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gJL.'Oj - t “ ■ B«a Amea WIDUaiai by Ben Ames Williams SYNOPSIS At^a ff*<herlng In the TllUfe of Lib erty, Maine, Jim Saladine lletehe to the hiatory of the neighboring Hoatlle Val ley, and the mysterious, enticing "Hul- dy, M wife of Will Ferrin. Interested, he drives to the Valley for a day's Ashing, and to see the glamorous Huldy Ferrin. "Old Marm Pierce and her nlneteen-year-old granddaughter Jenny live In the Valley. Since childhood Jenny has deeply loved young Will Ferrin, older than she, and who re* - Cards her as still a child. Learning that Will, who has been working In another nefghborhood. Is coming home, Jenny exulting, sets his long-empty house "to rights” and has dinner ready for him. He comes-—bringing his wife, Huldy. The girl's world collapses. En tering his home unlooked for. Will finds seemingly damning evidence of his wife's unfaithfulness as a man he knows Is Seth Humphreys .breaks from the house. Will overtakes him and chokes him to death, although Hum phreys shatters his leg with a, bullet. At Marm Pierce's house the leg Is am putated. Huldy declares she has no use for "ha’f a man,” and leaves him. Will Is legally exonerated, and with a home-made artificial leg “carries on,” firing a helper, Zeke Dace. Months later Huldy comes back. Will accepts her presence as her right. Two years go by. Saladine comes to the Valley. Caught In heavy rain, he takes refuge at Marm Pierce's. Bart Carey, a neigh bor, arrives, carrying Huldy, whom he claims had fallen from a ledge, and seemingly, la dead. While Huldy and Jenny are alone, the woman, with her last breath, asserts Will killed her. Horrified, Jenny decides to tell no one of the accusation. She goes to notify Will. With him Jenny returns to Marm Pierce's. Zeke Dace cannot be found, tfaladlne Informs Sheriff Sohler, by phone, of Huldy’s death. The sheriff comes to Marm Pierce’s farm." Bart ex plains how he found Huldy, after her fall, dead, as he supposed. Jenny re veals the fact that Huldy had accused Will of causing her death. — - — CHAPTER IX—Continued —17— Then Jenny faced the sheriff stead ily and she said: ' “Mis' Ferrin looked at me, and her mouth twisted Into a kind of laugh, and she said some thing.- And the girl went on: “First off, 1 couldn’t hear her. She was awful weak, and I leaned down and I said to her. ‘It’s all right. Mis’ Ferrin 1’ And she laughed at me. I mean her mouth twisted as If she was trying to I And this time I heard what she sa!d. M Marm Pierce exploded In a fierce Impatience: “Get on with It, Jenny! What did she say?” And Jenny answered: “She said I could have him now I “I guess I kind of moved back, at that, away from her 1 It was like she’d slapped me! n Her cheek was pale, and she spoke almost humbly. “I didn’t know what to do,” she con fessed. “So I Just tried to tell her K was all right, and I told her Will was coming.” Her tones shook, then steadied. “And then she said It,” she con eluded. “She said, kind of slow and weak: 'Will knocked me off—’ And she bad to wait a minute, and then she said: ’He hit me 1’ - The girl was silent for an Instant before she could go on. “Her mouth was still kind of laugh ing,” she finished. “And she sort of coughed. I guess that was when she died.” A deep tremor shook her, but her voice was firm. “She laid there, looking at me, and her mouth grinning at me; but I guess she was dead by then. Anyway, she didn't say any more.” She finished and was still, waiting. And suddenly^ she was very tired, dreading what wag to come. Yet for a while no one spoke at all CHAPTER X Jenny’s disclosure for a moment pushed them all. Marm Pierce was the first to speak. “Whewl” she exclaimed. “I de clare, It’s hot as love In hay time, here !” Bart opened the door Into the shed, to admit some air. The shed was a gloomy cavern; the darkness In it was a black screen behind which anything might bide. The sheriff crossed his feet and sat In a deep embarrassment. His shoes scraped on the floor; and Marm Pierce said: “I smell a lamp smoking.- The lamps here were all in order; but when she opened the door Into the dining-room where Hnldy lay, a reek of soot and smoke emerged. The old woman bustled In there, complaining, scolding the absent Joe Matthews. “Takes a man to make a mess of things,” she protested. She brought oat the lamp, Its chimney black. “He left It turned up too high,” she de clared; and replaced It with another lamp, and they heard her raise the windows k little from the bottom. “Til afar out • mite," sbe explained, talking to herself In the other room. Then she returned, shut the dining room door again. “Weill- she ejaculated. "I declare. Pva had about enough of the goings on (his day. Jenny, why didn’t you tell see this here before r Jenny looked at Will, and she said: “Because first off 1 was afraid It was “Only 1 knowed that even If It was, I didn’t care !" "How do you mean, you didn’t carer the sheriff asked. In a dull per plexity. But before Jenny replied, Marm Pierce spoke, In a sort of defiance. “I’ll tell you that, Sheriff.” she said. ‘‘The thing Is, Will and Jenny .had got to like 'each other mighty well, before Huldy come back after that time she went away. Will, he's fine; and so’s Jenny, No harm In It I hoped Hul- dy'd not come back ever. It looked to me that Will’d be better off If he was rid of her for good and all But when she did come, Jenny she didn't see him after that, till today.” She concluded: “But Jenny and Will would have married before this, If Huldy hadn't been married to Wilt Jenny loves him and he loves her. and I’m glad of It, If It comes to that Jenny’s fine, and Will’s a man!” And then Jenny answered for her self. “That’s right” she said bravely. ‘T mean I didn’t care what he’d done, because I loved him anyway.” “And nobody’d blame him for hit ting Huldy,” Bart Insisted, quick to Will’s defense. “She needed It bad! But he never meant to knock her off the ledge !" Jenny cried, swift, Indignant: “Will never touched her, Bart!” “I know he didn’t," Bart loyally agreed: “But Pm Just saying, If he did !" “He didn’t!” Jenny repeated crisply. The sheriff looked up at her. “How come you to be so sure, Jenny?" he asked In sober tones. “Outside of— feeling about him the way you do, how come you to be so sure?" “If I wa’n’t sure," Jenny challenged, d’you think Pd ever have told'you, or anybody, what sbe said?” “You wouldn't want to marry a man that’d kill his wife, would you?" Sohler urged; and Jenny’s eyes met his fairly, and hers were misty with deep tenderness. “He didn’t,” she Insisted steadfastly. ‘‘But Pd wafit to marry Will any way It come, and no matter what be done!” “Well, that ain’t telling me bow you know he didn’t do It?" the sheriff repeated doggedly. “What made you sure, all of a sudden, now?” “Just—coming to my senses,” Jenny decided. “I was kind of numb for a while; but then after Pd been with Will for a spell, I was sure!” The sheriff, surprisingly, chuckled. Pd admire to hear you testify like that in court,” he declared. “I’d like to see what the Judge would say.” He became grave again, and looked at last at Will “How about It, Will?” he suggested soberly. “Anything you've got to say?" Will, with all their eyes upon him. wiped his hand across his mouth. The man was shaken sore. He stood fumbling Jor wonls. “If It was any one but Jenny told me, I wouldn’t be lieve Huldy said It,” he declared. “’Taln’t true, I guess yoo’ll say.” “No. No, It ain’t true.” The sheriff, frowned. “How come Mis’ Ferrin to say a thing like that, then?” he protested. “Don’t seem as If a woman would tell a straight-out He, the mlcute before she died!” “She was out of her bead, I reckon,” Will offered. But Jenny said: “No, Will, she was same as always. She knowed me. knowed every word she said." The man Insisted, almost pleadingly: Jenny, she wouldn’t tel) a thing like that only If she was crasy, or out of her head, or something.” Marm Pierce had been sllenJ -longT but now she spoke, in sharp and angry tones. "Will Ferrin’ yo’re a fool!" sbe ex claimed. “I guess most men are, where woman’s concerned; but yo’re ‘a* bigger fool than ngost. Yon know as well as anyone that Huldy was no good!" His head lifted as though he would speak, but her voice rose. “Now don’t try to shut me up. Will Ferrin!” she cried—‘Tor Pm going to have my say! Land knows why Huldy married you; but everybody knows she was a bad wife to you. She was had from her toes up. Dead as she Is, I’ll say her out of my house this minute, dead though she be, if It wa’n’t for you. Will. As It is, she can stay; but you better get some sense Into your head! Sbe was a man-chasing, lying, trouble making woman, and that’s the truth of It, and Pm glad she’e dead. If you ask me!”, She finished and stood panting with her own pent rage, and looked at Will as though In challenge; as though she dared him to deny her words. And Jenny crossed to Will’s side, not touch ing him, but ready there,- and loyal Then Will spoke slowly. "Ma’am.” he told old Marm Pierce, “I guess If It comes to that, I knowed Huldy better than mopt But I don’t want folks to talk about' her^sot” There was pleading In his rones. “Then don’t you play the dumb fool to me,” said old Marm Pierce angrily. “Denying what’s as plain as dayl She always would make trouble when she could. She set Zeke on Bart two years ago; and she’d set Jenny against you now, If she codld . . She looked at Bart as though he would confltm her word; but Bart was watching Will. The sheriff leaned forward, his el bows on his knees. “But Just the same," he urged, “she wouldn’t think that up, about Will hitting her and knocking her off the ledge, unless someone, Will or someone else, did hit herl" He looked at Marm Pierce. “Mia’ Pierce," he asked In a low tone, “wa'n’t there a place on her face like she’d been bit?" “Like she’d hit a tree, or a srone, when she fell ye*." said the old wom an, grudgingly. “But no man alive could hit that hard!” He nodded. “Seemed to me I re membered your saying that,” he agreed. “Saying ner face was—banged up!” He looked troubled; and then he stood up and turned to Will “Will,” be said gravely. “My Job Is Just to do the best 1 know.” He hesi tated, and silence whited on him. “The law Is that If a person Is dying, and says something, you’ve got to take It for true, less’n there’s proof to the contrary. That's one thing! Then If Huldy did have a banged place on her face, it's likely someone did hit her! And you was down to the ledge, look ing for her, by your own tell” He added. In aa apologetic tone: “S’pose you did find her down there, and she started talking about Jepny? I guess If sbe got you mad enough, you might hit her. Will Same as any man.” Will answered hiss. “I didn’t. Sheriff," be said. Sohler was uncomfortable: “I don’t know’s you did. Will,” ha agreed. But I've got to go on her say-so. I’ll take It as a favor If you was to come along back to East Harbor with me." Jenny felt her spine coM with fear; but Will’s eyes were firm. Be said at last: ”1 can see how yo’re placed. Sheriff. Only—not knowing where Zeke is, or whether he’ll eeaw heme or not, Pd have to get someone to do my chores for mel" Bart cried: “Don’t worry about that. Will! I’ll ’tend t<t things. If the sheriff's so blamed dumb I" But Jenby, coming close to Will, said: “If you go, Will Pas going too! I’m not ever going to leave you now!" Then Marm fierce spoke, la her shrill tones, still angrily. “1 declare,” sbe exclaimed, and stamped her foot 'For fools, give megien every time! If yon ask me, Huldy’s better dead, and everybody else Is better off with her dead, too. No sense In ssaklng such a fusa about It But Will didn’t kill herl” “Then who did, ma’am?” the sheriff asked, reasonably. ' “Why, Prf tell yon," saM the old woman, nt yo’re teo blind te seel" so, If It’s the last word I do say. She’d have drove any man that wa’n’t a saint or a fool to kill her long ago; but yon didn’t kill her. Yon always would speak soft to Huldy, and stand any thing from her, and come down hard on anyone that tried to tell yon the troth about herl” She turned as though on a sudden thought to the sheriff. “Will didn’t hit her," she insisted. “He wouldn’t have the spunk to! He always did treat Huldy like a lady, no matter how she behaved. Maybe if he’d took a hoop-pole to her long ago . . But she checked the Word, swung to Will again. “Will you listen to me,” she com manded him. “Huldy knowed what sbe was saying, all right; and she knowed she was dying, too. But If she could make Jenny believe you killed her, there couldn’t ever be any happi ness between the two of you; and that’s what Huldy wanted. That’s why ■ha said what she did. So'a to make It hard for you, and bitter hard for my Jenny!" s And she said with a sudden passion la bar tones? “Just for that, Pd put And he recognized that fact that if In those few moments she conld dis turb him so, then she mast in other men. have set up conflicting currents capable—if once released—of any vio lence. She was. he thought, a sort of pagan. She was vicious, beyond doubt; yet— there were not the marks of vice upon her, but rather of abounding life and deep undisciplined vitality. Saladine could even pity this woman, Vuied and driven by forces whose nature and depth she herself did not In the least comprehend. She must have loved her own body, that warm beauty It contained; must hav« served It like an acolyte, fetching to It whatever sacri ficial offerings were at .hand. But Saladine, though he might be a mystic, was | realist, too; and—here had been murder done. - The woman who, by the powerful spell her pres ence cast, had wrecked and distorted other Uves—had worked her own de struction In the end. Yet—through what human means? Through Will the husband she so bit terly had wronged? Or through Zeke, reduced from strong laughing manhood to a weary’and tormented ember? Or through old Win Haven whom she had flouted? Or through Bart Carey here, who had bated her for her betrayal of his friend? Or through some casual passer-by? Saladine did not know; had no sure conjecture in bis mind at all It seemed to him not Impossible that some stranger was Involved. His own experience with Huldy helped his ac ceptance of this hypothesis as a pos sibility. She had sought to detain him, on that hidden ledge above the Valley; he bad escaped by a sort of flight, as though he broke away from an actual physical restraint. Snch women as Huldy asust.provoke in some men a sort of violent repulsion; and Saladine recognized this feeling In him self. If she had, for Instance, tried by physical means to prevent bis depar ture, had clutched bin arm with her small hands, he could Imagine him self flinging her with a violent and shuddering distaste backward and away. Thus cast aside, sbe might easily enough have tripped, or stnm< bled, and tottered off the ledge. Ho ihought grimly that he himaelf, aa well as any other man, might thoa have hurled her to death today. So Saladine could conceive the ew- chinery of this tragedy; but H re mained to discover the man. Be had for a while almost forgotten this necessity in watching Jenny, during her disclosure of Huldy’s dying accu sation ; he had seen the fine trust and tenderness in the girl Her clean devo tion shone against the dark back ground of Huldy’s ugly passions; and he had forgotten that there was still a murderer to be found, till Marm Pierce by her word to the sheriff brought bis attention back again. The old woman said she would tell them who had killed Huldy; and Sala dine, whose thoughts had been absorbed In dim abstractions, returned to a keea alertness. On Marm Pierce’s promise, silence for a moment held them; and the old woman said briskly: “It’s cooled off In here by this tlme^ Win, chunk np the fire. Bart, shut^thar shed: door]*’ (TO BE CONTINUED) CHAPTER XI Jim Saladine was a asaa of wit and sense, and he was quicker than most men at reading the riddles life may day by day preseot But all this day, Ke liadrEggli fleerATarw Iwa. ~ He -w*» a stranger t# these folk, and they to him; and for aay appraisal of their characters and their capacities for good or evil he had to depend upon what his eyes could see, or upon what this one said of that one. Hnldy he had seen, alive, beautiful, seductive; Will be had seen and liked; Bart he had had time to weigh and to appraise, and had found that ybnng man bold and headlong, yet well enough; Zeke he had glimpsed briefly, and held, In pity, though be had not been blind to the dangerous passion In the maiw Old Win Haven he knew only by repute; yet that repute waa 111 A cowardly old man, willing to spite a woman, or to affright a woman If he chose; willing perhape to kill one, too? But Saladine, even while he recognized hit own limitations, rec ognized also that here were forces In play which could fiot^aasily be calculated. Such a woman as Buldy Ferrin had emanations which must affect the Uvea, the very souls, of -all those about her. ‘ Bren Jim himself— and he was not a susceptible man- had after leaving her known a vague uneasinees, a nervous sens# of being spied on, of being trailed through the sodden wood. Builders John BUItt. ft Btll Syttdlcxf.—WNU grvlcr Business consists of building. \ The successful merchant la the mer- v * chant who steadily. If gradually, builds up his trade by con vincing his patrons that he knows how to do his Job, and can be depended upon to do It. Just now a painter and tfiV as sistants are painting my house. Through the window beside which I am writing I eftn see them work. They work not hastily, but steadlH- This Is the third time they have done this work for me. The first time I observed them they^- were at work on a house across the street from mine. I watched them \ for a while, chiefly oat of idle curiosity. 1 thought they wfcre slackers, so slowly did they ply their brushes. Down the street, a little further an other set of painters were engaged More Humble About Our Opinions in New Kinship ' " l » At the moment, many people ara deploring “a lack of leadership” 1a religion, says Lloyd C. Douglas in Cosmopolitan. “In my opinion, tha Confessed bewilderment of the churches Is a sign of health and progress. The recent use of the soft pedal has made the prophet of moro value to the people. They sense an Intellectual kinship with the honest man who admits he is a bit at a loss to know exactly where we are. “Editors who were used to saying the last word necessary for the ade quate Instruction of their constitu ents are writing hi phrases tempered by a new shyness." Statesmen, teach ers, -parents, even half-grown chil dren are no longer laying down their beliefs with a bang. We are all be coming humble about our opinions. This Is the type of kinship we navo needed more seriously than any oth er. It Is somewhere along this road that we may find our peace.” AU Talc Nothin Powder; Other Minerals Are Used Talc la a mineral which finds many nsea on account of Its extreme soft ness and nnctnousness. It la so soft that It Is readily scratched by the finger nail and feels as slippery as If It had been greased. Its familiar nse aa talcum toilet powder depends on these properties as well as the absence of grit and the fact that it does not cake or become plastic when wet Talcum powder Is the pare mineral ground to powder and perfumed. Sometimes a little borax Is added as a mild disinfectant Other somewhat lif» anctuona minerals They worked more rapidly, and 1 made up my mind that when the house needed painting l would send for them. But at the end of six months the ■mint on the house up the street was neelnnlng to peel. «. Jn a hot spell that followed a large nart of It had curled up and chipped off. I decided that I wouldn’t hire them, and gave the work to the crew that had worked so slowly.- And I presently found that 1 had been wise. • • • Life consists of building, and It Is f atal' to make a rush Job ont of It Since I have lived In the town where f am. I have .seen half a dozen enter prises fall simply because the men whn ild them wanted to save time by rush' fng them. " Th^se men deservedly lost their cus tomers, and presently went Into bank ruptcy and moved away. Their competitors who remained be hind got their business . and as the years passed by got more and more. The hnrry-np fellows conldhave done aa well. If they had - really bnllt Bot they didn’t _.— 9 # 9 Every activity must be directed by real builders If It Is to succeed. 0 This nation teas built up slosvly and wisely by groups of great devoted and hoHesimen.— ; It .win continue to grow as long as such men are In control of It. If It becomes a “rush Job" it will fall. I do not think It win fall — The Indications are that when wise artf?' careful men are needed for its counsels they will be found. Tt may be that some of the work al ready done win have, to be torn ont and replaced. But I am certain that in the main the building win be done as it should be. » • • •As long as yon can stand and see, lon’t flop ont of any competition In which yon have en- Never tered. Give Up ** T*® didn’t win the one yon hap- peqgd to be In, yon at least hare had experience, and without experience there can be no succeaa. Keep thinking about your Job. Leave distractions behind. Cnltlvatte the work habit You uoubtTess read about men who wear themselves out h» the fruitless efforts for snecess. . But they are more likely to wear themselves out by bad habits th^n by over-exertion. 'see Drop the Idea that one of the roads to success is by learning to play a crack game of golf. 1 know a dozen young fellows who have told me confidently that the best way to get Into business Is to be a coming yonng golfer—because all the “big men" in the clnb will look np ta yon, and perhaps give you a Job. But If btg bnsfness men were anx- tons to dlstrlbnte Jobs among crack golfers, they wonld go ont behind the caddy house and distribute employ ment among the little Irish and Italian boys who carry clnbs around. Most of these caddies can out play any member of the club, but that doesn’t lead big bnslness men to put them.to work In their offices. The competition you need to enter Is a competition of brains, not a cortpetl- such as serpentine and gypsum are sometimes substituted for the talc, and chemical products are sometimes sub stituted for special purposes. In Colonial times our grandmothers used fuller’s earth as baby powder. Talcum powders account for bot a small part of the talc used, accord ing to Field Museum News, sa organ of the Field Museum of Natural His tory, Chicago. For every pound 'of talc ground for talcum powder forty pounds are used in other ways. Groundhog Great Beaefactor The groundhog, or woodchuck, throughout the year. Is i great bene factor of the skunks, rabbits, ground* squirrels, field rats, etc., notes a writer In the . Indianapolis News. He tunnels- the earth everywhere, sod Is a much better digger than they. His abandoned dens make homes for other creatures, less'able or too lasy to dig them. There was a time when wolves and wildcats mads life hazardous for the groundhog. The fox, dog, and man are about his only enemies now. He win run to his den, or dig In, when danger threatens; hut he wUl fight viciously if cornered, tnd his sharp front tooth ara good weap> “Ringworm started with a white crust on my little boy’s head. Then It turned into eruptions and his head waa in a terrible way. These erup tions Itched and when he scratched them they would burn, and moro TTOR for gulf Bcuwa or-ancceSs on * | broke out - He ceald not rest, but tennis court, nor the knack of pulling a powerful oar In an eight oared shell Stardom In these things will get yon a lot of acclaim, but will not help yon bring home the bread and/butter. ~-v ~ ( a a a ' The one thing yon are after, I take it, Is snccess in yonr business or yonr profession. All right Go after that Make It your chief occupation. J Never mind "showing off." Yon can do that later. - Yon want to be Important by and by. That Is a laudable ambition, and I trust that you will attain It > But you never will attain It by learning to do things with your hands and muscles. / a • a Jwhat win gat you into tha limelight . that you crave will be your brain*, if you have any, and use them in the way they were intended to use when they were giv en you by the Creator. And bear In mind that If you dont go after the worth while prizes in life, somebody will beat you to them. And that somebody will be a chap who under no circumstances will admit that he Is licked. In Whicb Politician and Economist Are Defined An economist is s man who knows a great deal about a very little, and who goes on knowing more and more about less and less until he finally knows everything about practically nothing. A politician Is a man who knows a very little about a great deal and who goes on knowing less and less about more and more, until finally he knows practically nothing about ev* erything.—Tit-Bits. Civil Concord The cottage, no less than the pal ace, enjoys the blessings of civil con cord and social harmony. Human life. In every sphere, becomes easier and happier and more fruitful, as men recognize the ties which bind them to each other, and learn to dwell together In mutual^ affectloi and helpfulness.—Van Dyke. May Bo Arrogaaco A forceful man may need to givs. his fnccefnlnetes an education. unu JACK HORNER AFtK IAHNO A LAtOI PtfCI OP PH Hi SIOCKM HIS THUMB . AMD PUIUD OUT A TUM, ( moat m always kett in ms vest \ socm »OK JUST SUCH IMmOENOCS / WHY MILLIONS CARRY TUMS! \/1E1JQNS aoo know the anart thtaw is to M twxy a na o( Turns, slwaya Heartburn. me, sod other symptonis of add indimtioa Sava a habit at occurring at unexpected times. Yam don’t has* to drench your stomach with ■Ptalisa which phyddana have Iona tha tendency toward add Turns, a real scientific ad- ——tw n> of other ‘ rful antadd that simptr asm acidity, the balance outag tha hadr Inert. Pleasant OMrlDtaafc to eat aa ( PutaraU la your pocket now: POATHI TUMMY Ringworm on Head. Child Cried AH the Time , Cuticura Relieved cried all the time. - 1 tried different remedies, but the eruption lasted one year. Then I used Cuticura Soap and Ointment, and now my boy’s head is relieved. I will' never be without Cuticura Soap and Ointment” (Signed) Mrs. Margaret Carter, 840 Greenmonnt Ave., Baltimore, Md., May 27, 1938. Soap 25c, Ointment 25c and 50c, Talcum 25c. Sold everywhere. One sample each free. Address: “Cutl* curs Laboratories, Dept R, Malden, Maas.”—Adr. Imkuptliat Pwhysdm—st wsylo prsVstrt « cold frea'cakfciaf hold” sad ystfinf worse Ifc •t ones, ks doomo Intwi aedy. Do M tba pltMant Its. esp w*#. Flush dm system with a hot ddrof Garfiold SAMPLE GAR!nil) n \