RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, OHD2JF
THE BRANDING IRON
SYNOPSIS
Jonn Ixindls, eighteen yrnrn
old, wire of IMnrro, In tlio dntiKh
tcr of John Carver, who imir
ilorctl her innthrr for itilnltcry.
Her lonely life, with her father.
In n WyoniliiK cabin, unbcti ruble,
Jonn lcavrn lilm to work In 11
hotel In n nenrhy town. Jonn
moots 1'icric. iiml the two, mutu
ally nttrnctcil, nre married.
CHAPTER IV
3
The Sln-Ductcr.
In Hip full, when thu whole country
Iiml turned to n great cup of gold,
iiirplo-rlumied under thu sky, Pierre
went out Into tlio IiIIIm after Ills win
tor mciil. Joan wiih left alone, she
spout tier time cleaning iiml arranging
the two-room cnhln uud tidying up
outdoors, find In "grubbing sagebrush,"
b gigantic task, for the one hundred
and fifty acres of Pierre's honiestend
ivcre coered for the most part liy the
iturdy, spicy growth, and every hush
had tn ho dug out and liurnt to clear
the way for plowing and planting.
Joan worked with the dcllborntenoss
and Intoiitiics of n man. She enjoyed
the wholesome drudgery. She was
proud every sundown of the little
clonrlng she had made, and stood,
tired and content, to watch the piled
brush hum. sending up aromatic
mioko and curious, dull flnnies very
hlph Into the still air.
She was so standing, hands folded
on her rnke. when, on tin: other side
of her conllngratlon, she perceived a
man. lie was steadily regarding her.
and when her ye fell upon him. he
mailed and stopped forward a tall,
broad, very fair young man In n shoot
Injr coat, khaki riding-breeches and
put tees. lie had a wide hrow, clear
blue eyes and an eager, sensitive,
clean-shaven mouth and chin. He held
out a big white hand.
"Mrs. Lnndls." he said, In a crisp
voice of an accent and llnlsh strange
to the girl, "I wonder If you and your
husband -can put me up for the night.
I'm Frank Ilolllwell. I'm on n round
of parish visits, and, as my parish Is
about sixty miles square my poor old
pony has gone lump. I know you ate
not my parishioners, though, no doubt,
you should he, hut I'm going to lay
claim to your hospitality, for all that,
If I may 7"
Joan had moved her rake Into the
grasp or her left hand and had taken
the proffered palm Into her other, all
warm and fragrantly stained.
"You're the new sln-buster, nln't
you?" slip nsked gravely.
The young man opened his hlue nnd
friendly eyes.
"Oh, that's what I am, eh? That's
a new one to me. Yes. I suppose I
nm. It's rather a line name to go
by sin-huster." and ho laughed very
low and very amusedly.
Joan looked him over and slowly
smiled. "You look like you could bust
anything you'd a mind to," slip said,
and led the way toward the house, her
rako across her shoulder.
"Pierre." she told him when they
were In the shining, clean log house,
"Is off In the bills after his elk, hut
I can make you up n hod In the slttln'
room an' serve you n supper an' wel
conip."
"Oh, thanks," he rather doubtfully
accepted.
Evidently he did not know the wnys
and proprieties of this new "parish"
of his. Hut Joan seemed to take, the
situation with nn enormous, calm Im
personality. He modeled his manner
upon hers. They sat at the table to
gether, Joan silent, save when he
forced her to speak, nnd entirely un
troubled by her silence, Frank Holll
well, eating heartily, helping her serve
and talking a great deal. Uy the end
of dish-washing he had her history
and more of her opinions, probably,
than any other creature she had met.
"What do you do when Lnndls Is
away?"
She told him.
"Hut In the evenings, I mean, after
work. Unvo you books?"
"No,". said Joan; "It's right hard
labor, readln". Pa learned me my let
tors an' I can spell out bits from pa
pers an' advertisements an' what not,
but I ain't never read n hook straight
out. I dunno," jhe added presently,
"hut as I'd like to. I'lerro can read,"
(she told him proudly?
"I'm sure you'd llkp to." Up con
sidered her through the smoke of his
pipe. He was sitting by thp hearth
now, and she? Just through with clear
ing up, stood hy the corner of the
mantel shelf, arranging the logs. The
firelight danced over her fnce, so
beautiful, so unllghtod from within.
"How old are you, Joan Lnndls?" lie
asked suddenly, using her name with
out title for the first time.
"Klght oep."
"Is that all? You must read hooks
you know. There's so much empty
tpnee there bnck of your brows."
She looked up smiling a little, her
wide gray eyes puzzled.
"Yes, Joan. You must read. Will
you If I lend you some hooks."
She considered. "Yes," she said,
"I'd read them If you'd be lendln' mo
some. In the evenings when Pierre's
away, I'm right lonesome, I never
was lonesome heforo, not to know It.
It'll take me n long time to rend one
book, though," she added with nn en
gaging moiirnfulness.
"What do you like stories, poetry,
mugazlnes?"
"I'd like real books In stiff covers."
said Joan, "nn' I don't like pictures."
This surprised the clergyman. "Why
not?" said he.
"I like to notion how the folks look
myself- i like natures of real places,
By
Katharine Newlin Burt
Copyright by Katharine N, Hurt
that has got to be like they tire" Joan
was talking a great deal and having
trouble with her few simple words
"but I like folks In stories to look
like I want 'em to look."
"Not the way the writer describes
them?"
"Yes, sir. Hut you can mnke up n
whole lot on what the writer describes.
If he says 'her eyes Is blue,' yoti can
see 'em dark blue or light hlue or Jest
blue. An' you can see 'em shaped
round or what not, the way you think
about folks that you've heard of an'
have never met."
It was extraordinary how this effoit
at self-expreslon excited Joan. She
was rarely self-conscious, hut she was.
usually passive or stolid ; now there
was a brilliant Hush In her face and
her largo eyes deepened and glowed.
"I hoord toll of you, Mr. Ilolllwell.
Fellers c-oiiip up here to see Pierre
onct In a while un' one or two of 'phi
spoke your name. An' I kinder figured
out you was n weedy feller, nwrul
solcmn-llko, an of course you nln't,
hut It's real hard for me to notion
that there ain't two Mr. HoIHwoIIh,
you an' the weedy sin-huster I've hen
plcturln. I.Ike as not I'll get to
thlnkln' of you like two fellers." Joan
sighed. "Seems like when I onct get
n notion In my head It Jest sticks there
some way."
"Then the more wise notions you
got the hotter. I'll ride up hero In
a couple of weeks' time with some
books. You may keep them ns long
as you will. All winter, If you tike.
When I can get p hero, we can talk
them over, you nnd Lnndls nnd I. I'll
try to choose some without pictures.
There will be stories and some poetry,
too."
"I nln't never read hut one pome,"
said Joan.
"And that was?"
She sat down oh the floor hy the
hearth, her 110111'. thrown back to lean
against the cobbles of the chimney
piece, her knees locked In her hands.
That magnificent long thront of hers
ran up to the black colls of hair which
bad slipped heavily down over her
oars. The light edged her round chin
anil her strongly modeled, regular fea
tures; the full, firm mouth so savagely
pure nnd sensuous and self-contained.
The eyes were mysterious under their
P.J.A.N
"I Didn't Fetch You Up Here to Read
Parsons B.oks an' Waste Oil."
thick lashes nnd dark, long brows.
This throat and face and those strong
hands were picked out In their full
value of line and texture from the
dark cotton dross she was wearing.
"It's a pome on n card what father
had, stuck ag'ln' the wall." She began
to recite, her eyes fixed upon him with
childlike gravity. "'Ho lnaketh 1110
to He down In green pastures: He
loadoth me beside the still waters. . . .
Yea, though I walk through the valley
of bhadows. Thou art with me, Thy
rod and Thy staff they comfort me.'"
Ifolllwoll had taken the pipe from
hetwoon his teeth, t had straightened
up. ller deep voice", the slight swing
ing of her body to the rhythm she had
unconsciously given to her lines, the
strange glow In her eyes . . . Hoi-
ll-ell wondered why those things, this
brief. sing-Ming recitation, had given
a light thrill to the surface of Ills skin,
had sent a tingling to his llngor-tips.
He was the first person to wonder at
that effect of Joan's cadenced music.
"The valley of the shadow " she had
missed a familiar phrase and added
value to n too often repeated Hue.
"Joan! Joan!" Mild the "slnbuster,"
1111 exclamation druwn from him on a
deep hreath. "what an extraordinary
girl you are! What a marvelous
woman you are going to he!"
Joan looked nt him In n silence of
pure astonishment nnd thnt wu. the
end of their real talk,
CHAPTER V
Pierre Becomes Alarmed About His
Property.
The next tliup Holllwoll camp he
brought thp books, and, finding PIpitp
nt home, he sat with his host after
supper and talked men's talk of tlio
country; of game, of ranching, a little
gossip, stories of travel, humorous ex-
porlonces, and Jonn sat In her place,
the hooks In her lap, looking nnd lis
toning.
John Carver hnd used n phrase,
"When you see her eyes lookln' an'
lookln' at nnothor man " nnd this
phrase had stuck In Pierre's sensitive
nnd Jealous memory. Whnt Jonn felt
for Ilolllwell was n sort of Ignorant
and respectful tenderness, the excite
ment of an intelligent child first moved
to n knowledge of Its own Intelligence;
the gratitude of savage loneliness
toward the beautiful feet of explora
tion. A consciousness of her clonH
mind, a consciousness of her young,
untamed spirit, had come slowly to life
In her since her talk with Ilolllwell.
Joan was peculiarly a woman that Is,
the passive and receptive being.
Pierre hnd laid his hand on her heart
nnd she had followed him ; now this
young parson had put n curious finger
on her brain, It followed I1I111. Her
hushnnd saw the ndinlratlon, the grati
tude, the tender excitement In her
frank eyes, nnd the poison seed sown
by John Carver's hnnd shot out roots
and tiny, dendly branches.
Hut Joan and Ilolllwell were un
aware. Pierre smoked rapidly, rolling
cigarette after cigarette; lie listened
with 11 courteous air, he told stories
In his soft, slow voice; once he went
out to bring In n fresh log nnd, coin
ing bnck on noiseless feet, saw Joan
and her Instructor bent over one of
the hooks nnd Joan's fnce was nlmost
that of n stranger, so eager, so flushed,
with sparkles In the usually still gray
eyes.
It was not till n week or two nftcr
this second visit from the clergyman
thnt Pierre's smoldering Jealousy
broke Into flame. After clearing
uwny the supper things with en ab
sent nlr of eager expectation, Joan
would dry her hands on her npron,
and, tnklng down one of her books
from their place In a shelf corner, she
wonld draw her chnlr close to the
lamp and begin to read, forgntful of
PN.'fr. These had boon the happiest
hours for him; be would tell Joan
about his day' work, about his plans,
about his pnst life; wonderful It was
to him, nfter his loneliness,, that she
should be ofttlng there drinking In
every word and loving him with her
dumb, wild eyes. Now, there was no
talk and no listening. Jonn's absorbed
fnce was turned from him nnd bent
over her hook, her lips moved, she
would stop and stare before her.
After a long while he would get up
nnd got to bed, but she would stay
with her hooks till a restless move
ment from him would make Mt aware
of the lamplight shining wakefulness
upon him through the chinks In the
partition wall. Then she would get up
reluctantly, sighing, nnd come to bed.
For ten evenings this went on,
Pierre's heart slowly heating Itself,
until, nil at once, the fiame leaped.
Joan had untied her apron nnd
reached up for her book. Pierre had
been waiting, hoping that of her free
will she might prefer his compnny to
the "parson fellerV for In his Igno
rance those books wero Jealousy per
sonifiedhut, without n glnnee In his
direction, she had tr.tned as usual
to the shelf.
"You goln' to read?" nsked Pierre
hoarsely. It wns a painful effort to
speak. She turned with n childish look of
astonishment. "Yes, Pierre."
lie stood up with one of his lithe,
swift movements, nil In one rlppllnj;
piece. "Hy G d, you're not, though !"
said he, strode over to her, snatched
the volume from her, threw It bnck
Into Its plnce and pointed her to her
chnlr.
"You set down nn' give hood to me
for n chnnge, Jonn Carver," ho said,
his smoke-colored eyes smoldering. "1
didn't fetch you up here to rend par
sons' hooks nn' waste oil. I fetched
you up hero to " Ho stopped,
choked with n sudden, enormous hurt
tenderness and snt down and fell ro
smoking and Btaring, hot-eyed, Into
the fire.
And Joan snt silent In her place,
puzzled, wistful, wounded, her Idle
hands folded, looking nt him for a
while, then absently before her, and
ho know that her mind was busy
again with the preacher feller's hooks.
If ho had known better how to explnln
his heart, If she hnd known how to
show him the impersonal eagerness of
her nwakenlng mind I Hut, savngo
and silent, they satt there, loving each
other, hurt, hut locked ench into his
own Impenetrable life.
After that Joan changed the hours
of her study and neglected housework
and sagebrush-grubbing, hut nonethe
less were Pierre's evenings spoiled.
When ho tnlked he could not escape
the consciousness of having con
strained his audience; she could not
escape her knowledge of his jonlofisy,
the remembrance of his mysterious
outbreak, the Irrepressible tug of tlio
story she was reading. So It wont on
till snow came and they were shut In,
man and wife, with only each other
to watch, a tremendous tost of ;ooil
fellowship. This searching Ijitlniuoy
came at n bad time, just after Holll
well's third visit, when he had brought
a fresh supply of books.
(TO HE CONTINUED.)
Engllch Law Seems Unfair.
Under the F.nglish law the wife of
a criminal is legally Justified In doing
all she can, short of committing an
other crime, to shield her hushnnd
from Justice; nlthough any other per
son doing so would ho llnble to ho
charged ns an accessory after the fact.
Hut a husband Is forbidden to shield
his wife who Is n criminal. His duty
Is to hnnd her oYor to the oillcers of
Justice.
fflE
AMEDK2N
LEGION
tCopy for This Department Supplied by
th American Iclon News tservlce.)
LEGION MAN OF MANY TASKS
Howard S. Flck, Hlotorlan of District
of Columbia, Has Had Many
Interesting Experiences.
Hownrd S. Flsk, now historian ot
the American Legion In the District ol
Columbia, was considered during the
war as one of the most resourceful of
executives on nccount of his expeit
knowledge concerning uutonioblle
transportation.
Flsk wns born In New York City
nnd, on removal to Washington, be
came n newsboy. From this lowly
station he arose through various de
partments of n city dally until he
became automobile editor of the news
paper. As a result of Ills work In this
connection he became fanilllnr with all
phases of automobile transportation,
and has edited several books on this
subject.
He wns Identified with the District
of Columbia Navnl Militia during the
Spanish-American war, and was pay
clerk on board t' e IT. S. S. Fern, the
first ship to outer Havana hurhor
nfter the Maine wns blown up. In
1017 he volunteer 1 his services to the
navy and during U.e war wns stationed
In Washington as a staff member of
Admiral McCowon'.i staff. When the
outbrcnk of Inlli: jzn swept the city In
1018, Flsk was detached from active
duty nnd was pluced In charge of n
transport corps, which conveyed pa
tients, physlclnns and nurses through
out the city during the epidemic. The
District of Columbln was under dlree
Howard S. Flsk.
tlon of Surgeon General Hupert C
Hlue, who Mught Flsk's assignment to
this particular duty. During the period
when the ravages of the disease were
most violent, Flsk worked 10 hours
dally for nearly three weeks. He was
cited for this service, and when dis
charged from the navy was a lieuten
ant commander.
When post 1 of the American Legion
was organizing, temporarily to be
known ns Gen. John J. Pershing post,
Flsk was one of the petitioners for
the organization. lie wns named first
department ndjutant, elected vice com
mander nnd commander of George
Washington post, No. 1, and represent
ed the nntlonnl organization at a re
ception for Marshal Foch at the Willie
House, when he formally pinned n
badge of the American Legion on the
breast of the French leader. He Is
said to be the only Legionnaire In the
District who hns been selected as dele
gate or nltornato to every national
convention of the Legion.
IN HONOR OF AMERICAN DEAD
Battle Monuments Commission Named
by President Harding to Super-
vise Erection.
The American battle monuments
commission, nuthorlzed by the Sixty
seventh congress, and some time ago
named by President Hardlnrj: to super
vise the erection of all monuments
overseas erected In honor of the Amer
ican troops, will decide on definite
plans for these monuments, so that
any uu-morlals to companies, regi
ments, divisions or units will he In
keeping with the plans of the commis
sion. Col. Thomas W. Miller, who repre
sents the American Legion on this
commission as named by President
Harding, served in the Twenty-ninth
and Seventy-ninth divisions, as division
ordnance officer of the lntter organiza
tion. Colonel Miller Is nntlonnl execu
tive committeeman of the Legion from
the department of Delaware and has
taken an active part In Legion affairs.
Col. D. John Mnrkey of Frederick,
Mil., who In 1022 wns chairman of the
Amerlcnn Legion's national committee
on military affairs, is another nctlve
Leglonnnlre nnnied on the commission.
Other members of the commission
are Gen. John J. Porshlng, Senator
David A. Heed of Pennsylvania, Con
gressman John Phillip Hill of Mnry
lnnd, Cnpt. Robert G. Wooibslde ol
Pennsylvania, MaJ. X. II. Price, as sec
retary, all of whom are overseas vet
erans. Mrs. Fred W. Kentley of Illinois
Is the other member of tlio commission,
and represents "gold star" mothers.
TOAST TO WORLD'S LAST WAR
Dottle of Ancient Wlno to Be Passec
On, to Be Drunk When
Strife Ends.
AYhen the world fights Its Inst wnr,
Gome veteran of tin American wat
may drink a bottle of wine preserved
for years for the coming of such nn
event.
The wine recently occupied the place
of honor on thu banquet table of the
Last Man club, formed from the sur
vivors of Company H First Minne
sota Volunteers, a Civil war organiza
tion. The club was formed thirty
years ago, with 34 members. There
was an understanding that a reunion
should bo held each year. The wlno
was presented to the club on Its or
ganization, and It was agreed that the
last survivor should attend the ban
quet, and drink thp rare old vlntag
to the vacant chairs of W departed
comrades.
Tills year only three were present
at tlio meeting, which was held In
Stillwater, Minn., on tho anniversary
of the battle of Hull IU111. Peter Hall,
president of tho club, declared during1
the meeting that the requirements of
the constitution would make the last
occnslon too sorrowful, and suggested
another way to mark the passing of
thu organization. lie offered a plan
that tho last two sun Ivors should
drink a toast, senl the remainder of
the wlno In the bottle, and pass It on
to the American LgIon In Stillwater,
with similar stipulation ns to Its re
tention, or until all nations Join to
make war Impossible. Thus, tho Still
water Legion men tiro expected to be
como possessors of the wine, perhaps"
to be passed on to some other vet
erans' organization founded from an
other American war.
Peter Hall, Atwatcr, Minn.; John
Goff, a guest at the Minneapolis Sol
diers' home; and Charles Lockwood,
Chanibcrlaln, S. D., were the guests
at this year's meeting. Ono other sur
vivor, Kmll Gruff, of St. Cloud, Fin.,
was kept from the meeting becnuso of.
physical Infirmities.
The unique event nttracted national
attention, nnd the proposal to pass on
the rare wlno to the American Legion,
not to bo touched until war has be
como Impossible, hns resulted In con
siderable speculation as to whether
the World war veterans would drink
the final toast.
ISSUES 'HOME LOAN' WARNING
Legion Officials Caution Oregon Vet-
erans Against Assuming Too
Heavy Financial Burdens.
Unscrupulous dealers In real estnte
sro said to have taken advantage of
former service men In the state of Ore
gon, which by law has provided for a
"homo loan" feature of compensatlor.
for veterans. Officials of the American
Legion, to whom have, been reported
n number of Instnnces In which the
veteran has faced loss of his invest
ment, have Issued a communication to
members of thnt organization, warning
them against assuming too heavy a
financial burden under the plan.
The law, as passed by the state legis
lature, was Intended by Its sponsors
to finance the purchase of homes ot
farms for veterans, when they have
sufficient Income to carry the pay
ments. According to the Legion lenders, cer
tain real estate men are showing n
tendency to depreciate or discount the
loan of the veteran, or to demand ad
ditional cash down. Some firms have
claimed thnt the plun outlined by the
law was not feasible to handle, and
that the business wns conducted at a
loss.
There have been 100 bonus loans In
Oregon to dnte, according to the rec
ords of the stnte officials. Of this
number, only seven veterans fnce fore
closure on property, a refutation of
the statement that realty dealers had
found the plan unsuccessful.
The principal difficulty has been, Le
gion Investigators say, to keep the vet
erans from paying too much for homes
or farms. Payments on property sell
ing nt $r,000 or more nre heavy, nnd
veterans are urged to consider the fact
that In case they have put a second
mortgage on their place to n realty
dealer, they must pay the state n cer
tain sum In addition to that due the
real estate man.
SUPPORT OF LEGION ASSURED
Religious and Fraternal Organizations
Pledge Aid to Work of World
War Men.
Unanimous support by numerous re
ligious nnd fraternal organizations of
tho Amerlcnn Legion was pledged at a
recent meeting of these groups" held in
Washington. A resolution adopted nt
the gathering quoted the preamble to
the Legion's constitution, and then con
tinued: "Wo henrtlly approve this statotnent
and the American Legion as a great
organization composed of men and
women who served their country In the
World war, earnestly hoping thnt they
will continue to serve their country in
time of peace with tho snmo patriotic
devotion that animated them In tho
days when they wore the uniform. Wo
pledgo them our cordial support, wish
ing them all success and every blessing
as they pursue these high Ideals."
Organizations Joining In the trlbuto
wero tho Federal Council of the
Churches of Christ In America, Knights
of Columbus, Salvation Army, Nobles
of the Mystic Shrine, Young Men's
Christian association, American lied
Cross nnd National Catholic Wclfaro
Council.
RIGLEYS
Take it homo to
the kids.
Havo a packet in
ycur pocket for ai
ever-ready treat.
A delicious confer
tion and an aid to
tho tcclh, appctilo,
digestion.
CLEAN, DYE,
AND 3JIINE.
SHOE
POLISHES
LIQUIDS OR PASTES
For 1he Whole Family
Argument for Industry.
Old lien I'll give you a piece of
good ndvlce.
Vor.ng Hen What Is It?
Old Hen An egg a day keeps tho
butcher away! Progesslve Grocer.
Sure Relief
FOR INDIGESTION
vfcUVM
INDIGESTION,
7"'f"'J - V
W
P5i9l3l'!.
ffi 1 ifvjnjlk
BuESSIiL, -j33T
BSSealed in Its DfiS
Purity Packago fjJMft
J
3) 6 Bell-ans r
Hot water
r Sure Relief
Bell-ans
25 AND 75 PACKAGES EVERYWHERE
Not Discouraged.
"Young mnn, your chances to be
come a movie stnr nre nil."
"Nil desperanduin," responded the
youth. Louisville Courier-Journal.
Hall's Catarrh
Medicine 5.
rid your system of Catarrh or Deafnesi
caused by Catarrh.
Sold by Jruggiiti for ortr 40 yiar$
F. J. CHENEY fit CO., Toledo, Ohio
W. N. U., LINCOLN, NO. 37-1923.
BASIS OF SOUND PHILOSOPHY
Irish Laborer's Advice Concerning
Commissioner's Worries Worth
Taking to Heart.
Charles II. Spear, head of the hnrbos
commission of San Francisco, says
thnt on llrst taking that olllce yenrs
ago an Irish laborer hailed him on tho
Ihnharcadero with a "Good-marnln',
Mr. Prlsldlnt. How are ye the ninrn
ln'V "Never better," said Spear, "and
how about you?"
"Ol'm feeling Jlst the same way
We're all lv us workln fcr ye, nn'
workln' for the state, as lmrd as Iver
we ought to, conslderln'. 01 hope ye'H
have u good ndmlnlsthratlon. An' let
me mnke yez ono lv these here slggls
tlons. San Kranclsco bay Is a folna
body o' wuthcr. Whin thins don't go
rolght nlong tho froont nu' yer soul
gits till full o' throuhle about It, don't
let It wrinkle yer fnce nor kape yez
awake nolghts. Remlmher that that
bay was here a long time before you
come nn' It'll he here n long tolrao
afther ye're gone."
In the Land of Ice and Snow.
Question If a bride and groom on
a honeymoon In the Alps, In midwin
ter, gel lost, how do they keep from
freezing?
Answer They warm themselves on
the mountain ranges.
The bnhl eagle has long been looked
itij ns n symbol of power.
wmEa
JLH
C-
r
SUM ' t"-WW &.
W".ll"