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Show OLIVER OCTOBER1 day. The old man had that day offered him an interest In the business If he would remain In Rumley. Oliver vas grateful, but he declined the offer, saying say-ing he had a profession in which ha wanted to make good. Mr. Baxter's reversion to the subject came when Oliver, looking at his watch, announced that he must be running run-ning along, as he was due over at the Sages to say good-by to Jane and her father. "Well, I'll walk part of the way with you," said his father crossly. "I'd like to see If I can't coax you to change your mind about coming Into the store. If you don't mind, we'll take the lower road along the swamp. It's a short cut for you saves you a quarter of a mile or more." A few minutes before 9 o'clock Oliver Oli-ver October appeared at the home of Rev. Mr. Sage, somewhat out of breath and visibly agitated. "I'm awfully sorry to be so late," he apologized. "Father and I had a long and trying confab and I I couldu't get away. God knows I hate to say it, but I'm glad I'm going tomorrow." "No, you shouldn't say It, Oliver," said Mr. Sage. "Poor man, he is really not responsible these days. You see, Oliver, for nearly 30 years he has lived in dread of well, of the absurd thing that gypsy woman said." "And that is why he wants me to stay here, so that he can watch over and protect me?" "Exactly." "If I really believed that to be the case, Uncle Herbert, I I would stay." Jane, who had been silent during the brief colloquy between her father and Oliver, was studying the young man'a face intently. She was puzzled by his manner and by his expression. "I came over by the back road, along the swamp," he explained, catching her in the act of staring at his muddy shoes. "Father walked part of the way with me. Gee, what a panning he gave me I It was terrllje, Mr. Sage. I saw red. I I had to run I couldn't stand it. G d, how miserable I ami" Jane and her father listened, speechless, speech-less, and presently Mr. Sage arose and went Into the house. The clock on the town hall struck 12 before Oliver reluctantly bade Jane good-night and started homeward. On his way home, through the heart of town, he passed the rather pretentious house In which the Lansings lived. There were people on the broad veranda. ver-anda. He longed for the companionship companion-ship of friends merry friends:" ' He turned In at the stone gate and wp'ked swiftly up to the house. "Hello, Ollie," called out Sammy Parr. .... . . ' Young Lansing came to the top of the steps to greet him "I've been up saying good-by to Mr. Sage and Jane. And the funny part of It Is that I may not go away tomorrow' tomor-row' after all," said Oliver. "The Sages think I ought not to leave my father." He spoke in lowered tones, for Lansing's ear alone. "I quite agree with them," said the other stiffly. "Have a highball, Baxter?" called Sammy. "Not tonight, thanks. I've got to be running along. Father may be waiting , up for me. Night, everybody." And he was off. The group watched him stride swiftly down the Cement walk. Sammy was the first to speak.' "Well, I call that sociability, don't you? What the dickens is the matter with him? First time I've ever "seen Ollie Baxter with a grouch." . Early the next morning, Serepta Grimes called Joseph Slkes on the telephone. tele-phone. "Did Oliver Baxter stay all night with you?" she inquired. "I mean bid Oliver." "No." '; ' "Have you seen anything of him this morning?" .. . "No. What's the matter, Serepty?" "Well, he didn't sleep here last night, and there ain't a sign of him around the place. I I guess maybe you'd better come up, Joe." The long and the short of It was' Oliver Baxter had vanished as comr pletely as if swallowed by tlie earth and It was the general opinion that that was exactly what happened to him. There wus not the slightest doubt In tlie minds of his horrified friends that he had wandered out upon (he swamp and had met a ghastly fate in one of the countless pits of mire whose depths no man knew or cared to fathom even In speculation. Notwithstanding the almost universal belief lhat poor old Oliver Baxter was buried in the black mire of the swamp a state-wide search was at once instituted insti-tuted by his distracted son, who,'' for one, did not believe that the missing man had gone to his death In the loathsome loath-some tract. The bnnk's prompt announcement that Mr. Baxter had withdrawn thirty-five thirty-five hundred dollars convinced Oliver October and a few sound-headed Individuals Indi-viduals that he had deliberately planned his departure from Rumley. Old Oliver and Young Oliver quarreling anj Old Oliver missing! miss-ing! Maybe the gypsy queen j was right. J 1 zJ (TO BE CONTINUED.) f OLD OLIVER B.SJN0PSIS-Oliver October rJ.iV?r' Jr'' wa" born on vll October day. His parents were promnent In the commercial, social and spiritual life of the on ' Ru"ly. The night that ""v October was born a gypsy queen reads hi. father's fortune ana tells him what a wonderful luture his son ha3 before him. out adds that his son will never ","h 'ht age of thirty, that he ,be hanged for a crime of which he Is not guilty. Ten years elapse. , Mrs. Baxter died when Oliver was near-"B near-"B seven. Josephine Sage, wlfe of the minister, caused a sensation when she goes on the sage. Her daughter Jane and young Oliver become greatly attached at-tached to each other. After mushing college; . young Oliver accepts a position In Chicago with an engineering company. He goes to Chini Upon his return re-turn he enlists iinl the Canadian army. . : ' i CHAPTER III Home From! the War The war was over1. Oliver October Tiaxter came through without a scratch. j In April, imn, he sailed from Brest and on the tenth of May arrived In Rumley, discharged ' from the army, jobless. On the waj home he stopped over in Chicago to "notify his employers employ-ers that he would lie ready to resume work after a month's much-needed rest. He was blandly informed that -as soon as anythirjg turned up they would be pleased a'rtd happy to take him hack into the) concern, but at present there wash't a vacancy in sight. i I Being a captain j in the army and used to plain speaking, he told the astonished as-tonished general nianager what he thought of him nnd,;the whole works "besides, and airily went his way. This time there jwas no delegation at the station to meet him. His father and Sammy Parr ivere waiting for Jiim when the train1 j j pulled in. Old Oliver eyed hi son narrowly. "What's this I hehr about them not taking you back onU'Our old job?" he -demanded. He extended his hand, which young Oliver gripped In both of ills. j "Aren't you glad to see me back, jilive and well, dad?'' he cried. "Of course, I"m '.i lad you're back, sonny of course, I am. I've' been praying for tills ever since you went away. Cut, didn't I say you were a -fool for giving up it $7,000 job to go over and mix up In .1 war that wasn't Jiny of our business)!" "Oh, I'm not doyn and out, you know, dad,'' broke Ijin young Oliver. "So, cheer up! I'mrot worrying." "Course you're npt worrying," was liis father's sour reitprt. "You've got me to fall back on, iwith a good home and grub and a darned fine business to drop into when I'hi dead and gone." His son could hardly believe his ears. He was bewildered, hurt. Sammy gave Oliver a significant 3ook. :! ' , As the two. young inen .hurried serosa the platform with - the bags- ml bundles, he found opportunity to ay to the new arrival : "Your father, will be in fl, good humor hu-mor in minute or two. It's just a iiahit he's fallen into since you've been away. I guess It's that Infernal gypsy business. He's, as peevish as blazes a good part or the time." Thev drove ofjf In Sammy's car while Oliver plied his old friend with questions. ques-tions. ) "Where is .Tune?" he asked sud-di'iily. sud-di'iily. "Jane Sage?; Oh, she's around same as ever, filings are a lot easier for Mr. Sage noiv. I guess maybe you 1,-iven't heard about his brother dying out in Cnllforiiln an 1 leaving him quite a bit of nioney. It jooks like a pretty serious affair between her and poc Lansing." , "What's tlml5?" demanded ' Oliver, startled. '.j guess it's jl happened since you went nwny. Ppc's "y "ecu practicing prac-ticing here sine last summer. Fine '"I'llon't seem t!o remember him," said Oliver dully. "Jrou say she's er In l0Ve with him?" . - ' " looks that v-jay," said Sammy, In-Oiffe'r-nlly. ""fs dead gone on her, ii. -it's sure" ' "ir,.sentlv Mr. paer cackled. He ,, in high P ll"mor "Serepty C.rim -a just cant wait to vou " le d el:ired. "You know e's'lceopin.f hot e fr me now." "Mint Seivpt: keeping house for "T"ycs I thong it that people would , 're to talk she came over and L',1 at mv house H-it. the cussed part 11 ! nobodv tljinks there's anything "lmi:is l'"",.lt' Thore 1,nf"'t beon Her cd bit of tIU. W,at the. dickens "f -, u huKhingiat. Sam?" "'Vjust ran ovk a hen," .lied Sam promptly- ' .... . was welP along before Oliver ,,l'ser'ieslv t'o contemplate bring-' bring-' self "'vied "vacation" to an ,M'-' "j,.,v had bee" glorious. Even ' " tor stretches of Peath swamp, " l? whiel'i he looked from the oak-",',, oak-",',, d citadel that he would always 5,1,1 , ,, were not so repelling as ,..,u home, . , had been in days of yore. 1 he ,"" , ; s heauiiTui. 1 p ring the hr-eek He spent.man, ' Cre free hmu's w lth j!,ne S:1Re ""one evening, lounging on her porch. )1C askcd her suddenly : By George Barr HcCulcheon WKU Service Copyright. Bell Syndicate "What sort of a chap Is Doc Lansing, Lan-sing, Jane?" She started, and for a moment her eyes were fixed Intently on his half-averted half-averted face. There was an odd, startled star-tled expression In them. "He is very nice." she answered, and they both fell silent An automobile approached along the tree-lined street, coming to a stop at the front gate. "Hullo!" exclaimed Oliver. "Here comes the gentleman himself. "Good evening, Jane," said young Lansing as he came up to the steps. "How are you, Captain Baxter? Wonderful Won-derful night. Isn't It?" "Wonderful," said Oliver, who wasn't thinking at all of the physical aspects of the night. Twenty minutes later he looked at his wrist-watch, uttered an exclamation, exclama-tion, and sprang to his feet. "I must be going Jane," he said. He took himself off in well-simulated haste. As he strode off down the street he was conscious of an extremely uncomfortable uncom-fortable feeling that they were glad to be rid of him. A queer little chill of dismay struck In upon him. For a moment mo-ment he felt utterly desolate and bewildered. be-wildered. He felt lost. Why, It meant that he and Jane couldn't be playmates or chums any longer. Four days later Jane met him face to face In the street, and looking straight into his eyes, asked : "What Is the matter, Oliver? What have I done?" "Done?" "Don't be stupid. Have I offended you? Why haven't you been up to see me?" He decided to be quite frank about it. "See here, Jane, we've always been pals. I don't know exactly how things "No. What's the Matter, Serepty?" stand with you nnd Lansing. But, while I'm not a suitor, It's only fair and square of me to keep out of the " Her free, joyous laugh Interrupted him. "Oh, you don't know how relieved I am," she cried. "So that's the explanation, expla-nation, is it? You wanted to give me every chance in the world to catch a beau and to keep him. It's awfully kind of you, Oliver, but it's also very silly. Don't let me find you staying away ngain !" And so June drew toward an end with Jane and Oliver hack on the old footing not quite tlie same as before, owing to the hitter's secret conviction - that he was playing hob with the doctor's doc-tor's peace of mind. Oliver's otherwise agreeable and whilom stay In Ilumley was marred by ills father's increasing despondency and irritation over tlie fact that he not only was out of a job but apparently was making no effort to obtain one. There were times when the old man's scolding became unbearable, and but" for the pleadings of Serepta Grimes and the counsel of Mr. Sage, Oliver would have packed his bags and departed. de-parted. "Don't pay any attention to him, Oliver," begged Serepta. "He's cranky that's all. He don't mean what he says. It would break his heart if you were to get mad and go off and leave him." , CHAPTER IV i A Mysterious Disappearance Shortly before 3 o'clock on the afternoon after-noon of June the day before Oliver October was to leave for Chicago and a new position, old Oliver Baxter stepped into tlie bank at the corner of i Clay anil rershing streets and drew out .:,. "00 in currency. He gave no reason to tin- toller or to the cashier i for the withdrawal of so large an ' amount in cash. '. Oliver Oelnber, 10 or 1o minutes late for supper that evening, found his r father in a surprisingly aiuiab'e frame . of mind, hut Mr. Baxter's good humor , did not endure, lie revived a dispute they had had in the store earlier in the |