Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CHAPTER VI? Continued \ "Why should he? He came off sec-' ond beat, didn't he? He was drunk ? at the time and my father was lntoxl ' cated, otherwise there would have been two funerals. Father was heart broken when be sobered up, and sent ; his lawyer to your Uncle Bill to apol ogize, so your Uncle Bill accepted the apology and sent back one of his own. When X was a very small boy your uncle sold out his ranch to old man v Hobart, whose son, Kenneth, Is now ^ my general manager. Does Uncle BUI B treat you with civility and decency?" w "Of course he does. He's adorable. He's a love." "Very, well, then, .I'll, not kill him. Tou must agree, though, that I did you a real service In bumping off old Un cle Tom." "Uncle Bill says you did." Roberta admitted. "But then he's biased." "My father always declared that Uncle Bill was all wool and a yard wide. . . . Dinner's ready, thank God. That stout Baddle-colored fe male who appeared in the door Just now says we'd better come and get It or she'll throw It out." "What an extremely old-fashioned young man you are, Don Jaime." "Please do not call me Don Jaime. The don 1r really a title of respect, nnd la used by one's employees or so cial Inferiors ? rather like having a pullman porter address you as 'Judge' or 'colonel.' You may call me Mr. Higglns, Mr. Hlguenes, James, Jimmy or Jaime." "Very well, Mr. Hlguenes," the girl murmured in a very small voice. Then: "Hold everything, mine host I must run to my room for a handker chief. I forgot to fetch one." Don Jaime gazed after her. There was no doubt but that he approved of her mightily. When his gaze shifted It met Mrs. Ganby's. "How does she Impress you?" she queried. "Miss Antrim is physically beauti ful and mentally alert. Yes, she's as emart a young woman as you and I will ever meet. Well raised, well spoiled, haughty, aware of her power over men and Just loves to use It. Sound at heart, though, I think." "Will she be here long, Don Jaime?" "I do not know. In all probability ?he will not be here long enough to please me. In fact If I hadn't run that Bill Dingle scalawag down the road she wouldn't be here now. She's . a new note In life to me, but I'm not going to let her know sho Is," *v ? k r CHAPTER VII . Robbie, his pale face glowing from his recent ablutions, arrived with Ro berta and the four went In to dinner. The table bad been set In the gallery, Don Jaime explaining that during the summer they always ate outside. Roberta appraised the table with the eye of an expert. It was covered with a white linen cloth; short stemmed red roses peeped from a Jade green boWl In the center; the service was of sterling silver nnd very old and beautiful. On closer Inspection she saw that it carried a coat of arms. "My great-great-great-grandmother's sliver," Don Jaime explained. "Fellow in New York once heard I had it and Bent his secretary down to buy It. He offered me an unbelievably high price for the service and didn't seem to be lieve me when I told him It Was not for sale. He Just kept tilting the ante nnd couldn't seem to see he was an noying me. Some people are like that. They think money Is the beginning and the end of everything." "Perhaps you would, also, Mr. Hlguenes, If you had ever been poor," Roberta suggested. * "I've paid 12 per cent for rented money," he retorted. "I've had the ranch mortgaged in bad years and hanks carried my father half his life time. Only those who are poor in aplrit, who lack courage, can be really poor." 4,Do you not And life a little lonely here?" "A busy man Is seldom lonely. My k father spent his life In bondage to the f Irrigation system you probably ob ?erved en route here, but after his death I completed It and transformed a semlarld valley Into alfaira and cot ton fields. I got rid of the scrubby long-horned cattle that were built for speed and substituted Herefords, which are bulK for beef. All this has been a considerable task and fell to my hands when I was eighteen. That was \ 'ten years ago. "After J was demobilised In the spring of 191ft I really started to put this ranch on a paying basin. I cleaned up on .cotton In 1010 and *20. And tattle prices were unbelievably high. X had a feeling, however, that auch a wartime prosperity wouldn't last, so H sold all my cattle In the fall of 1020, and 1* 1021 I didn't plant any cotton. Well, the market smashed on both ? and lucky Jim didn't have ? any l "Instead I raised alfalfa and stacked ' H; then 1 bought .cattle for a song frheh the bank* and the governmental ?tfehclea foreclosed. Chtap cat tle and cheap feed, you know. I had ; rnr moments of panic ; .the road was . rough and rocky in spots, although that, of course, made It all the more Interesting, the victory all the more delightful. I think that when one has had to fight for his land and his people he learns to love both, no matter how unlovely or uninteresting they may appear to those whose lives have been spent in shelter and without effort" "My life has been spent that way, I must admit," Roberta confessed. "And I like it," she added. "Why not? You've never tried any other life, have you?" Roberta noticed that her host was much moro at his ease, now that their conversation had veered into new channels. It occurred to the girl too that Don Jaime Miguel Hlguenes had lived more in five. minutes ofhls color ful life than had the last three genera tions of Hacketts. And the Hacketts were a long-lived race. "What gainful occupation, If any, does Mr. Latham practice now?" Don Jaime asked Roberta. "He plays the stock market." "With success, I hope." "He has always been very success ful until recently, when he lost prac tically everything he had ? or at least he would have lost It without the aid of some people who love him. We anticipate a reverse In the market which will pull him out, if not with a profit at least without terrific loss." "My father loved your Uncle Bill, even If he did shoot him in the heel and disagree with him politically. I would be glad to give my father's friend a leg up. You live with your Uncle Bill, I tnke it." "I've been his ward and a member of his household since my tenth birth day. I have never, known a wish he hasn't hastened to gratify, at whatever cost. So, you see, now that he's old and liable to suffer financial reverses, it Is my duty to take care of him, and for that reason my Uncle Tom's estate comes to me somewhat in the nature of a godsend." "One more reason why I should be dealt with charitably in the matter of your deceased avuncular relative," the young man suggested humorously. "Well, we'll pull you out all right on the sheep." "I understand the estate is boarding on you, Mr. Hlguenes. Don Jaime shrugged. "Es nada," he replied. "That is, the grass they con sume doesn't amount to that," and he snapped his fingers. "The knowledge thht I am serving a distressed lady Is a rich reward." Two maids removed the empty soup plates and set the roast down in front of Don Jaime. "A wild turkey," he , Informed Roberta. Then he sharpened his carving knife on the steel and at tacked the bird, dissecting It In a very neat and scientific manner. ' "Can you cook. Miss Antrim?" "Heavens, no!" "I had heard it was a lost art with the rising generation. I'm a rattling good cook, myself, If I do say so. Most Latin males are, you know. I enjoy cooking fish apd game." "How about boxing?" ' Great sport. I have three vnqueros who are paid flve dollnrs a month extra to box with me." "That, I suppose," said Roberta dry ly, "appeals to your Irish blood. Are you of a religious turn of mind?" "Well, I built a church In my pueblo and I support a padre for my people. I play the organ In my church and I've rehearsed the choir until It's real ly rather good. You must come to mass with me tomorrow and listen to It." "Why were you armed today? t)o you always carry that arsenal?" "No," he replied soberly. "I do not But of late I hnve felt that discretion might be the better part of valor. You see, I have been unfortunate enough to make some new enemies recently. I ho last time I went abroad unarmed I was carried home on a stretcher." "I fear," the girl suggested, "that the Antrim sheep are proving to be a source of embarrassment to you." Oh, not at all ! My enemies never embarrass me, I assure you." He said It so simply, so earnestly, so absolute ly without brng or bounce, that Ro berta laughed aloud. "You ore a new note In life," sho de clared. "Mrs. Oanby, do you not find Don Jaime a source of profound amusement?" "Don Jaime, I must admit, la-dif ferent," Mrs. Oanby replied guardedly. "I'm sure of It, Mr*. Oanby. He Isn't a bit religious, but he Is very charit able ? so charitnhle. In fact, that I am certain he Is obliging me, In the matter of those sheep, at considerable loss and nuisance and Inconvenience to himself." "Not at all,*? her host pretested. "I expect to collect from the Antrim es tate a reasonable lee for my services, to reimburse me for my ortlay or in convenience." ' Roberta had a feeling of helplessness In this man's presence, for he was a new experience, with her. 8he bad never met a man who remotely resem bled him ? so ruthless, forceful and dominating. Not knowing what to say, she was silent and attacked her meal. When presently, her glance met Don Jaime's again he was smlW ing at her, whereupon she itched with a desire to pull his undoubtedly Celtic nose. "He has all the audacity and assurance of the Irish and all of the ego of the Latin," she thbught. "What an indolent, semi-insolent glance he has! And he' isn't good looking at alL Still he isn't bad-look ing. He's Just masculine and knows it. All of his life he has been accus tomed to being high ui/1 low Justice on this ranch; because -se peons of his kotow to him he thinks he can get away with murder. He's Just a Mex ican feudal baron who has established his feudal sway Just far enough north of the border to make good with it" "Is it possible for one to send a tele gram from your ranch, Mr. Higuenes?" she asked. "Certainly. After dinner you can telephone your message to the office at Los Algodones and charge it to my account." "I suppose I should go to Los Algo dones in a day or two to consult with my attorney." "Well, the longer you delay your visit, Miss Antrim, the more agreeable it will be to Prudencio Alvlso. Trudy's almost a full-blooded Spaniard. jAbout one thirty-second Aztec oc Yaqul, but that's enough to make him want to take life easy. Be kind. Your visit on a business mission will cause him to bestir himself." Roberta laughed again ? softly, sud denly, for ngaln she had a swift vision of Glenn Hackett and compared the activities of his law office with the somnolent status of Don Prudencio's legal mill. "I feel like Alice in Wonderland," she declared suddenly. "Speaking of bees and birds and sealing-wax, and cabbages and kings," said Don Jaime, "I am sincerely de lighted to have sold Prudy to you. Ho's so slow, so deliberate; I know he'U Just lengthen out your visit to "Jutt a Mexican Feudal Baron." the Rnneho Villi? Verde until you pet to like the country. Just now you think my country's bare and lonely and desolate, hut ? It will prow on you. To one unaccustomed to wide horizons there is born. In Texas, a feeling that one Is lost. But presently one discovers that out of all this lone liness and vastness a surprising num ber of good-natured and contented peo pel come; they're friendly and they do not talk too much, although they do talk to the point. I'll miss my guess a anile If you find yourself without a serious Interest In Texas. Mees ? I mean Miss ? Antreem? Antrim." - "He's secretly excited And dis turbed," Roberta thought. "Pronounc ing T as 'e.' I wish dinner were over." Providentially, It was not a long course dinner, such as Roberta had ex pected would be served and which she had looked forwnrd to with dread. A soup, a salad, a roast, two vegetables, a light dessert and black coffee. That was all. "He runs his household like a sensi ble man, at any rate," the girl re flected. She wutched a humming bird flitting from flower to flower, saw a quail come forth and bear away a crust tossed him by Don Jaime. Then, as the shadows lengthened, the .mocking birds, replete with food aud happy, perched In a lime tree and paid for their meal In melody. Roberta had never heard a Spanish mocker before and was delighted with the beauty and variety of their extensive reper toire. MYou are fond of music?1' Don Jaime queried. Roberta nodded and he tossed a quick order In Spanish to one of his dusky maids. / From behind the climbing passion vines on the gallery across the patio a guitar was strummed ; Roberta heard the mellow notes of a harp as unseen fingers ran the scale. Then a girl's voice ? without much volume, but wondrously sweet and sympa thetic ? commenced to sing "La Golon drlna." "When 1 am unhappy," Don Jaime explained, "they sing that sad song to me and make me unhappler." "Why don't you have them sing something Joyful?" "My dear Miss Antrim, no Hlgglns ever wants to be made happy when he's unhappy. It's like enjoying poor health. We must feed our racial mel ancholy." "You Incorrigible Celt! Are these professional entertainers brought out from Los Algodones?" "No, they're part of the ranch as sets. That harp has been In our family since the first Hlgglns emigrated to Madrid. Hello, bub, you getting sleepy? Tired after your long ride to day, eh?" Robbie had left his chair and climbed up Into Don Jaime's lap ; his thin little arm was around the brown, powerful neck, his head cuddled under the big square chin. Don Jaime held him close with his left arm, and Roberta noticed that with his right hand he gently massaged the atrophied mus l cles of the boy's left leg. The purple shadows crept over the patio, the music sobbed and mourned behind the passion vines. Presently Don Jaime shook Robbie gently. "Come, son," he said softly. "Say your prayers ? In Spanish, as I have taught you, Nuestro padre? ?" The sleepy voice spoke haltingly the unfamiliar words, the man prompting from time to time. When the prayer was finished he rose and, with the boy Jjd his arms, stooped over Mrs, Ganby that she might kiss her son good night. Then he passed around the table to Roberta's chair. "Innocence and helplessness," Roberta heard him murmur. "Who could not love it!" He stooped over her and lowered the boy until the childish lips brushed her cheek ; then he bore the lad off to bed. The two women exchanged glances, the mother's eyes were moist. "That Is the Latin In him, Miss Antrim. He's not nshamed to demonstrate his affec tion." Roberta did not answer. She was thinking of a remark that Crooked Rill had once made In her presence. "When children and dogs love a man a woman Is usually safe with him." She wondered now if Glenn Haekett loved children nnd dogs and decided presently that he would love his own children, if and when he hnd them, but that he would not be Interested In dogs or human beings beneath him in the social scale. "He Is a strange man, Mrs. Ganby," she said at last. "I have never met his kind before. I do not know what to make of him ? whether to like him or dislike him, to fear him or to trust him. He killed my uncle and then, masquerading under the name of Jim Higglns he Induced rne to accept the hospitality of Jaime Hlguenes. Where I come from one doesn't do that sort of thing, you know, flow long have you known him, Mrs. Ganby?" / "Since three days after ho killed your uncle. I am a trained nurse and I I came down here to tend his wounds, although he would have recovered without my aid, for he Is as healthy as a horse. Later ho asked me to be his housekeeper, but since he does not appear to regard me as a Servant, I imagine I am a sort of paid hostess. I think he hnd a hope that you might visit the ranch some day, nnd of course you would never have been In vited unless he hnd a duenna here. Ho is very punctilious In matters of social propriety." "And Robbie?" "When he discovered I had a little crippled son he sent his general man ager to El Paso to bring the boy here, lie knew I'd want him with me, of course." BEGINNING THE STORY, FOR NEW READERS Roberta Antrim, beautiful Eastern society girl, who lives with her unci?, William R. T,Athnm, known as "Crooked Bill" because of hid amusing slyness, receives a telegram from Jaime Miguel Hlguenes, owner of the Rancho Valle Varde, In Texas, Informing her her TJncle Torn Antrim has died a violent death. At the advice of fllenn Hackett, who In In love with her, Roberta plans to go to Texaa to protect her Interests, since she In her uncle's nolo heir to thou sanda of sheep which Antrim hurt grafted on land controlled by Don Jaime. Don Jaime, unmarried half Spanish and half Irish, In attracted to Roberta'* picture In a magazine. Antrim In warned to tAke Mm sheep off Don Jaime's ranch at onoe. Antrim ambushes Don Jaime. The young ranch owner la wounded and Tom Antrim killed. On hla body pre found Instruction? to notify Mies Roberta Antrim In the event of hla death. Another Hlguenes' telegram telle Ro berta her uncle waa killed by Jim Hlgglns (Don Jalme'a anRllclxed name). I?atham telle her hie fortune la In danger, and aha decides to go to Texas to get Antrim's estate, to save It, "Crooked Bill" concocts a schema he hopes will forward Hackett'a .courtship. Don Jaime, actuated chiefly by hla romantlo Interest In the ptotured Roberta, allows the Antrim sheep to continue to grave on his ranch. At tha station of Valla Verde Roberta meeta Dingle, Tom Antrim's foremaA, who points out Don Jalma aa her unole's slayer, then flees. Roberta, watching "Jim Illgglna," sees him shoot, sha thinks, alt Dingle. Bha berates him soundly, and Jimmy hurries off ostensibly to tell Don Jalfne of her arrival. Then tha girl finds Hlgglna ahd Hlguane* to be one and the same. At Don Jalme'a Invitation aha ataya at hla rAnoh. -i *'I understand, innocence and help lessness. Of course his heart went out to Hobble." "Children understand, Miss Antrim. 1 think Don Jaime Is a mfin who likes a flgnc ? any kind of a fight. He Is tremendously Interested In that atro phied leg of Robbie's. Lately he has started massaging It, stretching It, studying it. He has been sending for medical treatment on Infantile paraly sis and talks of sending Robbie East to be treuted at the Rockefeller Insti tute." Further confidences were Inter rupted by the return of the host. He called something In Spanish to the "For a Moment I Had Forgotten I Had Killed Your Uncle Tom!" H? Murmured. singer and she came and handed him her guitar, received the thanks of her audience and departed covered with embarrassment. "Now, then," quoth Don Jaime, "we'll have a little old Anglo-Saxon minstrelsy from the boss himself." He smote the strings with a llrrn, as sured hand and In a perfectly thun derous basso began. "The Yellow Rose of Texas." To his great delight Roberta Joined In the song. He cocked one lazy eye at her inquiring ly ; at a half-rest In the music he de manded : ,lHow come?" "Uncle BUI," she replied, and he nodded comprehension. Yes, of course Uncle Bill would know that one. But Don Jaime played now while Roberta sang. The song ended and Don Jaime looked up, a fleeting gleam of sadness, of resignation in the lazy eyes. "For a moment I had forgotten I had killed your -Uncle Tom!" he murmured. "Oh, please, Mr. Higuenes ? " "Oh, please, Jaime," he corrected, "f had forgotten, too, Jaime."' "Now that you have made up your mind not to dislike me or the task of trying to like me, I have a confession to make." "I'll try to bear up under It." "A few days after I shot It out with your uncle, his man, Bill Dingle and five others came over here with the intention of doing me great bodily hnrn? ? lynching me to one of the cross pieces In that heavy trellis In the grape arbor yonder, as a matter of fact. I captured Dingle and his hllotrt nnd confined them In my private bas tlle here for thirty days. Before turn ing them loose I had my foreman flog them all." "Oh, Jaime!" "That's the sort of bad egg I am, senorita. That's why I was wearing two guns today. By the way, can you sing Ooutiod's 'Ave Maria?'" "Why, yes!" she answered a little breathlessly. "Oh, grand, wonderful ! Lot's go In side and practice It with a piano ac companiment. I want you to sing It at mass tomorrow for my people. You will, of course. I know you will. Boor devils. They'll love It so! But first send your telegrams. The office in I.os Algodones will soon be closing." ^ (TO BR CONTINUED. ) Formal Notification of Call to Domestic Duty It seems that the wife of a well known member of the (Jentral Manu facturing District club, whom wo shall name fictitiously for obvious masons, has experienced considerable difficulty In persuading her spouse to assume a share In the family responsl bill ties. Bartlcularly would- she appreciate a helping hand In the morning when there are brea 'ant to get, children to dress, and a host of other cares to discharge in a minimum of time. Other means falling, she Anally re sorted to the formally Ironic and, wakening him one morning, thrust be fore his astonished eyes the following neatly done card: Mrs. Easton Weswood requests the eateefned company of Mr. Easton Weswood at the robing of their children, Edward, Eleanor, and Edelweiss, this morning at sovon-flfteen In the main and only bathroom of the Wettwood domicile. (Overflow will gather In the south hall) ? Exchange. End Colds Quick tf NAtmbtetS; H? Kldom a .tdfc^oM. now. When beck** they are quickly broken up. This aafe. dependable, a 11- vegetable corrective ? Nature's Remedy ? etrengthena and regulate* bowel action aa no other laxative can ? -carrie* away poiaonoua wastes Which make you auacep tible to cotda. dlxay apella, heaaacbca. bib* ouaneaa. Worka "T\ liiC" Qukk relief for ?cMtadtarea | UfVlI) tk>n, heartburn. Only World Circumnavigation No one has ever gone around the world nt Its 25, OOO-mlle circumfer ence at the equator. Magellan sailed a greater distance as he had to go far south to round Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope and return north of the equator to his starting place. The Graf Zeppelin followed almost a zigzag course over part of Its route. Byrd usually Is said to have llown around the pole rather than around the earth. These records are rela tive. As matters now stand Tost and Gatty have the record for the .com bination of the greatest distance In the shortest time. WORLD'S LARGEST SELLER AT Sealed in Cellophane . Wealth From the Skies I Aid from the skies during ft drought crime to Julian Bniley, farm er living northwest of Heber SpHnga. Arlc., but it differed from any he had hoped for, and it enabled him to sell a product that few farmers take to market. Hie heavenly assistance took the form of a 37-pound meteor ite, which fell on his farm, Hailey sold to a Rochester (N. Y.) firm of $CT>0. Try Lydlt ?. Plnktum't VegtUbla Compoundj She Shouldn't be Tired No energy . . ? Circles under hef eyes. If she ^ ffOtild only ttf Lydia E. Pkikhatn'* Vegetable Compound in tablet-form, she could be strong and happy again. Largest Glacial Area* The Columbia Ice fields In Can ada are the largest glacial area close to civilization. From this Ice Held three rivers flowing to three differ ent oceans find their source. They are: the Columbia, flowing to the Pacific; the Athahaska. which later Joins the Mackenzie and flows to the Arctic ocean, and the Saskatchewan, which reaches the Atlantic through Hudson bay. How Doctors Treat Colds and Coughs To break up a cold overnight and relieve the congestion that makes you cough, thousands of physicians are now recommending Cnlotahn, the nausealess calomel compound tabletn that givo you the effects of calomel and ?alts without the unpleasant effect* of either. One or two Calotabs at bedtime with a glass of sweet mdk or water. Next morning your cold has vanished, your system is thoroughly purified and you are feeling fine with a hearty appetite | for breakfast. Eat what you wish,-1-* no danger. Crtlotnbn are sold In 10c and | packages at drug stores. (Adv? Everybody Happy "So you nre divorced! Did yoil mnke a satisfactory settlement?" "Yes. My wife takes the house, nix! 'i take the ehlldren." ?'Whnt about money?" lawyer got that."? Rchwel 7# r lUustrleto (Zoflnpen, Switzer land). AT THE FIRST SNEEZE