Th irsday. February 13, 1930 Vernonia Eagle, Vernonia, Oregon gt LOCALS^ tdffibrroW?’ When she had gone down to pre­ pare the evening meal Unwin looked at Ids wife anxiously. “Mary is a very beautiful girl,” 'he said. "I wonder if undesirable men try to Coyle formerly Frank Peterson of Natal shop­ Vernonia. Mr operated a meat market in this ped in this city Friday. city. Oliver Burris of Natal was a Ed. Holtham returned Thurs­ Vernonia shopper Friday morn­ day evening from Longview, af­ ing. ter spending several hours as E. A. Ritchey received his new the guest of members of the Chevrolet sedan from the Gilby Longview Chamber of Com­ Motor company last week. merce. Bert Brewer of Portland has T. A. White of McMinnville, been employed as a clerk in the owner of the building which will local Safeway store. be occupied by the MacMarr Eurcle McCollum of Treharne store, spent Thursday here going returned to his home at St. Ig­ over plans for the remodeling natius, Mont., a week ago Mon­ of his store. day. G. W. Ford, superintendent of • the Oregon Gas & Electric com­ pany, returned Friday from a visit to Tacoma. Employes of the Vernonia Safeway store attended a ban­ quet and dance sponsored by the Safeway company for their em­ ployes in Portland Wednesday evening. W. O. Porterfield, confined Mr. and Mrs. Mark E. Moe in a Portland hospital with pneu­ monia, is reported improving in and small daughter uttended the meeting of the Oregon Newspa­ health. per Conference at Eugene last S. E. Bryant, coach of the week end. They also visited rel­ Scappoose high school, attended atives at Salem and A.lbany. the basketball game in this city Mirick S. Miller, Dave Gibson, Friday evening. and M. II. Nichols, officials of Mrs. G. W. Long of Wilkes­ boro visited here with her hus­ band, an operator of the S. P. & S. railway, Sunday morning. the Graybar Electric company at Portland, spent Saturday in Ver­ nonia consulting with G. W. Ford, superintendent of the Ore­ gon Gas by WYNDHAM MARTYN“ COPVaiOHT IN thc u s . w.H.U. SERVICI been accounted duIT. And Gibbons was a multl-mllllonalre. And Floyd Unwin solicited advertlsemenls for Mr. Unwin Makes a Call. a trade journal and was Its associ­ EE financier, sitting alone In ate editor! Then he thought of hla remote and splendid library, Howard Bettington. who had made looktd up with a scowl at the some success as a painter of sea apologetic secretary who cam* scapes. Bettington was the best of softly In. the three. He was better looking, "11 at,’’ the secretary was reiter­ better bred and could have attained ating, "he says he is a very old eminence In anything he set his friend. Unwin Is the name. Tubby mind upon. And he had chosen to Unwin, sir. He said you would re­ adventure Into far corners of the member him by that.” earth and seas and every now and He could see that his employer then exhibit Ids unusual canvases remembered. Something of the to- the appreciative few who ad hardness fell from the face. Gib­ mired but did not buy. bons had gone back In tlmt moment “Did you close that contract?” of recollection almost twenty years. he beard his wife ask. The con­ Of course, he remembered “Tubby” tract had been talked over a great Unwin. And with Tubby there deal. The commission would have swam back into memory that other removed the steady calling of an sue of the three, Howard Bettlng- Intolerant Individual who concerned rou. They were Inseparables at Cambridge in the old days. Every himself with payments for furniture year they swore to have a reunion; on the Installment plan. Unwin removed a dead leaf from and tn the eighteen years that had a pjant. He did not want to meet gone by he had not seen them once I hls’wlfe's eye. “Tell him I’m too busy to see any­ "The time was not ripe,” he said, one for three days. Then ask him a little weakly. "Next month, per­ to dinner.” Gibbons thought a mo­ haps. ” ment. "Find out from him If His wife said nothing. To her It Betty—Howard Bettington—is In New York. If be Is, ask him to was an evidence that God desired her to be yet more strengthened dinner and let me know when they and purified by suffering. are coming.” “Do you think Mr. Gibbons will?” The secretary, assuming an Inti­ asked presently. mate of his employer’s must be of she "Yes,” Unwin answered. “Why the favored classes over whom kind shouldn't he? It’s a solemn moral monetary angels hover, gave Unwin obligation and I’m not sure It Isn't the message and supposed he was a legal one also. Gibbons was al­ telephoning from another fine resi­ ways a man of his word. 1 know dence. he has the name for being hard In Floyd Unwin's home was not of bis dealings, but this Is different.” the kind to awaken envy even In a He paused as he heard footsteps. Gibbons secretary. It was a small “But not a word to the children. I apartment on the fourth floor of a don't want to raise their hopes and structure now dwnrfed by light-ab­ then have to disappoint them.” sorbing and scornful buildings It was Mary, eighteen and sweet, which hemmed It In. Unwin’s and now hopeful. She held In her daughter, Mary, used to say It hand a packet of the literature that looked as though It wanted to run Smith college sends out to those •way and hide, but dare not If who seek to know her charms and the place had no beauty It was terms. Mary was more than anxious home to the Unwins; and there was to enroll. And during the last week a roof garden which endeared the her father had been letting fall sly commonplace flat to them. hints that Northampton might not It was to this retreat that Floyd seem so far away as she thought Unwin took his way on the receipt “Did you close the contract?" she of Glblmns' message. His wife, who asked, when she had kissed them. spent most of her Invalid hours on “Money Is tight” said Unwin, a conch, looked up with a smile. again plucking leaves. “I shall try She was one of those really good them in a month's time.” Women who accept bodily Ills as He saw Mary droop a little. He God's Judgments; she felt her long knew the disappointment. It nerved illness was sent In some mysterious him to give her uncalled-for encour­ way to prepare her for eternal life. agement , ’ . . *Tm to go there to dinner next “I’ve something up my sleeve bet­ Wednesday.” Unwin said, "and I’m ter than that old contract. On to ask Howard Bettington. Gibbons Thursday morning ask me what I la a very big man. They say. In ten mean. It may mean Smith for you yean* time be will be the greatest and Tech for Bob.” capitalist In the country.” Unwin "It seems too good to be true, , mused a moment "He was always the girl said. "Daddy, I’m so tired inclined to be bard and masterful. of being Mr. Radway’* stenogra­ I • • - And yet to think that but for pher I'm In a constant atmosphere me and my coaching, he would nev- of fear and it's bad for me. Every i or have got bls A. B." one In the office trembles when he Unwin fell into a mood of deprea- comes In. If It weren't that he Von. At college he had been nsva more, than I'm worth I’d leave -ggteemetl brUHanL. and Gibbons, had CHAPTER I T Outside, Floyd Unwin Was Walting for Howard Bettlngton. force themselves on tier” 1 l«r walked about the root garden alm- : lessly. That was Ids chief defect. ! this uncertainty of alm Bob. the seventeen year-old son ; with the mechanical turn of mind, catue In. Unwin turned to greet him with a cheerful smile. He an tlclpated the unasked question "I didn't get It,” he said; “money was tight. I went In al a bad time. Next month. perluips. I'm sorry . Bob." The boy was taller than Ids fa- ' ther In a sense he was a more 1 resolute und reliable man lie put : Ids arms about the elder with a protective gesture. "1 know you did | your best." he said simply. And all through the dinner poor Unwin was haunted b.v the certain­ ty tlmt he had not done Ids best. • *••••* When the hour for dinner drew near Gibbons was Inclined to blame the pale secretary that men like Bettington and Unwin, with whom he had now no common ground of Intercourse, should be Ills guests. Outside the house Floyd Umvin was waiting for Howard Betting ton. He needed moral support. He had come, so he told himself, upon a tusk tlmt hardly promised suc­ cess. He cursed himself for Ills It had perpetual enthusiasms. looked so simple, so probable, so assured. He hud been losing cour­ age ever since he had donned Ids evening dress. The refusal of his well preserved but ancient clothes to adapt them selves to new and ampler measure meats hud brought anxious mo meats. Would the cloth hold? Might not buttons fly off In resent meat urd leave Idm nuked to an un kind world? And he bud pun tn ated these efforts to array himself by pathetic asides. lie Imd de dared tlmt he was a small enter; tlmt he walked dally many miles and yet the time of trial Imd found him over weight I It was not fat A man who ate so little and walked so far could not be fat. It was a laxity of form, an unwillingness of the flesh to adapt Itself to long discarded garb He Imd not seen Bettington for almost ten years, but there was no mistaking the tall form that came toward him out of the gloom. To gether they knocked at the bronze doors. In the few moments that elapsed before a footman opened to them, Bettington found hlinself ashamed that the old friendship had meant so little. He was con sclous, vividly, of the good, dream Ing student dayn. when Unwin had been so close a friend. He hat’ for­ gotten Unwin after the first few years. Unwin had married while at Cambridge. Then came the girl and the boy. Bettington had om-e sent his old friend a pulntlng. Tlmt was all. As to Gibbons, that was different. The financier was so constantly spoken of tlmt lie was fresh In the mind. But all these years Howard Bettlngton had not once tried to meet him. He Imd beard him speak at a public ban­ quet and had seen that the man he used to like wus dead. In Ids place had come the grasping, unscrupu­ lous capitalist who was to carve Ids way to power. The footman, when he had ush­ ered the guests Into a hall, where the butler stood commagdlngly, looked curiously at them, lie knew they were not habitues of the Gib­ bons home, or. Indeed, at any of those great homes where such as he were content to serve. At Betting­ ton the lackey looked with faint ap­ proval. Bettington wore, as was his custom, a black velvet dinner coat. But It was well cut and the man moved as though these magnificent halls were his usual haunts. It was at Unwin, poor Floyd Un­ win, scholar and failure, that the men-servants looked with scorn. Such garments were not now worn. Bettington saw that Unwin was los­ ing what small confidence he pos­ sessed. He patted the shorter man almost affectionately on the shoul­ der and simulated approval. "You look splendid," he murmured. “I suppose I ought to have worn full dress, too." Unwlr. trotted by bls side vastly gratified. Gibbons was standing with that faint sneer on his face which had become habitual. The financier was prepared to be thor­ oughly bored. He Judged man by his ability to make money; and with these standards he had only contempt for the small, nervous man who peered through thick lenses at him. He looked with deeper Interest at the pointer. "It doesn't seem possible we are all of an age," he said, when they were seated. “Tubby looks fifty, I look forty, and I’m d—d If Betty doesn’t look ten years less.” Bettington resented the sneering manner In which the successful man of affairs regarded Unwin. "To me you looked the ch'or," he said suavely. "Tubby may have put on weight, but there's age In your face. Three Brass Balls, and wrinkles a half-inch deep.” Gibbons flushed. He had not for­ gotten the old nickname given him In jest, for his ability to make small galas tn loan and barter. He looked across the silver-laden tahle at Bet­ tington. The painter bad a clear eye and a clean skin. There was a youthful poise of body and a litheness which had long since left Gibbons. He glanced sourly at the other man. Even there he felt h»p»cyt. Ui-z.la’s serene and "untroubled. TTiere was a cer­ tain simplicity and directness about I him which seemed childish. “I’ve worked." Gibbons snapped; | “that gives one lines amt wrinkles." “You've hated." Bettington an­ swered ; “your face Is a chart of uncharitable emotions. Your sort of success stamps Its victim. Tubby and I have worked, too. remember." “Indeed. I have." Tubby sighed and thought of his uon-success as u solicitor of advertising. Gibbons looked about him. Ills guests, following his glances, saw what he meant. There was superb luxury everywhere. Did not those two men realize that they were be­ ing sumptuously entertained In mag- nlficent rooms by one who had no greater opportunity In youth than they? Less opportunity. Unwin was always a student to whom aca­ demic tasks were easy. Bottln-ton had a small property when Gibbens had but an allowance from a dis tant relative. From the pale secre­ tary Gibbons had learned that Bet- tlngtou hid passed Ids life mainly in traveling and painting the sc tn her sterner moods. HIs pictures were not such as to attract the dealer, although his fellows revered him for his art Economically hr was a failure. And yet Gibbon- could not rid himself of the feel In • that they were not linpr<*ssed by III position. There was so* 'nv stinging and Irritating In It And he was annoyed to find 'Im' these two quiet guests were re establishing that sense of num•-• rl ed superiority which they hud ex ercised In college. There Imd tr-e-i a time when these two meant mor.- to him than any other men. Am! when success came to him he force them. Gibbons grew a lltil- ashamed; hut the feeling taste only a few moments Ills ar c gunce banished It lie had am- ceeded; they had failed lie wa even a little gratified when the pel secretary bowed Ills way In with two cables which demanded Irnim- diute attention. “Made a million or so?’ Bet Hur ton asked quizzically, when the se retary had taken down tic* answer and gone out. "Or tost one?" "Itadway Is the loser." Gibbons smiled. “I Imve Just taken a rail roud from him and he's too ifl-unk to know about It till tomorrow " Tubby Unwin made an unexpect ed remark. “That will be the Memphis an! Toledo road.” he said. "It Is !!a<1 wny’s pet lamb.” “How the h—I do yon know that?” Gibbons »pupped with Unwin came to himself ................... .. a start. He realized that he Imd re pealed something Mary had told iiltn In confidence lie made a gee ture as though to say. fimindiil se crets were not hidden from him en tlrely. “Well, as you know so much about Itadway. you'll he astonished to learn I’ve got him on the run There Isn't room In New York for Radwav and me.” He told them somethin» of his detestation for Itadway: of how these five years tie hud been set­ ting snares for Idin "I never for give or forget.” Gibbons boasted “1 see that all marked on the chart which Is your face," Betting ton answered “Anything else you see?" Gib bons sneered. Bettington gnzed nt him steadily The painter’s good looks and splen did fen tures forced themselves on the capitalist "1 see what all charts mark Rocks, quicksands reefs. You're headed for them Gibbons.” There was something domlnntlng about Bettington Gibbons felt It even In his magnificent home In a moment of flnnnclal triumph. “The unsuccessful." he said add ly, “always feel they Lave the right to criticize. It’s about the only thing they can do; and they do that badly." “So you call me unsuccessful?" Bettington demanded. Then he smiled a little. “You are wrong I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. And I have what yon will nev­ er know—contentment The differ ence between ns Is we measure suc­ cess by different standards." “I’m the unsuccessful one." Un­ win declared. “I have not done whnt I set out to do." “You don’t have to advertise the fact," Gibbons said, still a little Ir­ ritated. “I can see It." Bettlngton felt the protective In­ stinct calling him to defend the small, shy friend of other days. •It amazes me to think you troubled to give so elaborate a feast for two unsuccessful men. Why?" “Ask Unwin." the host returned. "He told my aecretnry he hud Im­ portant business with me. and as 1 was busy all day and every evening but this I suggested a dinner. Think Ing of Tubby brought you to my mind, and I asked you, too. Bm waiting to know Inst how Important this business Is." Unwin drew from hla pocket a half sheet of paper and passed It across the table to Gibbons. The dinner was now at the coffee and liqueur stage, and menservants had withdrawn from earshot. Gibbons took It with a frown and read It through. “We. the undersigned." he fcad. “being about to separate, do hereby swear that If one of us attains for tu .e and the others do not. the lucky one shall aid the unsuccessful cheerfully and unasked In any way he la called upon to do. “HOWARD BETTINGTON ('Betty'). "FLOYD UNWIN (Tubby'). “ALFRED GIBBONS C3 Brass Balls')." Gibbons handed It back to Unwin. “It'» Interesting,” be admitted, “but not legal. It would have no value In a court of law. I tore my copy up years ago.” Bettington reached for It and scanned the document “I’d forgotten all about It," he said. “Had your Gibbons said with a sneer. “It may not be legal," he beard Unwin saying nervously, “but In a matter of old friendship the spirit counts, not the letter." "Which shows you to be ss fool­ ish st forty as you were at twenty," said the financier. Bettington was conscious more fully then ever of Unwin's dejec­ tion. The hope which had sustained him seemed now to have left him dull, broken and speechless, Bet tlngfon put hla arm about the bowed ahoulders. “Oh. Tubby." he crleil, “are you so poor s Judge of human nature as to come to Gibbons for help? If I bad known you were In need you might not have had this humilia­ tion. Within thia very week Bve bought a camp and paid for It I could have deferred payment easily enough. What do you need It fort' "It’s my children," said Unwin quietly. “They are crying, not for food. huLfor ednr- 'Ion. . B a «noth. er form of starvation. I thought If Gibbons would advance enough money to get them where they want to be. I'd pay It off little by llitle. I sec I was wrong. He Is not the mill we knew." Gibbons moved a little uneasily. The years he had almost forgotten awoke In his mind with a peculiar distinctness. He did not like to re­ member that he was the author of the document and executed It with the feeling that he was a bene ticlary under Its terms. He had thought nothing could stay Howard Bettington In bls fight for fortune. Even Tubby Unwin, distinguished scholar, seemed far more likely to make a name than the undlstln gulshed Gibbon's. Changes. Changes “How old Is the girl?" he de manded. “Eighteen," said Unwin, “She wants to go to Smith." “What about the boy?" “He’s a year younger. They tell me he's a genius mechanically, He yearns to enter the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Nothing to It.” said Gibbons scornfully “If he had s yearning for business I might help, Lei hl m think It over. What's ' the ‘ girl do Ing?" “She 1« r»e ot Itadwny’s steno; Page Fkft rapTiers. Siu* has greuTTippoFr uuT ties there, but her heart Isn’t In the work." “Kadwny I" Gibbons ■napped “That's a good way to recorn mend her to me. lladwriy “ is my open and avowed enemy, ’ He frowned as he thought of It. Then he smiled al most amiably, "Private stenogra pher?" he asked. __ ol "< >r __ just oue the bunch In the office?" “Private," Unwin answered “You see, she knows French and Spanish perfectly Even Radway approves of her." "She knows a lot about his pri­ vate affairs, I suppose. I wondered how you learnt of the Memphis and Toledo road. You got It from her Look here. Tubby Tell her the Chances of bright women In hnsl ness arc enormous; they far exceed any Jobs colleges offer, I may make a place for her In my organization If she Is as bright us yon say. her to see me tomorrow If bright she’ll make more money than her father." “This Is one of the times I wish ___ I had taken to commerce Instead of art," Bettington commented. lie had every sympathy with a girl who wanted more education; apparently Glhbpp^ hrjt none, "You’d have railed at It.” Gib­ bons retorted. “Men of your kind always seem to think any fool can make a success of business and get where I am. I'm the sort who wins. Where would you be In a situation where supreme courage and resolu­ tion were required? I’ll answer. You'd be found wanting. You've lived a remote life. If you haven’t liked a place or a climate you've gone somewhere else, looked for something easier,” Rettington smiled a little, “1 don t know," he said. “I’ve been In some tight places In far corners of the earth and, I have not always lost. After all. Gibbons, what do you know of me or Unwin?” “I know,” said the capitalist hot­ ly. “that one seeks the security of a trumpery Job and the comfort of a pitiful pay envelope, and the other gets out of the fight by daubing canvases.” His m inner became less bellicose. "Don't forget to send the girl around |’|| see that she Is sent right Into my private otliee and that’s a privilege* some would pay high for ” Ills gleets understood that the audience was over. Alfred Gibb >na had no n ore Interest In them. In a sense, they were d' .ulssed I CHAPTER II Ths Planning of ths Cruise. • T HE place stifled me." said Un- 1 win when he was alone in the street with Bettington. "Walk as far as my studio,” Bet­ tington suggested. "Isn't It strange that we should have lost sight of one another. I feel guilty. . . . It’s true I'm not often In New York. . . . Tubby, I'll not lose sight of you now “ Bettington’s studio was more a collection of marine objects, a mu-1 •cum of the sea. than a place to! work tn. There were two rooms at* the top of an old brownstone house on the north side of East Thirty­ fourth street. He had a yearly lease of the place and used It but rarely. There were quaint figureheads of old sailing ships now long broken up or. sunk. (Continued next week) Attention To Appearance The wiae woman of advancing years given quite as much atten­ tion to her appearance as her daughter does.