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Jim the Conqueror ? ? o By Peter 11. Kyne ? ? ? * *\ Copyright 1 if IHtftr B. Ryu* ' WNU Service CHAPTER VIII ?10? Mr. William B. Latham smiled fatu ously and rubbed his old hands to gether In pleased anticipation, as he noticed the telegram beside his plate at breakfast. He read: "The man who first called you Crooked Bill knew his onions stop I have your Texas record stop You per mitted me to walk into a situation that, is perfectly and monstrously un usual and I am horribly embarrassed stop Jim's father shot you in the foot with a forty-five caliber revolver and the Impulse to be careless with deadly weapons still runs in the family only the present representative uses a bow and arrow and shoots for the heart stop. Nor is the Connemara half blood bred out of the tribe stop Believe It or not he hos erected a headstone over Uncle Tom stop It Is an angel weeping and on the bnse of the monument he has worked In a bas-relief of a shepherd and a sheep presumably the one that, was lost stop Spanish art and Irish deviltry stop When I compare htm with Glenn I am torn between a desire to weep and to laugh stop Glenn Is so respectable so proper so mindful of all the things we have been raised to admire and respect while this fellow stops at noth ing and consults only his own desires stop My plnn Is to secure the court's permission to get rid of the sheep promptly and return to IJlllcrest so I can bite you on the ear. "BOBBY." Harms, the butler. In the uct of dropping the customary two lumps of sugar Into Crooked Bill's coffee cup, froze In the act and regarded his mas ter with amazement and concern. It appeared to Harms that the old gentle man was about to have some sort of seizure, for he had closed his eyes, thrown back his head, opened his mouth and gasped. "Anything wrong, sir?" Harms de manded. "Har!" yelled Crooked Bill. "Harp* Two bursts of maniac laughter! "Good news, sir?" Harms suggested politely. "Harms," said Crooked Bill, "did you ever hear of Pandora?" "Oh, yes, sir! You are referring to the lady of mythology who unlocked the box of troubles?" "Exactly. Well, Miss Roberta has ' so why not go to Texas with me? Shave your whiskers and dress like a rancher and play the part of the sheep buyer?" "By golly, I'll do It, Glenn. It's a good Idea. When can you start?" "In one week." "Fine. Meanwhile I'll keep you ad vised if anything new turns up ? Hey, don't hang up yet. Harms has just handed me another telegram ... It may be from Bobby, . . . No, It's from Hlguenes. Oh, Lord, oh, Lord, oh, Lord ! Glenn, will you listen to this?" And he read over the tele phone : "When you see your ward again I should be a proud man to hear you address her as Mrs. Hlguenes or ^Hlg glns whichever suits you best stop To that end I request your permission to pay my court stop I know the going will be hard but I have never been accustomed to getting anywhere without a battle so I will take a chance stop You know my people bo I do not have to furnish social refer ences stop Can furnish financial cre dentials to please any save most ex acting." "He's a dlrect-actlonlst," Glenn Haekett growled. "He's his father's son. Just Im agine the nice courtesy that induced him to seek the permission of Bobby's responsible relative before commenc ing work." "What are you going to any In re ply, Mr. Latham?" "I'm going to encourage the boy, of course." "Why do that?" "To make him work. Remember, Glenn, there Is one thing Roberta will never forgive, and that's bad taste. You can't kill a girl's uncle and then expect to rush her off her feet, even though you killed in self-defens?j and In so doing performed a public service. I tell you th Is man Hlguenes doesn't know any better than to walk Into straight lefts and rights." Crooked Bill hung up and Immedi ately dispatched the following tele gram to Don Jaime Miguel Hlguenes: "You have the nerve of a lion-tamer stop Thanks for the compliment Im plied in your telegram but I have nothing to say about it stop However you have my best wishes and I will even give you 'some good advice stop Pile on the high romance and sound i her casually and said : "I see you had a good night's rest In the gigantic bed of ray ancestors. You appear much refreshed and 1 am very glad of it. And you arrive for breakfast promptly at eight. Punctuality is a paramount virtue, particularly in women, so Just for that you win a rose." And he leaned back and plucked one from the vine that clam bered around a pillar of the gallery. "You're too red for red roses," he rambled on, handing It to her, "so this lovely mauve rose is Just the right shade." "I'm not red. I'm auburn. Thankd for the rose, however. It's lovely." "Well, whatever it Is, it suits me fine. You and I are going to be the best of friends, Roberta." "Well, I like them fast on Wielr feet ? and you're a whlz-bang, Jimmy, I've been trying very hard to dislike you but I must confide It's an up-hill Job." "Of course, It's very unethical to like me," he admitted demurely. "Let us say It Is unusual and let It go at that." Ills eyes devoured her. "Roberta, you're mighty sweet. I think, if I may, I'll call you Bobby." "My friends all do, Shamus. Fire away, old-timer." She saw him swallow something ? and It was not food. The lire died out of his eyes, and the sudden, wist ful, little-boy look faded and was re placed by gravity, sternness, mascu linity. "lie's nice," the girl thought. "He wouldn't take advantage of the fact that I'm his guest to appear to rush me." Oh yes. Roberta knew men. She could read their faces and, converse ly, their minds. For had not Don Jaime Miguel Iliguenes just assured her she was as beautiful as an army with banners ! "You're a very happy man, aren't you, Jimmy It seems to me that with you, life must be one glad sweet song." "Oh, It Is," he assured her. "Thi> slrtglng started last night." Again his eyes burned Into hers for a split sec ond, and again she felt her face flush ing hotly. To cover her confusion she said Inanely: "I do wish you knew my Uncle Rill." "Not Interested in the old repro. . bate, although If ho should take a BEGINNING THE STORY, FOR NEW READERS Roberta Antrim, beautiful Eastern society girl, who lives with her uncle, William B. I.,atham, known as "Crooked Bill" because of his amusing slyness, receives a telegram from Jaime Miguel Higuenes, owner of the Rnncho Valli Verde, In Texas, Informing her her Uncle Tom Antrim has died a violent death. At the advice of Glenn Hackett, ^'hc 1b In love with her, Roberta plans to fro to Texas to protect her Interests, slnco she Is her uncle'B solo heir to thousands of sheep which Antrim had grazed on land controlled by Don Jaime. Don Jaime, unmarried, half Spanish and half Irish, 'Is attracted to Roberta's picture in a magazine. Antrim Is warned to take his sheep off Don Jaime's ranch at once. Antrim ambushes Don Jaime. Tho young ranch ownor is wounded and Tom Antrim killed. On his body are found instructions to notify Miss Roberta Antrim In the event of his death. Another Higuenes' telegram tells Roberta her uncle was killed by Jim Higglns (Don Jaime's anglicized name). I>atham tells her his fortune Is in danger, and she decides to go to Texas to get Antrim's estate, to save It. "Crooked Bill" concocts a schcmo he hopes will forward Hackett'a courtship. Don Jaime, actuated chiefly by his romantic Interest in the pictured Roberta, allows tho Antrim sheep to contlnuo to graze on his ranch. At the station of Valle Verde Roberta meets Dingle, Tom Antrim's foreman, who points out Don Jaime ns her uncle's slayer, then flees. Roberta, watching "Jim Higglns," Rees him shoot, she thinks, at Dingle. She berates him Houndly, and Jimmy hurries off ostensibly to tell Don Jaime of her arrival. Then the girl finds Biggins and Higuenes to be ono and the same. At Don Jaime's Invitation she stays at his ranch. unlocked a similar box. Harms, got Mr. Hackett on the telephone." lie read Hackett Roberta's message and waited for a hearty laugh. It did not come. "Dog your cats, Glenn," he protested, "where's your sense of hu mor?" "I s<?e no humor In the situation, Mr. Lathdm. I can only sympathize with Roberta. There she Is, the guest of the man who killed her uncle, and who has had the hardihood to mako ? Jest at the expense of his victim. Not satisfied with that exhibition of bad taste he has, apparently, com menced to pay his court to Roberta Immediately, which is most embarrass ing and distressing to her. She will be forced to leave his house, of course, and . decline to permit him ' to con tinue to serve her In the matter of conserving those damnable Rheep." "You tarnation monkey, you. Isn't that exactly, what I planned should happen? Roberta practically admits It already. She's anxious to clean up on those sheep and return ? and when she does, boy, you'll certainly look good to her." "I wish I could be as confident as you, Mr. Latham. Roberta has one weakness, and that Is her sense of hnmor. Like yours, It's a bit ? er ? diabolical. I wish I had never joined In this conspiracy with you." "Faint heart never won fair lady. My boy, don't you realize you have a chance to be a horo?" "I do not." "You're singularly dull. My stoVk Is still climbing and you need more money to protect me. So you've de cided that those sheep should be sold to get ready cash. Consequently you've had two Important cases con tinued, which will enable you to go to Texas nnd arrange the sale of the ?heep.* "Who will I sell them to?' "To me, fool, to me. I'll give you more money for them than anybody else, nnd the more money you reallxo on them the stronger you'll be with Roberta I Also, you'll arrive on the Job In time to put a crimp In the senti mental aspirations of Don Jaime Miguel Hlguenes. You'd better jump to Texas muy pronto." ?'Well, In order to make good on .your deceit you've rented Ulllcreet, the old eaRtlllan note your good old father knew so well Btop If there Is anything In Mendel's law you should be dnrk-halred and dark-eyed like Mike nnd with these assets a fair sing ing voice and a guitar some moonlight and a pachydermous hide T should sn.v that you stand slightly more chance than a celluloid dog chnr'ng an asbes tos cat through the I* fernal regions. "LATHAM" "And now," he m mured, "having done my full Christian duty by all con cerned, I think I should return to my brenkfast." Well had he been nicknamed Crooked Rill ! MIgnon awakened Roberta at seven o'clock next morning. "It's Sunday," she reminded her discreetly. ''What will yon wear, miss?" Roberta had given considerable thought to that very subject the night, previous. "That sports suit I bought Just before leaving New York." she answered promptly. Rreakfast was ready on the gallery when Roberta came out looking for her host. The table was Bet for two and Don Jalmo was watting for her. His lazy dark eyes swept her In one glance ? from her white kid pumps to her Titian head. "You are as beautiful as an army with banners, Miss Antrim," he an nounced In the matter-of-fact tone In which one proclaims that two and two make four or that a straight line Is the shortest distance between two points. Not so much a compliment or the natural desire of a man to flatter a woman, as a definite statement of fact. Roberta flushed ? and hated herself for It, because it was not her habit to exhibit such apparent pleasure at com pliments from men. Had the words come from any other man she would have had a careless retort ; In all prob ability she would havo told another man that ho wasn't looking so very beautiful himself. Rut again that Atfange sense of bafflement, of stupid ity, almost, held her speechless. "I suppose he'll ask me If I slept well," she decided! "The usual bannl query." II? did not. He tucked her Into her seat, sat down opposite, looked at notion to show up at Valle Verde I wouldn't Rick the (lops on him. Have some bncon and eggs. I cured that bacon myself and ain personally ac quainted with the hens that laid the egRS." Had he noticed her confusion, and was this Ray, frivolous banter merely his kind way of helping her cover It? Roberta had an Idea It was. Ills two setters Rlouched apoloRotlcally to the table and he appeared to for?et Ito herta, to become absorbed In the dops, feeding them strips of bacon and little pieces of bread steeped In bncon Rrease, talklnp affectionately to them the while as If they were human. Ro berta reminded herself that Don Jaime was the first yonnp mnn who had ever neRleeted her to curry favor with a pair of Kngllsh setters, and was Interested to discover that she did not resent his action "What nre you going to do about Robbie?" she Inquired presently. "Oh, Robbie. Nothing very much wronR with him. I suspected the fix he was In and, In order to verify my suspicions, I had Mrs. Oanby brlriR him here. He's been kept In the house because his mother, despite the fact that she Is a trnlned nurse, mother like considered him too delicate to be allowed out very much. She had to make a living for the two of them, so necessarily she has been forced to neglect the boy. "lie requires sunlight and lots of It. Every day he lies out In the sun light mother-naked. I gavo It to him In small doses, so he wouldn't sun burn. Now he's tanned. One nrm and one leu nre affected but not very badly. With Increased general health he will gain strength and the desire to be more active. Nobody ever ex ercised without wasting enerRy, nnd those who have no energy to waste do not cure to exercise." "He adores you, Jimmy," "Well, If children and dogs do not like a man that's a sign he had better begin to take stock of himself. I like Robbie. T like all children, even terrible children. I'm godfnther to one hundred and eighty seven and after mass this morning I'll tnko on the one htmdred nnd eighty-eighth." "Why are you so popular, Jimmy?" "For two reasons. If I'm godfnther to the child of one of my people then, while an Hlguenes Uvea at Valle Verde, that child will always dwell under the mantle of the Hlguenes philanthropy. He can't be fired off the ranch, If he's a male, and he'll get something In the way of a hope chest If he's a female." "You strange man! Of course us a godfather you have to promise that If the parents neglect to give their child a religious upbringing you will attend to the matter." "Haven't I built a little church and haven't I a padre on my payroll? Im ported him from Mexico. The arch She Marked the Pride and Pleasure in the Young Mother's Face. bishop of this diocese doesn't know Of exists, so the old hoy's ns free as air. I'm strong for freedom myself." "Is that why you have never mar ried? Or have you?" "I haven't. When an Higuenes marries it takes. And I haven't mar ried because you've been such a long time showing up at my ranch." "Why, Jimmy!" "I thought for a while I'd surely have to go to H lib-rest. Dobbs Ferry, Westchester county, New York, and point out to you the error of your wny, hut thanks to your Uncle Tom I wns spared that expensive Journey. Then, too. I probably wouldn't have showed to such good advantage in your country, because t)f the competi tion. I loathe competition. It makes me Just a little bit Jealous." For the life of her Roberta couldn't help laughing. She had a habit of laughing at men when they were pro posing to her or on the brink of it. She was at ease now, no longer In hibited by some quality In this man which she had never met In any other. If he was in love with her she had him foul ? wherefore she laughed. To her chagrin he laughed with her, and instantly n horrible suspicion crossed her mind. Was this Texas longhorn merely Indulging In a mild flirtation with her? A hot rage swelled In Roberta's heart and her laughter ceased abruptly. ?'This Is very sudden, Jimmy." Her voice was cool. "That habit of being sudden is a trait that runs In the Hlguenes blood. My father was a very sudden man. When he made up his mind to marry my mother, he appeared at her father's house and said to the old man; 'I've come to marry your daughter. What, have you got to say about It? Why, nothing at all! Here's the license and the priest's outside. Where's the bride?' " "Well, If I had been the bride your respectable parent would have re ceived the Jolt of his career." "Fiddlesticks!" Don Jaime retorted sharply. "A woman worth having Is a woman worth stealing. My father always declared women seldom know what they want. They think they want a lot of romance, when what they're looking for is n husband who'll organize the show and run It with a firm hand." "What do you know about women?" "Something less than nothing. Hut I know a heap about men I I'd most certainly he the head of my house." "So would I !" "Not In my house, Hobby." "Is this argument In the nature of a left handed proposal?" "Certainly not. The time Isn't ripe for that, nor do I know that It will ever he ripe. I'm merely arguing a relative proposition - a sort of hypo thetloal question. Hy the way, rtiay I photograph you after we return from church, and may I have a print? Just one, please. Then you may destroy the plate If you will?" "I never Rive my photograph to gen tlemen on such short acquantance." "That Isn't answering my question." "No." "Then I'll have to get along with the one I have. It Isn't so good hut It will do." "Whero did you possess yourself of my photograph?" "It's a rotogravure and I got It out of a magazine." "I'll give you the photograph, Jim my. I had some taken Just before I left and I'll send for one." "Thank you, but I want you Just as m~~ you are tills morning. I* want you standing In that doorway. Then, after you go away. 1 can look at It and think how fine it would have been if you had stayed ? there In your own doorway looking out at me. Perhaps I may be able" to fool myself into fan cying you standing there watching for me to come home." "Not that, Jimmy. Think of me standing there awaiting the arrival of one of your men with the information that the rest of the boys will be here with the body directly." "Have another egg and some more bacon," Don Jaime urged hospitably. "We're talking too much and there goes the first bell for mass." CHAPTER IX The bell in the cupola of Don Jnitne'H little adobe church was call ing Its last summons to the faithful when Roberta and her host left the house on foot. Don Jaime led her down the main aisle of the small church and crossed with her over to the organ which stood against the wall. The choir sat on benches in the renr of the or gan and an upholstered chait stood beside the organ seat. "Kor company." Don Jaime mur mured. and indicated that Itoberta should occupy it. The padre, in his vestments, entered from the sacristy, and as he advanced to the altar Don Jaime's little organ crashed into a sonorous prelude; then his brown choir, taking the cue from a vigorous nod of the master's raven head, sang: Come, Holy CJhost. Creator blost, And in our hourts take ui> thy rest. The girl watched Don Jaime, who knew not one note from another but who played amazingly well by ear be cause Cod had created him a trouba dour. Ills dark face was alight with the delight he gleaned from his simple task; for all his huge body, there was in his attitude and in the luster of his eyes something that proclaimed to, her again the odd. little-boy quality In him, touching her as she had never been touched before. "Strange, strange man," the girl re flected. "There he sits with a look of exaltation on his face, and yet I know he prides himself on helng too ~;*>*n and original a thinker to be an or hodox churchman, to accept the scriptures as literal, to have even the most remote interest In the ultimate disposal of his Immortal soul. He killed my Rncle Torn and Is too honest to think of pretending to me that he regrets it. He's a strange mixture, yet there Is nothing complex about him. He thinks straight, talks straight, and acts straight. He couldn't dissemble If he wanted to. Oh, dear, I'm nfrald 1 wish I had never mot him. He's one of thofce terrible men one must take seriously." ? The service proceeded. Roberta dreamed on. . . . Don Jaime's low voice reached her. "Now, then, Rob by, do your stuff." She sang as she had never sung before. "See their eyes," Don Jaime whispered as she sat down. "The poor devils. They lrived it. Handel's 'Where'er You Walk' Isn't sung In our church, but who here knows the dif ference. and who cares? An encore, Bobby." She sang it. Then she sat through a sermon In Spanish, at the conclusion of which the padre, addressing Don Jaime, begged him to convey his thanks and that of ills pobreeltos to the American senorlta. Don Jaime j translated his message, and a few min utes later she saw him stooping over the lap of a girl and lifting therefrom an Infant. She watched him holding the stolid infant while the sncrament of baptism was administered; she marked the pride and pleasure In the young mother's face at this signal honor conferred upon her and hers, when, the ceremony over, Don Jaime kissed the Infant unci handed the moth er the customary inrgess. To the god mother. too, he made a gift of money; then, with a paternal pat on the shoul ders of nil concerned, Including the padre, he rejoined Roberta and to gether they walked back through tlio pueblo to the hnclenda. (TO RK CONTltfUBD ) American Willow Tree? Originally From Syria? It has been told that the first weep ing willow tree In this country was planted by John Curtis of Virginia dur ing the Revolutlonnry wnr, and still stands on the Curtis estate. The story Is that "a traveler In Syria once sent to Alexander Rope, the Kngllsb poet, a box of figs, In which was a twig from one of the weeping willows beside the rivers of Babylon, upon which the exiles used to hang their harps. This twig was planted alongside of the Thames, where It! grew. A British officer brought a slip from this tree and gave It to John Curtis of Virginia." Nurserymen claim that this tree Is the nncestor of all the weeping wil lows In this country. This awakens new Interest In that tree, which Is given such prominence In the Bible? "the willows of Babylon." IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY I chool Lesson (Dy REV, P. fl. KITZWATEH. I). ?>., Mvxu ber of Faculty, Moody Dtble Institute of Chicago.) O. 1912, Westurn Ncwapawr Union. Lesson for December 18 REVIEW: CHRISTIAN STANDARDS OF LIFE GOLDEN TEXT ? And he said to them all. If any mun will come after mo, lot him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. ? Luke 9.23. PRIMARY TOPIC? A Holiday with J 6S U 8. JUNIOR TOPIC ? How God Orders Us to Live. INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP IC ? Following Christ in Everything. YOUNO PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP IC ? Ideals of the True Christian. The best method of review for young people nnd adults will be to dls j cover the principal teaching of each lesson. This teaching may be set forth as a kind of a motto for the life. A good plan will he to make as signments to the members of the class a week In advance. The passages of Scripture are so diversified that a great variety of opinions will doubt less be obtained. The following sug gestions are offered : Lesson for October 2. The Christian's growth is by means of his devotional life. His under standing and heart-life should be sym metrically developed. I.ible study and prayer go hand in hand. The neglect of either means stunted growth. Le?son for October 9. The look into the Hethany home Is not to see bow .Jesus behaved therein, but to see the behavior of the members of that home. The most important les son is that we should sit at Jesus' feet in the days when all is well, that in the time of sickness and death we, like Mary, may know how to act. We should choose that good part which cannot be taken away. Lesson for October 16. 'I ho child of today will be the home maker of tomorrow. It is most Im portant that children be trained for Cod by instruction in Cod's Word. Lesson for October 23. The divine unit of society Is the home. The welfare of its members depends upon their being united to serve the Lord. This union includes the father, the mother, and the chil dren. Lesson for October 30. The believer is a citizen as well as a Christian. The Instructed Chris tian will be loyal to the state as well as to the church. Lesson for November 6. World peace will come, not through conferences, leagues, and understand ings, but through the appearing of the Prince of I'eace and the establish ment of the Messianic Kingdom. Only then will the "Will of Cod be done on earth as It is in heaven." Lesson for November 13. The all-Important thing in life Is not makinga living but a life. Man'sthought and effort should be to shape his life for the life which Is to come and not to accumulate the tilings of the earth which must be left behind at death. Lesson for November 20. Wealth is from Cod. The natural resources from which wealth is gained were prepared by Cod. JCven the ability to seize them and transform them Into useful commodities is from Cod. Kvery believer should regu larly and systematically give of his possessions to Cod. Lesson for November 27. Stewardship of life means the recog nition that our very being with all Its faculties and powers Is a gift of Cod and that our powers were given for a definite purpose and that Cod will hold us responsible for their use. Lesson for December 4. In order to live in peace with mem bers of other races, one must realize that Cod has made of one blood all the nations of the earth. In this light, racial supremacy will vanish. Lesson for December 11. The Christian's leisure time should he given to hearing the Word of Cod <ind to doing good In Christ's name. Hit Dying Eyes "His orderly found him alone and dying. The officer asked the soldier If he thought he could any n prayer. "Thflt Isn't In my line, sir," said the man; and then, with a sudden thought, he said, "Tint I have got a little cross my mother gave me; will that help you, sir?" The officer took the cross, and lifting It before him, murmured. "Hold Thou thy cross before my d.v 'ng eyes," nnd died." Rlnsti n gf ? In every duty every happiness. Cod sends us some sacrifice some offering is required. If be sends riches, they nro weighted with responsibilities; If he sends loving parents, they will need cure nnd gratitude when the frail of old age draws on; if he sends unbroken, unclouded days of happi ness. there Is the gift of sympathy for others not so blessed. Personal Many young people nre stingy in /ho giving of personnl service, either to the society or to the church They nre willing, perhaps, to do the ensy nnd plensalit things but reluctant to undertake tasks that require time nnd thought and effort. What Sunday school Is not In need of young men for teachers of the hoys' rlnsses? To tench surh n clnss demands study nnd Interest In the boys nnd work In thwlt behalf.