Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-04


| dent. has collapsed through waste Of
| funds and twildeat" investments. Ths
| president shoots himself and the state
| begins an investigation. Valiant re-
private fortune Of 100000 among
the hanks assets. He finds that after
ali debts are paid $500 VIII be left.
When he faces poverty linus
letter containing deed to the FAMILY
home in Virginia, and Immediately
starts for the old homestead where
he arrives on a mid May afternoon,
CONTINUED from Saturday,
At half past three the investigation
had got as far as the iubricator. At
4 O'Clock the bulldog had given 1T up
and gone nosing afield. At half past
four. John Valiant lay fiat on his
back like some disreputable steve
dore. alternately tinlering with re-
fractory valves and cursing the obdu-
rate mechanism. over his right eye
an ooze of orange colored oil glowered
and glistened and indefatigably drip
dripped into his shrinking collar. A
sharn stone gnawed frenziedly into
the small of his back and just as he
made a final vicious lunge, something
gave way and a prickling red-hot
stab of pain shot zigzagging from his
smitten crazy-bone through every
tortured crevice OF his lmpatlent
frame. Like steel from flint 1t struck
ont n crisp oath that brought an
answering bovine snort from the
fence corner.
Worming like a lizard to freedom,
his ewes puckered shut with the
wretched pang John Valiant sat up
and shook his grimy fist in the air.
tYou silly loafing idiot" he cried:
"Thump your own crazy-bone ana
see how YOU like It! You-oh lord!
His arm dropped, and flush
spread over his face to the brow.
For his eyes had opened. lie was
gesturing not at the bull put at a
girl, who fronted him beside the roau'
haughtiness in the very hue OF her
gray-blue linen walking suit ana, IN
the clear-cut cameo face under her
felt cavalry hat, myrtle-blue eyes
that held a smolder of mingled aston
ishment and Indignation. The long
ragged stems of two crimson roses
were thrust through her belt, splash
of blood-red against the pallid weave.
An instant he gazed, all the muscles
of his face tfghtended with chagrin.
"I-T beg your pardon" he stam-
mered. | didn't see you. really
didn't. / was talking to the bull.
The girl had been glancing from the
flushed face to the thisly 1ence-cor-
ner, while the startled dignity of her
features warred with an unm1stak-
able tendency to mfrth. lie could see
the little rebellious witch OF the
vivid lips, the tell-tale flutter of the
eyelids and the tremor of the gaunt-
leted hand as it drew the hat firmly
down over the curling masses or
red-bronze. What hair!" he was
saying to himself. ITS red, but what
a red! 1t has the burnish of hot cop
per! l never saw such hair!
He had struggled to his feet. nurs-
ing his bruised elbow, irritably con-
scious of his resemblance to an
emerging chimney-sweep. Il don't
habitually swear" he said, but I'd
got to the point where something had
to explode" -,
oh" she said, don't mind mel"
Then mirth conquered and she broke
forth suddenly into laugh that
seemed to set the whole place a-quiv-
err with a musical contagion. They
both laughed in concert, while the
bull paved the ground and sent
forth a rumbling below of affront
and challenge.
She was the first to recover. you
did look so funny!" she gasped.
at can believe it," he agreed, max
ing a vicious grab at his smudged
brow The possibilities of motor
for comedy are simply stupendous.
She came closer and looked curious
ly at the quiescent monster-at the
steamer trunk strapped on the car
rier and the bullying portmanreau
meaning over the side of the tonneau.
"Is it broken? ?"
MERELY on strike" I imagine. I
think it resents the quality or the
gasoline / got at Charlottesville. I
can't decide whether 1t needs a
monkey wrench or a mustard-plaster.
To tell the truth. 1t has been out Of
commission and I'm not much of an
expert, though l can study 1t out In
time. Are we far from the villageY'
About mile and a half
"I'll have to have 1t towed after
me. The immediate point is my
traps. l wonder If there is likely to
be a team passing"
"I'm afraid it's not too certain"
answered the girl, and now he noted
the LIQUID meditation, with its slight
ly questioning accent, charmingly
Southern. There is no livery, but
there is a negro who meets. the train
sometimes. l can send him II you
like"
you're very good" said Valiant,
as she turned away, land I'll be enor-
mously obliged. Oh-and if you see
a white dog don't be frightened If
he tries to follow you. He's perfect
ly kind"
She looked back momentarily.
"He-he always follows people he
likes Won see"
"Thank you" she said. The tone
had now a hint-small, yet percept-
ible-of aloofness. "I'm not in the
least afraid of dogs" And with lit
tie nod, she swung briskly on up the
Red road.
John Valiant stood staring after her
till she had passed from view around
curve. "Oh, glory!" he muttered
ITO begin by shaking your fist at her
and end by making her wonder IL you
aren't trying to be fresh! You poor
profane, fioundering doltl"
After a time he discarded his jun
per- and contrived a make-shift toll
let. What a type" he said to him.
self. "Corn-f1ower eyes and blowse