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Show WEBSTER-MAN'S MAM Esses I S Author of "Cappy Ricks," "The Valley of the Gianto," Etc. WE I Copyright by Vtltr T. Kpa B Fiiii in iniinni-raii , h a Q K "TOO OLD I" John Btuart Webster, mlnltiK en-H en-H slneer, boards a train In Death - Valley, California, on his way back B to civilisation after cleaning up H f 100.000. He looks like a hobo. Then MS he rescues a distressed lady, who LK1 makes his heart flop over. He Bit eliminates the offendlnjc man. Bhe Kf Is Dolores Iluey. In Denver he Is BR- offered a S,000-a-year Job by a K capitalist friend, Edward J. Je K romo. lie receives a delayed tetter B, from his own particular pal. Hilly . Ooary, asking; him to finance a B eold-mlnlns proposition In Central America and so flfty-firty with H him on the profits. 80 he starts B for fobranto. Jerome goes with B John to the depot. They meet the B distressed lady on her way to the B same train. John tells Jerome the B whole story. Jerome secretly sees BJ the filrl, offering- her $10,000 If she H Induces John to take his job Inside B of nlnoty days The girl accepts. Bj) The scene now shifts to Ilucnaven-Bfi Ilucnaven-Bfi tura, Bobrante, whore deary has B exlstod for two months on credit fK extended by Mother Jenks, keeper Bit of a hotel and dramshop. Dolorrs Bfl cnblos Henrietta Wllklns (Mother Bajj Jenks) that she Is o'n her way to W3t visit her. Mother Jenks has been Bra educating Dolores, who Is the m daughter of former President Iluoy mSfn of Sobrante, deposed and executed f Jt by President Sarros. Mother Jenks BtH doesn't want Dolores to find out ra she Is no tongtr respectable. Bo JH I Billy meets the steamer and tries W to turn the trlrl hack. Hut Dolores HI lands anil salutes Mother Jenks as UJ "Mother." Hilly promptly falls In BMt lovo with Dolores. Webster In BM New Orleans secures a stateroom JW on La Kitretllta by buying; a ticket Ml for a mythical valet, "Andrew Hi Dowers." In New Orleans Webster B naves a young- man from assassins assassi-ns nation. On tho steamer he finds Bm the mythical valet In his stateroom B He accepts "Uowers" on trust, B8 without learning his Identity. B o j Bfl CHAPTER IX Continued. II Wiillo lio vn considering tho mat- Uj tor, a volco behind him said very soft- BJi I; nnd Indistinctly, like a man with a I linrellp: Bfl "Mr. Ooary, will you ho Rood enough BJH to hack your launch a couplo oC bun- A (trod feet? When I'm certain I can't HI le neon from tho steamer, I'll come 1 aboard.'' HI Hilly lurned, and In tho dim light of Bl his hlnnnclo lamp observed n beautiful I pair of wlilto hands grasping tho gun-VI- wnlo on tho starboard quurtcr. Ho BJj peered over and mado out tho head M nnd shoulders of a man. W "Al tlRht," ho replied In n low voice. MV "Hung whoro you nro, nnd you'll bo Bfl clear of tho propeller." Bfl llo slgnnlcd Don Junn, who backed Bfl Hwlftly nwtiy, while Hilly doused the IB hlnnnclo lamp. J "That'll do," tho thick volco cnld Bfl presently. "Hear a hand, friend, nnd B I'll climb over." IB XItt enmo, as naked as Mercury, BJ sprawled on his belly In tho cockpit, BI opened his mouth, spat out a compact BB little roll of tinfoil, opened It and drew Bfl out a hull of paper which ho flattened Bfl out on tho floor of tho cockpit and Bfl handed to nilly, PB "Thank you," ho said, very courteous Hi ly and distinctly now. "My crcden- BX tlnls, Mr. deary, If you please." BK Illlly relighted tho lamp und read: H "Dear Illlly: BB "I do not know tho bearer from Adam's off ox; nil I know nljout lilm BY Is that he has nil tho outward marks Ha' of n gentleman, tho courage of a bear BM cat, n senso of humor nnd n head for BftV which tho presidents of Sobrante will Wl ' gladly pny a considerable number of BJ pesos oro. Don't Rive up the head, be- H cause I llko It and wo do not need tho jl ' money yet, Tnko him ashore with- 'l out anybody knowing It; hide him, m clothe him, feed him then forte t ull II about lilio. , f fi "liver thine. Kg- "J. H. WEHSTKU." Hj "Kck tho boat nhoad iiRtiln. CnfTor- 91 ty," Illlly ordered quietly. Ho turned aU , to the Intu arrival. "Mr. Man, "your IS '- etedentlnls nro all In npple-plo order. f ' Do you happen to know that tills bay IB .' Ik swarming with mnn-cnting sharks?" IB' The man raided n line, Btrong, youth- BBH fil fuco nnd grinned at hliu. "Hob- IRf son's choice, Mr. Geary," ho replied. Bjy "Afloat or (inhere, tho uhnrkH nro nfler MJ me. Sir, I am your debtor." lie Bf , crawled Into tho cabin and Htrctchcd Bl out on the settee as John Stuurt Web- Bl RterV volco ennio floating neroMS the BJ dnrk waters. IB "Uvorythlns well with you, Ulllyr JT "All Ih lovely. Jack, and the goose k,' honks high. Ily tho way. that friend BJJ K." of yours called with his letter of Intro-la Intro-la I ductlou. 1 took euro of nlm." Mjl" "I'lianka. I suppose you'll call for Bjh mo In that launch tomorrow morulngl" Wmlr "Surest-thliiK you know, Jack. Oood-B Oood-B night, old top." H' "Oood-nlght, nilly." Bjk Don Junn Cafetero swung tho Bi launch and headed back for the city. WW At Leber's little dock IUly stepped Hr nslioro, whllo Don Juan backed out Into J , tho dark bay ngnln In order to avoid Bj Inquisitive vWtors. Illlly hastened to Hi i:i Ilucn Amiga and returned presently M with n bundle of clothes; nt nn agreed X signal Don Junn kicked the launch Into BJr the dorkjigutn and Illlly went aboard, Jf "Hat. shirt, necktlo, duck milt, whlto BJi nocks nd shoes," ho whispered, "Climb JB5 Into " -r" A, it tHWL Wm VJHBflBVBBBBBBBBf.H.HBl smtammmammamammmmmmmmmmamm Once moro tho Inunch backed nut In tho bay, where Webster's protego drcsscu at his leisure, and Hilly handed hand-ed Don Junn n coupto of pesos. "Hemember, John," ho cautioned tho bibulous ono as they tied up for tho night, "nothing unuxunl happened tonight." to-night." "Dlvll a thing, Mlsther Geary. Thank you, sor," tho Gaelic wreck replied re-plied blithely and disappeared In tho darkness, leaving Hilly. to guldo the stranger to HI Ilucn Amlgo, whoro he was taken Into tho confidence of Mother Moth-er Jenks nnd, on Hllly's guarantee of the board hill, furnished with a room and left to his own devices. John Stuart Webster enmo down tho gangplank Into Leber's launch hard nt the heels of the port doctor. "You young horsu thief," ho cried, affectionately. "I believe It's tho custom cus-tom down this way for men to kiss each other. We'll dlspenso with that, hut by" Ho folded Hilly In n paternal pater-nal embrace, then held him nt arm's length and looked him over. "Lord, son," ho said, "you're as thin as a snnke. I'll liavo to feed you up." As they sped townrd tho landing, ho looked Hilly over onco more. "I have It," ho declared. "You need a change of climate, to get rid of that malaria. Just show me this llttlo old mining claim of yours, Hill, and then Ijlko for God's country. Three months up there will put you right ngaln, and by the time, you get back, wo'll bo about ready to weigh tho first cleqnup." . Hilly shook his head. "I'd llko to mighty well, Jack," ho replied, "but I Just can't." "Huh I I supposo you don't think I'm equal to tho task of straightening out this concession of yours nnd making a hummer out or It, ch?" The young fellow looked across at him sheepishly. "Minor ho Jeered. "Who's talking nbout a mine, I'm thinking of n girl I" "Oh I" "Somo girl, Johnny." "I hope she's not sqmo pntrnkect," Webster bantered. "Il'avo you looked up her pedigree?" "Ah-h-h I" Hilly spat over the sldo In sheer disgust. "This Is nn Amerlcnn girl born hero, but white raised In tho U. S. A. I'vo only known her three weeks, but ah I" And Hilly kissed his hand Into spneo. "Well, I'm Rind I find you so happy, boy. When do you pull off tho wed ding?" "Oh." said Hilly, "that's premature, Jack. I haven't asked her. How could Luntll I'm ablo In support her?" "Look hero, son," Webster replied, don't you go to work nnd bo tho kind of fool I was. You get married and take a chance. A man ought to marry young, Hill. Hang tho aids. I know what's good for you." At tho hotel Hilly sent a note to Dolores, npprlslng her that John Stuart Webster had arrived and would sho bo good enough to receive them? Miss Ruey would bo that gracious. Sho was waiting for them In tho veranda veran-da Juit off the patio, outwardly calm, but Inwardly a foment of conflicting emotions. As they approached she affected af-fected not to see them nnd turning, glanced Jn the opposlto direction; nor did she move her bend until Hllly's voice, sneaking nt her elbow, snldj "Well. Dolores, here's my old Jack-partner Jack-partner walling to be Introduced. Jnck, penult mo to present Miss Dolores Do-lores Iluey." She turned her fnco nnd rose graciously, gra-ciously, marking with secret triumph tho light of recognition that leaped to his eyes, hovered there tho hundredth part of n second nnd departed, leaving those keen, qulr.xlcal liluu orbs appraising apprais-ing her In the most natural manner lm-liglnnble. lm-liglnnble. Webster bowed. "It Is a great happiness to meet you, Sllss Iluey," ho snld gravely. Dolores gave him her hand. "You hnvo doubtless forgotten, Mr. Webster, but I think we hnvo met before." "Indeed i" John Stuart Webster murmured mur-mured Interestedly. "So stupid of me not to remember. Where did we meet?" "Ho has n profound bense of humor," hu-mor," she soltloqulml. "He's going to force mo Into tho open. Oh, dear, I'm helpless." Aloud sho sntd: "On the train In Dcnth valley last mouth, Mr. Webster." Webster shook his head slowly, as If mystllled. "I fear you're mlstrken, MIbs Iluey. I wasn't on tho train In Death valley Inst mouth. I wus In Denver rso you must hnvo met boiuo other Mr. Webster." Sho Hushed furiously. "I didn't think I could bo mistaken," sho nn-swered nn-swered n trifle coldly. "It Is my mlsfortuno that you wore." he replied graciously. "Certainly, had we met nt that time, I should not have failed to recognlzo you now. Somehow, Some-how, Miss Iluey, I never have any luck." Sho wns completely outgeneraled, nnd having tho good sense to renllro It. submitted gracefully. "He's perfectly horrible." sho told herself, "but at least ho can llo like a gentleman nud I always al-ways did like that kind of mnn." So they chatted on tho veranda until luncheon wns annouueed and Dolores loft them to 10 to her room. "Well?" Illlly queried the moment she wns out of earshot. "What do you think, Johnny?" "I think," said John Stuart Webster slowly, "that you'ro n good picker, Hill. Sho'tf my Ideal of a tine young womnn, and my advice to you Is to marry her. I'll grub-stokc you. Hill, this stiff col lar Is choking mo; I wish you'd wait here while I go to my room nnd rustic up a soft one." In the privacy of his room John 8tunrt Webster sat down on his bed and held his hend In his hands, for be had Just received n blow In the solnr plexus und wns sjlll groggy. Presently, Present-ly, however, he pulled himself together nnd approaching tho mirror looked long at his weather-beaten countenance. counte-nance. "Too old," he murmured, "too old to be dreaming dreams." He changed to n soft collar, and when he descended to the pntlo to Join Hilly once more he was, to all outward appearances, his usual unperturbed self, for his wns one of those raro nn-turcs nn-turcs that can derive n certain comfort from tho misery of sclf-sncrlflce and In that live minutes alone lif his room John Stuart Webster had wrestled with tho tragedy of his life and won. He had resolved to give Hilly the right of way on tho highway to happiness. happi-ness. In Mr. Webster's own whimsical phraseology, his clock had been fixed, on the Instant ho recognized In the object ob-ject of his youthful partner's adoration tho snmo win so mo womnn ho had enthroned en-throned In his own secret cnstlo of love. From that preclso second Hllly's preserve wns us safe from encroachment encroach-ment by his friend ns would be a bale of Confederate currency In nn nrmor-steel nrmor-steel vault on the three-thousand-foot level of n water-filled mine. John Stuart Webster hnd unanimously resolved upon tho course he should have pursued In tho first place. He would InvcstlgaTe Hllly's mining concession Immediately; provided It slmuld prove worth while, ho would finance It and put tho property on a paying basis; after which he would sco to It that tie very best doctors In tho city of llucnnvcnturn should Inform Hilly, unofficially un-officially and In tho strictest confidence, confi-dence, that If ho desired to. preserve tho tlfo of Senor Junn Webstnlre b should forthwith pack that rapidly disintegrating dis-integrating person oft to a more salubrious salu-brious climate. Having made his decision, John Stuart Webster Immediately took henrt of hope and decided to lend trumps. Dolores rejoined them for a siesta after luncheon. Webster leaned over nnd slapped Hilly Oeury's knees nffectlonntcly. "Well, Hill, you saffron-colored old wreck, how long do you supposo It will tako for you to pick up enough strength nud courago to do some active ac-tive mining? I'm anxious to get that property on a paying basis, se I can get out of the country." "Why, Johnny," tho warned Hilly declared, "I thought you would stay and help run the mine." "Indeed I Well, why do you supposo sup-poso I spent so much time teaching you how to run a mine, you young ldot, If not against Just such a time ns this? You found this concession nnd tied It up; I'll llnnuco It and help you get everything Btnrted; but after that, I'm through, nnd you cun mnn- ngo.lt on salary und name tho salary yourself. You Jiave n greater Interest Inter-est In this country than I, William; and so with your klmJ permission we'll hike up to that concession tomorrow to-morrow nud glvo It the doitble-O; then. If I can O. K. the property, we'll cable for the machinery 1 ordered Just before I left Denver, nud get busy. Wo ought to hnvo our first clean-up within ninety days." "Gosh, but you're In a hurry." Hilly murmured. He disliked exceedingly the though'.' of having his courtship Interrupted on- n minute's notice. "You know me, son. I'm a hustler on tho Job," Webhter reminded him brutally; "so the sooner you start, the sooner you can get back and nccumu-late nccumu-late moro mnlarln. What sccommodn-tlons sccommodn-tlons bnve you up there-?" "None, Jack." "Then you had better" get some, Hilly. I think yon told me wo huve to take horses at San Miguel de I'ndun to ride In to the mine." Illlly nodded, "Then you had better buy n tent nnd bedding for both of us, ship the stuff up to Snn Miguel i'e 1'ndua. go up with It and engage horses, n good cook, nnd n couple of reliable mozoH. When you hnvo everything ready telegraph me nnd I'll como up." "Why can't you come up with me?" Hilly demnnded. "I hnvo to see a man, and write some letters nnd send a cablegram and unit far an answer. I may have to loaf around hero for two or three days. Ily tho way, what did you do for that friend I sent to you with the letter of Introduction?" "Kxactly what you told rao to do. Johnny," "Where Is he now?" "At El Buen Amlgo tho same place where I'm living." "All right. When you get back to, your hostelry, you might tell my friend I shall expect him over to dtne with mo tills evening, If he can mnn-ago mnn-ago It." For nn hour they dlsctissen various subJectB; then Hilly, declaring the slestn wns almost over and tho shops reopening ns n consequence, nn-nounccd nn-nounccd his Intention of doing his shopping, snld good-bye to Dolores and Webster, and lugubriously departed on the business In hand. "Why nro you In such a hurry, Mr. Webster?" Dolores demanded. "You haven't been In Ui.ennventura six hours until you've managed to make me perfectly miserable." "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to." "Didn't you know Hilly Genry Is my personnl properly?" "No, but I suspected he might be. Hill's generous thnt way. He never hesitates to give hltnaclf to a chnrm-Ing chnrm-Ing womnn." "This wns a case of mutunl self-defense. self-defense. Hilly hasn't any standing so-dally, so-dally, you know. When old Mrs. General Gen-eral Maldonndo lectured me (the dear, aristocratic soul conceived It to bo her duty) on the Impropriety of appearing on the Mnlecon with Hilly nnd ray gunrdlnn, who happens to be Hllly'jt landlady, I tried to explain our Amerlcnn brand of democracy, but fnlled. So I hnven't been Invited nnyi where since, nnd life would have been very dull without Hilly. He has been n dear and you hnvo taken him nway." Webster laughed. "Well, bo patient, pa-tient, Miss Itucy, nnd I'll glvo him back to you with considerable moro money than he will require for your Joint comfort nilly In financial distress dis-tress Is u Joy forever, but nilly In a top hat and n frock coat on the sunny Bide of ICnsy street will be absolutely irresistible." "He's a darling. Ever slnco my arrival ar-rival he has dedicated his life to keeping keep-ing mo amused." She rose. "Despite your wickedness, Mr. Webster, I am going to be good to you. Hilly and I always hnvo flvo o'clock tea here In the veranda. Would you care to come to my tea-party?" "Nothing could glvo mo greater pleasure," ho assured her. Sho nodded brightly to him. "I'm going to run up to my room and put some powder on my nose," sho explained. ex-plained. "Hut you'll return beforo flvo o'clock?" Webster wns amazed to hear himself plead. "You do not deserve such consideration, considera-tion, but I'll come back In about twenty minutes," sho answered nnd left him. As Webster viewed the sltuntlon, his decision to sco ns llttlo as possible, of Dolores during his brief stay In Sobrnute wns a wlso one. Tho less he saw of her (he told himself), tho better bet-ter for his pcaco of mind, for ho wns forty years old, and ho hnd never loved before. For him this fever that burned In his blood, this delicious agony thnt throbbed in his henrt nnd all on tho very ghost of provocntlon were so mnny dnnger-slgnnls, heralds of that grand passion which, coming to n man of forty, generally lasts him tho remainder of his nntural existence. exis-tence. Webster wns forced to ndmlt he was afraid of himself. Ills was the rapidly disappearing code of the old unfettered unfetter-ed West, that n mnn shall never betray be-tray his friend In thought, word, or deed. To John Stuart Webster any crime ngnlust friendship wns the most heinous In nil the calendar of human fntllty; even to dream of slipping Into Hllly's shoes now would be monstrous; yet Webster knew he could not nfford n test of strength between his ancient friendship for Hilly und the masculine desire for u perfect mnte. Itemnlned thou but one course: "I must run like n road-runner," was the way Webster expressed It. CHAPTER X. Dolores had been gone nn hour before be-fore Webster roused from his bitter Introspection sufficiently to -glance nt his watch. "Hum-m-ml" Imj grunted disapprovingly. "Oh, l'vo been hero fully half an hour," Dolores' voice assured him. He turned guiltily, nnd found her leaning lean-ing ngnlnst tho Jamb In n doorwny behind be-hind him and farther down the veranda. ver-anda. She was gazing at him with that calm, Impersonal yet vitally In-forested In-forested glaik-e that had so captivated him the first time he saw her. "Are you quite Unbilled talking to yourself and lighting Imaginary enemies? If so. you might tulk to mo for n change; I'll even disagree with you on any subject. If opposition will mnko you nny happier." - Ho rose nnd Indicated the chnlr. "Please sit down, Miss Iluey, You nre nltogethcr disconcerting too confoundedly con-foundedly smurt. I fear I'm going to bo afraid of you until I know you bet-1 bet-1 ter." She shrugged adorably and took the proffered chair. "That's tho Latin In her that shrug." Webster thought. "I wonder what other mixtures go to make up that perfect whole." Aloud ho said; "So you wanted to study me In repose? Why wasto your time? I am never In repose," "Feminine curiosity, Mr, Webstar. Hilly has talked so much of you that I wonted to sco If you measured up to tho specifications. Just let mo have your hand, und I'll tell you all nbout yourself." "Is thcro any charge?" "Yes, a nominal one. However, I guarantee n truthful rending; if, when I mn through, you are not wholly satisfied, sat-isfied, you do not have to pay tho price. Is that a satisfactory arrangement?" arrange-ment?" "Itlght ns a fox," ho declared, nnd held out his great calloused hand. He thrilled ns sho took It In both of hers, so soft nnd benutlful, nnd flnttened It out. palm upward, on her knee. "A fine, large, useful hand," she commented comment-ed musingly. "The callouses Indlcata recent hnrd manual toll with a pick nnd shovel ; despite your recent efforts with soap und brush nnd pumice-stone, there still remnln evidence of somo foreign mntter Ingrained In those callous cal-lous spots. This line Indicates-that you oro very brnve, gentle, and courteous. cour-teous. You nre quick and Arm In your decisions, but not always right, because be-cause your actions nre governed by your heart Instead of your head. Onco you have made a decision, you nre reckless of the consequences. Your lifeline tells me you nro close to tlfty-thrco tlfty-thrco years of age " "Sceress, you're shooting high and to tho right," ho Interrupted, for he did not relish thnt Jnb nbout his ngc. "I'll have you know I wns forty years old Inst month, and thnt I can still do a hundred yards In twelve seconds tint In my working clothes." "Well, don't feel peeved nbout It, Mr. Webster. I nm not Infallible; the best you can hope for from me Is n high percentage of hits, even If I did shoot high nnd to the right that time. In point of worldly experience you're n hundred nnd six years old but I lopped off fifty per cent, to bo on tho safe sldo. To continue. You nre of an extremely chivalrous nature particularly toward young ladles traveling without chaperons; you nro kind, affectionate, generous to a fault, something of a spendthrift. One mny safely depend upon you to do the unexpected. un-expected. Your matrimonial lino Is unbroken, proving you havo never married, although right here tho line Is somewhat dim and frayed." She looked up at him suddenly. "You haven't been In love, hnvo you?" sho queried with childlike Insouciance. "In love and disappointed?" He nodded, for he could not trust himself to speak, "How sad I" sho cooed sympathetically. sympatheti-cally. "Did she marry another, or did she die?" "She she yes, sho died." "Cauliflower tongue, In all probability, prob-ability, carried her off, poor thing J However, to your fortune: You nre naturally truthful and would not mnko a deliberate misstatement of fact unless un-less you had a very potent reason for It. You have a strong senso of sportsmanship, nnd when fairly defeated, de-feated, whether In a battle of flsts or a battle 4tt wits, you never hold a grudge, whlHi Is ono of the very nicest nic-est characteristics a man can have" "Or a womnn," ho suggesteil feebly. Enter Don Juan Cafetero, bon vivant and man about town. 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