OCR Text |
Show THE SAUNA SUN, SAUNA, UTAH THE BRANDING IRON CHAPTER XIV Continued. Katharine Newlin Burt 12 She only drew gradually Into herself, shrinking from her pain and from him as the cause of it; she only lost her her face glow of seemed dwindled, seemed to contract, and that secret look of a wild animal Unturned to her gray eyes. She quietly gave tip the old regulations of their life; she did not remind him of s, the the the hours of wild outdoor play. She read under the firs, alone; she studied faithfully, alone; she climbed and swam, alone or with his ahsent-- . minded, fitful company; she worked In her garden, alone. At night, when he was asleep, she lay with her hand pressed against her heart, staring at the darkness, listening to the night, waiting. She never expressed her trouble, even to herself. She did not give it any words. She took her pain without wincing, without complaint. Besides, although she was instinctively waiting, she did not foresee the end. f It was in late October when, somewhere In the pile of Prospers mail, there lay a small gray envelope. Joan drew his attention to It, calling It a "queer little letter, and he took It up slowly, as though his deft and nervous fingers had gone numb. Before he opened It he looked at Joan and. In one sense, It was the last time he ever did look at her; for at that moment his stark spirit looked straight Into hers, acknowledging Its guilt, and bade her a mute and remorseful faremusic-hour- study-hour- Copyright by Katharine N. Burt parture, came out at noon and found herself In the small, guy house' alone. She sat in one of the lacquered relation. chairs and saw after a long while that From the northern wing of the the Chinaman was looking at her. strongly lighted, came a tumult Wen Ho, it seemed, had been given of sound: music, thumping feet, a Instructions. He was to stay and take mans voice chanting couplets: care of the house and the lady for as long as she wanted it, or him. After- Oh, you walk rlgrht through and you turn around and swing the girl ward he was to lock up the house and that finds you. go. He handed her a large and bulky And you come rtsht back by the same took lie and let which Joan old track and turn the girl behind envelope, In her lap. you. ranch-hous- e, You can go tomorrow, Vven Ho, she said. You no wait for Mr. Gael to come hack? lie say he come back." No. I am not going to wait. I here Joan twisted her mouth guess into a smile Im not one of the waitback to my own ing kind. Pm ranch now. It wont seem so awful lonesome, perhaps, as I was thinking last spring that it would." She touched the envelope without looking at It. Is this money, Wen IIo? I tink so, lady." She held It, unopened, out to him. I wilL give It to you, then. I have no need of it." She stood up. "I am going out now to climb up this mountain hack of the house sos I can see Just where I am. Ill come well. He read and Joan watched. His face grew pale and bright as though some electric current had been turned Into his veins; bis eyes, looking up from the writing, but not returning to her, had the look given by some drug which is meant to stupefy, hut which taken In an overdose Intoxicates. He turned and made for the door, holding the little gray folded paper in Ids hand. On the threshold he half faced her without lifting his eyes. I have had extraordinary news, Joan. I shall have to go off alone and think things out. I dont know when I shall get hack." He went out and shut the door gently. Joan stood listening. She heard him go along the passage and through the second door. She heard his feet on the mountain trail. Afterward she went out and stood between the two sentinel firs that had marked the enlong since trance to that snow-tunndisappeared. Now It was a late October day, bright as a hared sword. The flowers of the Indian paint-hrus- h homed like red candle flames everyd where nnder the firs, the like laid leaves were. the aspen blazed, little golden tiles against the metallic blue of the sky. The high peak pointed up dizzily and down, down dizzily Into the clear emptiness of the lake. This great peak stood there In the glittering stillness of the day. A grouse boomed, but Joan was not startled by tbe sudden rush of Its wings. She felt the sharp weight of that silent mountain In her heart ; she might have been burled under It. So she felt It all day while she worked, a desperate, bright day hideous In her memory and at night she lay waiting. After hours longer than any her hours, the door of her bedroom opened nnd an oblong of moonlight, ns white as paper, fell across the matted floor. Prosper stepped In noiselessly and walked over to her bed. He stood moment and she heard him swallow. Youre awake, Joan? Her eyes were staring up at him, hut she lay still. ne spoke in short Listen, Joan. sentences, waiting between each for some comment of hers which did not I shall have to go away tocome. morrow. I shall have to go away for some time. I dont want you to be unhappy. I want you to stay here for a while If you will, for so long as you want to stay. I am leaving you plenty of money. I will write and explain it all very clearly to you. I know that Here you 'will understand. Listen. he knelt and took her hands, which he found lying cold and stiff under the I cover, pressed against her heart. in here this made have you happy little house, havent I, Joan? She would not answer even this except by the merest flicker of her eyeel fire-wee- lids. You have trusted me; now trust me a little longer. My life Is very This beautiful year complicated. with you, the year you have given to me, is Just n temporary respite from from all sorts of things. Ive taught you a great deal, Joan. Ive healed the wound that brute made on your shoulder and In your heart. Ive taught you to he beautiful. Ive filled your mind with beauty. You are a wonderful woman. You'll live to he grateful to me. Some day you'll tell me so. Her quiet, curved lips moved. Are Prosper? you tellln me god-by- , He to her. He bent his head. Yes, Joan. Then tell it quick and go out and leave me here tonight." It was Impossible to touch her. She might have been wrapped In white fire. He found that though she had not stirred a finger, his hand shrunk away from hers. He got to his feet, all the cleverness which all day long he had been weaving like a silk net to catch, to hewllder, to draw away her brain from the anguish of full comprehension, was shriveled. He stood and stared helplessly at her, dumb as a youth. And. obedient, he went out and shut tbe door, taking the white patch of moonlight with him. 80 Joan, having waited, behind an obstinately locked door, for bis de- - It was Impossible to t own squat active shadow, he looked like a huge spider weaving a web. This effect was heightened by the fact that he never looked up. He was deep In some plan to which It was impossible for her not to believe that the curious pattern of his walk bore some Someone was directing a quadrille native fashion. There was much laughter, confusion nnd applause. None of this noise dlsturlied the man. lie did not look nt the lighted windows, He might really hnve been a gigantic insect entirely unrelated to the human creatures so noisily neat in at hand. A man round the corner ot crossed the square, and, lurching a little, made for the door of the lighted whig. Shortly after Ills entrance the sound of music and dancThis stillness ing abruptly stopped. gave the spider pause, hut he was about to renew his weaving, when, in the silence, a woman spoke. You, Mabel, dont you go home," she said. She bad not spoken loudly, but her voice beat against the walls of the court as though it could have filled the whole moonlight night with dangerous beauty. The listener outside lifted his head with a low, startled exclamation. Suddenly the world was alive with adventure and alarm. Mind your own business, you wildcat. answered a mans raucous voice. Shes my wife, which Is somethin that your sort knows nothin about. Conte on, you Mabel. If you think that outlaw can keep me from takin home my wife, youre betting wrong." Another silence: then the voice again, a little louder, ns though the speaker had stepped out Into the center of the room. home with Mabel Is not you, It said; nnd the listener outside threw hack his head with the gesture of a man sensitive to music who lisShe tens to some ecstatic melody. happens to be stoppln here with us tonight. You say that shes your wife, but that dont mean that she belongs to you, body and soul. Bill Greer not to you, who dont possess your own body or soul. Why, yon cant keep your feet steady; yon cant pull your harid away from mine. You cant hold your tipsy eyes on mine. Ho you call that ownin your own body? A deep, short, alarming chorus of laughter Interrupted the speech. The speaker evidently had her audience. S you dont own anything tonight," Joan Shrank Back Into the Shadows went p on the extraordinary, deliberate of the Pines. voice; "surely you dont own Mabel. down tonight for dinner and tomorrow You cant get a claim on her, not after breakfast Ill be going away. thataway. Shes her own. She belongs to her own self. When youre You understand? fit to take her, why, then come and mean me all this give Lady, you tell us about it, and If we Judge youre money? babbled the Chinaman. us the truth, mebbe well let I have said Joan Yes, gravely; a pause which her go. Till then no need of it." a rapid shuffling of with was filled She went past him with lier swingfeet. The door flew open and tn its ing step. oblong the observer saw a lighted She was coming down the mountainhuddled figure behind which rose a side that evening, very tired, but with black and shapely head. womans the curious, peaceful stillness of heart Till then, repeated tbe deep-tonethat comes with an entire acceptance And the get out! voire, ringing of fate, when she heard the sound of man CRtne on a staggering run huddled horses hoofs in the hollow of the which ended in a backward fall on canyon. Her heart began to beat to tbe cobbles of the court. suffocation. She ran to where, standThe man who watched trod lightly ing near a big fir tree, she could look him and came to the open door. past on down trail the leading up straight firelight beat on the golden log Inside, to Prospers cabin. Presently the walls and salmon-coloretimber cellIn one came that horseman sight the a beam from a hanging lamp rode first was tall and broad and fair, ing; down a strong, conflicting arc threw hat-brihis see under his she could of white light. A dozen brown-facestra'ght nose and firmly modeled chin. hooted young men stood about, three said Joan; then, "The were ready to take up their musicians looking at the other, who rode behind music, the little fat mnn Interrupted him, she caught at the tree .with who bad called out tbe figures of the crooked hands nnd began to sink quadrille stood on a barrel, Ills arms slowly to her knees. lie was tall and folded across his paunch. A slight, he rode with inimitable grace. girl, her face marred by recent tears, As she stared, he took off his somdrooped near him. Two of the young brero, rested hib hand on the saddle-hor- men were murmuring reassurances to and looked haggardly, eagerly up d others surrounded a stout, the trail toward the house. Ills face her; talkand was who laughing girl was whiter, thinner, worn by proing loudly. The Jews eyes wandered tracted mental pain, but It was the till they came to the fireplace. There beautiful living face of Pierre. woman leaned against the another Joan shrank back Into the shadows wall. minof the pines, crouched for a few The music struck up, the dancing utes like a mortally wounded beast, again, the two other girls, quickbegan e mountain-sidas then ran up the with partners, began to ly provided though the fire that had once touched men stood up the waltz, superfluous her shoulder had eaten its way at last and went nt It with gravity together Into her heart. and grace. No one asked this woman, who stood at ease, watching the dancBook Two: The Estray ers, her hands resting on her hips, her bend tilted hack against the logs. CHAPTER I As he looked nt her, the intruder had a queer little thrill of fright, ne reA Wildcat. membered something he had once ranch-house- , a one- seen a tame panther which was to be The Lazy-storied building of logs, was built used In some moving-picturplay. Its about three sides of-paved court. confident ownc bad led It on a chain In the middle of this court stood a well and held It negligently In a corner of with a high rustic top, and about this the room, waiting for his cue. The well on a certain brilliant July night, panther had stod there drowsily. Its a tall man was strolling with his eyes shifting a little, then, watching hands behind his hack. It was a night people. Its Inky head had begun to of full moon, sailing high, which move from side to side. lie remempoured whiteness into the court, mak- bered the way th loose chain Jerked. ing Its cobbles embedded In the earth The animals eyes hnlf closed, it low-ere- d look like milky bubbles and drawing Its head, Its upper lip began to clear-cu- t and draw away from It teeth. All at shadows of the well-tothe gables and chimneys of the house. once It had dropped on Its belly. The man slowly circled the court, be- Someone cried out, Hold your beast!" (TO BE CONTINUED.) ginning close to the walls and narrowing till he made a loop about the Banish Fear. well, and then, reversing, wonted In Good work can only be done by widening orbits as far as the walls again. His wife, looking out at him people who have abolished fear; subthrough one of the windows, thought lime thoughts come only as wo put that. In the moonlight, followed by his fear behtod. Elbert Hubbard. came the house, d r! fair-haire- d red-face- e 4,000,000 Autos Is Output, Year 1923 , Trade Experts Estimate Production at Best in Industrys ing efficiency. In the main, the motorcar producing companies are financing from tlielr own resources the greatest volume of business in their history, and, in spite of this, are carrying cash balances larger thun ever before; "Another favorable feature of tbe current situation Is the strong position of the dealer branch of the Industry. Notwithstanding the volume of business placed by the dealers with the manufacturers during the last ten months, stocks of new cars In retail merchandising channels are relatively small. This means that the dealers will have to place substantial orders for spring models during the next four months. The used-ca- r situation, though still unfavorable, gives evidence of readjusting Itself on a better basis. Used car losses suffered by deulers during tbe third quarter of 1923 amounted to $5,054,000, according to the Nutional Automobile Dealers association, a reduction of 73 per cent as compared with the second quarter. This Indicates thut the dealers are less disposed to make unrea- History. New York. Tbe manner In which the production and sale of automobiles is holding up at this season of the year has surprised even the most optimistic leuders in the Industry. When an output of approximately 3,400,000 cars in the first ten months of the current year was reported, predictions were made that the demand for 1023 hud virtually been satisfied and that a reduction lu sales would not be surprising in the closing months of the year. This predicted slump, however, has failed to materialize thus far, and while there bus been some curtuilment In production schedules, the seasonal slack has been less pronounced than in other years. The statement Is now made in the trade that record-breakin- g current automobile business Is better than thut for the corresponding period of any preceding year. Both sales and production thus far this fall huve run 40 per cent ahead of a year ago, and the 1922 autumn season was an unusually uclive one for the trade. To Establish New Mark. Due to the practical closing of the open-cu- r season and the seasonal taking of Inventory, some further curtailment of production Is to he expected for the remainder of the year, but de- are carried out) approximately cars anl trucks. Another corporation Is planning to produce approximately 88,000 cars in January, 1924. Tills figure Is only about 3, (XX) cars less than the output for October, the best month in the history of the company. These two companies are the leaders of the automobile Industry. Between them they sell more than 50 per cent of the total production of motorcars. In connection with the movement of prices, the review says thnt, although uutomoblles prices are now at approximately the lowest levels ever reached, some further slight downward readjustments early next year are probable. At least two of the leading manufacturers In the field are planning to 3,000,-00- high-price- 0 d make reductions, while a number ' of other producers In the medium-pricefield are planning to bring out cars to sell under, or around $1,(XX). These d moves will doubtlessly lead some of the companies already established In these fields to make price Chicago Gets Largest Topaz. Chicago. A giant topaz sent to the Field museum from Brazil by Dr. Oliver C. Farrington, who is on a sonably high allowances on trade-ins- . expedition for the museum, On October 1 last dealers had a stock wus measured by Dr. II. W. Nichols, of 390, (UK) used automobiles, compared associate curator. He found the diwith 430, (MX) on January 1. mensions 9 Inches by 10 by 17. It is One Firm Plans 10,000 Cars Dally. believed to be the largest topaz In the Meanwhile, the Industry Is now world. "I Judge that it weighs ht least turning its attention to the 1924 pros- 100 pounds, said Doctor Nichols. pects. It Is announced that one comTwo Oregon men huve invented a pany Is planning to produce an averspite this It is expected that the Indus- age of 10,000 cars a day on February 1, compressed air apparatus, controlled mark 1924. The present output of the com- by a simple lever In the pilot house, try will establish a 4.000, production record this year. Most of pany, which has been steadily Increas for steering ships. the leading manufacturers, It is pointed out, have large unfilled orders for closed curs on their books, and this business, together with the orders placed by the Southern and Pacific const territories for open curs, Is expected to hold the average output for November nnd December dose to the 300,000-cu- r mark. If the 4.000,000-ca- r mark is reached, It is Interesting to Is a part of Travelers Aid service recall that the highest estimate for Aid Societies Declare which Travelers 1923 output made by any producer at protects Inexperienced travelers from harm by giving advice and help Over 900 Girls Have the National Automobile show last at railroad stations and steamship January called for a production of only Not Been Found. piers, according to John It. Shilludy, 3,000,000 cars, or approximately 25 per general director of the National assocent less than the probable output for New York. More than 11,000 girls ciation. the year. Work In 160 Cities. The splendid showing made by the and women were reported missing In Aid workers In 100 cities 1922 Travelers by police 1922 heuilquarters during nnd two 1023, Industry during reaking years, 1ms resulted in un- 33 American cities, and approximate- helped more than 2,000,000 persons usual prosperity for the manufacturers, ly 9X) of them hud not been located last year, he said, "saving thousands of girls from being lured off by dethe result being that they are virtually by December 31. These figures were gathered by the signing Individuals In crowded staall In a strong financial position The Standard Dally Trade Service Nutional Association of Travelers Aid tions. The service helped all travelIllustrative of this strong po- Societies of this city in an effort to ers, from mere Information seekers to says: sition of the industry is the fact that estimate the number and types of per- those In dire emergency. Police reports show that In New although Its output this year will be sons who drop out of sight each year. more than 50 per cent greater than last Reports from 37 cities, the associa- York city, 2,440 girls and women were year, plant expansion has been pro- tion said, gave a total of 31,038 men, reported missing In 1922, 1,052 of vided for almost entirely from earn- women and children who disappeared, whom were girls under twenty-on- e is about 2,500 of whom were not found. years. Chicago recorded 1,549; Los production ings, and Increased Seeking for people who disappear Angeles, 1,020; Philadelphia, 1,006; meusurubly due to greater manufactur St. Louis had 798; San Francisco, 471, nnd Detroit, 311. About 92 per cent of the missing were finally located dead or alive but the records show that many had undergone experiences worse than death. Large as these figures are, they represent only about one-haof the actual number of those who actually dropped out of sight at some time during the year, In the opinion of Capt. John H. Ayers, chief of thq bureau of missing persons, New York eity. Fall to Report Disappearances. "People often fall to report disappearing members of their family to us because they mistakenly fear we will bring publicity upon them, when thnt is the last thing we want to do, said Captain Ayers In a statement to the National association. Many also drop out of sight who have no one sufficiently Interested to mnke a report. In our best Judgment, we feel It fair to double actual figures, making a total of 4,892 women and girls In New York city, of whom 3,304 were under twenty-on- e years of age. If the same ratio of disappearance holds good for the United States ns applies to New York city, then we can arrive by an arithmetical computation at the total for the United States, which will approximate 00,000 girls who probably disappear annually. Of course, It must he understood vessels Here is the British schooner Tonmku, boldest of the disapoperating off the Atlantic coast, which was shelled and captured by two coast that those are not permanent ' guard cutters and brought to New York. Inserted Is a portrait of William F. pearances, as a very large per cent (Bull) McCoy, avowed and defiant liquor smuggler, who was caught on board are accounted for. Our record for last year was 98 per cent found. the Tomaka. gem-hunti- (XKt-c- 11,000 Women Reported As Missing During 1923 record-b- Notorious Is Caught lf rum-runnin- g MAN-EATIN- G SAVAGE OF SAMOA FINALLY CAPTURED Overpowered by an Escaped Prisoner and Taken to Naval Station at Tutuiia. a p ing all year, Is approximately 7,500 car a day, and the total to be turned out In 1923 will approximate 2,000,000 vehicles. On tlie basis of 10,000 cars per day, this companys plants alone would turn out next year (if current plans Iago Pago, American Samoa. capture of the last of four wild The man-eatin- g savages who escaped from the Island of New Hebrides in 1890 and landed on the Island of Tutuiia on a dread of the israft, ends the the for here natives land The wild man was captured by an escaped prisoner who, being filled with remorse and ashamed again to face his fellow-man- , said he took to the hills of Pago Iugo where he had planned to commit suicide. While the escaped prisoner was making preparations to carry out his suicidal Intent, he was confronted by the black savage. The convict "got the drop on the wild man, bound him and held hUu yrlwaer over night. The next 30-ye- man-eater- s. day the prisoner brought tds savage captive to the Tutuiia naval station here, where the two took tlielr stand in dramatic fashion under the Stars and Samoans gathered, but, apStripes. to attack the savage feared parently they had hunted for many years. Robert Louis Stevenson, In one of his books, told of the escape of four black recruited laborers from a German plantation In New Hebrides. The men, Stevenson wrote, fled owing to their and esnped to Tutuiia on a raft. One was killed. The three remaining blacks haunted the bush not far from Pago Pago, towards the eastern end of Tutuiia, and were occasionally seen by hunters. In the year 1000 one was caught by a young Samoan chief, and the captured savage said that one of the other two had died, leaving only one at large. This Is the man wbo has just been brought In. Needs $1,000,000 for Mosquito War Atlantic City, N. J. It will cost $1,000,000 to end the career of the New Jersey mosquito. This was revealed when mosquito extermination commissions of nine counties met here recently and decided to ask the next legislature for the money. It Is estimated the state had 290.000 acres of breeding land when war on the mosquito started, ten years ago. Half of It has been drained at a cost of $1,000,000, Bees Baby Die in Flames.' Hinton, III. Forced to watch her baby daughter burn to death in a fire which destroyed a barn at her home, Mrs. Marvin Ford Is In a serious condition. Four men held the woman to prevent her running Into the blazing barn where she also would have |