OCR Text |
Show REAVER PRESS t I he ains o Abraham v J By JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD by Doubleday Doran Co., Inc. WNU Service. with the Golden Voice THE STORY . With his English wife, Catherine, and son, Jeema, Henry French settler in Canada In Bu-lai- n, cultivates, a farm adjacent to the Tonteur eeigneurie. As the gtory opens the Bulains are s. from a vieit to the Catherine's wandering brother, Hepsibah, meets them with presents for the family. To Jeems he gives a pistol, bidding him perfect himself In marksmanHepsibah fears for the ship. the safety of Bulains In their isolated position. 1749, Ton-teur- CHAPTER III Continued Concealing himself behind the bole of a tree, Jeems watched them as they passed, so near that a pebble flung by a hoof of one of the horses fell at his side. His courage almost failed him then, for while his hands clenched at the sight of Paul Tache, his heart faltered in its beating as his attention turned from his enemy to Tuinette. She had become, all at once, a young lady whom he could easily believe he had never seen before, and the change in her held hlra for a few moments so forgetful of his own existence that he would have been discovered had one of the three happened to glance in his direction. Toinette was wearing her first riding suit, a gorgeous blue camlet trimmed with silver, just arWith this she rived from Quebec. More a smartly cocked beaver hat which bore a rakish feather, and from under this hat her long dark hair fell in a cascade of carefully made curls, partly restrained in their freedom by two or three red ribbons enmeshed among them. She was superbly aware of the lovely figure she made, and every inch of her body was at a dignified tension as she rode past the place where Jeems was hidden. After she had gone, Jeems felt an overwhelming sense of littleness and For Toinette was no unimportance longer Toinette, but a real princess, And Paul Tache, riding grown up. close beside her, with hair powdered and tied and with a red velvet coat that could be seen a mile away, seemed now to be Infinitely removed from the plottings which he had conceived against him. He stepped from behind ,ihe tree and stooped to pick up the pebble which Tolnette's horse had flung at him. He could hear the auctioneer's voice, and others bidding for Lussan's properties. .Then came a burst of laughter which rose with unrestrained abandon above all other sound, a blast of merriment which he Would have recognized anywhere in the world. Only his Uncle Hepsibah could laugh like that. The sights and excitements of the scene about him would have made for him one of the most thrilling events of his forest-rinime- d world, had his heart not been choked with the emotions of impending drama. Yet he did not press his desires by undue haste, and it was half an hour before he found himself close to the one who occupied his thoughts. This happened in such a fortuitous way that Toinette, concealed by the ample forms of Lussan's wife and daughter, was within a foot of his shoulder before he knew it. She did not see him, and he stood with wildly beating heart, breathln t'ie faint perfume from her person, bis daser by the nearness of , her i 'lMulor and his world of vision filled illy with a great hat, rn Miravishiiijj mass of lustrous curls, sun:;et of crimson ribbons, a pair of iim shoulders and then, his paradise broken by the ugliness of reality, he discovered Paul Tache. The young man was returning from a journey to the barrels, and, when he saw Jeems, contemptuous i?mile twisted his lips. It was this look which turned Toinette that she found Jeems standing her, his cap and a package In "la hands, big face tensely set as he fought himself Into obliviousness of Ms rival's presence. "" ' He held out his gift to her." "My Pncle Hepsibah has Just come from the Knglish colonies, and he Drought me this that I might in turn e it to you. Will you accept It, broad-brimme- be-fi- de Toinetter He forgot Paul Tache. Spot? of red fame into Ids cheeks as Tolnette's surprised ejeg greeted him. She almost jmiled, and as if something made hor forgPtftil of her magnificence and the O'snity it imposed, she extended iiand to receive the package. - The manner In which xhe accepted bis Sift sent the blood hr racing through his The color deepened In her weeks, and, mistaking this for still jrea er evidence of the pleasurable "rill he had given her, Jeems was nb0,lt t0 tl,ank hn f"r Jf!e ' hen ranl Um bf,slle lUH inoritl? Jewn Tolnette.s cotmnthpm. pd Plitely sieving her of the th"y went 11 Tolnr V n"d t0 8mIIe at Tp,D". , m k"ew Y vnm8hefwme ine moment her Bly. ZlZ7' 7 tL7r' for rpptltlousi, from his hand. lnsplml b a contempt ffi L?' fr,,rIt hWcn nnrter. a dls-o- f wealth and fine clothes swept Jeems' thought from Toinette, whose nearness of person, surprising beauty, and sweetness of disposition had almost made him forget his one reason for being at Lussan's sale. .This weakness in the armor of his intentions was sealed when he saw his present fall to the ground. Toinette became instantly Immaterial in the path of a storm of emotion which caught and held him fiercely. He saw only one person where there were two. and that one was Paul Tuehe. In a brain white with heat, and in eyes blinded to the presence of all living forms' except that of the youth who had darkened his mind with bitterness, Toinette ceased to exist for him, and wheir he sprang forward to recover the bundle, it was not with the thought that be was reselling It for her, but that it was to be his reason for glorious war when the moment was at hand for him to hurl it in his rival's face. Detaching themselves from the shifting groups of which they had ' been a part, Toinette and young Tache strolled to their horses, knowing that many glances followed their elegant departure. Giving themselves a brief time In which to be admired, they sauntered Into the gardens back of Lussan's house. Jeems was only a few steps from Paul and Toinette when they disappeared behind the house. .He held back with a feeling of satisfaction when 'Nil of such lively ferocity that It drew a howl of pain from Paul Tache and a shrill .little scream from Toinette. Jeems heard the scream, but it held no significance for him now. His dreams were gone, and Toinette, her presence close to him, her eyes upon the battle Just as he had imagined in the thrill of Ids mental visiontngs was forgotten in the more vital depths of bis interest In the flesh and blood of Paul. In the first attack, his fingers clutched like small Iron claws in the folds of Taehe's cravat and coat, and. the rending of cloth, a splitting asunder of gorgeous material almost to the other's waist, was evidence of the strength behind his assault. He followed this with a fury of scratching and tearing and both went down In the melee. When they rose, Paul heaving himself up with nn effort which flung Jeems from him, they were such a sight of muck and stain that Toinette forgot her precious dress and covered her eyes hi horror. But she was looking again in an Instant, for the spectacle fascinated even as It appalled her. Jeems had landed on his feet with a fist loaded with mud, and this he projected with an aim so accurate that half of Paul's face was obliterated by It, and as he leapt with a roar of rage at his smaller assailant, he was such a shock ing contrast to bis usual Immaculate self that Toinette nearly ceased to Then she saw and heard breathe. what her feminine eyes and instinct could not understand or keep propef count of, a mad twisting and tumbling of bodies, panting breaths, grunts, and finally a clearly audible curse from Paul Tache. With that sound Jeems flew backward and landed on his back. He was up almost before he had struck, and with his head ducked low like a ram's in a charge, he hurled himself at Tache. This individual, having cleared his eyes sufficiently to perceive the blindness of the other's d rush, stepped aside and swung a blow which again sent Jeems down 'into the muck. His hand filled itself with this sticky substance a second time, and as he returned to battle he let it fly at Paul. Profiting by experience, Paul dodged skillfully, and the volley passed over his head, spreading In Its flight, and fell in its contaminating virulence upon Toinette. She saw her raiment spotted and defiled, and such a sudden fury rose in her that she sprang upon Jeems as he clawed and kicked in a clinch with Paul, and assailed him with all the strength and bitterness of her small fists and biting tongue. Jeeins had seen the tragedy of the misdirected mud, and he knew that Toinette's hands and not Paul's were pulling viciously at his hair. There Is a hurt which bears with It a sting of satisfaction, and this emotion pressed upon Jeems as he fought desperately in front and felt himself attacked treacherously from behind. For Paul was accountable for the mishap to Toinette. Had the other not dodged In a cowardly fashion, allowing the stuff to pass on to her, the thing would not have happened. It did not take more than a few seconds for the Inspiration of this thought with Its apparent Justice and truth to fire him with a determination beside which his former resolution sank to Insignificance. He was nc longer fighting for Tolnette's approval, but against her, against Paid Tache, against all the world. Toinette, pulling at his hair, beating at bis back, had raised his struggle to epic heights.. The strength of martyrdom filled his lean arms and body, and he fought with a renewed fierceness that made his heavier but softer antagonist give way before the punishment, and both went down to earth again. Toinette fell with them, her long skirt impeding the activity of their legs, her big hat banging like a sunshade over her face, her beautifully made curls tangled and spotfw with mud. her hands beating angrily at whichever of the two chanced to come In her way. well-directe- He Had Never Fought With Boy. An-oth- er be saw the two going down a path which took them out of sight of any curious eyes that might have watched them. Not until the last flutter of Tolnette's skirt was gone did he proceed with the business of following them, and then, like an Indian, ihe slipped noiselessly along the path and found them standing, somewhat perplexed, at the edge of a soggy and open space where Lussan had built hi3 barn and wherein his cattle and pigs bad gathered for so long that one was sure of a precarious and unpleasant footing. Toinette, her chin tilted, a flash of indignation In her eyes as she held up her skin, with both hands, was on the point of loosing her wrath upon her escort for daring to bring her to such a place of defilement when Jeems stepped out from a rim of bushes and confronted them. His face was pale. His slim body was as taut as a bowstring. His eyes were almost black. He did not see Toinette, scarcely knew that she was In his world, even as her anger gave place to an exclamation of surprise when she saw in his band he package which he had given her a few minutes before. He approached Pau! Tache, and that youth, misinterpreting the slowness of Ills movement and the bloodless pallor of his face as signs of embarrassment and fear, sought to cover his disgrace in Tolnette's eyes by an explosion of haughty protest at being followed and spied upon in this way. Jeems made no reply except to hold out the package. Sight of it choked the words In the other's throat Jeems silence and the way in which he continued to extend the package fuce. brought a deep color into Paul's He and not Jeems was conscious of the amazement In Tolnette's countenInance and of the Intensity of her recovered He situation. In the terest himself swiftly and, with a guileful his hand. change of manner, held out "It Is "Pardon he," he apologized. -the to package bring good of you which I accidentally dropped." Jeems came a step nearer. You He!" be cried, and with a bun-di- e furious movement he hurled the at Taehe's face. The force of the blow cnt Paul was at reeling backward, and Jeems him with the quickness and passion murof one suddenly transformed by anwith ine's. He had never fought other boy. Put he knew howIn animals a hunclawed and disemboweled and viewed strife had he dred ways these denth ns the wilderness knew And all that he had witthings. torture nessed, all that he knew of rnalm to desire the and violence and and kill gave to his action a character (TO BE CONTINTJED.) Tbose Happy Victorians One eutry In the diary of Mary Gladstone (afterward Mrs. Drew), daughter of W. E. Gladstone, "Grand Old Man" of Victorian politics, read: "Quiet evening at home. I was in my room at Q:'M and heard him and coming up the stairs ylnging, g 'A ragamuffin husband and a wife' at the top of their voices." "Him" was her father, the prime minister of England, then seventy-fou- r years of age. "Home" was No. 10 Downing street, official residence of the P. M. Kansas City Star. . a Ilercs Mm radio that snakes , . PERFORMANCE long life-free- from dom satisfaction real value ' for your money.. That's what counts! Atwater Kent is the preferred radio today, and has been for years, because quality is put be- -' fore everything else. Yet the price is moderate. As an investment, the new Atwater Kent is as ., ' 60und as a bond. ;! Whether your home has electricity or not, the nearest de'aler has the new Atwater Kent for you with its Golden Voice, Quick-Visio- n Dial, Tone Control, Screen-Gripower, and home-lik- e The is set beauty. battery just as as the A. C. setl . No matter how far you live from the big cities no one enjoys better reception than you when your radio is the new Atwater Kent. ' i ( 4 it I '! 1 1 ll Ft E.1 II i r-- d . te i : i MltllKI. allleutne,j. iliki larhaltervoueratton. t!04 Oxb beautiful model Uluatratcd ! l above, sncluding Kariio" rhanograph eomUunuaa- - Price ta tube. ' ATWATER KENT MANUFACTURING COMPANY 4700 Wiunhlrkoo Ave. A. Aivratew Ktnt, Prat, All Winter Long stom- ach and intestinal ill. This good herb home remedy for ed c scenes onstipatlon. ilia and 'First Kvery cause admitted! not such infallible evidence of proof as leaveth no possibility of doubt or scruple behind It. Hooker. Salesman Writ i we shall What do? derange- of the sys tem so prevalent these days is in even greater favor as a family medicine than in your grandmother's day. finest hotels "Hot" for Business (stomach other ments TRKMEMMMJH STOCK 1JIDIKS' KIN KMX biik fmxiory ruduved to one-thirrekUlar lirlnt. S.'i lioxe for tl; 12 25 buns for Tic; $1.60 hoKA for 50c. PrlcttH good until March lHt. Stntt 'mIwh and volor wauled. Adririsn L. W. MANHttIM - -i BurllnKton. N. C, nix Si Sunshine Grandmother's Remedy PR P. United States. The total 'lmonH f insurance in force is ahout $103,(500,-000,00The assets of all Ma insurance companies in the United States are estimated at $17.(500,000.000. The increase in assets in UlLtl, amounting to $1.5.'!!i,000,000, is the largest AT the Foremost Deiert Retort on record and almost equal te the total assets of the companies at the of the Weir marvelous climate warm sunny days clear starlit nights dry invigorating beginning of the century. air gorgeous mountain splendid roads Garfield Tee Was Your For every I'bilxlelphi, ' Boom in Insurance Buine t'areful estimates indicate that there are 07,000,000 persons insured in the Benefactor "How Is it you don't care to prosecute the man who stolo your car?" "He put two new tires on it." - "d ?"'esunn I'll spin a coin. If it's heads we'll shoot a game of p...i; iitn.s ue go to a movie; and if it stands on end we'll call on a i One may not be a successful caller because he leaves before his host wants him io. the ideal winter home. A Chaffey CrM PALJ3;SP11INGS Culitorntn ' : W. N. U., Salt Lake City, No. :' :", ' Catty ".Such a quaint tiling happened to I my mother, in Parla!" "Heally thought you were born In LourUm." 1 '1 Tit-Hit- s; ...it BiJI y Vr starting that's Starting that's swift safe, because this free flowing oil never leaves working p arts". J . 7 -- u rantl-pollin- To Preserve Old Prints Since old prints of flowers, birds and personages are now no popular for framing, It Is also worth while t take suitable modern pictures or from magazines, and print, perhapswith a light coating of fhem antique liquid wax. This treatment will give them a mellow, old tone and will preserve them. The pictures should b surface bef..re pinned firmly to a flat tr.mvi, Is Simply wax applied. tne on the walU took 'inarming will they of a room. count riiosi .,y oiif "money CONOCO Tomorrow morning, you step hopefully on the be there will a starter, disappointing groan, as it tugs at your unwilling motor? . . . Or, will there come a swift responsire roar? tiling in old-typ- e If you're having trouble starting, you're probably od that congeals at temperatures well above GERM: , freezing. You should change to Conoco But that's not all! To ward off the wear that these prolonged Starting periods bring, you want an oil which provides imlanl at the first reluctant revolution of a cold motor . . . And there's just nt oil which can do that! Because there is just one lubricant which penetrates metal surfaces and never drains away in idle periods. PROCESSED f f N BAH MOTOR OIL Motor Oil It that tnt lubricant. Change Conoco to this motor oil with twin advantages for winter use . i . 35 cent per quart lot all grades at d.e sign of the Conoco Red Triangle. leading stations across the country ... I program , somewhere every day from Monday So Friday. Your nearest Conoco suiion will give yon a log of stations, days and time. Here ts unique radio program . . . built upon the preferences of. ' 1 the listeners. on P A K A I Tunt in en Qtmete JCifltntr't Hour. . . Oo ' 16 |