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Michael J, Phillips IllvkStra-trionf hy H«my J«y Lee Copyright Mv«Km1 V. Phillip* lUUe—d thru PuMiahera Autoc**t»r Service THE LEADING CHARACTERS IMison Forbes, a young resident pi isuu. Ttir Ur ‘' ***-* mmnM in Tn~tt TnyWTf.' SWTnty of feeling toward Nance. young ci Scottdale with an inherent craving for liquor, is held for the death of a woman who has been killed by a boot legging truck. Circumstatninl envi- dence points to Forbes ard rath er than tell the truth of the episode, which would dear him but cast another friends into .bad light, he stands trial and is senten ced to a long term in governor of the state, an old friend of Eddie’s father, believes him inno cent and pardons him shortly after his arrival at the jail. Bark in Scott dale he and PATSY JANE, his trusting wife, agrees thst public s»nt!ment again, t him is too strong so they migrate up north to some land that has been in the family for years. While there they form the acquaintance of ISAIAH SEALMAN, a shifty neighbor who is anxious to buy their land. Eddie learns thst the back taxes amount to over eight hundred dollars but as he has five months to pay he decides to refuse Sealman’s offer of $1200 and try and get Anal title to his property—Sealman’s offer having led him t» think it very valua ble. But things do not go well. Ed die (kinks heavily from some boot legger’s potions, is forgiven by Patsy, but soon after falls in with the same gang, gets drunk, and wakes up in a freight car in Chicago—many mile* away. Stricken with remorse he re turns to hia cabin but finds his wife has left and rn her place a ruffian, who orders him out. A fight ensue? in whach -Eddie finally knocks his op- ponent ooTd. After ejecting the intruder finding tflat he seems to be in league with Sealman. Eddi^goe» to Irfung Portage and sees Patsy, who is working fsr[ husband thatfr- Kinnane, a lawyer. She announces that she will not join him until he definitely quits drinking. Determin ing to comply, he finds- a job with Davenant, a rancher, and for several weeks abstains from the bottle* that cheers. But one Sunday, Eddie walks on the lake trail, and encounters a series of truck smugglers. Among them he recognizes his “friends” who ahanghaied him to Chicago—notwith- atandirtg, Forbes hails them in greet- ^ITi • , u i • i •4;i:g f < “Huckleberries,” she smiled. “I saw that what cl was earning wouldn’t make it. So I arranged bo do Mr. Kinnane’s work evenings. I’ve been fn the marshes for three weeks. It really wasn’t bad. I was a good picker. “It wasn’t exactly necessary,” she went on, giving him time to recover. “The Kinnane’s would have loaned it to me. They are the deares tpeople, Eddie! They treated me like a daugh- on because he didn’t have the moral courage to face his dad and the rest of Scottdale. He hasn’t much moral courage yet. But I’m working on him.” The color rose in Patsy’s cheeks. She knew it waa so. Many remarks that Eddie had made, even while guarding closely his secret, fitted in. And she had distrusted and disbeliev ed him. She had joined in the un- Go in now it’s reaily closing time. For an instunt he held her close, with n tender violence that left her breath less though starry-eyed. Then they went beck together. “Here’s your money,” said Eddie, briefly counting it out. There were a few small bills left when he had done ao. Peter Wimple grinned as he re charged his pipe. “Sort o’ thought you’d do it,” he said. "Your place is safe for a year now. We’ll fix up the papers tomor row, but III give you a receipt now. J’m acting as hia agent,” he pointed with his penholder toward the dark, scowling young man, “just as I was for Mr. Brower.” It was plain that he did not share his principal’s ill- humour over the turn affairs had tak en; markedly plain. Nance rose from her chair, saunter ed to Patsy Jane, who stood with averted eyen by her husband. She linked her arm through Patsy’s. There was a motion of aversion and resistance, but the smile on Nance's wilful, attractive facet only deepened. “Como on outside, Patsy,” the com manded. *When they were alone in the vestibule she placed both her hands on the other gir’s shoulders, as she had on Eddie’s that Sunday. “Don’t be a foil,” she admonished/ with a gentle -shako. "You -have” » *T’m sorry, Nance,’ ply. she saki, sim- be- plkce on Portage Creek, your quarter-section. * Light flooded a landscape long darkened. “Then Sealman—” began Eddie. Yes, Sealman!” The other spat out the name scornfully. “Maybe you’re surprised we’re out in the ; open, and Sealman’s the answer. We tried to do it under cover, so we wouldn’t be held up. He was our agent. But we found out that he was taking about half the options in his own name. He was to be his own holdup man. “Some of the land he had bo buy outright. He needs quite a wad of money, quidc, and he ran in a cargo of liquor to raise the wind. That was his booze the State police captured to-day. So he fell down, and I’ve been over to the jail and gotten re leases out of him. “Now, this quarter-section of yours, Forbes. We’ve been paying on an average around sixty dollars an acre, and that’s more that the stuff is worth. Yours—” “Witt-cost -yetr * hundred, but I reserve the mound above the water line.” “Ouch! You’re certainly careless with your language, youn^ fellow.” "But you have to have it. That’s my price* It’s a little high, but it’ll compensate for some of the things “He has been trying, because of certain circumstances,” said the judge formidably, “to force me to reverse myself on that accident pf last spring. He has bold me—” “You sneak!” interrupted the dark young m*n, passionately, turning on Eddie. “So you had to come and spill it that I was with you that night. I was coming to tell him myself. We agreed, Nance and I, it was the thing to do. And you spoil—” “Randolph!” His father’s hard voice stopped him. “Do you mean that you—you were Forbes’ compan ion—that you were on a drinking bout—” He paused to stare fixedly at his son whose attitude confessed guilt. Confused by his blunder, Randolph stood with head bowed and hangdog look. (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.) GILLILAND & MAYS. INC., NOW - SELLING MOHAWK TIRES. The hands on her shoulders came subtly caressing. "In a way you weren’t to be blamed,” she smiled. "Now that that’s off my chest, I’ll tall you something else: .You know [that crook agent of yours did to me. that Sunday morning? By the* way, I reaerve that mound on “I’d been hearing thing*. I heard the southwest oomer. It must be that Eddie was drinking hard and' above your proposed water- headed straight for the bowwows: line.” that he waa going to lose his property; The dark youth waited patiently in and that you had left him under fire, the outer office. When Eddie and when he needed you the moat. So I j Malone came out, he aproached the went there to find out for myself and former sulkily. “About that mound, to—to grab him if you’d been so. Forbes—” he began, but Eddie cut Gilliland & Mays, Inc., 572-574-576 Broad Sbredt, Augusta. Ga., have just been appointed distributors for Mo hawk Tires and Tubes. This is one of the beat known tires on the market today and enjoys a wonderful reputa tion. It is safe to say that a large number of Mohawk Tires will be sold with then- new connection in Augus ta. 9-15-4tcL. Week-End TRIPS . Round Trip Reduced F ares from BARNWELL Fares from OtheJr Points ' in Proportion. Wrightsville Beach $10.05 Augusta J2,40 Tickets on sale Fridays and Saturdays and forenoon Sun day trains, good until midnight following Tuesday. Sunday Excursions Augusta $2J^ Tickets good day of sale, Round Trip Summer Excur sion Tickets on sale daily bo re sorts in Canada and the United States, good until October SL We are prepared to serve you. ’ J. E. MAHAFFEY, T. A. Barnwell, S. .C, Phone 5. ATLANTIC COAST LINE Advertise in The F bople-SentineL CHAPTER XXIII. Saved! “Eddie!” He started quickly at his You’ve had a lot.to do with making him.' But you’re taking chances on spoiling him now. “I suppose you believe with stupid old Scottdale that I was with your husband the night that woman was killed?” She paused for a reply, but there was none. “You couldn’t un derstand that a chap could be big enough and generous enough to keep another’s secret, even at considerable risk to himself. You thought there must be something disgraceful to conceal. • • sj - ' s “That seemed so silly to me, know ing Eddie. You see, I knew him bet ter than you did.” Patsy Jane made 1 foolish •* to cut him adrift. “But I know Eddie pretty well— I’ve told you that—and I found cpl that Dame Rumor was about 99 per cent wrong. I saw that he had the booze whipped. That while you were away you hadn’t left him. And that he thought the world of you. I re vised my opinion of you, Patsy. I had thought you a little simpleton, without brains or character, mostly because that’s what I wanted to think. But that leaving him to fight liquor his own way was really a master stroke. It was the only thing that would have cured him.” She paused to smile whimsicfelly. * . I pi*'-'«s to pick Tip—That^jSSis you saw rest' TPmiu~~g«g wa*~ k'odbfe! The “Come soon threw jn >yas just. pure cussedness. That finishes that. Now, you know, Patsy, the ipending idea is like any other. When you set your heart on picking up pieces and making over into a better model—So I’m going to marry ” And she moved her head backward again. “I’m glad, Nance.” ^ “Oh, I’ve undertaken a job,” the girl went on with her astonishing frankness. “But the difficulty make him rlicrt. “I’ll deal only You know why.” with headquarters. CHAPTER XXIV. The Judge. It seemed to Eddie that as he read. Judge Randolph Perkin* shifted his thick white, hand until it drew a shadow on his face, making its exprea- aion impossible* of interpretation. But when he had quite finished, the jurist's head went up and his big jaw was thrust out. “This purports to be a confession by one Herman. Libby that he was driving the truck which collided with saw there werw^ anyi* motorRweat^uaad Jast suimnef, cHtr*nTjr Tlte death bf* MriT Maria Knowles.” he said, in meas ured, colorless tones. . “It is a certified copy of the con fession,” Eddie* corrected him, quietly. The judge bowed. “So I see. Well.” “It completely exonerates me. I was convicted of manslaughter in your court because of that accident.” “Yes; the evidence—” “Was mostly prejudice. I was real ly convicted of taking a drink.” • “Granted that may be in a measure true. What is your purpose in corn- day?” “I’d heard something about it’ “That was a forward step. That name a movement to free herself but the young gentleman thought for awhile called in those soft tones, and turned, supple, slender hands held h«*. “He he was going to take your land away Patsy Jane stood in the doorway. She was doing a big thing and a brave fi'om you. He bought the tax title was smiling and beckoning. He went thing. I was about the only one that from the Browers, you know. But I to her wondering, and closed the door aprechted it. And I couldn’t go to at all the more fascinating. Did you jng to me? The press will publish know {Jddie thrashed him the other this, and you will be set right in the eyes of the communlity.” Eddie leaned forward. “Judge,” he said, “the newspa^# published behind him. “I’ve been watching for you all the afternoon,” she said, smiling. “You haven’t—any money?” He shook his head bitterly. “Not enough.” him and tell him how I admired him.” She tossed her head good humoredly. “I didn’t care about the gossips, but I know if I were talking to him it would make the case worse. And— Well, Pat, I was a little nasty, too. “I know, Mr. Kinnane is attorney You’d come in and taken him . on the for the bank. He knew about the wing. I felt sometimes although I raised check and warned me your wanted you both to suffer. That’s all account would be held up. Here.” the cinic stuff. Do you know wh6 She thrust a roll of bills into his lands. Amazed to the point of speech- lessness, he took it automatically. He saw that the dear little face was pale; that the warm little fingers were stained purple. “Where did yon get H, Pat?” he asked, kissing the fingers. was really with him that night?” “You know I don’t,” returned Patsy. Nance tilted her Head toward the room they had just quitted, and the other girl’s eyes widened in surprise. “Not—” she began, and “Yes. He told me so just the day. He let Eddie all but go to pi wouldn’t have permitted him. If you two hadn’t found the money, I’d have paid it myaelf.” “You’re good, Nance,” said Patsy, gratefully. “Get out!” she scorned^ “It’s better fun to shoolL_at?»ight. That’s all.” Meanwhile the city stranger had drawn Eddie into Wimple’s private office. ‘‘Been waiting to see who’d get that quarter-section, so I could deal,” he began, briskly. “Mr. Forbes, I’m Malone, of the National Power. You know uet. We furnish light and power for the Great Lake States, manufacturing the juice from water power wherever we can. We’re plan- niug a big dam five miles below your statement from y|jpFafter the gover nor pardoned me/ You said his ac tion was ‘a miscarriage of justice’ and a ‘travesty.’ You did all you could to ruin me. Now—” “I did make such a statement,” agreed the jurist “I was not trying to ruin you, B|it you were half drunk when the accident happenW. You had liquor illegally in your pos session. You had been drunk before. In the circumstances; I consider the statement quite justified.” “All right” replied Eddta, easily, “I granted to get your ideas on the subject. But I came for something else, really; You own—” The door of the judge’s r study opened. A dark, weak-faced young man entered. “Hello, dad,” he berjan. and stopped. “Didn't know you were busy:” He scoowled as he recognized Eddie. “What’s he been telling j^u?”