Vernon Parish Democrat., 1921-03-10

only person who had her address, the
cable agent referred it to me. Under
the circumstances, not knowing where
could reach you with a cable inform
ing you that Mrs. Wilkins was headed
for California to see you, I had no
other alternative but to let matters
take their course. decided you might
arrive on La Estrellita, so I called to
welcome you to our thriving little city,
and, as a friend of about two min
utes' standing, to waHn you away from
It,"
Billy's mien, as he voiced this
warning, was so singularly mysteri-
GUS that Dolores curiosity was
aroused instantly and rose superior
to her grief. ''Why what's the mat
teri" she demanded.
Billy loked around, as if fearful of
being overheard. He lowered his
voice. "We're going to have one grand
little first-class revolution" he re-
piled. cts due to bust almost any
night now, and when it does, the
streets of San Buenaventura will run
red with blood"
Dolores blanched. ooh, dearie me-"
she quavered. do they still have
revolutions here? You know, Mr..
Geary, my poor father was killed in
one"
Eyes, and the same old. political
gang that shot him is still on deck"
Billy warned her. 'It would be high
ly dangerous for a Ruey, man or wom-
an, to show his or her nose around
Buenaventura about now. Besides,
Miss Ruey, that isn't the worst" he
continued, for a whole-hearted lad was
Billy, who never did anything by
halves. "The city is reeking with
cholera" he declared.
"Cholera r. Dolores big brown eyes
grew bigger with wonder and concern.
"How strange the port authorities
didn't warn us at New Orleansr
"Tish Tushl Fiddlesticks and then
some. The fruit company censors
everything, Miss Ruey, and the news
doesn't get out"
"But the port doctor just said the
passengers could go ashore"
"What's a human life to a doctor2
Besides, he's on the slush-fund pay
roll and does whatever the higherups
tell him. You be guided by what tell
you, Miss Ruey, and do not set foot
on Sobrantean soil. If you stay
aboard La EstrelHta, you'll have your
nice clean stateroom, your we'll
cooked meals, your bath, and the at
tentions of the stewardess. The steam
er will be loaded in two days; then
you go back to New Orleans, and by
the time you arrive there I'll have
been in communication by cable with
Mother Jenks-I mean"
Mother who?" Dolores demanded
ga mere slip of the tongue, Miss
Ruey. was thinking Of my landlady.
meant Mrs. wilkins"
''I'm so awfully obliged to you, Mr..
Geary. You're so kind, I'm sure I'd
be most ungrateful girl not to be
guided by you accordingly. You
wouldn't risk any friend Of yours in
this terrible place. would you, Mr.
GearyY
Indeed, / would not. By permitting
anybody thought anything of to colne
to this city, l should feel guilty of
murder"
Sim sure you would, Mr.. Gesry.
Nevertheless, there is one point that is
not quite clear in my mind, and wish
you'd explain
command me, Miss Ruey."
'If this is such erightful place,
why are you so anxious, if may en-
ploy such language. to hornswoggle
your dearest friend, Mr.. John S. Web
ster into coming down here? Do you
want to kiln him and get his money
or whatY
Billy's face famed at thought of the
embarrassing trap his glib tongue had
led him into. He cursed himself for
a star,spangled jackass, and while he
was engaged in this interesting pas
time Dolores spoke again.
"And by the way, which is It? Miss
wilkins or Mrs.? You've called her
both, and when I reminded you she
was Miss, you agreed with me,
whereas she is nothing of the sort.
She's Mrs. Then you blurted out
something about Mother jerks. and
finally, Mr.. Geary, it occurs to me that
for a complete stranger you are un-
duly interested in my welfare. I'm
not such a goose as to assimiiate your
weird tales of death from disease. It
occurs to me that II your friend John