Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-27

OTdW ana eXdIIllIleQ Ills WOUNDS
i - with the skill Of one to whom
wounds are no mystery. Top
shoulder muscle ripped and possibly
piece drilled out of the scapula. Hole
through the left biceps, but the humerus
Is untouched. Leg wound nothing to
write home about. All flesh wounds;
blood just yelling slowly. 1t will prob
ably coagulate and quit In a little
while" he announced casually.
He brought iodin, bandageS and adj
hesive tape from his saddle-bags, for,
like all of his profession, he had fire.
quent need of such things and was not
q half-bad backwoods surgeon. When
his wounds were dressed, Don jaime
stood erect and gingerly rested his
weight on his injured leg. mot any
worse than a badly sprained ankle" he
rejoiced, and I've walked miles on one
of them. Well, let's have a look
at the sassy old Sheepherder."
With Hobart'S assistance he mounted
his horse, and together they rode up the
opposite slope and gazed down at the
dead man. II could see small CLINT
of something white" Don Jaime ex-
planned, after fired the first time. I
figured it might be his face. so pecked
away at It,"
"i never knew Q man with Spanish
blood in his veins who wasn't fero-
ctouS, the ranger declared.
I'm not ferocious. I'm practical,
Ken. I wanted to keep on shooting to
show any bushwhackers who might be
in on the Job that was armed and
dangerous. And thought, too, a lot of
shooting might bring some Of these
herders from over yonder and I'd get
enough for a mess. And why waste my
shots?"
well, your extravaganza with ammu-
milton Is what brought me direct to the
scene. I'd ridden about half q mile
from where we parted when it occurred
to me that Antrim and his camp cook
me to have one of the boys come into
Los Algodones with the auto and the
trailer to bring your horse home. Re-
member? You shouted. So he'd know
you were travelling across country alone
AMI unarmed-for, OF course, he could
not know that as a mere matter OF pre-
caution you had borrowed my rifle. I
just got bunch 1t would be like the
old scoundrel to follow and bushwhack
you. He could be reasonably certain
there would be no witnesses"
Don Jaime gazed down at the grisly
thing in the bushes. Looks like An
trim-all but the face" he agreed.
''Frisk him, Ken, in your capacity as
peace oficer, and see what luck we
have
So the ranger turned the dead mans
pockets inside out, and In the coat
pocket he found a black seal-leather
wallet bearing on the outside the words
in gold letters, Thomas Antrim, Christ
mas, 1925"
Somebody, strange as 1t may seem,
actually thought enough of this man
to give him Christmas present." the
ranger murmured. Here's a photo
post card addressed to Thomas Antrim,
Jolon, Las Cruces County, Tex. Picture
of girl taken at Atlantic City. Now,
where have seen that face before?"
He handed the card up to Don
Jaime, who studied 1t briefly and handed
1t back.
Miss Roberta Antrim Of Hillcrest,
Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County, New
York." he announced grimly. $50 she
was a relative of his, after ALL" He
sighed. What else, old-timer?"
"a letter in an envelope"
sAs q peace oficer you have right
% read it."
James suggestion. brief letter from
Roberta Antrim, addressed to Dear
Uncle Tom and thanking him for
sending her a check for IS for the Ba-
bies' Hospital"
He gave up all of one lamb, didn't
he? Generous mani"
Here's a card that says. In case of
death or accident please notify my next
of kin, Miss Roberta Antrim etc. Well,
it sort Of looks like old Toms made a
mess of things. He was too old to have
attempted to do this Job himself. His
eyes probably weren't as good as they
used to be, and when a fellow takes
to bushwhacking he ought to be rea-
sonably fast and accurate with a rifle.
When you borrowed my rife, you sort
Of spilled old Toms beans, Don Jaime. !"
"His sheep we still have with us, also
his foreman and sheepherders," Don
Jaime announced thoughtfully. II sup
pose his sheep are now the property OF
his next Of kin, and heaven forbid that
should wage war on q woman. Ken,
my friend, think we'll defer the war
of the waterholes. The sensible thing
TO do now Is to wire Miss Roberta An
trim to get down here on the job and
look after the assets of her late Uncle
Tom. She's a lady. She'll probably lis
ten to reason and we'll get rid of these
sinking sheep without additional blood
shed. They'll ruin lot Of the range in
the interim, of course. Oh, let em
drink! II we shoe them off now they'll
die and that would be putting crimp
In the lady's bank roll"
Whatever else we may be, let us, at
least. try to be gentlemen" the ranger
agreed humorously. well, now, the
next business before the meeting is to
find old Toms horse, drape Thomas
across the saddle, take him into Los Al
godones and deliver him to the local
undertaken. My report of this affair will
close the investigation. And you should
get to a doctor. It's 10 miles to your
ranch and 10 miles to Los Algodones.
I'm in commando All aboard for Los
Agodones, amigo mio."
They had proceeded but a short dis
lance along the road to Los Algodones
when they were overtaken by a man
driving an old automobile that had been
converted into a truck. The ranger
rode his horse into the middle Of the
road and held up his hand. The vehicle
stopped. The ranger looked the driver
over. IT know you" he announced.
aren't you Tom Antrim's camp COOKE"
The man glanced from the ranger to
Antrim's horse with Antrims limp body
hanging across the saddle. His dark
face paled as he saw the dead mans
head bundled up in his canvas coat.
Whats happened2" he cried. That
dead mans my boss, amt hep"
He used to be. He rode out of
his camp in a hurry shortly after I
was there, you may remember. Well
his mission was to circle around Senior
H1gueneS, waylay and murder him. He
tried very hard to succeed, as you
may judge by a casual inspection of
Senior Higuenes, but somehow his prop
osition backfired and now he's on his
way to the undertaken I suppose
you're bound for Los Algodones for
supplies?"
The man nodded, his eyes still on
all that was mortal of the man who
had paid him well for doing very in
different cooking.
well, suppose we dispose Antrim's
body on your truck. Don Jaime will
ride on the seat beside you and I'll