DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD, DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
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The Thirteenth Commandment
By RUPERT HUGHES
Copyright by Hurper A Brothers
C0UNTRY NEEDS APPLE TREES
Helps
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CHAPTER XIX Continued.
13
"Whnt they used to call the de
cent thing we call Indecent. You said
yourself that marriage without love
was horrible. And It Is; It's nil quar
rel and nagging and deceit. IT people
are faithful to each other morally
they seem to quarrel all the more.
Long ago I vowed I'd never marry,
and I don't Intend to. I don't want to
marry you. But I want your life."
"Mr. Duanel Really, this Is out
rageous." "No, It Isn't 1 Hush and listen,
honey Miss Kip Daphne whatever
you'll let mo call you. I told you I
was starl;, starving, crazy mad about
rou. Whon I think of you looking for
jMtei
She Was More Afraid of Him Now
Than Ever.
work, living In that 'awful spare room
of those awful Chlvvises whon I
think of you going from placo to place
nt the mercy of such men as you're
Mire to meet when I think of you
uniting for poor WIniburn to get out
of tho poorhouse, I want to grab you
In my arms and run away with you.
It breaks my heart to see you in dls
ttoss and anxiety; for I want you to
have everything beautiful and cheer
ful In the world. And I can get It all
for you. Let mc! Let me love you
Jind try to make you happy, won't
you?"
lie hud crowded nearer nnd he held
her fast against tho door of the car.
His right hand clung to hers; his
left slid down to her waist. lie drew
her toward him, staring up beseech
ingly. Ho laid his cheek against her
left side like a child, tho big man
pleading to the little woman for
mercy.
She folt sorry for him and for her
self. She regretted .that cruelty wns
her one uninlstaknble duty. She had
no right to bo kind, nnd charity would
he a sin. Slio wrung her hands free
from his with slow persuasion and
shook her herfd pityingly.
He accepted the decision with a nod,
hut before she could escape from his
arm she felt that ho pressed his lips
against her just above her heart. It
was asMf lie had softly driven a nail
'nto it. Tears flamed to her eyelids
Hid fell on his hands as he carried
thnn to ids bent brow. Ilri crossed
hem on tho wheel and hid his faco in
thou, groaning.
"Daphne t Daphne !"
.She wns more afraid of him now
,k'ui ever. Ail tho splendors he could
promise her were nothing to that prof
fer of Ills longing.
Wtille she waited In a battle of Im
pulses, ho regained self-control with
Tvlf-contempt, In a general clench of
esolution. "I apologize," lie mumbled.
I'm a fool to think that you could
-h me."
CHAPTER XX.
Dunne did not bpeak till miles and
jillcs of black road had run backward
ocneath their wheels. Then ho
grumbled, "What n fool 1 was to
Irrnm of such a thing!"
More miles went under before her
"urlostty led her to wiy, faintly,
'What were you dreaming of?"
Jle Inughed, and did not answer for
mother while. Then ho luuglied
Villa.
"Do you really want to know?"
"I think so."
"Well, you couldn't hnte mo any
more than you do, so I'll tell you. I
fit til to myself that I would never bo
the dnvo of any woman.
."It's not that I am htlngy about my
aioney, not that I wouldn't take tho
treat est pleasure In pauperizing my
clf for tho woman 1 loved, but that
I want her to tnko my gifts as gifts,
Dot as a tax or a salary. Some of
these women think they are doing a
linn n tremcudous favor by letting
llm support them. That doesn't get
ne a llttlo bit. I believe n man does
i woupui Just as much hone- ns she
docs him, nnd sacrifices a blamed
eight more. He gives up his freedom,
and if sho gives up hers sho's only
giving up something she doesn't know
how to use anyway."
Dnphno had rarely found n mnn
who would talk to her with Duano's
frankness, nnd If thcro Is nnythlng
that Interests a woman more than an
other It Is to hear womankind an
alyzed, even sntlrlzcd. She was eager
for more vinegar.
"You won't be shocked nnd angry?"
he asked.
"I don't think so."
"You don't know how pleasant It Is
to talk life and lovo to n woman who
doesn't rear up and feel Insulted at
everything. At first you gavo mo n
couple of how-dare-you's, hut they
don't count. And If you do hate mo
a little more, why, so much the better.
When I thought you had broken with
Wlmburn I said to myself, 'She's the
one girl in the world for me. I'm go
ing to nsk her to marry mc' But I
was afraid to, for I was afraid- of mar
riage. And then I Well, I'd better
not Yes, I will. I said, 'She be
lieves that men and women nrc equal
and have equal rights, and she's go
ing to get out nnd hustle for herself,
like a little man. Maybe she could
learn to love mo" well enough to go
Into a partnership of hearts.' That's
what I said to myself. You mustn't
tliink It's becauso I don't want to
cleave to one woman; it's becauso I
do. But I hate handcuffs. Do you
see? And now you know what I was
dreaming of. What do you think of
it?"
The answer to his long oration was
complete silence. Dunne wnlted for
his nnswer, nnd, not getting it, Inughed
harshly: "Well, that's that. The next
number on our program will be n bal
lad entitled 'I Never Dream but I
Bump My Ucad.' Go onl Mnrry Clay
WIniburn on nothing n year and live
miserably ever after."
She said nothing to this, cither.
Dunne wns In a wretched state of baf
flement, no put the car to Its paces,
and It ripped through space nt fifty
miles an hour. Daphne hnd a new
terror added to the load of her
nerves.
The car went bounding up n steep
Incline toward the swerve of a head
land cut In rigid silhouette by tho far
reaiiiing searchlight of n enr ap
proaching from tho other direction.
Duono kept well to the outside of the
road, but Just as he met tho other
motor and winced 'in the dazzle of its
lamps, a third car trying to pass It on
the curve hurtled Into tho narrow
space with n blaze like lightning sear
ing the eyes. There was a yelling and
hooting of horns and a sense of dis
aster. Daphne bent her head and prayed
for life, but without faitli. Duane,
half-blinded, swung his front wheels
off the road and grazed n wall. Tho
rear wheels wero not quick enough.
The other car smote them, crunlpllng
the mudguard and slicing off tho rear
lamp.
Daphne was, thrown this way and
that, and It seemed that her spine
must have snapped In n dozen places.
When sho opened her eyes again the
car was standing still. Dunne turned
to her with terrified questions, nnd
his hands visited 4ier faco and her
arms and shoulders. He held her
hands fust and peered Into her eyes
while sho promised him that she was
not dead.
Tho car that had bested his did not
return, but the other did, offering help
from a safe dlstanco till Its identity
was established. In the light of Its
lamp Dunne got down and examined
his own car. Besides tho damages In
the rear, it had sustained n complete
fracture of the front axle, a twisted
fender, and n shattered headlight.
Tho driver of the other car camo
up and Joined the cproner's Inquest.
He stared at Duane, anil cried In the
tone of an English aristocrat, "Gob
bless my soul, ain't you Tom Dunne?"
Duane, blinking In tho light, peered
at him nnd said: "Yop! I can't see
you, but the voleo would be Wctli
erell's." "Itlght-o; It's me. Oh, pardon me,
you're not alone. Nobody hurt, I hope
und pray."
"No, but we're pretty far from home
and country."
"I see I lluni-m I Pity I couldn't get
the number of tho swlno that hit you.
I rather fancy I'll hnvo to give you a
lift what? I was out on n tangnroo
hunt, but that will wait If you don't
mind trusting yourself to had com
pany." Duane lowered ills voice anxiously.
"Is It very bad?"
Wctherell put the muto on his voice.
"As good as yours, I'll wager. But
let's not gp into family history. Come
along nnd'we'll tnko you to the next
neutral port. That would be"
"Yonkers."
"Oh, yes. I fancy thoso wero the
Yonkers wo camo through a few miles
bnek. Well, come along."
Duano was embarrassed, but ho
could do nothing except tako Wcth
erell to his car nnd Introduce him to
Daphne. "Miss Kip," ho snld. "I've
got to present Mr. Wctherell. He
wants us to ride with him as tar as
Yonkers. We'll get another car
there."
Wctherell camo close and said:
"Did he say Mrs. Kip? I can't see
you, but I hope you nro the fascinat
ing Mrs. Kip I met nt Newport. Ilnvo
you forgotten mo so soon?"
"I am Miss Kip," said Daphne.
"Oh, so sorry I I don't mean thnt,
either. But my Mrs. Kip was n siren
Leiln was her first name. I called
her De-lella, you see. And slfo called
mo Samson. She was n "
"Sho Is my brother's wife," snld
Daphne.
"Oh, you don't tell mo!" Wctherell
gulped, and his nbrupt silence wns full
of startling Implications that alarmed
Daphne, nngcred Dunne, nnd threw
Wctherell 'into confusion.
Dunne helped Daphne to slight from
tho derelict and transferred her to
tho other car, where Wctherell Intro
duced them to a mass of shadow
whoso name, "Mrs. Bettany," meant
nothing to Daphno and everything to
Dunne.
Duane nrranged to have n wrecking
crew sent out to his roadster, and
chartered n touring car and n chauf
feur for tho trip Into New York.
Ho sat back with Daphno nnd mur
mured prnyers for forgiveness be
cnuse of the dangers ho had carried
her Into and for the things he had
said. Daphne's uervps had been
overworked. She had been rushed
from udventuro to ndventuro of soul
nnd body. She had been Invited to
enter a career of gorgeous sin, nnd
she had been swept along the edge of
a fearful disaster.
Mrs. Chlwls met Daphno nt tho
door. Her recent nffcctlon hnd turned
again to scorn, and she glowered nt
Daphne, who crept to her room In
hopeless ncceptanco of tho role of ad
venturess. Tired as sho was sho could not
sleep. The clangor of tho morning
called her to the window. A gray day
broke on n weary town. The prob
lem of debt and food and new clothes
dnwned again. Everything wns gray
before her.
Wisdom whispered her to tako
Duane nt his word nnd try the grcnt
ndventuro. How could it bring her
to worse confusion thnn sho found
nhout her now? And then tho morn
ing mall arrived and brought her n
large envelope addressed in a strange
Iinnd. She opened It and took from It
n sheaf of photographs.
"ller father's Imago a dozen times
repeated lay before her. Tho un
touched proofs omitted never n line,
never a wrinkle. One of tho pictures
looked straight at her. Sho recalled
that once she hnd stood back of tho
photographer and her father had
caught her eye and smiled Just as tho
bulb wns pressed.
She made him smllo like that. Whnt
would his expression be when ho
learned that she had "listened to rea
son," ceased to bo his daughter, and
become Tom Duano's
She shuddered back from tho word
and the thought. Sho forgot both In
the Joy of reunion with her father.
All the philosophies and wisdoms and
luxuries wero answered by tho logic
of that smile.
Sho lifted his pictured lips to hers
with flllnl eagerness nnd her tenrs
pattered ruinously on the proof. She
Tired as She Was, She Could Not
Sleep.
wns satlfficd to ho what the Jeweler
In Cleveland hnd called her to Clay
WIniburn "old Wcs Kip's girl."
Suddenly sho remembered Woth
erell nnd his massnges to Leila. She
felt so renewedly virtuous herself thnt
It seemed her duty to go down nnd re
buke Leila for her apparent philan
dering nt Newport. She wns nlso cu
rious to see how guilty Leila would
receive tho news that Wctherell had
asked for her.
But sho found Bayard at homo for
luncheon and sho wns neither mart nor
muim enough to coatxxsu LeJla before
him. And this was rather for his sake
than Leila's.
Lclln wns Just Informing Bnyard
that tho butcher had delivered tho
morning's order no fnrthcr than tho
freight elevator, nnd instructed his
boy to send tho meat up only after
the money came down.
Bnynrd hnd no money and tho cha
grin of his situntlon wns bitter. Ho
snarled nt Leiln : "Tell tho cub to tnko
tho meat hack and cnt it himself.
Then I'll go over nnd butcher tho
butcher."
Lclln dismissed tho boy with n
faint-hearted show of lndlgnntlon.
Then sho enmo bnck nnd snld, "And
now wo have no meat to cat."
Bayard was reduced to philosophy,
tho last resort of tho desperate:
"Well, the vegetarians say wo ought
never to eat meat, nnywny. Wo'ro
poor, hut, my Lord I we'ro In grnnd
company. Look nt this cartoon of
Ccsnro's In the Sun Father Knicker
bocker turning his pockets inside out
nnd not n penny in them. New York
city has to borrow money on short
tlnio notes nt high interest to pny its
own current bills.
"Look nt Europe. All the countries
over there wero stumbling nlong un
der such debt that they yondercd
how they could meet the Interest on
the next pny day. And now they are
mortgaging their great-grandsons'
property to pay for shooting their
sons.
"It's tho old Thirteenth Commnnd
ment thnt we'vo nil been' smnshlng
to flinders. And, my God! what a
punishment wo'ro all getting I And
It's only beginning."
They sat down to n pitiful meal
meutless, maldless, mirthless hnrdly
more thnn the raw turnips nnd cold
wator of Colonel Sellers. Leila
fetched what victual there was.
After tho meal Bayard shrugged
into ids overcoat nnd left without
kissing his wife' or his sister goodby.
Dnphno nnd Lclln went out to tho
kitchen, set tho dishes In tho pnn,
nnd tho pnn under tho faucet. Leila
turned on the hot wntcr. Dnphno wns
glnd to bo at work.
"There's one good thing nhout n
smnll menl," sho chirped, "It makes
less dishes to wash." Then, with ns
much trepldntlon ns If sho had been
tho nccused Instead of the accuser she
faltered: "Oh, say, Leila, do you ro
membor n mnn named Wctherell?"
Leila dropped a plate. Sho said It
was hot. But other plates had been
hot.
"Wctherell? Wctherell?" she pon
dered, nloud, with nn unconvincing
uncertainty. "I be'.Icvo I do remem
ber meeting somebody of that name.
English, wnsn't he?"
"Very."
"Oli, yes. no wns nf Newport, I
think. Why?"
"Oh, nothing. I met him Inst night
and ho thought I was you."
"How could ho?" Leila gasped. "Wo
don't look tho least alike." (
"It was hr tho dark."
"In tho dark! Good heavens!
Where?"
Already Leila had gained tho weath
er gauge. Daphno had to confess her
outing with Dunne, tho crish of the
collision nnd tho return to Yonkers
In Wctherell's cnr. Leila took advan
tugo of tho situation to Interpolate:
"Good hcnvensl How could you?
You of nil people! And with Tom
Dunne! Whnt would Clay think?"
Daphno know that sho had no right
to reproach Leila for having known
Wctherell in Newport. Sho had no
right even to suspect that Leila hnd
overstepped any of tho bounds of pro
priety. And still sho wns not con
vinced of Lelln's Innocence. Sho was
merely silenced.
CHAPTER XXI.
The next dny her fenrs of Wctherell
and of Leila wero rekindled. She went
down to ask Bayard to help her trace
Clay. Bayard was out and Leila was
on the point of leaving. She was
dressed In her killlngest frock nnd
hat and generally nccoutcrcd for con
quest. "Aren't wo grand!" Daphne cried.
"You look like n million dollurs.
Where aro you off to?"
"Going for a little spin."
"Who with?"
Leila hesitated a moment, then
answered, with a challenging defi
ance: "With Mr. Wctherell. Any ob
jection?" Daphno disapproved and feltafruid ;
but when Bnynrd enmo In unexpect
edly cniiy nnd naked for Leiln Daphne
lied Inevitably and said she did not
know where she wns.
She tried to bo casual about It, but
Bayard caught flro at once. IIu wan
already In a state of tindery Irri
tability, and Daphne's efforts to re
asbtiro him as to Leila's Innocence of
any gullo only nngcred him tho more.
He kept leaning out of tho window
and staring down Into tho street. FI
nnlly, espying Lclln In WethereU'H
cnr when it npproached tho apart
ment house, ho dashed to tho elevator
and met tho two at the curb.
When Leiln got out she was startled
to see him Btandlng at her elbow.
There wns nothing for her to do but
inukf. tho introductions.
"Oh, It's you, dcnrl" sho fluttered.
"I wnnt you to meet Mr. Wctherell.
Mr. Wctherell, my husband."
"Ah, renllyl" Wctherell exclaimed,
trying to conceal his uneasiness. "This
Is n, bit of luck I I've henrd so much
nbout you! Your wife does nothing
but sing your praises."
"Won't you como up?" snld Bnyard
ominously.
"Er thanks no, not todny. I'm n
trlflo Into to nn or appointment."
"Then I'll havo n word with you
hero," said Bnyard. "Bun nlong,
Leila; I'll Join you In n minute."
Ho snld It pleasantly, hut Leila wns
terrified. Tho epectncle of rival bucks
locking horns in her dlsputo, is not nl-
"Had You Heard That Your Country
Was at War?"
together enjoyable to n civilized doe.
Lclln went into the vestlbulo nnd
wntched through the glass door, ex
pecting u combat. Sho could not hear
Bayard saying:
VMr. Wctherell,, I'd thank you to pyiy
your attentions elsowlicro."
"Whnt's thnt?" Wctherell gnsped at
tho nbrupt attack.
"Your attentions to Mrs. Kip uro
very dlstnsteful to mc."
"My dear fellow, I hope you don't
imagine for ono moment thnt Why,
your wife Is the finest llttlo girl In
tho world!"
"Tlint's for mo to say, not you I"
"My word! tills is nmnzlngl"
"It Is, Indeed. It will bo moro thnn
that If you como nround again. Had
you heard that your country wbb nt
war?" .
"I had."
"Well, n big, strapping fellow llko
you ought to bo over thero lighting for
ids country instead of looking for
Uoublo here."
Wctherell's pnnic nt tho domestic
situntlon wns forgotten In tho nttnek
on his patriotism, "no drew hlmsolf
up with an unconsciously military nu
tomntlsm nnd said, "I fancy I'm doing
as milch scrvlco hero ns I could do
over there."
"More, perhnps," Bnyard sneered,
with contemptuous Irony. "But that's
your business, not mine. Mrs. Kip la
my business nnd I don't Intend to havo
her subjected to your your atten
tions. I'm trying to bo neutral, but
by Well, I'vo warned you. Good
day!"
Bayard Jolnod Leiln in the vestlbulo
nnd they went up In tho elovutor to
gether. Sho waited till they wero In
their ownnpiirtmont beforo sho de
manded an account of tho conversa
tion. Ho told her In n rngo and sho flew
Into nnother. She divided her wrath
between Bnyard and Daphne. Thcro
was enough for both. Daphno tried
to escape, hut, being cornered, pro
ceeded to light bnck, whereupon Lclln
denounced her to Bnyard and told of
her rido with Duano.
It was a right good light and getting
well beyond tho bounds of discretion
whon tho telophono nnnounccd thnt
CIny WIniburn wns calling.
Nobody Imnglnnblo would havo been
welcomo In that battlefield, but Clay
seemed peculiarly III timed. Bnyard
went to tho telophono nnd called
down :
"Tell him wo'ro out."
"yes, sir."
Evidently tho telephone was taken
from tho hnllmnn'H hand, for Clay's
voice roared In Bayard's ear:
"1 hour you, you old villain. I know
you're In, and I'm coming up. It's n
matter of life and death. I'm on my
way up now."
It seemed deccnter that Leila und
Daphno should disappear, since Bay
ard had until that they wero nil out.
Tho women retreated to Lelln's room
as n good coign of nudlllon,
(to nn CONTINUED,)
Have Much tho Samo Thought.
A luxury Ih something wo nro npt
to think our neighbors ennnot ufford,
ami our neighbors aro npt to think,
we cannot ufford themselves.
Little Danger of a Surplus of Produc- j
tlon If All of Us Should
Qet Busy.
"An npplo a day keeps tho doctor
nwny."
With nil things tnken Into consldcra- ;
tlon tho npplo stands nt the head of
nil fruit lists.
It Is the favorite fruit in the ma
jority of homes. Tho npplo Is not
only n productive crop, hut from n
commcrclnl standpoint n good paying
Investment.
Tho war created such n big demand
and necessity for Immediate food that
for the last four years the planting of
nil kinds of fruit hns been neglected.
Leading authorities state thnt In order
to meet the requirements of the over
expanding npplo Industry there must
'be pbmted 12,000,000 to 15,000,000
apple trees each year Tor the next ten
years.
If you own a piece of ground, no
mutter how small or large, jilnnt
much fruit ns you can, especially ap
ple. Bemember If you have a small
lot In n suhuiban town, sny,f0 by 1C0
feet, you could plant a dozen trees or
more. If you own tho lot and hnvo
not already built your house, start tho
trees now; the cost will bo small and
tho value of your lot Increased.
Farmers having plenty of acreage
should plant apple trees In largo quan
tities. It requires no special skill and
very llttlo attention to bring tho young
orchard to tho 'bearing age. Uticn
Globe.
HOW TREES BENEFIT STREETS
Amply Demonstrated That They Are
of Practical Value In Prolonging ,
Life of Roadway.
It has been demonstrated hy thoso
In charge of tho work that aside from
tho purely ornamental value of trees
nlong the highway, many practical ben
efits would result from their proper
use. It 1b not generally renllzed thnt
trees, hy menus of their shade during
hot summer months, prolong tho life
of tho rondwny for mnny years, nnd
rond experts in general nro heartily
In fnvor of this means for rond pro
tection. Duo to tho emergencies of wnr work
It wnB found neccssnry to keep mnny
of the highwnyB which formorly hnd
not been used for travel in wlntor open
und frco from drifting boows. That a
demand will be mado for keeping,theso
roads open in the future Is certain, ami -In
placo of mnny expensive and un-
sightly snow fences which now lino our
moro open stretches of highway It has
been found that much of this work can
bo performed equally oh well by tho
proper grouping of trees und shrubs
along tho open nreaB. Moro general
planting of fruit and nut trees along
tho ,8tato highways will bo recom
mended. Need for Library Work.
Librarians in tho. wnr camps Buy
that the need of libraries In all towns
nnd neighborhoods In tho United i
States will bo moro acutely felt hence
forth thnn in tho past. Tho men re- i
turned from tho nrmy, when scattered
over tho land, will, It Is held, wish to
continue their reading, and will be
restless If denied tho opportunity.
Consequently, although It may ho nec
essary to postpone tho book distribu
tion scheme tentatively decided upon
by tho American Library ussbclntlon,
tho plan should be kept well in view,
subject only to Btich nmpliflbatlon ns
may bo necessary to meet all tho re
quirements of tho case. Tho returned
American soldier who likes to read
should ho afforded tho opportunity
always.
Boston Housing Plan.
Boston, even beforo the announce
ment of tho federal government'H re
construction building program, had un
der way a housing plan aimed to de
molish the city's slums nnd to relieve
congestion ns much as possible. Tho
situation Is complicated In that city by
high fares on tho street railway sys
tem, which tend to keep workers muss
ed near tho places whero they
aro enipjoyed.
Several other cities wero also con
templating housing programs on a con
siderable scale when tho department of
labor mado its plan public.
Need of Sclf-Control.
We need to use self-control In 'con
nection with our good qualities iih well
as with our faults. If Wo aro not Helf
controlled In our sympathy It may dtu
uioro harm than good. Generosity un- l
controlled, leaves tho giver poor and-
Injured the recipient. Some, girls who
realize perfectly tho need of self-con--trol
when they uro angry, forget that
It Is ns necessary in love n.s In hnte.
Girl's Companion,
Not tho Thing.
Kitty wns engaged nnd her girl
friends were very Interested.
"How did It feel," nskeibouo, ''while
Billy was proposing to you?"
"Oh," laughed Kitty, twisting her
lovely 'diamond ring, "two or three.
times I felt llko supplying tho words.
I Knew ho was groping for; but of'
course that wouldn't havo been t,ho.
thing to do at all, would It?"
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