Evening Star Newspaper, August 20, 1922, Page 56

ENKINS was a special writer of national reputation, and he had come gon from Philadelphia to Y see Homer Dean, the automobil man whose name 18 a registered trad mark borne by some hundred thousand cars of the first class upon the nation's thoroughfares. His appointment with Dean was for 2:30 in the afternoon, but he was in the reception room out- side the other’s office a little ahead of time. While he sat there Dean came out with an older man, to whom he was saying good-by, and when this older man was gone the millionaire turned to Jenkins with a friendly nod of in- vitation. and Jenkins followed him into his office. But Dean at once went to a closet in the corner and brought out his coat and hat, saying: “I'm golng to have to put you off till tomorrow, Mr. Jenkins. Old Jasper Hopkins, my first boss—that was him who just went out—has just told me something I should have known twenty years ago. Y've got to—straighten it out. Come in tomorrow, can't you?" The’ writer's dfsappointment showed in his face. “I had-figured on taking the 6 o'clock tonight.” Dean hesitated, glancing at his watch. “Just.what is it you want of me?" he asked. Jenkins smiled. “The usual thing. The story of how you did it. People are always interested n such things. Self-made man, you know. It's old stuff, sir, but it's sure-fire. “k. Xknow.” the automobile man ag¥eed, nodding thoughtfully. He considered for a moment, then. with abrupt decision, took off his coat and hat. “After all, it's waited twenty years,” he sald. “Another two hours won't matter. And—the affair may interest you.” He turned back to his desk, indicated a chair for the other. “Sit down,” -he directed. “I'think I under- stand what you're planning. ‘How to Make Yourself. By One Who Has Done It’ Is that the idea?” “Yes.” Dean smiled. “I've heard folks speak of me as self-made.” he con- fessed. “In fact, that has been, se- cretly. my own idea. Until an hour ago. Just how much do you know of my history, anyway?" “I know you're the head of one of the half dozen biggest concerns in the business.” “Know how I came to be here>" “You were managing vice president in the beginning; bought ‘out Hopkins ten vears or so ago.” “Can you-go back any further than that?* “I've understood you were sales man- ager of the old Hopkins Tool Com- pany; that you were a world beater in that job." Dean laughed. “‘Those were boom times and sales jumped. 1 happened to be the head of the department and I got the credit. Ever hear how Hop- kins came to make me Sales man- ager?” Jenkins shook his head. “He had put me on as a salesman,” Dean explained. “My first trip a big prospect hunted me up, sald he'd de- cided to trade with us and gave me a whooping order. My predecessor had worked on them four years; they fell into my lap and Hopkins thought I was a worker of miracles from that day.” Jenkins shook his head, smiling. “You give yourself the worst of it,” he commented. * ok ok X EAN'S eyes had become sober and thoughtful. He spoke slowly, as though invoking memory. “You've called me a self-made man. But, asa matter of fact, it was the mere accl- dent that I was on-the spot which gave me that first order, and that order made me sales manager within two months' time. By-and-by the auto. mobile came along and Old Jasper re- modeled his factory and went after the business, with me in charge. He gave me some stock, and a year or two later his son Charlie died and took the heart out of the old man. He offered to sell out to me and I gave him a bundle of notes for the whole thing. The business paid them off inside of five years. Do you see?. The fact that I was salesman made me sales manager; the fact that I was sales manager made me vice president; the fact that I was vice president threw the-business into my hands: and the fact that everybody wanted to buy cars has done the rest. Still call me a self-made -man?" “After all.” Jenkins suggested, you had made good or you wouldn’t have been given the job as salesman.” ‘Dean nodded emphatically. “That's the key to the whole structure,” he agreed. “That first job as salesman. And that's what I want to tell you about, if you care to hear.” The reporter did care to hear, and this, as he shaped the tale in his thoughts thereafter, is what he heard: Homer Dean and Will Matthews grew up In adjoining baek yards, fought and bled with and for, each other as boys will, went through high schoo] side by side, took @ business course given by a broken-down book- peeper in a bare room over-the Thorn- ton drug store and went to work in the offices of the Hopkins Tool Com- pany within a moath of eachother as vacancies occurred there. Will got the first job, Homer the second. They helped with’ labels in the shipping room, kept checking lists and even- tually graduated to keeping books. The “tool company was a one-man concern: .Old Jasper Hopkins had foundéd' it; and intended to turn it over to his boy Charlle when his own time should be done. Old Jasper—he was ‘then ‘no more than in’ his late forties, but he was Old Jasper just the same—was a man of many eccentricl- ties. He had begun as a méchanic, a machinist; and he had mastered the machinery of the shom but never mastered .the machinery of business. He picked machinists .for his shop work, but for the white-collar jobs he chose men with no grime under their finger nails. Who sought 2 job | w1, with him began-in the. shipping rodm, and advanceg—if he had merit— through . . regular and &ccustomed ehannels. Keeping books was -the écond. rung .of. the -ladder. . Jasper could not multiply elght by seven; he had a vast respect for any man wlio could. - ‘Will Matthews could, and so could Homer Dean. Also they recommend- ed’ themselves to Jasper in other wiys The head of the Hopkins Tool Compsny had breathed the dust from his own emery wheels in-the past; he was of a gritty and abrading dispoai- tion. His nerves were tight, his tem- per ‘was. loose; and -to arouse him ), "WASHINGTON, *D.: o 4 T His prejudices were tradition. While Will and Homer were still in the shipping room they heard how he had scorched Charlie Dunn with many words over the mere slamming of a door: And how he had reduced Luther Worthing from salesman to bookkeeper again because Luther faced him one morning with waist- coat half unbottoned. And how he had summarily dfscharged Jim Por- ter for carelessly rumpling the corner of the office rus. Noise he hated, neatness and order hé demanded and revered; and more thin one office boy had lost his job for scanting his daily task of putting a fresh and spotless blotter on the broad pad upon Old Jasper's desk. * Xk X ¥ HESE likes and dislikes Homer and Will respected; to a legitimate extent they catered to them; and thus they attained a certain eminence in their employer's eyes. He had been known to refer to them as promising young men. They knew this as well as others did, and there was & good- natured rivalry between them to see which should distance the other on the upward way. This was not the only rivalry be- tween the two young men. Her name was Annle Cool, and she was four years younger than either. They be- came aware of her the year after her graduation from high school, when she let down her skirts and put up her prettily luxuriant hair and ceased to be “that Cool kid” in their eyes. There is a wide gulf between twelve and sixteen; there is even a gulf be- tween sixteen and twenty. But when the signs are right, thers is no gulf at all between, say, eighteen and twenty-two, Annie was eighteen and they were twenty-two. Presently she was nine- teen and they were twenty-three, and a little after that she was twenty and they were twenty-four. By this time each of the young men was- conscious of much more than a Dleasantly intense delight 4 Annie Cool's ‘companionship. Will Matthews was always-somewhat more mature than Homer Dean; he took Annie more seriously. He wooed her gently, with kindliness and much persistence; and Homer, wooed her laughingly, with ralllery.and the rough teasing that .goes with youth. There were times when: she liked to be with Will; there were other times- when she liked to be with Homer, but most of the/time she liked to be with both of them, and said s0. Other young men of the community knew the useless- ness of intrusion on their intimacy.. It had not .come to the point of marriagq tatk, for. Will and” Homer were gefling only a matter of $16 weekly wage, and even in those days $15 2 week not considered a com- petence. . But'Jasper never paid his bookleepers more., A, salesman, now, was another matter; beside those of 2 bookkeeper his wages, were munifi- cent.. Enough, that is to-say, for mar- rying. - In the fall of the year, when they were twenty-four and ‘Aninie"Cool was twenty, Steve Randall was killed in a‘train wreck. Steve was a salesman in the-southern territory, and Old Jas- per was accustomed: to fill vacancies in his selling force from the men who worked upon his_Books. - Both-Will and Homer were-in<line for the job. For three -days, till »after- Steve's funeral,.every:one“ignored- this fac! then a‘certain atmosphere of expec- tancy began to deveiop in the office. Old *Jasper .was'{n bed at fiome with a shakiog cold, but on the fourth day word .camé that flext.morning would see him xt the office. .Every o6ne knew his ‘choice’ would beeither Homer or “On’ thelr: way" horhie .togéther ‘atter | work 'n}u’ day.these two met'Charite Hopking, the old“man’s sbn; and Char- lie, stopped, smiling like a bearer of good news. ' “I've ‘just come ‘from . He_shook Will by:the-handyand Homer nald: I“You're going to.get.it, Will. . Good for you. I sure am glad!™ - ‘Wil looked at the- other and:there was'a faint mist in his eyes. “Iknow ‘you are, Homer,” he said. 'I'd- have baen. just as glad for you.” Neverthaless, .both “knew. that. this _ meant an orxaloolon ,that-resembled | moment must always mark the part- nothing so ‘much as the.commotion|ing of their. ways. ,Thus far they ‘whichresults: when ' the mainspring|had gone shoulder, to. shoulder;:hére- of an anclent. alarm clgck iniprocess |after. ore : would * lead. - Alme, 2 ncis: Ingudicioubly.eet.f R e - hoth “DAMN IT, 1 OUGHT TO KICK YOU OUT FOR GOOD AND ALL.” ‘HAT evening after supper Homer Dean went over to see Annie. He did not telephone to ask if he might come, for Annie was always glad to see him or to sece Will whether she knew ‘they. were coming or not. Homer got there early. so early that the Cools were still at supper, and he went into the dining room and sat by the door, refusing Mrs. Cool's hos-» pitable urgings that he eat @ second supper with them. He did surrender to a plece of pumpkin pie, but it fail- ed to raise his spirits. He was not yet able to face with composure the fact that Will had beaten him. was his friend; there was no malice in Homer. Nevertheless, he was dis- appointed and discouraged and sick at heart. This was not apparent to Mr. Cool, nor to Annie's mother, nor to her vounger sister and brother. They all liked Homer and they talked to him, all at once, but Annle said very, litzle. She watched him with a curiously wistful questioning in her eyes. but she did not at that time put heJqug» tion into words. 2 L After supper Mr. Cool and Homer went into the sitting smoked together while Mrs. Cool and the two girls cleaned up the supper dishes. Annie's brother had gone downtown immediately after supper. and soon after they came In from the kitchen Annie's sister was borne away by one of the boys of the neighbo hood. Then Annie drew a scarf across her shoulders and suggested to Homer that they sit on the porch. “It's warm tonight,” she told him. “We shan’t be cold.” ¥ So they went outside and sat down a little to one side of the front steps, where they were shadowed and hid- den by some wistarla vines from which the leaves were just beginning to fall. And Annie asked at once: “What is it, Homer? What wrong?" He did not ask her how she knew anything was wrong. In a boyish fashion he had rather enjoyed the elancholy mien he wore and knew she had noticed it. “Oh, nothing.” he said. Annie shook her head in slow re- proof, her eyes softly shining in the shadows. “Yes, there is, too, Homer,” she in- sisted. “Please tell me what it fs.” “Why, I haven't any right to growl,” he told her. “I didn’t mean ¥ou to see. Didn't mean any one to see.” ~ +T could see,” she insisted gently. He and Will had already explained to her the significance of the death of Steve Randall, the salesman. It was not necessary for Homer to repeat these things. He simply said: “Will's got that job.” She did not speak for a moment, then asked softly, “Mr. Randall's job?" “Yes.. Charlle Hopkins told us to- night his father had decided.” He added with careful sportsmanship: “Of course, Will deserves it. He's a better man. But I sort of hoped I'd— oh, you know.” “I know, Homer,” she agreed, in a voice that was scarce more than a whisper, and laid her hand ever so lightly upon the hand of Homer Dean. Now, Annie Cool had kissed and been kissed many a time by Will and by Homer and by others in the cheer- ful frolicking of youth; and she had held ‘hands on hay rides, or beneath the table at supper parties, or even is on more public occasions. Thus that she should touch Homer's hand had in itself no great significance. “But she had never touched his hand, nor he hers, before this night save when there were others all about them; and always before this night there had been laughter back of the ges- ture. This night there was not laughter; there were tears. 2 A conspicuously different matter. * ¥ % ¥ EN minutes later| they drew their eyes one from another for long enough 'to see that a man had come across the lawn from the street to the steps; that he stood there, looking at them. A man—Will Matthews. *“Will!" cridd Anne; and Honfer came to his feet, laughing in nervous exhilaration. *Will, old man,” he = claimed: Will stepped up on tha porch and they saw that he was smiiing. He eld out his hand. “I'm sorry 1 butted in,” he apologized. “But I'm giad I was the first to know. You'll never be sorry, Annle. Homer—" Homer had gripped.his hand; ea held the other fast, as good friend: wil - i : ‘He stayed only a minute, then Teft no Wil | room and |} shadow of sorrow for him to cloud their hour of happiness. Will Matthews had a practical and straightforward habit of thought. He possessed what men call a level head. He was not given to illusions. And through that long night he faced facts squarely and without self-deception. He had time to weigh many matters. for he did not sleep at all. Time to fight off the first and crushing grief; time to understand fully and beyond |changing that he could never love {any girl but Annfe. He meant that | Annie should never know how deeply he had cared, would always care. He {could spare her.this measure of un- happiness. There was a somber sort of pleasure in planning thus to serve her. Thus and in other fashions. * ¢ * Do what he could to make her happy as might be. * * * His thoughts went racing on a half-seen road. Will was not a herofc figure. Rather a small man, with light hair and a round and amiable countenance, there was mothing about him to arrest the eve. He already wore glasses; his shoulders were already faintly stoop- ed from too close companionship with | the ledgers where lay his daily toil. His mother made him wear a strip of oily red flannel about his throat when he had taken cold. All in all, a man HAT do you know about architecture, chemistry or surveying? Every Eagle Boy Scout in Washington knows what the. average layman has picked up and a whole lot more. . And that isn’'t half of {t—every scout who attains the honor of Eagle has a good working knowledge of every out- of-door craft, mearly every manual art and many of the sciences that we would learn in no public school system and few private schools. e As an example, there is Warren C. Buckland. He achieved this high honor, passing the twenty-one tests requiring proficiency in both strength and skill, plus half a dozen additional, honor examinations, before he had reached his sixteenth birthday. Warren, who wasn't named after Mr. Harding, is in his second year in high school. Reticent gt first, he eventually thawed out and admitted having the right to wear twenty-tight merit badges, which are the inslgnia of the tests passed. They are ‘worn on the left arm and each suggests its particular signifi- cance to the initiate. * Kk OV near can you come to War- ren’'s general, all-round knowl- edge? Here is what he knows, and re- member that the majority "of scouts know as much before they drop out— Warren is just an example. Swimming. You say. you-can swim, but do you know how to Tescue a drowning person, and how to break all the possible holds he may grip ryou with, as well as swim’ expertly? An Eagle Scout can. Electricity. An Eagle Scout can wire a house, locate a blown-out fuse and replace it. In:short, he understands all about practical electricity. ! Firemanship. After passing this test a scout knows as much theory as the average city fireman. He knows how to enter a burning building, &nd.also { how to leave it, bringing with him an unconscious person, and how to fight fire. Carpentry. This badge on-a Scout's arm fneans that he can plan 'a house and build it. 5 Machinery. For Bird Study. ‘This ' means ' that the Romance of a Self-Made Man ~ WhatEveryEagle Boy Scout Knows. For Camping. e 0:. AUGUST.20, .1922—PART 4.° By Ben Ames Williams staste and clap his hands to | D way? he lamely apologized. sorry, sir.” your appearance better than hereafter. despair. cravat, these had not been sufficient. He set his teeth hard and one of his nervous hands touched the high ink bottle. seemed to try to catch ft, thing escaped him, was overturned. Across the spotless blotter spread a for good and all. a thing like this before. the room as though ill at ease. at‘'whom you were likely to smile. But hear what Will did, and try then if yow're moved to smile. He made It his business to reach the effice next morning some five min- utes ahead of the hour. It was chance—a chance that favored what he meant to do—which made Homer Dean ten minfites late. Old Jasper was there before Will, and Will found on his desk a memorandum command- ing him to come at once to Jasper's office. He read this memorandum slowly, considering once more the details of his plan. * % % ¥ TONE of the other bookkeepers had et arrived;: he was alone. Jas- per was in his office at the end of the corridor, a few yards away. After a moment Will went out into this cor- ridor and turned toward Jasper's door. Outside this door he hesitated, and, ane hand fumbled at his throat, then dropped to the pocket at his side. From within the office he heard Old Jasper's rumbling cough, and he knocked upon the panel. ¢ Jasper called: “Come in& Will obeyed. He pushed the door open, stepped slowly inside and thrust it shut behind him. He did not slam the door; nevertheless the impact was sufficient to make Old Jasper grimace scout has a working knowledge of all sorts of machinery and mechanical de- vices. Painting. When this test has been passed a scout {sn’'t an artist, but he can mix and apply paint in the most efficient manner. ‘When Warren had told of his con- quests thus far, he changed the sub- Ject to say that after passing the ten- derfoot, second-class and first-class ex- aminations there are two honor grades 1o be overcome before being eligible for the grade of Eagle Scout—those of Life Scout and Star Scout. A Life Scout must know first aid, personal and pub- lic health, life saving, pioneering and physical development. A Star Scout must have the right to five more merit badges than a Life Scout. These exami- nations are given by the scout's own scoutmaster. When these require- ments are met, the scout may take the examinations for the highest honor, that of Eagle Scout. ‘The examinations for Eagle Scouts are different. The candidates are first quizzed by their scoutmasters and then by the local honor board, which is composed of experts in the differ- ent branches of scoutdom. These ex- aminations are taken when the indi- vidual scout feels that he is able to pass them, and more or less at his convenience. There are 432,037 Boy Scouts in the United States, of whom only 1,306 are Eagle Scouts. * ® ¥ % NOT only is Warren an expert in those subjects. before mentioned, but he can cook and live in a camp comfortably; he can survey a plot of land and install all the plumbing in a house. He can tear a drop of water apart and tell you whether it wi filled to capacity with typhoid germs or not. He is able to prepare a lec- ture on “safety first” and tell why 'there are so many accidents In New York. The chances are that Warren could instruct college students in civil government. ' He'also has'a working knowledge of handicraft fn the home. This means that -when his “father comes home from the office tired and needing-rest meant to again. dow, with ‘his ears; ‘Will stood till, waiting for the other to speak; and his em- ployer barked: “What's the matter with you, any- Come here.” . Will moved slowly across the office til] he faced Jasper across the other's immaculat ger tips on. the polished surface, standing uneasily under ‘the older man’s glare. “ Abruptly Jasper cried: your cravat, Matthews? half dressed, man. you?" desk. - He rested his fin- “Where's You're not ‘What's got into ‘Will's hand flew to his collar. :“Why, I-I must have forgotten it,” “I'm very “Jasper snorted, and Will's hands fidgeted nervously about the tall, old- fashioned Ink bottle on the desk be- fore him. tate; tantly. The other seemed to hesi- he cleared his throat impor- At last he said: *Vill, for God's sake look outxfor that 1 sent for youto * * *” ‘Will heard him in something like The slammed door, the -lost 1t tilted dangerously. He but the widening block flood, and as Jasper pushed back his chair with awkward haste those few drops which the blot- ter had not absorbed flowed over the edge of the desk and descended upon the rug. The storm broke upon Will's devot- ed head; and he stood with burning cheeks under the old man's profane and scourging tongue, till the first force of Jasper's anger was spent, and he cried: ; “Damn it, T ought to kick you out But you never did You—" He fell silent, stumped away &cross i " he began, then stopped Stood a moment by the win- looking out; swung back to where Will stood. “Look up the Fosdick account for e he sald with averted eyes. “Give me the figures on it. That's all. Get out of here.” Will got out. In the corridor he paused for 2 moment to replace his cravat, swiftly fitting the stiff ends under the wings of his collar. He was back on his high stool before.the first of the other bookkeepers ar- rived. When Homer Dean came in, ten minutes late, Old Jasper's office hoy was In the room looking for him. “The boss wants to see you, Hamer, he sald, “right away.” * °* * * % X ¥ «¢QO,” said Homer Dean, the million- aire, to Jenkins, the reporter. “So T got the job, went on the road, my luck began.” Jenkins had listened without inter- ruption; now he nodded slow acqul- escence. “And he handed it to you How did you find it out?" “I'm ashamed of that part,” Homer admitted. “Will and I talked it over at the time, decided Charlie had been mistaken. Old Jasper came in today to talk about old times. T'd never ask pefore; today 1 did ask why he ghve me the job. And he told me what Will did that da ““Think it was an accident? asked curlously. Dean shook his head. “I know Will too well. Besides, the ink might have been an accident, but not the cravat, for he had his cravat on" when I came in that morning. No, I can see it be- yond any doubting now L The writer nodded. - cent thing,” he commented. became of Matthews?" “He's our head bookkeeper at the " Jenkins office downtown. I was going straight to find him when you came.” Jenkins reached for his hat. His words were commonplace enough, but there was eloquence in his tone. “Don’t let me keep you, Mr. Dean,” he said. Copyright. Spark-Making Alloy. I 's said that when 10 per cent of cerium is alloyed with 30 per cent of iron the metal thus produced pos- sesses the remarkable property of giving off a shower of sparks when struck lightly by a steel wheel. This substance has beén employed for making automatic igniters for gas-burners or miners’ acetylene lamps, and for other purposes. It has been proposed to utilize it for ignit- ing motor headlights, and even as a substitute for electric ignition in the cylinders. When tried in this rela- tion, however, it has been found that the efficacy of the alloy falls off with use. The cause of this loss of eficacy is suspected to be the presence of oil and dust. All ‘rights reserved. Curious Fact as to Vision: 1Tt reported that experiments have been made to show that objects seen by Indirect ~vision ordinarily appear larger in the right half of the field of vision than in the left. With a smaller number of persons this is reversed. From. these facts has been-deduced a possible origin of right and left handed- ness, Right-handedness, or.its reverse, develops at about the age of seven months. It has been suggested that they may be due to the phenomenon of vision just described.. By a reflex ef- fect the infant reaches after the objects Dest seen with the arm nearest to them. — and {s fold that the lock on the cellar door is broken, that the screen in the parlor is torn, and that the faucet in the kitchen won't turn off, he can rest and the jobs will be done. ‘Warren, well as being an Eagle Scout, is on osth to do his “good tutns daily,” and'so has both the will and the ability to do almest anythin And Warren isn’t exceptional in capabilities. and attainments and wears his. honors :lightly—he's Jjust a “good scout.” (Continued from First Page.) ESTRANGES gave a start. But it was hardly noticeable. He an- swered calmly: . “1 know him slightly, it seems ta me. Louis Chandier? Perhaps I met him once or twice. But that is of no consequence. - What you have told me has touched me deeply, and if you will consent, M. Sergy, 1 will accom- pany you tomorrow on the visit you ex- pect to make. I'can then see better what is to be done.” “My dear master, I shall be only too happy. Will you allow me to come for you early tomorrow after- noon?” The callers got up. Destranges conducted them to the door of the studio and then returned to his chair and- lightéd another’ cigarettg. He tried unsuccessfully to clarify his feelings. In spite” of his “habitual coldness he had been deeply stirred on hearing that name—Chandier. What had he felt? Sorrow, joy, an- ger? He shrugged his shoulders. No; nothing of that sort. It was only a memory of past emotions—older even than twenty years—and after the first instant of surprise they had no longer any empfire over him. Now he recalled calmly the time when he had been in love with Marie- Anne Deloire. She was the daughter of an architect whose house he and Chandler had frequented. She had rejected him to marry Chandier, whom she loved. That was all. For Des tranges it had been a blow, certainly. More than that, it was a sort of mystification. That love should en- ter imto his life, altogether conse- crated to work and ambition, was for him*a cause of astonishment. He could not understand*why the young girl did not accept him at once. He felt a deep and bitter grudge against Marfe-Anne. At éuch success he ob- tained, at each step he made toward celebrity and fortune, he though “She was wrong. She must see it— too late” He felt a secret satisfac- tion in watching Chandier, almost establshed for a brief period, fall back gradually into obscurity. * % ¥ % YEARS passed. These feelings had faded out. But they had revived in all their vigor at the mention of Chandier's name. Without confess- ing it to-himself, Destranges had a sensation of triumph. “So they have come to this!” he thought. And it was not alone with the idea of doing a charity to a brother artist in dis- tress - that he had said he would accompany ~Sergy the next day to the Chanpdiers. It was also with the covert joy of wreaking a revenge by showing himself a magnanimous friend in need. At the end of a long. dark street near the Barrier the auto stopped before a shabby house. Destranges and Sergy climbed five flights of stairs and then a sort of ladder. . They knocked at a door. which opened into a bare studio, with cracked and peeling walls. The harsh . DEFEAT. light from the mansard windows ac- centuated the poverty within. Tt ‘Trilby May and (Continued froh Fifth Page.) “Old Tuttle never =old nuthin',” says Hen. “Lived out there on that farm of his alone for years and years, and some- times he didn't come into tie village more’'n once in three months. Stowed them shares away, most likely, and for- got all about ‘em. They'd be worth a ot of money now, though. 1 asked | Squire Sweat, and he said so.” “You told the squire what you'd read 1 asked. says Hen. *I didn't I'm too smart for “My error,” says I. “And it was rather clever of vou to think all that out by yourself. But . why shouldn't Ben Tuttle, if he still had those shares, have kept them hidden away In some place about the house —in the attic. or back of & loose brick in the chimney, or some such ‘spot?” “He might” admits Hen. “But I hunted everywhere -in the house the day after the auction, and I couldn’t find nothing. Anyway, the desk would be where he’d naturally stow such stuff “Yes,” said I. “And you thought that if the shares were there we wouldn't have found them by this time?" “I was figurin’ on their bein' in a secret drawer,” says Hen. “Them old desks generally has one, and if you wasn't lookin’ for it you might not run across it right off.” “I gee,” says . “So you get your- self up as a second-story worker and come on a midnight exploring trip. that eh? Where did you collect bright little idea?" Hen hung his: head foolish. “They're always after the missin’ papers that way—in the movies,” he. o they are” says L “Also, if you have noticed, Hen, the villain always gets his before the end of the fifth reel. Or had you cast your- self. for the role of the poor but honest hero who has been done out of his rights? You're equal to it. Any one with a movie mind would find that simpfe. But, as usual, Hen, the film stuff doesn’t work out in real life. That old desk has been thor- oughly cleaned, inside and out, and no* secret - drawer has been discov- ered.” “Did‘ you measure them side ones| to see if they was the same length?” e “asks. * +No,” says 1: “but you may have a try yourself, if you like.” He steps over and goes at it with eager but clumsy fingers. “Some- times,” s he;, “they had one in back of another. * kX was more or less curious by then “myself, and I held the candle while he pawed and thumped the old secre- tary, front and back.. But nothing in the line of a secret drawer could he-find, . At last he had to give up. . “Huh!” says Inez. “Just some more lies. ‘Better get the Millikens. - “Aw,. say!” protests Hen. T've told everything “He's right, Ines,” says I ‘“Let's nliy . fair. Besides, all he's robbed us of has been an hour's sleep, and I would wake up any time to be as well entertained. Run along, Hen, and gemémber;: when you drive out this way tomorrow, that we need a pound of starch ‘and six bars of laundry SORD. “You bet:I.will, Miss Dodge,” says he, beaming grateful. “And if any- body asks me about you I'm gonna “After was, however, a clean and self- respecting poverty. At the back, in an alcove, shut off by curtains, Chan- dier Aay in a bed asleep. Destranges looked at Mme. Chandier, who had opened the door for them. How faded she was, how thin, how murh older! How she must have suffered! Névertheless, he discovered in her saddened face some traces of her former beauty. The blue eyes had paled—washed out by vigils. ana tears—but they still had that same slow, deep and sincere look. Mme. Chandier had fixed it on Destranges only for a moment when Sergy pre- sented him. Surprised, doubtless ashamed and perhaps indignant, she had given no sign of ever having known her caller. * % k% \\/AS she dominating her feeling or had she really none—too worn out by the daily struggle to have any pride left. Destranges let Sergy do the talking. In a low voice, 50 as Mot to disturb the sick man, the latter told of their plans. Destranges eyed Marie-Anne furtively. Now he had only pity for her. He found that he had overdone his triumph. He ought not to have shown himself thus in his full glory, in his full prowess, to add to the sufferings of this unfortunate woman, who was paying so dearly for her mistake of long ago After fifteen minutes’ conversation they got up to go. Destranges let Scrgy pass out first. Then, to atone for the cruetly of his visit. he sald to Mme. Chandicr with genuine com- passion: Count on me, madame. 1 will do everything in my power to relleve your situation.” She looked him straight in the eyes and cut him short. “I have no regrets, you know," she sid in a low, firm, almost hard voice. He started, blushed and remained for a moment nonplussed. He thought of what she was to Chandier, of ail her love, all her courage, all her de- votion. He thought of what his own life would have beem with such 3 He felt suddenly alone companion. wseless, sidetracked. He answered humbly: “I regret vou." Then he walked out (Copsright, 1t Radium and Plants. THERE have been reported the re- sults of experiments with the ac- tion of radium on growing seeds. It has been found that the rays act as a stimulus, varying in intensity with their strength as well as with the thickness of the seed coats and the amount of intervening moist soil If the stimulus is not pushed be- yond a certain limit, germination and subsequent growth are accelerated Above that limit the results are un- favorable. The growth of plants is retarded and may be stopped, by placing them in an atmosphere containing the emanation of radium, such as may be drawn from a cylinder lined with Lieber's coating. Soft-boiled One At breakfast Barry Platt an- nounced that he'd had a corking night's rest. “It's always so calm and quiet out here,” he adds. “Especially,” says I “when vou go into a trance at 10:15 and don’t come out of it until breakfast time." " ys Uncle Nels, “I had good “I know,” says L. “We heard vou |at it So we didn’t say a word about our soft-boiled burglar. In fact, within a couple of days I had almost for- gotten about Hen’'s midnight visit and his wild tale about the hidden stocks. Then one forenoon I declded to hang the old mirror oyer a tip- leaf table in the front hall, instead of where we had put it at first, in the living room. <As Barry was handy, 1 asked him to help take it down. He was still balanced on a chalr, examining the old red picture cord by which it was hung. when he had this sudden hunch to show how handy he could be about the house. “You know this wooden backing is rather loose, Trilby May.” says he. T'd better™ake it out and put it in over again. “Can you?" I says. “How clever “Somebody’s done it before,” he goes on, “and made a botch job of it. See! Stuffed a lot of papers in be- tween the backing boards and the glass. Don't need all that. I'll just take it out and put in one thickness of newspaper. There!” * ok K x WITH that he tosses the yellow, dusty old sheets on the floor and waits for me to hand him a news- paper. But something about them had caught my eve. 1 picked one up and took it over to the light. It was stiff, almost like parchment, and rather elaborately engraved with designs and figures. And then I made out the inscription. “Whe-e-e!” 1 squealed, excited. “What is it, a spider?" asked Barry “Spider nothing!" says 1. “Oh, Inex! Come here. Look “Eh?’ says Inez, drifting in from the next room. “What you got?* “The missing papers!” gays I. “Those Bell Telephone shares that Ben Tuttla hid away o long ago. Only he didn't mean to hide ‘em, 1 expect. His main ldea was to pad the back of the mir- ror. Tl say it was a hapiy thought of his, too.” Of course, we-had to tell Barry the whole story about Hen. Smalley and the letters and the burglarious visit. But chiefly he seemed excited about the value of those shares. 3 “Why,” says he, “if they're the orig- fnul issue they ought to be worth all kinds of money now.” - “But who they belong to? comes in Inex. “That's =0, says Barry. “The es- tate might claim them.” “The heirs would have to do more than _that to get 'em away from me.” says I “Let's drive in and ask Squire Eweat.” T couldn't wait. until after luncheon, either. 1 wanted to know at once whether 1 was in luck or not. And the squire gave we a prompt decision. “Found ‘em in back of the old mir- ror, did you?" says he. “I remember knockin' it down to you at the auction. Well, you bought it ‘as is,’ didn’t you?" “I.suppose 1 did,” says L paid cash, toc?’ he goes on. ‘Oh, yes,” says 1. “Seven seventy- five. “Then I can't see but what you own everything about it, Miss Dodge,” says the squire. *I'd call it some bargaim, too. Anyway. I'd take a chance on em ,you're & good sport. Yes, Ipes had lelped me shove to ‘the misty bolt of the front door wa both 'G?t to u‘«? peacetully. ) giving you five thousand for them ehares.” “Z-g-zing!” days 1 “Bay, squire, when are you going to stage another uuction?” - {(Copyright, 1922,-by Sewell Ford) . )