The DIM LANTERN
By TEMPLE BAILEY — -—
O PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY —WNU SERVICE
SYNOPSIS
Young, pretty Jane Barnes, who lived
with her brother. Baldwin, in Sherwood
Park, near Washington, wa3 not particu
larly impressed when she read that rich,
attractive Edith Towne had been left at
the altar by Deiafield Simms, wealthy
New Yorker. However, she still mused
over it when she met Evans Follette. a
# young neighbor, whom the war had left
completely discouraged and despondent.
Evans had always loved Jane That
morning Baldwin Barnes, on his way to
work in Washington, offered assistance
to a tall, lovely girl In distress.
CHAPTER II—Continued
—3—
When at last Baldy drew up at the
little way station, and unfastened
the curtain, he was aware that she
had opened the suede bag and had
a roll of bills in her hand. For a
moment his heart failed him. Was
she going to offer him money?
But what she said, with cheeks
flaming, was: "I haven’t anything
less than ten dollars. Do you
think they will take it?”
“It’s doubtful. I have oodles of
change.” He held out a handfuL
“Thank you so much, and—you
must let me have your card—”
“Oh, please—”
Her voice had an edge of sharp
ness. “Of course it must be a loan.”
He handed her his card in silence.
She read the name. , “Mr. Barnes.
/ you have been very kind. 1 am
f tremendously grateful.”
“It was not kindness—but now and
then a princess passes.”
For a breathless moment her
amazed glance met his—then the
clang of a bell heralded an ap
proaching car.
As he helped her out hurriedly
she stumbled over the rug. He
caught her up, lifted her to the
ground, and motioned to the motor
man.
The car stopped and she mounted
the steps. “Good-by, and thank you
so much.” He stood back and she
waved to him while he watched her
out of sight.
His work at the office that morn
ing had dreams for an accompani
ment. He went out at lunch-time
but ate nothing. It was at lunch
time that he bought the violets—pay
ing an unthinkable price for them,
and not caring.
It was after office that Baidy car
ried the flowers to his car. He set
the box on the back seat. In the
hurry of the morning he had for
gotten the rug which still lay where
his fair passenger had stumbled
over it. He picked it up and some
thing dropped from its folds. It was
the gray suede bag, half open, and
showing the roll of bills. Beneath
the roll of bills was a small sheer
handkerchief, a vanity case with a
pinch of powder and a wee puff, a
new check-book—and, negligently at
the very bottom, a ring—a ring of
such enchantment that as it lay in
Baldy’s hand, he doubted its reality.
The hoop was of platinum, slender,
yet strong enough to bear up a
carved moonstone in a circle of dia
monds. The carving showed a deli
cate Psyche—with a butterfly on her
shoulder. The diamonds blazed like
small suns.
Inside the ring was an inscrip
tion—“Del to Edith—Forever.”
Del to Edith? Where had he seen
those names? With a sudden flash of
illumination, he dropped the ring
^ back into the bag, stuffed the bag
in his pocket, and made his way to
a newsboy at the corner.
There it was in startling head
lines: Edith Towne Disappears. Del
afleld Simms’ Yacht Said to Have
Been Sighted Near Norfolk!
So his passenger had been the
much-talked-about Edith Towne—
deserted at the moment of her mar
nagei
He thought of her eyes of burning
blue—the fairness of her skin and
hair—the touch of haughtiness.
Simms was a cur, of course! He
should have knelt at her feet!
The thing to do was to get the
bag back to her. He must adver
tise at once. On the wings of this
decision, his car whirled down the
Avenue. The lines which, after
much deliberation, he pushed across
the counter of the newspaper office,
would be ambiguous to others, but
clear to her. “Will passenger who
^ left bag with valuable contents in
Ford car call up Sherwood Park
49.”
“Is she really as beautiful as
that?” Jane demanded.
"As what?”
"Her picture in the paper."
“Haven’t I said enough for you to
know it?”
Jane nodded. “Yes. But it doesn't
sound real to me. Are you sure you
didn’t dream it?”
“I’ll say I didn’t. Isn’t that the
proof?” The gray bag lay on the
table in front of them, the ring
was on Jane’s finger.
She turned it to catch the light.
“Baldy,” she said, "it’s beyond
imagination.”
“I told you—"
“Think of having a ring like
this—”
“Think, ’ fiercely, "of having a
* lover who ran away.”
“Well,” said Jane, "there are
some advantages in being—un
sought. I’m like the Miller-ess of
Dee—
"I care for nobody—
No, not I,
Since nobody
Cares—
For me—!*’
She sang it with a light boyish
swing of her body. Her voice was
girlish and sweet, with a touch of
huskiness.
Baldy flung his scorn at her
•‘Jane, aren’t you ever in earnest?”
“Intermittently,” she smiled at
him, came over and tucked her arm
in his. "Baldy,” she coaxed,
"aren’t you going to tel) her un
cle?”
He stared at her. “Her uncle?
Tell him what?”
“That you’ve found the bag.”
He flung off her arm. “Would
you have me t\irn traitor?”
“Heavens, Baldy. this isn’t melo
drama. It’s common sense. You
can’t keep that bag.”
“I can keep it until she answers
my advertisement.”
“She may never see your adver
tisement, and the money isn’t yours,
and the ring isn’t.”
He was troubled. “But she trust
ed me. I can’t do it.”
Jane shrugged her shoulders, and
began to clear away the din
.-—rtn r-3 T——.”1.1
Towne’s tone showed a touch
of irritation.
ner things. Baldy helped her. Old
Merrymaid mewed to go out, and
Jane opened the door.
“It’s snowing hard,” she said.
The wind drove the flakes across
the threshold. Old Merrymaid
danced back into the house, bright
eyed and round as a muff. The air
was freezing.
“It is going to be a dreadful
night,” young Baldwin, heavy with
gloom, prophesied. He thought of
Edith in the storm in her buckled
shoes. Had she found shelter? Was
she frightened and alone somewhere
in the dark?
He went into the living-room,
whence Jane presently followed
him. Jane was knitting a sweater
and she worked while Baldy read to
her. He read the full account of
Edith Towne’s flight. She had gone
away early in the morning. The
maid, taking her breakfast up to
her, had found the room empty.
She had left a note for her uncle.
But he had not permitted its publi
cation. He was, they said, wild
with anxiety.
“I’ll bet he’s an old tyrant,” was
Baldy’s comment
Frederick Towne’s picture was in
the paper “I like his face,” said
Jane, “and he doesn’t seem so
frightfully old.”
“Why should she run away from
him, if he wasn’t a tyrant?” he de
manded furiously.
“Well, don’t scold me.” Jane was
as vivid as an oriole in the midst of
her orange wools.
She loved color. The living-room
was an expression of it. Its furni
ture was old-fashioned but not old
fashioned enough to be lovely. Jane
had, however, modified its lack of
grace and its dull monotonies by
covers of chintz — tropical birds
against black and white stripes—
and there was a lamp of dull blue
pottery with a Chinese shade. A
Are in the coal grate, with the glow
of the lamp, gave the room a look of
burnished brightness. The kitten,
curled up in Jane’s lap, played coz
ily with the tawny threads.
“Don’t scold me,” said Jane, “it
isn’t my fault."
**I’m not scolding, but I’m worried
to death. And you aren’t any help,
are you?”
She looked at him in astonish
ment. “I’ve tried to help. I told
you to call up.”
Youwg Baldwin walked the floor
“She trusted me.”
“You won't get anywhere with
that,” said Jane with decision. “The
thing to do is to tell Mr. Towne
that you have news of her. and that
you'll give it only under promise
that he won't do anything until he
has talked it over with you.”
"That sounds better." said young
Baldwin; “how did you happen to
think of it?”
“Now and then,” said Jane ”1
have ideas.”
Baldy went to the telephone. When
he came back his eyes were like
gray moons. "He promised every
thing. and he’s coming out—”
“Here?”
“Yes, he wouldn’t wait until to
morrow. He’s wild about her—”
"Well, he would be." Jane men
tally surveyed the situation
“Baldy I’m going to make some
coffee, and have some cheese and
crackers."
"He may not want them.”
"On a cold night like this. I’ll
say he will; anybody would.”
Baldy helped Jane get out the
round-bellied silver pot, the pitchers
and tray. The young people had a
sense of complacency as they han
dled the old silver. Frederick Towne
could have nothing of more distin
guished history. It had belonged to
their great-grandmother. Dabney,
who was really D’Aubigne, and it
had graced an emperor’s table.
Each piece had a monogram set in
an engraved wreath. The big tray
was so heavy that Jane lifted it
with difficulty, so Baldy set it for
her on the little mahogany table
which they drew up in front of the
fire. There was no wealth now in
the Barnes family, but the old silver
spoke of a time when a young host
ess as black-haired as Jane had
dispensed lavish hospitality.
Frederick Towne had not expect
ed what he found—the little house
set high on its terraces seemed to
give from its golden-lighted window
squares a welcome in the dark. “I
shan’t be long, Briggs," he said to
his chauffeur.
Very good, sir, said Briggs, and
led the way up the terrace.
Baldy ushered Towne into the liv
ing-room, and Frederick, standing
on the threshold, surveyed a cozi
ness which reminded him of nothing
so much as a color illustration in
some old English magazine. There
was the coal grate, the table drawn
up to the fire, the twinkling silver
on its massive tray, violets in a low
vase—and rising to meet him a slen
der, glowing child, with a banner of
orange wool behind her.
“Jane,” said young Barnes, "may
1 present Mr. Towne?" and Jane
held out, her hand and said, “This is
very good of you.”
He found himself unexpectedly
gracious. He was not always gra
cious. He had felt that he couldn't
be. A man with money and posi
tion had to shut himself up some
times in a shell of reserve, lest he
be imposed upon.
But in this warmth and fragrance
he expanded. “What a charming
room,” he said, and smiled at her.
Jane felt perfectly at ease with
him. He was, after all, she reflect
ed, only a gentleman, and Baldy
was that. The only difference lay
in their divergent incomes. So, as
the two men talked, she knitted on,
with the outward effect of placidity
"Do you want me to go?” she had
asked them, and Towne had re
plied promptly, "Certainly not.
There’s nothing we have to say that
you can’t hear.”
So Jane listened with all her ears,
and modified the opinion she had
formed of Frederick Towne from his
picture and from her first glimpse
of him. He was nice to talk to, but
he might be hard to live with. He
had obstinacy and egotism.
“Why Edith should have done It
amazes me.”
"She was hurt,” she said, "and
she wanted to hide.”
"But people seem to think that in
some way it is my fault. I don’t
like that. It isn’t fair. We’ve al
ways been the best of friends—more
like brother and sister than niece
and uncle.”
"But not like Baldy and me,” said
Jane to herself, "not in the least
like Baldy and me.”
“Of course Simms ought to be
shot,” Towne told them heatedly.
“He ought to be hanged,” was
Baldy's amendment.
Jane's needles clicked, but she
said nothing. She was dying to tell
these bloodthirsty males what she
thought of them. What good would
it do to shoot Delafleld Simms? A
woman’s hurt pride isn’t to be
healed by the thought of a man’s
dead body.
Young Baldwin brought out the
bag. "It is one that Delafleld gave
her," Frederick stated, “and 1
cashed a check for her at the bank
the day before the wedding. I can’t
imagine why she took the ring with
her.”
“She probably forgot to take It
oft; her mind wasn’t on rings.”
Jane’s voice was warm with feeling.
He looked at her with some curi
osity. "What was it on?”
“Oh, her heart was broken. Noth
ing else mattered. Can’t you see?”
Jane swept them back to the mat
ter of the bag. “We thought you
ought to have it, Mr. Towne, but
Baldy had scruples about revealing
anything he knows about Miss
Towne s hiding place. He feels that
she trusted him."
“You said you had advertised,
Mr. Barnes?"
“Yes.”
“Well, the one thing Is to get her
home. Tell her that if she calls
you up." Frederick looked suddenly
tired and old.
Baldy, leaning against the mantel,
gazed down at him. "It’s hard to de
cide what I ought to do. But I
feel that I’m right in giving her a
chance first to answer the adver
tisement.”
Towne’s tone showed a touch of
irritation. “Of course you’ll have
to act as you think best.”
And now Jane took things in her
own hands. “Mr. Towne, I’m going
to make you a cup of coffee.”
“I shall be very grateful,” he
smiled at her. What a charming
child she was! He was soothed and
refreshed by the atmosphere they
created This boy and girl were a
friendly pair and he loved his ease.
His own house, since Edith’s depar
ture, had been funereal, and his
friends had been divided in their
championship between himself and
Edith. But the young Barneses were
so pleasantly responsive with their
lighted-up eyes and their little air
of making him one with them.
Edith had always seemed to put
him quite definitely on the shelf.
With little Jane and her brother he
had a feeling of equality of age.
“Look here,” he spoke impulsive
ly, “may I tell you all about it? It
would relieve my mind immense
ly.”
To Jane it was a thrilling mo
ment. Having poured the coffee,
she came out from behind her bat
tlement of silver and sat in her
chintz chair. She did not knit; she
was enchanted by the tale that
Towne was telling. She sat very
still, her hands folded, the tropical
birds about her. To Frederick she
seemed like a bird herself—slim
and lovely, and with a voice that
sang!
Towne was not an impressionable
man. His years of bachelorhood had
hardened him to feminine arts. But
here was no artfulness. Jane as
sumed nothing. She was herself. As
he talked to her, he became aware
of some stirred emotion. An almost
youthful eagerness to shine as the
hero of his tale. If he embroidered
the theme, it was for her benefit.
What he told her was as he saw it.
But what he told her was not the
truth, nor even half of it
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Lions Walk Tightrope, Seals Ride Horseback
Lions that walk tightropes and
seals that ride horseback are two of
the latest attractions produced by
crack animal trainers. In the cir
cus world new bags of tricks are
t necessary every year or so, and
now that motion pictures are de
manding wild animals to do tasks
that seem almost miraculous, train
ers are educating their animals to
perform stunts of which no one
dreamed before.
Teaching a lion to walk two sway
ing tightropes high in the air seems
like a nearly impossible task until
an experienced trainer tells how he
does it, says Popular Mechanics
Magazine. Charles Gay, who has
a tightrope-walking lion at his lion
farm at El Monte, Calif., starts to
teach his cubs tricks when they
are nine months old, after their
trainers have gained their trust
through frequent petting and feed
ing.
“Teaching a lion to walk the tight
rope takes about six months of
steady training,” says Gay. “We
start with a wide plank 10 feet long
on supports a few feet off the
ground. We tempt the animal to
walk this plank by leading it with
a piece of meat. After it has
learned it will be rewarded tor walk
ing, we remove a central support,
allowing the plank to bounce and
sway under the animal’s weight.
“Next we substitute two narrow
planks for the wide one, gradually
training the lion to walk the nar
rower planks until he finds himself
walking a couple of pieces of two
by-four planks. The next step is
to substitute one and one-quarter
inch iron pipes, then thick steel
cables which the lion can grasp
with his non-skid pads, and finally
the smaller cables on which he per
forms his act.
“During all this time we gradual
ly lengthen and heighten the sup
ports so the animal finally learns
to walk ropes 20 or 30 feet long
that may be 20 feet in the air. Dur
ing the first part of the training the
lion may take an occasional spill,
so we use a pile of wood shavings
under the planks as a safety mat.’’
•See’ With Ears in Dark
According to a physiologist, if
you’re smart you can see in the
dark with your ears. Blind people
take greater advantage of the latent
possibilities of the human ear than
do persons with unimpaired sight.
It's Most Exciting Blouse I
Season Known in Years
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
WHEN it comes to drawing the
crowds it’s the blouse sections
that are doing it these days—most
exciting blouse season known (or
years.
The main reason (or this stam
pede in the blouse direction is that
suits rank ace-high in importance
this spring and as every woman and
her sisters and her cousins and her
aunts well know, the proper upkeep
of a suit calls for one chic blouse
after another. However, the (act
that suits are ‘‘tops” this season is
not the only reason (or the mad
rush blouseward that is going on.
It’s the blouses themselves that are
the magnet that draws, (rom the
standpoint o( “style” color and ma
terial they are simply not to be
resisted.
The interest displayed in sterling
pure silk weaves (or the blouse this
season is especially significant. Sim
ply tailored blouses like the one
shown below to the right in the il
lustration are indispensable with
your tweeds. This model, a Lelong
creation, is tailored o( a heavy ex
otic silk crepe in rich deep red. It
has a tucked shirt front fastened
Cloque Orqandy
A multi-color (lorai print Swiss
cloque organdy with a permanent
crinkle that won’t come out In the
wash makes this lovely and prac
tical dress for a little girl. The
round ruffled collar is of white or
gandy inset and edged with val lace
to match the lace edge finish of
the puffed sleeves. The velvet rib
bon sash is of soft blue to harmo
nize with the deeper blue back
ground of the print. There will be
quantities of cloque printed organdy
used during the coming months.
New Hairdress Is
Becoming Popular
A new hairdress covers the entire
head in fiat curls that remind of
a boyish bob. It is very youthful
and is referred to as the “little girl”
hairdress. The high-do for hair is
seen less in the daytime but still
persists for formal occasion. At the
immediate moment hair worn page
boy fashion is popular. A pleasing
compromise is the arrangement that
brings curls or puffs up to the front
in somewhat of a pompadour ef
fect, with the almost shoulder-length
end curl bob at the back.
with leather thongs that clasp Into
gilt "croquet wickets.”
Collarless jacket suits frequently
have the jacket lined in the same
silk print (jacket is often reversi
ble) as fashions the blouse. Dotted
silks are the rage for this sort of
styling. If it is something out of
the ordinary you are wanting to
fit into the scheme of things take
note of the stunning "bib blouse”
pictured to the left below. It clas
sifies under ingenue or schoolgirl
type, which does not mean that it
is restricted to teen-age wear, for
it’s the fashion to wear young look
ing clothes this spring that belie age
counted in years. The clever big
effect is achieved via an insert of
bold big dots contrasting the tiny
dot-print.
The revival of the ornate dressy
blouse reflects the influence of the
gay nineties. See the model in the
upper left corner of the picture. In
creating this lady-type blouse for
dinner or cocktail hours Lanvin al
ternates bands of black silk geor
gette and val lace finishing it off
with highband neck and turnover
collar.
The revival of the white blouse
with the dark suit is one of fash
ion’s top-most highlights. The Gib
son girl blouse pictured above to
the right is In white silk organdy
with lace-trimmed jabot coming
high at the neck. The bishop sleeve
with its lace-trimmed frill at the
wrists give this blouse the new look
that is copied from the old.
For the be-frilled and lace edged,
tucked and finely hand-worked white
blouse now so fashionable, thin silks
such as silk organdy or silk triple
sheers that will wash well and keep
their whiteness are highly recom
mended.
Perhaps the biggest sensation in
the present vogue is the white peas
ant blouse with full-to-the-wrist long
sleeves that gather into a tight band
such as are worn with the very
new gypsy skirts fashioned of vivid
striped or plaid silk. For this blouse,
designers use washable white silk
chiffon or white silk or—idy with
gratifying results.
In the color madness that has
gripped the world of fashion blouses
are playing a dramatic role. Surah
silk is a great favorite, printed or
plain, stressing chartreuse, fuchsia,
yellow gold, rust, violet, mustard
and citrus color.
© Western Newspaper Union.
Cottons Have New
Roles This Spring
Cottons have new roles in the cre
ation of spring fashions. Pique and
linen, for example, are used for
white toques and sailors to wear
with navy blue suits. These fabrics j
also are important for collar and
cuff sets that are attached to dark
evening dresses. Gloves also are
being made of these washable ma
terials.
Gingham accents are equally as
popular and unusual in their appli
cation to newest costumes. Plaid
gingham pipings appear as trim
ming on navy blue reefer suits and
also make matching blouses.
A Town Bag lor Tou
One of the new handbags in rough
straw braid is a navy town bag in
plain rectangular shape with thick
base, having a heavy gold chain
around it near the top to simulate
drawstrings.
Novelty Belts Popular
Novelty belts for your plainest,
trimmest dresses are always in de
mand.
Fertilizer Usage
/"'•ARDENS can’t go on produc
ing excellent flowers and
vegetables year after year without
an application of fertilizer now
and then. Because stable manure
is difficult to obtain, a complete
commercial fertilizer recommend
ed by your dealer will prove most
satisfactory. Before applying fer
tilizer, however, give considera
tion to a few simple, practical
hints.
First, be cautious! Never apply
fertilizer recklessly or over-abun
dantly. Don’t be like the man
who saw a neighbor get good re-<
suits from a sparing use of ferti
lizer. He proceeded to apply 10
times as much, but expecting 10
times as good results—but his gar
den proved worthless.
Broadcast the complete fertiliz
er over the soil 10 days before
planting, using about three pounds
per square rod. Three or four
weeks after planting, if the garden
seems a bit backward, apply a
side dressing. Sprinkle fertilizer
lightly alongside the rows, about
six inches from the plants; then
cultivate. Apply only from one
to two pounds per square rod of
garden.
GAS SO BAD
CROWDS HEART
"My bowela were so elncfiah end mg
atomeeh eo bad I wai Jut miaerabl*. Seme*
time* cat bloated me until it crowded wa
heart. 1 tried Adltrik*. Ob, whet relief.
The flrat doi* worked like mafic. Adlerika
removed th* fas and waete matter end my
atomach fell eo food.”—Mre. 8. A. MeAmla.
If tea in your atomach and bowela bloat*
you up until you g&ap for breath, take a
teblespoonful of Adlerika and notice how th*
atomach GAS la relieved almoet at ono*.
Adlerika often movea the bowela in leaa than
two hour*. Adlerika ia BOTH carminative
and cathartic, carminatives to warm and soothe
th* atomach and expel GAS, cathartics to
clear th* bowels and relieve intestinal nerve
pressure. Recommended bv many doctor! fa*
8S years. Get fenuine Adlerika today.
Sold ot all drue stove*
Clever Men
Clever men are good, but they
are not the best.—Carlyle.
Twenty-five years of scientific
research made it possible for
Quaker State, in 1914, to pro
duce the only motor oil which
successfully lubricated the
hottest running motor of its
time . . . the Franklin Air
cooled engine. Twenty-five
more years of research enables
Acid-Free Quaker State
Motor Oil to meet the most
difficult problems of lubricat
ing the 1939 models. Insure
the performance of your new
car! Use Acid-Free Quaker
State regularly. Quaker State
Oil Refining Corporation,
Oil City, Pennsylvania.
Retail price
33^ per quart