HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1946-01-03, Page 9>
♦
THE TIMES-ADVOCATE, EXETER, ONTARIO, THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 3rd, 1846
4
A
V
a
A ‘4’
A 5 1
A rf
*
Ik
A n
*
<
*
t
4
►
r
>•
A
e
A
4-
A
(
'J
• /
•t
V
t
al
‘4
..W:
ifcJ''
.-a-
.W
M.
A
1
$
4
4
4
►
4
I
It
V
L*
l
Lt#
1/
P'
a
... CHAPTER 11
When Ralph Rowland went to
war, his sister, "Rusty,” was left
ip charge of the ranch. Soon black
market operators .got busy and
slaughtered some of her cattle, She
called Ladue Decker, a neighboring
rancher, to come over, but he
laughed at the idea of gansters and
proposed to her. Rusty turned him
down. She stopped at the home of
Dr. Herbert Westmere, a veterinar
ian for whom she has a great ad
miration, .and while there is told
that her Uncle Jed has been shot.
She hurries to see him in the.hos
pital
Now, she sat waiting with Hank,
who had brought him from the
ranch.
"Tell me what happened,” she
gaid. "Was it a raid?”
"Nope,” said Hank, "twarn't. He
got an idea someone’d been snakin’
cattle out, one by one. Figured he’d
found the trail they was usin’.
’Stead of cornin’ .right out and
sayin’ he was figurin’ on investi
gatin’, he sneaks out, and .goes it
alone. Ope of them new hands was
ridiu’ range over in the rock lot
and heard a shot. He rode over,
found your uncle and brung the old
fellow in.”
"New hands........Which ones? I
mean which set of new hands, the
two or the three*?”
"The two that came .in first.”
"Hank, could he—”
Hank gave her a withering look.
"Now see bere, young un, if he’da
been primed to do ’way with Jed
would he a-brung him in?”
"I don’t know,” Rusty admitted.
"If he knew Uncle Jed was going
—if he was seriously wounded—Is
he, Hank?”
‘I don’t know. He's tough, but—
well, we all got to take that
trail some time.”
"Was he conscious at all?
then he couldn’t have known
fired the shot. It could have
this hand.”
"Now, look-a-here.” Hank
tested.
But Rusty shook her head. In
whom could you trust in such days
as,these?
The hospital corridors, were
smudged with the gray of dawn
’when a nurse came for Rusty.
"Mr. Rowland is conscious,”• she
said, "and insists upon talking to
you. Please be brief; he must save
his strength.”
He looked so strange in bed, the
clerical collar of his hospital jacket
... propping his withered chin.:
‘ over. "You old he-goat, going out
like a tenderfoot to catch the—
What did you say?”
•She .reared back and smiled at
the nurse, who stood open-mouthed
with astonishment at the whispered
ejaculations coming from the pa
tient*
"He’ll live,” she told the nurse.
"He has a religious streak, and
he’d never risk meeting The Big
Boss with words like that on his
lips.......Yes, Uncle, I heai’ you.”
Later, Rusty left the hospital in
a puzzled mood. In deference to
Hank, she breakfasted in a smoky
little cafe, and over thin coffee and
a thick omelet revealed a little of
. what her uncle had said.
"He wasn’t altogether coherent.
He said one of Manny’s dogs picked
up a scent and led him to the old
mountain trail the one that’s shale-
filled. He said he saw fresh tracks
of cattle and of two horses. As our
men know they’re never to go there
because of falling shale, he decided
to investigate further. He went out
after supper* last night, and accord-
■ ing to his story, someone took a
shot at him from the shale bed.
Now does that make sense?”
Hank shook his head "Sure don’t
Miss Rusty. Isn’t a man coulda
h’isted himself up there without
all hands spottin’ him in daylight,
and he couldn’ta did it nighttime.
Besides, him seeing tracks—why,
we haven't run cattle ’round there
last
But
who
been
pro-
Highland Cedar
FENCE POSTS
LARGE RUN
Sound, Straight and Peeled
AT LOWER PRICES
also Lumber and Shingles
A. J. CLATWORTHY
We Deliver
Plione 12 Grantor
since the slide, ^Tain’t safe*”
"But you said he believed some
one was snaking: calves out of th*
herds and driving them oM.”
Him bellpyte* ain’t no sign
so, Besides, where’d Hhey
them?"
Rusty didn't know.
"An’ don’t you go tryin.’ to
out,” the old man warned,
recollect
buried down thq Nopocos a stretch
Proves shale* ain’t nothin’ to fool
’round with, Now, What’s
say about your uncle?"
Rusty smiled. "He says
tough for juBt one bullet to finish
off* They gave him a transfusion
and may give another. He’s suffer
ing more from shock than anything
else* He said-—"
She broke off as a man stopped
at the doorway, looked in, then
came hurriedly to her table. It was
the association secretary.
What's this I hear about your
uncle, Miss Rowland? We’ve had
no report of a raid. I wasn’t in;
Doctor Westmore and I made e
night of it on Clancy’s—•”
■Rusty didn’t realize she had re
laxed in her chair, gone suddenly
•so limp that both men looked at
her anxiously. Not, she reasoned,
that she actually thought Herb had
had anything to do with this, yet—
She explained briefly '"what had
occurred.”
"A bogey-man?’ supplied Hank,
"and the bogey-man up and shot
at him. It’s most probable the man
figured Jed was a black market
rustler,"
The secretary was satisfied.
“■Something similar* to the affair on
the Four D.” he remarked. "We’re
all getting pretty hair-trigger. That
reminds me, it was Decker who
telephoned me. He asked me to
convey a message to you if I saw
you. He’s coming in to take you
home, at your mother's request, he
said.”
Decker called for Rusty at the
hospital late that afternoon, after
picking up her bags at Westmore’s
place.
He was- in a gay mood, insisting
they remain in the city for dinner.
‘He deposited Hank with some old
cronies, then took her to a dining
room on the roof of a hotel.
As they dined, they watched a
young spring storm come in, turn
ing the world to greenish gold, sav
ing that gold to throw in jagged
lines against a purpling night.
And perversely, Rusty thought of
another storm and another man....
During dinner, Decker remarked,
"After we’re married, we’ll run in with us,
ranchers, Small Fry, is we stick too
close to the spread; our perspective
narrows down to weather and cattle
That’s not living. A person needs to
get out and meet all kinds of, people
Right?”
Rusty supposed it was, yet the
radio and the automobile had so
narrowed the distance between
ranches,, and between ranches and
towns, she’d never felt the need of
anything more.
"I’m going East next week, and
when I return—*” Decker left that
in the air. "Meanwhile, how would
you like to borrow a few of my
hands for your roundup? I’ll have
Slim Jack pick up the best of the
lot and ride over when you whis
tle ”
Hank made an able chaperon on
the drive home. His tongue lossen-
ed by the "doggone hair-oil” his
cronies had served him, he regaled
them with yarns of "the country’s
early days.
Decker turned on the car radio
and the three of them sang as they
sped through the misty prairie
night. It was fun, it was pleasant,
it was "home folks” thought Rusty.
It was good to be back with her
own people.
"Sleepy?” asked Decker, as they
turned off the main highway.
• She was. Except for a short nap
on a hospital divan, she’d had no
rest. Decker rolled a car robe into
a head rest, tucked another about
her, and muted the radio.
She was awakened once to be
come dimly aware of Decker’s arm
replacing the rug roll) but was too
deeply steeped in sleep to do any
thing. Then she awakened comple
tely a second time, conscious of
chill and silence. The driver’s seat
beside hei’ was empty.
"Hank' she whispered.
"Sh,” warned the old man be
hind her, and then, leaning close,
"Deck figured he heered shootin’
and druv off the road ’ll’ turned off
the lights. He’s gone back afoot to
look ’round. I got me a gun here.”
The two of them sat Waiting, lis
tening, every sense acutely alert.
A few months previously, she had
sat on this same prairie without
thought of fear, had spent the
night in company with a stranger.
She marveled now at the foolhardi-
it’s
rup
> find
"Just
that sheepherder gettin’
the doe
he’s too
J;
ness of her conduct, How quickly
crime could state a countiyside,
how quickly fear be implanted te
its people!
There both she and Hank
jxunped. a car motor was starting
—■a truck motor, a heavy double*
decker, they estimated.
A few moments later, they heard
the soft "squash” of Decker’s foot
steps,
"Awake?” he asked unnecessary
ily, as he slid in behind the wheel.
"Not afraid, were you? Ran into a
truck opt there. The driver thought
he’d heard something and
playing it safe.”
"It's wrong to live under
tension,” Rusty said angrily*
"Wrong?” chuckled
"Why, Half-pint, this is
used to bemoan the lack
ment,”
"I guess,”
my excitement
and radio,"
But Deeker
She could tell
voice, the way
the quick gay smiles he sent her
from time to time.
"What shall I bring you from
New York?” he asked as he drove
into the Double R. "Diamonds, a
fur coat—name it. Engagement
present," he explained.
It would be so easy to accept him
have her future settled, Ralph
would become resigned in time,
And she’d be living alongside her
beloved home ranch. The Nopocos
would shelter her for the rest
her life.
"Name it,” he insisted.
"Empire State Building,” she
plied. "Oh, here we are.......”
Her mother and Manny, Pedro
and his wife, Piney and the hands
—all milled around, asking ques
tions.
And then they dispersed, even
Manuel going to his room—pro
pelled, it was true, by his mother.
"Mind if I stay awhile?” Decker
asked Rusty. "I have something to
settle with you.......”
Rusty sank onto the divan before
the fire in the living room.
"What is it,” she asked.
"Rusty, I had Doctor Mason up
from Borderville to
stock. I told him you were
need him.”
"Deck!”
"You can call Westmore
him you won’t need him.
going East leaving you with that’
doubtful character having the run
of the place. I owe that much to
Ralph.” *
“Deck',, I couldn't refuse Doctor
.Westmore’s help now, not after
what he’s done for me.”
"And why do you suppose he put
himself out, busy as you say he is
to ingratiate himself with
ranchers? Brotherly love? dr
dom of your ranges.”
Rusty arose. "I don’t like
assumption that you own
the Double R. You’re not
this spread. You had no
hire Doctor Mason and
phone him first thing in the morn
ing and tell him so. I made a bus
iness - arrangement with Doctor
Westmore and I intend keeping it.
He’s the best veterinarian we’ve
ever had around here. That’s tha
type I want handling my stock."
She had reached the door when
he stopped her.
"All right if you won’t call West-
more off, I shall. He’s not coming
onto this place again, nor any other
in my district, if I have to put him
in jail to keep him away. And I
can*”
"How?” demanded Rusty defi
antly.
"The night of the trouble on my
ranch, your Doctoi' Westmore
treated two wounded men. The sec
ond man wag Slim Jack, the first
an ex-Chicago gangster who the
authorities believe is mixed up with
the black market rustlers operating
here. Westmore reported only Slim
Jack’s wound to the sheriff’s office
and to the medical board. Giving
aid to a wounded man without a
report is a felony.”
For a moment aftei* Decker’s
startling assertion, Rusty stood per
fectly still, staring at him, Could
it be true that Herb Westmore
had given medical aid to a gang-
that night of the trouble at Deck
er’s ranch? And how did Decker
know?
■She realized that the information
fitted into place like the missing
piece of a jigsaw puzzle. It explain
ed some of the things she had over
heard on the phone that night. It
accounted fol* Herb’s harsh order
to Adelaide not to answer the door
bell. And it accounted foi* Decker's
listening in on the hospital exten
sion phoiie until Hei’b and the men
With him cam$ in.
To iBo Continued
A Simple Covered Face
Kills Many a Romance
f h0^Yes of many young people are made miser
able by the breaking out of pimples, Una you probably
know of cases where a promising romance has been
spoiled by those red, white, festering and pud filled
sores on the face*
The trouble is not So much physical pain* but the
mental suffering caused by the embarrassing disfigurement which very
often makes the sufferer ashamed lo go out in company*
The quickest way to get rid of pimpled id to improve the general health
by a thorough cleansing of tho blood.Burdock Blood Bitters helps to cleanse tho blond and with tho blend
■Cleansed the complexion should clear up*
The T* Milburn Cd*, iamitfcd, Toronto, Ont*
was
this
Decker,
fun! We
of1 excite-
“I prefershe sighed,
relayed by screen
'was enjoying .life,
by the lilt in his
he handled the car,
Presentation
A presentation was held at Can
adian Canuers, Exeter, Friday pec-
ember 21st when employees of the
Beet Department
Hensail, presented
past forelady of
with lovely silver
shakers. Mrs, Gordon Parker,
Exeter read the accompanying ad
dress and. made the presentation.
Mrs, L, Leam, present forelady
was presented with a glass cream
and sugar, the honors going to
Mru, Kestle and Mrs, Gordon Cud-
more, of Exeter. Both ladies ex
pressed their grateful, thanks and
appreciation of the gifts in a very
fitting manner. Following is the
address to Mrs, Elliot.
Exeter, Ont,, Dec. 21, 1945
Dear Mrs, Elliot;
We your friends have asked you
to come here to-day in order that
we may show our appreciation for
your kindness toward us during
the past canning season. Please
accept this little gift as a remem
brance from us, We each and
everyone wish you and yours a
very Merry Christmas and a pros
perous New Year.
WALI’ER—TAYLOR
of
re
handle my
going to
and tell
I’m not
of Rxeter and
Mrs. Jack Elliot
that department
salt and pepper
of
-S.S,
HIBBERT TEACHER GIVEN
LAMP AT SCHOOL PARTY
Miss Reta Moore, teacher in
No. 3, Hibbert, was presented by
her pupils with a table lamp at
the' school’s Christmas party, held
in Hibbert township hall at Staffa,
The school house, a mile and a
quarter porth of Staffa corner, was
thought too small to accommodate
the crowd attending thq party. Two
musical pageants were the feature
numbers on the program, and reci
tations and dialogues were present'
ed by the pupils. Santa Claus.made
an ‘ appearance at the party, and
had something for each, child. iS.S.
No. 3 this year has 21 pupils.
$<x-;
'■> you
free-
your
andme
running
right to
I shall
fire destroys home dr
MIDDLESEX COUNTY CLERK
The two Storey brick home of
. A. Sutherland, nf Parkhilb
Middlesex County clerk, was com
pletely destroyed at noon Thursday
of last week by fire believed to
have started in a defective stove
Ripe,
The Station street home, com-
pavativoly isolated from the rest
of the town, was unoccupied when
the blase started, All the family’s
clothing and furniture was des
troyed,
who was given in
a
A wedding was soiemhised at
the home of the bride’s parents,
when Melba Irene, second Eldest
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Taylor, of Brucefieid, became the
bride of Harry William Walper,
son of Mrs, Walper, of Dashwood,
and the late Jacob Walper. Rev.
Mr, Atkinson, of Brucefieid, per
formed the ceremony and Mrs.
Lloyd Btfebbins played the wedding
mpsic.
The bride,
marriage by her father, -wore
floor-length gown of white crepe
trimmed with silver sequins, Her
finger-tip tulle veil was held in
place by a coronet of white roses.
She carried a bouquet of pink and
white mums, fern and baby’s
breath. Her only ornament was a
pearl necklace, gift from thq groom.
Miss Hilda Walper, of London,
sister of the groom, was her only
attendant. She wore a gown Of
white sheer over taffeta with a
coronet of shirred tulle edged in
pink and shoulder-length veil, She
carried a bouquet of golden chrys
anthemums and fern, Delbert Tay
lor, brother of the bride, was best
man.
After a reception the couple left
on a short honeymoon. The bride
traveled in a blue crepe dress, blue
coat and black accessories.
S.S. No. 2 Hay, Christmas Concert
On Tuesday evening, December
18, the pupils of S.S. No, 2, Hay
staged their annual Christmas con
cert, under the combined leadership
the. the teacher, Mrs. Rod Ellis and
Lawrence
most sue-’
dialogues
followed
the music supervisor, Mr.
Wein. The program was
cessful consisting of
drills and instrumentals
by a Christmas Cantata "In Christ
mas ‘Land.’’ The pupils receiv.ed
many compliments on their per
formance,
......:*---....*-**-—**■--*---.:...:......... -... ™
Usbarne Red Cross Unit
18 Elect Officers for the Year
WILLIAM JOHNSTON
Miss Margaret Johnston, of Hen-
salj, received a message on Thurs
day, advising' her of the death of
her only brother, William Johnston,
at- Canora, Sash.. Mr, Johnston,
who was unmarried, was born one
mile and a half west of Hpnsall, at-
tended school at -S.S, J4 Hay Town
ship, attended Clinton High School
and Stratford Business College.
Some years ago he wept to Man
itoba and from there tools up resi
dence at Canora, where he conduct
ed a flour mill and elevators. He
was a member of the Masonic Or
der, and a Masonic funeral was
held for him on Saturday, Surviv
ing are two sisters, Mrs. A, T.
Douglas, Hyde Park, and Miss
Margaret Johnston, Hensail*
ANDREWS — WILSON
A pretty wedding took place al
the manse in Brucefieid, when
Marion Pearl, daughter of Mr* and
Mrs. Lome Wilson, Tuckersmith,
wag united ip marriage to Douglas
Fred Andrews, gon of Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Andrews, Clinton, Rev. G. N^
F. Atkinson performed the cere
mony. The couple were attended by
Miss Ethel Wilson, sister of the!
bride, and Homer Andrews, brother
of the bridegroom. The bride wore!
a lime green crepe dress, a. brown
coat and brown accessories and a
corsage of Briarcliff roses. The
bridesmaid chose a cerise crepe
dress, corsage of white carnations,
and brown accessories. Mr. and
Mrs. Andrews left on a trip to Tor
onto and Hamilton. They will re
side in Clinton.
■■ft
®W
>?•-
'*•!
il 'xli ;h
B#
/ jj?
I OS
ga
>z<:
SR
Thfe annual meeting of Unit jg
of the Red Cross was held at the
home -of Mrs. Ed. Sillery with M
Sillery, the president, in the chair.
The meeting opened with "Silent
Night" followed by the Red Cross
prayer. The sewing convenor, Mrs. ■Clark Fisber, reported i'S£ pieces of
sewing done and 13 quilts. For
Russian relief and British relief
there were £1 articles and 4 quUU
done. Mrs. Milton Luther, knitting
convenor, gave a very good report
stating there had been 51 pieces of
knitting done during the year. The
secretary gave her report as donat
ing to the Rpd Cross $£2,35, the
proceeds from selling hot dogs at
Mr. Joe Smith’s sale. They also
gave a generous donation to over
seas boxes, The emergency commit
tee reported some cards sent, also
some boxes.
After the reports Mrs, -Ed. Sillery
took charge of the election of offi
cers which are as follows; Presi*
dent, Mrs, Ed. Sillery, vice-presi
dent, Mrs. H. Jeffery; sec’y-treas.,
Mrs, G. Hicks; quilt convenor, Mrs-
Victor Heywood; assistants, Mrs* H-
Perkins, Mrs. Alt. Hicks; knitting
convenor, Mrs. Milton Luther? as
sistant, Mrs. Gordon Heywood;
sewing convenor, Mrs, Crescent
Dayman; assistant, Mrs. Harvey
Perkins; social committee, Mrs.
Chas. Fisher, Mrs, Clark Fisher,
Mrs. Harold Jeffery, Mrs. R. "West
cott; emergency committee, Miss B*
Warren, Mrs. L. Rowcliffe, Mrs. A*
Dayman, Mrs. R. Morley, Mrs. N.
Kleinfeldt; pianist Mrs. Harold!
Jeffery. At the close Mrs. Sillery
and the ladies from the fourth ser
ved a very dainty lunch.
Mr. J. M. Roberts, of Goderich,
has been appointed Registrar of
Deeds for the County of Huron, his
duties commencing January 1st,
1946. He will succeed Mis Mae-
Pherson, who has resigned.
z®
■;-n
■
Hi
■:X
'■y&tt'
OFF ON THE KIGHT FOOT,
FREE BOOKLET
for SERVICEMEN
Twenty-pagc booklet you’ll read
with profit* Specially written for
Servicemen, it will help you irt
your 'civvy street’ plans.
It is yours for the asking at any
B of M office.
fl
6HTING
Exeter Branch: J. L. HENDRY, Manager
I :
Digest size—fits snugly in your pocket
Getting back to 'civvy street’ is no cinch... we know it presents
many problems.
But the road back will be made far easier if you make use of the many
aids specially designed to help you. . . government re-establishment
benefits, rehabilitation committees and other veterans’ organizations.
Among those who want to help you most is your local B of M branch
manager. He knows the veteran’s problems and he is in a'unique position
to give you sound counsel on money matters and on a number of other
angles in getting hack into civilian life.
Get off on the right foot in your civilian plans . 4, and your rehabilitation
problem is half-licked.
Follow the example of thousands of Servicemen from coast to coast
4 4 Call on your neighbourhood B of M manager. He will be ready and
lad to chat things over with you.. . you will appreciate his frietidly^
helpful approach to your particular plans and problems.
Montreal
working with Canadians in every walk of life since 1817
£3