Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Dec. 19, 1935, edition 1 / Page 5
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DECEMBER 19, 1935 t Fine Serin! Fiction i etch) by a t SYNOPSIS: Ben Furiong, a young but practical oil man and i driller from the Pennsylvania field, j drifted into the Texas oil country, broke and looking for work. Finally he fetched up at the Durham > home where live an elderly aunt, shortly widowed by the explosion ; of a powder wagon, and her r.eice, ! pretty Betty Durham . Porhap3 ; because of his smile. Betty cooks j some food for Ben and while he cats be learns the aunt, in town ! 11 business, has an oil man, Tiller [ Maddox, sinking an oil well for j her ... A short 6 inch bolt workcd Ioo3e from the rigging and is in j the bottom of the well. Work has : been suspended for days as the crew "fish" for the bolt and operating funds dwindle away . . Furlong offers to give a hand, but Maddox objects . . . Betty insists and overrules Maddox so Furlong fashions a tool which he has just lowered into the well, hoping to fish out the bolt . . On the order of Betty's aunt, Furlong is given a job. . . . Maddox shows his dislike for the new hand, especially because Ben and Betty are so friendly. While the two are in town shopping one evening. Maddox calls upon the aunt, demanding she help his case with Betty or there will be no wen . . . NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY. THIRD INSTALMENT "Did you drop that bolt in the well?" Mrs. Duharn bleated, in dismay. T ain't sayin' I did or T didn't. But remember, if this well ain't a producer, you're olowcd up, and it ain't a-gein' to produce till there's a Mrs. Tiller Maddox to see it and to get her share! We bargained that out, iong ago. i'es, an' I ain't afraid of you goin' back on our deal, cither. You don't dast." "I?I'll try again." "You better do moron try. I'M give you Just one more chance. If she don't come, across, I want you to go jvur ium? outurutiy eveiun , an i leave her here. Understand?" For a moment Mrs. Durham stared at Uie speaker, then she s&lrt: "Tiller Maddux, you're a dirty dog!" Say! I've got all the back talk I ciui stand lor one day. You heard me. Ycu do like I tell you, an' you needn't to get back from your visit till Monday." Not until Ben and Betty had finished their shopping and were on ; their way home did he tell her about : the trouble he had had with Maddox that morning. "He let on he was fooling, hut of course he'll fire mc the first chance he gets," Furlong predicted. "Oh, Ben! Why did you do it?" "We were bound to tie into each other sooner or later. You can't choose a time to get fighting mad; it's as much as you can do to pick ITVNM ImhII fir OnjOif Jj| $74.50 J|j You'll admire the it jjj jsj; I beauty cf this Philco | 620 Baby Grand ? || J? r ? you'll be amazed at J| j ja| l| its thrilling tone, || ||j| :|? power and foreign j| reception! Come in jl jS i||< ? see and hear this j j I jfj^l sensational value! || jljlH Only Pl ilco gives | S|| you eve-ry worth- I while feature in IS p# radio! I I j| fj ; There Are 43 Wfl & New 1936 PHILCOS fjBSB $24.50 cr"" Liberal Trade-in AUo^tst NEW RIVER LI< COMPAN C Seach ter* a ? new fortn Three Prize Short Stories natter story-teller. . . . . They're Re* Reach good footing."' | s "Aunt Mary won't let him fire you. j i She doesn't trust nun any juuic than t 1 do." i Say1 What has he got on her?" i The girl did not look up from her j driving. She fetched a deep breath as , she said: 'Tel dearly love to know. , There's something quefr about it . . ^ Uncle Joe was a sweet, easy-going ~ man and she rode him with a Span- ^ is'n bit. Site never would have let ^ him take me in, when my folks died, only I did all the work. But he sure loved me. When the oil excitement c came they rowed and fought, for s months. When ever he got an offer she claimed he was trying to give I the farm away and threatened to go 3 to law. I told you about that. He stood it as long as he could; then he c up and announced that I'd been more 1 of a daughter to him than she'd been a wife and he aimed to give most a of his money to me anyhow, and c then he made that lease with the t Planet people. That's how Maddox ' came. I think she'd have poisoned e me, if she dared, after what uncle ' 3aid. When he was killed I supposed, a of course*, she'd throw me out; but t she didn't. No use to do it. I suppose, inasmuch as he hadn't lefL any writ- 3 ing. As a matter of fact, she was better to me than she'd ever been. That's what makes me wonder some- 3 times?" s "Wonder what ?" "If he didn't tell Tiller something. 1 Something that makes her scared of him. Sometimes she acts like it's only because of him that she's nice to me. c ... I don't know what I'd do if she sent me away. I haven't got a red t; cent. There isn't a living soul I f' could?" i' Ben passed his arm around the slim girlish figure, and drew it to 0 him. "That'll be about all for you!" He kissed the c3icek next to his and U Betty hungrily pressed her face c!o- * ser. ''Good thing you aren't an heir- " ess?and mc with '.ess than a hundred 11 dollars!" 8' "You behave yourself, or you'll ! wreck this car," the girl warned him. o Maddox carried out his intention. ? He discharged Furlong on Friday U night, explaining that the weil was >' down, and the next morning Ben V?rv%b-? * *-* ww uuna co ins sweeuieart. >'< Betty was Indignant. She was for h annealing to her aunt, but he refused to permit her. He promised to let ner hear from him in a day or so. o Betty's face was flushed, her eyes !i were shining, when she entered the <1 house after he was gone. She was surprise' to find her aunt awaiting her. d "Tiller came over the other night o when you was in town," Mrs. Dur- si ham began. y "Did he?" ri "lie talked a lot about you. Til- f< ier's a fine man, dearie?" Betty broke out irritably: <'Don't ei let's start that all over again." u "Oh. your head's full of Furlong, I U a -? ? fi mm ur/?&6 m ice and EASY TERMS ? SHT & POWER Y STORE a hi WATAUGA DEMOCRAT-EVI (of four instalment* ^ ^ at hi. W- r.wr,^ or.** uppose? But what's he got" Notlizig. Not even a job. Now Tiller wants o marry yoix and -you better do t." "You know very well I'll do nothing of the sort." "Maybe you won't and maybe you vill." Mrs. Durham's lips set themselves in lines of inflexibility. "If rou got a smitch of sense you will }'you want to be poor all your life sr d'you want to be rich?" <4I tell you I won't! 1 won't!" deriared the girl. "The big, black, gTea;y brute!" "Now don't fly off the handle till m through. I've been pretty good to v?u? "I've earned my keep ever since I :ame. You'd have paid more for a lired girl than I cost." "Oh, hush up and let me finish. We illus fight like this. Your Uncle Joe ared a lot for you and?and I want o respect his wishes. When that well :oines in this farm*:! be worth? I ion't know what. Anyhow, my heart's let on seeing you get a good home md have everything. Hovv'd you like o live in a fine house in Dallas?" "What ails you? Are you losing rour mind, Aunt Mary?" "And you can have 'em if you narry Tiller. Marry Furlong and rou'll spend your life over a cook tove." "How can Tiller give me things ike that?" "I'jf give 'em to you." j After a moment Betty inquired,; uriously, "How much will you give?" | It was Mrs. Duham's time to liesiatc, her words came with an efDrt. 'T don't know?mcbbe a quarter , iterest." "Humph!" The exclamation was ne of scorn. "There's gratitude for you! Mebbe : it's a real big well I'd do better, ou?you've got to do it, Betty! " the ridow cried in distraction. "If you on't he'll ruin everything. He said o. If that well don't come in the irm ain't worth " so: 'mat's why you're so gener-| us. Now you listen to me. I wouldt marry Tiller Maddox, not for all I lie oil in Texas, not if it was to save our life." 'Wait! Don't make up your mind j 1 a hurry. I?I'm going over to Cousl Anna's?" "When? What for?" "Right Pfrer dinner. You think It ver while I'm gone, dearie. I fees ke you was my own kin. I want to 0 right by you and?" "Rats! said the girl. The town lay hot and gasping uner the sun. There was no shade outt doors, for nothing grew in the ireets, not even grass; its cinder ards, its board walls and iron roofs idiated waves of licat like those ora a stove. Late in the afternoon Ren Furlong ntercd the skating rink, paid his adlission at the Lnrnstile, and went irough. Here, at least, was a place 1 sit down out of the sun. Out of the .whirling throng upon le floor sat a figure; it was Ben's 'tend, tiie engineer of the Maddox g. He rolled up to the bench where lirlong sat and collapsed upon it. "Whew! It's hard work havin' a ood time in this town," he panted. Landed a job yet?" "I've got some prospects lined up. I Tiat's the matter? You fired, too?" i "Naw! Maddox laid us off for the iy. Miz' Durham brought us in." "Did Betty come with her?" Ben igerly inquired. The engineer shook his head; a grin iread over his face. "Say! You know ?\v scared Tiller is of nitroglycerle? When we left he was hidin' out [ the brush like a quail. The power wagon came, an' he took it on the in." "Powder wagon? What's a powder agon doing there?" Ben inquired. "Why, ho aims to shoot the well, e got a permit an' the stuff's on ic ground, ready for the men." "He's crazy if he shoots that well," urlong declared. "What's he thinkig about?" "So I todd him. 'Leave her alone u' she'll blow herself In," I says to im.' She's coughln' now, an' I bet i many wells has been ruined by that uff as they is wells that's been ade. 'I'm going to see Mrs. Durham." en ro3e, but the other explained: "She's gone away over Sunday to sit her kinfollts." "Who'3 looking out for Betty?" "I dunno. Tiller, I reckon." Furlong frowned. For a while he j stened inattentively to his compan- j n. then he rose and left the rink. Conditons all] over the oil fields, as 5 well knew, were unsettled, and he d not relish the thought of Betty it there Alone In that v.-1 ? ? it even more disturbing was the ict that Maridox proposed to shoot le Durham well. What ailed the ian? After some indccison Ben decided ? warn Betty. It was none of his isiness, to be sure, but a word from ir might indueo the aunt to go owly and perhaps save the cost of ie well. It would be crimnal to leave sr in ignorance of the ri3ks she m. He tried to hire a car to run m back out to the farm, but what SBY THURSDAY?BOONE, N. C. v.? were for liirc were out. and it j \yas some time before he could dis-: i a truck that was later going ; in that direction. It was considerably after uark! when Furlong left Opportunity; but he had to walk the last three miles, j so it was late bedtime when he finally arrived at the Durham home-1 stead. 1 Evidently Betty was asleep; at O j any rate, the farmhouse windows T? I were dark and Ben wondered how he! Ti | could best awaken her without caus- F ing alarm. Visitors in the country at his Lime of night were not common. 11 He decided to call softly from outside her window, so he closed the ! gate quietly behind him and made ' his way around the house. gg He paused in surprise when he had w? j turned the corner of the building, for jg$ I the kitchen door was open. A rno mentary panic swept over him: then fffo j he drew a breath of relief, for at _ : that moment he heard the girl's muf- jj? I | fled voice. j fg? I i "Who's there ?" she cried. i 1 He opened his lips to speak reas- i s?? I . suringly, but the sound died in his ?? ! throat, for inside Betty's room he jj!g? | heard a man's voice, then a stir, a i movement. Tiii3 was followed by a gri? I crash, as if a chair had been over- S? i turned, then a scream. ttj? i Furlong uttered a shout; he leapj ed forward. Some marauder had en! tered the house just ahead of him. 8? I Incredible as it seemed, he had ar| rived barely in time. j "Betty!" he yelled. ''Betty!" ?? That throaty clamor from the ' girl's room, meanwhile, continued. Jsjf 5 There were hasty movements, the Sj? j sounds of a struggle. j Furlong had never been inside the front part of the house, but ils plan gf: I was simple and he was guided by I those shrieks of terror. The door to I Betty's room was closed, but it open! ed when he found the knob. He ?Sr j glimpsed the dim square of a window ! opposite and silhouetted against it he saw the girl herself, then blackness engulfed him. W! The next he knew Betty Durham was holding his head in her lap and gj. splashing water into his face. It g? struck him as queer that the lamp j ?& should be burning when only the S& fraction of an instant before all had 1 been darkness. j (Concluded Next Week) 1 NUTS ^ % BRAZILS lb. 19c * ?& ALMONDS lb. 29c ^ % PECANS lb. 25c .?? WALNUTS lb. 23c , m 'MIXEP lb- 19cl I fjfr S^ouuhnoiSmhA I ROUND. ROLLS 1 2. Jo*. 9c S Pullman 20- 4 A. Loaf O2- I UC Red Circle COFFEE lb. 19c ' Call my ma tnus Pkg. isc Dromedary DATES ?* 15c A Sj&J A & P Can 3 W Pumpkin ?18c i V& POPULAR BRAND I CICARETT g Fresh Fru W Always at THE REINS-STURDiV/ ASSOCIATION, TELEPHONE 24 . . . BO< PROTECTION FOR Ti Joining Fee 25c Each Member . . As Follows: Quarter ne to Ten Years 10 en to Twenty-nine Years 20 tiirty to Fifty Yeara 40 ifty to Sixty-five Years.? 60 GIFTS of Ql kles^BiE F ^ Lighters, I Walker's Je Store SiS?asiS(?iasiSi?!Bi3iSi: ^ thrift || I101.ll s foo: W JS} WE'RE RINGING THI Jf/ BELI.. WITH THESE U if/ UES IN FINE FOODS. SI S&C ICEBOX! THIS IS AN I IK VOU'KE WISE ADVANTAGE OF IT. Cranberry I ??? SAUCE CA 27c BM Softasilk Swansdown, Pillsbury CANE Sake Flour 5m pfcg- 29c \5han Fancy Juicy FRIf IRANGES J* Niee Size { >2.17jc to25c Bag $1.49 H rangerines E.12|ct0l7iBRSsfi " Citron, Lcn Nice Size Eating PEEL APPLES CHER] !az. 25c to 40c pine^ ES - PACKAGE CARTON SI.20 iits and Veget the Lowest P " ' " '$ h3 3? :\r " v PAGE FIVE tfiT BURIAL INC. ?NE, N. C. HIE FAMILY . Dues. Thereafter Yearly Benefit .49 S 50.00 .SO 100.00 1 CO 100.00 2.40 100.00 JAL1TY 1 m I>R HER H rhite or yellow gold; & igs, Diamond Rings, jS , Bar Pins, Pen and , Pens. Manicure and jS , Silverware, Com- 5 acelels, Necklaces, scores of other items, jfo OR HIM ? id Rings in white or 1, Chains, Chain and , Belt Sets and Bucolds, Cigarette Cases, looks, Flash Lights, jj$ lives. Shaving Sets, iK number of appropri; for the children. OP EARLY! M welry g 1A? 1 DS I 2 CHRISTMAS *B NUSUAL VAC- ?S| POCK UP YOUR jW INUSUAL SALE fffli YOU'LL TAKE J? NDIES 1 4 IONS lb. 15c % ream S ...lb. 15c *$ D .. lb. 15c m >Y, 2 lbs. 35c M >Y 2 25c % dmoihsfA i IT CAKE A , 2 lbs. M v>f ? _ -i *72 : 85c g f T SS, 2 lbs. 25e jg ion or Orange jS? ....Vi-lb. 9c $g RIES & 12c W kPPLE ? 10c J - 12c I ables m 'rices % IhJlJfiyl Jl WWIS
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Dec. 19, 1935, edition 1
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