davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-10
The Captive Woman
By CHARLES SAXBY
Illustrations by J. C. Coll

illustrations Oy J. L. Coll
straight and sprawled out. Then she
looked up. 1t may be tho light Of later
knowledge that makes me think it, but
it seems now that the instant saw her
face in the searching light of the afternoon,
l knew her. Even before heard her voice,
with that husky-hard sweetness in it, like
honey smeared on nail-file, l knew her;
for had met her type at home.
Even her greeting told me / was
right. 'Oh-how-de-do,' she said, with
out moving, playing over me with those
enormous, pale eyes. suppose you are
the local big-wig. We must introduce
ourselves I'm Mrs. Hugo Vesey.'
Il had recognized her type Wilton
went on; @but when heard her name
I knew the woman. Mrs Hugo vesey--
the famous Mrs. Hugo the half-great
lady. the political intrigante, her fingers
always tangled in the wires, her portrait
always in the illustrated papers, some
rising youngster always trailing in her
wake, and half a. dozen ruined political
regulations to her credit. She meant to
put me in my place by that greeting: l
saw that. What was /, mere minor
official of an obscure colony, to her-the
daughter of Cabinet minister, married
to great name. and always so tremen-
dously in the midst of things?
II was nothing to her. If you are
going to understand anything you must
understand that. To her l was mere
convenience, something to whom there
was not even the necessity Of being civil,
unless it suited her. As a person, a men,
Der Of society, was nonresident to her.
And yet-queerly enough-even so, she
had to feel her power over me as man.
That power over men for which she was
SO hungry-the exercise of it seemed like
a stimulant to her, daily drug on which
she relied.
@That came later on-that evening, in
fact. She was a different woman by
night, found: something even of
beauty, in hard, stunning way. She
wore wonderful gown, or so it seemed
to me, flashing suddenly upon me after
three years of this place-a trailing sea-
green affair, with cleaning sparks caught
in it, like the fires of that surf down
there. She sat at the table, against those
open arches, with her thin, rouged face,
her struggling shoulders, her hard. mirth-
less wit. And behind her, framed in the
arch, the moon shone through the fronds
of the cocoanut palms; and from the
beach came the throb of the tom-toms
where her Kru-boys were dancing.
"SHE was so alien to it all that could
hardly believe in her being there.
To me she seemed scarcely real: had
notion Of her as the reflection of woman
in mirror, she seemed so brilliant, so
colorful, and so unsatisfying. had a
queer idea that il put out my hand to
touch her, it would encounter only a
smooth hardness, like when one puts out
ones hand to an image in looking-glass.
She was like coming on an electric sign
in the middle Of the hush-the dernier cri
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-10

of Paris patronizingly surveying land
that might have been fresh from chaos.
Il remember how I kept wondering
which would win, if it came to the test:
that woman, or that blue-hot night out
there and all that / knew lay behind it7
9 A MAN and q woman-there was only
one explanation OF that to that town
down there, seething in the putrid broth
of it's own imaginings. OF course, Mrs.
Hugo did not care what that town might
think Of her; why should she? She was
merely flashing along the Coast like
meteor, and as brilliantly above it all.
Her utter detachment was her safeguard"
@And why were you not above it also?'
demanded the Governor. aHow did
those rumors in the town connect with
you? How did they get under your
skin, let us say? Whose ears were You
afraid they would reach?'
The eyes Of both, in silent mutually,
turned toward that spot Of distant light
shining from the curve Of the beach below
them-the light from the House OF the
Old Mensah.
perhaps I was feverish that night
Wilton resumed. II had travelled hard
in the heat Of the day. Then again, had
been here for three years three years Of
Grand Jack, the nearest man of my kind
forty miles away; the nearest woman
forty hundred, perhaps. Three years
practically alone here in the castle. Such
times breed strange fancies. knew it all
too well. l seemed to see those rumors,
like the rings from "a stone cast in the la
COON, spreading on rings Of dark space
spreading until they reached that house
across the beach.
4Ah-that house," nodded the Gov
ernor. ave are beginning now"
at had all begun months before, Will
ton somberly returned. aYou know that
house and its history. The House Of the
Old Mensah, built for three hundred
years dead-and-gone native chief by that
band Of Portuguese adventures who
raised the castle here.
4For three years, as you know, my
greatest impossibility here has been to
hold tight the doors Of that house. And
have done it. My sentries outside them
never know at what hour Of day or night
may not appear; and, until the coming
OF Mrs. Hugo, not a soul had stepped in,
or out, across its threshold.
when first came here used to hate
to pass the place. There was silence
like that Of q brooding storm-a hopeless
silence, that still could not give up hope.
4Then once, from somewhere deep in
the recesses Of that house, I caught the
voice Of that silence-a woman's voice,
deep-throated as q bell, raised in one long
cry Of utter revolt.
@The doors were always closed and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-10


blue-green gown half slipping from her
bare, struggling shoulders. A haggard
woman, saved only by her high position
from being exactly what she was. A
hungry woman, snatching greedily at new
sensations 1t was for those, that she had
to come to the West Coast Of Africa-for
new sensations. Well. she had had them
in plenty, Wilton thought grimly..
$50 Mrs. Hugo talked" He nodded
again. @And just what did she say in
Accrome?n'n
aNever mind that the Governor an
swered. Il am here tonight to listen to
YOU"
WILTON understood now: he was to
be given chance. That was gen.
orally the meaning Of these unheralded,
unattended advents Of the Governor
Time and again he had been known to
slip, just as quietly, into one or another
of these third-rate outposts scattered
along the steaming coast Of the Blight Of
Benin; and always his coming had meant
a chance for somebody So now it was
to be his story against hers: the word Of
an obscure official against the word of
this woman, so powerful, brilliant, and
INSCRIPTIONS, who never forgot an affront
to her vanity; who would never rest
until she had avenged the terrible mem.
DRY that lay between them.
"You must make me understand"
went on the Governor. "That is why am
hereto understand. So far, have heard
rumors; for months have been hear
ing those. have heard that scourge Of
the Coast. the gossip Of men. And have
now heard q wOman-an excited woman,
bitter with the sense Of wrong, to be
sure; but still, woman too highly placed
to be disregarded. Now l am here to
listen to YOU
He rose and, with a slight gesture
toward that far-off spot of golden light,
asked question:
"By whose authority did Mrs. Hugo
vesey ever enter the House of the Old
Mensah?n
From the edge of the lamplight where
he lowered, near the ramparts, almost
ghostlike in his tropical white, Wilton's
answer came back-another question:
sam l speaking to His Excellency the
GOVERNOR as'
you are speaking to one who wishes to
understand"
aThen this is not official?' persisted
Wilton.
MY trip to Grand Jack has not been
entered in the Government Gazette
"Very well, then Wilton began pacing
the fag-stones. "This is with the gloves
off, suppose: the raw truth, even if it
10 ahout---a w0mAn
He stood as if lost in thought for a
moment. When at last he began to
speak, it was in low, dragging tone, al
most as if he were rehearsing something
to himself.
al found Mrs. Hugo here one after
noon when returned from the bush, he
said. "She had come on that
day from Half-Pram, and the
courtyard down there was a szo;
riot with her Kru-boys and
baggage She was sitting here
under the arches, still in her .,
travelling costume Of boots, S"p
breeches, and hunting coat. pomdn
l thought she was boy at years
first, she was so slim and prisoner
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28

ieifers and plants and kids.
They like to be the whole
'how and boss a place like
this. They'd boss us
something fierce If one
ever did get a foothold
here, Chance"
|xe Wouldn't 1t do us
sA good ?'' protested
. w Chance. "You and
IA me, Bill. we're get
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28
BUTTER MARKET FAVoRS
O. C.. D. E. PRODUCT

Ready markets for the entire out
put of the Oregon Cooperative Dairy
exchange butter at prices topping the
highest quotations, are being found
Each week sees an Improvement in the
quality of this butter, due to the edu-
eatioual work carried ON as part of the
service 90 its members. Since this re-
suit has been secured within only two
months, still higher prices are expected
from further Improvement and a good
name. The demand is away ahead of
the supply.
The benefits OF membership in the
Exchange are beginning to attract at.
tenticn of Oregon ereamerymen, and
through the expected growth in member
ship the Exchange should soon be hand
ling butter in carload lots.
This win bring distant markets with
in reach of Oregon butter, and give
dairymen the advantage OF the high
er prices that often prevail.
The Exchange is on secure founda'
tion, having back Of it the Grange, Far.
mers' Union, all state Dairy assoeia-
tions, the Agricultural college and the
state Dairy and Food commissioner The
College Extension service assisted to or
ganize the Exchange and is still acting
IN an advisory capacity to it, The man
ager is f. c. Frevert, formerly in the
dairy work of the [. 5. Department Of
Agriculture
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28
THE C0URTlNC> OF LUCKY CHANCE
ByyIzoLA FORESTER

Chance bent over the form that sud
denly grew heavier as he held it
Which way. Pete. which way?" he
cried, shaking the half.breed almost
savagely to force him to speak again
And Pete lifted one hand slightly
with a queer, unsteady motion south
east, but he made no answer. Power
of speech had left him.
Chance waited while, staring
blankly out at the wide, darkening
land with half-shut eyes. When the
last sunset glow broke hazily through
the still. yellow haze in long, widen
ing lines of dull red, he mounted 81
wash and rode southeast, leaving a
defunct half-breed in the dry, mud
caksd grasses of the creek bed.
Miles to the southwest lay what had
been the reservation land, covered
now with the mushroom growth of
tents and shacks of the fall home.
seekers. Miles north and east
stretched the prairie, great dry sea
of tawny, heat-scorched grass; and
every time Siwash lifted his nose and
shifted the air, 1t meant a fresh Whit
of fire on the wind.
Chance lifted his hat and rode fast,
as fast as he dared with Siwash's s
dread of a stray Badger hole. He
knew enough of old man Nawn's weak
ness and Leroux's far:sighted guile to
GUESS the missing partsr In the half,
breeds narrative. Leroux held an In
dian mortgage on the land drawn by
Madelaine Nawn. While it didn't
amount to the paper 1t was written
ON In the eyes of the law, still he had
made old Nawn believe the claim was
a just one. ) 4tH
Steadily the scrawny, long-limbed
pony pushed ahead, his nose pointing
out aggressively toward the point his
rider aimed at Just ahead lay old
man Nawn's home, a meager dot
somewhere out under the waste of
the darkening blue sky on the soli-
tary prairie. To Chance that night
it was like a sheep shelter and he
herder, hurrying to save it from
wolves.
Home" he muttered. "As II any
spot on the face Of Gods earth could
be home just because it was ground
with your own particular tag on it,
81, few hours back l was homesick.
l wanted some doggone little hole in
the ground for home; wanted plants
at the windows, and real clothes
line out back, with women's aprons
and general dingbats hanging on it,
maybe kids dingbats, too. And in
the middle OF the dream, ST, was a
little girl-woman, understand. Name
of Madelaine."
He pursed up his lips into whistle.
He had almost forgotten that stark,
dead body back in the tangled dry
grasses Of the creek bed
Little bit of girl-woman, Siwash,
with brown eyes and curly hair good
deal the color of this here prairie
grass. Name of Madelaine. 4 And she
49,
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28
Opportunities of Oregon

from being handicapped in manu-
facture, at once leaps into a position
of advantage OVER older common.
wealths.
Many people have of late settled in
our three seaboard states and in Idaho,
Nevada and Arizona-all eager to take
advantage of the magnificent indus
trial and commercial opportunities of
feTcd, but our resources are merely
touched upon at the present stage of
development. Thousands of acres are
still unoccupied-land which is fertile
and productive. BY irrigation, arid sage
brush tracts are transformed into a
tcemiug, populous empire beyond the
comprehension of those unfamiliar with
such conditions.
Dairymg is an industry yet in its in
fancy, but extended and systcmatized,
it will soon be bringing an enormous
revenue to the west, So with the sugar
beet industry already established ON Il
considerable scale, but capable of al
most indefinite expansion,
We are growing everything that
farms and gardens can produce. Our
fruits are known throughout the world.
The commerce of the Pacific states has
increased many fold Ten years ago this
coast was the fringe OF the world 5 in
dustral enterprise. lnfrequcnt steam
ers crossed the Pacific, but the great
steamers of passenger traffic, still
more of freight traffic, flowed from our
eastern states, as well us from Europe
in the opposite direction to the Mcdit-
crraneau, through the Sucz canal and
across the Indian ocean. Today condi'
tions are completely reversed. The Pa
cific slope finds itself the national cen
ter from which the great commercial
war OF the next half century will be
wagcd.
While there has been quirkening
of the people across the waters, simul-
taueously here, there has been progress
that placed the west in a position to
take advantage of altered conditions
in the Orient. At our gates. besides the
great and ever growing home field of
commerce reaching back to the Rockies
aud beyond, there are the vast open
ing markets of the Orient, Soon the Pa
citie. now ploughed only hy n score or
So of regular steamers will have its
hundreds of ocean liners afloat, going
to and keeping close touch with Aus
tralia, opening up new trade with South
America, and with the Panama canal
completed, brings Europe into swift
and easy communications with our
shores.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28

and before she was aware of his intent
he had deliberately shot the two
ponies dead. T.
At MadeIaine's scream old man
Nawn stumbled heavily out from un!
der the blackboard; but, before LIE.
roux could shoot again, there came q
noise that checked his move, thsi
steady, hard thud of horses hoofS I,
and, even louder still, a low, queeri
roar and the soft, quick wind that
comes before prairie fire.
"It's got us!" yelled old Nawn, as
he raised both hands helple ssly sky
stood safe, and he hesitated, looking
at Madelsine. And even as he lin
gered, there whizzed out over Il
head tho circling line OF Chance
Haines' l.riat, thrown neatly and with
precision, until it threw him fat on
the earth, roped as surely and safely
as any steer
ut wasn't that meant for him to
die outright Chance was fond of ex-
planning. But there wasn't no time
for fine calculations Here was two
dead horses. Here was prairie flra
a.sweeping down on us like kingdont
Come, at short range. Here was old
Pa Nawn, and over there was my own
little girl. How was / to stop and
take notice of Jim Leroux against
such odds? All / had time to do was
to put him out of business And Z
sure did. Then pop took his horses
and l swung the little girl up close
to me, and we were off. That's all,
amt it, Madelaine, honey dear?"
Madelaine said nothing As
"missus" of the ranch, besides a real
house in the making, she fed the
brown puppies and let Chance do
the talking.
at sure must have dawned on Jim
pretty sudden that he'd landed in the
right place when the fire caught
him." said Bill as he sorted out
flower seed envelopes on the wash
bench outside the kitchen door.
God help him, anyway" whispered
Madelaine, with a shudder. and she
leaned her head back on Chances
shoulder Let's have morning glories
all over the porch, Chance. And
double hollyhocks. pink ones with
deep-red hearts, Chance"
Sure" laughed Chance, kissing her
upturned lips. ''You can hang Bill
and me up for ornaments, il you want
to, honey girl. Cause why? Cause
it's going to be home And you won't
be lonesome, will you, with just old
Bill and me and the dogs?" de gaaed
at her tenderly.
'Lonesome?" she repeated, her big
eyes wide and reproachful. Lone
some, Chance, where you are?" -
Bill looked up thoughtfuly at the
blue sky and winked with an u1des.
standing hGart. The other two Yeya
silent, tss.ss sg s!ss 5 3; sd ssss AE
L. LlGopEtight The Frank &, !Ms,.sey .,s Gel u
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28

the reservation Indians, the name oil
Leroux had been enough to lend con
fidence to any deal the half-breed pro
posed, until miles OF the best land
lay under paper bearing the Leroux
stamp.
And from out the far east OF red
taped officialdom had swung the thun.
derbolt. After years of pickering and
dallying, the reservation was to be
opened up that fall. The Indians had
moved northward to good. arabic,
guaranteed land, homeseekers had
crowded in down at Dallas, and, as a
side issue, totally unimportant, two
light-fingered gentlemen partners had
found themselves and their projects
squelched.
"It's too bad, Pete, it sure is." said
Chance soothingly. who gave you
this one?"
Hatred showed in Pete's eyes.
"Leroux," he muttered He not
want me to tell Madelaine Nawn."
"Tell what?" demanded Chance.
The half-breed shivered, and his head
dropped lower on his chest. The sun
was half an hour above the line of
the earth and sky. Before that time
the soul of Pete Frozen Nose would
have slipped out past the sky limits.
Chance pulled him up on his arm and
gave him another drink He didn't
want the soul to slip out before he
had all the news. .'zs7s'f;gts FT',>fSs;
did he try to kill you, Peter" he
asked, bracing the half-breed's head
against his own shoulder affd knee.
Siwash whinnied anxiously, lifting
his nose to the wind.
land" began the half-breed slowly.
She draw big land last fall-big In
dian land down at Dallas"
y know" interrupted Chance i'm
patiently. "At the land drawing. Go
on. quick"
ME an Leroux hold Indian mort
gage onsthat land. Last week Leroux
finds ore there, some silver, some
gold. Then he go down an get old
man Nawn, and they play cards, and
Leroux gets back the land"
'But it's the girls land" broke in
Chance.
"Sure." Pete's lips formed the
words stiffly. "Girl rode down with
old man Nawn to buy stuff. Come in
where Leroux's making the old man
give up, and stirs up big row. Then
they chase LerouX an me out Of town,
and Leroux says wait for the two out
here"
"Wait out here?" Chance lifted up
his head and stared DULY around at
the wide expanse OF "out here miles
upon miles of bleak, silent land, with
no living soul as far as the eye could
see. What for?"
To kill old man Nawn Then we
talk about Madelaine; and l say l
take Madelaine, and Leroux shoot me
like one yellow dog" rNS
Which way did he go?"' 'S2ls Is.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28
NE 7HEN the call came to move
wv south, Chance laid it to the

w IHEN the call came to move
wv south, Chance laid it to the
prairie fires.
Nowadays, the minute ] SEQ that
yellow in the air, and tho grass
crackles up crisp and ready under
Siwash's tootsies. why. | don't stop
- do any plowing or back-fring 81
.Wfsh and me get the call of the south
q lick. and we take the trail toward
tRlnkton."
Going to stop OFF at old man
,Nawn's place, as per usual?" inquired
,Bill mildly. tsAke@sfse,E
Sure" said Chance. S'aAasSS,i
I Going to bring q missns back with
fyer?" Still the tone was gentle.
| Chance laughed and rubbed his fn.
gers up through his thick, curly hair
obviously.
She wouldn't like II way out here,
would she, Bill? Even you and me
mad 1t lonely. ! guess a woman would
idie,"
| Nope" Ono of the brown puppies
rolled noachalantly over into tho pan
OF milk. and Bill flghed him out care
Edally and rolled him on tho ground
.an tender, motherly fashion. to dry
:siIm olf. Women don't mind being
lonesome il they've got tho man they
gove best and few chickens TO look
Atss fer and sone dogs and cats and
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-10-28
New York's Leading
Merchant Stands Strongly
By Wilson's Policies

/ New York, Oct. 2S.-Jcsse IsidoI
Straus of h. II. Macy & Co., one of
New York S leading merchants, and a
son of the late Oscar Straus, business
man and philanthropist, is another of
the many big men of affairs, of the
| United States, to announce his align
ment with the Wilson forces. Mr..
Straus. treasurer of the Wilson Business
Men 5 National League, has entered
the campaign actively, declaring that
Mr. Wilson S record, his experience, and
the mwisdom of change at this time,
should determine every doubling voter
to support his candidacy.
In stating his reasons for supporting
the president, Mr.. Straus says:
81 am satisfied that Mr.. Hughe S
FAILURE to answer the question as to
how he would have acted if compelled
to decide the questions which have fac
ed President Wilson. is due to the fact
that deep in his heart, he feels he would
have done exactly as the president did.
Furthermore, / am satisfied Mr..
Hughes feels that the Judgment of pos
terity will approve the president S
course throughout an administration
beset more than any other administra-
tion in fifty years with internal and
external embarrassments.
Not since the Civil War has there
been an election in which experience in
the administration of the presidential
office was so important factor in de
termining the candidate for whom the
voter should cast his ballot. President
Wilson has given us an administration
rightly characterized bv President Low
ett, of the Union Pacific, and President
Underwood of the Erie Railroad, as
successful and worthy of futher trial.
cit appears to me that one of the
greatest mcnaces OF our national life
is the republican taritf--a menace even
greater than it was in Mr.. Cleveland S
tine when the country emphatically
decided against it. If we would sell
we must buy. and if we build a wall
against the production of other conn.
tries, retaliation ON their part is iuev-
liable. Furthermore, most of our indus
tries are too firmly established TO re-
quire hahying.
do not believe there is any doubt
in the mind of any man that the repuh-
lican party, if in power, VIII enact, in
gratitude for the financial aid now
said TO be IN process OF contribution
to it, that greatest aid to monopoly in
this country, the extra heavy duty on
imports.
GAS n third, and perhaps less inn
portant argument against Mr.. Hughes,
| would urge his resignation from our
highest judicial tribunal and his en-
trance into partisan politics. | believe
that precedent such rs this should be
eombatted, and that the defeat of Mr..
Hughes will be a deserved rehukc.
"lf principle is the impelhng mo-
tive Of the progresSives. feel that they
should all turn to President Wilson, for