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Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER. RANDOLPH. UTAH o o o o o o o o o o o By George Agncv Chamberlain new chamberlain George CHAPTER XV Continued WNU Service o o than once they raised their take orders as coming from myself, smiled. "All 1 can say is Id try eyes to look at each other across only more so. Give her into the my best to make them so. When the table, then dropped them be- charge of Paulina. As for the rest, can you bring the paragon around? cause their hearts were too full of I leave it to her since she talks "Dont think me impertinent, but content for words. there isnt time for that. Besides, Spanish better than either of you. But the moment the meal was Dirk had not dismissed the hired since she has nothing but riding over Dirk said without warning, car and without bothering to inform clothes she might find it embarrass"Joyce, will you marry me? Ive Joyce or even waiting to wash his ing." I take it youre inviting me to got to know. hands he started for the embassy ambassaWhen? Dirk. Yes, proper, passing the by. your house, stated the "This afternoon. As soon as we The great iron gate chancellery dor. was opened by get to the city. "Yes, sir, said Dirk, "and Id a strange porter but the man on the "Oh? Why wait till then? asked door was an old friend. be a lot more humble about it if More 18 "Yank off bridle and saddle and turn him loose." Suddenly Joyce began to sob. "What are you crying about? Theres simply nothing else to do. "Oh, its not that! cried Joyce, still weeping as she unbuckled throat latch and girth. "Its Tro nido. Im Im crying about Tro-nid- o. ' ' o o o o o o o o o "Dont, said Dirk, "please dont, or youll have me so I cant do a damn thing. Dont you suppose Hell! Then he continued quietly, "Joyce, hold on a bit; we may both have to ride Rayo. The batterys run down. "Oh!" she gasped, grief forgotten in the face of fresh disaster. Suddenly Dirk started tearing out the front cushion. "Here it is, thank God the crank. Get in, Joyce. Take the throttle and work the choke. Hurry! He leaped out and in a moment was cranking with all his might. No use. .Not a spark. Then he began using reason and judgment, giving Joyce time enough to do the same. They teased the motor teased it into a first gasp of life. Then more teasing. Then a roar, so sudden, so mighty that it seemed the old car would shake itself to pieces before Joyce could shut off the throttle. The backfiring was deafening, more like a machine gun than a motor. "Oh, Dirk! she screamed though he was already at her side, I cant make it stop! "Whos a fool now? he yelled at the top of his voice. "Take your foot off the accelerator and push yourself over. Then he was at the wheel, backing, turning cautiously for fear of the spikes of niggerheads, but finally straightening out on the Toluca trail, shifting into second and at last into high. Joyce turned, kneeled on the seat and looked back. The riders were closer now, quite close; some of them were already dismounting, their carbines .unslung, and running to kneel on the farther edge of the barranca. . "Never mind the bumps, Dirk, she called over her shoulder, "give her gas and take everything that comes. The shooting is about to Joyce. But Dirk was in no playing mood. "Because theres no American consul in Toluca, he answered gravely. "Does there have to be a consul? "Either that or some authorized officer from the embassy. Any preacher in good standing can do the trick, but the presence of an American official as witness is what makes it legal at home. I see, said Joyce slowly; then she raised her eyes to his face. Dirk, Im yours. Ill do whatever you want me to. He reached out to lay his hand on hers. I love you, Joyce. And I love you, Dirk. Is that why we must hurry so? Youd think it would make us willing to wait. You havent told .He frowned. me your reason for rushing to Mexico City, but I think I guessed it. To attend to General Onelia, said Joyce, also frowning. I thought so, said Dirk, "and thats why were going to marry today. When you take on Onelia or the ambassador or any other small grass-widow- er start. How far off are they? .asked Dirk. Then and there Joyce was stumped, for is there a woman alive who knows by sight the difference between a hundred yards and a half a mile? I dont know, she said; "I havent the least idea. "Of course you have! he shouted How far? Is it ten impatiently. yards or a mile? "I dont know, said Joyce. "Im not being stubborn; I just dont Then she cried, "Never know. mind here it comes! The first bullet struck in line but well behind the car; it ricocheted and passed over them with a screaming whine. That was enough for Dirk, he opened the throttle wide and sent the flivver careening across the prairie, making note of the direction he would have to take to bring it back to the abandoned trail. More bullets followed but none so threatening as the first and presently there was silence. Joyce sat down and sank back, sighing her relief. "I guess were safe, Dirk. Hadnt we better nurse the tires a bit? They must be pretty soft. Youre right, said Dirk, slowing down. "How long has this soap box been parked in that gully? "Let me see, said Joyce "Is it a year? No; it cant be. Ill give you a chance to figure it out for yourself, Dirk. How many days have you been at La Barranca? "Nine, said Dirk promptly. "Then add three to that, said Joyce. "It doesnt seem possible. Twelve days, less than two weeks! I was away twelve years; Ive been back ' twelve days. Somehow it doesnt make sense. "Good afternoon, Antonio. "Buenas tardes, Don Deerke, cried Antonio, excitedly, "buenas tardes, buenas tardes! "Is the ambassador at home and awake? "Si, senor; como no? "Tell him a Mr. Van Suttart would like to see him. Be sure you give the message just as I say it. As they entered the vast living room the ambassador himself emerged with a rush from his study, Well! he stopped and stared. on the came "Ill say you gasped, run! His eyes moved up and down. "Havent you changed those clothes since you' left? Dirk glanced downward ruefully, then looked up and grinned. "I admit its pretty bad, sir, especially since I come as a private citizen. "What do you mean? I havent fired you yet. "I was merely anticipating, said Dirk, looking around. "What are you hunting for? "Two things. A chair with a washable cover and a drink. "Forgive me, my boy. Sit anywhere you like; theres nobody to kick about it since Im a from a week ago till the Christmas holidays. Ill ring for your usual. Come on, now; whats on your mind? "Im here for assistance, sir. I want you to help me marry Miss Joyce Sewell of La Barranca this afternoon. The ambassador collapsed into the nearest chair and groaned. Then they talked talked as only two men who possess an identical background can talk. The rapid fire of questions and answers covered not only Dirks absence but swept from such broad considerations as his ancestry for three generations back, down to the trifling matter of his present private income in dollars and cents with salary omitted. Yet there was no confusion. When they got through there was nothing either of them didnt know about the inner and outer workings of Dirk Van Suttart. Lets see where we stand, said the ambassador, summing up. "You want to marry Miss Sewell. Well, shes certainly of age as far as that operation is concerned, so stopping you by getting her stepmother to stop her is definitely out. Then you state you cant wait even to telephone your people because of the urgency of securing Onelias aid, because what they say wouldnt make any difference anyway, and finally because theyre probably in Europe. He scowled. "The first of those three reasons is whats trouble heading bothering me straight this way. You neednt worry on that score, said Dirk. As a matter of fact, sir, Miss Sewell emphatically doesnt want the aid of this establishment. She says she can get along a whole lot better without it. Her idea is that ever since embassies have been run for trade and to hell with the trader theyve become mere stumbling-block- s to the pioneer also a constant pain, an eyesore.' "Eh? exclaimed the ambassador, astonished; then he asked with genuine solicitude, Are you sure shes quite all there? "Quite, said Dirk confidently. The truth is, sir, Im inclined to agree with her. Give her a chance and shell make a monkey of Onelia which is more than we have ever been able to do. "Dirk Im calling you Dirk because I want you to think of me as sitting here in place of your father-- in less than two weeks this girl has managed to do extraordinary things to your mind, so much so that I beg you not to trust it until youve taken advice from someone capable of judging her with impartial eyes. "I agree to that, said Dirk What about yours? Do promptly. you think they would be impartial? The ambassador frowned, then "A Person of Tour Particular Looks, Size and Adorable Build. fry I want a right nobody can dispute to be in the ring to sit in your comer. She smiled. "Again I love you, Dirk. Going out in search of the finest car available, he walked on air. He was glad to be alive, glad to be relieved of the strain of driving and to sit in the back with his arm around Joyce, both of them wrapped in the same rug. Arrived in the city they drove straight to his little house and from her first glimpse of its exterior to the last long look within Joyce was conscious of pleased wonder and a steadily inHere creasing sense of was a nurtured loveliness, in bulk, individual to the core yet with arms held wide to all devotees of good taste. She was happy in this house. Even Pablo, masking amazement, all but choking on suppressed joy at the return of his missing master, seemed of its warp and woof. "What about a hot bath to start with? asked Dirk. "Splendid, she answered quickly, then her lips drooped. "I havent anything to put on. said Dirk. Dont worry, "Search the world and you couldnt find a costume more becoming than CHAPTER XVI what youre wearing to a person of At the first crossroads they were your particular looks, size and lucky enough to get gas and the adorable build. "Silly-heapoor old flivver, faithful to the last, "I can furnish you a soft shirt into a little before Toluca limped noon. Abandoning it in a side street for a blouse and by the time youre to avoid unnecessary complications, ready for them the jodhpurs will they walked to the San Carlos and have been brushed and pressed as He turned to before long were feasting on crystal sweet as a flower. trout fresh from the Lerma and cer- Pablo. "Pablo, this is the senorita tain equally famed accessories. Joyce Sewell, from whom you may well-bein- g. unpur-chasab- le calcu-latingl- y. - ' d! hadnt waived your ambassadorship to act as my father. you "Thats a bull's-ey- e, conceded the ambassador. "Lets go the quicker the better. "Do you mind if I have a wash, sir? begged Dirk. "I mightnt have time later on. "Help yourself; you certainly need it and you know the way. Dirk washed all he could reach without undressing, then paused long enough to do some important telephoning; consequently several minutes elapsed before he found himself in file ambassadorial car and only then did he feel a first twinge of trepidation. Almost an hour had passed since he had abandoned his prospective bride without warning. How would she react to such cavalier treatment? How to the surprise he was about to spring on her? Absurd as it might appear, what Joyce thought about anything seemed to him a lot more important than what the ambassador was going to think about Joyce. Even so he was in for a shock, for the moment Pablo opened the closed door of the living room and stood back that his master and his masters chief might pass they crashed in upon an astonishing scene. Before them,, back to the door and with hands thrust in her breeches pockets, stood Joyce in an unmistakable posture of battle. Beyond, a veritable lioness of a hatless woman not only in appearance but by virtue of her roar, paced the room from side to side. Words were tumbling out of her in an unceasing and reverberating rumble, yet Joyces . voice, accurately pitched, could cut across it quite clearly without apparent forcing. Its no use, Margarida, she was saying. "You can yelp all you like but youre here and youre going to stay. Try to get out and Ill ride you down the block. Thats why Ive kept on these clothes. Joyce, please! cried Dirk in an agonized voice; then he collected himself and faced the older woman. Licenciada Margarida Fonseco, may I present his excellency the ambassador of the United States? He laid his hand on Joyces shoulder as she turned. "Chief, he half gulped, this is Joyce Joyce Sewell. The ambassador found himself looking into as straight and blue a pair of eyes as he had ever seen eyes of a blue that at the moment was almost black. He took a hand cool to the touch, slender, yet amazingly firm, and the next instant a current of courage and the will to fight swept up the length of his arm straight to his heart. My dear, he heard himself saying after quite a pause, "dont you think we might all sit down?" Farm Topics BUG POISON PINK INSTEAD OF WHITE Purpose of Changed Color to ' Prevent Mistakes. Vegetable By James W. Dayton, Extension Specialist, Massachusetts State College. WNU Service. new who purchase calcium and arsenate of lead stocks Farmers arsenate this year may be surprised to find these materials pink instead of white. It isnt that pink insecticides will kill bugs any, quicker but rather that the pink is added so human beings will not mistake these poisons, for flour, lime, or other white powders.' The new color of these products is in accordance with the foUowing announcement by the Agricultural Insecticide and Fungicide association: "In the interests of public health and for the protection of users of agricultural arsenical insecticides, this industry has, by voluntary agreement, adopted and will use a pink coloring in aU white arsenical products. It is the belief of the industry that this action represents a constructive effort by the industry to eliminate as far as possible the hazard of mistaken identity of the products and that in time the pink color will become established as a distinctive warning of the poisonous nature of the material. Since this change in the customary appearance of the materials may possibly lead to some confusion, it is emphasized that the coloring agent has no effect whatever on the insecticidal value of the The new pink products are to be used according to the same recommendations that have applied to the arsenicals in their white condition. The pink coloring will be a real advantage in serving as a ready means of identification so that arsenicals will not be mistaken for other white powdery substances as has happened when the materials have been carried over from one season to another and the label has been lost from the container. Teach Chicks to Go to Roost and Save Trouble After chicks reach four weeks of age they can be taught to roost, and the poultryman will have less trouble teaching them than he will if he waits until they are three to five months old, according to experience at North Dakota agricul- tural college. All brooder houses at the college poultry farm are equipped with roosts, and it has ..been found that with little or no bother the chicks early form the roosting habit. The roosts are built of lightweight material in a framework and are hinged midway on one wall of the d brooder house so they may be raised when not in use or for cleaning. Wire of medium mesh is attached to and underneath the roosts to keep chicks away from the droppings. The rows of roosts, lowered in place when chicks are about four weeks old, incline from the floor back to the wall, thus being easily available and inviting to the chicks. four-side- Head of Healthy Hen The head of a bird supplies valuable indications of her activity. A hen in good laying condition will have comb, wattles and ear lobes Of course," said Joyce; then hesfull large for her breed. The itated, looking doubtfully toward comband is stiff, smooth and waxy and Margarida. At that moment Pablo appeared bright red in color. With cessation at the door, stood back and an- of laying, the comb becomes nounced loudly: "General Sebasti-an- o shrunken, dry and rough. ' Like colored scales appear over its surSanchez y Robles, face. Because of the rapidity with of war. "General! cried the ambassador, which a hens comb changes its appearance with it gives a advancing with outstretched hand. valuable clue production, to her state at the "What brings you here, of all places time of examination. The comb of and people? the pullet, too, foreshadows her I dont know," said the general, coming period of glancing around in a bewildered ing and coloring laying by expandup. manner, I really dont. Excellencame answer I in to a cy. mysterious message from the young lady Care of Leghorns who caused us so much trouble, Leghorns are fairly dainty and brought about my downfall and thus established my reputation for all time as a prophet. Is she here? Joyce stepped forward. "Presente, mi General. She smiled, but almost immediately turned sober. "If I did you an injury, Im more than 'willing and ready to make amends. General, Im going to tell you a story. Frequently I shall have occasion to call upon Licenciada Margarida Fonseca' for confirmation. Whenever she denies a point you may take it she means the contrary. Let her face be my star witness; I defy her lips. (TO BE CONTINUED ) small feeders but are excellent consumers of mash and very large consumers of green food. Mash in the leghorn pen should hoppers be filled at all times and after kept the birds have gotten into good laying condition, grain feeding can be reduced to one feed a day, preferably at night. Owing to their dispositions leghorns may be profitably confined to the houses for the entire year, but it is better if practicable to allow the breeding hens their liberty during the breeding seasort. That always results in stronger chicks and better hatches. |