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(.Continued from lant week) Webster went Immediately to hta room, called for pen and. paper, ind proceeded at once to do usat whlcli he had never done before?to wit, propare hla last will and testament. In a few brief paragraphs he made a holograph! will and split his hankroll equally between the two human oeings tie cured Tor most?Billy Geary and Dolores Ruey. "Bill's n gambler like me," he ruminated; "so I'll play safe. The girl Is a conservative, and after Bill's wad Is gone, he'd he boiled In oil before he'd prejudice hers." Having made his will. Wehster made a copy of It The copy he placed In an envelope marked: "For Jack, t Not to be opened until after my death." This envelope he then enclosed ! In a larger one and mailed to Billy at ' C-olle de Concordia No. 19. Having made his few simple pre- ' parat'on*: for death. Mr Wehstc next burrowed In his trunk, brought forth bla big urmjtype antrum tic pistol and ?erj.,,d Jt in a holster nndei hts arm fuj tie doomed H unwise and prows rive of curiosity to appear In immaculate thicks that bulged al the rlg'it hip Next he filled two spare cllf s with cartridges and si I them Into his pocket. thus completing his few simple preparations for life. He glanced out the window nt the tun. There would still he nn hour of daylight; so he descended to the lohhy, called a carriage and took a short drive. I Returning to the hotel he dismissed the carriage, climbed the three short steps to the entrance and was passing through the revolving portal, when from his rear s? me one gave the door a violent shove, with the result that the turnstile partition behind him collided with Ids hack with sulhelent force to throw him against the partition In front. Instantly the door ceased to pivot, with Webster looked neatly In the triangular space between the two sections of the revolving door and the Jnmh. He turned and heheld In the section behind him an officer of the 8ohrnntcan nnn.v. This Individual, observing he was under Wehster'8 scrutiny, scowled and peremptorily motUined to Webster to pro<*eed? whlcii tlie latter did. with such violence thnl the door, continuing to revolve. caught up with tlie Sohrnntenn and subjected htm to the same Indignity to which he had subjected Webster. Once free of the door, Webster waited Just Inside the lobby for the Sobrantean to conclude his precipitate entrance. When he di^l. Webster looked hint over with mild curiosity and uoweu with great condescension. **Dld any gentleman ever tell the senor that he Is an Ill-mannered monkey?" he queried coolly lu excellent Spanish. "If not. I desire to give the senor that Information, and to tell him that his size alone prevents me trouj giving him a nice little spanking." "IMg!" the rude one answered hotly. Hla olive features paled with anger, he trembled with emotion and seemed j uiiucviucu wuni iw m>?nt'Ping wnicn Webster grinned at him tantallzlngly. That decided him. No Latln-Amerlcan, with the exaggerated ego of hla race, can hear even a suspicion of ridicule. The officer wnlked fiercely toward Webster and swung his arm toward the tatter's face In an efTort to land a slap that was "meant." Webster merely threw buck his head and avoided the blow; Ills long left arm shot out and heat down the : Sohrantean's guard; then Webster's right hand closed around the officer's collar. "Come to me thou Insolent little one," he crooned, anil Jerked his assailant toward him. gathered him op In his anus, carriisl him, kicking '-Vmsf V, R'^M? Souacd Him In the Fountain. and screaming with futile rage, out into the patio and soused hi in In the fountain. "Now, then, spitfire, flint will cool your hot hend, I trust," he admonished, his unhappy victim, and returned , to the hotel.At the de*k he panned. J "Who wan thai peraon I Jnat bathed?" be inquired of the excited clerk. ' "4h. tenor, you ehall not long he I kept Id ignorance," that functionary i him# v^bf t fai (b# itrhbli J [BSTER I VN'S MAN i ter B. Kyne uthor of "Cappy icks," "The Valley F the Giants," Etc. Cmiii^iVWwU Irw Captain Benavldes?" "lk? you know, I had a notion It was he?" Webster replied ruiulnatlvely. "Well, I suppose I'm In for a duel now," he added to himself as he climbed the stairs to his room. "I think that will be most Interesting." John Stuart Webster chunged Into dry clothing and descended to the dlnlng-rooui. Miss Ituey was already seated at her table ant) motioned him to the seat opposite her, ant) as he *nt down with a contented little Rich, she gazed at hlui with a newer mud more alert Interest "1 hear you've been having adven tures again," she challenged. "The news Is all over the hotel. I heard It from the head waiter." "Coffee and pistols for two at day tight" he answered cheerily. "By the way. I have made my will, Just to be on the safe side. Will you be goon enough to take charge of It until aftei Nte funoral? You can turn It over to Billy then." She fell reodlly Into the hanterlnr spirit with which he treated thts so rious subject Indeed, It was quite Ini (tossllil~ to do otherwise, for Join Smart Webster's personality rudlatet such a feeling mt security. of absolute, unbounded confidence In the tutur? ami dls'ilitin for whatever of goon fortune or ill the future might entail that Dolores found It Impossible not to assimilate his mood. At seven-thirty, after a delightful dinner, the memory of which Mr Webster was certain would linger un der his foretop long after every othei memory had departed, he escorted her to the open carriage he had ordered, and for two hours they circled tJie Malecon with the elite ol Hiieuavenrura. listening to the mnslc of the hand. and. during the brief Intermissions. to the sound of the waves lapping the heach at the foot of the hrOad driveway. "This." said John Siuari Webster. ns he said goodnight to Dolores In the lohhy. "Is the end of a perfect day." It wasn't, for at thai precise mo 'meat a servant handed him a cant, ami indicated a young man seated In an adjacent lounging-chalr, at the sntne time volunteering the Information that the visitor had been awaiting Senor Webster's return for the past hour. Webster glanced at the card and strode over to the young man. "I am Mr. Webster, sir," he announced civilly In Spanish. "And you are Lieutenant Arredondo?" The visitor rose, bowed low and Indicated he was that gentleman. "I have called. Mr. Webster." he stated In most excellent Rngllsh, "in the Interest of my rriena and comrade, ; Captain Benavldes." I -ah. yest rue fresh HttJe rooster I ducked In the fountain this evening. Well, what does the little squirt want now? Anothur ducking?" Arredondo flushed angrily hut reUK-inhered the dignity of his mission and controlled his temper. "Capinlii Henavldes has asked me to express n you the ho(>e that you. being duublleata man of honor?" "Slop right there. Lieutenant. There In no douht about IL I am a man ot honor, and unless you are anxious to be ducked In the fountain, you will he more careful In your choice of words Now then: You are about to say that, j being a nmn of honor?" "You would accord my friend the ; satisfaction which one gentleman i never falls to accord another." "That lets me out. amlgo," Webster" laughed. "Henavldes isu't a gemleman. He's a cutthroat, a murdering little hlack-and-tan-honnd. Do I understand he wants me to tight a duel with lilm?" Lieutenant Arredondo could not trust himself to speak, and so he bowed profoundly. "Very well, then. Lieutenant," Webster agreed. "I'll fight him." "Tomorrow morning at five o'clock." "Five tnlnutes from now If you any so." "Captain Renavldes will be grateful for your willing spirit, at least," the second replied bitterly. "You realize, of course. Mr. Webster, that as the challenged party, the choice of weapons rests with you." "Certainly. I wouldn't have risked j n duel If the choice lay with the other fellow. With your permission, my dear sir. we'll fight with Mauser rltles at a thousand yards, for the reason that I never knew a (Ireaser that could hit the broad shle of a brewery at any range over two hundred and fifty yards." Webster chuckled fiendishly. Lieutenant Arredondo bit his lips In anger and vexation. "1 cannot agree ! to such an extraordinary duel," he i complained. "It la the cuxtom In Sohrnnte for gentlemen to flght with rapiers." "Oh, dry up. yon sneaking mar- , rterer," Webster exploded. "There isn't going to be any duel except on j my terms?so yon might as well take \ a straight tip from headquarters and stick to plain assassination. Yon and Renavldes have boon sent out by your ( -*u|wiriur iu &111 uiu y?u gm your orders .this very afternoon at the en- | r ran re to the government palace?and ; Cm Juat not going to he killed. Beat I It, hoy. while the going la good." Re pointed toward the hotel door. "Out, | yon blackguard I" he roared. "Vaya I" : Lieutenant Arredondo rose and with dignified mien started for the door. Webster followed, and as his visitor reached the portal, a tremendous kick, well placed, lifted him down to the sidewalk. Shrieking curses, be fled | Into the night; and John Stuart Wetv i iter, with f Mttsfled feeling that i iMARkrihsh^ wgA aavmaA A I : 1 night's repose, retired to hta room his I mnnve silk pajamas, and slept the | sleep of a healthy, conscience-free man. At about the same honr Neddy Jerome, playing solitaire In the Knglneers* club In Penver. was the reclp lent of a cablegram which read: "If W. cables accepting reply rejecting account Job filled otherwise beaus spilled. Implicit obedience spells victory. "Henrietta." Neddy Jerome wiped his spectacles, adjusted thein on his nose and read this amazing message once more. "Jum|>ed-up Jehosophat!" he murmured. "If she hasn't followed that madcap .Webster clear to Huenaven tin n I If she Isn't out In earnest to eam her fee, I'm an orang-outang 1 By thunder, that's a smart woman. All right I I'll be Implicitly obedient." Two hours later Neddy Jerome received another cablegram. It was from John Stuart Webster and read as follows: "Hold Job ninety days at latest may be back before. If satisfactory rahle." Again Mr. Jerome had recourse to the most powerful expletive at his nmroand. "Henrietta knew he was going to cable and beat tlie old sourdough to It," he soliloquized. He was wrnpped In profound admiration of her ennj?<ng for us much as five minutes; i hen he Indited this reply to his vVuui: "Time, tide and good Jobs w att for no nutu. Sorry. Job already filled by belie:' man." Whpn .Tnhn Qhmrf nTohct?? e?ooi?Ad tTiat cablegram the following morning. > be cursed bitterly?not because he j bad lost the best Job that had ever? M-en offered hlin, but because he bad J?-st through playing a good hand poorly. He hated himself for his Idiocy. CHAPTER XI. For fully an hour after retiring John Stuart Webster slept the deep, untroubled sleep of a healthy unworried man; then one of the many s|H?cles of "Jigger" which flourish Just north and south of the equator crawled Into bed with him and promptly proceeded to establish Its commissary on the inner flank of the Websterlan thigh, where the skin Is thin and the Mood close to the surface. As a consequence, Mr. Webster awoke suddenly, obliterated the Intruder and got out of bed for the purpose of anointing the Injured spot with alcohol?which being done, an active search of the bed resulted In the discovery of three more Jiggers and the envelopment of John Stuart Webster's soul In the fogs of apprehension. "'Tls tin evil land, tilled with tiou hie," he mused as he lighted a elgnret. "! wish Bill were here to advise me. He ought to be able to straighten this deal out and assure the higher-ups that I'm not hutting In on their political affairs. But Bill's up-country and here 1 am under surveillance and unable to leave the hotel to talk It over with Andrew Bowers, the only other white expert I know of in town. And by the way, they're after Andrew, too! I wonder what for." He smoked two cigarets, the while he pondered the various visible aspects of this dark mess In which he found himself floundering. And finally he arrived at a decision. "These chaps aren't thorough," Webster decideo. "They'll see me safely to bed and pick me up again in the morning ?so I'll take a chance that the coast Is c'ear, slip out now and talk It over with Andrew." He looked at his watch?eleventhirty. Hurriedly he dressed, strapped on Ills automatic pistol, drngged Ills bed noiselessly to the open window and tied to the bed-leg the rope he used to lash hi* trunk : then he low H? Lowered Himself Out of the Window. ered himself out the window. The length of rope permitted him to descend within n few feet of the ground Webster mnde his wn.v to the street unnoticed and ten minutes later np noornrl * ? - * "? *? inwicu "null; lll?r VUimilCtf III r.I lilll'D Amlgo Just as Mother Jenks was barring It for the night. "I am Mr. Webster," he announced "?Mr. Geary's friend from the United States." Mother Jenks, hnvlng heard of him. was of course profoundly flustered to meet this tofT who so carelessly wired his down-and-out frjends pesos oro In lots of a thousand. Cordially she Invited him within to stow a peg of her best, which Invitation Mr. Webster promptly accepted. "To your beautiful eyes," Webster toasted her. "And now would you mind leading me to the quarters of Billy's friend Mr. Bowers?" She shuffled away, to. retnrn presently with the news that' Mr. Bowers was In his room and would be delighted to receive Mr. Webster. Mother Jenks led Webster to the door, knocked, announced him and discreetly withdrew. "My dear Webster P cried Andrew Bowers enthusiastically, and he drew his late fellow-passenger Into the room. Watister oh?i isl that Andrew - - rr ? BMMHHHBI was not alone. **I want to see you privately," he said. "Didn't know you had couipuny, or I wouldn't have Intruded." "Welt. I knew I had company, didn't C? Coine In, vou crazy fellow, and ; neet some good friends of mine who are ! very anxious to meet you." Ho turned to a tall, handsome, scholarly looking man of about forty, whose features, dress and manner of wearlt#? his whiskers proclaimed him a personage. "Dr. Bllseo I'acheeo. I have the honor to present Mr. John S. Wohster. the American gentleman of whom you hnve heard me speak."" Doctor t'acheco promptly leaped to his feet and bowe<l with ostentatious reverence then suddenly, with Latin impulsiveness, be advanced upon WebI ater. twept aside the latter'^ outstretched hand, clasped John Stuart Webster In fraternnl embrace, and to the old sour-dough's Inexpressible hor- i ror, kissed him upon the right cheek? after which he backed off, bowed once more, and said In Spanish: "Sir. my life is yours." "It is well he gnve it to you before you took It." Andrew said In English, J and he laughed, noting Webster's confusion. "And this gentleman Is Colonel Pablo Carnveo." "Thunder, I'm in for It again," Web- I eter thought?and he was, for the ' amiable colonel embraced Webster and kissed his left cheek before turning to , Andrew. "You will convey to our guest, in English. Don Rlcardo, assurnnces of my profound happiness in meeting him." he said in Spanish. "The Colonel says you're all to the ' mustard." Andrew at once Interpreted j merrily. "Rather a liberal translation," Webster retorted In Spanish, whereat Colonel Cnrnveo sprang up and clapped his hands In delight. "Your happiness, my dear Colonel," 1 Webster continued. "Is extravagant grief compared with iny delight In meeting a Sobrantean gentleman who has no desire to skewer ine." He turned to Andrew. "While Introductions are In order, old son, suppose you complete the Job and Introduce yourself. I'm always suspicious of a man with an alias." "Then behold the death of that Impudent fellow Andrew Bowers, late valet de chamhre t<^.thls eminent nitn- j log engineer and prince of gentlemen, J Mr. John Stuart Webster. Doctor Pnclieco, will you be good enough to perform the operation?" "This gentleman," said the doctor, ! laying his hand on Andrew's shoulder, "is Don Iticardo Lulz Ruey, a gentleman. a patriot, and the future president of our unhappy country." Webster put his hands on the young man's shoulders. "Rlcardo, my son," he asked earnestly, "do you think you could give me some little hint of the approximate date on which you will assume ofllce? By the nine gods of war, ! never wanted a friend at court so badly as I wnnt one tonight." Webster sat down and helped himself from a box of cigars he found on Ricardo's bureau. "I feel I am among friends at last," he announced between preliminary puffs "so listen while I spin a strange tale. I've been the picture of bad luck ever since I started for this Infernal?this wonderful country of yours. In New Orleans I took a Sunday morning stroll In Jackson square and cutue across two men trying to knife another. In the Interest of common decency I Interfered and won n sweeping victory, but to my amazement the prospective corpse took to his heels and advised me to do the same " Ricardo Ruey sprang for John Stuart Webster. "By George," he said In English. "I'm going to hug you, too. I really ought to kiss you, because I'm that man you saved from assassination, but?too long in the U. S. A., I suppose; I've lost the customs of my country/' "Get out," yelled Webster, fending him off.. "By the way, Ricardo?I'm going to call you Rick for short?do you happen to have any relatives In this country?" "Yes, a number of second nnd third cousins." "Coming down on the steamer, I didn't like to appear curious, but all the time I wanted to ask you oue question." "Ask It now." "Are you a Sobrnntean?" UAKUUI HtLPtU REGAIN STRENGTH Alabama Lady Wat Sick For Three Year*, Suffering Pain, Nervous and Depressed?Read Her Own Story of Recovery. Paint Rock, Ala.?Mrs. C. M. Btegall, of near here, recently related the following interesting account of her recovery: "I was In a weakened condition. I was sick throe years in bed. Buffering a great deal of pain, weak, nervous, dopressed. I was so weak, I couldn't walk across the floor; Just had to lay and my little ones do the work. I was almost dead T triorf every thing I heard of, and a number of doctors. Still I dldnt get any relief. I couldn't cat, and slept poorly. I believe if I hadn't hoard of and taken Cardul I would have died. I bought six bottles, after a neighbor told me what it did for her. "I began to eat and sleep, began to gain my strength and am now well and strong. I haven't had any trouble since ... I sure can testify to the good that Cardul did me. I don't think there le a better tonic made and I believe It saved my life." For over 40 years, thousands of women have used Cardul successfully, in the treatment of many womanly ailments. V# .... .?M?. -- -MtM a /uu Duiivi ?n iuen WUUIUQ U1U# Uke Cardul. It may holP y?u. too. t all druggists. E 85 DR. J. T. RUTLEDGE Dental Surgeon At Pageland Tuesday and Wednea lay. Remainder of timo at Chesterfield, office in Dank of Chesterfield a DUHuin(. < -i was born in this country and raised here until I was fourteen." "But you're?why, lmng it. You're not a Latin?" "No. I'm a mixture, with Latin predominating. My forebears were pure Castllluus from Madrid, and crossed the Western ocean In caravels. It's been a matter of pride with the house of Ituey to keep the breed pure, but despite all precautions, the family tree has been grafted once with a Scotch uiisue. twice with the Illy of France, and once with the shamrock of Ireland. My mother was an Irish woman." "You alibi yourself perfectly, Illcardo, and my curiosity is appeased. Permit me to continue my tale," he udded In Spanish, and forthwith he related with humorous detail his adventure at the gangplank of the steaner that had borne him and Itlcnrdo Ituey south. Itlcnrdo Interrupted him. "We know all about that, friend Webster, and we knew the two delightful gentlemen had been told off to get you?unofficially. The Sohrnntean revolutionary Junta has headquarters In New Orleans. It Is composed of political exiles, for Sarros, the present dictator of Sohrnnte, rules with nn Iron hand, and has a cute little habit of railroading his enemies to the cemetery via the treason charge and the firing squad. He killed my father, who was the best Dresldent this h?>nifht?<i cmintru ever hnd, and I consider it my Christian duty to avenge my father and a patriotic duty to take up the task he left unfinished?the task of making over my country. "In Sobrnnte, as In most of the countries In"Central America, there are two distinct classes of people?the aristocrats and peons?uud the aristocrat futtens on the peon, as he has hud a habit of doing since Adam. We haven't any middle class to stand as a buffer between the two?which makes It a sad proposition. My father was nn Idealist and a dreamer and he dreamed of reform in government and n solution of the agrarian problem which confronts all Latin-America. lie trusted one l'ahlo Sarros, an educated peon, who had commanded the government forces under the regime my father overthrew. My tender-hearted parent discovered that Sarros was plotting to overthrow him ; hut tnsteud of having htm shot, he merely removed htm from command. Sarros gathered a handful of bandits. Joined the old government forces my father hnd conquered, hired a couple dozen Yankee artillerymen and?he won out. My father was captured and executed;the palace was burned, and my sister perished In the flames. I'm here to pay olT the score." "A worthy ambition! So you organl7Pfl fho * * ~ *T ? ^ iciuiuiiuuiti7 j 11111it in wew Orleans. eh?" Iticurdo nodded. "Word of It renehed Sarros. and he sent his brother Raoul, chief of tlie intelligence bureau, to investigate and report. As fast as he reported, Colonel Caraveo reported to me. My father's son possesses a natue to conjure with. Consequently ?t was to the Interest of the Sarros administration that I be eliminated. They watched every boat; hence my scheme for eluding their vigilance?which, thanks to you, worked like a charm." "But," Webster complained, "I'm not sitting In the game at all, and yet I'm caught between the upper and nether millstones." "That is easy to explain.. You interfered that morning in Jackson square; then Raoul Sarros met you going uhoard the steamer for Buenaventura and you raanhundled him, and naturally, putting two and two together, he has concluded that you are not only his personnl enemy but also a friend and protector of mine and consequently an enemy of the stnte." "And as a consequence I'm marked for slaughter?" "It would be well, my friend," Doctor Pacheco suggested, "to return to the United States until after lilcnrdo and his friends have eliminated your Nemesis." "How soon will that happy event transpire?" "In about sixty days we hope to be ready to strike, Mr. Webster." Colonel Caraveo cleared his throat. "I understand from Uicardo that you and another American are Interested In a mining concession, Mr. Webster." Webster nodded. "Is this a concession from a private landholder or did your friend secure It from the Sarros government ?" "From the government. We pay ten per cent, royalty, on a ninety-nine-year lease, and that's nil I know about It. I have never seen the property, and my object In coming was to examine It and. If sntistled, finance the project." "If you will return to your hotel, my dear sir," Colonel Caraveo suggested, "and remain there until noon tomorrow, I feel confident I can guarantee you Immunity from attack thereafter. I have a plan to influence my associates in the Intelligence office." "Bully for you, Colonel. Give tne sixty days in which to operate, and I'll have finished my Job in Sobrante and gotten out of It before that gang of cutthroats wakes up to the fact that I'm gone. I thank you. sir." "The least we can do. since von hnve saved Rlcnrdo's life and rendered our cause a great service, Is to save your life." Colonel Carnveo replied. "This Is more comfort than I had hoped for when 1 came here, gentlemen. I am very grateful, I assure you. Of course this little revolution you're cooking up Is no affair of mine, j and I trust I need not assure you that your contldence is quite safe with me." The Doctor and the Colonel Immediately rose and bowed like a pair of mnrlonettes. Webster turned to Rleardo. "Have you had any ext>erfenre In (To be continued on last page) J. ARTHUR KNIGHT Attorney-at-Law Office in Courthouse Chesterfield, S. C. TROTTI & PARK, Dental Surgeons Chesterfield, S. C. Office on second floor in Ross Building. E. MAE EDGEWORTH Optometrist Eyes examined and glasses fitted scientifically. Office hours 10 A. M. to 4 P. M. Of | Wamble Hill National Farm Loan Association la authorized to take and file applications with the Federal Land Bank of Columbia. Rate of interest 6 per cent. Loans made on improved farm lands. The Federal Land Bank will loan 50 per cent, on land and 20 I per cent, on insurable improvements. Filing your application with Wamhlp Hill Kutinnni t Aiwwivnui i' oi 111 JLiUtlll Association is the first step taken to secure a loan through the Federal Land Bank of ColumbiaThe bank will complete all loans as fast as it can sell bonds to make the money available. The bank desires to meet the needs of the farmer, and an early application will insure you to get your loan quicker. The Wamble Hill National Farm Association is entitled to do business in the entire county, and it charges 1 per cent for its services if loan is made, other wise all is refunded except actual cost. 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