PAGS SIX
"WIS
FOURTEENTH INSTALMENT j
SYNOPSIS: Ruth Warren, living |
in the East, comes into possession
of three-quarters interest in ail AriiMjiitx
ranch, left to her in the will
of her only brother, reported to
have died while on business in Mexico.
With her ailing- husband and
small child she goes to Arizona to
take possession, thinking the climate
may prove beneficial to her
husband's weak lungs. Arriving at
the nearest town, she learns that
the ranch. "Dead l^antern," is 85 !
miles across the desert. Old Charley j
Thane, rancher and rural mail carrier.
agrees to take them to the
"Dead Lantern" gate which was 5
miles from the ranch house As 1
they wearily walked past a huge
overhanging boulder in a gulch in
coming to the ranch house, a voice
whispered. "Go back! Go back."
their reception is cool and suspicious.
Snavely and Indian Ann are
the only occupants. They hear the
legend of the gulch. Snavely is dif- s;
ficult to understand but regardless, j
Ruth takes up the task of trying j
to adjust their three lives to the
ranch and its development. Kenneth,
Ruth's husband, caught in '
u chilling rain, contracts pnuemonia
and passes away before a doctor
arrives. Ruth tries to carry on. She
is not encouraged by Snavely in j;
plans to try and stock the ranch or [:
improve it. She writes to her fa 11
tlier in the East asking a loan with I
which tc buy cattle. She receives no I
reply. Will Thane comes home to <
visit his father . . and Ruth meets !
him A rancher nearby decides to !
retire and offers to sell Ruth and I
Snavely his livestock on credit. '
Snavely tries to balk the deal but j1
F.uth buys to the limit o.f her three ;
quarter interest in the Dead I*in- j
tern ranch
.NUW GO O.N WJTii THE STOICY.
OKI Charley himself had i*emarkiid j
to Ruth thai the rains began about j
the. end of June; Snavc-ly had admit- j
ted that it might rain around the.
twenty-fourth of June before the;
real drought .set in; but Ann, Don;
.Francisco, Alfredo, and Magda had i
CtJltCd 'v?Wu- -Q\ni. r>tin. _vvr.ii Id i
come in abundance beginning with
the Day of San Juan.
It was now the twentieth of July
and since the single storm of more
than two months before, there had
not been a cloud in the sky the size j
of a pigeon. Hie grass wliicli had j
sprung up so brave and green after
the storm was now wilted and the
color of broomstraw. The lacy leaves j
of the mosquito curled on drooping?
branches, dust laden; the broad, flat j
leaves of the prickly pear were shrun
ken and yellowish; small bushes were;
as brittle as glass, and the twigs
and weed stems underfoot rustled
like dry paper. The birds, rabbits,
coyotes and lions had left the country
?all was desolation. Rattlesnakes
abounded.
Each morning the sun rose naked
above the eastern mountains and as
it rose a wave of stifling heat swept
over the desert as though a mighty
oven doer had slowly swung open.
Ruth had rather expected rain on
the Day of San Juan and, when that!
passed cloudless, felt that in a day or j
SO she would see the elrnidn hillrw^rmor
over the mountains and smell the indescribable
perfume of desert rain.
As day succeeded day, each hotter,
dryer, more hopeless than the preceding
day, her anxiety increased?she
seemed trapped in a corner while disaster
crept relentlessly nearer. The
increasing awareness of her respon- \
sibility drove her to assume more and j
more the control of the ranch. Be-1
Fore she well realized it she was giving
the orders for the day's rid.ng.
JSnavely left everything to her. He
rode out each morning but he rode
alone and he returned alone.
Occasionally as she rode about the ,
ranch, Ruth came across him. Some- j
times he was riding casually up some
canon as though he cared not where
he went, as long as he had no company;
again, she had seen him sitting
in the shade of a scrubby live
oak high upon a ridge top. Whenever
she saw him these days Ruth
had an odd, uncomfortable feeling
that Snavely was waiting for something.
One day she met Old Charley and
Will as she was riding the southern
boundary of the ranch. The two men {
came up to the fence and talked with j
her. That ^evening she told Snavely
that ha fWwYt* *r>. o. 1
wngonload of cottonseed meal which
could be given to such cows as need*-!
ed it badly. She also suggested that
he get a certain brand of dried milk?
much advertised in the cattle raisers'
magazines?which, mixed with water,
could be given to the underfed calves
and the orphans.
Snavely thought for a long time,
then said he would go. It seemed to
Ruth that there was an undercurrent
of eagerness in his voice in spite of
his objections to the trip. He stated
the next morning with team and wagon,
returning a week later with the
load. He appeared oddly satisfied.
Now, whenever the riders found a
weak cow with a starving calf or
some calf without, a mother, these an
imals wore brought to tbe home ranch (
turned into the small horse pasture.. in
and fed Some sixty cows were re-! thi
! ceiving their daily ration of meal, kn<
and above the ranch house and cor- the
rais w<iudered a band of nine or ten hoi
orpl.ancd calves whom Ruth wasjiy
bringing up on the bottle. , on!
The gulch had oeen fenced by the I in
Mexicans under Ruth's direction: also ling
all the ponds were now- deep?arid all i I
but the one in the south pasture was ed
bone dry. Half of the herd watered pec
at this pond, the other half at thej ing
corral troughs on the home ranch.! tie
The corral troughs could only water j ed
this number. Very llttJe wind came' gir
to turn the windmill which fed the: in
tank by the corrals. Even after Alfre- ! of
do had constructed a primitive hand j ing
pump, it usually meAiu tftree noursjper
of back-breaking labor to raise the j ere
required amount of water. 'tha
And nc signs of rain. J \
Each day, as she returned from! gori
the south pasture, sorhetimes driving' tb.a
a weak cow, or even carrying a day- j mal
old calf across her saddle, the sWfcll-' tak
ir.g fear in her heart increased. A ninj
hundred times a day she looked forbto\
clouds; if her riding took her near a day
hill she went to the top, eagerly scan- er t
ning the new-made horizon. S
She knew that the Mexicans were exp
praying for rain?she had given them him
All the candles in the house for the j pay
sacred picture they had hung in the j woi
barn. And once she had entered the; not
gulch after a calf, which had goncjnex
through the fence, and upon the rock P
she had found a grotesque little mud whe
image holding a tiny pot of cornmoal. two
Ann did not reply when Ruth asked wit]
her about it; but the girl had come Par
to know the footprints of the gian-1 nes:
Less. | tak
i
I Cash
! C1r>!
\jiu a
That's just what we
stepped right out ant
styles and materials,
giving you the advan
n Wc arc again demon
I COATS anc
I DRESS UF
TABLE SILVER?/
and forks, as long as
Dishes, Plates, Bowls
Cream Pitchers an
Make your selec
I THE GREAT BARG^
GIVERS
.
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT- EVEI
. Sk nn
jt? ^
rhere came a day whon the water 1
the south pasture had shrunk to a j
n sheet of wet mud. Then Ruth r
e\v that the end had come; with
? full herd trying to water at the
Tie ranch whore the^c was bareenough
for half, there Could be
y one result. If no rain came with*
a week the cattle would begin rty
by dozens
"or the last few day3 as she watchthe
water so je.lentlsesly disaptr.
Ruth thought less about meet- j<
her note and more about the catthemscives.
The tears often start- :
in her eyes these days. When the!
1 came upon a gaunt cow lying |
the stifling shade at the bottom
some gully, with a shriveled, pant-,
calf at her side, she wanted des-!
ately to explain to these poor j
atures that she could not help, j j
t she was not to blame.
Vhen the last of the water was j,
le in the south pasture, Ruth felt j
t she would gladly give every ani- <
I on the place to any one who could
e them to green fields and run- ;
g water. Feeling as she didr the j
v which fell on the following mail
was robbed a little bit of its pow- <
:o hurt.
he had written a letter to Parker 11
laining the situation and thanking '?
for his previous offer to extend 11
ment. And although Old Charley
lid be bringing the mail and would I
be going into town again until 1
t week, the girl rode to the box. i
:ut the mail had already arrived
;o she reached the box. There were 1 <
letters addressed to her. The one
hi the earliest postmark was from
ker who explained that for busi-!
s reasons he had been obliged to
o a loan on the note. It was now
In Y
-U ac
mean! Last summer wli
i ordered a whole flock
Today we couldn't
tage of our foresight. . .
strating that Smithey's i
[dresses
SPOUT COATS ?And also
beautiful fur-trimraed models,
priced $4.95 to $11.95
MISSES SPOUT COATS?In
all wool chinchilla and all
wool Melton cloth, priced at
only $4.50 A $6.75
SUEDE RAINCOATS ? For
ladies, and suede zipper jac
kets, priced $3.18 & $2.75
I FUR TRIMMED COATS for
I children, a nice assortment.
' priced S1.75 to $t.95
SIl.K CREPE DRESSES?In
an assortment of styles and
colors, very specially priced
from $2118 to $5.95
AIA, UOOl. DRESSES?For
ladies, in jersey and other
wool materials up to $4.45
' ' 7: ' * 1 '7 1
LADIES SILK HOSE?Fullfashioned.
An extra value at
only - 59c
ALA-WOOL COATING?And
dress material, 54 and 58 inches,
per yard - 97c
PEPPERELL and other good
grades of dress prints, per
yard ~10c, 15c, 15c
PEPPEUEL SHEETING?10
quarter, extra heavy grade,
per yard S5c
A NICE ASSORTMENT OK
i LADIES HOUSE DRESSES
? THE TAB
Vn extra good value in 1
i they last for only....
, Glasses, Teacups and
d Fancy Glassware at tl
tions while the stocks ?
l v& i W '"U "TB^ MF
U"M M J
tY THURSDAY ?BOONE, N. C.
ii the hands of J II. JSFitherspnon
[nc.. brokers. The second letter v.'fu
from the broker. After reading it tin
rirl stared at the cloudless skyline
hen rode home. Her lips were set an<
ler face shone yellow under the tan
. . "Consequently, the cattle situ
it ion being what it is owing tn Ch
present drouth, we ire! it necessary t<
^all payment on the note when due
tamely, November first, next."
t * * *
-Well." said Will, "there's one thin;
certain?when the rains hold off a
long as this they make up for it whe
they do begin."
Again. Ruth shook her head.
Old Charley studied for a momenl
then slowly climbed out of the cai
Will followed. "I've seen some pre It
bad times mended." remarked the ol
man. "Things most always seer
worse than what they are. But- we'i
bound to get rain before long an
when we do, it'll likely be a goo
ane, same as Will says."
"The last pond went dry a wee
ago,." said Ruth dully.
Old Charley tried not to show hi
surprise. "So? Well, they'll get
little thin waterin" at the well, but
won't, hurt them.
"Oh!" Ruth suddenly turned awa;
After a moment, she said slowly, '
gave my note to Parker for the cai
tie?my interest in the ranch will t
gone by November?there's no wt
ter?the cattle will be dying in ai
sther week."
"Another week!" Both men stare
%t the girl. "You must be wrong,
jaid Old Charley.
"No, the well's going dry?it giv*
>:if sooner each day."
"But, Mrs. Warren"?Will looke
from Ruth to his father?"I don't ur
ierstand. There was surface watc
there late last June, worlds of wute
Why, there must be two or thre
thousand acres which drain into ths
well!"
"It's going dry," saiu Ruth.
"New wells sometimes give oi
quick," replied Old Charley slowl,
"but it sure seems funny. You se
Will, here, helped your brother li
cate that well. You ought to be ab
to take care of a good half of yoi
herd?let part of 'em water at U
our F
V.
K
JL JL JHL \
en we read the Tumor o
of men's clothing and ]
r this merchandise for tl
we're passing out high
s the most economical si
HATS AND BERET5
Ladies newest stvie hats and bert
very specially priced at
25c, 48c, 69c, 79c
SWEATERS?We have sweaters
fit any size or age from one day c
on up. Both coat and pull-over styli
priced from 25c to $1.
COTTON BLANKWre ?Nice doul
blankets, full size for only ..$1,
OVERSHOES and Galoshes for vol
en and children, priced 69c to 9
BABY SHOES and Children's She
priced from 25c to 9
JUST RECEIVED?A new shipme
of ladies' slippers, patent, suede ai
kid, in ties, straps, pumps and o
fords. All kinds of children's shoe
Baby-wear, Sweaters, Caps, Boote
and Blankets.
iLE CHEAP
table silverware, knives"
79c, 95c, $1.25
Saucers, Sugar Bowls,
be very lowest prices,
ire still complete!!
[TH]
;
, I corrals."
j! "At?the?corrals? But 1 don i uu-j
i iderstand?do you mean?what do you:
. mean ?"
1 Old Charley looked at his son and ;
then at Ruth. "Why, just what I said;
" use the well at the corrals, the one
5 with the windmill?the old well "
3 j But that's what we have been us
j ing," cried Ruth; "that's the one that
J is going dry""
"What!" ejaculated Will. "Aren't
? you using the upper well at all?"
s "Upper well--what upper well?"
a asked Ruth in a dazed voice.
"Well I'll be?" Old Charley looked
at his son.
t. "He never went on with it," said
r. Will, softly.
>' Old Charley nodded nmi turned to
(1 Ruth. "The prosper' Harry and Will
n found lust summer was in the upper
e end of the north pasture? I guess
d Harry didn't get around to developd
ing it before?he left. But didn't any.
body tell you about it ?"
k "No?" Ruth'3 heart was boating
wildly. "I never heard about any othis
er water."
a "Harry bought the pipe," said Will,
it "Remember, Dad? We passed a loa.1
of it on the way to town last fall."
y. "There's a big pile of pipe behind
'1 the bam," said Ruth. "Tell me quick!
t- Is there water we can uzc in the north
>e j pasture ?"
i-l "It'll have to be develoned." said
i- Old Charley slowly.
"Shouldn't take more than a daj
d or two," responded Will. He thought
" a moment, then pulied an envelope
jfrom his pocket and wrote on it with
s|a pencil. "Here, Dad, you run on intc
I town and send this telegram?I'll be
dj staying over a few days." He turned
i-|to Ruth. "Suppose I ride back will
:r | you and show you that place. Seems
r to me you ought to develop plentj
e of water with a day's work or so."
it Snavcly slowly arose as the riders
i came straight up to him. Ruth spoke
Mr. Thane has told mc of a placi
it in the north pasture where there is
y, indication of water?he and my bro
e,; ther found it last summer." Sh<
3-! paused. "Why didn't you tell me o
le it?"
ir! "I had reasons." 3aiu Snavely, hi:
ie ; eyes on Will. "I didn't want to gi
'ockel
_ T1
jijr rv
>f the rise in wool, silk ant
ladies' ready-to-wear . . . i
re price we are offering it
quality goods at less tha
tore in Watauga for the wl
! Men's Si
Over
MEN'S SUITS?A fine assortment
of suits with two
pair pants for $17.50
(Other Suits $14.95)
MEN'S OVEKCCATS?Good
assortment to choose from at
only $5.49 to $10.95
BOYS' SUITS?A nice line
for ouiy SI .08 ? $5.95
its
BOYS' OVERCOATS?With
pants and cap to match for j
only $3.95 j
~ OVERALL .JACKETS ? For
men and boys, lined and un'
lined, at very low prices.
48 MEN'S FTEIJJ SHOES?Natural
re tan and black, with
?? heel irons $2.48
4o
MEN'S OVERALLS ? Red
Axe and Big Ben 97c & $1.19
WORK SHOES ?Men's and
^ boys, all kinds $1.79 & $2.89
OYER8HOES?Oaloshes and '
Rubber Boots for men and
boys 79c & $2.48
Hl-TOP BOOTS ? For Men
and Boys, priced very spec- J
*** ially at only $3.48 & $5.75 ?
MEN'S FELT HATS?Good
quality 48c Sc $2.48
LEATHER BELTS?For men
special at. 19c, 48c, 75c
WORK SHIRTS ?For men,
special at. 69c ? 79c
FLANNEL SHIRTS ?For
men, only 95c
Winter Weight Underwear
for the entire family at a
low price. A good line of
Men's Riding Pants.
E^\t c MAi
\ N?
.
izaaezA m^^XSSStBIIS^sKISrJSf^^
NOVEMBER 1933
get tin' your hopes up?there ain't no ?
U5e aigyiii' ul thut gully IrftHnm ye?r
because of a little rain seepage"
-But, Mr. Snavely," 3aid Rum,
, "now that we have need of the water
! don't you think it would be wise to
j try to get it?"
"If you can?you won't finu noth1
in', though. Maybe a little rock basin
j full of rain water under the sand."
"There had been no rains for several
months when we located the
prospect last summer," said Will;
"the sand was wet and we dug far
enough to are that water was running
into it from that big dike. That
dike is a natural underground dam."
"All right, all right?go ahead and
dig all you're a mind to if you've got
1 such an all-fired interest in the Dead
j Lantern, Mr. Thane."
Will made no reply and Ruth
thanked him with her eyes. To
Snavely she said, as she started her
horse, "Please, have the two men follow
us with picks and shovels."
It was not long before Will guided
her into a small arroyo. one of the
hundreds which led down from the
mountains. ,'
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK)
E, T. & W. N. C. Motor
IXrasportation Company *
! (Schedule effective Sept. 1, ISSSj
IjEAVE BOONE FOR:
- Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, and Elk
,! Park, N. C., 12:30 p. m. and 8:20
. p. m.
Asheville, 12:30 p. m.
i Roan Mountain, Hampton, Elizabetb.
ton, Johnson City, Greensville. M*rI
ristotvu, Knoxville and West, 12:20
[ p. m., 8:20 p. m.
, Blowing Reck, Lenoir, Hickory, Charr
iotte, Statesvillc, Salisbury, High
Point, Greensboro, Durham, Raleigh
j and Norfolk, at 9:15 a. m., and 5-30
: P- ra.
Ashevlile. Greeneville, S. C., Columbia
j and Charleston, S. C.t Augusta and
. I tlanta, Ga.. Jacksonville, Fla., and
. I South at 12:30 p. m.
M LOWEST FARES EVERYWHERE
BEST HIGHWAYS?NO Dl'ST.
3 | Inquire of Ticket Agent for Fores and
, | Schedules to Other Points.
and J
?rk! i
i cotton fabrics, we
in all of the newest
to you. But we are
n prevailing prices.
Lole family I
jits and I
coats I
IN STREET, BOONE, I
ORTH CAROLINA