The Raymer enterprise., 1911-06-08

the blood and. thunder
writer's. But you might go step
further. and assert that there are
adults who are prone to fall under the
same influence. and not be making an
error"
"Why7" asked the listener. scent
Ing possible story.
Because the readers OF that class
Of fiction are not by any means con.
fined to the rising generation" replied
the ex-inspector. you may think 1t
odd. brt am personally acquainted
with prominent member OF the New
York bar who seeks relaxation from
his legal problems by devouring all
the cheap detective stories he can
get his hands on. Much on the same
principle. suppose. that tired busi-
ness man takes In light musical
comedy after he has completed his
labors Of the day. But the lawyers
case doesn't exactly Illustrate my
point A man with wellbalanced
mind and trained intellect would only
see the absurd side Of the melo-
dramatic hero's exploits. But there
are plenty OF men who read such stun
and are not only entertained thereby,
but take II. pretty seriously. Also. here
and there reader OF dime novels may
find fairly ingenious plot which.
taI - rta az Il,
ming. might contain hint OF how to
accomplish certain crime that could
be successfully worked out. The
mere suggestion would be enough.
provided that It suited the readers
desire or aim
For lnstance?" queried the listen.
er in half.mocking. halfskeptlcal
tone which was purposely intended
to goad the former chief into unlock.
Ing some particular episod. In his
vast experience. Doubtless 30 shrewd
student OF mankind as FInncy Val.
entlne was not fooled for minute by
such transparent ruse, since he
smiled inscrutably and knowingly.
There was once criminal event
In my experience which illustrates
nv point to hair" he explained
Pressing button on his desk, after
consulting his indexed case-book.
Bring me file No. S2," he said to
the attendant who answered the buz-
ger Meanwhile he smoked medita-
lively as though mentally going back
to some thrilling happening In his
varied career. In three minutes the
required file was placed at his Ell.
bow. Taking out sheaf OF papers.
newspaper cuttings. and photographs,
he rIfled them momentarily between
his supple fingers, nodded satisfac-
torily, replaced them In their place,
lighted fresh long and black Pana.
tella and began tho following story.
which shall be given here In his own
words:
Within hundred miles OF tho
Bowery, In Connecticut and Massachu.
sets, you may run across little vii
lagos and rural settlements that are
almost as primitive and oldiashioned
as they were In Revolutionary days.
There's where YOU find the "aban.
doned farms" that one hears so much
about nowadays: they have been
abandoned" mostly by the younger
generation; the old folks held on till
dAnfh aud tha NluI,paI
then the cleared fields ran to weeds,
the stone :ences fell down. the apple
orchards died for lack OF tending. and
the farmhouses and barns gradually
fell to pieces
But here and there enough young
bIoodSemalns to keep up the village
or tom life, and the soil. instead OF
being worn out, as we've been led to
suppose, yields just as good a living
as ever, while the hardy people go on
living their sturdy lives. marrying
and giving In marriage, as though
'rolley'ltnes and automobiles had
never been invented.
Just such place was the Connec.
ticut village OF Risgah. about twenty
miles north OF Stamford, among the
hills bordering the Housatonic Val
ley. Everybody In Plsgah was pros.
porous In q plain GodfearIng way;
the town had no poor: there was a
congregational church, Union
school the usual stores, and one or
two canning factories.
Two thriving farms OF perhaps a
couple OF hundred acres each adjoined
each other, owned respectively by
men named Valley and Merrill. Tom
Valley, youngster OF about twenty.
six, an orphan. worked one O, these
farms; the sole heiress TO the other
was charming girl OF twenty.fou
named Ruth Merrill. II was the
most natural thing In the world for
the young people to fall In love. mar.
~. and thus unite the twin properties
into one-and that's exactly what hap.
pened. Ruth Merrill had possessed
several suitors. but Tom Valley even.
tualiy proved to be the lucky man.