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Mountain man
/I fiction Serial
By HAROLD CHANNING WIRE
CHAPTER XVl—Continued
—l5-
Cook smiled grimly. “There aren’t
enough tools for the same reason
that there aren’t half enough trails,
hall enough telephone sets, half
enough miles of wire to protect this
forest. Come right down to it, we
Just can’t get the money. What do
we count in politics anyway?
“Like this seventy-eight dollars
Slim spoke of. Now I’ve never been
to Washington, but I reckon here’s
the way of it. The talk gets around
to appropriations for the forest serv
ice. Maybe they see I’m asking for
five hundred dollars to build trails.
" ‘Who’s this Cook?’ someone
■sks.
" ‘A ranger in the Sierras.’
" ‘How many votes out there?’
** ‘Six.’
" ‘Five hundred dollars for six
votes? My God I’ So in the end I
build trails on seventy-eight dol
lars.”
Cook shrugged, adding, “Nothing
against the gentlemen who hold
their jobs by their votes. But they
ought to see our side of it. I reckon
they think we want trails to go joy
riding on, and telephones to gossip
over, and tools to dig in the gar
deni"
In the silence that followed, Breck
produced his pipe, lighted it, let it
go out in his hand. A thought had
come with Cook’s first words. He
had put it from his mind. But the
letter was in his pocket. He
shrugged off the feeling that it had
been pressed upon him by Fate,
and tried to argue within himself.
Sutherland would do nothing. Yet
he knew Sutherland was fair-mind
ed. If only bringing him would not
mean bringing Irene also. She did
not belong here.
He felt jealous of his life; it was
his own. He knew too well how she
could usurp it. Again the picture of
her came before his eyes; a beauti
ful girl, drawing him even in a
vision.
“Cook,” he said abruptly, “you
brought a letter from down below—
from a friend of mine whose father
Is Senator Sutherland. There’s a
chance that I could get them up
here on a vacation. I’m not sure it
would help the service, and yet he’s
« politician and plays the game.”
“Might get down the guest books,”
Sierra offered, “and show him how
many hundred tourists come
through these parts. Then name a
trail after him.”
Breck laughed. “You're not so
dumb, Sliml The Sutherland Trail.
Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”
Cook remained thoughtful over
slow puffs from his pipe. “Son,”
he said at last, “I’ve never played
politics, but if there’s any way in
this world to get what we need for
the mountains, I’ll learn the game.
I don’t know much about talking
with a Senator.”
“You’ll find that easy enough.
He'll do most of it.”
“Good fellow, is he?”
"Down below, yes. I’ve never
seen him roughing it. His wife is
a good sport. And he’ll bring a
daughter.”
“Ahl” Sierra exploded. “There
we have it. Another woman I Dad,
listen to me; let’s call this off.”
He gave Breck a resentful look
out of grave blue eyes. “Pardner,
you ain’t throwin’ Louy down?'
Wasn’t she on the fire line with you
last night? And didn’t she go herself
instead of sendin’ the Indian? We
passed Temple and he told us. Now
you’re bringin’—”
“Ease off, Slim,” Cook checked
him, laughing. “It's Brack’s affair.”
t “The hell it is! I’m plumb dis
appointed in you, pardner.”
Sierra stood up and walked from
the cabin. It was the most urgent
speech Breck had ever heard him
give, and in it he sensed a fierce
loyalty to Louise Temple.
“Now,” said Cook, “maybe we
can get down to facts. When will
these people come?”
Breck glanced at his letter. “This
was written two weeks ago. They
might have other plans.”
( “Wire ’em. I left the switches in
at headquarters. You can get Lone
Tree by phone and have the mes
sage relayed from there.”
Cook paused, drew at his pipe,
then continued with rapid planning.
“I’ll detail you to do it up proper.
Have them meet you at Dick Di
vine’s pack camp; that’s at the foot
of the south trail. They’re driving
up the valley, I suppose?”
“Yes; from Pasadena.”
“Well then, bring them here to
Rock House. You’ve got tents.
Show your Senator around while
you’re on patrol. Give him an idea
of what we’ve got and what we need.
How does that suit you?”
"All right,” Breck answered, “if
you say it’s part of my job.” But
inwardly he was dubious. He had
jjot wanted Irene Sutherland here.
CHAPTER XVII
Cook and Sierra rode back to
headquarters that afternoon. Breck
tent hit message by wire, and then,
turning into his bunk while it was
•till daylight, slept the clock around.
«■ cabin was flooded with morning
sun when he awoke. Even as he
closed his eyes again, reluctant to
t leave the blankets, his telephone
i jangled from its post beyond the
, door.
f Ha bounded out barefooted,
i Cook’s voice came over the line,
i “Hello, Rock House, how is the
' morning?”
"Haven’t had a look at it yet.”
i “Then here’s something to wake
i you up, A relay from Lone Tree.”
i “All right,” said Breck. “Let’s
have it.”
He heard Cook’s low chuckle,
then: “Saved my life. Will meet
you Friday. Party of five,”
i The ranger paused. “It’s signed,”
he continued presently, “but I reck
on the telephone girl got It wrong, or
I must have misunderstood in writ
ing It down. Looks like ‘Old
Thing.’ ”
Breck grinned into the little Iron
box, but agreed solemnly, “That’s
a mistake, Dad. The name Is Suth
erland, you know.”
“Now then,” Cook said, “we’ve
got to work this so you aren’t away
Breck raised a band, though he knew there would be no
reply. "Howdy, Art.”
from the station more than two
nights. Understand me?”
“Easy.”
“All right. Friday is two days
off. You start out tomorrow morn
ing and make Dick Divine’s camp
by dark. Then if your folks come
any time at all before noon Friday
you can pack them as far as Sum
mit and camp. That will put you in
Rock House again Saturday.”
“OK,” Breck answered.
After breakfast he dedicated his
time to making tenderfoot tourists
less tender. He could visualize the
party of five arriving after their day
and a half in the saddle—the Sena
tor, padded In the wrong spot and
letting the whole forest know how
he hurt; his wife suffering more and
saying less about it; Irene a good
sport if she cared to be. The other
two would be a maid and a chauf
feur, who was also the Senator’s
handy-man.
Preparing camp for them, he put
up four tents near the stream and
not too far above his cabin.
He was on the down trail early
next morning, for in the night he
had realized it was only fair to stop
at Temple Meadow and mention this
party to Louise. The corral bars
were open and the place apparently
'deserted when he came into camp.
But in a moment Tom Temple
opened his cabin door and hobbled
out.
Almost his first words were,
"Louy’s gone saltin’.”
As frankly, Breck answered,
“That's too bad. I hoped to see
her. Anything you want from the
valley? I’m headed out and will be
here again Saturday."
Temple wagged his gray head.
"Thanks, Ranger, but the boys are
makin’ trips every day now, bring
in’ up salt. The whole range has
it trucked up as far as Divine’s,
you know, then we pack it. Takes
a heap of salt while our stuff is on
green grass.”
Breck hooked one knee around his
saddle horn and smoked a cigarette
before starting on.
"Figurin’ to be at the rodeo?”
Temple asked.
"When is that?"
“About a week, soon as saltin’ is
done and the boys can get togeth
er. Better make it. 1 beef a couple
of young steers and have dancin'
to music from down below. Folks
come up here from Lone Tree—
some farther."
“Sounds like a big time," said
Breck. “Count on me. And say, are
outsiders allowed? Tourists I
mean.”
"Lord amighty yes! They won’t
be outsiders when they git here!”
"I guess not,” Breck grinned.
“I’m bringing a party of five back
this trip, some friends who’ll camp
at Rock House. They’d get • big
wallop out of your show.”
“Bring ’em,” Temple repeated.
“More the better!”
Breck gave his promise, then rode
on.
Twice on the way down he met
salt trains coming up; cowboys with
a dozen mules, each mule carrying
two hundred and fifty pounds of
rock in burlap bags. By evening
he was on the last steep slope of
the granite wall, with tne Mojave
Desert stretching away in a purple
shadow of the Sierras themselves.
At dark he came into the first cor
rals of Dick Divine’s pack outfit,
and upon crossing a stream rode at
once among fires of more cowboys
camped near long piles of salt.
Dusk hid their faces. Some greet
ed him. Then he passed one alone
who glanced up from his solitary
blaze of willow twigs, stared and
said nothing.
Breck raised a hand, though he
knew there would be no reply.
“Howdy, Art.”
Shortly after that he approached
a small house, strangely neat and
white in a garden of flowers, as
contrasted lo the mule corrals and
rough life about it. Dick Divine
came to the door, holding up a lan
tern as he peered out. His face
showed wrinkled and toothless, with
sharp eyes looking from under long
gray brows.
“Who’s yere?” he demandeu.
“Ranger from Rock House.”
“Well, howdy, Ranger. Are you
puttin’ up?”
“For one night,” Breck answered.
He swung to the ground, and pres
ently, having explained what he
wanted and turned his animals loose
with hobbles, he came back to find
a meal fixed for him on the pack
er’s table.
Art Tillson was still in camp the
next morning. Rigging saddles for
the tourists to come, Breck saw oth
er cowmen load their strings of
mules and vanish up the mountain.
But Art, single-handed, was later
than the rest. It was almost noon
before he had his salt train ready.
His mules were bunched, and
mounted, he was trying to rush
them into line, when abruptly a
roadster shot through the willow
thicket. His animals plunged from
the car, bucking at their packs as
they scattered. Art wheeled his
horse savagely as the car halted
near him.
Lobbies Described as Groups Seeking
To Influence Members of Legislatures
A lobby in the political sense is a
group o t persons or organizations
seeking to influence the members
of congress or a legislature in order
to obtain the passage, or secure the
defeat of, certain bills. The verb
"to lobby” means to solicit the vote
of a legislator or to attempt to in
fluence him in the exercise of his
official duties. Although in this
sense the term is an Americanism,
it is occasionally used in England
in reference to measures before the
house of commons. It originated be
fore the Civil war, relates a writer in
the Indianapolis News, and arose
from the fact that lobbyists work
in the lobbies—halls or vestibules—
of congress, and not actually on the
floor of the senate or house of repre
sentatives.
The lobbies are often facetiously
referred to as the "third house/’
In 1871 M. Scheie de Vere wrote on
this subject:
“The work done by members of
congress is very largely influenced
by agents from without, and by cer
tain established usages of their own.
The former is collectively called the
‘lobby,’ a term which, originating
in the German laube, a bower or
small summer-house, meant for
many centuries nothing more than
a small hall or entering room, pre
ceding a larger room. In America,
Breck had watched the swift scene
from Divine’s cabin, and now saw a
girl’s hand make a little gesture to
ward Art. The boy snatched off his
hat, and then as the girl drove on,
remained fixed in his saddle, star
ing after her.
He was still sitting like that,
Breck knew, when the roadster slid
I to a stop at the house and Irene
i jumped out, laughing and reaching
i both hands to him. Her words came
in staccato gasps: “Gordon 1 My
dear! I should never have known
you! You’re— Why— ’’ She paused,
surveyed him, ended helplessly,
1 “Why Gordon!”
He watched her curiously at first,
then warmed to spontaneous re
sponse. She stood before him as
amazingly beautiful as ever; tall,
dark, trimly outfitted in riding
breeches, gray silk shirt, black tie,
and polished tan boots, all of which
were perhaps more stylish than
comfortable, yet gave her figure
magnetic grace. The sun had burned
her cheeks on the drive across the
desert, coloring them over olive
skin, and the dry wind had cast a
sparkle upon her usually languid,
dark eyes.
Breck laughed into them, returned
the pressure of her clasp, and they
stood for an instant, wordless. In
wardly he had to admit some of the
old feeling.
The Senator interrupted, boosting
himself from the car. “You’re look
ing fine, my boy. Fine! Say, I’d
give something for your middle!”
Breck went to him. “You’ll be
this way if you live in the moun
tains long enough. I’m glad to see
you, Senator.”
Sutherland shook hands with a
hearty campaign grasp, long and
full of action. He was short and
thick-set, past fifty, with a round
face behind which lurked the humor
of many good smoking-room stories.
In clothes he had not followed
Irene’s example, but wore a thin
suit of white and a limp Panama.
They were still in the first ex
change of greetings when a second
car swung around a bend of the
road and burst through the willows,
further scattering Art Tillson’s
mules. It halted near the roadster,
a sedan scarcely showing its occu
pants in the piled-up baggage.
He opened the door, and a gray
haired, motherly face peered at him
over a canvas roll. “How do you do,
Gordon? You’ll have to dig me out
before I can reach you.” The wom
an’s voice came cheerily in spite
of her cramped position.
The chauffeur came from in front
to help him; a short, spare man
who had been in the family always.
In a moment they had the Senator’s
wife out. She gave Breck an im
pulsive hug, then stood off consid
ering him from Stetson hat to serv
ice boots.
“You’re a good-looking ranger,
Gordon,” was her verdict. “I must
say that!”
“My thanks,” he answered, smil
ing upon her. Of the Sutherland
family she was the one who gave
open affection. She babied the Sen
ator and spoiled Irene, and at one
time would have spoiled him too.
Dick Divine came from his cabin,,
introduced himself perfunctorily,
then added to Breck, “I’ve got .
somethin’ on the table in there. They j
can eat while we’re packin’.”
Glancing down, his eye fell on the :
array of luggage. A startled look
crossed his face.
Breck laughed. “Can we put this
on three mules, Dick?”
The old packer blinked hard. “I’d
say it ain't all here.”
“Oh no,” Irene agreed. “It isn’t.
You’ll find the rest in my roadster.”
(TO BE CONTINUED)
the rooms and passages surround
ing the hall, in which legislative
bodies hold their meetings, soon
monopolized the term, and in a short
i time the men who assembled there
i to exercise whatever outside pres
: sure they could bring to bear upon 1
■ the legislators, were themselves i
i called the ‘lobby.’ All who had pe- '
i titions to be granted, contracts to
be given, or favors of any kind to be
-1 bestowed, either went themselves or
! sent well-qualified agents to Wash
. ington, to ‘lobby’ their cause, as it
i was called. Capitalists used the pow
> er which wealth gives, even where
: no bribery was attempted; high so
cial standing was made serviceable,
• and even beauty and the charms of
. a silvery voice were not wanting to
secure the votes of susceptible
r members.”
v Cleopatra’s War Trumpet
Cleopatra used sistra at the bat
t tie of Actium and the sistrum was
I thus satirically called Queen Cleo
- patra’s war trumpet. It was an an
. cient Egyptian percussion instru
s ment with indefinite musical pitch,
{ a kind of metallic rattle. It con
r sisted of an oval metal frame fast
: ened to a handle and crossed by
i four metal horizontal rods passing
- through holes large enough to al
, low them to rattle when shaken.
What to Eat and Why
With Approach of Warm Weather, C. Houston Goudiss
Advises Extra Care in Storing Foods in the Home
By C. HOUSTON GOUDISS
IT IS the proud distinction of America’s food industries that
notwithstanding the infinite variety of perishable foods
which are constantly available, and regardless of the dis
tances they have been transported, even the most delicate
foods are delivered to the consumer in a fresh, wholesome
condition, with all their fine flavor unimpaired.
The secret of this modern miracle is refrigeration. Vast
sums of money have been invested in long trains of refriger-
ated cars, thousands upon'
thousands of refrigerated
trucks, refrigerated ware
houses and refrigeration
equipment in stores. All this
has been done for a single
purpose: to keep food fresh
and at its best until it reaches
the home.
At this point the responsibility
shifts to the homemaker. And if
she falls down on her job, then all
previous efforts to keep food free
from spoilage have been in vain.
Homemaker’s Responsibility
As guardian of her family’s
health, one of the homemaker’s
most important
tasks is to see to it
li *oo c* * s sa * e ’
/ contamination un
i JHp 9 table. This means
L J| foods must contin
ue to be refrigerat-
Wk this way can they
be protected from
the ravages of micro-organisms
which are always ready to attack
foods when conditions are favora
ble for their growth.
Two essentials are necessary for
satisfactory food preservation in
the home. First, perishable foods
must be stored at a temperature
of from 40 to 45 degrees Fahren
heit—never at a temperature high
er than 50 degrees. Second, the
right degree of humidity must be
maintained. Too much moisture
will encourage the growth of bac
teria ; too little will dehydrate
fruits and vegetables and make
them unfit for consumption.
Home Care of Foods
Both requirements are met by
a good household refrigerator;
and the homemaker who appreci
ates the importance of keeping
foods sound and wholesome will
regard an efficient refrigerator as
an investment in good health. It
is especially necessary that the
food supply be properly refrigerat
ed during the warmer weather of
spring and summer, in order to
prevent the consumption of dishes
that may have become contami
nated without any marked altera
tion in appearance, taste or odor.
Highly Perishable Foods
Milk Is often regarded as the
most perishable of all foods, be
cause it is an ideal medium for
the growth of bacteria. It is, there
fore, essential that this splendid
food be kept at low temperatures
at all times. It should be put into
I f —Tv)\A/ t 0 RUTH WYETH \
jj-AV/ VV UJ JVV SPEARS
FIT COVER /WOUNG _ Lrw^JPP»^l|!i
SUPPORTS, AND FASTEN gßtt
make
“r)EAR MRS. SPEARS: Your
books have shown me how
to do so many things that I am
turning to you for help, I want
to make slipcovers for the living
room furniture because with three
young ones the upholstery is soon
going to be ruined. The job com
pletely baffles me. I am enclos
ing a rough sketch of one of the
chairs. Can you suggest any way
that a removable cover can be
made for it? B. A.”
If you are prepared to make
many neatly fitted openings al
most any type of chair may be
slipcovered. Either bindings or
facings may be used to finish
edges where seat and back covers
are cut around arms and supports.
Where there are so many open
ings of different lengths, snap fas
teners are generally more satisfac
tory than zippers. If snap fasten
er tape is obtainable it saves time
to whip it to the long edges. The
narrow frill for this chair covers
a curved line across the front and
carving at the top of the front
legs.
You can make slipcovers, all
types of curtains and many other
things for your home with the
help of Book I—SEWING, for the
Home Decorator. Just follow the
pictures, and you learn to make
the lovely things you have been
<3»- -
the refrigerator as soon as possi
, ble after it Is delivered, and kept
there until the moment it is to be
used. Milk should never be
lowed to stand at room tempera
ture for any length of time. For
it has been demonstrated that
when it is held at 40 degrees—an
ideal temperature—before deliv
ery, then allowed to stand at a
room temperature of 75 degrees
for an hour and a half, and again
' refrigerated, a rapid increase in
! bacteria occurs.
Other types of protein foods also
present a favorable medium for
bacterial growth when they are
held at temperatures higher than
50 degrees. These include meat,
fish, meat broths, gelatin, custards
and creamed foods. It is advisa
ble to keep these foods, as well as
the milk supply, in the coldest
part of the refrigerator.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables soon lose
their moisture content unless they
are protected against warm, dry
air; and they are likewise subject
to the action of micro-organisms
which result in decay. But when
stored in a modern refrigerator,
these" mineral- and vitamin-rich
foods can be kept in perfect condi
tion for considerable periods, thus
making it possible to take advan
tage of favorable market offer
ings.
Guarding Against Mold
As a rule,, warmer weather also
increases the problem of combat
ing molds. For given moisture
and warmth, molds will grow on
almost anything. However, the
most hospitable hosts are acid
fruits, such as oranges, lemons,
berries or tomatoes; sweets, such
as jams and jellies; bread and
meat. While molds are physio
logically harmless if eaten, they
definitely spoil the taste and ap
pearance of food.
Mold growths can be killed by
boiling. They are retarded by the
dry circulating air of an efficient
refrigerator. It is to allow for
air circulation that berries should
be stored uncovered— if possible,
spread out so that the air can
reach more than just the top
layer.
Frequent inspection of all food
supplies, including those in the
bread box, and the prompt elimi
nation of any items showing signs
of mold, will help to keep it from
spreading.
Constant vigilance on the part of
the homemaker in caring for foods
on hand will avoid a needless
drain on the food budget and will
safeguard the health of every
member of the family.
©—WNU—C. Houston Goudiss—l939—B3.
wanting for your home. Book 2
is for those who enjoy fancy work
on useful articles for the home;
and useful novelties, to be made
in spare time. Books are 25 cents
each; don’t forget to ask for the
free leaflet on patchwork quilts,
when you order both books; the
leaflet is FREE with two books.
Address: Mrs. Spears, 210 S. Des
plaines St., Chicago, 111.
( Isn’t This Why
Yon Are Constipated?
What do you eat for breakfast?
Coffee, toast, maybe some eggs?
What do you eat for lunch and
dinner? White bread, meat, pota
toes? It’s little won der you’re con
stipated. You probably don’t eat
enough “bulk.” And “bulk”
doesn’t mean the amount you
eat. It’s a kind of food that forms
a soft “bulky” mass In the Intes
tines and helps a movement. If
this is your trouble, may we sug
gest a crunchy toasted cereal-
Kellogg’s All-Bran— for breakfast.
All-Bran Is a natural food, not a
medicine —but It’s particularly
rich in "bulk.” Being so, it can
help you not only to get regular
but to keep regular. You won’t
have to endure constipation, you
can avoid It. Eat All-Bran dally,
drink plenty of water, and life
will be brighter for you! Made by
in Battle Creek.
MERCHANDISE
Adust Be GOOD
J to be ||
I Consistently Advertised j
BUY ADVERTISED GOODS
