Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-04-07

hl1O" 1OA a SCA lolAlJ NIlCllCA oAlC was
perfect or possessed of a slight flaw;
so he silently drew forth wallet that
would have chOked a COW and skinned
off a ten-dOllar gold certificate of the
United States of America.
"I'm game" he mumbled.
"The fat gentleman's initials are E.
P. j."
"By the twelve apostles, Peter,
Simon"
Don't blaspheme, Mr.. Webster"
He stood up and shook himself.
"When you order the tea," he said
very distinctly, please have mine
cold. 1 need a bracer after that. Take
the ten. You've won it."
"Thanks, ever so much," she an
swered in a matter-of-fact tone, and
tucked the bill inside her shirtwaist.
"I am a very poor woman, and
Every little bit added to what you've
got makes just a little bit more," she
caroled, swaying her 1.-the, beautiful
body and swapping her fingers like
cabaret dancer.
He could have groaned with the
futility Of his overwhelming desire for
her; it even occurred to him what a
shame it was to waste a marvel like
her on a callow young pup like Billy,
who had fought so many deadly skirm-
ishes with Dan Cupid that a post
impressionistic painting of the Geary
| heart must resemble a pincushiOn.
| Then he remembered that this was an
ungenerous, a traitorOus thought, and
that he had not paid the lady her fee.
"Well, what's the TARIFF" he asked.
"You really feel that have earned
a professionals feep
Beyond a doubt"
"Sfnce you have taken Billy away
from me this evening, l shall make
you take Billy's place this evening.
After dinner you shall hire an open
victoria with two little white horses
and drive me around the Malecon.
There is a band concert tonight"
eff it's the last act of my wicked
life! ~ he promised fervently. Strange
to relate, in that ecstatic moment no
thought of Billy Geary marred the per,
feet serenity of what promised to be
the most perfectly serene night in his
tory.
They were seated at the tiny tea
table when the sound of feet crunch
ing the little shell-paved path through
the patio caused Webster and Dolores
to turn their heads simultaneously
Coming toward them was an individ
ual who wore upon head of flaming
red a disreputable, conical-crowneC
straw sOmbrero; a sOiled cOttOr
camisa with the tails flowing free OF
his equally soiled khaki trousers, anc
sandals of the kind known as alpar
gates-made from the tough fibre of
plant of the cactus family and worr
only by the very lOwliest peOns-com
pleted his singular attire.
zone of Billy's friends and another
reason why he has no social standing
Dolores whispered. II believe he's go
ing to speak to u.s."
Such evidently appeared to be th'
mans intention. He came to th'
edge of the veranda, swept his ruiz
of a hat from his red head and bowed
with Castilian eXpansiveness.
"Yer pardon, Miss, for, appearin' be
fore you"
She smiled her forgiveness to wha
Webster now perceived to be al
alcoholic wreck. He was about t.
dismiss the fellow with scant Cere
mony when Dolores, with that ricl
sense of almost masculine humOr-
humor that was distinctly American
said sweetly:
"Mr. Webster, shake hands with Do
Juan CafeterO bon vivant and MAJ
about town. Don Juan, permit me t
present Mr.. Webster, from sOmeWher
in the United States. Mr.. Webster
a mining partner of our mutual frien
Mr.. William Geary."
A long, sad descent into the Pit hat
however, imbued Don Juan with
sense of his degradation; he was i
the presence of a superior, and he az
knOwledged the Introduction with
respectful inclination of his head.
'"Tis you I've called to see, Misthe
Webster, sor," he explained.
, "Very well, Old-timer. In what wa
can l be of service to your
"Tis the other way around, sor,
ye place, an for that same there's n
Charge, seem ye're the partner, a
that fine, kind gintleman, Misthe
Geary. Did ye, whilst in New Orleans
have d'alings wit a short, shtOr
spiggoty wit a puckered scar unGhe
his right eye?"
John Stuart Webster suddenly st
up straight and gaZed upon the los
son of Erin with grave interest. Yes
he replied, II seem to recall such
man."
'"Tis none av me business, sOr, bl
would We mind tellin' me just what J
did to that spiggOty?"
n "Why, to begin, last Sunday NOR
# ing l interrupted this pucker-eyed fe
low and a pOp-eyed friend of his viii
II engaged in an attempt to assassinate
n white, inoffensive stranger. The fC
q lowing day, at the gangplank of Il