Williams news., 1914-09-24

one partlcular nOmDr6 we want to steer clear of. and keep him guessing as long as we can. That's my view of it, pardner."
 "Oh, that's all right" laughed De Lancey, The won't get anything out of me-that is. nothing but bunch of hot air. Say, he's a shrewdlooking old guinea, isn't he? Did you notice that game eye? He kept 1t kind of dropped, almost shut, until he came to the point-and then he opened 1t up real fierce. Reminds me of a big fighting owl waking up in the day. time. But you just watch me handle him, and if I don't fool the old boy at every turn it'll be because run out of bull"
 Well, you can hand him the bull if you want to-" grumbled Bud, "but the first time you give anything away I'm going to pick such row with the old cuss that we'll have to make a new trail to get by. So leave i'm alone, if you ever expect to see that grill"
 A-close association with Phil De Lancey had left Bud not unaware of his special weaknesses, and Phil was undoubtedly romantic. Given barred and silent house, shut of from the street by whitened walls and ve- randa screened with flowers, and the questing eyes of MT. De Lancey would turned to those barred windows as ceI< tainly as the needle seeks the pole.
 On every trip. coming and going, he bo a A yo 0op bnYy co from fhA vine-covered corredor in front to the walled-in summer garden behind, hop ing to surprise view of the beautiful daughter of the house. And unless ru- nor and Don Juan were at fault, she was indeed worthy of his solicitude- gay and sprightly creature, brown eyed like her mother and with the same glorious chestnut hair. Already those dark, mischievous eyes had been busy and, at the last big dance at Fortuna, she had set years her father, in g rage, had sent her away to school in order to break oil some ill-considered love affair; and now battle royal was being waged between Manuel del Key, the. dashing captain of the rurales stationed at Fortuna. and Felix Luna, son of a rich haciendado down in the hot country, for the honor of her hand.
 What more romantic, then, than that a handsome American. stepping grace fully into the breach, should keep the naughty lovers from staying each other by bearing of the prize himself? So reasoned Philip De Lancey, mus ing upon the ease with which he could act the part; but for prudential pur- poses he said nothing of his vaunting ambitions. knowing full well that they would receive an active veto from Bud.
 For, while De Lancey did most of the talking. and great deal of the thinking for the partnership, Hooker was not lacking in positive opinions; and upon sufficient occasion he would express himself though often with more force than delicacy. Therefore, upon this unexpected sally about the girl. Phil changed the subject abruptly | and said no more of Aragon or the hopes within his heart.
 It was not so easy, however, to avoid Aragon, for that gentleman had appar- ently taken the pains to inform him self as to the place where they were at work. and he was waiting for them in the morning with frown as black as a thunder cloud.
 Hes on!" muttered Phil. as they drew near enough to see his face. What shall we do?"
 ''Do nothing" growled Bud through his teeth; you jest let me do the talk ing!"
 He maneuvered his horse adroitly and, with a skilful turn. cut in be- l tween his pardner and Aragon.
 "'S dias," he greeted, gazing down in burly defiance at the militant Ara gon; and at the same moment he gave De Lancey's horse furtive touch with his spur.
 .Buenos dias, senores!" returned Aragon, striding forward to intercept them; but as neither of the Americans looked back, he was left standing in the middle of the street
 That's the way to handle ,Im," ob- served Hooker, as they trotted briskly down the lane. Leave i'm to mel" It'll only make him mad" objected De Lancey grossly. What do you want to do that for?''
 | He's mad already" answered Bud. q want to quarrel with him. so he can't ask us any questions. Get him so mad he won't talk-then it'll be a fair fight and none of this snake-in-the- /, grass business
 Yes, but don't put it on him." pro tested De Lancey. Let him be friendly for while, if he wants to-
 Cant be friends" said Bud lacon- ically; I've jumped his claim" | Maybe he doesn't want it," sug- gested Phil hopefully. He's dropped a lot of money on it."
 You bet he wants it," returned Hooker, with conviction. "I'm going to camp out there-the old boy is 1 liable to iumD us" R