Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 1936)
COPYRIGHT BY MINTON,BAlCH,t CO. W.M.0. URVinl CHAPTER VII The Race to the Swift. * | 'HE rogues were at my mercy, but I had no thought for that. I was transfixed with horror, for the nightmare which I had rejected had become an accomplished fact. Though Bugle and Kush were still speaking, I had no idea what they said. Then the disorder passed, and my brain seemed to leap into life. The car. I must get to the car. Pharaoh had had a start of an hour and a quarter or more, but I knew the way to the cottage better than he. At once 1 saw that to tiiread the woods in the darkness would take me five times as long as to go by the lane. But the way to the lane was barred—barred by those cursed headlights that I had found so fu tile ten minutes ago. For an instant I glanced about me. Then I picked up the lamp and hurled it into the grate. The base of the lamp was of china and heavily built; the crash of Its fail was frightful, and the flames leaped up like streamers, to lick the breast of the chimney with in and without. Now I had expected that Bugle and Rush would, both of them, make for the sitting-room door. And Bugle did. But Rush stood up on the bench, to look, instead, through the window I was proposing to use. I suppose the fellow was lazy, and laziness brings no luck. Be that as it nmy, I hit him between the eyes before he could think and vaulted out of the casement on the flags. And then I was in the closed car and was storming down to the bridge. My journey may be imagined—I drove in a midst of fear. I entered the track at five min utes past ten and that eight min utes later I was stumbling across the clearing, to find the path to the pottage by the light of my torch. "Do what you like,” said Freda. ‘I tell you she's gone.” “You know where she Is,” said Pharaoh, and lighted a cigarette. The man was sitting half on the table, swinging a leg; Freda was standing at the foot of the little staircase, with one of her hands be hind her and the other one up to her breast; Max lay asleep in his cradle, and Dewdrop stood quiet and blinking. “You know where she Is,” said Pharaoh, quietly enough. “That I do not,” said Freda, and Sung up her head. “Her man was The Man Was Sitting Half on the Table. gone, and she was but waiting for me, to give over the child.” "Did she take the path to Witch craft?" “Nay,” said the forester's wife, “she took the path that she knew.” “Think again," said Pharaoh. Crouching without the casement, I saw the girl wince before the ice of his tone; but though she was now very pale, she gave him back look for look. As I drew my pis tol, I heard her steady reply. “I tell you she took that pnth,” and, as she spoke, she pointed out of the window, directly over my head. And, as she pointed, she looked In the same direction—and saw my face. She started ever so slightly, but that was more than enough. As I leveled ray weapon, Pha roah swung round and fired but his j pistol was yet in his pocket and his bullet went wide of my ear. And then in a flash he had flung himself off the table, and all the candles were out. So I threw away a chance in a million. That the forester's wife should have seen me was sheer bad luck. There was only one thing to be done, for the moonlight was all about me, and l'haraoh and Dew drop could see me without being seen. I fell on my face, writhed my way into the shadows and darted across to a tree that stood some twelve paces off. And there, flat against the trunk, I took my stand, with my eyes on the door of the cottage which was full in the light. I was ready now\ at last, and the moment 1 saw the door move I fired at the latch. This had the effect 1 desired, for the door did not move again. I was now as composed as I had been distracted, for the knowledge that my darling was safe had made me another man. .My nerves were steady, my brain was clear, 1 felt like a giant refreshed, and 1 saw at once that my lady must be at Witchcraft. One minute later 1 was behind the cottage and was running as fast as I could for the Witchcraft path. I was more than halfway to the cross roads when Sabre touched my hand. With a leaping heart, I at once took hold of his collar and ran by his side. Thirty yards on he stopped. “Nell,” I said quietly. “Nell.’’ There was a rustle behind me. As I turned round, her arms went about my neck. “I heard shots,” she breathed. “You’re not hurt?" “Not a scratch, my queen.” “Thank God, thank God." She clung to me desperately. “Oh, John, I can’t spare you again. Ever since you left, I’ve been half out of my mind. You see . . . with out you I'm beggared . . . you’re all I’ve got.” Her tears were wet on my lips, as I strained her against my heart. “Come along, my lady. We’ll talk when we're out of the wood.” Less than 10 minutes later I lift ed the Rolls from a thicket and on to the road. “Freda appeared,” said Helena, “at a quarter to eight. It seems that she missed her train in a final, frantic endeavor to do as we said. We told her to deliver the letter to Geoffrey or Barley alone. Ten times she took that letter to your cousin’s Salzburg address; 10 times she was asked to leave it, and 10 times the poor girl refused. When she had missed her train, she de termined to try once more, and this time they managed to bluff her into giving it up. Well, the mo ment I heard her story, I knew that the damage was done, so Sabre and I made for Witchcraft as fast as ever we could. I confess I was rather worried. And even when Pharaoh arrived—as he did. about half past nine—I couldn’t be sure that he’d missed you, for he might have dealt with you and come on for me. I watched him take the path. When they'd gone I made sure of the Rolls and came back to watch—and pray. The darkness was very trying, for the path, as you know, was in shadow and I had to watch for you both. And then, far away in the forest, I heard two shots. . . When 1 told her what I had learned, which, except that my cou sin was safe, was little enough— “We must make for Yorick,” she said. ‘‘Pharaoh’s stranded, and that will give me a chance—with my brother, I mean. If Valentine’s bored enough, I may he able to get him to go away. If 1 offer him the Carlotta, he may see the point of a month at Juan-les-Pins. Besides, if we want your cousin, Yorick is where he will he. He's certnin to be watching the castle—it's all he can do. lie probably visits Plum age, as you did today. But he knows that when we return, it will lie to Yorick itself.” “Very good." said I. “i take it we drive to the door.” “Oh, yes. It’s safe enough now." “You think you’ll get Valentine off by an early train?” “He keeps late hours. If I let him have the Carlotta. I might get him off tonight. He's a creature of impulse, you know. Paint the toy bright enough, and he'll want it at once.” “Why not go to Pommers?” T said. “And use your original plan? We’ve only to find my cousin, and that should be easy enough. Let I’haraoh go back to Yorlck. And then one night we’ll cross the moat by the foot-bridge and do him in." "Pm afraid to wait, my darling. If Pharaoh gets his foot in again, I think he’ll play the card in his sleeve. And the card that he’s got in his sleeve is putting my brother wise.’’ She drew in her breath. "Once Valentine knows of the gold, it’s no good killing Pharaoh, for three weeks later another will reign in his stead. My brother will talk right and left So you see, for that reason alone, Valentine must be gone before Pharaoh comes back.” The miles streamed by in silence, and I think it was just past mid night when I switched the Rolls off the road and into the entrance drive. As our headlights Illuminated the gateway, I saw that the curtains were gone and the gates were shut, but a wicket in one of the leaves was open wide, and a servant was standing beside It, shading his eyes. He had, of course, seen our lights from the porter’s lodge and had opened for ‘Captain Fanlng,' as no doubt he had done before. As I brought the Holls up to the wicket, I saw hi in start. Then he opened the door for his mistress and bowed to the ground. “Come, John," said Helena quiet ly. She turned to the man. "Shut the wicket, Hubert, and wait In the lodge. The car will stay there.” In a flash she was in the court yard, with Sabre and me behind. The doors were open, and Helena sped up the staircase which led to the principal rooms. Helena's ear was fast to the li brary door. After a moment sbe passed to the dining room. There for a moment she listened. Then her hand went out to the handle and softly opened the door. A girl was standing on the table, regarding herself In the huge Ital ian mirror that hung on the wall. Her dress did not become her—It was so much finer than she. The scene was too coarse to he com ic. Some girl from ttie streets of Lass was trying on Helena's clothes. Champagne was on the table and on Hie floor. The Count was lying, flat on Ids back. His condition was most apparent. To say he was drunk conveys nothing. The girl had seen us in the mir ror. Her hands clapped fast to her cheeks, she was staring at Helena's reflection with starting eyes. To confirm the mirror’s report, she shot us one glance of horror; then she crumpled and sank to the table, dragging the dress about her and shrinking as though from some vision which was but waiting to give her the judgment that she deserved. Helena went to her quickly and touched her arm. “Don’t be afraid,” she said qui etly. “If you do as I tell you, I'll see that you come to no harm.” She turned to me, to speak Eng lish. “Can you get him on to the ter race and bring him round?” "I’ll try,” said I. “But I haven’t a lot of hope.” With that, I picked up the Count and carried him out. But the fellow was too far gone. He would come to his senses In time, but nothing that I could do would hale them back. “No good?” said Helena quietly. “Hopeless,” said I. “He's all in. He may come round by midday, but he won’t be fit to talk for 24 hours.” As the words left my mouth, the castle clock told us the time. A quarter past twelve. “We must get him away," said Helena. “Now, at once. There’s a train that leaves Lass for Inns bruck at one o’clock. We can’t put him aboard at Lass—he’s too well known, but I guess the train stops at Gola—that’s ten miles on. The girl will have to go with him and see that he comes to no harm.” Although I could see that it was drastic, I had then no idea how monstrous was the action which she proposed. Her brother was her liege lord; when he succeeded tier father, she was the first of his vas sals to go on her knees, to put her hands between his, to swear to honor liis person and ever maintain his freedom and all his rights. And this was no matter of form. For better or worse, for more than five hundred years the body of the Count had been sacred in the eyes I of his house. Times might change, hut not Yorick. Its motto held. On that handsome July night Helena snapped the tradition and broke her oath. Not a servant would have dared help he*. After perhaps five minutes our plans were laid. Whilst Helena spoke with Mona, the girl from l.ass, I scrawled a note to Pharaoh and boldly signed It “V. Y.” Dear Fanlng: Sorry, but I’m fed up. I've had enough of Yoriek and I'm going to night. I don't know where, but I’ll probably get a train. See you again some day. . . . As I laid down my pencil— “That’ll do very well," said Hel ena. “He never writes, so nobody knows his hand. Leave It there on the blotting pad. And now we must go." A moment later onr strange pro cession took shape. Helena led the way and I brought up the rear, with the Count on my back, while Mona minced between us, bearing her shoes In her hand. Six paces away from the gates, I laid my burden down. •‘Is your back all right?" breathed Helena. "Yes, thank you, my sweet” At once she turned to Mona, who was drooping beside the wall. “If you cross that bridge, the porter will see you, and you will be chased and caught Ln a few min utes’ time, however, the porter will leave his lodge. You’ll know when he's gone, because then the wicket will open. The moment the wicket opens, cross the bridge. Then run down the drive until you come to the woods. Walt there at the edge of the meadow, and the car will be down ln five minutes to pick you up.” “It Is understood, my lady.” “You will wait without full, on the right hand side of the road.” “Without fall, my lady." With many misgivings we left her and hastened the way we had come. This time, however, we left the postern ajar. We had found her bedroom light ed and left It so—an open wardrobe declared the rape of the frock; and now we only waited to set wide o|»en the doors of the principal As the Porter Stepped Out of His Lodge. rooms. Then we went down to the courtyard—up to tlie last of the jumps. As the porter stepped out of his lodge— "Why didn’t you tell me,” said Helena, “that his lordship was gone?” The fellow looked scared. “I—I didn’t know, my lady. I— I thought his lordship was here." "He went this evening. He says so. He's left a note.” The porter put a hand to his head. “No one has gone out, my lady, since half past nine. And at half past nine, my lady, I know that his lordship was here.” There was a startled silence. Then— "Fetch the night-watchman," said Helena. The man ran Into the courtyard and disappeared. In a flash the wicket was open and I was outside. As I heaved him Into the car, I saw a bedraggled figure hurrying on to the bridge. I laid the Count flat on the floor-boards and put his coat over his face. Then I took my seat at the wheel and started to turn the car round. . . . Helena was speaking. “Rouse the other watchman and the warden as well. The castle is to be searched. Unless he left by a postern, his lordship must still be here. Tell the warden that I have news for his lordship which will not wait, that I’ve gone to Lass to catch him in case he has gone.” “Your ladyship will be return ing?” “Within the hour.” I had the car well In the shad ows and Helena’s door was open before she left the wicket to take her seat. As I whipped over the drawbridge, I heard her sigh with relief. “And now for Mona,” she said. The time was now half-past twelve. As we left the meadows, I set a foot on the brake and switched out my lights. For a moment we sat in silence. Then— “Mona,” I cried, “where are you?” A figure rose out of the night. “She's hopped it, sir,” said Bar ley. “Cut through the woods. But I'm thankful to see you, sir. And that’s the truth.” (TO BE CONTINUED) Claims Prehistoric Lake Nevada lays claim to a prehis toric lake, Lahonton, in the west ern part of the state. The story of geologic ages is written In the Ne vada plateau. The palisades of the Humboldt river formed by vio lent lava flows at different periods are more remarkable than those of the Hudson. Hones of the masto don and camel have been found in the terraces and lower reaches of this river. Here and there are hot springs whose curative powers were highly prized by the Indians. HOJ^RE / DR. JAMES W. BARTON Tjlki About ® Using Stored Up Fat EVERY overweight individual who has given the reduction of weight any serious thought or study has learned that starch foods —potatoes, bread, sugar, and pas try—store most of the excess fat on the body. It is only recently that they are real being that liquids, while not stnrlnu fat, nevertheless are'held In the body by the fat and so greatly Increase the total weight of the body. Thus, while knowing that water Is needed by the body for a number of purposes, they also know thnt they do not need to drink much water because the body will use the extra wa ter held In the fat tls sues as It Is needed. These overweight Indi viduals have learned one other thing, and that Is thnt while fat foods—butter, cream, fat meats, fat fish, egg yolks—do not store fat In the same manner or to the same extent ns starch foods, nevertheless they do help to store fat, nnd prevent the tissues of the body from being worn or used as rapidly as they other wise would be. This, as you can see. thus maintains nnd actunlly Increases the amount of fat on the body. But one of the big points over weights have not fully realized Is that If they cut down on the fnt foods by as much as IK) per cent. Just eating a little butter or cheese or drinking a little milk, the body will use for Its needs the fnt they have stored In the body, thus decreasing gradually their store of fat nnd so their weight. How Nature Usee It. Striking examples of how nature uses stored fnt can be seen In animals such as the benr whose body Is cov ered with fat In the autumn and while It sleeps during the winter this stored fnt supplies the body with nourish ment. By spring the benr Is quite lean again. Another example Is where a very fat fish, during certain periods of Its yearly life, eats nothing whatever, yet is kept nllve during these periods be cause its body uses up this deposit of fnt which It had accumulated. It Is agreed by nutrition experts that the average individual who does not do hnrd physical work should eat about one part proteids—meat, eggs, fish—to two parts fats—butter, cream, fat meats, egg yolks—to four parts starchy foods, vegetables and fruits. When real hard outdoor work Is be ing done the amount of meat, eggs and fish should be Increased. What about the overweight Individ ual who, of course, does little or no work of any kind? Instead of eating two parts of fat foods to one part of protelds he or she should cut down the fat foods by half and also cut down the starch foods by half. Cutting Down Fat Foods. This cutting down by one-half on fat foods can be done safely by over weights for the same reason that an imals can do without any food at cer tain times; that is because the body processes can make use of the stored fat for their various needs. The point then is that with the knowledge now In possession of over weights there Is no reason why every one of them (except the 2 to 5 per cent whose overweight Is due to a gland disturbance) should not get down to normal weight In from three to twelve months. I have seen a girl weighing 180 pounds get her weight down to 150 pounds In three months by cutting down her liquids by one-half, her fats by one-half, and her starches by one quarter, keeping up. however, her full amount of meat, eggs, and fish. She felt stronger, more active, more In dined to take exercise, and more keen about her work. • • • Food* That Disagree Now that It Is generally known that certain foods cause skin Irritation others pain in the abdomen, others hay fever, asthma and eczema, a new word—allergy—has come Into use. Al lergy means being sensitive to certain foods. Patients often, however, avoid foods because they “disagree” with them when It may be other foods or circumstances that cause distress. I>rs. Walter C. Alvarex and II. Cor win Hinslinw, Mayo foundation, Itoeh ester, Minn., point out that the patient may well be mistaken when he states that he cannot eat some particular food. Perhaps the fish was blamed when really the culprit was the tartar sauce, the cottonseed oil In which the fish was fried, or the pie that \»as eat en for dessert. Or the food eitten at dinner was blamed when rea ly the offending substance was taken lhto the body with luncheon or breakfrfct. Or the upset was due to overeating or to back pressure from an overloaded large Intestine (constipation), to an annoyance over an argument at the dinner table, to an oncoming cold, or even to a slight inflammation In the gall bladder. The point then is that because a food has disagreed under any of the above circumstances it should not be condemned until it has been found to disagree a “number of times.” Cer tainly for those of us not coinplainlny of indigestion it would be only good sense to eat whatever we Ike. ®-WNU BarvLo* _ I Leap Year Is With Us Again, and Here’s What Causes It ■ ■" ■ ■ iC> _______. —. Keeps Seasons in Order, Gives Fair Maidens Their Chance. This is leap year and February 29 Is the cause of It. But the cause of February 2fl dates back to 46 B. 0. when the astronomers of Julius Caesar figured out that the solar year (the time It takes the earth to complete Its orbit around the sun) was 365 days and six hours. The six hours stumped them until they deetded to add an extra day to every fourth year and make that 306th day February 29. This Is “leap" year because the extra day causes the calendar to leap over a day of the week after February 29. Ordinarily the calendar rotates Just one day because 305 Is one over 52 seven day weeks. Thus, March 1 fell on Friday last year, but will fall on Sundny Instead of Saturday this year. Pope Suppresses Ten Days. The Julian astronomers didn’t have the thing down put, however, for the solar year Is actually 365 days, 5 hours. 48 minutes and 45.51 seconds. By the time Pope Gregory XIII deckled to net In 1582 A. D. the dates of the year had shifted 10 days out of season. To correct this Pope Gregory ordered that October 5, 1582, be mnde October 15, 1582. To lake care of the discrepancy oc curring thereafter Pope Gregory’s astronomers decided that leap year should be omitted on every century year not divisible by 400. Leap year won’t be surpressed again until 2100 A. D. Anyway, leap year hns a more ro mantic aspect. By tradition, If not by practice, It Is (he time a woman can propose marriage to a man. The origin of this counter attack In the love suit is less satisfactorily ex pla'ned than the Julian and Grego rian calendars. Calendar Accepted Rapidly. But apparently Margaret of Nor way, who became queen of Scotland, started the thing in 1288 A. D. by saying there ought to be a law. She decreed that during the leap years of her reign every “mayden Indye of bothe hlghe and low# estalt shall hne llborte to bespeake ye man she likes.” And if a bachelor didn't like taking the proponent to be bis lawful ‘wyfe” he could be “mulcted" (fined) one pound or less. Ills only “out” was to be already engaged. The Gregorian calendar was ac cepted in Italy, Spain, and Portugal Worth It “I understand you have been hav ing your family tree looked up,” said Jones. “Yes,” replied Brown, "and it cost me $5,000.” “Quite expensive, wasn’t It?” “Yes, but it cost only $5,000 to have’ it looked up. The otiier $5,000 was what I paid to have it hushed up.”—Baltimore Sun. Number, Plea**. “I am connected with some of the best families.” “By telephone?" Lacerated Heart “Young Dick says his heart Is lacerated." “Who’s the lass?"—An swers Magazine. Atta Boy I Overheard on a dance floor the other night: Him—Say, little girl, do your eyes bother you? Her—No—why? Him—Well, they bother me l— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. on the same day it was ordered in Rome. In France it was accepted be fore the year was ended and in 1583 by the Catholic states of Germany. The German Protestant states re tained the Julian calendar until 1700 when Sweden and Denmark also changed to the Gregorian or “new style” calendar. Russia held to the Julian calendar until the soviet union was formed. In Great Britain the Julian calen dar was abolished by the act of 1750. That same year saw the change In the British colonies In America. birthday of George Washington, which was February 11 under thn Julian calendar, became February 22 when the change occurred.—Chicago Tribune. AW Ground /Ac House L .. --—. Flower pots used In the house are made very decorative If painted with wnter color paints. • • • A bottle of furniture polish rubbed Into clean dry mop will give hard wood floors an excellent polish. • * • Neck pieces of beef and lamb make delicious soups and stews. • • • A noted chemist gives us the Infor mation that science has discovered that it Is not dangerous to leave canned foods In the cnn after It haa been opened. They remain In better condition until eaten If the unused portion Is kept In the cnn. There la nothing about the can that will con tribute to the spoilage of food. • • • To keep the coffee pot sweet fill It with water to which one table spoon of sodn has been added and set on the stove until water bolls. © Associated Newspapers.—WNU Service. 44 AWARDS! ATONE STATE I >FA,R/ . . . the record ol OM exhibitor who has nsod many brands bat who now OSes CLABBER GIRL, iidushrely. ONLY " 10* Ymt Grow Hot II UNTIL THEN “I thought you and the Smiths were the best of friends.” “We were, until we tried to spend a month with our families in the same summer cottage.” In the Suburb* Sailor—How far is your house from the car line? Girl—About five minutes’ walk, If you run. SOU COULD N T WISH FOR BETTER FLAVOR THAN ^WRlGLErSj WRIGLEY’S. TH* PERFECT GUM r 319 Economy Brooder House The two most impor tant thingsinpoultry ' raisingurehealthand cleanliness. The Economy Poultry House is scientifically con structed to insure success in poultry raising. Easy to clean, warm, ventilated ana sanitary. Economy Hog House Economy Hog House is the last word in housing efficiency. Properly heated and ventilated. Pi gw warm and comfortable. Sec tional and portable. ja Write for prices and descriptive matter NEBRASKA ASSEMBLING CO., Wahoo, Nebr. Dr. Barton