The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1921-01-14

knAnNf 1nc AoAN hAAAs NAh HNAR
you deceive him. You are the first OF
your breed"
Don't say IT." he cried. "Didn't
he tell me wanstT
"Then make the fight Don-Mr.
Cafferty." She lowered her voice.
'T am depending On you to stay sober
and guard him. He needs faithful
friend 30 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 flring-line. And when he reported
to Jack Webster at nine o'clock next
morning, ne was sober, shaking hor-
rlbly and on the verge Of delirium
tremens, but tightly clasped IN his
right hand he held that f1ve-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 terrible
fight, friend Cafferty, Is that II 1t is a
worth while 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 cam
tina and buy one drink; then come
back with the change. By that time
shall have brealSfasted and you ana
I viii 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
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 viii 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 Caferty 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 ne cared for most-Billy Geary
and Dolores Ruey. .sBilPs a gambler
like me-" he rurninated; $50 I'll play
safe. The girl is conservative. and
after Bills wad Is gone, he'd be boiled
in oil before he'd prejudice hers"
Having made his win. Webster
made a copy Of 1t. 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 Concortiia 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 pistol
and secured II in a holster under his
arm, for he deemed It unwise and pro
vocative Of curiosity to appear in Inn
maculate ducks that bulged at the
right hip. Next he filed two spare
clips with cartridges and slipped them
into his pocket, thus completing his
few simple preparations for life.
He glanced out the window at the
sun. There would still be an hour Of
daylight; SO he descended to the lobby.
called carriage and took short
drive.
Returning to the hotel he dismissed
the carriage, climbed the three short
steps to the entrance and was passing
through the revolving portal, when
from his rear some one gave the
door a violent shove. with the result
that tho turnstile partition behind him
coliided with his back with sufficient
force to throw him against the partt-
ton in front. Instantly the door
ceased to pivot. with Webster locked
neatly in the triangular space be
tween the two sections Of the revolt
wing door and the jamb.
He turned and beheld In the sec
ton behind him an officer OF the
sobrantean army. This individual,
observing he was under WebstePs
scrutiny, scowIed and penemptorily
motioned to Webster TO proceed
which the latter did. with such vio-
lence that the door, continuing to re-
volve, caught up with the sObrantean
! and subjected him to the same In
dignity to which he had subjected
Webster.