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About Malheur enterprise. (Vale, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1914)
Responsible Banking We don't guess, we positively know that we can please you for satisfaction to our customers is our slo gan. We have pleased hundreds that is one reason why we know we can please you. The conservative policy of this bank and the efficient character of its officers render it an absolutely safe depository for your money. We invite yon to come in, open an account, get a check book and let us pay your bills. Talk over your busi ness matters with us and perhaps we can be of some service to you. W pay 5 ) r cent on 6 and 12 months time deposits UNI NATIONAL BANK VALE, OREGON OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS: M. G. HOPE, President I. W. HOPE, Vice-President J. P. DUNAWAY, Cashier B. W. MULKEY, As't Cashier T. W. HALLIDAY, Director GEO. E. DAVIS, Director red Jo bnson Former proprietor of the Drexel at Vale Now conducts the Hotel BOISE, Manitou IDAHO I Rates 75c to $1.50 per day When in Boise you are cordially J invited to visit Hotel Manitou utter B Wrappers Printed in accordance with legal require ments on short notice at The Enterprise Job Rooms THE Neer-Do-Wel! BiiiJHHififiW By REX BEACH Author of "The Spoiler," "The Barrier,' The Silver Horde, Etc l!:i!l:I:!:ima Copyright, 1910, 1911, by Harper A Brother. i , ?w "A Man. Island" The only tklug you can toll about a -At trala at out of I'addtogtoa young girl U that wbvu sue 1 nfty station the otb.r day." e are told years old aha will loot t greet dal -there a arc la a third rises eouipart- aa br mother lovks now.-I'litUde- eul two women smoklug cigarettes I'M IxJor. tod njlB) kuUUoi "-Uudou I'uuctv again - "I really didn't expect this." be be gan slowly aa ho rose. "Anthony ex aggerates: he la too kind. But since be bas chosen to publicly call attention to our relations. I will confess that what be te!ls you Is all true. Through my assistance partly, at any rate be has made a man of himself. lie bas been welcome at my bouse, at my table; he has come and gone aa he pleased, like one of the family, you might say. But those are little things: they count for nothing." His tone gripped his bearers, and Anthony stirred uneasily, thinking this an odd way of accepting a gift Unclasping his long, white Angers. Cortlandt held up the watch to public view. "In payment for my poor friendship he has given me this magnificent thing of gold and Jewels, the finest I ever saw. I never counted upon such grati tude. It Is too much, and yet a man cannot refuse the gift of bis friend and not seem ungracious, can be? Somewhere in the orient they have a custom of exchanging gifts. No man may accept a thing of value without making adequate return, and It bas al ways struck me as a wise practice." tie turned full upon Kirk for the first time since be bad begun speaking, and bla voice rose a tone as he snld, "1 can't let the obligation rest entirely upon me. We hove been friends. An thony, and 1 am going to give you something In return which I have prized highly. It would be counted of great value by some." Once more be paused and drew his lips bark in that grimace of mockery. It could no long er be termed a smile. "It Is this I am going to give you-my wife. Von have had her from the first, and now she Is yours. For one frightful moment there was no sound: even the men's breathing was htiHhed, and they sat slack Jawed, stunned, half minded to believe this some hideous. Incredible Jest. Cort landt turned away gloatingly. Kirk was the last to recover his pow ers, nut when they din revive they came with a prodigious rush, lie plunged upward out of bis chair with a cry like a wounded animal, and the others rose with him. The table rock ed, something smashed, a chair was hurled backward. Tbo room broke Into Instant turmoil. Kirk felt bands upon hlin. and then went blind with fury, struggling In a pnssiou too strong for coherent speech. He was engulfed In chaos. He felt things break beneath bis touch, felt bodies give way before him. How or when Kirk left the room he never knew. Kventuully be found him self pinned In his chair, with Itunncls' white face close against his own and other hands upon his arms. Ills first frenzy quickly gave way to a sickening horror. 'It's a lie! Tbo man'B crazy!" he cried hoarsely; then, as bis compan ions drew away from him, he rose to bis feet "Why are you looking at me like that? 1 tell you It'e a d d lie! I never" Hunnela turned to the table and. with shaking hand put a glass to his lips and gulped Its couteuts. Wade and Kimble exchanged glauces, then, avoiding each other's eyes, took their bats from the hooks behind them. 'Walt! Bring him back!" Kirk mumbled. "I'll gut him and make him say Ita a lie. nut sun no one an swered, no one looked at hi in. "God You dou't believe it?" "I'm going home, fellows. I'm kind of sick." Kimble said. One of the others murmured unintelligibly, and wetting a napkin, bound up bis band, which was bleeding. Tbey continued to watch Kirk as If fearful of some In sane action, yet they refused to meet his eyes squarely. There was no sym pathy lu their faces. Tht knowledge of what these actions meant came to him slowly. Was It possible that hla friends believed this Incredible accusation? As he began to collect himself he saw bla plight more dourly. Ills first thought bad been that Cortlandt was lusane. but the man's actions were not those of a maniac. No! He actually believed and these fellows also. He wanted to shout his Innocence at them. .to beat It Into their heads. One by one they took their bata and went out, mumbling goodnight to oue another, as If lutendlng to go home singly In order to avoid all dlscusslou of tbla thing that bad fallen among them. Itunuela alone remained. You don't believe I dld-tbat?" An thony asked In a strained voice. "1-1 taluk I do." There waa a mis erable alienee, and theu: "U Isn't the thing Itself, you know, so much aa the rotten underhanded advantage you took. If bs'd been a stranger, now Honestly, Isn't It truo?" Kirk shook his head listlessly. "I wouldn't ll to you." Itunuela drew a deep breath. "Oh. com, now, the man must have known hat bs was saying. Men don't do things Ilk that on suspicion." "lis misunderstood our friendship, " said Kirk heavily, then roused himself for last plea. "Uwk here!" bs cried "You know Cortlandt. sud you know me. Tbs mso wss Insanely Jealous I know It sounds weak, but It's (be truth, sad It's all I ra say, I'll go mid If you doubt uie. A ad louignt of all"- lis brvkf iff iharylr. -iv MALHEUR ENTERPRISE God! I'd forgotten inni iui ui.m Suppose Gertrudis hears of this!" An thony seized his temples In despair. Runnels took a sudden Illogical deci sion. He never knew exactly what bad Influenced him. but his whole past knowledge surged up In him with a force that he could not rcxlxt. He laid bis hand on Kirk's shoulder. "Take It easy, old man." he said. "I believe yon. I've always known that they didn't get along together, although well. I won't try to understand It. no may not do anything further, and the'so fellows won t mention what hap pened here. They can't" "Women are apt to ho Jealous, aren't they. Runnels? What do you suppose she'd dor "Don't worry olout Hint. I'm think ing about Cortlandt. If he finds out he's mistaken what will he do?" "He'll have to find out. I'm going to tell him. His wife will tell him. Good God! Do you see what an awful light It puts me in? You don't doubt me. do you really, old man?" "No. but what 0 night this has been! It seems a year old. Come along, now. Yon must get out of here. You must turn In. The waiters are wondering what this row Is shout. I think we'd better take a walk." In passing through the deserted lob by of the hotel they saw Clifford Idling about But they were too much ab sorbed to wonder what had kept blm up so late. By the clock across the plaza they saw It was two hours after midnight as they stepped Into the street Then, finding no coaches In sight they set out to walk toward An con. both badly In need of the open air. A moment later Clifford followed them, taking pains to keep at a dis tance. Now that the full Import of Cort landt's accusation had sunk into bis mind. Kirk lapsed Into a mood of sul len bitterness. He said little, but his set face worried his companion, who was loath to bid him good night even when they were close to the TIvoll. After they had parted Runnels was upon the point of going back and offer ing to spend the night with him. but thought better of It. Instead of passing through the office Kirk mounted to the porch of the TI voll and entered his room from the outside, ns he and Chlqulta had done earlier that evening. He found Allan wntlng and bursting with a desire to gossip, but cut him short. "Get my street clothes I'm goln out." He tore the white tie from his throat as If It were clmliiiiir him. "I've been hurt. Allan I nn t explain. fn you wouldn't understand, hut I've been hurt. Come along." The negro's lips drew apart In an ex pression ui apelike ferocity, and lie he to shake and reverberate os No. 6 roll-, ed In from Colon, bearing .lohn Weeks, American consul, and Mr. Williams of St. Louis In one of the forward coach es. As the two hurried out tnrougn the turnstiles they found the street blocked by a considerable crowd, evi dently Interested in something quite apart from the arrival of the morning train. But before they could learn the cause out from the nearby building come Ramon Alfarez. nccompnnied by several policemen nnd n group of rail road employees, among whom was Kirk Anthony. "There he Is!" wheezed tho consul, clutching at his companion's arm. "Get him now before his friends." "You are arreat'l" Willlnms thrust tho policemen and the curious onlookers aside and. laying hold of Anthony, cried In triumph: "Well, Mr. Jefferson Locke, 1 want you." A little man In blue uniform was at tempting to take the prisoner In charge, but the detective disregarded him. Runnels elbowed his way forward with a question. "Oh, I've gut a warrant for him," Williams declared. "What for? Well, for one thing, be embezzled SSO.OOO, and I'm going to take him back." "Eh? W'ot Is this?" Alfaret bustled Into the conversation. "Embezzle? He Is theu a fief?" "Exactly. If you're the Inspector I'll ask you to make this arrest for me. I believe we're ou foreign ground." "1 regret you 'ave arrive so late." smirked Alfarea. "The gentleman Is already arrest' for the murder of Senor Cortlan'. He will ort auswer to that I assure you." It waa during the lunch hour that Ramon Alfarea railed at the tisravel home, finding the hanker and hla daughter atill loitering over their mid day meal and discussing the topic that bad electrified the whole citv. "So tine a man," the father waa say ing "lis was, Indovd, my good friend It Is shocking." "Yes, and to think he should bare bn killed lu IhU cowardly maimer!" "Killed! Is It U-ltVfd thai be was fuurdrd? Careiiituil eupuem be had '" oltiiavlf That was the -- tp su hour go." "I'puu leafing the TUull l. lilgtil Pviv'f I'oillun' Uliiv wiiii i uf bi. friends at tne ueirtTm. drinking. The waiters havs been ques tioned; also one of the men who was present has recounted to what oc curred. It seems that for a long time Senor Cortlan' has been Jealous of hi wife Cortlan' openly accused his ene m before all the others. It was mos dramatic. It was terrible! There was a scene of violence. The other man mode threats." Gjiravel breathed on Incredulous ex clamation. t "Ah. but wait! It was Senor Cortlan s best friend, too. the man for whom he had accomplished many favors, whom be accused." He noted with mingled anger and satisfaction the pallor that was creeping Into the girl's cheeks. You would never guesa. It was-1 hesitate, and yet you are bound to learn, my dear friends-It waa this Ant'ony." "It Is a lie!" said the girl quietly. -He loved no one but me." "Gertrudis!" The banker was shock ed bevond measure at what be consid ered his daughter's Jealousy. "Thuse ore not nice words." "1 do not believe It" Ramon had not counted npon such a spirit, ond. his anger getting the better of him. he sneered: "I should not have spoken. I did not know you still care." "She does not care," Garavel de clared loudly. "Ah. but I do. I love him very dear ly." The two men were upon their feet In an Instant, staring at her. the elder In amozement. the younger with rage and resentment blazing from his counte nance. "Silence!" thundered the banker "Yonder stands your affianced hus band." "It is a mistake"- she persisted gently. "No. no. no! There Is no mistake," chattered Ramon. "Those other men have told all. and your Ant'ony is now tn the carcel under guard. It was 1 who saw to his arrest Nor Is that all He Is not at all the man he pretended to be. even his name Is false. This gan to chatter threats of vengeance, to which Kirk paid little heed. A tew mo ments later they went out quietly, and together they took the rock road down toward the city, the one silent and desperate, the other whining like a hound nearing a scent Edith Cortlundt did not retire Im mediately upon her return from the ball. Her anger at Anthony's behavior kept her wakeful, and the night had turned off so dead and humid that sleep was lu any case a doubtful pos sibility. She was still sitting in her room at a late hour when she beard the outside door close and Cortlandt's footsteps mounting the stairs. She was glad be had his own room and never entered hers at such an hour, for even to talk with him in her present state of mind and body would have been more than she could bear. She was unreasonably, annoyed there fore, when he came boldly Into her chamber without even kuocking. "Rather late for good night," she said coldly. "I've Just come from Anthony's sup per party." His voice made her look round sharp ly. She saw that his linen, ordinarily stiff and Immaculate, was sodden nnd crumpled, bis collar limp, bis forehead glistening with drops of moisture. "Whnt alls you. Stephen?" she cried. "Have you been drinking?" "No. I didn't drink much. I brought you something." He took the loving cup from its flannel bag and set it upon the table. "They gave me this. "And tiiis too." He tossed the watch with Its enameled monogram into ber lap. "Ah! That's very handsome." "Yes. I thought you'd like It. It's from Anthony." He laughed, then shuddered. "Why, you seem excited over these souvenirs. You surely expected" He broke In-n thing be rarely did while she was speaking: "Anthony made a speech when he gave It to tne a very nice speech, full of friendship and love and gratitude." He repeated Kirk's words as he re membered tbem. "What do you think of that?" Mrs, Cortlandt's eyes widened. This was not the man she knew. At this moment he wus actually Insistent, al most overbearing, and he was regard ing her with that same ironical sneer that had roused her anger earlier in the evening. He began to chuckle, apparently without reason. His shoulders shook feebly at first, then more violently. His flat chest heaved, and he hiccough ed as if from physical weakness. It was alarming, and she rose, staring at him affrightedly. He continued to shudder nnd shake In uncontrollable hysteria, but his eyes were bright and watchful. "Oh. l-I-took It all in-I let him p put the noose around his own neck and tie the knot Then I hung him." Ills convulsive giggling was terrible, forecasting, as It did. bis Immediate breakdown. "Stephen !" she exclaimed. In a shocked tone, convinced that his mind was going "You are III. You need a doctor. 1 will call Joeocl." She laid her hand on his arm. "Won't you go to your room and let me call a doctor?" "Not yet Walt! He told them what I had done for blm. I acknowledged It all and made them hear it from my lips too. Then"- He paused, and she steeled herself to witness another spec tacle of bis pitiable loss of self control. But Instead he grew Icy ami corpse like with Up. drawn back In a grin. Played wltb him the way ,0U bars Played with me. Think."' Her face went suddenly ashen. "Well. I told blm before tbem all that I Intended to giv. him something lumurn. and I did I-,.,..",,,,! "God! You didn't tell blm that? fue snrank back, drawing tb. Ob b." gau.y .Ilk rul do .bout ber brW I hen ..he roused to sudden action 8is. s mm i.j me ehoulilers .he ,h4io. hlu. ivu.-hly with f.r l0r, ,b, br natural tr,..,4itB. robing fur,Ut WoM hl.h lu ltlu-, of tbem uodereiood I did If be declared juur. now rfttl ,tu Uff fc ' lil uur Uer" "He's yours now. You can havs him." She flung him away from her so Th iently that be nearly fell. It's h lie! You know It's a He!" "It's true. I'm no fool." She beat her hands together distract edly. "What hove you done? What will those men think? Listen! You must stop them quickly. Tell them It'a not so." He seemed not to hear ber. "I'm going away tomorrow." be said, "but I'll never divorce you, no matter what you do, nnd I won't let you divorca me either. No, no! Take blm now If you waut blm. but you'll never be able to marry him until I'm gone. And I won't die soon I promise you that I'm going to live." "You can't go" "There's a boat tomorrow." "Don't you see you must stay and ex plain to those men? My God! They'll think you spoke the truth. They'll be lieve what you said." "Of 1 ourse they will," he chattered shiillv. "That's why I did It in that Wiiy. No matter what you or he o? I con (1 1 or say now they'll believe It forever. It came to me like a flash of light, tind I saw what it meant all In a minute. Do you understand what It means, eh? Listen! No matter how yon behave they'll know. They won't say anything, but they'll know, and you can't stand that, can you?" "Yon have no evidence." "No? What about that night at Ta boga? You were mod over the fellow then, but yon didn't think I saw. That day I caught you together lii the Jun glehave you forgotten that? Didn't you think it strange that I should be the one to discover yon? Oh, I pretend ed to be blind, but I followed you ev erywhere I could, and I kept my eyes open." "You saw nothing, for there was nothing." "1 waited because I wasn't strong enough to revolt until tonight Oh. but tonight I was strong! Something gave Die courage." CHAPTER XXIV. A Question and the Answer. N all their married life Edith Cortlandt had never known faeciiA Der nusimnd to show such If r'l stubborn force. Pulling to dominate him ns usual, she was filled wltb n strange feeling of helplessness ana terror. "You had no right to accept such evidence," she stormed. "Boh! Why try to fool me? I have your own words for it. The other aft ernoon I came home sick with mv head. I was on the gallery outside wben you were pleading with him. and I heard it all. But he was growing tired of you. Thot. you know, makes It nil the more effective." He smiled in on agonized fury. "You-cur!" she cried, with the fury of one beating barehanded at a barred door. "You had no right to do such a thing even If I were guilty." "Right Areu't you my wife?" The look she crave him wus hour with loathing. "That means nothing witn us. 1 never loved you. and you know It. You never could have suc ceeded without me. All you have Is due to me even your reputation In the service. Your success, yeur Influ ence. It Is all mine. The debt Is all on your side, aa you and I and all the world know." "Who made me a manikin?" be de manded, with womanish fury, a fury that had been striving for utterance these many years. bad ambitions and hopes and ability once not much perhaps, but enough before you mar ried me. I woa uotblng great but 1 was getting along I had confidence, too. but you took It away from me. You-you absorbed roe. You had your father's brain, and It was too big for nie. It overshadowed mine. In a way you were a vampire, for what I had you drained me of. But tonight, when be got up before those other men and daugled my shame before my eyes, I bad enough manhood left In me to strike back. Thank God for that at least! Maybe It's not too late yet for me to be a man. Maybe If I get away from you and try"- Hla voice died out weakly. In bis face there was a mis erable half gleam of hope. "I never knew you felt like that 1 never knew you could feel that way," she said In a colorless voice. "But you made a terrible mistake." "Do you mean to say you don't lore klmr "No, I have loved bun for long time. 1 can't remember wben It be gan." She sK)ks very listlessly, look ing past him as If st long fsmlllar picture which she wss tired of con templating. never knew wbst love wss before; never even dreamed. I'd give my life right now to undo what you bate dune. jt for oU Mk fof he le lnii,M,i,t ,, dl,., B(tN(r. Wf im. He !, bo U.rsvel girl and suts lo many b.r. I'm ln8 to t lou the whole truth now wlihout sn.r bg iuy.ir. 11 u,.. 1 thltik. st Ts u... ib.i !,. b,a k fcUw4 'I H vbij Itn.s Ut sr did fli filing. If trn. ' U II K I Oram frlnki... . ' " m m Impulse on his pnrt. r ' to? "P. and all n n,. , " t won, J he meant to me h . hn,f fei that he cared ?or I overheard you must know T"1'" H Oornvel Into disnSZ tout to break him. J JJ" N, ne neetbKl me. Ton. 'k. urn if Id n him. , ueeuen nie Tni 1 lk . - "'Ml. KtnevL we oeuevea In oaths I Wo , T'- "Y011 are shielding him tit IrHl If as eeiM a. ' , "" ""t wrong knew he knew. Von But "Thme are the facts n they are hod enough! hut th?." nomenna ao bod ns y thnll' I'm your wife. Stephen '. you did was brutm. ThnJ ' 0 talk. I was gum, no Shi"? " hoght. b, rm yollllRi J J h BJ no rtirht to blight my jfe .J S ntatlon-yes, and rouw-bys thu!! that We will have to mS".11 What are you going to dor 1 nont Know." he said. ! . fe I never felt but on- JlWl - .ijiiiiianl life power, and that, it seems. For years I have longed t'0 hoV? - Hinu, hhu now-Wmit l ' done? Whnt have I done? 1 ' " monster. Why couldn't you hT slstent? Why did you B0 J00 Why couldn't "you be all K0S bad and save me this?" JAM women are hulf g004, Rnd "I can't bin me you for not loving. I suppose." he mumbled. "Nn 1 ttf jroor kind could love a "Thos muni" ,h. i. ,llu ,n mndo htm n,rltl. w" "HI "Walt nntiU-thlnk. Imostthlnk. "Perhaps In the mnmin, -. mt lumen, ue nodded. "Yon Mi bed and I'll think. I'm trvne tn .1 now. but this heat Is suffocatlni m. and my head Is tired." Despite the breothless oppression of the night, she shivered. "I never nn meet them now. and I don't see ho you will dare to. knowing that joo were wrong." "Don't!" he pleaded. "The other wm bad enough, but this- Tell mt whit ' to do!" "I can't. I don't know myself, ad I can see Is that those men will never cease to believe, no matter what yon tell them." As she prepared for bed nn hoar later she heard him still stirring abont Id his quarters, but afterword she did not detect his cautious footsteps when he stole out of his chamber, closing thi door softly behind him. e , Kirk was roused from a heavj, senseless slumber the next morning by a vigorous rapping at his door. He opened the door and Runnels rushed In. "Where did you go after I left yon Inst night?" "I came here, of course." As the memory of the previous night swept over Kirk he scowled. "Did you stay 1iere?" "No. I went out ngnln. and wosont nearly all night trying to walk It off." Runnels' face blnnched. and be drew back. "Then, of course, yon know?" "What?" "About Cortlandt He's dead!" "Dead? When? Where? How did It happen?" "Nobody knows Just how. He wai found on the sen wall near Alfarei'i house, shot" "Shot! Good Lord!" "Did you see Cortlandt again after I left you?" Runnels swallowed hard. Kirk whirled nbout and faced him "Great heavens! No! See here, tnat Idea is ridiculous!" Runnels sank weakly Into a chair and mopped his face. "When yon said you'd gone out again It knocked me flat understand?" "I can prove where I wns, for Allan was wltb me. I couldn't sleep, so I tried to walk off my excitement No. no; I couldn't do a thing like that! I thought last night that I could. nut-I couldn't really." "I'm afraid Wade will tell aH aboat the party If we don't stop him." "Then we'd better hunt blm op. Kirk resumed bis dressing, while Run nels consulted his watch. "No. ft Is due.tn twenty minute We'll probably find him at the offl Together they hostened to the rail road bulldlngv Runnels telling all 6 knew of the tragedy as they went along. Cortlandt's body, it seemed , uaa been found about daylight by a Bp m . lid Iff goty policeman, who had inenuuw Becoming panic stricken at the imp tance of bla discovery, he bad sonndea the alarm, then reported directly to tne liniian WQS ClOSO DT The whole city was alive with the news. The police were bussing u bees. Rumors of sulcMe. mum.. bery. were about but no one seen0 "It was suicide." Kirk averred, wiu ..rrl. moil WAS lnSSn " .... ..nnnta for What Sf infill, nou vuni v. , w n said about me. He's been sick ror , long uuie. .hjr "If those boys will only keep 1 mouths abut." Runnels sain ni .i-hat these BP1 mere ho kimi . mhMt gotlea might do If they heard ! that row." H . . ... a mortcan. uoruanui woe , , j. "But It happened In Tonnnia. ana Although It was Sunday, the w ,k hri taken pt w the entertainment on the night o had gathered Id the office and 1 at appearance of Runnels gre 1 u-i.b however. VW eageriy. iow .ra!nt maintained a disheartening const" The acting supenuieuuc. "If. . bad business." said Budj "snd It's something I for one want to be mixed up In. " rumors already about some ri auarrel at our party, so I ui fellows hsve been talking. . Wade acknowledged It rwU!' "Yes, I'll answer for my part - - nmlllUS or not going 10 nun " 1 erecy either." Hi Into the oftlce behind tbetn , Alfar. a.,.t two I'siiamaB po"" men. one evidently suna"1- ,a "Kh. there you sref" Alf'i ce rang M sigui or in reoll' "What, rr .lBj, "Geollrmen,