davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-10
CHAPTER XIV

BY afternoon on Friday Peter had
acquired certain information that he
had sought.
In addition TO acquiring the infor
nation that would lead him to three
men, he had wrestled with the prob
lem presented by Brena's cable. He
had sent her word when he had arrived
safely in New York that he was full Of
hope and optimism. "We shall win,"
he had said, because any other
thought is too terrible to bear" He
could not understand then what new
facts she had to justify her strange
message to him unless 1t were an
anonymous warning such as that which
he had received in Liverpool. To ac-
cede to her request and to proceed no
further along the lines of inquiry
which he had chosen as significant
would mean delay and perhaps loss
Of the thin threads that he had picked
up to unravel
Peter had in him great deal of the
fiber of determination, good deal Of
q single-track purpose that frowned
upon him and made him vince when
he became tempted to postpone his
plans and indulge his desire in wait
ing idly for her to come. He knew
from the beginning that this man was
the side of self that would win; he
was only doing that which he knew
In his inner consciousness he would do
when he cabled reply to her that
said, "Do not come yet. l will cable
you again. If you have important
news do not be afraid to send it."
He was glad when that was done.
There was an additional reason for 1t;
he was not yet prepared to meet Brena
Selcoss for the second time. He must
first clear the way for relationship
that had in 1t no reservations.
The first thing to be done was to
confer with one Joseph Smallwood of
brennan & Co., the publishers.
When Peter first saw Smallwood he
felt a little like one who has been sent
to an armless dentist. The man was
pale and favorless like the cream
sauce of cheap restaurants. Devote
had difficulty in believing that this
was the man to whom he had been re-
ferred.
''Mr. Devote, how can serve your
he said In a low drawl as If he were
pulling his words like molasses candy
into long strips to match his own long
body.
81 understand that you not only
maintain a connection with brennan
but undertake commissions and pass
upon technical questions independ-
emily"
Smallwood's smile was of the kind
that snaps on and off like an electric
light. Now he snapped it on; it was
gone In flash-a string pulled smile.
"Oh, yes" he said YEARLY. did
you want to find"
IA book" said Peter.
what book?"
1.-the Explorations of Father Car
los in the Mescalero Desert Here is
the whole story" Peter gave him
card with the details. II want to buy
perfect copy"
Smallwood shook his head from left
to right and then to left again with
sad expression followed by the camera
shutter smile.
1T will take long time" he said
tenderly as if he bore the weight of all
human suffering upon his heart. 1T
Is very rare book Anderson, the
sugar refiner owned copy. That is
how happened to know. l appraised
his library. Perhaps 1t will take
year"
"a week." said Peter. mo more"
"a week." repeated Smallwood, clos
ing his eyes as if resigned to anything
Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-10

denly came upon hiatus in its con-
tinuity. Page thirty-two began a de-
scription of the Lost Pueblo, where
according to legend city whose age
was of centuries had been ended as a
punishment for failing to worship the
god Of water A scourge of thirst had
been visited upon the degenerate
Indian dwellers who had been so long
protected by the terrors that the
waterless desert must have had for
more warlike tribes who would other
wise have attacked them. The well
around which the pueblo had been
built--the very life of the people-had
been dried up in one night by a
miracle
MANY and curious are the carvings
upon the walls of this Lost Pueblo.
To copy them and their heathenish
devices l was sorely tempted and
would have done so had time been
given me" said Father Carlos
Especially ! noted figure Of great
Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-10
do Not Go Any Deeper, Beg You.
Am in Mortal Fear" It Said.

TALLY. I'll say this-Parmalee was a
client sent up to me by our Texas cor
respondents, and as far as / am con-
cerned l wouldn't care a snitchet If
l had never seen him."
Peter nodded.
"You saw the last of him."
Lanfrew looked out the window at
the harbor that appeared to stretch
out like woolly gray blanket from
the bases Of monument buildings; he
wheeled suddenly upon Devote.
He came here that day-the last.
He had tickets for some place and
spoke of taking his wife, but he was
excited He spoke Of an alternative.
He drank You know that?'
"Was he-?"
"No; he was nervous, excited"
"As If afraid?'
''No."
Peter thought a moment before he
said, would you say he was thinking
of suicide?"
mo, / wouldn't" replied Lanfrew
batting the tassel of the window cur
tain with his stubby fingers. HE had
something else on his mind. He spoke
vaguely didn't give d-n what he
had on his mind. 1t was something.
He spoke as If it were some Grand
like a man who had received a mes
sage"
"What kind of messenger
presslon-mind you now and mark me
we'll l don't say it was SOL got the
impression that he was engaged in
somewhat shall l say-investiga-
tion.'
investigations repeated Devote
in startled voice.
Lanfrew nodded his bulldog head up
and down as If there were oiled bear
ings in his invisible short neck.
"He left no word for bis wife?"
Peter asked, shooting the question
when Lanfrew's eyes had met his.
He saw the lawyer finch.
81 asked whether he left any mes
sage for his wife?"
The other man coughed, felt under
his heavy chin for his concealed throat
and sat down in his desk chair.
ITO be frank with you. he did" he
said. "This of course is confidential.
1t was too brutal to give her."
Peter leaned forward. He said,
"Too brutal?"
Lanfrew said, Eyes He said to me,
If I make up my mind not to take
her away-if go on little journey
myself you tell her that I'll be back
in two weeks. You tell her I'm going
to cut knot-that I'm going to re-
lieve the hell I've been living"
The two men sat silently looking at
each other.
"Of course thought he'd telegraph
her," said Lanfrew argumentatively
II didn't take his message seriously.
1t wouldn't have done her any good
to tell her that brutal message, Ell?
And later? Well, I put the thing off.
1t cleared no mystery. 1t was incon-
seqential.'
Peter asked. "Then you thought
he blamed herr"
Lanfrew threw up his hands ges-
ture which said, There is no ques-
ton"
sFor whati" asked Peter.
Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-10
Low Gear Effective

In driving down steep grades
various resistances may be uti-
lized to keep the car under con-
troll. If the engine Is kept rum
ming and the gears are in high,
there is only slight resistance.
This may be increased by shift
ing into second speed and fur
Their increased by shifting into
first. When still further resist
ance is needed, to maintain q
check on the progress Of the car
and 1t is not desired to use the
brakes, the ignition may be shut
of and the throttle closed. By
opening the throttle the resist
ance is still further increased.
The maximum of resistance and
the best control ON dangerous
ly steep hill may be obtained by
shifting into first, switching off
the ignition and applying the
brakes at intervals.
Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-07-10
Richard Washburn Child
Copyright by e. p. Dutton a. Coz
(W. N. U. Service)

after another three years could be de-
clared legally dead, an executor might
find value in them as record Of the
financial affairs of the vanished man
No doubt his lawyer had seen many
of them already.
For the correspondence, however
Peter had a greater interest. He
drew it toward him, united the string,
and having stopped to survey the room
again from the chair that once had
known for so many restless hours of
panic and suffering. the warmth OF
Parmalee's living body, began to go
hastily over the letters there.
They were not Illuminating. There
were a few letters from stock brokers
as to investment changes, and few
bills.
One of these bills was the only piece
of matter that gave Peter the slightest
interest. 1t was from the famous old
John Henry Wycoff of Baltimore of
whose death Peter had read by
chance, man remembered only
among those who are book collectors,
dealer whose black coat was al
ways covered with dandruff and who
left third Of million dollars. This
bill was for two thousand eight hun
dred of these dollars-an account that
had probably been settled by Parm-
lees attorney, Lanfrew. It was
something Of bill for one book-a
book described as Kolbs privately re-
printed version of the Jesuit MSS. en-
titled Explorations of Father Carlos
in Mescalero Desert" shipped via
registered post on 18th inst. Below
this statement of account were the
words, please see letter" There
were two pin holes at the corner of
the paper as If Wycoff had attached
his letter to the bill.
Peter thought it would be interest
ing to see book, so obscure, that was
worth nearly three thousand dollars.
He even wondered what plausible ex.
PLANTATION the old dealer had given.
His letter, however, was now missing.
Peter spoke aloud; he said: "Parm-
alec wanted that book badly" He
looked at the date of the bill. II Won
der If this was the zeal of a collector
who has passion for perfect copies"
The words defined a thought for
Peter 1t would be interesting to see
whether 1.-THE Explorations of Father
Carlos In Mescalero Desert" had dis
appeared with Parmalee when he had
answered his strange impulse to go to
some unnamed destination. Peter
turned toward the library shelves and
then with the thought that search
among these volumes would be saved
IL he found catalogue he went again
to the desk. The copy of the book was
hereunder two or three other books
"a handsomely bound volume of large
pages whose thick paper rather than
the length Of the text gave 1t bulk.
The book had been printed in Eng
lish in 1880 from copies of manuscripts
of Jesuits that with other records had
been lost in the destruction of the mis-
sion church in Los Banos In 1872.
The work was a beautiful piece of
bookmaking in perfect preservation
and Peter, though interested in quaint
descriptions Of this old missionary
who had braved the terrors of thirst
and heat TO penetrate the country
along the eastern border of New Mex
leo, was admiring also the rare skill
and beauty of the pages when he sud-
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
HOW MUCH TAX?

While there is much talk about taxes, it is Just
we'll to get the figures straight. If all of US IN the
United States, men, and children, paid taxes
equally, would be paying at the present rate s|o9
Ia year. Call it S71
That means about $3.50 year for an average
family No wonder we're interested in taxes, whether
1--WE pay them directly income, personal property or
real estate only indirectly part of the cost or
|rent, merchandise and human services.
And where do the taxes go? The biggest ltenle
1888 ST. goes to pay the expense of the average local
government the improvements, projections and mlscel-
aneous benefits of organized political society visible
bright around in the town and county The aver
|age state takes 1886. The federal takes S27.7S.
The trend is important, perhaps, than the
present status of these taxes. The federal tax, which
Ia years ago largest is falling the war bur
|dens grow less. 1t 4S27 in 1919 The local taxes
have increased meanwhile 4s per cent and the state
takes IS per cent.
This is not necessarily wrong unHlse or wastetu
Part of the increase from the lessened value OF
the dollar or higher prices Part from the new
standards visible in nearly everything since the war;
Americans demanding more IN the way of public
service, and getting more.
Rising taxes suggest life, progress Improvement.
The community, like the separate families is living
better and probably making the money to do it with
But there is always danger of OVERRIDING, splurg-
ing squanderng, in public in private affairs. 1t
takes wise public to discriminate between public
terprise and public waste.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
Bedtime Stories
By HOWARD &. GARIS
Copyright. 1928. by Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate
UNCLE WTGGILT AND THE
ACORN FIPE

/ Uncle Butter, the goat gentleman
pranced up to the hollow stump bun
galow one morning, walking daintily
on his hoofs over the snow that wos
or the ground.
Good morning. Mrs. Longears,
blcated the goat to Uncle Wiggily 5
wife. And good morning to YOU
Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy. How j.
NV friend, the rabbit gentleman with
the pink. twinklirg noscf'
"Hcrc | am. to answer for my
self, " replied Uncle Wiggiy, who
had Just finished breakfast, eating
as many as forty 'levcn hot carrot
cakes with map'c sugar sauce sPrink-
led down the middle.
~ came over 10 see if YOU didn t
want to 90 for a walk i'll the woods
with ne. - went ON Unele Batter,
moving his chin whiskers in 4 way
that made Jingle and Jang'c, two lit
the rabbit girls want very mach to
laugh.
But they were too polite 10 laugh
AZ the queer. old goat gentleman,
who was Uncle Wiggily's S friend. 50
Jingle and Jangle just twinkied their
pink noses aS their daddy did his.
"Whv, YES, l shall be very happy
to go walking with you, Uncle Wig
gilv said. "And, as it happens
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
Nov tora good s1ooke!'

''agle and lan&.e don I have 10 %
! 10 school today. n account of being
! perfect IL ih",r lessons YESTERDAY. so
we shall take them with us.
'Oh Goodies. > cried jingle and
Janglc, jumping up and down, and
they were very glad they had NOT
laughed at Uncle Butter S fanny
chin whiskers.
Well, then LET 5 hurry along, cred
Uncle Wiggilv. 1--WE may have AN
| adventure. =
"Oh, I hope we do, exclaimed
Jingle and Jangle said she hoped the
| same.
! On and on. over the fields and
through the woods hoped Uncle
Wiggiiy and Uncle Butter. and jim
gle and JargIe hoped along be.
gin. Every how and then the rab,
! bit gentleman and goat would sto.
for the rabbit children to catch up
! 70 them.
All Of sudden at one of these
/ times when the little rabbi. girls
were back of the old animal gentle
men, sort of alone like, if YOU know
what | mean-all Of sudden Jingle
J cried:
What S that rustling noise, Jan
/ gle'"
/ And Janglc answered.:
( Il don I know, l was just going
i to ask you.
For surely there was Il loud, rustl-
ing noise in the air. The little rab-
bit girls looked around, but they
could see no Fuzzy Fox Hor Woozic
Wolf creeping toward them and max
ing the dried leavccs on the ground
rustic tcnelth his paws. Besides
there was snow on the ground Gov
| cring the dried leaves.
"Wc d better call to daIdycums,
whispered Jingle, 50 .Iangic called:
"Oh Daddycums, Hear that rustl-
ing noise!'
at 5 all right, Don t be afraid. -
answered Mr., Longcars. ''It is Just
The wind blow;,c the dried leaves
| If the oak trees. The oak keeps its
leaves longer than any other tree,
| xcept an evergreen. and it is these
caves rustlin9 in the wind
/ And so il was, as the little bun
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18

aieF f9uad when they hoped up un
Ie- th' hig oak tree where Uncle
Butter ani Unclc Wiggilv waited for
them. Then Uncic Butter looked
down on the ground where the snow
had been scraped away. and he found
large brown acorn.
:" l1a, just what I want to make
me a pipe, - he blcated. For being
an old goat gentleman, he smoked a
littl", Tor which we should not blame
him. With his knife ne cut off the
top OF the acorn. Then he cleaned
out the white, soft meat inside, leay-
ing the thin, brown she'll. Next the
goat found a hollow reed out of
which he made the stem of his pipe
5hrUsting it ito q hole he bored in
the acorn she'll.
''Now for a good smoke.' he
cried, filling The. acorn pipe with
tobacco. And when he had Il nicely
going. all of a sudden, the Bob Cat
jumped out of the bushes behind the
tree and tried to bite Jingle and
Janglc.
NO you uOH l. -Nohe VI tidt'
blcated Uncle Butter. And he held
his hot acorn pipe on the nose of the
Bob Cat.
Wuffie. Wow,' howlcd the bad
chap, and away he ran. rubbing his
nose.
"Oh. arcn I YOU glad, Jingle, that
vc came walking today - asked
Janglc.
IL certainly am = answered jim
g,c, eve had wonderful adven-
ture.'
And if the chocolate cake ism I
too proud 20 sneak TO the loaf Of
bread when they meet or tho dining
room table, II tell YOU next about
Uncle WiggiIv and the Christmas
TOYS.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
NEW FAKERS FOR OLD

The blue sky" promoters are using shrewd de-
vice to make old suckers bite again. The losers re-
ceve offers take of their old stock, dead
lin part exchange for stock land. The suckers
are reached through the old stockholders lists Thus
many of them persuaded to trade in worthless old
stuft for worthless stuff giving cash to boot.
This is game that can be played anywhere, in
any type of fraudulent investment project. The in
weston who has lost must be his guard against
throwing good money after bad. Offers to trade
stock for old stock known be valueess should al
ways be regarded with suspicion
Needless to say, the investor should also suspect
offers to trade him stock in venture for old stock
known to be good. Many piece of blue sky has been
Exchanged for vaueess securities. In of doubt
and it is we'll to doubt any institution the in
vestor doesn't know-consut reputable banker
LAWYER
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
REAL DUEL WITH
PISTOLS STAGED.
NO BLOOD Split

PARIS, Dec. 1S.-Cloaacd in Sc
crecy neccssitatcd by the severity of
police punishment for such affairs, a
duel with pistols was staged at day
break in the woods near Paris be
tween Pierre Brisson, dramatic critic
of Le. Temps and Francois Richepin,
stepson Of Cora La Parcerie, one of
tho best known Paris actresses.
After the exchange Of two shots
neither of which was effective, the
duelists refused to shake hands and
left the field of honor with their
seconds. A second encounter is
deemed likely.
The duel arose as Il result Of Dris.
son 5 criticism of Nine. La parcc.
rie < in "Will You BE NY Wife,
a piece written by the duelist s
father, jacques Richepin.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
WOMEN IN CONGRESS

Women were much in evidence at the opening Of
the present Congress. The House galleries were
packed with them. They swared about the corridors
Which was natural enough, for their had made
notable gains. There were three to be sworn
lin members.
Two of them, Mrs. Rogers of Massachusetts, and
Mrs. Kahn of California, may be regarded repre-
sentaves of their deceased husbands whom they have
Succeeded. The third, Mrs Norton of New Jersey,
attained her office normally. Before women really
then there in their right. That is to
The women in Congress far hardly be said
ito have made much impress that body but give
ne time III nasauay rnes snd
fuller knowledge they may do better than the men,
because women conscientious and determn-
fed in their public service.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
Wright Brothers
Made First Plane
Fly y Years Ago

DAYTON. Ohio. Dec. ls.-Twen
ty-years ago the celebrated Wright
brothers made their first airplanc
flight at Kittvhawk, y. c., in what
today is a crude machine but whose
principles are embodied in practically
every ship that flies.
The first flight lasted but just
% seconds bat the WrightS, Wilbur
and Oroviilc, had eorq' cred he ain
air and realized their hfc ambition
The original plane reposes in a
crate at Wright S laboratory pre-.
paratory' to being shipped to a mu-
scum in England.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
PASADENA JUDGE
rs PRISONER OF
OWN COURT TODAY
ny United Press Leased Wire

!, PASArEAA, Calf, Dee. 1S.-Po.
lice Judsc (. G. Dunham was pri-
soncr today Of his own court.
Tdc Judge recently doubled the
tar,ff Oh boulevard stop violations.
He was s,ordcred into court today to
answer charge against himself.
A warrant by II. A. Medill, OBJ
serving citizen, claims Judge Dun
ham failed to heed an important
traffic stop. Medill sworc Lo saw
the judge violate the traffic rule.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
Slayer Must Hang,
Rules High Court

Los ANGELES, Dee. is. Harry
Hartutt, condemned slayer of Dor
o;hy Lee HUM, wealthy Pasadena
s,cloty matron, must hang on Feb.
ruary 10.
The state supreme court refused
to hear new plea b. the convicted
nIGn.
Gagbutt, a former convict. killed
Mrs. HUM during an argument in
her fashionable Pasadena home, ac-
cording to evidence brought ont at
the trial.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
RAISE FUMES TO BURY
MAN WHO PLAYED SANTA

NEWARK, n. T., Dee. 1S.--Onc
"Santa Claus was laid to rest to-
day funds for the burial Of Christie
phcr label, Is years old. who died
here while soliciting Christmas con
tributions, were provided by popular
subscription when it WIS found that
the relocated man was completely
without money of his own.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
POLICE BELIEVE
SLAYER OF SANTA
ANA MAN INSANE
by United Press Leased Wire

SANTA ANA, Calf, Dec. Is. -
Carl II. Nauffman, &c, prem
inent manufacturer of auto
spotlightS, was shot and killed in
front of his factory here yesterday
by W. S. Hobart, 81, who police
claim is insane.
Hobart surrendered after the
shooting and was taken to county
iail where he declared he shot
Kaufman because the latter "ca!l-
ed me vile names.'
The shooting occurred. according
to police, when Hobart passed the
factory. Kaufman was sitting in
his automobile at the curb when
hobart approached and accused ,ho
manufacturer of abusing him. ac-
cording to his own statement to
police.
:" [ shot him and then finished him
with the butt of the revolver.
Owing to greatly increased de-
mand the price Of oysters ha. risen
in EprfaD6
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
FINED $25.OO FOR
STEALING PAPER

PORTLAND, Ore, Dec. Is. -
Twenty-Five dollars was the price
that Curt Spicring paid for a copy
OF local newspaper.
For several days q restaurant pro-
prictor in st. Johns complained that
his newspaper was stolen. Police
watched early in the morning and
saw Spicring walk off with it, He
was fined $25 for disorderly conduct
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
December IS, 1910

Allison Peck, manager Of the Del
ia creamery, returned TO Imperial
after a week spent in Los Angeles
attending the convention Of cream
cry men of Southern California.
The Farmers and Merchants club
of Calcxico was considering plans
for establishing club headquarters.
The Fritz Klokc house was suggest
ed for thc purpose.
G. w. Nance of OXnard was visit
ing his brother, L. A. Nance, at
Imperial. He was considering go
ing into busiu's4 with his brother
in the valley.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
Looking Backward
What the Press Files Tau OF
urrerts, Valley for THIS Dacs
In Past Years
EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO
December 1S. 1907

In closely contested baseball
game in which FL Centre took the
long end of a five to four score,
the local team won the third sue
ccssivc match in the valley series,
defeating Holtviile. I'll Centre s
lineup included Judson, Parker,
Jones, Chandler, Shaffcr, Andrews,
Burness, Burns and Stanley.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18
ZEN YEARS AGO
December 13. 1915

The Woman s Ten Thousand club
gave Christmas party, to which
chi!drca OF members were invited.
Mrs. \. Anderson had charge of the
afternoon : entertainment.
c. W. BIockmdu of Caiexico was
4 business visitor i'll FL Centric.
DR.. and Mrs. l.. c. House were
guests Of nr. and Mrs. Elmer Har-
ley of Scelcy.
George 5. Best Of the Palace The.
atrr lett for several days in San
Diego.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18

MONTREAL, Quebec.-Chccsc "x-
ports from the port of Montreal for
the week ending June Ii. establish
ed & rcu high record for this Sc
son, being well over double those of
the previous week and almost double
those Of the corresponding week of
last year.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18

%ea.r 9o,ooO,ooo pounds of tea
are now being imported into the
United States.
Imperial Valley press., 1925-12-18

Owing to greatly increased de
mand the price Of oysters has riser
in England.