Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i , : r THE PEOPLE, BARNWELL, S. C. Judith of Blue Lake Ranch 4 « « 4 1 Copyright*'hr Ch*fl«r Sop* By JACKSON GREGORY THE HOLDUP SYNOPSIS.—HYid Lee, horse foreman of the lilue |j>ke ranoh. convinced Itayrie Trevors, man- UKer, is dtdWierately wrecking the property owned by Judith San- fonf; a yount? woman; her cousin Pollock Hampton, and Timothy dray, decides to throw up hi" Job Judith arrives and announce she has bouifht dray's share 1 the t ranch and will run It ane dlscharKes Trevors, after shoot- ItiK him twice In self-defense The men on the ranch dislike taking orders from a Kiri, hut by subduing a vicious horse and proving her tlinroutth knowied«e of ranch life, Judith wins the best of them over, Lee decides to stay, for a while at least. his s In She to stay, for a while Judith becomes convinced i her veterinarian. Pill Prowdy f ha t Is ner veterinarian, mil i rowny, is treacherous She discharges him and gets back I» c Tr.pp her dead father's man. Pollock Hampton, part owner, come* to stay "for good.” CHAPTER IV—Continued , —b— Accompanying young llamptpn were "Mttjor” lutngu ortliy, u little, short, fat, haltl gcntlcmau, who, so far us tin* knowledge of tils plnh mem bers went, had never been connected with any part of the army or navy, unless one counted his congenial brl gades of cocktail drinkers; Mrs. Lang worthy, his supercilious, uninteresting wife; Marcia, his languidly graceful daughter, In whom Hampton gave certain signs of being considerably In terested; Marshall Rogers, the Oak land lawyer, and Frank Farris, the artist. Also Marcia's maid, and Hampton's Japanese valet, Fujlokl, In due course of time Ibis representative of the flowery kingdom grew to he great friends with Jose, the two forthwith suspected by Mrs. Simpson of all sorts of dark plots and of a racial sympathy which must he watched lest It produce “something terrible.” Pollock Hampton, holding a third of the shares of the big venture, with his legitimate claim upon a third of the Income. _ was .of course a factor which must he taken into account. Judith asked frankly how long he planned to stay. “I’m here for good," lie answered cheerfully. Ills explanation followed with a grin, quite as though he were telling her of some rare good news: “Money's all gone, creditors are nuisances, there's no prospect with you here of having you send me anything. What Is left for me hut to stay?" Judith suggested a monthly allow ance. Hampton laughed good humor- edly. “Pay me to keep me out of the way? There’s nothing stirring. Jud ith. Absolutely. I'm here to give a hand." Judith had hopes, even yet. that a couple of weeks or a month at the most, of life as It runs forty miles from a railroad would dampen and finally extinguish his bright enthus iasm. Hut swiftly those hopes died. This was Ids first visit to the moun tains, and for a man sick of the city's social round, every inch of the ranch, river and cliffs and rolling, hills had Its compelling Interest Perhaps the thing which Judith overlooked was the blood of his fathers. For before Pollock Hampton, Sr., had made his money, he and his wife had been, like Luke Sanford, pioneers. Now some thing In the mountains here called vaguely to the sotil of young I lamp ton and made him rest I ess and stirred his heart. As he stood looking on while Bud Lee rode afhuoklng bronco, his eyes were bright and eager It soon became obvious that long ago Hampton had given freely of his admiration to Bayne Trevors. “A great man!" cried Hampton warmly. "The only man 1 know big enough to swing a Job like this." To himself he said that the chief good he could do at the outset was to work to get Trevors hack. With this In his mind and having had no full account'of Judith's manner of ejecting the general manager, he went straight to her. • “Trevors Is n friend of mLne." he aald lightly. "I’m going to ask him ' over To meet my guests No objection in there?" She looked at him keenly. "Do us you please." was the cool answer. "I Imagine tie won't care to come." Launched upon his first business venture. Hampton went to the tele phone. That evening at the table he surprised Judith not a -little when he said casually that Trevors had said he'd run o\er In a day or so, as soon as be could find time. Mrs. Lnngworthy had no liking to bestow upon such us Judith. The girl, she confided every night to the major, was unladylike, unwomanly, outre, horsy, unthinkable, an Insult to any woman Into whose presence she came. The major agreed monosyllabically or with silent nods for the sake of peace. Personally he was rather Inclined to fancy Judith's uncorseted figure, to ad mire her red-blooded beauty, and he always touched up the ends of his muataches In her presence. Judith. Laving early taken Mra. Lungworthy's measure, found an Imp Ish Joy In murdering the proprieties for her especial benefit. She said —n" upon occasions when Mrs. Lang worthy was there to bear; at table she talked of prize boars and sick calves and other kindred vulgar matters. But the major admired her; Marcia, as days went by, proved to be a sweet tempered, somewhat timid, but blgblx good-natured, affectionate creature generously offering her good-will ; and Rogers, the lawyer, and Farris, the artist, both of the sophisticated, self sulliclent type, were little behind the j major In interest. I hiring the last week of May, a ru mor came to Judith’s ears of which, at first, she thought little. Carson, coming to her upon a hit of ranch business, remarked dryly before taking his departure, that a report had got around among. Ids men—I’oker Face had mentioned it to him—that Blue Lake ranch was on Its last legs; that It was even to he doubted. If the men ever saw another pay day before the whole affair went Into a receiver’s hands. Judith laughed at him and told him not to worry. “Me?" said (’arson. ’Tpi not the worrying kind. But I does like that ain't good to have floating around. A man won't do more'n half work when he’s wondering all the time If he's go Ing to get his mazuma for It." But, when again the rumor came, this time telephoned up to her from TTmT LoweV Fnd by Doc Tripp, she frowned and wondered. And she was careful, upon the thirtieth of May. to send Charlie Miller, the store keeper, Into Rocky Bend for the monthly pay roll money. Charlie left for Rocky Bend In the afternoon, spending the night Ih town to get the customary morning start for the ranch. The men were to he paid at six o’clock, Ppon this same day Pollock Hamp ton told Judith that Bayne Trevors was coming to the ranch to have din ner. spending the night and the fol lowing day. Judith made no reply beyond favoring him with a quick look of question. Slie had not be lieved that the man would come. What next? The lust day of May came, and true to his promise. Trevors was a guest at the house from which, so short a time ago, he had been evicted. He dined there that night, cool, and self- confident. casually polite to Judith, civil and courteous to the other guests, especially to Major and Mrs Lang worthy and Marcia. leading conversations unobtrusively, making himself liked. The morning after Trevors’ arrival. Judith was up betimes and break fasted alone. Lunching early, noon found her In the o.lice expecting Charlie Miller. She was at work on A Man Had Sprung Out Suddenly. the pay roll hook when her telephone rang It was Doe Tripp and there was suppressed "excitement In his voice. “Bad news, Judy," he began. "It sure looks us though, you were getting your share." "What Is It, Doc?" she broke in sharply. “Tell me!’’ “It’s Charlie Miller. Hurt. No, not had. Thrown off his horse, hack In Squaw Creek canyon. And—robbed." (Juickly he told all that had hup poned. Miller, hastening hack with the wage money, was riding through the narrow gorge when a man sprang out suddenly In front of him. Mil ler's horsr*. shying, swerving unex pectedly. had (thrown him. Before he could get to .Sis* feet the hug of gold under his coat hud been torn off, his revolver w-enched away and the IiTgfi- wayman, his face masked with a red bandana handkerchief, hud run Into the thick timber. "Charlie Just walked In. reeling like a drunken man," Tripp concluded. I am sending a posse of men from this ^d to try and get the stlck-up man. You'd better do the same up there." For a moment Judith tat atarlng at the telephone dully. Robbed of a thousand dollars, and In broad day light. A tim.g like this had not oc curred, pu the Blue Luke fur a dozen years. "Bayne Trevors!’’ she gasped. For suddenly, she thought that she under- Toed the significance of the rumor which had twice in a week come to her. Trevors himself was on the ranch right now. . . . Her two fists clinched. Yes, Trevors was here with triple purpose: To curry favor with Hampton against a possible need of it. to establish an alibi for himself, to witness Judith's discomfiture, when at six o’clock sue mtvst turn the men away with an excuse. CHAPTER V Rifle Shota From the Cliffa Thunk heaven It was JUst noon! Judith sprang to her feet, her eyes bright and hard and ran down to the men’s quarters. Coming up from the corral were Carson and Bud Lee. “Miller with the pay roll money has been heh^ up and robbed at Squaw creek,” she told them swiftly. "(lei some men together, Carson, and try to head the robber off.” "That's on the level, Miss Judith?" demanded Carson slowly. "Of course It’s on the level!" she cried Impatiently. "Oh, I know what vou’re thinking. I’m going to phone Immediately to the bank at Rockv Bend and have another man sent put with more money. You can count upon getting your pay at six o’clock !" "I tol^ you. didn't I," muttered Car- son, "t.'iat I wasn't worrying none personal? But If I was you I’d sure have the money *>n tap!" With that he left her, going hastily fo round up what men he could find and get f them Into their saddles. Bud Lee, his eyes still on her, stood where he was. “Well," demanded the girl, "aren't von going, too?" Suddenly angered by hLs leisurely air. she added cut tingly: “Not afraid, are you?" "I was thinking," Lee answered coolly, "that the stlck-up gent will most probably figure on a play Ilk** that. If he was real wise he’d mosey along toward Rocky Bend and pop off your second man. Two thousand bucks a day would make a real nice little draw.” Judith paused, frowning. There was truth In that. If Trevors really were behind this, he would have [danned ahead. * "If you’ll do my way.” continued I.ee thoughtfully, 'Til have Just enough time to roll a smoke and sad die little old Climax. He’s In the stable now. You're not afraid of my double-crossing you? Even If a smart headed man had planned tfie hold-up tie wouldn't figure <>n a play like this. He'd think we’d have a Rocky Bender bring It out or else wait until to- I i she flecided quickly, money here at six morrow, "It won't do, "I want that o’clock." "Eighty miles," mused the horse foreman. “Six hours. That's riding right along, hut do It my way and I'll gamble you my own string of horses— and they’re worth considerable more than a thousand—that I'll he back, heeled, at six." * , Judith', quick a\ decisions, looked him hard In the ey?^heard his plan, and three minutes later Bud Lee, a revolver in-Ids shirt, rode away from the ranch-lipase, headed toward Rocky Bend. Judith already had called up Tripp, and the veterinarian himself, leading the fast st saddle-horse he could get his hands on at brief notice, was also riding toward Rocky Bend from the Lower End; five ndles In ad vnnee of Lee at the start. He went at a gentle trot, consulting Ids watch now and then. | So Bud Lee. riding as once those hard, dare-devil riders rode who car ried across tjlie land the mall-hug- of the Bony express, overtook Doc Tripp and changed to a fresh horse at the end of the first fifteen miles The dock at the hank at Rocky Ridge marked forty three Ttrtnrrtes-after two as Lee, leaving a sweating horse at the door on Main street, presented his check at the paying teller’s win dow. The money. In a small canvas hag, was ready. “Hello. Bud." and "Hello, Dan’I." was the beginning and end of the con versation which ensued. Lee did not stop to count the money. He drew his belt up a hole as he went hack to the door, found a fresh horse there fighting his hit and all hut lifting the stable-boy off his feet, mounted ami sped hack along Main street. Judith wus to send another fresh horse for him so that he could hot fall to he hack at the ranch house by six o’clock. As •Rud Lee, riding hard hut never without ’ thought for the horse \\hlch carried him, began the return trip, he drew the heavy-cal iber revolver from his shirt and thrust It Into his belt. The road wound In and out among the pines, always climbing. Lee raced on, his eyes bright and keen, watch ful and suspicious of every still sha dow or stirring brunch. From the top of the mountain, before he again fol lowed a winding road back to th« river’s side, he saw a horseman riding i dlstHpL-n|dgj9*; the sun glinting upon the rider’sil^Ifle. "Old (’arson himself,” thought Lee. 'Looking for the hold-up man. Shucks! They’ll never find him this trip.” Another mile, and Rud Lee was riding through a clearing, with the tall cliffs of Squaw Creek canyon looming high on his left, when sud denly and absolutely without wani- Ing, his horse screamed, gathered It self for a w ild plunge, staggered, stood i moment trembling terribly, then with a low moan collapsed under him. Lee swung out and to one side, binding clear as the hlg brute fell. He did not understand. He had ridden the animal hard hut certainly not hard enough for this. And then he saw and his eyes blazed with anger. He had heard no shot, nothing beyond the metallic pounding of the shod hoofs on flinty road, hut there from in ugly hole In the neck the saddle- horse was pouring out Its blood. "Smokeless powder and a Maxim silencer!" muttered Lee. his eyes tak ing note of the ten thousand possible hiding-places ou the cliffs. . ^3 In his ears there was a little whine as a second bullet sang Its way by his head. Again he sought to locate the marksman, again 9M«r nothing but '•rag and precipice and brushy clump. He took time for that thing which came so hard to him, sent a bullet from his own revolver Into his horse’s bruin, and then slipped out of the (Tearing Into the shelter of the pines. "Two miles left to the border line," he estimated It. "Afoot." Stiff from the saddle, he moved on slowly for a little. But as his muscles responded and wanned to the effort, he broke Into a trotting nm. For the second time that day he heard the whine of a bullet. He 'bought that the shot came from the ‘•llffs Just at the head of Squaw- Creek canyon. But he could not he sure. He’d make the climb tomorrow and see about It. Now he’d keep right on moving. Little used to raveling save on a horse’s hack he was shot through with odd pains when at last he came to the border line fence and the waiting horse. Pommy Burkltt held It for him while I>*e mounted. "Somebody up on the cliffs, head of the canyon,” panted Lee at Tommy’s amazed expression when Lee came running Into sight. "Killed my Iforsc. <Jo after him. Tommy. Tell the other boys.” And on he went, pounding out the last fifteen miles, the canvas hag beating against his side. Judith, In the courtyard, watched him ride In. She looked swiftly at Him from the watch on her wrist. Her ^yes brightened. It lacked seven minutes to six. As Bud dropped the canvas bag Into her hands she flashed at him the most wonderful, radiant smile that the long horseman had ever seen. She gripped his lean, brown hand in hers. "Bud. you're a brick V’ she cried. Mrs.’Langworthy had just come out with Hampton. Trevors and the major. Judith turned from Lee to Trevors, but managed to keep half an eye on Mrs. Langw«*pt4»y. "You see. It’s pay day with us, Mr. Trevors," she said quietly. "And when pay day comes we pay our men at six o'clock In spite of h—I and high water!*' Bud Lee, leading his horse away, turned for a word. "A man killed a horse for me today," he said very gently, and his eyes rested steadily upon Trevors. "If I ever get him. or the man who put him up to It, I’m going to get him right." • •»•••• On the Blue Lake ranch there was more than one man ready to scoff at the Idea of a robbery Ifke this one, frank enough to voice the suspicion: j "It’s Just a stall for time!" So much had last week's rumor done for them, preparing them to expect something that would set aside the customary monthly pay day. But when they had seen Charlie Miller’s bruised head and heard his story; when they had sat on their horses and looked drorrr-at Half a dozes more a^ off their feed and don’t look right. A man's always afraid of the cholera. And." stub bornly, “I won’t believe R t There’s been no chance of Infection; why, there’s not an Infected herd this side of Rocky Bend, a clean hundred miles from here." “Not getting nerves? Are you. Doc?" And Judith spurred on down the valley. Before she came to the spot where Bud Lee’s horse had been shot she came upon Lee himself. A rifle across his arm. he was locking J»P «t the cliffs of Squaw Creek canyon. "Well. Lee," she said, "what d<* you make of\Jt?" He showed no surprise at eve Ing her and answered slowly, fhat r ur away look In his eyes as though he were alone still and speaking simply to Bud Lee. "Using smokeless powder nowadays Is a handy thing for a man shooting under cover," he said. "Then rig up your g r un with a silencer and Ret off at fair range, half a mile and up with a telescope sight, and It's real nice fun picking folks off!” "All of that spells prepahation;" suggested Judith. He nodded. When he offered no further remark hut sat staring up at the cliffs, Judith asked: "What else have you learned ny coming hack down here? Anything?" "There were two men, anyway. I’d guess, three. 'I lie one who stuck up “Pretty Steep Climb From Here Up," He Remarked. Charlie and then drifted while the drifting was good. Then the two other Jaspers that tried to wing me." "How do you .know that?" "My horse that was shot." he ipx plained, "got It In the left of the neck. Now, look at that hole In the little fir tree yonder." Judith saw what he nie/yuNiow. At this point Lee yesterday Vliad heard the second bullet slngln^duugero.usly near It hud struck the fir. and pltynly had been fired from some point off to the right of the canyon. Briefly he went on to give her the rest of the results of his two-hour seeking for something definite. If she'd ride on a little she'd come to the spot where his horse had been killed; she would see In the. road the signs where, at Tripp’s orders, the carcass hud been dragged away. From th r e, looking off to the left, up the cliffs, she would see the spot which Lee he lieved had harbored one of the rifle men. "Indian Head." broke In Judith, gaz ing upward. "Bud Lee. I’ll bet a horse you're right. ..." "And,” said Lee, swinging from the saddle. ‘Tin going up there to have a little look around." .In an Instant, the girl was at his side. "I am going with you," she said simply. He look at her curiously. Then he shrugged his shoulders. An angry flush came to the, girl's checks, hut she went on with him. Not u word passed between them during the en tire hour required to climb the steep side of the mountain and come under Indian, Head cliffs. Here they stood together upon a narrow ledge panting, resting. Again Judith saw Lee glance at her curiously. He had not sought to accommodate his swift climbing to a girl's gait and yet lie had not dis tnneed her In the ascent. But in WRIGLEY5 After Every Meal If s the longestrlasting confection you can buy v -and Ifs a help to di gestion and a cleanser for the mouth and teeth. Wrlgley** means benefit as weU as pleasure. Sealed in its Purity Package /7 ir vx .i- = ">^s»* SELF-FILLING WELL BUCKETS they sink and fill and cant MUDDY THE WATER BRIGGS SHAFFNEROQ WINSTON-SALEM.N.C. SOLD BT HARDWARE STORES 11 “^S.THE SPRINGLESS SHADES Last Lonjier_Look Better Hiatoric Beacon Doomed Henlopen lighthouse, whiiSi has guided mariners of the Atlantic ocean at Delaware hay since 17*H. faces mo mentary destruction because the Ocean is so rapidly tearing away the land upon which It is built. , When originally constructed It was L4i"kl feet hack from the water, hut today It is scarcely ten feet from the water's edge. It Is the second oldest beacon In America. Literally Diner—How's the hash today? Walter (nonchalantly)—Like every thing else.—American Legion Weekly. Is Your Blood Starved? A RE you unknowingly handi capping yourself in this life race? Is it blood starvation— lack of energy-building element* —that is heading you toward failure . . . unhappiness? Examination show* that 80 out of 100 men and women are Anemic . . . and don’t know that this condition is responsible for their loss of energy . . . ambition. Press your thumbnail as illus trated above. Unless the blood comes rushing back Anemia is indicated. Gude's Pepto-Mangan is the tried way to revitalize the blood. For thirty-two years physicians have prescribed it. Its rich iron and manganese content have restored health to thousands. Your druggist has Gude’s Pepto-Mangan in either liquid ot tablet form. Gude's Pepto-Man^n Tonic and Blood Enricher the animal which hud been shot under Bud Lee, they were silent. And. be sides, when long after dark they came in behind Carson from a fruitless Truest, their pay was ready for them as formerly, In gold and silver. Trevors, with little to say to any one, took Ids departure In the fore noon, extracting from Hampton the promise to ride over and 'see the lum ber camp some day soon.- Judith, held at the office by a; lot of flrst-of-the-montli details, did not get away until close to elexhm o’clock that morning. Then she rode swiftly down the river, a purpose of her own in mind. Just below the Lower End settle ment slm came upon Doc Tripp. He was In one of the quarantine hog cor rals, his sleeves rolled up, a puzzled look of worry puckering his boyish face. "What’s up, Doc?" asked Judith. "Don’t know, Judy. That's what gets my mad up. Jnst performed an autopsy on one of yout Poland-Chlna gtttfc** “Found It dead?” asked Judith. "KlUad 1C grunted Tripp. “Sick. Lee's glance then* was nothing of ap proval. There were two kinds of women, as he.had said, and . . “Pretty steep climb from here up." he remarked bluntly. "For a valley man or a cobble pounder,* maybe," was Judith's curt rejoinder. Thereafter they did not -speak again until, after nearly another hour they at last came to the crest of In dlan Head. And here, in the eager nless of their search, rewarded by the signs which they found, they forgot, both of them, to maintain their re serve Bud Lee seems to think Tre vor* is the “man higher up." la he right? And will he "get him right"? (TO BE CONTINUED.) Silken Garments Taboo The men of undent Home regarded It as an effeminacy to wear any gar maat of silk. How qaickly that rash disappeared! anc The answei is not >e th n re th Lealin; 'THOUSAND! of users hav wondered at th quickness of th action of Resino Ointment Soap. Tf is that it •<* tsv*i surface treatment, but one thi reaches the depths of the and attacks the source disorder, starting the right. . T!*® ^ rst touch relieves the itching, burning and soreness and a few days persistent use rarely fail* to clear away the trouble. When the skin is once re- *L° r i *** normal condition, the daily use of Resinol Soap is generally aufficient to keep it healthy. Ideal for the com- E lexion unsurpassed for the ath and shampoo. Aik your druggist what he know* about the Resinol product*. Resinol gg*; ■■ ■ —■ - | — W. N. Um CHARLOTTE, NO. 44-1124* - m gun