The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1921-11-11
Author of "Cappy
Kicks" The Valley
Of the Giants" Etc.

game as gander.
"And mustn't call at FL Buen Ami
60. Mr.. Geary"
"Perish the thought! Mother must
call on you. FL Buen Amigo is what
you might term a hotel for tropical
tramps of the masculine sex. Nearly
all of Mothers guests have past,
you know. They're the submerged
white tenth Of Sobrante.
'Then my benefactor must call to
see me here" Billy nodded. "When
will you bring her here?"
Billy reflected that Mother jerks
had been up rather late the night be-
fore and that trade in the cantina
of Ell Buen Amigo had been unusually
brisk; so since he desired to exhibit
the old lady at her best, he concluded
1t might be well to spar for wind.
Tomorrow at TO-" he declared. Do
lOres inclined her head. Something
told her she had better leave all future
details to the amiable William.
II remember you inquired for your
friend, Mr.. Webster. when you came
aboard the steamer"
II remember It. too" Billy countered
ruefully. II can't imagine what's be-
come Of him. Miss Ruey, did you
ever go to meet the only human being
In the world and discover that for
some mysterious reason he had failed
to keep the appointment? Miss Ruey,
you'll have to meet old John Stuart
the minute he lights in Buenaventura.
He's some boy"
"Old John Stuart?" she Queried.
"H0w old?"
"Oh, thirty-nine or forty on actual
count, but one of the kind that will
live to be a thousand and then have
to be killed with an axe. He's COM
ing to Sobrante to help me put over a
mining DEAL"
"How interesting, Mr.. Geary! No
wonder you were disappointed"
The last sentence was shaft DELHI
erately launched; to Dolores delight
1t made keyhOle in Billy Geary's
heart.
"DOn't get me wrong. Miss Ruey,"
he fastened to assure her. II have a
good mine, but I'd trade it for hand
shake from Jack The good Lord only
published one edition Of Jack, and
limited the edition to one volume;
then the plates were melted for the
Junk we call the human race. Two
weeks ago, when l was sick and pen
niless and despairing. the pOssessOr of
concession on fortune, but with
out centavO in my pockets to buy a
banana, when was a veritable beach
cOmber and existing on the charity Of
Mother jerks, managed finally to
communicate with old Jack and told
him where was and what l had.
There's his answer, Miss Ruey. and
I'm not ashamed to say that when |
got 1t cried like a kid" And Billy
handed her John Stuart Webster's re-
markable cablegram, the receipt Of
which had. for Billy Geary, trans
formed night into day. purgatory into
paradise. Dolores read it.
mo wonder you love him." she de-
clared. and added artlessly: "His
wife must simply adore him."
He has no wife to bother his life,
so he paddles his own CANOE" Billy
recited. 81 don't believe the old sour
dough has ever been in love with any
thing more charming than the goddess
of fortune. He's woman-proOf"
"About Mrs. jerks" Dolores cOntin-
ued, abruptly changing the subject.
"HOw nice to reflect that after she
had trusted you and believed in you
when you were penniless, you were
enabled to justify her faith"
"You bet" Billy declared. II feel
that 1 can never possibly hope to
catch even with the old Samaritan.
although 1 did try to show her how
much appreciated her"
II dare say you went right out and
bought her an impossible hat" Dolores
challenged roguishly.
mo, didn't. for very sufficient
reason. Down here the ladies do not
wear hats. But I'll tell you what 1 did
buy her, Miss Ruey-and oh. by
George. I'm glad now did 1t. She'll
wear them tomorrow when bring her
to see you. l bought her new black
silk dress and an old-lace collar, and
gold breast pin and tortoise shell
hair comb and hired an open carriage
and took her for an evening ride on
the Malecon to listen to the band con-
cert"
did she like thatT'
"She ate 1t up" Billy declared with
conviction. II think 1t was her first
adventure in democracy"
Billy's pulse was still far from nor
NAL when he reached FL Buen Amigo,
for he was infused with strange,
new-found warmth that burned like
malarlal fever. but wasn't. He wasted
no preliminaries on Mother jerks. but
bluntly acquainted her with the facts
In the case.
Mother jerks eyed him a moment
wildly. Cords TRUTH she gasped
she reached for her favorite elixir, but
Billy got the bottle first.
Nothing doing" he warned this
strange publican. Mother. you're
f,inking it-snd what would your
sainted Emery say TO thatl DO you