Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-09

lsEAD lIlS FlkSl.
AcklRnd Center, a little old town in
New England. is proud OF its beauty
and traditions. But the modern
world is fast crowding in on its
Ieace. Finally a notorious r~oadhouse.
falkland, is opened by a gang of
bootleggers. Liquor flows. Girls of
the town are lured there. Editor
hamilton Pew OF "The Weekly Age"
fights LAKELAND. and is shot to death,
tie identity Of his assailants never
being ascertained. Homer Pew, his
brother, takes up the fight in the
newspaper. Stella Bagot. a home
town girl who has made good in
New York as a magazine writer.
comes home 10 write about the fight
against the gang. She IL driven 20
Ackland by Ernie Hallam. q married
man. much in love with her. He
wants her to meet him in Boston.
Homer tells Stella how his brother
vas shot down at LAKELAND.
Joe Harmer. Ackland's political
boss, calls on Homer to find out il he
is going TO keep on with the paper,
new that his brother is gone.
Homer is called 20 the phone and
hears the same mysterious voice
that warned his brother to give up
the fight against LAKELAND. He en-
dcavours TO trace the call.
Homer is beat up that night when
he puts his a in the garage at
home. Stella races 70 his side.
Stella writes a sizzling editorial
for the paper upon the attack.
Later that pfrkt uhu w~nnrsf~r ~r4~
into the Ford and returns to her
home UP the state road.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY)
CHAPTER rs
She drove in and put the car up,
rolling the barn door TO as quietly
IS she could. Weakly. then. she
leaned against il and looked about.
How quiet the old place felt. She
lifted her eyes and stared az a patch
of velvet sky between the overhang-
irg Inns. The stars were cold and
seemed a long way off. Another sud
Gen wild thought came. a still more
rnsettling thought: what if I
should 20 and fall idiotically in love
with that thoroughbred boy? | might.
Those things happen. He wouldn't
look at a Bagot. Of course. Not here
IN Ackland. I'D have To be in New
York to impress him. He'd just he
decent. And God knows what would
become Of met"
a sob shook her. This wouldn't
do at all. What was the matter with
her! She stood erect and breathed
deeply Of the night air. She simply
must get some sort Of hold on her
self. II she was to sleep. even.
A car stopped out on the road.
She could hear low voices. Were
they after her, too? Well, what of
il? Action, ven danger. would bring
relief Of a sort. Homer wasn't cowed.
He wasn't even nerving himself up;
Just casually, rather wonderfully.
going straight ahead. She'd hit on
the precise word - thoroughbred.
That's what he was.
Out there on the road somebody
vas trying 70 shut a car door softly.
She could hear that. Then the ma
chine drove away. She walked de-
l;hcrately behind tire liIacs toward
the porch. Not quite casually. as
Homer would have done. He'd simply
ret be thinking Of himself at all. She
couldn't help thinking of herself.
The path led by the shed. past the
open arch where cords of wood were
always neatly piled. A figure stood
in the shadow Of the arch. Stella
stopped short. The figure began
climbing; reaching up and catching
the ends Of slightly projecting sticks.
Then she saw that it was a girl. She
moved forward.
Martial
The girl dropped "a the ground.
stella. Ny word, but you scared
mel"
You don't have to climb up there.
The front door was left open for me-
"Oh, but do. You see, my doors
locked on the inside
you can get through my room TO
tire roof Of the shed.
This was reasonable. They moved
slowly toward the posch. Stella said:
"Sit down a minute. They can't hear
US out here"
Side nv side. on the ton step. they
fell silent. Then Stella asked:
What are you UP 70. anyway"
We'll you have 10 have a
little fam
"It's all hours"
"Oh. yes. It's late"
"You know how the folks would
feel"
We'll oh. they don't under
stand. You know that
1T isn't exactly square,