HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, DEC. 1, 1927.
PAGE FIVE
RLACIC
SHEEP!
ft, ' -
Xy Meredith Nicholson
uuuuvuuni cry
rmvy jay
COPYRIGHT CHARLES 9GRIBNER3 SONS - RELEASED THRU PUBLISHERS AUTOCASTER. SEHVKI
babel Perry recommends life of crime.
adventure, romance and excitement aa a
eure for Archibald Bennett nerves. Ar
chie ffoea to Baiiey Harbor to invetttiirate a
house for his sinter and spends the night
In the empty house. He is awakened by
footsteps during the night ; the intruder
fires at him and misses. Archie fires in re
turn. He doesn't know whether he has
killed or only wounded the man, but fear
ing the publicity, plans to make his es
cape. In his flight he meets "The Govern
or a master mind criminal who mistakes
him for a fellow criminal. Archie, afraid
to tell the truth, falls in with "The Gov
ernor." A series of events leads him to
believe he has shot Putney Congdon the
owner of the house. They proceed to New
York, where they are visited by Julia, the
Governor's sister. Archie promises her be
will stick with the Governor through the
strange phase she claims he is passing
through. While strolling in the park, Ar
chie sees Mrs. Congdon with her two chil
dren, and is witness to the kidnapping of
the little girl, Edith. He learns from the
Governor that the father-in-law of Mrs.
Congdon a very wealthy man is engaged
in the circulaiton of counterfeit twenty
dollar gold pieces. They go to Rochester,
where the Governor receives a letter from
Ruth, the girl he loves, in which she tells
him he may be able to serve her. At a
dance at Ruth's home, Archie meets Isabel 1
Now read on :
At a dance at Ruth's home Archie meets
Isabel and they are reconciled. Archie
and the Governor promise to find Edith
Congdon and whisk her away to Isabel's
camp. They secure work on Eliphalet
Congdon's farm, where Edith has been
taken. They learn that Putney Congdon
the man Archie shot is also there. While
Archie is teaching Edith to ride the Gov
ernor kidnaps her.
At the tame moment Edith jumped
into the Governor's car, wo men
sprang out of the second ear and
rushed at Archie. One of them flunfr
a carriage-robe over his head and
twisted it around his throat then
gathered him up, head and heels, and
tossed him over the fence. The two
cars were enveloped in a cloud of
dust when Archie, tearing the blan
ket from his head, rose to confront
the screaming woman. She berated
him roughly for his stupidity while
he attempted to explain.
"I had better run to the house and
telephone to the Tiffin police," he
suggested.
"To his infinite surprise she de
clared in alarm that this must not
be done; she would go herself and
tell the child's father what hnd oc
curred and let him deal with the
matter.
"Don't lalk about this do you un
derstand? You're not to say a word
about it! I'll fix the foreman; all
you've got to do is to keep your
mouth shut."
Three days in the harvest field
brought to Archie a new respect for
his daily bread. He found joy in the
discovery that he had strength to
throw into the scule against man's
necessities. He was taking a holiday
from life itself, and he was content
to bide his time until the vacation
ended. Ho was passing through an
ordeal and if he emerged alive he
would be a wiser and better man.
Gossip from the farmhouse reached
him at the back door and he was alert
for any sign that Putney Congdon
meditated leaving. Eliphalet had not
returned this he got direct from
Grubbs, who poured out confidences
freely as they smoked together after
twilight supper.
"I get it through the kitchen that
the old man's son is goin' to clear.
out tonight. Orders was sent to have
a machine ready to take him to town
at eleven o'clock. Telegram phoned
out this evenin' made 'im jump out
of bed, they say, and he's off for
somewhere tonight."
Archie cautiously changed the sub
ject, but he was already planning his
departure. The Governor hnd bidden
him follow Congdon and here were
his marching orders. The only thing
that reconciled him to the unattract
ive task was the assurance that Cong
don would set out at once for Heart
0' Dreams Camp, where Isabel pre
sumably was now eotablished. At the
first opportunity he left Grubbs, and
started for town. ;
Reaching town with an hour to
spare, he got his bag from the station
and bought a ticket. He spent half
an hour at a hotel cleaning up and
changing to the clothing he had dis
carded at Cleveland.
Grubbs carried Putney's luggage
across the platform! passing Archie
without a aign of recognition. He
was followed by a tall man in a gray
suit whose left arm was supported
by a sling. Grubbs took hasty leave
and the two travelers were left alone.
"A warm night," Congdon remark
ed. "No red caps here, I suppose."
"I fnacy not," Archie replied. "I'll
be glad to help you with your bags."
"Oh, thank you I I have a game
shoulder, nearly well now, but it
gives me a ttvinge occasionally.
A blast from the locomotive and
a humming of the rails woke the
station to life. Archie grabbed the
larger of Congdon's bags and led the
way toward a voice bawling, "Chicago
sloepcr." Congdon showed his ticket
for lower three and climbed in.
"I've got the upper half of the sec
tion," said Archie, "but I promise
not to be a nuisance to you,"
The glint of pain in Congdon's eyes
sent a wave of remorse through Ar
chie's soul, Congdon bore his afflic
tion manfully. As he played nerv
ously with his watch chain, he in
spected Archie with quick, furtive
glances.
"I'm all banged up nerves shot
to pieces," he said abruptly, turning
his gate intently upon Archie.
"That's rough. Used to be trou
bled a good deal myself.",
Congdon drew out his watch, Baid
that he had been Bleeping badly and
hated to go to bed. He sat erect and
tried to reach his cout pocket. His
face twitched with the pain of the
effort,
"I had a bottle of dope I'm sup
posed to take to help me sleep; must
have left it in my bag. Will you poke
the button, please?"
"Can't I got it for you?" Archie
inked.
"You are very kind. It's the small
satchel a bottle about as long as
your hand."
Opening the bag in Congdon's berth
Archie's hand fell upon a photograph
that lay on top. The face swam be
fore his eyes and he pitched forward
in his agitation, bumping his ha$d
viciously against the window. It was
a photograph of Isabel Perry. He
groped for the bottle and crept back
to the smoking compartment. ,
Congdon, the custodian of a photo
graph of Isabel Perry, demanded a
more careful inspection, and Archie
studied him, with renewed interest.
Isabel was hardly a girl to bestow
her photograph upon a married man.
Congdon had no business with the
photograph and Archie bitterly re
sented its presence in the man's lug
gage. He jumped when Congdon an
nounced that he was ready to turn
in, followed him to the berth, and
helped him to undress.
"Whistle if you need anything in
the night," said Archie, and allowed
the porter to push him into the upper
berth he first he had ever occupied.
When they were aroused by the
porter he helped Congdon into his
clothes, chose a clean shirt for him
and laughingly offered to Bhave him.
"You're a mighty good fellow! It's
about time I was introducing myself.
My name is Congdon. I live in New
York; Just taking a little trip for my
health. Going up into the lakes."
"Comly's my name. No particular
plans myself. Just knocking about
a-'bit."
By the time Archie had made his
toilet they were running into the
Chicago station.
"Suppose we have breakfast in the
station restaurant? And see here,
old man; I don't want to force my
self upon you, bus if a poor neuras
thenic won't bore you too much I
wish you'd let me tag you till my
train leaves tonight. I hate to be
alone."
They not only breakfasted togeth
er, but after motoring through the
parks they spent an hour at an art
institute and then Archie acted as
host to luncheon. By this time Ar
chie was fully committed to the fur
ther journey into Michigan. On a
bench in Grant Park Congdon swung
himself into a confidential attitude.
"Life the devil's own business," he
said with a sigh. "I've got to a place
where I don't care what happens
everything black anywhere I look. I
was happily married; two beautiful
children; none finer, but I'll shorten
up the story so you can see what a
monkey fate has made of me. My
father's a crank, a genius in his way,
but decidedly eccentric. My mother
died when I was a youngster, and
father tried all sorts of schemes of
educating me, whimsicl notions, one
after another. The result was I've
never got a look in anywhere; unfit
ted for everything. After I married
he still tried to hold the rein on me,
wanted to put me into business I
hated and kept meddling with my do
mestic affairs. All this made me weak
and irresolute.
"Well, sir, I was about to offer my
self as exhibit A on a slab in the
nearest morgue," Congdon continued,
"when I met a young woman who
seemed to understand me, and right
there's where I mnde the greatest
mistake of my life. She made a fool
of me that's the short of it. I took
her in to dinner at the house of some
friends right here in Chicago and
she diagnosed my case with marvel
ous penetration. She said I faced
life with the soul of a coward, and
suggctscd that I go armed and shoot
anyone who stepped on my toes. She
recited a piece of verse to the effect
that a man fears his fate too much
if he won't put his life to the test.
"I was fool enough to believe it.
I tried to follow her advice. It end
ed in my having a row with my father
that bent all the other rows I ever
had with him and he turned against
my wife Baid she was trying to es
trange us. And when I ran away to
escape from the nasty mess he sent
here telegrams in my name threaten
ing to kidnap the children and he did
in fact kidnap my little daughter.
Snatched her away from her mother
and carried her out to one of his
farms in Ohio. But my wife played
a clever trick on the old gentleman
and got the child buck again and I'm
damned glad of it. I got a message
that the little girl is up in Michigan,
so that's really where I'm headed
for."
Archie had Buffered a blow but he
was meeting it bravely. Having be
lieved that Isabel had given him this
same advice quite spontaneously, it
was with a shock, thrvt he realized
that she had offered it In similar
terms to Congdon. There was no
question as to the identity of the
girl who had bidden Congdon plant
his back to the wall and defy the
world; no one but Icnbol would ever
have done that.
"About your child, up there in
Michigan," said Archie, "it's wholly
possible that your wife sent you the
wire as an approach to a reconclllia-
tion."
"Oh, Lord, no! You don't know
my wife, Comly. You see I got ans
wers to the telegrams father sent
her in my ni.me and she hit right
back at me! Don t think she s coax
ing me to come back to her. And
here's the message I got out there
in Ohio that cnused me to jump for
the train."
" Ho produced from his pocket a
crumpled telegram which rend: "Your
duughter is in safe hands at Hud
dleston, Michigan. Proceed to that
point with serenity and contemplate
the stars with a tranquil spirit."
This was ao clearly the Governor's
work that Archie found it difficult
to refrain from laughing.
"You mny think it queer that I
set off," Congdon remarked, "on the
strength of a message like that. But
ever since thatgirl told me I ought
n't to hesitate when I henad the
bugle I can't resist the temptation
to act on the spur of the moment.
I m a fool, I suppose. Tell me I'm
a fool, Comly."
"I shall do nothing of the kind.
There's always the chance that the
girl had sized you up right and gave
you sound advice. Don't answer if
you really don't want to, but have you
really done anything you wouldn't
have done if that girl hadn't told
you to step on the world a little
harder?"
Congdon's free hand worked con
vulsively; he bent closer to Archie
and whispered :
"I've killed a manl"
"You murdered a man!" Archie
gasped.
"Not a question about it, my dear
fellow! It was up at my house on
the Maine Shore. After father had
driven my wife away I went there
to look at the ruins of my home.
I was mooning through the house
when I ran into a burglar. The
scoundrel had gone to bed in the
guest room. I was scared to death
when I opened the door and spotted
him but I thought of that girl's ad
vice and pulled my gun and shot
him. As I ran down the stairway
he took a shot at me; that's what's
the matter with my shoulder."
'Well, I'd say you're out of it
easy. Of course you didn't kill him
or he wouldn't have been able to
wound you."
'But you Eee he didn t die im
mediately, but Crawled off and breth-
ed his life out in some lonely' place.
It's horrible! The thing will hang
over me till I die! If you say I ought
to go to Maine and surrender my
self I'll do it."
"Most certainly not!" cried Archie
with mournfuU recollection of his
own speculations on the same point
in the hours when he believed that
he himself was responsible for
Hokey's death.
Congdon rose and suggested a walk
to freshen them up before trfein
time.
I thank God I fell in with you,"
he said with feeling. "Just talking
to you has helped me a whole lot."
CHAPTER VIII
They breathed deep of the tonic
air of the North as they left the
train at Huddleston.
As they approached the hotel a
man emerged and crossed the street.
Archie identified him at once as Red
Leary, to whom the Governor had
delivered the stolen money ait Walk
er's farm. Leary made no sign of
ever having seen Archie before, but
picked up the luggage and led the
way to the hotel.
"We jes' opened the house last
week. One other gent's registered."
He placed his finger on "Reginald
Heber Saulsbury."
By the way," Congdon asked
Leary, "you haven't seen anything of
a little girl about here, have you
a child of eleven?"
"Not one of 'em but a whole pas-
sel," replied Leary. "There's a camp
o' city girls across the bay."
Well, I suppose that s the trick,
said Congdon as Leary started up
stairs with their bags. "Edith.has
been put in a camp. Not a bad
idea. All I want to be sure of is
that the child's in good hands."
'Dinner will be at twelve, said
Leary.
At mealtime, Mrs. Leary entered
the dining-room briskly. "Jes' help
yerselves, gents."
'Ah!" ejaculated the Governor,
pausing dramatically in the door and
eyeing the newly arrived guests as
though with astonishment. In a mo
ment more he had introduced him
self to Archie nnd Congdon
lLsW5 union pacific
mTl 8TAOE8.INC.
4Bjb' prtliif A line
MotorQochSemL
Ntw ScWue Efftctiv Sept. Sth
WESTBOUND
tv. Arlington una a. m. ta:f f p. m.
Arrival 77me Than Point s;
THE DALLES
lif p. m. sua p. m.
HOOD RIVER
3i3f p. m. 4tao p. tn.
MULTNOMAH FALLS
4:04 p. m. : p. tn.
PORTLAND
fi4f p. tn. 7il p. ao.
EASTBOUND
aW. Arlington V.io p. m. (if p. as
Arrival Tim Thmn.Pintt)
UMATILLA
Ml p. an. loitf p. as.
PENDLETON
Mp.as. I Ufa p. at.
Connection at Pendleton with
Pendleton-Walla Walla Stages
MOTOR COACHES LIAVEl
Arlington Hotel
See Railroad Agent
at various points
en route for tickets
and information
UNION PACIFIC
STAGES. INC.
"Rather odd my being here," he
rippled on; "and I need hardly say
that it's a pleasure to meet on this
bleak shore two gentlemen of your
caliber. I told a friend of mine that
I was enormously fed up with cities
and the general human pressure and
wanted to -go to the most God-forsaken
spot in America. He answer
ed without a moment's hesitation
that Huddleston, Michigan, would
satisfy my loftiest ideal of godfor
sekedness. He's probably laughing
himself to death right now thinking
how miserable I ra. But I refuse
to be bored."
When Congdon pleaded weariness,
after dinner, Archie put him to bed
and then sauntered away, following
a dirt road that wound through the
timber. In a little while he came
upon the Governor lying with his
buck against a tree.
"Well, you landed him here!" he
remarked, seating himself on a log
and producing his pipe. "Or did he
bring you? One would think you
were old chums to see you together.
Not a bad fffttow, I should say."
"He's really a good sort," said
Archie; "but I'll tell you the whole
story."
The Governor listened placidly, in
terrupting only when Archie repeat
ed what Congdon had said of Isabel.
"A wonderful girl!" he ejaculated.
"Makes it her business to tease the
world along. But now to get down
to brass tacks. What you learned
of old Eliphalet Congdon's meddle
someness jibes exactly with what I
know of his character. Let me show
you something, Archie."
He walked out upon the gravelly
shore and pointed through the wide
flung arms of the bay.
"Do you see a little blur of smoke
out yonder in the open lake? That's
the Arthur B. Grover. I took up my
option and the bjoomin' thing is
mine. It's got a crew of the smartest
crooks in all America. And Perky's
on board with old Eliphalet Congdon!
But, my dear Archie "
He refilled his pipe and when he
had it going to his satisfaction wav
ed his arm toward the camp.
"There's a queer business going on
over there. That cousin of Isabel's
is not a myth at all and that money
may be buried over there somewhere.
The cousin is laying himself out to
annoy the camp in every way possi
ble, even going the length of trying
to starve 'em out. There's a stock
of supplies at the Huddleston sta
tion that they can't move."
"You forget," cried Archie excited
ly, "that there are laws even in the
wilderness! All we've got to do is
to telephone for the sheriff and land
him in jail."
"I grant all that," .said the Gov
ernor, "but the notroiety of the thing
would kill the camp. Once it got
into the newspapers every father and
mother who has a child would go
right up in the air. It would make
a great first page story buried trea
sure a war for hidden gold centered
about a girl's camp the naughty
southerner planting his money in
safe territory all that is fruity stuff
for our special correspondent on the
spot No, Archie; ladies like our
Ruth and Isabel must be protected
from vulgar publicity. It's up to us
to smooth out their troubles without
resorting to bothersome legal appar
atus. The camp has no telephone;
the road round to that peninsula is
all but inaccessible. They have a
launch they're in the habit of using
to carry Btuff cross from Huddleston,
but Mr. Richard Carey blocks the
way. He is camped at the land en
trance, with an army of lumberjacks
to help him maintain a blockade."
"Then it is our duty to relieve the
beleagured garrison?"
"Well," the Governor remarked,
"it's far more of a mess than I ex
pected. But this is no time for weak
ening! Over there Archie," he
pointed toward Heart 0' Dreams
"are the two finest women in the
world. We're going to stand by them
no matter whose head gets cracked."
Continued next weeic
Weaving Ladies, I will weave your
rags into beautiful rugs and carpets.
They will make nice Christmas pres
ents for your friends. Price reason
able. Phone 14F4, or write Mrs. Mar
garet Rippee. 33-6
Don't Delay
Before long it will be too late to have
those Christmas Photos taken. "Pic
tures live forever," and your friends
would rather have them than anything
else.
Bogg's Photo-Art
McMurdoBldg. StUCHO Main Street
Heppner, Oregon
F. W. Turner & Co.
LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKERS
ALFALFA AND GRAIN FARMS
Good Listings in Both Morrow and
Grant Counties.
CITY PROPERTY for RENT or SALE
How Delicious
and Attractive
Red, ripe, juicy apples "one a
day keeps the doctor away."
f
You'll find a choice variety
here as well as a full stock of
Staple and Fancy
Groceries
Phelps Grocery Company
PHONE 53
r - A v
r
J
Qiesterfidd
smokers don't change
with the seasons . . .
. . . but watch how other smokers are changing to Chesterfield!
1
FOR THE BEST
OF GOOD REASONS
bettertastef
fr.v. . V
, J
Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co.