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Tfc» B«raw»ll P»n»U-9—U—1. a C. Thonday, DcctabCT 23, 1SS7 SYNOPSIS Jorc9 ScwvH. on the eve of her twentl- Mh birthday, rebels at her lot. dependent & her detested stepmother. Irma, and of tragic memoiiet of her mother’s ■order twelve years before and her father's death six months ago. Irma ‘balls In Helm Blaekadder, an admirer, to help her persuade Joyce to marry rich, young Michael Kirkpatrick. Mike, *ent up te Joyce by Irma and Black- ‘'adder, demands s showdown on his pro- E l and Is rejected. Reading her fa- a papers, Joyce realizes that La enca, a Mexican hacienda which her father bad owned, legally belongs to her. Later, she receives a letter enclosing a warrant on the United States Treasury lor $10,000 compensation for her moth' ST'S murder at La Barranca. She con Mr. Bradley, a banker and only friend of her father’s. She It she wants to make a secret Journey to Mexico. Bradley arranges all details for her. She departs by plane undetected. Dirk Van Suttart. second secretary at the American embassy in Mexico City, gives Joyce a chilly re ception and she loses her temper. She finds a Mexican woman lawyer, Marga rida Fonseca, who takes her to General Onrlia, right-hand man to the Mexican mV dster of war. CHAPTER m—Centlnned "What’s it got to do with me?" "Exercise your memory, Cen tral," said Margarida. "Who con fiscated La Barranca? Who holds it BOW?" "DoradoI" he cried. "Exactly.” "What do you suggest?” "General Dorado says he merely seized abandoned property. His ten ure is based on salvage. My sug gestion is that you arrange to have him abandon the hacienda in his turn.” "Nothing easier. I’ll have him shot the next time he shows his face in town. I’ve been wanting to do it for years.” “I’m afraid I've come at your siesta hour. Naturally General Dorado must not be killed before the abandoned hacienda is definitely in possession of the rightful owner.” "Ah!” exclaimed Onelia. "If General Dorado, who now holds La Barranca, should be killed —even if he should die a natural death—his heirs would inherit. They would have as good a case as he has now and our work would be all to do over again.” "Who wants the place? Not I.” Margarida looked at him stead fastly. "I wonder if you can see a picture if I hold it up before your eyes?" she inquired. "Try me,” said Onelia testily. "Here’s the picture, General, and that you’re not to appear in it at all goes without saying. Suppose some of your trustiest men attend to the eviction of Dorado without killing him—simply drive him and his following out and chase them into the hills. Simultaneously your men plant the girl and leave her. The incident gets in the papers, here and across the border. The girl is young, beautiful, has perfect title as titles gO and the courage of a bobcat to back it with. Do you be gin to see anything?" "Of course I see her getting her self killed, and so do you." "Probably; but that’s a mere ind- dent—perhaps a necessary incident It doesn’t occur to you you might a also see the ambassador from a country we both heartily detest up to his neck in boiling water and one or two of our own cabinet officers hanging to their toppling perches with nails and teeth? I used to think you had the brains of a great minister of war, but I'm beginning to doubt it” During her long speech Onelia had been advancing toward her with a catlike tread. Now he placed a blunt finger under her chin, tipped back her head and stood looking down into her unflinching eyes. 1 "You’ve started something.” he rumbled, "and we two are going to finish it If I betray you, you can always get me shot at the market price, but if you betray me I’ll have you dragged by a frightened horse.” JIa stepped back, shrugged his shoulders and sat down. "Call in the girl" { When Joyce entered nothing could have exceeded Margarida's compla cent air of accomplishment unless it was the General's urbanity. | "All you ask is to be put in pos session of La Barranca. Is that correct?" "Yes, General. I was happy there. I’ve never been happy since I left The years of my childhood—” “One moment, senorita. Our plan ^contemplates presenting you with the hacienda and nothing more. It is a dangerous plan—extremely dan gerous to you, I mean. I don’t ex aggerate when I say the chances are ten to one you’ll meet your moth er’s fate. The scheme is to filter a sufficient number of men within the walls of La Barranca, pick a quar rel at a given signal and then drive out General Dorado who now holds the property. It is essential that you be on the spot to take immediate possession—on the spot, mind you. Do you agree?" "I do,” said Joyce. “But this General Dorado—he won’t be killed, will he?" “No, child, certainly not; I’m glad to reassure you on that point," said 0^1*“ unctuously. "The question v now arises as to who shall be your personal escort.” He touched a bell and the door opened almost Instantly. “Send Ser geant Buenaventura." The soldier who presently entered the room immediately inspired Joyce with confidence. Loyalty was written in every line of his face. "Sit down, Pancho," said Onelia; "this is a social gathering. Besides, you are now commencing a month’s furlough on full pay, accompanied by a detail of eighteen men. Never by any chance are you to report to me what happens during your ab sence. It won’t be necessary since I am about to tell you what you will do with every minute of your time.” He proceeded to give instructions so broad yet so complete to the last detail that Joyce was moved to ad miration. "Understand, Pancho,” he concluded, “the shot that kills General Dorado will surely kill you. Maim him it you like, but don’t kill him." "It is understood, mi General. When do we start?” “Today, if you like,” said Joyce. "If that’s impossible, then tomor row." “It will take three days at least to plate my men," he stated. “They must be sent singly and in ad vance.” “Attend to it at once,” ordered Onelia. “As for you, hold your self in readiness and see you have the sort of car which will attract Two Men Were Condescending to Park Their Guns With Their Hats. least attention. You may go.” As Sergeant Buenaventura left the room the general turned to Mar garida. "We have overlooked an impor tant point," she said. "It is vital Dorado should be in residence; oth erwise we would be committing a mere trespass." "Couldn’t I instruct Pancho to wait, in that case, until Dorado re turned?" “No; we’ve got to find out about Dorado and there’s only one sure source of information." "Where? Who?” "Adan Arnaldo of El Tenebroso.” "Call that a source?” exploded Onelia. “Try to make it flow!” "That’s the trouble,” said Mar garida; "I couldn’t do it alone, nei ther could you. But the two of us— in casual conversation?” "What’s El Tenebroso?” asked Joyce, intrigued by their manner. "A resort, my dear,” said Marga rida. "A boite, what you would call a night club.” "Oh. please let me go too,” begged Joyce. It was odd the way their heads turned toward her as though moved by identical springs and equally strange that both faces should go through the same changes of ex pression. Their Latin eyes were seeing her at El Tenebroso. No girl of breeding could crash that door and keep her social standing, and whether anything happened to her or not had nothing to do with it Of course Joyce was unaware of any such deadline, which only made it more amusing. "It might not be a bad idea.” re marked Margarida at last. "Not at all a bad idea," agreed Onelia. “As a matter of fact, un less accompanied by both of you, I wouldn’t consider for a moment going myself. I’ll send my car to pick you up. Shall we say at mid night?” “Too early by at least an hour," said Margarida. "Make it one o’clock.” CHAPTER IV El Tenebroso occupied a triangle at the intersection of a side street with the Calzada Manuel Villalon- gin. A string of private rooms com prised its longer flank but on the shorter side there was a respecta ble entrance leading directly to the restaurant and dance floor. The room was fan-shaped and fairly large. The orchestra was placed in the stem of the fan which put the master of ceremonies, the highly popular Adan Arnaldo, at a distinct advantage since he could watch the entire assemblage without having to worry about anything behind his back. The tables were in two banks, one at the level of the floor, the other raised and hugging the slant of the walls. The wide outer fringe of the fan was given over to stage entrance, hallway, cloak rooifi.' ■cooking and service departments. General Onelia met Joyce and Margarida in the foyer. He was dressed in mufti and when Marga rida, divesting herself of an ulster like overcoat, displayed a dark tai lored suit, Joyce felt a qualm as to her own lovely semi-evening dress. But immediately her atten tion was seized by something else; at a murmured request from the check-room girl two men were con descending to park their guns with their hats. Margarida cast a hur ried and curious glance at Joyce’s face but found she need not worry— Joyce was given a seat with her back to the wall Sensing the con centrated stare upon her she was troubled and looked around anxious ly. It must be her clothes. But to her relief she saw a few people on the dance floor in evening dress and then discovered a party of men against the opposite wall, all of whom were togged out in the full regaUa of tails and white ties. She wondered about them, perceiving at once they were onlookers rather than participants. Evidently they had come to watch the fun, per haps in an effort to forget the bore dom of some diplomatic function. At the thought she examined them more carefully and suddenly found herself gazing at long range into the eyes of Dirk Van Suttart. She looked away at once, making no sign of recognition, but not before she had caught the rapid change of expression in his face. In an in stant it had passed from surprise to wonder and from wonder to dis may tinged with aversion. He was profoundly shocked. A flush of anger stained her cheeks but at that moment Adan Arnaldo came to Onelia’s table to do homage to authority. He was a handsome young man and lacked the sleek look which usually dis tinguishes the master of ceremonies of such a boute as El Tenebroso. His manner, as he greeted Marga rida whom he knew, declared him a substantial partner as well. Ack nowledging an introduction to Joyce, he took her hand but without removing his eyes from the gen eral’s face. "Well, Adan,” said the general, “I don’t have to ask you how things are going. Jam-packed as usual.” "Not so bad,” admitted Arnaldo. "The genius of this place,” re marked Margarida, "consists in its diversity. There’s one clientele at midnight, another at two and a third at four in the morning.” "Yes.” said Arnaldo, "and if we could close at one o’clock Td be poorer but a lot happier.” He glanced at Onelia. “It’s a long time since you’ve honored me.” "Quite true, but I’m a busy man and I’ve taken to going to bed. I suppose the old habitues are still on the job? I haven’t seen Castel- lito, Diego Borda, Vasconcellos, General Dorado or Panchito Iroyo- genr since I came here last. That about covers the list, doesn’t It?” "General,” said Arnaldo laugh ingly, “I compliment you on your memory.” "So? How could I forget any of that flock of flamingos?” "No, no, not that,” corrected Ar naldo. “You remembered not to mention a single one of the deadl” Margarida laughed. "You’re wor ried, Adan. Who’s on the rampage nowadays? Are you expecting Do rado or is it only Castellito?” Ar naldo did not answer. “Tell me,” she persisted. "Who is the cause tonight of that little crease of worry on your brow?” “General Onelia,” said Arnaldo as he rose to resume his duties. Onelia scowled at the ambiguous distinction. Compliment, insult, threat or warning—he could take his choice. He sat in a moody si lence, paying no attention to his guests. Smoldering inside him was dull rage at Arnaldo. What had he meant? He knew of the long standing Onelia-Dorado feud—ev erybody did. Had he guessed at once that he and Margarida were after information as to Dorado’s whereaboutsund plans? In spite of her hosts’ neglect Joyce was not bored. She sipped her wine spar ingly and let her eyes wander. Abruptly she sensed Onelia had gone tense in every muscle and fol lowing the direction of his gaze she saw an individual in uniform, ac companied by two bodyguards, ■erupt from a slight commotion in the entrance hall on her left Never before had she seen a visage so striking, so individual, so different from the ordinary conception of a human face. Jet-black hair, close- cropped, came down in a sharp peak to within an inch of heavy eyebrows and where cheekbones should have protruded there were indentations, causing the massive blue-black jaw, divided midway by the gash of full red lips, to appear to slant outward. Feeling her eyes upon him the man stopped, stared, smiled and saluted gaily. He was drunk and as he staggered toward the table hurriedly being placed for him at the edge of the dance floor, Arnaldo darted forward, apparently to greet him. But he took up his stand in a direct line between Onelia and the new arrival Joyce leaned toward Margarida. "Who is that man,” she whispered, “the officer who just came in?” "General Dorado,” murmured Margarida almost inaudibly. Arnaldo, chatting cheerfully with Dorado, took out a cigarette and tapped it on his wrist. At the third tap the orchestra began to pack up its instruments and one of the four tiers of lights went out Adan did his best to hold the atten tion of the recent arrival but when a second bank of lights was extin guished Dorado awoke to realiza tion of what was intended. An odd hush fell on the room, accompa nied by an electric air of expec tancy. It was real something even the uninitiated could feel and Joyce’s knees began to tremble from excitement Her evening bag slipped from her lap. She leaned over quickly to pick it up and to her consternation caught the glint of a service revolver clapped against Onelia's thigh. Her first im pression was that it was quite still but as she rose she realized its muzzle had been moving' slowly up ward. Then she heard Margarida whis per to him hoarsely: "Don’t be a fool or you’ll spoil everything. Leave it to Adan and nothing will happen—nothing! ” At that instant Dorado raised his own gun aloft, butt end down, and crashed it on the table so violently that plates, knives and forks went flying. "Musical” he roared. Ht pointed uncertainly at Joyce with a wagging forefinger, then waved it to include every woman in the room. "Musica!” (TO BE CONTINUED) Domestication of Horse Is Traced Back Additional Thousand Years to 3000 B. C The history of the domestication of the horse has recently been traced back an additional thousand years, says Field Museum News, Chicago. Previously it had been thought that the horse was intro duced into Babylonia by the Kas- sites during the early portion of the second millennium B. C. However, the Early Dynastic I (circa 3000- 2800 B. C.) tombs at Kish, excavat ed by the Field museum-Oxford uni versity joint expedition to Mesopo tamia, yielded animal bones some of which have now been identified by Prof. Wolfgang Amschler, of the College of Agriculture, Vienna, as those of the domesticated horse (equus caballus). These horses were larger than the Arabian horse of today, standing 15 hands 3 inches at the withers. These skeletal remains of horses were found hitched to. chariots as the animals had fallen, after being slaughtered in the tombs of their masters to provide transportation in the afterworld. The bronze harness trappings and portions of the char iots were well preserved, and it is possible to reconstruct the pictures from scenes on seals and plaques found at Kish and other sites. Thus far, no Sumerian word for horse is recognizable, and it was thought that only the donkey was referred to in texts of this period. Now, with the realization that the horse was used at that time, it may be possible to identify some de scriptive form of ass with the word for horse, as was done in Old Baby lonia where the horse is known as the "ass from the mountains.” The earliest Egyptian records show that the Hyksos (circa 1700 B. C.)—the “Shepherd Kings” — brought the horse into the Nile valley. Witchball Used by Indians If an Indian wanted to be rid of a person without resorting to mur der, he had a witch doctor prepare an extra-special witchball which could be thrown at the undesirable person. While believing this was supposed to result in a fellow In dian’s death, says a writer in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the red skins were convinced this had no effect on white men and women be cause of the comparatively large amount of salt they consumed in their diet. I WHO’S NEWS I THIS WEEK... Sy Ltmutl F, Part on N EW YORK.—American magi cians aren’t doing so well There are leaks, lawsuits and lam entations. In California, there is a drive to oust Juli- Leak* Art en J. Proskauer, Plaguing New York head of Magicians the Societ y of American Magi cians, for spilling trade secrets. Mr. Proskauer enters a vehement and vigorous denial In the New York federal court, Horace Goldin charges that a tobac co company has let everybody in on his patented technique of sawing a woman in two and therefore made worthless the illusion out of which he used to get $2,000 a week. He brought the same suit for the same amount against Victor A. Per cy in 1923 and against a tobacco company in 1933. There is war on several fronts as the magicians fight to safeguard non-illusory dollars. “Sacrifices wealth to marry pret ty proofreader” was a headline when Julien J. Proskauer married Miss Cornelia Grant in 1915. The “wealth” was a big family printing plant in New York city, but he didn’t sacrifice it and is today vice presi dent of the company. He was elected president of the magicians in 1935, as an amateur, and he still keeps Proskauer his amateur stand- Leads Fight tag. a leader in on Fakers the fl * ht a 8 ainst frauds and fakers. “We don’t want to deceive the public; we only want to fool them.” he said when he was elected. He was the only amateur ever to do Houdini’s underwater milk can es cape. He broke a brace of ribs do ing it, something which Messrs. Eden, Delbos and Ribbentrop will never do, and seems to think the price was well paid. A solid, stocky man of average stature, running a big business be hind hexagonal glasses which give a keen glint to his eyes, Mr. Pros kauer is apt to slip a visitor a couple of red sponges to hold tight in each hand and then make them jump from one hand to the other or disappear altogether, with the fists tightly clenched. Meeting the depression, he got up "Stunts, Inc.,” rigging magical ad vertising tricks, Money Rolls and this year his in From turnover is some- “Stunts, Inc.** where around $L* 000,000. He in stalled in the firm Dexter Sinsa- bough, who doubles in psychology and philosophy. Mr. Sinsabough gives a proposed new trick the psy chological once-over and gauges the popular reaction with astonishing accuracy. The money rolls in. “Stunts, Inc.” seems to have started the trouble. Mr. Proskauer insisted that he has spilled nothing but "kid tricks,” and never under any circumstance has or would re lease a professional secret. He doesn’t like the word “tricks,” as applied to real magic. He says the illusions are rather "experiments in magic.” He has a passion for such illu sions, which, he says have been “art and not trickery,” ever since Moses threw the canes on the ground and turned them into ser pents. Thai by the way, still seems to be tops in magic. • • • W HAT the well-dressed Iron man will wear: black knee pants, green flannel shirl yellow bell and a white arm band with a green swastika. Such is Iron Guard the latest fashion Plans Coup note on the cos- in Rumania of Corneliu Zelea Codreanu’s Iron Guard, which threatens to seize Rumania. M. Codreanu, most virulent anti- Semite in Europe, has made a puz zling alliance with the democrati cally inclined Dr. Julius Maniu. He is frank about his desire to help clear the way for Germany’s march to Mosul oil and the Ukraine. "Within 48 hours of my party’s achieving victory, Rumania will have concluded an alliance with Berlin and Rome,” he says. He is thirty-seven years old. In 1924, when he was a student in Jassy university, he shot and killed the prefect of police who suppressed anti-Semitic riots. He was acquit ted, and later was tried and freed for alleged complicity in another as sassination. For years he has been gunning for the Little Entente and has pow er enough to force a cabinet shake- up every once in a while. There’s nothing trivial about his hatred of Magda Lupescu, King Carol’s friend. Dressed as above, with a revolver In his bell he leads his followers on a white horse. They ride the coun tryside, each with a little bag of the "sacred soil of Rumania” tucked in his shirl fanning up the peas ants and spoiling for a fight His following has been mainly made up of university students, but they say his Iron Guard is now recruiting some powerful adult interests which may declare him in in a big way. C Consolidated New* Features. WNU Service. A Dressing Table Skirt With Corded Shirrings 'T'HIS dressing table has a •E curved front and hinged arms on which to mount the skirt so that it can be opened to permit access to the drawer. To mount the skirt it must first be sewed to a band of covered buckram. Cut the buckram in a strip 2V& inches wide. Cover it with a straight piece of material as shown here at B. Make the heading at the top of the skirt just the depth of the thickness of the table edge so that it will cover the edge of the table when the arms are closed. Use V*- inch cable cord for the shirring. This is sewed to a safety pin and run through tucks stitched in the material as shown here at C. The top of the ruffle is also shirred with cords. When the shir- rings are all finished, sew the top of the skirt to the covered buck ram strip as shown at D and then thumb tack it in place as at A. Every Homemaker should have a copy of Mrs. Spears’ new book, SEWING. Forty-eight pages of step-by-step directions for making S I AROUND if THE HOUSE Salt and Pepper Shaker.—A large shaker containing six parts salt to one part pepper and kept on the stove will save steps when seasoning cooking foods. • • • Preventing Rost in Oven.—After using the oven, leave the oven door wide open, to allow it to cool down thoroughly. This allows all mois ture to escape and prevents rust. ~ • Drying Silk Hose.—Never hang silk hose over the radiator or next to any hot surface. • • • Lining a Coat.—When lining a coat, put the coat on Inside out. Have the lining all ready stitched up, and slip it over the coat. It will fall into position»naturally. Pin it in place, and finish in the usual way. • • • Watch Your Step.—Painting the bottom step of the cellar stairs white makes it more conspicuous and often helps to prevent acci dents. • • • Sliding Dresser Drawers.—Rub bing a candle stub or wax along the sliding edges of dresser drawers will make them move in and out much more easily, even when heavily loaded. slipcovers and dressing tables f restoring and upholstering chairs, couches; making curtains for ev ery type of room and purpose. Making lampshades, rugs, otto mans and other useful articles for the home. Readers wishing a copy should send name and address, enclosing 25 cents, to Mrs. Spears, 210 South Desplaines St., Chicago, Illinois. Ask Me Another 0 A General Quia 1. How many bachelor Presi dents has the United States hadT 2. What does the abbreviation “non sec” stand for? 3. How does a twelve-year-old dog correspond to age in a human being? 4. What is wind? 5. Who was the Greek cynic phi losopher who ll^ed in a tub? 6. What is the procedure when a bank certifies a check? 7. What was the last federal territory to be admitted into the Union as a state? Answers 1. Two—James Buchanan and Grover Cleveland, but Cleveland was married while he was in the Presidential office. 2. Non sequitur (it does not foL low). 3. A dog twelve years old is aa old as a man at eighty-four. 4. Air naturally and horizontally in motion with a certain degree of velocity. 5. Diogenes. 6. It withdraws the amount of the check from the drawer’s ac count, and holds it for the purpose of paying the check which II guarantees. _ 7. Arizona. What a difference good bowel habits can make! To keep food wastes soft and moving, many doctors recommend Nujol. INSIST ON GENUINE NUJOL Ow-WT. LIFE’S LIKE THAT By Fred Neher “That feels better ... bat it's still a little snog.'*