j.m:k tmkki:
i
WEBSTER
-MANS MAN
Peter B.Kyne
Author of "Cappy
v Ricks," -The Valley
of the Giants," Etc
THE MONROE jomviL I l.lli V. J im: V 21. f.iZI.
I could re-t ii with a cuh'e Inform- , she nflcd. -It ii:u 1 mm
lhg you that Mrs. Wilkin was headed j staiding y th o.mpnnloii-ladder
for Cnlifirrl lo s- you, I had no wren ymt came ahonrd and sske to
olhT alternative but to let matter j the purwr; when you asked hi in If Mr.
tike their course. I derided ym might j Webster ws aboard, your fa-e was
arrive on I -a K-strellita. mi I railed to allglit wl;ii eagerness and anticipation,
weU-ouie you tn our thriving little city, j hut when you hud reason to l-clieve he
M'lllT rtCf
SYNOPSIS.
OHITFR I John Stuart Wbter.
Bnliiin engineer, aftr cleaning up a tor
tun tn Ileal h Valley. Calif., boarda
train fur the Ritat. H befriends a young
lady annoy by a manner, thoroughly
trouncing the peat.1
CHAPTER II At Denver Webster re
ceives a letter frurn Hilly altary, hi cloa
eat friend. Ueary urcr him to come to
Eobrnntf, Central America, to nnam
and develop a mining claim, lie decide!
to go.
CHAPTER III. -Dolors Ruev. the
youi.g. woman Webster befriended, and
mho lis made a de-.-p Impression on Mm,
aa he 1ms on her. ia aiao on th way to
Eobianto.
CHAPTER IV. At Huenaventura. capt.
tal of Sobranle, Hilly Geary, III and .n.
niie. Is living on tne charity of "Muthr
Jenks." keeper if a dramshop. She re
ceives a cutli;ram from Dolores, telling
of her vomiiiK.
CHAITER V.-Dolnres father. Rlmrdo
Ruey. president of Sobrante, had Iwen
killed la a revolution led by SarroT, ibe
present executive. Dolores, a child of
elglit. smtniKled out of the country
by Mntller JeiiKs and supported by her
In the tailed States. The old woman,
ashamed of her occupation and habits of
life, fears to novt Dolores, and sends
Geary to the bout to say she ha gone
to tl.e I'nlted St.itea.
CHAPTER VI.
The nnolont bromide to the effect
thnt innn proposes hut God disposes
was never hotter exemplified than In
the oast? of John Stuart Webster, who,
having formulated certain daring
plnns for the morrow and surrendered
himself to grateful similiter In Ills
tntorooni n hoard the Half States Lim
ited, awoke on that momentous morn
to n distinct apprehension that nil vn
not as It should l with him. Ills
mouth reminded him vaguely of a
Mrd -and -animal store, nnd riot nnd In
surrection had broken out In the
geometric center of. his Interim!
economy.
Webster was sufficient of n Jnok-'.eg
doctor to suspect ho was developing
n splendid little case of ptomaine
poisoning. He derided to go Into ex
ecutive session with the sleeping-car
conductor, who wired ahead for a doc
tor to meet the train nt the next sta
tion. And when the sawhones came
find pawed Jack Webster over, he
gravely announced that If the patient
had the slightest nmliltion tn vote at
the next presidential election, he
should leave the train nt St. Louis and
enter a hospital forthwith. To this
heart-breaking program Webster en
tered not the slightest objection, for
when a man Is si rioiNy III. lie Is in
miii'li the same pi sitlott us a politician
to-v.it: lie !s In the hands of his
friem.'s.
ll.- ever, life had the habit of go
ing IhirJ vtih Webster so freiiiienil.v
thai f m '".itintely lie was trained to the
mliiUte. nnd after three lays i f heroic
bcttlii. the doctor awarded JacK th
decision. Thereafter they kept Mm In
the Imsiiiiiil ten days longer, "foeilin?
him up" as the patient e:pressel It
et the end of which period Wt lister,
some tlfleen pounds lighter nnd not
quite so fast on his feet ns for.nci'ly,
resumed his Journey toward New Or
leans. In the meantime, however, several
things hnd happened. To begin, Do
lores liyjcy spent two davs wondering
what, had become of her quondam
knight of the whiskers at the end
of which period she arrived In New
Orleans with the conviction strong
upon her thnt while her hero might be
as courageous as a wounded lion when
dealing with men, lie wan the pos
sessor, when dealing with women, of
bout two per cent less courage than
cottontail rnbhlt. Being a very hu
man young lndy. however, she could
not help wondering what hnd become
Of the ubiquitous Mr. Webster, al
though the fact that he hnd mysteri
ously disappeared from the train en
route to New Orlenns did not perturb
her one-half so much as It had the dls
appearee. She hnd this advantage
over thnt unforrunnte man. Whereus
he did not know she was bound for
Buenaventura, she knew he was;
' hence, npon arrival In New Orlenns
she dismissed him fmm her thought,
serene In abiding faith thnt sooner or
later her knight would appear, like
little Bo-Peep's lost sheep, dragging
his tail behind Mm, so to speak.
Dolores spent a week In New Or
leans renewing schoolgirl friendships
frcm her convent dsys In the quaint
old town. This stop-over, together
with the one In Denver, not having
been taken Into consideration by Mr.
William Geary when he and Mother
Jenks commenced to speculate upon
the approximate data of her arrival In
Buennventura. resulted In the prema
ture flight of Mother Jenks to San
Miguel de Padua; a fruitless visit on
the part of Billy aboard the Cacique,
Of the Cnlted Fruit company's line,
followed by a hurry call to Mother
Jenks to return to Buennventura until
the arrival of the, next steamer.
This time Billy's calculations pro-.ed
Correct, for Dolores did arrive on tlint
tenmer. The port doctorl come
fbonrd, .partook of his customary
drink with the captain, received a
bundle of the latest American news
papers and magazines, nosed around.
asked a few , perfunctory questions.
I and gave the vessel pratique.
Dolores observed a gasoline launch
j shoot up to the landing at the foot of
the companion-ludder and discharge a
well-dressed, youthful white man. As
i he came up the companion, the purser
recognized him.
I "Howdy. Bill," he called.
, "Hello, yourself." Mr. William
Geary replied, nnd Dolores knew him
for nn American. "Io you huppen to
hnve as a passenger this trip a large
Interesting person, liv name John ?tu
art Webster?" added Billy Geary.
"I don't know. Billy. I'll look over
the passenger list," nnd together they
j moved off toward his office. Dolores
followed, drawn bv the mention of
! that ninglc name Webster, and paused
In front of the purser's olrice to lean
over the rail, ostensibly to watch the
enrgadores In their lighters clustering
around the great ship, but In reality
to learn more of the mysterious Webster.
"Blast the luck," Billy Geary
growled, "the old sinner Isn't here. By
the way, do you happen to have a
Miss Dolores ltuey n board?"
Dolores pricked tip her little ears.
What possible interest could this
stranger have In her goings or coin
I Ings?
"You picked a winner this time,
Bill," she heard the parser say.
"Stateroom sixteen, boat-deck, star
board side. You'll probably find her
there, packing tn go n shore."
"Thanks," Billy replied nnd stepped
nut of the purser's otllce. Dolores
turned and faced him.
"I nm Miss Buoy," she announced.
"I heard yon asking for me." Her
eyes carried the query sIip hnd not put
Into words; "Who nre you, nnd what
do you want?" Billy saw and under
stood, nnd on the Instant a wave of
desolation surged over him.
So this was the vision he had volun
teered to ni"of Mmaril I.n rMrellitn.
and by specious lie nnd hypocritlo
mien, turn her hack from the portals
of Buennventura to that dear old
I'tilted Sintes, which. Billy suddenly
recalled with poignant pnln. Is a siz
able country In which n young lady
may very readily be lost forever. Willi
(he quick eye of youth, he noted that
In. lores was perfectly wonderful In a
white flannel skirt nnd Jacket, white
buck boots, white pnnnnm hat wlrh a
gorrcous pugL-nreo, a mannish little
linen oot'ar, and n red foiir-ln-band
tie. Prom under tlmf white hi:t peeped
a provision of clnkly brown hair wltl.
a slightly voiM'-h tinge to It; her eyes
wove big and brown and wide ptvtrt.
Willi gulden lls'ks in them; tbelr
glance met Billy's hungry gaze simply,
directly, and v. 1th n curiosity there
was no itten:"t to hide., nor post'
wns iatr!i'ian; lier beautiful short up
per lip revealed the tips of two per
fect, tnllU-whlte from teeth: she was.
Billy Geary b Id hl'Mself. n goddess
before whom nil low. worthless, ornery
fellows like himself should grovel and
die happy. If perchance she ni'ght be
so minded as to walk on their faces !
He was aroused from his critical In
ventory when the hourl npoke again:
"You haven't answered my question,
sir!"
"No." said Rllly, "I didn't. Stupid
of me. too. However, como to think
of It, yon didn't ask tne nnv question.
You looked It. My name Is Geary
William H. Geary, by profession a
mining engineer and by nature an
lgnoif.r::is. nnd I hnve railed to de
liver some disappointing news regard
log Uimrietta Wllklna."
"Is she,-"
"Sho Is. Very much alle and In or
cellent health or rather was, tl Inst
time it was my pleasure and privilege
to call on the dear lady. But she Uu't
In Buenmentura now." Mentally Billy
asked God to forgive blm bis black
hearted treachery to this winsome girl.
He loathed the task be bud pluuued
and foisted npon himself, and noth
ing but the memory of Mother J auks'
manifold kindnesses to blui lu a day,
thuntos to Jack Webster, now Lapplly
behind him, could have luduced him
to go through to the finish.
"Why, where Is she?" Dolores
queried, and Billy could have wept at
the fright In thoso Invelr brown eyes.
He waved bis band airily. "Qulen
sabe?" he suld. "She left three weeks
ago for New Orlouns to visit you. I
dare say you passed eaufa other on the
road here, here, Was Ituey, don't
cry."
He took a recess of three minutes,
while Dolores dabbed her eyes and
went through sundry other motions of
being brave. Then he proceeded with
his nefarious recital.
"When your cablegram arrived. Miss
Ituey, naturally Mrs. Wilkin wns not
here to receive It, nnd as I was the
only person who had her address, the
cnjjle agent referred It to mo. Under
the circumstances, not knowing w here
and, as a friend at about two min
ute' standing; to warn yon away from
It."
Billy's mien, as he voiced this
warning, was so singularly inysterl
ni that Dolores" curiosity was
aroused Instuutly and rosa superior
to ber grief. "Why. what's the mat
I terf she demanded.
I Billy loked around, as If fearful of
, being overheard. He lowered his
voice. "We're going to have one grand
little first-class revolution." he re
plied. "It's due to bust almost any
night now. ami when It does, the
streets of San Buenaventura will nut
red with blood."
Dolores blanched. "Oh. dearie me,"
she quavered. "Do they still have
revolutions here? You know.' Mr.
Geary, my poor fnther was killed In
one."
"Yes, nnd the same old political
gang that shot him Is still on deck,"
Billy warned her. "It would be high
ly dangerous for a Ruey, man or wom
an, to show his or her nose around
Buenaventura about now. Besides,
Miss Ruey, that Isn't the worst," he
continued, for a whole-hearted lad was
Billy, who never did anything by
halves. "The city Is reeking with
cholera," he declared.
Thnlorn!" D lores' big brown eyes
grew bigger with wonder and concern.
"How strnngi the port authorities
didn't warn us at New Orleans!"
"Tish! Tush! Fiddlesticks and then
some. The fruit company censors
everything. Miss Ruey, nnd the news
doesn't get out."
"But the port doctor Just said the
passengers could go ashore."
"What's a human life to a doctor?
Besides, he's on the slush-fund pay
roll and does whatever the hlghernM
tell him. You be guided by what I tell
yon. Miss Ruey, nnd do not set foot
on Sobrantean soil. If you stay
nboaril La Kstrelllta, you'll have your
nice clean stateroom, your well
cooked meals, your bath, nnd the at
tentions of the stewardess. The steam
er will be loaded In two days; then
you go back to New Orleans, and by
the time you arrive there I'll have
been In communication by cable with
Mother Jenks I mean "
"Mother who?' Dolores demanded.
"A mere slip of the tongue, Miss
Ruey. I was thinking of my landlady.
I meant Mrs. Wllklns "
"I'm so awfully obliged to yon, Mr.
Geary. You're so kind, I'm sure I'd
be a most ungrateful girl not to be
guided by you accordingly. You
wouldn't risk nny friend of yours In
thlaterrlble place, would you, Mr.
Geary?"
"Indeed, 1 would not. By permitting
anybody I thought anything of to come
to tills city, I should feel guilty of
murder."
"I'm sure you would, Mr. Genry.
Nevertheless, there Is one point thnt Is
nnt quite dear In my uilud, uiid 1 wish
you'd exidulu "
mm
i:i fit
)). mm
!t 'V.
"Yc Haven't Answered My Question."
Tojiuiand me, Ulss Ruey."
"If this Is such a frightful place.
why nre you so anxious. If I may em
ploy such language, to hornswoggle
your dearest friend, Mr. John S. Web
ster. Into coming down here? Do you
want to kill blm and get bis money
or what?"
BUly's face flamed at thought of the
embarrassing trap his glib tongue had
led him Into. He cursed himself for
a star-spnngled Jackass, and while he
was engaged In this Interesting pas
time Dolores spoke again.
"And by the way, which Is It? Miss
Wllklns or Mrs.? You've called her
both, and when I reminded you she
was a Miss, you agreed with me,
whereas she Is nothing of the sort.
She's a Mrs. Then you blurted out
something about a Mother Jenks. and
finally, Mr. Geary. It occurs to me that
for a complete stranger you are un
duly Interested In my welfare. I'm
not such a goose a to assimilate your
weird tales of death from disease. It
occurs to tne that If your friend John
S. Webster can risk Buenaventura, I
can also."
"Ton yoa know that old tarantu
la?" Billy gasped. "Why I I cntne
out to warn him off the grass, too."
Dolores walked a step closer to Billy
find eyed hlin disapprovingly. "I'm so
s.orry 1 .can't believe that statement."
wtis nt nUni-d. yo-j looked so terribly
disappointed I felt sorry for you.
"I'm gdng ashore. If It's the last act
of my life, and when I get there Tta
going to Interview the cable agent;
then I'm going tn cnll at the steam
ship oRic ami scan the passenger list
of the last three north-bound steam
ers, nnd If I do not find Henrietta Wll
klns' name on one of these passenger
lists I'm g.dng up to Calle de Con
cordia No. l "
"I surrender unconditionally,"
groaned Itilly. 'm a inr from be
ginning to end. I overlooked my hand.
I beg of you to believe n:e. however,
when I tell you that I only told yoa
those whopiiers Ix-cnnse I was in
honor bound to tell them. Personally,
I don't want you to go away at least,
not until I'm ready to go sway, too!
Miss Ruey, my nose Is In the dust
There la a fever In my bruin and a
misery In my heart"
"And contrition In your face," she
Interrupted Mm laughingly. "You're
forgiven, Mr. Geary on one condi
tion." "Name It," he answered.
"Tell hie everything from, beginning
to end."
So Billy told her. "I would much
rather have been visited with a plague
of boils, like our old friend, the late
Job. than have to tell you tills. Miss
Ruey," he concluded his recital. "Man
proposes, but God disposes, mid you're
here and bound to leant the truth
sooner or later. Mother Isn't a lady
nnd she knows It, but tukejt from
me. Miss Itftey, she's a grand old
pli-ce of work. She's a scout a ring
tailed sport a regular Individual and
game as a gander."
"And I mustn't call at Kl Buen Ami
go, Mr. Geary?"
"Perish the thought! Mother must
call on you. Kl l'.uen Amlgo Is what
you might term a hotel for tropleul
tramps of the masculine sex. Nearly
all of Mother's guests have a past,
yon know. They're the submerged
while tenth of Sobrante.
"Then my benefactor must call to
see me here?" Billy nodded. "When
will you bring ber here?"
Billy relied ed that Mother Jenks
had been up rather late the night be
fore and that trade In the cantlnu
of Kl Buen Amlgo had been unusually
brisk ; so since he desired to exhibit
the old lady at her best, he concluded
It might be well to spar for wind.
"Tomorrow nt 10," be declared. Do
lores Inclined her head. Something
told her she had better leave all future
details to the amiable William.
"I remember you Inquired for your
friend, Mr. Webster, when you came
aboard the steamer."
"I remember It, too," Billy countered
ruefully. "I ciin't Imnglne v. tint's be
come of li 1 in. Miss Ruey, did yol
ever go to meet the only human being
In the world and discover that for
some mysterious reason he had failed
to keep the apr.olnlment ? Miss Ruey,
you'll have to meet old John Stuart
the minute he lights In Buenaventura,
lie's some boy." '
"did John Stuart?" she queried.
"How old?"
"(ill, thirty-nine or forty on actual
count, but one of the kind that will
live to be a thousand pud then have
to be killed with an axe. lie's com
ing to .Sobrunie in help tne put over a
mining deal."
"Mow Interesting, Mr. Geary! No
wonder you were disappointed."
The last sentence was n shaft delib
erately launched; to Dolores' delight
If made a keyhole lu Billy Geary's
heart.
"Don't get me wrong. Miss Ituey,"
he hastened to assure her. "I have a
good mine, but I'd trade It for a hand
shake from Jack ! The good Lord only
published one edition of Jack, and
limited the edition to one volume;
then the plates were melted for the
Junk we call the human race. Two
weeks ago, when I wns sick nnd pen
nlless and despairing, the possessor of
concession on a fortune, but with
out a centavo In my pockets to buy a
hnnnna, when I was a veritable beach
comber and existing on the charity of
Mother Jenks, I managed finally to
communicate with old Jack and told
him where I wns nnd what I hnd.
Tberc'i: 'ols answer, Miss Ruey, and
I'm not ashamed to say that when I
got It I cried like a kid." And BUI?
. . M , -
j liuik.if 'e cablfgra'ii, the reivipt of
which lind, for Biily Geary, irans
funncd night Into day. purgatory iu:
paradise. Dolores read It.
"No wonder you love blm." she de
clared, and adoed urtioily: "Ilia
wife must simply adore biui."
"'He has no wife to bother hU life.
so he paddle his own canoe,'" Billy
rs-lted. " don't believe the old sour
lough has ever been In love w ith any
thing more charming than the goddess
of fortune. He's woman proof."
"AIkuh Mrs. Jenks." Lkdures contin
ued, abruptly changing, the subject.
"How nice to reflect that after he
bad trusted you and believed In you
when yoa were jennlless, you were
enabl.sl to Justify her faith."
"You bet!" Billy declared. "I feel
that I can never possibly hope to
cnch even with the old Samaritan,
although I did try to show ber how
much I appreciated her."
"I dare say you went right out and
bought her an Impossible hat," Dolores
challenged roguishly.
"No, I didn't, for a very sufficient
reason. iHiwn here the Indies do not
wear hats. But I'll tell you what I did
buy her. Mis Ruey and oh, by
George, I'm glud now I did It. She'll
wear them tomorrow when I bring her
to see you. I bought her a new black
silk dress and an old-lace collar, and
a gold breast pin and a tortoise shell
hair comb and hired an oich carriage
and took her for an evening ride on
the Malecon to listen to the band concert."
"Did she like that?"
"She ate it up," Billy declared with
conviction. "I think It wns her first
adventure in democracy."
Billy's pulse was still far from nor
mal when he reached Kl Buen Amlgo,
for be was Infused with a strange,
new-found warmth that buried like
malarial fever, but wasn't, lie wafted
no preliminaries on Mother Jenks, but
bluntly acquainted her with the facts
In the case.
Mother Jenks eyed him a moment
wildly, "(lord's truth!" she gasped;
she reached for her favorite elixir, but
Billy got the bottle first.
"Nothing doing," he warned this
strange publican. "Mother, you're
funking It and what would your
sainted 'Knery say to that? Do you
want that angel to kiss you nnd get n
-wlriff of this brandy?"
Mother Jenks' eyes actually popped.
"Gor", Willie," she gasped, '"aven't III
told ye she's a lydy ! Me kiss the lamb!
HI frust, Mr. Geary, as 'ow I knows
my place an' can keep It."
"Yes, I know," Billy soothed the
frightened old woman, "but the trouble
Is Miss Dolores doesn't know hers
and something tells me If she does,
she'll forget It. She'll take you in her
arms and kiss you, sure as death nnd
taxes."
And she did! "My lamb, my lamb,"
sobbed Mother Jenks the next morn
ing, nnd rested her old cheek, with Its
rum-begotten hue, close to the rose
tinted ivory cheek of her ward. "Me
wot I am an' to think "
"You're a sweet old dear," Dolores
whispered, patting the gray head;
"and I'm going to call yen Mother."
"Mr. William H. Genry," the girl
remarked that night, "I know now why
your friend. Mr. Webster, sent that
cablegram. I think you're a scout,
ton."
For reasons best known to himself
-Mr. Geary blushed furiously. "I I'd
better go ami hr-uk the news to Moth
or." he suggested Inanely. She held
out her bund: and Billy, having been
long enough in Sobrante to have ac
quired the habit, bent bis malarial
person over that hand nnd kissed It,
As he went out- It occurred to him
that had the lobby of the Hotel Ma
teo been paved with eggs, he must
have tloated over them like a wrulth,
so light did be feel within.
ffe other. Evidently once upon
time, as the story hooks have It. he
h:.d been shot. Webster suspect.'d t
Mauser bullet, firvd at long range. It
hnd entered his right cheek. Just be
low th malar, ranged downward
i!imi;Ii bis uieiith and out through
a f..id of flabby flesh under his left
! Jowl ft must have been a frightful
wound, but It bad healed well except
at the point of entrance, where It had
a tendency to pucker considerably,
thus drawing the man's eyelid down
on his cheek and giving to that visual
organ something of the apica ranee of
a bulldog's.
Webster gazed after them whimsi
cally as he approached the counter.
"I'd hate to wake up some night
nnd find thai hoi.ibre with the puck
ered eye leaning over me. By the
way," he continued, suddenly appre
hensive, "do you get much of that
paraqueet travel on your line?"
"About Sit per cent, of It Is off color,
sir."
Webster pondered the SO per-cent.
probability of being berthed In the
same stateroom with one of these
Is'ople undvhe prospect was as re
volting to him ns would be an unin
vited negro guct at the dining table of
a southern family. He had all a
Westerner's hatred for the breed.
"Well. I want a ticket to San Buena
vei.tura." he Informed the clerk, "but
I don't relish the Idea of a Greaser In
the same stateroom witli me. I won
der if you couldn't manage to fix me
with a stateroom all to myself, or at
least arrange It so that In the event
I of company I'M draw a white man."
"I'm sot-ry. sir, but I cannot guar
antee you absolute privacy nor any
I: hid of white ii an. It's pretty 4Ixed
travel to all Cei.tral American ports."
"I low niiiliy berths in your first
class statel-ooiiis?"'
"Two."
Webster smiled brightly. He hnd
found a w out of the difficulty. "I'll
buy "em bo:!., son." he announced.
"I cani'o; s.. you an entire state
room, sir. It's against the orders of
the company to si ll two berths to
ore mini. 'i:.e travel Is pretty brisk
mid It's lianily lair to the public, you
know."
"Well, suppose I buy one tlcj;et for
myself and the other for well, for
my valet, let us say. Of course," he
added brightly, "1 haven't engaged the
valet yet ami even si ouid 1 do so I
wouldn't be at all surprised If the ras
cal missed the boat !"
The clerk glanced nt him with a
slow smile, and pondered. "Well," lie
said presently. "If you care to buy a
tictiet for your valet, I'm sure I
shouldn't worry whether or not he
catches the boat. If my records show
that the space Is sold to two men nnd
the purser collects two tickets, I think
you'll be pretty safe from intrusion."
"To the harassed traveler," saiil Mr,
Webster, "u meeting with a gentleman
of your penetration Is as refri'shlng
as a canteen of cool water In the des
ert. Shoot!" and he produced a hand
ful of gold.
"I will provided I have one empty
cabin," nnd the clerk turned I'roiji the
counter to consult his record of berthl
already sold and others reserved but
hot paid fjjr. Presently he faced
Webster lit the counter.
"The outlook is very blue," he an
nounced. "However. I have one bertb
.l.JJ.f..,,. J.-J..-,-' V
, .u I..,.' i if, -,K f-"f-
oil
Wanted
We are always in the market foi
Iron, metal of all kinds, bones, paper
tte. Open every day.
Monroe Iron & Metal Co.
Near Freight Denov.
EXKCt TOR'S XOTIt'K.
Having this day qualified as execu
tor of the last will and testament of
V. T. Chears, late of the county of
Union, and State of North Carolina,
notice Is hereby given, as by law pro
vided, to all persons holding claims
against said estate to present thorn to
the undt reigned, "duly authenticated,
on or before the 11th day of January,
A. D.. 1922. or this notice will be
plead Jo bar of their right of re
covery. .All persons Indebted to s.Vd o tatc
"lil plenre cr.ll and make I mi.ipl set
;!eme:it. T!u3 January 7, 1 ft 2 1 .
JOHN C. SIKKS. Executor
of . T. Chears, deceased.
John C. Sikes A'torney.
CHAPTER VII.
Webster reached New Orlenns at
the end of the first leg of his Journey,
to discover thnt he was one day !nt
to board the Atlanta a bnnaua boat
of the Consolidated Fruit company's
line plying regularly between New Or
leans and that company's depots at
Union nnd Sun Buennventura which
necessitated a wait of three days for
the steamer La Kstrelllta of the Ca
ribbean Mall line, running to Caracas
and way ports.
He decided to visit the' ticket office
of the Caribbean Mall line Immediate
ly nnd ovoid the rush In case the
travel should be heavy.
The steamship office wns In Cannl
street. The clerk was wnltlng on two
well-dressed and palpably low-bred
sons of the tropics, to whom he hnd
Just displayed a pussenger list which
the two were scanning crltlcnlly.
Their Interest In It was so obvious
thnt unconsciously Webster peeped
over their shoulders (no difficult tnsk
for one of his stature) nnd discovered
It to be the passenger list of the
steamer La Kstrelllta. They were can
versing together In low tones nnd Web
ster, who hnd spent many years of
his life following bis profession In
Mexico, recognized their speech as the
bastard Spanish of the peon.
He sat down In the long wall sent
and waited until the pair, having com
pleted their scrutiny of the list, turned
to pass out He glanced at them cas
ually. One was a tall thin man w hose
bloodrihot eyes were Inclined to "pop"
a little Infallible evidence In the
Latin-American thnt he Is drinking
more hard liquor than Is good for him
Ills companion was plainly of the
smne racial stock, although Webster
FMspected him of a slight admlxiure
of negro blood. He was short, stocky,
and aggressive looking; like his com
panion, he.lowcled and possessed of a
'bin. f'.ffudy cultivated moustache
that eemed to consist of nbont nine
teen Lnirs on one side and twenty on
1 'I", V y Y, ,, v.(V ' , " uui
'IPS? r
"The Outlook Is Very Blue."
In No. 24 reserved by a gentleman
who was to cnll for It by two o'clock
to-day." He looked at his watch. "It
Is now a quarter of one. If the reser
vation Isn't claimed promptly at two
o'clock I shall cancel It nnd rerve
for you both bertha In that rootn. If
you will be good enough to leave me
your name nnd address I will tele
phone yon nfter thnt hour. In the
meantime, yon may make reservation
of the other berth In the same state
room. I feel very confident that the
reservation In No. 34 will not be called
for, Mr. er "
"Webster John S. Webster. Yoa
nre very kind, Indeed. I'm at the St.
Charles."
"Be there at a quarter after two,
Mr. Webster, nnd you will hear from
nie promptly on the minute," the clerk
assured him; whereupon Webster paid
for ope berth nnd departed for his
hotel with a feeling thnt the clerk's
report would h favorable.
True to his promise, nt precisely a
paricr after two. the ticket clerk
lelei honed Webster M his hotel that
lie N'r-V. in No. :t had been canceled
m;d l lie entire sUiieroOffl VU DOW at
bis Ui.si.osu I.
Continued on Page trc