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Show LEHI FREE PRESS, LEHI, UTAH o I o o o o o o o o o 1 1 o o o o o o o o o o CDaDrmannncBrraDir XTflnnn ann o Copjrrtf ht hf PcUr B. . EBy EPeteir Myiie e W.NT? Borrlea. Iru CHAPTER XI Continued 13 "Of course there is. He' ten mile from the border and be can't possibly get there with thirty thousand eheep under two days; when he gets to the river he'll find slity of my men between him and the farther shore. However, It will entail some loss en route and far heavier losses getting the sheep back on the range again. Bobby, I've got to stop that procession at the first water-hole- , scatter Dingle and his men and put my own brave boys In charge. Meanwhile, we'll ride down to that dust cloud and make a recon-'ualsance.- " They did, keeping to the backbone of the western fringe of foothills. An hour of bard riding brought them to d hills. Bethe crest of the low thera a plain sloped gently Into the bluish haze; faintly to them came the continuous bleating of sheep; a dirty gray blur Indicated the flock. At Its rear and on the flanks, little black dota, that were herders and sheep dogs, urged the weary animals along. Don Jaime counted the largest dots. "Twenty herders," Roberta heard him remark, half to himself. "Hum-m-m- ! It doesn't look as If It would be quite safe to give Bill Dingle his walking papers today. He Is not In a mood to accept them." He cased his binoculars, whirled his horse and, without even a look at the girl beside him, tarted back the way they bad come. "What are you going to do, Jimmy?" he asked anxiously, spurring up alongside of him. "We're going back to the motorcar, Bobby. I'm going to send Aurello back to Valle Verde for reinforcements." "Will there be a fight?" "I think so, Bobby. Dingle has Six, with the dogs. twenty herders. Should be ample to maneuver those cheep. So It looks as If he had prepared for trouble, and when men prepare for trouble It's a pretty good sign they will not avoid It." "I don't want a fight," the girl cried passionately. "You and some of your men may get hurt killed." "Quite likely. I have no Intention of making this anything but a slaughslate-colore- Itoberta commenced to sob. "Oh, Jimmy, I'm afraid terribly afraid! I have a presentiment you'll be killed." "Would that mutter so very much to you?" His hand elo.-e- d over her arm. "Iotik at me, Kiherta. Would It matter so very much?" She nodded an affirmative, unable to trust herself to speak. He said something In Spanish. Roberta suspected it was an oath! "I'm the picture of bad luck." he complained. "I don't want this fight, but I just can't afford to let Dinzle get away Into Mexico with a quarter of a million dollars' worth of my property. The loss might put me Into the hands of a receiver so. much as I would like to oblige you, Bobby, I must Inform you that about sunset h l's going to pop over yonder." The tears coursed down her cheeks. She was beyond words now. "Don't feel bad. Bobby." he urged. "We'll open the fight at long range. Ken and I are absolutely deadly up to a thou sand yards. Those herders are mostly f Mexicans and at ranges be yond three hundred yards their shooting Is sloppy. I know. Bobby. I've been through a dozen brushes with them." Please please, for "Oh. Jimmy! my sake." He pulled up his horse and glowered at her. "My dear girl." he cried sharply, "you're trying to make a quitter out of me. When a man permits a woman to rob him of his strength he might as well get killed and have his shame over with. Is that understood?" Roberta nodded miserably. What argument of hers could prevail above this logic? And yet, beneath her cold fear there burned a wild pride that he had made his decision so, and deep down In her rebellious, belligerent heart she knew that, come what might, she would not have It otherwise now. riff-raf- CHAPTER XII Cantering where the ground permitted, moving at a fast running walk where it did not, Roberta and Don Jaime reached the waiting truck nnd motorcar In thirty minutes. Throughter." out the journey (following her host's "Oh, Jimmy, please listen to me. announcement of his Inflexible purpose This Is not your fight It's mine and to fight Bill Dingle and his herders Td rather lose every head of those before sunset) no word had passed beIwful sheep than have anybody killed tween the two. Don Jaime rode s defending them. Send to Los ahead, occasionally looking hack to for the sheriff and a posse to see that all wns well with the girl; head Dingle off. This Is the sheriffs seemingly. In his eagerness for conbusiness, not yours." flict, he would gladly have dispensed "A good plan for weaklings," he rewith her society If he could. At least plied curtly. "You seem to forget that Roberta thus read his thoughts, nor even members of a sheriffs posse are was she far wrong, as his first subseexpendable. Bobby, there's always an quent words proved. open season on thieves, and any citl-ee"Bobby, this job of mine Is man's work. Aurelio Is going back with the may catching a thief help himself to the sport to the limit truck, so If you'll dismount we'll load Of his desires and his ammunition. It's your horse Into It. Then, If you will be good enough to take the motorcar llways been the custom In this country for men to protect their property nnd drive It home for me I'll be your from thieves." debtor." "I forbid you to make another move "No," she answered sharply. "My In the protection of my property, Jimhorse and the motorcar should remain here. I might need the car to carry my. I can stand the loss now. If anything should happen to you I'd some wounded men to the doctor In Los Algodones or some dead men to never forgive myself" He smiled across at her benignly. the morgue. When this issue Is set"And If I ever fell so low as to let a tled I'll know what to do and I'll not have to be told." "The objection you raise Is a logical one. Have It your own way." He gave Aurelio his orders In Spanish and when the latter had departed with the truck. Don Jaime sat down on the running board of the motorcar and motioned to Roberta to dismount and sit beside him. "Drop your reins. Your horse will tie to the breeze," he suggested. "Let's have a smoke. Soothing to the nerves." "It probably would be If you had any." she retorted, and climbed down beside him. "I cannot Imagine any man enjoying a roughhouse more than you." "You're a poor Judge of human na ture." His tones were dry. "Nobody likes a roughhouse where lethal weapons are used. I'm always very much afraid I'll get killed, and I don't want to die now. In fact. I never did care very much about dying. Life's fairly sweet and, as you remarked recently, I have a lot of unfinished business to clean up. Mind where you throw your butt, my dear. This range Is dry and I don't want a fire. Yes, I could do with a whole lot of letting alone, Heard Roberta Herdera," Twenty Bobby." Him Remark, Half to Himself. "Well, I've suggested the sheriff. It's his business to apprehend horse thief escape In daylight I'd never forgive myself, Bobby. I'd lose caste In thieves." He did not answer this. He was iny own country." "But those sheep are mine," she thoughtful, blowing smoke rings. "I'll r cried desperately. "The affair Is none have to teach that of your business. Jimmy please lisgang a lesson." he resumed casually. ten to me." "They must learn to stay at home. I'm break In He glared at her. "I'm ashnmed of four men shy on a fifty-fiftmy rucknses with those animals you. I thought you had courage. You haven't so now it seems 1 must tell four good men. One of them was you something. Those sheep are not Julio's father and Julio shall have his chance at reprisal this day. This yours. They're mine! Don I'rudenelo tad an offer for the lot from a man matter Is personal. Bobby, nnd I'm gonamed Blodgett. The price wns right ing to got every mother's son of those and Trudy and I decided you should renegades If I have to follow them to Mexico City." sell. The court agreed and we sold. "You have no right to risk the lives Yesterday the buyer decided he had made a mistake and sold the sheep to of your poor. Ignorant men to save me at a lower price. I didn't Intend your property." she flared at him. "I haven't? Why haven't I? They're to tell you about this, of course, but circumstances compel me. What 1 my men, aren't they? Didn't I inherit own I keep and I'll always fight for them? do I not employ thera and nous my own. Now Is your conscience them and feed them and make them happy? Doesn't the doctor come out quieted?" Algo-flone- hi; 4mi EE. r$ below-the-Borde- twice a week from Ijjh Algodones to look over the ailing ones? Didn't my father and grandfather and greatgrandfather accept them and their troubles? I'm loyal to them, am I m.t? They know I d fight to the death for them, and lose every dollar I have In the world before turning thera off to face that world the gringo world they do not understand ' Why shouldn't they be loyal to me? In fighting to defend my rights they fight for their own and besides, we've all been raised together that way and there are some habits we do not care to break. 'Whose salt I eat. his song I sing.' A good slogan, and a very ancient one in this country." The girl was sensible of a vague nn easiness as he looked her over sternly. She had not pleased him and he did not disdain to make her aware of the fact "I'm not a lawyer," he shot out at "What would your her suddenly. friend, Mr. Huckett, do If he were the owner of these sheep?" "I Imagine he'd have some sort of theft Insurance on them, so he wouldn't worry If Dingle stole them. He'd leave the worry and the salvage and the prosecution to the Insurance company." "Everything for defense but not a cent for tribute. Bobby. It's all In the point of view. Well, I suppose, now that you're out of the sheep business, Bobby, you'll be going back to Dobbs Ferry In a day or two." "Well, of course, I would stay over for your funeral, Jimmy." She tried to appear Jocular, but her quavering voice betrayed her real feelings. His brown hand caressed her shoulder. "That's the girl. Act spunky, even If you're not Nine times out of ten one can fool the enemy with a good bluff." "You are going to wait here until Aurello returns with more men and horses? How many men have you sent for?" "Twenty. Caraveo, the riding boss, will pick the best. That will be five trucks with four horses ami their riders to each truck. Don't talk to me now, Roberta. I have to formulate a battle plan." He took out a notebook and pencil and commenced writing. "Here," he said abruptly, when he had finished, "please hand this to Ken Hohart when he reports here. If nobody returns by twilight, drive the car back to the You know the way." He ranch. stood up, hitched his belt and held out his hand. "Where are you going, Jimmy?" "I'm going to circle ahead of those sheep and get to the only water-holthey can reach tonight. There's an old branding corral in the. valley by one I built myself. that water-holI'm going to dig in there and hold that gang off." "Surely you're not going alone?" "Julio will follow at four o'clock. He's dependable. Good by, Bobby in case I do not see you again. It's been wonderful to have known you. When you get back to Dobbs Ferry think kindly of Jim Iliggins, if he's in the cemetery, and send him an occasional If he's not. Your picture post-carsheep money is in the local batik. Trust old Trudy. He looks like a dusky Idol but he's cuter than any fox and honest. Good-by- , my very dear." He took her hand. It trembled In his. "Jimmy," she said in a very small voice, "the other night you told me you loved me. Was that a statement of fact or just ah hooey?" "It was a statement of fact. Til love you as long as I live. Some day, if I live, I suppose Til marry somebody else, but In the cool of the evening, darling, when the day's work Is done and the HIguenes boy and his thoughts are alone together well, I'll do some thinking. And If Mrs. HIguenes should say. 'James, what are you thinking of?' I shall tell her a harmless lie." "I shall go home tomorrow, Jimmy provided you come back to Valle If not" Verde. "They'll plant me In a hurry and you can go the day after, Bobby." He took her fresh, lovely face In his palms. "Bobby," he said very seriously, "remember me as the man who never made love for fun." And he kissed her on the lips and let her go. Dully, she watched hlra swing Into his saddle and ride away; when he had topped the ridge he pulled up. looked back and waved his hand. Then he went over the sky line. Ken Uobart and About three-thirtJulio returned and found Roberta face downward In the grass, sobbing as If her heart must break. When she raised her head at Hobart's touch It occurred to the general manager that It would require more than a little rouge nnd powder to repair the damage done by those tears. "Where is the Big Boss?" he demanded In the matter-of-fac- t tone of one who beholds nothing unusual. Roberta held out a couple of leaves of paper Don Jaime's battle plan. Ho bart read It. "The boy has some sense after all," he decided. "Who He says this Is a dull country?" spoke to Julio. "SI. senor." murmured Julio, and rode away on Don Jaime's trail! Ken Hobart, left alone with Roberta, e e d y lit a cigarette, smoked It through In silence, lit another, and wailed- - Then: "Crying over the old man?" Roberta nodded, and added defenDon sively: "I'm sure anybody would. he if and so so tine, and Jaime's young should get killed" "Quite so," murmured Mr. Hobart "However, we have one consolation. He'll have a lot of company on the saddle-coloreway up! Well, if that hombre gets his. about all any of us can do is to sing 'By by. Blackbird!' I imagine he'll get killed somehow." "In heaven's name, why?" "Well." said Mr. Hobart with exasperating deliberation, "he's madly in love with you. Miss Antrim, but he realizes that's all the good it's going to do him. He realizes you'd never dream of marrying the man who killed your uncle " "My uncle was a scoundrel. He employed scoundrels." "Still, he was your uncle. You know, of course, that with Don Jaime's breed of cat an uncle Is a kinsman, no matter what he does. I've felt like d have time festivities your little and then dark." Long ago that do coeaetk hidebiotcisv,, the Mon of 1 cleared the etiminatKe tract oin drove out the bowel action waste. She felt better, too, fuJ of pea? with vitality. Try tha mild, uie, oSe2 corrective tonight. SeerS! gh tee headaches. "TUfAS wide-brimm- Bluff." telling the boss he was all wrong about you, but then I'm only a hired man, and the hired man who speaks out of his turn to Don Jaime gets tired pretty sudden." "If you'd only told him !" Roberta wailed. "Oh, If you only had !" "Why didn't you tell him yourself?" he retorted. "You're one of the parties at interest, aren't you?" "There are things no girl can say-w- hen a man acts as queerly as Don He's so Jaime does. Mr. Hobart sensitive, so retiring" Mr. Hobart choked and to cover his strangled cachinnation coughed violently into his cupped hands. "About as sensitive and retiring as a steer on the peck," he retorted, "but he Is proud. If he thought there was the least chance of your refusing him he'd never ask you to marry him in a thou sand years." "Indeed! Is that possible, Mr. Ho bart?" Then, it suddenly dawning on her that her conversation with Ken Hobart hitherto could have been covered in five hundred words, she was appalled, not only at his garrulity but at her own. "Isn't this conversation getting a trifle personal and delicate. Mr. Hobart?" she suggested. "Really. I haven't the slightest idea why I am discussing such an intimate subject with you." "Well, I have. I want to discuss It," he replied calmly. "When I discover that Don Jaime has ridden away to get killed because life won't mean a thing to him after you're gone and when I find you ruining your peaches-and-creacomplexion crying over this greaser" "How dare you? He's not a greaser !" "Nobody but a greaser would act the way he does. Well, as I was saying, having discovered the lay of the land, I felt It my Christian duty to Interfere and offer some sound advice." "What do you advise, Mr. Hobart?" "Would you marry this HIguenes hombre If he asked you?" Roberta blushed furiously and hung her head. "Come." Mr. Hobart urged, "this Is serious business. There's a question before the house and It merits an answer. Would you marry the idiot and chuck all your sheep money Into the pot with him and help extend his Irrigation system and buy about a thousand purebred Hereford breeding n cows ?" "I would, gladly. If 1 married him Td be his partner as well as his wife. 1 could be a good partner." "None better," agreed Mr. Hobart. "Well, If yon want him, go get him. He's yours for the asking." "Mr. Hobart! How dare you? No girl asks a man to marry her!" "That's why we have so many old maids. Miss Antrim. Now, listen to me. If you hop aboard that horse of yours nnd ride after Julio he'll lead you to that old branding corral where he and Don Jaime are going to dig In and do some fancy shooUng. You'll To open the nostr ilaand promote clear breathing lool use Menthol a turn To eom night and morning. hei spe "Ignore." It Kennard, age eight, delightif 1 lng big words. At dinner, when cabbage n lng served by his father, he c Til ed his plate with a wry face as claimed : ( "I just Ignore cabbage." Try Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Cow AJ r Felt Terribly Neiw :1a Tra Fagged out . . . always melancholy blue. She should take Lydia E ft, fo: ham's Vegetable Compound. Its Yot action builds up the system. Tff? Wa t Creoles Th The word "Creole" is used ij;aro United States in reference t'taine white persons descended from Pgun nnd Spanish settlers of Lo: p The and other Gulf states. L.$f "Father was angry leave the y show when time we'll D . i Ct U re l couldn't I a "il l bot- - Uut i 6 At for cough-tie of FREE your druggist's. For write to 732 Ceres Ave., Lo 3 Qj t.-i- Bronchi-Lyptu- s Try the Fire hess DepartmeilQjjjjg "Hello ! Is this the city brlimse ignec partment?" -""Yes. What do you want?" J f How many points do you a little slam?" Union Pacific t zine. r Watch Your Id Kiffniwi "If anything happens to that girl," he told hlmseif, "I'll just keep right on In the general southerly direction and never come back." The low range swung to the east and suddenly, in a valley far below, Ken Hobart saw the sheep saw that they were being driven, not grazed. They were within a mile of the water-hole- , and Julio was not In sight. At the foot of the range Roberta, stationary, sat her horse and took stock of the situation. She had lost Julio! Pet fardec st : roduc iCotton d ' .. S 4 t '" grins' v--, rrij Pont Neglect Kiiney V- - (TO BE CONTINUED.) Times. , STOPPED -- UP ) e Killed Hit Luck One time I saw a temperamental movie director order his crew ol workmen to kill a stray dog who had been hanging around making friends Never shall I forget the look of bewilderment that came Into the log's eyes as his luncheon pals suddenly turned on him with sticks and bludgeons. Incidentally, the director who ordered that dog killed never made another successful picture and stead ily and sickeningly dropped to on livion. I knew another man who had a fighting bulldog that he forced to tight for gamblers after one of her forelegs had been chewed off. That brute lost his own leg and' finally wound up In state's prison. Sounds like a little Rollo story, but It's tru -- Harry Carr In the Los Anselet t sle e no-har- t. itI Logical Explanation "Does a family called Gr live here?" "No, but there Is a Mister a few doors down, and over the ; a Mrs. Lee." "Oh, they must have bea vorced." Vart Hem (Stoekhois CHAPTER XIII high-crowne- d for sad ucaiujura. Wind Carried Off Hay whirlwind near the Lo Stanley Mucha, in Ware, 4 caused several men working hayfield to gaze in wonder pile of hay they had raked op, to be loaded on a truck, was t rise In the air and sail aloq some tlistance, apparently 15 any reason. The haypile war rled up In the air about i!uo fee remained in a compact masji considerable distance before r ping to the ground. e The huge satisfaction felt by Ken Hobart at his interference In other people's business was shattered now, as he thought of Roberta, garbed In riding breeches and flannel shirt and conventional the wearing hat of the and she country. Riding along the sky-lin- e could very readily be mistaken for a man and such mistakes, in the Impending circumstances, might reason ably be fatal ! It was Incumbent upon him, therefore, to catch up with her, to guard her approach to that old branding corral In the valley, to make her take every advantage of the ground, to scout the territory for her. Also, a new and disturbing thought had occurred to him. What if Dingle had decided to make sure of the water for the sheep by taking possesbefore Don sion of the water-holJaime could get there? Of course It was unbelievable that the latter would beride boldly up to the water-holfore making a careful reconnaissance, since instinct, the custom of the country, and his army training would in dicate that course to him. On the other hand, was Don Jaime's mind! completely on the task In hand? Wa9j it not probable that thoughts of a sentimental nature might lull him into! indiscretion? Verily, Ken Hobart! could take no chances. There vvasj immediate need of haste and he hastened ; and as he galloped along the backbone of the ridge he was sicken-inglaware that he was not the only one who was hastening. There was Don Jaime, to begin with, hurrying to get to the water-hol- e and consolidate his position. He knew the country well and was a hard, fast rider. After him came, on hot hoofs, his reinforcements the devoted Julio. Duty was duty to Julio and, as Don Jaime had stated, that youthful retainer had a personal Interest In the forthcoming activities. Hurrying to catch Julio, that he might lead her to the water-hole- , Roberta was pounding along on her fleet hunter; and after Roberta came Ken relief " Quick UOO. A two-gallo- n "Act Spunky, Even if You Are Not Nine Times Out of Ten One Can Fool the Enemy With a Good gtt dullness vanisn. At ail aroggBis only 25c to get to the scene of the before they get going, have pow wow with Don Jaime, beat it back here ueiuic "Oh. Mr. Hobart. I couldn't! Td feel so brazen. Td die of shame." Is "Very well, then, die. Don Jimmy sure to die, because he doesn't want to Of course he'd never let you live. know that, but right here In this note he left me he says: "Adios, amigo. See that Miss Antrim gets to the station all right, and whatever you do, don't plant me in the same cemetery with her uncle.' You can save a hu man life if you care to. If you do not care to well, that's your own business." Roberta got up, walked to her horse and mounted him. "Thank you a lot Mr. Hobart." she gulped. "You're a true friend." "I'm glad I measure up. Td be out of luck If the boss wife got sore at me. Hello, here come Caraveo and the trucks. I must head him off and send him down the road a few miles farther, to save time." He made a flying leap to his horse and galloped away to meet the riding boss. Just as Roberta disappeared over he gave Enrico Caraveo the his orders, then without waiting for his five men to follow he galloped swiftly after the girl. "D n It." he muttered. "I got so Interested fixing things for Don Jimmy I clean forgot that girl wears pants, hat. Some one of and a those roughnecks may mistake her for a man!" sky-lin- i TO her Mend fester ". Bladder Irregularis vMai If bothered with I I bladder Weth: ley and nagging backache, promptly these symptog g I They may warn of fSJlS. I ordered kidney or bladder5 1 dition. For 50 years gn I A users have relied upon t fif, l Pills. Praised the country' R(Ja b, h bm? w N. U., Salt .;- -' a mure1 v. |