LOCHINVAR IN RAGS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 12730, 1 May 1939, Page 3

LOCHINVAR IN RAGS

i by KATHRYN CULVER . * Copr. 1938 bj United Feature Syndicate* Inc*

CHAPTER XXVII

The day Julie left, for Atlanta, Normandy Buford received a letter postmarked at Phoenix, Arizona. It ‘ va s waiting for him when he returned from his office at fiAe. Ho tore it open eagerlj, and read the pencilled scraAvl: -Dear friend Buford: “Your letter got to me here after being forwarded around from different addresses where I’ve been the past feAV years. I a\ as glad to hear from you. It’s been a long time since we threw a diamond hitch on a pack burro and Avcnt into the mountains together to prospect for gold,' but I haven’t forgotten. Those Avere the days. “Concerning the mat.tei you ask about in your letter—no, I never went back into the Bar-X country to try and run doAvu that vein Ave found. But I’d sure like to. “I hear old Grampus CaldAvell is dead,'but I understand there’s a son that maybe we could deal with-—if you really want to go into it. Let me know. It Avould be good to, see you again. “I’ve got-a hunch there’s a fortune In gold on the Bar-X —just begging to be Avorked. Faithfully yrs., : ’ Jeff Stratton.” Normandy sat, with the letter in his hand for a long time. He Avas gazing out a windOAv toward trie west, spanning the ’ • continent in Imagination —not seeing what Avas before his eyes, but gatzing upon a vista of Avind-SAV'ept plains and rugged mountains. The Better carried him back twen-ty-five years',, and he was reliving that last ' prospecting trip he. had taken, Avith Jeff Stratton .as. his .partner. . After repeated failures, that trip Jiad been partially-successful. They had found a vein all right—and it had looked like a rich find—but it had been on Bar-X property. When they had told Grampus CaldAvell of their discovery, the rancher had just laughed at them. His interest lay; in cattle rather than in mining, and he Avas dead set against having any part >of his cattle range dug jip on the slim chance that there I 'might be a hit, of gold there. Hence, they hadn’t run the vein down. . With the passing of fire years, memory of that Bar-X vein had slipped aAvay from Normandy. But the coming of Barry CaldAvell had revived it. His letter to Jeff Stratton had ben a,shot in the dark. He hadn’t even known whether Jeff was still alive. For that reasdn, he hadn’t .said anything about it £o, Julie — hadn’t told her there was a chance Barry might not be as penniless as bethought he was. "... Normandy, sat thinking. , A fortune, in gold; in the Bar-X mountains? It Avasn’t' impossible. His eyes shone with mounting excitement. . . • . . • He pose Avith sudden decision, laid the open Better on a table,; arid went to the telephone in tire hall. ’ He first, called his secretary and ’ tqld her he was going , on’ ari unexpected trip West, and might be away, tor a month. Next, he ’phoned the depot for a reservation on a west-' .Ward-bound riigtit train;- arid then,; sent Jeff a telegram informing ‘hr he was on his way to Phoenix. His train would leave at eight dock. That didn’t give him' much me to.pack and get ready. He was in his bedroom, packing, 6h lie. heard light footsteps on • th 6 front porch. - .. Thinking it was Julie, he called, ome on In and make ■ yourself at me! ’l’ll be out in a moment,' “ exciting news!” laT!? 6 - vo * ce ttiat answered was Wn fl B3 ’ n °*” u He’s- He frowned, J ered w hat the heck she wanted-, went on Avith his packing, the ,f. anw^iie ' Isolde had stepped into aboi room ’ was moving Ihe t e ' S^ess f y * She paused beside taPPinS the P oli shed Ayood tier glance fell casually on the ■deniw v fc * er lying there—then sudIy became Intent. and (fan!!.! ® entence had leaped rip ught her/eye; ^ 6 ' 8 ' a fortune in S°ld on a ßar ' X! Why ’ that was-L-ttiat Sh ! Py Cald well’s ranch! L tdly V Baned over the table excit--1 the entire letter. Avittiout Cel tion ’ Her eyes: glittered as a °Wu w ed ’ b . a ! k swiftlyi/' and-WaV ■ She w a cilair near the door.' 1 ' will. lo ° king through a magaB *’ etended nonchalance Normandy came in, carrying a

bulging bag. “Forgive me for keeping you waiting,’’ he said, setting down the bag. “That’s quite all right,” she assured him languidly. Normandy suddenly saw the letter lying on the table. He quickly picked it up and thrust it in his pocket. Isolde smiled. “Are you going away?’’ She arched her eyebrows at the leather bag. “Yes —a short business trip.” “Indeed? West ” There was a little slur in Isolde’s voice. Normandy stared .at her. Could she possibly have read that letter while she was waiting? He dismissed the possibility as unworthy even of Isolde. “As it happens—yes,” he replied. “Every one seems to be leaving,” ‘lsolde said lazily. I came over to ask if you knew that Julie hot-foot-ed it to Atlanta this afternoon?” Normandy was surprised, but all he said was, “Is that so?” “Yes. She told her father she was going to visit a friend, but the cashier at the bank told Ken she drew out an immense sum in cash before leaving, and the servants say she took enough luggage to do her for a month! It seems very queer, don't you think?” “liam, not,” said Normandy stiffly, “interested in hearing Julie’s private affairs 'discussed.” Isolde shrugged and rose. “You needn’t be rude;. I just thought you would like to know ...” ,>:She went' out with a spiteful smile., . ; F v Normandy stood frowning for a moment," then 1 dismissed Isolde from his mind. Whlcli was. a 1 \ ' t CHAPTER XXVIII : Isolde walked slowly back to the Terry house,, ; her eyes gleaming as she thought : sut ;a scheme that had been inspired by her perusal of that letter to "Normandy from Arizona.;. She pieced things together. She was’ sure that the contents of that letter was the cause of Normandy’s precipitate departure for; the West. She felt positive, too, that Julie had dashed .off to Atlanta expecting to meet Barry therer—intuition told her that. But Normandy had not known Julie was gone. Hence, it was unlikely that he yet knew Baity’s whereabouts —-unlikely that he had let Mill., know there might be gold on- his ranchTA fortune in gold! If she could just get to Barry’ before he heard from Normandy—persuade hipj: to sell her the Bar-X ranch for" a nominal sum before he learned that it might leap in value . . Hbr 4 ‘breath quickened. Her imagination was inflamed by the thought of getting her hands on a piece of that, would make her rich! She' and tier mother, of course, were very comfortably off, but this coup—phy, this might bring her millions! W There’.was, too, a vindictive motivev behind: Isolde’s, scheme. - She bore a grudge. against Barry and Julie. Arid here was her opportunity to triumph. oyer them. She had (hated Julie from the first time she sa ’w her—had taken a fiendish delight dri stealing Kenneth from tier. ! Bui !Barry had .spoiled her triumph- disappearing on the scene arid making Julie indifferent to Kenneth.” She*could, not .forgive him for that. -It : wasn;t.;any fpn sfealirig another girl’s-, fiance after the other girl had decided she didn't want’him anyway. ; Y K.s- ; Her" attempts, to show Barry up and tiumiliafeihiin at Julie's birthday party had failed—had ended only in winning him S sympathy ’and' her in an unfavourable light. Her second effort Jto. humiliate him —the challerige to ride Black Dynamitehad also failed! C, He had emerged as a hero- while shh: had . suffered 7 the humiliation 1 of being denouxiced by Julie before. Kenneth, and of seeing Kenneth take Julie’s side against her. All this rankled. V. . But she would- coirie out on top this time! It seemed to. her .that Destiny had guided her t^ s Norinandy’-,s,,'this afternoon for the" sole- purpose of .giving her an opportunity to reari that letter giving her a tool wittiyyhich to strike back and with;him, at Julie.. - 1 . She knew, though, that she would have to move swiftly and guilefully to accomplish her purpose. The first step was tot locate Barry. This could her done only by following .Julie to i Atlari/ta and getting' on her trail. She was sure that Julie s trail would lead to Barry, ■ As she turned in at the Terry gate and saw Edith reclining in a swing

on the porch, she carefully assumed an air of nonchalance, erasing the frown of concentration had been on her brow. She mounted the steps and flopped down into a chair beside Edith. “Hello,” Edith said coolly. “Where have you been?” “Oh, just walking,” Isolde replied casually. She wondered if Edith secretly knew the reason behind Julie’s hurried departure for Atlanta —knew where she would be staying. Isolde didn’t for a minute, believe that she would go to Alma May Whittaker. That, she was sure, had just been a dodge. After a moment, she said, with a sigh, “I envy Julie her trip to Atlanta. It’s dreadfully dull around here.” Edith threw her a spiteful glance. “Why don’t, you go home if you are so bored with your visit?” she said bluntly. , Isolde smile dthinly. “Is that a suggestion that I’ve Avorn out my, welcome?” Edith shrugged. “Take it any way you like.” Isolde studied her from under halfclosed lids. “You do hate me, don’t you?” “I hate to see you taking Kenneth in—he thinks you’re serious about being engaged to him.” “Perhaps I am.” “All right.” Edith shrugged again. “Perhaps you are.” • A little silence fell between them. Edith Avas ashamed of .her outburst, but she. was in an irritable mood at the moment. She was worried* Julie. She kneAv Julie Avould' have told her about the Atlanta trip if it had been as innocent as slie had made it sound, in talking to her father. No, there was more *to it than just a visit to Alma May. Isolde’s voice broke into her train ‘of thought. “What is a good hotel if I 'decide to visit the bright lights in Atlanta?” Edith replied, “The Cosmopolitan is very nice. That’s where Ave always stop.” / Isolde rose languidly. “I think I’ll try to persuade Ken to drive me in to do some shopping—for my ‘trorisseau.” ‘fThat,” said Edith, “will he just ducky. Isolde found Kenneth morosely sprkwled in a chair in the living room. ’ She slipped up tiehind him, leaned over and pressed her cheek against tils. ■ “ “A penny for your thoughts.” “You’d be cheated.” “Look;” She said brightly. “We both rided to, snap put of it. Let’s run into;. Atlanta for a-few days and see if we can’t shake off the mollygrutis.” - 1 ’ '“I dpn’t know ...” * “Please,” Isolde pleaded prettily. need to do some shopping. Don’t forget—l have to buy a trousseau.” “That’s right* I suppose you do. All right. I’ll drive you in to-mor-row.’’ Isolde was pleased. She had not expected him to consent so readily. “That’s a promise,” she said. ‘Now, don’t you forget!” p, . (To n° continued) I