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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1919-10-02, Page 6A SON OF COURAGE BY ARCHIE P. McKISHNIE Copyrighted by Thomas Allen. Synopsis of Preceding Chapters. Billy Wilson, who lives with his father :.nd stepmother and her son Anson, is the leader among the boys of Scotia, a pioneer settlement near Lake Erie. Cobin Keeler, one of the trustees, tells the new teacher, Mr. Johnston, about his predecessor, Frank Stanhope, s.’ho was blinded while trying to save horses from a burning stable. A will made by a wealthy hermit, Scroggie, in Stan­ hope’s favor, could not be found. Scroggie’s namesake and apparent heir takes possession. Twin Oaks store is robbed. Harry O’Duie finds the stolen goods in old Scroggie’s cabin, known as the haunted house. Hinter, middle-aged and well-to-do, goes wooing Erie'Landon, loyal sweet­ heart of Stanhope, and daughter of the invalid lighthouse keeper. CHAPTER XIII.—(Crat’d.) Hinter held out his hand. “Well1, good night, Miss Erie,” he said. “I’ll be up again soon, with some books for you.” “But you mustn’t go without having a cup of tea and a bite to eat.” she protested. “Please sit down and I ll nave it ready in a minute.” He shook his head. “Not to-night, ; thanks. You’re tired, and I’ve a long ride before me Next time I come we’ll have tea,” he promised as he turned to shake hands with Landon. “Your guardians are with you I sup­ pose?” said Erie, as he turned to go. | He laughed, “Sphinx and Dexter,' you mean? Yes, they are out in the' stable with my horse. By the way,! they didn’t see you last time we were ! here, and they seemed to feel pretty i badly about it. Would you mind step-' ing outside and speaking a word to j them?” he asked. “They are very' fond of you, you know.” She shivered. “And I’m. very fond of them, only,” she added as she fol­ lowed him to the door, “I never know whether they want to eat me up or caress me.” “You won’t forget to come back again soon, Hinter?” called the sick man. “It does me a sight of good to see you and1 get the news: from the Settlement.” “I’ll return soon,” Hinter promised. “Don’t worry about anything. A speedy recovery—and: good night.” A full moon was veiling lake and bay in sheen of silvery whiteness as =• ■ -----o yourself and myself who can1 do what you are doing now, though.” She looked up quickly. “And may I ask who* that is?” “Certainly; it’s younig Billy Wilson. You know—the lad who is al’ways roaming the woods.” “Yes,” she said softly. “I know him perhaps better than1 most folks do. I am not surprised that he can handle these dogs, Mr. Hinter.” He glanced at her closely, struck by the odd note in her voice. “He seems a manly little chap,” he said. “I must get to know him better.” “You may succeed,” she replied, “but I’m afraid you would have to know Billy a long tim? to know him well.” She bent and gave the dogs a fare­ well pat; then moved like the spirit of the moonlight to the house. “Good night,” she called softly from the doorway. , “Good night,” he echoed. Five minutes later he was riding the two-mile strip of sand between the lighthouse and the pines, the Great Danes close behind. When he reached the timber he reined: in to look back over his shoulder at the tall white tower with its ever-sweep­ ing, glowing eye. Then, with a sigh, he rode forward and passed into the darkness of the trees. Half way down the trail he dismounted1 and, after hitching his horse to a tree and com­ manding his dogs to stand guard, plunged into the thickly-growing pines on the right cf the path. Half an hour later he came out upon the lake shore. Quickly he scraped together a pile of drift wood. He applied a match to it and as fire leaped up stood frowning across the water. Then, as an answering light flashed from some distance out in the lake, he sighed in relief and seating himself on the sand lit his pipe. After a time the sound of oars fell on his ears. A boat scraped on the beach. Two men stepped from it and proached the fire. ap- CHAPTER XIV. Old Harry Turns a Trick. Maurice Keeler, wan, hollow-eyed, and miserable, was seated on a stool outside the door in the early morning sunlight. Near him sat his mother, peeling potatoes, her portly form ob- ... ux aurc. wiuwuvaa o soured by a trailing wistaria vine.Hinter and"* Erie" went out "into %he What Maurice had endured during his August night. Eastward the long pine!,two weeks with the measles nobody covered Point swept a dark line' kneY b^, ™s.e f • His days had been against the grey, shadowy rush-land®, i loneI<’ fill,0d remorse that he had, Somewhere among the hidden ponds; ever been born to give people trouble. mallards and grey ducks were quack-!and care; his nights longer even than1 Ing contentedly as they fed. A swamp! ,e, day®- Hideous nightmares had coon raised his almost human cry as 1 robbed1 him of slumlber. Old Scroggie’s he crept the sandy shores1 in search Byosbri?iad visited him almost nightly, of the frogs whose tanging notes . e Twin Oaks robbers, ugly, hairy boomed from the boglands. I ^ants aroied with red-hot pitchforks, Man and girl paused for a little ’bad Ji'Ound^him to n tree and applied drink 'in the beauty'of the" night'and, °r cr^’ alo,ud for help? Even Billyh his the sounds of its wild life. Then Hin-' d^a.resb chum, had sat and laughed ter stepped to the stable and opened i Wltba11 the mouths of his eight heads the door. “Come boys,” he command- a^ , P®in- Of course he had awak- ed and the two great dogs came bound- ! 0110d bo learn these were but dreams; ing cult to leap upon him with whines : bu^ to a boy dreams are closely akin of welcome, then on to where the b° Area bty. girl stood, waiting, half eagerly, half frightened. “Gently now,” i time on the strip of white sand to his feet.~ What use to^struggle; is not known, for just at this juncture a high-pitched voice came to her from the garden gate. “Get hold cf him, Missus Keeler an’ wring his black neck.” Mrs. Keeler, who heard the voice without ■catching Mrs. Wilson’s words, struggled up. Croaker promptly sail­ ed over to Maurice for protection1. The boy broke the string attached1 to the note from Billy and reaching behind him secured from a plate a scrap of the dinner he had left uneaten. “Here Croaker,” he whispered, “'grab it quick. Now; back you go where things are safe,” and he tossed the bird into the air. Croaker flew to a tree-top and proceeded to enjoy the reward of service well1 rendered1. 1 Maurice glanced at the message, then his face fell. “Oh blame it all!” he muttered, “another of Bill’s sign letters; looks like a fence that’s been struck by lightning” j The several1 long perpendicular lines ■ were possibly intended to represent the forest, but what was meant by the two vertical lines and the crosses di- : rectly beneath them Maurice did not > know. Also there was a crudely I drawn circle and, inside it, a small ! square. Maybe this was supposed to represent a hollow stump with a squirrel-trap in it, thought the per­ plexed Maurice. With a sigh of dis­ gust he turned the paper over. Then his eyes brightened. Written .there in Billy’s cramped hand were these words with characters: Ke to safer kode woods robers me and old marie beried lute come at onse Maurice stared. So that was it! Billy and1 old Harry had found the goods stolen from the Twin Oaks store. There were doin’s—big doin’st, and Billy wanted him in on ’em. He leaned over to secure a view of his mother and Mrs. Wilson. Mrs. Keel­ er had removed her wet apron and was now seated on the bench beside her neighbor, listening to the latest gossip. “That Jim Scroggie, the heir, has come back, an’ he’s rented the Stanley house,” Mrs. Wilson was saying. “They say he’s goin’ to cut down the big woods an’ sell the timber. I guess he intends stayin’ right on, ’cause he brought his housekeeper an’ his two children, a boy and a girl, with him.” “Is he tollable well-to-do?” Mrs. Keeler asked. “Why yes. I understand he’s rich as porcupine stew,” said Mrs. Wilson. “What he wants to come here fer, stirrin’ up trouble, is beyond all knowin’. They met up with my man, Tom, on the road yesterday an’ they stopped him. Scroggie told him any time he wanted to bore fer water he’d put in a rig an’ Tom needn’t pay a cent if he didn’t get him a well.” “Land o’ Liberty! but he was gen­ erous!” cried Mrs. Keeler. “Tom said he’d think it over an’ let him know. I guess he was pretty short with Scroggie, knowin’ as he does that the woods an’ land rightly belong to young Stanhope.” “That it does,” agreed Mrs. Keeler, indignantly. “An’ him, poor young man, helpless through loss of his eye­ sight and all. You heard1, of course, that Frank Stanhope and Erie Landon had broke their engagement?” “Ye's, everybody who knows ’em both an’ loves ’em both has heard that. But w’hat else could they do? Jjle’s not able to support a wife—the little farm is only enough fer himself, after that Burke an’ his wife are paid fer j workin’ it and lookin’ after ^the house, ! an’ he’s too high-spirited to ask Erie to share his burden and poverty.” Mrs. Keeler gulped and reached for her apron, but recollecting that she had hung it up to dry, rubbed her eyes ' on her sleeve. “Gobin says that young man is jest about heartbroke, spite o’ the smile he wearsi,” she said. “Tries so hard to be cheerful, too, in spite of all. Preacher Reddick had supper with us last 'Sunday night an’ he said the teacher was the finest specimen of Christly example he’d ever seen.” Mrs. Wilson cleared her throat. “They do say that Mr. Hinter visits the lighthouse regular every week. Have you heard that, Missus Keeler?” “Yes, an’ I’m wonderin’ why?” Mrs. Wilson rose and smoothed down her skirt. “Weil I wouldn’t go so far as to say I know why, but I have my suspicions.,” she declared. <Spl)QPQ Birthday. for a September with asters and The Baby’s Candles that burn birthday, Wreathed round with goldenrod, As you go upward in your radiant dying, Carry my prayer to God. Tell Him she is so small and so re­ bellious, Tell Him her words are music on her lips, Tell Him I love her in her wayward beauty Down to her finger tips. Ask Him to keep her brave and true and lovely, Vivid and happy, gay as she is now; Ask Him to let no shadow touch beauty, No sorrow mar her brow. 4 her forAll the sweet saints that came her baptizing, Tell them I pray them to be always near; Ask them to keep her little feet from stumbling, Her gallant heart from fear. Candles that burn for a September birthday, Set round with asters and with goldenrod, As you go upward in your radiant dying, Carry my prayer to God. —Aline Kilmer. A Partnership. the “money” question has cause more dissatisfaction think does trouble between man and wife first with me. I accidentally over­ heard him telling a friend, “If my wife say’s it’s all right, that settles it.” If more men would make partners of their wives, as they promised in the beginning, there would be more happiness and fewer heartaches. Some men say their wives can’t manage. No wonder—they never have any­ thing to manage with.—B. S. Within the Law Canadian Cream of Malt Extract is made from Pure Malted Barley and the very best Hops. If used as directed, will make a finer home brew that you can make with any other materials, or any brew that you can buy in bottles or kegs. You do not make an imitation or substitute with Cream of Malt Extract, but a better beer than you ever tasted. 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Absence will strengthen friendship if the last recollections were kindly. Suggestions From Other Women. When you discover that your bed­ spreads are becoming thin and sleazy at the ends, you may make them al­ most as good as new by making use of the following method: Take a strong piece of muslin about twelve inches or more in width and as long as your spread is wide. Ar­ range this strip or facing on the wrong side of the spread on that part which is worn. Fold under raw edges of the facing and sew to position. Treat both ends the same way. It is only a few moments’ work and fully repays one for the little extra expense and time involved. A spread thus reinforced will put off the evil day a year or more before it will be neces­ sary to diminish a ten-dollar bill to buy a new one.—Mrs. R. S. Make a bag of cretonne or some suitable material the width of the right-hand end of the sewing machine. The length may be as liked, say about 15 inches. Hem both top ends, and just tack one of them to the right hand end of the machine. You will find it a great time and labor saver, as you can throw all small scraps into it when you are sewing. Then they are not on the floor.—E. W. A great many people have admired the sturdy little suits of heavy blue denim which my little two and three- year-old boys wear on the farm for everyday. Some say, “But I didn’t know you could buy suits for such small boys!” You can’t. I could not even purchase a pattern for them, but I found it an easy matter to adapt a one-piece pajama pattern to the purpose. The pajama pattern will, Five, among the Chinese, is a sacred number. Cleaning postman and expressman will g Parker service right to your e. We pay carriage one way. Whatever you send — whether it be household draperies or the most deli­ cate fabrics—will be speedily returned to their original freshness. When you think of cleaning or dyeing think of PARKER’S. I and and than any one thing. In my girlhood I learned with many a heartache how unreasonable some men are. My father allowed my mother the butter and egg money after the feed was paid for. From this sum she was supposed to provide food, furnish the house, clothe herself and four children, buy schoolbooks, and send the children to school. Fortunately, we were very healthy, so she did not need to pay any doc­ tor bills. If she ran short of funds and asked my father for more, she was thoroughly cross-questioned. I' found there were many other homes conducted in the same manner, and I was so disgusted that I almost decided never to get married. How­ ever, the right man finally came along. But before I said yes I decided the money question must be definitely ■Settled. He was more than willing to come to an agreement, as his home life had been very much like mine. Our plan has been a great success, and after more than twenty years of married life we think it the only way, especially for farmers. We keep a strict account of everything bought and sold, and all the money taken in goes in a general fund upon which we both draw. I keep all the books, and understand our business perfect­ ly, as we always talk everything over. We bought a farm and had debts to pay and all kinds of family ex­ penses, but we always had the money ready to meet the obligations. Now we are out of debt, have a good home, a fine bunch of Victory bonds, besides a generous amount of other stocks and bonds. We have < joint bank ac­ count, and my name J*n a cheque has never been questioned. My husband has great confidence in my business ability, and never makes an investment without dscussing it Stands Strenuous war Messrv NidalMai 89 Market Street Terente, Ont. Dear Sirs:—Please find enclosed 10 cents for Brock's Bird Book. Also please send me FRP.IL two full sited cakes of Brock’s Bird Treat as offered. Name STANFIELD’S LIMITED Truro, N. S Made of the finest woolfield s this underwear is a comfortable Parker’s Dye Works Limited Cleaners and Dyers 791 Yonge St. Toronto. And, now, after days of loneliness ,^,ne F da know, its not cause ~ . hzx7c< cvrx in tavncron m o men c*i.r»L- ■nnrin, and nights of terror, Maurice was up; ------J. _________________________~ _____1JHinter cautioned : Si®a™ and outs^de where he could, and. they stretched themselves at her catch the wood-breeze and smeil the ■ feeit, massive heads on outstretched sweet^odor of plants jind clearing j paws, deep-set eyes „„ 1_ - - K- face. She bent and placed a hand on the head of each. j “’Surely,” she said.1, “they are not as ferocious as they are said to be?” Hinter knit his brows. they are,” he answered. friends are their friends, , . - X1 TT. - , < ,There is onlv one other person besides eyen J11® own mother. His weak hands ISSUE No. 41—21 tn hnv fires. He wondered how many years he had been away from it all. How old ■ was he now? Why didn’t his mother answer his questions? He did not j realize that his voice was weak; he “I’mVfraid bad f°rg°Hen that his mother was “But mv deaf. All he knew was that nobody vou see 1 oared a hang for him any more, not clutched at the bandage at his throat, as though to tear it off and hurl it from him. His head sank weakly back against the wall, and the tears came to his eyes. Suddenly those eyes opened wide. Was he dreaming again or did he hear the low croak of a crow? He twisted his head. There at his feet sat Croak­ er. The crow’s beady eyes were fas­ tened on him.. Suspended from its neck was a cord and attached to the cord was a piece of yellow wrapping paper. Maurice’s white face slowly expend­ ed in a grin. He glanced in the di­ rection of his mother, then held outj . his hand to the crow with a lov spoken, ■ “Gome Croaker, ol’ feller.” But Croaker shook his he 1 and' ’ backed away, emitting a string of un-i : intelligible utterances. “Come Croaker,” pleaded Maurice' I again. But the crow was obdurate. I ' It is barely possible that he failed to ■ j recognize Maurice owing to the sickj boy’s altered looks or perhaps he ex-1 ■ pected a glimpse of the reward which j j was always his for the performing of; i a service. With one backward look j I from his bright eyes., he spread his i short wings and sailed across to Mrs. ' Keeler, settling on her shoulder with ; a harsh croak, whereat that greatly- j startled lady sat down on the gravel, ; her lap full cf dirty water and po- i tatoes.WhrZ- Mrs. Keeler might have done ' he’s so interested in a man sick with the asthma.” Mrs. Keeler looked at her sagely. “Erie would never marry any man like Hinter,” she asserted. “You can’t tell what a girl ’ll do fer her father.” said the other woman dubiously. “But there now,” she I broke off, “here I am visitin’ away i with you, jest as though there wasn’t ' a batch of bread riz and kneaded at home, ready fer the oven. When I looked fer my bread-pans blest a one could I find. I know that Billy has lugged ’em off somewheres to use as bath-tubs fer his birds and lizards; so, thinks I, 11’11 jest run over an’ ask i Mrs. Keeler fer the loan of hern.” (To be continued.) 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