Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-26

RAILROAD been here long?" he asked
the conductor.
Fodr years.
,,., "Soradn mus, have been pretty iso-
Thirty miles in coach or Ford
II was reading N" other day." said
!,hsSctt. abOnt the Judson Clark case.
Have n cigar? Got time to sit down.
You newspaper man?'
''Oil we'll supplies" said Bassett
easily. "We(l, in this article II seemed
some woman or other had made con :
f2ssion. 1t sounded fishy to me-
u, well. III tell you about that"
Inc conductor snt down and bit OF the
end of his cigar. II knew the Don
nldsons well. and Maggie Donaldson
was an honest woman. But I'll tell you
died. and that left her pretty much
nlonc: The executors Of the Clark es-
tate kept her OH the ranch. but when
the estate was settled three years ago
she mad to move. That broke her all
| NJ. Shes always said he wasn't dead.
she Kept the house just as II was. and
my wife says she had his clothes all
ready and everything"
That rather sounds as though the
story is true. doesn't it?'
Not necessarily. It's my idea she
gn,t from hoping I" inOping, no to spcuk.
SHE Went in 10 town regular for let
frrs Tor ton years. and the postnlas ster
shys shr never got any. She was hurt
IN front of the postoffice. The talk
nronnd here is thnt she's been off her
mead for the last year or two."
but they found the cabin."
sure they did, said the conductor
rTNuhoiF. Ihc cabin was no secret L.
was an on fir" station before they
pnt IN" new ono on Goat Mountain. |
spcnt month IN IT myself, once. with
n dlidc who wanted TO take picturcs Of
bear. We found a bear. bu. r. choryc.
thc camera and I'd he running vet If I
hann como 10 civilization"
When he had gone B1ssctt fcll into
dcep thought so Maggie Donalds on
iiad gone 10 tie rostoticc for ten years.
lie tried to visualize those faithful
wearisone journeys, through spring mud
ana winter snow. always futile and nj .
ways hopeful. He dill not ;or a mo.
;heht believe that snc hri gone off her
She had been faithful to the end
as some women were. and in the end
; had killed her.
ana again he wondered ut the curious
ability Of some men to secure lora,tr
!hey might so through life, tearing
oown ideals and destroying illusion. to
me last, but always there was some
faithful hand to rebuild, some faithful
sou! to worship.
i'c was som"wha. launtc.l at the size
ana bustlins activity OF Sorada. Its
streets were paved and we'll lighted
lner' Wcrc park and n publ" library.
ana tns clerk at the Commercial UG-
,cl asked him il he wished q priyo.,
oafh But tho devclopmcnt was hc'n-
iul IN one way. In the old NoradA a
hcw""mcr might havr been Subjected 10
a friendly but inquisi.ive interest. In
'h>s gr"Wn-up and self -cen tered com
noticed. o. "'
Ana he, had othor advantages. Tho
pack. as h" cyni"ally though, of ,hcu,,
would nave started at the Clark ranrL
ana the cabia. lie would get 70 then,
OF course. but he meant 10 start on tie
outside Of the circle and work in. "
Been here long, he asked ,ne
"i"rk at the desk, after IcisurrIy
meal. "''''
The clerk srinned.
- came here two Years $40.
never 'aw lid Clark. TO yrt 20 t.o
.,!ark place take the road north our o.
'oWh ana Keep Straight about eight
iI' mi,cs' The roads good now. You
fellows have worn it smooth"
Must lave written that down and
learned It ?h. Bassett SAID admir-.
inSIy. What the devils the CIur1
place: And why should I m ro r,crs>
Mess, he added, they serve de-
cent meal
Sorry" The clerk looked a, hin.
sharpF' was satisfied, and picked ur
pen. You'll hear the story il you
stay around here any time. XnytIin:
can do for you?"
YES. Fire the COOK" Bassett said
aud moved away.
lie spent the evening i'll going over
his notes and outlining a campaign,
aud the next day he stumbled on n iii
OF luck. His elderly chambernlaid had
i'Ted i'll and around the town for years.
Ever hear Of any Livingstones in
these parts?' he asked.
why, yes. There used to be a Liy.
ingSipne ranch at Dry River" she
sad, pausing with her carpet sweeper.
anu looking at him. 'It wasn't much
"t place. Although YOU can't tell
these daSs. sold sixty acres eight
years ago for two thousand dollars, |
and the folks that bought it are getting
Il thousand a day out of it,"
She sighed. She had touched the hem
OF fortune s garment and passed on for !
some opportunity knocked but family. !
and for others it burst open the door
and forced its way in.
ld be millionaire now i; I'd .
held on, she sad sombcrly. /
That day Bassctt engaged car by
the day, he to drive it himself and
return il in good condition, the 90
rage to furnish tires.
ia just like to say ohc thing"
The owner said, as he tried the gears.
-! don't know wh"rc you're gong, and
it, not exactly my business. Here in
lhe on country. whore they're cutting
each Others thsoat> for new leases, We
et II man alone. But il you've an
idea of taking that car by tho back
road to the Old fire station where .yui
llark's supposed to have spent the
IT just say this: we've hal
W" stuck up there for a wceE ani the
'n'y way | see to get them back is a
'yclonc.'
.',l'm going TO Dry River" Dassett
aid shorty.
DRY lhyer'y right. II you re looking
or oil. Go easy on the brakes, Old
nan We need en- in our business
Dry River was II snIhl settlement
lway from the railroad. i: consisted of
wo intersecting uupavcd streets, dozen
~ so houses, Il cinsed and empty sa.
uon and two general stores lie rhoy.
mo at random any found that the OLD
Livingstone place had been sold ton
ears ago, on the death OF ita owner,
irnrr Livingstone.
'lli' brother from the East inher-
ted IT, said tn" storrkccpcr. "Iu
,nmn md snll ont h.rk .tnnl. -