NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE
Olu 1
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
PETER'8 RETURN.
8ynopii!Doctor fltrlcklnnd, re
tired, is living In Mill Volley, near
ban Francisco, Ills family consists
of his daughters, Allx, 21, find
Cherry, It, nnd Anne, his niece, 2t.
Their closest friend Is Petor Joyce,
a lovable sort of recluse. Martin
IJoyd, a visiting lululng engineer,
wins Cherry, marries her and car
rier her oft to Kl NMo, a mine
town. Peter realizes that he lores
Chert y. Justin Utile wooh Anne.
Cherry comes home for Anne's
weddlnjr. Cherry rrullr.es her mar
riage Is a failure. I'otor tells Cher
ry of his "grand passion," without
nnmlng the girl. Martin ionics for
Cherry. Martin and Cherry drift
apart.
CHAPTER IX.
In January, however, lie came home
one noon to find her hailed nnd
wrapped to go.
"Oli, Mart It's Daddy!" she said,
"lie's Ul I've got (o see him! He's
awfully ill."
"Telegram?" nsked Atari In, not par
ticularly pleased, but not unsympa
thetic, tltlier.
l'or answer she gave ldtn tins yellow
paper that was wet with her tears.
"Dad 111," he read. "Don't worry.
Come If you cap. Allx."
"I'll bet lt'a it put-up Job between
you and Allx" Martin mild In Indul
Kent suspicion.
Her Indignant glaum sobered liliu:
lie hastily arranged money matters and
that nlplit ti. got olT the train In the
dark wetness of the volley, and was
met by n rush of cool and fragrant
air. Cherry pit a driver, rattled and
Jerked up to the house In a surrey,
and Jumped out, her heart almost suf
focating her.
Allx en me Hying to Hie door; the
old lamplight and the odor of wood
.smoke poured through. There was
no need for words: they burst Into
tears and clung together.
An hour later Cherry, feeling as If
she was not the same woman who
waked In Ked Creek this same morn
ing and got Murtln'H eggs and coffee
ready, crept Into her father's room.
Allx had warned her to bo quiet, but
at the Might of the majestic old gray
head and the tine old hands clasped
together on the sheet, her self-control
forsook her entirely und she fell to
her knees and began to cry again.
The nurse looked at her disapprov
ingly, but after all,, It made Uttlu dif
ference. Dr. .Strickland roused only
once again and that was many hours
later. Cherry nnd Allx were still
keeping their vigil; Cherry, worn out,
had been dozing; the nurse wns rest
lug on u couch In the next room,
Suddenly both daughters were wide
awake at the sound of the hoarse yet
familiar voice. Allx fell on her knees
and caught tho cold and wandering
hand.
"What Is It, darling?" The old. half
Joking maternal manner wns "all In
earnest now,
"Peter?" he said thickly.
"Peter's In China, dear. You remem
ber that I'eter was to go around tho
world? Tint remember that, Dad?"
"No " he said musingly. They
thought he slept again, but ho present
ly added: "Somewhere In Matthew
no, In Mark Mark Is the human one
Mark wns as htinuui as his Mas
lei-"
"bhaJl I read you from Mark?" Allx
asked, as his voice sank again. A
shabby old Bible always stood at her
father's bedside; she reached for It.
and making a desperate effort to
steady her voice, began lo read. The
place wns marked by on old letter,
and opened at the chapter he seemed
to' desire, for ns she read he seemed
to be drinking In tho words. Once
they heurd him whisper, "Wonderful l"
Cherry got up on tho bed nnd took
tho splendid dying head in her anvu;
the murky winter dawn crept In and
the lamp burned sickly In the daylight.
Hong could be heard stirring. Alls
closed the book und extinguished tin
lump. Cherry did not move.
"Charity I" tho old man said pros
eutly, In a simple, childish tone. Later.
with bursts of teurs, In all the utter J
desolatlou of tho days that followed.
Cherry loved to remember that Ids
Inst utterance waa her name. Hut
Allx knew, though she never said It,
Hint It wns to another Charity he
spoke.
Subdued, looking younger and thin
ner In their new black, tho sisters
came downstairs, ten dayB later, for
a business talk, I'eter bad been named
one executor; but I'eter was far
nwoy, and It was n pleasant family
friend, n kindly old surgeon of Dr.
Strlekiand'H own nge, or near It, and
the lawyer, George Sewull, the other
executor, who told them about their
affairs. Anno, as co-heiress, was pres
ent nt this tulk, with-' Justin silting
eloe beside her. Martin, too, who
bad come down for the funeral, was
there.
The house went to (he daughters;
there were books and portraits for
Anne, n box or two In, storage for
Anne, and Anne won mentioned In the
only will as equally Inheriting with
Alexandra und Charity. For some
leiMil njnson Unit (he lawyer and Dr.
tfoiuisor iiMi(J Umr, Aune could not
fully Inherit, but her share would be
only a trifle less than her cousins'.
Things bad reached this point when
Justin Little calmly nnd confidently
claimed that Anne's share was to be
based upon an old loan of Anne's fa
ther to Ids brother, n loan of three
thousand dollars to float Lee Strick
land's Invention, with the understand
ing that Vincent Strlcklnnd he subse
quently entitled to one-third of the re
turns. As the patent had been sold
for nearly one lrmdred and llfty thou
sand dollars, one-third of It, with ac
cumulative Interest for ten years, of
lilch no payment had ever been made
Anne, was a large proportion of the
entire estate, ami the development of
this claim, In Justin Little's assured,
woodeny voice, caused every one to
look grave.
Tho estate was not worth one hun
dred and llfty thousand dollars now,
by any menus; It bud been reduced to
little more than two-thirds of (hat
sum, and Anne's bright concern that
every one should he satisfied with
what was right, and her Ingenuous
pleasure In Justin's cleverness in
thinking of this possibility, were met
with noticeable coldness.
If Anne was wrong, and the paper
she held In her hind worthless, each
girl would Inherit a comfortable little
folium), but If Anne was right, Cherry
and Allx would have only a few Ihou-
saud dollars apiece, and the old home.
The business talk was over before
any of Ihem realized the enormity of
Anne's contention, and Anne and Jus
tin had departed. Hut both the old
doctor and (he lawyer agreed with
Martin that It looked as If Anne was
right, and when the family was alone
again, and had had the time to digest
the matter, they felt as If a thunder
bolt had fallen across their lives.
"That Anne could do It I" Allx said.
over and over. ( Cherry seemed dazed,
spoke not at all, and Martin had said
Ittle.
"I'eople will do anything for mon
ey 1" he observed once drily, lie hail
met Justin sternly. "I'm not thinking
of my wife's share I didn't marry her
for br money, never knew she had
nnyl Hut I'm thinking of Allx."
"Yes we must think of darling
Allx!" Anne had said, nervously eager
that there should be no quarrel. "If
Undo Lee Intended mo to have all this
money, then I suppose I must take It.
but I shan't be happy unless things nrc
arranged so that Allx shall be com
fortable!" "IWmt the worst of It Is, Allx!"
Cherry stammered, suddenly, on tho
day before she nhd Martin were to
return to Red Creek, "I I counted on
having enoughenough to live my own
For Answer She Gave Him the Yellow
Paper That Waa Wet With Tears.
life! Allx, I can't I can't go hackl"
"Why, my darling" Allx exclaimed,
as Cherry began to cry In her arms,
"My darling, It Is as hud as all that?"
"Oh, Allx," whispered the little sis
, tor, trembling, "I can't bear It. You
don't know how I feel. You and Dad
were always here; now that's ull gone
you're going to rent the house and
try to teach singing and I've nothing
to look forward to I've nobody I"
"Listen, dear," Allx soothed her. "If
they advise It, and especially If I'eter
advises It when he gets back, we'll flght
Anno. And then If we win our tight,
I'll always keep tho valley house open,
And if wo don't, why I'm going to visit
you nnd Martin every yeur, and per
haps I'll have n little apartment some
day I don't Intend to board always"
Hut she was crying, too, Everything
seemed changed, cold and strange ; she
hud suspected thut Cherry's was not u
successful marriage; she knew It now
and to resign the adored Uttlu sister
to tho unsympathetic atmosphere of
Red Creek, and to miss ull the oh
life und the old associations, made her
heart ache.
"There s there's nothing, special
Cherry? sho asked after a while,
"With Martin? Oh, no," Cherry an
swered, .her eyes dried, and -her puck
lug going on composedly, although her
voice trembled now and Hum.
iii
Xv O
Copyright by Kathleen Norrli
It's Just that I get bad moods," she
said, bravely. "I wns pretty young to
marry nt nil, I guess."
"Martin loves you," Allx suggested
timidly,
"He takes me for granted," Cherry
said, after n pause. "There doesn't
seem to be nnything alive In the feel
ing between us," tdie added, slowly. "If
he says something to me, I make an
effort to get his point of view before
I answer. If I tell him some plan of
mine, I can see that he thinks It sounds
crazy 1 I don't seem very domestic
that's nil. I I try. Iteally, I dot
Hut " and Cherry seamed to brace
herself In soul and body "but that's
marriage. I'll try again!"
She gave Allx a long kiss In parting,
the next day, and clung to her.
"I'll write you about the case, und
wire you If you're needed, und see you
soon!" Allx said, cheerfully. Then she
turned and went back Into the empty
house, keeping back her tears until the
sound of the surrey hud quite died
away.
CHAPTER X.
Alexandra Strickland, cdmlug down
the stairway of the valley house on an
April evening, glanced curiously ut the
door. Only eight o'clock, but the day
bad been so long and so quiet thut she
had fancied that the .hour was much
later, and hnd wondered who knocked
so late.
She crossed to the door und opened
it to darkness nnd rain, and to u man
In n raincoat who whipped off u spat
tered cap and stood smiling In the
light of the lamp she held. Instantly,
with a sort of gasp of surprise and
pleasure and some deeper emotion, she
set down the lamp, and held out her
hands gropingly nnd went Into his
arms. He laughed Joyously as he
kissed her, and for a minute they
citing together.
"I'eter!" she said. "You angel-
when did you arrive and what are you
doing, and tell me all about It!"
"Hut Allx; you're thin !" I'eter said,
holding her at arm's length. "And
and" He gently touched (he black
she wore, and llxed mizzled und
troubled eyes upon her face. "Allx "
he asked, apprehensively.
For answer she tried to smile at
him, hut her lips trembled and her
eyes brimmed. She had led the way
Into the old sitting room.
"You heard about Dad?" Allx fal
tered, turning to face bltu at the man
tel. "Your father!" I'eter said, shocked.
"Hut hadn't you heard, I'eter?"
"My dear my dearest child, I'm
Just olT the steamer. I got in at six
o'clock. I'd been thinking of you all
the time, and I suddenly decided to
cross the bay and come straight on to
the vulley, before I even went to tlu
club or got my mall! Tell mi your
father"
She had knelt before the cold
hearth, and he knelt beside her, and
they busied themselves Willi logs und
kindling In the old way, A blaze
crept up about the logs and Allx ac
cepted Peter's handkerchief and
wiped a streak of soot from her wrist,
quite as If she was a child again, as
she settled herself In her chair.
I'eter took tho doctor's chair, keep
ing his concerned nnd sympathetic
eyes upon her.
"Ho was well one day," she said,
simply, "and the next the next, he
didn't come downstairs, and Hong
waited and waited and about nine
o'clock I went up and lie had fallen
he had fallen "
She was In tears again and I'eter
put h'.s band out and covered hers und
held It.
"Ho must have been going to cull
some one," said Allx, after u while,
"they said he never suffered at all.
This was January, the last day, and
Cherry got here the same night. He
knew us both toward morning. And
that that was all. Cherry was here
for two weeks. Martin came aud
went "
"Where Is Chorry now?" Peter In
terrupted, "Hack at Ked Creek.". Allx wiped
her eyes. "She hates it, but Murtlu
hnd n good position there. Poor
Cherry, It mnde her 111."
"Anne enmc?"
"Anne and Justin, of course." I'eter
could not understand Allx's expres
sion. She fell silent, still holding his
hand nnd looking ut the lire.
He looked at her with a great rush
of admlrathw nnd affection. She wus
not only a pretty nnd a clever worn
nn; but, In her plain black, with this
new aspect of gravity and dignity, and
with new notes of pathos and unpeul
In her exquisite volco, he realized thut
she was an extremely charming worn
an.
Before ho said good-by to her, he
hud nsked her to marry him. Ho well
remembered her look of bright und In
lerested surprise.
"D'you menn to tell me you have
forgotten your lndy love of the hoop
skirls and ringlets?" sho hud de
mauded.
"No." Peter had told her, frankly.
"I shall always love her, In u way,
Hut she Is married; sho never thinks
of nie. And 1 like you so much, Allx';
1 IIUo our music and cooklnc mid
trumps and reading together. Isn't
that a pretty cood basis for mar
riage?" "No I" Allx bad answered, decidedly.
"Perhaps If I wore madly In love with
you I should say yes, and trust to
little lingers to lead you gently, aud
so on "
He remembered ending the conver
sation In one of his quick moods of
Irrltutlou against her. If she couldn't
take unybody or anything seriously
he had said.
Poor Allx sho wus taking life seri
ously enough tonight, Peter thought,
us ho watched her.
"Tell me about Cherry," he said.
"Cherry Is well, but Just a little thin,
und heartbroken now, of course. Mur
tlu never seems to stay at any one
place very long, so I keep hoping "
"Doesn't make good!" Peter said,
shaking his head.
"Doesn't seem to I It's partly Cher
ry, I think," Allx said honestly. "She
wus too young, really. She never
quite settles down, or takes life In
earnest. But bo's got a contract now
for three years, und feo she seems to
be resigning herself, and she bus a
maid, I believe,"
"She must love him," Poter submit
ted. Allx looked surprised.
"Why not?" she smiled. "I suppose
when you've had ups and downs with
a man, und been rich and poor, and
sick and 'we'll, und huve lived in hulf-a-dozen
different places, you rather
take lilm for granted!" she added.
"Oh, you think It works thut way?"
Peter asked, with a keen look.
"Well, don't you think so? Aren't
lots of marriages like that?"
"You false nlarm. You quitter!" he
answered. Allx laughed, a trllle guilt
ily. Also she Hushed, with a great
wave of splendid young color that
made her face look seventeen again.
"Your father left you something,
Allx?" Peter asked presently, with
some hesitation.
'That," she answered frankly, "Is
where Anne comes In!"
"Anne?"
"Anne and Justin came straight
over, Allx went on, vunti they were
really lovely. Doctor Younger uud
George Sewull were here every day:
you aud George were named ns execu
tors. I was so mixed up in policies
and deeds and overdue taxes and In
terest and bonds "
"Poor old Allx, If I had only been
here to help you I" the man said. And
for a moment thoy looked u little con
sciously at each other.
"Well, anyway," the girl resumed
hastily, "when It came to reading the
will, Anne and Justin sprung u mine
under usl It seems that, ten years
ugo, when the Strlcklnnd patent lire
extinguisher was put upon the mar
ket, my udorable father didn't hnve
much money he never did have,
somehow. So Anne's father, my Un
cle Vincent, went Into It with him to
the extent of about three thousnnd
dollars "
"Three thousand!" Peter, who bad
been leaning forward, earnestly at
tentive, echoed in relief.
"That was all. Dad had about
three hundred. Dad did nil the work,
and put In his three hundred, uud Un
cle Vincent put In three thouMimi
and the funny thing is," Allx broke
oil' to any, musingly, "Uncle Vincent
was perfectly splendid ubout it; I my
self remember him saying, 'Don't
worry, Lee. I'm speculating on my
own responsibility, not yours.'"
"Well?" I'eter prompted, as she hes
itated.
"Well. They had u written agree
ment then, giving Uncle Vincent a
third Interest In the patent, should it
be sold or put on the market "
"Hn!" Peler ejaculated, struck.
"Which, of course, was only a little
whllo before Uncle Vincent died," Allx
went on, with a grave nod. "The
agreement lay In Dad's desk all these
years fancy how easily he might
have burned it ninny's Ihe time! Hut
lie didn't. George Sewall suys that
Anne Is right. They've broken the
will."
Peter, In the silence, whistled ex
pressively. "Gee-rusalem !" he exclaimed. "What
does It come to?"
At this Allx looked very sober,
gazed down at the tire and shook her
head.
"All he had!" she answered briefly.
Peter was silent, looking at her in
stupefaction.
"Almost, that is," Allx amended
more cheerfully. "As It was we
should, huve had more thnn thirty
thousand apiece. As It Is, Anne gets
It ull, or If not quite all, nearly ull."
"Gets!" he echoed, hotly. "How do
you mean?"
"It seems to be perfectly Just," the
girl answered, rather lifelessly. Hut
Immediately she Inughed. "Don't look
so uwful, Peter. In the first place,
Cherry und I still huve tho house. In
tho second place. I am singing at St
Ituphuel's for live hundred a year, and
nlnglng other places now and then,
Anyway, I'm glad you're Jiomo again,
Peter!" she added.
"Home again," he answered, half
angrily. "I should hope I am and
high time, too! Has this this money
been turned over to Anne?"
"Not yet. Nobody gets anything
until tho eslnte is cleared n yenr or
more from now. There uro some
things to be thnnkful for," Allx added
ihishlng the sudden teurs from her
eyes, "und one Is that Dud never knew
It I"
"Dear old Alix!" lie .aid, put
ting his arm about her.
(TO IJB CONTINUED.)
The annual cost of maintaining on
soldier In Germany U 2"),000 marks
(uornmlly 30.200).
PARROT SAVES
MAN FROM CELL
Finds Himself in Embarrassing
Situation When Police Find
Him Breaking Into Home.
IDENTIFIED BY POLLY
"Hello, Ed, Whataya Got on Your
Hip?" Is Greeting of Bird When
Police Take Him In to Prove
Assertion He Lived There.
Chicago. "Arrawk 1 Rowkt Howsa
boy? Howsa boy? Rnwkl Rawkl"
It was tho voice of tho old green
parrot In the homo of Mr. and Mrs.
Paul Johnson at 2124 Bingham arcrrot.
The family upstairs took noto.
Someone went to tho window, saw a
man climbing Into the window Just
below, and called tho Shakespeare
avenue police.
Tho Intruder told Lieut. Joseph Pal-
czynskl a taio that was hard to be
lieve. Lost the Key, He Says.
"I'm a brother of Mrs. Johnson,"
ho sold. "She and Paul, her husband,
went away over tho holidays, and
asked mo to take caro of the parrots
and the canaries.
"Don't make me laugh," said the
lieutenant cruelly, "It's too hot. Why
didn't you open the door? Didn't they
leave you tho key?"
"Yes, but I lost It. And fhoso birds
have to havo food and water."
"A lnd as clever as you." said ttra
big policeman, "has no business being
a burglar."
"But I can prove It all," said the
man.
"Prove It to the Judge," said the
other. "Whnt's your name and ad
dress?"
"Edward Peterson, 2108 Western
avenue. And say, glvo me a chance.
I'll prove It by tho parrot. I'll show
you I'm right Tako me back to the
house."
The lieutenant sat back and
laughed. Ho laughed until It hurt.
"Provo It by a parrot," he said.
"Provo It by a bird that caused his
"Howsa Polly7"
his arrest. Officer, throw this cuckoo
downstairs. He's getting mo over
excited."
The Parrot Greets Them.
Peterson, however, pleaded so earn-
CDtly that the lleutenunt finally con
sented. They went to the Johnson
home In the patrol. The lieutenant
got In first, then Peterson, then a
couple of policemen.
"Rawkl" said the parrot to the hot
lieutenant.
"Helly, Polly," said Peterson.
"Hello, Ed." said the parrot. "What
tayagot on your hip?"
"You win," said Lieutenant Pal
czynskl, albeit still a bit thoughtful.
"Tho bird sure knows you. But may
be he'll call mo 'Ed.' too."-
"Try it," Invited Peterson.
"Helfo. Polly," cald Palczynskl.
"Howsa Polly?"
Said tho parrot: "Go to "
And so Peterson will be nllowed to
climb through the Johnsons' window
every day to feed and water the birds.
BEES STING DOG TO DEATH
Animal Tied In Kennel Unable to Es
cape When Anory Insects
Attack Him.
Mcdford, N. J. Attacked by bees
while tied to Its kennel, from which
it could not escape, dog owned by
Andrew Shoemaker was stung to
donth by tho Insects. Several persons
who tried to rescue tho dog were
driven off by tho infurlnted bees.
The dog's kennel was near several
bee hives, and when In some manner
the Insects wore disturbed they turned
upon the dog.
Shoemaker wns absent at the time
and when notified by telephone of the
situation made a hurried trip home,
but arrived too late to save his pet.
Divorced Couple Fight Over Pup.
New York. Custody of a Pekingese
pup, little larger than n bull of yam,
Is one of the Issues In the marital
woes of Daniel G. Held, tlu-plato.
king. The Helds were divorced n few
months ngo. The banker made a cash
settlement of. $200,fKK on Mrs. Bold
and agreed to pay her $:t0.000 nnuu
ally. Now he wants tho dog.
DAIRY
FACTS
FEED KEEPS UP MILK YIELD
Ordinary Rations Are Likely to De
Deficient In Principal Bone-Bulld-Ing
Elements.
(Prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Feeding cows for several years, ac
cording to the commonly uccepted
standnrd with little or no nddltlonnl
pasture, reduced 'the milk yield much
below the optimum, It was found by
experiments ut the government farm
at BcltsvlUe, Md. This condition may
be corrected by .giving the nnlmnl n
dry period of two months, nnd feeding
during that period n ration containing
legumo hay nnd grain with a high
phosphorus content, with three or
four times the amount of protein re-
Cows Thrive on Rich Pastures.
quired for maintenance, and two or
three times the total nutriment. The
milk yield in the subsequent lactation
period may sometimes be doubled by
this treatment. The results of the ex
periments are given In Bulletin 915,
"The Influence of Calcium and Phos
phorus In the Food on the Milk Yield
of Dairy Cows."
In the case of cows of which the
milk yield hns been reduced by sev
eral yenrs' standard feeding, as fol
lowed at Beltsvllle, a greatly Increased
yield can be brought about by feeding
"alternated rations with phosphate"
during the dry period. This Is taken
to mean that the ordinary rations nre
more likely to be deficient In one or
both of the principal bone-building
elements thnn In any other constitu
ent. Bulletin 045, "The Influence of Cnl
clum nnd Phosphorus In tho Food on
tho Milk Yield of Dairy Cow.s," may
be had upon application to the Divi
sion of Publications, United States De
partment of Agriculture.
HELP WAR ON TUBERCULOSIS
Farmers In Vicinity of Grove City,
Pa., Sign Requests to Have
Herds Tested.
The community at Grove City, Pa.,
where the dairy division of the United
Stutes Department of Agriculture Is
carrying on community extension
work, Is active In tuberculosis eradica
tion. The owners of several hundred
herds signed requests to hnve their
herds tested nnd accredited; in fact It
appears that practically all the patrons
of the Grove City creamery soon will
have their animals tested. Tills work
orlglnutcd with the bull associations
operating In that vicinity; but It now
extends throughout the county, und
even to the two udjolnlng counties.
An Interesting feature of the situa
tion Is the. springing up of tho Grov?
Clty Accredlted-Dnlry-Cattle Show
and Sales association, composed of
owners of accredited bonis who wish
to take advantage of the fact that ull
their herds are clean, to co-operate In
Improvement, and sell nil their stock
on that basis. One member who has
n clean herd says that after his herd
was tested he sold some cows for $3(XJ
each, which, previously, he would have
parted with for half that amount. lie
hnd actually offered them for $150
prior lo the test.
MAKING FEED FROM SAWDUST
Wisconsin Cows Keeping Up Weight
and Milk Yield and Show No III
Effects From Diet.
Ilydrollr.ed snwdust ns a part of a
ration for cows Is apparently giving
satisfactory results In Wisconsin. The
forest service of the United Stutes
Department of Agriculture reports
that cows at the agricultural college
of that stute are doing as well on a
ration consisting of one-third sawdust
as they did when their feed was only
one-fourth wood meal. Thut Is to say,
they ure keeping up their weight and
their milk production and .show nn III
effects from the diet,
Tho bureau of animal Industry Is
considering the proposal of the' forest
service laboratory to start feeding
trials with dairy animals In which
tho wood product will form a part of
tho Tatlon und the !ests will extend
for an entire year at least. The byro-lleed-wood
feed for these cows will
be made at the laboratory. So far
all the stock feed has been made from
whlto-plne sawdust. Other soft woods,
particularly the western species, will
bo tried In the future.
r
