OCR Text |
Show ' J. lli -j - I Webster Man's Man '''' ' By PETER B. KYNE H, I Author of yCappy Hicks' "The Valley of the Giants." Etc. ff I Copyright by Peter B. Kyne 11 ' CHAPTER XVII Continued. U 19 D "If you'd cared to play n gentleman's BJ came, you blighter, you might 'nve II Mvcd for your lmlly country," Mother ft 7cnks reminded him lu English. "Won- M dor If tho beggnr'll wilt or will 'e go Bfl through smllln' Ilka my sainted 'Eucry MR en the Byrne spot." n She need not hnve worried. It rc- BB quires n stront; man to be dictator of B roman candlejrcpubllc for 15 yenrs, jBJj and whatever his sins of omission or Bfl commission. Sarros did not lack nnl- ft nl courage. Alone und unattended he B Mnpcd away among the Rravcs to the H well on the other side of tho ccme- ft tery and placed his hack ngnlnst It, Bj negligently, In tho nttltudo of n devil- Bfl way-enro fellow without n worry In Bft Mfo. The sergeant waited respectfully Bfl until Sarros had finished his cigarette; Hfl when ho tossed It away and straight- Bfl ent-d to attention, tho sergeant knew Bfl 1m was ready to die. At his command HB there was a sudden rattle of bolts as Bfl the cartridges slid from tho magazines Bfl tftto the breeches ; thcrafollowed a mo- irBB nentnry halt, another command; the flL squad was aiming when ltlcardo Ituoy .Bfl ml led slufrply: . BB "Sergeant, do ndt glvo tho order to BflJ BJ The rlflcB were towered and tho men BBJ gazed wondcririgly at Rlcardo. "He's BBJ tee brave," ltlcardo complained. BBf "D - him, I can't kill him as I would Bfl mad dog. I've got to glvo him a BBf chance." BB Tho sergeant rnlscd his brows ex- BBJ pcesslvely. Ah, tho Icy fuga, that pop- BBf lar fonn of execution where the prls- IBB oner Is. given n running chance, and tho HBJ firing squad practices wlrfg shooting, DfB If tho prisoner manages, miraculously, Bgfl to escape, bn Is not pursued 1 BBfl A doubt, however, crossed tho scr- BBS Heant's mind. "Hut nfy general," he Bfl expostulated, "Senor Sarros cannot nc- HHB rcpt the ley fuga. lie is very lame. HHB That Is not giving htm the chance your BBV Kxrcllcney desires ho should have." BBS "I wasn't thinking of that," ltlcardo BBM replied. "I was thinking I'm killing BBfl Mm without n fulr trial for tho rcn- HflflJ Mm that bo's so Infernally ripe for HHHJ the gallows that a' (rial would have BBB been r Joke. Nevertheless, I am real BBB ly killing him because ho killed my BBB father and that Is scarcely fair. My BBB father was a gentleman. Sergeant. Is BBB your pistol loaded J-' BBB "Yes, Gcnornh" BBB 4 "Glvo It to Senor Sarros. BBB As tho sergeant started forward to BBB comply ltlcardo drew hts own scrvlco BBB rovolvcr and then motioned Mother BBB Jcnks and tho firing squad to stand BBB aside whllo ho. crossed to the center of BBB Mm cemetery. "Sarros," ho called, "I BBj am going to let God dccldo which ono BBB erf us shall live. When tho sergeant BBBj Jrtvcs tho command to flro, I shall open BBB ftra on you, and you aro free to da tho BBB Mtnu to me. Sergeant, If ho kills mo BBB and escapes unhurt, my orders nro to BBB escort him to tho bay In my carriage BBBj a4 put him safely aboard the steam-BBJB steam-BBJB BBBJ Mother Jcnks sat down on n tomb- BBBJ stene. "Cord's truth P sho gasped, BBBJ iit thorn's a rare plucked 'un," Aloud BBBJ fe croRbotl: "DofTt bo k bally ass, BBBJ e." BBBJ "Sllencel" ho commanded. BBBJ ' The sergeant handed Sarros tho re- BBf rotver. "lWkeard what I said?" Ill- BBBJ cartlo called. f BBBJ Sarros bowtjcrftvcly, BBBJ "Yen understand your orders, Ser- BBBJ teantT" BBBJ "Yes, Gencrai:"- BBBJ "Very well,' Proceed. If this prls- BBBJ ancr fires boforo you glvo tho word, BBBJ lave your squad rhldlo h)m." BBBJ The sergeant bncked.awny nri'd gazed BBBJ ewllshly from tho prisoner to his cap- BBBJ tor. "Ready 1" ho called. Roth rovol- BBBJ vers cn'no up. "Flro I" ho shouted, BBBJ asd tho two shotswero discharged si- BBBJ mullnneously, Rlcnrdo'a cop flow 9IT BBBJ his head, but ho remained standing, flBBj while Sarros stuggered back against BBS the wall and there recovering himself BBBJ, gamely, fired ngnln. Ho scored n clean BBBJj ntss. and Rtomlo's gun burked thr'oo BBBJ times; Sarros sprawled on his face, flHHB rose to his knees, raided his pistol BB, fcalfway. fired Into the sky and slid BBBfl , forward on his face. Rlcardo stood bo- HHHfl aide the body until tho sergeant np- HBBJ) preached and stood to attention, his mMBBH attitude saying; UBflt "It Is over. What next, Gcncrair BBBfl "Take the squad back to the arsenal, BBB ' Sergeant." Rlcardo ordered him coolly, BBflft . and walked back to recover his unl- BBBfl form cap. He was smiling ns ho ran BBfl fcls finger through a gaping hole in tho BjBBB vpper half of tho crown. BBB "Well, Mrs. Jcnks," ho announced BBJBJ when ho rejoined tho old lady, "that BBB -was better than executing him with a BBvflj firing sqund. gayo him a square deal. BpBj Now his frleiidj4 can never say that I BBJB KTirtlored him." BBBJ no extended his hand to help Moth- BBBJ cr 3nks to her5 feej, Sho stood erect HW and felt again that queer swelling of BBBJ the heart,' tho -old feeling of surfoca- BflBfll t,on fBB "Steady, lass I" sjio mumbled. "'Old jpfTS n to wc sir, It's ray bully haneurlsm. BjjB Oor1 I'm-choklq1 " BJBJ Uo caught her In his firms ns sho BEBJU lurched toward him. lTer fnco was EBB purple, ami In her eyes there was n BBi queer fierce light that wen' out sud- flrajBB 5ol7, leaving them dull and glazed. BjBflB Vfcen sua coDiuicncxtd to sag In his BfiBSE "Rr ilBcfl! HK lw-. arms, ho eased her gently to the ground and laid her on her back In tho grass. "The1 nipper's safe, Enery," ho heard her murmur. "I'vo raised 'cr n lydy, s'elp me sho's back where you found 'er 'Enery " Sho quivered, nnd tho light camo creeping back Into her eyes before It faded forever. "Comln', 'Enery dar-lln'," dar-lln'," sho whispered ; nnd then tho soul of Mother Jenks, who had a code and lived up to it (which Is moro than tho majority of us do), had departed upon tho. ultimate Journey. Rlcardo gazed down on tho hard old mouth, softened now by a llttlo half-smlla of mingled yearning and glndncss : "What n wonderful won-derful soul you had," ho murmured, and kissed her. In tho end sho slept In tho niche In tho wall of tho Catedral do la Vera Cruz, besldo her sainted 'Enery. CHAPTER XVIII. Throe days passed. Don Juan Cafe-tcro Cafe-tcro had been burled with all tho pomp nnd clrcitmstnnco of a national hero; Mother Jcnks, too, had gone to her appointed" ap-pointed" resting place, nnd El Rucn Amiga had been closed forever. Rlcardo Rlcar-do had Issued a proclamation announcing announc-ing himself provisional president of Sobrr.nto; n convention of revolutionary revolution-ary leaders had been held, and a provisional provi-sional cabinet selected. A day for the national elections had been named ; tho wrcckogo of tho brief revolution had been cleared, nwayj and tho wheels of government wero once moro revolving frcoly nnd noiselessly. And whllo nil of this had been going on, John Stu-art Stu-art Webster had lain on his back, star-lng star-lng at tho palace celling nnd absolutely absolute-ly forbidden to receive visitors. Ho was still engaged In this mild form of gymnastics on tho third dny when tho door nf his room opened and Dolores looked In 011 him. "Good evening, Caliph," sho called. "Aren't you dead yctJ" It was exactly tho tono sho should havo adopted to get the best results, for Webster had been mentally and physically 111 slnco sho hud seen him last, nnd needed sonio such pleasantry as this to lift him out of his gloomy mood. Ho grinned at her boyishly. "No, Vm not dead. On tho contrary, I'm feeling real chirpy. Wflh't you coino In and visit for n while, Miss Rucy?" "Well, since you'vo invited me, I shall accept." Entering, sho stood besldo be-sldo his bed and took tho hand ho extended ex-tended toward her. "This Is tho first opportunity I'vo had, Miss Ruey," ho began, "to apologize for tho shock I gavg you tho other day. I should have como back to you as I promised, Instead In-stead of getting Into n fight and scaring scar-ing you balC to death. I hope you'll forgive mo, becauso I'm paying for my fun now wjth Interest." "Very well, Caliph. I'll forgive you on ono condition." "Who am I to resist having a condition condi-tion Imposed upon nfo? Name yoUr terms. I shall obey." "I'm weary of being called Miss Ruey. I want to bo Dolores to you." "By tho too nails of Moses," ho reflected, re-flected, "thero Is no escape She's determined de-termined to rock tho boat" Aloud ho said : "Aft right, Dolores. I guess Rill won't mind.!' "Wily hnsn't a word to say about It," slip retorted, regarding him with that calm, impersonal, yot vitally Interested look that always drovo him frantic with tho dcslro for her. "Well, of course, I understand that," ho countered. "Naturally, slnco Rill Is only, a man, you'll havo to manage him nnd ho'll havo to tako orders." "Caliph, you're n singularly persistent persist-ent rrinn, onco you get an Id on Into your head. I'lcase understand me, onco for all ; Hilly Geary Is a dear, and It's' a mystery to nio why every girl In tho world Isn't perfectly crazy nbout him, but every rulo has Its exceptions and Rllly and I aro Just good friends. I'd Ilka to know whero you got tho Idea wo'ro engaged to bo married.' "Why why well, aren't you?" "Certainly not.", "Well, you er--you ought to be. I expected that Is, I plannod I mean Bill told mo and and and er It never occurred to mo "you could possibly possi-bly havo the er crust to rofuso film. Of courso, you'ro going to mar ry him when ho asks you?" "Of cjiurso I niq not." "Ah-h-h-hl" John Stuart Webster gazed at her In frank amazement. "Not going to mnrry Bill Geary I". he cried, highly scandalized. "I know you think I ought to, nnd I suppose It will appear quite Incomprehensible Incompre-hensible to you when I do not" "Wliy Dolores, my dear girl! This Is most amazing. Didn't Rill ask you to marry him beforo be left?" "Yes, ho did mo that honor, and I declined him.'.' "You what!" She smiled at him so maternally that hU.hand Itched to drag her down to him nnd kl&s her curving lips. "Do you mind telling mo Just why you took this extraordinary attitude?" "You havo no right to ask, but I'll tell you. I rofused Billy becauso I didn't love him enough that way. What's moro. I never could." He rolled his head to ono side and softly, very softly, whistled two Imrs of "Tho Spanish Cavalier" through his teeth. He was properly thunderstruckso thunder-struckso much so, In fact, or a moment he actually forgf . i is-onco is-onco tho whllo ho ponde s most Incredible state of nffalrs. "I see It all now. U'b as clear as mud," ho announced flnnlly. "You refused re-fused poor old BUI and broko his heart, and so he went nway and hasn't had tho courage to wrlto me since. I'm afraid Bill 'and I both regarded this-fight this-fight ns practically won all over but tho wedding march, ns 6no might put it. I might as well confess I hustled the boy down from tho mine Just so you two could get married and light out on your honeymoon. I figured BUI could kill two birds with ono stone have his honeymoon and get rid of his malaria, and return here In three or four months to relievo me, after I had tho mine in operation. Poor boy. That was a frightful song-and-dance you gave him." ' "I suspected you wcro tho matchmaker match-maker In this case. T must say I think you're old enough to know better, Caliph Ca-liph John." "You did, eh? Well, what mado you think so?" 8ho chuckled. "Oh, you'ro very obvious ob-vious to a woman." "I forgot thnt you reveal tho past and foretell tho future." "You nro really very clumsy, Caliph. You should never try to direct the destiny des-tiny of any woman." "Pm on tho sick list," ho pleaded, "and It isn't sporting of you to discuss me. You'ro healthy so let us discuss you. Dolores, do you figure Bill's case to be absolutely hopeless?" "Absolutely, Caliph.'- "Hum-m-m I" Again Webster had rccourso to meditation, med-itation, seeing which, Dolores wnlkcd to tho pier glass In tho corner, sntlsflcd herseff that hor coiffure was Just so and returned to his side, singing softly a llttlo song thnt had floated out over tho transom of .Webster's room door Into tho hall ono night: A Brantiti cavalier Veifc out to rope a atcer. Along with his paper clgar-r-rot "Carombal" said he. "Manana you will be llucho bueno came por mlot" Ho turned his head and looked up at her suddenly, scarchlngly. "Is thero anybody elso In Bill's way?" he demanded. de-manded. "I admit It's nono of my business, but " "Yes, Caliph, thero Is somo ono else." "I thought so." This rather viciously. vicious-ly. "I'm willing tb gamble 100 to 1, sight unseen, thnt whoever he Is, ho Isn't half tho man Bill Is." "That," sho replied coldly, "Is a matter mat-ter of pcrsonnl opinion.". "And Bill's clock Is fixed for keeps?" "Yes, Caliph. And ho never had a chunco from tho start." ' "Why not?" "Well, I met tho other man first, Caliph." Ca-liph." "Oh I Do you mind telling mo what this other man docs for a living?" "Ho's a mining man, llko Billy." "All right I Has the son of a horse thief got a 'mind llko Bill's? That's something to consider, Dolbres." "Ho has a mlnb fully as good as Billy's. Llko Billy, ho owns a half Interest In it, too." "Hum-m-m I How long havo you known him?" "Not very long." "Bo suro you'ro right then go ahead," John Stuart Webster warned her. "Don't marry in hasto and repent at leisure, Dolores. Know your man before you let him buy the wedding ring. There's n heap of difference, my dear, botween sentiment nnd sentimentality." sentimen-tality." "I'm suro of my man, Caliph." Ho was silent again, thinking rapidly. rapid-ly. "Well, of course," ho began ngnln presently, "while thoro was tho slightest slight-est possibility of Bill winning you, I would havo died before saying that which I am about to soy to you now. Dolores, becauso BUI is my friend, and I'd never double cross him. With reference ref-erence to this other man. however, I havo no such code to consider. Pm pretty well convinced Pm out of tho running, but I'll give that lad a raco If It's tho last act of my life. He's n stranger to me, and ho Isn't on tho Job to protect his claim, so why shouldn't I stake It if I cuu? But aro you quite certain you aren't making n grave mis,-toko mis,-toko in refusing Billy? He's qulto a boy, my denr. I know him from soul to suspenders, and ho'd bo awfully good to you. Ho's kind and gentle and considerate, and he's not a mollycoddle, molly-coddle, either' "I can't hplp It. Caliph, ricase don't talk about him any more. I know somebody who Is kinder and nobler nnd gentler." Sho ceased abruptly, fearful of breaking down her reserve and saying too much. "Well, If Bill's case Is hopeloss" his hand camo groping for hers, while ho held her, with his searching, wistful gmnco "I womtor- what mine looks like. That Is, Dolores, I I ." "Yes, John?" "I'vo played fair with my frlond." ho whispered eagerly. "I'm not going to ask you to marry me, but I want to tell you that to mo you're such a very wonderful woman I enn't help loving jou with my wholo heart and soul." "I havo suspected this, John," she replied gravely. e l "I supposo so. Pm such an obvious old fool. I've had my dream, and I'vo put It behind me, but I I Just want you to know I love you; so long as I live, I shall want to serve you. When you're married to this other man, and things do not break Just right for you both If I have something ho wants, In order to mako you happy, I want you to know It's yours to glvo to him. II 1 guess that's all, Dolores." "Thank you, John. Would you like to know this man I'm going to marry?" mar-ry?" "Yes, I think I'd like to congratulate the scoundrel." "Then I'll Introduce you toJilm, John. I first met him on a train In Death valley, California. He was a shaggy old dear, all whiskers and rags, but his whiskers couldn't hide his smile, and his rags couldn't hide his manhood, man-hood, and when ho thrashed a drummer drum-mer becauso tho man annoyed me, I Just couldn't help falling In love with him. Even when he fibbed to mo nnd disputed my assertion that we hod met before " "Good Sand of love and the calves get lposol" ho almost shouted as ho held up his ono sound arm to her. "My dear, my deal? " "Oh, sweetheart," 6he whispered laying lay-ing her hot check against his, "It's token you so long to sny It, but I lovo you all tho more for tho dear thoughts that made you hesitate." He was silent a few moments, dlgcsi Ing his amazement, speechless with the great happiness that was his and then Dolores wns kissing the back of tho hand of thnt helpless, bandaged arm lying ncross his breast. Ho had a tightening In his thront, for he had not expected love; nnd thnt sweet, benignant, be-nignant, humble llttlo kiss spelled adoration ado-ration and eternal surrender; when she looked at him ngnln tho mists of Joy were In his eyes. "Dear old Caliph Johnl" sho crooned. "He's never had a woman to understand his funny ways and appreciate ap-preciate them ntd take care of him, has he?" She patted his check. "And bless his simple old heart, ho would rather glvo up his love tlinn be false to his friend. Yes, Indeed. Johnny Webster respects 'No Shooting' signs when ho sees them, but he tells fibs and pretends to be very stupid when ho really Isn't So you wouldn't bo fnlso to Billy ch, dear? I'm glad to know thnt, because tho man who cannot can-not bo fnlso to his friend can never bo falsa to his wife." Ho crushed her down to him and held her thero for a long time. "My denr," ho saM presently, "Isn't there something you have to say to mo?" "I love you, John," sho whispered, and scaled tho sweet confession with n true lover's kiss. "All's well with tho world," John Stuart Webster announced when ho could uso his lips once moro for conversation. con-versation. "And," he added, "owing to the fact that I started a trlflo lato In life, I bellevo I could stand a little moro of tho same." The door opened and Rlcardo looked In on them. "Killjoy 1" Webster growled. "Old Killjoy tho Thirteenth, King of So-brante. So-brante. Is this a surprise to you?" "Not a bit of It, Jack. I knew It wns due." "Am I welcomo In tho Ruey family?" Rlcardo camo over and kissed his Bister. "Don't bo a lobster, Jack," ho protested "I dislike foolish questions." ques-tions." And ho pressed his friend's hand with n fervor thnt testified to his pleasure. "Pm sorry to crowd In at a tlmo llko this, Jack," ho continued, with a hug for Dolores, "but Mr. What-you-may-call-hlm, the Amcrlcnn consul, has called to pay his rejects. As a fellow citizen of yours, ho Is vltaljy Interested In your welfare. Would you caro to recolvo him for a few minutes?'' "Ono minute will do," Webster declared de-clared with emphasis. "Show the human hu-man slug up, Rick." Mr.' Lemuel Tolllvcr tripped breezily In with outstretched hand. "My dear Mr. Webster." he began, but Webster cut him short with a peremptory gesture. ges-ture. "Listen, friend Tolllvcr," ho said. "Tho only reason I received you was to tell you I'm going to remain In this country nwhlle and help dovelon it. I may even concludo to grow up with It. I shall not, of course, renounce my American citizenship; and of course, ns an American citizen, I am nnturaily Interested In the man my country sends to Sobrante to represent It. I might as well bo frank and tell you that you won't do. I called on you onco to do your duty, and you weren't thoro; I told you then I might hnve something to sny about your Job later on, nnd now Pm duo to say It. Mr Tolllvcr, Pm the power behind tho throno in this little Jim-crow country and to quoto your own elegant phrase ology, you, as American consul, aro nux vomlen to the Sobrantean government. gov-ernment. Moreover, as soon ns tho Sobrantean umbnssador reuchos Washington, Wash-ington, he's going to tell tho president that you are. and then tho president will bo courteous enough to removo you. In the meantime, fnro theo well Mr. Consul." ' "But, Mr. Webster" I "Vnyn " Mr. Tenner, uppreclutiug tke utter' futility of argument, bowed and da-parted. da-parted. . . "Verily, life grows sweeter with each passing day," Webster murmured whimsically. "Rick, old man, I think you had better escort the consul to the front door. Your presence Is nux vomlcu to me nlso. See that you back me up ond dlsposo of thnt fellow Tolllvcr, Tol-llvcr, or you can't como to our wedding wed-ding can he, sweetheart?" When Rlcardo had taken his departure depar-ture John Stuart Webster looked up qulto seriously at his wlfc-to-bc. "Can you explain to me, Dolores," he nsked, "how It hnppcned thnt your relatives and your father's old friends hero In Sobrante, whom you met shortly after your arrival, never Informsd you that Rlcardo was living?" "Thoy didn't know nny mote about him than I did, and ho left hero as a mere boy. He was scarcely ncqunlnted with his relatives, all of whom bowed qulto submissively to tho Sarros yoke. Indeed, my father's half-brother, An tonio Ruey, actually accepted a portfolio port-folio Under tho Sarros regime and held It up to his death. Rlcardo has n wholesomo contempt for his relntlves, and as for his father's old friends, nono of tnem knew nnythlng nbout his plans. Apparently his identity wns known only to tho fnrros Intelligence bureau, and It did not permit tho Information Infor-mation to leak out." "Funny mix up," ho commented. "And by tho wny, whero did you get all the inside dopo nbout Neddy Jerome?" Je-rome?" She laughed nnd related to him tho details of Neddy's perfidy. "And you actually agreed to deliver deliv-er me, hog-tlcd and helpless, to that old schemer, Dolores?" "Why not, dear. I loved you; I always al-ways meant to mnrry you, If you'd let "I Always Meant to Marry You." mo; and $10,000 would have lasted mo for pin money a long time." "Well, you nnd Neddy havo both lost out. Better send the old pelican a cable ca-ble nnd wnko him out of his day dream." "I sent tho cnblo yesterday, John dear." "Extraordinary woman 1" "I'vo Just received nn answer. Neddy Ned-dy hns spent nearly $50 telling me by cablo what a flno man you aro and how thankful I ought to bo to the good Lord for permitting you to marry me." "Dolores, you nro perfectly amazing, I only proposed to you.n mlnuto ago." "I know you did, slow-poke, but that Is not your fault. You would havo proposed to mo yesterday, only I thought best not to disturb you until you wcro a llttlo stronger. This evening, eve-ning, however, I mndo up my pilnd to settle tho matter, and so I " "Rut suppose I hadn't proposed to you, after all?" "Then, John, I should havo proposed to you, I fear." "But you were running nn awful risk, sending that telegram to Neddy Jerome." Je-rome." Sho took ono Inrge red car In each little hand nnd shook his bead loving-ly. loving-ly. "Silly," sho whispered, "don't bo a goose. I knew you lured mo; I would hnvo known It, oven If Neddy Jerome hadn't told mo so. So I played a safo gamo nil tho wny through, and oh, dear Caliph John, Pm so hnppy I could cry." . "God bless my mildewed soui," John Stunrt Webster murmured helplessly. The entire matter was qulto beyond his comprehension I THE END. |