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Show THE SAUNA SUN. SAUNA, UTAH KSk2X By Robert Stead Author ofmTh "GOODEY!" WNU Service Copjritfht by Hubert Stead Lured by his playmate, Jean Lane, Frank Hall, atejl si, ventures on the forbidden wall of a dam, In a small Ontario town. He falls Into the water and Is saved from possible death ,by cling. ng to Jean's outstretched arms. Next day Jean informs him that because of their adventure of the day before he is" in duty bound to marry her. He agrees when they are "grownups." With Jeans brother, John, also aged six, Frang begins school. Two years later they are joined by Jean and. Frank's sister, Marjorie. A little later Jean confides to Frank. In verse, her hopes of some day beHe accepts coming "Mrs. Hall. the "proposal." Frank Is fourteen when his mother dies. The boys are eighteen when John's father Is killed In an accltfent. Two years later Franks fattier and John's rnytlieE .are married. Dissat lulled with conditions, and ambitious, the two boys make plans to go to Manitoba and "hpniestead," the girls agreeing to go with them. They set out. . At Kegina they meet "Jake, who agrees to find them satisfactory He does so, and the . homesteads. two friends file claims on Sections Fourteen and Twenty-twJake sagely advises tho adventurers In the purchase of and In a wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen, and with a cow, the four arrive at their future homes. Construction of "shacks" and the making of a garden are their first occupations. A young of the name of Englishman "Spoof" Is a neighbor. They call on Spoof, who la living in a tent. Spoof, on his return visit, discloses himself as a man of varied social aftainments. Frank's Jealousy is aroused. Marjorie discovers that they. have a new neighbor. "He" turnq out to be a Mrs. Alton, a widowed lJnglish-womawho, with her son Gerald, has taken Frank and John tip a claim. leave the homesteads for a time to do harvest work for wages on farm. They a encounter Jake, who tells them of his adventure into matrimony, After two months, absence they SYNOPSIS Cow Puncher," "Tho Homesteader" four-year-o- ld "Spoof? 1 should say he has. By tide "time lies lialf waj to Andy SmitU's. Unfortunately I didnt have u monkey wrench," said Burke, with a chuckle, hut I reckoned likely Andy Smith would have one, Spoof having been a ship builder. wouldnt stay to eat, but he drank a cup of tea and steamed away." We explained that we were tracking Spoof in case he became lost, any reference to the ultimatum that hud sent us after him. Declining tlie invitation of Burke and his wife to stay and eat, we pushed on. About half way to Andy Smiths we met Spoof coming hack. Andy had not seen the Joke when It was first presented, and In his analysis of It had revealed It to Spoof as soon as he recognized It himself. Tills was fortunate .for Spoof, as otherwise he would doubtless have been sent to Ole Bunsens In continuation of Jiis Quest. As Spoof came up to us his face twisted in a broad grin. wrench? "Did .you get a we asked. No, but I found out. what a' cogitation nut is. Tills is.it, and he tupped his head with his knuckles, only It doesn't cogitate very well." The three of us linked arms. Spoof, in the middle, and trudged hack toward Burkes. Mighty decent of you to come after . mo." said Spoof at length. Yes, wasnt It?" we agreed. Lucy Burke would take no ref.usal lids tlmp, so Spoof and Jack and I stayed for dinner. I had a feeling that this was had generalship, and tlmt we should he hurrying home, where Jean' was doubtless waiting with growing concern. I managed, to mention my forebodings to Jack. Dont you believe it," he whispered hack. "When a woman reads you the return to their homes. Jeans enthusiastic) welcome encourages riot not go out n.nd have a. riot. NothFrank. The land sections begin ing makes her so unhappy as to susnato fill up with settlers of ail Jthnt her husband Is having a pect Jake and his wife tionalities. have located In the neighborhood. good time when she thinks he should Mrs. Alton remains strangely he doing penance." . aloof. Winter sets in. Frank and After with the lonelidinner Burke, ena Into enter Jean marriage ness of a homesteader to whom the gagement. It is well understood that John and Marjorie are soon visit of a .neighbor Is something of an Frank almost to he married. detained us ns long'aS'pbssTTTnr event, loses his life In a snowstorm. on one pretext or another, nnd finally, Spoof drives thirty miles to the when we Insisted upon going, hitched nearest town to make arrangements for a double wedding. the mules nnd drove us hack to up Frank and John, for a Joke, send Fourteen. Spoof on a fool's errand, through a storm. It was dark by this time and the I noticed that .lamps were lighted. lumps were hot so flint their yellow CHAPTER XI Continued wedges of light thrust out into the 10 darkness from each of our windows. " "5ot a chance," her brother assured Jean was at the door with the sound Ilut I'd five a dollar to he at of our sleigh hells, and ns I passed her. close by tier I scrutinized her face for Burke's. some hopeful sign. It was a blank At Burkes? Why? wall. lit Miss tie of Beenuse, Innocence, We made Spoof and Burke stay for two facts. First, there is no such thing as a cogitation nut, and second, supper, nnd no one had more fun over the dny's events Hum had Spoof. Jean there Is no such thing as a kept her Indignation well bridled, nnd monkey wrench." But Juke icuine for It he told we were a happy party, outwardly, at any rate. Spoof and Burke made It Spoof Exactly. Thats why he told him." up that they would drive to Jakes For a moment Jeans face was a late that night, when he would be t lie puzzle as her mind unraveled mixed threads of Jakes little comedy. Ilut suddenly her eyes blazed with a light such as I hud seen In them only ouee before, and then, as now, It wus for Spoof that light had burned. So you sent him out on a day like this," she said, speaking slowly and through teeth that were utmost closed you sent him out on a day like this, across the untraekod snow, hunting for something that doesnt exist, lie 'may find something he wasnt sent left-han- d d o. sup-plic- left-han- d a, n, three-year-o- longer-establishe- ld d left-han- d for." Oh, come now, sister, don't take It too seriously. It Is just a joke." "It will he no joke If Spoof Is lost on the prairie," she returned; no Joke for any of us. For example, there will be no marriage In this house, so far us I am concerned, if anything happens to Spoof." Isn't that rather mixing the issue?" I said, perhaps a little testily. Spoof has nothing to do with our marriage. No, hut I have, she answered, with H.pointeilness that could not be escaped. "You make n mountain out of a One molehill, Jack told tier, sharply. would think it was Spoof you were In love with, instead of Frank. "If 1 discuss that at ull I will dis-- t uss It with Frank, alone," she re-- I rted, with some heat. The color vdiich had lied her face for a moment had come hack In a Hood, tilling her cheeks and forehead, overllowing down her neck and Into her hair. If Jean I he placid, Jean the Jean the ainluhle was lovely, Jean t lie i. roused, Jean the detiant, was ador-- i Me. I made that appraisal even v bile,, in her eyes I read something i 'dn to my death warrant. I was quite serious In what I said, Frank," she continued, after a mo-ent. lf It makes any difference jo : u perhaps you will follow Spoof.. !:e hasnt the prairie sense that you 've; he may he lost by tills time. 1 orunately there Is no ground drift, sad his tracks will show. Of course, if you think there Is any danger, Ill go, 1 agreed, eager for a way ont of an awkward position, and aerated at heart by a sense of the h"each that had occurred between us. So Jack and I set out to follow Spoofs tracks. We traced him without difficulty to Burke's. "Ha? Spoof been here? we asked .r America'!. oelghhor when he came o rhe .Ion? n 1 I ov-- can be explained, to Jack and Marjorie. We must not Interfere with their marriage or their happiness. And Spoof must not know. Spoof not know I How shall we prevent I mean he must not know why our marriage Is post Is off. Dont why toes In the warm sand arfd watching you see, Frank ; Spoof must not know the spray of misty diamonds from the I love ldra. She whispered the last waterwheel across the stream . . . words and turned her head away, as "Spooky old machljie, a banjo, .though ashamed of her confession. T heard. Spoof say at isnt It? Not know you love him! Do you length, and of a sudden I was back that Spoof doesnt knotk you love on Fourteen, and In the midst 5f a jnean hint? world which had Its siiare off troubles, No, he doesnt, Frank." lias an uncanny, way of ripping up And he has not made love to you? evthe past ; tombstones, .skeletons, Not a word. . erything.. Then, to an Improvised stood pondering that fact. If Spoof, I he began reciting Kipwithout could win Jean In comto the banjo. ling poem with who bad been trying me, petition It was tills poem, he explained, In the midst of his recital, that my hardest, Lnd who had the adcaused me to bring a banjo to Cana- vantage of all tlie Intimacies of childda. Otherwise I should probubly have hood, what would happen when he set himself to the business of wooIng? stiipped a piano, to the enriclnnent of the transportation people and mj That he would do so as soon as he. own further financial undoing. I must knew the coast was clear I did' not doubt for a moment. drop. It. K. a line of .appreciation. I think I understand, Jean, I said, Still, the piano case would have come handy," Jack suggested. "You as I turned toward the door.' This might have put your house In It In happiness Is nbt for me It was too much to be expected. I had dreams had weather." Almost, sald Spoof. But he wai back to his theme agpln, and the wooden wall against which I leuned ' In trembled sympathy, with his strings. I have told the naked stars the . Grief ofMa'n. Let tlie trumpet snare the foeman to the proof I have known defeat and mocked It as we ran. My hray ye may not alter or mistake When. I stand- to jeer the fatted Soul .. uf Tiling:, . But the song of Lost 'Endeavor that I mu.ke Is it hlddeft In the twangings of the . . . . strings? Before' long Spoof and Burke left on their, errand of reprisal. Jeun elected to go home soofi afterward, and I acithe-sto-od companied her to Twenty-two- . a moment with the door latch in her hand, as though debating with herself whether she should send me home. "You had better coine in, she said at length. There are some things we slimed talk about." I closed the door behind me and Jean lighted a lamp and removed her wraps. Come and sit down, she gaid,. muking room for me beside her on a . . bench. . I sat down beside her, and would have, kissed her, but she drew gently away, ,1lease dont, Frank, she said, and when her eyes met njine I sajv a look In them as of some wild thing wounded to the death. Have I hurt Jean!" I exclaimed. v you so?" . No, Frank, not you. But I am hurt hurt," aud she pressed her hands about her bosom as though In physical pain. "It Is so hard to know to be sure what Is right ! ' . How wlrnt Is rlgliti" , In hooks you will understand, Frank It. Is always so clear. One is a hero; the other Is a villain; It Is so But In life I dont easy to 'know. suppose there are so many villains, after all. That doesnt make It any easier to decide." "Im afraid I don't quite follow you, Jean. I suppose you dont, and I shrink from making It more clear to I have tried, und failed. you. ... Jean! ... I thought our .promise my promise would hind me. It didnt. It wont.' It can't. She withdrew her arm, then quickly seized both my hands In hers. Oh, my boy, my friend, my chum ! she exclaimed, and little crystal wells gathered between her eyelids as site spoke. "How can I hurt you so! But nothing else wouiOTie honest. I have tried and- - failed. 1 lost my temper with you today over Spoof. You were playing Jokes on him making him the butt of your humor your Idea of hu- mor I promise you nothing of tlmt kind will ever happen again, dear ; I promise It, I swear It ! But that doesnt help, any. Don't Its not that I care so much about tlie joke on anybody but been use I love Spoof." I hope I took tlie blow like a gentleman. 1 hud the advantage of being somewhat prepared for it. "I suspected that, I said at length. "I don't want to stand in the way of your happiness. Then I fell from the heroic with a thud. I pleaded, Oil, Jean, Joan, "why .do you turn to Spoof, whom you hardly, know, and away from me? Have I fallen so far short am' I so little to he desired that you should love a stranger in preference? She pressed her hand against my Don't please. I can't lips; explain. Ask me why the wind blows the flowers turn to the. sunlight I can't explain. I would ever so much rather it had been- - you. Then make It me!. It Is In your hands No, It is not. I can't change It. I have tried and failed. Of course, I could marry you still, but you would not want me with a reservation in my heart. You would despise. uw if I married you like that. Beneath tlie numbing shook of the faet that Jean wus slipping had slipped out of my life, I was conscious that her words were true. I should not have wanted her with a reservation. And so we sat In. silence and in suffering, with no sound about us except the ticking of the clock and the thumping of our own hearts, until at length Jean arose to rebuild the fire. I took It as my cue to leave. Well, what is to be done about It? I said, trying to speak In a matter-of-fac- t way, although I could not keep the tremble out of my voice. We must clear up the situation some way, Yes. We will explain, so far as It you see, wfi tMm "Has Spoof Been Here?" We Asked Our American Neighbor When He Came to the Door. sure to he lu bed. and stulT his stovepipe with a sack as a slight exchange of compliments. During the evening Jeans eyes avoided wine hut I had an uncomfortable feeliug that three of us were ou a preeipite which afforded room for only two, aud that I was the third. As the evening wore on Spoof Insisted that Jean get out the banjo. 1 could see that she was in no mood for music, but she played her part well, and as their voices joined in Old Black Joe"' and "Silver Threads Among tlie Gold" I could not help wondering If she were as unhappy as I was. After they had sung for a while Spoof took the banjo from Jean aud swept his lean, long hand with quick, delicate master strokes across Its Under his spell our little strings. homestead shack faded out In the blur of Spoofs tobacco smoke, and presently I saw a little boy aud girl sitting oa the hank of a river, digging their ... hy 'Frank, Dont Go Like That! Cried, Her 'Arms Outstretched ward Me. Oh, To- dreams that are not goinng to be realized, ever. I had pictures, but they must be torn out of my life. I hope you will be. happy. Goodby. Oh, Frank,' dont go like that I she cried, her arms outstretched toward me. But I had no heart to prolong my torture In her presence. I closed the door behind me and went stumbling through tlie drifts toward Fourteen. ... CHAPTER XII Breaking the news to Jack and Mar-Jori- e was no easy task, but we gdt through it some way.' Jack and his sister had an unlinppy hour over it, but Jean was adamant In her decision. There wus to be no marriage, so far as she was concerned. It was out of the . question. Y'ou ore passing up as decent a chap as ever lived, Jack told her, on a chance of Spoof, and you don't know that he even cares for yoii. -- Perhaps Spoof's affections are already fixed. Have you thought of that? Ive lain awake Thought of It nights, with burning eyes, and thought of it. But what can I do? 1 cant ask him. You could marry Frank, like a sensible girl. T only wish I could. But It Is out of the question. And with that the matter had to stand. Jean doubled her energies In helping Marjorie prepare for the great event, and while she tried always to greet me with a smile I more than once surprised a tear stealing unbidden down her cheek. I reflected that If I was suffering, Jean was suffering, too. hut there was no comfort in that. I didnt want Jean to Suffer. And why site should wring her heart over me. nnd yet refuse to marry me, was a twist in her nature beyond my power of comprehension. . Spoof took the news with genuine or We merely surprise. explained that the wedding was not to he a double one after all; that. Jean and I had reconsidered matters, but Jack und Marjorie would be married as arranged. I say, I'm sorry to hear that 1 mean about you nnd Jean. I presume It is only a postponement? But we gave him no answer to that question, and Spoof, of course, did not press It. Christmas day dihvued bright and cold, with a whip of northwest wind nnd a skiff of loose snow sifting across the frozen prairies. I found myself lying awake in the morning, thinking of Jean, and of all I had hoped that day would mean to me. This was the dream that was gone; the picture 1 had had to tear out of my heart, only it would not stay gone; It plagued me In my sleep, It haunted me In every silent moment of the day. Tha Jean should be so strong, so set, so Immovable, nnd. as it seemed to me, so unreasonable, In spite of all her delicate wlsrfulness and strange uncommon-nes- s of spirit that was a side of Jean's character which all the years of our childhood and youth had not revealed to me. I hud not reopened my suit. I had accepted her decision. But the old picture would come back, and this Christmas morning as it swam before my eyes U 1 ) She well-feigne- d ... stirred within me an Immeasurable poignancy of spirit Merry Christmas 1 shouted Marjorie, poking her head into uay room. Marjorie was going .through a time of strangely mixed emotions. Her heart was light on her own account and heavy on mine, and in these days she found the bridge between laughter and tears an extremely narrow one. Perhaps it was for that reason that her shout of Merry Christmas! ended in something like a sob, and, with a little' w rush, she plbnged onto my bed her arms about me; she wrapped them around my neck and shoulders and drew my face to hers. And as her cheek lay against mine a little warm trickle of moisture wended its way down, upon, and across my lips, and I felt her frame tremble as It rested near me. Not crying, Marjorie; not crying, on this of all mornings! I exclaimed, although my own throat was full. Not crying, dear on my account? To that question she snuggled closer, And after a little I heard her whispering In my ear. ' "It will come all right in time, brother mine, she said ; all right In time. I cant think I g can't else. Don't you . feel dont you know that It will? And so to soothe her, and that her greatest day. might jjut be spoiled, I said I knew It would come all right in time, but there was a stone between my lungs and a band of iron about mg chest. ' Marjorie kissed ine on the lips, then rqised her face and dried her eyes. Suddenly she sprang to her fyet, and I cdufd nrot but admit li&w very good she was to look upon. Her dark hair hung lohse about her shoulders; she nonallowed herself no cyrl-papsense, and Indeed .no device could have added to tlie beauty of her waving locks. She was still in' her nightdress, although she had drawn on something warm about her feet, and, like the good wife she was always tobe, she had started the fire a duty which I admitted properly fell to the man of the house. Perhaps it is because a man should start the fire that he' so greatly enjoys having his wife do it I could hear the poplar sticks crackling as I lay watching her through moist and dreamy eyes. She was good to look upon; so different from Jean, but still so good I Hustle up, Frank, she cried, with a sudden return to her normal manWe have a lot to do today. ner. It was not until after our midday meal that I rent over to Twenty-two- . Jean was in 'her room, but I mustered the spirit to chaff Jack with such a mingling of good wishes and 'humorous sallies as my brain, eoulcj, command, and We finished tlie whole with an Impromptu sparring match in the middle of tlie kitchen floor. Watch your beak! I commanded, or Ill 'send you to the minister with a busted mug, and I swung on him with enthusiasm. But Jack was handy with his fists, and something thumped in my eye like a piledriver. Aha! aidhe. The first of the wedding decorations.. Lets make it a pair. But at that moment Jean came out, looking so' radiantly sorrowful, It one cab look that way, that the. glory of Marjorie seemed as the glory of one of. the lesser planets against the sun. She cauie to me with an outstretched hand. Merry Christmas, Frank, she said, looking me squarely in th efface.' Why, what has happened to your eye? I was just practicing, said Jack, and I want to exhibit this specimen of my handiwork to Marjorie before we are married. It Is as well that she should understand But Jean was gone In quest of butter, with which she rubbed my swelling eye, and the caress of. her fingers was worth the punqh it had cost. It was now time to hitch the oxen to the. rough sleigh or Jumper which Jack and I had built. Into this the four of us could with some difficulty be packed, and as we reckoned it would take at least an hour for Buck and Bright to break trail to Spoofs, we loaded up and started on our journey at a little before two.1 Spoof had Insisted that the ceremony should take place at his house, if for no other reason, that there might be a honeymoon trip as far as from Two to Fourteen, and the minister was expected at three. As the snow-cla- d prairie crept by to the leisurely plodding of Buck and Bright the mound which marked Spoofs house and stable gradually defined itself against the bright gray background of the December afternoon. Spoof .had been on the lookout, and .while our oxen were still puffing and blowing at a considerable distance from the shack we saw him coming over the drifts with his great, rapid, English stride. He was beside us In a few minutes, his wind-tanneface wreathed In smiles., his white teeth gleaming under a short, sandy mustache to which of late he had been' giving some encouragement. and-thre- belleVe-anythin- d JCjPy for Thii Department Supplied by tha American Legion News Service.) MILLION STRONG IS LEGION SLOGAN Go Gettum is the rflckname thaf John Ilea McQuigg, banker and attorney of East Cleveland, Ohio, won in the early days of the World war; Its that title which he Is setting out to make good as national commander of the American Legion . Knowing John Rea and his work, Le&ion has confidently given him a big hill to fill. Add 400,000 members to the Legion during tlie next year . and make It a million strong. And John Rea is setting out painstakingly to do just Unit. ' Here's how tlie new commander got his telling sobriquet: Right after the United. States entered tlie war in 1917, McQuigg was commissioned colonel of the One Hundred Eleventh engin- eers, the famous old Cleveland Grays. of which he had been a member. lie made up his mind to go to camp with his regiment at full strength. Somebody said to liinf, How are you going to recruit so nginy men in such a short time! Well, I guess Ill have to go gel' em, was the reply. Aud he did Just the that. Bitching ciynp in the heart of Cleveland, lie started an intensive recruiting campaign. To such good effect did lie carry on that when the engineers moved to Camp Sheridan, Alabama, every compa'ny was at full strength. And Colonel .McQuigg took along a dozen extra men to fill In, in emergency. Lauding at Brest, France, with his . regiment on July 5, 1918, Colonel McQuigg was at Bourmont from July 10 to July 20 and then went through that last great pqsh. which touted the enemy and brought the victory of Armistice day. He saw active service in the Baccarat sector and in the He rejoined his regiment In Belgium and was discharged January 17, 1919. He was appointed a brigadier general of infantry in 1921. The new national commander was born near Wooster, Qhio, and graduated from the military department of Wooster university, in 1S8S with the rank of cadet captain. lie saw service in the war with Spain and in the Ohio National Guard. He was also on the Mexican border In 1916. . Beginning tlie study of law at. Cornell university, Commander McQuigg graduated with the degree of bachelor of laws at the National Law school at Washington, lie began tlie practice of law at Cleveland. lie was ljiayor Of East Cleveland for three terms, and ; then organized a$3,000,0tK) bank there, . of which lie is now president. Commander McQuigg has a long rec- ord of outstanding service in the . Legion. Beginning as. commander of Engineers Iost' No. 71, he wus instrumental in getting the second national .convention of the Legion for Cleveland in 1920. lie was unanimously elected commander of the Ohio department and later wus national executive com- mitteeman. He hqs been for several years a member of the national finance committee and 'was in 192!!. of the national legisla tlve committee. He was elected vice president of tlie American Legion Endowment Fund corporation, which wan organized last March 'to handle the funds received in the Legions $o,000,-(RK- ) endowment fund campaign and to . devote the income to its purposes of rehabilitation und child welfare. At Omaha he was made national commander and told to go get em. Ar-gon- n Will Jean change her mind yet again thats the big ques-ticWhats your guess? (TO BB CONTINUED.) Effort Makes Success . Many people want to do things that are entirely worthy and approvnble, but do not know how to accomplish them. They lack the power of muking effort, which is the key to the whole matter. To try, and fail. Is better than not to have tried at all. Grit. It Escapes "Mature Lovert After all, maybe the luckiest rlla flower was the one that was bora te blush unseen. Detroit Neva. "Roasts Were Chief Item Department adjutants of the American Legion, members of the American Legion Press association and visiting newspaper men and Legion editors, held a gridiron dinner as a feature of the national convention at Omaha. Roasts were thei chief item ou the menu. |