Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1914 — WHERF THEM'S A WILL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHERF THEM'S A WILL

ROBERTS RINEHART

AVIHOR, OF Tg/te LOWER. TEN, WHEN A MAN MAUR.IE9 ILLUSTRATED AP EDGAR BERT SMITH «*>*/»«• o*2 & fta3s&.t.ca>

SYNOPSIS. * Minnie, Bprln*-houw «ijcl at Hope sanatorium. toil* the story. It opens with the arrival o t Mlm Patty Jennings, who to reported to bo enraged to marry a prtnoe. end tho death of tho old doctor who owns tho sanatorium. Tho oatato to loft to. a scapegrace grandson. Dicky Carter, who must appoar on a certain date .and run tho sanatorium successfully for two months or forfeit tho inheritance. A case hf mumps delays Dinhto arrival. Mr. Thoburn is hovering about In hopes of semiring the place for a summer hotel. Pieros, a college man in hard luck, to prevailed upon bv Van Atotyne, Dick’s brothCarter arrives. Dick, who hae eloped &&£BiS£Sfe ■•““F turn. Dick arranges with Pierce to conesra js» 5S EShTBGftfSrSsE Barnes, character man with p }* rc ?,{L!£ o ,J» and a graduate M. D.. takes the ptooe of sanatorium physician. geroo, trho to gassas wsasr^ssssg? breaks into the wrong room * J } d .**** X? wrong lettera Mtoe Bummers dog has convulsions from overeating. The P»tto*g| believe It has been poisoned by the doped wring water. CHAPTER X. —Continued. He staggered out, with Mr. Blggn Jut behind Mm, and from that moment they were all demoralised. One by one tbey left to look for Doctor Barnes, or to get the white of egg, . which somebody had suggested as an antidote. I was alone, looking down at Arabella. Or rather, I thought I was alone, for there was a movement by one of the windows and Miss Patty came forward and knelt by the dog. “Of all the absurdities!” she said. “Poor little thing! Minnie, 1 believe she’s breathing!” She pat the dog’s head in her lap, and the little beast opened Its eyes and tried to wag Its blue tail. “Oh, Miss Patty, Miss Patty!” I exclaimed, and I got down beside her and cried on her shoulder, with her stroking my hand and calling me dearest! Me! I was wiping my eyes when the door was thrown open and Mr. Pierce nut in. He had no hat on and his hair was powdered with snow. He stopped Just inside the door and looked at Miss Patty. “My God!” he exclaimed, “I thought you were poisoned!" “I am all right," she assured him, "and little Arabella will be all right, too. She’s had a convulsion, that’s all —probably from overeating. As for the others —!” “Where is the—where is von. Inwald?" . “He has gone to take the white of an egg," she replied rather haughtily. He walked to the window and I saw him looking hard at something , outside In the snow. When he walked hack to the fire he was smiling, and he stooped over and poked Arabella with his finger. * “So that waa it!" he said. “Pull to the scuppers, poor little wretch! Minnie, I am hoist with my own petard, Whleh in this case was a boomerang." "Which is in English-—’’ I asked. “With the Instinct of her sex, Arabella has unearthed what was meant to he buried forever. She had gorged herself into a convulsion on that rabbit I shot last night!" They went to the honse together, he carrying Arabella like a sick baby and

lllu Patty beside him. I went over and looked down Into the spring, and it aaamad to mo it waa darker than asnaL It may have emailed stronger, hot the edge had been taken off my bom, eo to apeak, by being there ao long. The only thing I could think of waa to empty the eprlng and let the water » eome in plain. I could pot a little aolphur tat to giro it color aid flavor, and If it turned out that Mr. Pierce wm right and that Arabella waa only

a glutton, I could pat in the other thinp later. I was carrying out my first pailful When Doctor Barnes came down the path and took the pall oat of my hand. “What are you doing?" he asked. “Making a slide?" “No" I said bitterly, “I am watering the flowers.” “Good!” He was not a bit pat out "Let me help you." Inside, he pat down the pall, 'and polling me In, closed the door. "Now forget It!" he commanded. ‘"Just because a lot of damn fools see a dog in a fit and have one, too. Is that any reason for your being soared walleyed and knock-kneed? Lord, I wish yon conld have seen them staggering Into my office!" “I saw enough," I said with a shiver. “That von Inwald,” he want on, “he’s the limit He accused us of poisoning him for reasons of state!” "Where are they now?" “My dear girl,’’he answered, putting down his glass, "what has been pounded into me ever since I struck the place? The baths! I prescribe ’em all day and dream ’em all night Where are the poisonees now? They are steaming, stewing, exuding in the hot rooms of the bath department—all of them, every one of them! In the hold and the hatches down!" Just then somebody fell aginst the door and stumbled Into the room. It was Tlllie, as white as milk, and breathing in gasos. "Quick!” she screeched, "Minnie, quick!” “What is It?" I asked. Jumping up. She'd fallen hack against the door frame and stood with her hand clutching her heart "That dev—devil —Mike!” she panted. “He has turned on the steam In the men’s bath and gone—gone away!” "With people In the bath?" Doctor Barnes asked, slamming down the pail. ■nilie nodded. "Then why in creation don’t they get out of the baths until we can shut off the steam?” I demanded, grabbing np my shawl But Tlllie shook her head In despair. “They can’t,” she answered, "he’s hid their clothes!" The next thing I recall Is running like mad up the walk with Doctor Barnes beside me, steadying me by the arm. I only spoke once that I remember and that was Just as we got to the house. "That settles It!" I panted, desperately. "It’s all over.” "Not a hit of It!” he said, shoving me up the steps and Into the hall. "The old teakettle Is Just getting *het up’ a bit By the gods and little fishes. Just listen to it singing down there!” v * * * * • • The help was gathered in a crowd at the head of the bathhouse staircase, where a cloud of steam was coming up, and down below we could hear furious talking, and somebody Shooting, "Mike! Mike!" In a voice that was choked with rage and steam. "Clothes! Send ns some clothes!" It was Mr. Sam calling. The rest was swallowed up in a fresh roaring, as If a steam pipe had given away. That settled the people below. With a hunt of fury they swarmed up the stain in their bath sheets, the bishop leading, and Just behind him, talking aa no gentleman should talk under any circumstances, Senator Biggs. The rest followed, their red faces shining through the steam—all of them murderous, holding their sheets around them with one hand, and waving the other in frensy. It was awful. The help scattered and ran, bnt I stood my ground. The sight of a man in a sheet didn’t scare me and it was not time for weakness. A moment later the engineer came up and after him Mr. Pierce, with a towel over his mouth and a screw-driver in his hand. He was white with rage. "Who saw Mike last?" he shouted. Here Mr. Moody, who’s small at any time, and who without the padding on his shoulders and wrapped in a sheet with a red face above, looked like a lighted cigarette, darted out of the crowd and caught him by the sleeve. "Here!" he cried, “we’ve got a few things to say to you, yon young—” "Take your hand off my arms!" thundered Mr. Pieros. The storm broke with that. They crowded around Mr. Pierce, yelling like maniacs, and he stood there, white-faced, and let them wear themselves out Ills courage of a man in a den of lions was nothing to it Do©tor Barnes forced his way through the crowd and stood there beside him. And I stood there and watched, my mind awhlrl expecting every minute to hear that they were all leaving, or to have some one forget and shake both fists at onto. ’ And that’s how it ended finally— I mean, of course, that they said they would all leave Immediately*, ana that he ought to be glad to have them go quietly, and not have him Jailed tor or compounding a Se**house sa^t^S - -

"At three o’clock, then,” said Mr. Pierce. "Very well." “Don’t be a fool!” I heard Mr. Sam from the ctow£ - • “Is that all you have to say?" roared Mr. von Inwald. “Haven’t yon any apology to make, sir?” “Neither apology nor explanation to you," Mr. Pierce retorted. And to the other: “It is an unfortunate accident —incident. If yon prefer." He looked at Thoburn, who was the only one in a bathrobe, and who was the only cheerful one In the lot “I had refused a request of, the bath man’s and he has taken this form of revenge. If this gives me the responsibility I am willing to take ft. If you expect me to ask you to stay I’ll not do It I don’t mind saying that I am as tired of all this as you are. In fact, I’d about decided on a new order of things for this place anyhow. It’s going to be a real health resort, run for people who want to get well or keep well. People who wish to be overfed, overheated and coddled need not come—or stay.” The bishop spoke over the heads of the others, who looked dazed. “Does that mean,” he inquired mild-

ly, "that—guests must either obey this order of things or go away?’’ Mr. Pierce looked at the bishop and smiled. ° ~ *Tm sorry, sir," he said, "hut as every one Is leaving, anyhow—" They fairly jumped at him then. They surrounded him in a howling mob and demanded how ho dared to turn them out, and what did he mean by saying they were overfed, and they would leave when they were good and ready and not before, and he could go to blazed'. It was the most scandalous thing I’ve ever known of at Hope Springs, and In the midst of it Mr. Pierce stood cool and quiet, waiting for a chance to speak. And when the time came he jumped in and told them the truth about themselves, and most of It hurt He was good and mad, and he stood there and picked out the flabby ones and the fat ones, the whisky livers and the tobacco hearts and the banquet stomachs, and called them ont by name. He got through and stood looking at them In their sheets, and then he said coolly: "The bus win be ready at two-thirty, gentlemen,” and turning on his heels, went into the office and closed the door. They scattered to their rooms in every stage of rage and excitement, and at last only Mr. Sam and I were left staring at each other. "Damned young idiot!" ha said. "I wish to heavens you’d never suggested bringing him here, Minnie!" And leaving me speechless with Indignation, he trailed himself and his sheet np the stairs. CHAPTER XI. I couldn’t stand any more. It was all over! I rushed to my room and threw myself on the bed. At two-thir-ty I heard the bus come to the portecochere under my window and then drive away; that was the last straw. I put a pillow over my head so nobody could hear me, and then and there I had hysterics. And then somebody Jerked the pillow away and I looked up, with my eyes swollen almost shut, and It waa Doctor Barnes. He had a glass of water in hla hand and be held it right above me.

"One more yell," he said, "and it goes over yon!” I aat up and stared at him. I could hardly aee out of my eyes. Ha had hla hack to the light, but I could tell that he had a cross of adhesive plaster on hla cheek and that one eye was almost shut He smiled when he aaw my exPr^t’a > the temperament," he said. "It goes with the hair. I’ve got It too, only I’m apt to go out and pick a fight at each times, and a woman hasn’t got that outlet As you sea* I found Mtoe, and^sgr^ toJMlkrisas and a walk.” I didn’t want to go* hut anything was better than sitting In the nfftm

a little, but as we went downstairs tho quiet of tho place sat on my chest like a weight. “The Jenningses are still here,” said the doctor. “The old man is madder than any hornet ever dared be, and they go in the morning. But the situation was too much for our German Mend. He left with the others." Well we went out and I took the path I knew best, which was out toward the sprlnghouse. At the little bridge over the creek Doctor Barnes stopped, and leaning over tharall took a good look at me. "When you self-contained women go to pieces," he said, "you pretty near smash, don’t you? You look as If you’d had a death In your family." "This was my family,” I half sniveled. “But," he said, "you’ll be getting married and haring a home of your own and forgetting all about this." He looked at me with his sharp eyes. "There’s probably some nice chap in the village, eh?" m ’Look here," I turned on him, “if you’re talking all this nonsensq to keep my mind off things, you needn’t.” “I’m not," he said. "I’m asking for the sake of my own mind, but we’ll not bother about that now. We’d better start back." We went back to the house and 1 straightened the news stand, Amanda King having taken a violent toothache as a result of the excitement The Jenningses were packing to go, and Miss Summers had got a bottle of peroxide and shut herself in her room. At six o’clock Tlllie beckoned to me from the door of the officers’ dining room and said she’d put the basket in the snow by the grape arbor. I got ready, with a heavy heart, to take it out I had forgotten all about their dinner, for one thing, and I had to carry bad news. But Mr. Pierce had been there before me. I aaw tracks in the fresh snow, for, praise heaven! had snowed all that week and our prints were filled up almost as fast as we made them. When I got to the shelterhouse It was In a wild state of excitement. Mrs. Dick, with her cheeks flushed, bad gathered all her things on the cot and was rolling them up In sheets auk newspapers. Bnt Mr. Dick was sitting on the box in front of the fire with his curly hair standing every way. He had been roasting potatoes, and as I opened the door, he picked one up and poked at It to see If it was done. •> "Damn!" he said, and dropped it. Mrs. Dick sat on the cot rolling up a pink ribbon and looked at him. "If you want to know exactly my reason for insisting on moving tonight, I’ll tell you,” she said, paying no attention to me. "It is your disposition.” He didn’t say anything, bnt he pnt hie foot on the potato and smashed It “If I had to be shat in here with you one more day," she went on, ‘Td hate yon." ~$ ' " "frhy the one more day?" he asked, without looking np. But she didn’t answer him. She was in the worst kind of a temper; ahe threw the ribbon down, and coming over, lifted the lid of my basket and looked In. "Ham again!" she exclaimed ungratefully. "Thanks so much for remembering us, Minnie. I dare say our dinner today slipped your mind!” “I wonder If it strikes yon, Minnie,” Mr. Dick said, noticing me for the first time, "that if yon and Sam hadn’t been so oonfoonded meddling, that fellow Pierce would be washing buggies In the village livery stable where hr belongs, and I’d be in one piece of property that’s as good as gone this minute.” I was In a bad humor, anyhow, and I’d had enough. I stood Just Inside the door and I told them I’d done the best I conld, not for them, bnt because I’d promised the old doctor, and if I’d made mistakes I’d answer for them to him If I ever met him in the next world. And in the meantime I washed my hands of the whole thing, and they might make out as best they could. 1 was going. Mrs. Dick heard me through. Then she came over and put her hand on mine where It lay on the table. "You're perfectly right,” she said. "I know how you have tried, and that the fault is all that wretched Pierce's. You mustn’t mind Mr. Carter, Minnie. He’s been In that sort of humor all day." He looked at her with the most miserable face I ever saw, but he didn’t say anything. She sighed, the little wretch. I plodded hack with my empty basket I had only one dear thought—that I wouldn’t have any more tramping across the golf links In tits mow. I wanted to get back to my room and go to bed and forget But as I came near the house I saw Mr. Pieros corns out on the front piazza and switch on the lights. He stood there looking out into the snow, and tho next minute I saw why. doming up the hfl! and across the lawn was a zhpdowy line of j*o»lo,vt£uk ■—hi# the white. 1 thouxht for a mtnut* BHtjr lHPttkß Immß wtoq£* then tho first figure same Into the light, sad It was the bishop. He stood

at the front of the steps and looked up at Mr. Pierce. "I dare say," he said, trying to look easy, “that this Is sooner than you expected Uz!’’ :■■■„■ Mr. Pierce looked down at the crowd. Then he entiled, a growing smile that ended in a grin. “On the contrary," he said, "I've been expecting you for an hour or more.” The procession began to move gloomily up the steps. All of them carried hand luggage, and they looked tired and sheepish. Miss Cobh stopped In front of Mr. Pierce. "Do you mean to say,” she demanded furiously, "that you knew the railroad was blocked with snow, and yet you let us go!" “On the contrary, Miss Cobb,” he said politely, "I remember distinctly regretting that you insisted on going. Besides, there was the Sherman house." Senator Briggs stopped in front of him. "Probably yon also knew that that was full Including the stables, with , people from the stalled trains," jie asserted furiously. Two by two they went In and through the hall, stamping the mow off, and up to their old rooms again, leaving Slocum, the olerk, staring at them as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. Mr. Pierce and I watched from the piazza, through the glass. We saw Doctor Barnes stop and look, and then go and hang over the news stand and laugh himself almost purple, and we saw Mr. Thoburn bringing up the tall of the procession and trying to look unconcerned. 1 am not a revengeful woman, but that was one of the happiest moments of my life. We gave them a good sapper and Mr. Pierce ordered claret served without extra charge. By eight o’clock they were all In better humor, and when they’d gathered In the lobby Miss Summers gave an imitation of Marie Dressier doing the Salome dance. With the exception of Mr. von Inwald, not one of them really wanted to go. At eleven o’clock we had the clambake with beer In the kitchen, and Mr. von Inwald came, after all. They were really very oheerfol, all of them. At the end, when everybody was happy and everything forgiven, Mr. Pierce got up and made a speech. - He said he was sorry for what had happened that day, but that much he had said he still maintained; that to pretend to make people well In the way most sanatorlnms did It was sheer 'folly, and he felt his responsibility too keenly to countenance a system that was clearly wrong and that the best modern thought considered obsolete. Miss Cobh ft np at that; she is always talking about the best modern thought He said that perfect health, clear skins, bright eyes—he looked at the women, > and except for Miss Patty, there wasn’t an honest complexion or a bright eye In the lot —keen appetites and Joy of living all depended on rational and simple living. It was being dons now In a thousand fresh-air farms, and succeeding. Men went back to their business clear-headed and women grew more heautlfuL At that what with the reaction from sitting In the cold station, and the beer and everything, they all grew enthusiastic. Doctor Barnes mads a speech telling that he used to be puny and weak, and how he went into training and became a pugilist, and how he'd fought the Tennessee something or other—the men nodded as If they knew—and licked him in 40 seconds or 40 rounds, I’m not sure which. The men were standing on their chairs

drugs.

lock np the news stand. Just as I opened the door from the beck hall however, I heard two people talking. It was Miss Pat and Mr. Pieros, She was on the stairs and he In the hall below, looking np. "I don't want to stay!” she waa saying. “But, don’t yob see,” he argued. "If yoq go, the others will Can't you trjr it for a week? I’m told It’s the had season and nobody else would com# until Last. And, anyhow, Hfs not bus!, ness to Ist a lot of people go away niad. It gives the place a Mack aye." "Dear me," she said, "how businesslike you are growing!" He went over does to the stairs and dropped his voice. "If yon want the bitter truth,” he went oa, trying to smile, "I've pnt myeelf on trial and been convicted of being a fool and a failure. I’ve been going around so long trying to find * place that I HA Into, tost I'm scarred as with many battles. And now Vm on probation—tor tbs last time. If tola doesn’t go, I—I—" Sg “What 7" she asked, leaning down to him. "You'll not— *’ "Oh, no," he said, "nothing dramatic, of course, I could go around toe country In a buggy selling lightning rode—" She drew herself heck as If she resented his refusal of her sympathy. “Or open a saloon in the Philippines!" he finished mockingly. "There’s a living tn that" "Yon are Impossible,’’ toe said, and turned away.' He watched her np the stairs and then turned and walked to the fire, with hie hands In his pockets and his head down. I closed the news stand and ha cams over Just as I was hanging np the cigar case key for Amanda King In the morning. Hs reached up and took the key off Its nail "I'll keep that" hs said. “It's no tobacco after this, Minnie.” "Yon can’t keep them here, then," I retorted. "They've got to smoke; It’s the only work they do." s' , -I “We’ll see," he said quietly. “And—oh, yes, Minnie, now toot we shall not be using the mineral spring-" "Not nss the mineral spring!" I repeated, stupefied. “Certainly not!" he said. "This is a drugless sanatorium, from now on. That’s part of the theory-no drags. Listen, Minnie. If you hadn’t been wasting your abilities in the mineral spring. I’d be sorry to close tt Bnt there will be plenty for you to do." “If we’re not going to use the springhouse, wo might have saved the expense of the new roof In the fall" I said Utterly. “Not at all For two boors or so a day the sprlnghouse will be a restwide open and God’s good air penetrating to fastnesses tt never knew before." "The spring will freeze!" "Exactly. My only regret Is that it Is too small to skats on. Bnt they’ll have the ice pond." "When I see Mr. Moody skating on the ice pond," I said sarcastically, "TO see Mrs. Moody dead with tho shock on too bank." “Not at all" re replied calmly. "You’ll see her skating, too" And with that he went to bed. CIO SB CONTINUED.) 1 His Knowledge of Jungle Noises. They were sitting la a booth at a well-known New York case, and conversation had tamed upon toe subject of mysterious midnight noises. In turn related some little anecdote* when a spare young man In the comer suddenly rose to his feet "Gentlemen,” said he* "your experiences am very interesting; but for real awe give me the roaring of the lion or sharp trumpeting of aa elephant borne to you on toe still nlghl air as you lie silent neither asleep nor awake." They stared at him In surprise. Was this pals youth, then, some grout traveler? "Excuse me,” one asked, "but have you slept In the Jungle and heard these mighty beasts as they roamed about by night?" "Well it’s not exactly that," repUed the youth, reaching for his hat, "bed I always sleep with my window open, and I live In Fifth avenue, directly opposite the Central Park Zoo!"—New York World. Peculiarity of Casts Iron. Singularly enougß, east Iron, never considered very strong, and thought by most people to be for lees durable than steel, improves greatly Ip strength when subjected to constant shocks. This was proved by guns of various ages and service. Guns triad a month after casting .burst at the seventieth or eightieth discharge. Other guns, which had been tn use Cot six years, foiled to burst after 2,001 or 2.000 discharges, and cast Iron [ban. after bring subjected to shocks, . frequently gain 100 per sent In etsaselh fun toss (la dhtotof KTfafUl. i «.«,!. nf>un<l strumgpsf nail ITOD WQicn pro Tea iiiuiiipi w mm cwt Iwm.it mVlnll hsA VaA mu WnllAgw** fas km mm wore« —mm

cheering for him. and even Mr. Jennings, who’d bean sitting and not say--lag much, said he thought probably there was something in it They ended by agreeing to try it oat fbr a week, beginning with the morning, when everybody was to be down for breakfast by seven-thirty. Then somebody suggested that If they were to get up they'd hare to go to bed, and the party broke «*. la a half-hour or so I had cleared am* and I want a* to (ha lobby to

They Were All Demoralized.

"We’ve Got a Few Things to Say to You.”

“I’ve Put Myself on Trial and Been Convicted."