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About Eagle Valley news. (Richland, Or.) 191?-1919 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1918)
The DESTR O YING nnro'o'o'o"swgYrir8 a a a a a a'a'o'a'o'fB A new mystery develops In this Installment of "The Destroying Angel." Whltaker finds much In Miss Flskc'a manner to puzzle him o and make him wonder If well, read for yourself. o You will recall that Whltaker, returnlno to New York several o years after his supposed death, discovers his wife, now a famous Z actress known as Sara Law, about to marry Drummond, his old o Dartner. Drummond dlsauDears. supposedly a suicide, and Sara, ask. Ing her husband to agree to a divorce, also drops out of sight Whltaker, mysteriously assaulted, goes to tho country home of hit friend Martin Ember. He makes the acquaintance of pretty Miss Flske, a neighbor, finds spies are watching her, and follows her abductors when they kidnap her In a motor boat Both crafts are wrecked on a reef. Whltaker and the girl are tossed upon an Island lately abandoned. yp o oooooflopoooooooooOQQOQQPPBBO BJUUUUUUU) PPPOOBPPPPPI CHAPTER XIII Continued. 16 The reminder had nn effect singular ly distressing. lie turned n Uttle faint, was seized with n slight sensation of giddiness, nt tho thought of food, so that he was glnd of tho cntboat for support "Oh, you are I" Compassion thrilled her tone. "I'm so sorry. Come If you can walk." She caught his hand as If to help him onward. "We can build a Are and have something hot; there's plenty of fuel." "But what did you do?" "I oh, I took my eggs nu natural barring some salt and pepper. I was In too much of a hurry to bother with a stove " "Why In a hurry?" She made no answer for an Instant He turned to look at her, wondering. To his unutterable astonishment she not only failed to meet his glance, but tried to seem unconscious of It The admirable case and gracious self-possession which he had learned to associate with her personality as In alienable traits were altogether gone. Just then obliterated by a singular, exotic attitude of constraint and diffi dence, of self-consciousness. She seemed nlmost to shrink from his re gard, and held her face a little averted from him, the full Hps tense, lashes low and trembling upon her cheeks. Halfway up to the farmhouse a mem ory shot through Whltaker's mind as startling as lightning streaking athwart a peaceful evening sky. He stopped with an exclamation that brought the girl beside him to a standstill with questioning eyes. "But the others 1" he stammered. "The others?" she repeated blankly. "They the men who brought you here ?" Her Hps tightened. She moved her head In slow negation. "I have seen nothing of either of them." Horror and pity filled him, conjuring up a vision of wild, raving waters, mad with blood-lust, and In their Jaws, arms and heads helplessly whirling and toss ing. "Poor devils!" he muttered. She said nothing. When he looked for sympathy In her face, he found It set and Inscrutable. He delnyed another moment, think ing that soon she must speak, offer him some sort of explanation. But she re mained uncommunicative. And -he could not bring himself to seem anx ious to pry Into her affairs. He took a tentative step onward. She responded Instantly to the sugges tion, but In silence. The farmhouse stood on high ground, commanding nn uninterrupted sweep of the horizon. As they drew near it, Whltaker paused and turned, narrow ing his eyes as he nttemptcd to read the riddle of the enigmatic, amber-tinted dlstnnces. There was not n sail visible In all the blue cup of the sea. "I don't know," said Whltaker slow ly, as much to himself as to his com panion. "It's odd ... it passes me . . ." "Can't you tell where we are?" she inquired anxiously. "Not definitely. I know, of course, we must be somewhere off the south coast of New England. There nre islands off the south coast of Massa chusettsa number of them: Nan tucket, you know, and Martha's Vine yard. This might be either only it Isn't, because they're summer resorts. That" he swept his hand toward the land In the northeast "might be either, and probably Is one of 'em. At the same time, it may bo tho mainland. I don't know." "Then . . . then what nre wo to do?" Ho looked round, shaking a dubious head. "Of course there's nothing Ilko a flagpole here. Wo might nail a plank to the corner of the roof and a table cloth to that, I suppose." "And build fires, by night?" ne nodded. "Best suggestion yet. I'll do that very thing tonight after I've bad a bite to eat" Sho started Impatiently away. "Oh, come, come! What nm I thinking of, to let you stand there, starving by Inches?" ' They entered tho house by the back By Louis Joseph Vane a a a a wa'araTn: o'o'oTgn o o o o o dva door, finding themselves In the kitchen that menn nnd commonplace assem bly room of narrow and pinched Uvea. Tho Immaculato cleanliness of decent, closo poverty lay over It all llko a blight Whltaker busied himself Im mediately with tho stove. There was n full woodbox near by; nnd within a very few minutes he had a brisk flro going. The woman had disappeared In the direction of tho barn. She returned In good tlmo with half a dozen eggs. Foraging In the pantry ond cupboards, sho brought to light a quantity of sup piles; a side of bacon, Hour, potatoes, sugar, tea, small stores of edibles In tins. "I'm hungry again, myself," she de clared, attacking tho problem of simple cookery with n will and n confident air that promised much. The aroma of frying bacon, tho steam of brewing tea, were all but Intolerable to an empty stomach. Whltaker left the kitchen hurriedly and, In nn on- dunvor to control himself, made n round of the other rooms. There wero two others on tho ground floor; In tho upper story, four small bedchambers; nbove them an attic, gloomy nnd echo ing. Nowhere did he discover any thing to moderate tho Impression made by the kitchen. It was all Impeccably neat, desperately bare. Depressed, ho turned toward tho head of the stairs. Below a door whined on its hinges, and tho woman called him, her volco ringing through the hallway with an effect of richness. deep-toned and bell-true. Ho was stag gered by something in tho quality of that full-throated cry, something that smote his memory until it was quick and vibrant, like a harp swept by an old familiar hand. "Hugh?" sho called; and ngaln: "Hugh! Where nro you?" He paused, grasping the bnlustrade, and with somo difficulty managed to articulate: "Here . . . coming . . "Hurry. Everything's ready." Waiting an Instant to steady his nerves, he descended nnd re-entered the kitchen. The meal was waiting on tho table. The woman, too, faced him ns he en tered, waiting In tho chair nenrest the stove. IJut, onco within tho room, he paused so long beside the door, his hand upon the knob, nnd stnrcd so strangely at her, that sho moved uneasily, grew restless and disturbed. A gleam of apprehension flickered In her eyes. "Why, what's tho matter?" she asked with forced lightness. "Why don't you come In nnd sit down?" He said abruptly: "Yon called mo nugh I" She Inclined her head, smiling mis chievously. "I admit It Do you mind?" "Mind? Nol" He shut the door, ndvnnced and dropped Into his chair, still searching her faco with his troubled gaze. "Only," he said "you startled me. I didn't think expect hope " "On so short an acquaintance?" she suggested archly. "Perhaps you're right. I didn't think . . . And yet I do think with tho mnn who risked his life for me I'm n llttlo Justified in forgetting even that we'vo never met through tho medium of a conven tlona! Introduction." "It Isn't that, but ..." Ho hcsl tated, trying to formulnto phrases to explain the slnculnr sensation that had assailed him when she called him, a sensation the nreciso nature of which he himself did not as yet un derstand. She Interrupted brusquely: "Don't let's waste time talking. I can't wait another Instant" Silently submissive, ho took up his knife and fork and fell to. CHAPTER XIV. The Beacon. Tho girl was tho first to finish. She had eaten little In comparison ; chiefly, perhups, becauso sho required less than he. She rested her elbows easily on the table, cradled her chin between her half-closed hands, ner eyes grow jjarkvlth speculation, and oddly lam bent He ate on, unconscious of her attitude. When ho had finished, ho leaned back a little In his chair, sur ANGEL v y Y Y prised her Intent gaze, laughed sheep ishly, nnd laughing, sighed with reple tion. A smile of sympathetic under stnndlng darkened tho corners of her lips. "It's coming on night," said ho. "You haven't forgotten our slgnnl fires? l'vo got my work cut out for me, to forage for fuel. I must get right nt It." Tho girl rose quickly. "Do you mind waiting a little? I mustn't neg lect my dlBhes." Sho worked rapidly nbovo tho steam ing dish-pan, busy and Intent, tho fair head bowed, the cheeks faintly flushed. Whltnkcr lounged, profoundly In trigued, watching her with sober and studious eyes. What did It mean, this Impression that had come to him no suddenly, within tho hour, that ho had known her, or somcono strangely llko her, nt somo forgotten tlmo at lu some previous existence? It was her voice that had in ado htm think that, her volco of marvelous allure, crystal-pure, as flexible as tem pered steel, strung, tender, rich, com passionate, compelling. . . . Where lind ho heard It before, nnd when? "It's almost dark." her pleasant ac cents broke In upon his revcry. "I'm quite finished." Tho girl scrubbed her arms nnd hands briskly with n dry towel nnd turned down her sleeves, facing him with her fine, fnmtt, friend ly smile. "If you're rendy . . "Whenever you nre," ho said with on oddly ceremonious bow. To his surprise she drew bock, her brows and Hps contracting to love! lines, her eyes Informed with tho light of wonder shot through with the flash ings of n resentful temper. "Why do you look at mo so?" sho demnnded sharply. "What nro you thlnktng . . . ?" Sho checked, her frown rclnxed, her smllo flickered soft ly. "Am I such a fright?" "I beg your pardon," ho said hastily. "1 was merely thinking, wonder ing . . ." Sho seemed nbout to speak, but said nothing. Ho did not round out his npology. A llttlo distance apart thoy stood staring nt ono another in that weird, unnatural light, wherein tho glow from tho lnmp contended garish ly with tho ebbing flush of day. And There Wat Not a Sail Visible. again ho was muto In bewildered In quiry before that puzzling phenomo uon of Inscrutnblo emotion which onco before, since his awakening, hud been disclosed to hlra In her mantling color, In the quickening of her breath, and tho agitation of her bosom, in tho timid, dumb questioning of eyes grown strangely shy nnd frightened. And then, In a twinkling, nn Im patient gesture exorcised tho Inex plicable mood that had possessed her, and she regnlned her normal, self- reliant polso as If by witchcraft. "What n quaint creuturo you nro, Hugh," sho cried, her smllo whimsical. "you've a way of looking at ono that gives mo tho creeps. If you don't stop It, 1 swear shall think you're tho duvlll Stop It do you hear mo, sir? And come build our bonfire." She swung llthely nwny and was out of tho house before ho could rcguln his wits and follow. Off In tho north, where Whltaker had marked down tho empurpled head land during tho afternoon, n whlto light lanced tho gloom thrlco with a sweeping blado, vanished, nnd was re placed by u glare of ungry red, which In Its turn winked out. "What is It?" tho girl asked. "A ship signalling?" "No; a lighthouse probably a first order light with Its characteristic flash, not duplicated anywhere along this section of tho Atlantic const If I know anything of such matters, u would bo easy enough to toll from that Just about where wo nro. If that Information would help us." "Hut, If wb can soo their Hunt, they'll boo ours, won't thoy? nnd send to And out what's tho mnttcr." "Perhaps. At least let's hopo so. They're nrctty sure of It. but thoy mny think tho natives here nro merely cole brntlng their silver wedding, or ltooso- volt's refusal of n third term, or tlo accession of Kdwnrd tho Sovonth or nnythlng." "Plenso don't bo silly nnd discour aging. Do got to work nnd build tho flro." Ho obeyed with humility nnd ex pedition. pTiwa'a'ro'B'cniTrwa'o a a a a a a'lma Where do you think Miss 11 ! Flske learned her rescuer's first name? Do you believe she knows more about the kidnap era and their Intention than the withes Whltaker to know? &PJLB-QJUl.imjJUUAJAfl-PJI. QJU.P.fl.g (TO UH CONTINUED.) PROPULSION BY HAND POWER Ingenious Citizen of Far West Not Bothered by Cost of Gasoline Uses Novel Device. When n certain ingenious citizen of tho fur West goes for n Jnuut with his llttlo cnuoo ho forgets nil nbout tho rising cost of gnsollno and engine trouble and propels himself up and dowu Mtreum with n hniid nnd foot- operated boat of his own construc tion. Hand levers nre connected with n crank which carries n gear, ond this meshes witli another gear widen drives tho propeller shaft. Pedal cranks are connected with tho snmo crank which Is operated by hand lovers, so Out the boat can be driven by foot as well au by hand power. In this way tho operator enn uio either ono hand or two hands or both feet alone, or both hands nnd feet togeth er. The npparatus weighs ubout forty pounds. Nitrates From Air. When tho thirteenth annual conven tion of tho American Electro Chemical society Is held lu Nw York city from September 27 to September JiO, mem bers will discuss tho problem of ob taining nitrates from tho atmosphere. Nitrates are not only Important ns fertilizers, but they nro n basic In gredient In tho manufacture of ex plosives. Tho world hn been depend ing upon Chile fur Its supply, and tho deposits there will probably Inst 00 years longer, but the United States Is endeavoring to umkn Itself Independ ent of any foreign source of supply, and tho electro-chemists are endeavor ing to find n practicable method of ex tracting the nitrates from tho nitrogen gas which forms 80 per cent of tho nlr. The first plant for tho manufac ture of nitrates was erected at Niag ara Palls. Exercise and Qood Nerves. A certain world's champion may bo seen sometimes Jogging nt a dog trot, llko n prizefighter, nrotiud Central purk, Now York city. You might guess that ho was n lightweight pugilist or a "distance man." but tho match for which ho Is training Is n test of nerves more than of strength, for all he wields Is n 15-ounco cue, Clmrle:i P, Cushlng writes In tho World's Work. His tuiino Is Wllllo Hoppe, tho champion bil liard player of the world. Ho knows well what ho Is about; steady nerves and confidence keep company with good health; and out of tho best ways to win such boons, tho experts say, Is to peel off your coat nod go after them. A Natural Condenssr. Tho rain tree of Colombia measures about 50 feet blub when at maturity and nbout thieo feet In diameter at tho baso. It absorbs ni Immense quantity of moisture from tho atmosphere, which it concentrates, and nubKcqiient ly sends It forth from Its leaves and branches In a shower, In somo In stances so abundantly Unit tho ground In Its vicinity ts converted Into a quag mire. It possesses this curious prop erty in Its greatest degree In tho sum mcr, precisely when tho rivers nro nt their lowest and water most scarce. Think for Yourself. Somo people nre so undecided (hat when they think they want to do n certain thing they hesllatu to do It until they have assurance from otherH that it's nil right to do It, and when they have such nsstirnnco they still remain lu doubt. Rely Upon Slides. Panama Official (to friend who has been taken with cramps while bathing In tho canal) Keep up for Hvo mln utes, BUI I Something will sllilo In by then and you can walk out I The Usual Wav. Henderson For flvo years I wn on tho lookout for n wlfo. Williamson How did you como to Henderson Sho saw tno first. ' RULTRY ptttf r.JI IDEAL HOUSE FOR CHICKENS; Wherever Possible Building Should, Have 8outhern Front Fresh Air ! and 8unthlne Help, Plenty of fresh nlr nnd sunshine along with freedom from drafts nnd dampness, are tho requisites of tho tdenl poultry house, yet there nro( many ioultrymen who build expen-; House With Open Front slvo houses for their fowls without giving n thought to tho ri-nl needs of the hen. Nothing plays n more Im portant pnrt In regulntlng the condi tion of tho house than does location. Wherever possible tho house should be built on n southern slope and It Is better If there Is somo protection, ns ti grove of trees, to tho north. This will give tho house plenty of sunlight dur ing Out greatest possible tlmo nnd will nlso protect It from tho cold winter winds. I GET EGGS AND MEAT FROM KITCHEN WASTE (Prnrt iy Th Unttl mtn D imrtrnonl of Acrlcultur.) In every household, no matter how economical tho housewife, there Is a certain amount of ta ble scraps and kitchen waste which has feeding value, but which If not fed, finds Its way Into the garbage pall. Poultry Is thu only clnss of do mestic animals which ts suitable for converting this wnsto mate rial, right where It Is produced In tho city, Into wholesome and nutritious food In tho form of eggs and poultry meat Each hen In her pullet year should produce ten dozen eggs. The average size of tho back yard flock should bo nt least ten hens. ThtiB each flock would produco In a year 100 dozen eggs which, at tho conservative vnluo of 25 cents a dozen, would bo worth $25. By keeping a back-yard poul try flock tho family would not only help In reducing tho cost of living but would have eggs of n quality and freshness which nre often difficult to obtain. Itemembcr that eggs produced by tho back-yard flock cost very little, as tho fowls are fed large ly upon wnsto materials. EARLY HATCHING IS DESIRED It will Increase Number and Size of Fowls and to Farmer It Meant Much targer Profits. (Prepared by tho United Htntrs Deport ment of Ai.Tlcnlluro.) To tho country at Inrgo early hatch ing by every chicken raiser means much. Early hatching will Increase the number and slzu of fowls And tho number of eggs produced next year. It will mean bigger birds and birds that will lay In the winter months. To the Individual farmer It means inoro profit. Ho will got more chickens, nt a larger proportion will live; ho will get more actunl meat, not only be cause more will live but becauso Ids chickens will bo larger; nnd ho will get more eggs, when eggs are scarce, for early hatched pullets will lay In tho winter. ttJtftVD0NQjBtjBMtL flWTsU