Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

TWO H ~n % ??*??%*%?*????**??**?? GREEN FANCY By GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON Author of "GRAUSTARK." THE HOLLOW OF HER HAND." THE PRINCE OF GRAUSTARK." ETC. r Cmv^K bf Md. MmJ Cwvuy. Im. roe kTiow. My mind Is fft rest Qooilby." As he hung up the receiver he said to himself, "You are a most affable, convincing chap, Mr. O'Dowd, but I don't believe a word you say. That woman is no lady's maid, and you've known all the time that she was there." At four o'clock he set out Alone for a tramp up the mountain road in which the two. men had been shot down. His mind was quite clear. Boon and Paul were not ordinary robbers. They were, no doubt, honest men. He would have said that they were thieves bent on burglarizing Green Fancy were It not for the disclosures oi Miss Thackeray and the ery convincing proof that they were not shot by the same man. It was not beyond reason?Indeed, It was quite probable?that they were trying to cross the border;*In that ' event their real operations would be confined to the Canadian side of the Hne. He could not free himself of the Suspicion that Green Fancy possessed tho kev to the situation. Boon and his companion could not have had the slightest Interest in his movements up to the Instant he encountered the yoong woman at the crossroads. His busy brain suddenly suffered the shock of a distinct conclusion. Was she a fellow conspirator? Was she the inside worker at Green Fancy in a welllaid plan to rifle the place? v Could It be possible that she was the confederate of these painstaking gents who lurked with sinister patience outside the very gates of the. place called Green Fancy? His ramble carried him far beyond the spot where Roon's body was found and where young Conley had come upon the tethered horses. His eager, curious gaze swept the forest to the left of the road in search of Green Fancy. Overcome 6y a rash, daring impulse, he climbed over the stake and rider fence and sauntered among the big trees which so far had obscured the house from view. The trees grew very thickly on the slope, and they were unusually large. He progressed deeper into the wood. At the end of what must have been a mile he halted. There was no sign of habitation, no indication that man had ever penetrated so far into the forest As he was on the point of retracing his steps toward the road his gaze fQl upon a huge moss-covered rock less than a hundred yards away. He stared, and gradually it began to take on angles/and planes and recesses of the most astounding symmetry. Under his widening gaze it was transformed into a substantial object of cubes and gables and?yes, windows. He was looking upon the strange home of the even stranger Mr. Curt!a*Green Fancy. Now he understood why it was called Green Fancy. Its surroundings were no greener than Itself; it seemed to melt into the foliage, to become a part of the natural landscape. Moun tain ivy literally enveloped It. Exposed sections of the house were painted green; the doors were green; the leafy porches and their columns, the chimney pots, the window hangings-? afi were the color of the unchanging Aod it was a place of huge tew ftQd leaf and rambling. " Gad," he said to fcimself. "what - - - L. Li manner ox crana is ue wu? wouia bury himself like this? Of all the > crazy Ideas I ever?" His reflections ended there. A woman crossed his vision; a woman strolling slowly toward him through the Intricate avenues of the wlldwood. CHAPTER VII. 8pun-Qold Hair, Blue Eyes and Various Encounters. She was quite unaware of his presence, and yet he wasx directly in her path, though some distance away. Her head was bent; her mien was thoughtful, her stride slow and aimless. She was slender, graceful And evidently quite tall, although she seemed a pigmy among the towering giants that attended her stroll. Her hands were thrust deep into the pocket of a white duck skirt. A glance revealed s white shoes and trim ankles in blue. She wore no hat. Her hair was like spun gold, thiek, wavy and shimmer lllg 111 U1C 5UUUUCU I >?111.. Suddenly she stopped and looked up He had a full view of her face as she gazed about as If stflrtled by sc;ne un expected, even alarming sound. For 9 second or two he held his breath, stunned by the amazing loveliness that was revealed to him. Then she discovered him standing there. In- a flash he realized that he was face to face with the stranger of the day before. He took two or three impulsive steps forward, his hand going I ,> //_ jmt Suddenly She Stopped and Looked Up. I fo his haf?and then halted. ETiBenfI ?? ?-?_ ? J htm Thopo ly D1S Heuses 11UU uctcucu UUU. was no smile Id her eyes?and yet he could have sworn that it was there an Instant before. Instead there was a level stare. "I am sorry if I startled?M he began. The figure of a man appeared as if discharged bodily from some magic tree-trunk, and stood directly in liif path?a tall, rugged maa In overalls was he, who held a spade in his head j and eyed him lolmlcally. Without another glance In his direction the first and more pleasing vision turned ?a her heel and continued her stroll, sauntering off to the rights her fair head* once more bent in study, ber back eloquently indifferent to the gnze that followed her. "Who do you-want to see?" inquired the man with the spade. uerore Barnes couiu rejjiy a ucn*i/ < voice accosted him from behind. He whirled and saw O'Dowd approaching, not twenty yards away. The Irishman's face was aglow with pleasure. "I knew I couldn't be mistaken in the shape of you," he cried, advancing with outstretched hand. "You've got the breadth of a dockhand in your, shoulders and the trimness of a prize fighter In your waist" ? They shook hands. "I fear I am trespassing," said Bnrnes. His glance ; went over his shoulder as he spoke. The man with the spade had been swallowed up by the earth! He could not have vanished more quickly In any other way. Off among the trees were Intermittent flashes of blue and white. "I am quite sure you are," said ODowd promptly but without a trace of unfriendliness In his manner. "Bedad, loving him as I do, I can't help &ylng that Curtis Is a bally old crauk. Mind ye, I'd t?ay it to his face?I often do, for the matter of that. Of course," he went on seriously, "he is a sick man, poor devil. You see I've known him for a dozen years and more, and | he like" me, though God knows why, j unless It may be that I once djd his I son a good turn In London." oujuticui cav.u^, ivi ic|/aianvu, * should say," smiled Barnes. "I Introduced the lad to me only sister," said O'Dowd, "and she kept him happy for the next ten years. No doubt I also provided Mr. Curtis with three grandchildren he might never have had but .for my graclousness." A look of distress came Into his merry eyes. "By Jove, I'd like nothing better than to ask you in to have a dish of tea?it's tea time, I'm sure?but I'd like "My dear fellow, dont dlstrtw yourself," cried Barnes heartily. *JTheit isn't the learit reason in the wtfrld why? " ^ Tc- see, ttie poor old clap" asks us up here once or twice a year?that is to say, De Soto and me?to keep his sister from filling the house up with men he can't endure. So ldng as we occupy the only available rooms, ho ?rcnips fihp can't stuff them full of objectlonables. Twice a year she comes for a month, In the late fall and early spring." "Why <Joes he continue to live In this out-of-the-world spot? He is an old man, I take it, and 11L" "YoH wouldn't be wondering if you knew the man," said O'Dowd. "He Is a scholar, a dreamer, a sufferer. He's not a very old man at that Not more than sixty-five." "He certainly has 9 fanciful streak j in him, building a place like that," said | Barnes, looking not at the house but , Into the thicket above. There was no . sien of the blue and white and tlio spun gold that still defied exclusion I L from his mind's eye. He had not re- i ,i covered from the thrall into which the j >! vision of loveliness plunged him. lie ! ! was still a trifle dazed and distraught. | i "Right you are," agreed 0'Dowd;'i i "the queerest streak in the world. It's I > his notion of simplicity." > "Green Fancy. Is that the name he j gave the place or does it spring | from?" "'Twas christened by me own sis' '.er, Mr. Barnes, the first thne she was i bere, two years ago. I'll walk with j vou to the fence beyond if you've no J j objections," said O'Dowd genially, and j linked his arm through that of Barnes. The latter was at once subtly aware j of the fact thai he was being delib- , erately conducted from the grounds. n P. r nn 1/ Moreover, he was now convineedthat O'Dowd had been close upon his heels from the instant he entered them. There was something nncanny In the feeling that possessed him. Such espionage as this signified something deep and imperative in the presence not only of O'Dowd but the jack-lntfle-box gardener a few minutes earlier. His mind was still full of the lovely stranger about whom O'Dowd had so manifestly lied over the telephone. "I mnst ask you to apologize to "the young lady on whom I blundered a few moments ago, Mr. O'Dowd. She mnot hM>n stnrtlpd. Prav con vey to her my solicitude and excuses." "Consider it done, my dear sir," said the Irishman. "Our most charming and seductive guest," he went on. "Betfad, of the two of you, I'll stake me head you were startled the most Coming suddenly upon such rare loveUat&s is alihost equivalent to being struck by a bolt of lightning. More than one painter of portraits has said that she Is the most beautiful woman In the world. Mayhap you have heard of her. She Is Miss Cameron of New Orleans, a friend of Mrs. Tan Dyke. We have quite an enchanting house party, Mr. Barnes, if you consider no more than the feminine side of It By *' ! way, have you beard when the coroner is to hold his Inquests?"' "Nothing d Inlte. He may wait a j week," said Barnes. "I suppose yoaH stick around until Ifs over," vefltured O'Dowd. Barnes thought he detected a slight harshness la his volee. "I have quite made up my mind to stay until the mystery Is entirely cleared np," he aald. "The case la so Interesting that I don't want to mlas a shied or It" "I don't blame ye," said OTtowd heartily. *Td like nothing better meself than to mix np In It The next time you plan to pay us a visit telephone In advance, i may be able to persuade my host that you're a decent, law-abiding, educated gentleman, and hell consent to receive yon at Green Fancy. Good day to ye," and he shook hands with the departing trespasser. "Takln' a walk?" was the landlord's greeting as Barnes mounted the tavern steps at dusk. "Going over the grounds of last night's affair," responded Barnes, pausing As he entered the door be was acutely aware 01 an intense stare leveled at him from behind by the landlord of Hart's Tavern. Half way up the stairway he stopped short and with difficulty repressed the exclamation that rose to his lips. He had recalled a significant Incident of the night before. Almost Immediately after the departure of Roon and Paul from the Tavern Putnam Jones had made his way to the tele- ( phone behind the desk and had called a number in a loud, brisk voice, bat the subsequent conversation was carried on In subdued tones, jrf&nded by haste, and occasional fuftive glances in the direction of the taproom. Upon reaching his room Barnes permitted the suppressed emotloa to1 escape his lips In the shape of a soft whistle, which if It could have been translated'into words would have said: "By Gad, why haven't I thought of It before? He sent out the warning that Roob and Paul were on tile way 1 And I'd like to bet my last dollar that V a IV. .1.1. - ouuicuuc bi ureeu ntiiujr uuu uie outer | end of the wire." Mr. Rusfscroft was giving Hamlet's address to the players, in the taproom when Barnes came downstairs at nine o'clock. A small, dark man who sat alone at a table in the corner caught Barnes' eye and smiled almost mournfully; Hewas- undoubtedly a stranger; his was. meant to convey to Barnes the,'Informal! on that he too was from a distant juad sophisticated community sn<3 (bat * bond of sympathy {existed between them, "fctfffcsw . **** Putnam Jones spoke suddenly at Barnes' shoulder. He started Involuntarily. The msa was beginning to get on his nerres. He seemed to be dogging his footsteps with ceaseless persistency. "That feller over there In the corner," said Jones softly, "la. a book agent from your town. He sold me a set of Dickens when he was here last time, about six weeks ago. A year's subscription to two magazines throwed in. By gosh, these book agents are slick ones." "He's a shrewd-looking chap," commented Barnes. "Says he won't be satisfied till he's ; made thi3 section of the country the ! most cultured, refined spot in the Unit-j ed States," said Jones dolefully. "Ex cuse me. There goes the telephone. Maybe its news from the sheriff." With the spasmodic tinkling of the , telephone bell the book agent arose and made his way to the little* office. Barnes glanced over his shoulder a moment later and saw him studying the register. The poise of his sleek head, however, suggested a listening attitude. Putnam Jones, not four feet away, was speaking Into the telephone receiver. As the receiver was re-! stored to Its hook Barnes turned again. Jones and the book agent were | examining tne register, tneir neaae: almost meeting from opposite sides of; the desk. ' ? ? The latter'straightened up, stretched j his arms, yawned, and announced in a' I loud tone that he guessed he'd stop out and get a bit of fresh air before turning in. "Any news?" inquired Barnes, approach in the desk aftthe door had closed behind tfie bootTg?t~~ "It wasn't the sheriff," replied jnee shortly, and Immediately resume' his interrupted discourse on books _nd book agents. Ten minutes elapsed before the landlord's garrulity was checked by the sound of an automobile coming to a stop in front of the house. Barnes turned expectantly toward the door. Almost immediately the car started again, with a loud shifting of gears, and a moment later the door opened to admit, not a fre?h arrival but the little book agent. , To be Continued Supervision of Industry. (New York Herald) Dr. Harry A. Garfield, recent United States Fuel Administrator, urges that government supervision of business controlling the production of basic raw materials exercised during the war should be continued in some form after peace. He adds: / Unless that kind of arrangement is made, and made soon, we of the United States that forces have been let loose that we would deplore utterly. I mean the forces of radicalism that by and by will insist that government do more than supervise your industry. It appears to most people that the country has had quite enough of war controlling of business. From May 1,1917, to May 1, 1919, the business of the country had an overdose of government management, price fixing, wage fixing, railroad, shipping telegraph and telephone control, and a great majority of the business men seem to be perfectly willing to let the government take a rest. The fact is the suddenness of the declaration of war, after a period of "watchful waiting" and no preparation threw the country into a state of mild confusion; and business men and congress were were ready to do anything the President and his secretaries of war and navy iwanted. Unheard of power was placed in the hands of the president, and the power was used to the limit. All sorts of questionable and semi-socialistic experiments were tried, the entirte nation being turned over to the Chief Executive: a gigantic war machine touching every avenue of production and distribution was created, enlions of dollars were borrowed and billions were spent?much of it recklessly, it is said. The business world has been in a straitjacket for practically a year and a half. It wants to be free, with liberty to work out its own salvation. Most sanely constituted citizen* are beginning to realize that the United States government never was intended for a manufacturing, commercial or transportation institution. The fathers of the Republic never contemplated the government in the field of industry. It was created as a political organization or institution to secure the liberty and happiness and welfare of the people, its powers well defined, its objects clearly marked out and its limitations prescribed. Since April, 1914, the dykes have L--- ?n/l Aa flnnda Virvp enter UCCU UVTTU t?i*V? vuv mvvm* ?- . ed. The constitution has been temm Hi Si i v w porarily laid aside and the Supreme Court and Congress somewhat neglectedk , It is high time that the constitution be again restored to its former glory and authority and Congress be Irtof iwo+iftififtri'a LCSUXlCUbCU lUUi VUi lliOVi vu wiwhwi The tendency toward government socialism is altogether too manifest in the United States and the time has arrived when sober, thoughtful people should call a halt. There is no halfway place between constitutional government and radical socialism, politely called government management, control, and perhaps ownership. This country canEver think th< -you might ne< Some people go along pa years. Then all of a sudden the nPAd rrodit,?and thev find WW -w- ?? ? - v they've alw&ys been classe< That's why so many of < accounts. ^ Not to put off payments bills?but to establish thei In addition they find it n obliged to pay cash down 1 afraid the delivery boy wor he gets his^ money. Of course, charge accou the many services we exter That's how we chose Ry the food products as they a That's how we chose Ry We found we used less, tha night before and bake then found Ryzon to be economii ' able. It costs 40c. per pound, * Ryzon Baking Book? This cipes of 10,000 women?il great deal more. W.D.BA1 I _ . - Pure Ice Manufactured Under i SOFT DRINKS $()ft CIGARETTES ^ TOBACCOS A. 1 CANDIES V/OlJ FRUITS?- W. u . , f ClO&RSa- j the noil licit youi Abbeville Cai ! _ " im ii ii in M IS / fMn. Paul Adams of 717 Decatur street, Montgomery, Ala., Ufs : "I used to drac around the house feeling weak and baa * * ?- '? M. - do energy 10 ao gayiuiug. ??j ijiikuw was off, and my nerves on edge au the time. Whatever I ate lay on my atomach and turned to water, and I would belch It np sour and hot. Gas kept me swelled up, and my bowels were badly constipated. "I read aboat persons who took DRECO and got so much better, so I bought a bottle, and I believe the first dose helped me. I have now taken two bottles, and I'm like a different woman. "I go about my work full of energy, and it Is a pleasure now Instead of a drag. My bowels act regularly; no more ris on mv stomach, nor water belching. sleep sound and bave a fine appetite. DRECO is made from Juices and extracts of many medicinal herbal plants whicb act on the vital organs la a pleasant and prompt manner. P. B.-SPEED. j not be half private and half govern- Hi ment industry. If private initiative BB is best and essential it should not compromise in order to avoid s mild H dose of the worst and the least essential. The issue should be squarely and Hj courageously met. The federal gov ernment should Keep ou^oi au tunas mm of business save that of guiding and assisting private enterprise, this sup- ^Bj plemented by wise and sane control to prevent wrong to the public. ?"?b' 1 , Engraved cards and' wedding invi Bj tations at Press and Banner Co. 9 J it some day I rrprlif? B ying cash for groceries for H } time comes when they H it very hard to get, because Hj i as cash-customers. . s H )ur customers have charge H indefinitely or to run up Hj r credit in the community. H lighty convenient not to he H or every little thing, to be S l't leave the things unless ints constitute only on# of H id to our customers, H zon?from a personal test! H re introduced. H zon?fro ma personal test! H t we could mix muffins the 1 the next day; in fact, we . cri I cal and thoroughly depend- . H I " 4"' md, by the way, have you a H book contains the best re- H t costs 30c. and'is worth a I RKSDALE I ? II Sanitary Conditions ' ",: Drinks and ifections..... "X* \ :>sv 9 I. prepared to mtt? yon in : courteous manner and so- . !. r patronage. ndy Kitchen [ , ? ^* ""* : . . -./i -ixi at a l