davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16

to send that to Scotland Yard, and
then / remembered that / hadn't a
penny to leave my little girl. began
to wonder--think as meanly Of me as
you like, sir-how could still make
some money out Of this. happened
to know that you were none too
friendly disposed toward Sir Timothy.
This confession of mine, If 1t wouldn't
mean hanging, would mean impris0n-
ment for the rest of his life. You
could make better bargain with him
than me, sir. Do you want NO hold
him in your power? If So, you can
have this confession, all signed and
everything, for two hundred pounds,
and as / live, sir, that two hundred
pounds is to pay for my funeral, and
the balance for my little girl"
Francis took the papers and glanced
them through.
"Supposing 1 buy this document
from you," he said, "what is its ac-
tual value? You could write out an
other confession, get that signed, and
SCii II " uAOInSA VI OH AluuOtHy .
enemies, or you could still go to Scot
land Yard yourself"
II shouldn't do that, sir, assure
you," the man declared nervously, mot
on my solemn oath. i want simply to
be quit of the whole matter and have
a little money for the child"
Francis considered for a moment.
"There is only one way l can see,"
he said, ito make this document
worth the money to me. If you will
sign confession that any statement
you have made as to the death of Mr..
Hilditch is entirely imaginary, that
you did not see Sir Timothy in the
house that night, that you went to bed
at your usual time and slept until you
were awakened, and that you only
made this charge for the purpose of
extorting money-if you will sign
confession to that effect and give it
me with these papers, 1 will pay you
the two hundred pounds and / will
never use the confession unless you
repeat the charge"
"Tll do it, sir" the man assented.
Francis drew up document, which
his visitor read through and signed.
Then he wrote out an open check.
"My servant shall take you to the
bank in taxi" he said. "They would
scarcely pay you this unless you were
identified. We understand one an
other?"
Perfectly, sir"
Francis rang the bell, gave his serv-
ant the necessary orders, and dis
missed the two men. Half an hour
later, already changed into flannels,
he was on his way into the country.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM

| Francis stepped inside. The man fol-
lowed, closing the door behind him.
II am asking your pardon, sir, for
taking great liberty" he confessed.
mo one wants you on the telephone.
wished to speak to you"
Francis looked at him in surprise.
The man was evidently agitated.
Somehow or other, his face was
vaguely familiar.
"Who are you and what do you
want with mew Francis asked.
II was butler to Mr.. Hilditch, SIR
the man replied. II waited upon you
the night you dined there, sir-the
night of Mr.. Hilditch's death"
Il have a revelation to make with
regard to that night, SIR" the man
went on, (which I should like to place
in your hands. 1t is very serious
matter, and there are reasons why
something must be done about it at
once. Can I come and see you at your
rooms, sir?"
Francis studied the man for mo-
ment intently. He was evidently agi-
tated-evidently, too. in very bad
health. His furtive manner was against
him. On the other hand, that might
have arisen from nervousness.
81 shall be in at half-past three, No.
LIB Charges street." Francis told him.
II can get off for half an hour then.
SIR" the man replied. II shall be very
glad to come. l must apologize for
having troubled you, sir"
Francis went slowly back to his trio
of guests. All the way down the car
peted vestibule he was haunted by the
grim shadow Of spectral fear. The
frozen horror of that CHASTITY evening
was before him like a hateful tableau.
Hilditch's mocking words rang in his
ears: "My death is the one thing in
the world which would, make my wife
happy" The court scene, with all it's
gloomy tragedy, rose before his eyes
only in the dock, instead Of Hilditch,
he saw another!
Francis found them talking about
the fight the night before, when he
returned to the table, and caught Lady
Cynthia saying to Sir Timothy, IT sup
pose that you are very disappointed
in my stealing over to see the battle?"
"On the contrary" he answered. 81
am delighted"
you mean that?" she asked incred-
ulously.
II do" he declared. Companion
ship between our sexes is very delight
full so far as it goes, but the fundamen-
tai differences between a mans out
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
THINGS
UNUSUAL
INDIANA SAND DUNES
BY 7. T. MAxEY
n Newspaper Union.)
DO. 1924, WI,

Indiana rubs elbows with Lake
Michigan. On the border line the pro
longed, incessant and combined labor
ings Of such artistic elements as gla-
ciers, water, wind and sun have pro
duced the most scenically-farnous
stretch of landscape in the Hoosier
state-a land remote. as 1t were. yet
within a few hours ride of the homes
Of some five million people, Nature
made park Of strange formations I'M
like any other In our broad land.
A dune is hill or ridge Of sand
which has been piled up by the wind.
Here, the unbelievably large quaIti-
ties Of sand-the plaything of the
wind-have been blown and whirled
into countless forms and shapes hills,
mounds. peaks, domes and ridges In.
wave-like array-s0me approximately
200 feet high.
. Due to the antics of the wind. the
architecture Of the dune region
Is constantly changing. Sometimes
charges occur with surprising rapidity
and sometimes with logged slowness.
There are two kinds Of dunes-live
and dead. Live dunes travel, dead
dunes are motionless, although their
shape may change. fss
Live dunes overtake and sometimes
completely cover up trees, buildings
and other objects which are in their
path-the sand-submerged object COM
Ing out from under the other side Of
the dune as it moves on. Dead dunes
usually become such because of foil
age growth which binds the sand and
prevents disturbance Thus Nature
produces paradoxical situation in
that the dead dunes are those ON
which the foliage fiOurishes, whereas
the live dunes are devoid of plant life.
This "dune" region is rich In Indian
lore. Mounds. built by the so-cal!ed
Mound Builders centuries ago are oc-
casionally met with. 1t was also the
haunt Of the red men and the pioneers.
Some of their trails can still be traced.
The beauty Of the flowers has made
the region famous. AS If meeting
place for flowerdom, the sassafras
from the South, the trailing arbutus
from the North, the beach pea from
the East and the cactus from the
West meet here on common ground
Animal life Is rather abundant.
Opossum and raccoon inhabit the y
woods. Mink are found in the streams
Muskrat, skunk, squirrel and rabbit
also live here. The variety of bird life
is also surprising and said to be the
equal Of that Of any place in America.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16

| hope that we may at least count upon
your influence with Sir TimothyT
eff you'll return the compliment and
urge my suit with him." Lady Cynthia
laughed. II am afraid he can't quite
make up his mind about me, and / am
so nice. I haven't flirted nearly so
much as people think, and my in
stincts are really quite domestic
my position" Sir Timothy re-
marked, as he made an unsuccessful
attempt to possess himself of the bill
which Francis had called for, "is be-
coming little difficult"
"Not really difficult" Lady Cynthia
objected, because the real decision
rests in your hands,"
"JuSt listen to the woman!" Mar
garet exclaimed. "Do you realize, ia
Their, that Cynthia is making the most
brazen advances to you? And was
going to ask her IL she'd like to come
back to the Sanctuary with us this
EVENING"
Lady Cynthia was suddenly eager
AsA0A SoiCL SldAASCu dSAOoo at hOA NA0thNAs
Sir Timothy seemed almost impercep-
tibly to stiffen little.
Margaret has carte blanche at the
Sanctuary as regards her visitors" he
said. II am afraid that shall be
busy over at the Walled House."
but you'd come and dine with us?"
Sir Timothy hesitated. An issue
which had been looming in his mind
for many hours seemed to be suddenly
joined.
"Please!" Lady Cynthia begged.
Sir Timothy followed the example
of the others and rose to his feet. He
avoided Lady Cynthia's eyes. He
seemed suddenly little tired.
II will come and dine" he assented
quietly. II am afraid that cannot
promise more than that. Lady Gym
thia, as she knows, is always welcome
at the Sanctuary"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
CHAPTER EH

Ledsam and Margaret were agree
ably surprised the next day at noon,
when they had arranged luncheon for
two at the Ritz, to have Lady Cynthia
and Sir Timothy show up and join
them.
AS Francis hurried off to give the
necessary orders to enlarge his table.
page-boy touched him on the arm.
IF you please, SIR" he announced.
'you are wanted on the telephone"
Up Francis exclaimed. "Some
mistake, should th!Sls. Nobody knows
that am here"
"Mr. Ledsam." the boy said. "This
way, SIR
Francis walked down the vestibule
to the row of telephone boxes at the
further end. The attendant who was
standing outside Indicated one Of them
and motioned the boy to so away.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
CHAPTER XVIII

AIouy W Hulk anu
strolled after dinner that night, where
the four had gathered at the Sanctu-
airy, to the bottom of the lawn and
watched the punt which Francis was
propelling turn from the stream into
the river.
"Are those two really going to mar
ry?' Lady Cynthia asked, moving her
head lazily in the direction of the dis
appearing punt.
II imagine So"
"And you? What are you going to
do then?"
Il am planning long cruise.
telegraphed to Southampton today. !
am having my yacht provisioned and
prepared. I think shall go over to
South America"
She was silent for moment.
"AloneY' she asked presently.
81 am always alone" he answered.
"That is rather a matter of your
own choice, is it not?"
Perhaps so. I have always found
it hard to make friends. Enemies
seem to be more in my line"
Il have not found it difficult to be-
come your friend" she reminded him.
'You are one of my few successes"
he replied.
She leaned bacl: with half-closed
eyes. There was nothing new about
their environment-the clusters of
roses, the perfume of the lilies in the
rock garden, the even sweeter fra
GRANGE of the trim border of mignon-
cite. Away in the distance, the
night was made momentarily ugly by
the sound of a gramophone on q pass
ing launch, yet this discordant note
seemed only to bring the perfection Of
present things closer. Back across
the velvety lawn, through the feathery
strips of foliage, the lights of the
Sanctuary, shaded ard subdued, were
dimly visible. The dining-table under
the cedar-tree had already been
cleared. Hedges, newly arrived from
town to play the major domo. was
putting the finishing touches to a lit
tie array of cool drinks. And beyond,
dimly seen but always there, the wall.
She turned to him suddenly.
"You build a wall around your life,"
she said, like the wall which encir-
cles your mystery house. Last night
I thought that l could see little way
over the top. Tonight you are differ
ent."
IF l am different" he answered
quietly, at is because, for the first
time for many years, have found my
self wondering whether the life I had
planned for myself, the things which
1 had planned should make life for
me, are the best. have had doubts
perhaps might say regrets"
ST should like to go to South Amer
ica," Lady Cynthia declared softly.
He finished the cigarette which he
was smoking and deliberately threw
away the stump. Then he turned and
looked at her. His face seemed hard
err than ever, clean-cut, the face of a
man able to defy Fate, but she saw
something in his eyes which she had
never seeen before.
GRO BE CONTINUED.)
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
Honesty

AS soon as mans eyes are opened
to the fact that honesty in thinking
and acting pays the highest rewards
to heart and soul and body. that hon
esty is the tap-root of all efficiency,
and that no efficiency is possible with
out fearless desire for an honest
measure Of values in all things, we
shall start on new era in our land.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
CHAPTER XVII

Punctual to his appointment that
afternoon, the man who had sought
an interview with Francis was shown
into the latter's study in Charges street.
He wore an overcoat over his livery,
and directly he entered the room
Francis was struck by his intense
pallor. He had been trying feverishly
to assure himself that all that the man
required was the usual sort of help,
or assistance into hospital. Yet there
was something furtive in his visitors
manner, something which suggested
the bearer of guilty secret.
"Please tell me what you want as
quickly as you can," Francis begged.
II am due to start down into the coun-
try in few minutes
81 won't keep you long, SIR" the man
replied. "The matter is rather seri-
GUS one"
"Are you ill?"
''Yes, sir! !"
"You had BETTER sit down."
The man relapsed gratefully into
chair.
I'll leave out everything that doesn't
count, SIR" he said. "Tll be as brief
as 1 can. want you to go back to
the night I waited upon you at din
ner-the night Mr.. Oliver Hilditch was
found dead. You gave evidence. The
jury brought in Suicide 1t wasn't
suicide at all, sir. Mr.. Hilditch was
murdered"
he had been struggling during the last
few hours, crept once more through
the whole being of the man who lis
tened. He was face to face once more
with that terrible issue. Had he per-
jured himself in vain? Was the whole
structure of his dreams about to col
lapse, to fall about his ears?
"By whom?" he faltered.
"By Sir Timothy Brast, sir"
Francis, who had been standing with
his hand upon the table, felt sudden
ly inclined to laugh. Facile though
his brain was, the change Of issues
was too tremendous for him to readily
asslmilate it, He picked up a ciga-
rette from an open box. with shaking
fingers, lit it, and threw himself into
an easy-chair. He was all the time
quite unconscious of what he was
doing
"Sir Timothy Brast" he repeated.
"Yes, sir" the man reiterated. 81
wish to tell you the whole story"
II am listening" Francis assured
him.
That evening before dinner, Sir Tim
othy Brast called to see Mr.. Hilditch,
and very stormy interview took
place. 1 do not know the rights of
that, sir. only know that there was
a fierce quarrel. Mrs. Hilditch came
in and Sir Timothy left the house. His
last words to Mr. Hilditch were, You
will hear from me again. As you
know, sir-I mean as you remember,
if you followed the evidence-ali the
servants slept at the back of the
house. slept in the buffers room
downstairs, next to the plate pam
try. l was awake when you left.
sitting In my easy-chair, reading.
Ten minutes after you had left, there
was a sound at the front door as
though someone had knocked with
their knucllles. I got up to open 1t,
but Mr.. Hilditch was before me. He
admitted Sir Timothy. They went
back into the library together 1t
struck me that Mr.. Hilditch had had
great deal to drink, and there was
queer look on Sir Timothy's face that
didn't understand. stepped into
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16
Hioh Finance.

Teacher-"Use the word Egypt In
sentence. Student-'T asked for
change. but Egypt me-"
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-05-16

Many men iecogpize
good unless it 4
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13
World Enriched by
Genius in Poverty

Art? What have idle riches done
for that? BY rights they should have
produced, they should have created.
but so far as output goes their con
tribution has been disappointing One
often hears the suggestion made that
young people of artistic promise
should be endowed to create. III
only he had little more money, and
leisure-what great things he would
do I" Would he? ! believe. sordid as
1t may seem, that the wolf at the door
has often been one of the most power
full incentives toward artistic creation
OF course there are volcanic gifts
like those of Shelley or Blake thai
erupt spontaneously and irresistibly
regardless, of the consequences. But
many Of the. greatest artists have been
goaded on to creation by need. Shake
speare. Chatterton, and Coming "a long
way after these) Walter Scott. Doctor
johnson. Anthony Trollope. On the
whole, great artists have been not only
hard workers. but men who have had
to work hard.-violet Bonham- Carter
In Good Housekeeping.
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13
Youngsters Exhibit 290 Pigs

RI. -
Fourteen banks in Lee County.
Iowa, recently co-operated with the
Breeders Association in conducting
boys and girls club rally. The
boys and girls brought in the best pigs
that they were raising and exhibited
them for $3.50 in cash prizes which the
banks contributed. 400.
Quincy. Illinois. bankers are offer
ing pure bred boars and high grade
seed corn to the value Of $500 to farm
ers who attend the Adams County
Fair. These prizes will be distributed
BY lot to farmers Of each township
the amount to be based on the towE-
ship attendance at the fair.
The Missouri Bankers Association
inter-county contest for boys and
girls clubs is the result of action tax
en- at the annual convention, when
$1,000 was provided for premiums.
The premiums, not less than $25 each.
are to be awarded to counties to pay
the expenses OF club winners to junior
farmers week at the Missouri College
of Agriculture; 500 is to be used to
pay the expenses of the state cham
pion demonstration team to the. meet
ing Of the Bankers Association. where
the team will present its winning deR
onstrajon.
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13

such a risky wild-goose chase. Could
there be private trouble between the
engaged couple? But the girl herself
went about as usual, only q suppressed
excitement deepening the already deep
biue OF her eyes. bubbling out occa-
sionally into scraps of confidential
speech which yet were no condolences
at all.
such an adventure ~ she exclaimed,
when Miss Brown sought to probe to
the soul of this problem. THE only
one have ever had. There will never
be such another chance"
This from one who should have
been deep in the adventure of mar
riage, Miss Brown was rather shocked
Hugh, she learned. had been averse
to the idea at first. Quite right and
proper! He had also steadfastly re-
fused to go too; and Darbury had
agreed with the decision. That a
man should give up the routine of
autumn pursuits was unheard of
Besides. he managed his ia
ther's extensive property, and the har-
vest would soon be in full swing. Dar-
bury, like Hugh, was essentially prac-
teal
Great difficulty, 1t transpired over
the tea cups, had been experienced
In overcoming Mrs. Stockley's objec-
tions. But as she, like many weak
women, usually took refuge in tears
when thwarted, little direct informa-
ton was obtained
However, Darbury persevered in its
ferreting tactics, at last gaining little
more light. Mrs. Field paid one of her
brief visits to her pretty house; and it
became known that she had arranged
everything Everybody said "Oh-hw
In drawn-out syllable which ex-
pressed volumes; for Mrs. Field was
accustomed to doing extraordinary
things, without bowling to convention.
The aviator proved to be her cousin,
ton and in the engineering circles Of
many lands. After having swoOped
down upon England from Australia in
q super-machine Of his own design
brilliantly achieving the long test trip
with two passengers in addition to his
crew-an influential frm had cabled
agreement of purchase. pending an i'm
mediate. equally successful. return
Journey. So much they cleaned. But
why or how Mrs. Field had maneu-
vered for Barbara Stockley and her
aunt, Miss Dolly Davies, to be his pas
sengers on the return journey, Oar
bury was left to conjecture. Mrs. Field
being a woman who kept her own
counsel
A rumor soon arose that the aviator
might be expected at the House on
the Moor" Mrs Fields home, for the
weekend. This, clashing with 4 cOun.
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13

This novel won the hrst prfxe in .
eeaDetttfon fnauglrated by Leonard
Parnens, publisher, London, England.
Mf. farsons, one OF the more progress
save Drftfsh publishers, looking always
toward the contemporary, modern
spirit In letters, conducted q contest
which he called the First Novel Con-
tost.S aimed to give young writer's the
opportunity Of publication. By unani-
mems consent Of the judges Give Ar
lsa wsa the opportunity.
Sginners In Heaven" was published
ta England in the spring of 1928 and
from the Arst was spectacularly popu-
lar. 1t became best-seller over
night Give Arden was one of the
nost-talked-of writer's In London.
Less tAAn . year later the book was
Dublished In the United States. From
the ARst its success was stupendou.
Again II was . best-seller.
Miss Arden II u young English
woman who lives in w,rwicksrT--
near Stratford-on-Avon. After u girl
hood at boarding schools anu coi..,-c.
she took = course in poultry and bee
kseDing and gardening In Surrey
Then the war broke out and her pnrt
took In Red Cross laundry work, she'll
makfng in = factory at Coventry,
elerkina In the iDidcot ordnance works
and finally an omcer's post in the wom-
sn's Air Force. She began writing
service. She now devotes all of her
talent displayed in her hrst work, will
slic with other charming novels.
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13
Danger Ahead

American farmers should not In
crease their wheat acreage for 1924.
II they increase the acreage by three
million acres, as is indicated by the
Intentions to Seed Wheat Survey of
the government, and normal eondi-
lions again prevail in other wheat pro-
ducing countries, next years wheat
market will be glutted and once more
wheat prices win be- ruinously low
The present high price of wheat is
due to poor crops in other countries
and in certain sections of the United
States.-W: M. Jardine. Advisory
Council. Agricultural Commission.
American Bankers Association
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13
Where Bankers Come From

The smaller localities are to large
extent the recruiting ground for the
profession Of banking. A recent sur
vey discloses the fact that of $50
senior bank oficers in the largest
cities Of the United States, 4oe. or 60
per cent, were born in the country o.
In small towns.
OF the $50 senior bankers Of large
cities. AT. or approximately 81 per
cent, had high school or college edu-
cation. The conclusion is reasonable
that. the smaller Environment. coupled
with an education, makes for success
In the banking field American Bank
~a Association Joiirual
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13
kaUojo Braue Flee3
From ETofh-r-ir.-L.n

The superStitionS of the Mana
are SO many and so varied that lii,
for them would be constant burden
If they observed them as carefully ns
they are supposed TO-. II is probable
that the great American muther-in-law
myth, which represents all mothers
in-law as being very bad medicine.
had its origin in the beliefs of the
Navajos; for very terrible things are
supposed to happen to any Navajo
man who is so unfortunate ms to meeI
his mother-in-law face to face. writes
Kenneth l.. Roberts. in the Saturday
Evening Post
When the Navajos are. pressed to
reveal the hideOus calamities that
would befall them in the event of
meeting their mother-in-law, they
move uneasily from foot to foot and
evade the issue. II is horrible to talk
q mother-in-law In Navajo circles is
the very apex Of tough luck.
A Navajo will go TO any length to
avoid burying a dead man. II is very
bad medicine to kill or skin hear.
His superstition. however. has never
led him to consider as bad medicine
the stealing Of fascinating little odds
and ends from the white 'mnn any
more than the white man in years
gone by considered that he was doing
any particular wrong when he sold
Navajo women and children into
slavery. stole Navajo land and killed
Navajo sheep. ,t-.
The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-11-13

Ito be Continued)