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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1920)
NORTTT PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE ULXXIinXtaiXnnMXI8XTIAUnIIIITXI3IJlltjyiirtr,,tiTg,,,TiJLxiiLii8X1 Websterr-Man's CHAPTER XI Continued Tho next morning Webster waited tsntll Dolores appeared nnd then ac companied her Into tho dining room for breakfast "Well, how did you pass your first night In Buenaventura?" she Inquired, In the mnnufneturo of breakfast con versation. "Not very well. Jiggers bit me nnd woke mo up, nnd llnnlly I fell Into a trance nnd had n vision about you. After thnt I couldn't go to sleep again. I was fairly bursting to see you at breakfast and read your palm. I've Just discovered n wonderful system." "Show me," sho flashed back at him and sho extended her little hand. He picked It up gravely and with the dull tlno of a fork made a great show of tracing the lines on her palm. "You are about twenty-four yenrs okl, and your ancestors were pure-bred Casttllans who came from Madrid, crossing the Atlantic In caravels. Ever since the first Iluey landed on this const the family has, been Identified with the government of tho country in one way or another. When you were quite a little girl, your father, Don Itlcardo Ituey, at thnt tltno president of Sobrnnte, failed to suppress n revo lution and was cornered In tho govern ment palnce, which was set nflre. "Through tho bravery and devotion of a cockney gentleman, Colonel Henry Jenks, an nrtlllcry ofllcer In your father's army you were saved from perishing In the burning palnce. Col onel Jenks turned you over to his ppotise, now known ns Mother Jenks, with Instructions to rnlso you n lydy, nnd Mother Jonks has carried out those Instructions. Colonel Jenks nnd your father wero executed, nnd Mother Jenks sent you to the United Stutes to be educated. You had a brother, Itlcardo Luis Ituey, older than your self by soven or eight years, I should judge. In somo mysterious manner you and your brother lost trnck of each other, and nt the present moment ho believes you perished In the (lames that gutted the government palace;. "You tore of a proud, Independent na ture; you work nt something for a liv ing, and Inasmuch ns you haven't been able to set aside n great deal of mon ey from your eurnlngs, you nro plan ning to terminate your visit to your native land nt an early dato and re turn to tho United States for the pur pose of getting (back to work. Theao plans, however? will never bo con summated. "Why? Because you aro to bo mar ried to a nice man nnd live happily over afterward, and about sixty days from now, If all goes well, I, John S. Webster, am going to Introduce you to your long-lost brother Itlcardo. You will first seo Itlcardo riding nt tho head of his victorious rebel troops as ho enters Buenaventura. Ho will bo tho next president of this wretched country, If, fortunately, ho Is not killed (n the revolution ho Is now fomenting ugulnst his father's ancient enemy. Your brother does not know you nro living nnd It will bo a proud nnd hnp pyv day for mo when I bring hi in to you. In the interim, what do you pur pose having for breakfast? Ham and eggs sunny side up, an omelette or a cereal?" He released her hand nnd favored her with the boyish grin thnt alwnys had tl)e effect of stripping tho yenrs from him ns one strips tho husk from a ripe enr of corn. Sho wns gazing at him In wide-eyed nmozemont "Is my brother really alive?" "He wns as late as midnight Inst night. Do you recall the chap I saved from being nususslnnted In Now Or leans?" "Yes." "Your worthy brother. And do you recall the chauffeur whoso passage to this port 1 was forced to pay?" "Yes." "The same Individual. I sent him ashore In tho Inunch with Billy, nnd he has been housed at El Jluen Amlgo, but left early this morning for the back country to open n recruiting of fice." She reoched across the little tnbla nnd squeezed bis big brown hntrtl Ini pulHlvoly. "You're the most wonderful man I ever know. And does my poor brother know I am living, Mr. Web tor?" "Noand Tm not going to tell hlin. I think It will bo much nicer to re store you to ench other on tho steps of the government palnce on the dny when the Ituey fuctlon comes Into Us own ngnln. That will make his victory nil the sweeter. By tho way, where was Itlcardo when your father's ship of state went on tho rocka?" "At school In a military academy In Kentucky." "It Is n marvelous mlx-up, which RI enrdo can doubtless explain.' Miss Buoy. I know ho believes his sister perished with her father. Mother Jenks didn't know where ho was und couldn't communicate with him und there you nro. However, llttlo old Jack Fix-It will bring you together again In due course. In tho Interim, how nbouf U1030 eggs? Straight up -or (Hp 'em?" She beamed across at him. "Wo nre olng to bo such good, true friends, aren't wo?" she urged. Ho almost hh'ftrfcU.but managed a hypocritical u&i MM wo uuvo only known each t By PETER B. KYNE Author of "Cappy Ricka "Tho Valley of tho other twenty-four hours, U seems a great deal longer than that probably because Billy has told mo so much about you, nnd you're so comfortable and ensy to get acquainted with, nnd I I can't very well express my grati tude for what you've done for what you're going to do." Her voice falter ed; she smiled roguishly through tho tears of her emotion. "If I wero only Billy, now, I could put my arm across your shoulders and settlo tho matter by snyjng: 'Johnny, you old horse thief, you're nil right.'" "The best thing to do would be to censo pulling mo up with Importance. And now, beforo wo climb out of the realm of romance nnd die Improbable to tho moro substantial plane of things for breakfast, Just one brlof word of caution. Now that I have told you your brother lives and Is In Buena ventura, forget It until I mention It again, becnuso his presenco hero, In his secret, not ours." "All right, Cnllph," sho agreed. "I think I shall call you that herqafter. Llko tho late Cnllph Iluroun Al Has chid, It appears you have a habit of prowling around o' nights 1n queer places, doing good deeds for your sub jects. But tell me nbout my brother. Describe hlin to mo." "Not now. Here comes tho head waiter with a cablegram for me, I think." That functionary camo to their tnblo nnd hnnded ono of tho familiar yellow envelopes to each of them. "Wo'U excuse ench other," Dolores suggested. Sho' read : "Go you If I lose. You are a good, gamo little scout, and I llko you fine. "JEROME." Sho glanced across nt Webster, whose face was a conflicting study of emotions In which disappointment nnd amazement appeared to predominate. "You Ancient acoundrell" "You ancient scoundrel," sho heard him murmur. "What ho, Caliph I Unpleasnnt nows?" she ventured. "Yes and no. 1 had ono of the finest Jobs In tho worltl all staked out und now the boss cnbles me It's filled by n bettor man." "What aro you going to do nbout itr "Well as soon as I've had my breokfaBt, I'm going to cable Neddy Jerome and tell hlra I'm sutlslled satisfied to stay here and satisfied he's a llnr. You see. Miss Buoy, he objected vigorously to my coming here In the first place wanted mo to take n 30-dny vacation nnd then nianngo the Colorado Consolidated Mines com pany. Ltd., for him. I like Neddy and would hnvo boon glad to go to work for his company, but, of course, Billy comes first, nnd so I declined tho of fer. Lnter I changed my mind, and Inst night I cabled him I'd accept If he'd wait 00 days possibly 1)0; and now ho replies that he's sorry, but the Job Is tilled by a bettor mnn. Thnt's why I know he's a llnr." "I see. You figure there Isn't a bet ter mining engineer than you eh, Ca liph?" Ho looked at her reproachfully. "No, but Neddy Jerome flora, nnd I know he does because lie has taken the trouble to tell mo so more than once. And us n rule Neddy Inclines toward the truth. However, It's Just as well " Ho paused, staring hard at her. "By the way, you foretold this I Why, this Is amazing." Sho could have wept with laughter. Well" soberly "I told you some other tilings equally amazing, did I not?" "Yes, you told me other things more or leaj Interesting, but you foretold this. How do you account for thnt?" "The witness declines to niiswer on the ground that she may Incrlmlnuto herself nnd be burned for a witch." "RemnrUnblo woman I" "You were about ro roWrk that U 1b Just as well " w H M M M N L Man GianU," Etc' CoprrUht br rtr n. Km "That Neddy's reconciled to losing me, because since cabling him yester day evening I've changed my mind ngnln. I'm going to stay here now." "Indeed 1 Why?" "Just to bo obstinate. Apparently Pm not wanted here by the powers that be; so Just to rile them I'm go ing to bnng nround Sobrnnte and argue the question with them. By the way, I seo you received a cablegram also. Bettor news than mine, I hope." She nodded. "I have a little busi ness deal on back home. Haven't got n great deal Invested, but It looks as If I might mnko $10,000." Ho arched his eyebrows and fnvored her with a llttlo disapproving grunt Sounded like the prospectus of a fake mining promoter yea, by thunder, thnt wns It Dolores was a school tencher, and school teachers and doc tors nre over flic mainstay of a swin dler's sucker list. "You won $10 from me yesterday," he challenged. "Bet you another ten I enn tell you the nature of your In vestment" "Go you. If I lose I" Unconsciously sho was learning the nrgot of the mala of tho species, ns exemplified In Ned dy Jerome'o cablegram. "It's a mining property." "You win. It Is," she answered truthfully, starting to open her purse. "Qunrtz or placer?" "1 don't know. Explain." He chuckled at her Ignorance. "Quartz Is gold-bearing rock, and placer Is gold-benring gravel." "Then my mining property Is plac er, because It has lots of sand." "I knew lt, I knew It," ho warned her solemnly, and ho shook an ad monitory finger at her. "Black sand, eh? Ib tho gold very tlno?" "I think It Is." "Then you're stung good nnd deep so don't delude yourself Into thinking you hnve $10,000 coming. 1 never knew n proposition for saving the tine gold In black sand thnt didn't turn out to be n fizzle. It's the hardest thing In the world to save. Now, listen; you tell me the namo of tho flim-flam nrtlst that got you Into this deal, nnd when I get back to the United States I'll Investigate the company; If It's an out-and-out swindle, I'll take that promoter by the throat and choke your money out of him, the scoundrel 1 It Is Just these fly-by-nlght fellows that ruin the finest gambling gnme In tho world nnd scare off Investors In legiti mate mining propositions." "Oh. you mustn't really, Caliph. He's an old man, and I only did It to help him out" "There should be no sentiment lp business. Miss Ituey." "Oh, well, let's be cheerful nnd hope ful, Caliph, and discuss a more Impor tant subject." Sho was very serious now, for by her meddling she hnd, sho realized, so ar ranged matters that at a time when John Stuart Webster's very life de pended upon his Immediate departure from Buennvcnrurn. he was planning to stay nnd face the music, just to be obstinate "You must reconsider your decision to remain In this country," she Insisted. "Your life mny be tho price of liberty of action, yon know. Isn't Billy capable of developing tho mine nfter you advance tho cash?" "I wouldn't advnnco him n cent for his mine until I had Investigated It myself." "Then you should mnko some ar rangements to .safeguard yourself while making tho Investigation, and lenve Sobrnnte Immediately thereafter. Isn't that a sensible proposition?" "Very If 1 felt llko lenvlng So brnnte. But I do not. If thnt mining concession Is n potential winner, I'll have to stick around and make a win ner out of It beforo I go away and lenvo Bill In charge. Besides, I'm wor ried about Bill. Ho'8 full of malarial fover, and last night I got thinking nbout bin) nnd decided to send hlra back to the Colorado mountains for a few months. I want some regular doc tors to work on Bill so he'll be fit when he gets back on the job." As a matter of fact, this Idea of send ing Billy to the United States had but that moment occurred to Jack Web Hter; ho reflected now that this plan was little short of an Inspiration. It would give Billy nnd Dolores nn op portunity to marry and have a honey moon; It would lenvo him freo of her disturbing presence, and enable htm to leave Sobrante when tho Gearys should return. He resolved to speak to Billy about It Qolores' voice broke In upon his cun ning reflections. "Bnt Hilly tells mo you already huve n fortune sufllclent for tho needs of a caliph without a court Why risk your precious life to acquire more? Money isn't everything In life." "No, but the game Is." 1 "What game? Mining?" ' "The game of Itfe." "But this Is the gnme of doath.t "Which makes life all the sweeter If can beat tho gamo. Perhaps I can better Illustrate my point of view with u story. Somo yenrs ago I was sent to Arizona to examine a mining prop erty and report upon It; If I ndvlsed ItH purchase, my principals were pre pared to huy at my valuation. Well, when' 1 arrived. 1 found a miserable shanty close to a shaft and dump, and In the shanty I found a weather-beaten couple, Tho woman wns probably forty but looked fifty. The man had never been anything but a hard-rock miner 94 a day had been tho limit of his earnings In any on day until he stumbled on some float traced It up, and located the claims I was there to examine and try to buy. "His wife hnd been a miner's daugh ter, knowing nothing but drudgery nnd poverty and continuing thnt existence after marriage. For 20 years she had been darning her husband's socks, washing his clothes, and cooking his meals. Even after they uncovered the ledge, It wnsn't worth nny more than tho country rock to them unless they could sell It, because tho man had neither the money nor tho ability to develop It himself. He even lacked the ability to sell It because It re quires real ability tb unload any kind of a mine for $1,000,000, nnd real nerve on the pnrt of the man who buys. I examined the mlno, decided It wns cheap at $1,000,000, and so re ported to my principals. They wired me to close, and so I took a CO-day option In order to verify tho title. "Well, time passed, and one bright day I rode up to that shanty with a deed and a certified check for $1,000,- 000 In my pocket; whereupon I dis covered the woman hnd had a change of henrt nnd bucked over the traces. No, slreel She would not sign thet there deed and Inasmuch as the claim was community property, her signa ture was vitally necessary. She asked mo so many questions, however, as to the size of the stamp mill wo would Install and how many miners would be employed on the Job, flint finally I saw the light and tried a shot In the dark. "My dear Mrs. Skaggs," I said, "If you'll sign. this deed nnd save us all a lot of litigation over this option you and your husband hnve given me, PIl do something handsome. I will on my word of honor I'll give you the exclusive boarding houso privilege at this mine." "And what did she say, Caliph?" "She said: 'Give me the pen, Mr. Webster, and please excuse my hand writing; I'm that nervous In business mntters.' " Dolores silvery laughter rippled through the room. "But I don't see the point" she protested. "We will come to It presently. 1 was merely explaining one person's point of view. You would not, of course, expect me to have the same point of view as Mrs. Skaggs of Ari zona." ' "Certainly not." "All right I Listen to this I In 1007, at tho height of tho boom times In Goldfleld, Nev., I wns worth $1,000,000. On the first day of October I could have cashed In my mining stocks for $1,000,000 nnd I hnd a lot of cash In bank, too. But I'd always worked so hard and been poor so long that my wealth didn't mean anything to me. 1 wanted the exclusive privilege of more slavery, ano so I staked a copper prospect, which Inter I discovered to consist of uncounted acres of country rock and about $25 worth of copper stain. In order to save $100 I did my own assessment work, drove a pick Into my foot, developed blood poison, went to the hospital, and was ntce nnd helpless when the panic came along the middle of the month. The tank went bust nnd my ready cash went with It; I couldn't give my mining stocks nway. Everybody knew I wns a pauper everybody but the doctor. He persisted In regarding mo as a mil lionaire and sent mo n bill for $5,000." "How perfectly outrageous I Why, Caliph, I would have let him sue me." "I would have, too but I didn't I Induced him to settle for $100,000 shnres of stock In my copper prospect The par value was $1 a share, and I wns going to sell n block at 10 cents, but In view of his high professional standing I let him hnve It for a nickel a share. I Imagine he still has It I bought back later all the other stock I sold, because the property was worthless, and In order to be n sport I offered him $500 for his block, but he thought I was trying to swindle him nnd asked $5,000." "Oh. Caliph I" "Wonderful gnme. Isn't It this gnmo of life. So weet when a fel low's taking chnncesl Now that I am fairly prosperous again, the only thing In life that really matters Is tho un certainty ns to whether, when finally I do leave Sobrnnte. I shall rldo to the stenmshlp landing In a hack or a hearse." "But you could go In n hack this morning nnd nvold that uncertainty." "The millionaire drudge I told you of could hnve gone to live In n pretty villa on the Itlvlern, but sho chose a miner's boarding house." "Then why," she persisted, "did you leave the United States with the' firm Intention of remaining In Sobrnnte In definitely, chnnge your mind before you wero here eight hours, and cable this Neddy Jerome person you would return In CO or 00 days and tho fol lowing morning decide to remain, aft er all I" "My dear young lady, If I changed my clothes as often ns I change my mind, the what-you-may-call-'em chaps that manufacture a certain grand of clothes couldn't keep me dressed." "But why?" "Thnt," he answered gravely, "Is a secret." "Women delight to pry Into men's secrets." "I know It Hnd a friend once married. Every night after dinner he used to sit nnd store Into tho fire and his wife used to ask him what he was thinking about, ne would look up at her owllshly and tell her It was some thing he couldn't explnln to her. be cause she'd never understand It nnd thnt was all he would tell her, al though right frequently, I dare say, lie felt like telling her orac- things she coutd understand? She brooded over his secret until she couldn't stnnd It Any more, and one day sho packed her duds ind flow homo to mother. Ho let her stay' there three months, and finally one day !e sent her a blue print of what lia'd boen thinking about" "What was It?" "An Internal-combustion engine. You see, until sho left him, ho'd never been able to get set to figure out something In connection with tho Inlot valves " "Stop right there. Caliph. I'm re buked. I'll let you get set to think " "1 didn't mean that You let mo get set yesterday and I figured It all out then and last night and a min ute ngo. I don't care to do any more thinking todny. Please talk to rac." "And you rofuso to tell mo why you cabled your friend, Jerome?" "You will nover know. I told you It's a secret" "Bet you I find out" "How much? That $10,000 you ex pect to make from tho flour-gold In your black-sand claim? And, by tho way. $10. please. I won It for ruess- Ing you were Interested In n mining' proposition." She returned to him tho bill-she hnd won from him the day before. "Ten thousand dollars suits me. Of course, I haven't got the money Just now, and tills Is what Billy calls a finger bet, but If I lose, I guarantee to pay. Are we betting even money? I think that Is scarcely fair. Under tho circum stances I should be entitled to odds." "Nothing doing 1 No odds on a bet of this nature to a seeress who has nl ready Jarred me from soul to vermi form appendix by making good I You know too blamed much ulrpady, and how you discovered It Is a problem that may drive me cracy yet." After breakfast they repaired to the veranda to await tho result of Web ster's experiment with Don Juan Cafe tero. Sure enough, the wreck had ngnln returned, he was sented on the edge of the veranda waiting for thein ; ns they approached, he held up u grimy, quiv ering hand, in the palm of which lay a five-dollar gold piece. "What?" Mr.- Webster said, amazed. "Still unchanged 1" "I thrled to change It at half a dozen cantlnas," Don Juan wheezed, "but dlvll a bit av Tjystlra did any av tblm have. Wan offered this In splggoty money an the other offered that an sure If I'd taken the best that was offered me In exchange, ye might hnve fought I'd tuk more nor wan dhrlnk." "Bravo 1 Three long, loud, raucous cheers for Don Juan Cnfeterol" Do lores cried. "Was It a terrible task to come back without a drink, Don Junn?" He shivered. "A shky-blue kangaroo wit' a pink tall an' green ears chased me Into this patio, ma'am." flYouro very brave, Cafferty. How does it feel to win back your self respect?" Webster asked him. "Beggln' the young leddy's pardon li feVls like hell, sor." . "Caliph, don't be cruel," Dolores pleaded. "Call a waiter and give Don Juan whnty you promised him;" So Webster went Into the hotel bar and returned presently with a bottlo of brandy and n glass, which he filled and held out toward Don Junn. "Ono of the paradoxes of existence, Don Juan." he observed, "lies In the fact that so many of the things In life that are good for us are bad for us. This Jolt will disperse the menagerie and quiet your nerves, but nevertheless it is a nail In your colDn," Webster, accompanied by his pro tege, strolled uptown on a shopping tour. Here he outfitted Don Juan neatly but not gaudily and added to his own personal effects two high power sporting rifles, three Inrge-cal-Iber automatic pistols, and a plen tiful supply of ammunition after which he returned to the hotel, first having conducted Don Juan to a bar ber shop and given him Instructions to report for orders and his mid-day drink the Instant ho should have ac quired the outward evidences of re spectability. At the hotel Webster found two messages awaiting him. One was from Billy Geary, up at San Miguel de Pad ua, advising him thnt everything was In readliiess for a trip to the mine; the other wns a note from Blcardo Ituey, but signed with his nllas of Andrew Bowers. Webster rend : "Dear Friend: "A certain blgher-up has been con vinced that It would bo extremely In advisable to eliminate you now. It has been pointed out to tills person that you are a prom, clt up In your neck of the woods and dangerous to monkey with personally and because such monkeying may lead to unpleas ant complications with your paternal government A fac more artistic nnd effective way of raising hell with you has been suggested to this hlgber-up Individual, and he has accepted It In deed, thti plan pleased him so much that he laughed quite heartily. Real ly, It Is quite diabolical, but remem ber, he who laughs last laughs best und I'm tho villain lu this sketch. "Burring accidents, my dear Web ster, you aro good for at least six weeks of existence. Beyond Uiut I dare not guurautee you. "Thine, "ANDREW BOWERS." 1 "That makes It ulce," the recipient of this comforting communication so liloquized. He went up to his room, packed a duffle 'bag with such belong ings as he would find necessary dur ing u prolonged stay In the mountains, and nt luncheon was fortunnte enough to find Dolores In the dining room when he entered. "I'm going up to San Miguel de Pad ua this afternoon," he announced as he took his seat A look of extreme antlety clouded her lovely face, and he noticed It "Oh. there's no risk,." he hastened to assure her. "Thnt scamp of a brother of yours, through, his friends in high places, tins man aged to get me a reprieve." He hand ed her Rlcardo's letter. She looked up, much relieved, froct her perusal. "And how long do yoo expect to be gone, Caliph?" "Quite a while. I'll be busy around ' that dratted concession for a couple of weeks, surveying and assaying and what-nll; then, while waiting for our ranchlncry and supplies to arrive from the United States, I shall devote my spare time to hunting and fishing and reforming Don Juan Cafetero, Tho cool hills for mine." "What a selfish, unsociable pro gram I" sho reflected. "I wonder If it will occur to him to come down here onco in n while nnd take me for a drivo on the Mnlecon and talk to me to keep me from dying of ennul before I meet Rlcnrdo. I'll wait nnd see If ho suggests It" However, for reasons best known to himself nnd the render, Mr. Webster made no such Interesting suggestion: so sho decided that while he was tre mendously nice, he wns, nevertheless, a very queer man and Wioroughly ex asperating. Just before the train pulled out John Stunrt Webster took Dolores hand. "Good-by, Seeress," he said very soberly. "The? trail forks here for tho first time possibly the last although I'll try to be on 'hand to make good on my promise to present you to your brother tho dny he oc cupies 'the palace. However, if I shouldn't be In town that day, Just go up and introduce yourself to him. It's been wonderful to have met you nnd known you, even for such a brief period. I shall never forget you and the rcmnrkable'24 hours Just passed." "I shall not soon forget them -myself, Caliph nor you," she added. "Haven't you been a busy little cup of ten, Caliph 1 Within 24 hours after landing, you have changed your mind three times, lost the best Job In the world, hnd your fortune told, been marked for slaughter, acquired a new- found friend and commenced actively and with extraordinarily good results the work of reforming him, soused a gentleman In tho fountain, spurned another with the tip of your boot, rode with mo -around the Mnlecon nnd listened to the band concert, bundled poor Billy off to San Miguel de Pad ua, discovered my brother presumed to be dead, and received a reprieve from your enemies, while they per fect new plans for destroying you. Really, you are quite a caliph." "Oh, there's n dash of speed In the 'old horse yet, Miss Ruey," he assured her laughingly. "Now listen ; don't tell anybody nbout your brother, nnd don't tell Billy about my adventures since he left for San Miguel do Padua." "But I'm not liable to see Billy "Yes, you are extremely liable. I'm going to send him buck to you as soon as I can spare hlra, because I know you'll be lonesome nnd bored to death In this lonesome town, and Bill is bully good company. And I don't, want you to tell him about the mess I'm In, because It would only worry him; he can't aid me, and the knowledge thnt I wns In any danger, real or fancied, would be sufllclent to cnuso him to rebel against my plans for his honeym for his vacation. He'd In-, slst on sticking nround to protect me." He looked down nt her little hand where It rested In his, so big and brown and hard; with his free band he patted her hand paternally. "Good by, Seeress," he said again; and turn ing to the steps, be lenped aboard, just ns the train sturted to move out of the station. "Goo good-by Cnllph," she called mournfully. Then to herself: "Bless his heart, he did remember I'd be terribly lonely, after all. He Isn't a bit queer, but oh. dear, he Is so ex asperating. I could bump his kind old head ngalnst a wall I" She turned her back on the train, fenrful that from where he clung on the steps he could, even at thnt distance, see tho sudden rush of tears that blinded her. However, Don Juan Cafetero, with his rubicund nose to the window of the Inst coach, did see them saw her grope toward the carriage waiting to take her back to the' hotel. "Why, shure, the poor darllnt's cry in'," he reflected. "Be the Great Gun an Athlone! Shure I fought all along 'twas Billy Geary she had her eye on God love hlml An be the same token, didn't she tell me I was to shtay sober nn' take care av Mlshter Webster. Ilah-hah-a-a 1 Well! I'll say nothln' an' I'll be neuthral, but but but " From which It may be Inferred that romance was not yet burned out of Don Juan's Gaelic soul. He would be "neuthral," but but but he re served the right to butt In I (To bo continued) Stick Flghtlno In Trinidad. Single combat In various forms snj vlves all over the world, and different peoples have different methods of showing 'their prowess. In the Island of Trinidad, for Instance, the natives, who speak u mixture of French pntola and English, call thelr method "play ing hols" (literally stick fighting). The stick used, says the Detroit News, Is nbout n yard long, nnd usunl ly made from the "pule" tree, a very hard wood. This Is held at each end diagonally In front of tho body, nnd the blows are struck by releasing one hand nnd striking with either the left or tho right In the carnival season bnnds from the various districts are mnde up nnd contests take place whenever two bandi meet The stick men nre ex. trnordlnnrlly clever nt parrying blows, nnd an expert will atop a cricket ball thrown at him.