CHAPTER XIiV—Continued. en] Gen “Let y'u alone—after yu bungled it the way y'u did—with fifty pistols in the air—and you drunk—h--l!1 This was my lay, anyhow, and a one-man Job, only you and Loge had t' mess In —and now, with y'ur long tongues and squirrel whisky, y'u've jim'd it." “Mess in!" The shadow among the gnarled roots raised a trifle. “Who hid y'u an’ nursed y'u back well again after that marshal dern’ nigh croaked y'u last winter? Mess in—!" The other strode a hard step nearer; apparently rbalized that any sort of an outbreak just there and then might prove dangerous; finally turned and stalked away up the yard. The parlor door opened, closed. Black Bogus half rose, slipped uway up the sath—and the woodsman was alone with the voice of the night, Counterfeiters — the mystery cleared. Simon Colin—money-lender; WAaAS Pistols in the Air—an’ Y'u Drunk!” money-hoarder—offered jyst the opportunity. Their plan was absolutely flawless— each night to sli ip out a number of food bills and rej terfeit bills of the same deno And the rumpling of the bills in tobacco-stained leaf make them appear old and practically elimina it spurious mold worn, so ing the chances of detection- was a master thought. hed in the woodsman pon ed the the night. But it was fronted him. the revelations of Proof that con- Crouc shrubbery, der what to do? big word Since they the one coming to the Flatwoods, there 10 outfit—nothing that fire not destroy. A thought boat, with its dusty after deck, crossed him; and assumed a new significance. But one false move and even that would dis- appear—and they had thelr eyes on him. But with all the caution of his weod- eraft, Jack Warhope was not a man to plan and scheme. He came of other stock than that, when the ripe instant devil take the chips, was his way. bold thought took shape in his mus ings—but the ripe Instant had not yet come. Another night would bring it, with the banker warned and both of them on guard. With a grim look on his face he crawled out of the shrubbery, stole back to the path winding along under the dense shadows at the base of Jack rock and slipped through the corner of the orchard to his own smull cabin. ” Pausing in the fallow yard under an old apple tree, just now renewing its youth in the glory of full bloom, he stood for a long time sifting the sounds of the night and frowning back toward the red-roofed cottage, The moon stole up under the edge of the east and cast a glittering spear that broke against the face of Black Rock. A quiver seemed to thrill over the sleepy world at the bold assault, The geese in the barn-lot honked and clapped their wings, a bullfrog down in the bayou cleared his throat; a soft breeze waked, rustled the leaves of the old apple tree and snowed the man white with blossoms. He had his hand on the latch when suddenly there rang out upon the silence of the night, from the di- rection of the red-roofed cottage, a woman's wild scream, repeated again and again, j He whirled, rigid, striving to distin- guish the ery--but all women scream much alike. Next moment he was dashing across the orchard toward the sound--—probably the most awesome on earth--a woman's wild ery in the night. The sound had ceased when he came out of the orchard and a candle was flitting about the sitting-room Ye leaped the orchard fence and ran around to fhe porch. To his surprise the sitting-room door was partly open and he dashed in, There In his big armchair in the ! room that served as office, half beat be could of the concealed house- came—and By: DAVID ANDERSON Author of “The Blue Moon” Copyright by The Bobbs-Merrill Ce. back over the chalr arm, his grizzied head lolling down horribly, sprawled the old money-lender-—dead. Texie was erying wildly in the arms of the housekeeper, The preacher had just come from the parlor bed- room and stood stooped and trembling, peering through his huge spectacles In awed silence, But great as his haste in dressing must have been, he had found time to put on the frock coat and high neck stock-—demands of cus tom that he had TOI found im- possible to deny. Jack found the dead man still warm. He noticed that his night shirt was torn to shreds at the neck and sleeves, ands that his face was scratched and streaked with blood, but there was no wound apparent that could have caused his death, The room presented every evidence of a struggle. A chair was over turned: the cover on & small stand had been brushed away; the rug was dragged back a foot or two from be- fore the dead banker's writing desk, where, for an instant the woodsman bent a searching eve upon some faint markings that, In the could barely be traced upon the floor-boards thus lald bare. The old man’s was lying on the dim candle-light, dusty sawed-off floor, where it had before he could use it, Jack had only time to particulars when a rabble of people from the village, alarmed by screams, came running up the ¥ and stormed into the house. 2 later Jerry Brown, tl} bustied and the peaceful cottage passed into the hands of the law. The was the preacher, the or three women, a the city for the note of all but an and two messenger sent house cleared woodsm coroner, put on guard at the door pend arrival, ling his Seventy office was the the of years ago in the saddle HiwW i a8 now, of the pl jan, vsaddle-bags™ 1) ft IVS | and true, who, pet to rand . did most to ung rep » to manhood. th LANE te ext mornin Brov room tragedy began his inquest. Aside the Jerry t where the occurred from disarranged furni the was little ev the garment, there ture, rn gseratel lence, whatever to the person or man had dark. persons with whom waged money, been “taken ked, tly left the day ied that she had heard a wgrds strained and «that she Imme- was still los it had been Texie testif and apparer before. the housekeeper’s room—that they lighted a candle and hurried down. that there was no one else In the room except her father, and he lay back across the chalr arm Her volce choked into silence. “Were the doors all closed?” “All but the door of the it was open a little bit." “Was closed when you went to bed 7 “1 spose settin'- ir iL so-—father never falled to shut and lock I.” “Was theré more the door? “No, only one.” “Where was it kep'? “Hangin’ b'hind the doop” “Marshal,” directed the coroner, “will you see If that key is still hangin’ there?” The marshal peeped behind the door, “Yes, it's thar yit, Y'ur Honor,” he answered, The coroner relaxed his gruff sever ity long enough to offer the weeping girl a word of kindly sympathy, and then dismissed her. The. housekeeper was next called Her testimony agreed in every par ticular with Texle's. Andiihen came the preacher. In his pee jerky way, he testified that Le % a heavy sleeper—that he had heard nothing till Miss Texle screamed ~~that he had then hastily thrown on the few articles of dress necessary to make himself presentable before ladles —that he had opened his door and hurried across the parlor, across the gitting-room and into the office, where he was horrified to find his dear friend dead, and the room In Its present dis array. “ls it true that you carry a key to the parlor door?” “It is. Brother Colin placed it at my disposal the evening I came.” “Where Is It?” “Here.” He drew it forth and held it'toward the coroner, who waved it away. “Did you lock the parlor door las’ night?” “1 aid." “You're excused.” The coroner fwoked in his notebook, than one Key t * where Jack Warhope stood negr Texie’'s chalr and motioned with his hand: The woodsman approached the table, “What do you know of this case?” -— — wm ae od — a - - pot —] ro. a -— ent TTR ERR RR ERE RR RRR LE In his slow, careful way the woods man told what he had heard and seen, from the moment of Texle's geream to the arrival of Jerry Brown “What was you doin’ up so late?” The question probed deep. Things it—and they would have happened fast. Back along the wall the preach er straightened a trifle and his eyes tightened behind the huge spectacles. “1 was—studyin’." Just what the character of his “studies” had been he let fall no word, the coroner did not ask. Back along the wall the tight ened eyes behind the huge spectacles relaxed, “Is it true that you carry, and have for some time carried, a key to the kitchen door?” “You, sir.” “Where was that key— “In my pocket,” He drew It and held it forth; the coroner waved it away ; back along the wall the eyes behind the tinted spectacles tightened again. “It appears from the evidence that you the only person could have entered this house night Boa breakin’ In.” las’ night?’ out was who las’ Texle slowly rose from her chair; dry—and wide, w'y—that's 'Jack— him the same as he Honor trusted " “Your did me The coroner looked toward her; his hand. The girl glanced helplessly at the woodsman ; sank back her hands Uncle Nick crowd and approached “Doc, X'ur Honor, He couldn't. Hit ain't in "Im men ‘e a from. W'y, the boy with my The coroner looked at him; again to the woodsman, “Your name's Warhope?”' “Yes, sin” had edged through the the table. n'r the I'd back life.” turned “Son of Col. David Warhope “Yes, sir.” = The coroner mused a moment, then “1 knowed leve It our father, and I my privile or a finer has ever been nobler man tieman.” He turned to Uncle Nick, Cin anxiously nskin cap In his y you'd be to Answer this boy's honesty ar life?” “1 would that.” “Qa would L” woodsman: “Young the ox to ure Tense fac “8 % strung bodies relaxed; a murmur swept the cr a murmur { th , only for the p of the dead, wil resonce 1 1 ton would have swelled 5 heer. After his fa grim sever to th io # death from tack of apoplexy, struggling with person, sons, unknown, had house probably with intent to rob. ng a hasty ne n line or two the coroner and rendered his Simon Colin acute at- writi mte-hook in £1 Pe worn ity ie effect that came an precipitated some who Looking around over the asset mbled | a man seriously consclous had “it Appears From the Evidence That You Was the Only Person Whe Could Have Entered This House Las’ Night Without Breakin’ In" him, the coroner folded up his note book, came out from behind the table and the inquest was over, The crowd was sent away; the woodsman helped Jerry Brown and the coroner carry the dead man Into his room and lay him upon his bed Watching a chance when no one was looking. Jack snatched up the sawed- off shotgun and hurriedly examined the caps on the tubes. He found what he was looking for-the fulmi nate had been removed from the caps, rendering them absolutely neutral. No amount of hammering could have caveed them to explode, Orossing the floor, Ife took down the key, which the marshal had left hang- ing behind the door undisturbed, and studied’ it critically, On the shaft of it was a faint discoloration that could be nothing else but blood, (TO BE CONTINUED) . we i i DADDY'S || EVENING FAIRY TALE &Mary Graham Bonner Sorvrinr ar A TERN MEWIIAMER Limo MAHALIA'S WASP Mahalla had never liked Many a wasp had stung her. Not be- cause she had ever meant to hurt any of them but she always hap- pened to have bad luck In a family of when she intended And had seen her of the wasps. to at now she Wasp S01. She spoken to wasp though had sald to self : “Dear me, I hope the she Ler Beautiful Paper Nests, But the “I'm busy and I don't belleve she “1f she does she be se that little girl will be sorry tries any monkey Wasp.” Now It seems Wasp to speak when he wasn't a had no me business he doesn't see me, wasp had been saying bother will bother me {oo to about will wry. Ob if she h Mr. yes, business wit «1 rather foolish about monkey monkey for Mr INKey jut he ha it had had deci S000. “1 will 1 It led that he would use buliding my be a reguia ace. “Now Hornet and ¢ciever there is Mr. his family. family, “The; to can make paper. up the old bit and ravelings with beautif how mix and splinters nd t make Hie # arms sLicky ul paper nest +3 Li upon with nd have oti ”" ing And Mahalia ws sa) “Dear Tm der If that ssp noticed “If 1 can away qul enough I may cape him.” fo Mahalia bur- and all she could talk of for days and days was, “1 saw a WARD the other day. 1 saw a wasp. The warm weather has come. | saw a Wasp. And did she that me, 8G nerve *" often say that, even Peter Gnome ov erheard her one evening, and late that 80 “Doesn't She Act Strangely? and perched himself at the ¢ end of her bed and sang this ditty: “You saw a wasp the other day, Yes, yes, you did! You hoped it wouldn't look at you, And you hid, hid, hid. But the wasp was very busy And you were busy, too, 80 nothing really happened To the wasp, or to youl” Tongue Twisters Daddy dishes dolly Daisy delicious dinners, - * . Sally showed gister Sue something slid slowly. : * ee » Tom took Tressa through Tigers tav- ern timidly. » . » Pauline poured peppermints in pa- pa‘'s pockets. - » . Sally sald: “Send Sara some straw- berry ‘shoetcake.” Sleepy, bender. slim Strieter's sled glid slowly slant, - .« Some sisters sought silly Susie Sinders Saturday, . * ‘“Jinger Jingin's just judgment,” . " Bertha Brown's brother borrowed Billy Bremer's books. . 8 @» Some silly sisters sald: “Stop sew- ing Susie Springer's stockings, Sally." SHOULD SAY HE WAS! dainty latest the She | dressed she wus iu in the tripped into boy gasped, to a young thing, fashion, and room the then grinned as she standstill be him. “Could you tell if Mr. is In?’ The boy fore me Jenk she asked, podded and polr der at the hesit know nquired. looked alin ited vaguely door oment. ged? open The girl “Do yon for a m if he 1g enga ated astonished, t shouted “En rried and got two * he Viy, he's ma The Loat Light. skies ut « nt ym OPENING TO A HOLE “That you inst “1 did was a fine week-——did you take and went in the hole” ite Self. Judgment. of love no promises; heart that beats for me serve no other lady fair, may be 1 ask The Will Wh reaver it erever it Now They Don't Speak. Newcomer — My little girl the plano in no time. Mrs. Nexdore-—-Yes, 1 heard ber | playing it that way this morning. — joston Transcript. Mrs. — min. All of That *That halfback is playing a won derful game—that’s the third field goal he's kicked” “Yes—he's certainly putting his best foot forward.”-—Life, Not Yet He—OAK, do hurry up, Angela! Haven't you done your hair up by this time? Angela (from within)-—Done it? 1 haven't found it yet! Relieving the Agony. “Hubby, 1 shall drop into the office this afternoon. 1 want to see you about five,” “Say no more. Here Is the five,” Easy, “Pa, what is capital? “The money the other fellow has my son.” DRAFT FROM THE NORTH “My, why are you sneezing so?" “Got a draft on me from the north this morning and it must have given me a cold.” Ladies Let Cuticura Keep Your Skin Fresh and Young Soap 25¢, Ointment 25 and 50¢, Taleum 25¢. Is indiorcneable in sll cases of Distemper, Influenza, Coughs, Colds, Heaves and Worms among horses and mules. Used and endorsed by leading stock farms, breeders and drivers of United States and Canada for thirty years. Sold in two sizes at all drug stores. SPOKN MEDICAL CO. GOSHEN IND. U.S.A Stolen Masterpieces Brought to America est 1 Hall's Catarrh Medicine 5 >= claim for it-- tid your system of Catarth or Deafness taused by Catarrh. Sold by druggists for over 40 years EB. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, Ohio ORNS Lift Off-No Pain! Doesn't hurt one bit! Drop a little *Freezone” on an aching corn, instant. ly that corn stops hurting, then short. ly you lift it right off with fingers. Your druggist sells a tiny bottle of “Freezone” for a few cents, sufficient to remove every hard corn, soft corn, or corn between the toes, and the foot calluses, without soreness or irritation. Garfield Tea Was Your Grandmother's Remedy For every stomach and “intestinal HL This good old-fash- ifoned herb home remedy for consti pation, stomach ills and other derange- ments of the sys tem so prevalent these days is in even greater favor 8s a family medicine than in your grapdmothel’s day. THAT H i way way bilere
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers