Evening star., 1925-01-04

L T struck DR.. win afterward as
odd that be drove out along
Spruce Hill road to ease the
4 death throes OF an unknown lum-
berjack he should have been
thinking about Rub. Greer, the widow
Of Mortie Greer
He had caught sight Of her as he
drove past the old Greer house. She
was directing old Petey Dolan in the
wedding of somewhat too brilliant
flower bed. She wore a bright silk
sweater. All her movements we're
competent and energetic. Til" mar
celed waves Of her hair shone metal
lcally in the sun. Her black eyes,
quick, shrewd and unreadable glanced
here and there.
Extraordinary woman Fiaunting,
vulgar. and as vital strong weed
Dr. VIII was thinking of the Greers,
pioneers in this valley, piling up
fortune to be wasted by Mortie, last
OF the family: by him to be handed
on, what there was left OF it, to
woman from nowhere.
DR.. Will glanced down at Mary
sport. The whimsical thought oc-
CURED TO him that Marysport was a
raft. Upon this raft had climbed
Ruby Greer
In what hungry ocean had she been
swimming? How had Mortie Greer
come TO marry her? What was her
past? For it was there in her face
that past. There was no doubt in the
doctors mind that Ruby Greer had
history. He would have thought so
even had she not been preceded to
her new home by a rumor that was
ike some sort OF low powered gas
perVasive and poisonous.
AS he rounded the last turn before
the camp he saw the boss waiting for
him.
Glad you got here. Doc" said
Bannon.
DR. VIII ran the car beside the
hunkhouse. He stepped quickly down
the line of plank beds. In a bunk
lay man with blood stained band
ages on his head, heavy, inert.
"A fight" said Bannor
The dead lumberjack lay in his
blankets. The doctor reaching for q
pen. asked the mans name.
The boys called him Ole" Bannon
replied. Came into camp last week
No good-a lazy blow-hard, always
plckin a scrap. Wait q minute-he's
got bag under the bunk. What's
thts? Bannon was feeling in the
bag. "A weddin' certifcate.''
They smoothed it out-a notice to
the world that I5 years before-Ole
Dahlgren had been married to Ruby
Toland of Toland Hollow
DR.. Will took the paper from
Bannon. picture sharpened and
came out of the fog OF half-for-
gotten things: a ragged. barefooted
girl with noticeably sharp black
eyes. defiant and sullen girl. tramp
ing along in the dust toward Marys-
port with two pals Of wild straw
berries for sale. Ruby Toland-
Ruby Dahlgren.
Something clicked to place in his
mind. Ruby Dahlgren, widow of
prominent lumberman - That
was the name and the phrase that
had made Tully Foster laugh so
prod giously when he heard Mortie
Greer's bride described.
:: = :.
THE road to Toland Hollow climbed
over the backbone of hill Then
II fell downward toward a long, desc
late valley. Toland Hollow. cluster
Of deserted frame houses near what
had once been a small sawmiIl added
10 the melancholy of the scene, but
in front of one of these houses chick
ems and dogs We're in the dooryard
An ungainly man, barefooted and
flthy. came to the door This was
Samuel Toland. Behind him a gaunt
woman peered.
DIR. Will looked from one suspicious
face to the other.
You had daughter. Ruby, didn't
YOU" he plunged in at once. who
married a man named Old DahIgren?'' -
They looked at each other out OF
the corners of their eyes
Why do you want to know" de-
manded Toland
Because ole Dahlgren died to-day
in Laurel Mountain camp"
Samuel spat skillfully at a hen.
Il guess that amt no loss to no.
hofy.' was his comment.
4 should judge you are right.
Hut 7 thought I'd let YOU know so
YOU could notify your daughter. Is
she with you?"
No, she amt the old woman
cried with sudden vehemence. we
amt seen her since she got married
and went away. Have we, SAM"
Ruby's father shook his head. In
both faces there was a fixed look of
secrecy. The doctor looked about
the room. He saw with surprise that
the place showed signs OF recent pros
perity: there was brass bed in one
corner, its twinkling newness an
stonishing contrast to the dirt and
disorder Of the room. to the dis
colored boards of the walls; new
carpet pattern ed IN huge roses, was
on the floor; Furthermore. there was
\ photograph.
Some one was supplying the old
folks with a few of the modern COM
forts. But how did shelf it was
Ruby-how did she keep them in
hand, keep them from descending
upon her in Marysport-to give away
her secret? He made a shrewd guess
that she had been able to impress
upon them the necessity of silence if
they did not want to kill the goose
that laid those golden eggs.
Suddenly he seemed to see against
this background Mrs. Mortie Greer in
her silk sweater and diamond rings