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The Wingham Advance Times, 1925-09-24, Page 2W NO i AM ADVA,NCE•.TIMl lvainlionsllLIM!llinumill lllIllinon ti lIri insurance eefeeeetneeweettetteeneweeeteeteereeeteeeveteenetteeteeteeeeteeeteeffittetteneenteeeeteeeeemen "The Smoking Flax" Te insure everything but By Robert J. C. Stead vernments Th must The _ take their Chances. . ABNLCOSENS W. T. BOOTH i��111 ! M!e tlllllll5llll�Il1�!]lBllill�lll: �- I11.. (1(IA!lii�ll-�tlllgl \ BUSINESS CARDS ELLINGTON MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO. Established 1840. Head Office, Guelph, Ont. Risks taken on all classes of insur- ce at reasonable rates, 'BNER COSENS, Agent, Wingham J. W. DODD Office in Chisholm Block ?!RE, LIFE, ACCIDENT AND HEALTH w--. INSURANCE — AND REAL ESTATE P. 0. Box 366. Phone 198, XNGHAM, - - ONTARIO. DUDLEY H?I LMES BARRISTER, SOLICITOR, ETC. ictory and Other Bonds Bought and sold. Office—Meyer Block, Wingham R. VANSTONE BARRISTER, SOLICITOR, ETC. Money to Loan at Lowest Rates. Wingham, Ontario J. A. MORTON BARRISTER, ETC. Wingham, - Ontario DR. O. K. ROSS Graduate Royal College of Dental Surizeons Graduate University of Toronto ( Faculty of Dentistry. Office Over . H. E. Isard's Store. W. R. DiAMOLY B.Sc., .M.D., C.M. Special attention paid to diseases of Women and Children, having taken postgraduate work in Surgery, Bact- eriology and Scientific Medicine. Office in the Kerr Residence, bet- ween the Queen's Hotel and the Bap- tist Church. All business given careful attention. Phone. 54. P. O. Box 113. Dr. RobL C. Redmond M.R.C.S. (Eng.) L.R.C.P. (Lond.) PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Dr, Chisholm's old stand. DR. R. L. STEWART Graduate of University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine; Licentiate of the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons. Office in Chisholm Block Josephine Street. Phone 29. Dr. 1 Margaret C. Calder General Practitioner Graduate University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine Office --Josephine St., two doors south of Brunswick Hotel. Telephones: Office 281, Residence 151. F. A. PARKER OSTEOPATH All Diseases Treated Office adjoining residence next to Anglican Church on Centre Street. Open every day except Monday and ' Wednesday afternoons. Osteopathy Electricity Telephone 2'2. J. ALVIN FOX CHIROPRACTIC OSTEOPATHY ELECTRO THERAPY .'Fours ne-12. 2-5. 7-S. Telephone zgi Do O. McIN.NES CHIROPRACTOR MASSEUR Adjustments given for • diseases of all kinds, specialize in dea1fag with children. Lady attendant. Night Calls responded to. Office on Scott St., Wingham, Ont., in the house of the late Jas. Walker. Telephone 150. Phones: Office 11o6, Resid. 224. A. J. WALKER FURNITURE DEALER -- and -- FUNERAL D IRECT OR Motor Equipment WI7iGHAM, ONTARIO "Weil, Jackson, what do you want?" 1 bench .on the shady side of the house, he demanded sharply, stepping up be- and his eyes were on her face, but side him, "Eavesdropping ---or just she avoided his gaze. He became a- chaperaning?" Iware that Minnie had grown thinner Jackson turned a strangely drawn and paler; long 'hours and broken sleep were telling upon her, and he found himself seized in a great wave of sympathy. .They had been so near, and it was intolerable now that they should be so far apart. With diffi- culty he restrained an impulse to take her in his arms, to draw her lips to his, but be warned himself thathe must take no advantage of her posi- tion. Still, the present situation was intolerable, They must reach some kind of understanding. "Don't you like my compliments— any more?" he repeated. Her eyes lay on the distant wheat face to his, then slowly rose to his feet. "You had the drop on zee, Cal," he said. "I thought you were sitting back in the corner, where I couldn't see you, I was watching Reed." "You seem very interested in Reed. Why didn't you come inside, if you wanted' to, instead of sneaking up 'to the window," Jackson was silent for a moment, then suddenly broke out: "Oh, hell, you wouldn't believe me if I told you" and disappeared toward the stables. When Dr. Armstrong called next day he took in the situation apprais- fields, now copperred for harvest.:Ev- ingly. It was apparent that, short of en as he beheld her Cal found himself comparing her waves of bronze -brown hair with those ripening fields. She was bewitching to look upon. "More they talked together beside the doe- 'than the fields is ripening," said he to tor's car for a few minutes before he himself. =left. "Doesn't know much about "If you must know—no," she said. nursing, but she's got savvy, you un- i"Oh, Cal, can't you see how absurd derstand; she'll do as she's told, this is?" , Knows the importance of exactness, "Is it absurd, dear? When did it be - or Lm mistaken. Stenographer, I come absurd? Do you want totake think she said " ' "Yes, in a lawyer's office, but brought up on the farm." "That accounts for it," said Dr. Armstrong, as though there had been. something which needed to be ac- counted for. "One training gave her brains and the other exactness -care as to details, you know. Sharp girl. Don't see any reason why the boy you, do you understand? shouldn't be all right, now; it will "No, I'm afraid I don't. More -than have to run its course, but he should that, I'm afraid I can't; We parted be all right, provided she does exactly as"—she trenjbied, hesitated—"as we as she's told. You'll have to see to parted. The next I knew you had that, but I don't think you'll have any disappeared. There were some strati - trouble." 'ge stories about it. I can't repeat The busy doctor finished his words them, Cal; I can't. But they hurt me as he changed his gears, and a' mo- awfuIly." ment later was trailing a cloud of dust She had drawn her hands up about toward the Wheatview road. It was her breast, and held herself as in phy- the most encouraging report he had sinal pain. "They hurt me awfully," made since Reed's illness had begun. a trained nurse, Minnie very nearly carne up to his requirements. "Sharp girl, that," he told Cal, as back all—take everything back?" The color mantled quickly in her pale cheeks, but she ignored the lat- ter part of his question. "It -became absurd when you ran away," she said. "When I—ran away! But I didn't run away; not really. Oh, Minnie, I can't explain, You must believe that I didn't run away; not really from. 'she murmured. The days of that illness passed slow- "But you know they weren't true, ly and uneventfully, fading into each he protested, "You knew that. I other as in a period of dream. Cal knew some of them weren't true,' she faltered. "And then you stayed away, and sent no word, no word at all," she they, were at no time near the break- went on. "How I watched the morn- ing point. Jackson even worked with ing mails! Every day I would say to him in the hay field, and sometimes, myself, 'Today ;I will hear from Cal, during the evening, would spend an Today he will explain.' But no ex - hour or two at Reed's bedside. Minn- planation came. People would look ie carried on the work of housekeeper at me on the streets—I could see it in energetically and efficiently, but after their eyes, 1 could hear them saying, that first meeting with Cal she had 'That's her; you know, the one the become absorbed in her patient and hired man had to skip out about—" had displayed no further evidence oft 'eMinniel" sentiment. Cal was obliged to admit ("That's what they were saying—and that, whatever Minnie may have worse. And you let me stand it, thought or felt—and Jackson's frank alone, and not a word of explanation statement about her purpose in com-'canine from you; not a word." ing left little doubt in his mind—she I Cal felt a • grat hollowness filling had herself well under control. She him. She was going to demand an worked early and late, and consulted ',explanation, the explanation he never him only as she might have consulted could give. If he did he would crush Mr. l3radshaw or Mr, Tonnerfeldt. ;her forever; if he didn't—, As the boy's fever continued to run!. "Then came • your telegram," she its course normally and Cal's anxiety went on: "The ageiit''phoned it, an I in that connection, subsided, he felt didn't let them know at home that it' himself more and more disposed to re -'wasn't for me. I wanted to come so open negotiations with' Minnie. The :that I might find out the truth. I studied, correctness of her behavior told you I- carne on Reed's account. tantalized and intrigued him. It was That wasn'.t true, Cal. I carne on hard to realize that this was the Minn- yours." ie Stake of the granary episode. The "I know,it, Minnie," he whispered. 'thought occurred to him that perhaps "'But wiry—" she was playing a part; perhaps she "There was one clause in that tele - was over -conscious of the observant gram,' she interrupted "It said, 'I eyes of her brother. can explain everything.' I've been An opportunity to put 'her to the waiting for that explanation—]'m test came one day when Jackson vol -.waiting for it now!" unteered to drive to Wheatview for She turned to him, her hands out - supplies. Cal left the field at four stretched, imploring. "I don't take o'clock and a little later met Minnie 'back anything, Cal," she pleaded. "1 at the door of the house. don't judge, I don't blame, I don't ar- "You're in early, Cal," she observed. gue. I'm just waiting." "Anything wrong in the fields?" ' He would have taken her hands in "No --nothing, But the work isn"t 'his, but she withdrew them again, pressing, and the day is hot, so I shaking her head slowly, solemnly. "I thought I'd knock off. Ho*4's the pa- love you, Cal, now, just as I did -7.1 tient?" then. •,But I can't be played with. You ' "Doing well, I think, He's sleeping 'must explain. Give me a reasonable now, but he's been asking for Grand- explanation; it's only between we too, ma and Trixie. I think he knows who 'dear—I'll never breathe a word; it 1 am, too, but he doesn't seem to get 'shall be buried in my heart forever.' interested in me.'; 'Only explain, so that I may know that "That's strange. His mind can't be 'there was an honest reason; even if quite normal, yet." ,. ---even if it's something you feel you "Out of bounds, Cal. Can't I make can't explain, I think I'm big enough you understand that I'm here to tmur- for that; only tell me, and ;all I have se Reed, and is isn't 'quite the thing or am or ever can be is yours. Cal, for you—for you--" have I offered you enough?" "What isn't?" His face had grown pale under the "For you to say, or suggest, compli- onslaught of her passion and with the ments to rne, you know," horror of the unfathomable abyss On, "Don't you like compliments, Minn- which he tottered. To tell her all ie." would be so simple, so easy, For a; That's not the question." moment the temptation seemed irres- t "Don't t like my compliments, Minn- istible. What of the promise he had( given Celesta? Must a man be bound They had seated themselves on .a forever by a promise given under su-' was able to resume his haying, and, although his relationships with Jack- son were those of an armed truce, Tlitteeday, Sebe 24th., x92e ch conditions, when the developments of the future could not be at all for - seen?. What of Reed? She had giv- en her pledge that the concession would be buried in her heart. What of Minnie herself? ... But even as he weighed these questions in his mind she took his silence for refusal. Her lovely body straightened before him; her head went back, her chin Went up, She made a slight; gesture of her hand as though dismissing him. I "Very well," she said, steadily. "I shall not humiliate myself again. I suppose it is hardly necessary to ask you to forget anything that may have occurred between us. I think I hear Reed," and, walking ,like a queen, she went into the house. Cal watched her proud head until it disappeared beyond the\ doorway, and a surge of something like relief swept through him. For a moment .he had wavered, but now was he master of himself again. 'Tell her? Never! 13ow that head in shame, in shame for Ther brother, her family, herself, and in the bitterness of remorse for what had been and could not be undone? Ne. Iver! He had lost her, but he had sa- ved her; saved her for herself, but not for him. Pride, passion, pain, and a supreme glory of renunciation writh- ed in his heart together, But he had won; he knew that, once again, by the narrowest margin and a fortunate turn of fate, his better side had won. 1 He, too, rose from the bench and with steady step took his way to the sta- bles. , . .The thing now was for Reed Ito get well as quickly as possible. Minnie's presence, while she remained, would be a continual laceration to him, and he was fair enough to admit that, for her, the situation must be al- most intolerable. The sooner it was ended the better. The next evening Jackson sprung a surprise by offering to sit up with Reed. He and Cal were in the sta- ble doing some evening chores when he broached the matter. "You've been having it pretty stea- dy, Cal," he said, as he leaned on his fork after filling a manler with hay. "If you don't mind I'll si up with the boy tonight." I Cal looked at him doubtfully. • His suspicions of Jackson, somewhat al- layed by recent good behaviour, were again alert. There was something be- hind this suggestion; something more than appeared on the surface. Yet it was a request hard to ,,refuse. I' "If you don't mind,. Cal, I'd like to sit up with him tonight," Jackson re- peated. "All right," he answered shortly. ,"The crisis is past, and I guess he won't give you any trouble. That is, if Minnie agrees. You'll have to ask her." Apparently Minnie agreed, for, as bed -time approached, Jackson took ug his stationin the house. Filled with misgivings Cal arranked his blankets in the old Ford. But he had no .in- tentions of going to sleep. Whatev er. Jackson's purpose might be he meant to be on hand in 'case there were evil plans to foil. As he drows- ed in the Ford he recalled th,e night when he had surprised Jackson at the iwindow, and along with that he be- gan to link up strange incidents from time to time in the man's behaviour. Once when Reed had called for a drink, Jackson had rushed with it be- fore either Cal or Minnie could• attend, and at different times he had seen him looking strangely at the boy. Reed had had a kite in the machine shed in which the binder sat, and one afternoon Jackson had spent hours studying its construction. He had ev- en taken it out in an abortive attempt to make it fly.- And he had surprised him again looking at an old coat of Reed's which hung on the stable wall as though the mystery of the universe were hidden in its folds. What to make of the man! Kidnapping, for the moment, was out of the question. lIt would be murder. Could. Jackson land Minnie have planned-- Suddenly a terrifying thought clamped his ribs like a : vise. Would Jackson do the boy harm ,as he lay, sicic and helpless; at his mercy? There were medicines there; an- overdose mnight . easily prove fatal. What had Jackson brought yesterday from town? He could easily have 'obtained— In a panic of alarm he sprang from his cushions and rushed toward the house. He bad npt kept .the Ford 'drawn tip by the window since Reed's condition had improved; it stood back some little distnace in the yard. In his excitement he tripped, apparetitly over nothing, and fell headlong in the grass. When he arose he was some- what sobered, and he approached the window -the very one through which he had discovered .Jackson peering— with caution, The lamp 'in the house burned low; he could distinguish the outline of Minnie's bed in the far corner, and Reed's just under the window. For the moment Jackson was nowhere to be seen. The chair in front of the bed was empty; he was not by the stove; he was not by the door. But at length Cal began to make out the J Mph R FirOW dgwq rd raf NR'Tabtcfs stop lel P.:estinches. rpliove tD6iocuf sttocx:.,, woo' and regulate tho eliminative organo, make you fool lino. "Better Thum plus Fer lever ills" Cot a 25c. ®ox. TF7."rQ`'We'r"�` a AAt, tlSty, lyd�e Druaguk C. H. McAVOY, DRUGGIST form of a 'man lying on the bed—on Reed's bed, close beside the boy. His first thought was ,that Jackson had lain down and fallen asleep, but as his eyes became accustomed to the light he saw that Ja'ekson's hand was mov- ing steadily, slowly, up and down, and his fingers were furrowing through the hair ofthe sleeping child. Fas- cinated, Cal watched as one who -can- not believe the testimony of his eyes, but they would not be disputed. 'Cer- tainly Ccr-tainly Jackson Stake was fondling the hair of the boy Reed, his child. As one who has guiltily looked up- on an intimacy not intended for his eyes Cal stole back to his cushions in a bewilderment of conflicting emo- tions. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The next day Cal drove the Ford to Wheatview for supplies. A sharp rainstorm . in the afternoon' delayed his return, with the result that it was dark by the time he arrived at the Mason farm. The lamp light shone through the window as he cane up the drive from the road allowance, but the door was closed, for the night air was cool and damp. Laden with parcels, Cal came to the door, wondering a ,little that Minnie had not opened it when she heard his car. Resting his load against the jamb, lie turned the knob that he might walk in: He was about to call some cheery greeting when his eyes caught Minnie's form huddled by the little table,: her face buried in her hands. His first stab of alarm was for Reed, Had anything happened the boy? Dropping his parcels on a ben- ch, he hurried to the 'bedside. But Reed was sleeping; his pulse was re- gular, his skin cool to the touch. Turning, he saw that the girl had not. changed her position; ber head was still buried ii her hands, and as he looked a tremor ran through her form. He hurried to her, arms outstretch- ed. "What's the matter, Minnie?" What has happened? What is wrong?" She did not answer, nor in any way seem to recognize his presence, but another tremor shook her frame, and Cal's arms fell about her shoulders. With Minnie in distress it was im- possible for him to retain his Platon- ism: His hands found her hair; his fin- gers caressed her ears, her cheeks. He bent down until his face was close to hers. - "Will you tell me what is wrong, Minnie? he whispered, gently. "Per- haps I can help. 'He waited for her answer, but it was a 4ong while in coming. At last; in a voice from which every vestige of her spirit seemed to have been drained, she murmured, "How you must hate nae! How you must hate mel "But I don't hate you, Minnie. I don't hate—I've never" hated you—I couldn't hate you. Why do you say such a thing?,' She was silent now so long he thought she had decided riot to speak to him again at all, But at length— "Believe me, Cal, I would not be here except for Reed. I' would have gonethis afternoon. Anywhere— anywhere! I should never again have faced your eyes. I never-" "But I don't . understand! What are you talking about? Why should- n't you face my eyes?" " He hesitated wondering. Suddenly the thought oc- curred to him that the strain and loneliness had been too much for her and her nerves had snapped under them. Slipping an arm about her, by sheer strength he' raised her to .her' feet. Her body was limp in his arms. He turned her face to his but her. eyes were closed.' "Look at rime, Minnie. Open your eyes, and look at me. See, I do not hate you; I love you—love you— love you." Coaxingly, almost crooningly, at to a child, he repeated the words in her ears, seeking to win her out of her mood; he raised her arms about his, but there was no answering pressure; his lips found hers, but they were flat and unresponsive as the lips of . the dead, So he held her for a long minute; then, puzzled and beat- en, he let her rest again upon the chair. "I wish you would tell me, Minnie, he ventured again. "I don't under- stand at all; You have been working too hard—the 'strain has been too much' for you, Tomorrow you must go for a drive, Jackson can take you—" At the mention of Jackson's name it seemed another shiver ran through her frame, • and she murmured some- thing which he could' not catch. He bent his head beside hers, while with his fingers he Caressed her hair, her temples, her eyes. "I wish I 'might help you, Minnie," he whispered, hi slips close to her ear. "I want to help you, because I love you, Minnie; love you, Minnie, do you understand?" • Suddenly she spoke. "Why do you say such untruths?" she demanded, "You don't love me! You can't love me! After what I --what we—what my family-" She paused, and the tremor which ran through her frame seemed to communicate itself to Cal's, A par- alyzing thought sent the, hairof his neck creeping uncannily. What did she know? Could it be possible—? "What do you mean, Minnie?" he demanded, with unintentional stern- ness. "What do you mean about you and your family?" By a great effort s]ie drew herself together, summoning all her fortitude for the task before her. She found herself able to speak more steadily. "Jackson has told me everything," she said....."Now leave me, please." • As the words sank home upon him Cal began to realize that they herald- ed an entirely new set of circunistan- ces.. The world of an hour ago was. gone forever, and with these words he was ushered into a new planet, where a new Minnie Stake, sobered, shamed, abased, lay at his feet, Here again was a bruised reed, and one which, surely, he must not break. To win! 'her back to pride inher family, in herself,' must be the first step to- ward winning her back to love of" him. It was a task big enough for all his resources of tact and earnest ness. Slowly the deadly effectiveness of Jackson's attack became clear to him. To tell Minnie was, after all, the surest way to raise an insur- mountable barrier between them. The man's cunning and insight were dia- bolical. "Where's Jackson?" he demanded. "Where's Jackson?" "Gone," she answered. "I know what you're thinking Cal, but I think you should what he said. Before he left he held Reed in his arms and he said, 'Little boy, this is the hardest. thing I ever did. I'm giving you to Cal and—and—" "And what? Mnniel Do you think be loved Reed?" (Continued in our next issue) 7 DIED Ballantyne --In Emerson, Man., on Sept. 7th., 1925, Wm. B. Ballantyne, formerly of Brussels, aged 55 years. Cooper—In Grey Twp., on Tuesday, Sept. Sth., 1925, Daniel Cooper, aged 70 years, q months and 23 days. Green—In Tnrnberry, on Sept. 3rd,, 1925, Margaret Hunter, wife of the late Wm. Green. in her 85th year. PROUD 1 OP YOUR TOWN? Want to see it progress,? Let nothing interfere with the pros- perity of its citizens? Or -"cut in" on the business of its mer- chants to the extent that the lat- ter will lose heart with the local civic spirit, Then—it's time your interests were "taking a shot" at the hou- se-to-house peddler. He is threatening your community's welfare in that he takes others' prosperity out of your town yet contributes nothing to its pro- gross. Mr. Merchant? The city soli- citor for printing is taking half of the printing out of Wingham. Let's make a bargain, join hands with The Advance -'limes to put a stop to this foreign mussiness, which may in time be the means of killing Wingbarn, ,,