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Show fj lli V hf f Till r gflrf ifliiTtirt tfrffMni Irtrfiirfrtfiti nififfittti n ii TIIE PAYSON CHRONICLE, PAYSON, UTAH The Desert Moon Mystery CHAPTER ters one I The Cannezianos knew, that evening In April, when Bam got home from Itattall and came tamping snow Into tny kitchen h! good old red. while and blue face tretched long and wide In Ita usual grin, that he had brought some bad Dews with him 1 had a letter today," he said, from he Cannezlano twins." t am like a lot of folks who say that they are not superstitious, who Just happen to think that It Is hud luck to walk under a ladder. More than likely the shivery, creepy sensation I felt when Sam said that, was due to the cold he brought In with him. and was not due to the fact that those words of his were the forerunners for all I of the grim mysteries and the trag edles that made he Desert Moon ranch, before the end of July, a place of horror. flow much do they want?" I ques tinned. No, Mary ; they want to come here to live. Danielle wrote the letter She says they want to come here and rest, Indefinitely. She says she longs for It with all her soul, or something like that." Danielie," 1 said, always was the best of the two. You going to let them come. Sam? "Anything else for me to do? Not a thing for you. Thered be Those girls are no plenty of others Let me see eight kin of yours years old when they were here In llk9. maae them twenty-fou- r years old now. according to my figures Why a couple of women twins, ag years, should degregating forty-eigh- t cide to come here and rest their souls, at your expense. Is beyond me." I have plenty." "So has Henry Ford. Why dont they go rest their souls with hint? Theyve got as much claim on him as they hnve on you None. Lenve those girls rest their souls right there where they are. Sara 1 "No 1 dont know, Mary. guess Ill write them a letter and tell them to come along. Lota ot room. I didn't argue any more about it For twenty-fivyears I had been housekeeper of the Desert Moon ranrhhouse. and I had learned, during that time, that there was only one subject, concerning Sam, or the place, on which 1 could never hope to have Trying to argue with any say-so- . Sam about anything that had to do. In any way, with Margarita Dltsle. when she was Margarita Dltsle Stan ley, or wheD she was Margarita Dltsle Cannezlano, was about as sensible as hoisting a chiffon parasol for protection In the midst of one of our Nevada mountain cloudbursts. Margnrlta Dltsle was of e . French-Canadia- parentage; a dark-haire- beauty. Her father kept a gambling hole In Esmeralda county In the early days Her mother had run away from a convent, after she had become a nun. to marry him. The girl had some of the nun. some of the runaway, and some of the gambling house proprietor In her. It made a queer combination. tfhen she was eighteen years old she came from Carson to visit Lily Trooper over on the Thret Bars ranjh, about sixty miles from here. Sam met her there. She and Sam were married two weeks later. She was a lot younger than Sam; but, even then, he was the richest man In the valley, with every unwedded woman for a hundred miles around setting her cap for him Whether Margarita married him for his wealth, or whether It was to spite the other girls who would have liked to marry him. 1 don't know All I know la that Margarita never had j mite of love for him. She Brayed with him. though, and acted decently enough for two years, until Dan Cannezlano came to the ranch and got a Job on It as a cowpuncber. It WB9 during those two years that Sam hull! this ranebhouse for her. Sam's lead and silver mine had Just come In, and there was not anything, from Italian marble fiteplaces to floors, that was too grand for what Margarita called the Stanley mansion. She left It, all the elegance and the luxury, and she broke her marriage vows, for love of this wop That. I guess. Is fair cowpuncber. and full enough description of Marga big-eye- d leak-woo- rlta I quit blaming I dont blame her. folks for things a good many years ago when, after firing three Chinese cooks In six weeks. I decided that. If we were to live healthy and whole Some. I'd have to take over the Job of cooking as well as housekeeping for the Desert Moon ranch, and set In about It and learned to cook other words, when I became a creator myself, I got to know creations and so quit blaming all of them. If I forget to put the soda In the our milk paneakers, It Isnt their fault If they don't rise. They are a I made them. Margarita was as the Lord made her. He, I suppose, either bad Ola own good reasons for turning out such mess, or else He was tired, or flustered, or maybe, was Just experimenting on the rond to something better when He did It 1 should . explain. I suppose, wish lng to be as honest as possible In spite of the fact that I am writing a mystery story, that Cannezlano bad a good education; he talked poetry, and Margarita beard played the violin. In the outfit's quar down playing, jiim day, and had Bam Invite him up to the house to play. She accompanied him on the grnnd piano that Sam bad bought for her. Before long. Dan Cannezlano was spending a good part of his time at t he ranchliouse Sam, being nobody's fool, soon nw how the land lay: hut he, according to his custom then and now, kept tils mouth shut and tils eyes open Bute enough one evening Sam they tried to elope together went after them and brought them tinek The three of them tool about Then linlf nn hours talk together Sum herded Cannezlano down to the outfit s quarters and I suppose told the men to keep him ttiere. for there lie stayed until Sain was ready for him again The next morning Sam started to He reached therp ttie county seat that evening The following morning he got Ills divorce He came buck to the Desert Moon on the third morning will tils divorce and with a preacher He honl for Canneziann and stood by while flip preacher marrlid Mtirgarl'a Stanley to Daniel Cannezlano. dei ent and legular according to the laws of Nevada by Kay Cleaver Strahan 6 by Doubloday Doran Co., Ine. WNU Servlr Woman a little seasoning of slm pllclty really. Is all It amounts to lint ibere Is a quality uliout Sam that makes a person leel that tie set out, euily in life, to follow I tie recipe for being a man. and that he has made a I borough oh of IL Why lie, as a young man, with a pretty fair edibatlon and a tidy sum of money left him bv his father, who Imd been a well thought of lawyer In Mass, it lumwis. should come out here to Nevada take up his nomestend land, and settle content for the rest of his life, lias always been more or less of a mystery to nie unless you take Sams explanation of It. lie says that, when tils falber died it left him without a relative, whom he knew of, In the world He was twenty years old an-- he owned a set It There It should hnve ended didn't, bemuse Sara never got over So when, nine years loving Margarita later, she came hack to the Desert Moon, with twin girls Danielle und (Jahrlelle, und said that Cannezlano had deserted her and the children I don't Sam took them all right In not or l.novv. vet, whether they took file nurse's name was Mrs Ollle I don't know how old she lllcker I don't was t lien know how old she I do not She never In Iked is now mean tliai she never chatted or gos I mean that she never said slped one word If she could possibly avoid IL At the end of sixteen tears of dally association with Mrs Kicker that Is, tip to the rime of the second Moon I knew murder on the le-- n us her past life much about exactly as ou know at this minute John, at that time was nine years He was as bright, ami as up standing, and us handsome, as any I little fellow to be found anywhere may us well sa.v, now that tills description of John, nt nine years old. la as good a description os I can give of John at twenty five, It you will draw tils height up to six feet. and put on weight accordingly. the orphanage The puperr froi gave Martha's age as five years; hut even I. who knew less about children thuu It was decent for any woman to know, soon saw that something was She walked well enough, but wrong. Her she could scarcely talk at all ways and her habits were those of a Infant, yet she was far Before she too large for that age knew that had been with us a week Martha was not quite right In her Certainly he did not show much surprise when, Id about ten days Cannezlano pul in an appearance Sam allowed him to get a good start with his threats, and then he took him across Ids knees and gave him a sound spunking, and jassed him over to Margarita to dry his fears, and wastied his own hands and went fishing. 1 (tarn h." old. him In That evening lie hud one of ttie men hitch up and take the whole kit and cn boodle of Cannezianos to Itattall In time to catch the east hound train I am ashamed to say that Sam gave them money. I don't know how much A tidy sum. Ill be bound, for shortly after we heard that Cannezlano had opened the finest gambling house south of the Mason and Dixon line, In New Orleans. Sum wanted to keep the children. He offered to adopt them Margnrlta would not consider It When Margnrlta died, In France, seven years after she had paid us her blackmailing visit. Sam. the ninny wrote to Cannezlano and again offered to adopt the girls and give them a He good home on the Desert Moon got a few Insulting, Insinuating lines for an answer. Cannezlano had his own plans for his daughters who had developed Into rare beauties But, If Sam was soft with the worn en, he was not soft with Cannezlano. He had showed up here, beaming and He broke, about three years ago had left, suddenly, after having seen Sam and no one else less beaming but quite as broke as he had bpen when he had come I thought may be, Sam was forgetting that side of the family, and thut this might be a good time to remind him Is Cannezlano planning to come on 8sked later, too. and rest? Just at present he Is In San Quen tin, serving a three years term Danielle didn't say for what deviltry Ills term's up this summer. Poor little girls, Sam went on. 1 reckon we haven't any Idea of what they've been through, all these years." "I reckon not, I agreed But they aren't little girls any more. Seems queer to me. with all the beauty their futher was bragging about that neither of them has married Twen r la getting along." Sam answered, "It Is be bet." Ill cause they have never had any decent opportunities Considering the life that they've had to lead, and all, I think It speaks pretty well tor them that they have come through straight and clean." Instead ol asking him how he knew that, 1 said, You'd be willing, then, to have John marry one of them?'' John, Sam's sdopteo eon. whs the apple of Sam's eye. He would have the ranch, and Sams fortune, other depemtents provided for, when Sum died. Whether or not the girl he mar ried would tie contented to live on the ranch, and help John carry It on and keep up Its traditions, making It one of the proudest spots In Nevada, was 8 .nighty Important thing to Sam He waited so long before Hnsvvertng my question that I was sure I hud hit the nail n the hend. John," he finally said, "Is old enough to take cure ot himself." With that he turned and went out of my kitchen, Dot giving me a chance to y that, though I hod lived through fifty-siyears, I had never yet seen a man at the age he had just men 1 knew that If these Can Honed. nezlano girls came to the Desert Moon, they would bring trouble with them. I was right A merciful Irovl dence be thanked that, for a time at least, the knowledge of now ter rlbly right I was. was spared me. 1 am not an adn irer of men. Look lng at most any man. I find myself thinking what a pity It was be hud to grow op, since as a little, helpless child he would have made complete success Sam Stanley Is different There Is some of the child left In Sam, Just as there la, 1 thlDk, In any good man or He wrote to a big hospital In San Francisco and got In touch with a trained nurse who would be willing to come up and live nn the ranch and take cure ot the two children. He had her go to an orphan s home and select the chlldien and bring them with her when she came The nurse came early In Sept cm her with two brown eyed children named Vera and Alviu Sam at once renamed them John he said, was t he only nune tor d tmy. and M.iry Hie only name for a girl Bui alnce my name was Mary, he would Ip! the little girl have Mari ha which meant, Boss of the according to Sam. 1 mind. Mrs. Klckei knew It. too Her ex cuse was. that she had chosen Martha because she was so pretty; that she Imd hod no opportunity to luilge her She Insisted other characteristics He Left Suddenly After Having Seen Sam and No One Else. of roving toes and an Imagination So he went to California, seeking romance and gold. Finding oelther. he came down here to Nevada. He staked out his hundred and sixty acres with Boulder creek tumbling and roaring through them. He built He hired help. aQd built his cabin fences, mid dug ditches, and planted crops, and bought stock. He bought more land. He hired more help, dug more ditches planted bigger crops, He has been dohough) more stork And. ot ing that regularly ever since. course, he located the lead and stiver mine, on his property, that made him millions It It made him a cent, before It played out. But, In spite of the money that Old Lady Luck. as he called his mine, mndc for him. It Sam never gave his heart to It. was the Desert Moon ranch that he loved, and the money he made from If that he was proud of. That was why. when the honor of the ranch went under, during those terrible weeks lust summer. Sam all but went under with It. After Margarita left the place from her visit of llkip. taking the twins with her. Sum went around for a week or two. with his head cocked to one side as If he was listening for sometliing I knew wnat he was miss lng. ar.d I was not surprised wlu-one day. he told me he Imd decided to send to San Francisco and get a couple of children and adopt them. that she thought, with proper cars. Martha would develop normally Sum knew It, too knew heller But. when I begged and besought hi in not to adopt her, he brought out un argument good and conclusive for him If I dont adopt her. and .akeenre who the heck of her." said Sam. 1 would?" And le spent So adopt her he did a small fortune on doctors, specialists None of them could do ao.v for her It was, they said, a hopeless hlng So, at case of retarded development twenty one years of age, Martha though the cure and doctoring hud given her a tine healihy body, had Hie mind of a child of five or six years not too bright a child either. That At worst - - Well no matwas at best -- ter. Entirely harmless, the doctors said: hut I always bad my doubts. CHAPTER II Arrivals at the Ranch atler Mrs. Bicker cruio to ttie ranch, bringing John and Martha that Hubert Hand put In tils lie had got Mr Indian appearance Chat Ililu as everybody called him to uring him up from Knttall In his old surrey. Mr Indian (.'Imt Chin stopped hls old nag al the entrance to the drive way, und llnlierl Hand climbed care fully down and came op the road, swinging a walking esne like he was leading a parade Bam and I. as was our cnstoin. went walking down to meet him. It was three years Phrase Stone Age Not Literal in Application The Stone age Is a term commonly the earliest recognized singe Id the development of human culture os defined by the materials used by bird for weapons, utensils, etc. The phrase Is somewhat mislead lng. since It Is probable that primitive nuin made use of wood and other Hrlsliuble materials to a far greater extent than of stone, and consequently Hie stage Is defined hy the prevailing material of the relics, not by that ot actual Implements In common use. The term Stone age" represents In no sense a chronological division ot ho nuin progress, but Is a liaise equivalent for a stage of cultural development varying widely In duration In different parts of the world Theie are, e. g.. tribes still In the Stone age. while, on the other hand, some groups had out used to denote Recipe for Perfect Day day la Just us perfect as you want to make It Helen Christine Bennetl A gives a perfect day decalogue In an article for the Physicnl Culture Mag nzlne. Slip writes: "1. I wake up Stretch i. Get a cheerful frame of mind. X 4. Take Drink a glass of cool water It before the dawn of history also worth noting Dial some tribes commonly classed as belonging to the Slone age produced objects of a siqierlor artistic and Industrial merit to those w'ho had advanced to the use of metuls The evidence for the ex Istence ot such an age In most parts of the world Is conclusive, but It Is from the prevalence and character of the relics n certain parts of Kuriqie rather than Id America that the idea and term have come Info general use. grown It Is Famous Song Not Burns t the song Although the words "Aulil Lang Syue appear In Burns' works, lie hiniplt. admits thnl he wrote only the second and third stun zus. A song ot the same Title can be traced to Hie latter part of Iffno ip a letter to George Thomson. September. 17IK1 Burns says "One song more I have done. 'Anld Lang Svne.' The air Is hut mediocre but the following song, the old song of the olden times, und which has never been In print nor even In manuscript until I took It down from an old mans singing, Is enough to recommend any air, Mark of Gentleman ten minutes setting up exercises, ft 6 Take a shower warm, then cool 7 Be Don't eat too much breakfast fuse to rush 8 Walk part way to We are Just men and women deal Just ordinary human beings lng 1 "" like ourselves Let' r jugt ' Mke we Don't worry wlillp In ymii 10 Bps! before vour dlnne, and dont work evenings' fonsldei work. office. U rtr wo" Ljia He took off hls hat to me, and said to Sam, 1 wish to see tbe owner of this ranch." "Nobody ever mistook me tor a fairy before." Sura said. "But go ahead. Youi first wish la gramed. What are the other two?" Hubert Hand got out hls card then. Besides uis name it had "Clover-blossoCreamery," and the San Francisco address printed on IL Hubert Hand explained that he bad un up und coming creamery business in San Francisco, but that his physician had told him thut he mid to live in a high dry climate with punty of sunshine und no fog. tie bad, after inquiries and Investigations, decided that the Desert Moon ranch, altitude seven thousand feet, sunshine three hundred and 6lxty five days In the year, to say nothing ot the marvelous view ol the Garnet mountains, the hunting, the fishing, and the pure snow water, would fill all bis requirements. Hls proposition was thut he start a creamery, on the Desert Moon ranch, and supply the valley with Ice cream, butter, and other dairy products. Sam had the ranch, the cows, the big Ice plant. Mr Hubert Hand had the knowledge and the equipment They could divide the profits. Next to sheep men, guess there Is Dotliing that cow men hold In lower contempt than they nold dairy fauns Sam was too much disgusted to sweat very long. I he said Listen, stranger," wouldnt turn the Desert Moon Into a place to slop milk around In If the entire valley had to depend od Hongkong, Chum, for Its Ice cream cones. Forget It, and come in now and have some supper. To my knowledge, Hubert Hand, from that day to this, has never again mentioned, on the Desert Moon, anything tha had to do with creameries. Neither, from that day to this, has he been off the ranch for more than a couple of weeks at a time By ttie way," he began, trying co make It sound unimportant, when we had finished supper, 1 heard. In Tel-kthat you were something of a chess player," am, when I can get a game, Sam saio Rut chess Mayers, In these parts, are as scarce as hens teeth." I pmy a little," Hubert Hand product, right modestly. Bam junied up aud got out hls chess table. Hubert Hand beat him the first game in about half an hour. Iliey set lip their men again. It took Hubert Hand over m hour that lime to beat Sain, 1 1 hut he did ft. Heck! Sam said, at the end of that game. You're hired. Hired for what?" For whatever you want co call It, except the slopping of milk around. Send foi your trunk and name your pay Why didnt yon say. In the first place, that you were a blankety blank crack chess player? Hubert Hand accepted Sams offer, then and there. The next day he titled himself assistant ranch manager and named hls salary at two hundred and fifty dollars a month. Sum paid It without blinking; and kept right on managing the ranch, and everything on It. except perhaps, myself, without any assls.nnce. the same as he had always done IhHdwick Canfield, the other member of our household, who was present on the Desert Moon ranch at the time of the first murder, came only two years ago last October He was wearing white corduroy trousers, a long yellow rubber raincoat. and a straw hat tethered to Its He was buttonhole with a string. carrying a ukulele under his arm and a camera In hls hand He took off hls hai displaying a head full ot Re smiled, dispretty yellow curls playing a sweet, gentle disposition. (If there Is any better Index to character than the way a person smiles. I have never found It.) 1 have How do you do? he said. come t visit yon." By the time Sam got bis pipe pickeJ up, John had got down the forty-fee- t length of living room and had Chad hy both hands. nd was Introducing him as the friend he had told os nhouL the friend he had made at Mathers field, during the war. The way of that was. John had saved hls life for him down there, and had never since been able to get out from under the responsibility of IL Jolm had found a Job for him, after the armistice, and when Chad lost IL John had loaned him money to start out In a vaudeville act He did fine with Hint for three yenrs. aDd was making good money, when he got into an automobile accident In Kansas City and was laid up for months In the hospital there. John had wired money to him, and had asked him to come Tor a visit to the Desert Moon. But, since he had had a standing Invitation for years, and since he had sent no word that he wrs coming, John was as much surprised as any of us that evening. Chad was little, plndling fellow. Around Sam and John and Hubert Hand he looked about as iainty and trifling rs the garnish around the platter of the Thanksgiving turkey. He seemed kind of like that, too; like the extra bit of garnishing that make s lifes platter prettier and nicer but never maybe, abso-useles- News Notes Its a Privihige to Live In UTAH The city ot RooseROOSEVELT velt recently voted to bond for and develop-men- t 135,000 for the repair of the water system. The provotes. position had but 18 negative p HEBER CITY bnap bean pro-uto 3900 1 amounted to October duction for caning pui poses in Utah tons, the department ot agriculture reports. With 77S1 head ot OGDEN livestock received at Ogden stockrecord yards recently, a new high Wit-locfor the season was set, L. F. Tha announced. manager, five states, came from shipments and consisted of the following: 4490 bead of sheep, 2324 head of cattle and 9S7 head of hogs. S. O. Harper, genCOALVILLE eral superintendent of construction of the bureau of reclamation, with headquarters at Denver, made an Inspection of the work in progress at the Echo dam in commtry with F. F. Smith, local construction enof last wTeek, gineer the latter part for Denver. here recently leaving During the past ROOSEVELT m the year, extensive year done Uintah basin, in the traw berry valley and in Daniels Creek canyon ha3 placed the vast inland empire of Utah many hours closer to central state points, and given greathigher promise of a direct way to Utah and Salt Lake valleys It is practically cerRICHFIELD tain that 40,000 baby chicks will be raised in a community brooder to be established in Richfield. Thm is in addition to 150,000 that will be brooded by individual owners. An organization has been effected which will go ahead Immediately to raise the necessary funds to begin construct'on of the brooder. OGDEN A solid trainload of cat tie arrived at the Ogden Union stock yards October 23 from Jack-so- n Hole, Wvo , and sold at prices slightly above the general level for the week thj3 far. There wen 27 cars in this shipmJLt and represents one of the largest single consignments to ever sell at the local yards. PROVO Ott Ronmcy, coach ct the Brigham Young university, said recently that it looked as though the institution would have to do without swimming this year, because of the lack ot a pool. C. S. Leaf, swimming instructor for many years, is considering offers from, the Pacific coast, but has not yet decided where to go. LOGAN Three carloads of apwere inspected by Harry C. ples Parker, state and federal agricultural Inspector, at the Cache Commission company recently. There will be approximately 15 more carloads of apples shipped out this yehr, according to George B. Bowen, manager of the Commission house, which will bring the total up to nearly the same figure as last year, 40 carloads. PRICE One ot the most unusual deer ever killed in this section was brought into Price this week by Morgan King. The horns of the animal are still in the silk, and according to numerous hunters they have never before seen a covering on the horns this late in tha year. Weighing 210 pounds, the deer has been adjudged one of the most perfect specimens shot in eastern Utah. It has 23 points, all completely covered with "silk". VERNAL The city council has appropriated $750 to assist In rebuilding the road that runs north from the monument, a distance of something over a mile, to Ashleyfp? creek, where it joins the VernahfM Manila highway. It is understoodpf' that Uintah connty will appropriate' $750, and that the state will eou tribute $1500, making a total of $300 available for the Improvement. 1 Work will begin at once. In order! that the road may be completed before winter. FILLMORE The Telluride Power and Light company Is to furnish Scipio with power. This was definitely decided and the town hoard signed the contract with the power company Iasi week. Tha proposed line will come by way of Holden and will be built as near the state highway as posible. The survey will begin this week. Scipio will furnish the necessary laborers and, If the weather remains favorable, the work will be completed by January. MONROE Saturday, November 8, has been set as Lamb Feeders' . day in Monroe. Invitations have fV been sent to the governor and all f lamb feeders and growers, and also Jr. to the state livestock commission. Buyers from all parts of the west & also were invited. A larger crowd Is expected than was present lust year. K. 1. Ikeler, Professor Alma Esplain and Professor H. Smith, all representing the Utah Agricul- tural college, will be in Monroe f November 1 to supervise beginning of the lamb feeding experiments, j. which will be conducted In Monroe t k, all-ye- |