Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-18

READ THIS FIRST:
Ackland Center. n li.tle old town
in New England. is proud Of its beau
world crowds in m it's peace and
quiet. Finally a notorious roadhouse.
LAKELAND. is opened by a gang Of
bo~otleggers. Liquor flows. Girls Of
the town are lured there. The edi-
tor of the Weekly Age" is murdered
for his editorial attacks. His broth
er. Homer Pew. takes up the fight
Homer is joined by Stella Bagot. one
of the hometown girls who has made
good as a writer in New York. Stella
comes TO write a story, and remains
to fight LAKELAND. Homer is beaten
up in a mysterious midnight attack.
Stella takes charge of the paper and
writes sizzling editorials. She also
tries to trace a telephone call. be-
lieving il 10 come from the murder
ers. Stella finds her little sister,
Martha. has been OUT on a lark to
LAKELAND. and has been drinking. She
gives her a lecture and Martha COM
plains that she is kept at home
while Stella has been allowed to 20
to college and later take up her own
life in New York. Stella r~etires 20
her room. and leaves a note pinned on
her door. telling her mother to awak-
en- her early the next morning.
Stella mas made an appointment to
phone Ernie Hallan. 4. New York ad-
mircr. who is staying II Boston.
Ernie complains that Stella has
forgotten him. but she makes n date
70 meet him in a little town nearby
that night at six-thir.y. Ernie is
very much in love with Stella.
Stella finds out Joe Harmer. Ack-
lands leading citizen and political
boss. has had a hand in leasing jazz
land TO the gan
Stella convinces Homer TO keep
quiet about Joe HRrmer until they
can get more evidence.
Stella tells Homer ABOUT her sister
Martha's escapades. Stella is begin
ming to fall in love with Homer, the
fighting young editor.
Homer is notified that the bank.
Of which Joe Harmer il the head, has
called his loans.
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY)
CHAPTER rs
Miss Curry blew her nose. Stella
saw that she was crying. Its such
a dirty trick. | don't doubt Homer
could take care of il. under normal
conditions. Ham had n way Of Jug
Cling his outside investments and
using the profits here and there IN
the business. Ham was shrewd. He
carried every detail of the property
and the estate in mis- head. The old
paper NEAR everything 10 him. Won
see. He figured that he could carry
II along and gradually build il nm
again. But I'm afraid Homer hasn't
even looked over the investments vet.
now could he, IN all this trouble D.?
And OF course everything il tied up
now. The will isn't even prohated.
All that takes time. They've caught
him at the meanest possible moment
Its a trick to Get hold Of the
paper
Il suppose so. But the worst of
Y Is it's a perfectly reasonable thing
to do. A lot Of people would say
it's what they ought 20 do. Protect
themselves. They know that we've
been running behind. And they know
that Homer is hardly mere than a
boy, staggering under all that has
happened. Things don't look any too
bright. and these notes have run
quite a while. Ham paid n off in
the spring. He was planning 10 nav
another in September. What do YOU
think ! ought to do? Shall I tell
him tonight"
Stella sat Imply. She felt the
blow as IL IL had been aimed at her
self. Miss Curry was still quietly
crying.
"Then I'll come. too" said Miss
Curry. Nothing can be done before
Monday. anyway"
NO" said Stella. huskily. "Let
him have n more nights sleep. He
told me he'd be coming down here
tomorrow"
Il have to 20 along" remarked
Stella, after a silence.
The bus slowed down at the rail-
way station in Coventry. Through
the window she could see Hallam's
roadster waiting. on The further side
Of the street. under the elms. He
sat at the wheel. smoking. a soft hat
pulled down over his ewes. She
thought he looked moody. She felt
moody herself, and confused. Her