Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-03-18
CHAPTER TX.

Prior to leaving New Orleans, Web
ster had cabled Billy Geary that he
was taking passage on La Estrellita
and stating the approximate date Of
his arrival at San Buenaventura-
which information descended upon
shat young man with something of the
charm of gentle rainfall over a hith-
erto arid district. He had been seeing
Dolores Ruey at least once day ever
since her return to SObrante. He was
quick, therefore, to seize upon Web
ster's cablegram as an excuse to call
upon Dolores and explain the mystery
surrounding his friends nOnappear-
ance.
"Well, Dolores he began, in his eX-
element calling her by her first name
for the first time, 1--WE heard from
Jack Webster"
whats the news, Bill2" Dolores in
Quired. From the first day of their aC-
quaintance she had been growing in
creasingly fond of Geary; for nearly a
week she had been DESTROYS of calling
him Bill, which is a comfortable name
and, to Dolores way of thinking, a pc
culiarly appropriate cOgnOmen for
such distinctly American young man,
At mention of the beloved word he
glanced down at her pleasurably.
THANK yOu," he said I'm glad you
got around to it finally. Those that
love me always call me Bill"
"You called me Dolores"
81 move we make it unanimous. I'm
foe to formaity."
Second the motion, Bill. SO am L
when | care to be-and in our case
your formality is spelling our cOmrade-
ship. And now, with reference to the
extraordinary Senior Webster"
why, the poor old horse has been
down with ptomaine poisoning. They
carried him off the train at st. Louis
and stood him on his head and pumped
him out, and just did manage to cancel
his order for a new tombstone. He
says he's feeding regularly again and
has booked passage on La Estrelllta,
so we can look for him on the next
steamer arriving"
"Oh, the poor fellOww Dolores muir
mured-sO fervently that Billy was on
the point of hurting his heart at her
feet on the instant.
The thousand dollars Webster had
cabled Billy "for a road-stake' had
been dwindling rapidly under the slim
illus of one continuous opportunity to
spend the same In quarter where it
was calculated to bring the most joy.
Mr.. Geary was absolutely begged in
the quagmire of his first love affair
but until his mining concession should
amply justify an avOwal of his passion
an instructive sense of the eternal fit
ness of things reminded Billy of the
old prOverb that a closed mouth
catches no flies. And in the meantime
(such is the optimism of YOUTH he de-
cided there was no need for worry, for
when a girl calls a fellow Bill, when
she tells him he's a scout and doesn't
care whOOp for any society except
his-caramba it's great
A wireless from Webster warned
Billy of the formers imminent arrival
Just before sunset Billy and Dolores
riding along the MalecOn, sighted a
blur of smoke far out to sea-a blur
that grew and grew until they could
make out the graceful white hull of La
Estrellita, before the swift trOpic night
descended and the lights of the great
vessel shimmered across the harbOr.
TOO late to clear quarantine to-
night" Billy mOurned, as he and Do
iOres rode back to her hotel. "All the
same, I'm going to borrow the launch
OF my good friend Leber ana his pro
tege Don Juan CafeterO, and 60 on
TO the steamer tonight. | can heave t,
a little way from the steamer and wei
come the old rascal, anyhow"
Fortunately, good little Leber con
scented to Billy's request. and Don JuaI
CafeterO was sober enough to turn tn,
engine over and run the launch. From
the deck of the steamer Webster
smoking his pOst-prandlal cigar, caught
sight of the launchs red and greer
sidelights chugging through the inky
blackness; as the little craft slid W
to within a cables length of the steam
er and hove to, something told Web
ster that Billy Geary would soon b.
paging him. He edged over to thu
rail.
THAT you, BlllQ" he shouted.
auoy Toob old mol 20 PiIIvia daifpht