RED OLOUD, NEBRASKA, OHIEF
j
MHMMMIM
The Branding Iron
SYNOPSIS
Joan Landln, elRhUea yra
old, wife of Pierre, Is tht daugh
ter of John Cnrvor, wno ur
darod her raotlior for 4ulUry.
Iter lonely Ufa, with her f.thv.
In a Wyoming cnbln, unbeexable,
Joan leaves him to work In a
hetel In a nearby tewa. Jeaa
meeta Pierre, and the twe. Mutu
ally attracted, are married. Carv
er telle Pierre story et Jean's
mother. Pierre force a eattle
brnnd. Frank HolUweJl yeviag
minister, preeeats books to Jeaa.
Pierre forbids her to read them.
Maddened by Jealousy, Pierre
ties Joan and burns tho Two-Oaf
brand Into her shoulder.
CHAPTER VI Continued.
5
When thin pain left hor, when tho
waa free of her bonus, no foro nor
fear would hold hor to Plerro. 8h
would lenve) him as alio had lt hor
futlier. She would go awny. Thoro
was so placo for hor to bo to, but
whut did thnt matter b long m slio
might escape from this horrlblo plnco
and thin Informil tormentor? Sho did
not look nbnut to see tho uctunllty of
Plorrc's silence. Slit1 Uiought thnt ho
had dropjMjd tho brand and was sit
ting nenr the table with his faco hid
den. How long tho stillness of pain
niul fury and horror lnsted thero was
r one to reckon. It was moct stnr
ii u'ly broken by a voice, "Who
HTo.mied for help?" It en Id, and at th
name lriRtnnt a draft of ley nlr smote
.Tonn. Tho door had opened with sud
denness and vlolonce. With dlfUculty
she mastered her pain and turned her
head.
Plorre had staggered to his foot.
Opposite him, framed ugulnst tho open
door tilled with tho wan whiteness of
the nnow, ntood n spnre, tall figure.
The man wore his fur collar turned
up about his brow, a sharp aquiline
noso stood out above frozen mus
taches, keen and brilliant eyes
searched tho room. Uc carrlod his
gun across his arm In readiness, and
nnuffod tho air like a suspicious hound.
Then he advanced a step toward
riorre.
"What devil's work have you been
at?" said he, his voice cutting the ear
In Its sharpness of astonished rage,
and his hand slid down nlfeg tho
handle of his gun.
Pierre, wntchlng him like a lynx,
side-stopped, crouched, whipped out
his gun nnd flred. At almost the same
second tho other's gun went off.
Pierre dropped.
This tlmo Joun's nerves gave wny
and the room, with Its smoll of
scorched flesh, of powder and of frost,
went out from her horrllled senses.
For n moment the stranger's stern
face and brilliant eyes made tho ap
proaching center of u great cloud of
darkness, then It, too, went out.
CHAPTER VII
The Judgment of God.
The man who had entered with Biieh
sudden vlolonce upon so violent a
scene stood waiting till the smdko of
Pierre's discharge had cleared away,
then, still holding his gun In readi
ness, he stepped across the room nnd
bent over the fallen man.
"I've killed hlml" he said, Just above
tils breath, and ndded presently, "That
was the Judgment of God." Ilo looked
about, tnklng In every detail of tho
scene, the branding Iron that had
burnt Its mark deep Into tho boards
where Pierre had thrown It down, tho
glowing lire heaped high and blazing
dangerously In the small room, the
woman bound and burnt, the white
alght outside the uncurtained window.
Aftorwnrd he went over to tho
womnn, who drooped in her bonds
with head hanging backward over the
wounded shoulder. He untied the
silk scarf and the rope and carried
her, still unconscious, Into the bed
room, whero he laid her on the bed
and bathod her face In water. Joan's
rrown of hair had fallen about her
jock and temples. Her bared throat
and shoulder had tho firm smoothness
of marble, her lifeless face. Its pure,
full lips fallen oart. Its long ltds
closed, black-fringed and black
browed, ovIng little of Its beauty to
color or expression, was nt no loss In
thli deathlike composure and white
ness. Tho man dealt gently with hor
as though she had been a child. Ho
found clean rags, which he soaked In
oil and placed over her burn, then ho
drew the conrse clothing nbout her
and resumed his bathing of her fore
head. She gave n moaning sigh, her faco
contracted woefully, nnd she opened
her eyes. The man looked Into them
ns a curious child might look Into an
opened door.
"Did you see what happened?" he
asked her when she had come fully
to herself.
"Yes," Joan whispered, her lips shnk
Ihc. "I've killed the brute."
Her faco beenmo n classic mask of
tragedy, tho drawn brows, horrllled
eyes and widened mouth.
"Pierre? Killed?" Her voice, hard
ly more thnn a whisper, filled tho
i iipun vitl. its naony.
QQQ
Btj Katharine Wewlin Burl
Copyright by Katharint N, Dart
"Aro you sorry?" demanded her res
cuor stonily. "Was ho In tho habit
of tying you up or was this brand
ing a special diversion?"
Joan turnod her faco away, writhed
from head to foot, put up hor two
hands between him and her ngonlzlng
Memories.
The man roso and left her, going
Mftly Into the next room. There ho
stood in a tense nttltudo of thought,
at down presently with his long, nar
row Jaw In hU hands and stared fix
edly at Pierre. Ho was evidently try
ing to light down tho shock of the
spectado, grimly telling himself to
Uocomo uod to the fact that here lay
tho body of a man that he had killed.
In a short tlmo he seemed to be sue
CAMful, his faco grew calm. Ho looked
awny from Pierre and turnod his mind
to tho womnn.
"8ho can't stay here," ho snld pres
ently, In tho tone of a man to himself.
JTo looked about In n hesitant, doubt
ful fashion. "G d!" ho said ab
ruptly and snappod his lingers and
thumb. Ho looked angry. Again ho
bont over Pierre, examined him with
thoroughness and science, his faee
becoming more and more calm. At
tho end ho roso and with an air of
authority he went In again to Joan.
Bho lay with her face to the wnll.
"It Is Impossible for you to stay
hero," said he In n voice of command.
"You aro not lit to take earo of your
self, nnd I can't stay and take cure
of you. You' must eomo with me. I
think you can manage that. Your
husband If ho Is your husband Is
dead. It mny or may not be a matter
for sorrow to you, but I should say
that It ought not to bo nnythlng but
a merciful release. Women are queer
creatures, though. . . . However,
whether you are In grief or In rejoic
ing, you enn't stay here. lly tomor
row or next day you'll need more
nursing than you do now. I don't want
"Don't Waste Time. There Will Be
Snow Today."
to take you to a neighbor, even If
there was one near enough, but I'll
take you with me. Will you get ready
now?"
His sure, even, commanding voice
evidently hnd a hypnotizing effect upon
the dnzel girl. Slowly, wincing, she
stood up. nnd with his help gathered
together some of her belongings, which
ho put In tho pack he carried on his
shoulders. She wrnpped herself In
her wnrmest outdoor clothing. He
then put his hand upon her arm and
drew her toward tho door of thnt outer
room. Sho followed him blindly with
no will of her own, but, ns he stopped
to strap on his snowshoes, lwr fnco
lightened with pain, nnd she mnde ns
If to run to Plerro's body, ne stood
before her, "Don't touch hlip," said
he, and, turning himself, he glanced
back nt Pierre. In thnt glnnee ho snw
ono of the lean, brown hands stir. His
face bocamo suddenly suffused, oven
his eyes grew shot with blood. Stnnd-J
ing cnroiuny so ns to oosmici nwr
view, he caught nt the corner of an
elk hide nnd threw It over Pierre.
Then he went to .Tonn, who stared ut
him, white nnd slinking. Ho put his
arm around her and drew her out,
shutting the door of her home nnd
lennlng against It.
"You cun't go hack," snld he gently
and reasonably. "The man tried to
kill you. You enn't go back. Surely
you mean to go nwuy."
"Yes," snld Joan; "yes. I did mean
to go awny. Rut but It's Pierre"
Ho bent and began to strap on her
snowshoes. There wus a fighting bril
liance In his eyes nnd a strnngo look
of hurry nbout him thnt had Its effect
on Joan. "It's Plorre no longer," said
he. "What can you do for him? What
enn ho do for you? Ho sensible, child.
Come. Don't waste time. There will
bo snow today."
Joan bent over hr hend and fol
lowed him across the snow,
CHAPTER VIII
Delirium.
It Is not tho people that have led
still und unoventful lives who nro best
prepared for emergencies. They aro
not trained to faco crises, to make
prompt and Just decisions, Joan had
ntado but two such resolutions in her
lift: the first when sho had followed
Plorre, tho second when she had kept
HolllweJl's books In defiance of her
Uunhand's Jealousy. The leaving heQ
father had been the result of long
und painful thought. Now, In a fow
hours, ovents hnd crashed abtut he
so that her wholo life, outer nnd In- ,
nor, had been shattered. Heyond the t
pain and fever of her wound there was I
nn utter confusion of her faculty. I
Before sho fainted she had, indood,
made n distinct resolvo to leave Pierre, i
It wus this purpose, working subcon- i
sclously on her will, ns much ns the i
urgent pressure of the stranger, that !
took her past Pierre's body out Into j
tho dawn and sent her on thnt rash
Journoy of hers In tho footsteps of ,
an unknown mnn. This being Ceenied
to her then hnrdly human. Mysteri
ously he had stepped In out of tho
night, mysteriously he had condonuied
Pierre, ami In self-defense, for Joan
had seen Pierre draw his gun and lire,
ho had killed her hushnnd, Xow, Just
or mysteriously, as Inevitably It
seemed to her, he took command of
her life. She wni a passive, ship
wreck thing a derelict.
As tho silent day slowly brightened '
through Its glare of clouds, sho plod- '
(led on, setting her snowshoes In the
tracks her leader mnde. Tho pain In
her fchoulder steadily Increased, more
and mere absorbed her consciousness. '
She did not know that they were trav
eling north and west toward the wild
est nnd most deiolnte country, thnt
every time she net down her font he
set It down farther from humanity.
She began soon to be a little light
headed and thought that she wai fol- ,
lowing Pierre.
At noon they entered the woods, and
her guide came behind her and led her t
through fallen timber nnd pnst pltfalla '
of soft snow. Suddenly, "I can't go
no more," she sobbed, nnd stopped, ,
swaying. At thnt he took her In his
nrms and carried her n few hundred
feet till they entered n cnbln under
the shelter of firs. i
"It's the ranger-station," said he;
"the ranger told me that I could make ,
use of It on my way back. We can
pass the night here." j
Joan knew that be had carried her j
across n strange room and put her on ,
a strange bed. He took off her snow- ,
shoes, nnd she lay watching him light
a lire In the cold, clean stove and
cook n meal from supplies left by the !
owner of the house. Slio was trying '
now to remember who he was, whnt i
had happened, nnd why she was In j
such misery nnd pain. Sometimes she i
knew that he was her father and that
she was at homo In that wretched
shack up Lone river, nnd an Ineffable
satisfaction would relnx hor cramped
mind; sometimes, Just ns clearly, she
knew that ho was Pierre who had
taken her away to some strange place,
and, In this certainty, she was even
more content. Hut always the hor
rible flame on her shoulder burnt her
again to the confusion of half-con-selousncss.
He wasn't John Cnrver,
he wasn't Pierre. Who, In God's name,
was he? And why was she hero alone
with him? She could not frame n
question; she hnd n fear thnt, If she
began to speak, she would scream and
rave, would roll Impossible, secret
things. So she held herself to silence,
to a snvnge watchfulness, to a bnttle
with delirium.
The man brought her n cup of
strong coffee nnd held up her bond so
that she could drink It, hut It nau
seated her nnd sho thrust It weakly
away, asking for cold water. After
sho hnd drunk this, her mind elenred
for an lnstnnt ; she tried to stnnd up.
"I must go back to PIcrro now," she
snld, looking nbout with wild hut reso
lute eyes.
"Lie still," said the strnnger gently.
"You're not lit to stir. Trust me. It's
nil right. You're quite safe. Get rested
and well, then you may go wherever
you like. I want only to help you."
Tho renssurlng tone, tho promising
words coerced her und she dropped
URCj.
Presently, In spite of pain, she
slept.
She woke and slept In fever for
many houuw, vaguely aware, at times,
thnt she was traveling. She felt the
motion of n sled under her and knew
that sho wus lying on n warm hide of
some freshly killed beast and that a
blanket and n canvas onverlng protect
ed her Crom a swirl of snow. Then she
thought she heard a voice babbling
sueerly nnd suw n face qulto terribly
different from other human faces. The
covering was taken from her, snow
flakes touched her cheek, a lantern
alione In her eyes, and she was lifted
and carried Into n warm, pleasant
smelling placo from which were mug
Ically and completely banished all
sound and bitterness of storm. Slio
tried to see whero she was, but her
eyes looked on Incredible colors and
confusions, so she shut them nnd pnsi
slvely allowed herself to be dandled
by deft hands.
(TO BE CONTINUED
T5fte
AMERICAN
mm
(Copy for This Department Supplied by
tlio Amcrlcnn Loslon NewH Hervlc)
HEADS LEGION AD. MEN'S POST
M.iJ. Reed Landls, One of the Air.
piano Aces, Chairman of Com-
mitteo on Aeronautics.
MnJ. Heed O. Landls, chairman of
the American Legion's national com
mittee on aeronautics Is u man quali
fied to speak nnd act on tills subject,
according to bin war record. Major
Landls has nearly u dozen enemy air
planes to his credit, and was In some
stirring engagements.
Of course great deeds nre to bo ex
pected of the son of such a vlrilo
American figure as Judge Kencsaw
Mountain Landls, but the young man
has won n record "of his own."
Major Landls was n member of tho
old First Illinois cavalry when tho
troops mnssed on tho Southern bor
der In 1!)IG. Though discharged from
service there, ho was recalled in 1017,
and wns sent to the first olllccrrf
training camp, only to bo transferred
to the air service, becoming a stu
dent of tho gro- id school. Ilo took
flying Instructle s nt the, University
of Illinois llyln,' field, was sent to
England and as; : -tied to tho Fortieth
squadron, Tlrl !i expeditionary
forces, then fljl-i the "single seat
ers." Ho nccoi rUM officially for ten
Hun planes be!', -o he was relieved
MnJ., Reed G. Landls.
from tho Urltlsh service to take com
mand of tho Twenty-fifth squadron
of the American forces. After com
manding this organization for a short
time, ho was ordered homo and was
attached to General Woods' headquar
ters staff nt Chicago as departmental
nlr servlco olllcer.
For his ability with aircraft, Major
Landls wns awarded tho highly cov
eted British Flying Cross, a decora
tion much sought by all English avia
tors. As a writer, ho has contributed
to n number of periodicals, with spe
cial articles on the air service.
Major Landls has been commander
of tho Advertising Men's post of the
American Legion In Chicago, and has
been called on to speak before many
Legionnaires throughout the country
In addition to his duties as chairman
of the national aeronautics com
mittee. MAY REOPEN BONUS CASE
Result of Minnesota Supreme Court
Decision Likely to Affect "Non-
Residence" Ruling.
Clnims o: from 10,000 to lfi.OOO vet
erans who registered and were Induct
ed Into the service from Minnesota,
disallowed by the bonus board on a
"nonresldeucc" ruling, mny be re
opened ns a result of tho recent de
cision of the state Supreme court In
the enso of Everett Buum.
In Its ruling the Supreme court held
thnt a person temporarily residing In
Minnesota ut the time of the call for
registration who registered nnd who
thereafter left the state but returned
to be Inducted by the draft bonrd Into
tho service, Ib entitled to the stute
bonus.
Baum, who was born In Pennsyl
vania, enme to Minneapolis In May,
1017, obtained work nnd registered for
the draft In June. The following Junu
nry he went to Oregon nnd Washing
ton, but returned In July ut the cull of
tho draff board. He entered tho serv
ice and a yemr later was honorably dis
charged. Tho bonus bonrd disallowed his
claim on tho gronnds thnt he wns not
a bona fldo resident of Minnesota. The
Supremo court ruled that he wns a
resident becnuso "the place of resi
dence is tho plnco of work."
It Is pointed out by Amcrlcnn Le
gion members that If this Is tho case,
the 10,000 or 15,000 slmllnr nppllcn
tlons Involving nearly 3,000,000 from
others, who constituted tho stato's
flontlng population on registration day,
Juno C, 1017, aid who wero subse
quently Inducted, may also ne affected
by this decision.
ii'aifi'1"P rr- J-rif- "I SZ.jjJ
CARE OF VETERANS' CHILDREN
Government Bureau Will Go-Operate
With Lejjlon In Plan for Mien.
tlon to Dependents.
Full co-oporntlon of the children's
bureuu of tho United States Depart
ment of Labor will bo extended to the
American Legion In the plan for core
of dependent children of World win
veterans. This assistance to the pro.
gram of tho Legion on n problem
which Legion leaders believe will
eventually approximate care of dis
abled, will be rendered In every pos
sible way, according to Miss Grace
Abbott, chief of tho children's bureau,
In charge of welfare work for the
government.
Miss Abbott hos clearly outlined to
George A. Withers, chairman of the
Legion's national committee on chil
dren's homes, her Ideas of what tho
veterans' organization should under
tuku In this work. In tho first place,
Miss Abbott says that every effort
should be bent townrd keeping tba
children of tho Legion whoso fathers
hnvo died, or are Incapacitated, with
their mothers or near relatives who
uro willing and competent to enro for
them. Miss Abbott declares that In
tho post It has been u common prac
tice to take away children from the
remaining parent If means aro In
sufficient to care for the dependents.
Usually, uccordlng to child welfare
workers, this operates adversely,
causing n double loss to the child.
Sometimes a mother Is allowed to
struggle on under n load obviously
too great for her shoulders, and the
family becomes demoralized some
times delinquent. Here, thinks Miss
Abbott, Is where tho legion posts may
help In this portion of tho problem
by friendly hell) and care, and by
lending assistance In tho schooling.
Miss Abbott says that foster homes
are generally regarded as better than
Institutional, if children must be
taken from their parents or relatives.
"Such an Institution," declared Miss
Abbott to Chairman Withers, "should
be the last resort after every effort
has been mnde to keep the family to
gether, rather than the beginning of a
program. If you coul1 get every post
to report to tho state department, and
In turn to report to national head
quartern as to the success In caring
and providing for these children, help
ing families to remain together, In
finding ways of providing scholarships
for tho education of the children, etc.,
then finally as to the Institutional
care which may be necessary, I think
you would make sure that the Legion
children wero having the right kind
of opportunity for homo life, for spe
cial care, If physically defective In
any way, nnd for education, which Is
their right."
The government welfare worker
holds that members of the Legion who
are to handle this vital problem for
Its members should he named from
the nblest men In tho organization,
mid that they should approach the
question as ono which Is certain to
require diligent study, great expendi
ture of time, and much patience and
Ingenuity.
LONG FIGHT WON BY LEGION
Federal Judge Killlto Holds Foreign
Born Objectorc Not Entitled to
Citizenship.
Foreign-born men who had conscien
tious objections against serving In the
United States military and were ex
empted have been denied citizenship
by Federal Judge John M. Klllits of
Toledo, Ohio. This matter has been
tho subject of a long and bitter light
by members of the American Legion
throughout the country, and officials
of the Veterans' organization were
well pleased with the action denying
to such men the rights of citizenship.
Judge Klllits, In his opinion, de
clared that the court was unable t
seo how any applicant, who, on th
grounds of conscience, objected to
bearing arms In his country's defense,
can take the oath of citizenship with
out reservations nnd that he, as tha
court, was unwilling to nccept nny
such oath with reservations to It.
"Without nny Intention to reflect
upon the qyallty of the profession of
conscientious ofjjectors," declared
Judgo Klllits, "we feel that It Is
enough that tho country tnust endure
the native born of thnt persuasion
whose citizenship Is n birthright with
out extending tho number by the favor
of the nnturullzntlon lnws."
Many posts of tho Legion hnvo
fought against granting of citizenship
rights to such applicants since the
close of tho war, and, In a number of
cases, tho fight has been successful.
The Toledo Instance, however, Is be
lieved to ho the llrst decision of a fed
eral court In the mntter.
Ohio Is In Lead.
Ohio leads ull other states In the
number of local voltures of La Socleto
des 40 Homines et 8 Chovaux, tho
"playground of tho Legion," though
only ouc-hulf of tho state Is organized.
Tho department now has 45 voltures,
with Iowa second with 37, Illinois
tlilrd with 3d, Pennsylvania fourth
with 31, und New York fifth with 28.
The largest voltifro of La Socleto Is iu
Los Angelps county, California, where
tho local membership Is 310. Polk
county, Iowa (Des Moines), Is second
with 214; Linn county, Iowa (Codar
Rapids), third with 205, and Cook
county, Illinois (Chicago), with 20-1 is
fourtlu Theeo nro tho only voltures
which uumber n membership of over
200. Membership In La Socleto Is
bused on activities In the organization
of the American Legion, and 1b selective.
MRS. COFFMAN
ILL SEVEMJEARS
Saved from an Operation by Lydia
. Pinkham's Vegetable
Compound
Sidell, 111. "I was a nervous wreck.
I waa suffering from a pain in my left
Biae, wmen was al-
mostunbenrable, and
I could not even let
the bed clothing rest
on my body nt night.
I had been sick for
GGven years, but not
so bad until the last
cighteenmonths.nnd
had become bo run
down that I cared
for nobody, and
would rather havo
died than live. I
couldn't do my work without help, and
tho doctora told me that an operation
waB all thero waa left I would not
consent to that, go my husband brought
rno a bottlo of Lydia E. Pinkham's
Vegetablo Compound and begged mo
to takoit I havo taken fourteen bot
tles of it and I feel ten years younger.
Life is full of hope. I do all my house
work and had a large garden this year.
I never wiU bo without tho Vegetablo
Compound in the house, nnd when my
two littlo girls reach womanhood I in
tend to teach them to take it I am
never too busy to tell some Buffering
Bister of my help, and you can uso my
namo and letter to spread tho good
newsof Lydia E. Pinkham's medicines. ".
Mro.lDAM.CoFFiAN,K.B.2,Sidell.Il)V
m&
MM
5WJ
A safe, dependable and
effective remedv for
Coughs, Colds, Distemper, Influenza,
neaves and worms among horses nnd
mules. Absolutely harmless.and as safe
for coles as it is for stallions, marcs or
geldings. Give "Spohn's" occasionally
as a preventive, bold at all drug stores.
Glowworms Brightest Before Storm.
Glowworms are much more brilliant
when a storm Is coming thnn at other
seasons. Like many other mysteries of.
nnture, this curious circumstance bus
never been explained
ESCRY
IIIUMw WiiiH
"""BMaaBaMHMnN-B
AB
FOR "CASTORIA" v
Prepared Especially for Infants
and Children of All Ages
Mother! Fletcher's Cnstorla hc
been In use for over 30 years ns a
pleasant, harmless substitute for Cas
tor Oil, Pnregorlc, Teething Drops nnd
Soothing Syrups. Contains no nnrcot
Ics. Proven directions nre on each
package. Physicians recommend It.
The genuine bears signature of
What Mother Imagines.
If n mother has but ono boy every
time sho starts him off to school she
Imagines thnt ho Is headed for the
White House.
Watch Cuticura Improve Your Skin.
On rising and retiring gently smear
tho faco with Cuticura Ointment.
Wash off Ointment In five minutes
with Cuticura Soap and hot water. It
Is wonderful whnt Cutlcurn will do
for poor complexions, dandruff, Itching
und red, rough hands. Advertisement
Bucolic.
It Is n pleasant thing at enrly dawn
to go forth Into the open nnd to hear
tho young tractor whinny with Joy at
sight of tho oil can. Lcfuyette Journal-Courier.
Snowy linens nro the pride of every
housewife. Keep them In that condi
tion by using Red Cross Ball Blue in
your laundry. At all grocers. Adver
tisement In undertaking to do nnythlng by
menns of n committee always reckon
on natural Indolence.
Don't turn down n position for fear
you won't know how to fill It. Some
one will tell you.
&rf?S8
dlESBBROUCII MANUFACTURING CO.
COMOIl4td) ., .
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