The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-02-03
~,+o;r RonnvifleS' Jaw dropped

(,HnJnlu
SLIGHTLY; with a quiet, deliberate mo-
ZION his hand stole to his holster-hap.
I.;ontenont Arredondo wet his lips anu
Glanced so apprehensively at his COM
nanion that Webster was aware that
here was a situation not to MS liking.
"you should use IN open holster"
yohster tainted. "Come, come-un-
hutton that holster-hap and get busy"
Renayides' hand came away from
the holster. lie was not the least bit
frightened, but his sense or proper
tion in matters of this kind was I'M
dergoing a shake-up.
"In disposing Of any enemy IN gun
fight, so professional killer once ILL.,
formed me-" Webster continued ut IS
good plan to put your first builec
anywhere in the abdomen; the shock
Of a bullet there paralyzes your oppo-
nent for a few seconds and prevents
him from returning the compliment
and in the interim you blow his oralns
ont while he lies looking at you.
have never had any practical expert
cnce in matters of this kind, but
don't. mind telling you that if l must
nractice on, somebody, the good Loro
con,d not have provided two more de-
lishtful subjects"
He ceased speaking, and for nearly
half a minute the three men appraised
each other. Benavides was sm'l1ns
SLIGHTLY; Arredondo was hdsetlns'
Webster's glance never faltered from
the captains nervous hand.
..yon would be very foolish to
draw" Webster then assured bena-
vh1es. IF am forced to kill YOU IL
vii, he with profound regret. Sup
nose YOU two dear. sweet children run
along home and think this thing over
Ym may change your mind by tomor'
row morn~
The captains hand. with tho speed
Of a juggler's, had flown to his hol-
ster; but quick as he was, Webster
was split second quicker. The sound
of his shot roared through the silent
! Gale. and Benavides, with his pistol
half drawn. lifted bloody, shattered
hand from the butt as Webster's au-
! tomato swept in swift arc and COW
cred Arredondo, whose arms on the in
slant went skyward.
"That wasn't half bad duel" Web
stcr remarked coldly. Are you not
| obliged to me, Captain, for not blowing
your brains out-for disregarding my
finer instincts and rcfraining from
shooting you first through the abdo"'
men? Bless you, my boy. I've been
stuck for years in places where the
only sport consisted in seeing who
could take a revolver, shoot at tin
can and roll it farthest in three Sec
onds. Let me see your hand"
Benavides sullenly held up that
dripping member, and Webster in
spected it at a respectful distance.
"Steel jacket bullet" he Informed the
wounded man. "Small hole-didn't 90
much damage. You'll be just as well
as ever in a month"
He helped himself to Arredondo's
gun, tipped out the cylinder, and
slipped all six cartridges into his palm.
Similarly he disarmed Benavides, eX-
pressed his regret that circumstances
had rendered it imperative to use
force, and strolled blithely down the
Gale. In the darkened patio he
/ CROPPED along the wall until he found
/ the swinging rope by which he had
descended from his room-whereupon
/ he removed his shoes, tied the laces
together, slung them around his neck.
dug his toes into the adobe wall and
, climbed briskly to his room.
| =
The next morning Webster waited
until Dolores appeared and then &C.
companied her into the dining room
for breakfast.
'Well, how did you pass your first
night in Buenaventura| she inquired,
in the manufacture Of breakfast con-
versation.
mot very we'll. Jiggcrs bit me and
woke me up. and finally fell into
trance and had yision-about you.
After that couldn't go to sleep again.
I was fairly bursting to sec YOU at
breakfast and read your palm. I've
just discovered wonderful system"
"Show me-" she flashed back ut
him and she extended her little hand.
He picked it up gravely and with the
dull tine of fork made great show
of tracing the lines on her palm.
"YOu are about twenty-four years
old, and your ancestors were pure-bred
Castilians who came from Madrid,
crossing the Atlantic in caravels. Ever
since the first Ruey landed on this
coast the family has been identified
with the government of the country in
one way or another. When you We're
quite q little girl, your father, Don
Ricardo Ruey, at that time president
of Sobrante, failed to suppress revo-
luton and was cornered in the govern
ment palace, which was set atirc.
''Through the bravery and devotion
of cockncy gentleman, Colonel Henry
jerks, an artillery officer in your
fathers army you were saved from
perishing in the burning palace. Col
oael jerks turned you over to his
spouse, now known as Mother jerks,
with instructions to raise you lydy,
and Mother jerks has carried out
those instructions. Colonel jerks and
vour father xvnra eyncnta6 md Nother