Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, September 29, 1922, Page 2

IR S pRarecamess S A BB e A A ot St ~ synopsis I CHAPTER I—The time is the late ‘608 | or early '10s and the scene & steamboat | on the Mississippt river. All the types | of the period are present and the float- fng palace is distinguished by merriment, | dancing and gallantry, There are the customary drinking and gambling also. | Virgil Drace, a_young northern man, is { on his way south on a mission of revenge. He meets an eccentric character in the person of ene Liberty Shottle, who is constantly tempting ~ the goddess of chance. - They form & singular compact. CHAPTER IL.—Drace gets his mind oft hiy mission by entering into deck sports in which he exhibits an unusual athletic orowess, Liberty Shottle is again un~ ucky at cards and attempts & financial negotiation with Drace. The latter, see- ing an opportunity to use Shottle, con- fillea to him. that his mission is to find a certaln ex-guerrilla, Stepho la Vitte, { who had murdered Drace’s father. It is His determination announced to his new chum, to lhang La Vitte as high as Haman. . Drace has become enamored of a mystérious beauty aboard the bokt. CHAPTER IIL—The steamer reaches New Orleans, at that time in the some- what turbulent throes of carpetbag gov- ernment. Shottle becomes possessed of two' tigkets for the French ball, a great saclety event, and proposes that Drace Accompany him to the affair. The young men attend and Drace unexpectedly meets the girl who had fired his heart aboard the ‘s r. She is accompanied by one Whose proprietary interest indi- Bayce, > Through | Ccates that he is her flance. stratagem Shottle learns that the name| of the girl is Nadine la Vitte and that| her companion of the evening is the man | who is seeking to marry her. GHAPTER 1V.—Drace passes an uneasy night torn by the suspicion that Nadine is the daughter of old Stepho Ia Vitte, naw an admitted outlaw. Now, more than -ever, is he resolved to find where || the girt liyes and to find Stepho. Drace and Shottle begin a search of the city. In. one of .thelr nocturnal pilgrimages they come upon o mob Intent upon hang- ing a poor wretch from the limb of a tree. 1t is @ typical carpetbag execution and aroused- the resentment of an oppos- ing mab of citizens, Drace takes a hand Ain, the fight ‘which starts and is instru- iméntal/ta preventing the execution. From a_window opposite the scene, he catches a’ glimpge of one he Is sure is Nadine. 3 CHAPTER V.—The escapade, the fight, tie “interference with the execution get Drace and Shottle into bad standing with the authorities, but instead of punish- ment are given until the next day to board ' steamer bound north. Returning to the house where he thought he had slimpsed- the girl, Drace flads the place adandoned.” - Through Colonel -Josh, an emissary, employed at the suggestion of Sfiottle, he gets a faint clue in the dls- covery that a-certaln Frenchman, a wine Qealer, is reported to be an intimate of Stepho 13 Vitte. There is only a short timé ‘before the departure of the steamer when Drace and Shottle go to call on the Frenchman. The latter s too keen 0. be inveigled into giving up any infor- mation; but Shottle, spying around amon the ,casks and bottles, especially the ar- ticles made up for shipment, makes an 1 t discovery. So as not to arouse the . suspicions of the Frenchman, he casually draws Drace away from the Tace and onto.the steamer. On board go informs Drace that one of the cases was addressed to Stepho la Vitte nt Far- num’s Landing, Mississippl. Tt is ths next stop below Bethpage's Landing and Col- onel Bethpage is Liberty Shottle’s uncle. —_—— (Continued from last mu-) Now, however, Major Pewitt strolled up: ‘and Shottle, keen to get to the gaming table, Introduced Pewitt to Drace and then a moment later him- self slipped away. “We are on our way to visit Shot- OPIE ' i (LLUSTRATED BY R.H.LIVINGSTONE uNC., yThe Major Cleared His Throat and Gently Laid His Hand on Drace's Showlder. T tall,” the Mdjor “having glven to Hawkins a scheming wink. The nat was now fluting her ruffled way up\‘ihe river. At a table beneath a- great whaded lamp, Shottle sat, not alone, niit staring into vacancy but in- to the expressionless countenance of raen wmerctless in vivisection. Luck at first had ‘cajoled hiin, let him swell the fifty-he had obtained to near five hundred. but a yellow-looking swab -of whiskers entangled with him and leeched hik down o’ twenty-five. Shottle lookal at him, ‘his caterpillar eyebrows, heard his slight hacking cough, his request for a glass of ice- water, and said.to himself: “One of' these days I may have a chance to set fireto ydu as I would any other patch of dead grass.” Slowly aml with an economy palnful for him to piactice, Shotile with many ups and dovfi‘nx built up again toward two hundred; but at length in the aft- ernoon an o‘d citizen whe sat high and who looked like.a:steer, ool him and horned him broke. Shottle came stumbling over the doorsill and found Drace in conver- sation with Major Pewitt'and Willlam Hawkins, Wigh a wink the Major enjolned a hamorous silence, and inutely they sat) attendant on the los- er's mood. Shottle sut down, took out a card, wrote on: i, put it back into his pocket, tapped his teeth with the pencil and spoke: “I have just written a resolve, and tle's uncle, ‘General Bethpage,” ex- plained Drace. “What, my old friend and fellow- soldier, Bethpage! Never a nobler man drew sword In defense of what he conceived to be right. If you like a genial atmosphere and a company that never tires, you will remain with him as long as possible and still too short a time. 1 earnestly hope that you may find inducement to settle among us.” * wPogsibly T may. Ilike the River. 1 like the study of chi ter. In charac- ter there is all history, all philosophy, all—" “Just so,” the Major agreed. “And we have some remarkable characters here, sir, and some of the most beau- titul women in the world; to some peo- ple it may appear a little singular, but interesting character among men al- ways develops in an atmosphere pro ducing beauty among women.” “And ‘naturally, Major, you are ac quatuted with “ both charncters aud beauty. And by the way, did you ever meet an old fellow—let me see. what is his name? Oh, I think they call him Stepho — something. Oh, yes — La Vitte?” The Major cleared his throat and gently laid his hand on Drace's shoulder. “My “young friend, they have told you about the most implacable and desperate of men, sir. 1 know the man, and while nature did not intend —and I beg your pardon for what might seem a want of modesty—that I should fear any human being. yet T confess to an occasional uneasiness in the presence of old Stepho la Vitte. I have never had any words with him *_that is. strained words; but if I should, I'd awalt no move on his part but shoot him instantly. Ha, T wish | You to meet my dear young friend and much |, esteemed partner, Willinm Hawkins.” Drace was much taken with Haw- King, lis quiet manner, his athletle mold, and passed some time with him whenever 1 do, it becomes a law of my being. It has just ‘been enacted and recorded that never sigain on this earth am I to bet another .cent. T may go to houses where there are card parties, but never again am I to shuffle a deck. My career as a fool is ended . . . Who was it that wrote, ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’? A pris- on sentence would be too good for the hatcher of such a fallacy. If at first you find you're wrong, quit. That's my course for the future.” “I congratulate you. But what are you going to do?” Drace inquired. “[ will drag & surveyor's chain and squint at the fandscape. I'll lug a tri- pod and eat a raw turnip in the wind. Or, it compelled to be humbler, I can curry horses.” “And bet some fellow that you'll have your horses curried first,” sald the Major. With his pencil tapped his teeth. “The first squirt of cold water gen- erally comes from one as much af- flicted as yourself. . But no matter. Cold water chills, but at.the qu;pe‘(hx!e; it cleanses.. And,from Tufs tinid pil, Shottle slowly gentlemen, Liberty Shottle, the yague' and unreal, will.become the' s | and the actual. If I had.g\ nd. dollars right now, I would't. b Ahnt | the sun will rise tomorrow.’: fily is such a thing as redemption.”* CHAPTER VI, About four o'clock In the afternoon the Bumblebee passed Farnum’s Land- ing, and later touched at Bethpage Landing. From the crest of the high embankment was an endless view of spreading cane fields. The General's house stood in the midst of old trees near half a mile from the river. Leal- ing from the landing was a road in the perpetual shade of low-brauching live oaks. Aleng the road wild poppie: blazed in pitches of sunlight, and in the shade giowed the color of darker tg‘éj'e 1 N dlood. In clumps of feathery grasses inseclts sang, while from everywhere came' the low and drowsy murmur of the ciwne. Drace was enchanted with the scene, the sweet air. Beside lim Shotile long-lejiged his way, his neck stretched out. | “Yondler comes Uncle Howard, the General,” he said. ‘ . Toward them, with a slow but firm d emphatic step, came a tall, spare, old! féntieman; ‘angias' he [dneiv ice saw: that he Wore,amug., whiskers trimmed “neatly down to a_sharp pm;gt.,,ThQ‘.goldlqg withiin hini' prédominated, tlie’ profes: slonal soldier, who is often gentler and more kindly than tlie Voluhteer. Shottle halled himj and he' quickened his pace. 1 “Well, well, Liberty Shottle! «ome, sir, and your friend—" “Uncle, this {s Virgil Drace, my best fgiend.” The old man straightened, held out bath his hands and made Liberty’s friand welcome most hospitably. Now they walked toward the house, the General with his hand on Drace's arm.. Over the yard fence poured a strenm of hounds, and an old ’possum- dog “barked up” Shottle as if Le had treed. The double hall®ay doors stood open. 'The General conducted Drace into the lbrary, a room that looked big emough for a tennis court. Then be hestily withdrew, and Shottle Wel- > to find Aunt Tycie. You'll like ;:hlckory tree sap is any sweet- er than her disposition. She was a Shottle,' my father's young sister. She’s youug, as I told you. And she looks ,younger now than when she marriedda Did you ever notice that when ‘& ;young woman marries an old fellow, she always tries to look young- er? Here they are.” Presently the great plantation bell on a tower in the yard rang time for the evening meal. The General arose. and bowing to his wife, gracefully of- fered her his arm. To Drace it was a pretty ceremomial, and he coutrasted it with the more brusque customs of everyday life in the North. When .an opportunity offered, Drace inquired of the General, as casually as possible, if he Kknew anything of an old fellpw named Stepho la Vitte, who was reputed to live somewhere in the vicinity. The General seemed somewhat”sur- prised at the inquiry. “Yes,” he said, “I know something of him. And I be- lleve there are rumors that he is some times seen across she River near here. During the war he was a guerrilla and cast much blame on the Gonfederacy. I met him once, after the war--near your fdther's house, my dear. My mules were tired, and I had halged in the_shade to let them rest, when up came two-men; one put his hand on the wheel-of my buggy and said that my mules were his—that they had bheen stolen from him. I laughed, but meantime I had the muzzle of a pistol between his eyes. He didn’t flinch nor wink. - He looked at me and said that he may have made a mistake. I told him I thought he had. Then, taking his hand off my wheel, he bowed him- self back and said-that he would see me again, to apologize.” But I haven't seen him since” In the evening how still and sweet ayas the air! From the quarters came the weird drone of the megro's chant, for the habit of the slave had not fal- len with his chain. In the parlor Aunt Tycie sang, in this house a custom to be dreaded by the learned ear; but Drace’s ear was not learned ; Shottle's was as an oyster-shell clapped to his head: and in music the General could not distinguish intention from accom- plishment. It was a song of love, “Hast Thou No Feeling to See Me Kneeling?" and when its last note had foupd a dark corner wherein to die, Drace requested her to sing it again. She gave him a grateful look ; the Gen- eral smiled at him; and as the song be- gan, again to mourn its way, Shottle sald to himself " “If Providence will lend virtue to a scheme, that will cost you money, Vir- gl Came here to rest after going throngh more than Stonewall Jackson cotifd stand, and this .is what I get! Oh, it's respectable and ought to be endured, and so is a casket lined with satin, but it doesn't suit me. Lord, but this atmosphere is unsympathet- ie!” (Continued in Next lssue) Bicycles — Motorcycles Harley-Davidson Line NEW AND REBUILT Order Yous Parts Prom Us GENERAL REPAIR SHO! BEMIDII —i— MINN. e e S P AN TN T S, ]Ust In-- ‘D. M. C. EMBROIDERY COTTON $1,000 Worth of TALCUM POWDER POWDER PUFFS “"CROCHET HOOKS - CHAMOIS VASELINE ELASTIC RICK RACK ‘GARTERS HAIR ORNAMENTS TABLE MATS PURSES PEROXIDE New - - — i B3 HAIR CURLERS NEW BARRETTS HAIR NETS FOR ALL NOTIONS YOU SHOULD MAKE USE OF THIS STORE BY AL MEANS Justln $2000.00 worth of New Fall Under- wear and Sweaters. All different kinds for men, women and children;, you will be pleased with the mercharn-_ dise and the prices. LESS MONEY - +82500.00 worth of New Fall Dress goods. Ginghams, Percales,” Outing NEW MILLINERY “flannels, NEVER MORE Fleéced -goods, Muslins, Tickings, we want you to see this [ . ‘stock-well selected. Splendid new stock-a - much large ’ Aliirgy;’ Less Money—Never More Atipfices that are much less than what you are asked to pay. NEW YARNS Skeins or balls at 28¢, 80c¢ 33c 43¢ 48¢c These specials must appeal to you good, Saturday and Monday next. 64-inch highly mercerized table linens white with two inch stripes of blue running through it, Regular price $1.48, Special for Saturday and Monday 95«: per yard 56-inch mercerized Table linen with four inch yellow border, 85¢ value special for Saturday and Monday, per yard 58-inch wide Renfews Turkey Red and white Table Damask, fast colors, regular price 98¢, spceial for Saturday and Mon- day per yard. .. .. Coat’s and Merrick’s sewing thread per spool . B R REaE: Nao. 8, 10 and 12 Coat’s white thread per o T R N ... . 2%c Outiag Flannél, 27° i'nchesi" ;wide,, ‘good heavy grade, light colors; special for Sat- urday and Monday pet yard. ........15c... Crepe paper special pei‘fl"ogll. pAEaE ..5e" “OF COURSE” The Variety Store with the Largest Stock “and the Least Possible Prices Store hours 8:30 to 6:00 59c | BEMIDJI CLEANERS and R i of all Wearing Apparel. I y We call for and deliver | gl —PHONE 578— i ; Out-of-Town Custom- iers: “Send your clothes by Parcel Post.” First Class Work and Prompt Py, Cleaning saveg lou‘t)g_co;;'n £ new clothes, yet gives you practically new garments. , - Economize without sacrificing looks—see i us. s ta Jhe Y oRY HOGANSON 308 IroST. PHO | Bemidji. Cleaners -N.:' Papermaster, Mgr. * New Kaplan Block ) ‘Bemidji Minn, - 000 CLEANERS BROS, NE 537 SUBSCRIBE FOR THE PIONEER ALL THAT THE NAME IMPLIES WILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 —by— P.R. PETERSON and LAWRENCE LARSON Every Loaf of Our Bread Will Be Stamped 4 ¥ ) ‘(l KNEAD" By which name you will be able to ‘order with the assurance that nothing but the purest ingredients will be used. Also a Full Lne of Pastery Housewives are invited to call and inspect this clean and wholesome bakery, Try One Order—See How Good Bread Can Be Made Phone 252 Across from Rex Theatre ' DIMPLES.- What's more lovely? You watch them come and go like’ sunshine on a cloudy day. i It’s my mission to help you to keep 4 record ‘of ' these dimples tHat time .- _-.. will erase. l Hakkerup STUDIO Bemidji :— We are now making sittings for Christias delivery —: fifiHNIUlm|\I{IH\|l!flllI\II!I\I\lIIHfll\I)Il|l||HHIHI“HIMIIINMIUlilllmlll\llllfll\l T T lIH\IIIIlI\lflIl\lllflllmlfll\llllllllllllll\I B. W. LAKIN, President E. R. EVANS, Manager .C L. ISTED, Secretary-Treavurer BEMIDJ LUMBER & FUEL CO. OPPOSITE GREAT NORTHERN DEPOT : LET US SUPPLY YOU WITH LUMBER - LATH — SHINGLES : - LIME - CEMENT - PLASTER PAPER——Roofing and Sheathing BRICK—Common, Fire and Fancy Sash -Doors and Mill Work. : FULL LINE OF DRAIN TILE AND SEWER P[PE ° T0 OPEN'MUSIC STUDID HERE § Prof. Chas. Pflock with over 20 years experience, having e = studied in the best conservatories, Leipzig and Frankfort, will teach VIOLIN—PIANO and ORCHESTRA PR Phone 562 or 508'-W, or call at the Elko Theater e T R IRENE G. KELLY S nnowunces e zenéz/ // an Wm n Lo Netw Barker e@fltz//iz/. Coal’ c%fl/t/‘llfl anat .Q—:;@ry P gfima/{:y saceiatecd il Doctors DPrsloner and Reefiavcben 224 Phones 18o-J Al T - m re