A
SECOND INSTALLMENT
Roddy Gordon, who has gone to.
New York to make his fortune, re -,
turns home to confront his parents
and hi# sister Nancy with the fact
that he has stolen fifteen thousand
dollars from the bank where he
works to help "the loveliest woman
In the world" and will soon be found |
out unless he can return it. But 11
love her," declares Roddy to his an-1
gry father. "I'd steal for her, I'd j
die for her?" "A pretty story!"
shouts his father. "You've broken
your mother's heart, you've disgrac
ed your father and your sister? |
your young sister. Look at her, a
girl in the morning of life?with
a thief for a brother!" Now go on
with the story.
.'Roddy?my son, my son!"
He recoiled violently. "My God, I
what was I going to do? I he
turned stupidly, blindly, groping for i
the door. "I'd better go out nowi
and?hang myself!" He groaned.
"Oh, my boy, my poor boy!" his
mother cried after him, trying to
reach him, trying to hang on to him,
with mother hands that never give
up.
Be he did 1101 look at h?i".
fumbled at the lock of the long
French window, found it and, tear-,
ing it open, he walked out over the
sill like a blind man. They heard
the soft thud of his plunge to the
ground below.
Mrs. Gordon's sobs came in gasps.
?'Oh, William, what have you done?
You've driven yuor own boy crazy
he?hell kill himself?I've got to
stop him, I've got to?I?" She was
trying to climb out.
But Nancy caught her, thrusting
her back with a firm young hand.
"I'll go. Stay here. I'll go?I'll stop
him?leave it to me!" She pushed
her back gently, looking over her
head at her father.
The light outside was ghostly,
white squafes of ground with black
shadows etched where, in the day
time, there were tall shrubs and
nemlocks. ?
Nancy stood still, too, rooted to the
ground, listening, her heart in her
throat. Then she heard the faint
crunch of gravel in the path be
hind the lilac hedge. Roddy was
there of course, she might have
known it! She fled lightly, making
no sound, in his direction and over
took him at the end of the garden;
it opened there?through a broken
gate?on the river meadow.
?'Roddy." she called to him. Rod
dy?wait!" J .,
He stopped short and turned, the
moonlight whitening his haggard
young face. ?
"Don't come near me, Nance; tne
young fire-brand said fiercely.-"you'd
best keep away from?a dirty thief!
She came up, panting. "Rod, you're
killing Mama.1
That reached him; he put his
hand up with a despairing gesture
and pushed the lock of hair out of
his eyes.
"I wish to the Lord I'd shot my
self in New York!" he said hoarsely.
The anguish of his tone went to
his sister's heart; they were close
of an age. she was Just twenty-one
and they had always been together.
She clung to him. shaking. I
"'Roddy, are you sure they'll find
out right away? I mean those peo
ple in New York?before you can
put the money back?"
"Oh, they'll find out! They've got
an accountant there?old Beaver.
He never liked me, he's got his nose
to the ground like a hound now
looking for the trail. I think he
knows already."
"Then they might come after you
arrest you?tomorrow?" Nancy shud
dered. remembering the time; 'fits
after twelve now?it must be. To
day then!"
He nodded. "I don't care any
more; I've had all I want from
father. I reckon I can take every
thing now?even handcuffs."
" He- didn't mean it, he dldn t
mean half of it, he's mad and crazy
-with grief about It! You mustnt
go, not this way. Roddy. Mama can't
stand it, you know how she feels?
you're all she cares for!"
He choked, Irresolute "I won t let
father?I want stand for It?he's
insulted the woman I love, a beau
tiful, good woman, whom he's never
seen! I?Nance, what did I do? I
was wild?did I really try to stran
g]^ him ?
She' nodded, pressing her lips firm
ly together to keep from crying.
Rntfdv looked down strangely at
his own hands, stretching them
out "Lordv. I might have killed
Mm?I? I'd clean forgotten my
* Nancy tugged at his sleeve. ''Come
back. Rod!" _ .
He shook his head. "I'd do some
thing worse If he called her names
"You needn't go In there; go up
to your own room: you're tired out.
I'll tell Mama?that's all."
He stood Irresolute. "It wouldn t
be for long anyway?" he aald at
last. "Don't tell him If I do stay
tonight?tomorrow?" he laughed
wildly?"there'll be a Jail ride to
morrow, Nance!"
It was long past midnight; morn
ing was in the air and .the frost
seemed to strike to the marrow in
the girl's bones. Site shook with a
chill of fear.
"Rod, why did you take it?"
He did not answer for a while; he
stood staring at the ground, his face
distorted in the moonlight. He look
ed a mere boy', but his misery had
made black rings around his eyes.
"Nance, you know' I didn't mean
to keep it. I took it little by little at
first.' I?well, there was a reason
for it even then. I was going to put
it straight back, but I couldn't. I
took some more. There are some
queer people ? there. Nance, you
wouldn't understand?curb-brokers.
I thought I'd make enough out of
the second bit I took to return the
whole sum, don't you see? It was
gambling, of course, but I wanted
to get rich, too. You get that way
New York; you Just have to get
rich quick! And I?well,-1 loved
her and she won't marry a poor
man.
"She made you steal!"
"That's a lie!" he said brokenly,
?she couldn't, she's beautiful, she
has such wonderful eyes. Nance,
they're like Jewels, topazes, you
1 know."
"She was in dreadful trouble, she
had to have money?she told me
about it, her poor old father might
have gone to Jail?through a mis
take, you know, and it took all the
' money to save him?she was so
' grateful, so broken when I got it,
I Nance. She was going to_ pay It
fall baek?she will yet?she feels
i dreadfully because she can't right
off. She .feels as bad as you do.
but she's grateful?I did it for her,
to save her. Nance. I'd do anything
for her?I'd go. to hell for her!"
"Rod!"
"I wouldt" he cried passionately.
"I'love her. My God, Nance, you
don't know what love is, it runs
through your veins like fire! When
I look into her eyes?I'd give my
soul for her, I'd-?" He clenched his
hands, shaken with passion, a mad
| boy. mad with love. "I've saved her
anyway! They-cam send me to jail
I ?Jail's nothing, death's nothing.
| shame's nothing?if you can give
yourself for the woman you love!"
He choked, clenching his hands
again, and Nancy said nothing. She
stood looking at him. She thought
I "he knew something of love, too, but
i ?to steal for it!
j For a long moment they were
dumb, then she spoke hesitatingly.
"If?if we-copld only raise it?th?
whole of it?right away?The trou
ble is?if we do, it would clean us
out and Papa's too old to begin over
[ again."
"I won't have that!" said Roddy
quickly. "I don't want a cent from
him?and he can't do it, Nance, he s
got something weak about his heart;
anyway, he's too old?why, they d
fire a man as old as he is In New
York!"
"They must be cruel In New
York!"
| "They are; that's It, Nance, they
get you and they break you. They
Professional Cards
Dr. ROBT. E. LONG
Dentist
Wllbum St satterfleld Building
Main Street - Roxborb, N. C.
B I. SATTERFIELD
ATTORNEY- AT-LAW
Ruxboro-Durham. N. C.
Roxboro Office: Thomas St Carve
Building. In office Monday am
Saturdays
Durham Office; 405 Trust Build
ing. In Durham Office Tuesday
Wednesday. Thursday ar.d Fri
day each week
DR. G. C. VICKER5
Dentist
i Office at residence, on Route No
144, near T. H. Btreet old home
Mill Creek.
N. LUNSFORD
Attorney-at-Law
, Office over Thomas St Carver Bldg.
Roxboro, N. C.
DR. J. H. HUGHES
Dentist
Office In Hotel Jones, next doer
to Dr. Tucker's Office
Dr. j7d. BRADSHER
Dentist
Office over Wllburn ft Satterfleld*
Store Building.
I . |OHNECASH
"Repair your shoes and repair your
chairs. Under Wllburn St Satterfleld.
NORFOLK GIRL SETS FARM STYLE
Miss Thelma Twiford, of
Norfolk, Virginia, an em
ployee of the Smith-Doug
lass Company, makes good
use of the cotton bags in
which her company packs
fertilizer. For work around
the house, she has designed
a neat apron, as well as a
work suit. Many farm wo
men are doing the same.
have no hearts. I can see how'
they'll break me?even old Beaver
with his nose to the ground. He
wants my place for his nephew and
he's go^ng to get It"
Nancy's hand clung to his shoul
der. "Roddy, you can't go to jail,"
she whispered with white lips. ''I
won't let you!" i
He smiled at her, an odd, twisted j
smile. "You can't help it, Sis, I'vej
got to go. D'you remember old Ma
. jor Lomax? He was always sending
his enemies to jail to crack stones!"
I Roddy laughed hysterically.
"I think he knows about this
Rod. I met him tonight and hei
asked about you?in such a strange
I way." '
"They'll all know presently. How
; they'll talk. Nance, all the old fogies,1
and the girls, too."
"Roddy, you're only twenty-three.1
I How long will they keep you In
l jail?" |
"It's grand larceny. I reckon that's
ten years in New York."
She gave a stifled cry, clinging to.
him.
| - His face was ghastl? In the moon
light, like a white mask, and his
eyelids twitched nervously.
"Don't cry!" ho said harshly. "Ill
be old when I come out?thirty
three?and done for. They never
. forget a fellow with a jail sentence,
j I?welL there's a way out of it,
| Nance, a way for the family "honof,
too. I reckon father thought I'd
forgotten It, but I haven't?I've seen
it all the time.. I?" he laughed bit
terly?"I'm working up to it."
She tightened her arms about him
I frantically; she knew.
"Roddy, you can't?you won't!"
He laughed at her, his lips twitch
ing like his eyelids.
"Father meant that?he knows he
meang it now?he thinks I'm a cow
ard because I didn't."
"Rod," she clung to him, "not tar
I night?promise me. Roddy, not to
night!- Come in?you needn't see
DR. R. J. PEARCE
Optometrist
Eyes Examined?
?Glasses Fitted
Thomas a Carver Building
Boxboro, N. C.
MONDAYS ONLY
10 A. M. to 5 P. M.
iJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL'l
r Spring is her*?time for 5
S new oil for the motor, and a S
E complete check for the en- s
~ tire car. W* maintain an ex- ?
? pert service department for ?
E any make of automobile. We E
; 1 hall be glad to make you an S
E estimate on any repair job? E
= large or small.
-E
| Roxboro Motor Co. f
j= ? C.'O. Crowell, Mgy.
Roxboro, N. C.
HillllHHIIUMIIIllMllHIIIHMillllllinir: I
father, go upstairs to your own
room?you need the rest; yes, you
do?you're crazy! Rod, itH kill
Mother, promise me, not tonight!"
Her frantic, clinging hands, the
love and pity In her eyes, pierced
the boy's tortured soul. His hps
shook, a sob choked him.
Nancy's arm slipped about his
neck, she drew him along, she held
him tight. She understood how her
mother felt. It couldn't happen, it
mustn't!
Plie had dragged him to the back
door now.
"Roddy, go up to your room?I'll
tell Mama you'll stay tbnight," she
whispered, as If she thought her
father would hear it'and break out
again. "Don't frighten her. Rod, go
to bed?shell die if you tell her
this!"
He stood irresolute, half pushed to
the kitchen door. It was dark in
there and silent and he could go
up the back-stairs. The thought of
his own room and his white bed?
Directory
If you are in doubt as to where
to find anything look over this list.
The advertisers in this space are all
reliable and you will make no mis
take when you patronise them. If
you do not And what yon are looking
for here come to The Courier office
and we will give you the informa
tion desired.
J. T. BRADSHER
Plumbing and Heating
Office on Reams Avenue
Phone 14
G. B. MASTEN
Painting and Paperhanging
Good Paint Applied By Good
Painters Produces a Good
GEO. W. KANE
BITTLDER - CONTRACTOR
"No Job Too Big?None
Too Small."
Carolina Power &
Light Co.
Home-Life Made Easlet
Ask the lady who has an
Electric Range.
Hambrick, Austin
& Thomas
DRUGGISTS
Hollingsworth's Unusual Candles.
Penslar Remedies, School Books,
Shaeffer's Fountain Pens.
We would like to be your Druggist.
Sergeant & Clayton
"The Sta-Klean Store"
Phone Us Your Orders.
We Deliver Promptly.
HARRIS & BURNS
BARGAINS
Everything from head tc
foot for men, women and
children.
"Roxboro's Best Store"
Roxboro Lumber Co.
Buy It Fiom Us And Bank
The Difference '
"Homo Of Quality Lumber"
Wilburn &: Satterfield
Ro*horo's Dependable Store
'It Will Pay You To Trade With
Us?Try It"
where he had slept Sg s boy?sud
denly leaped on him and pinched
him with a sharp little pain, a nee
dle thrust beside the great pain he
carried with him. He groaned.
"IH stay, Nance, until?until I
have to go," he said thickly, "for
her sake?Mother's I mean."
Mrs. Gordon's relief at Roddy's
return made her ? yield to Nancy's
persuasion.
"ly.t him be hi his room for
while, Mama. He's worn out, per
haps, he'll sleep a little?If papa
doesn't break .out again."
Her mother had come upstairs
with her to see Roddy, and Nancy
.had coaxed her away from his door
and into her own room. No one had
thought of sleep that night and it
was daylight now. The soft gray)
of the dawn crept in like a mist,
and they heard suddenly?In their
broken pauses?the twittering of the
birds in the vine outside the window.
Mrs. Gordon sank into an old arm
chair beside her vacant bed. hid
ing her face in her hands. She was
a mere huddled heap of misery, and
Nancy saw her shoulders rise and
fall with the struggle of suppressed
sobs. The whole figure, the dishev-i
eled head and the blue-veined
hands, tore the young girl's heart.
"Don't" she whispered, patting
her shoulder, "please don't!"
Her mother raised a haggard face,
blurred and puffed with weeping.
"Oh, Nancy, what shall we do?
What can we do? I've lived too
long!"
"Hush, don't say such things."
Mrs. Gordon drew a long sigh,
wiping her eyes.
?"Lie down, Mama," she advised'
her softly, "please go and lie down.
If you're ill you can't help Roddy
at all."
But her mother only sank lower
in her chair.
"I can't rest," she said, and then,
petulantly: "leave me alone, Nancy,
I don't want anything in the world
but my boy!" r
Nancy turned sUefatiy- and went
back Into the hall, but not to her'
own room; Instead she went eau-'
tlously downstairs. The light was
still burning there and she saw her'
lather sitting bolt upright in his'
chair beside the blackened hearth.
She went softly Into the room, draw
ing nearer step by step, staring at
him in silent terror. She thought
lie had died in hlg chair. He had
not. He looked old and gray a*id
broken, and his mouth hung open
like a dead man's.
CONTINUED NEXT vVEEK
o
I A state association of beef cattle
producers was formed at a recent I
meeting held in Asheville with D.
Reeves Noland as president.
Three new bulletins ere available
free of charge to citizens of North
Carolina on application to P. H.
Jeter, agricultural editor at State
College. The bulletins are: Exten
sion Circttlar 197, "Spraying For
Control of Applie Blight"; Experi
ment Station Bulletin 292, "Crop
Response to Lime and Fertiliser on
Muck Soil," and Technical Bulle
tin 44, "Hematology of the Fowl."
The size of the seed piece used In
planting the Irish potato crop has
been of concern to Beaufort Coun
ty growers for some years. This
year they are running several field
testg to find out the size that will
give the highest acre yield, other
things being equal.
The Best Investment
The Roxboro Building & Loan Association has opened a
new series and you are invited to give this plan of having your
consideration. An investment which will earn for you more
than six per cent is worth considering.
Buy one, five or twenty shares, just as much as you think
your income will justify, and watch it grow.
Ask J. S. Walker, secretary, or Bill Walker, assistant secre
tary, for more detailed information.
Do it today.
ROXBORO BUILDING & LOAN
ASSOCIATION
J. S. Walker, Sec.-Treas.
AND ALERT FOR
WORK OR PLAY
When you feet a tittle tired. When you be
gin to lag. Drink an ice-cold Coca-Cola and
you'll go breezing along again. It will re
fresh you. Keep a few bottles ready in
your refrigerator. Order from your dealer;
Coca-Cola Bottling Works
Phone 122 - Roxboro, V. C.
If you want
good color and good texture
. HEN make up your mind
right now to use Royster?the
fertilizer that has been field
tested to give the best results
with tobacco. Good quality
tobacco is hard to grow. It
took you years to learn what you
know about growing it. And it
took us years and'years to learn
what we know about fertilizing
it. Between us we can make the
kind of crop that will mean real
money to you.
Don't take any chance when
you buy your fertilizer. Remem
ber this: Royster's is made in one
quality only?the best. You can
pay more or you can pay less.
but you cannot buy better fer
tilizer for growing tobacco.
Royster experts are continual
ly studying tobacco, learning all
there is to know about fertilizing
it. They never stop experiment
ing and improving. They test
every fertilizer in the laboratory,
then field-test it in the tobacco
field. Only refined materials are
used to make sure that the pur
est obtainable go into Royster
sacks. As a result, we know that
Royster Tobacco Fertilizer will
give you the results you want.
See your Royster agent today
and let him know how many
tons you need.
F.S. ROYSTER GUANO COMPANY, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
Hgyster
FIELD TESTED FERTILIZERS
qOYSTER's
FERTILIZER
?r*Sr i>