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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1927)
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 1927. PAGE FIVE RSACICSHEEP! Meredith Nicholson F nlustrtOorsl by I m n runrv iocv Lm x ; y . OOFYRLQHT CHARLES SCRIBNER3 SONS RELEASED THRU PUBLISHERS 'AUTOCASTER. SERVE Iubel Perry recommends m life of erlme, adventure, romance and excitement as i cure for Archibald Bennett's uerva. Ar. chie goes to Bailey Harbor to investigate a house for hia sister and spends the night In the empty house. He is awakened by footsteps during the light; the intruder fires at him and misses. Archie fires in re turn. He doesn t know whether he has lulled or only wounded the man, but fear ing the publicity, plans to make his es cape. In his flight he meets "The Govern. or" mester mind criminal who mistakes him for a fellow criminal. Archie, afraid to tell the truth, falls in with "The Gov ernor." A aeries of events , leads him to believe he has shot Putoey Congdon the owner of the house. They proceed to New York, where they are visited by Julia, the Governor's sister. Archie promises her he will stick with the Governor through the strange phase she claims he is passing tnrougn. wnue 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 me circulation or counterfeit twenty, dollar gold pieces. They're 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 Kuth's home Archie meets Isabel and they are reconciled. Archie and tne Governor promise to And Edith Congdon and whisk her away to Iaabel's camp. They secure work on Eliphalet txjnguon s iarm, wnere fcdltn nas been taken. They learn that Putney Congdon the man Archie shot is also there. While Arcnie is teaching Edith to ride the Gov ernor kidnaps herT When Putney Congdon leaves the farm. Archie follows him. They become friendly and Archie agrees to go with Putney to , Huddleeton, where they meet the Governor. The Governor tells Archie that Carey, Isa bel's cousin, has blocked the camp and they are unable to get supplies. Isabel and Ruth attempt to run the blockade. They are run down by Carey's launch and the canoe overturns. Archie, I.eary and the Governor, on the way to the camp, rescue them. The next day the Gov ernor's tug runs through with a cargo of supplies. , The Governor quickly recovered hia spirits and with characteristic en thusiasm began putting the new launch through its paces. W!:eh he found that Putney was skilled in the handling of such craft he cheerfully turned the Inunch over to him. "You take it nnd run up to Calder ville, whero you'd better get supper. Pick up the Heart ODreams mail and bring it back to Huddleston, and meet us on the wharf at nightfall. We've got a heavy night's work ahead of us. Archie and I are going aboard the tug to study your father's case carefully. You may, rely upon us to extricate him from hie embarrass ments." As they boarded the Arthur B. Grover the Governor bade Archie fol low him to the bow where Eliphalet was moodily gazing into the water. "Mr. Congdon," the Governor be gan, "as a mere looker-on at the pass ing show I'm persuaded that you're not getting much out of life." "What I do or do not do," cried the old man, "is none of your infernal business." "An error of considerable magni tude. I am qualified to offer you ex cellent advice based on exact infor mation as to your intimate domestic affairs. You're a meddlesome per son, Mr, Congdon, with a slight ele ment of cruelty in your makeup, and morally you are Bkidding. As a result of your miserly ways and your selfish ness you've just about ruined your life. The penitentiary yawns for you. But in spite of your cowardly conduct I'm rather disposed to pull you out of the hole. "I'll make you a proposition. I've heard that you mnke a habit of car rying your will around in that um brella. Give me the thing!" Eliphalet hesitated, but the Govern or gently pried it from the old man's fingers. It was a heavy, bulgy, disreputable-looking umbrella with a battered curved handle. The Govern or opened it, shook out a number of manila envelopes, all carefully sealed, and flung the umbrella from him. As it struck the water it spread open and the wind seited it and bore it gaily awny. The Governor watched it for a moment then began opening the envelopes and scanning the con tents. "It's evident from the dates of these wills that you've been steadily cut ting your bequest to your son," the Governor was saying. "Watch me, Archie, so you can bear witness to the destruction of these things; they're all going to feed the fishes except this earliest one, which divides the property in generous lumps between Putney Congdon and his children, with a handsome personal recognition of Mrs. Congdon. That shall be pre served. "Now, Mr. Congdon, if you will promise me never to make another will without consulting me, but will agree not to interfere any further with your son's family or his wife or his children, I'll guarantee that in due season you'll leave this tug a free man." "I promise," said the old man stead ily. And his face expressed infinite relief. The pathos of the weazened little figure now stripped of its ar rogance, and the assertion of a long latent kindliness in his countenance, encouraged the hope that happier things were in store for all the Congdona, The Governor and Archie were waiting on the Huddleston wharf when Putney and Leary returned from Calderville, bringing two sacks of Heart O' Dreams mall. "That's fine," said the Governor. "Archie, you and Leary take the launch and carry the mail over to Heart 0' Deams. At twelve o'clock meet me about a quarter of a mile this side of Carey's barricade; Leary has the place spotted so he can find It in the dark." "I have a surprise for you," said Ruth, when Archie handed over the mall. "If you will step to the door, bear left ten yards and stop by a bench under our tallest pine some one you pretend to like rather particular ly may appear." "Isabel I" he exclaimed as she came toward him out of the shadows and paused by the bench. "I haven't yet had the opportunity to say how happy I am that you are able to be up. I'm grateful for this glimpse of you. It's always just glimpses. But those glimpses do funny things to my heart." "That heart of yourst How did it ever manage to survive the strain and excitement of last night?" "Oh, it functioned splendidly. But it was at work in a good cause. love you, Isabel, I love you!" he said softly. . . "You must never say that to me again," she said slowly and deter minedly. "After my stupid, cruel thoughtlessness you must hate me. I've had time to do a good deal of thinking, and my opinion of myself Isn't very high. Out of sheer con trariness that night in Washington I teased you into doing things that led you into danger and the danger is still about us. I'm sorry; with all my heart I'm sorry! If anything should happen to you it would be my fault my very grievous sin! And maybe there are other men that I may nave said similar things to oh, you were not the first!" she laughed for lornly. "They, too, may have plung ed into the same pit I dug for you. un, now foolish I've been I" "I want you to promise," she was saying, "that you won't in any way interfere with my cousin here. I can't have you taking further risks." You would hav? us run just as the game grows interesting. Of course we're not going to quit the field and leave that fellow here to annoy you I He's aangerous character and we re going to get rid of him." She was depressed, much as Ruth had been a few hours earlier, and his efforts to win her to a happier frame of mind were unavailing. She jumped up quickly nad hurried away, her head bowed. He watched her until she was swallowed up in the darkness. Shortly before midnight Archie and Leary left the Arthur B. Grover and' paddled cautiously toward the point fixed by the Governor for their ren dezvous. They were fortified with a rifle, a shotgun, and several packets of rockets for signaling the tug. Leary, restless because he couldn't smoke, was silent. He managed his paddle so deftly that there was hard ly a drip that could announce their proximity to any one lvinsr in wait on th bay. Several minutes before Ar chie caught the listless wash of calm waters on a beach, Leary heard it and paused, peering at the opaque curtain of the woodland beyond the lighter shadow of the shore. "We struck it right," he announced returning from an examination of the shore markings. They carried the canoe into the wood and lay down be side it, communicating in whispers. An instant later the Governor! threw himself on the ground beside them. He rested for a few moments then jumped up. "Well, boys, everything's readyl" One by one his little army assem bled, rising from the ground like spectres. Leary was already deploying the men. The Governor laid his hand on Archie's shoulder. In the contact something passed between them, such a communication as does not often pass from the heart of one man to another. If it comes to the worst for me, you and Isabel will look out for Ruth. I needn't ask you that. Use the tug quickly to clear things up here; there must be nothing left to tell the tale. See old man Congdon keeps his prom ise. That will of his is in my blue serge coat in the closet of my room. If I die bury me on the spot; no fool ishness about that. I died to the world seven yaers tonight, so a sec ond departure will call for no flow ers!" When they reached the little stream that defined the boundary of Heart 0' Drsims tei'ilory the Gov ernor, Archie and Leary got in readi ness for their dash ncross the bridge and over the barricade. The purl of the water eager for i s entrance into the bay struck upon Archie's ear with a spiteful insistence. There was not a sound from the further side of the stream. They crawled acrocs the brfuge and Archie ran his hand over the frame of logs against which stones had been heap d in a rough wall, as the Governor explianed to him. Archie had determined to lead the assault, but while he was seeking a footing in the crevices the Governor swung himself to the top. His foot struck a stone perched on the edge and it rolled down into the camp with a great clatter. As though it had touched a trigger a shot-gun boomed upon the night, indicating that Carey had not been caught napping. Orders given in a shrill voice and answering shouts proclaimed the marshaling of his forces. Archie and Leary reached the Governor as he was crawling over the stones. Some one threw a shovel ful of coals upon a heap of wood that evidently had been 'looked in inflam mable oil, for the flames rose with a roar. It may have ben that Carey had grown wary of murder as a means of gaining his end after the escapade of the previous night, for the first move of his men was to attempt to drive out the invadirs with rifles swung as clubs. Carey screamed at them hys terically, urging them to greater ef forts. The great bonfire kept the bellig erents constantly in sight of each other, sulking, dodging, engaging in individual encounters poorly calculat ed to bring victjry to either Bide. One of Carey's men lay near the bar ricade, insensible from a crack over the head from a rifle butt. Hia plight was causing uneasiness among his comrades, who began drawing back toward the shadows. Carey, seeing that their pluck was ebbing, cursed them. "We ain't gettin' anywhere! Leary growled at the end of a third incon elusive hand-to-hand struggle with only a few battered heads as the re sult. "There's gold for all of you!" screamed Carey to his men, and urged them to another attack. They advanced again,-but Archie was quick to see that they came into the light reluctantly and precipitated themselves half-heartedly into the struggle. The Governor, too, was aware of their diminished spirit and got his men in line for a charge. "We'll clean 'em up this time, boys!" he called encouragingly. He took the lead, walking forward calmly, and in a low tone pointing out the individual that each should attack. The quiet orderliness of the movement, or perhaps it was a sense of impending defeat roused Carey to a greater fury than he had yet shown. As the invaders broke line for the assault, 'he leaped at the Governor and swung at him .viciously with a rifle. The Governor sprang aside and the gun slipped from Carey's hand and clattered against the barricade. Angered by his failure, and finding his men yielding, Carey abruptly changed his tactics. He ran back beyond the roaring fire and caught up another rifle. Leary began circling round the flame in the hope of grap pling with him, but he was too late. Without taking time for aim, Carey leveled the weapon and fired through the flames. Archie, struggling with a big woods man, beat him down and turned as the shot rang out. The Governor was standing apart, oddly and strangely alone it seemed to Archie, and he was an eternity falling. He raised nimseir slightly, carrying his rifle high above his head, and his face was uplifted as though in that su preme moment he invoked the stars of his dreams. Then he pitched for ward and lay very still. Carey s shot seemed to have broken the tacit truce against a resort to arms. There was a sharp fusillade, followed by a scramble as the bellig erents sought cover. The men who had been left outside now leaped over the barricade. The appearance of reinforcements either frightened Carey or the success of his shot had awakened a new rage in his crazed mind, for he emptied his rifle, firing wildly as he danced with a fantastic step toward the prone figure of the Governor. Carey now seemed oblivious to ev- erythnig that was happening about him as he continued his dance of triumph. In the midst of this weird performance, suddenly widening the circumference of his operations, he stumbled. As he reeled, Archie rush ed in, gripping his throat and falling upon him. The breath went out of the man as he struck the ground, and Archie jumped up and left him to Congdon and Leary. , Perky was kneeling beside the Gov ernor tearing open Mb shirt which was already crimson from a fast flowing wound. 'Hes hurt bad; its the end of him!" muttered the old man helpless ly. There s nothing to be done here," said Archie. "We must cross to Hud dleston as quickly as possible." At Carey's downfall his men fled through the woods, pursued by sev eral of the Governor's party. Perky seized the rockets and touched one after the other to the flames of the bonfire. The answering signal rose from the bay. " "The tug's moving up, said Perky. A thousand and one things flitted through Archie's mind. The Gov ernor had not opened Mb eyes; his - UNION PACIFIC ITAUE8, INC. rsratinl ds hurt Ibwr&acliScm between PORTLAND-PENDLETON Ntw ScWue Efftclin Sept. 6th WESTBOUND Lv. Arlington Iiuaa.sn. lUfip.m. Arrival Tim Thttt Point: THE DALLES f p. an. fef s. so. HOOD RIVER lilfp.m. 4:0t p. m. MULTNOMAH FALLS 4tM p. as. f iM p. an. PORTLAND M! p. sn. 7i P. m. EASTBOUND Lv. Arlington lr p. m. sue p. an. Arrival Tim 7nee Pointu UMATILLA tiff p. an. leilip.sn. PENDLETON 4iP-ns. I HI p.m. Connection at Pendleton with Pendleton-Walla Walla Stages MOTOR COACHII LEAVE! Arlington Hotel - See Railroad Agent at various points ' en route for tickets and information UNION PACIFIC STAGESJNC. breath came In gasps, at long, pain ful intervals. To summon aid thru the usual channels would be to in vite a scrutiny of their operations that could only lead to complications with the law and a resulting public ity that was to be avoided at any hazard. It was hardly fair to call upon the young woman physician at Heart 0' Dreams, and yet this was the only safe move. While Perky and Leary were fashioning a litter for the Governor, he dispatched two messen gers to Heart 0' Dreams, one through the woods and the other in a canoe. They would make tM croBsini: in Carey's launch, while the tu now showing its lights close inshore could be svt for tbe doctor. Two men had already Btarted for the beach with Carey bound and gagged and he was to be kept on the tug until some way could be found of disposing of him. "I'll stay behind; I gotta clean up here; You don't need to know nothin' about it," said Leary gruffly. One of Carey's men had been shot and instantly killed. Another still lay unconscious near the barricade from his battering on the head early in the fight. Leary grimly declared that.the others would not be likely to talk of their night's adventure. It had been a foolhardy undertaking with potentialities and danger that added fear to the grief in Archie's heart at the Governor's fall. At best the thing was horrible, and but for the coolness with which Leary and Perky were meeting the situation Ar chie would have been for abandoning any attempt at secrecy. "It was th' ole Governor's way o' doing it," said Leary, as though read in Archie's thoughts. "Ole Governor never made no mistakes. We ain't a goin' to make no mistakes now, do in' what he tole us not to do. I'll go back and bury that poor devil and cover up the place. All you gotta do is to fergit about it and take care of ole Governor." Archie was very humble as he re flected that he hadn't done justice to the intelligence and charm, to say nothing of the professional skill of Dr. Katherine Reynolds in his hur- ried glimpse of her at Heart 0' Dreams. His fear that a woman doe tor, who was really only a girl of the age of Ruth and Isabel, would not be equal to the emergency were dis missed an hour after she reached Huddleston. She brought the camp nurse with her and was fortified with bags of instruments and hospital supplies. She went about her examination without a question; made it as though she were daily in the habit of dealing with' wounded men; specifically call ed for boiling water, laid out sponges and bottles and oddly shaped trinkets of steel, and the Governor's room in the raVneaackle hotel was quickly transformed into a surgery. Perky had gone aboard the tug, which was to remain in the bay until the out come of the Governor's injury could be learned. Putney Congdon kept Ar chie company in the hall outisde the sick room. The morning was breaking when the door was opened. There's about one chance in thousand," said Dr. Reynolds, looking very tired, but smiling bravely; "but we've taken the chance. There are reasons, I assume, why this matter should be kept quiet, and of course you know the danger, to you and all of us!" "It's splendid of you to accept the responsibility; be sure I appreciate it!" "But I have no right to take it, I've done all I know how to' do, but there should be another head and a surer hand. Dr. Mosgrove of Chicago as a summer home twenty miles from Heart 0' Dreams. He's an old friend of my family and one of the most skillful Burgeons in America. I've written him a note and I'm sure he will come instantly." The note was sent to the tug for delivery and at eight o'clock the sur geon was at Huddleston. He went into the sick room immediately and it was an anxious group who silently awaited his verdict. Continued next weex. TURKEYS Giant bronte, for sale. Toms $10, hens 6. Mrs. F. Bur roughs, lone, Ore. 33-40 Your Gift Photo Those who desire photos before Christ mas please, call at the earliest possible moment. Ask about our Portrait Gift Certificates. See our gifts in the Art De partment. Bogg's Photo-Art McMurdoBldg. StUCiiO 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 QUALITY PLUS SERVICE DON'T FORGET--- says wise old Santa, that gifts are fine, but after all, the way to a man's heart is the stomach and the feast is a very important part of the holiday celebration. We have a store full of goodies awaiting your order. Phone or come in either way you'll receive the best of service. A FINE ASSORTMENT OF CHRISTMAS CANDIES Chocolates in Gift Boxes. Fancy French and Hard Mixed in Bulk. See us for that Christmas Tree order. Phelps Grocery Company PHONE 53 The New Ford CAR WILL BE HERE Tuesday, Nov. 20 Beautiful new low body lines Choice of four colors t 55 to 65 miles an hour Remarkable acceleration 40-horsepower engine - Four-wheel brakes Standard, selective gear shift Hydraulic shock absorbers 20 to 30 miles per gallon of gasoline Theft-proof coincidental lock - Typical FORD economy and reliability COME IN AND SEE IT between 3:30 and 9 p. m. Chas. H. Latourell