THE CENTRE R CHAPTER I1I—Continued a — “He gave up all of one lamb, didn't he? Generous man!” “Here's a card that says: ‘In case of death or accident please notify my next of kin, Miss Roberta Antrim,’ etc. Well, it sort of looks like old Tom's made a mess of things. He was too old to have attempted to do this job himself. His eyes probably weren't as good as they used to be, and when a fellow takes to bush- whacking he ought to be reasonably fast and accurate with a rifle. When you borrowed my rifle you sort of spilled old Tom's beans, Don Jaime.” “His sheep we still have with us, also his foreman and sheep-herders,” Don Jaime announced thoughtfully. «1 suppose his sheep are now the prop- erty of his next of kin, and God for- bid that I should wage war on a woman. Ken, my friend, I think we'll defer the war of the water-holes. The gensible thing to do now is to wire Miss Roberta Antrim to get down here on the job and look after the assets of her late Uncle Tom. She's a lady. She'll probably listen to reason and we'll get rid of these stinking sheep without additional bloodshed. They'll ruin a lot of the range In the Interim, of course— Oh, h—1, let 'em drink! If we shoo them off now they'll die and that would be putting a crimp In the lady's bankroll” “Whatever else we at least, try to be gentlemen,” the ranger agreed humorously. “Well, now. the next business before the meeting is to find old Tom's drape Thomas across the saddle, take him Los Algodones and deliver him to-the local undertaker. My re port of this affair will close the In- vestigation. And get a doctor. It's ten to your ranch and ten miles to Los Algodones. Tm in command! All aboard for Los Algodones, amigo They had proceeded but a short dis tance along the narrow, rutty road to Los Algodones when they taken by a man driving an old outo- mobile that had converted into a truck. Hearing it rattling along be- hind them, the ranger rode his horse {nto the middle of the road and held up his hand. The vehicle stopped. The ranger looked the driver over. «1 know you,” he announced. “Aren't you Tom Antrim's camp cook? Seems to me | saw this noon.” The man glanced from the ranger to Antrim's horse, with Antrim’s limp body hanging across the his dark face paled as he saw the dead man's head bundled up in his canvas coat, “What's happened?” he “That dead man's my boss, ain't he? “He used to be, He rode out of camp In a devil of a hurry shortly after I was there, you may remember Well, his mission was to circle around Senor Higuenes, wa) and murder him. He tried very hard to succeed, as you may judge by a casual inspeec- tion of Senor Higuenes, but somehow his proposition back-fired and now he's on his way to the undertaker. Suppose we dispose Antrim's body on your truck. He keeps shifting in the saddle and making as great a nuisance of himself In death as he did In He Tm afraid he'll fall off. Don Jaime will ride on the seat beside you and ¥1l sit on back with the corpse and lead these two horses. You got a gun on you?" “Yes, sir, “Give it to me. You might be tempt- ed to use it on Don Jaime. Hop out now and pay the last sad tribute of love to your late boss” “I don't think I'll go Los Algo dones after all, ranger. The boys ought to be notified of this killing—" “You'll go. I desire it, my friend. I don't feel like having your friends organize a reprisal raid on the Rancho Valle Verde until I'm there to receive them.” Hobart flashed his ranger's ghield on the man who, without fur- ther ado, assisted him to place An- trim's body In the box of the car. Hobart then lifted Don Jaime down from his horse and deposited him be- glide the driver, after which he septed himself in the rear of the car and with his long legs hanging out the tailgate held the leading ropes of the three horses, They proceeded to Los Algodones, where Hobart turned An- trim's body over to the coroner and made his report to the sheriff, having first seen Don Jaime In bed at the hotel with a doctor in charge of him, About an hour later a coroner's jury trooped into Don Jaime's room and listened to his story of the kill ing. ' The ranger added his testimony, and the foreman of the jury looked humorously at his fellow jurors, “Don't seem to be anything myste- rious about this case, boys,” he an- nounced. “All those In favor of ren- dering a verdict of suicide hold up their right hands. All up? We, the jury, find that the deceased came to his death at the hands of Don Jaime Miguel Higuenes and that the said Higuenes acted in self-defense and eannot be charged with any crime worse than justifiable homicide.” “1 thank you, senores,” said Don Jaime. “Ken, take the jury down to be, let vs, may horse, into should mio. were over- been you at his camp gnddle cried his ay to the hotel bar and set up the drinks. Go 'way, you chaps. I'm not In suffi- clent pain to groan, but I'd like to cuss freely for a while.” The jury retired in an atmosphere of profound geniality, and when Ken Hobart had sufficiently upheld the tra- ditions of Valle Verde he returned to his employer. “Well, I've wired my resignation. It ought to reach the governor before the office closes, and his wire of ac- ceptance will come to me In your care, I am on my way to the ranch. I'' send the trailer In after our horses in the morning. They're at ranger headquarters. That cook of Antrim's 18 bound to have taken the news out to his people, I'd bet- ter be at the ranch in the event of hos- tilities.” Don Jaime held out a telegram him, to “Please file that as you go out, Ken. The doctor has sent to El Paso for a trained nurse, and 80 soon as she arrives I'll go out to the ranch and recuperate, Adios, ml buen com panero.” . * * * * » » Although she had promised Crooked 3H would start for Los Algo- dones immediately, such was her curiosity to met the adorable Don Jaime Miguel Higuenes, Roberta An trim awakened the following morning with a changed mind. Her first rush of enthusiasm, engendered by Don Jaime's telegram and the vivid men- tal picture had painted of him, was fading: in its place was growing an apprehension that Crooked Bill was probably right as vsual. The es timable Don Jalme might prove to be a Pancho Villa despite she she sort of person physi his undoubted mental nents, and Roberta felt she did not eare to take such disillusionment until she had to. Crooked Bill, knowing his nlece far better than she knew herself, was quite prepared for this of mind. he sald nothir mild inquiry as to Don Jaime Miguel his charming telegram, “Oth, I fm 1 cally change ond a » what reply she had Higuenes to So 12 bey sent and told have him thanked him be happy to after my interests until 1 could find a man to relieve him, which time he would be remunerated for his work. I also asked him to send me a detailed account the manner in which Uncle Tom his death and instructed him to have Uncle Tom fret J BEL would at of met hill to me” “Hum-m I" Crooked Bill's grunt was very skeptical. “Did you ask him for any Information regarding your Uncle's Tom's estate?” “No. Uncle Bill I thought look after those detalls for me” “l will honey, but I must remind you that I have a few details of my own that require looking after. I'm up to my eyebrows In stocks and if the market goes against me (and I don't like the looks of it) I'm lable to have to go down to Texas, take hold of your Uncle Tom's sheep busi- ness and try to eke out a respectable existence for both of us. 1 suppose you'd give me a job as your manager, wouldn't you, Bobby? loberta’s eyes widened, Uncle Bill, you're jesting.” “I'm not. Neither am I lugubrions, my dear. It will be time enough for that when I Invite my creditors in to gather up the pieces” “You're a strange mixture of op timism and pessimism, Uncle Bill Are you really deep in the market?” “1 have already told you I'm in up to my eyebrows. You see, Bobby, when one plays on margin and sells short, he makes a dollar a share every time the price drops a point; If he buys short he loses a dollar a share every time the price mounts a point. And the brokers keep calling for more margin, . Well, I bought five thousand shares at 110." “Five hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” Roberta Interrupted to prove she was following Crooked Bill's tale with Interest, “Well, the dog-gone stock has gone up to a hundred and ninety—" “A loss of eighty points—four hun- dred thousand dollars! Oh, Uncle Bi” “Of course there's bound to be a break sometime. A miracle is bound to occur, provided I carry the load indefinitely. If the stock keeps ad- vancing, the fellow who has sold five thousand shares short faces the daily job of digging up anywhere from five to twenty thousand dollars additional margin. There's such a thing as reaching the point where one has no more margin available, and when that point is reached one’s broker just nat- urally plays safe and sells one out and one is busted.” Roberta came to the old man and put her falr arms around his leathery you'd “Surely, peck. “I'm Uncle Tom's helr, At least he wrote me to that effect once when he was very ill" “The time he was shot by his fore man in a quarrel over participating profits, you mean." “go if you go bust, Uncle Bill, you can have Uncle Tom's sheep.” “A terrible heritage,” Crooked Bill replied, and shuddered. “Well, we'll hope for the best, honey, You or your legal representative will have to go to Texas soon and do something about those sheep. Now that your Uncle Tom's dead his herders may steal some of the sheep, If not all Did he or did he not make a will, and If so, who is the executor?” “1 do wish, Uncle Bill, that would go down there and attend to these matters, I'll give you my power of attorney.” “What!” Crooked Bill almost yelled, “With the market skyrocketing and every dollar I have in the world tiled up In it? Impossible!” “If Glenn Hackett loved me half as much as he started to tell me he did, he'd go down there for me” “He has half a dozen very im- portant cases demanding his attention” here. Why should he neglect clients you “80 If You Go You Can Have Sheep.” Bust, Uncle Bill, Uncle Tom's who pay him huge fees to chase off on your business after the way you've treated him? he have the hardihood to send you a bill for half what the trip would actually cost him.” i many lovely things planned, Uncle Bill. To go down to Texas now would quite ruin my sum- mer.” she protested. “Not to go will probably ruin the game summer for Jaime Miguel Higuenes, Bobby." “Probably, too, it will not. He's ac customed to Texas summers, I take It." ‘But not to playing nursemald to the Lord knows not how many sheep for a person he doesn’t even know. After one look at you he might derive considerable pleasure from his kindly act, but in the absence of any interest on your part he may be tempted to deny your sheep the mother's care all sheep require.” “But I do not know that I am heir to those sheep. Can't you wait until a will is unearthed or the absence of one definitely established? Glenn brought up that point yesterday. If there Is no will 1 shall, of course, as Uncle Tom's next of Kin, petition for letters of administration, but ontil 1 have a letter from Senor Higuenes it seems to me I can do nothing but mark time” “Very well then, mark time. what I'm doing and crazy.” - * » * » * » It was a week before the expected letter arrived from Jaime Miguel Higuenes. Having perused It, Ro- berta handed it to Crooked Bill “Rancho Valle Verde, Las Cruces Co., Texas. Besides, wouldn't have go That's it's driving me “June 28, 1025. “Dear Miss Antrim: “Supplementing my telegram of a week ago I regret to report that on the 21st inst, your uncle, Thomas An- trim, as the aftermath of a dispute that arose due to your uncle's alleged trespass with his sheep on lands not owned by him, engaged in a duel with rifles. His antagonist, one Jim Hig- gins, emerged the victor in this san- guinary affray. From testimony it appears, much as [ regret to say so, that Mr. Antrim was very much the aggressor, In fact Higgins was wounded three times by your relative before he found himself In position to return the fire. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of justifiable homi- cide, “In accordance with your tele graphic instructions I have seen to it that your uncle received Christian burial In Odd Fellows cemetery, “Your uncle was well known to me, We had a community of Interest In many things, so when at his untimely passing no one came forward to per form the last sad rites I took it upon myself to notify you. It has been a pleasure to me to have served you. “Deing at this time confined to my home with a slight indisposition, 1 di rected my general manager to call upon your uncle's foreman in charge of some 40,000 sheep on the range and inform him that it was your wish, as the probable heir to your uncle's es tate, that he continue to carry on with the sheep until the arrival of you or your representative here, The man, & man named Bill Dingle, men- tioned having a contract with your uncle to participate to a certain ex tent in the latter's sheep business and stated that he was not taking orders from anybody. My manager there upon showed him your teiegram to me, conveying your request that I act as your representative temporarily. This written display of authority had little or no. effect on Bill Dingle. While Jim Higgins is recovering from his wounds Bill Dingle continues to trespass on the former's lands. that your have made a will, I suggested public administrator that he look into the matter, ago 1 re ceived a letis this official in. 0 the Federal Cf sf El Paso, had forwarded a will be filed for probate at Los Algodones. From this will it appears are the sole heir and coexe- th the Federal Trust ose executorship, however, at your option, but company shall have fore. 0 sri SUS uncle might to the pecting Three days fort Trust to com- only trust id certain loans made your lifetime, 1 no in the an of these 3 his have 8 to unt il, doubtless, have to emplo attorney. If desired I shall ¢ happy to recommend one who has the Higuenes family ably and iy for forty years—Don Pru denclo Alviso, of Los Algodones a local b goryed faith to state that the “1 regret little I have very confidence In integrity of uggest you take steps to count the sheep nediately, The count will have to be made by one backed by undoubted legal right to do so. Upon the request of the local attorney for the estate the court will appoint a man to do this for you. 1 advise very prompt action. “It 1 can serve you further, please do not hesitate to command “Your obedient servant, “JAIME MIGUEL HIGUENES" “Well 7 Roberta queried as Crooked 3il1 folded the letter and laid it on the library table, “80 your Uncle Tom tried to run a blazer on an Irishman, eh? One Jim Higgins. Must be Black Irish, so Tom foolishly mistook him for a Mexican” He rubbed his ingenious head. “Don’t like the idea of that El Paso bank being coexecutor with you, honey. We'd better ascertain how much money the estate owes the bank, pay them off and get rid of them. | imagine it isn't a great deal. No sane bank would loan Tom Antrim very much. If course this Dingle Bell" “Bi Dingle,” Roberta corrected “Qenor Higuenes doesn't trust him” “Senor Higuenes is evidently in the cattle business, If we may judge from his letterhead, so naturally he wouldn't trust any sheepman. I wouldn't be in too great a hurry to oust Dingle Bell—1 mean Bill Dingle, If I were you, Bobby. The qualities that go to make up a good sheep foreman might not appeal to a cattleman. However, I think you should engage Senor Pru. denclo Alviso as your attorney. What we want now Is action. We must have those sheep counted. We'll en gage Prudenclo by night letter tonight and tell him we're forwarding a thou sand for his retainer; we wili also suggest that he congult with Higuenes when selecting the man to count the sheep. The court will probably ap point the man nominated by your at- torney, Meanwhile we will have to arm you with proper credentials birth certificate, affidavits and other proof that you are the identical Ro- berta Antrim mentiohed In your un- cle’s will, Glenn Hackett will attend to that, of course.” “Must I dash down to Los Algo dones Immediately?” Roberta queried complainingly. “Oh, take your time, take your time, honey. Dingle Bell, Prudencio Alviso, Tom Antrim has At the advice of Glenn in a magazine, An- They shoot it out. found instructions to notify Miss and Jaime Miguel Higuenes can han- dle the situation, I imagine.” CHAPTER IV The assistant general manager of the Rancho Valle Verde walked, with a jingling of spurs, into the cool, vine enclosed veranda where Don Jaime lay at ease In his chalse longue, while a nurse, almost old enough to be his mother, sat in an adjacent chair knit ting. “Well, how's our boss, Mrs, Ganby 7?” Ken Hobart queried. “His wounds have all healed by first intention,” the nurse answered. “1 should say he'll be up and around iin In a month. Probably lame for month or two thereafter, At any + he loses me 2k.” next wed 1 n't you win here, do Don Jaime } wa for another month's salary and take a nice, quiet vacatio “1d to, but money under false this ranch. It's Mrs. Ganby sald & coyote chorus those yonder, It's thrilling. I dare Don Jaime, you find it rather dull -~guch & young man as yourself.” -l most ancestors “Don Ja He bart lonely here egted, it wauld be taking I like " like pretenses, peaceful “very night I hear 80 here,” from say, here do not” Don Jalme replied, al- curtly. “It is the home of and 1 love It." ime resembles the Chinese. " Ken Ho- my worshins his i ancestors, “But Too much to do fou fy wa 4 informed her. bh n pay hel ainst 1 ink has resigned Prudy intment he received he he bs coexecutor Olid tells me that with his apg a retainer of a instroctions to secure a Such thousand &« good count those overwhelms him. o ¥ sheer gheed { second the nomination. An honest count of those sheep is most desirable, Ken™ honest man, Don Jalme™ “Pah! We compliment you, man” “I'll have to have help.” “You will—a court Don Jaime lifted some very expen order™ give stat and smelled it hungrily. he murmured. *“1 dare say that's as close as I'l! ever get to Miss Roberta Antrim. going to leave everything In her law- yer's handg, with instructions to con sult with me, and whatever we two decide to do will meet with her ap- proval. She says she dreads coming roses” cepted many engagements of a social nature, that she just cannot contemplate abandoning her plans” “Who is Roberta Antrim?’ the nurse inquired. “The niece and sole heir of the man Antrim 1 killed after he'd busted me, Mrs. Ganby., She doesn’t knidw I'm the bright boy that bumped old Tom off. 1 wrote her a chap named Jim Higgins had done it." Ken Hobart chuckled, (TO BE CONTINUED.) Silk Worms “Smuggled” into Europe by Monks The discovery of the thread of the cocoon is credited to a wife of » Chinese emperor as far back as 2600 B. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers