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Show THE S ALIN A SUN, S ALINA, UTAH NURSE FINDS A The Branding Iron PERFECT REMEDY Q Q Q Bxj Katharine Keratin Burt Copyright by Kxthvin. N. Bart a hideous man, surely a hideous He hardly ever spoke, but sometimes, coming home from the town which he visited several times a year, but to which he had never taken Joan, he would sit down over the stove and go over heavily, for Joan's benefit, the story of his crime and his escape. Joan always told herself that she would not listen, whatever he said she would stop her ears, but always the story fascinated her, held her, eyes widened on the figure by the stove. He had sat huddled in his chair, gnomelike, his face contorting with the emotions of the story, his own brilliant eyes fixed on the round red mouth of the stove. The reflection of this scarlet circle was hideously noticeable in bis pupils. A mans a right to kill his woman if she aint honest with him, so the story began ; if he finds out shes ben trickin of him, playin him off fer another man. That was yer mother, gel; she was a bad woman. There followed a coarse and vivid description of her badness and the manner of it. "That kinder thing no man can let pass by In his wife, I found her again the rude details of an I found him, an his discovery cowI let him go for the white-livere- d ard he was, but her I killed. I shot her dead after shed Bald her prayers an asked Gods mercy on her soul. Then I walked off, but they kotched me an I was tried. They didnt swing me. Out in them parts they knowed I was in my rights; so the boys held, but twas a life sentence. They tuk me by rail down to Dawson an I give em the slip, handcuffs an all. Perd chase haps twas only a they made fer me. Some of them fellers mebbe had wives of their own. He always stopped to laugh at this An I cut off up country till point nose father. FOREWORD Next to the impulses to satisfy hunger and thirst, and to rest when tired, the most elemental is to possess something; to acquire property. With possession comes the thought of protecting and so marking the property as to distinguish it from that belonging to others. The branding iron is only an improvement upon crude methods of marking in vogue since the beginnings of the human race. This is a romance of the cattle country. Primarily, it is a love story in which the passions of virile, strong - willed, danger - defying people are realistically and powerfully revealed. Katharine Newltn Burt, the authoress, has had much experience of the West and finds great inspiration for her work in the life and characters of that region. There are few writers who equal her in ability to make readers feel the emotions of her characters and the effects of life spent in close conjunction with wild nature. Book One: The Brand CHAPTER Two-Ba- r I Joan Reads by Firelight. There is no silence so fearful, so breathless, so searching as the night silence of a wild country buried five feet deep in snow. For thirty miles or so, north, south, east and west of the small, speck of gold in Pierre Landis cabin window, there lay, on a certain December night, this silence, bathed in moonlight The cold was intense: below the bench where Pierres homestead lay there rose from the twisted, rapid river a cloud of steam above which d the tops of cottonwood half-smother- half-hearte- hoar-froste- trees were perfectly distinct trunk, branch and twig, against a sky the color of iris petals. The stars flared brilliantly, hardly dimmed by the full moon, and over the vast surface of the snow minute crystals kept up a steady shining of their own. The range of d mountains, upsharp, lifted fourteen thousand feet, rode across the country, northeast, southwest dazzling in white armor, spears up to the sky, a sight, seen suddenly, to take the breath, like the crashing march of archangels militant In the center of this ring of silent crystal Pierre Landis logs shut in a little square of warm and ruddy human darkness. Joan, his wife, made the heart of this defiant space Joan, the one mind living in tills ghostly area of night She had put out the lamp, for Pierre, starting townward two days before, had warned her with wind-scrape- a certain threatening sharpness not to waste oil, and she lay on the hearth, her rough head almost in the ashes, reading a book by the unsteady light of the flames. She followed the printed lines with a strong, dark forefinger and her lips framed the words It with slow, whispering motions. was a long, strong womans body stretched there across the floor, heavily if not sluggishly built, dressed rudely in warm stuffs and clumsy boots, and it was a heavy face, too, unlit from within, but built on lines of perfect animal beauty. The head and throat had the massive look of a marble fragment stained to one even tone and dug up from Attic earth. And 6he was reading thus heavily and slowly, by firelight In the midst of this tremendous northern night, Keats version of Boccaccios "Tale of Isabella and the Pot of Basil. The story for some reason interested her. She felt that she could understand the love of young Lorenzo and of Isabella, the hatred of those two brothers and Isabellas horrible tenderness for that young murdered head. There were even things In her own life that she compared with these; in fact, at every phrase she stopped, and, staring ahead, crudely and Ignorantly visualized, after her own experience, what she had Just read; and, in doing so, she pictured her own life. Her love and Pierres her life before Pierre came to put herself in Isabellas place, she felt back to the days before her love, when she had lived in a desolation of bleak poverty, up and away along Lone river in her fathers shack. This log house of Pierre's was a castle by contrast. John Carver and his daughter had shared one room between them ; Joans bed curtained off with gunny-sackinin a corner. She slept on hides and rolled herself up in old dingy patch-wor- k quilts and worn blankets. On winter mornings she would wake covered with the snow that had sifted In between the logs. There had been a stove, one leg gone and substituted for by a huge cobblestone; there had been two chairs, a long box, a table, shelves all rudely made by John; there had been guns and traps and snowshoes, hides, skln3, the wings of birds, a couple of fishing-rod- s John made his living by legal and Illegal trapping and killing. He had looked like a trapped or hunted creature himself, small, furtive, very dart, with long fingers always working over his mouth, a great crooked g and very coolly she walked into tha past ths group of loungers around the stove, and asked at the desk, where Mrs. Upper sat, If she could get a job. Mrs. Upper and the loungers stared, for there were few women in this frontier country and those few were well known. Tlds great, strong girl, heavily graceful in her heavily awkward clothes, bareheaded, shod like a man, her face and throat purely classic, her eyes gray and wide and as secret in expression as an untamed beast's no one had ever seen the like of her before. Whats yer name? asked Mrs. Upper suspiciously. It was Mormon day In the town ; there were celebrations and her house was full; she needed extra hands, but where this wild creature was concerned she was doubtful. Joan. Im John Carver's daughter, answered the girl. At once comprehension dawned; heads were nodded, then craned for a better look. Yes, the town, the whole country even, had heard of John Carvers Imprisoned daughter. Sober and drunk, he had boasted of her and of how there was to be no man in her life. It was like dangling ripe fruit above the mouths of hungry boys to make such a boast in such a land. "Your father sent you down here fer a job?" asked Mrs. Upper incred- hotel, ulously. No. I come. was unchanging. there. I aint SWAMP-ROO- Joans grave gaze "Im tired of it up back. Im most Hallo Catavirh FOR T KIDNEY AILMENTS Medicine rid your system of Catarrh or Deafness caused by Catarrh. Sold by dmttutf for am 40 yam There is only one medicine that really aa s medicine for standa out F. curable ailments of the kidneys, liver and From my long experience as a nurse bladder. stands the Dr. Kilmers Swamp-Roo- t I do not hesitate to say that I consider Tanlac Natures most perfect highest for the reason that it has proven be just the remedy needed in thousands remedy," recently declared Mrs. I. A. to cases. thousands of distressing upon Borden, 425 Pontius Ave., Seattle, Swamp-Roo- t makes friends quickly beWash. Mrs. Borden is a graduate of cause its mild and immediate effect is the National Temperance Hospital, soon realized in most cases. It is s genChicago, and her wide experience In tle, healing vegetable compound. Start treatment at once. Sold at all caring for the sick lends particular stores in bottles of two sizes, medium drug statement. to her emphasis and large. I have used Tanlac exclusively for However, if you wish first to test this seven years in the treatment of my great preparation send ten cents to Dr. for a charity patients, continued Mrs. Bor- Kilmer A Co., Binghamton, N.be Y., and sure When bottle. writing has been sample that, den, and my experience mention this paper. Advertisement. the stomach, liver, for J. CHENEY & CO Toledo, Ohio kidneys keeping and bowels functioning properly and Ruinous Measure. for toning up the system in general, Does she weigh her words? no had I Tanlac has equal. Recently Yes, but If she ran a grocery store a woman patient who could not even on the same basis shed soon he on fifteen stomach for her keep water minutes. Six bottles of Tanlac fixed her up so she could eat absolutely anyTo tame the tongue, the thoughts thing. Another patient, a man, seemed to be tamed first. Think pleashave at all. Three unable to digest any food bottles of Tanlac put him in such fine anter ones. shape he went back to work. These two cases are typical. My confidence in Tanlac Is unlimited. Tanlac is sold by all good druggists. Take no substitute. Over 40 million bottles sold. Advertisement Too many speak twice before they think. BABIES CRY FOR CASTORIA Prepared Especially for Infants and Children of AH Ages Mother! when you buy. BAYER SAY Fletchers Castorla has Insist foe millions and Proved safe by prescribed by physicians eighteen now an I kinder want a been in use for oyer 80 years as a Caschange. for harmless substitute pleasant Neuritis Headache Colds Lumbago She had not meant to be funny, but tor Oil, Paregoric, Teething Drops and a gust of laughter rattled the room. Soothing Syrups. Contains no narcotRheumatism Toothache Pain Neuralgia She shrank back. It was more terriics. Proven directions are on each Accept only Bayer package which contains proper directions. fying to her than any cruelty she package. Physicians recommend it had fancied meeting her in the town. The genuine bears signature of Also bottles of 24 and 100 Druggists. Handy Bayer boxes of 12 tablet These were the men her father had Xaplria Is tbs trads stark at Bsjsr lUnatactnrs at UaaeaeaUeacUaatm at BaUcrttcadf crinforbidden, these kled faces. She had turned to brave them, a great surge of color in her brows. "Dont mind the boys, dear, spoke especially Bugs are short-live- d Mrs. Upper. "They will laff, Joke or humbugs. none. WTe aint none of us blamin Cuticura Comforts Babys Skin you. Its a wonder you ain't run off long afore now. I can give you a Job When red, rough and Itching, by hot baths of Cuticura Soap and touches of an welcome, but youll be green an Also make use unhandy. Well, sir, we kin learn ye. Cuticura Ointment You kin turn yer hand to chamber-wor- k now and then of that exquisitely scentan mebbe help at the table. ed dusting powder, Cuticura Talcum, Maud will show you. But, Joan, what one of the indispensable Cuticura Toilet Trio. Advertisement. will dad do to you? He'll be takln after you hot foot, I reckon, an be France May Subsidize Movies. fer gettin you back home as soon as The government of France has alhe can." ways been a ready friend to art, so it Joan did not change her look. Ill not be goln back with him," is not surprising that the motion picture has been Included in the official Dig New Bed for laar River. she said. Why Not? By changing the course of the Midfamily. Although a state subsidy has If certain medicinal spring waters , Her slow, deep voice, chest notes of a musical vibration, stirred the room. not yet been given the industry a benefit human beings why should they dle Isar river, Bavaria expects to comite Francalse du cinema has not be good for horses who have sim- make possible the development of an The men were hers and gruffly said so. been minister of created the by public ilar bodily structures? So thought a electric current totaling 480,000,000 A sudden warmth enveloped her from English horse trainer and watt hours a year, an output that will heart to foot. She followed Mrs. Up- Instruction, who has himself accepted the The It. of honorary at Doncaster are now put the plant among the largest of the his horses presidency ailing per to the Initiation In her service, with water from world. It Is estimated that thlB use of clothed for the first time in human president of the committee Is Paul being supplied of fine arts. director Leon, the famous Harrowgate springs. In water power will result In a saving of sympathies. spite of laughter of bis friends. Did 500,000 tons of coal annually. In dignot Epsom salts originate In a spring ging the river's new channel, 7,000 Vainest Bird. CHAPTER II At Kew gardens, England, there is a near the famous race course at Ep- men were employed. heron that must be the vainest bird som? And, la there any significance Pferra Lays His Hand on a Heart. Technicality. If in that fact? Maud Upper was the first girl of alive. It asks to be photographed. An alleged dope peddler in Frisco her own age that Joan had ever seen. it sees a camera it poses as if to make had hia stomach pumped by governIt has Joan went in terror of her and Maud itself an attractive subject. Remedy In Her Hands. ment officials to see It he had swalbeen kcown to stare at a camera and ne (sadly) Yes, I'm poor. knew this and enjoyed her ascendfollow owner of camera over the until But an Gotrox Miss the cant creature untamed it twice help lowed any dope. Now he claims h you ancy rights were violated because he was her size. There was the crack of a has been duly snapped. Then It that. forced to give evidence against In can. Boston toddles He tone the of but No, her contentedly away. whip you instructions. That was after a day or two. At first Maud had been horLives of some statesmen remind ns A wild thing that it Is sometimes better to be The next day a man wonders why ho ribly afraid of Joan. Dignity carried to excess becomes a like her, livin off there In the hills let It worry him. ehronlc disease. with that man; why, ma, theres no tellin what she might be doin to me." She wont hurt ye, laughed Mrs. Upper, who had lived in the wilds herself, having been a frontlermans wife before the days even of this frontier town and having married the r as a second venture. She knew that civilization this rude place being civilization to Joan would cow the girl, and she knew that Mauds buoyancy would frighten the soul of her. Maud was largeGrape-Nut- s with cream with a small, hipped, good milk contains round waist much compressed. She every element necessary for perfect nutrition. taught Joan Impatiently and laughed loudly but not unkindly at her ways. is partially pre-digest- ed Grape-Nut- s by 20 hours Gee, shes awkward, aint she? is easily assimilated by child adult. she would say to the men; trail like baking. a bull moose! Grape-Nut- s, made of wheat and barley, is sweet The men grinned, but their eyes followed Joans movements. As a matwith natural sugar from the grain ter of fact, she was not awkward. in the making. It has a delightful, nut-lik- e flavor. Through her clumsy clothes, the heaviness of her early youth, In spite of Grape-Nut- s is real food the kind you can deall the fetters of her Ignorance, her wonderful long bones and her wonderpend upon for strength and energy. Its crisp ful strength asserted themselves. And granules invite thorough mastication, thus helpshe never hurried. At first this apparent sluggishness infuriated Maud. ing to keep the teeth and gums healthy. she Get a gait on ye, Joan Carver would scream above the din of the Grape-Nut- s is so compact that a package conrough meals, but soon she found that tains many servings; and each serving provides Joans slow movements accomplished a tremendous amount of work In an unusual nourishment. portion for the cereal amazingly short time. There was no of meal one cent. a costs about part pause In the girl's activity. She as a out her strength python poured pours his, noiselessly, evenly, steadily, no haste, no waste. And the mens eyes brooded upon her. (TO BE CONTINUED.) FOR loud-laughin- well-know- n She Followed the Printed Lines With a Strong, Dark Finger. lion-tame- I come to a smithy at the edge of a town. I hung round for a spell till the smith hed gone off an I got into his place an rid me of the handcuffs. Twas a job, but I wasnt kotched at It an I made myself free. Followed the story of his wanderings and his hardships and his coming to Lone In river and setting out his traps. them days there werent no law agln trappin beaver. A man could make a honest livin. Now theyve tuk an' made laws agin a mans bread an butter. I ask ye, if taint wrong on a Tuesday to trap yer beaver, why, taint wrong the follerin Tuesday. I dont see it, Jes becos some fellers back there has made a law agin it to suit themselves. Anyway, the market fer beaver hides la still prime. Mebbe Ill leave you a fortin, gel. Ive saved you from badness, anyhow. I risked a lot to go back an git you, but I done it. You was playin out in front of yer aunts house an I come an fer you. You was a a big youngster. Says I, Whats yer name? Says you, 'Joan Carver; an I knowed you by yer likeness to her. By G d! I swore Id save ye. I tuk you off with me, though you put up a fight an I hed to use you rough to to be silence you. There aint no man in yer life, Joan Carver, says to I; you an yer big eyes is be fer me, to do my work an to look after my commits. No pretty boys fer you an no husbands either to go of you down fer yer sins. He shivered and shook his head. "No, here you stays with yer father an grows up a good gel. There aint to be no man In yer life, Joan. But youth was stronger than the mans will, and when she was seventeen Joan ran away. Unfair Attack. She found her way easily enough to the town, for she was wise In the Cabby (to chauffeur, whose car has tracks of the wild country, and Johns bumped into his horse) Ah, yer trail townwards, though so rarely blankety blank coward I Forty again used, was to her eyes plain enough; one I Boston Evening Transcript hotel-keepe- Simple Guide to Jf qAProper Food Selection self-asserti- hlgh-bosome- three-year-ol- d in or Nourishment Digestibility - It or Flavor self-develop- ed Character 1 haf-craz- y 1 Economy A (ErapeMiut There's HEALTH a Reason" Made by Postum Cereal Company, re. Battle Creek, Michigan. |