Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-10-22
Senior Jim
By WILL LEXINGTON COMFORT
Copyright, BY ]. B. Lippincott CO..

moonlight, maple-buds-and a man
and a maiden standing closely to.
getheF.
Bat, Nettie. II you don't think I'm
worth waiting for, I'm sure ] don't
know Just what to do about IT," the
man said dismally.
you are worth waiting for, JIM"
vas the soft answer. 81 believe in
you and like you-better than any.
body I ever knew; but, Jim, you know
you are slow"
"Yes, there seems to be a general
agreement on that: but you wait two
years. Nettie, and I'll go out into the
southwest and make a bunch of mon
ey and come back and marry you.
In two years"
But how are you going to make
this bunch Of money!" she asked, with
sweet Skeptieism.
oh, the southwest, you know.
They're rushers out there. I'll
hustle"
Nettte was silent for q moment. It
h possible that she was trying TO
couture to her brain q picture Of big
Jim Quest in the act Of hustling.
Yes. DEAR" whispered Jim; "I'n
think Of you always out there while
I'm banging about. piling up dollars. {"
And so It came about that Jim grit.
ted his teeth at the southwest, vow.
Ing to nanhandle the same out of a
competence for two.
After many days he strolled over
into Mexico and discovered Oorazel,
which was concealed like a yellow.
brown chameleon on the yellow.brown
sand. The day was shaking down her
shadows when Jim Quest came and
tie little people we're awake. Be-
cause he was a-hungered and very hot
and weary, the people ministered unto
him-brought him milk and choice
portions Of goats, fragrant bouquets
Of red wine and coffee black.
One fthehngered, marvel.eyed maid.
On rolled cigarettes for him, as you
would imagine Mother Nature would
make roses II she set about doing a
half-dozen blossoms q minute. And
another girl-so wondrous that Jim
thought she must be a mirage at the
edge Of the sunset until be heard her
Voice-swung hammock for him at
the window Of the house.
Il knew tt sure knew It." muir.
INJURED Jim. IF you keep on going,
you're bound to find something to do.
! think ! am going to like this"
1t transpired that he was in the
house Of Quesada, to whom all Cora
eel bowed. A very old Spaniard was
the senior, with some riches, caprices,
venoms and affections. When the last
century was in Its high noon, Quesada
had come over from Spain into Mex.
leo. He had found silver, and it was
a stately tradition in Corazel and the
province that the old man had a pa
per which pointed out the mouth Of
the Lost Lode, tooth Of almost solid
silver, known to be somewhere among
the Diablo peaks, though lost for dec.
AIDES. Senior Quesada also possessed
two daughters: Magdalena, who swung
JinVs hammock. and whose beauty
would have startled Madrid; and Jua-
nita, the little sister, who loved to
roll Jim's cigarettes and serve In the
shadows.
QuOsada and his family treated the
American with great Difference, until
Jim began to believe that he was a
Messiah long expected. Without stir.
ring from his hammock. he could learn
Spanish. There was infinite peace In
the prospect Of the wilderness of
mountains to the south and east.
Plainly COrazel was his destiny; for.
as he had proved. there were no for
tunes to be made behind.
Jim filed some great need and had
not the heart to depart. Weeks
elapsed and his Spanish permitted
him 10 learn the manner Of his SER
vice. Senior Quesada. dim Of mind
and dtsmAntled Of body. bent over the
young mans hammock one morning
and babe him follow. They mounted
horses In silence and rode out into
the tinted mountains together. where
the old Spaniard showed him his Sc
cret silver mine filed with wealth IN
told.
Now, Just here the plot bears down.
Jose Costa coveted not only the pos
sessions of Qdesada, including the
map to the Lost Lode, but he had
cooked upon the elder daughter, Mag
1alesa, and ridden away with a star
n hiS eyes. In the failing brain of the
Id SpaniaTd. the length and breadth
md thickness Of our Jim were ad.
usted to a design. He was to act
Is a moral force to the existing de-
endeTs Of COrazel in the event of
aid; and also. by his considerable
presence. he was to act as a pre-
Ientive against any extreme measures |
N the part Of Jose Costa.
But, alas. days and weeks of I'm. |
1arying sunlight and eternal stars |
AIDED the realism into vague.
mythical story. The morning ride to |
he Lost Lode. the ardor Of the toll |
f defense. and even the existence of |
ose Costa. partoOk at last of the