HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1925.
PAGE FIVE
OLIVER
OCTOBER
w
George Ban McCutcheoa
Ceppiahs, Ball Smdiaa CWNU SW
- SYNOPSIS
CHAPTER I. Oliver October Baxter, Jr.,
waa born on a vile October day. Hit
parent were prominent in the commercial,
social and ipiritual life of the town of
Kumlcjr. Hie father waa proprietor of the
hardware store. The nlg-ht that Oliver Oc
tober waa born a rypev queen readi hii
father's fortune and tella him what a won
derful future hia eon haa before him, but
after the reading, the gypar becomes angry
and leaves the house in a rage after telling
Mr. Baxter that his son will never reach
the age of thirty, that he will be hanged
for a crime of which he ia not guilty.
pHAPTKR II. Ten years elapse and 011
ver's father is the owner of a business
block in the town. Mrs. Baxter died when
Oliver waa nearing seven. Josephine Bage,
wife of the minister, .causes a sensation
when she leaves Kumley to go on the stage.
She becomes a "star" and later goes to
London, where she scores a hit. Her daugh
ter Jane and young Oliver become greatly
attached to one another. After finishing
college, young Oliver accepts a position in
Chicago with an engineering company. Ha
goes to China on an important mission for
his Arm. Upon his return he enlists in the
Canadian army.
CHAPTER III. The war la over, Oliver
returns to Chicago and ia told by his
employers that his services are no longer
required. He returns -home. He hears Jane
ia in love with Doctor Lansing. J ana and
Oliver meet again. Oliver ia reprimanded
by hia father for not getting another posi
tion. Oliver threatens to leave home.
PH AFTER IV. Despite Mr. Baxter's
pleading to Oliver to remain in Rumley,
Oliver decides to accept a position in Chi
cago. Mr. Baxter accompanies Oliver thru
a awamp on the way to the Sage home.
On the way they quarrel over Olivers re
fusal to stay in Rumley. Mr. Sage tells
Oliver his father fears the thing the gypsy
predicted and wants hia son to stay home,
where he can watch over him. Oliver de
cides not to leave him. Mr. Baxter fails
to return home and ia believed by some to
have perished In ths awamp. Oliver tells
the authorities of the quarrel with his fa
ther, but they do not accuse hira of having
anything to do with hia father'a disappear
ance. Oliver takes charge of hia father's
business. Three months remain of the last
year allotted to Oliver by the gypsy queen.
Uncle Horace Gooch announces himself as
a candidate for suite senator. Friend start
a boom for young Oliver as candidate for
state senator against old man Uooch. Jane
forcea Oliver to enter the race against his
Shylock uncle.
PHAPTER V. Oliver employs ditch dig
gera to drain part of the swamp where
his father ia supposed to have disappeared.
Mr. Gooch'a campaign managers urge him
to withdraw from the race for aenator, as
they realise that Oliver is the most popular
candidate. Mr. Gooch refuses to quit. Rev
erend Sage ia happy when hia actreas-wife
cables him that she ia aailing for home.
Mr. Sage and his daughter go to New York
to meet her. Mr. Gooch, convinced he
would lose the election to Oliver, plans to
try and intimidate him by demanding a
thorough investigation into the disappear
ance of Oliver's father.
CHAPTER VI. Hundreds of persons are
at the depot in Rumley to greet Mrs.
Josephine Sage after an absence of 21
years. Jane notices Oliver is not in the
throng at the station and is told by Sammy
Parr that something of a political nature
must have kept him away. Oliver goes to
the Sage home. '
rjHAPTER VII. The sheriff unwillingly
serves papers on Oliver after the prose
cutor refused to lay the matter of Mr. Bax
ter a disappearance before the grand jury
aa requested by old man Goorh, but accedes
to hia demand for an unofficial investiga
tion. A few hotheads in the town talk of
tar and feathers for Mr. Gooch. The de
tectives atart digging in the swmp for Mr.
Baxter'a body .
CHAPTER VIII. Oliver threatens to
strike Malone if he ever insinuates
again that he had anything to do with the
disappearance of his father. At a recep
tion given at Oliver's home Oliver tells
Jane that he loves her. She promises to
marry him. While out on the porch they
hear mysterious footsteps. Oliver tells Jane
Peter Hines boarded up hia cabin in the
swamp and had skipped town. They see a
light in the cabin. Jane's engagement to
Oliver ia announced at the reception,
QIIAPTER IX. Oliver spends a busy
three weeks "electioneering" and speech
making while the opposition press prints
sensatinoal reports of the. search for old
man Baxter. Oliver wanta to withdraw
from the senatorial race.
PHAPTER X. Only six more daya re-
main until Oliver Is thirty years old,
the time limit set by the gypsy "queen" for
Olivers execution. The diggers unearth a
carcass in the swamp, but it is unrecog
nisable. The top of the skull waa split wide
open. Things looked had for young Oliver.
Oliver ia unable to identify the body as
that of his father. Oliver offers to release
Jane from her promise.
wry, bitter smile as he put hit arm
over her shoulder and walked beside
her into the house. "Pleasant thought,
isn't it, old dear? a the celebrated
Josephine would ay."
Clay atreet was almost deserted
at Lansing and Sammy Parr drove
through it after leaving the Baxter
place. The Sages were in the former's
car. In front of the hotel Sammy,
who waa aome distance ahead, and
who had dropped the two old men at
Silas Link's home, slowed down and
waited for Lansing to draw alongside.
"I don't mind saying to you that
there was a lot of ugly talk earlier in
the evening," said Sammy uneasily.
"A lot of nasty talk. I didn't tell
Oliver, but I heard more than one man
say he ought to be strung up."
"Oh, Sammy, do you think " began
Jane, in sudden agony of alarm.
"Nonsense!" cried the minister in
stantly sensing her fear. "Such
things don't happen in these days
and in this part of the country. The
people will let the law take its course.
Have no fear on that score."
"Well, anyway, it looks mighty
queer to me," said sammy tactlessly,
shaking hia head. "I don't like this
awaful stillness. It isn't like this
even on ordinary nights."
Jane clutched Lansing's arm and
hook it violently.
"Doctor Lansing," she cried, "we
must return to Oliver's home imme
diately. He will have to come over to
our house Better still, Sammy, you
must drive him up to the city. To
night. At once. I am frightened.
Something terrible ia afoot. I know
it. I feel it. It is so still. Look!
Why aren't the street lamps in Ma
ple avenue lighted? It is as dark
as"
"By jingo, Lansing," exclaimed
Sammy, starting up from his seat to
peer over the windshield. "See that?
Men running across Maple avenue.
'Way up yonder where that arc light
is at Fiddler street. Three or four
men." Didn't you see them?"
"We must beat it back to Olivers,"
half-shouted Lansing, excitedly.
"Take the women home first," or
dered Sammy, "and then come back.
I'll go ahead."
"Wait!" commanded Mr. Sage.
"Drive up Maple, Sammy. Follow
those men. See what they are up to.
They are heading for the swamp rdad.
Lansing and I will follow you in a
jiffy. Drive like the devil!" he shout
ed in ringing tones.
"No, no, no!" screamed Jane. "The
other way! To Oliver's! ' I will not
go home. I'm going to him! Turn
around turn around! Do you hear
me?"
"Where in God's name are the po
lice?" cried Josephine.
"We can't take you back there,"
cried Lansing. "H 1 may be to pay.
It's no place for women, Jane. Sit
still! I'll have you home in two min
utes." "I'll jump out! I swear to heaven
I will," she cried shrilly.
"Turn back!" commanded Jane's
mother. "I am not afraid of them.
Jane is not afraid. We cannot desert
Oliver if he is in danger. Please God,
he may not be. Turn back, I say!"
"Yes!" cried the minister. "We
must get to Oliver all of us!"
The two cars made reckless turns
in the narrow street and were off like
the wind.
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XI
Oliver in Danger.
TlHE front door opened suddenly
and in walked Sammy parr.
"Excuse haste," he said, tossing
his hat and gloves on a chair. "I'm
back. Say, gee whii, everybody in
town is out on Clay street. Lots of
them down this way. strolling past "
"What are the people saying, Sam
my?" Judge Shotrldge broke in,
grasping his arm.
"Well, I hate to tell you, but as
far as I can make out, judge, there
seems to be a general feeling that
, that Oliver did it," said Sammy, wip
ing his moist forehead with the back
of a hand that shook slightly.
"Snap judgment," said the lawyer,
after silence had reigned for a few
seconds. "That Is always the way
with the Ignorant and uninformed
Nothing to worry about, Oliver. They
will be on your side tomorrow when
they understand a little better. It's
always the way with a crowd."
Josephine Sage spend her hands
In a gesture of contempt. '"What
fools these mortals be'," she declaim
ed theatricwily.
It was after eleven o'clock when
Oliver's friends departed. He stood
on the porch and watched them drive
off In two automobiles. A few per
sons had stopped at the bot'oii. of
the drive to see who were in the cars
The flaring hoadlights fell upon
white, indistinct faces and then al
most instantly loft them in pitch
darkness.
"I wish you had lot Mr. Sage marry
you and Jnne tonight, Oliver," said
Mrs, Grimes, at his side on the top
stop. "You have the license and ev
erythlng, and It could have been over
in a few minutes, and Jane begged
you o hard."
' "I couldn't do It, Aunt Serepta," h
said dejectedly, "I don't know what
is ahead of me, I may bo in jail be
fore I'm a day older. He gavo her
The Hanging.
INCE ten o'clock men by twos and
and threes and fours had been
making their way through back
streets and lanes to an appointed spot
an eighth of a mile east of the Bax
ter home, the tree-bordered swale
that marked the extreme north end
of the slough. Whispers swelled into
oarse, guttural mutterings aa the
mob, headed by its set-faced, scowl-
ng leaders, left the swale and started
its deadly march.
Quickly the house was surrounded.
No avenue of escape was left unguard
ed. A small detached group advanced
toward the porch, above the roof of
which there were lights in the win
dow of what everyone knew to be
young Baxter's bedroom,
A loud voice called out:
"Come out! We want to see you,
Oliver Baxter."
Oliver raised the window and
leaned out. "Who is it? What have
you got down there? A mob? I'll
see you in h 1 before I'll come out!"
A deep growl rose from a hundred
throats, stilled almost Instantly as the
clear voice of the leader rang out
again.
"We will give you one minute to
come out.
Oliver glanced over his Bhouldcr.
Mrs. Grimes had come to his bedroom
door.
"Telephone for the police, Serep-
ta," he cried out sharply. "No! Wait!
You muRtn't be here if that mob
breaks in and"
He did not finish the sentence.
There was a rush of footsteps in the
hall, then Mrs. Grimes was flung
aside and Into the room leaped three,
four, half a doy.en men.
Oliver knocked the first man sprawl
ing, but the others were upon him
like an avalanche, ... As they
led him, now unresisting from the
room, his wild, beaten gaze fell upon
the huddled form of Rerepta Grimes,
lying inert In the hall.
For God a sake, Be decent enougn
to look after her," he panted.
Thev dragged him down the stairs.
Out of the house and down into the
yard they hurried him, There they
paused long enough to tie his hands
securely behind hii baefc. An awed
silence had fallen upon the crowd
the shouts ceased, curses died on
men's lips. They had him! Tragedy
was at hand.
"In Heaven's name, men what are
you going to do with me?" Oliver
cried out in a strange, piercing voice.
"Shut up!"
Something fell upon his head,
Fcraped down over his face. He
stifled a scream. He felt the alack
noose tighten about his bare throat.
He waa shoved forward, protesting
shrilly, impatiently.
They had picked the spot the plnce
where father and son parted on that
di tant night. And the tree the
sturdy oak there whose limbs ovor
hung the road. Thoy had picked the
limb.
There was no delay. , . . The
stout rope was thrown over the limb,
the noose was drawn close about his
neck by cold, nervous fingers. . . .
A prayer waa struggling on his writh
ing lips. Strong hands hauled at the
rope. He swung into the air. . . .
A great white flare of light burst
upon the grewsome spectacle the
roar of a charging monster the din
of shrieking klaxons and then the
piercing scream of a woman.
The dense mob In the road broke,
fighting frantically to get out of the
path of Lansing's car. Some were
struck and hurled screaming aside
and on eame the ear, forging its way
slowly but relentlessly through the
struggling mass.
Up to the swaying, wriggling form
shot the car, a force irresistible, guid
ed by a man who thought not of the
human beings he might crush to death
in his desire -to reach the one he
sought to save.
"Let go that ropa!" yelled this man.
Behind him came another ear. Panic
seized the mob. The compact mass
broke and scattered.
A writhing, tortured figure lay in
the middle of the road, a loose rope
swinging free from the limb. The
bewilderde, startled men who held it
their hands fell back uncertain, be
wildered. Lansing, unafraid, sprang from the
car and rushed to the prostrate form.
In a second he was tugging at the
noose, cursing frightfully.
Now a woman flung herself down
beside the man with the rope around
his neck, sobbing, moaning, her arms
straining to lift hia shoulders from
the ground.
A baffled roar weni, up from the
mob. Men surged forward and hands
were laid . upon the rope too late,
the noose was off and Sammy Parr,
standing over the doctor and the dis
tracted girl, had a revolver in his
hand.
"Come on!" he yelled. "Come on,
you dirty cowards! You swine! You
d d Huns! Come on and get a
man-sized pull!"
From all sides boomed the shouts
and curses of a quickly revived pur
pose. "Rush 'em!"
"Kill 'em!"
"Kill the 7"
"Beat their heads off!"
"Get him! Get him!"
Suddenly a strange voict rose above
the clamor. Rich, vibrant, it fell up
on puzzled ears, and once again there
was a pause.
AH eyes were turned upon the own
er of this wondrous voice. A start
ling figure she was, standing erect
upon the front seat of Lansing's car.
"Men of Rumley! Holdl Hold, I
command you! Is there one among
you who has not heard of the gypsy's
prophecy of thirty years ago? Let
him speak who will, and let him speak
for all."
A score of voices answered.
"Aye!" she went on. "You all have
heard of it. I ask one of you any
one of you to stand forth and tell
the rest of this craven mob what the
gypsy fortune teller said on that wild
and stormy night."
"She said the baby son of Oliver
Baxter would be hung for murder be
fore he was thirty years old," bawled
someone.
"And what else did she say?" rang
out the voice of Josephine Judge.
"Oh, a lot of things that don't mat
ter now," yelled a man back in the
crowd. "Get busy, boys. We can't "
"Stop! Listen to me, varietal You
believe she spoke the truth when she
uttered that prophecy? Answer!"
"Yes!" came from a hundred
throats.
"Then you must know that this boy
was adjudged innocent of this crime
on the day he was born," fell slowly,
distinctly, from the lips of Josephine.
"I will repeat the words of the gyp
sy woman. She said: 'He will not
commit a murder. He will be hanged
for a crime he did not commit.'
Speak! Are ndt those the words of
the gypsy?"
Absolute silence ensued. It was as
if the crowd had turned to stone.
"And so," she cried, leveling her
finger at the men in the front rank,
"you have done your part toward
making the prophecy come true. You
have hung Oliver October Baxter in
spite of the fact that you were told
thirty years ago that he would be
innocent."
The mob stood rooted to the ground.
A sudden shout went up from those in
the front rank a shout of relief.
Oliver October was struggling to
his feet, assisted by Jane and Lan
sing. Hia arms, released from their
bonds, were thrown across their
shoulders, hia chin was high, he was
coughing violently.
"Don't try to sneak yet, Baxter,"
cautioned Lansing. "Plenty of time.
You're all right. You'll be yourself
in a few minutes. Thank God, we
got here when we did."
' They got him into the forward car,
where he huddled down between Jane
and her mother. They heard him
whisper hoarsely, jerkily:
"Never mind about me I'm all
right. They wont try it again.
Look after Aunt Serepta first. She's
hurt. They left her lying up '
"Don't worry, old top," cried Sam
my eagerly. "I'll go back and look
out for her. Yon go along with Doc.
He'll fix you up. All you need is a
good stiff"
"Clear the road!" roared a. score
of voices as Lansing's car tiiover
slowly forward, and off the sides,
down the slope and up the bank,
slunk the obedient lynchers. The
once bloodthirsty horde bore off
swiftly, apprehensively, but still du
biously through the night which now
seemed to mock them with its silence.
An hour later Sammy Parr express
ed himself somewhat irrelevantly in
the parsonage sitting-room.
"Say, Miss Judge, you were great.
I never heard anything like that
speech of yours. And your voices
why, it gave me the queerest kind of
shivers."
Josephine was pacing the floor, her
fine brow knitted in thought. She
was muttering to herself. Oliver, ly
ing on the couch, smiled up into
Jane's loving eyes. Then he sat up.
"Sammy," he cried out thickly but
with the ring of enthusiasm in hia
voice, "do me a favor, will you?"
"Sure," said Sammy, springing to
his feet.
"Stand up with me. I'm going to
be married."
"Great!" cried Sammy. "I'll not
only stand up with you, old boy, but
I'll let you lean on me."
"Now?" gasped Serepta Grines, in
great agitation.
"Yes now!" cried Jane loftly, and
for the first time that night the color
came back into her cheeks.
H-
CHAPTER XIII
Mr. Gooch Sees Things at Night.
GRACE GOOCH was going to
bed. He had had a hard day,
and it was nine o'clock. He had
a book, a well-worn copy of "David
Harum," but he did not begin reading
at once. He was thinking of the many
dark and lonely nights old Oliver had
spent in Death Swamp. It gave him a
creepy fee!ii)g. He tucked the covers
a little more tightly under his chiri
but still the creepy feeling persist
ed. "Hey, Horace!"
Someone was knocking at the front
door and the voice! There was only
one voice in the world like that.
Mr. Gooch went to the window. He
hesitated a moment, then boldly drew
the curtain apart.
"Hello, Horace," came wafting up
to Mr. Gooch. "That you? Say, open
up and let me in."
Mr. Gooch grasped the window
frame for support.
"Good G d!" he gulped, but in a
(Continued on Page Eight.)
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35