RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA. CHIEF
BRANDlfe A)
rA Katharine MfiM
COI'VKKIIIT IIV KAillAHlNi; M;VI.IN IIUIIT.
SYNOPSIS
John Inmlln, clKhtccn years
old, wlfn nf IMorrc, 1m tlio (IhurIi
tcr of Jnlm Carver, who murdered
her mother for tulultcry. Her
Ifinrly life, with her father, In n
Wynniiiii? cabin, tinbrnrnhlo, Joan
IravcH It I til to work In a hotel In
n. nearby town. Joan meotH
I'lerre. and the two, mutually at
tracted, are married. Carver tellH
l'lcrr-j Mory of Joan's mother.
Pierre forffen a cattlo hrand.
Frank Ilolllwcll, younjc minister,
preentH books to Joan. Plcrro
forbid hor to read them. Mad
dened by Jealousy, I'lorro ties
Jonn and burns the. Two-Par
brand Into tier shoulder. Hoar
I n if her HcreaniH. a BtrnnKor
InirstH Into tlio house and shoota
IMerre. Tho BtmtiKor rnvlvcH
Joan, tcllliiR her I'lerro In dead,
urfres her to ko with him.
CHAPTER X
Prosper Comes to a Decision.
Perhaps, In spite of Ills gruesome
boast us to (lend men, It wns us much
to satisfy his own spirit ns to cont
rol t Jonn's tlutt Prosper actually dlil
undertake a Journey to tlio cabin tlmt
liail belonged to I'lorro. It was trui
flint Pmsper had never been nlflts to
Mop thinking, not ko much of tlio tall,
Mini youth lying so still across the
floor, all Ills lii'iiuty and strength
turned to an ashen slackness, as of a
brown hand thnt stirred. The motion
of those lingers groping for life had
continually disturbed him. lie went
hack stealthily at dusk, choosing a
dusk of wind-driven snow so that his
tracks vanished as soon as made. Tho
roof of Pierre's eahln made a dark
rhino above the snow, veiled In cloudy
drift. He reached It with a cold heart
ami slid down to Its window, cautiously
bending his face near to tho pane. He
expected an Interior already dark
from the snow piled round the win
dow, so ho cupped his hands about his
eyes. At once he let himself down out
of sight below the sill. There was a
living presence In the house. Prosper
had seen a bright fire, tho smoke of
which had been hidden by the snow
fcpray, a cot was drawn up before the
tire, and a big, fair young man In
tweeds whose face, rosy, sensitive, and
quiet, was bent over the figure on the
rot. A pair of large, white hands were
rarefully busy.
Prosper, crouched below tho win
dow, considered what he had seen. It
Mas u week now since he had left
Lnndls for a dying man. This big fel
low In tweeds must have como soon
after tho shooting. Evidently he was
not caring for a dead man. The black
head on the pillow had moved. Now
there came the sound of speech, Just a
bass murmur. This time the black
head turned Itself slightly and Prosper
Faw Pierre's face. Ho had seen It
only twice before; once when It had
looked up, tierce and crazed, at his
first entrance Into the house, once
again when It lay with lifted chin and
palo lips on the Moor. Put even after
bo scarce a memory, Prosper was
tM.ll
there Was a Living Presence In the
House.
startled b the change. Before, It had
been the face of a man beside him
qolf with drink and the lust of nulmal
power and cruelty; now It was tho
wistful face of Pierre, drawn Into a
tragic mask like Joan's when she
canio to herself; n miserably haunted
und harrowed face, hopeless m though
It, too, like tho oirtsldo world, had lost
or had never had n memory of sun.
Evidently Uo submitted tc fio dress
ing of his wound, but with a shamed
and pitiful look. Prosper's whole lm
jresslnn of tho roan was chanced, und
P W 7
the change there began something like
u struggle. lie was afflicted by a
crossing of purposes and u stumbling
of Intention.
He did not euro to risk a second
look. He crept away and (led Into
the windy dusk. Ho traveled with the
wind like a blown rag, and, stopping
only for n few hours' rest at the
ranger station, made tho Journey home
by morning of the second day. And on
the Journey he definitely made up his
ml ml concerning .loan.
Prosper (Snel was a man of deliber
ate, though passionate, Imagination.
Ho did not often act upon Impulse,
though Ills actions were often those
attempted only by passion-driven or
Impulsive folk. Prosper could never
plead thoughtlessness. lie Justified
carefully his every action to himself.
These were cold, dark hours of delib
eration as ho let tho wind drive him
across the desolate land. When the
wind dropped and a splendid, still dawn
swept up Into the clean sky, he was at
peace with his own mind and climbed
up the mountain trail with a half
smile on hlB face.
In the dawn, awake on her pillows,
Joan was listening for him, and at the
sound of his webs she sat up, palo
to her lips. She did not know what
she feared, but she was filled with
dread. The restful stupor that had
followed her storm of grief had spent
Itself and she was suffering again
waves of longing for Pierre, of hatted
for him, alternately submerged her.
All these bleak, gray hours of wind
during which Wen Ho had pattered
In and out with meals, with wood for
her stove, with little questions as to
her comfort, she had suffered as peo
ple suffer In a dream; a restless
misery like tho misery of tho pine
branches that leaped up and down be
fore her window. The stillness of the
dawn, with Its sound of nearlng steps,
gave her a sickness of heart and brain,
so that when Prosper came softly In
at her door she saw him through a
mist. He moved qutckly to her side,
knelt by her, took her hands.
"Ho has been eared for, Joan," said
Prosper. ".Some friend of his came
and did nil that was left to be done."
"Somo friend?" In the pale, delicate
ly expanding light Joan's fnce glenmed
between Its black colls of hair with
eyes like enchanted tarns. Prosper
could see In them reflections of those
terrors that had been tormenting her.
Ills touch pressed renssuranco upon
her, his eyes, his voice.
"My poor child 1 My dear I I'm glnd
I am back to take caro of you I Cry.
Let mc comfort you. He has been
cared for. lie Is not lying there alone.
He Is dead. Let's forgive him, Joan."
He shook her hands a little, urgently,
and a most painful memory of Pierre's
beseeching grasp came upon Joan.
She wrenched nway and fell back,
quivering, but she did not cry, only
asked In her most moving voice, "Who
took care of Pierre after I went
away and left him dead?"
Prosper got to his feet and stood
with his arms folded, looking wenrlly
down at her. Ills mouth hnd fallen
Into rather cynical lines nnd there
were puckers at the corners of bis
eyes. "Oh, n big, fair young man n
rosy boy-face, serious-looking, blue
eyes."
Joan wns startled and turned round.
"It wns Mr. Ilolllwcll," she said, In a
wondering tone. "Old you talk with
him? Did you tell him ?"
"No. Hardly." Prosper shook his
head. "I found out what he had done
for your Pierre without asking un
necessary questions. I saw him, but
he did not see me."
"He'll be eomln' to got me," said
Joan. It was an entirely unemotional
statement of certainty.
Prosper pressed his lips Into a line
and narrowed his eyes upon her.
"Oh, be will?"
"Ves. lj.o'1! be tnkln' nfter me. He
must 'a' ben scalrt by soniethln' Pierre
said In the town durln' their quarrel
an' have come up after him to look
nut whnt Pierre would be doln' to
me. . . . T wlsht he'd 'n' come In
time. . . . Whnt must he be think
In' of me now, to find Pierre n-lyln
there, dead, an' me gone! He'll be
tnkln' after me to bring me home."
Prosper would almost have ques
tioned her then, his sharp face was
certainly at that moment the face of
an Inquisitor, a set of keen and deli
cate Instruments ready for probing,
but f-o weary nnd childlike did she
look, so weary and childlike was her
speech, that ho forbore. What did It
matter after all, what there was In
her past? She had done what she had
done, been what she had been. If the
fellow had branded her for sin, why.
she hnd suffered .overmuch. Prosper
admitted, that, unbranded as to skin,
he wns scarcely fit to put his dirty
civilized soul under her clean and
savage font. Was the big, rosy chap
her lover? She hnd spoken of a quar
rel between him and Pierre? They
would be looking for Joan to come
! Imolt t "n in the town, to some neigh
boring ranch. They would make a
search, but winter would be against
them with Its teeth bared, n blizzard
was on Its way. By the time they
found hor, thought Prosperand ho
quoted one of Joan's quulnt phinaeH
to himself, smiling with rudlauco aa
ho did so "sho won't bo carln' to
leavo mo." In his gay, little, llrellt
room, ho sat, stretched out, lank and
long, In the low, deep, red-lacquered
chair, dozing through tho long day,
sipping strong coffee, smoking, read
ing. Ho was singularly quiet and con
tent. The devil of disappointment and
of thwarted deslro thut had wived him
In this curcfiilly appointed hiding
place stood away a little from lilm and
that wizard Imagination of his began
to weave. By dusk, ho wns writing
furiously and there was a glow of
rupture, on his fuce.
CHAPTER XI
The Whole Duty of Woman.
Joan waited for Ilolllwcll and, wait
ing, began Inevitably to regain her
strength. One evening ns Wen Ho was
spreading tho table, Prosper looked
up from his writing to see n tall,
gaunt girl clinging to the door-Jamb.
Sho was dressed In the heavy clothes,
which hung looso upon her long bones,
her throat was drawn up to support
the sharpened and hollowed face In
which her eyes had grown very lurg
Joan's Eyes Wandered Curiously About
the Brilliant Room.
nnd wistful. Sho wns a moving figure,
piteous, lovely, rather like some grace
ful mountnln beast, Its spirit half
broken by wounds nnd Imprisonment
and human tending, but ready to leap
Into a savagery of flight or of nttnek.
They were wild, those great eyes, ni
well ns wistful. Prosper, looking sud
denly up at them, caught his breath.
He put down his book ns quietly ni
though she had Indeed been a wild,
easily startled thing, nnd, suppressing
tho impulse to rise, stayed where he
was, leaning n trifle forward, lili
hands on the arms of his chair.
Joan's eyes wandered curiously
about the brilliant room and came to
him at last. Prosper met them, re
laxed, and smiled.
"Come In and dine with me, Joan,"
he said. "Tell me how you like It."
Sho felt hor way weakly to the sec
ond largo chair nnd sat down faclng
hlm ncross the hearth.
'It's right beautiful," said Joan, "an1
right strange to me. I never seen any
thing like It before. That" her eyes
followed Wen Ho's departure half
fearfully "that man nnd all."
Prosper laughed delightedly, stretch
ing up his arms In full enjoyment of
her splendid Ignorance. "Tho China
man? Does he look so strange tc
you V"
"Is that what ho is? I I didn't
know." She smiled rather sadly and
nshamedly. "I'm nwful Ignorant, Mr
Gnel. I Just can rend un' I've only
rend two books." She Hushed and bet
pupils grew Inrge.
Truly, thought Prosper, It wns llki
talking to a grave, trustful, and most
Impressionable child, the way she sat
there, rather on tho edge of her chair,
her hands folded, letting every tiling
he said disturb and astonish tho whole
pool of her thoicjit.
At dinner, Piwsper, unlike Ilolll
wcll, made no attempt to draw Joan
Into talk, but sipped his wine and
watched her, enjoying her composed
silence and her slow, graceful move
ments. Afterward he made a couch
for her on the floor before the Arc,
two skins and a golden cushion, a rut;
of dull blue which he threw over her,
hiding the ugly skirt and boots. He
took a violin from tho wall and tuned
It, Joan watching him with all her
eyes.
"I don't like what you're plnyln'
now," she told him, lmpersonnll und
gently.
"I'm tuning up."
"Well, sir, I'd be gettln' tired of thnt
If I was you."
"I'm almost done," said Prosper
humbly.
(TO IU5 CONTINUED.,)
How Times Change.
Tlio wild life used to consist of hunt
ing the game In tho daytime and sleep
ing at night, but now it consists of
sleeping in the dnytlmo and hunting thi
game at night. Cleveland Plain Dealer
Too many people use their home as
tilling stations who they fill up, rny
up and roan on.
o?
AMERICAN
(Copy for This Derartincnt Supplied by the
American Legion Nowa Service.)
PADDOCK WILL DEFEND TITLE
Noted Sprinter Will Compete In
Athletic Program at Legion
National Convention.
With the announcement that Chnrlofl
W. Paddock, "Human Flash," will
compete, Interest In tho athletic pro
gram to bo held during tho American
Legion national convention la San
I-'ranclsco lias increased among
Legionnaires over tho country.
Paddock Is known as the highest
type of American athlete. In nddl
tlon to holding most of tho world's
sprinting records, he was a soldier in
tlio World war, n writer, leader of boy
scout activities and has displayed
talent In many other lines.
Paddock left high school to servo
In the Held artillery during tho war.
Ho attended a training school nt
Camp Zachary Taylor near Louisville
and received a commission of second
lieutenant. I! won most of the
sprinting ovci.t.s at the Interallied
Championship gi ies In Paris and hns
since established a number of world'a
records In the i'. shes.
Tlio famous f Inter told Legion
convention ollich... that ho will be nu
hand to defend i.N laurels In all dis
tances up to lie ! 10-yard dash. Le
gionnaires are confident that Puddoel:
will celebrate 1 a reunion with World
war comrades by smashing some of
his present world's records.
In addition to the track ana field
meet, there will bo numerous othcl
athletic events during convention
weuk at San Francisco, Including ten
nis, baseball, basketball, football, golf,
rifle shoot, band contests, drum and
bugle corps competitions, swimming
and other sports.
AH Legionnaires are ellglblo to com
pete in the athletic program.
PLAN TO MEET "NATIVE SONS"
"Mr. Vlcltlng Doughboy" and "Mr.
Gob" May Expect Warm Recep
tion In San Franclcco.
If you are un American Legion
"buddy," and expect to attend tho
fifth nnnuul convention of the organi
zation at San Francisco, you might
well begin to rehearse for your ilrst
meeting with u "Native Son."
California is filled with "Native
Sons," especially San Francisco. There
are two divisions or varieties tho
common or garden type, und the cul
tivated variety. The cultivated "Na
tive Son" 13 immensely proud of his
nativity and parades It on every occa
sion by wearing the 'little bear" em
blem, marking membership iu tlio "Nn
tlvo Sons of tho (Jolden West." Cali
fornia does not pretend to comprise
nil tho Golden West, but whenever you
mention tho (Jolden West, your true
Cullfornlan Jumps to his feet and gives
three cheers. To hint the Golden West
signifies California.
Tho cultivated natives, meaning the
nutlve sons and native daughters, com
prise about 50,000 of the state's great
nnd growing population. Numerically
they are' but u drop In the bucket. Put
It wouldn't do for u minute to tell a
native that, at least not one of the
cultivated variety.
Throughout California parlors have
been superseded by living rooms, ex
cept in tho circles of tho NSGW and
NDGW. Each group or lodge 1b con
stituted a "parlor" und all are subject
to tho dictates of a grand parlor, pro
sided over by a grand president. In
California there arc ICO "parlors."
San Francisco alone has 28, with a
membership of 17,000 In the two or
gnnlzatlons In thnt city.
Members of the NSGW and tho
NDGW might bo termed professional
Callfornlans. They make the accident
of birth a ritual and Join the order.
Perhaps It is a mistake to speak of
tho native son and daughter as a pro
fessional Californlan. F.very son and
daughter of California Is a profession
al Californlan. Every one Is a booster.
Thej'd as soon think of relinquishing
their citizenship as quitting California
for keeps most of them sooner. They
know California is the greatest state
there ever was or ever will be, that
California has the finest climate, the
grandest scenery, tho richest soil, the
huskiest athletes, the most flourishing
business, the finest men and most
beautiful women,
It Is with these pcopla and with that
spirit that "Mr. Visiting Doughboy"
and "Mr. Gob," who attend tho Le
gion convention will collide, when they
hit the convention city. Callfornlans
are proud of their heritage, proud of
their sunsets a ad fogs, cool summers
and warm winters, the hotels, cafes and
Market street, and everything else
that goes to make up Sun Francisco,
which If you do not already know It,
Is by far tho greater and most Impor
tant part of California. When you
are In San Frnnclsco, ask any native
son for anything you wish, und If you
escape without being presented the
city hall, or the exposition auditorium,
where tho Legion convention Is to be
held, It will be because that particu
lar native son ian't functioning Just
right nt the moment.
I.G0M
STILL AIDING WAR HEROES
Mrs.' Alloo P. Bristol, Through Legion
Auxiliary, Continues Efforts In
Dehalf of Ex-Service Men.
Mrs. Allco P. Urlstoi, chairman of
the committee for co-operation witli
other agencies from the American Le
gion Auxiliary, is continuing u record
of servlco work begun nt tlio first call
to arms in 1017. Mrs. Hristol, along
with it number of other bravo workers
of Strut ford, Conn., "carried on" tho
home work while the men of that city,
many of their own blood, were at the
fiont In tho fight. Uy dint of this
fcervlce, Mrs. llrlstol, through the
American Legion Auxiliary Is still aid
ing tho cause of those who did their
part for their country.
As n recognition of the splendid war
work of tho women of Stratford, the
selectmen formed un organization
which they termed the ''Minute Wom
en of Stratford," nnd at the close of
tho war, awarded each one of the
workers a handsomely engraved cer
tificate attesting this service. The
work consisted of home relief, sale of
Liberty bonds and war saving stamps,
and the countless other duties which
tho good women of Amerlcn wero
called on to perform for the men In
uniform.
Since the armistice, Mrs. Urlstoi has
headed local unit work, and lias h"en
Instrumental In many Important nieves
for relief of the ex-servico man. It
wns through her suggestion, It Is said,
that tho men of Connecticut In hos-
Mrs. Alice P. Bristol.
'pltals in other states received a cash
gift for Christmas. Hut her work aa
national cnmmlttecwoman of the Amer
ican Legion Auxiliary is another im
portant post which lias been Intrusted
to her.
To Mrs. Hristol 'Vas given the clialr
manshlp of a committee .seeking close
co-operation with other well-known
women's organizations of the country.
This committee alms to establish re
lationship between all bodies working
for civic betterment, rejlef of former
service men, and countless other du
ties with which the womanhood of
America has become associated.
Otio of the lirst steps of this com
mlttco was to effect liaison between
tho American Legion Auxiliary and the
General Federation of Women's Clubs.
An application for membership In tho
federation, through President Kate
Waller llarrett was accepted, and the
auxiliary mistimed an immediate par
ticipation In the councils of federated
club work. The Legion's Auxiliary Is
also a participant in the National
Council of Women, composed of nearly
fifty organizations. This council In
cludes such organizations as tho Amer
ican Association of Uulvprslty Women,
International Sunshine society, Ladles
'of tho Maccabees, National Council of
Jewish Women, National Congress of
Mothers nnd Parent-Teachers' associ
ations, National Federation of Music
Clubs, National Florence Crlttenton
mission, National Kindergarten asso
ciation, Needlework Guild of America,
Women's Christian Temperance union.
Y. W. C. A., and others.
During the convention of the aux
iliary in San Francisco, the committee
plans a "Co-operation Night" at which
representatives of practically every
body holding membership In the conn
ell will be- asked to bo present to hear
further plans for service as outlined by
tho Legion's Auxiliary. It Is expect
ed that n definite program of co-operation
will be an outgrowth of tho
meeting. Auxiliary olllclals believe
thnt beeatiBe the membership of the
organization approximates that of
most other women's bodies In the
coimtry, no constructive program, look
ing to progress along the lines indi
cated for their work, can be success
fnl unless Joined by their organiza
tion. Texas Will Have Exhibit.
Not only will the traditional "old
gray mure" from Texas be there, but a
long-horned Texas steer will bo taken
by the Lone, Star state Legionnaires
to the national convention of the
American Legion nt Sun Francisco.
Plans for special stunts on tho way to
and at tho convention were made re
cently by John 0. Townes, Texas de
partment TOinmundcr. -
Campaign Llei.
"I hear ns how the opposln' candi
date for mayor is tellln around thnt
you're In favor of law and ordor," re
marked Two-Gun Geno of Holster,
Ariz.
"Ho better be careful," retorted the
present Incumbent, "or I'll sue him
fer criminal libel." The American Le
elon Weekly.
TT
After
Every Meal
Have a packet in your
pocket for ever-ready
refreshment
Aids digestion.
Allays thirst.
Soothes tho throat.
bAtt fl1ttlllf ClailMM MMvl
. iui yuaiuy, naiui dim
I IliA CaaIaJ Da.L.nA
iiiu wuuiuu rawnugu,
get
PLEATINGS
All widths und all kinds. Cloth-covered
buttons. Broad nnd narrow hemstitch
ing. Mull orders returned promptly,
BENNINGHOFF PLEATING
WORKS
BOG West B'dvay, Council Bluffi, la.
An Egyptologist.
Miss Blusox Are you Interested In
Egyptian scarabs, Mr. Llttleneck?
Mr. Llttleneck Intensely Interested,
Miss Blusox. They're my favorite
smoke.
MOTHER! GIVE SICK BABY
"CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP"
Harmless Laxative to Clean Liver
and Bowels of Baby or Child.
Even constipat
ed, bilious, fever
ish, or sick, colic
Babies and Chil
dren love to take
genuine "Califor
nia Fig Syrup."
No other laxative
regulates tho ten
der littlo bowels
eo nicely. It,-
e wee tens the
Btomach nnd starts
and
bowels acting without griping. Con
tains no narcotics or soothing drugs.
Say "California" to your druggist nnd
avoid counterfeits I Insist upon gen
uine "California Fig Syrup" which
contains directions. Advertisement
If a girl's the apple of a young man'
eye ho thinks she Is a peach.
Eloquence Is but ordlnnry gab wlthf
Its holiday clothes on.
Chas. E. Backus
Health is the Most Valu
able Asset You Have
Ncwago, Mich. "Some years ago I
tvas troubled with dizziness, palpita
tion, loss of appetite and sore and pain
ful stomach. I tried the best physicians
I could hear of, and also several put-up
medicines, but nothing did, me any
pood. Some physicians said it was my
heart; some said it was my stomach:
while others said it was my nerves. I
got bo bad I could not work very stead
ily! when a friend came to sec me and
insisted upon my trying Dr. Pierce's
Golden Medical Discovery. I was dis
couraged, but tried it anyway, and
niter taking the second bottle I felt
much better. I then bought six bottles
nnd I believe the 'Discovery' saved my
life. It was rightfully named 'Golden
Medical Discovery.' I would recom
mend it to nil who need euch a medi
cine. Chas E. Backus.
All druKglBts, tablets or liquid; or
send 10c to Dr. Pierce's Invalids' Hotel
in Buffalo, N. Y., for a trial pkg.
mJrrmm vir
1 1 J m Jj Ni
KeepYourSkin-Pores
Active and Healthy
With Cuticura Soap
Sop 25c, Ointment 25 and 50c, Talcum 25c.
W. N. U LINCOLN, NO. 41-1923.
OS,7 ".
tho liver
-t
I
r-