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Show V , .,,1.3... i. i ! '"' ''" " " ' i.i j Pi ' iR I: I WebsterMams Masi I By PETER B.KYNE AuAor el "Cappy Rick.' Tk VaBey of tke Glwrtt," Ete. Coprrlcht kr Tttn . Km. " ' I " yrttminiTHHHHHmtnnnMttniinimnTttmiiiinmMnH; IS CHAPTER Xll-Contlnued. 1 ' 1J- "Barrosl" Webstor replied smlllng- ly. "That scoundrel makes a gamble B out of an otherwise aura thing. Dow ever," he adehd, recalling the note ro- B celved from Rlcardo Rnoy just before H fata departuro from Buenaventura and H reflecting that to be forewarned la jo bo forearmed, "we'll accept the gam- K ble. That raacal can't live forever, fl tad ho may bo eliminated before ho Is caasca us any trouble." KB "What will It cost us to got this kIB salno on a paying basis, Johnny 1" M "WeH, back home, IV! figure on D upending at least $100,000; but I dare 91 say, taking Into consideration tho low VI cost of labor In Sobrnnte and the raw, MM natural resources of power and tlra-KH tlra-KH her right on tho ground, we ought to fl put tills deal over for $50,000 at tho BBj outside. Praise be, I havo cash gi enough to do tho trick without calling Hi la nny help, and such being tho cobo, B wo'li not wasto any time but hop to KBK tho job In a hurry and ninko tho fur Mm Hy." fl "niftht. Jack. What's tho program?" Ill "Well, first off, son, I'm not going 111 to stay In this country and loso my-rffl my-rffl self managing this mine. That's your 111 Job, bemuse you're young and unlm-119 unlm-119 portent Is your profession nnd havo If fit tho ability to get away with tho Job. Bflf You can afford to spend tho next 15 flj years here, but I cannot. I can only RBJ afford to cotao down hero every cou-MBj cou-MBj plo ot years und rsllove you for a va-fl va-fl cation." HI "That's the way I figured It, Jack." JB "All right then, 1)111, tct us start In Bjflj by giving you your first vacation. If IB you're going to dig In hero and mako Bfl the fur fly, you've got to be In tip-top BV physical condition nnd you nro thin flfflj nnd gnuntdd nnd full of chills and fo- Hflj ver. Just boforo I left Buenaventura J flj I cashed n draft for $3,000 on my let- I ter of credit at the Ilanco Naclonat, HJH and placed It to tho credit of your JH account there, IB "Tomorrow morning you will tnko PB ynnr horse, o.no pack mule, and ono niozo and rldo for San Miguel do Pad- flflfl ua, where you will tako tho train for Buenaventura. In Uucnaventura you HH may do what you blaino plense, but HJflj If I were you, boy, I'd try to get mar- I rlcd and go back to tho U. 8. A. for KH my honeymoon, And when I finally hit a town that contained somo rcg-BJSJ rcg-BJSJ ular doctors I'd let them paw mo over BB and relmbbltt mo and overhaul my f K bearings and put mo In audi nlco run-IB run-IB nlng order I'd bo firing on all 12 cyl-Bb cyl-Bb Indent at once. flSBJ "And when I was feeling tip-top flBll onco moro I'd wire old John Stuart Webster and tell him so, after which BSBJ I'd stand by for a cablo from tho said HflflE sourdough. Inviting mo to return and flflfll take up my labors." flfiflj Billy's wan yellow face lighted up BBBB like a sunrise on tho desert "I guess flflfll that plan's kind of poor," ho nn- flfll nounccd feelingly. 'Tou'ro right, J Jack. I'm In rotten condition nnd 1 J ought bo right boforo I atnrt. Still, flflflj tf I should arrango to get married be- flflflj foro I leave, I'd like mighty well to flflflj have a good man and truo see me safely over the hurdles." J "That's nice, son, but I hnven't tlmo flflflj to bq your best man. Arranging tho fififiB honeymoon lets me out, BUI. I'm In J n hurry to finish hero and get back, j so tho sooner wo both start our pros- flflflj pectlvo Jobs tho sooner we'll finish. flflflj Have a qnlot llttlo marrlago, BUI, flflflj without any fuss or feathers or voices BKVB breathing o'er Rdcu. What nro tho fl odds, provided you get hllchod prop- flflflj crlyT JiojMes, I'm In mortal dread of flflflj that town of Buenaventura. Tho sow BflflK, cr Hystcm U bad It's rotten with fe- IfiVt' ver; and yoa'd better got that girl flflflj out of It P. D. Q and the qulckor tho flflH hotter. Myself, I prefer to stay up Rflflj' here In these mountains In n torn- IIHj porote climate where tbcro nro no HHR mosquitoes."" flflflj Billy saw that Webster was serious flflflj, and would resent any interference In IfiflK- his plans. "All right, Jack," ho as- pfiflfl; seated. "You're tho boss." flflflj, "Fine. Now, BUI, you listen to fa- IflflH thsr and bo guided accordingly. When BJKflJ you get to Buenaventura, wlro tho fluflKj Bingham Engineering company of BBIb : Denver, using my name, and tell them HIE; to add to my order given them last HUB, month nnd held for shipping dlrec- flnuj' tlons, 12 doten picks, 12 dozen shov flflH els, 12 dozen inuttocks, say nix dozen HBttv axes, brush knives, a big road plow, "MP , nd whatover other things you happen flflflj to think of nnd which would como In j handy when building our road. Aleo, flflflj when .you get to New Orlei ti buy a J stanch three-ton motor truck. We'll flflflj need it for getting In supplies from flflflj' Bun Miguel do Padua, Puy for the Jl truck also, and If you go broko nnd flflflj eanpot reach bin by cable, wlro Ned- flflH djt Jerome at tho Engineers' club In IjSflj Denver and kick his cyo out In my flJH honored name. flpj "I guess that's about all of your H job, BUI. As for mo, I'll ramp right I flflfll here. I'll have a deal of surveying I HIIJ to do and I plan to sweat tho boozo flflfll out of that Cnfferty person. I'll HCB rente Don Juan my. chain man and Bj)Bl run; iu tall off him. Then I'll be HKV m)i? Tnti j)ri'lliaInory plaus, nrrang- KlWW Hi? 'i i (no on. and when Bjjfljj I'11 "" I BwB "in", there- I fl '' frlort I and packed out for San Miguel do Padua bright and early next morning. morn-ing. During the following ten days Webster managed to keep himself fairly busy around tho camp at tho mine ; then for a week he hunted and fished, and finally, when that began to pall on him, his agile mjnd returned re-turned to business and the consideration considera-tion of the possibility of a flaw In Billy's title to the claim; whereupon he suddonly decided to return to Buenaventura Bue-naventura and investigate that title fully before proceeding to throw dollars dol-lars right and left At the head of his little cavalcade, therefore, ho rodo out ono morning for tho railroad, whereat providence, In its Inscrutablo wisdom, ordained that en route he should fall In with no less a pensonogo than Don Rlcardo Lulu Rucy, neo Andrew Bowers. UN enrdo was mounted, armed, and alono, and at sight of Webster ho shouted with delight and spurred toward him. "What tho devil I You, Rick, the government cut-up. What aro you doing do-ing In these partsT Webster rodo up and shook hands. "Oh, I'm Bobln Hooding it around this part of the country. It is so secluded, se-cluded, you know, and Sarros hasn't any friends or any telegraph lines or any garrisons up this way. I heard In San Miguel do Padua that you were camped yonder, and I was on my way over to confer with you on matters of state. Met your friend, Geary, at HI Buen Amlgo a couplo ot weeks ago, Just beforo ho sailed for tho United Unit-ed States. IIo was telling mo you had to havo a lot of tools for road building, so I cabled In a secret cipher ci-pher to tho Sobrantean revolutionary Junta In Now Orleans to ship theso tools to you Immediately. They arrived ar-rived on tho last trip ot tho Atlanta and now rcposo In Leber's warehouBO waiting for you to call and remove thom." "You scoundrel I What havo you sent niol" "A couplo of hundred rifles and threo machine guns, branded nxes, picks, shovels, plows, and so on. I also ran In throb cases ot ammunition, labeled grindstones, two moro cases disguised as bolts, and quite sovoral thousand labeled nails In kegs. I should feel rathor sorry for you If my friend, Sarros, should get suspicious and investigate, but r haven! t any fonr that ho will. You see, ho knows you'ro hero on legitimate business. Ho has Investigated nnd learned that you aro a bona fldo mining engineer ot considerable con-siderable reputation and then, you know, your friend, Geary, dickered with htm for tho concession. Tho mining min-ing property you nro about to dovel-op dovel-op belongs to tho people, not to Sarros; Sar-ros; yot ho has bartered It away and will divert tho royalty to his own pockot lustcad ot tho public treasury." "llum-m-m I What do you want mo to do with all those munitions consigned con-signed to met" "Arrango witli Leber to keep tbcra thcro until you get ready to build your road Into tho mtno. I want them thero when my American mercenaries arrive In Buenaventura. By tho way, you aro going to Import theso mcr- I $ eeeeeBesBSeBjsj'- '. conarles for me. They nro American miners nnd road builders In tho employ em-ploy ot tho Honda Mining Ik Development Develop-ment company, which Is to bo the name of your enterprise. I hopo you'll like the name, Webster. I picked It out myself." "You cool scoundrel I You're making mak-ing cat's paw out of me." "That Is becauso you hajfyon to bo so hnndy for my purpose. You see my plan, do you not? I'm going to attack Buenaventura from within and without I'm going to come down on Sarros like n wolf on tho fold, and tho Job Is scheduled for next Saturday Satur-day night a week." "Look hero. Rick, my boy, I have no desire to mix la the politics ot this country." "You have some desire, however, to mix In Its wealth," Rlcardo reminded him. "Well?" "I'm tho only man that can help you. By the way, do not order your machinery shipped until after I am seated firmly on the tlirono of my fathers." fa-thers." "Whyr "It's been framed with Sarros to let you spend your money on that concession con-cession and get the mine In running order; then a fake suit alleging an orror In tho government survey, will bo filod. It will be etalmed that the concession given your frlond, Geary, I by vlrtuo of erroneous government surveys, tho property of a citizen of Sobrnnte. The courts hero do as Sarros Sar-ros tells them. You are to bo kicked out busted, and despairing, and your nicely equipped llttlo mine will bo taken over as a government monopoly and run for the benefit of tho government govern-ment to-wlt, Sarros and his satellites. Wo had to cook up n dirty deal like that to, save your life. Of course, now that I have warned you In time, you are safp. Wo schemed a proposition, however, that worked, both ways. It enabled us to save you and to save us, by permitting tho shipment, free of suspicion, of arms for the rebels that aro to attack tho city from within. with-in. Naturally I had to cache their arms within tho city nnd that was a hard problem until you happened along. Thank you, fnlry godfather." "My thanks aro duo you, Rlcardo. I'm for you, first, last, and nil the time, and against this Sarros outfit. By the way, how do you purposo moving mov-ing your machine guns?" "We'll havo "to carry them, I guess." "Well, I'll havo a small auto-truck dollvercd In Buenaventura by that time. You might arrango to armor It with sheet steel; nnd with n couple cou-ple of machlno guns mounted In It, and a crow of resolute Americans behind be-hind the machlno guns, you could caper ca-per from one end of the city to tho other nnd clear a path for your Infantry." In-fantry." "Thank you, ray friend. I'll bor-row bor-row tho motor truck nnd arrange to armor It That's a bully Idea. Aro you bound for .Buenaventura now?" v Webster nekded. "Then," Rlcardo suggested, "I'll meet you In my room at 121 Buen Amlgo next Wednesday night at 11 and explain tho details of my plans to you If you caro to hear them. I thtnk thoy'ro alr-tlght myself, my-self, hut somehow I think I'd feel more certain of them If yon approvo them." "I'll be thcro, Rick, nnd tho day you run that outlaw Sarros off the grass you'll know why I nra for you." "Good-by, old man. You will never nev-er know how grateful you havo made me." Ruey flhook hands with Webster nnd rodo off through tho timber, leaving leav-ing John Stuart Webster to pursue tho even tenor of his way, until at length ho arrived onco moro In Buenaventura Bue-naventura and sought accommodations at the Hotel Mateo. And there, as he entered tho lobby and gazed through a ginsa door across tho patio and Into tho veranda, ho saw that which disturbed dis-turbed him greatly. In a big wicker rocker Dolores Ruey sat, rocking gently gent-ly and busily stitching on n plcco of fancy work! Billy Geary gone back to tho United Unit-ed States, and Dolores was still In Buenaventura I Amazing! Why, what tho devil did Billy mean by letting her have her on way like that? Of course, they hadn't been married, or she would not now tfe out thoro on tho veranda, and, ot courso, they hadn't quarreled, because thnt was an Impossibility, and, ot course, Billy had departed nlsno for tho U. S. A., clso ho would have returned to their camp In tho hills back of San Miguel da Padua. -wen, i Know wnui rm going to do," Webstor decided. "I'm not going to bo led Into temptation whllo Billy's Bil-ly's not on tho Jol so I'll not put up at tho Hotel Mateo after all. I'll Just sneak around to El Buen Amlgo Aml-go and fix It with that old Mother Jcnks not to tip off my presence In wn to Dolores Ruey until I can get the lay of the land and seo what the devil has happened to all my well-laid well-laid plans." Ho retreated ouf tho front door nnd called a carriage, Into which ho wan about to step, bog and baggnge, when Don Juan Cafctcro camo rushing up lu great excitement. "Sure, where are ye goln' now, sor. In there no room ror yo in uio notei Aiateor Theis bods havo Jiggers In them, and I Just remembered that," Webster Web-ster fibbed. "Hop In, John, and we'll drive mound to Mr. Geary's lodclncs In CI Buen Amlgo," "But I come t'rough the patio Just now," Don Juan explained, "an' who should I meet but tho young leddy" "You Infeninl scoundrel! Did you toll her I was In town?" "Sure I did. sor. An' why not?" "Nono of your Infernal huslnew You've spoiled everything. You're a muddle-headed monkey nnd I've a great notion to let you get drunk ngnln. Tnko tho baggugo back Into tho hotel." IKjii Juan Cafetero, Tfreatly hum- ble J and rebuffed, stepped aside Bad watched Webster stride back into the hotel. "God love ye, sor." ho mumbled, mum-bled, "knowln' what I know, Is It likely like-ly I'd let yo mako a monkey out nv her or yersclf? Ye made ycr plans wit' Misther Geary wit'out consulting her. Now go, yo grrond big dlvll, an' find out why sho kicked yer schame to sralUiereens." And with a solemn and knowing wink at tho duffle bag, Don Juan picked that artlclo up and followed after his master. CHAPTER XIII. John Stuart Webster's agile brain was the repository of many conflicting conflict-ing emotions as he bathod, shaved, and changed from his soiled khaki field clothes to a suit of ducks before presenting himself beforo Dolores. Had Billy's courage forsaken hlra at the last minute, with tho result that he had gone back to the United States without having settled tho question of Dolores' future? Had ho proposed and been rejected, or had he proposed, been accepted, and had his plans for an Immediate marriage vetoed by Dolores? In cither event, why had Billy failed to leavo a nolo for hlra at tho notel Mateo, or mailed him a letter to tho Globo do Oro ot San Miguel do Padua, advising him of the chango In the plan of action outlined for him by Webstor? In the simplicity of his slnglo-heart-cd dovotlon Webster was puzzled to understand how any woman In her right mind could fall to fall In lovo with Billy Geary. A man ho was, from heels to hair, and a man with pros- Well, and Why Didn't You7" pects far abovo tho average. To Webster's Web-ster's way of thinking, tho girl who married Billy might well count herself her-self fortunate. Dolores greeted him with unaffected pleasure. "Well, Caliph I" sho sold. Just that It made Webster sensible of a feeling of having returned to her after an absence of several years, "I'm so glad to see you, Miss Ruey," ho replied, and ndded boldly, "particularly "par-ticularly since I didn't expect to." Sho knew what her reply would lead to; nevertheless, with that dissimulation dissimula-tion which can only bo practiced In perfection by a clever and beautiful woman, sho answered with equal boldness: bold-ness: "Indeed! Pray why?" "Well, for a pretty good reason, I think. A few weeks ago, after examining exam-ining Bill's concession very thoroughly, thorough-ly, I told him ho was a potential millionaire. mil-lionaire. Now, while I disclaim any appearance of braggadocio, when John Stuart Webster, D. M., makes any ralno owner a report like thut, ho Is apt to be taken very seriously. And having made BUI a potential millionaire million-aire and arranged to glvo him three or four months' vacation back home, I had a notion ho'd present to you a very valid reason why you should ae-compauy ae-compauy him." "You nro very frank, Caliph." That'a becauso I'm curious, no had a certain dream, nnd told mo about It, and I did my llttlo best to mako It como true." tir .i.i..,- v .- . . .. . i mum i uuuersianu, caliph. It would be very dlfilcult I think, for anybody to meet Billy without being attracted toward him. Ho'8 ono of tho dearest, post lovablo boys In tho world and lie did do mo tho signal honor of asking mo to marry him. So there I" "Well, and why didn't you?" Sho smiled at his blunt Insistence on forcing tho Issue. "For a number of excellent reasons, Caliph. In the first place, he wanted mo to marry him Immediately and I wasn't ready to leave Sobrnnte. while Billy was. Indeed, It was highly necessary that ho should leavo Immediately, for tho sake ot his health, ond I had Billy's Interest at heart snlllclently to Insist upon It You seem to forget thnt when a girl marries she must mako somo preparation for the event, nnd If fhe has uny closo relatives, such ns n brother, for Instance, sho likes to hnvo thnt relative present at tho ceremony. cere-mony. You will recall, Caliph, that I havo a brother nnd that you havo promised to Introduco mo to him very shortly." "By Judns, I never thought of that, Miss Ruey," the repentant Webster answered. "In fact, I wasn't think-Ing think-Ing of anybody's Interest In this matter mat-ter but Bill's." "Not even of nilnp, Caliph?" re-pronchfully. re-pronchfully. 'That goes without snylng. Could I have i done anything nicer for you than fix It for Bill to tut wuuld bo lu peal J lion to marry y" Here ym are, practically alone la the world-at least you were when BUI mot yon and fell In love with you-and I know thot boy so well I was convinced, after aft-er meeting you. that his future happiness happi-ness and yours would best bo con. aervod If you married him. I realize this Is a most unusual conversation conversa-tion " , "Quito to bo expected of an unusual mnn, Caliph. And I do not think you were one bit presumptuous. It was wonderfully dear of you, nnd I nm profoundly grateful that Billy and I havo such n true, unselfish friend, whose first thought Is for our happiness. happi-ness. Of course, you rcnllzo how bad I felt to think I couldn't accede to Billy's plan. Billy's such a dear, It qulto broko my heart to disappoint him, but n llttlo temporary unboppl-ness unboppl-ness will not ruin Billy, will It? It makes mo feel bluo to talk about It Caliph." ... "Not at all. not at all, Miss Ruoy. Bill Is ono of the Impulsive, whirlwind whirl-wind kind, up In tho clouds today and down In tho slough of despond tomorrow. He'll survlvo tho shock. However, I'm glad to know everything will como out all right. Seeing you hero gave mo a momentary chill J thought a cog had slipped somowhore, so I helped myself to Cupid's license and nsked. A man cannot learn very much from a woman unless ho asks questions, can ho? I mean on the subject sub-ject of love." She smiled a little, wistful, knowing smile. "No, Caliph," sho answered seriously, se-riously, "somehow tho Master ol Things ordained that on tho subject of love man must do all tho talking." "Yes, but on tho other hand, worn-nn worn-nn has the last word as usual. How-ever, How-ever, the only thing In your case and Billy's that worries mo Is tho though) that slnco BUI left his magnet behind ho will be drawn back hero before ht Is In tho kind of shape, physically that I want him to bo In beforo he relieves mo ou tho Job so I can gc away." "Do not worry on that point, Cn llph. I am your ally there; botwcei us both I think wo can manage him.' "Kino business! And with thosi few kind words we'll dismiss Wllllnn until you care to talk about him again although If you're as deep In lovo ai BUI you'll not stay off tho subjec very long. Hopo you hnven't beet Into mischief." "I haven't been Idle. I've mado scv oral dresses for Mother Jenks nm done a lot of fancy work nnd begui tho study of my mother tongue. I my brother should become preslden of this country, It would 111 become hi sister not to be nble to speak Spanish By tho way, Billy told mo you wer going to remain up In tho hills quit n whllo yet What brought you bac to town so soon?" "Expected I'd have somo freight ai riving shortly." "How long will you remain in Bud nnventurn?" Considering tho fact that ho woj no longer subject to temptation, since tho object of his temptation was now definitely promised to his friend, Billy, Bil-ly, Webster suddenly decided to remain re-main until tho political atmosphere should bo cleared, although prior tc his conversation with Dolores ho had cherished a definite plan to go bacl to tho hills within 48 hours. "I'm going back," he replied sober ly, "after I havo kept my promise and introduced you to your brothe In the government palace. If I can not Introduco hlra to you there, tho tl tlo to our mining concession will b clouded, In which event It will not b neccssnry for Billy or myself to fus with It further." He related to her tho Informatloi glenned from her brother two dayi previously, "It's no use for an Individual ti fight a government despot In courti controlled by tho latter," ho concl'ud ed. "Your brother must win and de poso tho Sarros; then with the title to tho property certified by tho gov eminent as without a flaw, I may dare to spend $50,000 developing It." "And If my brother doesn't win?" "I may never have nn opportunity to present you to him. Wo mustn't bo squeamish about this matter, Miss Ruey. If Rlcardo doesn't turn tho trick, ho mny go tho way of his father, fa-ther, unless ho can manage to got out of tho country." rti. , i . ... unu nug out-ill, uiKCTUUj UJ1S griu alternative. "As I understand It, then, Caliph, Rlcardo hopes to win his rev- olutlon when ho strikes tho first blow." (TO HE CONTINUED.) |
