Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-05-27
he whispered.
mo, Caliph,"
"RlcardO."
uUnn T,.I. -

mo, Callph."
Ricardo"
Eyes, Jack"
"Come here. Rick, you schemlng,
INSCRIPTIONS, blood-thirsty adventurer,
have tremendous surprise in store
for you. The sweetest girl in the world
and she's right here"
Ricardo laughingly held up his hand.
Jack, my friend" he interrupted,
you're too weak to make n speech.
Don't do it, Besides, you do not have
to-" He turned and bowed gracefully
to Dolores. 81 can see for myself she's
the sweetest girl in the world, and that
she's right here" He held out his
hand to her. Jack thinks he's going
to spring n surprise he continued ma
llciOusly, quite forgetting that a good
soldier never permits himself to be
taken by surprise know all about
his little secret, because I heard you
mourning for him when you thought he
was dead" Ricardo favored her with
a knowing wink. II am delighted to
meet the future Mrs. Webster. l quite
understand why you fell in love with
him, because, you see, I love him my
self and so does everybody else"
With typical Castilian courtliness he
took her hand, bowed low over it, and
kissed it. II am Ricardo Luiz Ruey,"
he said, anxious to spare his friend the
task of further exhausting CONVERSE
ton. "And you are"
you're a consummate jackassr
grOaned Webster. I'm only a dear old
family friend, and Dolores is going to
marry Billy Geary. You impetuous
idiot She's your own sister, Dolores
Ruey. She Mark Twain, and I have
ample cause for common complaint
against the world because the reports
Of our death have been grossly exag-
gerated She didn't perish when your
fathers administration crumbed. Miss
Ruey, this is your brother, Ricardo
Kiss her you damn fool-forgive me,
Miss Ruey-oh, Lord, nothing matters
any more. He's gummed everything
up and ruined my party. wish were
dead"
Ricardo stared from the outraged
Webster to his sister and back again
"Jack Webster" he declared, you
aren't crazy, are your"
"Of course, he is-the old dear" Do
lores cried happily but I'm not" She
stepped up to her brother, and her
arms went around his neck. "Oh,
Rick" she cried, I'm your sister Tru-
ly, am"
DOLORES. My little lost sister, Do
lOres? Why, can't believe it!'
"Well, you'd better believe it," John
Stuart Webster growled feebly. "Of
course, you can doubt my word and
get away with it, now that I'm fiat on
my back, but if you dare cast asper-
sions on that girls veracity, III muir
der you a month from now"
He closed his eyes, feeling instinc-
lively that he ought not spy on such a
sacred family scene. When, however.
the affecting meeting was over and Do
lOres was ruffling the Websterian fore
top while her brother pressed the Web. /
sterian hand and tried to say all the
things he felt, hR couldn't express
John Stuart Webster brought them
both back to a realization of present
conditions.
Don't thank me sir" he nired in
pathetic imitation of the small boy Of
melodrama, 81 have only done me
duty and for that | cannot accept This
Nurse of gold, even though my father
''' ""'hor are starving"
"Oh, Caliph, do be serious" Dolores
pleaded.
He looked up at her fondly. Take
your brother out to Mother jerks and
prove your case, Miss Ruey," ne ad-
vised her. "And while you're at it,
| certainly hope somebody will remem-
Der I'm not accustomed to repOsing on
a center table. Rick, If you can per
suade some citizen to put me to bed,
I'd be obliged. I'm dead tired, old
horse. Tm-ah-sleepy-"
His head rolled weakly to one side,
Tor he had been playing a part and
had nerved himself to finish it grace
fully, even in his weakened condition.
He sighed, moaned slightly, and
slipped into Inconsistencies.
Continued Next Week