CHAPTER I
Adam Bruce decided it was time
for lunch, sought the hotel. He gave
his order, and while he waited, two
people came into the dining room
and stood just inside the door. A
gray-haired man, round without be
ing fat, apple-cheeked, with a mild
blue eye and a curious suggestion
of physical readiness in his walk.
Beside him a woman, not so old as
he. with a certain formidable sobri
ety in her countenance that was be
lied by the warmth in her eyes.
Adam rose, stepped toward them,
said in quick pleasure: "Hello,
Tope!"
The old man turned, smiled broad
ly and clasped him by the hand.
"Why, hullo, Adam!?Mrs. Tope,
thi3 is Adam Bruce, an old friend of
mine."
"Sit down with me," Adam urged.
' ffhey obeyed, and Bruce looked in
quiringly at Mrs. Tope. "I didn't
know you were married. Inspector."
"Oh, yes, over a year ago." And
the old man told Mrs. Tope: "Adam
here was a youngster on the force
while I was on the Homicide squad.
He spoiled a first-rate policeman to
become a second-rate lawyer."
Bruce grinned. "You're behind
the times, Inspector! I'm a police
man again." Tope looked surprised;
and the younger man explained: "1
passed the bar exams, but no one
seemed to need a lawyer. So 1
went to work in the bank commis
Burner's office for a while, and now
I've hooked up with Washington
Department of Justice."
"Your outfit has done some good
jobs lately," Tope said approvingly.
"Anything happening up here?"
Adam said casually: "No, I'm on
vacation." And under Tope's inquir
ing eye he added: "I used to live
up this way, when I was a boy.
Bieen home on a visit. I'm leaving
on the midnight train. I often wish
we had you with us. Inspector. We
need a man who can see the hole
in a doughnut . . . Which way are
you heading?"
"North, I think. We're just gypsy
tag. I plan to do some fishing as we
go. We may hit Canada by and by."
Bruce nodded. "Every little brook
njj this way had trout in it wher
I was a boy," he said. "I haven'1
tried them lately." And he asked:
"Where do you expect to stay to
night?"
"We may camp out. Or we maj
try a hotel, if one attracts us. Oi
a roadside camp."
"There's a good camp about forty
miles from here, between Ridgcomt
and Maddison village. I was there
only last night," Adam said eagerly,
"A place called Dewain's Mill,
You'd like it!"
"We might take a look at it,"
Tope agreed.
"A girl named Bee Dewain runs
ft," Adam explained. "She's a can
tankerous, stubborn young woman;
but if you're careful not to mentioc
my name, she may take you in!"
He felt Mrs. Tope's eye upon him,
and was conscious that his ears
were red; but after lunch, when he
ionic uut iu ace uicm tuuiiuuc ui
their way, he suggested again: "II
you do stop at Dewain's Mill, tel
that young hussy I sent her mj
love!"
When they were gone, Adam pair
calls here and there, at police head
quarters, the post office, the drug
store. There was a wealth of tim<
upon his hands. A little past sir
o'clock, he returned to the hotel t(
dine; and while he was at table, t
bell-boy came calling his name
Adam shut himself into the tele
phone booth and heard a familial
voice.
"Adam?"
"Yes," Adam replied, wonderinj
faintly at this call.
"This is Tope."
"Yes. Sure. What's up?"
"I'm phoning from that place yoi
recommended, Dewain's Mill
Adam, you'd better come up here.'
"What's the matter?"
"Rather not talk over the phone
But you?"
"Miss Dewain all right?"
"Yes, of course. Do you know thi
police up here?"
"Sure. Ned Quill-he's a stat<
trooper?is an old friend of mine."
"On your way here," Tope direct
ed, "get word to your friend thi
trooper to meet you?without any
one seeing him?at the cabin calle<
Faraway. You hire that cabin foi
the night. I'll see you there."
"But Tope, I'm due in New Yorl
tomorrow."
"You've a job to do here," Top<
Insisted. "Good-by!"
And Adam heard the receive
dick as Tope hung up. The younj
van stared at the instrument for i
"Moment in a perplexed and indeci
dee fashion; but?here was at leas
a pretext for seeing Bee again, an<
Tope had not used to be one to ct:
"Wolf" without cause.
Adam sent a wire to his chief
"Possible trouble here. Staying t<
Investigate. Will report Bruce."
Them he retrieved his bag from thi
check-room, hired a car and driver
and started north along the moonli
road.
When they left Middle ford afte
that chance encounter with young
Adam Bruce, Mrs. Tope saw that
her husband was silent, and she
asked:
"What are you thinking?"
"I was wondering why we hap
pened to run into Adam."
"Just an accident?"
"Call it that. But?accidents have
a trick of fitting into a pattern by
and by. As if some one had planned
them." And he added: "It struck
me that Adam had something be
sides a vacation on his mind."
"I wondered whether Miss Dewain
is as cantankerous and stubborn as
he pretends!"
He chuckled. "You're looking for
romance! But I'm wondering what
fetched a Department of Justice
man into these hills?"
It was obviously impossible, as
yet, to answer this question. As they
went on, the hills were bolder; the
valleys deep, the streams swift and
silver. They passed big estates, and
great houses.
The little car required gas, and
when they came to Ridgcomb,
Chet's Place invited their patron
age. A lean, dry man as old as
i Tope, with shrewd twinkling eyes,
came out to serve them. Mrs. Tope
imitiiitfimtin viiumu<vtv
"We might take a look at It," Tope
, agreed.
stayed in the car, but Tope, mild and
i beaming and inquisitive, alighted.
"Handsome stretch ot country
through here!" he remarked,
i "All right in the summer-time,"
the man?this was doubtless Chet
, himself?assented. His hand was on
I the hose, his eye on the clicking
s pump gauge. "But in winter, it's
I cold as a banker's heart!"
t Tope chuckled. "A lot of big
I places around."
r "Summer folks, mostly! Not so
many now as there used to be. There
I can't many people afford to hire ?
hundred men just to cut lawns, those
. days!"
> "I noticed one place that looked
[ like a castle, back on the moun
i tain," Tope suggested.
i "That's where Ledforge lives,
when he ain't in New York." Chet
. spat, as though the name left a
r bad taste in his mouth. "He owns
half the water power in New Eng
land. He sold a pile of his stocks
; and bonds to the folks around here.
Stuck 'em, mostly."
"Didn't stick you," Tope flatter
ingly surmised,
i "Not me! Me, I keep my money
. where I can handle it any time I'm
' a mind." And Chet volunteered:
"You don't see Ledforge around here
. much, now. I dunno as it'd be safe
for him to walk through the vil
lage."
t "Married?"
"Sister keeps house fo.r him. She's
> all right; but they don't mix with
nobody only the Holdoms."
"What Holdom is that?"
> Chet shook his head. "I dunno.
- *H.H.' they call him. In the stock
1 market I guess. Good feller. He'll
r stop and talk, when he fills up at
my pump here." He hung up the
c hose. "Check your oil?" Mrs. Tope
nodded. "You c'n stand a quart,"
e Chet decided. And he said: "I sell
H.H. all his gas. Cars and airplanes
r too."
; "Planes?"
? "He's got him a landing-field down
. by the river. I dunno but he'll give
t it up now, though. I would, in his
1 place!"
j "Why?" Tope was always curi
ous. "Don't you like flying?"
>m "Guess't I don't! Never done any
? of it my own self; but my nephew,
* Bob Flint, he got killed here Sat'
e day in one of the dummed things.
Holdom and Ledforge, they used to
t ride back and forth from New York
in Holdom's airplane about half the
r time, and Bob worked for Holdsm
and he'd Ay 'em up and back. But
he took a dive into Long Island
Sound, long about daylight Sat'day
morning." He added resentfully:
"I'll have Bob's ma to support, I
guess. It ain't likely he'd saved
anything." He shut the hood.
Mrs. Tope said quietly: "Shall we
go on?" So the inspector climbed
in beside her, but as they moved
away he protested:
"Don't you hurry me all the time,
ma'am! I like to get the davor of
the country as I go along. I like
to talk to folks." And he said in
quiringly: "You acted kind of
mad!"
"I was," she admitted. "When he
spoke of Mr. Holdom."
"Know him, do you?"
"I know who he is." Mrs. Tope,
before her marriage, had been the
effective head of the Jervis Trust,
with an active interest in business
and Anance; and she explained:
"He's the floor specialist in the Led
forge stocks, and he's a crook!"
Slowly they drove on, stopping
now and then to look across the hills
and down the deep bright valleys.
They ascended a steep grade, and
at the top she checked the car. Top*
looked to see why she slowed down,
and discovered beside the road a
large white-painted sign, on which
black letters cried invitingly: ,
COME IN AND MUX AROUND!
He chuckled, and a moment later
saw by the brook the gray weath
ered structure of an old mill, neat
and in repair. An arched entrance
and a gravel drive offered admis
sion.
Mrs. Tope said: "This must be
the place your young friend Adam
Bruce told us about. It looks clean, :
Shall we try it?"
"I'd like to try that brook below
the road," he admitted, so she
turned in and stopped by the Hill
door.
Tope surveyed the surroundings
with that quick interest any new
scene always provoked in him. The
Mill was on their left. Beyond it by
the stream side there was a turfed
terrace, an open hearth, picnic ta
bles. A gray-haired man sat on one
of, these tables and played a vio
lin; and a girl stood near by, her
shoulders against the trunk of a
tree, watching him and listening. A
State Trooper in uniform bestrode
his silent motorcycle?to which a
side car was attached?in the drive
near them, and his eyes were on
the girl.
Beyond, the millpond was visible,
and a spring-board; and two small
boys so much alike that they were
clearly twins were diving, swimming
ashore, climbing on the board and
diving again, chasing each other like
squirrels in a cage. A bald-headed
little man in a bathing suit sat with
his feet in the water; and an ample,
comely woman with knitting in her
hands, seated on a boulder near by,
turned an interested eye on the car
and the newcomers. Small cabins
were scauereo among me trees.
The scene was peaceful, but
abruptly its peace was shattered.
The trooper kicked his motorcycle
into life with a series of explosions
of entirely unnecessary violence,
and he wheeled his machine, dart
ed past the little car, turned into the
highroad and raced away. The girl
looked after him with amused eyes,
and so saw these old people in their
car, and came toward them.
"Have you room for two lodgers?"
Mrs. Tope asked.
"Oh, yes, plerfty," she assured
them. "There's hardly anyone here.
Not many people travel these days." j
Tope remarked: "That policeman
don't really enjoy the violin!"
The girl laughed softly. "Ned's
not very musical," she agreed. "But
it was rotten of him to start his mo
torcycle right in the middle of Mr.
Vade's fiddling. I shall tell him
so!"
"Be back, will he?"
"Oh. he always comes back!"
Mrs. Tope looked around with an
appreciative glance. "You run this
place?"
The girl said readily: "Oh, yea.
I'm Bee Dewain. Mrs. Priddy cooks
for us, and she's been famous for
her biscuits and waffles ever since
I was a child. Earl?he's Mrs.
Priddy's husband?does the chores,
and rakes the drives, and cleans the
cabins. But I keep the books and
generally run things."
"How's the fishing?" Tope in
quired.
"Earl Priddy brings in a good
mess, now and then."
Mrs. Tope asked: "May we?
choose our cabin?"
"They're all just alike, inside, only
those up there on the knoll are near
er the road of course, with cars go
jjy I ?
"I shouldn't like that," Mrs. Tope
decided.
"Then why don't you take Fara
way?" Bee advised. "It's new this
year, and it's clear out of sight up
in the woods, so if you want to
be really quiet ... No one has ever
spent even one night In Faraway.
It eras only finished about two weeks
ago. You'll be the very first ones."
She stepped up on the running
board. "Just go straight ahead,"
ah? directed.
TO BE CONTDfUXD)
improved"1 mm
uniform international
Sunday i
chool Lesson
By HAROLD L. LUNDQUI8T. D. D.
Of Ths Moody Btbls InstltuU of Chicsgs.
Released by Weotern Newspaper Union.
Lesson for December 2
Lesson subjects and Scripture texts se
lected and copyrighted by International
Council of Religious Education: used by
permission.
THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS
ECONOMIC RELATIONS
LESSON TEXT: Deut (11. IS: Luka
1S:1ML
GOLDEN TEXT: A ui'i Ufa conatslata
not In tho abundance of the thtafs which
ha poaaaaaath.?Luha U:l?.
Peace and the postwar period find
America, and in tact the entire
world, pluiged into tremendous eco
nomic problems far too deep for any
man or group of men to solve. We
honor those who are laboring day
and night to meet the threat of un
employment, the question of recon
version and readjustment to civilian
production, of feeding a hungry
world, etc. But we say again, they
cannot find the answers in the wis
dom of men; they must have the
wisdom of God.
We need to turn anew to the eco
nomic principles taught in God's
Word. If men will only recognize
them, and deal with their fellow
men in the light of their teaching,
the many knotty problems will sure
ly find solution.
There is need, first of all, of a
fundamental philosophy concerning
possessions which will make man
deal properly with them. The first
section ofi our "lesson says to us:
I. Think Bight About Wealth
(Deut. 8:17, 18).
How trenchant and altogether fit
ting are the words of Scripture!
Nothing could describe our times
more succinctly and accurately than
verse 17. Men are glorying in their
ability to do things.
Man has even gone so far as to de
velop a weapon of warfare, the
atomic bomb, so powerful that he
fears it might be used to wipe out
all civilization. Even secular lead
ers are now saying that we must
have a spiritual rebirth If we are to
use such things fpr good and not for
evil. Man needs God now more than
ever.
We honor those who - by skillful
hand and brilliant brain produce ex
cellent and thrilling results. But our
question is. How many are there
who say, God has done this thing;
He gave the strength and the skill;
His is the honor? Some there are
who thus recognize Him, but they
are few indeed. Their name is le
gion who say in their heart, "My
power and the might of mine hand
L.4U ..44 4L1. Ul. SS /? eftv !
iwui |inicu uic uus weann it. if/.
Joseph Parker point* out that *
deep conviction of the tact stated in
verse 18 "would turn human history
into a sacrament." He says, "What
a blow this text strikes at one of
the most popular and mischievous
fallacies in common life; namely,
that man is the maker of his own
money!"
D. Act Rifht About Wealth (Luke
12:13-81).
Moat of us think of money as
something are want to get hold at
and use for ourselves, but if it be
longs to God, and are are only his
stewards, we must put away that
impulse. "Take heed," said Jesus,
"and beware of covetousness" (v.
15). It is a deadly and deadening
sin, all too common even among
Christian people.
The teaching of this whole pas
sage of Scripture is so directly op
posite to all ideas regarding such
matters accepted by the world at
large, that It may be a total sur
prise to some readers and attend- I
ants at Bible school.
The yardstick of success in the
world for an individual, an organiza
tion. or a nation, yes, even for many
a church. Is the possession of
wealth, or property, or other
"things." Write H in large letters
on the hearts and minds of our boys
and (iris, "A man's life consisteth 1
not in the abundance of the things i
which he possesseth" (?. IS).
The one who was known to his
friends (and to himself) as "a rich
man" (v. 16), but whom God knew
as a "fool" (t. SO), had more than
he could use for himself. He had to
build new and bigger barns, and
could not see the "barns" that were
already prepared, for, as Ambrose
says, "Thou hast barns ? the
bosoms of the needy, the houses of
widows, the mouths of orphans and
infants."
He was a tool who loved money
for itself and for himself. One won
ders what he had to say for him
self when that very night he was
called into the presence of God to
give an account of his stewardship
(v. 10). If you are similarly situ
ated and have the same attitude,
what will you say in that day?
There is an important point
which we must note. Jesus expressly
repudiated the connecting of His
name arith the so-called "social
gospel" in His reply (v. 14) to the
question of the covetous fellow who
regarded his inheritance as of more
importance than brotherly love.
Those who are ignoring the gospel
of redemption and claiming Jesus
as a social reformer, or the "judge
and divider" of some new economic
solution for the world's ills, need
to read and ponder this verse.
Every Christian is interested deep
ly in social problems, but knows that
the first concern of Christ and His
followers is the souls of men.
*1044*1
| defuositesi
Lia WASHINGTON
I By Walter Shead
I wwcme^m
WMU Wathiagfm Burin
Hit Ey SC.. M. W.
Truman's Worries
Weighing Heavily
A LITTLE over six months ago,
Harry S. Truman took over the
biggest job in the world. He became
President of the United States under
highly dramatic circumstances, and
in the shadow of the nation's be
reavement over the death of Frank
lin D. Roosevelt.
Your Home Town Reporter was
privileged to attend that first press
conference in the oval room of the
White" House. That meeting won Tru
man the respect of all newspaper
men present, and stamped the new
President as a man of quick deci
sions, forceful and aggressive, and
with a wide knowledge of govern
ment. When the conference ended,
the correspondents broke into spon
taneous applause ... it had been
so different from those to which they
had become accustomed for more
than 12 years.
Bat now, six months latex, there
is a change a hardly perceptible
difference, and yet tt is tbere\never
theless. For instance, at a yecent
conference, announced beforehand,
at Is the new custom . . . the Presi
dent seemed tired. He still had that
quick almost ingratiating smile . . .
he still stood behind his desk as the
reporters tired their questions at htm
and ho still answered them readily
and decisively ... M It seemed to
this reporter that ha was tocltoed
?tore to weigh his words ... that ha
was more ready to pass lit the
responsibility far his answers. Far
instance, ha weald say. "the state
department Is raaiidtriag that qaaa
ttoa" ar. "I may hare iawettont aa
that withte a tew days," ae "Wash
ington wouldn't ha Washington
withoot al kinds at i?era."
He was stQ forthright, but he ap
peared to have learned to be more
careful in his answers, and to meas
ure the effect of his arords. When
the conference was ended, the re
porters scattered hastily to their tele
phones or to their offices.
'Co-Operation' End*
President Truman, it is apparent,
definitely realizes that the honey
moon is over, and that politics, as
usual, has taken the place at the
back-slapping and hearty well
wishes and promises of "co-oper
ation."
Ha knows that an Is ask gstog
wen . . . neither an Capital Ml
where ha has mat imiMi at the
hands at a conservative mad re
actionary congress . . . am aa the I
domestic treat, where recsnvanton
Is hetog held hack becaase af maay
caasas . . . aar an tke tolai aa Hanoi
diplomatic front.
This reporter believes the Presi
dent feels he has been let-down by
some of those to srhom he looked
for closest support. In an off-the-rec
ord statement at a recent Wash
ington dinner be indicated as much
For business, labor, his former col
leagues on the hill, agricultural lead
ers ... all came to him te those
first weeks of his tenure and offered
> and promised their co-operation to
bring about an early end of the war
and quick reconversion from a war
to a peacetime economy.
SeWsAness and Csfl/wM
Washington today is packed and
jammed with lobbyists for one cause
or another, pressure groups, each
seeking their own selfish ends. One
group tries to pull congress one way,
urging this for oca wi.litsi. another
group works in direct opposition, far
the benefit of another section. There
Is confusion in the of many
people here, many subjects. There
is confusion in the minds of the peo
ple in the home towns.
If year reporter has jsdged the
President rightly, be wiH set Iseg
permit Indecision and lack at lead
ership ar a tnusntdsl paltry in
before the Americas people aad the
world.
During his terms in the senate.
Mr. Truman gave ample proof that
when he once made up his mind
he would forge ahead and let the
chips fail where they may. That he
has this courage eras demonstrated
in his stand on universal military
training. Again be showed it when in
the face of a hostile congress he de
clared his determination to carry
through on the entire Roosevelt pro
gram. And this reporter predicts that
very soon the President artll take
his case direct to the people over
the heads of congress.
It is obvious that the heavy re
sponsibilities and duties involved in
his Job are already erearing on Pres
ident Truman. He realizes that our
economic security rests largely upon
him. Upon his shoulders hangs the
success or failure of the United Na
tions organization for world peace
and co-operation. What this nation
does, both at home and abroad, will
affect, for good or ill, the fate of
many other nations and the lives of
many millions of people, as well as
?ettle our own destiny, for richer or
poorer, here at home, perhaps for
many generations to come.
*s Y JfY. i\.Y
?
SEWING CIRCLE NEEDLEWORK
Exquisitely Embroidered Cases
HERE ii a dc luxe wedding or
Christmas gift idea. Crochet
four of the gossamer-like 5H-mcfa
butterflies in white thread?env
Houses Built Without Hands
For Our Souls to Lire In
To get peace, if you do want it.
make for yourselves nests of
pleasant thoughts.
None of us yet know, for none of
us have been taught at early youth
what fairy palaces we may build
of beautiful thoughts ? proof
against all advers-ty?bright fan
cies. satisfied memories, faithful
sayings, treasure houses of pre
cious and restful thoughts which
cannot disturb, nor pain, make
gloomy, nor poverty take away
from us ? houses built ? ithsaa
hands for our souls to lire SL,?
John Raskin.
broider the shaded pansies m soft
blue, yellows, a touch of brown*
then add a suggestion of pale pink
to the bouquets. You've trans
formed a plain pair of pillowcases
into an exquisite present!
To obtain complete crocheting lnrt<sp?
Hons. transfer pattern, color chart for ??*
broiderinf the Butterfly and Pansy Do*
signs (Pattern No. 3030) actual size sketch
of butterfly on chart, send Id costs In coin,
your name, address and the pattern nam
Due to an unusually 1arte demand and
current conditions. lUfbtfy more time is
required hi filling orders tor a few d Ss
moat popular pattern numbers.
Send your order to:
?eWWC CIBCLS .?riKDLKVOtS
lite haste awe. Ken York, M. Y.
Fnrtoee If cants for Patten
No
-
Mix This Cough
Syrup ot Home.
Quick Belief
trvit
kr ???? * omittpm?
Ewa Ik* ?*rw? jjSSS
Bay Victory Baalt!
G?t sweeter, tastier bread!
us. FLIISCHAANirS
>??
?w*y! MtimjCraxcth. ml tfa?
If TOU BAKE AT HOME, issat mm
T*t with the tima*,eaewtaBd.D^
lu|i|RRff
mymx^km
I
Im*8en-Gay<?or|
? Wtea ckOdraa ImI n* and acter witk a coK Ik
r " " " j - " i ? -
Contama ap to lVi tunaa pore methyl nliijfcliMd
keowe?then ftre art Mr widely <d?nd nkm KH