Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
jim THE CONQUEROR
kAM BY IZA
go PETER. B.kYNE W.

his own to waste the thrills of his big
boys heart on!"
Roberta did not answer She was
thinking of remark that Crooked Bill
had once made in her presence. when
children and dogs love a man, woman
is usually safe with him" She Won
dered now if Glenn Hackett loved chill
dren and dogs and decided presently
that he would love his own children If
and when he had them, but that he
would not be interested in dogs or hui
man beings beneath him in the social
scale. And she, thought of Julio Ortiz,
with a bullet through his belly, dying
in border foray for Don Jaime Miguel
Higuenes, filled with pride in his sacri-
flee, solaced at the last by that perfect
touch of democracy which had decreed
he should perish in his masters arms.
HE is a strange man, Mrs. Candy"
she said at last. II have never met his
kind before. do not know what to
make of him-whether to like him or
dislike him, to fear him or to trust
him. He killed my uncle and then.
masquerading under the name of Jim
Higgins, he induced me to accept the
hospitality of Jaime Higuenes. Where
come from one doesn't do that sort
of thing, you know
Don Jaime is a free soul. He does
How long have you known him, Mrs.
Ganby?"
since three days after he killed your
uncle. I am trained nurse and came
down here to tend his wounds, although
he would hav recovered without my aid,
for he is as healthy as horse. Later
he asked me to be his housekeeper, but
since he does not appear to regard me
as a servant, / imagine I am sort OF
ia q
that you might visit the ranch some
DAY, and, of course, you would never
have been invited unless he had
duenna here. He is very punctilious in
matters of social propriety."
"And Robbie?"
"When he discovered I had little
crippled son, he sent his general man
ager to Ell Paso to bring the boy here:
He knew I'd want him with me, of
course"
IT understand. Innocence and help
lessness. OF course, his heart went out
to Robbie"
children understand, Miss Antrim.
think Don Jaime is man who likes
fight-any kind of a fight. He is ire
mendously interested in that atrophied
leg of Robbie's. Lately he has started
massaging it, stretching it. studying 1t,
He has been sending, for medical treatiSeS
on infantile paralysis and talks of send
ing Robbie East to be treated"
Apparently he has mania for max
ing people happy"
HE says money is round and made to
roll"
Further condolences were interrupted
by the return of the host. He called
something in Spanish to the singers and
presently one came and handed him her
guitar, received the thanks of her au-
fience and departed covered with en-
barrassment
Nov, then" qouth Don Jaime, well
have a little old Anglo-SaXon min
istrelsy from the boss himself" He
smote the strings with a firm, assured
hand and in perfectly thunderous
basso began THE Yellow Rose of
Texas" To his greet delight Roberta
Joined in the song. He cooked one lazy
eye at her inquiringly; at half-rest in
the music he demanded:
How Gomez"
"Uncle Bill" she replied, and he
nodded comprehension. Yes. of course,
Uncle Bill would know that one. But
Don Jaime played now while Roberta
sang; he drew Robbie's vacant chair
toward him with one foot swung his
legs up onto it and settled back for
good old evening of music.
The song ended and Don Jaime look
ed up f1eeting CLEAN of sadness, OF
resignation in the lazy eyes.
Nov that you have made up your
mind not to dislike me or the task Of
trying to like me, I have confession
to make
"I'll try to bear up under it,"
ga few days after I shot it out with
your uncle, his man, Bill Dingle and
five others came over here with the in
tention of doing me great bodily harm
lynclling me to one of the crosspieces
in that heavy trellis in the grape arbor
yonder, as a matter of fact. captured
Dingle and his idiots and confined
them in my private bastile here for 80
days Before turning them loose I had
my foreman fog them ALL"
"Oh, Jaime"
That's the sort of bad egg I am,
senorita. That's why was wearing two
guns today. BY the way, can you sing
Gounod's Ave Maria?'"
why, yes!" she answered little
breathlessly.
"Oh. grand wonderfull Let's go in
side and practice 1T with a piano ac-
compartment. / want you to sing 1t at
mass tomorrow for my people. You will.
of course. know you will. But first
send your kilograms. The Office in Los
Algodones will soon be closing"
(To Be Continued.)