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THURSDAY, JANUARY St, lilt. 'i } m ' m MT"rn’—nr O UlUSfRATED Bf fMNK&DRLDJ Second Installment WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE Palermo is the scene. There an exfV, Leonardo di Marioni, has come for love of Adrienne Cartuccio, who spurns him. He meets ^n Englishman, Lord St. Mau rice, who Tails in love with Adrienne on sight. Leonardo sees his sister Margharita, who tells him his love for Adrienne is*hope less. But he pleads with her to arrange an accidental meeting, to say farewell, be tween Adrienne and him. NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY i She laid her troubled, tear-sUined face upon his shoulder. “It is wrong of me, Leonardo. Yet, if you will promise me to say farewell, and Dare well only ” “Be it sol I promise 1” “Well, then, each night we have walked past the Marina, and home by the mountain road. It is a long way round and it is lonely; but we have Pietro with us, and on these moon light nights the view is like fairy land.” “And will you come that way home to-night, after the concert?” “Yes” * "It is good.” procure aid, and so Encounter these brigands, but in vain. I waa in despair.” "I. want no help 1 How many of the blackguards are there?” “Four, Signori” ^ “Natives ? T ' ™ “Yes, Signor.” “And cowards, I suppose?” The man smiled. “They have not much bravery, Signor. I know the men.” "I wouldn't have anyone else here for the world,” the Englishman said, shaking his fist. “Does the Signor want a knife?” asked the man, thrusting his hand into his inner pocket. “Not I. We don’t understand that sort of thing in our country, my brave Andrea. Fisticuffs will settle this little matter, you’ll see!” The man looked up admiringly at after them. The ascent was steep, and the road curved round and round in zig-zag fashion. On one side it was bordered by a thickly-growing orange grove, whose delicate perfunfc was sweeten ing the still languid air. On the other was a stretch of waste open country, separated from the road by a low wall. He chose the seaward side, and keep ing under the shadow of the trees, followed them, his footsteps sinking noiselessly into the thick dust. Once the two ladies paused to look back. He stopped too; and the two bending figures between them drew closer into the shadows, and waited. He was some distance away, but the sound of her voice floated clearly down to him on a breath of that faint night air. Again they turned, and again he followed. Suddenly his heart gave- a It was almost midnight, and Palermo lay sleeping in the moon light. The concert was over. One by one the promenaders had left the Marina, and all sound had died away. One man alone lingered drinking in the sweetness of the night. The Englishman sat on the l^st seat of the Marina, in the shadow <5f a cluster .of orange trees. « He had seen her again—nay, more, he had heard her sing—this girl- nightingale, who had taken the world by storm. He sat dreaming, with a burned- out cigar between his teeth, and his eyes idly Wandering over the blue Mediterranean. Suddenly the stillness was broken by the sound of a soft gliding footstep close at hand. He had heard no one approach, yet when he looked up quickly he found he was no longer alone. A man in the garb of a native peasant was standing by his side. ^ Naturally the Englishman was a little surprised. He half rose from * hit seat, and then resumed it as he rtctvgnized the dark, swarthy face and black eyes of the waiter who had told him Adrienne Cartuccio’s name. “Hullo! What are you doing here?” he demanded. “I was in search of the Signor!’’ was the hasty response. “For an hour I have sought him everywhere, and now it is by chance that I am suc cessful.” The Englishman looked at him with suspicion. This change of dress was doubtless for the purpose of disguise. What was the meaning of it? "W’ell, and now you’ve found me. what do you want?” he asked, watch ing him closely. "1 will tell the Signor. Is it not that he has an admiration for Made moiselle Cartuccio, the singer? VVell, she is in danger! It is for the Signor to rescue her.” The Englishman sprang up with sparkling eyes, and pitched his dead cigar into the sea. “In danger!” he repeated breath lessly. “Ouick ! Tell me where!” The man pointed inland. “Do you see that belt of white road there, leading up into the hills?” “Yes; what about it?” “Have you noticed anything pass along it?” “There was a heavy cart or carriage and some mules, I think, went by half an hour ago.” The native shrugged his shoulders. “It was an hour, Signor, but no matter! Step back with me into the shadow of those olive trees. That is better. Now we cannot be seen, and I will -explain.” The Englishman* beat the ground with his foot. “Explanations be damned!” he ex claimed. “W r here is Mademoiselle Cartuccio? Quick!” The man held up his hands, and The Englishman sprang up with sparkling eyes. . . . spoke more rapidly. “This evening I heard by accident of a plot to carry off Signorina Cartuccio by a rejected suite hasten to inform the police, but on the wav I pause. I say to myself, what snail I get for my pains, and for the risk I run? Nothing! Then I think of the Signor. I watched his face when the Signorina pass by, and I say to myself he has the passion of her. If I show him the way to save her he will be generous. He will win the lady, and he will reward poor Andrea.” “That’s all right. Tell me what to do, and I will give you fifty pounds— anything you like. Don’t waste time. Speak up!” The man’s eyes shone with cupidity. He went on rapidly: “The Sianor is a prince. Listen! Along yonder road, before many min utes have passed, will come the Signorina Cartuccio with her friend, attended only by an aged servant. Men are waiting for them in the grove of orange trees above the Villa Fiolesse. Their orders are to carry off the two ladies to the other side of the Island, where a place has been pre pared for them. For an hour I have searched for the Signor, that he might the Englishman’s commanding figure and broad shoulders. “I think they will run away from the Signor when they sec him,” he whispered. “But let the Signor re member this: if one of them thrusts his hand inside his coat, so, do not wait one moment—knock him down or get out of his way. He will have the knife, and they know how to use it, these brigands.” Tell me the name of their leader—I mean the fellow who is trying to carry off the Signorina. Will he be there?” The man shook his head. “I cannot tell the Signor his name. I dare not. 1 was once in his service, and he has powers—hush!” The two men held their breath, keep ing well in the shadow of the orange grove. They had reached the road, and in the distance they could hear the sound of approaching voices. ”1 leave you now, Signor,' whis pered his companion to the English man. “I dare not be seen. To-mor row, at the hotel.” He glided noiselessly away. . The Englishman scarcely heard him, he was listening intently. Light foot steps were coming along the winding road toward him, and soon a laughing voice rang out upon the night air. My dear Adrienne, don’t you think we were a little foolish to walk home so late as this? Sec, there is not a soul upon the promenade.” ‘Ton/ Minx!" was the light answer. Is it not to escape from them all, that we came this way? The stillness is exquisite, and the night breeze from the sea, after that hot room, is divine. What a view we shall have of the bay when we get to the top of the hill.” “They say that this place is infested with robbers, and it is terribly lonely,” was the somewhat fearful answer. “Why would you not let poor Leo nardo come with us?” “Because I did not want Leonardo, chcrif. Leonardo is very good, but he wearies me by persisting to dwell upon a forbidden subject; and as for protection—well, I fancy Giovanni is sufficient.” They were passing him n )w so close that he felt impelled to hold his breath. He had only a momentary glimpse of them, but it was sufficient. A few yards behind, a sullen-looking servant I j was trudging along, looking carefully around. In the white moonlight their even their expressions, were great bound. About fifty yards in front of the two girls w-as* a rudely- built country carriage, drawn by a pair of mules and with a single man on the box. They had paused at such an unexpected sight, and seemed to be deliberating in whispers whether or no they should proceed. Before they had come to any decision, the two men had crept out from the shadow of the wall and trees into the road, and with bent bodies hurried toward them. He did uot shout out or make any noise; he simply lessened the distance ictween him and them by increasing us pace. The two stooping forms, casting long, oblique shadows across the white, hard road, were almost level with their intended victims. Now the shaflow of one of them crept a little in advance of the ladies, and Adrienne Cartuccio, seeing it, stepped suddenly )ack with a cry of alarm. Giovanni! Giovanni 1 There are robbers 1 Ah!” 0 The cry became a shriek, but it was instantly stifled by a coarse hand thrust upon her mouth. At the same moment her companion felt herself treated in a similar manner. They could only gaze into the dark ruffianly faces of their captors in mute terror. The whole thing had been too sudden for them to nuke any resis-ance, and Giovanni, their trusted escort, seemed suddenly to have disappeared. As a matter of fact, he was watching the proceedings from behind a convenient bowlder. * The man who was holding Adrienne pointed to the carriage, the door of which the driver had thrown open. “This way, Signorina,” he said. “It is useless to struggle. We shall not harm you.” She shook her head violently, and with a sudden effort thrust his hand away from her mouth. “What do you want?” she cried. Who are you? You can have my jewels, but I will never step inside that carriage. Help! helpl” He wound his arms around her, and, without a word, commenced dragging her across the road. You may shout as much as you like,” he muttered. “There will only be echoes to answer you.” A sudden, warning erf 0 rang out perfectly visible to him; Adrienne’s rapt and absorbed by the still restful beauty of the dreaming night, and indifferent to all fear; her companion, whose dark eyes were glancing some wha't anxiously around her, and Gio vanni’s, whose furtive looks, more expectant than apprehensive, markec him out to the Englishman as an accomplice ini whatever deviltry was afoot. Unseen himself, he watchec them pass, and listened to their voices growing fainter and fainter in the distance. They were out of sight am out of hearing. He was preparing to follow them, when suddenly another sound broke the stillness. He held his breath, am crouched down, watching. In a min ute, two dark forms, kerning carefully in the shadows by the side of the road, crept stealthily past. He waited nil they, too, were out sight, and then stood up with tingling pulses, but quite cool. Moving on tip toe, be stepped lightly over the low stone wall uto the road, and gazed from his companion, and, with a start, he released his victim. The English man had stepped into the middle of the group, and, before he could spring back, a swirling left-hander sent him down into the dust with a dull, heavy thud. • “You blackguard I” he thundered out. Then turning quickly round he faced the other man, who had sprung across the. road with bent body, and with his right hand in his breast. There was a gleam of cold steel, but before he could use the knife which he had drawn, his arm was grasped and held as though by a vice, and slowly bent backward. He dropped the weapon, with a shriek of pain, upon die road, and fell on his knees before his captor. ’ The Englishman’s grasp relaxed, and taking advantage of it, the man suddenly jumped up, leaped over the wall, and disappeared in the tion. Pursuit would have been sible, but none of them thought Continued Next Week VOL. Ill, NO. J Virginia-Carolina Chemical Corporation Copyright H Good Cotton is Wanted In the United States the demand is greatest for strict low middling, middling, strict middling and good , middling from 15/16 to one inch in length, says the 1927 Yearbook of •Agriculture. These • four grades made up 85.05 per cent of the total consumption by American mills. All the lower grades together ac counted for only 13.28 per cent. The demand for cotton under H inch in length was less than one- tenth of 1 per cent of the whole. In other words, GOOD cotton is wanted—cotton up to a standard. And the farmer who uset V-C has it to sell/ V-C 11 1 look for the farmer of the future to overcome high costs by more economical production." — Renick W. Dunlap. Cotton needs a quick start, fast growth, early and thick fruiting, and vigorous bolls that stay on to full maturity. All these are in the V-C bay. “For 24 tears I have found that V-C Fertilisers excel in continuous satisfactory results.”—IF.L-Ttl/man, Bennettsvilie, S. C. V-C Must Keep Open Mind “Agriculture is the foundation of our national wealth. It is the basic industry—but. more than an indus try; it is a way of life, and trains its apprentices in independence, in self- reliance. The farmer is the most independent of men. But in order to preserve that independence he must keep an open mind toward innovations and must be on tiptoe to adopt the very best.”—U.S. De partment of the Interior. V-C Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas have limited the numlier of fertilizer gradi-s to be sold within their borders. The limits range be tween 15 grades for Mississippi to 21 for Louisiana. In all but Texas the plant food content must be at least 16 per cent. IT PAYS! V-C Fertilisers are serving their third generation of cotton growers. Farmers whose grandfathers used V-C have come into their own/and plow V-C under with every new planting. From father io/£on the good old tradition is handpa down— that V-C is an investment that pays! v-c- Time to leave a gbod woman all alone by herself is when the clothes line drops with the week's washing.—Exchant*. VA< Artificial Cotton” Now Between three and four million poundsm “artificial cotton” are now being grown in England, according to a report f rom London. The fiber is described as growing on a plant seven feet high that was discovered in British Guiana. -V-C- “V-C 4-8-4 is the best fertiliser I have ever used.”—L. P. Denniny, Benson, N. C. V-C THAT DAY HAS GONE “We once believed crops should be fertilised only when they would not grow without it. ‘Ilia land is so poor he has to use fertiliser,’ we used to say of certain farmers. And we didn’t think much of the men or the practice. That day has gone forever.” —Modem Fanniny. V-C About 18 of every tS bales of cotton that the world produced in 1927 were grown in the United States. India grew 4, China 1**$. Egypt 1 Vi, and twenty-seven other countries grew 3 bales all together in every 28. Low Grades Are “The* best interests of the sumer demanded the eli of low-grade brands. The showed that in almost every inataoec he cost (to the farmer) of the . ood in a commercial fertiliser wu highest in low-gradf goods."—Bien nial report, Tennessee Dept, of Agru culture. V-C— V-C Fertilisers are made to feed the growing plant at every stage of Us growth through maturity . v-c Farm What We Have “We have today in this country a great plenty of land already in culti vation,” says Renick W. Dunlap, assistant secretary of agriculture. “Surely stimulation to the settle ment of more land is not needed at this time or (of many years to mane. More government irrigation or drainage projects are not called few. Every abandoned farm is idle be cause someone could not make it pay. Every additional acre brought into cultivation means more compe tition. What we need is a nat land policy which will prevent pansion into new lands until realty necessary.” v-c "The bulk of the Amencow eoftoa crop is not normally grown y&m im proved varieties. In Texas, far in stance, two-thirds of the crop is grmen from ‘gin-run' seed of uncertain quality."—Yearhook or Agricul ture. v-c “Where corn is the farmer's raw product, livestock Is the finished product.*'—Successful Farming. -V-C- For Good Spuds—V-C! V-C Potato Fertilisers are made espr'oially for the exacting needs of that heavy-feeding but light-forag ing plant. Behind V-C Potato Fertilisers are extensive manufac turing facilities, long experience,— and the good pame of V-C. V-C Remember how some counties used to stay ' mud bound' all winiert What a difference good roads hast made! • VIRGINIA.CAROLINA CHEMICAL CORPORATION' About your Health Things You Should Know i by John Joseph Oainet, M_ D FEEDING THE AGED. Old age is in reality a second child hood. The infant needs certain food- elements to sustain and produce growth; it will tolerate even more than is needed. But the aged need only sustenance, and cannot comfort ably bear more food than that neces sary to sustain life. Perhaps it is instinct that leads the old man to insist on the plainest, most nourish ing, unstimulating diet. w If grandpa insists on hn corn-bread « —:ii- jlr'nv him'if he iust “THE DESPERATE LOVER” by E. P. Oppen- heim, our new serial story commences in this issue. Don’t fail to read it each week, an4 milk, don’t deny him; if he just must have roast potato, you need not call him a back number because he abhors scalloped potatoes. If you cajole him into eating some new fangled dish with a little of every thing in it, yet no real fuel for the waning fire, you may give him an alarming fit of indigestion aw r ay into* the night. If he refuses shrimp salad, try him on graham mush! The oldest machine of today, was probably built out of the best material at the outset. It has lasted this long 4 by being properly housed, its joints correctly lubricated, no overloads having been heaped upon it, and, hav ing had the proper fuel for its en gine. If you desire your (human) machine to last a long time, do noth ing to hinder its normal action. It is easy to indulge appetites, but not so easy to rid ourselves of the effects of overindulgence. By giving your aged ancestor the food he« likes, you are adding to his comfort and longevity, besides gather- f ing blessings on yourself that are mighty nice to have; then, freak diet ing is harmful at any age. * / ADVERTISE IN Real MONE from your Cotton W HY not decide now to make a raal profit from your cotton crop? Ifs not a matter of luck. Be sure your cotton haa Chilean Nitrata of Soda at planting time and at chopping thna. You'll make more cotton per acre and it will cost less per bale to make it Starts cotton off welL Makes strong healthy plants. Helps to set an early crop ahead of the weevil. - ^ 12 Bales cn 5 Acres. Peter M. A rant, Paget and, S. C., Win ner of the State Cotton Conteat in 1927, uaed 761 lbs. Chilean Nitrate per acre as side dressing in addition to other fertilizer at planting. His yield was 12 bales on 5 acres! v Now is the time to make sure of your Chilean Nitrate. Figure out your needs. Your County Agent will help you. Then place your order and be sure of a money-making crop the com ing year. $ A New Fertilizer Book—FREE Our vahiabie book “ Low-Cost Cotton" will help you make a better crop. It is free. Ask for Book No. 2 or tear out this ad and mail it with your name and address on the margin. Chilean J . i EDUCATIONAL BUREAU "J V. * Lf 2Jf •to Carolina Ufa a Mr UA4.N*