The Bismarck tribune., 1934-06-26

SolAAH W tN8C UUuGus mIS8s III my
eyesight's fair to middlin' good yit
to see . lot what I can't make out
to hyear. I'm obliged to you"
A few minutes later Diane en-.
countered John Herbert.
Look here" he said, brusquely.
I've been trying my best TO ret at
you and you have been dod9ing."
"You had better be attending to
your duties % host" she retorted.
"Help your mother. II you don't
play up to her tonight you're no
Haskell"
"But. Diane. I want IN explana.
tion."
"Oh yesl.
*Why did you come 50 early
before al the others3 What were
you saying to wilson when I came
downstairs and overheard you 2"
"Well, what vas I saying-if you
overheard me q" she countered.
"You said, Il think there IL moth
ing more, Wilson. You may co. !"
"Oh yes, ! remember, and said
/ would wait in the library. You
see, was explaining to Wilson Why
I had arrived 50 far &head Of the
others. and hs was explaining to
me"
'How did you happen to know
that our buffers name Il Wilson !"
1Dont be silly. ! have been =
guest in this city often enough to
know the Fentress' butler. Now run
along and dance with Mrs. jones'
williams"
II want to dance with you"
"Not now. Later-perhaps-
when you have proven 20 me that
the last Of the Haskels II In spirit
and in truth his mothers son."
Ann Haskel's guests. Aroused BY
Danes challenge and excited By
the novelty Of the situation, fol-
lowed the artists suggestion and
made the mountain womanss party
. success. With the pep which was
50 large . part Of their equipment,
and the freedom which was their
creed, they let themselves 70. They
bemoaned the lack Of hard liquor,
but by sending out surreptitious
relief expedition when the normal
hip-hask supply was depleted they
managed TO key the affair 70 their
customary high pitch.
Diane watched Il oil understand.
ingly and, without failing to con-
tribute generously TO the general
good time, managed 70 b always
not far from Ann. When John Her.
bert sought to engage her undivided
attention she ordered him back TO
his duty and saw to 1t that he
obeyed.
Al the very height Of the revelry
Diane saw Wilson 60 to the moun.
tain woman and hand her . tele-
gram.
Ann read the message, and the
girl, watching, saw her face all in
m instant 20 white and hag9ard
and old. Then she saw. that mas
ter4ul spirit assert itself and, save
for ! certain watchful readiness
which recalled to the artist her first
meeting with the mountain woman
in the glade 1t the head Of Shady
Greek. Ann was - Il nothing had
happened.
When next Diane looked, Ann
Haskell had disappeared.
The sudden departure Of Ann
Haskell with her son and Nance Jor-
dan from their baekWoods home was
IN event ir the annals Of that re-
eion Of the Osarks. To Swamp
Valley and the distant Smoky
Mountain: TO Cedar Ridge and
Lonesome Hollow and Signal Bald
q far. evan. = the head o. Cold
River-the news Travelled with
Iamaxing speed. IN 1og cabins On
remote creeks, g crossroads stores,
at the widely scattered mills on
|grindin'- days, in hidden moonshinl
Iretreats, ut chance meetings on eel.
Idom-traveled woodland roads and
|mountain trails, The matter was dis
lcussed. But nothing WAS known
beyond the fact that JEFF Todd had
Idriven the three 70 Wilderness Sta
Ition and that Ann had purchased
tickets 70 the city where 'them
Ledge folks lived when they wal
| 70 home" !.
Pappy Giles, under the 0rs oi
|quesfi fions, shook &c had and e.
| Armsd that 10 "warn't runuiu' Ann
| Haskell: he war only tendip' hel
lstoro m post-of6ce.s When prossod
Itoo hard - would add that he sshad
allus found Bit paid best fer hin
- mind his own business an lel
Ann mind hern.s He "h46 tuck no
| tiee. too,". b Aaid, that Ann einer,
tally khoyG1 Whit shA war o-1ein