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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1923)
.RED OLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF AN UNKNOWN VOICE SYNOPSIS. Arriving at the lone ly little railroad nlntlon ftt 121 Ca Jon, New Mexico, Miiitrllne llum inmiil, New Vork wirtcty i;lrl, tlnds no one to im-pt hir. Wlillc In tho wnltltiB room, 11 drunken cowboy entiMR, aHks If nlio Is tmirrlril, niul departs, leaving lier trrrllloil. He returns with a priest, who kooh throuuh poimk sort of ceremony, niul tlio cowlioy forces her to say "81." AsUltiK her iiame nml Iwm InK her Identity tho cowboy seoins tlnzed. In ft shooting srrnpo out fMc the room u Mexican Is killed, Tho cowboys Iota n Klrl, lionltn, take his hnrno nnd cmciih, then condtlctn Mntltillno to Florence KlnKsley, friend of her brother. Klorcnco welcome her, leiirn.i her story, nnd (llsmliueji the cowboy. Genu Stewart. Next day Alfred Hammond, Madeline! brother, IhIch Stewart to task. Mudetlno exonerates him of any wrong In tent. Alfred, scion of a wealthy futility, hud been dismissed from Ills home because of his dissipation. Mndellne scc.i that the West has redeemed lilm, Shu meets Stlllwcll, Al's employer, typical western ranchman. Htlllwcll tells her how Stewart beat up the sheriff to savo her from arrest nnd then lit out for tho bonier. Danny Mains, ono of Stlllwetl'H cowboys, has disap peared, with noma of Stlllwoll'a money. HIn friends link his name with the Klrl lionltn. Madeline gets a Kllmpnn of life on a westarn ranch. Stewart sends Madeline his horso Majesty, fiho buys out Still well and "ller Majesty's ltnnchn" becomes famous. She finds her life work under "Tho I.lKlit of Western Stars." IiOarnliiK Stewart had been hurt In n brawl at Chlrlcnhua, Madeline visits him and persuades him to como to tho ranch as tho boss of her cowboys. Jim Nels, Nick Steele nnd "Monty" Price are Mndellnu's chief riders. They have a feud with Don Cnrlos vaqucroi, who aro really KUcrrlllns. Made lino makes Stewart promise that penco Is kept. They raid Don Car los' ranch for contraband arms. Madeline nnd Klorcnco, returning home from Alfred's ranch, run Into an nmtmsh of vnqueros. Klorcnco decoys them nwuy, nnd Madcllnu gets homo safely. CHAPTER XI Continued. She entered the lust room. There wns no lock or liar upon the door. Hut the room was large and durl;, nml It was half, full of bales of u I fill fa hay. I'rolmhly it was the safest place la the house; at least time would lie nec essary to find any one hidden there. Nlie dropped her valuables In a dark corner and covered them with loose liny. That done, she felt her way down it narrow aisle between the plled-up bales and presently crouched In a nlch'e. With the necessity of action over for the Immediate present, Madeline be came conscious that she was quivering nnd almost breathless. Her skin felt 'tight and cold. There was a weight on her chest ; her mouth was dry, and ntie hud n strange tendency to swallow. J)ull sounds came from parts of the thouso remote from her. In the Inter tvals of silence between these sounds she heard the squeaking and rustling of mice In, the hay. A mouse ran over her hand. She listened, waiting, hoping, yet dreading to hear the clattering ap proach of her cowboys. There would lio lighting blood men Injured, per haps killed. Kven the thought of vio lence of any kind hurt her. Hut per haps the guerrillas would run in time to avoid a clash with her men. She hoped for that, prayed for It. Through her mind flitted what she knew of Nels, of Monty, of Nick Steele; and File experienced a sensation that left Jier somewhat chilled and sick. Then flic thought of the dark-browed, lire eyed Stewart. She felt n thrill drive nwny the cold nausea. And her excite ment augmented. Waiting, listening Incrensed nil her emotion1). Nothing appeared to be happening. Yet hours seemed to pass while she crouched there. Had Flor ence been overtaken? Could any of those lean horses outrun Majesty? She doubted It ; she knew It could not lie true, Nevertheless, the strain of uncertainty was torturing. Suddenly the hang of the corridor door pierced her through and through with the dread of uncertainty. Some of the guerrillas had entered tho east wing of the house. She heard a babel of Jabbering voices, the shullllng of boots and clinking of spurs, the slam ming of doors and ransacking of rooms. Madeline lost faith In her hiding place. Moreover, she found It Impos. Mble to take the chance. The Idea of being caught In that dark room by those rulllans tilled her with horror. She must get out Into the light. Swift ly she rose and went to the window. It was rather more of a door than window, being a large aperture closed by two wooden doors on hinges. The Iron hook yielded readily to her grasp, nnd one door stuck fast, while th other opened a fow Inches. Sho looked cut upon a green slope covered with flowers nnd hunches of sage and bushes. Neither man nor horse showed In the narrow field of her vision. She believed she would ho safer hidden out there In the shrubbery than In tho house. The jump from tho whi tlow would be easy for her. - KJka HulWd at the door. It did not Light A ROMANCE by ZANE GREY budge. It had caught at the bottom. Pulling with all her might proved to be In vain. Pausing, with palms hot and bruised, she heard u louder, closer approach of the Invaders of her home. I 'ear, wrath, and Impotence contested for supremacy over her and drove her to desperation. She was alone here, and she must rely on herself. And us she strained every muscle to move that obstinate door and heard the (luick, harsh voices of men and tin sounds of it hurried search she sud denly felt sure that they were hunting Tor her. She knew II. She did not wonder at It. Hut she wondered If she were really Madeline Hammond, and If It were possible that brutal men would harm her. Then the tramping of heavy feet on the floor of the ad joining room lent her the last strength of fear. Pushing with hands and shoulders, she moved the door far enough lo penult tho passage of her body. Then she stepped upon the sill and slipped through the aperture. She saw no one. Lightly she Jumped down nnd ran In nmong the bushes. Hut these did not nfford her the cover she needed. She stole from one clump to another, finding too late that she had chosen with poor Judgment. The position of the bushes had drawn her closer to the front of the house rather than nwny from It, and Just before her were horses, and beyond a group of excited men. With her heart In her throat Madeline crouched down. A shrill yell, followed by running nnd mounting guerrillas, roused her hope. They had sighted the cowboys and were In lllght. Rapid thumping of hoots on the porch told of men hurrying from the house. Several horses dashed past her. not ten feet dlstnnt. One rider saw her, for he turned to shout hack. This drove Mndelluo Into a panic. Hardly knowing what she did, sho be gan to run away from the house. Her feet seemed leaden. She felt the same horrible powerlessness that sometimes came over her when shu dreamed of being pursued. Horses with shouting riders streaked past her In the shrub bery. There was a thunder of hoofs behind her. She turned aside, hut the thundering grew nearer. She was be ing run down. As Madeline shut her eyes nnd, stag gering, was about to fall, apparently right under pounding hoofs, a rude, powerful hand clapped round her waist, clutched deep and strong, and swung her aloft. She felt a heavy blow when the shoulder of the horse struck her, and then a wrenching of her arm as she was dragged tip. A sudden blighting pain made sight and feeling fade from her. Hut she did not become unconscious to the extent that she lost tho sense of being rapidly borne away. She seemed to hold that for u long time. When her faculties began to return the motion of the horse was no longer vio lent. For ti fow moments she could not determine her position. Apparently she was upside down. Then she saw that she was facing the ground, and must bo lying across u saddle with her head hanging down. Sho could not move a hand; she could not tell where her hands were. Then she felt the touch of soft leather. She saw a high-topped Mexican hoot, wcnrlng a huge silver spur, and tho reeking flank and legs of a horse, and a dusty, nar row trail. Soon n kind of red darkness veiled her eyes, her head swam, and she felt motion and pain only dully. After what seemed a thousand weary hours some one lifted her from the horse and laid her upon the ground, where, gradually, as the blond left her head and sho could see, she began to get the right relation of things. She lay In a sparse grove of firs, nnd the shadows told of late ufternoon. She sinelled wood smoke, and sho heard the sharp crunch of horses' teeth nipping grass. Voices caused her to turn her face. A group of men stood and sat round a cunipflro eating like wolves. The looks of her enptors made Madeline close her eyes, and the fasci nation, the fear they roused In her made her open them again. Mostly they were thln-hodled, thin-bearded Mexicans, black and haggunl and starved. Whatever they might be, they surely were hunger-stricken nnd squalid. Not one had a coat. A few had scarfs. Some wore belts in which were scattered cartridges. Only a few had guns, ami these were of diverse patterns. Madeline could see no packs, no blankets, and only a few cooking utensils, all battered and blackened. Her eyes fastened upon men she believed were white men; but II was from their features uud not their color that she Judged. Once she had seen a band of nomad robbers In the Sahara, and somehow was reminded of them by this motley outlaw troop. They divided attention between the satisfying of ravenous appetites and a vigilant watching down the forest aisles. They expected some one, Made line I bought, ami, manifestly, If It were u pursuing posse, they did not show anxiety. She could not understand more thnn a word here nnd there that tfiey had uttered. Presently, however, l lie nnino of Don Carlos revived keen curiosity In her and realization of her situation, and then onco more dread possessed her breast. A low exclamation and u sweep of Western CopyrUM by Harper and Drolheri nrm from one of the guerrillas caused the whole bund to wheel nnd concen trate their attention In the opposite direction. They hearu something. They saw some. one. Grimy hands sought weapons, and then every man stiffened. Madeline saw whnt hunted men looked like at the moment of discovery, and the sight was terrible. She closed her eyes, sick with what she saw, fearful of the moment when tho guns would leap out. There were muttered curses, n short period of silence followed by whisper ings, nnd then a clear voice rang out, "Kl Capltan!" A strong shock vibrated through Madeline, and her eyelids swept open. Instantly she associated tho name Kl Capital) with Stewart and experienced a sensation of strange regret. It was not pursuit or .rescue sho thought of then, but death. These men would kill Stewart. Hut surely he hud not come alone. She heard the slow, heavy tlmmp of hoofs. Soon Into the wide iilale between the trees moved tho form of a man, arms flung high over his head. Then Madeline suw tho horse, and she recognized Majesty, and she knew it was really Stewiirt who rode the roan. When doubt was no longer possible she felt n suffocating sense of gladness iind fenr nnd wonder. Many of tho guerrillas leaped up with drawn weapons. Still Stewart approached with his hands high, nnd he rode right Into the campflre circle. Then n guerrilla, evidently tho chief, waved down the threatening men and strode up to Stewart. He greeted him. There wns amaze and pleasure and espect In the greeting. Mndelluo could tell that, though sho did not know what was said. At the moment Stew nrt appeared to her as cool and cure less us If lio were dismounting at her porch steps. Hut when he got down she suw that his face was white. He shook hands with the guerrilla, and then his glittering eyes roved over the men uud around the glnde until they rested upon Madeline. Without mov ing from his tracks be seemed to leap, as If u powerful current hud shocked Grimy Hands Sought Weapons, and Then Every Man Stiffened. him. Madeline tried to smile to assure him she was nllve and well; hut the Intent In his eyes, tho power of his con trolled spirit telling her of her peril nnd his, froze the smile on her lips. With that he faced the chief and spoko rapidly In the Mexican Jargon Madeline had always found so dllllcult to translate. Tho chief answered, spreading wide his hands, one of which Indicated Madcllnu ns she lay there. Stewart drew tho fellow u little aside nnd said something for his ear alone. The chief's bunds swept up In a ges ture of surprise nnd acquiescence. Again Stewart spoko swiftly. Ills hearer then turned to address tho band. Madeline caught the words "Don Carlos' and "pesos." There was a brief muttering protest which the chief thundered down. Madeline guessed her release had been given by this guerrilla and bought from the others of the band. Stewart strodo to her side, lending the roan. Majesty reared and snortod when ho saw his mistress prostrate. Stewart knelt, still holding the bridle. "Are you all right?'.' he asked. "I think so," she replied, essalng u laugh that was rather a failure. "My feet are tied." Dark blood blotted out all the white from his face, and lightning shot from hlh eyes. She felt his bands, like steel tongs, loosening the bonds round her imUle-i. Without u word he lifted her upright and then upon Majesty. Made line reeled u little In the saddle, held haul to the poliunel with one hand, and tried to lean on Stewart's shoulder with the other. "Don't give up," he said. She saw him gaze furtively Into the forest on nil aides. And It surprised her to see the guerrillas riding away. Putting the two facts together, Made line formed an Idea that neither Stew art nor the others desired to uiuet with some one evidently duo shortly In the, 3E glade. Stewart guided the roan off to the right uud walked beside Madeline, steadying her in tho saddle. At first Madeline was so weak and dizzy that she could scarcely retain her seat. The dizziness left her presently, nnd then she made an effort to ride with out hell). Her weakness, however, nnd u pain in her wrenched arm made the task iaborsome. Stewart had struck off the trail, If there were one, and was keeping to denser parts of the forest. Majesty's hoofs made no sound on the soft ground, nml Stewart strode on without speaking. Neither his hurry nor vigil unco relaxed until nt least two miles had been covered. The soft ground gave place to bare, rocky soil. The horse snorted and tossed his head. A sound of splashing water broke the si lence. The hollow opened Into n wider one through which a little brook mur mured its way over the stones. Maj esty snorted again and stopped and bent his head. "He wants a drink," said Mmlcltae. "I'm thirsty, too, and very tired." Stewart lifted her out of the sad dle, and as their bnnds parted sho felt something mo! -t and warm. Ulood was running down her arm anil Into the palm of her ban I. 'Tin bleeding," -he said, n little unsteadily. "Oh, I remember. My arm was hurt." She held it out, the blood making her conscious of her weakness. Stew art's fingers felt so linn nnd sure. Swiftly he ripped the wet sleeve. Her forearm had been cut or scratched. He washed oft' the blood. "Why, Stewart, It's nothing. I was only n llttlo nervous. I guess that's the first time I ever saw my own blood." He made no reply ns be tore her handkerchief Into strips nnd bound her arm. His swift motions mid ids silence gave her a hint of how he might meet u more serious emergency. She felt safe. And because of that impression, when ho lifted his head nnd she saw that he was pale nnd shaking, she was surprised. He stood before her folding his scarf, which was still wet, and from which he mnde no effort to re move the red stains. "Miss Hammond," ho said, hoarsely, "It was n man's hands u Greaser's fin gernails that cut your arm. I know who he was. I could have killed him. Hut I mightn't have got your freedom. You understand? I didn't dare." Madeline gazed at Stewart, as founded more by his speech than his excessive emotion. "My dear hoy I" she exclaimed. And then she paused. Sho could not find words. He was making nn apology to her for not killing a man who had laid a rough hand upon her person. Ho wns ashamed nnd seemed to bo In n tor ture that sho would not understand why he had not killed the man. There seemed to bo something f passionate scorn in him that he had not been able to avenge her as well ns free her. "Stewart, I understand. You were being my kind of cowboy. I thank you." Hut she did not understand so much ns she Implied. Sho bad heard many stories of this mnn's cool Indifference to peril and death. He had always seemed ns hard as granite. Why should the sight of u little blood upon her nrm pule his check and shake his bund uud thicken his voice? What was there In his nature to make him Implore her to see the only reason he could not kill nn outlnw? The answer to the first question was that he loved her. It wns beyond her to nnswer the second. Hut the secret of It lny In the same strength from which his love sprang an Intensity of feeling which seemed characteristic of these western men of simple, lonely, elemental lives. All at once over Madeline rushed n tide of realization of how greatly It was possible for such u man as Stewart to love her. The thought came to her in all Its singular power. All her eastern lovers who Itad the graces that made them her equals In the sight of the world were without the only great essential that a lonely, hard life had given to Stewart. Nature here struck a Just balance. Something deep nnd dim In the future, uu unknown voice, called to Madeline nml disturbed her. And because It was not n voice to her In telligence she deadened tho ears of her warm and throbbing life mid de cided never to listen. "Is it safe to vest a little?" she asked. "I am so tired. Perhaps I'll be stronger If I rest." "We're nil right now," ho said. "I can get you home by midnight. They'll be some worried down there." "What liappeued?" "Nothing much to any one but you. That's the the hard luck of It. Flor ence caught us out on the slope. We were returning from the lire. We were dead bent. Hut we got to the ranch before any damngo was done. We sure had trouble In finding a trace of you. Nick spotted tho prints of your heels tinder tho window. And then we knew. I had to light tho boys, If they'd como after you we'd never have gotten you without a light. I didn't want that. I hnd to rope Monty. Honest, I tied him to the porch. Nels land Nick promised to stay and holO Stars him till morning. That was the best I could do. I was sure lucky to conn up with tlio band so soon. I had fig; tired right. I knew that gucrtilln chief He's a bandit In Mexico. It's n busi ness with him. Hut he fought for Madero, and I wns with him a good deal. He may bo u Greaser, but he's white." "How did you effect my release?" "I offered them money. That's whnt tho rebels nil want. They need money. They're n lot of jwor, hungry devils." "I gathered that you offered to pay ransom. How much?" "Two thousnnd dollurs Mex. I gave tuy word. I'll have to take the money. I told them when and where I'd meet them." "Certnlnly. I'm gind I've got the money." Madeline laughed. "What n strange thing to happen to mo! I wonder what dud would sny to thn?? Stewnrt, I'm afraid he'd say two thou sand dollars Is more than I'm worth. Hut tell me. That rebel chieftain did not demand money?" "No. The money Is for his men. We wore comrades lieforo Juarez. Ono day I dragged him out of n ditch. I reminded him. Then I I told him something I I thought " "Stewnrt, I know from the wny he looked nt me that you spoko of me. I heard Don Carlos' nnme several times. Thnt Interests mo. What hnvo Don Carlos and his vnqueros to do with this?" "That Greaser has nil to do with It," replied Stewart, grimly. "He burned his ranch and corrals to keep us from getting them. Hut lie nlso did it to draw ull the boys nwny from your home. They had n deep plot, nil right. I left orders for some one to stay with you. Hut AI and Stlllwcll, who're both hot-headed, rode off this morning. Then the guerrillas came down." "Well, what was the Idea tho plot as you cull It?" "To get you," he said, bluntly. "Me 1 Stewart, you do not mean my capture whatever you call It was anything more thnn mere nccldcnt?" "I do mean thnt. Rut Stlllwell and your brother think the guerrillas want ed money nnd nrms, nnd they Just Imp pencil to make off with you becauso you ran under n horse's nose." "You do not Incline to thnt point of view?" "I don't. Neither does Nels nor Nick Steele. And we know Don Carlos nnd the Greasers. Look how the vnqueros chased Flo for you !" "What do you think, then?" "I'd rather not say. Once I heard Nels say he'd seen the Greaser look nt you, nnd If ho over saw him do It ngaln he'd shoot him." "Why, Stewart, that Is ridiculous. To shoot a man for looking nt a wom an 1 This Is n civilized country." "Well, maybe It would be ridiculous In n civilized country. There's some things about civilization I don't care for." "Whnt, for Instnnco?" "For one thing, I can't stand for the way moil let other men treat women." "Hut, Stewart, this Is strange talk from you, who, that night I came " She broke off, sorry that she had spoken. Ills shnino was not plensant to see. Suddenly ho lifted ills head, nnd she felt scorched by ll.inilng eyes. "Suppose I wns drunk. Suppose I hnd met some ordinary girl. Suppose I had really made her marry me. Don't you think I would have stopped being n drunknrd und have been good to her?" "Stewart. I do not know whnt to think nbout you," replied Madeline. Then followed a short silence. Made line saw the last bright rays oMhe set ting sun glide up over n distant crag. Stewart rebrldleil the horso and looked at the saddle-girths. "I got off the trail. About Don Car los I'll say right out, not what Nels and Nick think, but whnt I know. Don Curios hoped to make off with you for himself, the same as If you had been n poor peon slnve-glrl down in Sonora. Maybe lie hud a deeper plot than my rebel friend told me. Maybe he oven went so far as to hope for Amerlcnn troops to chaso him. The rebels aro trying to stir up the United States, They'd welcome Intervention. Hut, however thnt may be, the Greaser meant evil to you, and has meant It ever since he saw you first. That's nil." "Stewart, you hnve done mo nnd my family u service we can never hopo to repay." "She fell asleep with her head on Stewart's breast." (TO BE CONTINUHD.) "Grocery" Stores. Webster's dictionary gives as one of tho meanings of the word "grocery'' In tho United States a "retail grocer' store." It Is quite correct to uso It in this sense and to plurnllzo It, so as to mnko It unnecessary to say "grocory stores," Just ns wo have "bakeries,"' etc. Nigerian Cradles. The women of Nigeria carry their jpw-born babies lit calabash sheila. FARMER GAIN FIFTEEN POOND Feels Like Brand New Man Since Taking Tanlac, States Neb. Citizen. Tanlac measured up to my cxpe tntlons, my troubles hnve vanished, nnd I feel fit nil over," declared Henry J. Schlekau, truck farmer, Station B, Itouto 1, Omaha, Neb. "For over n year I suffered terribly with stomach trouble nnd mn-down condition. I wns In misery with Indi gestion nnd honrtburn uftercatlng; my bend nched fit to burst, and there wni a sharp, constant pain in my bnek, I was nervous, couldn't sleep, and kept losing weight. "Hut the Tnnlnc treatment smoothed out everything nnd I gained fifteen pounds. My truck business gets mi up bright and early, but I cover my route regularly nnd never tire out I am certainly grateful to Tanlac, and always telling nbout It." ' Tantac Is for sale by all good drug gists. Accept no substitute. Over 37 million bottles sold. Tnnlnc Vegetable Pills nro nnturo'n own remedy for constipation. Sold everywhere. Advertisement. Repeating the Mistake. North Why do yor thluk he boa such n poor memory? West Well, he married ngalul The Cutlcura Toilet Trio. Flnvlng cleared your skin keep It clear by making Cutlcura your everyday lollet preparations. Tho Soap to cleanso and purify, tho Ointment to soothe nnd heal, the Talcum to powder nnd per fume. No toilet table Is complet without them. Advertisement. Whnt did Adam have to brag about until to got out of the Garden of Eden? Any mnn who looks for trouble li blind to his own Interests. What would you do in his place? The steeplejack lights his pipe and goes on painting Imagine, if you can, a steeplejack 487 feet above the street level. Hang ing on by his teeth he is applying a more or less rough-and-ready coat of paint to a flagpole. It may seem foolish that a flagpole 487 feet in the air should need a coat of paint; but anyway, that's the case, Right in the midst of a busy morn ing's painting an adventurous beo buzzes into the picture. In fact, thera are two bees, both buzzing viciously. What should tho steeplejack do? There being in the profession no local rules for buzzing bees, your average steeplejack probably would get the all-clear signal from below and elide promptly down to safety. But not Our Hero. Ho takes out his pipe, lights it, and goes on painting. , "It soothes the nerves," he says frankly about pipe smoking. And, by tho way, althougn thcro are only twenty-five genuine, no acaflold steeplejacks in tho country, Our Hero is ono of them, We have no way of knowing what kind of tobacco tho steeplejack pours into hi3 pipe on these bee-buzzing oc casions, but wo have a feeling that it is Edgeworth. For Edgeworth does much to givo the smoker a sense of calm and peaceful security. ui course, wo wouldn't care to go on record as claim ing that smoking a can of Edgeworth is as good as a two wcelts' rest cure in tho mountains; but we would like to Iregistor very strongly tho opin ion that smoking any pipe makes life seem mofd worth living and tnat smoking a pipe filled with Edgeworth helps a lot. At least, smokers from all parts of tho country write in to tell how much Edgeworth helps them in the general pursuit of health, happiness and sev eral good pipefuls a day. If you aro interested in finding out more about Edgeworth, tho most sen sible plan is for you to let Larus & Brother Company send you some freo samples so that you can try tho to bacco for yourself. Just writo your name and address down on a postenrd and you will re ceive immediately generous helping! both of Edgeworth Plug Slico and Ready-Rubbed. If you will also in cludo tho namo and address of your tobacco dealer, we will make it easier for you to get Edgeworth regularly. For tho frco samples address Larus & Brother Company, 80 South 21st Street, Richmond, Virginia. To Retail Tobacco Merchants: If your jobber cannot supply you with Edge worth, Larus & Brother Company will gladly send you prepaid by parcel post a one- or two-dozen carton of any sizo of Edgeworth Plug Slice or Ready Rubbed for tho same prico you would pay tho jobber. 39 ti.-uttoy Smf i t E5 I A mi A4 .-
