Show LE VALLE lJ I D Dt by bl Ben Ames Wi i ns Service Ioe Copyright t by Ben BC A Ames Am won Wm Y SYNOPSIS village IIII of ot Lib Lib- Liberty Liberty At n. n gathering Catherine In the e erty Maine Jim Saladino listens to the history of ot the neighboring Hostile Valley Val Val- Valley ley and tho the mysterious enticing dy dy wife of ot Will Perrin l Interested he he drives to the tho Valley for tor a days day's fishing and to see sec ec tho the glamorous Huldy Ferrin Old Marm alarm Pierce and her year old granddaughter Jenny live lIvo In the Valley Since childhood Jenny has deeply loved young youns Will Viii Ferrin older than she and who re regards re- re regards gards Bards her as still a child Learning that Will who has hag been working In another neighborhood nel Is coming home Jenny exulting sets his hits long empty long emPtY house hOU 6 to rights and has dinner ready for tor him lIe He comes comes bringing bringing his wife wiCe Huldy The girls girl's world collapses collapse En En- Entering I his home unlooked unlocked for tor Will finds ands damning evidence of o his wife's unfaithfulness as a man he knows is Seth Humphreys breaks from the house Will overtakes him and chokes choke him to death although Hum Humphreys shatters his leg with a bullet At Marm Pierces Pierce's house the leg Is am am- Huldy declares s she Bhe has no use tire l' l e for half a man and leaves lea him Will Is legally exonerated and with a made home-made artificial leg carries on hiring a helper Zeko Dace Months later Huldy comes back Will WI accepts her presence as her right Two years go by SaladIno Saladina comes to the thea Valley a II ey Caught In heavy rain he takes tales refuge at Marm PI Bart Bert Carey a neigh neigh- neighbor neighbor bor arrives carrying Huldy whom he claims had hul fallen tallen from a Ild e and seemingly Is dead While Huldy and Jenny are atone alone the th woman with her last breath asserts Will killed her Horrified Jenny decides to tell no one of ot the tho accusation She goes to notify Will With him Jenny Jenn returns return to Maria Marm PIerces Zeke Dace cannot be found Sall Informs Sheriff Sohier by phone of ot Huldy's death The sheriff she rift comes to harm Marm PIerces PIerce's farm tarm Bart ex- ex explains plains how he found round Huldy after aCter her herall tall fall dead as he ho supposed Jenny re reveals re- re reveals the fact tact that Huldy had accused Will of ot causing her death CHAPTER IX Continued IX-Continued Continued 17 17 Then Tilen Jenny faced the sheriff stead stead- steadly lip ly anti and she said Mis Ferrin Ken looked nt at me and her month twisted Into a kind of at laugh Inu h. h and she said some some- thins thing thIn And the girl irl went on First off lilT I couldn't hear her She was awful weak and I leaned down and I said to her ier Its all right ills ills' I Anil AM she laughed at me I mean her r mouth twisted as If It she was trying to And this time I heard what she sh said Marm larDi Pierce exploded In a fierce Impatience Get on with it Jenny What did she say And Jenny answered She said I could have ha him now I guess uess I kind of ot moved hack at that away from her herl h r It was like shed she'd slapped me Her IIer cheek was pale arid and she spoke almost humbly I didn't know what to do she con So I Just tried to tell teU herit her hert herIt It t was all right and I told her Will was coming Her tones shook then steadied And then she said it it she con COli eluded She said suld kind of ot slow and weak Will knocked me off ofT off And she had to wait a minute and then she said lie Ile hit lilt me The girl was silent for tor an Instant before she could go o on Her mouth was still sUlI kind of ot laugh lauh laughing lag ing she finished And she sort of ot coughed I guess that was when she died A deep tremor shook her but hut huther buther buther her voice was firm She laid there looking at me and her mouth grinning at nt rue ame hut but I guess she was dead by then Anyway she didn't say any an I more wore She finished and was still waiting And suddenly she was very ery tired dreading dreadin what was to come Yet for a while no one spoke at all CHAPTER X Jennys Jenny's disclosure for or a moment hushed there then all Murm Marm Pierce was the first to speak Whew I she exclaimed I de de- declare declare clare Its It's hot as love lo In hay time here Bart opened the door Into the shed to admit some EO me air The shed was a gloomy cavern ern the darkness in It was wasu wasa a u black screen behind which anything nn might ml ht hide The sheriff crossed his feet teet and sat sut satIn sutIn satin In a deep embarrassment Ills ls shoes scraped on the floor and Marm Pierce said I smell a lamp smoking The lamps here hele were all In order but when she opened the door Into the room dining room where Huldy lay a reek reel of ot soot and smoke emerged The old woman bustled In there complaining scolding the absent Joe J oe Matthews Takes Tales a man to make a 3 mess of at things s she protested She brought brou h hout out the lamp Its Us chimney black lIe He left It turned up too high hl h she ehe de de- declared Glared and replaced It with another nother lamp and they heard her raise the windows a little from the bottom Ill air nir out a mite she explained talking to herself In the other room Then Phen she returned shut the dining dining- room door again n uIn Well she sh ejaculated I declare e P hail hall about enough h of the goings s on this his day clay Ila Jenny why wh didn't you tell IP this here before lonny looped looked nt tit Will acid she said I st niT IT 1 I w a ia afraid It was v h d si Only I 11 that even p. If It It was I didn't care carel I How flow do you Olt mean you didn't care the sheriff asked In a dull per per- But Lut before Jenny replied alarm Marm Pierce spoke In a n sort of ot defiance Ill tell you ou that Sheriff she said The thing thin is is Will and Jenny Jenn had got gotto gotto gotto to like each other mighty well before Huldy come conic back after that time she went away Will hes he's fine anti and sos so's Jenny No harm In it I hoped ds d not come conic hack back ever It looked look to me that thac be better hetter off If he was rid of her for good and alL aIL Hut But when she did come Jenny Tenny she didn't see him trim after that till today tolla She concluded But Bitt Jenny Tenny and Will would have ha married before this If hadn't been married to Will Tenny Jenny loves s him and he loves lo her and I Im I'm glad of at It If It t comes to that Jennys Jenny's Jenn g fine and Wills Will's a man And then Jenny answered for her herself self right rl ht she said bravely I mean I didn't care what hed he'd done because I loved lo him anyway And blame him for hit hit- hitting hitting ting Huldy Bart Insisted quick lck to Wills Will's defense She needed It bad But he lie never meant to 10 knock her oft off the tho J ledge de I Jenny Tenn cried swift Indignant Will never ne touched her Bart I know he didn't Bart loyally agreed a reed But Im I'm just saying If he did dill lie Ile didn't Jenny repeated crisply The sheriff looked up at nt her How lIow come you to he so sure Jenny Tenny ho hl asked In sober sobel tones Outside of of- of feeling about him the way you do how come you ou to he so sure If I want sure Jenny challenged challen d drou think thIn 1 Id I'd ever eer have told you or anybody nn bod what she said You wouldn't want to marry a 3 man that'd td lull kill It III his hs wife would you Sohier urged and Jennys Jenny's eyes ees e es met methis methIs methis his fairly and hers were misty with deep tenderness lie Ile didn't she sire Insisted steadfastly But Id I'd want to marry Will any way It come and no matter what he lone done Well that aint telling me how you know he didn't do It the sheriff repeated doggedly do edl What made you sure all of n a sudden now Just Just coming coming to my senses Jenny decided d. d I was kind of numb for a awhile awhile awhile while but then after Id I'd been with Will VIII for a spell I was sure The sheriff sheri IT surprisingly chuckled Id admire to hear you testify like that in court he lie declared Id like Bice to see what the Judge jude would say He became grave rave again a aln and looked 1 at last at Will How now about It Will he hI suggested su g-ested g soberly Anything youve you've got ot to say Will with all nil their eyes e es upon him wiped his hand across his mouth The Theman Theman Theman man was shaken shalen sore ore He fie stood fumbling for words If It was any anyone anyone one but Jenny told me I wouldn't be believe here lieve Huldy said It he lie declared Taint true I guess you'll say No No It Ir aint true The sheriff frowned How Bow come camp camplIs' camplIs Mis' Mis FerrIn to say a thing like that then he protested Dont seem as asIf asIf asif If a woman would tell a straight out straI out ht-out He lie the before she Rhe died She was out of ot her head I reckon Will Vill offered But Jenny said No Will she was same as always She me every word she said The man Insisted almost pleadingly ly Jenny lenny she wouldn't tell a thing like that only If It she was crazy or out of her head hend or something Marm Pierce had been silent sll nt long but now no she spoke In sharp and angry tones Will FerrIn yore a fool tool I she ex ex- ex- ex claimed I guess most men are ar where a n womans woman's concerned hut but yore a abl bigger bl er fool than most You know as ns aswell aswell well as anyone anone that Huldy was as no good I 1 Isis Ills head lifted as though thou h he would speak but her voice rose Now dont don't try tr to shut me up Will Ferrin l I she cried For Im I'm going oIn to have mv my say Eay I Land knows why Huldy Huld married you but everybody eer body knows she was a abad ahad ahad had bad wife to you She way was had bad from her toes up tip Dead as she Is Is Ill I'll say so If It Its It's the last word I do say Shed She'd have drove any man ran that want a saint or a fool tool to kill her long Ion ago but you didn't kill 1111 her You always s would speak soft to Huldy and stand any thing from her and come down hard hardon on anyone one that tried trIe to tell you the lie truth about t her She Site turned turnell as though thou h on a sudden thought to the sheriff Will didn't hit lilt her she Insisted lie Ill wouldn't have the spunk to tot I lIe He always did treat Huldy like lIle a n lady Indy no matter how she behaved Maybe Ia be If hed he'd he took tool tooka a u pole hoop to her long ago agu But she checked the word swung to Will again Will you OU listen to me she com corn commanded commanded mantled him Huldy what she was saying sn all right rl ht and she shi sho she was dying too But If It she shit could make Jenny believe you killed k 11 II her there couldn't ever be any happl ness between the two of ot you am that's what Huldy wanted That's wire wh she said what she did Sos So's to make maKo OJa a aIt It hard for tor you and bitter hard for formy formy formy my Jenny I And she said Bald with a sudden pas n In la her tones Just for that Id I'd put Pitt her out of my house this minute dead though she be If it want for tor you Will As It Is she can stay but you yon better get et some sense Into your head I She was a man chasing lying trouble trouble- making woman and that's the truth of It It and Im I'm glad she she's dead It If you ask me She Sh finished and stood panting with her own pent rage rn e and looked at nt atWill Will as though in challenge challene as fiS though thou h she dared him to deny her words And Am Jenny crossed to Wills Will's side not touch touch- touchIng touching Ing In him but ready there and loyal Then Will ViII spoke poke slowly Maam he told old Marra Pierce I guess uess if It comes to that I Huldy better than most Slut But nut I dont don't want folks to talk about her sot sol so I There was waa pleading In his rones tones Then dont don't you ou play the dumb fool tool to me said old Marm Pierce angrily Denying what's as ns plain as day She always ah's ah s 's would snake make trouble when she could She set fet Zeke on Bart two years cars ago a o and shed she'd set Jenny against your you flU now If f she could She looked at nt Bart as though he would confirm m her word but Bart was watchIng watchIng- Will The he sheriff leaned forward hIs bis el elbows el- el elbows 1 bows on his knees 8 But lust just the think same he tie urged she wouldn't that up about Will hitting her and knocking knockIn her off the ledge unless someone Will or someone else did hit hither hither hither her He lIe looked at nt alarm Marm Pierce Mis Pierce he asked In III a low tone want there a place on her face like shed she'd been bit hIt I Like shed she'd hit a tree or a stone when she fell yes es said the old ohl wom worn woman woman an grudgingly ly But no man alive could hit that hard lie Ile nodded Seemed to me are I 1 Ire re re- remembered remembered your sour saying sa that he lie agreed Saying ncr ner face was was ban was banged banged ed up I IlIe lIe He looked troubled and then he stood up and turned to Will Will wm lie he said gravely My Iy Job is Just to do the best I 1 know lie Ile hesi hesitated and silence science waited on him The law is s that if It a person Is dying d and says something youve you've ou e got to take tale It for true theres there's proof proM to the tho contrary That's one oae thing Then If Huldy Huilly did have a 3 banged bang place on her face Its It's likely someone did hit her And you was down lawn to the ledge look looking looking ing for her by your own tell He lIe added In an apologetic tone Spose you did find her down there and she site started talking about Jenny I guess If It she got you mad enough h you might ml ht hit her Will Same as ns any nn man Will answered him I dIdn't Sheriff he said Sohier was uncomfortable I dont don't knows know's you OU did Will he agreed But Ive I've got to go on her say Ill I'll take It as a favor if jt you was to come along back to East Harbor with me mc Jenny felt her spine cold with fear but Wills Will's eyes ees were firm He lIe said at last I can see how bow yore placed Sheriff Only Only not not knowing where Zeke Is or whether hell he'll come home or not Id I'd have ha to get someone to do my ray chores for met mel me I Bart cried Dont worry about that Will WIllI Ill I'll tend to things s. s If It the sheriffs sheriff's so 50 blamed dumb But Jenny Jenn coming close to Will said If It you go Will Im I'm going too Im I'm not ever going to leave you now Then Marm alarm Pierce fierce spoke in her shrill tones still angrily 1 declare she exclaimed and stamped her tier foot toot For fools tools give me men every time If you ask me Huldy's better dead and everybody else Is better off orr with her dead too No 1 sense sen e In making such a fuss about It But Will didn't kill her I IThen IThen Then who did maam ma'am the sheriff asked reasonably Why Ill I'll tell you said the old woman If yore too blind to see CHAPTER XI Jim Saladine was as a man of wit anti sense ense and he was quicker than most men at reading the riddles life may ma mayday maday mayday day by day da present But nut all this day he had been deeply at a loss lie He was wasa a stranger to these folk tolk and they the to him hint and for tor any appraisal of their characters and their capacities for tor good or 01 evil he lie had tO fo depend upon what his eyes e es could coul see or upon what this one said of that one Huldy he had seen alive beautiful seductive Will he had seen and liked Bart he had had time to weigh and to appraise and had hall found that v i u j ni u u i vuu VOlIn i j n man bold and headlong yet re well enough Zeke leke he lie had glimpsed briefly and held In pity though thou h he be had not been heen blind bUnd to the dangerous passion in the man Old Win WIll Haven he knew only by repute yet that repute was III A cowardly old man willing to I spite a woman or to affright ht n a woman I if he chose |