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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 1910)
I The Quest of etty Lancey "By MAG-DA. r. WEST Q Copyright. H09, by W. 0. Clupmaa. Copyright la Great Brttala Q CHAPTER XVIIL "If that isn't a wireless I'm hearing. I never heard one," quoth Johnny. The trio had taken refuge below, is the rain was falling heavily and thero was no cabin accommodation above. "I learned the code, you know, com ing over," he confided to Betty. "Won der what they're saying? Listen." Johnny's knowledge was not very extensive. He deciphered the words "Tyoga," 'great haste," "make all ef forts to save life," and "H. H." "Well, we're on the trail of the story anyhow.V he cheerfully mused. "That ought to be some consolation." All night the three were crowded 'n a space not big enough for two of them. The yacht made good time, and when it finally stopped with a Jolt, "cU sought them out and ba3e thorn go ashore. They were landing at the wharf of what might have been a conventional English seaport country place. At thn - end of a driveway, over which every body limped except City Editor Bur ton, who Benonl had left tethered in the yacht, rambled a pretentious house of Gothic architecture. A modern glass covered piazza was built along one side of the place, and as they mounted the steps Betty recognized itlthln this enclosure Tyoga in cap and apron, in charge of a pair of children, approximately 9 and 10 years old. The boy was the larger of the two, a slight dark lad, with a petulant expression and awkward movements. Later Betty saw this awkwardness was caused by a deformity of the hip. The girl was plainer of face than her brother, but hr figure had the perfect symmetry of all wild things that live in the open air. Tyoga was mending a white gar ment, but at sight of the pilgrims she dropped her work and went forward to greet them, leaving the children star lng after her. Sha bowed before Betty and the two other Americans, kissed Meta warmly on the cheeks, and embraced Benoni passionately. When these two were to gether the relationship of mother aud son was easily discernible. "Ah, so you came safely away," she tghed, in a relieved manner. "I was ao alarmed. Hamley came home this morning. He and the old man had a dreadful argument. They are upstairs now. It has been frightful. But you must not mind. I do not know what I am going to do with the children. They are getting so old now, I can't put them off with fairy tales any long er. It Is racking." She turned to Bet ty. "I'm glad your friends found you. Poor child! The strain on you has been terrible, but' the snarl la nearing Its end. Tou shall soon see." The interior of the bouse waa as con ventional as its exterior. Betty, Larry Morris and Johnny felt that the pe numbra of mystery was at length be ing pierced by the return of reason. "But if Mr. Wayne finds these peo ple here he may kill them," objected Benonl. "He shall not see them," assured Tyoga, "Nor Hackleye, neither. They and the children must 'all be out of sight before he comes down stairs, Since she Is dead Hackleye cannot abide the sight of the children any more. And all her things he wants them out of sight down here, yet he lives In her old rooms. Take them to the north wing, Meta, and I will brimr the children." The north wing had four bedrooms. a sitting room, and a small alcove. It was done in English chintz, and several canaries sung and swung in the win dows. In Betty's room had been placed garments more conventional than those she wore, and a dozen little toilet con veniences, not the least welcome of which was a box of hairpins in assort ed sizes. She lingered long at her dressing why shouldn't she have done so?. In all this time sha had not been so near the accustomed luxuries of life. The bath tub was a delight, the brushes, creams and powders brought back visions of civilization, and even the makeshifts for fashionable clothing were a comfort True, the skirt laid out was plainly Tyoga's and needed dozen reefs and tucks; but for a waist there was an old-fashioned polonaise, and this was better suited to Betty's size. When she waa finished she real ly felt proud of herself, and awaited the reunion with the boys in the sit ting room with great anticipation. They had fared better In the matter f clothes, though Johnny's trousers were too long and Larry's were at half-mast While they criticised, commented, and compared the children burst In upon them. The boy limped quietly in. but the girl stormed through the doors like a whirlwind. "Where you live when you were a little girl?" she flashed at Betty. 'TMd they always have something doing around that you couldn't see into?" "Of course they did," said Betty. Those things always nappes when you're children." "But I don't Believe It was like It Is here," persisted the child. "Here things are so funny, they make you creep If you don't want to. Tou needn't scowl, brother, you know it's true. Any body can see it And why did these people come here In those skin clothes? Arm why has Tyoga been so worried? And why won't papa see us, and where is mother? Do you oh, tell me do you think our mother's dead?" the child cried, flinging herself In Betty's lap. "We had the loveliest mother, and she's been gone for so long!" "What was your mother's name, dear?" questioned Betty, though she knew before she asked, and felt asham ed of the query. She had the hot little head pressed close, to her shoulder and could feel the rising sobs. The boy hurt a-nna over to the window and waa tapping it moodily with his fingers "She was Mrs. Cerlsse Wayne Hack leye," replied the child, "but we Just called her mother." Betty's tears mingled with those of me mue girl, "l don't know, dear, sne answered. "Wait till we get a post and then we'll know." "That's what Tyoga always says," continued the child. "But the post nev er comes here any more. What's your name?" "Betty Lancey." "And hia'n?" "Mr. Johnson." "And his?" "Mr. Morris." "Mine's Paula, and brother's is Wal ter Hamley," announced the child. "We Just call him Walter, though. He's aw fully shy. is brother. He doesn't wear mothers picture any more; he says she's been gone so long that she doesn't love us or else she'd come back. But that isn't so. Tyoga went away for a long time, but Tyoga came back. This is motner, see?" She opened the locket around her neck and displayed to Betty the now laminar race of Cerlsse Wayne. It was such a beautiful, lovelv. monk ing face but It wasn't a. irnnd fset Betty couldn't held acknowledging that 10 nerseir even as she made her bow to the witchery of the painted features before her. There was nothing of the momer tnere. '1 hate this place," went on Paula. "I don't like the blacks and I don't like the quiet that's always here. Papa saia he a take us to England, but since mother went away he never talka nf that any more. Papa doesn't seem ta love us like he did. He was away, too. He's Just come home. And so crnaa! Why, the other day he stepped on one or my guinea pigs and killed It, and then he killed another and took and drowned the whole pen full of them In tne river. He used to be so good." "Paula, you've talked enough," chid ed the boy. "These folks' don't nn rA Larry proceeded to make friends with waiter, and Betty and Johnny kept Paula amused with a wonderful ram. of ball that you make out of your nanuKercmer and twirl around from one to another on two hat nlna. Gradually Larry and Walter got Into tne tun. and the revel waa at it virv.r wnen L.t Malheureux came into the room. "Le Malheureux!" crirt Tfettv sireicnea out ner hand In welcome. But the shrouded figure stood aside. "Excuse me. please." he nrntAaf ad "So these are your friends? Now they have found you. I hope thev mav ho able to see you safely home again. I win ask or you, too, a favor. Will you take these two helnlesa child you? They belong to my sister, Mrs. Hackleye, known to you as Mrs. Wayne. I wish they may go to their father's people in England. There is no one else who can take CAT A fit thara and they mustn't stay here any long er. No," reading the question in Lar ry's eyes, "the father Is not dead, but he is not well. And It Is best for them to go." "When can we go?" blurted Larry, and where Is tha father? Didn't h ki " Betty threw the ball at T.arrv .-.t it struck him squarely In the mouth, interrupting the question on his lips. "Judge not," cautioned La Mi,.J reux. "I will dine with y,ou later, after me cnimron nave gone to bed. The remainder of the dav . catechism by the children. They de- vourea ineir strange visitors with questions about the country they had never seen, wondered if they would meet their mother, made a thousand childish plans for the voyage, and drew lots as to which of their would take with them. Discussion as to tne relative merits of white mice over guinea dIr-s and - rwna VVCLS bordering on belligerency when Tyoga carrmu me juveniles away to the room that did duty as a nuraerv an i. their Impatient elder to await tha coming of Le Malheureux. CHAPTER XIX. Tha clock In the room told ten, and Ha was not yet there. Tha children slept and Betty and her companions moved restlessly from room to room. Had It not been for Johnny, Larry and she might have been exchanging a thousand queries as to "when did you first begin to love me," and "do you remember that time?" but as it was they tried to be unselfish and make general conversation and, as is usual lu such cases they only succeeded In hav ing everybody miserable, Johnny as well as themselves. Angry voices sounded from the corri dor. One, unmistakably that of De Malheureux, the other that of an older and a mode irate man. They extinguished the lights, and Betty cautiously stealing to the door put her eye to the keyhole and her eat to the crack. Out In the hall was Le Malheureux, with him a bent old man, white-haired and saffron-skinned. The old man leaned totteringly on a staff. "I hate you, hate you, a thou sand times more than I ever have done before, oh wretched son!" he shrilled. "Vile that you are!" "Tou cannot, father," Interrupted the harsh voice of Le Malheureux, In a sorrowful Intonation. "You have long condemned me to tortures. What I am you made me." The two walked slowly down the corridor. Motioning to Larry and Bet ty to await his return Johnny followed in their wake. Through the main building and across to the south room wing they went stopping in what was evidently the old man's sitting room. There the discussion broke out afresh. "I hate you, I say A thousand times more," repeated the old man. "UnfiHal son! Put I have o'.itwltted you! My cohorts, my good black ne groes, any one of them worth a thou sand such sons as you, have found out your secret castle, the gate to those bonanza fields where the diamonds He so closely bedded together that a nee dlepoint could not separate them. I am free of you now, forever, free; do you understand? That wealth that your mother and young aunt so long de nied me is mine, mine and Cerlsse's. Ah, there is devotion for you, devotion for you! She is a girl after my own heart! What vim! What nerve! What daring! My Cerlsse! No chicken nerved fool like you, and you, my son! Bah! Now that I have the path to tho mines, now that I need him no longer, Hackleye may go, and his children with him if he wishes. They are but poor offspring for my beautiful daugh ter to own. Small wonder she never loved them. Nor him either. Her heart has long been with one man, and now with all this new wealth she shall have him. Money. buys anything! Diamonds are money! Cerlsse shall be rid of this Hackleye. I hate him, too!" Another figure stepped out of the uarkness. Johnny recognized the early morning visitor he had trailed from the Desterle home into the Flanders mansion, months before. "Don't believe that for a moment,' this man rasped. "You blithering old fool you! Cerlsse is dead! Do you hearl She's dead! Dead!" The old man dropped his staff an-1 fell back into the arms of Le Malheu reux, who led him to a seat near by. "Hackleye, Hackleye!" wailed the old man, "you didn't you didn't You didn't kill her?" Hackleye pulled a roll of newspaper clippings from his pocket and dangled them before the old man's eyes, and spread them out on the table before him. With quivering lips the stricken man read, punctuating each sentence with a moan. He saw the headlines only, then flung the oaneri frnm hi and tried to reach Hackleye with his start. "And you. you " he mslAvnintw called to Le Malheureux, "why did you noi prevent it 7" 'How could I?" answered t a u.i. heureux, "and why should I? v,. know what Cerlsse was, father. A mur deress at heart, and my own sister. My mother's daughter!" Yes, and mine," snarled the old man. "Where are those brats of Hniv',i I'll kill them kill them, I tell you!" Le .Malheureux ran a- ahnmtv bell. Benonl entered from the hall, and logetner they bore the old man from the room. Hackleye gathered n v, clippings and with darkening brow pausea oerore the portrait of the two children that hung on the wall before him. Opposite was a life size of the mother, and his wife radiant, smuing as sne bad been In her early girlhood, and when she had lintonad to the ardent love-making of her fu ture husband. As the man looked the frown van. lshed. A breeze stealing In from the window swayed the portrait fnrwir.i on the wall. With outstretched .hands and lips apart the girl In tha nlntura seemed to move towards the weary man, to oner mm tne roses she held iu her hands. The dim lights cnmnlAtAil the illusion. Hackleye sprang forward to embrace the girl In the picture, soft words upon his lips. "Sweetheart sweetheart," he cried, 'you've come back to me. I know it. and you'll never go again, will you, dear? Just my girl again, Just mine, Just mine " He had touched the canvas nnw and its clammy surface woke him from his dream. Hurling it baok asralnat tha wall, Hackleye snatched a Jeweled knife from the tablo, and slashed the canvas into finest fringe. 'And all for love of a woman - unt Johnny to himself, as Hackleye un seeing rushed down the corridor in blind race and almost knocked him over. (To be continued.) Despondency is not a state of hn. mility; it u the vexation and dasna.li ef a coward pride. Feneloi THE UTAH AT THE PLOW HANDLES. Just a thought in recognition of a fellow who seldom gets into the news pi.pers. He doesn't make much news. He knows mighty little about the 'city ways" of making money. He has a fine liking for clean financial methods and a hearty scorn for all that Is crooked. Perhaps it is his man ner of living that makes him want to be honest. Let that man see a problem play, one of those things that serve to satisfy the Jaded appetites of metro politan people, and you'll find a splash of red on his tanned cheek and he will wonder how it is possible for women to be present. Tell him about bribery and stock Jobbing and franchise stealing and a few of the thousand forms of gouging the public, and you will Jar his faith in the natural good oess of humanity. In the spring this type, of good American citizen is following a plow. It is hard work. Ik puts a big ache in the neck and callouses on the hands. It destroys the complexion. It calls for brown overalls and perspiration. The man is happy in his work. He whistles as he trudges along in the fur row. He clucks to the horses, and finds Joy in the freedom of his life. He doesn't go into raptures over green fields and singing brooks and songs of birds. They are a part of his environment. They are routine, but he loves them Just the same. . He has an enormous burden on his broad shoulders. He feeds the world. He is the brother of life itself. He toils lone hours. His primary object In working is his own welfare. But he feeds the world. He makes existence possible. He is the head of the procession in which are marching the doctor, the lawyer, the banker, the idler. He is ihe founlainhead of wealth and prosperity. He Is the creditor of humanity. It is well to remember with gratefulness this man in overalls, who follows the plow and whistles as the brown earth reveals its richness and prepares to bring forth the fruits of the field. A cent's worth of electricity, at the average price in this country, will raise ten tons twelve feet high with a crane in less than a minute. A French chemist has advanced the theory that the odors from vegetation disseminated through the air diminish the actinic powers of the solar radla tlons sufficiently to affect photography, No coal is mined In thin country lower than a dentil of 2.200 font, while several English mines penetrate 3,500 feet down, and there are mines in Bel eium 4.000. feet deen. Kiirht lnfh seams of coal are mined commercially abroad, while few veins less than four teen inches thick are worked In this country. In a paper read before the Institu tlon of Electrical Engineers at Man Chester, England, recently, the maxi mum outmit of the five nower-jttatlnns at Niagara Falls was stated at 320,000 horse-power, distributed over a dis tance of 150 miles. This distance will soon be increased to 250 miles, and then. aftld the authors nf tha nntmr such a system of distribution will be In operation as would, if It were in stalled In F!np!nd sunnlv tha whole country with the electrical energy it required, irom one central station. Recent experiments by Dr. W. von Oeohelhauser, In Germany, have result ed in the production from the decom position of ordinary coal-gas in verti cal retorts of a gas possessing a lift ing power of about one kilogram (two and one-fifth pounds) per cubic meter. The lifting power of llght!ng-gas has been calculated at seven-tenths of a kilogram per cubic meter. Compared with hvdropen tha new enA haa a lift. kig power of. In the proportion of 1,000 to i,uiu. a Danoon or l.uuu cumc meters filled with the new gas would lift 660 pounds more than the same balloon filled with ordinary gas. The effect of chemistry on civiliza tion, says Dr. Maximilian Toot), has been greater than that of any other science. ' "Engineering made but little progress until steel and cement, two chemical products, were cheapened, simplified, and made universal." Med icine owes to chemistry the discovery of synthetic drugs, and of anesthetics, and the progress that has been mads in the study of metabolism. Th twentieth century promises even t outstrip the nineteenth in chemical progress, which will lie In the direc tion of controlling foodstuffs, applying the raw materials in the earth, and re fining of metals. Practically all the Important infirma ries and hospitals in England hav their own electric generating stations, and the size of the Installations, says -the London Times, would surprise th majority of engineers. The equipment has to be designed with unusual care, owing to the special conditions which prevail In hospital work. Even wheri a public supply is available, the use of an independent system is Justified on account of the security which H gives against failure of current at a critical moment. The installations are used for lighting, heatlnsr. ventilating telephoning and other purposes, and many hospitals have laundries oper ated electrically. One county asylum has Its own private electric railway for conveying supplies from the nearest railway station. A Nice Calculation. Two very dear old ladles walked nn to the window where tickets were to be be sold Tor two popular concerts. They wanted tickets for both nights, but alas! those for the second' even ing were all gone. This was tha nmra popular entertainment of the two. Im so sorry, my dear!" nattered one of the old ladies to the other. We did want to go, didn't we, and we wanted to go both nights." " "You couldn't give us two tlckt for each night?" inquired the other, of the clerk. "No, ma'am." "You haven't two seats anywhere for the second night?" "No, ma'am. Couldn't give you nose- room. A great resolution beamed UDon har gentle face. "Then," said she flrmlv. "elv ma four tickets for the first night. We will make them do." "Why, sister," quavered the other, 'are you going to invite somebody?" "No," said she, "but if we can't en both nights " She paused, bewil- dered, quite out of her calculation.' Then a happy thought struck her. and she added, "We'll go twice the first nignt." Why Is "it that married women never wear as much false hair as un married women!