Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-04-07
| shure, Mlsther Geary do be the fne

preme moment the derelict's soul was
bare, revealing something pure and
sweet and human, for all his degrada-
ton. How did Jack Webster know?
wondered Dolores. And why did he
so confidently give an order to this
human fiotsam and expect it to be
obeyed? And why did Don Juan
Cafetero come whining to her for
strength to help him obey it2
"That wouldn't be playing the
game" she told him. 81 can't help
you deceive him. You are the first of
your breed"
Don't say it," he cried. "Didn't
he tell me wanst".
"Then make the fight, DOn-Mr.
Cafferty" She lowered her voice.
Il am depending on you to stay sober
and guard him. He needs faithful
friend so badly, now that Mr.. Geary
is away" She patted the grimy hand
and left him staring at the ground.
Presently he sighed, Quivered HORRIBLY,
and shambled out of the patio on to
the tiring-line. And when he reported
to Jack Webster at nine o'clock next
morning he was sober, shaking hor-
ribly and on the verge of delirium
tremens, but tightly clasped in his
right hand he held that five-dollar
piece. Dolores, who had made it her
business to be present at the inter-
view, heard John Stuart Webster say
heartily:
"The finest thing about a terrible
fight, friend Cafferty, is that if it is
worthwhile battle, the spoils of vic
tory are exceedingly sweet. You are
now about to enjoy one fourth of the
said spoils-a large jolt of aguard-
iente! You must have it to steady
your nerves. Go to the nearest can
tina and buy one drink; then come
back with the change. By that time
l shall have breakfasted and you and
I will then go shopping. At noon you
shall have another drink; at four
o'clock another; and just before re-
firing you shall have the fourth and
last for this day. Remember, Caf-
! ferty: one jolt-nO mOre-and then
back here with the exact change"
AS Don Juan scurried for salvation,
Webster turned to Dolores. He'll fail
me now, but that will not be his fault
but mine. I've set him too great a
task in his present condition. Never
theless, to use a cOlloquial expression,
l have the Cafferty gOat-and I'm go
ing to keep it"
Webster went Immediately to his
room, called for pen and paper, and
proceeded at once to do that which he
had never done before-tO wit, pre-
pare his last will and testament. In
a few brief paragraphs he made a
Photographic will and split his bank
roll equally between the two human
beings he cared for mOst-Billy Geary
and Dolores Ruey. "Bill's a gambler
like me-" he ruminated; 80 I'll play
safe. The girl is a conservative, and
after Bill's wad is gone, he'd be boiled
in oil before he'd prejudice hers"
Having made his will, Webster
made a copy of it. The copy he placed
in an envelope marked: "For Jack
Not to be opened until after my
DEATH" This envelope he then enclosed
in a larger one and mailed to Billy at
Gale de Concordia No. 10.
Having made his few simple pre-,
paratiOns for death, Mr. Webster next
burrOwed in his trunk, brought forth
his big army-type automatic pistO
and secured it in a holster under his
arm, for he deemed it unwise and pro
vocative of curiosity to appear in i'm
maculate ducks that bulged at the
right hip. Next he filled two spare
clips with cartridges and slipped then
into his pocket thus completing his
few simple preparations for life. q
He glanced out the window at the
sun. There would still be an hour Of
daylight; so he descended to the lobby
called a carriage and took shor
drive!
Returning to the hotel he dismissed
the carriage, climbed the three shor
steps to the entrance and was passin'
through the revolving portal, Whel
from his rear some one gave th'
door a violent shove, with the resul
that the turnstile partition behind hin
, cOllided with his back with sufficien
force to throw him against the parti
ton in front. Instantly the doc
ceased to pivot, with Webster LOCKED
, neatly in the triangular space be
, tween the two sections of the revOl
wing door and the jamb.
He turned and beheld in the sec
, ton behind him an officer of tn
Sobrantean army. This individual
T observing he was under Webster
: scrutiny, scOwled and peremptoril
; mOtioned to Webster to proceed
which the latter did, with such vic
lence that the door, continuing to re
volve, caught up with the Sobranteal
! and subjected him to the same In
dignity to which he had subjecte
| Webster