THE STAR
Mardi Gras Mystery
By
H. BEDFORD-JONES
CayntzM »,
DOUBLIOAV.rAGI AND COMPANY
CHAPTER X—Continued.
—15—
Whatever had happened, Hammond
had evidently not been easily cap­
tured. HI* countenance was some­
what battered, and the one captor who
wore a collar was bleeding copiously
from a cut cheek. The three turned
as Gramont's car drove up, and Ham­
mond gave an ejaculation of relief.
“Here he is now—"
“Shut up!'* snapped one of his
armed captors in an ugly ftne. “Hurry
up, Chacherre—get a rope and tie this
gink 1”
Gramont leaped from the car and
strode forward.
"What’s been going on here?” he
demanded, sharply. “Hammond—”
“I found a dead man over in them
bushes,” shot out Hammond, “and
By DOUGLAS MALLOCH
S--------------------------------, .
'T' HEBE is a star that bungs upon
the east
That allinea a little clearer than the
rest,
Euch night diminished not, nor yet In­
creased—
A changeless Jewel on the azure
breast
Of eventide. Euch twilight It returns
And with celestial tenderness it bums.
was all Gramont wanted to know— that, when he lay there by the rivu­
that the man was lying. "We were let, he had actually heard the last The struggle had been hard the whole
trailin' along after him when he words uttered by the sheriff; that Cha-
day through;
stepped into the bushes. This man of eberre had committed the murder iu
All day the sky had glittered with
yours was standing over him with a that moment—a noiseless, deadly stab I
the sun;
knife—"
That Hammond could or would have And then came night and then came
“I was, too, when they found me—I done it he knew was absurd.
deeper blue,
was cuttln' me a fishpole,” said Ham­
They found the murdered man lying
The winds were still, songs hushed,
mond, sulkily. ‘ He was plainly begin­ among the bushes.
He had been
the day was done—
ning to be Impressed and alarmed by stabbed under the fifth rib—the knife
And then the star, my perfect star,
the evidence against him. Gramont had gone direct to the heart. Cha­
came out
only nodded.
cherre announced that he hud Ham­
“No one saw the actual murder, mond's knife as evidence and Gruiuout Aud ended disappointment ended
doubt.
then?”
merely nodded tils head.
“No need for it," said Chacherre.
Lifting the body between them, The struggle had been hard the whole
brazenly. “When we found him that they bore It back to the barn.
day long,
wayl Eh?"
"Now," said Gramont, quickly. "I’m
The rivalry of competition, nil
“I suppose not,” answered Gramont. off for Houma—if I don't miss my
The ceaseless buttle of the right and
his eyes fastened thoughtfully on road! You men will be right along?"
wrong;
Hammond. The latter caught the look,
"In a Jiffy," said Chacherre promptly.
I
saw
bud men arise and good men
let his Jaw fall In astonishment, then
Gramont climbed Into Ids car and
fall
flushed and compressed bls lips—and drove away. He had no fear of any­
waited. Gramont glanced at Cha­ thing happening to Hammond; the And marvelled much that things are
us they are—
cherre, and launched a chance shaft. evidence against the latter was damn­
“You're Ben Chacherre, aren’t you? ing, and with three men to swear him And then came night, and then again
the star.
Do you work for Mr. Fell?”
into a hangman's noose, they would
The chance shot scored. “Yes," bring him to Jai) safe enough.
I do not know her name, that lovely
said Chacherre, his eyes narrowing.
“A clever devil, that Chacherre!”
light
“What are you doing here, then?"
he thought, grimly. "We’re up against
Astronomers
may call her what they
For an instant Chacherre was off a gang, beyond any doubt. Now, If
will.
guard. He did not know how much— they don’t suspect me—”
To me the world's a sky, and life Is
or little—Gramont knew; but he did
He turned in at the Ledanols gate,
night;
know that Gramont was aware who knowing himself to be beyond sight or
But there's a star, one star unchang­
had taken the loot of the Midnight hearing of the Gumberts place. He
ing still
Masquer from the luggage compart­ drove the car away from the house,
ment of the car. This knowledge, very and Into the thick of the densest That shines for all, for age, for eager
youth.
naturally, threw him back on the de­ bush-growth that he could find, where
One
star
undimmed—and I have named
fense of which ne was most sure.
it was well concealed from sight.
her Truth.
“I came on an errand for my mas­ Then, on foot, he made Ids way along (©, 1111.
by McClur» Newspaper Syndicat«,)
ter,” he said, and with those words the bank of the bayou until he had
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gave the game into Gramont's hands. come to the rivulet where oil showed.
There was a moment of silence.
Here he paused, concealing himself
Gramont stood apparently in musing and gaining a place where he could
thought, conscious that every eye was get a view of the Gumberts land. He
fastened upon him, and that one false saw Chacherre and Hammond there be­
move would now spell disaster. He side the body of the sheriff; the other
JOHN BLAKE
gave no sign of the tremendous shock two men were swinging open the barn
that Chacherre’s words had Just given door. They disappeared inside, and
him; when he spoke, it was quietly a moment later Gramont heard the
and coolly:
whirr of an engine starting. A car
RESULTS COUNT
“Then your master is evidently as­ backed Into the yard and halted.
sociated with Memphis Izzy Gumberts,
The three men lifted the body of the A N ATHLETE desiring to prove to
who owns this place here. Is that sheriff into the tonneau. Chacherre
Epictetus that he was growing
right r
took the wheel. Hammond being bun­ strong showed him his dumb-bells.
Both Hammond and Chacherre’s dled in beside him. The other two men
“I don’t want to see the dumb-bells."
two friends started at this.
climbed in beside the body, rifles in said the philosopher. “I want to see
“I don’t know anything about that,” hand. Chacherre started the car to­ your muscles.”
returned Chacherre, with a shrug ward the road.
It Is results, not methods, that count
which did not entirely conceal bis un­
“All fine!" thought Gramont with a with a man.
easiness. “I know that we’ve got a thrill of exultation. “They’ve cleared
Many wealthy men have libraries
murderer here, and that we’ll have to out and left the place to me—and I stocked with the world’s best litera­
dispose of him. Do you object?”
ture. yet remain Illiterate.
want a look at that place.”
“Of course not,” said Gramont,
Abraham Lincoln had a Bible and
Suddenly, as he stood there, he re­
calmly. “Step aside and give me a membered the slight “plump” that he a copy of Shakespeare, and was an
moment in private with Hammond. had beard during that interminable educated man.
Then by all means take him in to silence which had followed the con­
The world wants to know what you
Houma. I’d suggest that you tie him versation between the sheriff and Ben are, not how you became what you
up, or make use of handcuffs if the Chacherre. It was a sound as though are.
sheriff brought any along. Then you’d something had fallen near him in the
Scores of young engineers proudly
better take in the body of the sheriff sdggy ground.
exhibit degrees from technical schools
also. Hammond, a word with you!”
The remembrance startled him without being able to secure respon­
This totally unexpected acquies­ strangely. He visualized an excited sible positions.
cence on the part of Gramont seemed murderer standing beside his victim,
But any young engineer who can
to stun Chacherre into inaction. He knife in hand; he visualized the abhor­ show a capitalist a cheaper and bet­
half moved, as though uncertain rence which must have seized the man ter way to accomplish something Im­
whether to bar Gramont from the pris­
portant, can get a paying Job.
oner, then he stepped aside as Gra­
Your training Is your own affair.
mont advanced. A gesture to his two
The affair of your prospective employ­
companions prevented them from in­
er Is the equipment for the Job that
terfering.
your training has given you.
“Keep ’em covered, though,” he said,
The "talent” before a prize fight do
shifting his own rifle slightly and
not care what sort of apparatus a
watching with a scowl of suspicion.
contender is using. They place their
Gramont ignored him and went up
bets on opinions formed from the way
to Hammond, with a look of warning.
he Is hitting in practice.
“You’ll have to submit to this, old
You must decide for yourself what
man,” he said. In a tone that the oth­
profession you will follow, and take
ers could not overhear. “Don’t dream
the advice of others as to the best
that I'm deserting you; but I want a
way to train for it.
good look at this place If all three of
But do that training In private, and
them go away. They must not sus­
don’t brag about It afterward.
pect—”
The man you will have to work for
“Cap’n, look out!” broke In Ham­
will not ask you how many hours you
mond, urgently. “This here is a gang
spent on Latin and Greek, mathemat­
—the whole thing is a frame-up on
ics or psychology. He will ask you
me!”
what you can do.
“I know It—I was present when the
Show him what you can do, and if
sheriff was murdered; but keep quiet.
you can do It well, you have a chance.
I’ll come to Houma later tonight and
If you can’t do it well, all your train­
see you.” He turned away with a
ing, all your diplomas, all your letters
shrug, as though Hammond had de­
of recommendation, will be worth ab­
nied him some favor, and lifted his
solutely nothing to you.
(Copyright by John Blake.)
voice. “Chacherre! How are you to
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take this man into town? How did you
Birds of a Feather.
get here? Will you need to use my
A young man managed to get Into
car?”
conversation with a pretty girl dur­
“No.” The Creole Jerked his head
toward the barn. "I came in Mr. A Low Exclamation of Satisfaction ing a railway Journey.
He was very pleased with himself,
Fell’s car—It’s got a sprung axle and
Broke From Him as He Found What and when the train arrived at his
is laid up. We'll take him back, in an­
He Sought.
destination he said tc the girl:
other one.”
“I am afraid you wouldn’t per­
“Very well,” Gramont paused and for a moment—the abhorrence which
glanced around. “This Is a terrible must have caused him to do some­ haps have been so nice to me If you’d
blow, men. I never dreamed that thing in that moment which In a cool­ known I was a married man."
“Oh. as to that," answered the girl,
Hammond was a murderer or could be er time he would not have done.
one! You don’t know of any motive
Gramont turned toward the little “you might be a little surprised to
for the crime?"
marshy spot where he had lain listen­ know that I have Just come out of
They shok their beads, but suspi­ ing. He bent down, searching the wet prison after serving a sentence for
cion was dying from their eyes. Gra­ ground, heedless that the water soaked bigamy.”—Exchange.
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mont glanced again at his chauffeur.
Into his boots. And, after a minute, a
“Hl not abandon you, Hammond.” low exclamation of satisfaction broke
he said, severely, coldly. “I’ll stop In from him as he found what he sought.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
at Houma and see that you have a
lawyer. I think, gentlemen, we had
Extend to Include Human Nature.
better attend to bringing in the body
A gentleman who. we Imagine, bear»
of the sheriff, eh?”
The wounded man dodged into the a mental resemblance to our colleague
barn and returned with a strip of the Nomad, left the crowded city the
rope. Chacherre took this and firm­ other day for a tramp over the hills.
ly bound Hammond's arms, then On his return he remarked to a friend
forced him to sit down and bound bls who asked him what kind of a time
he’d had. that he was glad to get back
ankles.
“You watch him,” he ordered the to the haunts of men. "The day was I
wounded member of the trio. “We’ll perfect,” he went on to explain, “but
I had a raging toothache, and the truth
get the sheriff."
Allowing Chacherre and his com­ Is I never swear In the presence of na­
panion to take the lead. Gramont went ture." Such respect for our dear oth­
with them to the place where the mur­ er mother Is commendable and we
dered officer lay. As he went, the con­ earnestly advise our golfers to adopt
viction grew more sure within him the same rule.—Boston Transcript
Uncommon
Sense
“I Found a Dead Man Over in Them
Bushes,” Shot Out Hammond.
these guys Jumped me before I seen
’em. They claim I done it—”
“A dead man 1” repeated Gramont,
and looked at the three. “What do
you mean?”
“Give him the spiel. Chacherre,"
growled one of them. Ben Chacherre
stepped forward, his bold eyes fas­
tened on those of Gramont with a look
of defiance.
“The sheriff was here some time
ago, looking for a stolen boat,” he
said, “and went off toward the Leda-
nols place. We were following, In or­
der to help him search, when we came
upon this man standing in the bushes,
over the body of the sheriff. A knife
was in his hand, and the sheriff had
been stabbed to death. He drew a pis­
tol and shot one of us—”
Gramont was staggered for a mo­
ment. “Walt!” he exclaimed. “Ham­
mond. how much of this is true?”
"What I’m tellin* you, cap’n,” an­
swered Hammond, doggedly. “I found
a man layin’ there and was looking at
him when these guys Jumped me. I
shot that fellow in the arm, all right,
then they grabbed my gun and got me
down. That’s all.”
The sheriff—murdered 1
Into the mind of Gramont leaped
that brief conversation which he had
overheard between Ben Chacherre and
the sheriff; the strange, unnatural si­
lence which had concluded that
broken-off conversation. He stared
from Hammond to the others, speech­
less for the moment, yet with hot
words rising impetuously in him.
Now he noticed that Chacherre and
his two companions were watching
him very Intently, and were slightly
circling out. He sensed an acquaint­
ance among all these men. He saw
that the wounded man had finished his
bandaging, and was now holding bis
unwounded hand In his pocket, bulk­
ily, menacingly.
Danger flashed upon Gramont—
flashed upon him vividly and with
startling clearness. He realized that
anything was possible in this Isolated
spot—this spot where murder had so
lately been consummated! He checked
on his very lips what be had been
about to blurt forth; at this instant,
Hammond voiced the thought in bls
mind.
"It's a frame-up!” said the chauf­
feur, angrily.
“That’s likely. Isn't it?” Chacherre
flung the words in a sneer, but with a
covert glance at Gramont. “This fel­
low is your chauffeur, ain't he? Well,
we got to take him in to Houma, that's
all.”
“Where’s the sheriff’s body?” de­
manded Gramont, quietly.
“Over there,” Chacherre gestured.
“We ain’t had a chance to bring him
back yet—this fellow kept us busy.
Maybe you want to frame up an alibi
for him?”
Gramont paid no attention to the
sneering tone of this last. He regard­
ed Chacherre fixedly, thinking hard,
keeping himself well In hand.
“You say the sheriff was here, then
went over toward the Ledanols land?”
he asked. “Did he go alone, or were
you with him?”
“We were fixin' to follow him,” as-
■orted Chacherre. confidently. This
Something to NoïH^Cô^ Book
Think ¿4bout
Mt us bs txtter ment
Whether with pick or pen,
The labor we do la a work worth while
It our hearta ar« clean and our spirits
«mile.
And out of the ruck and ruat and ataln
We make some growth and we mark
aome gain.
—Author Unknown.
By F. J. WALKER
WORDS OF CHEER
TF YOU cannot give frequent, en-
couruglng words of cheer to your
home-mates and to those with whom
you come In contact during your work­
ing hours. It would be belter to bridlo
your tongue and seal your lips.
A rough word roughly spoken, pro­
duces nothing but evil and drives
many a sensitive soul to despair. It
arouses animosity and hate, quite the
opposite of a kindly word wiilcb awak­
ens slumbering emotions and kindles
a beneficent flame of love.
It may at times, especially when you
are not in a pleasant humor, cost a
great effort to launch the cheerful
word, but If you will brush aside your
own turbulent feelings, and send forth
the cheer and sunshine of which you
are capable of doing, you, too, to your
amazement, will participate in their
delicious sweets and enjoy , the thrill
of an unanticipated pleasure.
From the first moment when you
begin to practice the scattering of
cheering words, the whole atmosphere
around you changes.
The world somehow seems drawn
closer to heaven, and everything and
everybody about you appears brighter
and happier.
In reality, there Is no change except
in yourself. You have sown happiness
and are reaping happiness.
You have flung broadcast the sancti­
fied blessings and they are returning
to you from every point of the coin­
pass, filling your soul with a Joy un­
speakable.
It Is you who are nearer heaven,
participating in its delights without
knowing It, growing more lovable ns
the years speed by, dim your eye and
Whiten your hair.
Old friends turn to you In their
sorrow for comfort.
The boys and girls go out of their
way to meet and greet you.
Even the derelicts have In some
manner heard your praises sung and
respect you.
Their bleary eyes brighten nnd their
tough old hearts soften when your
name Is spoken. In uplte of their gen­
eral belief that they are Invulnerable
to the gentle touches of kindness.
The greatest workers for the up­
lifting of humanity are the little words
of cheer, which, when fitly spoken,
often change beasts to men, spur them
to loftier endeavor and turn their
terrible night Into a glorious day.
FEEDING THE FAMILY
npiHS Is the dally task of twenty
A million housewives In America—
to provide it good meal for the family.
As IM) jrer cent of our honaawlves inturt
use economy. It Is vttnl that they know
how to spend the money provided
them, for the best food. Our gro­
cers tell us It Is not the wealthy house-
wives, ns n rule, who buy food, fruit,
vegetables and luxuries out of season,
but those who enn least afford it.
It Is often n lack of knowledge of
food values, anil carelessness and In­
difference In regard to expenditure«.
It should be the aim, and Is, with
n large majority of housekeepers, rich
or poor, to feed the family well, with
ns little waste as possible and with
as small a money outlay. Food Is the
big Item In the weekly budget of the
growing family and there In no one
who can do more than suggest as to
the wise spending of the Income, for
each family han Its own problems
which must be worked out In th«
same mnnner that n mother manage«
her children—no two need the mm«
training or discipline.
Growing boys nnd men nt nctlve
labor need snbstnntlnl. filling men in.
The boyn need ns much nn grown men.
for they are building their bodies ns
well ns burning up food In their ac­
tivities.
Men who nre In offices, or occupied
In positions where the brnln Is nctlve
nnd the body has little exorcise, need
much less of the energy-producing
food. Their food should be of such
combinations ns nre easily digested,
though of course It should be nourish­
ing ns well. Pork nnd Irenns, ham
nnd fried eggs, corn beef nnd cab­
bage are foods which the laborer or
outdoor worker may eat freely, ns
such food Is necessary.
Put ns much Interest Into the plan­
ning of meals and the serving of them
ns Is put Into a game of bridge or
a "movie" picture nnd we will hnve
made a start toward the millennium.
(©, Itti. WnUrn N«w,pap«r Union.)
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* THE ROMANCE OF WORDS ;
*
“CRYSTAL”
’
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SO
Your get-away Is here:
Ask your friends, “What music
lives longer and why, ‘Dar-
danella’ or ‘Aida’?" and “Why
do the most llonly popular tunes
die In ■ few mlnutee?” ’Nuf
said.
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rpHIO strange nnd erroneous
A notion current among tire
natural philosophers of antiquity
—and of modern times down to
n comparatively recent date—
concerning the origin of crystal,
was plainly traceable '’to the
confusion occasioned by the ob-
Ject Itself.
According to these teachers of
a former day, crystal was Ice
which had undergone a peculiar
process of Induration so as to
totally lose its power of being
melted. In fact, Pliny, support-
Ing one error with another,
states that crystal Is found only
In countries which nre extreme-
ly cold. Up to some two hun-
dred years ago this Idea about
the formation of the substance
stlH persisted, for Sir Thomas
Browne considers It worth while
to place It first nnd foremost
among the "Vulgar Errors”
which ho sought to dissipate.
Though the mistake Is more
amusing than dangerous, It la
easy to see how It arose, for the
Greek word chrystallos, or Ice,
was early transferred to that
qunrtz which closely resembles
Ice. In n little time It was
tncltly assumed that the two
substances were th» same—n
belief which persisted for many
years.
(© by McClure Newepeper Syndicate.)
,
(© by th, WliMlar HynStrato. tne.)
(©, 1923, by McClure Newepnper Hyndlrate.)
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Has Anyone Laughed
At You
B^HEL r .
Because — PBYSER
You
have a reputation for liking
good music; you don’t like sub­
stitutes. You get more enjoy­
ment nnd fodder out of an eve­
ning at a symphony concert than
out of “Jazz.” You know that a
dance tune out of Beethoven,
Mozart or Brahms not only
makes you over If you are tired
but gives you your money’s
worth for a month. Why should
Jou care if they laugh? You
'have liked good "Jazz,” maybe,
that is written with artistry and
melody yet on the whole you
like what Is called “good music.”
Ilejolce over It. You taste of the
stuff that gods are mado of and
you are the luckiest of mortals,
for god food Is rare today.
You like good music?
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