The Adair County news., 1922-10-03
BOOK ONE
THE CALL OF THE BLOOD
CHAPTER !

bTuce was W6Kel60 Dy Ile Sndrp
ring Of his telephone bell. Instantly
he was fully aroused, in complete con-
troll Of all his faculties. And this is
not especially common to men bred in
the security Of civilization. Rather
1t is trait Of the wild creatures;
little matter that is quite necessary
If they care at all about living. From
tiersmen learn the trait, too; but as
Bruce was a dweller of cities II
seemed somewhat strange in him.
Then he grunted rebelliously and
glanced at his watch beneath the pill
low. He had gone to bed early; it
was just midnight now.
he had no doubts whatever concern
ing the nature Of this call. There had
been one hundred like It during the
previous month. His foster father had
recently died, his estate was being set
tied up, and Bruce had been having
somewhat strenuous time with his
creditors. He understood the mans
real financial situation at last; at his
death the whole business structure
collapsed like the eggshell 1t was.
Bruce had supposed that most Of the
debts had been paid now; he won
dered, as he fumbled into his bedroom
slippers, whether the thousand or so
dollars that were left would cover the
claim Of the man who was now call
ing him to the telephone.
"This is Mr. Duncan" he said cold
ly into the transmitter.
"How do you do, Mr.. Duncan" a
voice answered. Pardon me if l got
you up. want to talk to your son,
Bruce"
Bruce emitted a little gasp of
amazement. Whoever talked at the
end Of the line obviously didn't know
that the elder Duncan was dead.
Bruce had a moment of grim humor
in which he unused that this voice
would have done rather well If it
could arouse his foster father to an
swer it. 'GThe elder Mr.. Duncan died
last month";" he answered simply.
There was not the slightest trace Of
emotion in his tone. No wayfarer on
the street could have been, as Tar Al
facts went, more of a stranger to him;
there was no sense Of loss at his death
and no cause for pretense now. "This
is Bruce speaking"
he heard the other gasp. "QId
man, I'm sorry," his cohtrite VOICE
came 81 didn't know Of your loss
This is Barney-Barney Wegan-a1d
Just got in from the West. HaYep'I
had a bit of news for months. Accept
my earnest sympathies-"
Barney! Of course" The delight
grew on Bruce's face; for Barney We
gan, man whom he had met and
p learned to know on the gym floor OF
his club, was quite near to being a real
friend. "And what's up, Barney"
The mans voice changed at once
went back to it's same urgent, but
rather embarrassed tone. you won't
believe me if tell you, so won't try
to tell you over the phone. But
must come upright away. May IT''
"Of course"
'Tll be there in minute"
Bruce hung up, slowly descended tt
his library, and flashed on the lights
For the first time he was revealed
plainly. His was familiar type; bu
at the same time the best type, too
He had the face and the body of al
athlete, a man who keeps himself fit
and there was nothing mawkish or ef
Terminate about him. 1t Is true tina
men did look twice at Bruce's eyes
set in a brown, clean-cut face, neve
knowing exactly why they did sc
They had startling potentialities
They were quite clear now, wide
awake and cool, yet they had
strange depth of expression ant
shadow that, might mean, somewher
beneath the bland and cool exterior,
capacity for great emotions and pas
sions.
he had only few minutes to wait
then Barney Wegan tapped at hi
door. This man was bronzed by tn
sun, never more fit, never straighte
and taller and more 1.-the. He had jus
come from the far places. The EN-
barrassment that Bruce had detecte
in his voice was in his face and man
ner, too.
"You'll think I'm crazy for routin
you out at this time of night, Bruce,
he began 'And I'm going to get thi
matter off my chest as soon as possibl
and let you go TO bed. It's all batty
anyway. But / was cautioned by al
the devils of the deep to see youth
moment I came here"
.Cigarettes on the smoking-stand
Bruce said steadily. "And tell away
But tell me something first. Wa
Duncan your real father? If he wa
I'll know I'm up a wrong tree. I don
mean to be personal"
"He wasn't. / thought you knew
Ny real father is something like 70
something of a mystery"