SOUTHERN OREGON MINER Page 6 Fr iday, October 3, 1941 CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT • CHAPTER XIV • (•sed to Jaird Newsum. aloe out of work atnee his father closed up hta fac­ tory to ston. losses. and whoao mar­ riage la thua delayed. Kathleen, tn whom a stranger. Ritchie Graham, also a newspaper man. ia Interested. Ma New- sum wants Jatrd to marry Connie Mays, the banker's daughter. Tom wants Mary Ftta to move to the small town where • o to ear. She may be poor, and I grant you she's no scream for looks. But she's a lady, which is some­ thing you would know nothing about" "Dear, dear," jeered Henry Bax­ ter. "the gal must carry a wallop like a mule. She don't look torrid. But then I never took her home aft­ er midnight. If she's that potent maybe I'll cultivate her myself.” Alec got to his feet deliberately. “All right," he said, "you asked for it” His right fist flailed out. He put into it a great deal of concentrated venom. Henny ducked with the blow, sliding half under the fountain for protection. From his barrage he yelped for mercy in a shrill falsetto that wasn’t so funny as he meant it to be. “I'll eat them words. Cheest can't you take a joke, feller? If you say so, the gal's a calls lily. Far be it from me to insinuate anything else.” "See that you don't." "growled Alec. Suddenly be felt better. As if he bad released a lot of accumulated bile. He felt almost blithe, in fact Maybe he had made a fool of him- self. He realized he would have been wiser to take the razzing with a grin. When the gang found a sore spot they romped on it If he Kathleen was aware that Ritchie Graham had resented her little speech. Long after Mike disap­ peared Into his private office Kath­ leen felt Ritchie's gray eyes study­ ing her. His desk was next to her ewn. ’"You needn’t sit there and say I'm a nasty little beast,** she flared at last, although he had said noth­ ing. “Of course you think Dad de­ serves a medal for spitting in the bull dog's face.*! “Don't you?" "It would be different if it cost him anything to put the whole town's interests before his own. But it doesn't You see, he wouldn't really mind if this landed him higher than a cocked hat. It's the old fight he loves, and the more he stands to lose, the better he likes it” Ritchie Graham surveyed her steadily. And Kathleen's clear cheeks burned under his level and unflattering scrutiny. "You'd rather he'd kowtow to all the powers that be, and bring home more bacon. I suppose?” ■'Maybe you don’t know how scarce we are of bacon at our j house,” Kathleen told Ritchie Gra­ ham stubbornly. "And going to be I scarcer if Mike prints any more of I those guaranteed-to-scorch arti­ cles.” "Queer,” he mused, “you don't look mercenary. Or even grasping. What do you want out of life?” he demanded suddenly. “The nicest house in town, a car as big as a show window, charge accounts, a person­ al maid and that sort of thing?” “All I want is not to be cheated,” cried Kathleen in a trembling voice —as her mother had been, she was thinking. “I don't want to pay all I have and am for something that proves to be fizz water. And I don't mean to.” Her pretty dimpled chin set "I intend to keep my head and think straight whatever hap­ pens. and be dead sure the pur­ chase is worth the selling price.” Ritchie shrugged his shoulders. "You blessed little idiot,” he said in a caressing drawl that spurred her heart, “don't you know you were born to be worn like a flower tn some man's lapel and it won't matter when he arrives whether he's a good bet or a rotten one?” “No!” cried Kathleen violently. At that moment the telephone on Roger Whyte's desk trilled impa­ tiently. Kathleen caught her breath. Roger handled all the high powered “I’ll eat them words. Cheest, advertisements. She saw him go can’t yon take a joke, feller?” quite pale and his palsy was very noticeable when he replaced the re­ ceiver. He answered her unspoken constituted himself Lou Knight's champion he would very likely have query with a shake of the head. his hands full. But then Alec never "Frisby’s have just canceled their daily spread,” he said in a voice had minded that. It was emptiness that quavered a little. “They’ve de­ he dreaded. Nothing so frazzled his nerves as a vacuum. He had a queer cided against local newspaper ads. Are going to use handbills printed feeling be would enjoy thrashing a lot of people in defense of a girl in the city.” who was a little like a starved and •'First blood to Eugene Mays.” yo- bedraggled alley kitten. deled Mike from the doorway of the "So there you are!" exclaimed private office. Buddy Pryor, bounding in at the Frisby's was Covington's largest mercantile store. Kathleen knew street door with the exuberance of what it meant to lose that revenue. a gazelle who had had a dose of hot So did Mike. But be seemed more drops. “I’ve been combing the town elated than staggered. And Ritchie for you. Where on earth did you regarded him with unconcealed ad­ disappear to last night? Myra was fit to be tied when you never came miration. Quite suddenly Kathleen felt she back.” Alec shrugged. He hated to have hated them both. • • • Myra and Natalie get onto the Lou So he suffered in silence Alec never got up for breakfast angle. It just made the day seem more while Gene Mays explained exactly endless. But on the morning after where Alec had vanished to the he took Lou Knight to the Airdrome, night before. he woke early. "But, gee.” protested Buddy, “you When he entered Henderson’s Drug told us she turned you down. And Store down town his moody dark you paid your bets too as if you had face was sullen. The younger crowd lost.” in Covington used Henderson's as an “What bets?” queried Gene who informal club. Some of the gang had a nose like an eagle for scents were always riding the stools at the other people would prefer to keep counter. This morning was no ex­ to themselves. ception. “Myra bet Alec he couldn't make “If it isn’t old Whoop-Em-Up- a date with Lou Knight,” Buddy ex­ Alec!” snickered Bandy Taylor. plained. "You see, it was all a “They tell me you were slumming stunt Myra didn't think Alec would last night?” have the nerve. But I guess be “Boy, I didn’t know you’d got down was drunker than he looked.” to dragging gutters for skirts,” Gene Mays laughed. “So that's opined Jim Atwood. Alec's thin dark face went a little why the new girl friend,” he ac­ "Your blonde lady white. "You can tie that kind of cused Alec. talk vulaide,” Lc Miullcieu, uia picked the worst little suggio In town and dared you to phone her. hands clenched. “Alec’s face was that red I al­ And you were full enough of giggle most called out the fire engine,” water to call her bluff.” "Yes," said Alec in a strangled yapped Butch Henderson. “Why, Alec," murmured Hot Shot voice. "That's exactly how it was." He heard a little gasp and whirled Mays with infuriating sweetness, “surely you weren’t ashamed of the sharply. Lou Knight stood in the rear of the store waiting for a pack­ girl friend?” "Yes,” said Alec, his eyes very age which the druggist was wrap­ black in his drawn white face. "I ping up for her. Her face was was. Only I've got over it. See? averted. Alec could see only her I’m not ashamed now of taking Lou profile and a quivering little chin. Knight out. I'm just ashamed of But of course she had heard. And myself because I’m not good enough once she had thought him wonder- to shin« her shoes. And that goes fuL Lou clutched her purchase and for the rest of you drug store In­ sects." "I do believe the boy’s serious,” eooed Gene. "You can believe what you like,” Alec snapped. "Only remember this. Keep your dirty tongues off Lou Knight when I’m around or I'll smear somebody’s mouth from «ar A SELECTED STORY BY A GIFTED AUTHOR The demand it tor competent, well-trained young women with health, amhltlon and agreeable personalities. TRUCK PARTS INSTALLMENT TEN—The Story So Far Laura Maguire. wife of Mike Maguire, happy-go-lucky editor and mayor of the town, is mother to four children: Tom. whose real estate job is profitless during the depression and who is married to Mary Etta, secretary to Harvey Cobb Leigh, a big shot; Aiec. unable to get a Job and who takes up with a flashy di­ vorcee older than himself; Shirley, en- Beauticians Needed f I Hmvyduty Mohirt, aivl* parti he can make a living; she won't give bod I**«, tires, tiolnin «nd lined trucks. up her job; they separate. Alec dates TRUCK WKFCKINd COMPANY up Lou Knight on a bet She ta tho 10th A S I’? Hawthorns Portland. Ors. town drunk's daughter Banker Maya calls on Mike Maguire and threatena to RABBITS AND SKINS break him it he contlnueo to flay hie IWI.IIil AND RABBITH WANTED banking methods Kathleen Is critical of Good whits fryer rabbit skins II 10 her father—for her mother'a aake. per lb Writs postcard for price* nnd Kathleen ta very unhappy. Infor Hint Ion Ruby * Co.. 938 ■ w e • Front Portland. Ors. without turning her head stumbled out into the blazing sun of the sid« street You can afford the beat training available. Time NOW la your moat precious investment Inquire about the opportunitlea awaiting you In Beauty Culture. MARY STONE’S fceauiy Scltool FILM DEVELOPING ~ CHAPTER XV Seattle, Wash. l£f) Union Street FAST SERVICE .1 Boll Developed and Two Prints from Each Good Negative 25c Laura was sitting fiat on the floor PHOTO COMPANY in the living room patching a worn bos WBSTBRN W43U5 Portland Ors place in the big Axminster rug when Tom came softly through the open S PRINTS AND TWO ENI.AKtIK 8IENT8 35 c —Mads by Portland's Inrg folding doors from the boxlike front eat retail kodak finisher Satlafac- lion guaranteed Quality Picture Co. hall. She assumed that he had had to Bos W3873, Portlund. Oregon. make a business trip to Covington FORSALE “ for his firm as he sometimes did. Only as she scrambled to her feet 110- AC KE FARM, so CLRARKD. Modern house Trank Oliphant. she saw first the ghastly shadows 307 B. Sth Ave. Olympia. Waah. | under hie hazel eyes and next the suitcase which he gripped in his left SHEEP ! hand. l! HEAP OF HAMPRIIIRB AND I head of crosahreed llatnp-Suffolk "Tom!” she whispered, her voice ranis. 120 per head. Clay Nichole, trailing off into a tremble in spite of 818 rifth Bt.. Lebanon. Or herself. "You don't mean—" she I began, but she couldn't go on. TIMBER OWNERS! IN CONTACT* Tom nodded curtly. "Mary Etta WE WILL PUT with purchMN«*r*. locute Mawmllle. and I are all washed up." crular your timber, report on fire hasardu or dninngr, mum I Mt you in "Tomi” preserving your fntervata In unde "She loves her job and her effi­ \elo|»**