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Show THE SALT LA1US TKIBUN, fhe Mainspring to Stephen Retta cleared the table. His eyes Inspected fcteohen with a frank ouestlou. tb eflg of th hia llpa faintly eulislcal. first sight of the "Een up to Nathan yet?" the hill. H flt. Th name wok Stephen's hatred. himself, aa Jf the "No. Queue J'll go up pretty soon."" tiurneu of Nathan Hobart'a bouse had "Better not leav him know you had . recreated Mm. aupper here. He'd talc It kinds hard, I guess." lis stood behind the high snakt fencf! Stephen halped Retta with the dishes, dslibarately enjoying the eoneIouns rejecting har protsst. of this nw eplrit In himself-- It would be When they bad finished, the eld man to nod in his chair. Stephen dark in another two hour. In two more, had begun to the girl. Nathan Hobart "would have gon to bed. turned Much I'll "Guess get along now. be ax would It easy In another, the most, beside obliged for sapper." to climb the apple-tre- e ndafe wane a ways wim you. wait ih the kitchen door, drop to the low roof of the ell and so reach the window of She took a ahawl from a peg and slipped hia own room the window with the brok- past him before ha found speech, H en catch which had let him 'come and atumbled after her. h I sort of wanted to go along. go ao often In the old days when he bad a touch of apology In har whisper. walked in fear of Nathan's anger. remembered Five hours to watt! He suddenly that he had not eaten since morning. Supper would be ready petty soon,. down there. He thought of Nathan Hobart eating alone, and Stephen's hatred flamed again,, aa hunger fed It. He eould help hlmaelf to food, too. when he had taken the money. He could rtek a few minute in the big pantry before he left. But five hours The need of food dominated even his hate. He glanced about him and saw a hickory tree, the leaveeJ tie nuea ni nai nm aireasy turned.nuta and; came hack to the fence-cornto crack them between hardheads Hia thoughts came back to the heart of his errand, the money h would find .. .T rj"T tn Nathan Hobart a "secretary." Na aom of hta than would have collected luana, at least, by now, and there would be a sum worth" atealing in the locked drawer of the desk la ths bedroom. It would be ejy to manage It, too, un less Nathan nad got mm a new aog, hep had been three years old when he wtbb ynn ago. n coum ijuiei shep easily enough. Collie didn't forinside the house, it would get bsAnd once Nathan Hobart slept with all simple. Ma door unlocked. A little chloroform on gauze a bit of a struggle, perhaps, before It worked and then plenty of time to Break open the desk and help himself. H had a right to whatever he might get, tonight; He'd had. a right to tt when ha asked for It, three yeara back. Twen- -' free to go if he chose, but com- i pelled to go barehanded, if he went, after , twelve years or laoor on svatnan Ho. hart's farm. Well, tonight would settle i that debt, anyway. A atep sounded behind him; the alight f noise magnified to a thunder In hia ears as he sprang up and whirled, his 'fists .. clenched. His arms lowered as hs met ' the level glance and recognised the face for Retta Duncan' Retta had grown taller, In tha three yeara, but that was all tha change In her, he thought the am aullen mouth, the same hard, straight eyes that had always seemed to be watching him aa a cat , watches a dog anddiatruat and In them. a ehad of scornhostility Stcvie!" vole still held Her "Hello, the harsh quality he remembered. Retta Duncan would know that he had "It lt d ba edtlng and maybe I oul4 com back to the (Hen, and whan the help." new f tha robbery spread, aha would NO. H vetoaa tn poai- . know whoa work It was. So much the lively. "I'm not going suggestion to gat anybody better! By the time she talked he would elee mixed p in tbia. it s my joe. be Out of reach, lost in the city where 'Let me walk a ways, sciyway, i won i nobody would ever find him. Ha chuckled. hinder and U s It's better than staying 'Scared me, Retta, sneaking up that back ther and wondering H might way."' up might inoor ' She nodded. "Saw yon Jump. Crack- wak fix to how know that I won't. "H ing nuts, were your They'r no good Tou better ge back." yet too early" domHa stopped, aa If to forbid her . "Not much. But they're better than ing. stood facing Til in in th thin, nothing. Got .kind of hungry, walking diffusa$h lightwanted to over from the Junction." be aur yoti meant "I I Juat "Bad aa that?" She spoke almost laat. "I didn't beliv . It." sh aald. at eagerlv, about. Guen It from my looks, you'd dare" yMut Th ton carried him back abruptly to mldn't vou? a day at school, whi he had evaded a studied him allntlv-fhe ' 'Why'd you come back? Think he'll fight with Thad McTague, while th oth. A kind cf courts ITobart as he reached wood and caught his houa at the. loot cf distinctly, a change in cam SUDAif iiUKXMi, JfJOJKUAKY 11, 1923. His Motive Was Revenge by Chloroform and Robbery. Her Motives Are Unfolded in the Thrills of This Story. By HUGH MacNAIR KAHLER Illustrated fcy H. v they'll auK, when It turns cold. Tf you're . It He remembered hi drifting day be wninm to atv Ihrmirh th len. tn th winter w.'tl trxr h. iA snrr.M doubt Uhav to figure out some way to get "Maybe you're right.. Not much Htt a mnnev for arrocenea and Inhum. whit iIHvm trie. 07 II it wasn i , Jr I Juat about managed, last year, when' Unci Katiban, I don't know if I d do any than your father." ther was only Iad and ma." jwore Ha guided th team cleverly Into the He thought this over deliberately. to Ther wasn't anything sslabla at th gangway between ' th mows, crouching avod the roof. sing the forte--- a Duncan farm. Except for th weedy, sprang lightly to hay which would barely winter th cowjveulting pole, Rett and horsa. and a few bushel, of corn. the bay snd stood ready a. h dug - hu 'nl ium th piaca naa yieiaea no crop Hi ruessed thatvit would not hsv yielded "it mnit km tuiit oolfpn to him eeelnf not tf even theie Rett had don most v van'r rettins ahead." ne th of th work. forkful. "Til never forget between aaid "I could work ijp some wood, and 'sen that day we fcid In It In town. I guess. If your father'd th way he looked, head." theTTi.Ki.Kt" team, right over hia creat help with th crosscut" mat to i:ft.,f he shook her head. "He's too old. "Thls'd feat. grad Number And he wouldn't, anyway. No use trying ward I her gueaa, If w baled it. adoui a. Tou to msks him. I eould help aawt I've don One, ever made." "Stephen. It I also my buetness. haywonaa I need it before; wa could get out a few cords good all of.lt." ah sugearry my name: you grew up under my and t "W fce'd It McLain sell to It haul me suit with few tons, net should that you roof. It doea gested. "Wef could sell "Afraid? other laughed harshly. f Tout" Why not? Ton went away without hlef a Ilk me In the night. telling That was because you were afraid. You come back, but not to my dtor. 'Why i,j .... not?" Stephen' Hobart doubled his htndi. Til com ther when there's no cthtr place." ha ad. "You don't want help, then? Tou " want nothing of me "Wait till I ask you!'" "Then why have you com back to Duncan th OJen? That hcrte; is ther nothing better Tor you than wrrk. in for a man who can pay you nothing beyond your kp?" "That'a my buslnesa. If I'm Sit what'a It to you?" Th What ofT a' t - W -- 1 . ' .ww a ... - . th-n- er i '.." ti s ''''" " ty-on- e, : ", :,v help you?" "Not if he knows 1t." He grinned. "But maybe he'll help ma without finding It out till he can't help hlmaelf." . f he watched him Is silence. Then aha nodded and said: "I thought that might be th way of It. when I saw you hiding in a like that. Tou'r going to rob him, when It's dark enough. You muat ned money pretty bad," aha said slowly. He' shook his head, realising suddenly that the money was tha lesser mflgtv. "Say, Retta you make aur ha know I did It, will you?" She ahook tier head deelalvely. "J won't. ' giv you away, Stevia" "But I want you to! I'm only doing . It so a to hit back at hlm There'e . easier waya of getting money and safer. I'm doing thla to get square with him. I want you to tell" "But but they'd catch you put you in prison!" He could see her eye widen. He laughed. "I don't care of they do much. Every day I spent In the pen I'd think of how he'd hate it. A Hobart In prlsonl Why, ' Her face darkened. He gue.d that was she thinking of Nathan Hobart'a stiff contempt, never concealed or withheld from the ahlftleaa neighbors whoae unkempt farm marched with his own. fine hated th old man, too with causa. "Tou better come down and have aup-jwith na," ah uggetd. "If no. body ela aeea you, he might not believe it was you. He might ay I made it up." Ther was fore la this, h ssw. And tie was hungry so hungry .that the thought of food shook him. "Ail right. Much obliged." "I got to find the cow, firat. She broke through tha fence, back yonder. Ther ah I now? you head her back, and I'll get her through th break." H stumbled through the rustling undergrowth toward a lean, rangy cow of mixed breed. H drov th animal back skillfully nough. Th girl had thrown down a panel of the fence by the time he reached , her, and th cow walked through tha gap. H replaced th rati behind her and they followed the beset down the slant along a narrow path.' "I'll milk for you," h volunteered, a Retta closed the stanchion on the cow's lean neck and took up a pall. "Oueaa I haven't forgot how. yet." "AM right, ril'be up at th house." Sh turned abruptly. He set "himself to the old detested task, pleased that th tnck of It cam back to him, hia mood soothed by the spurting muslo of the Jets, so that he ang softly to their tempo, Ms head against th beast s flank, th grind of her Jaw 11k a accompaniment to the tuna. He carried the milk to the kitchen door. Th idea cam to cam that hia broken bread under thla aagglnghaving root would annoy hia unci almost aa sorely as th graver deed ha oontamplated. A Hobart, coming back to tha Glen to with th Duncans, a Hobart Indebted to Uvera for petty charity! If only Nathan would drlv pat while he was here! "Tou'd get more up at th other Td cook some fcotis," said" Retta, II gueasd the unapoken egsa. only Bhe kept the words, easily nov)gh. !? for trading, at tha stnra They were too precious to b eaten. "Thls'U suit m fine," he said good- naturedly. If heard steps In th woodhed and arrew suddenly Old Dun can seemed glad to see him. "Well. Steve TWhat you doln' in these parts. Horn for a spell T' "Juati going through," aald Stephen r.eiua saia I couia get oai uneuuy. supper" s "That's right, I gueffli." The old man stood hi run in a corner and hunar a battered hat ahov it. "Thought I'd nwuw sn m. raouit, out tney r ale unit, tnis -year. uam about gone, round aere.t. x th only way a man o'n 'Uettingit ttwsi i w Tsisa it, Lmncan grumbled at stipper. "Wiah't Td had th apunk to git out and go Too late, now." t "Vou could rala all you want without much trouble," Stephen amid. "Ton n.'t pasture enoush for a f.w and yon' could fat up four-fiv- e hogs, I gti scowled. The old man "That's what itetta say,- - a complained. "But ain't a bmcjier. If I rale a critter, I so a I hate to k.111 tt. Game differ. ent, liomti tun gettin your meat la th o"'rt, wnn a gun. u 1 Lfunoaii smoked nteeidlv. while , fence-corn- er bed" er , at Wt tr K- era jeered. Ha could remember Rett Duncan's face, aa sh. looked on. "You'll find out, aoon enough. Think rm afraid?" v "Maybe ,tiet if asleep. You'd be afraid of him, though. If he cam along now. Tou'd hide." mad Tea th right Sh laughed. "Why. he'd pay twice as much aa you'V likely to steal, to get shut Of you, and you're going t sell out cheap juat to keep fromH letting him as hav th whip you! After tonight h over you for always." "I'm not afraid cf him,' he declared. "If If ther waa any better y of do... ing She tn term p ted: "Why don't you make him buy you out of th Olen, then-- I been thinking suppose you stayed with ua, right where he'd see you .every time he drove home? Wouldn't he ha4a that won than losing a little money?" Th prospect fascinated him; he could Strike harder than he had dreamed "Dad's getting too old to run the plans alone," he heard her saying. "You could help enough to pay for your keep. We don't get to handl much money, or I'd offer you wages" . A laugh broke from him. Wagea! .Why, I owe you money, Retta. You'v ahowed me how I can hit back at him so hard It'll Juat about kill him! He'll" ' He ll get down on hia knee to beg you to get out." she finished. "Com on. Stevte let a go back." Stephen wok with a start He heard the .blow of an ax,' th aound ef apilt. and th noise sped him into ting wood, c'.othea. hia torn h' it" 9mm saw Retta emerging from tha lean- to. her milk pall in tha band ef her el- how. Me ran down tn atatra and out after her. I'll milk, Retta. Why didn't you eall , me?" Bh surrendered tha pall. -ail rtsht. I'll set breakfast. Dad a asleep I let him wak up when h get ready. He'e pretty old Me cowi4 aa n mused tn aorry eew. Retta muat hav a rotten life of with only th old man to help with it th" work. Aa Stephen carried the milk through the woodshed, he noticed that it waa almoat empty, and it would be winter In another month or two. At breakfaat bread and mm and cof mentioned It. Th girl ehruaged. feehe Ouesa "Dad generally tnd to It. he'll get around to cutting llttl before anow-fly- ." the matter witii m aoinc "cot a team? h owc Tinned. Beaa. new. nuttnerea a "Only democrat that'a light enough for hr to haul. I gue." stepnen found tn mar in xatr cen- dttion, and hitched her to th wreck of th light wagon. Thar was, so ax fit for cutting, and hS called Retta fram the kitchen to help him sharpen th best one on the scored grindstone In the ehed. He rummaged In a inter of broken and found the long, ruated Impiementa croea-csaw. both handle Made of a mlastng. He saw it would b a morn-inr- 'i make work la it fit for uae and decided to depend on the ax, for today. Th old man rod up the lan toward the wood lot with mm. Holding nis rme between his knees ne Might git a ranon or etrtnin , eat, explained. "Kinds Ilk a taste o' What a now?" ut f'r a and when Stephen atopped change," a wind-fallhickory, he moved away with a kind of naat. ibeaide en Stephen'' mood darkened at h worked. He'd quit, he decided, whan th load. There down he'd hauled wasn't any gene in thla H led th "mar downhill. A fool's trick to hit at Nathan Hobart In thla Duneans fashion. "Working for th without even a decent ax to work with! He heard th sound of wheels and hoofs as he crossed th htghwajv It was Nathan Hobart'a buoJrbcaTd. .Stephen waited, hia ear keen to Juage the diswheeled sharp y tance by th sound. and atood feeing hta enemy, bis teeth bared in a hateful grin. Nathan Hobart waa always erect, but he straightened now. aa a man win un der tha ahock of surprise. (Stephen saw ma nana draw back gentiy on tn rtme. Bulling the arav to a atand. "When did you com back, S'eohent" The voice waa oulet under rintless control.- - but iPtaphen felt th effort it win nenind this calm, ana relished r. fast night" h answered carelessly, You did not coma home. Why not? vn,i axrald?'" He - them."'- "Amends Stephen "What for?" head. shook hl "For being overrady to think ril of you, and overslow to admit that I waa wrong. I thought that you had coma back to tha Glen to shame me" "Well, o I did." Stephen brok In quickly, puxxled at th sudden eagerness to shield the old man from himself. "I knew vou'd hat tt me, living here. Ilka this. That's true enough." "But you have not shamed me you have given me better cause for pride In you than if you had never left my house. In one 'year you have" f of" crop" Sh made - a fierce, brushing gesture. "Crops! What do I care about a few potatoes. You want to go that's all that matter You're .beginning to stand up for hirry like you did thla afternoon! You aa well go back there' no sense might In staying, now." Stephen turned to hta uncle, aware suddenly of the need to Justify Rett, to make' Nathan Hobart understand what lay beneath that flash, of ferocity, Vlt'a all right Uncle Nathan aha'a got reason to feel tha way ah doe "I'll lje going." It pleased and puxxled him that Nathan should speak In that level tone, as if Retta had aald nothing that could hurt or startle him. "Tha rain la easing off., Good night" Stephen walked out to the bam floor with th lantern. 'Nathan untied th halter-stra- p and" climbed in over the wheel before Stephen found speech. "You mustn't mind what ah aaid. Uncle Nathan Bhe thought I'd quit" "And you will not quit?" The question cme sharply. Ha laughed. Quit? Just when "Hardly. Good night." the hooded PggT Stephen! watched oteno into in aarxness nerore he- cm me back to the porch. He did not see that Retta was still standing there until he lifted tha lantern to blow out th flame. The light seemed to bring her fac suddenly out of ths shadows, as If she had 'moved soundlessly toward htm. .He mat eyes, searching his, with the same look he Bad seen in them years before, when he faced Thad McTafue a bullying In the weedy School-yar. Ha stood stlli watching her and won- he didn't want to quit?' Why drlng. v ny was than it tnat ns reit Keener g ever to go on? The that had driven him waa gone. What waa there left to keep him working, to make him different from old Duncan, .drowsing in hia rocker by tha kitchen lamp? He felt a laugh rise in hia throat aa a gust whipped out the light and the first onrush of the power h recognized at laat drove him forward. thin-lippe- d, , mrself-a-naln- he'll-leav- , . moment It atruck Stephen Hobart that Nathan waa getting old. Ha tried to summon aullen me merles, but some per vers trick of t nought .persisted in recalling the time they had driven over to the Leiehton fair, and had been forcd to cover by Juat uch a storm aa tha. Nathan had always taken him along, on such excursions, instead of leaving htm behind, aa soma of the neighbora would have done. Give him credit for that, anyway. "Glad you drov In," h heard himself saying. "No kind f a night to be driving that road." Th storm Nathan Hobart nodded. ha don ma a aervice, Stephen, in bringing me her, atrainat my wlh. I have owed you amends for months, but It has been hard to hurabl myself and tnak "Selling hay's hA farming. Pay better to feedSellIt winter hay, aell bead of beef, maybe. about that. riglT soil. I'ncie Nathan "He know how to farm," ah conceded. 'Til allow him that", he points, good got hi "Oh, he at her tone. srreed. vaguely dlapleaaed aide e his can I Retta "Funny he of things, now. Never uaed to. .But I figured, when so w" split u" He Said then Id ousht get to stay on the land-s- aid j;d never thouht Ho atopped. Stephen, following hia ahead anywherea els. toI keep from giv-n- g glance, turned and saw Retta standing It was Just sn excuse, d work me wages for th t m. the doorway. - in "Oh. for him. He a naro, It's you, Mr. Hobart? Will you come In or Isn't our house good enough?" mint', auv lea comiam i Her too ehocked Stephen fnto protest. "Aw, Retta what's the sense "Oh, I knew it would turn out Ilka this! I knew It!" Sh kept her voice low, but It ahook with a passion ha had never heard in tt till now. "H'd have let' her with you starve, when' you cam your raga, but he'a willing to take you back, now, that you'v made good. We were fit company for you, tho way you looked when I found you, up there In tha wood-lo- t; but we aren't fit now that you can hold tip your head with anybody!" She laughed softly. He could a her shoulders quiver. you I " "Why, Refit "Oh, go back with him! Maybe you something In hia will! Anyway, Hobart again you'll " you'll bo "But I'm not going nohody'a aald anyabout thing it Think IJ quit, In the middle of tha saaaon, with all thoa MH.d "shook his head. - V Barbour B. I" walk In rags and b beholden to th Duncans for your bread. You cam here to shame ma Into paying you to go. Well, I will pav. What la your price?" Hobart broke into noisy Ptephen laughter. "You haven't got enough to pay my said thickly. "Cava your prlea," h breath. I'm here to etay.' ' Ha mat the level eyes boldlv. Nathan Hobart'a hand relaxed a llttl on the reins, and the array darted forsarl. Stephen slapped the mare on her flS"k and laughed aa the wagon .moved on, It wis creaking under It little load. that ha waa a man. god to .feel Retta atood at th door, as he drove up. "He wanted to buy ma off." ha called to hr. "Tou were right It's poison to hm.'' "You told him you wouldn't go?" "I told him I wss her to stay! And that go!" He unlatched th tailboard and began to toes the wood into, th shed, stlil laughmg. "It'll ba fun to watch him try to move tn on!? Ha scrambled back to ths seat. "Might s well drsw down another load or two while Tm at It," he aald. "I'll tinker up that saw and sweat out something better before snow fflea." x He waved hia hand gayly and drove away, whistling. Stephen felt his cheeka burn a he drov along the main etreet of the vilbefore th atorea lage, the hitching-rack- e already crowded by the team of earlier comers. The old democrat creaked and wobbled; Beaa drew K at a dragging walk. He hitched the mare to th fence behind the hardware store and lifted down Retta'a heavy basket of egga while she scrambled over the wheel "I won't take long, Stevle." She took the vbasket from htm. Stephen leaned against th waeal, drswing at hia empty pipe..' He looked up at the sound ef hta nam. Thsd McTaaru grinned at him, wagging hia head. Thad had' always bullied him. "Back again, eh?" Thad halted. "Couldn't stand It to atay away from her, eould you?" Stephen gjaneed to tha side, calcugetting away withlating hia chancea ofaaw out trouble. And h Nathan Hobart'a buckboard atop in the road opposite him, aaw his unci watching th aeeme with Impaaalv face. Something seemed suddenly to wak In him. H heard Thad'a lowered vole venturing a foul epithet and h sprang, thrilling to tha clean smack of hia knucklea on th soft red flesh- - of h Jaw. As h took th countering blow, ha that Nathan Hobart had him to flht. He laughed happily .. -- rmmbrd at th thought, striking again and aaln at tha blurred face, following aa Thad backed away till the rear wall of the tor atopped pirn. A abort hooking blow sent hta old namy's head againat tha brick: Thad bent doubl, lifting a hand tn tokn of surrender. "I got enough," h said thickly. "There mor Where It cam from, anv time tou want It." said Stephen. He stepped back and cam face to fac with Nathan. The took In the grim fac brought another chucxi or contentment to hi Upa. bound. Brawl"Stephen, thla paase ilka a drunken hand! ing on market-daYou cam her to ehame me; well, you have dona rt. You came for money; well, '11 pay it if you'll go." "I Ilk It Stephen shook hi head. here." h aald. "Suite m fin. Oueaa y, Hi .! "L!?-- .v k.v He oouia ew in. euw Nathan ruled hia anger. "Thn atay under my roor: my floor la always open to you." I Ilk It oetier at imncin s.'. aaw Ratta comiiur toward htm. her n."No. He basket filled with paper bag ateooed oulckly toward her and took It from her with something Ilk Nathan He Hobart'a own formal courtesy. holped her Into th waawt carefully, hia hank toward Nathan. "All through?" H saw that her face 8h nodded. waa queerly whit, her ye wide. H backed th wagon about compelling hi unele to atep away from th wavering main wheel. He turned back into th treat, drlvtnar with, hia bead tirx delib erately aurveylng the people who stared at him from th walk. He told Rett what had happened. " L brleflv. at Thad McTagti?" Sh "You moved aulcjcly on th seat, twisting to v"4e fac him. nodded, grinning. "Easy. And Uncle Nathan watching me do It! Queas be hated all right Wanted to buy ma off, again, and when I wouldn't go, asked me to come back and llv with, him, Got under his thick akin thla tiro, Retta." "You aren't going back, the?" g "Not me! I wouldn't uit frr Nathan Hobart'a got" He ahook hta head. "Say. Rett, rues we'll hav to chang that deal of ours, though, so' out of it. i can get tooacco-monSh fumbled In the basket and prof fered a muslin aack of cheap tooacco. without speech. He took It eagerly and filled hta pip. "Good for you! You think of everything, dont you?" She ahrugged. "1 had three doien ex tra, thla week. Th warm spell started th hens laying again. I gueen. But s. tt very-thin- ey -- X -'' , "I thought that might going to roh him." t it," his own teama. And we eould take the I money and rent Peterson's drag-sagueaa. He'a through with It by thla time. nuearea or must four Ther b three cord up there. Good hardwood, too. a atop at Something in that, iei Pateraon'a now I gueaa 1 can handle htm, all right" He waa puasled at hia If h could show sudden eagernea Nathan Hobart that he waa prospering Peterson, driving a little touring car, hta overtook them before they farm, and Stephen atepped him. Ha wa a alow, thrifty roan of M. "I never, waa much of a nana to rent tools," h aaid. Ho met Stephen'a eye. Hear you licked Thad Mcragne this mornin'. Did you?" He Stephen, grinned at th memory. aaid ao." Hm! Alwaya flggered Thad wa a man. Guess you, can take th flghtin' aw. W you'll uaa .her right." Ought to clean up five hundred, any way, Stephen said, aa ha drov on. 'We could get another norae, mayo. and fix up the oM wagon so wa eOuld do our own hauling. sh suggested. ' Ana we'd have the team for the plowing, coma spring, too." -i too Tnat a ngni." meditated, bad, th way that bottom land'a gone back to scrub. Good money In th farm, If It waa run rJrht" Dad never Would farm," aha aald. "I guess he wasn't cut out for It; but h wouidnt sell, either. Nathan Hobart'atried to buy th place a doxen time" "wen. if he want to buy it now. h'll hav to bid high for it!" Stphen chuck led. "Rewa. we're going to gtv him a happy wintr, watching ua!" "when X saw you hiding. '. w i?10 line. v, "All right." Sh atood beaide htm. roughly dreaaed a hat shading her face. H glanced chip at her 'Curiously' th change was In the bereelf. Even In old things, ah was ifferent. She climbed lightly into th racked wagon, before he could lend a hand. . In. tne Tieta ne vaulted to tn ground and pitched up the haycocks while she built thy load; It waa fun, aomehow, to lift them with that old trick" of leverage which bent tha without straining arm or back. He worked fast observing ' that aha kept Dace with him. that the load mounted atraight and secure afore the racks. Hs acrambled uo be aide her when it waa finished, panting and wet Tm aorry about Dad." aha said. "I noped be d help thl time" "It doesn't matter wa put thl load on twice aa fast aua he and I'd hav don It." H .chewed a spike of tim othy. "Punnv. how h hate to work He'll take no end of trouble to catch a few auckers. or shoot a red etutrrel but h won't nUk if h can slid out ' wide-brimm- . fork-hand- le of can't help Ha," aha hesitated "he hasn't got itanything inside him that drlvea him. like ua. I aruea peo ple hav to hav Tnalnaprtnga, tha aame aa clocks. Dad nasn t fat any' Th word caught hia attention. Funny that he'd never thougnt of It ilka tnt. Something In It, thouarh. If you didn't have aomethlnc Ineld you to make you work, nothing outside of you would da "H Tou'r , - - - , "Lt's hustle," aha Interrupted briskly, "Clouding over, out there." They raced with the gathering jahower till the laat load waa under covfr. Old Duncan, grinning guiltily, d splayed a pan of cleaned fish. he waa hardly ever eeen. "Go fine for supper." he urred. Tha town also got accustomed to a Ms, Hobart laughed aa he took th shining beefy figure, carelessly dressed, the lower mim patia from the shelf tiy the kitchen part ofof the taca coverea oy a oeara me door. No use apoillng the old bov'a fun color moldy straw, a cast In the left H mlUfed swiftly, with a eye. . Thla man appeared and disanumming under nis ereath-on ppearedwriting "A. Krom, Chicago," The rain cam aa they finished supth register of ,.th Brlggs house, wh r per, a aavage. drenching downpour, he lodged and took hia meala when In roaring on th roof and the leaves. SteSlow River. Sometlmee ha drove to town phen helped Retta lower the windows, In a small car furnished by Harwood thinklhfr of the way the potatoes would and sometimes ha came by tratn. Everythe sun cam back. apnrt when one knew, of course, that he was engaged Wheels sounded In the swimming lane, In those myatertoua experiments at the and the barn floor boomed with the noise basket factory something important, of hoofe. Bomahody taking shelter from without doubt, since Nathaniel Harwood the storm, of course. He lighted a lanwa th attorney in the metter. tern and atood In the doorway. A man It waa at th baaket factory that Krom crossed the open space at a run, crouched firat saw Elisabeth Maiden. Sitting at. did not recognise and huddled. Stephen th work bench, he waa suddenly aware Nathan Hobart tul the older man Copyright All rights reaerved. Printed of an extraordinary vision a slender straightened under th shelter of the by arrangement with Metropolitan News- figure In a simple linen dree with a porch. that he had no detailed perception of, They faced each other warily, for a paper Kervice. ,New York. only tt looked like spring nowers trag-nerance: a race unaer tne nat men aaw that the vision was for Stelnman; the little man was running to fetch a chair. Probably It wouldn't have occurred to Stelnman to Introduce Krom. But Bess, standmc so close mat ne reit a fragrance, waa looking at him. amilina. and saving to tsteinman, "i ni is Air. Isn't lt?" afforded; ther were to bs gown as be- Krom, (Ceatisasd from Page Ose.) uo at ner from tn While Krom coming as any contrived with Incredible bench. Stetnmanstar) replied, quite imperson'of matching and making over. ingenuity were discussing a as though they ally, lov with peopl of both sexes who were They were to hold up their heads! Depiece of furniture, "les, mat is Mr. far out of th matrimonial rang it oi ine cidedly, alwaya, they wer to hold up Krom." . .. . on of her occupation mala their heada! Both went through the am I is twinkieo Brighter as Judas Llscomb and Har wood came out high school. Bess girls had done th under- sheElisabeth's Introduction heraelf. th completed of th Judge's room, and the noted graduate course at Ann Arbor In three 1 am Miss Maiden juage w scorn o a ste lingered a few momenta for fur- yeara, and even undertaken th ther conversation with th Judge ste- n law school. But Kate waa en- nographer." uisa to Know you. Krom mutierea, That first thrilling tmpres-alo- tered as a freshman at Ann Arbor then, nographer. Rhe snoke a few further words and then All and after on term In of her had been no illusion. School law vlalt with Stetnman. for her th, awsy turned In rwaa atill Slim, the there. th charm Hess tooK tha position in Judge LUcomD a dull, confuaed shame surged in Krom'a vigorous figure, dark blue eyea .under a office, where she could read law under A nave siooci up wnen to He mind. ougnt and chin his guidance. , square brow, th curve of Hps instead of sitting at spoke above all, a glow of warm, vivid life. He Somehow it had ben managed!? Thl ah From some ilk lobster! a bench the noticed now that there was no color In had been no shambling, droop-taileor other he remembered that bo th glow was delicately poor widow' household. In th thing where her cheeks, yet He must hav looked shoald have risen. that seemed to be most important they'd lik there, too.---- men a fool to her! went out, ana rronr ine swum with the beat chin Th thr Always Only fifteen feet away sn ana stein- office window Beaa chin. up! Now that she waa up! high, 13, Elisabeth rora away, oon saw them rolling away in th long, often thought of It with a sort of awe. man werthatchattering The with astonishment. r'"'-:"This charming little mother' nimbi feet queer, shv old put was aetnauy matter ahlny ear. not and pretty, tlreles fingers had someAt a quarter to six. Judge, Llscomb a oi maaing regular laaiea party the office how brought them through! When the ing having returned, she lockedIT' I XIHI " " tn .... n and took th familiar way horn past th daughter really thought of that It brought Mm: clear ahon th her rang laughter The street. house and up Maple a big ache into her heart. Sh longed Griggs that neat neuT tieguiar tea warm, moist smen oi spring towara sun-s- to hug the laughing little mother till her Wouldn tKrom reflected, with a satirical waa deltclouely good. Some robins riba cracked. to step out partvl Sh yearned that h waa no lady's man. frame Into th road, with her mother', arlov in Implication, hopped on the neat lawns with waa lasted nearly half an hour. tea party a her cap, and challenge th world to coma The dwelltnga behind them. Now ther mor Rlatnc. th caller apok a few of lilac And alwaya along on ant! fight. Only, really, ther waa no- words heavy scent Should he get to- - hie feet to him. with her sense of spring there was the body at all to fights Elizabeth vaguely now? But it didn't matter; he remain-of this aftemoon'a advenpleasant tingle w nen ana went out regretted that new that aha felt herself at' hta henen. tureBut when ah turned th corner to ba tha man of th family. neither, h nor Stetnman mentioned the was a livelier tingle. of Vine So far a mera money went, It had, of call th latter plunging at one Into his That long, shiny ear light green witn course, been " " fac with silver stripes stood In front of her moth the dog getting lapa ahead very now work. Na But all thla was mere ner step and then. It had long been a familiar' thaniel er s cottage. Automatically Harwood was finding a surprising fact to Elizabeth that local tradesmen lot of time to spend In quickened. th horn of his Stetnman and the chauffeur war in were not enthusiastic about extending boyhood. Of course, he, waa inth car. Judge Llaoomb and Harwood credit to th Maiden Bills were alwaya terested in the invention thatgreatly Stinman were in the cottaee where Harwood was paid finally. Btttt" it was sometimes a and Krom were working But ha himself aa Mra. longlah finally. And tha housekeeping could have got tn reoorts of Out genially Malden'a schoolboy friend. All three was of a very sketchy. Impressionistic Krotri. who apent at least half the from tlma were laughing over one oi nia reminis- sort the food mainly canned stuff on a In Chlcaeo, and when In the cltv came cences aa liese cam in. Naturally It corner of the kitchen tahle. When old almost dally to th roof room, which had brought him nearer fairly Into the Dr. Ridley protested that It was most now been frned Into a workshop. and would undermine th family circle. i to rominiien.j After th caller left. Elisabeth and unhealthy of arrowing girls, Mrs. Maiden Copyright 193. by Will Payne.) her mother ate aupper of canned tomato laughed and pointed to the girls.' In the muter, ana face of their soup, canned salmon, nreaa, crowing vigor, tea, on tha kitchen table.- - They usually Dr. Ridley could only scratch a baffled V ate that way. '' head. Elisabeth's father, had died when she Next Elizabeth learned from Judge was i. leaving her mother this cottage Liacombday that. Harwood waa leasing tha and life Insurance which yielded an In- basket factory. This was a come of $400 a year. Her mother waa brick structure, Vtwenty feet by alxty, Many do not realize tho shorter than herself by half a head; of near th railroad track and a quarter of lat many gray threads had corn Into a mile or so from any other building. siiiflcanoa of .the all too 1" the soft brown hair: th last two years Th manufacturing enterprise for which frequent cold or cough. Care ah had been obliged to wear eyeglasses. It was built had not succeeded, and for But her figure was still girlish: there several years the llttl factory had atood should be taken to build up war numberless Itttl turns and poaea empty. It seemed a suitable place for of her small head a straieht little. nose, Stetnman and Krpra to work out their the powers of resistance.' StlU tha prettiest woman in experiment curved Up In. Slow River, Bess declared! The morning of this next dajr after With the cottage and $400 a year, th Harwood's vlalt to Slow River. Krom mother and " two daughter might have climbed the atatrs to th Curlln Camera lived. But Mrs. Maiden proposed company's office. Simon Curlln waa at barely far mor than barely living. She danced hia desk that morning for tha ftrat time a extremely well and gave dancing lessons. In ten day tnfluenaa, the doctor called Sh could play th piano acceptably and It Ha looked aa though na needed aev-erabundant la health-buildiOnce sh valiantly th long fac weeks of recuperation gava music lesson eesayea drawing ana painting lessons bald eyes for once haggard, and th amine factors, Improvising th Instructional aa sh went lacked luster: hia manner Uetles "Good moral nt. Glad to see you back. helps buSd up along. And she made things to aell alwaya pretty things: basketa woven of col- Feeling soma better?" aaid Krom t th of strength end ored bead, embroidered handbag gay ooor, tn" a sympathetic manner. bump shade "I'm back,"', Curlln replied too dls Latterly ah made dinner resistance. Be sure Pirited to be reallv cards, for which ther waa a filac market In Valley City, alxteen miles Krom look a chair and observed: "Flu ask drus- vour seems to be pretty bad again. Stein-men- 's away. t? nlrt tn uvM VtlllUUMOn They war by no meane barely to llva been laid up com down with It t Ther were to go with th best: thev two days after you did. He don't seem 8 wer t be in whatever a wim Slow River to pick up much. The doctor aald ha - hr call-dow- . d. main-sprin- 1 ht . The Room on the Roof aex-ww- Retta Duncan lifted aueatienln nrows aa Stephen cam to th screened doorway. He wa mildly angry; and yet. below hia he observed a change In her. irritation, Sh waa softer somehow mor Ilk other women than the girl who had found hlsa hiding m tho fane corner. 'What a the matter?" Her vote waa "Did Dad run off abrupt H grinned. "Sneaked thagain?" first Mm I turned my back, the old rascal And that bay'a got to be under cover by to- uues tout elected, Itetta. nigiw. "All light." Sh unfastened th blue apron. "I ll hav to get en om .old clothes, first. We'll hav bread and milk for supper that'a all." He nodded careleaalv. With Retta. t handle the team, he could get th hay drawn, and the rain which he expected by night would be money in hia pocket He thought of . th in ths thirty, acre field along thpotatoes creek. He'd been right about that soil; farm it right and It would pay bettor than ven Nathan Ho. bart'a land. He grinned aa tha name name let,, ki. mind, remembarinar the v.t,.he looked atraight fcefore him when passed, the gray at hia top pae. Nathan muat hat th sight of th new h mown ,rah ?alnt turf of the dooryard, the vlaibla proofa that Shephen was prospering. Next fall, toroua-h- t If the crop decent prices, nirf there'd be enouah to rebuild h bairn and buy a decent buggy maybe a mvver, wicn iuck. xnat waa Rett s dream to drlv past the speeding gray, some day. In a car. Nathan hated gaso.... ought to get out of town a while; country, where he could get fre ' and have nothing to bother about a place dov couple weeka. There Indiana where I stayed once farml near a lake. I took him down ther terday. He seems to Ilk It first Oues It'll do him good." "Hop so." satd Curlln apathetic! "He'a sort of loneaome naluri Krom went on. "I ain't feeling any well in my bead and appetite. I'm going to knock off a co weeks and stay there with him. Was stay down ther cheap." dull Business, waa then; notn seemed to matter very much: ther w no edg to th old camera maker mil "Weil, he aald. In liatleae aasent added, "I'm going down to French Lt tomorrow. I gues" . Krom arose and remarked soberly, j 1 let you know how he reta on." "All riaht" satd Cnriin. Aa Krom went out a grin lurked r nina ma oeara ana tn ey with a ci tn it appeared to conceal a good Jcl Th smile broadened on th laat fil,l of stairs, and eioaaomed, so to apeak a aound that waa half titter and h chuck!. He was thinking. "Th old goat'U blow up when ha fir out what's happened to htm!" It wal perhaps, th moat amusing thought th Krom had ever entertained. That would keep Curlin quiet for tw weeka at least and Krom wnt up t 81ow River. An accumulation of dus and cobweb waa swept out of th bar littl baaket factory; fresh air waa le In. An electric motor and' a lathe Installed. Expres grinding wer packages containing glass.- too la ana vartoue commodities wer delivered. Thes evidences of life In th long- empty shop aroused much local curiosity which was discouraged by a fresh sign on the door: "Positively No Admittance." From Judge Liscomrs offlc word circulated that some Important looking to the establishment of tha optical Instrument manufactory, were going forward, and no one was admitted, because " th ' process s wer ecret. by no mean entirely discouraged .That local curiosity, however; besldea the comparatively lonely location, out there by the railroad tracks, gav Stetnman aoma uneaslneas lost the enemy, Curlin. make a sudden descent upon It. So presently a watchman was employed to enforce thst "no admittance" sign. Tha person selected for thts post waa Peter Green one of thoa citizens of n fornd particular occupation who can beodd-JoIn all country- towns a chronic b as a deputy man. He had once aerved anecial and for the warden, village, game occasions, employed him aa an aaaistant we Joba which Between constable. about half the time he could uaually b found Ifi 'Lafe Hartman's pool parlor or In Charley Miller'a cigar stand, both famous centers of lecal news. He was well suited to constabulary Jobs or for a watchman,, being very atrong. with plenty of courage under alt feet, but broad shouldered and bandy legged, with a heavy Jawed, pugnacious face, a big atraggling mustacha. and eves set close together; th mere sight of him sufficient to enforce a no trespass aign. Tha two btg doors of the baaket factoryon in th side and on in tha end were fastened with stput iron bars. To get in or out one went through an office which occupied th front of th long, narrow building. Peter had little to do except sit In thla office and aee that no unauthorised person did get in: or he could take a chair to the aldewalk by tha offlc door and there keep watch. The new Job waa greatly to hia taste. Elisabeth Maiden was one of th authorised persons. Now- and then she walked around by the factory for a Utile who said he waa no vilt with her friend professor. That waa th only opportuhim. A cot had nity of visiting with corner of th factory been set up In and h alept there, taking his meals at Aunty Prothroe'a boarding houae. which waa over toward Mrs, Malden'a cottaae. People In that part of town soon got usd to eeelng the dry wisp of a man like an ased child trotting back and forth between factory and boarding houae. usually absorbed in thought and paying ni ..... . te d, ed ,...... I at d tret thr - py-pi- y. at aleek-llmbe- ..... -- d, Frcpnt ... one-sto- ry Coughs I Scott s Emulsion . al ng rit xe-ser-re end Cm, J- |