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Show I 1 Ji WEBSTER I I fflr,AN's I JigL Peter B.Kyne fl BS&jplvO Author of "Capp? H ,. XSHnW Hicks," "The Valley IK JPEKteS thc Giantw Etc H i1, iw, - ANDREW BOWERS. IB John Stuart Webster, mlnlnit en-HE en-HE glneer, board a train In Death UH Valley, California, on hU war bak flu to clvlltxatlen attar cleaning uj IK llOO.oes. But ha look Ilka a hobo. flj! Than ha maeta a dttresed Udr, flf who makaa hla heart nop over. He BMt eliminate the ottenslng' man. Da flftr lng what ha la and alao gtrl-ehjr. E he do not take advantage of hla flj opportunity. But ha Juit ha a to flat and out that aha la Dolerea Uuar, i In Denver ha I offered a tje5,9-a. fljj I rear job by a capitalist friend, Ed-j Ed-j I wan) J. Jerome. He receive a d. flu fl layed letter from hi owa partteu-flf partteu-flf ' I lar pal, Blllr Cleary, aiklng him .' n to finance a gold-mining propoal-W propoal-W I tlon l Central America and to E- I (Ittr-flttr with him on the proflta. f - . I Bo he atari for Sobranta. Jerome a' I soe with John to the depet Ther K I meet the diatreaaed lady on her war V I to the same train. John lift hi flK'v fl hat. but net the cut direct from flat- the sir), who doe not recognlie H I him. John tell Jerome the whole ,1 atorr. Jerome aecretlr ea the flK I irl, offering her (10,000 If aha Inns In-ns ducea John to take hi job Inild fljj I of ninety day. The girl accept flat I The scene now ehtfta to Buenaven-W Buenaven-W fl tura, Sobrante, where Geary, on W his upper. I eating hla heart out looking- for a cablegram from hi V J old partner. He haa exlated for flt U two month on credit extended by fln I Mother Jenk, keeper of a hotel i I and dramshop, Doloroa cablea Hen-flf Hen-flf I rletta Wilkin (Mother Jenk) that w I he la on her way to visit her. a) I Mother Jenk haa been educating A I Dolorea, who I (ha daughter of n I former Prealdent Iluey of Sobrante. I depoaed and executed by Preel-Hi, Preel-Hi, I dent Barro. Mother Jenk doein't j. I want Dolorea to find out aha la no I longer reapectabte. So Dllly meet I the steamer and trie to turn the Fl dri back. Ilut Dolorea land and atlutea Mother Jenka aa "Mother." i Dllly promptly falla In lova with Dolorea. Webetor In New Orlean flfl. aecurea a atataroom on La Kitrel- llta by buying- a ticket for a myth. leal valet. In New Orlean Web- ater saves a young1 man from a. iMaatnatloiK At the steamer he MB fled the mythical valet I a reality. H :a ,m I H' CHAPTER VIII Continued. flfl ITe rolensod Pucker-eye, made tils flfl way through llio crowd to his room, a looked In, saw that hla baggago was there, and walked around on tho star- board stdo to Join In tho general fore- well of nil on board to tho crowd on flfl the levre. Bfl, At tho ahoro end of tho gangplank ' rucker-oyo and Pop-cyo still waited. fll Tho unfortunato Pucker-eye wan weep. flfl Ing with pain and futile rasa and hu- Bfl Billlntlon, but Webster noticed that flfl' Fop-oyo'a attention was not on his flfl srle-nd but upon each pnssonger that Bfl hoarded tho ship, of which there were ' Hie uaaal number of Into arrivals. Aa H' each passenger approached, Pop-eye H itcnDnod hltn with moro than casual In- B (erest. 1 Websteir smiled. "Looking for that fl- tlt they heard tno tatkIngnbout," he fl reRected. "I'opeye, you're a fine, Mt eupablo Ud,I theught you had tho fl ; rl3 of tho- twev You're not going ' away utll you're Ivad a chanco to size BS the ro-enforceiuents at my com- H- M-and, afo you?" Bfl lie lighted a cigar nnd leaned over Hfl tho rail aa the steamer, gathering flfl speed, swept down rlvor. flfl. "Oood-by, you golden 8zs and BVj chicken gumbo," be called, as the city HK receded and tho low, wooded shores HW kow the city came Into view. BR When he had finished his cigar be ffl cat tho stump ororboard, watched It giV vnttl It disappeared astern, and then flu ' went around to stateroom No. 84. As BBi ho .iteppod In and closed the door a BTI ' masculine voice said very pleasantly: W " "Him do you dof flu Air, Webster looked up and beheld a B yonng roan, arrayed In a very fancy Hj pair o4 ttght blue allk pajamas, BKIf' atrotched' at his case In tho upper Ml fcwthi Hi, John Stuart Webster stared at the BSi acrengor for aeveral seconds' and con jw; eladed ho was-Invading the sanctity of fltt another stateroom. "Excuse me," he BJ1 mid, ut guess I!m in the right church but tho wronr new," and he stepped jflj'1 out and looked for the- number 6n the Jit stateroom. To bis surprise It was No. WM &4 after all, uo ho stepped back Into flB , the stateroom and) favored the strnn- 3R; ger with another scrutiny. Mi "It does appear to me, my friend," Bni he said presently, "that I detect some- flfl; . thing strangely fointltar about your BR pajamas." BV "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised Bfl Mr. Webster, I found them tn your Bflji suitcase," Bfl' Fell a silence of perhaps holt a. mln- flj, ate. Then; V " dislike to appear Inquisitive," BM Webster begun, "but the fac.t Is, neigh- HS" b4T) I'm curious to know where you Bfl got that book. I observe you aro read- ML tug Samuel Dutlcr's 'Way of AH UW Flesh,' and that the book Is slightly Bfl damaged. Iteccutly I purchasedi tucli BJk book In" Bw: "Truy do not take tho. trouble to- ex- fljl' nln." the other answered airily, "I BGL rItvrrvei-1 tbla excellent book In your WKt "' M ' '' In fact, for is, that NR! 'BflV jBm i - ;JBBjPjLijta flflsv BBBBBflflBBBBBBBBBBBl uttcaso has proved te be a repository f treasures." John Htusrt Webster's neck came out of his cellar with the suddenness of a turtle snapping at a fly ; he drew himself up beside the top berth until his face was oa a level with his unbidden unbid-den guest's, upon whom he beat a look ef mingled emotions. "Who the devil are your ha demanded. de-manded. "I regret I have no card, but evea If I had It would he no kindness to Inflict upon aa American gentleman the cognomen cog-nomen my parents honored me with, for It la long and many-Jolated, like a peanut, and embodies the names ef all 'the saints In the calendar. Moreover, Just at present I am traveling under an alias. I am known as Mr. Andrew Ilowers." "And your occupatlont" Webster managed to articulate. "Valet de chambre to .nice of gentlemen, Mr. John S. ,ir," the other replied with a mischievous gleam In his dark eyes. Mr. Webster sat down limply on the settee. He was Undecided whether to , roar with laughter or shriek with rage; whllo he struggled for a decision Andrew An-drew Ilowers blew smoke rings at the celling. "Ilnven't I seen you beforer Webster Web-ster queried presently. "I wouldn't be surprised. I drove you down to the steamer In a tnxt half an hour ago. You will recall that the taxi driver carried your luggage aboard." Webster gazed around the stateroom. "Where have you hidden your HveryT" bo demanded. "I wrapped It In a newspaper; thon, seeking a moment when the deck outside out-side was desert6d, I stepped forth In my I beg your pardon, your pajamas and tossed It overboard." "nut apparently you did not bring nbonrd with you a suit of clothes to toko tho placo of your livery)" "Quito true lamentably so, Mr. Webster. Perhaps you wilt accept my desperate need as an oxcuso for borrowing bor-rowing your pajamas. I notlco you have another suit of them. Fortunate man I" Andrew Ilowers was a man of perhaps per-haps thirty years, flvo feet ten Inches tall, and apparently In excellent health. Ho might have weighed a hundred and seventy pounds and ho was undeniably handsome. Whllo Webster was wondering whether his companion was merely a high-class tramp or an absconding bank cnshlor, u knock sounded on the stateroom door. lie opened It and tho purser stood In tho entrance Tlckot, plcasoV ho announced. Webster surrendered both tickets, receiving In turn two scat checks for tho dining saloon, and tho purser passed on to tho next cabin. Andrew Ilowers smiled a small, prescient pre-scient smile, but said nothing, and presently John Stuart Webster broke tho silence. "Well," he ordered, "slug tho trong or toll the story." "I noticed you surrendered my ticket to the purser," tho young man answered an-swered Irrelevantly, "and I am glad of that I take It as prima facto evidence that you have made up your mind to accopt my company." "You're too Infernally cool and cocksure, cock-sure, ray friend," Webster warned hlra testily. "I pride myself on n sense of humor and I dearly love a Joke until It's carried too far, but bo i.dvlsed In time, young man, and don't try to piny horso with me. My accepts nco or non-acceptance non-acceptance of you Is a subject for future fu-ture discussion, since at present we have some fiduciary matters before us. You owe mo fifty dollars for your ticket, tick-et, Andrew Ilowers, and In view of the fact that I never saw you before today, to-day, suppose we start the voyage by squaring the account." Andrew Dowers sat up In tho berth and let his legs drape over the side. "Mr. Webster," he began seriously, "If, prior to the arrival of the purser to collect col-lect the tickets, you had handed my ticket to me, saying: llcre Is your ticket, Mr. Dowers, no kind enough to reimburse me to the extent of fifty dollnn,1 1 should have been compelled to admit then, as I do now, that I haven't fifty dollars. Fortunately for me, however, you surrendered the ticket tick-et to the purser before acquainting yourself with tho state of my fortunes; for-tunes; the voyage has commenced and whether you llko It or not, my dear air, I am your guest from now until we reach 8an Ilucnaventura. Rather on interesting situation, don't you think?" John Stuart Webster was of Scotch ancestry Ho had a hereditary re-Kurd re-Kurd for bauhces. He was a buslnesi man. Trodlgal spender though he was and generous to a fault, the fact remained re-mained that bo always made It a point to got value received, and be was prod-Igal prod-Igal with his own money; ho preferred that the privilege of prodigality with the Wcbsterlan funds should remain an Inalienable prerogative of the sole I surviving member of the Webster fam- y. I j2bg2gSaaBBasaaMgaBCaTaaanui 1 think yea're toe e1,rrng aaam." Webster retorted. "ltt a trifle to cocksure. Up to the present moment yeu have proffered no evidence why you should not be adjudged a cad, and X do not like cads and must decline to permit one to occupy the same stateroom state-room at my expense. You are clever and amusing and I laughed at you, but at the same time my nense ef aumer Is aot so great as te cause mo to overlook over-look your Impudence and laugh with you. Mow, If you have anything te say, say It quickly, because you're going te ge away frera here In a hurry." "I plead guilty te the Indictment, Mr. Webster, and submit as an excuse the fact that desperate circumstances require desperate measures. I an. net bogging my way, neither am I heating It, for the reason that both forms of travel are repugnant te me. I am merely taking advantage of certain fortuitous circumstances to force you, aa entire stranger, to extend te me a crvdlt of fifty dollars until we retch San Buenaventura, when yeu will be promptly reimbursed." "It Is not ray habit," Webster retort- gers who demand It" "I do not demand It sir. I beg It ef you, and because I cannot afford to be refused I took care te arrange matters se thst yeu would aot be likely to refuse re-fuse my request. Really, I do not mean to be cocksure and Impudent but before be-fore you throw me out I'd like to let you In on a secret about yourself." "Welir "You're not going te throw me out" "Why netr "Because yeu can't" "That's fighting talk. Now, Just te prove to you the depth of error In which you flounder, yeung man, 7 am about to throw yeu out" And he grasped Andrew Bowers la the grip of a grluly bear and whisked htm out of the top berth. "Wslt one second," his helpless victim vic-tim cried. "I have something to say before you ge any further." "Say It" Webster ordered. Tour tongue Is the only part of you that I mnnnr nnti-nt "When you throw me out on deck," Andrew Dowera queried, "do your pa-Jamas pa-Jamas go with me? Does the hair go with tho hlder "They cost me sixteen dollars In Salt Lalto City, but good lord, yes. I can't throw you out mother naked; d n It I can't throw you out at all." "Didn't I tell you so? Do a good fellow fel-low nnd turn me looso." "Certainly for tho time being. You'll stay locked In this stateroom while I have a talk with the captain, Ilo'lt probably dig up a shirt, a pair of dungarees and some old shoes for you and set you ashore before wo got out of tho river. If he doesn't do that he'll keep you aboard and you'll shovel coal for your passage" "But I'm Andrew Dowers and tho purser has collected my first-class ticket I" "What of It? I shall declare and with truth that you aro not Andrew Bowers.that you aro not my valet and that I d)d not buy the ticket for you. I dare you to face the captain In my pa-Jamas pa-Jamas and prove you aren't a stowaway." stowa-way." "You would win on that point" tho baffling guest admitted, "but It Is a point you will not raise. Why? Because Be-cause I have another trump up my kimono." ki-mono." He climbed back Into the upper up-per berth and from that vantngo point gazed down benevolently upon John Stuart Webster. "I'm disappointed In you," ho continued sadly, "I thought you'd show a llttlo normal haman curiosity curi-osity about mo and you haven't You do not ask questions or I could explain, ex-plain, whllo I cannot volunteer Information Infor-mation without seeming to seek your pity, and that of course would bo repugnant re-pugnant to mo. I am hoping you will accept my word of honor that you shall be reimbursed two hours otter you land In San Duenavatura." "New music to your song, my friend, but the same old words," Webster retorted, re-torted, and stepped to the stateroom door. "You're doomed to rhovel coal or go ashore." "Listen. If I go ashore, your responsibility respon-sibility for my life ceases, Mr. Webster, Web-ster, but If the chief cngtneor happens to be short one coal-passer and the captain sends me down to the stokehole, stoke-hole, your responsibility for my death begins, for I'll be put ashore publicly at San Buenaventura and two hours later I'll be facing a firing squad In tho cemetery at the Catedral de la Vera Cruz." "Gosh," John 8tuart Webster murmured mur-mured dazedly, "I'm afraid I can't take a chance like that for fifty dollars. I'm whipped to a frazzle. Any time I'm sitting In back of a royal flush and the other fellow bluffs me out of the pot, I always buy the wine. When It arrives we shall drink to our better acquaintance. acquaint-ance. Pending Its arrival, plcaso be advised that you are welcome to my pajamas, my cigarettes, my book and my stateroom. You are my guest and you owe me nothing, except perhaps, your confidence, although I do net Insist In-sist upon that point Where I come from every man kills his own snakes." And be held up his hand for Andrew Dowers to shake. "Mr. Webster," thc latter declared feelingly, "I am not a lord of language, so I cannot find words to thank you. I agree with you that you are eutltled to my confidence. My namo Is" "Tut, tut, uiy boy. Your name Is Andrew Bowers, and that Identifies you sufficiently for the time being. When I suggested that I was entitled to n measure of your confidence, I meant on a few minor poInU only-points only-points on which my curiosity has been abnormally aroused. "Very well, my friend. Flro awoy." "Are you an American citizen?" "No, I am a citizen of Sobrante." I , "Yeu had no money to pay for your I pgstige to tea Bueavehra M schemed to make me pT yr ' Hence I take It that yeur presence In the capital ef your native country Is a matter of extreme Importance and that the clerk In the ticket offlce of the Caribbean Mall line Is a friend of ysors." "Quite true. He knew my need." "Ion were under surveillance snd eonld not leave New Orleans for Baa Buenaventura unless yeu left secretly. When I purchased both berths la this stateroom and the ticket clerk knew I heJ a flrst-clsss ticket for a valet that was not. he decided to saw oC on me a valet that was. Disguised in the llv-try llv-try ef a chauffeur aad carrying hand biggage you hoped te get aboard without with-out being detected by your enemies whs watched the gangplank." Andrew Hewer nodded. To you think you succeeded?" Webster Web-ster continued. "I do not know, Mr. Webster. I hope so. If I did not well, the Instant this steamer drops anchor in the roadstead st San Buenaventura, she wilt be boarded and searched by the military maII T will Km AtojnvjFri1 HAA J TTa ponce, i win do uwcoTcrru oau shrugged. "Lawn party In the cemetery, eht Webster suggested. Andrew Bowers reached under bt pillow and produced two heavy ante matlc plitels snd a leathern box ceo talnlng five dips of cartridges. The he exhibited. In silence and thea thru them back uader the pillow. "I see, Andrew. In case you're cor ntred. eh? Well, I think I would pre fer te die fighting myself." Tra net worried, Mr. Webstei Somehow, I think I ran the gentle ssfely." "But why did yeu threw your liver overboard 1" "It was of no further use to me." "But you'll have te have som clothes In which to go ashore, yo amazing man." "Not at all. The steamer will arriv In the harbor ef San Buenaventur late In the afternoon too late to b given pratique that day. After dark shall drop overboard and endeavor t swim ashorp. anil in view of that nlali clothes would only prove an embarrassment. embar-rassment. I shall land In my own country coun-try naked and penniless, but once ashore I shall quickly find shelter. I'll have to risk the sharks, of course" "Man-eaters?" "The bay Is swarming with them." "You're breaking my heart," Webster Web-ster declared sympathetically. "I suppose sup-pose you're going to feign Illness throughout the voyage." "Not tho kind of illness that will Interfere In-terfere with my appetite. I have prescribed pre-scribed for myself a mild attack of In- "That You, Bill?" Ho Shouted. flnmmatory rheumatism, as an excuse for remaining In bed and having raj meals brought to me. This service, ol course, wilt necessitate some slight ex. penso In tho way of tips, but I am hop. Ing you will see your way clear to tak. Ing care of that for your guest" Silently Webster handed Andrew Bowers ten dollars In silver. 'That ought to hold you," he declared. "For the rest, you're up to some political skullduggery In Sobrante, nnd what It Is nnd what's your real name are two subjects In which I am not Interested. Let It be understood that you are my valet, Andrew Bowers. Thafa all I know about you and that's ail I care to know about you. la fact, the less I know about you the less will I have to explain In the event of your sudden demise." "Fair enough," quoth Andrew Bowers. Bow-ers. "You're a man after ray own heart. I thank you." CHAPTER IX. Prior to leaving New Orleans, Web-stcr Web-stcr had cnblod Billy deary that he was taking passage on Ln Katrollltn and stating tho approximate date of his arrival at San Butnavcnturn which Information descended upon that young man with something of the charm of a gentle rainfall over a hitherto hith-erto arid district He had been seeing Dolores Ruey at least onco a day ever since her r 'urn to Sobrante. He wns f,ulc,k' 'o seize upon Web ster s en an oxcuso to call upon DoU ?laln tho mystery surroundln, tend's nonappear- nnce. "Well, Doh Vt-an, ln h8 ex. cltcment cnlllo,. f 'jer first name for the first time, "I've beard from Jack Webster." "What's- the news, Dili?" Dolorea In- Jualntance she htd been growing- Increasingly In-creasingly fond of Geary; for near y a week she had been desirous calling him Bill, which Is a comfortable nnmo and, to Delores' way of thinking, n peculiarly pe-culiarly appropriate cognomen for such a distinctly American young man. At mention of the beloved word he glanced down nt her pleusurnbly. -Thank you," he said. "I'm glad you got around to It finally. Those that leva me always call roe Bill." "You called me Dolores. "I move we moke It unanimous. I'm a foe te formality." "Second the motion, Bill. So nm I when I care to be and ln our case your formality is spoiling our comradeship. comrade-ship. And now, with reference to the extraordinary Senor Webster" "Why, the poor old horse haa been down with ptomaine poisoning. Thej carried him off the train at St Loul and stood him on his head nnd pumped hlra out and Just did manage to cancel bis order for n new tombstone. II says he'd feeding regularly again am! baa booked passage on La Kstrelllta u .u. 1nsV fr! Mm nn tha nerf steamer srrlvfng.;' " "Oh, the poor fellow I" Dolores murmuredso mur-muredso fervently that Dllly was on s the point of hurling his heart at her t- feet en the Instant i- The thousand dollars Webster had e cabled Billy "for a road-stake" had t been dwindling rapidly under the attm-utua attm-utua of one continuous opportunity to - spend the same In a quarter where It !- was calculated to bring the Ipost Joy: Mr. Geary was absolutely bogged tn P the qusgmlre of his first love affair, but until his mining concession should amply Justify an avowal of his passion, j an Instinctive sense of the eternal fit-ness fit-ness of things reminded Dllly of the old proverb that a closed mouth e catches no files. And In the meantime u (such Is the optimism of youth) he do elded there was no need for worry, fot e when a girl calls a fellow DHL when a she tells htm he's a scout and doesn't a care a wboop for any society except I his carambal It's great I a A wireless from Webster warned n Billy of the former's Imminent arrival. J... vk tut; vim,i a iwtudiHik m.,.u. . Just before sunset Dllly and Dolores, riding along the Malccon, sighted a i blur of smoke far out to sea n blur that grew and grew until they could make out the graceful white hull of La Estrellita, before the swlfttroplc night descended and tho lights of the great vessel shimmered across tho harbor. "Too late to clear quarantine tonight," to-night," Dllly mourned, as he and Dolores Do-lores rode back to her hotel. "All tho same, I'm going to borrow the launch of my good friend Leber and his protege pro-tege Don Juon Cafetero, and go out to the steamer tonight. I can heave to a little way from tho steamer and welcome wel-come tho old rascal, anyhow." Fortunately, good little Leber con-sented con-sented to Billy's request, nnd Don Juit Cufctero wns sober enough to turn the englno over nnd run the launch. Fron tho deck of the steamer Webster smoking his post-prandial cigar, caughl sight of tho launch's red and green sidelights chugging through the Inky blackness; as the little craft slid up to within a cable's length of tho steam, er and hovo to, something told Webster Web-ster that Billy Geary would soon bo paging him. He edged over to the rail. "Thnt you, Bill?" he shouted. "Hey I Juck, old pall" Billy's delight-od delight-od voice answered him. "I knew you'd come, Billy boy." "I knew you'd know It, Johnny, Can't come aboard, you know, until tho ship clears, but I can Ho off here and say hello. How Is ybur Internal mechanism?" "Grand. Howovcr, your query re-minds re-minds me I haven't taken the medicine the doctor warned me to take after meals for a couple of weeks. Walt a minute, Bill, until I go to ray stateroom and do my duty to my stomach." For ten minutes Billy and Don -uan Cafetero bobbed about In tho launch; then a stentorian voice shouted from the steamer. "Hey, you I In tho launch, there. Not so close. Back i off." ; Don Juan kicked the launch back fifty feet "Thnt will dol" the volco called again. "Hello 1" Billy soliloquized. "That's Jack Webster's voice. Wonder what he's up to. I thought he acted strangely preferring medicine to me the minute I hailed him I" "Soma Girl, Johnny I" (TO I1E CONTINUED,) |