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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (July 20, 1922)
THE SEARCH I By Grace Livingston Bill- -Lutz Copyright, 1019, by J. B. Llpplncott Company I Sunday morning as he walked to church with his mother he wondered why he had never gone more with her when he was at home. It seemed a pleasant thing to (io. The service was beautifully solemn, and Dr. Thurlow had many gracious words to say of the boys in the army, and spent touch time reading letters from those at the front who belonged to the church and Sunday school, and spoke of the “supreme sacri fice” in the light of a saving grao.e; but the sermon was a gen tle ponderous thing that got no where, spiced toward its close with thrilling scenes from battle news. John Cameron as he list ened did not feel that he had found God. He did not feel a bit enlightened by it. He laid it to his own ignorance and stu pidity, though, and determined not to give up the search. The prayer at the close of the sermon somehow clinched this resolve be cause there was something so genuine and sweet and earnest about it. He could not help think ing that the man might know mere of God than he was able to make plain to his hearers. He iaad really never noticed either a }mayor or a sermon before in his ife. -lie had sat in the room with very few. He wondered if all ser mons and prayers were like these and wished he had noticed them. Ho had never been much of a church goer. But the climax, the real heart of his whole two days, was after Sunday dinner when he went out to call upon Ruth Macdonald, And it was characteristic of his whole reticent nature, and the way he had been brought up, that ho did not tell his mother where he was going. It had nev er occurred to him to tell her his movements when they did not di rectly concern her, and she had never brought herself up to ask him. It is the habit of some wom en, and many mothers. A great embarrassment fell upon him as he entered the grounds of the Macdonald place, and when he stood before the plate-glads doors waiting for an answer to his ring he would have turned and fled if ho had not promised to come. It was perhaps not an accident that Ruth let him in herself and took him to a big quiet library with wide-open windows over looking the lawn, and heavy cur tains shutting them in from the rest of the house, where, to his great amazement, he could feel at once at ease with her and talk to her just ns he had done in her letters and his own. Somehow it was like having a lifetime dream suddenly fulfilled to be sitting this way in pleasant converse with her, watching the lights and shadows of expression flit across her sensitive face, and knowing that the light in her eyes was for him. It seemed in credible, but she evidently enjoy ed talking to him. Afterwards he thought about it as if their souls had been calling to one another across infinite space, things that neither of them could quit hear, and now they were within hail ing distance. He had thanked her for the sweater and other things, and ^they had talked a little about the ‘oid school days and how life 'changed people, when he happen ed to glance out of the window 'hear him and saw a man in offi cer’s uniform approaching. He Btopped short in the midst of a sentence amt rose, his face set, his eyes still on the rapidly ap proaching soldiers: “I’m sorry,’’ he said, I shall have to go. It’s been wonderful to come, but I must go at once Perhaps you’ll let me go out this way. It is a shorter cut. Thank you for everything, and perhaps if there’s ever another time—I'd like to come again-” “Oh, please don’t go yet !’J she said putting out her hand in pro test. Hut he grasped the hand with a quick impulsive grip and with a hasty: “I’m srry, but I must!” he opened the glass door to the side pianzza and was gone. In much bewilderment and distress Ruth watched him stride away toward the hedge and dis appear. Then she turned to the front window and caught a glimpse of Lieutenant Wainright just mounting the front steps. What did it all mean! CHAPTER IX. Ruth tried to control her per turbation and meet her guest VI with an unruffled countenance, but there was something about ' the bland snug countenance of Lieutenant Wainwright that ir- 1 ritate her. To have her first plea sant visit with Cameron sudden- ’ lv broken up in this mysterious fashion, and Wainwright substi- ' tuted for Cameron was somehow like taking a bite of some pleas- ' ant fruit and having it turn out ' plain potato in one’s mouth. It 1 was so sudden, like that. She could not seem to get her equil- , ibrium. Her mind was in a whirl of question and she could not fo cus it on her present caller nor . think of anything suitable to say to him. She was not even sure but that he was noticing that she was distraught. m l r l n_ _ 1 „ „ i u uavu Kjunii vttiiiti wii jv-ut v , in that precipitate manner at the sight of Harry Wainwright! It was all to evident that he had seen him through the window. But they were fellow townsmen, and had gone to school together! Surely he knew him! Of course, Harry was a superior officer, but Cameron would not be the kind of man to mind that. She could not understand it. There had been a look in his face—a set look! There must be something behind it all. Some reason why he did not want to be seen by Wainwright. Surely Cameron had nothing of which to be ashamed! The thought brought a sudden dismay. What did she know about Cameron after all? A look, a smile, a bit of boyish gallantry. He might be anything but fine in his private life, of course, and Harry might be cog nizant of the fact. Yet he did not look like that.. Even while the thought forced itself into her mind she resented it and resisted it. Then turning to her guest who was giving an elaborate ac count of how he had saved a woman’s life in an automobile ac cident, she interrupted him: “Harry, what do you know about. John Cameron,” she asked impulsively. Wainwright’s face darkened with an ugly frown. “More than I want to know,” he answered gfuffly. ‘ ‘ He’s rot ten! That’s all! Why?” He eyed her suspiciously. Therh was something in his tone that put her on the de fensive at once: Oh, I saw him today, and I was wondering,” she answered evasively. “It’s one of the annoyances of army life that we have to be herded up with all sorts of cat lle!” said Wainright with a dis dainful curl of his baby mus tache. “But I didn’t come hare to talk about John Cameron. I came to tell you that I’m going to be married, Ruth. I’m going to be married before I go to France! ’ ’ “Delightful!” said Ruth pleas antly. “Do I know the lady?” “Indeed you do,” he said watching her with satisfaction. “You’ve known for several years that you were the only one for me, and I’ve come to tell you that I won’t stand any more dallying. 1 mean business now!” He crossed his fat leather put tees creakily and swelled out, try ing to look firm. He had decided that he must impress her with the seriousness of the occasion. But Ruth only laughed merri ly. He had been proposing to her ever since he got out of short trousess, - and she had always laughed him out of it. The first time she told him that she was only a kid and he wasn’t much more himself, and she didn’t want to hear any more such talk. Of late he had grown less troublesome, and she had been in clined to settle down to the old neighborly playmate relation, so she was not greatly disturbed by the turn of the conversation. In fact, she was too much upset and annoyed by the sudden departure of Cameron to realize the deter mined note in Wainwright’s voice. ‘‘I mean it!” he said in an of fended tone, flattening his double chin and rolling up his fat lips importantly. ‘‘I’m not to be played with any longer.” Ruth’s face sobered: ‘‘I certainly never had an idea of playing with you, Harry. I think I’ve always been quite frank with you.” Wainright felt that he wasn’t getting on quite as well as he had planned. lie frowned and sat up: ‘‘Now see here, Ruth! Let’s talk this thing over!” he said, Jrawing the big leather chair in I which he was sitting nearer to tiers. But Ruth's glance had wan lered out of the window. “Why, here comes Bobbie Wetli ;rill!’’ she exclaimed eagerly and flipped out of her chair to the ioor just as one of Wainwright’s imooth fat hands reached out to ake hold of the arm of her rock ;r. “I’ll open the door for him. dary is in the kitchen and may lot hear the bell right away.’’ There was nothing for Wain vright to do but make the best of he situation, although he greet :d Wetherill with no very good 'race, and his large lips pouted >ut sulkily as he relaxed into his ihair again to await the depar ure of the intruder. Lieutenant Wetherill was quite ivcrwhelmed with the warmth of he greeting he received from lutli and settled down to enjoy t while it lasted. With a wicked 'lance of triumph at his rival ho aid himself out to make his ac :ount of camp life as entertain ng as possmie. lie prouuceci a gorgeous box of bonbons and ar ranged himself comfortably for the afternoon, while Wain bright’s brow grew darker and lis lips pouted out farther and ’arther under his petted little noustache. It was all a great lore to Ruth just now with her nine! full of the annoyance about Cameron. At least she would lave preferred to have had her talk with him and found out bhat he was with her own judg nent. But anything was better ban a tete-a-tete with Wain bright just now; so she ate bon bons and asked questions, and cept the conversation going, gnoring Wainwright’s increas ng grouch. It was a great relief, however, when about half-past four the naid appeared at the door: “A long distance telephone jail for you, Miss Ruth.” As Ruth was going up the stairs to her own private ’phone die paused to fasten the tie of aer low shoe that had come un ione and was threatening to trip her, and she heard Harry Wain ivriglit’s voice in an angry snarl: “What business did you have joining here today, you darned jhump! You knew what I came for, and you did it on purpose! [f you don’t get out the minute die gets back I’ll put her wise to .'on and the kind of girls you go ,vith in no time. And you jeedn’t think you can turn the :ables on me, either, for I’ll fix fou so you won’t dare open your fool mouth!” The sentence finished with an lath and Ruth hurried into her room and shut the door with a dek kind of feeling that her whole little world was turning jlack about her. It was good to hear the voice jf her cousin, Captain La Rue, >ver the ’phone, even though it was but a message that he could lot come as he had promised that ■veiling. It reassured her that there were good men in the world. Of course, he was older, jut she was sure he had never jeen what people called “wild,” ilthough he had plenty of cour ige and spirit. She had often :ieard that good men were few, jut it had never seemed to apply :o her world but vaguely. Now lere of a sudden a slur had been thrown at three of her young world. John Cameron, it is true, >vas a comparative stranger, and, if course, she had no means of judging except by the look in his jyes. She understood in a gen jral wav that “rotten” as an died to a young man’s character mplied uncleanness. John Cam neron’s eyes yere steady and dear. They did not look that way. But then, how could she :ell? And here, this very minute die had been hearing that Bobbie Wctherill's life was not all that t should be and Wainright had iactitly accepted the possibility )f the same weakness in himself, rhese were boys with whom she nad been brought up. Selfish and conceited she had often thought them on occasion, but it had not occurred to her that there might be anything worse. She pressed her hands to her eyes and tried to force a calm steadi ness into her soul. Somehow she had an utter distaste for go ing back into that library and hearing their boastful chatter. Yet she must go. She had been hoping all the afternoon for her cousin’s arrival to send the oth er two away. Now that was out of the question and she must use her own tact to get pleasantly rid of thtem. With a sigh she opened her door and started down stairs again. It was Wainwright’8 blatant voice again that broke through the Sabbath afternoon stillness of the housy as she approached the library door: “Yes, I’ve got John Cameron all right now!” he laughed. “He won’t hold his head so high af ter he’s spent a few days in the guard-house. And that’s what they’re all going to get that are late coining back this time. I found out before I left camp that his pass only reads till 11 o’clock and the 5 o’cloc ktrain is the last one he can leave Chester on to get him to camp by 11. So I hired a fellow that was coming up to buddy-up to Cam and fix it that he is to get a friend of his to take them over to Chester in time for the train. The fellow don’t have to get back himself tonight at all, but he isn’t going to let on. you know, so Cam will thing they’re in teh same boat. Then they’re goin gto have a little bit of tire trouble, down in that lonely bit of rough road, that short cut between here nad Chester, where there aren’t any cars passing to help them out, and they’ll miss the train at Chester. See? And then the man will offer to take them on to camp in liis car and they’ll get stuck again down beyond Wilmington, lose the road, and switch off toward Singleton— you know, where we took those girls to that little out-of-the-way tavern that time—and you see Cam getting back to camp in time, don’t you?” Ruth had paused with her hand on the heavy portiere, wide eyed. jjui/ v^aiucruu ii xniu. a vvaj' out. He’s too sharp, lie’ll start to walk, or he’ll get some pass ing car to take him,” said Weth erill with conviction. “No, he won’t. The fellows are all primed. They ’re going to catch him in spots where cars don’t go, where the road is bad, you know, and nobody but a fool would go with a car. He won’t be noticing before they break down because this fellow told him his man could drive a car over the moon and never break down. Besides, I knowr my men. They’ll get away with teh job. There’s too much money in it for them to run any risk of losing out. It’s all going to happen so quick he won’t be ready for any thing.” “Well, you’ll have your trou ble for your pains. Cam’ll ex plain everything to the officers and he’ll get by. He always does.” “Not this time. They’ve just made a rule that no excuses go. There’ve been a lot of fellows coming back late drunk. And you see that’a hew wo mean to wind up. They are going to get him drunk, and then we’ll see if little Johnnie will go around with his nose in the air any long er! I’m going to run down to the tavern late this evening to see the fun myself!” “You can’t do it! Cam won’t drink! It’s been tried again and again. He’d rather die!” But the girl at the door had fled to her room on velvet shod feet and closed her door, her face white with horror, her lips set with purpose, her heart beating wildly. She must put a stop somehow to this diabolical plot against him. Whether he was worthy or not they should not do this thing to him! She rang for the maid and began putting on her hat and coat and flinging a few things into a smoll bag. She glanced at her watch. It was a quarter to five. Could she make it If she only knew which way lie had gone! Would his mother have a telephone? Her eyes scanned the C column hurriedly. Yes, there it was. She might have known he would not allow her to be alone without a tele phone. lilt? llltwu. ttppuoi CU O.U cue door. “Mary,” she said, trying to speak calmly, “tell Thomas to have the gray car ready at once. He needn’t'bring it to the house, I will come out the back way. Please take this bag and two long coats out, and when I am gone to the library and ask the two gentlemen there to excuse me. Say that I am suddenly called away to a friend in trouble.. If Aunt Rhoda returns soon tell her I will call her up later and let her know my plans. That is all. I will be down in tow or three minutes and I wish to start without delay!” (To Be Continued Next Week) Not the Hollywood Brand. In a drive by the Boy Scouts of Po- i mona 1,068,37S pins, tacks, nails and bits of glass were picked up. The object of the undertaking was to rid the com munity of as many as possible of the menaces to automobile tires. The Automobile Club of Southern Cal ifornia, under whose auspices the drive was conducted, evidently Is old-fash ioned enough to still have faith in that nursery Jingle: "See a pin and pick it up, And all your life you’ll have good luck.” But the club did not ask the boys to take its word for it that luck would come—at some far-off date. Substantial rewards In cash and trophies were of fered—hence the million and more ob Jtois whiah were collected. BRITISH TO FUND i DEBT TO AMERICA , Delegation Will Arrive in Washington in September, Says Lloyd George. Universal Service. Special Cable Dispatch. London, July 18.—The British fi nancial delegation will arrive in Washington early in September to arrange for the funding of the Brit ish debt to America, Premier Lloyd George announced In the House of Commons Monday. The premier declined to entertain ■» the plan of cancelling the allied debts to England as long as her debt to the United States is outstanding. He said: "The debt cancelling plan has a serious disadvantage, placing this country which is a large creditor in respect to war advices and repara tions, in a position of paying in full all it borrowed while collecting noth ing." Universal Service was informed that Chancellor of the Exchequer Horne is the most likely to be the head of the financial mission to Washington and will be assisted by Sir Basil Blackett, comptroller. Lloyd George has been assured that American officials and financiers have the highest opinion of Horne to whom much credit is given for Britain’s post-war recovery. Numerous eco nomic experts will be included on the mission. - PERMJISSTOLEN Theft From U. S. Resulting in Enormous Release of Booze Involves Capitalists and Politicians. Universal Service. Washington, July 18.—Official con firmation of the theft of 10,000 whisky withdrawal permits and confirmation blanks from the bureau of engraving and printing and the prohibition bu reau, is available Monday night from records on file in the bureau of in ternal revenue. The missing permits are permits to purchase form 1410-A, Nos. 178,001 to 184,000 inclusive. Confirmation sheets missing are form 1410-D Nos. 376,000 to 400,000. In addition to the established fact that 10,000 cases of whisky have been withdrawn from a Freeport, Pa., dis tillery by persons in possession of a block of the stolen permits, the inves tigation to fix responsibility for the original thefts took a sensational turn Monday. Inquiry revealed that the operatives actually engaged in the case were so close to the point where arrests could be made they were told by their su periors to halt until new "political bearings” could be taken. "Who's Who” In Whisky Ring. Names already involved in the web of evidence assembled Include: One of the men indicted in New York some months ago and still under bond in connection with illegal whisky withdrawals; two men recently, it not still connected with the prohibition enforcement bureau in New York city. A notorious bootlegger and smuggler of whisky of New York city, whose picture is in the rogues’ gallery at police headquarters in New York; an other capitalist-bootlegger, who makes his headquarters in Asbury Park, N. J., and operates along the New Jersey coast. This last man, although wealthy from his operations in whisky, is well known to the authorities of several easterns tates, as a gunman and bad characters generally. At least one former member of the Pittsburgh prohibition unit, who is now making his headquarters in Can ada, is also involved. It is said this former Pittsburgh agent at one time had in his possession the stolen and forged permits upon which large withdrawals were made from a Penn sylvania distillery. The pkpers were ordered sent Washington, but instead they disappeared from the files of the Pittsburgh office at about the same time the prohibition agent resigned from the service and left the coun try. Threaded into the story which con nects the individuals of criminal rec ords are the names of politicians in at least three states and twice that number of cities. Just how the stolen permits were obtained from the vaults of the bur eau of engraving and printing and the big safe in the prohibition bur eau here is not altogether a matter of conjuncture with the probers. This is the most delicate part of the story, and is said to be responsible for the temporary halt in the investigation. It is unquestionably responsible for the cloak of secrecy with which the entire staff has been surrounded. The official confirmation of the withdrawal of the permits and con firmation blanks is on file in the bureau of internal revenue dated May 23, 1922. signed by James E. Jones, acting prohibition commissioner. Abe Rubin, of Findlay, Ohio, went west to esiape the heat this summer. He is at Keechelus, Wash., suffering from two frozen toes, one of which may have to be amputated. VINCENT ASTOR BURNED AS PLANE CATCHES FIRE Newport, R. I., July 18.—Vincent Astor was burned about the hands Monday when his $25,000 hydroplane in which he was about to ascend, caught fire in the bay off the New York Y’acht club. The commission for the erection of a monument in the Argonne region of France in memory of the Missouri heroes who gave their lives in the world war, has been awarded to Mrs. Nancy C. Hahn, of St, Louis. UNEASY OYER U. S. PLANS Jewell Again Seeks Peace While Strike of Million Men Looms and Strikers Fear Uncle Sam to Use Bayonets. Universal Service. Chicago, July 18.—W. L. McMeni men, representing the labor group on the United States labor board, and B. M. Jewell, president of the rail way employes department of the American Federation of Labor, were reported Monday night working on a plan for settlement of the shopmen a strike to be laid before the labor board within a few hours. The plan, it was reported, would Includie calling off the strike after the roads had agreed to restore sen iority rules, abandon farming out shop work and going before the. la bor board for a new hearing on the wage question, and also, establish ment of adjustment boards to set tle ail questions except that of wages. The plan is similar to one pro posed several days ago, but which was not acceptable to the railroad executives. U. S. TO USE ARMS? Chicago, July 18.—The railroad strike had reached a chaotic stage Monday night. The day was marked by conflicting reports, the railroads claiming they were successfully fill ing the places of strikers; union of ficials claiming the strike was spreading and predicting a million rail workers would be involved unless the roads acceded to their demands. The eyes of the country centered on Washington, from where it was ex pected the next peace move would come. Rumors that the government would attempt to restore peace by force of arms if necessary was dis cussed guardedly in union circles. Fear was expressed that such a movement would result in widespread disorder. . “Bayonet Will Mean Troublo.” "Our men are always ready to reason and will obey the laws of the country but it will mean trouble if you try to force them with the bayo net,’ said a high union official who for obvious reasons declined to per mit his name to be used. Timothy Healy, president of the stationary firemen and oilers, claimed the strike of Ills men was 100 per cent. They went on strike Monday morning. About 8,000 men were in volved. over i,uuo,uuu raiiroaci men will be on strike within from three days to a week,” Mr. Ilenly said. The 400, 000 maintenance of way men of the country would join the shopmen and the firemen and oilers in their strike, he predicted. E. F. Grable, president of the maintenance of way employes, said a strike would not be authorized before Thursday and he hoped a strike would be averted. Mr. Grable had just returned from Washington, where he had laid the case of the men before President Harding. Peace or Greater Strike? Mr. Grable will meet with grand lodge chairmen in Detroit Thursday and it will then be determined whether peace negotiations shall con tinue or a strike be called. No new plans for ending the strike are pending before the United States labor board, it W’as said at headquar ters of the board Trlonday night. Ben W. Hooper, chairman, said, however, that the board was always ready to consider any matter laid before it. Informal conferences were reported being held with a view to bringing a concrete plan before the board. Eugene V. Debs, leader of the great American ralway union strike in 1894, Issued an appeal to all union men to "strike, vote and fight together.” Mr. Debs came here several days ago from his home in Terre Haute, Ind., for treatment in a sanitarium. His friends said he would take no active part in the strike. ■_ _ After referring to promises made to the workers during the war and what he termed the failure of the govern ment to fulfill them, Mr. Debs said: "The struggle is entering upon its critical stage and whether the toiling hosts shall emerge in triumph and establish industry and social democ racy in the world or go down in hu miliating defeat for another historical period of economical bondage, de pends entirely upon the capacity of the workers to muster iheir forces and stand together, strike together, vote together and fight together all along the line.” Federal court injunctions were ex tended and made more sweeping in several districts during the day. In New Orleans four roads secured permanent injunction against strikers interfering with new workers. The old question of states rights was raised in Arkansas when attor neys representing the strikers went into federal court in Fort Smith to combat federal injunctions on the ground that the United States rail road labor board in issuing its wage decision had attempted to assume control over men engaged solely in intrastate commerece. It was con tended such regulation lies wholly within the states. DOVER RESIGNS, MELLON ADMITS Universal Service. Washington, July 18.—Ulmer Do ver, it was officially admitted at the treasury department Monday has re signed as assistant secretary of the treasury. The adfmission was made on authority of Secretary Mellon. The resignation, presented to Pres ident Harding some days ago, was ef fective Saturday. July 15.