^ STELLA DALLAS
By Olive Higgins Prouty.
•morns.
After mtu run aeparattna Stella
Hallaa la rep nested be her hnebund'a at
torney to get a dlToee* en the ground
or desertion. When aha rafuaea aha ta
told the alteruaative will be aa action In
which ahe will he charged with Immoral
•'ondnet with Alfred Muan, aa old admirer,
from whom aha received attention while
liar daughter, laurel. II. was visiting her
father. Stephen Oallae. In Sow York. Mho
Indignantly denies wrongdoing and de
clares ahe will fight. Stephen la deairoos
of freedom so that ha may marry Helen
Morrlaon, a widow, hut after throat by
Stella, under adrleo of her attorney, to
name Mrs. Morrison ■■ eoreapondent In n
ronnterartlon ho tella the letter marriage
is Impossible.
(Continued from Teoterday.)
"No. I d rather com# out.”
They had arranged the trains.
Helen had told her ehe would have
her met.
AA’hen finally the bell rang, and the
maid announced Mrs. Pallas, H$len
crossed the hall to the reception room
with a sensation as near dread as she
had ever felt In her Ufa when about
tn meet a guest.
Stella was standing up. She had on
a dark blue tricolette suit, and wore
n summer fur—white fox, fastened
behind. The dead animal's head hung
halfway down her back. Stella's coat
was tightly buttoned, and fitted her
generous bust and hips without a
ripple. Her hat was large and broad
brimmed, and didn't take a veil well.
Therefore she had adjusted her veil
over her bare head before putting her
hat on. The veil was drawn tightly
over her generous cheeks snd chin,
and It also fitted without a ripple.
n
Helen looked at nothing but Stella a
eyes, as she came toward her smil
ing. with her hand outstretched.
-■* "Good morning. Mrs. Dallas,” she
said. ”1 hope the chauffeur found
you.”
"No, he didn’t. There was quite a
crowd. I walked.”
“Oh, Im sorry. It Is such a warm
morning. Let me, send for some
water.” She made a movement to
ward the bell.
“I don't want any water." Why,
her head was snow white on one side!
She couldn’t be a day under 40!
"Well, do take off your coat and
unfasten your fur."
"No. thanks."
"And sit down. Let us come Into
the other room. It's pleasanter
there.”
Helen led the way across the hall,
shoved a cool, linen-covered armchair
In front of one of the terrace win
dows. "I always like it here better on
a warm morning, looking out on the
shadows rather than on sunshine.
And there's usually a braeae.”
Opposite the armchair Helen placed
one of the Sheratons herself. She
made a little waving motion toward
the armchair. "Sit down, please,” she
said: "take that chair."
Stella complied—at least partially.
She took the extreme edge of the
chair. It was one of those low deep
affairs. She'd have a frightful time
getting out of it if she sat back. Helen
sat down, too. There was a pause—a
pause that threatened to become
awkward.
"Is it very warm In town this morn
ing?” Helen inquired.
Stella Ignored the question. Might
as well take the bull by the horns.
"I suppose you think it's funny my
coming here.”
"No. I don't." earnestly Helen as
sured her. leaning forward, clasping
her hands upon her knees. "You
and I have a great deal In common.
1 don't think it's funny at all.’
_ ^ “Well, funny or not, I had to
* come. I thought of writing at first,
hut gracious, if a thing is important
enough to you, you'll do it the right
way—at least, the way that seems
right to you—whatever any one
thinks. There are some tbliA I had
to know that nobody but could
tell me. so I decided to come right
down here myself and ask them.
"That was the right way."
"I've heard a lot about you.”
"And so have 1—heard a lot about
you.”
“From I-aurel. I mean.
"Yes. I mean from Laurel, too.’
"1 suppose you know it, but laurel
thinks a lot of you.”
Helen smiled. "And T suppose you
know it, but Laurel thinks a lot of
you.”
"Well. I'm her mother. She has
to. But she's got what they call a
sort of ’crush'—’mash’ we called it
when T was a girl—on you. She
hates to have me call it that. She
wont talk about you very much,
now. Thinks I might he jealous or
something. I guess. Perhaps I was a
Utile at first, though I hardly knew it.
Laurel did, though. Trust her. She’s
the sort of child knows what you feel
before you do yourself almost.
"I know. Sensitive, isn’t she—or.
so sensitive! I think a great deal of
laiurel, Mrs. Dallas. You haie a
beautiful child, I think."
For an instant the two womens
eyes met. Was that bright look tears,
they both wondered.
S
Stella was the first to iook awa>.
She cleared her throat, coughed, made
another attempt.
"How’s {Stephen now?
•4I think he's well."
1^^ "Suppose you. ae© him now' and
"No. The Ust few times Laurel has
visited me. Ml* Rimpson haa brought
bar, and taken her away. Stephen
and I haven’t met for two years.’
"Oh, that ao?” Stella looked back at
Mr*. Morrison. Gracious! Whst had
hanpenadT Tha shining look had all
goas from her syss and ths light from
her expression. Sht looked gray,
ashen, and old, terribly old.
"Look hers. Mrs. Morrison.” Stella
went on, "I’m not going to best about
the bush any longer. I’ve been think
ing a good deal lately of the advan
tages to me If I got things fixed up
between Stephen and myself, ths way
he wanted them fixed up a while ago.
Rut before I do any more thinking 1
want to find out how things are now
between Stephen and you.
Helen's <leaped hands tightened
upon her knee, but she showed no
feeling when she spoke.
■ Mrs. Dallas,” she said, "I don t
uant to be unkind, but self-denial, our
duty to others, the toll that must bs
paid for mistakes, separation from
i H h other—nothing will ever destroy
that which exists, even though with
out form or expression, between
Stephen and me.’’
Stella looked pitsf.led.
1 Hut what I want to know Is, If
Stephen was flee, If I stepped aside,
the way he suggested, would you two
ret married?” Might as well coma
light out with the riub. After all, It
didn’t make her Jump.
"We would,” Helen replied.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Rut you haven't seen Rtephen for
two years."
"1 know, I know. Oh, I'm sorry,
Mrs. Dallas. But ths truth Is best
1 think you want. It."
"It * what. I cam. for.”
It s what I shall give you, »v»n
though It costs me Stephen himself
’Well, the next thing r want to get
clear. Is if you two did marry, what
about l.aurel?” t
"If did—" Helen drew In her
breath quickly, "why, If wa did—II
we did—"
"Ves. If yon did, what about
Laurel?"
Helen 1st her breath out aver so
1 i
carefully, ever so carefully drew In
another.
"Oh, Laurel. Laurel is yours, Mrs.
Dallas. A child is always her moth
er's, I think.
"You mean. Laurel would k»ep
right on making her headquarters
with me, the same as she does now?”
"Why, of course. I am a mother,
Mrs. Dallas. Once I was the mother
of a little girl. My little gil l would
be just Laurel's age now. As long
as I live I shall never be guilty ^of
robbing any woman of her only little
daughter.”
Stella glanced down at her shoe,
out upon the terrace, back to her
shoe again, cleared her throat, then
boldly raised her eyea to Helen's.
""But if the woman didn't want her
daughter. I mean if she couldn't have
her very well, if it was incon
venient—”
"Don’t you want Laurel, Mrs. Dal
las?” Helen exclaimed.
"Oh, of course, J want her. but you
see she's a great expense now, and I
haven't many maids—no one to leave
her with. I'm quite tied down by
her. and—”
"Oh,” broke Out Helen, and again
her eyes were shinning, "I’d love to
have Laurel!. I'd love to have
Laurel, even if I had her without
Stephen.”
"No, that wouldn't do,” said Stella,
hard and practical, her eyes shining,
too, but not with tears—with triumph.
"If you were married to Stephen
your name would lie Dallas then, and
Laurel's name would be Dallas, too.
Don't you see? And everybody would
think, who didn't stop to ask, that
Iaiurel was yours. Gracious, she's
enough like you—dark and slim ns a
smokestagi, and you've tieeu her
model f.w years, as fur as ways and
manners go, and when you begin to
do things for her—like giving her,
well—a coming-out party, or some
thing—you know she's 17 now—why,
then the invitation cards. ‘Mr. and
Mrs. Dallas, and Miss Dallas,’ would
read right, don't you see? I've
thought it out. And later, If one of
the nire young men in your cirelo
fell in love with Laurel, anti married
her, why, then again, it would read
right in the papers and society
columns, where those things are
printed. And the same way,” Stella
pursued, warming to her subject, “at
hotels and places when you have to
register—that Is. If you should travel
with Laurel In Kurope or California.
Laurel really ought to travel. It Is
so expensive, I couldn't manage it
myself, what with all the private les
sons in riding and skating, and danc
ing and music, and heaven knows
what not. You'll find she's quite up
In those things. Oh, really,” earnest
ly, eagerly she hastened on, unaware
of (he increasing wonder and sur
prise in Helen Morrison's wide-open
eyes, "really, if you don't want a
daughter of your own to take the
place of that baby you spoke of that
died. I'll say this, I don't think you'll
ever be ashamed of Laurel. She
takes after her father, and if you're
crazy about her father, why, it popped
Into my mind—honestly I can't see a
trace of me In Laurel. Noltody can.
She's so refined, and sort of elegant
in her ways. You know that yourself.
Ob, you needn't' have a mlnute'e
doubt about what sort of a success
laurel will make If you should bring
her out in New Y’ork society some
time. She makes a wonderful impres
sion upon strangers. Why', If that
girl didn’t have me shackled round
one foot everywhere she goes, she'd
just soar. Anil another thing I want
to make clear to you, don't be afraid
'I'll be appearing at embarrassing
moments. I won't—ever. I’ve got
some common sense, thank heaven. I
know what sort of an impression I
make, too.”
There was no mistake about the
tears in Helen's eyes now. She rose,
went quickly over to Slella, sat down
on the arm of her chair, and put her
arm about her shoulders.
"I see! I understand!” she ex
claimed, softly.
4
Stella stiffened. No woman had
ever understood before. She had
never understood herself. The under
current of her life had been flowing
beneath the surface waters, unnotic
ed, unobserved for years, wearing a
deeper and deeper channel, gathering
strength and power in its hidden
course. But not until Mrs. Morrison
put her arm around Stella had any
one looked down through the flotsam
and discovered ttie crystal waters
underneath.
"Everything shall be as you wish."
said Helen. "Everything. Travel and
parties and friends—everything, that
to you means happiness for your
child. I’ll treat her hs ir.y very own,
but she will always tie yours. You
will nut lose tier. You shall see her
often. We'll arrange that. Oh I
wander if I could have done so big
n thing for my little girl."
Stella dabbed lier eves with her
handkerchief through her veil, Strug
gled to Iter feet, dabbed iter eyes
again, bit her lip bard—Good gracious,
she mustn't break down and bawl
like a baby.
(Continued In The Morning Hs.
“Hi” Johnson in Detroit.
Detroit. Jan. 17.—Hiram Johnson.
I'niled States senator from Califor
nia, arrived in Detroit today to open
his campaign for the republican preei
dential nomination. in the state that
four years ago cast Its preferential
primary vote for him.
Close friends and political follow
ers met the California senator upon
his arrival from the train and ac
companied him to A hotel, where he
planned to remain until tonight, when
he will he the guest of the 1'nlon
I.eague elub preceding his address at
the armory.
EDDIE’S FRIENDS _■ ***•
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Burgess Bedtime
Stories
I!y TIIOKTON W. BIRGESS.
Who, knowlpjr ht hath rn*t hi* Tn*teh,
Doth run away will s*t no scratch.
—<ir*y Fo*.
Yowler the Rob Cat Retiinm Curious.
Yowler tlie Rob Cat was on hla way
to the old cotton field to hunt for
I-ittle Robber tha Cotton Rat. Ills way
took hlin near the garden on the edge
of which Danny and Nanny Meadow
Mouse had made their home. Suddenfy
Yowler stopped and threw up his
head. His keen ears had caught cer
tain queer sounds over in that garden.
Something was going on over there.
Ho couldn't make It out et all.
Now, Yowler has just as much curi
osity a* any one else. He wanted to
know what was going on over there.
'He turned and swiftly, but noleesely,
I made bis way over Into that garden,
and creeping from stump to stump,
keeping himself very closs to the
ground, reached a place where with
out being seen he could see what
was going on.
What he saw was Gray Fox pounc
ing on a rusty old can, knocking It
this wav and that way, and once In
awhile picking It up end shaking It.
At first he thought that Gray Fox was
playing with that old can. Then he
saw that Gray Fox was In * had
temper, a very bad temper. He wasn't
playing at all. He was very much' In
earnest about what he wsa doing.
Yowler became more curious than
ever.
"What alls that fellow?" muttered
Yowler under hie breath. "He sets as
If he has lost his temper ovsr that
old ran, but what there can be about
that old can to make Gray Fox lose
hla temper is too much for The. lie
_— -a^—- — -
Wlmt lie saw was tiray Fox poune
inC <>n a rusty can.
is growling and snarling as if that old
can ware alive and he was fighting
with it. My. my'. I have never seen
Gray Fox In a worm temper. No, air.
I have never seen Grav Fox in a
worse temper. Now what under the
sun can there be about an old ran
to make Gray Fox loae hia temper
like this?”
For a few minutes Yowler watched,
and with every minute he grew more
curious. Then he crept a little nearer.
"It'S a queer performance," said he
to himself. "it's the queerest per
formance that ever I've seen. Hello!
Now what can he the matter with
Gray Fox? He acts as if that paw
ha* been hurt."
Gray Fox had stopped knocklnd that
old can shout, snd was licking the
paw that Uannv Meadow Mouse had
bitten snd that had been cut on the
edge of the old j-an. But he did this
for only a moment or two. Then he
pounced on that can again, and urn *
more knocked it obitt this way snd
that.
Yowler crept atlll nearer. He made
no effort to keep out of eight. He
knew that Gray Fox had no eye* for
anything but that aid can. Further
more. Yowler didn't care much If Gray
Fox did *ee him In fait, lie rather
Intended that Gray Fox should. He
was curious al>out the old can. snd he
knew that If Gray Fox should see him
he wouldn’t stop to even pass the
time of day.
At las' Gray Fox hit that old ran
harder than ever and sent It end over
end straight toward Yowler, where It
stopped just a little wav In front of
him. Gray Fox sprang after If. Yow
ler arched his bark and growled.
Gray Fox gave a yelp of fright, stop
ped so suddenly that he nearly fell,
turned and disappeared in less time
than it takes to tell it.
(Copyright. 3t24 >
The next atury: “Yowler Takes a
T urn.”
To Explore in Australia.
Lo* Angeles, Jan. IT.—Yilhjalmitr
Ftefaneoon, arctic explorer, baa <3*
ndeil to turn Ills attention to the lit
tie known area* of Australia, he an
no.incafl at a banquet given !n hii
honor bene last night by th* Adven
tnrera’ Club of l.oa Angeles. It ii
hia intention to devote six month!
to exploration and research on th<
continent with a view to writing i
suitable geography of that part o
the world, he said.
The Florsheim Shoe Co.
315 South 16th Street
Accepts Rides From Strange
Motorists
Friend Who Warns Her of Danger, Worried—Big
Chance Taken—Not W'orth Thrill.
MV MMtTIJA AI.I.KN
□HAVE a friend who thinks
nothing of stepping Into a
stranger's auto for a lift
downtown.” Flo tells In her letter.
"Isn't she taking a chance? I have
often argued with her about this
habit. 1 tell her she Is doing very
wrong.”
You are right, Fio, your friend
does twite a chance on her safety. She
lias taken one risky step by getting
into the suto, so why shouldn't the
man suppose that she is willing to
take another. Te naturally believes
that tli# girl is game for most
anything. She may think that she is
saving money by protecting her
clothe* from the rain but site
doesn't realize that she is besmirch
ing her own respectability.
The man /-an hardly lie blamed if
he starts to get rough. He knows
that the girl doesn't know whether
he's a guntnsn, a murderer or a
thief. He may lie a chauffeur look
Ing for amusement.
It is hard lo tell Just why girls
lake sitrh risky steps. It may just
lie seeking safety from a storm, it
may lie to save time or Just a long
ing for adventure.
.Vo matter what the urge there is
Just as much danger In taking «
ride with a stranger as Jumping off
a bridge. You never know whether
you are going lo land right and be j
able to swim ashore or whether you
are sucked under by the whirlpools.
Theie may lx* a hit of excitement
In taking the chance of safe outcome
to such an adventure but is hardly
worth the thrill.
An Argument.
Dear Martha Allen: We are two
school girls and have la*en having
quite an argument a* to the correct
way to wear senior class rings. We
know the\- belong on the little Anger
of the left hand. We say the ring
should he worn so that you ca,n hold
your band out w h‘*n anyone wishes
to see It, so the letter can be seen
light side up. Hut some girls ssv to
wear It so that you can see it yourself
by holding your hand up. and when
anyone wants to see it turn your hand
around. But do we have to look at
it? We already know v.hat it is like.
It s the other folks you want to show
it to and it doesn't seem so awkward
to hold your hand out gracefully.
Is there any rule?
i’BAHSMATK*.
f'iass lings ate usually worn on the
third or fourth finger and so that the
letters may be read as you place the
hand with the rine on a table l>efore
you. But the way in which lings are
worn is n personal matter. A good
many persons wear ring* In a way to
vary from the customary manner.
Suit yourselves.
Marketing Not ^
Farm Panacea
Fargo, S'. D.. J*n. 17.—Co operative
marketing is merchandising, not pro
duction, and la a purely buatnes*
problem, J. It. Howard, president of
the S'atlonal Tranaportation institute,
told the Trl State Crain Orowera’ as
sociation today. “We farmwre our.
selves are usually responsible for fail
ure of co-operative endeavor because
we do not slick close enough togeth
er," he asserted.
"Marketing through cooperative*
!s nut a general panlcea for all the
farmers' ills.” he said. “It is merely
one aid, although a very vital one. in
agriculture betterment. The farmeta’
right to build up co-operative organ
izations should not lie denied them. I
do not view co-operative marketing a*
a privilege accorded the farmer, but
as a right. We farmer* have the
same right to control our product,
through pooling or otherwise, juat aa
far down the distributive channel aa
ha* any other producer or manufac
turer.”
Adalbert Shuler Dir*.
New l'ork, .lan. 17.—Adalbert
sViul#r. miiftiHsn and compw-r, *nd
for m«»r# tb»n 40 v#am prominent in
m«»*;**al rirHas In Iowa. di*d WMn^s
• l»y. H* wa* 77 y*ar* old.
To I ore* a folo in On* n#y
Tab# T,axati\ # BROMO QUININE
j Th# box b«in ?h* aifnatur# #f E. V*.
Mtrov* >ftr ~Adr*Mla*m*nr
Hotel Rome
Cafeteria
The Best That’s All
Relieves the ache
of
sprains
prevents
stiffness
h as tens
repair
Sprains should be given careful
treatment until the damage is
entirely repaired. Apply Sloan’s.
You don't need to rub it in.
It eases the pain, prevents stiff
ening of the tissues and hastens
theworkofrepair.Getabottleat
your druggist's today—35 cents.
Sloan's Liniment—kills pain!
...
Burgess-Nash Company.
A Question of Business:
£
At this time of year most stores have to decide this question: Whether to carry the
present stock over to next year or sell now and take a loss on many items of mer
chandise, especially clothing.
The policy of this firm is to sell this season’s merchandise regardless of former prices.
That is the reason we are offering this group of Men’s Overcoats at the very low price
of $26.75.
Men’s Overc< >ats
Many 75
Values to
Styles WO
U Intern
Ulnterettin
It ox Hark
Englinh Model*
Single and
Pouble-HreaMled Modelm
Hell All Around
Half Helled
The lots are broken, but every sire and model is represented.
M*in Flam
,- ,,“Owo of America's Great Stores' ._ a—