North Carolina Newspapers

PAGE TWO THE MOVROE JOmI, TI FSIUT. FEBRrARY , 1921. EIGHT PAGES i I ft i -i :j V , 't - -if . - 1 , - 1 .1 s .1 - ,H .5 - 4. -j 1 ! WEBSTER -MANS MAN Peter B.Kyfie Author of "Cappy Ricks, "The Valley cf the Giants," Etc. SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I.-Jclin ftuart Wehster. folmnK etismeer, after ce.'iiinj up a lur tun ut lvath Valley. Calif., boarde a train for the Fast. He befrieo.ts a younf lady annoyed by a uiiuaer. thorough. y trouncing Iho "pi-st." , CHAPTER II At Denver WebMer r ealves a letter from UiUy Oeary. b clos est friend, lieary uii't-s h.m to i-,m to Sobrante. Central America, to ttnaneo ail J develop nitr-ln ciaim. 11a decide to go. CHAPTER III. - Dolores Ruey. the youtif woman Webster befriended, and who Tiaj made a deep imptcssion on him. aa he va lu-r, la a.ao on ilia way to bobmtite. CHATTER IV At Buenaventura, rapl. tal of gobrar.tr. Pi.ly liearv. ill a: I i .-n. nuees. is liwr. on tl:e chanty of "Mjii.er Jenks." keejHT of a dr.tm!iop. Sue re calves a cablegram from lHlrea, lei.ing of h- com: ii si ChAPTKR V. Dolores" father. Iticardo Ruey, fi.sident of Sobrante, ha. I b.en kll.ed in a revolution led by Sarros, the present executive. Dolores, a child of igh. was smuKgltd out of the country by Mutli r Jenks and suiH'Orted by her In the United States- The c'd woman, ashamed of her occupation and habits of life, tears to meet Dolores, and sends Geary tn the boat to say she has cone to the United States CHAPTER VI -Webster, on his way to Sobrante, Is taken 111 on the train, and la In a hospital at ICew Orleans two weeks. Geary bungles hie mission. Dolo res easily seeing through his story. She greets Mother jenks as her friend and benefaMor. Geary falls desperately In love v,th the glrL CHAPTER VII -At New Orleans, while waiting: for the steamer to Buenaventura, Webster saves the life of a young man who Is attacked by two assassins. T! e youth leaves Webster without disclosing bis Identity. CHAPTER VITl-On the steamer Web ster finis his stateroom ncmr-trd by a atraneer who declares his Intention of taint; his etiest to Buenaventura. At first angered. Webster and the stranger, sfter somewhat forcible argument, reaoh an amicable agreement Webster recognize Mm ss the youth hose life he had saved the dav before, though the other doee not know Webster. CHAPTER IX.-ArrtvInc at Sohrnnle. Oearv welcomes Webster and Is Instru mental In helping his friend's "mest" shore. The latter Is known to Webster as "Andrew Powers ' Oeary houses him at Mo'her Jenks'. Webster gets the Idea that Oeary and Dolores are In love, and with the Intention of giving Oeary every Chance he smilingly contradicts the girl's tatement that they have met before. CHAPTER X. -Webster selves a warning conveyed by "Don Juan "afs tero." reallv John J. Cafferty, Irishman Of good qualities fallen through overindul gence In liquor, that there Is a plot to assassinate him. Webster makes a firm friend of Caffertv. I,ater, the American j I Insulted by a Sobrantean nrmv officer nd publicly ridicules him. A challenge to a duel Is accepted under such stern conditions that the Sobranteatii wlth draw It. CHAPTER XI -Webster secretly visits "Andrew Powers" at Mother Jenks". He learns that "Rowers" Is Rleardo Rucv, son of the nssissinateil president, brother of Dolores inborn he believes dead), and that a revolution Is contemplated Next morning he tells Dolores that her brother, of whom she his no recollection Is In the country, projecting the overthrow of President Sarros. Very much In love with the girl, but believing that her af fection has been bestowed on Oery. Webster leaves to Investigate the mine which he has come to finance CHAPTER XII. -Webster, a'ter looking It over decides to put his whole fortune Into the mine. He sends Billy Oeary to the t'nited States tn purchase th? neces sary equipment, advising him to marry Dolores in Buenaventura before he leaves. Knowing that un!es Ruey can overthrow flan-os his mine will be confiscated, Weh ater nres to finance the venture. Re turning to Buenaventura, he Is astonished to find Dolores s'lll there and Oeary on Ms way to the t'nited State. ventum. f.iri-t ll until I mention t a;:! In. IxHtiuso hi presence here is In secret, not ours." "All rtj.iit. Oiilli-h," she ngrert. "I tMnU I shall et:ll yu that hereafter. Like the late Oillph ltarotin Al ltas clihl. It Appears '" hav a hahit of prowlltii nri'unl ' nights In queer place, doing gix'd t!oe!s for your sub jects. I?::t tell r.ie tihout toy l.nnlK'r. ivscrihe Mm to me." "Not aow. Here cotnes the hentl waiter with a cr.hlcjrr.itn f.-r uie. I think." That functionary came to their tnhle nnl Ikip.iKmI one of the familiar yellow envelopes to each cf them. "We'll excuse ea.-!i other." Polorea SUK-esti-tl. She rciiU : "tlo you If I lose. Ton are a rooiI, game little scout. nnJ I like yoti fine. "JKKtiMK." She clnncetl ncrcss at YVehster, whose face vn a conUletlnj: atmly of emotions In which ilisnpiHilutment und amuzeiuent npiK'iircJ to prcdnitilante. i You Ancient ttcounar!! "Nc nni fm not colng to tell hltn. f thl.ik II lil he much nicer to re store you to ea.-h oihet nn the ste'is of the government puhice on ihe day When the Kuey 'action comes Into its nvtii ii:iin. That will make his victory all the sweeter. By the way, whi're was I;!'iino when your father' ship of Ktale went r,n the rocks?" "At schiHil in a military academy Id Kentucky." "It Is a marvelous nilT-up. vjiich Ftl cnrtlo can douhtless explain, Mlsa Buey. I know he helleves his sister perished with her fnlher. Mother Jenks didn't know where he was and couldn't comniunlcnte with Mm and there you are. However, little old Jack Hx-it will hrlnjj ynn tocether train In due course, la the Interim, how nhout those eRs? SiralKht up or flip "em?" She (teamed across nf him. "We are jrnlnc to he such pood, (rue friend.. ren't we?" she urged. He almost fhlvered. but managed a hypocritical nod. "While we have only known each ether twenty-four hours, It ectn. a pi-etit deal longer Ihnn that prohahly because Ullly has told me so much bout you. and you're so comfortable nd easy to get acquainted with, and J I enn't very well express niy grati tude for what you've do:e for what you're going to do." Her tolce fuller ed; she smiled roguishly through thn tears of her emotion, "If I were only Billy, now. I could put my arm across your shoulders and settle the matter by saying: 'Johnny, you old liorse thief, you're ull right.'" "The best thing to do would he to cease puffing me up with Imp-irtanre. nd now, before we climb out of the realm of romance and the Imprnhuhle to the mere ftibstnntl.il plane of things for breakfast. Just one brief word of caution. Now that I have fold you jour boulter lives and Is lu Luenu- "You ancient scoundrel," she heard hint murmur. "What ho, Caliph I Unpleasant news?" she ventured. "Yes and no. I had one of the1 tincst Jobs In the world nil staked out und now the boss ci;bles me It's i filled by n better num." "What lire you going to do about "Well ns soon ns I've bad my breakfast. I'm going to cable Noddy Jerome and tell him I'm satisfied satisfied to stay here und satisfied he's ii liar. You Ke. Miss IJaey, he ohjis-ted vigorously to my coming here In the tirsl place wanted me to lake h ItiMny vacation and then manage the Colorado Consolidated Mines com pany. Ltd., for hltn. I like Neddy and would have been glnd to go to work for his company, but. of course, Ullly comes first, ami so I declined the of fer. Later I changed my mind, and last night I cabled him I'd accept If Jte'd wait 0() days possibly and now he replies Mint he's sorry. hy,f the job Is filled by a better innn TIihi's why I know he's a liar." "I see. You figure there Isn't a het ter mining engineer than you eh. Ca liph?' He looked at her reproachfully. "No. nut Neddy .l-'i-ome does, and I know :ie d.w-s because be Inn taken the .trouble to tell me so more ihnn once. And m ft rule Neddy Inclines toward the tmth. However. It's Jut as fii- " He paused, staring hard !it Iiki ' li, the H.v. you foretold fbt '' -n tM is amalni: " She con'O h'ie epl with laughter. "Well"- ruooi'iy "I told you sums )ther things equally an lr.lng. lid I jot?" "Yes, you told me other tblnga more or less tnterestlng, bul you foretold this. How do you account for that?" I "The witness declines to answer on . the ground that she may tncri'ulnnte herself nd be burned for a witch." "Remarkable woman !" "You were about to remark that It Is Just as well " j "That Neddy's reconciled to losing ; me. because since cabling him yester t day evening I've changed my mind gain. I'm going to stay here now." "Indeed! Why?" "Just to be obstinate. Apparently I'm not wanted here by the powers that be; so Just to rile them I'm go j Ing to hang around Sobrante ami argue j the question with them. Hy the way, ! I see you received o cablegram also. Better news than mine, I hope." She nodded. "I hare a little busi ness deal on back home. Haven't got a great deal Invested, but It looks as If 1 might make SlO.tsal." Re arched his eyebrows and favored her with a little disapproving grunt. Sounded like the prospectus of a fake mining promoter ye, by thunder, . that was It. I Mores was a school teacher, and school teachers and doc tor are ever the mainstay of a swin dler's sucker list. To won flu from me yesterday." ! he challenged. "Ret you another ten 1 1 can tell yoo the nature of yonr In j vestment." I "Go you. If I lose!" Tnconsclously ' she was learning the argot of the male of the sccles, as exemplified In Ned . dy Jerome's cablegram. "It's a mining proirty." '' "Tou win. It Is," she answered truthfully, starting to open her purse. JtisirU or placer?" "1 d.-n't know. Explain." He chuckled at her Ignorance. "Quart is old-bearing rock, and phiier is gold-bearing gravel." "Then my u Inlng property Is plao ' er. because it has lots of sand." "I knew It. I knew It," be warned her solemnly, and he shook an ad monitory linger nt her. T.!:u-k saml eh? Is the gold very line?" , j"I think it Is." "Tin a you're stung good and deep : so don't delude yourself Into thinking you have Siii.Cttt coming. 1 never - knew a proportion for saving the tine ' gold In black sui-d that didn't turn out ' to be a fizzle, it's the hardest thing j In the worltl to save. Now. listen; ; yon tell me the name of the film Mam artist that got you Into this don!, nnd : when I get back to the t'nited States I I'll Investigate th? company; If It's an j otif-and out swindle. I'll take that j promoter by the throat and choke your ! money out of him. the scoundrel! It ! Is Just these fly-hy-nlght fellows that I ruin the finest gambling game In the i world nnd scare o;T investors In legit! ; mate mining propositions." "Oh. you mustn't really, Caliph. ; He's an old man. and I only did It to help hltn out," j "There should be no sentiment In I business. Miss Kuey." j "Oh. well, let's be cheerful and hope ! ful. Caliph, and discuss a more Impor tant subject." She was very serious now, for by her meddling she had, she realized, so ar- j ranged matters that at a time whra i John Stuart Webster's very life de I pended upon his Immediate departure I from Buenaventura, he was planning ' to stay nnd face the music, just to be i obstinate. "You must reconsider your ! decision to remain In this country," i she Insisted. "Your life may be the , price of liberty of action, you know, i Isn't Billy cnpable of developing the I mine after you advance the cash?" "I wouldn't advance him o cent for his mine until I had Investigated It myself." "Then you should make some ar rangements to safeguard yourself ! while making the Investigation, nnd ! leave Sobrante immediately thereafter. Isn't that a sensible proposition?" "Very If I felt like leaving So hrnnte. But I do not. If that mining j concession Is a potential winner, I'll i huve to stick around ami make a win I tier out of It before I go awny and j lenve Bill In charge. Besides, I'm wor j ried about Bill. He's full of mnlnriul j fever, and Inst night I got thinking about him and decided to send hltn i back to the Colorado mountains for a few months. I want some regular doe tors to work on Bill so he'll be fit when ; he gets back on the Job." I As a matter of fact, this Idea of send ing Billy to the United States had but that moment occurred to Jack Web cter; be reflected now that this plan wus little short of nn Inspiration. It would give Billy and Dolores nn on- portunity to mnrry nnd "have n honey moon; It would leave him free of her disturbing presence, nnd enable him to leave Sobrante when the (! nrys should return. He resolved to speak to Billy nhout It. Dolores' voice broke In upon his cun ning reflection, "But Billy tells me you already have a fortune sufficient for the needs of a caliph without a court. Why risk your precious life to acquire more? Money Isn't everything In life." "No. but the game Is." "What game? Mining?" "The game of life." "But this Is the game of death." "Which makes life all Uie sweeter If I can beift the game. Perhaps 1 can better Illustrate my point of view with a story. Some years ago I wos sent to Arlr.ona to examine o mining prop erty and report upon It; If I advised Its purchase, my principals were pre pared to buy nt my valuation. Well, when I arrived. I found a miserable shanty dose to a shaft ami dump, and In the shnnfy I found a wenther-beat-en couple. The womnn was probably fortr looked fifty. The man had; never been anything but a harn-roct miner ti a day had been the limit of his earnings In any on? day until h stumbled on some float, Ira Am I It up, and loomed the clulms I wns here to esjiiiiine and try to buy. , "His wife bad been a miner's daugh ter, knowing nothing but drudgery and povrrty cud continuing that existence after marriage. For 20 years she had been darning her husband's socks, washing his clothes, and cooking his meals. Even after they uncovered the ledge. It wasn't worth any more than the country rock to them unless they could sell It, because the man had neither the money nor the ability tc develop it himself. He even lock! the ability to sell It. because It re quires real ability to unload any kin4 of a mine for 1.( x."0, and real nerve on the pnrt of the mnn who buys. I examined Ihe mine, decided It was cheap at fl.OOO.OJK). and so re ported to my principals. They wired me tq close, nud so I took a GO-dity Do you know you can roll $Ortood cigarettes for lOcts from one bag of OCNUINE BiilCl-ORHAM YCSACCO op; ion In order to verify the title. "Well, tiltie passed, and one bright dav I rode tip to that shanty with a d.ol and a certified check for SU"', ' in my pocket; whereupon I dis C 'vered the woman bud had a change of heart and bucked over the traces. No, slree! She would not sign thet there deed nnd Inasmuch as the claim was community proorty, her signa ture was vitally necessary. She nsked me so many questions, however, as to the si.e of the stamp mill we would Install ami how ninny miners would be employed on the Job, Hint finally I saw the light and tried a shot In the dark. "My dear Mrs. Sknggs," I said. "If you'll sign this deed and save us all a lot of litigation wver this option you and your husband have given me, Til do something handsome. I will on my word of honor I'll give you the exclusive boarding house privilege at this mine." "And what did she say. Caliph?" "She snld: "Give me the pen. Mr. Webster, and plense excuse my hand writing; I'm that nervous In business matters,'" lH)lores" silvery laughter rippled through the room. "But I don't see the point." she protested. "We will come to It presently. I wns merely explaining one person's point of view. You would not, of course, expect me to have the same point of view as Mrs. Skuggs of Ari zona." "Certainly not." "All right! Listen to this! In 1907. at the height of the boom times In Ooldfield. Nov., I wns worth $1,000,000. On the first day of October I could bnve enshed In my mining stocks for $l,nno,ooo nnd I hnd a lot of cash In bank, too. But Td always worked so hnrd nnd been poor so long that my wealth didn't mean anything to me. I wanted the exclusive privilege of more slavery, nnd so I ptnked a copper prospect, which later I discovered to consist of uncounted acres of country rock nnd about $2. worth of copper stain. In order to save $100 I did my own assessment work, drove a pick Into my foot, developed blood poison, went to the hospital, nnd wns nice nnd helpless when the panic came along the middle of the month. The bnnk went bust, nnd my ready cash went with It: I couldn't give my mining stocks away. Everybody knew I wns a pauper everybody but the doctor, lie persisted In regarding me as n mil lionaire nnd sent me a bill for $,otio." "How perfectly outrageous I Why, Cnliph, I would hnve let hltn sue me." "I would have, too but I didn't. I Induced hltn to settle for $loo.(sX shares of stock In my copjier prospect. The par value wns $1 a share, nnd I wns going to sell a block at 10 cents, but In view of his high professional standing I let him hnve It for a nickel a share. I Imagine he still hns It. I bought back later all the other stock I snld, because the property wns worthless, and In order to he a sport I offered him $."00 for his block, bnt he thought I was trying to swindle him and asked $5,000." "Oh, Cnliph t" "Wonderful game. Isn't It this game of life. So sweet when a fel low's taking chances! Now that I nm fairly prosperous agnln. the only thing In life that really matters Is the un certainty as to whether, when finally I do lenve Sobrante, I shall ride to the steamship landing In a hack or a hearse." "But. yon could po In a hack this morning nnd avoid thnt nncertnlnty." "The millionaire drudge I told you of could hnve gone to live In a pretty villa nn the Riviera, but she chose a miner's bourdlng house." "Then why." she persisted, "did you lenve the I'nlted States with the firm Intention of remaining In Sobrante In definitely, chnnge your mind before you were here eight hours, and cnble Ibis Neddy Jerome person you would return In 00 or P0 days and the fol lowing morning decide to remain, aft er all !" "My dear young lady. If I changed my clothes ns often ns I chnnge my mind. Ihe whnt-you-mny-cnll-'em chi ps thnt mnnufneture a certain grand of clothes couldn't keep me dressed." "But why?" "Thnt." he answered gravely. "Is a secret." "Women delight to pry Into men's secrets." "I know It Hnd a friend once married. Every night after dinner he used to sit and stare Into the lire ond bis wife used to ask him wlint he wns thlnklnp about. He would look up at her oa lisbly an 1 t'l her It was some thing be couldn't exptnln to her. be cause she'd never understand It and that was all he would tell her. al though right frequently. I dare say, he frit like telling her some things she could understand? ' She brooded over his secret until she couldn't stand It ary re.ire. and one day she packed her duds and flew home to mother. Da let her stay there three rooatta, and finally one day he sent her u blu print of what he'd been thluklng about." "What waa Itr "An Internal-combustion engine. Too see, until she left him. he'd never been able to get set to figure out something In connection with the iulet valves " "Slop right there. Caliph. I'm re buked. I'll let you get s1 to thiuk " "I dlilu't mean that. You let me get ts yesterday und I figured It all out then and last night and a min ute ago. I don't care to do any more thinking today. I'lense talk to me." "And you refuse to teil nie why you cabled your friend, Jerome?" "You will never know. I told you It's a secret." "Bet you I find out." "How much? That Jlfl.Ou) you ex pect to make from the flour-gold In your black-sand claim? And. by the way. $i;, please. I won it for guess ing jou were Interested in a milling proposition." She returned to him the bill she had won from him the day before. "Ten thousand dollars suits me. Of course, I haven't got the'money Just now. nnd this is what Billy culls a tingvr bet. but If I lose, I guarantee to pay. Are we betting even money? I think that Is scarcely fair. Under the circum stances I should be entitled to ihMh." "Nothing doing! No odds on a bet I of this nature to a seeress who has nl- j ready Jarred me from soul to verm!-1 fonn appendix by making good ! You know too blamed much already, and how you discovered It Is a problem that may drive me crar.y yet." After breakfast they repaired to the veranda to await the result of Web ster's experiment with Don Juan Cafe tero. Sure enough, the wreck had ngnln ret timed, he w as seuted on the edge of the vernndn, waiting for them ; as they approached, he held up a grimy, quiv ering hand. In the palm of which lay a five-dollar gold piece. "What?" Mr. Webster said, umazed. "Still unchanged!" "I thrted to change It at half n doxen cantlnns." Don Juan wheezed, "but dlvll a bit av systlm did uny av thlm have. Won offered this In splggoty money nn' the other offered that, an' sure If I'd taken the best that was offered me In exchange, ye might hnve t'ought I'd tuk more nor wan dhrlnk." "Bravo I Three long, loud, raucous cheers for Ion Juan Cafetero!" Do lores cried. "Was It a terrible task to come back without a drl.ik, Don Juun?" He shivered. "A shky-blue kangaroo wit' a pink tall an green enrs chased me Into this patio, ma'am." "You're very brave, Cufferty. How does It feel to win back your self resjiect?" Webster nsked him. "Hoggin' the young leddy'a pardon It feels like hell, nor." "Caliph, don't be cruel," Dolores pleaded. "Cull a waiter nnd give Don Juan what you promised lilm." So Webster went Into the hotel bar and returned presently with a bottle of brandy nnd a glass, which he filled and held out toward Don Juan. "One ! of the paradoxes of existence. Don Junn." he observed, "lies In the fact that so many of the things in life that are good for us are laid for us. This Jolt will disKTse the menagerie nnd quiet your nerves, but nevertheless it Is a nail In your cottln." Webster, accompanied by his pro tege, strolled uptown on a shopping tour. Here he outfitted Don Juan neatly but not gaudily and added to his own iK-rsonal effects two high power spoiling rifles, three lurge-cal-Iber automatic pistols, und a plen tiful supply of ammunition after which be returned to the hotel, first having conducted Don Juan to a bar her shop and given him Instructions to reort for orders and his tnld-dny drink the Instnnt be should have ac quired the outward evidences of re spectability. At the hotel Webster found two messages awaiting him. One wns from Billy (ienry, up nt Sail Miguel de Pad ua, advising hltn that everything was In readiness for a trip to the mine; the other was a note from Blcnrdo Buey, hut signed with his atlas of Andrew Bowers. Webster rend: "Dear Friend: "A certain hlgher-up hns been con vinced that It would be extremely In advisable to eliminate you now. It has been pointed out to this person thnt you are a prom. clt. up In your neck of the woods and dangerous to monkey with iM rsonnlly and becuuse such monkeying may lead to unpleas ant complications with your paternal government. A far more artistic and effective way of ralslug hell with you has been suggested to this higher-up Individual, and he hns accepted It. In deed, the plnn pleased him so much (hut he laughed quite heartily. P.eal ly, It Is quite diabolical, but remem ber, be who laughs last laughs best and I'm the villain In this sketch. "Barring accidents, my dear Web ster, you are good for at least six weeks of existence. Beyond that I dare not guarantee you. "Thine, "ANDREW BOWEItS." "That makes It nice." the recipient of this comforting communication so liloquized. He went up to his room, packed a duffle bag with such belong ings ns he would find necessary dur ing a prolonged stay lu the mountains, and at luncheon was fortunate enough lo find Dolores In (he diulng room when he enlered. Ttu gclng up lo San Miguel de Pad- na this afternoon," he announced as he took bis seat. A look of extreme anxiety clouded her lovely face, and he noticed It. "Oh, there'a no risk." be hastened to assure her. That scamp of a brother of yours, through his frleodi In high places, has man aged t Jet me a reprieve." He band ed her Itlcardo's letter. She looked up, much relieved, from her perusal. "And how long dt jo expect to be gone. Caliph?" ."Quite a while. I'll be busy around that dratted concession for a couple of weeks, surveying and assaying and what all ; then, while waiting for our machinery and supplies to arrive from the t'nited States, I shall devote my srjftre time to hunting and fishing and reforming Doa Juan Cafetero. The cool hills for mine." "What a selfish, unsociable pro- ( gram!" she reflected. "I wonder If It will occur to 'him to come down here once In a while nnd take in for a drive on the Mulecon nnd tal to me to keep me froia dying of ennui before I im-ot Blcnrdo. I'll wait and see !f he suggests It." However, for reasons best known to himself nnd the render. Mr. Webster made no such Interesting suggestion; so she decided thnt while he was tre mendously nice, he was nevertheless, a very qi:oer man and thoroughly ex asperating. Just In fore the train pulled out John Stunrt Webster took Dolores ha ml. "flood-by. Seeress." lie snld very soberly. "The trail forks here for the first time possibly the Inst, although I'll try to be on hand to make good on my promise lo present you to your brother the day he oc cupies the pntneo. However, If I shouldn't lie In town that day. Just po tip and Introduce yourself to him. It's boon wonderful to have met you and known you, even for such a brief period. I shall never forget you nnd the retnnrkahle 24 hours Just passed." "I shall not soon forget them my self. Cnliph nor you," she added, "Haven't you been n busy little cup of (en. Cnliph! Within 24 hours after landing, you have changed your mind three times, lost the best Job In the world, had your fortune told, been mnrked for slaughter, acquired a new found friend and commenced actively snd with extraordinarily good results the work of reforming him, soused a gentleman In the fountain, spurned another with the tip of your boot, rode with me around the Mnlecon and listened to the band concert, bundled poor Billy oft to San Miguel de Pad ua, discovered my 1 brother presumed to be dead, and received a reprieve from your enemies, while they per fect new plans for destroying you. Uenlly, you are quite a caliph." "Oh, there's a dash of speed In the old horse yet. Miss Ituey," he assured her laughingly. "Now listen; don't tell anybody about your brother, and don't tell Billy about my adventures since he left for Snn Miguel de Padua." "But I'm not liable to see Billy " "Yes. you are extremely liable. I'm going to send him back to you as soon as I can spnre him, liecnusc I know you'll be lonesome and bored to death In this lonesome town, and Bill Is bully good company. And I don't wnnt you to tell him about the mess I'm In, because it would only worry hltu; he can't aid me, and the knowledge that I was In ony danger, real or funded, would be sufficient to cause him to rebel agnlnst my plans or his honeym for his vacation. He'd In sist on sticking around to protect me." He looked down nt her little hand where It rested In his, so big nnd brown nnd ban!; with his free hand he potted her hand pnternnlly. "Good by, Seeress," he snld again ; nnd turn ing to the "steps, he leaped aboard Just as the train started to move out of the station. "Goi good-by Caliph," she called mournfully. Then to herself: "Bless his heart, he did remember I'd be terribly lonely, after all. He Isn't a bit queer, but oh, dear, he Is so ex asperating. I could bump his kind old head against a wall!" She turned her back on the train, fearful that from where he clung on the steps he could, even nt that distance, see the sudden rush of tears that blinded her. However. In Junn Cafetero, with his rubicund nose to the window of the Inst coach, did see them saw her grope toward the carriage waiting to take her back to the hotel. "Why, tfhure. the poor dnrllnt's cry In'." he reflected. "Be the Great Gun an Athlone! Share I t'ought all along '(was Billy Geary she hnd her eye on God love him! An' be (he same token, didn't she tell me I was to shtny sober an' (nke care nv Mlshter Webster. Hahhiih-a-a! Well! I'll say nothln' an' I'll be neuthral, but but but " From w hich It may be Inferred that romance wns not yet burned out of Don Juan's Gaelic soul. He would be "muthrul." but but but he re served the right to butt In I Continued in next issue. Stnte-wide tick law means a lower Infant death rate in eastern North Carolina also a market for rattle raised in the mountains. Wvw4vvWvvWmm tut flowers Floral designs, wedding boquets, and flowers of all kinds. Prices reasonable. We make shipments to Waxhaw, MarahTllle, TA'ingate and other nearby towns. CODE MORGAN At fnlon Drug Co. Phone 821. vmvYvtvrWvmwvmt