Step up, step up.” he called, “and
shake hands with the new parson. The
way ¥'0i hang back, he'll think hes
drappéd off amongst a o pub-
leans and sinners.”
The crowd had evidently been walt
ing for just such an invitation Stelid
faces raveled into grins, ang
quaint vernacniar of the Filatwnods
| had an airing. Odd bits of philosophy,
ancient jokes, that nobody would have
dared to spring on his neighbor, were
freely sprung on the hapless and help
jess sojourner from the polite East,
"
‘
fo
pack
the
most of the crowd
noticed
gone when Texie
Jack Warhope still
left him. She ran back, caught
arm and dragged him forward
“Mr. Hopkins, meet Ja—Mr. Wor.
hope.”
“Glad to meet you, Mr. Warhope”
The young preacher stretched forth
his hand; the other grasped it. The
peering eyes behind the heavy glasses
studied him with curious Intentness,
but the woodsman only mildly inter
sated, missed the Infuisitive look,
his
the road
.- Well”
about
he sald,
winds np
“1 "low that jist
the how-4'y' doin’,
we'll be moseyin'.”
He half turned
over his shoulder at the preacher.
“I've dickered the use of our ol
preacher's study fr yu at the parson
age. Sister Mason-the widder, vn
know--she ‘lows she'll be right glad
to have y'u come over and use the
study, she's that lonely sence the par
son died. We'll stop as we go a-past, and
meet Sister Mason, But, as I writ 3'u,
I'm almia’ fr y'u t' put dp with me,
at least f'r a few days” the brisk,
raspy volce softened—"I'm honein' t'
have a talk with y'u about—the hoy."
He glared down at the road; th
preacher studied him curiously.
Bo long had the old money lender
been ‘accustomed te dominate every.
body about him that it did not once
eccur to him to mmquire what the
preacher's wishes might be. He strode
another step or two up the road, re
membered that his daughter had gone
in after the mail, stopped and frowned
half impatiently toward the store door,
At that moment Texie came out with
half a doten letters in her hand, saw
the big woodsman, and, with a tiny
wisp of roguishness in her eyes,
stopped en the edge of the porch.
“Yeu; there's a fairy peeping
Inte the spring right now.”
(TO BE CONTINUED. ,
HS———————————————
Enmity of your enemies is less ume
certain than thy friendship of yemr
friends,
*
#
Serge, Twill for
Chic New Outfit
a 4 A A———
Navy Blue, or Neutral Beige
and Gray Popular for
Fall Wear.
Come what will In the world of fash-
on, there Ix fo such thing as oblivion
or the tallored frock of serge or twill,
n navy blue or neutral beige and gray,
teclures a fashion correspondent in
he Kansas City Star. It holds its own
wason after season, and the remark-
it a enh
distinctly new aspect
This year a certain variation in de- |
alls is noted, with much attention pald
o those suggested by the modes of
‘hina. This, perhaps, .is more in the |
ntroduction of color and in touches |
embroidery or the application of |
bands of bright triioming!
the neck and down the side, |
ust as one sees in the Chinese coats. |
It is probably by the
that navy blue
use of
of
hose of
clever
frocks this
wiim, |
are
often
undersiecves
In line they are straight and
sith wrist-length which
wimetimes tight,
sell-shaped, with
ff" net or muslin, i
For practical purposes nothing takes |
he place of a dark gown, and |
xith the nddition of a well chosen hat, |
shoes and stockings of correct
tnd colors, and a scarf of reall
fur, It constitutes a street
hnt leaves be
sleeves
but
dainty
quite us
i
blue
lines |
costume |
desired in
he way of ¢hie and good taste
Afternoon and dinner gowns of lace
ined fare with or
nothing to
velvet ghown cupe
Rows of pin tucks vary the straight.
line silhouette of the coat dress in
navy poiret twill, Bindings are beige
crepe.
Jenny sleeves
wn of black
nd gold sleeves,
There is a youthful charm
about the cape frocks and sults that it
is not surprising to find them con-
spieunously featured in every cellection
of autumn and winter models, particu
tarly among those designed for the
gehool and college girl, Ope shop
known from coast to coast for its
youthful clothes which meet every de-
mand of smartness and practicability
makes a special point of the capette
suit.
It is developed in soft woolens and
A striking
velvet has cherry red
such
In days gone by every child was
supposed to go through a period called
the awkward age. In reality it was
not an awkward age at all, but In
yon! a certain stereotyped style of
youthful dressing and did act under.
stand the possibilities of that age be
Few things indicate more decidedly
the progress of designing than the
They are colorful and ex-
Perhaps
frocks and coats is their individuality.
It does not take long for a mother
to decide just what particular color is
becoming to her small daughter and
whether her type calls for frills and
ruffles or for an almost exaggerated
dimness and lack of ornamentation.
As always, certain phases of grown:
up fashions are repeated in miniature.
There is, for Instance, the sleeveless
frock with ite wide frill about the
neck and the tight-walsted, full-skirted
dress which delights the soyl of its
small’ owner because It Is so like
mother's,
Outdoor garments are male of soft,
Heht-weight wools In tones which set
off the lovely coloring of childhood.
They have fjwings of fur that are
suitable to the years of those small
pereOns,
Printed and Plain Gowns.
Printed and plain materials combine
to make some of the smartest of the
aew frocks a mode not only becoming
econonyosl Ax well, because It
Bi
§
for Business Women
"GIRLS! A GLEAMY MASS
OF BEAUTIFUL HAIR
85.Cent “Danderine” So Improves Life.
fess, Neglected Hair.
abundance
of luxuriant halr
full of gloss,
gleams and life
shortly follows a
genuine toning up
of neglected
scalps with de-
pendable “Dan-
derine.”
Falling hair, 71
itching scalp and the dandruff is eor.
rected Immediately. Thin, dry,
An
wispy
on new
beauty.
the
strength, color
“Danderine”
hair: =a
and
iz de
on refreshing,
Advertisement,
Dodging the issue.
Negfoes, Sam and
thelr hos WHE Kee
ir BE wi 8 HE
Tw
thought
O
buy a watch
agreed upon to
neither Negro,
but they were
other know
wether
be
however,
time
{OO prog
each this fac
’
f frock with a silk top, a
f wool and a hip
has extend
a
t which a cape
length
ing just over the shoulders.
fur and
cuffs the
most
the touch
Con
there
which hs:
sometimes
| fur but model 8
received
of
fur at
1180 little frocks
TT -
Hesse
charming
or
ight or cireular cape
and
velvet velveteen
short, sir
snaps onto the shogiders
be removed when necessary
in one
very dark
circular cut
caracul
stralght
of
is of
RY
ray
instance it Is fashioned
green wool. The cape
uf
and has a collar
the frock there is a ii
collar silver
or
*
iin
1
iinese of
i peated
| Chinese Mode Is Given
Prominence in Paris
Strange how the Chinese mode hus
Most
{hinese
1 wi v wv ”
flaring culls.
in the
swept over us by way of Paris
of the openings
i eclore and Chis but it
speak of
{
{ remained to
us
PL
aa
present
in
Tw
| with cooll deveioped
{ sorts of fabrics the ollie
about
hats
never Ore
ith mandarin
with just to be
%
sistent democratic and
mnt
Since mah
popular
of
femininely French. fongg
has becois 865 that special
rooms in the houses enthusiasts
being
play, the Chinese coats and Lats
ought have strong ati=acdon for
those women who always get the new
thing, and get .t first,
are decorated ag a
’
for
to
Albums Reappear.
The old family album has its
These
since
book of florentine leather.
bums fill a longfelt want,
promiscuous crowding of photographs
upon tables and mantels went out.
Smocking.
Smocking is associated with
now it is seen on some
WeRr.
{the remaking of an old dress,
{ line model so simple that It needs prac
:
1
{
i
{ cape back that may be left off if one
§
sam
1 pulled ou
ing it into Rastus’
stus looked
scratched
n if
(Johns Hopkin
1 £ tf "”
it aint
ay
GARMENT, DRAPERY
Tint Worn, Faded Things
New for 15 Cents
Diamond Dyes
sh
wonder wheth
Dye or
Don't
or tint
home dyeing is guaranteed with
mond Dyes”
er you can dye
successina perfect
"Dia
even if have
dyed hefore. Druggists have all «
Directions
tiserment,
in each
package. — Ad
Men are
plate
A
wml
tone
surely
torpid
aiion
up
liver prevents
Wright's Indian
the liver They
372 Pearl St N.Y
pre food
Vegetable
act gently
Ads
per
No
far «
jare good this year, and for the figure
{wach an artifice is well designed. The
| substitute a narrow belt if one pre
fers,
Sweetheart Basket,
| There are unlimited possibilities in
ous kinds of baskets with ribbon, A
charming sewing bnsket appropriate
a8 a gift for a bridetobe Is the
“sweetheart” basket. First of all buy
or make a heartshaped basket and
line its sides with finely plaited pink
gatin ribbon. Glue a ruffle of pink rib-
bon all around the top of the basket
and equip the Interior with all kinds
of sewing accessories. When applying
glue, use the very best quality so that
the ribbon will not be injured.
Effective Evening Gown,
An evening gown of white and sil.
ver brogade is simply draped and
trimmed at the right side with sprays
of green and of white éalla lilies. The
effect Is most striking,
To Remove Staing.
Paint stains in woolen clothing, no
matter how hard and dry, ean be re
moved with equal parts of turpeatine
ammonia, J Wo
i
i
For the hest Angus Cattle, write San
ford & Rich, Mocksville, N. C.—Adv
If it is too good to be true, hegjtate,
a A i -
CHARACTER TELLS
THE STORY!
People throughout this country are
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the purity of remedies on the market,
but no one doubts the purity of Doctor
Pierce's vegetable medicines, for they
have been so favorably known for over
fifty years that everyone knows they are
just what they are claimed to be. These
medicines are the result of long research
by & well-known physician, R. V. Pierce,
M. D, who compounded them from
health-giving herbs and roots long used
in sickness by the Indians. Dr. Pierce's
reputation as a leading and homored
citizen of Buffalo, is a sufficient guaran-
tee for the purity of that splendid tonic
and blood purifier, the Golden Medical
Discovery, and the equally fine nerve
tonic and system builder for women’s
ailments, Dr. Pierce's Pavorite Prescrip-
tion. ® Send 100. for trial phe. tablets to
Dr. Pierce's Invalids Hotel, Buffalo, N.Y,
The Grande Chartreuse,
The Grande Chartreuse was the origi
nal monastery of the Carthusians
founded In 1804. It is situated among
the mountains In the French department
of lsere, about fourteen miles northeast
of Grenoble, ang is famous for an
aromatic cordial made hy the monks
the secret of which they have long pos
sessed, The monastery was despoiled
during the French revolution, and the
inmates exiled fram 1796 to 1816. They
returned after the restoration of Louis
XVIII €1814), but never recovered thelr
former wealth and influence.