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About Eagle Valley news. (Richland, Or.) 191?-1919 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 1918)
1 Will Double Your Pay In Fitelo SixWecki,Br Teaching You How lo Drive, Repair ud Adjuit Automobiles am) Gas Engines THE DES TROYING 'A GEL By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE . Mr ffil N ESI TO OUR FEMININE READERS Young ladles, if you were liv ing In a secluded neighborhood and discovered a respectable, nice-looking young man on an adjoining place watching you s dally, would you notify the po lice or would you encourage a bit of flirtation Just for curi osity? What one young lady did In such circumstances is told entertainingly In this Install ment. You. remember, Hugh Whlta ker, thinking he was about to die, married an Innocent girl to 'save her honor and departed Im mediately for the Southern seas. Five years later he returns to New York, healthy and wealthy, and finds the wife, now a fa mous actress known as Sara Law, engaged to marry Drum mond, his old friend and part ner. She disappears suddenly. Drummond supposedly commits suicide, as her previous lovers had done. Whltaker is murder ously assaulted In the dark and goes to the country home of his friend Martin Ember, near the sea. He discovers a mysterious spy there and thinks it Is Drum mond. ttrrCrCrCrirCrCrCrCttrCrttrCrtrCrCrCr& CHAPTER X. 11 The Spy. Already the sun was wnnn. the faint breeze bland. Stnndlnc nt the window and slimline Ills eyes against the glare. Whltaker surveyed a world new- washed and radiant: the landlocked bay dimpled with vagrant cutspaws and smitten with sunlight as with a scimitar of fire; the earth fresh and fragrant, steaming faintly In the ar dent glow of the dawn. In another moment1 he was at the kitchen door. Interrupting Sum Fat's tlrst matutinal attentions to his teeth with a demand for a bathing suit. Three minutes later, from the end of the small dock, ho dived neatly, com ing to the surface with his flesh tin gling with delight of the cool water; then, with the deliberate and powerful movements of an experienced swim mer, struck away from the land- Two hundred yards out he paused, rolled over on his back, and, hands clasped beneath his head, floated serenely, sun light wanning his upturned face, his body rejoicing In the suave, clean, fluid embrace. Then something disturbed him n dull fluttering, vibrant upon his sub merged eardrums. Extending his arms and moving his hands gently to pre serve his poise, he lifted his head from the water. From the landing stage on the FIske place a motor boat was standing out. The churning of Its pro peller had aroused him. He could sec but a slnglo person for all Its crew. Seated astern, dividing her attention between the side steering wheel and the engine, she was altogether Ignorant of the onlooker. Only her head and shoulders showed above the coaming her head with Its shining crown, her nhoulders cloaked with a light wrap gathered at the throat. . Whltaker, admiring, wondered . . . Sweeping In a wide arc as It gath ered speed, the boat presently shot out smartly on n straight course for tho barrier beach. Why? What business had she there? And at an hour so early? No affair of his Whltaker admitted as much freely. And yet he was be ginning his fourth day on the Great West bay without having set foot upon Its Great South beach I Itldlculous oversight I And one to be remedied without another hour's delay. Grinning with amused toleration of his own perverse sophistry, ho turned over on his side and struck out In the wake of the motor boa I. When at length ho wnded ashore he found tho motor boat moored In shallow water at the end of a long and substantial dock. Ho patted the flanks of tho ves sel as he wuded on. "Good little boat!" said he. Walking rapidly, very soon ho stood at the head of a rudo flight of wooden steps which ran down from tho top of a wave-eaten snnd bluff, some ten or twelve cot In height, to the broad and gently shelving ocean beach. Midway between the sand bluff and the break ing waters stood the woman Whltaker bad followed. (There wasn't any uso mincing terms he had followed her In Ids confounded, fatuous curiosity I) Her faco was to tho sea, her hands clasped behind her. Now tho wind modeled her cloak sweetly to her body, now whipped Us skirts away, disclos ing legs straight and slender and gra ciously modeled. She was dressed. It seemed, for bathing. Whltaker turn to go, and turning let Ids gnie sweep up from tho bench and along tho brow of tho bluff. Ho paused. frowning. Some twenty feet or so dis tant the legs of n man, trousered and booted, protruded from a hollow be tween two hummocks of sand. And the toes of tho hoots were digging Into the sand, Indicating that the man was lying prone; and that meant (If ho were neither dead nor sleeping) that lie una watching tho woman on the beach. Indignation, righteous Indignation, warmed Whltaker's bosom. It was nil very well for htm to catch sight of tho woman through her cottage win dow, by night, and to swim over to tho beach In her wako the next morning, but what right had anybody oso to constltuto himself her shadow? Be sides, It was possible that tho man was Drummond. Ho strode forward and stood over the man, looking down at his back. It was true, as he had assumed tho fel low was watching tho woman. And his back was very like Drummond's. A little quiver of excitement mingled with nntlclpatlvo satisfaction ran through him. Now, at last, tho mys tery was to be cleared up. his future relations with tho pseudo-sulcldo de fined and established. Deliberately he extended his bnro foot and nudged tho mnn's ribs. "Drummond . . ." he said In a clear voice, decided but unaggressive, With an oath and what seemed a single, quick motion, the man Jumped to his feet and turned to Whltaker n startled and Inflamed countenance. "What the devil !" he cried angrily. "Who are you? What do you want? What d'you mean by coming round here and calling me Drummond?" He was no more Drummond than he wns Whltaker himself. "For that matter" something clicked In Whltaker's brain and sub' consciously hi; knew that his temper was about to tako tho bridge "what do you mean by spying on that lady yonder?' It being Indisputably none of his concern, the unfairness of the question only lent It offensive force. The man made this painfully clear through tho medium of an Intolerable epithet and an attempt to land his right fist on Whltaker's face. The face, however, was elsewhere when tho fist reached the point for which It had been aimed; and Whit nker closed In promptly as tho fellow's body followed his arm, thrown off bnl ance by the momentum of tho unob structed blow. What followed had entered Into the calculations of neither. Whltaker felt himself suddenly falling through nlr thick with a blinding, choking cloud of dust and sand. The body of the other was simultaneously wrenched violently from his grasp. Then he brought up against solidity with a bump that seemed to expel every cubic Inch of nlr from his lungs. And ho heard him self cry out sharply with the pain of his weak ankle newly twisted. . . . He sat up, gasping for breath, brushed the sand from his face and eyes, and as soon as his whirling wits settled a little, comprehended what had happened. Half burled In the debris of a mini ature landslide, ho sat at tho foot of the bluff. Immediately above his head a ragged break showed where tho sand, held together solely by beach grass, had given way beneath the weight of the antagonists. A little distance from him the other man was picking himself up, apparent ly unhurt but completely surfeited. Without delay, with not even so much as a glance at Whltaker, he staggered off for a few paces, then settled Into a heax'y, lumbering trot westward along the beach. He did not wish tho woman to recognize him; therefore ho was putting himself out of her way. For she was approaching. When Whltaker caught sight of her, she was already close nt hand. She had been running. Now as their glances met, hers keenly inquiring of Whltaker's still bewildered oyes, sho pulled up abruptly and stood usture. Ho saw, or fancied, something closely nkln to fright and consternation In her look. The Hush In her cheeka gavo way to a swift pallor. The hands trembled that drew her beach cloak close about her. She seemed to mako an Ineffectual effort to speak. On his part, Whltaker tried to get up. A keen twinge In his ankle, how ever, wrung an Involuntury grunt from him, and with u wry grlmaco ho sank back. "Oh I" cried the woman, Impulsively. "You're hurt I" Sho advanced a pace, solicitous and sympathetic. "Oh, not much." Whltaker replied In a tono more of hope thun of assur- unco, flu felt tenderly of tho Injured member. "Only my nnkle twisted It u few daya ago, mid now again. It'll bo nil right In n moment or two." Her gaze traveled from hint to tho edge of tho bluff. "I didn't see I mean, I heard some thing, and turned, and riiw you trying to sit up and tho other man rising." "Sorry wo startled you," Whltaker mumbled, wondering how tho deuco ho wns going to got homo. Ills examlna tlon of tho ankle hadn't proved greatly encouraging. "Hut I ah how did It hnppcn?" "A mere misunderstanding," ho said lightly. "I mistook the gentleman for someone I knew. Ho resented It, so wo started to scrap llko u couple of schoolboys. Then ... I wish to heaven It had been his leg Instead of iiUnol" "Hut still I hardly understand . . "Well, you see, I ah I'm visiting Ember tho cottage next to yours, I believe. .That Is. If I'm not mistaken you have tho Flsko place?" Sho nodded. "And so, this morning. It struck ma as a flno young Idea to swim over hero and have n took at tho beach. And then I found that chap watching you " That startled her. "How do you mean watching mo?" "Why ah that's what ho seemed to bo doing." Sho shook her head. "You must bo mistaken." "Daresay. I generally am when I Jump at conclusions. Anyway, ho didn't llko It much when I called him out of his name. I gathered, In fact, that ho was considerably put out. Silly, wasn't It?" "Rather 1" she agreed gravely. For a moment or two they eyed one another In silence. Whltaker wonder ing Just how much of n fool sho was thinking hltn and dubiously consider ing various expedients to Ingratiate, himself. "I don't seem to think of anything useful to sny," he ventured. "Can you help mo out7 Unless you'd bo Inter csted to know my name's Whltnker Hugh Whltaker 7" She acknowledged tho Information merely by a brief nod. "It seems to me," sho said seriously, "thnt tho pressing question Is, what are you go ing to do about that ankle? Shall you bo able to walk?" "nard to say," ho grumbled, a trifle (lushed. With Inflnlto pains nnd tho aid of both hands and his sound foot, Whltaker Closed In Promptly. ho lifted Minnolf nnd contrived io stand erect for an Instant, then boro a mile weight on tho hurt anitie anu blanched, imllnrr visibly beneath his In eradicable tnn. "I don't suppose," ho said with ef fort "they ltow crutches on this neck of land?" And ho was about to collapse again upon tho sands when, without warning, ho found the woman had moved to his sldo and caught his hand, almost brusquely passing his arm across her shoulders, so that sho received no little of his weight. "Oh, I say 1" ho protested feebly. "Dnn'f unv nnwrhlnt?." shft refilled - Miortlv. "I'm vorv stronir nultu able to help you to tho boat Plcaso don't consider mo nt all ; Just seo If wo can't manago this way." Tin finilnntrnvwl f n lulMwlrnw lita firm. an effort rendered futllo uy her cool, linn grasp on his lingers. "IMcasol" Bho said not altogether patiently. Ho eyed her askance. Thero wns In thin Incredible situation a certain pi quancy, definitely provocative, trim Hcondlng tho claims his Injury mndo upon Ida Interest. Last night for tho tlrst tlino ho had seen this woman, and from n distance had thought her desirable; now, within twelve hours, ho found himself with an arm round her nock I And then suddenly sho turned her head and Intercepted his whole-hearted stare. For a thought wonder glim mered In tho violet eyes; then they flashed disconcertingly; finally they became utterly colt! and dlsdaluful. "Well?" sho demanded In a frigid voice. Ho looked away In complete confu sion, nnd felt his faco burning to tho temples. "I beg your pardon," ho mumbled un happily. Ho essayed to walk. Twenty feot nnd more of treacherous, dry, yielding sand separated them from tho flight of steps thnt ascended tho bluff. It proved no easy Journey. Tho stairway accomplished, ho limped to a wooden seat and sat down with much grim decision In his man ner, lint ho mustered n smile to meet her look of concern, and shook hi head. "Thus far and no farther." "Oh, but you must not bo stubborn I" "I moan to bo horrid stubborn. In fact, I don't mind warning you that there's a famous strain of mule In tho Whltaker mako-up." She was, however, not to bo divert ed; and her fugitive frown bespoko im patience, If ho wero any Judge. vvno ao you inirm inn gin it l And what Is the purpose of the unrecognized spy Do you think the girl knows Whltaker? iker? X trCrCrCrCrCzlirCrCrCrCrtrCrCrrCttr ITO 111J CONTINUUM.) GAVE AUDIENCE GOOD LAUGH Humorous Situation When Man Once Imprisoned With Michael Davltt Called Him by Number. The death of James Collins, tho mod ern historian of Dublin, reminds one that .Mr. Collins was engaged In com plctlng n work of his friend, tho Into Michael Davltt, Irish nationalist and labor leader, once a mill lad In Hasllng den. One of Davltt's stories Intended for Inclusion Is tho following: The "Irish Tribune," ns Davltt was called, having served many years In Chatham and other prisons us u po litical prisoner, hud been a frco man some six months, when ho wus ad dressing a lingo meeting In tho Ro tunda, Dublin. Davltt had worked his audience up to n tense pitch of enthusiasm and con eluded n great speech amid n perfect storm of applause. When ho had resumed his sent and tho apphuiHo wns subsiding a volco from tho gallery cried out: "Ilravo, X Twenty-nine I" Davltt started and, looking tip, bo- held tho grinning face of a well-known "cracksman" whom ho had left finish ing n five ynnrs' term In Chntham prison, nnd who had hailed Davltt by Ills prison number. It did not tako nn Irish audience long to scent out the humor of tho situ ation and tho Rotunda rang with peals of laughter, in which both "her ma jesty's ex-giicsts" heartily Joined. Poison In Self-Defense. While wo very naturally dislike a plant thnt poisons us when wo touch It, yot If wo Investigate tho reason for Its poison we discover that n vnfit num ber of plants develop poisons and near poisons, nnd when wo look over tho list wo And Hint wo would bo rather badly off without them, tho National Geographic Magazine states. It Is truo that most of them are poisonous only when eaten, nnd that few nro poison- oils to tho touch, hut they huvo all u en veloped these quulltlcH In self-defense. Somo of them storo their poison In their seeds, others In their root stocks nnd others In their root to protect their progeny from harm. They do not go about looking for trouble or seek ing, llko tho devil, whom thoy may de stroy ; but they aro prepared to resist Invasion of tho rights of their children. Nux vomica nnd nconlto nro two of this kind. Others develop alkaloids, llko tho nlcotlno of tobacco, tho qulnlno of tho cinchona trcu nnd tho tbclno of lea, to protect themselves. Strychnlno, dlgl. tails and n hundred and ono lndlmie.n- sablo drugs that aro poisonous In over doses are tho glftn of tho plant world to man as a byproduct of plant prepa rations for oelf-defenso. irirCrt If you litwa two lunula. rminin evil, a hack l'H. (imt with Unto) rtiina In my k1h.iI fur nv tr weeka and I will make you an itt Auto mill ; Kti Mln num. Yoo will then !i tro. pared to arrept puellfam a All Dliftf Tract EUKtf SlltiMU? EajleKT Aitt Mnataic Atli ElKHkil Spa tula!, Thnuaanda of killed mechanic am needed right now for the aero plane and other km engine depaitm'ta of tlt army, My I HT.K HOOK ha many plrlurra and letter front gradu ate "r Is lit vn tli" Job" making gtmmt al tli autu ami Irartor limliww. J ml write vour namn arul addrcat on a II rani ur a plain paper anil mall It to in 111(1 1 IT nijw ami you win iinmcmaieiy iiereiv r mi llliutrntr.1 Catalotr ami a letter that will make you a friend of mine from tlie mart. THE ADCOX AUTO & GAS ENGINE SCHOOL, mii WaSU.. 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