Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-11
TwENrY-FIRsT INsTALLMENT.

w WILLIAM B. LATHAM rubbed
n his hands together in pleased
NM anticipation as he noticed
the telegram beside his plate
at breakfast. He read:
"The man who first called you
Crooked Bill knew his onions. Stop. You
are as crooked as a bed spring vintage
Of eighteen eighty. Stop. I have your
Texas record. Stop. You permitted me
TO walk into q situation that is per-
fectly and monstrously unusual and I
am horribly embarrassed. Stop. Jim's
father shot you in the foot with forty
five caliber revolver and the impulse to
be careless with deadly weapons still
runs in the family only the present
representative uses bow and arrow
and shoots for the heart. Stop. Nor Is
the Connemara half blood bred out of
the tribe. Stop. Believe it or not he
has erected a headstone over Uncle
Tom. Stop. It is an angel weeping
and on the base of the monument he
has worked in bas-relief of a shep-
that was lost. Stop. Spanish art and
Irish deviltry. Stop. When I COM
pare him with Glenn I am torn be-
tween desire to weep and to laugh.
Stop. Glenn Is so respectable, so proper,
so mindful of all the things We have
been raised to admire and respect,
while this fellow stops at nothing and
consults only his own desires. Stop. My
plan is to secure the courts permission
70 get rid Of the sheep promptly and
return to Hillcrest so can bite you on
the ear. BOBBY"
Harms. the butler, in the act of drop
ping the customary two Jumps of sugar
into Crooked Bill's cup, regarded his
master with concern. 1t appeared to
Harms that the old gentleman was
about to have some sort Of seizure, for
he had closed his eyes, thrown back his
head, opened his mouth and gasped.
Anything wrong. sir?" Harms de-
manded.
Hart" yelled Crooked Bill. "Har!"
The channels of his devious sense of
humor having thus been cleared.
Crooked Bill laid his head down on the
table and gasped and shook and wept
and roared.
Good news, sir9" Harms suggested
politely.
Harms" said Crooked Bill, did you
ever hear Of Pandora?"
ooh, yes, sirl You are referring to
the lady OF mythology who unlocked
the box Of troubles?"
Exactly. Well, Miss Roberta has
unlocked q similar box. Harms, get Mr..
Hackett on the telephone"
But how can b0 assured that he
viii be jealous .of Mle?"
HE can't help it. It's In his nature.
And you know Roberta. Right now she's
busy working on him. She'll make him
fall In love with her, and then, when
she has him helpless, she'll put her
foot In his face. The man who makes
love TO Roberta Is O gone hombre, but
the smart fellow who refuses to take
her seriously Is the chap who's bound to
win her. And once won, she'll make the
finest and most loyal wife in the world"
Glenn Hackett pondered. There may
be something In what you say, MIR.
Latham. Higuenes wrote her that q
chap named Jim Higgins had killed her
Uncle Tom, and, having sold her that
information, he has had the audacity
to invite her to his ranch. That was
poor strategy, and think, with you,
that Roberta viii punish him for It.
I'm her own little way, my boy, in
her own little way--and you know what
that way Is. You'd better jump to Texas
miiy pronto."
.'Well, to make good on your deceit
you've rented Hillcrest, so why not go
to Texas with me? Shave your whiskers
and dress like rancher and play the
part Of the sheep buyer?"
by golly, I'll do it, Glenn. It's a
good idea. Anyhow. I should be on the
ground to advise you in case you run
into snags. When can you start?"
I'm one week"
Zine. That's giving Bobby more time
than she. requires, but, on the other
hand. Higuenes may be slow starter.
Meanwhile, I'll keep you advised II any
thing new turns up-hey, don't hang
UP yet. Harms has just handed me an
other telegram. 1t may be from
Bobby. -. No, it's from Higuenes.
oh, Glenn, will you listen to this?" And
he read over tie telephone:
"when you see your ward again
should be proud man to hear you ad-
dress her as Mrs. Higuenes or Higgins
whichever suits you best. Stop. To that
end request your permission to pay my
court. Stop know the going will be
hard but have never been accustomed
to getting anywhere without a battle SC
I will take a chance. Stop. You know
my people so do not have to furnish
social references. Stop. Can furnish
financial credentials to please any save
most exacting."
what are you going to say in re-
ply, Mr.. Latham"