davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-15
H6NES LOUISE PROVOST

-, - - 1A u
nobody was 1ookin'."
Lee was looking after two dis
appearing figures.
Joey he said irrelevantly,
"there were tears in her eyes"
Stanley Bradish might be a
useless young idler, but he had
plenty of natural shrewdness.
Several things had aroused his
curiosity since he had come here,
and chief among them were the
activities of Lawler and Slanty
Gano.
More than once he had seen a
significant glance pass between
Virginia's foreman and the ill
favored individual who made a
slouching pretense of running
the Rancho Coballos for its non
resident owner.
A few days after the fire he
rode from blazing sunshine into
the dim seclusion of a little can
yon with breath of relief. There
was little rocky pool about half
way down, fed by silver thread
of waterfall, and here Slanty
Gano was just rising from a copi-
Gus drink.
"How d'you do? Pretty hot out
there"
Stanley joined the hulking
figure at the pool and dismount-
ed, cupping both palms under the
silver thread and drinking them
from them.
Il passed your friend HOLSTER
about a mile back" Stanley vo-
lunteered carelessly. 'He rides
around a good deal, doesn't he? I
should think he'd be settling
down to a job"
"He's too busy minding other
peoples business" Slanty sheer
ed. Then he grinned knowingly.
Some folks reckon Lees hang
ing around to settle himself for
life at the Circle V. Pretty soft
job, hey?" Then grin was an Of
fensive leer.
''He may be disappointed"
Stanley said CURLY. "He's work.
ing against Miss Blair's interests
to promote his own, and it's time
somebody took him in hand. He's
giving my father lot of trouble,
too"
FTrouble's his middle name,'
said Slanty sourly. ''He eat it.
''Then why not feed him more
of it? Stanley suggested. my
father and I will do a lot more
for the men who stand by us then
he ever will"
The cards were on the table
now. The two men eyed each
other steadily
eff HOLSTER gets what he
wants, he is going to give you a
bad time" Stanley tainted soft
ly. ''He doesn't like you, Gano."
We'll, why don't you? If you
tell it to the right man, it might
be worth while
Very deliberately, n d r
Slanty's watching eyes, Stanley
drew wallet from his pocket.
Inspiration had come to STAN
ley. He had sought meeting to
enlist Slanty Gano's aid in a care
full plan to have Lee HOLSTER and
Josefa Ramirez disappear from
this part of the county on the
same night.
Now the elaborate and perilous
plan was thrown aside. Slanty
knew something. Stanley's fling
ers went to the wallet and drew
out thousand dollar bill.
Slanty's eyes glistened greedi-
ly.
Stanley watched him narrowly.
Slanty was moistening avid lips
with the tip of his tongue. Cove
tous fingers stole toward the bill.
Slanty leaned forward and whis-
pered, sly grin showing his dis
colored teeth. ...
(TO be cOntinued)
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-15

Delayed by snow and cold wea-
Their, farmers have rushed work
on their tobacco plant beds with
the coming of recent favorable
weather, report farm agents of
tse State College Extension Ser
vice. ..-
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-15

More than a million farms are
now included in soil conserva-
ton districts organized during
the past two years by farmers,
with 100000 more expected to
come in shortly.
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-15

past with Stanley.
Virginia awoke with an acid
smell in her nostrils. She dressed
and went outside, to find Stanley
already out.
'Oh Joey, isn't there a fire
somewhere?"
''Shore they's fire, Honey,
but it's thirty miles north and it
amt heading this way" Joey's
tone was soothing, but he was
plainly concerned "Lee just
come in, an he says it's wiped
out four, five ranches already, an
three mile of standing timber in
the hills. He's been doing fire pa
troll duty round here for the past
week, eighteen hours day."
''Oh-is there that much dang
err, Joey?"
Virginia's anxious question
brought a reassuring answer.
II jes' told We they wasn't any
danger" said Joey obstinately. I
jes' thought I'd come up an tell
We about the fire, that's all"
He stumped off, grumbling to
himself and cross to the depths of
his loyal soul because Lee would
not let him tell Virginia from
whom the reassuring message
had come. s..----@s
But Virginia knew. In favor or
disgrace, Lee was watching and
guarding her.
AS the day wore on the acrid
odor of smoke was less notice
able-or perhaps they were more
accustomed to it but there was
a saffron haze in the air.
Night brought darkness, but
little sleep. A little after mid
night Virginia slipped out to sad
die Black Lightning.
At the corral she turned to find
Stanley at her heels. "The bunk
house is empty" he told her. II
saw a couple of men riding out
like blazes as I came out. Some
things up"
Hurry" she said urgently.
(Which way did the boys go?"
He indicated it briefly, and
hurried. Virginia barely waited
for him to mount, and was off.
Less than half a mile they saw
a red glow.
ooh, it's a new one! It's here"
Black Lightning tossed another
quarter mile behind him. There
it was, just ahead of her. Leap
ing, licking tongues of flame,
throbbing through a murk of
smoke-dark patches-red patch
es-grotesque figures that moved
in a pulsating glow, with arms
like flails-Stanley somewhere
behind her-where was Lee?
Her eyes raked the slope anx-
iously.
STANLEY, hurry!' she called
back. No answer came. She flung
herself off as near to the fire
line as she dared.
Higher up on the smoke men
were working like methodical de-
mons, with swaying bodies and
threshing arms, beating out
flames with brooms of hastily cut
shrub, stamping with their feet.
One of them was taller than the
others. She could see his strong,
fast movements through the
smoke. She began to tug at a
tough little scrub that might an
swer to beat with, but could not
get it loose. Somebody must help
those toiling men. Where was
Stanley?
A crescendo of hoofbeats
brought two more Circle V men
tearing along from one direction,
and from another two glazing
eyes appeared, bobbing and shift
ing. That was an automobile rae
ing toward them with all the
speed it had, lurching insanely
over hummock and hollow. It
drew up with gasping rattle,
only a battered Ford, but piled
to the running boards with men.
They swar1ned out with a clatter
of axes and picks and spades,
tools for fire breaks, and raced
uphill. She heard Lees shout.
'Take it easy joey, here comes
Evening star., 1940-02-18
GRAF SPEC DIARY DESCRIBES WAR AT SEA
sued N Roider Left Reich Fighting Started Orders
Get Reudy to Prey on British Ships

with enemy warships, full Wal -, :,
is kept.
October 22-1n the morning, the air
plane goes accommodating and again dis
covers steamer.
I'VE at once head for our new victim.
About 14:00 we reach and stop her.
Since she does not obey our instruc-
tions not to wireless she is fired upon
with the Fla. M. w. 2CM'
'The boarding party searches the ship.
She is the 5200-ton English freighter
Trevanion, laden with 5000 tons ore.
''The crew is taken on board our ship
and she was sunk at 1900 hours.
Despite orders not to use her wire
less, she had succeeded In giving her
position.
October 23-The airplane goes out
and again finds vessel We shape our
course towards 1t, but could not reach it.
I'm the afternoon at 21:00 hours, an
alarm! An enemy ship is sighted.
1T cannot be ascertained whether it is
a warship or merchant ship.
"As things were getting too hot for
us IN this zone of operation, the captain
was compelled to allow this ship to 20
its way.
October 24-We go at high speed In
order to disappear from this zone of
operation. AS we have been warned Of
enemy warships, full war watch is kept
ANY one, who sees an enemy airplane, re-
ce1veS reward OF so marks from the
captain.
October 25-We sail at high speed
towards the east coast of South America {"
Evening star., 1940-02-18
Gold Reserves
Continued From Page CID

INTO this country, 1t is quite likely that
the american accumulation will even
tually mount to more than $4,000 o00,-
o00, with the other countries propor.
tionately depleted. The daily Treasury
statement for February IL gave Amert-
can holdings at $1,000, ,307,450.
Omcial Washington appears to be
complacent about the present and the
immediate future. Lons-ranee fore.
casts are not available. One top-rank.
ing expert recently observed that dur.
Ing the World War much Of our pros
perity was built on our loans to the
allies, which were not repaid. During
the postwar period, he continued, we
reached the highest peaks Of production
and prosperity by enormous private
loans throughout the world, many Of
which were defaulted. The present gold
buying policy, he suggested, was in the
same category-we are subsidizing for.
eign purchasing power by the $35-an-
ounce price and thereby subsidizing our
own export trade.
The American people, this onicial OBJ
served. are forgiving and forgetful. He
predicted that when workable solu-
tion Is applied there will be little popu-
lar outcry, although 1t may reouire
drastic sacrifices. That solution has
not yet been found, and when the time
comes 1t may well be that Mr.. Berries
suggestion Of outright gifts to other na-,.
lions viii not seem ~ fantastic q It
appears today.
Evening star., 1940-02-18

Backing them up are estimated $4,000
French British soldiers, scattered from
Syria to Egypt; mechanical and sup
piled with airplanes. With more to
come, latest reinforcements Of this
allied strength arrived last Sunday in
persons of 10000 Australian New Zea-
land troops-sons of Empire defenders
who travelled to France in 1914-18.
Not too far away, across Black Sea are
great Russian oil fields of Baku even
with relatively limited transportation
facilities Turk British French troops
might move either through Black Sea or
across Asiatic Turkey to these valued
resources. And closer, of course. for
protective" purposes are Rumanian
fields.
Commanding, or prepared to COM
mand, these allied forces of Near East
is 72-year-old Maxine Weygand, World
War veteran and accounted one of great
military stratesists Of present genera
ton. T.. -.
He Is capable" Clemenceau once said,
Evening star., 1940-02-18

fear to create new war front in North
ern Europe, they may yet take steps to
draw one in Southeastern Europe. For
weeks now armies have been milling
around In French Syria, in Turkey, in
Rumania, at Russ German borders
fronting the Balkans and at numerous
other accessible spots in this naturally
rich part Of war-convulsed continent.
With more agility than the man on
the flying trapeze, Rumania's Carol,
playboy once but diplomat today, has
been playing both ends against the
middle to keep his frontiers inviolate,
his nation at peace. Germany demands
his oil, Hungary, Bulgaria and Russia
demand his territory, France and
Britain demand he reject other demands.
On Monday last he ordered another
100000 reservists to mobilize-bringine
Rumania's army to maximum of 1,4oo.-
600 men.
Nearby is Turk army, good fighters
always, probably best in Balkan area.
well equipped with help Of British French
and tied to allied fortunes by treaty
Evening star., 1940-02-18
uo Presses Firms Allies Mass Back Door in the Near East

troll zone on southwestern English coast.
Holland-America liner Burgerdijk was
sunk, presumably by torpedo from Ger
man submarine.
Curtly, even though not Immediately
admitting responsibility, Berlin unofii-
cially declared that any ship, neutral or
otherwise, entering beligerent port be-
comes fair game as potential contraband
carrier. Netherlands government plans
vigorous protest against destruction Of
vessel actually en- route from neutral
New York to neutral Rotterdam.
But broad generality Of arrogant Nad
pronouncement plainly was applicable to
American shipping-already harassed by
lontraband searches. State Department
made 10 comment,
Nozi Threot but tempers flared
To U.S S. Ships on Capitol Hill
some against Ger
man threat, some against British block
ade practices as being responsible for
whole situation.
To discourage British searches of
American transatlantic mail, one Con-
gresham proposed that our warships
carry mails; Senate beat down move to
refuse airmail funds for lines stopping
at British-owned Bermuda.
Slyly. British half offered convoy serv-
ice to American ships entering control
ports, but State Department spurned
idea coldly.
Hardly helping smooth any rufaed
feelings was French announcement of
Wednesday that allied blockade officials
will intensity examination of American
exports to European neutrals on grounds
that too much Of these goods eventually
are leaking into Germany. While it is
true that Baltic states, Italy and Switz-
erland all have increased purchases
from America since war broke, officials
here secuted idea that goods are trans
shipped to Germany.
While implied German threat to sink
American shipping was thoroughly un-
official, not so was Berlin governments
rejection Of theoretical inviolateness of
Pan American
Berlin Rejects chastity belt" Such
Safety Belt a plan. Nazi note to
Panama declared
brusquely. can succeed "onIy if the
known English and French standpoint
is fundamentally revised"
OF actual fighting at sea, London
claimed four more Nazi submarines de-
stroyed in five-day period to bring un-
dersea casualties to estimated 40 plus.
At same time. admiralty announced re-
cruiting of 10000 extra fishermen for
naval patrol duty, limited arming of
fishing smacks, admitted alarm over
Naz air forces ability to keep British
blockading ships far from German
coasts.
Conceding relatively heavy sea losses
in recent days-Berlin claimed its raid
ers sank 5000 tons in one 24-hour
span-London listed among casualties
two armed trawlers, 12,000-ton freighter
Sultan Star. 10.000-ton tanker Greta-
field, 8,500-ton tanker Triumph; numer-
Gus smaller ships.
TN the case of the sinking of the
Evening star., 1940-02-18
By Harold K. Milks.

to us. The captain gives the order to
sink her by torpedo.
Two torpedoes missed the mark and
then the vessel was sunk with M. A
and S. A. apparently shellfire of two
types.
THE steamers name was the Clement,
built in 1884, Of 5,051 British tons regis
ter. The cargo consisted of 500 tons of
parafdn oil, 500 tons of miscellaneous
and 750 tons of coal for her own use.
Wireless Station Informed.
'"The wireless station at Pernambuco
was informed by wireless in order that
the crew might be picked up by q
steamer.
"On the same day we sighted Greek
vessel at 17:00 hours. After 1t had been
searched. 1t was allowed to continue its
voyage.
October I've are on our way to the
West Coast Of Africa in order to destroy
commerce on the trade route between
Cape and Freetown.
October 5-07:00 hours, alarm!
Steamer sighted and is discovered to be
English, so she is stopped. She carries a
gun on board. A boarding party searches
her. She is the Newton Beech of 1900
tons and is loaded with 1000 tons Of
maize. On the captains orders this
steamer is taken with us as a prize. The
prize crew Is placed on board and the
journey continues.
october I've again sight an enemy
vessel It is the Ashlea. After the
boarding party had examined the ship,
her crew was placed on the Newton
Beech. At 11:00 hours she was sunk
by means OF explosive cartridges
(bombs). The steamer was 4,221 tons
and carried 1000 tons of sugar.
October 8IThe crews of the Newton
Beech and of the Ashlea> were brought
on board our ship at about 1900 hours.
The Newton Beech was then sunk. as
she WIS hindrance to our operations.
Rich Prize Seized.
october 10-18:00, alarm! Again an
English freighter falls into our hands.
After search by boarding party, we
take the ship with us as prize since
she is worth twenty two millions. She
10 toASA WEvlA uS W GIlC AltIuAIk.
October 12-We leave our prize
(Huntsman) in order to meet the Alt
mark.
october 1--we meet the Altmark
and hurriedly take on OIL When we
have oiled we sail towards the prize.
october 16-In the morning we meet
the prize. whereupon we take in large
quantity Of provisions Of which the most
valuable are transported from the
Huntsman to the Altmark ard the
Spec. The principal articles taken
over are tea, hides, carpets, white shoes,
and tropical helmets.
october 1.-THE transferring of pro-
visions is finished. The crew is placed
upon the Altmark, thereafter the
Ashlea and Huatsman are sunk.
The size Of the Huntsman was 1000
tons and the majority Of the crew were
Negroes and Indians.
October 1--we left the Altmark In
order to find . new zone Of operations.
"octoher Give have reached our new
sone Of operations. A. NJ have 70 reckon
Evening star., 1940-02-18
War IsoIotes German
Island in Switzerland

BUSINGEN, Germany Correspond
ence of the Associated Press).-A Ger
man island in Switzerland some miles
square has been forced into unwilling
isolation due to the European war.
More than 1000 Germans live in the
town of Busingen and its surrounding
farms which form q German territory
several miles inside the Swiss frontiers,
north Of Schaffhausen.
Before war began, Busingen's inhabit-
ants, though German. were allowed free
transit through Switzerland to Germany.
Now everything's different. The 3-mile
area is literally locked up by the Nazis.
Any one entering 1t must have a pass
port. Swiss newspapers are banned.
Scores Of German customs guards en-
force the regular German monetary
restrictions.
Before Hitler came, Germany and
Switzerland were in the midst Of nego-
tiations to have the little island turned
over to Switzerland, but such deal was
hardly compatible with the Nan pro-
gram Of greater Germany and the
talks were halted.
For several years during the Nazi
regime the inhabitants OF Busingen
elected a non-Nazi mayor although the
hooked cross was flown from their city
hall and church steeple.
The Nazis put stop to that recently
by appointing mayor from outside.
The enclave is really hangover from
the Hapsburgs, for the powerful Haps-
burg family kept the little town on
the right bank Of the Rhine in order to
collect Austrian tolls from the barge
men.
Now the whole area Is surrounded
with barbed wire save at the roads
where Man troopers stand guard check
Ing passpoets.
Evening star., 1940-02-18
On Sea

BUENOS AIRES Correspondents of
the Associated Press) Leaves from the
war diary Of an ofiicer aboard the Ad-
miral Graf Spec disclose that Germany s
il-fated pocket battleship put to sea on
August 21-two weeks before the start of
the WARMTH instructions to campaign
against merchant shipping in the At
lantic If there should be war.
The diary says the Graf Spec went to
sea with the World War record of the
raiding cruiser Emden as its example,
and with an assignment direct from
"the Fuehrer" to destroy British shipping
on the Atlantic.
The account breaks of abruptly on
October IS, seven weeks before three
British cruisers forced the Graf Spec
into Montevideo Harbor, there to be
scuttled by its own crew.
Account Is Graphic.
It describes, however, with graphic
simplicity, operations of the warship
against belligerent commerce. AS trans
lated from the German, the entries read
August Give left Wilhelmshaven
for the North Sea.
= August 22-The captain assigns duties
to the entire crew. He points out to all
the seriousness Of the situation and also
says the Fuehrer has assigned to US the
task of carrying out war on commerce
in the Atlantic If war breaks out. He
cites the cruiser Emden as an example
and then tells us our immediate course.
1--WE sail northwest along the coast Of
Norway and Denmark and then between
latitude go degrees N. and the Arctic
Circle. passing both islands Of Iceland
and Faroes to make the Atlantic.
August 24-Today our ship goes full
speed to reach our zone of operation.
August 26-Heavy storm is raging.
The bos'n's mate, Matzke, was
swept overheard by an enormous wave.
As boats could not be lowered he could
not be saved; after an unsuccessful
search Of three hours we resumed our
voyage.
Equator Is Crossed.
September 8-At HOO hours we
crossed the Equator for the frst time.
The baptism Of the Equator could not
be carried out on account Of the serious
ness Of the situation.
During these days We met the Alt
mark (an armed supply and prison
ship which accompanied the Graf Spec
and from which British warship res
cued several hundred British prisoners
In Norwegian waters Friday night, from
which we took oil and provisions.
after We had reached the Altmark
we received the Ftlehrer's orders to be-
gin war on commerce.
I'VE left the Altmark and made for
the South American coast.
September 30-We are Of the east
coast Of South America about so sea
miles from Pernambuco.
."14:0o, alarm. British steamer In
sight>
Every one goes to his battle station.
The ships airplane takes Oh and compels
the steamer to stop.
sWhen It lays alonss.de, the boarding
party examines the stsamer. The crew
takss to ths boats and abandons t'as ahip
Evening star., 1940-02-18
On Land

Nearly twelve weeks of gallant Finnish
defense Of their cunningly contrived
Mannerheim Line on south Finnish
Russian frontier appeared to have
cracked under incessant pressure of Red
mass attacks in past few days.
In waves Of manpower that indicated
little regard for their soldiers lives but
unrelenting determination to penetrate
Finn defenses, Soviet leadership sent
their forces storming over Mannerheim
outposts and Notifications proper. Air
craft, tanks, sledge transports and every
available mechanical device were con-
centrated in support.
In many places, Finns-to whom
short, ugly knives are more natural
fighting weapons than guns-emerged
from their defense shelters to battle
hand to hand with Bolos. On basis
OF news accounts, slaughter and saw
agery Of engagement-virtually contin-
uous for IA 4days-approached character
OF Northern Verdun
With most intense action concen-
trated in Summa sector, Firms admitted
loss of more than
Finnish Lines score of vital steel
Are Crockinu concrete units in
their deep, check
erboard line of resistance. In return,
they claimed at least $500 Russian
dead, destruction of more than 100 tanks
and assorted vehicles, plus grounding
OF score OF Red planes At one salient
Bolo artillery was reported to have
plowed Finn defenses under by rain of
10000 shells in single hour.
But Finnish admissions were far
overshadowed by Moscow's claims. Re-
ticent for two months as their armies
bumbled along unsuccessfully, Soviet
spokesmen took full advantage in past
week of their opportunity to crow.
Through Friday, Moscow said, i53
Finnish fortified outposts have been
either wiped out or taken over with de-
tenders ''retreating to the rear, aban-
doning arms and war materials and
suffering grave losses"
Obviously endangered if Red pene-
tration continues are vital transport
and communication lines out of viipuri.
Hopeful that activity in other sectors
might divert some of Soviet pressure in
Karelia, Firms battered more success
fully at invading forces around Lake
Ladoga and even reported partial an
inhalation of another Red division in
Kuhmo area on so-called waistline from
tier. And Finn flyers on Friday struck
at Leningrad-Karelia Railroad line.