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.

\ / THITRSDA^, DEC. 23, 1924. THE BARNWELL PEOPLE. BARNWELL* SOUTH CAROLINA. PACK SEVEN of Blue Lake Ranch By JACKSON GREGORY Copyright by Charles Scribner’s Son* »-L I II I. | I I ■ X , CHAPTER XII —13— Burning Memory As .Tune had’ slipped by. so did July and August. On I Tine Lake rancli life flowed smoothly. Men were too busy with each day’s work to sit into the nights prophesying trouble ahead. And !r. truth it seemed that if Bayne Trevors had ever actively opposed the success of the Sanford venture he had by now accepted tl>e role of inactiv ity forced upon him by circumstance, lie was with the Western Lumber company, us director and distVict su perintendent. seemingly giving nil Ids dynamic force to the legitinuife af fairs of the company. But there were those who placed no faith In^tlie obvious. Bud Lee kept in touch with Hooky Bond and learned tliaf Quinnlon had not come back; that no one knew where lie had gone. <’arson's man, Shorty, was sought by Lmmet Sawyer and Ids disappearance, was like that of a pricked bubble; it seemed that Shorty hud no actual physical existence or that, if lie had, he had taken it. Into some other corner of the world. Quinnion’s friends had also gone from Ki>oky Bend, like (Juin- nion leaving behind them no sign to show where they had gone. Knowing Quinnlon as he . did. and Inning his -own conception of the character of Bayne Trevors. Bud Lee said to himself that too gfeatji ijuiet portended strife to come. If Qulnnmn wa* the man to carry in his breast the hate that drove him to the murder of .Judith’s father, then he was the man to remember the humiliation he had suffered at Lee’s hands, to remember and to strike back when the time was ripe. Judith had heard o*f the night in Rocky Bend, a lurid and wonderfully distorted account from Mrs. Slmpsgp, who had received It In a letter from her daughter. “So that vras what Bud Lee did after he kissed me!" mused Judith. She sent Immediately for Carson and forced from him the full story. Dismlsaing Carson, she remained for a long while alone. Only one re mark hud she made to the cuttle fore man, and that a little aside from the issue occupying his mind: “Keep your weather eye open for what’s in the wind.’’ she told him briefly. “Behind Quinnlon Is Trevors, and the year Isn’t over yet." ^ * The rgnch w as -Stocked to Its ut most capacity. Curson had bought another herd of cattle; Lee hud added to his string of horses. The dry sea son was on them, herds were moved higher up the slopes Into the fresh pastures. Carson, converted now to the silos, was a man with one Jdea and that Idea ensilage., Again the al falfa acreage was extended, so that each, head of cattle might have Its dully aux'Mury fodder. Carson now- agreed wltil Judith In the matter of holding back sales for the high prices which would come at the heels of the lean months. The p;an Donley, who hud brought to the ranch the pigeons carrying cholera, was tried In Rocky Bend. The evidence, though circumstantial, was ■trotig against him, and the prosecution was pushed hard. But It was little surprise to any one at theVanch when the trial resulted in a hung jury. The ablest lawyer In the county had de fended Donley, and tinally, lute In Au gust. secured his acquittal. The man himself did not have ten dollars In the world; the attorney taking his case was u high-priced lawyer. Ob viously, to Judith Sanford at least. Bayne Trevors was standing buck of every play his hirelings made. Doc Tripp hud the hog cholera In hand. And every day, out with the live stock whose well-being was his responsibility, he worked as he had never worked before, watchful, eager, suspicious. “If they’ll drqp cholera down on us out of the blue sky," he snapped, “I’d like to know what they won’t try.'' • • • * • • • For the first few days following the dance Bud Lee had within his soul room but for one emotion: he had held Judith In his arms. He hud set his lips on hers. He went hot at|d cold with the remembrance. Being a mau, he made hts man suppositions of the emotions that rankled In her breast. He Imagined her contempt of • man who by bis strength bad forced her lips to wed his; he pictured her scorn, her growing hatred. He told himself that he should go, rid the ranch of his presence, take his de parture without a word with her. For, already, he*had fitted her into his theory of the perfect woman, lifting her high above himself and above the human world. It was a continued In sult for hlnr tp remain here. But, after careful thought, he re membered what Judith had already told him; he was one of the men whom she could trust to do her work for her. one of the men she most need ed. a man whom she would need sore ly If Bayne Trevors were lying quiet now but to strike harder, umnpected- ly,. later. | Judith did not dismiss hlaa. sa at first he had been sure she would. So he stayed on, remaining away from the ranch headquarters, sleeping when jo* could in the cabin above the lake, spending bis days with his horses, avoiding her hut keeping her person ality in Ids soul, her interests In his heart. When the winter had passed when she had made her sales and had the money in hand for the payments upon the mortgages, then he would go. Whereat, no doubt, the high gods smiled. As time passed, there came about a subtle change in the attitude of the outfit toward Bollock Hampton, whom they hud been at the beginning prone to accept as a “city guy." It began to appear that under his lightness there was often a steady purpose; that if he didn’t know everything about a ranch, he was learning fust; thut in his outspoken admiration of things rough and manly and primal there were certain lasting qualities. Whereas formerly his being thrown from a spirited mount was almost a dally occurrence, now he rode rather well. With tanned face and hard hands, he was, as (’arson put it. “grow ing up.” He came to Judith one day serious- fjueed, thoughtful-eyed. “Look here, Judith.” he began ab ruptly, “I’m no outsider Just looking on at this game. You’re the chief owner and the boss and I’m not kick ing at that any longer Your dud raised you to this sort of thing .and you have a way of getting by with it. But, on the other baud, I’m part own er and you've got to consider me.” Judith snvtled at him. “What now, Bollock?" she asked. “You’re the boss," he repeated stoutly. “But I’ve got a right to he next In authority. ruder you. you know. Why, by cripes, I go around feeling us If I had to take orders from Carson or-Tripp or any other of the foremen!" , “ 'By cripes' Is good!" laughed Judith. “(Io ahead.” "That’s all,” he Insisted. "You can tell them, when you get a chance, that I am your little old right-hand man. Suppose,” he suggested vaguely, “that you left the ranch a day or so. Or even longer, some time. There's got to be some one here who Is the head when there Is need for It.” Judith mirthfully acquiesced. Hatnp- tou's Interest was sufficiently heavy for him to be entitled to rome con sideration. Besides, she had come to experience a liking for the boy and had seen in him the change for the better which his new life was work ing In him. Further, she meant to make it her business that she did not leave the ranch for a day or so, or an hour or so. when she should he there. Consequently, within a week Bollock Hampton was known humor ously from one end to the other of the big ranch as the Forernun-at- Large. Murcia Langworthy, visiting in southern California, wrote brief, sun ny notes to Hampton, Intricate let ters to Judith. The mystery of Bud Lee of which she had had a glimpse when the artist, Dick Farris, and Lee recognized each other as old friends bail piqued her curiosity in a way which allowed that .voting daughter of Eve no rest until she had made her own investigations. She wrote at length of Lee. How l^e had been quite the rage, my dear. Oh. tremendous ly rich, with a great ranch In the South, a wonderful adobe hacienda of the old Spanish days, where, like a young king, he had entertained lav ishly. How, believing in his friends, tie had lost* everything, then had dropped out of the world, content equally to allow that world to believe him soldiering In France or dead In the trenches and to take his wage us n common laborer. Wasn’t It too ro mantic for anything? In due course, following up her let ters, Marcia herself came back to the Blue Lake ranch, Judith's guest now. The major arid Mrs. Langworthy were visiting in the Fust—-it seemed that they always visited somewhere—and Murcia would stay at the ranch in definitely. Hampton drove Into Rocky Bend for her and held the girl’s breathless admiration all the way home, handling the reins of ids young team in a thoroughly reckless, shivefy manner. “isn’t he splendid?" cried Marcia when she slipped away with Judith to her room. Under the bright approval of Mar cia's eyes Hampton flushed with pleas ure. Could Mrs. Langworthy have seen them together she would have nudged the major and whispered in his ear. During the two months after the dance. Bud Lee and Judith had seen virtually nothing yf other. When routine duties or a necessary report brought them for a few minute* Into each -other’s society there was a marked constraint upontthpm. Never had the man lost the sririglng sense of hts offense against her; never had Judith condescended to be anything hut cool and brief with aim While no open reference waa made to what was past, still the memory of It must lie (n each heart, and though Lee held Ids eyes level with hen arid drank deep of the wwrm loveliness of her. he totd himself angrily that he was be neath her contempt. The chivalry within him, so great and essential a part of the man’s nature, was a | wounded thing, hurt by Ids own act. The old feeling of camaraderie which bad sprung up between them at times was gone now; they could no longer he “pardners" as they hud been that night in the bid eabln. He told himself curtly that, he did not regret that; that now it was in evitable that they should be le>s than strangers since they could not be more than friends. That the girl was ready to forgive him, that she had never been as harsh with him as he w*s himself, that there was a golden, de licious possibility that she should feel as he did—so mad an Idea had not c«une to Bud Lee, horse foreman. A few days after Marcia’s arrival there came to the ranch a letter which was addressed: "Bollock Hampton, Esq., “Cieneal Manager, "Blue Lake Ranch." It was from Doan, Rockwell & Haight, big stock buyers of Sacramen to, submitting an unsolicited order for a surprisingly large shipment of cattle and horses. The price offered was ridiculously low, even for this season of low figures due to the fact that many overstocked ranches were throwing their beef-cattle and range burses on the market. So low, In fact, that Judith’s first surmise when Hampton brought it to her w^s that the typist taking the company's dic tation had made an error. Judith tossed the note Into the waste-basket. Then she retrieved it to frown at it wonderingly, and, final ly, to tile it. It began by having for her no significance worthy of specula tion. It soon began to puzzle her. Finally, it faintly disturbed her. Here were two points of Interest. First: Doan, Rockwell & Haight was the company to which Bayne Trevors, when general manager, had made many a sacrifice sale. Because the Blue- Lake had knocked down to them before, did they still count con fidently upon continued mlamanage- teuu, where the old cabin stood, was now stocked with Lee’s prize string of horses. Then one day Hampton came galloping through the herds of shorthorns, seeking Curson. ‘'Crowd them down to the Lower End again." he shouted above the din. “Cut oht the scrawny ‘ones and haze the rest into the pens.” Carson’s steel-blue eyes snapped, his teeth showed like a dog’s. “Drunk?” he sneered. “What’s eat- /‘Lvi v "/ ! / k ! 5 w%. Hampton Came Galloping, Seeking Carson. ment? Surely they must know that the management of the ranch had changed. And this brought her to the second point: How did It come about that they had addressed, not her, hut Bollock Hampton? Was this Just a trlfie? Long ago Judith had told herself that she must keep her two eyes wide open for seeming trifles. In spite <>£ her, though she scoffed at her “nerves," the girl had the uneasy conviction that thus offer had been prompted by Trevors; that Trevors, for purposes of his own, hud given Instructions that the letter be addressed to Hampton; that this was the first sign of a fresh campaign directed against her from the dark ; that trouble was again be ginning. Thoughtfully she smoothed out the letter. Impaling It on her file. Bollock Hampton, Foreman-at-Large, came and went on the ranch, carry ing orders, taking always a keen In terest in whatever work fell to hand, an interest of a fresh kind, in that it was born of a growing understanding. The men grew to like him; Bud Lee tactfully sought to acquaint him with many ranch matters which would prove of value to him, <C'arsoo, how ever, grown nervoua over the new method in stock raising still in its ex perimental stage, was given to take any suggestion from Hampton in the light of a personal affront. ‘T)—n him." he growled deep In his throat when Hampton had riddjen out with word to shift one of the herds into a, fresh pasture, an act on which Carson had already decided, “some day I’ll Just take him between my thum* an* finger an’ anni hilate him," The .greater bulk of the stock bad been steadily shifted higher in the hills. The hogs grazed on the slopes at the north of the Ix>w er End; cat- tie and horsea had been pushed east ward to the little valleys in the moun tains about the lake. Even the pil ing you; "Du ms you’re told," retorted Hamil ton hotly, “Those are orders from headquarters and it’s up to you to obey them. (Set me?" “If ever I do get you, sonny," grunt ed Carson, “there won’t be enough of you left for the duwgs to quarrel over. Orders or no orders, 1 ain’t going to do no such, fool thing.” -—ligjnpton reined his horse in closer, staring frownlngly at. the old cattle man. The purplish color of rage mounted In Carson’s tanned cheeks. “You’ll do . what you’re told or go get your time,” he announced teisely. “We’ve got an order for five hundred beef cows and we’re selling imme diately,” Carson’s jaw dropped. “What?’’ he demanded, not quite believing his ears. “Say that again, will you?" ‘ I said It once," retorted Hampton. “Now get busy.” “Who are we selling to? I ain’t heard about It." "An oversight, my dear Mr. Carson," laughed Hampton, his own anger risen. “Quite an oversight that you were not consulted. We are selling to Doan, Rockwell A Haight. Ever heard of them?" “Who says we’re selling?" “I say so. And, If . you’ve got to have all the news, Miss Sanford says so." “She does, does she? Hm-m. First I knew of It. What Agger?" “Really, does that concern you? ff the price suits me and Miss Sanford, who own the stock, does It In any way affect you? I don’t want to quarrel with you, Carson, and I do appreciate that you are a good man in your .way. But Just because you have worked here a long time, don’t make'the mis take of thinking that you own the ranch." With that he whirled ids horse, and was gone. Carson, with puckered brows, stared after him. But orders were orders, and Carson though the heart was sore, barked out his commands to his herders to turn the cattle back toward the lower fields. He had been converted to the new way, he had grown to dream of the fat prices his cow brutes would fetch In the wdnter market, he knew that prices now were rock-bottom low, that Doan, Rockwell & Haight were close buyers who before now had cut the throat of the Blue Luke ranch in sacrifice sales when Bayne Trevors ran the outfit. "We’re standing to lose thousun’s an’ thousan’s of dollars," he told him self in disgust. “All we’ve |pent on Irrigation an’ fences an’ Silos an’ ditches, all gone to heck in a ban’- basket. Not counting thousan’s of more dollars lost in soiling at what we can get this time of year. . It makes me sick, d—n throwin’-up sick." Riding down a long, winding trail, out through a patch of chaparral Into a rocky gorge, Hamh^iq^urued east again toward the high plateau. Tak ing the roundabout way which led from the far side of the lake and along the flank of the ^Mountain to the table-land, he came to a scattering hand qf horses and Tommy Burkltt. “Where’s Lee?" called Hampton. Burkltt grinned at him by way of greeting, and then pointed across the plateau to a ravine leading to a still higher, smaller, shut-in valley. Hamp ton galloped on and a\quarter of an hour later came up with Lee. The horse foreman was sitting still in his saddle, ids eyes taking stock of a fresh hit of pasture Into which he planned turning his horses a little later. It was one of a dozen small meadows on the mountain creeks w here the canyon walls I widened out Into an oval shaped valley,~less than a half-mile long, where there was much rich grass. “Hello, Hampton." called Lee pleas antly. "What’s the word?" The perspiration streaming down Hampton's face had in no way damp ened his ardor. -"Big doings." he cried warmly. “We’re cuttlqg loose, Bud, at laat and piling up the shining ducats! You’re to gather up a hundred of the most likely cayuses you’ve got and above them down to the Lower End. We’re selling pretty heavily to Doan, Rock well A Haight." ▲ new flicker came Into Lee's eyes. Then they went bard as polished agate. “I didn’t qu'te get you. Hampton," he said softly. “You say we’re selling a hundred horses? Now?" Hampton nodded. understanding nothing of what lay In Lee’s heart. “On the Jump, Just as fast as we can get them on the run," he said tri umphantly. “Judith wanted me to tell you.’’ j “1 see,” answered Lee slowly. Ills eyes left Hampton's flushed fare and went to the distant cliffs. It waa no way of Bud Lee’s to hide his eyes from a man. and yet now he did hide them. He did not want Hampton to see what they showed so plainly, in spite of his attempt to master his eliqtiion. He was hurt. Long ago he offended Judith, and she had wait ed until now to repay Ids rude insult jvifh this cool little slap in the face. She had not consulted him, she had not mentioned a sale to him, and now she sent Hampton and did not even come to him with a word of explana tion. It was quite as if she hud said: "You are just a servant of mine, like the rest, Bud Lee, and I treat you accordingly.” I'ntil Judith had come, there had been nothing thut this man loved as he did his work among Ids horses. He watched them us day after day they grew into dean-blooded perfection; he appraised their values; he saw per sonally to their education, helping each one of them individually to be come the true representative of the proudest srteoies of utiimul life. Had he turned Ids eye now to the herd down yonder he could have seen the ' animal he had selected for a brood-mare next year, the three year- old destined to draw all eyes as he Mothers, Do This— When thm Children Cough, Rub Muateroie on Throaia and Chdaia No telling how soon the symptoms may develop into croup, or worse. And then's when you’re glad you have a jar of Musterole at hand to give prompt relief. It does not blister. As first aid, Musterole is excellent. Thousands of mothers know it. You should keep a jar ready for instant use. It is the remedy for adults, too. Re lieves sore throat, bronchitis, tonsillitis, croup, stiff neck, asthma, neuralgia, headache, congestion, pleurisy, rheu matism, lumbago, pains and aches of back or joints, sprains, sore muscles, chilblains, frosted feet and colds of the chest (it may prevent pneumonia). To Mothera: Musterole ia also mad* In milder form for babies and small children. Aak for Children’s Musterole. . 35c and 65c, jars and tubes. Battar than a maatard plaatar "T — * ' ~ a shadeT!etter"*T! stepped daintily amou^ the best of the single-footers in (Jolden (late Bark, the rich red hay gelding that he would mate for a splendid carriage team. . . .'Tib, he knew’ them all like human friends, planned the fu ture for each, the sale of each would he no sorrow but rather a triumph of success. And now, to see them lumped and sold to Doan, Rockwell & Haight—even thut hurt. But moat of all did Judith’s treatment of him cut, cut deep. “You’re a fool, Bud Lee,” he told himself softly. “Oh, (j—d, what a fool!" “The buyers will he here the first thing tomorrow," said Hampton. “Ju dith says we’re to have everything ready for them." "I’ll not keep her waiting," an swered Lee quietly. And with a quick touch of the spur he whirled his horse and left Hampton abruptly, going straight to the plateau. “Round ’em up. Tommy,” he said sharply. "Every d—n hoof of them. They go hack to the corrals." Though quick questions surged up in Tommy's brain, none of them was asked Just yet. for he had seen the look on I^e’s face. It was early In the afternoon when Hampton carried his messages to Car- son and Lee. It was after dark when Lee, his work done, his heart still sore and heavy, came into the men's bunkhouse. It was very still, though close to a dozen men were in the room. Lee's eyes found Carson and he guessed the reason for the silence. Carson was In a towering rage that flamed red-hot in his eyes; utoder the spell of his dominating emotion, the. men sat and stared at him. “Well, what’s wrong?" asked Lee coolly from the door. “Hood goddlemighty!’’ growled Car- son snappishly. “You stan' there an' ask what’s the matter. If they’s any thing that ain’t the matter an’ you’ll spell Its name to me I'll put In with you. The whole outfit’s going to pot, an’ I. for one, don’t care how soon it goes." “Rather a nice way for a cattle foreman to talk about his ranch, Isn't it?” asked Lee colorlessly. “Cattle foreman ?’’ sniffed Carson with further expletives. "Now, will you stan' on your two feet an’ explain to me how in blue blazes a man can u cattle foreman when there ain’t no cattle!’’ "So that’s It, Is It? I didn’t know how close you were selling off—” "Don’t say me selling! Why, I go» silage to run my cow brutes all win ter, what with the dry feed In then canyons—” Lee didn't hear the rest. It had. been his intention to come In antf smoke with the boys, and perhaps play a game of whist. Anything t» keep from thinking. But now, movln| on Impulse, iy turned and left the shuck, going swiftly up the knoll te the ranch-house. Just stepping Into the. courtyarf soft under the moon, tinkling with th* play of the fountains, stirred his heart to quicker heating. He bad not set foot here for over two romths, not since that night which he Ir-'ew h* should forget and yet to who?* mem ory he clung desperately. ThfS wav the first time In many a long thut he had gone out of his way ts seek Judith. And now words which Judith herself hud spoken to him on* day were now at least a part of the cause sending him to speak with her She had said that lie was loyal, that she needed loyal men. He still toot her wage, he was still a Blue Luks ranch-hand, he still owed her his loy alty, though It came from a sore heart. (TO HE CONTINUED.) Gotha m Divided Race The Ooths were a warlike race which at one time Inhabited the cou» try In the vicinity of the Baltic, and afterward moved toward the Black aer and the lower Dtnube where, aboo* 230 B. C.. it divided into two branches Those that remained Ln the eeatere part of the Roman empire were termed western (Vial) Goths, say a the Kansu City Times. The Ostrogoths, after rav aging eastern Europe, establlahed am der Theodorlc a kingdom in Italy which laated from 493 to 364 A. D when the country wu recovered by Nurses and annexed to the eastern empire. f The Visigoths, after various successes against the Romans, sacked Rome under Alsric In 410. They a# terward settled in Spain and foundot u kingdom that lasted until that coo* try was conquered by the Saracen* SPRINGLESS SHADES Lastlongei -IM Reth'i At Your D*»Wrs or WYtt* q Ctrtnlneham Springl*** SkwSe Co 1 Manufacturer*, Oracnabara, N.C.J Why Forest Fires An American hull-fight film gave all the preliminaries of the event, hut when It came to the real contest In the arena it was necessary to leave much to the imagination. But when this same film was sent to Mexico, It was a failure and the Mexicans who paid their money did not hesitate to express themselves after the show, which they'regarded as a swindle. A section of a film depleting a real hull- tight wast inserted and after that the picture was a hot favorite. The whole country went to see it. Botchedt Syrup Allays irritation, soothes and heals throat and lung Inflammation. The constant irritation of a cough keeps the delicate mucus membrane of the throat and lungs .in a congested con dition, which BOSCHEE’S SYRUB gently and quickly heals. For this reason It has been a favorite house hold remedy for colds, coughs, bron chitis and especially for lung troubles in millions of homes all over the world for the last fifty-eight yean, enabling tiie patient to obtain a good night’s rest, free from coughing with easy, expectoration In the morning. You can buy BOSCHEE’S SYRUP vherever medicines are sold.—Adv. Lizard Fathered Snake Dr. W. H. Ballou, speaking before the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists at Smith college, Northampton, Muss., recently declared that u 1 lizard that roamed through Texas more than.23,000,000"years ago was the father of all snakes. It too]i mort* than 10,000.000 years for the liz ard to become a snake, he said. A Batagoulan serpent that flourished S,000,000 years ago was the conclusion of this particular development. In Poc- tor Ballou’s opinion. Dr. Prery'* "Dead Shot" ta powerful, but •afe. One doae will expel Worm* or Tape worm; no caator oil needed Adv. Post-War Soup Novelist P. H. Lawrence was talk ing about post-war Europe. “It’s almost Impossible to get a good meal in post-war Europe," he said. "A chap in a Ionian restaurant one night let out m cuss word and snarled : " ‘Walter, you’ve spilled that soup all over my trousers.’ ““Poii'rbe alarmed, signor.’ said the smiling waiter. ’1 know the soup here. It never stains after six o’clock.”’ He who sows courtesy reaps friend ship, and he who plants kindness gath ers love. Have a complexion that everyone admires MX) matter ^ how beau tiful your fea ture* ere. you cannot be truly at trac tive with a rough; blotchy; grey - looking ekin. Retinal Ointment; tided by Retinol Soap, it what you need to overcome each troublee. The gentle, but un usually cleansing propeftieo at the eoep. together with the toothing, healing quebtiee of nalpvodncte ideal for any Ain. All druggiste tell Retinal Soap and Ointment. Uee them reg ularly for a few days and watch your cemplosion improve. Resinql rox AND WOLF HOIND* at lb* beat ICngUab ■trmiaa In Amvrlc*. Korty year*' ex parlance Is breed In* tb-M bound* for my own aport. S*v* your pis*. «h*ep and poultry. Send «c for catalog. T. S. UC^3»'L.TH. Sibley (ja^eos County), Me.