CHAPTER IX-—Continued — fo At the head of the single street Don Jaime looked back. “A contented peo- ple,” he declared. *“Chilll peppers dry- ing on every roof and ample corn for the tortillas; a tiny garden for onions and lettuce and beans, labor exchanged for bright calico and overalls and gingham at cost at the ranch commis- sary; no debts, no rents, no lawsuits, freedom from a puritanical code of morals, Sometimes I could wish I, too, were a peon. Boll-weevil and the price of beef bothers them not, nor taxes nor notes at the bank." “Nor sheep,” Roberta supplemented, “Speaking of which,” he continued, “we will ride out and visit the woollies after luncheon, if you care for a ride ". * ® * ¥ »® * Crocked Bill was wondering why his niece was such a poor correspondent, when Harms, the butler, entered with the mail Crooked Bill pounced upon it. Two envelops, one slim and the other fat, bore the return address of the Rancho Valle Verde, so Crooked Bill opened the slim one and read: “My dear Mr. Latham: “I wired you for permission to pay my court to your very lovely niece, Miss Roberta Antrim. In granting the desired permission, for which I am deeply grateful, you saw fit to give me some wholly unnecessary and rather silly advice on how to be suc cessful in love. “My dear Mr. Latham, you know nothing of your charming niece's dis- position. The finest way in the world for me to kill my feeble prospects would be for me to wrangle a guitar under her window and sing ‘Sobre las Olas.’ And anyhow, what's your in- terest in me that causes you to be so free with your foolish advice? 1 sus pect you would like to get me In Dutch. +] think she likes me, but she doesn't know whether I'm crazy about her or not, even when I swear I am. I ficure that the best way to get her winging is to keep her guessing, but— quien sabe! If you have any other suggestions for helping along the game of your old friend Patricio Jesus Hig- uenes' son, let them fly. “Sincerely yours «J. Ml. HIGUENES." Crooked Bill read and reread this remarkable document and with a huge gigh laid it aside. “I've overplayed my hand,” he murmured, and took up Roberta's letter, which ran as follows: “Dear Uncle Bill: “1 am ashamed of myself for having neglected you so, but the fact is I have been having such a wonderful time at Don Jaime's ranch (I call him Jim- my) that I haven't had time to write. “Uncle Bill, he's marvelous. Every- body thinks so and says so—conse- quently it must be true. He Is very bold, he sings and plays divinely, he is a sort of feudal baron and he works hard all day with his men. He has thousands of acres of thou- sands more of alfalfa, thousands more of cattle range, and all the cattle in the world. “I baven't thought of Glenn Hackett more than twice since coming here and then only to compare him, to his dis- advantage, to this amazing Jimmy. If he'd only make love 4% me like a rea- sonable man should I think I'd fall for him—hard. “1 enclose a number of photos. The one of Jimmy is excellent. Write soon, “Your loving “BOBBY.” With the calmness of despair Crooked Bill scrutinized the photographs, The one of Don Jaime showed him on a gray horse with a day-old calf draped across his lap. “Caramba I" murmured Crooked BilL “This fellow 18 no fat, oily, perfumed, lazy Mexican with a mustache, The boy has sized Roberta up right-—not the width of a gnat's wing out of line —and he'll win in a walk, as sure as death and taxes, unless I do some thing and do it muy pronto. 1 don't want Roberta to marry into a mized breed like the Higueneses, “Well, Roberta says if he'd only make love to her like a reasonable man she'd fall for him hard. That means she's still safe, . . . Bill Latham, you've got to get that girl back home in a& hurry. Those infernal sheep and my foolish scheming sent her to Texas, and in order to get her home those sheep must be disposed of—in a hurry. God help me, I'll have to buy them myself-—and if that Higuenes bandit ever gets on to the fdentity of the purchaser, he'll induce her to soak me so hard, when I'm une sable to defend myself, that I'll never have the heart to eat a mutton chop again, Glenn, my boy, fighting your fight Is going to be mighty expensive, but as an adjunct to the family I guess you're worth it.” He telephoned to his office in New York, instructing ft to seeure him transportation and a drawing room to Los Algodones, Texas, and the following day was en route to consummate the crookedest plece of business he had ever contem- plated—that of swindling himself! In due course he arrived In Los Algodones and put up at the Mansion house, Neither the town nor the hotel had changed a particle in the twenty. cotton, five years that had passed since he had seen it last. Nobody knew him, nor did any of the faces of the loungers in the chairs tipped back against the front of the hotel awaken In Crooked Bill the faintest flicker of recognition. At the general store he purchased a pair of overalls, & canvas coat and a gray sombrero, which, combined with a soft white shirt and black tie and the boots (a relic of other days) which he habitually wore, metamorphosed Crooked Bill into a very fair Imitation of a Texas citizen of the wide open spaces, Thus garbed he calied upon Don Prudencio Alviso, “My name's Blodgett, Mr. Alviso” he announced, and soothed his con- science with the thought that it was— his middle name. “I understand you're the attorney for Tom Antrim’s estate, I also understand he left quite a smear of sheep.” Don Prudencio nodded. “Are they for sale?” “A sale might be arranged, weeth the consent of the court, Senor Blod- gett,” Don Prudencio answered guard. edly. “Fine.” sald Crooked Bill. “I'll buy them. I've a notion I ean make a turn on those sheep, I understand An- trim's heir lives In New York, so 1 presume she'll be glad to sell and git rid of a nuisance.” Don Prudencio shrugged. “Maybe * With his eyes he inquired what Senor Blodgett's offer might be, Hav- ing looked up the market quotations in an El Paso paper Crooked Dill promptly named a figure one dollar per head the highest market quotations. 80. above Don Prudenclo stirred slightly, *I weel sell you those sheeps, subject to the confirmation by the he purred., “I am the executor for the ee-state. The sheep have been count’ recently and I weel guarantee the count. I weel write for you an offer for all those sheeps, wheech you will sign. Then I weel accept, subject to the confirmation by the court and you weel pay me now on account ten thou- sand dollars, no? I am queeck trader ~Jike you." “I'tl have the money wired to the credit of the estate In any bank you name. It will be there tomorrow. You've sold something.” Don Prudencio Alviso might have looked sleepy, but behind those slight. ly liverish eyes he was very awake, Within ten minutes he had William B. Latham sewed up on 8 contract of purchase and sale, pro- vided the court approved Don Pruden- clo's action as executor, When Crooked Bill had the contract safely tucked in his pocket he come menced talking with Don Prudencio about the deceased Tom Antrim, and learned that for a few days following Antrim's death the sheep had re- mained in charge of one Bill Dingle, Antrim’s foreman. Later Dingle had rather forcibly relieved of his charges by Jalme Higuenes, of the Rancho Valle Verde. “That Dingle might be a good expe- rienced sheepman to care for these sheep In case the court approves the sale,” Crooked Bill suggested hope fully. “Where might one get in touch with him?” Don Prudencio gave him minute di- rections for finding Mr, Dingle, and with a heart beating high with hope Crooked Bill took his departure. “Tomorrow I'll hire a car and driver and hie me out to saw those sheep off on Bill Dingle,” he decided. “I'll give that grass thief a bargain he just nat- urally won't have the heart to refuse, Then I'll get an airplane to freight me back home In a hurry, because I mustn't waste any time with that Hig penes bird always on the job. Once home, I'l wire Roberta I'm very ill and to come home immediately, After that—the Deluge.” spt court, wide been CHAPTER X For a long time after Crooked Bill had left his office Don Prudencio Al viso sat in his swivel chair and stared hard at the opposite wall. He was thinking equally hard. Presently he took down the telephone and called the proprietor of the Mansion house and with him held a conversation in Spanish. Then he hung up and waited, Presently the telephone rang and Don Prudencio answered, “Gracias” He hung up and wrote on a scratch pad the initials W. B. L. Thereafter he continued to stare at the wall for an- other hour, The following night he appeared at the Rancho Valle Verde. Roberta was dressing Jor dinner, and Don Jaime was lying in his long chair on the gallery, with Ken Hobart beside him. “Hello, Prudy, what brings you out? Don Jaime hailed him, “f am mystified,” Don Prudencio re plied, and forthwith related In meticu- lous detail his Impending sale of the Antrim sheep to a fat-headed old gen. tleman for a very great deal more than they were worth, “He sald his name was Blodgett, and signed the contract William L. Blodgett,” the law. yer continued. “He did not say where he was from, but I could see he knew nothing of sheep and was a city man. He did not bargain with me and he seemed to me to be quite too anxious to buy the sheep. So I telephoned to the Mansion house to inquire if he was stopping there and when I described him they sald they had a guest there from New York by that name, but that his baggage carried the initials W.B. L.” “Hum-m-m !” Don Jaime grunted and sat up very straight, “He isn't a very good liar, Is he? What does W, B. L., of New York, want of the Antrim sheep, and why should he pay such a high price for them? This is indeed very mysterious, Prudy. Did he de- posit the ten thousand?” “He did. It was telegraphed from New York." “I wonder what the old idiot is go- ing to do with those sheep?” “I imagine he's going to get Bill Din- gle to care for them.” “Not on my range. Prudy, the min- ute those sheep pass out of possession of the estate of Thomas Antrim, de- censed, they're going to get off the Higuenes range. If they linger there'll be a fight or a foot race.” “Do you suppose Miss Antrim will agree to sell the sheep, my friend?” Don Prudencio queried. “Sell them? Of course she'll sell them, You are her executor and you recommend the sale, I am her friend and business adviser and 1 certainly “} Gave Dingle and His Men a Pretty Tough Deal” recommend It, and as the probate judge knows nothing of sheep and will be guided by such experts as you and me in making his decision, naturally he will sign an order of sale, Have a drink, after that long and interesting report i” “Weeth dencio, The following morning Don Jaime motored in to Los Algodones, and Ro berta accompanied him. As they swung down the main street past the Man gion house, with its row of chalr-warm- ers on the front porch, Roberta started and laid a half-detaining hand on Don Jalme's arm, “Jimmy, look! See that man sitting on the right of the line~the one in the hlue overalls and canvas coat?” “Yea ™ “He's a replica of my Uncle Bill, If he had Uncle Bills clothes on I'd get out and kiss him without question. Good gracious, what a marked resem- blance! Why he and Uncle Bill are as near alike as twins” “867 murmured Don Jaime stepped on his foot throttle, that's mighty interesting.” He parked In front of the bank, ex- cused himself to Roberta, entered and sought the cashier, “Ed.” he sald, “yesterday ten thou gand dollars was wired here to the credit of the estate of Thomas Antrim, as a first payment on account of the purchase, by one Blodgett, of the An trim sheep. That young lady outside in my ear is Antrim's heir, Miss Ro- berta Antrim. I want to know what New York bank wired it.” “Certainly. 1 dont think 1 violate de-light,” sald Don Pru and “Now any confidence, tional” “Who ordered the transfer?” “A man by the name of Glenn Hackett,” “Thanks,” said The Twelfth Na- Don Jaime, and climbed back into the car with Ro- berta. When they were half-way back to Valle Verde he said to her very casually, “Do you know a man in New York by the name of Glenn Hackett?” Roberta jerked erect with surprise. “Why, yes! He's one of my dearest friends and my Uncle Bill's attorney. Do you know Glenn, Jimmy?” *“No-and I hope 1 never do, ike him very much. you?" I dis- He's In love with “That's none of your business, and besides, If he were, Jimmy, you couldn't expect me to discuss the subject with you. Who has been telling you about Glenn Hackett?” “The fairies,” Don Jaime replied enig matically. And though Roberta pressed him to tell her more and em- ployed every feminine wile to break down his resolve not to, he refused. As they alighted at the hacienda the outrageous man still further mystified her by saying: “And I don’t think so much of your old Uncle Bill, either” This statement when there was not apparently any reason why Uncle Bil should ever be the sublect of thought, was the final feather that broke the back of Roberta's curiosity. “Jimmy” she pleaded, “w ould you care to save a human life?” “Some humans. You, for Instance” “Then tell me what has lowered my innocent Uncle Bill In your estima- tion" “He's ore ] “Oh, Jimmy, he eall him Crooked Bill well, rather jJoyou prudent. But dishon 1 “He's out to boost the stock of this Glenn Hac isn't! His friends because sly sly, cu he's kett person to you and to Roberta smiled a smile but said nothing “No, he ‘t play fair” Don Jaime protested. “He says one thing and means something else, so just for that I'm going to your Uncle 31's conceit down a couple of notches.” “How do you know he doesn't play falr?™ He laid finger on lip. a secret” “Evidently.” Roberta replied bitter ly, after waiting about twenty seconds for him to impart the secret. “I think I'll go back to Los dones” he announced ‘here's something about the atmos. phere of that town that aids my pow- ers of divination.” “Am I invited to ride back with you? Or must 1 mope around the house un til you return?’ “I think you had have need to thinking-—and you ditch my train of thought” He looked at her keenly, earnestly, and without the slightest flickér of love light in his eyes. “Are you enjoying your visit at Valle Verde, Bobby? I've wondered if you didn’t feel a bit lonely and neglected here” “Oh. no, Jimmy! You're such a friendly, comfortable person when you are around the house. Will you return from Los Algodones in time for dinner, Jimmy?” “l don't know, complete my business and be time. I don't relish driving around this country at night because just at present, for me, at least, the night has a number of eyes” “You mean-—" “1 mean that your foreman, Bill Din. gle, has been across the Line, and something tells me he went there to hire some renegade to bump me off. 1 don't particularly blame him for that. A man acts according to his lights, and 1 gave Dingle and his men a pretty tough deal” “But you went to town today armed, Jimmy?" He shook his head, half removed his tropical whipcord coat and displayed a gun under each arm, in a shoulder doesn take “Hosh! It's Algo suddenly, better mope., 1 do some I'l do my best to back In un- “A pedigree like this is, of course, such as few can claim,” says the Cana- dian Mining Journal, commenting on an article on the subject of heredity. But, with reference to the pedigrees of very ordinary mortals like our- selves, it is Interesting to recall that a distinguished legal commentator has estimated that at the fortieth gene nlogical remove-~that is to say, in the course of sixteen or seventeen centuries—tha total number of a man's progenitors is more than 1,000, 000,000,000, “All of us have now subsisting wrote the great Blackstone, ‘nearly 270,000,000 of cousins in the fifteenth degree; and if this calculation should appear incotnpatible with the number of Inhabitants on the earth, it is be cause, by Intermarriages among the descendants, a hundred or a thousand different relations may be consolidat- ed in one person, or he may be relat ed to us in a hundred or a thousand different ways!’ “What a fleld of speculation this train of thought opens up! Small wonder that each of us is supposed to have a ‘double.’ ” Welcomed New Daughter The letter to her new daughtern- law which Martha Washington wrote, considered by critics an almost per fect example of expression, was as follows: “My dear Nelly: God took from Me a Daughter when June Roses were blooming-—He has now given me another daughter about her Age when Winter winds are blowing, to warm my Heart again. 1 am as Happy as One so afflicted and so Blest can be. Pray receive my Benediction and a wish that you may long live the lov- ing Wife of my hippy Son and a Lov- ing Daughter of Your Affectionate Mother, M. Washington” WNU Services holster, ous off the ranch,” me explained “Well, I have a few friends who keep me advised on matters in which 1 am interested. but coming home in the dusk I'd just as lief have a good man for company. So you stay home, Roberta, and I'll take Ken Hobart with me. He's very le” With a careless nod he left her, to drive over to the men's quarters for his foreman. Roberta stood in the patio entrance and watched him—saw Ken Hobart come out the saddle room, receive his orders and go to his own adobe bungalow for his coat and a couple of earbines and ammunition belts, Then the two drove away, and Roberta, with terror in her heart, went to her room and wept, as her lively imagination pictured Don Jaime Miguel Higuenes, all bloody and limp, in the deep gray dust of the road to Los Algodones, - » ® * ® * * of voit vine iving In the cool of the late afternoon Don Jaime dropped into a vacant e¢hair be side Crooked Bill on the veranda of the Mansion house, after first inquir- ing, in Spanish, if by an chance the chalr was reserved for any friend of his. “Not at all,” Crooked Bill replied In the same language, albeit haltingly, for the years had been long since his tongue had caressed so many vowels, “Help yourself, my friend.” “I thank you,” Don Jaime replied in English, “I observe you do not speak Spanish well. 1 beg pardon for addressing you in tougue, but ob- serving that wear to be of this rou spoke the lan- {oo to met you, Mr. Blod- » Miguel Higuenes™ Crooked 1 started noticeably. “The h—] you are!™ he burst out, un- guardedly. “Ah, have h betokene you and inquiry. Send "yr I iene g for bring I believe you're young ma old Tom trim into the bosom of Abraham.” “I had the pleasure” Don Jalme repli modestly. “Would you mind shaking with me, Senor Higuenes? holy poker, that wa of work you did on Tom. I'm lighted to meet you, sir.” “The pleasure Is m You knew Antrim?” “I should tell a man me n who wafted An- od hands By 8 a first-class the ob de- gett, on a cow deal once wae so low he could Kiss a rat witho bending his knees™ Don smiled. *“i Mr Blodgett, that you and I have Interests in common, acquaintance in two fingers of tequila. I know a place where we ean get it" “Boy,” said Crooked Bill, “you're a gift from God. But we'll pass up the tequila, because I have a couple of quarts of thirty-year-old Bourbon in my room. The h—1 of no ice in this hotel” “I will get jce from the soda clerk at the drug store, Mr. Blodgett. Mint, also, is available, and if you will per. Tote ’ Jaime believe, Suppose we cement our manner taught me by my father, Al though of Spanish persuasion he mar. ried a lady from Virginia and she taught him the great secret” “Get on the Job” ordered Crooked Bill, “and come up to my room, Num- ber 86.” Five minutes later Don Jaime re turned with the ice and the mint, and Crooked Bill arose and led the way upstairs, “My ruse to get him to walk worked,” | thought Don Jaime. “He has a slight | limp. Yes, beyond the peradventure | of a doubt this sly old wretch is Ro- | berta's uncle, and if I don’t find out | what he's up to before we part I'm far | from being the boy 1 used to be” Up in Number 86 Don Jaime mixed the julep, shaving the ice with a bowie knife sorted out from under his coat- tail. Crooked Bill watched him, fas cinated. “What part of our glorious Lone Star state do you hall from, Mr, Blodgett? Don Jaime inquired pres ently. “i come from El Paso” This was true. Crooked Bill had changed trains there, wIhinking of settling in this part of the state?” “Oh no! Fact is, I came down here to buy those sheep {rom Tom Antrim's | { estate.” “his 1s most unfortunate, Mr. Blod- gott. 1 am a cowman and I had no idea 1 was fraternizing with a sheep- man. Were it not for your antiquated liquor it would be incumbent upon me to retire instantly.” (TO BY CONTINUED.) EDDIE, THE AD MAN EORGE APPLESOSS HAS BEEN RATING OUR WANT ADS BECAUSE THEY NEVER FOUND “TH KEYS HE LOST A MONTH AGOSYESTERDAY HE LOCATED 'EM IN AN OLD PAIR OF PANTS = WHEN OUR BITTY Lit! ADS DONT DO THEIR STUFF, THERE'S A REASON MPAE yore ©. 1332, W Horned Gopher Fossil Received An extremely rare fossil, the skull of mn horned gopher which lived In Nebraska in the later Miocene age. about sey million years 0, has been given to the Field museum by Thompson Stout and Ed Hartman of Neb, This is the first spee- imen of this animal, which bears the reach the and only four or five spec- ever been ac cording to Elmer 8. Riggs, associate curator of paleontology. The spec- fmen is being prepared for exhibi- tion. This fossil rodent was much stouter than the modern gophers, and had head two hard sharp pointed conical horns which it prob- ably used to ip on the ground whil animal wag abou ie Bile £ ETOUNRGROL. It had teeth, en Lewellen, name of Ceratogauius, to museum, imens have recovered on its two pairs of la Doctors Give Creosote For Dangerous Coughs For nw ny years our best doctors have { creosote in some form for colds and bronchitis, knowing gerous it is to let them hang on. ilsion with creosote and six other highly important medicinal ele ments, quickly and effectively stops all hs and colds that otherwise might lead to serious trouble. Creomulsion is powerful in the treat. ment of all colds and coughs no matter bow long standing, yet it is absolutely harmless and is pleasant and easy to take, Your own druggist guarantees Creo- mulsion by refunding your money if you gre not relieved after taking Creomul- sion 2s directed. Beware the cough or eold that hangs on, Always keep Creo- mulsion on hand for instant use, {adv.) Versatile “Does she act tragedy or comedy ?™ “Both. She's tragic In comedy, and comic in tragedy."—Answers. a@WHISPERED Great Complion 0 her friend she con. feamed thesecret of ber flawless Clear white skin, Long ago she learned thet no cosmetic would hide blotches, pamples of maliowness. She found the secret of real come lexion beauty in NR ablets (Nature sRom- A re ody). They cleansed Cleared the climinative tract ~~ corrected shug- gh bowel action drove out the poisonous wastes. She felt better, ton, full of pep, tingling with vitaldy. Try this mid, safe, dependable, sil-vegetable corrective tonight. See your com pletion Improve, see headaches, Guliness vanish At all druggins’ — YE "TUMS"” Ci Tefen: Ou it Needed Their Help “I've just come from the beauty parlor.” “Too bad they were closed.” ee ANSWOTS, Indicated as an Alterative in the Treatment of RHEUMATIC FEVER, GOUT, Old age Is only another name for the decline of enthusiasm. —Rev. W, A. Archibald Bhipway. SLi STHMA ld ae h oh HHA a OMS SO BSB Son en W. N. U, BALTIMORE, NO. 53.1032. *
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers