Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Dec. 26, 1935, edition 1 / Page 6
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PAGE SIX d, - 1?v1, : ^ Fine Serial Ficl.on e*cK) by a FINAL. ?NrSIALL>i?Sl Mechanically Ben made .in effori to rise, but could not manure ii. ' Must haw hit on my nca1,' n< mumbled thickly, and raised groping fingers. Then he sat up. Fie knew now that he had not fallen into a pit 44Where : re they? What's happened?" Betty was sobbii wildly: her liaii Jiung < > a i .-ifca :o about her shoulders; she was clad only in her nightdress. aid it wa.3 soaked with the water she had poured over Ben to revive him. Beside the open door to the hall lay the wreck of a chair; two of its legs were splintered, broken off; Ben loa'ized more clearly now what it was that had crashed down upon his head. With an effort he scrambled dizzily to his feet. Water was trickling into his eyes and blinding^ him; he brushed it away, then discovered, to his great surprise, that it was not water at all, bat blood, his own blood. His head felt twice its normai size; his brain did not function, clearly ant his limbs refused to obey him. Betty's voice came to him as ii from a br.Ig distarv. e; she was telling him something. trying to make hin understand that they were alone ir the hciiSL' and that their assailanj had fled. When this became plain tc Furlong, he sat down. It. was some time before the gir succeeded in stanching that flow oi blood wound, for she was scarcely ir condition to render help to anybody By the time her task was complete! Ben had managed to get a preltj clear idea of what had happened. She ha 1 been awakened by a sound and had realized that somebody was in her > .v)ir>; she had uttered a. frightened challenge, only to feel groping bands upon her, to find herself in the gtasp. of some unseen person. She retained no very clear recollection oi anything after that; the rest was c hideous nightmare. Not until the mis creant had bolted out of the house and she had finally managed somehow to strike a light was she mam aware of foe lea SOU for hi.-: flight Then she had stumbled otter Tt.v and had realized that if was lusvoic< she hail heard falling to her. that i was the sound of his cohiingi that h;iv interrupted the attack. tils Vjbgh had done- a good deal to bring he back to herself, but now she threat ekod to again abandon her self-cor trol. Furlong- cheeked this by saying "Betty Durham! You've got nollmq on but your nightie:" 1L was some time later when tit girl emerged from her loom, drcssei after a. fashion, to fnut her deliverer waiiiiij? k the kitchen wUh a scow upon his face. "Yon got <l gur. ?" lie inquire.; harshly. "No, Ben. Why ?" "I'm going to kill Maddox." For a moment Betty stared at the speaker; with shaking fingers she plucked at li? r dress: Tt was in a thin reedy voice that she said: "It wasn't Maddox." "How do you know ?" "Oh. T know! It wasn't Mnddox " 'Are you sure?" The girl nodded, ar.d Ben bowed his throbbing head in his hands. 'Tm ' he groaned. "Providence ccrtalaly brought me back. It wouldn't happn that way once in a. thousand times. Whoever it was, I'li find hint" Both the man an1 girl were in wretched condition. The test of the lugm uiey sat together, watching the clock anil listening for a possible return of the marauder, waiting for the day to break It was shortly after thc.y had finished breakfast that Furlong wa.; surprised to discover signs of activity, movements, goings-on at thcwel' which caused him to stare fixedly then to announce incredulously: ' Say! I believe Maddox is fixing tx shoot the weld" Betty took her piaee aL his side "Why?he can't! He dassent! Th< powder men won't be here til! tomor row." ''All the same, he's doing some thing queer. See those cans?those shiny things?" "You couldn't hire Tiller to touct nitroglycerine. He's scared of it?" Ben uttered an oath. 'Til tell yoi he's filling those cartridges. He'! crazy: You've got to stop him!" Betty turned white; she shook he: head. "I won't go near the plaec. It': ?it's Aunt Mary's well." "Then I'll stop him. Why, it's te: to one he'll sear the rock, ruin th whole job and?Damned if I don' ucuRTe iie s trying to do that ver Furlong started for the door, bu Betty clung to him. When he pushe on pa3t her she fotlowed him. Tr gether they hurried across the fiel and took the path through the met quite. As they went the girl contir ued to implore him not to interferi Halfway to the drilling camp the met the engineer hastening toward the farmhouse, and the latter ai nounced, breathlessly: "Tiller's got plumb off hl3 nut! He's goin' to shot the well himself. You better sta Furlong dashed past the speak< and emerged from the shelter of th *-?8hes in time to see Maddox ginge: C Seaek in a new form Three Prize Short Sto master story-teller They're Rex Be ly swing: a long", cylindrical tin ove i the well inouth and guide it into th opening. A new mariila rope ha : i bee it run through a ?)1cck on the tier f i rick. a:- ; with this he lowered th r: charge. - Ben yelled at him, he waved hi arn s Maddox glanced over hisshoul , der, then let the line slide smooth!; ' j through his hands. : "Take nt\ tip ar?* don't go ten ( close," the engineer shouted "II 11 >h?*i no powder man an" that well'; '! snakhi" gas. She blows off every fey ! minutes." | Betty seconded !>lis wanting: it frantic tones of appeal; "Bet him g" Ben. Kc knows what he's doing You've got no right stopping him You'll just make trouble." "It's none of nty business," the lat ! . i ijhiVTA*! J _ r agl wl, i;n^au?ii?.>a>, wjls, I-. i sonietliing crooked " H- 'i-ase; "peaking; then he seized Betty ;uu whirled her around with the shar| command, -Hun! Get back:" They were still perhaps a hundre> 1 yards from the well, hut Furlong'; practiced eye had seen sometliinj hat suddenly raised the hair upon hi ; head. T.'i it rope from which was sua 1 ponded the heavy charge of iiijui 1 death o longer hung vertically, i no longer ran ove*- the biock and inti ' the casing; instead it wa3 falling it loops about M.Udox It was comini [ up out of the well! Maddbx himself was alive to wha : had happened. That which he mos ; i greatly feared had come upon him in 1 he also turned to flee. But th> platform was slippcty yl else hi tripped --'.or the rope and fell. Tin ', ouitra l]r:v i ids ery of terror. Hi quickly regained his feet, but to Fur inagj it ' e : ihis n -vonirnti tft " after wore maddeningly s'o\> i a d 'lolibcratc. The -ngineei'; apprehension hai if.en well grounded. Or.ce agam gn had been released far down in th -fU ' no.. i,_ I from the lungs of some torturegiant, It rose, propelling UiestnooUi !!ly fitting' cartridge ot nitrogyicerin aiitsd of it us a pea in propelled tn< ' of a pea-shooter. It was a pnonomc 1. i;o;i by no means unusual in a we' t as naitahle in its balance o: force 11 a.s this on.-. Ill fact, under lilt? cob '|^|ns none tr.it a madman v.oul r Have dared to risk Mad.lox's ntar.ee t vor. ' Tne latter had not put fifty fe> fit-hind nidi when i:p out of the I mouth shot the r. man ling tin cyjli 5 ; dir. Direct!; .feme and in its pat I Ining the massive forty-foot steel bi : i neinl.r from Its wire cable. ' What happened next the observe! r were never abio to agree upon, bu the world dissolved into an infern xninlte a- 1 flnmo and the sndtlcr ncSjs of it reeked tl; sky, upheave the earth The two came togethe with a cataclysmic! roar. Furlong an Hetty Durham were tossed headlonf ' ; flung down like straws. When the ' i scrambled to their feet, dazed, shirk en, terrified, it was to find them selves enveloped in a mighty dus aloud. The eighty-foot tower of heav; timbers were gone; in an instant i , had utterly vanished. Where it ha | stood was a shallow, smoking rratei Splinters of planking, debris of ever sort, were scattered far and wide i p..j licles of earth, and gravel wer 11 raining from the heavens with til j C' -jni of a i eavy hailstorm; r.oth.r in the neighborhood of the well re i mainod except the holler end 11 gine. and Uie former lay upon it * side- Even the bushes had been whip ped out. uprooted, shaved off as b; a sweeping scythe. That afternoon Furlong's friend the engineer, eame over to the farm i house with a considerable bundle ii his arms, i "How's Betty?" he inquired. "She's all right, but pretty we bruised of course." ) ''Well, I guess there's nothin' mot I us boys can do, so we're goin' in t . j town." : i "Right: I'll stay here until Mr - j Durham gets back." "Here's ail of Tiller'3 stuff tha - we could find. I reckon you bette s look after it." "Anything besides clothes?" i ''Not much. A few letters in' thing we found in his bunk. Miz' Durbai i can keep 'em in case he's got rela JI lives. There's one suit of clothes iha j would fit me. No use to throw 'ei r; away. Say! It's furrny how scared h 3 was of powder. It musta been hunch." a Shortly after the engineer ha e left, Ben came to Betty with a quef t J light in his eyes. In hi3 hand he hel y j a soiled sheet of foolscap paper. "Feel strong enough to stand ai iti other explosion?" he inquired wit d i an effort to suppress his agitatio: i- i "Well, the queerest thing?! Th d; farm doesn't belong to your au: I- j Mary, after all; it belongs to you i- j The girl gasped: she voiced son 8. . breathless query, but Ben ran o: y "your uncle Joe left it to you, ju Is as he promised. He left everything i- you, except a thousand dollars le her. This is his will and Maddox hi >t it. I guess it s a good will, even th .y your uncle wrote it himseif. Anyho It's witnessed by two people?Ma >r dox and another. From the date ie figure it must have been signed Ju r- a day or so before he was killed." WATAUGA DEMOCRAT?EVERY 1 rin (of Jour instalment* ^ *ch^ al his hot. ..-, oy ^Ec?xn r Where did it come from . How e did Maddox . ' - I've figured that out, too. Mr. '- Durham must have had it in his poc0 ket when Maddox found him. Thai would explain everything?how he s made your aunt do just what he - wanted and why she didn't dare to y '< fire him.'* | ' aT.ni's why she said I'd have to " marry him! That? why?Oh, Ben!" c Betty rose suddenly and clutched s Furlong:. "T knew she was a mean. selfish old thine:, but I never thought she was so?wicked. This oil is ; f'^ 1 curse to poor people. 1 hate it!" "Why. Betty' ' Furlong exclaimed. fei . "You're the wicked one to quarrel " . I "She's The only kin I've got left and I tried my best to love her - But she was so greedy for quick ? money that nothing mattered. Mad- gj i dox. too: It made beasts of them. 3 1 I alnio3t wish we'd never heard ot SB i oil." After a moment the speaker gj continued, more quietly: "I lied to |p you last night It was Tiller who s; came here." i j Furlong's body stiffcnedd, he s breathed an oath, then he muttered: "I thought so. Why didn't you tell i; me ?' t ''What's more, she knew lie was :>1 coming! They arranged it. She as i good as sent him! That's how he got t the kitchen key." This announcement the man greett ed with tlie growl of an animal. He t began 1 o pace about the room; his ? : face had grown black and threatening; his lingers were working as he r. storm,Pel: "Wait! Wait till she gets back ^ >: here!" the "You can't lay your* hands on a s;ix. woman "Can t 1 ?" he breathed. be Betty shook her head; a moment \ then a new expression slowly crept ^ s i lido h r eyes; her chiii set itself efir r "y ' No!" she declared. "But ^ 1 you can lay *em on her t runk an i IS/ 1 d?ag it out here where 1 can par!; i ' agreed. *iAndi? What's : get it pack-1 ^ .. e ! 1 can lug it out to the gate where J J}J ij i- will bo nice and handy for her." | i, i.dT5!IP. r.:s fro'.v-: Jjn disapju'Aredd; it wi s tookim! by a ?t' .1 i h?> said: "Say. Betty! What i. j ' you think? I'm going to marry a. rjj Iheiret.-, after al!.!* $5} :t! (The End) ? | i.j /MfWCS^ 1 S Nta, - g \\ ^ Mm' 1 & i1 v\A^nGsy%?ii ? y \Vnyc w&MM % y (t"T UEBEA," said her mother with 1 I a warning loot, "take your IV '' *?' hand out 0* those raisins and W r ', finish paring the apples for my pies." Of, y "But, I've done most a bushel at- fV ready," giggled the guilty youngster. \c e "S'pose you have! IIow many pics d?] e do you figure you children eat? Be- Mi sides, Christinas time we have to have S " extras for folks coming in." JT1 | : liiiivj tlib) ii.iO- -ii o * - III" : ^ s 1 for Joel to be home from the church ?2* ' ' bazaar' Look at that snow!" JJJ V Mrs. Dodge opened the cold closet and peered with secret delight at the 1 ' fast tilling shelves. CoiTee cans hi led with steamed plum puddings, a fine 1 baked ham, frosted chocolate calces, a Sj whole row of pics?pumpkin and mince; and a big howl of cranberry ^ sauce, skins and all. Iw "Sally, yon better help I.utlki with Jvl e the apples, we're almost finished with ?Jf 0 the baking; and now if your father would bring the turkey. I eouid stuff It filt 5' tonight." S She glanced toward the kitchen win- WJ lt dow? r "My stars! Here comes old Emll XA Cooper! I'll just give hlui a jug of IV that new cider and a mince pic. when " 3 he's going home." " Mrs. Dodge had a bouctifu! nature. aK l" She anticipated Entil Cooper and the ^ ' many other hangers-on, who nlways JO n showed up around Christmas; while gQ p the supply of pies and puddings grew ICSa less nnd less as the visitors departed. Bu "Father's coming!" cried the chll- ^2 d dren and they ran to the door ex r citedly to meet him, followed by Mrs. V4 d Dodge. But a look of perplexity, almost distress, spread over her face. Jv, r- "Where's the turkey?" she gasped, b "Fact Is?" hesitated Mr. Dodge, "I h- ?I gave it to Ned Blake on the way & is home?for his poor family. Mother? 2 it i couldn't, couldn't help It." 5" : "Well," sighed Mrs. Dodge, with s ? te crest-fallen face, "1 guess they need It jg* n; all right?and we still have the ham." ?v st A light quick step sounded on the *3 to snowy porch. Ct to "Mother! Mother!" shouted Joel, fit ul hounded Into the house with a bundle Jg o' larger than himself. "See! See w'nni 2* w I have! I won the big 25-pound turkey ? d- at the bazaar!" JJS I "Why son!" exclaimed Mr. Dodge, { st "that turkey Is twice I he size of the tjh one we gave away!" V rHUKSDAY?BOONE. N C. Ch ..".f / y*km IP ' FAKE ANTIQUES FOOI* EXl'KKTS lii interesting story revealing how British Museum's world-famous phagus of the mysterious an t Etruscans has been proved tc the worlt of cunning imitators c: \ SPECIAL (HOLIDAY I SHOWINGS L f tcwMMMasera r Monday, Dee. 23rd f "It s In The Air" <J} with Jack Benny and Una MerWgl ^ Tuesday, Dec. 24 T, "Mary Burns, f Fugitive" f* "ith Sylvia Sidney an<l Melvvii Y* Douglas ? Wl^nesday, Dec. 25 I "Tumbling $r Tumbleweed" \jft with ftene.Autrv Thursday, Uec. 2G f "Alice Adams" $ - w!th If Katherine Hepburn W Friday, Dec. 27 \t " O'Shauehn ssv's 5 Boy" jp with Wallace Beery and Jackie v? Cooper \ft Saturday, Dec. 28 f "Lawless Range" 6 with V* John Wayne f ? i f SPECIAL! t Midnight S Matinee ^ Tuesday Night u December 31? START THE NEW YEAR fx? Es* JOY ABLY yt Begins 12:01 a. m. /"X 4/ ;-- A |r ffl/ .</'' I r*tv 11 ^ ^ '^ i' (treasures of past ages. One of many features in the December 29 issue: i , of the American Weekly, the big, 5' magazine which comes regularly . With the BALTIMORE SUNDAY > 'AMERICAN. On sale by alt new sf1 dealers: I Tl A r* rwr I rAa l \ THEATRE : ? j! We desire to express to our r | tion for their patronage durin the Christmas Season, kindlir ;I pleasant associations, makes i1 I extend our sincere wishes foi II and a New Year rich in w< 5 |! OUR THEATRE IS STEAM HI !; TEMPERATURE AT ALL TO j! A MOST FLEASAirr PLA !; DURING THE MOST 5 EVENT? DECEMBER 26, 1935 Extension Workers Study New Program Agricultural authorities agree that the complexity of modern civilisation has given rise to farm problems unlike any that have been encountered before. To aid in the solution of these problems have been called the philosopher and the sociologist, "as well as the scientific research worker and the farmer in the field. The broader social and economic aspects of rural life must be considered in the development of an adequate long-time farm program, said Dean I. O. Scnaub, director of the State College agricultural extension service. With this in viewy North Carolina's extension workers made a special study of the deeper implications of present conditions while lipid fug Miclr annual conference at stale College !ast week. In working out a sound program, the dean said, they must encourage farmers lo co-operate in balancing their farming schedules so as to maintain their own self-sufficiency while producing the commodities needed by society. "Net only must we promote better cultural practices." he declared, "but we must also study the markets Lo determine the best production schedules. ''We need to give careful consideration to the welfare of the farmer and his family, to the development of better living standards and a more vital, wholesome community life. "Tr. fact, there is hardly a phase of rural life that does not come within the scope of the long-tinte agricultural program now being set in motion by the extension service." You'll find fascinating serials and short stories, as well as interesting true life narratives in the big American Weekly, the magazine which comes regularly with the P.ALTIMORE SUNDAY AMERICAN. On sale by newsdealers or mailed to your adddress for 50 cents a month. $5.00 a year. 1 'ime! :: BOONE M nany friends our apprecia- yrjyt g the year. The spirit of lg anew the memories of t a very pleasant thing to JrAJ a right Merry Christmas j?&l irth while achievements. jgar SATED AND OF UNIFORM IES. IT WILL BE FOUND JkrZ CE TO RELAX, EVEN SEVERELY COIJD j)6| iGS*
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Dec. 26, 1935, edition 1
6
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