1*1 WORT THUS FAR: Adlm Bract, Wm eocrator. oa a trip to Us old boat, i ?as Ma Hi previews box, Inspector 1 Mm aaR-Mrt, Hope. Re km them oat R ? ??R> camp operated bp Roe De ? lM Later that eijbt Tope phoaed Rat, asklnf him la come oat to Do mhti at aace aad to briar sum Troop to RHR The Topee had beea rented the Meaaeap cettare. where hep had the la* ad a man, with hands aad feet haaad. He had beea mardered aad j Mood aader the bed et the Farawap ???II Qaffl went after the district at Raaaj aad a medical eJtecr, while the Popes aad Brace discussed the cam from mtad edaaa. aad fbcts dtp coald lad. t CHAPTER IV 1 Cumberland sodded. "How long's fee been dead, Dec?" Doctor Wfcdford had already made rrb epamination. "Twenty-four hams. anyway," he said. "Probably aaaoe." He stripped off those bands a( black tape that half-concealed the dead man's countenance. "Anybody know who he isT" he asked. They came to look; they saw an aid small man, with eyes twisted Migbtly upward at the corners, a anae thick at the bridge and nar ma inn to a point which drooped above the upper lip. Chin small, prilling; a mouth framed in deep graved lines; gray, sparse, wiry Idr; a gray stubble on cheek and ebia. They looked, but no one spoke. Then Cumberland said wistfully: "I kind of wish Joe was here; but said you didn't want anyone toa* to know about this right away, ltopeator." And he asked: "What's jam idea?" "Well, Mat, maybe you'd better mmd tor Joe " Cumberland wiped his mouth with Mb hand. "I don't know as Joe amid outdo you, on a thing like th," ha admitted. "He's welcome to try," Tope in ttatod cheerfully. "But here's the war 1 see it: We can't trail all the Mfes that might have done this: hut whoever put him here is waiting, aaasawhere, for the excitement to start. They're in the dark." "Well, so are wet" "But we're this much ahead of them," Tope argued. "We know the holy's been found, and they don't. Wat. if it was me, I'd keep the whole Wag quiet, long as I could." "Thot'd be hard, to keep this fdeL Some one's bound to find Young Adam spoke. "I think you'd ha well to let Tope run this. Mat," he erged. "Of course, I've no stand fag unless it turns out this was an fafar-state job; but if I had any say, XV want Tope in it." And he add ed: "As for keeping it quiet, Amasa Us wain doesn't talk much; and his housekeeper's away. We can carry fas body up there tonight, let Doc far Medford do the autopsy up there. Then tomorrow night we can move B to town." Cumberland nodded. "We could Bo it that way," he agreed. "Tope, what do you say? Will you take it aw?" The Inspector looked toward Mrs. Tbpe, standing by the fire. "We're aw a gart of-honeymoon," he reflect ed "But I don't know. I don't get Stored up often, but I'm kind of mad tonight. This looks to me like a sneaking, cruel business. I'd like to nail the man that did it." "I know," Cumberland assented heavily. "It hits me that way too." had he reflected: "Joe won't like your being in it; but he'll have to Stand it If you'll take it, you can hoss the whole job." So Tope agreed and made his dis positions. He sent Quill to awaken Amasa Dewain and enlist his co deration . Adam and Doctor Med fard Improvised a stretcher for the acmoval of the body. Mat Cumber nam asaea: "Anything I can be doing to atgbt?" Tope shook his head. "Have Quill day at Amasa's and keep his eyes open," he decided. "Adam will come back and spend the night here in eaae anyone comes around. Doctor Mcdfoid can do the autopsy at the htm tomorrow morning. You and 1 adO get a good night's sleep, and ?? meet you there around nine aTctock. That's about all." And a little later, the Inspector and Mr*. Tope said good night. But once May were out of doors, she grasped Ma arm with Angers like steel. She "I know him." ?a stared at her. "Know whoT Se dead man?" -Yes." -Why didn't you say so? Who is he?" -I wasn't sure you'd want to tell Msaa, yet. It's Mr. Ledforge." The name for a moment woke no 1 iiiiii j in him. "Ledforge?" he Mpeaied blankly. "Tea, the head of New England MflMes," she insisted. "I saw Bta snce at a stockholders' meet ly when I worked on Wall Street YWCs he, dead back there." Mrs. Tope's identiAcation of the dead man as Ledforge seemed at Mat to Tope impossible of belief. "It cant be," he protested. "Or there'd have been a noise about it before _ ?? "Not necessarily!" she insisted. ~7t be was kidnaped, his family mag have bean warned to keep ?riat; sr perhaps his business asso ciates are planning how to support I ?"? his stocks when the news comes out. But it Is certainly Mr. Ledforge. Aren't you going to tell Mr. Cum berland?" "Not tonight," Tope decided, bold ly. "Even if it's true, I want a chance to think, before this hulla baloo starts." "Will you tell Adam?" "Adam's got a secret of his own," the old man replied. "I'll keep this to trade with him, by and by." Tope that night lay not long awake; but he roused at dawn, and he began to wonder by what route the dead man had been brought to Faraway. He got up and dressed with quiet haste, and left Mrs. Tope asleep, and walked up the brookside toward Faraway, where Adam Bruce was still asleep; but he did not disturb the young man. Yonder on the knoll, half concealed by Intervening shrubbery, one of the other cabins was visible. It seemed the nearest to Faraway; and assum ing for the moment that those who "I found this," Tope pointed to the footprint. brought the dead man here had lodged in that cabin, Tope began to search the ground between. He found two things. He found, on a slanting ledge, a scratch which might have been made by a nail in someone's heel; but the scratch was broader than the nail would readily have made, and Tope reflected that some men have set into the heels of their shoes a small triangular plate to retard the wear. Such a plate might have made that scratch. And he found a woman's footprint! The small French heel had sunk to a depth of a quarter-inch or so, leaving its imprint plain. Tope stooped to look more closely; and then Adam Bruce came up the slope to join him. It was still early; but the sun had risen and now laid level lances through the trees. Adam lift ed his hand in silent greeting. "Found anything?" "I found this." Tope pointed to the footprint. "1 judge whoever brought him here lodged in this cab in." "This is named 'Little Bear,' " Adam told him. "If they did. Bee will remember them." Tope hesitated. "Well, later,' he decided. "You keep out of sight for now, go up to Dewain's farm, wait there. Doctor Medford will be do ing the autopsy there this morning. U7a'U onma nn " Ha ? "Nfiw TIC U VUI116 UJl. * "Well, now, Mrs. Tope, I call that sensible. Isaac, he's always want ing to move on and move on. Soma people say It's hard on the twins, not going to school; but Isaao gives them their lessons right along." She laughed proudly. "Donnie does all Willie's lessons, it we don't watch him. Their handwriting's so much alike you can't tell the difference." "They write alike?" Mrs. Tope echoed in polite indifference. "They look exactly alike, at course; but I didn't know twins wrote alike, too." "Yes, they do," Mrs. Murrell in sisted. "I asked a doctor once, and he told me?" But Bee interrupted her. People were apt to interrupt Mrs Murrell. "Mr. Tope, Earl Priddy tells me your friend Adam Bruce came back last night" "So?" Tope echoed. "Why, he told us in Middleford that he was taking the midnight train. Must've-changed his mind." Bee laughed. "Adam's always an uncertain quantity. He must be sleeping late. I'll have Mrs. Priddy keep some coffee hot for himt" After breakfast Tope and Mrs. Tope returned to Cascade. Tope rummaged boots and fishing garb out of the rumble of the car and put them on. "We'll make fishing an excuse," he explained. "We'll drive away out of sight, and get to Amasa Dewain's without the folks here knowing." She nodded, and presently they came out to the car, Tope brave- in rubber boots and an old felt hat adorned with files stuck in the band and crown. Earl Priddy, passing by along the drive, paused to ask in ah interested tone: "Coin' flshin'?" Tope admitted this. "Git you any worms?" Tope shook his head. "I'll dig you some, fust chance I git," Priddy promised. "Fellow come through her last summer, hired me to take him fishing. Englishman, he was. And a great one for flies! Man, he could handle 'em, too." Tope was always willing to listen. He had heard, sometimes, surpris ingly useful things. "Don't see many Englishmen here, I expect," he suggested at random.. "Well, some I" Prlddy declared. "Fellow come here Friday night late ?I guess he was English by the way he talked. Had that kind of a deef man's voice that they have. I can tell 'em fur as I can hear 'em. He had a woman with him I Miss De wain wouldn't have took 'em in, if she'd been up, case they wa'n't respectable; but she'd gone to bed, and I ain't so pa'tic'lar. I put 'em in Little Bear. They lit out before I was up in the morning." Tope nodded indifferently, and he got into the car. When they ap proached Amasa Dewain's farm house, they saw Adam on the porch. "Cumberland and the doctor are In side," he reported. "Want to go inT" Tope said: "I'm wondering how long that man has been dead. Earl Priddy just told me that a man and a woman came late Friday night and stayed in Little Bear, and left early in the morning." Bruce's eyes lighted, but before he could speak, Mat Cumberland came out of the house; and when he saw Tope, he drew from his pocket something wrapped in a handker chief. "You'll want to see these things, Inspector," he suggested. "They were in the pocket of those overalls. Ever see a knife like that before?" The knife was of a peculiar de sign. It bore on one side a gradu ated scale marked off not only In Inches but in centimeters. Tope opened the blade to see the maker's name?a Sheffield firm. "English," he remarked thoughtfully; and he picked up the other article, a thing like a little metal fan, with leaves of differing lengths and thicknesses. "What's that?" Cumberland asked. xnai s a gauge iu wbi vaive clearances. Mechanics use them, on cars and airplanes." A car came toward them aloof the road from the highway. Bee De wain whirled into the yard and alighted, full of surprised questions. "What's happened?" she demand ed. "What are you all doing here?" No one spoke; and she turned to Adam. "Earl told me you came back last night Why?" Adam said laughingly: "Couldn't bear to go away without seeing you again." She colored angrily. "Don't treat me like a child I Why doesn't some one say something?" Mrs. Tope spoke. "I'll tell you. Miss Dewain." And she made the matter briefly clear. She turned pale, but her head did not droop. '1 see," she said through stiff lips. "That's terrible. Isn't It?" She caught Adam's eye. "This was why you came back?" she guessed. "I suppose Mr. Tope telephoned you?" "Yes." Doctor Medford spoke. "Know him, Miss Dewain?" "No. No, but?" "But what?" "He has something oo his hair," said Bee. "Some sort of musky smelling stuff. I've smelled it be fore." And she cried suddenly: "I remember!" "Where?" Tope asked sharply. "Friday night. Or rather, Satur day morning," she answered. "Some people stayed Friday night In Little Bear, and left before daylight (to ax cosrmruED) IMPROVED1 1 UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL Sunday i chool Lesson By HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST. D. D. Of *riU Moody Blbto InaUtuU of Chloai*. Released by Western Newspaper Union. Lesson for December 23 Lesson subjects and Scripture texts se lected and copyrighted by International Council of Religious Education; used by permission. -THE ME8SAGE OF CHRISTMAS TO THE WORLD LESSON TEXT: Luks 1:1-14. GOLDEN TEXT: Glory to God In the highest, and on earth peace, good will ta ward men ?Luka 1:14. Christmas again! Yea, and it's going to be a joyful Christmas this year, isn't it? Let's not miss a ain gle bit of the joy and gladness of* the season. Let's observe all tha precious customs . and traditions. Let's share in the pleasantness and* ' the laughter. Some may have to do it with a sense of sadness hidden in their hearts, but even they will join us in really keeping Christmas this year. But don't forget to keep Christ in your Christmas this year as never before! We who know Him should realize how muoh the world needs Him. We should see in the months just ahead our greatest opportunity to make Him known. Our lesson topic is "The Message of Christmas to the World." What la that message? Here it la: I. Make Room for Jesus! (w. 1-7). "It came to pass"?yos, it always does when God has given His prom ise. For seven centuries God had said, "He Is coming," and then He came. God rules the affairs of this world even though thoughtless and unbelieving men not only grieve Him, but often defy Him. vvvM vaiiiv?uut tie iamr to ? manger, "because there was no room for him in the inn." Is it not the same today? There is no room for Him now in the hearts of most men. Is He wanted in our places of business, in our governmental of fices, in our social gatherings? Remember, it was not because they hated Him that there was no room. It was just that they were "preoccupied." That is the trouble in men's hearts today. They should have made room in the inn for Jesus even though everyone and every thing else must be turned out, and I we should make room for Him no ! matter what else or who else must J go. They would have made room ( for Jesus had they known who He was. We do know, and yet we do not make room. Why not? (Jer. 17:9; John 15:24; Rom. 8:7)." (John W. Bradbury). That iv the message of Christ mas! Make room in your heart. In your life and in your home for Jesus! Then go quickly and n. Tell Others About Jesus! (w. 8 12). The religious leaders slept soundly the night Jesus was born. They knew the prophecies of His coming, but they were not looking for Him. Perchance some of them slept in the very inn where He could not be received. But the shepherds were awake. They knew that something unbeliev I ably great had happened, for the heavens were ablaze with celestial glory. At first they were afraid, but they ' were soon comforted by the words "Fear not." How characteristic that message is of the whole gospel tes timony. Fear not, there is salva tion; Jesus has come to seek and to save the lost. But be sure to note that such a message is not just for one's per sonal joy and encouragement; it is for "all people" {v. 10). The shep herds realized that and the verses following our lesson tell us that { "they made known" what they had ; seen (w. 17-20). How mat that ItAAsi la ?r^isaetl I After all these centuries since Jesus came there are still multitudes of people on this earth who have never heard about our Saviour. There are children who would ordinarily have been in church and Sunday school who, because of the war, have grown up in heathen darkness. Others there are who have heard but have not responded, and we must go to them once more this Christmas and tell them that "a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" was born in Bethlehem. Hake room for Jesus, and then make Him known to others. That will lead you to EH. Praise CM fer Jeans (w. 13 14). The angels could hardly wait with their praise. "Suddenly" a multi tude of the heavenly host appeared, praising God for the blessed mes sage of peace and good will. The Christian life is quite incom plete and unbalanced If it does not include much praise. The Lord is worthy of all the praise of every believing heart this Christmss Dayl The writer of these notes extends to you the heartiest of good wishes at this glad Christmas season. He pleads with you if you are not a Christian, make room for the Sa viour in your heartl Then, let us all make Him known everywhere, to the praise and glory of His name. It would please the one who pre pares these notes to have a word from his friends everywhere, assur ing him of their interest and prayers. Just a postcard will do. The eddress is at the head of the column. Don't expect a reply, but be eeniTsd that he win pray for you. lUJlome *loum. RefUvUe* ia WASHINGTON By Walter Sh*od WNUCmf?M WMU Waibiagtom Bureau. Hit Bra St.. JT. W. Co-Ops Battle to Keep Tax-Exempt Status i ? ? TPHE National Council of Farmer Co-operative*, representing ap proximately 2,300,000 members of local farm co-operatives, ia clearing decks for action. A bitter fight in congress is anticipated over the move to tax farm co-operatives on Income, along with other so-called tax-exempt organizations. These would include such tax exempt financial institutions as mu tual savings banks and building and loan associations. According to a re cent report of the internal revenue division, total assets reported by tax exempt groups for 1944 aggregated *13,438,908,000. Organizations en gaged in business such as the mutual banks, and co-operatives, accounted for the bulk of these assets with $12, 034,959,000. The report further showed that the gross income of the tax-free groups exceeds $5,000,000, 000 annually. Of this total income the farm co-operatives are the larg est tax-free group with gross Income in 1943 of $2,233,804,000. Co-Ops Pay Many Taxes. Members of the farm co-opera tives received $117,646,000 in refunds or patronage dividends and other di rect disbursements, according to the report. To combat the impression that the farm co-operatives are, in fact, tax-free, the National Council of Farmer Co-operatives, however, has just issued a statement showing that for the year 19*3, the 5,233 co operatives included in the treasury statement paid a total of $14,822,000 in various kinds of taxes including property tax, social security tax, use taxes and all other taxes paid by other business groups. "Farmer Co-operatives which are exempt under section ltl (12) oper ate aa non-profit organlxationa and they pay no federal Income tax he eaaae they have no Income to tax," said John H. Davie, executive sec retary at the national council. Davis further pointed out that there are approximately 10,300 co operative organizations reporting to the Farm Credit administration, whereas the treasury report only in cluded 5,223 of the farm marketing and purchasing associations or only slightly over 50 per cent of the total. The treasury report, Mr. Davis says, "completely refutes the claims of those who say that farmer co operatives are avoiding tha payment of their fair share of taxes." Tax League is Spearhead. The National Tax Equality league, supported by large industries in the grain, meat and other Industrial fields, is carrying the ball for those seeking to bring the farmer co-oper atives into the Income tax fold. They are being supported In some in stances by organizations of small in dependent merchants, who are said to feel the greatest burden of com petition from the co-operatives. And 'St this time the smaller business committee of the house is working oo a report which is expected to make recommendations on the tax question. Hearings held by the com mittee occupied several days and representatives of all the major farm organizations testified against the proposed move. The small business men up and down Main street in the smaller home towns of the nation, the inde pendent grain dealers, hardware and implement dealers and others, are loudest in their demands that the co-operatives pay the federal tax. The treasury department itself, how ever, could not say what proportion of the dividends or refunds could be classed as taxable income and it is likely that if there is any action either way, it is mora likely to be proposed to equalize competition with this private business rather than for the revenue involved. Toe Many Votes Involved. Then too, there is always the polit ical angle. This writer is convinced that this congress, which is so sensi tive to the political winds, will not take action, since the farm mem bership so far outnumbers the mem bership of the small business groups. The political potency of some two million farm members, all allied with one or the other of the three large farm organizations, is something this reactionary congress will not overlook. And so the prospects are that any attempt to extend the federal gov ernment's taxing power to include these farm co-operatives will reach an Impasse. At least it will be a steep uphill fight, which the co-opera tives are most likely to win. At any rate, they are prepared here to go to bat on the question, and they will be aided by other pow erful forces Included in the tax-free groups, such as the unions, the tax free financial and lending instltu tiona, and mutual insurance com panies. Tied in with this group also are the non-business organizations which also are tax tree, such as chambers of commerce, hospitals and social welfare organizations, educational organizations and scien tific foundations ... all of which | feel that an inroad into one tax-free group may endanger the others. ... il'~. .... 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