Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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~IALLIE LKl1 ILLUJ3TRATrD 6Iy (pyre/arr /a ar aco38-jWtru Ca SYNOPSIS. HJIAFPEIR I-John Valiant, a rich so clety favorite. sutenly discovers that tin. I Vlhant corporatien, wtic) i his father founded and which was tho principal sourco of his wealth, has failed. CHAPTER II-lIe voluntarily turns over his private fortune to the receiver for the corporation. CHAPTER Il1-His entire remaining possessons consist of an old motor car, a white bull dog and Danmory court, a neglected estato in Virginia. CHAPTiFR IV-Ie learns that this es tate camo into the family by royal grant and hats been in the possession of the Valiant ever since. CHAPTER V-On the way to Damory court he meets Shirley Dandridge, an au burn-haired beauty, and delides that he, is going to liko Virginia immensely. CHAl'TER VI-An old negro tells Shir ley's fortuno and predicts groat trouble for her on account of a man. CHAPTER VIT--Unclo Jefferson, an old negro, takes Valiant to Damory court. CHAPTER VIIT-Shirley's mother, Mrs. Dandridge, and Major Bristow exchange reminiscences during which it is revealed that the najor, Valiant's father, and a man niamed Sassoon. were rivals for the hand of Mrs. Dandridge in her youth. Sassoon and Valiant fought a duel on her account in which the former was killed. CHAPTER IX-Valiant finds Damory court overgrown with weeds and creep ers and the huildings in a very much neglected condition. Uncle Jefferson and his wife, Aunt Daphne, are engaged as servants. CHAPTER X-Valiant explores his an cestral home. Ho is surprised by a fox hunting party which invades his estate. Ile recognizes Shirley at the head of the party. CHAPTER XI-lie gi':es sanctuary to the cornered fox. Gossips discuss the ad vent of the new owner and recall the tragedy in which the elder Valiant took part. SHAPTER XTT-Valiant decides to re habilitato Damory court and mako the land produce a living for him. CHAPTER XTII-lie meets Shirley, who has been gathering flowers on the Valiant estate, and reveals his identity to her. CHAPTER XIV-Valiant saves Shirley from the bite of a snalce, which bites lim. lKnowing the deadliness of the bite. Shir ley sucks the poioen from the wound and saves his life. CiTAPTER XV-Shirley tells her mother of the incident and the latter is strangely moved at hmaering that a Valiant is again living at Dlamnory court. "You don't 'mean to say," cried his hearer in genuine astonishment, "that Virginia has a lineal descendant of the toarn-yr' The major nodded. "Yes. Certain sections of Kentucky used to :have it, too, but it has died out there. It exists mow only in this stato. It's a curious thing that the old knightly meetings of the middle ages should survive today only on American soil and In a corner of Virginia." Doctor Southall, meanwhile, had set his gaze on the litter of panipleta. He tamed with an appreciatdvo eye. "You're beginning in earnest. The Agricultural Department. And the Congressional frank." 'Tm afraid Pm a sad sketch as a scientist," laughed Valiant. "My gpoint of view has to be a somewhat apractical one. I must be self-support EIg. Damory Court is a big estate. it has grain lands and forest -as well. It mny ancestors lived from it, I can. lt' unot only that," :he went en more slowly, "I want t~o make the most of teE Plaoe for its -own sake, too. Not only of its possibilitIes for earning, but of its natural .beauties. lack the resourees I once 'had, bhut iI -can give Jt thought and warnk, andi if they can bring Darnory Court back to anything ~eae remotely resembling what itionce was, I'll 'ot spare either." The miajo-r smote his knee and even the doctofs~ face allowed a grim, if ftransiet aipproval. "I believe you'll do it'!" exc2aimed the former. "And det me say., sah, that the neighbor hood is not unaware of the splendid generosity which is responsible for the present 'lack of which you speak." Vallan t put out his hand with a i'Ittlc gesture of deprecation, but the other disregarded it. "Confound it, sab, It was to be expected of a Va Uant. Your anlcestors wrote their nmenes In cap~ilal letters over this country. They were an up -and diown lot, but good or had (and, as Southall says, I rckion"-he nodded towardi the great portrait above the couch-"they *weren't all little woolly lambs) they did big things in a big way." Valiant leaned forward eagerly, a question on his lips, lBut at the mo ment a diversion occui'red in the shape of Uncle Jefferson, who reen tered, bearing a tray on which set sun dry jugs and clinking glasses, glow ing with white and green aend gold. "You old humbug." said the doctor, "don't you know thie major's that poi. soned with mint-juleps already that he can't get up before eight in the morn lng?" -'"Well, suh," tittered Uncle Jeffer son, "Ah (lone fou~n' er mint-bald dlown below do kitchens dlis mnawnin'. Ye' all gemmun' 'bout do bigges' expuhts in dis y'eah county, en Ah reck'n Mars' Valiant shco' 'sist on ye' sam .pln' et." "Sah," said the major feelingly, turning to his host, "I'm proud to drink yotur health in the typical bev erage of Virginia!" Hie toucehed glasses with Valiant and glared at the doctor, whlo was sipping his own thoughtfully. "Poems lhave been writ ten on the julep, salh." "They make good epitaphs, too," ob served the dloctor. "I noticed your glass isn't going b~egging," the mh~ior retorted. "Unoc' .Jefferson, that's as good mint as grow .i thn gyvareinn of Eden. Ree that M1I1 FQ3TvrLDI AUREN $TOUT those lazy ni ers of yours don't grub the patch out by mistake." "Yas, sah," said Uncle Jefferson, as he retired with the tray. "Ah gwine ter put er fence eroun' dat ar bald 'fo' sundown." 'The question that had sprung to Valiant's lips now found utterance. "I saw you look at the portrait there," he said to the major. "Which of my ancestors is it?" The other got up and stood before the mantel-piece in a Napoleonic atti tulde. "That," he said, fixing his eye glasses, "is your great-grandfather. Devil-John Valiant." "Devil-John!" echoed his host. "Yes, I've heard the name." The doctor guffawed. "He earned it, I reckon. I never realized what a sinister expression that missing optic gives the old ruillan. There was a skirmish during the war on the hill side yonder and a bullet cut it out. When we were boys we used to cal him 'Old One-Eye.' "It interests me enormously," John Valiant spoke explosively. "The stories of Devil-John would fill a mighty big book," said the major. "By all accounts he ought to have lived in the middle ages." Crossing the library, he looked into the (ining room. "I thought I remenbered. The portrait over the console there is his wife, your great-grandnotlher'. They say he bet that when he brought Ifis bride home, she should walk into Da mory Court between rows of candle sticks worth twenty-thousand dollars. He made the wager good, too, for when she came II) those steps out there, there was a row of ten candles burning on either side of the doorway, each held by a young slave worth a thousand dollars in the market. "Some say he grew jealous of his wife's beauty. There were any num ber of stories told of his cruelties to her that aren't worth repeating. She died early - poor lady-nud your grandfather was the only issue. Devil. John himself lived to be past seventy, and at that age, when most men were stacking their sins and groaning with the gout, he was dicing and fox-hunt ing with the youngest of them. He always swore he would (lie with his boots on, and they say when the doc tor told him he hadl only a few bours leeway, he made his slaves dress him completely and prop him on his horse. They galloped out so, a negro on s't-her side of him. It was a stormy night, black as the Earl of Hell's rid ing-boots, with wind and light'ning, and he rode cursing at both. There's an old black-guna tree a mtile from here that they still call D"vil-Join'2 tree, They were just passing under It when the lightning struck it. Light ning has no effect on the black-gum, you know. The bolt glanced from the tree and struck him between the two slaves without harming either of them. It killed his horse, too. That's the story. To be sure at this date nobody can separate fact from fib tion. Possibly he wasn't so much worse than the rest of his neighbors --not excepting the parsons. 'Other times, other manners.'" "They weren't any worse than the mresent generation," said the doctor malevolently. "Your four bottle men then inew only claret:: :now they pun ish whiskey-straight.," The major buried his nose in his italep for a long moment before he looked at the doctor blandley, "I agree 'with you, Bristow," he said: "but it's the first time I ever heard you admit that much good of your anoestors." "Good!" said the doctor ibelligerent. lk. "Me? II don't! I said 'people now 'were no bhetter. As for the men of that time, they were a cheap swagger ing lot of bullies and swashabucklers. When I read history I'm ashamed to bo descended from them." "I desire to dnform you, sah," maid tho major, stung, "that I too am a de scendlant of those bullies and ewash buicklers, as you call them. And I wish from my heart I thought we, nosw adays, could hold a tallow-dip ;to them." "You refer, no doubt," said the ao for with sarcasm, "to our friend Devill John and his ideal treatment of his wife!" "No, sah," replied the major warm Jy. "I'm not referring to Devil-John, There were exceptions, no doubt, but for tho most part they treated their women folk as I believe their .Maker mnado them to be treatedi The man who failedi in his courtesy there, sah, was called to account for it. lHe was mighty apt to find himself standing in the cool dawn at the butt-end of a-" lie broke off and coughed, There was an awkward pau~se In which he set down his glass noisily and rose and stood before the open bookcase. "I envy you this, sah," ho said with somewhat of haste. "A fine old col lection. Bless my soul, what a curious volume!" As ho spoke, his hand jerked out a heavy-looking leather-back. Valiant, who had risen and stood beside him, saw Instantly that what he had drawn from the shelf was the morocco case that held the rusted duieling-pistol! In the nmajor's hands the broken box opened. A sudden startled look darted across his leonine face. With smoth ered exclamation he thrust it back between the books and closed the glass (door. Valiant hna naled. MIl pevius finding of the welpon hal IesI ea b'i mind. Now he read, as clearly as It It had been printed In black-letter across the sunny wall, the significance of the major's cofifusion. That weap on had been in his father's hand when ho faced his opponent in that fatal duel! It flashed across his wind as the doctor lunged for his hat and stick and got to his feet. "Come, Bristow," said the latter irri tably. "Your feet will grow fast to the floor pr'sently. We mustn't talk a new neighbor to death. I've got to see a patient at six." CHAPTER XVII. John Valiant Asks a Question. Valiant went with them to the outer door. A painful thought was flooding his mind. It hampered his speech and it was only by a violent effort that he found voice: "One moment! There is a question I would like to ask." Both gentlemen had turned upon the steps and as they faced him he thought a swift glance passed between them. They waited courteously, the doctor with his habitual frown, the major's hand fumbling for the black ribbon on his waistcoat. "Since I came here, I have heard" ,--his tone was uneven-"of a duel in which my father was a principal. There was such a meeting?" "There was," said the doctor after the slightest pause of surprise. "Had you known nothing of it?" "Absolutely nothing." 'The major cleared his throat. "It was something he might naturally not have made a record of," he said. "The two had been friends, and it-it was a fatal encounter for the other. The doctor and I were your father's see onds." There was a moment's silence be fore Valiant spoke again. When he did his voice was steady, though drops bad sprung to his forehead. "Was there any circumstance in that meet. ing that might be construed as re flecting on his-honor?" "Good God, no!" said the mlajor ex plosively. "On his bearing as a gentleman?" There was a hiatus this time in which he could hear his heart beat. In that single exclamation the major seemed to have exhausted his vocabu lary. He was looking at the ground. It was the doctor who spoke at last, in a silence that to the man in the doorway weighed like a hundred at mospheres. "No!" he said b'untly. "Certainly not. What put tha. Into your head?" When he was alone in the library Valiant opened the glass door and took from the shelf the morocco case. The old shiver of repugnance ran over him at the very touch of the leather. In the farthest corner was a low com mode. He set the e.ase on this and moved the big tapestry screen across the angle, hiding it from view. * * * * * * 0 * In the great hall at Damory Court the candles in their brass watll-seon"or bliuked back from the poliihe'i ;.a quetry and the shi'iinie ' ,,'" iii Ing the. rather solemn gloom witL an air of warmth and creature-comfort. Leaning against the newel-post, Va, liant gazed about him. How different it all looked from the night of his coning! He began to walk up and down the floor, teasing pricks of restlessness urging him. He opened the door and passed into the unlighted dining-room. On the sideboard set a silver loving cup that had arrived the day before in a liugo box with his books and knick-knacks. He had won it at polo. He lifted it, fingering its carved han dies. He remembered that when that particular score had been made, Kathi arine F'argo had sat in one of the drags at the side-line. But the memory evoked no thrilL. Instead, the thought of her palely-coid, passionless beauty called up another mobile thoroughbred face instinct with quick flashings of mirth and hauteur. Again he felt the fmrce clutch of small finger., as they fougtt with his in that struggle for his life. 10ach line of that face stood betfoee him-the arch What He H-ad Drawn From the Shelf Was the Morocco Case That Held the Rusted DuelIng-PIstoIl ing brows, the cameo-delicacy of pro file, the magnolia skin and hair like a brown-gold cloud across the sun. He stepped (Iowa to the graveled dive an~d followed it toU the gaie, then, bareheaded, took the lRed Road. Along thIs highway ho had rattled in Uncle Jefferson's crazy hack--with her redi rose in his hand. The musky scent of the pressed leaves in the book in his pocket seemed to be all about him. The odor of living roses, in fact, was In the air. It came on the scarce felt breeze, abheavy' eatling' 'riume He walked on, keeping the road by the misty infiltrating shimmer of the stars, with a sensation rather of gild ing than of walking. It occurred to him that if, as scientists say, colors emit sound-tones, scents also should possess a music of their own: the honeysuckle fragrance, maybe-soft mellow fluting as of diminutive wind instruments; the far-faint sickly odor of lilies-the upper register of faory violins; this spicy breath of roses blending, throbbing chords like elfin echoes of an Italian harp. The fancy pleased him; he could imagine the perfume now In the air carried with it an under-music, like a ghostly harp ing. It came to him at the same Instant that this was no mere fancy. Some where in the languorous night a harp was being played. le paused and lis toned Intently, then went on toward the sound. The rose scent had grown stronger; it was almost in that heavy air, as if he were breasting an etherial sea of attar. He felt as if he were treading on a path of rose-leaves, down which the increasing melody flowed crimsonly to him, calling, call ing. lie stopped stock-still. He had been skirting a close-cropped hedge of box. This had ended abruptly and lie was looking straight up a bar of green yellow radiance from a double door way. The latter opened on a porch and the light, flung across this, drenched an arbor of climbing roses, making it stand out a mass of woveu rubles set in emerald. Ile drew a long sigh of more than delight, for framed in the doorway he saw a figure in misty white, leaning to the gilded upright of a harp. H1e knew at once that it was Shirley. Hoelding his breath, lie came closer, his feet iuffled in the thick grass. He stood in the dense obscurity, one hand gripping the gnarled limb o( a catalpa, his eyes folloying the shapely arms from wrist to shoulder, the fingers straying across the strings, the bending cheek caressing the carved wood. She was playing the melody of Shelley's "Indian Serenade" -touching the chords softly and ten derly-and his lips moved, molding themselves soundlessly to the words. The serenade died in a single long: note. As If in answer to it. there rose a flood of bird-music from beyond the arbor-jets of song that swelled and rippled to a soari,. melody. She heard it, too, for the gracile fingers fell from the strings.. She listened a moment, with head held to one side, then sprang up and came through the door and down the steps. He hesitated a moment, then a We. gle stride took him from the shad( w, (Continued Next Week.) Demes Importing Members. E'ditor of The Advertiser: Please allow mile space in your paler to correct a statement which appeared it your issue preceding the county convention in regard to the Mountville democratic club mleeting. It was charg ed by some one that the lilease- forces imported members of llopewell and Cross 11111 clubs in order to have a majority at the club meeting. Heing president of this club, I wish to state that thIs statement ia incorrect. llThere w"ere no mnembeirs imp~orte'd. All whlo paticipated in the (club) imeetinug hmad a perfect right mand were pteole who voted herec twvo years ago, except somne who movedl into this community tis y'ear and~ wvho have become of age since last election. Thtere was no chtarge madec at this meeting of anybody being impiortedl. The only question that came up was in the foirm of informai tion. Mr-. Ii. P. Fuller arose aind askeud Mi'. T. W. Cole wher'e lhe lived andi he was told by Mr. Cole that lie lived be how Cross 1H1ll. Mr. Cole and .\i-. W. P. Adair live about three miles belowv club, having just miovedl out of this clutb. They had not jointed any other club, having just 'mover out of this community this year. They voted liere two year-s ago and of c-our-se had a per feet r-ight to participate in the club meeting. Now, I do not wish to miake any13 c-hat-ge oni the antlhliease faction, b~ut I wish to state that there wet-c two or thre-e members on their side0 partici pating in the meeuting whmo have niot bueun votling here either in the pii mat-: alection or club meeting although they have a pe' fect right. They are 'hat wo call "liners" and can v'ote at ('toss 11111 or' Waterloo or- Mountville, just as they choose. So it in wvilh the I fopewellI boys; they can vote, hetre ot at Iliopewell and of cour ise thetre 1s more attra~ct ion he-re than~ there 1x at Hlopewell anmd they conme herec to vote, and I extend to them a "hearty wel comie" to coime again. Respect fully, (. C. Watts. Ptres. Moutntville, May 5, 1914. Chtild Cross? Feverish? Nilck? A cross, peevish, listless child, wIth 'coatedl tongue, Iwle, dloesn't sheep; eats somdtimes ver-y little, then agalin ravenously; stomach scsi-; brent' fetid; iains In stomach, with diamrther grInds teeth while asleep, and statt upi wvith tert-or-all sutggest a Worn' Kilher---something that expels wvorms. and almost ever-y child hr!'s t" Kickapon Worm Kilier- is needel1. a b)ox today. Star-t at on1ce. won't have to coax, as Kiel - Wotrm K iler is a can dv t T1bxpels the wet-ms, the c-ause ( - child'n tri'othln. 25e at in' Bank the balance. The differ ence between Ford cost and heavy car cost is "velvet" for the prudent buyer. He knows the Ford not only saves him dollars but serves him best. It's a better car sold at a lower price. Five hundred dollars is the price of tha Ford run about; the touring car is five fifty; the town car seven fifty--f.o.b. Detroit, complete with equip mont. Get catalog and particulars form Summers Garage, Laurens and Newberry, S. C. """".""""""""""""""""""""" " * .3UY YOUR * JEWELRY FROM US 2 " WE KE EP THINGS MOVING IN OUR BUSINESS BY SE LL . ING ONLY RELIABLE JEWELRY, SILVERWARE AND PRE~ " CIOUS STONES; 'BY ADVERTISING AND TELLING THE" " TRUTH ABOUT OUR GOODS AND BY ASKING ONLY A FAIR " " PRICE FOR OUR GOOD JEWELRY. 8 DO NOT THINK THAT BECA USE WE HAVE BEA U77FUL" PIECES OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY JEWELRY PRICED "ACCORDINGLY, THAT WE DO NOT ALSO HAVE GOODS AT eLOWER PRICES. WE HAVE A BIG LINE OF SPLENDID " ARTICLES AT PRICES THAT WILL FIT ANY PURSE. COME" " l4iND LET US SHOW THEM'TO YOU. ' " FLEMING BROTHERS " " Laurens, S. C. * eeeeeeeeeeeee FINELACE Of Al Kids Rquir Saf an Caefl retm n Wehv a SpcaDeatetfrtiWok inCag*fEprs Cumeran , S ENIO TNES;YRI VRTSIG ANDTACINGH0 * STeUT aBl OURenOO AND BYAKnG ONLvyAFI NOTficHINK THAT BAUSEo WEurens BEAUTIFUL pOERIES Leter and ehn All wi LIE OptLIy McFLEMIN Bro&THEveS .Laurens, S. C.