The Barnwell people-sentinel. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1925-current, March 12, 1936, Image 18
The Barnwell People-Sentinel, Barnwell, S. C„ Thursday, March 12, 1936
r
Storm
4
Music
r;
By
Domford Tales
Copyrtsht by Mtnton, Balch A Co.
WNU Service.
CHAPTER VI—Continued
— 10—
I had no time to close the casement
Itself. As the servant pushed open my
door, I took my stand behind It, with
my hack to the wall.
When he found the room dark, he let
out a grunt of surprise. For an In
stant he hung on the threshold, then
he turned hack to the passage and
closed tiie door.
As his steps died away, I turned the
handle once more. . . .
It was half past eight now, and the
hall was dim.
I could hear no sound of talking, hut
I knew that Hush was yet in the sit
ting-room.
Then Bugle, pacing the apron,
strolled Into and out of my view.
It occurred to me that he was wait
ing for Hush to finish his meal; then
the two would go off together and I
should he left. Meanwhile Pharaoh was
in action.
Hush was moving—I heard the scrape
of his chair as he thrust It back. An
Instant later he made his way out of
the house.
I heard him say something to Bugle
and 1 saw him turn to the right.
As neither reappeared or started the
car, It looked very much as though
they were sitting down on the bench
to the right of the steps. If I was right,
then a man at the sitting-room window
would be above and behind them and
able. If they were talking, to overhear
every word. Fate that had used me so
rudely, played Into my hands.
• ••••••
“Yes, I know that bit." said Rush.
“I've 'eard It before. But If he’s such
• marvel, where’s Bohun gone? Bohnn
was bos u' to be here on Monday night.
•Fos why? ’Cos Bharaoh'd wired him
—Vos Fharaoh desired ’Is presence.
Well, that's three days ago. an' he ain’t
here yet."
“What’s Bohun matter?" said Bugle.
*’F.r grace the Duchess of Sheba Is
what we want."
"Who said he mattered?" said Hush.
•■I never said he mattered. Wot I said
was that Fharaoh knows 'ow to slip
up. ‘Oh, don't talk silly,’ you says.
Tharnoh's a genius, and geniuses
don't slip up.’ ‘All right,' I says.
‘Where's Bohun?'" In manifest dudgeon
be sucked at Ids cigarette. “Fharaoh
•aid he'd he here on Monday night. He
near told us the soot of clothes he'd
'■ve on. Well, he Isn't here, Is he? I
don't gay Bohun matters, but I d just
as soon know where he Is. He may
be an artist, but he knows how to use
■ gun."
"Now look 'ere. Hush,” said Bugle,
crossing hls legs. "'Ow many you can
mention could of done wot Fharaoh's
done. Beg and beggnge Into that cas
tie—the guest of the Count. Me an’
you here In the rooms wot the Willies
'ad. No more one eyed pubs; no land
lords with sweaty necks; no cottagers
atoppln’ an’ starin’; no watchln’ out;
but everything smooth an’ shipshape,
an’ nothin' to do but wait."
“Walt?" screeched Hush. "Fve wait
ed long enough on this Job. You can
talk as much ns you like, but we ain’t
no nearer now than when we begun.
Look at Hewdrop ttiere, callin’ him
*Slr’ an’ ‘Cuptlng’ an’ standln' behind
YIs chair."
“It’s all In the game,” said Bugle.
“If—”
"Yes, I could play that game,” said
Hush. “It'd suit me down to the socks.
But who ever plays it but him? When
he asks me in on this Job he calls It
‘a change of air.’ ‘Soft ns silk,’ was
his words, ‘an’ i mayn’t even need your
'elp. But you'd better be there, he
lays. ‘In case there’s a door wants
openin' before we’re through.’"
“You was took ou as I was, an’ Just
as glad of the Job. ’I want you,’ says
Pharaoh—that’s all.”
“All?" yelped Hush. “Why—”
“All." barked Bugle. “Before we met
him In Paris, he never spoke of the
Job, an’ then he spoke to us all." As
the other sought to protest, he let out
■ terrible oath. "Why try an’ put It
across me, you fool, Fharaoh don’t
■sk ; he takes. That was hls way—al
ways, an’ I’ve known him longer than
you. You talk as if you was hls equal;
he ain’t got no equal alive. We’re In
tils employment, we are.; An’ Jf wo
play hls game, he’ll makr-ns—look at
Long John. Six hundred a year and
a pub, bnd I know that’s trpe.”
“Who wants a pub?" snarled Hush.
“An' who's Mr. Fharaoh to pick an’
choose? He’s the boss, of course—
glut's his job; but we're not hls serv
ants.”
“All right, all right,” said Bugle, as
though he were sick and tired of the
other’s complaints. “Call it a game.
Sign on with ’1m, an’ you’ve got to
take wot’s cornin’—that’s all I meant."
“Yes, an’ wot is cornin’?” said Rush.
“That's wot I wants to know. I Judge
a man by results. Three weeks to
morrow we’ve been here, an’ wot’s your
Napoleon done? I’ll tell you.” Bugle
groaned. “In the firs’ place he's been
beat by a girl an' a groom. He knew
they was cornin’, an' he knew they was
cnrryln' gold; an* they got away. If
we'd roj>ed the road, we’d of had them;
hut when I made the suggestion he
tells me to shut my face. An’ wot else
has he done—that counts? He’s let us
all In for murder—thjt’s wot he's done.
As long as young Artlfur walks, there's
a rope round each of our necks.”
“lie won't walk long,".spld Bugle.
“Says you,” cried Hush. “Why we
don’t even know where he Is. Nor the
girl. Nor Bohun—that was coinin’ on
Monday night. But we know where
that groom Is all right—an' so do
they."
"You make me sick," said Bugle.
“You know Just as well as me our
luck's been rank. 'Ow many English
narks would you look to find In a—
Austrian Jungle at break o’ day? An’
another thing. Did you expec’ that
we’d pick up a quarter ’f a million by
takln’ a week-end trip?”
“In course I didn’t,” said Hush. "Wot
I says Is this. Up to date Fharaoh's
failed. Dress It up ’oto ^ou like, he’s
lost every game.”
For the next 20 minutes they wran
gled much as before, whilst I stood
masked by a curtain that was not
drawn.
At length Bugle got to his feet and
crossed to the car. Then, to my great
surprise, he opened a door and sat
down In the driver’s seat. I watched
him start the engine and switch on
hls lights, while Hush sat still below
me, winding hls watch. Bugle drove
the car slowly forward, ns though to
go down to the bridge. Then he brought
her to rest and got out, leaving hls en
gine running and both of his head'
lights on.
As he saf down again below me, I
understood his action and saw why the
car was there.
The stone bridge was bathed In bril
liance. No one could possibly cross It
without being seen.
I think this must show that while
they may have been experts In the
planning and execution of ordinary
crimes, in a campaign such as this had
become the rogues were clean out of
their depth. I was standing three feet
behind them, but I had not used the
bridge; and how could they think that
because the bridge was denied him, a
man who proposed to approach would
turn round and go back?
“Ten minutes more," Rush an
nounced, "an’ I'm goln’ off. Fve 'ad
enough o’ late nights. When I’ve nothin’
to do. I like to do It In bed.”
“I should keep your boots on,” said
Bugle. “He’s coinin’ back."
There was a moment's silence.
Then—
“What?” screamed Rush. “Cornin’
back?”
“That’s wot I said,” said Bugle.
“Wot for?”
With studied deliberation Bugle
lighted Ids pipe.
"Dewdrop’s back." he said.
“Where from?” said Hush. “I didn’t
know he was gone.”
“Of course you didn’t," said Bugle.
"When Bohun never showed up, you’d
ave dropped that line. But that Isn’t
Fharaoh. That wire didn’t bring Bo
hun ’ere, but It fetched ’Im out of hls
digs." He paused to exhale luxuri
ously. “Dewdrop’s hack from Sala-
hurg—with a letter young Arthur's
wrote."
“Wot, not say In' where he Is?”
"An’ the Duchess of Sheba." said
Bugle. "Fharaoh’s gone off this evenin’
to rojie the two of them In.”
table, swinging a leg; Freda wai
at the foot of the little staircase.
“You know when* she Is," said Fha
raoh, quietly enough,
"That I do not.” said Freda, and
flung up her head. "Her man was gone,
and she was but waiting for me, to
give over the child.”
‘‘Did site take the path toUlVltch
craft?”
“Nay," said the forester's wife, "sho
took the path that she knew."
“Think«agaln,” said Fharaoh smooth
ly, with his eyes upon Freda's face.
Crouching without the casement, I
saw the girl wince before the Ice^ of
hls tone; but though she was now very
pale, she gave him back look for look.
As I drew my pistol, I heard her
steady reply.
“I tell you she took that path,!’ and,
as she spoke, she pointed out of the
window, directly over my head. And,
as she pointed, she looked In the same
direction—and saw my face.
She started ever so shghtly, but
that was more than enough.
As I leveled my weapon, Pharaoh
swung round and fired bpt hls pistol
wa-* yet In his pocket and his bullet
went wide of my ear. And then In a
flash he had flung himself off the table,
and all the candles were but.
So I threw away a chalice In a mil
lion.
That the forester’s wife should have
seen me was sheer bad luck.
There was only one thing to be done,
for the moonlight was all about me.
CHAPTER VII
The Race to the Swift.
The rogues were at my mercy, hut I
had no thought for that. I was trans
fixed with horror, for the nightmare
which I had rejected had become an
accomplished fact.
Though Bugle and Rush were still
speaking, I had no Idea what they said,
and when I looked at my watch I
could not tell the time, because my
wrist was shaking and the dial seemed
a great way off.
Then the disorder passed, and my
brain seemetj to leap Into life.
The car. I must get to the car.
Pharaoh had had a start of an hour
and a quarter or more, hut I knew the
way to the cottage better than he.
At once I saw that to thread the
woods In the darkness would take me
five times as long as to go by the
lane. But the way to the lane was
barred—barred- by those cursed head
lights that I had found so futile ten
minutes #go.
For an instant I glanced about me.
Then I picked up the lamp and hurled
it Into the grate.
The base-of the lamp was of china
and heavily built; the crash of Its fall
was frightful, and the flames leaped
up lH# streamers, to lick the breast
of the chimney within and without.
Now I had expected that Bugle and
Hush would, both of them, make for
the sitting-room door. And Bugle did.
But Rush stood i^p on the bench, to
look. Instead, through the window I
was proposing to use.
I suppose the fellow was lazy, and
laziness brings no luck. Be that as It
may, I hit him between the eyes be
fore he could think and vaulted out
of the casement on the flags.
And then 1 was In the closed car and
was storming down to the bridge.
My Journey may be Imagined—I
drove In a mist of fear. At every bend
r' the road I could see the sinister
shadow of some mishap, but T wning
from that car a pace that she had
not been built to give. V
Enough that I entered the track at
five minutes past ten and^that eight
minutes later I was stumbflftig across
the clearing, to find the p^th to the
cottage by the light of my torch.
•••••••
“Do what you like," said Freda. "I
tell you she’s gone.*
"You know where she Is," said Pha
raoh. and lighted a cigarette.
• The man was slttltur half on the
Th« Man Wat Sitting Half on tho
Table.
and Fharaoh and Dewdrop could se«
me. without being seen.
I fell on my face, writhed my way
Into the shadows and darted across to
a tree that stood some twelve paces
off. And there, flat against the trunk,
I took my stand, with my eyes on the
door of the cottage which was full Id
the light.
I was ready now, at last, and the
moment I saw the door move I fired at
the latch. This had the effect I desired,
for the door did not move agaio.
I was now as composed as I had
been distracted, for the knowledge
that my darling was safe had made
me another man. My nerves were
steady, my brain was clear, I felt like
a giant refreshed, and I saw at once
that my lady must he at Witchcraft,
where she was waiting to stay me
from hastening back to the cottage
and so Into Fharaoh's arms.
One minute later I was behind the
cottage and was running as fast as I
could for the Witchcraft path.
I was more than halfway to the
cross roads when Sabre touched my
hand. \Vlth a leaping heart, I at once
took hold of hls collar and ran by hit
side. Thirty yards on he stopped.
•‘Nell," I said quietly. “Nell. 1 ’
There was a rustle behind me. As
I turned round, her arms went about
my neck.
“I heard shots,” she breathed.
“You’re not hurt?”
“Not a scratch, my queen."
“Thank Hod. thank <Jod.”
She clung to me desperately. “Oh
John. I can’t spare you again. Ever
Since you left. I’ve been half out of my
mind. You see . . . without you I’m
beggared . . . you’re all I’ve got."
Her tears were wet on my lips, as I
strained her against my heart.
“Come along, my lady. We’ll talk
when we’re out of the wood."
Less than 10 minutes later I lifted
the Rolls from a thicket and on to the
road.
“Freda appeared," said Helena, “at a
quarter to eight. It seems that jRte
missed heir train In a final, frantic en
deavor to do as we said. We told her
to deliver the-Jefter to Geoffrey or
Barley alone. Ten times she took that
letter to your cousin’s Salzburg ad
dress; 10 times she was asked to
leave It, and 10 times the poor glH
refused. When she had missed her
train, she determined to try once mona,
and this time they managed to bluff
her Into^giving It up. Well, the mo--
aient I heard her story, I knew that
the damage was done, so Sabre and I
made for Witchcraft as fast aa ever
we could. I confess I was rather wor
ried. Vou see, though you didn’t know
It, you and Fharaoh had now the same
objective. It seemed extremely likely
that you would use the same roads.
And even when Pharaoh arrived—as he
did, about half past nine—I couldn’t
be sure that he’d missed you, for he
might have dealt with you and come
on for me. I watched him take the
path. When they’d gone I made sure
of the Rolls and came back to watch—
and pray. The darkness was very try
ing, for the path, as you know, was Id
shadow and I had to watch for yon
both. And then, far away in the forest,
I heard two shots. . . ."
(TO BE CONTINUED)
TALL TALES
83
• As Told to:
FRANK E. HAGAN and
ELMO SCOTT WATSON
The Goat That Sang Tenor
\I7HEN William McClenahnn, news
* * paper correspondent of Fort De
posit. Md., first heard about It, he
didn’t believe It. A farmer, so the
neighborhood gossips said, had a goat
that sang In a beautiful tenor voice.
How did it happen?
Well, It seems that some member
of the farmer’s family had been care
less and left a phonograph record of
“Mother o’ Mine" by John McCormack
out In the yard. At least, that’s the
way Mr. McCIenahan’s story, which
appeared in the Baltimore Sun, ac
counted for It.
TluKfarrrier and hls singing goat be
came famous. People came to see It
and paid for the privilege of hearing
it sing. Then bad luck overtook the
farmer. The goat stopped singing ns
suddenly as It had begun. So the
farmer bought an expensive record by
a famous grand opera star—“O Sole
Mio." It was—and fed that to the
goat.
The result was fatal. The goat be
gan to sing but suddenly dropped dead.
An autopsy revealed the fact that Its
throat was cloged up with what the
veterinarian called “some foreign sub
stance." They were Italian words and
phrases. The goat was 100 per cent
American, so of course, he choked t<
death on ’em.
His Unlucky Day
ES, sir, I believe in that super-
* stlilon about Friday, the Uth.
bein’ an unlucky day," said the Old
est Ranger In Yellowstone park. “I
recollect one of ’em In particular.
“I was out on patrol and discovered
I didn't have a hlte of food in my
grub bag and only one shell left In
my trusty ol’ gun. Well, I sneaked
through the woods till 1 saw a brace
of quail slttln’ on a bush so I maneu
vered aroun’ so as to be sure of get-
tin’ both of ’em with one shot.
“I let fly an’, by golly, when I went
to pick up them two birds I found that
I’d killed six more that was siltin' on
the other side of the bush. Just then
I heard a big commotion out In a lit
tle lake nearby. There was a big buck
deer that had been skeered by my shot
and had run out and got hlssclf mired
down.
"I run out to help him but before 1
could get to him he drowned. As I
was carryln’ him to shore. I sank down
in the mud an' water up over the tops
of my boots. So I took ’em off to pour
out the water and denied If there
didn't flop nut of ’em a dozen of the
finest trout you ev*r did see.
“Well, I strung the quail an’ the deer
an’ the trout on a pole so I could ear-
ry 'em easier. But my struggles to
get the toad up on my shoulders was
Jest too much of a strain on my sus
pender buttons. Derned If one didn’t
fly off with such force that it killed a
rabbit 100 yards away.
“When that happened. I Jest decided
It wasn't no use to try to do any more
huntin'. Seemed like It was my un-
ucky day, it bein’ Friday, the 13th."
“Man Overboard!**
M EN who go down to the sea In
ships frequently see or hear about
some unusual occurrences. J. W. Fut-
man of Anaheim, Calif., who once
served In the United States navy. Is
no exception to that rule.
One hot. sticky day as the battle
ships and cruisers were steaming along
off the coast of China a typhoon sud
denly swooped down upon them. De
spite the bowling wind and raging wa
ters. the vessels managed to keep their
alignment.
In the midst of the storm a lieuten
ant decided that he wanted a cup of
coffee. So a mess boy started across
the deck with a cup of coffee, a pitch
er of cream and a bowl of sugar on a
tray Just as he was about to open
the door to the officers' quarters, a
61-foot wave swept acro-s the deck.
It picked up the mess boy, juggled
him for a second on Its crest, then
carried him '308 yards astern and de
posited him at the door of the officers’
quarters of the next ship In line. Open-
ng the door, he walked In and said,
‘Here is the coffee you ordered, lieu
tenant. One lump, or two, and shall 1
pour in the cream?"
It had all happened so quickly that
the mess boy didn’t realize he was on
another ship until the officer roared
>ut: “I’m a captain, not a lieutenant!
didn't order any coffee, and what
are you doing here?”
C Western Newspaper Union.
Indians Traced to Yallow Race
The original red man, the Americar.
Indian, came from pure yellow stock
and did not carry any black strain
from admixtures with natives of
Oceania, reports Dr. Ales Hrdllcka,
curator of anthropology of the Smith
sonian Institution, Washington. He
brands as “fabulous" the theories that
natives.of the Oceanic Islands left
their Imprint on the American conti
nent. These Islands were occupied by
the Melanesian peoples only as re
cently as the first millennium before
Christ, at which time the New world
had been populated for several thou
sand years from Mongolian stock.
Skulls have been found in the Amer
icas which seem to Indicate Melane
sian origin, but these always prove to
fall within the variations known to
occur among the Indians, declares Doc
tor Hrdllcka.
Alluring Daytime Frock
With Distinctive Yoke
WISH TO BE HEARD
Were we as eloquent as angels,
we should please some more by lis-
Jenlng than by talking.—Colton.
THE FERRY-MORSE
SEED BREEDING
INSTITUTE known
its business from
the ground up
1832-B
The yoke of this frock Is unusual
and a distinctive departure from the
obvious round or squared-off affair,
because It extends out over the
shoulders and forms Haring little
caps—caps which conceal two In
verted pleats and which are trans
formed Into lovely loose raglan
sleeves. The blouse gathers at the
yoke and waist In front and back,
rendering fullness and a soft drapey
apjiearance. The twin panels in the
skirt give you height, aud the skirt
an added swirl. Two huge gathered
pockets In unison with the Mouse are
interesting features and very prac
tical. Make a self-fabric belt trimmed
with a diamond shaped buckle and
two harmonizing buttons, and notice
how smart and up to the minute
your frock will be.
Barbara Bell Pattern No. 1832-B
Is available in sizes 32. 34, 3d, 38, 40.
42 and 44, and can be procured for
fifteen cents. Size 30 requires 474
yards of 3f>-lnch material.
The Barbara Bell Fattern Book
featuring Spring designs is ready.
Send fifteen cents today for you r
copy.
Send your order to The Sewing
Circle Fattern Dept., 307 W. Adams
St., Chicago, HI.
G B*II Syndic&t*.—WNU Servie*.
@unj
eS
la Need of On*
Sonny Boy—Say, dad, are there
any plumbers In heaven?
Dad—I rather think not, my son.
What made you ask such a funny
question?
Sonny Boy — I thought there
couldn’t be, because the sky leaks
so much.—Pathfinder.
A Generous Attitude
“Can you afford to keep a dog?”
“Dat alu’ worrying me,” replied
Mr. Erastus Plukley. “But de way
my luck's been runnln’, if I was de
dorg I'd git out an’ hunt up some
body else to belong to.”
You can depend
on Ferry's seeds
to produce true
to type and qual
ity wherever you
live — in any cli
mate. How can
we say this? Be
cause we conduct
over 50,000 tests
annually, to
make sure they
will grow. Over
9,000 tests to make sure of their
quality. And that's just part of
the continuous activity at our
Rochester, Mich., and Salinas, Cal.,
stations. For 80 years this work
has progressed — improving and
maintaining the established quality
of vegetable and flower seeds.
We develop our foundation stock
at the stations. It is then used for
seed production on our farms or
under our supervision. The result
ing seed is sold only after tests
have shown that it is of proper
quality and germination. You can
buy Ferry seeds today in your own
neighborhood, many for as little as
5c a packet.
Write for a free copy of our
Home Garden Catalog to help you
plan your purchases from the Ferry
display in your local stores. Check
the radio programs for our help
ful garden talks over Station
WSB. Ferry-Morse Seed Co.,
Detroit and San Francisco.
Everything in Nothing
To a romantic girl sweet nothings
mean everything.
mwks
Lend an Ear
Opportunity Is always knocking If
you're listening.
l/ion tLi
GENUINE
WF\ INSTANT
LIGHTING
SELF-HEATING
The Coleman la a gen- I O M
oine iMteet Li(ktief Iree. 1 " 1 ’
All roe have to dots ton • valve, strike a antoa
and It Hekta InatantlT. Too doa t have to haart
tka natch taalda thairea-na bamsd Bafatv.
N.’s.^sss ■sas y&vca-’sa
P-tM -* h-t-t It. Wi •«. f~
sec:
lani'irSSiT^.i.ss klz'
thv ^ .vwy winaia »anta. hTa weadar-
and labor aawr-notbiaa like It. The
i la the easy way to traa.
TUB COLBaUtN LAMP AND arova CO.
Otottruait WMMa. Kaas.;
last
Suspicion
"What Is the principal business
In Crimson tfulch?” asked the stran
ger.
“Let’s understand each other," said
Mesa Bill. “Are you a drummer or
a detective?”
And Stay Put All Night
“What do you take as a remedy
for your Insomnia?’’
“A glass of wine at regular inter
vals.”
"Does that make you sleep?”
"No; but It makes me content to
stay awake.”—Humorist (London).
THE I0e SIZE
DOU CONTAINS TIMES
M M |c C s1ze S ™ l
. OROLUNE
snow wnitb prrwouKUM^jcLtjy
OCANS TlH,
■ MISSUS,
ANYTHIN®
IN A JIFFY.
TOP AND BOTTOM, THEN
"I love you from the bottom of
my heart.”
“Why make that distinction, when
it is so small that top and bottom
are Identical.”
Leftovers
Tourist (In museum)—What’s ia
here?
Guide—Remains to be seen, sir,—
Answers Magazine.