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Show iiH -M-.MBMBBBMSMsssaassssssMSSMSsssMsisMSBsMBMBsMsM I WEBSTER MAN'S MAN "" 1 1 Author of "Cuppy Rickf," "The Valley of the Giants Etc I I W Cerrtftt fcy TUt B. Kras UK jO1,. 't 5J "I'LL SEND HER BACK TO THE UNITED STATES." John Rtuart Webster, mining engineer, man's man, thirty-nine ream ,,, young-, boardi a train In Death Valley. California, on hie way back to cUI- cHl ligation after cleaning up tlOO.OOO. But ho looka like a hobo. Then ha meeta UP ! a. distressed lady, who makes hla heart flop over for the first time In all hta BB day. He eliminates the offending- man niter the style of the man's man the WW world over. Seine what he li and alio airl-shr, he dees not take advantage H of his opportunity. But he Just has to find out who the no-longer-dlstressed f i lady Is, being determined to hatch up a scheme to meet her strain and marry her. She la Dolores Buey. Clad In purple and fine linen, John cms to the 9 ' Engineers club in Denver, the nearest approach to a home he haa known In Rl twenty years. Titers he Is offered a tx,000-a-ear Job, with the certainty yjKl of a fortune, by a capitalist friend, Edward P. Jerome. While he Is hesltat- EMS' ,n" hetng loath to bo to work again so soon, he receives a delayed letter Hsffli from his own particular pal, Billy deary, asking; him to finance a gold-mining Bflfi ' proposition in Central Amortca and so nfty-Ofty with him on the profits. HwH Thereupon he turns down the bis Job and dscldea to answer the call of friend- QKh( ship and adventure to Bobrante. Jerome goes with John to the depot, trying Isfiti to icet htm to change his mind. They meet the distressed lady on her way IjKjr to the same train. John lifts hla hat, but gets the cut direct from the girl, EjK who does not recognise him. John tells Jerome the whole story. Jerome IKk secretly sees the girl and later wires her, offering her H0.009 If she Induces E9R John to take his Job Inside of W days. The girl wires acceptance. The scene BD now shifts to Buenaventura, Bobrante, where deary, on his uppers. Is eating Bffj his heart out looking for a cablegram from his old partner. Bill & i Hi CHAPTER IV Continued. HHJ For two months ho had existed en-Kw en-Kw Urcly because of the leniency of Moth-Em! Moth-Em! er Jenks In the matter of credit no flw could not pny her cash, devoutly as he IflK hoped to do somo dny, nnd ho consld-HBj consld-HBj - crcd It of tho most vital Importance Ml that In the Interim ho should some-UtB some-UtB how survive. Therefore, In lieu of KjK cash ho paid her compliments, which B&i Bho snapped up greedily. BBj An Inventive genius was Billy. He Si never employed tho namo dcfcnslvo BBj tactics two days In succession, and BK when personal flattery threatened to 1ml fall him, n largo crayon reproduction 1KB of the lato Henry Jenks, which hung Ml over tho back bar, was a novcr-faltlng BBj source of Inspiration, BBj This was tho "sainted Encry" pro-BBi pro-BBi vtously referred to by Mother Jenks. BBJ ITo bad been n sergeant In Her Brlt-Bfl Brlt-Bfl tanlc Majesty's Royal Horso artillery, Bfl and upon retiring to the reserve had BV " barkened to n proposition to emigrate Biff to Sobrnnto and accept a commission MCw as colonel of artillery with tho gov-BBJ gov-BBJ ' emment forces then In the throes of n BBJ revolutionary attack. Tho rebels had BBf triumphed, and as a result Enory had BBf been sainted via tho customary ex-VI ex-VI pedltlous routo; whereupon bis wlfo BBf had had rccourso to her early profes- I BBJ slon of barmaid, and El Buen Amlgo I BBJ bad resulted, MSI However, let us return to our BBJj ibccps, as Mr. Geary would bavo ex- BflB pressed It. Seemingly tho effect of BBP Billy's compliment wns Inntnntly cvl- BflVj dent, for Mother Jenks sot out two Bsli glasses nnd a bottle. ml! "I know ycr n trlfler, Willy Geary," St Bho simpered, "but If I do s'y It as Hi shouldn't, I was accounted as 'nnd- Brnjl somo n barmaid as you'd And In Brls- BBH tol town. Fvo lost my good looks, BBfj whnt with grief an' worrltln' slnco BflJ losln' my sainted 'Enery,. but I was BBB 'andsomo oncet" H "I can wcll bcltevo It, Mother BBB slnco you nrd handsoma still I For my BBS part," bo continued confidentially, as BBB with shaking linnd ho filled bis brandy- BflB' glass, "you'll excuso this drunkard's BBB drink, Mother, but I need It; I bad tho BjflB' shnkes again last night for my part, BBB 1 prefer the full-blown roso to tho. BBB BBB Mother JeHka fluttered llko a doliu- BBB tanto as sbo poured her drink. They BBB touched glasseo, calloused worldlings BBB that they were. BBB He tossed off his drink. It warmed BBB and strengthened him, after hla night BBB of chills and fever, nnd brazenly ho re- BBB turned to the attack. BBS "Changing, tho subject from fcmlnlno BBB grace and clujrm to manly strength BBS and virtue, I'yo been marking lately BfJ'ff the resolute, polso of your martyred BUI: husband's bead on his flno military BBJB , shoulders. Thero was a man, If I may BBB Judge from his photograph, that would BBB fght a wildcat" BJBf' "Ob, mybe wouldn't I" Mother Mil Jcnks hastened, to declare. "You know, Ha ' Willie, I was present w'en they shot Hal ta' a,waltlll' to claim Ms body. 'E Bjifl kisses mo good-byo, an' says 'o; 'Brace BflBJ up, ol' girl. Itpmembor your 'usband's Xflli been n sergeant In 'Er Mnjcsty'.s Boyal iflDttl OrS0 artillery, an' don't let tho bloody mill' Alightera seayer cry.' Then 'o walks HAlM cut front with Ms flno straight back BUlH to tho wall, draws n circle on Ms blue TUSfllj tunic with whtto chalk an' says: lmH Shoot at that, yer yellcr-bellled HniB kounders, an bo d d to yerl'" jIuiIh "r bo tho wl(,ow oi aucn n E1,nnt JBmil son of Mars," Billy declared, "Is a fBOmj creator honor than being tho wlfo of a (wMr dDkc' Ah' Mother," ho ndded wlUi a HJBjBfl poto of genuine gratitude and sin- IMBB cerlty, "you've been awfully good to K'nl me x don'' know whnt 1d linvo dono HMs without you." Ho laid his hand on her Mil tat arm. "Mother, ono of theso days tliWlal r" Eet mlne ftl1 when r do Vm BolnB MKllS to stake you to a nlto little pub back Siilfi b Bristol." i BBfll Bho smiled nt hlmwtth motherly iWMlil tenderness nnd shook her head.'- In a IHIlilf concrete niche 'in tho mortuary of tho MSHi Catedral de la Vera Orus tho bones BBijMJ of her onlntcd 'Encir reposed, nnd BKm when her hour enmo sbo would Ilo bo- EBlUl side him. PbwKh "Yer n 8weet hoy' W"e'" Bho t0,tl jB9l nlm, "an' I'd trust yer for doublo tho BBlll .corc- B'hclp ino' 'KvldB knows I KMMft Stven't much, but wot I 'avo I shares HRfK (reeIr wth tnem T UUea-" illvllm Mother Jenks preceded htm Into the n lHt shady aUla i& th veranda, whoro or- dlnarlly she was wont to breakfast In solitary state, ner tablo was set for two this morning, however. Billy flipped an adventurous cockroach off tho tablo and fell to with flno appetite. Ho was dallying with a special brow of coffee, with condensed milk In It, when the Jamaica negro entered from tho cantlna to nnnounco Don Juan Oafctcro with a cablegram. "A cablegram I" Mother Jenks cried. "Gord's truth I Til wager tho pub It's for you, Willie. Bob" turning to tho negro, nnd addressing him In her own private brand of Spnnlsh "givo Don Juan a drink, If e 'asn't helped Mmself whllo yer back Is turned, nn' bring tho cablegram 'ere." Within Uio mlnuto Bob returned with n long yellow cnvclopo, which ho handed Mother Jenks. Without so much as n glanco at tho superscription, superscrip-tion, she handed It to Billy Geary, who toro It opon and read : "Los Angeles, Cal., TJ. S. A., August 10, 1013. "Henrietta Wllklns, Cnllo do Concordia, Con-cordia, No. 10, Buenaventura, Sobrnnto, So-brnnto, 0. A. "Leaving today to visit you. Will cablo from New Orleans exact dato arrival. DOLOKES." I Tho shadow of deep disappointment settled over Billy's face as ho read. Mother Jenks noted It Instantly. WofsVovgot to s'y, Wllllor Bho demanded. de-manded. "It Isn't a he. It's a she," Billy replied. re-plied. "Besides, tho cablegram Isn't for mo at nil. It's for ono Henrietta Wllklns, Callo do Concordia,- No. 10, and who tho devil Henrietta Wllklns may bo Is a mystery to me. Ever havo any boardor by that name, Mothor?" Mother Jenks' red fnco had gone whllo. "'Enrlotta Wllklns was my maiden nyme, Wllllo," sbo confessed Boborly, "an thcro'sonly one human being as 'ud cablo roo or wrlto mo by that nymo. dord,, Wllllo, wot's 'appened!' Billy read tho message aloud, and when ho hod finished, tQ his amazement amaze-ment Mother Jenks laid her bead on tho tablo nnd began to weep. CHAPTER V. Without qtilto realizing why he did so, BUy decided that fear and not grief was nt the bottom of tho good creature's distress, and In his awkward, awk-ward, masculine way ho placed his arm, around Mother JcRks' shoulders, Shook her gently, nnd bado her remember remem-ber that chaos might come and go again, but he, tho said William Geary, would remain her truo and steadfast friend In any and all emergencies that might occur. "Gor bless yer heart, Willie," Mother Moth-er Jenks sniffled. "I dunno "wot In 'ell ycr over goln to think o' mo w'en I 'tell wot I'vo been up to this past fifteen fif-teen year." "Whatover you've been up to, Mothor, Moth-or, It was n kind and chnrltablo deed of that much I am certain," Billy replied loftily and to his own, surprise sur-prise sincerely. "As Qord Is my Judgo, Willie, It started out that w'y," moaned Mother Jenks, and she squeezed Billy's hand as If from that yellow, Blinking member mem-ber Bho would draw aid and comfort. " 'Kr nymo Is Dolores Iluey. 'Er father fa-ther was Don Rlcardo Ruey, president presi-dent ar this blasted 'ell on earth w'en mo nn' my sainted 'Enory first come to Buenaventura. 'E was too good for tho yeller-belllcd beggnrg: 'o tried to do somcthlnk for them an run the government on tho square, an' they couldn't hunderstand, all along o' 'avln' been kicked an' cuffed by a long line of bloody rotters. It was Don Rlcardo as gives my sainted 'Enery Ms commission as colonol In tho hart!!-lery. hart!!-lery. "You'vo 'card mo tell," Mothor -Jenks continued, M'ow tho rebels got 'art a dozen Hamcrlran gunnors deserters de-serters from the navy an' blew 'Entry's battery to bits: W tho government gov-ernment forces fell back upon Buenaventura, Buena-ventura, nn' as ow w'en tho dorgs begun be-gun to wonder If they mightn't lose, thoy quit by tho 'undreds nu' went over tpi tho rebel sldo, Icavln' Don Rlcardo nn' 'Enery nn' in'ybo fifty o' tho gentry In tho palnco. In courso they fought to n finish ; 'rlstocrats, all of them, they 'ad to dlo flghtln' or fadn' n flrln' equad." Billy nodded. He had heard the talo beforo, Including the recital of tho sainted 'Enery's gallant dash from the blazing palace In an effort to save Don Rtcardo'o only child, a girl of seven, and of his capture and subsequent execution. "Thnt ended tho revolution," Mother Moth-er Jenks contlnuued. "Bat 'ero's some-think some-think I've never told a Uvln' soul. Shortly before 'Enery was hexecuted, 'e told me where 'e'd 'Id tho youngster In a culvert out on the Mnlccon ; bo I Mrod a four-wheolor an' went out an' rescued the poro lamb. I 'Id cr until the bnrrival o' the next fruit steamer, w'en I shipped 'er to New Orleans In care o' tho stewardess. Ill 'ad 'er put In tho Catholic convent thero, for as 'Enery said: "Enrletta, keep an eye on the little nipper, an' do yet damndest to sco she's raised a lydy, 'Er father was a gentleman, an' you never want to forget 'o made you Mrs. Colonel Jonks.' So Hl've made a lydy out o' her, Willie: education, planner lessons, palntin', slngln', an' deport-mint deport-mint After she graduated from tho convent, I 'ad her take a course In the Unlwcralty o' California New Orleans Or-leans wasn't 'ealthy for 'er, an' she needed a chynge o' climate an' for the last two years sho's been tcachln' In the Mgh school In Los Angeles." "And you haven't seen her In all these years!" Geary demanded. "Not a look, Wllllo. She's been after aft-er me ever since she graduated from tho convent to let her come 'omo an' wlslt me, but Hl've told 'or to wyte that I'd bo coraln' soon to wlslt her. An' now, s'help me, sbo won't wait no longer; sho's coraln' to wlslt mot Gor', Willie, sho's on her w'yl" "So this cablegram would Indicate," Geary observed. "Nevertheless, Mother, Moth-er, I'm at a loss to know why you should feel so cut up over tho Impending Im-pending visit" Thero was real fear In Mother Jenks' tenr-dlmmod eyes. "I cawn't let 'er see mo," sho wnllcd. "I wasn't this w'y w'en my sainted 'Enery hen-trusted hen-trusted tho Iamb to mo; It wasn't until nwfter thoy hexecuted 'Enery that I commenced to slip an' now look nt me. Look at me, Wllllo Geary; look nt mo, I s'y. Wot do ycr sco? Aw, ' don't tell mo Cm young an' 'ondsomo, for I know wot I am. I'm a frowsy, N AasMiiA Mi . The Sainted 'Enery's Qallant Dash. drunken, dlsreputablo baggage, with no heducatton or nothlnk. All along, hever since she learned to write me a lotter, I've been 'Enrletta Wllklns to 'er, an Mother Jenks to every beach-Lorabln' beach-Lorabln' beggar In the Caribbean tropics. I'vo lied to 'or, Wllllo. I've wrote 'or as 'ow 'er fowthcr, beforo o died, give me enough money to hedu-cato hedu-cato V?r like a lydy" Again Mother Jenks grief ovcrcamo her. "Gor1, Wllllo, I ain't respectable. She's coraln to see me an' I cawn't lot 'er. She mustn't know 'ow I got the money for 'er hcducatlon sellln' cll-flro to a pack of rotten dorgs an' consortln' ivith tho scum of this stink-In' stink-In' 'olol Oh, Wllllo, you'vo got to 'elp mo. I cawn't 'nve 'er coraln' to El Buen Amlgo to bco me, nn' I cawn't ruin 'er reputation by cnllln' on 'er In public at tho 'Otel Mateo. Ob, Gor, Willie, Mother's como a cropper. Wllllo agreed with her. He pntted the sinful gray head of his landlady and waited for her to regain her composure, com-posure, the whllo he racked his agllo brain for a feasible plan to fit tho emergency. "Sbo been plcturln' mo In 'er mind all thcio yearn, Willie plcturln' a fraud," walled Mother Jenks. "If sho sees, mo now, wot a shock sho'll got. poro sweetheart an' 'er tho splttln' hlmngo of a hnngcl. And oh, Willie, whllo sho don't remember wot I looked like, think o' tho shock If she meotsmol In 'er lawst letter sho said as 'ow I was tho only hanchor she bad In life. Ho, yes. A sweet-lookln' han'chor I nra on' Hi was 'opln' to die beforo she found hout I've got a honucrlsm In my 'cart, Willie, so the surgeon on the mnli boat tells me, an' w'en I go, I'll go like that I" Mother Jenks snapped her cigarette-stained fingers. I'm fifty-seven, Willie, an since my sainted 'Enery passed away, I 'nven't been no bloomln hangcl." Bhe wrung her hands. "Oh, w'y In 'ell couldn't thoni hatterles 'ave busted In time to savo my lamb the 'umlllatln knowlcdgo that she's be'oldln to the likes o' me for wot she's got an' ow I got It for 'cr.H Billy Geary had a bright Idea. "Well," ho said, 'why not die temporarily tem-porarily If yon feel that way about ' It? You could como back from the ' grave after she's gone" But Mother Jenks shook ber hoad. "No," she declared. "Whllo Dolores la sclf-supportln now, still, if anythlnk 'appened an' sho, was to need 'dp, .' 'elp la somethln' n6 ghost can give. Think again, Willie. Gor, lad, w'ere's ycr brains?" "Well," Billy countered thoughtfully, thought-fully, "apparently there'B no way of heading her off beforo she takes the steamer at New Orleans, so we'll take It for granted Bhe'll arrlvo here In due course. About tho time she's due, suppose you run up to San Miguel de Padua for a couple of weeks and leave roo to run El Buen Amlgo la your absence. I'll play fair with you. Mother, so help mo. I'll account for every ccntavo. I'll borrow some decent de-cent clothes from Leber the day tho steamer gets In; then I'll go aboard and look over the passenger list, and tf she's aboard, I'll toll her you closed your liouso and started for California to visit her on tho last north-bound ateamcr that her cablegram arrived Just after you had started; that the cable company, knowing I am a friend of yours, showed me the messago and that I took It upon myself to call and explain that as a result of your departure de-parture for the United States It will bo useless for ber to land useless nnd dangerous, because cholera Is raging In Buenaventura, although the port authorities deny It" "Willie," Mother Jenks Interrupted Impressively, a ghost of her old debonair deb-onair spirit shining through her tears, "yer don't owe mo a bloomln' sixpence I Yer've syved the dny, syved my reputation, an syved a lydy's peace o mind. Kiss me, ycr precious byby." So Billy kissed her gravely and with filial reverence, for he had long suspected Mother Jenks of being n pearl cast before swine, and now be wns ccrtnln of It "I'll send her back to the United States and promise to cablo you to nwnlt her thero." Billy continued. "Of courso, we can't help It If you and tho cablegram miss connections, nnd once tho young lady Is back In the United Stntcs, I dare sny she'll have to stay there a couplo of years before sho can savo tho price of another sen voyage. And In tho meantime she may marry" "Or thnt haneuri8ra moy 'avo turned tho trick beforo that," Mother JenkH suggested candidly but Joyously. "In courso Bho'll be disappointed, but then dlsnppolntmont never lays 'eavy on a young 'cart, Willie; an' beln' disappointed disap-pointed nt not scctn' a person you ain't really acqunlntcd with nln't as bad as some disappointments." "I guess I know," Billy Geary replied re-plied bitterly. "If thnt cablegram had only been for met Mother, If my old partner could, by some miracle, man-ago man-ago to marry this Dolores girl, your arteries and your aneurisms might bust nnd bo damned, but the girl would be safe." "M'ybe." Mother Jenks suggested hopefully, "yer might fix It up for her w'en I'm gone. From all haccounts 'e'a no-end a gentleman." "ne'a a he-man," Mr. Genry declared de-clared with conviction, no sighed. "John Stuart Webster, wherever you are, plcaso wrlto or cable," he murmured. mur-mured. CHAPTER VI. The ancient bromide to tho effect that man proposes but God disposes wns never better exemplified than In tho enso of John Stuart Webster, who, having formulated certain daring plans for the morrow nnd surrendered himself to grateful slumber In his stateroom aboard the Gulf States Limited, Lim-ited, nwoko on that momentous morn to a distinct apprehension thnt all wni not ns It should bo with him. Ills mouth reminded him vaguely of a htrd-and-nnlraa! store, and riot nnd Insurrection In-surrection had broken out In the geometric center of bis Internal economy. Webster wns sufficient of n Jack-leg doctor to suspect bo tyns developing a splendid little so of ptomaine poisoning, no decider to go Into executive ex-ecutive Bcsslon wtth the sleeping-car conductor, who wired ahead for a doctor doc-tor to meot the train nt the next station. sta-tion. And when tho sawbones came and pawed Jack Webster over, he gravely announced that If tho patient had the slightest ambition to vote at the next presidential election, ho should leave the train nt St Louis and enter a hospital forthwith. To this heart-breaking program Webster en tered not tho slightest objection, for when a mnn Is seriously ill, he Is la much tho same position as a politician to-wlt: He Is In tho hands of hla friends. However, ltfo had tho habit of going go-ing hard with Webster so frequently that fortunately he was trained to tho mlnuto, and after threo days of heroic battling the doctor awarded Jack the decision. Thereafter they kept him In the hospital ten days longer, "feeding him up" as tho patient expressed It at tho end of which period Webster, somo fifteen pounds lighter and not qulto bo fast on his feet ns formerly, resumed his Journey toward Now Orleans. Or-leans. In tho meantime, however, 80vcral things had happened. To begin, Dolores Do-lores Ruey spent two days wondering what had become of her quondam knight of tho whiskers at the end of which period she arrived In New Orleans with tho conviction strong upon her that while her hero might bo as courageous as a wounded Hon when dealing with men, he was tho possessor, pos-sessor, when dealing with women, of about two per cent less courage than a cottontail rabbit Being a very human hu-man young lady, howover, sho could jiot help wondering what had become of tho ubiquitous Mr. Webster, although al-though the fact that ho had mysteriously mysteri-ously disappeared from tho train en route to New Orleans did not perturb ber one-half so much as It had tho dls-appearcc. dls-appearcc. She had this advantago over thnt unfortunnto mnn. Whereas ho did not know she was bound for Buenaventura, ehe knew ho was; hence, upon arrival In Now Orleans sho dismissed htm from her thoughts, serene In abiding faith thnt sooner or later her knight would appear, llko llttlo Bo-Peep's lost Bhecp, dragging his tall behind him, so to speak. Dolores spent n week In New Orleans Or-leans renewing schoolgirl friendships from her convent days In tho' quaint old town. This stop-over, together with the ono In Denver, not having been taken Into consideration by Mr. William Geary when he and Mother Jenks commenced to speculate upon the npproximnto date of her arrival In Buenaventura, resulted In tho premature prema-ture flight of Mother Jenks to San Miguel de Padua, a frultloss visit on the part of Billy aboard tho Cacique, of the United Fruit company's lino, followed by a hurry call to Mother Jenks to return to Buenaventura until the arrival of tho next steamer. This tlmo Billy's calculations proved correct for Dolores did arrive on thnt steamer. The port doctor como aboard, partook of his customary drink with tho captain, received a bundlo of tho latest American newspapers news-papers nnd magazines, nosed around, nsked a few perfunctory questions, and gavo tho vessel pratique. Dolores observed a gasollno launch shoot up to tho landing at tho foot of tho companion-ladder nnd dlschargo a well-dressed, youthful white man. As ho enmo up the companion, the purser recognized him. "Howdy, Bill," ho called. "Hollo, yourself," Mr. William Geary replied, nnd Dolores know him for an American. "Do you happen to hnvft ns a passenger this trip a large, Interesting person, by name John Stuart Stu-art Webster?" ndded Billy Geary. "I don't know, Billy. I'll look over tho passenger list," and together they moved off toward his ofllce. Dolores followed, drawn by the mention of that magic name Webster, nnd paused In front of the purser's office to lean over' tho rail, ostensibly to watch the cargadorcs In their lighters clustering around the great ship, but In reality to learn mora of the mysterious Webster. Web-ster. "Blast tho luck," Billy Geary growled, "the old sinner Isn't here. By the way, do you happen to have a Miss Dolores Ruey aboard?" Dolores pricked up her little cars. What possible Interest could this stranger bavo In her goings or comings? com-ings? "You picked n winner this tlmo, Bill," Bho heard tho purser say. "Stntcroom sixteen, boat-deck, starboard star-board side. You'll probably find her there, packing to go ashore." "Thnnks," Billy replied and. stopped out of the purser's office, Dolores turned and faced him. "I am Miss Ruey," she announced. "I heard you asking for me." Her eyes carried tho query she had not put Into words: "Who are you, and what do you wnnt?" Billy saw and understood, under-stood, and on tho Instant a wave of desolation surged over blra. I dare say you pasted each other on the road here, her, MUs Ruey, don't cry." I ' (TO UE CONTINUED.) |
