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The search
By Grace Livingston Hill- -Lutz
Copyright. 1919. by J. B. Lippincott Company
5She rememlfered him in her
youngest school days, the imp
of the grammar school, with a
twinkle in his eye and an irre
pressible grm on his handsome
face. Nothing had ever daunted
him and no punishment had ever
Stopped his mischief. He never
Studied his lessons, yet he al
ways seemed to know enough to
tarry him through, and would
ftOnietimes hurst out with aston
tidting knowledge where others
failed. But there was always
that, joke on his lips and that
'wide delightful grin that made
him the worshiped-afar of all
Jkc little girls, jle had dropped
h rose on her desk once as he
Untged late and laughing to his
Seat after recess, apparently un
aware that his teacher was call
ing him to order. She could feel
the thrill of her little childish
heart now as she realized that
he had given the rose to her. The
next term she was sent to a pri
vate school and saw no more of
him save an occasional glimpse
In passing him on the street, but
she never had forgotten him; and
now and then she had heard little
Scraps of news abut him. Ife was
on the football team and the
baseball team. She knew vague
ly that his father had died and
their money was gone, but be
yond that she had no knowledge
of him. They had drifted apart,
lie was not of her world, and gos
sip about him seldom came her
way. He had long ago ceased to
look at her when they happened
to pass on the street. He doubt
less had forgotten her, or thought
tahn hari fniMrnlt.nn him. Or. it
•night, even be that ho did not
Wish to presume upon an ac
quaintance begun when she was
too young to have a choice of
Whom should be her friends. Hut
Uic memory of that rose had nev
Ur quite faded from her heart
qven though she had been but
•seven, and always she bad looked
niter hifti when she chanced to
•see him on the street with a kind
t)f admiration and wonder. Now
•suddenly she saw him in another
light. The laugh was gone from
bis lips and the twinkle from his
eyes. He looked ns he bad looked
the day he fought Clinch Wood
nock for tying a string across the
sidewalk and tripping up the lit
tle girls on the way to school. It
name to her like a revelation that
be was going forth now in just
•such u way to fight the world foe.
In a way be was going to fight
for her. To make the world a
safe place for girls such m she I
All the terrible stories of Bel
gium flashed across her mind,
*md she was lifted on a great
Wave of gratitude to this hoy
friend of her babyhood for go
ing out to defend her!
All the rest of the straggling
Knc of draft men were going out
Jor the same purpose perhaps,
but it did not occur to her that
they were anything to her until
<8110 saw Johu Cameron. All those
friends of iier own world who
Were training for officers, they,
too, were going to fight in the
•same way to defend the world,
but she had not thought of it in
that way before. It took a sight
of .Infill ( In innmn 'u liiirh lumvimr
Cl -o
Mid serious face to tiring the
knowledge to her mind.
She thought no longer of try
ing -jto get sway. She seemed
held to the spot by a new insight
into life. She could not take her
byes from the face of the young
wan. She forgot that she was
staying, forgot that she was star
ing. She could no more control
the swelling thoughts of horror
Mint surged over her and took
{possession of her than she could
mave controlled a mob if it had
fcmddeuly swept down upon her.
•* '.The gates presently lifted sil
ently to let the little procession
pass over to her side of the
tracks, add within a few short
minutes tlio special train that
was to bear the men away to
camp came rattling up, laden
with other victims of the chance
that sent some men on ahead to
be pioneers in the camps.
These were a noisy jolly bunch.
I’erhaps, having had their own
sad partings they were only try
ing to brace themselves against
the scenes of other partings
thrqugh which they must pass
all the way along the line. They'
must be reminded of their own
mothers and sisters and sweet
hearts. Something of this Ruth
Macdonald seemed to define to
herself as, startled and annoyed
by the clamor of the strangers m
the midst of theacarcedness of the
3
moment, she turned to look at the
crowding heads in the ear win
dows and caught the eye of an ir
repressible youth:
“Think of me over there!” he
shouted, waving a flippant hand
and twinkling his eyes at the
beautiful girl in her car.
Another time Ruth would have
resented such familiarity, but
now something touched her spirit
with an inexpressible pity, and
she let a tiny ripple of a smile
pass over her lovely face as her
eyes traveled on down the plat
form in search of the tall form of
John Cameron. In the moment
of the oncoming train she had
somehow lost sight of him. Ah!
There he was stooping over a lit
tle white haired woman, taking
her tenderly in his arms to kiss
her. The girl’s eyes lingered on
him. Ilis whole attitude was such
a revelation of the man the rol
licking boy had become. It
seemed to pleasantly round out
her thought of him.
The whistle sounded, the draft
ed men gavo one last wringing
hand clasp, one last look, and
sprang on board. .
John Cameron was the last to
board the train. lie stood on the
lower step of the last car as it
began to move slowly. His hat
was lifted, and he stood with
slightly lifted chin and eyes that
looked as if they had sounded the
depths of all sadness and surren
dered himself to whatever had
been decreed. There was settled
sorrow in all the lines of his fine
face. Ruth was startled by the
change in it; by the look of the
boy in the man. Had tho war
done that for him just "in one
I, BUIIUUUl l UttU It UUiie UlUl
fr thousands who were going to
figlit for her? And she was sit
ting in her luxurious car with
a bundle of wool at her-feet, and
presuming to bear her part by
mere knitting! Poor little use
less woman that she was! A
thing to send a man forth from
everything he counted dear or
wanted to do, into suffering and
hardship—and death—perhaps I
She shuddered as she watched
his face with its strong uplifted
look, and its unutterable sorrow.
She had not thought he could
look like that! Oh, he would be
gay tomorrow, like the rest, of
course, with his merry jest and
his contagious grin, and making
light of the serious business of
war! He would not be the boy
he used to be without the ability
to do that. But she would flever
forget how ho had looked in this
farewell minute while he was
gazing his last on the life of his
boyhood and being borne away
into a dubious future. She felt a
hopelessly yearning, as if, had
there been time, she would have
liked to have told him how much
she appreciated his doing this
great deed for her and for all her
sisters!
uas it ever Been tutiy ex
plained why the eyes of one per
son looking hard across a crowd
will draw the eyes of another?
The train had slipped along 10
feet or more and was gaining
speed when Jphn Cameron’s eyes
met those of Ruth Macdonald,
and her vivid speaking face
flashed its message to his soul.
A pleased wonder sprang into his
eyes, a question as his glance lin
gered, held by the tumult in her
face, and the unmistakable per
sonality of her glance. Then his
face lit up with its old smile,
graver, oh, much! and more de
ferential than it used to be, with
a certain courtliness in it that
spoke of maturity of spirit. He
lifted his hat a little higher and
waved it just a trifle in recog
nition of her greeting, wondering
in sudden confusion if he were
really not mistaken after all and
had perhaps been appropriating
a farewell that belonged to some
one else; then amazed and
pleased at the flutter of her hand
kerchief in reply.
The train was moving rapidly
now in the midst of a deep
throaty cheer that sounded more
like a sob, and still he stood on
that bottom stc$> with his hat lift
ed and let his e*'es linger on the
slender girlish figure in the car,
with the morning sun glinting
across her red-gold hair, and the
beautiful soft rose color in her
cheeks.
As the train swept past the lit
tle shelter shed he bethought
himself and turned a farewell
tender smile on the white-haired
woman who stood watching him
through a mist of tears. Then
his eyes went back for one last
glimpse of the girl; and so he
flashed out of sight around the
curve.
CHAPTER III.
It had taken only a short time
after all. The crowd drowned
its cheer in one deep gasp of si
lence and broke up tearfully into
little groups beginning to melt
away at the sound of Michael
ringing up the gates, and telling
the cars and wagons to hurry
that it was almost time for the
up-train.
Ruth Macdonald started her
car and tried to bring her senses
back to their normal calm won
dering what had happened to
her and why there was such an
inexpressible mingling of loss
and pleasure in her heart.
The way at first was intricate
with congestion of traffic and
Ruth was obliged to go slowly.
As the road cleared before her
she was about to glide forward
and make up for lost time. Sud
denly a bewildered little woman
with white hair darted in front
of the car, hesitated, drew back,
came on again. Ruth stopped
the car shortly, much shaken
with the swift vision of catas
trophe, and the sudden recogni
tion of the woman. It was the
same one who had been with John
Cameron.
“Oh, I’m so sorry I startled
you I” she called pleasantly,
leaning out of the car. “Won’t
you get in, please, and let me
take you home?”
The woman looked up and
there were great tears in her
eyes. It was plain why she had
not seen -where she wras going.
“Thank you, no, I couldn’t!”
she said with a choke in her voice
and another blur of tears, “I—
you see—I -want to get away—
I’ve been seeing off my boy!”
“I know!” said Ruth with
quick sympathy, “I saw. And
you want to get home quickly
and cry. I feel that way myself.
But you see I didn’t have any
little something just to be in it.
Won’t you please get in? You’ll
get home sooner if I take you;
and see! We’re blocking the
way 1 ’ ’
The woman cast a frightened
glance about and assented:
“Of course. I didn’t realize!”
she said climbing awkwardly in
and sitting bolt upright as un
comfortable as could be in the
luxurious car beside the girl. It
was all too plain she did not wish
to be there.
Ruth manoeuvred her car
quickly out of the crowd and into
a side street, gliding from there
to the avenue. She did not speak
until they had left the melting
crowd well behind them. Then
she turned timidly to the wom
an :
' ‘ Y ou—are—his—mother ? ’ ’
She spoke the words hesitat
ingly as if she feared to touch a
wound. The woman's eyes sud
denly billed again and a curious
little quiver came on the strong
chin.
“Yes”, she tried to say and
smothered the word in her hand
kerchief pressed quickly to her
lips in an effort to control them.
Ruth laid a cool little touch on
the woman’s other hand that lay
in her lap:
“Please forgive me!” she said,
“I wasn’t sure. I know it must
be awful—cruel—for you!”
“He—is all I have left!” the
woman breathed with a quick
controlled gasp, “but, of course
—it. whs-ricrht. flint. lin ah mil/I
go!”
She set her lips more firmly
and blinked off at the blurr of
pretty homes on her right with
out seeing any of them.
“He would have gone sooner,
only he thought he ought not to
leave me till he had to,” she said
with another proud little quiver
in her voice, as if having once
spoken she must go on and say
more, ‘ ‘ I kept telling him I would '
get on all right—but he always
was so careful of me—ever since
his father died!”
“Of course!” said Ruth ten
derly turning her face away to
struggle with a strange smarting
sensation in her own eyes and
throat. Then in a low voice she
added:
“I knew him, you know. I
used to go to the same school
with him when 1 was a little bit
of a girl.”
The woman looked up with a
quick searching glance and
brushed the tears away firmly.
“Why, aren’t you Ruth Mac
donald? Miss Macdonald, I
mean—excuse me! You live in
the big house on the hill, don’t
you ? ’ ’
“Yes, I’m Ruth Macdonald.
Please don’t call me Miss. I’m
only 19 and I still answer to my
little girl name,” Ruth answered
with a charming smile.
The woman’s gaze softened.
“I didn’t know John knew
you,” she said speculatively.
“He never mentioned-”
“Of course not!” said the girl
anticipating, “he wouldn’t. It
was a long time ago when I was
seven and I doubt if he remem
bers me any more. They took me
out of the public school the next
year and sent me to St. Mary’s
for which I’ve never quite for
given them, for I’m sure I
should have got on much faster
at the public school and I loved
it. But I’ve not forgotten the
good times I had there, and John
was always good to the little
girls. We all liked him. I have
n’t seen him much lately, but I
should think ho would have
grown to be just what you say
he is. He looks that way.”
Again the woman’s eyes *
searched her face, as if she
questioned the sincerity of her
words; then apparently satis
fied she turned away with a
sigh:
“I’d have liked him to know a
girl like you,” she said wist
fully.
“Thank you!” said Ruth
brightly, “that sounds like a real
compliment. Perhaps we shall
know each other yet some day
if fortune favors us. I’m quite
sure he’s worth knowing.”
“Oh, he is!” said the little
mother, her tears brimming over
again and flowing down her dis
mayed cheeks, “he’s quite worth
the best society there is, but I
uaven i oeen aDie to manage a
lot of things for him. It hasn’t
been always easy to get along
since his father died. Something
happened to our money. But
anyway, he got through col
lege!” with a flash of triumph in
her eyes.
“Wasn’t that fine!” said Ruth
with sparkling eyes, “I’m sure
he’s worth a lot more than some
of the fellows who have always
had every whim gratified. Now,
which street? You’ll have to tell
me. I’m ashamed to say I don’t
know this part of town very
well. Isn’t it pretty down here?
This house? What a wonderful
clematis! I never saw such a
wealth of bloom.”
“Yes, John planted that and
fussed over it, said his mother
with pride as she slipped unac
customedly out of the car to the
sidewalk. “I’m very glad to
have met you and it was most
kind of you to bring me home.
To tell the truth”—with a rogu
ish smile that reminded Ruth of
her son’s grin—“I was so weak
and trembling with saying good
bye and trying to keep up so
John wouldn’t know it, that I
didn’t know how I was to get
home. Though I’m afraid I was
a bit discourteous. I couldn’t
bear the thought of talking to a
stranger just then. But you
haven’t been like a stranger—
knowing him, and all--”
“Oh, thank you!” said Ruth,
“its been so pleasant. Do you
know, I don’t believe I ever real
ized what an awful thing the war
is till I saw those people down at
the station this morning saying
good-bye. I never realized eith
er what a useless thing I am. I
haven’t even anybody very dear
to send. I can only knit.”
“Well, that’s a good deal.
Some of us haven’t time to do
that. I never have a minute.”
“You don’t need to, you’ve
given your son, ’ ’ said Ruth flash
ing a glance of glorified under
standing at the woman.
A beautiful smile came out on
the tired sorrowful face.
“Yes, I’ve given him,” she
said, “but I’m hoping God will
give him back again some day.
Do you think that’s too much to
hope. He is such a good boy!”
“Of course not,” said Ruth
sharply with a sudden sting of
apprehension in her soul. And
then she remembered that she
had no very intimate acquain
tance with God. She wished she
might be on speaking terms, at
least, and she would go and pre
sent a plea for this lonely wom
an. If it were only Captain La
Rue, her favorite cousin, or even
i.1__.* J . ! ..I. 1 _
IUG pi GOlUUlHj DUG lUlgllli GVIU11U
er it. But God! She shuddered.
Didn’t God let this awful war
bet Why did He do itt She
had never thought much about
God before.
“I wish you would let me
come to see you sometime and
take you for another ride,” she
sciu sweetly.
“It would be beautiful!” said
the older woman, “if you would
care to take the time from your
own friends.”
“I would love to have you for
one of my friends,” said the girl
gracefully’.
The woman smiled wistfully.
“I’m only here holidays and
evening,” she conceded, “I’m
doing some governmen work
now.”
(To be continued next week.)
At Pueblo, Colo , a red racer snake at
tacked an automobile, biting and punc
turing a tire.
WARD PUT
IN COUNTY
JAIL CELL
Son of Millionaire Bafcer Re
Arrested in Great Killing
Mystery—Resigns as Com
missioner of Police.
Whit® Plains, N. Y., May 26.—Wal
(Plcture of Ward and Wife Page 15)
Universal Service.
ter S. Ward, who confessed that he
slew Clarence Peters May 16 last,
spent Thursday night in the county
Jail.
The son of the millionaire head of
a baking company, who claim® that
he slew Peters in self-defense when
the latter blackmailed him, was re
arrested late Thursday on an order
of Supreme Court Justice A. H. F.
Seeger. Ward had previously been
at liberty in $10,000 bail, awaiting in
quiry of the coroner into Peter's
death.
Ward drove to the sheriff’s office
in his own automobile, accompanied
by Sheriff Werner and Elwood Rab
inold, one of his counsel. After he
had been in the sheriff's office for
more thtyi two hours, Rabinold drove
away in Ward’s automobile.
Ward Seeks Freedom. .
From a reliable source it was
learned that Ward's counsel went to
the home of District Attorney Weeks
and conferred with the prosecutor.
An agreement was said to have been
reached by which Ward was to spend
the night In the county jail and that
Friday an application for a writ of
habeas corpus to secure his release
on bail would be made.
District Attorney Weeks, who Is
also mayor of White Plains, explain
ed that the order for Ward's re-ar
rest had been issued on his (Weeks’)
request following a conference with
the Justice.
In the affidavit which was made
by Weeks, the district attorney point
ed out that Ward is held in $10,000
bail by the coroner pending an in
quiry into the cause of Peter's
death. Weeks said that bail now ap
pears insufficient. Ward was orig
inally arrested on a technical charge
of manslaughter.
Wouldn’t Permit Bond.
In making it plain that he is not
satisfied that Ward killed Peters in
self defense, the prosecutor called the
attention of the court to the fact that
during the time when the blackmail
ers are alleged to have been threat
ening Ward, that the latter attempt
ed suicide. He said he believed that
Ward should be held without bond.
The re-arrest of Ward was second
in importance only to an announce
ment by Weeks that he would hold
over the grand Jury to hear testi
mony in the slaying of Peters. This
was taken to mean that much evl=
denee is in the hands of the offi
cials which is not generally known.
Sheriff Werner sprang a surprise
late In the day when he said that he
had two revolvers which are sup
posed to have been used in the gun
battle between Ward and Peters. A
few hours previously the sheriff said
that the finding of the weapons would,,
clear up "an interesting phase of the
case.”
The sheriff said:
"The shells of one,of the revolvers
compares with the shell found on the
spot where Peter's body was dis
covered. The gtin supposed to have
been used by Peters has five shells
in the magazine and that under the
trigger has been exploded. This
conforms with the story told by Ward
that Peters fired one shot at him.
Ward Resigns Office
Ward has resigned his position as
police commissioner of New Rochelle.
In the letter to the mayor Ward
said:
"In order to relieve you of any
possible embarassment, I hereby re
sign as police commissioner and I ex
press to you my appreciation of the
kindly consideration you have at all
time shown me.”
Coroner Fitzgerald sides with the
district attorney in his belief that
there Is some cause to doubt Ward’s
story of the killing. The coroner
said:
"I am not going to hold the Inquest
until I can get sufficient evidence to
make Ward talk. As things stand
now, Ward has his constitutional
rights and need not say anything
concerning the details leading up to
the alleged black mall scheme. We
are checking up his story more rapid
ly than ever to investigate his claim
of self defense. I can say honestly
that the whole story does not ring
true to me."
Descriptions have been sent out to
police In other cities of "Charley
Ross” and "Jack." Ward alleges
that the two took part In the pistol
battle that resulted In the slaying
Peters.
BY WINIFRED VAN DUZER
Universal Service Correspondent
New Rochelle, .N. Y„ May 26.—A
woman can keep a secret.
A woman can stand by while the
treasures of her heart are torn and
dispolled, her lips locked on the word
that would save them and save her
self.
This is what Mrs. Beryl Curtis
Ward, wife of Walter S. Ward, self
confessed slayer of Clarence Peters
did here Thursday.
She had given her husband a prom
ise of silence. She kept her promise
and kept her secret even though she
declared it would have cleared Ills
name and probably prevented his re
arrest on a manslaughter charge
Thursday.
Whether unsoundness lay in the
mind of Ward and he struck down an
lnno’bent man, or whether 19-year-old
Clarence Peters, whose confession or
defense will be forever withheld, was
Indeed a slinking blackmailer and
well dead after all, the effect is the
ume upon a corner of Sutton terrace
one of the (how places of thin town.
ACTRESS
SLAIN IN
CHICAGO
Chicago Cops Sek Gay Youth
For Strange Death of Mrs.
Fannie Gilman, Third Victim
Of Mystery House.
BY A. J. LORENZ,
Universal Service Correspondent.
Chicago, May 26. — The secrets of
strange lives are not always locked
in their graves.
Death Thursday revealed, as if by
irony, what Mrs. Fannie Gilman was
able to hide in life.
The strangler’s cord, drawn tightly
around her throat, failed to suppress
the whisperings that the former vau
deville actress, Marie Wendt, was
living a “double life.”
Her nude body was found in a
squalid tenement, where she was
known as Rosie Greenberg.
In her fashionable uptown apart
ment she was known as Mrs. Fan
nie Gilman, the grief stricken moth
er and wife.
Gay Companion of Dudes.
In cafes she was the gay compan
ion of young men—of one young man
in particular whom the authorities
are seeking for her strange death.
Frank Gilman, her husband, broke
down when the authorities told him
that his wife had recently been ar
rested in the company of a young
man at the “mystery house,” where
her body, partly covered by a tat
tered quilt was found.
Hers was the third violent death
in the “mystery house” within three
months. The building, once the child
uuuic ui AYA4t,vur vv niuiiii xihio
Thompson, the authorities say, nev
er reveals its secrets.
"But we are going to make it break
its silence," Capt. James McCann,
who is investigating the Gilman
death, declared.
Gilman and Five Are Held.
Gilman and five lodgers in the
tenement are being held by the au
thorities.
Mrs. Gilman is the second victim
of the strangler’s cord to be found
In the old Thompson home on San
gamon street.
The room on the second floor in
which the body was found boro evi
dences of a struggle.
Police authorities are working on
the theory that a "moonshine" or
•dope" orgy preceded the death of the
pretty actress. The body was cov
ered with bruises.
HLusir
i mill in
Resignation Soon May Be Re
sult of “War” With Fall
Over Departmental Con
trol of Alaska.
Universal Service
Washington, May 26. — Henry C
Wallace, secretary of agriculture,
may resign from the cabinet soon as
the result of differences with Secre
tary of the Interior Albert B. Fall,
over departmental control of Alaska.
The feud between the two cabinet
heads probably will be decided with
in the next week, when President
Harding submits to congress his plan
for re-organizatlng the government
to save approximately $300,000,000
annually. The plan which was com
pleted recently by Walter F. Brown,
the president’s representative on the
re-organlzation committee. Is under
stood to recommend transfer of Alas
kan control to the Interior depart
ment.
Intimate friends of Secretary Wal
lace, stated Thursday that ha stands
ready to resign If the bureau of for
estry and public roads are taken from
his department. The transfer of
these bureaus which has been bitterly
contested by Secretary WaUace and
W. B. Greely, chief forester, w(juld
permanently establish adiministration
of Alaska to the Interior department.
Secretary Fall has frankly stated that
If the transfer takes place he Im
mediately will "fire Mr. Greely." The
latter has opposed Fall's Alaskan po
licy on the ground that it would mean
throwing open the vast resourses of
the territory to private exploitation.
Secretary Fall’s contention is that
under the past policy of conserva
tion Alaskan development has been
paralyzed.
PFeBident Harding has been com
pelled to withhold his re-organization
program from congress several times
and try so stop the battles between
the two factions. Every time he
turns his back, however, the flags
of discord break out anew, until fin
ally he has practically decided to
let congress settle the controversy by
passing it the whole re-organization
scheme.
♦ POPE AKS HARDING J
l TO CONTINUE AIDING J
♦ STARVING RUSSIANS
4 - 4
4 Universal Service 4
4 Special Cable Dispatch. 4
4 Rome, May 25—rope Pius XI 4
4 has written a letter to Presi- 4
4 dent Harding urging him to 4
4 continue American aid to 4
4 starving Russians, it became 4
, 4 known Thursday night. 4
4 ♦
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