Show jim the tia r or 0 0 0 MY y P deter as M byc e e e 0 vv NO barlo fee 0 copyright by pete 11 ryul kra BEGINNING THE STORY FOR NEW READERS roberta noberta antrim beautiful eastern society girl who lives with her uncle william 11 latham known as crooked dm bill because of his musing amusing slyness receives a telegram fram jaime mieuel lIl Ruenes owner of the rancho nancho vane valle verde in texas Informing 1 her her uncle tom antrim has ha died a violent death at the advice of olenn glenn hackett who la 18 in love with her roberta plans to go to texas to protect her bar interests since she ahe to Is her uncles aole heir to thou 1 banda ads of sheep which antrim had impudently driven to graze on land controlled by don jaime malroe don jaime unmarried and ro romantic mantle halt half spanish and half irish Is IB attracted to robertas picture in a magazine antrim to Is earnd to take hla his sheep off don jaimes ranch at once antrim ambushes don jaime the young ranch owner Is wounded and tom antrim killed on hla his body are found instructions to notify was miss roberta nober tn antrim in the event of his douth death an other telegram tells roberta her uncle wait waa killed by jim fliggins don jaimes anglicized name latham tolls tells her his fortune la in in danger and she ahe decides to go to texas to ret get kantrims An trims estate to save it don jaime invites mra airs ganby hla him nuree and her bar crippled son aon nobble to htay tit at hla his ranch with tits the idea of the proprieties if 11 roberta noberta as an he hopes visits tho the ranch crooked dill bill lets leta his niece believe he has lost his fortune furthering a scheme he hopes will forward ll ackatta courtship Ila Ilac kott chott despite misgivings plays up tip to uncle dills bills scheme boheme tor for influencing roberta noberta in hla his favor don jaime actuated cheely by tits hla romantic interest in the pictured roberta noberta allows the antrim sheep to continue to graze on his ranch CHAPTER R V continued 7 1 I know youre not dear undo uncle bill youre a perfectly booi good gooi old sport I 1 have just had a a long telegram front from rny ny lawyer in los Alg Algodon algodones cs texas ile iio informs mo me that the affairs of undo uncle toms estate fire aro in excellent shape and that lio lie died leaving even more sheep than was nt at first suspected ed there tire about ten thousand lambs that will doon bo be ready for market and which should bring ten dollars a head bond and thero there are upwards of n hundred thousand pounds of excellent wool worth thirty cents a pound why it would seem that tant undo uncle toms estate will run close to half a million dollars dolln ra we should worry and grow wrinkles and gray hair darling tile the butler announced dinner and between tho the fish and tile tho roust roast as per agreement olenn glenn blackett commenced to question crooked bill nd ad as to tho the exact nature of hla operations in the market roberta noted n grim little smile playing across hacketts hackette Hac ketts face from time to time so presently prent ly with tier hep cua tomary impulsiveness silo asked him ila to share the he joke with them its ita on your uncle bill lie ho replied it Is my duty to inform you hobby bobby that your undo uncle nill bill Is IR an antediluvian idiot didlot who cant see the woods for tho the trees it if lie ho could lidd hod see sec it a path out but of this mess hes in a path as wide aldo na as the boardwalk nt at atlantic city let us ua cut drink and bo be merry for tomorrow uncle hill will no longer bo be a financial corpse ile he will have commenced hla his resurrection how are arc you going to save uncle hill bill It oberta demanded 11 hackett ackett Proc proceeded ceded to outline to her patiently and in words worda of one ona syllable his plan for the salvation of crooked bill 1 I understand perfectly glenn roberta sald bald when fit at last he finished youre a wonderful wonderful alend 4 the plan Is vetoed crooked bill declared virtuously will bear up under anything except the ahe endorsement indorsement Indor of notes or the swift heavy touch hut but undo uncle mil bill uncle bill raised his leonine head and his cold steel gray eyes flickered murderous lights at her there will be no further discussion of this unpleasant subject lie ho informed her coldly when crooked bill looked and spoke in that tono tone of voice knew from experience that obed obedience lence was incumbent n upon tier her her eyes title tilled with tears in a tremulous voice she begged to be excused e anti and withdrew crooked hills bills wild eyebrows went up tip ns as the girl left tile the room ashes ns as big a crook as I 1 ani am 11 he ha declared proudly she tit nt nil distressed ashes just putting pul llna tho the old stuff not on methis mo tills time buton but on you iny lioy silo she expects you to follow tier her ok out and comfort her do not disappoint tier her forward I 1 are you quite certain sho she prefer to be left alone air latham ashes nil upset listen to me son I 1 know my lily onions the girls play acting I 1 I 1 glenn hackett Ivam mosed va ased within five minutes lie ho returned with roberta on his arm illum huml I 1 crooked bill reflected and she spent at least a minute making up tip her bacel four rol to put over her loving plot against me tho the crook 1 ile he beamed upon her im so sorry I 1 spoke crossly to my little girl he announced with hypocritical unction bobby kissed him fondly rna and gave him a little hug crooked bill was not onu to guru gum up his own finely laid plans and presently with a full realization of the truth of the old adao adage that three Is a crowd he withdrew to tits room leaving olenn hackett ackett II to malue make what progress he be could with the rebellious joberta Wo berta but crooked bill did not retire ile he smoked until ten nt at which hour hourlier ho lie knew glenn harkett hackett a cren creature of habit would depart for tho the city so go crooked bill went down the ohp back iii stairs Airs crossed croas cd the bawn and waited for hackett at the entrance to bill hillcrest crest did it work he do demanded overtime hackett ackett II responded 1 was she nice to you utter after I 1 left INV wc 11 cr ah I 1 crooked bill growled deep in in hid threat like an need tiger 0 O G 0 hoiller jellyfish 11 he be a hach bach fc lr ilithe gouth sea mauds islands and on an island ahers they practice thoroughly disgusted ho he returned to tile tho house iio to had a presentiment that palo futo was in it manner of speaking stacking tile tho cards agal list him film next morning crooked caught an early train to the city explaining that hint the sooner ila ho swept up tip tile tho frag of hla his scattered fortunes for tunca tile tho better for nil concerned fl roberta oberta motored in a little later inter and went nt at once to olenn flack Hacket etts ls office where ho he prepared rind and site she signed a formal assIgn assignment trient of nil all of tier right title tin and fint prest in and to her undo uncle toms to hackett for anti in consideration of certain moneys to bo be advanced to her by hackett now then roberta hackett said bald when tile tho document was signed you understand that lint tills this Is a business deal train from first drat to last not a n speck of sentiment in it so far as I 1 nm am con can corned while you have given me security for the funds I 1 nm am to advance it may be tant I 1 will bo be called upon to advance R built in excess of file total value of your uncle toms estate consequently it Is of tho the ut most importance that tile the estate should bo be administered wisely and conserved I 1 have looked up tip your lawyer at lo 10 los algodones Alg don prudencio Pruden clo alviso nna ho he appears to have an excellent record for probity but la Is a poor bustness business man if 1 I 11 ile iio assures assured mo me don jaime miguel 1119 Is most reliable an and Is doln doing nil that anybody can to do to conserve the estate 11 roberta hastened to assure il 1 I know luit but tho the thought occurs to me why la is jon don taking nil all this trouble what vital do you nivan mann to him film ile he Is a cattleman so why should he bother with your sheep my aly dear hobby I 1 am highly suspicious of that fellow hobbes lip drooped site she had not thought of don jaime in that light before and her common sense warned tier her that there might be more dioro than a modicum of truth in Ilac ketts sus pt clona lie saw the doubt lie he had planted burgeoning and hastened to aid its growth As I 1 told you before it Is impossible sible for roe me to go to texas to took look after your affairs nobby bobby your unfortunate uncle dare anre not leave new york nt this time either tits ills creditors might think he wast waa endeavoring to nee the country consequently I 1 think it la Is of tile the utmost importance that you go to loa a algodones Algo Alg donea immediately find investigate everything thoroughly hut but glenn I 1 dont know n thing about business and rm im abrald its too big biff an order 1 I disagree with you yet you have a feminine intuition or of the highest degree of development if you go there get acquainted with your lawyer aali and don jaime jelmo rind after a few weeks discover er that you have absolutely no mental reservations regarding either or both I 1 shall think it quite safe to leave your affairs in their hands for tile the present nt at least athla adroit speech flattered robertn nober tn since it was corroborating a belief site she had always entertained 1 e that she could look through met men as if they were glass glam tier her respect for ketta intelligence find and ability increased nt at once ill go to los loa algodones Algo Alg donea just na as soon na as I 1 can get ready she declared C fine It roberta oberta ile ie escorted tier her to the elevator and upon returning to hit his ollice pressed a buzzer three I 1 times imes whereupon his secretary ushered ushi in to him from an adjoining room no less a person than crooked 1111 well have you sold her the idea that she should go to los log Algo donea he demanded of the lawyer 1 I have slie she promised me she would go na as soon ns as she could get ready 11 crooked crocked bill rubbed hla his hands pleasurably hackett handed him tile the assignment sign ment which roberta had just given him and crooked hill set tire ore to it and dropped it into hacketts hackette Hac ketts metal waste basket have you confidence in this jaime air Latham Ln tham II ackt queried illow how do I 1 knoby iles hes a perfecio stranger to td me however his father and grandfather were both muy cabal lero to the nth degree and never cared enough about money to get it by crooked or unfair meang and im a great believer in heredity I 1 have a strong busl suspicion cou that don jaime Is equipped with a rovin in pleto set of hibernian inglr works arid I 1 have never known a highly courageous man who was a weak man mail the crooks or of this thia worlo world are arc recruited from the weak lings my boy however why should I 1 worry about a smear of sheep I 1 dont care two hoots in a hollow if they nil all starve to death im solely interested in promoting for roberta it journey to los loa Algodon algodones Alg cs in order that silo she may see tile the other side of tire tho picture don jaime la is unmarried ivo ive discovered that tind and if ho he fulls falls to fall in III love with joberta lies hoa nt alt for treason stratagems and spells if silo quarrel with him about that bound to fall out over business because no man ever managed a wom ans 1111 5 business affairs without discovering inthe in the long run that tant ho he had performed it a thoroughly thankless task 1 I wish I 1 have to mix in I 1 her I 1 er affairs I 1 dislike deception even innocent deception mr air latham La thrim 1 you ungrateful butil pup I 1 why ive placed hobby bobby under a tremendous obligation to you and made it possible for you two to share a delightful secret in coll common 1011 nil 1111 of which Is equivalent to scattering six inches of tanbark on the hard macadamized road of true love by pretending to lose my lily fortune fortuna I 1 drive oft off about so 80 per cent of your competitors rind and shoo bobby out of tier her set in which she ahe might find other competitors for you As a promoter I 1 think im just about the bees knees myself but youre giving don jaime a free field 11 and why not iles shirt arid and fat weighing about two hundred pounds if lie ho the scientists are all wrong about heredity 1 I have known tall graceful and extremely charming irishmen mr air latham I 1 but tho the spanish blood predominates in atlease at least it tit did in tits his father fatter they were originally As and Astur lanos latios tire anro all me sized and stocky but to return to don jaime in all probability he takes a bath after tho the fall roundup round up and has never seen a bathtub except in a hote cotil I lie ile will have a luxuriant niagara falls type of black mustache and use perfume lie ile will talk with a strong spanish accent arid and four fifths of his life Is undoubtedly spent in tits lila shirt sleeves lies hes just a husky border cowman I 1 tell you do you see bobby falling tor for a man like tha no o 0 I 1 youre a suspicious yankee olenn glenn your motto Is trust everybody but cut the cards carda well dwell I 1 must be toddling along I 1 think ill take on a line of united drugs ive had a tip tal that been quietly absorbing about twenty five hundred undred Ii chain drug stores meanwhile you keep picking on It roberta oberta to set get her out of town find and in order to soothe your new england Hai gland im going toa to i spread about a hundred thousand margining a line of united drugs for you if the deal shows it profit by the time you marry It Ilo herta oberta it will he be yours it if it shows a loss send me a reasonable bill for professional services As ii hitter for cupid I 1 think youre a total ruin glenn hackett declared how come tin im satisfied that roberta in love with me so am 1 I but im also satisfied that she thinks a thousand per cent more of you than of any man living find and it if you remain indifferent to her even lot let her see you out with another girl occasionally have to marry tier her la in self defense ile he hla his stick at hackett Ite remember member your battle cry Is on to Tea CHAPTER VI roberta shopped for two weeks spent another two weeks on a houseboat party among the thousand islands and departed for los algo dones where abrill I 1 address you bobby f crooked hill queried at the alan mansion house in los Alg Algodon algodones cs no dear address me in care of don jallu miguel 11 what crooked dill bill started as if lice boo stung you going to put up lip nt at the hacienda why why tile the mans it ft bachelor illow how do you know ive been making inquiries about 11 him tin well tits his housekeeper a mrs ganby has written me inc inviting mo me to be tits guest oon don jaime was III at tho the time and write mo me personally but he did write nt at the bottom of mrs Oun loys letter J lt U 11 1 mrs airs canby says they have a lovely place and that ill be much more comfortable for fort table ablo nt at tho the rancho vallo valle verde than at any hotel in that country crooked hill bill was assal assailed led by the feeling that in some inexplicable way tits his well laid plans were doomed to go aft agley write me frequently and tell mo me all about it wont you honey roberta promised and kissed him goodby good by five lays days later she and mignon her ald with three huge trunks and ovo live pieces of hand baggage were deposited on a lonely sun stin warped platform at the little flag station of valle verda verde so this sold said roberta looking around her after the train had resumed its journey Is texas good gracious mignon what Is that noise it sounds like a zoo at feeding time |