Walkerton Independent, Volume 61, Number 46, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 9 April 1936 — Page 2

FLAME IN THE FOREST By HAROLD TITUS Copyright by Harold Titus. Illustrations by IrWlll MyerS WNU Service.

SYNOPSIS Kerry Young, a lad of seven, is prepared to flee the burning lumber camp of his benefactor. Jack Snow, who took the youngster to live with- him at th« death of Kerry’s mother. Tod West has Instructed Kerry to come with a fils containing the camp’s funds should it be endangered. Flames attack the office, and Kerry, hugging the precious file, and Tod race to town. Tod acts queerly. At the bank the file is found empty and Kerry is blamed with taking the wrong one. Snow, his headquarters and money gone, is ruined, and soon thereafter dies, leaving Kerry to th« Poor Commissioner. Kerry suspects Tod and swears to even the score. In a St. Paul office Kerry, now in manhood and an expert woodsman, learns of the whereabouts of West. Kerry rescues a lovely girl from a scoundrel, who proves to be West. Tod .threatens to pauperize the girl, Nan Downer. She thanks Kerry and tells him of the robbery, and murder of her father and of Tod’s advances. She is operating a lumber tract which her father had purchased from West. Kerry makes camp. At the general store in West's Landing, he finds Tod engaged in a poker game. Jim Hinkle, timber employee, loses heavily. Kerry exposes Tod’s cheating and disarms him. The crowd is unconvinced of Tod's duplicity. Kerry identifies himself to West, who denies knowing him and advises him to leave town. Nan tells Dr. Ezra Adams of Kerry's rescue of her from Tod, and of West's threat. CHAPTER V—Continued “Hullo, Jimmy! Evening. Elsie. All ready to be measured up for the brace, eh? Well, well; we’ve come along so far and have got kind of a leg left. Now we'll start on the job of making a silk purse out of . . . something.’* He began pulling off his coat. “Where’s Jim?" he asked. The woman's face darkened. “At the store, I guess. Gambling again, I suppose." “Well, we’ll go ahead, anyhow.” And he went ahead, holding the misshapen leg on his knees, eyeing the long, blue creases of some terrible hurt and Nan looked on, watching the play of his deft fingers. The painstaking chore finally finished and no Jim in sight, the two walked toward the store, Ezra saying: “Os course, if Jim hasn't the cash. I’ll have to buy the brace myself. I told him that last time I was out and he promised. But,” — with a sigh—“times being what they are. I'm scraping the bottom of the till myself!” So they approached the store and saw what they saw. As they left, Tod West was saying to Jim: “Hell, No! I won’t take back that money 1 He’s a rat and a liar, Jim, but . . He shrugged and met Jim’s eyes squarely, neatly covering the effort required. “Lord, boy, I’ve always tried to lean backward in my dealin's with others! No. sir. If any man says I took money unfairly, I don’t even want to argue. Not on your life. I don't Money ain’t worth that, Jim!” • •••••• Kerry sat In the darkness on the river bank, listening to the booing of an owl and the song of crickets and the plopping of a night feeding trout. He smoked leisurely and Tip, head in his lap, breathed evenly. . . . So his childish suspicion had been right; so the last sane thought—also a suspicion — which Jack Snow had had,-had been justified. The dog now lifted his head sharply and Kerry could feel him stiffen. After a moment, a low vibration ran his back, which was the beginnings of a growl. “Steady!” the man whispered and reached for bis bed, jerking his rifle from the blanket folds. Then, aloud, he hailed: “Who’s there?” A voice from above answered: “Caller, Young! Still up?” Slow footsteps came through the poplars. Young, on his feet, waited with the dog stiff and suspicious beside him. “Funny business, bustin’ in on a man this way, this hour,” the voice went on, nearer now. “But I got things to talk over.” He could see the ’ other, now. He was short, squat, and breathed rapidly. “I’m named Adams, Young; Ezra Adams. I'm the local pill peddler.” “Oh, hullo, doctor!” The old man's ! voice was pleasant. “Glad you dropped j In. Here, sit on the bed. Light your ' pipe?” He could see the other stare across ■the river and cock his head as if to { listen. “No, guess not, thanks. I . . . This is kind of confidential.’’ “So?” He felt the doctor's attempt to scrutinize his own shadowed face. “Sit i down. Nobody can get within ear shot with Tip here.” Adams began in a moment. “I was in the store when Tod made his play, Young. I saw and heard and . . . things have happened since that make roe feel maybe I'm going to have to i ask your help, strangers though we ‘ are." Kerry made no comment. He was Instinctively drawn to this old man. “Also, I heard about what happened this afternoon. I added that to what I know about you. “The first thing I came to ask is this: how long are you going tn stay here? I heard you say to West that jou wouldn't be driven off.” "Only until he's sure that I'm not going because he wants me to.” “Hum. . . . Pressing business elsewhere?" “None at all." Pause, “I see. Then If you could be interested in a job here, you’d be free to take it?’’ “Job? What kind of job?” The old man eyed him In the darkness. “Coroner’s clerk,” he said in a whisper. “You kidding me?” “Not in the least I’m . , . I'm more serious and in greater need than I’ been since I can recollect”

“Well, that's a new one on me!” He laughed. “Coroner’s clerk I Why—” “Let me explain this a little. I p have to pop it right at you without e any preliminaries because it's . . . it's s an emergency, I guess. Nan didn’t go e into detail about the killing of her father. I want you to know that. a You've got to know it. That is, if 3 you’re going to consider my proposal, d “You see, Downer was a queer old e duffer. Salt of the earth, but queer; ® eccentric. It was one of his eccene tricities that led to his murder. He d never would deal with a man except a for cash. Kept a bank account and a all, but when he did business checks a didn't go. s “He had this payment due to West * last November. The fifteenth, it was. d That was pay day at his mill, too. The day before he drove into town and t drew the money from the bank, start- ” ed home about dusk ami was killed s not three miles from here by a buln let in the brain. The money, in one ’• of these tin boxes, was taken out of ‘ his car. It amounted to over twelve thousand dollars. i “You see. I'm coroner here. I start--1 ed an investigation and the sheriff, he 5 fussed some, but that’s about the extent of his abilities: fussing. “Two men, only, that we knew of, had the slightest motive. One was Jim Hinkle, whose money you got back for him tonight. He'd been work- • Ing for Cash, had been fired the day * before and fired with gusto, which was ; Downer’s way. But he was playing ’ cribbage with Tod West all that evening and stayed in West's house all night, his family being away. So. with West being what he's thought to be,” —drily—“Hinkle was counted ’ out. “West was quite active In this thing. He wanted his money and Nan, Downer’s only heir, didn’t have more to pay him. He dug up the information that Holt Stuart had had a run-In with Cash early in the week. Holt was working for Cash. Well, it seems that Holt’s pretty well struck with Nan. He's a good boy. but Cash was a cantankerous old cuss and he rode the boy pretty hard because of where he’d let his interests stray. As a sort of punishment, he'd sent Holt out to a cabin on Townline Lake to do some mapping and made him stay there all alone. “The sheriff, afte” West got through with him. was convinced Holt was his I man and started right in to work up ( a case against him. But I stopped that A coroner, you know, 's got it all over a sheriff for authority. I drove out and found the boy with an ankle so badly sprained that he couldn't pos- ' sibly’ve been out. “Well, we impaneled a coroner's jury and I got the bullet out of Cash ! but we had so little to go on that the j । verdict had to be an open one. Then I I we started trying to trace the money. ; ! It was mostly in new Federal Reserve I notes and the bank had the serial num- ' I bers. We broadcast those and then I called It a day. That's where it sits ' now.” “Downer's dead and the money’s gone,” said Kerry. ‘‘Lord, if Miss Downer could get hold of that stolen money It’d save her life, wouldn’t it?” "It would” — again drily. “That's what I'm here for. To see if you'll help me locate it.” “Locate it? What d'you mean?” “This I” The old man leaned forward and tapped Young s knee. “The I money,” he whispered, “is still In the country!” “The devil!” “’S truth! In my pocket I have a twenty dollar bill that was part I of It. It was paid me on account to- ; night.” “You got any idea where It came i from ?” Ezra looked around and listened. “Out of your poker game,’’ he said grimly. After a moment Kerry gave a low ' whistle. “Say! That makes the situation look up, doesn't it?” “That’s why I came to yon, a stranger. I need help and need it right ' now. That money is cached some- j where in the country. Whoever is I hiding It, needs money badly. That's : | the first bill to be put into circulation i j out of the lot. . . . Young, will you take j a commission as my deputy?” Kerry's heart was beating rapidly. ! Here, indeed, was a chance to do some- | thing for Nan Downer. He waited a- - considering all things. Then I he said: “I'll go you, doctor!” “Good! But we'll have to keep It between you and me. Not even Nan ' must know.” Anil loaning back on one plbow the old man cleared his throat and began to talk again. • •••••• Across the river In the big house of • ! peeled logs which was Tod West's j i Hinkle, who was seated and whose “And now it's up to you.” West said : hpavllv “I tf’a mv tn •It’ll look like hell, for me to do thought he done for me. . . How’ll I : go at It? Besides, he’s nobody to fool "Don’t hed^e! You can’t null wool ■

■ you thought he was right, that I did deal crooked!” “Hell, no! I fell you, I only—” ‘‘Shut up!” West gestured savagely, i “Because a rat comes along and ► frames me so I'll look like a crook. ■ you’ll forget all I’ve done for you!” “Well,” —with a show of sullen defiance—“what if I do think it wasn’t a frame-up against you? What then?” I West leaned forward, face darken- ; Ing, mouth settling in a cruel line. “So that's it, eh? So that’s how • you feel! Well, when you’ve forgot- । ten everything else about me, rememI ber this: I lied for you once, didn’t I? i I I told ’em all I played cribbage with you the night Downer was killed, didn't I? And nobody knows I found I you wandering around so blind drunk j you couldn’t tell where you’d been? I And with a rifle, too? What, I ask | you” — bending forward and rubbing ; his palms on his hips slowly—“what’d happen if I came clean with the sheri iff and told him that, eh? If any man ever would be under suspicion of murder then, who’d it be?” Hinkle raised au unsteady hand to his chin. “You wouldn’t do that, Tod?” “Try me and see!” Their gazes locked and after a time Jim's fell. He drew a slow, faltering breath. “All right,” he said. “I'll get some of the boys. Tomorrow, we’ll see what we can do about gettin’ him down river." CHAPTER VI The sun had climbed from the bank of orange clouds which screened Its rising; the mill whistle had blown | .summoning men to work and the saw i had at last taken up its daily song. Kerry Young had been up before the break of day, built his fire, bathed In the stinging waters of the river and dressed leisurely. Then he set his shaving kit on a stump beside the j stream and proceeded to clean cheeks i and chin of yesterday s beard stubble. I J X* \ Ri IA “I’ve Come to Tell You,” He Said, “That This Ain’t a Very Healthy Place to Hang Around!” Today he was going to present himself ' to Nan Downer and ask for work, a j move which Ezra Adams had urged at length last night. It was while peering Into the mirror as he began manipulating the razor that his eyes lost their glint of laugh- ; ter and became most intent. Across ■ the way spruces grew thick along the : river bank, and as he turned his back to the stream, he caught In the mlr- ' ror a reflection of branches being part- . ed, of a face peering at him. He pretended to give this watcher । no heed, but he took long at his shav- I j ing. and half a dozen times had a fair : i glimpse of the man’s face. It was no I one he had seen before. He was not at all surprised when ' Tip, recumbent beside the fire, raised his head sharply and gave a low growl. “Easy, chum!” Kerry muttered. I “Coming Into the open, eh?” But it was nothing across the | I stream which had attracted the dog; ' nor was the man approaching the one i who had spied on him from the timber. Jim Hinkle was coming along the | : trail which followed the bank above i i the flat, and walking intently, as one | ■ with a grim purpose. Kerry looked up and nodded. The other did not respond. “Well. Jim?” Young asked. Hinkle plunged at once into hfs errand. “I’ve come to tell you,” he said, i “that this ain’t a very healthy place । for you to hang around!” ‘‘So? Kind of you to take this trouI ble. Is this a ... a friendly act or i a warning, Jim?” “Call ft what you want to. I come | i here because it looked last night as ; if you was doin’ me a favor. Instead, | you put me in a hell of a hole. You, nor nobody else, can make me think j that Tod West would cheat at cards!” j A whiff of surprise escaped Kerry. “Well, I’ll t>e damned!” he breathed, j “You really aren't convinced?” The man made an impatient gesture ' and looked away. “Yes. I don't know what your game was, but when a stranger in this conn- I try makes a play like that with a man like Tod—-well, he don’t get far.” “Maybe. Not at first.” “Or anywhere along the line!” The ' I man appeared to be making an effort ! ■ to lash himself into a mood of trucu- i lence. “If you'd stuck around to hear । what they said in the store last night, i , you'd find out how far you got. Tod | Insisted that they look the cards over, i I and do you think any one of us would? : t Not on j iur life* And he made me j

WTWVHWFWWTWI take my money back, too . . . said he wouldn't even take it if I'd owed it to him after havin’ suspicion put on him. He . . . “If you know what's good for you,” in his manner, then, was a convincing quality not present before, "you'll haul out today!” “And if I shouldn’t . . . what then?” j Hinkle shrugged. ‘'Well, I’d figure I’d done all that anybody can do for you by cornin' here.” He advanced a few steps, his voice moderating. “I'm not handin’ you anything. Young, I’m Just doin' you a friendly act. This country thinks a lot of Tod, and there's men here that won't stand to see anything done against him." “Yeah? West, and who else?" “Plenty !” Young let his head drop backward and laughed. • •••••• So that was that! He had been spied upon since daybreak, had been warned to clear out by an emissary who did not say all that he thought and felt. Such Items should be pondered over, but fif’U he had other things to do. He and Ezra had decided that since he had an official if secret standing now. it would scarcely do for him to remain in the country with no better excuse than the proclaimed Intention of defying Tod West So Kerry decided to apply to Nan Downer for work. Not long after Jim Hinkle's departure Kerry set out. Tip following at his heels. Nan Downer looked up from her desk and listened to Kerry's brief speech explaining his presence. “A job?” she asked, and surprise In her face. It was not the surprise which made the deepest Impression on Young. It was the quick coloring of her cheeks, the changing light in her eyes which Indicated an Interest in him over and | above any amazement or regret or enj thuslasm which his question might have provoked. “Yes. a job. Yoa know how it Is, I guess: I've sort of got to stick around a while; and when I’m in one place. I don't Just hanker to loaf.” She traced a pencil-line on a pad before her, considering. “If you want to take a chance of defying Tod West, It is your affair. What sort of Job are you after?” Kerry grinned. “Maybe I'll have to ask what kind of Jobs you've got on hand? I can do a lot of things In and amuod the woods, all th“ way from cruising, tin through logging operations to milling” “Are yon a draftsman as well?” She turned to a series of large maps hanging from the wall, greens and reds and blues splashing the surfaces Ito Indicate the various types of I growth which cloaked the des<-riptions. with figures showing the size and den I titles of stands, with streams and I lakes set down in detail. “You see.” she explained, “these proepects of ours are the sort who will want to know, down to the last detail, what we're offering in exchange for their money. My father found that the easiest way to interest men [ of affairs was to have everything on paper where they could consider it Intelligently and completely. Could you do Just this sort of thing as well as these Jobs have been done?” No fooling about this girl. Her question was blunt and brooked no eva- | sion or qualification in answer. Young step[>ed closer to the maps, ! studying them a lengthy Interval. “I can." he said finally. Nan hesitated. "Os course, we can't pay you what you might get some other place. We're up against it. as you already know." She was obviously embarrassed, bul , Kerry said quickly: “Don't worry about that." He looked at her, his । appreciation of the situation stirring a profound sympathy. “I’d figure. Miss i Downer, that it’d be a rare privilege working for you. When do we start?" “I can’t talk that detail with you now, because Holt Is out on the job. We've worked such things out together since my father died. He'll be back this evening. Will you come up then?" lie would, he said, and started out of the office. Tip stood outside the screen door and now whined. “Oh, here’s the dog!” Nan cried, going quickly ahead of Young, opening the door and kneeling on the step. The retriever Inspected her with eyes and nose, and at first bore himself with perfect indifference, being, as he was, a one-man beast. But when her small hand came to rest on the broad crown of his head, and her gentle voice told him what a handsome fellow he was . . . why, then the tail commenced to waggle a bit, and his eyes rolled, and his pink tongue lolled a little, and he panted with that satisfaction which comes to any male with sufficient flattery! (TO BE CONTINUED) Occupation of Cyprus On June 4, 1878, Great Britain, by treaty with the sultan of Turkey, took over the occupation and administration of Cyprus. The Turks remained I nominal sovereigns, and received an annual “tribute” of £92.800. At the I outbreak of the war with Turkey, November 5, 1914, Cyprus was formally ; annexed to the British crown and became an integral part of the empire. I At that time it was announced that i ! every Ottoman subject residing on the Island would become a British subject, 1 unless he stated in writing his desire to retain his Ottoman nationality. With very few exceptions, the Greek . residents accepted with enthusiasm | and the Turks without demur. However the so-called “Turkish tribute" la still paid, borne by the revenues of Cha l Ulaud.

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