The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-11-26

Institution. l guess my manners aim
e very good, but meant no HARM"
l. Joan, who had witnessed his pres
d ence with CONSERVATION, now felt
e sudden reaction from her fears OF
o course, Myers explanation made the
situation ineligible.
D She bowed, and he turned to the
l. boy. you can take Miss Wentworth
e up" he said. "I'll find buggy some
e where"
2 AS there was only room for two IN
2 the buggy, Joan did not demur to the
proposition. She stepped In, the
: young man holding out his hand to
guard her dress from the wheel. Joan
, glanced at the man with momentary
interest. He had the appearance of q
, gentleman. and the manners of one
There was no hint of either servility
or presumption, and yet there was
sort of independence about the man
which fitted him admirably. He
ficked the horse, and the buggy began
to crawl out Of the station yard along
the single street of a tiny village,
struggling uphill. 1t was white vii
lage. but clusters of shanties little
back among tbe pines betrayed the
presence Of the black element there
was store or two their fronts plas-
tered with tobacco and baking powder
advertisements, and In front of each
stood a gaunt, yellow-faced hillman,
chewing and gazing after the buggy
With unanimated face.
''This is Lancaster?" asked Joan.
Eyes. Miss Wentworth"
1.-THE people here look depressed"
There's a good deal of sickness,
Miss Wentworth. Hookworm, and |
what they used to call malaria. But |
there isn't any malaria here; It's bad |
diet-salt pork and soda biscuits. And
there's pellagra; it's been here for gen
eratiOns, but 1t wasn't till Inst year
that the medical commission discOy-
cred It,"
The coachman's knowledge might
have been ludicrOus in most men of
his class, but there was nothing ridic-
ulous in the grave, refined face of the
young mountaineer. He must have
picked up some knowledge at the in
stitute, thought Joan.
But it's healthy up in the hills,
Miss Wentworth" he added "Tnis
village is Millville. They used to grow
cotton in the valley over yonder, hut
the frost killed the crops three years
ago, and the mill fell into ruin. Quite
a little water power in that stream
The buggy assembled steepsI
grade, the horse breaking into a short
gallop near every summit, and then
its leisurely crawl.
That's the institute, Miss Went
worth" the cOachman continued,
pointing toward a struggling building
IN little plateau. 1t had the appeac l
lnce Of large but rather dilapidated
farmhouse. cts three miles by tie !
oad," he added. "but less than mile l
yer the hills" k
The horse had stopped to gain c
reath again. Looking back, Joan a
aw a white line that crept upward s
yer the rocky slopes almost direct O.
rom the station to the building. Half 10
'ay up was little speck of black
nat seemed to move. Joan knew 1t a
as Myers hard hat, his body being "
ldden from view among the busheS.
he shuddered slightly; the man was kl
cry repugnant to her. r
The horse went on again, the road fe
hiding uphill through pastures gay
18th buttercups and white with little al
'anched asters. 1t dipped between m
,dgerows pink with meadowsweet. ca
he sun had set, but its light still on
lded the hills. The scene was very DR.
'aceful. Now the institute seemed
swing out from among the undula- as
ms of the mountain TANKS imme as
ately In front Of them. mo
The buggy came to a standstill be tn,
re the long wooden building, which lill
is of unshingled boards end very cal
lch the worse for weather 1t had
t been painted for years, and two UNI
ndows in one wing were broken. A tbs
tch of weedy, unknown lawn extend da,
between what had once been wa
dyes. but were now mere tangles Of OK
Nearby was a larxe fro
osure in which were a few chick Ma
'ow at pasture turned her head snd In
,ed at them placidy. me
rhe door opened and a pleasant Sar
king woman came forward. anC
How do you do, Miss Wentworth gar
. said. II am the matron, Mrs picl
User. Doctor Lancaster telegrapheti tina
tut your coming. I'll show you and
If room, and your supper will be fore
dy in few minutes" berl
oan descended. The driver, who gols
leaped to the ground, held his ter,
ID over the wheel, but did not offe, ried
o her. Then he rr-entered the bug ther
and rather to Joan's surprise, n
We off along the road by which ant
y had assembled. the
plea
exp,
The mystery deepens, with veal
Myers the secretary Of tho insti- den