The Wingham Advance-Times, 1940-04-04, Page 6■f
mind, Jogy.I’ll
saxldle of
Jim Sanderson, Grade VIII,
several tumbled rocks aside. With
. Bruce Wilson, Grade VIII
and heaved
the waiting
the gulch
snake, and led Brini-
he turned,
WINGHAM ADVANCE-TIMES Thursday, April 4th, 1940
SKILLS OF bESTINY
SYNOPSIS
Lee Hollister* returning from a trip
abroad to the Circle V ranch, owned
by Matt Blair* who for twenty years
had been like a father to Lee, decides
to surprise the family, He sends them
no word of his coming and rides over
the hills to the ranch on horseback.
When he finally sees the wide ranch
land before him, he is astonished at
the unusual aspect of the place. He
is .troubled, too, when he meets Slanty
Gano on Matt’s land. Then Joey—old
prospector befriended by Matt—tells
him Matt is dead by his own hand. . .
Joey says the ranch is going to ruin
under Lawler, manager appointed by
Virginia, Matt’s daughter, who is liv
ing in New York with her aunt and
uncle in New York—the Archers. Lee
goes east an*d persuades Virginia to
return to the raftch to save it............
Mrs. Archer follows her, accompanied
by Stanley, son of Milton Bradish.
Stanley thinks he may be able to dis
credit Lee in Virginia’s eyes. . . .
and encourages Josefa Ramirez in her
liking for Tee. One evening Josefa
forces Lee to watch her dance, and
throws herself into his arms just as
Virginia rides past with Stanley. Stan
ley visits Josefa, and is shot from am
bush. Virginia feels that Lee is work
ing against her interests and decides
io sell the ranch to Milton Bradish.
Virginia and Lee meet Josefa whc
tells Virginian she hates her because
she is jealous of her.
“Oh, no, it couldn’t!" Jt brought a
dry sob from her. Her idolized fath
er. And Lee? She knew it could not
be true—but Stanley had been so hor
ribly sure.
“Virginia, before I go, I want yoi
know that I ’never meant to take an}
part of the Circle V—not as things
stand. I’ve only held the deed this
long-because il 'felt sure .there was
something behind all this business,
and that you were being cheated
somehow."
He stopped abruptly.
“Good-bye. I’m off.”*
He held out his hand. Virginia took
it, trying hard to act naturally in a
situation horribly strained. A new
alarm touched her with chilly fingers.
“But you—you’re coming back',
aren’t you?”
“I don’t know. I think the whole
story is a poisonous lie, just an ex
ceptionally dirty brand of the stuff
that could be handed out by a paid
informer with a grudge. But that’s
got to be proved, and I’m going away
to do it. If I can’t, you won’t see me
■again. But if I can—”
He gripped her fingers suddenly.
Hope and despair fought in a mom
ent of numbing pressure. Then she
felt a light, quick touch on her hair,
and Lee was gone.
Lee rode first to Joey’s cabin. Joey
had known for years, and Matt had
loved and trusted the irascible, loyal
old man. Joey listened, at first with
excitement over the matter of the
deed, and then with stupefied amaze
ment.
“Why—-why, ^Lee!" he stuttered,
and then broke into’a fury of denunc
iation. “It’s a lie! I told ye he was
no good! I knowed he was layin’ for
ye!”
71 GN E 5 LOUISE PROVOST
“Yes* Joey, but that won’t help me
prove it isn’t true.’’
Joey’s fury died. “I know* Lee,” he
said shakeniy. “Jos’ believin’ things
ain’t proof, is it? An' I can’t help ye,
I just came back from a trip one time
an’ found ye here, He was kinda
close-mouthed about ye, Matt was,”
Every line of the old man’s figure
sagged under this new calamity,
“Qh, well, never
run it down,”
“Where ye goin’,
“I’m goin’ to find
Lee?”
that Mexican vil
lage if I have to work my way from
one end of the border to the other.
But first I want to locate Lawler and
Slanty Gano, Goodbye, Joey. Take
care of Virginia.”
* *
In the shelter of a distant thicket
Slanty Gano, keeping watch over the
Valley .of the S?in, 'saw a distant fig
ure ride away from the ranch house.
It disappeared presently in the mouth
of Joey’s ravine, came out again later
and rode on. That was Lee Hollister,
heading toward Turkey Gulch, •
Slanty crept out from his hiding
place and dodged cautiously back to
the hollow where his horse was pick
eted.
snickered coarsely — and a legal look
ing paper. A deed, Slanty’s eyes bulg
ed. •'
“I’ll make Bradish pay high for
this,”
He started to put the deed in his
pocket and, caught sight of something
on the folded, paper, It was the smear
ed imprint of a bloody thumb. His
irritation at this mishap made him
that much rougher as he dragged the
unconscious man upward
him over the
.horse.
Midway of
gliding like a
stone up toward a ragged black hole,
the mouth of Matt Blair’s Bonanza
mine.
In forty-five seconds there was no
sign of Slanty Gano or Lee Hollister,
and a riderless horse, with the sting
of a lash on his flanks, was trotting
swiftly down Turkey Gulch.
Inside the tunnel, Slanty jerked the
limp body over his shoulder and head
ed deeper into the mine. Some dis
tance in, where the way seemed 'en
tirely blocked, he dropped his burden,
picked a crowbar from a shelf lost in
the darkness near the roof, and pried
a
“I know more than you think.
Lee rode on, unaware of that steal
thy movement. Somewhere above him
ihe crack of a rifle came. His head
jerked toward the sound, and down
again. He swayed slowly, groping
with his hands, and then toppled and
slid down. *
Minutes passed. There was no fur
ther sound <pf movement, no sign of
life but Lee Hollister’s patient horse
standing by a sprawling, inert body.
Slanty waited a little longer, assur
ed himself that his horse was well
screened from observation, hid his
rifle in a thicket and went cautiously
down to where his victim lay.
Slanty bent down and jerked
fallen man over on his back and
for a sign of life.
Il was there, a faint, tired stir.
“Hard to kill, ain’t ye? Well,
fixin’ ye this time. Let’s see what’s
on ye, first.”
Something crisp and crackling an
swered Slanty’s marauding paw.
There were two letters from Matt
Blair — he scowled suspiciously at
these — a snapshot of Virginia — he
the
felt
I’m
grunt of satisfaction he picked up the
wounded man again and carried him
through the opening, dropping him
once more, like a sack of meal,
He struck a match and held it close
to the pallid face. 'Slanty settled back
on his heels, tauntingly conversation
al -
“Yo’re right alongside ' of ' Matt
Blair’s precious samples, the ones that
never got to the Assay Office at all.
Didn’t think Slanty Gano’d be smart
enough to switch ’em, did ye? There's
goin’ to be one more cave-in at the
old Bonanza, an’ yo’re goin’ to be
under it, or back of it, or thereabouts.
When yo’re mined, ye’ll be bones, an’
it'll be old Bradish’s job
ye.”
Slanty arose, chuckling derisively.
He seemed to have some
cache here, for he found a bit of can
dle, lit it, stuck it in the neck of a
bottle and looked around approvingly.
The stage was set for a blast' which
would send a mass of rock and rubble
down to crush a helpless man or. im
prison him in slow torment until he
to explain
convenient
BIG LATHE SHAPES “PROPS” FOR EMPIRE TRAINING ’PLANES
This lathe doesn’t look much like
the one in your cellar workshop, It's
a big machine with a big job to do—
Writing out wooden propellers for
light tmitu'ng ships used by the R.C.
A,F. Six layers of mahogany and
beech strips are .glued together in a
hydraulic press, and this rough and
Jagged caricature of a propeller is
clamped on the upper shelf di the
lathe. Below, a guide Wheel runs back
and forth across a master model,
shaped by hand. Following it exactly,
a steel cutting wheel bites awhy the
wood until the prop takes ‘'finished’*
form—-but the finAl rcfineftieiit is done
by hand. ’ . e
died. Still Slanty lingered* licking
hungry lips over the savor of revenge.
The wounded man’s eyelids flicker
ed and were still, Slanty caught the
movement and bent over him with a
in,
•”Waitin’ up, Lee? Ye*—
The word jerked off in a smothered
snarl,' Quick hands leaped at his
throat. Lee "was struggling to his feet,
panting and fighting, Slanty, caught
unawares, gave way for a step or two.
Then battering blows came, beating
a wounded man at close range, A
smashing blow landed in ‘Lee's face,
and he sagged and crumpled.
Retreating steps, the clang of a
crowbar* a grinding sound, Floating
somewhere in a dim sea of weakness,
Lee knew vaguely that Slanty had,/
pried the big rocks back' over the op
ening, shutting him in.
Under his cheek was something
lumpy and rough. His fingers grop-
»e3 over it. Rocks in burlap, gritty
with earth! There must be Matt’s
samples, that had never reached their
destination- .Lee shoved them into his
pocket, and with a dogged attempt at
haste began to crawl away from the
menace of the -blast — farther and
farther back into the* old mine, dizzy
from the loss of iblood, with a- film
before his eyes and a white-hot pur
pose in his brain,
“Oh, God, let me live long enough
for this 1”
Back of him, there was a sputter
ing fuse. Outside there was quiet,
dusk falling, a man running. The man
dodged behind rocks and scrub, slip
ped into a fringe of junipers and
crouched to listen. It came a moment
later, the dull',boom of a blast. ,
* * . * '
Life had to be faced. Virginia
dragged herself .back to the realization
of that, and went slowly toward the
hall. Mrs. Archer* tearful and inco
herent, came toward her niece with
outstretched hands,
Oh my dear, I’ve just heard!”
Please! I don’t want to talk .about
Virginia said tensely. She went
on, leaving Mrs. Archer indignant and.
perturbed, but she had yet to pass
Stanley. He stood in her path, urgent
ly pleadihg.
'“Virginia, ^et me explain. I only
did it to save* you from a 'terrible mis
take. You don’t Understand—”
“I do. I understand more than you
know and I think you are the foulest,
most contemptible thing I have ever
seen. Get out of my way!" Without
another word Virginia went on to her.
father’s old office and shut the door
behind her.
The .quiet of the little room closed
around her like a protecting arm. It
was easier to disbelieve that hideous
accusation in this -place where he fa
ther’s presence. still lived, genial and
kind.
There was.only one relief from the
turmoil in her mind, and.that was in
work. Her father’s papers, for in
stance. There was a closet full of
them, and there might be? Something
about Lee. She carried armfuls over
to the desk.
It was slow work. Some of it was
poignant, much of it was dull, as old
bills and papers must be. She sighed,
sorting them briskly.into better order.
A pile of old check boks caught her
eye. She pulled them toward her,
scanning dates with a sudden impulse"
to check up the amounts that he had
sent her during lean years when he
had been ljard pressed.
“T, Ellison Archer ,„_....$5,000.”
“Adele M. Archer ...........$2,000."
When it was finished she looked
wearily down at a sordid little history,
check after check made* out to her
aunt and Uncle during the years when
she had lived ift their home, With
damning accuracy they tallied with-
her recollection of various acts of gen
erosity on their part—the coming out
dance that they had given for her, the
fir§t trip to Europe, the second, the
summer at
Aunt Adele
Beach.
Someone tapped at the door, and
her .attnt "came in.
“Virginia dear, 1 am so distressed
for you. I simply can’t keep silent
any longer, Of course you can't stay
after this horrible scandal.”
- “Why not? It’s my home* and it’s
Lee’s also if he wants to coipe.”
“But Virginia, yon couldn't live
here alone-—with all these rough men!
And yon know our home is open to
you, darling, just as it always has
been.”
For answer Virginia pushed ^a sheet
of paper toward her. It was closely
written with figures and dates and
names.
“Not quite as It always was,”
said in a bitter voice, “My father isn’t
here to pay these any more, without
even being given Credit for his gen
erosity » . ,
Her aunt started to speak, stopped,
hesitated, and then Went hurriedly
Oi.it of the door* Humiliation burned
dully in her cheeks, and she stifled a
sob. *
Virginia did not appear at dinner*
but sent her excuses by Ling. -
Europe, the second, the
Narragansett, the time
had taken her to Palm
she f
■■
Orwell Allen, Grade VIII,
She did not even attempt to sleep
that night. Moonlight came, bathing
silver. The silver was
pale before she flung
'the bed, still dressed,
the ’valldy in
beginning to
herself across
wondering if she could evep sleep
again.
She raised her head at the sound of
pounding hoof beats. They were dis
tant, but coming nearer . That was
racing speed . . . The sound swept past
, . . swerved toward the bunk house
and stopped.
(Continued Next Week)
SOME ESSENTIALS .
BROODING CHICKS
The normal profitable egg-produc
ing life of the farm hen is so short
that, jf the farmer is to maintain, his
flock on a sound economical basis, he
is faced with the necessity of replac
ing a large number of his birds each
year, says W. T. Scott, Head Poultry
man, Dominion Experimental Station.
Wellington Mutual Fire
Insurance Co.
Established 1840.
Risks takep on all classes of insur
ance at reasonable rates. ■'
Head Office, Guelph, Ont.
COSENS & BOOTH, Agents,
Wingham. • *
DR. R. L. STEWART
PHYSICIAN
Telephone 29.
F. W. KEMP
LISTOWEL
Auction Sales Conducted.
Monuments and Monumental
work. 100 Monuments to choose
from.
Phohe: 38 or 121 * Listowel
DR. W. M. CONNELL
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Phone 19.
W. A. CRAWFORD, M.D*
Physician and Surgeon
Located at the office of the late
Dt J. P. Kennedy.
Phone 150 Wingham
Annie Shiell, Grade VIII,
Harrow, Ont. If his usual practice is
to buy baby chicks from a hatchery
and brood them himself, the poultry
man must provide good brooding con
ditions in order to develop the chicks
into profitable laying stock. Stunted
chicks and a high mortality may He
the result of poor brooding and the
loss cannot be replaced entirely. Late
replacements are responsible for de
layed maturity.,- small eggs, and low
production in fall and winter when
prices are at'their peak.
As it is a bad. practice to mix chicks
of different ages, and as the brooders
are available for more' than two hatch
es only under very favorable weather
conditions sufficient equipment should
be provided to accommodate at least
half, if not all, of the chicks without
crowding. The early hatches require
the brooder heat for seven or eight
weeks,' and the • temptation to make
room for’ the second hatch by depriv
ing the first of the heated brooder be
fore they are comfortably feathered
is dangerous. A sudden drop in tem
perature will result in chilling, follow
ed by pneumonia and a high death
toli,
The utmost care and the most elab
orate equipment will not raise vigor
ous, profitable chicks that have inher
ited poor vitality or susceptibility to>
disease. Nor can those chicks that
have met reverses in the brooding
stage be raised profitably. The essent
ials that insure success are good stock,
good dry draught-free houses, reliable
heating, clean litter, and sufficient
“waste proof” feed hoppers to pro
vide room for at least seventy-five per
cent, of the total chicks, to feed at one
time. With a temperature of 95 to
100 degrees at the‘v edge of the hover,
a good chick starter mash always be
fore them, clean water to drink, a.
hopper of grit and some succulent
green feed, there should be no diffi
culty in .brooding the baby chicks sat
isfactorily.
t
Dr, W. A. McKibbon, B.A,
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Located at the Office of the Late
Dr. H. W. Colborne.
Office Phone 54.
J. W. BUSHFIELD
Barrister, Solicitor, Notary, Etc.
Money To Loan.
I *
Office — Meyer Block, Wingham
J. H. CRAWFORD
Barrister* Solicitor, Notary, Etc.
Bands, Investments & Mortgages
Wingham Ontario
R. S. HETHERINGTON
BARRISTER and SOLICITOR
Office — Morton Block.
Telephone Nd. 66.
I
Frederick A. Parker ■
OSTEOPATH
Offices: Centre St., Wiagham, and
Main St., Listowel.
Listowel Days: Tuesdays and Fri
days.
Osteopathic |nd Electric Tmt«
ments. Foot Teclmfqie*
HARRY FRYFOGLE
Licensed Embalmer and
Funeral Director
Furniture and
Funeral Service
Ambulance Service.
Phones: Day 109W. Night 109J.
THOMAS FELLS
AUCTIONEER
REAL ESTATE SOLD
A* Thorough Knowledge of Farm
Stock.
Phone 231, Wingham*
Consistent Advertising
in
The Advance-Times
Gets Results
1 ALVIN FOX <
Drugless Practitioner
CHIROPRACTIC - DRUGLESS
THERAPY - RADIONIC
EQUIPMENT
Hours by Appointment
Phone X91, Wihgham
A. R. & F. E. DUVAL
chiropractors
CHIROPRACTIC and
ELECTRO THERAPY
North Street Winghva
Telephone
I
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