Copyright 1928.1834, Harold Titus, WNU Service, SYNOPSIS Ben Elliott—from "“Yonder"-—arrives at the little lumbering town of Tincup accompanied by Don Stuart, old, very sick man, whom he has befriended. He signalizes his coming by defeating Bull Duval, “king of the river,” and town bully, In a log-birling contest. Nicholas Brandon the town's leading citizen, resents Stuart's presence. He tries to force him to leave town and Elliott, resenting the act, knocks him down. Elliott Is arrested. CHAPTER II—Continued a—— “Are you gullty or not?" Able re- peated and Ben Elliott who had stood at ease before him, slouch hat in his great brown hands, now gave his head a grave twist, “Well, If pitching a man off the side. walk Into the mud is called assault and battery in Tincup, then I'm about a hundred per cent guilty,” he sald. A stir In the room followed that and Able frowned, a convincingly judicial frown. “Guilty, eh?" He cleared his throat at length. “Now how about this dis ruption of the peace, anyhow?" The sheriff spoke: “You see, Able, Mr.—" “Now just a minute, Art. This ac cused has pleaded guilty, as I under stand it. I don't see any need of any- body else saying anything. He's thrown himself on the mercy of this court, you might say, and it's regular and proper and according to the spirit of the statute that 1 question him before passing sentence. Besides” he added, with a twinkle at Brandon, “I'm a little curious.” The sheriff sniffed and subsided Clearly, there was little friendship be tween him and the justice. “Now, Mr . . ." Able glanced at the complaint again. “Mr, Ben Elliott, how come that you go about the coun- try tossing reputable citizens Into the mud? “Why, he was trying to make a friend of mine do something he didn't want to do. That's all. 1 butted In, 1 guess; he got hard and so,”—shrug— “I lost my head for a minute and put him in his place.” “In the mud, you mean.” “Yeah. In the mud.” “Well, go on; go on. beginning. this affair.” Elliott drew a long breath, “l started for Tincup several days ago. 1 was a long ways off, over In Minnesota. This morning 1 got down to the junction west of here and while I waited for my train got talking to this old timer, Don Stuart, who was lo the station. Maybe you know him, Judge. Other folks here do” Able blinked twice; hard. “The old fellow is about all in, I'd say. He's got it into his head that he's about to die and prob. ably hisguess isn't such a bad one. Seems this used to be his stamping ground. that he's been away a long time and that ‘twas this way. Go back to the I want to know all about “Guilty, Eh? he'd started back to finish his days here where he could see scme old friends. He went broke on the way and was just sitting there this morning waiting for something to happen | happened. | wasn't any too well heeled myself, but 1 had enough for his ticket so I brought him along. “As luck would have it, 1 got a chance to pick up a few dollars of Tincup money as soon as we got in and 1 had to have It, with the old timer on my hands. While | was busy getting this eash this man Brandon evidently saw my buddy and started rushing him back to the depot to take the next train back to where he came from. [ didn't like that so well 1 tried to talk him out of it but Mr. Brandon isn't a great talker. That's all, Here | am!” “Guilty as charged, eh?" Abie fum- bled with the papers. “What brought you such a long ways Into Tincup, any. how “Because I'd heard Tincup was a tough nut to erack.” A stir In the crowd, then a sharp look from Brandon to Elliott, “Ob. . . . Fond of outs, are you?” Able asked and the look In his eyes was much less severe. “So you'd heard about Tincup and started for it from a long ways off and , . . Now this mat- ter of nuts: You like all kinds? “Not all nuts; no.” The steel-gray eyes were a bit narrowed, now, as Elli- ott tried to plumb the old man's mood. “Well, for Instance: like peanuts?” “No. Can't stand ‘em.” . “Not at all? Almonds, then?” A twinkle was surely coming to life in the court's eyes but, seeing it, the defendant only frowned. “Can't vote very strong for al monds.” “Or English walnuts or pecans?” “Never did hold them to be what you'd call irresistible, either.” “Hum-m. . . . How about black wal- nuts? “Now,” declared Elliott with a nod, “now, you're getting into real classy nuts!” Men in the crowd looked at one an- other, not knowing what to make of this. “Well, if you like black walnuts, would you say they were your favor- ite? The other considered this question with great, If not wholly genuine, seri- OUANEss. “No, not exactly. I'd put black wal- nuts high up in the list, all right, your honor, but since you're Interested about my preferences in nuts, I'd say that the best nut that ever hung out. doors or offered itself for the cracking was a good old hickory nut” “Real tough ones, eh?” “Real tough ones, yes.” Able wiped his face with a palm and wet his lips, The two looked long at one another and that spark passed which will Jump from man to man, car- ried sometimes by a deed, often by a word, frequently by only a glance; that message which says as plainly as though Inscribed in black characters against white background: “1 lke you: I am your friend!” It went from the old man to the young and back again from young to old. Nicholas Brandon understood and the lightnings in his dark eyes played more briskly, more ominously. “And so you'd figure Tincup as a shrt of hickory nut?” “lI had. Tincup has a reputation all through the Lake states. Wherever you go you'll hear it talked about as a hard camp. I'd beard so many times that a good man with ideas of his own, with Independence and, maybe, with ambition had better keep away from here that [ found myself hankering to get a look at the place” “What's your line of work?" “1 follow the timber. . . . Anything.” “Well, Just what, for instance? What are some of the jobs you've held?” Elliott smiled a bit “Good many. I was a chore boy once; another time | was a road monkey. I've teamed and sawed, worked as millwright and on rivers. Once or twice I've run a camp or two.” “But your avocation, I take It Is looking for hard nuta? Brandon spoke now: “Your honor!” His voice was well modulated and yet In its quality was something which ruggested iron cov- ered with velvet. “As complaining wit. ness in this case, may I suggest that we are beginning to waste time? This young man has pleaded guilty. Of course, I do not want to be put in the light of one who attempts to dictate to a court of law, but I have pressing matters to attend to and If we can get on. . ." Outwardly this vas only a sugges tion, a plea; really, though, It was one way of demanding, of giving an order. “Yes, you're a busy man, Nick,” Able sald and nodded. “I'd sort of figured being busy here today, myself. Sort of wondered If somebody wouldn't bring in Bull Duval on a charge of as sauit and battery. He trimmed my man Harrington so badly that he's gone and my operation's without a boss today. 1 sort of thought, being interested as you are in law and or der, that Duval might be brought in" “That is something 1 know nothing about,” Brandon sald severely, “likely not. You can’t be expected to keep as close track of the men who work for you as | do of mine. That is it isn't reasonable to think a man of your caliber would.” He spoke drily and Elliott, #atching the two, could see that his words stung Brandon. The Justice straight ened In his chair, however. “But maybe we are delaying things Now, Mr. Elllott, don’t you think it a fittle out of the way to come into a town, a total stranger, and upset all that town's precedents? If you, In stead of one of Mr. Brandon's hired men, had cleaned up on my man Har rington, for lnstance, it might! not have been such a grave offense. But here you come and pick out tha one man in Tincup who hasn't been struck or even threatened In longer than | can recall--a man who Is regarded here about like most folks would regnrd a baron of the Middle ages and toss him wut Into the mud! Why Filiott, that's not ever happened before | “Probably It didn't hurt Nick much, put there are his feelings to consider, Aren't you ashamed of giving people a chance to jeer at Mr. Brandon” Elliott looked at Brandon, then, de- liberately, carefully, inspected him from his glossy black halr to his mud- died breeches, “It wasn't a very smart thing to do, I guess,” he admitted. “It's not Itkely now, that I'll even get a chance to see how hard a nut this town really 18." “And no worse than you deserve!” Able said sharply. “You know better than to carry on that way, Elliott, I've got to give you a fine commensurate with your offense. I'll fine you a dol- lar and seventy-five cents for costs or send you te jall for a day.” In the rear a sacrilegious titter or two. From the sheriff, a grunt; from Nicholas Brandon a breath of of- fended dignity and a look that scorched. But on Ben Elllott's face only ap- peared a foolish smile, “That's reasonable enough,” he sald, “but the joker is this: I haven't even got the dollar!" “Well, our jall's real comfortable, I'm told. A day there'll Jet you think over the advisability of going around the country muddying up the pants of respected citizens!” Elliott, though, faced even so short a jall sentence with anything but relish, “lI can get the momey easy enough,” he sald. “That is if you, your honor, or somebody else’ll send a wire for me." “That might be arranged. to? “Here—" He reached for a sheet of paper and pencil lying on the table Swiftly he wrote the words: “Badger Forest Products company, Beech Ridge, Wisconsin." He handed it to Able “Will you wire them for twenty- five dollars and sign my pame? Send the message collect.” “That's a big outfit,™ the judge sald. “You figure they'll do as you ask” “Well, they never have turned me down for anything I've asked Of course, there's always the first time If you'll do that “Until that gets back, Sheriff, 1 sup- pose it's me for the brig. . . . Is that right, Judge? Able was studying the address and when be looked up and grunted an af- firmative reply his gaze was far away. Far, far away. For a considerable Interval after his court room had emptied, Able Armitage sat motionless In his chair. His eye still held that faraway look, staring into space, and now and agala he picked up the scrap of paper bearing the address young Ellloft had written and scanned It closely. “By cracky!” he sald, an hour after being left alone. “By cracky-by jing! It might be, you know, it may be, possibly, perhaps might be I” Thereupon be rose, went to a wall telephone and put In a call for Nathan Bridger, general manager of the Bad. ger Forest Products company, of Beach Ridge, Wisconsin. After this be stood for a time In the front window, peering out Into the street. A man came along the side walk, 8 man of about Able's years, bearing a limp and rusty bag which stamped him as a physician. lie waved a hand to Able and then, as cn sudden impulse, changed his course and ap- proached the entry. *Big day, Able,"—as the justice opened the door, “Yeah, Big" “Old Don's back.” “So I heard” “Bad shape, too" *1 heard that. Real bad, Emory? Emory Sweet nodded gravely. “Heart's like a sponge. [He can't last long. . . . Nick was all for send ing him back to Hemlock but 1 told him It would be murder to move him now.” “Oh, Nick showed up, did he?” “Came right from here. Sald he'd been providing for Don for these last years and wanted him with somebody or other In Hemlock who'd see he didn't get hold of hooch again. Waa quite provoked when 1 opposed mov- ing him.” “Nicholas doesn't like the notion of Don's being In thig vicinity.” “It's about as popular with him as smallpox. When I'd prevalled on him to let Don alone 1 told him the truth: that he can't last more than a few weeks and Nick looked like a man who . , . well like one who's heard good news.” Able nodded. “Safer for Brandon to have him in his grave. But when old Don goes, seems like the last chance of ever clearing the thing up's gone too.” “looks that way. Unless he'll talk before he dies.” "Even so, it wouldn't amount to much, He's an old bum: he was a knowp drunkard at the time. It hap- pened so long ago, and with the courts controlled by who they are , . * “All but yours.” “And mine without any jurisdiction in sure-enough trouble.” The doctor started out but halted in the doorway. “Hear Harrington's gone” “Yes. The Bull ran him out of town” “Brandon? “Don’t be simple, Emory. Who else?” “He certainly can't forget the Hoot Where Owl, can he? What are you going to do now, Able?’ The other shook his head gravely, “I wish I could give you an an- swer , . or myself an answer, All forenoon I've had a feeling in thar palm,"—extending his creased right hand, “as If the end of a rope were slipping through It.” “Tough,” muttered the doctor as he went out. An hour later Able Armitage left his office. He moved with great alacrity for one of his years and stopped only once and that was to draw Bird-Eye Blaine from the throng of onlookers that lined the sidewalk. “Got your car in town, Bird-Eye? he asked. “Have? WII ir still run?” “Run !"—as though insulted. “Say, Able, thut car may not be so foxy lookin’ as some, but she's got a heart av gold "nd" “All right. Jall, will you? | i! 7 g 4 1 H TR Tair il 1 lit 7 hi! ny “MHum-.m. He Says You're No Good.” I might though” Bird-Eye nodded assent and the old justice went on, Ben Elliott, solitary prisoner in the county Jail, lay on the least objection. able of the bunks he found there, smok- ing and staring at the dingy celling. His bands were clasped beneath his head and his feet were crossed; an attitude of relaxation, surely, but his one foot twisted on its ankle around and around. most restiessiy. A man of action, this, not accustomed to idle ness or restraint He raised his head sharply when a key grated in the big steel door leading to the cell block and stopped puffing on his pipe when the opening barrier revealed: Able Armitage. “Hello, Judge!” Elliott cried grinned, Able wasted no time. “I've Just been talking with Bridger.” “Bridger! He here? “Oh, no. 1 called him on long dis tance.” Able smiled as the other gave a puzzled frown. “Bridger and | are old friends. We fought Spain together . « « and malaria when we had Spain whipped. [I think a lot of Bridger. I've a great respect for him and his opin fons.” “So've I. Everybody has” “Hum-m. He says you're no good.” Elliott started. “Wha-a-at? Why... That's funny. Do you mean he wouldn't stake me to the money I asked for?" TO BE CONTINUED. Beirut Has Seen Earth's Mighty Men Come and Go not. Best to be prepared, and looks the scenery from Beirut to Trip. oli are written the names of every conqueror that has invaded Syria from Palestine in the World war. That mighty testament to Syria's glorious past is one of the few color. for his temple still grow In numbers, est-covered. In almost every direction, trips by motor out of Belrut bring one In touch down the Mediterranean const lies Si. once stood the great temple of As tarte. Tyre, which the Syrians eall Sour, is farther south. Once the mightiest city of the East, it Is now a fisher men's village. Between Beirut and Sidon lies Swalfet, to where Cleopatra is sup. posed to have journeyed for her final tryst with Anthony before he set out for the battle of Actium, Many Cape-Coats REFIX the word cape to suit, coat or ensemble and you will be speak- ing In terms of smartest fashion. A tremendous vogue is predicted for the perfectly stunning cape-sulls, cape coats and cape-ensembles which are so dramatically fending their fashionable presence to the spring style panorama. ‘he three models pictured were shown at the fashion revue recently presented by the Chicago wholesale market council, Seeing that they speak louder than words as to the new spring fashion trends, we are passing them on to you via fllustration. This trio of smart modes is style-re vealing from any number of points view. ~8& coat to the left, one of the very new walsteoat effects in the center, 8 simple, youthful twoplece suit to the right, each of which is styled with a cape, A most interesting feature in regard to the tallored suit on the figure seated is the narrow skirt which exploits a giit hemline, a detail which is consid. ered tres chic for street wear. But wait until we tell you of the breath. taking culor scheme of this charming tallleur! The cloth of which it is made is in the new blue called “del- phinia,” handsomely trimmed with a wide bordering of choice fox fur, and here is the big part of the story, it is dyed In a barmonizing darker blue “tropez”-—a perfect symphony in blue even to the girlish off-the-face hat, the brim of which Is smartly fluted at the edge. Fur dyed in exotic colors to match the materials it trims is one of the thrilling adventures which fashion is making this sefson. Of more than passing Interest, tou, is the pointed turnover collar on the Jacket which gives a decidedly youth ful aspect to the neckline. The grace- ful fur-bordered cape has likewise gone pointed at the back to below the walst- line in compliment to the collar. In regard to the model centered in the group, the handsome moire brocade which fashions it is one of the inter esting novelty weaves which empha- sizes the fact that fabrics were never more varied and fascinating than they are for the new season. It is also said that we are entering into an era of col- the likes of which we have not wn for years and the green-goid of the molre for the caped walsteoat together with the beige of the skirt goes a far way to verify the statement. This compose striking colors also confirms reports that daring combinations distinguish the majority of costumes this season. Note the rope braildings of self-fabric which collar the throat and girdle the waist, which is a trend in current fash- ion that is chic to the ‘nth degree. Contrasting the colorglory of the cape-suits shown, enter the handsome topcoat of black cloth to the left in the {llustration. It is an aristocrat among spring coats, the sort in which best dressed women find appeal. The wide banding of superd sliver fox adds greatly to its distinction. The cape fits snugly which is a noteworthy detail to keep in mind, as it is In keeping with the prevailing idea. It is also well to remember when selecting your new spring coat that silver fox is one of the very smart first-choice furs this season. ©. Westerns Newspaper Union, kn tone brocade of two DARK ACCENTS By CHERIE NICHOLAS With the pastel costume, dark ac be done with this theme. A cloth frock fully contrasted with a scarf of plaided Note the modish calf bag hanced with a dlamond ent-out bar of gold finished metal. Or If you prefer fo think of this costume In tones of blue the gown of pale blue would call for the scarf in navy and a lighter blue taffeta with thin white lines in its plaided design. The calf bag of course would be In navy. Which reminds us that the widespread flair for navy ex. tends to footwear and that all the lead lng booteries are making a big display of navy blue shoes SPRING FASHIONS ARE INTERESTING Rare color combinations, unique types and arrangements of trimmings, and tricky fabrics are doing their best to attract women's attention to the new spring fashions. The alliance of tomato red and chartreuse is one of the most arresting of the colors that you'll see but no more impressive than the use of red and yellow. A woolen jacket costume of a porous, honeycomb woolen appears in the chartreuse shade but adds a stom acher of the tomato colored crepe. One evidence of the discard of the red and yellow rule Is a yellow knitted frock trimmed with bright red buttons. These buttons fasten the shirtwalst front, the composition of which they are made being duplicated on the red leather belt. A silk scarf that Is striped with alternating bands of the two colors is tied carelessly around the neck. Brown Woolly Tweed Now Combined With Taffeta Tweed and taffeta meet today on a common footing. Marcelle Dormoy combines them In a coat adequately named “Riviera” in a brown woolly tweed with a scarf collartie in solid brown taffeta, The coat Is three-quarters, flaps open in front from where the taffeta makes a crisp bow near the throat. It has that wide back flare that is so good now, and the sleeves are rather baggy but clore in around the wrists, Jenny contributes a smart redingote in black faille worn over a dress In white silk pique. Chamois Colored Shoes Rmartest among the new sports shoes now being shown for resort wear are chamois color, trimmed with brown, with black or white. They can be worn with all light clothes,
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